Rights groups criticise Turkey protest ban ahead of Nato summit Submitted by Alex MacDonald on Sun, 06/28/2026 - 10:18 Security services detain hundreds, including LGBTQ campaigners, leftist groups and Islamic State supporters Protesters hold a banner reading 'Turkey should leave Nato, Nato bases should be closed' during a demonstration in Ankara on 27 June 2026, ahead of the Nato summit (Adem Altan/AFP) Off Rights groups have condemned a protest ban imposed by Turkey ahead of a Nato summit, as well as the arrest of hundreds of people in a sweeping crackdown. Last week, the Ankara Governorate announced a 13-day province-wide ban on all public assemblies from Sunday, citing “national security" and security measures around the conference. A total of 225 people were also arrested, including alleged supporters of the leftist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C) and the Islamic State group.
Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, The United States carried out a second consecutive day of strikes on Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz, prompting retaliatory missile and drone attacks claimed by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The escalation comes as Lebanon and Israel begin implementing a US-backed framework agreement, with Lebanese leaders seeking to preserve stability despite strong opposition from Hezbollah. Here are the latest updates: US Central Command said American aircraft struck Iranian surveillance infrastructure, communications systems, air defence sites and drone storage facilities near Sirik and Qeshm Island.
Bahrain condemns Iranian strikes, urges UN to hold emergency meet Bahrain has expressed its “strongest condemnation” of Iran’s missile and drone attacks, saying they violate the country’s sovereignty and undermine “opportunities for de-escalation and stability in the region”. In a statement carried by the Bahrain News Agency, the ministry called on the UN Security Council to "hold an urgent session and put an end to this ongoing aggression and hold its perpetrators accountable". The ministry added that Bahrain “affirms its full legitimate right to defend its sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity in accordance with international law, and holds the Iranian regime fully responsible for any escalation resulting from its continued aggression”.
Iran inflation nears 89% as war strains economy Iran's inflation rate accelerated sharply in June, reaching 88.6 percent year-on-year, according to the country's Statistics Centre, which linked the surge to the economic impact of the recent war. The official agency said food prices more than doubled during the Persian month of Khordad, which runs from 22 May to 21 June, compared with the same period last year. Bread and grain prices rose nearly 138.8 percent, while red meat and poultry prices increased 178.2 percent.
Netanyahu says 'there is no room for two states' Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out the possibility of a Palestinian state if he returns to power in the upcoming elections in Israel. “Another principle of the government, of the broad national government that I intend to lead, is that there is no room for two states. Between the sea and the Jordan River, there is no room for two states,” he told reporters.
US says no casualties reported in Bahrain and Kuwait attacks by Iran No American casualties, major impacts or damage to US facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait had been reported following Iranian attacks claimed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, though the situation remains fluid, a US official told Reuters. The official's comments came after the IRGC said it had targeted the US Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain in retaliation for recent American strikes on Iranian military sites. The latest escalation follows days of tit-for-tat attacks linked to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, including strikes on commercial vessels, US attacks on Iranian targets and subsequent Iranian retaliation against US military assets in the Gulf. Afghan evacuees disembark from a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster after arriving at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, 24 August 2021 (Ryan Brooks/US Air Force/AFP)
Netanyahu calls Lebanon deal a ‘massive blow’ to Iran Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the framework agreement with Lebanon as a "historic accomplishment" and a "massive blow to Iran and Hezbollah". Netanyahu said the understandings reached with Lebanon and the United States recognise Israel's right to maintain a security zone inside southern Lebanon for as long as it considers necessary. He said Israel would remain there until Hezbollah and other armed groups are disarmed and no longer pose a threat.
Hind Rajab Foundation requests US Justice Department to prosecute Ben-Gvir The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) has filed a complaint with the US Justice Department, seeking the prosecution of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for alleged war crimes, genocide and incitement to genocide ahead of his expected visit to New York on 7-8 July. The Belgium-based rights group urged US authorities to open a criminal investigation, issue an arrest warrant or prevent Ben-Gvir from leaving US jurisdiction while the case is examined. The complaint reads: “From the moment Ben Gvir assumed his role as Minister of National Security, he has made it his explicit goal to worsen conditions for Palestinians detained in the Israel Prison Services (IPS)." HRF said that Palestinians detained by Israel have been subjected to starvation, beatings, shackling, sleep deprivation, denial of medical care and sexual violence, adding that at least 46 Palestinians died in Israeli custody between October 2023 and August 2025.
