Trump threatens U.S. bombing of Iranian infrastructure after any Strait of Hormuz attack
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social at 22 July 2026 at 13:56 BST: "From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran. Thank you for your attention to this matter! TRUMP" Explanation: President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social at 22 July 2026 at 13:56 BST: The post is an explicit... [Continue Reading]
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Day News Recap: US Iran escalation, Gaza strikes and floods hit Asia as markets swing to commodities
The biggest story was the deepening US Iran confrontation, with Washington saying it had completed an 11th straight night of strikes on Iran while Tehran reportedly retaliated against US military targets in Iraq and Syria. President Donald Trump said the United States was not finished and warned of further attacks, including on the Pickaxe Mountain area and on Iranian bridges and power plants if shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is hit. π π π πThe conflict is also carrying a heavy financial and military cost. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators the campaign has cost about $37.5bn so far... [Continue Reading]
Trump threatens bombing response over Iranian attacks in Hormuz
President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Tehran in response to any Iranian attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. In remarks reported on Wednesday, he said the United States would strike back for every attack linked to the waterway, which is one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes. The warning adds to already high tensions between Washington and Tehran over maritime security in the Gulf.The latest statement sharpens earlier threats that had focused on Iranian infrastructure and the Pickaxe mountain site near Natanz. Trump had previously said the United States would destroy a bridge or power plant... [Continue Reading]
Trump threatens strikes on Iranian bridges and power plants as US-Iran escalation deepens
President Donald Trump has expanded his warning over attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the United States would destroy one Iranian bridge or power plant for each strike on a vessel. The statement, posted on Wednesday, comes as US military operations against Iran continued for an eleventh straight night and as Tehran signalled it would retaliate if its infrastructure is hit. The latest exchange adds another layer of risk to a confrontation already affecting maritime traffic and regional security.Trump said any attack on a ship in the strait, whether by missile, rocket, drone or another weapon, would... [Continue Reading]
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Russia reports fresh drone strikes on Wildberries logistics hubs as death toll rises
Russian officials and the company said drones again hit logistics centres linked to Wildberries in the southern regions of Krasnodar and Stavropol Krai, with fires breaking out at warehouse sites and injuries reported. The latest strikes were said to have taken place overnight on 22 July in Krasnodar and Nevinnomyssk. Regional authorities declared a local state of emergency, while emergency crews worked to contain the fires.Wildberries founder Tatyana Kim said employees had been evacuated in advance, but that 15 people were injured in the attacks, including 10 in Krasnodar and five in Nevinnomyssk. She said several workers were taken to... [Continue Reading]
Oil tankers reverse course in the Red Sea after Houthi blockade threat
Two tankers carrying Saudi crude to Asia have reversed course in the Red Sea after the Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi ports, according to the supplied material. The vessels, identified as Rodos and Xin Long Yang, were heading towards Bab al-Mandeb before turning back near the Yemeni coast. Their movements are the first visible sign that the warning is affecting Saudi oil exports.The shipping analytics firm Kpler is cited in the supplied material as saying the two vessels were carrying a combined 2.8 million barrels of oil from Saudi Arabia's western port of Yanbu. The material says the ships... [Continue Reading]
Lebanese army enters southern pilot zone as families wait to return
The Lebanese army has entered Zawtar al-Gharbiya in southern Lebanon as the first stage of a US-brokered framework with Israel began to be implemented. The move came as families gathered at the edge of the village hoping to return home after months of displacement. The town is one of three designated pilot zones under the agreement.According to the supplied material, the army would not allow residents back until engineering units had cleared unexploded ordnance from the area. Hours after the deployment, two Red Cross paramedics were wounded in a landmine explosion while they were searching for bodies. People waited for... [Continue Reading]
US war on Iran costs $37.5bn as Pentagon seeks billions more amid 11 nights of strikes
