#military-buffer-zones

#military-buffer-zones

Mearsheimer argues that the idea that the US and Israel are making a safer, more stable Middle East is ludicrous, emphasizing that the real threat comes from their collaboration.

The handshake between Nikol Pashinyan and Recep Tayyip Erdogan represents a historic moment, as it is the first time an Armenian leader has visited Turkey.

On March 1, Israel closed Gaza's Rafah border crossing with Egypt. The Israeli military's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said the move was a part of several necessary security adjustments that have been implemented in the region due to the war with Iran. The Rafah crossing is considered vital for the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of critically ill patients from Gaza.

Defence Secretary John Healey stated, 'My message to Gulf partners is: Britain's best will help you defend your skies.' This emphasizes the UK's commitment to supporting its allies in the region.

IDF troops from the 91st division have begun limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, aimed at enhancing the forward defence area. This operation is part of the effort to establish the forward defence, which includes destroying terrorist infrastructure and eliminating terrorists.

The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States and France, formally aimed to end active hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. In practice, however, the agreement never truly halted the conflict. Israeli forces maintained a presence in Lebanese territory, and military strikes against Lebanon continued on an almost daily basis.

Iranian health officials contend the U.S. and Israeli campaign has killed 1,200 people there. Lebanese authorities report 500 deaths in an Israeli assault. And we go next to Lebanon, where NPR's Hadeel Al-Shalchi has been covering this from Beirut.

After more than a year of holding fire, Hezbollah last week launched a volley of missiles and drones towards an Israeli military site in the northern city of Haifa. The Lebanese group said the attack was in response to the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the United States-Israeli war on Iran on February 28. Iran is Hezbollah's main benefactor.

The Syrian army and the SDF agreed to a four-day ceasefire on Tuesday, after Kurdish fighters relinquished swaths of territory to government forces, which also sent reinforcements to a Kurdish stronghold in the northeast. Government troops have seized expanses of northern and eastern territory in the last two weeks from the SDF in a rapid turn of events that has consolidated President Ahmed al-Sharaa's rule.

Beirut, Lebanon The strikes on Lebanon this week were the latest attacks conducted by Israel on its northern neighbour. Israel has consistently bombed Lebanon and conducted drone strikes despite a United States-brokered ceasefire in November 2024. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has documented more than 10,000 ceasefire violations by the Israelis, including 7,500 airspace violations and 2,500 ground violations.