Aletho News

Iranian Parliament Committee Approves Bill Barring US, Israeli Ships From Hormuz – Reports

Sputnik – 09.08.2026

TEHRAN – The Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission has approved a bill that will ban US and Israeli vessels from sailing through the crucial waterway, Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported on Sunday.

The bill, which reportedly aims to ensure the security and sustainable development of the Strait of Hormuz, will deny access to the strait to countries that are hostile to Iran. Foreign vessels will also be prohibited from transporting any type of Israel-affiliated cargo, whether military or civilian, or face fines of up to 20% of the cargo’s value.

Under the draft law, responsibility for regulating shipping, monitoring vessel traffic and ensuring security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf will be assigned to the Iranian government, which will act in cooperation with the Iranian armed forces. … Full article

‘Trump lost this war’: US senator warns America gets weaker as war on Iran drags on

Press TV – August 9, 2026

US Senator Chris Murphy has delivered a scathing assessment of the ongoing war on Iran, declaring that President Donald Trump “has lost this war” and warning that every day the fighting continues, the United States grows weaker while Iran grows stronger.

In an interview on NBC News, the Democratic senator from Connecticut argued that the administration is facing a dire strategic reality, urging an immediate end to the hostilities even if it means accepting highly unfavorable terms.

Murphy highlighted that the cost to reopen the Strait of Hormuz increases daily, noting that a proposed deal currently on the table would effectively pay Iran $100 billion a year to reopen the critical waterway.

“What a victory for Iran,” Murphy remarked. “At the end of this war, they get paid to reopen the Strait, they get paid to rebuild their military, they get paid to rebuild their support for proxies in the region.”

Acknowledging the unfavorable terms, the senator stated he is willing to accept a flawed agreement simply to stop the bleeding. … continue

Three dead as Ukrainian barrage hits residential buildings in Russia’s Belgorod – governor

RT | August 9, 2026

A “large-scale” Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Belgorod in western Russia has killed three civilians and wounded 25 others, including two children aged four and nine, acting regional governor Aleksandr Shuvayev said on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, Shuvayev reported only 13 injured as Ukrainian UAVs hit residential buildings but later provided updated information that three residents had died. “No words can ease this pain for their loved ones,” he wrote, adding, “We all share your grief and mourn with you.”

One of the wounded children was hospitalized, with injuries assessed as non-life threatening, Shuvayev said. Thirteen adults also remain hospitalized, one of whom is in extremely serious condition, he added, saying all necessary medical assistance was being provided.

The governor said the strikes sparked fires at two apartment blocks, a private house and several parked cars, all of which were extinguished by emergency crews. He added that a number of apartment buildings, administrative buildings, and “social and commercial sites” were damaged.

According to Shuvayev, Ukrainian forces also struck the wider Belgorod region, using artillery, aircraft and multiple rocket launch systems, over the course of the day, with nine more people wounded outside Belgorod. Russian air defenses downed or jammed 162 drones over the area, he added.

Videos circulating on Telegram show extensive damage to apartment blocks. … continue

‘How can we help you kill more Russians?’ German reporter asks Zelensky

RT | August 9, 2026

A German journalist asked Vladimir Zelensky at a press conference in Belgrade how Europeans could help Kiev “kill more Russians,” prompting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to raise his eyebrows in apparent disbelief.

The provocative question came from Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung correspondent Michael Martens during a joint press conference following Zelensky’s talks with Vucic on Saturday.

“Can you tell us Europeans what can we concretely do to help you to kill more Russians?” Martens asked. He hastily added he meant “more Russian soldiers, of course,” before asking whether the two leaders had discussed military cooperation.

Footage shows Vucic raising his eyebrows in apparent disbelief as he hears the question. … continue

IOF shoot farmer’s flock, settlers torch property in West Bank

Al Mayadeen | August 9, 2026

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and settlers carried out a wide series of raids and attacks across several West Bank governorates overnight from Saturday into Sunday. The assaults were concentrated in Nablus, al-Khalil, Ramallah, Jenin, Qalqilya, Ariha, and Beit Lahm and included raids on homes, incursions into villages, a live-fire attack on a farmer’s flock, and multiple settler assaults on Palestinian property.

In Nablus, IOF raided homes in the al-Harayiq area on the outskirts of Beita and stormed the villages of Burqa, Asira al-Qibliya, Urif, Awarta, and Einabus. In Asira al-Qibliya, occupation forces detained freed Palestinian prisoner Abdul Jaber Yassin after storming his family’s home.

The IOF also conducted repeated raids in Beit Furik and stormed the towns of Huwwara and Qusra. In Qusra, soldiers tampered with photographs of martyrs, and one soldier tore down a Palestinian flag. IOF additionally stormed the village of Salem, east of Nablus, through the Deir Sharaf checkpoint to the west, and stormed the Ras al-Ain area of the city.

In al-Khalil, IOF closed the entrance to Farsh al-Hawa in the city and stormed the town of Idhna to the west. Nearby, in Wadi al-Bayda west of Idhna, occupation forces opened fire toward Palestinian farmer Mahmoud Abdullah Atmaizeh as he grazed his livestock, killing several sheep and wounding others. […]

In al-Khalil, settlers set fire to residents’ property during an attack on the Wadi al-Rakhim area in Masafer Yatta, south of the city. … Full article

Palestinian wounded by Israeli gunfire in Gaza

Palestinian Information Center – August 9, 2026

GAZA – A Palestinian citizen was injured by Israeli gunfire in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, following attacks a day earlier that killed one person and wounded several others.

According to media sources, a civilian sustained injuries when Israeli forces opened fire towards the al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.

