Understanding the EU sustainable blue economy's structure, performance and challenges in comparison with international competitors is the objection behind a new study, which needs participants for a survey.
The study is on competitiveness of EU sustainable blue economy sector: focus on ocean observation technologies, and isconducted by Cogea srl on behalf of the European Commission. under Framework Contract CINEA/2021/OP/0011 (Lot 2). .
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The 20th-century days of vinyl records, tape decks, CDs, Tower Records, and MTV have given way to our 21st-century age of MP3s and music streaming, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, TikTok, and Ticketmaster. While certain people and certain companies in the music industry are making more money than ever, working musicians are finding it increasingly impossible to pay the bills and make a living from their art. In this episode of Working People, we speak with all four members of veteran Chicago rock band The Empty Pockets about the work that goes into being a professional musician, and the realities of working and trying to make a living in the music industry today.
The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. It will be updated.
Maximillian Alvarez:
Alright. Welcome everyone to Working People, a podcast about the lives, jobs, dreams, and struggles of the working class today. My name is Maximillian Alvarez.
Jules Taylor:
And I’m Jules Taylor.
Maximillian Alvarez:
So you guys all know Jules as the producer of this podcast, but let me tell you something about brother Jules here. Jules is a renaissance man. He is a podcaster himself, as many of you know. He’s a writer, a music producer, a poet, and a brilliant musician in his own right. And he does all the music for working people as well. And that’s why I really, really wanted us to host this episode together because today we’re actually going to be talking about the work that goes into being a professional musician and the realities of working and trying to make a living in the music industry today. And that industry looks a lot different than the music industry that we grew up with. Those 20th century days of vinyl records and tape decks and CDs and tower records and MTV, man, those have gone away and given way to this 21st century age of MP3s and music streaming, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, TikTok, Ticketmaster, et cetera, et cetera.
You guys know what I’m talking about. And I love music just about every single kind, and I always have. And I need music to live. And life itself would be so much less, I don’t know, magical to me if I lived in a world without music. And my playlists and my mix tapes are, and have always been, I think of Frankenstein’s mix of just the cheesiest pop, the hardest hip hop and gangster rap, the most classic Motown, the rock and roll, indie, ’80s, ’90s, early aughts, Broadway soundtracks, movie soundtracks. Just like me, my playlists contain multitudes, baby, but I can’t read music for shit and I can’t play an instrument to save my life. So my understanding can really only go so far here, but I’ve always been and continue to be in just total awe of musical people. And Jules, you are a very musical person.
You live this, you breathe this. And we’re going to dig into this more with our guests today, but by way of, I guess, introducing the conversation, if you had two minutes, how would you sum up your entry into the world of music and the good, bad, and ugly parts of your life as a working musician today?
Jules Taylor:
So hey Max, glad to see you, buddy. Man, thank you so much for the invite to co-host this conversation I’m really excited to be a part of. And I guess the short and simple of why I decided to make Go Music is that I consider myself to be, to a certain extent, largely unemployable. And I sort of just dreaded the thought of having to maintain a consistent nine to five, but I knew music was something that I could wake up early if I needed to, but something I would wake up for anytime I could be a part of it. And so in some ways it’s the only thing that I can do, but in other ways it’s also led me to everything else that I do, whether that’s studio work or live sound and eventually things like photography and shooting music videos and podcasting, flying drones and everything that it all kind of just comes back to the central urge of wanting to figure out how to make a living out of taking a guitar on stage and just playing original and covers and seeing how to make a go of that.
Somewhere in there I decided to challenge myself, see if I could actually make a living out of it. And that’s ended up why I produced podcasts too. So many gigs come out of needing other gigs to support the music.
It’s something that benefits you to help support it in some ways. I mean, it’s like a dream, hope and a prayer, but somehow you’re like, “Hey, but I ended up with seven career paths.” So anyway, but that’s how I got into this stuff, man.
Maximillian Alvarez:
Well, let’s talk about this more, right? Because I know I have so many questions and I’m sure our listeners have so many questions. What is it actually like and what does it actually take to make a living as a working musician today? What does the music industry as it exists today take from musicians and take from the rest of us? And what are we getting in return? Is that bargain worth it anymore? And how do the working and living conditions of music makers and all these moneymaking schemes of the music industry, how do all those shape the actual music that we make and consume and listen to and dance to and think to and live to? How do they shape the ways that we relate to music itself? So this is what we’re going to be talking about today, and I am just beyond excited and really, really grateful to be talking with all four members of Veteran Chicago Rock Band, The Empty Pockets.
So they’re here with us now to dig into all this. And thank you all so much for joining us on the show today. And Jules, thank you so much for co-hosting this man. So let’s go around the table and have y’all introduce yourselves and your band to our listeners.
Josh Solomon:
Max, Jules, thank you so much for having us. That was so many insightful things you guys said already. I’m Josh. I’m the guitar player of the Empty Pockets and I started this band with Nate 20 years ago. Our singer and keyboard player, Erica, is my wife, and I have made a full-time living humbly, a humble full-time living in music and the arts for well over 20 years.
Adam Balasco:
Hi, I’m Adam. I play drums with the Empty Pockets, but also as a working band, I do a lot. We all do a lot of stuff that has nothing to do with music. So I do customer service and shipping and we do warehousing. We load our own gear. We do a lot of work outside of just our instruments somewhat, unfortunately. I think we’ll get into that at some point probably, but yes, drums.
Erika Brett:
Yes, we are all Renaissance people, as you said early in this broadcast. I’m Erika. I play keyboards, so Oregon, roads, piano. And yeah, I’ve been a full-time musician for almost 20 years, maybe longer than 20 years. And my big role with the band is graphic design, merchandise development, and social media promotions and marketing. We all have a lot of hats.
Nate Bellon:
Hey, I’m Nate. I play the bass. This is one of my hats. We have a lot of roles and one of my roles is physical maintenance. And so Josh and I actually built the studio room that we’re in, and we have built this room out over 15 years or 16 years quite physically. We literally have done all of the work or very close to all of the work. And it’s just one of the things that you end up doing to become and maintain your status as a professional musician.
Erika Brett:
You’re also the vehicle guy.
Nate Bellon:
Well, that’s true. Yeah. It’s
Josh Solomon:
A physical thing. Yeah,
Nate Bellon:
Physical
Josh Solomon:
Stuff. Nate’s very mechanical.
Maximillian Alvarez:
I mean, let’s not sell him short. We call that the getaway guy.
Erika Brett:
Nate’s perfect for that.
Jules Taylor:
Well, Josh, Erica, Nate and Adam, Matt, it’s so cool to be talking with y’all. And I think it’s funny how immediately in this conversation, there’s a sort of vibe of anything we have to do to keep doing what we’re doing. I mean, that’s kind of the credo around that I think of from time to time. But I guess I have a very broad question and in that broadness, I’d like to invite you to get as specific as you’d like, but said very plainly, how are y’all making this work today in today’s touring climate? So rarely do we get to speak to a band that has been together as long as y’all have. And so in this shared experience of performing, how are y’all contending with this changing landscape? Where have you had to pivot? Not just in rising gas prices and inflation and the evermore difficult task of convincing folks to put pants on and leave the house, but also in the merch game.
I mean, selling your music and physical media at shows has morphed into this sort of t-shirt and trinket hustle at times. So basically the odds of an independent band being successful in air quotes, however we define that, if I’m going to use the word successful in terms of carving out a meter existence, those odds are ever more stacked against us. And so what are you doing differently today compared to say maybe 2005 and where are y’all finding the most success?
Josh Solomon:
It’s Josh here and I’m 41, so 2005, 2006, I’m 20, 21 years old, totally delusional with no perspective on. How do I totally put it? Every time we go to a town, a fan says to me, “Oh, you got to come play in this place.” We’re in a 200 seat venue. Every time a fan is like, “You got to come play this little place in my town.” I look it up. That place he’s talking about every time is 2000 seats. People have zero concept. We’re like a 200 seat theater band. People have zero concept of the amount of things between us and the eras tour. And I think from my perspective, and I’d love to hear what you guys have to say too, to answer even just a part of that question is we’ve doubled down on physical media so hard and we talk to and collect, and this is working increasingly better, I think as a portion of the population feels more and more left out by the commoditization of music.
When you put music on a streaming platform and it’s the same every single song ever made on every streaming platform, which is different than movies and TV, that becomes a water tap and it’s just a price race to the bottom. So we basically, while we put our music on those services from our perspective, that’s like a token.
Erika Brett:
Yeah. We used to kind of be waiting for our prints to come, as some people say.
Josh Solomon:
Attracting an
Erika Brett:
A&R ride. Yeah. We had a song that some radio people were like, “This could be a hit.” And then you’re waiting for that to be the case. Now that wasn’t the case for us, but we were able to, over the course of the last 20 years, but really over the last kind of how you described 10 years, diversify our income streams. We went from playing whatever gig we could get to becoming a backing band for artists with large followings and then opening for those artists to gain awareness and gain more fans and also prioritizing an e-commerce strategy, which is what Josh was talking about, our physical products. And so we’ve moved away from streaming. Streaming is great and we also listen to music there, but for our business, we are directing people to physical products and shows.
Josh Solomon:
Jules, you had mentioned one of the reasons we all get into this is because I just don’t want to go to a nine to five every day. I want to do something different every day. So a couple of years ago, this studio needed repainted. And one of the ways you stay a full-time musician is you don’t hire a painter. You buy some paint and you paint the studio. So I found myself and Adam and Nate here. And Adam, do you remember what you said as we were painting it?
Adam Balasco:
Yeah. I always say I like any job, manual labor, whatever the hardest thing you’re imagining is weefing today, right now. I like that for one day, three days. I’m outside, I’m up on a roof, it’s cool.
A week. Turning anything into a career is so daunting. But yeah, that is how we save money and kind of stay afloat is like we painted that. You were talking about building this studio and then I was like, oh yeah. And then it’s white now because we painted. We painted it and stuff like that is how we’ve kind of taken. And we’re not waiting for that lottery ticket. We would love our song to go crazy on the radio or streaming or whatever. We’re not waiting for that lottery ticket. We’re acquiring fans one at a time and we’re doing all the work or we like to think we’re doing all the work ourselves and we’re desperate in a sense. And
Josh Solomon:
We’re doing it all. Jewels had the same attitude as us in terms of, I don’t want to be a painter for a living. I don’t want to look down the barrel of that. I’m impressed with somebody who can do that. I know some amazing house painters, but I’m not above painting. I’m not above doing some electric.
Erika Brett:
Well, and the thing with owning an arts business of any kind too is that you are going to inevitably become a Renaissance person. You’re going to have to learn about lighting so that you can make videos that resonate. You’re going to have to learn about editing. You’re going to have to learn all of these things about vehicle repair.
Josh Solomon:
The myth goes that when the Rolling Stones got to Chess Records here in Chicago, Muddy Waters was painting the wall. That’s the myth that when the Rolling Stones got to chess in the early ’60s that Muddy Waters was painting. So it’s not new at all.
Maximillian Alvarez:
It’s interesting to me too, because so much of what you guys are saying, even as a self-professed non-musical person or non-musician, so much of what you’re talking about resonates with my own experience as a creative and a creator in media spaces and just that need to kind of adapt to an ecosystem that’s always changing. And there’s always opportunity in that as well as a whole host of new threats and stressors to deal with. It’s wild, man. We’re talking on a podcast I made because I was like, people aren’t reading my articles anymore. And that kind of process has sort of led me to get into audio reporting and now video reporting and any and all of the above I love to do, but there also comes a price with being able to make a living doing what you love. And I wanted to kind of talk about that too, because I can’t speak from your guys’ and Jules’ vantage point.
That is your art. That is still different from the reporting that I do. The two very much intersect. I bring a lot of my artistic heart and spirit into the work that I do, but I know just by being privileged enough to get paid to do that for a living, that it really changes my relationship to the thing I’m doing, to the ways I feel about doing it. And the love when it becomes a job takes on all of that baggage from all the unloving parts of life. So how does that affect you guys as musicians and the music that you make?
Josh Solomon:
Man, what a great question. There’s so many pieces of that. One that comes right to mind to me, and I want Nate to speak on this and Adam as well, is they both had children and we’re on the road and our dreams are kind of coming true. We’re at the London Palladium, it’s sold out, but a month into a tour doing something you love too, there’s an element of, do I love this the same amount today? And I don’t know, Nate, what do you think about, you had to leave your son at home for the first time pretty recently.
Nate Bellon:
Yeah. So my kid had just been born and then we went on tour in the UK for a month and we were in Amsterdam and all over the UK. We took the Chunnel twice. So there was a bunch of stuff where I was like, this is cool. I should be ever present in this moment. And also it’s hard because I wasn’t seeing my newborn kid and my wife and you try and balance that emotionally and then you get to play shows. So I get that sweet juice that I need in order to make it through the next couple of days.
Josh Solomon:
Jules definitely knows this feeling too. When you’re on tour, there’s the same amount of time in every day when you’re at home, except the part that you’re leading towards is like an hour and a half and the rest of the day is leading towards that moment or coming away from that moment. And it is an exhilarating but strange experience.
Jules Taylor:
Yeah. And then you get to figure out that an hour is just a completely useless denomination of time. It’s just not enough to dig into anything. It’s not enough to really relax if you need to, but you have an hour before this one critical thing happens before you have another hour or something. But yeah, I totally understand that, man. Being away from home, it’s difficult to, especially with the sort of constraints that a lean and mean tour might have on its subjects, being away from home, being somewhat restricted in that sense, and being torn between these beautiful things you’re experiencing on tour while also having the regret of having to leave. I got a buddy of mine who plays guitar with Playboy Cardy. The guy is on tour with that guy playing arenas. And even he the other day texted me, he’s like, “My wife’s due in 12 weeks and I leave for tour in 13 weeks or something crazy like that.” But I wonder also, you guys also seem like you’re very chummy, right?
You’ve been together a long time, but I would say that touring and these moments also kind of create friction amongst band members and inevitably you end up with some comical story at some point. Do you guys have a singular story you could pick out of some sort of tense moment that resulted in something hilarious?
Maximillian Alvarez:
And remember, this is a worker and labor focused show. So we’re really talking about, give us a worker’s eye view into the labor of having to go on tour with each other and deal with everything you’re dealing with.
Adam Balasco:
Well, I don’t know. No funny stories immediately come to mind. I’m sure they exist, but being in a band is like doing a group project with your immediate family, which is horrible at times and also amazing. And it’s hard to communicate the band dynamic because it’s like I deeply love these people and we live in a van and sometimes an Airbnb or a hotel. So it’s like –
Josh Solomon:
There’s an interesting balance there too, and I think a lot of small businesses have this balance, like where to put your office, how nice of a neighborhood to put it in, that type of thing. For us, it’s like how much to spend on a hotel, how much to spend because there’s a balance between sustainability, vibe, morale. Man, we’ve cheaped out a couple times and checked into a hotel and you’re only there for 12 hours and it’s just crushing your spirit.
Erika Brett:
Bloody hand prints. Oh my God. Oh my God, you guys.
Maximillian Alvarez:
Jesus, what motels are you guys staying at?
Nate Bellon:
Was that the Bay Bries Inn?
Maximillian Alvarez:
Yeah, I was going to say the Bates Motel, man.
Josh Solomon:
Yeah.
Erika Brett:
We’ve got some horror stories for
Josh Solomon:
Sure. And in terms of from a worker perspective, there’s nothing reasonable or OSHA friendly about how a band operates at our level at all, right? It’s like in the band at 7:00 AM, maybe stop for a lunch. We have a tour manager who does most of our driving. Then before that, it must have been really unsafe.
Adam Balasco:
Definitely.
Josh Solomon:
It
Adam Balasco:
Was just us.
Josh Solomon:
It was just us. And you go to an interview, you load in. The days are 14 and 15 hours. I always call on tour a processing deficit. You can’t even go through what you did today before you get tomorrow. And we’ve learned a lot about how to plan better, about how to demand more. I like to say a gig is legitimate when they offer you a meal. Sometimes you go to a gig and you’re there from 4:00 PM to 1:0 AM and you’re like, “Is there anything to eat around here?” And they’re not like, “Not within two miles.” Who
Erika Brett:
Wants to help with that? Why?
Jules Taylor:
Yeah. Yeah. Or the green room plate of mac and cheese. Yeah. Yeah. It’s a testament every time I talk to musicians, you can tell who’s really giving it a go because they have all of the ingredients for the recipe. They have all the social media, all the marketing. They actually have the website, the domain, the EPK, the video, the bio written by a third party that you probably paid someone for. All of these different things, this elaborate recipe that just equates out to a starting point, right? Yeah. It’s
Josh Solomon:
So depressing. It’s a starting point.
Jules Taylor:
It’s all a starting point. Yeah. Tell me. You
Josh Solomon:
Were using it as a metaphor, but just to exemplify, we’re the empty pockets. We take that seriously. We write about labor issues. Our next album is called Dear Billionaires. And to that effect, especially when we open for someone on a tour, back them up, there’s an elaborate rider in that deli tray and chips, whatever, all this food, fruit. We have permanent coolers. We never leave a venue without as much food and ingredients. We have banned salt and pepper. We literally stop at a picnic table on the side of the road and unpack our coolers, and that’s mostly lunch. And we’ve really embraced that. And
Erika Brett:
We really have to be thrifty in every part of what we do. Not only have the margins gotten worse, like you were saying everywhere, in hotels, gas, food, all the things that make our engine run, but I was watching the Today Show this morning. It happened to be on, and they’re giving financial advice. And without a steady paycheck, none of those things work for us. We can’t go to a financial planner in the same way somebody with a 401k or just even a regular paycheck can. We really have to take saving money and spending it carefully very seriously.
Jules Taylor:
Yeah. It’s just a testament in so many ways whenever I talk to any musician who’s making this go and making it work is that you don’t really need the bosses because the workers can do anything under any conditions with any circumstances that come up on the road with unsure pay and just questionable sleeping conditions. It’s like where there is determination and this deep written desire to create music and to do this as a main vocation, as a focus, as a primary way of living your life. It’s just a testament to the incredible sort of willpower that comes from artists who will do anything to continue being able to create art. And so I’m not worried about a dictatorship of the proletariat at all because have you seen some of the musicians we talk to people?
Maximillian Alvarez:
Well, that’s what I wanted to ask about actually, is because music, as far as any of us, and I say us as musical and non-musical people, but living in America, having the culture industry that we have, music was as much a potential career path as being a famous actor or a famous athlete. I mean, there is a sort of level of super stardom that was selectively occupied by people like us, it seemed, growing up. And it was possible to play music that was so good that reached so many people that you could make not just a living, but a superstar’s living. And you could have all the security you could ever need and the fight from your humble beginnings and insecurities would all be worth it if you made it to that star echelon. I mean, same thing goes for the way I thought about being a professional basketball player with my brothers for many years growing up, or even people now who are in the media and see the media as the only path for success in journalism or in the media is the superstar path where you’re getting paid so much and you have such a far reach that you’re Joe Rogan and you can kind of have that echelon that none of us are ever going to ever reach.
But I say that all to say, obviously there’s always going to be a lot of folks who still look at these industries and vocations and arts and sports this way, but I think the veil’s been lifted for a lot of us and we’re like, “That ain’t happening. I ain’t making it and no one else is making it in today’s economy in that kind of direction.” And there is a lot to be mourned about that, but I think there’s also something that’s very liberating when we are not pursuing our passions out of a place of desperation or out of desires for lavish, luxurious, ridiculous wealth. And that struck me in something that I’d heard y’all, Josh and everyone with the empty pockets is not something that you’ve been aiming for, but you want to make a good middle class living. And so I wanted to kind of meditate on that.
Once we sort of recalibrate our visions, our imaginations and our hopes for what we want to do with this, what does that give you back that a career trying to make it in a Spotify age as a superstar would take from you otherwise?
Josh Solomon:
Yeah, totally agree, man. I like to think of it also, it’s like becoming an astronaut to say, “Oh, I’m going to go have John Mayer’s career or I’m going to go have Taylor Swift’s career.” It’s absurd. More than ever, and I think it’s good, the niche-ification of taste has made it so there are even fewer superstars than there used to be. There are very, very few superstars. Like I said, when I was in my 20s, I had these delusions and I let those go and I discovered about myself. And I think you guys would agree that more than the massive success, because for the most part there are exceptions, that comes with chains, with you were successful in this lane and now you have to deliver this thing. Brilliant people like that guy Larry, the cable guy, his persona, you’re stuck there. You have to deliver your thing.
What I want more than anything else, which we have a lot of, is freedom. We make enough money to get by, but we can do whatever we want. Our biggest constraint artistically is ourselves. That’s what keeps me going.
Nate Bellon:
Jules, you had mentioned it previously, the changing landscape of the music industry. And I think one of the things, because we started as a band in 2006, so the music industry was literally falling apart or had already fallen apart and some of the gatekeepers or higher ups hadn’t admitted it to themselves. The nature of the landscape was changing. And so we found that certain people that we would hire in positions, that’s their mindset. Let’s get you to superstardom level. And I feel like going through that cycle a couple of two, three times, we were able to not only learn, but then solidify both in our minds and then out wow later, here’s what we consider success.
Josh Solomon:
It’s such a good point.
Nate Bellon:
If we can just do that, we’re a success.
Josh Solomon:
And philosophically, when Eric and I met before we got married, one of our first dates, we went on and on to each other about scale. And Adam feels passionately about this as well. There are certain things in the world that need scale, right? We shouldn’t do small businesses to get to the moon. I get that. We need a certain amount of scale to make computer chips, but that doesn’t mean every burger joint and coffee shop and bookstore needs to be scaled. And there’s an element, okay, we have economies of scale on one side, but there’s an element of massive inefficiency. And what we found, and we keep finding in entertainment in general, is that the basic strategy to make someone a superstar is brutal Millions on raw awareness. Blanket,
Erika Brett:
Blanket marketing.
Josh Solomon:
That’s why people get annoyed about hit songs because they’re hearing a song over and over again that’s not even meant for them. Nobody wrote Espresso for me. There was, but why did I hear it a hundred times? I wasn’t interested. I gave zero indication of the choices I made in my life.
Erika Brett:
Sabrina, it’s for me. It’s for me.
Josh Solomon:
And we have the ability with technology to target so accurately now. So the major labels, including big movies, Marvel movies and stuff, they’re all still doing this super inefficient. And we’ve decided the opposite. We want to build our small business and keep building it, getting razor focused. We get new fans every day and we’re trying to maximize their fandom of us and their value to us, but without worrying about getting to 10 million people a year.
Erika Brett:
What I think you guys will appreciate is that we are a band and yes, we’re making music, but we took e-commerce strategies that are not based on music, that were based on books or smaller items. And we kind of did our own authentic application of that for our career. And that has allowed us to expand our audience and find our audience through advertising, targeted ads and word of mouth.
Josh Solomon:
Touring is about 40% of our revenue. It’s something like that. A lot of our revenue is physical music and a lot of that is shipped from here. I’m talking about vinyl, talking about CDs. Not as many for us. It’s a different type of band, not as many t-shirts for us. So I’d love to do more shirts. And that’s all about just using classic commerce, e-commerce and marketing logic to build a fan base in the same way that a book company or a razor company would build their fan base.
Jules Taylor:
I love that y’all brought up Sabrina Carpenter because she was not on my radar. And then this last album dropped and her marketing was all over the place. And I just slowly got initiated into the house tour track and the one where talks about maybe it’s slow or whatever, but now I know her lyrics. I know her visual signature. And it’s funny. Come on,
Maximillian Alvarez:
Man. Manchild is a bop. The
Jules Taylor:
Whole album is great.
Maximillian Alvarez:
Manchild is such a bop. It’s such a bop. Men today need to hear it. It is an anthem for the ages. That and Olivia Dean’s Man I Need are two of the most essential songs that every fucking man who is alive today needs to hear. And I don’t think it’s an accident that our zeitgeist is producing such desperate, beautiful please from women for men to fucking be better. And I think it’s through music where a lot of men learn that kind of thing. And I think that’s a good thing. I don’t mean to stand on a soapbox here, but I didn’t realize I was going to defend Sabrina Carpenter so virulently, but you guys stirred me up, baby.
Josh Solomon:
And this newer album is fantastic and there are all these, you’re right, that thread is all around music. Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo has that same vibe. Maybe men will listen. I don’t know.
Maximillian Alvarez:
They will. And I think there’s honestly, and I’m just speaking personally here and then we’ll kind of bring things around the final turn here because I can’t keep you guys for too long, although I could talk to you for hours. I think I had reached a state of exhaustion recently and it felt like almost a decade long period of cultural exhaustion. And I don’t think I’m alone. I think a lot of us felt that and we receded into it, especially with COVID. We watched the same series that we already had seen, movies we already knew, songs we already had on our playlist. I know for myself as a lifelong lover of art and culture and new things, I really retreated. And I think part of it, not all of it, was fueled by the sort of feeling that it’s like nothing’s good anymore or the quality of everything is sucking just a little bit more each time and I’m not participating in it damn. I’m going to hang on to the things I know are good and just listen to those for the rest of my life. So that’s the kind of petulant place that I was in as a modern music listener. And again, I feel like I’ve talked to a lot of people who felt that same way. And I think that actually the Spotify algorithms and stuff sort of reinforce that sense of just playing the hits or trapping us in these silos, these cultural silos, instead of getting to explore and experience and find bands like yours that we would like but have no idea exist.
And I know that people are looking for that, they’re hungry for that. And I am so goddamn grateful when I hear it coming out of my speakers. And I guess to just tie a bow on the point, I’ve been hearing that of late with some songs that have given me some hope in pop culture of late. And I think a lot of it goes back to Olivia Dean, Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and the somber. I think there’s a lot of necessary cultural discussion that is happening in and through those songs that needs to be had and isn’t happening in enough places. So I thank music for that. And I wanted to sort of bring us back around to that sort of beautiful, necessary part of what music is for all of us and what we look to music for. And I wanted to ask y’all, all of you, Jules, you’re included in this.
I’m roping you into our final round, but let’s start with what is your least favorite part about being a working musician and what is your favorite part that makes that and everything else worth it?
Adam Balasco:
I’ll start and say my least favorite part of being a working musician is that it made music work. And this was alluded to earlier, but I leave here a lot of times and I put a baseball game on or sports talk radio on or something like that because this saps a little bit of my musical energy. And so anyone who has a nine to five job and you get a pizza and some beer on a Friday night, you play music with your friends, know that I am so jealous of that. And the magic in that is a little bit lost, I will say. We’re
Josh Solomon:
Almost chasing that vibe.
Adam Balasco:
Yes. And paradoxically, and I love paradoxes, again, the strength, the weakness, the pro, the con. I always say we are band. We’re arts kids. We all committed to being artists. We’re artists. And the irony is we ran headfirst into running our own small business. And I was playing around with spreadsheets and exporting CSVs this morning as Ari was doing her design work as Nate is patching a hole in the- The
Erika Brett:
Asphalt.
Adam Balasco:
In the asphalt in the parking lot. And Josh literally has his hands on all of that stuff. And to me, it’s both. I like that. I like doing the spreadsheets, but also we do this, we do the drums and stuff so, so much less. It’s like a fraction of what we do is play music. Mostly we’re running a small business.
Josh Solomon:
What a great answer. I think my least favorite part or one of my least favorite parts is feeling like I’m getting in the way or looking down on or condescending in any way to the hobby musician. So it’s a similar thing to you and while not getting invited into the hobby musician world anymore, both the combinations. So it’s really similar to what you’re saying. You know what I mean? And when I do get invited to the dudes who didn’t great musicians who now do other stuff, maybe it’s just in my head, but I feel a little bit like I’m intruding. I don’t love to do. Erica is such a great singer and she doesn’t love to do karaoke and everybody goes crazy, but it feels like, am I intruding on this space? The paradox.
Nate Bellon:
Yeah. The least favorite part for me I think is early mornings, late nights while you’re chugging it out on tour. And sometimes those can become never ending based on the schedule. I don’t deal well with life without my, I don’t know, 10 hours of beauty sleep. You don’t get this good looking without a lot of sleep is what I’m saying. And so everybody out in audio land, I’m gorgeous.
Adam Balasco:
Very attractive mate’s very good.
Nate Bellon:
I’ve been compared to the Greek gods of old. And so the early mornings, late nights, it just kills you after a while. Every one of us, if we’re out for long enough, you get sick. And then you’re spreading sickness around the van because you’re all just sitting in a dumb van for hours. I don’t like that part, but it all pays off because while you’re on the road, you get the purest of the sweet juice, which is you’re playing music live and you all enter this flow state together and you’re creating art that may never exist again in this moment. Worth all of that early morning, late night stuff.
Adam Balasco:
And let me just cut off Erica really quick because we’ll get to Erica. Nate went there. So let me just say in case my wife listens to this, I miss my wife and children when I’m on a road. It’s the real answer. Sorry, Erica, go ahead.
