World News

Latest world news and updates

Total: 2159

US Air Force Thunderbirds jets lined up during an airshow in Hampton, Virginia.
World

U.S. Orders Global Security Review at Diplomatic Posts Amid Mideast Spillover

The U.S. State Department has ordered all American diplomatic missions to conduct immediate security reviews amid rising tensions in the Middle East and reported attacks on U.S. posts. The move, reported by The Washington Post, expands Emergency Action Committee directives globally for the first time and reflects heightened risk management rather than proof of a single imminent threat.

SoMi2026年3月18日 19:29
#U.S. State Department#diplomatic security#Middle East
Illuminated skyscrapers at night in Pasig City, Philippines, showcasing modern architecture.
World

Airstrike on Beirut Kills Six, Deepening Fears of Wider Israel-Lebanon Escalation

An Israeli overnight airstrike on Beirut on March 18 killed at least six people and wounded 24, with Xinhua images showing damage to buildings and vehicles. The attack risks further inflaming tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border and increasing the chance of wider regional escalation.

SoMi2026年3月18日 19:29
#Israel#Lebanon#Beirut
Protest in Brussels with flags and signs demanding IRGC recognition as a terrorist group.
World

Iran Launches Major Missile Wave at Tel Aviv and Executes Alleged Mossad Asset as Fighting Spreads

Iran announced a major missile salvo against Tel Aviv as part of a declared campaign of retaliation and executed an individual it accused of spying for Mossad. The US has conducted strikes on Iranian missile sites and is accelerating production of Iranian‑style drones, while Ukraine and Gulf states exchange expertise on countering unmanned threats, underscoring a widening, technology‑intense confrontation.

SoMi2026年3月18日 12:59
#Iran#Israel#IRGC
Training jet with Japanese insignia taxiing for preparation on airfield.
World

When Washington Looks East to the Gulf: How the Middle East Crisis Is Exposing U.S. Alliances in Asia

The U.S. diversion of air‑defence systems and ships to the Persian Gulf has exposed limits in American alliance guarantees, unsettling South Korea and Japan. The episode underscores the strategic dilemma facing Asian partners: reliance on U.S. forces can create capability gaps and increase political and physical exposure, prompting moves toward greater self‑reliance and regional security reorganisation.

SoMi2026年3月18日 12:59
#U.S. military#South Korea#Japan
Close-up view of Zelus Renardii, a leafhopper assassin bug, on a leafy plant outdoors.
World

Death of Iran’s Security Chief Risks Unleashing a New Cycle of Escalation

Iran confirmed the death of Ali Larijani, its Supreme National Security Council secretary, in an airstrike that Israel had announced a day earlier. Larijani’s killing removes a key interlocutor and ‘buffer’ between Iran’s pragmatic and hardline camps, raising the risk of immediate, broad retaliation and complicating nuclear diplomacy and crisis management in the region.

SoMi2026年3月18日 12:59
#Iran#Ali Larijani#assassination
Bronze statue of Guan Yu representing strength and wisdom against cloudy sky.
World

Last Witnesses Fade: The Death of a Nanjing Massacre Survivor and What It Means for Memory

Guan Shunhua, a survivor of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, died at 101 on 18 March 2026, leaving just 21 registered survivors. Her testimony—of beheadings, hiding from bayonets and starvation—underscores the urgency of preserving eyewitness accounts even as living memory fades and the politics of historical narrative intensify.

SoMi2026年3月18日 12:59
#Nanjing Massacre#Guan Shunhua#Second Sino-Japanese War
Close-up of a missile mounted on a military aircraft wing at an airshow in Bengaluru, India.
World

Iran Embarks on 61st Wave of Retaliatory Strikes, Unveils ‘Castle‑Breaker’ Missile in Response to Larijani Killing

Iran announced a 61st wave of retaliatory strikes using a weapon it calls the “Castle‑Breaker,” framing the action as revenge for the killing of a senior figure named Larijani. The move is part of a deliberate, sustained campaign of calibrated reprisals that raises regional tensions and the risk of miscalculation without yet provoking a full‑scale war.

SoMi2026年3月18日 12:59
#Iran#Larijani#Castle‑Breaker missile
Close-up of wooden railings and balconies showcasing vintage Iranian architecture style.
World

Iran Executes Alleged Mossad Agent as Bushehr Nuclear Plant Is Struck; IRGC Vows ‘Toughest’ Retaliation

Iran executed an individual it says spied for Mossad and announced plans for a major retaliatory strike after a projectile struck the Bushehr nuclear plant complex. The IAEA confirmed the strike but reported no damage or casualties while urging restraint, underscoring heightened risks of military escalation and potential nuclear safety consequences.

SoMi2026年3月18日 12:59
#Iran#Israel#Bushehr
Orthodox Jewish men gather at Mount of Olives Cemetery in Jerusalem, Israel, under a clear sky.
World

Israel Defence Chief’s Sweeping Warning — ‘All Iranians’ Are Targets — Stokes Fears of Wider Escalation

Israel’s defence minister declared that “all Iranians” are legitimate targets, a sweeping statement that raises legal, diplomatic and security alarms. The rhetoric escalates an already tense Israel–Iran rivalry and increases the risk of regional spillover, complicating relations with international partners urging restraint.

SoMi2026年3月18日 12:59
#Israel#Iran#Middle East
Polish soldiers in uniform standing in formation with rifles, showcasing military discipline.
World

Seconds That Matter: Inside the Rocket Unit Grooming China’s Precision and Resolve

A human-focused profile of a Rocket Force launch unit shows how rigorous time discipline, hands-on training and morale rituals underpin China’s drive for precise, reliable missile operations. The piece illuminates a broader PLA push to professionalize forces, tightening decision cycles and enhancing deterrent posture while also serving domestic messaging goals.

SoMi2026年3月18日 12:59
#People's Liberation Army#Rocket Force#military readiness
Historic Ali Qapu Palace in Isfahan, showcasing Persian architecture on a sunny day.
World

Iran Confirms Killing of Ali Larijani in Dawn Airstrike — Heightened Risk of Regional Escalation

Iran confirmed that Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and a longtime establishment figure, was killed in a dawn airstrike along with his son and deputy. Israel claimed responsibility, saying the strike was guided by its intelligence services, and Tehran has vowed harsh reprisal, raising the risk of asymmetric retaliation and broader regional escalation.

SoMi2026年3月18日 06:29
#Iran#Ali Larijani#Israel
A row of police officers in uniform standing outside a large building during a public event in Arizona.
World

U.S. Orders Global Security Sweep for Embassies as Middle East Violence Spills Over

The State Department has ordered all U.S. diplomatic missions to conduct immediate security reviews amid concerns of spillover from escalating Middle East violence. The move, reportedly authorized by Secretary Rubio and prompted by recent attacks on American missions, marks the first time such a directive has been issued globally and reflects heightened institutional caution.

SoMi2026年3月18日 06:29
#U.S. State Department#diplomatic security#Middle East