Oct 24, 2026, 11:30 PM UTC

The European Union has extended sanctions against Russia after a missile attack targeted a train close to the Ukrainian-Polish border. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the strike as a deliberate attempt to intimidate European allies and foster division.

Despite statements from US President Donald Trump claiming Moscow and Kyiv agreed to stop targeting energy infrastructure, cross-border attacks persist. Shelling in Ukraine's Kherson region killed two people and injured 14 others. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone strikes in Russia's Belgorod and Sochi regions wounded seven individuals. Domestically, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky officially dismissed the country's prosecutor general by executive decree.

Sources: CDM (Cafe del Montenegro).

Military confrontations near the Strait of Hormuz have intensified as Tehran claimed responsibility for targeting six vessels, including American warships and commercial oil tankers. Iranian state media described the missile attacks as retaliation for previous United States strikes in the region. Firefighters successfully extinguished a blaze aboard one damaged tanker.

U.S. President Donald Trump maintained that shipping routes through the critical waterway remain operational, stating that Iranian leadership is facing severe setbacks. However, American intelligence assessments suggest commanders within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps feel increasingly confident and may escalate the conflict, threatening the fragile fourteen-point memorandum established in June.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica.

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called on parliament to draft legislation enabling post-war elections once martial law is lifted. Fedorov, who was dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in July, stressed the need for advance legal groundwork to ensure political stability following the conclusion of hostilities. Ukrainian law currently prohibits national elections while martial law remains in effect. Organizing future voting presents major logistical hurdles, including guaranteeing ballot access for millions of overseas refugees, internally displaced citizens, and frontline military personnel. Ukrainian officials have not yet indicated when martial law might end or when elections could occur.

Sources: Le Monde.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly reaffirmed his rejection of the 15-point Gaza peace proposal backed by US President Donald Trump. In televised remarks to his cabinet, Netanyahu stated that "Israel rejects the 15-point document" and confirmed that Israeli forces "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed."

The announcement formalizes a public disagreement with Washington, coming shortly after Trump praised the framework negotiated by his administration's Board of Peace. Despite diplomatic pressure from the United States that led to a pause in offensive operations, Netanyahu remains under domestic political pressure ahead of Israel's October 27 general election, where coalition partners oppose concessions in the enclave.

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

Military tensions and diplomatic negotiations coincided as US forces conducted strikes on missile launchers on Iran's Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first direct US strikes on Iranian territory in a month. Iranian media confirmed six naval personnel were killed in recent American operations.

Simultaneously, Qatari-mediated diplomatic discussions remain ongoing. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi conveyed Tehran's terms to US envoy Steve Witkoff for reopening the strategic waterway, requiring an immediate end to the US naval blockade, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and a comprehensive ceasefire. However, US President Donald Trump announced plans to seek financial compensation from Tehran for past attacks, adding further complexity to potential diplomatic progress.

Sources: Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération, RTBF Info.