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators that the war against Iran has cost about $37.5bn so far, as he pressed Congress for roughly $67bn more to keep operations going. He gave the estimate during a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee in Washington, where he was questioned alongside General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The testimony came as the United States was reported to be carrying out 11 consecutive nights of attacks on Iran.Hegseth said the new figure was significantly higher than earlier public estimates and reflected the strain on weapons stockpiles, operations and equipment... [Continue Reading]
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Noontime News Recap: US and Iran trade strikes as Gulf shipping risk rises and diplomacy strains widen
The United States said it had completed an 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, while Iranian forces reportedly retaliated by hitting US military targets in the region, deepening fears of a wider confrontation and adding to pressure on Gulf shipping routes. πThat risk was underlined in the Red Sea, where three oil tankers turned back after a warning from Yemen's Houthi movement, a fresh sign that maritime disruption is spreading beyond the immediate battlefield. πIndia pressed Russia over the deaths of four Indian seafarers after a missile strike on a merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine, as New... [Continue Reading]
India presses Russia over seafarer deaths after missile strike on merchant vessel
India has pressed Russia over the deaths of four Indian seafarers after a missile strike on a merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine. The diplomatic response came after New Delhi summoned the Russian charge d'affaires and later raised the issue directly with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila. India said the attack on commercial shipping and the loss of civilian lives were unacceptable.Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said he met Lavrov on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting in the Philippines. He said he reiterated India's strong concern about the safety of... [Continue Reading]
Equinor profits nearly double to $11.5bn amid war-driven oil price surge
Norway's state-controlled energy company Equinor has reported a sharp rise in quarterly profits as higher oil and gas prices, together with increased production, lifted earnings during the conflict affecting Gulf shipping. The company said profits nearly doubled to $11.5bn in the three months to the end of June. It linked the result to stronger output and to market disruption caused by the near-halt in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.Equinor said it had increased oil and gas production at the start of the conflict, allowing it to benefit from the supply gap created by reduced flows from the Gulf. The... [Continue Reading]
US and Iran exchange strikes as Gulf shipping disruption widens
The United States said it completed an 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, while Iranian forces reportedly retaliated by hitting US military targets in the Gulf. The latest exchanges were reported on Wednesday and came as the conflict continued to affect the Strait of Hormuz and other key maritime routes. The escalation has also coincided with growing pressure on shipping in the Red Sea and wider Middle East waterways.US Central Command said at 00:15 GMT that it had concluded another round of attacks on Iranian military infrastructure. It said the targets included military operations centres, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars,... [Continue Reading]
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Breakfast News Recap: US Iran strikes deepen as floods, trade tensions and Gaza violence mount
The biggest escalation remains the US campaign against Iran, with American strikes continuing for an 11th straight night, Iranian air defences activated in Tehran and explosions reported near Natanz, while Donald Trump warned the United States was βnot finishedβ and could hit the Pickaxe Mountain area soon. π πWashington is also facing the financial and political cost of the conflict, after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators the war has cost about $37.5bn so far and pressed Congress for urgent extra funding. A US soldier has also been identified after dying in northern Iraq in a controlled detonation of a... [Continue Reading]
US-Iran escalation deepens as Trump says strike on Pickaxe Mountain is coming soon
US President Donald Trump has said the United States is "not finished" attacking Iran and warned that American forces could hit the Pickaxe Mountain area near Natanz "pretty soon" and "very heavily". He made the remarks at the White House on Tuesday, local time, as Tehran continued to step up strikes across the Middle East. The comments add a further nuclear dimension to an already widening confrontation between the two countries.Trump said the site was near Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment facility and suggested the military was prepared to "take care of" Iran-backed Houthi rebels as well. He also said the... [Continue Reading]
Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 12, including family of six, as ceasefire efforts stall
Gaza's civil defence agency says Israeli strikes killed 12 people on Tuesday, including six members of the Al-Masri family in central Gaza City. The latest deaths were reported despite a fragile ceasefire that remains in place between Israel and Hamas, and amid stalled efforts to secure a lasting agreement to end the war. Witnesses and rescue workers said one strike hit a house belonging to the Al-Masri family in the north of Gaza City, leaving the building badly damaged and setting it on fire.According to the civil defence agency, the family members killed included four children, and Al-Shifa hospital said... [Continue Reading]
UN reports sharp rise in civilian casualties in Russia-Ukraine war as strikes intensify
The United Nations says civilian casualties in the war between Russia and Ukraine rose sharply in the first half of 2026, driven by a growing use of long-range missiles and drones against urban areas far from the front line. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said it documented 1,396 civilians killed and 7,978 wounded in Ukraine between January and June. Danielle Bell, who heads the mission, said the figures showed a 37% increase from the same period in 2025 and were almost double the level recorded in 2024.Bell also said credible open-source reporting indicated that 250 civilians were... [Continue Reading]
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Day News Recap: US Iran conflict widens as oil spikes, wildfires rage and protests spread
US President Donald Trump said the United States would attack the Pickaxe mountain near Natanz in central Iran very soon, while also warning that Iran would pay after American service members were killed, marking a sharp new escalation in the confrontation. π πThe conflict is already rippling through energy markets, with Brent crude up 23% over the period and average petrol prices in the United States rising to $4.00 a gallon as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz thins. ASEAN foreign ministers in Manila voiced serious concern about spillover from the war and the risk to regional energy supplies, while... [Continue Reading]
Four drone strikes in four days hit tankers carrying Kazakhstan oil at Black Sea terminal
Four tankers linked to Kazakhstan's crude exports were struck by drones over four days while loading at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium marine terminal in the Black Sea. The incidents affected civilian vessels at a key export point used to move Kazakh oil to international markets. Kazakhstan said the attacks threatened both its economic interests and wider global energy security.The foreign and energy ministries in Kazakhstan condemned the strikes and called for them to stop. In a statement, the foreign ministry said the attacks were an unacceptable infringement on Kazakhstan's economic interests and a deliberate attempt to destabilise lawful international trade... [Continue Reading]
Ukrainian drone strikes leave Russian-held Crimea facing power, water and fuel shortages
Residents in Russian-held Crimea are reporting severe disruption after sustained Ukrainian drone and missile strikes across the peninsula and the transport links connecting it to Russia. People in Yevpatoria and other parts of the Black Sea peninsula say electricity, running water and fuel have all become unreliable, with some areas cut off for much of the day. The disruption has deepened through the spring and summer, according to accounts from residents and local reporting.The campaign is described as Kyiv's largest sustained air effort against Crimea so far this year. Kremlin-installed authorities last month declared a state of emergency and temporarily... [Continue Reading]
Noontime News Recap: Iran, Ukraine and Lebanon dominate a day of conflict, protests and flooding
Iran and the United States moved deeper into direct confrontation, with the IRGC claiming it struck Amazon data infrastructure in Bahrain, while US Central Command said it carried out fresh strikes on Iranian military targets and Iran reported missile and drone retaliation, tanker fires in the Strait of Hormuz and a wider escalation at sea and on land. π πIn the Middle East, Lebanon said its army had begun deploying to a pilot zone in the south after the withdrawal of Israeli forces under a US brokered arrangement, a step that could shape the next phase of the border calm.... [Continue Reading]
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Iran's IRGC claims strike on Amazon data hub in Bahrain amid escalating US confrontation
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed that its Aerospace Force targeted and destroyed the central data infrastructure of the US company Amazon in Bahrain. The force also said it struck US air-defence systems and radar installations in the Bahraini areas of Muharraq and Riffa. The claim was issued on Tuesday through a statement from the IRGC's public relations office.According to the statement, the attack used several cruise missiles. Bahraini and US officials had not responded to the claim at the time of publication, and Amazon had also not commented. The IRGC said the strike was carried out in response... [Continue Reading]
