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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
Palestinian officials confirm Israel imprisoned over 600 children in 2025
Israel is also holding 52 Palestinian women in prisons, where torture and sexual assault are common
Lebanon signs offshore gas exploration deal with Gulf–EU consortium
TotalEnergies, ENI, and QatarEnergy launched seismic surveys in Lebanon’s southern Mediterranean waters after years of stalled offshore activity
Khamenei slams 'arrogant' Trump, vows Iran 'will not back down' as violent riots spread
The US president has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran since unrest erupted across the country weeks ago
❗️Iran's exiled 'crown prince' Reza Pahlavi again begs for US intervention after calling on his supporters to take to the streets:
Mr. President, this is an urgent and immediate call for your attention, support, and action. Last night you saw the millions of brave Iranians in the streets facing down live bullets. Today, they are facing not just bullets but a total communications blackout. No Internet. No landlines.Читать полностью…
Ali Khamenei, fearing the end of his criminal regime at the hands of the people and with the help of your powerful promise to support the protesters, has threatened the people on the streets with a brutal crack down. And he wants to use this blackout to murder these young heroes.
I have called the people to the streets to fight for their freedom and to overwhelm the security forces with sheer numbers. Last night they did that. Your threat to this criminal regime has also kept the regime’s thugs at bay. But time is of the essence. The people will be on the streets again in an hour. I am asking you to help.
You have proven and I know you are a man of peace and a man of your word. Please be prepared to intervene to help the people of Iran.
Yemen's separatist STC announces dissolution as leadership splinters
A spokesman for the group in the UAE called the announcement by STC leaders in Saudi Arabia 'ridiculous news'
US hijacks fifth oil tanker in Caribbean waters as Washington tightens blockade on Venezuela
Chevron tankers continue funneling Venezuelan crude to the US even as Washington’s blockade strangles the country’s exports
❗️The Operations Command of the Syrian army announces a complete ban on movement in Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, starting at 6:30 PM until further notice.
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❗️Flydubai cancels at least 17 flights to Iran
At least 17 flydubai flights set to operate on Friday between Dubai and several Iranian destinations, including Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad, were cancelled, according to information published on the Dubai Airports website.
A flydubai spokesperson said the airline "will continue to monitor the situation" and adjust its schedule as needed, without specifying the cause of the cancellations.
Turkish media also reported widespread disruptions, saying Turkish Airlines cancelled 17 flights, Turkiye’s Ajet grounded six flights, and low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines scrapped services to Iranian cities on Friday. Separately, Hamad International Airport’s website showed that at least two flights scheduled for Friday between Doha and Tehran were cancelled.
(Reuters)
❗️Germany urges Israel to halt E1 West Bank settlement project
Germany has urged Israel to stop its controversial E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, with a Foreign Ministry spokesperson in Berlin warning that moving forward with construction could deepen instability in both the West Bank and the wider region.
“The plans for the E1 settlement project, it must be said, are part of a comprehensive intensification of settlement policy in the West Bank, which we have recently observed,” the spokesperson said during a regular government press briefing.
“It carries the risk of creating even more instability, as it would further restrict the mobility of the Palestinian population in the West Bank,” he added.
VIDEO | ⚠️ Warning – Distressing footage
Rioters killed an Iranian police officer and set his body on fire on Thursday night in Marvdasht, Fars province, according to Iranian state media.
❗️Prisoners’ Media Office confirms over 600 Palestinian children were detained by Israel in 2025
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office documented more than 600 cases of child arrests by Israeli forces during 2025, including a case of a child who died in prison from starvation tactics. In an official statement the office said Israel deliberately targets children with arrests, harsh interrogations, and severe sentences aimed at destroying their future, distort their consciousness, and spread fear across society.
The statement highlighted that since 1967, some 55,000 child arrests have been recorded, with around 1,700 children detained since 7 October, 2023, amid an unprecedented rise in torture. Detained minors face inhumane conditions including medical neglect, overcrowding, lack of food and hygiene, denial of education and family visits, and the spread of scabies, especially during winter due to inadequate heating and clothing.
