Israeli tanks and airstrikes killed 24 Palestinians including seven children in Gaza on Wednesday, the latest violence to undermine the nearly four-month-old ceasefire. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/05/world/israeli-strikes-kill-24-gaza/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #middleeast #israel #gaza #israelhamaswar #palestinians
The U.S. and Iran have agreed to hold talks in Oman on Friday, even as they remained at odds over Washington's insistence that negotiations include Tehran's missile arsenal. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/05/world/politics/us-iran-talks-oman-agenda/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #iran #oman #middleeast #us
Global container liners are bracing for lower profits in 2026 as the potential reopening of the Red Sea shipping route weighs on freight rates, exacerbating oversupply issues and aggravating trade pains. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/02/04/companies/shipping-firms-red-sea/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #shipping #redsea #trade #middleeast
Nongovernmental organizations are battling to quantify the scale of Iran’s crackdown on protesters, a task complicated by the internet shutdown, manipulated content and threats against sources inside the country. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/world/ngos-iran-crackdown-death-count/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #iran #middleeast #humanrightsactivistsnewsagency #iranhumanrights
Syria began deploying security forces in Kurdish-controlled areas, implementing a U.S.-backed agreement to integrate Kurds with state institutions and take control of northeastern territories in the country. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/world/politics/syria-kurdish-us-deal/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #middleeast #syria #kurds #us
Israel reopened the Rafah crossing to Palestinians for the first time in months, a major step in a U.S.-backed plan to end the war, though strict Israeli security checks slowed the process. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/world/gaza-border-israel-rafah/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #middleeast #israel #gaza #israelhamaswar #palestinians #egypt #us
Iran’s leadership is increasingly worried a U.S. strike could break its grip on power by driving an already enraged public back onto the streets, following a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/world/politics/iran-us-strike-protests/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #iran #middleeast #us
Israel announced Sunday it was terminating Doctors Without Borders’ humanitarian operations in Gaza after the charity failed to provide a list of Palestinian staff. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/02/world/israel-msf-gaza-palestinian-staff/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #unrwa #doctorswithoutborders #middleeast #israel #gaza #israelhamaswar #palestinians #hamas #benjaminnetanyahu
Iran’s supreme leader warned of a "regional war” as tensions continued to mount over potential U.S. strikes on Tehran and top Israeli military officials visited Washington. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/02/world/iran-regional-war-trump-demands/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #iran #middleeast #israel #us #usmilitary #donaldtrump
Iran has declared the armies of European countries "terrorist groups," following the European Union's decision to apply the same designation to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/01/world/politics/iran-eu-armies-terrorist-irgc/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #europe #eu #terrorism #middleeast #israel #gaza #iran #lebanon #hezbollah #us
Israel partially reopened the Rafah crossing between the devastated Gaza Strip and Egypt on Sunday following months of urging from humanitarian organizations, though access is limited to the movement of people. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/01/world/israel-reopen-rafah-crossing/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #middleeast #israel #gaza #israelhamaswar #palestinians #hamas
The U.S. special envoy for Iraq, named by U.S. President Donald Trump in October, is no longer in that role, sources say. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/01/world/politics/us-iraq-al-maliki/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #iraq #middleeast #nourialmaliki #us #donaldtrump
Iran's top security official said Saturday that progress had been made toward negotiations with the United States, even as the Islamic Republic's army chief warned Washington against launching military strikes. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/01/world/politics/iran-us-talks/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #iran #middleeast #donaldtrump #us #usmilitary
Iranian security forces have rounded up thousands in a campaign of mass arrests and intimidation to deter further protests after crushing the bloodiest unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/30/world/politics/iran-mass-arrest-campaign/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #iran #middleeast #humanrights
The demilitarization of Gaza will include decommissioning weapons through an agreed process "supported by an internationally funded buyback" program, the United States told the U.N. Security Council. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/29/world/politics/us-un-gaza-demilitarization-buyback/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #middleeast #israel #gaza #israelhamaswar #palestinians #hamas #us #un
U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran to make a deal on nuclear weapons or the next U.S. attack would be far worse. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/29/world/politics/trump-iran-nuclear-deal-attack/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #middleeast #iran #us #donaldtrump
Middle East businesses are watching tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with increasing nervousness, concerned they could impact commerce. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/01/28/companies/saudi-uae-middle-east-businesses/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #uae #saudiarabia #middleeast
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Iraq’s largest political bloc against tapping former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to return to office, saying the U.S. would “no longer help” the nation if he returns to power. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/28/world/politics/trump-us-iraq-al-maliki/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #nourialmaliki #iraq #middleeast #us #donaldtrump
Iran's president warned that U.S. "threats" against the Islamic republic would only cause instability, as a U.S. naval strike group led by an aircraft carrier took up position in Middle Eastern waters. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/28/world/politics/iran-us-strike-group/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #us #donaldtrump #middleeast #iran
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem says that any attack on Iran, the group’s backer, would also constitute an attack on the militants. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/27/world/politics/hezbollah-chief-iran/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #us #middleeast #iran #hezbollah #ayatollahkhamenei