Indonesia has announced plans to send 8,000 troops to Gaza, according to a statement signed by Army Chief General Maruli Simanjuntak. The Indonesian military said training for the deployment has already begun, with soldiers set to perform medical and engineering duties. Indonesia is the first country to take concrete steps toward sending forces to Gaza. The exact date of deployment has not yet been finalized, as officials await instructions from President Prabowo Subianto.

The move is linked to a 20-point peace plan proposed by former U.S. President Donald Trump, which includes forming an unelected technocratic government to manage Gaza’s administrative affairs and establishing an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to ensure security. Several countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, have joined the Gaza Board of Peace, which held its first meeting in Washington on January 19.

The Indonesian troops’ participation marks an early step in implementing the broader international framework aimed at stabilizing Gaza following prolonged conflict.

US President Donald Trump has indicated plans to strengthen military readiness around Iran by considering the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East. In an interview with Israel’s Channel 12, Trump said Washington is evaluating additional military assets for the region as part of broader preparations. He confirmed that discussions between Washington and Tehran are ongoing, with both sides seeking to avoid military conflict, but reiterated that Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.

Trump referred to last summer’s US strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, saying Tehran had misjudged his resolve at that time. He described the current talks as “very different” from previous ones, suggesting Iran is now more eager to reach an agreement. Trump also claimed that Iran is desperate for a deal but warned that the United States is prepared to take tough measures if diplomacy fails.

According to Trump, sending a second carrier group is being seriously considered as part of overall US military preparedness in the Middle East.

An Al Jazeera Arabic investigation has reported that Israel’s use of prohibited thermal and thermobaric weapons in Gaza has caused thousands of Palestinians to vanish without trace. The program, aired on Monday, detailed how Civil Defence teams documented 2,842 cases of people who “evaporated” since the war began in October 2023, leaving behind only blood or small fragments. The report cited forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts, including that of Yasmin Mahani, who lost her son in an August 2024 strike on Gaza City’s al-Tabin school.

Experts interviewed in the investigation explained that thermobaric and vacuum bombs generate extreme heat exceeding 3,000 degrees Celsius, capable of vaporizing human tissue. Fragments of U.S.-made GBU-39 bombs were reportedly found at sites where bodies disappeared. Legal analysts said the use of such indiscriminate weapons violates international law and implicates both Israel and its Western suppliers.

Despite international court actions earlier in 2024, including an ICC arrest warrant for Israel’s prime minister, the report said attacks and blockades have continued. Legal scholars described the global justice system as having failed Gaza, while victims’ families continue to search for remains of their loved ones.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani arrived in Oman on Tuesday, just days after a new round of nuclear discussions between Iran and the United States took place in Muscat. According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Larijani is scheduled to meet with Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi during his visit.

Reports indicate that the meetings will focus on recent regional and international developments, as well as efforts to strengthen economic cooperation between Iran and Oman. The visit follows renewed diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Washington, which held direct talks in Oman last Friday.

The Muscat discussions marked the first direct dialogue between the two countries since the 12-day Iran–Israel conflict in June of the previous year, highlighting Oman’s continued role as a mediator in regional diplomacy.

US President Donald Trump has taken a clear stance against Israel’s plan to annex the occupied West Bank. A White House official said on Monday, January 9, that Trump views maintaining stability in Palestinian territories as essential for peace in the Middle East. According to Reuters, the official added that a stable West Bank is also vital for Israel’s security, reaffirming the current US administration’s commitment to this policy.

The White House reaction followed new Israeli measures announced by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defense Minister Israel Katz to strengthen control over the occupied West Bank. The Israeli security cabinet approved rules easing land seizures for illegal settlements and transferring building permit authority in major cities like Hebron from the Palestinian Authority to direct Israeli control.

The decision has sparked widespread international protest. Eight Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, and the UAE, jointly condemned the move as illegal and an attempt to displace Palestinians. The UN Secretary-General called the plan destabilizing and a major obstacle to a two-state solution, while Britain and Spain also issued strong condemnations and urged Israel to withdraw the decision.

