After the NATO summit in Ankara, several world leaders were surprised to find revolvers and live ammunition among their belongings. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had presented each leader with a vintage-style Gümüşay .357 Magnum revolver and bullets as farewell gifts. The gesture was intended to showcase Turkey’s defense industry, which has become a major export sector and a key element of its foreign policy.

Photos released by Lithuania’s president’s office showed the revolver in a wooden box bearing Turkish and NATO emblems. Leaders from Spain, Belgium, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Italy, Greece, Canada, and the European Commission handled the gifts differently, with some storing them in embassies, museums, or official buildings, and others leaving them in Ankara for deactivation. The Belgian prime minister even turned his revolver over to airport police for safekeeping.

The incident drew wide attention on social media, with some viewing it as symbolic while officials treated it as a matter of customs and diplomatic protocol. Turkey’s growing small arms industry has become a strong competitor in Europe, ranking third globally in small arms exports between 2019 and 2024.

More than 43 million people attended the funeral and farewell ceremonies of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, breaking all previous records, according to Iranian authorities. The six-day mourning processions took place across Iran and Iraq, marking what officials described as the largest public gathering and funeral in human history.

Fars News Agency reported that the ceremonies were held in Tehran, Qom, Najaf, Karbala, and Mashhad. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that nearly ten million people joined the events in Najaf and Karbala alone. Khamenei was killed along with his family in a U.S. terrorist attack in February, and the formal farewell began last Friday, attended by political leaders from over 45 countries and scholars and representatives from more than 90 nations.

Independent sources verified the attendance figures using travel data and mobile signal analysis, according to Press TV.

Former US Marine Corps officer Dan Grazier said that the United States has given an appropriate response to Iran’s attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that US forces have carried out strikes on Iranian military installations along the southern coast and targeted small Iranian vessels operating in the strait. These vessels are reportedly used by Iran to obstruct ships passing without Tehran’s authorization.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Grazier explained that Iran’s advantage lies in not needing to project military power far from its shores. Even minor disruptive actions by Iran can create significant challenges for the United States and Israel. He emphasized that Washington now needs to find a way to end the ongoing conflict, describing it as a complex asymmetric war.

According to Grazier, the United States has yet to find a solution to this type of warfare, underscoring the difficulty of managing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Anti-immigration protests have escalated across South Africa, with demonstrators in Johannesburg conducting door-to-door searches for undocumented migrants on Thursday. Protesters in the Alexandra area reportedly broke into homes and handed over those without valid papers to police, including a Malawian woman and her child. Similar actions took place in Soweto and Durban, spreading fear among foreign residents.

The movement, led by former radio presenter Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, has vowed to continue weekly protests until its demands are met. Organizers blame undocumented migrants for South Africa’s economic problems and are calling for stricter border control, mass deportations, and priority access to public services for citizens. Anti-immigrant sentiment has grown amid high unemployment, with some groups having set an informal June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged against blaming migrants for social and economic challenges, emphasizing the need to enforce immigration laws fairly. The unrest has already prompted more than 38,000 Malawians and 60,000 Zimbabweans to return home, according to their governments.

Israeli intelligence has claimed that Iran is planning to assassinate US President Donald Trump, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The report states that Israel recently informed Trump of intelligence suggesting that Iran was preparing a plot against him. A separate CNN report indicated that the intelligence referred to a specific plan targeting Trump. Neither the US government nor Iran has issued any official response to these claims.

The report adds that Washington had previously alleged multiple Iranian plots to kill Trump, which it said were thwarted. During his visit to Ankara this week to attend a NATO summit, Trump also mentioned that Iran posed a threat to his life, saying the country considered him a target.

The allegations come amid ongoing tensions between the US and Iran, with no immediate confirmation or denial from either side regarding the latest intelligence claims.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s office has strongly condemned Iran’s recent attacks on Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. According to the Wafa news agency, Abbas’s office expressed deep solidarity with the three countries on Thursday and reaffirmed Palestine’s full support for any measures they take to defend their sovereignty.

The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that it carried out strikes early Thursday on two U.S. military bases located in Kuwait and Bahrain. The IRGC described the attacks as the first phase of a punitive response against the United States, following two consecutive days of U.S. airstrikes inside Iran. The group warned that further retaliation could extend to other American bases in the Gulf region if U.S. operations continue.

The U.S. military stated that its airstrikes targeted 170 sites within Iran since Tuesday, while Iran’s military confirmed the deaths of eight soldiers in the initial wave of attacks near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has labeled the NATO summit held this week in Ankara, Turkey, as entirely politically motivated. According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Tehran strongly criticized the summit’s focus on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program, arguing that these topics were used for political purposes. The Iranian embassy in Turkey stated that the country’s nuclear activities are completely peaceful and that Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons.

The embassy further asserted that maintaining the security and stability of the Strait of Hormuz is primarily Iran’s responsibility, while accusing other nations of provoking instability through destructive actions. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei also sharply criticized NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, accusing him of supporting what he called an “illegal and imposed war.”

Baghaei added that NATO’s support for U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran reflects a submissive mentality and that flattery cannot conceal the truth or contempt. The statements underscore Iran’s growing frustration with NATO’s stance on regional security and its nuclear policy.

Military analysts say the United States is struggling to counter Iran’s asymmetric warfare tactics in the Persian Gulf, particularly the threat of naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Former US Marine Corps officer Dan Grazier told Al Jazeera that Iran could effectively disrupt global trade with minimal action, as even a few mines could turn clearance operations into a massive undertaking.

