The Media Line

Syrian Jews in Damascus donate meat for iftar, support Muslim families in need during Ramadan

Needy families receive Ramadan support as a small remaining Jewish community highlights longstanding ties with Muslim neighbors.

|ByRIZIK ALABI/THE MEDIA LINE
Participants in the event from the Jewish community of Damascus.
Iranians watch fireworks during the Wednesday Fire feast, or Chaharshanbe Suri, held annually on the last Wednesday eve before the Spring holiday of Nowruz, in Tehran, on March 18, 2025.

Eid, Nowruz, Nisan converge in 2026, blending faith, culture, renewal across the region

The convergence creates a layered period of celebration that reflects the region’s complex identity, where religious practice and ancient cultural traditions coexist and often reinforce one another.

|BySTEVEN GANOT/THE MEDIA LINE
Fire rises from the Bazan power plant in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, June 15, 2025.

Expert warns Haifa refinery is ‘time bomb’ despite limited damage in Iranian strike

The Bazan refinery in Haifa Bay has long been a source of environmental concern. The latest round of Iranian missile fire has now placed those concerns in a wartime context.

|ByGABRIEL COLODRO/THE MEDIA LINE
A YOUNG woman celebrates her birthday with a cake along the Tel Aviv beach promenade despite the ongoing war with Iran and missile fire toward Israel, March 5, 2026.

Israel ranks eighth in World Happiness Report despite war, young Israelis place third globally

The report shows Israel continuing to post high levels of life satisfaction even as the country faces prolonged conflict on multiple fronts.

|ByTHE MEDIA LINE STAFF

Gulf states seek to balance diplomacy with deterrence policies as Iran war threatens region

Israeli and US actions against Iran, including strikes on key facilities such as Kharg Island, which hosts a large portion of Iran’s oil exports, have widened the confrontation.

MARCH 20, 2026ByGIORGIA VALENTE/THE MEDIA LINE
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, US President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa attend a group photo session with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2025.

Lebanon war widening divide within Shi'ite community as frustrations with Hezbollah grow

After Hezbollah launched rocket fire into Israeli territory on March 2, Israel responded with a large-scale offensive that again displaced many Shi'ite residents and reignited debate over the group.

MARCH 20, 2026ByTAYLOR THOMAS/THE MEDIA LINE
Hezbollah supporters hold images of late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and Palestinian and other flags at a ceremony held by Hezbollah to commemorate the first anniversary of Nasrallah's killing by Israel, on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon

Christians in Lebanon navigate fear and neutrality amid ongoing regional conflict

Christian communities are opposing Lebanon’s involvement in the conflict while weighing whether Hezbollah’s weakening could open space for stronger state authority.

MARCH 19, 2026ByGIORGIA VALENTE / THE MEDIA LINE
A memorial service is held at Sayyidet al-Najaat Church for five Christians, including a priest, who were killed in attacks in Rumiyeh, north of Beirut, Lebanon, on March 15, 2026.

Pakistan denies deadly Kabul hospital attack, says it struck Taliban military site

Conflicting accounts over a disputed airstrike leave questions about the target and reported civilian deaths unresolved.

MARCH 19, 2026ByARSHAD MEHMOOD / THE MEDIA LINE
A man stands on the debris at the site of a drug rehabilitation hospital destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 17, 2026.

'After the cluster opens, it’s too late:' Israeli expert explains Iranian cluster warhead challenge

Dr. Uzi Rubin tells The Media Line that stopping missiles at high altitude remains the only effective defense once submunitions are released.

MARCH 19, 2026ByGABRIEL COLODRO/THE MEDIA LINE
Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli center coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks on March 9, 2026.

Israeli retail tech funding more than doubled to $463 million in 2025, report finds

The report counts 502 active companies operating in Israel’s Retail & Commerce space, representing 7.05% of the country’s 7,125 startups.

MARCH 19, 2026ByTHE MEDIA LINE STAFF
“Collaborative investment platforms empower individuals through community-driven insights, reshaping traditional investing.”

Israeli medics confront new battlefield: Cluster warheads

Emergency responders describe the operational chaos, toxic hazards, and psychological strain facing civilians and rescuers as Iran’s missile attacks evolve.

MARCH 18, 2026ByGABRIEL COLODRO/THE MEDIA LINE
Magen David Adom responding to site of Iranian ballistic missile impact in Jerusalem area, March 1, 2026.

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.

MARCH 16, 2026ByJACOB WIRTSCHAFTER/THE MEDIA LINE
Smoke rises above Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 5, 2026

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

Jordan and Saudi Arabia confront direct security threats while Egypt faces financial pressure from disrupted trade, tourism, and energy markets.

MARCH 16, 2026ByGIORGIA VALENTE/THE MEDIA LINE
"Disaster-driven litigation is a testament to the Gulf Coast's resilience and its demand for accountability."

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

Fires are still burning in parts of the island, with regime authorities insisting that operations at Iran's most critical oil export terminal must continue without interruption.

MARCH 15, 2026ByOMID HABIBINIA/THE MEDIA LINE
A picture taken on March 12, 2017, shows a view of an oil facility in the Khark Island, on the shore of the Gulf.