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#Middle East

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>This frame grab from a video released by Iran state TV shows vehicles burning amid night of mass protests in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Iran state TV via AP)</p>

world

Iran shuts off internet as protesters start fires in widening unrest

Protests began late last month with shopkeepers and bazaar merchants demonstrating over inflation and the rial, but soon spread to universities and provincial cities, young men clashing with security forces.

<p>As well as missing persons and victims of crime, cases dealt with by the Department of Foreign Affairs included serious injuries, arrests, mental health issues, and deaths abroad. Picture: iStock</p>

news

Almost 2,000 Irish people needed consular assistance in 2025

<p>The Israeli embassy in Dublin announced last year that it would close, with the country’s foreign minister accusing Ireland of crossing 'every red line in its relations with Israel'. Picture: Cillian Sherlock/PA Wire</p>

spotlight

State Papers: Concerns were raised over ‘backlash’ to opening Israeli embassy in Dublin

Santa Claus

world

Israeli police arrest Palestinian man dressed as Santa Claus at Christmas party

Turkey Libya

world

Libya’s military chief and four others killed in plane crash over Turkey

Israel Palestinians Gaza

world

Qatari leader says Gaza ceasefire is at a critical moment

Simon Harris visit to Lebanon

Irish peacekeepers safe after coming under fire in Lebanon

Irish UNIFIL troops escaped injury after coming under small-arms fire near Bint Jbeil, prompting condemnation from defence minister Helen McEntee

Fri, 05 Dec, 2025

Syria Mideast Wars

Israeli forces kill at least 13 people in southern Syria raid, officials and residents say

Israeli forces raided a Syrian village and opened fire when they were confronted by residents, killing at least 13 people, Syrian officials said/The Israeli attack on Friday was the deadliest since its troops seized a swathe of southern Syria a year ...

Fri, 28 Nov, 2025

Taoiseach calls for global push to end conflicts during Ireland’s first G20 summit speech

Taoiseach calls for global push to end conflicts during Ireland’s first G20 summit speech

In a landmark G20 appearance, Micheál Martin pressed world leaders to end major conflicts and support inclusive global growth

Sat, 22 Nov, 2025

Lebanon Israel

Israel’s military carries out strikes in Lebanon and Gaza, killing dozens

The Israeli military has carried out multiple barrages of airstrikes in southern Lebanon on what it said were Hezbollah weapons storage facilities after a drone strike earlier in the day killed one person and wounded several others, including ...

Wed, 19 Nov, 2025

APTOPIX Trump Saudi Arabia

Trump dismisses findings that Mohammed bin Salman was likely aware of Khashoggi killing

The US-Saudi relationship had, for a time, been sent into a tailspin by the operation targeting Mr Khashoggi, a fierce critic of the kingdom

Tue, 18 Nov, 2025

APTOPIX Trump Saudi Arabia

Trump welcomes Saudi crown prince to the White House

US President Donald Trump is hosting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday during the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia’s first White House visit since Saudi agents killed Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

Tue, 18 Nov, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

UN approves US plan authorising international stabilisation force in Gaza

The vote was a crucial next step for the fragile ceasefire and efforts to outline Gaza’s future following two years of war between Israel and Hamas

Mon, 17 Nov, 2025

Pre-Deployment Mission Readiness Exercise, 127th Infantry Battalion,

Dorcha Lee: What the end of Unifil means for Lebanon and for Ireland's Defence Forces

As the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon prepares to wind down, Dorcha Lee examines the prospects for the region — and what the 49-year mission has meant for our Defence Forces

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Pakistan Afghanistan

Pakistan-Afghanistan peace talks fail amid rising border tensions

Tensions have escalated in recent weeks following deadly border fighting that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians

Sat, 08 Nov, 2025

Election 2025 NYC Mayor

Marion McKeone: Zohran Mamdani win rings starting bell for Donald Trump vs New York fight

Billionaire-backed Andrew Cuomo was swept away by ordinary New Yorkers galvanised by a cheery 34-year-old who kept his campaign focused on the cost of living

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Afghanistan Earthquake

Powerful earthquake kills at least 20 and injures hundreds in Afghanistan

A powerful 6. 3 magnitude earthquake has shaken northern Afghanistan, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 500 others, a health official said.