Israeli tanks also opened machinegun fire at tents sheltering displaced families in the al-Mawasi area of Rafah, south of Gaza.

Meanwhile, widespread military activity, including shooting incidents, artillery shelling, and demolitions, was reported across Gaza today. … Full article

Netanyahu rejects Trump’s post-genocide 15-point plan for Gaza

Press TV – August 9, 2026

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has rejected US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace 15-point plan and will not withdraw forces from the territory until the Palestinian resistance group Hamas fully disarms.

“Israel rejects the 15-point document,” Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, referring to a US-backed Gaza peace plan. … continue

Gaza detainee Ihab Diyab dies in Israeli jail

Palestinian Information Center – August 9, 2026

The Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs has reported the death of prisoner Ihab Diyab, a 36-year-old from Gaza, who had been held in Israeli jails since December 12, 2023.

In a statement on Sunday, the Commission said it received a reply from the Israeli prison service confirming the death of prisoner Diyab and claiming he had health problems.

His family rejected the Israeli claim about his health, asserting that he was healthy when he was kidnaped from Gaza.

The death of Ihab Diyab brings the total number of Palestinians who have died in Israeli custody since 1967 to 328 martyrs. At least 91 of them have died since October 7, 2023, including 53 from Gaza. … Full article

Syria: Israeli Occupation Detains Young Man during Raid in Daraa Countryside

Al-Manar | August 9, 2026

Israeli occupation army detained a young man during a raid on a village in the countryside of Daraa in southern Syria, as they conduct a fresh incursion in Quneitra Countryside, Syrian state television Al-Ikhbariya reported early on Sunday.

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided the village of Maariya, which they have occupied, Al Ekhbariya reported.

The IOF detained a young man during the raid, before withdrawing and heading toward the Jazira barracks. … Full article

Israel strikes southern Lebanon after US-mediated talks in Rome

Press TV – August 9, 2026

Israeli forces have launched fresh artillery strikes in southern Lebanon, targeting areas in the Nabatieh governorate despite recent US-brokered talks between Beirut and Tel Aviv aimed at ending the occupying regime’s attacks and securing a phased Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported on Sunday that several locations around the towns of Mayfadoun, Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Doha Kfar Rumman came under fire, with the Ali al-Taher hill near Nabatieh al-Fawqa also targeted.

NNA said the shelling was intermittent and reported a powerful explosion in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The latest escalation also coincided with increased Israeli aerial activity over parts of Lebanon. Israeli aircraft were reported over the Bekaa Valley and Mount Lebanon, while drones were observed over the southern suburbs of Beirut. … Full article

Lebanon: Israeli Projectiles Ignite Widespread Forest Fires in South, Western Bekaa

Al-Manar | August 9, 2026

Projectiles dropped by Israeli drones ignited large-scale fires across forests and mountainous areas in southern Lebanon and Western Bekaa, Al-Manar correspondent reported on Sunday.

The fires broke out on Saturday when Israeli drones released incendiary projectiles over the area stretching from the heights of Niha to Kfarhouna, setting trees and forested land ablaze and triggering the rapid spread of flames across rugged terrain that is difficult to access, according to our correspondent.

Firefighting teams from the Islamic Health Society and the Lebanese Civil Defense have been battling the blazes since Saturday, but efforts have been severely hampered by the rugged terrain and the inaccessibility of several burning areas to vehicles, Al-Manar’s Maher Qamar reported.

As the fires continue to expand, calls have intensified for aerial support. However, circulating information indicates that the Lebanese Army has yet to obtain the necessary approvals to deploy aircraft for firefighting operations, further complicating efforts to contain the fires, according to our reporter.

Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani military alliance shaped by fear of Israel, not Iran: Analyst

Press TV – August 9, 2026

Underlying regional calculations behind the new military alliance between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have been shaped by fear of Israel, not Iran, says an analyst.

Speaking to the Press TV website, Anusar Farooqui, a US-based writer and commentator who is also the founder and CEO of Systematic Portfolios LLC, said the newly signed “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” is aimed at the Israeli regime.

“The alliance politics of the Sunni Arab powers is driven by fear of Israel, not Iran,” he said.

“The Saudis and especially the Turks are very fearful of Israeli plans,” he added, noting that Israeli discussions about confronting Turkey, including talk of a possible surprise attack intended to cripple the Turkish air force, had contributed to Ankara’s concerns. … continue

New Yemeni operations target Saudi forces, key Aramco site

The Cradle | August 9, 2026

The Ansarallah-led Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) announced on 9 August a series of new military operations targeting Saudi Arabia and its assets in response to Riyadh’s continued escalation and mobilization of its proxies and troops against the Yemeni resistance.

The operations included an attack targeting “Saudi enemy force concentrations” and weapons sites in Al-Mokha, southwestern Yemen, according to a YAF statement released on Sunday afternoon.

“In response to the Saudi enemy’s continued mobilization of forces and reinforcement … with weapons and equipment, as well as ongoing attacks along the western coast and in Taiz Governorate … [our forces] … carried out a large-scale and qualitative military operation.”

The YAF said its operations targeted “Saudi enemy force concentrations and weapons depots in the Al-Mokha area.”

The attacks “were precise … and resulted in extensive destruction of the equipment and weapons, as well as the deaths and injuries of dozens, including Saudi [troops], using a large number of ballistic missiles and drones,” the Yemeni army added.

The YAF had announced a short while earlier on 9 August a new attack targeting Saudi energy infrastructure.

Sanaa has targeted such infrastructure repeatedly in recent days.

