Saudi Arabia has arrested more than 19,000 illegal expatriates during a nationwide security campaign conducted from February 12 to 18, 2026. The joint operation targeted violations of labor, residency, and border security regulations, according to Khaleej Times. Among those detained, 12,153 were held for residency violations, 2,845 for labor law breaches, and 4,103 for border security offenses. Additionally, 663 people were caught attempting to cross the border illegally, most of them Yemeni and Ethiopian nationals.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior stated that 28 individuals accused of assisting violators through transportation, shelter, or employment were also detained. Of the arrested expatriates, 14,893 have been deported, 1,389 were instructed to correct their travel documents, and 15,585 were ordered to obtain proper documentation. Authorities warned that anyone aiding border violators could face up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to one million riyals.

The ministry also announced that vehicles and residences used for transporting or harboring violators would be confiscated as part of the enforcement measures.

Saudi authorities have announced new guidelines for Umrah pilgrims during Ramadan to ensure safety, order, and smooth worship at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The measures include crowd control, transportation management, and health and safety protocols as the number of worshippers increases during the holy month. Digital indicators have been installed at mosque entrances to show space availability, with green indicating open areas and red indicating full capacity.

Authorities have restricted the use of private cars to reduce congestion and encouraged the use of buses, taxis, and the Haramain High-Speed Railway. Motorcycles, bicycles, and unauthorized vehicles are banned in central areas. Separate prayer areas and electric carts have been arranged for elderly and special-needs worshippers, while families are advised not to bring children into crowded zones.

Additional instructions include staying hydrated, taking rest, following fire safety rules, and obtaining mandatory digital permits. Carrying weapons, begging, unauthorized selling, and obstructing movement are strictly prohibited under the new directives.

Tensions between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program have intensified, according to a report by Axios. The report claims that if Iran fails to provide assurances of permanently halting nuclear weapons development, the U.S. may consider extreme measures, including removing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son Mojtaba Khamenei. The Pentagon has reportedly presented several strategic options to President Donald Trump, one of which involves dismantling Iran’s religious leadership structure. Trump has not yet made a final decision and is said to be keeping all options open.

The report adds that if Iran commits to permanently stopping weapons production, limited uranium enrichment could be allowed, though no final decision has been made. Diplomatic efforts have so far yielded little progress, raising fears of military confrontation. Several Gulf states and Israel believe conflict is more likely than compromise. The U.S. has assembled its largest military presence in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq war, though Trump has not authorized military action.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that both sides have agreed on some basic principles and that Tehran will soon submit a written proposal. The White House confirmed that significant gaps remain before any agreement can be reached.

The White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump will visit China from March 31 to April 2, marking the first official trip to Beijing by a U.S. president since Trump’s own visit in 2017. The dates were confirmed by a White House official, and both Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have recently described communication between their countries as positive. Trump commented that the visit would be a major event, calling for a grand display during his stay.

The announcement came shortly before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down tariffs previously imposed by Trump on multiple countries, a policy tool he had used to influence international support for his agenda. Trade issues, including tariffs and China’s reduced purchases of U.S. soybeans, are expected to feature prominently in discussions. Beijing has recently hosted other Western leaders, such as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who announced new trade deals and lifted restrictions on Chinese-made electric cars.

China’s growing exports of electric vehicles and investments in renewable energy contrast with Trump’s continued emphasis on fossil fuels. The visit will also be Trump’s first to China since the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he had criticized Beijing’s handling of the outbreak.

Sweden has advised its citizens to leave Iran immediately due to escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. On Friday, Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard posted on social media platform X, warning that the situation in Iran and the region is highly uncertain. She urged Swedish nationals to avoid traveling to Iran and for those currently there to depart as soon as possible. Stenergard noted that it remains possible to leave Iran via air and land border crossings and encouraged citizens to use these routes.

The minister further stated that individuals choosing to remain in Iran must do so on their own responsibility, as the Swedish Foreign Ministry will not be able to assist with evacuation. The advisory follows heightened nuclear-related tensions between Washington and Tehran. According to the report, the US President told reporters at the White House that limited strikes against Iran were being considered to maintain pressure, while warning that failure to reach a fair agreement could lead to serious consequences.