Erika Brett:
Good job band. Good job. Mine is similar to dates whereas he was talking about late night, early mornings. What we do, the travel and the carrying of equipment and gear and bags that we do is hard on the body. And we went in age order in this wrap up and I’m the oldest. And as we get older, taking care of your body has become much bigger of a priority. And it turns out it serves the music part a lot. A lot, a lot, a lot. You need to be in good health. You need to be in good shape. That’s
Josh Solomon:
Such a labor issue across the board.
Erika Brett:
You
Josh Solomon:
Have to take care of your body to keep being whatever profession it is you are.
Erika Brett:
And I had to do a lot of doctoring personally. I have a lot of chronic health stuff, so it’s been a lot to navigate. You come home from tour and you’re rushing appointments in and you’re trying to do things that you can apply on the road. So it is really difficult. But that being said, it’s led me on a path to be stronger physically, mentally. And the best part is being on stage, connecting to my best friends up there, the new friends in the audience, and feeling this cosmic moment that we share and no one can take away from us no matter what happens. It’s a radical act of joy and in a time where there’s fascism coming our direction in many ways, what we can do is create and give and be with one another and love one another.
Maximillian Alvarez:
Well said.
Jules Taylor:
Excellent. Yeah.
Maximillian Alvarez:
Beautifully, beautifully put.
Jules Taylor:
Man, well, to follow all that up, man, I guess my least favorite thing about being a professional musician is that everyone sees the work as play and then. So one instance of this is that I think of myself somewhat like a carpenter in the sense that I have a truck and I have all of my tools in it. And I drive around and it’s a beat up vehicle that takes me from contract to contract where I unload my stuff and I plug in and I do what I do. Right. But if I get pulled over, I’m not a worker all of a sudden. I’m a long-haired guy that probably has some weed in the car and I ain’t out doing shit. I’m out playing is what I’m doing, not working. And the whole small business thing behind stuff, man, it gets rolled real fast being the envy of every married guy being like, “Oh, you have so much freedom and you just go play music.” And it’s like, “No, man, I have bills, dude.
This is work.” But not only that, it’s like, “You must have so much fun doing this.” I was like, “Oh, you think I have fun trying to write heartfelt poetry?” I take this work more seriously than anything else in my life to where this pen and paper has ruined me. Putting pen to paper to put down some sort of heartfelt poetry that can also be abide by attaching melody to where I can go out and project that into the world for that singular cosmic moment that I live for, that is work. And people somehow think I’m enjoying the process at times. So yeah, it’s a weird paradox, man, because it’s like you’ll always be a disappointment to your parents who wanted you to become a doctor, but somehow you have to hold the knowledge of a doctor and train yourself physically to get to this apex of performance and you’re 40 now.
And you do this and somehow there’s still people that look at you and they’re like, “I don’t really understand what this guy does.”
Josh Solomon:
So spot on, Jules.
Erika Brett:
Someone said that to me in a mall once. You’re still doing that?
Jules Taylor:
Yeah. But it goes like, “Oh, you’re still doing the photography thing?” “What do you mean I’m still doing the photography thing? “That’s a vocation. It’s a career path. It’s a form of art. Yeah, I don’t know, man. But when you do have a choice in this world of pouring over Excel sheets or breathing in toxic chemicals, it’s like I’d rather the Excel sheets be my Excel sheets. I’d rather all this stuff be for me and that’s where I’ll work 80 hours for myself so I don’t have to work 40 for somebody else. Yes.
Adam Balasco:
Give me some toxic chemicals with those excels.
Josh Solomon:
I want to do it for myself.
Erika Brett:
You could talk about the baseball card gum that he ate that was like 10 years old.
Josh Solomon:
Great point, Jules.
Maximillian Alvarez:
Amen. Sadly, if you listen to a lot of the interviews we do on this show now, you’ll realize that we’re all getting blasted with toxic chemicals, whether we ask for it or not, but we’re all going to be part of the fight to stop it. And we all got to be part of the, I think, solution to our own critiques of the culture industry and the music industry especially. And I would say the same is true for media and journalism. You are right to not like a lot of the things that are unlikable, but if you want the things you like to continue to exist and flourish and give you what you get out of them, you got to support them. I mean, that’s true whether you’re talking about this podcast, The Real News Network, Jewels’ musical work, The Empty Pockets is musical work, independent creators everywhere.
If we don’t have your guys’ support, there is a very real chance that we’ll go away or stop being able to do what we do, even though we love what we do and we love doing it for you and for anyone who will ever hear it, see it, learn from it, get something from it. We’re in it to win it, baby, but we need you guys to be part of it. We do it for you, but we can’t do it without you. And so ending on that note, I wanted to just say that for any journalists and media makers and people who are interested in making a career out of that, since it’s the one part of this discussion I can speak on, the advice I tend to give people is that don’t commit yourself to doing this for a living, commit yourself to doing it to fight for life and follow where that leads you.
And in fact, it may be right and good and better for you to have multiple sources of income so that you don’t have to make the object of your devotion and your skill serve all these other ends, which means you’re not going to be able to do it the way that you want to. The work is going to suffer, you are going to suffer, but there are still some pathways available to come join me at the table of the suffering and do this work professionally. But they are so few and far between and the ecosystem is changing so much. So I can’t in good conscience advise anyone or coach anyone on that. I can just tell you that I am what I did to get where I am, what I think we all need to do to do the work that needs to be done, but the future is never assured and we don’t know what the landscape is going to look like in the coming years.
So that would be my central advice is you got to make a living however you can. And if you’re committed to this, do it, but don’t make it all dependent on your ability to make a living from it because that may actually be more of a devil’s bargain than you’re looking for, and it may take the love of this from you. So just be very mindful of that. And now to all the musicians, the artists, the creators who have been listening to you brilliant people talk about your working lives for the past hour, I wanted to kind of give y’all the last word on that, like any sort of advice you would give to other working artists out there or other folks who want to make a living making art. And also please tell our good listeners where they can find more of you and your art.
Jules Taylor:
And the new album.
Josh Solomon:
We’re the empty pockets everywhere at theemptypockets on Instagram, theemptypockets.com. And we have a new album out on Friday, October 23rd called Dear Billionaires. It’s our musical letter to the 3,600 billionaires in the world. I would say to all musicians aspiring of any kind, I increasingly agree with you, Max, and I have met more musicians, younger people that are saying, “I’m going to commit my life to music, but not commit my financial earning to that.” And I think there’s a lot to be said there. And I think it’s worth saying from our perspective, we are a very middle class band and yet still, I can think of dozens of times where we were so lucky where I look back and I think, oh my God, that happened and that happened. And then we toured the UK three times or that one thing got us 200 gigs.
So you got to be there. You can make your own luck, but still nobody’s getting anywhere on their own. A ton of people have helped us and we’ve gotten very lucky.
Adam Balasco:
I would tell artists, anyone trying to make it have realistic expectations. And I think for a lot of people that means coming to grips with you’re going to make $20,000 or something like that. You’re going to have to live on that if you want to be an artist for a good amount of time. And the harsh reality is, well, I think it’s kind of, again, paradox is uplifting and it’s harsh. A lot of people, I would say your art is fine. There’s great art everywhere that you’ve never heard of or seen. There’s great artists everywhere. A lot of people, if you really want to make it work, if you’re committed, you need to kind of treat it like a small business or something and treat yourself as an artist like a small business. And we don’t want to do that. We hate pricing of our artwork out.
It’s hard, it’s tough. But that’s the reality is good art’s everywhere. If you really want to make it a business, make it a business. Good luck. Stuff.
Erika Brett:
Yeah. I would say to piggyback off that, that balance is really important. Commercialize what you can so that you can keep making art, but don’t lose the joy if you can’t.
Josh Solomon:
Or find the perfect balance.
Erika Brett:
Or find the perfect balance. And I also agree that artists need support and that could change the world.
Nate Bellon:
And let’s not forget, the album comes out October 23rd.
Erika Brett:
You can reorder it now.
Nate Bellon:
If you want to pre-order from us, you can go to our website, pre-order it there. I have also been telling people to go to their local record store that they like to go to and request the album, pre-order it through them. Keeps the local economy going. We love local record stores. We want to build relationships with them. And we also want you to spend your money at a local record store.
Josh Solomon:
And we can say exclusively here, we haven’t said this publicly at all, we are going to be releasing a special variant pricing. So I want to make it clear, the physical CD is exactly the same. It’s not signed, it’s not deluxe, but we’re going to sell it to billionaires. If you are a billionaire, you can get our album, which we’re selling for $20 for $285,000. So that’s going to be on our website next month, and I’m pretty sure some billionaires are going to want that. They know they’re superior, and so they know they need a superior version, which is actually the same, but costs $285,000.
Nate Bellon:
I would welcome billionaires of all stripes to go ahead and take advantage of that billionaire pricing. And we handle all the packages. So if we see any billionaires buying the regular, we’re going to see that and we’re billing you. I’m not sending that
Josh Solomon:
To you, Elon Musk.
Nate Bellon:
No way. Jamie Pritzker, come on, man. What are you doing? The right version. We have a billionaire version for a reason. And to all the musicians out there, I would say continue to practice your dream, go after it, but also diversify your skillset as much as you can because you never know, A, what skill is going to become handy at a gig, on the road, dealing with merchandise or recording people, dealing with people inside the business. Diversify your skillset as much as you can and get ready to make a lot of bean recipes for 10 or 15 years. You can live on a lot of beans. It’s going to be fine. You’re going to make it just beans.
Erika Brett:
Yeah, be a learner. Be a learner and eat your beans.
Nate Bellon:
Eat your beans.
Maximillian Alvarez:
All right, gang, that’s going to wrap things up for us today. I want to thank all of our guests from the great Chicago rock band, The Empty Pockets, Josh Solomon, Nate Bellin, Adam Belasco, and Erica Brett. You can go learn more about the Empty Pockets and you can check out more of their music. Just use the links that we provided in the show notes for this episode. And of course, I want to thank you all for listening, and I want to thank you guys for caring about this. We do this work for you, but we cannot do it without you. Working People is a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network, and it’s brought to you in partnership with In These Times Magazine and The Real News Network. This show is produced by the one, the only, the great Jules Taylor. And man, Jules, thank you so much for doing this episode with me, brother.
I though that was awesome.
Jules Taylor:
Yeah. I always love talking to musicians in the sense that they have their ear to the ground for alternatives to wage slavery in this cursed system, man. And so however they can gain traction, however they can get ahead, however they can make things work, it’s not so much a picking of the brain of music theory or what music you’re listening to that happens within conversations with musicians. It’s more like, “How are you doing this? What are you doing? What’s working for you?” So it was really great to hear that from a band that 20 years, that’s a long time to be together. So definitely some cool advice in there and some really cool moments as well. I really appreciated being a part of this.
Maximillian Alvarez:
Oh yeah, man. It was great. We got to do more like this. And before we wrap this thing up, I wanted to ask where can people find more of your music?
Jules Taylor:
You can search my name on any of the streaming things or you just go to my website, which is julestaylormusic.com.
Maximillian Alvarez:
We’ll see y’all back here next time for another episode of Working People. And in the meantime, go explore all the great work that we’re doing at the Real News Network, where we do grassroots reporting that lifts up the voices and stories from the front lines of struggle. Check us out across our YouTube channel, our different podcast feeds, our website, and our social media pages, and help us do more work like this by going to therealnews.com/donate and becoming a supporter today. I promise you guys, it really does make a difference. I’m Maximillian Alvarez. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. Solidarity forever.
Dire economic news continues to roll in as Germany faces deepening deindustrialization and an economic downturn under Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Reports today say Volkswagen’s management board is proposing to wind down production at four major German plants and shift much of that work abroad.
Just days before, Merz warned that investors would shun an AfD-governed federal state in the future.
“I cannot imagine international investors showing up for a groundbreaking ceremony with an AfD state premier to establish new plants or set up new businesses in Saxony-Anhalt,” said Merz during an ARD summer interview on Aug. 30.
He added that if a right-wing populist party won an absolute majority in the coming election, international investors would think twice about whether to invest in Saxony-Anhalt.
However, VW’s management board has now recommended closing four German production sites. The AfD has seized on the reports.
“In four VW plants, the group board is turning off the lights. The energy transition and electric planned economy are pulling the plug on the German automotive industry. With an AfD government, the economic turnaround will return to reason,” wrote AfD co-chair Alice Weidel.
Gleich in vier VW-Werken lässt der Konzernvorstand die Lichter ausgehen. Energiewende und Elektro-Planwirtschaft ziehen der deutschen Autoindustrie den Stecker. Mit einer AfD-Regierung kommt die Wirtschaftswende zurück zur Vernunft.https://t.co/6BEVQlIf3y
The plan was unanimously adopted by the VW management board and will be presented to the Supervisory Board on Sept. 3. While not an immediate shutdown, it would end production in the early 2030s in Emden, Zwickau, Hanover, and Neckarsulm, with production transferred to Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
Germany’s anemic growth is almost entirely debt-fueled and focused on public sector and defense. Its once world-class industrial base is meanwhile rapidly eroding, with Normura reporting that investors are increasingly receptive to right-wing victories, as ZeroHedge reported.
The AfD is using Merz’s economic record to argue that investors would welcome an AfD victory in the state.
AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund told Welt TV that “exactly the opposite” would happen and that an AfD government would instead encourage firms to launch projects in Saxony-Anhalt.
Conservative-governed states abroad would see “a competitive advantage if we finally have long-term planning security again, if we have no climate targets, no quota targets,” argued Siegmund.
“[Merz’s] current economic policy speaks for itself here. We are currently experiencing deindustrialization in this country. Businesses are closing, businesses are leaving this country. That means reality speaks a clear language here,” he said.
Weidel also attacked Merz after his warning of “significant damage.”
“No German Chancellor has advanced the economic misery and deindustrialization of our country as much as Friedrich Merz,” she said. “His arrogant threats towards the responsible voters in Saxony-Anhalt show the political elite in Berlin is trembling.”
Zerohedge further discussed Normura’s take on the issue, which may be generally supportive of the AfD’s stance.
Andrzej Szczepaniak, senior European economist and executive director at Nomura, wrote “the seeds of political change” adding that “politics in Europe is lurching towards more populism.”
Szczepaniak said: “Five years ago, financial markets would not have seemed so at ease with such a prospect. But then again, these populist right-wing political parties were previously not as fiscally prudent as they are perceived to be today. Indeed, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni is the standard-bearer for financial markets of how a populist right-wing political party can govern: fiscally prudent enough to show investors that the party can govern responsibly while focusing heavily on social issues, including immigration and culture wars, to keep grassroots supporters happy.”
“Financial markets are much more concerned about populist left-wing parties being elected due to their desire to increase spending, often paid for through higher borrowing or higher taxes, which are likely to shut the engine off of already stuttering economies.”
VW’s leaders point to Germany’s high costs
While VW plans for plant closures have not been finalized, they are a sign of general industrial trends across Germany.
VW CEO Oliver Blume, at works council meetings in Emden, said that labor costs at Emden are more than twice those at comparable European plants. He noted that factory costs at other group plants are “clearly cheaper.”
“That is not an accusation, it is the reality we have to be measured against,” he said.
He added that cost cutting “is not enough to stay competitive long-term in a world of such massive change.”
On Aug. 31, CFO Arno Antlitz in Hanover said, according to Reuters, that: “We build good cars but earn too little because our costs are too high.”
“Because of the large cost differences versus other European plants, we currently have no economically viable follow-on production for four German sites once current products run out in the early 2030s,” he warned.
Companies across Germany have either cut production or closed plants entirely, with VW now one of the most high-profile corporate giants eyeing taking the same action.
Amid the diplomatic escalation between Russia and Germany over a drone incident at Leipzig airport, blamed by Berlin on Moscow without providing the slightest evidence but sufficient to close Russian consulates (read here),Italy too finds itself increasingly exposed to reprisals threatened by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the wild speculation of the “weapons demon” Guido Crosetto, Minister of Defense.
The Fedorov first Shady Mission for Italy with Palantir AI
Mykhailo Fedorov lasted just six months as Ukraine’s defense minister before Zelensky fired him amid bitter clashes with the military leadership.
«Now he is turning the same wartime machinery into a private defense-tech business — withPalantir CEO Alex Karp as his first major investor»News-Pravda has reported in the lates days publishing a photo of the meeting.
Mykhailo Fedorov and Karp
American AI industry Palantir, one of the main AI partner of Israel Defense Forces and Benjamin Netanyahu Zionist regime, was denounced for complicity in war crimes in Palestine… (read below)
“You and your colleagues are launching a company that I think will be defining for the world, bringing your knowledge and acumen about the art of war as a product to allied countries,” Karp told Fedorov. That “product” was developed on Ukraine’s battlefield.
On September 1, 2026, Mykhailo Fedorov—Ukraine’s Minister of Defense until last July—announced the launch of a military technology company in which Karp himself will be the first investor.
The company aims to translate Ukraine’s wartime experience into products for Kyiv and its allies, including combat robotics, interceptor drones, and low-cost, AI-guided missiles. Plans also include an investment fund and a think tank, though the company’s name and financial figures have not yet been disclosed.
Fedorov has become an adviser to Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.
“I met with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. I thanked Guido for his personal support and his offer for me to become his adviser on defense innovation. I am grateful for the trust and strategic partnership. In this role, I will help Italy develop modern warfare technologies and improve its defense sector,” Fedorov wrote on Telegram.
CLICK TO READ MORE IN ENGLISH WITH MACHINE TRANSLATION AVAILABLE
Palantir is already embedded across Ukrainian government agencies, while its infrastructure underpins the Brave1 Dataroom, where companies train military AI on real combat data. Karp says he and Fedorov have worked together for “half a decade.”
But Fedorov’s meeting with Karp appears to have been launched under the banner of Italy’s war mission against Russia.
The Leonardo Ukraine to Work with Ukrainian Defense Industry and Palantir
Leonardo SpA, the Italian industrial group operating in the defense, security, and aerospace sectors, is majority owned by the Italian government with a 30.2% stake, but without parliament approval has opened a new subsidiary, Leonardo Ukraine, directly in Kiev, aiming to collaborate with the Ukrainian defense industry, particularly in drones and other military technologies.
We recall that minister Crosetto, founder of Brother of Italy far-right party, was blamed by many newspaper for conflict of interests due to, before to entry in Meloni Government, he was the AIAD president which represented th Italian Industries Association for Aerospace, Defence and Security, but above all because he was a overpayed advisor of Leonardo spa, main partner of Rheimetall which opened some factories in Ukraine.
Leonardo Ukraine, registered in the commercial register since May 20, is not only aiming to establish relations with the Ukrainian Brave1, or to test the new “Michelangelo Dome”, the multi-layered and multi-domain missile air defense system which is estimated to have 21 billion euros of potential commercial opportunities over the next 10 years.
Leonardo thus intends to build increasingly strong relationships with the Ukrainian state hub Brave1 Dataroom, created with the country’s Ministry of Defense, its intelligence agency and the US company Palantir.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO – The Brave1 Litvar Super Drone during an Ukrainian Test
Brave1 is a Ukraninian government initiative aimed at developing defence technologies, implemented by the Innovation Development Fund and initiated by relevant state authorities and components of Ukraine’s security and defence sector. Initially, it was a grant program for defence startups. We have already become the largest angel investor in Ukrainian defence tech, having issued over 750 grants amounting to 3.7 billion UAH, around $82,000.
In this exclusive video shared on YouTube by UATV Espanol lift the veil of secrecy for the first time on the latest development in the Ukrainian defense industry: the unique “Litavr” interceptor drone from F-Drones, created specifically for the cost-effective and efficient hunting of enemy kamikaze drones like the “Shahed.”
Thanks to the BRAVE1 defense cluster, Kiev army gained unprecedented access to this fully encrypted technology,capable of speeds up to 350 km/h, operating at altitudes up to 9,000 meters, and automatically locking onto targets using the Pixel Lock (Last Mile)
Palantir removed by European countries and Denounced for Complicity in War Crimes and Genocides
Palantir is the industry, removed after various investigations from many European countries.
«The Spanish government is ordering state-backed companies to cut their ties with US defense contractor Palantir, Spain’s El Confidencial newspaper has reported. The move follows similar bans in France and Germany»RT has reported some weeks ago.
But above all Palantir was one of the AI company denounced for war crimes and genocide in Gaza inside the UN Dossier by Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied.
The same American company has also been heavily criticized in the USA for its collaboration with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers accused of murdering illegal immigrants and even making unjustified arrests of children.
VIDEO – French-Italian “Mambas” won’t change Ukraine battlefield situation
Excerpts by Ahmed Adel originally published on VT UnCensored Foreign Policy
All links to Gospa News articles or video have been added in the aftermath
Italian media report plans to sell four batteries of the newest SAMP/T NG system, also known as “Mamba,” to Ukraine, claiming its performance rivals or even surpasses that of the American Patriot system in some respects. However, these new missile and air defense system deliveries to Ukraine are unlikely to significantly impact the battlefield. Rather, they are primarily aimed at enabling Western countries and their military industries to profit.
La Repubblica reports that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed in July to procure four new SAMP/T NG batteries capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. The system, produced by the Franco-Italian consortium Eurosam, is the next generation of European air and missile defense.
SAMP/T NG is a significantly improved version of the SAMP/T system already in use in Ukraine. Compared with the previous version, SAMP/T NG offers greater range and engagement altitude, as well as improved performance against ballistic targets. The maximum range of the SAMP/T system with the Aster 30 missile is up to 100 kilometers, while the newer SAMP/T NG version has a range of about 150 kilometers.
According to La Repubblica, Ukraine already has two SAMP/T batteries delivered by Italy and France, but since the summer of 2025 it has faced a shortage of Aster 30 missiles due to reduced European stocks. Missile production has since been accelerated, enabling Rome and Paris to continue deliveries.
Yet, despite the acceleration, Ukrainian air defenses remain in poor condition. Although Ukraine still has Patriot systems, it is short on missiles, as they have already been depleted. Italy plans to transfer Aster 30 missiles from its military stocks to Ukraine by October, while France would temporarily provide two additional SAMP/T batteries from its arsenal, to be replaced later with new systems.
According to La Repubblica, the entire operation, including newly produced systems, is expected to be completed by 2027. The operation will cost three billion euros and will be structured as a purchase financed by a loan from the European Credit Fund for Ukraine.
Since today, therefore, this War Daily Summary will no longer contain news only on the war (and related geopolitical issue) in the Middle East, but also on the war in Ukraine and any other international conflicts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders full closure of the occupied West Bank
Three Palestinians killed, several wounded in Israeli strikes across Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders full closure of the occupied West Bank after Hebron shooting. Israeli settlers and soldiers rampage across the West Bank.
Israeli settlers destroy late Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh memorial.
Israeli bulldozers are demolishing and razing business establishments in the north of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera journalists on the ground have reported. Israeli machinery has been demolishing Palestinian homes following a shooting in Hebron.
«Israeli forces have demolished buildings near a military checkpoint close to where today’s attack took place. Relatives of the attackers have been detained and the Israeli military is present in that area. Israeli officials have promised to use the same tactics employed in refugee camps in the northern West Bank, such as in Tulkarem and Jenin, against those neighbourhoods [near the site of the attack]. That means massive demolitions» commented on Al Jazeera Nourd Odeh.
These were tactics first used in Gaza; now they are being normalised in the occupied West Bank. There is a lot of anxiety as people await what is going to happen now that the night has settled in.
Global oil prices continue to climb after reaching four-year high due to Yemen War
Global oil prices reached as high as $117.30 per barrel during Friday trading, after surpassing their highest levels in more than four years earlier today. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose by around 4 percent amid renewed fears that the US-Israeli war on Iran will soon resume.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate hit $103 per barrel, its highest level in five weeks. Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have also contributed to rising oil prices.
Russia, Ukraine confirm Oleshky temporary truce announced by Melania Trump
Russia and Ukraine on Friday confirmed a temporary ceasefire in the Russian-controlled city of Oleshky in Ukraine’s Kherson region, which was announced by US first lady Melania Trump.
Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Russia would cease fire in the Oleshky area at 4 am Moscow time on Oct. 27 to facilitate a humanitarian operation, according to state news agency TASS.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, meanwhile, said military officials were working to arrange the truce to facilitate the operation, welcoming Melania Trump’s efforts to coordinate a localized ceasefire for humanitarian purposes.
“Those who wish to leave the town will be able to do so,” he said.He said the operation requires extensive and complex preparations involving various parties, with Melania Trump playing a coordinating role.
Peskov said the issue was discussed in a recent telephone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his counterpart, US President Donald Trump.
Seven Shot Dead by Gunmen at Church Funeral in Jordan – WARNING: Chilling Footage
At least seven people were killed when two gunmen opened fire on a funeral in central Jordan, the country’s state media report. Another 10 people were injured in the church in the Karak governorate on Friday.
The unidentified gunmen are reported to have arrived in a car and began shooting inside the church before fleeing the scene.
Security forces have been deployed to the area after the “heinous” attack, government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani said. Dozens of people had been inside the church for the funeral when the shooting began, Khaled Burqan, one of the mourners, told Jordan’s al-Mamlaka state-run TV.
He said the two attackers armed with a rifle and a pistol had been firing at the mourners for several minutes. No-one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
PENTAGON’s NIGHTMARE: China’s New Ships could Send Giant Underwater Drones Far from Home
A second Chinese ship suspected of carrying and servicing large underwater drones has appeared in Guangzhou, following a larger vessel built in Shanghai. Their unusual design points to floating bases that could help China sustain undersea operations far from home.
Two ships, different sizes. The Shanghai vessel measures an estimated 204 meters long and 30 meters wide. The second appears roughly a third smaller, with six apparent lifting towers compared with six large and six smaller supports on the first.
A lift for giant drones. Satellite imagery shows a roughly 50-meter cradle beside the larger ship. Analysts believe it could work with the ship’s lifting system to lower underwater vehicles into the sea and bring them back aboard.
Room to carry and maintain them. The tall, enclosed hull suggests large internal workspaces. That could allow crews to service several drones aboard one ship instead of relying on shore facilities or separate floating docks.
Military-industrial complex sites, Kiev infrastructure: targets of Russian massive strike
During the overnight massive strike, the Russian Armed Forces hit military-industrial complex facilities and transport infrastructure in Kiev, as well as port infrastructure in the Odessa region, the Defense Ministry reported. TASS has compiled key information on the targets struck.
«Overnight, the Russian Armed Forces launched a massive strike using ground-based precision-guided weapons and drones against targets in Ukraine», the Defense Ministry reported.
According to the ministry, the strike hit Ukraine’s defense plants involved in the production and storage of long-range and medium-range cruise missiles and drones, transport infrastructure facilities in Kiev, as well as port infrastructure in the Odessa Region and sea vessels used in the interests of the Ukrainian army.
RUSSIAN DEVASTATING RETALIATION ON KYIV: 5 Minutes of Terrifying Footages on Military-industrial sites wiping
In addition, a warehouse complex (Refrigerating Complex No. 3) was hit; this facility served as the production base for long-range and medium-range fixed-wing drones, as well as Hornet loitering munitions.
Russian servicemen also struck an industrial facility in Kiev that manufactured long-range and medium-range fixed-wing drones, as well as components for robotic systems. Moreover, a Kiev warehouse containing drones and rocket boosters was also hit.
The Russian Armed Forces struck the Yuzhny road-rail bridge in Kiev, which was used to transport military cargo. In addition, the Russian military hit infrastructure facilities at the port of Kiliya in the Odessa region that were used to unload and store military equipment supplied to Ukraine from abroad.
Russian forces also struck a dry cargo ship at sea that was delivering supplies to the port of Chernomorsk intended for the Ukrainian army.
These massive attacks appear to be a retaliation for one of Ukraine’s most significant drone strikes on Moscow…
One of largest Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow
Air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed a total of 808 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones overnight over Russian regions, the Defense Ministry said.
A nighttime Ukrainian drone attack injured two people in Moscow and one person in Lipetsk. Kiev’s attempted drone attack on Moscow on Wednesday evening and overnight became one of the largest since the beginning of this year.
Russian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed a total of 808 fixed-wing Ukrainian drones over Russian regions between 8 p.m. Moscow time (5 p.m. GMT) on October 21 and 8 a.m. Moscow time (5 a.m. GMT) on October 22, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
The Defense Ministry said the drones were shot down over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Voronezh, Kaluga, Kursk, Lipetsk, Leningrad, Oryol, Rostov, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, Tula and Yaroslavl regions, as well as the Moscow Region, the Republic of Crimea and the Black Sea.
CBS News VIDEO – Diving into Musk’s order to restrict Ukraine’s access to SpaceX satellites
The order to restrict Ukraine’s access to SpaceX’s satellite network came from Elon Musk, sources told CBS News. CBS News’ Imtiaz Tyab reports and Clayton Swope, deputy director of the CSIS Aerospace Security Project, has more.
