Tag Archives: Middle East

The Middle East conflict entered a volatile new phase as U.S. President Donald Trump predicted the war could end soon, even while events across the region suggested the confrontation may be widening rather than winding down. Trump described the campaign against Iran as a “short-term excursion,” insisting that U.S. and Israeli military actions had already dealt significant damage to Tehran’s …

Mojtaba Khamenei has emerged as Iran’s new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during recent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Though Iran’s political system formally rejects hereditary succession, Mojtaba had long been viewed by some within the ruling establishment as a possible successor. A mid-ranking cleric with strong ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard …

US President Donald Trump celebrated what he described as the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US–Israeli airstrikes, while warning that military operations would continue in the days ahead. Posting from his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump said the strikes targeted Iranian missile systems and naval capabilities and framed the reported death of Khamenei as a turning point. …

Deadly unrest in Iran has claimed more than 500 lives, according to a rights organisation, as tensions escalate between Tehran and Washington over the possibility of US intervention. A US-based monitoring group, HRANA, said it has verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 members of the security forces during nearly two weeks of nationwide demonstrations. The group, which relies …

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has responded to criticism from pro-Palestinian demonstrators, stating that Ireland has played a leading role in advocating for justice in the Middle East. His remarks were made during a public event in Galway on Sunday, where a protest took place outside, calling for stronger Irish government action on the situation in Gaza. Addressing the issue directly, the …

The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces supports calls for the family of Private Seán Rooney to receive the details of a United Nations report regarding his death. Lieutenant General Seán Clancy agreed with Tánaiste Micheál Martin that all facts and information from the UN report should be provided to the coroner. In an interview with RTÉ’s This Week, …

More than a million people, primarily women and children, have been displaced in Syria following a recent rebel offensive that led to the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad, according to the United Nations humanitarian agency. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that since the escalation of hostilities on November 27, approximately 1.1 million people have …

Syria’s newly appointed interim prime minister has committed to protecting the rights of minority groups as the US’s top diplomat arrived in the region to encourage a transition toward an inclusive government following the ousting of President Bashar al-Assad. Assad’s departure came after a rapid offensive by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies, bringing an end …

Syrians are waking up to a hopeful yet uncertain future after rebels captured the capital, Damascus, and President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia, ending 13 years of civil war and over 50 years of his family’s rule. A coalition led by Hayat al-Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate, made a rapid advance, marking a significant turning point in the …

Syrian rebels were preparing to continue their rapid advance after reaching the outskirts of Homs, with government forces struggling to reinforce their weakening frontlines and protect President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule. Following the rebels’ successful entry into Aleppo a week ago, government defenses across the country have quickly collapsed as insurgents captured several major cities and launched uprisings in areas …