Eye on Extremism: June 30, 2025
Top Stories
Reuters: Battling to survive, Hamas faces defiant clans and doubts over Iran
Short of commanders, deprived of much of its tunnel network and unsure of support from its ally Iran, Hamas is battling to survive in Gaza in the face of rebellious local clans and relentless Israeli military pressure. Hamas fighters are operating autonomously under orders to hold out as long as possible but the Islamist group is struggling to maintain its grip as Israel openly backs tribes opposing it, three sources close to Hamas said. With a humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifying international pressure for a ceasefire, Hamas badly needs a pause in the fighting, one of the people said.
New York Times: U.N. Inspector Says Iran Could Be Enriching Fuel Again in a ‘Matter of Months’
The chief United Nations nuclear inspector has widened the divide with the Trump administration over how severely the United States set back Iran’s nuclear program, declaring that it could be enriching uranium in a “matter of months” even as President Trump repeated his claim that Tehran had lost interest in the effort. “Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there,” Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in an interview with CBS News that aired on Sunday.
CEP Mentions
Security expert Hans-Jakob Schindler warns: If the Iran-Israel conflict escalates, Germany is also threatened with attacks and economic consequences. Terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas have also been underestimated for a long time.
All-Hazards Prepper Podcast: "Tensions and Uncertainty: Unraveling the Israel and Iran Conflict"
In recent weeks, we have witnessed war and escalating global tensions between Israel and Iran. As we progress with the hazard topic of global threats in season 3, this week we feature Josh Lipowsky, the senior research analyst at the Counter Extremism Project.
Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director at the NGO Counter Extremism Project, calls such actions transgressions: "They want to test how far they can go. This is a dangerous demonstration of power," Schindler said in an interview with the Münchner Merkur from IPPEN.MEDIA. There is no justification for this, especially not at the Berlin University.
Anaysis
CTC Sentinel: An Assessment of Operation Rough Rider
On March 15, 2025, the United States launched an offensive against the Houthis in Yemen with the stated goal of restoring “freedom of navigation” in the Red Sea and ending Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. Fifty-two days later, on May 5, the United States ended its operations in Yemen following an agreement with the Houthis that the group would no longer target U.S. military vessels or U.S. flagged ships. This article provides an assessment of that campaign, known as Operation Rough Rider, looking at what the United States hit, who was killed, and what it cost as well as how the Houthis have rebounded and regrouped, the current situation on the ground in Yemen, and what is likely to come next.
New York Times: After War With Israel and U.S., Iran Rests on a Knife Edge
Those spies, mainly from Israel’s Mossad foreign intelligence service, penetrated Iran’s highest political and military echelons. The question now is what a shaken Islamic Republic in dire economic straits will do with what President Masoud Pezeshkian, a moderate, has called “a golden opportunity for change.” That moment is also one of extreme, even existential, risk brought on by the 12-day Israeli-Iranian war that the United States briefly joined.
Foreign Policy: Terrorism Means Something Different Now
FBI Director Kash Patel increased efforts to monitor possible activity from Hezbollah sleeper cells in the United States. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) bulletin, issued through the National Terrorism Advisory System, warned of a “heightened threat environment.” Customs and Border Protection said that the threat from Iran-backed sleeper cells has “never been higher.” And the Iranian regime itself threatened President Donald Trump that it would activate sleeper cells to attack the United States.
United States
A Chicago man has been convicted of using social media to recruit ISIS operatives and try to spread violent jihad, and encourage people to carry out attacks on behalf of the terrorist group. Following a bench trial in federal court in Chicago, Ashraf Al Safoo, 41, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to transmit threats in interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to intentionally access a protected computer without authorization, four counts of intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization, and four counts of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
Jerusalem Post: Trump working to advance deal to release all Israeli hostages held in Gaza
US President Donald Trump is working to advance a hostage deal aimed at securing the release of all Israeli hostages and bringing an end to the Israel-Hamas War, sources familiar with the negotiation process told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. “We’re optimistic a deal can be reached,” a US official said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with a small group of ministers and senior defense officials at the IDF Southern Command’s headquarters on Sunday to discuss the continuation of the war in Gaza.
