In July, aid-related violence surged in Gaza, Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province saw a spike in political violence, drones disrupted oil production in Iraqi Kurdistan, Syria's al-Suwayda faced mounting sectarian violence, and the Houthis resumed attacks in the Red Sea.
ACLED Salma Eissa, Middle East Research Manager, Sherwan Hindreen Ali, Middle East Research Manager, Hanane Sallam, Nasser Khdour, Middle East Assistant Research Manager, Abdel Rahman Taha 8 August 2025
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Disorder Type
Political violenceDemonstrations
Number of Events 11,836 53
Middle East:July 2025
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Key Developments
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Violent & Military Events
Demonstrations & Strategic Developments
1 Jul. | Iraq - Multiple drones strike the Baiji oil refinery in Salah al-Din
2 Jul. | Gaza - Hamas executes 12 Abu Mughseib militiamen over two days in Deir al-Balah for collaborating with Israel
5 Jul. | Israel - Protesters in 28 locations demand a hostage deal and Netanyahu's resignation
11 Jul. |IraqSenior PKK militants hold a public disarmament ceremony in al-Sulaymaniyah
13 Jul. |IraqAsayish forces kill one protester during an electricity protest in Erbil
14 Jul. | Gaza - Hamas militants kill three Israeli soldiers with a blast targeting a tank
15 Jul. |LebanonIsraeli airstrikes kill 12, including three Hezbollah members and seven Syrian refugees
17 Jul. | Gaza - Israeli strikes on Gaza City's Holy Family Church kill three civilians
22 Jul. |IsraelUltra-Orthodox Jews protest military draft law and clash with police in seven locations over two days
25 Jul. |YemenDozens die in Houthi-Inernationally Recognized Government clashes on the al-Alb front in Sadah governorate
25 Jul. |SyriaIslamic State militants kill five Syrian Democratic Forces fighters in al-Hasakeh province
26 Jul. |IranA Jaysh al-Adl courthouse attack in Zahedan kills at least nine people
26 Jul. |GazaThe IDF raid and seize the Handala aid flotilla and arrest 21 activists
27 Jul. |GazaIsrael announces a daily tactical military pause in three areas for humanitarian aid delivery
28 Jul. |SyriaHundreds protest across al-Suwayda demanding aid corridors and government withdrawal
28-31 Jul. |YemenViolent protests erupt in Hadramawt over power cuts and water shortages Gaza: Aid-related violence surges as ceasefire talks stall
Gaza: Aid-related violence surges as ceasefire talks stall
Four months after the collapse of the ceasefire, ACLED records the highest number of reported fatalities primarily civilians in Gaza since early 2024. While Israel Defense Forces (IDF) remote violence decreased slightly, airstrikes increased from 548 in June to 599 in July, causing the majority of reported fatalities. However, just over a quarter of Julys deaths we're linked to incidents involving aid distribution, particularly near the United States- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution sites. ACLED records nearly 700 aid-related deaths1in July alone, including 390 in or near GHF sites. The deadliest incident occurred on 20 July near Zikim, when Israeli forces opened fire on crowds awaiting UN World Food Program trucks, killing at least 90.2The Israeli army claimed it faced an immediate threat and fired warning shots, adding that the death toll was likely exaggerated and that it is reviewing the event.3In response to mounting criticism over worsening food insecurity and insufficient aid reaching the enclave, on 27 July, Israel announced a daily pause in military operations between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. in al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City, alongside the reopening of aid corridors and the resumption of aid airdrops.4
On the battlefield, Israeli forces concentrated operations in Gaza City, particularly al-Darraj and southwestern al-Zaytun. Elsewhere, Hamas maintained a steady pace of deadly attacks in northern Gaza and Khan Yunis, continuing its pattern of guerrilla operations. On 7 July in Beit Hanoun, Hamas carried out its deadliest attack of the month, killing five Israeli soldiers and wounding 14 more after detonating three IEDs and ambushing their unit.
Ongoing concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza came amid the collapse of indirect ceasefire negotiations in Qatar between Israel, Hamas, and the US on 25 July.5Israel has dismissed mounting criticism, but pressure is growing as Gaza approaches famine thresholds. According to UN-backed food security experts, two of the three criteria required to declare famine extreme food consumption gaps and acute malnutrition have already been met.6France, Britain, and Canada announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September. Although largely symbolic, these moves reflect international impatience with the ongoing war and are aimed at encouraging both Israel and Hamas toward a ceasefire. Still, these efforts have so far failed to yield tangible progress toward de-escalation or relief for Gaza's civilians.
Iran: Jaysh al-Adl conducts deadly attacks amid rising violence in Sistan and Baluchestan
ACLED records 18 political violence events in Sistan and Baluchestan province in July, the highest monthly total in the province since ACLED began tracking events in Iran in 2016. The Sunni Baluch militant group Jaysh al-Adl (Army of Justice) was responsible for three of the attacks that targeted Iranian police, military forces, and judicial infrastructure. On 26 July, three Jaysh al-Adl militants attacked the provincial courthouse in Zahedan city using grenade launchers and rifles. The resulting three-hour gun battle left at least nine people dead, including the attackers, security personnel, and court staff. Jaysh al-Adl claimed the attack was retaliation for ongoing judicial repression of the Baluch minority, including executions and arrests of Sunni clerics.7It was the groups deadliest assault since October 2024, when Jaysh al-Adl launched a coordinated insurgent campaign targeting Iranian security forces, triggering a sweeping government crackdown and forcing the group to scale back its activity.8
Iranian police and military forces were also responsible for a growing number of violent incidents in the province in July, including at least nine attacks targeting civilians. These operations reportedly led to the deaths of five Baluch civilians, reflecting escalating tensions in a region long marked by state neglect and security crackdowns. The Sunni Baluch community has faced decades of marginalization and political exclusion that have contributed to the persistence of armed insurgencies across Iran and Pakistan and fueled a wider movement for self-determination.