California Democrat driven from LGBTQ event ‘for being terrible on Gaza' California State Senator Scott Wiener, a progressive Jewish lawmaker and leading candidate to succeed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was chased out of a transgender community march in San Francisco for his alleged pro-Israel stance, Israeli media reported. A video posted by a local activist showed Wiener being accosted by a crowd in San Francisco’s Dolores Park and calling him a “genocidal piece of shit”. The activist filming the video then shouts, “I think your policy on the genocide in Gaza is terrible.
Report: Iraqi army enters Baghdad's Green Zone, tanks deployed Press TV reported that the Iraqi army entered Baghdad's Green Zone with tanks and armoured vehicles, placing the heavily fortified district, which houses the US Embassy, under lockdown. The reported deployment came amid escalating regional tensions after Bahrain's interior ministry confirmed warning sirens had sounded following reports of an explosion and claims of a drone attack targeting Sheikh Isa Air Base. The developments followed overnight US attacks on 10 Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz, which Washington said were retaliation for a drone strike on the tanker M/T Kiku.
Bahrain confirms alarm as Iran claims attacks on Gulf bases Bahrain's interior ministry confirmed that warning sirens sounded in the country after reports of an explosion amid claims of a drone attack targeting Sheikh Isa Air Base. Earlier, Iran's IRNA and Tasnim news agencies published a statement attributed to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks on the US Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. The IRGC said the attacks were carried out in response to recent US strikes on five coastal sites in Iran.
Centcom: 10 Iranian military targets in and near Hormuz struck US navy and air force fighter jets struck 10 Iranian military targets overnight at multiple locations in and near the Strait of Hormuz for Iran's drone attack on M/T Kiku, the US military said. US Central Command (Centcom) also released a grainy, black-and-white video on social media, showing some of the strikes. Centcom earlier said Iran launched a one-way attack drone that struck the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Kiku while it was transiting near the strategic waterway carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil.
IRGC: Destroyed eight US installations, offending vessels will face harsher action The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it destroyed eight US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, and warned that ships violating Iran’s Hormuz passage norms will face harsher action, according to IRNA. The IRGC statement, according to IRNA, reads: IRGC navy and aerospace units carried out a coordinated missile and drone strike. They targeted and destroyed eight major US military installations, specifically the Ali Al-Salem base in Kuwait and the Fifth Fleet headquarters at Salman Port in Bahrain.
IRGC: Launched missile, drone attacks on US forces in Kuwait and Bahrain The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said its navy and air force launched ballistic missiles and drones at the US Army at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Naval Fleet at Port Salman in the Bahraini capital, Manama. The statement, shared by Tasnim and IRNA agencies, said the attacks came in response to the US attacking five coastal locations in Iran. Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior urged people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place” as “the siren has been sounded”.
Top House Democrat welcomes primary winners who didn’t endorse him US House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has congratulated four winners of New York's Democratic congressional primaries, two of whom had declined to support him as a potential House speaker. Jeffries congratulated Darializa Avila Chevalier, Claire Valdez, Brad Lander and Micah Lasher after their primary victories this week. All are expected to win in November in heavily Democratic districts.
‘Crush, not anaesthetise’: Ben Gvir denounces Lebanon deal, seeks cabinet vote Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir has denounced the newly signed agreement with Lebanon as a "grave mistake" and said he has asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring the deal to a vote in the Security Cabinet. Acknowledging that Israeli forces remain in most areas for now, he argued that "the Lebanese state will not disarm Hezbollah" and said he would continue to demand a cabinet vote on the agreement. In a separate post calling to "crush, not to anaesthetise", the far-right minister said that Israel should pursue "total military victory" rather than rely on what he described as "empty international promises".
