Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world https://shafaq.com/en/en?rss=1 Shafaaq News Agency Tue, 15 Sep 2026 19:07:24 +0000 ar hourly 3 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Tehran-repatriates-49-prisoners-from-Iraq https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Tehran-repatriates-49-prisoners-from-Iraq Tehran repatriates 49 prisoners from Iraq

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran will transfer 49 nationals, including four women, from Iraqi prisons to serve the remainder of their sentences at Ilam Central Prison, Iran’s Justice Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Iran’s Mehr News Agency cited Askar Jalalian, the ministry’s deputy for human rights and international affairs, saying that most were detained in Iraq on charges related to possession of drugs, medical pills or other prohibited substances, as well as carrying packages belonging to other people.

Iran and Iraq have carried out several prisoner transfers under a bilateral agreement signed in 2014, which allows convicted nationals to serve the remainder of their sentences in their home countries. In March 29, 2026, 43 Iranian prisoners returned from Iraq.

]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2026 17:04:14 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-forces-demolish-structures-shell-southern-Lebanon https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-forces-demolish-structures-shell-southern-Lebanon Israeli forces demolish structures, shell southern Lebanon

Shafaq News- Beirut

Israeli forces carried out demolitions, explosions,and artillery attacks across several towns in southern Lebanon on Tuesday,according to Lebanese media.

In Al-Mansouri, Tyre district, troops demolishedstructures as 155-mm shells struck the Hay Ghazaleh area. Drones were also seenplacing explosive-laden barrels on rooftops for later detonation.

Lebanese outlets reported blasts in Kounine, BintJbeil district, and Majdal Zoun, Tyre district, that sent tremors through Tyreand surrounding villages, while Israeli troops set fire to the remains of homesin Al-Bayada and shelled Haddatha.

Elsewhere, a drone dropped a stun grenade near ashepherd in the Marjayoun area, as low-altitude flights were recorded overAl-Zahrani, Ghaziyeh, Qanarit, Beirut, and its southern suburbs.

Read more: Southern Lebanese return home without feeling safe

The Israeli military claimed that its 210th Divisionhad found a “Hezbollah rocket launcher and missiles” in the Jabal Al-Rous areaon Monday.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun rejected claims thatthe Lebanese Army was failing to fulfill its responsibilities in the south,insisting that it was “fully performing its duties.” He also backed a continuedinternational military presence in the area after the mandate of the UnitedNations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ends.

UNIFIL said it has recorded thousands of breaches ofResolution 1701 since June 21, while the Lebanese Army documented around 7,700Israeli violations between the signing of the framework agreement on June 26and September 9.

More than 300,000 people remain displaced despite theJune ceasefire, with residents of towns including Al-Mansouri unable to returnamid continuing attacks and demolitions, according to the Associated Press.Lebanon’s Health Ministry put the toll since March 2 at 4,383 killed and 12,406wounded as of Sept. 10.

Lebanon and Israel are expected to hold another roundof US-sponsored negotiations in October, according to a US State Departmentofficial.

Read more: Israel reshapes southern Lebanon

]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2026 16:41:15 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Six-Palestinians-killed-in-Israeli-strikes-across-Gaza https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Six-Palestinians-killed-in-Israeli-strikes-across-Gaza Six Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza

Shafaq News- Gaza

Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed atleast six Palestinians, including children, since dawn on Tuesday, according toPalestinian media.

Warplanes and drones targeted Palestinians nearAl-Furqan Mosque in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, the GeneralSecurity junction northwest of the city, Al-Zawayda in central Gaza, and theindustrial area, where two people were wounded.

Footage circulated by Palestinian media showed a childcrying during the bombardment and a father beside the body of his child, whodied in an Israeli airstrike. Another video appeared to capture an injuredPalestinian being struck again about a minute after a child approached him inan apparent attempt to provide assistance.

Military vehicles also opened heavy fire south of KhanYounis, while Israeli fire killed a man in Jabalia refugee camp whose two sonshad previously been killed, Palestinian outlets said.

The Gaza-run Health Ministry put the toll since theOct. 11 ceasefire at 1,375 Palestinians killed and 4,686 wounded, bringing theoverall toll since Oct. 7, 2023, to 73,789 deaths and 174,798 injuries.

