New Post Africa

Category: Middle East

  • BREAKING: UN Secretary‑General calls for an end to Iran conflict for energy security

    BREAKING: UN Secretary‑General calls for an end to Iran conflict for energy security

    INTERNATIONAL (NPA) — March 19, 2026 — United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres has called on the United States and Israel to end the war against Iran, while also urging Tehran to halt its attacks on neighbouring nations. He made the appeal on Thursday following his meeting with the European Council in Brussels.

    Guterres warned that the escalating conflict in the Middle East — particularly involving Iran, Israel, and the United States — poses grave risks to regional stability and global energy security, citing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz as a critical concern. He stressed the importance of multilateralism and closer cooperation between the European Union, the United Nations, and global partners.

    The Secretary‑General urged restraint and diplomacy, calling for collective action to prevent further escalation and to safeguard humanitarian principles. He condemned the attacks on energy infrastructure in West Asia, warning of severe global economic consequences, and appealed for dialogue to restore peace, stability, and the free flow of goods and energy. His remarks echoed widespread concerns about blockades and rising oil prices.

    Guterres further called for stronger international cooperation to defend multilateralism and prevent additional humanitarian crises, insisting that only through unity and diplomacy can the region move toward lasting peace and security.

  • Modi, King Abdullah II discuss West Asia crisis, attacks on energy infrastructure

    Modi, King Abdullah II discuss West Asia crisis, attacks on energy infrastructure

    INTERNATIONAL (NPA) — March 19, 2026 — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, held a phone conversation with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, during which he extended advance congratulations on the Blessed Eid al-Fitr.

    In the call, Prime Minister Modi expressed deep concern over developments in West Asia and reaffirmed the urgent need for dialogue and diplomacy to restore peace, security, and stability in the region. He condemned recent attacks targeting energy infrastructure, warning that such actions risk escalating an already destructive conflict.

    According to a statement released Thursday, Modi stressed that both India and Jordan support the free flow of goods and energy without obstacles, referencing the Iranian blockade and attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which have negatively impacted global oil prices. He insisted that both nations stand firmly in support of unhindered transit of goods and energy across international waters.

    The Prime Minister also thanked King Abdullah II for Jordan’s efforts in facilitating the safe return of Indian citizens stranded in the region. He noted that the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel, and the Islamic Republic of Iran shows no concrete sign of ending, despite repeated international calls for diplomacy and dialogue among the parties.

  • UAE Defence Intercepts 22 projectiles as Iranian missiles and drones rain on Gulf

    UAE Defence Intercepts 22 projectiles as Iranian missiles and drones rain on Gulf

    MIDDLE EAST (NPA) — March 19, 2026 — The United Arab Emirates’ Defence Ministry announced today that its air defence systems successfully intercepted and destroyed seven ballistic missiles and 15 armed drones launched from Iran. 

    According to the ministry, the coordinated attack was detected early, and defence units acted swiftly to neutralise the incoming threats before they could reach populated areas or critical infrastructure. Officials described the operation as a demonstration of the UAE’s growing defence capability and readiness to respond to regional security challenges. 

    The ministry emphasised that the interceptions were carried out in close coordination with allied monitoring systems, underscoring the importance of regional cooperation in countering evolving threats. While no casualties or damage were reported, authorities noted that the attempted strikes highlight ongoing tensions in the Gulf and the need for vigilance. 

    Earlier today, Qatar expelled Iranian diplomatic attaches following missile strikes on the Ras Laffan energy hub. The move came amid a wave of coordinated assaults across the Gulf, where Iranian projectiles and drones also targeted the UAE’s Habshan gas plants and Saudi Arabia’s refineries in Riyadh.

    Regional authorities confirmed that defence systems intercepted several of the incoming threats, but the attacks underscored escalating tensions and the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure in the Gulf. The incidents have prompted heightened security alerts and renewed calls for international cooperation to safeguard the region’s strategic assets.

