enFRANCE 24’s coverage and analyses of political and social issues across the Middle East, including Egypt, the Gulf states, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen and beyond.https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/Fri, 18 Sep 2026 15:30:47 GMTMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260918-us-approves-24-3-billion-sale-of-48-f-35-warplanes-to-saudi-arabia The United States on Thursday said it had approved a $24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes to Saudi Arabia. Israel has previously voiced concerns about Riyadh buying F-35s, despite a push to normalise relations. 0e13024a-b328-11f1-b171-f5081862f07eFri, 18 Sep 2026 06:29:47 GMT© Claudia Greco, ReutersFRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/trump-declines-to-back-saudi-arabia-as-us-officials-reportedly-meet-iran-backed-houthis-in-oman US officials met representatives of Yemen's Houthis in Oman over the weekend, five sources familiar with the matter said, days after the Iran-backed militia seized a strategic ​stretch of the ‌Red Sea coast in a sweeping offensive that routed Saudi-backed forces. U.S. ​President Donald Trump has so far rebuffed pleas from the Saudis for military support fighting the Houthis. FRANCE 24's Fraser Jackson reports from Washington. 6925b04e-b2c7-11f1-94b8-0bacc0414a65Thu, 17 Sep 2026 18:47:26 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/stalemate-in-lebanon-hezbollah-justifies-weapons-citing-israeli-occupation-and-ongoing-attacks Angela Diffley is pleased to welcome Dr Filippo Dionigi, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Bristol. According to Dr. Dionigi, the central obstacle to Hezbollah’s disarmament is not simply the military capacity of the Lebanese state, but the absence of a political settlement capable of making disarmament both legitimate and sustainable. While additional funding and weapons would strengthen the Lebanese Armed Forces, they will not resolve the fundamental political dilemma.  83b316ce-b2b6-11f1-8566-3167f41fb792Thu, 17 Sep 2026 18:44:27 GMTFRANCE24Perspectivehttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/perspective/20260917-sanctions-won-t-prevent-us-from-doing-our-job-says-icc-prosecutor-mame-mandiaye-niang In this edition of Perspective, the acting Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court tells FRANCE 24 that the court is needed now more than ever to ensure there is no gap for impunity. Mame Mandiaye Niang says the court’s job is to step in if domestic justice systems fail. The Senegalese judge is at the centre of a storm amid sanctions put on the court by the US after its issuing of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over Israel’s actions in Gaza. He explained how the sanctions affect his daily life but says it won’t stop the court doing its job. 42111864-b27b-11f1-8a60-a3ca3ffd93d4Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:02:51 GMTStuart NORVALMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260917-gaza-documentary-naza-sparks-political-storm-in-israel The award-winning documentary "NAZA" featuring anonymous military sources speaking about Israel's mass killing of civilians in Gaza has sparked a political firestorm in Israel. The film's directors and their families have received a wave of threats, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a plan for a bill aimed at revoking the citizenship of people who "defame IDF soldiers". e73ee87c-b2ab-11f1-bad0-7d4ece9fee5aThu, 17 Sep 2026 15:24:40 GMT© Ariel Schalit, APFRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/amnesty-accuses-iran-of-crimes-against-humanity Amnesty International has accused Iranian authorities of committing crimes against humanity during the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom crackdown, saying more than 500 people, including 71 children, were killed and that the violence disproportionately targeted Kurdish and Baluchi communities. The rights group is urging the UN General Assembly to create an international justice mechanism, arguing that many of the officials it identified remain in positions of power. bd4d2396-b2a4-11f1-bcb2-6961acb57df3Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:55:34 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/houthis-claim-saudi-f-15-kill-as-yemen-fighting-escalates Yemen's Houthi rebels have released footage they say shows the wreckage of a Saudi F-15 fighter jet, which, if confirmed, would mark the first fighter jet they have shot down. The claim comes as fighting escalates in Yemen, with the Houthis expanding their control around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait and the UN urging both sides to return to negotiations. 