Sept. 19: Top Iranian official says it has given conditions to mediators for talks with US

US says it killed four people in strike on vessel in Caribbean

The US Military says it killed four people in a strike on a vessel in the Caribbean on Saturday, alleging that the vessel was involved in drug trafficking.

“Confirmed intelligence revealed the vessel’s active involvement in narco-trafficking,” the military’s Southern Command posts on X.

The attack is the latest in a campaign dating back to last year that targets what the Trump administration describes as “narco-terrorists.” Rights groups have labeled the attacks “extrajudicial killings.”

‘Israel cannot survive with no friends’: Pro-Israel US rep. says polls showing declining support for Jewish state should be translated to Hebrew

Pro-Israel US Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) calls for recent polls showing declining support for Israel among Americans to be translated into Hebrew, saying that most Israelis “don’t realize what is at stake.”

The poll was first published by CNN in July but has been circulating online again in recent days.

The poll shows that in between March and July 2026, a significant decline in how people view Israel was recorded across multiple polls. An IPSOS poll found that favorability was down by 10 points since March, while a Fox News poll put that number at -11. The Marquette Law School Poll put that drop at 20 points, and a Pew Research poll found that Israel’s favorability had dropped by 23 points since March.

“We’re not just talking about the Democratic base anymore, we’re talking about the general electorate as well. The general electorate has turned against Israel,” CNN’s Harry Enten says in the July report. “This is not just a left issue; this is an American issue when it comes to opinions on Israel.”

Every Israeli official and voter should watch this clip, and it needs to be translated into Hebrew. Yesterday, I spoke with the Israeli Ambassador. I don’t think he or the majority of Israelis realize what is at stake. (1/3) https://t.co/G6tburwM3j

— Congressman Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) September 18, 2026

Sherman shares a clip on X of the CNN report on the findings, and suggests that “every Israeli official and voter” should watch it, “and it needs to be translated into Hebrew.”

He adds that he spoke earlier this week with Israel’s ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, saying that “I don’t think he or the majority of Israelis realize what is at stake,” if the US-Israeli relationship continues to decline.

“It’s not just $3.8 billion of traditional annual aid. It’s access to US weapons and diplomatic support,” writes Sherman.

Outlining what he believes to be the problem, Sherman says “Israel has been unwilling to take even a few steps to improve its image around the world.”

“They don’t fund their foreign ministry,” he claims.

He also cites far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir as a cause for the declining support, saying his presence in the cabinet “poses an existential threat,” as well as unchecked settler violence against Palestinians.

“Israel cannot survive with no friends in the world,” adds Sherman.

UAE official on reported Oct. 7 warning to Netanyahu: We do not ‘discuss such details at the level of national leaders’

Responding to a report that United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of October 7, 2023, that Hamas was planning a major attack, a UAE official says the country does not discuss such matters at that level.

An Emirati source familiar with the conversation confirmed the Haaretz newspaper’s report to The Times of Israel that some 10 days before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Netanyahu was personally warned by the leader of the United Arab Emirates that Hamas was planning a major offensive move against Israel, but did not update Israeli security leaders and did nothing with the information.

The UAE itself declined to confirm or deny the report when it was released, issuing a statement that noted “open lines of communication” with Israel through which “all relevant intelligence has been and continues to be communicated.”

Netanyahu denied the report and said he would sue Haaretz, but has yet to officially do so.

Responding to a query from the state-owned Emirati outlet The National, a UAE official does not outright deny that Netanyahu was warned, however, saying only that the “UAE discusses security matters with other countries through the relevant entities, and does not discuss such details at the level of national leaders.”

Hebrew-language outlet Ynet reports that the Emirati statement is the result of days of pressure from Israel for the UAE to deny the contents of the Haaretz report.

Saudi coalition says it intercepted Houthi ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh at dawn

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen’s Houthis says that the Iran-backed group fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh at dawn before it was intercepted and destroyed, after residents reported blasts in the Saudi capital.

“The Houthis also attempted to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Bisha, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu,” a coalition spokesperson writes on X, adding that the attacks “were thwarted by the Gulf monarchy’s air defenses.”

