US military poised to slash troops in Syria

The U.S. military has about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria across a number of bases, mostly in the northeast. One of the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that consolidation could reduce the number of troops in Syria to about 1,000. Another U.S. official confirmed the plan for a reduction, but said there was no certainty on numbers and was skeptical of a decrease of that scale at a time when President Donald Trump's administration has been negotiating with Iran and building up forces in the region (Read more at AOL).

Iran's Foreign Minister to visit Russia ahead of next round of nuclear talks with US

The Iranian spokesperson said that Araqchi will visit Moscow before the next round of talks are scheduled to be held on April 19 in Oman. Russia has previously expressed interest in mediating the relationship between the U.S. and Iran. "Russia is ready to make every effort, to do everything possible to contribute to this problem's resolution by political and diplomatic means," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on April 7 (Read more at Kyiv Independent).

Trump says Iran must give up dream of nuclear weapon or face harsh response

Asked if US options for a response include a military strike on Tehran's nuclear facilities, Trump said: "Of course it does." Trump said the Iranians need to move fast to avoid a harsh response because "they're fairly close" to developing a nuclear weapon. He believes Iran is intentionally delaying a nuclear deal with the United States (Read more at Business Standard).

Palestinian student detained at US citizenship interview

US immigration authorities on Monday arrested another Columbia University student who participated in pro-Palestinian campus protests, detaining him as he attended an interview to become an American citizen. Mohsen Mahdawi's lawyers, in a court filing seeking his release and halt to any imminent deportation, also claimed President Donald Trump's mounting crackdown on immigrant student protesters violates the US Constitution -- the latest judicial challenge to the Republican adminstration (Read more at France 24).

Sultan of Oman, US President discuss advancing US-Iran talks

They discussed ways to support these negotiations to achieve the desired outcomes (Read more at MSN).

CENTCOM sends message to Iran—with quote from Israeli rap hit ‘Harbu Darbu’

CENTCOM published a post in Hebrew on its X account, referencing a previous joint drill with Israel. The image attached to it showed Israeli and American fighter jets, with the phrase “All units ready”—a clear reference to the popular song titled “Harbu Darbu“—Arabic slang for “War and Pain”—by Israeli hip hop musicians Ness and Stilla (Read more at JNS).

US envoy: Iran talks to prioritize enrichment limits, oversight

The renewed nuclear negotiations with Iran will concentrate on capping uranium enrichment and enforcing stringent verification measures to block Tehran’s path to nuclear weapons, U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said. However, Witkoff later wrote in a statement on X that Iran “must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wrote on X that he “completely agree[s]” with Witkoff’s tweet about eliminating Iranian uranium enrichment “because that is how you make a nuclear weapon.” (Read more at JNS)

Trump holds situation room meeting on Iran nuclear deal negotiations

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz, Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA director John Ratcliffe and other top officials participated in the situation room meeting on Tuesday (Read more at Axios).

Russia refuses to say if it will accept Iran enriched uranium

When asked at a daily briefing if Russia would accept Iran's uranium reserves and if Tehran had discussed this with Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "I will leave that question without comment."(Read more at Mehr News)

France: US-Iran nuclear talks must conform to EU interests

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said that France, the UK and Germany will be vigilant regarding nuclear talks between the United States and Iran to ensure they conform to European interests (Read more at Brussels Morning).

KKR Appoints General David Petraeus as Chairman of the Middle East

KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced that it is expanding its presence in the Middle East including the appointment of General David Petraeus (US Army, Ret.) as Chairman of KKR Middle East and the establishment of a dedicated investment team in the region led by Julian Barratt-Due, a Managing Director at KKR. These appointments build on KKR’s ongoing strategic commitment to the region, including having local offices since 2009 and deploying capital directly since 2019 (Read more at Yahoo Finance).

Saudi Arabia, US on 'pathway' to civil nuclear agreement

A so-called 123 agreement with Riyadh refers to Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and is required to permit the U.S. government and American companies to work with entities in the kingdom to develop a civil nuclear industry. Saudi authorities have not agreed to the requirements under the act, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. It specifies nine non-proliferation criteria a state must meet to keep it from using the technology to develop nuclear arms or transfer sensitive materials to others (Read more at AOL).

Iran, US Hold 'Positive' Talks in Oman, Agree to Resume Next Week

Saturday's exchanges were indirect and mediated by Oman, as Iran had wanted, rather than face-to-face, as Trump had demanded. "I think we are very close to a basis for negotiations and if we can conclude this basis next week, we'll have gone a long way and will be able to start real discussions based on that," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told state television. Trump said, "Nothing matters until you get it done, so I don't like talking about it, but it's going OK. The Iran situation is going pretty good, I think" (Read more at Business Standard).

White House says ‘all hell to pay’ should Iran develop nuclear weapon

President Donald Trump wants Iran to know that there will be “all hell to pay” if it does not abandon its nuclear program, his press secretary told reporters on Friday ahead of talks on Saturday between U.S. and Iranian delegations (Read more at Ariana News).

Hamas releases video showing Israeli-American hostage alive

Alexander, who turned 21 in captivity, was born in Tel Aviv and grew up in the US state of New Jersey, returning to Israel after high school to join the army. In the video, he says he wants to return home to celebrate the holidays (Read more at Arabnews). 

China speaks with Saudi Arabia about response to US tariffs

Chinese officials have been canvassing other trading partners about how to deal with the US tariffs, most recently talking to counterparts in Spain, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao spoke to Saudi Arabia’s Commerce Minister Majid bin Abdullah al-Qasabi about enhancing cooperation with countries within the Gulf Cooperation Council (Read more at Arab Weekly).

Judge rules Mahmoud Khalil can be deported

A Louisiana immigration judge ruled Friday that activist Mahmoud Khalil can be deported. During a hearing at the remote Louisiana detention center where Khalil is being held, Judge Jamee Comans said Friday that she had no authority to question Rubio's determination. Khalil will not immediately be deported. His attorneys have said that if he were ordered deported, they would appeal the judge's ruling. Comans gave Khalil until April 23 to request a stay of his deportation if his attorneys believe he qualifies for one. And the judge said if they don't meet that deadline, she will order him deported either to Syria, where he was born, or to Algeria, where he is a citizen (Read more at NPR).

Iran's 'master negotiator' tasked with averting war

Although there is little optimism in Tehran that the talks will go far, the political establishment appears confident in Araqchi's ability to play Iran's hand with deftness and guile. Western diplomats involved in the talks between Iran and six world powers described him as "serious, technically knowledgeable and a straightforward diplomat" (Read more at MSN)

Second US Aircraft Carrier Has Reached Middle East

The USS Carl Vinson — which is armed with F-35C stealth warplanes — is now working alongside the USS Harry S. Truman in the region (Read more at Defense Post).

Twelve pro-Palestinian protesters at Stanford face felony charges

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office announced it has charged 12 people, ranging in age from 19-32, with felony vandalism and felony conspiracy to trespass. The office said the demonstrators did hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage after they broke windows and furniture, splashed fake blood and disabled security cameras during their takeover of the facility (Read more at The Hill).

Millions of Yemenis at risk due to US aid freeze, Amnesty warns

Trump's aid freeze means Yemen has lost its biggest donor, as the US ramps up military strikes on the country. Some 19.5 million people in the country rely on humanitarian assistance and protection services. That's half of the population. The Trump administration imposed a 90-day ban on all US foreign aid in January. The State Department said on Wednesday that it had reversed food aid cuts in Somalia, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Ecuador, but that the ban would remain in place for now on Afghanistan and Yemen (Read more at Middle East Eye). 

US energy secretary says we can stop Iran's oil exports

Iranian oil exports recovered under Joe Biden, who became president after Trump's first term, and so far in 2025 have yet to show a decline, according to industry data. China, which opposes unilateral sanctions, buys the bulk of Iran's shipments. "That's actually very doable. President Trump actually did it in the first term," U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said when asked how the United States can enforce its maximum pressure policy on Tehran. "We can follow the ships leaving Iran. We know where they go. We can stop Iran's export of oil." (Read more at AOL)

Abu Dhabi's ADNOC mulls bid for Aethon's US natgas assets, source says

Abu Dhabi state oil company ADNOC is in the early stages of considering a bid for investment firm Aethon Energy Management's U.S. natural gas assets, according to a person familiar with the matter. The upstream assets of Aethon, which primarily focus on the Haynesville shale formation in Louisiana and East Texas, constitute one of the largest privately held U.S. gas producers (Read more at Yahoo Finance).

U.S. moves Patriot defenses to Middle East with dozens of C-17 flights

The U.S. military shifted a Patriot battalion from the Indo-Pacific to the Middle East, requiring at least 73 flights. The number of C-17 flights conducted underscores just how stressful materiel moves can be. The Boeing-made aircraft can transport hefty equipment, like tanks (Read more at Axios).

Iran Wants to Explore Interim Nuclear Deal in Talks with U.S

The sources said the Iranians think reaching a complex and highly technical nuclear deal in two months is unrealistic and they want to get more time on the clock to avoid an escalation. The Iranians seem to believe that a sustainable deal is unlikely to be achieved in the timeframe that President Trump has in mind. It might therefore be necessary to consider an interim agreement as a way station toward a final deal (Read more at Axios).

