Author: Mideast discourse

The Yemeni parliament warned about the suspicious movements of American and French troops in the occupied areas in the impoverished country’s southern towns. In a statement, the presiding board of the parliament of the Sana’a-based National Salvation Government cautioned against suspicious activities of forces affiliated with the US and France — two of the main Western supporters of the Riyadh-led war against Yemen, in the country’s southern occupied cities. The parliament also called for vigilance in the face of “treacherous” attempts by the Saudi-led coalition of aggressors to hinder the implementation of the UN-mediated truce, the Saba news agency reported.…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator On August 15, an illegal US military base in Syria came under a drone attack.  The base is located at Al-Tanf in southern Syria on the Damascus-Baghdad highway. A number of drones were used in the attack, and while some hit their mark, others were thwarted and no casualties were reported.  US Army Maj. Gen. John Brennan, commander of the US-led international coalition in Iraq and Syria, said “Coalition personnel retain the right to self-defense, and we will take appropriate measures to protect our forces.” Under international law, the US military have no right…

Taiwanese F-16 fighters roared into the night sky on Wednesday in a show of force in front of the media, demonstrating the military’s determination to defend the democratically governed island in the face of days of Chinese war games. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has been carrying out military exercises around the island after a visit earlier this month by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was followed by five U.S. lawmakers on Sunday and Monday. Pelosi’s visit infuriated China, which responded with test launches of ballistic missiles over Taipei for the first time, and sending…

On Monday, the Chinese PLA resumed exercises in response to a visit to Taiwan by a delegation of US lawmakers led by Senator Edward Markey Taiwan’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday reported five warships and 21 warplanes of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. The ministry said in a Twitter post that five planes crossed over the median line of the Taiwan Strait during their exercises. The Taiwanese military sent out warning messages and put air defense systems on alert. The PLA on Monday resumed exercises in response to a visit to Taiwan by a delegation of US lawmakers led by Senator…

Less than two weeks after the Israeli occupation launched a brutal aggression on Gaza which left at least 49 martyrs, including 16 children, Turkey restores full diplomatic ties with “Tel Aviv”`. Following years of strained relations between Turkey and the Israeli occupation, Prime Minister Yair Lapid announced Wednesday that his government will restore full diplomatic ties with Ankara. “It was decided to once again upgrade the level of the relations between the two countries to that of full diplomatic ties and to return ambassadors and consuls general from the two countries,” said a statement from Lapid’s office. The Israeli prime…

On August 18, a meeting between UN Secretary General, the Ukrainian and Turkish presidents to be held in Lvov UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres arrived in Lvov on Wednesday, where on August 18 he will meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the secretary general’s office told TASS. “Yes, the secretary general is in Lvov,” the source said. Source: TASS

Secretary-General pledged the bloc’s support in the event that “stability” in the province was jeopardized NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has reiterated his promise that the bloc will intervene if “stability” is jeopardized in Kosovo during a press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday. ”Should stability be jeopardized, KFOR stands ready to intervene and will take any measures that are necessary to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all the people of Kosovo,” he said. The leader of the military alliance called on “all sides” to “show restraint and avoid violence,” arguing that diplomacy was the only way forward even while…

An Israeli tank had crossed the border line in the Golan Heights and then defiantly aimed its gun at Syrian military positions, deputy head of Russia’s Center for Reconciliation of the Warring Parties in Syria said on August 16. Captain First Degree Yevgeny Gerasimov said that the Israeli move was a violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 350, which was approved on 31 May 1974. “At 13:00 on August 15, the Israel Defense Forces tank left the Tell el-Faras Mountain in the direction of Es-Sabah settlement, then moved towards Ain Aisah settlement where it stopped for ten minutes,…

Syria on Wednesday denied U.S. claims that it has been holding U.S. freelance journalist Austin Tice, who has been missing for 10 years since entering Syria. In a statement, Syrian Foreign Ministry slammed last week’s remarks by U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken about the abduction or detention of Tice or any other U.S. citizens in Syria. “The government of the Syrian Arab Republic denies that it has kidnapped or hidden any American citizen who entered its territory, or resided in areas under the control of the Syrian government,” the ministry said, noting that the Syrian…

The Syrian military attacked Turkish positions inside Syria following two bouts of airstrikes by Turkey that targeted different locations across the Arab country. The Syrian armed forces launched a retaliatory attack on Tuesday, causing material and human losses at some Turkish military sites inside the Arab country, according to Syrian state media. The army also targeted some armed groups’ positions and destroyed their training facilities. The retaliation came after a Turkish airstrike near the western city of Aleppo killed at least three Syrian soldiers and injured six others. Syria’s state television specified the target of the Turkish blitz as “military…