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Arab World

Worship Starts Again at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Israel Approves New Settlements

Muslim women take a selfie next to the Dome of Rock shrine at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem's Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Muslim women take a selfie next to the Dome of Rock shrine at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem's Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
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Worship Starts Again at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Israel Approves New Settlements

Muslim women take a selfie next to the Dome of Rock shrine at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem's Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Muslim women take a selfie next to the Dome of Rock shrine at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound following a ceasefire reached between Iran, Israel and the United States. in Jerusalem's Old City, Thursday, April 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Thousands of Palestinians prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque at dawn Thursday, according to Jerusalem’s Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian religious authority that administers the compound.

For the first time in 41 days, Muslim worshippers returned to Al-Aqsa, which had been shuttered since the start of the war sparked by the US-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28.

Jerusalem’s police said Wednesday that it would lift restrictions on all holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City starting Thursday morning. It added that hundreds of officers and volunteers would be active in the city.

Access had been prohibited altogether, or restricted to a few dozen faithful, at Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites during the now-paused conflict, when missile attacks from Iran often sent Jerusalem residents into shelters.

The restrictions subdued Lent, Passover and Ramadan celebrations for many in some of the holiest sites for adherents of Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

But they’re lifted just in time for Orthodox Christians, who celebrate Easter (Pascha) on Sunday, a week after Catholic and Protestant observances.

Suzan Allam, who came with her husband and daughter, told AFP the return to Al-Aqsa was like "a party.”

Hamza al-Afghani, a young Palestinian, spoke of an "indescribable joy.”

"Al-Aqsa mosque is Jerusalem's soul," another worshipper, who declined to share his name for security reasons, said.

Meanwhile, Israel has approved the establishment of dozens of new Jewish settlements in the West Bank, an Israeli watchdog group said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has not formally announced the establishment of the 34 new settlements, many of them outposts in far-flung areas of the mountainous territory, the Peace Now watchdog group said in a statement.

The decision, made by the Israeli cabinet on April 1, was reported widely on Thursday by Israeli media outlets, which said Israel's military censor had approved it for publication.

The Palestinian Presidency's office condemned the plan as a "flagrant violation of international law.”

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Arab World

Egypt-Pakistan Military Drill Underscores Closer Ties

Launch of the joint Egyptian-Pakistani “Raad 2” exercise in Pakistan on Thursday (Egyptian military spokesman)
Launch of the joint Egyptian-Pakistani “Raad 2” exercise in Pakistan on Thursday (Egyptian military spokesman)
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Egypt-Pakistan Military Drill Underscores Closer Ties

Launch of the joint Egyptian-Pakistani “Raad 2” exercise in Pakistan on Thursday (Egyptian military spokesman)
Launch of the joint Egyptian-Pakistani “Raad 2” exercise in Pakistan on Thursday (Egyptian military spokesman)

A joint military exercise between Egypt and Pakistan has underscored growing ties between the two countries, which became increasingly evident during the recent Iran war.

The joint drill, dubbed “Raad 2,” began Thursday with the participation of Egyptian paratroopers and Pakistani special forces and is set to run for several days at special forces training grounds in Pakistan.

Egypt’s military spokesman said the exercise includes a range of joint training activities focused on special operations and counterterrorism, aimed at exchanging tactical expertise, aligning operational concepts and enhancing coordination and combat readiness among participating units.

Pakistan, Egypt and Türkiye emerged as key mediators in the Iran war, which began on Feb. 28.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire announced this week between the US and Iran and urged all parties to engage seriously in talks “to achieve lasting peace and peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the region and the world.”

Cairo also reiterated its support for initiatives aimed at achieving peace and security, stressing its continued efforts with Pakistan and Türkiye to work with regional and international partners to enhance stability.

Pakistan, which maintains good relations with both the administration of US President Donald Trump and neighboring Iran, played a mediating role between Washington and Tehran.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Wednesday in a post on X that China, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt and Qatar had all provided support to help secure a ceasefire and give diplomacy a chance.

A four-way meeting involving Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Türkiye and Pakistan held in Islamabad in late March discussed ways to enhance coordination in response to rapid developments and escalating military tensions in the region.

Participants also exchanged assessments of the severe economic repercussions of the escalation, including its impact on international shipping, supply chains, food security and energy security amid rising oil prices.

Rakha Ahmed Hassan, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and a former assistant foreign minister, said Egyptian-Pakistani cooperation dates back many years and includes joint exercises and exchanges of expertise.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat the drill aims to strengthen ties and benefit from evolving military experience, particularly in light of new weapons and technologies introduced in both countries.

He added the exercise is not directly linked to the Iran war but comes within the broader context of addressing various challenges. “The training is military support and is not directed against anyone,” he stated.

In recent days, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held daily contacts with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss efforts to launch direct negotiations between the US and Iran and to promote diplomacy over military escalation.

