Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian meets with prominent economists at the Central Bank of Iran in Tehran, Iran, on August 26, 2026. /VCG White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that the United States and Iran are not currently in talks to end the war, as the US is focused on its economic pressure against Iran, with all options "on the table.
US missile interceptor shortfall 'beyond critical' due to war on Iran: Report The US war on Iran has caused a "beyond critical" shortage of advanced missile interceptors, especially Patriots, which have been used to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles, a Nato official and US official told the Associated Press (AP) in a report published on Thursday. The US military in Europe "definitely" does not have enough Patriots to stop a sustained ballistic missile attack, the US official said, and would have "very limited" capability to defend against a single ballistic missile strike. The US and Israel first attacked Iran on 28 February.
US missile interceptor shortfall 'beyond critical' due to war on Iran: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 08/27/2026 - 18:38 US and European officials are concerned that Russian missiles cannot be stopped Visitors queue to take a closer look at a Patriot missile launcher during the Armed Forces Day at the airbase in Laage, Germany, on 6 June 2026 (John Macdougall/AFP) Off The US war on Iran has caused a "beyond critical" shortage of advanced missile interceptors, especially Patriots, which have been used to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles, a Nato official and US official told the Associated Press (AP) in a report published on Thursday. The US military in Europe "definitely" does not have enough Patriots to stop a sustained ballistic missile attack, the US official said, and would have "very limited" capability to defend against a single ballistic missile strike. The US and Israel first attacked Iran on 28 February.
Trump: US 'in control' of the Strait of Hormuz US President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday in the Oval Office that Washington is "in control" of the Strait of Hormuz and continues its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran is in "deep trouble" and is "not paying their troops". "Millions and millions of barrels of oil are coming out of the Strait every day", Trump added, saying that Washington has “totally cleared” the waterway of mines. Trump's comments came after signing an executive order that aims to rename Lake Ontario, which sits along New York's border with Canada, to Lake America.
Iran warns strikes to military, economic interests if US starts 'mischief' Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, warned on Thursday that Iran would strike American military and economic interests if the US starts any "mischief" against the country, duiring a meeting with Qatar's foreign minister. Rezaei told the minister that the "US must first take practical steps to fulfil Iran’s conditions and then Iran will proceed to open the Strait of Hormuz", according to Iran's IRNA news agency.
Yemeni forces say fighter killed on Taiz front lines against Houthis Yemen’s Saudi-backed government said on Thursday a fighter with one of its factions was killed on the al-Ahtoub front lines in the western countryside of Taiz governorate fighting against the Houthis, according to Yemen’s army media centre. This comes after the Houthis fired ballistic missiles at Yemeni government positions in al-Makha (Mocha) west of Taiz on Wednesday.
UN envoy condemns Israeli strike on Syria, US calls for 'de-escalation' The UN deputy special envoy for Syria, Claudio Cordone, condemned an Israeli air strike on Syria's Abu al-Duhur airbase and expressed concern about "statements from senior Israeli officials advocating an open-ended Israeli military presence on Syrian territory". Speaking to the UN Security Council, Cordone said that Israel's occupation violates Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and is inconsistent with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. Meanwhile, US Depute Representative Tammy Bruce called for Israel and Syria to pursue "de-escalation" and said Washington "will continue to engage closely with both countries and with all regional stakeholders to promote dialogue and peaceful solutions" in comments made to the UN Security Council.
Newlywed woman killed by Israeli air strike on southern Lebanon A newlywed woman has been killed and several people were injured in an Israeli air strike on the town of Arab Salim in southern Lebanon, the country's National News Agency reported on Thursday.
Kuwait, Pakistan sign joint defence deal Kuwait and Pakistan have signed a joint defence and military cooperation agreement during the Kuwaiti Defense Minister's visit to Islamabad on Thursday. The agreement constitutes a “significant step in defense and military cooperation between the two countries,” the Kuwait Army said in a statement. Under the agreement, Pakistan's armed forces will assist Kuwait in training and capacity building of its military and defence forces, according to Pakistani media, as well as helping with “border management and other mutually agreed areas of defence cooperation”.
