For today, links to a report from the Craadle and to commentary from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (YEMEN 5-8-25 is HERE, or scroll down,  GAZA, LEBANON, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for today are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.)  — MCM

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FROM MAY 9  New Yemeni attack targets Israel as airlines extend flight suspensions. From the Cradle. The Yemeni Armed Forces launched a new ballistic missile attack against Israel on Friday, setting off alarms across large areas of the country and shutting down operations at Ben Gurion International Airport. READ MORE . . .

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What did Houthis achieve in 18 months of attacks on the Red Sea? From Middle East Eye.  LONDON / SANAA — Over the course of 18 months, the Houthis, who rule large swathes of northwestern Yemen, including the capital, carried out attacks on over 250 military and commercial ships. Fearing bombardment, vessels travelling from Europe to Asia . . . READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to three reports: from Anadolu Agency, Reuters, and Middle East Eye; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names below.  (GAZA 5-9-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  YEMEN, LEBANON, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for today are HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.)  — MCM

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FROM MAY 9  ‘Hunger never seen before’ grips Gaza, UNRWA warns, by Beyza Binnur Dönmez | Anadolu Agency  GENEVA — “Hunger in Gaza is spreading and deepening, deliberate and manmade,” the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said on Thursday, urging all parties to lift the aid blockade, allow unrestricted flow of humanitarian supplies, and resume the ceasefire. It also reiterated demands for the release of hostages. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 9  New Gaza aid plans would increase children’s suffering, UNICEF says. From Reuters. GENEVA — The United Nations Children’s Fund on Friday criticized emerging plans to take over distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza on Thursday floated by both Israel and the United States, saying that they would increase suffering for children and families. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for May 10 report from Middle East Eye.

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For today, a link to a report from the Cradle; others are accessible by clicking on its name below.  (LEBANON 5-8-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, WEST BANK and UKRAINE entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.)  — MCM

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FROM MAY 8  Dozens of Israeli raids hit Nabatieh region in south Lebanon in major escalation. From the Cradle. Israeli warplanes carried out a wide-scale air attack on the Nabatieh region in southern Lebanon on Thursday morning, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. It came in two waves, targeting valleys, heights, and forests extending between the towns of Kfar Tibnit, Nabatieh al-Fawqa, and Kfar Reman. READ MORE . . .

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For today, a link a report from Middle East Monitor; others are accessible by clicking on its name below.  (WEST BANK 5-9-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, LEBANON and UKRAINE entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.)  — MCM

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FROM MAY 9  1,000 Palestinians killed, 7,000 injured in West Bank since October 2023: report. From Middle East Monitor. Some 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli occupation forces in the occupied West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian Information Centre. In a report released on Friday . . .  READ MORE . . .

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For now, links to 13 reports: from Anadolu Agency, the Associated Press, Reuters, the Kyiv Independent, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and Tass; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below.  (UKRAINE 5-8-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  YEMEN, GAZA, LEBANON and WEST BANK entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.)  — MCM

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NEWER  Ukraine declares readiness to announce 30-day ceasefire with Russia starting Monday, by Elena Teslova | Anadolu Agency  MOSCOW — Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said today his country is ready to declare a 30-day ceasefire with Russia starting Monday — that the step was coordinated at today’s meeting of the leaders of Germany, France, Poland, the UK, and Ukraine in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv. READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine and its allies push for a 30-day ceasefire starting Monday, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — In a show of unity in Kyiv on Saturday, leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Poland threatened to ratchet up pressure if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.  READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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After ceasefire demand, Kremlin calls European statements ‘confrontational.’ From Reuters. MOSCOW — “We hear many contradictory statements from Europe,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today. “They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more.” READ MORE . . .

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Russia and Ukraine blame each other as fighting continues despite Moscow’s truce. From Reuters. MOSCOW — Russia said today fighting had been taking place in four regions of Ukraine despite this week’s unilateral ceasefire by Moscow, saying its troops had been forced to respond to Ukrainian attacks. Ukraine says Russia has continued . . . READ MORE . . .

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Long-range Russian attacks continue to kill Ukrainians amid ceasefire deadlock, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Russia has continued its military campaign two months after a U.S-proposed 30-day ceasefire tentatively accepted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, maintaining attacks along the roughly 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometer) front line and targeting civilian infrastructure. Click HERE for report including map.

