36 stories for 2026-03-18
Israeli air strikes hit multiple locations across Lebanon, including Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern regions. Lebanon's Ministry of Health reported 17 people killed and nine wounded in the attacks, which targeted towns including Sahmar, Yahmar, Al Aqibya, and Qanarit.
Israeli airstrikes targeted residential areas in central Beirut on Wednesday morning, including the Bachoura, Zuqaq al-Blat, and Al-Basta neighbourhoods. According to Lebanese authorities, at least six people were killed and 24 wounded in the strikes. The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for some areas before conducting the attacks. Hezbollah announced it carried out rocket attacks against Israeli military sites and settlements in response.
Israeli troops are conducting what the military describes as "limited" ground operations in southern Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah strongholds. Strikes on Monday reportedly killed nine people. The operations are occurring amid broader conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that has displaced over a million people in Lebanon.
The city of Aaleh in Mount Lebanon is conducting identity verification of displaced persons arriving from southern Lebanon. The measure aims to reassure anxious residents amid escalating Israeli strikes on areas outside Hezbollah positions.
Lebanon is experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis as over one million people have been displaced in less than two weeks due to ongoing conflict. According to UN statements, Israeli airstrikes have killed 912 people and wounded over 2,221 since March 2. Civilians are fleeing with minimal possessions as the conflict continues to expand, with approximately one-fifth of Lebanon's population now registered as displaced.
An Israeli airstrike destroyed a cultural center building in Beirut, according to reporting from Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
The Israeli military has issued an evacuation warning to residents of Tyre in southern Lebanon.
Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed four Lebanese military personnel and wounded five others in a single day. The strikes targeted the Qaa'qaa'yeh al-Jisr area in the south, with concerns raised that the attacks may escalate tensions with the Lebanese military.
Ambulance workers in southern Lebanon face a difficult situation between fulfilling their humanitarian responsibilities and being targeted by Israeli forces.
Lebanon's military court has moved to implement a government decision banning the military and security activities of Hezbollah. The court opened legal cases as part of practical enforcement of the ban.
Lebanon handed over more than 130 Syrian detainees to Damascus on Tuesday, according to a judicial source cited by AFP. The transfer was conducted in implementation of an agreement reached between the two countries in February.
Lebanese displaced persons hope to find adequate housing to return home, but some choose to return to unsafe residences rather than remain on the streets. The situation reflects the ongoing housing shortage facing those displaced from their homes.
Egypt has emphasized that Israeli violations are escalating the humanitarian crisis and increasing civilian suffering, pushing hundreds of thousands toward displacement.
A UN human rights mandate has stated that Israeli airstrikes on residential buildings in Lebanon raise concerns under international law, according to reporting from the UN Human Rights Office.
Israel conducted aerial strikes on three areas of Beirut on Tuesday morning, according to official media sources. One strike targeted a residential building. Additional strikes were reported in southern Lebanon.
An Iranian missile barrage struck central Israel, killing two people near Tel Aviv in Ramat Gan and causing extensive property damage to buildings and vehicles across the region. Israel's health ministry reported 192 people injured over the past 24 hours. Iran said four people were killed and eight wounded in US-Israeli strikes on rural areas in Lorestan province.
Israeli forces attacked worshippers and arrested several youths in Jerusalem. No additional details about the incident are provided in the source material.
Settlers attacked Palestinians and activists in the herding community of Humsa in the Jordan Valley, tying up and beating them and sexually assaulting one man. The incident is part of a broader wave of attacks in the area.
Iranian ballistic missiles struck Israeli targets, resulting in casualties in the Ramata Gan area and significant damage to a Qatari power station. Additional missiles struck the Holon region, causing further damage and casualties.
The Israeli military and Shin Bet security service announced on Monday that they killed a commander of Hamas's naval organization in northern Gaza. The deceased was identified as Younis Muhammad Hussein Alyan, who led the maritime unit.
Hamas is conducting discussions in Cairo regarding a Gaza ceasefire agreement. The talks occur as Israel remains engaged in conflict with Iran, deviating from commitments related to a Gaza ceasefire accord.
American critic Edward Said, of Palestinian origin, observed that much of exile life involves compensating for profound loss by creating a new world. The article reflects on the experiences and displacement of Palestinian refugees.
For the first time since the war in Gaza began over two years ago, residents are making preparations for Eid al-Fitr, including purchasing new clothes for children. However, celebrations are tempered by widespread anxiety about the humanitarian situation.
A film titled "Gaza Grad" documents the experiences of survivors who have fled Gaza, examining the deep psychological and humanitarian transformations they face as they cope with loss and attempt to rebuild their lives in exile.
The United Nations called on Israel to impose an immediate halt to settlement expansion in the West Bank. The appeal comes amid concerns about displacement of Palestinians, with reports indicating 36,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the West Bank over the past year.
Six people were killed in West Bank violence involving settlers during March. The incident occurred in a settlement area.
Syria's Interior Minister opened a female police institute in Tel Breef, Damascus, aimed at expanding women's roles in law enforcement and security work.
A national investigation committee looking into events that occurred in Sweida in July has revealed that 23 elements from the General Security and Ministry of Defense have been arrested and are facing trial on charges of committing violations.
A jury in Los Angeles found a former Syrian government official guilty of charges related to his role directing prisons under the regime of Bashar al-Assad. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the conviction.
A prisoner swap between Damascus and Suwayda has opened new negotiations after months of deadlock. However, internal divisions and questions over representation remain obstacles to resolving the dispute.
Soldiers were killed in an operation attributed to remnants of terrorist groups in Algeria. According to monitors, the underlying threat has not been fully eliminated and scattered cells continue to operate in remote border and mountainous areas.
Algerian police sealed the Algiers office of SOS Disappeared on 16 March 2026, a human rights organization that advocates for accountability for thousands of people forcibly disappeared during Algeria's 1990s conflict. Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa characterized the closure as a blow to efforts for truth, justice, and reparations in the country.
Residents of Baghdad and Erbil express doubt about Iraqi government assertions that it is working to rebuild the country following regional conflict.
Hundreds of migrants are detained in Bir al-Ghanim prison in Libya, where they face torture, hunger, and exploitation. Families await news of their relatives with no information, and conditions in the facility are described as dire.
Concerns have been raised that the Syria-Iraq border could become a fragile zone where ISIS cells operate due to insufficient coordination between the two countries.
Iranian authorities have detained ten foreign nationals among dozens of people arrested on suspicion of cooperating with Israel and the United States, according to Iranian media reports.