Trump warns military action against Iran 'absolutely' possible 'if necessary'

“If necessary, absolutely ... If it requires military, we’re going to have military,” Trump said. "Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. They’ll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, but we do what we want to do." (Read more at France 24)

Are B-2 bombers a message to Iran? 'We'll let them decide,': Pentagon chief

As many as six B-2 bombers relocated in March to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. There are only 20 B-2 bombers in the Air Force's inventory so they are usually used sparingly. Experts say that puts the B-2s, which have stealth technology and are equipped to carry the heaviest US bombs and nuclear weapons, in an ideal position to operate in the Middle East (Read more at Business Standard).

Trump cites progress on Gaza hostage talks

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said progress was being made regarding the return of the hostages being held in Gaza and that he was dealing with both Israel and Hamas, but he gave no other details about the talks (Source: Reuters).

Dubai's Mashreq to work with Goldman Sachs to cater for rich clients

Dubai-based Mashreq opens new tab has entered a partnership with Goldman Sachs Asset Management to offer discretionary investment services and tap growing demand for professionally managed portfolios in the Gulf. As the number of high-net-worth individuals, keen for sophisticated investment strategies, increases in the region, a joint statement said services resulting from the collaboration would be available from this month (Read more at Rueters).

US Targets China Oil Storage Terminal in Iran-Related Sanctions

The U.S. imposed sanctions on Guangsha Zhoushan Energy Group Co, LTD that it said operates a crude oil and petroleum products terminal on Huangzeshan Island in Zhoushan, China. The terminal knowingly engaged with oil from Iran and is directly connected through the Huangzeshan–Yushan Under Sea Oil Pipeline to an independent refinery known as a "teapot" plant, the U.S. State Department said (Read more at Marine Link).

Rubio says direct US-Iran nuclear talks to take place on Saturday

“We hope that’ll lead to peace. We’ve been very clear what Iran is never going to have a nuclear weapon, and I think that’s what led to this meeting,” Rubio said during a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Donald Trump (Read more at Daily Maverick).

Turkey eyes $20bn military purchase from US if S-400 sanctions are lifted

Israel has been a major advocate of preventing the sale of F-35 planes to Turkey. The statement highlights Turkey’s push to restore defence trade with Washington, which has been strained since it was barred from the F-35 programme in 2019 over the deal with Moscow (Read more at Middle East Eye).

Debuting in Saudi Arabia, Tesla faces desert heat but no Musk protests

Saudi Arabia has huge plans for EVs that Tesla has not been able to tap, partly because of an earlier feud between its billionaire CEO, Elon Musk and the kingdom's powerful Public Investment Fund (PIF) sovereign wealth fund that dates back to 2018. Relations between Riyadh and Musk have improved since he took a high-profile role in U.S. President Donald Trump's election campaign and then a top position in his administration (Read more at Daily Sabah).

Trump administration lays out its evidence for deporting activist Mahmoud Khalil

The Department of Homeland Security shared a two-page memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that accuses the Columbia University graduate student of participating in "antisemitic protests and disruptive activities." The memo does not accuse Khalil of any crime. But Rubio writes that Khalil's continued presence in the U.S. would have "potentially serious adverse foreign consequences, and would compromise a compelling U.S. foreign policy interest." (Read more at NPR)

US energy secretary to discuss security during UAE visit

Wright will also discuss previously announced investment plans by the Gulf country into the United States, the agency quoted him as saying. Wright would carry out a nearly two-week tour of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to lay the ground for a later visit by U.S. President Donald Trump (Read more at Reuters).

US issues new sanctions on Iran as Trump seeks talks

The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it imposed sanctions on five Iran-based entities and one person based in Iran for their support of Iran's nuclear program with the aim of denying Tehran a nuclear weapon. The action comes after Trump made a surprise announcement on Monday that the United States and Iran were poised to begin direct talks on Tehran's nuclear program, but Iran's foreign minister said the discussions in Oman would be indirect (Read more at AOL).

Mike Huckabee, longtime Israel supporter, confirmed as US ambassador

The former Arkansas governor and two-time presidential candidate was tapped by President Donald Trump for the post just after the November election. He has never previously worked in a diplomatic or national security role for any U.S. administration (Read more at Politico).

Majority of Americans hold unfavourable view of Israel, Pew poll finds

Democrats are still more likely than Republicans to express a negative opinion of Israel by 69 percent to 37 percent, respectively. But the number of Republicans who hold negative opinions on Israel has increased 10 percentage points since 2022 (Read more at Middle East Eye).

Russia says bombing Iran will not work, after Trump threats

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was aware of the “quite harsh rhetoric” and that Tehran was taking preventative measures. He suggested that the focus should be on contacts rather than confrontation. “Indeed, the world is growing tired of the endless threats against Iran,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said (Read more at Middle East Monitor)

US says it is aware of Palestinian American’s killing by Israeli forces in West Bank

“We are certainly aware of that dynamic,” the State Department spokesperson said. “There is an investigation that is going on. We are aware of the reports from the IDF that this was a counterterrorism act, we need to learn more about the nature of what happened on the ground.” (Read more at Arabnews)

Saudi Arabian foreign minister in US to plan Trump visit to kingdom

Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud will also discuss Gaza and the status of Yemen's Houthis during meetings with U.S. government officials, the source said. The trip was scheduled before last week's U.S. tariffs announcement (Read more at Ammonnews).

US, Saudis urge Sudan peace talks

The diplomats "agreed that the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces must return to peace talks, protect civilians, open humanitarian corridors, and return to civilian governance." The call came after the Sudanese army said last week it had retaken full control of the capital Khartoum after weeks of attacks by the paramilitaries (Read more at France 24).

Yemen Rebels Say Four Killed in US Strikes on West

Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Tuesday said US strikes on the western province of Hodeida killed four people and wounded 13 others, a day after the group said it targeted Israel and US warships. It added that civil defense teams had rushed to the site and were working on putting out the fires and rescuing any survivors (Read more at Defense Post).

US official sees tighter sanctions on Iran without deal

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright launched a nearly two-week tour of three Middle East countries, including Saudi Arabia, marking his first visit as a U.S. official to the de facto leader of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. "So absolutely, I would expect very tight sanctions on Iran, and hopefully drive them to abandon their nuclear program," Wright said in an interview with CNBC (Read more at AOL).

Kremlin ‘supports’ direct US-Iran talks over nuclear programme

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia backs both direct and indirect talks between Iran and the US over Tehran’s nuclear programme, as they could lead to a de-escalation of tensions between the two sides. The Kremlin has previously offered to help facilitate talks between Tehran and Washington (Read more at Middle East Monitor).

Iran warns expulsion of UN inspectors but vows ‘good faith’ in US talks

“The continuation of external threats and Iran being in a state of military attack may lead to deterrent measures, including expulsion of inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency and cessation of cooperation,” Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani said on the social media platform X. “Transfer of enriched materials to secure locations may also be considered,” he added, referring to the country’s uranium enrichment (Read more at Aljazeera).

Tehran sceptical ahead of upcoming US-Iran nuclear talks

While Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi demonstrated Tehran’s willingness to engage on Tuesday, insisting amid the threats that the talks would nevertheless be “indirect”, he issued a note of warning, saying “Iran prefers diplomacy, but it knows how to defend itself”. “Trump wants a new deal: end Iran’s regional influence, dismantle its nuclear programme, and halt its missile work. These are unacceptable to Tehran. Our nuclear programme cannot be dismantled,” a senior Iranian official said (Read more at Aljazeera).

US campaign against Houthis about to get worse, Hegseth says

“Whether it's underground facilities, weapons manufacturing, bunkers, troops in the open, air defence assets, we are not going to relent and it's only to get more unrelenting until the Houthis declare they will stop shooting at our ships,” Mr Hegseth told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Read more at The National).

Trump envoy Witkoff to lead high-stakes nuclear negotiations with Iran

President Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff will lead the U.S. delegation for nuclear talks with Iran on Saturday in Oman, two sources familiar with the plan tell Axios (Read more at Axios).

Middle East stocks and oil prices plummet in wake of Trump tariffs shock

A combination of newly imposed tariffs by the US and plummeting oil prices has caused a major decline in stock markets in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul stock exchange fell by nearly 7 percent on Sunday, while Qatar’s QE exchange dropped 4.2 percent, and Kuwait’s primary index fell 5.7 percent. There were also drops in stock markets in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and Egypt (Read more at Middle East Eye).

