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IDF captures Hamas security chief, reports 29 Gaza ceasefire violations Aug. 19–Sept. 3
Israeli special operations forces captured a senior Hamas security official in a September 1 operation in the Katiba area of western Gaza City. The raid came as the US-backed Board of Peace’s stabilization plan and Hamas disarmament agreement, which had prompted Israel to scale back strikes in response to reported ceasefire violations, appeared to falter.
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Kurdistan Region concerned over US support amid Iran’s continued attacks
The latest report that the US is cutting funding for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq’s Peshmerga military force comes as Washington prepares to withdraw forces from Iraq and Iran continues its campaign of drone and missile attacks against the KRG.
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White House, Caracas release details on historic US-Venezuela oil deal
President Donald Trump announced on August 28 that the United States had reached a sweeping oil agreement with Venezuela that grants American interests majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of proven reserves. The US described the agreement as part of a 25-year strategy to expand US access to Venezuelan energy resources while building more secure and resilient supply chains in the Western Hemisphere.
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Top Islamic State spokesman killed in Yemen
Abu Hudhayfah al Ansari, who has been the official Islamic State spokesman for three years, was reported killed in a joint Saudi-Yemeni special forces raid in Hadhramaut Governorate. The Islamic State has yet to comment on Ansari’s status.
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Iranian-backed militia in Iraq sets ‘conditions’ for disarmament
Iraq’s efforts to bring the weapons of Iranian-backed militias under state control are facing a new challenge as one of the country’s groups, Kataib Sayyid al Shuhada, has laid out conditions for disarmament. The debate comes amid continued US pressure on Baghdad to disarm the groups, a looming coalition withdrawal deadline, and renewed efforts by the Iraqi government to assert its authority over armed factions.
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Iranian-backed Iraqi militias may seek to delay disarmament
Iraq’s efforts to disarm the country’s Iranian-backed militias appear to be facing growing political resistance as some factions seek to delay or avoid a September deadline. The debate comes as Washington continues pressing Baghdad to bring all weapons under state control.
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Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces announce its dissolution
The dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main US-backed anti-Islamic State group in Syria, ends more than a decade of Kurdish-led autonomy in the country’s northeast, as the SDF’s military, security, and civilian institutions are integrated into the state.
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US rescinds Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism
On August 24, the United States formally rescinded Syria’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, marking a milestone in Washington’s effort to improve relations with Damascus. The decision came as the US has sought to advance security talks between Syria and Israel.
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Taliban force surrender of dissident commander, kill senior anti-Taliban resistance leader
The surrender of dissident Taliban commander Juma Khan Fateh and the death of senior National Resistance Front commander Hasib Panjshiri give the Taliban notable victories as Afghanistan’s armed resistance attempts to build momentum.
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Albany woman charged with plotting to attack New York Capitol in support of Islamic State
Jessica Bowie was arrested on August 19 and is accused of plotting to bomb the New York State Capitol. Her arrest marks the fifth Islamic State-linked terrorism case or incident in the United States this year.
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Venezuela continues difficult recovery from twin earthquakes as oil sales surge
Venezuela’s recovery from massive earthquakes on June 24 has become increasingly costly as the death toll has climbed, the extent of infrastructure damage has come into sharper focus, and reconstruction has placed additional strain on an already fragile economy. However, Caracas’ oil sector has also continued to expand.
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Israel strikes military airbase in Syria while warning Turkey
Israeli airstrikes on Syria’s Abu al Duhur military airbase overnight between August 17 and 18 highlighted growing tensions between Israel and Turkey over Ankara’s expanding role in Syria. Syria condemned the strikes, while the US continued efforts to de-escalate the situation.
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Israel lessens strikes after US-backed disarmament plan, rejects initial withdrawal; IDF reports 16 Gaza ceasefire violations July 31-August 18
After Israel’s rejection of the Board of Peace’s (BoP) initial disarmament plan, US Special Envoy Jared Kushner and BoP officials held talks with Hamas and Israel, followed by Washington adjusting its position to prioritize Hamas’s disarmament. Meanwhile, Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups continued violating the first phase of the ceasefire, according to Israel.
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Countries condemn Iranian attack on Kurdistan Region prime minister’s office
Iran’s August 17 drone attack targeting the office of Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani drew widespread international condemnation. The strike comes as Baghdad faces increasing pressure to rein in Iranian-backed militias and assert state control over their weapons.
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Israel says Hezbollah drone attack wounded 3 soldiers at Ali al Taher; IDF kills Hezbollah commanders in response
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that a Hezbollah explosive drone seriously wounded three Israeli troops on the Ali al Taher Ridge on August 15. Israel responded with strikes that killed senior Radwan and Badr commanders. Hezbollah has not claimed the attack, and Lebanese reports allege Israel is considering a broader operation around the contested ridge.
