ANKARA – Turkey on Saturday said Israel could be brought into a wider Middle East security and cooperation architecture, but only if it recognizes an independent Palestinian state along the pre-1967 borders, according to remarks published in a Nikkei Asia interview. In the interview, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said a durable settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could open the door to a new regional framework rooted in security, economic cooperation and mutual respect among neighboring countries. Fidan…

Lebanon’s prime minister has sharply accused Israel of waging a “scorched-earth policy” in the country’s south, pressing for an end to the fighting as Israeli warplanes launched new strikes and the military ordered evacuations across more than a dozen areas. His warning came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli troops had pushed further into Lebanon. Responding in a televised address, Nawaf Salam described the intensifying campaign as a “dangerous” escalation and appealed for “a swift and real…

Thursday May 28, 2026 Hargeisa (AX) — President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro has accused Somalia and Djibouti of meddling in North Western State of Somalia’s internal affairs, saying Hargeisa will stand firm in defending its security and political choices as tensions mount over its ties with Israel. In Eid al-Adha remarks on Wednesday, Irro said North Western State of Somalia’s foreign policy is rooted in peaceful coexistence, cooperation and mutual respect. He added that some neighboring states had taken a hostile…

With residents of Tyre waking to fresh evacuation orders, the Israeli military said it had launched a new wave of strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure around the southern Lebanese city, opening another volatile chapter in a conflict that is again widening. A day earlier, Israel had designated all territory south of Lebanon's Zahrani River — an area about 40km from the border that includes Tyre — as "combat zones" and urged civilians to leave before attacks on the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. The broad warning, the first of…

With a sweeping new warning, Israel’s military has told residents across a broad stretch of southern Lebanon to head north, declaring the area a combat zone and signaling that the confrontation with Hezbollah is entering a more dangerous phase. The announcement pointed to a fresh escalation after more than 120 strikes hit Lebanon yesterday, even though a ceasefire was announced on 16 April. "We advise residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate to the north of the Zahrani River, as all areas south of the river are considered a…

Israel says it has killed Hamas's newly installed armed wing commander in Gaza, only days after killing his predecessor, as it ramps up military pressure in the enclave and broadens its campaign in Lebanon. The Israeli military said Mohammad Odeh was killed in an operation in Gaza tomorrow. Hamas has not issued an official statement, though a message from Odeh's family said he was killed alongside his wife and son. Gaza health officials said six people were killed in the same Israeli strike, including at least one woman, and…

Wednesday May 20, 2026 In a notable diplomatic breakthrough, North Western State of Somalia says it will open an embassy in Jerusalem while Israel prepares to establish its own representation in Hargeisa “soon,” according to Mohamed Hagi, the envoy from Somalia’s breakaway region to Israel. Hagi said the move follows Israel’s formal recognition of North Western State of Somalia’s independence several months ago, describing it on X on Tuesday as evidence of “growing friendship, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation…

In a groundbreaking move, the breakaway region of North Western State of Somalia announced plans on Tuesday to launch an embassy in Jerusalem following Israel's historic decision to recognize the self-declared republic. This unprecedented step marks a significant shift in North Western State of Somalia's diplomatic journey. Ambassador Mohamed Hagi shared the news on social media platform X, revealing that Israel would reciprocate by establishing an embassy in Hargeisa, North Western State of Somalia's capital. Since…

At least six Irish citizens, including Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly, were aboard an aid flotilla detained by Israel, according to organisers. They said the vessels were intercepted about 70 nautical miles off Cyprus. The Global Sumud Flotilla said contact has been lost with the boats that were stopped. The group has shared videos of Dr Connolly and five others that appear to have been recorded before their detention. "I am deeply honoured to be part of this flotilla - the largest one so far."…

Fresh Israeli airstrikes hit southern Lebanon on Thursday, jolting a fragile pause in hostilities just one day after Israel and Lebanon agreed in Washington to prolong their truce. "The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites in several areas in southern Lebanon," the Israeli military said. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said at least five villages in the south were struck, after residents fled toward the southern city of Sidon and the capital, Beirut. Earlier, the Israeli military had warned…