Washington Post: A town tried to heal racial divides. It energized Confederate supporters instead.
What started as an effort to promote racial unity in Edenton by reconsidering its most prominent downtown symbol has done the opposite. A chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, long extinct locally, sprang to life. The forgotten Confederate Memorial Day was resurrected and commemorated again last month with a wreath-laying and roll call of the rebel dead.
Washington Post: Intercepted call of Iranian officials downplays damage of U.S. attack
The United States obtained intercepted communication between senior Iranian officials discussing this month’s U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear program and remarking that the attack was less devastating than they had expected, said four people familiar with the classified intelligence circulating within the U.S. government.
New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand called on NYC mayoral primary winner Zohran Mamdani to denounce the phrase “globalize the intifada.” In an interview with WNYC Thursday, Gillibrand told host Brian Lehrer that she had spoken to Mamdani the day prior to congratulate him on his victory, but replied “not today” when asked if she would be endorsing him.
The Trump administration formally accused Harvard University of violating federal civil rights laws and failing to mount an appropriate response to alleged campus antisemitism. Monday’s notice marked a stark and renewed threat to Harvard’s federal funding amid quiet negotiations between the elite school and government authorities that have otherwise been replete with court fights, threats to Harvard’s research funding and foreign student enrollment — and the recent possibility of a detente raised by President Donald Trump.
The Hill: Jeffries says Mamdani will need to ‘aggressively address the rise in antisemitism’ in NYC
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Sunday said Zohran Mamdani, the winner of New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, must prepare to “aggressively address the rise in antisemitism in the city of New York.” During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Jeffries criticized Mamdani’s use of the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which fueled his detractors’ accusations of antisemitism.
Forward: Mamdani dodges calls to condemn ‘globalize the intifada’ slogan amid Jewish concerns
Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, repeatedly refused to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada,” despite calls from some Democratic colleagues and Jewish organizations to condemn it as inciting violence against Jews. “I don’t believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech,” Mamdani said in a Sunday interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, following his resounding victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “My concern is, to start to walk down the line of making clear what language I believe is permissible or impermissible takes me into a place similar to that of the president,” he added, referencing the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and permanent U.S. resident who was being held by the federal government for deportation over his role in pro-Palestinian campus protests.
The Richmond Indiana Police Department blocked off the area surrounding the 700 block of East Main Street for nearly four hours, Tuesday, June 24 when it received a call just after 5 p.m. from a male who claimed he was holding five Jewish hostages, was armed with firearms and explosives, and had already killed a hostage. The caller told police he was located in the 700 block of East Main Street in Richmond. At 9 p.m., the police department issued a statement that the situation had been resolved, followed by press release that it had determined the call to be a hoax, even as officers continued clearing the area to ensure public safety.
Jewish News Syndicate: House bill aims to impose sanctions on Iran-aligned Polisario Front
Reps. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) introduced bipartisan legislation on Thursday seeking to designate Western Sahara’s Polisario Front movement as a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. “The Polisario is a Marxist militia backed by Iran, Hezbollah and Russia, providing Iran a strategic outpost in Africa and destabilizing the Kingdom of Morocco, a U.S. ally for 248 years,” Wilson stated.
Canada
CBC: Terror propagandist 'Dark Foreigner' should get 14 years for 'vile' crimes, Crown argues
Everyone agrees, even the defence. For inciting hate, fear and division by calling for violence against Jews with terrorist propaganda images and videos he helped make, Patrick Gordon MacDonald is going to prison for a substantial period of time. At a sentencing hearing in Ottawa's Superior Court last week, federal Crown prosecutors based out of Montreal implored the judge to hand down 14 years for MacDonald's "vile" crimes under the alias Dark Foreigner, while his defence argued for six to eight years and about 10 months of credit for time already served in custody and on bail under strict conditions.
European Union
Portugal Resident: Far-right parties of Portugal and Spain ‘aligned on immigration disinformation’
The increase in anti-immigration disinformation originating from far-right parties suggests a convergence on this issue between CHEGA in Portugal and VOX in Spain, the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) has concluded. “In EU member states, evidence shows that far-right and populist parties are often sources of disinformation,” says the report, adding that examples of this can be found with both CHEGA and VOX.