  • BREAKING: Sweden confirms Execution of citizen in Iran amid war tensions

    BREAKING: Sweden confirms Execution of citizen in Iran amid war tensions

    Sweden’s Foreign Minister, Maria Malmer Stenergard, announced on Wednesday that Iran has executed a Swedish citizen. The announcement follows confirmation from Iranian officials that this marks the first execution of a man convicted of spying since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war.

    Stenergard described the development as deeply troubling, noting that it underscores the heightened risks faced by foreign nationals in Iran during the ongoing conflict. The execution is expected to further strain diplomatic relations between Tehran and Stockholm, while adding to international concerns over Iran’s use of capital punishment in politically sensitive cases.

  • Israeli President Herzog visits Ramat Gan after deadly missile strike

    Israeli President Herzog visits Ramat Gan after deadly missile strike

    MIDDLE EAST (NPA) — March 18, 2026 — Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has visited the site of last night’s Iranian missile impact in Ramat Gan, where two elderly civilians were killed in a cluster missile attack.

    In a statement on Wednesday, Herzog said he embarked on the visit to embrace and comfort the affected family and residents of the city over the heavy losses. He sympathised with them over what he described as “precious lives cut short in an instant, with unimaginable cruelty, leaving a great fracture and deep pain in the family’s heart and in the heart of the entire people of Israel.”

    The president warned that the danger from missile attacks is real, urging vigilance and responsibility. He stressed that the nation’s spirit will not be broken, calling on Israelis to stand together to prevail over the current situation.

    Since the outbreak of war between Israel, the United States, and Iran on February 28, there have been repeated exchanges of attacks. Israel and its allies have targeted Iranian military facilities and infrastructure, while Iran has launched barrages of missiles and drones at Israel and several Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

    In the past forty-eight hours, Israel announced it had targeted three prominent Iranian officials for elimination, with the escalation showing no sign of abating.

  • BREAKING: Iran holds funeral for top security chiefs killed in Israeli strikes

    BREAKING: Iran holds funeral for top security chiefs killed in Israeli strikes

    INTERNATIONAL (NPA) — March 18, 2026 — A funeral procession is underway at Revolution Square in Tehran for Iranian security chief Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, both killed in recent Israeli airstrikes.

    On Tuesday, Israel’s Chief of Defence Staff confirmed that the two senior officials were deliberately targeted in an overnight strike on the Iranian capital.

    The ongoing funerals followed another reported strike on the residence of Iran’s Intelligence Minister, Ismail Khatib. Khatib, who has led the Ministry of Intelligence since 2021, is considered a central figure in Iran’s leadership, with a career spanning the nation’s security and judicial institutions, including service under the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. His fate remains unclear.

    Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, speaking to Al Jazeera, insisted that Israel’s campaign of targeted eliminations “will not weaken the regime,” vowing resilience despite mounting losses and sheer uncertainties among senior officials.

    The back-to-back strikes have rattled Tehran’s leadership, raising fears of further escalations and leaving many officials questioning who might be next on Israel’s list.

  • Shockwaves in Tehran as latest Israeli strike targets Ismail Khatib, Iran’s spy chief

    Shockwaves in Tehran as latest Israeli strike targets Ismail Khatib, Iran’s spy chief

    MIDDLE EAST (NPA) — March 18, 2026 — Tehran was rocked overnight as another Israeli airstrike reportedly zeroed in on Iran’s Intelligence Minister, Ismail Khatib, at his residence. Khatib, who has led the powerful Ministry of Intelligence since 2021, is regarded as a key figure in Iran’s inner circle, with a career spanning the nation’s security and judicial apparatus, including service under the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

    Under his watch, the ministry has been accused of crushing domestic dissent, spearheading counterintelligence operations, and orchestrating activities against Israeli and Western interests. The United States previously placed a $10 million bounty on Khatib, fueling speculation that the strike may have been a calculated attempt to “cash in” on his head. His fate remains uncertain — whether he was killed or survived the attack.

    The strike comes just 24 hours after the killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. That assassination sent shockwaves through Iran’s leadership, with officials reportedly trembling and frantically calling colleagues to ask who might be next.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking to the U.S. Ambassador yesterday, chillingly declared he still has “names of the bad guys” to cross out.

    Iranian authorities have yet to issue any statement on Khatib’s condition.

