Russian forces also struck two cargo vessels and a tanker in Ukrainian ports and the Black Sea on Friday. (Reuters file photo)The Ukrainian capital Kyiv came under attack from Russian missiles on Friday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, Reuters reported.
Iran said it struck a Togo-flagged oil tanker, the Trend, for what it called an “illegal attempt” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian state broadcaster reported, citing the Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Ukrainian capital Kyiv came under attack from Russian missiles on Friday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Reuters witnesses heard explosions in the capital.
Earlier in the day, a morning Russian drone attack injured five people, including three children, in the Kyiv region around the Ukrainian capital, regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said on the Telegram messaging app. Reuters
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday as the longtime allies grappled with delayed South Korean investments in the United States and Seoul's role in Middle East security.
US President Donald Trump has criticised Seoul in recent weeks over what he described as a lack of South Korean support for US efforts to pressure Iran. The two countries have also yet to finalise agreements governing $350 billion in South Korean investments pledged under a trade deal reached last year.
South Korea's foreign ministry said Rubio and Cho would discuss a wide range of topics, including the overall South Korean-US relationship, Korean Peninsula issues, and regional and global issues. Reuters
A 67-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh who had travelled to Australia to visit her son and grandchildren was killed along with her daughter-in-law in a car crash in Melbourne, according to Victoria Police and the family.
Rama Devi, 67, and her daughter-in-law Neha Bommali, 33, died after the Toyota Corolla they were travelling in collided with a Porsche Macan at an intersection in Point Cook, in Melbourne’s south-west, on Wednesday night. Victoria Police said emergency services were called to the intersection of Boardwalk Boulevard and Innessfail Drive at about 9.40 pm. Both women died at the scene.
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The International Committee of the Red Cross has been denied access to Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Russian detention for two years, it told Reuters on Friday.
Thousands of Ukrainian prisoners of war are believed to be held in Russian detention centres where UN investigators have gathered evidence of systematic torture.
The 1949 Geneva Conventions, intended to limit the barbarity of war, provide for Swiss-based ICRC to visit prisoners of war to monitor their conditions, treatment, food and medical care.
Russia denies torture or other forms of maltreatment of POWs. The Russian diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters
Nigerian police fired tear gas on Friday at crowds who gathered in protest against the deaths of 37 miners being held in custody. The civil defense corps said the miners, who were arrested earlier this week on suspicion of illegal mining, had died as a result of a suspected disease outbreak. But survivors told The Associated Press that the deaths were due to suffocation.The protesters claim the miners were killed in retaliation for earlier attacks by some miners on officers. The government suspended the commandant of Niger state’s civil defense corps on Friday. AP
Iraq said on Friday it had returned restricted airspace in the western part of the country to civilian authorities, ending limits that had been in place for military operations since 2016, the transport ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said all previously reserved zones stretching across western Iraq from north to south had been handed over to the authority responsible for airports and air navigation for use by civil aviation.
The move is expected to give Iraqi aviation authorities more room to redesign flight routes, ease restrictions on aircraft movement and improve the efficiency of airspace use.
The restricted areas had been designated for military operations against Islamic State group in 2016 and 2017, when large parts of Iraq's western desert were used as bases for those operations. Reuters
Iran said it struck a Togo-flagged oil tanker, the Trend, for what it called an “illegal attempt” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the state broadcaster reported, citing the Revolutionary Guard Corps.The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the report.The Guard's navy warned that unauthorized passage through the strait would result in the “destruction” of offending vessels, the broadcaster said. Tehran has asserted control over the waterway since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on February 28. AP
Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Irish premier Micheal Martin on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the Good Friday Agreement, Downing Street said in a statement issued after the two leaders met in Manchester.
The comments come after U.S. President Donald Trump raised the question of Irish unification up the political agenda during a visit to Ireland last week, saying he would love to see Ireland and Northern Ireland unified. Reuters
An Egyptian man deported from the US to Equatorial Guinea who criticized the conduct of security forces there has been held for a week at a gendarmerie station, one of his lawyers said.
Ahmed Soliman was arrested on Friday last week and has not been able to see his attorneys, the lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.
