United News of Bangladesh

Ukraine launched a series of long-distance attacks on military and energy facilities deep inside Russia on Wednesday, aiming to increase pressure on Moscow by targeting key industrial and energy infrastructure. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces struck several sites, including a military factory that he claimed produces components for Russian drones and missiles. In a social media post, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo long-range missiles hit a facility in Cheboksary in Russia’s Chuvashiya region, more than 900 kilometres from the front line. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted 326 Ukrainian drones overnight. Oleg Nikolayev, head of Chuvashiya, confirmed the attack but did not share details. However, the Astra news outlet reported that the strike hit the VNIIR-Progress plant, which manufactures drone antennas. Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian forces targeted a refinery in Russia’s Samara region. Regional governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said several industrial sites were damaged in drone strikes and three people were injured, though he did not specify which facilities were hit. Astra published images showing a large fire at the refinery. He added that Ukraine’s security service (SBU) also struck two oil infrastructure sites in Russia’s Vladimir region, around 700 kilometres from the front line. In Russian-occupied Crimea, a Ukrainian drone hit a building housing a large historical panorama painting depicting the 19th-century Crimean War defence of Sevastopol. Kremlin-appointed official Mikhail Razvozhayev said the artwork by Franz Roubaud was effectively destroyed. With the front line largely static after more than four years of war, both sides have increasingly relied on long-range drone and missile strikes. Ukrainian officials say these deeper strikes are intended to disrupt Russia’s military supply chain and energy sector, while also challenging President Vladimir Putin’s claims of progress in the war. Russia, meanwhile, said it downed 181 of 207 Ukrainian drones in separate attacks. Ukrainian officials reported renewed Russian strikes across several regions, including Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Odesa, leaving multiple civilians injured and several dead or wounded.

Since the U.S. and Israel started the war with attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, the conflict has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices around the world, and made many basics, including food, more expensive. Brent crude oil, the international standard, was at more than $91 a barrel on Wednesday, up more than 25% since the start of the war. In the latest strikes, U.S. fighter jets targeted “air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites,” the military’s Central Command said. Iran acknowledged strikes around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, but gave no details on the damage. “The operation was a proportional response to recent attacks on U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters,” Central Command said. Iran’s top diplomat vowed that there would be a response, and Tehran later claimed attacks in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. Jordan said it shot down five incoming missiles, which Iran said targeted the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. The base has hosted American F-35 fighter jets and other aircraft. Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency carried a military statement saying there were no injuries and that explosives experts examined the debris from the interceptions. Bahrain and Kuwait said they intercepted incoming fire, without elaborating. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the American attacks as a violation of Iranian sovereignty in calls with his counterparts from Turkey and Saudi Arabia “and emphasized the inherent right of self-defense, including reciprocal action,” according to a post on his office’s Telegram channel. The exchanges of fire came a day after a U.S. Army attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz after colliding with an Iranian drone, according to a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. It wasn’t clear whether the collision was intentional. A drone boat rescued both of the helicopter’s aviators, and Trump said they were uninjured.    

Taiwan’s military on Wednesday launched rockets in the direction of China using US-supplied mobile launchers in a drill designed to simulate how the island would respond to a potential Chinese attack. The exercise featured the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), which was fired for the first time into waters of the Taiwan Strait, the narrow waterway separating Taiwan from mainland China. The system had been tested previously, but not in this specific live-fire setting. A military official said the drills reflect Taiwan’s determination to strengthen its defence capabilities amid rising tensions. “Due to the current enemy threat, we will continue HIMARS training with unwavering determination to protect Taiwan as the nation’s strongest force,” said army Sergeant Wang Ming-hui. The military said it used reduced-range training rockets that fell into the sea shortly after launch. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, regularly sends military aircraft and naval vessels near the island and has stepped up large-scale drills in recent years. The United States does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state but opposes any attempt to change its status by force and remains its key arms supplier. HIMARS, a truck-mounted mobile rocket system, is designed for rapid deployment, allowing forces to fire from hidden positions and quickly relocate, a tactic known as “shoot-and-scoot.” The system was the centrepiece of the second day of Taiwan’s west coast exercises, which also included 155mm howitzers. The drills simulated a response to a possible Chinese invasion and focused on speed, precision and mobility. During the exercise, the HIMARS units moved into position after receiving firing orders and launched rockets within minutes, demonstrating rapid strike capability. In December, the United States announced plans to sell 82 additional HIMARS units to Taiwan as part of a major arms deal. However, the package has reportedly been put on hold following recent diplomatic talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Hong Kong authorities have charged seven people and two companies with offences including manslaughter and conspiracy to defraud in connection with a massive fire that killed 168 people in the city’s deadliest blaze in decades. The fire broke out on November 26, 2025, engulfing seven apartment blocks in Wang Fuk Court in the suburban Tai Po district. The tragedy devastated the tight-knit housing community and left families still waiting for answers months later. In a statement on Wednesday, police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption said the 25 charges also include money laundering, attempting to obstruct justice and tax evasion. The accused were involved in different aspects of a major renovation project at Wang Fuk Court. The two companies charged are Will Power Architects Company, which served as the project consultancy firm, and Prestige Construction & Engineering Co., the main contractor. The seven individuals — identified as Wong Hap-yin, Hau Wa-kin, Ho Kin-yip, Ng Yeuk, Hung Kwok-wai, Chung So-fan and Lin Min — were brought before court on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities said they include company directors and a registered inspector linked to Will Power. Most of the defendants appeared calm in court and confirmed they understood the charges. Earlier in March, police said 38 people had been arrested in connection with the fire on suspicion of offences including manslaughter and fraud, with nine later formally charged. The anti-corruption agency also arrested 23 people on allegations including bribery and conspiracy to defraud. An independent legal committee investigating the disaster previously said nearly all fire safety systems failed on the day of the blaze, largely due to human error.

