Page 5 - Middle East

Yemen's Houthis vow more attacks after US airstrikes kill 74 in port attack

The group also warned that US 'aggression' would only lead to further targeting, engagement, and confrontation

US, Italy call IMEC 'top economic, connectivity project of this century'

A US-Italy joint statement takes note of the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor, calling it one of the greatest economic integration and connectivity projects of this century that will connect partners and stimulate economic development and integration from India onward to the United States. The US and Italy will work together to develop the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC), one of the greatest economic integration and connectivity projects of this century, connecting partners by ports, railways, and undersea cables and stimulating economic development and integration from India, to the Gulf to Israel, to Italy, and onward to the United States, the joint statement issued Friday said. The United States Italy Joint Leaders' Statement' was issued after US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's first official meeting in Washington, DC Thursday.

Suspected US airstrikes in Yemen kill 6, injure 30 people, say Houthis

Suspected US airstrikes around Yemen's rebel-held capital killed at least six people and wounded 30 overnight, the Houthis said Monday. Since its start nearly a month ago, the intense campaign of US airstrikes under President Donald Trump targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters related to the Israel-Hamas war has killed over 120 people, according to casualty figures released Monday by the Houthis' Health Ministry. Footage aired by the Houthis' al-Masirah satellite news channel showed firefighters spraying water on a raging fire they described as being sparked by the airstrikes. Rubble littered a street as rescuers carried one person away from the site, which the rebels claimed was a ceramics factory in the Bani Matar neighbourhood of Sanaa, the capital. The US military's Central Command, which oversees American military operations, did not acknowledge the strikes. That follows a pattern for the command, which now has authorization from the White House

EAM Jaishankar, Omani FM discuss regional issues in telephonic talks

The conversation between EAM Jaishankar and the Foreign Minister of Oman come after the two had held a bilateral meeting in February earlier this year

Mideast stocks fall on US tariffs, low oil prices squeeze energy nations

Middle East stock markets tumbled Monday as they struggled with the dual hit of the United States' new tariff policy and a sharp decline in oil prices, squeezing energy-producing nations that rely on those sales to power their economies and government spending. Benchmark Brent crude is down by nearly 15% over the last five days of trading, with a barrel of oil costing just over $63. That's down nearly 30% from a year ago, when a barrel cost over $90. That cost per barrel is far lower than the estimated break-even price for Saudi Arabia and most other countries producing energy in the Middle East. That's coupled with the new tariffs, which saw the Gulf Cooperation Council states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates hit with 10% tariffs. Other Mideast nations face higher tariffs, like Iraq at 39% and Syria at 41%. With these measures and the expected retaliatory measures that could be adopted by other countries, the stability and predictability of

West Asian stocks plunge as US tariff hikes, oil slump spark turmoil

Saudi Aramco - the world's biggest oil exporter - was one of the biggest losers in the region. The company at one point erased more than $90 billion from its market capitalization

Suspected US strikes in Yemen kill at least 4 near Hodeida: Houthi rebels

Suspected US airstrikes battered rebel-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with the Houthis saying one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeida. The intense campaign of airstrikes under President Donald Trump, targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, has killed at least 65 people, according to casualty figures released by the Houthis. The campaign appears to show no signs of stopping as the Trump administration again linked their airstrikes on the Iranian-backed Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. While so far giving no specifics about the campaign and its targets, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt put the overall number of strikes on Tuesday at over 200. Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders, Leavitt said. They've taken out critical members who were ...

