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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.    

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.

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.

Iran and Israel have announced a halt to direct attacks against each other following a fresh exchange of fire, while both sides warned of strong retaliation if the fragile ceasefire is violated again. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel was holding fire “at the moment” but stressed that the campaign against Iran and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement was “not finished.” His remarks came hours after Iran’s armed forces announced that they had suspended military operations after delivering what they described as a “painful response” to Israel. Tehran also warned that any new Israeli attacks, including strikes in Lebanon, would trigger “more severe and crushing measures.” The latest escalation began after Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday in retaliation for an Israeli strike on Beirut. Israel responded early Monday with air strikes targeting what it described as military facilities inside Iran. US President Donald Trump denied suggestions that Netanyahu had ignored his requests by carrying out the strikes, saying the Israeli operation was already underway when he intervened. The White House confirmed that Trump spoke with Netanyahu regarding the crisis. Trump said he urged restraint, citing ongoing efforts to secure a broader agreement with Iran aimed at preventing the development of nuclear weapons. According to US media reports, Trump also warned Netanyahu that Israel could find itself isolated if it resumed a full-scale conflict with Iran. Despite the ceasefire announcement, hostilities continued into Monday morning. Israeli authorities reported additional Iranian missile launches targeting Jerusalem and central and southern Israel. The Israeli military said it subsequently carried out another wave of strikes, targeting a petrochemical complex in Mahshahr in southwestern Iran, alleging the facility was involved in producing materials used for ballistic missiles. Iranian officials said at least 15 people were injured in the latest Israeli strikes, including 14 in Mahshahr and one in Tehran. Meanwhile, violence continued in Lebanon. The Lebanese Health Ministry said an Israeli strike on the southern city of Tyre killed five people and injured eight others on Monday. Four members of the Red Cross were among those wounded. Hezbollah said it launched rockets at Israeli military vehicles and troops in southern Lebanon earlier in the day. Trump publicly urged both sides to stop military actions, warning that continued attacks could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts. The conflict began on February 28 when Israel and the United States launched a joint military operation against Iran, resulting in the deaths of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian officials, according to reports cited in the conflict. The war quickly expanded across the region, with Iran retaliating through missile and drone attacks against Israel and Gulf states hosting US military facilities. The conflict later spread to Lebanon after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel in support of Iran. A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has so far failed to end hostilities, with Hezbollah demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. According to figures cited by Iranian and international rights groups, more than 3,400 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict began. Lebanese authorities report over 3,600 deaths from Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Israeli authorities say 20 civilians have been killed in Iranian missile strikes, while dozens of Israeli soldiers and civilians have died during fighting involving Hezbollah. Additional casualties have also been reported across several Gulf countries and among US military personnel stationed in the region. Source: BBC

Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday, just days after a ceasefire agreement brokered in Washington came into effect, according to Lebanese and Israeli officials. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that at least two people were killed and 11 others injured in the strikes, based on preliminary figures. The attack came despite reported US efforts to prevent strikes on the Lebanese capital and amid renewed diplomatic efforts to revive talks between Iran and the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the strikes were launched in response to alleged rocket fire from the Iran-backed Hezbollah group into northern Israel earlier in the day. In a statement, Netanyahu’s office said the attacks targeted Hezbollah “command centers” in the densely populated southern suburbs of Beirut. “We are striking them very hard, and we know that Hezbollah is on the run,” Netanyahu told his cabinet. Hezbollah did not immediately claim responsibility for the reported attacks on northern Israel. The latest escalation occurred only days after Lebanese and Israeli officials met in Washington and renewed discussions aimed at maintaining a ceasefire and ending months of hostilities. Despite previous ceasefire understandings, Israeli forces have continued near-daily strikes in southern Lebanon, while ground troops remain deployed in parts of the country following military operations against Hezbollah. Earlier this week, Israel had threatened to strike Beirut’s southern suburbs after Hezbollah claimed attacks on northern Israel. However, urgent diplomatic contacts mediated through Washington reportedly helped avert those strikes after Hezbollah agreed to halt attacks on Israeli border communities. According to local reports, Sunday’s strike hit a residential building, damaging four of its seven floors. The Lebanese military later cordoned off the area after an unexploded munition was discovered in the rubble. The latest developments have raised concerns over the stability of the ceasefire and the broader regional security situation.

A senior commander of Yemen's pro-government forces was killed in a roadside bomb attack targeting his convoy in the Red Sea province of Hodeidah on Saturday. The force said the victim was Yahya Wahish, commander of its First Division. He was killed when an explosive device detonated as his convoy was traveling through the Al Khawkhah district in southern Hodeidah. The statement said one of Wahish's escorts was also killed in the explosion, while two other escorts sustained injuries. The National Resistance Forces blamed the Houthi group for planting the bomb. However, there was no immediate response from the Houthis, and no group had claimed responsibility for the attack. The National Resistance Forces are led by Tariq Saleh, a member of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) and nephew of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The force was established with backing from the Saudi-led coalition and is based in the strategic coastal city of Mocha near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Yemen has remained embroiled in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in support of the internationally recognized government in 2015. Although a UN-brokered truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, reached in April 2022, expired after six months, both sides have largely observed a de facto ceasefire since then. The prolonged conflict has caused one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with millions of people facing food insecurity and limited access to essential services.