The Israeli military, meanwhile, reported killingAhmad Batash, identifying him as commander of Hamas’ Jabalia Battalion andaccusing him of overseeing weapons management and efforts to rebuild thegroup’s military capacity.

It further named Hamas commanders Rafat Abu Zamar inKhan Younis and Muhammad Khader Fahmi Aghour in Gaza City among those killed.According to the military, Abu Zamar trained fighters before the Oct. 7, 2023attack and later worked to develop “combat capabilities,” while Aghour wasinvolved in weapons production.

]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2026 15:50:05 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Saudi-Arabia-Houthi-attacks-injure-13 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Saudi-Arabia-Houthi-attacks-injure-13 Saudi Arabia: Houthi attacks injure 13

Shafaq News- Riyadh

Thirteen civilians were wounded in Houthi (Ansarallah) ballistic missile and drone attacks on three Saudi cities on September 14, Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki claimed on Tuesday.

Al-Maliki said the injuries were “minor to moderate” and that the attacks on Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif damaged seven homes and two vehicles.

Saudi Civil Defense also issued alerts earlier today for Mecca, Abha, Jeddah, Jazan, Taif, Yanbu, and Al-Ula, before announcing that the danger had passed.

Accusing the Houthis of deliberately targeting civilians and civilian property, Al-Maliki pledged that coalition forces would respond firmly and take all necessary military action to deter further attacks.

On September 14, Yahya Saree, military spokesperson for Ansarallah, said the group had attacked King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait with dozens of ballistic missiles and drones, identifying aircraft hangars, radars, runways, and ammunition depots among the targets. The coalition statement did not address damage to the base.

Read more: Houthi advance raises stakes from Bab al-Mandeb to Iraq

]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:27:35 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/IRGC-downs-MQ-1-drone-near-Hormuz https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/IRGC-downs-MQ-1-drone-near-Hormuz IRGC downs MQ-1 drone near Hormuz

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary GuardCorps (IRGC) announced on Tuesday that it had detected and downed an advancedMQ-1 drone west of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, the IRGC said itsAerospace Force intercepted the drone early in the morning using a “newadvanced air defense system.”

No details were immediately providedon the drone’s origin, operator or mission.

]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:43:29 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-attacks-kill-one-in-southern-Lebanon https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-attacks-kill-one-in-southern-Lebanon Israeli attacks kill one in southern Lebanon

Shafaq News- Beirut

Israeli military attacks across southern Lebanon killed one person on Monday, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).

A resident of Baraachit, in the Bint Jbeil district, was killed when Israeli forces opened machine-gun fire toward the town, NNA reported.

Israeli forces also opened heavy machine-gun fire toward the outskirts of Baraachit and Chaqra, which NNA said was intended to frighten residents who had returned to their homes.

Read more: Southern Lebanese return home without feeling safe

In the Nabatieh district, artillery fire hit the outskirts of Arnoun and Zawtar, while Nabatieh al-Fawqa came under intermittent shelling on Monday, NNA reported. Israeli artillery also struck Wadi al-Saluki, a valley running between the Bint Jbeil and Marjayoun districts.

In Jezzine, an Israeli airstrike targeted the Jarmaq road, with no casualties immediately reported there.

Israeli operations have persisted despite a US-brokered framework agreed by Lebanon and Israel on June 26 that calls for phased Israeli withdrawals, Lebanese Army deployment and measures addressing Hezbollah weapons and military infrastructure in areas transferred to state control.

Read more: South Lebanon framework

Lebanon's Health Ministry said Israeli attacks since the latest war began on March 2 had killed 4,383 people and wounded 12,406 as of Sept. 10.

Lebanon and Israel are expected to hold another round of US-sponsored negotiations in October, according to a US State Department official.

]]> Mon, 14 Sep 2026 19:29:20 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Netanyahu-Israel-will-continue-targeting-Hezbollah-infrastructure https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Netanyahu-Israel-will-continue-targeting-Hezbollah-infrastructure Netanyahu: Israel will continue targeting Hezbollah infrastructure

Shafaq News- Middle East

Israel will continue destroying Hezbollah infrastructure inthe “security zone” in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said onMonday.

