Middle East

UNIFIL Reports Escalating Drone Activity Near Its Positions in Southern Lebanon
UNIFIL Reports Escalating Drone Activity Near Its Positions in Southern Lebanon

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has expressed growing concern over intensified military activity involving both Hezbollah-linked elements and the Israeli military near its positions in southern Lebanon, warning that recent drone incidents have placed peacekeepers at direct risk. In a statement issued on Wednesday, UNIFIL said ...

Iran Releases Prize-Winning Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh
Iran Releases Prize-Winning Rights Lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh

Iranian authorities on Wednesday released on bail the prize-winning rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh following her latest arrest last month, her daughter said. Sotoudeh was arrested at her home on April 1 as part of what activists say is a crackdown on civil society during Iran's war with Israel and the United States. "Mum was temporarily released ...

Reports Point to Expanding Israeli-UAE Security Coordination During Iran Conflict
Reports Point to Expanding Israeli-UAE Security Coordination During Iran Conflict

Cooperation between Israel and the United Arab Emirates reportedly deepened during the recent conflict involving Iran, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg detailing high-level intelligence coordination and joint security measures between the two countries. According to The Wall Street Journal, David Barnea, the head of ...

South Korea Reviews Phased Support for Strait of Hormuz Security
South Korea Reviews Phased Support for Strait of Hormuz Security

South Korea is considering a phased contribution to international efforts aimed at ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Wednesday, signaling support measures that would stop short of direct military involvement. Speaking at a press conference with South Korean reporters in Washington, Ahn said ...

U.S. Authorities Uncover Migrant Smuggling Network Tied to IRGC-Linked Individual
U.S. Authorities Uncover Migrant Smuggling Network Tied to IRGC-Linked Individual

An Iranian national living in New York pleaded guilty Tuesday to running a migrant smuggling operation that brought people into the U.S., including at least one person tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), federal prosecutors said. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Sharon Gohari, a naturalized American citizen ...

Iran Hangs Man Accused of Spying for Israel
Iran Hangs Man Accused of Spying for Israel

Iran on Wednesday hanged a man found guilty of selling information to Israeli intelligence, the judiciary said, the latest in a war-related wave of executions. Since the start of the conflict with Israel and the United States in February, Iran has ramped up executions, particularly in cases involving alleged espionage or security-related ...

UAE Blacklists 21 Individuals and 5 Lebanon-Based Entities, Including Al-Qard Al-Hassan
UAE Blacklists 21 Individuals and 5 Lebanon-Based Entities, Including Al-Qard Al-Hassan

The United Arab Emirates has expanded its domestic terrorism sanctions list, designating 21 individuals and five Lebanon-based entities over alleged links to Hezbollah, according to a cabinet resolution issued this week. The decision, under Cabinet Resolution No. 63 of 2026, is part of what the UAE described as efforts to strengthen regional and ...

Trump Warns Iran of Decisive Action, Signals No Need for Chinese Mediation Ahead of Beijing Visit
Trump Warns Iran of Decisive Action, Signals No Need for Chinese Mediation Ahead of Beijing Visit

Answering questions from the press before departing for China, U.S. President Donald Trump outlined a series of strong positions regarding Iran, its nuclear program, and the ongoing regional tensions. Trump said he intends to hold an extended discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping concerning the war involving Iran, suggesting that the issue ...

U.K. Defence Secretary: Britain Commits £115 Million, HMS Dragon and Typhoon Jets to Hormuz Security Mission
U.K. Defence Secretary: Britain Commits £115 Million, HMS Dragon and Typhoon Jets to Hormuz Security Mission

The United Kingdom has announced a significant military contribution to a planned multinational maritime mission aimed at securing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy corridor frequently exposed to regional security tensions. Speaking during a virtual multinational summit of defence ministers, UK Defence ...