Israel faces diplomatic backlash after flotilla activists detained and minister taunts them
Italy, France and Canada have condemned the treatment of pro-Palestinian activists detained after Israeli naval forces intercepted a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Israel's ambassadors to the three countries were summoned after far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video showing himself taunting activists who were kneeling on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs. The footage has added a political and diplomatic dimension to an already sensitive maritime operation involving foreign nationals and aid bound for Gaza.The Global Sumud Flotilla said all of its boats had been intercepted by Tuesday evening, after Israeli naval commandos began stopping the... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
UK says Russian jets made dangerous intercepts of RAF spy plane over Black Sea
The UK Ministry of Defence says Russian fighter jets carried out repeated and dangerous intercepts of an unarmed Royal Air Force surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea last month. The aircraft involved was a Rivet Joint, which was on a routine international flight supporting Nato's eastern flank. Defence Secretary John Healey said the incident created a serious risk of accidents and potential escalation.According to the ministry, a Russian Su-35 approached close enough to trigger the RAF aircraft's emergency systems and disable its autopilot. It also said a Su-27 made six passes in front of the plane, coming as close as... [Continue Reading]
Lithuania issues drone alert in Vilnius as residents shelter underground
Lithuanian authorities issued a drone alert in Vilnius and urged residents to move to safe locations after reported activity near the Belarus border. Footage from the city showed people sheltering in an underground parking area as the warning was in force. The incident comes amid heightened concern over airspace security in the region and follows earlier disruption in the capital linked to a separate alert.The confirmed material says the alert was issued on 20 May 2026 and that residents were told to seek shelter while authorities responded to the reported drone activity. The footage shows civilians taking cover underground, but... [Continue Reading]
Russia launches major nighttime barrage on Ukraine
Russia has launched one of its largest recent nighttime barrages against Ukraine, with Kyiv saying more than 500 drones and dozens of missiles were fired into the country. The overnight attack targeted multiple cities, according to the latest confirmed report, and formed part of a continuing pattern of long-range strikes in the war. The scale of the assault suggests a broad operation rather than a single isolated strike.Ukraine's aerial defences reported the figures after the attack, which was described as one of the biggest in recent days. The available report does not give a full breakdown of where each drone... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
Nato jet shoots down drone over central Estonia after suspected jamming
Estonia says a Nato fighter jet shot down a drone over its territory on Tuesday, in an incident officials believe may have involved a Ukrainian projectile diverted by Russian electronic jamming. Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said a Romanian F-16 fired a missile at the drone, which came down in a marshy area between Lake Võrtsjärv and the town of Põltsamaa in central Estonia. No damage was reported, and local media later published photos said to show drone fragments on the ground.Pevkur said the drone was shot down shortly after 12:00 local time, or 09:00 GMT, after Estonia received early information... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine says new drones are reaching targets deeper inside Russia
Ukraine says it is increasingly able to use mid- and long-range drones to strike targets inside Russia, in a development that appears to widen the reach of the war. The latest update says hundreds of drones were sent towards multiple Russian regions over the weekend. Ukraine says the attacks have been successful in hitting targets and are now affecting Russian capacities.The confirmed details are limited, but the account points to a growing use of drones that can travel further than earlier systems. The strikes were described as taking place over the weekend and involving multiple regions inside Russia. No specific... [Continue Reading]
UAE investigates drone strike near Barakah nuclear power plant
The United Arab Emirates is investigating a drone strike that hit a generator near the Barakah nuclear power plant west of Abu Dhabi. Officials said the incident involved three drones entering from the western border direction on Sunday, with two intercepted and a third striking near the site. The strike caused a fire, but authorities said there were no injuries and no effect on radiological safety.The defence ministry said it was working to determine the source of the attack. It said the drones were dealt with "successfully" and that the third drone hit a generator outside the inner perimeter of... [Continue Reading]
Ukraine drone strike on Russia kills at least four, including three near Moscow
One of Ukraine's largest drone strikes on Russia has killed at least four people, local authorities said on Sunday. Three of the dead were reported near Moscow, while a fourth person was killed elsewhere in the attack. The strike also sent debris onto Russia's largest airport, though officials said there was no damage.Local authorities said 12 other people were wounded in the attack. The report said the strikes took place on Sunday and reached the Moscow area, underlining the scale of the drone operation. No further details were given in the supplied material about the exact locations of the other... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
Russia reports three killed in large Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow region
Russia says a large Ukrainian drone attack overnight killed three people in the Moscow region and injured 12 in the capital, in one of the biggest such barrages reported since the start of the war. Russian officials said drones were intercepted across multiple regions, with the Moscow area among the worst affected. The attack also led to damage at a city oil refinery and reports of drone wreckage at Sheremetyevo Airport.Regional governor Andrei Vorobiev said air defences had been repelling a large-scale UAV attack on the capital region since around 03:00 local time. He said a woman was killed in... [Continue Reading]
Latvian government collapses after suspected Ukrainian drone breach
Latvia's prime minister, Evika Silina, has resigned after suspected Ukrainian drones headed for Russia crossed into Latvian airspace.The incident has prompted concern over the country's defences, according to the supplied report.No further details were given on the number of drones involved or where in Latvia the breach occurred.The resignation marks a significant political development in Latvia, linking a national security incident to the collapse of the government.It also highlights the sensitivity of airspace violations in a region affected by the war in Ukraine.The supplied material says the drones were believed to be headed for Russia, but does not say whether... [Continue Reading]
Russian drone attack hits Kyiv apartment block during ceasefire period
Russian drone strikes have collapsed a residential building in Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.The attack came during a period when a US-mediated ceasefire proposal was being discussed.Officials said Russia had launched more than 1,500 drones since Wednesday.The strike hit the Ukrainian capital and caused a residential block to collapse.The incident adds to pressure on Kyiv at a time when diplomatic efforts around a ceasefire remain unresolved.It also underlines the scale of drone activity reported by Ukrainian officials in recent days.The attack took place in Kyiv, the centre of Ukraine's government and a frequent target in the war.Damage to housing in... [Continue Reading]
Russian strikes on Kyiv kill at least seven in overnight attack
Russia launched a large overnight drone-and-missile assault on Kyiv that killed at least seven people and wounded dozens, according to Ukrainian officials.The Ukrainian air force said Russia fired 675 attack drones and 56 missiles, mainly at the capital.It said air defence units intercepted 652 drones and 41 missiles.President Volodymyr Zelensky said 20 sites in Kyiv were damaged, including homes, a school, a vet clinic and other civilian infrastructure.Police said seven bodies were pulled from the rubble of a single destroyed residential building, including three men, three women and a young girl.The attack adds to pressure on Ukraine's air defences and... [Continue Reading]
Sponsored
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]
The Proving Ground, When “Decent” Reporting Meets High-Tech Warfare
For two decades I have watched wars unfold not only on battlefields, but on screens. Today’s incident over Kuwait, involving the downing of a U.S. F-15 Strike Eagle, is not just another headline in the Iran conflict. It may be a signal that something larger is unfolding behind the noise. Iranian state outlets rapidly circulated imagery of an ejected pilot. Washington responded cautiously. But beneath the spectacle lies a deeper question, whose technology was truly being tested? The Gulf as a live-fire laboratory For years, China has refined export-ready variants of its air defense systems, particularly the HQ-9 family and... [Continue Reading]

