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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
Constructing chaos: Tel Aviv’s hand in Syria’s sectarian slaughter
The massacre of at least 1,500 Alawites on Syria’s coast was the calculated result of an Israeli operation designed to incite rebellion, fracture the state, and redraw its borders along sectarian lines.
Czech officials deny entry to Israeli soldier after Schengen-wide alert
Over 1,000 legal cases have been filed worldwide against Israeli soldiers for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza
‼️ Israel's Channel 14 reports that the Israeli airstrike carried out in northern Gaza was done in coordination with the US.
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BREAKING | Israeli drone bombs near a Lebanese army center in Al-Dhahira, south Lebanon.
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Indonesia issues first ever yuan-dominated bonds as China–ASEAN cooperation expands
China and the bloc of Southeast Asian nations have signed an upgrade to their trade agreement, aiming to hit a collective GDP of $3.8 trillion
❗️Putin hails successful test of nuclear-powered Poseidon submarine
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the successful test of the nuclear-powered unmanned submarine Poseidon, marking another step in Moscow’s development of advanced strategic weapons. The announcement comes just over a week after Russia tested its nuclear-propelled Burevestnik cruise missile.
Putin stated that the Poseidon was launched from a carrier submarine, activated its nuclear propulsion system, and navigated independently for a period of time. He described the system as having unmatched speed and depth capabilities, adding that its reactor is “one hundred times smaller” than that of a conventional submarine.
The Russian leader claimed the Poseidon’s power surpasses that of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, which can carry up to 15 nuclear warheads and is set to enter service soon. Putin called the test a “huge success” and a demonstration of Russia’s growing technological edge in nuclear weapons development.
⭕️ Aramco to acquire minority stake in PIF-owned AI firm HUMAIN
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Aramco announced on Tuesday that they have signed a non-binding term sheet for Aramco to acquire a minority stake in HUMAIN, an artificial intelligence company majority-owned by PIF.
According to Aramco’s statement, the agreement seeks to merge the AI assets and expertise of both entities under HUMAIN to boost its global expansion and reinforce Saudi Arabia’s role as a leading hub for artificial intelligence.
⭕️ Bus ambush kills two civilians on Damascus-Suwayda highway
Violence flared again in Suwayda, southern Syria, where two Druze civilians were killed and 11 others wounded on 28 October after a passenger bus was ambushed on the Damascus–Suwayda highway. The attack came just days after renewed calls by Druze spiritual leader Hikmat al-Hijri for Suwayda’s “full independence” and accusations against the HTS-led interim administration of fueling sectarian strife.
According to Suwayda’s internal security chief Hussam al-Tahan, the bus was targeted in what he called a “cowardly terrorist attack” aimed at “undermining stability and spreading fear.” He said investigations were ongoing and pledged that “such terrorist attempts will not deter security forces from fulfilling their duty.”
The Druze National Guard blamed pro-government forces for the assault, while Syrian state media attributed it to “unknown gunmen.” The ambush marks the deadliest attack on Druze civilians since the July massacres, when HTS-linked and Bedouin groups killed hundreds amid clashes between government forces and Druze factions. Suwayda had observed a fragile ceasefire since 19 July following those clashes, amid broader efforts by Syria’s transitional government to restore security and stabilize the country after the Assad regime’s collapse in late 2024.
❗️Egypt, Emirati-Chinese consortium sign $3.5 billion deal for industrial projects in SCZONE
Egypt’s Kemet Industries Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Emirati-Chinese Al Qalaa Red Flag Group to establish three industrial projects in the Ain Sokhna Industrial Zone within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), the zone’s administration announced today.
According to the statement, the total expected investment for the projects is estimated at about $3.5 billion.
❗️The Palestinian Prisoner's Society (PPS) condemned the decision by Israeli War Minister Israel Katz, to continue barring International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) teams from visiting the thousands of Palestinian political prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons.
The PPS said the restriction, justified by “security reasons,” serves as an additional cover for the prison system to carry on its crimes, including the slow killing of prisoners, and to hide them.
❗️NYC mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani links police violence to Israel in 2023 conference
Zohran Mamdani, the frontrunner in New York City’s mayoral race, attributed police violence in the city to Israel during a 2023 conference, according to a video released on Monday.
“At the 2023 national convention for the far-left Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani said, ‘For anyone to care about these issues, we have to make them hyper-local. We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, it’s been laced by the IDF.’