Yemen’s military said on Sunday morning that it targeted the Saudi Aramco refinery in Saudi Arabia’s Jizan – a facility which was recently targeted accurately and struck by Ansarallah-led troops several days ago.

The facility was forced shut by that earlier Yemeni strike. Satellite images showed black smoke billowing out of the site at the time.

“The YAF successfully targeted the Aramco refinery in Jizan with a drone, and the strike was precise. This targeting comes in response to the Saudi enemy’s violation of the airspace of Saada and Hajjah governorates with its drones,” the Yemeni army said at around 9:40 AM on 9 August. … Full article

Iran Holds Firm on the Strait of Hormuz

By Larry C. Johnson | SONAR21 | August 9, 2026

Although Donald Trump insists that the Strait of Hormuz is open, it ain’t. There are no direct talks between Iran and US representatives. In fact, it looks like Pakistan’s attempt at mediation is going nowhere. Iran has been talking with Oman, but those talks — despite claims of progress — appear to have stalled.

Iran updated its demands that the US must accept if it wants the Strait of Hormuz back in full operation. … continue

When sanctions become piracy with a government stamp

By Dan-Viggo BERGTUN – steigan.no – July 29, 2026

Vladimir Putin has recently announced that attacks, harassment, and unlawful interference with Russian commercial shipping will be met in the same manner as piracy. This statement will naturally be portrayed as yet another Russian threat. But before European politicians dismiss it as propaganda, they should consider a far more uncomfortable question: What do we call it when states stop merchant ships, board them, seize cargo, or attempt to determine who is allowed to sail the world’s oceans?

Since 2022, the European Union has built up an increasingly comprehensive sanctions regime against Russia. More and more vessels have been linked to what the EU terms the Russian “shadow fleet.” The ships may be denied access to European ports and face prohibitions on insurance, financing, technical assistance, and other maritime services.

These are serious measures, but it is important to be precise: A European port ban is not the same as a general right to board foreign vessels on the high seas. Nor is there any automatic right to seize cargo from a ship simply because the EU believes the trade violates European sanctions.

But the development is dangerous. The United Kingdom and several European countries are discussing increasingly offensive measures against vessels alleged to be circumventing sanctions. … continue

China’s first 100-bcm Bohai gas field Phase I fully online, with daily output topping 5,200 tons

Global Times – August 9, 2026

The first phase of the Bozhong 19-6 gas field, China’s first 100-billion-cubic-meter gas field in the Bohai Sea, has entered full operation, with daily oil and gas output surpassing 5,200 tons, CNOOC Tianjin Branch announced on Sunday. The project is of great significance for optimizing the regional energy structure and supporting high-quality economic and social development, the People’s Daily reported.

China’s natural gas reserves are unevenly distributed, with more in the west and less in the east. As the largest offshore gas field in eastern China, the project has so far produced more than 2.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas and serves as an important force in ensuring a stable natural gas supply for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Bohai rim area.

Coming fully online during the critical peak summer demand period, the Phase I project further meets the energy needs of regional residential life and industrial production, said the report. … continue

China to launch regular shipping to Europe via Russia’s Northern Sea Route – Rosatom

RT | August 8, 2026

China will launch regular container shipping to Europe via Russia’s Northern Sea Route (NSR) this month, with eight voyages planned through October, Rosatom CEO Aleksey Likhachev has said.

The Arctic shipping route runs mostly through Russia’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone and relies on Russian port infrastructure and icebreaker fleet. Rosatom, Russia’s state atomic energy corporation, is principally responsible for the route’s development.

Chinese firm Sealegend Shipping sent its first freight shipment through the waterway to Felixstowe Port in England late last year, making the voyage in 20 days. A voyage via the Suez Canal would have taken around 37 days, Likhachev told reporters on Friday.

“Today, we are taking the next step. The Chinese shipping company Sealegend Shipping is indeed planning to launch the first regular route to Europe, and Rosatom has already issued permits for seven vessels to transit the NSR,” the Rosatom CEO said. … continue

Did Fauci, Other Top NIH Officials Shut Down Inquiry Into COVID Vaccine Injuries?

By Brenda Baletti, Ph.D. | The Defender |August 7, 2026

Newly released National Institutes of Health (NIH) emails show top agency officials in 2021 privately voicing alarm over a colleague’s research into neurological symptoms following COVID-19 vaccination — not because the findings were unsound, but because of how publishing them might affect public confidence in the shots.

The emails, obtained by the Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN) through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, document discussions among four high-level government officials about how the research should be handled — and whether it should see daylight at all.

The officials are: then-NIH Director Francis Collins, then-National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, NIH Principal Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak, and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Director Walter Koroshetz.

The discussion began after Dr. Avindra Nath, NINDS clinical director, circulated a draft manuscript he intended to submit to the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) describing 24 patients who developed peripheral neuropathy after COVID-19 vaccination. … continue

When the coloniser calls resistance terrorism

By Sayid Marcos Tenorio | MEMO | August 8, 2026

Throughout history, almost every national liberation struggle has been labelled “terrorism” by the powers exercising colonial rule or foreign occupation. This strategy is nothing new.

The British Empire branded IRA fighters in Ireland and EOKA guerrillas in Cyprus as terrorists. France portrayed Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN) as a criminal organisation. The same happened to the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) in Namibia, and even Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC).

History, however, vindicated these movements and condemned the colonial regimes that sought to perpetuate their domination.

This pattern reveals a constant: those who occupy a territory seek to strip the occupied people of any legitimacy to resist.

The dehumanisation of resistance is a colonial strategy. By labelling every resistance fighter a “terrorist”, attention is shifted away from illegal occupation, apartheid and the denial of self-determination, and redirected towards the reaction of the occupied people.

