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Supporters watch Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah deliver an address in Lebanon on November 11. On the US: Nasrallah accused the US of “administering” the Israeli operation in Gaza and chastised it for supporting the continuation of Israel’s operation in Gaza. Hezbollah’s chief described Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and Syria as having created “supporting fronts” for Hamas in Gaza. US officials are deeply concerned that the group’s internal politics may cause Hezbollah to escalate simmering tensions. He also urged for a ceasefire in Gaza, calling it Hezbollah’s first priority.

Persons: General Hassan Nasrallah, Aziz Taher, Nasrallah, ”, it’s, ” Nasrallah, Alaa, Israel, Hezbollah’s, –, Israel — Nasrallah Organizations: Reuters, Israel Defense Forces, “, Reuters Hezbollah, CNN, Hezbollah, Israel Locations: Lebanon, Israel, Gaza, Palestine, Iran, Lebanese, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, –

☆ Lebanese painter says Christie's withdrawal of his works from auction is 'discrimination'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIRUT, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Christie's auction house has removed two paintings by Lebanese artist Ayman Baalbaki from its London sale this week following complaints, according to emails seen by Reuters, with the artist criticising the decision as a form of "discrimination". Both are no longer available on the website for Christie's auction on modern and contemporary Middle Eastern Art. A third piece by Baalbaki, depicting red flags seemingly on fire, remains on sale. A Christie's spokesperson said: "Decisions relating to sales remain confidential between Christie's and our consignors." The email said it was "normal policy" to remove pieces "if a work receives multiple complaints" in order to avoid "damaging press".

Persons: Ayman Baalbaki, Al Moulatham, Baalbaki, Maya Gebeily, Abdelhadi, Alison Williams Organizations: Reuters, Eastern, Hamas, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, London, Christie's, Israel, Gaza, Beirut, Frankfurt

[1/3] A U.S army soldier stands with his weapon at a military base in the Makhmour area near Mosul during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq, October 18, 2016. A U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not specifically say what might trigger the evacuation of U.S. military families, who are deployed to Middle East locations including Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. Senior Biden administration officials including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have warned of the risk of major escalation in attacks on American troops in the Middle East and that Iran could seek to widen the Israel-Hamas war. Austin has ordered new air defenses to the Middle East to safeguard troops, including a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. Iranian security officials told Reuters Iran's strategy was for Middle East proxies like Hezbollah to pursue limited strikes on Israeli and U.S. targets but to avoid a major escalation that would draw in Tehran.

Persons: Alaa, Michael, Erik, Kurilla, Asad, Lloyd Austin, Austin, John Kirby, Kirby, Phil Stewart, Chizu Organizations: Islamic, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Reuters, U.S . Army, U.S . Central Command, American, Navy's, Senior Biden, Defense, Pentagon, Area Defense, United, Thomson Locations: U.S, Makhmour, Mosul, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Israel, Gaza, Yemen, Iranian, Middle East, Bahrain, United States, Tehran

☆ US troops attacked in Iraq, Syria and on alert for more strikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Idrees Ali | Thomson Reuters | National Security Correspondent Focusing On The Pentagon In Washington D.C. Reports On U.S. Military Activity | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

On Wednesday, a drone hit U.S. forces in Syria resulting in minor injuries, while another one was brought down. Earlier this week, U.S. forces thwarted multiple drones targeting troops in Iraq. At least 3,785 Palestinians have been killed and 12,493 wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza, the health ministry in Gaza said. In past years, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq regularly targeted U.S. forces in Iraq and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad with rockets. Such attacks had abated under a truce in place since last year, and Iraq has had a period of relative calm.