He added, ‘We have to make it materially connected to their life. We are in a country where those connections abound, especially in New York City, you have so many opportunities to make clear the ways in which that struggle over there is tied to capitalist interests over here.’
Mamdani delivered the remarks during a panel titled, “Socialist Internationalism: The Solution to the Crisis of Capitalism,” with much of his discussion centered on Israel.
❗️Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman set for possible first state visit of Trump’s second term
US President Donald Trump’s administration is making preparations for a visit to the US next month by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, according to several sources familiar with the planning.
US officials aware of the trip said efforts are underway to assemble a package of agreements that Trump and the crown prince could sign or witness during the visit. The trip is tentatively set for 17-19 November, though the timing and details could change, according to two sources involved in the planning.
(AP)
❗️Statement by Hamas:
"The treacherous escalation against our people in Gaza reveals a clear Israeli intent to undermine the ceasefire agreement and impose new realities by force, amid American complicity that grants Netanyahu’s fascist government political cover to continue its crimes.
The biased position of the US administration constitutes direct partnership in the shedding of our children’s and women’s blood, and an explicit encouragement for the continuation of aggression.
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) affirms that the occupation bears full responsibility for this dangerous escalation and its military and political consequences, as well as for attempts to sabotage the Trump plan and the ceasefire agreement.
The world must realize that the blood of our children and women is not cheap, and that the resistance — with all its factions that have responsibly adhered to the agreement and continue to do so — will not allow the enemy to impose new realities under fire.
The movement also calls on the mediators and guarantors to assume their full responsibilities in the face of this reckless aggression, and to exert immediate pressure on the occupation government to stop its massacres and fully comply with the terms of the agreement."
❗️Lockheed Martin invests $50M to arm Saildrone sea drones with missiles
Lockheed Martin is investing $50 million in sea drone manufacturer Saildrone to equip its largest surveillance drones with missiles, marking the first time these long-range autonomous vessels will carry high-powered weaponry.
Under the agreement, Saildrone’s 72-foot (22 m) "Surveyor" vessel, a scientific and intelligence-gathering autonomous ship powered by wind, diesel, and solar, will be adapted to carry Lockheed’s JAGM Quad Launcher missile system and anti-ship missiles, according to a joint statement.
Lockheed’s investment will also fund collaborative systems integration teams to speed up the design and production of larger Saildrone platforms capable of carrying longer-range Tomahawk missiles and submarine-detecting towed sonar arrays.
The companies plan to conduct live-fire demonstrations on the water in 2026.
❗️US envoy Morgan Ortagus during the meeting:
– "We are ongoingly monitoring developments in Lebanon, and we welcome the government’s decision to place all weapons under state control by the end of the year."
Syria secured $28bn in foreign investments since fall of Assad: Sharaa
The former Al-Qaeda chief made the announcement at an investment forum in Saudi Arabia, where he also met top Saudi officials and the president of FIFA
❗️French MP accuses Israel of trying to 'eradicate the Palestinian people'
French MP Thomas Portes of the left-wing political party La France Insoumise (LFI) condemned the latest Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on his X account, calling it "a night of horror."
Sharing a video showing the strikes on the Gaza Strip, Portes stated that Israel has never pursued peace or a ceasefire, claiming its policies are aimed at “eliminating the Palestinian people.” He warned that such actions will ultimately isolate Israel and turn it into "an outcast among nations."
❗️‘A colony of the US’: Argentinians wonder what comes next after Milei’s win
Javier Milei has claimed a strong victory in Argentina’s presidential election, securing around 41 percent of the vote against his closest rival’s 32. Analysts say his surge was fueled in part by a dramatic US-backed bailout and perceived interference from Donald Trump’s administration.
Many question whether this outcome reveals genuine popular support or a shift toward deeper dependence on the US. As the opposition warns that national sovereignty could be at stake, fears grow that Argentina may risk becoming politically and economically beholden to Washington.
Milei’s coalition now commands a congressional majority, bolstering his ability to push through radical economic reforms. Critics fear social and institutional fragility may worsen under sweeping deregulation, while supporters argue change is urgently needed after years of inflation and instability.
(The Guardian)
⭕️ Syria secures $28 billion in foreign investments so far this year, Sharaa says
Syria has drawn foreign investments amounting to about $28 billion so far this year, Syria's self-appointed president Ahmad al-Sharaa announced today at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference in Riyadh.