Turkey’s FM says working with US on ‘creative ideas’ to solve S-400 missile issue

Military vehicles and equipment, parts of the S-400 air defense systems, are unloaded from a Russian transport aircraft, at Murted military airport in Ankara, Turkey, July 12, 2019. (Turkish Defence Ministry via AP, Pool)

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says that Ankara and Washington were working on “creative ideas” to lift US sanctions imposed on Turkey over its purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems.

Speaking to broadcaster NTV, Fidan does not elaborate on what the ideas were, but says he is hoping for positive steps on the issue. Washington imposed CAATSA sanctions on its NATO ally in 2020 and removed it from its F-35 fighter jet program due to the acquisition of the Russian systems.

In July, Turkish media reported that Turkey could resell the S-400s to a Gulf nation in order to persuade the US to sell F-35s to Ankara. Russia said at the time it was in contact with Ankara on the issue.

Michigan’s Dearborn defends itself against accusations it prioritized Muslim holidays over other faiths

Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud speaks during an election night gathering, Feb. 27, 2024, in Dearborn, Michigan (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

DEARBORN, Michigan — The city of Dearborn responds to a lawsuit accusing it of celebrating Muslim holidays and ignoring religious holidays of other faiths by blaming attacks against it on its diversity and “welcoming nature.”

A statement from the Detroit suburb, issued by a spokesperson, comes in response to a lawsuit on Thursday that accused the city and its mayor of spending thousands of dollars to celebrate Muslim holidays while ignoring Christian and Jewish holidays.

The lawsuit in federal court revived complaints about city government that arose a year ago after the Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud told Ted Barham, a local pastor, that he was not welcome in the city and that he would stage a parade when he left.

The lawsuit by Margot Cleveland, a journalist for The Federalist, accused the city and its mayor, a Democrat, of favoring the Muslim faith over other religious beliefs in a city with a population of over 100,000 people that is majority Arab American.

It said the city for too long “has been a hostile place for Christians and Jews.”

And it added that “Hammoud has taken this hostility to the next level, openly conveying the message that Christians and Jews are not welcome in the city and are, indeed, second-class citizens.”

In its statement, the city responds by saying it “has a longstanding commitment to serving all residents fairly and equitably, regardless of faith or background.

“Our city has increasingly come under attack precisely because of its welcoming nature and the diversity of the people who proudly call Dearborn home,” the statement says.

It adds: “That will not change who we are. Dearborn will continue to uphold the rights and dignity of every resident and remain a city where everyone is treated with fairness, respect, and equal protection under the law.”

The lawsuit sought unspecified damages and asked a judge to find that the city had violated the Constitution and order it to comply with the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment.

Joint List MK Tibi: We will push to replace Knesset speaker even before next government formed

MK Ahmad Tibi attends a Hadash–Ta'al faction meeting, at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, on June 29, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

MK Ahmad Tibi, chairman of the Ta’al party, says that his Arab Joint List faction with the communist Hadash party will push to replace the Knesset speaker after elections, even if a new coalition is unable to reach a majority without Arab parties.

“There are all kinds of things, from a range of steps, immediately after the elections, that could change reality,” Tibi says in an interview with Channel 12.

“You know what the election of a Knesset speaker immediately after the elections means?” Tibi continues. “The story is over. This is complete control of the Knesset.”

Likud’s Amir Ohana is the current Knesset speaker. Though leading opposition parties have said they won’t sit with Arab parties in a future coalition, the Joint List wants to prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from forming the next coalition.

Changing the speaker before a government is formed would give opposition parties control over the parliamentary agenda.

Asked whether he would recommend an (opposition) candidate as prime minister to the president after the elections, Tibi said, “We’ll do more than that.”

Houthis say they targeted ‘sensitive sites’ in Riyadh, oil sites in Saudi port city Yanbu

In this frame grab taken from AFPTV video footage on September 19, 2026, fire trucks and police vehicles are seen at the scene of a fire at the Aramco fuel depot near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. (AFPTV/AFP)

SANAA, Yemen — Yemen’s Houthis say that they launched strikes targeting “sensitive sites” in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and oil facilities in the kingdom’s port city of Yanbu, hours after residents reported blasts in the Saudi capital.

“In response to the Saudi enemy’s criminal attempts to target the capital Sanaa… the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out two successful military operations using a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree says, in a statement on Telegram. “The first targeted sensitive sites in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and the second targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu.”