South African police have launched a manhunt for more than 10 suspects following a deadly shooting at an informal settlement near Johannesburg that left 12 people dead and nine others injured. According to police, a group of armed assailants arrived at the settlement shortly after 11 pm on Tuesday and opened fire on residents at multiple locations before fleeing in a vehicle. Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said 11 victims—eight men and three women—were pronounced dead at the scene, while another victim later succumbed to injuries in hospital. The attackers reportedly entered the settlement through separate access points and carried out the shooting across different parts of the community. The incident took place at the Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, located about six kilometres east of central Johannesburg. Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the attack and are continuing investigations. South Africa continues to grapple with high levels of violent crime. The country records more than 60 murders on average each day, with gun violence frequently linked to gang-related activities, criminal disputes and competition among informal businesses. Source: AL Jazeera

Israel has intensified the demolition of Palestinian homes and the eviction of residents in east Jerusalem, according to rights groups and activists, who say the pace of such actions has increased significantly in recent years amid reduced international pressure and shifting global attention to conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. For Palestinian resident Fakhri Abu Diab, the issue is deeply personal. After years of legal battles to save his home in the al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan, Israeli authorities demolished it in 2024. He and his wife now live in a mobile home placed on the site, which is also under threat of removal. Abu Diab said the demolition erased much of his family's history, including the home where he grew up and the garden he cultivated as a child. Rights group Ir Amim said more than 260 homes and structures in east Jerusalem have been demolished in 2025, marking a sharp rise from three years ago. The group reported at least 116 demolitions so far this year and described the current situation as unprecedented in scale. Israel captured east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza during the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinians seek these territories for a future independent state, while much of the international community regards them as occupied territories. Israel considers Jerusalem its unified capital. Human rights groups say Israeli authorities continue to promote the expansion of Jewish settlements while restricting development in Palestinian neighborhoods, making it extremely difficult for Palestinians to obtain building permits. According to Israeli rights organization Bimkom, nearly 9,000 building permits were approved for Jewish residents in Jerusalem last year, compared with fewer than 700 for Palestinians, who account for around 40% of the city's population. Israeli officials argue that Palestinians submit relatively few permit applications, while many Palestinians say obtaining approval is nearly impossible. Those who build without permits risk demolition orders. At the same time, settler organizations have used various legal mechanisms to acquire or take control of Palestinian properties. The issue has become more prominent since President Donald Trump's first administration recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, departing from previous US policies that viewed settlement expansion as an obstacle to peace efforts. The US State Department said policies in Jerusalem are determined by Israeli authorities but expressed an expectation that due process and the rule of law be respected. In al-Bustan, located near the Old City and close to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, around 1,500 Palestinians face the possibility of losing their homes. The area is part of Silwan, a densely populated Palestinian district that is also of significant religious and archaeological interest. The Jerusalem municipality said homes in al-Bustan are being removed because they were built without permits on land not designated for housing. Authorities say a public park and parking facilities will be developed in the area and that alternative housing plans had been proposed to residents. Abu Diab said part of his home existed before 1967 but was later expanded without permits because obtaining authorization was not feasible. Elsewhere in Silwan's Batan al-Hawah neighborhood, Palestinian families continue to face eviction orders. Resident Zuhair al-Rajabi said he and dozens of relatives were instructed to leave their property after Israel's Supreme Court ruled against them following years of legal proceedings. He said his family possesses documents dating back to 1966 proving ownership but now faces relocation with few affordable housing options available in Jerusalem. According to rights group B'Tselem, March saw the highest rate of state-backed evictions in the neighborhood in decades, with 15 families removed and hundreds more residents facing potential displacement. Israeli law allows Jews to reclaim properties owned by Jewish families before the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. Palestinians who lost homes during that conflict, however, are generally unable to reclaim those properties. B'Tselem said the evictions reflect cooperation between settler groups and state institutions under laws it considers discriminatory, with the result being increased Jewish settlement and reduced Palestinian presence in east Jerusalem. Israel's judiciary rejected accusations of coordination with settler organizations, saying courts decide cases based on legal merits, evidence and established precedent. Settler group Ateret Cohanim defended its activities, saying it seeks to restore Jewish communities that existed in parts of east Jerusalem before the early 20th century. The organization said dozens of Jewish families have moved into Batan al-Hawah since 2004 and more are expected to follow. For many displaced Palestinians, however, the struggle remains deeply emotional. Khalil Basbous, who was evicted from his home in January, now lives with relatives nearby but passes his former house every day. He said he still hopes to return one day.  

