Aug 16, 2026, 08:30 PM UTC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally reaffirmed Israel's refusal of a US-backed 15-point Gaza peace proposal, declaring that military forces will not pull out of the enclave without the complete disarmament of Hamas.

In televised remarks to his cabinet, Netanyahu stated that Israel "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed" and confirmed the rejection of the framework, which Hamas had accepted in late July. The announcement highlights ongoing friction with US President Donald Trump, who had promoted the plan as a major diplomatic breakthrough.

The standoff takes place amid complex domestic political considerations ahead of Israel's general election scheduled for late October, leaving Netanyahu balancing pressure from right-wing coalition members against diplomatic expectations from Washington.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, The Guardian, The Herald.

Russian forces conducted extensive aerial and artillery attacks across several Ukrainian regions over a 24-hour period, leaving at least eight people dead and more than 60 wounded.

According to regional reports, approximately 180 drones targeted areas across Odesa, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk. In the Dnipropetrovsk region alone, Russian units struck five districts nearly 60 times, killing five individuals and wounding 16 others across the Kamianske, Pavlohrad, and Nikopol areas.

Separately, a drone strike struck a petrol station near Kryvyi Rih, claiming three lives, including an eight-year-old child. Emergency crews worked throughout the impacted zones to assist survivors and assess infrastructure damage.

Sources: Moldova1, Ziarul de Gardă

German security agencies and investigative reports have highlighted expanding hybrid warfare operations linked to foreign state actors, primarily Russia, ahead of upcoming state elections. Authorities have recorded more than 100 suspected state-orchestrated incidents across federal states, encompassing drone flights over military installations, airport disruptions, and railway sabotage.

Simultaneously, security officials warn of sophisticated disinformation campaigns designed to influence regional votes. Digital operations increasingly deploy deepfakes and fabricated videos targeting mainstream politicians from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Greens, and Free Democratic Party (FDP). According to investigators, these coordinated efforts seek to destabilise democratic processes, polarise public discourse, and erode institutional trust across Germany.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, Die Zeit, FAZ, Handelsblatt

Bulgarian authorities and Ukrainian officials are examining the circumstances surrounding a drone crash and explosion near a strategic gas pipeline in northeastern Bulgaria, close to the border with Romania.

According to the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense, preliminary assessments indicate the aircraft matches a model widely operated by Ukrainian armed forces. However, officials stated that current findings do not suggest Bulgarian territory was intentionally targeted.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tykhy confirmed that Kyiv remains in direct contact with Sofia to establish how the unmanned vehicle reached the area, stressing that Ukraine had no objective on Bulgarian soil. The incident resulted in no casualties or damage to the energy network.

Sources: Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération.