Middle East Geopolitical Reporting for 2026-02-22
We've collected the top geopolitical conflict articles from the Middle East and brought them all here. If you're tired of only having access to MSM versions of the story, you've found the right place. We’ll include all of the outlets we know of.
Berlin International Film Festival winners blast Israel in award speeches, ignore Iran
Abdallah Al-Khatib, who won Best Feature Debut for his film 'Chronicles From the Siege', criticized the German government, saying it was complicit in Israel’s conduct in the war against Hamas.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
Islamic State begins new phase of operations against Syrian regime with two terror attacks
The terrorist group said on its Dabiq news agency that it had targeted “an individual of the apostate Syrian regime” in the city of Mayadin in Deir al-Zor province using a pistol.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
Hundreds of Dutch nationals served in Israeli military amid Gaza genocide
Israel’s military has recruited hundreds of Dutch-Israeli dual nationals while Dutch law warns of crimes against humanity.
Presstv
Feb 22, 2026 - presstv.ir
Gaza death toll surpassed 75,000 in first 16 months of genocide: Survey
A Lancet survey finds the death toll of the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza exceeded 75,000 in 16 months.
Presstv
Feb 22, 2026 - presstv.ir
Australia denies it is working to repatriate Islamic State family members
The 34 women and children were released on Monday from the camp in northern Syria, but returned to the detention center due to technical reasons.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
Hamas: Huckabee’s remarks expose ‘American bias towards Zionist domination, annexation’
Hamas says recent comments by the US ambassador to the occupied territories reflect Washington’s alignment with “Zionist domination and annexation” projects.
Presstv
Feb 22, 2026 - presstv.ir
Israeli solar projects in West Bank expand illegal settlements: Report
Israel’s solar expansion in the West Bank is leading to the expansion of illegal settlements, driving Palestinian displacement and reinforcing Israeli occupation, says a report.
Presstv
Feb 22, 2026 - presstv.ir
Iran faces off with E3 over snapback sanctions as Russia and China back Tehran
Europe’s bid to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran has ignited a fierce backlash, with Iran denouncing the move as “illegal” and vowing firm retaliation.
Presstv
Feb 22, 2026 - presstv.ir
Silenced in France: The unjust detention of a pro-Palestine Iranian activist
Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian academic who lived in France for eight years, has been unjustly detained for condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza on social media.
Presstv
Feb 22, 2026 - presstv.ir
IRGC is part of Iran’s national army: Pundit
Iranian academician states that Europe is not genuinely committed to labeling the IRGC as a “terrorist organization” and is facing significant pressure from the Israeli regime.
Presstv
Feb 22, 2026 - presstv.ir
Washington seeking regime change in Venezuela: Analyst
Podcaster and Journalist Esha Krishnaswamy believes the U-S military buildup in the Caribbean region is aimed at regime change in Venezuela.
Presstv
Feb 22, 2026 - presstv.ir
Declared dead, found breathing: The miraculous survival of Najwa after Israeli bombing of Gaza
A Palestinian woman has miraculously survived an Israeli strike in Gaza.
Presstv
Feb 22, 2026 - presstv.ir
Hamas calls Israeli attack on Lebanon refugee camp ‘crime against civilians’
Palestinian group Hamas on Friday rejected Israeli claims that a strike on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon targeted one of its command centers, calling the attack a “crime against civilians” and a violation of Lebanese sovereignty, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Hamas condemned the attack as a “brutal aggression” by the Israeli army against the camp in the city of ...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Gaza death toll reaches 72,070 since Oct. 07: Health ministry
TEHRAN, Feb. 21 (MNA) – The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip has said that Israeli forces have killed 72,070 Palestinian people since the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel on October 07, 2023.
