Middle East

Some Palestinians in Gaza and Israelis have been giving their reaction to the plan to the BBC. Tala, an 18-year-old who has been living in a tent in Gaza since her home was destroyed in air strikes, said “every time people hear about a possible ceasefire, we hope that it …

There are many reasons why it might not work. At the same time, it is potentially a rare chink of light in a bleak picture. Hamas has never agreed to disarm before now. Handled carefully and well, there is a chance now to make diplomatic progress. A bargain lies at …

Egypt’s cabinet has confirmed that a drone attack caused the fire that broke out on Wednesday on two ships at the Mediterranean port of Damietta, a key liquified natural gas (LNG) hub. “No party has claimed responsibility,” a statement said, adding that authorities were continuing to investigate the incident and …

The UK Foreign Office says his case has been raised with the Saudi authorities. Its current travel advice warns that it is illegal in Saudi Arabia to say anything publicly that the authorities “deem disruptive to public order”. And it urges visitors to avoid commenting on the royal family, the …

“We’ve been displaced from place to place, and now we have nowhere left to go,” says Umm Mohammed al-Shawish. She is desperately searching for somewhere to live after Israel moved yellow concrete blocks that mark out where it controls in the Gaza Strip. Families living in al-Tuffah in northern Gaza …

BBC reports from Palestinian village under weekly attack by Israeli settlers BBC News

At a conference of settler leaders in July, the IDF commander for the West Bank, Maj Gen Avi Bluth, said farm outposts “align well” with Israel’s security concept, “provided that this is also reflected in operational conduct, as well as ethical conduct, and in accordance with the law”. “All of …

Iran reacted with fury to the assault which it said had killed one sailor and injured several others. The foreign ministry said Iran had “never intervened in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the attack represented “a blatant UN Charter violation done at Israel’s …

A wave of attacks by Israeli settlers has continued across the occupied West Bank, after four Palestinians and two Israelis were shot dead in a violent confrontation near Nablus on Friday. Both sides accused the other of provoking the violence. The confrontation has further inflamed the situation in the West …

The Palestinian foreign ministry said it “condemns in the strongest terms the massacre” in Tal. It said “the escalation of settler terrorism is a direct consequence of the protection, political backing, and complete impunity granted by the Israeli government and occupation forces”. “Official Israeli incitement continues to fuel and encourage …

So what effect is all this having on the wider region? Firstly, it is important to note that two countries previously wracked by ruinous civil wars – Iraq and Syria – are now largely peaceful and stable, at least compared to where they were. The Gaza War is technically in …

Oil prices hit $100 a barrel for the first time since May as the escalating conflict in the Middle East reignited fears over global energy supplies. Brent crude – the global benchmark for oil prices – rose more than 5% on Thursday after several days of increases as the US …

Verified video shows an Iranian drone hitting a warehouse in Kuwait BBC News

US President Donald Trump said the latest strikes by the US hit Iran “very hard”, adding that the attacks were “in honour” of three US soldiers killed in recent days – two in Jordan, one in Iraq. US Central Command (Centcom) said it had launched a “new wave” of strikes …

The school day had begun as usual, Amaineh says. Because it was the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the children gathered inside the prayer hall to recite the Quran, she recalls, before she began teaching her pupils a new letter of the Persian alphabet. But, as the first attacks of …

The US and Saudi Arabia are expected to announce a deal that will allow the Gulf kingdom to develop a civilian nuclear programme, according to US media reports. An announcement is expected from US President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday, US officials were cited as saying. The agreement could be …

After 10 days of exchanging strikes with the US over control of the vital Strait of Hormuz waterway, Iran’s leaders may appear to have three choices. None offer a clear route to victory. The first is to accept much of what Washington wants: guarantee free and safe passage through the …

The Bab al-Mandab Strait, a 32km-wide (20-mile) waterway located between south-western Yemen and the Horn of Africa. It connects the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea, which is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez canal. Soon after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Houthis …

Hamas is going through one of the most difficult periods in its history. The group – which is designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the UK, the US and many other countries – has been severely weakened by the Gaza war, during which much of its senior military and …

President Donald Trump says the latest strikes by the US hit Iran “very hard”, adding that the attacks were “in honour” of three US soldiers killed in recent days – two in Jordan, one in Iraq. In the early hours of Monday local time, US Central Command (Centcom) said it …