Abbas appoints Mohammad Mustafa as next PA prime minister
Mustafa has previously served as deputy prime minister, economy minister, and economic adviser to Abbas.
Middle East
Report: US, Iran held talks amid Red Sea escalation
The US delegation was led by Brett McGurk, the White House's Middle East adviser, and Abram Paley, the Iran envoy, while Iran was represented by Ali Bagheri Kani, the deputy foreign minister and top nuclear negotiator.
Tehran says no Iranian casualties in alleged Israeli strike on Damascus
Sky News in Arabic quoted Syrian sources saying that an Iranian figure was killed in the attack and that the dead did not have Syrian citizenship.
Houthi rebels' attack severely damages Belize-flagged ship in key strait leading to Red Sea
The Iran-backed Houthis also claimed they shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, something not immediately acknowledged by US forces in the region. However, the Houthis have downed US drones before.
Iraqi militias dial down US attacks on request of Quds Force
Sources say it is a sign that Tehran wants to prevent a broader conflict.
US reportedly conducts cyberattack on suspected Iranian spy ship
The operation was intended to inhibit the ship’s ability to share intelligence with Houthi terrorists in Yemen, NBC News reports.
Kataib Hezbollah commander killed in Baghdad in US strike
"(US) forces conducted a unilateral strike in Iraq in response to the attacks on US service members, killing a Kataib Hezbollah commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region," a statement from the military said. It did not name the commander.
Drone strike in Baghdad kills high-ranking militia commander, officials say
The strike occurred on a main thoroughfare in the Mashtal neighborhood in eastern Baghdad. A crowd gathered as emergency response teams picked through the wreckage.
US retaliates for fatal drone attack, hits Iranian militias
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said “this is a dangerous moment in the Middle East.” He said the US will take all necessary actions to defend its interests and people, and warned, “At this point, it’s time to take away even more capability than we’ve taken in the past.”
Biden says strikes meant to demonstrate US 'will not tolerate' Houthis attacks
The US Air Force’s Mideast command said it struck over 60 targets at 16 sites in Yemen, including “command-and-control nodes, munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities and air defense radar systems.”