Hassan said Egypt, Pakistan and Türkiye played a significant role in reaching a truce, noting that the three countries helped bridge differences between the sides thanks to their strong relations with all parties and their interest in ending a war that caused heavy damage to all sides, including the US and Israel.

Arab World

Israel Targets Last Litani Bridges, Raising Fears of South Lebanon Isolation

Civil defense personnel inspect damage caused by an Israeli strike targeting the Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River in South Lebanon (AFP). 
Civil defense personnel inspect damage caused by an Israeli strike targeting the Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River in South Lebanon (AFP). 
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Israel Targets Last Litani Bridges, Raising Fears of South Lebanon Isolation

Civil defense personnel inspect damage caused by an Israeli strike targeting the Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River in South Lebanon (AFP). 
Civil defense personnel inspect damage caused by an Israeli strike targeting the Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River in South Lebanon (AFP). 

Israel is intensifying strikes on bridges over Lebanon’s Litani River, raising concerns it aims to isolate the entire area south of the river from the north, Lebanese officials and state media said.

The Israeli military struck the Qasmiyeh coastal bridge, the last functioning crossing linking areas south of the Litani with the north, damaging it and further restricting movement. A second strike later hit the same area, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).

Civil defense teams worked to clear high-voltage cables severed in the attack, allowing limited traffic to resume on a single lane.

Over the past two weeks, Israel has targeted seven main bridges over the Litani, leaving Qasmiyeh as the final link before it was partially damaged in Wednesday night’s strike.

Lebanese authorities warn that continued attacks could effectively besiege around 50,000 civilians in the southern city of Tyre, its suburbs and nearby Palestinian refugee camps, as well as thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers deployed in the area.

Several families south of the river have appealed for evacuation under international supervision, citing what they describe as a “complete siege” following the damage to the bridge.

Official sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that food stocks in the area would last no more than 15 days, warning of shortages of food and medicine if supply routes are not restored within two weeks.

The Lebanese Army said Thursday it had reopened the Qasmiyeh bridge with the help of civil defense and local groups, and deployed a unit nearby to secure it.

Authorities are studying contingency plans with the United Nations to supply the area if access routes are fully cut, in a bid to avert a humanitarian crisis.

“We are trying to address the repercussions by all means. We will not allow the area to be isolated from the rest of Lebanon,” the sources said, adding that practical proposals were under review.

The impact extends beyond civilians to military personnel. Around 7,700 Lebanese soldiers are deployed south of the Litani, alongside roughly 7,500 troops from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), according to sources familiar with the deployment.

Most UN peacekeepers are stationed south of the river, though troop numbers have declined in recent months due to financial constraints at the United Nations, the sources said.

They added that UNIFIL, a military peacekeeping force, is adapting its operations to evolving conditions, as it has done since fighting escalated on March 2.

UNIFIL troops are currently positioned in areas where clashes are taking place between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.

 

 

Arab World

US Summons Iraqi Ambassador Over Drone Strike on Diplomatic Facility in Baghdad

A man waves the flags of Iraq and Iran from the sunroof of a vehicle during celebrations welcoming the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on April 8, 2026. (AFP)
A man waves the flags of Iraq and Iran from the sunroof of a vehicle during celebrations welcoming the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on April 8, 2026. (AFP)
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US Summons Iraqi Ambassador Over Drone Strike on Diplomatic Facility in Baghdad

A man waves the flags of Iraq and Iran from the sunroof of a vehicle during celebrations welcoming the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on April 8, 2026. (AFP)
A man waves the flags of Iraq and Iran from the sunroof of a vehicle during celebrations welcoming the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran in Baghdad's central Tahrir Square on April 8, 2026. (AFP)

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau summoned Iraqi Ambassador Nizar Khirullahon Thursday after a drone struck a major US diplomatic facility in Baghdad, the State Department said in a statement.

The US Embassy in Baghdad said earlier that Iraqi "terrorist militias," who Washington accused of being aligned with ‌Iran, had ‌conducted multiple drone attacks near ‌the ⁠Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center ⁠and Baghdad International Airport on Wednesday.

The State Department said Landau acknowledged the Iraqi security forces' efforts to respond while emphasizing "the Iraqi government's failure to prevent these attacks."

The State Department said Washington expects the Iraqi government to take measures to dismantle ⁠Iran-aligned factions in Iraq.

It also ‌said that "some elements associated ‌with the Iraqi government continue to actively provide political, ‌financial, and operational cover for the militias."

Dozens of ‌people have been killed in Iraq since the start of the Iran war, according to Iraqi health authorities. Those include civilians, members of the Iran-affiliated Popular ‌Mobilization Forces, US-allied Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, police and army.

The Iran war began ⁠when the ⁠US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states with US bases. US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.

US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday, which has remained fragile. The US president had previously threatened to destroy Iran's entire civilization in remarks that were widely condemned.