Saudi Arabia is ready -- if asked -- to take part in a planned military operation to retake the Syrian city of Raqqa from the Daesh terrorist group, a high-ranking Saudi military officer has said. Speaking to the Al-Arabiya television channel on Thursday evening, Brigadier-General Ahmed...

(Middle East Eye)- Yemeni rebels have launched one of their longest-range strikes against Saudi Arabia, firing a ballistic missile that was shot down near Mecca, the Saudi-led coalition fighting them said on Friday. The coalition has been carrying out a bombing campaign against the rebels...

(The Daily Star)- ISIS fighters slaughtered at least 232 people in and around Mosul last week as Iraqi troops advanced on the city, the U.N. rights office said Friday. "Last Wednesday 232 civilians were reportedly shot to death. Of these there were 190 former Iraqi Security Forces officers,"...

(The Guardian)- The UN has hired scores of friends and political associates of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, as part of its relief operation in the country, according to documents leaked to the Guardian. The staff lists show that relatives of high-ranking ministers have been on the...