West Asia News Live: Join us for continuous updates and unfolding stories from across West Asia. Follow the region’s fast-changing landscape through live coverage of major events, emerging narratives and voices shaping the day
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News as it happens from West Asia. Image courtesy Google Gemini
West Asia News Live: Amid sanctions, legal battles, shifting alliances and escalating tensions at sea and in the skies, West Asia continues to go through a volatile and rapidly evolving moment. From courtroom challenges and diplomatic statements to economic aftershocks and regional security flare-ups, follow our live blog for real-time developments as the region confronts complexity, conflict and change
Tracking fast-moving events across West Asia
West Asia News Live: Join us for continuous updates and unfolding stories from across West Asia. Follow the region’s fast-changing landscape through live coverage of major events, emerging narratives and voices shaping the day
July 15, 2025, 06:15:05 (IST)
Saudi leadership congratulates France on its national day
Saudi Arabia’s leadership has sent messages of congratulations to the President of France on the occasion of the country’s National Day, according to a report in Asharq Al-Awsat. The cables, reportedly sent by the King and the Crown Prince, expressed best wishes to the French president and wished the people of France continued progress and prosperity. This routine diplomatic gesture reaffirms the ongoing cordial relations between the two West Asian and European nations.
July 15, 2025, 04:06:08 (IST)
Iranian crowdfunding campaign allegedly raises $40 million for assassination of Donald Trump
An Iranian crowdfunding movement has allegedly raised over $40 million as a reward for the assassination of US President Donald Trump, according to a report in Fox News. The information was initially publicized by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which monitors regional media. This development emerges against a backdrop of long-standing tensions between the US and Iran, which were previously exacerbated by events during Trump’s first term, including the 2018 US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the 2020 assassination of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani.
July 15, 2025, 04:03:07 (IST)
Netanyahu eulogizes three Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed condolences and delivered a eulogy for three Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers who were killed in the Gaza Strip, Israel National News said in a report. The deaths occurred amid the IDF’s ongoing ground operations in the Palestinian territory as part of the continuing conflict in the region. Netanyahu’s statement acknowledged the soldiers’ sacrifice.
July 15, 2025, 03:30:05 (IST)
Hamas agrees to allow 500 aid trucks into Gaza without UNRWA involvement
Hamas has reportedly agreed to the entry of 500 aid trucks into Gaza on the condition that the aid is delivered without the involvement of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), according to a report in Israel National News. Despite this concession on the aid mechanism, the group continues to insist on its primary demands as part of broader negotiations. These conditions include the complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces from the Gaza Strip, a comprehensive plan for reconstruction, and a clear mechanism for aid distribution.
July 15, 2025, 02:48:48 (IST)
UN chief calls Gaza’s destruction ‘horrific’ and without parallel
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has renewed urgent calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, describing the destruction in the territory as ‘horrific’ and having ‘no parallel’, according to a report in Al Jazeera. His statement highlights the severe humanitarian crisis resulting from the ongoing conflict that began on October 7, 2023. The renewed appeal for a ceasefire comes amidst stalled diplomatic negotiations and after repeated failures by the UN Security Council to pass a binding resolution for a permanent cessation of hostilities.
July 15, 2025, 02:02:32 (IST)
Nahal Brigade soldier dies by suicide at northern base
A soldier serving in the Israel Defense Forces’ Nahal Brigade was found dead from an apparent suicide at a military base in northern Israel, Israel National News said in a report. The incident is the third reported suicide of an IDF soldier within the last week and a half.
July 15, 2025, 01:50:43 (IST)
Netanyahu’s corruption trial will not hold additional hearings during summer recess
The corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which recently resumed after a month-long break, will not hold additional hearings during the judicial summer recess, according to a report in Haaretz. The decision by the judges means the proceedings, in which Netanyahu faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, will experience a further slowdown. The pace of the trial remains a significant and contentious factor within the Israeli political landscape, intersecting with ongoing debates about judicial reform and public protests.
