Antoine Khoury

The Iraqi government announced on Saturday that it will prosecute those involved in deadly clashes that shook a public administration office on the outskirts of Baghdad, directly blaming the pro-Iranian armed faction Kataeb Hezbollah (Hezbollah Brigades).

Turkey is seeking to strengthen its regional influence by rallying Muslim nations around the Palestinian cause, while maintaining close ties with Hamas leadership based in Ankara and Istanbul.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry called on the international community to block Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed military takeover of Gaza City, accusing Israel of attempting to forcibly displace Palestinians and render the territory “uninhabitable.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Thursday that Turkey and Syria are committed to deepening bilateral relations, praising the efforts of Syria’s new authorities following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December.

Roughly 68 million Egyptians are heading to the polls this Monday and Tuesday to elect 200 members of the Senate, in a vote widely seen as lacking suspense due to the strong grip of President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi's government on political life.

Syria’s new government signaled its intention to maintain close ties with Moscow, as Foreign Minister Assaad el-Chaibani made his first official visit to Russia on Thursday since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday the imposition of sanctions against the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association (AQAH)—widely considered the financial arm of Hezbollah in Lebanon—as part of its efforts to combat terrorism financing, according to Saudi outlet Asharq Al-Awsat.

On Sunday, the Jordanian army announced that two Jordanian aircraft and one from the United Arab Emirates dropped 25 tons of humanitarian aid over the Gaza Strip.

Saudi Arabia signed a series of major investment and partnership agreements with Syria on Thursday, totaling $6.4 billion, as part of a broad effort to rebuild the country’s war-ravaged infrastructure and revive key economic sectors.

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Joe Raggi has called on the Kingdom of Bahrain to reopen its embassy in Beirut and reestablish full diplomatic ties, amid signs of easing tensions between Lebanon and Gulf nations. 

U.S. envoy Tom Barrack reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to restoring stability in the Middle East during a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday. 

Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa met with Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday. On this occasion, a major investment package exceeding $17 billion in the United States was announced.