Alaa Arnous and his family found the photo of his father Mohammed online last week, the first proof of his fate since he was seized by Syrian government forces seven years ago. The image showed his corpse, his face battered and bruised, his mouth hanging open.

A state-linked technology company in the United Arab Emirates has signed a partnership with two major Israeli defense firms to research ways of combating the coronavirus pandemic.

The agreement, announced late Thursday, comes just weeks after the UAE warned Israel that proceeding with its planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank would upend its efforts to improve ties with Arab states.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Israelis to continue wearing masks and respect social distancing measures, as confirmed novel coronavirus cases spiked following the easing of lockdown measures.

Twenty Saudi suspects including two former aides to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman went on trial Friday in absentia in Turkey, accused of killing and dismembering journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

The Saudi-led military coalition Thursday confirmed it has launched a major operation against Yemen's Huthis and warned it would target the rebel leadership following missile and drone attacks on the kingdom.

Palestinians rivals Fatah and Hamas pledged a united campaign against Israel's prospective plans to annex territory in the occupied West Bank, in a rare joint press conference on Thursday.

"We will put in place all necessary measures to ensure national unity" in efforts against annexation, senior Fatah official Jibril Rajub said in Ramallah at the press conference, also addressed by Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri by video-link from Beirut. 

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said there is "no military solution" for Syria on Wednesday during a video conference with his Russian and Turkish counterparts about the war-torn country.

Damascus condemned Wednesday an international donor conference that raised $7.7 billion to address the country's humanitarian challenges, calling it an interference in Syria's domestic affairs.

Italian police said Wednesday they have seized a world record 14-tonne haul of amphetamines made by the Islamic State group in Syria.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Israel Wednesday against going ahead with plans to annex parts of the West Bank, calling them illegal and against the Jewish state's own interests.