  • Netanyahu confirms killing of Ali Larijani and other commanders, vows “Strength of a Lion” against Iran

    Netanyahu confirms killing of Ali Larijani and other commanders, vows “Strength of a Lion” against Iran

    MIDDLE EAST (NPA) — March 17, 2026 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a broadcast monitored by Newpost Africa, today, confirmed the killing of Ali Larijani, whom he described as a leader of the Revolutionary Guards, along with the commander of the Basij. Netanyahu referred to them as “henchmen of the gangsters who spread terror in the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities against the population.”

    Netanyahu asserted that Israel is working to undermine the Iranian regime in hopes of giving the Iranian people a chance to overthrow it. While acknowledging that change will not come overnight, he urged persistence.

    He noted that Israel is cooperating with American allies in the Gulf, adding that he discussed the matter with U.S. President Donald Trump as both countries’ militaries coordinate in the war against Iran.

    The Prime Minister vowed to continue pressuring Iran with direct operations, warning of “plenty of surprises.” He declared: “With stratagems shall we wage war. We won’t reveal all the stratagems here, but I told you: there are many of them.”

    Netanyahu called for determination from Israel’s leaders, commanders, and citizens, urging them to ignore what he termed “channels of gloom,” and insisted Israel is achieving historic accomplishments in the war.

    He also sought to reassure citizens whose properties were destroyed by missile and rocket attacks from Iran and Hezbollah, saying: “With the strength of a lion, just as we did during the coronavirus pandemic, we will prevail even more this time.”

  • BREAKING: Israeli attacks kill Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council 

    BREAKING: Israeli attacks kill Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council 

    MIDDLE EAST — (NPA) March 17, 2026 — The Israel Defence Force (IDF) said it conducted an airstrike last night in Iran’s capital, Tehran, targeting the outspoken Iranian Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Larijani.

    Initial reports suggested uncertainty about the outcome, but a later statement from the Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed the mission achieved its objective.

    Last week, Newpost Africa reported that Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), accused the United States and Israel of attempting to destabilise Iran amid the ongoing conflict. In a televised interview marking the war’s eighth day, Larijani argued that the “problem is Iran itself… not a minor change but the total breakdown of the country.”

    He alleged that the initial attacks by the US and Israel were intended to provoke collapse, referencing what he described as the “martyrdom of Imam Khamenei and other children of the revolution.” According to Larijani, Washington’s strategy relied on “shock” tactics aimed at overthrowing the government and dividing Iranian territory. He further noted that “even today, Mr Trump’s published message claimed Iran is being torn apart.”

  • EU announces €458 million in humanitarian aid for the Middle East

    EU announces €458 million in humanitarian aid for the Middle East

    INTERNATIONAL — (NPA) March 16, 2026 — The European Commission has approved €458 million in humanitarian aid for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt in 2026. This comes as major donors withdraw from the region and international humanitarian law faces unprecedented strain.

    A statement by EU Spokesperson Eva Hrncirova clarified that Syria will receive €210 million to sustain emergency response and protection nationwide. More than a year after the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, 16.5 million people still require aid, including 3.2 million returnees facing destroyed infrastructure and limited livelihoods. Funding covers food, healthcare, shelter, clean water, and education.

    In Palestine, €124 million will support food, health, protection, shelter, and education under extremely difficult conditions. Over 3.3 million people remain in need — 2.1 million in Gaza and 1.2 million in the West Bank. Gaza faces malnutrition, a collapsed healthcare system, and systematic obstruction of aid.

    Lebanon will receive €100 million for emergency healthcare, basic assistance, protection, shelter, and education. Needs are acute: even before the current crisis, over three million people required aid. In March 2026, Israeli airstrikes displaced more than 800,000 people. EU humanitarian airbridge flights are already delivering medical and relief supplies.

    Jordan will receive €15.5 million to sustain essential services such as health and protection, meeting the needs of refugees both in and outside camps. Egypt will receive €8 million for multi-sectoral assistance, including education for out-of-school children and disaster preparedness. Egypt currently hosts over 1.5 million refugees and asylum seekers, notably from Sudan and Gaza.