Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss regional and global security, as well as mutual counterterrorism cooperation. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday. According to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the two sides exchanged views on security conditions and measures against terrorism.

During his visit to Germany from February 12 to 14, Asim Munir also held meetings with German officials, including Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, the Chancellor’s foreign and security policy adviser Gunter Sauter, and Defense Chief General Carsten Breuer. Discussions focused on bilateral defense cooperation and advancing global peace through dialogue.

Munir additionally met with Brazil’s Chief of the Joint Staff Admiral Renato Rodrigues de Aguiar Freire and Lebanon’s Armed Forces Commander General Rodolf Heikal. These meetings emphasized strengthening bilateral and multilateral defense ties to promote international stability and security.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that he will travel to Washington next week to attend the first meeting of the 'Board of Peace' led by U.S. President Donald Trump. Rama made the announcement during an interview on the Albanian podcast Flasim, stating that he would participate in the board’s formal establishment and the inauguration of its activities.

According to the source, Trump created the 'Board of Peace' to oversee the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip two years after the Israel-Hamas war. The board’s charter reportedly suggests that its scope of work could extend beyond the Palestinian territories, though no further details were provided.

The upcoming meeting marks the official launch of the board’s operations, signaling a new phase in post-conflict reconstruction efforts under Trump’s leadership.

At least four people were killed early Monday when Israel carried out an airstrike on a vehicle near the Lebanon-Syria border, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. The Israeli military confirmed the attack, which occurred in the Majdal Anjar area of Lebanon. Lebanon’s state news agency reported that one of the victims was a Syrian national named Khaled Mohammad al-Ahmad.

In a post on social media platform X, Israel stated that the strike targeted members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Lebanon, though it did not provide evidence to support the claim. The PIJ has not issued an immediate response. The group is an armed faction based in the occupied Palestinian territories and allied with Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

Despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in November 2024, Israeli forces have continued near-daily strikes inside Lebanon, reflecting ongoing regional tensions since the 2023 Gaza conflict.

China’s efforts to expand its influence in South Asia through major infrastructure projects are facing growing challenges. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), once a flagship of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, has been slowed by political instability, security threats, and incomplete projects in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. In Afghanistan, Chinese investments exceeding $10 billion, including copper, oil, and lithium ventures, have been repeatedly delayed by insecurity and fragile governance. These setbacks have raised doubts about China’s ability to convert economic power into sustained regional leadership.

Analysts note that China’s limited crisis management capacity and lack of experience in external security operations have exposed weaknesses in its regional strategy. Attacks on Chinese nationals and projects, coupled with stalled Taliban-Pakistan talks, highlight Beijing’s constrained influence. Institutions such as SIPRI and Brookings have observed that instability and negative narratives are undermining China’s credibility and strategic image.

The outcome of these projects will likely shape China’s future role in South Asia. Without effective policy and security management, its ambition to act as a stabilizing power may remain unfulfilled.

The Israeli government has approved a proposal to register extensive areas of the occupied West Bank as state property, marking the first such decision since Israel’s 1967 occupation of the territory, according to the country’s public broadcaster Kan, as reported by Anadolu Agency. The proposal was introduced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Israel Katz. If implemented, the lands in question will be formally recorded as Israeli state-owned property.

The move is expected to accelerate settlement expansion in the West Bank and further complicate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian groups and human rights organizations have long opposed such initiatives, viewing them as violations of international law and obstacles to peace.

Many countries in the international community consider Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law. Observers suggest that this decision could trigger renewed diplomatic backlash against Israel’s policies in the occupied territories.

Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on Muslims across the country to observe the new moon of Ramadan on Tuesday evening, February 17. According to the official Umm al-Qura Hijri calendar, that date corresponds to the 29th of Sha’ban. The court’s statement instructed anyone who sights the crescent, either with the naked eye or through binoculars, to report their testimony to the nearest court or relevant observation center. It also encouraged capable observers to join regional committees formed for this purpose.