1db0b8ba-b2a5-11f1-853c-6148f6ccb5daThu, 17 Sep 2026 14:53:00 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/lebanon-on-paris-talks-the-general-sentiment-here-is-very-little-hope Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is in Paris for talks with Emmanuel Macron, but on the ground many Lebanese say they have little hope after months of war with Israel, the continued occupation of parts of southern Lebanon and uncertainty over regional tensions. FRANCE 24's Renée David reports from Beirut on hopes that Aoun and Macron can rally international backing and secure a framework agreement to help stabilise the country. 93091b44-b2a4-11f1-a558-7f456347e22fThu, 17 Sep 2026 14:46:07 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/lebanon-unifil-withdrawal-at-the-heart-of-paris-talks Emmanuel Macron welcomes Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Jordan's King Abdullah II to Paris today for talks on Lebanon's security and international support for the Lebanese army. The meeting comes as France pushes to prevent a security vacuum ahead of UNIFIL's planned withdrawal at the end of 2026, with Israeli strikes continuing in southern Lebanon and concerns growing over who will secure the border. FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago has the latest. d9f5b718-b297-11f1-92f4-d3e82812b02dThu, 17 Sep 2026 13:23:41 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260917-syrian-court-issues-first-sentences-over-2025-massacres-of-alawites Syria's judiciary on Thursday issued its first verdicts over the massacres of Alawites on the Syrian coast last year, sentencing a former member of government forces to 20 years in prison. A supporter of deposed president Bashar al-Assad received a death sentence and another was sentenced to life in jail.  48306f1c-b274-11f1-b38e-275430d05d0cThu, 17 Sep 2026 09:13:50 GMT© Delil Souleiman, AFPFRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/lebanon-emmanuel-macron-welcomes-joseph-aoun-to-paris-for-middle-east-talks French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Paris for talks focused on Lebanon's security and wider Middle East tensions, with Jordan's King Abdullah II also taking part in the meeting. FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago and Kethevane Gorjestani have the analysis from Paris. cb7932a4-b270-11f1-b8db-a5077b1dbff6Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:48:01 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/lebanon-macron-aoun-and-king-abdullah-ii-hold-security-talks-in-paris Emmanuel Macron is hosting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Jordan's King Abdullah II in Paris for talks on Lebanon's security and international support for the Lebanese army. The meeting comes as concerns grow over Israel's continued strikes in southern Lebanon and the possible end of the UNIFIL peacekeeping mission, with France seeking a "clear, credible and realistic" plan to back Lebanon through funding, equipment and military training. 4ad76774-b26b-11f1-89f3-e9e6715e3397Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:59:59 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east-trump-plans-2-8bn-arms-package-for-israel-amid-gaza-war The Trump administration is reportedly preparing a $2.8 billion arms package for Israel, including 40,000 bombs, as Israel continues strikes in Gaza despite last October's ceasefire. The proposed deal would further strengthen Israel's military capabilities and revive deliveries of 2,000-pound bombs that had previously been paused over concerns about civilian casualties. 68e45492-b26c-11f1-b49c-391e5dc51093Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:55:54 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260917-middle-east-live-paris-talks-lebanese-army-unifil-israel-iran-yemen The US State Department said Thursday it had approved visas for top Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, to attend next week’s UN General Assembly in New York. The delegation will be smaller than last year and will face some travel restrictions. Read our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded. 3972b62c-b25d-11f1-ba05-4ffa55b88d33Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:14:27 GMT© Richard Drew, APFRANCE 24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260917-israel-morocco-embassies-new-york Israel and Morocco agreed on Wednesday to open embassies in each other’s countries following talks between their foreign ministers and the US ambassador to the United Nations in New York. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords, which normalised Israel’s relations with several Arab states. 