Aletho News

Israeli artillery, explosions target multiple areas across South Lebanon

Al Mayadeen | October 17, 2026

Israeli occupation forces carried out artillery attacks and explosions across several towns in Southern Lebanon on Saturday, in continued violations of the non-Israeli-implemented ceasefire agreement, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in the region.

The correspondent reported that Israeli artillery targeted the outskirts of Zawtar al-Sharqiya in the Nabatieh district, while a separate artillery attack struck the town of al-Mansouri in the Tyre district.

Israeli occupation forces also carried out explosions in the vicinity of Kounine-Beit Yahoun in the Bint Jbeil district and in the town of Yahmar al-Shaqif in the Nabatieh district.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli occupation forces conducted an intensive sweeping operation near the chalets area in the southern town of Khiam.

The latest attacks followed a series of Israeli violations overnight Friday, during which occupation forces shelled several areas and carried out additional explosions in Southern Lebanon.

According to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent, Israeli artillery targeted the town of Mayfadoun after earlier shelling the area between Hadatha and Haris.

The NNA also reported that Israeli occupation forces carried out a powerful explosion east of Khiam around midnight. … Full article

Iran: Palestinians’ rights must not be compromised in Gaza’s future; US, Israel to blame for Hormuz situation

Press TV – October 17, 2026

Iran’s ambassador and chargé d’affaires to the UN has stressed that any arrangements for the Gaza Strip’s future must fully respect Palestinian rights and self-determination, denouncing the United States and the Israeli regime for the current situation affecting the Strait of Hormuz.

Gholamhossein Darzi made the remarks on Friday, addressing a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in West Asia, including the Palestinian question.

He noted that Gaza remained devastated and continued to be subject to military aggression, despite the announcement of a ceasefire last year.

The ceasefire was announced last October as part of a United States-proposed plan to bring an end to two years of Israeli genocide, supposedly.

The Israeli regime has, however, killed more than 1,400 Palestinians during attacks across the territory ever since, in addition to the tens of thousands it had already killed throughout the genocide that began on October 7, 2023. … continue

Saudi cluster bomb attack on Yemen kills, injures 20, including 3 children

Al Mayadeen | October 17, 2026

Saudi warplanes carried out a series of airstrikes on Saada Governorate on Saturday, including two strikes east of Saada city and six targeting Sahar district, Saba news agency reported, citing a local source.

The source said Saudi warplanes had earlier launched another airstrike on Maran district.

This comes as Saudi attacks on Saada Governorate and its border areas have escalated in recent hours, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent.

In Taiz Governorate, Saudi warplanes carried out three additional airstrikes on the areas of al-Da’a and al-Bunaya in the al-Masahine subdistrict of al-Shamayatayn district, the source added. Furthermore, Saudi shelling targeted a health center in the governorate, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported.

The death and injury toll from Saudi airstrikes targeting civilian homes in the villages of al-Ar and Barza, in the Qaa al-Haql area of Dhoran Anis district in Dhamar Governorate, has risen to 20, with internationally banned cluster munitions used in the aggression.

Three children were killed, while 17 people were injured, including seven children and three women. One of the injured women was pregnant and suffered a miscarriage as a result of the attack.

The cluster munitions used in the Saudi attack damaged three homes and destroyed a farmer’s solar power system. Several livestock were also killed or injured.

In a similar context, missile strikes targeted Aden International Airport in southern Yemen on Friday, Reuters reported. … Full article

Sisi pledges Egypt’s military support for Saudi Arabia as war with Yemen escalates

The Cradle | October 17, 2026

On 17 October, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for an emergency parliamentary session to authorize possible military action in support of Saudi Arabia in its war against Yemen.

“We will take any action Saudi Arabia requests to defend its security and sovereignty,” Sisi said at a graduation ceremony at the Egyptian Military Academy and military colleges on Saturday.

“I call on parliament to convene an emergency session to grant us authorization for such action if we are asked to undertake it,” he added.

Sisi said Egypt was not seeking to enter a war or launch attacks against another country, and that the proposed measures would be strictly defensive. … Full article

Inside America’s $2 trillion digital footprint in West Asia: What could happen if Iran is attacked again

Iran has warned that further US aggression could put American data centers, AI facilities, and undersea cables across West Asia at risk

By Ivan Kesic – Press TV – October 17, 2026

On October 10, 2026, Major General Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, issued a clear and categorical warning that could reshape strategic calculations across the West Asia region.

In an exclusive interview with Press TV, Rezaei stated that if Washington launched another act of aggression against Iran, US assets across the region – including data centers, artificial intelligence facilities, and undersea cables – could become potential targets. He described these assets as the pulse of the American economy in the region where it maintains abnormally heavy military presence, putting their value at more than $2 trillion.

The remarks, which came amid continued US warmongering, mark a significant expansion of Iran’s deterrence posture, extending its reach beyond conventional military targets to encompass the digital infrastructure underpinning the Persian Gulf’s economic transformation.

Understanding the stakes requires examining the critical infrastructure potentially at risk, the American companies deeply involved in building and operating it, the enormous American investments flowing into the region, and the far-reaching economic consequences that any disruption to these interconnected systems could trigger.

The top Iranian security official’s remarks, delivered during an exclusive interview broadcast on Press TV, signaled a carefully calculated escalation in Iran’s strategic messaging.

General Rezaei stated that the United States maintains highly valuable assets in the UAE and around the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Iran had not yet designated these assets as targets.

However, he warned that if the US attacks Iran again, many of these undersea cables, data centers, artificial intelligence facilities, and numerous other sites would be destroyed.

The assessment that this infrastructure is worth more than $2 trillion underscores its central role in the United States’ military and economic presence across West Asia. […]

The digital infrastructure at risk extends beneath the waters of the Strait of Hormuz, where at least five major submarine fiber-optic cable systems carry the overwhelming majority of intercontinental internet traffic between Asia, the Persian Gulf, and Europe. These cables—including the FALCON system, the Persian Gulf Bridge International network, and the TGN-Gulf system—form the backbone of the region’s connectivity to global networks.

