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US and Iranian negotiators in New York are discussing a gradual path out of the war, beginning with reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for lifting the US economic blockade and granting Tehran access to frozen assets, amid disagreement over the order of concessions and Gulf concerns that maritime routes will continue to be used as leverage.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for the Strait of Hormuz shipping crisis to be addressed separately from negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme, blaming the waterway’s closure largely for rising energy prices. His call came amid international efforts to restore freedom of navigation and US-Iranian talks on a gradual path to ending the war.
The Houthis said they had carried out two operations targeting what they described as sensitive sites in Riyadh and Aramco facilities in Yanbu, using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had intercepted a missile heading towards the capital and foiled attempts to target other cities, including Yanbu.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed efforts to de-escalate tensions between Iran and the United States with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New York, reaffirming the continuation of mediation contacts and the need to implement the Islamabad memorandum. The two sides also agreed to continue consultations on regional challenges.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israeli and US strikes inside Iran before the UN General Assembly, presenting them as a security necessity to counter the nuclear threat. Several delegations left the chamber as his speech began, while he attacked the media, European leaders and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and addressed the Golan Heights, Gaza and Yemen.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New York that Beirut remains committed to a bilateral relationship based on sovereignty and non-interference, and called on Tehran to nominate a new ambassador. He also stressed the priority of a withdrawal by the Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, the extension of state authority and the restriction of arms to the state.
Denmark’s military intelligence service said the risk of Russia launching a limited military attack on a neighbouring NATO member state remains low but is increasing, while ruling out a full-scale invasion. It warned of escalating cyber-attacks, sabotage and espionage aimed at disrupting European support for Ukraine.
Users circulated an image of a Palestinian child sheltering behind the base of an electricity pole while returning from school, as Israeli forces entered the town of al-Zawiya, west of Salfit. The image prompted anger and distress across digital platforms, with comments focusing on children’s right to travel safely and reach their homes without fear.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky again rejected travelling to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin, while Russia said it was seeking a peaceful settlement rather than a temporary truce. The political positions coincided with reciprocal attacks that killed 8 people and injured 22 in Ukraine and disrupted operations at ports in southern Russia.
Fighting continues in Taiz, Lahj and Marib, with government forces announcing that they had shot down a drone and thwarted an infiltration attempt near the Hijej al-Abd road. The escalation coincided with civilian deaths in Lahj and Shabwah, while the number of displaced people exceeded 134,000. The United Nations called for civilians to be protected and aid access to be facilitated.
The Rapid Support Forces have intensified drone attacks on government-held towns in North Kordofan, killing civilians and disrupting education and services. The strikes included a crowded court in Umm Rawaba and a college in El Obeid, while residents say the renewed campaign has deepened insecurity in one of the main fronts of Sudan’s war.
Settlers burned two vehicles belonging to a Palestinian family and wrote racist slogans and threats of displacement on homes in Atara village, north of Ramallah, after monitoring the area with a drone, according to the family. The attack coincided with the burning of agricultural land and an attempt to break into homes in Burqa village, east of the city.
The Tigray People's Liberation Front said it was waging an all-out war against the Ethiopian government as fighting spread to Amhara and Afar. The federal army announced that 272 fighters had been killed, while a humanitarian source reported shelling in Yalo village, injuries and civilian displacement, amid fears the conflict could widen.
South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit dissolved the unity government, parliament and state governments, appointing officials to run them ahead of elections on 22 December. Legal amendments and the concentration of powers in the president's hands have drawn opposition, legal and human rights concerns, amid delayed voter registration and incomplete key provisions of the peace agreement.
A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck cities in eastern Turkey on Thursday morning, with the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority locating its epicentre in Karaköprü, Şanlıurfa. Residents in northern Syria felt the tremor, while people left their homes and workplaces and gathered in parks. Authorities reported no casualties or material damage.
Southern Lebanon witnessed a wave of air strikes, artillery shelling and demolitions targeting towns in the Nabatieh, Tyre and Marjayoun districts, alongside Israeli drone flights over southern villages, Beirut and its southern suburbs, amid continued delays in implementing security arrangements reached under US sponsorship in June 2026.
European reports said US intelligence had briefed governments on the possibility of Russian drones hidden inside containers on commercial ships in the Mediterranean being launched to target sites in Spain, France or Italy. Neither Washington nor Moscow has publicly confirmed the existence of a Russian plan or identified targets for its implementation.
Jerusalem and the West Bank witnessed incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, arrests and raids carried out by Israeli forces on Thursday, alongside settler attacks, the demolition of a house and land levelling. Palestinian bodies also announced a tender for the construction of 400 settlement units and the issuance of orders targeting the removal of trees and vegetation from hundreds of dunams.
A Russian ballistic-missile attack on Kyiv killed two people and injured others, damaging a maternity hospital and civilian buildings. Amid the escalation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed a US initiative involving a truce covering energy facilities, the reopening of the grain corridor and a trilateral meeting.
Provisional results from Morocco’s legislative elections showed the Authenticity and Modernity Party in the lead, followed by the National Rally of Independents and the Istiqlal Party, while the Justice and Development Party won 54 seats. Turnout in the House of Representatives election was 38.02 per cent, with the results set to determine the composition of the next government.
Lebanon’s Military Intelligence detained a Syrian man in the Batroun area on suspicion of belonging to Islamic State. Informed sources said he admitted receiving assignments from the leadership of a group in Syria, including planning to assassinate Pope Leo XIV during his visit to Lebanon in 2025. His case is expected to be referred to the judiciary.
Around 300 families in the Chihil Sutun area south of Kabul face the risk of landslides and falling rocks after cracks widened in a mountain above their homes. While technical teams assess the slope’s stability and the possibility of evacuation, residents say rising rents and limited resources prevent them from moving to safer areas.
Baghdad and Ankara have agreed that Turkish forces will gradually hand over the Bashiqa-Zlikan camp near Mosul to the Iraqi federal government under an agreed mechanism and timetable. The understanding also includes strengthening security cooperation, asserting Iraqi state authority in Sinjar and ending the presence of banned foreign armed groups, alongside advancing trade and joint strategic projects.
Pakistan said it had carried out strikes on 10 sites inside Afghanistan, claiming they were used to store and launch drones, while the United Nations reported that at least 3 civilians had been killed. The raids came amid reciprocal accusations between Islamabad and Kabul, raising fears of undermining regional mediation efforts.
Denmark’s military intelligence service said the risk of Russia launching a limited military attack on a neighbouring NATO member state remains low but is increasing, while ruling out a full-scale invasion. It warned of escalating cyber-attacks, sabotage and espionage aimed at disrupting European support for Ukraine.