France
Politico: Le Pen ally working to clean up French far right’s image embroiled in racism scandal
You’d think the National Rally would be in turmoil after a key architect of the far-right party’s “de-demonization” campaign was found to have written homophobic, racist and antisemitic comments in a magazine and supported a Belgian Nazi until 2020. But the response to the news regarding Caroline Parmentier, a National Rally parliamentarian and longtime close ally of Marine Le Pen, as well as revelations that the party’s lawmakers were found to have joined Facebook groups that contained offensive content, was a collective shrug.
Germany
Deutsche Welle: Germany: Social Democrats urge ban on far-right AfD party
A number of Germany's conservative lawmakers have called for a cautious approach after the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior coalition partner, on Sunday passed a motion calling for preparations to ban the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The debate on whether to ban the AfD, which forms the strongest opposition force in parliament, has gained momentum after it was reclassified by Germany's domestic intelligence agency in May as a "confirmed right-wing extremist" group — an assessment that is now under court review after a legal challenge by the party.
Deutsche Welle: In eastern Germany, youths embrace nationalism, extremism
Right-wing extremism and racism have spread significantly in the city of Dessau, in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt. This has also become visible as graffiti: swastikas, pro-Hitler images and Nazi slogans are a common sight on the streets. It's become a trend across cities and regions in Germany — especially in the east. Holger Münch, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, warned in May that authorities have increasingly seen a "radicalization of very young people with far-right views," some of whom are organizing to "commit serious crimes."
TAZ: Neo-Nazi trial in Dortmund: "Combat 18" members see court as a stage
The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office accuses the four defendants - Stanley Röske (49), Robin Schmiemann (40), Kevin Langner (44) and Gregor Michels (45) - of continuing the banned far-right organization Combat 18 Deutschland from summer 2018 at the latest. The men allegedly took part in conspiratorial meetings, recruited new members and represented the group to the outside world - for example by wearing clothing with relevant symbols, through structured recruitment rituals and by running chat groups for ideological networking.
ARD: SPD calls for preparation of AfD ban proceedings
At its party conference in Berlin, the SPD has clearly spoken out in favor of preparing for an AfD ban procedure. The delegates passed a motion by the party executive calling for the establishment of a federal-state working group to collect evidence of unconstitutionality. If there is sufficient evidence, the SPD will then push for an application for a ban to be submitted to the Federal Constitutional Court.In the preceding debate, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil, among others, had strongly advocated using legal means to combat the AfD.
BBC: Syrian charged over plot to attack Taylor Swift Vienna concert
A young Syrian national has been charged with supporting a foreign terror group over a foiled plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna last August. Mohamed A, who is described by German authorities as a juvenile and not in custody, is accused of following the ideology of jihadist group Islamic State (IS) and helping another suspect to prepare the attack. Concert organisers called off Taylor Swift's three sold-out gigs on the eve of the first show at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium last year, disappointing tens of thousands of fans during her Eras Tour. Authorities arrested several suspects at the time saying they appeared to have been inspired by IS and al-Qaeda.
Reuters: Germany seeks Israeli partnership on cyberdefence, plans 'cyber dome'
Germany is aiming to establish a joint German-Israeli cyber research centre and deepen collaboration between the two countries' intelligence and security agencies, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said on Sunday. Germany is among Israel's closest allies in Europe, and Berlin has increasingly looked to draw upon Israel's defence expertise as it boosts its military capabilities and contributions to NATO in the face of perceived growing threats from Russia and China.
Hungary
Reuters: Hungary's Orban accuses EU of orchestrating 'repulsive' Pride march
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called Saturday's Pride "repulsive and shameful", accusing the EU of directing opposition politicians to organise the event, which turned into an anti-government protest, local media reported in Sunday. The march in Budapest for LGBTQ+ swelled into one of the largest displays of opposition to Orban in recent years, as an estimated 100,000 participants defied a police ban and threats of fines to join the demonstration.
