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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
IRAN WAR
The United States and Iran exchanged strikes yesterday and today. U.S. Central Command yesterday said it struck Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military and communication sites. Iranian state media reported that the United States struck a wedding ceremony and killed multiple civilians, but Centcom denied the reports. Iran today said it struck U.S. assets in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq, and killed a large number of U.S. forces in Jordan, but U.S. officials claimed there had not been any casualties. Kanishka Singh and Ahmed Tolba report for Reuters; Shelby Holliday, Rebecca Feng, and Yoko Kubota report for the Wall Street Journal.
President Trump yesterday said the U.S. strikes were launched in retaliation for Iran’s attempt to mine the Strait of Hormuz and target U.S. service members over the weekend. The U.S. strikes yesterday also targeted two Iranian government tankers, a move which was part of a new “tanker for tanker” policy approved by Trump to deter Iranian attacks on tankers that move through the Strait of Hormuz. Shelby Holliday, Rebecca Feng, and Yoko Kubota report for the Wall Street Journal; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent yesterday said the United States is likely to announce sanctions on a bank this week as part of its economic campaign against Iran. Bessent said the Treasury was also looking at targeting airline leasing companies and other entities that did business with the IRGC. Bessent claims the United States’ plan to “economically asphyxiate” Iran’s economy has support from “many of our allies.” However, at the G20 summit, many U.S. allies voiced displeasure over the Iranian war, which has resulted in disruptions to energy markets and shipping. Reuters reports; Jim Tankersley reports for the New York Times; Riley Beggin reports for the Washington Post.
IRAN WAR – LEBANON
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas yesterday said more than 10 EU members are willing to contribute resources and people to a planned mission to advise and train Lebanon’s armed forces. The proposed mission stems from the EU studying ways to strengthen Lebanese forces, helping free up the Lebanese army to focus on disarming Hezbollah. Reuters reports.
IRAN WAR – OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
A car struck a pro-government gathering of civilians and armed forces in Mashhad, Iran, killing four people, according to Iranian media today. The driver has been arrested. Reuters reports.
France yesterday said the U.N. Security Council will vote this month on renewing the mandate of a panel monitoring sanctions on Iran. The mandate of the panel is due to expire on Sep. 26. Diplomats say a vote raises the prospect of vetoes by both Russia and China, which argue that the Security Council no longer has a mandate to consider the Iranian nuclear issue. David Brunnstrom reports for Reuters.
A Financial Times investigation published yesterday uncovered a multiyear covert program, codenamed C430L, through which Russia has been helping Iran develop advanced supersonic cruise missiles. The program began in 2023, and was arranged by Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state arms exporter, which coordinated the project with NPO Mashinostroyenia, a Russian rocketry company. There is no evidence that a Russian-assisted supersonic cruise missile has yet been deployed. Miles Johnson, Max Seddon, and Charles Clover report.
U.S. sanctions against Iran have forced the cancellation of English proficiency and graduate exams by international organizations that Iranians rely on to qualify for studying abroad. Erika Solomon and Sanam Mahoozi report for the New York Times.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
Israeli special forces from the Shin Bet intelligence agency and the Israeli army yesterday captured Hamas’ Internal Security Service Chief Moin Al-Arabeed in a raid in Gaza City. Israeli airstrikes meant to protect the Israeli troops killed four people, including two children. The Gaza interior ministry confirmed Moin Al-Arabeed was captured, and his wife was killed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the captured militant was responsible for concealing and transporting Israeli hostages captured during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. Another two deaths were recorded yesterday, as a child was killed by Israeli fire in central Gaza, and a member of the civil defense service was killed by an Israeli airstrike on Jabalia. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters; Aaron Boxerman and Abu Bakr Bashir report for the New York Times.
The Justice Department yesterday said that the FBI seized more than $560,000 in crypto donations intended for Hamas. Eric Tucker reports for AP News.
WEST BANK VIOLENCE
Israeli authorities yesterday brought charges against 12 prison guards accused of beating a Palestinian prisoner to death nearly three years ago. The guards were charged with reckless homicide. Isabel Kershner reports for the New York Times.