Drone strike sparks major fire at shopping centre in Sumy
A large fire broke out at a home improvement shopping centre in Sumy, in northeastern Ukraine, after a Russian drone strike on 21 July. Video from the scene showed flames spreading across the site as firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control. Emergency crews battled the fire for hours, while thick smoke rose above the building.Local media reported that rescue operations were complicated by the threat of further drone attacks in the area. The strike hit a commercial site rather than a military target, according to the supplied material, and the fire spread across the shopping centre complex. No... [Continue Reading]
Breakfast News Recap: US Iran conflict widens as trade, shipping and diplomacy tensions mount
The biggest escalation came in the US Iran confrontation, with Donald Trump saying Iran will pay after multiple American service members were killed, while Tehran said it had targeted US radar and air defence sites in Kuwait and Bahrain as the Gulf standoff widened. π πThat conflict is already feeding through to energy markets, with average petrol prices in the United States rising to $4.00 a gallon for a second straight week as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz pushed oil higher and traffic through the waterway thinned. πMaritime security across the wider region also deteriorated, as Yemen's Houthis ΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠ²ed... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine: Russian attacks kill two children and damage three aid warehouses
Russian attacks and drone strikes across Ukraine over recent days killed at least two children and injured dozens more, UN agencies reported on Monday. The source says the violence also severely damaged three critical aid warehouses. No locations are given for the attacks or the warehouses, and the report does not name any victims beyond the two children mentioned. The source also does not provide details on the type of aid stored at the damaged sites, only that the facilities were described as critical. The reporting frame is limited to recent days and the UN agencies' Monday account. No perpetrators... [Continue Reading]
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US-Iran conflict escalates as Trump vows Iran will pay for killing soldiers
US President Donald Trump has said Iran will "pay" after multiple American service members were killed in the widening conflict between the United States and Iran. His warning came as the US launched its ninth night of air strikes on Iran, according to the supplied report, marking another step in the exchange of attacks. The latest developments also included Iranian retaliation against US allies in Kuwait and Bahrain, signalling that the confrontation is spreading across the region.The report says Trump issued the threat on social media on Monday and said the directive had been passed to Secretary of War Pete... [Continue Reading]
US-Iran tensions push petrol and oil prices higher as Strait of Hormuz traffic thins
Average petrol prices in the United States have risen to $4.00 per gallon, marking a second straight week of increases as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran ripple through energy markets. Benchmark crude prices also moved higher before easing, with Brent reaching $91.42 and West Texas Intermediate touching $85.39 before retreating. The price moves come as concerns grow over tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping routes.The latest market reaction follows the breakdown of the US-Iran ceasefire, according to the supplied material, and comes alongside threats affecting shipping in the... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: Iran conflict widens as deaths mount, UK gets new prime minister and markets turn risk off
The biggest escalation remained the conflict between the United States and Iran, with Washington saying it had carried out a ninth straight night of strikes while Tehran said mediators had relayed proposals to end the fighting and its foreign minister claimed talks were held under the threat of bombing. Iran's Revolutionary Guard warned the US it would receive an βunforgettable lessonβ, and the supreme leader called for βsacred unityβ as the confrontation deepened. π π π π πCasualties linked to the wider conflict also rose. The Pentagon named two US soldiers killed in Jordan while defending against Iranian missile and... [Continue Reading]
U.S. and Iran trade strikes for ninth consecutive night as casualties rise
The United States said on Sunday that it had completed its ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, as the conflict continued to widen across the region. The latest phase of fighting follows the collapse of a ceasefire memorandum of understanding signed on June 17, after which hostilities resumed on July 7. The supplied reporting says the exchange has now spread beyond military sites to roads, bridges, power plants, bases and transport assets.The immediate trigger for the latest casualty update was the death of a U.S. service member in northern Iraq on Saturday during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance... [Continue Reading]
