U.S. plans Middle East military exercises as Iran tensions rise
U.S. forces will hold multi-day air exercises in the Middle East as Washington increases its military presence amid strained ties with Iran....
Israeli air strikes in Gaza and Lebanon have raised fresh concerns about the durability of ceasefire agreements, after deadly attacks were reported in both territories.
In the southern Gaza Strip, at least two Palestinians were killed and four others injured when an Israeli strike hit the city of Khan Younis on Monday, 5 January, according to officials at Nasser Hospital, the area’s main medical facility.
Hospital staff said those killed were a young girl and her uncle. The strike hit a tent sheltering displaced people.
The area targeted was one from which Israeli forces had previously withdrawn under a ceasefire that came into effect on 10 October.
Since then, Gaza’s health authorities say more than 420 Palestinians have been killed in related violence, while Palestinian militants have killed several Israeli soldiers.
Israel also carried out air and drone strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, saying it was targeting infrastructure linked to Hezbollah and Hamas.
The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for four villages (Hammara, Ain el-Tineh, Kfar Hatta and Aanan) citing militant activity in the area.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that a drone strike on a vehicle in the southern village of Braikeh wounded two people.
Israeli authorities said the vehicle was carrying two Hezbollah members, accusing the group of repeated threats and violations of the truce.
Additional strikes were reported in southern and eastern Lebanon, including near the coastal city of Sidon. Lebanese officials said one civilian was injured. Israel said the sites hit were used by Hezbollah and Hamas.
There was no immediate response from Hamas or Hezbollah.
The latest attacks come amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that took effect in late 2024, following more than a year of cross-border fighting.
Monitoring groups and Lebanese officials say the truce has been marked by repeated violations, with hundreds of Israeli air strikes reported in southern Lebanon since the agreement began.
Despite ceasefire arrangements, regional tensions remain high, fuelling fears that renewed violence could further destabilise the area.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected a U.S. magazine report on the death toll during January unrest. Nationwide protests erupted in response to soaring inflation and a national currency crisis.
The death toll from nationwide protests in Iran has climbed to 6,126, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, often viewed as a bellwether for the complex diplomatic currents between the Kremlin and the West, has issued a startling prediction regarding the endgame of the war in Ukraine.
The strategic axis between Israel and Azerbaijan has been significantly reinforced this week as President Ilham Aliyev received Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Baku.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that Europe is "incapable" of defending itself alone without the United States, dismissing calls for a separate European defence force and stressing that transatlantic cooperation remains essential for the continent’s security.
U.S. forces will hold multi-day air exercises in the Middle East as Washington increases its military presence amid strained ties with Iran.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to meet with his Syrian counterpart Ahmad al-Sharaa in Moscow on Wednesday (28 January) to discuss the "transitional period" and regional developments, the Kremlin announced on Tuesday.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has assured Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Riyadh will not permit its airspace or territory to be used for any military action against Tehran.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Washington would withdraw its support for Iraq if former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is returned to power, citing concerns over governance, stability and regional influence.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to hold bilateral talks, attend signing ceremony, joint press conference.
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