New York Times: Israeli Ground Forces Seize Part of Gaza Corridor, Raising Pressure on Hamas
Israeli ground forces pushed deeper into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, taking over part of a major corridor that bisects the Palestinian enclave, in the most significant ground operation since the collapse of the cease-fire with Hamas. The operation followed wide-scale Israeli aerial bombardment in Gaza that began early on Tuesday morning, ending the fragile truce that had held since mid-January. More than 400 people were killed in the airstrikes, according to the Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. On Wednesday, the Israeli military said soldiers had begun “targeted ground activities” along the road — known as the Netzarim Corridor — to create a “partial buffer zone” between northern and southern Gaza. Israeli forces had widened their control “to the center of the Netzarim Corridor,” the military said.
New York Times: Trump Says Houthis in Yemen Will Be ‘Annihilated,’ as U.S. Keeps Up Strikes
President Trump said on Wednesday that the Iran-backed Houthi militant group in Yemen would be “completely annihilated” by U.S. military strikes and warned Tehran to “immediately” stop supplying it with military equipment and general support and “let the Houthis fight it out themselves.” His remarks, posted on social media, came as the U.S. military continued a wave of attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen as part of what American officials said was an effort to stop the militant group’s attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. “Tremendous damage has been inflicted,” Mr. Trump said of the effects of the strikes, which began on Saturday. He added: “Watch how it will get progressively worse. It’s not even a fair fight, and never will be. They will be completely annihilated!”
CEP Research Analyst Gregory Waters writes: This analysis draws on my conversations with members of these groups as well as HTS leadership over the past several years as a consultant with the International Crisis Group and an independent researcher. The people I spoke with were granted anonymity given the tenuous security situation in the country and their ongoing political work. There are legitimate reasons for worry, specifically about the future of the Alawite community. In March, Alawite insurgents linked to the former regime launched a coordinated attack against security forces. Government forces, independent armed factions, and Sunni vigilantes mobilized in response, engaging in nearly four days of mass executions, killing more than six hundred Alawite civilians and detained insurgents. The insurgency by ex-regime elements is still ongoing.
Tagesspiegel: Military ground offensive: Will Israel now remain in the Gaza Strip permanently?
Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the international Counter Extremism Project, tells the Tagesspiegel that the renewed escalation was unfortunately foreseeable. “The basic problem remains that no decision has been made as to who should ultimately control the Gaza Strip,” he tells the Tagesspiegel. “A withdrawal of the Israeli military at this point in time would therefore have meant that Hamas would have automatically taken control again.”
Cybertrucks set ablaze. Bullets and Molotov cocktails aimed at Tesla showrooms. Attacks on property carrying the logo of Elon Musk’s electric-car company are cropping up across the U.S. and overseas. While no injuries have been reported, Tesla showrooms, vehicle lots, charging stations and privately owned cars have been targeted. There’s been a clear uptick since President Donald Trump took office and empowered Musk to oversee a new Department of Government Efficiency that’s slashing government spending. Experts on domestic extremism say it’s impossible to know yet if the spate of incidents will balloon into a long-term pattern. In Trump’s first term, his properties in New York, Washington and elsewhere became a natural place for protest. In the early days of his second term, Tesla is filling that role.
A researcher studying at Georgetown University was detained by federal immigration authorities on Monday over allegations by the Trump administration that the foreign exchange student spread Hamas propaganda through social media, according to reports. Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national in the US on a student visa, was arrested at his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, by masked agents from the Department of Homeland Security, his lawyer alleges in a lawsuit obtained by CBS News and Politico. Suri, who both teaches and studies at the university as a postdoctoral associate and is married to a US citizen, was told by the DHS agents that his student visa had been revoked, the suit stated. The Trump administration alleged that Suri was “actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media,” CBS reported.
The doctor who hired Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Brown University assistant professor and kidney specialist who was deported over the weekend to Lebanon after federal agents said she “openly admitted” to supporting Hezbollah, declined to say whether he would have hired her had he known about her support for terrorists. Dr. Douglas Shemin — the former chief of Brown Medicine’s Division of Kidney Diseases and Hypertension, who hired Alawieh in spring 2024 — told Jewish Insider that Alawieh “had a very good background” that included medical training at Yale University.
Times of Israel: Detained anti-Israel activist Khalil urges renewed student pro-Palestinian protests
Mahmoud Khalil, a US-based Palestinian protester arrested at Columbia University nine days ago, has written that he is a “political prisoner” in a letter sent from a Louisiana detention center. Khalil was arrested on March 9 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and has been threatened with deportation for leading activities that the Trump administration says were “aligned to Hamas.” He was a leader of the hardline pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel group Columbia University Apartheid Divest, and his detainment was part of a broad crackdown on campus anti-Israel protests that the Trump administration says has included support for terrorism and is responsible for a surge in antisemitism. Another person who demonstrated at Columbia has also been arrested.