Grazier explained that the high value of ships passing through the region means even minor incidents could have a major impact on world commerce. He said the situation highlights the complexity of asymmetric warfare and presents a dilemma for US policymakers, who are unsure how to withdraw without appearing weak. According to Grazier, Iran holds a strategic advantage because it does not need to project power far from its own shores.

He urged Washington to seek a swift end to the conflict, acknowledging that the United States has yet to find a solution. Grazier added that while the current situation is difficult, valuable lessons could be learned once the conflict ends.

At least six people were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza’s civil defense department. The attacks occurred on Thursday, including a drone strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza that killed two people and injured several others. Four more deaths were reported in other parts of the enclave, including one person killed when a car was targeted in a crowded area of Gaza City.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent reported that the attacked street in Gaza City is among the busiest in the area, filled with shops, supermarkets, and displaced Palestinians seeking shelter. Earlier on Thursday, Gaza’s health ministry said at least eight people had been killed and 17 injured in the past 24 hours, though it provided no further details on the circumstances.

The report noted that despite a ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas on October 10, 2025, Israeli forces have continued operations in Gaza. Al Jazeera said the Israeli military has violated the truce more than 3,000 times since it came into effect.

The leader of Bangladesh’s opposition and Jamaat-e-Islami chief expressed deep sorrow over a deadly fire at the Huiteng shoe factory in Jinjiang city, Fujian province, China. The incident occurred on July 9, 2026, killing at least 28 workers and injuring or trapping many others. In a condolence message issued on Thursday, he described the tragedy as extremely painful and extended sympathy to the bereaved families.

He noted that the victims were working people who supported their families and that their sudden deaths had left their relatives in severe distress. The Jamaat chief prayed for proper respect for the deceased and for the full recovery of those injured or burned in the fire. He also expressed hope that the Chinese authorities would rescue those still trapped inside the factory and take effective measures for their rehabilitation.

He further wished that the Chinese government and people would soon overcome the extensive losses caused by the disaster.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Thursday evening, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry. During the call, Araghchi condemned recent statements from the United States, describing them as clear signs of treaty violations and a continuation of Washington’s war-oriented policy.

He further labeled US attacks in various parts of Iran as a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter and a breach of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. Araghchi warned against any reckless military actions by US forces and emphasized that Iran is fully prepared to defend itself if such attacks continue.

The report noted that Pakistan’s army chief has been acting as a mediator between Iran and the United States amid rising tensions, though no further details of the discussion were disclosed.

An Israeli-based outlet, i24 News, reported that a planned attack on Iran by Kurdish armed groups, allegedly supported by the United States and Israel, was canceled at the last moment due to diplomatic pressure from Turkey. The report, published Wednesday, claimed that for several months US intelligence agencies had overseen preparations involving Kurdish fighters, including meetings, weapons supply, and military training. Weapons were reportedly delivered a week before the scheduled assault.

According to i24 News, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s intervention led Washington to veto the plan, preventing the attack. The report cited Israeli sources saying that while Mossad’s role was not detailed, it was not fully denied. It also alleged that information about the plan reached Turkey through associates of US Vice President JD Vance, prompting Ankara to pressure Washington to stop the operation. None of the involved parties have officially commented.

Other outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, and Reuters, had previously reported on related Kurdish operations and intelligence activities along the Iran-Iraq border, describing them as part of a broader regime-change strategy.

Millions of mourners filled the streets of Mashhad, northeastern Iran, on Thursday to bid a final farewell to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Revolution. The funeral procession and final prayers took place before his burial at the Imam Reza shrine. The bodies of Khamenei and his family members, killed in a February 28 attack by the United States and Israel, arrived at Shahid Hasheminejad International Airport earlier in the day. Due to the massive turnout, the funeral schedule was delayed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time.

Before the procession began, all roads leading to the shrine were packed with mourners carrying red flags symbolizing vengeance for the martyrs’ blood. The crowd demanded justice for the slain leader. Officials said the funeral convoy had not yet reached the main procession area due to the overwhelming number of participants.

The Mashhad ceremony followed large-scale farewell events in Tehran, Qom, and Iraq’s Najaf and Karbala, where millions also paid their respects before the final burial in Mashhad.

The Gaza Health Ministry has reported that at least 73,118 Palestinians have been killed and 173,615 injured since Israel’s military campaign began in October 2023. The figures were confirmed in the ministry’s latest update, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian toll of the conflict.

According to the report, a U.S.-mediated ceasefire was announced in October 2025, but Israeli operations across the besieged enclave have not ceased. Since the ceasefire declaration, an additional 1,092 Palestinians have been killed and 3,507 wounded in continued attacks. The report cited Al Jazeera as its source.

Despite repeated international appeals for a lasting ceasefire, Israeli aggression in Gaza has persisted, causing the death toll to climb steadily.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for launching ten ballistic missiles at the Azraq military base in Jordan. According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, the IRGC stated that the main target of the attack was a US command and control center located within the base. The incident reportedly took place amid heightened regional tensions.

In a statement, the IRGC warned that similar attacks would continue if US forces in the Middle East persist with their operations. The group declared that other American bases in the region would not remain safe from future strikes. Jordanian authorities, however, reported that eight missiles launched from Iran were intercepted midair, and no casualties or damage were reported from the incident.

The exchange of claims underscores ongoing friction between Iran and the United States over military presence and actions in the Middle East, with Jordan caught in the middle of escalating hostilities.