One killed and several wounded in Israeli strike on Gaza City One Palestinian has been killed and several others wounded by an Israeli drone strike on a bicycle in Gaza City's central area, according to Gaza’s civil defence and hospital sources, Al Jazeera reported. This brings the death toll from Israeli strikes across Gaza on Thursday to at least three.
Nickolay Mladenov warns that a collapse of last October's ceasefire would be "a point of no return" for the region.
Ratko Mladic, architect of Srebrenica genocide and ‘Butcher of Bosnia’, dies aged 84 Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Thu, 08/27/2026 - 14:37 The convicted war criminal led the Srebrenica genocide and terrorised Sarajevo during its years-long siege in the early 1990's Off Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladia, who led the genocide at Srebrenica and the years-long siege of Sarajevo, has died aged 84. Serbia’s public broadcaster RTS announced his death, while his lawyer separately confirmed it to Reuters. Known as the “Butcher of Bosnia,” Mladic commanded Bosnian Serb forces during their campaign to carve an ethnically homogeneous Serb territory from Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s.
Israeli army chief warns funding shortage is undermining readiness Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir has warned that depleted funds are weakening the army’s preparedness as its forces remain deployed across several fronts. “These days we are also in a campaign over the budget,” Zamir said in remarks published on the military’s official platforms. “At a time when the IDF [Israeli army] and its servants are stretched thin in all sectors, we must deal with empty coffers.
Why Turkey is showing restraint over Israeli strikes on Syria Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Thu, 08/27/2026 - 12:10 Ankara is counting on possible political change in Israel while using its relationship with Washington to advance its objectives in Syria Turkish cavalry guards waving the Israeli (R) and Turkish flags to welcome the Israeli president to Ankara on 9 March 2022 (Handout Israeli Government Press Office/AFP) Off Turkey is likely to maintain its restraint in responding to Israeli attacks on Syria until after Israel’s general election in October, as Ankara does not want to throw a lifeline to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s struggling election campaign. Although Israeli strikes on the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in northern Syria, approximately 70km from the Turkish border, were seen as provocative, they did not surprise officials in Ankara. Israel claimed that Turkey was preparing to deploy air defence systems at the base.
Haaretz: Israel arms drug dealers to commit ‘war crimes’ and loot homes in Gaza Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 08/27/2026 - 12:16 Criminal gangs have expelled Palestinians and looted homes while serving as an 'operational arm' of Israel’s military Palestinians inspect the damage at the site of an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on 24 August (AFP/Omar Al Qattaa) Off The Israeli army is expanding its use of mercenaries, criminal gangs and drug dealers to commit “war crimes” on Israel’s behalf in Gaza, an investigation by the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz has revealed. Based on testimony from Israeli soldiers, UN reports and satellite imagery, the investigation found that increasingly well-armed collaborator militias have expelled Palestinians from their homes and carried out operations across Gaza. Israel has trained at least five militia groups, and potentially a sixth, operating from heavily fortified bases inside Israeli-occupied areas of the enclave.
As Damascus continues to rebuild after more than a decade of war – from the recent dissolution of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to the United States’ removal of Syria from its sponsors of terrorism list – a top UN official warned the Security Council on Thursday that international support can help tackle outstanding challenges. UN News app users can follow here.
Damaged roads, disrupted services and ongoing military activity continue to put civilians at risk in south Lebanon as strikes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah continue, according to the UN’s peacekeeping mission in the country (UNIFIL).
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has been a key mediator in the conflict, even as his country has blamed Tehran for hundreds of missile and drone attacks.
North Korea threatens ‘powerful response’ to US arms deal with South Korea North Korea has condemned US plans to supply South Korea with tactical missiles and fund projects monitoring human rights abuses in the country, warning of a “powerful response” to what Pyongyang described as Washington’s hostile actions. The US State Department said it had approved the possible sale of AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missiles and related equipment to South Korea at an estimated cost of $125 million. North Korea’s foreign ministry said the weapons sale would have an “adverse effect” on the regional security environment, according to a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.
WASHINGTON D. C. : The global economy has proved more resilient than feared to the energy shock caused by the Iran war, although mounting fiscal pressures and stubborn inflation remain concerns, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said August 25.