The situation underscores growing instability in the region, prompting Sweden to take precautionary measures to protect its nationals abroad.

Three people were killed when US forces carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, according to a report citing Al Jazeera. The attack took place in international waters, and Washington claimed the vessel was involved in drug trafficking but did not provide supporting evidence. The US Southern Command, responsible for military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, described the incident as a 'lethal dynamic strike' conducted on Friday.

The report stated that with this latest incident, the number of people killed in US attacks on vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea has risen to at least 148 since early September, during which the US military has conducted around 43 strikes. Latin American leaders, legal experts, and human rights activists have questioned the legality of these operations, accusing US forces of carrying out extrajudicial killings in international waters.

The growing criticism highlights increasing regional unease over US military actions beyond its territorial jurisdiction, raising calls for accountability and transparency in future operations.

The United States has withdrawn hundreds of troops from major military bases in Qatar and Bahrain amid concerns over a possible war in the Middle East. The New York Times reported on Friday, citing Pentagon sources, that several hundred soldiers were pulled from Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base and from the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. However, American forces remain stationed in Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.

The move is being viewed as a precautionary measure in anticipation of a potential US strike on Iran. Analysts cited in the report suggest that if Washington attacks, Tehran could retaliate by targeting US forces deployed across the region. In a letter to the UN Secretary-General, Iran’s mission chief warned that any attack on Iran would make all enemy bases and assets in the region legitimate targets, holding the United States fully responsible for any resulting consequences.

Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is the largest US military installation in the Middle East, hosting around 10,000 troops and serving as a key hub for regional air operations.

Israel’s security cabinet has approved a proposal to designate a large portion of the occupied West Bank as “state property,” marking the first such move since Israel’s 1967 occupation. The decision targets Area C, which constitutes 60 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli control, with plans to establish settlements there by 2030. The move is seen as part of Israel’s broader effort to expand illegal settlements and assert sovereignty over the territory.

Jordan has condemned the decision, calling it a direct threat to its national security and to King Abdullah’s stability. The Jordanian monarch has previously warned that any displacement of Palestinians or dissolution of their national rights would cross his “red lines.” The move has also drawn condemnation from Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, Egypt, other Arab and Muslim nations, the European Union, and the United Nations. U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to annexation but stopped short of condemning the decision.

Analysts in Jordan view the move as sealing the fate of the Oslo Accords and accelerating the collapse of the Palestinian Authority. It could force Jordan to choose between accepting displaced Palestinians or suspending its peace treaty with Israel, a step that could reshape regional geopolitics.

At least 12 people, including a Hezbollah commander, were killed in Israeli air and drone strikes across eastern and southern Lebanon, according to reports on February 21, 2026. The attacks targeted areas in the Bekaa Valley, where initial reports said six people were killed and over 25 injured, later revised to 10 dead and at least 30 wounded. The strikes hit a building in the city of Rayak in Bekaa Governorate, where rescue operations continued to search for survivors under the rubble.

The Israeli military stated that it targeted a Hezbollah command center in the Baalbek area, while a Hezbollah source confirmed to AFP that one of its military leaders was among the dead. Separately, an Israeli drone strike hit the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp near Sidon in southern Lebanon, killing at least two people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Israel said the attack was in response to repeated ceasefire violations and aimed at a Hamas command center, while Hamas condemned the strike, saying civilians were among the casualties.

Hamas has stated that it will not accept any interference in Gaza’s internal affairs, even as it welcomes the deployment of an international stability force in the region. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem told AFP on Friday that the group supports a peacekeeping mission that monitors the ceasefire and acts as a buffer between Israeli forces and the Palestinian population, without intervening in Gaza’s governance.

The statement followed Thursday’s inaugural meeting of the U.S. President Donald Trump’s Peace Council in Washington, where five countries—Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania—pledged to send troops to the International Stability Force (ISF) for Gaza. Egypt and Jordan will instead provide training to the Palestinian police. ISF Commander Major General Jasper Jeffers said the force aims to deploy 20,000 soldiers and establish a new police unit, with Indonesia ready to send up to eight troops.

