TOP HEADLINES:

• Israel’s Knesset Passes Landmark Judicial Overhaul Bill Amid US Concerns 
• Ongoing Sudanese Conflict Claims Tragic Toll: One Child Killed or Injured Every Hour
• Iran’s Air Force Showcases Advanced Missiles in Military Drills
• Jordan Downs Syrian Narcotic-Laden Drone in Cross-Border Incident
• Major Drug Bust: One Million Captagon Tablets Seized in Baghdad

TURKIYE

1.  Turkiye Unveils Groundbreaking Guided Naval Mine ‘UÇA (TRT Arabic). The idea of ​​​​the UÇA project is based on integrating a set of military technologies for guidance and targeting the winged smart guidance kit (KGK) to turn it into an intelligent offensive marine mine. Launching the UÇA system through warplanes or attack drones is possible, as its characteristics and advantages enable it to mine the entrances to the enemy’s headquarters and naval bases without the danger of approaching them.
2.  Türkiye Joins the ‘Rome Process’ to Tackle Irregular Migration (Daily Sabah). Turkiye joined more than 20 nations and international organizations in the “Rome Process” during the International Conference on Development and Migration hosted by Italy…Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and burden-sharing to tackle irregular migration, calling for the elimination of conflicts and economic problems at the source. The conference comes as four migrants attempting to cross into Europe were found dead inside a trailer truck in northwestern Turkiye.

ISRAEL AND PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

3.  Palestinian Group Engages in Talks with Egypt’s Intelligence Chief: PFLP Delegation Meets with Abbas Kamil in Cairo (Middle East Monitor). The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) revealed that it conducted talks with Egypt’s Intelligence chief, as reported by Anadolu. The PFLP delegation, led by Deputy Secretary-General Jamal Nizar, traveled to Cairo at the invitation of the Egyptian side for discussions with Abbas Kamil, as stated in a written statement by the Palestinian group.
4. Iran Claims to Dismantle Alleged Mossad-Linked Terror Unit (Jerusalem Post). Iran reported that the country’s authorities succeeded in dismantling a “unit associated with the Israeli Mossad.”According to the report, Iranian security forces arrested the unit members dispersed in several Islamic Republic cities. 
5.  Israel’s Knesset Adopts First Judicial Overhaul Bill Despite US Warning (Al Monitor). The Israeli Knesset has passed the first element of the government’s controversial judicial overhaul plan, known as the “reasonableness clause” despite widespread protests nationwide. The clause will prevent the Supreme Court from overseeing government decisions, including appointing ministers and other senior positions. 

Egypt & North Africa

6. The Libyan Red Crescent Calls for the Rescue of 400 Migrants at the Border with Tunisia (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat). The Libyan Red Crescent Society called for the speedy rescue of 400 migrants who belong to several African countries and are stuck on the border with Tunisia after the latter deported them from its lands and its Libyan counterpart refused their entry into the country. An official in the Red Crescent appealed to “the necessity of providing relief to migrants stranded at the border.” At the same time, the association said, on Monday, that it continues to provide emergency humanitarian aid to migrants on the Libyan-Tunisian border, “including women with critical health conditions, infants and men who need immediate assistance.”
7.  100 Days Since the Two Generals’ War in Sudan: A Disturbing Toll of One Child Killed or Injured Every Hour (Al Hadath). One thousand eight hundred people in a new death toll, of whom at least one hundred eighty were buried randomly without identification. See the Video with English subtitles. 

GULF REGION & YEMEN

8. Yemeni-Iraqi Talks in Baghdad Seek to Bolster Relations (Al Sharq Al Awsat). Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein held talks with his Yemeni counterpart Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak in Baghdad. The FMs held talks on bolstering bilateral relations between their countries. They covered the latest economic and political developments in Yemen, reported Yemen’s state news agency Saba. Bin Mubarak cited the Iran-backed Houthi militias’ intransigence in extending the truce and ending the conflict. He criticized them for refusing to deal with United Nations and regional peace efforts seriously. 
9.  Iran: We Welcome the Mediation of Qatar and Oman, and Our Relationship With The Gulf is Positive (Al Khaleej Online). The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs praised the relations that bind Tehran with the Arab Gulf states, welcoming the efforts of Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman to mediate between the parties to the Iranian nuclear agreement. 
10. Kuwait Begins Placing Gulf and International Terrorism Lists in Its Ports (Kl Youm). A Kuwaiti newspaper said that the authorities in the country began to put “Gulf and international terrorist lists” within the database of border crossings in Kuwait. The local newspaper “Al-Qabas” quoted sources in the Ministry of the Interior as saying that, within the framework of measures aimed at consolidating security, “the ministry moved internationally to protect Kuwait from the dangers of terrorism, organized crime and drugs by taking this step, in addition to regional and international coordination to pursue those wanted and convicted of crimes, according to security agreements.”