Yemen's Houthis claim downing US drone amid continued American strikes

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed Tuesday that they shot down another American MQ-9 Reaper drone, even as the US kept up its campaign of intense airstrikes targeting the group. The reported shootdown over Yemen's contested Marib governate came as airstrikes hit around Sanaa, the country's rebel-held capital, and Saada, a stronghold for the Houthis. US President Donald Trump issued a new warning to both the Houthis and their main benefactor, Iran, describing the group as having been decimated by the campaign of strikes that began March 15. Many of their Fighters and Leaders are no longer with us, Trump wrote on his social media website Truth Social. We hit them every day and night Harder and harder. Their capabilities that threaten Shipping and the Region are rapidly being destroyed. Our attacks will continue until they are no longer a threat to Freedom of Navigation. He added: The choice for the Houthis is clear: Stop shooting at US ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise,

Israel strikes Beirut overnight, claims targeting Hezbollah official

The Israeli military struck a building in Beirut's southern suburbs early Tuesday, saying it targeted a member of the Hezbollah militant group. The airstrike came without warning days after Israel launched an attack on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Friday for the first time since a ceasefire ended fighting between Israeli forces and the Hezbollah militant group in November. The Israeli military then had warned residents in the crowded suburbs before the attack after two projectiles were launched from southern Lebanon, which Hezbollah denied firing. The Israeli military said in a statement the latest strike targeted a Hezbollah member who had been helping the Palestinian Hamas group in the Gaza Strip in attacks against Israel. It said the attack was under the direction of the Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency. Hezbollah did not comment on the strike. There was no immediate word on casualties. Photos and videos widely shared on local and social media showed the top .

At least one killed as US airstrikes pound Yemen, hit Sanaa military site

Suspected US airstrikes pounded Yemen overnight into Saturday, reportedly killing at least one person as the American military acknowledged earlier bombing a major military site in the heart of Sanaa controlled by the Houthi rebels. The full extent of the damage and possible casualties wasn't immediately clear, though the attacks followed an intense night of airstrikes early Friday that appeared particularly intense compared to other days in the campaign that began March 15. An Associated Press review has found the new American operation under President Donald Trump appears more extensive than those under former President Joe Biden, as the US moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel as well as dropping bombs in cities. Meanwhile, an AP analysis of satellite photos show the American military also has moved long-range stealth B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean a base far outside of the range of the rebels that avoids using allies' Mideast .

Lebanon, Syria sign border agreement to ease tensions, boost coordination

Lebanon and Syria have signed an agreement on border demarcation and to boost coordination between the two countries regarding security along their tense frontier, the Saudi Press Agency reported Friday. The deal signed by the Lebanese and Syrian defense ministers in Saudi Arabia late Thursday came after clashes in border areas earlier this month left several people dead and dozens wounded on both sides. The plan for border demarcation also comes after the ouster in early December of the 54-year Assad family rule in Syria, leading to tensions along the frontier where Lebanon's Hezbollah group was active on both side of the border during Syria's 14-year conflict. Hezbollah had been fighting in Syria alongside Assad during the conflict that has left half a million people dead. The deal also comes after the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war that weakened the Iran-backed group in Lebanon. Lebanese Defence Minister Michel Menassa was scheduled to visit the Syrian capital, Damascus, on ...

Hegseth increases US warship presence in West Asia with 2 aircraft carriers

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a rare move, is beefing up the Navy warship presence in the Middle East, ordering two aircraft carriers to be there next month as the US increases strikes on the Yemen-based Houthi rebels, according to a US official. It will be the second time in six months that the US has kept two carrier strike groups in that region, with generally only one there. Prior to that it had been years since the US had committed that much warship power to the Middle East. According to the official, Hegseth signed orders on Thursday to keep the USS Harry S Truman in the Middle East for at least an additional month. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing military operations. The ship has been conducting operations in the Red Sea against the Houthis and was scheduled to begin heading home to Norfolk, Virginia, at the end of March. And Hegseth has ordered the USS Carl Vinson, which has been operating in the Pacific, to begin steaming toward the