This narrative, however, encounters clear limits within international law itself. … continue

Medics, Residents Injured as Israeli forces and colonizers attack West Bank towns

IMEMC | August 8, 2026

Illegal paramilitary Israeli colonizers, backed by Israeli soldiers, carried out a series of coordinated attacks on Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank on Friday, injuring residents and medics, invading public and residential areas, and assaulting ambulances responding to the wounded.

In Hebron in the southern West Bank, a group of illegal paramilitary Israeli colonizers stormed the town of Ethna west of the city and attacked a Palestinian home.

The homeowner said the colonizers invaded the vicinity of his property, caused significant damage to the house and his vehicle, and assaulted several residents, including women.

In the southern West Bank, colonizers invaded the Solomon’s Pools area between the town of Al‑Khader and the village of Artas south of Bethlehem.

Local sources said colonizers, escorted by Israeli soldiers, entered the historic site, gathered around the second and third pools, and performed religious rituals.

In a separate incident, colonizers invaded the Khalayel al‑Louz area southeast of Bethlehem and attacked a water tanker belonging to citizen Nasser Khalil Khalawi.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) confirmed that two paramedics were injured after colonizers pepper‑sprayed them and pelted their ambulance with stones. … Full article

Israeli forces kill Palestinian in Gaza, wound 9 including 4 children

MEMO | August 8, 2026

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian and wounded nine others, including four children, in separate attacks across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, medical sources told Anadolu Agency.

The latest casualties came amid continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement, which has been in force in Gaza since Oct. 10, 2025.

A medical source told Anadolu Agency that a young Palestinian man was killed after Israeli forces opened fire in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

In southern Gaza, medical sources said seven injured Palestinians, including two children, were admitted to Nasser Hospital after Israeli tanks stationed near the al-Shakoush area southwest of Khan Younis opened heavy fire. Three of them are in critical condition, according to the sources.

In Gaza City, two children were wounded after Israeli forces opened fire toward Palestinian homes and tents sheltering displaced families in the eastern Tuffah and Zeitoun neighborhoods, according to medical sources.

In central Gaza, local sources and witnesses told Anadolu Agency that Israeli drones opened fire at Palestinian homes east of the Bureij refugee camp, east of Deir al-Balah, but no casualties were reported.

Israeli artillery also shelled areas east of the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, according to local sources. … Full article

Israeli occupation forces cut Quneitra road, deploy troops near UNDOF

Al Mayadeen | August 8, 2026

Israeli occupation forces invaded the al-Mantara Dam area in the northwestern countryside of Quneitra on Saturday, near the village of Western Samadaniyah, as United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) troops were deployed just meters from the Israeli position.

According to circulated information, the forces entered the area around the dam without any reported clashes or security incidents, as Israeli movements and incursions continue across parts of the Quneitra countryside.

UNDOF troops inspected damage caused by the Israeli incursion in Western Samadaniyah after Israeli forces entered the area earlier in the morning.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces blocked the road linking Eastern Samadaniyah with Khan Arnabeh after erecting a temporary earthen barrier. A bulldozer, a tank, and more than 50 personnel were deployed along the road, disrupting movement. … Full article

Israeli Tanks and Infantry Push Toward Kfarshouba as Artillery Pounds Nabatieh

Al-Manar | August 8, 2026

An Israeli enemy army infantry force, accompanied by two Merkava tanks, advanced this morning toward the Shmeis area on the outskirts of Kfarshouba, according to Al-Manar’s correspondent.

The correspondent reported that the forces conducted search and sweep operations in the wooded areas that the enemy had set ablaze two days prior.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation army resumed its advance toward Zawtar al-Gharbiya overnight, pushing the earthen berm further into the town’s perimeter until it reached approximately 100 meters from the town square. The Lebanese army remains stationed at its original position, just a few meters from the newly constructed berm, while enemy aircraft and drones flew at very low altitudes over the town.

Israeli occupation forces also carried out machine-gun fire operations from an enemy radar position toward the outskirts of Shebaa.

Since early morning, the Doha Kfar Rumman, Tell Ali al-Taher, and University District areas of Nabatieh have been subjected to artillery shelling, coinciding with continuous drone activity.

The National News Agency also reported that Israeli warplanes were flying at low altitude in the airspace of the central and western sectors.

Later on, a Zionist occupation force advanced from Mais Al-Jabal town into Wadi Slouki area, according to Al-Manar reporter.

Bipartisan Senate bill ties LAF funding to Hezbollah disarmament

Al Mayadeen | August 8, 2026

US Senators Jeanne Shaheen and James Lankford introduced legislation late on Thursday authorizing $1.2 billion in security assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces over five years, with the funding structured around a condition that the Lebanese state actively disarms Hezbollah and enforces a state monopoly on weapons.

The bill sets an annual allocation of $240 million, including $200 million through Foreign Military Financing. Up to half of that amount would be withheld until the US Secretary of State certifies that Lebanon has met the disarmament and weapons monopoly conditions, though LAF special operations units and associated enabling forces are exempted from the freeze.

The legislation also authorizes sanctions, including asset blocks, financial restrictions and visa bans, against foreign persons who support Iran’s financing of Hezbollah or who obstruct the Lebanese state’s disarmament efforts.

A separate reconstruction fund under the bill, administered by the State Department, would rebuild government services, municipal institutions and civilian infrastructure. It explicitly bars funds from reaching the Council for South Lebanon, the state body with the most experience in building and rebuilding infrastructure in the South. … continue

Inside Israel’s pyramid of spies

The Cradle | August 7, 2026

No state or security body offers a single, systematic account of how Israeli agents are used, why they are recruited, or what services they ultimately provide. Outside experienced state institutions, universities and research centers rarely undertake such scrutiny. Israeli academia is the notable exception.

