Tensions are rising in the Middle East as shaky ceasefire agreements between the U.S., Israel and Iran, and Lebanon and Israel, are tested. And, the Secretary of the Navy is out of the role.
The U.S. has paused airstrikes on Iran while diplomacy continues amid rising tensions over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says talks and further strikes remain possible as regional pressure builds.
Snake robots from Carnegie Mellon University aided international search and rescue efforts in Venezuela after a double earthquake killed over 5,000 people. The modular robots navigated rubble, extending visual reach for rescuers, though no survivors were found by the snakebots.
Trump said the Saudi nuclear deal is contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords and normalizing relations with Israel. The agreement has alarmed Israeli officials and still needs U.S. congressional review.
Following a White House meeting, President Trump pledged support for Lebanon, calling it "a very badly treated place." This comes as the Israeli military has systematically demolished villages in southern Lebanon, including Dibbine, to create a buffer zone against Hezbollah. A Lebanese poet, Kholoud Al Gharib, returned to find her home and village in ruins, expressing grief and defiance.
The U.S. military launched further airstrikes on Iran, which retaliated against U.S. targets in the Gulf and Jordan, including an air base where three U.S. personnel were killed. The conflict escalated with rising oil prices after a tanker attack in the Strait of Hormuz, and Houthi rebels threatening the Bab el-Mandeb waterway, while diplomatic efforts continued in Pakistan.
Five adults, including two Honduran couples, drowned in Ohio's Scioto River after one struggled and others attempted a rescue. Their two children survived, and Honduran authorities are working with U.S. officials to repatriate the bodies and arrange for the children's return to relatives.
