Ukraine says Operation Vivaldi has disrupted Russian Donbas encirclement plan
Ukraine's counter-offensive around Lyman has disrupted what an assessment by the Institute for the Study of War described as Russia's plan to encircle the remaining Ukrainian-controlled territory in Donetsk. The operation, known as Operation Vivaldi, targeted the northern arm of a pincer movement that was meant to link advances from Lyman in the north and Dobropillia in the south-west. According to the assessment, the collapse of that northern thrust has forced Russian units onto the defensive and preserved Ukrainian supply routes in the area.The report said Ukrainian forces advanced along the Ridkodub-Nove-Novomykhailivka line in the north and the Yarova-Drobysheve-Stavky line... [Continue Reading]
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Drone strike kills at least 30 displaced people in Sudan's Blue Nile region
At least 30 displaced people have been killed in a drone strike in Sudan's Blue Nile region, according to local officials. The attack hit Wad al-Mahi province near the city of Damazin on Friday, close to a displacement camp and an informal gold mining site. Dozens more people were wounded in the strike, which local authorities said targeted the centre of the province.The governor of Wad al-Mahi province said the drone belonged to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and that 26 women and four children were among the dead. He described the attack as cowardly. He also said the drone... [Continue Reading]
Ethiopia and Eritrea accuse each other of launching war as border tensions deepen
Ethiopia and Eritrea have accused each other of launching a war as tensions between the two neighbours escalate into a direct interstate confrontation. Ethiopia told the United Nations Security Council that Eritrean forces carried out an "all-out invasion" of northern Ethiopia, while Eritrea said it is facing a "war of aggression" from its neighbour. The exchange comes just days after the two countries cut diplomatic ties.In a letter shared with news agencies, Ethiopia's foreign minister, Gedion Timothewos, said Eritrean troops had advanced up to 60 kilometres into northern Tigray and demanded their withdrawal. Eritrea's information minister, Yemane Gebremeskel, rejected the... [Continue Reading]
Saudi Arabia reopens Riyadh airport after Houthi attack kills three
Saudi Arabia has reopened Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport after a Houthi attack that killed three people and injured several others, according to the country's civil aviation authority. The authority said the strike hit airport facilities and a Saudia aircraft, causing material damage and temporary disruption before operations returned to normal. Saudia later said one of its pilots, Captain Hamoud Ali Alkalthami, was killed in the incident.The General Authority of Civil Aviation said the attack took place on Thursday and that injuries ranged from minor to severe. It said air traffic at the airport has now resumed, while the national... [Continue Reading]
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ICC rules Duterte fit to stand trial in crimes-against-humanity case
Judges at the International Criminal Court have ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to stand trial on crimes against humanity charges linked to his anti-drugs campaign. The court in The Hague said independent medical experts had concluded that the 81-year-old can understand the evidence and discuss his defence with his lawyers. Judges also denied a request for his release from custody.The ruling means the case against Duterte will continue after his legal team argued that serious memory loss left him unable to absorb new information or reliably recall the past. The court said it was satisfied that... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: Middle East tensions flare as Ukraine, Europe and markets react
Iran widened pressure on shipping by striking two commercial tankers outside the Strait of Hormuz within 24 hours, while a separate tanker was hit by multiple projectiles off the north coast of Qatar, deepening fears over Gulf trade routes. 🔗 🔗Those attacks fed a broader surge in Middle East risk, with oil and stocks swinging on renewed fears of supply disruption, and the G7 agreeing to release 100 million barrels of oil and diesel from emergency stockpiles over four months to cushion shortages. 🔗 🔗In Yemen and Saudi Arabia, the conflict escalated further as Riyadh said Houthi attacks on two... [Continue Reading]
Breakfast News Recap: Middle East tensions flare as Israel marks 7 October anniversary and oil jumps
Oil prices and global stocks swung as traders reacted to renewed fears of disruption to Middle East supply routes, with crude rising on reports that Iran appeared to be preparing a response and investors watching the risk to shipping and energy flows. 🔗Security concerns widened after UKMTO said a tanker sailing off the north coast of Qatar was struck by multiple projectiles, adding to worries over maritime traffic in the Gulf. 🔗In the region’s wider conflict, Saudi Arabia said Houthi attacks on two airports killed three civilians, including three foreign nationals, and injured 36 people over two days, while Yemeni... [Continue Reading]
