live Iran, U.S. make competing claims over control of Strait of Hormuz
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over t...
Russia launched a record 5,337 drones at Ukraine in June alone, marking the most intense month of drone warfare since the start of the full-scale invasion, according to Ukraine’s Air Force.
Russia has sharply escalated its aerial campaign against Ukraine, launching 5,337 drones in June — a 27% increase from the previous high of 4,198 drones recorded in March. The surge in attacks underscores a new phase of sustained and intensified warfare.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv alongside German Foreign Minister Johannes Wadephul, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha noted that in the past 18 months, only two days have passed without any missile or drone attacks on Ukraine.
The scale of attacks has grown exponentially. In June 2024, Russia launched just 332 drones. But on a single day this year — 29 June — 477 drones were deployed, marking the largest one-day aerial assault since the beginning of the war.
On 17 June, Kyiv experienced its deadliest assault since February 2022. That nine-hour strike killed 30 civilians and injured 172, according to Ukrainian officials.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 24 June that Russia had launched approximately 28,000 Shahed-type drones since early 2022. These drones, initially imported from Iran, have since been domestically replicated by Moscow under the name Geran. Russia has also introduced the Garpiya-A1 — a Shahed-like drone using Chinese components.
Another tactic in Russia’s arsenal includes the use of Gerber 'dummy' drones — visually identical to Shaheds but without explosives — to mislead Ukrainian air defence. These decoys now comprise up to half of all UAVs used in recent attacks.
Russia typically begins aerial offensives with drones and decoys, followed by cruise and ballistic missiles in coordinated waves designed to overwhelm Ukraine’s defences.
Regional authorities confirmed at least four civilians were killed and 15 injured in Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia as a result of the latest wave of attacks.
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Millions of people across Spain and Iceland are preparing on Wednesday to witness a rare total solar eclipse, when the moon will pass directly between Earth and the Sun, briefly turning daylight into darkness along a narrow path.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 12th of August, covering the latest developments.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Taiwan staged military defence drills on Wednesday as China concluded joint naval exercises with Indonesia in waters east of the island.
Washington’s counter-narcotics push is expanding as Colombia’s new conservative government backs deeper security cooperation.
Meta said it had removed more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts suspected of belonging to Australians under 16, as the country’s internet regulator weighs enforcement action over its teen social media ban.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has used Pacific Fleet drills to criticise Japan, NATO and possible Western moves against Russian commercial ships. He made the comments during his first visit to Iturup, a Japan-claimed island at the end of the Kuril chain near the island of Hokkaido.
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