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

Remains of Israeli soldiers killed in October 7 attack returned

Israeli officials have said the remains of three hostages returned from Gaza the previous night belong to soldiers who were killed in the Hamas-led attack on October 7 2023 that triggered the war.

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

Israel hands over bodies of 30 Palestinians as ceasefire agreement edges forward

Israel returned the bodies of 30 Palestinians to health authorities in Gaza on Friday, completing an exchange after militants turned over remains of two hostages, in a sign that the tense Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is edging forward.

Fri, 31 Oct, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

Palestinian militants hand over the remains of two more hostages

Israel’s military said on Thursday that Palestinian militants handed over two coffins containing the remains of dead hostages to the Red Cross in Gaza.

Thu, 30 Oct, 2025

Israel says ceasefire and aid to resume after airstrikes kill 26 in Gaza

Israel says ceasefire and aid to resume after airstrikes kill 26 in Gaza

Fearing the truce may collapse, some Palestinians rushed to buy goods from a main market in Nuseirat and families fled their homes in Khan Younis further south, after airstrikes hit nearby.

Sun, 19 Oct, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

Israeli military launches attack on Gaza, Israeli media reports

The Israeli military has launched an attack on , as Israel continued to trade blame with Palestinian militant group Hamas over violations of the US-brokered ceasefire aiming to end the war in the enclave, Israeli media reported on Sunday.

Sun, 19 Oct, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

Israel identifies remains of one more hostage

Hamas has said it is committed to the terms of the ceasefire deal, including the handover of bodies

Sat, 18 Oct, 2025

Hamas says all reachable hostage bodies recovered amid Israel threat to resume Gaza fighting

Hamas says all reachable hostage bodies recovered amid Israel threat to resume Gaza fighting

Hamas says it needs specialist equipment to recover remaining bodies as Israel’s defence minister threatens to resume fighting

Thu, 16 Oct, 2025

APTOPIX Israel Palestinians Gaza

Red Cross receives remains of two more Hamas hostages to be given to Israel

The confusion added to tensions over the fragile truce that has paused the two-year war

Wed, 15 Oct, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

Tensions rise as Israel says body released by Hamas was not that of a hostage

Gaza’s health ministry said it received 45 additional bodies of Palestinians from Israel

Wed, 15 Oct, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

Hamas hands over hostage bodies after Israel threatens aid cut

Israeli officials said Israel had decided to restrict aid and delay plans to open the southern border crossing to Egypt because Hamas had violated the ceasefire deal by failing to turn over bodies of hostages

Tue, 14 Oct, 2025

PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT-HOSTAGE

Returning hostage bodies from Gaza may take time, Red Cross says

Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages from Gaza on Monday under a ceasefire deal and Israel sent home busloads of Palestinian detainees as Donald Trump declared an end to the war

Tue, 14 Oct, 2025

Trump declares end of Gaza war as last Israeli hostages swapped for Palestinian detainees

Trump declares end of Gaza war as last Israeli hostages swapped for Palestinian detainees

Hamas freed the last living Israeli hostages from on Monday under a ceasefire deal, and Israel sent home busloads of Palestinian , as US President Donald Trump declared the end of the two-year-long war that has upended the broader Middle East.

Tue, 14 Oct, 2025

Hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel

Palestinians cheer as freed prisoners begin to arrive home under ceasefire deal

Under the deal, Israel is set to release 250 Palestinians convicted of murder and other serious crimes as well as 1,700 Palestinians detained in Gaza

Mon, 13 Oct, 2025

Trump

Trump sets off for Middle East to mark Gaza ceasefire deal

Mr Trump thinks there is a narrow window to reshape the Middle East and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbours

Sun, 12 Oct, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

Israel and Hamas officials sign first phase Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal

The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt a war that has evolved into a regional conflict

Thu, 09 Oct, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

What do we know about Trump's Gaza deal?

Here are some details of what is known and not known so far.

