Thousands of worshippers gathered at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem to perform the first Taraweeh prayers of the holy month of Ramadan. Witnesses said that due to limited space inside the mosque, many prayed outside. Sheikh Yusuf Abu Sneinah led the prayers, while Israeli police were stationed in the mosque compound, as seen in online footage showing officers moving among the worshippers.

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, had earlier announced that Wednesday would mark the first day of Ramadan. The event took place amid rising tensions in occupied East Jerusalem, particularly around the Old City and the Al-Aqsa compound. Israeli authorities have recently intensified security measures, including arrests and temporary bans on religious figures and activists.

According to the Jerusalem Governorate, more than 250 orders restricting Palestinian access to Al-Aqsa have been issued since the beginning of 2026. Earlier in the week, Israeli police arrested Al-Aqsa Imam Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abbasi. The International Court of Justice had previously ruled Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal in July 2024, calling for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared on Tuesday that Israel will not withdraw even a millimeter from Gaza’s so-called ‘Yellow Line’ until Hamas is completely disarmed. The statement came during a conference, where Katz emphasized that Israel would not allow Hamas to retain weapons or tunnels. The ‘Yellow Line’ refers to the area in eastern Gaza where Israeli forces have been stationed under the first phase of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.

According to the plan’s second phase, which began last month, Israel was expected to gradually withdraw from that line. However, Katz’s remarks indicate a firm stance against any withdrawal before Hamas’s disarmament. On Monday, Israeli Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs said the government would give Hamas 60 days to disarm, warning that failure to comply could lead to renewed warfare.

The report also stated that since October 8, 2023, Israel, with U.S. support, has conducted a campaign in Gaza that has killed over 72,000 Palestinians and injured more than 171,000, mostly women and children, while destroying about 90 percent of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure.

Iran has summoned Germany’s ambassador in Tehran following a large protest in Munich that Iranian authorities described as anti-Iran activity. The state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday that Ambassador Axel Dittmann was called to the Foreign Ministry, where officials lodged a strong protest over what they called destructive actions against the Islamic Republic and violations of international law. The protest in Munich last Saturday drew about 250,000 participants, according to police sources, and featured a speech by Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed Shah and a critic of Iran’s current leadership.

The IRNA report stated that Dittmann promised to convey Iran’s strong protest and deep dissatisfaction to Berlin. The Munich demonstration came amid ongoing unrest in Iran that began over rising living costs and has evolved into broader anti-government protests. Iranian authorities claim the unrest was fueled by foreign provocation, blaming the United States and Israel.

Tehran has acknowledged that more than 3,000 people, including security personnel and civilians, were killed during the unrest, while international organizations estimate the death toll to exceed 7,000, most of them protesters.

The United States Navy carried out coordinated operations against three suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea on Monday night, resulting in the deaths of 11 men. According to a BBC report, eight people were killed on two vessels in the eastern Pacific and three on one vessel in the Caribbean. The U.S. Southern Command confirmed on Tuesday that the operations were based on intelligence information and that no American personnel were killed or injured.

The report noted that in August 2025, Donald Trump had alleged a sharp rise in drug flows into the United States through the eastern Pacific and Caribbean routes. Following those claims, the U.S. Southern Command began naval operations in both regions in September of that year. Since then, the U.S. Navy has conducted more than 40 similar missions in the two maritime zones.

The latest operations underscore Washington’s continued focus on maritime drug interdiction efforts across key trafficking routes in the Pacific and Caribbean regions.

Five Bangladeshi fishermen were reportedly taken away along with their trawler by Myanmar’s Arakan Army from the Naf River near Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar on Tuesday night. The incident occurred in the Naikhyangdia area, where the Naf River meets the Bay of Bengal, adjacent to Shah Porir Island. The detained fishermen were identified as residents of Jaliapara in Shah Porir Island, aged between 18 and 40.

Trawler owner Mohammad Ullah confirmed the incident, stating that his vessel was returning from a fishing trip near Saint Martin’s Island when it anchored at Naikhyangdia after nightfall. Shortly afterward, armed members of the Arakan Army reportedly arrived by speedboat and took the fishermen and trawler away. Families of the detained fishermen are said to be deeply anxious following the incident.

When contacted, Coast Guard officer Lt. Commander Rifat said he had no information about the matter but would look into it and take necessary action.

A senior US official has claimed that China secretly carried out an underground nuclear explosion in June 2020. According to the report, the US government has released new intelligence suggesting that a seismic event detected on June 22, 2020, near China’s Lop Nur test site may have been caused by a nuclear detonation. The information was disclosed by Christopher Yao, Assistant Secretary at the US State Department, during an event in Washington.

Yao stated that a remote seismic monitoring station in Kazakhstan recorded a 2.75-magnitude tremor approximately 720 kilometers from the Lop Nur site. He argued that the data did not match mining explosions or natural earthquakes and was consistent with signals expected from a nuclear test. However, the international organization responsible for detecting nuclear explosions said it lacked sufficient data to confirm Yao’s claim.

Responding to the allegation, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu in Washington dismissed the accusation as baseless, calling it an attempt by the United States to justify resuming its own nuclear testing program.

The Vatican City will not participate in the ‘Peace Board’ announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, its foreign minister confirmed on Tuesday. The board, led by Trump, was initially formed to oversee the ceasefire and reconstruction efforts in Gaza following the Hamas-Israel war. It was later expanded to address broader international conflicts, a move critics say could be seen as an attempt to create an alternative to the United Nations.

Vatican Foreign Minister Cardinal Pietro Parolin stated that the United Nations should remain the primary body for managing global crises, emphasizing the importance of its role in international conflict resolution. The ‘Peace Board’ was first announced by Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos last January, and at least 19 countries have reportedly signed its founding charter.