❗️UAE-backed STC dissolves as Riyadh pushes southern Yemen talks
Yemen's UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) has announced the full dissolution of its political, executive and organizational bodies, formally ending all activities inside the country and abroad according to Anadolu. The decision was delivered in a recorded statement aired on state television and carried by Saba News Agency, read by Ahmed Saeed bin Brik, former secretary-general of the STC’s presidency body.
Brik said the move was intended to clear the way for a “comprehensive southern dialogue” conference under Saudi sponsorship, citing recent developments in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra and preparations for talks expected to be held in Riyadh. He stressed that the STC had no role in recent military operations in the eastern provinces, describing them as harmful to southern unity and damaging to relations with the Saudi-led coalition.
He added that the council’s continued existence no longer served its stated purpose of representing southern aspirations and working towards the restoration of southern statehood. The STC welcomed what it called Saudi Arabia’s “clear and explicit commitments” on the southern issue and urged southern political figures to engage in the upcoming dialogue, even as its National Assembly called for demonstrations in Aden and Mukalla rejecting what it described as partial or evasive solutions.
BREAKING | Israeli artillery targets areas west of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
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BREAKING | An alleged joint operation by Syria's Ministry of Interior and the General Intelligence Directorate has resulted in the arrest of a senior ISIS leader.
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VIDEO | On 8 January, dozens of masked Israeli settlers armed with sticks, metal rods, and stones attacked the Al-Junaidi plant nursery in Deir Sharaf, west of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, injuring three Palestinian men.
Israeli settlers stormed the site around 3:10 PM, beating those inside, including a 65-year-old who suffered a broken arm, a 50-year-old who was assaulted, and another man with multiple bruises, as settler violence against Palestinian communities continues to surge.
Iran FM visits Beirut as Israel escalates attacks on Lebanon
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with top officials including Lebanese President Joseph Aoun
❗️Palestinian sources to Al Jazeera:
Hamas has warned mediators that Israel’s targeted killings, justified under false pretenses, risk shattering the fragile so-called 'ceasefire.'
❗️Israeli occupation forces raise the Israeli flag over Tel Ahmar al-Sharqi in the southern Quneitra countryside, southern Syria. This comes after Israeli forces infiltrated the area on 6 January as a part of a series of military incursions and operations by Israel in southwestern Syria since late 2024.
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❗️Israel seeking to revamp force-building strategy to prepare for a 'surprise war'
Israel’s military chief has announced a new doctrine built around preparing for a so-called “surprise war,” invoking the 7 October Al Aqsa Flood operation to justify sweeping changes in readiness and command.
Speaking at a recent conference, Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the army has rewritten orders and closed “operational gaps,” while framing future conflicts as inevitable and placing further responsibility on local authorities and the public to sustain military operations.
Zamir declared there would be “no more containment,” signaling a shift toward constant escalation and pre-emptive force along Israel’s borders, echoing similar warnings from senior commanders in recent weeks.
The comments followed similar warnings issued a week earlier by Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, who said that Israel must brace for a potential “surprise war” and remain in a constant state of heightened readiness and alert.
❗️Protests erupt in Mogadishu over Israel’s recognition of Somaliland
Protesters assembled in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, to denounce Israel’s recognition of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, waving national flags and chanting patriotic slogans.
The demonstration took place Thursday night in Taleh Square. “We are protesting against the division of our country,” demonstrator Said Gedi said. “This is against the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Somalia, and we hope Somalia will stand united.”
Another protester, Abdirahman Abdulkadir, said “Somalia cannot be divided ... We are united by one religion, one culture and the same heritage.”
The protest coincided with a televised address by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
“I want to make it clear once again that the Republic of Somalia is a sovereign and united country,” Mohamud said. “Its territory cannot be divided or ceded by any letter written by Israel or signed by Netanyahu.”
