Middle East • Page 15 of 449 • The Defense Post

Jul- 2026 -

8 July

This image provided by the Iranian Army in September 2020 shows a Nasr missile fired from a ship during the second day of a military exercise in the Gulf, near the strategic Strait of Hormuz

US, Iran Trade Strikes in New Threat to Ceasefire

The United States launched extensive strikes on Iran over attacks on ships in the vital Strait of Hormuz, triggering a wave of reprisals that Iran's Guards said targeted US bases in the Gulf.

7 July

An Israeli airstrike hits the southern suburbs of Beirut as the Lebanese capital undergoes one of the most violent nights since the beginning of the conflict with at least 25 airstrikes

Staff Writer With AFP

Lebanon Says Israeli Strike on South Kills 4, Including 3 Women

Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike on a car in the country's south killed four people, including three women, despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

7 July

Palestinian militant group Hamas fighters secure an area before handing over an Israeli-American hostage to a Red Cross team in Gaza City on February 1, 2025, as part of the fourth hostage-prisoner exchange. Ranks of Hamas fighters formed up on Gaza's beachfront on February 1 for the handover of an Israeli-American hostage Keith Siegel in a show of force against the dramatic backdrop of breaking waves. (Photo by Saeed Jaras / Middle East Images via AFP)

Staff Writer With AFP

Hamas Announces Dissolution of Gaza Governing Body

Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas announced the dissolution of the body that has governed the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, clearing the way for a technocratic committee to administer the territory.

6 July

Artist's rendering of the Egyptian Ministry of Defense's Octagon headquarter

Rojoef Manuel

Egypt Opens ‘Octagon’ to Centralize Military Command

Egypt has officially inaugurated the “Octagon,” a new State Strategic Command Headquarters designed to consolidate military leadership in the country's New Administrative Capital.

6 July

A child watches as Israeli soldiers secure the area during a tour of Hebronís old city in the West Bank

Staff Writer With AFP

Palestinian Ministry Says Israeli Forces Kill Teen in West Bank

The Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces fatally shot a 16-year-old boy in the occupied West Bank, the second reported killing of a Palestinian teenager within a week.

6 July

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech

Jodesz Gavilan

Turkey Debuts Unified Military Headquarters During NATO Summit

Turkey will use the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara to showcase its new military complex designed to unify the country's armed forces command structure under one site.

6 July

Staff Writer With AFP

Netanyahu Says Some Lebanese Christian Villages ‘Asked to Be Annexed’ by Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that some Christian villages in southern Lebanon had asked to be annexed by Israel, in order to be protected from Hezbollah militants.

5 July

Marines assigned to Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team, Central Command (FASTCENT), approach the Arc Liberty, a Military Sealift Command time chartered vessel, in the Arabian Gulf to provide embarked security during a Strait of Hormuz transit.

Staff Writer With AFP

Iran Envoy Says Friendly Nations to Get ‘Special’ Hormuz Fee Treatment

Iran's ambassador to China insisted that new fees would be charged to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz while assuring that "friendly" nations would receive special treatment.

5 July