A surge in Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon killed 31 people yesterday, Lebanon’s health ministry said, as Israel signaled it was stepping up its campaign despite a truce in the war with Hezbollah. At the same time, Hezbollah said its fighters were confronting Israeli troops who had moved into the southern town of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, while the Israeli military said it was widening its ground offensive. In a statement, the health ministry said 31 people were killed in the attacks and 40 wounded, among them at least…

Any hopes of a swift breakthrough with Iran dimmed on Tuesday after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a deal could still "take a few days," a day after US forces launched what Washington described as defensive strikes in ⁠southern Iran. Rubio, outlining the operation against targets that included boats allegedly trying to lay mines and missile launch sites, made clear the US position on the vital shipping lane. The Strait of Hormuz, he said, must remain open "one way or the other". "The straits have to be open, they're…

Monday May 18, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia on Monday sharply denounced drone strikes aimed at Saudi Arabia after Riyadh said it had intercepted and destroyed three drones that entered its airspace from Iraq. In a statement issued Monday, the Federal Government of Somalia called the incident a grave breach of Saudi sovereignty and warned that such attacks could undermine peace and stability across the region. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said the drones were stopped on Sunday morning after crossing into the kingdom’s…

Nimi PrincewillSaturday May 16, 2026 An armed Somali pirate stands on the shoreline as a Greek cargo ship lies anchored off Hobyo in northeastern Somalia, in this January 2010 image after the vessel was seized by pirates. Mohamad Dahir/AFP/Getty Images Somali pirates are once again cashing in on turmoil far beyond their waters. As war in Iran forces commercial shipping to take longer routes around Africa, vessels are drifting straight into the pirates’ traditional hunting grounds. The escalating conflict in the Middle East…

Basillioh RukangaWednesday May 6, 2026 Officials say operations at the airport, pictured here in February, have been suspended following the drone strikes Sudan has levelled extraordinary accusations against neighbouring Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), saying the two countries were behind drone strikes on its main airport in what it called "direct aggression". The capital's international airport was struck on Monday, together with military sites across the Greater Khartoum area. The attacks have broken a spell…

BAMAKO, May 5 — Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goïta, has taken on the responsibilities of defence minister in an interim capacity after a sharp increase in attacks by armed groups, the government said. The move follows a series of strikes on military bases and critical facilities nationwide, a pattern that has deepened concern over security in the Sahel nation. Goïta, who came to power in coups in 2020 and 2021, is now expected to supervise military operations and shape national security policy more directly as the authorities…

The fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States was on the brink on Monday as both sides exchanged fire around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said it had come under attack for the first time since the truce was declared nearly a month ago. One day after US President Donald Trump announced an operation to escort stranded vessels through the vital waterway, Fox News reported that he warned Iran would be "blown off the face of the earth" if it attacked US ships. Iran, however, gave no…

In a decisive move, Russia has asserted that its forces will maintain their presence in Mali, continuing to support the military government amid escalating tensions with Tuareg separatists demanding their withdrawal. This announcement follows recent surprise attacks that led to the pullout of Russian troops from the strategically significant town of Kidal. Once a hub of military operations, Kidal saw the Russian Africa Corps paramilitary unit retreat after insurgent strikes propelled a swift change in control. The town had…

Iran has threatened “long and painful strikes” on American positions if Washington resumes attacks and presses its claim over the Strait of Hormuz, injecting fresh uncertainty into US efforts to assemble a coalition to reopen the crucial waterway. Now two months into the US-Israeli war with Iran, the narrow sea passage remains shut, cutting off 20% of global oil and gas supplies. The disruption has driven energy prices sharply higher and intensified fears that the world economy could slide toward a downturn. Attempts to…

Violence erupted early Saturday on the outskirts of Bamako, as well as in various regions throughout Mali, when the Malian army engaged in fierce clashes to counter large-scale, coordinated assaults from armed groups, multiple media sources have reported. A coalition of jihadist and separatist factions launched a significant offensive across the nation, targeting key military installations and urban areas, extending from the northern regions all the way to the capital. This marked one of the most notable escalations in…