Israel carries out strikes on two Syrian cities • US, Israel near deal on aid delivery to Gaza • IDF to widely expand Gaza operations
Strikes carried out against military targets in Hama area, Syria – report
Multiple strikes were carried out against military targets in the Hama area in western Syria on Saturday, Hezbollah-affiliated network Al-Manar reported.
Al-Manar attributed the strikes to Israel.
This is a developing story.
Iran’s FM: Tehran has the right to ‘possess the full nuclear fuel cycle’
It’s not clear how Iran views the new changes in the US as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also the National Security Advisor.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has said that Iran has the right to “possess the full nuclear fuel cycle.” This in essence, means Iran believes it should be allowed to keep enriching uranium, even if there is a deal with the US. Iran is a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). “As a founding signatory to the NPT, Iran has every right to possess the full nuclear fuel cycle,” Araqchi wrote on his X social media account on Friday.
The Iranian noted that “there are several NPT members which enrich uranium while wholly rejecting nuclear weapons…This club includes several Asian, European, and South American nations.” He went on to say that “I generally refrain from airing arguments on key negotiation elements through the media.” He then said that any US “maximalist” position would not work in the talks. This likely refers to claims in media that some voices want Iran to completely dismantle its nuclear program. “A credible and durable agreement is within reach,” the Iranian diplomat said. “All it takes is firm political will and a fair attitude.”
Iran is slowing down the talks with the US. The next talks were supposed to happen on Saturday, May 3, as they had the last three Saturdays. However, now the talks are postponed. Iran says it is being responsible in choosing diplomacy. However, it also feels the US is not being as forthcoming. Iran has reached out to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres with its concerns. Iran’s top diplomat has complained about “the contradiction between US statements and practices, coupled with the continued sanctions and threats against the Iranian people, deepens the lack of trust and raises doubts about Washington’s seriousness in adhering to the diplomatic path.”
Houthis show persistence amid ongoing US strikes – analysis
The Houthis continue missile strikes on Israel despite US airstrikes, prompting Saudi Arabia to seek more arms to counter regional threats.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have shown that they are resilient despite a month and a half of US airstrikes, following the three long-range missiles fired at Israel on Friday and Saturday. The terror group is currently facing attacks by two US aircraft carriers.
The conflict involving Israel, the Houthis, and the US also has ramifications across the Middle East and impacts US and Israeli policy.
The fact that the Houthis tolerate and continue to target areas in Israel illustrates the difficulty that Israel and the US might have in confronting Iran.
Israel using old airstrike policy with new Syrian gov’t – is it outdated? – analysis
The Druze in Syria are divided between different leaders and voices. It’s likely that many want a middle ground and prefer some kind of autonomy but don’t want a full break with Damascus.
Israel has carried out two sets of airstrikes on Syria over the last two days. In the first hours of Saturday morning the IDF said that “a short while ago, the IDF struck a military site, anti-aircraft cannons, and surface-to-air missile infrastructure in Syria.” On Friday, the IDF said “IDF fighter jets struck adjacent to the area of the Palace of Hussein al-Sharaa in Damascus.”
Both rounds of strikes were carried out amid tensions between Damascus and Druze in southern Syria. Israel has said it will support the Druze in Syria in the past. The IDF has said “the IDF will continue to operate as necessary to defend Israeli civilians.”
Israel’s decision to use airstrikes as a policy is not new in Syria. During the Syrian civil war, Israel used airstrikes against Iranian weapons that were being trafficked via Syria to Hezbollah. These strikes also targeted Iranian entrenchment in Syria. This was a use of airstrikes as policy.
Five additional Syrian-Druze civilians evacuated for medical treatment in Israel, IDF confirms
They were evacuated to the Ziv Medical Center in Safed after sustaining injuries in Syrian territory.
Five Syrian-Druze civilians were evacuated Friday overnight to receive medical treatment in Israeli territory, the IDF announced on Saturday.
They were evacuated to the Ziv Medical Center in Safed after sustaining injuries in Syrian territory.
The military stated that it deployed soldiers in southern Syria and is prepared to prevent hostile forces from entering the area, including Druze villages.
In addition, the Army Radio confirmed 16 Syrian-Druze citizens treated in Israel in recent days.
Maltese government on Gaza flotilla: ‘No aircraft entered Maltese airspace’ – report
The Maltese government responded to the organizers of the ‘Freedom flotilla’ to Gaza, who accused it of refusing to allow the vessel to dock, asserting that no violations of Malta’s territorial or maritime sovereignty had occurred during the incident, KAN News reported on Saturday.
A vessel carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip was reportedly targeted by a drone strike off the coast of Malta, leading the vessel to issue an SOS signal, as stated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) in a social media post on Friday.
Unconfirmed Arab media reports attributed the strike to Israel, which did not comment on the reports.
‘No more concessions’ can be forced on Hamas, Egyptian official says – report
Egyptian officials blamed a lack of Israeli-American will to end the war, the Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper Al Akhbar reported.
“There is nothing new that can be negotiated” to achieve a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, an Egyptian official involved in negotiations told Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper Al Akhbar on Saturday.
“There are no more concessions that can be forced on Hamas. The real crisis lies in the lack of Israeli-American will to end the war, ” he added.
Al Akhbar reported that an Egyptian official emphasized that the root of the impasse is a lack of political will from both the US and Israel to end the war, describing Washington’s reliance on Israeli military pressure to shift Hamas’s stance as a “misguided bet.”
United Airlines to ban foreign flag pins after ‘Palestine pin’ controversy – report
United Airlines announced that starting May 28, 2025, flight attendants will only be allowed to wear pins of the United States flag on their uniform, Israeli public broadcaster KAN News said on Saturday.
Kan noted that since the October 7 massacre, United Airlines has come under criticism for allowing flight attendants to wear pins with Palestinian flags.
Iranian FM: Nuclear deal within reach, Iran has right to possess ‘full nuclear fuel cycle’
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said that as a founding signatory to the NPT (Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty), Iran has every right to possess the full nuclear fuel cycle.
Regarding reaching a nuclear deal through talks with the US, he said, “A credible and durable agreement is within reach. All it takes is firm political will and a fair attitude.”
Egypt blocking new US stronghold in Red Sea – Egyptian media
Egypt is reportedly resisting pressure from the United States to allow the US and Gulf countries a new stronghold in the Red Sea amid escalating threats from the Iran-backed Houthi terror group, Egyptian and American officials told the independent Egyptian newspaper Mada Masr this week.
Egypt rejected to support the US project financially and militarily, Egyptian sources claimed.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have reportedly piled pressure on Egypt to join those acting against the Houthis.
- Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza.
- Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 at the Supernova music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities.
- 59 hostages remain in Gaza.
- 49 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says.
- The IDF launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on September 30.
- The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire came into effect on November 27 at 4 a.m.
- Netanyahu confirmed the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire on January 17, 2025.