Event: U.S.

Qatar condemned the Israeli defence minister's entry into south western Syria, calling it a "transgression of international borders". “The State of Qatar strongly condemns Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz's illegal entry into Syrian territory and transgression of international borders,” the ministry said in a statement.  It went on to describe the move as a "violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic and its territorial integrity". Katz entered the Jabal al-Sheikh area (Mount Hermon) along the Syria-Lebanon border on Tuesday, and threatened to remain in the area for "as long as there are jihadist threats to the State of Israel".

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. File | Photo Credit: AP Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz made a rare visit to troops in southern Syria on Tuesday, reiterating a pledge to keep forces in the area as long as there were "threats" to his country's security.Also read | Israel Defence Minister says troops to stay ‘indefinitely’ in Lebanon, Syria, GazaDamascus slammed Mr. Katz's "illegal entry" into the country, which came a week after Israel bombed the disused Abu Duhur base in northwestern Syria, claiming it wanted to prevent Turkish troops from deploying to the facility. Ankara has denied any visit to the site.In southern Syria, Israeli forces have been stationed in a "security zone" since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.They occupy what was previously a buffer zone patrolled by the United Nations that had separated Israeli and Syrian forces in the Israeli-occupied Golan since 1974."There is daily activity here to thwart threats, to eliminate remnants of the old regime, to prevent dangerous consolidation of the new regime," Mr. Katz said according to a video statement from his office."The message is clear to the president of Syria as well: when you wake up in the morning in your palace in Damascus, look up at Mount Hermon and see the IDF — you know we are here to protect our communities and our border," he added."As long as there are threats, the IDF will remain here to guarantee our security — this is what we have done and this is what we intend to continue doing in the future," Mr. Katz said.Syria's Foreign Ministry said Mr. Katz's visit was a "flagrant violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity".It went on to urge the international community to take "the necessary measures to force the occupying authorities to halt…

The United Nations on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) slammed Israel’s threat to expel people from areas where kites, drones and balloons are launched from Gaza, lamenting “unacceptable rhetoric” coming from Israeli leaders. File | Photo Credit: AFP The United Nations on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) slammed Israel's threat to expel people from areas where kites, drones and balloons are launched from Gaza, lamenting "unacceptable rhetoric" coming from Israeli leaders."On the threat of expulsion due to children's kite flying, I hope we can all agree that this is outrageous," UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.Israel warned Hamas on Sunday (August 23, 2026) that it would step up operations in Gaza if launches of kites, drones and balloons towards Israel continued, after a recent increase in such incidents. Hamas has denied responsibility.Israeli media reported that four kites were found in communities near the Gaza border on Saturday (August 22, 2026) and one was shot down by the army on Sunday (August 23, 2026), bringing the total number recovered in recent days to around 10.The incidents have revived memories of waves of incendiary kites and balloons launched from Gaza in previous years, which sparked fires in agricultural lands in southern Israel.According to the reports, the Israeli military believes Hamas was behind the launches, which did not carry explosives, and may have been testing how Israel would respond."Israel warns Hamas that if the launches toward Israel do not cease immediately, the IDF will take action to intensify targeted operations against those responsible... and will evacuate the population from areas from which kites, drones and balloons are launched," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday (August 23, 2026) in a joint statement.Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, said in a statement that the kites…

Live Blog Update| War on Iran 25 August 2026 06:38 BST Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest developments:  President Donald Trump's administration on Monday formally removed Syria from the State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) blacklist, in a landmark move that unlocks export restrictions and allows for the US to supply military aid to the country. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa applauded the move, thanking Trump for the "historic decision". US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday announced a new wave of sanctions against Iran and its "enablers", towards what he described as an "asphyxiation of this regime" amid the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Trump's administration was not ruling out using further military force against Iran, even as Washington unveiled an "economic D-Day" of new sanctions against Tehran.  The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said that Israeli settler attacks in the occupied West Bank rose sharply during the first seven months of 2026, reaching 4,113 compared with 2,524 during the same period in 2025, an increase of 1,589 attacks, representing a 63 percent rise, Wafa news reported. The UK Maritime Trade Operation late on Monday that it received a report from an oil tanker that it had been "struck by an unknown projectile" nine nautical miles northeast of Oman's Ash Shishah. The projectile reportedly caused damage to the engine room and disabled the vessel, with the environmental impact unknown, but all the crew are reported safe.

