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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
Harshly-worded statements remain the only language of Arab and Gulf states as Israel roams unchecked, endangering West Asia and beyond.
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❗️US imposes new sanctions on Iran-linked entities in Hong Kong and UAE
The US announced a new set of Iran-related sanctions today, targeting individuals and companies it accused of funding Tehran’s military, including entities based in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Treasury Department.
Officials said those sanctioned were involved in transferring funds, including proceeds from Iranian oil sales, to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and the Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).
"Iranian 'shadow banking' networks like these—run by trusted illicit financial facilitators—abuse the international financial system, and evade sanctions by laundering money through overseas front companies and cryptocurrency," the department said in a statement.
❗️US President Donald Trump shared on social media a photo with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, claiming he "helped settle the War with Azerbaijan and Armenia," and that he made new "friends."
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One million Palestinians 'reject displacement' from north Gaza amid Israeli carnage: Officials
Extreme overcrowding, harsh living conditions, and relentless Israeli airstrikes are forcing many Palestinians to return to areas the Israeli army plans to occupy as part of operation 'Gideon's Chariots 2'
Sixteen nations warn Israel against launching new attacks on Sumud Flotilla for Gaza
Israeli drones have repeatedly targeted civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid for starving Palestinians
❗️Joint Syria–Jordan–US plan for Syria’s Druze province of Suwayda has been announced
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani declared that the government has finally accepted the request made by Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri before the crisis, for local forces to operate in Suwayda.
In Suwayda, forces under the Ministry of Interior will be deployed, but they will be composed of Druze members.
The roadmap for Suwayda announced by Shaibani:
– Ensure that anyone who attacks civilians or their property is held accountable, in full coordination with the UN investigative mechanism.
– Guarantee the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian and medical aid.
– Provide compensation to those affected, restore villages and towns, and facilitate the return of displaced persons.
– Restore basic services and prepare the ground for a return to normal life.
– Deploy local forces under the Ministry of Interior to secure roads and guarantee the flow of people and trade.
– Clarify the fate of missing persons, and return detainees and abductees from all sides to their families.
– Launch an internal reconciliation process with the participation of all segments of Suwayda’s population.
❗️Gaza Government Media Office: One million Palestinians remain steadfast in Gaza and its north, refusing forced displacement to the south, while around 190,000 have been displaced under plans for permanent expulsion
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"The Government Media Office affirms that more than one million Palestinians remain rooted in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, holding onto their land and homes, and categorically rejecting displacement to the south, despite the savage bombardment and genocidal war carried out by the Israeli occupation as part of its crime of permanent “forced transfer” in violation of all international laws and conventions.
The population of Gaza City and the northern governorate exceeds 1.3 million people, including about 398,000 residents of North Gaza Governorate, most of whom were forcibly displaced westward, in addition to more than 914,000 residents of Gaza Governorate, among whom approximately 350,000 were forced to flee from the city’s eastern neighborhoods toward its central and western areas.
Government teams have recorded, in recent days, an escalation of forced displacement from Gaza City toward the south due to Israel’s atrocities, with nearly 190,000 people forced to leave their homes under bombardment. At the same time, they also documented reverse displacement: more than 15,000 residents returned to their original areas in Gaza City as of Tuesday noon, after initially moving belongings to the south for safekeeping, only to come back because of the complete absence of basic living conditions there.
Meanwhile, the Mawasi area in Khan Yunis and Rafah, currently housing about 800,000 people and falsely promoted by the occupation as 'safe humanitarian zones,' has itself been subjected to over 109 airstrikes and repeated bombardment, leaving more than 2,000 martyrs in successive massacres. These areas lack all essentials of life: no hospitals, infrastructure, or vital services such as water, food, shelter, electricity, or education — making survival nearly impossible.
The area designated by the occupation on its maps as 'shelter zones' covers only 12% of Gaza’s total territory, where it is attempting to cram more than 1.7 million people. This forms part of a plan to establish 'concentration camps' under a systematic policy of forced displacement aimed at emptying Gaza City and the north of its residents — a full-fledged war crime and a crime against humanity, in violation of international law and international humanitarian law.