Thu, 09 Oct, 2025

Israel Palestinians Gaza

Deal could be reached ‘in coming days’ as top officials join Gaza peace talks

Two officials from Arab countries said progress was made in Wednesday’s talks and that a deal could be reached in the coming days

Wed, 08 Oct, 2025

Mideast Wars Two Years

Gaza peace talks enter their second day on war’s two-year anniversary

The devastating war that has ensued has upended global politics, resulted in the deaths of 67,160 Palestinians

Tue, 07 Oct, 2025

Cork grandfather describes ‘barbaric’ detention after Gaza aid flotilla arrest

Cork grandfather describes ‘barbaric’ detention after Gaza aid flotilla arrest

Paddy O’Donovan says he was detained in inhumane conditions after Israeli forces intercepted a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza

Tue, 07 Oct, 2025

Mideast Wars Two Years

Thousands of Israelis mourn victims two years on from Hamas attack

Thousands of people have converged on southern Israel to mourn the dead as the nation marked two years since Hamas’s October 7 attack while Israeli and Hamas officials continue to hold indirect talks in Egypt.

Tue, 07 Oct, 2025

Daughter of flotilla detainee calls for sanctions on Israel

Daughter of flotilla detainee calls for sanctions on Israel

Jenna Almai said her mother, Maureen, had been detained while sailing on board the Paola I, which was one of more than 40 vessels intercepted

Sat, 04 Oct, 2025

Donald Trump

Hamas agrees to some of Donald Trump's Gaza plan but seeks negotiations on some points

Notably, Hamas did not say whether it would agree to a stipulation that it disarm, a demand by Israel and the US that it has previously rejected

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

Simon Harris visit to Lebanon

Irish peacekeepers 'safe and accounted for' as Israel drops grenades near Unifil troops in Lebanon

Unifil said peacekeepers at two different locations heard grenades explode near an excavator around 500m away from them at 11.30am on Thursday

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

GREECE-ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-AID-FLOTILLA

Legality of Israel’s actions against Gaza flotilla 'open to question'

Maritime security expert says international law 'protects the right to the freedom of navigation outside territorial waters'

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

Gaza aid flotilla set to head east from Greece despite Israeli warnings

Cork grandfather on hunger strike after arrest on Gaza flotilla intercepted by Israeli forces

Cobh man Paddy O’Donovan, 61, was among 16 Irish citizens arrested after Israel intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

Italy Gaza Flotilla Protest

Israeli military stops nearly all boats in aid flotilla, sparking global protests

Cameras broadcasting live feeds from the boats showed armed Israeli soldiers in helmets and night vision goggles boarding the ships

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

Hebron-Shop-Closures-Amid-Israeli-Raid

Tánaiste warns of worsening situation in West Bank alongside the 'horrors' of Gaza

Simon Harris said that while Gaza was enduring 'horrors', the Palestinian West Bank was wracked by displacement and 'rampant settler violence'

Wed, 01 Oct, 2025

GREECE-ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-AID-FLOTILLA

Taoiseach urges Gaza aid flotilla to stop, warning of ‘very dangerous situation’

Micheál Martin says the Gaza aid flotilla faces serious danger, urging Irish citizens not to continue and pressing Israel to respect international law

Wed, 01 Oct, 2025

Gaza aid flotilla set to head east from Greece despite Israeli warnings

Irish senator on board Gaza flotilla expects Israel will try to stop them soon

Global Sumud Flotilla volunteers — including an Irish TD and senator — are 'getting ready for interception' of their 52-strong fleet after earlier drone strikes in European waters

Tue, 30 Sep, 2025

Donald Trump,Benjamin Netanyahu

ieExplains: What’s in Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza?

Plan calls for immediate end to war between Israel and Hamas but lacks detail on how key points will be executed

Tue, 30 Sep, 2025

Iran Nuclear

Iran denounces reimposed UN sanctions and considers response

Iran is preparing for a possible confrontation with the West after the United Nations reimposed sanctions over its nuclear programme, even as some pushed for continued negotiations to ease the economic pain squeezing the country.

Sun, 28 Sep, 2025

TOPSHOT-PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT

Hamas says it has not received Donald Trump's plan as Israel expands Gaza City assault

In comments to reporters on Friday in which he said 'it's looking like we have a deal on Gaza', Trump offered no details of its contents and gave no timetable

Sat, 27 Sep, 2025

APTOPIX Israel Palestinians Gaza

Israeli strikes kill more than 30 in Gaza amid Netanyahu defiance

Israeli strikes have killed at least 38 people across Gaza overnight, health officials said. The onslaught continues despite growing international pressure for a ceasefire, with Israel’s leader remaining defiant about the ongoing war.

Sat, 27 Sep, 2025