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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
VIDEO | US President Donald Trump:
"I'm the king. I have sold more Boeings than any human being on earth. They gave me an award: salesman of the year. I said, what about salesman in the history of Boeing? I've sold more Boeing planes than any man in history by far."
‘Year of bloodshed’: West Bank authorities record nearly 24,000 army, settler attacks on Palestinians in 2025
Around 35,000 trees have been uprooted or destroyed by illegal settlers this year, while 14 Palestinian citizens have been killed
BREAKING | An Israeli drone crashes in the middle of the village of Odaisseh, south Lebanon.
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❗️Israel-Syria talks resume in Paris under US mediation
Senior Israeli and Syrian officials are set to meet for negotiations mediated by US envoy Tom Barrack, marking the first such high-level talks since Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani’s visit to Washington. The Israeli delegation will include Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military secretary Roman Gofman, and a senior National Security Council official, while Shaibani will represent Syria.
According to earlier reports, broader Israeli-Syrian contacts have made progress in recent months, with discussions focused on security arrangements and coordination. The Paris meetings are expected to address practical steps for cooperation and managing regional tensions, though no final agreements are anticipated at this stage.
Officials on both sides have described the talks as exploratory, aimed at setting frameworks for future dialogue rather than producing immediate breakthroughs. Further consultations are expected in the coming weeks to assess progress and determine next steps.
BREAKING | At least one casualty as a result of the Israeli drone strike on Kfar Dounine, southern Lebanon.
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❗️Israel finally allows Palestinians in occupied West Bank to have 4G mobile services
Israel has authorized the rollout of fourth-generation (4G) mobile services for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli Communications Ministry announced on Tuesday.
The ministry said Israel approved management agreements signed on Sunday between the two Palestinian mobile operators, Jawwal and Ooredoo, and Swedish telecoms equipment company Ericsson.
Palestinian telecom providers began offering high-speed data services in the occupied West Bank using 3G technology in 2018.
In Gaza, mobile connectivity remains limited to 2G networks only.
UPDATE | An Israeli drone fired a missile that landed in a courtyard near a house in the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Dounine. Two injuries reported so far.
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⭕️ Iran’s Supreme Leader calls Israel a "deceiving liar" following reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent messages through Russia seeking to reassure Tehran and signal a lack of intent to escalate.
This comes amid growing scrutiny over Israel’s repeated use of calming backchannels and public messaging, only to later launch large-scale attacks and escalate militarily.
❗️Palestinian embassy opens in London, marking diplomatic milestone
The State of Palestine officially inaugurated its embassy in London on Monday, a move hailed by Ambassador Husam Zomlot as a “profound milestone” in British-Palestinian relations. Speaking outside the newly upgraded mission, Zomlot said the change from mission to embassy represents not just a name change, but a “change of direction” toward Palestinian statehood, emphasizing hope, dignity, and the inevitability of peace rooted in justice and mutual recognition.
The embassy upgrade follows the UK’s September 2025 recognition of the State of Palestine, alongside countries including Australia and Canada, amid international concern over the genocide in Gaza. UK diplomatic representative Alistair Harrison described the inauguration as a “moment of hope” and a step toward closer bilateral ties.
❗️Egypt, UAE discuss coordination on Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a phone call Tuesday with his Emirati counterpart UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss developments in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as well as efforts to implement US President Donald Trump’s so-called 'peace plan' for Gaza. Both sides emphasized the need for close coordination within the Quartet mechanism, which includes Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and the US, to help secure a ceasefire in Sudan, monitor Yemen, and support de-escalation across the region.
Abdelatty highlighted the importance of a political settlement in Yemen through an inclusive, Yemeni-led dialogue that safeguards the country’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. The ministers reportedly stressed that any solution should meet the aspirations of the Yemeni people for stability, security, and long-term peace.
