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American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad street corner last week, has been released, according to an Iraqi official with direct knowledge of the situation. Kittleson was freed in the afternoon, and before her release, she had been held in Baghdad.The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement earlier in the day it had decided to free Kittleson, who was abducted on March 31. The group said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing prime minister”, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added: “This initiative will not be repeated in the future.”The statement also included a condition – that Kittleson must “leave the country immediately” upon her release. Kittleson, 49, a freelance journalist, had lived abroad for years before the kidnapping, using Rome as her base for a time and building a respected journalism career across the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria.Kataib Hezbollah has previously been accused of kidnapping foreigners, including Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton graduate student with Israeli and Russian citizenship, who disappeared in Baghdad in 2023 and was freed in September 2025. The group never officially claimed responsibility for kidnapping her.Iran-backed militias in Iraq have also launched regular attacks on US facilities in the country since the beginning of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The threat of bombing Iran back to the 'stone ages' by US President Donald Trump has raised concerns about the morality, legality, and utility of such a campaign. In 2006, Israel bombed Lebanon's Jiyeh power station, causing a massive oil spill and significant damage. However, this did not prevent Hezbollah from rearming and continuing to fight. Similarly, Russia's sustained bombardment of Ukraine has not forced the country to concede. History has shown that bombing campaigns, including the British 'area bombing' of Germany in World War II and the US Rolling Thunder campaign against North Vietnam, have not always achieved their desired outcomes. Experts argue that bombing Iran's infrastructure would not change the regime's strategic calculus and would likely give the Iranian government a powerful propaganda tool. The US lacks a credible military option to force Iran into submission, and pressure alone may not be enough to break Tehran. The effectiveness of bombing campaigns in achieving war objectives is highly contested. The article cites the example of the British bomber command's promise to bring about the collapse of Germany within four months, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. Trump's threat to bomb Iran's infrastructure has been met with skepticism by experts, who argue that it is unlikely to achieve its desired outcome and may instead escalate the situation.

Israel’s military issued a stark advisory to Iranians early Tuesday, urging them to avoid all train travel across the country from 8:50 am to 9:00 pm Iran time. The warning, posted in Farsi on social media, warned that anyone near railway lines or stations could become a target as Israel prepared to strike infrastructure. The advisory comes just hours before the U.S. President Donald Trump’s ultimatum expires at 8 pm ET on Tuesday (1 am GMT Wednesday). Trump has repeatedly threatened to “take out” Iran’s bridges and power plants in a single night, a claim he reiterated at a White House press briefing on Monday. Iran rejected a cease‑fire proposal brokered by Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, insisting on a permanent end to the war and presenting a 10‑point counter‑proposal that the U.S. deemed insufficient. Legal experts have warned that indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime, a concern dismissed by the Trump administration. On the diplomatic front, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X that over 14 million Iranians are prepared to sacrifice their lives for the nation, underscoring the high domestic stakes. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned that Monday would see the “largest volume of strikes” on Iran, with Tuesday expected to see even more attacks as the deadline approached. According to Iranian media, Israel struck Khorramabad airport in western Iran, while Israeli forces also hit a petrochemical plant in Shiraz and a ballistic‑missile launch site in the northwest. The United States reportedly deployed B‑2 stealth bombers that dropped 30,000‑lb GBU‑57 “bunker buster” bombs on an IRGC compound in Tehran, the same munitions used in the June attack on the Fordow nuclear site. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his security cabinet that the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon would continue independently of the U.S.–Iran negotiations, describing a “separation of theatres.” In a related development, a missile strike hit a petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia’s eastern city of Jubail, forcing an evacuation of workers. Israel reported multiple missile impacts in the Tel Aviv area, claiming Iran launched ballistic missiles equipped with cluster warheads, though no casualties were confirmed. Amid the heightened tension, Brent crude rose marginally to just above $110 a barrel in morning trading, reflecting market anxiety over potential disruptions to Middle‑East oil supplies.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have announced that they, along with their backers Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah, have launched a coordinated attack on Israel. The assault involved a barrage of cruise missiles and drones aimed at several vital and military sites belonging to Israel. The attack was confirmed by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, who stated that the operation was a show of solidarity with the Palestinians. This development marks a significant escalation in the Middle East conflict, drawing in multiple actors from the region. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have been involved in the conflict since March 28, when they officially joined the war in support of Iran. They have previously targeted Israel and disrupted shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as a show of solidarity with the Palestinians during the Israeli war on Gaza. In related developments, Israeli officials reported that the bodies of four people killed in an Iranian strike on a residential building in Haifa had been recovered. This comes as Israel continues to target Hezbollah in Lebanon, with recent strikes hitting Beirut's southern suburbs and other areas in the country's south. The Israeli military has been pounding Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah terror targets. On Sunday, Israel struck two Amana petrol stations controlled by Hezbollah, which served as significant financial infrastructure for the group. In south Lebanon, four people were killed in a raid on a car in Kfar Rumman. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that an Israeli attack killed a paramedic from the Hezbollah-allied Risala Scout Association on Monday. Two paramedics from the Islamic Health Committee were also killed in an Israeli strike a day earlier. The World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 92 attacks on health facilities, medical vehicles, personnel, and warehouses in the region. The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with Lebanon reporting 1,497 people killed since the war erupted, including 57 health workers. The situation remains volatile, with ongoing strikes and counter-strikes threatening to expand the conflict further.

