Aug 18, 2026, 01:00 AM UTC

Diplomatic discussions mediated by Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz have continued, with officials reporting incremental progress toward establishing secure commercial maritime routes.

Tehran maintains that restoring unrestricted passage requires significant concessions from Washington, including sanctions relief, an end to military threats, and compensation for damages. Iranian officials are also seeking operational oversight over entering and exiting vessels. United States President Donald Trump suggested that a resolution could be finalized within days, while simultaneously characterizing the confrontation as a strategic maneuver and downplaying the immediate urgency of reopening the corridor.

Separately, regional security talks continued as Israeli and Lebanese representatives convened for a seventh round of discussions in Rome, amid the ongoing return of hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians to southern Lebanon.

Sources: Avaz, CDM (Cafe del Montenegro), Dan, Klix, Vijesti.

Emergency operations across Colombia have intensified following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that devastated western regions and triggered a national state of emergency. The tremor, centred near San José del Palmar at a depth of around 107 kilometres, caused widespread structural damage and was felt in neighbouring Ecuador.

Reported casualties have increased as search teams reach affected communities. Initial reports recorded at least 20 deaths, but subsequent assessments indicated more than 132 fatalities and 500 injuries, with later updates confirming at least 164 dead.

Military units and first responders continue sifting through collapsed buildings to locate survivors feared trapped under rubble. Meanwhile, local and national authorities are organising emergency shelters and humanitarian assistance for displaced families.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, HotNews, Moldova1, Ziarul de Gardă.

Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon have killed at least nine people, including women and children, in the deadliest escalation since the June ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The strikes coincided with disputes over border monitoring, after Lebanese officials refuted reports of an agreement allowing foreign troops to verify Hezbollah's disarmament under United States-mediated talks.

Concurrently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally rejected a US-backed peace plan for Gaza endorsed by Donald Trump, reaffirming his opposition to a Palestinian state and insisting on the complete disarmament of Hamas prior to any military withdrawal. Friction within Israeli politics also intensified following statements by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who publicly urged the military to conduct dozens of targeted killings nightly across Gaza.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, Flux24, HotNews, Ziarul de Gardă

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his rejection of a 15-point post-war Gaza peace initiative drafted by the US-led Peace Committee, insisting that Israel will not accept the proposal. Netanyahu affirmed that Israeli forces will not withdraw from the enclave until Hamas is fully disarmed, while repeating his firm opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The announcement comes amid intensified diplomatic engagement in Cairo, where US envoys Jared Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov conferred with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. Although Hamas claimed it had accepted the framework and urged mediators to pressure Israel into compliance, American envoys are engaging directly with Netanyahu in an effort to overcome the impasse and salvage the roadmap for a ceasefire, reconstruction, and post-war governance.

Sources: Avaz, Beta, Danas, Klix, N1.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Western nations of retaliatory steps following the impounding of Russian merchant vessels, characterizing the actions as "piracy." Speaking during a military exercise aboard a naval vessel, Putin stated that Moscow would respond to maritime detentions.

Concurrently, Ukrainian military intelligence official Andrii Cherniak reported that an estimated 90 North Korean military personnel have started deploying to Russia's western Voronezh region. According to Cherniak, the contingent is expected to operate six missile launchers armed with approximately 120 ballistic missiles aimed at Ukrainian targets.

Separately, investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov noted that the Federal Security Service (FSB) has significantly expanded its domestic authority since 2022. Soldatov observed that the Kremlin increasingly relies on security agencies to regulate wartime information, oversee societal compliance, and maintain internal political stability.

Sources: BalkanWeb, Gazeta Tema, Koha