In a video speech, Netanyahu said that Israeli forces haddestroyed “a major Hezbollah stronghold” at Beaufort Castle and Ali Al-Taherhill.

Lebanese media also reported Israeli explosions, artilleryshelling and heavy machine-gun fire across the Marjayoun, Tyre, Bint Jbeil andNabatieh districts, as well as fires at several homes in Bint Jbeil district.

Read more: “Attack on Identity”: Israel damages 55 historic towns in Lebanon

]]> Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:21:53 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Gaza-ministry-warns-of-certain-death-over-fuel-cutoff https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Gaza-ministry-warns-of-certain-death-over-fuel-cutoff Gaza ministry warns of ‘certain death’ over fuel cutoff

Shafaq News-Gaza

TwoPalestinians were killed and several others, including children, were woundedin Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Monday, Palestinian media reported,as Gaza health authorities warned that a halt in fuel supplies threatensservices at 13 non-governmental health facilities.

In KhanYounis, an Israeli airstrike on a tent killed one Palestinian and wounded fourothers. Another Palestinian died from wounds sustained in an earlier strike onhis home in Gaza City.

Otherattacks on a tent sheltering displaced people and a residential apartment inGaza City caused further injuries, while several Palestinians were seriouslywounded in an attack in central Gaza.

Since theceasefire took effect on October 11, 2025, the Gaza Health Ministry hasrecorded 1,372 deaths and 4,659 injuries, along with 831 bodies recovered,bringing the cumulative toll since October 7, 2023, to 73,786 killed and 174,771injured.

Meanwhile, theministry said the affected facilities had been notified through the HealthCluster and the World Health Organization that fuel supplies would stop fromSept. 19, warning of a “humanitarian catastrophe” if critical services,including surgery, maternity care and treatment of the wounded, are disrupted.It urged international organizations and relevant authorities to interveneimmediately and reverse the measure, saying patients could face “the risk ofcertain death.”

]]> Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:03:43 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Ammonia-leak-injures-11-at-Jordan-s-Aqaba-complex https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Ammonia-leak-injures-11-at-Jordan-s-Aqaba-complex Ammonia leak injures 11 at Jordan’s Aqaba complex

Shafaq News- Amman

Eleven people suffered mild to moderate inhalationinjuries after an ammonia leak at an industrial complex in Jordan’s Aqaba onMonday, according to Nedal Al-Ouran, commissioner for environment and publicsafety at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority.

Al-Ouran told Jordan’s Al-Mamlaka that the incidentoccurred during maintenance work carried out by a Japanese company on an oldpump or pressurized system, releasing a small amount of accumulated ammoniawhile workers were nearby. Civil defense and security teams contained the leakand evacuated the site as a precaution.

Workers, he added, will be allowed to return onceinspections confirm the area is safe.

]]> Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:16:50 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-denies-role-in-Saudi-pipeline-drone-attack https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-denies-role-in-Saudi-pipeline-drone-attack Iran denies role in Saudi pipeline drone attack

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday rejected as “purelies” claims that Tehran was involved in drone attacks launched from Iraqagainst Saudi Arabia, after US President Donald Trump suggested it may havebeen behind a strike on the Kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline.

At his weekly press conference, spokesperson EsmaeilBaqaei urged regional governments to “recognize the facts” rather than repeatsuch allegations.

Saudi Arabia reported on Friday that severaldrones launched from Iraq struck the pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions,but opted against retaliation for now while backing the Iraqi government’sresponse.

Read more: Iraq accepts Iran request for joint drone probe

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella ofIran-aligned Iraqi armed factions, denied involvement and expressed readiness tocooperate with the government investigation.

Baqaei also confirmed that a planned meeting inSalalah, Oman, had been canceled at Saudi Arabia’s request due to developmentsin Yemen. Addressing the conflict there, he denied any Iranian role and accusedsome countries of using the escalation to target Tehran, while portrayingHouthi actions as a response to years of war and blockade.