The US war on Iran has now entered its sixth week, with the conflict showing no signs of abating. What was initially touted as a 'precise, overwhelming military campaign' to eliminate 'an imminent nuclear threat' has instead become a protracted and costly endeavor. The war has resulted in rising costs for the US in military equipment and personnel, and has had a significant impact on energy markets, with forecasts of a potential global economic recession in the event of a prolonged conflict.The conflict has also highlighted the Iranian regime's capacity for asymmetric warfare, with the country deploying cheap drones and missiles to disrupt energy facilities and compromise economies in the Gulf region. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil shipments, has also had a significant impact on the war effort, with the US and its allies struggling to reopen it.The US's failure to understand the Iranian regime's subjective complex dynamics has been a significant factor in the conflict's prolongation. The regime's ability to withstand pain and prolonged escalation without a clear scenario of military victory against a superpower has been underestimated, and its proxy groups, such as Hezbollah and the Houthis, have proven to be effective in advancing its interests and preventing outcomes that weaken or isolate it further.The conflict has also highlighted the diverging definitions of victory between the US and Iran, with the US seeking a swift and decisive victory, while Iran is focused on maintaining its viability on its own terms in the face of American hegemony. As the war continues, the question remains: how will this conflict end?

Israeli air and ground attacks on Lebanon on Sunday claimed at least 14 lives, including four civilians in Beirut’s southern suburbs and ten people in the south, among them a family of six. The strikes also left 39 wounded in the Jnah neighbourhood, just 100 metres from the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, Lebanon’s largest public medical centre. The violence follows a broader Israeli campaign launched on 2 March after Hezbollah fired rockets in response to the U.S.–Israel war on Iran. Since then, Israel has combined aerial bombardments, drone strikes and a limited ground incursion into southern Lebanon. Hezbollah announced on Sunday that it had fired a cruise missile at an Israeli warship stationed 126 km off the Lebanese coast, a claim that the Israeli military has not confirmed. In a separate statement, the Israeli defence forces said they had begun targeting “Hezbollah infrastructure sites” in Beirut’s southern suburbs, though they provided no public evidence of the alleged targets. On Saturday, Israel warned it would strike the Masnaa border crossing – the main trade gateway between Lebanon and Syria. The Lebanese side evacuated the post, and the Syrian authority, represented by Mazen Aloush of the General Authority for Borders and Customs, stressed that the crossing is “exclusively for civilian use” and announced a temporary suspension of traffic. According to Lebanese officials, Israeli attacks since early March have resulted in over 1,400 deaths, including 126 children, and have displaced more than 1.2 million people. In the southern town of Kfar Hatta, an Israeli strike killed seven individuals, among them a four‑year‑old girl and a Lebanese soldier, prompting a forced evacuation order for the area. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun used a televised address to urge renewed negotiations with Israel, pleading to spare the remaining homes in the south from the level of destruction witnessed in Gaza. These developments underscore the escalating humanitarian toll and the strategic pressure on Lebanon’s critical border infrastructure amid an already volatile regional conflict.

