EEAS

An Assyriology post is breaking down the cuneiform sign 𒈜, explaining that it is read 'paḫ' and means 'leg'. The item is tagged under cuneiforms, assyriology, culture, Middle East and education, framing it as a short educational note on how ancient Mesopotamian writing worked. Readers interested in ancient scripts and the history of the Middle East are engaging with the explanation.

The US military is dispatching roughly 9,000 troops aboard a carrier strike group to the Middle East, including a third aircraft carrier, a US official said Thursday. The deployment comes as President Trump weighs potential new strikes against Iran, signalling a significant build-up of American forces in the region.

Singapore's state investment firm Temasek plans to open new offices in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh in 2027, expanding its presence in the Gulf. The announcement is being shared as part of wider Middle East business news, underlining growing financial ties between Southeast Asian investors and the oil-rich region.

Iran has imprisoned a hard-line member of parliament, according to a New York Times report, a move seen as exposing deep divisions within the country's leadership. The jailing of a sitting lawmaker from the conservative ranks is being read as a sign of intensifying infighting among Iran's political factions.

A Middle East Eye explainer on Israel's own nuclear weapons is drawing attention amid renewed debate over nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted, often in capital letters on Truth Social, that Iran cannot be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons, prompting questions about Israel's undeclared arsenal, widely believed to exist though never officially acknowledged.

A new report examines why Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen, launched in 2015 against the Houthis, turned into a prolonged stalemate that Riyadh could not win. The analysis recounts the heavy civilian toll, the resilience of the Houthi movement despite years of airstrikes, and the political and financial costs that eventually pushed Saudi leaders toward winding down their direct involvement.

The New York Times reports that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have increased, despite continued threats from Iran to disrupt traffic in the strategic waterway. The strait remains a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, and Iranian attacks or intimidation there keep shippers and energy markets on edge even as flows recover.

Israel's flag carrier El Al canceled two special repatriation flights from Dubai on Friday after Emirati authorities refused landing permission, the airline said. The flights were meant to bring Israelis home after FlyDubai suspended service, leaving travelers stranded and raising questions about a rare public friction point between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

A leadership summit is taking place in Middelburg, in the Dutch province of Zeeland, with open source and digital autonomy on the agenda. One attendee who could not be present is following the discussion through the open source community and wished participants a good gathering. The event highlights growing Dutch interest in open standards and reducing dependence on proprietary technology.