The U.N. World Food Program yesterday said it is halving food assistance in the West Bank due to severe funding shortages and warned it may be forced to make further cuts. WFP said it urgently needs an additional $386 million over the next six months to assist an estimated 2 million food-insecure people across Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Giad Zampano and Silvia Stellacci report for AP News.
U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband yesterday said Britain will set out a “comprehensive” package of measures on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank in the coming weeks. Miliband told British lawmakers that Israel’s E1 settlement project “risks making a Palestinian state unviable.” William James reports for Reuters.
Israeli police yesterday announced they had arrested eight suspects allegedly involved in a series of arson attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, hours after another mosque was reportedly burned by settlers in a separate incident. Graffiti in Hebrew near the mosque read “Regards to Huckabee from the terrorists.” U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee previously denounced violent settler extremists as “Israeli terrorists.” Nurit Yohanan and Emanuel Fabian report for the Times of Israel.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday pledged to continue the war with Ukraine, and Russia’s support for Iran in its war against the United States. Putin claimed Russia was winning the war and portrayed Ukrainian leadership as “terrorists” with whom Russia would not negotiate. Putin also expressed his comfort in dealing with Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, in peace negotiations over Ukraine. Paul Sonne reports for the New York Times; Dmitry Antonov and Maxim Rodionov report for Reuters.
Putin yesterday said that Russian troops had captured 270 square km of Ukraine’s Donetsk region in August and a large group of Ukrainian troops was surrounded. Maxim Rodlonov, Dmitry Antonov, and Ksenia Orlova report for Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday warned airlines and insurance companies that the presence of Ukrainian drones had made Russian skies dangerous to use, and that they were effectively closed. He clarified that Ukraine poses no threat to civil aviation. Reuters reports.
The head of Odesa’s military administration Serhiy Lysak today said Russian attacks damaged infrastructure and residential buildings in the Ukrainian Black Sea port. Jekaterina Golubkova reports for Reuters.
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
The U.N. Environment Programme today said that the world has failed in its goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial times. The U.N. report says we need to now focus on finding ways to limit “overshoot,” as bringing temperature rises back to below 1.5C was “possible but highly uncertain.” Chico Harlan reports for the New York Times; David Stanway reports for Reuters.
Assistant Secretary-General at the U.N. Kanni Wignaraja said the Himalayan region faces severe risks from future glacial floods, in an interview with Reuters published yesterday. The potential flooding puts millions at risk, and threatens hydroelectric power many depend on. Rick Noack reports.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Jailed Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong today pleaded guilty to collusion for lobbying Western lawmakers. Wong lobbied foreign lawmakers to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China in order to pressure officials in China for greater democratic rights in Hong Kong. David Pierson reports for the New York Times.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt yesterday blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack on a Ukrainian cargo plane last month at Leipzig/Halle Airport and announced they would summon Moscow’s ambassador to Berlin, close the consulate, and take other measures in response. Russia denied the allegation. Catherine Belton reports for the Washington Post.
German police today said they are investigating a second sabotage attempt on its electricity grid near the western city of Bergheim. Reuters reports.
The U.N. Nuclear Watchdog yesterday said it resolved its outstanding questions from an investigation into secret nuclear activities in Syria under the Assad family’s rule. The confidential report was sent to member states ahead of next week’s quarterly meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Agency established that former Syrian authorities failed to report nuclear material, facilities and activities as required. Francois Murphy reports for Reuters.
Nicaragua’s Congress yesterday passed a constitutional reform that bans opposition parties from participating in elections and extends the presidential term from six to seven years. The initiative had previously drawn criticism from the United States. The reform is backed by co-presidents Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo. Reuters reports.
A Honduran court yesterday dropped charges against former President Juan Orlando Hernandez over fraud and money laundering. Hernandez was previously convicted and sentenced to 45 years in a U.S. prison on drug trafficking charges, but was pardoned by Trump late last year. Laura Garcia and Sarah Morland report for Reuters.