UPDATE | Two women killed and dozens injured in the Syrian city of Aleppo following ongoing exchange of fire between pro-government forces and members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
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❗️An Israeli drone is spotted flying at low altitude in a circular pattern over the skies of Khirbet Salem and surrounding areas, in southern Lebanon.
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❗️Two children, aged 2 and 3, were injured when indiscriminate shelling struck residential Syrian neighborhoods in Sheikh Maqsood and Ashrafieh, carried out by Syrian government-aligned factions.
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UPDATE | Palestinian Red Crescent reports at least 11 injuries among Birzeit University students after its storming by Israeli occupation forces.
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❗️EU still funds Israeli weapons firms despite civilian research rules
Despite a ban on military and dual-use research, the EU has funneled millions intended for civilian projects to Israeli arms manufacturers and defense firms. Public records show that Israeli companies, including Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Elbit Systems, have repeatedly received funding through Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs. Between 2014 and 2025, IAI alone received more than $15 million for projects that include drones, missile systems, and surveillance technology used in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
The EU has historically maintained strict rules separating civilian and military research, but since 2024, the European Commission has dismantled key restrictions on dual-use research, signaling that the next Framework Program in 2028 will formally allow military applications. Critics say the policy shift disproportionately benefits Israel, whose research ecosystem is already closely tied to its defense industry, and increases the risk that EU-funded projects contribute to human rights abuses in occupied Palestine.
European academics and MEPs have raised concerns that the EU is effectively aligning research policy with military objectives. Marc Botenga, a Belgian MEP, called the move “very worrying” and highlighted that EU rules now treat potential dual-use as permissible, only flagging projects after they are applied militarily. Observers note a stark contrast with the EU’s swift exclusion of Russian research partners, suggesting a selective approach that favors Israel.
❗️Gaza Ministry of Health:
– "Total arrivals at Gaza Strip hospitals over the past 24 hours: Two martyrs, including one whose body was recovered, and 10 injured."
– "Since the ceasefire (11 October):
• Total number of martyrs: 424
• Total number of injured: 1,199
• Total recovery cases: 685"
BREAKING | Israeli warplanes seen flying over Beirut, Lebanon.
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BREAKING | Israeli military boats fire towards the beach near Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip.
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❗️President of Somaliland Abdirahman Mohammad Abdullahi:
"I wish to ensure our full readiness and the political will to open an embassy in Israel and to support a permanent and effective Israeli diplomatic presence in Somaliland. I declare that I accept the invitation of Prime Minister Netanyahu to visit Israel."
❗️Denmark warns if US attacks another NATO country 'everything would stop'
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Monday that any US attack on another NATO member would bring the alliance to a halt, responding to renewed comments by President Donald Trump that Washington “needs” Greenland. She denounced the remarks as “unacceptable pressure” on the self-governing territory and said both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly rejected any notion of becoming part of the US.
Frederiksen said Trump’s statements should be taken seriously but stressed that Europe stands firmly behind the principle that borders must be respected. European leaders voiced solidarity with Denmark, with French, British, and German officials underlining that Greenland’s future lies with Denmark and Greenland alone and that NATO’s collective defense commitments apply.
Tensions have risen since Trump again floated the idea of acquiring Greenland and appointed a US special envoy to the territory. Frederiksen warned Washington has no right to annex Greenland, urging an end to threats against a close ally and its people as concerns grow over US rhetoric about possible military or economic coercion.
Israeli army approves use of monitoring bracelets in occupied West Bank to 'replace' administrative detention
Tel Aviv claims this is a method to 'combat settler violence' while critics point to ongoing impunity and a history of surveillance targeting Palestinians
BREAKING | An Israeli drone strike reported on the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Dounine.
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⭕️ Israeli army plans to occupy additional refugee camps in northern West Bank
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Israel’s War Minister Israel Katz has instructed the army’s Central Command to prepare plans to seize additional Palestinian refugee camps in the northern occupied West Bank, extending the model used in Operation “Iron Wall,” according to a report by Walla.