Read more: Houthi advance raises stakes from Bab al-Mandeb to Iraq

]]> Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:01:31 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Regional-Hormuz-talks-postponed-in-Oman https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Regional-Hormuz-talks-postponed-in-Oman Regional Hormuz talks postponed in Oman

Shafaq News- Muscat

Monday’s regional meeting in Salalah between Iran, Iraq andGulf Arab states has been postponed to a later date, Omani Foreign MinisterBadr Albusaidi announced.

Albusaidi attributed the postponement to the need forconsensus, reaffirming Oman’s commitment to dialogue that supports regionalstability and lasting cooperation. The Oman News Agency said the decision wasintended to create suitable conditions for constructive talks and sustainableunderstandings that support regional security and peace.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Director-General for Persian GulfAffairs Mohammad Alibek told the official IRNA news agency that thepostponement followed requests from some regional countries and was jointlyagreed by Iran and Oman, adding that Tehran would coordinate closely withMuscat to set a new date.

The meeting was expected to bring together host Oman, Iran,Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, butManama announced on Saturday that it would boycott the talks following allegedIranian attacks on the country.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al-ArabyAl-Jadeed on Sunday that participating countries were due to receive detailsand maps of an Iran-Oman agreement setting out new routes for vessels enteringand leaving the Strait of Hormuz. He stressed that the agreement does notitself mean reopening the strategic waterway.

]]> Sun, 13 Sep 2026 22:58:44 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Bomb-detonates-near-Hama-church-in-Syria https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Bomb-detonates-near-Hama-church-in-Syria Bomb detonates near Hama church in Syria

Shafaq News– Hama

An explosive device detonated near a church in Hama, Syria, causing no casualties or property damage, a security source told Shafaq News on Sunday.

No other details were immediately available.

]]> Sun, 13 Sep 2026 20:21:09 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/October-date-set-for-next-Lebanon-Israel-talks https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/October-date-set-for-next-Lebanon-Israel-talks October date set for next Lebanon-Israel talks

Shafaq News- Beirut

Lebanon and Israel will resume formal talksin October for an eighth round of negotiations, the US Embassy in Beirut saidon Sunday, a day after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun ruled out newnegotiations with Israel for the time being.

During a surprise visit to the southern cityof Nabatiyeh on Friday, Aoun stressed that Israel's withdrawal, the return ofprisoners and displaced people, and reconstruction remain national principlesthat Lebanon is committed to upholding.

Seven rounds of US-sponsored talks havealready been held. Beirut had preferred the next round to take place afterSept.17, when Aoun is due to travel to Paris for a preparatory meeting oninternational support for the Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces.

A US-brokered ceasefire reached in Junecalled for a phased Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of the Lebanese Army,and measures addressing Hezbollah's weapons and military presence.

Read more: South Lebanon framework: What we know so far

The Rome talks have so far failed to resolvekey disputes over Israel's withdrawal, security arrangements, and how theagreement will be implemented. The Lebanese Army has accused Israel ofviolating the deal, reporting about 7,700 violations since it was signed onJune 26, 2026.

Despite the diplomatic efforts, Israeliforces have intensified military operations across southern Lebanon, includingairstrikes, artillery fire, and demolitions in several villages.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agencyreported intermittent Israeli strikes and explosions in Al-Mansouri in the Tyredistrict, with residential areas and infrastructure targeted. The blasts wereheard in Tyre and nearby villages.

Israeli forces also shelled Beit Yahoun,while Israeli warplanes struck an area between Mifdoun and Zawtar al-Sharqiya.No immediate casualties were reported.

Lebanon's Health Ministry reported thatIsraeli attacks since the latest war began on March 2 have killed 4,383 peopleand wounded 12,406 as of Sept. 10.

Read more: Israel reshapes southern Lebanon: Displacement and settlement fears

]]> Sun, 13 Sep 2026 19:33:25 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/One-killed-three-wounded-as-vessel-struck-off-Qeshm https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/One-killed-three-wounded-as-vessel-struck-off-Qeshm One killed, four wounded as vessel struck off Qeshm

Shafaq News- Tehran (Updated on Sep. 14 at 9:28)

One person was killed, and four others were wounded in an attack on an Iranian commercial vessel off Qeshm Island, Iranian state television reported on Sunday.