Israeli universities form part of the wider intelligence ecosystem through research, graduates, and seminars conducted with the security services and military. They produce personnel, assess institutional performance – as they have done since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood – and examine intelligence work in detail.

The Second Annual Israeli Conference on Intelligence Studies, held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on 28–29 October 2025 under the title “Intelligence Transformations After Failure,” is one open example. No comparable body of work has emerged from Arab and Islamic institutions.

Accounts from current and former security practitioners, alongside cases involving agents both living and dead, reveal an intelligence pyramid: a layered system of recruitment, cultivation, and deployment built around the value of the intelligence sought and the risks demanded of each spy. … continue

Ukrainian-type drone exploded near gas pipeline in Bulgaria, PM says

Al Mayadeen | August 8, 2026

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Saturday that a drone of a type used by the Ukrainian military entered Bulgarian airspace from Romania before exploding near Kardam, about 50 kilometers from the Black Sea. No casualties or infrastructure damage were reported.

Radev said the drone entered Bulgarian airspace at 8:10 am local time (5:00 am GMT) and exploded in a sunflower field near the Romanian border.

The blast occurred 1,000 meters from a compressor station on Bulgaria’s Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, which runs from Turkey to Ukraine, and 200 meters from a compressor station in Romania.

The incident comes amid a rise in drone incursions that Western governments have linked to the Ukraine crisis, prompting concerns over the need for NATO members to strengthen their air defenses.

Security measures and tracking challenges

Radev said security at strategic sites and surveillance along the Bulgarian-Romanian border would be reinforced. The area around the blast was cordoned off, while the drone’s exact type will be determined after investigators examine the site and its remains.

He noted that the drone had not been detected in either Bulgarian or Romanian airspace, underscoring persistent challenges in detecting and identifying such aircraft. Radev also pointed to delays in delivering high-precision radars to the Bulgarian military and pledged to address the issue. … Full article

Turkiye restricts Black Sea traffic as drone attacks on commercial vessels spike

The Cradle | August 8, 2026

Turkiye has begun restricting commercial ship traffic into the Black Sea amid a surge in Russian and Ukrainian attacks on civilian vessels, Bloomberg reported on 8 August.

Turkiye’s Directorate General of Coastal Safety has informed several ships heading to Novorossiysk, an important Russian oil and grain export port, that it is not issuing transit permits at this time and requires more time to review passage applications through the Dardanelles.

The sources told Bloomberg that Turkish authorities had provided no explanation for the move. Some vessels have also reportedly been told that the restriction applies to ships heading to Ukraine.

The report comes after a series of drone attacks targeting Turkish commercial vessels operating in the Black Sea and near Russian ports in recent months. … continue

War and sanctions are integrating Iran-Russia economies

Press TV – August 8, 2026

Last month, Ukraine struck an Iranian cargo vessel in the Caspian Sea, martyring one sailor, with Kiev claiming the attack targeted vessels involved in transporting military cargo while Tehran stressed that the ship was commercial and warned of retaliation.

The incident, which was contained through diplomatic consultations to de-escalate tensions, sparked fears over the growing interconnection between the wars in Ukraine and West Asia.

Yet it also revealed a new dimension of Iran-Russia economic cooperation, one that extends well beyond conventional trade into a broader architecture of industrial cooperation and investment.

Senior officials from both countries, on the sidelines of BRICS summits and the Joint Economic Commission, have emphasized the development of a joint roadmap to move beyond simple complementarity toward greater convergence and interdependence.

Herein lies the paradox of their relationship: the geopolitical pressures constraining both countries’ access to markets, capital and global finance have simultaneously made deeper trade, financial and industrial cooperation more necessary and compelling.

The joint roadmap, in this context, represents a new step from project-based cooperation toward the formation of shared value chains and joint investment.

The Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland body of water, has become one of the most vital trade routes between Iran and Russia, underscoring its growing strategic importance as a conduit for the movement of goods.

Four Iranian ports on the Caspian coast are operating around the clock to unload wheat, corn, sunflower oil, and other essential commodities.

In the first four months of 2026, cargo traffic along the North-South corridor increased by 87 percent compared to the same period the previous year. Russia also saw its exports to Iran through this route grow by more than 56 percent. … Full article

Let them eat burritos: Out of touch influencers risk all for Trump war

Republicans on pro-war autopilot are mocking Americans who are concerned about rising prices. Not a good look ahead of the midterms.

By Jack Hunter | Responsible Statecraft | August 8, 2026

As the 2026 midterm elections near, polls show American voters’ top priority is the economy, including concerns that the unpopular U.S. war in Iran appears to be driving up prices at home.

Might these voter concerns give Republican hawks pause?

Apparently not. … continue

Ukrainian press gang brutally assaults young couple in taxi

RT | August 8, 2026

A distressing video has emerged online purportedly showing a military press gang brutally assaulting a young couple in Ukraine, in the latest alleged forced-conscription incident linked to Kiev’s conflict with Russia.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry relies on harshly enforced mandatory conscription to replenish frontline units, with new reports of coercive recruitment emerging virtually daily. The incident, which allegedly took place earlier this week in the Ukrainian city of Odessa, has drawn particular attention after a video of the altercation was circulated on local social media.

