NuseReal
Gaza/MidEast September 2026
Guardian: "Israel-Hamas war" — (LINK)
Al Jazeera: "Israel-Hamas war live": now "Israel War on Gaza" — (LINK)
US forces exit Iraq, emboldening Iran's proxies and Islamic State (LINK) — 30 September 2026
Pilot stabbed a co-pilot in the cockpit as he attempted to take control of a Tel Aviv-bound flight from the United Arab Emirates, with the aim of crashing it: passengers burst into the cockpit and wrestled with the attacker even as the plane descended sharply (LINK) — 30 September 2026
— AP: In a CNN interview aired on Wednesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker was an Omani national and was being interrogated in Saudi Arabia, where he was arrested. Netanyahu identified the captain as Smit Machchhar, an Indian citizen, and noted his "extraordinary bravery." The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar was hospitalized in stable condition. "Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic midair disaster," Netanyahu said on X. "He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals." Aviation experts were surprised the plane did not crash after a descent so extreme that most of the rudder was ripped off the tail.
Seattle rapper Macklemore says 'Free Palestine' Tour 'sold out immediately': all three dates in Dublin, Paris, and London: 'Art will always be a form of resistance' (LINK) — 30 September 2026
— RollingStone: announced his own dates following the fallout of his removal from Ed Sheeran's stadium tour for voicing support of the Palestinian people onstage.
U.S. taps strategic oil reserve again as diesel tops $6 (LINK) — 29 September 2026
After nixing Iran proposal, Trump tells Axios he expects talks this week (LINK) — 27 September 2026
Iran says Trump must choose between war or diplomacy as talks expected to resume this week (LINK) — 27 September 2026
— Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Tehran is "fully prepared for the war to be resumed," and also for the possibility of renewed diplomacy with the U.S. aimed at ending the seven-month conflict, and it's "up to President Trump to choose."
Iranian minister says only negotiation can end conflict after Trump rejects Hormuz deal (LINK) — 27 September 2026
— In a post on Telegram, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged Trump's rejection, but said Iran would wait for a "definitive" official US response. He said the president had made contradictory statements in the past. Araghchi said the conditions to open the strait were the same that had been included in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the US and Iran that was signed in June.
Top Iranian general vows to 'consolidate victory' over the US and Israel after US President Donald Trump says Iranian proposed 7-day deal to reopen Hormuz is "unacceptable" (LINK) — 27 September 2026
Benjamin Netanyahu attacks Israel's enemies and allies in UN speech: denounces Iran, NYC Mayor Mamdani and critics accusing Israel of violations against Palestinians (LINK) — 24 September 2026
Mass walkout before Netanyahu speech prompts fiery response from Israeli prime minister (LINK)
UNCTAD: Gaza reconstruction needs reach $71.5 billion as Palestinian economy and public finances face severe strain: report documents the loss of decades of development gains, economic collapse in Gaza and tightening economic constraints in the West Bank (LINK) — 24 September 2026
— Latest Report on UNCTAD assistance to the Palestinian people, presented to the UN Trade and Development Board, finds that 59 years of occupation have constrained the Palestinian economy, with structural and economic costs rising sharply since October 2023. Following the sharp contraction in 2024, Palestinian GDP grew by 4.3% in 2025 from a low base but remained 20% below its 2022 level. Gaza's real GDP rose by 34.2% after contracting 83% in 2024, a statistical rebound from a sharply reduced base. Across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost since October 2023, erasing an estimated $2.8 billion in cumulative labour income. 38 communities have been emptied of Palestinians since 2023, and displacement in the first quarter of 2026 exceeded the total recorded in 2025.
— Palestinian Government's fiscal position has deteriorated sharply. Under the Paris Protocol, Israel collects more than two thirds of Palestinian fiscal revenue on behalf of the Palestinian Government. Transfers have been intermittent and subject to deductions. According to the report, clearance revenue transfers due to the Palestinian Government were fully withheld from May 2025 through mid-2026. Cumulative deductions and withheld revenues between January 2019 and March 2026 exceeded an estimated $3.67 billion at the exchange rates prevailing when the payments were due — equivalent to 83% of total Palestinian net revenue in 2025. The report estimates the 2025 budget deficit at 13% of GDP when unpaid clearance revenues are excluded, compared with 6% when those revenues are counted as revenue due to the Government. Health-related arrears reached $1.1 billion by late 2025, raising risks to the continuity of services provided by hospitals, non-governmental providers and pharmaceutical suppliers. In the West Bank, resource shortages led schools to limit in-person instruction to three days a week in 2025, according to the report.