Persons: Alaa, Joe Biden, Al, Asad, I'm, Patrick Ryder, Ryder, Ali al, Israel, Idrees Ali, Grant McCool Organizations: U.S, Islamic, REUTERS, Rights, Pentagon, U.S . Navy, Thursday, ISRAEL, Gaza, United, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: Makhmour, Mosul, Iraq, Syria, Washington, Iran, Israel, U.S, Al Asad, Yemen, Gaza, United States, State, Baghdad

☆ Iran's allies in Iraq, Yemen threaten U.S. over intervention in Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Leader of the Conquest Coalition and the Iran-backed Shi'ite militia Badr Organisation Hadi al-Amiri speaks during a news conference with Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr (not pictured), in Najaf, Iraq June 12, 2018. In Yemen, the leader of the powerful Houthi Movement warned on Tuesday that the group would respond to any U.S. intervention in Gaza with drones, missiles and other military options. The PMF has voiced its "unequivocal support" for the Palestinian factions fighting Israel and the Iraqi government has said the Palestinian operations were a natural outcome of what it calls "oppressive" policies by Israel. In past years, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq regularly targeted U.S. forces in Iraq and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad with rockets, though such attacks have abated under a truce in place since last year, as Iraq enjoys a period of relative calm. Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed, Amina Ismail and Timour Azhari; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Mark HeinrichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hadi al, Amiri, Moqtada al, Washington, Hadi Al, Al, Ahmed Rasheed, Amina Ismail, Timour, Angus MacSwan, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Conquest Coalition, REUTERS, Rights, Senior, Houthi, Hezbollah, Popular, Forces, U.S, United, Thomson Locations: Iran, Sadr, Najaf, Iraq, Rights BAGHDAD, Gaza, United States, U.S, Israel, Yemen, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Iraqi, Baghdad, Syria, State

☆ Drought imperils Iraq's water buffalo and a child's way of life
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Alaa Al-Marjani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Petting a water buffalo before tying a fodder bag around its neck, Mustafa Ahmed tends his father's herd in Iraq's southern province of Najaf where his family have raised animals for generations but lack of water now threatens their livelihood. Iraq forms part of the "Fertile Crescent", land sweeping from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf which has been farmed for thousands of years. But the landscape has been devastated by upstream damming of Iraq's two main rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, lower rainfall trends and decades of conflict. Ahmed's father, Ahmed Abdul Hussein, said the dire water shortage in their home Al-Mishkhab district is forcing him to sell their animals one by one - heartbreaking for his son. Reuters spoke to six families of herders in Najaf province who all said they have had to sell animals or have had livestock die over the last months.

Persons: Mustafa Ahmed, Ahmed Abdul Hussein Organizations: Reuters Locations: Najaf, Iraq, Persian, Mishkhab

"I was a little hesitant coming as a American, like 'Oh my god my government did really bad things here. Tourists "are messengers who tell these states that Iraq has returned to being a safe country and is not a red line as some say. 'DO NOT TRAVEL'The U.S. and European countries still warn against any travel to Iraq due to security concerns. The U.S. State Department website says: "Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest". Few of the ancient ruins that dot the country have signs describing their significance, nor accredited tour guides.

Persons: Anna Nikolaevna, Jacob Nemec, Imam Ali, Alaa, Marjani, Jacob Nemec's, Nemec, Ahmed Fakak Al, Badrani, Al, General Abdel, Karim Sudani, Ali Hilal, Hilal, Timour Azhari, Maher Nazeh, Ahmed Saeed, Khalid al, Ros Russell Organizations: REUTERS, Islamic, Tourism, Reuters, Foreign, U.S . State Department, Thomson Locations: Russian, American, Najaf, Iraq, Marjani BAGHDAD, Reno , Nevada, Iran, U.S, Baghdad, Europe, United States, British, Babylon, Mosul, West, Al Qaeda, Islamic State, Ali, Canada, Babil, Mousily

☆ Middle East's Fertile Crescent dries up as rains fail
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Alaa Al-Marjani | Orhan Qereman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

As world leaders meet in Egypt for a climate summit to address issues including water and food security, Elwan’s plight highlights a crisis facing Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries that could fuel more turmoil in the region as communities fight over dwindling water resources. Reuters spoke to more than two dozen people in five provinces across Iraq who all said that a prolonged drought, which has only worsened in recent years, was crippling livelihoods. Farmers in neighbouring Syria and Turkey are also struggling with lower rainfall. In Iraq, officials and water experts said rains had come later and ended sooner in each of the last three years. “Desertification now threatens almost 40% of the area of our country - a country that was once one of the most fertile and productive in the region,” Iraq's President Abdul Latif Rashid told the climate summit in Egypt last week.

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