US says Iran war cost $5.6bn in first two days
The administration of Donald Trump has told US congressional committees that the first two days of military strikes against Iran cost about $5.6 billion in munitions, according to a source familiar with the report.
The disclosure has raised concern among members of Congress about the strain the conflict could place on US military stockpiles, particularly as defence manufacturers struggle to keep up with demand. The White House has not publicly released the full cost of the war launched on February 28 alongside Israel.
- US says Iran war cost $5.6bn in first two days
- Israeli strikes hit Beirut as calls grow to disarm Hezbollah
- Iranian women footballers granted asylum in Australia
- Pentagon says 140 US troops wounded in Iran war
- Airlines raise ticket prices as Iran war drives fuel costs higher
- Congo President Sassou set to extend decades in power
- Militants kill 12 truck drivers in western Mali
- Rights group accuses Zimbabwe of cracking down on critics
- UN peacekeepers refuse order to leave South Sudan town
- Civilians flee Ethiopia’s Tigray amid fears of renewed war
Israeli strikes hit Beirut as calls grow to disarm Hezbollah
Israeli air strikes struck the southern suburbs of Beirut on Tuesday as troops pushed deeper into southern Lebanon.
The bombardment comes after the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader. Lebanese authorities say nearly 570 people have been killed in the past week as the conflict widens.
Iranian women footballers granted asylum in Australia
Five members of Iran’s women’s national football team have been granted asylum in Australia after leaving their hotel during the Asian Cup.
Australian police helped extract the players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, after they reportedly faced pressure from Iranian officials accompanying the team. The players had refused to sing Iran’s national anthem before a match and were later labelled “wartime traitors”.
Pentagon says 140 US troops wounded in Iran war
About 140 US service members have been wounded since the start of the war with Iran, according to the United States Department of Defense.
Officials said most of the injuries were minor and more than 100 troops have already returned to duty. Eight service members remain in serious condition receiving specialised medical care.
Airlines raise ticket prices as Iran war drives fuel costs higher
Airlines around the world are raising ticket prices after the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran pushed jet fuel prices sharply higher.
Carriers including Qantas, Scandinavian Airlines, and Air New Zealand say rising fuel costs have forced temporary fare increases. Jet fuel prices have jumped from about $90 a barrel to as much as $200 amid fears of disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
AFRICA
Congo President Sassou set to extend decades in power
President Denis Sassou Nguesso is expected to extend his long rule in the upcoming elections in the Republic of the Congo.
The 82-year-old leader has governed the oil-rich nation for nearly 42 years, spanning two distinct periods in power. Opposition parties say the election lacks transparency, with some rivals jailed or living in exile.
Militants kill 12 truck drivers in western Mali
Militants linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin killed at least 12 truck drivers travelling in a fuel convoy in western Mali, according to Human Rights Watch.
The attack targeted a convoy escorted by soldiers in the Kayes region as authorities attempt to break insurgent blockades on fuel supplies.
Rights group accuses Zimbabwe of cracking down on critics
Human Rights Watch says authorities in Zimbabwe are intensifying pressure on critics of a proposed constitutional amendment that could extend the rule of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The proposal would extend presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, potentially delaying elections scheduled for 2028.
UN peacekeepers refuse order to leave South Sudan town
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan says its peacekeepers will remain in the town of Akobo despite an order from the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces to leave ahead of a planned military offensive.
The mission warned that fighting in the area could endanger civilians as tensions rise between government troops and opposition groups.
Civilians flee Ethiopia’s Tigray amid fears of renewed war
Residents of Tigray Region have begun fleeing the area amid growing fears that conflict could erupt again between federal forces and Tigrayan fighters.
The movement of civilians comes more than four years after a peace deal ended a devastating civil war in northern Ethiopia, though tensions have remained high and relations with neighbouring Eritrea have deteriorated.