The legal status of these cables is unambiguous: the Strait of Hormuz at its narrowest point measures approximately twenty-one nautical miles in width, and the combined territorial seas of Iran and Oman, each extending twelve nautical miles, overlap completely, leaving no high seas whatsoever.

Under international maritime law, sovereignty over the seabed and subsoil within these territorial waters belongs exclusively to the coastal states, and the right of passage for vessels does not extend to the laying of fixed infrastructure such as internet cables.

Iran’s earlier assertion of sovereign rights over this infrastructure, including permit requirements, transit fees, and exclusive control over cable maintenance and repair, represents a legal position grounded in the undisputed geometry of the strait.

The practical implication is that the companies whose cables transit Iranian territorial waters must operate within the framework established by the Islamic Republic, a reality that Western analysts have increasingly acknowledged. … Full article

Iranian army says Strait of Hormuz will reopen if US leaves region

Al Mayadeen | October 17, 2026

The Strait of Hormuz will reopen once the United States leaves the region, while Iran will ensure the withdrawal of US forces if Washington refuses to leave, Iranian Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia said on Friday.

“If the US leaves the region, the Strait of Hormuz will reopen, collective security with regional countries will be established and the world economy will recover. If they do not leave the region, we will secure their departure,” Akraminia wrote on X. […]

In a related development, the Iranian Army announced on Thursday that an oil tanker had caught fire inside a restricted maritime zone east of the Strait of Hormuz after attempting to cross the area without authorization.

According to the army, the vessel had disabled its tracking systems while attempting to navigate through the prohibited zone in the Sea of Oman. […]

The Iranian Army Navy had reported a similar incident two days earlier, announcing that an oil tanker sustained damage and caught fire after deactivating its tracking systems while attempting to enter the restricted zone east of the strait. – Full article

Spanish PM says war against Iran has cost Europeans more than €100bn

Press TV – October 17, 2026

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said the US-Israeli war on Iran has cost Europeans more than €100bn.

In a message posted on X on Friday, accompanied by a video statement, Sanchez said ordinary people were bearing the economic burden of the unwarranted war on Iran.

“Those of us who raised our voices against the war were right when we said NO to war,” he wrote, adding, “We knew ordinary people would end up paying the bill.”

Speaking at a news conference following the European Council summit in Brussels on Friday, Sanchez said opponents of the war had been proved right “not only from the standpoint of international law and respect for human rights, but also because of the economic and social consequences our fellow citizens are once again experiencing.”

“Ultimately, ordinary people end up paying for it, and unfortunately that is already being felt,” he emphasized.

Sanchez pointed out that rising fuel costs at the filling station is adding to the cost of living for ordinary people. … Full article

Ongoing tales of Syrian chemical weapons

OPCW Inspector Ian Henderson responds regarding alleged newly-found, un-declared chemical weapons.

By Ian HENDERSON | Consortium News | October 11, 2026

If Douma, one of the highest-profile “proven” chemical attacks attributed to Syria’s former Bashar Assad government, has been shown to be fake, what does it say about new, undeclared Syrian chemical weapons that have supposedly been found?

It says we should be extremely skeptical about news of such discoveries. … continue

South Korean Assistance to the U.S. in the War with Iran: Between Allied Duty and National Interests

By Konstantin Asmolov – New Eastern Outlook – October 17, 2026

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is trying to maneuver between pressure from the United States, which demands participation in the conflict with Iran, and risks to national security and reputation, opting for a strategy of stalling and minimizing a direct military presence. … continue

Millions of Books Could Have Been Destroyed in Lebanon During Israeli Bombings

Sputnik – 17.10.2026

BEIRUT – The number of books destroyed by Israeli bombings of libraries, as well as religious and cultural institutions since October 2023, has exceeded 3 million copies, founder and coordinator of the National Network for the Protection of Libraries, Archives, and Cultural Heritage in Lebanon Hadi Bekdash told Sputnik on Saturday.

“There are reports of the burning of more than 700,000 books belonging to Lebanese and Arab publishers, as well as more than 3 million books from homes, libraries, religious centers, family collections, researchers’ libraries, and universities, publishers, cultural institutions, and private collections since 2023,” Bekdash said.

In 2026, practically confirmed information appeared about the destruction of dozens of public and hundreds of private libraries during the conflict with Israel, he added.

These data do not reflect the full scale of losses, since Lebanon still does not have a unified national database of destroyed libraries, archives, and book collections, the coordinator said.

Bekdash added that it will be possible to finally assess the damage only after conducting a nationwide inventory of lost and damaged collections.

A national campaign, A Million Books for Lebanon, is currently underway in the country, aimed at restoring destroyed and damaged libraries.

Moscow blasts UN for ignoring torture of Russian POWs

RT | October 17, 2026

The UN should resist pressure from Kiev’s Western backers and finally address the issue of widespread abuse of captured Russian servicemen in Ukrainian secret prisons, Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik has said.

During a conversation with the chairman of the UN Committee Against Torture Claude Heller on Thursday, Miroshnik said that Moscow is aware of a whole network of such detention facilities, operating in Ukraine’s Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, and Sumy Regions as well as in the country’s capital, Kiev.

The Russian servicemen are “going through hell” in so-called “transit prisons,” which are set up at deployment points of Ukrainian military units and nationalist battalions, he said.

“The thugs, who hide their faces behind masks… and address each other only by their call signs, subject the captured Russian troops to inhuman abuse. Waterboarding, electrocuting, baiting with dogs and amputations performed without anesthesia are just a few examples of the techniques systematically employed by the Ukrainian tormentors,” the envoy, who is charged with documenting Kiev’s war crimes, stressed.