Four takeaways from Trump-Netanyahu meeting in Oval Office

1. Trump said the U.S. would hold direct talks starting Saturday with Iran over its nuclear weapons programs. 2. Trump said the U.S. is working to get hostages released by Hamas and put in place a new ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. 3. Trump appeared to raise U.S. military assistance to Israel as potential leverage amid trade negotiations. 4. Trump said to Netanyahu, “Any problem that you have with Turkey, I think I can solve. I mean, as long as you’re reasonable, you have to be reasonable. We have to be reasonable.” (Read more at The Hill)

Lawsuit Accuses Prominent Palestinian American of Supporting Hamas

According to the lawsuit, Bashar Masri, a wealthy developer, operated hotels and an industrial site in Gaza to “construct and conceal” a labyrinthine network of tunnels that allowed Hamas to “store and launch its rockets at Israel.” (Read more at New York Times)

Egyptian, Jordanian, French leaders discuss Gaza with Trump

the three leaders called on the international community "to push for a cessation of Israel's war on Gaza, to reinstate the cease-fire and implement all its phases, and to resume the flow of sufficient humanitarian aid to stop the deepening crisis faced by Gazans." (Read more at Daily Sabah)

Palestinian teenager with U.S. citizenship killed by Israeli forces in West Bank

The mayor of Turmus Ayya, Adeeb Lafi, told Reuters earlier in the day that Omar Mohammad Rabea, 14, was shot along with two other teenagers by an Israeli settler at the entrance to Turmus Ayya and that the Israeli army pronounced him dead after detaining him. The incident is the latest in a surge of violence and near-daily confrontations in the volatile West Bank, where settler violence and clashes between Israeli forces and armed Palestinians have kept it on edge (Read more at Reuters).

Iran-backed militias in Iraq ready to disarm to avert Trump wrath

The move to defuse tensions follows repeated warnings issued privately by US officials to the Iraqi government since Trump took power in January, according to the sources who include six local commanders of four major militias (Read more at Business Standard).

U.S. envoy says Hezbollah must be disarmed 'as soon as possible'

Ortagus spoke to Lebanese broadcaster LBCI at the end of a three-day visit to Beirut, where she met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and other officials and political representatives (Read more at AOL).

Iran Rejects Trump Call for Direct Nuclear Talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said direct talks made no sense with a country “that constantly threatens to resort to force in violation of the UN Charter and that expresses contradictory positions from its various officials.” On Thursday, the US president said he favored “direct talks,” arguing they were “faster” and offered a better understanding than going through intermediaries (Read more at Defense Post).

Pro-Palestinian protesters interrupt Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event

A pro-Palestinian protest by Microsoft employees has interrupted the company’s 50th anniversary celebration, the latest backlash over the tech industry’s work to supply artificial intelligence technology to the Israeli military (Read more at Aljazeera).

Daughter of Ottoman princess: How I rejected CIA attempt to make me a spy

Kenize Mourad was born in 1939 to Ottoman and Indian royalty: a recent flurry of articles in the Turkish press claimied that she worked as a CIA agent in the 1970s. Now 85, says she wants to set the record straight. She briefly went along with a CIA attempt to recruit her as a spy, planning to expose the agency in a news story. But she quickly got cold feet (Read more at Middle East Eye).

House probe whether US funds used to back anti-Netanyahu protests

Two U.S. House committee chairs want to know if American taxpayers helped fund the massive protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 2023 judicial reform. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Foreign Relations Chair Brian Mast (R-Fla.) asked six organizations for all relevant documents and communications regarding any funding from the U.S. State Department or through the U.S. Agency for International Development (Read more at JNS)

Israel in talks with ‘several countries’ to realize Trump relocation plan for Gazans

Israel is in “serious talks with several countries” to relocate large numbers of people out of the Gaza Strip, a senior diplomatic source told JNS and other media outlets during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary (Read more at JNS).

US okays possible upgrade, re-certification of Patriot missiles for Kuwait

This agreement involves enhancing Kuwait’s stockpile of Patriot PAC-2 Guidance Enhanced Missiles [GEM] and Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missiles-Tactical [GEM-T], signalling a significant step in maintaining the Gulf nation’s air defence capabilities. Beyond the surface-level transaction, this development hints at deeper shifts in Kuwait’s military strategy and its ongoing partnership with the United States, set against a complex regional backdrop (Read more at Arab Weekly).

Trump Says Wants ‘Direct Talks’ With Iran on Nukes Deal

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he wanted “direct talks” with Tehran on a nuclear deal, after he threatened to bomb Iran if it develops nuclear weapons. Trump has given Iran’s leaders a two-month deadline to reach an agreement on the country’s nuclear program, which has strained relations with Western nations for decades (Read more at Defense Post).

Trump says Netanyahu may visit US next week

Trump said he spoke by phone with Netanyahu on Thursday and that after the call, he believes the Israeli leader is "going to be coming to our country sometime in the not so distant future -- maybe next week.” Netanyahu currently faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity carried out by his forces in Gaza (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).

U.S. sending Israel more than 20,000 assault rifles that Biden had delayed

The State Department sent a notification to Congress on March 6 of the $24-million US sale of the Colt Carbine 5.56 mm calibre fully automatic rifles, saying the end user would be the Israeli National Police, according to the document (Read more at CBC).

Israel's Netanyahu has spoken to Trump about tariffs

As part of a sweeping new tariff policy announced by Trump, unspecified Israeli goods exports to the United States face a 17% tariff. The U.S. is Israel's closest ally and largest single trading partner. Netanyahu raised the issue in his phone call with Trump on Thursday, the Israeli officials said, while on a visit to Hungary. "Most of it can be solved," one of the senior officials said (Read more at Yahoo Finance).

Trump tariffs unlikely to hurt Turkish economy

It may even help Ankara strengthen its economic partnerships with Europe. Many observers believe that Washington refrained from imposing a higher tariff on Ankara due to the good personal rapport between Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, trade relations between the two countries are already quite balanced (Read more at Middle East Eye).

Kushner's Abraham Accords institute to merge into Heritage Foundation

The move by the conservative think-tank, which is considered highly influential on Trump administration policies, could reenergize the efforts to push for new normalization agreements between Israel and the Arab world — something the president has said he wants to do (Read more at Axios).

US tariffs on Israel may hit medical equipment, diamonds

Citi economist, Michel Nies, estimated a potential hit to Israel’s economy of as much as $3 billion, or 0.6 per cent of GDP. Ron Tomer, president of Israel’s Manufacturers’ Association, said the tariffs could harm Israel’s economic stability, deter foreign investments, weaken the competitiveness of Israeli companies in the US market and set back trade and investment relations between the countries (Read more at Middle East Monitor).

Senate rejects Sanders effort to block Israeli weapons sale

Sanders forced votes on two resolutions on Thursday, the first to block the sale of 35,000 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, worth $2 billion, and the second on the sale of tens of thousands of other bombs and JDAMs, worth $6.75 billion. Both resolutions failed with overwhelming bipartisan opposition, by a vote of 15 in favor and 82 against the first vote and 83 against for the second. Similar votes on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval brought by Sanders in November, to block $1 billion of tank rounds, mortar rounds, and JDAMs, failed but with smaller margins; several Democrats flipped their votes, despite the sales being pushed by the Trump administration this time around (Read more at Truthout).

US kills top Houthi missile expert but questions linger

the US military has so far declined to confirm the death, and the identity of the Houthi commander in question is unclear (Read more at Arab Weekly).

Israel eliminates all tariffs on US products ahead of Trump's Liberation Day plan

“Cancelling the tariffs on American goods is another step in the policy led by my governments for over a decade to open the market to competition, introduce diversity into the economy, and reduce the cost of living," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said (Read more at bne intellinews).

US imposes Iran-related sanctions on Chinese, UAE-based entities

US Treasury Secretary imposed the sanctions on those entities and individuals, accusing them of responsibility for procurement of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) components on behalf of a leading manufacturer for Iran's drone program (Read more at Global Times).

As Iran tensions build, US military moves warplanes to reinforce Middle East

As many as six B-2 bombers have relocated in the past week or so to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia. Experts say that puts the B-2s, which have stealth technology and are equipped to carry the heaviest US bombs and nuclear weapons, in an ideal position to operate in the Middle East (Read more at Business Standard).

Iran complains to UNSC against Trump’s threats

The letter was addressed to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by Iran’s permanent representative to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, who described Trump’s threats as a “violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations" and urged the Council to condemn them (Read more at New Region).

White House, shaken by Signal scandal, says case closed

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House that the administration maintained confidence in National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who has faced criticism for apparently adding the editor of The Atlantic magazine to a private thread describing an imminent bombing campaign in Yemen. She said steps have been taken to prevent a repeat of the incident, but did not elaborate (Read more at Straits Times).

Russia condemns Trump’s threat to bomb Iran over nuclear standoff

“Threats are indeed heard; ultimatums are also heard. We consider such methods inappropriate; we condemn them, we consider this a way to impose our own will on the Iranian side,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said. “Russia is ready to offer its good services to Washington, Tehran, and everyone who is interested in this,” he added (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).

El-Sisi, Trump discuss mediation efforts to restore regional calm in phone call

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump said his phone call with El-Sisi “went very well,” noting that they discussed numerous topics, including the developments in Gaza and Yemen. On his Truth Social account, Trump said he discussed with El-Sisi the progress made against the Houthis, as the US continues its airstrikes against the Yemeni group (Read more at Al Ahram).

