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/Mon, 30 Mar 2026 04:26:31 GMTMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260330-live-trump-says-iran-has-undergone-regime-change-as-us-builds-up-troops US ⁠President ​Donald ​Trump said he wants ​to "take ‌the ⁠oil ‌in Iran" ⁠and could seize ​the ‌export hub of  Kharg ​Island, in an interview with ​Financial ​Times ​published on ​Sunday as about 2,500 US Marines arrived in the region. Follow our liveblog for the latest developments.  1048fd86-2bd2-11f1-9e20-29b278ca604dMon, 30 Mar 2026 01:03:36 GMT© ReutersFRANCE 24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260329-europe-warns-israel-death-penalty-expansion-bill Britain, France, Germany and Italy on Sunday voiced deep concern over Israeli plans to expand the use of the death penalty in a bill expected to be voted on next week. The Council of Europe’s rights body also opposed the draft law, warning it would significantly broaden capital punishment. 87777fa6-2bb7-11f1-83f7-a5de547b3ea0Sun, 29 Mar 2026 21:50:47 GMT© Chip Somodevilla, APFRANCE 24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260329-pakistan-offers-to-host-us-iran-talks-as-tehran-warns-ground-troops-would-be-set-on-fire Pakistan on Sunday said it would soon host talks between the United States and Iran over the monthlong war, positioning itself as a mediator as fighting intensifies across the region, global energy routes are shaken and fears grow of a broader conflict involving Israel, Lebanon and key maritime chokepoints. 0f09f078-2bab-11f1-a36f-e5161f12104dSun, 29 Mar 2026 20:22:08 GMT© APFRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/israeli-police-bar-top-catholic-figure-in-jerusalem-from-holding-palm-sunday-mass-at-holy-sepulchre Israeli police prevented the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday mass, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. It is not yet clear whether this blockade was intentional or a mistake from the Israeli police; in the meantime, some world leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron reacted condemning the event as an "offense" to faithful. France 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky reports the latest from Jerusalem. 45dba5b2-2b86-11f1-9255-7583d31f09e2Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:33:17 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/lebanon-mourns-three-journalists-killed-in-israeli-strikes Hundreds of mourners gathered at a cemetery south of Beirut on Sunday to attend the funeral of journalists Ali Shoeib, Fatima Ftouni, and Mohammed Ftouni, who were killed in an Israeli strike a day earlier. Israel has acknowledged carrying out the attack, claiming that Shoeib was affiliated with a militant group, but the incident has sparked widespread outrage within Lebanon, where officials have condemned it as a clear breach of international law. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the deaths bring the number of media workers killed in Lebanon since the start of the Israel–Gaza war to eleven, as Eliza Herbert reports. 87f2830e-2b85-11f1-82ce-b3f4fc800964Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:30:59 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/qatari-news-channel-ai-araby-condemns-attack-on-its-office Iran’s parliamentary speaker has cautioned the United States against launching a ground invasion, warning that Tehran could intensify attacks on US allies, according to state media. Meanwhile, an American-born Israeli soldier has been killed during fighting in southern Lebanon, officials confirmed. At the same time, senior diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt are gathering in Pakistan to advocate for an end to the conflict involving Iran, as the Trump administration awaits Tehran’s official reply to a 15-point peace proposal. France24 correspondent Reza Sayah reports the latest from Tehran, Iran. 79546a2c-2b78-11f1-b893-6737b4fc9469Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:45:41 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/iran-3-500-us-troops-arrive-in-the-region Iran will target the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier "as soon as" it comes within range, the country's navy chief said Sunday. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf earlier accused Washington of plotting a ground attack on Iran even as it claims to be engaging in diplomatic efforts. Senior fellow in Geopolitics, Royal United Services Institute, Dr. H.A. Hellyer shares further insights. 