Hamas commander who took part in Oct. 7 killed last week in Gaza strike — IDF

A Hamas commander who invaded Israel during the October 7 onslaught was killed in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip last week, the military announces.

The Thursday strike in Khan Younis killed Mohammed Suleiman Byouk, a commander in Hamas’s military wing, according to the IDF.

The IDF says the terrorist invaded Israel on October 7, 2023, and during the war and recently was involved in planting bombs against Israeli troops.

Byouk had been advancing attacks against troops and Israeli civilians and acted to restore Hamas’s capabilities, “in a systemic violation of the ceasefire,” the military says, adding that he was “eliminated to remove the threat.”

IDF: Slain Hamas Rafah Brigade commander involved in holding hostages, including Hadar Goldin’s body

The commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike last week, was involved in holding hostages during the war, as well as holding the body of Lt. Hadar Goldin in the years prior, according to the military.

Following a review of intelligence, the IDF and Shin Bet say that Nael Abu Obeid “was involved in the abduction and holding of IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians for years and during the war.”

In 2014, Abu Obeid was the deputy commander of the Rafah Brigade. During that time, he took part in holding the body of Goldin, an officer with the Givati Brigade, whose body was only returned last year.

During the current war, the military says Abu Obeid held several hostages, including tank soldier Sgt. 1st Class Nimrod Cohen, in a major tunnel system under Rafah.

Foreign Ministry: We are working to ensure rights of Israelis arrested in Turkey are protected

The Foreign Ministry says that it was informed yesterday of the arrest of Israelis in Turkey, and that it is “working to ensure that the rights of the Israeli citizens are protected.”

Turkish authorities said earlier today they’d broken up an Israel-linked international investment fraud network accused of stealing some $266 million from victims across Europe, Asia and Africa. Local media said 9 Israelis were arrested.

Israel and Turkey, formerly close allies, are now regional rivals, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emerging as one of Israel’s leading critics on the international stage. The two countries do maintain diplomatic ties, however.

Contrary to IDF’s position, Herzog pardons soldier who killed subdued Palestinian stabber in 2016

Elor Azaria, center, visits in the West Bank city of Hebron following his release from prison where he served a sentence for the 2016 manslaughter of an incapacitated Palestinian attacker he shot in the city during his military service, July 3, 2018. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

President Isaac Herzog has granted a pardon to Elor Azaria, a former soldier convicted of killing an incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron in 2016, contrary to the military’s position on the matter.

Azaria filed a request in July that sought to shorten the time before his criminal record is automatically cleared. Defense Minister Israel Katz supported what amounted to a pardon request.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other top officers told the defense minister in a letter that they did not support the request, although they never submitted their position on a pardon to the president.

Azaria served nine months of an 18-month prison term for killing Abdel-Fattah al-Sharif, a Palestinian who had stabbed an Israeli soldier in the West Bank city of Hebron in 2016. Azaria killed al-Sharif some 11 minutes after he had been shot and subdued. Still, Azaria has always insisted he behaved correctly in the shooting, and he has gone on to protest in support of soldiers accused of beating Palestinian suspects.

The president’s office, in a statement this evening, says that Herzog decided to grant Azaria’s request to shorten the time before his criminal record is automatically cleared, which, according to the law, would have taken place in 2032 if it were not expedited.

The shortening of the criminal record takes effect immediately.

“In the spirit of the upcoming Day of Atonement and after many years living with the consequences of his actions, President Herzog has decided that the circumstances, the length of time passed, and the sorrow Azaria expressed justify enabling him to be allowed to begin a new chapter in his life,” the statement says.

Herzog says that he examined all circumstances and considerations relating to Azaria’s request, including “the statute of limitations on the crime committed has long passed, the significant period of time that has passed since the incident, the fact that Azaria served the sentence imposed upon him, personal and family circumstances that have changed during the years, and his express wish to remove the obstacles to employment and start a new chapter in life.”

The statement notes that “Azaria stated clearly that he respects the ethical code of the IDF and that it is of importance to him, and that today, as a father of two small children, he wishes to educate them in accordance with these values.”

“In his request, he expressed his sorrow, including with regard to the grave consequences of the incident. It is noted that in his first request to President [Reuven] Rivlin, he acknowledged that, in retrospect alone, the shot fired was an operational error, and in retrospect he would not have carried it out,” the president’s office says.