The clip shows a man and a woman sitting in the back seat of what was reported to be a taxi as several uniformed men wearing balaclavas reach through the open doors in an apparent attempt to pull the man from the vehicle. As the couple try to fend them off, one of the men repeatedly sprays the 19-year-old in the face with what appears to be tear gas and kicks him through the open door, including in the head. The young man can be heard saying he is hurt and pleading with the men to stop beating him, while the woman screams. The uniformed men eventually succeed in dragging him from the vehicle. … DISTRESSING VIDEO

Pentagon Suddenly Removes Top General Overseeing Ukraine Aid Coordination

Sputnik – 08.08.2026

Lieutenant General Charles Costanza, commander of the US Army’s V Corps, has been relieved of his command just two months before his scheduled departure, ABC News reports.

Costanza, who took command in April 2024, was responsible for overseeing US Army forces and coordinating operations across Europe – a role that included managing American military support for Ukraine along NATO’s frontline.

His removal comes amid a broader shake-up of the military’s senior ranks under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with more than two dozen high-ranking officers removed or sidelined, often without public explanation.

The move follows the Pentagon’s downsizing of the US military footprint in Europe this year, with remaining forces stretched thin and struggling to maintain military presence across multiple fronts.

Two civilians killed in Ukrainian strike on residential block – Crimea governor

RT | August 8, 2026

A Ukrainian drone strike on a residential block in Russia’s Crimea killed at least two civilians and wounded another, regional head Sergey Aksyonov said on Friday.

“During yet another enemy attack in Crimea, a Ukrainian drone struck an apartment building in Kerch,” he said in a statement. “Unfortunately, there were civilian casualties: two people were killed and another was injured.”

Overall, more than 200 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones were shot down over Russian regions in the overnight raid, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said on Friday. … Full article

Musk blocks Ukraine from using Starlink for deep strikes in Russia – Atlantic

RT | August 8, 2026

Elon Musk has refused to allow Ukraine to use his Starlink satellite internet service to guide drone strikes deep inside Russian territory, The Atlantic reported on Friday, citing two close allies of former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov.

According to the publication, Fedorov, a tech-savvy promoter of drone warfare who was sacked from his position last month, has since been working through back channels to appeal to Musk, but the billionaire has so far refused to relent.

“As of this moment, there is no positive decision,” a Fedorov ally was quoted as saying. “Elon keeps saying it’s time to make a deal,” the source added.

The Atlantic previously reported that during his visit to the US last month, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky asked President Donald Trump to help influence his close ally Musk on the matter, but Trump remained noncommittal. … continue

Former US negotiator: America faces major ‘strategic defeat’ as Iran tightens control over Hormuz

Press TV – August 7, 2026

Former US negotiator Aaron David Miller has acknowledged that the United States is “on the verge of suffering a really significant strategic defeat” if it is forced to accept Iran’s growing leverage and control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.

Speaking in an interview with Australia’s ABC network, Miller warned that emerging arrangements could compel Washington to give Iran the ability to control who and what passes through the waterway. Such an outcome, he emphasized, would constitute a major setback not only for the United States but also for its allied Arab states in the Persian Gulf.

Miller made the remarks while discussing reported negotiations between Iran and Oman on mechanisms to guarantee the safe passage of vessels through the Strait. Although he cautioned that it is still too early to declare a final deal, he made clear that any arrangement strengthening Tehran’s hand would represent a profound strategic loss for Washington. … continue

Cayenne: The Cardiac Remedy That Cannot Be Patented

An Essay on the Substance Cardiology Will Not Name

Lies are Unbekoming | August 5, 2026

Part of the kitchen apothecary series. This one is about a substance in every kitchen and a folk claim about it that has never been tested. If the incentive structure holds, it never will be.

Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions has sold over half a million copies and become the reference text for the Weston Price nutritional revival. In her treatment of cayenne, Fallon preserves the traditional claim in a single line: a spoonful of cayenne pepper is the best emergency treatment for a heart attack.¹ She reports the claim as folk assessment rather than as her own view. She reports it unchallenged.

Jethro Kloss’s Back to Eden, first published in 1939 and continuously in print since, quotes the Dominion Herbal College on the same substance: “the most persistent heart stimulant ever known.”² The reference is not to a cardiac pharmaceutical. It is to the red powder in the spice aisle, sold by the jar for a few dollars.

Two possibilities are open. Either the claim is folk fantasy that persists among serious practitioners because the heat sensation feels like it must be doing something. Or the substance does what the tradition says it does, and modern cardiology has abandoned an emergency intervention that costs almost nothing, cannot be patented, and works. The evidence points decisively to the second. Both the herbalist tradition and the mainstream biochemistry corroborate what the incentive structure suppresses. … continue

Where Is the Outrage? Profound Autism Didn’t Used to Exist — Now It’s Everywhere

By J.B. Handley | The Defender | August 5, 2026

If I had walked into my fourth-grade classroom in 1978 and told my teacher that one day virtually every school district in America would have multiple classrooms dedicated to children who could not speak, who required one-on-one aides, who wandered, who self-injured, who had seizures, who would require lifelong care, she would have assumed I was describing some dystopian science fiction novel. Yet here we are. Why are we just accepting it? … continue

AIPAC eyes another push against El-Sayed after $32 million defeat in Michigan primary

Press TV – August 7, 2026

US pro-Israel lobbyists are considering spending millions on propaganda to boost the popularity of pro-Israel Republican Mike Rogers against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s Senate race.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and other special-interest groups have already wasted tens of millions of dollars in a failed attempt to stop El-Sayed during Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary.

On Wednesday, El-Sayed defeated his rival Haley Stevens, who enjoyed overwhelming backing from AIPAC as well as the Democratic Party establishment.

Stevens, who openly described herself as a “proud pro-Israel Democrat,” had received substantial campaign funding from AIPAC in return for her support of the Israeli regime.

