While there is a broad range of Arabic language media outlets reporting stories from and about the Middle East, there is currently no affordable and reliable means for English speakers to gain access to this content. As a result, many English speaking businesspersons, students, journalists and others who have an interest in the affairs of the region are largely unaware of what the Middle East media is covering and how they are covering these stories.
Mideastwire.com aims to close this gap by offering a daily menu of translations covering some of the key political, cultural, economic and opinion pieces appearing in the media of the 22 Arab countries and the Arab Diaspora. Through this effort, we hope to address at least one aspect of a global disconnect that continues to threaten a wide spectrum of socio-political and economic relationships, both here in the region and beyond.
It is also important to note that, since our founding in 2005, Mideastwire.com is wholly funded by the content license fees paid by individuals and organizations. As such, there is no government, commercial or non-profit support, an aspect that we believe provides a relatively independent platform for better understanding.
Our Corrections Policy: We adhere to an honest and open corrections policy. Please email info@mideastwire.com if you notice any typo or if you disagree with our translation choices. Since we do not produce our own content, we only will consider corrections that highlight typos or dispute our translations, not the veracity or accuracy of the original content. Accepted corrections are applied directly to the relevant translations as soon as they are approved by the editor and our database is updated accordingly for all subscribers.
Egypt
Egypt may shift toward direct confrontation with the Houthis and Iran over Red Sea attacks that have halved Suez Canal revenues. Cairo is seeking compensation and tighter coordination with the US (Al-Arab).
Iran–US
A secret Iran–US meeting was held in a Gulf state, reportedly mediated by Russia. Trump’s letter offered economic incentives or “bitter measures” depending on Iran’s response (Al-Jarida).
Iraq
Baghdad pledged to restrict Houthi activity to cultural/media work following international pressure, seeking to avoid entanglement in Iran–US tensions (Al-Araby al-Jadeed).
Lebanon
The Lebanese Army has resisted Israeli and US pressure to raid Hezbollah arms depots north of the Litani River without a political mandate (Al-Joumhouria).
Israel escalated strikes in Beirut’s suburbs, accusing Hezbollah of coordinating with Hamas; internal Lebanese divisions over Hezbollah’s role are widening (Asas Media).
Protests in Gaza calling for Hamas to leave are echoed in Lebanon with increasing demands for Hezbollah’s disarmament (Nidaa al-Watan).
Saudi Arabia’s warm reception of PM Salam signals renewed engagement, conditional on curbing Hezbollah influence (En-Nashra).
Palestine
Hamas may shift its military operations abroad, with threats against US and Israeli interests globally (Rai al-Youm).
Syria
Turkey-Syria rapprochement deepens, potentially triggering confrontation with Israel. Ankara is helping secure post-Assad governance (Al-Quds al-Arabi).
Al-Qusayr residents celebrate Eid without Hezbollah for the first time in years after the group’s withdrawal (Asharq al-Awsat).
Yemen
Houthis are expanding ties with Al-Shabaab and ISIS in Somalia to strengthen arms networks and disrupt maritime security in the Red Sea (Al-Arab).