The spokesman for the central African nation's government and its embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. Reuters
A powerful bomb exploded Friday at a mosque near a building housing police offices in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least seven people and wounding more than 30, police and rescue officials said.Bilal Faizi, a senior rescue official, said the bombing occurred in Kohat, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. Most of those wounded were worshippers, he said.The victims were taken to a nearby hospital where authorities declared an emergency to handle the influx of casualties. Local police said the explosion was powerful enough to badly damage nearby shops and homes.Footage posted on social media showed the mosque’s roof had collapsed. AP
Israeli artillery has been shelling the town of Hadata in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon. The shelling caused a fire to break out in one of the houses in the area. -Aljazeera
Malaysia's king agreed on Friday to allow jailed former premier Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, the government said, four years after his conviction for his involvement in a multi-billion-dollar financial scandal.
Najib, prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was found guilty of corruption in relation to the embezzlement of billions of dollars tied to 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state investment fund he co-founded while in power. He has consistently denied wrongdoing.
The United States has told Congress it plans to sell up to 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a deal set to cost Riyadh roughly $24.3 billion. The deal, which comes amid renewed tensions in West Asia, would make Saudi Arabia the first Arab country to get access to the advanced fighter jet.
The US Department of State in a statement on Thursday said the sale would support US foreign policy and security goals by strengthening a key partner in the Gulf. It said the move would help Saudi Arabia defend its own territory and work more closely with US forces, and would also improve the country’s ability to defend itself in the air.
The Saudi Arabian embassy in the United States has said the potential sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter jets to the kingdom reflects the advancement of Saudi-US defence cooperation and the strength of its strategic partnership.
The sale, estimated at about $24.3bn, was approved by the US State Department and is aimed at improving security for “a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region”, according to the State Department.
“For decades, Saudi-US security cooperation has contributed to regional stability, strengthened our collective defense capabilities, and advanced our shared security interests,” the Saudi embassy said in a post on X.
The proposed F-35 sale reflects the strength and enduring nature of the Saudi-U.S. strategic partnership and the continued advancement of our defense cooperation.
— Saudi Embassy USA (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) September 18, 2026
For decades, Saudi-U.S. security cooperation has contributed to regional stability, strengthened our collective… https://t.co/IOurlYEcbl
Israeli forces have carried out a series of air strikes across southern Lebanon, according to the country’s National News Agency.
Israeli aircraft struck Talloussah and launched two attack on the Jinjil area of al-Qantara on Thursday evening.
A separate air strike targeted Nabatieh al-Fawqa, while Israeli forces fired illumination flares over the outskirts of Yater and Beit Lif.
The US Department of State said on Thursday it had approved the potential sale of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom is drawn deeper into war in the Middle East.
A sale would mark a significant policy shift from the US, potentially altering the balance of military power in the Middle East and testing Washington's definition of maintaining its ally Israel's "qualitative military edge."
Saudi Arabia made a direct appeal for the jets in early 2025 to US President Donald Trump and has long been interested in Lockheed Martin's fighter.
The estimated $24.3 billion sale, which still needs congressional approval, would include 48 of the military aircraft and 49 Pratt & Whitney engines along with communications equipment, spare parts and other support items, the State Department said.
As Houthi rebels closed in, Eshraq Abdel Gelil and her husband fled their home, walking through the mountains before catching a ride to a nearby city. Four months pregnant, she feared another miscarriage. They are among an estimated 125,000 people who have fled as the Iran-backed rebels have advanced down the Red Sea coast to a key maritime chokepoint.
The offensive, linked to the wider Iran war, has threatened Saudi oil exports, pushed up global fuel prices and rattled markets. The cost has been far greater for Yemenis caught in the crossfire. Many have fled their homes with only what they could carry.
Oil prices fell about 1%, extending losses for a third session, but stayed above $100 on Friday, as hopes of alternate ways for barrels from the Middle East to reach markets outweighed concerns about strikes between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis.
Brent crude futures fell $1.01, or 1%, to $103.77 a barrel by 0020 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate futures fell $1.03, or 1%, to $100.88 a barrel. Both benchmarks had closed down about 1% on Thursday.
Markets largely shrugged off concerns about new threats to supplies even as Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis exchanged fresh strikes across their border on Thursday, expanding the Middle East war front.
The US State Department’s Rewards for Justice program has issued a new appeal for information about the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s financial activities.