To secure the nomination, El-Sayed not only overcame Stevens, a four-term Democratic congresswoman, but also the full weight of pro-Israel groups and Michigan’s Democratic power brokers, including Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who had endorsed Stevens. … continue

The Telegraph: ‘US and Israel Have Lost, Iran Has Won’ in Historic Strategic Reversal

Al-Manar | August 7, 2026

A leading British broadsheet has declared that the United States and ‘Israel’ have effectively lost their strategic confrontation with the Islamic Republic, asserting that Tehran has emerged from the prolonged standoff with its regional influence not merely intact, but substantially fortified.

In a pointed analysis, The Telegraph argues that the maximum-pressure campaign championed by former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to either topple or incapacitate Iran’s regime is concluding in a clear reversal of fortunes. The newspaper points to a prospective Omani-brokered arrangement concerning the strategic Strait of Hormuz as tangible evidence that Tehran has outlasted the offensive and consolidated its geopolitical foothold.

More critically, the publication frames this moment as a potential historical inflection point, signaling an accelerating decline in U.S. global supremacy. “Peace agreements ultimately reflect the results of battles on the ground,” the paper observed, adding that Washington’s efforts to reshape those battlefield realities have demonstrably fallen short. In a stark concluding assessment, The Telegraph suggested that the protracted confrontation with Iran may one day be recorded among history’s most profound strategic miscalculations. … continue

British trade union leaders urge PM to stop UK support for illegal US-Israeli war on Iran

Press TV – August 7, 2026

British trade union leaders have urged UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to stop rendering support to the United States and Israel in their illegal war on Iran, demanding he reverse his decision to allow the use of UK bases for aggression against Iran.

In an open letter to the PM run by the media on Friday, leaders of ten British trade unions, representing more than 2.3 million workers, urged Burnham to stop rendering support to the illegal US-Israeli war on Iran, and instead focus on the nation’s cost of living crisis.

“[T]he US and Israel’s devastating, illegal war on Iran is deepening the cost of living crisis faced by our members and the British public,” the open letter to Burnham stated, pointing out in continuation that the disruption caused by the war is worsening the cost of living crisis in the UK.

“Disruption to the world’s food and energy supplies is hurting communities here in Britain and having a catastrophic impact in the global south,” it said.

British trade union leaders said they were encouraged by the new Labour government’s focus on the cost of living crisis, but voiced deep concern over any authorization granted to the US to use its bases against Iran. … continue

Two Palestinians wounded by Israeli fire in Gaza

Palestinian Information Center – August 7, 2026

GAZA – Two Palestinian civilians were injured by Israeli gunfire in the Gaza Strip on Friday, amid persisting ceasefire violations in different areas.

According to media sources, two citizens sustained bullet injuries when Israeli forces opened fire towards them in Halawa refugee camp, north of Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israeli tanks fired several projectiles towards the northwest of Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.

The Israeli occupation army also carried out artillery and shooting attacks on other areas of Gaza, including Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Gaza City.

The Israeli army reportedly advanced into an area in the southeast of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and the al-Shakoush area of northern Rafah, and carried out bulldozing activities.

Number of Palestinian children detained without charge by Israel nearly doubles

The Cradle | August 7, 2026

The number of Palestinian children and minors held in administrative detention in Israel “rose sharply” over a recent one-year period, according to newly obtained data from the Israel Prison Service (IPS), the Times of Israel reported on 7 August.

Between January 2025 and March 2026, the number of children and minors in administrative detention rose from 103 to 191, according to IPS data obtained by the organization Parents Against Child Detention.

Administrative detention is a procedure the Israeli army has used for decades to detain Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

The detention period lasts for six months but can be renewed indefinitely by a military judge. In many cases, Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons for years or even decades without a trial as a result.

The “detainee is not informed of the allegations against them, and any evidence is presented in court in classified proceedings,” the Times of Israel wrote.

Israeli guards often rape and torture Palestinians in detention.

At the beginning of 2025, roughly 30 percent of Palestinian minors held by Israel were in administrative detention. By March 2026, the proportion had risen to nearly 50 percent. … continue

Israel orders uprooting of trees on 316 dunums in West Bank for settlement expansion

MEMO | August 7, 2026

The Israeli military has issued eight orders to uproot trees and remove vegetation from 316 dunums of land across the occupied West Bank for settlement-related purposes, the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission (CWRC) said on Thursday. … continue

Spate of settler attacks and violations reported across West Bank

Palestinian Information Center – August 7, 2026

WEST BANK – Extremist Jewish settlers launched a wave of attacks and violations under direct protection from Israeli forces across the occupied West Bank during the past 24 hours.

In Ramallah, settlers stormed the outskirts of Umm Safa village to the north, and attacked the Nayef Ka’abneh family in the east of al‑Taybeh village under military protection.

Settlers also attacked vehicles with stones near the Yabrud–Silwad checkpoint in the east of Ramallah, and released livestock into olive groves in Turmus Ayya town.

Other settlers established a new outpost near the Rawabi rotary in the north of Ramallah.

In Nablus, settlers stormed the cemetery area in Awarta village, where they installed surveillance cameras.

Groups of settlers stormed the eastern area of Rujeib town in Nablus and went on the rampage near Aqraba town.

Another horde of settlers started fencing swaths of Palestinian land in the east of Qaryut village in southern Nablus to lay the groundwork for a new outpost. … Full article

Rome talks fail as Israeli artillery rains death on Lebanon

Press TV – August 7, 2026 

The seventh round of US-brokered negotiations between Lebanon and Israel have concluded in Rome without any breakthrough, marked by Israeli forces unleashing their most intense artillery barrage on southern Lebanon since the signing of a controversial framework agreement in June.