Ireland
Irish News: Police probe underway as SDLP councillor receives ‘vile’ neo-Nazi package in post
Police are investigating after an SDLP councillor received a “vile” package in the post. Mid Ulster councillor Malachy Quinn has said he will not be intimidated after he was targeted by the “hate mail” last week. The document, which runs to around 40 pages, includes neo-Nazi propaganda, racist material, and denies the Holocaust took place.
United Kingdom
Reuters: UK's Starmer and Glastonbury slam 'death to' Israeli military chant
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Glastonbury organisers said on Sunday they were appalled by on-stage chanting against the Israeli military during a performance at the festival by Punk-rap duo Bob Vylan. During their show on Saturday, the duo chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in reference to the Israel Defense Forces, the formal name of the Israeli military. Police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation, but did not name Bob Vylan or Irish rap band Kneecap, who appeared on the same stage and also criticised Israel.
Reuters: BBC regrets not cutting Bob Vylan Glastonbury livestream, calls chants antisemitic
Britain's BBC said on Monday it regretted not stopping the livestream of Bob Vylan's set at Glastonbury music festival after a member of the punk-rap duo led what the broadcaster called antisemitic chants against Israel's military. Saturday's set included on-stage chants of "death, death to the IDF", a reference to the Israel Defense Forces fighting a war in Gaza, and "From the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, inshallah, it will be free".
Reuters: UK campaign group Palestine Action to challenge government ban
Pro-Palestinian campaign organisation Palestine Action said on Monday it had initiated legal proceedings to challenge the British government's intention to ban the group under anti-terrorism laws. The proscription - expected to be laid before parliament on Monday - would make it a criminal offence to belong to the group, and was announced days after its activists damaged two British military planes in protest at London's support for Israel.
Reuters: Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap lead anti-Keir Starmer chant at Glastonbury
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap led chants of "Fuck Keir Starmer" and condemned Israel in front of a huge crowd at Glastonbury Festival on Saturday, after the British prime minister had said their appearance was "not appropriate". Politicians and music industry bosses had called on organisers to pull the group after member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who is known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert.
Jerusalem Post: Islamist antisemitism goes beyond Israeli-Palestinian conflict, CEG report argues
"There is persuasive evidence of a connection between extremism in the Muslim world and antisemitism," found a new report by the UK-based Counter Extremism Group, published on Monday. The central argument of the near-100-page report is that it is futile to rationalize (or attempt to rationalize) Islamist antisemitism as a response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Mirror: Dangerous neo-Nazi death cult to be outlawed alongside Palestine Action
A deadly neo-Nazi cult aiming to spead the "flames of Lucifer" across the world is set to be outlawed in the UK. Yvette Cooper will this week set out plans to proscribe the Maniacs Murder Cult (MMC). The vile organisation, which is believed to have been founded in Ukraine, has been linked to dozens of racist attacks and murders in Europe and America.
Daily Gazette: Essex family convicted of promoting racism through neo-Nazi music
A FATHER and his two adult children have been found guilty of creating and distributing neo-Nazi music. Robert Talland, 56, his son Stephen, 36, and daughter Rosie, 34, all from Essex, were convicted following a nine-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court. All three were found guilty of stirring up racial hatred while Robert was also convicted of two offences of encouraging terrorism.
Afghanistan
Amu: Taliban delegation travels to Qatar for Doha working group meetings
A Taliban delegation has traveled to Qatar to participate in two working group meetings under the Doha Process, Taliban confirmed Sunday. According to a statement from Taliban-run Ministry of Public Health, the seven-member delegation includes Taliban officials from three ministries: Enamullah Ammar, Taliban director of the National Drug Treatment Program at the Ministry of Public Health; Hedayatullah Oria Khel, Taliban senior adviser at the ministry’s health service delivery division; and Taliban representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs and agriculture.
Amu: Taliban publicly flog over 160 people in 37 days
Taliban have publicly flogged more than 160 people across 18 provinces — including 19 women — over the past 37 days, according to data compiled by Amu from statements by the Taliban’s Supreme Court, raising alarm among human rights activists and residents over the resurgence of corporal punishment. The floggings were carried out in provinces including Kabul, Laghman, Khost, Kunar, and Parwan, with the capital accounting for the highest number of cases: 57 public floggings in just over five weeks.
