The Levant Files

A tourism project that has stood still for almost twenty years has drawn the internationally unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus into scrutiny surrounding Turkey's investment-fund crisis. In three reports for Havadis Kıbrıs, journalist Nazar Erişkin follows the corporate trail to Akanthou/Tatlısu, where promised investment, public land and unanswered questions now sit alongside reports of residents losing savings. By The Levant Files 3 October 2026 How the Crisis Reached Cyprus Turkey's Capital Markets Board, known as SPK, has put numbers to the crisis. Its 23 September announcement confirmed liquidation decisions covering 131 funds belonging to seven portfolio-management companies. They held investments from 455,758 individuals. The warning signs came earlier. In its 18 September explanation of its regulatory preparations , SPK said it had observed fund-driven price movements during late 2025 in shares with limited public float that cou...

The shops have shut in Mekelle. Federal forces have reached the airport, and residents who survived the last war are watching another approach their city. Beyond Tigray, Ethiopia's break with Eritrea has brought a separate danger closer: fighting that could reach the Red Sea coast and draw in governments from Cairo to the Gulf. The road to Djibouti, Ethiopia's main commercial lifeline, already runs through a region at war. By the Editorial Team of The Levant Files 3 October 2026 Map: Created with the help of AI technology. The Airport Falls. The City Waits. On 3 October, three sources told Reuters that federal troops had retaken Mekelle's airport , roughly 10 kilometres from the city centre. A day earlier, residents had described closed banks and shops as government forces and allied militias drew near. Control of the airport gives the army a foothold outside Tigray's capital. What happens inside Mekelle remains uncertain. The airfie...

For Americans watching petrol prices and families living through the fighting, "very soon" carries a different weight. Donald Trump has again suggested that the Iran war could end "very soon, probably right after the elections." Why tie peace to an American vote? Five questions help explain the political calculation, and the uncertainty behind it. By The Levant Files Editorial Team | Analysis | 3 October 2026 1. Why Has Trump Put the Elections Into His War Forecast? He is giving voters a reason to expect relief while asking them to tolerate the war's continuing costs. At his Alabama rally, Trump paired his prediction with another promise: oil prices would fall when the conflict ended. He offered no explanation of how an agreement would be reached, according to Investing.com's report . The timing matters. With the federal election scheduled for 3 November , a promise of peace shortly afterward gives Republicans something hopeful to put...

An assessment of more than three decades of U.S. military presence in West Asia suggests that it no longer contributes to regional security, stability or peace in the Middle East. Instead, it is likely to fuel greater tensions and further wars. By Seyed Hossein Mousavi President of the Center for Scientific Research and Middle East Strategic Studies Perhaps the time has come to bring this presence to an end. On 6 August 2026, Foreign Affairs published an article by Michael Fuchs, a former Biden administration official, arguing that the U.S. presence does not enhance security. It has even turned countries hosting American troops, along with U.S. military bases and vital facilities in the region, into direct targets, with costly consequences. He writes: “The cost of U.S. intervention since September 11 has been approximately $8 trillion. Over the years, three million Americans have served in the Middle East wars, in which 15,000 U.S. military personnel and contrac...

The US midterm elections are approaching. In November 2026, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and roughly one-third of Senate seats will be contested. The vote will shape both the composition of Congress and the balance of power between the White House and the legislature during the remaining two years of Donald Trump’s presidency. By Amir Ahmad Shishegar English translation for The Levant Files This year’s election, however, has a variable that cannot be treated simply as a matter of US foreign policy: the war with Iran. The war, which began on February 28, has now entered its seventh month. On September 16, Trump said he hoped it was approaching its final stages. At the same time, reports emerged of consultations between his administration and the leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council countries over postwar arrangements. Yet those same reports suggest that a considerable gap remains between talking about ending the war and establishing a lasting ...

