★ISRAEL

1. Netanyahu Leads Security Chiefs Into Occupied Syrian Buffer Zone

Prime Minister Netanyahu and his intelligence chiefs toured an Israeli‑occupied territory in Syria as part of a highly visible security inspection near Mount Hermon, reinforcing Israel’s intent to hold a buffer zone against jihadist and Iranian‑linked threats. The visit came as Israel publicized a major Lahav 433–Shin Bet–IDF investigation that uncovered a Syria‑to‑Israel weapons smuggling network involving IDF soldiers and Syrian suspects, with indictments expected, sharpening scrutiny of how internal security failures and forward deployments intersect along the Syrian front. 

2. Israel Launches Multiple Strikes On Hamas, Hezbollah Targets In Lebanon

Israeli warplanes and drones struck multiple targets in Lebanon, including what the IDF described as a Hamas training compound in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon, where Lebanese authorities say 13 people were killed. Hamas denied having military infrastructure in the camp and said the site was a sports field used by youths. In separate incidents, Israeli strikes in the Bint Jbeil and Blida areas killed two Hezbollah members, and another strike on a car in the southern village of Tiri killed one person and wounded 11 others, including school students on a passing bus.

3. Israeli Pressure Reportedly Halts Witkoff–Hamas Istanbul Meeting

A planned meeting in Turkiye between US envoy Steve Witkoff and senior Hamas negotiator Khalil al‑Hayya was canceled after Israeli objections. Witkoff had been expected to press Hamas on disarmament and arrangements for besieged fighters in Rafah tunnels, part of Trump’s broader plan to swap amnesty and safe passage for weapons surrender.

4. EU Plans Gaza Police Training To Support Trump Ceasefire Plan

An EU official says the bloc is preparing a proposal to train up to 3,000 Palestinian police officers from Gaza, drawn from roughly 7,000 personnel still on the Palestinian Authority payroll but currently inactive. The officers, explicitly not affiliated with Hamas, would be trained outside Gaza under a model similar to the EU’s existing West Bank police mission, and then work alongside an international stabilization force, Israel, and Egypt to help secure Gaza’s borders and support demilitarisation envisioned in the Trump-backed UN Security Council ceasefire framework.

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★THE GULF

5. MBS Visit Deepens US–Saudi Economic, Defense, Gaza Commitments

Trump and MBS announced plans to expand Saudi investment in the US from roughly $600 billion to about $1 trillion, focusing on advanced manufacturing, AI, energy, and infrastructure projects that Trump cast as a jobs engine across multiple states. The leaders also outlined a near‑final US–Saudi Strategic Defense Agreement that would formalize security guarantees, enable major F‑35 and other arms sales, and advance civilian nuclear cooperation with US technology under nonproliferation rules. MBS publicly signaled Saudi intent to eventually join or align with the Abraham Accords framework and pledged that Riyadh would “definitely help” finance Gaza reconstruction, positioning the kingdom as a central funder of postwar stabilization tied to a US‑backed political track. President Donald Trump officially designated Saudi Arabia as a “major non-NATO ally” during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s White House summit, a move presented by both sides as a major upgrade in US‑Saudi military and strategic cooperation. MBS is scheduled to meet privately with leading senators and representatives on Capitol Hill and headline a US–Saudi investment forum tied to his Washington visit. On the Hill, he is expected to brief lawmakers on the new Strategic Defense Agreement, major Saudi investment commitments, arms and nuclear cooperation, and Saudi positions on Gaza, Iran, and potential future ties with Israel.

6. UAE and Indonesia Sign $7 Billion Strategic Defense Agreement

EDGE and Indonesia’s Republikorp signed a $7 billion defense deal at Dubai Airshow 2025 covering tech transfer, local production, joint development, and modernization of Indonesia’s armed forces, including SKYKNIGHT air defense, next-gen armored vehicles, stealth unmanned attack boats, and cyber capabilities, strengthening Indonesia’s defense industry and bilateral strategic ties.

