Since the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran began in late February, the global energy sector has faced severe disruption. Oil prices have fluctuated sharply, and the Strait of Hormuz—through which about one-fifth of global oil and LNG passes—has come under tight Iranian control, forcing suppliers to seek alternative routes. Governments from Tokyo to London have taken emergency measures to shield citizens from rising energy costs. Although peace talks between Washington and Tehran have raised hopes for stability, experts believe the conflict has permanently altered the global energy landscape.

Analysts cited by Al Jazeera note that new pipelines and security systems are being planned, while shipping through the Strait remains risky despite a June memorandum pledging safer passage. Attacks on commercial vessels have deepened fears, reducing traffic and pushing exporters to rely more on land pipelines in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iraq. The war has also accelerated a global shift toward renewable energy, with countries investing more in wind, solar, and hydro power.

Experts say China, the United States, and Qatar stand to benefit most. China dominates renewable equipment manufacturing, while the US and Qatar are strengthening their positions as reliable LNG suppliers.

A new report by the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), released on Wednesday, states that combined military casualties from both sides in the Russia-Ukraine war have surpassed two million. According to the study, since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russian forces have suffered around 1.4 million total casualties, including between 400,000 and 450,000 soldiers killed. The total figure includes those killed, wounded, and missing.

The report further estimates that Ukrainian military casualties range between 525,000 and 625,000, with 125,000 to 150,000 soldiers killed. CSIS notes that the number of Russian soldiers killed in this conflict is more than four times the total number of US soldiers killed in all wars since World War II.

The study also highlights that during the first half of the current year, the casualty ratio between Russian and Ukrainian forces reached approximately 8 to 1, underscoring the heavy toll of the ongoing conflict.

US Vice President JD Vance stated that the United States will not resume military operations against Iran unless there is a clear objective or necessity. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Vance emphasized that President Trump would not redeploy American forces to Iran unless absolutely required. He warned that any attempt by Iran to rebuild its nuclear program or target commercial vessels would prompt Washington to reconsider its current strategy.

According to the report, the US administration is focusing on continuing discussions with Iran in good faith. In June, both countries reached a memorandum of understanding aimed at permanently ending the war that began in late February, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and lifting the US blockade on Iranian ports. Negotiations for a final agreement are still ongoing.

Earlier on Wednesday, President Trump said that Iran’s nuclear disarmament process was “progressing well,” indicating cautious optimism about the diplomatic track between the two nations.

At least eight people were killed and 34 others injured in Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, according to local authorities. The strikes occurred overnight and early Thursday, hitting more than 30 locations across the city. The attacks came shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of an impending large-scale assault by Moscow.

Kyiv’s military administration chief, Timur Takachenko, confirmed the casualties, while Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that several residential buildings were damaged. One nine-story apartment building was heavily hit, trapping residents inside, and part of another multi-story building collapsed due to the explosions. Klitschko said the city was targeted by both ballistic missiles and drones.

The attacks mark another escalation in the ongoing conflict, with widespread damage to civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. Emergency services were deployed to rescue trapped residents and assess the extent of destruction.

Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez has declared seven days of national mourning after twin earthquakes killed 2,295 people across the country. The disaster, described as the strongest in a century, struck a week ago, leaving hopes of finding more survivors fading. According to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, more than 11,000 people were injured and around 13,000 left homeless. The United Nations estimates that about 50,000 people remain missing.

The northern city of La Guaira, near Caracas, suffered the worst damage, with collapsed buildings marked with a red “D” to indicate no survivors. Despite rescue efforts, the country’s long-standing economic crisis and weakened infrastructure have hampered response operations. Anger has grown among residents over poor state management, while food and water shortages have triggered clashes in shelters and widespread looting. Four police officers were arrested for theft from debris sites.

The International Organization for Migration called the situation “extremely complex.” The World Food Programme appealed for $50 million to feed 500,000 people over three months, and the World Health Organization warned of potential outbreaks of measles and diphtheria due to low vaccination rates.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the country will deliver an immediate and firm response to any threat. In a post on social media platform X on Wednesday, he emphasized that the terms of the ‘Islamabad Understanding’ memorandum are clear and open to all. Araghchi added that the U.S. president has pledged to keep Tel Aviv under control, warning that if this directive is ignored, Iran will respond appropriately.

The Iranian top diplomat reiterated that any threat against the nation’s people or leadership would be met with swift and strong retaliation. His remarks followed comments by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who had referred to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a statement suggesting his death was inevitable. Araghchi dismissed Katz’s remarks as “ridiculous.”

The exchange underscores heightened rhetoric between Iran and Israel following recent tensions, with both sides signaling readiness to defend their positions.

A US Navy MH-60S Seahawk helicopter made an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday, leaving one service member missing and three others injured. The US military confirmed that the injured personnel are in stable condition and that there are no indications the incident was caused by hostile action.

According to the US Navy’s Fifth Squadron, warships and equipment have been deployed in the area to search for the missing pilot. An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the accident. The helicopter had been deployed from the aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush operating in the region.

Experts noted that performing an emergency landing at sea is highly dangerous even for experienced pilots, as helicopters risk overturning due to their heavy weight upon water impact. The incident occurred amid intermittent clashes in the region despite an ongoing truce between the United States and Iran, keeping US forces on high alert.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has dismissed as false reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would be allowed to inspect nuclear facilities damaged by recent US airstrikes. He stated that IAEA inspectors have no right to visit the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear centers, which were affected by the attacks. The remarks were reported by Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB.

Ghalibaf clarified that IAEA inspectors currently have access to only two sites: the Bushehr power plant and the Tehran reactor. He added that Iran’s parliament has already passed a law prohibiting IAEA access to the damaged facilities, and the country’s Supreme National Security Council has endorsed a similar resolution, making the restriction legally binding.