4e101552-b221-11f1-b75a-3be68007f0a3Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:07:04 GMT© Mosa'ab Elshamy, APFRANCE 24A proposhttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/a-propos/20260916-ed-sheeran-s-tour-in-trouble-after-opening-acts-drop-out-in-solidarity-with-rapper-macklemore Ed Sheeran's tour of North and South America has been roiled by the decision this week to drop Macklemore as an opener because of the rapper's onstage pro-Palestinian comments. Since then, all of Sheeran's other supporting acts have dropped out, including a group that backs Sheeran up during part of the show. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis speaks with David Jackson, Professor of Political Science at Bowling Green State University about the issue. 486cdd02-b216-11f1-ac7e-e74f65dccbc1Wed, 16 Sep 2026 21:33:39 GMTMonte FRANCIShttps://www.france24.com/en/ed-sheeran-s-tour-in-trouble-after-opening-acts-drop-out-in-solidarity-with-rapper-macklemore Ed Sheeran's tour of North and South America has been roiled by the decision this week to drop Macklemore as an opener because of the rapper's onstage pro-Palestinian comments. Since then, all of Sheeran's other supporting acts have dropped out, including a group that backs Sheeran up during part of the show. FRANCE 24's Monte Francis speaks with David Jackson, Professor of Political Science at Bowling Green State University about the issue. 2e4064b6-b212-11f1-a6ef-b54447e21b73Wed, 16 Sep 2026 21:31:54 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/amnesty-says-iran-committed-crimes-against-humanity-in-protests-crackdown Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity in the crackdown on 2022 protests that left hundreds dead, Amnesty International said Wednesday, adding Tehran's suppression of new demonstrations this year bore the "same hallmarks" but on an even wider scale. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with Amnesty International Iran Researcher Raha Bahreini. She calls for the establishment of an international criminal justice mechanism to prosecute those responsible for the crimes. d6ac8bde-b208-11f1-a8b6-b590cfce5101Wed, 16 Sep 2026 20:09:08 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260916-saudi-arabia-accuses-houthis-of-targeting-mecca-calling-it-a-red-line Saudi Arabia accused Yemen’s Houthis on Wednesday of launching an attack on the holy city of Mecca, which the Iran-backed rebels denied. Saudi Arabia, a US ally which has been the target of large-scale Houthi strikes since early September, declared Mecca a “red line” as it slid deeper into the new front of the Iran war. 2d6ae492-b200-11f1-a3a7-0f4fc758a6c4Wed, 16 Sep 2026 20:08:24 GMT© AFPFRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/saudi-arabia-accuses-houthis-of-targeting-mecca-warns-of-red-line Saudi Arabia accused Yemen's Houthis on Wednesday of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Mecca, sparking outrage across the Muslim world. The Houthis swiftly rejected as a "lie" Riyadh's statement that it had shot down a drone heading towards Mecca, which attracts millions of pilgrims each year. FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell reports. 0572697c-b202-11f1-8718-db5ba3fdb880Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:13:38 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/washington-set-to-approve-2-8-bn-arms-package-for-israel The US federal government is on track to approve a $2.8 billion arms package for Israel, US media reported Tuesday, with the sale of 40,000 one-ton bombs among the largest munitions packages sold in recent years. The Washington Post said the package -- funded with US taxpayer dollars -- featured some of the most destructive munitions in Western arsenals, including 20,000 MK-84s, 20,000 BLU-117s, and 20,000 I-2000 Penetrator warheads. FRANCE 24's Selina Sykes reports. 2e26b3bc-b1fa-11f1-bd40-b312af735817Wed, 16 Sep 2026 18:24:15 GMTFRANCE24Perspectivehttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/perspective/20260916-emergency-doctor-on-the-challenges-of-caring-for-civilians-in-conflict-zones For humanitarian doctors and healthcare workers operating in active conflict zones, the challenges are seemingly endless: from so-called "double tap" strikes that put emergency workers at risk, to roadblocks, evacuation orders and even the positioning of humanitarian organisations in the political debate. Pierre Catoire, emergency doctor and vice-president of Mehad – A French NGO dedicated to healthcare in conflict zones – speaks to FRANCE 24 about how medical professionals go about their work in such conditions. f89b6cc4-b1bd-11f1-a31e-11ba3a3e976dWed, 16 Sep 2026 14:55:44 GMTCarys GARLANDMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260916-amnesty-international-says-iran-committed-crimes-against-humanity-in-2022-protests-crackdown In a report released Wednesday, Amnesty International said Iranian authorities committed “crimes against humanity” during the violent crackdown