Mehr News Agency
Feb 21, 2026 - en.mehrnews.com
Hezbollah vows resistance after deadly Israeli strike
Hezbollah warned Saturday that it would have no choice but to fight on after an Israeli strike on targets in Lebanon killed eight of its operatives.Lebanon's government has vowed to disarm Hezbollah, but Israel insists it retains the right to defend itself by striking the Iran-backed militant group.On Friday, the Israeli military said it had hit Hezbollah command centres in eastern Lebanon and tar...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 21, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Hundreds protest in Stockholm to denounce Israel’s latest measures aimed at annexing West Bank
Hundreds of people protested in Sweden’s capital of Stockholm on Saturday, condemning Israel’s latest administrative measures aimed at annexing the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. Despite the cold weather, people gathered at Odenplan Square in central Stockholm in response to calls from several civil society organizations before marching on the roads to protest Israel’s plans to annex parts o...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Ukrainians, scattered across Europe, trapped in limbo by war
By Kuba Stezycki and Ali KucukgocmenWARSAW/ISTANBUL, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Maryna Bondarenko says she has three suitcases packed in her apartment in Poland, waiting for the day when peace returns to Ukraine.The 51-year-old journalist fled Kyiv with her son and mother after Russia launched its invasion on February 24, 2022. She thought they would be abroad for a month or two until the war ended.Four y...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 21, 2026 - al-monitor.com
WATCH: IDF kills several Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, strikes command center
On Saturday, the Associated Press reported that the IDF killed eight Hezbollah terrorists in the village of Rayak in northeast Lebanon on Friday.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 21, 2026 - jpost.com
Hamas: Attack on Ain al-Helweh clear violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty
Tehran, IRNA – The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has strongly condemned the “brutal aggression” by the Israeli army against the Ain al-Helweh refugee camp in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon.
IRNA English
Feb 21, 2026 - en.irna.ir
Child among 3 Palestinians injured by illegal Israeli settlers’ assaults in West Bank
Three Palestinians, including a child, were wounded Saturday by illegal Israeli settlers in two separate attacks in the occupied West Bank, local officials and medics said. In the village of al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, village council head Amin Abu Alia told Anadolu that illegal settlers opened fire on residents, wounding two Palestinians. “The situation is bad. Gunfire is ongoing on the ...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Illegal Israeli settler attacks force displacement of 11 Palestinian families east of Ramallah
Eleven Palestinian families on Saturday began dismantling their homes in a Bedouin community east of the city of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank due to continued attacks by illegal Israeli settlers and the Israeli army, Anadolu reports. Mustafa Kaabneh, a resident of the Khalayel Bedouin encampment south of the village of al-Mughayyir, told Anadolu that 11 families in the community star...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Over 1,000 UK councilors pledge support for Palestine ahead of May local elections
More than 1,000 councilors across England have pledged their support for Palestinian rights ahead of the crucial local elections in May, as campaigners aim to make Palestine a central electoral issue, Anadolu reports. The Councillor Pledge for Palestine, launched by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) in December and backed by the Vote Palestine 2026 coalition, commits elected representatives ...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Palestine denounces US envoy’s remarks on Israeli rule over Middle East
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Saturday said comments by the US ambassador to Israel suggesting acceptance of Israeli control over the entire Middle East amount to “an explicit call to violate the sovereignty of states,” Anadolu reports. Speaking to journalist Tucker Carlson, Huckabee this week argued that Israel has a biblical right to the land stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates river...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
LeBron, Gaza, and the cost of “nothing but great things”
It takes a special kind of sentence to stain a legacy. LeBron James found one: “I’ve heard nothing but great things” about Israel — uttered while Gaza burns, while civilian bodies are counted in the tens of thousands, while entire neighbourhoods have been erased and families are digging loved ones from rubble. “Nothing but great things.” That is not ignorance. That is moral anaesthesia. For more t...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Turkish Red Crescent aid continues to flow into Gaza after reopening of Rafah crossing