“President Herzog affirms that his decision does not undermine or invalidate the legal proceedings that were carried out in this case and does not constitute a reassessment of the case. President Herzog sees the role of the IDF military justice system as an essential part of upholding the law, the ethical code of the IDF, and the principle and enforcement of the purity of arms. The President underlines that the institution of pardons is one of compassion, and not a court of appeals. In his request, Azaria himself stated that he does not intend to reopen the case,” the statement adds.

Indonesian president chants ‘Free Palestine’ during speech, nearly a year after sympathizing with Israel at UN

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto chants “Free Palestine” at a speech in East Java, marking the 100th anniversary of the Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor Ponorogo Islamic boarding school.

It comes almost a year after Subianto raised eyebrows by ending his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York with the word “Shalom.”

The leader of the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, which has no formal relations with Israel — spoke in an unexpectedly sympathetic tone about the Jewish state during the speech, saying that the world must “recognize,” “respect” and “guarantee the safety and security of Israel. Only then can we have real peace.”

Several outlets, including The Times of Israel, reported that Subianto was set to visit Israel after a ceasefire-hostage release deal was reached in Gaza in October.

Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry issued clear denials of any such trip, affirming its longstanding support for the Palestinians in Gaza. Another source later told The Times of Israel that Subianto had approved the visit, but backed out once the plan leaked to the press, fearing backlash at home.

In today’s speech, Subianto says “the continuing attacks against Palestinians should encourage Indonesia to build its national strength,” according to Indonesia’s Antara news agency.

During the event, Palestinian Ambassador Abdulfattah A.K. Al-Sattari presents the Subianto with a keffiyeh.

שנה אחרי שקרא "שלום" בעברית בעצרת האו"ם ואמור היה לשלוח אלפי חיילים לכוח הייצוב הבין-לאומי ברצועה, נשיא אינדונזיה קרא היום "תשוחרר פלסטין" בטקס בו נאם בארצו@kaisos1987 https://t.co/dfRUYUsIM1 pic.twitter.com/InMsj7NzT2

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) September 19, 2026

Nava Freiberg contributed to this report.

Narges Mohammadi: Iranians ‘paying an extremely heavy price’ for war, economic hardship

This photo taken in 2021 shows Narges Mohammadi in Tehran, Iran. (Reihane Taravati via AP)

Iranians are suffering as economic misery and internal repression leave “no room for people to breathe” after a year and a half of wars and ongoing US sanctions, the country’s most prominent human rights activist tells The Associated Press.

Narges Mohammadi, 54, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023, was temporarily released from prison for medical reasons earlier this year after falling unconscious and being transferred to a hospital.

Her memoir — titled “A Woman Never Stops Fighting” — was written behind bars, with parts of it smuggled out by fellow inmates. Editions in French, German and nine other languages are being released this month. The English and Farsi editions are to be released next year.

In an interview conducted with The Associated Press from outside Iran, Mohammadi says Iranians are grappling with multiple crises stemming from the ongoing war and deepening economic pressure.

“It’s the people who are paying an extremely heavy price,” she says.

But she says many Iranians continue to quietly defy their leaders, a change she traces back to the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in a hospital after being detained for violating authorities’ strict Islamic dress code.

The release of Mohammadi’s book this month coincides with Amini’s death to honor her memory, her representatives said. The English and Farsi editions are to be released in September 2027 for the same reason.

“If you go out into the streets, you see a wave of resistance among the people, a wave of awareness, and their determination to stand up for their rights,” Mohammadi says. She says that government repression has intensified, but that many in a new, younger generation “know their rights” and are standing firm. “And that gives us reason for hope,” she says.

AP agreed not to ask Mohammadi specific questions about the political situation and leadership in Iran, due to concerns for her safety, though she comments generally about the cost of war.

She says she was severely beaten by security forces when detained in December, in the northeastern city of Mashhad. She and a group of activists were attending a memorial ceremony for human rights lawyer Khosrow Alikordi, who was found dead in his office. She was arrested while giving a public speech. She was sentenced to 16 years and more than a 100 lashes for attending that rally. She has not been flogged but spent long periods in solitary confinement.