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IRGC pledges 'unforgettable lesson' for the US as Iran signals return to talks
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued a warning to the United States, saying it would receive an "unforgettable lesson" as Tehran signalled that it may return to talks. The remarks come amid a period of heightened tension between the two countries and suggest that Iran is trying to balance deterrent messaging with a possible diplomatic opening. The statement was reported on 20 July 2026 and is the latest sign of the fragile mix of pressure and negotiation shaping the relationship.The comments were made by the IRGC, one of Iran's most powerful security institutions, which plays a central role in... [Continue Reading]
Noontime News Recap: Ukraine widens drone war as US Iran strikes fuel oil shock and regional tensions rise
Ukraine launched more than 400 drones toward Moscow overnight, in one of the largest reported attacks on the Russian capital since the start of the war, as the conflict widened beyond the Black Sea and into the Russian heartland. πThe United States completed a ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, while Tehran said the Darkhovin nuclear plant under construction in the southwest had been hit, raising the risk of a broader confrontation. πThat escalation in the Middle East pushed oil prices higher and deepened concern over global fuel supplies after traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ground to a... [Continue Reading]
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Breakfast News Recap: US strikes on Iran deepen as deaths mount and markets turn risk off
Two United States service members were killed and several others injured after Iranian ballistic missiles struck Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, sharply escalating the confrontation and adding to pressure on Washington to respond. πThe United States Central Command said it launched a new wave of strikes overnight, the ninth consecutive night of attacks, while Iran said it had hit US bases in Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan as the conflict widened across the Middle East. π πAnother US service member died in northern Iraq after the controlled detonation of an unexploded drone munition, underlining the wider danger to American forces... [Continue Reading]
Iran missiles reported toward Jordan's Aqaba as US warns of credible threat
Israeli military officials said they had identified missiles launched from Iran toward the Jordanian city of Aqaba, adding a new layer to an already widening regional confrontation. The city lies close to the Jordan-Israel border and near the southern Israeli city of Eilat, making any missile activity there a matter of immediate concern for both countries. The report came after the United States warned its citizens to stay away from air and sea ports in Aqaba because of what it described as a specific and credible threat.The warning was issued by the US Embassy in Amman on Sunday afternoon local... [Continue Reading]
Israeli strikes hit residential areas in Gaza City as ceasefire line is crossed
Israeli strikes have hit residential neighbourhoods in Gaza City, killing at least eight Palestinians and raising fresh questions about the fragile ceasefire arrangement in Gaza. Medical sources said the attacks struck al-Nasr and al-Zeitoun on Saturday, with rescue teams still searching through rubble for possible survivors. The reported deaths came from a warplane strike on an apartment block and artillery fire in a nearby district.According to medical sources at the Al Shifa hospital complex, two missiles struck a second-floor apartment in al-Nasr and killed five people. Witnesses said the building was destroyed and a neighbouring block was damaged, while several... [Continue Reading]
Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow-region logistics sites kill at least 8, evacuate maternity hospital
Russian officials say overnight Ukrainian drone strikes have killed at least eight people and wounded dozens after attacks hit logistics sites in the Moscow region and sparked a fire at an oil depot in Noginsk. The latest reports say a Wildberries depot in Elektrostal was struck, while a nearby maternity hospital was evacuated for safety. Regional authorities said emergency crews were still working at the affected locations as the scale of damage became clearer.In Elektrostal, governor Andrei Vorobyov said one person was killed and 37 others were injured after a drone fell on the warehouse. He also said a fire... [Continue Reading]
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Ukraine's strikes on Russian fuel infrastructure deepen petrol shortages