Elon Musk intentionally restricted Ukraine’s access to a SpaceX satellite network crucial to its defense from Russia attacks, sources tell CBS News. Wall Street Journal national security reporter Alexander Ward joins “The Daily Report” to share more.
More details on report that Musk intentionally restricted Ukraine’s access to SpaceX network in the link below
Four Houthi operations in response to Saudi escalation: Defense Ministry on Fire in Riyadh – VIDEO
The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out four military operations targeting the Saudi Defense Ministry, Aramco in Yanbu, and two international airports in response to Saudi aggression against Yemen, military spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced Thursday, as reported by Al Mayadeen Lebanese TV.
Saree said the operations were conducted over 48 hours using ballistic missiles and drones, as he warned Riyadh against further escalation and threats to target Yemeni tribes.
Detailing the operations, Saree said the first targeted the Defense Ministry building in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, which sustained a direct hit. The second operation targeted King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, disrupting air traffic at the airport where at least two people were killed and 8 injured.
The Yemeni forces also targeted Aramco in Yanbu, scoring a direct hit and igniting a fire at the targeted site, according to Saree, while the fourth operation targeted Abha International Airport and also achieved a direct hit.
Saree said the operations came after 100 days of Saudi aggression and escalation, during which more than 2,900 air and missile strikes targeted civilian sites across Yemen. Those attacks left more than 562 people killed or wounded, most of them women and children, he added.
U.S. troops and diplomats evacuating Middle East posts, sources say
The U.S. military has quietly been scaling back its troop presence at bases across the Middle East in recent days, and the State Department is ordering a further reduction in staff at multiple diplomatic posts in the region, according to two U.S. officials and two people familiar with the matte, according to NBC News.
They said the moves are in response to ongoing threats in the region, including from Iran and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The drawdowns come as senior U.S. military officials have been presenting Trump with options for strikes in Iran.
Russian Foreign Ministry slams US decision to issue arrest warrant for Raul Castro
The Russian Foreign Ministry has strongly denounced the issuance of an arrest warrant for former Cuban leader Raul Castro in the United States.
“The issuance by a Miami judge (USA) of an arrest warrant for Raul Castro, a leading figure in Cuba’s political history, has drawn categorical rejection and strong condemnation,” the ministry said.
The Foreign Ministry noted that UN Security Council Resolution 1067, adopted on July 26, 1996, set out the political and legal assessments of the February 1996 events that the United States attributes personally to Raul Castro. “The resolution does not call for anyone to be held personally accountable. This effectively means that the Security Council, including the United States, agreed that the incident had been resolved in this respect,” the statement emphasized.
Bringing forward baseless, fabricated charges more than 30 years later appears to be nothing more than revenge by the anti-Cuban lobby in Miami, which is eager to settle scores with Raul Castro, who turned 95 in June, the ministry pointed out.
“Further escalating tensions around the Island of Freedom, which is currently going through an extremely dire period amid the unprecedented trade, economic, financial, and energy blockade, may destabilize the situation across the entire Latin American and Caribbean region,” it stated. “A potential social upheaval may trigger a mass exodus of Cuban citizens to neighboring countries, creating a social crisis for them.”
“This court ruling could have been viewed merely as an expression of the sentiments of a certain group of individuals, had it not been for events earlier this year in Venezuela, where the country’s leader was abducted in violation of all norms and principles of international law,“ the ministry stressed.
France PM promises more curfews as authorities seek to regain control
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has said new curfews will be imposed where necessary in parts of the country, as authorities sought to restore order after weekend demonstrations over the cost of living and issues in the education system descended into riots.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Lecornu said local authorities would coordinate with mayors to decide whether to impose curfews in their respective prefectures.
More than half a million people gathered across France on Saturday for demonstrations that brought together students demanding better education conditions and groups rejecting the high cost of living. The protests descended into looting and arson in numerous locations, with more than 2,500 people arrested.
Monday night passed without any major incidents across France, police have confirmed.
The government is due to hold a series of meetings as it intensifies efforts to contain the unrest, which followed weeks of student protests over education standards.
Updates on October, 21 Breaking News in Video
UK to deploy fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks
«The United Kingdom said Tuesday it will deploy fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia against attacks by the Iran-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen» CNN reported.
The UK will fly “defensive counter-air missions” using Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets to protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
“These aircraft will operate in a defensive role and will not conduct offensive strikes against the Houthis,” it added.
«UK Defence Minister Wes Streeting has expressed concern over attacks targeting civilians and called for a diplomatic resolution. The deployment comes amid rising regional tensions and domestic debate in the UK over defence spending and increasing energy costs»Al Jazeera’s Camille Nedelec reports from London,
Over the past month, the Houthis have intensified their attacks on Saudi Arabia, launching ballistic missiles and drones at key infrastructure, including oil facilities and airports.
The UK is already providing air-to-air refueling support to Saudi Arabia and has deployed air defense equipment and British personnel to help protect the kingdom, a spokesperson for the prime minister’s office told reporters.
Britain’s latest deployment is not the first time London has participated in military aggression against Yemen.
«From 2015 onward, Britain supplied Saudi Arabia with aircraft, bombs and other military equipment, accelerated munitions deliveries, provided training and stationed liaison personnel at Saudi military headquarters» Al Mayadeen recalls.
In 2024, as Yemen’s Armed Forces carried out operations targeting “Israel” in support of Gaza amid the genocidal war on the besieged Palestinian territory, the UK joined the US in launching strikes against Yemen.
Air strikes destroy telecoms network in Yemen’s Saada: Houthi media
Houthi-affiliated media are reporting that three coalition air strikes have targeted and destroyed the telecommunications network in the Maran district of Yemen’s Saada governorate, Al Jazeera Arabic reports.
The spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced via Telegram, “Over the past 24 hours, Saudi warplanes—specifically F-15s and Typhoons—launched 93 airstrikes and missile attacks targeting civilian sites” (more details in the yesterdays’ update on Houthi attacks).
UN says situation in Yemen’s Taiz ‘deteriorating’ as road closures block supplies
The humanitarian situation in Yemen’s Taiz has worsened as road closures block essential goods and services from reaching millions, the UN has warned.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference, citing colleagues on the ground, that “road closures and insecurity are preventing vital supplies, including fuel, from entering the city and surrounding areas”.
Despite efforts by the UN to provide aid in Taiz, it “cannot meet these needs if essential supplies are prevented from reaching the city”, Dujarric said.
Oil prices rise as Brent hits $110 on Middle East supply concerns
Oil prices have risen on Wednesday on Middle East supply concerns, with traders wary of Red Sea shipping risks and threats to oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
Brent crude futures gained $1.21 to reach $110 per barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed by more than a dollar to reach $99 per barrel.
Italy approves sweeping security measures with Military Troops in response to protests
Italy has approved the deployment of troops and tougher legal penalties in a bid to quell cost-of-living protests in the north of the country that occasionally turned violent over the weekend.
The Italian cabinet on Tuesday approved sending 500 troops to Milan, a new legal offence covering violent participation in a demonstration, tougher penalties for rioters and financial liability for parents whose children take part in vandalism and looting.
Unrest swept northern Italian cities at the weekend, including the financial capital Milan, where groups of mainly young people looted shops, smashed windows and clashed with the police.
However, many social media posts have featured images of “Black Bloc” protesters mysteriously embedded among police officers, seemingly to incite unrest—this following days of protests by truckers and farmers in Southern Italy, who have been demonstrating against rising diesel prices and the high cost of living, including by blocking traffic on motorway access routes.
Full report available on Gospa News Italia(post in Italian, with an automatic translation in English and other languages available by clicking the flags in the up left).
As part of the new legal measures, which take effect immediately, anyone who takes part in a group of at least five people and endangers public safety during protests faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of €20,000 ($22,460). Penalties increase if faces are concealed or people are injured.
Updates on October, 19-20 Breaking News in Video
Kim Jong-un goes shopping to prove he’s alive after Unfounded Claims
«State media releases images of dictator out and about in Pyongyang after unfounded claims he had succumbed to brain haemorrhage»Emily Smith, Foreign Breaking News Reporter, wrote on The Telegraph.
The Telegraph post
The story was given credence by a fake North Korean TV outlet that exists only on social media profiles (created on X on September, 2026) and, in a country of 26.6 million inhabitants, has just over 4,000 followers. It is, quite obviously, a colossal piece of fake news—the work of bloggers incapable of verifying the accuracy of information.
Kim Jong-un went shopping to prove he was alive after rumours emerged that he had succumbed to a brain haemorrhage. The North Korean dictator, 42, was pictured with his daughter Kim Ju-ae, 13, at a clothing and footwear exhibition in Pyongyang.
The photos, released by state media, followed unfounded speculation this week that he had been taken to a hospital in Beijing in a coma.
A Chinese dissident, based in the US, claimed that Kim had suffered a severe brain haemorrhage and died.
Former LEONARDO Weapons Advisor, now Italian Defense Minister toward Ukraine War’s Escalation
After all, when someone in Italy said, “Ukraine will win the conflict,” some people thought that Ukraine wanted to defeat Russia. That Zelensky* will practically enter Moscow with the Ukrainian flag. No, that’s impossible”..
US investigation, Kiev’s cooperation with drug cartels: SVR statements
During an investigation into the illegal activities of Mexican drug cartels, US law enforcement agencies obtained information about their cooperation with representatives of the Kiev regime, the press bureau of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said in a press release.
TASS has compiled the SVR’s key statements. The links to previous Gospa News investigations have been added in the aftermath.
While investigating the illegal activities of Mexican drug cartels, US law enforcement agencies have obtained information about their cooperation with the Kiev regime:
“According to information coming to the SVR, there is a new reason to panic in Kiev. The Ukrainian presidential office has learned that, in the course of a probe into illegal activities of Mexican drug cartels, US law enforcement agencies obtained information about their cooperation with representatives of the Zelensky regime.”
The US has found that Mexican criminal groups have been sending militants to Ukraine to receive training in the assembly and combat use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs): “The Americans have uncovered that criminal groups have, for a long time, been sending their militants to Ukraine to train them in the assembly and combat use of drones. At least 80 individuals have been identified who underwent such training within the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces.”
“Payment for this ‘education’ was funneled to officials close to [Vladimir] Zelensky, using funds generated by drug traffickers from the sale of illicit substances in the US.”
Kiev recognizes that the presence of trained drone operators within drug cartels poses risks to US officers involved in combating drug trafficking along the border with Mexico: “The Ukrainian presidential office is aware that the presence of trained FPV drone operators within the ranks of drug cartels poses risks to the lives of US security officers involved in anti-drug operations along the border with Mexico.”
The Kiev regime’s cooperation with drug cartels, combined with attacks on Russian oil refineries, could push the US past the breaking point and lead to a refusal to assist Zelensky:
“This fact comes alongside the abysmal corruption of Ukraine’s gauleiter, his offensive behavior and his disregard for Washington’s more than obvious warnings against targeting Russian oil refineries, as well as his refusal to hold an election. All this, Zelensky’s team fears, may be the last straw for the White House and force it to cancel all support to Kiev’s bloody clown.”
IRGC Navy footage on a third oil tanker on fire after its engine room was targeted
The IRGC Navy has released additional footage showing a third oil tanker on fire after its engine room was targeted.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says two oil tankers were set ablaze and halted after hitting mines planted along an unauthorized passage south of the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement on Tuesday, the IRGC said its navy forces reported that two oil tankers were set ablaze and stopped after mines laid by the naval forces exploded along an unauthorized passage south of the strait.
“The IRGC Navy once again warns that passage through the mined route is illegal and will result in violators’ assets being set ablaze. If the US regime continues its provocations, oil companies will have to pay a heavier price,” it noted.
It added that IRGC air defense forces detected and struck a US military MQ-9 drone overnight as it monitored the airspace over the Strait of Hormuz, destroying the aircraft.
French Interior Minister admitted that the police lost control of the situation in several cities
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez admitted that the police lost control of the situation in several cities, with 350 people detained in Paris alone on Sunday.
“I have submitted my resignation, because I bear responsibility for everything that is happening,” Nunez said.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez has announced measures—to take effect “as early as tonight”—aimed at curbing troublemakers, following scenes of chaos, destruction, and looting in Paris and other French cities during Saturday’s protests against the rising cost of living.
Shortly before this, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had announced the implementation of “various curfews”—described as “partial” and “localized”—to prevent further violence. Nuñez ruled out any impact on upcoming football matches.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu stated that the curfews, which have come into effect in several cities—such as Paris, Lyon, Nantes, and Marseille—have “contributed to calm during the night,” and announced that further curfews will be imposed this evening “wherever the situation requires it.”
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that 149 arrests have been made in the wake of the urban unrest that took place last weekend. Speaking from the courthouse in Lille, Darmanin “welcomed the significant legal actions” taken by the judicial system following the weekend’s unrest, confirming that 149 individuals—suspected rioters or looters—have been arrested and are now either in “police custody” or “awaiting trial.”
Yemen: Death toll from Houthi attack on Al-Alam military base rises to 73
The death toll from a missile attack launched by the Houthis against a government military base in southern Yemen has risen to 73—all of them new recruits—marking the deadliest attack since the conflict in the country began to intensify.
The recruits were all between 18 and 20 years old, and some remained missing the day after the Iranian-backed rebels struck the Al-Alam training camp in the southern province of Shabwa with ballistic missiles, as reported to the Associated Press by the governor of Shabwa, Awad Ibn al-Wazir.
Yemeni Military Media posted and exclusive footage shows the targeting of Saudi enemy army officers, soldiers, and military vehicles on the Jizan and Asir border fronts using ‘Rojoum’ the-drone-system.
The spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced via Telegram, “Over the past 24 hours, Saudi warplanes—specifically F-15s and Typhoons—launched 93 airstrikes and missile attacks targeting civilian sites across the governorates of Al-Jawf, Taiz, Saada, Marib, Hajjah, Lahj, Amran, and Ibb”.
“These aircraft took off from enemy bases in Khamis Mushait, Taif, Al-Kharj, and the Sharurah airfield, resulting in civilian casualties, including both deaths and injuries. This brings the total number of airstrikes and missile attacks carried out by the Saudi-led aggression since the escalation began in our country to 2,793.”
Updates on October, 13 Breaking News in Video
Federal probe into Rep. Ilhan Omar centers on her childhood immigration paperwork
President Donald Trump attacked Somali immigrants and Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar during an Ohio rally on Monday, October 12, calling Omar a “disaster” and repeating claims about crime, welfare fraud and immigration.
He also called Democratic Michigan candidate Abdul El-Sayed a “jihadist” and urged the removal of people he described as Somali “bandits,” gangs and jihadist sympathisers.
Trump’s remarks came hours after federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., home under a court-authorised warrant in an ongoing criminal investigation.
Federal immigration agents searched Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home in Washington, D.C., on Monday, as part of a probe that sources say centers on Omar’s immigration paperwork completed by her late father when she was a child.
CBS News homeland security correspondent Nicole Sganga has the details.
Houthi missile attack targets Saudi capital Riyadh and Airport for third day in a row
The Saudi Arabia-led coalition fighting in Yemen has said its forces intercepted another ballistic missile launched by the Houthis towards the Saudi capital, Riyadh, as the city reels from attacks that have killed at least 14 people in recent days (see more details and videos in the updates below on yesterday and October, 11).
Houthi missile attack targets Saudi capital Riyadh and Airport for third day in a row killing another people.
Residents of Riyadh reported several powerful explosions on Monday night, moments after a text message to their phones warned of an aerial threat.
The Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous areas, including the capital, Sanaa, said their target in Riyadh had been King Khalid International airport.
Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, said the group had also sent a drone towards a military airbase at Khamis Mushait, near the Yemeni border. He again warned international airlines and travellers “against operating flights to airports” in Saudi Arabia, except in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, saying the facilities were “unsafe”.
The renewed attacks came as King Khalid International airport in Riyadh remains closed after a Houthi attack on Saturday that killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 300 others. Another strike on Sunday killed one person and wounded 11.
Saudi authorities said the airport would remain closed until this Saturday, and airlines have canceled flights. The Houthis have also struck Saudi oil facilities.
Oil prices rise following statements from Kiev, strikes on Saudi Arabia
Oil prices have risen following statements by Vladimir Zelensky and new strikes on Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg reports.
The price of Brent crude climbed to nearly $106 per barrel after Zelensky stated that strikes against Russia would continue. Earlier, US President Donald Trump claimed that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an “energy ceasefire.”
In response to a question from TASS, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that the Kremlin could not comment on the “energy ceasefire” matter yet, noting that contacts are ongoing.
In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia reported new drone and cruise missile attacks on Monday, following strikes on Riyadh’s airport over the weekend. Attacks on tankers in the critical Strait of Hormuz have also intensified, even as more crude oil flows from the Persian Gulf.
PUTIN LAST WARNING TO EUROPE with Sign of Cross. “If, God Forbid, it comes to Nuclear Weapons…”
‘If, God forbid, it comes to some sort of strike, Europe has no missile attack early warning system. They are defenceless. Instead of minimising victims, casualties could potentially escalate indefinitely.’
Russian “tactical nuclear weapons are more powerful of the bombs which hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki”
‘The Europeans must also consider if those with whom we engage in such conflicts cease to exist, will the Americans even participate in the conflict at the level of strategic weapons or not? I have serious doubts about it.’
“Bandera, get out!”. Hundreds of Polish demand Ukrainian NeoNazi back home after one of them killed a priest
“Bandera, get out!” Hundreds of residents in Jarosław, Poland, are demanding that Ukrainians be sent back home after a Ukrainian national killed a priest in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship.
Since President Volodymyr Zelensky came to power—backed by a regime that shields the nationalists and neo-Nazis who are heirs to Bandera yet were trained by the CIA for the 2014 coup—persecution of Christians belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) has intensified.
This campaign aims to promote the spread of the politically engineered autocephalous OCU, established in 2018 by former President Petro Poroshenko.
There have been repeated raids by the SBU—the security service directly controlled by Zelensky—on UOC churches, resulting in the arrest of elderly metropolitans who have been held in prisons under conditions amounting to torture; additionally, the Kyiv army has shelled convents in the Donbas.
Updates on October, 12 Breaking News in Video
Iran’s IRGC struck a third supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz in two days
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck a third supertanker in the Strait of Hormuz in two days, setting it on fire.
The IRGC claimed the tanker had switched off its navigation system and ignored warnings while attempting to leave the Strait
Warning – TERRIFYING SCENES: The VIDEOS of the MASSACRE in the Riyadh AIRPORT
TERRIFYING SCENES: Multiple videos capture the moment a Houthi attack struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — including footage of Umrah pilgrims preparing to board their flights moments before the strike.
Updates on October, 11 Breaking News in Video
LETHAL ATTACKS ON RIYADH AIRPORT – THE FILM – Exclusive VIDEO Medley from 12 Best Social Footages
Riyadh airport attack kills 12, hurts 309. Two Killed by Saudi attacks on Sanaa
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority says 12 people were killed and 309 injured in the latest attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid airport as the Saudi-led coalition forces have since destroyed a drone launched towards the eastern region.
Following the attack, US President Donald Trump said he would “take a look” at joining Saudi Arabia in striking the Houthis and restarting strikes on Iran while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed an American was killed.
But if that were to happen, the pro-Iranian Shiite separatists of Ansar Allah could completely block the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea, where merchant and oil tanker traffic is currently restricted only for Saudi vessels.
The US embassy in Saudi Arabia is urging Americans to avoid the King Khalid International airport in Riyadh and surrounding areas following attacks on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said Sunday that 12 people were killed and 309 wounded in Saturday afternoon’s attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Some of the wounded are in critical condition, and the authority said material damage is still being counted. No state or group has claimed responsibility.
Below the alleged video of the attack released by MiddleEast Report on Instagram (not verified) assembled with the ones on the alert in Airport and Trump speech
A missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4, which handle domestic flights, a regional official told the AP. All flights were diverted and Western governments told citizens to avoid the area.
Four of the dead are Saudi citizens, GACA said. The other eight are residents, including, two Bangladeshis, and one each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine and Sudan. The injured are receiving care in several hospitals, the authority said.
Al Mayadeen’s bureau chief in Yemen said reports suggest new Saudi airports have entered the circle of targeting, although Sanaa has made no announcement.
Earlier, Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced in a statement that only pre-approved humanitarian flights may land at Riyadh airport. On Friday, he said humanitarian flights to and from the airport would be allowed with authorization from Sanaa’s Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center.
On Saturday, Sanaa said that Saudi Arabia Struck Sanaa International Airport which killed two people. Separately, the civil defence agency in the Yemeni capital reported extinguishing four fires caused by Saudi strikes, including one it said destroyed a factory.
Arabian coalition accuses Houthis of attacking airport in Riyadh
The coalition led by Saudi Arabia has accused the Yemeni rebel movement Ansar Allah (the Houthis) of strikes on King Khalid International Airport in the kingdom’s capital and promised a decisive response.
“The terrorist attack carried out by the Houthi forces on Saturday on one of the passenger terminals of King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians among passengers and airport staff, is classified as a full-scale war crime under international humanitarian law,” alliance’s official Spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said on X.
The third attack on the airport this week. 291 Flights Canceled
Attacks on October 6 and 7 hit the airports in Abha and Riyadh, killing three and wounding 36, GACA said. On Thursday, a Yemeni Armed Forces’ missile attack on King Khalid airport killed three Saudis, including Saudia pilot, and damaged a Saudi plane.
An Airbus A310-200 passenger plane belonging to Saudi Arabian Airlines was destroyed by Yemeni forces at Riyadh Airport.
On Monday, the Sanaa-based Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center warned international airlines that Saudi airspace would be a theater of operations for the Yemeni Armed Forces, and that Sanaa would bear no responsibility for what happens to aircraft.
Ansar Allah underlined that its operations answer Saudi air and missile strikes and the blockade on Yemen, which date back to 2015.
At least 291 flights at Riyadh airport were canceled in the 24 hours before Saturday’s attack, according to FlightAware. Air India, flydubai, Lufthansa Group, Pakistan International Airlines and Kuwait Airways were among the carriers that suspended service. The United States, Britain, Germany and Spain warned their citizens to avoid the airport. The UK and Irish embassies described a “serious incident.”
An air traffic control source told TASS that Riyadh airport is expected to remain closed at least through the end of Sunday.
Over 400 Saudi-backed forces killed or wounded in Lahj
Saudi Arabia has been pressing its military mobilizations to achieve any field advance, regardless of the cost, a senior Yemeni source told Al Mayadeen, amid mounting casualties among Saudi-backed forces.
The source said there is growing discontent among Saudi-backed forces over the “shocking” number of dead and wounded, while Saudi Arabia continues pushing its forces forward despite the losses.
The Yemeni source said more than 400 members of the Giants Brigades, a Saudi-backed formation, have been killed or wounded so far in Ras al-Ara in Lahj, including commanders.
The mounting casualties have fueled discontent among Saudi-backed fighters, according to the source, who said the scale of the losses has become a source of growing concern among the forces deployed in the area.
The video below shows a previous Ballistic Attacks on Pro-Saudi Gunmen in Ras al-Ara
US Air Force strike on a tanker which tried to break the naval blockade by exiting the Iranian port
Footage of the US Air Force strike on the engine room of the Panamanian-flagged tanker M/V Ocean Molica, which ignored warnings and tried to break the naval blockade by exiting the Iranian port.
Trump Calls for New Ukrainian Leader Capable of Reaching a Deal with Russia
US President Donald Trump on Saturday called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to be replaced by a new leader “capable of reaching a deal” to end the war with Russia, while sharply criticizing Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries, which he said had contributed to rising diesel prices ahead of the US midterm elections.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he had previously told Zelensky that he could “do whatever he wants” in confronting Russia but “not hit the oil refineries.”
On August, during Zelensky visit to White House, Trump praised Ukraine for the attacks on Russian refineries and promised a license to produce Patriot. “This is an escalation that can help end the conflict,”
Now, following the agreement with Russia on diesel(see yesterday update below) and the oil price hikes caused by the wars in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea—sparked by US Army attacks on Iran—Trump has changed his mind once again, truly proving himself to be a madman of global geopolitics…
“He’d better stop. I would suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal,” Trump said, according to Reuters and Agence France-Presse (AFP).
BREAKING – Four dead and thousands without power after Hurricane Isaias lashes US
Hurricane Isaias leaves hundreds of thousands of people without power in Alabama, Georgia and Florida, with all three states declaring emergencies Flooding is a continuing risk, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says as he warns of a “very hazardous situation”, according to BBC.
Winds peaked at 120mph (193km/h) before Isaias made landfall in Florida late on Friday – images show houses battered by winds and felled trees.
Two people are dead in Alabama, according to the governor, while two more have been killed in separate incidents in Florida. Isaias peaked as a category three hurricane, bringing heavy rain and powerful wind, but has since been downgraded
Just After Trump-Putin Deal on Diesel supply Zelenskyy strikes Russian Fuel Facility
Hours after US President Donald Trump announced a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to ease diesel sanctions, a Ukrainian drone strike set a fuel facility in Russia’s Rostov region ablaze.
The governor says more than 50 drones were intercepted, with no injuries.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the southwestern Panama
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck at 12:56 P.M. local time on Friday about 12 kilometers (7 miles) from the town of Tonosí, in southwestern Panama, at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter was roughly 239 kilometers (148 miles) from the capital.
In the two hours that followed, the USGS recorded multiple aftershocks, including one of magnitude 6.6. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat for the Pacific coasts of Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Nicaragua, though several countries canceled their alerts hours later.
Panamanian authorities reported no injuries, although some material damage was noted in initial reports. The Panama Canal, which carries between 3 and 5% of world trade, said it remained operationalafter activating emergency and inspection protocols, with no disruption to ship transit. Tocumen International Airport was temporarily closed and its administrative staff evacuated, but operations resumed shortly afterward once safety checks were completed.
Venezuela’s message comes as it continues its own recovery from the double earthquake of June 24, which prompted the government’s Venezuela Rises plan and a series of housing handovers for affected families.
“Russia ready to supply oil to US, global markets” Putin after call with Trump who Thanks him
Energy problems were among the topics discussed by Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Donald Trump of the United States.
Moscow has reiterated its readiness to supply oil and petrochemicals to the US and global markets, according to Putin’s statement issued after the call.
“During the discussion of the situation in the global energy sector, the Russian side reaffirmed its readiness to supply oil and petroleum products to the US and global markets,” the statement says, as cited by the Kremlin.
US President Donald Trump thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for agreeing to supply diesel fuel to the US market, speaking to reporters at the White House.
“I think you heard about the oil deal with Russia. That is a big deal. That is massive amounts of oil coming into our country, and I want to thank President Putin, to be honest with you. We have massive amounts of oil being coming into our country, and it’s diesel, which is what we want. So, thank you,” Trump said.
“We need oil for the world, and this is diesel, which is what we need. So, we’re very happy to get it. We’re very happy to get it. Look, we need it,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, commenting on the arrangements with Russia.
Updates on October, 8, Breaking News in Video
‘I just want to hold him’: USS Lincoln sailor to meet his 10-month-old son as ship docks in San Diego
The beleaguered aircraft carrier with about 5,000 personnel docked in San Diego, after its prolonged deployment in the Middle East prompted concerns about dwindling food supplies and low morale.
For service members like Brent Ledbetter, the return stateside means something extra special: He is meeting his 10-month-old son for the first time.
“I just want to hold him, play with him,”Ledbetter told NBC News. Among the sailors and Marines, there are more than 50 babies waiting for a parent’s return.
14-Year-Old Girl Riding Home on a School Bus Killed by Saudi Coalition Strike in Yemen
On the afternoon of October 5, 14-year-old Athir al-Amri had just taken the last exam of her first semester.
She was on a school bus going home when an airstrike hit next to the bus as it drove through the Saawan area of eastern Sana’a, Yemen’s capital. Shrapnel struck her in the head, killing her, witnesses and relatives said.
“She was planning to spend the holiday playing as all children do during school breaks,” her 35-year-old cousin, Mohammed Al-Lahida, told Drop Site News.
“The shrapnel decapitated her. If her mother saw her body, she would die of grief.”
Two of her classmates were also wounded, one of them gravely, in the strike by the Saudi-led coalition.
This photo shows a general view of melted foam inside a factory after a strike that Houthi authorities-run media attributed to Saudi Arabia, in the Shamlan neighbourhood of Yemen’s capital Sanaa on October 4, 2026. Yemen relapsed into war in July after years of calm, drawn into the regional conflict triggered by the US-Israeli offensive against Iran that began at the end of February. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP) /
SCANDAL IN PARIS! Police SUV Attempted to Kill Students during Unrest. France toward Civil Wars?
A video shows a police SUV speeding toward protesting students, forcing the teenagers to scatterwith lightning speed to avoid being run over and killed..
The vehicle then reversed, turned around and drove away. Local media say checks confirmed the footage is authentic.