The development marks a new phase in international involvement in Gaza’s security arrangements, though Hamas has emphasized that any mission must respect Palestinian sovereignty and avoid internal interference.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remains ready to pursue peace and diplomacy with the United States despite threats of a possible US attack. In an interview with American television network MS Now on Friday, Araghchi stated that a military invasion of Iran would bring catastrophic consequences for the entire world. He emphasized that Iran’s nuclear program has no military solution and that a diplomatic resolution is within reach.

Araghchi described the expansion of US military presence in the Middle East as unnecessary and insisted that any agreement must be fair and mutually beneficial. He warned that military options would only complicate the situation and cause disastrous outcomes not only for Iran but for the entire region and international community.

A few hours after Araghchi’s remarks, US President Donald Trump told reporters he was considering the possibility of an attack on Iran, according to the same report.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will jointly chair a video conference of Ukraine’s “Coalition of the Allies” on February 24, according to Macron’s office. The meeting coincides with the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and aims to coordinate continued support among partner nations.

Separately, the European Commission has authorized the German government to assume trusteeship of the German assets of the US-sanctioned Russian oil company Rosneft. The decision ensures that Germany retains control over Rosneft’s operations, including the PCK Schwedt refinery, which supplies most of Berlin’s fuel, after the current arrangement expires on March 10.

These developments highlight ongoing European coordination on both military and energy fronts as the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, with key allies reaffirming their commitment to Ukraine and energy security within the European Union.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Iran remains ready for peace and diplomacy with the United States, asserting that a deal between the two countries is achievable despite Washington’s threats. Speaking to US network MS NOW, Araghchi emphasized that Iran’s nuclear programme has no military solution and described the US military build-up in the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers and dozens of fighter jets, as “unnecessary and unhelpful.” He warned that military action would bring disastrous consequences for the region and the international community.

Araghchi’s comments came as US President Donald Trump confirmed he was considering limited strikes against Iran to strengthen Washington’s negotiating position. The two sides have held two rounds of talks in the past month, which both described as positive. However, the US continues to deploy military assets near Iran, and Trump has repeatedly threatened further action if Tehran rebuilds its nuclear or missile programmes.

Araghchi said Iran will soon submit a written proposal for a deal to US negotiators, noting that both sides have agreed on guiding principles and will next work on finalizing the draft text.

Norway has begun relocating part of its roughly 60 troops stationed in the Middle East due to security concerns. A spokesperson for the Norwegian Armed Forces confirmed the move on Friday, saying some personnel are being brought back home while others are being sent to different countries in the region. The decision follows heightened tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran on Thursday to reach an agreement on its nuclear program within 10 to 15 days or face severe consequences. In response, Tehran threatened to strike U.S. bases in the region if attacked.

Lieutenant Colonel Vegard Finberg of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters told Reuters that the troops had been engaged in training and other duties with local forces. He explained that the current situation made it impossible for them to continue their primary tasks, prompting the withdrawal. Finberg also noted that several other countries have recently taken similar steps. Norwegian forces are deployed in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.

The Norwegian military did not disclose the exact number of troops being moved or the specific locations involved.

U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a limited military strike against Iran as part of a strategy to pressure Tehran into agreeing to a new nuclear deal, according to a report published Thursday. The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, said that if approved, an initial operation could begin within days, targeting a limited number of Iranian military or government sites. The goal would be to increase pressure while avoiding a full-scale war.

The report added that Trump has warned of broader military action if Iran does not halt its uranium enrichment activities, and that destabilizing Tehran’s government could also be among the objectives. One source indicated that the president may pursue a phased escalation strategy—starting with limited strikes and expanding if necessary—to compel Iran to abandon its nuclear program or weaken its regime.

Several U.S. officials and analysts have cautioned that such action could provoke Iranian retaliation, potentially drawing the United States into a wider regional conflict and endangering allied nations.