Ukraine's long-range drone campaign against Russian fuel infrastructure has intensified since May, contributing to petrol shortages across parts of Russia and in occupied Crimea. According to the supplied analysis, the strikes have hit refineries, fuel depots and oil tankers in the Black Sea, forcing some sites to pause production. The result has been an unusual move for one of the world's largest oil producers: Russia has begun importing consumer petrol, mostly from India, to help cover shortfalls.The analysis says there were reports in June of at least six strikes on oil refineries and seven on fuel depots in Russia. It... [Continue Reading]
Russian strikes hit Ukrainian port infrastructure and vessels as deaths rise in Mykolaiv, Kherson and Odesa
Russian drone attacks hit port infrastructure in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv on Friday, damaging three foreign-registered vessels, according to local prosecutors. Officials said two Ukrainians were killed aboard one of the ships, while separate attacks in Kherson and Odesa also left people dead. The strikes came as Ukraine reported a fresh wave of maritime attacks in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.Local officials said a Russian drone attack in Kherson killed a woman and injured six other people, while an attack in Odesa killed a man. Serhii Lysak, head of the Odesa City Military Administration, said... [Continue Reading]
Pakistan says raids kill 24 militants after suicide attack near Afghan border
Pakistani security forces say they killed 24 militants in intelligence-based raids in the northwest of the country after a series of attacks in Bannu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. The military said the operations were carried out over the previous day in response to two militant attacks on Wednesday. Officials said the raids targeted members of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and Baloch separatist groups.According to the military, one of the attacks involved a suicide bomber who rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into police officers and civilians. Another attack saw a little-known militant group target a police station in... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine says it destroyed Tu-95 bomber at Russia's Engels air base
Ukraine says it has destroyed a strategic Tu-95 bomber at Russia's Engels air base, in a long-range strike that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said hit an aircraft previously used for missile attacks on Ukraine. The base is about 800 km from the Ukrainian border, according to the supplied report. Ukraine also said it struck facilities belonging to Russia's oil industry in the same operation.Zelenskyy said on social media that the military plane had been used by Russia for missile strikes on Ukraine. He said Ukrainian forces were acting "justly and proactively" and added that they were increasing the price Russia pays... [Continue Reading]
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Germany renews push for EU force to replace UNIFIL in Lebanon
Germany has renewed its call for the European Union to deploy a force in southern Lebanon before the United Nations peacekeeping mission there ends at the close of the year. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin wants to avoid a security vacuum once UNIFIL withdraws, and argued that any new arrangement should help create conditions for an Israeli withdrawal from the area. He also said such a force would need to stop Hezbollah from returning to the south.Wadephul made the comments in an interview with a German broadcaster on Friday, according to the supplied report. He said Germany has proposed... [Continue Reading]
Qatar intercepts Iranian missile barrage over Doha as security alert is raised
Qatar said its air defences intercepted a fresh Iranian missile barrage over Doha on Friday, in the latest sign of widening regional tensions. Explosions were heard in the capital as the attack unfolded, according to the supplied reports. The incident prompted security alerts and a temporary rise in the threat level.The confirmed account says the missiles were intercepted over Doha and that the alert level was raised briefly before being lowered again. The reports also say a child was injured by falling shrapnel and is receiving medical care. No further casualty figures were provided in the supplied material.The attack adds... [Continue Reading]
At least 13 killed in strikes across Ukraine as attacks hit Zaporizhzhia, Odesa and other regions
Russian and Ukrainian strikes on civilian areas across several parts of Ukraine killed at least 13 people yesterday, according to local officials. The attacks were reported in Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, near Kharkiv, near Kupiansk and in Donetsk region. Officials said the strikes also damaged homes and other civilian infrastructure, including a religious institution and a pre-school.In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian guided bomb attack killed three people and wounded 15, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said. In Odesa, Russian missiles hit the Black Sea port city and killed two people, with Deputy Mayor Oleksandr Filatov confirming the fatalities at the scene. Other officials said... [Continue Reading]
Vance accuses Israeli officials of trying to sway US opinion against Iran deal