Trump vows 'real pain' for Houthis and Iran

"The choice for the Houthis is clear: Stop shooting at US ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran," Trump said on his Truth Social platform (Read more at New Arab).

Supreme Court considers Americans’ suit against Palestinian Authority

The plaintiffs are U.S. citizens injured in terrorist attacks in Israel, as well as the families of U.S. citizens killed in such attacks. At issue is whether a law enacted by Congress six years ago to allow U.S. victims of terrorist attacks to sue the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization in federal courts in the United States violates the Constitution’s guarantee of due process. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Tuesday in the latest chapter of the justices’ efforts to lay out rules for personal jurisdiction – whether courts have the power to hear a case against certain defendants. Tuesday’s case is a particularly high-profile dispute, and one that the federal government says has national security and foreign policy implications (Read more at scotusblog).

Rubio says US revoked visas of more than 300 pro-Palestinian activists

"We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” Rubio said at a press conference. “At some point, I hope we run out because we’ve gotten rid of all of them, but we’re looking every day for these lunatics that are tearing things up.” (Read more at Arab Weekly)

Trump threatens bombing if Iran does not make nuclear deal

Trump says he will wait "a couple of weeks" before deciding on tariffs. In Trump's first remarks since Iran rejected direct negotiations with Washington last week, he told NBC News that U.S. and Iranian officials were talking, but did not elaborate (Read more at Reuters).

Trump to visit Saudi Arabia in May for first foreign trip

Trump's decision to go to Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip signals how close the relationship between the Trump administration and Gulf countries has become, especially when it comes to economic cooperation and investment (Read more at Axios).

Iran to give crushing response to US if it commits evil acts

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei stressed that if enemies commit evil against Iran, they will definitely receive a strong and reciprocal blow. "And If they seek to create sedition within the country, the (Iranian) nation itself will (give a proper) answer to them." (Read more at Mehrnews)

Netanyahu vows to implement 'the Trump plan' by evicting Gazans

He said the tactic would pave the way for Israel to take control of Gaza and implement “the Trump plan" to evict Palestinians from the enclave. Mr Netanyahu's remarks, along with the move to appoint an official to lead a newly created body aimed at advancing the “voluntary” displacement of Gazans, suggest his government is pursuing Mr Trump's proposals for the enclave (Read more at The National).

Oil prices steady as investors await Trump’s actions on Russian oil and Iran

Oil prices held steady on Monday as investors adopted a cautious, wait-and-see stance after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian oil and warned Iran of possible military action if it did not agree to a deal over its nuclear program. Some analysts believe that Trump may not act on his threats, a view that is putting a cap on oil prices (Read more at USNews).

72 U.S. Airstrikes on Yemen in 24 Hours

Media outlets affiliated with the Houthi group (Ansar Allah) reported that the United States carried out 72 airstrikes on Sana'a, Saada, Amran, Marib, Al-Jawf, and Hodeidah within 24 hours (Read more at Jordan News).

Houthi: Communication Stations Destroyed Following U.S. Airstrikes

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of the Houthi government announced that U.S. airstrikes on the northern governorates of Amran and Saada had caused the "complete destruction" of communication stations (Read more at Jordan News). 

US federal judge halts deportation of Tufts University Turkish student

A Massachusetts federal judge blocked the deportation from the U.S. of a Turkish-born Tufts University doctoral student until further notice, pending a ruling on her habeas corpus petition. Öztürk’s deportation, therefore, has been postponed until the court proposed a deadline of 5 p.m. local time (2200GMT) on April 1 to resolve the dispute (Read more at hurriyetdailynews).

Trump threatens Iran with "bad things" unless it accepts nuclear deal

Trump's comments came after Iran responded to the letter the president sent the country's supreme leader three weeks ago, which threatened military action if no deal is reached in two months. "Iran is very high on my list of things to watch. ... We will have to talk it out or very bad things are gonna happen to Iran, and I don't want that to happen," Trump said. "My big preference is that we work it out with Iran, but if we don't work it out, bad, bad things are gonna happen to Iran." (Read more at Axios)

Sudan’s RSF vows ‘no retreat’ after Khartoum setback as US promises to re-engage

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday the United States hopes to do more diplomatically to end the war in Sudan. Rubio said he was “engaged” on Sudan and had discussed the devastating war in recent days with international players including Kenyan President William Ruto and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (Read more at Arab Weeekly).

Rubio says US has ‘concerns’ about ‘instability’ in Turkey over protests

“We are watching. We have expressed concern. We don’t like to see instability like that in the governance of any country that is such a close ally,” Rubio said. President Donald Trump had “a very good working relationship with Erdogan in the first administration. They would like to restart that,” Rubio added. “They are a NATO ally. We would like to cooperate with them in Syria and other places,” he said (Read more at Trukish Minute).

US says Lebanon must disarm Hezbollah as per 'agreement'

Israel and Beirut agreed the terms of ceasefire in November, but rockets have been fired from Lebanon twice this week, prompting Israeli air raids in return. A spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department, Tammy Bruce, indicated that Washington supports the Israeli position (Read more at Nahar Net).

Kushner's Affinity's assets jump to $4.8 billion after Gulf cash injection

Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, launched the investment firm in 2021 after leaving the White House at the end of President Donald Trump's first term, when he was a top adviser on the Middle East. Affinity secured $1.5 billion of extra capital in 2024 from two of its existing investors - Abu Dhabi-based Lunate and Qatar's sovereign wealth fund the Qatar Investment Authority (Read more at Yahoo Finance). 

American bases to be targeted if US invades Iran

"The Americans are well aware of how vulnerable they are. If they invade Iran, it would be like adding a spark to a powder keg, and it would ignite the entire region. In such a case, their bases and those of their allies won’t be safe anymore," the senior Iranian lawmaker said in an address on International Quds Day (Read more at Tass).

State Dept legal adviser would enforce immigration law on Hamas supporters

Most eyes were on former governor Mike Huckabee, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. envoy to Israel, during a Senate Foreign Relations hearing on Tuesday. But Reed Rubinstein, nominee for legal adviser to oversee some 300 U.S. State Department attorneys and staff, also addressed areas of interest and concern to American Jews and those who care about Israel (Read more at JNS).

US seizes $200,000 in digital currency used to fund Hamas

The seized funds, which were registered to Palestinians living in Turkey and other countries, were used to launder more than $1.5 million for Hamas since October 2024, the U.S. government said. A group chat allegedly associated with Hamas solicited donations via a group chat to a changing set of some dozen and a half cryptocurrency addresses. “These seizures show that this office will search high and low for every cent of money going to fund Hamas, wherever it is found, and in whatever form of currency,” stated Edward Martin, interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia (Read more at JNS).

U.S. Treasury Targets Hezbollah Finance Team Sanctions Evasion Network

“Today’s action underscores Treasury’s determination to expose and disrupt the schemes that fund Hezbollah’s terrorist violence against the Lebanese people and their neighbors,” Bradley T. Smith, Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said. “These evasion networks strengthen Iran and its proxy Hezbollah and undermine the courageous efforts of the Lebanese people to build a Lebanon for all its citizens.” (Read more at Kataeb)

House passes bill to monitor foreign university funding, defeats anti-Israel amendments

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly rejected a pair of anti-Israel amendments to a bill to scrutinize foreign funding at American universities. The Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act, which the House passed on Thursday without the two amendments, lowers the threshold at which colleges and universities have to report foreign contracts and gifts from $250,000 to $50,000. It also bars schools from contracts with China, Iran, North Korea and Russia (Read more at JNS).

Diego Garcia: The Indian Ocean base the US can use to target Iran

The US is amassing B-2 bombers capable of carrying 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs. Their basing at Diego Garcia puts the bombers within 4,000 kilometres from Houthi territory and 5,300 kilometres of Iran, well within their refuelling range of approximately 11,000 kilometres. In the late 1990s, the US was conducting sporadic bombing runs against Saddam Hussein’s military, but Saudi Arabia dragged its feet about allowing the US to launch warplanes from their airfields (Read more at Middle East Eye).

Palestinian advocates at Columbia sued for promoting Hamas

They were sued on Monday 24 March in Manhattan federal court for allegedly functioning as Hamas’s “propaganda arm” and “in-house public relations firm” in New York City and on campus. The lawsuit was filed by nine US and Israeli citizens who were victims of Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, including relatives of people murdered or taken hostage, and two affiliated with Columbia who reported mistreatment there (Read more at University World News)

US Approves $1.96B Drone Sale to Qatar

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement. The sale “will improve Qatar’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing timely intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, target acquisition, counter-land, and counter-surface sea capabilities for its security and defense,” DSCA said (Read more at Defense Post).

Judge orders Trump administration to preserve Signal texts on Houthi attack

 Judge James Boasberg ruled that the administration of President Donald Trump must take measures to keep records of the full conversation between March 11 and March 15, when the journalist had access to the conversation (Read more at Aljazeera).

Bernie Sanders to force Senate votes on blocking arms for Israel

US Senator Bernie Sanders said he would force votes next week on resolutions that would block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel, citing the human rights crisis faced by Palestinians in Gaza after Israel's bombardment of the enclave and its blocking of aid deliveries. "Netanyahu has clearly violated U.S. and international law in this brutal war, and we must end our complicity in the carnage," Sanders said in a statement announcing his plan (Read more at New Arab).

Bipartisan legislators endorse hostage advocacy group for Nobel

A bipartisan group of 15 members of Congress endorsed the Hostages and Missing Families Forum for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize in a letter to the selection committee. “Through unfathomable anguish and heartbreak, these families have become the conscience of the world,” the letter to the Nobel Committee stated (Read more at JNS).

Iran responds to Trump's letter, voices readiness for indirect talks

The Iranian response, seen as an attempt to jumpstart talks over Tehran's nuclear program, was appropriately sent through Oman. No details have been released of the Iranian response nor the contents of Trump's letter (Read more at Daily Sabah). 

American Muslims for Palestine probe during Senate ed panel hearing

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, stated at the beginning of the committee hearing that he launched the investigation “demanding answers about their activities on college campuses.” “This group’s leaders have ties to Hamas and helped create the group Students for Justice in Palestine,” Cassidy said. “I also requested information from the Justice Department and several universities on these groups.” (Read more at JNS)

U.S. Files Suit Seeking $47M from Sale of Iranian Oil Hidden in Croatia

It is part of a long-running campaign by the U.S. targeting Triliance Petrochemical Co., a Hong Kong-based broker with branches in Iran, the United Arab Emirates, China, and Germany, that the U.S. says is a well-known Iranian front company supporting Iran’s petrochemical industry (Read more at Maritime Executive).

Huckabee nomination a test for US Jews

Nobody seriously believes that the U.S. Senate will reject President Donald Trump’s nomination of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Republicans managed to get far more controversial nominees. However, the political arm of Reform Judaism is publicly opposing Huckabee. So too are the left-wing lobby J Street and the Jewish Democratic Council of America. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs, an umbrella group of Jewish community relations councils around the country, didn’t condemn the nomination outright but made clear its disdain for him with comments deprecating him as a “Christian nationalist.” (Read more at JNS)

Pentagon's Hegseth texted start time of planned killing of Yemeni militant

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth texted about plans to kill a Houthi militant leader in Yemen two hours before a military operation meant to be shrouded in secrecy. The revelation that highly sensitive attack plans were shared on a commercial messaging app, possibly on personal cellphones, has triggered outrage in Washington and calls from Democrats that members of Trump's national security team be fired over the leaks (Read more at Timeslive).

Houthi group chat: What top Trump officials claimed vs. what the texts show

Hegseth: "Nobody was texting war plans." From the texts: "THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP," Hegseth texted, along with detailed sequencing of the operation.

Gabbard under oath to the Senate Intelligence Committee: "I can attest to the fact that there were not classified or intelligence equities that were included in that chat group at any time." The texts include highly detailed information about the sequencing of an attack that had yet to take place.

Ratcliffe in the Senate hearing said he was not "aware" of any "information on weapons packages, targets or timing" that was discussed in the chat. Gabbard concurred. The texts include a detailed sequencing of the timing of the attacks, to include Hegseth's to-the-minute breakdown of when F-18s and drones would take off and drop their payloads (Read more at Axios).

U.S. strikes home in on Houthi drone experts in Yemen

The U.S. is pounding Houthi drone experts and infrastructure as well as command-and-control nodes across Yemen at a pace previously unseen (Read more at Axios).

Trump administration arrests Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk at Tufts

United States immigration authorities have arrested and revoked the visa of a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University near Boston who had voiced support for Palestinians during Israel’s war in Gaza (Read more at Aljazeera).

Tesla to launch in Saudi Arabia as Musk and the kingdom mend relations

The brand has had considerable success in neighboring United Arab Emirates, where most ride-hailing apps offer electric vehicles. Trump said this month he would likely make his first trip abroad to Saudi Arabia, after asking the kingdom in January to spend upwards of $1 trillion in the U.S. economy, over four years, including military purchases (Read more at CNBC).

US judge blocks deportation of another pro-Palestinian student activist

A judge has ruled that Yunseo Chung, a 21-year-old Korean American student at Columbia University who is being sought for deportation by the administration of President Donald Trump, cannot be detained as she fights attempts to remove her from the United States over her pro-Palestinian views. “As of today, Yunseo Chung no longer has to fear and live in fear of ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] coming to her doorstep and abducting her in the night,” Chung’s lawyer Ramzi Kassem said after the court ruling on Tuesday (Read more at Aljazeera).

US lists demands for Syria in exchange for sanctions relief

The demands included the removal of foreign fighters from key governing positions, the destruction of remaining chemical weapons and cooperation on counterterrorism efforts. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant and Syria engagement in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Natasha Franceschi, delivered the list to Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani on the sidelines of a Syria donor conference in Brussels. This meeting marked the first direct high-level interaction between Damascus and Washington since President Donald Trump’s inauguration (Read more at Daily Sabah).

Turkey, US want to lift defence industry restrictions after talks

On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan kicked off a two-day visit to Washington, where he was expected to ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other US officials to remove US sanctions on Turkey and allow it back into a crucial fighter jet programme (Read more at Arab Weekly).

J Street picks former senior Harris adviser to lead new policy shop

Ilan Goldenberg, a former senior adviser of Vice President Harris who served as director for Jewish outreach during her 2024 presidential campaign, is joining liberal pro-Israel Jewish organization J Street (Read more at Axios).

Trump backs national security advisor over leaked Yemen strike plans

Mike Waltz 'has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,' says the President. Trump said the Atlantic magazine's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was added to the Signal messaging group by a staffer in Waltz's office, describing the error during an interview with NBC News as "the only glitch in two months, and it turned out not to be a serious one." (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı)

Teledyne FLIR to Supply Long-Range Surveillance Systems to Saudi Arabia

The Oregon-based firm will provide its next-generation Lightweight Vehicle Surveillance System (LVSS) to a “high-profile military entity” in the Kingdom. Teledyne FLIR has secured a $7.8-million contract to deliver long-range thermal surveillance systems and associated support services (Read more at Defense Post).

UNICEF: US Airstrikes in Yemen Killed 8 Children

Peter Hawkins, UNICEF's representative in Yemen, shared his observations from Hudaydah, stating: "I was in Hudaydah over the past three days. I passed through the western plains where people are in the streets and on the roadside, begging and looking for help. They have surrendered. I personally saw a heavily damaged building where three children were injured from yesterday’s bombing." (Read more at Jordan News)

OFAC Sanctions Iranian Officials With Alleged Ties to Missing FBI Agent

The sanctions on Reza Amiri Moghadam, Gholamhossein Mohammadnia, and Taqi Daneshvar of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security are the latest linked to the disappearance of the former FBI agent, who Washington believes was abducted in Iran and died in captivity. As a result of the sanctions, any property of the men under U.S. jurisdiction must be blocked and Americans are generally barred from dealing with them. Foreign persons also risk blacklisting for dealing with them (Read more at Reuters).

Steve Witkoff and Tucker Carlson: Key Middle East points from US envoy interview

In a frank and wide-ranging interview with Tucker Carlson on Saturday, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said that negotiations to end Israeli attacks on Gaza were ongoing and that if Hamas “demilitarised” then “maybe they could stay” in the Palestinian enclave and “be involved politically”. Witkoff said that when Trump asked him how long it would take to reconstruct Gaza, he replied by saying 15 or maybe 20 years. Witkoff also talked about Egypt. He said, “Egypt has a very restive population. The stats in Egypt are huge - unemployment among under-25s is like 45 percent. A country can’t exist like that. They’re largely broke. They need a lot of help. If we have a bad event in Egypt, it could take us back.” (Read more at Middle East Eye).

Trump predicts more countries will be added to Abraham Accords

The White House has singled out Saudi Arabia as a possible participant in the accords, although the Saudis have qualms about Israel due to the Gaza war (Read more at MSN).

Anti-Israel prof who compared Israel to Nazi Germany denied tenure

”This has nothing to do with my scholarship or teaching,” he writes. “It is a political hit job over my support for Palestine and for trying to protect our student protesters last year from physical attack, by nonviolently subjecting my own body to assault by the Northwestern Police instead of our students.” (Read more at Campus Reform)

Hamas hostages’ families sue Mahmoud Khalil

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in Manhattan federal court, names Khalil as one of the heads of the anti-Israel protests that engulfed the Morningside Heights campus last year, which the families claimed effectively helped to spread Hamas’ hateful rhetoric (Read more at NYPost).

US ‘unleashed Israel’ with all the weapons it needs, says Trump deputy envoy

Morgan Ortagus told Fox News that Biden had made Israel 'fight with one hand tied behind their back' by limiting arms exports. The US is the biggest arms supplier to Israel, accounting for 66 percent of the country's weapons imports between 2020 and 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). In January 2025, weeks before Biden was set to leave office, Washington approved the sale of $20bn in military equipment, including air-to-air missiles, Hellfire missiles, artillery shells and bombs, to Israel. In March, the Trump administration bypassed a normal congressional review to approve a nearly $3bn arms sale to Israel (Read more at Middle East Eye).

White House Mistakenly Shares Yemen War Plans With a Journalist at the Atlantic

A message to the group, from “Michael Waltz,” read as follows: “Team – establishing a principles [sic] group for coordination on Houthis, particularly for over the next 72 hours. My deputy Alex Wong is pulling together a tiger team at deputies/agency Chief of Staff level following up from the meeting in the Sit Room this morning for action items and will be sending that out later this evening.” The message continued, “Pls provide the best staff POC from your team for us to coordinate with over the next couple days and over the weekend. Thx.” (Read more at Atlantic)

Brown professor deported to Lebanon despite US Judge's Order

A doctor and professor was deported after she returned from a trip to Lebanon despite having a valid U.S. visa, according to a court petition filed on her behalf. Dr. Rasha Alawieh, an assistant professor at Brown Medicine, held an H-1B visa when she traveled to her home country to visit her family. Court documents alleged that upon returning to the United States at the end of last week, she was held at Boston Logan International Airport for 36 hours before she was sent back to Lebanon this weekend in violation of a federal judge’s order to halt her deportation (Read more at NBC News).

US launched wave of air strikes against Houthis in Yemen

Trump warned Iran against supporting the group, declaring, 'America will hold you fully accountable, and we won’t be nice about it!' The unfolding strikes – which one U.S. official told Reuters might continue for weeks – represent the biggest U.S. military operation in the Middle East since Trump took office in January. It came as the United States ramps up sanctions pressure on Tehran while trying to bring it to the negotiating table over its nuclear program (Read more at The Print).

US responds to Arab Gaza plan by end of March

Egypt proposed an alternative to Trump's colonial plan for the US to cease Gaza and deport its Palestinian population, suggesting a $53 billion plan that would be carried out in three phases over 5 years. Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty said Palestinian factions have consented to Egypt's proposal to form a non-factional technocratic committee to oversee Gaza as part of the newly ratified Arab-Islamic Gaza reconstruction plan (Read more at Al Ahram).

Netanyahu OKs talks based on US proposal to free 11 living hostages

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night directed his negotiating team to prepare for renewed hostage-ceasefire talks based on U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff’s proposal that seeks the immediate release of 11 living captives and half of the bodies still being held by Hamas in Gaza. The decision was made following a ministerial meeting in Jerusalem, and amid an apparent impasse in negotiations in Doha (Read more at JNS).

US weighing in on Lebanon’s next central bank chief

Candidates include Camille Abousleiman, Firas Abi-Nassif, Philippe Jabre. US aims to curb Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanon’s banking. US officials met with some potential candidates in Washington and at the US embassy in Lebanon (Read more at Arabnews).

Erdogan, Trump discuss Ukraine, Syria, defence issues

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a telephonic conversation with the US President Donald Trump has discussed efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and to restore stability in Syria. He told Trump that Turkiye supports his decisive and direct initiatives to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and Ankara will continue to strive for a “just and lasting peace. Erdogan also spoke of “the importance of jointly contributing to the lifting of sanctions on Syria to restore stability, make the new administration functional and support normalization (Source: Radio Pakistan).

Oil up 1% as U.S. vows to keep attacking Houthis

Oil prices rose slightly last week, snapping a three-week losing streak caused by concerns over a global economic slowdown driven by escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and other nations. The Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have disrupted global commerce and set the U.S. military off on a costly campaign to intercept missiles and drones (Read more at CNBC).

Hamas only release American-Israeli hostage if truce agreement is implemented

A senior Hamas official said long-delayed talks over the ceasefire’s second phase would need to begin the day of the release and last no longer than 50 days. Hamas would also demand the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages (Read more at Arabnews).

US and Israel seek to settle Gazans in Horn of Africa

The US and Israel have contacted officials from Sudan, Somalia and its breakaway region of Somaliland to discuss using their territory for resettling Palestinians from Gaza, the Associated Press reported on Friday, citing US and Israeli officials who confirmed the contacts. Sudan officials said they rejected the proposal by the United States, and officials from Somalia and Somaliland said they were unaware of any contacts (Read more at Arab Weekly).

White House Says Hamas Making ‘Very Bad Bet’ in Gaza Talks

The White House accused Hamas on Friday of making “entirely impractical” demands and stalling on a deal to release a US-Israeli hostage in exchange for an extension of the Gaza ceasefire. Hamas said earlier on Friday it was ready to free an Israeli-American hostage and the remains of four others, after the Palestinian militants and Israel resumed indirect Gaza ceasefire negotiations (Read more at Defense Post).

US offers 'bridge' proposal to extend Gaza ceasefire, seek permanent peace

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Council official Eric Tager presented the proposal in Qatar. The proposal calls for Hamas to continue releasing hostages in exchange for prisoners based on a previously established formula. It also extends the phase-1 ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to Gaza (Read more at Business Standard).

China, Russia back Iran as Trump presses Tehran for nuclear talks

China and Russia stood by Iran on Friday after the United States demanded nuclear talks with Tehran, with senior Chinese and Russian diplomats saying dialogue should only resume based on “mutual respect” and all sanctions ought to be lifted. In a joint statement issued after talks with Iran in Beijing, Beijing and Moscow also said they welcomed Iran’s reiteration that its nuclear programme was exclusively for peaceful purposes, and that Iran’s right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy should be “fully” respected (Read more at The Print).

UAE aluminium exports to US jump ahead of Trump tariffs

So far in March, the UAE exported 68,560.29 metric tons of aluminium to the U.S. before the tariffs kicked in, compared to 16,124.88 metric tons in all of March 2024. The exports in March are already at a nearly two-year high on a monthly basis (Read more at MSN).

US Imposes Sanctions on Iranian Oil Minister, Shadow Fleet

The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on Iran’s oil minister Mohsen Paknejad and some Hong Kong-flagged vessels that are part of a shadow fleet that helps disguise Iranian oil shipments, the Treasury Department said (Read more at Energy Now).

US hostage envoy removed from Israel role after calling Hamas ‘nice guys’

This move comes after a media blitz in which Boehler referred to Hamas as “nice guys” and said he didn’t “really care about” the concerns of Ron Dermer, Israel’s strategic affairs minister. He also stated that the United States was “not an agent of Israel.” A senior U.S. official said Adam Boehler will still work on other Mideast-related matters with Steve Witkoff, U.S. special envoy to the Middle East (Read more at JNS).

UAE to push for easier access to US chip technology

At the start of the year, the U.S. government tightened restrictions on the export of artificial intelligence chips, such as those made by Nvidia, while finding ways to block China's access to the advanced technology. Under the regulations, countries such as Japan, Britain, South Korea and the Netherlands would essentially be exempt from the rules while others, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Singapore, will face some caps (Read more at Market Screener).

Talks with US possible, but only on 'equal terms', says top Iranian diplomat

“If we enter negotiations while the other side is imposing maximum pressure, we will be negotiating from a weak position and will achieve nothing,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. “The other side must be convinced that the policy of pressure is ineffective; only then can we sit at the negotiating table on equal terms” he added (Read more at Middle East Monitor).

Egypt appreciates Trump's remarks on not displacing Palestinians

Most major stock markets in the Gulf rose in early trade on Thursday, helped by a cooler-than-expected U.S. inflation print, although uncertainty over tariffs persisted. Monetary policy in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council is usually guided by the Federal Reserve's decisions, as most regional currencies are pegged to the dollar (Read more at Zawya).

Advocacy groups condemn Trump for using ‘Palestinian’ as a slur

During a meeting at the White House with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Trump hammered Democratic Party lawmakers for the response to his March 6 speech to a joint session of Congress. “Schumer is a Palestinian as far as I’m concerned,” Trump said Wednesday. “He’s become a Palestinian. He used to be Jewish. He’s not Jewish anymore. He’s a Palestinian.” (Read more at The Hill)

Hamas welcomes Trump’s pullback from Gaza mass displacement plan

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem has welcomed United States President Donald Trump’s apparent retreat from his proposed permanent displacement of more than two million Palestinians from Gaza. The statement by the Hamas official came after Trump said on Wednesday that “nobody is expelling any Palestinians from Gaza” in response to a question during a meeting in the White House with Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheal Martin (Read more at Aljazeera).

Türkiye inks deal with US-based producers to develop its shale fields

Türkiye's national oil company, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), has signed a joint venture agreement with U.S. oil producers Continental Resources and TransAtlantic Petroleum to develop shale fields in the country’s southeastern Diyarbakır province. ürkiye's national oil company, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), has signed a joint venture agreement with U.S. oil producers Continental Resources and TransAtlantic Petroleum to develop shale fields in the country’s southeastern Diyarbakır province (Read more at Daily Sabah).

U.S. steered Syrian Kurds toward Damascus deal, sources say

The deal aims to stitch back together a country fractured by 14 years of war, paving the way for Kurdish-led forces, which hold a quarter of Syria, to merge with Damascus, along with regional Kurdish governing bodies. Key details of how this will happen have yet to be spelled out, however (Read more at Japan Times).