Iranian media also reported hearing two explosions near Qeshm Island on Saturday, with no immediate explanation for the blasts.

Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz fell sharply this week, with seven vessels recorded transiting the maritime gateway on Thursday, down from 11 the previous day and below the 10-day average of 15, according to preliminary data from ship-tracking firm Kpler.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that Washington controls the Strait of Hormuz. On Wednesday, he predicted that the war with Iran would end after the US midterm elections in November.

Shipping through Hormuz, which handled about 20% of global oil supplies before the war, has remained heavily disrupted since the conflict began on Feb. 28.

Traffic briefly increased after a US-Iran memorandum of understanding took effect on June 18, providing for safe commercial passage through the waterway. The agreement later collapsed amid renewed military escalation and the reimposition of a US naval blockade.

]]> Sun, 13 Sep 2026 05:44:12 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Houthis-target-Saudi-military-base-Threaten-larger-attacks https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Houthis-target-Saudi-military-base-Threaten-larger-attacks Houthis target Saudi military base, threaten larger attacks

Shafaq News- Sanaa

Yemen’s Houthi forces launched ballistic missiles and dronesat a military base in Sharurah, in Saudi Arabia’s Najran region, targetingweapons depots and command-and-control rooms, Houthi military spokespersonYahya Saree said on Saturday.

Saree said the Houthis launched the operation “to retaliatefor continued Saudi attacks on Yemen.” He threatened “larger and more intenseoperations deeper inside Saudi territory if the attacks continued.”

Saudi Civil Defense reported that a projectile launched bythe Houthis fell in Al-Tuwal province in the Jazan region, injuring two peopleand damaging a mosque, several buildings and vehicles.

Meanwhile, Yemeni Prime Minister Shaya Mohsen Al-Zindanisaid the latest Houthi escalation went beyond another round of fighting inYemen, saying it was “linked to an Iranian agenda that uses Yemen’s strategiclocation to threaten regional security and international shipping.”

The government was following developments,setting priorities and taking action. He maintained that the security andmilitary escalation would not disrupt state institutions, according to Al-Zendani.

On September 12, Abed Al-Thawr, assistant director of theMoral Guidance Department of the Houthi-run armed forces, told Shafaq News thatcoordination among members of the so-called “Axis of Resistance” remained inplace, citing continued cooperation and joint operations across Iraq, Iran,Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen.

Zaid Al-Gharsi, head of media and cultural affairs at theHouthi-run presidency in Sanaa, said that ending Houthi military operationsagainst Saudi Arabia depended on ending the war and lifting the “blockade” onYemen.

Read more: Houthi advance raises stakes from Bab al-Mandeb to Iraq

]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2026 22:44:39 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Twin-explosions-strike-Iran-s-Qeshm-Island https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Twin-explosions-strike-Iran-s-Qeshm-Island Twin explosions strike Iran’s Qeshm Island

Shafaq News- Tehran

Two explosions were heard on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the southern Hormozgan province, the state-run IRNA news agency reported on Saturday.

There was no immediate information on the cause of the explosions or whether they caused any damage or casualties.

]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2026 18:33:07 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Axis-of-Resistance-operations-remain-coordinated-official-says https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Axis-of-Resistance-operations-remain-coordinated-official-says Axis of Resistance operations remain coordinated, official says

Shafaq News- Sanaa

Coordination and joint operations among members of the “Axisof Resistance” in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen remain in place, theassistant director of the Moral Guidance Department in the Houthi-run Yemeniarmed forces told Shafaq News on Saturday.

Abed Al-Thawr said military operations launched from Yemenor Iraq are coordinated unless individual factions act independently, addingthat any threat to Iraq represented a threat to Yemen and the wider Axis ofResistance.

Addressing Saudi accusations that attacks against theKingdom originated from Iraq, Al-Thawr accused Riyadh of trying to attributesome operations to Iraqi territory, reflecting “its failure after strikingYemen.”

Read more: Houthi advance raises stakes from Bab al-Mandeb to Iraq

“Yemen [previously] struck Saudi Arabia and officially announcedthrough its channels and media that the strike was Yemeni,” Al-Thawr said.“Saudi Arabia insists that the strike came from Iraq despite Yemen claimingresponsibility for it.”