The United Kingdom, together with Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and Norway, has announced coordinated sanctions targeting individuals and entities accused of financing, enabling and carrying out violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. In a statement to Parliament on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK would impose sanctions on six entities and one individual involved in supporting settler violence. Australia and New Zealand announced similar coordinated sanctions last week. The move comes amid growing international concern over rising settler violence and continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. According to the UK government, those designated under the sanctions regime will face asset freezes and, where applicable, travel bans and director disqualifications. The measures are intended to disrupt financial networks that enable extremist settler groups to operate in the West Bank. The UK government said settlements are illegal under international law and undermine efforts to achieve a lasting peace and a viable two-state solution. For the first time, the UK has also updated its official business guidance to explicitly advise British companies against economic and financial activities in Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. While the UK continues to support trade with Israel within its internationally recognised borders, it said there should be no economic involvement in illegal settlements. "Today we are acting with our international partners to sanction those who support and sponsor violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank," Cooper is expected to tell Parliament. She said settler expansion and violence are illegal and pose a serious threat to the viability of a two-state solution as well as long-term peace and security for both Palestinians and Israelis. The UK said the measures come amid continued settlement expansion, including the E1 project, and record levels of settler violence that have resulted in the destruction of Palestinian homes and livelihoods. The government reiterated its call on Israel to halt settlement expansion, take action against settler violence, prosecute those responsible and ease restrictions affecting the Palestinian economy. The sanctions announcement forms part of a broader UK initiative aimed at advancing peace and security in Israel and Palestine, including support for the implementation of the 20 Point Peace Plan for Gaza. The Foreign Secretary is also expected to announce an additional £1 million in humanitarian mine-clearing assistance for Gaza, supplementing the £4 million already committed by the UK. She will also call on Israel to open all border crossings and remove restrictions on humanitarian aid deliveries. In addition, Cooper will confirm at least £10 million in financial and technical assistance for the Palestinian Authority in 2026 to help address its fiscal challenges and maintain essential public services, including healthcare. The Foreign Secretary is scheduled to travel to Paris later this week ahead of a peace-building conference bringing together Israeli and Palestinian civil society representatives and international partners working to support a two-state solution. The sanctioned entities and individual include The Farms Association, Ahavat Gilad, Ari Yshag, Artzenu, Shivat Zion Lerigvey Admata, Eyal Hari Yehuda and Itamar Yehuda Levi. The UK government said the sanctions have been imposed under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020.

Afghanistan on Wednesday accused Pakistan of carrying out fresh airstrikes inside its territory, saying the attacks killed at least 13 people, including children, and injured 14 others. Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes targeted the eastern provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika. According to Mujahid, those killed included 11 children, one woman and one elderly man. Pakistan did not immediately comment on the allegations. The latest incident comes amid months of escalating tensions and cross-border clashes between the two neighbouring countries. Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained strained since late February, when Afghanistan launched attacks across the border in response to earlier Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory. The violence has since claimed hundreds of lives. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of providing safe haven to militants responsible for deadly attacks inside Pakistan, particularly members of the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP is a separate group from the Afghan Taliban but maintains close ties with it. The Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan. Kabul has consistently rejected Pakistan’s allegations of sheltering militants.