We strongly condemn the continuation of genocide and forced displacement carried out by the Israeli occupation against Palestinian civilians. We denounce the shameful international silence and failure to uphold legal and moral responsibilities regarding these crimes. We hold the Israeli occupation, its strategic ally the US administration, and all states complicit in the genocide fully responsible for what is happening and for the resulting international legal consequences. We call on the international community, the United Nations, and international courts and legal institutions to act immediately and seriously to stop these crimes, prosecute occupation leaders before competent courts, and ensure the protection of civilians and their right to remain on their land in safety and dignity."
New 'axis of evil' is Qatar, Turkiye & Syria, says Israeli minister
On Tuesday, at the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference, Israeli Minister for Diaspora and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli labeled Turkiye, Syria, and Qatar as “the new axis of evil,” equating them with “the new Iran.”
He singled out Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing him of pursuing a “neo-Ottoman vision” and seeking to include Jerusalem in a revived empire, while claiming Erdogan openly calls for Israel’s annihilation.
These remarks come despite the fact that none of these states pose a direct physical threat to Israel; rather, they represent what Israeli officials often describe as the Muslim Brotherhood–aligned political axis that challenges Israel diplomatically and ideologically.
UN commission of inquiry finds Israel guilty of genocide in Gaza
The commission found Israel has committed four out of five genocidal acts as defined by the 1948 Genocide Convention
❗️Spain refuses to participate in Eurovision if Israel remains in contest
Spain announced today that it will not take part in the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel continues to compete while the genocide in Gaza persists, the country’s public broadcaster said.
The board of directors of Spanish Radio and Television (RTVE) approved the decision following a proposal from its president, with 10 votes in favor, four against, and one abstention.
Spain joins Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland, and the Netherlands in calling for Israel’s exclusion.
It also becomes the first member of the so-called Big Five, the countries that contribute the most financially to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), to take such a stance. The group also includes the UK, France, Italy, and Germany, all of which receive automatic entry into the contest’s final regardless of prior results.
According to RTVE, the EBU, which organizes Eurovision, is expected to decide in December whether to bar Israel.
❗️Former New York governor and staunch supporter of Israel Andrew Cuomo to the NYT:
– “There is no doubt that the people of New York and the nation see the continued carnage that is happening and are deeply, deeply disturbed and want it over and believe it has gone on way too long."
– “It should end today. Return the hostages, end the violence. Today. I think it should have been over months ago. It is horrific."
– “I don’t think the mayor of New York should be exercising his or her political judgment in arresting world leaders based on their politics."
– “Do I support what the Israeli government is doing vis-a-vis Gaza? No. Do I support Israel impeding humanitarian aid? No."
– “I was airing what some people feel. You have some people who feel that Israel is not acting appropriately. That’s their opinion.”
❗️Qassam Brigades confirms that its fighters targeted an Israeli troop carrier with a Yassin 105 shell north of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, on 25 July.
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‼️ Israeli army Arabic spokesman Avichay Adraee threatens Hodeidah port in Yemen:
Emergency alert to everyone at the port of Hodeidah in YemenЧитать полностью…
The Defense Forces will carry out an attack in the near hours in the area marked on the map, in light of the military activities being conducted there by the Houthi terrorist regime.
For your safety, we call on all those at the port of Hodeidah and all ships docked there to evacuate immediately.
Anyone who remains in the area is putting their life at risk.
❗️Iranian oil discounts in China widen as stockpiles hit record levels
Discounts on Iranian oil in China have deepened as stockpiles at a major refining hub hit record highs and a lack of import quotas toward the end of the year limited purchases by independent refiners.
Those sanctions have already cut shipments to a key Chinese port, according to data analytics firm Kpler.
On 21 August, Washington imposed sanctions on Qingdao Port Haiye Dongjiakou Oil Products for receiving Iranian crude on sanctioned tankers.
The Haiye Dongjiakou terminal previously handled between 130,000 and 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iranian oil, making it one of the country’s largest import hubs.
Operations at the terminal were halted shortly after the US sanctions took effect.
China has taken in more than 90% of Iran’s oil exports in recent years, with imports averaging 1.43 million bpd between January and August, a 12% increase from a year earlier, according to tanker tracking firm Vortexa.
(Reuters)
⭕️ Luxembourg to join countries recognizing 'State of Palestine' at upcoming UN summit
Luxembourg announced it will join a growing list of countries set to recognize a 'State of Palestine' at a UN summit in New York next week.
Addressing reporters late Monday, Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden said that “the situation on the ground has deteriorated considerably in recent months.”
“A movement is now emerging in Europe and around the world to demonstrate that the two-state solution is still relevant,” Frieden added.