According to Miroshnik, captured troops are usually sent to those facilities in the early stages of their imprisonment, where they are held in cages, pits, and stone dungeons. … continue

Moscow warns of ‘hunt for Russians’

RT | October 17, 2026

Russia’s Foreign Ministry has warned citizens to exercise caution when traveling abroad “amid a worldwide hunt for Russians.”

The statement follows the detention of Russian military blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk in Montenegro, a NATO member state in the Balkans, on October 9.

After nine hours in custody, Zvinchuk, founder of the Rybar Telegram channel, his wife and three associates were expelled from the country on the grounds of what Montenegro’s leading daily, Vijesti, described as “criminal, operational and intelligence processing.” … continue

Inside Bill C-22, Canada’s Patriot Act.

By Justin K.P. | The Dissident | October 15, 2026 

Canada’s Bill C-22, has passed the Canadian House of Commons and is currently being debated in the Canadian Senate, and Civil Liberties Organizations are raising the alarm bells over the unprecedented surveillance powers the bill gives to the Canadian security state.

The bill, as Kate Robertson, senior research associate at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, noted, “would empower the government to require surveillance capabilities be built into any communications technology in Canada that could be accessed by law enforcement, and to force the stockpiling of all Canadians’ sensitive metadata,” adding that “The law would apply to everything from smartphones to smartwatches, banking to health apps, video game platforms, and public WiFi or CCTV networks.”

The bill similarly “includes mandating that companies store user data for at least a year – even if the data isn’t something they would otherwise be keeping on hand for the purposes of their business”, “including location and transmission data”. … continue

The Government’s Manipulation Manual

A comprehensive guide to censorship and indoctrination

HART | September 28, 2026

… All-in-all, this ‘False and Misleading Information’ document constitutes a guidebook laying out in detail how the government can more tightly control the type of information accessible to the general public. The ultimate goal, it would seem, is to assist our ruling class to reach a position where they can ensure that ordinary people will only read or hear government-approved narratives; all other perspectives will be off limits. While this in itself is shocking, arguably the most disturbing aspect is the blatancy of it all; our elected politicians, and their state-funded collaborators, are no longer bothering to hide the severity of their aspirations to censor and manipulate. – Read full article

UK: “YouTube Tax” Would Force You to Fund the BBC’s War on “Misinformation”

By Cam Wakefield | Reclaim The Net | October 16, 2026

The UK government plans to extend the TV license fee to cover streaming services like YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, The Independent is reporting, citing a senior Whitehall source.

At the moment, the TV license, which is primarily used to fund the BBC, costs £180 a year (around $238.71). The new money that would come from streaming would go towards propping up local journalism, and tackling “misinformation” – and stopping parties like Reform UK from getting elected.

The Independent calls it the “YouTube tax” and says it is contained in a white paper on the BBC charter renewal, which is expected before Christmas. The public would be forced to pay for content whether they want it or not, or whether they consume it or not.

The money is needed, the source said, “to help support local journalism and counter a lot of the conspiracy theories and fake news which we have seen help parties like Reform getting elected in different parts of the country.”

It would seem that the British public will be made to pay for “journalism” that tells them what to think, and keeps them from voting for parties the government dislikes. … Full article

Major US banks denied services to customers over political views – regulator

RT | October 15, 2026

Nine of the largest US banks discriminated against customers over their political views and business activities, including conservative organizations and individuals, the Treasury Department’s banking regulator has said.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) reviewed the policies of JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo Bank, US Bank, Capital One, PNC Bank, TD Bank, and BMO Bank under President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at ensuring “fair access” to banking services for all Americans. Trump has long accused Democrats of weaponizing institutions against his donors and supporters.

The review found that between 2020 and September 2025, all nine banks “have denied, debanked and discriminated against customers and lawful businesses,” Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould said on Wednesday.

According to the OCC, the banks closed accounts and denied financial services to customers whose activities risk managers considered “controversial,” including on issues such as abortion and LGBTQ rights. In some cases, bank employees openly stated that the activities of certain groups conflicted with their institutions’ values. Other decisions were reportedly based on “social risk” considerations and “polarizing” public opinion on issues such as gun rights.

The review examined nearly 100,000 complaints and about 420,000 pages of documents. … Full article

China’s FM: Palestinian cause is ‘greatest injustice of the century’

Al Mayadeen | October 16, 2026

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a sharp rebuke to Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a diplomatic meeting in Baku, calling the Palestinian cause “the greatest historical injustice of this century” and demanding that “Israel” halt its expansion in the occupied West Bank, according to statements released Friday by Beijing’s Foreign Ministry.

The bilateral discussions took place on the sidelines of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit held in the Azerbaijani capital.

According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement cited by Reuters, Wang urged the Israeli government to immediately cease its “forced establishment” of West Bank settlements and reverse its expansion policies. … continue

US sympathy for Palestinians surpasses support for Israelis

Al Mayadeen| October 16, 2026

A study by University of Maryland researcher Shibley Telhami points to a major shift in US public opinion, with sympathy for Palestinians surpassing support for “Israel” and growing numbers of Americans viewing the occupation as responsible for genocide.

Drawing on Gallup data, Telhami noted that sympathy for “Israel” among the US public has fallen from around 50% to 36%, while sympathy for Palestinians has risen to 41%.

Among Democrats, support for “Israel” has plunged from more than 50% in 2001 to just 17% today, while sympathy for Palestinians has climbed to 65%, according to the researcher.

Telhami’s Critical Issues Poll at the University of Maryland also found that more than 60% of respondents believe US military and diplomatic support enables “Israel” to carry out its actions. … continue

Washington Post reporter suffers fractures, injuries due to beatings in Israeli settler attack

Press TV – October 16, 2026

A 63-year-old photographer for The Washington Post has sustained fractures and various injuries due to an assault by a group of extremist Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

Heidi Levine stated that her protective helmet likely saved her life when she was brutally attacked by approximately 15 masked Zionist settlers while documenting the olive harvest in the Palestinian village of Khirbet Abu Falah, located north of Ramallah, on Friday.

