Displaying items by tag: Middle East

After a US bombing campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, Donald Trump and US defence secretary Pete Hegseth offered conflicting assessments of its impact. At first, Trump claimed total obliteration, later suggesting the damage might have been ‘moderate’ or ‘severe’, while a leaked Pentagon assessment concluded the setback was only a matter of months. CIA director John Ratclife insisted that critical sites like Fordow had been rendered inoperable for years, while Israel announced that the strikes had pushed Iran’s programme back significantly. Meanwhile, questions emerged about Iran’s highly enriched uranium, some of which appears to have been moved prior to the attacks. The IAEA warned that different estimates of how long it will take Iran to rebuild distracted from the larger issue of long‑term non‑proliferation, and the risk of Iran expelling inspectors and leaving the non-proliferation treaty altogether.

A deadly attack on the Mar Elias Church in Damascus on 22 June has shaken Syria, especially its Christian community. At least 25 people were killed when an armed man opened fire and detonated a suicide bomb. The attack, claimed by both IS and another group, has spotlighted serious security concerns for Syria's new government. Labour affairs minister Hind Kabawat called for unity, stressing the shared pain of Christians and Muslims. The end of Bashar al-Assad's brutal regime was meant to usher in a hopeful era, yet the recent attack raises questions about the new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and his ability to protect religious minorities. Despite promises of inclusivity, tensions and mistrust linger. The Mar Elias attack intensifies fears that minorities may be forced to leave the country, highlighting the fragile nature of Syria's recovery. The government's response to these security and sectarian threats will define its legitimacy and shape its future.

Greta Thunberg, the climate-change inspiration for millions of young people world-wide, has condemned Israel’s seizure of a Gaza-bound aid boat she was aboard, calling it ‘an illegal act’. The British-flagged yacht Madleen had sailed from Sicily intending to breach Israel’s sea blockade of Gaza. Thunberg and eleven others were detained in international waters and brought to Israel. She described their treatment as forced and restrictive, but stressed the real issue is Gaza’s ‘systematic starvation’ and the blockade preventing essential supplies. Israel countered with footage of the boat’s passengers being given food, which Thunberg dismissed as a PR stunt. She was put on a plane back to Sweden on 10 June, and three others have agreed to deportation, but the rest remain in detention. Meanwhile, tensions in Gaza escalate: Hamas reported three paramedics killed by Israeli strikes, and local authorities say Israeli fire killed at least 17 Palestinians at a US-backed aid site. The Israeli military says it is investigating. Aid routes remain perilous, with over 130 Palestinians killed near such sites in recent weeks.

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, has condemned the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, calling it ‘worse than hell on earth.’ In an interview, she declared that ‘humanity is failing’ as the world watches the war’s horrors unfold. Spoljaric said that neither the Hamas attacks on Israel nor Israel’s military response justify violations of international law. She stressed that every party in conflict must uphold the Geneva Conventions, which protect civilians and non-combatants. Gaza’s devastation has stripped civilians of basic human dignity, with aid efforts overwhelmed and even hospitals - like the ICRC’s field unit in Rafah - no longer safe. On 3 June alone, 184 patients arrived at the facility, including 27 dead or dying. The ICRC, which is not participating in the new US-backed food aid system, criticised its dangerous design. Spoljaric urged global leaders to act immediately, warning that if legal and moral norms continue to collapse, the damage will extend far beyond the Middle East. On 4 June, the USA vetoed a UN resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire: see

A UN warehouse in Gaza has been stormed by desperate civilians amid growing hunger and aid shortages, resulting in two deaths and several injuries. The World Food Programme warned of impending famine, urging immediate aid expansion. Though Israel has lifted an eleven-week blockade, only limited aid has entered via the UN and the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The UN criticised Israel’s aid efforts as grossly inadequate, likening them to ‘a lifeboat after the ship has sunk’. Ongoing Israeli strikes, including the killing of Hamas leader Mohammad Sinwar, killed at least thirty people on 28 May. Israel, facing international pressure, is insisting aid be routed through the GHF, but the UN and other charities are refusing to do so because they do not see it as neutral. The GHF has so far distributed over 840,000 meals; reports say that at one site 47 people were injured in a rush for food. Humanitarian groups continue to warn of systemic deprivation and the collapse of basic aid infrastructure in Gaza.