Lebanon says Trump backed ceasefire deal in call with Lebanese president Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says US President Donald Trump has reaffirmed Washington’s support for a Lebanon-Israel ceasefire agreement. In a statement posted on X, the Lebanese presidency said Aoun received a phone call from Trump on Friday night. It said Trump welcomed the signing of a trilateral agreement and voiced support for efforts to uphold the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.
Oman weighs Strait of Hormuz fees after war Oman has told European officials that the Strait of Hormuz cannot simply return to the way it operated before the war, Bloomberg reports. Citing people familiar with the matter, the news agency said Omani officials told their European counterparts that vessels passing through the key waterway may face some form of charge. Muscat said it would continue to respect international maritime law, but raised the possibility of fees linked to services such as cleaning pollution in the strait or helping ships navigate its waters, the people said.
Trump congratulates Lebanese president on Israel framework deal US President Donald Trump has congratulated Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on signing a framework agreement with Israel, Axios has reported, citing officials. The report said Trump spoke with Aoun after the signing, as Washington pushes to advance talks between Lebanon and Israel. The framework agreement comes amid US efforts to shape a wider political arrangement, even as Israel continues attacks on Lebanon and maintains troops inside Lebanese territory.
In the shadow of Minab: Inside the US testing of 'new missiles' on Iran’s Lamerd In Lamerd, in Iran ’s southern Fars province, the threat of war gave way to reality when previously untested missiles struck a school, sports grounds and nearby neighbourhoods. The attack came just six hours after the double-tap strikes on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab on 28 February, over 400km away in Hormozgan province, where 120 children, 24 staff, seven parents, a school bus driver and a pharmacist were killed. Four missiles from a new weapon system, the Lockheed Martin Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), which had never before been seen or deployed, would be field-tested on the town of 30,000 people.
Israel says troops will occupy southern Lebanon Israel’s defence minister says Israeli troops have been told to prepare for a prolonged occupation in the so-called security zone the army occupies in southern Lebanon. “The prime minister and I have instructed the [Israeli military] to prepare for an extended stay in the security zone”, Israel Katz said in a video statement. His comments came after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-brokered framework that aims to end hostilities and transfer territory to the Lebanese army.
Israel strikes southern Lebanon after US-brokered security deal Israeli warplanes have hit the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon, our colleagues on the ground report. The air strike took place at about 15:30 GMT, or 6:30pm local time, in the latest Israeli attack on southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency also reported the strike, which followed an earlier Israeli attack near the same town.
Lebanese army commander meets UK defence chiefs A statement from Lebanon’s army on Saturday said that its commander, Major-General Rodolphe Haykal, visited the UK for talks with British defence chiefs. The officials discussed “ways to support the army and enhance cooperation between the two sides,” as well as addressing “the challenges facing the army in the context of peacekeeping and stability missions and border protection” towards achieving “a sustainable ceasefire in Lebanon”. Haykal also thanked his British counterpart for the country's continued support for the Lebanese army.
Several Palestinians injured in Israeli drone strike on Gaza City tent Several Palestinians were wounded on Saturday in an Israeli attack on Gaza City. According to the Wafa news agency, an Israeli drone struck a tent sheltering displaced people in western Gaza City, wounding several Palestinians, who were transferred to al-Shifa hospital for treatment.
Damascus races to reassure Beirut as Trump pushes Syria to take on Hezbollah Submitted by Adam Chamseddine on Sat, 06/27/2026 - 13:10 Talks of a Syrian role in Lebanon revive memories of decades of troubled relations and military occupation US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House in Washington on 10 November 2025 (AFP/Sana) Off US President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested handing responsibility for dealing with Hezbollah to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, reviving fears in Lebanon of renewed Syrian military involvement despite denials from Damascus. Trump’s increasingly explicit statements have also appeared to contradict an earlier denial by US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, who dismissed reports that Washington had pressured Damascus to send forces into Lebanon as “false and inaccurate”. The latest remarks came on 21 June, when Trump told Fox News that he was disappointed by Israel ’s failure to defeat Hezbollah without causing widespread destruction.
