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Iran tensions, Syria talks put Iraqi Kurdistan at the center of Middle Eastern diplomacy - analysis

BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:46:58 GMT

The Kurdistan Region is involved in a variety of discussions, in part due to its geographic position. It sits at the crossroads of major regional policies.

Lebanon ambassador to US receives complaint for asking Israeli ambassador about his son

BY IDAN KWELLER — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 08:52:01 GMT

In a sharply worded statement, a State Department spokesperson said the US was aware of the complaint, which was filed by a lawyer affiliated with Hezbollah.

Board of Peace preparing for Gaza field survey to find locations for Hamas weapons handover

BY AMIR BOHBOT — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 08:29:46 GMT

Security officials familiar with the details of the regional process said there was an enormous gap between Hamas's conduct and US aspirations to advance reconstruction in exchange for disarmament.

Ongoing explosions in Riyadh, Aramco headquarters as Saudi coalition intercepts Houthi attacks

BY REUTERS — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 21:49:31 GMT

Saudi Civil Defense issued an early warning for the country's eastern province earlier on Tuesday, then issued another for Riyadh shortly after the interceptions.

Trump: Houthis 'behaving very badly,' striking Saudi Arabia to drive up oil prices

BY AARON GLICK AND IDAN KWELLER — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 18:53:00 GMT

US president says Turkish counterpart Erdogan would "do as I ask" on potential Turkish role against Houthis • US to make decision on Iran 'very soon,' Trump says

Hezbollah explosive smuggling, illegal finance network leads to calls for probe by Lebanese PMs

BY DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 17:12:28 GMT

Hezbollah might have always intended for the shipment to be discovered with the aim of sending a threatening psychological message to the political and security figures working to disarm the org.

Hezbollah to distribute up to $14,000 per family following war with Israel, official says

BY REUTERS — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 17:12:18 GMT

Eligible families in Beirut will receive up to $14,000, while those elsewhere in Lebanon will get $12,000 under Hezbollah's newly announced housing assistance plan, the terror group said.

Houthi-run TV reports attack on Yemen's oil facility after Saudi coalition evacuation order

BY REUTERS AND JERUSALEM POST STAFF — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:18:50 GMT

Earlier on Tuesday, the Houthi spokesperson warned Saudi Arabia that any Saudi attack on Sana'a would be met with a "harsh" response.

Hezbollah rebuilds military capabilities, upgrades FPV drones ahead of possible Israel war - report

BY JAMES GENN — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:35:57 GMT

Hezbollah has reportedly used the ceasefire to rebuild its forces in s. Lebanon, upgrade explosive drones to carry heavier payloads, and prepare for a possible wider war involving Israel and Iran.

Iranian matchmaking app removed by Google after allowing girls as young as 12 to register

BY DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:52:26 GMT

The Jerusalem Post was able to locate profiles for girls as young as 13 being advertised for marriage. The profile also displayed a green notice indicating parental approval.

Hamas praises Nobel Peace Prize winner Navi Pillay over genocide allegations against Israel

BY JERUSALEM POST STAFF — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:50:29 GMT

Hamas used Navi Pillay's Nobel Peace Prize win to renew demands for international legal action against Israeli officials, citing her commission's findings on the Gaza war.

Indigenous women challenge Islamist oppression, call for cross-community solidarity

BY DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:43:18 GMT

Beyond their shared experiences of oppression and Islamist colonial occupation, the speakers also expressed concern about what they saw as a growing trend of Western women supporting regimes.

Riyadh's dilemma: Can Saudi Arabia stop Houthi attacks without triggering a wider war? - analysis

BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 14:17:24 GMT

Saudi Arabia faces mounting pressure to respond to Houthi attacks, as analysts urge Riyadh to work with Israel, the UAE, and the US to counter the threat.

Israeli extremist settlers use sheep farms, intimidation to expand West Bank control, CBS reports

BY JAMES GENN — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:49:15 GMT

A West Bank settler told CBS that sheep grazing helps establish territorial boundaries, while acknowledging concerns that extremist settler violence could threaten Israel's relationship with the US.

Iran fortifies nuclear sites, rebuilds missile arsenal as it prepares for the next war - analysis

BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:31:56 GMT

The emerging picture is of an Iran continuing its efforts to rebuild its missile and drone programs despite the damage inflicted by previous US and Israeli strikes.

