Special Interest:
Middle East Conflicts
Israeli strike on Gaza City school kills 27
At least 27 Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a school in northern Gaza that was serving as a shelter for displaced families, the Hamas-run health ministry says.
Reported - 03/04/25
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr4nlg6y5pxo
Israel orders evacuation of Rafah
The Israeli military has issued a sweeping new evacuation order for Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip - the biggest since its operation in the Palestinian territory resumed earlier this month.
Reported - 31/03/25
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq80xqg31x8o
Hundreds join Gaza's largest anti-Hamas
Hundreds of people have taken part in the largest anti-Hamas protest in Gaza since the war with Israel began, taking to the streets to demand the group step down from power.
Reported by BBC News - 25/03/25
Israel kills Hamas official in strike on Gaza hospital
An Israeli air strike on a hospital in Gaza killed a senior Hamas leader and an aide on Sunday evening.
Ismail Barhoum, the group's finance chief, was hit in Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis.
Reported by BBC News - 24/03/25
Netanyahu fires Israel's security chief
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fired the head of the nation's security service - Ronen Bar - over the services "failure to anticipate the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas".
Reported by BBC News - 21/03/25
Hamas fires rockets at Tel Aviv
Hamas says it launched three rockets at Tel Aviv - the first time the group is known to have fired back since Israel resumed its military offensive in Gaza.
Israel said it intercepted one of the missiles and the others fell into uninhabited land.
Reported by BBC News - 20/03/25
Israel-Hamas ceasefire ends
The Israeli military has resumed air strikes in the Gaza Strip, with the Hamas-run health ministry reporting more than 400 Palestinians have been killed so far.
Reported by BBC News - 18/03/25
US launches air strikes on Yemen's Houthis
Aid workers killed in Israeli air strike
A team of charity workers has been killed in Israeli strikes in northern Gaza, the UK-registered Al Khair Foundation has told the BBC.
The charity said eight workers - including volunteers and journalists documenting their activities - were killed when their vehicles were targeted on Saturday.
Reported by BBC News - 15/03/25
Israel cuts off electricity supply to Gaza
Israel ordered all of Gaza's electricity supply to be cut off on Sunday in an effort to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining Israeli hostages held in the territory.
Reported by BBC News - 09/03/25
Syrian security forces accused of executing dozens of Alawites
US and Israel reject Arab alternative to Trump's Gaza plan
The US and Israel have rejected an Arab plan for the post-war reconstruction of the Gaza Strip that would allow the 2.1 million Palestinians living there to stay in place.
Reported by BBC News - 05/03/25
Israel blocks entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza
Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza as it demands Hamas agree to a US plan for a ceasefire extension.
Phase 1 of the ceasefire expired on Saturday.
Reported by BBC News - 02/03/25
Remains of 4 hostages returned to Israel
Hamas has released 4 more coffins from Gaza. They contained the remains of hostages Shlomo Mansou, Ohad Yahalomi, Tsachi Idan and Itzik Elgarat.
In response Israel have released 600 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Reported by BBC News - 27/02/25
Three buses explode in Israel
Hamas returns bodies of 4 hostages
Hamas have returned the bodies of 4 hostages that were taken in the October 7th attack.
The victims are identified as Shiri, Kfir and Ariel Bibas, as well as Oded Lifschitz.
Reported by BBC News - 20/02/25
Israeli troops stay inside south Lebanon
Israeli forces have pulled out from towns and villages in southern Lebanon but remain in five locations along the border in what the Lebanese government describes as a violation of a ceasefire deal.
Reported by BBC News -18/02/25
Hostage exchange goes ahead
Hamas has released another three Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, after a week of worry that the ceasefire would fall apart.
Reported by BBC News - 15/02/25
Hamas threatens hostage deal
Hamas says it is postponing the next scheduled release of Israeli hostages, blaming "Israeli violations of the ceasefire deal".