Jordan, European Commission chief welcome Israel-Lebanon deal European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that she welcomes the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement signed in Washington as a “critical step” towards peace in the region. “Key next steps are the disarmament of non-state groups and preserving Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity,” she said in a statement posted to X, adding that “the EU stands ready to support this path to lasting regional stability”. Jordan similarly congratulated Lebanon on its US-mediated deal with Israel in a call between Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi and his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi. Safadi “expressed his hope that the agreement would advance the interests of Lebanon”, including reasserting its sovereignty and restoring stability, Raggi said on X.
Israel attack on Gaza refugee camp kills two, including a young girl Israeli drones hit makeshift tents in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Saturday, killing two Palestinians, including a young girl, Al Jazeera reported, citing medical sources. The area had been designated a “safe zone” under the terms of the ceasefire agreement with Israel. Four others were wounded in the attacks and are receiving treatment at Nasser hospital, one of the few hospitals still partially functioning in southern Gaza, the sources added.
UAE condemns Iranian strike on Bahrain The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Saturday condemning "in the strongest terms" Iran’s alleged drone attacks against Bahrain following US strikes on Iran. The ministry said that the attacks constitute a “flagrant violation” of Bahrain’s sovereignty and “a threat to its security and stability”. It reflects similar statements condemning the attacks from Kuwait, Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council. UAE Strongly Condemns Hostile Drone Attacks by Iran on Bahrain pic.twitter.com/0u7W7ZSa7r — MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) June 27, 2026
Iran and US trade attacks in worst escalation since peace deal Iran and the United States traded strikes over the past two days in the worst escalation since signing an interim peace deal aimed at ending their four-month war. The two sides accused each other of violating the agreement after a cargo ship was attacked on Thursday, prompting the latest exchange of strikes. The US blamed Iran for the attack.
Qatar, GCC condemn Iranian drone attacks on Bahrain Both the Qatari foreign ministry and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have strongly condemned Iran’s attacks on Bahrain, after reports emerged that drones targeted its territory. In a statement to X, Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi said he “condemns in the strongest terms the treacherous Iranian attacks on the Kingdom of Bahrain and its targeting of civilian infrastructure and properties”. Qatar called for “continuing on the path of dialogue and diplomacy, de-escalation, and building on the gains achieved within the framework of the memorandum of understanding, in a manner that contributes to consolidating security and stability at both the regional and international levels”. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it was attacking US-linked targets in retaliation for the US strike on its territory.
Iran and US trade attacks in worst escalation since peace deal Submitted by MEE staff on Sat, 06/27/2026 - 10:06 The warring sides accuse each other of violating the agreement Smoke rises from explosions after US Central Command said it carried out strikes on Iran in response to an Iranian drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz in a video released on 26 June 2026 (US Central Command/Handout via Reuters) Off Iran and the United States traded strikes over the past two days in the worst escalation since signing an interim peace deal aimed at ending their four-month war. The two sides accused each other of violating the agreement after a cargo ship was attacked on Thursday, prompting the latest exchange of strikes. The US blamed Iran for the attack.
Kuwait condemns Iranian attack on Bahrain Kuwait’s foreign ministry issued a statement on Saturday condemning Iran’s drone attack on Bahrain, calling it a violation of Bahrain’s sovereignty and international law, as well as a threat to the security and stability of the region. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the State of Kuwait’s condemnation and strong denunciation of the reprehensible Iranian aggression against the territories of the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain,” the statement said. Iran announced on Saturday that it would attack US-linked targets in retaliation for US strikes on its coastal surveillance facilities, amid an unstable peace deal. بيان صادر عن وزارة الخارجية السبت 27 يونيو 2026 تعرب وزارة الخارجية عن إدانة دولة الكويت واستنكارها الشديدين للاعتداء الإيراني الآثم على أراضي مملكة البحرين الشقيقة بعددٍ من الطائرات المسيّرة، في انتهاكٍ صارخٍ لسيادتها، وتهديدٍ مباشرٍ لأمنها واستقرارها وسلامة مواطنيها والمقيمين… pic.twitter.com/xIFVeUhSBW — وزارة الخارجية (@MOFAKuwait) June 27, 2026
Iran says more ships seek Hormuz transit permits after warning shots fired More ships are seeking permits from Iran to transit the Strait of Hormuz after unauthorised vessels faced warning shots, Iranian state TV reported. The report came after a British maritime security firm said a Panama-flagged tanker had been hit by an “unidentified projectile” while transiting the strait on Saturday. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had attacked US positions in the Gulf following US strikes on Iran.