Nearly 100 protesters arrested at Trump Tower over Palestinian activist's arrest

According to the New York Police Department, around 150 individuals dressed in civilian attire entered the Trump Tower – US President Donald Trump's New York residence and a property of the Trump Organization – shortly before noon. Once inside, they removed their outer layers to reveal red T-shirts bearing pro-Palestinian slogans and began a sit-in. Footage from the scene captured protesters seated in the lobby, clapping and chanting "Free Palestine." (Read more at Shine)

Trump’s hostage envoy visited Iraq to push to free kidnapped Princeton researcher

US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler traveled to Iraq last month to push for the release of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was kidnapped in Iraq nearly two years ago, three sources familiar with the matter said. Since taking office, Boehler has stepped up efforts to secure the release of Tsurkov, a Princeton University student who went missing in Iraq during a research trip in March 2023, publicly urging the Iraqi government to help her get home (Read more at Arabnews).

US keeps Iran gas waiver but ends power exemption, says Iraqi PM adviser

 The Iraqi prime minister's foreign affairs adviser, Farhad Alaaeldin said most Iraqi power plants run on gas from Iran, with 43% of Iraq's electricity generated by the gas imported from its neighbour to the east. Still, the U.S. was encouraging Iraq to secure gas from other sources, Alaaeldin said (Read more at Reuters).

Arab states to keep talking with Trump envoy on Egypt’s Gaza plan

Consultations and coordination on the plan would continue with US special envoy Steve Witkoff as a “basis for the reconstruction efforts” in Gaza, according to a joint statement following a meeting of the foreign ministers in Doha (Read more at Starits Times).

Iran's Khamenei spurns US talks offer as UAE envoy delivers Trump letter

While Araqchi and Gargash were meeting, Khamenei told a group of university students that Trump's offer for talks was "a deception", state media reported. "When we know they won't honour it, what's the point of negotiating? Therefore, the invitation to negotiate ... is a deception of public opinion," Khamenei was quoted as saying by state media. Khamenei said he had not yet seen the letter (Read more at Yahoo News).

Major Gulf markets slide on US slowdown worries

Major stock markets in the Gulf fell in early trade on Tuesday, as investors fretted that a wide-ranging trade war could dent U.S. economic growth and lead to a recession. Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index declined 1.3%, weighed down by a 1.6% slide in Al Rajhi Bank and a 1.9% drop in Saudi National Bank (Read more at Zawya). 

Israel's war on Gaza behind record high US anti-Muslim incidents

The Council on American Islamic Relations said it recorded the highest number of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab complaints, 8,658, in 2024, since it began publishing data in 1996. Most complaints were in the categories of employment discrimination (15.4 percent), immigration and asylum (14.8 percent), education discrimination (9.8 percent) and hate crimes (7.5 percent). (Read more at New Arab)

USAID cuts cause closure of support for Iraqi torture and disappearance survivors

The program was created after the OHCHR urged a legislative and investigative approach into Iraq’s large quantity of missing persons. The OHCHR attributes the disproportionate number to torture and forced disappearances during the prior Ba’athist regime, the US invasion of Iraq, and ISIS activity within the country (Read more at Jurist News).

Iran's President to Trump: I will not negotiate, 'do whatever the hell you want'

"It is unacceptable for us that they (the U.S.) give orders and make threats. I won’t even negotiate with you. Do whatever the hell you want", state media quoted Pezeshkian as saying (Read more at Reuters).

US Welcomes Syria's Agreement With Kurds

"The United States welcomes the recently announced agreement between the Syrian interim authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces to integrate the northeast into a unified Syria," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement, referring to the Kurdish-led, US-allied SDF force (Read more at Barrons).

US Army Flies Apache Armed With Spike Missile in Iraq

A training (inert) Spike missile was used for the first time with the aircraft flown by a conventional army unit. The Spike offers over four times the range of the Hellfire missile at 32 kilometers (20 miles). Its seeker and wireless data link provide the operator with real-time video imagery and man-in-the-loop control throughout flight, with mid-flight retargeting and mission-abort (Read more at Defense Post).

Americans' sympathy for Israelis falls to its lowest in 24 years, new poll says

The Proportion of Americans who sympathise with the Palestinians is at its highest since Gallup started collecting data. Only 46 percent of Americans polled said their sympathies are with the Israelis rather than the Palestinians during Israel’s current assault on Gaza. The second lowest approval rating was 51 percent in 2001, a year after the Second Intifada (Read more at Middle East Eye).

How Trump's assault on USAID 'will lead to surging mortality' in Sudan

1.8 million famine-affected people are now being denied food. In warehouses across Africa, food shipped from the United States intended for the starving people of war-torn Sudan is sitting rotting, its fate unknown (Read more at Middle East Eye).

Trump calls arrest of Palestinian activist ‘first of many to come’

President says in post his administration ‘will not tolerate’ actions of protesters at Columbia and other US universities. Trump added: “Many are not students, they are paid agitators. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country – never to return again (Read more at Guardian).

Rubio says US hostage envoy's direct meeting with Hamas was 'one-off

President Donald Trump's hostage envoy Adam Boehler's direct meetings with Palestinian militant group Hamas on the release of hostages in Gaza was a "one-off situation" and as of now "hasn't borne fruit," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "That was a one-off situation in which our special envoy for hostages, whose job it is to get people released, had an opportunity to talk directly to someone who has control over these people and was given permission and encouraged to do so. He did so," he added (Read more at Reuters).

After US move on Iraq-Iran power trade, Baghdad looks to replace Iranian gas

Baghdad is looking to Qatar and Oman as possible options. Baghdad currently receives up to 50 million cubic metres of gas per day from Iran depending on its needs under a five-year deal extension signed in March 2024. Iraq pays $4-5 billion per year to Iran for gas imports (Read more at Yahoo News)

Iran says it is open to talks about concerns about militarization of its nuclear program

In a statement posted on X, the country’s U.N. mission said: “If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-à-vis any potential militarization of Iran’s nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration.” “However, should the aim be the dismantlement of Iran’s peaceful nuclear program to claim that what Obama failed to achieve has now been accomplished, such negotiations will never take place,” Iran’s mission said (Read more at Live5news).

Immigration agents arrest Palestinian activist

Federal immigration authorities arrested a Palestinian activist Saturday who played a prominent role in Columbia University’s protests against Israel, a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s pledge to detain and deport student activists. Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student at Columbia until this past December, was inside his university-owned apartment Saturday night when several Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered and took him into custody (Read more at AP).

White House envoy to travel to Doha to push for new Gaza deal

White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Doha on Tuesday evening in an effort to broker a new hostage-release and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. The talks would be the first since President Trump took office and since the original agreement between Israel and Hamas that established a 42-day ceasefire in Gaza (Read more at Axios)

US-Hamas meeting very helpful, US envoy Boehler says

Boehler said his meetings with Hamas leaders in recent days were designed to pinpoint what the group's end game was with the goal of bringing hostilities to a close. He did not rule out additional encounters with the Palestinian militant group (Read more at Reuters).

Trump picks Lebanese American Michel Issa to be US ambassador to Lebanon

“Michel is an outstanding businessman, a financial expert, and a leader with a remarkable career in Banking, Entrepreneurship, and International Trade,” Trump said on Truth Social. He succeeds Ambassador Lisa A. Johnson in this position. Born in Bsees, Aley district, Issa lived in Beirut in his early childhood then moved to France and studied economics at the University of Paris. He completed the prestigious postgraduate course at banking institutes while embarking on a twenty-year career at UBAF- Chase Manhattan Bank- Banque Indosuez and Credit Agricole (Read more at Yalibnan).

Iranian leader says he won't accept demands after Trump claim

"Some bullying countries insist on talks not to resolve issues but to impose their demands...we will certainly not accept their demands", the Iranian leader said in a meeting with senior officials (Read more at Axios).

Trump’s golf resort vandalized by pro-Palestinian activists

Other graffiti that read “Free Gaza” was spotted on part of a building at Trump Turnberry. On X, the activist group issued a threat to the president. “Whilst Trump attempts to treat Gaza as his property, he should know his own property is within reach,” the post said (Read more at News Nation Now).

Trump says he sent a letter to Iran urging negotiations on nuclear weapons

"There are two ways Iran can be handled, militarily or you make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal," Trump said. He added, "I would rather negotiate a deal. I'm not sure that everybody agrees with me, but we can make a deal that would be just as good as if you won militarily," Trump said. "But the time is happening now, the time is coming up. Something is going to happen one way or the other. I hope that Iran, and I've written them a letter, saying I hope you're going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily it's going to be a terrible thing for them." (Read more at ABCNews)

Israel objected to secret U.S.-Hamas talks in tense call

Israel's concerns over the Trump administration's secret negotiations with Hamas erupted in a contentious call Tuesday between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-hand man and the U.S. official leading the talks. When Trump aides sounded out Israeli officials in early February about the possibility of engaging directly with Hamas, the Israelis advised them not to do it — particularly not without preconditions. Israel found out through other channels that the U.S. was moving ahead anyway (Read more at Axios).