Syrian general Bassam al-Hassan said to be protected in Lebanon amid US-linked arrangement
A former Syrian general wanted for crimes against humanity is being bankrolled and protected in Lebanon under an arrangement involving US and Lebanese authorities, according to a BBC investigation. Bassam al-Hassan, who oversaw Syria's chemical weapons programme and served as a senior adviser to former President Bashar al-Assad, is reported to be staying in Beirut after the collapse of the Assad regime in 2024. The report says the arrangement is linked to intelligence connected with the disappearance of American journalist Austin Tice in Syria in 2012.The investigation, carried out with another US broadcaster, says Hassan has been allowed to remain... [Continue Reading]
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Yemen says Dawn of Yemen offensive has neutralised 1,860 Houthi fighters
Yemeni government forces say they have intensified their counter-offensive against the Houthis, claiming to have carried out 2,103 "precise targeting operations" since the launch of the "Dawn of Yemen" campaign. In a social media post early on Thursday local time, the government's army spokesperson said the strikes were directed at Houthi military positions across several fronts. The same statement said 1,860 Houthi fighters had been "neutralised" since the operation began.Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, announced the operation on Sunday with the stated aim of retaking all Houthi-held territory, including the capital, Sanaa. The latest claims come as... [Continue Reading]
Israel marks third anniversary of 7 October attack with memorial events and protests
Israel has marked the third anniversary of the Hamas-led 7 October attack with memorial events across the country, as families gathered to honour the dead and protesters renewed calls for an independent inquiry into security failures. The commemorations came on Wednesday at sites linked to the assault, including the Nova music festival memorial near Kibbutz Re'im and Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv. The day was described by relatives and survivors as one of remembrance, grief and continuing political tension.At the Nova memorial, bereaved families and survivors gathered to remember the 378 people killed at the festival and the 44 taken... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: Ukraine toll rises as Middle East tensions, Iran pressure and global probes widen
Ukraine said at least 20 people were killed in overnight Russian strikes that spread across central and eastern parts of the country, with rescue work continuing after the attacks. 🔗In the Middle East, Yemen's conflict escalated again as Houthi missiles and drones targeted Aden International Airport, forcing a passenger flight diversion, while Saudi forces said they intercepted a missile near Riyadh and no casualties were reported. 🔗 🔗 🔗Yemen's internationally recognised government also said it had launched Operation Dawn of Yemen and pushed a renewed offensive on the Red Sea coast, including moves near Bab al Mandeb and an assault... [Continue Reading]
Mali junta retakes Kidal after separatist withdrawal, marking symbolic gain
Malian forces have entered the strategic northern city of Kidal after Tuareg separatists announced their withdrawal as the army advanced. The move gives Mali's junta a symbolic gain in one of the country's most contested areas. It also marks a reversal in control of a city that separatists had held for about five months.According to the latest confirmed account, the separatists pulled back earlier on Tuesday before the army moved into the city. The development came after late-April attacks by JNIM-linked jihadists and separatist allies had weakened the junta's position in the north. The advance is being described as a... [Continue Reading]
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Breakfast News Recap: Russia widens strikes as Yemen front heats up and Sudan rejects talks
Russia carried out a wide overnight strike on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, with Ukrainian officials confirming at least two deaths as Moscow described the assault as a massive strike. 🔗In Sudan, army chief Abdel Fattah al Burhan rejected negotiations and vowed to retake every area held by the Rapid Support Forces, as the conflict widened further. 🔗Yemen saw a sharp escalation on several fronts. The internationally recognised government said Houthi missiles and drones targeted Aden International Airport, forcing the diversion of a passenger flight, while another report said two missiles hit the airport early Wednesday with no casualties... [Continue Reading]
Has Russia's fuel crisis given Iranian oil an opening in Central Asia?