The violent incident resulted in her equipment being damaged and heightened concerns about the risks journalists face while reporting in the West Bank.

“I saw them attacking from about 500 meters away,” Levine remarked, referring to the masked group.

As they approached, she attempted to retreat with her gear, but the assailants caught up, pushed her to the ground, and struck her on the head.

“They kicked me at least 15 times,” she recounted, explaining that the attack lasted about 10 minutes before they knocked her down again.

Levine emphasized that she tried to protect her camera and other equipment during the assault, which resulted in her phone and other belongings, including the earphone cable she was wearing, being destroyed.

“Had it not been for my helmet, I wouldn’t be alive here,” she stated.

Palestinian journalists and medical teams hurried to assist Levine following the attack, first taking her to a medical center in Khirbet Abu Falah and later transferring her to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

She mentioned that she has been reporting on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict for at least three decades, and this was the second time she had been attacked by illegal settlers while on assignment.

She recalled a similar incident from about 15 years ago near the Israeli settlement of Havat Gilad, which occurred in the presence of Israeli military and security forces. … Full article

Israeli occupation forces raid West Bank towns, arrest Palestinians as settlers shoot man in al-Khalil

Palestinian Information Center – October 16, 2026

WEST BANK – The Israeli occupation forces launched widespread raids across cities, towns, and refugee camps in the West Bank early Friday, arresting Palestinians, storming homes, and firing live ammunition and tear gas.

Meanwhile, Jewish settlers shot and wounded a Palestinian during an attack on the town of Beit Ummar, north of al-Khalil. … Full article

Israeli settlers burn 3 vehicles in olive harvest attack near Ramallah

Al Mayadeen | October 16, 2026

Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians harvesting olives in the town of Turmus Ayya, northeast of Ramallah, on Friday, assaulting residents and setting three vehicles on fire, local sources have revealed.

Meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces detained three Palestinians during raids on homes in the village of Kafr Dan, west of Jenin, in the early hours of Friday.

In a separate incursion, Israeli occupation forces raided the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, breaking into accommodation housing displaced residents from the Jenin refugee camp near the Arab American University. Troops also raided the town of Ya’bad and carried out extensive searches.

Israeli military vehicles also raided the town of Tammun, south of Tubas, on Friday. The IOF burst into several homes, with no detentions reported.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) documented more than 1,600 settler attacks affecting 275 Palestinian communities between the beginning of 2026 and September 14, averaging 6.7 incidents per day.

The attacks damaged homes, vehicles, infrastructure, water sources, and agricultural land. Settler violence and restrictions on access also contributed to the displacement of more than 2,600 Palestinians during 2026 alone, according to the supplied information. … Full article

Israeli rabbi permits occupiers to steal Palestinian olive harvest in West Bank

MEMO | October 16, 2026

A prominent Israeli rabbi on Friday issued a religious ruling permitting Israeli occupiers to take olives from Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, claiming that harvesting the crop “demonstrates Jewish ownership of the land,” Anadolu reports.

The ruling was issued by Rabbi Dov Lior, one of the most prominent religious authorities among Israeli occupiers in the West Bank, and was published by Israeli Channel 13.

It comes amid escalating occupier violence against Palestinians and their property, particularly farmers during the olive harvest season.

Lior claimed that Palestinians do not own their land, arguing that they had not purchased it from the “people of Israel” or from any Jewish person and describing the land as “stolen property.”

Citing Jewish religious law, he claimed that ownership of land cannot be transferred through theft and that Palestinian land therefore remains the property of the “people of Israel.” … continue

157 children among 466 Palestinians who starved to death in Gaza

Al Mayadeen | October 16, 2026

466 Palestinians have died from malnutrition and starvation in the Gaza Strip since 2024, including 157 children, accounting for one-third of the total, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Friday, marking World Food Day. The announcement comes as the genocide, which has made hunger a daily reality in the strip, continues unabated.

The Ministry noted that malnutrition and starvation rates in the Gaza Strip have reached catastrophic levels, claiming the lives of children, older people, and other vulnerable groups.

The Ministry projected that more than 1.4 million people, or 67% of the population, would face crisis-level food insecurity or worse through the end of 2026, as the Gaza Governorate continues to face the famine officially declared there in August 2025.

According to the statement, 158,001 cases of acute malnutrition among children under five were recorded between 2024 and August 2026, including 28,716 severe cases that pose a threat to life. … Full article

Hezbollah launches housing aid project for war-affected Lebanese

Al Mayadeen | October 13, 2026

Hezbollah has launched a new housing assistance initiative for Lebanese families affected by Israeli aggression, pledging financial support for temporary accommodation and furniture purchases across the country.

Sheikh Ali Damoush, head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council, announced the launch of the “Waad wa Iltizam” (Promise and Commitment) housing assistance project at a press conference in Beirut on Monday. He said assistance would be provided in all Lebanese areas targeted by Israeli hostilities, without discrimination based on political affiliation or sectarian identity.

Damoush stated that the initiative is a fulfillment of Hezbollah’s “religious and moral duty” toward the Lebanese people.

The project follows a similar program implemented in 2024 and covers homes that have been fully or partially destroyed, as well as residential units in buildings slated for complete or partial demolition based on technical assessments.

Eligible households in Beirut and the southern suburbs will receive $14,000, while those outside these areas will receive $12,000.

The overall assistance includes rental payments of $6,000 for residents of Beirut and its southern suburbs, and $4,000 for those living elsewhere.

Damoush said the first installment would amount to $3,500 in Beirut and its southern suburbs, and $3,000 in other areas. He also announced that housing payments related to outstanding checks from the 2024 aggression would be disbursed, while restoration assistance would be postponed.