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Russia continues to attack Ukraine while Victory Day celebrations underway in Moscow. From the Kyiv Independent. Russian forces continue to attack Ukraine with guided aerial bombs despite a three-day ceasefire on Victory Day, Ukraine’s Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainska Pravda on Friday. While the Kremlin unilaterally announced a truce from May 8–11 . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 9  Trump to Putin and Zelensky: ‘Get this war ended. From Reuters. WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he would like Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to “get this war ended” in Ukraine as he pushes for a 30-day ceasefire. Asked what his message to Putin is in the wake of a warning from the U.S. embassy in Kyiv about . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 9  What is the special tribunal for Ukraine that world leaders have backed? by Molly Quell and Samya Kullab | AP  KYIV — Some 40 world leaders announced their support Friday for the creation of a new international court to prosecute those most responsible for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The special tribunal would aims to . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from AFP.

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FROM MAY 9  Germany backs Trump’s call for 30-day ‘unconditional’ Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. From Anadolu Agency. BERLIN — Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday voiced support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal for a 30-day “unconditional” ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Speaking in Brussels, Merz said . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 9  Kremlin says necessary to clarify what Merz means when speaking about ceasefire in Ukraine. From Tass. MOSCOW — The words by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on possible start of a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine this weekend should be clarified, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 8  Ukraine accuses Russia of violating its own truce over 700 times as Kyiv ratifies U.S. minerals deal, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — Russia and Ukraine both reported attacks on their forces Thursday on the first day of a 72-hour ceasefire called by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian lawmakers unanimously approved a landmark minerals deal with the U.S. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to nine reports: from Middle East Eye, Reuters, the Associated Press, and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or  initials below. (GAZA 5-8-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  WEST BANK and SYRIA entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll down. NOTE: There is no UKRAINE entry today.)  — MCM

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Israel ‘sending soldiers to commit war crimes in Gaza’, says former army chief. From Middle East Eye.  The Israeli military’s former chief of staff, Moshe Yaalon, has accused his successor, Eyal Zamir, of “sending soldiers to commit war crimes” in Gaza and torn into Israel’s government for “losing touch with Jewish morality”. In an interview Thursday, he . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel will not be involved in new Gaza aid plan, only in security, says U.S. envoy. From Reuters. JERUSALEM – A U.S.-backed mechanism for distributing aid into Gaza should take effect soon, Washington’s ambassador to Israel said today, but he gave few details. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said several partners had already committed to taking part in the aid arrangement . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. to use Gaza aid plan as ‘bait to force displacement’: UNICEF. From the Cradle. The U.S. plans to establish a new non-governmental foundation to distribute aid in the Gaza Strip without the Israeli military’s involvement, U.S. officials announced today, but a UN agency active in Gaza has criticized the plan, which . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 8  A U.S.-backed group seeks to take over Gaza aid distribution in a plan similar to Israel’s, by Sam Mednick, Julia Frankel and Sarah El Deeb | AP  TEL AVIV — A group of American security contractors, ex-military officers and humanitarian aid officials is proposing to take over the distribution of food and other supplies in Gaza based on plans similar to ones designed by Israel. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 8  Israel’s plan to evacuate Gaza would be illegal forceful displacement, Norway and Iceland say, by Gwladys Fouche | Reuters  OSLO — Israel’s plans to evacuate Palestinians from Gaza would amount to illegal forceful displacement, would lead to more violence and would undermine efforts to create a Palestinian state, the foreign ministers of Norway and Iceland said on Thursday. The pair are part of a group of Western European nations which on Wednesday . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 8  The EU will hold talks this month on reviewing ties with Israel as concern mounts over Gaza, by Lorne Cook | AP  BRUSSELS — The European Union’s top diplomat said Thursday the bloc’s foreign ministers will hold formal discussions this month on a demand to review an EU pact governing trade ties with Israel . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 7  U.S. in talks with Israel to lead ‘temporary post-war administration’ of Gaza: report. From the Cradle. Israel is holding “high-level” talks with the U.S. government about Washington possibly leading a “temporary post-war administration of Gaza,” according to officials familiar with the matter who spoke with Reuters. The British news outlet reports . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters. 