The incident in the Nord department was filmed from several angles. In one recording, a police officer can reportedly be heard saying:
‘Come on, come closer — we’ll ram them.
After the footage emerged, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced an internal investigation, while local authorities launched a separate probe.
The vice-president of the French Human Rights League said she is preparing an appeal to UN special rapporteurs.
Earlier, the mayor of Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, accused Macron in an interview with RT of excessive police violence against teenagers.
There have been 504 detentions and 48 injuries—among police officers and gendarmes—in France following protests by the student movement, the Interior Ministry reported.
In total, 71,500 people demonstrated across France today—including 24,500 in Paris—during the latest day of mobilization by high school students.
The ministry noted “an increase in urban violence today” and estimated that 55,000 people took part in actions outside schools, specifying that only a portion of them subsequently joined the marches.
Saudi coalition says 2 missiles aimed at Riyadh intercepted but others Hit Airports and Aircrafts
The Saudi-led coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki says his forces intercepted and destroyed two Houthi ballistic missiles aimed towards Riyadh and one towards Khamis Mushait.
Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree said, via Telegram that Houthis missile hit for the second times Saudi airports (the first happened on October, 6, more details in the updates below)
An Airbus A310-200 passenger plane belonging to Saudi Arabian Airlines was destroyed by Yemeni forces at Riyadh Airport.
“This evening, our armed forces targeted King Khalid Airport in Riyadh with two cruise missiles, Najran Airport with a ballistic missile, and the airbase in Khamis Mushait with a ballistic missile.”
General Saree added, “the strikes were precise and direct, disrupting air traffic at the two airports and causing damage to them and the airbase.”
Ansar Allah leader Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi declared on Thursday that Saudi Arabia’s attempt to break the Yemeni people’s will is doomed to fail, speaking on the 10th anniversary of the Great Hall massacre in Sanaa.
He stressed that Riyadh’s losses grow the longer it persists with its aggression and blockade, accused Saudi Arabia of committing war crimes in partnership with the US and “Israel,” and warned Qatar against its growing involvement in the campaign against Yemen.
In the video below the previous strikes on Saudi airport on October, 6.
The Yemeni leader also affirmed that Yemeni forces can strike any target in the Red Sea or Arabian Sea, and called for mass demonstrations on Friday.
Updates on October, 7, Breaking News in Video
Russian Drone Strikes on Kyiv’s Bridges: Ukraine capital divided, NATO Weapon Moves blocked
The Northern and Southern bridges in Kiev are the main transit points for all equipment coming from NATO.
This was stated by an ex-US intelligence officer to RT presenter Rick Sanchez. If they are blown up, Ukraine will be physically divided, Scott Ritter noted.
He explained: Bridges across the Dnieper River connect the country with the eastern part — without them there will be no real communication.
Impressive footages of Aramco Refinery in Jeddah on Fire after hitting by Yemeni Houthi Missile
Footage shows a fire breaking out and columns of smoke rising over Aramco facilities. Large fires burning at Saudi Aramco facilities in Jeddah following direct Yemeni missile strikes.
Reports of a fire at Aramco facilities in Jeddah following a Yemeni attack have also emerged in Iranian media, although Saudi authorities have yet to publicly confirm the strikes or extent of the damage.
More details in the updates of the latest days.
Updates on October, 6, Breaking News in Video
Tanker catches fire in Black Sea, beaches closed
A tanker caught fire in the Black Sea near Sochi, and the authorities closed the beaches of Sirius to vacationers, head of the administration of the federal territory of Sirius Dmitry Plishkin said.
Earlier, a video appeared in local media with a vessel burning in the water. According to the publications, the burning took place opposite central Sochi.
“A tanker caught fire in the Black Sea. To ensure the safety of people, the beaches of Sirius will be temporarily closed. The state of water and air is constantly monitored in cooperation with the Russian Hydrometeorological Service,” Plishkin wrote on Telegram.
WHO calls public health risk low after Russian pneumonia case. US Epidemiologist Hulsher: “NONE PANDEMICS”
The World Health Organization (WHO) assesses the public health risk as low following the detection of a case of pneumonia of unknown etiology in an employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East, WHO Spokesman Christian Lindmeier told TASS.
“Based on unofficial information available, the public health risk to the general population appears to be low,” he said. “All of the patient’s contacts have reportedly been identified and are being monitored for illness, and none to date have shown symptoms of illness,” Lindmeier added.
The press service of Russia’s health watchdog – Rospotrebnadzor – earlier said that the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the Irkutsk Region was stable, and that preventive measures and medical monitoring of people who had been in contact with the woman diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown etiology were nearing completion.
The video by American Epidemiologist Nicolas Hulscher: ““NONE PANDEMICS on lab-acquired PNEUMONIC PLAGUE infection in Russia:”
Commenting earlier on reports of plague or another infection in the Irkutsk Region, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said people should rely on assessments by Rospotrebnadzor, rather than rumors and idle speculation.
For days, many American bloggers and politicians have been sounding an alarm that currently appears unjustified and blown out of proportion.
Among them is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani—who has already been found liable for making false claims about the election and whose law license was revoked by a court—and who posted dire comments on X:
“America’s Mayor Live (1031): Russian Researcher Dead, Thousands Quarantined as Outbreak Spreads”
Yemeni Armed Forces Target Two Airports, One Aramco Facility in Response to Saudi Aggression
Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces (aka Houthis) Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced three military operations in response to the ongoing Saudi escalation.
In a statement, General Saree indicated that the first operation targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, adding that Aramco refinery in Rabigh were subject to the second attack. Abha Airport, Khamis Mushait Air Base was hit by the third attack, he added according to Al Manar,
What follows is the full text of the statement:
In response to the Saudi aggression against our country, which launched 60 airstrikes and missile attacks in the past 24 hours, targeting the capital Sana’a and the governorates of Al-Jawf, Taiz, Hajjah, Sa’dah, and Ma’rib, resulting in civilian casualties, including women and children. Which makes the total number of Saudi enemy airstrikes and missile attacks on our country since the start of the escalation has reached up to 1,576.
The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out three qualitative military operations using a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. The first of which targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and the strike was precise and direct, thanks be to Allah, and caused disruption of air traffic.
The second targeted the Aramco refinery in Rabigh, and the strike was precise and direct, causing a fire breaking out at the targeted site.
One of the previous attacks in the video below
The third operation targeted Abha Airport, Khamis Mushait Air Base, the Aqifa camp in Asir, and other critical sites in Najran and Jizan, and the strikes were precise, thanks be to Allah.
The Armed Forces warn all international airlines using Saudi airspace to cease their flights, as it has become an operations zone for our forces, with the exception of the sacred airspace over Mecca and Medina.
Al Mayadeen: “Mokha, Bab al-Mandab remain under YAF control (aka Houthis)”
Yemeni Armed Forces remain in Mokha and Bab al-Mandab, Yemeni field sources confirmed to Al Mayadeen on Monday, stressing that no breaches have been reported in the area.
Al Mayadeen’s bureau chief, citing sources, asserted that Saudi-backed forces control neither Mokha nor Bab al-Mandab or the surrounding areas.
The sources said Saudi-backed forces managed to make only a limited advance in al-Mudarabah, near Bab al-Mandab, where they were immediately targeted.
Al Mayadeen’s bureau chief also reported that the Yemeni Armed Forces are pressing ahead in Taiz governorate. He added that they expect further advances along the western coast under Saudi cover and are determined to strike them.
Al-Zubaidi: Claims of gains are psychological warfare
Brigadier General Abdul Ghani al-Zubaidi, a Sanaa-based expert in military and political affairs, told Al Mayadeen that fighting remains concentrated in an area bordering Dhubab. He noted the Saudi-aligned forces have made no gains on the ground and that claims otherwise amount to “media exaggeration and psychological warfare.”
Meanwhile, Iranian Professor Mohammad Marandi, citing a well-informed source, told Al Mayadeen that the news coming out of Yemen is “very good”, dismissing what some outlets have reported as “nothing more than a propaganda campaign.”
Al Jazeera: “Yemen government forces report recapture of Mocha from Houthis”
«The internationally -recognised government’s military said on Monday that it had also retaken control of key positions near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, as it seeks to oust the Iran-aligned Houthis from control of the strategic waterway – a key route for global energy supplies. A “strategic offensive” has also been launched on Yemen’s capital Sanaa, it added» Al Jazeera reported.
The military said on social media that fighting took place across several fronts near Mocha, leaving a number of Houthi fighters dead and wounded. Several Houthi fighters were captured, military sources said, without specifying the number of casualties.
Amid the United States and Israel’s war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the Houthis have relaunched hostilities with the Saudi Arabia-backed Yemeni government.
In a rapid offensive in September, the group captured Mocha in western Taiz governorate, and then territory around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Earlier on Monday, Yemeni government forces said they had reclaimed control of the governorate’s Dhubab district and key positions near the strait, as well as launching a “strategic offensive” on Sanaa. The Houthis have controlled the Yemeni capital and much of Yemen’s populous northwest since 2014.
US Navy helicopter may have crashed off Saudi coast
A US Navy MH-60R Seahawk combat helicopter sent a distress signal off the coast of Saudi Arabia and then disappeared from flight-tracking platforms, BNO News reported.
According to the portal, the helicopter was flying at an altitude of about 475 feet when it declared an emergency. Its displayed altitude then dropped to zero, and the aircraft disappeared from radar. Social media reports suggest that the helicopter may have crashed into the Red Sea, the portal noted.
The US Navy has yet to comment on the incident or disclose what prompted the emergency declaration.
Ex CIA Analyst L. Johnson on US-IRAN War: “US Navy hasn’t ENOUGH SHIPS, FUEL to continue BLOCKADE near Hormuz”
Former CIA Intel Analyst Larry Johnson on US-IRAN War: “US Navy hasn’t ENOUGH SHIPS, Fuel to continue BLOCKADE in Hormuz”
Excerpt of a long interview published by The Trends Journal YT channel held by Edmund DeMarche with Johnson.
Updates on October, 4-5, Breaking News in Video
The Russian army continues attacks on the bridge in Kiev and Ukrainian ships at sea
Russian army continues strikes on Kiev bridge and enemy ships at sea, Defense Ministry says
Russian troops continue to launch UAV strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure facilities and naval vessels used in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense reports.
This afternoon, as a result of a strike in Kiev, the Northern Motor Transport Bridge over the Dnieper River, which provides for the transfer of troops and logistics of military goods, was hit.
At a sea crossing in the northwestern part of the Black Sea, two marine vessels of the “dry cargo” type, delivering military equipment to the port of Odessa, were hit.
Iran says Hormuz to remain closed until US meets conditions
The Strait of Hormuz is going to remain closed until the United States accepts Tehran’s seven-day plan to reopen the waterway, Iran’s top negotiator and parliament speaker has said.
Iranian state-linked news agency Nournews, quoting Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, reported on Sunday that Washington made “some proposals through a mediator” days after the US replied to Iran’s diplomatic proposal.
The US should know “that the era of wasting time and dictating unilateral demands is over”, Ghalibaf said, adding Iran’s position remains “clear and definite”.
He emphasised that “the Strait of Hormuz will not open until our seven conditions based on the Islamabad memorandum are met”, and that Iran is “present on the military battlefield and will confront them with new surprises”.
He added that Iran was neither “excited” nor “intimidated” by the latest US proposals and would “both fight and negotiate”.
U.S. Air Force removes all bombers from British air base targeted in a suspected terrorist plot
The U.S. Air Force has removed all of its bombers stationed at a military air base in England targeted in a suspected terrorist attack.
A Pentagon official told BBC News that all bombers “have been re-deployed to their home stations in the United States.”
“While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time, we can acknowledge now that all U.S. bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have re-deployed to their home stations in the United States,” the official said.
“The Airmen that operate America’s bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s, remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities – including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States – anywhere, anytime,” the official added.
The five men arrested near the base have been released on bail, and Iran has denied any involvement in the alleged plot. UK investigators discovered petrol in the men’s vans, but found no explosive devices. Still, officials in the UK say they remain under investigation.
David Des Roches, a professor at the Thayer Marshall Institute, says the Pentagon’s decision to remove its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in the UK “should have [been] done a while ago”.
The base is at the centre of an alleged security incident in which five men were arrested nearby on suspicion of plotting an attack. Des Roches, a former Pentagon official, said the arrests “exposed a vulnerability” as the aircraft were “out in the open” and only about 300 yards (275 metres) from where the public could see them.
“So they were very vulnerable to, say, drone attacks or other kind of mortar attacks,” he told Al Jazeera.
Des Roches said the US Air Force has been “very slow to learn the lessons” from the Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s strategic bomber fleet in 2025, when Kyiv claimed to have destroyed some 40 Russian military aircraft.
IRGC commander claims US forces have ‘fled’ 1,000km from Iran’s borders
Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, a top IRGC commander, says Iranian forces have forced the US military to pull back some 1,000km (621 miles) from Iran’s borders.
“The Americans fled and moved more than 1,000km away from our borders. This was not their choice; it was due to the authority of the Islamic Republic and the authority of the IRGC Ground Force,” Fadavi said in a televised interview, according to Iran’s Press TV.
He claimed that, for the first time, no US vessels were present in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman or even the northern Indian Ocean, and said US warships are “100 percent vulnerable” to IRGC attacks.
Fadavi’s claim comes as the US military continues to impose a punishing naval blockade on Iranian ports. US Central Command said last week that it has redirected 125 commercial vessels since July to “ensure strict compliance”.
Israeli attacks kill 3 Palestinians (including child) across Gaza as ceasefire violations continue
Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip have killed at least three Palestinians and wounded nine others, despite a US-brokered “ceasefire” that was supposed to allow people to rebuild their lives.
The attacks took place in Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis, while gunfire, drone attacks and artillery fire were also reported in parts of Gaza City and northern Gaza.
The victims included a humanitarian worker coordinating aid deliveries and a six-year-old girl.
More details in the video description on Gospa News Channel
Israeli Airstrikes, Artillery Shelling Reported Across Southern Lebanon
Israeli occupation warplanes carried out on Sunday a series of airstrikes across southern Lebanon in recent minutes, targeting several areas amid continued Israeli attacks on the region.
The warplanes conducted multiple sorties over southern Lebanon and launched strikes toward the town of Hadatha, specifically the Daria area, as well as toward Mansouri, which was struck for a second or possibly third time.
Israeli artillery positions in the central sector also fired at least two shells toward areas surrounding villages in the sector. The locations where the shells landed had not been determined at the time of the report.
As part of the attacks recorded in southern Lebanon, Israeli forces also dropped a number of illumination flares over Majdal Zoun at around 7 p.m.
Israeli occupation forces subsequently carried out a series of explosions in Majdal Zoun and Mansouri. Mansouri had also been targeted by several artillery shells throughout the day, in addition to the powerful explosions reported in the town over several hours.
Updates on October, 3, Breaking News in Video
Jerusalem’s Latin patriarch mourns ‘tragic’ killing of Christian women in Israeli attack on Gaza
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, has issued a statement expressing his “deep sorrow and grief” over the “tragic” killing of two Christian women in an Israeli air attack on Gaza City on Friday evening.
The fury of the bombardment focused on the western part of Gaza City, gutting a residential apartment building. In addition to the fatalities, dozens of seriously injured people were carried out by rescuers.
Among the bodies identified by Palestinian medics were a 21-year-old man, a mother and her daughter, and the two women mentioned by the cardinal.
Hamas has also condemned the Israeli air strike at dawn on a building in western Gaza City which killed one man and four women including a mother and daughter at dawn.
In a statement on its official Telegram channel, it described the attack as part of the continuing genocide in Gaza.
SHOCKING VIDEO: Russian forces disabling rather than fully destroying Ukrainian bridges
Russian forces are disabling vulnerable components of bridge structures rather than completely destroying bridges in Ukraine, Boris Rozhin, an expert at the Center for Information and Geopolitical Research, wrote in a TASS column.
“It is indeed difficult to destroy such massive structures [as bridges] <…>. The current campaign, however, demonstrates a fundamentally different approach – systematically disabling vulnerable components of bridge structures,” Rozhin wrote.
In his opinion, this approach is due to the fact that Ukrainian bridges have sufficient structural strength because they were built back in the Soviet era.
The closure of bridges across the Dnieper River will turn into a logistical nightmare for Kiev and the whole country — The New York Times.
In response to terrorist attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on infrastructure facilities in Russia,, in the morning of October 2, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russian forces had struck a road-and-rail bridge across the Dnieper in Kiev, which is used to deliver military supplies for Ukrainian army groupings in Donbass.
The first targets were two major engineering structures in the capital.
The largest bridge, the Southern Bridge (read and watch below on yesterday’s updates), has been attacked three times already.
Today, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the strikes. drones-kamikaze and on the second-largest bridge by cargo traffic, the Northern (Moscow) Bridge.
New footage is being published on Ukrainian channels showing the moment of arrival of the Russian jet UAV Geran over the Severny Bridge in Kiev. On the recording, you can see the exact moment the drone hit the ferry, the video was shot on the car’s recorder.
Moreover, a German Gepard anti-aircraft gun had previously been spotted positioned right in the traffic lane, which failed to intercept it. drones.
Russian gains in Kharkov Region, Dobropolye. Ukrainian lost 1,325 troops over the past 24 hours
The Russian Defense Ministry reported fighting and territorial gains in the Kharkov Region and Dobropolye, as well as Ukrainian losses and Russian strikes over the past day.
“Enemy formations are being destroyed near Nikolayevka, Nefyodovka, Kupino and Chernoye in the Kharkov Region,” the ministry stated.
Battlegroup North troops continue active fighting to liberate Prikolotnoye and Sosnovy Bor.
“Fighting is underway within the encirclement to liberate the settlements of Varvarovka, Lobanovka, and Reznikovo in the Kharkov Region,” the Defense Ministry said. In addiction Russian troops from the Battlegroup North took control of Novaya Kazachya.
In the video below Units of the Sever Group of Forces took control over Novaya Kazachaya in Kharkov region
“In Dobropolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, assault groups of the 51st Army, together with marine infantry units, conducted offensive operations in the northwestern, eastern and central parts of the city. Units of the 76th Air Assault Division, advancing west of Dobropolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, destroyed an enemy position and took control of a section of a forest belt,” the ministry said.
Ukraine lost approximately 1,325 troops over the past 24 hours as a result of Russian military operations in the special military operation zone.
“Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces and artillery of Russian battlegroups struck unmanned aerial vehicle storage sites, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 149 areas,” the ministry reported.
“Air defenses shot down six guided aerial bombs and 680 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles,” the ministry added.
G7 to release 100 million barrels of oil and diesel reserves under US pressure
The G7 is tapping its emergency reserves to help bring down soaring diesel prices, releasing up to 100 million barrels of oil and diesel over the next four monthsacross its members, including European countries, the US, Canada and Japan.
Leaders say they are implementing commitments made back in March. President Donald Trump did not appear on camera during Friday’s G7 video call but quickly celebrated the outcome as a win.
The announcement eased fears in Europe, where officials had worried Washington might impose export diesel bans ahead of the US midterm elections.
Still, tapping into reserves carries risk for European states that rely heavily on fossil fuel imports and have few natural oil reserves of their own. Al Jazeera’s Rosie Birchard reports from Brussels.
Houthis launched a new offensive in the Taiz province and struck Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Riyadh
1st footage – Video of a large fire that broke out at a Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.This morning, the facility was attacked by drones or missiles by the Yemeni movement “Ansar Allah,” which reportedly resulted in a successful hit.
2nd footage – Satellite imagery show a fire and smoke rising from Saudi Aramco facility in Riyadh
3rd footage – ️ Ansarallah captures Saudi-backed fighters in Taiz
The Houthis have launched a sweeping new offensive over the past two days along more than 50 lines of contact, and that Yemen is heading toward further escalation according to Taiz based analyst Abdel Wase’ al-Fatiki
He told Al Jazeera: “The Houthi group is waging a sweeping, broad assault across a stretch that we can say exceeds 400 km, along more than 50 points or lines of contact between the legitimate government forces and the Houthi group. This indicates that matters are heading toward military escalation.”
So residents of the “At-Taazia” district in the Taiz province of Yemen have announced a general mobilization against Saudi mercenaries.
He said the assault follows the group’s gains on the western coast, where he said it had overrun Mokha and reached Bab al-Mandab.
“Based on our reading of the scene, up to this moment the political horizon appears blocked, and there are no indicators for the battle to calm down or even head toward any de-escalation.”
Al-Fatiki said the Iran-backed Houthis are pressing their assault in the Taiz countryside to take high ground overlooking Bab al-Mandab and secure their hold on the strait.
‘Donald Trump could use a nuclear weapon against Iran as a GRAND FINALE to declare victory and go home.’
Matthew Hoh, former Department of Defense & State Department Official who resigned over the Afghanistan war.
‘The danger of the use of a nuclear weapon in this war has always been here. I’ve been afraid that the United States would use a nuclear weapon possibly back in April, against say maybe one of the facilities like Isfahan”.
“The idea presented to President Trump: ‘Mr. President, these are low-yield nuclear weapons. They are a fraction of the size of the Hiroshima bomb. There’s hardly any fallout. You can barely even call these a nuclear weapon”.
“And what we can do is we can drop it on Isfahan. That will seal off that facility, and the Iranians will never be able to get to that enriched uranium. And this way, you can declare victory and go home.’
“You could see that same argument can still apply this time, maybe with Pickaxe Mountain or something like that.The idea that it provides for a grand finale for the president of the United States to declare victory and go home”
Putin shown new jet-powered Geran drones during Center-2026 drills
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived at the Chebarkul training ground of the Central Military District, where he observed the strategic command and staff exercises Center-2026.
The Center-2026 drills are being held from September 28 to October 3. Their theme is “The use of troop (force) groupings in repelling aggression on the Central Asian strategic axis and ensuring military security in the Caspian Sea zone.”
The exercises are aimed at improving the practical skills of the command staff and headquarters of the formations in managing troop groupings, as follows from published information about the event.
Putin shown new jet-powered Geran drones.
Updates on October, 2, Breaking News in Video
Supertanker Hit in Strait of Hormuz, Now Burning Near Oman
According to Fars News Agency, local sources reported that a supertanker with a capacity of 2.5 million barrels, which was navigating an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz, was struck approximately 8 kilometers off the coast of Oman and is currently burning.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center has also confirmed a maritime incident involving a tanker.On Thursday, UKMTO reported that three tankers had been targeted in the Strait of Hormuz.
Amid intensified action against vessels violating regulations in the strait, oil prices have climbed above $102 per barrel.
Source: Netanyahu plotted false-flag aircraft hijacking to drag Trump into new war against Iran
A well-informed source familiar with the matter has revealed new details about the incident related to an Emirati aircraft, saying Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to win the upcoming election is to drag US President Donald Trump into a new quagmire against Iran.
Iranian Press TV, Tasnim and Aanadolu Turkish agency so confirmed the suggestion highlighted by Gospa News on previous updates below in September, 30.
Speaking to Press TV, the regional source said the “absurd scenario” involving the hijacking of an Emirati aircraft bound for the occupied territories from the UAE, followed by its landing in Saudi Arabia, was carried out on Wednesday, three days after Netanyahu travelled to the United Arab Emirates accompanied by several senior military and intelligence officials.
The project, the informed source said, was discussed and finalized during the visit.
According to the source, during that visit, in addition to the UAE being tasked with playing a role in the Israeli regime’s regional projects, multilateral talks were held with officials from several other Arab countries to devise a false-flag operation and attribute it to Iran.
The source said the objective of the operation is to force Trump into a new quagmire and trigger a new round of war against Iran.
Netanyahu, the source said, is deeply concerned that if Knesset elections are held under the current circumstances, his coalition will be unable to secure a majority and form a ruling coalition.
“In that case, after being removed from the premiership, he would have to spend the rest of his political life behind bars,” the source said.
EU ‘fully rejects’ US diesel export threat over release fuel reserves amid Iran crisis
The EU “fully rejects” the threat made by the US to ban diesel exports if Europe does not release more of its fuel stocks, according to European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen.
“A ban would not be beneficial to anyone. It would undermine our trust in the United States as a reliable partner,” she said, adding that the next EU’s Oil Coordination Group meeting is scheduled for October 15, but could be brought forward if needed.
His comments came after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged Europe to “immediately” tap its reserves.
US aircraft carriers heading to Middle East to boost CENTCOM firepower
Washington is deploying a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
A US official has told Al Jazeera – that’s along with a second marine division. The USS Theodore Roosevelt left San Diego on Sunday. Al Jazeera’s Tanya Noury is following developments from Washington, DC.
10,000 US troops and military equipment have been deployed
Thousands more troops are also on their way to the region, just a month before November US midterm elections, which could see US President Donald Trump’s Republican Party hit hard by his handling of the war, which is deeply unpopular in the US.
We look at what the latest troop deployment means and whether it signals a coming escalation in the war on Iran.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the strike group and naval deployments could involve an additional 9,000 to 10,000 US troops in total, including sailors and Marines assigned to the carrier strike group and other ships.
By the end of November, the official said, three aircraft carriers and two amphibious landing groups will be positioned near Iran.
The official said the concentration of force would hand President Donald Trump a wider menu of options if he decides to act.
Al Jazeera’s Tanya Noury, reporting from Washington, said the new deployment, which includes F-35 fighter jets, will add to the roughly 50,000 US service members already stationed in the region.
CBS has released images showing the aftermath of the Iranian attacks on U.S. military bases in the Middle East
The American television network CBS has released images showing the aftermath of the Iranian attacks on U.S. military bases in the Middle East.
The photos that Gospa News has assembled into a video slideshow were obtained from anonymous U.S. military personnel stationed at bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Massive traffic jams have formed in Kiev due to the closure of 3 bridges following Russian strikes
Today’s strike on the Yuzhny Bridge in Kiev is also shown. Life in the capital of Ukraine has frozen: Kiev is stuck in huge traffic jams.
The reason for the collapse is the closure of bridges after powerful Russian air attacks. Traffic is blocked on the Paton Bridge from the right to the left bank, the Metro Bridge is blocked in the direction of the right bank, and the South Bridge is blocked in both directions.
Accordingly, public transport is limited or completely stopped, and many Kiev residents have to travel to different parts of the city on foot. And those who drive cars are stuck in traffic jams for hours.
Updates on October, 1, Breaking News in Video
‘A Great Victory’: US-Led Coalition Leaves Iraq After 12 Years as Baghdad Crowds Celebrate
Baghdad erupted in celebration as the US-led international coalition formally ended its military mission in Iraq after 12 years.
Crowds gathered in the Iraqi capital, with participants calling the withdrawal a “great victory” and a step toward Iraqi sovereignty. The coalition’s exit follows a phased agreement between Baghdad and Washington reached in 2024.
Russia has begun using new drones with long “whiskers” in the nose
Russia has begun using new drones of a characteristic design for strikes against Ukraine — with long “whiskers” in the nose.
Footage of Russian strikes on Ukrainian data centers in Kyiv
Footage of latest Russian strikes on Ukrainian data centers in Kyiv. More details in the previous daily updates below (on 29 and 30 September)
– The Bemobile data center, a major Internet traffic exchange point providing the stable transmission of information, including intelligence, for the Ukrainian armed forces, was also struck in the Ukrainian capital.
– In addition, Russian forces struck the Parkovy data center in Kiev, which processed information for government and commercial services, including those serving the interests of the Ukrainian military.
Updates on September, 30, Breaking News in Video
The alleged Israeli FALSE-FLAG on FlyDubai Attack as October,7 and September, 11
The co-pilot of the FlyDubai flight forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia intended to crash the plane with passengers on board and emulate the 9/11 attackers. A senior Israeli official stated this to N12, noting that the co-pilot had stabbed the pilot in order to seize control of the aircraft and cause it to crash.
“One pilot stabbed the other and attempted to replicate 9/11,”the source said. “There is no definitive confirmation yet that he was a terrorist, but initial assessments indicate the goal was to crash the plane into the ground rather than hijack it.”
“The serious incident on the FlyDubai flight was an attempted jihadist attack, thwarted only thanks to the heroism of some Israeli passengers who stormed the cockpit, overpowered the terrorist, and—with their own hands—restored control of the aircraft to another pilot on board.”
This was stated in a note by Defense Minister Israel Katz. “According to the initial information we have, the terrorist had only one intent: to crash the plane with all the passengers on board,” he said.
However, we must bear in mind that the Israeli counter-intelligence agency Mossad—utilized by Katz for terrorist attacks in the Gaza Strip and the depopulation of Gaza—is the prime suspect for complicity in the attacks of October 7, 2023, just as it was in the attacks of September 11, 2001.
One must not believe state criminals who support the Palestinian genocide and are wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and rapes —including against children…
VIDEO – Passenger lauds ‘heroism’ of Israelis who subdued attacker on board flydubai flight
A passenger identified as Daniel tells Channel 12 of his experiences on the flydubai plane after the first officer allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to crash the plane, according to The Times of Israel.