(AP)
❗️Adelaide Writers’ Week unravels as boycott erupts over deplatforming of Palestinian academic
A growing wave of writers have withdrawn from the Adelaide Festival’s Writers’ Week in Australia, forcing organizers to take down part of the event’s website amid mounting backlash over the removal of Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah from the 2026 program. The festival said it temporarily unpublished its online schedule as participants exited in protest of the board’s decision, which cited “cultural sensitivity” concerns following the Bondi attack, despite the Palestinian academic having no link to the incident.
By Friday afternoon, at least 100 writers had pulled out, with more departures expected as participants coordinated their withdrawals. Prominent authors who have stepped away include Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper, Sarah Krasnostein, Michelle de Kretser, Drusilla Modjeska, Melissa Lucashenko, and Stella Prize winner Evelyn Araluen.
Best-selling novelist Trent Dalton also withdrew, canceling a paid keynote address at Adelaide Town Hall that was among the few ticketed events of Writers’ Week. Organizers said program changes were ongoing as the fallout continued to escalate.
BREAKING | Iran's National Security Council says armed vandals and disruptors of security will be dealt with decisively
Iran’s National Security Council said that to prevent harm to citizens, people, especially families, should remain vigilant and prevent hostile groups from exploiting teenagers and young people.
The council said that in response to public demands for order and security, decisive and lawful action will be taken against armed vandals, those disrupting public peace and security, and anyone who attacks military, security, or government facilities.
❗️Clashes erupt between young Palestinians and invading Israeli occupation forces in the town of Burqa, northwest of Nablus.
(Palestine Today)
❗️Araghchi visits Beirut, meets with Lebanese counterpart
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beirut on Thursday and held meetings today with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji.
Araghchi described Rajji as "my brother and counterpart", and Rajji referred to his counterpart as a "friend."
Rajji urged Tehran to refrain from supposed statements that amount to interference in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
Araghchi responded that Iran backs Hezbollah as a resistance movement but does not intervene in its decision-making.
Rajji further called on Iran to open discussions with Lebanon on "a new approach to the issue of Hezbollah's weapons, drawing on Iran's relationship with the party, so that these weapons do not become a pretext for weakening Lebanon".
Following his meeting with Araghchi, Aoun said Lebanon hopes to expand economic cooperation with Iran.
Araghchi also met with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and will meet with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
(Al-Nahar)
BREAKING | British-Palestinian physician Ghassan Abu Sitta announces that the General Medical Council Tribunal has dismissed a complaint filed by UK Lawyers for Israel, which accused the physician of supporting violence, terrorism, and antisemitism.
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Netanyahu reveals Bulgarian politician to lead Gaza 'Board of Peace'
The Trump-led board is meant to oversee a technocratic body of Palestinians in line with the US-backed ‘ceasefire’ in Gaza
NATO members Arctic defense buildup to counter Trump's threats
Among the US president's proposed options for takeover is offering residents up to $100,000 each to secede and take US citizenship, which Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose
❗️US President Donald Trump has claimed to have 'cancelled' a second wave of attacks on Venezuela that would have followed Saturday’s deadly strike on the nation's capital, in which the US abducted the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and First Lady Cilia Flores. The violent attack on Venezuela also resulted in the killing of at least 100 people according to Venezuela's interior minister.
On Truth Social, Trump wrote:
"I have cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks, which looks like it will not be needed, however, all ships will stay in place for safety and security purposes. At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
❗️Mayor of Tehran: Rioters set fire to 42 buses and ambulances
Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani said that rioters set fire overnight to 42 buses, public vehicles, and ambulances, as well as 10 government institutions and 24 residential homes.
He added that during last night’s incidents in Tehran, those involved in what he described as terrorist acts, used young people and teenagers as human shields.
(Tasnim)
VIDEO | Locals report that a home has collapsed on Palestinian children in Gaza who had returned to their already destroyed house, as severe weather and Israel’s ban on the entry of shelter materials left them with nowhere else to go.
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