Three hostages held in Gaza are due to be freed on Saturday in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
Reported by BBC News - 10/02/25
Israel troops withdraw from corridor in Gaza
Israeli troops have withdrawn from the Netzarim Corridor - a military zone cutting off the north of the Gaza Strip from the south.
Reported by BBC News - 09/02/25
Hamas-Israel exchange more prisoners
Three more Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for the freeing of 183 Palestinian prisoners.
Reported by BBC News - 08/02/25
More hostages released in Gaza
Eight more hostages held by Hamas in Gaza have been released.
A total of 110 Palestinians were later released from Israeli prisons.
Reported by BBC News - 30/01/25
Lebanon ceasefire crumbling
Israeli soldiers have killed at least 14 people and wounded more than 80 in southern Lebanon.
The violence comes as the Israeli military remains in the country after the deadline for their withdrawal, plus the removal of Hezbollah fighters, expired.
Reported by BBC News - 26/01/25
Hamas releases 4 more hostages
Hamas has released 4 more hostages as part of a deal with Israel, in return for 200 Palestinian prisoners. The released are 4 female soldiers.
However, Israel has refused to allow displaced Palestinians to return to the north of the Gaza Strip at this time as the hostages did not include civilian Arbel Yehud. Hamas have responded by saying she will be free next week instead.
Reported by BBC News - 25/01/25
Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreed
Update:
The ceasefire has now started, although it happened a few hours later than planned due to last minute negotiations. - 19/01/25
Original article:
A ceasefire deal has been agreed between Israel and Hamas, which is due to come into effect on 19/01/25.
Israel's security cabinet will vote on whether to ratify the deal today, with a number of cabinet members threatening to resign if the ceasefire goes ahead.
Reported by BBC News - 17/01/25
Hamas discussing hostage release
A senior Hamas official has shared with the BBC a list of 34 hostages that the Palestinian group says it is willing to release in the first stage of a potential ceasefire agreement with Israel.
The medical condition of the hostages on the list is still unknown, although Hamas has recently released a video of one of the hostages, Liri Albag, where she urged Israel to come to a ceasefire agreement.
Reported by BBC News - 06/01/25
Clashes in Syria
Syria's new rebel-led authorities say supporters of ousted President Bashar al-Assad have killed 14 interior ministry troops in an "ambush" in the west of the country.
Reported by BBC News - 26/12/24
US kills Islamic State leader in Syria
The US says it has killed Islamic State (IS) leader Abu Yusif in Syria. US Central Command Forces (Centcom) said it carried out an airstrike targeting Yusif in the east of the country.
Another IS operative was also killed in the strike, according to US officials.
Reported by Sky News - 20/12/24
https://news.sky.com/story/us-says-it-has-killed-isis-leader-abu-yusif-in-syria-airstrike-13277161
New PM announced in Syria
Mohammed al-Bashir, the former head of the rebel administration in the north-west, has been installed as the interim prime minister by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS).
He is expected to be governing until March 2025.
Reported by BBC News - 10/12/24
Israel bombs Syrian naval fleet
Israel has continued its flash military operation in Syria by carrying out attacks on Syria's naval fleet. The Israeli armed forces have launched 350 air strikes as part of its efforts to neutralise military assets in the country.
Reported by BBC News - 10/12/24
Isreal bombs Syrian strategic buildings
The Israeli military has bombed the main research centre in Damascus, two regional security sources have told Reuters news agency. The centre had been suspected of being used by Iran to develop long-range guided missiles.
Israel also targeted the customs headquarters and military intelligence in a security complex in the capital, the sources said.
Reports earlier suggested Israel had also targeted the former Syrian air base of Khalkhala in southern Syria.
Reported by Sky News - 08/12/24
https://news.sky.com/story/syria-latest-iran-backed-fighters-enter-syria-as-russian-and-syrian-forces-strike-rebel-positions-13265154#8752586
Rebels claim control of Syria
Syrian rebel forces have claimed control of Damascus, and therefore control of Syria, following their suprise assaults across the country. They began by seizing Aleppo, before taking over Hama and Homs on the way to Damascus.
