Middle East Geopolitical Reporting for 2026-02-23
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.
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 23, 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 23, 2026 - presstv.ir
New US military-led group aided Mexico's hunt for 'El Mencho' cartel boss
The Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel, which involves multiple US government agencies, was quietly launched late last year with the goal of mapping out networks of drug cartel members.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 23, 2026 - jpost.com
Palestinian teen killed as raids and settler violence intensify across West Bank
Israeli military forces have reportedly shot and killed a Palestinian teenager during a raid in a town in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, amid the regime’s escalating violence in the territory.
Presstv
Feb 23, 2026 - presstv.ir
Zelensky acting ‘maliciously’ by cutting oil supply: Slovakia’s PM
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is acting “maliciously” by cutting the Russian oil supply to his country.
Presstv
Feb 23, 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 23, 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 23, 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 23, 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 23, 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 23, 2026 - presstv.ir
Palestinian widow raises three kids in Gaza as her husband killed by Israel
In 2023, a volunteer paramedic named Ahmed Abdul Rahim left for Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza and never returned.
Presstv
Feb 23, 2026 - presstv.ir
Dublin rally condemns Western-backed genocide in Gaza
Tens of thousands of demonstrators take to the streets of Dublin, condemning the Israeli regime's ongoing genocide in Gaza while highlighting Western complicity.
Presstv
Feb 23, 2026 - presstv.ir
'Justice for Palestine' protest held in Paris
Pro-Palestinian protesters in Paris condemn the Israeli regime over ongoing violence, as a UN report detailed violations of humanitarian law in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Presstv
Feb 23, 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 23, 2026 - presstv.ir
$50m sportwashing: After turning blind eye to genocide for two years, FIFA funds Gaza stadiums
After more than two years of refusing calls to suspend Israel over genocide in Gaza, FIFA is now sportwashing the crisis by pledging $50 million for football infrastructure in the war-torn territory.
Presstv
Feb 23, 2026 - presstv.ir
Hamas official says group in final stage of choosing new chief
A senior Hamas official told AFP on Sunday that the Palestinian Islamist movement was in the final phase of selecting a new leader, with two prominent figures competing for the position.Hamas recently completed the formation of a new Shura Council of more than 80 members, a consultative body largely composed of religious scholars, as well as a new 18-member political bureau, the official said.Sinc...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 22, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Border Police officer killed by accidental IDF gunfire, investigation underway
Meanwhile, the IDF killed a terrorist trying to throw explosive devices in the West Bank, authorities arrested a Palestinian for inciting pro-Hamas violence, and the Gaza Division gained a new head.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
Palestinian woman killed as Israeli army shells Gaza despite ceasefire
A Palestinian woman was killed by Israeli gunfire on Sunday in the northern Gaza Strip, despite a ceasefire agreement in force since Oct. 10, 2025, medical sources said, Anadolu reports. The sources said that the 27-year-old lost her life in the town of Beit Lahia. According to witnesses, the Israeli attack targeted an area outside the army’s deployment and control zone under the ceasefire agreeme...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 22, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iran signed nearly $590M secret missile deal with Russia in Dec. to rebuild air defense system: Report
Iran signed a secret missile agreement worth approximately €500 million (approximately $589 million) with Russia in order to rebuild its air defense system, the Financial Times claimed in a report published on Sunday, Anadolu reports. An agreement was signed between Iran and Russia in Moscow in Dec. 2025, according to information obtained by the newspaper. Under the agreement, Russia is expected t...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 22, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Strikes push Lebanon’s ceasefire toward collapse
The sky over southern Lebanon no longer carries the promise of rain. It carries the low mechanical hum of drones and the crack of air strikes that arrive without warning. In villages such as al-Ain and Aitou, families wake to rubble where bedrooms once stood. Recent Israeli strikes in eastern Lebanon killed at least 10 people, deepening fears that the ceasefire is collapsing. According to the Worl...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 22, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
What if Jeremy Bowen were in Gaza?
Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s veteran Middle East editor, once offered a deceptively simple formula for surviving the moral challenges of conflict reporting. A journalist, he said, can be both neutral and candid. In a region where truth is often held hostage by governments, militias and armies of citizen journalists, Bowen’s formula reads less like professional advice and more like a code of honour. Bow...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 22, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Turkey as Israel’s “next Iran”? A strategic rivalry reconsidered
When former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that Turkey, with the support of Qatar, was replacing Iran as Israel’s major strategic threat, his words were not just another warning about another enemy. Instead, his remarks reflected a broader anxiety: Israel could be entering a period of renewed conflict with a powerful and prosperous adversary—a situation that also carries historical si...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 22, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Solution to Iran crisis is regime change, ousting Khamenei, Saudi royal family source tells N12
A Saudi royal family source told N12 that the solution for Iran is no longer a limited military strike but a fundamental regime change, starting with the ousting of Supreme Leader Khamenei.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
Pentagon Pizza Index: How late-night pizza orders can signal impending military action - analysis
The Pentagon Pizza Index (PPI) has become a quirky tool for OSINT enthusiasts, linking spikes in pizza deliveries to imminent military operations. But how reliable is this food-based forecast?
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
Mexican Cartel Nuevas Generaciones head 'El Mencho' killed during Jalisco military operation
Initial unverified reports on social media showed that members of the cartel violently overtook an airport in Jalisco.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
How the European Union's antisemitism czar became an 'unofficial Israeli ambassador'
'Preoccupied with defending Israel's government,' 'untouchable,' 'lobbyist against sanctions': For over a decade, Katharina von Schnurbein is the first and only person to serve as European Coordinator for Combating Antisemitism. More and more insiders warn of her influence on EU Israel policy
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 22, 2026 - haaretz.com
Report: Khamenei forms succession plan as Iran braces for war amid tensions with U.S.
As part of the lessons learned during last year's war with Israel, during which most of the Iranian military's senior command was wiped out, Iran's supreme leader has chosen his replacement and ordered top officials to follow suit
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 22, 2026 - haaretz.com
Hamas: Civilian deaths in Gaza show ‘genocidal war’ ongoing
Tehran, IRNA – Hamas has stated that the continued killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip proves that the “genocidal war” has not stopped, but has merely changed its form.
IRNA English
Feb 22, 2026 - en.irna.ir
Iran has ‘devastating options’ against aggressors: Former Saudi official
Tehran, IRNA – Ahmed Altuwaijri, an academic and a former member of the Saudi Shura Council, has warned about the consequences of military escalation in West Asia, saying any attack on Iran will be a huge and devastating "gamble."
IRNA English
Feb 22, 2026 - en.irna.ir
Syria demands handover of Bashar al-Assad, associates, says justice minister
Syria’s justice minister said Sunday that the government has demanded the handover of former President Bashar al-Assad and all those involved with him, as authorities move forward with a transitional justice process, Anadolu reports. Mazhar al-Wais said a recently issued general amnesty decree was a “pressing necessity imposed by the complex legal and legislative reality,” describing it as constit...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 22, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Over 100 Palestinians arrested by Israel in West Bank since start of Ramadan, rights group says
The Israeli army has detained more than 100 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a Palestinian rights group said Sunday, Anadolu reports. Several women and children were among the detainees since Ramadan began on Feb. 18 in most provinces of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a statement. The ...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 22, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Palestinians granted 66 building permits in West Bank over 11 years, vs 22,000 for illegal Israeli settlers: Report
Israeli authorities granted only 66 building permits to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank over an 11-year period, while illegal settlers were given 22,000 permits, an Israeli newspaper reported Sunday, Anadolu reports. According to Haaretz daily, only 66 building permits were issued to Palestinians between 2009 and 2020, while 22,000 permits were granted to illegal Israeli settlers during the...
