The Media Line

War tests India-Israel-Gulf ties but may deepen economic integration

The UAE-India free trade deal, the Israel-UAE agreement that followed the Abraham Accords, and the EU-India pact signed in January have opened new commercial routes across the region.

Smoke rises above Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 5, 2026
"Disaster-driven litigation is a testament to the Gulf Coast's resilience and its demand for accountability."

Iranian war ripples across Arab states as Jordan intercepts missiles, Egypt feels economic shock

A picture taken on March 12, 2017, shows a view of an oil facility in the Khark Island, on the shore of the Gulf.

Iranian regime preventing technical staff from evacuating Kharg Island  amid US strike threats

First responders at the scene of an Iranian missile strike in central Israel on February 28, 2026.

Volunteer medics from Magen David Adom keep Israel’s emergency care running under missile attacks


Basij troop members fail to report to their posts as fear of Israeli strikes increases

A Basij commander spoke to soldiers, urging them not to panic during attacks by Israeli drones and not to abandon their posts.

In recent days, the Basij and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, together with the police, have set up checkpoints across the streets of Tehran and other cities, some of which have been targeted in Israeli attacks. This photo dates back to previous months.

Shi’ite cells in Gulf states are cooperating with Iran, leaking data, coordinates to IRGC

The clearest evidence of the presence of IRGC agents within some Gulf states is the filming of drone or missile strikes on their targets, even before the actual attack.

Smoke rises in the sky after blasts were heard in Manama, Bahrain, February 28, 2026.

Errors in Mojtaba Khamenei's first message dictated by IRGC raise questions about his condition

The message contained several typographical errors when published and was described by a knowledgeable source in Tehran as having been dictated by the IRGC and released under Mojtaba Khamenei's name

 State media in Iran published a written message from the new leader on Thursday evening after nearly two weeks without any message or sign of him. These outlets also appear to have used image-enhancement tools to make Mojtaba Khamenei’s face look more polished

Iranian football players face government pressure to return to Iran, as families warn against it

The exact number of delegation members seeking protection remains unclear, with accounts from activists, officials, and Iranian state media differing.

THE REMAINING members of Iran’s women’s national football team embrace a member of the support staff who had refused to board the plane.

Bedouin lawyer Hanan Alsanah eyes politics to advance Arab-Jewish partnership, women’s leadership

“I am a Bedouin feminist human rights lawyer as a peace builder,” Alsanah said at the outset, describing the identity she says she has “paid a very high price” to claim.

Hanan Alsanah is the only one among her sisters to attend university.

Iran war shifts Middle East dynamics, leaving Palestinian issues sidelined - analysis

The war with Iran dominates the regional agenda, but Palestinians face growing crises, including insecurity, violence, and a sidelined political authority with an uncertain future.

 A Palestinian man stands next to a burnt car after an attack by Israeli settlers in Kafr Malik, in the West Bank, June 26, 2025.

Not just about Israel: Iran poses threat to world's oil market, Israel's ambassador to US warns

Roughly one-fifth of global petroleum liquids consumption passes through the strait, making even the threat of mining or disruption enough to rattle oil markets and governments alike.

 Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter speaks to the media at the Capital Jewish Museum, near the site where two Israeli embassy staff were shot dead, in Washington, DC, US, May 22, 2025

Records reveal hidden billions in global wealth tied to Iran's new leader Mojtaba Khamenei

Khamenei’s financial agent, Ali Ansari, has circumvented sanctions, laundered money for the IRGC and the regime, and financed the IRGC and its proxy groups.

Mojtaba Khamenei; the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; is seen in Tehran; Iran; on December 14; 2016.

‘I shielded the baby with my body’: Paramedic protects newborn during Iran missile alert

Emergency crews operate under clear safety procedures during missile alerts, but the presence of both a newborn and a mother who had just given birth created a particularly complicated situation.

Magen David Adom paramedic Elad Pas shields a newborn baby during a missile alert.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan reaffirm mutual defense pact after Iranian missile, drone strikes

According to the media wing of the Pakistan Army, “both leaders discussed the seriousness of the security situation arising from Iranian drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia."

Smoke rises above Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 5, 2026