“Suddenly I heard a struggle. Something like a fight coming from the cockpit,” he says, on the phone from Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Airport, where the flight eventually landed. “The door was slightly ajar and I saw an attempt to push someone out. Then three Israelis who were sitting behind me came to see what was happening, and the plane suddenly went into a very steep dive, nose down, with a very intense spin.
“From what I understood, a copilot stabbed the captain, and once they subdued the attacker, there were two other pilots on the plane and they took control,” he says. There have been reports off two off-duty pilots taking the reins after the captain had been incapacitated.
“The spinning stopped. It took some — I don’t know, it felt like an eternity, but I think it was two minutes, at least two or three minutes, during which the plane was simply diving and spinning like crazy,” Daniel recounts. “It felt like, that’s it. It’s over. September 11 is happening again.”
Daniel says he “definitely” thought it was a terrorist attack. “I heard the screams during the struggle and saw the blood on the floor from the pilot, who was brought out.”
“Those three Israeli guys are real heroes. It’s hard to explain just how heroic they were,” he says.
But Daniel says it was not clear at all that the danger had passed.
Footage of the beginning of a fight in the cockpit of Flydubai
Footage of the beginning of a fight in the cockpit of Flydubai: according to the new version, pilots from Russia and Ukraine helped to land the flight
A video of the beginning of a fight in the cockpit of the Flydubai liner appeared on the network: screams can be heard on the footage, panic begins in the cabin, and men from among the passengers rush forward to rescue the crew.
At the same time, Israel Hayom published a new version of the flight rescue: according to the newspaper, the pilots who happened to be on board were unable to land the Boeing that crashed off–duty.
According to Israel Hayom, the full-time co-pilot, an Omani citizen, attacked the commander of the ship from the UAE with a knife and tried to crash the plane.
The Reuters news agency, citing two Israeli officials, also reports that the attacker stabbed the commander several times, after which the crew and passengers managed to get into the cabin and twist him.
The i24NEWS TV channel reports that the Israeli authorities officially consider the incident as a terrorist attack.At the same time, reports on the citizenship of the participants in the events radically differed in the first hours: initially, the media claimed that regular pilots from the Russian Federation and Ukraine had fought in the cockpit.
The Saudi authorities are currently investigating the circumstances of the attack at Tabuka Airport, and the airline and relevant agencies have not yet released official statements about the role of passengers
A massive blow on key facilities, energy, communications and port infrastructure of Ukraine
The Russian Armed Forces carried out a massive strike on Ukrainian facilities overnight, the Defense Ministry reported.
As a result, a communications center in Kiev, energy facilities supporting military production in the Kiev region, as well as infrastructure at the port of Izmail were hit.
In Kiev, the De Novo data processing center, which was used to process, store and transmit information in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was hit.
In the Kiev region, strikes were carried out at the Kievskaya substation in Nalivaykovka, the Kievskaya HPP in Vyshgorod, the Tripolskaya TPP and the energy storage battery park in Gorenichi. These facilities provided electricity to enterprises and military facilities.
The industrial complex in the port of Izmail, which was used for receiving, storing and transporting military cargo and fuel, was hit.
In addition, a cargo ship en route to Odessa was hit in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. The vessel was carrying military equipment and dual-use cargo.
Updates on September, 29, Breaking News in Video
VIDEO – After 23 years and 4,500 American deaths, US troops are leaving Iraq
After 23 years and 4,500 American deaths, US troops are leaving Iraq, per Reuters. The last forces are set to pull out by September 30.
The United States-led international military coalition will conclude its mission in Iraq by the end of this month, the country’s armed forces have confirmed to state media, Al Jazeera reported.
Iraqi Airways plans to resume flights to Iran in October after securing a special exemption from U.S. sanctions that had disrupted air travel between the two countries, Iraq’s Transport Ministry said.
Lieutenant General Abdul Amir al-Shammari, director of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency on Monday, said September 30 is the date for the end of the mission of the international coalition forces in Iraq and the transition to a new chapter of relations and cooperation.
Earlier, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s security adviser, Qasim al-Araji, had confirmed that the US-led international military coalition would conclude its mission in the country this month.
Under a 2024 agreement between Baghdad and Washington, the withdrawal includes the removal of US air defence systems stationed in Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq.
Top Iranian official says US ‘will inevitably leave this region’
Iranian politician Ebrahim Azizi has said the US and Israel will eventually be pushed out of the region, while Iran will remain.
“The US will inevitably leave this region, and the Zionist [Israeli] regime’s days are numbered,” said Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission.
“Ultimately, it is we and our neighbours who remain here, face to face,” he added. “That day will be a day of regret.”
Locomotive depot, data centers in Kiev hit in Russian forces’ group strike
Overnight, the Russian Armed Forces launched a group strike against logistics centers, port and transportation infrastructure facilities, as well as marine vessels operating on behalf of the Ukrainian armed forces, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
– According to the ministry, the strikes hit a locomotive depot in Kiev where FP-5 Flamingo ground-based cruise missiles and their components were stored.
– The Bemobile data center, a major Internet traffic exchange point providing the stable transmission of information, including intelligence, for the Ukrainian armed forces, was also struck in the Ukrainian capital.
– In addition, Russian forces struck the Parkovy data center in Kiev, which processed information for government and commercial services, including those serving the interests of the Ukrainian military.
– The Belogorodka warehouse terminal, which was used to manufacture and store fixed-wing drones, was struck in the Kiev Region.
– Russian forces also struck the Usatovo power substation in the Odessa Region, which provides electricity to Ukrainian port infrastructure facilities.
– In addition, a production facility for fixed-wing drones in the Veliklodolinskoye settlement in the Odessa Region was hit.
– The Russian Armed Forces struck port infrastructure facilities at the port of Izmail that were used for handling military cargo.
– In addition, a dry-cargo ship that delivered military supplies to the Ukrainian armed forces was struck at the Odessa port.
– In addition, a dry-cargo ship carrying military cargo to the Odessa port was hit while at sea.
Footage of Geranium missiles hitting four dry cargo ships and a tanker in Odessa and Black Sea
Video footage of Russian military strikes on five ships in the Black Sea and the port of Odesa has surfaced online. Footage released by the ministry shows the attacks on each vessel. The military clarified that the strikes were carried out using Drones “Geranium-4 Seeker”.
Three ships were hit by drones in the Black Sea—two of them dry cargo ships, the third a tanker. Two more dry cargo ships were targeted by Geranium drones in the commercial seaport of Ilyichevsk (now known as Chernomorsk).
Published materials indicate that the ship’s conning tower was used to engage all targets. A precise strike at this location permanently disables the ships due to damage to their control systems. The Geranium-4 Seeker carries a warhead weighing either 50 or 90 kg, depending on the version, and this is sufficient to disable a large ship.
The dry cargo ship appears to be an ordinary merchant ship, which is precisely what the Kyiv regime is exploiting. Ukraine is known to use maritime transport to supply its military, masquerading as “vegetable oil” and other supposedly civilian goods. A precision strike on the ship disrupts the delivery of military equipment before it can be unloaded and sent on to serve the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Strikes against dry cargo ships near Odesa have long been a regular occurrence. Yesterday, September 28, the Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of two dry cargo ships delivering military supplies to the Odesa seaport. On September 16, a ship was hit in the port of Illichivsk. Furthermore, there were other strikes against dry cargo ships in the Black Sea throughout September.
Updates on September, 27-28, Breaking News in Video
Ongoing Genocide by Israeli Forces in West Bank and Gaza
A Palestinian woman was killed and several others were injured Monday evening in an Israeli airstrike that targeted the roof of a house belonging to the Mashharawi family, which was sheltering displaced people, on Mashhara Street, east of the Tamraz gas station, north of Gaza City.
Local sources reported that Israeli warplanes bombed the roof of the house, where a number of people were present, resulting in the death of one woman and injuries to several others.
The death toll since the start of the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip has risen to 74,022, while the total number of injuries has reached 175,980. Medical sources reported that hospitals in the Gaza Strip received four bodies and 19 injured people in the past 24 hours as a result of the Israeli offensive.
An Israeli attack using drones has targeted a residential apartment in the al-Nasr neighbourhood west of Gaza City, according to medical sources at the al-Shifa Hospital. Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed children with severe injuries being treated by medics following the attack.
The Israeli army and settlers have carried out a series of raids, arrests and attacks against Palestinians and property across the occupied West Bank.
Israeli forces used stun-grenades and rubber bullets as they raided the Abu Taiyeh neighbourhood in the town of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem.Israeli forces raided the village of Shuqba, west of Ramallah city. Israeli forces arrested Qusai Najib Nasan from his home in the village of al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah.
Israeli settlers stormed the al-Uzair shrine in the town of Ortta in the Nablus governorate.
Israeli forces used earthmovers to block the entrance to the Ein al-Beida area in the city of Jericho.
Palestinian journalist Nujoud Hamed was released after two weeks in Israeli detention. Hundreds of Palestinians were forced to wait for hours after Israeli forces set up checkpoints at Jaba, Qalandiya, Anata and al-Jib, north of occupied East Jerusalem.
BREAKING: Five British men arrested over suspected terrorism offences near RAF Fairford
UK police say five men arrested over suspected terrorism and explosives offences near RAF Fairford are British nationals aged between 23 and 25 who live in London.
The suspects were detained on Sunday after reports of three large white vans heading towards RAF Fairford, a base used by US forces to launch strikes on Iran. Police say they are pursuing new leads and possible motives, while bomb disposal teams continue examining vehicles at the scene.
Counterterrorism police have urged against speculation over a possible link to Iran. Iran’s embassy in London has rejected speculation connecting Tehran to the arrests, calling the claims “unfounded and malicious.” Al Jazeera’s Camille Nedelec reports from Fairford, UK.
Iran’s embassy in London condemned in a statement on Monday the “fabricated speculations” linking Tehran to the incident.
No evidence links the event to Yemen’s Houthis, yet it must not be forgotten that the British Prime Minister recently declared full support for the Saudis in a war that has been ongoing for over a decade (see the September 22 update below).
Consequently, for the past few days, Great Britain has effectively been at war with the Red Sea separatists—who have declared war on no one other than those supporting the criminal theocratic regime in Riyadh.
Pentagon Quietly Adds 37 Wounded Troops to Iran War Tally
The Pentagon’s public tally of US troops wounded during the Iran war increased by 37 this week, without an explanation from the Defense Department about when or how the injuries occurred, Al Manar Lebanese TV rin English eported.
The increase includes 29 Navy sailors and eight Marines, according to a review of the Pentagon’s Defense Casualty Analysis System, or DCAS, a public database tracking US military personnel killed and wounded during overseas conflicts and operations.
As of Wednesday, DCAS listed 861 US troops as wounded during the Iran conflict. More than half of those cases are categorized in the database under ‘Overseas Operations’ following the start of a July ceasefire between Washington and Tehran that subsequently collapsed.
Trump Rejects Iran 7-Day Ceasefire Plan, Likely To Renew Bombing After Midterms
President Trump has rejected Iran’s proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and has told aides he expects to resume bombing Iran after the November midterms, U.S. officials said.
Tehran’s proposal would have reopened the Strait of Hormuz and resumed nuclear talks in return for the U.S. lifting its blockade of Iranian ports, which is causing deep damage to the country’s economy. Trump says openly that Tehran is begging for a deal after the midterms that dismantles its nuclear program.
But privately Trump is skeptical Iran would meet his demands and has told his staff that he sees a renewed bombing campaign as likely, the officials said.
Where do we go from here? So much for oil prices being artificially kept down, as the entire Friday drop is set to be erased.
Trump is reportedly expected to resume bombing Iran after the midterm elections, WSJ says.
Iran’s military has warned that all US deployment centres and interests in the Middle East will be targeted if Washington “makes a mistake” against the country, according to the semi-official Mehr news agency.
Earlier, Iran proposed a seven-day roadmap to end the war, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi telling reporters that Tehran is ready to begin implementing the plan as soon as the US agrees to it.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Iran’s President Pezeshkian has blamed the US for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, saying “it was America that blocked our paths”. He also said Tehran “no longer trust[s] talks with Washington” after its “repeated attacks and sanctions following every negotiation”
Yemeni government forces announce capture of Mount Numan in Lahij
Forces loyal to the Yemeni government have announced the capture of the summit of the strategic Mount Numan and the Dar al-Kafir area in Lahij province.
According to a statement from the forces, a rapid military operation was launched overnight targeting the summit of Mount Numan, which overlooks the al-Waziiyah and al-Madaribah districts in the southern province of Lahij, as well as the Dar al-Kafir area.
The operation began with a controlled infiltration manoeuvre that led to the encirclement of the area, followed by an advance into the positions during the morning hours, the statement said.
Houthi-affiliated elements were forced to retreat, leaving behind casualties as well as weapons and ammunition, it added.
Updates on September, 24-25, Breaking News in Video
Russian Armed Forces hit logistical, storage terminals used to support Ukrainian army
The Russian Armed Forces delivered drone strikes against logistical installations, warehouses and marine vessels delivering goods for the Ukrainian army, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
“The Russian Armed Forces made drone strikes today against logistical and warehousing terminals used in interests of supporting operations of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and against marine vessels involved in delivering military goods to Ukraine,” the ministry said.
An archive video on previous attacjs in the lates days – see details on updates at September, 22
The Russian Armed Forces also hit a dry cargo ship sailing to deliver military supplies for the Ukrainian army, the ministry noted. A drone depot was also hit in the Odessa Region of Ukraine, it said.
“As a result of strikes in the Odessa Region, an unmanned aerial vehicles depot was engaged in Novye Belyary settlement of the Odessa Region,” the ministry added.
The MAP of Massive Strike on Ukraine with over 52 Missiles and 600 drones
Massive Strike on Ukraine — 24 September 2026. Approximate visualization of the day-long attack
Weapons used against Ukraine:
Up to 600 Geran/Gerbera-type strike UAVs
Up to 10 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles — from Bryansk Oblast
Up to 10 Zircon hypersonic missiles — from Kursk and Rostov Oblasts
About 32 “Banderol” small cruise missiles — from the airspace over the Sea of Azov and Kursk Oblast
Main targets of the attack:
Kyiv
Odessa
Western regions of Ukraine
The triangles indicate drone attacks, the “pens” the missile attacks.
Russian Defense Ministry reports on Ukrainian army encirclement, losses near Dobropolye
Russia’s Center battlegroup continues to destroy the encircled enemy in Dobropolye in the DPR and is advancing in the direction of Aleksandrovka, the Defense Ministry said.
It said all enemy attacks and attempts to break out of the encirclement are being repelled. Ukraine is suffering significant losses near Dobropolye, with an average of 30 to 50 militants killed each day.
he Dobropolye direction“is one of the key to achieving results in the complete liberation of Donbass and is of fundamental importance for conducting successful offensive operations of the United Group of Forces.”
With the liberation of Dobropolye, “the threat of the enemy losing the main fortified area of the armed forces of Ukraine in the territory of Donbass – the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk-Druzhkovka agglomeration – increases significantly.”
Damage, casualties reported in Russia during drone attack on Volga area city of Ulyanovsk
A massive drone attack is currently under way in Russia’s Volga area city of Ulyanovsk, with casualties and damage to civilian and industrial infrastructure reported, Governor Alexey Russkikh wrote on the Max messenger.
“Air defenses and our mobile fire groups continue to repel a massive drone attack on the city of Ulyanovsk,” he said. “Damage to industrial and civilian infrastructure has been recorded.”
“Casualties have also been reported, and they are receiving the necessary medical assistance,” the governor added.
UN experts say grounds to believe US committed war crimes in Iran strikes
UN human rights experts say there are reasonable grounds to believe the US committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran that killed at least 177 civilians, BBC reported
The US previously denied striking Lamerd and said it was investigating what happened in Minab. A State Department official said the US did not give credibility to the findings in the report.
They said killings by security forces occurred on “a staggering and unprecedented scale” across all 31 provinces but the report failed to give even the slightest consideration to the investigations conducted by Tehran’s police authorities and the footage showing rioters wielding automatic rifles—such as Kalashnikovs—and displaying a level of training characteristic of ISIS terrorists, who are frequently employed as mercenaries in the Middle East by Israeli and Anglo-American intelligence agencies.
Iran has also not yet commented on the findings, but it has previously rejected allegations of systematic violations of human rights.
Israeli attacks kill at least six Palestinians across Gaza amid ceasefire
Israel carried out multiple attacks in Gaza. At least six people have been killed on Thursday. Israeli forces struck a vehicle in az-Zawayda, killing one person and injuring eight others.
Another strike targeted Gaza City while Israeli forces opened fire on a group of people in the south of the strip. Israel continues to carry out near-daily strikes across Gaza in violation of a ceasefire agreement signed nearly a year ago. Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili has more on the attacks from Gaza City.
UN delegates walk out on Netanyahu as Abbas urges end to Israeli occupation
Dozens of diplomats at the UN General Assembly have staged a walkout for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech.
The moment of protest took place right as Netanyahu took to the podium. It followed a speech by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas who addressed the UN General Assembly by video after the US denied him a visa. Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo reports from the UN headquarters in New York.
Yemen launches preemptive strikes on Saudi positions in Jizan and Riyadh
Yemen’s Armed Forces have carried out a preemptive and extensive operation against Saudi military positions in the Jizan region, targeting command centers, weapons depots and troop concentrations.
In a statement on Thursday, military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the operation came amid an escalation of Saudi attacks on Yemen’s border areas in Sa’ada and Hajjah, including the launch of more than 200 missiles from Jizan.
He said Yemeni forces had also monitored a major buildup of Saudi troops near the border in preparation for further aggression.
“By the grace of Allah Almighty, the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a preemptive, qualitative and extensive operation using dozens of ballistic missiles and drones,”Saree said.
According to the spokesman, the strikes targeted operations rooms, command and control centers, weapons depots and other key sites linked to Saudi reinforcements in the al-Tuwal area of Jizan, including the Sixth Emergency Division.
He added that missile launch sites and platforms at the al-Daghareer camp in Jizan, as well as several other Saudi military camps in the region, were also targeted.
Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced via Telegram other two new military operations in response to the ongoing Saudi aggression on Yemen.
The first targeted a sensitive target in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and the second targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu, the statement mentioned.
US steps up military activity near Iran: reconnaissance aircraft have reportedly been spotted around the Strait of Hormuz
The US has stepped up military activity around the Strait of Hormuz, with reconnaissance aircraft spotted near Iranian territory and additional fighter jets reportedly deployed to the region, RIA Novosti reported on Thursday, citing sources.
US reconnaissance aircraft were observed overnight near the Iranian islands of Qeshm and Hengam, while aircraft and small drones were also seen over Kermanshah Province in western Iran, according to people familiar with the matter.
Washington has also reportedly transferred 12 F-16 fighter jets from Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany to the region, the source said, adding that the increased activity could signal a possible escalation.
The reported activity comes as oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has risen sharply. TankerTrackers, a vessel-tracking service, said this week that crude flows across the US Navy blockade line have doubled in less than a month to around 13 million barrels per day (bpd). It estimated actual Hormuz transits at about 10.35 million bpd after excluding exports from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates and Mina al-Fahal in Oman.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico allowed back at the White House after judge blocked Trump’s ban
CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists were allowed back at the White House Thursday, nearly a week after President Donald Trump banned them.
The reinstatement came after a judge ruled that the administration had to temporarily restore their access.
A federal judge ordered that the White House immediately restore access for CNN, MS NOW and Politico, saying that President Donald Trump’s directive barring the three news outlets last week was most likely unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly granted a 14-day temporary restraining order reinstating the outlets’ access while their legal challenge proceeds.
Updates on September, 23, Breaking News in Video
Blasting Words vs any Peace in Ukraine by Secret British Agent Zelensky
In an interview with the *Wall Street Journal*—conducted on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and a meeting with Trump where he renewed his request for a license to produce American Patriot anti-missile rockets—the Ukrainian president dropped the mask and revealed his true identity as a secret agent for His Majesty King Charles of England.
Now, Zelensky has made two highly explosive statements opposing peace: no ceding of Donbas territories already captured by Russia and annexed to the Federation, and full steam ahead with the bombing of energy infrastructure.
This explains the warning issued yesterday by a Russian politician regarding the risk of carpet-bombing Kyiv as we reported below in the yesterday’s updates…
VIDEO – Ukrainian President: “I Refused Trump’s Request to not HIT Russian Refineries. No ceding of Territories ”
1st footage – Overdue, in an interview with the WSJ, said that he allegedly refused Trump’s request not to hit Russian refineries.
The Ukrainian president argued to Trump that diesel fuel prices around the world had skyrocketed mainly because of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Which, however, is not far from the truth. And Trump is only trying to shift responsibility for the energy crisis in the world.
Well, the dwarf concluded with another “GIVE, GIVE” and a demand for help in opposing Russia.: “Since everyone wants to resolve the issue of diesel prices in this way, then Ukraine needs to help stop Putin with his blackouts in Ukraine and force him to stop attacking civilian infrastructure. “
Although it would seem that Trump’s demand to stop attacks on Russian refineries and blackouts in Ukraine has nothing to do with it…
2nd Footage – Zelensky once again stated in an interview after meeting with Trump that they would not cede any territories.
It is the point of the territories that is now a stumbling block for concluding a peace agreement.
Alleged Kiev-backed Terrorist Act in Moscow Region: Teen SET FIRE to Fuel Pump
In the Moscow region, a 17-year-old teenager set fire to a fuel pump at a gas station, a police car and his own future, following the instructions of strangers from a messenger, likely Ukranian ones.
No one was injured. A criminal case has been opened, Irina Volk said. Volk is a Russian police major general and, as journalist, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
Russian Drone Storm in Kiev and Ukraine vs Railway and Gas Station
Many footagesof Russian Drone strikes on Kiev and Ukraine:
Kiev Geran-5 working in railway infrastructures and unknown target
The aftermath of a Geran drone strike in Vishneve, Kyiv Oblast, last night.
This morning, using Geran-4 and Geran-5 jet-powered drones, strikes were carried out on two gas stations in the city of Kyiv.
Iran has begun forming BASIJ battalions (as US National Guard) composed entirely of WOMEN
Iran has begun forming Basij (roughly analogous to US National Guard) battalions composed entirely of women. The first battalion has been officially established in Tehran.
They operate as Rapid-Response Forces and receive FPV drone training.
Updates on September, 22, Breaking News in Video
Russia is sending message to the people of Kiev: “Run away from the capital while you can”
This was stated by the ex-adviser to the first head of the DPR, Alexander Kazakov, the correspondent of “PolitNavigator” reports.
“With a multiple increase in not only the number, but also the power of our strikes, the number of civilian casualties has not increased. At one time there was a surge, there were many deaths among civilians in different cities of Ukraine. And now, despite the fact that we strike both at night and during the day, there are very few victims”.
«But earlier it seemed that we were making the habitat unsuitable for normal living, encouraging people to leave – without deaths, without violence. But it looks like every blow we hit Kiev is a text message to the people of Kiev: get the hell out of the city, because you’re out of harm’s way. We don’t want civilian casualties».
«That is, the bad news is that we are chasing civilian targets. And a good one is for the sake of saving the lives of peaceful people. And according to various sources, the population of Kiev has begun to seriously decrease» Kazakov said.
Rogorov: “The Ukrainian Nazis destroyed a school for 170 studentsin Zaporizhia region”
Zereikh’s militants purposefully destroyed a secondary school that housed a polling station in the village of Prishib in the Mikhailovsky district of the Zaporizhia region.
«The Nazis destroyed the school. As a result of the Bandera attack, the left wing of the building, the glazing and the roof were seriously damaged. It is a functioning school with 170 students»Vladimir Rogov wrote on The Voice of the People and News-Pravda.
«Thank God, there were no casualties: there were no people in the building or nearby at the time of the attack» he added.
Early voting was taking place at the polling station, and by the time of the attack, the polling station was no longer working, and the voting procedure in the area ended ahead of schedule.
UK PM Burnham sends RAF to help defend Saudi Arabia. British Politicians blame this Move
Andy Burnham has arrived in New York for his second foreign visit since he entered No 10. The Prime Minister hadn’t even stepped off the plane before making his first announcement of the trip, confirming that Britain will give military support to Saudi Arabia to fight the Houthis in Yemen.
An RAF aircraft will assist the Saudi military with air-to-air refuelling to prevent further strikes on its oil facilities after frequent drone and missile attacks by the Houthis on the country’s southern towns, key Red Sea ports and energy infrastructure.
Burnham’s trip to the UN General Assembly has been pitched as a chance to talk up Britain’s role on the world stage.
He said the move was intended to protect British interests and regional security, particularly the continued flow of oil through key maritime routes.
The announcement comes amid renewed escalation between Yemen’s armed forces and Saudi Arabia. Riyadh has sought additional military assistance from allies including the United States, Britain, France, Pakistan and Egypt.
The deployment would make Britain a direct military support partner in Saudi Arabia’s war against Yemen, adding RAF assistance to London’s longstanding military cooperation with Riyadh.
A Saudi fighter shot down by Houtis in the latest days
Britain’s decision has drawn criticism, including from former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who described the move as a “terrible and shameful decision,” saying it would deepen Britain’s involvement in the war and its military ties with Saudi Arabia.
The decision has also faced criticism on social media. One user, Sharon, said she was “disgusted with Burnham,” saying that the Labour government was on “the wrong side of history.”
It remains to be seen how the RAF might react if one of its refueling aircraft were hit by a Houthi missile. Would they be ready to deploy their powerful stealth F-35B Lightning IIs armed with AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles?
Italy has, in fact, relocated its Eurofighters from the Saudi base at Ta’if after an Italian Air Force aircraft was destroyed in one of the many attacks by Yemeni separatists.
Below the video of a RAF F-35B at Cosford Airshow 2026
Fallout from Hormuz: Grievances over Fuel Prices and Supply Shortages Spark Global Protests
The rising cost of energy products like diesel and petroleum has sparked protests — even turning into violent clashes and riots — around the world in Syria, Guatemala, Portugal, France, and the Philippines, Soufan Center wrote in its daily geopolitical analysis IntelBrief.
Governments are experiencing increased political friction as the availability and cost of key energy products and household items, such as kerosene, steadily rise ahead of winter.
Countries are also experiencing a severe supply shortage of other key resources, such as fertilizer and helium, stunted by strikes on oil tankers, increased costs of farming inputs, and blocked sulfur and nitrogen exports.
While public grievances and demonstrations may push governments to approve subsidies and temporary price caps, prices will continue to rise as the U.S.-Iran war — and its resulting chokehold on key trade pathways like the Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Strait — endures.
Houthis battle for strategic heights in Yemen as thousands more flee homes
Fighting continues to rage in Yemen, with the Houthi rebels battling Saudi-backed government forces for control of strategic mountains near the Red Sea and the leader of the Iran-aligned group warning the United States against direct military involvement in the conflict, Al Jazeera reported.
The clashes on Monday come amid mounting regional tensions set off by the US and Israel’s war on Iran. They also followed a report by The New York Times that US President Donald Trump had ordered air attacks against the Houthis on Sunday, only to call them off at the last minute.
The renewed hostilities have killed at least 674 people (almost all Saudi-backed Yemeni soldiers as video below show) and displaced more than 158,000, officials said.
According to Al Jazeera witnesses, the Houthis – who seized Yemen’s Red Sea coast this month, including the port of Mocha – are now battling to take the Kahboub Mountains in Taiz and Lahj provinces. Control of the strategic heights, which overlook the Bab al-Mandeb strait and Mayyun Island in the Red Sea, would allow the Houthis to sever the coast from the remaining government-held south.
Updates on September, 21, Breaking News in Video
POTUS BANNED by US Network!!! White House press pool TV channels refuse to cover events with Trump
Major US television companies will not broadcast live events featuring US President Donald Trump in protest against the deprivation of access to the White House for three outlets, Politico quoted a letter from Bryan Boughton, head of the Washington branch of the Fox News channel as saying.
“This is to advise that, effective today, the TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the President,” Boughton wrote in the email obtained by Politico.
The letter said that the television companies took this step after Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. The paper says the main television companies in the White House press pool include Fox News, CBS, ABC, and NBC.
Contrary to standard practice, the White House Monday schedule distributed on the evening of September 20 lacks a point about which television company will be responsible for broadcasting events involving the president. Politico said that the refusal may create difficulties with the flow of photographs and videos related to Trump’s activities at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
On September 18, Trump denied access to the White House to CNN, MS NOW, and Politico for spreading false information about his administration. He said that the list of banned media could be expanded, but he allowed for the possibility of reversing his decision. Correspondents and technical staff of the media outlets lost access to the White House on September 19.
IRGC Air Defenses Destroy Another US MQ-1 Drone over Strait of Hormuz
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Aerospace Force has intercepted and destroyed another MQ-1 drone belonging to the US military over the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Manar Lebanese TV.