US Vice-President JD Vance has sharpened his criticism of some members of the Israeli government, accusing them of trying to influence American opinion to keep the war with Iran going. In an interview published on Wednesday, he told conservative podcaster Joe Rogan that he trusted some people in the Israeli government, but said others were "manipulating and trying to change American public opinion to keep the war going on indefinitely". He said there was a "very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign" aimed at derailing negotiations and the agreement with Iran.Vance said the effort was designed to pull the United States away... [Continue Reading]
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Dubai authorities deny reports of explosions in downtown city centre
Dubai authorities have denied reports that explosions were heard in the city on Thursday evening. Initial claims had suggested the booms were linked to missile interceptions, but the Dubai Media Office said the explosions did not occur in downtown Dubai. Officials also urged residents to rely on communications issued by the authorities.The clarification came after Euronews journalists in Dubai reported the denial from local officials. No casualties, damage, or confirmed blast site were included in the available material. The statement did not say what had prompted the earlier reports, and it did not confirm any incident in the city centre.The... [Continue Reading]
Iran says US strike near children's cancer hospital in Ahvaz forced evacuation of 211 patients
Iran has accused the United States of carrying out a strike near a children's cancer hospital in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, saying the blast was close enough to force an emergency evacuation. Iranian officials said 211 patients undergoing chemotherapy were moved from Shahid Baghaei Specialised Hospital after the attack. A doctor at the treatment centre said the explosion was intense and so close that staff initially thought the hospital itself had been hit.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described the attack as a barbaric act and called it a cowardly war crime. In a post on X, he said... [Continue Reading]
Kyiv protests erupt after Zelenskyy sacks defence minister in reshuffle
Hundreds of people gathered in central Kyiv on Thursday after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed defence minister Fedorov as part of a wider government reshuffle. Protesters marched through the streets carrying banners reading "The army is the priority" and chanting "Shame". The demonstration came as parliament also accepted Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko's resignation and approved Serhii Koretskyi, the former head of energy firm Naftogaz, as her successor.The dismissal has added a public dimension to a political reset that was already under way in Kyiv. Fedorov, who had been in the post for six months, was seen by supporters as a moderniser... [Continue Reading]
Kyiv hit again as Russian missile strike kills at least two
Russian ballistic missiles struck multiple areas of Kyiv overnight into Thursday, killing at least two people and injuring five others, including a child, according to Ukraine's State Emergency Service. The attack hit the Sviatoshynskyi and Darnytskyi districts of the capital and triggered large fires at a warehouse and an administrative building. Emergency crews were still working at the scene as firefighters battled the blaze and search teams checked damaged structures for survivors.Officials said falling debris also damaged nearby properties, adding to the disruption across the affected districts. The strike came just hours after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen... [Continue Reading]
Iran frees US-Iranian citizen Dena Karari amid renewed hostilities with Washington
Iran has allowed US-Iranian citizen Dena Karari to leave the country after she was detained there since December 2024, according to her lawyer and comments from the US president. The release comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran have risen again, with fresh US strikes on Iran reported in the supporting material. Karari is now outside Iran and is understood to be travelling back to the United States.US President Donald Trump publicly praised the move as a gesture of goodwill, saying the woman was in good condition and had safely left Iran. He did not name her in his initial... [Continue Reading]
Russian ballistic missiles strike Kyiv, with drone attacks reported in Kharkiv
Explosions were reported in Kyiv shortly after midnight local time after Ukraine's air force warned of several incoming ballistic missiles. An AFP journalist described bright flashes over the capital followed by a series of detonations. At the same time, Kharkiv, the main city in northeast Ukraine, was reported to have been hit by combat drones.Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a warehouse was hit and that missile debris fell on non-residential buildings. The reports did not immediately give details of casualties or the full extent of the damage. The strikes came a few hours after European Commission President Ursula von der... [Continue Reading]