July 15, 2025, 01:48:47 (IST)
Israeli ministry says NGO linked to Ra’am party funded proscribed groups
A report from Israel’s Justice Ministry states that ‘Aid 48,’ a non-governmental organization (NGO) with links to the Islamist Ra’am party led by Mansour Abbas, provided funds to charities in the West Bank, according to a report in The Times of Israel. The recipient organizations had been officially proscribed by the Israeli Defense Ministry for allegedly supporting terrorism. Following the ministry’s findings, a group representing bereaved families has called for a criminal investigation into the matter.
July 15, 2025, 01:31:12 (IST)
J.P. Morgan participates in $250 million series E round valuing Israeli cyber firm Island at $5 billion
Israeli cybersecurity firm Island has secured $250 million in a Series E funding round with participation from U.S. financial institution J.P. Morgan, according to a report in The Jerusalem Post. This late-stage investment brings the West Asia-based company’s valuation to $5 billion.
July 15, 2025, 01:30:05 (IST)
Heads of UN inquiry into Israeli-Palestinian conflict resign
Navi Pillay, Miloon Kothari, and Chris Sidoti, the three commissioners for the UN Human Rights Council’s ‘Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel,’ have resigned, Israel National News says in a report. The commission was established by the UNHRC in May 2021 with an open-ended mandate to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by all parties involved in the conflict. The reasons for the resignations were not detailed in the report.
July 15, 2025, 01:24:12 (IST)
Israel submits new map for ceasefire negotiations
Israel has submitted a new, third map for consideration in ongoing ceasefire negotiations and has met with the head of the Egyptian Intelligence Service, as per a report in The Jerusalem Post. The submission of a new proposal follows previous attempts to broker a deal. The meeting with the Egyptian intelligence chief underscores Egypt’s continued central role as a key mediator in the indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas officials.
July 15, 2025, 01:15:05 (IST)
Israeli government requests 3-month extension on kashrut law proposal
The Israeli government has requested a three-month extension from the High Court to present its proposed adjustments to the country’s kashrut certification laws, according to a report in The Jerusalem Post. The request for more time concerns legislation on kosher food supervision, a contentious issue for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing religious coalition. The proposed legislation is expected to address reforms initiated by the previous government, which had aimed to reduce the Chief Rabbinate’s monopoly on kashrut certification. The delay comes amid delicate coalition politics involving religious parties who seek to strengthen the Rabbinate’s authority over the matter.
July 15, 2025, 00:00:06 (IST)
Iraqi prime minister says Iran is serious about a deal with the US
In an interview, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani revealed that Iran is serious about securing a deal with the United States, as per a report in Asharq Al-Awsat. Sudani detailed Iraq’s ongoing, behind-the-scenes mediation efforts to bridge the gap between Tehran and Washington. He emphasised the importance of these talks for regional stability, warning of potential negative consequences if an agreement is not reached. The prime minister also insisted on Iraq’s sovereignty, stating that no foreign power controls the decisions made by his government in Baghdad.
July 14, 2025, 23:17:46 (IST)
NYC mayor feuds with comptroller over Israel bond investments
A political feud has erupted between New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Comptroller Brad Lander regarding investments in Israeli bonds, the Times of Israel said in a report. Adams accused Lander of divesting from Israel, alleging the action is consistent with the policies of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. Lander has countered that his office’s decision was apolitical, emphasizing that the city continues to hold hundreds of millions of dollars in other Israeli assets.
July 14, 2025, 23:15:09 (IST)
Syria blames technical glitch for reclassifying Palestinians as ‘foreigners’
The Syrian government has caused anger and concern after reclassifying Palestinian refugees, who historically held a special legal status, as ‘foreigners’ in official records, according to a report in Haaretz. Damascus has publicly blamed the change on a technical glitch, but the move has fueled fears among the Palestinian community in Syria about the potential loss of rights related to property, employment, and access to services. This development alters the long-standing legal framework that granted Palestinians in Syria a status distinct from other foreign nationals, affording them more rights than other non-citizens.
