The UAE has reportedly released billions of dollars in Iranian assets frozen in its banks, including two tonnes of gold valued at about $283 million, amid the ongoing US-Iran war. Multiple sources in Tehran said the move was intended to persuade Iran to spare the UAE from potential future attacks as hostilities continue. The released assets were reportedly transported from Abu Dhabi to Iran aboard a UAE Royal Jet Boeing 737-7KK. The aircraft flew to Tehran’s Mehrabad and Karaj’s Payam airports on August 11 and 12, remaining for roughly an hour before returning. The same aircraft reportedly transferred $3 billion from Abu Dhabi to Tehran on June 8, according to Iranian officials cited by Reuters. (PC: X/@conflict_live)  

Two Palestinian families in the West Bank village of Qusra have reportedly been confined to their homes since the weekend amid a siege involving Israeli settlers and soldiers. According to The Guardian, the families have faced shortages of food and water, while access to electricity and medical care was disrupted. A similar campaign reportedly preceded the displacement of another Palestinian family in nearby Jalud. An Israeli military commander visited the affected families and promised action, but settlers reportedly remained nearby after one tent was removed. The Israeli army said it was investigating and would pursue disciplinary action against soldiers allegedly assisting settlers. (PC: EPA)

The Defence Ministry has issued a tender worth around Rs 1 lakh crore to buy 60 multirole transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force. Tata, Mahindra and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are among the Indian companies involved in the programme. About 20% of the aircraft are expected to arrive in fly-away condition, while the remaining planes will be manufactured in India with more than 60% indigenous content. Mahindra Defence has partnered with Brazil’s Embraer for the C-390, while Tata has tied up with Lockheed Martin for the C-130. The move aims to modernise the IAF’s ageing transport fleet. (PC: economic times)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned the US against making what he called another “miscalculation” over the Strait of Hormuz as tensions between Tehran and Washington rise. Araghchi accused the US of repeated intelligence failures and said “fake intelligence” could be more dangerous than fake news. His warning came after US President Donald Trump claimed the US had total control of the strategic waterway. Iran’s Basij commander Hossein Taeb, meanwhile, said Hormuz remains under Tehran’s control. The latest exchange highlights growing tensions over the key shipping route, which is crucial for global energy supplies. (PC: x)

Israel’s military will send more troops to the occupied West Bank village of Qusra after failing to remove Israeli settlers who have trapped 2 Palestinian families in their homes since Sunday. The Abu Ridi and Hassan families said their water and electricity were cut off and food supplies were running low. Israeli forces attempted to remove the settlers on Wednesday but faced confrontations with a larger group and failed. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the settlers, calling them “Israeli terrorists”. The UN says 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed in the West Bank this year by Israeli forces or settlers. (PC: BBC)

US intelligence received multiple warnings of a possible Iranian missile attack targeting Donald Trump’s aircraft as he prepared to leave Ankara during the NATO summit on July 8, The New York Times reported. Officials said Iranian operatives were believed to know exactly where Trump was staying, including the floor of the building. A shoulder-fired missile was also reportedly spotted near the summit. The warnings prompted a secret security operation in which Trump left Turkey on a smaller military aircraft after a decoy Air Force One departed with staff and journalists. Trump later said he was not very concerned about the reported threat. (PC: NDTV)

An adviser to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander has said Tehran could prolong its war with the United States until Donald Trump leaves office. Mohammad Reza Naqdi told PBS NewsHour that extending the conflict could help Iran build military experience, impose costs on the US and strengthen deterrence against future attacks. Naqdi said Iran believes it is currently winning the war but has not achieved its final objective. He also claimed Iran is producing more missiles than it launches and could continue fighting for years. He warned that Iran could target US economic interests worldwide if its missile stockpile were exhausted. (PC: India Today)

The 2026 Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on track to become the deadliest ever, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned. He said the outbreak, at its current pace, could surpass the 2014-2016 West African epidemic, which killed at least 11,000 people. The outbreak, declared on May 15, has recorded more than 4,300 cases and over 2,000 deaths, according to the report. Health officials said the virus began spreading months before the outbreak was officially declared. The rare Bundibugyo strain is responsible, while insecurity is limiting health workers’ access to affected communities. (PC: BBC)

Japan has strongly protested Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iturup, one of 4 disputed Kuril islands claimed by both countries. Putin visited the island on Thursday, marking his first visit to the disputed chain, according to Russian state media. Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the islands were “inherently Japanese territory” under history and international law. The Kuril dispute has prevented Japan and Russia from signing a post-World War Two peace treaty. Russia administers the islands and has increased its military presence there. Japan has also imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and regularly protests Russian military activities near the islands. (PC: HT)

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is set to step down later this month, with US President Donald Trump announcing her departure on Tuesday. Leavitt, who became the youngest White House press secretary at 27 when she took office in January 2025, called the decision “bittersweet”. In a lengthy social media post, she described her tenure as “the honour and adventure of a lifetime” and thanked Trump for trusting her to represent his administration. Her decision was influenced by the demanding nature of the job and her responsibilities as a mother. Trump praised Leavitt as a “real leader” and one of his most trusted aides, while wishing her well as she leaves the role. (PC: Radar Online)