— To finance the deficit, the Government has increasingly borrowed from domestic banks and accumulated arrears to private sector suppliers and the pension fund, bringing total public debt to $4.8 billion in 2025. Combined with lending secured against government salaries, exposure of the banking system to the public sector has reached $5.3 billion, or 42% of all bank lending. The report estimates that 92% of Gaza's economic establishments have been damaged or destroyed since October 2023. GDP per capita stood at $212 in 2025 - equivalent to about $0.58 per person per day in GDP terms and 17% of its 2022 level. Unemployment reached 78%, while more than 90% of the working-age population was not employed. Gaza's share of Palestinian GDP fell from 17.4% before October 2023 to less than 4% in 2025. In 2025, Gaza's overall price level remained 274% above its 2022 level, with staples such as potatoes and cooking gas costing several times their 2022 prices.
— In 2025, Gaza's overall price level remained 274% above its 2022 level, with staples such as potatoes and cooking gas costing several times their 2022 prices. A rapid damage and needs assessment by the World Bank, the European Union and the United Nations estimates physical infrastructure damage in Gaza at $35.2 billion and economic and social losses at $22.7 billion as of early 2026. Separately, it estimates total recovery and reconstruction needs at $71.5 billion. This figure may rise if further damage is being recorded.
5 takeaways from Trump's whirlwind day at UN General Assembly (LINK) — 22 September 2026
— President Trump threatened the annihilation of Iran if its leaders refuse to strike a deal and framed the U.S. as conquerors of Venezuela, while promoting himself as a problem solver. The president's remarks at the global summit kicked off a whirlwind day that included a secret meeting between U.S. officials and the Iranian delegation, with the two sides at an impasse nearly seven months into the war. Trump also signed an agreement with Denmark and Greenland that ended a standoff over his threats to invade or annex the Arctic island.
CNN Fact check: Trump's false claims to the United Nations — (LINK)
- including
- "Since I took office, it has been my great honor to settle eight wars." Trump did help to end the brief 2025 conflict between Israel and Iran, though Israel proceeded to join the US in starting another war against Iran in 2026.
Saudi Arabia restarts East-West oil pipeline, restoring at least some flow through the 4-million-barrel-per-day route that had become the kingdom's main escape hatch around the Strait of Hormuz. (LINK) — 22 September 2026
US probes whether Binance 'knowingly' let Iran-linked trades through: report (LINK) — 22 September 2026
A dozen commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, down from 35 the prior weekend, shipping data showed on Monday as tension in the Gulf persisted with the US and Iran in stalemate (ground news LINK) — 21 September 2026
— Before the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28, the Strait typically handled about 125 large commercial vessels daily. Visible traffic has since dwindled to a trickle.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels warn against joining Saudi Arabia in Yemen's growing civil war, telling The Associated Press group has assured the Trump administration that it won't attack U.S. vessels in the Red Sea (LINK) — 20 September 2026
Iraqi court opens trial of six French Islamic State suspects (ground news LINK) — 20 September 2026
— The defendants are among 47 French Islamic State detainees transferred from Syria last year as part of a broader relocation process overseen by The United States and Iraqi authorities.
Iran seals French language centre in Tehran, accuses it of illegal activities (ground news LINK) — 20 September 2026
— Authorities alleged the CLF operated for years without a license, claiming it "abused its status as a language training facility" while conducting "illegal acts that violated diplomatic conventions." Officials claimed the center facilitated the departure of skilled Iranians while engaging in activities against national security.
UN peacekeeping chief in Lebanon says smooth transition is critical before ordered pull-out (ground news LINK) — 19 September 2026
— The Security Council ordered UNIFIL to begin withdrawing at the end of 2026 following a new war that erupted between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in March, intensifying the force's operational demands. Major General Diodato Abagnara of Italy acknowledged it could be "very difficult" to hand over UNIFIL posts to Lebanese troops, as more than half lie within areas now controlled by Israeli forces, including sectors near Mansouri. He warned that ensuring Lebanese troops and UN agencies assume UNIFIL's tasks before the force's withdrawal is critical to maintaining stability in southern Lebanon.
Hormuz oil shipments hit six-month high, US commander says (LINK) — 19 September 2026
Thick smoke seen near Riyadh airport as Houthis claim attack on Saudi capital (LINK) — 19 September 2026
— Guardian: Authorities issued warnings for city in first such alerts for Riyadh since fighting with Iran-backed Houthis escalated in July.
Trump tells NewsNation 'we'll see' on whether to 'annihilate' Iran (LINK) — 18 September 2026
— The United States said an Iranian delegation will be allowed to attend next week's United Nations General Assembly in New York. "The delegation will be under travel restrictions and will face prohibitions on the purchase of luxury and other goods per our policy. The delegation is smaller than last year," a State Department spokesperson told Reuters.
