* US officials believe Iran sanctions will fail, making military action likely Officials in key parts of the Obama administration are increasingly convinced that sanctions will not deter Tehran from pursuing its nuclear program.
* Hamas, insurgents basing SAMs in Sinai for attacks on Israel Islamic insurgents have deployed surface-to-air missiles in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula for attacks on Israel.
* Iranian warships arrive at Syrian port' Ships from Iran's 18th fleet cross Suez Canal, dock in Syria for second time in a year.
* Top Obama aide heads to Israel for talks on Iran US President Barack Obama's top security aide will visit Israel for two days of talks on regional issues including Syria and Iran.
* IDF on Alert Following Attacks from Gaza Rocket and missile fire from Gaza put the IDF on high alert on Friday evening.
* U.S. drones flying over Syria to monitor crackdown The United States is flying unmanned reconnaissance planes over Syria to monitor the regime's escalating crackdown on dissent.
* Iran claims its navy enters Mediterranean as tensions with Israel grow The claim, released through the official Iranian news agency, came at a time of growing speculation that Israel will launch airstrikes against Iran's nuclear program.
* Assad: Conflict is ploy to divide Syria Syrian President Bashar Assad on Saturday blamed 11-months of turmoil in which his forces have cracked down on pro-democracy protesters as a ploy to split the country.
* Stronger budgetary surveillance laws up for agreement EU finance ministers meeting next week are set to sign off a first agreement on laws that would strongly increase Brussels' power to instruct eurozone countries on how to spend their national budgets.
* Iraqi PM orders security review of Syrian border Iraq's prime minister says all intelligence or tips about weapons smuggling and insurgent travel from Iraq to Syria must be investigated.