The Mexican Defense Ministry yesterday said soldiers killed Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez, a suspected leader of the Los Reyes cartel in western Mexico, during an operation. The United States had previously offered a $3 million reward for information that could have led to Chavez’s arrest. Lizbeth Diaz reports for Reuters.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday said that the Trump administration must “stop doing memes, stop throwing shade,” if there are to be any hopes of renewing trade talks. Carney said any deal with the United States “must” recognize Canadian sovereignty, which includes respecting the French language and Quebec culture. Ian Austen reports for the New York Times; Mickey Djuric reports for POLITICO.
Apple has changed the label on Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” according to an Axios review of Apple Maps yesterday. Donica Phifer reports.
Danish conscripts have been deployed to Greenland for the first time in recent history. The conscripts are taking part in Arctic Endurance, a Danish military exercise that trains soldiers for combat and survival in extreme cold-weather conditions, and which forms a part of Arctic Sentry, a NATO mission launched this year to strengthen NATO’s Arctic presence after Trump’s remarks about Greenland. Reuters reports.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier today docked at a port in eastern Thailand, after a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of 286 days. Many of the service members are expected to visit Pattaya, a popular beach town. Sakchai Lalit and Anton L. Delgado report for AP News.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau today announced a combined $580 million of U.S. and Australian funding for the Pacific Islands as they battle China for influence in the region. The U.S. contribution stands at $150 million. Alasdair Pal and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters.
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said dialogue between Russia and the United States should continue to find common ground in economics despite complications, according to an Interfax news agency report on Wednesday. Reuters reports.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin yesterday announced that immigration officials had arrested 2,197 people in New York State in about a monthlong operation. Mullin described the enforcement push, named “Operation Rotten Apple,” as a response to the lack of cooperation from Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) on the federal government’s crackdown on unlawful immigrants. Dionne Searcey and Madeleine Ngo report for the New York Times.
The State Department has proposed requiring parents applying for passports for their children to provide proof of their own citizenship or immigration status as part of Trump’s efforts to limit birthright citizenship, Reuters revealed yesterday. The new directive aims to enforce Trump’s Aug. 6 executive order, which focused on “birth tourism”, by withholding citizenship from children with a parent who works for a foreign government in the United States, is engaged in fraud or a commercial transaction to obtain citizenship, or is classified as an “alien enemy.” Kristina Cooke and Nate Raymond report.
A Haitian student, Pierre Damas Bel, passed away on Monday in an apparent suicide which his family said related to the ankle monitor he was forced to wear. Following the end of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians in July, an aggressive electronic monitoring campaign by ICE began, which centered on Springfield, Ohio. Miriam Jordan reports for the New York Times.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told reporters yesterday that “the only reason why [ICE] would be at polling places is if there is a threat to that polling place or we’re serving a warrant on someone that we have been actively tracking down.” The Department of Homeland Security further clarified his position, saying “ICE is not planning operations targeting polling locations.” Eric Bazail-Eimil reports for POLITICO.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The Justice Department yesterday filed a lawsuit accusing Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools of facilitating the “secret transition” of students’ gender without their parents’ knowledge or consent. This is the first time the federal government has sued a public school district over gender identity and laws that ensure parents have access to their children’s records. Michael C. Bender reports for the New York Times.
A Utah judge yesterday found that prosecutors had presented enough evidence to try 23-year-old Tyler Robinson for murder in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last year, and allowed them to seek the death penalty. Robinson pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. Jack Healy and Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs report for the New York Times; Jim Urquhart and Andrew Hay report for Reuters.
The House of Representatives yesterday voted 370-to-48 to pass a short-term funding bill and avert a government shutdown at the end of September. The Senate passed the measure on Aug. 8. It has now been sent to Trump for signing into law. Richard Cowan reports for Reuters.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
In recent days, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has blocked the promotions of seven Army officers who had been selected for two-star general rank by a board of senior Army leaders, according to current and former military officials. Hegseth has fired or blocked the promotions of more than 80 generals and admirals during his time as defense secretary. The firings and Hegseth’s refusal to explain the logic behind them are dividing the Pentagon and alienating many in Congress, the officials said. Greg Jaffe, Helen Cooper, and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.
Trump said yesterday on social media that he is nominating acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to serve as the permanent Navy Secretary. “The Senate needs to confirm this Warfighter, ASAP, so he can continue the fantastic work he has been doing over the past 4 months,” Trump said. Jalen Beckford reports for POLITICO.
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