The IRGC announced the development on Monday, saying the aircraft was brought down using the Aerospace Force’s new air-defense system operating under the control of Iran’s Integrated Air-Defense Network.
It has been removed from the operational fleets of the US Navy and Air Force for several years and replaced by the MQ-9.
Its re-entrance into service has been attributed to the US Army’s having lost a large number of MQ-9 drones to the Islamic Republic’s defensive operations (details on Pentagon Watchdog report in the updates below on Sptmber, 15)
Below archive video when the IRGC posted footage of defeat of American MQ-9 Reaper on its resources
The US Congressional Budget Office has confirmed the loss of at least 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones since February 28, when the United States and the Israeli regime began their latest round of unprovoked aggression against the Islamic Republic. According to figures released by the office, those losses amount to approximately $720 million.
The IRGC, however, has put the number at 53.
IRGC threatens to change geography of war, deploy new weapons if war resumes
The IRGC spokesman said on Monday that a renewed US attack would prompt Iran to change both the geography of the conflict and the weapons it employed, Iranian IRNA Agency reported.
Iran’s armed forces remain fully prepared and will not hesitate to defend the country’s independence, security and territorial integrity, army commander-in-chief Amir Hatami said on Monday.
Iran says the “world will be astonished” by the new weapons it will use if the US attacks again, as Iranian legislators submit a bill to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will travel to New York on Tuesday to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, state news agency IRNA reported.
Qatar has been exchanging ideas for about two weeks on reviving Iran talks, while its mediators are shuttling between capitals and working with Tehran and Washington to restart negotiations, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari told Bloomberg.
Donald Trump said he is in a “deciding mode” over Iran, weighing military action, continued economic pressure or a deal, and told Fox News that “very big things” could happen soon.
The US Virtual Embassy in Iran urged American citizens to leave the country immediately on Sunday, warning of possible flight cancellations and airspace closures and citing the potential for rapid regional escalation.
Harsh Russian Retaliation vs Massive Ukrainian Attack on Moscow
As was easily predicted, Russia’s retaliation was swift following the massive Ukrainian attack on Moscow—ordered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a furious escalation that took place yesterday on the very day of the parliamentary elections for the Duma (details below in the yesterday’s updates).
ussian forces launched strikes overnight on logistics centers, warehouses and ports in Ukraine, as well as vessels involved in supporting the Ukrainian military, the Defense Ministry reported.
“Tonight, Russian forces launched strikes with UAVs against logistics centers, warehouses and ports in Ukraine, as well as vessels involved in supporting the Ukrainian military,”the ministry said.
“As a result of the strike, the following targets were hit: <…> in the Odessa Region: at the port of Odessa, a bulk carrier that had delivered cargo intended to support the Ukrainian military. At the port of Izmail, port infrastructure facilities used to unload and store military cargo. In addition, a bulk carrier carrying cargo intended to support the Ukrainian armed forces to the port of Odessa was hit while crossing the sea,” the statement said.
Below there are some videos confirming attacks by the Russian army on military and logistical facilities in Kyiv and five other regions.
The Russian Armed Forces attacked military installations in 6 regions of Ukraine at night
Ukrainian monitoring counted 172 UAVs launched from Russian territory, of which 147 were allegedly “shot down/suppressed.”
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the following facilities were affected in the Kiev region:
the “BDU Logistic” logistics center in the village of Schastye, where military goods were stored and distributed (see specific video below);
the gas distribution station in Boyarka (photo 1). Local authorities reported arrivals at the sawmill near Fastovo and at the service station near Bucha (photos 2-3).
In the Odessa region, two dry cargo ships and facilities of the Izmail port infrastructure used for unloading and storing military cargo were affected. In addition, a fire was reported in the warehouses of the “Silpo” supermarket (photos 4-5).
In Zaporozhye, the “Interde” shopping center was hit (photo/video 6-7), as well as the university building (see specific video below).
Late in the evening, a combined strike was carried out on targets in Sumy using UMPC and UAVs (photos 9-10).
Zaporozhye ablaze — Russian strikes dismantling Ukraine’s military infrastructure
Zaporozhye ablaze — Russian strikes continue dismantling Ukraine’s military infrastructure and logistics. Heavy strikes hit Zaporozhye tonight, with the “Intrade” shopping mall set alight as a result of the attack.
The strikes are part of an ongoing campaign targeting military infrastructure, rail hubs, and logistics chains across Ukraine. The video show the strikes even on Zaporozhye university building
Russian Iskander Missile struck a machine-building plant in Kherson
A ballistic missile, likely an “Iskander,” struck a machine-building plant in Kherson, where the enemy may have been located, or where their equipment and supplies might have been stored.
Geran drones struck a warehouse military complex in the village of Schastlyve, Kyiv Oblast
Today, using Russian Geran strike drones, a warehouse complex used for military goods in the village of Schastlyve, Kyiv Oblast, was struck.
As a result of the strike, the target was hit and a fire broke out.
Ship transit through Strait of Hormuz falls threefold over weekend — Reuters
Commercial vessel transit through the Strait of Hormuz fell threefold on September 19-20 compared with the previous weekend amid a stalemate in negotiations between the United States and Iran, Reuters reported, citing data from analytics firm Kpler.
According to the data, only 12 vessels passed through the strait over the past weekend, compared with 35 vessels on September 12-13. Reuters noted that before the conflict between the United States and Iran began, around 125 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz per day.
The United States and Israel began a war with Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding providing for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts, including in Lebanon. However, on the night of July 8, the United States resumed large-scale strikes on Iran, accusing it of violating the terms of the agreements reached regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Putin’s Party United Russia ahead in Duma election with 71.17% of ballots processed
The United Russia party, who supports President Putin, is ahead in the Duma election with 57.53% of the vote, with 71.17% of ballots counted, data from the Central Election Commission (CEC) showed.
It is followed by the CPRF with 14%, the LDPR with 8.73%, New People with 7.97%, and A Just Russia with 5.03%, according to the early results.
Russia’s ruling party maintains a constitutional majority in the lower chamber of parliament and can claim approximately 331 seats there for now.
Updates on September, 20, Breaking News in Video
Iran will keep Strait of Hormuz closed until US accepts its terms — parliamentary speaker
Iran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping until the US accepts the terms presented by Tehran, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.
“Iran will not return to the previous conditions for negotiations or reopen the Strait of Hormuz until these conditions are met, the Iranian people’s legitimate rights are recognized and the US fulfills its commitments,”the parliamentary press service quoted him as saying.
Earlier, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei said that Iranian authorities have conveyed their conditions for ending the war to the US through Qatari mediators. They are awaiting a response from US President Donald Trump.
Russian air defenses down 1,110 Ukrainian drones overnight
Russian air defenses detected and destroyed 1,110 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
“On-duty air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 1,110 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones over the Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod, Tambov, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Smolensk, Oryol, Rostov, Volgograd and Saratov regions, the Samara Region, the Krasnodar Region, the Moscow Region and the Republic of Crimea, as well as over the Black Sea,” the Defense Ministry said.
Zelensky’s Furious escalation: “the biggest attack ever” on Moscow
“Our long-range strikes had a significant impact in the Moscow region last night. One of Russia’s key oil industry facilities and an aggressor logistics site were hit. We are talking about billions of dollars that fuel the war machine. The systems used included the FP-1, RZ-100, MICH-2000, Palianytsia, Vendetta, Liutyi, Bars, Flamingo, Sichen, and Pelican. I thank our fighters for their precision: the Security Service of Ukraine, together with the Unmanned Systems Forces, Special Operations Forces, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, and the Foreign Intelligence Service. Sanctions were also imposed on a facility in the Voronezh region. Moscow must end its brutal war and choose peace instead of building layered air defense rings at the expense of other regions. Measures aimed at de-escalation—regarding energy and food security—are on the table. What is needed is political will.”
This was stated on social media by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Mayor reports damage at Moscow oil refinery. 338 drones destroyed while approaching Moscow
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said a facility on the premises of the Moscow Refinery was damaged as a result of the ongoing drone attack on the Russian capital.
“The attack on Moscow by enemy drones is ongoing. A facility on the premises of the Moscow Oil Refinery has sustained damage, but no casualties were reported,” the mayor wrote on the Max messenger.
Russian air defenses destroyed 338 drones approaching Moscow starting from midnight Sunday Moscow time (9:00 p.m. GMT on Saturday), according to TASS calculations based on Mayor Sergey Sobyanin’s report.
In his latest report, the mayor said another 152 drones have been destroyed while approaching Moscow by the Russian Defense Ministry’s air defense forces
“First responders are working in areas where fragments fell,” he wrote on the Max messenger.
US security alerts across Middle East due to fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis could “escalate rapidly”
The US has issued security alerts for its citizens across the Middle East, warning of further escalation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
The notices cover Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman.
”Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions,” the US State Department said on Saturday night.
”Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports. This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly,” the notice read, urging Americans to refrain from traveling to the Middle East.
”Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other US interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world, including U.S. businesses and other institutions,” it added.
Axios reporter Barak Ravid said that US President Donald Trump had cut short his weekend stay at Camp David and would return to the White House on Saturday evening, one day earlier than planned.
CNN national security analyst Alex Plitsas cited sources as saying that Trump held a meeting at Camp David to “deliberate and review Yemen strike options.”
ABC News previously reported, citing US officials, that Washington would limit its involvement to providing intelligence and targeting assistance to Saudi Arabia.
New US sanctions law undermines Ukraine peace efforts – Kremlin
The major US sanctions law signed by President Donald Trump this week will undermine efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict through diplomacy, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
On Friday, Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which authorizes tougher restrictions on Moscow and tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.
“Clearly, this cannot have a positive effect,” Peskov told RIA Novosti on Saturday when asked how the law would affect prospects for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine and a possible “breakthrough” in Russian-US relations.
Named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a vocal supporter of Ukraine who co-authored the original bill with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal in 2025, the legislation remained stalled for months as Trump pursued diplomacy with Russia and resisted placing sole blame for the conflict on Moscow. Trump’s envoys also discussed normalizing economic ties with their Russian counterparts.
The Senate passed the measure 86-11 last month, followed by the House on Wednesday in a 262-159 vote.
Russian Forces Hit Tanker Carrying Fuel For Ukrainian Military in Odessa Region – MoD
Russian forces struck a tanker in the port of Chernomorsk that had delivered fuel and lubricants for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian Defence Ministry said.
“As a result of the strikes on the port of Chernomorsk in the Odessa region, a tanker-type vessel that delivered fuel and lubricants for the Armed Forces of Ukraine was hit,” the ministry said.
Russian forces continue targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure, including logistics centers used to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Since July, Russia has intensified strikes along Ukraine’s Black Sea coast, with military logistics hubs and vessels linked to supply operations among the reported targets. Moscow says the strikes are aimed at disrupting Ukrainian supply lines and limiting the movement of military equipment and resources.
It’s Official: Trump announces Permanent Security Arrangement for Greenland
President Trump says the U.S. will immediately begin work on an expanded military presence in Greenland following a new security arrangement.
Marco Rubio said Greenland will “FOREVER be part of the strategic defense area of North America” and that adversaries will be excluded from Greenland and the surrounding region.
The administration says the arrangement provides the U.S. with expanded security access and advantages over the prior framework, effectively allowing America to secure Greenland as though it were part of the U.S. without changing its territorial status.
Updates on September, 19, Breaking News in Video
Exclusive: PUTIN and TRUMP Opposite Statements on NATO War for Ukraine
1st Footage – President Putin says European leaders are openly declaring that they are preparing for war with Russia
2nd Footage – Trump: Russia has been attacking Europe for a long time.
“Well, I think they have already attacked Ukraine’s allies. They have been attacking Ukraine’s allies for about five years now,” the US president said.
Russia says not to start dialogue with those asserting Russophobia, neo·Nazism — Zakharova
Russia does not see as its partners or interlocutors those who espouse Russophobia, neo·Nazism, or any other manifestation of misanthropy, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview with TASS following the International Youth Festival.
“We are standing up to those who pursue a Russophobic policy,”the diplomat said. “We do not see as our partners or even interlocutors those who profess Russophobia, racism, neo·Nazism, or any manifestation of this misanthropic ideology.”
However, Zakharova said that everyone who “comes to Russia with love, and perhaps even for love,” is always welcomed with open arms.
As Houthis grab Bab al-Mandeb, US appears willing to watch from sidelines
Excerpt by Caolán Magee originally published on Al Jazeera
United States officials met Houthi representatives at the US embassy in the Omani capital, Muscat, over the weekend after the Iran-aligned movement seized thousands of square kilometres of territory in just a few days.
With strategically important islands and large stretches of Yemen’s Red Sea coast now under Houthi control, the group has tightened its grip on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait – a crucial chokepoint for global shipping and energy supplies.
During the talks, the Houthis assured US officials that they had no intention of attacking US shipping in the Red Sea, saying their restrictions would apply only to vessels linked to Saudi Arabia.
But that would still leave two of the world’s most important shipping routes facing serious disruption, with traffic through the Strait of Hormuz restricted for the past six months. Any further disruption could drive global oil and consumer prices even higher, creating another political headache for US President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections in November.
Iran retains initiative in Strait of Hormuz despite US claims: Armed Forces spokesman
Iranian armed forces spokesman has rejected the latest “false and ridiculous” US claims about the Strait of Hormuz, saying the initiative in the strategic waterway is firmly in Iran’s hands, Iranian Press TV reported.
Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said on Saturday that the recent claims by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) commander regarding the escort of one billion barrels of oil out of the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months were “false” and “ridiculous.”
He added that the CENTCOM commander’s claims were more a failed psychological operation than a reflection of reality.
Tehran says conditions for ending war sent to US via Qatar
Iran’s security chief Moshen Rezaei tells Al Jazeera conditions for ending war – stopping attacks on all fronts, release of frozen Iranian funds, end of blockade – have been sent to US via mediator Qatar, and are awaiting a response from US President Donald Trump.
Iran’s top security official Mohsen Rezaei has told Al Jazeera that Tehran has conveyed its conditions for ending the war to the White House through Qatari mediators. He says the demands include an end to the war on all fronts, the release of frozen Iranian assets and the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Iranian oil sales reach two-year high despite US blockade, says government department
Iran’s Plan and Budget Organisation says oil sales have reached a two-year high despite the US naval blockade aimed at preventing Iranian exports.
Oil sales exceeded $3bn in September, the highest monthly figure in two years, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. The report does not state how Iran has continued to export oil despite the US blockade.
Houthis in Yemen say ‘sensitive’ sites attacked in Riyadh: even to the residence of the Saudi Crown Prince
«Houthi fighters in Yemen say they attacked “sensitive” sites in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, as well as an Aramco oil facility in Yanbu, according to a statement via spokesman Ameen Hayyan» Al Jazeera reported.
According to News-pravda sources, Last night, Yemeni Houthi rebels carried out missile strikes on the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh. At least five ballistic missiles launched from Yemen were aimed at the city.
The attack’s primary target is believed to have been a military airbase located on the outskirts of the Saudi capital. Footage published online shows the Saudi Arabian air force’s failed attempt. Defense Using a Patriot air defense system, one of the Yemeni missiles was intercepted. A missile was reported to have landed near Riyadh International Airport and a series of powerful explosions within the city.
At the same time, the Houthis launched a missile strike on the country residence of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The facility is located in Medina Governorate, 20 kilometers north of the city of Al-Ula. The distance from the residence to the Yemeni border is over 1200 kilometers.
«The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out two successful military operations using a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. in response to the great slander accusing Yemen, the land of faith and wisdom, of targeting Mecca, and in defense of Mecca against the insults of the Korah of the age, the Najdi Saudi horn of Satan» the statement reads according to Al Manara Lebanese TV.
«And in response to the continued aggression of the criminal Saudi enemy against our dear people with its F-15 and Typhoon warplanes, which take off from the Khamis Mushait and Taif bases, which have reached 732 airstrikes up to date, leaving martyrs and wounded among the civilians and destruction of civilian infrastructure.In response to the Saudi enemy’s criminal attempts to target the capital, Sana’a, using ISIS-style tactics, including indiscriminate bombings targeting civilians» Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced
Satellite Footage of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline severely damaged by Houthis missile
Updates on September, 18, Breaking News in Video
The EU Faces a Historic Crisis Over the Halt in Saudi Crude Oil Supplies
Saudi Arabia WON’T allocate Europeans CRUDE OIL next month — Bloomberg. Saudi Aramco will cease sales to European refiners due to the attacks on East-West pipeline as we reported in the previous updates on September, 16.
The reaction of Europe Commission through the president Ursula Von der Leyen statement.
Odessa. Main center of the railway attacked. The VIDEO OF DRONE BLASTING
The main center of the railway was attacked — the authorities abandoned the people and fled. Two jet drones attacked the building of “Ukrzaliznytsia” Information and Computing Center in Odessa.
This implies the collapse of the train control system, the operation of stations and marshalling yards. Even before that, trains to Odessa were delayed for a day due to air battles over the railway, and passengers were cooing in the open air.
The official reports of the IWC do not mention it at all, the gauleiters modestly call it an “administrative building” and focus on fires and destruction from the blast wave in residential buildings and shopping malls.
Saudi Arabia cancels crude shipments to European customers
Saudi Arabia has informed its European customers of the cancellation of some crude oil shipments scheduled for loading in late September, Reuters reported citing three informed sources.
The world’s largest crude oil exporter closed its East-West pipeline following a strike targeting it last week (read detalied updates below), and faces challenges from the Yemeni Armed Forces’ advance in Yemen in the Red Sea area and continued shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, a Yemeni military source told al-Masirah TV that the Yemeni Armed Forces had carried out a targeted operation against Saudi troop concentrations, buildups, and reinforcements in the al-Jawf desert, north of the al-Kanais area.
The source said the operation followed sustained monitoring of Saudi forces and affiliated armed groups along the border and desert fronts, and that the strikes achieved direct hits after the targeted formations’ movements had been tracked and intelligence reconnaissance completed.
Houthis say ‘locally made surface-to-air missile’ brought down Saudi fighter jet
We have more updates from Houthis military spokesperson Yahya Saree, who claimed Houthi forces downed a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Yemeni territory.
“In the face of this brutal aggression against our country and people, the Yemeni armed forces – with God’s help and grace – were able to shoot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet while it was conducting hostile operations in support of its military buildup in the airspace of Marib governorate,” he said in a statement.
“The downing was achieved using a locally manufactured surface-to-air missile.”
After claiming to have shot down a Saudi jet, the Houthis say they also “engaged” two Saudi F-15s searching for the wreckage of the initially downed aircraft.
So far this week, Saudi jets have launched more than 450 strikes targeting Taiz, Lahj, al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Saada and al-Bayda, military spokesman Yahya Saree said. There have been civilian casualties, he added.
Saudi coalition intercepts, destroys drone headed for Mecca
Saudi Arabia says that a drone launched by the Houthis towards Mecca, Islam’s holiest site, has been intercepted and destroyed. A Houthi statement said claims that the group had targeted the city were a “nauseating lie”.
Saudi Arabia has said that a drone launched by the Houthis towards Mecca has been intercepted and destroyed, in an escalation that could threaten the holy city.
The Saudi-led coalition spokesperson, Turki al-Maliki, said Royal Saudi Air Defence Forces intercepted the hostile drone before it entered the restricted airspace on Tuesday evening.
Al-Maliki condemned the incident as an attempt to frighten worshippers and harm civilians, warning that the security of the two holy mosques and pilgrims is a “red line”.
The Houthis have previously denied targeting Mecca, saying that they do not target holy sites.
In a statement to Yemen’s SABA news agency on Tuesday, a Houthi military source strongly rejected the claim that Houthi forces pose a threat to the city of Mecca or other Islamic holy sites.
Saudi Arabia issued a security alert on Tuesday in the holy city of Mecca for the first time since the Houthis last attempted to target the sacred area in 2017.
The alert of potential danger in Mecca was swiftly lifted after a few minutes. The same alert was activated for Taif and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city.
Poland is reinforcing its northeastern flank near the Russian Kaliningrad region
Poland is reinforcing its northeastern flank and deploying a new batch of equipment to the 16th Mechanized Division, stationed near the Kaliningrad region, the Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania.
The new vehicles include South Korean K2 Black Panther tanks. As part of the rearmament effort, plans are in place to deploy up to 180 units of military hardware to this sector.
This comes after Germany decided to deploy new troops near the borders with Russia (see yesterday’s update below).
NATO jet shoots down suspected Russian drone over Lithuania
An Italian fighter jet flying for NATO has brought down what officials said was a suspected Russian drone in Lithuanian airspace.
According to Lithuania’s national crisis management centre, the drone entered the country’s airspace on Tuesday from Belarus and was shot down near the small settlement of Pratkunai in central Lithuania, just north of the country’s second-largest city, Kaunas.
Lithuania’s Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said on social media the drone was carrying an explosive. Debris from the device was being examined to determine if it was from Russia or another country.
The intervention by the Italian fighter jet demonstrated “the value of the Atlantic alliance” and “what it means to be an ally”, Kaunas said after meeting crews who were at the scene.
IDF chief floats legal action against ‘NAZA’ film, orders probe of leaked material
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Monday instructed the military’s top legal official to examine legal action against the film “NAZA” and those involved in it, saying it defamed the military, and separately ordered an investigation into the leaking of classified material used in its production.
His comments came shortly after IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin issued a statement inviting the documentary’s filmmakers to allow military officials to view the film in full so that the IDF could respond in a “substantive manner.” So far, the military has only reacted to clips of the movie posted online, and has not yet seen the full documentary.
The 80-minute film by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor — whose title is a Hebrew acronym meaning collateral damage — claims to explore AI-powered strikes by Israel in the Gaza Strip it alleges have led to civilian deaths, including testimonies from 24 purported Israeli intelligence soldiers. The film won a special jury prize this week at the Venice Film Festival, where it debuted.
Updates on September, 15, Breaking News in Video
Disastrous Pentagon Report on Operation Epic Fury vs Iran
A new Pentagon Inspector General Report revealed that Operation Epic Fury cost an estimated $33.4 billion between February 28 and June 30, 2026, leading to critical munitions shortages.
“Operation Epic Fury (OEF) was launched by U.S. forces on February 28, 2026, as a joint U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran. The operation was carried out through coordinated air, land, sea, cyber, and space capabilities,” the report maintained accxording to Al Manar Lebanese TV.
“Before the operation began, the United States had already strengthened its military presence and regional partnerships. Thousands of service members, fighter aircraft, refueling tankers, aircraft carriers, supplies, and intelligence assets were moved into the region. During the major combat phase from February 28 to April 7, U.S. forces reportedly struck about 13,500 targets and conducted approximately 36,000 combat sorties and more than 1,800 fire missions. Targets included missile bases, air defenses, command centers, naval facilities, weapons-storage sites, and parts of Iran’s defense industry.”
The Strait of Hormuz became a major focus of the operation because of its importance to international shipping and energy supplies, the Pentagon report added.
Pentagon watchdog says Iran war has led to munitions shortfall
«The Pentagon’s inspector general released its first report on the war with Iran, saying the conflict has resulted in a shortfall of U.S. munitions and “bottlenecks” in supply chains as the Trump administration works to replenish weaponry» NBC News confirmed.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied reports that the U.S. is running low on munitions.
The congressionally mandated report is one of the first public accountings from any government agency detailing the cost, scope and scale of the U.S. and Israel-led conflict to the U.S. military, the State Department and other agencies.
Dozens of aircraft, hundreds of buildings: US loss to Iran attacks revealed
The Pentagon watchdog has revealed that the United States lost dozens of aircraft, including at least 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones, and that hundreds of buildings and structures used by the US were damaged or destroyed by Iranian attacks during the conflict, Al Jazeera TV also reported.
Throughout the war – beginning with the US-Israel attacks on Iran in late February – Tehran has routinely bombed US bases and assets in the Gulf region. For most of those attacks, Gulf countries and Washington said the incoming strikes had been intercepted and thwarted.
The Pentagon’s report paints a picture of significant damage and losses running into millions of dollars to US forces and facilities in the region, far more than previously acknowledged.
“The conflict also affected U.S. diplomatic operations throughout the region. Iranian strikes damaged U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, with estimated damage of about $184 million. Approximately 3,500 diplomatic personnel were at some point on authorized or ordered departure or outside their posts. Several facilities, including U.S. diplomatic missions in Baghdad and Beirut, temporarily closed or suspended operations.”
“Protecting and evacuating American citizens became another major U.S. government responsibility,” the Pentagon report noted.
Germany sends troops to NATO-Russia border as WW3 fears explode
Germany is poised to send 1,000 soldiers to NATO’s eastern flank amid fears Russia could launch an attack or even an invasion into the Baltic states. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has ordered that the first compulsory assignments begin by the end of September, according to an exclusive report by the German newspaper BILD.
The move comes as Berlin races to establish a permanent military presence on NATO’s eastern flank. Germany plans to have 4,800 troops permanently stationed in Lithuania by the end of 2027 as part of its commitment to strengthen the alliance’s defences in the Baltic region. However, recruitment for the brigade has fallen far short of requirements, with only about 60% of the necessary posts filled by volunteers.
NATO Secretary General Rutte threatens Putin after an attack on a train close to Polish border
The Secretary General of the alliance, Mark Rutte, said:
“Yesterday’s attack on a passenger train in Ukraine shows how desperate Putin has become. He believes that he can prevent us from supporting Ukraine and undermine our unity. He’s wrong. Our response is to increase Ukraine’s support so that it has everything it needs for self—defense.”
It is not clear which train we are talking about, the Russian Armed Forces are methodically removing the railway infrastructure every day. Probably, the speech is about a “train” with Boris Johnson.
He added: “Russia continues to wage a brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, while incurring enormous losses — more than 40,000 people a month. Russia is experiencing difficulties in Ukraine and continues to launch reckless and dangerous attacks, including on civilian infrastructure facilities near NATO territory.”
Earlier, he and Zelensky talked about Russia’s losses of 30-35 thousand per month. It’s unclear where they got it from, but they repeat it regularly.
Ukrainian servicemen shot, tortured civilians in Kursk Region — human rights commissioner
Ukrainian servicemen tortured residents of the Kursk Region, shooting some of them right in their own homes, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova stated.
“When they [the Ukrainian troops] invaded the Kursk Region, more than 2,000 people found themselves in a terrible situation. Many civilians were shot in their homes. Elderly people were killed, and even children were murdered,” she said, displaying artifacts from her office at the “Historical Catastrophe: 21st-Century Neo-Nazism” exhibition.
Lantratova showed a trident-shaped branding iron used by Ukrainian servicemen to brand soldiers and civilians in the Kursk Region, just as the Nazis had branded Soviet soldiers during the Great Patriotic War.
She also demonstraited a drill bit that Ukrainian neo-Nazis used to drill into a clergyman’s legs. “A civilian woman recounted that after such torture, it took her a long time to learn to walk again,” the ombudswoman said.
NATO intelligence services find evidence linking Kiev to Leipzig incident
The intelligence agencies of NATO member states, having probed the circumstances of the “drone incident” in Leipzig, informed national authorities that there was no evidence of Russian involvement; on the contrary, they pointed to a “Ukrainian trace,” the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) press bureau said.
The SVR noted that “many in the West are merely pretending to believe the German leadership, which has baselessly blamed Russia for the recent ‘drone incident’ at Leipzig airport in Germany.”
“In public, the allies express complete solidarity with Berlin, which allegedly became a victim of a ‘Russian provocation.’ However, behind the scenes, things look quite different,” the statement pointed out.
“According to reliable information available to the SVR, NATO member states’ intelligence services informed their national authorities that there was not even the slightest evidence of Russian involvement. On the contrary, they pointed to numerous signs of a ‘Ukrainian trace.’ Government agencies were advised to refrain from making definitive, and certainly not public, statements about Moscow’s guilt,” the press bureau emphasized.
Updates on September, 13-14, Breaking News in Video
Israeli minister threatens to revoke filmmakers’ citizenship over Gaza film
Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar has said that he will move to revoke the citizenship of filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor after their documentary on Israel’s genocide in Gaza, NAZA, won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
In an X post on Sunday, Zohar called the documentary “vile” and its win at the film festival “shocking”. He accused the filmmakers of harming the country “just to get applause from antisemites around the world”.
The minister said that Abraham and Szor’s actions “constitute treason against the state” despite the contents were supported even by many UN reports…
“As culture minister, I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state,” he wrote.
Israeli insiders expose system behind mass killing in Gaza in new film
Testimony from 24 Israeli military and intelligence insiders has exposed the systems, policies, and surveillance methods used by the Israeli occupation to facilitate the mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, including AI-assisted targeting and strikes carried out despite the anticipated deaths of entire families.
The revelations feature in NAZA, a new documentary by Oscar-winning Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor that premiered Thursday at the Venice International Film Festival.