The 21st Goodness Ship loaded with humanitarian aid from the Turkish Red Crescent destined for Gaza reached El Arish in northeastern Egypt on Saturday after departing from Mersin, Turkiye, Anadolu reports. Turkish aid continues to flow into Gaza following the partial reopening of the Rafah border crossing earlier this month after nearly two years of closure, enabling increased humanitarian deliver...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Trump open to ‘token’ Iran enrichment deal as military options stay on table: Report
US President Donald Trump is prepared to consider an Iranian proposal allowing “token” nuclear enrichment provided it leaves no possible path to a nuclear weapon, US media reported Friday, citing senior US officials, Anadolu reports. The news comes as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is finalizing a proposal expected to be shared with Washington within days. He said the plan wou...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
US evacuates hundreds of troops from Qatar, Bahrain amid Iran tensions: Report
Hundreds of US troops have been pulled out of the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, The New York Times reported Friday, citing anonymous Pentagon sources. The report also said forces have been evacuated from Bahrain, where the US Navy’s 5th Fleet is based. American forces remain stationed at bases in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The withdrawal is being interpre...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Fears of renewed conflict haunt Tehran as US issues threats
Tehran resident Hamid struggles to sleep as fears of renewed conflict haunt the Iranian capital after last year's 12-day war with Israel."I don't sleep well at night even while taking pills," Hamid told AFP, as he expressed concern for his "family's health... my kids and grandchildren".The city woke up to blasts overnight from June 12 to 13 last year as Iran's arch-enemy Israel launched an unprece...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 21, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Israeli strikes in Lebanon kill at least 10, including senior Hezbollah official
Feb 20 (Reuters) - At least 10 people were killed and 50 wounded in Israeli strikes in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley on Friday, two security sources told Reuters, after the Israeli military said it had targeted Hezbollah sites in the Baalbek area.The strikes are among the deadliest reported in eastern Lebanon in recent weeks and risk testing a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Shi'ite Is...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 21, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Analysis-Trump pushes US toward war with Iran as advisers urge focus on economy
By Matt Spetalnick, Bo Erickson, Nandita Bose and Tim ReidWASHINGTON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump has pushed the United States to the brink of war with Iran even as aides urge him to focus more on voters' economic worries, highlighting the political risks of military escalation ahead of this year's midterm elections.
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 21, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Gazans call for force independent of political factions, claim it 'won't succeed without Israel'
The force is expected to consist of thousands of Palestinian officers who will be trained in Egypt and Jordan, before being deployed in the Gaza Strip, with the task of maintaining order.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 21, 2026 - jpost.com
U.S.-Iran conflict more likely than agreement, officials on both sides believe
Two Israeli officials told Reuters they believe the gaps between Washington and Tehran are unbridgeable and that the chances of a near‑term military escalation are high. 'Both sides are sticking to their guns,' said Alan Eyre, a former U.S. diplomat and Iran specialist
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 21, 2026 - haaretz.com
Armed struggle or diplomacy with Israel? Hamas set to name new political leader during Ramadan
Hamas' leadership race comes down to Gaza cease-fire negotiator Khalil al-Hayya and former chief Khaled Meshal, with sources saying the outcome is expected to shape the group's political strategy, regional relations, and approach to Israel in the years ahead
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 21, 2026 - haaretz.com
Jordan raps US envoy to Israel for legitimizing occupation, annexation of Palestinian lands
Tehran, IRNA – Jordan has deplored a recent controversial statement by the US ambassador to Tel Aviv, strongly condemning Mike Huckabee for justifying Israel's expansionist agneda, as well as the regime's illegal and illegitimate occupation and annexation of Palestinian lands.