“My detention was really life-threatening,” she says. “My head was severely hurt because most of the hits were to my head, and despite being in that condition, they kept me for two months in solitary confinement during which my condition was really concerning.”

She lost consciousness on May 1 and was transferred to a hospital. She was released on bail nearly 10 days later and transferred to a hospital in Tehran, where she remained for another two weeks.

CNN, MS NOW say they were barred from White House after Trump imposes ban

CNN Senior White House Reporter Betsy Klein, carrying an empty credential holder after having her credential revoked following US President Donald Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico, walks near the White House, September 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

NEW YORK — Two major news networks are denied access to the White House, with reporters from CNN and MS NOW both going live to report they’d been barred following a ban imposed by President Donald Trump.

The actions escalated Trump’s long-running efforts to restrict news coverage by journalists he finds objectionable, and are the latest test of First Amendment protections in the United States. Trump said Friday he would ban both organizations and also Politico, because of their coverage — which he called “fake news.”

CNN issues a statement saying it stood behind its reporters. “We will not be deflected from our duty to hold the government and other public bodies to account,” it says. The statement is shown on the air before senior White House reporter Betsy Klein began to report on her ban.

MS NOW also says in a statement that it stands behind its journalists.

“The White House belongs to the American people and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars,” the network says in a statement. “MS NOW intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy.”

Firefighters trying to extinguish Aramco fuel tank fire near Riyadh airport after blasts

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — An Aramco fuel tank near Riyadh’s international airport is on fire, according to an AFP journalist, after people in the city reported hearing explosions.

Firefighters can be seen trying to extinguish the flames of a burnt-out fuel tank with the Saudi oil giant Aramco logo appearing on the structure.

UNIFIL head says smooth transition key ahead of start of withdrawal at end of year

An United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) armored vehicle armored vehicle patrols the southern Lebanese border area of Marjayoun on May 11, 2026. (AFP)

NEAR MANSOURI, Lebanon —  The head of United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon says it is critical to ensure other UN agencies and Lebanese troops can assume the tasks carried out by the force before it begins withdrawing at the end of this year.

Major General Diodato Abagnara of Italy speaks to Reuters in southern Lebanon at a position operated by the UN peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL, which has been monitoring hostilities in southern Lebanon for nearly 50 years.

The UN Security Council has ordered UNIFIL to begin withdrawing at the end of 2026.

“There are other United Nations entities here in the south, and so what is very important for us (is) to conduct a very smooth transition to different entities, or for the future of a new mission,” Abagnara tells Reuters.

He says UNIFIL was already working with the UN’s country team to ensure humanitarian assistance in Israeli-occupied areas and information sharing with the Lebanese army about “sensitive areas (and) how they can manage this situation.”

Abagnara acknowledges that it could be “very difficult” to hand over some of UNIFIL’s posts to Lebanese troops given that more than half lie within areas now controlled by Israeli troops.

Diplomats worry UNIFIL’s departure will mean an end to the UN’s “eyes and ears” in southern Lebanon.

Interfaith group unveils 100-meter shroud with names of 20,000 children killed in Gaza war at UN

Representatives of an interfaith coalition unveil a shroud with the names of 20,000 Gazan children killed in the Israel-Hamas war, September 18, 2026. (Justice For All)

An interfaith human rights group unveiled yesterday a large shroud at the UN Church Center in New York, including the names of 20,000 Palestinian children it says were killed by the Israel Defense Forces during the war against Hamas in Gaza.

The 100-meter (328-foot) display, as part of the 81st annual UN General Assembly, was “prepared by Doctors Against Genocide, Priests Against Genocide USA, Justice for All, and partner groups,” according to Justice for All.

It is unclear where the names were sourced. The Hamas-run health ministry in the enclave maintains a register of those killed in the war, although the toll does not differentiate between combatants and civilians.

The Israeli military believes that Hamas’s overall toll of 73,400 dead is largely accurate, with IDF officials estimating that two to three civilians were killed for every dead terror operative.

Church of England removes Gaza memorial tapestry after Jewish community charges terrorists’ names displayed

A part of the Stitch Their Names tapestry displaying 16,800 names of those killed in the Israel-Hamas war, drawn from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry registry, in an undated photo. (Stitch Their Names project)

The Church of England said yesterday it took down a tapestry listing 16,800 names of people killed in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza after the Jewish community provided evidence it listed terrorists, British media reports.