Yesterday, Saudi Arabia reported drone attacks coming from Iraqon its East-West Pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions. It had chosen notto retaliate at this stage following a request from Iraqi Prime Minister AliAl-Zaidi for an opportunity to prevent attacks launched from Iraqi territoryagainst Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries.

The Iraqi PM approved an Iranian request for a joint inquiryinto drone launch platforms found near the Iraq-Iran border after an Iraqiinvestigation found that the attacks on Saudi Arabia originated from a site inMaysan, a southern province bordering Iran.

Baghdad removed theMaysan Operations commander and provincial police chief, while a source toldShafaq News that three border crossings with Iran were closed amid allegationsthat drone components and weapons had entered Iraq from Iranian territory. TheIslamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) denied involvement and said it was ready tocooperate with the government investigation, while no group has claimedresponsibility.

In late July, Saudi Arabia and the United States carried outstrikes against Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) positions in Iraq, killing 20and wounding 32 personnel. Riyadh said the operation came in response to droneattacks by what it described as “Iran-aligned Iraqi factions” against energyfacilities in the Kingdom, while the IRI rejected Saudi claims that the attacksoriginated from Iraq.

Read more: Wednesday's US-Saudi attack on Iraq: What Is Known

]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2026 16:30:41 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Kobani-prison-fire-leaves-seven-dead-dozens-injured https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Kobani-prison-fire-leaves-seven-dead-dozens-injured Kobani prison fire leaves seven dead, dozens injured

Shafaq News- Damascus

Seven prisoners died, and dozens suffered smokeinhalation and burns after a fire broke out at Ain Al-Arab (Kobani) prisonfollowing the unrest in the city, Aleppo’s Internal Security Command saidon Saturday.

Several people on Friday caused disturbances inside the prison and set fire to severalcellblocks, allowing the flames to spread through the facility and causingcasualties, according to the command. Authorities opened an investigation intothe circumstances of the fire and to determine responsibility, with legalaction planned against anyone found involved.

The command added that control of Ain Al-Arab prison has not yet beentransferred to government authorities. The handover remains subject to judicialand legal procedures, with the necessary decisions and warrants still pendingas part of the integration plan.

The facility remains under the command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Earlier today, local media outlets reported that tensions had risen across parts of northeastern Syria following thekilling of former Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) member Sami Sheikhmous Hasso,known as Siban Hazni. Internal security authorities said they had identified asuspect and were continuing their investigation to locate those responsible.

After Hasso’s body wasreturned to his hometown of Amuda in Al-Hasakah province, protesters attackedan internal security facility there before demonstrations spread to Ain Al-Arab.

Internal securitypatrols were deployed in Kobani during a protest over the killing. According tothe Internal Security Directorate, some participants threw stones at securitypersonnel, while gunfire was reported and several security facilities were seton fire, injuring a number of personnel. Security forces detained severalpeople before calm returned to the city.

The Syrian Observatoryfor Human Rights (SOHR) reported that some General Security forces withdrewfrom inside Kobani to surrounding rural areas and nearby security posts aftertensions and the heightened security deployment in the city and its outskirtseased.

]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2026 15:29:02 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Bahrain-rules-out-Hormuz-talks-with-Iran https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Bahrain-rules-out-Hormuz-talks-with-Iran Bahrain rules out Hormuz talks with Iran

Shafaq News- Manama

Bahrain will not participatein a proposed ministerial meeting on the Strait of Hormuz involving Iran untildiplomatic relations between Manama and Tehran are restored, the BahrainiForeign Ministry said on Saturday.

The ministry indicated that ithad conveyed its position to Oman, which is due to host the talks on Monday.Iran announced plans for the meeting on Friday, with Iraq and Gulf statesexpected to discuss the outcome of Iranian-Omani negotiations on establishingsafe navigation routes through Hormuz.

Manama maintained that itsrefusal does not diminish its support for Omani mediation or dialogue, but tiedparticipation to security concerns after strikes on Bahraini civilianfacilities and other sites. It cited an incident involving an ammonia tank thatit warned could have caused a major disaster, as well as Friday’s attack onSaudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, pointing to wider risks facing regionalinfrastructure.