The UK has suspended trade talks with Israel, summoned its ambassador, and imposed sanctions on West Bank settlers in response to Israel’s escalating military operations in Gaza, which foreign secretary David Lammy called ‘morally unjustifiable’. The UK has joined France and Canada in demanding an end to military expansion and a rapid influx of humanitarian aid, as Gaza faces famine due to an eleven-week blockade. Although Israel has permitted limited aid, the UN says the assistance is vastly insufficient. Lammy condemned inflammatory remarks from Israeli officials suggesting plans to ‘cleanse Gaza’ and warned that Israel risks isolating itself internationally. Meanwhile, at least 82 people including a week-old baby were killed in Israeli airstrikes on 20 May: see

Over two thousand Iranians are reportedly turning to Christ each day, according to the Bible Society. Despite the severe risks in a nation where leaving Islam can carry a death sentence, underground Christianity is flourishing. One 92-year-old woman evangelises on public transport by inviting strangers to help her read the gospels: many end up taking home a New Testament. This quiet revival is not only drawing Iranians to Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, but also transforming their attitudes toward Israel and the Jewish people, long depicted as enemies by Iran’s regime. Formerly steeped in antisemitism, many new believers now intercede for Israel, praying for peace between the two nations. Amid growing persecution, the gospel is advancing, fulfilling prophetic scripture and reshaping hearts even within regions historically opposed to God’s people. This movement coincides with increased Christian engagement among British youth and raises hope amid cultural hostility. The spiritual battle is intensifying - but so too is the light of Christ in dark places.

In an address to the Security Council, UN emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher warned that Gaza’s 2.1 million residents are enduring famine-like conditions after a ten-week aid blockade. He condemned the ongoing displacement of civilians, destruction of hospitals, and systematic denial of humanitarian access by Israel, urging immediate global intervention to prevent genocide. Fletcher described Israel’s alternative aid delivery proposal as a ‘cynical sideshow, a deliberate distraction, and a fig leaf for further violence and displacement’. He said that humanitarian agencies have the capability and verification systems to deliver aid responsibly, but are being obstructed. While the International Court of Justice reviews genocide allegations, Fletcher warned such action may come too late. He appealed to Israel and Hamas: ‘Will you act - decisively - to prevent genocide and to ensure respect for international humanitarian law? Or will you say instead, “we did all we could?”’

Donald Trump began a Middle East tour with major policy and economic announcements, including lifting long-standing US sanctions on Syria - a country rebuilding after civil war and regime change. The move, which follows a request by Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, signals a dramatic policy shift. Trump also unveiled a $600 billion Saudi investment commitment in the USA and signed a record-breaking $142 billion arms agreement with Riyadh. The visit prioritised economic cooperation over security concerns and featured meetings with top US business leaders and Saudi officials. The deals, on energy, defence, and infrastructure, could eventually total $1 trillion. Trump praised bin Salman but avoided any mention of the 2018 Khashoggi killing. He also reaffirmed a hard stance against Iran, offering conditional diplomacy. His broader goal: to realign regional power structures, bolster US business, and isolate Tehran while pushing for eventual Arab-Israeli cooperation.

At least 33 Palestinians have been killed in two near-simultaneous Israeli airstrikes on a crowded restaurant and marketplace in Gaza City, according to medics and the Hamas-run health ministry. The Thailandy restaurant, operating as a community kitchen, and a busy market on al-Wahda street were struck, leaving horrific scenes of civilian casualties. Israel’s military said it was investigating the reports. Two days earlier, there were airstrikes on two schools serving displaced families, killing at least 48 people. Israel says it is expanding its military campaign against Hamas, aiming to eliminate the group and rescue the remaining 59 hostages. Critics warn that civilian infrastructure is being targeted and mass displacement and famine are imminent due to a blockade. Gaza’s Hamas-run government accuses Israel of war crimes. The UN has reiterated that Israel is responsible for ensuring access to food and medical aid, and cases of malnutrition are rising alarmingly: see With over 52,000 Gazans reported killed since October 2023, international pressure is growing to halt the violence and resume ceasefire negotiations.