Trump says US may have gone 'too far' in killing Iranian leaders, complicating talks

BY SHIR PERETS — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 09:32:37 GMT

“We might have gone too far with the leaders because we don’t know who the hell we’re dealing with anymore,” the US president told supporters at a rally in Ohio.

Saudi-led coalition warns of attacks in Yemen against sites in Houthi-controlled Sanaa

BY SHIR PERETS AND REUTERS — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 08:04:58 GMT

Earlier on Tuesday, the Houthi spokesperson warned Saudi Arabia that any Saudi attack on Sanaa would be met with a "harsh" response.

Iran's Araghchi offers to mediate Saudi-Houthi talks, calls for diplomatic end to hostilities

BY JERUSALEM POST STAFF AND REUTERS — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 22:11:25 GMT

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered to help facilitate Saudi-Houthi talks during a phone call with his Saudi counterpart amid deadly attacks on Riyadh's international airport.

Peace in the Middle East? Kurdish PKK leader discusses regional ‘third world war’

BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:56:08 GMT

Kamal Chomani, with The Amargi news outlet, spent ten days in caves waiting to interview the PKK chief in an exclusive interview about the region, Kurds, Turkey, and the world today.

Iran spread anti-Israel, US disinformation to global media through fake journalists, OpenAI says

BY DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:54:18 GMT

Beyond helping operators place content before wider audiences, OpenAI said AI enabled malicious actors to conduct operations with greater scale, efficiency, linguistic fluency, and editorial ability.

UN rapporteur joins weekly hunger strike over Iran's execution surge and protest crackdown

BY DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 14:51:51 GMT

“The death penalty is being used against people for exercising the rights of freedom of assembly, association, and expression, as well as their political rights,” she said.

Iran launches drone strikes on Iranian Kurdish opposition camp in northern Iraq

BY REUTERS — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 14:38:03 GMT

Iran has carried out more than 1,000 drone and missile attacks on the Kurdistan Region. Many of them targeted Kurdish opposition groups.

EU establishes new support mission in Lebanon, advisory to military forces

BY REUTERS — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 14:07:32 GMT

The mission "will advise and assist the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces to strengthen territorial control, border security, and internal security."

Iraq targets lingering ISIS pockets with airstrikes, operations in security vacuum after US pullout

BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:24:07 GMT

"F-16 aircraft carried out two airstrikes targeting a hideout belonging to remnants of Daesh elements in the Nareen area, resulting in its complete destruction."

Two-state solution a 'trap we set for Israel,' Lebanon-based Fatah official brags

BY DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:42:17 GMT

“We know the trap we have set for Israel by demanding a two-state solution. But Israel understands why it does not want to give us a state: it knows what the future could hold,” said Abu Shahab.

Pakistan pledges full military backing to Saudi Arabia under Mecca pact after deadly Houthi strikes

BY THE MEDIA LINE STAFF — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:21:16 GMT

“Pakistan will not tolerate any kind of aggression. Our agreements demand it, and so do our bonds of brotherhood.”

Board of Peace expects Gaza reconstruction to ramp up after Israeli election, US midterms - report

BY JERUSALEM POST STAFF — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 09:49:58 GMT

A Telegraph investigation raised questions over potential conflicts of interest involving Jared Kushner and other senior figures, as the Board of Peace dismissed the allegations as baseless.

Houthi missile strike in Saudi Arabia exposes growing regional threat, Yemen expert warns

BY 103FM — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:24:35 GMT

"I think there is an asymmetry here that has worked in the Houthis' favor in the past and continues to play a role now," Yemen expert Inbal Nissim-Louvton told 103FM.

'Worst is yet to come:' Houthis claim responsibility for strikes on Saudi airports

BY REUTERS — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 04:02:37 GMT

The strikes exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi defense capabilities as the kingdom wages an air campaign against the Houthis, who are fighting a ground war in Yemen against the Saudi-backed government

FAA warns US airlines to exercise caution in Saudi Arabia flights

BY REUTERS AND JERUSALEM POST STAFF — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 01:36:08 GMT

As Houthis target Saudi Arabia's airports, foreign aviation services and embassies warn airlines and travelers to exercise caution in Saudi Arabia.