No crude oil next month, Saudi Aramco tells at least 2 European refiners after Red Sea pipeline attack (LINK) — 18 September 2026
Saudis and Houthis exchange strikes, Yemenis flee by boat as Middle East war spreads: Houthis seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coast (ground news LINK) — 17 September 2026
UN fact-finding mission finds "reasonable grounds" for signaling U.S. war crimes in Iran; Washington rejects report (LINK) — 17 September 2026
— The mission pointed out the Tomahawk missile strike on a primary school that killed over 150 people in the city of Minab, as well as another airstrike which killed 22 civilians. The fact-finding mission also charged Iran with human rights violations and "crimes against humanity committed".
— The report said the school was the intended point of impact, and the resulting damage wasn't the result of an errant strike or collateral damage from an attack on a compound of Iran's Revolutionary Guard next to the school. The experts said they found no information indicating that the school was used for military purposes at the time.
Houthi advance boosts Iran's leverage over the US and Saudi Arabia — but may cost rebel group its legitimacy back in Yemen (LINK) — 17 September 2026
US fans with Ed Sheeran tickets are left 'torn' by Macklemore controversy: all of Sheeran's opening acts have since quit in solidarity with rapper who was dropped after making "free Palestine" protest on stage (LINK) — 17 September 2026
— Since the controversy blew up earlier this week, ticket prices for his remaining shows in the US, Mexico and South America have dropped, as calls for boycotts spread.
Billionaire Robert Kraft, accused of forcing Macklemore out, said Ed Sheeran had asked him to commit $2 million for aid after musician was dropped. Macklemore publicly challenged the billionaire to match a $1 million donation the rapper said he would make to Palestinian relief organizations.s — (LINK)
US opts not to back Saudi Arabia in Yemen after meeting Houthi leaders: Iran-backed militants have offered Trump administration assurances over safety of Red Sea shipping (LINK) — 16 September 2026
— Guardian: Officials from the US met Houthi leaders over the weekend at the country's embassy in Muscat, Oman, it has been confirmed, leading to the US decision not to intervene to help Saudi Arabia drive back a Houthi advance inside Yemen.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu proposes legislation to revoke citizenship for defaming military: (ground news LINK) — 16 September 2026
— The announcement follows the Venice Film Festival success of NAZA, a documentary by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor alleging the Israel Defense Forces uses elastic thresholds for "NAZA", a Hebrew acronym for collateral damage. The Israel Defense Forces rejected the film's claims, stating it relied on anonymous sources lacking classified intelligence access. The military also denied allegations that it deliberately targets civilians or uses artificial intelligence to maximize casualties.
Gaza City building damaged by Israeli strikes collapses, killing 21 in their sleep, including 11 children, as perilous living conditions persist (LINK) — 16 September 2026
U.K. Rapper Macklemore pledges his $1m Ed Sheeran tour salary to Palestine (LINK) — 16 September 2026
— He was dismissed as opening act of Ed Sheeran's tour after speaking on-stage in support of Palestine. He challenged Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and prominent Israel donor who refused to let Macklemore play at his Gillette Stadium outside Boston, to match his donation.
As the last US troops pack up in Iraq for 30 September, militias signal their weapons will stay (ground news LINK) — 15 September 2026
U.S. seizes $61 million in crypto from Iranian oil sales to China on Binance (LINK) — 15 September 2026
Iran: House of Representatives votes to require President Donald Trump to end his war with Iran: three new GOP defections (LINK) — 15 September 2026
Houthis seize strategic Red Sea islands near the chokepoint of the Bab al-Mandab strait as analysts warn of impending oil crunch (LINK) — 15 September 2026
— Guardian: Nearly 94,000 people in Yemen have fled their homes since fighting between the Houthis and government forces escalated this month, the International Organization for Migration said on Monday. About 200 schools have been converted to shelters in south-western Yemen to absorb an influx of families, the International Rescue Committee said.
Oil extends gains following Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia: Futures for international benchmark Brent crude for November delivery gained 1.28% to $107.03 a barrel (LINK) — 14 September 2026
Washington Post: Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is open. But how much oil is really going through? The question of how many ships are leaving the Persian Gulf is the latest rhetorical battleground in the Iran war (LINK) — 14 September 2026
— In a cacophony of data, claims and assertions, the Trump administration figures vary significantly from those compiled by commercial maritime tracking organizations.
Iranian commercial ship struck near Strait of Hormuz with 1 dead, Iranian media say (ground news LINK) — 13 September 2026
Nearly 50,000 Yemeni civilians flee as Houthis advance along Red Sea coast (LINK) — 12 September 2026
— Guardian: Global struggle for control of Bab al-Mandab strait threatens to turn Yemen's on-off conflict into a forever war.
