# Middle%20East
Latest news and articles about Middle%20East
Total: 301 articles found
China Holds High-Level Talks with GCC Envoys, Urges Restraint as Regional Tensions Flare
China’s vice foreign minister met GCC envoys in Beijing on March 11, 2026, as Gulf states seek international support amid escalating regional tensions. Beijing reiterated opposition to unauthorized military strikes, condemned attacks on civilians, and offered to deepen communication to promote ceasefires and prevent further escalation.
Israel Says It Struck Tehran Aerospace Hub and Air‑Defence Factories — A New Phase in the Shadow War
Israel said it struck an Iranian aerospace research centre in Tehran and multiple air‑defence production sites on the night of March 13, claiming the moves will weaken Iran’s satellite programmes and its ability to rebuild air‑defence systems. Iran had not publicly responded and independent confirmation was not available, making the strikes a potentially significant escalation in the long-running shadow conflict between the two countries.
When War Comes Suddenly: How a Strike on Tehran Escalated a Regional Crisis
A sudden US–Israeli strike on Tehran has unleashed a perilous new phase of Middle Eastern violence, killing scores of civilians and spreading disruption across aviation, energy and regional security. The assault underscores how technological precision and permissive legal interpretations intensify asymmetrical warfare and raise the prospect of protracted, regionwide instability.
Iran’s New Supreme Leader Signals Escalation After IRGC Claims to Have Disabled US Carrier — A Region on Edge
Iran’s IRGC says it launched a major round of strikes, claiming the USS Abraham Lincoln was rendered combat‑ineffective, while the newly installed supreme leader, Mujtaba Khamenei, used a televised address to vow revenge, threaten closure of the Strait of Hormuz and press Gulf states to expel U.S. forces. The competing claims and muted U.S. confirmation point to a campaign that blends military action, psychological operations and proxy warfare, raising the risk of prolonged regional disruption and oil‑market shocks.
Beijing Urges Restraint as Gulf Drone Attacks Threaten Asian Oil Shipments
China expressed deep concern over rising Middle East tensions, condemning indiscriminate attacks on civilians and non-military targets and urging an immediate halt to military actions and a return to dialogue. The statement follows Saudi claims that dozens of Iranian drones targeted tankers bound for Asian markets, highlighting risks to energy supplies and global trade.
Israel Says It Has Conducted Over 1,100 Airstrikes on Lebanon as Troops Mass on Northern Border
Israel says it has carried out over 1,100 airstrikes in Lebanon and reinforced its northern border after renewed cross-border fighting. The scale of strikes and troop movements raises the risk of deeper confrontation with Hezbollah and wider regional spillover, with serious humanitarian and diplomatic consequences for Lebanon and its neighbors.
US Treasury Chief Says No Price Too High for Action Against Iran, Raising Fiscal and Strategic Alarms
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Sky News there is no monetary cost that would make him tell President Trump a war with Iran is unaffordable, while administration officials told Congress the first six days of such a conflict could cost at least $11.3 billion. The comment signals a willingness to prioritise strategic aims over fiscal caution, raising questions about Congressional funding, market fallout and regional escalation risks.
Pentagon’s Early Tab Tops $11.3bn as Mideast Campaign Slips Toward a Costly Quagmire
U.S. military operations against Iran have cost more than $11.3 billion in the first six days, with munitions expenditure of about $5.6 billion in the opening 48 hours. The Pentagon’s tally omits pre-deployment and sustainment costs, meaning the full financial and strategic burden is likely to rise and weigh on U.S. politics and the defense industrial base.
U.S. Moves THAAD Interceptors from South Korea to Middle East, Raising Alliance and Deterrence Questions
The U.S. has begun transferring THAAD interceptors from South Korea to the Middle East, moving up to 48 missiles from Seongju to Osan for onward transport. Seoul objects but accepts limited leverage, while the redeployment highlights logistical limits in U.S. missile-defence inventories and raises questions about regional deterrence and alliance reassurance.
A 'Very Small Price': Oil Tops $100 as Middle East Fighting Sends Markets Into Risk Mode
Renewed fighting involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran pushed international crude futures above $100 a barrel for the first time since mid‑2022, as traders priced in supply‑risk and shipping disruptions. President Trump described the economic fallout as "a very small price" for security, highlighting the political calculus that will shape responses from producers, consumers and allies.
China Steps Into the Fray: Shuttling Diplomacy Amid an Escalating Iran–Israel–US Clash
China has ramped up shuttle diplomacy as a widening Iran–Israel–US conflict drives humanitarian suffering and market shocks. Beijing’s ties across the region give it leverage to mediate, but domestic politics in Washington, Iran’s internal cohesion, the effectiveness of multilateral mediation and control of the Strait of Hormuz will determine whether de‑escalation is possible.
Oil Tops $100 as Middle East Escalation Tests Global Markets — Trump Calls Spike a 'Very Small Price'
Oil futures briefly topped $100 per barrel after US and Israeli military action against Iran pushed a new geopolitical risk premium into markets. Former president Trump described the price spike as a "very small price" for global security, a stance that highlights the political trade‑offs behind energy market shocks.