UPDATE | Local sources report that one person was killed and 11 were injured in the Israeli airstrikes that targeted Lebanon’s Bekaa region.

VIDEO | "The president of Syria, who I essentially put there, is doing a phenomenal job."

During a press conference at the White House today, US President Donald Trump admits that his administration helped put unelected president Ahmad al-Sharaa into power in Syria.

They’re selling “peace” the way they sold “stability” – a membership fee, a seat at the table, and a coalition of the willing ready to legitimize whatever comes next..

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❗️Saudi crown prince confronts UAE over Sudan and Yemen in 'secret letter'

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a lengthy letter to UAE national security adviser Tahnoon bin Zayed outlining deep grievances over Abu Dhabi’s policies in Sudan and Yemen, according to US and western officials cited by Middle East Eye. The message warned that Riyadh could no longer tolerate the UAE’s alleged support for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and stressed that Yemen remains within Saudi Arabia’s sphere of influence.

The letter also framed Saudi Arabia’s military actions in Yemen as essential to national security and described Emirati backing for southern separatists as a “red line.” Tensions have escalated in recent months, with Saudi forces targeting an alleged Emirati-linked weapons shipment and moving to sideline UAE-backed factions. Officials said the correspondence appeared crafted with Washington in mind. US President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged the rift for the first time this week, saying he could resolve the dispute “very easily.”

VIDEO | "It would be fine if [Israel] took it all."

During a recent interview with Tucker Carlson, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee argued that Israel’s so-called 'right to exist' stems from a biblical promise to Abraham, citing the Book of Genesis.

Carlson challenged the claim, noting that the passage describes a territory extending from the Nile to the Euphrates, which would stretch from Lebanon to include parts of Saudi Arabia, and asked whether that interpretation would mean Israel has a right to all of that land. Huckabee replied that it would be fine if Israel "took it all."

❗️US moves to reopen US Embassy in Damascus as Washington seeks more influence over Syria

The Donald Trump administration has notified Congress of plans to begin a phased reopening of the US Embassy in Damascus, signaling a major policy shift after more than a decade of diplomatic isolation. According to a congressional notification obtained by The Associated Press, initial spending on the plan is set to begin within weeks, though no timeline has been given for the full return of US personnel.

The move follows the December 2024 fall of former president Bashar al-Assad and reflects a push by Washington’s Syria envoy Tom Barrack to normalize relations with the country’s new leadership under unelected President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Barrack has pressed for sanctions relief and Syria’s reintegration into regional and international structures, while US officials have praised Damascus for joining security coordination efforts against ISIS despite unresolved disputes with Kurdish factions and a limited US troop withdrawal.

The planned return marks a broader attempt by Washington to reinsert itself into Syria’s political landscape and shape the country’s transition from within. The phased approach suggests a strategy focused on restoring leverage on the ground, as the US seeks to manage emerging power balances and secure its role in the post-war regional order.

❗️Israeli settlers storm Gaza amid push for reoccupation and escalating annexation efforts

Dozens of Israeli settlers crossed into the Gaza Strip overnight in a coordinated action calling for the territory’s permanent reoccupation, intensifying efforts to normalize the return of Israeli settlements. The incursion was led by Knesset member Limor Son Har-Melech of Otzma Yehudit and organized by the Nachala settler movement under the pretext of a “tree planting” event. Participants openly declared that “Gaza will be Jewish,” framing settlement construction as the path to Israel’s victory.

The action reflects a broader push within the coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to revive settlement projects in Gaza, reversing the 2005 disengagement and advancing a policy that is illegal under international law. Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has repeatedly endorsed plans to rebuild settlements in the enclave, while officials and activists increasingly speak in terms that imply permanent Israeli control and the exclusion of the Palestinian population.

The Israeli military said it detained the group after monitoring their entry into the closed military zone, marking the second such breach this month. The incident comes as Israel continues to block the return of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians, reinforcing concerns that settlement activism is evolving into a political campaign aimed at reshaping Gaza’s future through de facto annexation.

❗️Israeli forces carried out multiple attacks across Gaza this morning. A drone strike on Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza killed 30-year-old Majed Abu Maarouf, while an Israeli strike south of Khan Yunis killed 46-year-old Osama Ahmed Abdel Aziz al-Najjar. Additional Israeli artillery targeted northern and eastern areas of Khan Yunis.

❗️Trump moves toward nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia that would bypass non-proliferation safeguards

The Trump administration is advancing a civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia that would bypass traditional US non-proliferation safeguards, Reuters reported Friday. Unlike previous agreements with countries such as the UAE, the deal does not explicitly prohibit Riyadh from enriching uranium, a key step in producing nuclear fuel and potentially weapons. The agreement would also allow cooperation on sensitive nuclear technologies, including reprocessing, while putting US companies at the forefront of Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear program.