As diplomats met at the US Embassy in Rome, Israeli artillery and warplanes pounded Lebanese villages with increasing ferocity.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) recorded 120 projectiles fired by Israeli forces between midnight and 4 p.m. on Thursday alone—surpassing the previous day’s total of 113 and marking the highest single-day figure observed since June 21.

UNIFIL described the escalation as the “sharpest” surge in Israeli military aggression since the announcement of the US-mediated trilateral framework in late June.

Crucially, UNIFIL reported that it did not detect any projectile launches by Hezbollah during the period, underscoring the one-sided nature of the ongoing Israeli violence. … continue

IOF obstruct Lebanese Army entry into al-Mansouri, wound soldier

Al Mayadeen | August 7, 2026

A Lebanese Army soldier was wounded on Friday as Israeli forces escalated efforts to block the army’s entry into the town of al-Mansouri in the Tyre district, attacking personnel and equipment with artillery and drone strikes, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported.

The soldier was wounded when a stun grenade was dropped by an Israeli drone onto an army bulldozer as it worked to clear roads and remove rubble in the town. Israeli artillery also shelled the town on more than one occasion throughout the day.

Lebanon’s National News Agency had reported that overnight into Friday, Lebanese Army units entered al-Mansouri and began reopening roads blocked by the latest Israeli attacks, working to facilitate the return of residents displaced by the aggression.

Elsewhere in the Tyre district, Israeli forces set fire to the Wadi al-Salouqi water station near the Shaqra junction, while IOF artillery shelled the Zibqin valley at dawn.

In the Bint Jbeil district, Israeli occupation forces carried out a controlled demolition in the town of Hadatha, continuing a pattern from the overnight hours, when occupation forces had already carried out a controlled demolition in the same town at around 3 am. … continue

Israel strikes Syria as Turkish FM visits Damascus, exposing rivalry for control

Press TV – August 7, 2026

Israeli forces have launched an artillery attack on Syria’s Quneitra Province while Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was visiting the Arab country.

The attack, reported by Syria’s state news agency SANA, targeted agricultural land surrounding the village of al-Samadaniyah al-Gharbiyah.

Israeli military incursions and aggressions in southern Syria, along with harassment of local citizens, have become recurrent amid inaction from Syria’s Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regime led by former Daesh and al-Qaeda deputy Abu Muhammad al-Jolani.

No injuries were reported on Thursday, but the timing was no coincidence. Israel appeared to be sending a clear message that while Turkey’s proxy regime sits in the capital, Israel’s military boots are on the ground, and its artillery is within range.

In his remarks in Damascus on Thursday, Foreign Minister Fidan warned that Israeli attacks on Syria are among the greatest threats to the country’s stability. … continue

Turkiye, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia Sign Memorandum on Collective Defense – Statement

Sputnik – 07.08.2026

Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum on collective defense on Friday, according to a joint statement from the countries seen by Sputnik.

According to the Turkiye newspaper, the joint defense agreement provides for cooperation in the field of intelligence sharing and regional security coordination. Turkiye’s accession to the system of strategic defense cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, an agreement on which was signed in 2025, may become an important stage in changing the balance of power in the Middle East.

“Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed an agreement in Mecca on collective defense, showing the countries’ shared commitment to further enhance collective security,” the joint statement said.

The purpose of the agreement is to strengthen collective deterrence of any act of aggression, the statement read.

According to the document, an attack on any of the three countries would be considered as an attack on all of them. It also implies strengthening all aspects of defense cooperation between the three countries, the statement said.

Mossad shakes up top ranks after failed Iran regime-change scheme

Al Mayadeen | August 6, 2026

The head of the Mossad dismissed two senior officials from the agency, the head of its Intelligence Directorate and the head of its Iran Division, following the failure of an operational plan designed to facilitate regime change in Iran, Israeli Channel 12 reported.

According to the channel, the Mossad chief’s decision was based on the assessment that the officials who formulated the operational concept and oversaw its development should be held accountable for its failure. The two dismissed officials were reportedly directly involved in the intelligence planning, development, and operationalization of the strategy, which was presented to US President Donald Trump. … continue

Iran, Oman Strait of Hormuz Deal Will Ban US and Israeli Ships

By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | August 6, 2026

Iranian state media reports that a deal with Oman to regulate traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is nearly completed.

Fars News reported that details of the deal include, “Vessels belonging to the United States, the Zionist regime, and other hostile countries will be prohibited from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.”

“Cargo related to the Zionist regime, both military and civilian, will not be allowed to pass through this area.” The Fars report continues, “Vessels or cargoes that are involved in actions against the Resistance Front will also be subject to the ban.”

It adds that other countries that have taken part in the war against Iran will be banned from using the Strait until reparations are paid.

After the US and Israel started an aggressive war against Iran in February, the IRGC seized control over the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has demanded Tehran return the critical waterway to its prewar status. However, Iranian officials say Tehran will retain control over the Strait after the war is settled.

Iran says the current negotiations with Oman do not include the US. Tehran and Muscat plan to split the revenue from the service fees generated from the Strait.

‘We want them too’: Trump rebuffs Zelensky’s request for missiles

RT | August 7, 2026

President Donald Trump has dismissed Ukraine’s plea for more Patriot anti-air missiles following widespread reports that US interceptor stockpiles have been significantly depleted by the war with Iran.

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has warned that his country is running out of Western-supplied interceptors to fend off Russian strikes. On Wednesday, Ukrainian forces failed to intercept a single missile during an overnight barrage on Kiev. … continue