Middle East

EPA The Israeli military’s chief of staff told reservists that it was preparing for nothing less than ‘decisive victory’ Thousands of reservists have begun reporting for duty as the Israeli military presses ahead with its offensive to conquer Gaza City. Ground forces are already pushing into the outskirts of Gaza’s …

Cars were driving through flooded streets after strong rain in the southwestern part of the country triggered flash floods. BBC News

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of 11 UN staff arrested by Houthi authorities in Yemen. The workers were detained by security forces in raids on the World Food Programme (WFP), children’s charity Unicef and the World Health Organization (WHO), news agencies and …

The UK has temporarily closed its embassy in Cairo after Egyptian authorities removed security barriers outside the building, amid a diplomatic row over the arrest of an activist. The UK Foreign Office said its main embassy building in the capital’s Garden City district would remain shut “while the impact of …

The US says it will deny or revoke visas for Palestinian officials wishing to travel to New York next month to attend the UN General Assembly session. Secretary of State Marco Rubio blamed them for undermining peace efforts and for seeking “the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state”. The …

Michael Sheils McNamee & Paulin KolaBBC News Israeli President Ilan Weiss died defending Kibbutz Beeri on the day Hamas attacked The body of Israeli hostage Ilan Weiss has been recovered in an operation in the Gaza Strip, Israel’s military has announced. Weiss, 56, was killed during Hamas’s attack in southern …

Israeli drone strikes near Damascus have killed six Syrian soldiers, Syria’s government said, among a series of reported attacks this week. Syria’s foreign ministry condemned Tuesday’s strike as a violation of international law and a breach of its sovereignty. After more strikes on Wednesday, Israeli forces carried out an airborne …

On Monday, Nasser Hospital – the largest in southern Gaza and one of the few still partially operating in the Strip – was hit twice by Israeli strikes. At least 20 people were reportedly killed, including journalists and medical staff. The attack has drawn international condemnation and the United Nations …

On Monday, Nasser Hospital – the largest in southern Gaza and one of the few still partially operating in the Strip – was hit twice by Israeli strikes. At least 20 people were reportedly killed, including journalists and medical staff. The attack has drawn international condemnation and the United Nations …

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum have protested across Israel with marches, rallies and demonstrations and main roads blocked for many morning commuters. The group is also calling, again, on President Donald Trump for help to finalise a ceasefire deal and bring home all of those held captive. Twenty hostages …

Megan Fisher and Emir Nader BBC News, London and Jerusalem Reuters A man holds the equipment of journalist Hussam al-Masri who was filming a live TV feed from Nasser hospital A double Israeli strike on a hospital in Gaza killed 20 people including journalists and health workers, according to the …

Raffi Berg BBC News, London Getty Images At least eight people have been killed in an Israeli strike on a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run health ministry says. Three journalists are among the dead, health officials and Reuters news agency say. They include an Al-Jazeera cameraman and …

Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff has said there is a “deal on the table” for the remaining hostages in Gaza, according to Israeli media. Lt Gen Eyal Zamir reportedly said the Israeli military had brought about the conditions for a deal, and it is now it is in …

Reuters There are fears for the safety of up to one million Palestinians in Gaza City Planes and tanks have pounded parts of Gaza City as Israel’s plans to seize the territory’s largest urban area increase pressure on nearly a million Palestinians living there. Residents have spoken of uninterrupted explosions …

Gaza City and its surrounding area is now experiencing famine, a UN-backed body of food security experts has confirmed. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which is used by governments and international bodies to identify food insecurity and malnutrition levels around the world, has raised its classification to Phase …

Pope Leo XIV is preparing to travel to Lebanon later this year, in what could be his first journey abroad since being elected head of the Catholic Church in May. Archbishop Paul Sayah, deputy to Lebanon’s highest-ranking Catholic leader, told the BBC the Vatican was “studying” the trip but that …

Reuters Israel’s military says it has warned medical officials and international organisations to prepare for the planned evacuation of Gaza City’s one million residents ahead of an offensive to occupy it. The officials were told that “adjustments” were being made to hospitals in southern Gaza to receive patients, a statement …

Reuters Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the plans for 3,400 homes in the E1 area last week Israel has given final approval for a controversial settlement project that would effectively cut off the occupied West Bank from East Jerusalem and divide the territory in two. Construction in the E1 …

EPA An Israeli military official said five divisions would be involved in the planned offensive The Israeli military says it is calling up about 60,000 reservists ahead of a planned ground offensive to capture and occupy all of Gaza City. A military official said the reservists would report for duty …

Reuters Hostages’ families and their supporters want the Israeli government to agree a deal to end the war and bring them all home Arab mediators are awaiting a formal response from Israel after Hamas said it had accepted a new proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. The …