It outlined four conditionsfor regional peace: an end to hostilities; accountability and compensation fordamage; respect for state sovereignty and a prohibition on using one country’sterritory to target another; and the settlement of outstanding disputes throughlegal channels.

Any navigation arrangement inHormuz should comply with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of theSea (UNCLOS), secure International Maritime Organization (IMO) approval, andguarantee passage for all vessels without discrimination, fees, or permits,according to the ministry, which called for all Gulf Cooperation Council statesto be included in negotiations, given the waterway’s importance to their energysupplies.

Bahrain also expressedreadiness to support a consensus-based agreement grounded in international law,provided its security concerns are addressed.

]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2026 14:42:31 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Exclusive-Houthis-tie-Saudi-de-escalation-to-war-blockade https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Exclusive-Houthis-tie-Saudi-de-escalation-to-war-blockade Exclusive: Houthis tie Saudi de-escalation to war, blockade

Shafaq News- Sanaa

The Houthis (Ansarallah) will continue militaryoperations against Saudi Arabia until the war ends and the blockade on Yemen islifted, a senior Houthi official told Shafaq News on Saturday.

Zaid Al-Gharsi, head of media and cultural affairs atthe Houthi-controlled presidency, maintained that the group remains “in a stateof confrontation with Saudi Arabia,” warning, “The continuation of theescalation will raise the cost borne by the Kingdom.”

Houthi forces, Al-Gharsi said, had captured sixdistricts from Saudi-backed Yemeni forces during the latest clashes along thewestern coast, with Houthi authorities beginning to restore services in areasbrought under their control.

On the political track, he accused Riyadh of backingaway from previous understandings over a roadmap to end the conflict, arguingthat Houthi authorities had made concessions in recent years withoutcorresponding implementation of earlier agreements by the Kingdom.

Fighting has intensified between the Houthis, SaudiArabia, and Saudi-backed Yemeni forces. Missile and drone attacks on cities andeconomic facilities in southern Saudi Arabia on September 8 have wounded 73 people, includingwomen and children, according to Saudi authorities.

Houthi forces have also made gains along Yemen’swestern coast, including in Mocha and the Hanish Islands, while extending theiradvance toward and around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the strategic waterwayconnecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Read more: Houthi advance raises stakes from Bab al-Mandeb to Iraq

]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2026 14:04:54 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Eight-deaths-in-Syria-s-Kobani-prison-blaze https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Eight-deaths-in-Syria-s-Kobani-prison-blaze Eight deaths in Syria’s Kobani prison blaze

Shafaq News- Aleppo

Eight prisoners were killed and more than 15 others injured, somecritically, after a fire tore through a ward at a prison in the northern Syriancity of Ain Al-Arab (Kobani) in Aleppo province, a security source told ShafaqNews on Saturday.

A security force from Aleppo had arrived at the prison and beguntransferring inmates from the predominantly Kurdish city of Kobani to Aleppowhen some prisoners set themselves on fire in protest, fearing they could besubjected to torture. According to the source, the flames then spread acrossthe entire ward, leaving several people injured as prisoners sought refuge inthe prison bathrooms.

Read more: Kurds in Syria: From marginalization to a defining political force

An updated report followed this story.

]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2026 09:48:04 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/US-limits-Hormuz-protection-after-Iranian-attacks https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/US-limits-Hormuz-protection-after-Iranian-attacks US limits Hormuz protection after Iranian attacks

Shafaq News- Washington

The United States has shifted military protection for commercial vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz to two recommended transit windows each day after Iranian attacks intensified, with shipping through the strategic waterway remaining far below pre-war levels.

According to messages reviewed by the Financial Times (FT) on Saturday, Washington has provided air cover to merchant ships using a route along the Omani side of the strait since May. Ships previously received broad overnight transit windows from the Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) center, but around the start of September, the system shifted to specific daily departure times.

One NCAGS message explained that vessels were not required to use the recommended times but would receive the “best support” if they did, while another warned that nighttime transit had not proved to be the safest option. US Central Command (CENTCOM) told the FT the messages “spoke for themselves.”

