Gulf

Israel’s security cabinet expected to decide on Iran response

Israel’s security cabinet is set to vote on Thursday regarding its response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack, according to an Israeli official speaking to CNN. Earlier, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant…

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Iran warns Israel against any attack, threatens stronger retaliation

Iran's foreign minister warned Israel against launching an attack, saying on Tuesday any strike on Iranian infrastructure would be met with a stronger retaliation.Iran attacked Israel last week with a…

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Iran says any Lebanon ceasefire should be simultaneous with Gaza

Tehran backs efforts for a ceasefire in Lebanon on the condition it would be backed by Hezbollah and simultaneous with a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Iran's foreign minister Abbas…

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Khamenei says Iran and its allies will not back down from Israel

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that Iran and its regional proxies will not back down from Israel hours after an Israeli attack on Beirut that is thought…

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Iran’s Khamenei warned Nasrallah of Israeli plot to kill him

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Hezbollah leader Syyed Hassan Nasrallah to flee Lebanon days before he was killed in an Israeli strike and is now deeply worried about…

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Iran launches salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel

Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for Israel's campaign against Tehran's Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. Alarms sounded across Israel and explosions could be…

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Saudi Arabia announces new global coalition to establish Palestinian state

Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat announced the launch of a new initiative to establish a Palestinian state and garner support for the implementation of a two-state solution after decades of international…

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Iran brokering talks to send advanced Russian missiles to Yemen’s Houthis, sources say

Iran has brokered ongoing secret talks between Russia and Yemen's Houthi rebels to transfer anti-ship missiles to the militant group, three Western and regional sources said, a development that highlights…

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US military says Yemen’s Houthis attacked two crude oil tankers in Red Sea

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked two crude oil tankers - the Saudi-flagged Amjad and the Panama-flagged Blue Lagoon I - in the Red Sea on Monday, the U.S. military said,…

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Yemen weapons dealers selling machine-guns on X

Weapons dealers in Yemen are openly using the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to sell Kalashnikovs, pistols, grenades and grenade-launchers. The traders operate in the capital Sana’a…

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Only Gaza ceasefire can delay Iran’s Israel response

Only a ceasefire deal in Gaza stemming from hoped-for talks this week would hold Iran back from direct retaliation against Israel for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on…

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Iran considers retaliation against Israel over Haniyeh killing a ‘right’, president says

Iran’s president has said Tehran considers retaliation against Israel over the killing of Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh a “right” and a way to prevent future aggression in a call…

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US personnel wounded in attack against base in Iraq

At least five U.S. personnel were injured in an attack against a military base in Iraq, U.S. officials told Reuters, as the Middle East braced for a possible new wave…

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Iran says it does not want regional escalation but must ‘punish’ Israel

Iran is not looking to escalate regional tensions but believes it needs to punish Israel to prevent further instability, the foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, following the killing of…

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UAE announces two-month grace period for holders of expired resident visa

The UAE has announced a two-month grace period for expired residency permit holders to exit the country or change their visa status without fines. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship,…

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UPDATED: Death of Hamas military leader Deif in July confirmed, Israel says

The head of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza last month, the Israeli military said on Thursday, a day after the group’s political…

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US carries out strike in Iraq as regional tensions worsen

The United States carried out a strike in Iraq in self defence, U.S. officials told Reuters, as regional tensions rose after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut that Israel said killed…

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Iranians vote in run-off presidential race amid widespread apathy

Polls opened in Iran on Friday for a run-off presidential election that will test the clerical rulers' popularity amid voter apathy at a time of regional tensions and a standoff…

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Iran holds presidential vote

Iranians will vote for a new president on Friday following Ebrahim Raisi's death in a helicopter crash, choosing from a tightly controlled group of four candidates loyal to the supreme…

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More than 1,000 die in haj amid scorching temperatures

More than 1,000 people died during haj this year, according to a Reuters tally, as extreme heat hammered the nearly two million who took part in the annual Muslim pilgrimage…