Damoush called the initiative a demonstration of “the triumph of reconstruction over destruction, and the Resistance over barbarism.” He criticized the Lebanese government for not yet introducing a program to provide direct assistance to affected residents and called for greater solidarity with families displaced from their homes. … Full article

Saudi Arabia under fire… Yemen is burning down the House of Saud

By Finian Cunningham | Strategic Culture Foundation | October 16, 2026

The Saudi kingdom is facing the danger of collapse from soaring war costs as Yemeni air strikes ramp up, hitting its northern neighbor’s capital and industrial centers with impunity.

Yemeni journalist Hussein al-Bukhaiti says the corruption and arrogance of the “House of Evil” is culminating in historic defeat. Its U.S. patron seems unable to avert the coming collapse.

Despite decades of the U.S. selling weapons worth hundreds of billions of dollars to the Saudi rulers, the regime seems shockingly exposed, with no viable defenses. Yemen’s missiles are striking Saudi Arabia at will. The panicky rulers are pleading with the United States and Europe for help. … continue

Spanish firm sells Latvia vehicles equipped with Israeli tech despite arms embargo

The Cradle | October 16, 2026

Spanish arms manufacturer General Dynamics European Land Systems-Santa Barbara Sistemas (GDELS-SBS) is supplying Latvia with infantry fighting vehicles fitted with Israeli-made turrets, despite Madrid’s arms embargo on Israel, Globes reported on 15 October.

The deliveries cast doubt on the reach of Spain’s 2025 arms embargo on Israel, imposed in response to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, which bans the import and export of military equipment, products, and technology to and from Israel.

Yet the ban has not stopped Israeli weapons systems from being mounted on Spanish-made combat vehicles for sale to third countries.

Latvia has ordered 84 Mednieks combat vehicles, each mounted with a UT30 MK2 unmanned turret built by lead Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems, under a contract worth roughly $929 million, with deliveries set to continue until 2029. … continue

Israeli Spy Pollard stole the files, today’s it’s delivered through official channels

By Jamal Kanj | MEMO | October 15, 2026

Espionage novels portray the spy as a person in a trench coat carrying stolen documents and disappearing into a dark alley. Israeli spy, Jonathan Pollard, certainly fit that picture. A Navy analyst who stole American secrets including the complete ten-volume manual of the National Security Agency exposing how the US gathers its signal intelligence and the names of thousands of foreign individuals who worked for US spy agencies. Intelligence officials believe Israel shared stolen documents with the Soviet Union. According to several intelligence assessments, Pollard was one of the most damaging spies in US history.

Pollard received a life sentence in 1987 and was released in 2015. At first, Israel claimed he was a rogue, apologised and did not admit he had been its agent until 1998. In 2007, Israel named a square in Jerusalem after him, honouring him for his services.

Pollard was neither the first nor the last Israeli asset. Lawrence Franklin, a Pentagon analyst, pleaded guilty in 2005 to passing classified information to an Israeli embassy official and two AIPAC staffers. Ben-Ami Kadish, a former Army engineer, pleaded guilty in 2008 to passing secret documents to an Israeli consulate official, and served no prison time. Stewart Nozette from NASA was charged with attempted espionage following an FBI sting operation. In 1970, Richard Perle was caught in an FBI wiretap discussing classified information with an Israeli embassy official.

In 2001, the same Perle chaired the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board, while two other Israel-firsters, Douglas Feith and Paul Wolfowitz held senior posts in the same building. Franklin had worked in Feith’s policy office when he was indicted for espionage. In 1996, a study group led by Perle, and Feith, prepared a policy paper for incoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu titled “A Clean Break.” It urged Israel to abandon the Oslo Accords and the peace process with the Palestinians, and it proposed removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq as part of a broader Israeli strategy to reshape the region. Five years later, as leaders in the Pentagon, they delivered America’s first made-for-Israel war in Iraq.

The above is in no way intended to insinuate or allege that anyone, least of all these Zionist Americans, has dual loyalties. No. It is so profound, there is only one way to describe it: Israel-first loyalty. … continue

Why Iran Didn’t Walk Away

Trump tore up the nuclear deal in 2018. Tehran kept it alive for another year, and that was not weakness. It was strategy.

By Larry C. Johnson | SONAR21 | October 16, 2026

I’ve had this article sitting in storage waiting for the right moment to publish it. Tonight, Mario Nawfal hosted a debate on Iran that featured Robert Barnes and Matt Tardio. Matt put out so much disinformation and falsities that I believe now is the time to set the record straight about what happened to the JCPOA. … continue

Washington’s war consensus survives the midterms

By José Niño | The Cradle | October 15, 2026

… Regardless of who holds the gavel in January, Congress will not abandon its hyper-interventionist foreign policy agenda during Trump’s lame duck phase as president. Its anti-war bloc lacks the votes to override a veto on binding legislation, its leaders share the White House’s hawkish premises, and both parties have spent eight years ratifying each other’s escalations.

Any durable settlement will come from the region itself, from governments that have stopped waiting for Washington to keep its word and from an Axis of Resistance that will no longer tolerate the Washington-Tel Aviv axis’s flagrant violations of international law and supremacist ambitions in West Asia. – Full article

Syria accuses Israel of arming, funding militias in Suwayda to sow ‘chaos’

MEMO | October 13, 2026

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on Tuesday accused Israel of supporting armed militias operating outside state authority in the southern city of Suwayda, providing them with weapons and money to carry out an “agenda of chaos” in the region.

Al-Shaibani made the remarks at a joint news conference in Damascus with Sabrina Dallafior, director-general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). … Full article

US arms supplied to Ukraine found in war-torn Sudan – Moscow

RT | October 15, 2026

Weapons supplied to Ukraine from US military stocks have been found in the possession of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a senior Russian diplomat has said, citing markings linking them to deliveries to Kiev.

Yulia Zhdanova, head of Russia’s delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, made the statement on Wednesday at a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Forum for Security Co-operation.