The court described the moon-sighting effort as a virtuous act of religious significance that benefits the entire Muslim community. Meanwhile, in the United Arab Emirates, the International Astronomical Center issued a warning to residents awaiting Ramadan, cautioning that attempting to view the moon on February 17 could be “dangerous for the eyes.”

An official from the center explained that the moon will be positioned very close to the sun that day, coinciding with a solar eclipse. Viewing the sun through telescopes or binoculars without proper protection could cause temporary or permanent vision damage.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas responded to recent US criticism of Europe during the final day of the Munich Security Conference. She stated that ending the Russia-Ukraine war requires forcing Moscow to make concessions at the negotiation table. Rejecting claims of a declining Europe, Kallas asserted that European civilization is not facing extinction.

Her remarks followed comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reassured allies that the United States and Europe remain united but urged Europe to strengthen defenses against mass migration to protect its civilization. Kallas acknowledged that while transatlantic unity remains important, the two sides may not always agree on every issue.

European leaders at the conference emphasized the need for Europe to take charge of its own defense amid Russia’s aggression and policy shifts under President Donald Trump. Kallas called for restoring European capabilities, stressing that Europe’s security begins with Ukraine. She described Russia as fragile rather than a superpower and warned that Moscow must not gain more at the negotiating table than on the battlefield.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sharply criticized the Munich Security Conference, calling it the “Munich Circus” in a post on social media platform X on Saturday. He accused the European Union and the E3 group of losing influence in discussions over Tehran’s nuclear program and said the annual conference had become ineffective on Iran-related issues. Araghchi also blamed the EU and Germany for failures in regional policy.

He argued that Europe, once a key diplomatic player, is now “completely absent from the scene.” According to him, the paralysis and declining influence of the EU and E3 in ongoing nuclear talks are evident. Araghchi further alleged that Germany had “completely handed over” its regional policies to Israel and that the EU’s inability to shape the direction of nuclear negotiations had already been proven.

The 62nd Munich Security Conference, which began on Friday, gathered leaders and ministers from over 60 countries, though Iranian officials were barred from attending. Meanwhile, exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s former Shah, said U.S. military intervention could accelerate political change inside Iran, highlighting divisions among Iranian opposition groups.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the United States of pressuring Kyiv, rather than Moscow, to make concessions in ongoing peace negotiations over the Russia-Ukraine war. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he said sustainable peace requires concrete and long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, not just compromises. A trilateral meeting in Geneva, mediated by US President Donald Trump, is scheduled for next week, which Zelensky views with cautious optimism but also frustration over the negotiation format.

Zelensky criticized the absence of European nations from the talks, calling it a major mistake that could hinder prospects for ending the war. One of the most contentious issues remains Russia’s demand for Ukrainian troop withdrawal from the Donetsk region. Kyiv refuses unilateral withdrawal and seeks at least 20 years of Western security guarantees, while the US has proposed 15 years. Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to oppose any foreign troop presence in Ukraine.

Zelensky also called for a national referendum before any peace deal, alongside nationwide elections, a ceasefire monitoring mission, and prisoner exchanges. He said Russia holds about 7,000 Ukrainian soldiers, while Ukraine detains around 4,000 Russian troops.

China has expressed its intention to raise its bilateral relationship with Germany to a “new height.” Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi made the statement during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday, held on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Wang emphasized advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership and preparing for the next stage of high-level exchanges with Berlin.

The meeting took place as the European Union works to reduce dependence on both China and the United States. Beijing, in turn, is seeking to present itself as a more reliable and stable partner. In recent years, economic ties between China and Germany have faced strain due to allegations of unfair trade practices, protectionism, and shifts in global trade policy. Reports suggest that Merz may visit China later this month, with trade relations expected to dominate discussions.