US President Donald Trump still appears unable to find a workable way to end the war against Iran. With each passing day, there are growing indications that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drew him into this war by providing faulty intelligence: that assassinating Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and its leading military and political figures would bring down the Iranian regime, and that it could not withstand a major war. By Dr. Wahid Abdel-Meguid The war began on February 28. Trump entered it alongside Netanyahu—or following his lead—without an exit strategy. He subsequently asked his Israeli partner to stop, while continuing the war himself through intense bombardment of thousands of military targets, as well as civilian ones. These included the “Shajarat al-Tayyiba” school in the city of Minab, where more than 150 people were killed, including 120 children. Now the war is entering its eighth month, with no sign that an end is near. This is the same...

Algeria’s pledge to protect Tunisia comes amid escalating tensions with the UAE, highlighting a wider struggle for influence in North Africa, writes A. Cheref. By Abdelkader Cheref Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s televised summer pledge to defend Tunisia from external threats both bolstered bilateral ties and sparked discontent over Algiers’ growing regional influence. Warning that Algeria treats an attack on Tunisia as a threat to its own sovereignty, Tebboune claimed secret forces are trying to break their ties and isolate its North African neighbour. Using the Algerian dialect, he also warned: "Whoever brings terrorism to Tunisia or near Tunisia, we will destroy him in his parents' tent". While he did not name a specific hostile force, this has been interpreted as a direct reference to the UAE, which has been accused of trying to destabilise Algeria after years of disagreements over Western Sahara, the Sahel, and other regional conflicts. ...

Sipan Hizni had joined the Syrian army through the agreement meant to end the confrontation between Damascus and Kurdish-led forces. His killing near Hasaka in September, followed by a deadly prison fire in Kobane, has exposed how vulnerable that settlement remains. Military integration has advanced. The fear that brought people into the streets has survived it. By The Levant Files Editorial Desk | Analysis Photo: SANA and Rudaw The Killing That Shook the Agreement According to Rudaw's September 12 reporting , Hizni belonged to a Syrian army brigade formed from former Syrian Democratic Forces fighters. Armed men believed to belong to an Arab clan abducted and killed him near Hasaka. Security authorities said they had identified the main suspect, who remained at large at the time of that report. He was already serving inside the state structure. That detail gives the killing its political weight: Kurdish leaders had asked their communities to accept integr...

Turkey's refereeing chief has been taken into custody, serving match officials have joined the investigation, and reports of UEFA intervention are feeding uncertainty around the country's football. Meanwhile, investors caught in September's fund crisis are still waiting for their money. The two investigations concern different allegations. Together, they have put the institutions responsible for fair play and financial oversight under uncomfortable scrutiny. By The Levant Files Editorial Team 2 October 2026 | News Analysis Financial developments updated for 30 September–2 October 2026 The Investigation Reaches the Refereeing Hierarchy On 29 September,  A Haber  reported that police detained Ferhat Gündoğdu, chairman of the Turkish Football Federation's Central Referee Committee, alongside six other figures in the refereeing establishment. The allegations concern interference with referee rankings, assessments, appointments and rules examinations, as well as ...

Yemen's fighting is intensifying around Taiz, and reports of a fire at Saudi Arabia's Yanbu oil port have added to fears that the conflict could spread further. The danger is real. But the available evidence leaves several of the most alarming claims unresolved, including who caused the Yanbu incident and whether its consequences extend beyond a temporary interruption. By The Levant Files Editorial Desk Reporting cutoff: 2 October 2026, 16:31 Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Cyprus time (13:31 UTC). Four-hour review window: 12:31–16:31 local time (09:31–13:31 UTC). The latest situation on the field. Created with the help of AI. What the Last Four Hours Actually Tell Us The clearest newly published report located within this window came from El País at 12:27 UTC . It described Houthi pressure on Taiz and the oil-producing Marib region, alongside Saudi-backed air operations. It also reported Saudi claims of missile interceptions near Jizan and Khamis...