Washington's decision to remove Syria from the State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) blacklist paves the way for a "brighter future" for the country, Turkey's ambassador to Damascus said. "The last obstacle standing in the way of our friend and brother Syria’s integration with the world has finally been removed," Nuh Yilmaz wrote on X.  "Syria's removal from the U.S. Department of State's list of countries supporting terrorism is not only important for Syria's normalization, stability, and development, but also an extremely significant decision for the stability and peace of the region." Yilmaz added that he hopes the move would "bring goodness to all the Syrian people and the Syrian state".

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio poses for a photo with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of a NATO leaders' summit in Ankara in July. | POOL / VIA REUTERS The top diplomats of the United States and South Korea spoke over the phone Monday, but conspicuously missing from readouts of their talks was any mention of North Korea’s denuclearization.The call between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun did not mention a commitment to ridding Pyongyang of its nuclear weapons, long a key staple of the allies’ discussions, according to statements by both sides.The call was Rubio and Cho’s first since U.S. President Donald Trump announced a scaling-back of joint military exercises by the allies last week while signaling an interest in returning to talks with North Korean strongman Kim Jong Un. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing, you can help us get the story right. SUBSCRIBE NOW

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has applauded his country's removal from the State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) blacklist. "Today, Syria is shedding a dark stain from its shoulders and tearing up with its own hands a page from its painful past, to move into a new space of development, reconstruction and building," he said in a video posted on X.  "Great people of Syria, you have done it again. Sanctions have been lifted from you and restrictions have been removed." He also congratulated Syrians for the latest US move and thanked Donald Trump for what he described as a "historic decision".

The Trump administration on Monday formally removed Syria from the State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) blacklist, in a landmark move that unlocks export restrictions and allows for the US to supply military aid to the country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that he also delisted Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham's (HTS) designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, under his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, was the leader of HTS, an al-Qaeda offshoot. "These actions represent another historic step by President Trump to give the Syrian people a path to prosperity," Rubio said. The move follows Israel bombing Syria's Abu al-Duhur airbase last week, which escalated tensions between Washington and Damascus, as well as Syria's main foreign backer, Turkey. Read more: Trump removes Syria from 'terrorism list'

The move follows 'serious and worrying' Israeli strike on Syrian military base US President Donald Trump sits at his desk as he hosts Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa, directly across from him, in the Oval Office of the White House for the very first time, on 10 November 2025 (Syrian Arab News Agency handout via AFP) Published date: 24 August 2026 22:18 BST | Last update: 8 hours 19 min ago The Trump administration on Monday formally removed Syria from the State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) blacklist, in a landmark move that unlocks export restrictions and allows for the US to supply military aid to the country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that he also delisted Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham's (HTS) designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, under his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, was the leader of HTS, an al-Qaeda offshoot. "These actions represent another historic step by President Trump to give the Syrian people a path to prosperity," Rubio said. The move follows Israel bombing Syria's Abu al-Duhur airbase last week, which escalated tensions between Washington and Damascus, as well as Syria's main foreign backer, Turkey. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Tom Barrack, US ambassador to Turkey and envoy to Syria, called the strike "serious and worrying" in an interview last week, floating the idea that Israel may have been trying to "bait" Turkey into a war. The US has previously signalled its intent to Syria's removal from the SST blacklist. President Donald Trump formally kickstarted the process last month, in what was arguably the most significant result of his trip to the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, where he met with…

In the United States, elections are big business. No other country spends as much on them, and few political capitals are as heavily shaped by money and lobbyists as Washington, DC. But the vast amounts of money poured into state and federal races aren't there to cover operational costs so Americans can access the ballot box. They're designed to influence the narrative. According to the OpenSecrets project which tracks campaign financing, nearly $5 billion was spent on the 2024 presidential and congressional election cycle by individuals, groups, and outside spenders combined. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Before 2010, that figure was below $1 billion. Why are we examining this now? Abdul El-Sayed staged a stunning upset in Michigan earlier this month, when he beat Congresswoman Haley Stevens to clinch the Democratic party's nomination for the Senate. Stevens, a centrist, was backed by the Democratic establishment as well as the state's governor. Sayed, a progressive who has never held political office, could now become the first ever Muslim senator if he wins in November. But his win is being framed as an upset due to the record-setting influx of cash in the campaign to defeat him. More than $50 million from corporate and single-issue organisations was thrown behind Stevens in the race. The pro-Israeli lobby alone spent $30m to ensure her win. Sayed benefitted from a little over $5m in outside spending, mostly from a progressive values group. This is separate from what each of their campaigns raised via donations - and all of it just for a primary, not even a general election. That's because in the US, the sky's the limit for groups who want to support a candidate without having…

