(2026-05-18). Iran War Economic Impact: Gulf States Count the Cost. juancole.com The Conversation) — The US and Israel's war on Iran has cast a long shadow over the Gulf. It has placed many of the economies that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regional grouping — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia — under substantial strain. | Since the war began in February, the World Bank has downgraded its 2026 GDP growth forecast for the reg…
(2026-05-18). UAE ditches oil for AI to build Global South tech 'bridge'. scmp.com No country on Earth has adopted artificial intelligence faster than the United Arab Emirates — and the Middle Eastern cultural crossroad's ambitions to become an AI bridge to the Global South just got another major leg up with the delivery of the latest, cutting-edge US-designed chips. | But those ambitions are taking shape in a hostile environment. Amid the US-Israel war on Iran, Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has repeatedly taken aim at major Emirati data centres, developed in…
(2026-05-18). Saturday 6/6: How Communities Across Turtle Island are Cutting Ties with Israeli Apartheid. indybay.org Online | www.mobilize.us/us-palestineactivism/eve……
(2026-05-18). West Bank Palestinians see Nakba repeating under Israeli raids. newarab.com 
In refugee camps across the West Bank, the Today, Palestine's foundational tragedy stirs anxious thoughts of history repeating itself, as aggressive Israeli raids across the occupied territory mark a renewed displacement crisis that echoes the horrors of the Nakba. | In conversations at nine camps, Palestinians see the 78-year-old catastrophe not as history, but as a warning. | Amina Kha…
(2026-05-17). Lebanon says Israeli strikes kill 7 as Hezbollah condemns talks. newarab.com 
Israeli strikes killed killed seven people in Lebanon on Sunday, including an Islamic Jihad commander, Lebanese authorities and state media said, despite a fragile ceasefire as The health ministry published a "preliminary toll" for Israel's strikes on Sunday, with three people killed in the town of Tayr Felsay, including a child, and two killed in the town of Tayr Debba, including another child. | It said 11 people were wounded in those strikes and four more were wounded i…
(2026-05-17). Lebanon Roadside Bomb Wounds 4 Israeli Troops as War Continues to Escalate. news.antiwar.com The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire may have been extended this weekend, but that doesn't mean fire has in any way ceased, nor indeed that the ongoing Israeli invasion of Lebanon isn't moving ever deeper into the country. In the first day since the extension was announced, Israeli troops killed at least 18 Lebanese and wounded 124 others. …
(2026-05-17). Israel strikes kill at least 7 in Lebanon as Hezbollah denounces US-brokered talks. scmp.com Israeli strikes killed seven people in Lebanon on Sunday, including an Islamic Jihad commander, Lebanese authorities and state media said, despite a fragile ceasefire as Hezbollah called US-brokered talks between the two countries a "dead end". | The health ministry published a "preliminary toll" for Israel's strikes on Sunday, with three people killed in the town of Tayr Felsay, including a child, and two killed in the town of Tayr Debba, including another child.
(2026-05-17). Drone strike sparks fire on edge of UAE nuclear power plant complex. scmp.com A drone strike sparked a fire on the edge of the United Arab Emirates' sole nuclear power plant on Sunday in what authorities called an "unprovoked terrorist attack". No one was blamed, but it highlighted the risk of renewed war as the United States and Iran signalled they were ready to fight again. | There were no reported injuries or radiological release. The UAE, which has hosted air defences and personnel from Israel, recently accused Iran of launching drone and missile attacks. Tensions have…
(2026-05-17). After UAE and Iran scares, Massive fire erupts at IDF base in Negev near Israel's nuclear heartland. hindustantimes.com Reports of escalating regional tensions across the Middle East have raised fresh concerns after alleged drone strikes, explosions, and fires near sensitive military and energy infrastructure. Incidents reportedly include a fire at an Israeli military base in the Negev Desert, alongside unverified claims linking the region to critical strategic facilities. Separately, Iranian authorities have described controlled explosions in parts of Isfahan, while earlier reports suggested a drone strike near the Barakah nuclear plant in the UAE. Officials across affected regions have issued statements downplaying damage, but s…
(2026-05-17). Iraq exported 10 million barrels of oil through Hormuz in April. newarab.com 
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Israeli war on Iran has curtailed oil exports from Saudi Arabia, the
(2026-05-17). Alexander Zevin: Trump's Gulf War. newleftreview.org Asymmetries of the US-Israeli assault on Iran, as an uneasy balance holds between Tehran's tourniquet on the Strait of Hormuz—and the world economy—and the enormous firepower of the aggressors, at the end of the first round.
(2026-05-17). US says Iran-backed militia commander planned Jewish site attacks. al-monitor.com US authorities on Friday detailed charges against a commander of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia who was allegedly involved in plotting terrorism against Jewish people in Europe, Canada and the United States. Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, is said to have directed and urged others to attack US and Israeli interests, and to kill Americans and Jews, in retaliation for the war against Iran.He was identified as a senior figure in Kataeb Hezbollah, a US-designated foreign terrorist organization linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
(2026-05-17). After the Iran War: Seven Dynamics That Will Define the New Middle East. moderndiplomacy.eu Every major war in the Middle East has left the region permanently altered in ways that nobody fully anticipated at the time. The 1948 Arab-Israeli war created a refugee crisis whose consequences are still being negotiated seventy-eight years later. The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran reorganized the entire regional security architecture around a new fault …
(2026-05-17). Explained: Multi-dimensional Implications of US/Israel War on Iran. ummid.com Far from reviving American supremacy, the Iran conflict exposed the limits of coercive power in an age where history is no longer shaped by a single empire, but by competing centres of influence struggling to define a new world order.