The missing crew member of a US F‑15E jet, described by President Trump as a colonel, was located and rescued after a heavy firefight that involved hundreds of special‑forces operators, according to a US official speaking to Al Jazeera.Trump has set a 48‑hour deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint through which 20% of global oil and gas transits. Iran’s central military command dismissed the ultimatum as “helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid.”Iran reports that US‑Israeli strikes have killed five people and wounded 170 at the Mahshahr Petrochemical Zone, while more than 30 universities have been targeted since the war began on 28 February.The rescued airman was the second of the two‑person crew; Iran has not yet issued a comment, though officials had previously urged citizens to help locate the missing officer in hopes of gaining leverage against Washington.During the rescue operation, Iranian media said strikes killed five civilians in the southwest. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it shot down a US aircraft searching for the officer near Isfahan and destroyed an MQ‑9 Reaper drone, labeling the US effort a “desperate attempt to cover up a huge defeat.”Additional US‑Israeli attacks in Ardabil province near the Azerbaijani border killed three people, and the IRGC warned that the United States’ “target bank is inaccurate,” dismissing Trump’s threats to strike bridges as “laughable.”Russia has evacuated another 200 staff from the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant after a deadly perimeter attack, while Iran’s foreign minister warned that such raids could expose the region to radioactive contamination.Tehran’s prosecutor’s office ordered the seizure and freezing of assets belonging to more than 100 high‑profile individuals accused of supporting the enemy abroad.In the Gulf, Iranian drones damaged two Kuwaiti power and desalination plants, shutting down two electricity‑generating units but causing no injuries. Bahrain’s civil‑defence teams extinguished a fire at an unspecified facility, also without casualties. Abu Dhabi halted operations at Borouge’s petrochemical plant after debris‑induced fires, and the UAE’s air defences responded to missile and drone attacks aimed at its aluminium industry. Former IAEA director‑general Mohamed ElBaradei urged Gulf nations to act before the situation “turns the region into a ball of fire.”President Trump confirmed the rescue on Truth Social, calling it “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History.” Meanwhile, former Army chief of staff General Randy George submitted a farewell letter after his removal, and satellite‑imaging firm Planet Labs announced an indefinite blackout of Iranian and regional imagery at the request of the Trump administration. Two individuals claiming to be relatives of the late Iranian general Qassem Soleimani were detained in the US, though Iranian media later disputed the familial link.Israel reported intercepting a missile launched from Yemen—the fifth such attack since the war’s start—and the Houthis, together with Iranian forces and Hezbollah, claimed a joint long‑range strike on Lod airport. Explosions were heard over Jerusalem, and missile attacks on Tel Aviv and central Israel wounded five civilians.In Lebanon and Syria, Israeli forces bombed the town of Kfar Hatta in Sidon, struck the southern city of Tyre after issuing evacuation warnings, and caused casualties in Maarakeh, where at least five people were reported killed.Energy markets are under pressure: OPEC is set to meet to decide May output policy after a modest April boost of 206,000 barrels per day. The war has driven crude prices above $100 per barrel, up from $65 before hostilities. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Saudi Arabia and Qatar and is expected to travel to the UAE as oil supplies remain disrupted. Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines reported that its LPG tanker Green Sanvi resumed Gulf crossing after being stranded. Iran announced it would allow Iraqi vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz despite maintaining a broader blockade, a move aimed at easing Iraq’s severe economic distress.

Israeli forces have launched a series of attacks on southern Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of at least two children and injuring 40 people, according to Lebanese health officials. The Ministry of Public Health reported that an Israeli strike on Habbush killed two girls and wounded 22 people on Saturday. In a separate incident, an attack on al-Hawsh near Tyre wounded 18 people, including a child, three women, and three paramedics. The strike also damaged a nearby major hospital, the Lebanese Italian Hospital, which despite the damage, will remain open to provide necessary medical care. The violence escalated as Israeli forces continued their ground invasion, blowing up houses in several southern front-line villages and towns, including Aita al-Shaab and Ramyah, and bombing bridges linking Samar with Mashghara, claiming they were being used by Hezbollah. The bombing of bridges and civilian infrastructure across southern Lebanon has been widely condemned, with rights groups warning that Israel appears to be trying to isolate the region. At least 1,368 people have been killed in Lebanon and 4,138 wounded in these attacks, which have also displaced more than one million people. Despite the continued offensive, experts believe that Israel is unlikely to achieve its stated goal of disarming Hezbollah. Hezbollah maintains depth in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon, and even if Israel manages to push the group out of these areas, it would not necessarily mean that it would have eliminated Hezbollah entirely.

Indonesia formally received the coffins of three United Nations peacekeepers who lost their lives in southern Lebanon as Israel intensified its invasion, a development that underscores the expanding regional fallout of the US‑Israel war on Iran. On Saturday, uniformed officers carried the bodies into a solemn ceremony attended by President Prabowo Subianto. Following the tribute, Foreign Minister Sugiono urged a comprehensive UN inquiry into the fatalities, stressing that "incidents like this should not happen" and calling for a security guarantee for peacekeeping troops. The three soldiers—Farizal Rhomadhon (28), Zulmi Aditya Iskandar (33) and Muhammad Nur Ichwan (26)—were members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Rhomadhon was killed when a projectile, later attributed by a UN source to fire from an Israeli tank, detonated near his position. A day later, Iskandar and Ichwan perished in an explosion that struck a UNIFIL logistics convoy. Family members expressed deep sorrow. Iskandar’s father, Iskandarudin (60), told reporters from West Java that the loss was especially painful because the troops were deployed for peace, not combat. The government announced that the trio will be interred on Sunday and pledged financial assistance to their families, reflecting Indonesia’s commitment to support the bereaved. In a related incident, UNIFIL reported that three additional peacekeepers were wounded in a blast at a facility near Adeisse; the cause of that explosion remains unidentified, though the injured were confirmed to be Indonesian. Indonesia’s foreign ministry has called on the UN Security Council to convene an urgent meeting of troop‑contributing nations to review and strengthen protection measures for UNIFIL personnel. The tragedy occurs against the backdrop of a broader conflict: the US‑Israel offensive against Iran has spilled into Lebanon after Hezbollah, aligned with Tehran, launched rockets following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 28 February. Israeli forces have been bombarding Lebanon for weeks, aiming to establish a 30 km (≈18.6 mi) security zone along the border. Key takeaway: The loss of Indonesian peacekeepers highlights the heightened risks faced by UN missions in volatile theaters and intensifies calls for stronger international safeguards amid escalating Middle‑East hostilities.