The United States launched airstrikes on Iran and Tehran retaliated with attacks targeting Gulf states on Wednesday after President Donald Trump blamed Iran for the crash of a US Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, further escalating tensions in the Middle East. Iran said it carried out attacks against Bahrain and Kuwait, prompting both countries to activate air-defense systems and issue alerts. Tehran also claimed it targeted an air base in Jordan that hosts US troops, though neither US nor Jordanian officials immediately confirmed the strike. The latest exchange of attacks has raised fresh concerns over regional stability and threatens efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire reached in April after months of conflict. The US military's Central Command said Air Force and Navy fighter jets struck Iranian air-defense systems, ground-control facilities and surveillance radar sites. "The operation was a proportional response to recent attacks on US forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters," Central Command said. Iran acknowledged that strikes hit areas around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island in southern Iran but did not provide details on casualties or damage. Earlier, Trump said on social media that Iran had shot down an Army helicopter during a patrol mission over the Strait of Hormuz and insisted the United States had to respond. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the accusation and warned that foreign military forces operating near Iranian territory faced increasing risks. "Iranian forces will leave no attack or threat unanswered," Araghchi said in a post on X, adding that foreign forces should leave the region if they wanted to remain safe. The latest confrontation came a day after Iran and Israel exchanged fire for the first time since the two-month ceasefire took effect. Iranian state media reported that Israeli attacks killed at least two members of the country's air-defense forces. The conflict has continued to disrupt global markets since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28, contributing to higher energy prices and rising costs of essential goods worldwide. According to a US official familiar with the investigation, the Army AH-64 Apache helicopter crashed after colliding with an Iranian drone while operating near the Strait of Hormuz. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said investigators have not determined whether the collision was accidental or deliberate. US authorities have said the incident remains under investigation. The two crew members aboard the helicopter were rescued in an unprecedented operation involving an unmanned surface vessel, US Central Command said. The rescue took place about two hours after the helicopter went down off the coast of Oman early Tuesday. Trump said both service members escaped unharmed. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, said a drone boat located the pilots and transported them to another position at sea, where they were later picked up by a helicopter. He described the mission as the first known rescue at sea conducted by a drone vessel in US military history. The unmanned vessel used in the operation was a 24-foot Corsair boat built by Saronic Technologies and assigned to the Navy's Task Force 59, a unit specialising in autonomous and artificial intelligence-based maritime security operations across the Middle East. Apache helicopters have played an important role in US efforts to monitor regional waterways and enforce restrictions on Iranian oil shipments. The aircraft have also been used by the United Arab Emirates to intercept Iranian drones. Before the latest escalation, Trump had expressed optimism about reaching a nuclear agreement with Iran, although no breakthrough has been announced. Pakistan has been leading mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran, but major differences remain over Iran's nuclear programme and sanctions relief. The United States wants Iran to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, while Tehran insists on sanctions relief and access to frozen assets before any final agreement is reached. Meanwhile, the conflict involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah group remains a major concern for Tehran. Lebanese Army chief Gen. Rodolphe Haykal visited Pakistan on Tuesday and met Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, who has played a central role in efforts to mediate between Iran and the United States. The visit came as Lebanon's government adopts a tougher stance on Hezbollah while continuing to face difficulties in disarming the powerful armed group. Hezbollah on Tuesday thanked Iran for attacking Israel "in defense of our Lebanese people" and suggested Beirut should take steps to improve relations with Tehran.

President Donald Trump has said the United States “must respond” after blaming Iran for shooting down a U.S. Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, an incident that has further escalated already rising tensions in the Gulf region. The helicopter went down early Tuesday off the coast of Oman during a patrol mission, according to U.S. Central Command. Both crew members were rescued safely after an unmanned vessel located them in the water, officials said. Trump, writing on social media, said military officials informed him that Iran had shot down a “highly sophisticated Apache helicopter” and confirmed that the two service members were unharmed. “Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack,” he said. Iran has not officially confirmed involvement in the incident. However, the event comes amid heightened military and political tensions in the region, where a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been repeatedly tested by fresh exchanges of fire. The U.S. military said the cause of the crash is under investigation. Officials described the rescue operation as the first known use of a drone boat to recover downed aircrew in the area, carried out by an unmanned vessel operated under the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 59. Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, in a post on X, warned that Tehran could respond forcefully if its commitments are broken, saying Iran was prepared to use “other languages” beyond diplomacy. The incident also comes as diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes to prevent further escalation. Mediators, including Pakistan, have been working to advance negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Before the helicopter incident, Trump had expressed optimism about a potential deal with Iran, saying an agreement could be reached within days, though he provided no details. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global shipping route, and tensions in the area have contributed to rising energy prices and broader economic uncertainty as the conflict in the region continues.