City Journal: Who Are the Shadowy Figures Defending Mahmoud Khalil?
As it unfurls, the saga of Mahmoud Khalil—the Columbia agitator picked up by immigration enforcement last week—looks less like a complicated immigration-law dispute and more like something out of a John le Carré novel. But inspect the details, and Khalil’s case gives us a glimpse a well-established network linking American universities, international progressive NGOs, and government agencies. This network places ideologues like Khalil in positions of power and influence and promoting radical policies that challenge both the will of American voters and our national-security interests.
Reuters: Judge says Columbia protestor must remain in US for now, moves case to NJ
A U.S. judge on Wednesday said Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil must remain in the United States for now, but moved his challenge to the legality of his arrest over his participation in pro-Palestinian protests to a court in New Jersey. Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman denied a bid by the Trump administration to dismiss the case, but agreed with the Justice Department that he did not have jurisdiction because Khalil was held in New Jersey at the time his lawyers first challenged his arrest in New York.
Support for Christian nationalist ideology differs among Hispanic Protestants and Catholics depending on how individuals identify themselves racially, according to a new study. Christian nationalists believe Christian values should be fused with the nation’s identity, experts said. Half of all Americans believe the U.S. is a Christian nation that should be based on Christian values, a previous survey found, McClatchy News reported in October.
Daily Sentinel: Details emerge about how a white supremacist was invited to speak at Colorado Mesa
The picture of how an alleged white supremacist was invited to speak at Colorado Mesa University is becoming clearer. The news that the student-run Western Culture Club invited Jared Taylor, an alleged white supremacist, to speak on campus spread like wildfire earlier this month. CMU president John Marshall sent an email to students on March 7 regarding the speaker. Marshall’s email skirted naming Taylor and the Western Culture Club as to, according to emails later obtained by The Daily Sentinel in an open records request, not give them free PR.
With the Trump administration seeking to deport non-citizen students and professors who support American-designated terrorist organizations, fresh scrutiny is being placed on Princeton University’s employment of a former Iranian official, Seyed Hossein Mousavian, who has been accused of promoting Iran’s terror agenda on American soil.
UPI: FBI's lead terrorist list renamed Threat Screening Center to reflect 'expanded' mission
FBI officials say renaming its Terrorist Screening Center to "Threat Screening Center" is part of the federal government's newly "expanded" and "broader mission" to combat foreign threats by America's "lead terrorist watchlisting entity."
The director of Vancouver-based Samidoun—which is listed as a terrorist entity by Canada and the United States—travelled to Beirut last month to attend the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah.While this may have provoked outrage in some quarters, her visit does not seem to have provoked any legal consequences.
Jerusalem Post: Winnipeg man arrested for Nazi graffiti charged for work with terrorist group
A Winnipeg man who had previously been arrested and charged for a spate of antisemitic vandalism was charged on Monday for his involvement with a terrorist organization, the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced on Tuesday. Nineteen-year-old Nevin Thunder Young appeared before the Winnipeg Provincial Court on Wednesday to face charges of facilitating terrorist activity, participation in terrorist group activity, and commission of an offense for a terrorist group.
Brussels Signal: German left-wing extremist ‘Lina E’ given five-year jail sentence
A final verdict has been given in Germany against “Lina E”, a violent left-wing extremist. On March 19, the Federal Court of Justice in the city of Karlsruhe confirmed an earlier verdict against the so-called hammer gang and its most high-profile member, known for anonymity as Lina E. Lina E is regarded by many as being the driving force behind what has been deemed violent, “commando-style” attacks on neo-Nazis as well the German police and, in one case, an uninvolved member of the public.
The Berlin office of the American Jewish Committee (AJC Berlin) and the Jewish Student Union of Germany (JSUD) released a report in late February highlighting a surge in campus antisemitism in Germany. The report, titled "Antisemitism at German Universities," acknowledged that since October 7, 2023, Jewish students have felt increasingly unsafe on campuses nationwide.
NPR: Why Are Young Germans Moving to the Extremes?
n Germany's national elections a few weeks ago, one statistic stood out to our Berlin-based correspondent: almost half of young German voters cast their ballot for either the far-right or far-left parties. And the divide between extreme left and extreme right in young people seems to fall along gender lines. We try to find out why it seems the youth in Germany are moving to the extremes.
A protest against the far right in the German city of Munich Sunday afternoon ended early due to safety concerns after approximately 100,000 people showed up, police said. The demonstration was one of dozens around the country this weekend that drew hundreds of thousands of people in total.