“That is why the Luxembourg government intends to join those who recognize the State of Palestine at next week’s conference on the two-state solution.”
(AFP)
‼️ Chevron, Israel Natural Gas Lines sign deal to build Nitzana pipeline to Egypt
Chevron announced today that it has reached an agreement with Israel Natural Gas Lines, the state-owned pipeline operator, to begin building the Nitzana pipeline, which will transport gas from the Leviathan field to Egypt.
Just last month, Leviathan’s owners, NewMed, Chevron, and Ratio Energies, signed a $35 billion deal to export gas to Egypt. The field holds an estimated 600 billion cubic meters of reserves.
According to Chevron, the Nitzana pipeline will deliver around 600 million cubic feet of gas per day once completed in about three years, raising Israel’s export capacity to Egypt above 2.2 billion cubic feet per day.
Gas producer Energean also announced plans to ship up to 2 billion cubic meters of gas annually through Nitzana from its Katlan offshore field, expected to come online in 2027.
⭕️ Earlier today, Israel deliberately targeted a displaced Palestinian family west of Gaza City, striking them in their car as they fled with their belongings. Women and children were among the victims.
Israel orders civilians to evacuate south, then hunts them down on the road.
UPDATE | Israel has killed at least 106 Palestinians in its attacks across the Gaza Strip since dawn today – 91 of them in Gaza City.
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US allies are not off-limits: Israel’s Qatar strike shatters Gulf illusions
Tel Aviv’s unprecedented attack on a US-designated major non-NATO ally has warned the region that diplomatic ties and American bases offer no shield from Israeli military reach.
By Mohamad Hasan Sweidan
Spain summons Israeli envoy over 'antisemitism' accusation against PM
Pedro Sanchez recently called to ban Israel from global sports over its 'barbarity' in Gaza
Israel bombs Yemen's Hodeidah Port with at least 12 airstrikes
Besides killing hundreds of civilians and destroying vital infrastructure in the Arab world's poorest country, Israeli attacks have failed to stop Yemeni operations in support of Palestinians in Gaza
Iran rejects Arab–Islamic summit's call to recognize Israel
The Islamic Republic highlighted its historic stance that a 'two-state solution' cannot resolve the decades-long occupation of Palestine and called for 'the creation of a single democratic state'
Israel launches ground invasion of Gaza City amid barbaric carpet bombing
The bloody operation began in the middle of the night despite reports saying a large majority of the one million civilians living in Gaza City were unable to evacuate in time
‼️ Contradicting Israeli reports, the Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that around one million Palestinians remain steadfast in Gaza City.
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❗️Russian owner of Beirut port blast-linked ship arrested in Bulgaria
Lebanese judicial officials said on Monday that the Russian owner of a cargo ship tied to the ammonium nitrate shipment at the heart of the 2020 Beirut port explosion has been arrested in Bulgaria.
The detention of Igor Grechushkin comes almost five years after a Lebanese investigative judge issued Interpol arrest warrants for him and the ship’s captain, fellow Russian citizen Boris Prokoshev.
According to the officials, paperwork is being prepared to request Grechushkin’s transfer to Lebanon for questioning. If extradition does not take place, Lebanese investigators may travel to Bulgaria to interrogate him there.
The four judicial officials added that Grechushkin, who also holds Cypriot nationality, was taken into custody last week at Vasil Levski Sofia airport after arriving on a flight from Cyprus.
(AP)
UPDATE | Following the intensified bombing of Gaza City, Israel has killed at least 82 Palestinians today, according to medical sources in the strip.
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⭕️ At Doha Summit: Lebanese President says ‘ready for peace’ if Israel is ready
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on 15 September, during the Arab-Islamic summit held in the Qatari capital, that he is “ready” for peace if Israel seeks “lasting peace” in the region, based on the Arab Peace Initiative endorsed by the Arab League Summit in Beirut in 2002.
The initiative offers full regional normalization with Israel in exchange for a full withdrawal from the West Bank, Gaza, the Syrian Golan Heights, and Lebanon, and the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
In 2018, Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the Arab Peace Initiative as a basis for “negotiations.”
❗️“They started to scream when I got into a restaurant, something with Palestine. with that. I've asked Pam to look into that because they should be put in jail.”
US President Donald Trump said he ordered the arrest of the CODEPINK activists who disrupted his dinner at a restaurant last week to raise awareness about Gaza.