Page 16 - Middle East

Israel's ban on Guterres a political statement in long-running rift: UN

The United Nations on Wednesday called Israel's ban on Secretary-General Antonio Guterres entering the country a political statement by its foreign minister and stressed that the world body's contacts with Israel will continue "because they have to". UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz deeming the UN chief "persona non grata" is also "one more attack on the United Nations staff that we've seen from the government of Israel". Israel's accusations of UN bias and antisemitism date back decades, but the rift has intensified since Hamas' October 7 attacks in the country's south killed about 1,200 people and launched the war in Gaza. Israel's offensive against the militant group has killed over 41,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were fighters but that a little more than half were women and children. An Israeli ground incursion in Lebanon and other attacks against Hezbollah, a Lebanese

Biden won't support strike on Iran nuclear sites as Israel weighs payback

President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will not support an Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran's nuclear programme in response to Iran's missile attack on Israel. The answer is no, Biden told reporters when asked if he would support such retaliation after Iran fired about 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday. Biden's comments came after he and fellow Group of Seven leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom spoke by telephone about coordinating new sanctions against Iran. The White House said in a statement that the leaders unequivocally condemned Iran's attack against Israel and that Biden reaffirmed America's full solidarity and support to Israel and its people. Biden added that there are things that have to be done in response to the Iranian barrage. He said he expected sanctions from the G7 nations to be announced soon. We will be discussing with the Israelis what they are going to do, Biden told reporters before heading to the Carolinas to see

Iran's missile attack on Israel: What happened and what to expect next

Iran launched 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, with most intercepted, resulting in few casualties and likely Israeli retaliation

Iran targets Mossad HQ, Israeli air base housing F-35 fighter jets: Report

Nevtim air base houses Israel's F-35 fighter jets, according to a report in the Tehran Times, which added that the fighter jets that bombarded Beirut on September 27 flew from this military air base

Iran's strikes latest sign of spiraling Middle East conflict, global threat

Middle East is in much more volatile situation than it was even a year ago as the conflict has expanded far outside of fighting primarily between Israel-Hamas in Palestine and Gaza

Asia stocks slide, oil extends gains as tensions in Middle East rise

Japan's Nikkei slumped 1.5per cent as of 0022 GMT, while South Korea's KOSPI dropped 1.3per cent and Australia's benchmark lost 0.3 per cent

Indian Embassy issues advisory after Iran launches attack against Israel

Earlier in the day, the IDF initiated limited, localised, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon

As Saudi oil supplies rebound, India gets bargaining power in imports

New Delhi will have a variety of supply choices in the next few months at competitive rates from Russia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia

Does Hezbollah represent Lebanon? What impact will Nasrallah's death have?

Hezbollah's presence in parliament and the Lebanese government, and its alliance with various political parties, allowed it to control the country and veto decisions that do not fit its agenda or prom

Russia's Dy PM Novak sees oil price stability despite Mideast turmoil

Novak, who also oversees the broader Russian economy, said the sanctions-hit economy will sustain any pressure

US airstrikes on Syria kill 37 militants affiliated to extremist groups

In Syria, 37 militants affiliated to the extremist Islamic State group and an al-Qaeda-linked group were killed in two strikes, the United States military said Sunday. Two of the dead were senior militants, it said. US Central Command said it struck northwestern Syria on Tuesday, targeting a senior militant from the al-Qaeda-linked Hurras al-Deen group and eight others. They say he was responsible for overseeing military operations. They also announced a strike from earlier this month on September 16, where they conducted a large-scale airstrike on an IS training camp in a remote undisclosed location in central Syria. That attack killed 28 militants, including at least four Syrian leaders. The airstrike will disrupt ISIS' capability to conduct operations against US interests, as well as our allies and partners, the statement read. There are some 900 US forces in Syria, along with an undisclosed number of contractors, mostly trying to prevent any comeback by the extremist IS group,

China, at UN, warns world against 'expansion of battlefield' in Ukraine war

Three days before his communist government turns 75, China's foreign minister warned fellow leaders Saturday against an expansion of the battlefield in Russia's war with Ukraine and said the Beijing government remains committed to shuttle diplomacy and efforts to push the conflict toward its end. The top priority is to commit to no expansion of the battlefield. ... China is committed to playing a constructive role," Wang Yi said. He warned against other nations throwing oil on the fire or exploiting the situation for selfish gains, a likely reference to the United States. Wang's speech appeared to break no new ground, as is generally China's recent practice at the UN General Assembly's annual meeting of leaders. In fact, his boss, Chinese President Xi Jinping, has not participated in the leaders' meeting since 2021 and then only virtually, during the pandemic. Xi has not attended in person for several years. On Friday, on the assembly sidelines, China and Brazil sought to build ...