ITV News: Victims and survivors of terrorism to receive extra support under government plans
Plans for a national day to honour victims and survivors of terror attacks have been announced as part of Government efforts to boost support for those affected by terrorism. Views are being sought over the move from victims, survivors and the public on what the day would be called, ways for victims to be commemorated and a date for the event. A 12-week consultation launched on Wednesday comes after survivors of terror attacks have campaigned for more recognition and support for those affected by atrocities. The Government has also announced plans to set up a new support hub to help victims in the immediate and long-term aftermath of terror attacks.
Irish Mirror: Ireland could be used as base for terrorist attacks, government report warns
Ireland could be used as a base from which to plan terrorist attacks on other countries, a government report has warned, while the threat of such an attack occurring here is considered “moderate”. The Financial Action Task Force, which is the global watchdog for money laundering and terrorist financing, requires every participating nation to carry out a risk assessment every two years. The latest assessment – which was published today by the Department of Justice – finds that the likelihood of a domestic terrorism attack in the 26 counties is “moderate” due to the activities of Republican paramilitaries. In Northern Ireland, the threat level is currently “substantial”, meaning that an attack is likely, according to the report, with security forces the most likely target of such an offensive.
A kosher supermarket in Paris that was the scene of a deadly terror attack in 2015 was targeted in an overnight arson attack, reports say. The front of the Hyper Cacher supermarket was damaged and there was some damage to the interior of the store. A man was seen on CCTV setting fire to four containers placed in front of the entrance to the supermarket, before setting fire to a nearby dumpster, reports say.
Reuters: Hamas armed wing says it fired rockets against Tel Aviv
Hamas' armed wing claimed on Thursday an attack with a barrage of rockets against Tel Aviv, in central Israel. The group said the attack was in response to "the Zionist massacres against civilians".
Reuters: Israel says it intercepted missile launched from Yemen
Israel's military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen early on Thursday as hostilities with the Houthis intensified, amid U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to punish Iran over its perceived support for the Yemeni militant group. Sirens sounded across several areas in Israel after the projectile was fired, the military said. The Israeli police said sirens were heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. "A missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF prior to crossing into Israeli territory. Sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol," the Israeli military said in a statement, referring to its air force. Israel's ambulance service said no serious injuries were reported.
Wall Street Journal: A Weakened Hamas Struggles to Respond to Israel’s Attacks
Hamas delivered its first response to three days of Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip, launching a volley of rockets at Tel Aviv on Thursday that set off alerts and sent residents running for shelters. But the threat was quickly neutralized—one rocket was intercepted, while the other two landed harmlessly—highlighting how the militant group has yet to mount an effective military response to Israel’s renewed attacks. Analysts believe that in part reflects a strategy of waiting for the right time while portraying Israel as the aggressor. But Arab intelligence officials say it also reflects the militant group’s badly degraded arsenal and fighting force after more than a year of war.
New Arab: The unlikely face of Islamic Jihad’s military wing spokesperson, killed by Israel
Reactions are pouring in following the announcement of the killing of Abu Hamza, the military spokesperson for Palestine’s Quds Brigades, with many surprised at his identity. Naji Abu Seif, also known as Abu Hamza, was killed in Israel’s shock offensive on Gaza on Tuesday, which started at 2 am and has been ongoing since.
In an attempt to stem the tide of officials boycotting Israel’s upcoming conference on combating antisemitism in protest of the inclusion of far-right European politicians, President Isaac Herzog has offered a compromise: a private meeting with world Jewish leaders at his home the night before the main event, without the controversial far-right politicians. While none of the people who have canceled their participation in the conference are expected to rejoin, some may attend this event, says a source involved with the planning.
Naharnet: Hezbollah MP lashes out at Foreign Minister Rajji
Hezbollah MP Ibrahim al-Moussawi on Thursday blasted Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, who is close to the Lebanese Forces, for “his insistence to accuse Hezbollah of disavowing the ceasefire agreement with the Israeli enemy.” “We were hoping from Lebanon’s foreign minister to carry out the least extent of his national duties and responsibilities toward the enemy’s crimes, through condemning them, reporting them to the international community and asking it to carry out its duty and compel the enemy to implement the ceasefire agreement,” Moussawi said.
Reuters: Putin offers Syria's Sharaa support and cooperation
President Vladimir Putin sent a message to Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa backing efforts to ensure Syria's territorial integrity and offering Russia's "practical cooperation" on a whole range of issues, the Kremlin said on Thursday. The fall in December of President Bashar al-Assad to rebels led by Sharaa after 13 years of civil war has forced Russia to scramble to secure its bases in the country. Moscow is also concerned by a wave of sectarian killings in Syria.