00d4017c-2b76-11f1-881c-c59cf0215968Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:30:35 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/mediation-talks-in-islamabad-middle-east-powers-meet-to-discuss-how-to-end-the-fighting The United States is plotting a ground attack on Iran even as it claims to be engaging in diplomatic efforts, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Sunday, as more American marines arrive in the region. The Israeli army earlier announced the death in combat of a fifth soldier in south Lebanon. Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Lunds Univeristy in Stockholm, Rouzbeh Parsi, shares further insights on US-Iran negotiations. 20256e20-2b63-11f1-b897-b78fc19c1809Sun, 29 Mar 2026 12:32:30 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260329-israeli-police-prevent-jerusalem-latin-patriarch-from-celebrating-palm-sunday-mass Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic figure in Jerusalem, was barred from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday mass, according to his office, in what Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni labelled an "offence to the faithful". French President Emmanuel Macron said  23033cac-2b64-11f1-bbc7-b78fc19c1809Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:48:37 GMT© Mussa Qawasma, AP file photoFRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/tehran-threatens-to-target-us-universities-in-the-region Overnight, powerful explosions were reported in both eastern and western parts of Tehran, lighting up the capital’s skyline. In the south of the country, state media said US-Israeli strikes killed five people in the city of Bandar Khamir, near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials say nearly 2,000 people have been killed since the start of the war, including more than 200 children. Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have threatened to target U.S. university campuses in the Middle East unless Washington formally condemns the strikes on two Iranian universities. Iran has also continued attacks on major infrastructure in Gulf countries, recently hitting aluminum plants in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates that it claims are linked to the US military. b9e703f8-2b4e-11f1-9695-3399be34d942Sun, 29 Mar 2026 09:45:48 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/three-lebanese-journalists-killed-in-strikes Israel said early Sunday that one of its soldiers had been killed during clashes with Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.The announcement follows an Israeli airstrike on Saturday that killed three journalists, including a veteran correspondent for Hezbollah’s television network. A subsequent strike targeted and killed rescuers who had arrived at the scene to provide aid. In separate Israeli raids, nine paramedics were also reported killed. Jennie Shin reports with the latest updates. 2fbfa0b2-2b4a-11f1-a5ad-013789741eaeSun, 29 Mar 2026 08:51:26 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/yemen-s-rebels-could-further-threaten-global-shipping Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have carried out a second missile strike against Israel and have pledged to continue their attacks in the coming days. These assaults have heightened fears that the conflict could expand into the Red Sea region, where Saudi Arabia has already been redirecting a significant portion of its oil exports.Jennie Shin and Gabrielle Nadler e5b6ad9e-2b49-11f1-9061-d95a05992137Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:46:47 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/iran-3-500-us-marines-arrive-in-middle-east Uncertainty still surrounds the potential deployment of U.S. ground forces, even as American reinforcements continue to arrive in the region.The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli has now reached the area, carrying 3,500 Marines on board. Daniel Quinlan reports. 38a5493a-2b49-11f1-b8a1-d95a05992137Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:45:13 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260329-yemen-houthi-attacks-on-israel-open-new-front-mideast-war-threaten-red-sea-shipping Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have entered the escalating war in the Middle East, claiming two missile launches at Israel. Their involvement in the month-long conflict could further hurt global shipping should they again target vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the Red Sea, a narrow waterway that has become all the more vital since Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz. 4552cc16-2b3a-11f1-9c99-1fe89e55943fSun, 29 Mar 2026 07:13:29 GMT© Osamah Abdulrahman, APFRANCE 24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260329-middle-east-war-live-loud-blasts-rock-tehran-yemen-houthis-widen-conflict-iran-israel The Israeli military on Sunday announced it had launched new strikes on Tehran after detecting seven new waves of missiles fired from Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to "further expand" the "existing security strip" it occupies in southern Lebanon. Iran's navy chief earlier said it will target the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier as soon as it comes within range. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded. 50e3e834-2b2c-11f1-ab9d-454c06bc7824Sun, 29 Mar 2026 05:08:50 GMT© Majid Asgaripour, ReutersFRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/video/20260328-double-fears-over-red-sea-hormuz Worry continues to grow after Yemen’s Houthi rebels escalated their involvement in the conflict, with two missile fired toward Israel. The developments raise fresh fears that the group could again threaten Red Sea shipping routes, a vital global trade corridor, further increasing tensions across an already volatile regional conflict. Jean-Emile Jammine speaks with Kethevane Gorjestani, France 24's International Affairs editor, and Yousef Alshammari, President, London College of Energy Economics. c58210c2-2aea-11f1-8ef6-55dca4dfd1c9Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:55:59 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260328-yemen-s-houthis-launch-ballistic-missile-at-israel-as-middle-east-conflict-escalates Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired a ballistic missile towards Israel on Saturday, marking their entry into the intensifying Middle East war. The move comes amid rising regional tensions, US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, and disruptions to Red Sea shipping that threaten global trade and energy markets. 6b03454e-2aef-11f1-b0f1-097d9778bcaaSat, 28 Mar 2026 21:46:12 GMT© Osamah Abdulrahman, AP FRANCE 24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260328-israeli-strike-kills-three-journalists-in-south-lebanon-authorities-denounce-war-crime Three journalists killed by an Israeli strike in the south of Lebanon on Saturday were laid to rest on Sunday near Beirut. The Israeli military accused one of the journalists of being a Hezbollah intelligence operative without providing evidence, and Lebanese authorities denounced a "war crime". cd2d447a-2add-11f1-b858-77aa38ae1f0aSat, 28 Mar 2026 19:39:13 GMT© Ibrahim Amro, AFPFRANCE 24https://www.france24.com/en/iranian-strike-on-saudi-base-wounds-several-us-troops-damages-aircraft A dozen US troops were wounded in an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, with two suffering serious injuries and 10 concussions, according to US media reports. The personnel were inside a building hit during the strike, which involved at least one missile and several drones. The attack also caused damage to multiple US refuelling aircraft, according to US and Arab officials. a10ea412-2ac2-11f1-bf6a-1d9abb77f9dfSat, 28 Mar 2026 16:31:37 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/what-could-houthi-involvement-in-the-iran-war-mean Iranian-backed Houthi rebels entered the month-old war in the Middle East on Saturday by claiming a missile launch that Israel said it intercepted. The Houthis’ entry could further hurt global shipping if they again target vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the Red Sea. FRANCE 24's Kethevane Gorjestani brings you this analysis. 9e37aeb4-2abd-11f1-a213-1d9abb77f9dfSat, 28 Mar 2026 15:52:59 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/history-is-repeating-itself-fears-of-israeli-occupation-grow-in-lebanon Fears of an Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon are growing among residents as more and more people become displaced due to ongoing air strikes, FRANCE 24's Olivia Bizot said, reporting from Beirut. "The people who are now being displaced are often often being displaced for the second or third time since 2024", Bizot said, citing locals who say they have the impression that "history is repeating itself". f031cfbc-2ab6-11f1-8563-819269a22b84Sat, 28 Mar 2026 15:03:21 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/ukraine-uae-seal-defence-deal-kyiv-s-know-how-and-equipment-gain-recognition Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to cooperate on defence amid Iran’s drone strikes across the region, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The news comes as the war in the Middle East escalates, prompting countries in the region – particularly those facing Iranian attacks – to recognise "what Ukraine has to offer in terms of defence technology", FRANCE 24’s Gulliver Cragg said, noting that the newly signed agreement focuses on exporting Kyiv’s “know-how and equipment”. Cragg added that Ukrainian teams would also pilote from