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American missionary abducted in Niger freed after nearly 10 months of captivity
Kevin Rideout, who was abducted by gunmen from his home in Niger’s capital of Niamey last October and held by the Islamic State, was freed this week in Libya. The exact nature of his release remains murky, but Rideout has thanked Libyan officials for their efforts.
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Fighting in Yemen escalates, raising concern of a return to civil war
The Houthis launched drone and missile attacks on Yemeni forces and civilian infrastructure across three of Yemen’s governorates on August 6. The attacks have escalated fighting in the country while the Iran-backed terror group is simultaneously targeting Saudi Arabia and ships in the Red Sea.
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IRGC-Qods Force commander Qaani travels to Iraq amid pressure over militia weapons
Gen. Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), traveled to Iraq as Baghdad moves forward with legislation to place all weapons under state control. The visit came amid continued Iranian drone and missile attacks on Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq.
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From Guantanamo Bay to ISCAP: The case of Jamal Kiyemba
In 2002, Jamal Kiyemba, a Ugandan national living in the United Kingdom, was arrested in northwest Pakistan after allegedly attempting to join Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and was sent to the US prison facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Released in 2006 and sent to Uganda, Kiyemba has since been in and out of prison, most recently over his support of the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province (ISCAP).
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Sudanese Armed Forces gains in civil war force strategic adjustment from paramilitia rival
The Sudanese military’s recapture of the Al Sadarat highway marks its most significant success against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the fourth year of the Sudanese civil war. However, the RSF’s shift toward tribal mobilization and the growing role of foreign-backed drone warfare suggest the conflict’s broader cycle of adaptation and attrition will continue.
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Afghan United Front commences operations against Taliban
The Afghan United Front has emerged as the first major Pashtun-led resistance organization to launch operations against the Taliban. The group’s likely focus on operations in southern Afghanistan would expand resistance organizations’ historical focus in the country’s north.
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Houthis escalate attacks in Red Sea and on Saudi Arabia, Riyadh evaluates options
Yemen’s Houthis claimed attacks on eight Saudi-linked vessels as well as energy facilities and an airport to enforce its blockade of the kingdom. Saudi Arabia is reportedly pursuing a diplomatic path to de-escalate the conflict or military options if necessary.
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Iraq pressured by regional countries to rein in Iran-backed militias as new data on extent of attacks released
Iraq faces mounting pressure to rein in the militias while balancing tensions with neighboring countries, the US, and Iran. The Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq has come under nearly 1,000 drone and missile attacks by Iran and its proxies since late February, underscoring the growing threat posed by Tehran’s network of militias.
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Board of Peace announces Hamas disarmament agreement, IDF reports 32 Gaza ceasefire violations July 10–31
US President Donald Trump announced a 15-point Board of Peace roadmap transferring Gaza’s governance and security responsibilities. The plan links verified Hamas disarmament to phased Israeli withdrawal, but sequencing remains disputed.
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Anti-Taliban resistance groups increase attacks in northeast Afghanistan, district center briefly falls
Three anti-Taliban resistance groups launched separate operations across Badakhshan province, Afghanistan, over a two-week period, temporarily overrunning a district center and attacking Taliban positions in multiple districts. While there is no evidence of direct coordination among the resistance groups, there are signs cooperation may be increasing.
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Israel says Hezbollah launched drone attack on strategic ridge amid ceasefire
Israel accused Hezbollah of launching an explosive-laden drone at its positions in the Ali Al Taher Ridge on July 29, despite a ceasefire that went into effect on June 19. Hezbollah has not claimed the attack or issued a denial of the Israeli claims.
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Former Israeli prime minister says Qatar funded Iran’s IRGC
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vowed to declare Qatar an “enemy state” if reelected to lead the government. Among the reasons he cited was Qatar’s alleged funding of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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Lebanese security forces incidentally discover Hezbollah weapons cache during raid
Lebanese security forces conducted a raid on a home in Beirut over a family dispute. During the operation, they reportedly discovered a large weapons cache, and subsequent interrogation allegedly uncovered that the cache’s owner was a “member of Hezbollah.”
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Suspect in deadly Berlin Pride attack pledged allegiance to Islamic State, prosecutors say
A 21-year-old German who had reportedly previously attempted to join the Islamic State allegedly carried out the deadly vehicle-ramming attack at Berlin’s Pride festival, killing one person and injuring 29 others.
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US, Saudi Arabia strike Iranian-backed militias in Iraq after militia attacks
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia and the Kurdistan Region in late July, prompting US and Saudi airstrikes against militia logistics and weapons sites across Iraq. The escalation comes as Washington pressures Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi to disarm Iran-aligned militias and bring their weapons under state control.