A recent report indicates that China has moved ahead in becoming Bangladesh’s key economic and strategic partner amid a cooling of India-Bangladesh relations in recent months. As India’s influence in Dhaka declines, Beijing has intensified its engagement, pledging increased investment in major Bangladeshi projects and accelerating high-level visits and trade discussions.

Experts cited in the report suggest that Bangladesh’s economic challenges and infrastructure needs are driving it closer to Chinese investment. Meanwhile, unresolved connectivity and border issues with India have created discomfort among Bangladeshi policymakers, prompting them to give serious consideration to Beijing’s proposals.

This shift is seen as a major geopolitical challenge for India, whose “Neighborhood First” policy has long centered on Bangladesh. China’s growing involvement under its Belt and Road Initiative is now raising questions about India’s strategic dominance in the region, with analysts suggesting that Dhaka’s evolving foreign policy could alter South Asia’s power balance in the coming days.

China has expressed readiness to assist Cuba as the island faces a jet fuel shortage that has disrupted international flights. At a regular press briefing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that despite several airlines suspending flights to Cuba, there have been no reports of Chinese nationals being stranded there.

Lin explained that the crisis emerged after the United States blocked Venezuela from supplying jet fuel to Cuba. He emphasized that China firmly supports Cuba’s national sovereignty and security and opposes any form of foreign interference. Lin added that Beijing will continue to provide assistance to Cuba to the best of its ability.

The fuel shortage has already affected international air travel to and from Cuba, highlighting the broader impact of U.S. restrictions on regional energy cooperation.

Israeli forces carried out new attacks in the Gaza Strip on Monday, violating an existing ceasefire agreement. According to medical sources cited by Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, at least nine Palestinians were killed in the assaults. Three people died when an Israeli strike hit a residential apartment on Al-Nasr Street in western Gaza City, an area not under Israeli military control. Earlier, shelling near Khan Younis injured a fisherman, while gunfire in Beit Lahia killed a 54-year-old man. Another farmer was shot dead in Deir al-Balah, and four others were killed in separate incidents across southern Gaza.

The report noted that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023 and was later halted under a ceasefire agreement. That offensive left about 72,000 Palestinians dead and more than 171,000 injured, with nearly 90 percent of Gaza’s infrastructure destroyed. Since the ceasefire took effect, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that 581 Palestinians have been killed and at least 1,553 injured in subsequent Israeli attacks.

The renewed violence raises concerns about the fragility of the ceasefire and the ongoing humanitarian toll in Gaza.

Somalia and Saudi Arabia announced on Monday, February 9, the signing of a defense cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening military collaboration between the two nations. The accord was signed by Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi and Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. According to Somalia’s Ministry of Defense, the agreement will enhance defense and military cooperation and create opportunities for joint activities in areas of mutual interest.

The signing took place as the region, located at the junction of the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal, continues to draw heightened attention from Gulf countries due to its strategic importance along one of the world’s busiest trade routes. The development also follows Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland about six weeks earlier, a territory that declared independence in 1991 but is still claimed by Mogadishu as part of Somalia.

Prince Khalid bin Salman stated on X that he signed and witnessed several agreements during a military exhibition in Riyadh, though details of the defense deal with Somalia were not disclosed.

The United States Southern Command launched a new strike on a vessel accused of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean, according to a statement released on Monday. The operation resulted in the deaths of two individuals, while one survivor was rescued. The command confirmed the incident in a post on social media platform X, describing the deceased as 'narco-terrorists' and noting that the U.S. Coast Guard had been tasked with search and rescue efforts for the survivor.

The Southern Command reported that this latest strike brings the total number of anti-drug trafficking operations to 38, with at least 130 people killed so far. The command stated that maritime surveillance and military operations have been further intensified to curb drug smuggling through sea routes.

The statement underscores Washington’s continued focus on maritime interdiction efforts in the Pacific region as part of its broader campaign against transnational narcotics networks.