Amu: Taliban ban photography for students at Kandahar University, sources say
Students at Kandahar University say Taliban have prohibited photography and videography on campus, extending a growing pattern of restrictions across the country’s educational institutions. Several students told Amu TV that during a recent award ceremony, Taliban members warned attendees that capturing images or video was forbidden and instructed them to refrain from such activity going forward.
Afghanistan International: Activists Call On UN To Document Rights Violations Against Afghan Women
Afghan women’s-rights activists have pressed the United Nations to step up independent monitoring and documentation of abuses under Taliban rule, citing a sharp rise in violence and repression. During a meeting in Ankara on Sunday, 29 June, the activists told UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett that women and girls in Afghanistan face systematic violations, including domestic violence, forced and child marriages, harassment, arbitrary arrest and torture. They said human-rights defenders, civil-society activists and journalists are also being targeted.
The Taliban has once again denied the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan, following renewed concerns raised by a senior Russian security official over the group’s alleged activities in the region. Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson for the Taliban, said in an interview with the state-run Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) that ISIS has been “suppressed” and no longer operates within Afghan territory.
Iran
New York Times: Israel’s Attack on Evin Prison Killed 71, Iranian State Media Report
Iranian state news media reported on Sunday that 71 people were killed during the war in an Israeli attack on Evin Prison, a notorious detention facility in Tehran where dissidents and political prisoners are held. Detainees, visiting relatives and prison staff were among the dead, according to a statement from a spokesman for Iran’s judiciary that was carried by the state news agency IRNA. The spokesman, Asghar Jahangir, did not provide names — heightening the concerns of some detainees’ families, who said they have not heard from their loved ones since the June 23 strike.
Britain, France and Germany denounced threats against the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog on Monday, after a hardline Iranian newspaper said IAEA boss Rafael Grossi should be tried and executed as an Israeli agent. "France, Germany and the United Kingdom condemn threats against the Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi and reiterate our full support to the Agency and the DG in carrying out their mandate," said a statement from the three countries' foreign ministries.
Iraq
Kurdistan24: ISIS Activity Intensifies Across Central Iraq, Says KRG Representative
Maj. Gen. Abdul Khaliq Talaat, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) representative to the Joint Forces Command, warned on Monday that ISIS activity is on the rise across central and northern Iraq, citing fresh intelligence and ongoing operations. Speaking to Kurdistan24 on June 30, 2025, Talaat stated, “ISIS activity has intensified over the past week, particularly in areas like Khurmatu, Daquq, and the surroundings of Kirkuk.” He further revealed that earlier the same day, several ISIS militants were arrested in Anbar province. “ISIS has not been eradicated; its movements have increased,” he added.
Israel
Financial Times: Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu weighs his next move after Iran war
Opinion polls show that the war — which started with a surprise Israeli attack on June 13 and culminated with a US bombing raid on Iranian nuclear facilities — had over 80 per cent support from Jewish Israelis, an overwhelming majority of whom believe Israel won decisively. For observers in Israel and abroad, the question now is what Netanyahu will do next. He has already touted the prospect of using the momentum following the conflict to try and revive long-stalled plans to strike new peace accords with Arab states, something that is expected to require agreeing to end the domestically divisive war in Gaza.
Reuters: Israel orders evacuations in northern Gaza as Trump calls for war to end
The Israeli military ordered Palestinians to evacuate areas in northern Gaza on Sunday before intensified fighting against Hamas, as U.S. President Donald Trump called for an end to the war amid renewed efforts to broker a ceasefire. "Make the deal in Gaza, get the hostages back," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform early on Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to hold talks later in the day on the progress of Israel's offensive. A senior security official said the military will tell him the campaign is close to reaching its objectives, and warn that expanding fighting to new areas in Gaza may endanger the remaining Israeli hostages.
Reuters: Israel pounds Gaza, killing 58, ahead of White House talks on ceasefire
Israeli strikes killed at least 58 people across Gaza on Monday as residents in the enclave's north reported one of the heaviest bombardments in weeks, while Israeli officials were due in Washington for a new ceasefire push by the Trump administration. A day after U.S. President Donald Trump urged an end to the 20-month-old war, a confidant of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected at the White House for talks on a Gaza ceasefire, Iran, and possible wider regional diplomatic deals.