Iraq: Drone strikes disrupt Kurdistan oil production as tensions rise
A surge in drone attacks hit Iraqs Kurdistan region in July. ACLED records 15 incidents not linked to the conflict between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) up from 11 in June and just three across the first five months of the year. At least six of Julys strikes targeted oil infrastructure in Duhok and Erbil, with an additional three reported at oil facilities in neighboring Nineveh and Kirkuk, disrupting operations across a broader area of northern Iraq. Companies including HKN Energy, DNO, and Hunt Oil suspended production amid safety concerns, cutting output by up to 150,000 barrels per day.9These disruptions placed severe strain on the recent Baghdad-Erbil deal, which ties Kurdish salary payments to the delivery of 230,000 barrels per day to the federal government.10
The escalation reflects a growing convergence of political, economic, and security pressures. Iraqi and Kurdish officials confirmed the drones we're launched from within Iraq and share common external manufacturing origins.11While no group has claimed responsibility, Kurdish leaders and energy analysts point to pro-Iran militias seeking to pressure the Kurdistan Regional Government over energy contracts with US firms and to extract concessions in ongoing oil revenue negotiations with Baghdad.12Notably, many attacks have targeted sites operated by Western companies or located near US positions, prompting speculation about the geopolitical motivations behind the campaign, especially given prior threats by Iran-aligned groups against both US and Kurdish interests.13Despite mounting evidence linking them to the strikes, key groups such as Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq have denied involvement, instead accusing the Kurdistan Regional Government of staging the attacks to avoid delivering oil to the federal government.14Although Baghdad formed a joint investigative committee with Kurdish officials, no perpetrators have been officially named, and the strikes continue.
Syria: Sectarian violence engulfs al-Suwayda amid regionaland regime intervention
In July, al-Suwayda province witnessed a deadly surge in sectarian violence as tit-for-tat kidnappings and killings between Bedouin and Druze militias escalated into widespread clashes. Between 13 and 31 July, ACLED records 119 violent events and over 793 reported fatalities in the province the deadliest escalation of violence in al-Suwayda since the fall of the Assad regime.15Government forces who we're deployed to the area to restore order we're ambushed by Druze militias, resulting in multiple military and police casualties, amid growing distrust of the transitional governments role in the south. Druze leaders accused the Syrian military of siding with Bedouin tribes,16a perception exacerbated by at least five incidents of government shelling on Druze-held areas. Previously divided Druze factions including Liwa al-Jabal and Rijal al-Karama unified in response to what they viewed as coordinated threats from Bedouin militias and a complicit transitional government.17
As government forces deployed reinforcements to regain territory, Israel intensified its direct involvement in southern Syria, conducting 32 airstrikes in July including on the General Staff building in Damascus with the aim of advancing its plan todemilitarize southern Syria and deter renewedgovernment entrenchment. Israeli officials framed these interventions as necessary to protect Druze communities,18a claim that has sparked mixed reactions among Druze factions and civilians. Israel's latest intensification of activity comes as part of a wider existing campaign in the south. Since 8 December 2024, ACLED records 219 political violence events involving Israeli forces around al-Suwayda, Daraa, rural Damascus, and Quneitra.
In response to the violence, the US brokered negotiations that began mid-month, followed by an 18 July agreement backed by Turkey, Jordan, and others.19The deal established limited government redeployments and humanitarian corridors, including the evacuation of displaced Bedouin civilians to neighboring Daraa.20While the ceasefire nominally held through the end of July, fighting continued in parts of al-Suwayda, and protesters demanded the reopening of humanitarian corridors. The recurring episodes of violence highlight the instability of Syrias transitional moment and echo sectarian clashes inAprilinvolving Druze militias and government forces.
Yemen: Houthis resume Red Sea attacks on commercial ships
In July, Houthi forces resumed attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea for the first time since December 2024, compromising a ceasefire agreement with the US brokered on 6 May.21The renewed campaign coincided with the failed ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Qatar, and as Washington and Tehran began weighing new diplomatic talks following the 12-day Iran-Israel war. Ahead of the attacks, Houthi leaders declared their intent to pressure Israel into a ceasefire in Gaza, with political chief Mahdi al-Mashat telling Hamas negotiators on 7 July to negotiate with your heads held high, for we are with you.22However, the attacks could also be viewed as a strategic move aimed at projecting regional influence and asserting the Houthis role as the most resilient member of a weakened Axis of Resistance.23
On 6 and 7 July, the Houthis launched multi-pronged assaults on two bulk carriers registered in Liberia, the Magic Seas and Eternity C, using a combination of waterborne IEDs, drones, missiles, and gunfire from skiffs. Both ships, operated by Greek companies, were sunk. The Eternity C attack lasted over 16 hours and resulted in the deaths of four sailors the highest fatality toll in a single Houthi maritime operation since theMarch 2024 attack on the True Confidence. The Houthis also abducted 11 sailors during the attack.
The Houthis justified the attacks by claiming the vessels violated their self-declared embargo on Israeli ports.24On 27 July, the group announced it had entered a fourth phase of its operations targeting Israel and related interests, threatening to strike any ships affiliated with companies doing business with Israeli ports.25Meanwhile, the group continued to fire long-range missiles and drones toward Israel, with ACLED recording 20 cross-border attacks in July. In retaliation, Israel launched at least 60 airstrikes on 6 July, targeting the port of al-Hudadya and other Houthi-controlled ports, followed by additional drone strikes on 21 July.