A seven-month-old Palestinian baby was killed and his parents wounded after Israeli troops opened fire on their vehicle in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian health officials. The Palestinian Health Ministry said the incident occurred Friday evening in the Tel Rumeida area south of Hebron. The infant, identified as Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, was struck in the face by a bullet and later died. His father, Fahd Abu Haikal, a lecturer at Bethlehem University, was shot in the hand, while his mother was also injured. According to the family, they were travelling to visit relatives in Hebron when the shooting occurred. The father said a bullet pierced the child’s face before hitting his wife. The Israeli military said soldiers fired at a vehicle they believed was accelerating toward them in the Hebron area. It added that troops fired several shots, wounding three Palestinians, and that an initial inquiry indicated the occupants were uninvolved civilians. The incident is under review. Family members said the mother remains in critical condition, with shrapnel lodged near her heart. During the funeral, the infant’s body was wrapped in a Palestinian flag as mourners gathered to pay their respects. The father called for accountability, rejecting suggestions that the shooting could be dismissed as a mistake. The British Consulate in Jerusalem expressed shock over the child's death and called for an immediate, transparent investigation. The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, where violence has surged since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. According to the United Nations, more than 1,000 Palestinians, including at least 240 children, have been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the conflict began. Separately on Saturday, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that eight people were injured during clashes involving Israeli settlers and Palestinians in the town of Huwara near Nablus. Israel’s military said the violence erupted following a reported livestock theft and that troops intervened to disperse the confrontation. It also said footage showing a soldier using force against a Palestinian was under review. Meanwhile, in Gaza, an Israeli airstrike on a tent near a school in Gaza City killed at least six people, including two women, according to officials at Shifa Hospital. Israel’s military said it had targeted militants operating in the area. At the same time, Hamas announced that a new round of ceasefire negotiations had begun in Cairo with mediators from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. The talks are aimed at advancing implementation of the Gaza ceasefire agreement and addressing issues related to a possible second phase of the deal. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said discussions would focus on ending Israeli attacks in Gaza, advancing ceasefire arrangements and exploring proposals related to an international stabilization force and the future of weapons held by Palestinian armed groups.

Hezbollah on Thursday rejected the latest ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and the Lebanese government, insisting on a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory, as fresh Israeli strikes killed at least four people and a United Nations peacekeeper died in crossfire. In a televised statement, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Kassem said the group's fighters would not leave southern Lebanon under fire, describing such a move as “surrender” and a victory for Israel. He reiterated that Hezbollah remains committed to resisting what it considers Israeli occupation and stressed that its priority is ending Israeli attacks, securing a ceasefire and ensuring Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. The latest developments threaten broader diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the ongoing regional conflict and restoring stability in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and gas shipments. Iran has maintained that any lasting ceasefire arrangement must also include Lebanon, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled that military operations will continue until Hezbollah no longer poses a security threat. Meanwhile, a Serbian peacekeeper serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was killed and two others were wounded when a mortar struck their position near the southern town of Marjayoun. Authorities have not determined whether the shell was fired by Israeli forces or Hezbollah. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone strike killed a motorcyclist and wounded four others in Maaroub village. Separate airstrikes in Sohmor, located in the Bekaa Valley, reportedly killed three more people and injured several others. Additional Israeli strikes were reported across southern Lebanon. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incidents but has repeatedly warned civilians to avoid areas where it says Hezbollah infrastructure is being targeted.

Hezbollah is likely to demand firm guarantees that Israeli forces will withdraw from southern Lebanon before committing to any ceasefire arrangement, according to a regional expert. Randa Slim, Middle East programme director at the Stimson Center, said previous ceasefire agreements between Israel and Lebanon have not been fully implemented. “Even the last one that has been mediated by Mr Trump himself has not been implemented,” Slim told Al Jazeera. She said Israel has continued to insist on maintaining operational freedom in southern Lebanon. “Israel has demanded and insisted on having the freedom of manoeuvring in the south of Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah assets, targeting Hezbollah officials,” she said. According to Slim, Hezbollah is expected to seek assurances that Israel will honour any withdrawal commitments under a future ceasefire agreement. “Hezbollah… in response to this ceasefire announcement, will say: What’s going to be the guarantee if we leave the south, that Israel will withdraw from the south of Lebanon? “What’s the guarantee that they will respect the sovereignty of Lebanon and not attack us in the southern suburbs of Beirut or somewhere else?” she said. Her comments come amid ongoing discussions over efforts to reinforce a ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Lebanon. #From Al Jazeera

A statement issued by the US State Department said Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire following US-led negotiations. According to the statement, the ceasefire depends on the complete halt of Hezbollah attacks and the withdrawal of all Hezbollah fighters from areas south of the Litani River. However, the agreement does not establish a new ceasefire. Rather, it reaffirms adherence to an existing truce that was extended in May for an additional 45 days after an earlier ceasefire arrangement. One of the key outcomes of the talks is the creation of pilot zones in southern Lebanon, where the Lebanese Armed Forces would take sole responsibility for security and prevent the presence of any non-state armed groups. US diplomats had expressed optimism ahead of the latest round of negotiations. Earlier on Wednesday, a State Department official indicated that while the discussions began slowly, significant progress was made over the course of the day. Throughout the process, US officials have stressed that the continuation of dialogue itself represents an important achievement, regardless of the pace of progress. #From Al Jazeera