Citing military sources, Walla reported that Katz ordered preparations to occupy refugee camps, dismantle what he labels “terror infrastructure,” and maintain a permanent military presence inside them, replicating operations carried out in the densely populated Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nour Shams refugee camps. Israeli officials described the areas as “wasp nests,” with one source quoted as saying: “The message is clear: this is no longer a free zone for terrorist activity.”
According to the report, during 2025 the Central Command, led by Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, launched Operation Iron Wall across the West Bank, during which Israeli occupation forces took control of three refugee camps, forcibly displaced large numbers of Palestinians, and established fixed military posts to prevent the rebuilding of homes and civilian infrastructure. The army framed the measures as restoring its “freedom of action,” while the plans signal a widening campaign of occupation, ethnic cleansing, and expansion.
Israeli FM travels to Somaliland in first visit since recognition
Somalia has accused the breakaway state of Somaliland of agreeing to take in displaced Palestinians and allowing Israel to establish a military base on its territory
WATCH | Protests that began over Iran’s currency collapse and worsening living conditions have been hijacked by organized rioters, now attacking security forces and torching public property — openly encouraged by US and Israeli officials.
Footage from the past few days shows just a fraction of the resulting violence.
VIDEO | Large-scale displacement of residents living near the Syrian neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsoud as a result of ongoing clashes between government-aligned forces and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
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VIDEO | Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar lands in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland.
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❗️Israeli foreign minister visits Somaliland after recognition move
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar is visiting Somaliland in East Africa and is scheduled to meet the president of the semi-autonomous region later today, a senior Somaliland official said.
(Reuters)
❗️US quietly scales back cartel claims in Maduro indictment after kidnapping
The US Justice Department has quietly scaled back its indictment of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, dropping a central Trump-era claim that he led the so-called "Cartel de los Soles." The original 2020 indictment portrayed the group as an organized criminal cartel engaged in large-scale cocaine trafficking, a key justification for sanctions and military pressure on Caracas. The revised indictment instead describes it as a “patronage system” and “culture of corruption” tied to drug profits, reflecting long-standing doubts among Latin American crime experts who note that the term never referred to a formal cartel.
Maduro and his wife were kidnapped from Caracas, flown out of Venezuela, and brought to New York to face federal charges. While the revised indictment still accuses him of participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy, it sharply reduces references to the "Cartel de los Soles," from 32 mentions to just two, signaling how the original US designation of the group as a terrorist organization was politically motivated.
Appearing in federal court on Monday, Maduro pleaded not guilty, describing himself as “a prisoner of war” and affirming his role as Venezuela’s president. Despite the Justice Department’s retreat, US officials including Senator Marco Rubio continue to describe the "Cartel de los Soles" as a real organization, claiming US forces retain the right to target associated drug shipments.
❗️Ultra-Zionist Trump envoy Morgan Ortagus faces dismissal amid buzz of affair with Lebanese banker
US envoy Morgan Ortagus, a wife and mother of two who previously called on Israel to bomb the funeral of late Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, is reportedly engaged in a romantic relationship with Lebanese businessman and banker Antoun Sehnaoui.
According to US right-wing political activist Laura Loomer, the Trump administration has placed Ortagus on “administrative leave” due to the alleged relationship.
A receipt showing more than $50,000 worth of jewelry from Tiffany & Co. has also been leaked, listing Sehnaoui as the cardholder and Ortagus as the recipient.
Sehnaoui, who has, oddly enough, been investigated by the US on suspicion of laundering money to Hezbollah, is currently the chairman of the SGBL Group and has allegedly funded Jnoud al-Rab (Soldiers of God), an ultra-right-wing Christian conservative group in Lebanon.
He has also been directly involved in backing a US–Israeli opera initiative linking major opera houses, while openly identifying as a staunch supporter of Israel.
(CDM, Lebanese media)