Israeli-made Gaza documentary wins special jury prize at Venice Film Festival (ground news LINK) — 12 September 2026
— The 80-minute film NAZA features interviews with 24 Israeli military and intelligence whistleblowers who describe using Israel's AI-powered targeting systems to bombard Gaza, with interviewees saying they felt like they worked in a killing 'factory'.
Saudi Arabia shuts key oil pipeline after drone attack launched from Iraq (LINK) — 11 September 2026
AP: No relief from inflation as Middle East clashes lifts U.S. fuel prices to painful levels (LINK) — 11 September 2026
CBS: Diesel hits record $6 a gallon in U.S. as, reports say, Houthis take key Red Sea port city (LINK) — 11 September 2026
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia wound 73 people, officials say (ground news LINK) — 8 September 2026
Iran declares preemptive strike doctrine with new missile: threatened the United States with "economic warfare" and announced plans to establish a maritime "exclusion zone" across the Persian Gulf (ground news LINK) — 8 September 2026
— Iranian forces fired an advanced Qassem Basir missile at United States warships near the strait on Sunday, though the military reported its vessels successfully evaded the attack. The six-month conflict has drastically disrupted shipping, with transit through the Strait of Hormuz falling to an average of 10 vessels daily, compared to 130 before the war began February 28.
Oil prices surge to nearly a six-week high as US-Iran strikes intensify in Strait of Hormuz: Brent oil futures, the global benchmark, rose to hover around $97 a barrel — up 9 percent over the last five days and 19 percent over the last month (LINK) — 7 September 2026
UK expected to announce sanctions on Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank (LINK) — 8 September 2026
Tehran vows to extend 'exclusion zone' near Strait of Hormuz after US strikes on tankers: Centcom denies Iran's claims of successful attack on a US military vessel as a 'total lie' (LINK) — 7 September 2026
Oil prices surge to nearly a six-week high as US-Iran strikes intensify in Strait of Hormuz: Brent oil futures, the global benchmark, rose to hover around $97 a barrel — up 9 percent over the last five days and 19 percent over the last month (LINK) — 7 September 2026
Netanyahu orders West Bank outposts to be removed amid US pressure, sources tell Reuters (LINK) — 6 September 2026
UN expert Francesca Albanese calls for 'true paradigm shift' as U.K.'s Miliband resets policy on Israel to ban trade with unlawful Israeli settlements (LINK) — 6 September 2026
— Francesca Albanese, the UN's special rapporteur on the occupied territories, said a "ban on settlement goods was a change in UK government stance and absolutely important". Albanese also said the trade ban could not be narrowly confined to goods — such as agricultural products and cosmetics — since "they are a fraction of what sustains the occupation, and a fraction that Israel can absorb without difficulty". The package should also aim to include trade in services, she said.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it attacked three US-affiliated vessels and three oil tankers using an "unauthorized" route in the Strait of Hormuz (LINK) — 6 September 2026
US military hits 3 Iranian oil tankers after saying Navy ships were targeted with missiles (LINK) — 5 September 2026
US issues sanctions on Turkish bank that it calls a 'critical financial lifeline' for Iran (LINK) — 4 September 2026
Iran war is "small potatoes" for U.S., Trump says, defending vice president, who said Thursday it shouldn't be called a war, saying, "A lot of people don't call it a war. I call it a military conflict" (LINK) — 4 September 2026
UAE pardons Egyptian dissident-poet al-Qaradawi facing 10 years in prison (LINK) — 4 September 2026
— The UAE's state news agency WAM said on Friday that the country's president issued a pardon for al-Qaradawi, days after he was sentenced by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal's Cybercrime Division on August 27 to 10 years in prison and fined him 200,000 dirhams ($55,000).
Iran war escalation raises concern over civilian death toll: Iran says 18 killed in latest US strikes; four at wedding: US says it never targets civilians: UN chief alarmed by civilian toll, urges diplomacy to end war (LINK) — 3 September 2026
— Iran's health minister said 18 people were killed and 108 wounded in Tuesday night's U.S. strikes across Iran. The Iranian Red Crescent said four people were killed and 67 wounded at a wedding ceremony near the coast of the Strait of Hormuz. Kuwait's army reported missile and drone attacks early Thursday, saying they were intercepted by air defense systems.
— United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "deeply alarmed by reports of civilian casualties, including a strike that reportedly hit a wedding ceremony in Iran," and called for an immediate cessation of military action, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. "The Secretary-General condemns all attacks against civilians. He recalls that all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution," Dujarric said.
Iran claims attacks on Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq after US strikes kill 11: heaviest exchange of fire between the US and Iran in more than a month (LINK) — 1 September 2026
— Kuwait also reports confronting Iranian attacks, as Tehran responds to US attacks that killed 11 people, including 5 at a wedding party.
