Most broadsheet dailies in the UK cover the continuing tension between Turkey and Syria. The Times, Guardian, Telegraph, Financial Times and Independent report Turkey’s continued shelling of Syrian military targets in response to a Syrian mortar attack which killed five Turkish civilians on Wednesday. All reports note that the Turkish parliament voted yesterday to permit the government to launch military operations within Syria during the next twelve months if necessary. The Turkish Prime Minister emphasised that this is a deterrent measure and that Turkey has no intention of going to war.

Meanwhile, the English language Al-Arabiya website claims to have obtained documents which reveal that the Syrian regime moved their chemical weapons stockpile with the help of Iran and the knowledge of Russia, while Syria’s President Assad also sought cooperation with Israel to secure the border between the two countries.

Iran is once again in the headlines. The online editions of both the Telegraph and Financial Times note that Tehran’s Grand Bazaar remained closed for a second consecutive day in protest at the country’s financial situation as traders in the city of Isfahan also closed or slowed down their businesses. Meanwhile, the Times reports on efforts being spearheaded by the UK, France and Germany to persuade the European Union to adopt further sanctions on Iran with measures appearing to have a serious impact on the Iranian economy. The Telegraph online reports comments made by Israel’s Foreign Minister Avidgor Lieberman, who has predicted that popular unrest in Iran will become a “Persian Spring.”

Meanwhile, the Guardian and the online editions of the Independent and Financial Times report the dissolution of the Jordanian parliament by King Abdullah, which will necessitate parliamentary elections. The move comes against a background of slow moving reforms and on the eve of a large protest organised by the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Guardian reports on a letter sent by Foreign Secretary William Hague to the Bishop of Westminster in support of a legal challenge to the route of Israel’s West Bank security barrier, which adversely affects a Christian community near Bethlehem. The Department for International Development is reportedly providing indirect funding to help bring the case to Israel’s courts.

The Independent online provides coverage of the recent spat between Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak. The report notes that the tension between the two is viewed as an indication of impending early elections in Israel.

The Financial Times reports on yesterday’s one-day strike by workers at Israeli daily Haaretz, halting production of the newspaper for the first time in thirty years. The article analyses the financial difficulties facing Israel’s news media.

In Israel itself, significant coverage is given to the US Presidential debate which took place on Wednesday evening. Yediot Ahronot, Haaretz, Israel Hayom and Maariv all describe Republican candidate Mitt Romney as having soundly ‘defeated’ President Barack Obama.

Attention is also given to the continuing spat between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak. In the latest development, Israel Hayom reports that Netanyahu is considering firing Barak from his post, while Maariv claims that Likud members of parliament have been urging Netanyahu to dismiss Barak for several days.

Meanwhile, Maariv notes that that there has been a significant increase in the number of Druze living in the Golan Heights who have applied for Israeli citizenship over the past few months. Traditionally, Druze residents of the Golan have opted not to take up the option to become Israeli citizens out of loyalty towards Syria.