Sudanese troops recovered MK19 automatic grenade launchers, M72 anti-tank weapons, and Swedish-made AT4 launchers during an operation near Bara, she said, according to TASS. “A preliminary examination of the markings revealed that these weapons were donated to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in December 2024 from US military stock,” Zhdanova said. … continue

The Downfall of a Manufactured Icon

The Political Obituary of Zelensky’s Presidency

By Glenn Diesen | October 16, 2026

President Trump has, over the past days, lashed out against President Zelensky, calling for elections in Ukraine and arguing that Zelensky should have accepted a deal two years ago, when the terms were more favourable. The media has also reported that the US may cut its intelligence-sharing arrangements, which is significant, as this is a proxy war and Ukraine could not fight Russia without US support. How can we analyse this shift in rhetoric from the American president? The immediate significance cannot yet be determined, given Trump’s history of shifting positions. However, if we take a step back, this scolding of Zelensky represents a wider trend: a manufactured democratic icon falling apart. … continue

Larry Johnson’s Latest Presentation to the UN Security Council

By Larry C. Johnson | SONAR21 | October 14, 2026 

I am back in NYC at the invitation of the Russian delegation to the United Nations. Unlike my previous appearance before the full UN Security Council, this was an Arria session. An Arria-formula meeting is an informal meeting called by one or more Security Council members to hear from people who normally can’t address the Council. These include NGOs, civil-society figures, experts, victims and witnesses, and non-state actors. It isn’t a formal Council meeting and has no basis in the Council’s rules of procedure.

All fifteen members of the Security Council were represented. Their response was quite revealing (I will reveal that below). Here was my statement… continue

Russia accuses France of ‘piracy’ over tanker seizure

RT | October 13, 2026

The Russian Embassy in Paris has accused France of “piracy” after its naval forces seized an oil tanker in international waters near Madagascar, rejecting claims that the operation complied with international maritime law. … continue

Dangerous bet: How Kuwait and Bahrain miscalculated by becoming launchpads for US strikes on Iran

By Mohammad Molaei – Press TV – October 15, 2026

… Small states make difficult choices under duress, caught precariously between a powerful patron’s operational requirements and a large neighbor’s legitimate security concerns.

Experts acknowledge that the constraints on Bahraini and Kuwaiti sovereignty, stemming from their profound dependence on the United States, are genuine and substantial.

But, they insist that acknowledgment of constraint is not the same as absolution from responsibility. Governments bear an obligation to their populations that supersedes alliance loyalties, an obligation to assess, without illusion, the risks that their choices are generating.

The current posture of the Persian Gulf states hosting American military bases and providing a launch pad for ballistic missile operations against Iran is deeply problematic.

It reflects, as per analysts, a perilous combination of structural dependency, institutional inertia, and a dangerous underestimation of Iranian anger, resolve, and military capability.

As one military expert told the Press TV website, these micro-states are not positioned to absorb the consequences of a sustained Iranian retaliatory campaign.

“Their small land masses, concentrated infrastructure, and limited strategic depth render them acutely vulnerable in ways that their larger patron is not. By gambling their national survival on the assumption that Iranian red lines are empty, and that US protection is everlasting, they are making a remarkably poor bet, one that history has rarely rewarded,” he noted. – Full article

White House considers using ‘mother of all bombs’ as ‘symbolic exit’ from Iran: Report

The Cradle | October 15, 2026

The Pentagon is considering deploying the “mother of all bombs” on Iran’s energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities, with officials weighing its use as a weapon of terror that would offer a symbolic exit from a failed war, CNN reported on 15 October.

The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, features explicitly in US military plans to strike Iranian nuclear sites, including the suspected nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain (Kolang Kouh), one source told CNN.

Officials question whether the MOAB can penetrate deep enough to destroy the suspected nuclear facilities at Pickaxe, believed to be shielded by layers of granite, or at Iran’s other remaining nuclear sites, according to another source.

“The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” one source told the outlet, adding that “It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead.”

Though conceding the weapon would likely fail to deliver a strategic victory or force Iran’s capitulation, US officials pointed to the weapon’s sheer capacity for terror through its ability to inflict massive destruction and civilian deaths while leaving lasting psychological scars on the population.

The MOAB is therefore being weighed as an exit tactic for US President Donald Trump’s failed war on Iran, a resort to a weapon of terror after failing to break the country through military and economic means, and a way to brand his withdrawal as a victory. … Full article

Why Saudi Arabia cannot defend against Yemeni missiles and what it means

By Robert Inlakesh – Al Mayadeen – October 15, 2026

Yemeni missiles and drones have shocked the public – easily bypassing Saudi Arabia’s US-made air defense systems, striking their targets with devastating accuracy. How this was achieved is no mystery, and their allies deploying more anti-air capabilities will have little impact.

Much of the shock over the failure of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to protect its energy and military infrastructure from retaliatory attacks originating from Yemen has been over the fact that modern American-made anti-air capabilities are having little to no impact.

Analysts, in an attempt to explain this, have worked on the assumption that the failure of Riyadh is down to a general depletion of overall air defense munitions during the highest intensity phase of the war on Iran. While it is true that US Patriot Missile and THAAD interceptor missile stockpiles are dwindling, this is not the primary reason for the Saudi failure. […]

Leaving the Arab states aside, when we look at the Israeli example, a number of different factors come into play that make their air defense strategy far superior to anyone else’s in the region, including the strategy for protecting American bases and personnel.

