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March 24, 2023 U.S. Air Strikes Hit Iranian Proxies in Syria After Iranian Drone Kills U.S. Contractor Latest Developments A drone attack on a U.S. military base in northeast Syria on Thursday resulted in the death of a U.S. contractor and the wounding of five American troops and another U.S. contractor.... March 22, 2023 Israel Braces for Violence During Ramadan Latest Developments Israeli police plan to deploy thousands of additional officers in Jerusalem ahead of Ramadan in anticipation of recurrent violence on the Temple Mount. Police forces will bulk up... March 22, 2023 Nations Pledge $1 Billion of Post-Quake Assistance for Syria Despite History of Aid Theft Latest Developments At a conference on Monday in Brussels, donor states pledged an additional $1 billion of humanitarian aid to help Syrians recover from a February 6 earthquake that took thousands of lives.... March 21, 2023 Regime in Tehran May Be Facing Internal Instability Latest Developments Two documents reportedly produced by the Islamic Republic of Iran and obtained by Iran International shed new light on the extent of the regime’s economic woes and internal instability.... March 20, 2023 Turkey Approves Finland’s NATO Membership Latest Developments Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that he now supports Finland’s application for NATO membership. By contrast, Ankara, which has stalled the transatlantic alliance’s... March 20, 2023 Israel and Palestinians Make Peace Commitments in Sharm el-Sheikh At the invitation of Egypt, the United States, and Jordan, Palestinian and Israeli government officials met in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh on Sunday to discuss the soaring... March 19, 2023 Palestinian Terrorist Commander Killed in Syria Latest Developments Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) accused Israel on Sunday of assassinating one of its commanders in Syria amid signs of escalating activities by the terrorist group in the West Bank.... March 17, 2023 Eyeing Iran’s Nuclear Program, U.S. and Israeli Militaries Train Together in Nevada Latest Developments The United States and Israel are conducting the Red Flag-Nellis 23-2 combined aerial military exercise in Nevada, which runs March 12-24. The training comes as the top U.S. military... March 16, 2023 Iranians Renew Protests as Regime Brutality Persists Latest Developments Iranians renewed protests against Tehran’s clerical regime this week to mark the country’s traditional fire festival, a celebration with Zoroastrian roots linked to the Persian new... March 15, 2023 Iran Agrees to Purchase Russian Fighter Jets Latest Developments Iranian media reported on Saturday that Tehran has agreed to purchase 24 advanced Sukhoi Su-35 fighters from Russia, significantly upgrading the capabilities of the Islamic Republic’s... March 15, 2023 Israel Suspects Infiltrator From Lebanon in Rare Roadside Bombing Latest Developments Ending a two-day official silence, Israel said on Wednesday that its forces had intercepted and killed an infiltrator from Lebanon whom it blamed for a rare roadside bombing at the Megiddo... March 13, 2023 Senior Muslim Clerics Issue Fatwa Against Hamas The Islamic Fatwa Council — a non-governmental clerical body headquartered in Najaf, Iraq — issued a fatwa, or religious edict, last week condemning Hamas’ repression of Palestinians... March 13, 2023 U.S., Iran May Be Negotiating Payoff for American Hostages Iran’s foreign minister said on Sunday the United States and Iran were on the cusp of a “prisoner swap,” with media reports adding that the exchange could include a U.S. ransom... March 10, 2023 Saudi Arabia, Iran Agree to Reestablish Diplomatic Ties Latest Developments Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore diplomatic relations on Friday and reopen their respective embassies within two months in a deal brokered by China. Tehran and Riyadh severed... March 9, 2023 Terrorist Wounds Three in Tel Aviv Shooting Latest Developments A gunman wounded three people, one critically, in central Tel Aviv on Thursday before police shot him dead. The assailant was reportedly 23-year-old Mutaz Al Khuwaja, the son of a Hamas... March 8, 2023 Jordan’s King Asks for U.S. Help Combating Iran-Backed Militias Latest Developments Jordan’s King Abdullah II is asking for U.S. assistance to combat Iran-backed militias from Iraq and Syria involved in an escalating drug war on Jordan’s border and attacking inside... March 8, 2023 Secretary of Defense Austin Visits Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and Israel Latest Developments Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is scheduled to visit Israel tomorrow after trips to Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt this week. Originally slated to visit Israel today, Austin reportedly delayed... March 8, 2023 Turkey’s Opposition Picks Candidate to Challenge Erdogan Latest Developments An alliance of six parties joined together on Monday to nominate the leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu, as its candidate for president in the May 14... March 7, 2023 Iran Launches Cyberattack on Israeli University Latest Developments Hackers working for Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security conducted a cyberattack against the Technion Institute, a leading Israeli biomedical and hi-tech research university,... March 7, 2023 IDF Raid Targets Hamas Terrorist Who Killed Israeli Brothers Latest Developments Israeli forces on Tuesday killed a Palestinian wanted for killing two brothers, Hallel and Yagel Yaniv, in a February 26 gun ambush near the flashpoint West Bank village of Huwara. Concurrently,... March 6, 2023 Hamas Operatives in Turkey Recruit Palestinians for Terror Attacks Latest Developments The Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, arrested four Palestinian students from the West Bank on Monday, whom it said were recruited by Hamas operatives in Turkey to carry... March 6, 2023 Ambiguity Surrounds Iran’s Purported Nuclear Concessions Latest Developments