Hezbollah supporters protest in Beirut against Israel deal Submitted by MEE staff on Sat, 06/27/2026 - 11:17 The agreement does not specify when or under what conditions Israel would withdraw from the large areas it occupies in Lebanon Hezbollah supporters take to the streets in the southern suburbs of Beirut to protest against the trilateral agreement that was signed between the US, Israel and Lebanon on 27 June 2026 (Ibrahim Amro/AFP) Off Hundreds of Hezbollah supporters took to the streets of Beirut from late Friday into Saturday to protest against a framework agreement reached between Lebanon , Israel and the United States . The protesters rode motorcycles through the Lebanese capital, including central Beirut, near parliament and along the airport road, hours after the agreement was announced. Footage shared by local media and on social media showed hundreds of Hezbollah supporters riding motorbikes and mopeds through Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahieh, which suffered widespread destruction in Israeli air strikes.
Israeli media: Israel’s ‘goal from the start’ was leading Lebanon into civil war An analyst on Israel’s Channel 13 said during a broadcast that Israel was “leading Lebanon to a civil war”, calling it Israel’s “goal from the start”. “It seems we’re leading Lebanon to a civil war. Maybe it’s not so bad for us, let the Lebanese government fight Hezbollah,” the analyst said.
Israeli drone strikes southern Lebanon day after security deal An Israeli drone struck the Nabatieh area in southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanon’s state news agency reported. The strike came one day after Israel and Lebanon signed a US-mediated security arrangement aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region, after Israel attacked and invaded the country in March.
Lebanon orders measures to prevent riots after deal with Israel Lebanese public prosecutor Ahmad Rami al-Hajj issued a judicial order for security forces to take measures to prevent riots, Lebanese media reported. The order came after Hezbollah supporters took to the streets in Beirut on Friday evening to protest against the Israel-Lebanon security deal signed in Washington. Demonstrators blocked a road to the airport with burning tyres in the southern suburbs of the capital.
Iranian adviser says US violation of agreement will be met with swift and decisive response Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said on Saturday that the US has violated the war-ending memorandum of understanding by creating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Rezaei added that any response to a violation by Iran will be “swift and decisive”. Reporting by Reuters
In the shadow of Minab: Inside the US testing of 'new missiles' on Iran’s Lamerd In Lamerd, in Iran’s southern Fars province, the threat of war gave way to reality when previously untested missiles struck a school, sports grounds and nearby neighbourhoods. The attack came just six hours after the double-tap strikes on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab on 28 February, over 400km away in Hormozgan province, where 120 children, 24 staff, seven parents, a school bus driver and a pharmacist were killed. Four missiles from a new weapon system, the Lockheed Martin Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), which had never before been seen or deployed, would be field-tested on the town of 30,000 people.
Drone targets Iranian Kurdish opposition camp in Iraq: Reuters An explosive drone targeted a camp belonging to an Iranian Kurdish opposition group north of Iraq’s Erbil, Reuters reported on Saturday, citing security sources. There were no immediate reports of casualties. In March, US media reported that the White House was exploring options to back Kurdish opposition factions in Iraq as part of efforts to support regime change in Tehran.
Lebanon’s state-owned NNA reports Israeli bombing near border Israeli forces overnight bombed a place in the town of Markaba, located about 1.5km from the Israel-Lebanon border, the state-owned National News Agency (NNA) reported. The report of the bombing comes after the two countries signed a 14-point framework agreement hailed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as the “first step” in the negotiations. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah sharply criticised the agreement, saying that Lebanese authorities would not be able to enforce it without bringing the country to "civil war".