Wang Yi also urged Germany to maintain “strategic autonomy and self-reliance,” describing the country as a potential driving force in China-Europe cooperation and a stabilizing anchor in strategic relations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a 'slave of war' during his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. He said Putin may see himself as a Russian emperor but is bound by war. Zelensky stated that every power plant in Ukraine has suffered major damage from Russian attacks and warned that granting territorial concessions to Moscow would only fuel further aggression.

Drawing a parallel to the 1938 Munich Agreement, Zelensky cautioned that appeasing Putin would not bring peace, likening the situation to European powers’ concessions to Hitler before World War II. He made these remarks just days before the fourth anniversary of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, accusing Russia of killing thousands, destroying eastern Ukraine, and forcing millions to flee.

Zelensky reiterated Kyiv’s call for Western nations to expedite air defense supplies to Ukraine, emphasizing that his government is doing everything possible to end the war. Kyiv and its Western allies have accused Moscow of deliberately targeting Ukraine’s power grid to inflict suffering during the harsh winter.

The article from Amar Desh Online, published on February 15, 2026, argues that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza after two years of violence is not the result of natural disaster but of deliberate political and military decisions. It states that global media portrayals focusing on hunger, tents, and aid trucks obscure the underlying causes and shift attention from justice to relief.

According to the report, Israel’s blockade, military assaults, and restrictions on food and reconstruction have created famine-like conditions and widespread destruction. The piece contends that depicting Gaza solely as a humanitarian crisis hides Israel’s responsibility and transforms political crimes into relief issues. It emphasizes that Palestinians have been turned from a people resisting occupation into passive recipients of aid.

The article concludes that humanitarian assistance can keep people alive but cannot restore dignity, sovereignty, or security under a permanent blockade. It asserts that only justice and political accountability, not charity, can address Gaza’s ongoing devastation.

Israeli authorities are reportedly planning to restrict Muslim worshippers’ access to Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem during the upcoming Ramadan, according to former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Sheikh Ekrima Sabri. Speaking to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency, he said signs of this plan appeared earlier in January when Major General Avshalom Peled was appointed as the new police commander in East Jerusalem. The move is viewed as part of far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s broader agenda concerning control over the mosque.

Sheikh Sabri stated that Israeli authorities have already imposed restrictions on young worshippers and indicated that entry rules for Muslims from the occupied West Bank would not be eased. He warned that this would result in fewer worshippers at Al-Aqsa compared to previous years, calling the measures a violation of freedom of worship and an obstacle to Muslims’ observance of Ramadan.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Minister Ben-Gvir is taking actions that could further inflame tensions around the holy site.

US President Donald Trump called for strengthening unity between the United States and Europe during his speech at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. He said Washington seeks to revive friendly relations with Europe, emphasizing shared heritage and cooperation with long-standing allies. According to Al Jazeera, Trump avoided mentioning Russia but criticized Europe’s stance on immigration and climate issues.

The appeal came a day after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned of deep fractures in US-Europe relations while opening the same conference. Merz said the rules-based world order no longer exists and that Europe’s freedom and security are no longer guaranteed in an era of great power politics. He urged Europeans to be ready for sacrifices to safeguard their independence.

Trump’s remarks and Merz’s warning together underscored ongoing uncertainty in transatlantic relations, with both leaders highlighting the need for renewed commitment to cooperation and shared values.

At least eight Palestinians were killed in new Israeli attacks on Gaza despite an existing ceasefire agreement. According to an Al Jazeera report, four people were killed on Sunday in the southern city of Khan Younis when Israeli forces launched strikes beyond the so-called 'yellow line' marking their positions in Gaza. Another four were killed when Israeli forces attacked a tent sheltering displaced people in the Al-Faluja area of northern Gaza, a source at Al-Shifa Hospital said.

Israeli authorities did not immediately comment on the incidents. Gaza authorities stated that since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, Israel has violated it more than 1,500 times. These violations have resulted in at least 591 deaths and 1,590 injuries so far.

The repeated attacks highlight the fragility of the ceasefire and the continuing humanitarian toll on Gaza’s civilian population, according to the information provided by Gaza authorities.