The “Stitch Their Names Together” memorial, which opened on September 11, was meant to be on display at Leeds Minster until Sunday, but was taken down early after the Leeds Jewish Representative Council shared evidence that the tapestry listed the names of at least 18 terrorists, according to the BBC.

Leeds JRC chairman Simon Myerson KC tells The Telegraph: “At no stage was the Jewish community consulted about the plan to potentially display the names of terrorists in a church in Leeds.”

He decries the fact that the display was put up during the holiest period of the Hebrew calendar year.

“We need a church investigation into how such an event can be put on without any apparent diocesan oversight or proper due diligence,” he says.

Stitch Their Names project founder Mary Evers says the criticism was an attempt to “smear and delegitimize the love and empathy of hundreds of stitchers and thousands of followers for their fellow human beings.”

“Just this week, an attempt to sideline the rap artist Macklemore for speaking out for Palestinian lives has drawn him far more attention and support than his critics bargained for. The world sees through these bad-faith attempts to silence those who speak out for humanity,” she says.

She says the names on the tapestry came from the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry’s register, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Palestinian media reports two killed, several hurt in Israeli strike in Gaza City

Palestinian media report two dead and several injured in an Israeli strike on a vehicle in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood a short while ago.

The IDF has not yet commented on the reports.

🔴عاجل: شهيدان متفحمان داخل الجيب وعدد من الاصابات في قصف جيب سبورتاج أبيض اللون في حي الشيخ رضوان شمالي مدينة غزةhttps://t.co/wH4HOb6hyj pic.twitter.com/fwHOUzeNZY

— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) September 19, 2026

Australia withdrew from talks to impose West Bank sanctions shortly before UK declaration — report

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C), Defense Minister Richard Marles (center L) and Foreign Minister Penny Wong (center R) at Parliament House in Canberra on August 19, 2026. (Hilary Wardhaugh/POOL/AFP)

Australia was involved in discussions but ultimately decided not to join a multinational effort to impose trade sanctions on West Bank settlements, surprising and disappointing European diplomats, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation says. 

Last week, the United Kingdom announced it would impose sanctions on settlements. The leaders of the UK, France and Canada said they would follow suit, and a separate statement by the UK, France, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden said they would commit to or consider such efforts.

Australia was involved in discussions led by the EU, but decided fairly late in the talks not to take part, multiple diplomatic sources from different countries told the ABC.

A spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade tells the ABC that Canberra is “concerned blanket import bans present practical challenges, including how to ensure they do not inadvertently harm Palestinian businesses, workers and livelihoods.

“The UK government has acknowledged these challenges as they work on their legislation over the next year,” the spokesperson says.

“In the meantime, Australia is pursuing further targeted measures, in coordination with international partners, to deter illegal settlements and settler violence,” the spokesperson adds.

Before sanctions announcement, UK officials believed Israel would not advance E1 plans before elections — report

In this video grab taken from footage broadcast by the UK Parliamentary Recording Unit (PRU) via the Parliament TV website in the House of Commons on September 8, 2026, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband delivers a speech on an import ban of goods from West Bank settlements. (PRU/AFP)

British officials left an August 11 call with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar believing Israel would not advance plans to build in the E1 settlement block before the October 27 elections, The New York Times reports.

Sa’ar and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband held a tense phone call over the controversial construction plans, several weeks before the latter announced sanctions against West Bank settlements, three officials familiar with the call told the Times.

The Foreign Minister denies the characterizations of the call published in the Times.

A week after the call, the government issued a tender for the construction of seven residential compounds housing 1,234 housing units in the E1 area east of Jerusalem, where Israeli settlement activists seek to divide the West Bank.

While the Foreign Ministry itself said the move would not change anything on the ground in the area, British officials viewed it as an about-face from what Sa’ar had told Miliband, officials tell the Times.

Miliband’s office declines to comment on the report.

Miliband announced last week that Britain would ban all dealings with West Bank settlements, as well as sweeping sanctions and a range of other punitive measures, due to what he charged was “ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank – perpetrated by settler terrorists.” Canada, France and other nations announced similar measures.

The new “comprehensive sanctions regime” is expected to take effect within six to nine months, with what Miliband called “appropriate religious exemptions.”