Saudi officials, including Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, have publicly pushed to retain enrichment rights, citing economic and national pride considerations. "We will enrich it and we will sell it and we will do a yellowcake," he said last year. Analysts suggest that the Trump administration may have softened its stance to secure the deal quickly, prioritizing US exports over traditional non-proliferation concerns.

The deal is part of a broader US-Saudi defense and technology push, running alongside negotiations over F-35 warplanes and other regional military deals. Congressional approval will be required within 90 days, and lawmakers have the option to block the agreement, though the administration’s strategy reflects a focus on deal-making even if it strains established US foreign policy norms.

VIDEO | Ongoing assaults and violations in the occupied West Bank: Settlers attack Azbet Abu Hammam, south of Al-Mughayyir village, northeast of Ramallah.

❗️Germany urges citizens to leave Iran as US threats continue to increase regional tensions

Germany’s Embassy in Iran on Friday warned its citizens to leave the country, citing escalating risks amid rising regional tensions. The embassy described the security situation as “extremely volatile and very tense,” noting that airspace closures and flight cancellations could occur at any moment. It added that consular support on the ground is currently limited.

The advisory comes as US President Donald Trump signaled he is “considering” a limited military strike against Iran to pressure Tehran into a deal, while Washington has been increasing its military presence in the region.

❗️Lebanese MP Abu Hamdan calls on government to suspend ‘Mechanism’ meetings amid Israeli attacks

Member of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc, MP Rami Abu Hamdan, said that the massacres committed by Israel overnight in towns and villages in the Bekaa, which resulted in several martyrs and many wounded, are “nothing new to Zionist brutality.”

He stressed that his message is not directed at the enemy, which he said only understands the language of force, but rather at the Lebanese authorities, whom he holds responsible for the security of citizens and the country’s sovereignty. He argued that condemnations and statements of denunciation are no longer sufficient, and that Lebanese blood “is not cheap,” calling for a radical change in how the state defends the country and rejecting the normalization of nightly attacks in the Bekaa and southern Lebanon.

Abu Hamdan said the government should not act as a mere political commentator describing Israeli strikes as routine events preceding meetings of the ceasefire “mechanism” committee. At a minimum, he said, Lebanon should freeze its participation in the committee until Israel halts its violations, calling this a test of the committee and its sponsors.

He urged swift and effective action from the government, warning that policies of submission only embolden Israel and increase threats to Lebanon’s security.

He added that, despite the bloodshed and sacrifices, the people remain steadfast and committed to the path of resistance and resilience. Abu Hamdan concluded by saying that Israel will remain “the eternal enemy of humanity and nations,” asserting that its defeat is inevitable so long as there are those who believe in their rights and in the ultimate triumph of justice.

(Al-Akhbar)

❗️Hundreds of US troops pulled from key Gulf bases amid rising threat of Iran strike

The United States has withdrawn hundreds of troops from Al Udeid Air Base and Bahrain, where the US Navy’s 5th Fleet is stationed, in what appears to be a precautionary measure amid escalating threats of a US strike on Iran, The New York Times reported, citing Pentagon sources. Forces remain in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the UAE, but the pullback underscores Washington’s growing concern over potential retaliation from Tehran.

Iran warned the United Nations that any attack on its soil would render “all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region legitimate targets,” holding the US accountable for the fallout. Al Udeid Air Base alone hosts some 10,000 US troops.

❗️Family of Palestinian-American teen killed by Israeli settler in occupied West Bank demand accountability

Nasrallah Mohammad Jamal Abu Siam, a 19-year-old Palestinian-American from Philadelphia, was shot dead by an Israeli settler in the village of Mukhmas near Ramallah on Wednesday. Witnesses said that the teen and about 30 villagers were confronting armed Israeli settlers attempting to steal livestock when settlers opened fire, fatally striking him. His killing marks at least the sixth US citizen killed in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers or soldiers over the past two years.

The family condemned the attack and called for accountability, highlighting what they described as a pattern of unchecked settler violence. “A young man of 19 shot and killed in cold blood with complete impunity,” said his cousin, Abdulhamid Siam, speaking to the BBC. The US State Department said it was 'monitoring the situation' and Israeli authorities have allegedly launched an inquiry.

VIDEO | The USS Gerald R. Ford is seen transiting the Strait of Gibraltar while en route toward Iran.

📹 Vijay Prashad exposes the fantasy of the so-called “Abrahamic Gateway” plan for Gaza, dismantling Trump and Kushner’s AI-driven peace vision and explaining why occupation and Palestinian resistance make it impossible.

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❗️Local sources report that Israeli forces briefly detained a child west of the Syrian village of Kudna in Quneitra’s western countryside, taking him to an unknown location before releasing him hours later.

BREAKING | Israeli forces carry out large-scale explosive demolitions of residential buildings, east of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.