The Israelis not only have US THAAD systems operated by US personnel and historically have used Patriot batteries, but they also have their own air defenses like the David’s Sling, as well as Arrow systems and the Iron Dome that confronts rockets. In addition to this, the Israelis have an entire Western coalition that puts modern fighter jets in the skies in order to help shoot down incoming munitions, in addition to the use of naval assets at sea. […]

Another important element to consider is that the US values the security of the Israelis much more than it cares for the Saudis, which means that they aren’t going to waste resources unnecessarily on defending regimes that they view as client states. The American military has the capability to deploy its own air defenses to aid Saudi Arabia, but is running low on its own interceptors and has to value protecting its own positions before it will look at helping others; with the exception of the Israelis that they will put their own forces at risk to protect. … Full article

Iran to complete reconstruction of US-destroyed tunnels in Hormozgan by late December

Press TV – October 15, 2026

Reconstruction of the Shahid Mirzaei tunnels on the Bandar Abbas–Hajiabad highway in southern Iran is progressing after US missile strikes destroyed the stone structures at their entrances and exits, according to Hormozgan road authorities.

Abbas Sharfi, director-general of Hormozgan’s Road Maintenance and Transportation Department, reported the latest progress during an inspection of the reconstruction project on Wednesday.

Sharfi said the US missile strikes on July 18 had completely destroyed the stone structures at the tunnels’ entrances and exits, prompting authorities to mobilize technical and construction teams to repair the damage.

“Following the incident, reconstruction work was launched, with technical and construction teams mobilized to repair the damaged sections and ensure safe passage along the Bandar Abbas-Hajiabad highway,” he said.

Reconstruction of the outbound route has reached 55 percent, while work on the inbound route is 75 percent complete, Sharfi noted, with both directions expected to be restored by the end of Azar (late December) this year.

The work was continuing “with a focus on repairing the damage to the tunnel structures and restoring safe traffic conditions” along the key route, he stressed.

The damage was not limited to the tunnels. US attacks on July 26 and 27 damaged nine bridge structures on major roads across Hormozgan Province, disrupting several key transport links.

In September, Sharfi said repairs to eight of the nine damaged bridges were expected to be completed by the end of that month, while work on the remaining bridge was scheduled for completion by late October. … Full article

Why Yemen Is Bombing Saudi Arabia’s Airports: The War Behind the Headlines

By Robert Inlakesh | The Palestine Chronicle | October 15, 2026

Yemeni missiles fired at Saudi Arabia are destroying oil facilities and airports across the country – drawing particular international outrage was the ballistic missile attack on Terminal 3 of King Khalid Intl. Airport, an attack that killed 13 and left another 307 injured. As is usually the case, the corporate media starts the clock where it chooses instead of looking at the context, a similar tactic that is used when reporting on Palestine.

On October 10, a missile fired by the Yemeni missile units of Sana’a’s Ansarallah-led government caused a mass casualty event at Riyadh’s main international airport. It then drew broad condemnation from governments around the world, grabbing headlines across the corporate media.

The Saudi-led coalition’s spokesman, Maj Gen Turki al-Maliki, then called the attack a “full-fledged war crime” and said that striking a civilian airport was a “cowardly terrorist attack”. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also weighed in and expressed his shock at what he called a violation of international law, urging the attacks to stop.

However, Guterres and various government officials never commented on Saudi Arabia’s airstrikes against Sana’a Intl. Airport on July 13, which broke the years-long ceasefire between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Nor did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who himself ordered airstrikes on Sana’a Intl. Airport in the Yemeni Capital of Sana’a last year. … continue

Bombs for Tel Aviv, Promises for Riyadh

By Muhammad Hamid ad-Din – New Eastern Outlook – October 15, 2026

The Gaza Ceasefire Is Falling Apart. And So Is the American Plan to Expand the Abraham Accords. … continue

Sally Rooney’s books pulled from UK over support for Palestine Action

Al Mayadeen| October 15, 2026

Irish novelist Sally Rooney has agreed to the withdrawal of her books from the UK market after her support for Palestine Action created legal obstacles to the payment of royalties under British terrorism legislation.

Rooney, the bestselling author of “Normal People” and “Conversations With Friends”, said her publisher, Faber, had concluded that continuing to distribute her work in the UK could expose those involved to criminal liability. The decision was made with her agreement following consultations over the legal implications.

Palestine Action was designated a “terrorist organization” by the UK government in July 2025. The following month, Rooney publicly declared that she intended to continue supporting the group and direct proceeds from her book sales towards it. The organization remains legal in the Republic of Ireland, where Rooney is based. … continue

Israeli ad agency conducted vast global espionage campaign using online ads: Report

The Cradle | October 15, 2026

An Israeli digital advertising agency helped run an espionage campaign using a vast network of online ads to track targets and hack their devices, Reuters reported on 15 October, citing two research groups.

Reports from Canadian cyber watchdog group Citizen Lab and New York advertising security firm Confiant document how the Israeli advertising agency Discover-Tech placed millions of ads online each day for ordinary products such as phones or earpods.

Discover-Tech placed the ads using the advertising services of Google, Comcast, Yandex, and other search engines.

The Israeli ad agency could identify and track internet users who visited websites or used apps with the malicious ads, and at times obtained phone numbers from smartphone users.

Clicking on the ads was not required to allow users to be tracked. … continue

EU Chat Control Reports Processed With Palantir Software

Palantir says little here, while the unanswered questions do plenty of talking.

By Ken Macon | Reclaim The Net | October 15, 2026

Private messages of people in the EU, scanned by tech companies under the temporary “Chat Control” law, end up being analyzed with Palantir’s software, an investigation by Swedish journalist Arvid Grange has found.

The US law requires these companies to send the tips to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and that organization has now confirmed that it runs every report through Palantir’s Foundry. Not a single one of the lawmakers and experts interviewed for the report was aware that this was the case.

The scanning of private communications in the EU was made possible by a law that was first introduced as temporary in 2021, and that has since been extended twice, most recently in July, to April 2028. The companies that are scanning for images and videos in people’s messages are Google, Microsoft, Snap, and Meta, but the EU law does not specify who these companies can share the data with.