Produced by The Guardian, the film takes its title from an Israeli military acronym referring to civilians expected to be killed in an attack and examines how intelligence gathering, automated targeting, and predetermined civilian casualty estimates were incorporated into Israeli military operations in Gaza.
The interviewees include intelligence officers and soldiers directly involved in surveillance and remote targeting. Their identities were concealed, with interviews filmed at night on rooftops in Tel Aviv and participants’ appearances and voices digitally altered.
YAF strike King Khalid Air Base, vow wider response to Saudi attacks
The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) announced carrying out a large-scale and top-tier military operation targeting the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia, in response to the escalating Saudi aggression against Yemen.
In a statement issued on Monday, YAF spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the operation targeted military facilities and infrastructure across the base, including aircraft hangars, radars, runways, ammunition depots, and more.
The operation involved “dozens of ballistic missiles and drones,” the statement said, adding that the strikes achieved “precise and direct hits” and inflicted “significant losses” on the base.
Brigadier General Saree also said the operation came in response to more than 300 Saudi airstrikes launched over the previous five days using F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets. According to the statement, the strikes targeted most Yemeni provinces and were launched from the Khamis Mushait and Taif air bases.
Saudi Arabia has suspended its East-West oil pipeline after drone attacks
Saudi Arabia has suspended its East-West oil pipeline after drone attacks, cutting off the kingdom’s only crude export route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. It said this move was taken as a “precaution” and that the drone attack had originated from Iraq.
The pipeline shutdown comes as Gulf oil exports have already plummeted and maritime routes face new threats. With no restart date set, the impact on supplies to Europe and Asia will depend on the duration of the stoppage.
Iraq says the drone that targeted Saudi Arabia was launched from Maysan province. The local operations commander has been dismissed, while Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has ordered an investigation into those behind the attack.
Iran says it will meet representatives from Iraq and Gulf states in Oman on Monday to discuss safe shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz and what Tehran described as shared regional security.
US Central Command says it has redirected 99 commercial vessels as part of Washington’s blockade of Iran.
Yemen’s Houthis Attacks targeting Saudi energy facilities
Yemen’s Houthis have launched missiles and drones targeting Saudi energy facilities, including Aramco-linked facilities in Jizan.
Fires were reported, raising fresh concerns over regional energy security. But why does an attack on Saudi oil infrastructure matter to the world? Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s biggest oil producers. Any serious disruption to its energy infrastructure could impact global markets.
Here’s what the world could face: Higher oil & fuel prices: Higher transportation costs, More inflation pressure ,Greater risks for regional shipping- Pakistan has also condemned the attacks and called on Iran to help rein in the Houthis. However, Pakistan has not announced any immediate military action. If attacks continue, this could become more than a Middle East conflict — it could become a global energy and economic issue.
Russian drone strike hits train near Poland-Ukraine border
Russia launched a barrage of strikes on western Ukraine in the early hours of Sunday, hitting the engine of a passenger train near the border with Poland, according to Ukrainian Railways.
Ukrainian and Polish authorities said a separate drone attack caused two lorries to catch fire less than 1km (0.6 miles) from the Dorohusk-Yahodyn border crossing. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, described the attack as Vladimir Putin’s ‘terror knocking directly on the doors of the EU and Nato’
The Russian Armed Forces hit gas stations and trucks on the border of Ukraine and Poland at night
The Russian Armed Forces hit gas stations and trucks on the border of Ukraine and Poland at night.
The Poles warned earlier that the Russian Armed Forces plan to start working with logistics in western Ukraine in the coming days. Well, here we go. The main thing is every day and 2-3 months in a row.
“Systematic Hunt for Civilians’: Rosatom Chief Accuses Ukraine Over ZNPP Attacks to Nuclear Plant
Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev has accused Ukraine of carrying out attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and surrounding areas, claiming strikes have targeted the plant’s infrastructure, civilians and workers in Enerhodar.
He called nuclear safety an “absolute priority” and urged the IAEA to identify those responsible for the attacks.
Updates on September, 11, Breaking News in Video
Houthis take over Red Sea coastline expanding their grip over the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait
Yahya Saree, military spokesperson for the Houthis, says they have expelled Saudi-backed forces from six districts and that maritime navigation remains safe for all shipping companies except Saudi ships.
After seizing the crucial city of Mocha, the Houthis have taken control of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline, expanding their grip over the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait, one of the world’s most important trade routes.
Yemeni Houthis from the Ansar Allah movement occupied the port city of Moha on the west coast of Yemen
Yemeni Houthis from the Ansar Allah movement occupied the port city of Moha on the west coast of Yemen and expanded control over the islands in the Red Sea.
Among them are Perim (Miyun), located directly in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Zukar and the Hanish Islands. The Houthis held a military parade in Mokha.
Saudi-backed government forces are retreating to the south. The leadership of Ansar Allah offered amnesty to the fighters who would lay down their weapons, after which some units stopped resisting.
Bab el-Mandeb is of particular importance for shipments from the Persian Gulf: About 10-12% of world trade passes through it. After restrictions on movement through Hormuz, Saudi Arabia redirected part of its oil exports through the Red Sea, and now the Houthis have taken up positions directly along this route.
Yemeni army liberates Red Sea coast, kills 100s of Saudi mercenaries
The spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces says the country’s military units have taken control of hundreds of kilometers of land in the country’s strategic western provinces of Hudaydah and Ta’izz, and are making a rapid advance toward the vital Bab al-Mandab Strait in a major blow to Saudi-backed mercenaries.
Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced in a televised statement on Friday afternoon that Yemeni troops and allied fighters from popular committees could drive Saudi-sponsored mercenary forces out of six districts in both provinces, and purge 5,400 square kilometers of land of the militants.
He noted that the gains were made as part of a large-scale military operation, dubbed “Allah is stronger in might and stronger in inflicting punishment.”
Saree went on to say that Yemeni Armed Forces and their allies also defeated seven divisions of Saudi-backed mercenary forces, composed of 38 brigades, killing and wounding hundreds of militants and taking many more as captives.
Furthermore, the Yemeni forces liberated a large number of prisoners who were being kept in inhumane conditions in detention facilities overseen by Saudi mercenaries.
The building of the Kyivstar division was hit in Kiev
The building of the Kyivstar division was hit in Kiev. The blow was confirmed by Zelensky.
It is reported that a Geran-4 jet UAV was used for the attack. Local services are trying to eliminate the consequences of the impact.
Hormuz Shipping Traffic Falls to Single Digits
Vessel transits at the Strait of Hormuz fell to seven on Thursday from 11 the previous day, well below the 10-day average of 15, Reuters reported on Friday, citing preliminary ship-tracking data.
Of the seven vessels, two Panamax ships exited the strait, one carrying fertiliser and the other sailing in ballast, according to data from ship tracker Kpler as of 0306 GMT.
Five vessels entered the strait, including a Panamax vessel carrying dry bulk cargo, a Handysize vessel laden with steel, a Handysize vessel carrying grains, a medium-range tanker loaded with dirty petroleum products, and a Supramax vessel carrying dry bulk cargo.
Monument with the names of Bandera was destroyed in Poland
Monument with the names of Bandera was destroyed in Poland
Polish MEP Grzegorz Brown demolished an obelisk for UPA supporters* on the border with Ukraine.
“This obelisk insults the memory of Poles who became victims of genocide,” he said.
UPA is a neonazi extremist organization banned in Russia.
Updates on September, 9, Breaking News in Video
US warships pushed away 400km from Strait of Hormuz amid ‘severe attrition’: IRGC
The United States lacks the capacity to maintain a long-term military presence in West Asia, the spokesman for the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says, noting that American warships have been forced to retreat 400 kilometers from the Strait of Hormuz amid severe logistical and morale attrition, Iranian Press Tv reported.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi said the US military is facing unsustainable wear and tear on both its personnel and naval assets, rendering its current posture in the region untenable.
“The US certainly will not be able to continue this situation for a long time, as it faces severe attrition, both in terms of the morale of its military forces in the region and its weapons and warships.”
He said naval deployments require massive logistical undertakings, and the financial and operational costs are becoming unbearable for Washington in the face of Iran’s asymmetric deterrence.
IRGC says maritime restricted zone to extend into Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea
An IRGC spokesperson says a restricted area extending from Chabahar in Iran into parts of the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea will be announced.
Any ship that passes through the area will be sanctioned, he said, adding that its exact coordinates will be announced.
His comments come after Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was quoted by state media on Sunday as saying Iran would establish a restricted zone outside the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days.
The vessel traffic in the main Strait of Oil routes – Al Jazeera map
Iran strikes two US destroyers with ballistic missiles
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reported successful ballistic missile strikes on two US destroyers.
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Airspace Forces carried out a ballistic missile attack on the DDG-119 and DDG-53 warships, equipped with Aegis systems and cruise missiles, as part of an operation,” the IRGC said in a statement cited by Iran’s state broadcaster.
According to the statement, the strikes inflicted significant damage on the ships.
Marandi: Iran’s capture of US vessel signals new phase of war
Iran’s reported capture of a US unmanned underwater vessel in the Strait of Hormuz demonstrates the country’s growing electronic warfare capabilities and could mark a new and more intense phase of the war, Iranian academic and political analyst Dr. Mohammad Marandi revealed.
Speaking on Al Mayadeen’s The Grand Standoff: Iran and the World, Marandi described the seizure of the vessel as a “major achievement”, arguing that its capture intact showed Iran’s ability to penetrate highly advanced US technology and could use the equipment to further develop its own capabilities.
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on Tuesday that its forces captured a US unmanned underwater vehicle at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, in a “complex intelligence and military effort” carried out at dawn.
“The very fact that the Iranians were able to capture it intact shows that US technology is not as good as it is presented to us as being,” Marandi stressed.
VIDEO – Iran captures unmanned US submarine as sea warfare intensifies
The IRGC says its naval forces “trapped one of the most modern, intelligent, unmanned submarines of the terrorist US army at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz”.
Iranian state media identified the vessel as a Dive-LD – an autonomous underwater vehicle built by California-based defence firm Anduril Industries.
The submersible, about six metres (20 feet) long, is designed for long-duration missions such as surveillance, seabed mapping, and mine detection. The US said the vessel “malfunctioned a day ago”.
U.S. forces launched a series of strikes on five Iranian oil tankers overnight
Overnight, US forces in the region launched a series of strikes on five Iranian oil tankers — four in the Gulf of Oman and one off Kharq Island. According to the Pentagon, this is a response to two attempts by the IRGC in the last 48 hours to hit an American warship with ballistic missiles; the crews of the ships were ordered to abandon decks, tankers were disabled.
In response, the Iranians launched about 20 ballistic missiles at the Muwaffaq al-Salti base in Jordan, where American forces are stationed. The Jordanian army announced the interception of 18 rockets, two more fell in deserted areas. According to official data, there are no casualties or serious damage.
Why US-Iran war over Hormuz is threatening the Gulf’s waters
The war on Iran is increasingly being fought at sea, with both sides targeting oil tankers and other vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
The tit-for-tat attacks have turned Hormuz into a potential environmental tinderbox. With tankers carrying millions of barrels of crude and petroleum products passing through or waiting around the waterway, a successful strike could trigger a fire, a sinking – or a major oil spill.
“Sensitive habitats such as coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds and coastal sediments may retain pollutants for much longer,” Hussein Samh Al Masroori, associate professor at Sultan Qaboos University, told Al Jazeera.
He says that oil and petroleum hydrocarbons can directly affect fish, corals, plankton and other marine organisms. Fish eggs and larvae can be particularly vulnerable.
Wafaa Akila: Eight-year-old Gaza girl killed by Israel on first day of school
Sunday was the first day of school for eight-year-old Wafaa Akila. Wafaa never made it home. She was killed alongside her father by an Israeli strike on their car in western Gaza. Israel says it was targeting a ‘Hamas militant.’
Updates on September, 5-6, Breaking News in Video
IRGC ballistic missile retaliation forces US aircraft carrier, destroyer to flee. And struck 3 US Oil Tanks
In the cover image: a frame grab footage captured on September 5, 2026 shows the immediate aftermath of a strike by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy against a vessel in retaliation for earlier American attacks on Iranian tankers and the screenshot of the CENTCOM VIDEO on US Military attacks on Iranian oil tankers
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Aerospace Force has launched several ballistic missiles at a US aircraft carrierand an American destroyer participating in Washington’s illegal naval blockade against the Islamic Republic, forcing the vessels to flee, Iranian Press TV reported.
Only USS George Washington aircraft carrier is near the Persian Gulf at the moment.
Lieutenant-Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said on Saturday that the Iranian armed forces would respond more forcefully if the US military continued its “acts of aggression,” creating insecurity and harassing Iranian ships, or maintained its naval blockade of Iran.
He added that the Iranian armed forces would target US military vessels in the region “more severely than before” if Washington persisted with such actions.
The force staged the reprisal against the vessels “belonging to the child-killing, aggressor US military that had been harassing Iranian vessels and participating in the blockade,” the Corps said in a statement on Saturday.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy announces striking three United States-linked vessels and three trespassing oil tankers in retaliation for earlier American attacks on Iranian tankers.
“This morning, the terrorist and aggressor US military, in a brutal act born of desperation from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, attacked three oil tankers belonging to the Islamic Republic, causing damage,” the force said in a statement on Saturday.
In response, “the fighters of the IRGC Navy targeted three oil tankers traveling along an unauthorized route through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as three vessels affiliated with the child-killing United States, in other areas,” it added.
Al Jazeera confirmed the issues:
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it attacked three US-affiliated vessels and three oil tankers using an “unauthorised” route in the Strait of Hormuz.
The claim came after the US military said it struck and destroyed three Iranian crude oil tankers in retaliation for attacks on US warships.
In an exclusive video released a few hours earlier, the IRGC showed it had continuous surveillance of naval traffic and its sights set on US-linked vessels moving in the Strait of Hormuz (watch video in the previous update below).
According to Central Command (CENTCOM) reports, an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer intercepted and avoided the attack, immediately taking offensive action, striking three Iranian vessels.
According to the Pentagon, the vessels were part of a multibillion-dollar covert financial network used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to support proxy militias in the area.
Iran condemns US attacks on oil tankers as violation of international law
«The US has targeted an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island with four projectiles, further escalating Washington’s terrorist aggression against Iran» Iranian Press TV reported.
Several explosions were heard on Saturday from the direction of the Persian Gulf in the area around Kharg Island, according to reports from the island.
A local source said an Iranian tanker was struck about six nautical miles from the island after being targeted by four projectiles fired by US forces. The attack caused no casualties, while the tanker’s crew was evacuated from the vessel.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it «struck three Iranian oil tankers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships»
US Central Command says one of the tankers – the M/T Kylo – has sunk in the Gulf of Oman, joining “Iran’s navy at the bottom of the sea”.
If it were true, it would represent yet another war crime for an attack on a civilian ship with consequent environmental disaster due to the spill of crude oil into the sea… Precisely for this reason it seems that this statement is unreliable.
The attack comes as the US has intensified its aggression against Iran in recent days, carrying out strikes on several locations across the country. On Monday, US armed forces attacked Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, martyring three people.
On Tuesday, US missile strikes hit three locations near Ahvaz and Aghajari in Khuzestan Province, martyring seven people and wounding eight others, according to Khuzestan provincial officials.
On the same day, US forces struck a residential building in Kuhestak in Hormozgan Province while a wedding reception was taking place, martyring at least five people and wounding 68 others, including women and children.
In response to the attacks, Iran’s Armed Forces launched a series of retaliatory missile and drone strikes against US military positions in Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned that any continuation of US military aggression would trigger “heavier, broader and more devastating responses,” while cautioning countries cooperating with the US military that they would face the consequences.
‘US escort is a big lie’: IRGC unveils previously unreleased footage of decisive action against non-compliant vessels
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has unveiled previously unreleased footage of its decisive action against non-compliant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, debunking the United States’ allegations of effectively supporting trespassing vessels’ transit through the waterway, according to Iranian Press TV.
On Saturday, the Corps unveiled the footage displaying “decisive management of the waterway” by its Navy.
The footage initially featured short clips of US President Donald Trump, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper respectively claiming the strait to be “open,” alleging Washington’s “control” over the waterway, and the American military’s having cleared the mines that have been planted to prevent illegal passage through the chokepoint.
Afterwards, it showed the IRGC Navy conducting close surveillance of and surgically engaging non-compliant vessels on several occasions.
The vessel traffic in the main Strait of Oil routes – Al Jazeera map
The Corps accompanied release of the footage with a firm warning to vessels relying on the US’s claims of the waterway being “open” and Washington’s allegations of being able to provide effective escorts for illegal transit through the route.
Updates on September, 4, Breaking News in Video
Russian Drone hit Ukrainian Security Service headquarters in central Kiev
Members of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) argue with their colleagues from the GRU military intelligence and shoot each other, demonstrating a lack of cooperation and concern for national security (video in the previous updates below).
So Russia would have take advantage of the situation to strike the SBU headquarters in Kiev with likely a drone. Although no official confirmation or admission of the attack has come so far from the Russian Ministry of Defense
According to Ukrainian media and specialized sources, citing sources within the agency, the target of the precision strike was the office of the acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Oleksandr Poklad.
A kamikaze drone crashed into the roof and exploded right inside the target room. General Poklad was not in the building on Volodymyrska Street at the time of the attack, thus managing to escape elimination.
“The commander of the SBU (the intelligence agency whose headquarters in Kiev was hit today by an alleged Russian UAV – ed), Oleksandr Poklad, reported on preparations for our active response to the Russian attacks. The geographic scope of our response has been defined. The right moment will be chosen to ensure concrete results.”
Even though the Russian news agency TASS reported only a mysterious explosion as confirmed by Zelensky in the first statement.
«An explosion rocked the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) headquarters in central Kiev, Vladimir Zelensky reported» Tass wrote.
According to a post on his Telegram channel, the explosion occurred near the office of the SBU director, a position currently held by Alexander Poklad. Zelensky reacted to the explosion immediately; the post on his Telegram channel appeared just seconds after the first reports of the explosion appeared on Ukrainian media Telegram channels. The head of the Kiev regime added that he had already spoken with Poklad.
SBU headquarters in Kiev on fire
Ukrainian media outlets are publishing photos of the scene showing thick smoke rising above the building. The SBU headquarters is located in the heart of Kiev. The four-story building has an attic extension and occupies an entire city block.
Israel kills 3 in Gaza as far-right minister plans for Palestinian removals
Israeli attacks have killed at least three people and injured several others across Gaza, as Israeli officials push a plan calling for the removal of Palestinians from the Strip, Al Mayadeen Lebanese TV reported.
An Israeli drone strike on Thursday in the Rimal neighbourhood of western Gaza City killed one person and injured several others, medical sources told Al Jazeera reporters on the ground.
The Palestinian Wafa news agency said the Israeli drone had fired at least two missiles at a group of civilians in the neighbourhood.
Separately, two Palestinians were killed and others were injured in the northern town of Beit Lahia when Israeli forces opened fire at a group of Palestinians, Wafa reported (more details in the yesterday’s updates).
The video of previous deadly IDF attack below
The Israeli military meanwhile claimed that its forces had identified two “terrorists who crossed the Yellow Line” in northern Gaza, who they then “eliminated in order to remove the threat they posed”. The so-called Yellow Line is a buffer zone within Gaza established as part of the “ceasefire”.
The ongoing Israeli attacks come despite a United States-brokered “ceasefire” that came into effect in October. Although major fighting halted in the strip after the agreement, deadly Israeli strikes have continued.
While Israeli attacks continue, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir revealed on Thursday a plan for the removal of the roughly two million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip within seven years.
Israeli strike kills 3-year-old child in Gaza
On augus, 30, 2026 a deadly Israeli strike on Deir el-Balah killed two Palestinians including a 3-year-old child.
Their deaths come amid near-daily Israeli attacks despite the so-called ceasefire, with at least 1,303 Palestinians killed and 4,336 injured since it began.
FOX NEWS – Pentagon to Keep 50,000 Troops Deployed in Middle East Deep into 2027
️Pentagon to Keep 50,000 Troops Deployed in Middle East Deep into 2027
Secretary of US Department of War Pete Hegseth is extending military deployments in the Middle East into 2027,with around 50,000 US troops and 19 warships to remain in the region.
Zelensky Promises to Fire Deputy Heads of GUR and SBU After Recent Kiev Shootout
A shootout between two of Ukraine’s top intelligence agencies has wounded at least three security officials, highlighting internal divisions within Kyiv’s security establishment.
️ Zelensky Promises to Fire Deputy Heads of GUR and SBU after the incident.
Ukrainian outlets report that one of the SBU officers involved in the shootout has been charged with abuse of office, while a GUR serviceman faces charges of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.
The slow-motion footage shows one of the GUR servicemen pulling a pistol from his holster and pointing it at the SBU officer — who immediately responds with a burst of gunfire to the legs.
Ukrainian Naval Drone destroyed in Sochi, NATO weapons store WIPED near Kiev
1st Footage – Ukrainian naval drone destroyed during attack on Sochi port
While no critical infrastructure is visible in this footage, the video was initially published by Ukrainian channels. This highlights how quickly the Kiev army scrapes social media, including local district chats.
2nd footage – Leaked footage from the aftermath of the devestated NATO weapons store close to Kiev
It’s now believed more than 40 died when the Russians struck the depot, situated in the middle of a residential area
Updates on September, 3, Breaking News in Video
SHOCKING VIDEO – At Least 3 US Troops Killed in Jordan Base in IRGC Retaliation. Their corpses Burned
The IRGC said its Aerospace Force launched on Wednesday a heavy ballistic missile attack against a US Marine Corps barracks in Jordan in response to the aggression on Sirik wedding cerimony.
The IRGC said the missile strikes killed a large number of US forces, at least 3 dead and 30 injured according Western media too, and destroyed several important facilities and attack helicopters at the base.
As shown in the video shared by Middle Report on Instagram, the barracks were engulfed in a terrible fire and it is feared that the bodies of the deceased were burned by the flames.
The IRGC has accused the United States of a long-standing “dark record” of attacks on wedding gatherings, demanding that US leaders answer to the international public for repeated aggression against civilians, IRIB reported.
According to the statement, the attack was carried out during the second wave of an operation named “Punishment of the Aggressor,” under the religious code “Ya Rasul Allah (PBUH).”
The IRGC identified the targeted facility as Camp Titin, located on the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba as we reported in the yesterday’s updates below…
Iran says it targeted Kuwait, UAE over US military support
Iran says it has attacked bases in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates “in response to America’s crimes against the Iranian people”.
Kuwait has condemned the repeated Iranian attacks on the country, describing them as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and a direct threat to its security and stability.
VIDEO – “Horrific, appalling”: Iran urges UN Security Council to condemn deadly US attack on wedding ceremony
Iran has called on the UN Security Council to condemn an unprovoked and deadly US attack on a residential home hosting a wedding ceremony in southern Islamic Republic that led to the martyrdom of five civilians, including a four-year-old child, and injured more than 70 others.
Gholamhossein Darzi, the Islamic Republic’s ambassador and chargé d’affaires to the United Nations, made the appeal in a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the president of the Security Council on Wednesday following a new wave of such American strikes targeting southern Iranian cities, which together claimed the lives of at least 18 people and wounded 108 others.
Guided-glide munition ‘most likely’ used in deadly Iran wedding attack. IRGC vows Revenge
The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has said that the blood of those killed in a US attack on a wedding ceremony in Kouhestak, Hormozgan Province, “will never go unanswered” and that it will ultimately “catch up with those who ordered and carried out this heinous crime.”, Iranian Press TV wrote.
State media reports debris recovered from a home attacked in southern Iran during a wedding celebration was “most likely” from a US-made, AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon – a guided-glide munition, Al Jazeera has reported.
Broadcaster IRIB said images released by US Central Command of attacks in southern Iran showed a F/A-18 Super Hornet loaded with a similar munition.
The targeted house was 200 metres (650 feet) from a communications tower, and the strike could not have been an error given the munition’s accuracy, reports said.
Iranian Shahed-136 drone striking a radar installation at the U.S. naval facility in Bahrain
Footage circulating online allegedly shows an Iranian Shahed-136-type drone striking a radar installation at the U.S. naval facility in Bahrain, home to the Fifth Fleet, on September, 2, 2026 (more details in the yesterday updates).
Iran claims it targeted U.S. military infrastructure, while Bahrain says its air defenses intercepted Iranian drones. The exact impact and extent of damage remain independently unconfirmed. The attack is confirmed. The specific “direct hit on Fifth Fleet HQ” claim is not yet independently verified.
Israeli forces storm West Bank town in sweeping raids
Israeli forces stormed the town of Sebastia in the occupied West Bank at dawn on Thursday amid heavy military deployment and sweeping house-to-house raids, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Local sources cited by the agency reported that the Israeli forces brought military reinforcements into the town before raiding several homes and arresting people.
The sources said that Israeli forces also stormed the village of Asira al-Qibliya, south of Nablus, and deployed across several neighbourhoods, while additional forces raided the village of Duma, south of the governorate.
Two Palestinians martyred as Israeli forces escalate West Bank raids
Two Palestinians were martyred on Wednesday evening after being shot by the Israeli occupation forces during clashes with Palestinian youths in the village of al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, as the occupation continued to impose a tight siege on the village.
Earlier, three Palestinians were injured after Israeli settlers attacked al-Mughayyir, assaulting homes and surrounding several houses in the western part of the village under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.
The Palestinian Information Center reported that settlers had surrounded several homes in western al-Mughayyir while being protected by Israeli occupation forces.
Below a previous video on Palestinian families besieged by Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank village
Summoning of German Charge d’Affaires to the Russian Foreign Ministry
German Charge d’Affaires in Moscow Bernd Finke was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry amid anti-Russian actions and statements by German authorities.
He left the ministry building an hour later, a TASS correspondent reported.
On September 2, German Charge d’Affaires in Moscow, Bernd Finke, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, according to a message posted on the Foreign Ministry’s Telegram channel.
He was summoned amid anti-Russian actions and statements by German authorities.
Finke was told that Russia resolutely rejects Germany’s completely trumped-up accusations regarding the incident in Leipzig, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement (read more details in the yesterday updates on escalation)
The decision to close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin was a step “towards the final destruction” of relations between Russia and Germany, the Foreign Ministry noted.
– Berlin deliberately carried out a provocation aimed at escalating bilateral relations, the Ministry emphasized.
The devastating impact on a warehouse complex by Russian strike in Ukraine
In the village of Pohreby, Brovary District, surveillance cameras captured the moment of the devastating impact on a warehouse complex. According to the Kyiv military administration, eight people were injured, with serious blast injuries.
Authorities report that that same morning on August, 31, 2026, Russian drones also struck warehouses in the Bukha and Boryspil districts, setting fires in several places.
This is the fifth consecutive day of attacks in Kyiv Oblast. Local sources speak of large-scale retail stores; authorities only vaguely confirm that “storage depots” were among the targets hit. The exact type of weapon used in the attack has not yet been revealed, but judging by the images, the impact was of considerable force.
The attack on Pohreby is part of an intensification of long-range attacks by both sides. At the same time, Russia repeatedly struck Kyiv and the surrounding oblast over consecutive nights.
VIDEO – French-Italian “Mambas” won’t change Ukraine battlefield situation
Excerpts by Ahmed Adel originally published on VT UnCensored Foreign Policy
Italian media report plans to sell four batteries of the newest SAMP/T NG system, also known as “Mamba,” to Ukraine, claiming its performance rivals or even surpasses that of the American Patriot system in some respects. However, these new missile and air defense system deliveries to Ukraine are unlikely to significantly impact the battlefield. Rather, they are primarily aimed at enabling Western countries and their military industries to profit.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO – The Brave1 Litvar Super Drone during an Ukrainian Test
Brave1 is a Ukraninian government initiative aimed at developing defence technologies, implemented by the Innovation Development Fund and initiated by relevant state authorities and components of Ukraine’s security and defence sector. Initially, it was a grant program for defence startups. We have already become the largest angel investor in Ukrainian defence tech, having issued over 750 grants amounting to 3.7 billion UAH.
In this exclusive video shared on YouTube by UATV Espanol lift the veil of secrecy for the first time on the latest development in the Ukrainian defense industry: the unique “Litavr” interceptor drone from F-Drones, created specifically for the cost-effective and efficient hunting of enemy kamikaze drones like the “Shahed.”
Thanks to the BRAVE1 defense cluster, Kiev army gained unprecedented access to this fully encrypted technology,capable of speeds up to 350 km/h, operating at altitudes up to 9,000 meters, and automatically locking onto targets using the Pixel Lock (Last Mile)
What is Iran’s Castle Breaker missile, used against US bases?
Castle Breaker is a medium-range ballistic missile which has been developed by the IRGC as part of its wider range of missiles.
It is one of Iran’s newer medium-range missile systems, with a range of roughly 1,450km (901 miles), with a payload range (warhead capacity) of 449kg to 590kg (990 pounds to 1,300 pounds).