IRAN

11. Iranian Air Force Employs Modern Missiles in War Game (Tasnim News). The Iranian Air Force units launched various advanced missiles and homegrown bombs in a large-scale military exercise in the country’s central regions. The main stage of the war game codenamed Fadaeeyan-e Harim-e Velayat 11 (Devotees of Velayat Airspace 11), kicked off in the central province of Isfahan on Sunday night. The spokesman for the drills said the Sukhoi Su-24 and F-4 Phantom fighter-bombers carried out nocturnal operations and detonated the hypothetical enemy’s ground targets with Qased upgraded standoff missiles. General Alireza Roodbari said the Air Force units also utilized a range of laser-guided and thermal missiles to hit the aerial targets in various altitudes and fired diverse homegrown rockets and bombs.
12. Iran’s Top Security Official Attends BRICS Meeting (Mehr News). Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Ali-Akbar Ahmadian participated in the National Security Advisors (NSA) meeting of the BRICS group of emerging economies in South Africa. Ahmadian, who arrived in Pretoria, is scheduled to hold talks with some of his counterparts on the sidelines of the BRICS meeting. The 13th NSA meeting of BRICS opened in South Africa for three days. Iran is one of the countries seeking to join the group.

SYRIA

13. Jordan Shooting Down a Drone from Syria Loaded with Narcotic Crystal (Zaman Al Wsl). The Jordanian army announced that the eastern military region successfully shot down a drone carrying narcotics within its area of responsibility, which originated from Syrian territory. According to an official military source from the General Command of the Jordanian Armed Forces – the Arab Army, the Border Guard forces, in collaboration with military security services and the Anti-Narcotics Department, detected and intercepted the illegal drone crossing from Syria into Jordanian territory, and it was brought down safely within Jordanian borders.

IRAQ

14. One million Captagon Tablets Seized in Baghdad (Al Naharar). Iraqi security forces made a significant announcement regarding the seizure of approximately one million Captagon pills from a “foreign merchant” in Baghdad. In a country where the drug problem has posed significant challenges for authorities, the Iraqi National Security Service revealed that their forces successfully set up an elaborate ambush that resulted in the arrest of the foreign drug dealer. However, the dealer’s nationality was not specified.
15. Badr Organization Calls on the Government and Parliament to Expel the American Ambassador from Iraq (Al Iraq News). The leader of the Badr Organization, former deputy Hamid al-Musawi, called on the government and parliament to put an end to the suspicious and public actions of the US ambassador to Baghdad, Alina Romanowsky, due to her interference in internal affairs at the political and societal levels and the promotion of homosexuality. Mousawi said in a press statement, “Calls have escalated regarding the expulsion of the US ambassador, Alina Romanowsky, from various political and social sides.

LEBANON

16. Lebanon Prepares for the End of Central Bank Chief Riad Salameh’s Term (the National News). Lebanon’s caretaker, Prime Minister Najib Mikati, met with the four deputy governors of the country’s bankrupt central bank in preparation for the end of Riad Salameh’s controversial term. The meeting, which also included Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Chami and Finance Minister Youssef Khalil, aimed to have a succession plan in place before the end of the central bank governor’s term. 
17. Assad’s Stipulation for Aoun’s Overthrow and Denial of Benefits to Geagea: Insights into Lebanon’s Presidential Eras (Al Sharq Al Awsat). Syria held significant influence over Lebanon’s political landscape during this period. The article highlights Syria’s efforts to control Lebanon’s presidency and avoid a repeat of past experiences with previous presidents. Syrian President Hafez al-Assad sought a Maronite president from outside the Mount Lebanon region, and he conditioned the removal of Michel Aoun on certain guarantees.