US defense secretary defends budget in first hearing since Iran war US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced lawmakers for the first time since the war on Iran began, defending the administration’s proposed $1. 5 trillion defence budget. He said he “appreciates the opportunity” to testify in support of the request for the 2027 fiscal year.
Israeli officers say Lebanon mission focused on 'systematic destruction' of buildings Submitted by Mera Aladam on Wed, 04/29/2026 - 12:19 Troops tell Haaretz the only task is the destruction of everything in predominantly Shia villages An Israeli soldier walks near a military vehicle, on the Israeli side of the Israel-Lebanon boundary, 26 April 2026 (Shir Torem/Reuters) Off The Israeli army's mission in southern Lebanon is now focused on the “systematic destruction” of buildings rather than combat, officers have told Haaretz . According to the report on Wednesday, the military is operating under a plan to demolish predominantly Shia villages in an effort they believe would prevent residents from returning. As part of the campaign, troops are assigned designated zones to demolish, with commanders required to record the number of structures destroyed each day.
In Gaza, life flickers as power cuts shatter livelihoods and healthcare Submitted by Nada Nabil on Wed, 04/29/2026 - 14:00 Businesses collapse, operations are delayed, and families struggle to survive as electricity shortages deepen under Israeli siege Palestinian families displaced by Israeli attacks shelter in a Unrwa school in the Tel Al-Hawa neighbourhood of Gaza City (Omar Ashtawy/IMAGO/APAimages via Reuters) Off After hours spent carefully preparing her cakes, Abrar Abdu stood stunned in silence before her oven. In her small, darkened workshop in Gaza City, the only light came from her phone’s torch, illuminating more than 27 ruined cakes - the result of a sudden power cut and a faulty oven. Abdu, 34, who runs a small cake business in the Palestinian enclave, was forced to apologise to customers after failing to deliver their orders, refund every payment and absorb the full cost of the wasted ingredients.
Over 1. 2m people in Lebanon to face acute hunger due to war A UN-backed report said that more than 1. 2 million people in Lebanon were expected to face acute hunger due to Israel's war on Lebanon.
Lebanon army says Israeli strike in south kills two including soldier Lebanon's army said Wednesday that one of its soldiers was among two people killed in an Israeli strike in the country's south, the latest deadly raid despite a ceasefire in Israel's war on Lebanon. "A soldier and his brother were killed in an Israeli strike that targeted them in the town of Khirbet Selm in Bint Jbeil (district) while they were travelling on a motorbike" heading home from the soldier's post, the army statement said. Smoke rises following explosions in southern Lebanon, 28 April, 2026.
Israeli forces kill five people across Gaza in last 24 hours Israeli attacks killed at least five people and injured seven people across Gaza in the last 24 hours despite the ceasefire, the Palestinian health ministry said. Since the start of the ceasefire in October, 823 people have been killed and 2,308 wounded, the ministry added. At least 72,599 people have been killed and 172,411 wounded across the besieged enclave since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.
Pentagon chief to testify on Iran war US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will face tough questions from lawmakers about the Iran war on Wednesday during his first testimony to Congress since the start of the war. Hegseth's appearance before the House Armed Services Committee - for a hearing on President Donald Trump's $1. 5 trillion defense budget request - comes with the war still unresolved and the economic fallout from it continuing around the globe.
British Muslims oppose the war on Iran? No kidding, so do most Brits Submitted by Hassan Joudi on Thu, 04/23/2026 - 10:48 The attempt by right-wing think tanks to paint British Muslims as a 'fifth column' should be recognised for what it is - an attempt to divide society A march attended by half a million people and organised by the Together Alliance featured a coalition of organisations opposed to the far right and US imperialism, 28 March 2026 (Henry Nicholls/AFP) On Is the Pope Catholic? It seems these days, we need a poll to tell us the obvious.
Two Israeli soldiers wounded in occupied West Bank We earlier reported that the Israeli military killed one Palestinian man during a raid in Silwad in the occupied West Bank last night. The Israeli military says two soldiers were wounded by Palestinians who allegedly attacked the soldiers during the raid in Silwad. One Palestinian was killed, and the other was arrested, while the wounded soldiers were evacuated for medical treatment, the military said.
TotalEnergies says has reopened Saudi refinery closed after attacks French oil giant TotalEnergies said Wednesday that it had restarted its Satorp refinery in Saudi Arabia in mid-April, after the facility had been shut down following damage sustained in air strikes during the Iran war. "Following the events of 8 April, which affected three units at the Satorp site and led to its shutdown as a safety precaution, the undamaged units were able to be restarted, and the refinery has been operating at a capacity of 230,000 b/d (barrels per day) since 14 April," the company said. The facility is jointly owned by the Saudi national oil company Aramco, (62.