New York Times: In Syria, Being Wanted Went From Something to Fear to a Badge of Honor
When he returned to Syria recently for the first time in 12 years, Kazem Togan asked the passport control agent to check whether he “had a name” — meaning that he was among the millions of citizens named on wanted lists under the ousted Assad dictatorship. “You’re wanted by branch 235,” the man told him, smiling as he delivered the news. “The intelligence branch.” Mr. Togan, a journalist who worked for opposition Syrian media when the old government was in power, said he was thrilled. “Today, every Syrian asks as a matter of routine, ‘Was I wanted?’” he said. “Anyone who was detained by the Assad regime or wanted by the Assad regime, there is a measure of pride.”
Vatican News: Syria remains among world's most disastrous humanitarian crises
Syria remains among the world's most disastrous humanitarian crises. This was at the forefront of a recent report of the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, which brought to light the ongoing catastrophe. It was released on 18 March - 100 days after Syria's long-term President Bashar al-Assad's dictatorship abruptly collapsed on 8 December after decades of his family reigning.
World Politics Review: Keeping Syria’s Transition Peaceful Just Got a Lot More Complicated
The fallout from the recent violence in Syria’s coastal region represents a significant threat to the country’s political transition after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December. How effectively the interim government in Damascus now re-establishes security while also reining in sectarian score-settling will go a long way toward determining whether a peaceful reunification of Syria is possible after decades of dictatorship and a brutal civil war.
Deutsche Welle: Germany reopens embassy in Syria after 13-year closure
More than three months after the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, Germany reopened its embassy in Damascus on Thursday. The embassy, which was closed in 2012 amid the Syrian civil war, was officially reopened by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is visiting Syria for the second time since the collapse of the Assad regime.
Kurdistan 24: German Foreign Minister Calls on Damascus to Ensure Security for All Syrians
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on the Syrian government to guarantee security and stability for all Syrians, following violent clashes that claimed the lives of at least 1,500 people. Ahead of her scheduled visit to Damascus, Baerbock stated that the recent violence has severely undermined confidence in the Syrian authorities. "Many Syrians fear that life in the future Syria will not be safe for all its citizens," she said in a statement.
New Arab: Syrian government begins talks with SDF to integrate Kurdish forces into army
The Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Abdi, held their first round of talks on Wednesday for the complete integration of the Kurdish-led entity into the Syrian state. The meetings were held in a US base used by the SDF, and are part of a push to finalise the breakthrough agreement signed between Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi on 10 March.
Wall Street Journal: Trump Secures Release of American Detained in Afghanistan
The Taliban has released American George Glezmann, ending his two-year detainment and giving President Trump a diplomatic victory that could reshape U.S. relations with Afghanistan. The Taliban agreed to send Glezmann back to the U.S. in exchange for improved relations with Washington, U.S. officials said, forgoing its previous demand that America hand over imprisoned Taliban members.
Business Standard: In 'surprise visit', US delegation meets Afghanistan's foreign minister
The Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan held talks with a US delegation in Kabul on Thursday (March 20), marking what is being described as a surprise visit. Accompanying the delegation was the US special envoy, along with former Afghan reconciliation envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who played a key role in the Doha negotiations, according to a post on X by The Khorasan Diary.
Guardian: British couple held by Taliban due in court on unknown charges, family say
A British couple in their 70s imprisoned by the Taliban are due in court in Kabul on Thursday but have not been informed of the charges, their family has said. Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife, Barbie, 75, who run a training business in Afghanistan, were detained last month when they travelled to their home in Bamiyan province.
Amu: More than 9,000 security incidents recorded in Afghanistan over past year
Afghanistan experienced over 9,200 security incidents in the past year, despite the Taliban’s claims of nationwide stability, according to a United Nations report. The data, covering February 2024 to February 2025, includes 22 attacks claimed by ISIS-K. At least 210 civilians were killed, and 429 others were injured in these incidents, the report found.
Amu: Taliban begin fourth school year without girls in classrooms
Taliban at a ceremony in Kabul on Thursday inaugurated Afghanistan’s fourth consecutive academic year without girls above sixth grade attending school, as they continue to enforce their ban on female education. At this event, Taliban officials made no mention of the ongoing restrictions on girls’ education, instead emphasizing their focus on religious studies.
The use of advanced technology, cyber tools and unmanned systems by terrorist groups necessitate a cohesive, forward-looking and action-oriented approach, observed Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh during the keynote address at the 14th meeting of ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) - Plus Experts Working Group (EWG) on Counter-Terrorism in New Delhi.
Japan Times: Tokyo subway sarin gas attack remembered 30 years on
Japan on Thursday marked the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, which killed 14 people and injured over 6,000.
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
Fact:
On October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded southern Israel where, in the space of eight hours, hundreds of armed terrorists perpetrated mass crimes of brutality, rape, and torture against men, women and children. In the biggest attack on Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, 1,200 were killed, and 251 were taken hostage into Gaza—where 101 remain. One year on, antisemitic incidents have increased by record numbers.
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