on the 2022 protests known as the movement “Woman, Life, Freedom” that was sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini. 34c09a24-b1b1-11f1-84e5-cd7763d25794Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:30:07 GMT© AFP, XFRANCE 24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260916-middle-east-live-saudi-arabia-accuses-houthi-rebels-of-launching-a-drone-strike-on-mecca Yemen's Houthis reported fresh Saudi airstrikes on Wednesday, as Riyadh accused the group of launching a "cowardly" attack targeting Islam's holy city of Mecca. The Houthis swiftly rejected as a "lie" Riyadh's early morning statement that it had shot down a drone heading towards Mecca, but the accusation prompted a chorus of outrage from around the Muslim world. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded. 589f5008-b174-11f1-bf7c-cffccd86975aWed, 16 Sep 2026 02:14:27 GMT© Houthi Military Media, ReutersFRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/saudi-crown-prince-seeks-neighbours-backing-as-houthi-attacks-rattle-red-sea-oil-routes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for free and secure navigation in the Red Sea during talks in Cairo on Tuesday, as the kingdom vowed to respond "firmly" to attacks by Yemen's Houthis. The two regional powers discussed the threat posed by the Iran-backed group's control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait. FRANCE 24's Emerald Maxwell has more. 75f584ec-b133-11f1-a540-072a85fb6bfdTue, 15 Sep 2026 18:37:00 GMTFRANCE24The Debatehttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/the-debate/20260915-first-hormuz-now-the-red-sea-oil-spikes-as-saudis-sucked-into-yemen-spiral First, there was US President Donald Trump’s surprise decision to strike Iran. Then, came the quagmire of a war without an exit strategy. Now, six months later, with access to the Strait of Hormuz all but shut, global shipping has taken another hit the other end of the Arabian Peninsula. Iran-backed Houthis are threatening access to the Red Sea.  4b69efdc-b12f-11f1-9d4c-05a0aff03bd7Tue, 15 Sep 2026 18:32:47 GMTFrançois PICARDMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260915-middle-east-live-houthi-attacks-wound-13-civilians-in-southern-saudi-arabia Saudi Arabia vowed on Tuesday to respond "firmly" to attacks by Yemen's Houthis after the Iran-backed fighters wounded 13 people in the kingdom’s south following a series of drone and missile attacks. Tensions have escalated since the Houthis pushed their offensive in Yemen and began targeting Riyadh’s ships in the Red Sea. Follow our liveblog to see how the day's events unfolded. 81d8b47c-b0b2-11f1-b0b2-c3058f5430eaTue, 15 Sep 2026 03:06:54 GMT© Mohammed Huwais, AFP FRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/rights-group-accuses-israel-of-dismantling-palestinian-existence-in-west-bank Israeli rights group B'Tselem said Monday that Israeli actions in the occupied West Bank form part of a greater project designed to make it impossible for Palestinians to exist together as a people. In a report titled "The Elimination Project", the group alleged five connected Israeli tactics and policies in the West Bank: "violence, ethnic cleansing, movement restrictions, economic strangulation, social and political destruction". FRANCE 24's Selina Sykes reports. f4964844-b080-11f1-bc80-69c181e861bdMon, 14 Sep 2026 21:26:29 GMTFRANCE24Truth or Fakehttps://www.france24.com/en/yemen-fact-checking-videos-claiming-to-show-houthi-rebel-attacks-1 A video claiming to show Houthi rebels ambushing Saudi-backed mercenaries has racked up major views on X. But the FRANCE 24 Observers found it is actually footage of 2024 Houthi military drills. The clip was edited with football commentary and blurred flags, which originally show Israel, the UK and US, not Saudi Arabia. Other viral videos falsely linked to Houthi attacks on a Saudi Aramco refinery were also traced to unrelated fires in Texas and Russia. Vedika Bahl fact-checks in Truth or Fake. 5f9ccada-b07e-11f1-a49c-69c181e861bdMon, 14 Sep 2026 21:10:30 GMTVedika BAHLhttps://www.france24.com/en/axis-of-iranian-centrality-remains-one-of-more-destabilising-forces-in-the-region-expert-says Yemen's Houthis launched a fresh barrage of missile and drone attacks on Saudi military targets on Monday, as Iran denied any involvement in the country's revived civil war. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Mark Owen, Dr H. A. Hellyer, Senior Fellow in Geopolitics, International Security, and Middle East Studies at the Royal United Services Institute, says that Iran and its non-state proxies "remain to be one of the more destabilising forces in the region alongside the Israeli project of regional paramountcy". 0590cab0-b073-11f1-8e4b-f178ef1761fdMon, 14 Sep 2026 19:46:03 GMTFRANCE24