Sep 28, 2026, 01:00 AM UTC

Tensions near the Strait of Hormuz have escalated further following exchanged military strikes between United States forces and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. U.S. Central Command stated it sank five Iranian vessels after an attempted strike on U.S. warships, prompting Iranian forces to respond with twenty missiles directed at American bases in Jordan.

Iranian state media claimed that Tehran successfully struck six vessels, including three oil tankers and a U.S. aircraft carrier. American officials disputed these assertions, reporting no severe damage to military ships, although a fire erupted on a commercial vessel before being extinguished by its crew.

U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed that the vital shipping corridor remains operational, remarking that "Tehran is in great difficulty." Meanwhile, U.S. intelligence officials cautioned that Iranian forces might escalate hostilities as confrontation persists in the region.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica.

Tehran maintains that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until Washington satisfies key conditions, including ending oil sanctions, unfreezing assets, and halting military operations. Iranian officials previously proposed a seven-day temporary reopening to facilitate diplomatic talks, but US President Donald Trump initially rejected the offer. Iranian authorities state they are still awaiting a "definitive position" from Washington.

At the same time, military friction in the strategic passage continues to intensify. Following American strikes on Larak Island, US forces initiated nighttime escorts for commercial tankers passing through the corridor. In response, Iranian forces deployed rocket-launched naval mines across key shipping lanes, heightening concerns over potential further escalation in the region.

Sources: Expresso, Expresso das Ilhas, Jornal Económico, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)

United States federal prosecutors in Manhattan have unsealed an indictment charging five alleged Russian intelligence operatives with directing a global campaign of sabotage and assassination. Authorities state the network recruited agents to surveil and execute lethal attacks against targets in North America and Europe supporting Ukraine, including a June 2024 operation in Prague. All five suspects remain at large.

Meanwhile, a regional court in Stuttgart, Germany, convicted a Ukrainian national for participating in a separate Russian-directed plot. According to German prosecutors, the individual worked with accomplices to send explosive-laden parcels equipped with tracking devices from Germany to Ukraine, aiming to destabilize regional public safety.

Sources: BBC News, Cyprus Mail, France24, OCCRP, The Guardian.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his rejection of a 15-point Gaza peace proposal backed by US President Donald Trump, maintaining that Israeli military forces will not withdraw from the enclave until Hamas is completely disarmed.

Speaking to his cabinet on Sunday, Netanyahu stated that Israel "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed" and confirmed the rejection of the document, which Hamas accepted last month. Despite the political rhetoric, Israeli military operations in Gaza have largely paused following diplomatic pressure from Washington.

The public disagreement highlights growing friction between Netanyahu and the US administration as Israel prepares for a national election scheduled for October 27. The prime minister faces competing demands from far-right coalition partners opposing concessions and Washington's push for a diplomatic resolution.

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

Portugal's parliament has defeated a motion of no confidence brought by the far-right Chega party against the country's minority government.

The motion targeted recent controversies surrounding Internal Administration Minister Margarida Blasco. Following a three-hour debate, governing coalition parties voted against the measure, while the primary opposition Socialist Party abstained, ensuring the proposal failed.

During the debate, Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro affirmed that the executive operates without a "preferential partner" in parliament and suggested voters would deliver a political judgment on Chega's actions. Cabinet officials concluded the session by criticizing Chega for filing the censure motion and condemning the Socialists for their abstention.

Sources: Diário de Notícias (DN), Expresso, RTP (Rádio e Televisão de Portugal)