Associated Press: Israeli settlers rampage at a military base in the West Bank
Dozens of Israeli settlers rampaged around a military base in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, setting fires, vandalizing military vehicles, spraying graffiti and attacking soldiers, the military said. Sunday night’s unrest came after several attacks in the West Bank carried out by Jewish settlers and anger at their arrests by security forces attempting to contain the violence over the past few days.
In early May, the Israeli cabinet approved a new military operation in Gaza. It was dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots.” The idea was that this new operation would be a break from the past. After 500 days or more of fighting in which the IDF had often cleared areas, and then left them, only to return again, the new plan called for conquering most of Gaza. Gideon’s Chariots was supposed to be a strong, decisive war of maneuver. It was described as a plan that would do away with the failures of more than a year of plodding war in Gaza.
Jerusalem Post: Defense agencies have lost control over Jewish extremists in West Bank
In multiple instances in recent days, extremist Jewish settlers in the dozens have attacked IDF soldiers who were either trying to prevent them from repeat attacks on Palestinian villages or when those soldiers tried to remove them from building new illegal outposts on private Palestinian land. These are not the first such instances of Jewish extremist violence against the IDF, as they have happened occasionally for many years and increasingly so during the current war, when Palestinian terror has hit high levels.
Reuters: Netanyahu sees Iran outcome opening door to Gaza hostage return
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday the 12-day war with Iran had created opportunities for Israel, and the first was the return of hostages held in Gaza by Palestinian militants who attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. His remarks, coupled with the Jerusalem District Court's postponement of his testimony this week in his long-running corruption trial, gave rise to speculation that progress may be made to end the Gaza conflict and secure the hostages' release.
The official Farsi-language Mossad account on X declared Monday that Brig. Gen. Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, “is not our spy,” brushing aside months of Western speculation that the Iranian general had been flipped by Israel’s intelligence service.
Jerusalem Post: 'Jewish terrorism': Israeli officials denounce far Right West Bank violence
Israeli politicians, including current and former government ministers, denounced the violence of far Right Jewish settlers in the West Bank over recent days, including the arson attack on a security facility on Sunday night. "No civilized country can tolerate violent and anarchic acts of burning a military facility, damaging IDF property, and the attacking of security personnel by citizens of the country," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated.
Reuters: Israel says missile launched by Yemen's Houthis 'most likely' intercepted
The Israeli army said on Saturday that a missile fired from Yemen towards Israeli territory had been "most likely successfully intercepted", while Yemen's Houthi forces claimed responsibility for the launch. Israel has threatened Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement - which has been attacking Israel in what it says is solidarity with Gaza - with a naval and air blockade if its attacks on Israel persist.
Lebanon
Naharnet: Report: Hezbollah stance on Lebanese paper expected within 2 days
The Lebanese response to U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s proposal calls for Israeli withdrawal from one or two occupied hills in return for the start of the handover of Hezbollah’s arms in the areas north of the Litani River, Al-Jadeed TV quoted Lebanese officials as saying.
Naharnet: Hezbollah's Qmati says deadline must be set for Israel not for Hezbollah
Hezbollah political bureau member Mahmoud Qmati has said that a deadline must be set for Israel and not for Hezbollah, calling again for Israel's halt of attacks and withdrawal from south Lebanon before demanding Hezbollah to disarm. Qmati said Sunday that liberating the five occupied hills in south Lebanon, freeing the Lebanese prisoners, halting the "Israeli aggression and violations", and the "unconditional reconstruction" of war-hit regions have always been a national priority to the President, the Prime Minister and the Lebanese government.
Naharnet: Qassem says Hezbollah 'capable of confronting Israelis'
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said in a Ashoura commemorations televised speech overnight that the "ongoing aggression" by Israel "must not be allowed to continue." "The (Lebanese) state must exert pressure, and it must fulfill all of its duties," he said, insisting Hezbollah had held up its end of the ceasefire bargain.
Syria
Reuters: Syrian forces massacred 1,500 Alawites. The chain of command led to Damascus.
