عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Türkiye's Erdogan Condemns Israel's Military Assault on Gaza and Lebanon

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb (unseen) after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Türkiye, 01 October 2024. (EPA)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb (unseen) after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Türkiye, 01 October 2024. (EPA)
TT
TT

Türkiye's Erdogan Condemns Israel's Military Assault on Gaza and Lebanon

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb (unseen) after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Türkiye, 01 October 2024. (EPA)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb (unseen) after their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Türkiye, 01 October 2024. (EPA)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack to condemn Israel's military assault on Gaza and Lebanon.

"Today, I remember with sorrow the tens of thousands of people that the murderous Israeli government has massacred since Oct. 7," Erdogan said in a message posted on X. "I convey my most heartfelt condolences to my brothers from Gaza, Palestine, and Lebanon."

An outspoken critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza and more recently the war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Erdogan said: "Israel’s long-standing policy of genocide, occupation, and invasion must finally come to an end."

He has praised Hamas previously as a "liberation group." Erdogan on Monday made no mention of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, in which the fighters killed about 1,200 people and dragged some 250 hostages back to Gaza. The subsequent war in Gaza has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians and displaced most of the territory’s 2.3 million population.

"Israel will sooner or later pay the price for this genocide, which it has been implementing for a year and which is still continuing," Erdogan wrote. "Just as Hitler was stopped by a joint alliance of humanity, (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his killer network will be stopped in the same way."

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Israel Army Says Begun 'Limited Targeted Ground Operations' against Hezbollah in South Lebanon

An Israeli artillery unit fires, amid escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, and amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, on the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border, March 15, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem
An Israeli artillery unit fires, amid escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, and amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, on the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border, March 15, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem
TT
TT

Israel Army Says Begun 'Limited Targeted Ground Operations' against Hezbollah in South Lebanon

An Israeli artillery unit fires, amid escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, and amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, on the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border, March 15, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem
An Israeli artillery unit fires, amid escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, and amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, on the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon border, March 15, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem

The Israeli military said on Monday it had begun what it described as "limited ground operations" against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The military said in a statement that in recent days, Israeli army “troops from the 91st division have begun limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, aimed at enhancing the forward defense area”.

"This activity is part of broader defensive efforts to establish and strengthen a forward defensive posture, which includes the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the elimination of terrorists operating in the area, in order to remove threats and create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel," it said.

"Prior to the troops' entry into the area,” the Israeli army “conducted strikes using both artillery and the Israeli Air Force against numerous terrorist targets in order to mitigate threats in the operational environment."

Lebanon was dragged into the Middle East war on March 2 when Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes, with Israel launching air raids on the neighboring country and troop incursions into border areas.

Arab World

UN Force in Lebanon Says Peacekeepers Fired Upon ‘Likely by Non-State Armed Groups’

United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a destroyed healthcare center building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese town of Burj Qalawiya on March 14, 2026. (AFP)
United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a destroyed healthcare center building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese town of Burj Qalawiya on March 14, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT

UN Force in Lebanon Says Peacekeepers Fired Upon ‘Likely by Non-State Armed Groups’

United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a destroyed healthcare center building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese town of Burj Qalawiya on March 14, 2026. (AFP)
United Nations peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) drive past a destroyed healthcare center building in the aftermath of an Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese town of Burj Qalawiya on March 14, 2026. (AFP)

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said its peacekeepers were fired upon three times on Sunday, "likely by non-state armed groups" in the country's south.

The incident came two days after a different UN position was hit by fire that official Lebanese media blamed on Israel, with UNIFIL saying it was investigating.

"Today, UNIFIL peacekeepers were fired upon, likely by non-state armed groups, on three separate occasions while conducting patrols around their bases" in south Lebanon, the force said in a statement.

In one of the locations, the fire struck "as close as five meters from the peacekeepers", it added.

"Two patrols returned fire in self-defense and after brief exchanges, the patrols resumed their planned activities. No peacekeeper was injured," the statement said.

"We strongly remind all actors of their obligations under international law to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel at all times."

Lebanon was drawn into the broader Middle East war on March 2, when the Tehran-backed group Hezbollah attacked Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.

Israel has since launched waves of air strikes on its northern neighbor and deployed troop into border areas, while Hezbollah has launched rockets and missiles towards Israeli territory and troops.

Lebanese state media said that Israeli fire hit a UNIFIL base in southern Lebanon on Friday.

UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said the position was hit "likely by heavy machine gun fire", without identifying the source, and said an investigation had been launched into the incident, which left one peacekeeper lightly wounded.

Earlier this month, three peacekeepers serving with a Ghanaian contingent were wounded in south Lebanon, with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accusing Israel of being responsible and UNIFIL saying it would investigate.

On Saturday, during a visit to Beirut, UN chief Antonio Guterres said attacks against peacekeepers and their positions were "completely unacceptable and... may constitute war crimes".

UNIFIL has acted as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon since 1978. Its mission concludes at the end of this year.

Arab World

WHO Releases $2 Million in Emergency Funds to Lebanon, Iraq and Syria

A child poses for a photo, at a school hosting displaced people, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Lebaa, Lebanon, March 15, 2026. (Reuters)
A child poses for a photo, at a school hosting displaced people, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Lebaa, Lebanon, March 15, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

WHO Releases $2 Million in Emergency Funds to Lebanon, Iraq and Syria

A child poses for a photo, at a school hosting displaced people, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Lebaa, Lebanon, March 15, 2026. (Reuters)
A child poses for a photo, at a school hosting displaced people, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Lebaa, Lebanon, March 15, 2026. (Reuters)

The World ‌Health Organization said on Sunday it had released $2 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) to support the health response in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria amidst the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.

The conflict has triggered a large-scale population movement, the WHO ‌said last week, ‌estimating that more ‌than 100,000 ⁠people in Iran ⁠have relocated, and up to 700,000 people in Lebanon have been internally displaced.

$1 million has been allocated to Lebanon to strengthen the WHO's emergency coordination ⁠through the Public Health Emergency Operations ‌Center, scale ‌up trauma care, reinforce disease surveillance, ‌and procure and distribute essential ‌medicines and medical supplies, the agency said in a statement.

Iraq and Syria have each been allocated $500,000 to support emergency ‌coordination and mass-casualty management, procure and distribute essential medicines ⁠and ⁠supplies, provide health services for displaced populations, and strengthen disease surveillance and community outreach, it added.

"At a time when health services are already facing significant challenges, support is essential to sustain frontline health workers and maintain critical care services," Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean said.