Israel’s government reacted with fury to the UK move and announced a series of retaliatory measures, including the closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem, which serves Palestinians. Other measures ordered by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar included the expulsion of UK representatives from an international Gaza support center and the termination of British activities to train Palestinian Authority security forces.

Syrian authorities say explosion at military site in east killed 11 people

Syrian authorities say an explosion of unknown origin killed 11 people at a military site in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on Friday.

“The defense ministry held a funeral procession for 11 of its martyrs, who were killed in an explosion at one of the Syrian Arab Army sites” in Deir Ezzor province, the official SANA news agency says.

The ministry reported on Friday that an explosion at an army site in Deir Ezzor was under investigation.

Firefighters and rescuers headed to the scene of the explosion, state media reported at the time, without immediately providing any casualty figures.

Several such blasts have previously occurred at arms depots in Syria, which is emerging from more than a decade of civil war following the toppling of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.

Earlier this month, an explosion at an arms depot in the northwest killed 14 people.

Previously, also in the northwest, a car loaded with ammunition killed at least five people.

IDF says it struck Hezbollah sites after terror group’s explosive device lightly wounded two troops

Two IDF soldiers were lightly injured by a Hezbollah explosive device in southern Lebanon this morning, prompting strikes on the terror group’s sites, the military says.

The IDF says an engineering vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb planted by Hezbollah inside the military’s south Lebanon buffer zone during the incident.

Two soldiers were injured in the blast and taken to a hospital in good condition, the military says, adding that their families were notified.

In response to the explosion, the IDF says that it struck several Hezbollah infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon, including surveillance posts and sites used by the terror group to advance attacks.

כוחות צה"ל ממשיכים להיות פרוסים במרחב הביטחוני בדרום לבנון בהתאם להסכם, וימשיכו לפעול להסרת איומים על אזרחי מדינת ישראל וכוחות צה"ל.

צה"ל פועל כעת ויפעל גם בהמשך בעוצמה מול ניסיונותיו החוזרים ונשנים של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה לפגוע בכוחותינו pic.twitter.com/OVq6Y3CpL2

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) September 19, 2026

Nine Israelis said to be among over 200 suspects in alleged ‘Israeli-linked’ fraud scheme in Turkey

Nine Israeli citizens are among over 200 suspects in what Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gurlek described as an “Israeli-linked international fraud network,” Turkey’s Sozcu newspaper reports.

The suspects include at least 45 foreign nationals from 20 different countries, the outlet says.

Gurlek said yesterday that law enforcement raided 42 call centers belonging to 28 companies that defrauded foreign nationals of cash and cryptocurrency through fictitious investment schemes. Interpol had received hundreds of complaints from customers, Gurlek said.

The companies defrauded customers of over $3 billion, Sozcu reports.

Flames and smoke seen near Riyadh airport, eyewitness says, amid soaring tensions in Yemen

Flames and a large plume of black smoke were seen rising near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an eyewitness says, hours after the first air raid alert in the Saudi capital since fighting with the Iran-backed Houthis resumed in neighboring Yemen in July.

The Saudi government media office does not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

US okays potential $2.68 billion sale of air defense gear to Ukraine amid continued Russian strikes

The United States has approved a potential $2.68 billion sale of air defense equipment to Ukraine, after Kyiv made repeated pleas for support to fend off Russian attacks.

The US State Department says in a congressional notification that it made “a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Ukraine” for buying air defense development upgrades and related equipment and services.

Kyiv has requested to buy equipment including multiple types of missiles, launchers, counter-drone radars and trailers, according to the State Department. The proposed sale is subject to congressional review.

“If the proposed purchase is concluded, Ukraine would finance it using a combination of European contributions and US Foreign Military Financing appropriated during the prior Administration,” the State Department says, adding that “The estimated total cost is $2.68 billion.”

Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has seen a surge in Russian attacks, which its air defenses have struggled to repel due to ammunition shortages.

Citing the Russian Defense Ministry, Russia’s Interfax news agency reports that the country’s forces struck a Ukrainian cargo and a tanker located in the Black Sea and in one of Ukraine’s ports. The report cannot not be independently verified.

Separately, Poland’s military says it has concluded preventive aviation operations that it started early today amid Russian strikes on Ukraine.

