★IRAQ

1. US, Iraq Deepen Cross-Border Hunt For ISIS Leadership

U.S. special-operations forces and Iraq’s Falcons Intelligence Cell conducted a coordinated helicopter raid into northeastern Syria near Hasakah, capturing two senior ISIS suspects, including one known as “Abu Mazen.” Iraqi officials said the cross-border operation was authorized by the commander-in-chief, executed under legal procedures, and technically backed by the U.S.-led coalition and Syrian security elements. The swift joint action, completed within thirty minutes without gunfire, underscores Washington and Baghdad’s deepening intelligence partnership to dismantle ISIS leadership and block the group’s cross-border mobility and external-operations regeneration.

2. U.S. Backs Erbil Investment Hub As Kurds Press Federal Demands

The U.S. Consulate in Erbil reaffirmed Washington’s view of the Kurdistan Region as Iraq’s principal investment gateway, with Acting Consul General Caitlin Piper calling it a “dynamic” commercial hub for American firms. Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Democratic Party is leveraging coalition talks in Baghdad to demand Article 140 implementation, a federal oil‑gas law, and guaranteed budget transfers, framing the Kurds as co‑founders of post‑2003 Iraq. 

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★ISRAEL

3. Trump Assembles Gaza ‘Board Of Peace’ Amid Mandate Gaps

Six leaders from Egypt, Qatar, UAE, UK, Italy, and Germany have agreed in principle to sit with President Donald Trump on a Gaza “Board of Peace” overseeing postwar reconstruction, while key contributors still hesitate to join the International Stabilization Force that would gradually replace the IDF in the Strip. 

4. Israeli Forces Conduct Incursion, Arrest In Southern Quneitra

Israeli forces allegedly conducted a pre-dawn incursion today in southern Quneitra countryside, entering the villages of al-Hayran and Tal al-Dariyah west of al-Maallaqah, according to the Syrian state news agency SANA. The report claims a unit of seven military vehicles raided al-Hayran around 5 a.m., searched a house, and detained a young man from the village. In a related move, another force with two tanks, two military bulldozers, and a military vehicle reportedly entered the Tal al-Dariyah area, carried out earthworks at an abandoned military position, and fired shots in the air to intimidate nearby residents, causing fear among civilians. SANA also reports similar Israeli incursions occurred yesterday in other villages in the Quneitra countryside.

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★IRAN

5. Iranian Hackers Target Bennett As Cyber Escalation Continues

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett confirmed his Telegram account was hacked, with contacts, photos, and chats stolen and some doctored content circulated by the Iran-linked Handala group. The hackers branded the operation “Operation Octopus: Naftali Bennett Hacked,” mocking Bennett’s past cyber-industry career and his description of Iran as the “head of the octopus” directing regional proxies. Israeli media report Shin Bet is investigating whether the breach came via an adviser’s device rather than Bennett’s own phone, underscoring persistent Iranian cyber interest in senior Israeli figures.

6. Iranian Officials Scramble To Retrieve Venezuela Assets Before Crisis

Iranian officials scramble to retrieve more than $2 billion in assets and claims in Venezuela, fearing they could vanish if Nicolás Maduro’s government collapses as Syria’s did after Bashar Al-Assad fled. At the same time, Washington is tightening the financial vise: the U.S. Treasury has sanctioned 29 vessels and related entities in Iran’s sanctions‑evading shadow fleet, targeting ship‑to‑ship transfers, flag‑hopping, and other deceptive tactics used to move sanctioned crude. 

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★EGYPT & SUDAN

 

7. Egypt Denies Politics In Israel Gas Deal 

Israel approved a NIS 112 billion ($34.7 billion) gas export deal with Egypt through 2040, reinforcing Cairo’s role as Eastern Mediterranean LNG hub and critical U.S. partner bordering Gaza and the Red Sea. The agreement, generating NIS 58 billion in revenue for Israel, aligns with President Donald Trump’s strategy linking energy cooperation to postwar stabilization. Egypt’s State Information Service chief Diaa Rashwan denied the Israel‑Chevron‑Egypt deal carries political coordination, calling it a purely commercial venture governed by market and investment rules.

8. Egypt Backs Trump-Led Ceasefire As Sudan Crisis Triggers Warning

Egypt’s presidency warned that any move to divide Sudan or erode its institutions crosses “red lines” threatening Egyptian national security. Cairo cited its joint defense pact and aligned with President Donald Trump’s U.S.-Saudi-Emirati initiative pressing both Sudanese factions toward an immediate ceasefire and a unified transitional framework. 

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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.