Speaking at a session attended by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Sharaa said Syrian laws had been revised to permit foreign investors to transfer funds abroad.
"We want to rebuild Syria via investments," Sharaa said, noting that the country could serve the world as a "trade corridor."
In August, Syria signed 12 investment agreements worth $14 billion, covering infrastructure, transportation, and real estate projects designed to help rebuild its economy. The World Bank has estimated the cost of Syria’s reconstruction at $216 billion, calling the figure a "conservative best estimate."
BREAKING | Israeli Army Radio announces that the army targeted "armed men who violated the ceasefire" north of the Gaza Strip.
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❗️Israel's Channel 12, citing Israeli army assessments, says that Hamas is expected to return four bodies of Israeli captives in the coming days, including the two bodies it had planned to release yesterday.
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❗️Judges exempt Netanyahu from courtroom appearance citing security concerns
Judges presiding over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criminal trial ruled on Wednesday that he will no longer be required to appear before them in the courtroom, a decision that will prevent reporters from questioning or photographing him, after the security department said it was “difficult to maintain order.”
According to Haaretz, several journalists attempted to question Netanyahu shortly before the judges entered the Tel Aviv District Court on Tuesday, despite prior instructions prohibiting it.
Netanyahu reportedly exited the courtroom and reentered alongside the judges, avoiding further questions. He later called the situation “absurd.”
❗️Israeli military launching investigation into notorious Sde Teiman prison leak
The Israeli military says it has launched a criminal probe after leaked footage from the elusive Sde Teiman torture facility in the Negev Desert showed Israeli soldiers violently abusing and in one notorious case, sexually assaulting a Palestinian man.
Among the abuses at Sde Teiman, Palestinians were forced to wear diapers, wounded captives were strapped down onto beds, endured beatings, and other harrowing conditions which involved an array of human degradation.
Footage from the leaked video shows soldiers removing a detainee lying face-down, then surrounding him with riot shields before sexually assaulting him.
According to the Israeli military, investigators are also examining whether members of the Military Advocate General’s office were involved in leaking video from inside the prison, which was broadcast by Channel 12 News.
Francesca Albanese names over 60 states complicit in Gaza genocide
The special UN rapporteur was sanctioned by the US earlier this year for naming companies profiting from the genocide
❗️Qatar says mediators working intensively to maintain Gaza ceasefire
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Qatar and other mediators are working “in a very intensive way” to ensure the Gaza ceasefire remains in place.
Speaking at a Council on Foreign Relations event, Sheikh Mohammed described the recent attack on Israeli soldiers as a breach of the truce between Israel and Hamas.
“Fortunately, I think the main parties – both of them – are acknowledging that the ceasefire should hold and they should stick to the agreement,” he said, adding that Qatar’s priority “remains focused on making sure that the ceasefire itself holds.”
Israel's later "ceasefire" breach has resulted in a preliminary toll of 110 deaths, most of them women and children.
⭕️ Israel intercepts drone smuggling rifles over Egypt border as ceasefire resumes
The Israeli army said it intercepted a drone attempting to smuggle three rifles across the Egyptian border overnight on 29 October.
According to the army, several similar smuggling attempts have been thwarted in recent weeks, including drones carrying rifles, ammunition, and other equipment across the border with Egypt.
(Jerusalem Post)
❗️World Health Organization (WHO) reports that more than 460 have been killed in a maternity ward of a hospital in El-Fasher, Sudan.
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SDF designates fighters for integration deal with Damascus: Report
The process is said to include the formation of a ‘counter-terrorism’ brigade that will cooperate with the US military
❗️Canadian database tracking Israeli soldiers shows mass link removals and edits
The Maple’s "Find IDF Soldiers" database, which tracks Canadians serving in the Israeli military, contains more than 2,200 links tied to 206 profiles. While all links were active when first published, recent scans have revealed dozens of dead or altered links.
Many of these deleted or edited pages once described individuals’ involvement in Israel's occupation and genocide. In some cases, mentions of "military service" were quietly removed or made private, raising questions about efforts to obscure this information.
To preserve the public record, The Maple has compiled a list of all identified dead or modified links related to Israeli "military service". The outlet notes it does not know who made the changes or why, but says the alterations highlight a growing attempt to conceal evidence of Canadians’ participation in Israel’s ongoing occupation and genocide.
❗️World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 421 people have died in Gaza due to malnutrition, including 113 children in 2025 alone.
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