“The IRGC uses digital asset exchanges to launder money, fund terrorism, and retain covert access to international financial systems,” it said in a post on X. “Help disrupt these illegal transactions. Send us a tip.”
The IRGC uses digital asset exchanges to launder money, fund terrorism, and retain covert access to international financial systems.
— Rewards for Justice (@RFJ_USA) September 17, 2026
Help disrupt these illegal transactions. Send us a tip.https://t.co/92BPQclJAx https://t.co/wtR9SiCdfm pic.twitter.com/cB5AvdD7OH
Ukraine has long argued that Russia will only negotiate seriously if the cost of continuing the war becomes too high.
For Kyiv, punitive sanctions that impose real economic costs on Moscow are a key part of that strategy.
This week's passage of a long-sought, sweeping package of US sanctions aimed at cutting off some of the financial resources President Vladimir Putin relies on to fund the war gives Ukraine another potential source of leverage, but its impact may depend on whether and how aggressively the measures are implemented by the United States.
The House on Wednesday approved the sanctions package targeting Russian officials and key sectors of the economy. On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the vote "symbolic," adding that the House passed the bill on the same night Russia
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it struck a Togo-flagged tanker as it attempted what it described as an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz tonight.
The IRGC navy said the vessel caught fire and was brought to a halt after the attack. It claimed the tanker had attempted to cross the waterway after being “incited and deceived” by the US military.
The force said its sailors remained in control of the strategic waterway and “will not allow any aggressor to pass through it”.
“Illegal passage through the Strait of Hormuz will achieve nothing other than the destruction of the offending vessel,” it warned in a statement carried by Iran’s IRNA news agency.
Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a deal with the UN to deliver around 1.3 million litres of fuel to help meet humanitarian needs in Gaza, as the territory continues to struggle with severe fuel shortages, particularly in its medical sector.
Qatar Grants 1.3 Million Liters of Fuel to Support Health Sector in Gaza
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) September 17, 2026
Doha | September 17, 2026
The State of Qatar signed an agreement with the United Nations to deliver approximately 1.3 million liters of fuel to the Gaza Strip as a grant aimed at sustaining critical health… pic.twitter.com/FJAsbDK0CZ
The US will ban Iran’s delegation to the UN General Assembly from purchasing wholesale club memberships and luxury goods while visiting New York, the State Department has said.
“The regime’s officials want to go on shopping sprees in New York. Not on our watch. We will not let the Iranian regime’s elites exploit UNGA for a luxury retail splurge paid for by the Iranian people’s suffering,” spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement on X.
Piggott urged New York retailers to be vigilant and not “become complicit in these violations”.
While ordinary Iranians endure brutal repression, water and electricity shortages, and soaring inflation, the regime's officials want to go on shopping sprees in New York. Not on our watch. We will not let the Iranian regime’s elites exploit UNGA for a luxury retail splurge paid…
— Tommy Pigott (@statedeptspox) September 17, 2026
Israel has launched several attacks across southern Lebanon in recent hours, according to the country’s state-run National News Agency.
Four air strikes by Israeli warplanes were reported in al-Qantara and Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Another attack was launched on the Lebanese town of Talloussah.
At least 48 people have died and around 100 others are receiving treatment in southern Nigeria after consuming a locally brewed alcoholic concoction suspected to contain methanol, officials said on Thursday.Banji Ajaka, Ondo state's commissioner for health, said the cases had been reported in the Odigbo and Irele local government areas.
A total of 182 people are believed to have been affected and some are being treated in the hospital, he said.“I took like two shots and I went out on Friday.
On Saturday, I noticed that I could not see,” 32-year-old Sola Adebayo told the local TVC News channel from a hospital bed. Drinking locally made alcohol is common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, especially in rural areas where it is more affordable and poorly regulated.
Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis traded fresh cross-border strikes on Thursday, with civilians fleeing by boat across the Red Sea as the widening Middle East conflict raises fresh alarm over global oil supplies.
3 key points:
US President Donald Trump told Axios that he is approaching a critical juncture in the Iran war as he weighs whether to resume large-scale attacks in an effort to bring the conflict to an end.
"It's a big decision. Anything could happen with me," Axios quoted him as saying.
Iran is in direct contact with the US, Trump said, adding that the Iranians still want to reach a deal.
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