Lebanon's foreign minister resigns after TV interview During a televised interview, Charbel Wehbe drew a link between the wealthy Gulf states and the rise of the Islamic State. News Brief
Raisi, Larijani likely top candidates for Iran's presidential election Iran's Guardian Council, an unelected body that gets to decide a final list of candidates, is winnowing down the number of candidates allowed to run in the June 18 election. Iran
US expects 'significant de-escalation today,' Biden tells Netanyahu As President Joe Biden appealed for calm, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday there was no timeframe for ending the conflict with Hamas. Israel
Congressional Democrats urge US administration to help Lebanon The lawmakers criticized Hezbollah and asked for greater French involvement in a letter to the US secretary of state. By Al-Monitor Staff
Yemenis lower expectations regarding US peace effort Since his appointment in February, the US envoy to Yemen has striven to revive diplomatic efforts in a bid to stop the war; yet the situation in Yemen remains bleak, and violence has not ebbed away. Gulf
Europe sends Israel mixed signals on cease-fire with Hamas A special meeting of EU foreign ministers called upon Israel and Hamas to advance a cease-fire but the long debate reached no formal conclusions. Israel
These civilians died in Israeli raid on their homes in Gaza City At least 42 Palestinians, including 10 children and 12 women, were killed in an Israeli airstrike that leveled three residential buildings in central Gaza City. Palestine
Turkey, Russia pressure SDF to restore electricity to northeast Syria The Syrian Democratic Forces continue to cut power in the areas under the control of the Turkish-backed opposition in northeast Syria, under the pretext that Turkey is responsible for the drop in water levels in the Euphrates River. Syria
Kurdish journalists in Iraq criticized after Iranian immolates himself on camera The asylum seeker from Iran told the Kurdish media outlet Rudaw that he has no work. News Brief
Rocket fire continues on Israel-Lebanon border The Israeli military fired at targets in Lebanon following rockets being launched from Lebanon toward Israel. News Brief
How an exiled mafia boss became the center of Turkish politics An ultranationalist mafia boss, Sedat Peker, who had connections with the ruling elite for decades, now wages war against top officials with his camera and tripod from abroad. Turkey
House Democrats back away from delaying Israel arms sale amid Gaza conflict The Biden administration will brief lawmakers on the proposed $735 million sale of JDAM guidance conversion kits and other weapons equipment. Congress
Turkey fails to convince Russia to lift flight ban Despite the efforts of Turkey's top-level delegation to Russia to get flights resumed between the two countries, Moscow has extended the ban. Turkey
As Iran's election campaign picks up, boycott gains momentum as well Only one month out from Iran's presidential election, calls are growing for a boycott of the vote, widely seen as an undemocratic process with dim prospects of genuine change. Iran
Spain hit by massive wave of migrants from Morocco Morocco is also angry at Spain for providing medical care to the leader of a Western Saharan independence group. North Africa
Egypt pledges $500 million for Gaza's reconstruction Cairo, which is leading efforts to reach a cease-fire in the week-long conflict between Hamas and Israel, has pledged to help rebuild the battered Palestinian enclave. Egypt
