Category: Middle East

War crimes” are taking place at US and Israeli-backed aid distribution centres in Gaza, according to the enclave’s Government Media Office. The statement referencing “the shocking confessions” of Israeli soldiers published by the Haaretz newspaper of “deliberately shooting starving Palestinian civilians” near the aid points said the testimonies are evidence of “war crimes”. “The report’s direct military orders to fire on unarmed civilians who pose no threat, and the use of heavy machine guns, artillery, and shells against peaceful gatherings waiting for food, are further evidence that the Israeli occupation army is pursuing a systematic policy of genocide under the false guise of ‘relief’,” the media office said.

Gaza City – At least 43 Palestinians have been killed in fresh Israeli attacks on Gaza since Monday morning, according to local medical sources, pushing the total death toll since the start of the war to over 56,000. Among the dead are 13 civilians killed while attempting to access food aid at controversial distribution centres in the besieged enclave. The victims were reportedly gathered near facilities operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed NGO whose operations have been condemned by the United Nations for the “weaponisation” of humanitarian aid. Human rights groups say Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted these sites, calling them “human slaughterhouses” due to the frequency and scale of civilian casualties. Since the GHF began aid distributions on May 27, Israeli strikes near its centres have killed more than 400 people and wounded around 1,000 others, according to Palestinian officials. Monday’s attacks mark another grim chapter in a worsening hunger crisis, with many Gazans risking their lives daily to feed their families amid reports of famine in several parts of the territory. Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, described the attacks as part of Israel’s ongoing multi-front strategy. “While it engages in direct conflict with Iran, Israel continues its daily killing of Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, launching deadly air strikes on tents and residential homes,” he said.

Doha, Qatar – Iran’s missile attack on Al Udeid Air Base marks a significant escalation in regional tensions following the United States’ direct strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Located just outside Doha, Al Udeid is the largest US military base in the Middle East and a strategic hub for American and allied operations across the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the strike late Monday, in what it dubbed the “Annunciation of Victory” operation, targeting the base as part of Iran’s promised retaliation. Home to over 10,000 troops, Al Udeid hosts the US Air Force, UK’s Royal Air Force, and Qatar’s Emiri Air Force. The 24-hectare facility serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command, overseeing military operations from North Africa to Central Asia. Qatar has invested more than $8 billion in its development, making it a pillar of Western military readiness in the Gulf. The base played a central role in past US-led campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was instrumental during the 2021 Kabul evacuation. Before the strike, satellite imagery and US military movements suggested that Washington anticipated potential Iranian retaliation. Reports showed a dramatic reduction in visible aircraft at the base by June 19, compared to earlier images. US military officials confirmed that non-sheltered aircraft and Navy vessels had been repositioned as part of “force protection” efforts. Although Al Udeid was not used in the US’s Iran strikes, its symbolic importance made it a prime target for Iranian response. Qatar has condemned the missile strike as a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty. The country had already taken precautionary steps earlier in the day by temporarily suspending air traffic and advising foreign nationals to shelter in place. Its Ministry of Defence said air defence systems successfully intercepted incoming missiles, and no casualties were reported. However, the attack has raised questions about further escalation, with both the US and Iran now openly targeting each other’s military infrastructure in the region.

Satellite imagery has confirmed significant structural damage at Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility following coordinated U.S. airstrikes that also hit Natanz and Isfahan. The strikes, authorized by President Donald Trump, marked a dramatic escalation in military action targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. In a national address, Trump described the strikes as “spectacularly successful,” stating that U.S. forces used advanced “bunker buster” bombs to penetrate the heavily fortified Fordow site. The operation, he said, was conducted in full coordination with Israel and aimed at dismantling Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons ambitions. This latest move comes over a week after Israel initiated attacks on Iranian sites, accusing Tehran of nearing atomic bomb capability—a claim Iran has strongly denied. Trump’s decision to openly join Israel’s campaign has intensified fears of a broader regional war. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful and under international oversight. The UN’s nuclear watchdog has also dismissed claims that Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon, casting further doubt on the justification for the strikes.