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★IRAN

7. Iranian Scientists’ Secret Russia Trip Sought Dual-Use Laser Technology

Iranian defense-linked scientists secretly visited Russia in November 2024 using diplomatic passports to meet military-connected institutes, including sanctioned Laser Systems, in a bid to obtain dual-use laser technology, the FT reported. The mission followed earlier Vienna-based procurement efforts tied to SPND, which is heavily sanctioned by Washington, while Moscow and Tehran deny pursuing nuclear weapons.

8. Iran-Linked Hackers Deploy Advanced Malware on Mideast Defense Targets

Google’s Mandiant said Iran-linked UNC1549 breached Middle East aerospace, aviation, and defense firms from late 2023 to October 2025, using new TWOSTROKE and DEEPROOT backdoors delivered via spear-phishing and supply-chain compromises. The group routed command-and-control traffic through compromised Azure accounts, deployed additional credential-theft tools, and exfiltrated sensitive data in support of Iranian state intelligence.

9. Lake Urmia’s Collapse Deepens Iran’s Azerbaijani Ethnic Tensions Crisis

The drying of Iran’s Lake Urmia, driven by mismanagement and climate change, has triggered severe health, livelihood, and migration crises, devastating agriculture, fueling protests, and intensifying Azerbaijani government tensions. Salt storms, water salinization, job losses, and forceful crackdowns have heightened accusations of state neglect, deepening ethnic grievances and fears of broader instability.

10. Iran Releases Seized Talara Tanker, Crew Unharmed

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seized the Marshall Islands-flagged product tanker Talara near the Strait of Hormuz on November 14 and diverted it to waters off Bandar Abbas, saying it carried “unauthorised” cargo. Columbia Shipmanagement now reports Iran has released the ship, confirms all 21 crew are safe, and says Talara has been cleared to resume normal operations without charges against the vessel, owners, or crew.

11. Iran Mediates Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions as Regional Diplomacy Intensifies

Iran is preparing a regional meeting to ease Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions, with Islamabad welcoming Tehran’s mediation while accusing Kabul of allowing cross-border militants. FM Araghchi stated that Iran seeks stability for security and trade, particularly through Chabahar. The Taliban has not commented. The effort follows failed Istanbul talks and comes as Iran aligns its diplomacy with Russia ahead of a planned Caspian summit.

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★IRAQ

12. Iran, Iraq Set $20 Billion Trade Target In Three Years

Iran–Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce chairman Yahya Al‑e Es’hagh says Tehran and Baghdad aim to raise annual bilateral trade from roughly $12 billion last year to $20 billion within three years under existing agreements, driven by Iranian exports of consumer goods, food, construction materials, engineering services, agricultural products, and tourism services. He said Iran currently supplies about one‑fifth of Iraq’s consumer market and argued that Iraq’s nearly 50‑million population and close political ties give Iran significant room to expand its economic foothold if trade planning and logistics keep pace

13. Iraqi Coordination Framework Declares Itself as Largest Parliamentary Bloc

Iraq’s Coordination Framework, which claims over 175 of the 329 seats, declared itself the largest bloc eligible to form the next government. The alliance includes Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development list with 46 seats, State of Law with 29, and Asaib Ahl al-Haq with 27. Leaders signed a mandate to nominate a prime minister and formed committees for negotiations and candidate selection.

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★TURKIYE

14. Zelensky Visits Türkiye to Revive Ukraine Peace Efforts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Türkiye to revive peace talks, accompanied by security chief Rustem Umerov, for meetings with U.S. envoy Stephen Vitkov and President Erdoğan on prisoner exchanges and a possible settlement. Zelensky said Kyiv prepared new proposals, while Moscow noted it is not involved, and Türkiye’s FM Fidan may brief Russia on any progress.

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★ Disclaimer: This publication is a digest of various news sources compiled by the Early Phoenix team and edited by Rania Kisar. The items are curated, concise summaries of news items hyperlinked within each story. The items and summaries presented do not necessarily represent the views of the American Center for Levant Studies.