The change follows a renewed escalation at sea, with more than 70 commercial vessels attacked since the conflict began on February 28, according to the outlet. On September 9, Iran claimed attacks on 20 ships near Hormuz, including two US vessels and eight tankers, after the United States struck five Iranian oil tankers.

Maritime analysts cited by the FT said concentrating US aircraft and other resources into shorter periods could make the protection effort more sustainable and allow greater military capability to be focused on each transit window. A commercial vessel can take about seven hours to cross the strait, while operating an advanced US military aircraft can cost between $25,000 and $75,000 per flight hour.

Meanwhile, Kpler data showed only seven commodity vessels crossed the strait on September 10, compared with a 10-day average of 15 and a pre-war average of about 125 large commercial vessels per day. The figures exclude vessels operating with tracking systems switched off.

The disruption has also pushed tanker freight rates to record highs, with the cost of shipping crude from the Gulf of Oman to China on very large crude carriers reaching about $11.50 per barrel this week, according to Baltic Exchange data.

Iran has separately announced plans for a restricted zone extending from the US naval blockade line toward the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, warning that vessels entering it could face unspecified sanctions. Tehran has also said a preliminary agreement with Oman on a new shipping corridor is close to completion, while shipbroker Clarksons expects disruption through Hormuz to persist until at least the second half of 2027.

]]> Sat, 12 Sep 2026 05:30:11 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Powerful-blast-hits-Syrian-Defense-Ministry-munitions-depot https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Powerful-blast-hits-Syrian-Defense-Ministry-munitions-depot Powerful blast hits Syrian Defense Ministry munitions depot

ShafaqNews- Damascus

Apowerful explosion struck weapons depots belonging to Syria's Defense Ministryin the city of al-Shajara in rural Damascus, Shafaq News correspondent reportedon Saturday.

The causeof the explosion and the extent of any casualties or damage were notimmediately known.

Al-Shajaralies about 45 km northeast of Damascus.

Theexplosion came three days after 14 people were killed and 11 others injuredwhen a blast struck a temporary storage facility for weapons and war remnantsnear the city of Sarmada in northern rural Idlib.

]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:00:23 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Qatar-backs-Saudi-restraint-after-drone-attacks-from-Iraq https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Qatar-backs-Saudi-restraint-after-drone-attacks-from-Iraq Qatar backs Saudi restraint after drone attacks from Iraq

Shafaq News- Doha

Qatar on Friday praised Saudi Arabia’s “responsible approach” in supporting Iraqi government efforts to prevent its territory from being used to attack the Kingdom and neighboring countries, after Riyadh said drones launched from Iraq targeted its East-West oil pipeline.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said Doha stood in full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and supported all measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its sovereignty, security and facilities.

Saudi Arabia said earlier on Friday that drones launched from Iraqi territory targeted the pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions, adding that it had chosen not to retaliate “at this stage” following a request from Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to allow Baghdad an opportunity to prevent attacks originating from Iraqi territory against Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries.

The Iraqi government condemned the attacks, and PM al-Zaidi ordered an urgent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attacks and those responsible, as well as legal action against anyone found to be involved.

This was not the first time Saudi Arabia has said its facilities were targeted by attacks launched from Iraqi territory. In July, Riyadh said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed drones launched from Iraq that attempted to target oil facilities, attributing the attacks to Iran-backed armed factions.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), an umbrella of Iran-aligned armed factions operating in Iraq, rejected the Saudi accusation.

]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2026 21:09:56 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Saudi-suspends-Hormuz-bypass-oil-pipeline https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Saudi-suspends-Hormuz-bypass-oil-pipeline Saudi suspends Hormuz-bypass oil pipeline

Shafaq News- Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said on Friday it was suspending operations on the East-West oil pipeline as a precaution after “multiple targeting incidents.”

The pipeline is Saudi Arabia’s main crude export route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, carrying oil from the Kingdom’s eastern production areas to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

The 1,200-kilometer pipeline has a crude capacity of about seven million barrels per day, including around two million bpd supplied to refineries, according to Aramco.

The company has relied heavily on the East-West pipeline this year as regional conflict disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

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