Kuwait condemns Iranian attack on Saudi tanker
Kuwait has also condemned and denounced the Iranian attack on a tanker belonging to Saudi Arabia, calling it a “heinous” attack that violated international law and is a “direct threat to the security of maritime navigation, its safety, and global energy supplies”.
In a statement, the country’s foreign ministry emphasised the need to immediately halt all “escalatory actions”.
Iranian official rejects US claims denying it targets civilians
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has rejected US CENTCOM’s position that the US does not target civilians.
He has also described a deadly US attack on a wedding celebration in the south of the country as a “war crime”.
“Apparently, he [CENTCOM spokesperson] has forgotten his own military record: Kakarak in 2002, Mukaradeeb in 2004, and Deh Bala and Wech Baghtu in 2008 – documented US attacks in Afghanistan and Iraq that resulted in the deaths of civilians, including women and children,” Baghaei wrote on X.
“He has forgotten something else as well: even Homeland, an American-produced television series, portrayed, in its fourth season, a US drone strike on a wedding in Pakistan – an attack that killed around 40 civilians.
Escalation Russia- Germany: Shutdown of consulate despite Moscow denied involvement in a Drone Incident
The German government has decided to shut down Russia’s consulate general in Bonn from September 18 over an early August drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said.
Russian Ambassador to Germany Sergey Nechayev strongly rejected Berlin’s allegations of Moscow’s involvement in the incident as unfounded and absurd.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said serious allegations must be backed up by evidence, accusing Germany of continuing “down the path of escalation”.
I believe this is another gross mistake. And, in my opinion, it clearly goes against the interests of the German people,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said, asked about it during a press conference broadcast by the Russian news agency Tass.
“Any military facility in Ukraine is a legitimate target for us. British ones, or any other,” Putin reiterated.
Staff of the Russian consulate in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin, along with their family members, are to leave Germany as part of measures taken by the country’s authorities following a drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport, the Russian embassy said in a comment.
According to the diplomatic mission, “the German authorities blamed Russia for preparing an act of sabotage without providing any evidence or arguments.”
The embassy specified that Berlin had decided to shut down the Russian consulate in Bonn by September 18, 2026, and end the 2011 German-Russian intergovernmental agreement on cultural and information centers, effectively paving the way for the closure of the Russian House of Science and Culture in Berlin.
Germany will transfer IRIS-T missiles and thousands of drones to Ukraine under the pretext of the “incident” in Leipzig
Germany will transfer IRIS-T missiles and thousands of drones to Ukraine under the pretext of the “incident” in Leipzig
The German government has announced a new package of military assistance to Kiev. In September, Ukraine will receive additional missiles for the IRIS-T air defense systems, as well as several thousand attack drones.
In addition, Berlin intends to strengthen cooperation with Kiev through the special services, the N-tvchannel reports. The reason for the tightening position was the incident with the drone at the airport Leipzig/Halle in early August, for which Germany, officially laid the responsibility on Russia.
2 Polish military factories of drones production for the Kiev regime burned down at once
In the city of Skarzysko Kamenna, a fire broke out at the factory of the defense concern WB Electronics, the largest private manufacturer of military equipment in Poland.
The company produces FlyEye reconnaissance drones, structural composites and Warmate barrage ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And in Lublin, the Krasny Rooster pecked at a plant producing composite materials for military aviation, whose products were also used to produce UAVs supplied to Ukraine.
Powerful explosions rocked an ammunition depot in Azerbaijan
Powerful explosions rocked an ammunition depot in Azerbaijan.
Residents of the village of Nizami heard explosions and saw a bright glow overnight. Shells scattered hundreds of meters, and residents of nearby villages were evacuated. There are no reports of casualties yet.
IRGC: “We attacked the US commander’s residence in Kuwait”
“We attacked the US commander’s residence at Ali Al Salem Air Base, as well as the drone hangar and a drone launch pad in Kuwait. Several enemy personnel were killed, and several drones were destroyed at the base.”
The IRGC declared this after also attacking US targets in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and the Kurdish city of Erbil, Iraq.
Iran claims attacks on US bases in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq
«The Iranian Armed Forces launched a massive response to the US aggression on the Islamic Republic on Tuesday, firing a large number of ballistic missiles on US Marines barracks in Jordan, killing a large number of American soldiers» Al Manar Lebanese TV has reported.
IRGC issued a statement affirming that the attack came in response to the US massacre against the civilians in Sirik area, stressing that the Iranian response will continue.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claims it has launched a “heavy” ballistic missile attack on Prince Hassan airbase and a US Marine base in Jordan in response to earlier US strikes that killed civilians.
Bahrain has condemned “treacherous Iranian air attacks” saying its forces destroyed a number of incoming projectiles. “Iran continues its systematic aggression through its heinous attacks targeting civilians in the Kingdom of Bahrain,”its military said in a statement.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei says Iran’s armed forces have “unforgettable lessons” in store for Washington, in his first message since the US and Tehran restarted attacks.
IRGC: Ballistic missiles struck Camp Titin, near ports od Aqaba and Eliat in Red Sea
The IRGC said its forces targeted Camp Titin, a facility belonging to the US Marine Corps in Jordan, with ballistic missiles.
«According to the IRGC, the strike resulted in the deaths of a large number of US forces stationed at the camp. It also said several important facilities and attack helicopters were destroyed in the attack» Al Mayadeen Lebanese TV has reported.
The IRGC did not provide a specific figure for the number of US personnel it said were killed or give further details about the extent of the damage.
Iranian news agency Tasnim described Camp Titin as being located in a strategically important position at the northern end of the Red Sea, near the ports of Aqaba and Eilat.
The agency said the camp is located a short distance from the Saudi border and is suitable for US Marine Corps training and the protection of maritime infrastructure.
Tasnim said Camp Titin has particular importance for the US Marine Corps and for the rapid deployment of forces.
Senior IRGC official tells Arab states to expel US forces or face strikes
IRGC political deputy General Yadollah Javani has addressed Arab countries, demanding they either expel US forces or face a crushing military response.
“It is better to expel the Americans from your countries and take back the bases,”Javani said in a statement published by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
He warned that Iran’s military has proven that it will retaliate decisively from any staging point used for attacks against Iran, specifically naming Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.
Trump Murdered othe 11 Civilians in US Missile Attacks
Eleven people have been killed in US missile attacks in Iran, including at least four at a wedding celebration in the southern city of Sirik, and seven others in strikes across three locations in Khuzestan province, according to Iranian state media.
The Israeli military intercepted a “suspicious aerial target” in northern Israel after warning sirens were sounded. No injuries were reported.
The Israeli military launched two air strikes on the outskirts of Kfar Reman and Arab Salim in southern Lebanon, our correspondents on the ground reported.
OIL Prices Rose and Global bonds hit multi-decade highs for second day amid US-Iran conflict
Oil prices rose on Wednesday, with Brent crude futures rising 87 cents, or 0.92 percent, to $95.52 a barrel, following the latest exchange of attacks between the US and Iran.
Government bonds sold off sharply on Wednesday, driving borrowing costs to multi-decade highs as the US and Iran trade blows, raising energy prices and inflation fears, according to Reuters.
It was the second day of the market rout, which began after a US strike on Larak Island triggered the latest round of escalation.
The conflict pushed up energy prices, feeding investor fears about inflation and mounting government debt. Consequently, the 10-year government bond hit a near three-year high in the US, a 30-year high in Japan, and a 15-year high in Australia, while prices for German and French 10-year bonds fell to multi-year or record lows.
Because bonds served as benchmarks for broader borrowing, their rise made mortgages more expensive and increased funding costs for governments.
VIDEO – Moment US strikes on Iranian port city hit wedding party Killing at least 4 People, including a child
Iran says a series of US strikes near its southern port city of Sirik has killed at least four people, including a child at a wedding party. The Health Ministry said 50 others were wounded in the attacks.
Watch the moment the strike hits below:
Updates on AUGUST, 26, Breaking News in Video
Iran says Hormuz remains closed despite Oman route deal
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi says the Strait of Hormuz remains closed despite a temporary transit agreement with Oman, insisting that Washington must return to its commitments under the memorandum of understanding before the waterway is fully opened.
US President Donald Trump says that all mines have been cleared and detonated from the strait’s international waters and that Tehran has received warnings that any ships laying new mines will be “destroyed”.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs details a temporary arrangement between the Islamic Republic and Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz, while asserting that reopening of the waterway hinges on realization of Tehran’s demands, according to Iranian Press TV.
Remarking on Tuesday, Kazem Gharibabadi detailed the arrangement that he identified as tentative pending establishment of a “permanent route” during further negotiations between the two sides that are expected to take between 30 and 60 days.
Iran closed the chokepoint following the launch of the latest bout of unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the country on February 28.
According to Gharibabadi, under the arrangement involving Iran and Oman, the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz will be closed. As part of its violations of the MoU, the US would try to illegally escort vessels through the southern route that runs along the Omani coastline.
Oman has accepted the closure, the official said, adding that the move would be communicated to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Under the arrangement, “vessels entering the Persian Gulf will use Iranian waters, while vessels leaving the Persian Gulf will use Omani territorial waters,” the senior diplomat stated. “Vessels would pass through Iranian waters in both directions,” he added.
He described the arrangement as functioning “like a two-way highway,” with a total width of approximately seven nautical miles.
Gharibabadi stressed that the arrangement agreed with with Oman does not mean that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened immediately. He said the issue of the arrangement and the question of reopening the strait were separate matters.
Israeli forces raid UNRWA training centre in East Jerusalem, raise Israeli flag
Israeli far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvircelebrated after Israeli forces raided a facility operated by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, in occupied East Jerusalem, expelling employees and hoisting an Israeli flag in the courtyard.
UNRWA and experts say it is a direct breach of international law.
But after the previous bombings of various UNRWA offices and the massacres of UN officials in Palestine, UN Secretary General António Guterres (who earns $227,000 a year) and his other well-paid aides should stop clowning around on the world stage, resign, or intervene with severe sanctions against Israel and the US, which since 2023 have been protecting Israel’s genocide, as confirmed by dozens of UN reports.
It would be enough to put a resolution to a vote in the General Assembly, bypassing the Security Council, where the US continues to exercise its vote. But the real problem is that many Western countries, including Italy, have effectively protected the massacre committed by Zionists in the Holy Land to speculate on the weapons market.
«Israeli so-called National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced on Tuesday the start of operations to dismantle a vocational training center run by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, in the East Al-Quds (Jerusalem) area of Kafr Aqab, near the Qalandiya refugee camp»Al Manar Lebanese TV pointed out.
“Large forces of Israel Police are working together with the relevant authorities to realize the law and get UNRWA out of the area,”Ben Gvir said in a statement.
“An organization whose workers were involved in terrorism, and which served as a front for Hamas time after time, has no right to exist for even another second, and has no place in Jerusalem and the State of Israel.”
Footage from Palestinian media shows Ben Gvir on the scene with Israeli occupation forces at the UNRWA facility.
The Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem Governorate said Israeli forces ordered UNRWA employees to exit the facility and not return.
Ben Gvir’s announcement comes after the Israeli occupation authorities’ Jerusalem municipality this month greenlit a plan to build a road and an “educational complex” over the 82-dunam area.
Explosion in Ammo Depot in Pishchanka, Ukraine, Kills One and Injures 11
An explosion occurred in Pishchanka, Samar District, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, killing one person. Another 11 people were injured.
Oleksandr Hanzha, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, reported on the consequences of the incident.
The explosion destroyed three private homes. Another 15 houses sustained varying degrees of damage. But according to Russian sources the huge blast happened inside an ammunition depot.
People who were near the epicenter at the time of the explosion were evacuated to a safer location. Access to the hazardous area was temporarily restricted.
Investigators, forensic experts, and other specialized services are working at the site of the explosion in Pishchanka. Oleksandr Hanzha did not specify the cause of the blast, but described the incident as a war crime.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to sign long-delayed agreements with five oil refineries, unlocking more than $6 billion in planned upgrades to modernize aging plants and cut reliance on fuel imports, officials said. But industry warnings that changes to the financial framework could derail the projects overshadowed the announcement. The agreements with Pak-Arab Refinery Ltd., Pakistan ... Read more
An August 2026 report on remote work destinations in Europe found that Palencia, Spain, is the best small town for digital nomads. A new study by the digital entertainment platform BC Game reveals the top 10 hidden gems where remote workers can spend this summer.
Palencia, Spain, is the best small town for working remotely in Europe, offering fast 267 Mbps Wi-Fi and safe neighborhoods.
With rent at just $525 a month, Le Havre is the cheapest way to spend summer on the French coast as a digital nomad.
Akureyri is the best reason to finally make the Iceland trip happen, with close to 30 places to open a laptop and Arctic scenery all around.
The research examined 20 European towns with smaller populations to find which ones work best for remote workers. The report looked at factors like average Internet speeds, monthly rent for a one-bedroom city center apartment, and personal safety ratings. It also considered the number of cafes and coworking spaces, coffee prices, and the cost of a meal at an inexpensive restaurant. Each town received a final score out of 100, with higher scores meaning that the city is more suited for digital nomads.
Here's a look at the top 10 European small towns for remote workers:
City
Country
Safety Index
Average Broadband Download Speed (Mbps)
Monthly Rent (1 Bedroom/City Centre)
Coffee
Palencia
Spain
94
267
$698
$1.8
Soria
Spain
87
277
$582
$2.2
Vaduz
Liechtenstein
92
286
$1,427
$6.7
Le Havre
France
43
312
$524
$2.7
Angers
France
61
257
$664
$2.8
Akureyri
Iceland
80
279
$1,783
$4.9
Reims
France
45
288
$705
$3.7
Dijon
France
47
271
$646
$3.9
Tartu
Estonia
77
136
$659
$4.2
Matera
Italy
80
87
$737
$2.1
You can access the complete research findings here.
1. Palencia, Spain
Safety Index: 94.12/100
Broadband speed: 267 Mbps
Monthly rent (1BR, city center): $698
Coffee price: $1.75
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant: $11.64
Score: 100/100
Palencia is the best small town in Europe to work remotely this summer. The destination has a 94/100 safety rating, which matters a lot for anyone arriving in an unfamiliar city for the first time. The Internet is also fast at 267 Mbps, so video calls and file transfers are never going to be an issue. One-bedroom rentals in the city center go for around 700 USD a month, and staying fed and caffeinated while working from a local spot costs very little, with meals under 12 USD and coffee at 1.75 USD.
2. Soria, Spain
Soria is the most affordable hidden gem for remote workers looking to set up a base for a couple of months. Rents here average just 580 USD a month, and Internet speeds reach 277 Mbps, so there's no trade-off on connectivity. The safety score of 87/100 also means it's a comfortable place to be, whether walking home late or leaving a laptop at a cafe table. It's also a small city of around 41K people, quiet and easy to get around, which is exactly what a lot of remote workers are actually looking for.
3. Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Vaduz is for digital nomads who put safety and connectivity above everything else. The city’s safety rating of 91/100 is second only to Palencia, and Internet speeds exceed 285 Mbps, making it one of the best-connected small towns in Europe. The trade-off is cost: rent runs at around 1,440 USD a month, and a coffee is nearly 7 USD, so the daily expenses add up fast. But for anyone earning well and looking for a calm base with fast Internet in the middle of Europe, Vaduz is hard to look past.
4. Le Havre, France
Le Havre has the best Internet of any small town in Europe at 312 Mbps, faster than even the capital, Paris. That alone is a good reason to be here for anyone doing heavy digital work. Rent is also among the cheapest at around 525 USD a month, and a meal at a local restaurant costs under 14 USD. Beyond that, the city has up to 20 cafes and co-working spaces where remote workers can get the job done.
5. Angers, France
Angers rounds out the top five small towns for digital nomads. Typical studios here get listed for under 670 USD a month, while the Internet is fast enough for stand-ups, deadlines, and everything in between, at 257 Mbps. Angers is also quite safe for a city this size, and there are plenty of cafes and coworking spaces (up to 20) to rotate between when working from home gets boring. With around 161K residents, the city also has an active social scene to make longer stays feel less isolating.
The CEO of BC Game commented on the study:"Most remote workers pick their next destination based on photos on Instagram or a Reddit thread someone wrote two years ago. The problem is that those places are usually packed by the time you get there, and the rent has gone up. The smarter move is to look one step outside the obvious choices. If everyone is going to Lisbon, look at a smaller Portuguese city like Faro. If Madrid is getting expensive, look at a town two hours away. The infrastructure is usually the same, the costs are lower, and you actually get to feel like you live somewhere rather than just being another nomad in a queue for a coworking desk."
Mario Draghi’s new think tank, born out of frustration with Brussels, excludes Central Europe while giving a prominent place to business interests linked to the United States. The man credited with saving the euro and the discussions over the European competitiveness with his report to reignite growth, now faces an unexpected accusation: that his latest […]
White House emphasizes administration's role in Western NC post-Helene recovery during G20 summit in Asheville. But some say it's a big "lie."
Rival Helene recovery narratives compete as Asheville hosts G20 summit is a story from Carolina Public Press, an award-winning independent newsroom. Our breakthrough journalism shines a light on the critical overlooked and under-reported issues facing North Carolina’s more than 11 million residents. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
Annual inflation in the eurozone is expected to rise to 3.3% in August 2026, from 2.9% in July, according to a preliminary estimate released on Tuesday, September 1, by the European statistical agency, Eurostat. Looking at the main components of eurozone inflation, energy prices are expected to record the highest annual increase in August (14.3%, […]
KARACHI: Fitch Ratings has assigned a ‘B-‘ rating to Pakistan’s proposed U.S. dollar-denominated bond, with a Recovery Rating of ‘RR4,’ the ratings agency announced. Pakistan plans to use proceeds from the bond for general budgetary and sovereign financing purposes, according to Fitch. The bond rating is aligned with Pakistan’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating, while ... Read more
The National Price Reduction Initiative came into effect on Monday, August 31, with more than 1,660 basic consumer goods in supermarkets to be offered at reduced prices. The initiative is supposed to cover food, everyday household items, school supplies, private-label products and meat. The initiative has been launched by the government in cooperation with main […]
This story originally appeared in Common Dreams on Aug. 31, 2026.It is shared here under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) license.
President Donald Trump on Monday warned Americans that they risk becoming “backwards and poor” unless they allow Big Tech companies to build artificial intelligence data centers in their communities.
In a social mediapost, the president expressed indignation that any town or city wouldn’t welcome data centers, which have drawn nationwide opposition for generating pollution and jacking up utility bills.
“The only reason that communities throughout the USA should not want Data Centers is if they want to end up being backwards and poor,” Trump wrote. “If they want to be successful and rich, with far lower taxes and jobs all over the place, let Data Reign.”
In reality, AI data centers create very few jobs once they are completed, as most of their functions are fully automated.
Trump then said that Americans “will only have yourselves to blame” if they “kill the Golden Goose” that is AI data centers.
“China could not be happier with this anti Data Center movement,” Trump wrote. “Actually, they can’t believe it is happening!”
Building AI data centers has become massively unpopular throughout the US.
A poll conducted by Embold Research and published by Heatmap Pro earlier this month shows that 75% of Americans now oppose building AI data centers in their area, including 61% registering strong opposition.
While Republicans polled in the survey were more supportive of data centers than Democrats and independent voters, it nonetheless found that opposition among Republicans outweighed support by 43 points.
Polling analyst G. Elliott Morris marveled at how politically tone deaf the president sounds when it comes to data centers, commenting that “Donald Trump is actively trying to help as many Democratic senators as possible get elected.”
Longtime GOP operative Frank Luntz similarly noted data centers’ unpopularity, citing a recent Gallup poll showing 63% of Republican voters oppose having one of the facilities built in their communities.
“We’re about to see whether President Trump can sway those voters to support them, as he’s done on many issues before,” Luntz remarked.
Democratic US Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed wasted no time tying the president’s position on data centers to his opponent, Republican Mike Rogers.
“Make no mistake—this is Mike Rogers’ position on data centers,” wrote El-Sayed. “He’s got up to $2.6 million invested in companies cashing in on the data center boom, all while Michiganders watch their utility bills soar. You can’t trust a word out of Mike’s mouth because he’s only out for himself, for Donald Trump, and for Big Tech—not Michigan.”
Faiz Shakir, a longtime adviser to US Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), observed that Trump is merely “sharing the perspective of Wall Street and Big Tech” and is showing “no interest… in grappling with the mass revolt across American communities, or to learn anything from them.”
Screenwriter David Simon, creator of the acclaimed television series The Wire, accused Trump of brazenly lying about data centers’ economic benefits.
“If data centers are a geographic benefit to communities, you can be sure they’d be siting and building them in affluent and politically connected environs,” wrote Simon. “Curiously, they’re dumped in poorer, less influential places. Go fucking figure.”
Republican Kentucky state Rep. Savannah Maddox took issue with the president disparaging communities opposed to data centers, which include many of the rural communities that voted for him in three presidential elections.
“Rural doesn’t mean ‘backwards and poor’ and development doesn’t always equate to being ‘successful and rich,’” wrote Maddox. “President Trump wouldn’t be president without the rural voters who inhabit America’s heartland. It is not wrong of us to question the sudden and wide-scale effort to convert arable land into data centers. We are not stupid for wanting to protect our rural way of life.”
Brussels is tightening its grip on some of the internet’s fastest-growing services, designating ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox for heightened scrutiny under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA),writes Catherine Feore.
The European Commission said all three services meet the 45 million average monthly users threshold in the EU, triggering the DSA rules reserved for digital players considered large enough to pose systemic risks to European society.
“These new designations mean that ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox will now be held to a higher standard of scrutiny and accountability in the European Union,” said Henna Virkkunen (pictured), the Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy.
The move puts the companies firmly in Brussels’ regulatory crosshairs. They must assess and mitigate risks ranging from illegal content and harm to minors to threats to fundamental rights, elections, public security, and users’ physical and mental well-being. Importantly, the designation also gives the Commission investigative powers to scrutinise relevant features and systems underpinning the services.
ChatGPT has been designated a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE), while Reddit and Roblox are now Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs). They have until the end of January 2027 to comply with the DSA’s tougher obligations.
ChatGPT’s inclusion is particularly significant. The Commission considers the AI service a hybrid product that qualifies as an online search engine because it can search the web when answering users’ queries, bringing a major generative AI service into the DSA’s toughest tier of oversight for the first time.
The Commission will supervise compliance with the DSA, in cooperation with Coimisiún na Meán (Ireland’s media regulator) for ChatGPT and Reddit, and the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) for Roblox.
With the latest additions, 28 platforms and search engines have now received the EU’s “very large” designation.
The blue economy is no longer limited to traditional activities such as fishing, shipping, or offshore energy. A new generation of startups is applying climate technology, AI, robotics, biotechnology, and advanced water treatment to make the use of oceans and water resources cleaner, safer, and more efficient.
EU-Startups’ 2026 coverage shows Europe’s blue economy attracting capital across a widening range of technologies and business models. Among the larger disclosed rounds were €17 million for cargo.onealongside its acquisition of ocean-freight platform Cargofive or €10 million for marine-biofuel developer Kvasir Technologies.
These deals form part of a broader funding landscape in which startups are tackling an increasingly diverse set of challenges linked to how Europe uses, manages and protects its water and marine resources.
From restoring coastal ecosystems and generating tidal power to removing hazardous pollutants, improving wastewater treatment, supporting aquaculture, automating maritime operations, and digitalising shipping workflows. The 10 startups featured below, founded between 2020 and 2026, show how innovation is reshaping the sector, in alphabetical order.
Apolowniais a Paris-based ClimateTech startup committed to making the world more environmentally responsible. It develops end-to-end coastal ecosystem restoration and blue carbon projects, including mangroves and seagrass, which help absorb carbon, reduce coastal flooding and erosion, improve water quality, and provide vital habitats for fish and other marine life.
Its projects use satellite imagery, drones, field data and AI to monitor ecosystem recovery, estimate carbon capture and verify environmental results in a clear, data-driven way. Founded in 2024, it has raised €1 million in funding.
Headquartered in Heidelberg, Blue Activity develops sustainable water treatment solutions for industrial cooling systems. Its technology replaces toxic biocides with natural microorganisms and uses biopolymer-based additives, supported by digital monitoring. This reduces chemical use, water and energy consumption, maintenance needs, and operating costs.
They promote cleaner industrial water use and reduce harmful substances discharged into the environment, contributing to healthier water resources and more sustainable industry. Founded in 2021, Blue Activity secured €8.5 million in funding.
Launched in 2024 in Oxford, Caudal Energy takes a bio-inspired approach to tidal power, using ocean currents to generate predictable renewable electricity. Its system replaces conventional rotating turbines with moving fins inspired by marine animals, offering a lower-impact solution with simpler installation and maintenance.
This activity matters because tidal energy provides a more predictable source of renewable power than solar and wind, which are more dependent on weather conditions. By harnessing ocean currents, Caudal Energy can support the transition away from fossil fuels while making sustainable use of marine resources. Its innovative approach has enabled them to raise €6.43 million in total funding.
Heidelberg-basedEnzofocuses on preventing water damage before it becomes costly. Its one-drop sensor attaches to a building’s main water pipe. The startup uses AI to identify unusual water-use patterns and small leaks in real time, allowing homeowners, property managers, and insurers to act before major damage occurs.
Its activity is especially useful as early leak detection can prevent water waste, expensive repairs, and unnecessary use of materials and energy, contributing to more sustainable water management. Launched in 2021, Enzo raised €6.3 million in funding.
Lir Labsdevelops an AI-powered microscopy for wastewater treatment, turning microscopic activity in water into real-time operational insights. Its automated sensors use deep-learning models to identify changes in microorganisms and particles, allowing treatment plants to detect problems earlier and adjust processes before they become costly or disruptive.
Their approach to better wastewater monitoring can reduce pollution, unnecessary energy and chemical use, and the risk of poorly treated water reaching natural ecosystems. Founded in 2025 in London, Lir Labs raised €245k in funding.
Mirai Robotics is a Maritime Technology startup building AI-powered systems that allow boats and other maritime vehicles to operate with little or no human control. Its technology can guide vessels, process data from onboard sensors, and make real-time decisions during activities such as sea patrols, inspections, monitoring, and transport.
Its activity is relevant to the blue economy because it can make maritime operations safer, faster, and more efficient, particularly in remote or hazardous areas where deploying human crews can be costly or risky. Launched in 2025 in Bari, this innovative approach to maritime automation and safety has helped Mirai Robotics secure €3.6 million in funding.
Founded in 2023 in Ireland, Nernst Electricdevelops on-site oxygen generation for aquaculture. Its technology uses ceramic membranes to separate high-purity oxygen directly from the surrounding air, allowing fish farms to produce oxygen where it is needed instead of relying on costly deliveries. A reliable oxygen supply is essential for maintaining healthy fish and productive farming conditions, particularly at remote sites.
Its efficient way of producing oxygen can make aquaculture more reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable while reducing energy use and dependence on transported liquid oxygen. Nernst Electric has a total funding of €1.7 million.
NPHarvesthas developed a new hardware solution for the collection and recycling of nutrients from wastewater, turning them into valuable ingredients for fertilisers. Installed at wastewater, biogas, and agricultural facilities, its system captures nitrogen and phosphorus that would otherwise be lost as waste and converts them into reusable resources. The technology can recover up to 90% of these nutrients while operating with relatively low energy use.
As excesses of nitrogen and phosphorus can pollute waterways and contribute to eutrophication, managing levels in the water is important. By recovering these nutrients before they reach the environment, NPHarvest supports cleaner aquatic ecosystems while creating a circular source of fertiliser. Founded in 2023 in Espoo, they raised €3.4 million in total funding.
Zürich-based Oxyletackles some of the hardest-to-remove pollutants in water, particularly PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals”. Rather than simply filtering these substances out, the company’s treatment systems break them down at the molecular level, preventing them from being transferred into another waste stream. The technology is designed for contaminated groundwater and industrial wastewater across sectors such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and waste management.
Removing hazardous chemicals from wastewater helps prevent them from reaching rivers, groundwater, and marine ecosystems, supporting cleaner and safer water resources. Founded in 2020, Oxyle has raised €19 million in funding.
Founded in 2021 in Berlin, Tillais a MaritimeTech startup bringing greater efficiency to crew changes in the shipping industry. Its digital platform brings voyage schedules, crew information, port services, flights, and travel requirements into one place, allowing shipping companies to plan and manage crew movements with fewer manual tasks, lower costs, and better coordination.
By digitalising a process still heavily dependent on spreadsheets, emails, and manual coordination, Tilla supports more efficient maritime operations and improves the working experience of seafarers. The company raised €4 million in total funding.
KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan’s consolidated profit fell nearly 20% to Rs 1.999 trillion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, as a sharp decline in interest and markup earnings outweighed a turnaround in exchange-related gains, according to the central bank’s consolidated financial statements approved Thursday. The central bank reported profit after tax ... Read more
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