Middle East

Jordan airdrops aid to northern Gaza for first time in 5 months

King Abdullah has accused Israel of placing obstacles to deliveries and has called on the international community to put pressure on Israel to allow uninterrupted aid flows

Palestinians fear Israel's UNRWA ban will spark disaster

New Israeli laws could essentially bar the UN agency from working inside Gaza, leaving millions without aid or services

Palestinians fear Israel’s UNRWA ban will spark disaster

In Gaza, aid workers and families say new Israeli laws to effectively bar UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, from operating in the Strip, could be catastrophic for the 2 million people already suffering from a year of violence and a looming famine. Heather Murdock reports.

Israel nears cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon

Netanyahu urges his parliamentary allies to approve a halt to fighting that has lasted nearly 14 months

Turkey threatens new Syria operation against Kurd militants

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is warning of a new military operation into Syria aimed at Kurdish militants, which Ankara accuses of being linked to PKK rebels fighting Turkey. Last month, the PKK carried out a deadly attack in the Turkish capital. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

EU urges Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire: ‘No more excuses’

US: ‘Significant progress’ made toward agreement

3 Uzbek nationals arrested in the killing of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi in the UAE

Kogan, 28, an ultra-Orthodox rabbi who went missing on Thursday, ran a kosher grocery store in the city of Dubai

Militia detains 300 migrants in desert in Libya's effort to contain sea crossings

Apprehensions come as Libya remains key point of departure for people from Middle East, Africa aiming to reach Europe

From VOA Persian: Iranian civil activist plans sit-in outside Evin Prison after arrest and release

From VOA Persian: Bipartisan congressional bill targets Iranian government criminal schemes

Can Israeli strikes in Syria undermine Iran-backed militias?

Strikes carried out by Israel in recent weeks in Syria have significantly weakened Iranian-backed militant groups, though they continue to pose a threat, experts say