All-out war still possible as Israel, Hezbollah fight escalates: Joe Biden

President Joe Biden said Wednesday that all-out war is still possible as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, but he's hopeful an off-ramp can be found to prevent further bloodshed. Biden spoke during an interview on ABC's "The View." His comments come after days of back and forth between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon that have killed hundreds and rekindled fears of a broader war in the Middle East.

US, UAE discuss progress on India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor

US President Joe Biden and his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed discussed the progress of the landmark India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and underscored its potential to usher in a "new era of international connectivity". The ambitious project was launched at the 2023 G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi, together with the leaders of India, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union. When complete, it would connect India by ship-to-rail connections through the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Europe through Greece. At the meeting held at the White House on Monday, Biden and Zayed reaffirmed that the corridor will generate economic growth, increase efficiencies, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and enable the transformative integration of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, according to a joint statement. The two leaders underscored that the transformative partnership had the potential to usher in a

Peace still possible in conflicts in Middle East, Ukraine: Biden in UN

President Joe Biden declared the U.S. must not retreat from the world, as he delivered his final address to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday as Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon edged toward all-out war and Israel's bloody operation against Hamas in Gaza neared the one-year mark. Biden used his wide-ranging address to speak to a need to end the Middle East conflict and the 17-month-old civil war in Sudan and to highlight U.S. and Western allies' support for Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. His appearance before the international body also offered Biden one of his last high-profile opportunities as president to make the case to keep up robust support for Ukraine, which could be in doubt if former President Donald Trump, who has scoffed at the cost of the war, defeats Vice President Kamala Harris in November. Still, Biden insisted that despite global conflicts, he remains hopeful for the future. I've seen a remarkable sweep of history," Biden said. I kno

PM Modi calls for ceasefire in West Asia, release of hostages, dialogue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for a ceasefire in West Asia, the release of hostages and a return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy as he stressed that only a two-state solution will deliver enduring peace and stability in the volatile region. Modi expressed deep concern at the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and the deteriorating security situation in the region during his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the margins of the Summit of the Future here on Monday. He reaffirmed India's unwavering support to the people of Palestine, including continued humanitarian assistance, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. Prime Minister Modi "reiterated India's time-tested principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue, and called for a ceasefire, the release of hostages and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy," it said. He stressed that only a two-state solution will deliver enduring peace and stability in the region. Recallin

US President Biden not giving up on Gaza ceasefire, hostages: White House

Biden will huddle with world leaders gathered in New York to work on a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza and avert an all-out war in the Middle East, Sullivan said

Conflicts in Mideast, Ukraine will loom over Biden's farewell address at UN

President Joe Biden is set to deliver his final address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday as Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon are edging toward all-out war and Israel's bloodyoperation against Hamas in Gaza nears the one-year mark. Biden is expected to use his wide-ranging address to speak to the need to end the Middle East conflict and the 17-month-old civil war in Sudan and to highlight US and Western allies' support for Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. His appearance before the international body also offers Biden one of his last high-profile opportunities as president to make the case to keep up robust support for Ukraine, which could be in doubt if former President Donald Trump, who has scoffed at the cost of the war, defeats Vice President Kamala Harris in November. Biden came to office promising to rejuvenate US relations around the world and to extract the US from "forever wars" in Afghanistan and Iraq that consumed American foreign policy ove

Iran's president accuses Israel of seeking wider Mideast war, laying traps

Iran's new president accused Israel on Monday of seeking a wider war in the Middle East and laying traps to lead his country into a broader conflict. Masoud Pezeshkian told about two dozen media representatives that Iran doesn't want to see the current war in Gaza and airstrikes across the Israeli-Lebanon border expanded. We don't want to fight, he said. It's Israel that wants to drag everyone into war and destabilize the region. They are dragging us to a point where we do not wish to go. Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon and reformer, defeated a hardliner in Iran's July presidential runoff, after the death of the former president in a helicopter crash. He is making his debut on the international stage at this week's annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, just as Israel steps up attacks on Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. The Iranian leader, who will turn 70 on Sunday, said that while Israel insists it doesn't want a wider war, i ts actions show ...

US is more hands-off than usual in West Asia with fear of worsening things

The Biden administration is taking a more hands-off approach than usual during a week of dramatic escalation between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, with top US officials holding back from full-on crisis diplomacy for fear of making matters worse. The public restraint follows explosions of the militant group's pagers and walkie-talkies and an Israeli airstrike targeting a senior Hezbollah operative in Beirut, which threaten to spur all-out war between Israel and its enemies in the Middle East and doom already faltering negotiations for a cease-fire in the Hamas conflict in Gaza. The escalation came even as two Biden administration officials stopped in the region this week to appeal for calm. It heightens the impression that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-right government is paying ever less attention to the mediation efforts of its key ally, despite depending on the US for weapons and military support. The United States looks like a deer in the headlight