According to the report, countries seeking permanent membership were asked to contribute one billion U.S. dollars. The decision to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country invaded Ukraine in 2022, has also drawn criticism.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced significant progress in indirect negotiations with the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program. The talks, held on Tuesday in Geneva under Omani mediation, aimed to prevent potential U.S. military intervention by reaching an understanding on nuclear restrictions. Araghchi said both sides had agreed on key guiding principles to resolve the long-standing nuclear dispute and would now begin drafting a possible agreement.

Araghchi described the latest round as more productive than the first phase held earlier this month in Oman, noting that a clear and positive path forward had emerged. He added that both parties would prepare draft texts and exchange them before setting a date for a third round of discussions.

Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told Fox News that President Trump had set certain “red lines” that Iran was still unwilling to accept, indicating that some core disagreements remain despite the reported progress.

A video recently released on social media shows an Israeli soldier admitting to killings and sexual violence in Gaza during a conversation with American YouTuber Jeff Davidson. The footage, recorded on a short video-sharing platform, captures the soldier openly discussing the destruction of civilian areas and acts of violence committed during Israel’s assault on Gaza. When confronted by Davidson about the killing of women and children, the soldier confirmed the accusations and stated that they had also committed sexual assaults.

The video spread rapidly online, sparking widespread outrage as the soldier appeared to confess to grave crimes against civilians. During the exchange, the soldier identified himself as a member of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and claimed to be broadcasting from inside Gaza. He showed scenes of widespread devastation, saying that all buildings had been leveled. The footage emerged amid growing concern from international and human rights organizations about the high civilian death toll in Gaza, particularly among women and children.

The timing of the video’s release has intensified scrutiny of the ongoing conflict and the conduct of Israeli forces in Gaza.

Israeli forces have arrested Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abbasi, the Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The report said Al-Abbasi was detained from inside the mosque compound without explanation. The arrest occurred on Monday, as cited by local sources.

The report noted that Israeli measures around the Al-Aqsa Mosque have recently become more stringent. Restrictions have been imposed on imams, preachers, and worshippers, including limits on entry to the mosque. The arrest followed an earlier order by Israeli authorities banning Al-Abbasi from entering the mosque compound for one week, with the possibility of renewal.

Before his detention, Al-Abbasi said he had not been informed of the reason for the ban. He expressed deep distress over the decision, especially after returning to duty following a year-long recovery from a serious road accident. The incident comes as large numbers of Palestinian worshippers prepare to gather at Al-Aqsa during Ramadan.

The United States has deployed more than 50 fighter jets to the Middle East within a single day, according to flight tracking data released on Wednesday, February 17. The deployment includes F-22 Raptors, F-35 Lightning II, and F-16 Fighting Falcons, along with several refueling aircraft capable of supporting other airborne operations. A U.S. official told Axios that the aircraft were moved to the region within the past 24 hours.

The move comes as preparations are underway in Geneva, Switzerland, for renewed discussions on Iran’s nuclear program. Observers view the increased U.S. military presence as significant given the timing of these diplomatic efforts. The United States had previously deployed a large naval fleet, including aircraft carriers, to the region.

The buildup follows widespread anti-government protests in Iran in January, which were forcefully suppressed by Iranian security forces. Citing allegations of lethal force against protesters, the United States has been strengthening its military posture around Iran.

Iran temporarily closed the Strait of Hormuz for several hours on Tuesday, according to the country’s state media. The closure was described as a partial shutdown of one of the world’s most critical oil export routes. It remains unclear whether the strait has fully resumed normal operations following the temporary restriction.

State media reported that the measure was taken to ensure the safety of maritime traffic during a military exercise conducted by Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the area. The drills coincided with the temporary closure, which officials characterized as a precautionary step.

The Strait of Hormuz holds major strategic importance for global trade and energy supply, as a significant portion of Middle Eastern oil exports pass through this narrow waterway to reach international markets.

Muslims in Saudi Arabia began fasting on Wednesday after the country's authorities confirmed the sighting of the Ramadan crescent moon on Tuesday evening. The announcement followed sunset at 6:41 p.m. local time, when officials in the Eastern Province reported the start of the 1447 Hijri Ramadan moon sighting. Observation teams monitored the sky to verify the beginning of the holy month before the confirmation was made.

According to a report published by the English-language outlet Gulf News from the United Arab Emirates, most Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, also began fasting on Wednesday after eating their pre-dawn meal the previous night. The confirmation marked the official start of Ramadan across much of the region.

The synchronized start of fasting across Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries underscores the shared religious observance and coordination among Islamic authorities in the Middle East during the holy month.

Saudi Arabia has announced the sighting of the moon marking the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan for the Hijri year 1447. The government made the declaration on Tuesday evening, confirming that fasting will commence across the country and the wider Middle East from Wednesday, February 18.

According to Saudi media reports citing official sources, the moon was sighted on Tuesday, prompting the formal start of Ramadan. The announcement aligns with the traditional lunar observation that determines the beginning of the Islamic fasting month.

In Bangladesh, the national moon-sighting committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to determine whether the crescent moon is visible. If confirmed, Ramadan will begin there on Thursday.

At least five people were killed and four others injured when a fire broke out in a five-storey residential building in Manlleu, a city in Spain’s northeastern province of Barcelona, on Monday evening. According to local authorities, the blaze started on the roof floor, prompting a rapid response from the Catalan fire service. Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control within about half an hour, but five people on the upper floor were found dead.

The four injured individuals were taken to a nearby hospital, though officials have not released details about the severity of their conditions. Police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, with local patrol units assisting in the inquiry. Authorities are also working to identify the victims.

Officials confirmed that other residents of the building were safely evacuated, and assessments are underway to determine the extent of structural damage caused by the blaze.