Israel to reduce forces in southern Lebanon, army radio says The Israeli military will reduce its forces in southern Lebanon, withdraw some combat brigades and increase its readiness levels, according to Israeli Army Radio. The report said the army is also expected to begin rotating brigades between the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon in the coming period as part of its operational adjustments. The development comes after Lebanon and Israel agreed to a deal as part of a trilateral framework with the United States in Washington on Friday, following five rounds of talks hosted by US President Donald Trump's administration.
CENTCOM releases video purportedly showing strikes on Iran The US Central Command shared a black-and-white video purportedly showing strikes on Iran. The video shared on social media, marked “unclassified”, apparently shows explosions and smoke rising, but no discernible target. A few hours earlier, CENTOM said the US forces “conducted strikes against Iran as a powerful response to yesterday’s attack on a commercial ship that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz”.
Iranian official condemns US attack as ‘reckless violation of ceasefire’ Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said that Trump “has shown he has no commitment to the principles of negotiation or a ceasefire”. “This reckless violation of the ceasefire will, as always, lead to retreat and regret on their part," Azizi said on X, in response to the US strikes on Iran. “The blame game does not work anymore,” he said.
Lebanon and Israel sign 'framework agreement' to end war Lebanon and Israel have agreed to a deal as part of a trilateral framework with the United States in Washington on Friday, following five rounds of talks hosted by US President Donald Trump's administration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called it "the beginning of the beginning" in remarks to reporters moments before the signing. He later revealed in a written statement that the US would commit $100m in "humanitarian assistance in coordination with the UN" for affected communities, though he did not specify whether it was just for Lebanon or also for northern Israeli border towns.
US confirms strikes on Iran, Tehran vows swift response The US military conducted strikes against Iran on Friday, Central Command said in a statement, adding that US aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Tehran's attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said its response to a fresh US attack against Iran will be "swift and decisive," Iran's State TV reported early on Saturday. The Guards said they repelled an attack by the US against Sirik Island, which is located on the shores of the Strait of Hormuz.
Sanctioned ICC judges sue Trump in US over 'attack on judicial independence' A federal court in New York has summoned US President Donald Trump to respond to a lawsuit brought by three sitting judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), who accuse his administration of punishing them with sweeping sanctions for their work on investigations involving Israel and the United States . The summons, issued on Thursday by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, requires the government to respond within 60 days to a complaint filed a day earlier by judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin. The case names Trump as the lead defendant, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Iranian media report sound of explosion in southern Iran's Sirik Iranian media reported on Friday that the sound of an explosion was heard in Sirik, in southern Iran, adding that the source of the sound was not immediately clear. The reports came right after President Trump hinted at a US response to an alleged Iranian attack on a cargo ship, saying "you'll find out" when asked if there would be consequences for Tehran.
Lebanon president says Israel deal first step to restoring sovereignty Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said a deal signed with Israel on Friday was a first step towards fully restoring his country's sovereignty after Israel's latest war on Lebanon. "The framework agreement signed today is a first step" that will enable Lebanese people to return "to their fully liberated lands, and to their certainly rebuilt homes... under the sovereignty of the Lebanese state that has no partner in its sovereignty over its land and people", Aoun said, according to a statement released by his office. "We swear to continue to work until this is fully achieved.
Pro-Israel rabbis demand Mamdani apologise for likening Aipac to 'monsters' Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 06/26/2026 - 17:52 The New York City mayor said he was quoting the Marxist philosopher Gramsci to describe the 'status quo' in Palestine Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a rally with immigration advocates in New York City on 25 June 2026 (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters) Off More than 700 pro-Israel rabbis have signed onto an open letter published on Friday calling on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to retract his comments likening the pro-Israel lobbying group Aipac to "monsters". The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is among the most powerful advocacy groups working on foreign policy in the US , spending millions to oust political candidates who are critical of Israel. The letter was organised by the relatively new advocacy group The Jewish Majority , founded by an Aipac veteran of nearly two decades, Jonathan Schulman .