THE EARLY PHOENIX
A first look at today’s most notable stories from the Middle East, selected by ACLS experts

13 DECEMBER 2022

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GULF AND YEMEN

1. Report: 127,000 Houthi Human Rights Violations in Yemen Since 2014 (Al Arabiya). Houthi mines, during the 8 years of the coup, killed 3,673 civilians, including 647 children and 462 women, and injured 3,135 civilians, including 741 children and 362 women.

2. UAE Makes History with Successful Launch of Lunar Rover (Gulf news). The UAE’s and the Arab world’s first journey to land on the Moon began successfully on Sunday, with the triumphant launch of the Emirati-made Rashid Rover aboard a Japanese lunar lander sent to space on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

IRAN

3. Iranian Regime Publicly Executes a Second Protester (Aljazeera).  Iran has publicly executed a second man who was arrested during unrest linked with the country’s ongoing protests.

4. EU imposes new Iran sanctions; no deal yet on new Russia package (Reuters). European Union foreign ministers on Monday imposed new sanctions on Iran over its crackdown of anti-government protests and its drone deliveries to Russia, but pushed the adoption of a new package of measures against Moscow to later this week.

SYRIA

5. Iran Aids Assad Regime with an Oil Tanker, After Syria’s November Supplies Were Below 50,000 Barrels per Day (Syria TV).  An Iranian oil tanker arrived on the Syrian coast of Baniyas, days after the fuel crisis intensified in the areas controlled by the Syrian regime.

6. Using “Al-Qaterji Tankers”, “SDF” Resumes Supplying the Syrian Regime with Oil (Syria TV).  Dozens of empty tankers arrived in the city of Qamishli in the countryside of Hasakah, in preparation for supplying them with oil to be transported to areas controlled by the Syrian regime, which is witnessing a major fuel crisis.

TURKEY

7. Erdoğan:  Turkish Missiles could Hit Athens if Greece Militarizes Aegean Islands (Turkish Minute). Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned that Turkey could hit Athens with missiles if Greece continues to arm the Aegean islands.

8. EU Approves $232M Border Control Package for Eastern Türkiye (Daily Sabah). The European Commission adopted a package worth 220 million euros (over $232 million) for measures to enhance security on Türkiye’s eastern border, as part of a previously signed migrant deal between the bloc and Ankara.

LEBANON

9. Maronite Patriarch Al-Rai Calls to ‘Internationalize’ Lebanon Crisis (Middle East Monitor). Lebanon Maronite Patriarc Bechara Boutros Al-Rai has reiterated his call for the “internationalization” of the Lebanese cause and for “heading to the UN and world powers to rescue Lebanon before it’s too late.”

10. Hochstein Says Netanyahu Won’t Backtrack on Israel-Lebanon Gas Deal (Nahar Net). U.S. energy mediator Amos Hochstein has said that he does not believe that an Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu will renounce the offshore gas agreement that was recently reached with Lebanon.

IRAQ

11. Iraq, Kuwait, and U.S. Conduct Joint Maritime Patrol in the Gulf (Iraqi News). Iraq, Kuwait, and the United States’ maritime security recently conducted a combined patrol in the Arabian Gulf.