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed optimism she can reach a trade deal with US President Donald Trump as her chief negotiator leads talks in Washington, just after negotiations between the US and Canada collapsed.“As President Trump said, we hope to reach an agreement with the US,” she told reporters on Monday after being asked about the escalating US-Canada impasse. “I’m optimistic an agreement can be reached.”Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, Sheinbaum’s top trade negotiator, will remain in Washington for several days as he seeks to lower 50 per cent US tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminium, and 25 per cent duties on cars.The six-year-old USMCA trade pact includes the US, Mexico and Canada. Last month, it formally entered a phase of annual reviews.Washington’s negotiations with Ottawa fell apart in recent days, prompting Trump to say he will double tariffs on Canadian cars and parts starting next year.The breakdown also triggered a 50 per cent US levy on about US$20 billion of Canadian goods, while Prime Minister Mark Carney announced retaliatory tariffs to take effect on September 8.

U.S. President Donald Trump. | Photo Credit: Reuters President Donald Trump on Monday (August 24, 2026) threatened to impose a 50% tariff on Canadian automobiles, car parts, and steel starting next year as the trade rift with Ottawa continued to deepen.The announcement comes after trade talks between otherwise allies and reliable trading partners collapsed last week.Long-planned U.S. tariffs on various Canadian goods went into effect after the talks broke off, and Canada has vowed to retaliate."Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years,” Mr. Trump wrote on social media on Monday (August 24) morning.Criticising Canada's “ridiculously high tariffs” on American farmers, Mr. Trump wrote: “Not sustainable, and NOT ANYMORE!” Published - August 24, 2026 08:17 pm IST

President Donald Trump’s administration, on August 24, released a proposed regulation to codify an unprecedented fee of more ‌than $100,000 on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers. Mr. Trump first ​imposed this last year but was blocked by the courts. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday (August 24, 2026) released a proposed regulation to codify an unprecedented fee of more ‌than $100,000 on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers. Mr. Trump first ​imposed this last year but was blocked by the courts.The fee first imposed by Mr. Trump ⁠in a temporary proclamation last year vastly raises the cost of the visas that are heavily relied on in the tech, education and research sectors.A federal judge in June ruled that the fee was illegal and blocked the Trump administration ‌from collecting it. A Boston-based appeals court is reviewing that decision while a different court considers whether a judge in Washington, D.C. properly rejected a challenge to the fee by a major ‌business group.Mr. Trump’s 2025 proclamation imposing the fee expires in September, one year after it was issued, but ‌directed ⁠the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to adopt regulations making it permanent.The proposed $103,265 fee by DHS, ⁠posted online in the Federal Register on Monday (August 24, 2026) to be formally published on Tuesday (August 25, 2026), kicks off a 30-day public comment period. The rule could be finalised by the end of the year.The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with training in specialty ​fields and offers 65,000 visas annually, with another ‌20,000 for workers with advanced degrees, approved for three to six years. The order Mr. Trump issued last year sharply increased the cost of obtaining some H-1B visas, which had typically come with about $2,000 to…

Image used for representational purposes only. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto Iran's currency hit a record low Monday (August 24, 2026) as Washington prepared to announce new sanctions it said would add further pressure on an economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade.The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets. Iran's official Central Bank rate stood at around 1.5 million rial to the dollar, but the market rate is what most Iranians pay.The currency had already been under pressure before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, as Iran faced double-digit inflation and negative growth, but has repeatedly hit new lows as nearly six months of war have taken an even greater toll.Iranians find daily staples increasingly unaffordable. Since the war began, rice is up some 60%, and prices of beef are more than 150% higher. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that GDP will contract more than 5%.Still, economic pressure has not yet translated into political pressure. Iran retains a key strategic advantage: Its attacks and threats on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have brought traffic in the vital waterway to a near halt, damaging the world economy and heaping pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of congressional elections.The war, as a result, has devolved into a fight over who controls the strait, through which a fifth of the world's traded oil transited before the conflict. Iran is now refusing to fully reopen it unless it can charge ships.Iran and Oman, which are on opposite sides of the strait, are reportedly in the final stages of agreeing upon a plan for joint management of the waterway. Oman's Foreign Minister is set to visit Iran on Tuesday (August 25).In an attempt to break the impasse,…