(2026-05-17). The Surprising History of Warm Iranian-Jewish Relations. juancole.com Berkshire (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) — After the massive US and Israeli attacks on Iran on 28 February 2026, the second attack in the middle of negotiations within a year, with his characteristic modesty, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "The war on Iran fulfils my 40-year dream". Netanyahu has not only been dreaming of involving the United States in a war against Iran, but he has also been actively working and plotting to bring this about. US Senator Chris Van Hollen put it this way: 'Netanyahu waited 40 years to find an American president "stupid enough and reckless enough" to s…
(2026-05-17). Israeli officials say 50% chance of renewed war with Iran. newarab.com 
(2026-05-17). Israel says close to killing all architects of October 7 attack. scmp.com Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel had almost completed a key goal of the war in Gaza — eliminating all those responsible for orchestrating the attack on October 7, 2023. | His remarks followed the Israeli military's announcement that Ezzedine al-Haddad, commander of Hamas' armed wing, had been killed in an air strike in Gaza on Friday.
(2026-05-17). Israel's PM says close to killing all architects of October 7 attack. scmp.com Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel had almost completed a key goal of the war in Gaza — eliminating all those responsible for orchestrating the October 7 attack. | His remarks followed the Israeli military's announcement that Ezzedine al-Haddad, commander of Hamas' armed wing, had been killed in an air strike in Gaza on Friday.
(2026-05-17). Spanish star Javier Bardem says on Gaza. al-monitor.com Outspoken Spanish star Javier Bardem told AFP he was "getting more work than ever" despite his public campaigning against Israel's war in Gaza, something he attributed to "the narrative changing" around the conflict. At the last Oscars ceremony in February, the openly political star of "No Country for Old Men" used his time presenting the award for best international feature film to state: "No to war and a free Palestine."
(2026-05-17). Eurovision 2026 Results: Bulgaria Takes Victory. moderndiplomacy.eu Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, with Dara's song "Bangaranga," which avoids political themes, taking the top spot. The contest was affected by a boycott from five countries protesting Israel's participation due to its military actions in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack. Notably, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, and …
(2026-05-17). Eurovision Boycotters Turn to Father Ted, Raphael and Gaza Documentaries. moderndiplomacy.eu Broadcasters boycotting the Eurovision final due to Israel's participation plan to show alternatives like reruns of "Father Ted," an alternative music show with Spanish artist Raphael, or documentaries about Gaza. This year's contest has faced criticism due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, leading broadcasters from Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland to withdraw, …
(2026-05-17). Bulgaria wins Eurovision for first time; Israel comes second amid boycott. aljazeera.com Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia stage biggest political boycott in Eurovision history over Gaza war.
(2026-05-17). Gaza health officials say Israeli strikes, gunfire kill five. newarab.com 
Despite "Five martyrs have been brought to hospitals as a result of Israeli strikes today so far in the Gaza Strip," sai…
(2026-05-17). Could a leadership change undo Israel's international isolation? aljazeera.com Opposition leaders hope to end Israel's isolation, even as they retain policies towards Palestinians that led to it.
(2026-05-17). Israeli Troops Advance into Southwest Syria to 'Investigate Shepherds'. news.antiwar.com Israeli forces continue to operate militarily in southwestern Syria, though exactly what they are attempting to accomplish is increasingly uncertain, with raids into Quneitra and Daraa Governorates involving ill-defined investigations of random homes or people. The weekend operation was near the town of Jamleh, and saw Israeli troops enter Syria to capture a group of …
(2026-05-17). Friday 5/15: Nakba Day protest at israeli consulate. indybay.org 456 Montgomery St | "israeli" consulate…
(2026-05-17). Large blast near Beit Shemesh part of pre-planned test: Israeli defence firm. tribune.com.pk 
(2026-05-17). Palestinian-owned dog survives after Israeli settler beating. newarab.com 
A Palestinian-owned dog that was brutally beaten by an Israeli settler in the occupied West Bank on Friday is now recovering and being treated for severe wounds. | The Lucy suffered severe injuries and has since been taken for emergency treatment. | The harrowing footage clearly shows the settler, who has not yet been named, r…
(2026-05-17). Prosecutors seek death penalty for US man charged with killing Israeli embassy staffers. al-monitor.com Prosecutors said Friday that they will seek the death penalty for a Chicago man charged with fatally shooting two Israeli embassy staffers in the US capital last year.Elias Rodriguez was arrested immediately after the May 21 shooting of Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and his fiancee, Sarah Milgrim, 26, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington.US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a court filing that prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Rodriguez, who faces murder, firearms and hate crime charges.
(2026-05-17). Nicholas Kristof's report on Israeli rape of Palestinians detonated a furious smear campaign. Will the mainstream media follow the story? mondoweiss.net 
An in-depth report by NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof accused Israeli prison guards of raping Palestinians. The Netanyahu government responded with a ferocious smear campaign, and the media is squirming uncomfortably. Will it follow the story?
(2026-05-17). Questions over huge late-night explosion in Occupied Palestinian Territories. thecanary.co 
A huge explosion and fireball rocked Beit Shamesh in the Occupied Palestinian Territories late on Saturday, 16 May. Residents near Israel's Beit Shemesh area reported a loud explosion and large fire visible from afar. Israel's Kan News later claimed the incident was a controlled explosion carried out inside a civilian factory. No injuries or damage […] | By
(2026-05-17). Venice Art Biennale hit by upheaval over Israel's participation. newarab.com 
In an unprecedented move, more than two dozen national pavilions at the Venice Art Biennale this week shut their doors in protest over Countries including France, Belgium, Austria, and Italy walked out of the festival, an international cultural exhibition hosted every two years in the Italian city. | The boycott was triggered by opposition to both Israel's and Russia's participation, leading to the resignation of the international jury, coordinated pavilion shutdowns, artist boycotts, and protests across the Giardini, the Veni…