Israeli forces carry out arrests across West Bank Israeli forces carried out a series of raids and arrests across the occupied West Bank, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Arrests were reported in areas including Kafr Qaddum near Qalqilya, Iktaba near Tulkarem and Beit Ummar in the Hebron area, where multiple people were detained. The report said Israeli forces also tightened movement restrictions across the northern West Bank, closing checkpoints near Ramallah and firing tear gas at residents.
Israeli strike kills five from same family in southern Lebanon town Israeli forces killed five people from the same family in an air strike on the town of Jebchit in southern Lebanon during a night raid, Lebanon's National News Agency said. The strike hit a residential building in the Jabal neighbourhood, destroying it and killing members of the Bahjat family, the sources said. Rescue and relief teams worked through the night to remove rubble from the destroyed building and recover the bodies, teh report said.
Haaretz: Israeli civilian contractors paid per building destroyed in Lebanon The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israeli civilian contractors have been carrying out demolition operations in southern Lebanon, citing testimony from soldiers who said army units were tasked with providing protection during the work. The report said companies are paid based on the number of buildings demolished in villages and towns. According to the newspaper, field accounts suggested that a significant part of Israeli activity in the area centres on the systematic destruction of structures rather than direct combat.
Israeli forces kill Palestinian man during raid in Silwan Israeli forces shot dead a 37-year-old Palestinian man during a raid on Silwan in the occupied West Bank at dawn on Wednesday, the Palestinian ministry of health said. The ministry identified the man as Abdul Halim Rawhi Abdul Halim Hammad and said it had received the information from the General Authority for Civil Affairs. The military also carried out a wide-scale campaign of raids and arrests across the West Bank.
Video: Netanyahu says Israel destroyed ‘massive’ Hezbollah tunnel in Lebanon In a video statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel has destroyed a “massive” Hezbollah tunnel in Lebanon, claiming that Israeli forces are working to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure. According to a recent report by Haaretz, Israel has been systematically flattening civilian buildings in southern Lebanon during the ceasefire that began on 17 April. Civilian infrastructure is being destroyed south of the “yellow line” drawn up by Israel, which is located around 20km south of the Litani River.
Israeli military raids towns in West Bank, injures woman Israeli forces injured a Palestinian woman late on Monday during a raid on the villages of al-Mufaqara, at-Tuwani and Khirbet al-Dab’a in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, Wafa news agency reported. Local sources said Israeli forces stormed several villages in the area and assaulted residents, leaving the woman with bruises and contusions, the sources said. Israeli forces also raided a number of homes and seized money from the residence of one resident, the sources added.
Israeli forces attack town in south Lebanon Israeli air strikes on the town of Hanin destroyed several houses at dawn, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. The air strikes followed Israeli attacks in the town of Naqoura and air raids and gun attacks in the town of Khiam, according to the report.
Gaza situation remains precarious, Tony Blair tells UN Former UK prime minister Tony Blair told the United Nations Security Council that the situation in Gaza remains “precarious”, despite a reduction in violence following a ceasefire. Speaking in his role with the Board of Peace for Gaza, Blair said “the war has stopped” but ceasefire violations continue, while food assistance has improved and the Rafah Crossing is partially open, particularly for medical evacuations. Blair said governance and security efforts are advancing, with a National Committee for Gaza established and a multinational stabilisation force completing its pre-deployment assessment.
Houthis say their support for Iran is 'clear, public and explicit' Yemen's Houthis said they support Iran’s restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz and warned they are “not neutral” in the conflict involving Iran, Lebanon and Palestine, adding that its position remains “clear, public and explicit in this regard”. In a statement, the Houthi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the group supported Iran’s restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, affirming “the right of states to self-defence and to restrict navigation in their territorial waters to counter security threats”. Houthi officials condemned what they described as US “piracy” in the Gulf of Oman, adding that the US’s actions have forced the world to pay a heavy price, by disrupting supply chains and shipping, and increasing the price of food and fuel.
Chief of staff remarks spark concern over looting by Israeli forces An article in Haaretz warned of growing concerns within the Israeli forces over discipline and conduct during the ongoing conflict, following remarks by Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir about incidents of "looting" by the Israeli military. The report warned that an army that loses discipline and values does not turn into a more ferocious force, but rather slips into what it described as an "armed gang" The article said that these practices could harm operational effectiveness, leading to defeat on the battlefield. The concerns, it added, are being voiced from within Israeli institutions rather than external critics.