IRNA English
Feb 21, 2026 - en.irna.ir
OIC slams US ambassador’s remarks on Israeli Mideast expansion as threat to regional stability
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday condemned remarks by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, warning that his comments about Israeli expansion in the Middle East threaten regional security and stability, Anadolu reports. Mike Huckabee argued that Israel has a biblical right to the land stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates rivers, saying on a podcast released Friday: “...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Syrian authorities take control of Qamishli airport under deal with SDF
The Syrian Civil Aviation Authority said Saturday that it has taken over the management of Qamishli International Airport in northeastern Syria, under an agreement between the government and the terrorist organization YPG/SDF, Anadolu reports. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the authority assumed control of the airport as part of the implementation of the broader agreement signed ...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iran’s IRGC Navy tests Sayyad-3G air defense missile in Strait of Hormuz drill
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has tested the Sayyad-3G air defense missile for the first time during the “Smart Control” drills in the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. According to an Anadolu correspondent, the IRGC Navy on Saturday released footage showing the launch of the naval version of the land-based Sayyad-3 air defense system, known as the Sayyad-3G, from the vesse...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Jordan condemns US ambassador’s remarks on Israel controlling Middle East
Jordan on Saturday condemned remarks by US Ambassador to Tel Aviv Mike Huckabee suggesting acceptance of Israel’s control over the entire Middle East, in addition to the occupied West Bank, calling the comments “absurd and provocative”, Anadolu reports. Mike Huckabee argued that Israel has a biblical right to the land stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates rivers, saying on a podcast released F...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Punishing language: Queensland’s Antisemitism Bill
In a feat of enterprising delusion and sinister suppression, Australia’s second largest state has decided to deal with what it regards as an antisemitic problem. After last December’s attacks on Sydney’s Bondi Beach by two gunmen on attendees of a Hanukkah event that left 15 people dead, it has become modish to insist that a blight has gripped the continent. On 8 February, the State government o...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Former US army veteran opposes Ohio bill targeting Israel criticism as antisemitism
A proposed bill in US state of Ohio is drawing controversy, including from an army veteran, for adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which critics say could criminalize some protests and criticisms of Israel, Anadolu reports. Josephine Guilbeau, a 17-year US Army veteran and former intelligence officer, strongly opposed the legislation during...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Peace in name only: Why Trump’s Board of Peace does not help Gaza?
While children in Gaza search for warmth inside tents and broken buildings, Washington hosts meetings under the title of a new “Board of Peace” launched by President Donald Trump. The name sounds important. But the questions are even bigger. In Gaza, children do not hear conference speeches. They are not protected by slogans about peace hanging on the walls of luxury halls. Under the rubble, mothe...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Yemeni political bloc warns unlawful escalation in Aden threatens chances for political resolution
A Yemeni political bloc warned that any escalation outside the framework of the law in the interim capital Aden in the south of the country threatens prospects for the political solutions needed to end the crisis, according to Yemen’s official Saba News Agency. The statement was issued by the national bloc of political parties and signed by 22 parties and political components, the news agency repo...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iranian foreign minister demands evidence from Trump regarding 32,000 alleged deaths during protests
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday dismissed US claims that 32,000 civilians were killed during protests in Iran, saying Tehran has already released official figures and calling for evidence to substantiate higher estimates, Anadolu reports. “You know, the people of Iran are a lot different than the leaders of Iran, and it’s very, very, very sad situation,” US President Donald Trum...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Saudi crown prince sent complaint letter to UAE security adviser over Yemen, Sudan: Report
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has sent a lengthy letter to a senior Emirati official outlining Riyadh’s grievances over the UAE’s role in Sudan and Yemen, according to a report published on Friday by the news outlet Middle East Eye. Citing multiple US and Western officials, the outlet reported that the Saudi crown prince recently wrote to Tahnoon bin Zayed, the UAE’s national sec...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
‘It would be fine if they took it all’: US envoy says about Israeli biblical claims
