Special Interest:
Middle East
Israeli strikes in Lebanon
Israeli air strikes have killed at least 10 people in eastern Lebanon, Lebanese officials say, despite a ceasefire.
Reported - 21/02/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg8914dkl0o
Israeli strikes on Gaza despite ceasefire
11 people were killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza on Sunday morning, according to Palestinian civil defence and health officials.
Reported - 15/02/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8r15eyvk2do
US says it shot down Iranian drone
A US fighter jet has shot down an Iranian drone that was flying "aggressively" towards an aircraft carrier, the US military has said.
Reported - 03/02/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3dmjn7n985o
Israel reopens Gaza's Rafah border crossing
Israel has opened the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. The crossing had largely been closed since the Gazan side was captured by Israeli forces in May 2024.
Reported - 02/02/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99kdjdj9l8o
Israeli air strikes kill dozens in Gaza
At least 32 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, according to local authorities.
Reported - 31/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c701g1g00gdo
Israeli media accept Palestinian death toll figure
Israeli media report that a senior security source has said the military accepts that more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war in Gaza.
Reported - 29/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgpd1x00exo
Trump withdraws Canada's invitation to "Board of Peace"
US President Donald Trump has withdrawn an invitation for Canada to join his newly constituted "Board of Peace", which aims to manage Gaza once hostilities end.
Reported - 23/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn7jjp8gl0jo
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/trump-withdraws-invitation-canada
US to transfer Islamic State prisoners from Syria to Iraq
The US military has begun the transfer up to 7,000 Islamic State (IS) group detainees from prisons in north-eastern Syria to Iraq, as Syria's new government takes control of areas long run autonomously by Kurdish-led forces.
Reported - 21/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx20pwqkgp9o
Kurdish-led forces pull out of camp
Syria's government has announced a new ceasefire with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), after the militia alliance withdrew from a camp holding thousands of people with alleged links to the jihadist group Islamic State (IS).
Reported - 20/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g39w8k8zwo
Putin invited to join Gaza 'Board of Peace'
President Donald Trump has confirmed he invited Vladimir Putin to join a US-proposed Gaza "Board of Peace".
Reported - 20/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c24g6pj2071o
Syrian army seizes country's largest oil field
Syrian troops fighting Kurdish forces in north-eastern Syria have seized the country's largest oilfield - The Omar facility and nearby gas fields.
Reported - 18/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx20n55yxrlo
US and UK pulling some personnel from Qatar military base
The US and UK are reducing the number of personnel at the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, as US President Donald Trump considers whether to take action against Iran over its crackdown on anti-government protests.
Reported - 15/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c701xywwxw8o
US launches phase two of Gaza peace plan
US envoy Steve Witkoff has announced the start of phase two of President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in Gaza, with a technocratic Palestinian government established in the territory.
Reported - 14/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjw1nxe5pvlo
Kurdish forces leave Aleppo
The last Kurdish fighters have withdrawn from the Syrian city of Aleppo, after the announcement of a ceasefire deal in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Reported - 11/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2p84xleg2o
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/11/kurdish-fighters-leave-syrias-aleppo-after-days-of-clashes
US military strikes Islamic State group targets in Syria
The US and its partner forces have carried out large-scale strikes against Islamic State (IS) group targets in Syria, the US Central Command (Centcom) has announced.
Reported - 10/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly9597r4qpo
Israeli air strikes in Gaza
At least 8 people have been killed by Israeli air strikes in Gaza, bringing the estimated total number of Palestinians killed by Israel to 425 since a ceasefire took effect in October.
Reported - 08/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62wx8z5jd5o
Lebanese army has taken over Southern security
The Lebanese army says it has taken over security in the south of the country, which has previously been controlled by the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah.
Reported - 08/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4ln977w0jo
Protests in Iran
Anti-government protests in Iran have entered their ninth day, spreading to 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces. The estimated death toll has passed 35 with more than 1,200 arrested.
Reported - 05/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn564q0vgvxo
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/05/iran-try-risky-economic-changes-quell-protesters-anger
UK and France bomb IS target in Syria
Royal Air Force Typhoon jets have joined French aircraft in a joint strike on an underground arms cache in Syria used by the Islamic State group (IS).
Reported - 04/01/26
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1m7l8keyexo
https://news.sky.com/story/raf-carries-out-strikes-against-is-underground-facility-in-syria-13490152