Malabar Gold to invest ₹600 cr in 12 new showrooms across India this year

Jewellery retailer Malabar Gold on Thursday said it will add 12 new showrooms across the country in the current fiscal at an investment of Rs 600 crore. Malabar Gold & Diamonds operates 11 state-of-the-art factories across India and 5 international units. The new showrooms will be opened in Panvel in Mumbai, Sinhagad Road in Pune, Brahmapur and Soubhagya Nagar in Odisha, Dhanbad in Jharkhand, Hospet, Nagarbhavi and Chitradurga in Karnataka, Nandyal, Amalapuram, Machilipatanam in Andhra Pradesh and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. This will take the total showroom count to 391 showrooms across 13 countries and 19 states in India and create employment opportunities this financial year, the company said in a statement, adding that currently, it employs over 25,000 professionals from 26 countries. Malabar Gold is also planning to open 60 new showrooms in India and overseas in 2025-26, of which 5 stores will be launched in April in the Middle East, UK, and Canada. The company, however, did .

We're keen to join India-Middle East-Europe Corridor: Egypt's trade min

Egypt's Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan El-Khatib, on Wednesday said his country is keen to join the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEE Corridor), positioning the country as a vital link in this ambitious trade network. El-Khatib highlighted Egypt's trade infrastructure and strategic location as compelling reasons for its inclusion. Trade corridors are always welcomed, and we feel our location is unique, El-Khatib said, explicitly signalling Egypt's interest in the IMEE Corridor. We told our Indian friends yesterday: you need to look at this. Our infrastructure is already in place, connected to major ports like Alexandria, and it's ready, the Egyptian minister told PTI Videos. Unveiled on September 9, 2023, during the G20 Summit in New Delhi, the corridor was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by India, the United States, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union (EU). The

ISIS chief killed in Iraq, Trump says fugitive leader 'hunted down'

Abdallah Maki Mosleh al-Rifai, or "Abu Khadija," was "deputy caliph" of the militant group and "one of the most dangerous terrorists in Iraq and the world," CNN reported

EU, Israel to revive discussions on Gaza's future, regional politics

Ahead of today's meeting, the European Union's 27 member countries negotiated a compromise position that praises areas of cooperation with Israel while also raising concerns

US says Iran "behind everything that threatens peace" in West Asia

In a joint press briefing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Rubio said that Iran is behind everything that threatens peace and stability in the region

Jordan agrees to take in Palestinian children after Trump's US aid threat

Donald Trump has praised the Jordanian leader's commitment to accepting sick Palestinian children, calling it a 'beautiful' act

IMEC, Mediterranean connect to be key focus in India-Greece ties: EAM

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met with Greece's Foreign Minister, George Gerapetritis, on Thursday to discuss ways to advance the multifaceted relationship between the two countries.The discussions focused on key areas such as shipping, trade, investment, connectivity, culture, mobility, and artificial intelligence. Jaishankar stressed that the India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the India-Mediterranean connect would be the major focus of the next phase of India-Greece relations.Jaishankar also assured India's "fullest support" to Greece during its non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2025-26.In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Delighted to meet my friend FM George Gerapetritis of Greece this evening in Delhi. Held a very productive conversation on advancing our multifaceted relations, focusing on shipping, trade & investment, connectivity, mobility, AI and cultural ties. Also discussed IMEC and India-Mediterranean ...

Israeli hostages, Palestinian prisoners to be released as ceasefire holds

Hamas is set to free three more Israeli hostages as well as five Thai captives on Thursday, and Israel is to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners, in the third such exchange since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month. The tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is aimed at ending the war in Gaza and securing the release of dozens of hostages held by the militant group, as well as hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned or detained by Israel. Under the ceasefire, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have jubilantly returned to northern Gaza over the past three days. However, their homecoming has been bittersweet as nearly everyone has friends or relatives who died, and many northern neighborhoods have been transformed into an apocalyptic landscape of devastation by more than 15 months of war. Who's set to be released today? The Israelis set to be released are Agam Berger, 20, a female soldier; Arbel Yehoud, a 29-year-old civilian woman; and Gadi Moses, an