Abdiwahab Ahmed

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that ongoing military operations against Iran will not become an “endless war,” describing a campaign focused on destroying Tehran’s missiles, navy and security infrastructure while U.S. commanders warned the effort will take time and carry a human toll. “We’re hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly and unapologetically,” Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. “This is not Iraq. This is not endless.” He emphasized the mission is not an attempt to build…

Airspace closures across the Middle East have triggered sweeping flight cancellations and global knock-on delays, as pressure mounts on the region’s key aviation hubs in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi. Dublin Airport said all services between Ireland and the Middle East scheduled for today are canceled, with 5,000 to 6,000 passengers affected so far, underscoring how the disruption is rippling through long-haul travel networks. Gulf gateways are central to east–west traffic linking Europe with Asia and Australia. Twenty-three…

Ukraine says U.S.-brokered talks with Russia have not been canceled despite weekend strikes on Iran that President Volodymyr Zelensky linked to the United States and Israel, though Kyiv is weighing a change of venue from Abu Dhabi to Turkey or Switzerland. Zelensky told reporters the meeting, tentatively set for March 5-6 in the United Arab Emirates capital, remains on the calendar but may be relocated “due to the ongoing hostilities.” He added, “If there are difficulties with Abu Dhabi because of missiles and drones, then I…

Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down over Kuwait by Kuwaiti air defenses during active combat operations that included Iranian attacks, U.S. Central Command said, as video circulating online showed a warplane falling over the Al Jahra area and a pilot parachuting to safety. The six air crew members ejected and survived, CENTCOM said. The incident unfolded amid escalating regional hostilities following Iranian strikes, according to the command. “Three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of…

AUSTIN, Texas — A gunman opened fire in downtown Austin early Monday, killing two people and wounding 14 before police shot him dead, authorities said. The FBI said investigators are exploring a potential terrorism link as an intelligence-monitoring group identified the suspect as a U.S. citizen of Senegalese origin who had posted pro-Iranian regime messages online. FBI Special Agent Alex Doran said an exact motive was not yet known, but “there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate a potential nexus…

Israel expanded its campaign against Iran on multiple fronts, launching new strikes in Tehran and against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, as U.S. President Donald Trump signaled the U.S.-Israeli operation could continue for weeks and confirmed the first American deaths of the conflict. The Israeli military said its air force had established aerial superiority over Tehran and hit intelligence, security and military command centers across the capital. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel, including in Tel Aviv, where…

KABUL/ISLAMABAD — Afghanistan said its air defenses fired at Pakistani jets over Kabul after pre-dawn explosions and gunfire rattled the capital, the latest and most visible escalation in a burst of cross-border hostilities that has raised fears of a wider conflict in a region already on edge from U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory attacks on U.S. targets in Gulf states. Taliban administration spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the blasts heard across parts of Kabul before sunrise were the result of Afghan forces…

Iran’s state media said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a large-scale U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, a watershed moment that jolted the region and set off competing scenes of mourning and celebration across the country. State television announced a 40-day mourning period and seven public holidays for the leader, who had ruled since 1989. A presenter on state TV vowed Khamenei’s “path and mission” would continue with “greater vigour and zeal.” The claim of his death, which Iranian and Israeli officials…

MSF Calls for Urgent Humanitarian Assistance in Gaza This section details the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza and the imperative for increased support from international communities. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is advocating for sustained assistance amid severe restrictions. MSF requests a massive scale-up of lifesaving assistance. Israeli authorities are being called upon to comply with international humanitarian law. Global governments must ensure the respect of International Court of Justice…

The United States–Iran crisis is not a two-player standoff. It is a layered confrontation running from Washington and Tehran through a lattice of militias, allies, maritime chokepoints and nuclear facilities. Understanding who the main actors are—and what levers they control—clarifies why the standoff persists, where it can flare and how it might be defused. The U.S. presidency is the cockpit of American policy, blending deterrence with limited diplomacy. The White House sets risk tolerance, balances support for Israel,…