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Syria arrests former colonel accused of chemical weapons crimes
Syrian authorities have arrested a former colonel they accuse of involvement in chemical weapons crimes under the government of ousted former President Bashar al-Assad. The Interior Ministry identified the man as Ahmed Habib Ali and said he was detained over allegations linked to sarin gas storage and manufacturing. Officials said the arrest is part of a wider series of detentions involving figures from the former administration.The ministry said Ali was responsible for sarin gas storage facilities and chemical manufacturing within Unit 417, described as a chemical weapons site near Damascus. It also accused him of supervising the manufacture of about... [Continue Reading]
THE BATTLE FOR ALI AL-TAHER: HOW A SOUTHERN LEBANON AMBUSH SHATTERED TRUMPβS WASHINGTON AGREEMENT
A catastrophic military escalation in Southern Lebanon has successfully disrupted the highest levels of global diplomacy. Just days after the signing of the United States and Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), an armoured battlefield clash on the strategic heights of Ali al-Taher has effectively frozen implementation talks scheduled to begin today in Switzerland. The crisis provides an alarming look at how kinetic actions on the ground can instantly sabotage geopolitical blueprints designed in Washington. The Official Statement from Hezbollah Following the midnight clashes, the media wing of Hezbollah issued a formal, comprehensive statement outlining their strategic justification and rejecting accusations... [Continue Reading]
Fear the Shia, Arm the Sunnis: The Uncomfortable Numbers Behind Americaβs War Narrative
βWhen fear is managed carefully enough, a nation can be taught to look away from the blood on the floor and stare instead at the shadow on the wall.β A friend of mine, whose name I will not reveal because he asked me not to, sat across from me over dinner and placed a question on the table that would not leave me alone. He was born into a Muslim Shia background, and for the angle of this article, that detail matters, not because I wish to reduce a man to a sect, but because sect has become one of... [Continue Reading]
GAS, GOD, AND GUNS: The Secret Agenda Behind the Washington Talks and the Death of the Maritime Border
The mahogany tables of the U.S. State Department are hosting a ghost today. As official delegations from Israel and Lebanon convene for a third round of high-stakes negotiations this Friday, May 8, 2026, the air in Washington is thick with the scent of a "peace" that looks increasingly like a strategic ambush. While the world watches the diplomatic theatre, the reality on the ground in Southern Lebanon tells a story of a predatory recalibration. Prime Minister Netanyahu isnβt just looking for a ceasefire; he is aiming to hit three birds with one single, devastating stone: the annexation of land, the... [Continue Reading]
The Mirage of the Umbrella: The Shifting Sands of the U.S.-Israel-GCC Alliance
As I sat in a recent debate at the historic Carlton Club in London, listening to Faisal Abbas, the Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, I felt a tangible shift in the room, not because a new fact had been revealed, but because an old illusion had finally lost its last breath. The old-world order has not merely changed, it has evaporated, leaving the Gulf to realize it is no longer watching a distant fire from the safety of marble towers and air-conditioned ministries, but is instead standing directly inside the smoke. The GCC today is caught in a lethal crossfire between... [Continue Reading]
When Deterrence Becomes Reality
Yesterday the war crossed a line! For years the Sejjil ballistic missile existed mostly as a symbol. A weapon paraded in military videos, discussed in defense briefings, whispered about in strategic circles as one of Iranβs most serious capabilities. A weapon that analysts described as deterrence, not something meant to be used. But on March 15, 2026, that line disappeared. Iran reportedly launched the Sejjil (also known as Ashoura) as part of what Tehran called the 54th wave of Operation True Promise 4, a massive strike package that also included the Fattah hypersonic missile and the Qadr ballistic missile system.... [Continue Reading]
Shadows of Fire: The Long Arc of IranβUnited States Tensions
A Region on Edge: The Latest Escalation In recent months, tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified once again, fueled by disputes over regional security, nuclear development, maritime incidents in the Persian Gulf, and the broader strategic balance in the Middle East. Officials in Washington have expressed renewed concern over Iranβs uranium enrichment levels, while leaders in Tehran have accused the United States of economic warfare through sanctions and diplomatic isolation. The fragile equilibrium that followed earlier rounds of indirect negotiations appears increasingly strained, with both sides engaging in sharp rhetoric at the United Nations, reinforcing military postures... [Continue Reading]





