Nine Syrian sailors and one Egyptian crew member remain missing after the Togo-flagged cargo ship Alfa Watan sank following a drone attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. Bulgarian authorities found no survivors and suspended the search, prompting Syria to demand an independent investigation into the incident and the decision to halt rescue operations.
A 24-year-old Royal Navy sailor, Teddy Young, has been charged under Britain’s National Security Act over allegations that he obtained classified information and prepared to disclose it to a foreign power. British media reports have linked the case to Russia, although police have not publicly identified the country in their initial announcement. Young was remanded in custody pending further court proceedings.
A Saudia Airbus aircraft was reportedly severely damaged in a missile strike at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, amid escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed Houthis. Lufthansa and Air India suspended flights to the Saudi capital, while diplomats and schools took precautionary security measures following explosions in the city.
At least 30 people were killed and 18 injured in a Russian glide bomb strike on two civilian buses in Ukraine’s eastern city of Kramatorsk, Ukrainian authorities said. President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed a response, while Russia had not immediately commented on the attack.
Israel marked the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken hostage. Three years later, Gaza remains devastated by war, while the conflict has reshaped the Middle East and fueled wider confrontations involving Israel, Iran, Hezbollah and other regional actors.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran has missed multiple opportunities for a nuclear deal and that Washington will only accept an agreement guaranteeing Tehran can never obtain a nuclear weapon. Rubio also said Iran has lost control of the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran disputes the U.S. claim.
Pakistan’s military has confirmed that Pakistani forces are already stationed in Saudi Arabia in various capacities, but has not disclosed their number, capabilities or whether they are involved in cross-border operations against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks targeting Saudi airports, with three people killed and 36 injured in Abha and Riyadh. The escalation came as Saudi-backed Yemeni forces launched a major counteroffensive against Houthi positions near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait.
Yemen’s civil war has sharply escalated as Iran-backed Houthis claim attacks on Saudi Arabia, while Saudi-backed government forces launch a major counteroffensive to retake territory from the group. The Saudi-led coalition says around 100 fighter jets are supporting the operation, as fighting intensifies around the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.