July 14, 2025, 23:00:05 (IST)
Israeli and Syrian foreign ministers to meet in Belgium
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar will attend a meeting in Belgium with his Syrian counterpart, marking a rare high-level diplomatic contact between the two countries which technically remain in a state of war, according to a report in Haaretz. The meeting, mentioned in the context of the 647th day of the Israel-Hamas war, represents a significant departure from the long-standing absence of formal relations. Historically, Israel and Syria have no peace treaty, and their primary dispute involves the Golan Heights. The engagement in a neutral European location suggests a deliberate effort to establish communication amid heightened regional tensions.
July 14, 2025, 22:02:01 (IST)
Church leaders condemn settler violence in West Bank Christian village
During a solidarity visit on Monday to Taybeh, described as the only entirely Christian Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, top church leaders condemned escalating settler violence, according to a report in AP. Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III and Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa specifically denounced a recent incident where settlers set fires near the community. The leaders asserted that Israeli authorities “facilitate and enable” the presence of the settlers responsible for the intensified attacks.
July 14, 2025, 22:00:03 (IST)
Israeli forces kill armed gunman in northern West Bank
An armed individual was killed by Israeli military forces near the Maoz Tzvi settlement in Northern Samaria, located in the West Bank, Israel National News says in a report. The individual was reportedly armed with an improvised submachine gun, known as a ‘Carlo’ rifle, and a knife. The incident occurred when the gunman allegedly attempted to attack the military force, which resulted in his death with no reported casualties among the Israeli soldiers.
July 14, 2025, 21:00:06 (IST)
Israeli researchers develop artificial skin to speed healing for burn victims
Researchers at Tel Aviv University and Sheba Medical Center in Israel have developed a bioengineered skin that can significantly accelerate the healing process for burn victims, according to a report in the Times of Israel. Scientists involved in the project state that the artificial skin can double the healing speed for skin grafting procedures and helps to reduce the risk of infections. The development is described as a “wartime innovation,” prompted by the urgent need to treat severe burn injuries resulting from the ongoing conflict in the region.
July 14, 2025, 20:38:21 (IST)
Iraqis returning from Syrian camp for IS families face hardship at home
Iraqi nationals repatriated from Syria’s Kurdish-controlled al-Hol camp, which holds family members of suspected Islamic State group fighters, are confronting a harsh reality upon their return, Al-Monitor said in a report. After years in detention, returnees find they must navigate immense social and personal challenges. These include being compelled to publicly disown sons accused of jihadist ties to be accepted back into their communities, and discovering their homes and property are gone, leaving them with no resources or support.
July 14, 2025, 20:30:09 (IST)
Palestinian Israeli soccer player alleges Shin Bet threats over Qatar club deal
A Palestinian Israeli soccer player claims he was threatened by the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, regarding his professional move to a soccer club in Qatar, Haaretz says in a report.
July 14, 2025, 19:45:09 (IST)
BBC Gaza documentary narrated by Hamas official’s son breached accuracy guideline, review finds
An internal BBC review concluded that the corporation breached its accuracy guidelines in the documentary “Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone” by not informing viewers of the narrator’s familial connection to a Hamas official, BBC said in a report. The finding, self-reported by the broadcaster, determined that this omission constituted a failure of transparency and due diligence. The breach was not related to the factual accuracy of the documentary’s content itself, but to the lack of crucial context about the narrator that could influence audience perception.
July 14, 2025, 19:38:03 (IST)
Man arrested in Jerusalem for allegedly threatening and spitting on female soldier
A man has been arrested in Jerusalem after he allegedly spat on a female soldier and threatened her, The Jerusalem Post said in a report. The incident reportedly involved the suspect chasing the soldier as she attempted to take refuge in a nearby business, at which point he allegedly threatened her by saying,