Middle East Monitor
Feb 22, 2026 - middleeastmonitor.com
Iranian students protest for second day at some universities
DUBAI, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Students held protests which led to clashes at several Iranian universities for a second day on Sunday, according to local news agencies and social media posts, with Iran facing a U.S. military buildup as it seeks to reach a nuclear deal with Washington.The fresh unrest follows anti-government demonstrations last month in which thousands of people were killed in the worst...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 22, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Syria closes IS-linked Al Hol camp after emptying it
Syrian authorities have closed Al-Hol camp, which long housed relatives of suspected Islamic State group fighters, after emptying the formerly Kurdish-controlled facility, a camp official told AFP on Sunday."All Syrian and non-Syrian families were relocated," Fadi al-Qassem, the official appointed by the government to manage Al-Hol's affairs told AFP.Al-Hol, located in a desert region of Hasakeh p...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 22, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Iran-US talks expected Thursday despite fears of strikes
Iranian officials held out hope for progress towards a deal to forestall fresh conflict when talks with US negotiators resume on Thursday, despite a huge build-up of American military might in the Middle East. Speaking to CBS News on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said details of a possible deal were being drawn up ahead of the renewed talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, after Was...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 22, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Trump curious why Iran has not 'capitulated' amid US military buildup, says Witkoff
Feb 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is curious as to why Iran has not yet "capitulated" and agreed to curb its nuclear programme, as Washington builds up its military capability in the Middle East, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said."I don't want to use the word 'frustrated,' because he understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he's curious as to why they haven't... I don't w...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 22, 2026 - al-monitor.com
US envoy's remarks on Israel and Middle East land draw condemnation in region
JERUSALEM, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Comments by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee suggesting that Israel had a biblical right to much of the Middle East drew condemnation over the weekend from countries across the region, who called his remarks "dangerous and inflammatory".Huckabee, an evangelical Christian, has been a staunch supporter of Israel throughout his political career and a longtime defe...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 22, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Iran and US diverge in views on sanctions relief, senior Iranian official to Reuters
DUBAI, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Iran and the U.S. have differing views over the scope and mechanism to lift sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Sunday, adding that renewed talks were scheduled in early March and could possibly lead to an interim deal. (Reporting Parisa Hafezi, writing by Dubai Newsroom, Editing by Alex Richardson...
Al-Monitor: The Pulse of The Middle East
Feb 22, 2026 - al-monitor.com
Syria moves out last residents of ISIL-linked desert camp
Official Fadi al-Qassem says all residents have left al-Hol camp, which long housed relatives of alleged ISIL members.
Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
Feb 22, 2026 - aljazeera.com
'This isn’t a token strike,' analysts say as US prepares for a major confrontation with Iran
US military buildup in the Middle East signals a possible strike on Iran’s regime, with analysts suggesting it could lead to regime collapse within weeks.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
Preempting the proxy: Israel moves to contain Hezbollah before Iran clash - analysis
Israel intensifies strikes on Hezbollah’s missile sites, preparing for potential conflict with Iran and reducing the group's threat capacity.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
Ayelet Shaked calls for Right-wing alliance amid shifting dynamics in anti-Netanyahu bloc
Among the party leaders in the opposition bloc aiming to replace Netanyahu are opposition leader Yair Lapid, former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, Benny Gantz, and Yair Golan.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
Israel's health services prepare for war amid Iran tensions
Health funds have developed a comprehensive plan to adapt medical services during emergencies, focusing on clinics with proper shelter or proximity to protected areas.
JPost.com - The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World
Feb 22, 2026 - jpost.com
South Africa pulls out of Venice Biennale over artist's focus on Gaza
The installation was withdrawn amid controversy over the inclusion of a memorial for Palestinian poet Hiba Abu Nada, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in 2023
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 22, 2026 - haaretz.com
Fighting the 'Jesus Was a Palestinian lie': Inside Israel's MAGA influence campaigns
'Palestinianism is opposed to Christianity': Israel is spending millions on an effort aimed at the Christian right in the United States, allegedly as part of an attempt to combat antisemitism. Haaretz reveals a network of pro-Israel sites
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 22, 2026 - haaretz.com
Witkoff says Trump 'curious' why Iran hasn't capitulated to demands amid massive U.S. military presence
As officials warn that military escalation is more likely than a diplomatic negotiation, U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News, 'With the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven't they come to us and said, "We profess we don't want a weapon, so here's what we're prepared to do"?'
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 22, 2026 - haaretz.com
Israeli settlers declare new West Bank settlement deep inside Palestinian Hebron
Residents of the neighborhood of Jabal Jalles, under IDF control, reported that on the eve of the settlers' entry, Israeli soldiers conducted a raid on locals, arresting dozens. Anti-occupation group Peace Now said it is not yet clear whether the takeover was authorized
Haaretz latest headlines
Feb 22, 2026 - haaretz.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