The president Bashar al-Assad has reportedly fled from the country
Reported by BBC News - 08/12/24
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cwy8xzxe0w7t
Syrian rebels occupy Aleppo
Syrian rebel forces launched the largest offensive against the Syrian government in years on Wednesday (27/11/24).
By Sunday (01/12/24), they had taken control of "large parts" of the country's second-biggest city, Aleppo and were advancing towards Hama in the south.
Reported by BBC News - 02/12/24
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce313jn453zo
Ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is in effect in Lebanon after a deal to end 13 months of fighting began at 04:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on 27/11/24.
Thousands of Lebanese civilians have started returning to their homes in the south, but Israel warns it is not yet safe to return to certain areas.
Reported by BBC News - 27/11/24
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cnvjl42g9m1t
Further Israeli strikes on Beirut
At least 11 people have been killed and 63 injured in Israeli strikes on central Beirut, Lebanese authorities have said.
Lebanon's health ministry said the death toll could rise as emergency workers dig through the rubble looking for survivors. DNA tests are being used to identify the victims, the ministry added.
Reported by Sky News - 23/11/24
https://news.sky.com/story/at-least-11-killed-in-israeli-strikes-on-central-beirut-lebanese-authorities-say-13258745
ICC arrest warrants issued
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defence minister, as well as the military commander of Hamas. A statement said a pre-trial chamber had rejected Israel’s challenges to the court’s jurisdiction and issued warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant. A warrant was also issued for Mohammed Deif of Hamas, although Israel has said he was killed in an air strike in Gaza in July.
Reported by BBC News - 21/11/24
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly2exvx944o
Israel constructing along buffer zone
The United Nations says Israeli construction along a demilitarised buffer zone with Syria has led to “severe violations” of a 50-year-old ceasefire agreement, which risk increasing tensions along their shared frontier in the occupied Golan Heights.
Satellite photographs show new trenches and earth berms dug over the past few months along the length of what is known as the Area of Separation (AoS).
Reported by BBC News - 13/11/24
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpwrvw7x8j9o
Benjamin Netanyahu confirms Israel behind pager attacks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his authorization of attacks in Lebanon and Syria in September, according to his spokesperson Omer Dostri. The attacks, involving explosions across both countries, resulted in the deaths of nearly 40 people, including two children, and injured more than 3,000 others. The incidents occurred shortly before Israel escalated its military operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Reported by The Independent - 11/11/24
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-lebanon-pager-attacks-b2644731.html
Israel passes law to deport the families of Palestinian attackers
The new law passed by Israel’s parliament allows the deportation of family members of Palestinian attackers , including Palestinian citizens of Israel and residents of annexed East Jerusalem, to the Gaza Strip or other locations. The law targets those who are believed to have had prior knowledge of the attacks or who express support for such acts of terrorism. It applies even to Israeli citizens, and the deportation could last for 7 to 20 years. This law is likely to face challenges in court. The region is currently in the midst of an ongoing war, with Gaza suffering from extreme devastation and displacement.
Reported by The Independent - 08/11/24
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-law-deport-palestinian-families-b2643505.html
Protests erupt in Israel after Netanyahu fires defence minister
Protests erupted in Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, citing a breakdown of trust between them. Gallant’s removal followed disagreements on key issues, including the return of hostages from Gaza, military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox citizens, and the need for a national inquiry into the war. Netanyahu appointed Foreign Minister Israel Katz as Gallant's replacement, who is seen as more hawkish. Gallant, who had previously been dismissed in 2023 but reinstated following public outcry, had voiced concerns about Israel’s post-war plans for Gaza and its strategy regarding Hamas. The timing of his dismissal coincided with the U.S. presidential election and political pressure from far-right factions in Israel. Protests against Netanyahu’s decision, including from the families of hostages, called for a focus on securing hostages' release.
Reported by BBC News - 05/11/2024