Axadle - Leading News from Somalia and the Horn of Africa

When Donald Trump threatens Iran with “force never been seen before,” the words do more than light up headlines. They signal a strategy of coercive diplomacy that has defined the most fraught chapters of U.S.-Iran relations this century, raising the stakes across a Middle East already primed for miscalculation. Rhetoric at that volume can deter, but it can also lock leaders into escalatory paths, unsettle markets and embolden hard-liners on both sides who thrive on grievance and spectacle. The central question is not whether…

North Western State of Somalia condemns Iran’s strikes on Gulf states, warns of threat to regional stability HARGEISA — North Western State of Somalia has condemned Iran’s latest missile and drone attacks across the Gulf and Middle East, calling them unprovoked acts of aggression that endanger regional peace and stability and pledging solidarity with countries targeted. In an official statement posted on the Foreign Ministry’s X account, the government said it “stands in full solidarity with Arab Gulf countries and rejects…

NEW YORK — The United States launched a sweeping series of strikes against Iran over the weekend under the banner of Operation Epic Fury, jolting a country that had not been primed for war and igniting a rapid clash of narratives at home and at the United Nations. Many Americans awoke to the news with confusion and unease. “No one in my circle ever talks about Iran,” a New Yorker told RTÉ News, adding he felt less safe and was unsure about gathering in public spaces. President Donald Trump addressed the Iranian public…

Trump claims Khamenei killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes as Iran fires missiles and drones across Gulf; Tehran denies WASHINGTON and ABU DHABI — President Donald Trump said U.S.-Israeli airstrikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and vowed operations would continue, even as Tehran denied the claim and launched waves of missiles and drones that hit targets across the Gulf, killing at least two people in Abu Dhabi and injuring dozens in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait. Trump, monitoring the operation…

Mogadishu (AX) — The European Union on Thursday announced €63 million in new humanitarian funding for Somalia as 6.5 million people face severe hunger driven by drought, conflict and shrinking global aid, according to new food security projections. The EU said the money will be directed to the most vulnerable communities affected by ongoing insecurity, displacement, worsening drought and soaring food prices. Assistance will be channeled through EU humanitarian partners to speed delivery and ensure aid reaches areas with…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Hormuud Salaam Foundation has distributed cash grants to vulnerable women and internally displaced people in Mogadishu, marking the 14th consecutive year of its large-scale Ramadan relief program, the organization said Saturday. The charitable arm of Somalia-based companies Hormuud Telecom and Salaam Somali Bank focused support on the Gaari Dumar Women’s Development Center and the Somali Women and Youth Care Organization as part of its Ramadan Iftar and Support Project for the Needy. "Today, we…

Saturday February 28, 2026 Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran on Saturday 28 February (AP) The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes inside Iran early Saturday, with multiple explosions reported across Tehran as regional tensions over Iran’s nuclear program and proxy forces escalated sharply. Iran’s Fars News Agency said missiles struck areas along University Street and in the Jomhouri district of the capital after Israel announced it had carried out a missile attack. The Associated…

Pakistan bombed Taliban government forces in Kabul and Kandahar overnight in the first direct strikes on Taliban military sites since the group returned to power in 2021, a sharp rupture between the neighboring Islamic nations that Islamabad’s defense minister described as “open war.” The escalation raises the risk of a broader conflict along the 2,600-kilometer (1,615-mile) frontier and deepens a crisis already fueled by cross-border militant attacks. “Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and…

U.S., Israel launch major strikes on Iran as Trump urges uprising; Tehran fires missiles at Israel, U.S. bases The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes across Iran on Saturday, opening a new chapter of military confrontation as President Donald Trump urged Iranians to “seize control of your destiny” and rise up against the Islamic Republic’s leadership. Within hours, Iran said it fired a “first wave” of missiles and drones toward Israel and targeted U.S. military sites across the Gulf. Strikes reported near…

France has called for an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Iran, elevating the issue to the world’s top diplomatic forum as member states weigh next steps and potential responses. The request places Iran back on the Security Council’s immediate agenda. While details on timing, the precise agenda and potential outcomes were not immediately available, an emergency session would allow council members to receive briefings, consult behind closed doors and consider statements or resolutions addressing the situation.…