Iran's oil exports have struggled under a US blockade, but a Russian fuel crisis caused by Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure may be creating a new opening in Central Asia. Countries in the region have begun buying oil from Iran as Russian fuel supplies they have long depended on run short. The shift is emerging as Moscow faces mounting pressure from drone strikes on refineries linked to its war in Ukraine.In August, Tajikistan said it was receiving oil and petroleum products from Iran as Dushanbe faced uncertainty over supplies from Russia. Also in August, Tehran agreed to establish a joint... [Continue Reading]
Yemen's Houthis attack Aden airport as Saudi forces intercept missile near Riyadh
Yemen's internationally recognised government says Houthi missiles and drones targeted Aden International Airport, forcing the diversion of a passenger flight from Cairo and the evacuation of the terminal. The airport, which serves as the main international gateway for areas outside Houthi control, was hit in an attack that the government said came close to causing a civilian disaster. Separately, Saudi Arabia said its forces intercepted a ballistic missile north of Riyadh.The Ministry of Transport said at least two ballistic missiles and several drones were used in the attack on the airport's runway and passenger terminal. It said one missile landed... [Continue Reading]
Yemeni government forces launch offensive to retake strategic al-Waziiya district in Taiz
Forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government have launched an operation to capture the mountainous district of al-Waziiya in Taiz governorate from the Houthis. The fighting is part of a wider push to regain territory along Yemen's Red Sea coast and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The district is seen as strategically important because of its position west of Taiz and east of the port of Mocha.The army media centre said the Homeland Shield Forces, a pro-government military faction, had begun a large-scale operation to retake al-Waziiya. It said government forces had secured strategic hills overlooking the al-Mansoura area and described... [Continue Reading]
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Yemen offensive advances near Bab al-Mandeb as coalition air support intensifies
Yemen's internationally recognised government says its counter-offensive has made further gains along the Red Sea coast near the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The operation, named Dawn of Yemen, is reported to have recaptured territory from the Houthis over the past two days, extending fighting across a strategically sensitive corridor in western Yemen. The latest claims suggest the campaign is moving beyond isolated local advances and into a broader attempt to reshape control of the coast.According to the supplied reporting, the Saudi-led coalition backing the government has deployed 100 fighter jets and has been flying round-the-clock support missions to help secure the... [Continue Reading]
Pakistan and Turkiye move to support Saudi deterrence against Houthis as pact takes effect
The defence arrangement between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye has now been activated, with the three countries agreeing to move agreed forces and capabilities into Saudi Arabia. The decision was taken at an emergency meeting in Riyadh on Monday, according to a joint statement shared by Pakistan's Foreign Office. The statement said the committee had decided to begin practical implementation of collective-defence commitments and to ensure rapid deployment in line with approved arrangements and national legislation.The latest reporting adds that the pact, signed in August and sometimes referred to as the Mecca pact, is now in force for the first... [Continue Reading]
Gaza City strike kills Christian mother and daughter as church leaders mourn
A strike in Gaza City has killed two Christian women, Maysa Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary al-Najjar, in the Remal neighbourhood, according to the supplied report. The attack hit the ground floor of a building and left five Palestinians dead in total. Their funeral was held at Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City's Old City.The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, said he was deeply sorrowed by the killing and extended condolences to the women's family and to Gaza's Christian community. Palestine's Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs said the two women had devoted time to helping parishioners... [Continue Reading]
THE BATTLE FOR ALI AL-TAHER: HOW A SOUTHERN LEBANON AMBUSH SHATTERED TRUMP’S 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]
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