His comments came shortly after IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said that under a US-Iran memorandum of understanding, UN inspectors must be granted access to Iranian nuclear sites. Ghalibaf’s response has renewed tensions between Tehran and the IAEA over inspection rights.

Former US diplomat Gordon Gray described the recent indirect talks between American and Iranian representatives in Qatar as a positive step in the right direction. He said the meeting demonstrated both sides’ genuine interest in maintaining the ongoing ceasefire and reaching a final agreement. Gray made these remarks in an interview with Al Jazeera.

According to Gray, despite the encouraging tone of the discussions, several complex issues remain unresolved between Washington and Tehran. Each side has its own priorities and urgent interests. For the United States, the immediate goal is to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route for global energy and trade security. Iran, on the other hand, is focused on securing relief from economic sanctions that have severely weakened its economy due to prolonged conflict, international restrictions, and domestic mismanagement.

The talks in Qatar are viewed as a cautious but meaningful step toward stabilizing regional tensions, though significant challenges still lie ahead for both nations.

Somaliland’s cabinet has approved a bilateral strategic cooperation agreement with Israel, formalizing commitments announced during President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi’s recent visit to the country. The agreement, passed unanimously in a cabinet meeting following the June trip, marks a new phase in relations between the two sides.

According to the presidential office, the deal will open new avenues of partnership in security, investment, technology exchange, and economic development. Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, has long struggled for international recognition. Israel became the first country to officially recognize Somaliland last year.

Geopolitical analysts cited in the report suggest that Israel’s recognition and cooperation are driven by strategic interests in the Red Sea region, particularly around the Gulf of Aden, where Israel seeks to strengthen its military and geopolitical presence and counter Iranian and Houthi influence.

Heavy fighting between Myanmar’s government junta forces and the Arakan Army (AA) has intensified near Maungdaw Township in Rakhine State, sending loud explosions across the border into Bangladesh. The blasts, reportedly from powerful mortar shells, were heard on Monday night across several areas of Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, including Shahparirdwip, Sabrang, Nazirpara, Jaliapara, Hnila, Jadimura, Dhumdumia, and Whaikhong. Residents described their homes shaking like an earthquake as the sounds echoed from across the Naf River.

Local residents and community leaders confirmed hearing multiple explosions around 9:15 p.m., causing panic among border communities. Acting chairman of Hnila Union Parishad Mohammad Ali said the repeated blasts from Myanmar had sparked renewed fear among locals. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials confirmed awareness of the situation, stating that troops remain deployed and alert along the border, assuring there is no reason for panic.

Authorities have not reported any casualties or cross-border damage, but the situation has heightened tension among residents living near the frontier.

Leaders and senior representatives from more than 30 countries are traveling to Tehran to attend the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-Israel attack on February 28. Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Georgia, and Cuba are among the nations sending high-level delegations. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev will attend as President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, while Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead his country’s delegation. Georgia’s president, Cuba’s higher education minister, and India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Pavitra Margariti are also expected to attend.

Iran’s Deputy Interior Minister Ali Akbar Porjamshidian, head of the funeral organizing committee, said representatives from over 30 countries and religious leaders from more than 90 nations have confirmed participation. Officials expect between 15 and 20 million people to join the multi-day ceremonies, which they describe as the largest funeral in Iran’s history.

Public viewing will take place at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla Prayer Complex, followed by a 10-kilometer procession on Monday. Burial ceremonies will continue in Qom, Iraq, and Mashhad through July 9.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned that Tehran is prepared for war if the United States fails to honor the memorandum of understanding signed between the two nations. He stated that Washington’s repeated violations of the agreement could halt progress toward a final deal. The warning came as the date for the second round of peace talks remains undecided, despite earlier announcements from U.S. President Donald Trump that the meeting would take place in Qatar.

Ghalibaf accused the United States of breaching the terms of the 14-point memorandum, citing incidents in the Persian Gulf. He emphasized that Iran continues discussions to implement the 13th clause of the memorandum, which calls for a joint U.S.-Iran team to monitor compliance. Following the signing of the memorandum on June 17, the U.S. lifted sanctions on Iranian oil exports, allowing Iran to export over 40 million barrels of crude oil. Ghalibaf also reaffirmed Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz and its right to regulate passage.

Despite a temporary ceasefire, both nations have exchanged accusations and limited attacks. Analysts cited in the report suggest that neither side is likely to engage in full-scale war soon.

A new report has alleged that Israel has been conducting what it calls a 'reproductive genocide' against Palestinians for decades. The report, published by the Palestinian Feminist Collective, claims that Israel’s destruction of medical facilities, killing of women and children, and creation of unlivable conditions have led to rising infertility among Palestinians. It states that these actions intensified after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, with the aim of making normal life and future generations impossible for Palestinians.

A separate report from the United Nations’ top investigative body on Israel and Palestine also found that Israeli forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children as part of their Gaza operations. The UN report documented sniper and drone attacks, torture in detention, reproductive-related violence, and the destruction of schools and hospitals.

According to UN data, more than 21,000 Palestinian children have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, with about 5,160 more trapped under rubble. By October 2024, at least 15,000 children had lost their mothers.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the ongoing discussions in Qatar regarding Iran’s nuclear disarmament are progressing well. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said the meetings in Doha, attended by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, had gone very well. He dismissed fears that a full-scale war could resume, saying significant progress had been made.

Trump added that the U.S. military had delivered a strong strike against Iran the previous week but emphasized that diplomatic processes were now proving effective. He described the current state of U.S.-Iran relations as moving forward positively.

The remarks highlight a shift from military confrontation to diplomatic engagement, with the U.S. leadership expressing optimism about the direction of the talks in Qatar.