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Houthis believed to have sunk second ship, the Tutor, in the Red Sea, UKMTO says

Yemen's Houthi militants are believed to have sunk a second ship, the Tutor, in the Red Sea, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. The Greek-owned Tutor coal carrier…

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Soaring temperatures scorch pilgrims on Haj in Saudi Arabia

Throngs of tightly packed pilgrims struggled through searing heat which has claimed lives during the annual Haj pilgrimage as temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.2 Fahrenheit) in the shade of…

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Houthi missile strikes set ship ablaze, injure one crew, US military says

Missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi militants struck the Palau-flagged Verbena cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, sparking a fire and severely injuring one of her crew, U.S.…

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Houthi missile strikes on two ships in Gulf of Aden

Yemen's Houthi damaged two commercial vessels in missile attacks in the Gulf of Aden in the last 24 hours as part of the militia group's ongoing campaign against international ocean…

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Yemen’s Houthis say they attacked three ships in Red Sea, Arabian Sea

Yemen's Iran-allied Houthis said they had launched attacks on three ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea - though shipping giant Maersk dismissed the militants' report that the…

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Vessel tilts off of Yemen’s coast after missile attack

A merchant vessel off the Yemeni coast took on water and tilted to one side after being targeted with three missiles, British security firm Ambrey said on Tuesday. The vessel…

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No sign of attack on Iran president’s helicopter before fatal crash, armed forces say

Moving briefly away from Gaza and Israel developments, Iran’s military says the helicopter carrying late President Ebrahim Raisi caught fire soon after it crashed into a mountain and there was…

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Houthis say they targeted the Mediterranean this week, no confirmation available

The leader of Yemen's Houthis, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said that one of their operations this week targeted the Mediterranean Sea. Earlier this month, al-Houthi had said that all ships heading…

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UPDATED: Iran declares five days of mourning

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei announced five days of public mourning for president Ebrahim Raisi after his death in a helicopter crash and confirmed Mohammad Mokhber as interim head of…

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UPDATED: Reactions to the death of Iran’s president in a helicopter crash

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, a hardliner long seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan…

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Saudi king to be treated for lung inflammation

Saudi King Salman will undergo treatment at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah for a lung inflammation, the state news agency said, hours after he underwent medical tests. Citing the royal…

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Who is Mohammad Mokhber, the man set to become Iran’s interim president?

Here are some key facts about Mohammad Mokhber, 68, Iran's first vice president who, based on the country's constitution, is expected to become interim president following the death of Ebrahim…

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What happens if an Iranian president dies in office?

Rescuers in Iran have found the crash site of a helicopter that was carrying President Ebrahim Raisi with indications that all those on board died. Below is brief outline of…

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The Bell 212 helicopter

The Bell 212 helicopter in which Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were travelling when it crashed is the civilian version of the ubiquitous Vietnam War-era…

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What is known so far about the Iranian president’s helicopter crash

A rescue operation is under way in the mountains close to the Iranian-Azerbaijani border after one of the helicopters in a convoy carrying Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, was involved in…

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Iranian President Raisi and FM Involved in Helicopter Accident

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were involved in a helicopter accident in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, reportedly caused by adverse weather conditions according to Iranian state…

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Yemen’s Houthis say will target all ships heading to Israel

All ships heading to Israeli ports will be targeted by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis and not just in the Red Sea region, the group's leaded Abdulmalik al-Houthi said in a televised…

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Houthis attack four ships in Indian Ocean, Red Sea

Yemen's Houthis said they targeted the MSC Orion container ship in a drone attack in the Indian Ocean as part of their ongoing campaign against international shipping in solidarity with…

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UAE reports illness linked to contaminated water after floods

A small number of people in the United Arab Emirates have shown symptoms associated with contaminated water after heavy rains and floods, the health ministry said. The statement, carried by…

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Greek frigate targets two UVAs in Gulf of Aden