The United States Navy has seized a large oil tanker named ‘Aquila 2’ in the Indian Ocean for allegedly transporting Venezuelan oil to China in violation of sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump. According to Al Jazeera, the vessel was en route from Venezuela to a Chinese port when it was intercepted. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the operation in a post on social media platform X on Monday, February 9, stating that the Navy had been monitoring the ship since it left the Caribbean Sea.

Hegseth said the Defense Department strictly enforces any sanctions or quarantines it issues, adding that the ‘Aquila 2’ was seized after an overnight operation in the Indian Ocean. He noted that the tanker had continued its journey despite restrictions on Venezuelan vessels under Trump’s sanctions. The defense secretary emphasized that no one could evade US defense systems by air, land, or sea and warned that the Pentagon would take a firm stance against those violating international maritime laws.

Hegseth further stated that the United States would maintain a strict and negative approach toward any misuse of rights in global maritime zones.

At least 53 migrants, including two children, died when a rubber boat capsized off the coast of Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The incident occurred after the vessel, carrying 55 people, began taking on water about six hours after departing from the coastal city of Al-Zawiya. Only two Nigerian women survived and were rescued by Libyan authorities on Friday.

The IOM reported that the boat carried migrants and refugees from various African countries. One survivor lost her husband, while the other lost her two children. Both received emergency medical assistance. The organization added that nearly 500 migrants have died or gone missing this year while attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Libya.

Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has become a major departure point for migrants from sub-Saharan Africa seeking to reach Europe. The IOM also noted that at least 375 migrants died or went missing in the central Mediterranean in January alone, with the actual number likely higher.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Sunday in Tehran that Iran will never abandon uranium enrichment in talks with the United States. He emphasized that Tehran is not afraid of US war threats, even with the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. Araghchi said Iran has little trust in Washington’s intentions and doubts whether the US is serious about negotiations.

He added that Iran is maintaining regular consultations with China and Russia, describing them as strategic partners in nuclear matters. The minister reiterated that no one has the right to dictate Iran’s behavior and that enrichment will continue even under the threat of war. Following a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel last June, the US and Iran resumed talks in Oman last Friday, with Tehran seeking the lifting of US economic sanctions.

Western countries and Israel have accused Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim repeatedly denied by Tehran. Araghchi said Iran’s nuclear program is meant to assert independence from major powers, not to build bombs. He also rejected expanding the talks to include Iran’s missile program or regional activities.

US President Donald Trump announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit the White House later this year, marking a significant step toward improving relations between the world’s two largest economies after years of trade tensions and diplomatic strain. Trump made the remarks in an interview with NBC News, recorded on Wednesday, the same day the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on trade, Taiwan, the Ukraine war, and the situations in Russia and Iran.

Trump also indicated he may visit China in April, with Xi’s US trip expected to follow. He described his recent talks with Xi as positive and productive, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong ties between Washington and Beijing. Since returning to the White House, Trump’s administration has taken a tough stance on tariffs, imposing duties on steel, cars, and other sectors, though both sides reached a broad understanding last spring after heightened tensions.

Xi, who last visited the US in 2023, urged caution over US arms sales to Taiwan and expressed hope that bilateral issues could be resolved amicably through dialogue, according to Chinese state television CCTV.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia has no plans to attack any part of Europe but is prepared to respond militarily if attacked. He made the remarks in an interview with broadcaster NTV, according to TASS. Lavrov emphasized that Russia has no reason to launch an assault on Europe but would deliver a full military response if European nations decided to act on threats of war against Russia.

In late December 2025, during his year-end press conference, President Vladimir Putin said Moscow is not at war with the West, though Western countries are fighting Russia through Ukraine. Putin reiterated that Russia never sought conflict with Europe but warned that if Europe initiated war, there should be no doubt about Russia’s readiness to retaliate immediately.

The statements from both Lavrov and Putin appear aimed at reinforcing Russia’s stance that it seeks no confrontation with Europe while signaling readiness to respond decisively to any aggression.