a distance interceptor drones flying over the Middle East. e9cd6ff6-2a97-11f1-b447-6fc74923ff7cSat, 28 Mar 2026 11:30:40 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/israeli-strike-hits-tehran-home-killing-several-children Israeli authorities said an Iranian missile attack killed a man in Tel Aviv on Friday, as Tehran pressed its retaliatory strikes across the region a month into the war. Meanwhile in southern Tehran, a pre-dawn Israeli strike hit a residential building, killing at least five children. a24838ee-2a8f-11f1-991e-3f0ea5252775Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:37:18 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/video/20260328-beirut-holding-its-breath-as-israel-launches-strikes-across-lebanon Beirut is a city "holding its breath" as Israel continues its assault on Lebanon, FRANCE 24's Oliva Bizot said, adding that the capital has now become a giant "car park" with displaced people living out of their vehicles, not knowing where to go. 4586bd8c-2a8b-11f1-b384-ad85bea0b49cSat, 28 Mar 2026 10:35:40 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/iranian-backed-houthi-rebels-say-launched-missile-attack-on-israel Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Israel. Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, issued a statement on Saturday on the rebel group’s Al-Masirah satellite television network. Israel’s military had earlier said it had intercepted a missile. a21d86d0-2a8a-11f1-a3cf-3f0ea5252775Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:55:07 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/yemen-s-houthis-claim-missile-attack-on-israel-in-expanding-conflict Iranian-backed Houthi rebels claimed a missile launch toward Israel early Saturday, their first since the war in the Middle East started. The Israeli military said it intercepted the projectile. The attack came as a surprise for Israel as authorities estimated that Houthis would only join in the war if a ceasefire agreement was on the table, FRANCE 24's Noga Tarnopolsky said, adding that "for now it's certainly an expanding conflict". 79459388-2a8a-11f1-a6d2-75718a77891eSat, 28 Mar 2026 09:53:42 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20260328-war-in-the-middle-east-live-conflict-enters-second-month-us-expects-to-end-it-within-two-weeks An Israeli strike kills three Lebanese journalists, Lebanon's Al Manar TV reported on Saturday, as the war in the Middle East entered its second month. Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi rebels earlier claimed responsibility for their first attack on Israel since the start of the war. Read about the day’s events as they unfolded on our liveblog.  adc7bb6c-2a6d-11f1-9703-d14aa2456456Sat, 28 Mar 2026 06:16:47 GMT© Mohammed Zaatari, APFRANCE 24Tête à têtehttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/t%C3%AAte-%C3%A0-t%C3%AAte/20260327-war-in-lebanon-was-imposed-upon-us-pm-nawaf-salam-says In an interview with FRANCE 24 in Beirut, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam discussed the Israeli offensive in Lebanon, amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. "This war was imposed upon us," the Lebanese leader said, adding that Lebanon "could have avoided it" had Hezbollah not fired rockets in retaliation for the US-Israeli assassination of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. aec1768e-29eb-11f1-869d-ef6ff37ca97cFri, 27 Mar 2026 19:41:48 GMTJoumana FehmiSpotlighthttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/spotlight/20260327-new-phenomenon-of-dangerous-rhetoric-world-leaders-embrace-proud-disregard-for-international-law Gavin Lee is pleased to welcome Philippe Bolopion. Executive Director of Human Rights Watch. He describes a seismic shift in the conduct of war, marked not merely by violations of international humanitarian law, but by an unprecedented openness in asserting, even embracing, such violations. What distinguishes this moment is not the erosion of norms alone, but the normalisation of dismissing international law and lacking empathy for civilians' suffering. d0d88456-2a13-11f1-a3c5-23d21c56113dFri, 27 Mar 2026 19:33:21 GMTGavin LEEThe World This Weekhttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/the-world-this-week/20260327-iran-rolling-ultimatums-moscow-at-the-eu-table In a week of movable ultimatums set by President Trump, to “obliterate Iran’s power plants”, a deadline was set initially of Monday at Midnight, then extended by five days on account of “very productive conversations”, then to ten days with Trump claiming “talks are ongoing” and “going very well”. 500b4810-2a0c-11f1-a991-3105b44cc830Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:32:05 GMTGavin LEE