The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today that Iran’s ostensible nuclear concessions over the weekend are still subject to negotiations. Rafael... March 2, 2023 Palestinian Authority Rejects Security Cooperation with Israel Senior Palestinian Authority (PA) official Azzam al-Ahmad said on Wednesday that President Mahmoud Abbas had instructed Palestinian security services to “confront” Israeli troops... March 1, 2023 Poisoning of Schoolgirls in Iran Under Investigation Latest Developments After months of ignoring evidence that an unknown toxic gas was poisoning girls’ schools throughout Iran, President Ebrahim Raisi called for the Interior Ministry to investigate... February 28, 2023 Iran Enriched Uranium to Near Atomic-Weapons Grade, IAEA Confirms The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today provided a report to member states confirming media accounts that the agency detected particles of near atomic-weapons grade enriched... February 27, 2023 Iran’s Rial Drops to Record Low Against Dollar as Protests Persist Latest Developments Fresh protests erupted throughout Iran this weekend as the rial fell to its lowest rate yet against the U.S. dollar. According to Iran International, the strikers included bakers, steelworkers,... February 27, 2023 Palestinian Terrorist Cell Kills Israeli-American Citizen Latest Developments A Palestinian terrorist cell carried out a series of drive-by shootings today on a desert highway in the West Bank, killing an Israeli-American motorist before fleeing. The attack on... February 26, 2023 Israel, Palestinians Reaffirm Need to Work Together Latest Developments Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) reaffirmed past peace deals at a Jordanian-hosted meeting on Sunday, and pledged to work together to tamp down West Bank violence. The rare... February 26, 2023 Palestinian Terror Attack Kills Two Israelis in West Bank Latest Developments A Palestinian terrorist killed two Israeli civilians today at the Einabus junction in the West Bank. The two victims were brothers — Hillel Yaniv, 21, and Yagel Yaniv, 16. The attack... February 24, 2023 Without Evidence, Iran Denies Reports It Enriched Uranium to Near Weapons-Grade Latest Developments Iran yesterday and today denied reports attributed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) by diplomatic sources that Tehran had enriched uranium to 84 percent purity — just... February 23, 2023 Oman Joins Saudi Arabia in Opening Airspace to Israel Latest Developments Oman announced today that it would open its civilian airspace to all countries, a de facto granting of overflight rights to Israeli carriers by the Gulf sultanate, which has no formal... February 23, 2023 Israeli Operation in Nablus Aimed to Apprehend Wanted Killers Israeli security forces carried out an operation in Nablus on Wednesday to apprehend three wanted individuals the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) suspects of playing a role in the killing... February 22, 2023 U.S. May Release $7 Billion in Frozen Funds to Iran The Biden administration is reportedly conducting indirect negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran for the release of U.S. hostages. In exchange for the prisoners, Washington may free Iranian nationals detained in America and release up to $7 billion in Iranian funds, held in South Korean banks, that are frozen due to U.S. terrorism sanctions. Qatar may facilitate the monetary transfer. The proposed exchange comes as protests resurge throughout Iran and the rial hits an historic low against the U.S. dollar. February 21, 2023 EU, UK Impose New Sanctions on Iran as Protests Surge The European Union and the United Kingdom on Monday imposed new sanctions to address Tehran’s brutal suppression of protests. The sanctions, which come in the wake of a fresh surge of demonstrations in Iran, target Iranian judges, lawmakers, and commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), among others. The sanctions also follow an announcement on Saturday by Iran International, a Farsi-language news channel, that it would relocate from London to Washington due to threats against its staff by Iranian agents. Nevertheless, the EU and the UK have stopped short of designating the IRGC itself as a terrorist organization, defying demands by the European Parliament and Iranian dissidents. February 21, 2023 IDF Captures Syrian Working for Hezbollah in the Golan Israeli troops captured two terrorist suspects who crossed into Israel from Syria on January 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Monday. One of the suspects, identified as... February 20, 2023 Iran Enriching Uranium to Near Weapons-Grade The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has detected Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 84-percent purity at the Fordow underground facility, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday.... February 17, 2023 Chinese President Set to Visit Tehran Following Iranian Counterpart’s Trip to Beijing Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday accepted an invitation to travel to Tehran from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who visited Beijing earlier this week with a large delegation. The two leaders called for a lifting of sanctions on Iran and signed almost 20 cooperation agreements, including on trade, agriculture, and renewable energy. Xi’s last visit to Iran took place in 2016. February 16, 2023 Israel Sends First Senior Official to Kyiv Since 2022 Invasion Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Thursday, the first to the Ukrainian capital by Israel’s top diplomat since the Russian invasion almost a year... February 16, 2023 Iran’s Provision of Missiles to Russia Remains Distinct Possibility The European Union (EU) may soon sanction seven entities tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) that are providing drones to Russia, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing two EU officials. The potential targets include the IRGC Aerospace Force and the