u/Klutzy-Sea-4857

Israel has officially acknowledged bombing a military airport in Syria's Idlib province. Israel stated that Turkish troops, allied with the Syrian government, were expected to arrive there soon, sending a clear signal to Turkey that it would not permit their expansion in Syria. Israeli outlet i24NEWS cited the US Ambassador to Turkey, who said the strike "carried a real risk of rapid escalation to direct military confrontation between Israel and Turkey." Behind-the-scenes talks are reportedly underway to ease tensions. Turkey is a NATO member and recently signed a defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Donald Trump has raised the idea of the Strait of Hormuz becoming a new US territory.

Donald Trump says he has very good relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and for that reason he ordered a significant reduction in joint military exercises with South Korea. He noted it is already too late to cancel the exercises entirely. Trump said that under his presidency North Korea is not a threat and shows respect, and he does not want drills that send an inappropriate and hostile signal to Pyongyang.

A Spanish F-18, operating under NATO, shot down a drone that had entered Romanian airspace after previously crossing into Moldovan airspace. This marks another recent incident of its kind. Earlier, on Thursday night, an Italian fighter jet flying under NATO shot down a drone over Latvia.

In a speech in New York, Donald Trump casually mentioned that he plans to soon declare the Strait of Hormuz a United States territory. Iran responded by saying it will not be intimidated.

A major forest and vegetation fire broke out near Omis, Croatia. Around 1,000 hectares burned, with homes and vehicles among the losses. At least 36 people were injured, several of them seriously. Residents and tourists were evacuated from the area. By morning, the fire was under control.

Romania has closed its only nuclear power plant, Cernavodă, due to low water levels in the Danube River. The shutdown is expected to last a minimum of 10 days. The Cernavodă plant normally generates around 20% of Romania's total electricity.

Total Solar Eclipse 2026! Will there be anything worth seeing? Low-quality coverage available on u/lukaszbok_

A court in Damascus has sentenced former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to death. The verdict was issued in absentia, as Assad fled to Russia and was granted asylum there in late 2024. His brother received a similar death sentence and is also currently in Russia. The only person sentenced to death in person during today's proceedings was Assad's cousin, Atef Najib.

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia. The tremor was relatively deep at around 110 km, which is considered fortunate. Initial reports indicate injuries and damage have occurred. Further details are expected in the coming hours.

Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel will not accept the 15-point plan for the Gaza Strip, which was supported by Trump and accepted by Hamas. Netanyahu is demanding the complete disarmament of Hamas before any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. He also stated that as long as he remains Prime Minister, he will not accept a Palestinian state in either the Gaza Strip or the West Bank.

Andras Baka, a former judge at the European Court of Human Rights and former President of the Hungarian Supreme Court, has been nominated as Hungary's next president. The ruling party put forward his name today. In Hungary, the president is elected by parliament. Baka was previously removed from his role as Supreme Court President by the government of Viktor Orban.

A defense pact has been signed in Mecca between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan. A central element of the agreement states that an attack on any one member is considered an attack on all members.

According to the Financial Times, Trump turned down Zelensky's request for interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system. Trump cited a shortage in U.S. stockpiles, saying the missiles are currently needed to protect American assets and allies in the Middle East. Ukraine's ability to intercept incoming missiles is growing increasingly strained. In a Russian overnight attack on the Kyiv region, at least 16 people were killed. Drones were shot down, but no ballistic missiles were successfully intercepted.

Spain's Interior Minister released new figures showing that 72,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta, with around 70,000 already returned to Morocco. EU interior ministers held a meeting today to discuss the recent events.

Donald Trump expressed frustration, writing that Iranian leadership is incredibly two-faced for privately begging for talks while publicly denying any negotiations are taking place. The US President later added that he is giving Iran one final chance to reach a deal. Sarcastic observers have commented that this is definitely the last chance.