Greece’s frigate Hydra opened fire on two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Gulf of Aden during the early hours of Thursday, utilizing its 127mm main gun according to Greek media.…

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Updated: Israel carries attack inside Iran – US Officials

Al Jazeera, CNN, APIsrael has carried out a strike inside Iran, a US official tells CNN, in a move that threatens to push the region deeper into conflict. Israel had…

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What caused Dubai floods? Experts cite climate change, not cloud seeding

A storm hit the United Arab Emirates and Oman this week bringing record rainfall that flooded highways, inundated houses, grid-locked traffic and trapped people in their homes. At least 20…

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Dubai airport chaos as UAE and Oman reel from deadly storms

Heavy rain has continued to batter Gulf states, causing deadly flash floods and disrupting flights at the world's second-busiest airport. Dubai International Airport warned of "very challenging conditions" and advised…

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Iranian army chief commander warns of “regret-inducing response”

Iranian army chief commander, Maj Gen Abdolrahim Mousavi, has said that any aggression against Iran’s interests will be met with a “firm and regret-inducing response”. “We are ready to fight…

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Gulf states, vulnerable but influential, seek to stop new Iran-Israel war

Gulf states are pushing to stop a full-blown regional war after Iran's unprecedented retaliatory strikes on Israel, sources in the region said, fearing new escalation could put them on front…

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UPDATED: Biden says US commitment to Israel’s security is ‘ironclad’

US President Joe Biden has confirmed he met his national security team to discuss Iran's attack against Israel. The US president cut his weekend trip to Delaware short to return to…

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Iran’s missile capabilities

Iran has developed a range of ballistic missiles and drones in a programme that has long worried the West. The missiles are an important part of the arsenal at Tehran's…

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Iran’s Revolutionary Guards: powerful group with wide regional reach

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards launched a drone attack against targets in Israel on Saturday, Iranian English-language press TV cited Iranian sources as saying. A senior commander in the Corps' Quds…

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UPDATED: Iran launches attack against Israel; Israeli official predicts ‘significant response’ to attack

Iran has launched a salvo of drones at Israel, the Israeli military has said late Saturday night. Iran has also launched missiles at Israel, its Revolutionary Guards has said. In…

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Russia, Germany, UK urge restraint as Iranian threat puts Middle East on edge

Russia, Germany and Britain urged countries in the Middle East to show restraint and Israel said it was preparing to "meet all its security needs" in a region on edge…

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Iran says Israeli presence in UAE is a threat

The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards navy said on Tuesday Israel's presence in the United Arab Emirates was a threat to Tehran and this "should not happen". Iran has…

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Iran warns ‘enemy’ will ‘regret’ Guards killings in Syria

Iran on Saturday again threatened retaliation for the deaths of seven Revolutionary Guards in a strike on Damascus, with the army chief saying his country’s enemies will “regret” the killings,…

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Many Iranian options to retaliate against Israel, but all carry risk

By Idrees Ali and Arshad Mohammed Iran faces a dilemma following an Israeli attack on its embassy in Syria: how to retaliate without sparking a wider conflict that Middle East…

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Iran alerted Russia to security threat before Moscow attack

Iran tipped off Russia about the possibility of a major "terrorist operation" on its soil ahead of the concert hall massacre near Moscow last month, three sources familiar with the…

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U.S. says it conducted self-defense strikes against Houthi facilities

CAIRO, March 23 (Reuters) - U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes against three Houthi underground weapons storage facilities in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The strikes targeted…

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EU naval mission in Red Sea destroys missiles, Houthi seaborne drone

ATHENS (Reuters) - The EU's naval mission in the southern Red Sea said it had destroyed three ballistic missiles and a Houthi seaborne drone to protect merchant ships. The EU's…

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Houthi attacks must ease for salvage of two vessels, UN shipping agency says

Efforts to limit environmental damage from a cargo vessel that sank after a Houthi missile strike and another abandoned during a fiery assault are on hold until attacks on ships…

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