Browsing: US bombs Iran

The week so far has been dominated by the Israel-Iran conflict with a shaky ceasefire currently in place. Donald Trump’s remarkable outburst on TV sent shockwaves around the globe, as a leaked US intelligence report suggests the US bombing of Iran did little damage to Iran’s nuclear efforts – Trump denies this.

The NATO summit is currently underway with members committing to spending 5% of GDP and signing security deals with each other amid an increasingly unstable world.

India has sent its first astronauts into space for the first time in 41 years. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who’s piloting the mission, has become only the second Indian to travel to space.

There are fears of widespread protests across Kenya today, marking the first anniversary of last year’s mass protests over tax hikes. Violence spiralled last year, and there are fears the nationwide protests this year could be similar.

Both Europe and North America have been experiencing heat waves this week, as weather warnings are put in place amid growing hospitalisations.

Recent flight tracking data indicates a significant increase in US military aircraft movement towards the Middle East, with 52 planes detected over the eastern Mediterranean in just a few days.

The head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, emphasised that armed attacks on nuclear facilities pose severe risks of radioactive releases and must not occur.

Monday’s front pages lead with the US entering Israel’s war on Iran, as Trump declares victory, having bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities, claiming it was a total success. Iran has vowed a response. The UN has said it cannot verify the exact degree of damage the US strikes have caused, but that hasn’t stopped the US and Israel from congratulating each other. Last night, Israel continued its heavy bombing of Iran’s military infrastructure, and by this morning, Iran is returning fire. 

Ship tracking around Iran’s Tombak port shows vessels appearing to be arranged in a circle on land, indicating possible GPS interference rather than actual positioning.

There will be little surprise that Monday’s UK headlines are dominated by the latest from the Middle East after Donald Trump took everyone by surprise over the weekend and bombed Iran. It comes after Trump signalled he would give Iran two weeks to discuss ending their nuclear weapons programme. The decision to take the USA into Israel’s war is proving unpopular in the US, even amongst his supporters. There’s little support for the move this side of the pond as well, with many looking at how Prime Minister Keir Starmer will react to the bombing and whether the UK could be dragged into the war.

Oil prices surged to their highest in five months, Brent crude briefly topped $81 a barrel, after the US joined Israel in striking key Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed support today for the US airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, seen as a coordinated effort with Israel to halt Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, but simultaneously warned of the high risk of broader Middle East escalation.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered a stern warning following US airstrikes on Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, calling the attacks a “heinous crime” that risks “everlasting consequences” for international security.

The 21 Arab and Muslim-majority countries collectively condemned Israel’s recent attacks on Iran, expressing concern over escalating tensions in the region.