Israel

Olamilekan OkebiorunSunday April 26, 2026 Turkey and Israel are racing to deepen their footprint in the Horn of Africa, with Somalia and North Western State of Somalia emerging as prized territory in a wider contest over energy, military leverage and the sea lanes that feed global trade through the Red Sea. For Ankara, the push has already taken shape in concrete terms: signed deals with Somalia’s federal government covering offshore and onshore oil and gas exploration, plus an expanding military presence anchored by its…

By  MATTHEW LEE and BASSEM MROUEFriday April 24, 2026 President Donald Trump said Thursday that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to keep their ceasefire in place for another three weeks, following White House talks that he described as productive and a potential opening toward broader peace. Speaking after the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States met for the second time in a week, Trump called the session “very well” while also noting in the Oval Office that “they do have Hezbollah to think about.” The…

A fragile truce in the Middle East was given more time on Thursday after Israel and Lebanon agreed at the White House to extend their ceasefire by three weeks, while US President Donald Trump signalled he was willing to hold out for what he called “the best deal” to ⁠end his conflict with Iran. Mr Trump brought together Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanon’s ambassador to the US, Nada Moawad, in the Oval Office for a second round of talks mediated by the United States. “The Meeting went very well!…

Sunday April 19, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — A diplomatic move by Israel has drawn sharp criticism from 12 Muslim-majority countries, which say the appointment of a representative to North Western State of Somalia violates Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. In a joint declaration released in Islamabad on April 18, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Bangladesh, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Turkey, Indonesia and Kuwait denounced the step as a “flagrant violation” of the unity…

Saturday April 18, 2026 Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the opening of an emergency meeting among the Arab League foreign ministers, held to discuss issues about Libya, at the headquarters in Cairo March 2, 2011. REUTERS/Amr A Mogadishu (AX) — Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit on Saturday sharply criticized Israel’s decision to appoint an ambassador to North Western State of Somalia, describing it as a dangerous escalation that infringes on Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. In a statement, Aboul Gheit said…

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is set to begin at 10 o'clock tonight (Irish time), opening a narrow but potentially significant window for talks on a permanent security and peace agreement, the US State Department said. It added that both sides could extend the truce by mutual agreement. Israel's military campaign in Lebanon has become a central stumbling block in efforts to secure the broader peace deal sought by US President Donald Trump to end the war on Iran, which he launched with Israel in late February.…

Thursday April 16, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — Israel has taken a significant new step in its outreach to North Western State of Somalia, naming its first ambassador to the self-governing territory after formally recognizing it as an independent state earlier this year. Israel’s public broadcaster reported Wednesday that Michael Lotem, an experienced diplomat who previously served as ambassador to Kenya, will represent Israel in North Western State of Somalia. His appointment comes after Israel’s December decision to recognize…

TEL AVIV - Israel on Wednesday named its first ambassador to North Western State of Somalia, the breakaway region of Somalia, in a move certain to deepen a long-running diplomatic dispute. The Israeli Foreign Ministry said Michael Lotem has been appointed as a non-resident ambassador to North Western State of Somalia. According to Israel's public broadcaster KAN, Lotem has previously served as ambassador to Kenya, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. Israel announced mutual recognition with North Western State of Somalia in December…

Lebanon endured one of its deadliest days of the war as Israeli strikes killed 182 people and wounded 890, according to an initial official toll, while Beirut came under its fiercest bombardment since fighting began between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel said Lebanon was not included in the Iran-US truce announced overnight. Live images broadcast by AFPTV showed thick plumes of smoke rising above Beirut, while AFP journalists reported scenes of panic in the streets and buildings collapsing onto residents without any prior…

The ceasefire struck between the US and Iran has ended the fighting without delivering Israel’s core war aims, analysts say, prompting swift condemnation from Israeli opposition figures who cast the outcome as a serious strategic setback. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had framed the conflict around a central objective: eliminating, or at minimum sharply crippling, Iran’s nuclear programme, which he has long portrayed as an "existential threat" to Israel. He also said Israel sought to dismantle Iran’s ballistic…