Ground-based air defense systems and radar reconnaissance were returned to standard operational activities after the army activated them for a state of readiness, the Polish military says, adding that there was no violation of Poland’s airspace.

Denmark hails ‘binding’ deal granting US permanent security control over Greenland

Denmark hails a “binding” deal announced by US President Donald Trump to give Washington “permanent control” over Greenland’s security and bar Russian and Chinese bases from the Arctic territory.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen says “next week could be a good week” because of the signing, which Denmark and Greenland have said would take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“A long period of uncertainty will hopefully be replaced by a binding agreement that strengthens security in the Arctic and North Atlantic,” the foreign minister says in a social media post.

He adds that the deal, which he says respects Denmark’s “red lines,” is “important” in light of a changed security situation.

The terms of the deal are uncertain, and Denmark maintains its sovereignty remains intact.

Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly insisted that Washington needs to control Greenland for strategic reasons, alarming NATO ally Denmark and sparking fierce pushback from the alliance.

Syria says it arrested leader of jihadist cell involved in killing of security personnel

Syrian authorities say they arrested a leader of a cell involved in the deaths of three security force personnel during an anti-jihadist operation in the south.

“The internal security forces of Daraa province have arrested Walid al-Fallah, one of the main leaders of the cell involved” in the deaths of the personnel in the town of Al-Sanamein in Daraa province, state news agency SANA reports.

The security force members were killed as they were attempting to arrest a member of the Islamic State (IS) group, a local government official had told AFP.

The group has been territorially defeated in Syria but maintains sleeper cells.

Interior ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba says the anti-jihadist operation, which saw five people arrested, “succeeded in dismantling criminal cells and others linked to IS that were coordinating with each other.”

IS used to control vast areas of Syria and neighboring Iraq before being defeated in the two countries in 2019 and 2017, respectively.

However, in Syria it continues to periodically claim attacks against government forces, particularly in the vast desert region, as well as in the north and northeast.

It had also been established in the past in Daraa province, where its leader Abu Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi was killed in October 2022 in clashes with local gunmen.

Last year, the new Syrian authorities, who overthrew long-time president Bashar al-Assad in 2024, joined the US-led international coalition against IS.

Saudi Arabia issues all-clear for Riyadh after explosions heard there

The Saudi civil defense agency sends an all-clear after issuing alerts for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis group on the Gulf country.

Both Reuters and AFP journalists reported hearing two explosions Explosions were heard in Riyadh on Saturday, an AFP journalists reported, after an air raid alert was issued by Saudi Arabian authorities, regularly targeted in recent days by pro-Iranian Houthis in Yemen.

The alert, the first Riyadh has been affected by the conflict in neighboring Yemen that intensified in July, comes hours after the Houthis’ military spokesperson said the rebel group had foiled “criminal attempts” he said Saudi stood behind in capital Sanaa, vowing a response.

Saudi Arabia issues alert for potential danger in capital Riyadh, amid Houthi attacks

Saudi civil defense issues an alert early over potential danger in the capital Riyadh amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis group on the Gulf country.

‘A complete lie’: Hegseth denies WaPo report that Pentagon is publicly undercounting Iran war deaths

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during the POW/MIA National Recognition Day Ceremony at the Pentagon, September 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denies a report in the Washington Post that at least four more American servicemembers have been killed during the Iran war than the 18 acknowledged by the Pentagon.

“This is DISGUSTING and FAKE. A complete LIE,” he writes on X. “Shame on the Washington Post — they’re worse than Iranian state media.”

US official says Trump unlikely to meet with Netanyahu at UN, citing scheduling difficulties

US President Donald Trump (right) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet at the United Nations General Assembly on September 26, 2018, at UN Headquarters. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not among the world leaders scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week, and it’s unlikely the pair will have time in their schedules to squeeze in a sit-down, a US official tells The Times of Israel.

Trump will meet with the leaders of the UK, Mexico and Japan on Tuesday before heading back to Washington to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, the US official says.

Netanyahu is set to speak on Thursday and will only be in town for about a day.

South Korea’s FM stresses to Rubio its intent to contribute to restoring free passage in Hormuz

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday and reaffirmed Seoul’s willingness to contribute substantively to restoring free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Yonhap news agency reports.

Cho travelled to Washington this week for talks with Rubio and members of the US Congress.