Use of AI to identify and deport pro-Palestinian students slammed online

The “Catch and Revoke” project, launched by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will see "AI-assisted reviews of tens of thousands of student visa holders' social media accounts [and] marks a dramatic escalation in the US government's policing of foreign nationals' conduct and speech”. Rubio took to X on Thursday to announce measures against students, saying the US has “zero tolerance for foreign visitors who support terrorists. Violators of US law”.  According to reports, the State Department has already revoked the visa of one unidentified student (Read more at Middle East Eye).

US and Israeli Finance Agree to Strengthen Dialogue on Economies

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Wednesday said they agreed to strengthen dialogue and enhance collaboration in a meeting Wednesday focused on the two countries' economic partnership. "This is a critical time to shape a new strategic economic future for both countries, reinforcing American global leadership and Israel's role as a key economic partner," the two men said in a joint statement released by the Treasury (Read more at AOL). 

Hamas says Trump’s threats encourage Israel to back out of Gaza ceasefire

Militant group accuses the US president of seeking to undermine deal with his ultimatum for release of hostages. The militant Islamist organisation said Trump’s threats constituted support for attempts by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to back out of the ceasefire agreement (Read more at Guardian).

US discussions with Hamas were recent, Trump envoy says

Witkoff told reporters at the White House that gaining the release of Edan Alexander, the 21-year-old man from New Jersey believed to be the last living American hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, is a "top priority for us." Witkoff said he will travel to the Middle East next week with stops planned in four countries. Witkoff also said the U.S. does not believe Hamas has been forthright (Read more at Reuters).

US hostage envoy doubles down on Trump’s Hamas threat

“It may seem like he makes empty threats,” Boehler told anchor Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday.” “Until he carries out the threat. And then it’s not so empty. And then you’re dead.” (Read more at Politico)

US: All Waivers Providing Iran Economic Relief Are Under Review

The U.S. is reviewing all existing sanctions waivers that provide Iran any degree of economic relief, and urging the Iraqi government to eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy as soon as possible (Read more at US News).

US air drills with Israel signal hard line on Iran but door still open to a deal

Israel and the US conducted a joint air force drill in the Eastern Mediterranean that included long-range bombers, as some analysts warned that the window for US President Donald Trump to engage Iran on a nuclear deal is closing. Israeli F-35 and F-15 jet fighters took part in drills in the Eastern Mediterranean alongside a US B-52, a long-range strategic bomber, the Israeli army said in a statement on Thursday. The US has long used B-52 bombers, which are capable of carrying bombs to strike Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, as a show of force against Tehran during times of tension (Read more at Middle East Eye). 

Iran's nuclear programme will be subject of future Russia-US talks

The Kremlin said today that future talks between Russia and the United States would include discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, a subject it said had been “touched upon” in an initial round of US-Russia talks last month (Read more at Middle East Monitor).

Major Gulf markets fall after the latest round of U.S. tariffs

Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index dropped 0.4%. Also, Dubai's main share index fell 0.4%. Elsewhere, blue-chip developer Emaar Properties was down 0.4% and Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corp retreated 1.2% (Read more at Market Screener).

US implements designation of Yemen’s Houthis as terrorist organisation

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said "the Houthis' activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade. The United States will not tolerate any country engaging with terrorist organisations like the Houthis in the name of practising legitimate international business," (Read more at Straits Times)

Trump issues new ultimatum for Hamas to release Israeli hostages

President Trump told Hamas he will greenlight additional Israeli military strikes on Gaza unless the group releases its remaining hostages. Trump issued the ultimatum after a meeting with six hostages who were released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal. Among the remaining hostages are five Americans, including 21-year-old Edan Alexander who is believed to be alive (Read more at Axios).

U.S. holding secret talks with Hamas

It occurred over the release of U.S. hostages held in Gaza and the possibility of a broader deal to end the war. The talks — held by U.S. presidential envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler — are unprecedented. The U.S. had never before engaged directly with Hamas, which it designated a terrorist organization in 1997 (Read more at Axios).

State Department unfreezes $95 million in aid for the Lebanese army

The waiver suggests the Trump administration intends to try to strengthen Lebanon's military and the new government that took office in January. The aid is part of a broader Trump administration strategy to try to continue weakening Hezbollah, decreasing its influence in Lebanon and making sure the ceasefire with Israel holds (Read more at Axios). 

Putin Agrees to Help Broker Talks Between Trump and Iran

Trump expressed an interest to work with Iran on both nuclear matters and Tehran's support for anti-U.S. proxies in the Middle East during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. Trump administration officials also discussed communicating with Iran in a meeting with their Russian counterparts at a summit in Saudi Arabia last month (Read more at Newsweek)

Egypt’s alternative to Trump’s ‘Gaza Riviera’ aims to sideline Hamas

The draft said the board would comprise key Arab countries, members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the United States, Britain, the European Union and its member states, and others. The Egyptian draft does not tackle the issue of what actions could be taken if Hamas refuses to disarm or step aside from politics (Read more at Arabnews).

Top US, Oman Diplomats Discuss Gaza

They discussed the state of the region, including the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, the need to secure the release of all hostages, efforts to sustain assistance flows into Gaza, Syria’s political future, and the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon. The Secretary also discussed the importance of permanently ending unlawful Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways (Read more at US Department of State Website). 

Trump invites Eli Sharabi, freed hostages to White House

U.S. President Donald Trump has invited Eli Sharabi and other Israeli freed hostages to a meeting at the White House after viewing portions of Sharabi’s testimony regarding his time in captivity. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday. Sharabi, 52, who was released by Hamas on Feb. 8 after 491 days in captivity in Gaza, has become a leading voice among the freed hostages. His emotional account of his time in captivity has gained international attention (Read more at JNS).

Israel agrees to U.S. plan for Gaza ceasefire extension and claims Hamas refuses

Israel has agreed to a new U.S. proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of about half of the remaining hostages — both living and dead — but Hamas has so far refused to accept it, the Prime Minister's Office claimed in a statement. Hamas has in recent days said the original agreement needs to be implemented. According to the deal, the ceasefire would continue as long as negotiations on the second phase of the deal were taking place. But there are currently no active negotiations and the fighting in Gaza could resume as soon as Sunday (Read more at Axios).

Israeli-Palestinian Film Wins Oscar, Directors Assail US

They accused the United States of blocking a solution. Despite winning top prizes in Europe and the United States, the film has yet to reach a deal for U.S. distribution, Abraham told Deadline last month. Asked why he thought U.S. distributors had passed on the film, Abraham told Deadline: “I believe it’s clear that it’s for political reasons. I hope that it will change." He said they decided not to wait on the theatrical release and released it in almost 100 theaters independently (Read more at USNews).

US to fast-track $3 billion arms sale to Israel

The US State Department told Congress on Friday that it plans to sell nearly $3 billion in weapons to Israel, including thousands of bombs and $295 million worth of armored bulldozers that had been held up by the previous administration over human rights concerns that US President Donald Trump has largely eschewed. The prospective weapons sales were notified to US Congress on an emergency basis, meaning they will not be subject to review by the House and Senate’s foreign relations committees (Read more at Times of Israel).

Israel wants US to keep Syria 'weak' by allowing Russian bases

Israel works to counter Turkey's growing influence in Syria by lobbying the United States to keep it weak and decentralised, including by letting Russia keep its military bases in the country. Syria's new leadership is in talks with Russia over the fate of the military bases. Some experts say that the new U.S. President Donald Trump could be more open to Russia staying in Syria than his predecessor, Joe Biden. According to the report, Biden's administration considered offering to ease the sanctions on Syria in exchange for closing Russia's two military bases (Read more at Kyivindipendent). 

US aid cuts force UNICEF to reduce Lebanon nutrition programmes

"We have been forced to suspend or cut back or drastically reduce many of our programmes and that includes nutrition programmes," UNICEF's deputy representative in Lebanon, Ettie Higgins said. "The assessment revealed a grim picture of children’s nutrition situation, particularly in the Baalbeck and Bekaa governorates, which remained densely populated when they were repeatedly targeted by air strikes", said Higgins (Read more at Reuters).

Trump says ongoing Gaza talks are 'pretty good'

Trump was asked whether phase two would come to fruition. "We'll see what happens. Nobody really knows, but we'll see what happens," he said at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. "We have some pretty good talks going on." (Read more at Yahoo News)

Removing Hamas from power ‘red line’ for Trump

Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, said on Tuesday that removing Hamas from power in Gaza was a “red line” for the Trump administration as Israel and Hamas prepare for the next round of ceasefire negotiations. Speaking at the launch of the American Jewish Committee’s Center for a New Middle East in Washington, Witkoff told attendees that “Phase 2” of those negotiations could begin as soon as Sunday (Read more at Israel Today).

US sanctions hold up Qatari support for Syria

Qatar is holding off providing Syria's new rulers with funds to increase public sector pay due to uncertainty over whether the transfers would breach US sanctions. While the previous US administration issued a sanctions exemption on January 6 to allow transactions with Syria's governing institutions for six months, Qatar does not see this as enough to cover payments it would need to make via the central bank to finance the salary increase (Read more at Business Standard).