Cairo

Egypt has rejected calls from Israeli officials to expand military operations in the occupied West Bank, after far-right Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich urged a Gaza-style war there. Cairo warned such a escalation would destabilise the region further, deepening tensions between Israel and a key mediator in the conflict.

Egypt's planning minister has told S&P the government is targeting economic growth of 5.2% to 5.4% in the next fiscal year. The forecast, carried by Zawya, signals Cairo's confidence in accelerating expansion as it pursues economic reforms and seeks to reassure investors and rating agencies about the country's fiscal trajectory.

Palestinian political factions have gathered in Cairo for talks ahead of the Palestinian Legislative Council elections scheduled for November. The meetings, hosted with Egyptian backing, focus on preparations for the vote, the first PLC election in years, and whether rival groups including Fatah and Hamas can agree on terms for holding it.