The Guardian reports that the IDF yesterday began demolishing 12 Palestinian dwellings in two hamlets in the southern West Bank. They are situated in Area C of the West Bank, which as designated by the Oslo Accords as being under full Israeli control. Israeli authorities said that the structures were built illegally and that the owners refused to relocate. Reports this morning say that the demolitions have been halted pending a High Court appeal.

The Independent and Independent i both include a feature on bed and breakfast accommodation in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, after Palestinian leaders complained to Airbnb, which advertises them without specifying that they are situated beyond Israel’s pre-1967 borders.

The Times covers the fallout from a study which indicates that due to pollution in the area, babies born in and around the Israeli city of Haifa have 20 to 30 per cent smaller heads and are typically born underweight. It follows a report last year which indicated that residents in the area are 15 per cent more likely to get cancer. Israel’s Environment Minister has promised drastic action, which could see some factories closed.

The Telegraph online reports that the United States Drug Enforcement Agency has smashed a Hezbollah drugs trafficking ring in Europe, in a joint operation with seven countries, making several arrests in France. The Hezbollah operatives laundered money from cocaine deals to drugs lords in Colombia for profit.

The Telegraph and the online edition of the Independent both cover comments made by Jordan’s King Abdullah, who warned that the West must do more to help Jordan cope under the weight of Syrian refugees. He said that with one quarter of his country’s budget being spent on the refugees, the dam will soon “burst” and the tide of migrants will increasingly end up in Europe.

In Syria itself, the Telegraph online says that President Assad’s troops are “on the verge of encircling Aleppo.” Meanwhile, the Financial Times online reports that at peace talks in Geneva, both regime and opposition groups have denied that discussions have yet begun, merely the preparatory stages for talks. The Guardian online says that Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond has continued to criticise Russia’s role in Syria, accusing Moscow of carving out an Alawite mini-state for Assad in northwest Syria.

In the Financial Times online, David Gardner says that Iran’s leaders are following the “Chinese model” of opening up the country’s economy, but not its’ political system.

In the Israeli media, Maariv leads with the ongoing controversy on pollution in Haifa. The mayor of the city has commented that the research on the issue is incomplete. However, Israel Radio news says that a special session of the city council yesterday heard from Prof Boris Portnov, who confirmed that three areas of Haifa which suffer from severe air pollution have a higher rate of cancer.

Israel Radio news also reports that the High Court will today hear an appeal by several petitioners, including the Labour Party and Meretz, against the agreement between the government and the major investors in Israel’s natural gas industry. The long-awaited arrangement was eventually finalised recently, setting out the regulations, terms and conditions governing the nascent industry including share of the profits.

Meanwhile, Yediot Ahronot, Maariv, Haaretz and Israel Hayom all prominently cover the Iowa caucuses on Monday and the performance of each candidate vying for their party’s presidential nomination. Maariv says that Hillary Clinton recorded a “sour” victory and describes Donald Trump as having suffered a “painful” defeat.