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A report, citing six US officials familiar with internal data, said at least 22 US service members had died since the war with Iran began, compared with 18 deaths listed in the Pentagon database. Another official estimated the toll at about 23 deaths.

US President Donald Trump said Washington, Denmark and Greenland had reached an agreement expanding the US military presence on the island and restricting the activities of his country’s rivals there, while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement was expected to be signed next week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

The United States has effectively ended sanctions imposed in late 2021 on Eritrea’s army and ruling party, after the president decided not to renew the national emergency linked to the Tigray conflict. The US State Department said the move was intended to align foreign policy with current realities and strengthen Washington’s regional interests.

Yemeni government forces said they had taken control of positions in Taiz governorate amid continuing clashes and air strikes on several fronts, while the International Organization for Migration said more than 112,000 people had been displaced by the escalation. UN agencies warned of a declining ability to deliver aid and growing health risks facing women and children.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ready to work with its European neighbours and resume relations with them, denying any aggressive intentions towards Europe. At the same time, he warned of growing external threats and NATO expansion, and unveiled plans to develop arms and defence industries, satellites, air defence and unmanned systems.

The Houthis acknowledged that a security operation had taken place in Sana’a, while sources reported that an explosion targeted a security facility belonging to the group in the Dhahr Hamir area early on Friday, killing four members, including a commander known as Abu Ahmed al-Madani, and seriously injuring three others.

An Israeli force left the outskirts of Deir Mimas in southern Lebanon after approaching a temporary Lebanese Army observation post and firing stun grenades nearby. The Army said contacts conducted by the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon ended the alert, before its personnel returned to their main base in the town.

The Yemeni Network for Rights and Freedoms said it had documented 661 violations attributed to the Houthi group in Taiz governorate between 3 and 15 September 2026. They included killings, injuries, abductions, house raids and attacks on civilian facilities, and reportedly resulted in the deaths of 51 civilians, injuries to 62 others and the displacement of thousands of families.

The local authorities in Hodeidah governorate accused the Houthi group of looting humanitarian facilities and programmes in Khokha and areas along the western coast, warning that the disruption of clinics, food and shelter warehouses, and a water-supply project threatens services for thousands of civilians and displaced people and deprives tens of thousands of healthcare and aid assistance.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Russian hybrid threats against France and European countries had intensified in recent weeks, stressing that they would not go unanswered. He called for a plan to protect critical infrastructure, while emphasising continued support for Ukraine and avoiding being drawn into direct confrontation with Moscow.

Yemeni military sources said that army forces on Friday, 18 September 2026, recaptured positions infiltrated by the Houthis on the al-Kadaha and al-Wazi'iyah fronts west of Taiz after clashes lasting several hours. The operations coincided with the downing of a drone and air strikes on positions and gatherings belonging to the group in other parts of the governorate.

World leaders are preparing to meet at the United Nations headquarters in New York from Tuesday, with the US war on Iran, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the Palestinian issue expected to dominate discussions, alongside artificial intelligence regulation, climate action and the selection of a new secretary-general.

Reconquête leader Éric Zemmour has entered next year’s French presidential race, pledging tougher immigration policies and the deportation of certain foreigners, including unemployed people living legally in the country, in a contest where Marine Le Pen is widely seen as the leading candidate.

The Lebanese army sent reinforcements to a newly established military position on the outskirts of Deir Mimas in southern Lebanon on Friday, after an Israeli force advanced towards the site and fired stun grenades in its vicinity. Field accounts said the force approached army personnel amid tensions and military movements in the area.

Clashes between Yemeni government forces and the Houthis have resumed in Taiz, Lahj and Marib, amid air strikes and competing claims over casualties. The UN has warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis after documenting 55 civilian deaths and injuries since the start of September, while funding for the 2026 response plan stands at just 20 per cent.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Britain’s chargé d’affaires in Moscow, Danai Dolakia, and delivered a formal protest over what it described as London’s increased supplies of drones and weapons to Ukraine, warning that countermeasures could be taken and calling on Britain to reverse its current policy.

Sources said the Sudanese army had repelled an attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the Kili area in the Blue Nile region, while completing the securing of areas it had retaken in North Kordofan and moving its forces towards Sudri, Al-Mazroub and Hamrat al-Sheikh.

Six Pakistani soldiers were killed when an improvised explosive device struck a security convoy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in north-western Pakistan. The army also announced that 10 militants had been killed in separate operations carried out between 15 and 17 September in North Waziristan and Hangu.

The Philippine Coast Guard accused a Chinese vessel of ramming a boat operated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources during a mission to distribute fuel to fishermen near Palawan province on Friday. The collision, according to the Philippine account, damaged the boat’s railings and deck structures, but no crew members were injured.

The US State Department has announced restrictions on the access of the Iranian delegation attending the UN General Assembly meetings in New York to wholesale markets and luxury goods shops. One proposal would bar delegation members from shopping at large members-only stores without the department’s explicit permission.

The Arab League condemned the Houthi attack on Taif Governorate and affirmed its solidarity with Saudi Arabia. The statement followed an announcement by Saudi Civil Defence that a Yemeni resident had died and a Saudi woman and Pakistani resident had been injured after fragments from an intercepted and destroyed drone fell, causing material damage to buildings and vehicles.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of the risks posed by uncontrolled artificial intelligence, accelerating climate change and worsening inequality. He called on governments to co-operate to curb conflicts, criticising geopolitical division and paralysis in the Security Council, along with the impunity they enable.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that intelligence assessments indicate Russia is planning drone and missile attacks against Ukraine’s allies in NATO. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that talks with Washington on a peaceful settlement, energy, food security and weapons would be held soon.