A Reuters investigation found 40 distinct sites of killings, looting and arson during three days of sectarian massacres following an Assad loyalist insurgency. The chain of command led from the attackers directly to men serving alongside Syria’s new leaders in Damascus. The killings now threaten Syria's fragile transition.
Reuters: How Syrian government forces and factions are linked to the mass killings of Alawites
On January 29, Ahmed al-Sharaa and more than 12 other commanders from armed factions that joined forces to overthrow Bashar al-Assad gathered in the presidential palace in Damascus in a show of unity among men who had fought each other almost as much as they’d fought Assad. Al-Sharaa was named president and abolished the constitution, along with disbanding the Assad government’s army and security apparatus.
Kurdistan24: Mass Grave Discovered in Eastern Deir ez-Zor
A mass grave has been uncovered at the Al-Ruwad housing project in eastern Deir ez-Zor, prompting Syrian authorities to launch an extensive investigation into what could be one of many burial sites linked to past mass executions. According to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the grave was discovered by the criminal security branch of Deir ez-Zor province in cooperation with other security bodies. The operation took place in an area that had been under the control of regime security points for 14 years, a region long associated with reports of human rights violations and enforced disappearances.
The Free Syrian party, ex-National Salvation Front, has called on the new authorities in Damascus to include Polisario in the list of terrorist organizations banned in Syria for their participation in the bloody atrocities committed against the Syrian people. The party supports the bi-partisan legislation submitted by U.S. Republican Representative Joe Wilson to the Congress to designate the Algeria-backed Polisario separatist group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Turkey
Reuters: Turkish police detain dozens at banned Istanbul Pride march, lawmaker says
Turkish police detained at least 30 people in central Istanbul on Sunday as they tried to take part in a Pride March, which authorities had banned as part of a years-long clampdown on LGBTQ+ events, an opposition politician said. Footage obtained by Reuters showed police scuffling with a group of activists holding rainbow flags in the city centre before rounding them up and loading them into police vans.
Yemen
A new analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has revealed that more than 12.2 million people—nearly half the population living in Houthi-controlled areas of northern Yemen—are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with urgent humanitarian assistance needed between May and August 2025. The report indicates that 8.5 million people are experiencing Crisis-level food insecurity (IPC Phase 3), while 3.7 million are in the more severe Emergency phase (IPC Phase 4). All 215 districts analyzed in Houthi-held territories are affected, with over 100 districts classified as being in a state of emergency.
Yemen’s information minister on Friday accused Iran of attempting to relocate parts of its military industry to territory controlled by the Houthis, which he said would endanger global shipping routes in the Gulf of Aden. Yemeni Minister of Information Moammar al-Eryani confirmed in a statement that Tehran’s plan includes the production of ballistic missiles and drones in the northern governorates of Sa’da and Hajjah, as well as areas surrounding the capital, Sana’a.
Algeria
Bloomberg: Algeria Jails French Football Reporter for Seven Years
Algeria jailed a French sports journalist for seven years on charges of “glorifying terrorism,” amid a simmering feud between the North African nation and its former colonial rulers. Christophe Gleizes, 36, was sentenced by a court in the eastern Kabylie region on Sunday, advocacy group Reporters Sans Frontieres said in a statement condemning the decision. He will lodge an appeal.
Morocco
North Africa Post: Morocco arrests female Daesh supporter suspected of plotting Terrorist Attack
Moroccan security forces arrested, on Friday in Rabat, a 21-year-old woman affiliated with the terrorist organization “Daesh”, suspected of preparing a high-risk terrorist plot, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) said on Saturday.
Nigeria
Premium Times: Soldiers kill notorious terrorist in Zamfara
Troops of 1 Brigade Nigerian Army have killed a terrorist kingpin identified as Mai Dada during a counterattack in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara. A credible source familiar with the operation told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that several suspects were apprehended during the operation conducted from 25 to 26 June.
Somalia
The Star: Somalia launches biometric border system to tackle trafficking, terrorism
Somalia has officially rolled out a new biometric border security system, backed by the United States, to fight human trafficking, curb illegal migration, and strengthen national and global security. The launch followed a four-day training in Mogadishu where US experts trained Somali immigration officers on using the Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System (PISCES), a US-developed biometric platform used at major entry points.
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