Axadle - Breaking news and analysis from Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and across Africa.

Trump threatens ‘unprecedented’ response if Iran mines Strait of Hormuz WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Iran of severe military consequences if Tehran attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz with naval mines, saying the United States would respond at a level “never seen before.” The warning followed intelligence assessments indicating Iranian forces may be preparing to deploy dozens of mines in the narrow waterway, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply transits. Trump said there were…

U.S. Embassy in Djibouti issues security alert amid regional threats, curbs routine services DJIBOUTI (AX) — The U.S. Embassy in Djibouti on Tuesday issued a security alert urging American citizens to exercise increased caution as regional tensions rise and public threats target U.S. interests. The mission said it continues to advise its personnel to avoid the area surrounding the U.S. Embassy and Camp Lemonnier, the U.S. military installation adjacent to the airport. “There is no higher priority than the safety and security…

The Liberian government has urged its citizens to remain calm as diplomatic discussions are underway to address the escalating tensions along the Liberia-Guinea border. This call for tranquility comes in the wake of a significant incident that has raised concerns about national sovereignty and regional stability. Reports indicate that Guinean soldiers recently crossed into Liberian territory in Lofa County, where they prominently removed the Liberian flag and replaced it with their own at the Sorlumba Port of Entry. This…

Iran threatened to target U.S.- and Israeli-linked economic assets — including banks — in a warning that underscores the risk of the conflict spilling from the battlefield into financial and digital infrastructure across the Middle East and beyond. The scope, timing and method of any potential action were not immediately clear. The statement signals that economic targets, such as banking networks and associated services, could come under pressure, heightening concerns about cyberattacks, sanctions-related retaliation, or…

BOSASO, Somalia — U.S. Africa Command conducted a precision airstrike against ISIS-Somalia militants in northern Somalia’s Cal Miskaad mountain range on Wednesday, targeting positions in the remote Baallade valley of Bari region, roughly 70 kilometers southeast of the port city of Bosaso, according to military officials. AFRICOM said the operation was carried out in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali National Army, describing it as a collective effort designed to disrupt and degrade the…

World logs fifth hottest February as atmospheric rivers drench western Europe, Copernicus reports The world registered its fifth hottest February on record as extreme rainfall and widespread flooding inundated parts of western and southern Europe, according to the European Union’s Copernicus climate monitor. Global temperatures last month were 1.49C above pre-industrial levels, defined as 1850-1900, underscoring the persistent heat that is shaping weather extremes worldwide. Europe’s picture was split between temperature and…

KERZERS, Switzerland — At least six people were killed and three others injured when a bus caught fire on a road in the western Swiss town of Kerzers, prompting police to open a criminal investigation and say early evidence points to a deliberate act by someone on board. Frédéric Papaux, a spokesperson for the Fribourg cantonal police, said investigators had “elements suggesting a deliberate act by a person who was inside the bus,” while cautioning that the precise cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Officers…

The United States and Israel launched what officials and witnesses described as the most intense airstrikes of the war on Iran, as Tehran fired missiles toward central Israel and Iran-aligned forces expanded drone attacks on U.S. bases in the Gulf. The escalation deepened fears over energy security in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatened to block oil shipments unless the strikes stop. Israel’s military said it began “an additional wave of strikes” on targets in Tehran shortly after explosions were…

Wegovy tied to higher risk of sudden vision loss than Ozempic, analysis suggests Wegovy, the blockbuster weight-loss drug that contains semaglutide, may carry the highest risk of sudden vision loss among semaglutide medicines, according to a new analysis of U.S. safety reports published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. The study linked the injections to ischaemic optic neuropathy — often called an “eye stroke” — and found the odds of the condition were roughly three times higher in men than in women. Semaglutide is…

NATO intercepts suspected Iranian ballistic missile over southern Turkiye, no casualties NATO air defenses intercepted what Turkish authorities said was a ballistic missile launched from Iran toward Turkiye, shooting it down over the Sahinbey district of Gaziantep on Monday as regional tensions intensified amid the United States and Israel’s war against Iran. The Turkish Ministry of National Defence said no casualties or damage were reported and described the operation as a demonstration of Ankara’s readiness to defend its…