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FROM MAY 8  Burn patients face excruciating recovery as medicines dwindle under Israeli blockade of Gaza, by Mohannad Jahhouh and Sam Mednick | AP  KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza — Israel’s blockade, imposed since March 2, has forced hospitals and clinics across Gaza to stretch limited stocks of medicines even as needs increase. For burn patients, the lack of supplies is particularly excruciating. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to three reports: from Middle East Eye and the Associated Press; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below.  (WEST BANK 5-1-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and SYRIA entries for today are HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down. NOTE: There is no UKRAINE entry today.)  — MCM

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FROM MAY 8  Israeli police raid three Unrwa schools in East Jerusalem to enforce closures. From Middle East Eye.  Israeli Ministry of Education officials and armed security forces raided three Unrwa-run schools in East Jerusalem’s Shuafat refugee camp in an attempt to enforce their closure on Thursday morning, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for May 7 report from AP, and HERE for April 15 report from Middle East Eye.

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For today, links to nine reports: from the Cradle, Middle East Eye, National Public Radio, Middle East Monitor, and Reuters; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names below.  (SYRIA 5-3-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA and WEST BANK entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll up. NOTE: There is no UKRAINE entry today.)  — MCM

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Damascus appoints extremist with ISIS links as north Syria army leader. From the Cradle. The Syrian government has appointed Ahmad al-Hayes to the position of division commander of the army in northern Syria, despite his well-known past human rights violations and links to ISIS — a move that U.S. officials criticized on Thursday. READ MORE . . .

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PKK to officially disband this week, sources say, by Ragip Soylu | Middle East Eye  ANKARA — The Kurdistan Workers’ Party is expected to announce as soon as today that it has decided to end its armed struggle against Turkey and will disband itself, two sources say. Its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, in February said “all groups” of the organisation “must lay down their arms, and the PKK must dissolve itself” — a statement understood to include PKK affiliates and offshoots in Syria and Iran. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from AP.

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The view from the Druze community in the Golan Heights. Reported by Hadeel Al-Shalchi | NPR  Israel says its recent strikes and incursions in Syria are to protect the Druze religious group. Some in the community welcome it, but some say they’re being used to further Israel’s political goals. Click HERE to listen and read.

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FROM MAY 7  Macron hosts Syria’s de facto president on first European visit. From the Cradle. Syria’s self-appointed interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday in his first official visit to a European nation since overthrowing the previous Syrian government. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 8  Syrian officials visited Israel for secret security talks: report. From the Cradle. Syrian officials visited Israel in April to meet with Israeli defense officials after Tel Aviv opened a direct line of communication with Damascus, Haaretz reported on Thursday, citing Syrian sources. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 8  Qatar commits $87 million to fund public sector salaries in Syria. From Middle East Monitor. Syria has announced that Qatar will provide an $87 million grant, divided over three months and subject to extension, to help cover around one-fifth of public sector salaries. The grant is exempt from international sanctions. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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FROM MAY 7  UAE mediating secret talks between Israel and Syria, sources say. From Reuters. BEIRUT / AMMAN – The United Arab Emirates has set up a backchannel for talks between Israel and Syria, three people familiar with the matter said, as Syria’s new rulers seek regional help to manage an increasingly hostile relationship with their southern neighbour. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 6  Syrian Druze recall what they believe to be past lives — even vivid details, by Jane Arraf | NPR  SWEIDA, Syria — One of the pillars of the Druze faith is reincarnation. The belief that the soul migrates to a different body or being is shared by multiple religions. (In Syria, Alawites have their own belief in the transmigration of souls.) Click HERE to listen, read and see photos.

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For now, links to reports from Reuters and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names below.  (LEBANON 5-5-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  YEMEN, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.)  — MCM

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Israel mounts heavy airstrikes in south Lebanon. From Reuters. BEIRUT – Israel launched dozens of airstrikes in south Lebanon today in one of its heaviest bombardments of the region since a ceasefire ended last year’s war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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For today, links to reports from Middle East Monitor, Reuters, and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names below.  (YEMEN 5-7-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  LEBANON, GAZA and UKRAINE entries for today are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.)  — MCM

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Houthis claim launching series of operations targeting Israel, U.S. From Middle East Monitor. The Houthis have announced that their armed forces launched several missile and drone strikes against Israeli and American targets. A Houthi military spokesperson said two drones struck Ramon Airport in the Umm al-Rashrash area of southern Israel, and . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel’s defence minister warns Houthis of severe retaliation if attacks continue. From Reuters. Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, today issued a strong warning to Yemen’s Houthi movement, vowing severe retaliation if the group continues its attacks against Israel. READ MORE . . .

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FROM MAY 6  Trump waves white flag, ends Yemen war in Omani-mediated truce. From the Cradle. U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Washington will put a stop to its illegal war against Yemen, claiming that the Ansarallah-led Yemeni Armed Forces “don’t want to fight anymore.” READ MORE . . .

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