It turns out that it ends up in a US database built on software made by Palantir, a company with roots in the CIA and a history of working with governments. […]

German MEP Lukas Sieper, who voted against the latest extension of the EU law, said he was not surprised that the data ended up being handled by Palantir, which he described as “George Orwell’s worst nightmare.” … Full article

ADL is working with AI companies to suppress alleged ‘antisemitism’

Chris Menaham – X – October 13, 2026

ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt reveals in Israel that he’s been working with all the top AI Frontier Labs to push them to suppress “anti-Semitism.”

“We’ve been working with the Frontier Labs—OpenAI, Anthropic, Alphabet, the company that runs Gemini, Google, Meta, who runs Muse, and others, X, who run Grok—testing their models and using the results to push them to do better.”

“We’ve had excellent collaboration with Silicon Valley.”

“We’ve run the tests and seen where anti-Semitism shows up and helped them develop strategies to tackle it right in the source code.”

Israel operating dedicated social media unit to track, detain Palestinians in West Bank

The Cradle | October 14, 2026

The Israeli army is running a special unit that monitors Palestinian social media across the occupied West Bank and uses social media posts it deems “incitement” as grounds for night raids and arrests, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on 12 October.

Israeli forces have arrested 215 Palestinians through the unit so far in 2026, while more than 600 have been arrested and put on trial since its establishment in October 2023, at the start of the genocide in Gaza, for allegedly spreading “terror content” and expressing “sympathy for terrorists,” including support for Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

“Whoever praises an attack, lauds an attack, presents Hamas as the solution or raises terror symbols, we know how to get to him,” a source in the Israeli military’s Central Command told the channel.

Over the past week alone, Israeli forces stormed around 70 sites the military brands as “incitement” targets in the occupied West Bank, in operations it says were aimed at so-called “incitement infrastructure.”

Troops also carried out more than 1,000 operations, field interrogations, and warning visits against Palestinians the military accuses of involvement in “terrorism,” while dismantling some 30 signs, symbols, and statues commemorating slain Palestinians. […]

Israeli occupation authorities have extended the campaign to Palestinian charitable and financial institutions, shutting down more than 24 charities it accuses of promoting and financing “terrorism.”

Additionally, Israeli troops shut down more than 40 currency exchange shops and seized large sums of money that the military claims were intended to fund “terrorism.” They also sealed printing presses accused of producing “incitement.” … Full article

Israel demolishes 80 homes in Palestinian village in Negev, displaces around 400 people

MEMO | October 12, 2026

Israeli authorities demolished around 80 homes in the Palestinian village of Al-Dhahiya in the Negev region of southern Israel on Monday, displacing around 400 people, amid accusations that extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is using home demolitions as part of his election campaign.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN said teams from the Israel Land Authority, accompanied by reinforced police forces under Ben-Gvir’s ministry, demolished around 80 homes on claims that they had been “built without permits” in Al-Dhahiya, an unrecognized village north of the city of Rahat. … Full article

Bishop calls for international action after settlers attack West Bank centre for disabled children

MEMO | October 14, 2026

The head of the Lutheran Church in the Holy Land has called on international governments and faith leaders to take “immediate and decisive action” after illegal Israeli settlers twice broke into a centre for children and young people with intellectual disabilities near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

In a statement issued from Jerusalem yesterday, Bishop Dr Imad Haddad of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land said his church was “very disturbed” by the attacks on the Starmountain (Sternberg) Support Center. The centre is run by the Moravian Church and serves about 100 children and young people. … Statement

60 Minutes won’t tell the full truth about Israeli settler violence

If Americans Knew | October 14, 2026

60 Minutes cut Leslie Stahl’s interview with a Palestinian American recently beaten by Israeli settlers and ignored by the U.S. Embassy; the segment barely mentioned Palestinians killed by settlers, and said nothing about US citizens killed. … continue

Palestinian prisoners’ office says detained doctor beaten in presence of Ben Gvir

MEMO | October 14, 2026

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Information Office said on Tuesday that detained physician Marwan al-Hams was beaten and physically restrained at Israel’s Ganot detention facility on 7th October in the presence of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, leaving him with fractures and severe back pain.

In a statement, the office said Al-Hams had been subjected to physical assault and intimidation during Ben Gvir’s visit to the detention facility.

It said the physician had resisted provocations by the minister and remained committed to his professional and humanitarian responsibilities toward sick and injured detainees despite the mistreatment he faced. … Full article

Activists Abused By Israel Return to New Freedom Flotilla Mission

By Elizabeth Murray – Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, November/December 2026

A NEW FREEDOM FLOTILLA, led by the aptly named Tenacity, set sail from Bristol, UK in September and headed for Gaza in yet another attempt to break Israel’s siege and blockade of Gaza.

A significant percentage of the ship’s passengers and crew—whose countries of origin include Denmark, Norway, Spain, Ireland, France, the United Kingdom, the United States and Palestine (currently residing in Sweden)—have been kidnapped, detained and tortured by Israeli soldiers on previous Gaza-bound solidarity missions. Nevertheless, they are determined to challenge Gaza’s isolation.

Captain Tomás Alberto Moraté Serna, who hails from Spain, is the captain of the Tenacity. He was kidnapped, brutalized, tortured and deported by Israel in April 2026. He explained that he is back for the same reasons he joined the Gaza mission in the first place: “I am not happy with what I see in the world, and I need to do my part” to transform it. … continue

Israel’s ruling parties to deploy thousands of ‘activists’ to intimidate Palestinian voters

The Cradle | October 15, 2026

The political parties of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich plan to deploy nearly 2,000 activists as observers at hundreds of polling stations to intimidate Palestinians with Israeli citizenship during the upcoming Knesset elections.

The Likud and Religious Zionism parties announced the measures on 15 October, claiming they wished to prevent fraud in voting and vote counting.

The parties issued a statement claiming “a long series of fraud incidents” occurred in previous election campaigns.

It said party activists will be assigned based on a fraud-risk map and trained to respond to violations of voting procedures and irregularities in the count.

According to the Times of Israel, no previous evidence of widespread voter fraud in Israel has been found. … Full article