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee argued that Israel has a biblical right to the land stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates rivers, saying, “It would be fine if they (Israel) took it all,” on a podcast released Friday. Huckabee made the remarks in an interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson, during which he defended Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip and voiced support for the concept A...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Spain calls EU Commission’s attendance at Board of Peace meeting ‘mistake’
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Friday described the European Commission’s presence at US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace inaugural meeting in Washington as a “mistake,” according to Swiss Info, citing the Spanish news agency EFE. Albares’ remarks were made at an event in Barcelona, after Trump convened the meeting of his newly established group on Thursday, bringing toge...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Germany renews call for its citizens to leave Iran
Germany’s Embassy in Tehran renewed its call on Friday for German citizens to leave Iran amid growing risks of escalation in the region, Anadolu Agency reports. The embassy warned that travel to Iran is discouraged and that German citizens are urged to leave. “The security situation in Iran and the entire region is extremely volatile and very tense. Further escalation and military clashes cannot b...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 21, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Political drama 'Yellow Letters' wins Berlin's Golden Bear
"Yellow Letters", directed by German filmmaker Ilker Catak, won the Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear for best film Saturday, at a ceremony reflecting the controversy over Gaza that has dogged this year's edition.Some award winners spoke out in favour of the Palestinian cause, pushing back after jury president Wim Wenders had sparked outrage earlier by trying to steer the festival away from the i...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 21, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Slovakia threatens to cut electricity to Ukraine over Russian oil spat
Slovakia and Hungary vexed after Russian oil flows via Ukraine halted by alleged Russian drone strike last month.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Feb 21, 2026 - aljazeera.com
Israeli army kills 2 Palestinians in strikes on Gaza during Ramadan
Latest Israeli attacks bring total death toll in Gaza since October 'ceasefire' to 614.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Feb 21, 2026 - aljazeera.com
Russian attack on Kharkiv kills two, Ukraine hits missile plant
Kharkiv regional administration head, Oleh Syniehubov, reported that 175 'combat clashes' were recorded.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Feb 21, 2026 - aljazeera.com
Farmers in Gaza risk Israeli bullets to bring their fields back to life
Gaza farmers face risks as Israeli buffer zones expand into their agricultural lands under heavy military control.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Feb 21, 2026 - aljazeera.com
Hezbollah now managed by IRGC officers as it prepares for US, Israeli strike - report
In anticipation of a possible Israeli or US strike, Hezbollah has significantly intensified its military and security preparations under the close supervision of IRGC personnel.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 21, 2026 - jpost.com
Trump's Mar-a-Lago could be targeted if US attacks Iran, says Iranian MP - report
No immediate US official response to these remarks was identified in the reports reviewed by The Jerusalem Post at the time of publication
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 21, 2026 - jpost.com
Four injured in lower Galilee; suspicion of drone used to drop grenade
Eyewitnesses at the scene reported that the explosion, which occurred before the gunfire, was followed by a drone hovering over the area.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 21, 2026 - jpost.com
From Baku to Jerusalem: Jewish solidarity against terror - opinion
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations traveled to Baku this week, met with senior officials, visited Jewish communal institutions and engaged with a strategic partner.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 21, 2026 - jpost.com
Israel targeting Hezbollah ahead of possible clash over Iran strike, security sources say
Israeli defense forces say the IDF is preparing for the possibility of a Hezbollah attack on northern Israel communities if Iran is struck. The IDF assessment is that, at least in the initial stage, the organization will seek to avoid a full-scale escalation
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 21, 2026 - haaretz.com
Footage shows Israeli troops waiting in ambush, then opening fire on a Palestinian teen
A decade passed between the killing of the first son and the second. Nur was killed at a West Bank checkpoint, and Rayan was shot in an ambush on his way home. IDF soldiers took Rayan's body, and Israel now refuses to return it
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 21, 2026 - haaretz.com
Huckabee tells Tucker Carlson 'It would be fine' if Israel took over most of Middle East
In a two-and-a-half-hour interview spanning Gaza, 'Greater Israel,' Jeffrey Epstein and the USS Liberty, Tucker Carlson accused the U.S. ambassador of being 'not in charge' and 'unwilling to say certain things,' exposing a deepening Republican feud over the future of U.S.-Israel relations