IRGC Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization, both of which also support Tehran’s ballistic missile program. While Iran has not supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, Moscow seeks to procure them from the Islamic Republic, according to Western officials. Should Iranian missiles reach Russia, they would likely strengthen Moscow’s ability to wreak havoc in Ukraine. February 15, 2023 Eyeing Tehran, U.S. and GCC Partners Seek to Develop Regional Security Architecture Senior American government officials traveled to Saudi Arabia this week to participate in U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Working Group meetings focusing on integrated air and missile defense, maritime security, Iran, and counterterrorism. The Biden administration seeks to signal its continued commitment to the region and advance longstanding efforts to develop a Middle East security architecture. “There has been no other moment in time in which the prospect for meaningful integration is more real than today,” U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Dana Stroul said on Monday. That is because of a “shared assessment between the United States and the GCC of the threats that face us,” primarily those from Iran and its terror proxies. February 15, 2023 Further Evidence Emerges of Iran’s Support for Russia’s War in Ukraine Citing sources in Iran, The Guardian reported on Sunday that Tehran has smuggled more drones to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine. Russia reportedly received a dozen Shahed-191 and Shahed-129 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) as well as six Mohajer-6 drones, primarily used for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions. Tehran reportedly delivered the weaponry last November along with more than 50 Iranian technicians to help the Russian military integrate the systems. February 14, 2023 Israel Beefs Up Jerusalem Security After Attacks Israel announced stepped-up security measures for Jerusalem on Tuesday following a spate of lethal terrorist attacks in the capital. Police will reinforce patrols, and the city will soon install protective structures at 300 bus stops, fortifying the remaining 700 bus stops at a later date, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said in a joint statement. The Border Police said it was preparing for a possible call-up of three reservist companies for deployment in Jerusalem. February 13, 2023 Israel Strikes Hamas Rocket Factory Israeli fighter jets struck a Hamas rocket manufacturing facility in Gaza early this morning in retaliation for a Saturday night rocket launch from the coastal enclave. The Israeli strike “deals a serious blow to Hamas’s ability to fortify and arm itself,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. While the exact perpetrator of the Saturday attack remains unclear, the IDF reiterated its policy that Israel regards Hamas, the dominant power in Gaza, as responsible for any attack originating from the territory. Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted the Saturday rocket before it could hit its target. February 13, 2023 UN Aid Chief Apologizes for Failure to Deliver in Northwest Syria United Nations (UN) aid chief Martin Griffiths made no excuses on Monday for his organization’s slow response to the devastation last week’s earthquake caused in northwest Syria. “We have so far failed the people in north-west Syria. They rightly feel abandoned. Looking for international help that hasn’t arrived,” Griffiths said on Twitter. Two days earlier, Raed al-Saleh, head of the White Helmets civil defense group, demanded an apology from the UN while asking Washington to investigate why the world body had neglected the country’s northwest. February 12, 2023 Israel Pledges Tougher Measures After Jerusalem Ramming Murders Israel pledged to step up counter-terrorism measures on Sunday after a Palestinian killed three people, among them brothers aged six and eight, in a car ramming attack in Israeli capital of Jerusalem. February 10, 2023 Palestinian Terror Attack Kills Two Israelis in Jerusalem Latest Developments Earlier today a terrorist rammed a car into a bus stop in the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem, murdering a 20-year-old man and a six-year-old boy. The attack left several others wounded,... February 9, 2023 First Aid Delivery After Quake Reaches Northwest Syria Monday’s earthquake shut down the sole border crossing through which United Nations (UN) aid reaches northwest Syria from southern Turkey. This morning, however, a half-dozen UN trucks reached the Bab al-Hawa crossing, raising hopes that humanitarian supplies will reach Syrians in need. February 9, 2023 Iran, Russia Expedite Building Drone Factory in Russia Latest Developments Moscow and Tehran are moving forward with a project to build an Iranian-designed drone production facility in Russia, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing officials... February 8, 2023 U.S., IAEA Hold Out Hope for Revived JCPOA The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Tuesday called for the revival of talks focused on limiting Iran’s nuclear program. “I hope to be able to re-set, restore, reinforce that indispensable dialogue,” said Rafael Grossi. “Without that, things are going to get worse.” Grossi’s statement aligns with the Biden administration’s interest in resuscitating the 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), despite nationwide protests in Iran demanding regime change. February 8, 2023 Israel Saves Lives in Turkey, Offers Syria Aid After Earthquake An Israeli aid delegation sent to earthquake-struck Turkey has begun work, officials said on Wednesday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Homefront Command dispatched the 150-person search-and-rescue team to Adana shortly after Monday’s earthquake, which has killed thousands in southeastern Turkey and neighboring Syria. Countless victims were trapped in rubble, with harsh winter conditions exacerbating their plight.

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