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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it targeted US airbase in Kuwait

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Smoke rises after an Iranian drone attack struck fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait City, Kuwait on April 01, 2026. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Thursday that it targeted a US airbase in Kuwait in response to an American aerial strike near Bandar Abbas Airport in southern Iran, Anadolu reports.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC said the retaliatory strike came at 4.50 am (0120GMT), hours after what it described as a US assault on a point near the port city’s airport using aerial projectiles.

“This response is a serious warning so that the enemy knows that aggression will not go unanswered, and if repeated, our response will be more decisive,” it said.

Later, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday through US social media company X that Iran launched “a ballistic missile toward Kuwait” at 10.17 pm ET (0217GMT) on Wednesday, and that the missile was “successfully intercepted by Kuwaiti forces.”

CENTCOM described the launch as an “egregious ceasefire violation by the Iranian regime.”

It also said Iranian forces earlier launched “five one-way attack drones that posed a clear threat in and near the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that all were intercepted by US forces.

The command further said US forces “prevented a sixth drone launch from an Iranian ground control site in Bandar Abbas.”

Earlier in the day, a US official told Anadolu that US forces shot down four Iranian drones that posed a threat near the Strait of Hormuz and struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch a fifth drone.

“These actions were measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

CENTCOM said US forces and regional partners “remain vigilant and measured” as they continue defending “forces and interests from unjustified Iranian aggression.”

READ: Kuwait sends IRGC-linked suspects to court over ‘illegal entry’

The latest strikes came after CENTCOM earlier this week confirmed a previous round of strikes on southern Iran targeting missile launch sites and Iranian boats allegedly attempting to lay mines. Iran condemned those strikes as a “grave violation of the ceasefire.”

Earlier, commenting on the state of the negotiations to end the war on Iran, US President Donald Trump said he is “not satisfied with it, but we will be. Either that, or we’ll have to just finish the job.”

Regional tensions escalated on Feb. 28, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with barrages of drones and missiles that hit targets across the region and to close the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement.

Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports through the strategic waterway and periodically saying a peace deal was close.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.

Continue ReadingIran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it targeted US airbase in Kuwait

Pro-Israel cash goes undercover as US voters turn against Israel

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Pro-Palestinian Jewish American demonstrators rally outside the Manhattan headquarters of Pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the offices of Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, who accept donations from the group on February 22, 2024 in New York City, United States. [Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images]

Pro-Israel donors linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) are reportedly using new, innocuous-sounding fundraising vehicles to direct money to favoured candidates in high-stakes Democratic primaries, as support for Israel becomes increasingly toxic in US politics.

According to details reviewed by The Lever, a newly formed joint fundraising committee, Better Blue Fund is one of the groups using weakened campaign finance rules to act as a “one-stop shop” for contributions from some of the pro-Israel lobby’s largest longtime donors. More than $250,000 has been raised by the fund in under two months for Democratic candidates who have faced scrutiny over their support for military aid to Israel or past links to pro-Israel groups.

The committee is currently supporting former Utah congressman Ben McAdams, New York representatives Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman and Missouri representative Wesley Bell, all of whom face contested primaries. It is also fundraising for representatives Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Grace Meng of New York, Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Jeremy Moss, a Democratic challenger in Michigan’s 11th District. All eight candidates are currently endorsed by pro-Israel groups or have been in the past.

The Better Blue Fund was formed in March as a joint fundraising committee, a structure which allows multiple candidates to raise funds collectively and attract larger contributions from wealthy donors. Critics say such vehicles can obscure the political interests behind the money, particularly when the committee’s name gives no indication of a pro-Israel agenda.

In one example cited in the report, pro-Israel contributions appear to have been routed through a more discreet channel. McAdams was publicly endorsed by Democratic Majority for Israel in 2020 and received $5,000 from its PAC, but this year the group has offered no public endorsement or direct financial support.

Instead, the Better Blue Fund is backing his campaign, as he faces criticism from progressive rival Nate Blouin over his past support for unrestricted US military aid to Israel. As a congressman, McAdams voted with pro-Israel groups on military funding, opposed boycotts of Israel and joined congressional delegations to the occupation state.

The fund’s donor list also highlights the depth of its links to the pro-Israel donor network. It has reportedly raised nearly $300,000 from pro-Israel donors, including $28,000 from financier Jonathan Jacobson, who gave $2.5 million in 2024 to AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project. Rob Stavis, a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, contributed $24,500 to the Better Blue Fund after giving $50,000 to Democratic Majority for Israel in 2024. Its largest reported contribution so far is $31,500 from investor Erich Mindich, who gave $250,000 to Democratic Majority for Israel in the last cycle.

The beginning of the end of unshakeable support: Why US public opinion is turning away from Israel

The report notes that once the Better Blue Fund distributes money to participating candidates, the donations will appear in campaign filings under the fund’s name, rather than clearly identifying the donors’ wider pro-Israel affiliations. This has raised concerns that the new model gives AIPAC-aligned donors a way to support pro-Israel candidates while shielding them from the backlash increasingly attached to the lobby’s brand.

A similar strategy is said to have appeared in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, where a new PAC called the Center for Democratic Priorities, with no prior campaign history, reportedly spent $5.3 million on ads supporting congresswoman Haley Stevens shortly after AIPAC promoted her to donors in a fundraising email. Registration documents reportedly showed that the PAC shared a treasurer with other pro-Israel groups and used the same strategy firm employed by such groups to place the ad buy.

The apparent shift comes as opinion polls show Israel losing support among the American public. A Pew Research Center survey in April found that 53 per cent of US adults held an unfavourable view of Israel, up from 42 per cent in 2022. Gallup reported in July that only 32 per cent of Americans approved of Israel’s military action in Gaza, while 60 per cent disapproved, the lowest level of support Gallup had recorded since it began asking the question in November 2023.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.

Continue ReadingPro-Israel cash goes undercover as US voters turn against Israel

Israel plans to expand control over Gaza in coming months

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

An Israeli army soldier walks near a main battle tank deployed at a position along the border with the Gaza Strip and southern Israel on July 29, 2025. [Jack GUEZ / AFP/Getty Images]

Israel is planning, in coordination with the United States, to expand its occupation of the Gaza Strip.

According to Israel’s Channel 14, the plan includes a major expansion of the so-called Yellow Line in Gaza, alongside continued bombardment and targeted killings outside the area controlled by the Israeli army, which currently occupies more than 60 per cent of the territory.

As part of the new strategy, the Hebrew-language channel said Israel, in coordination with the United States, will work to significantly expand the Yellow Line area across the Gaza Strip over the coming months.

READ: Ireland to ban imports from Israeli settlements by mid-July

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Continue ReadingIsrael plans to expand control over Gaza in coming months

World almost certain to endure record hot year by 2030, UN warns

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/28/climate-impacts-spiralling-more-record-global-heat-warns-un

Southern Vietnam in 2024, the hottest year ever recorded globally. Photograph: Nhac Nguyen/AFP/Getty Images

Global temperature record could be broken as soon as 2027, with El Niño expected later this year

A record-breaking hot year is almost certain by 2030 as the climate crisis intensifies, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization has warned.

With an El Niño event expected later this year, the global temperature record could fall as soon as 2027.

Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels are continuing to rise, trapping more heat and driving more extreme weather, including the record-breaking heatwave that has hit the UK and Europe this week.

Global heating is already estimated to be taking one life every minute, with the toll likely to rise unless emissions fall rapidly.

The report, produced for the WMO by the UK Met Office, predicts an 86% chance that at least one year between 2026 and 2030 will surpass 2024 as the hottest ever recorded. There is a 75% chance that the average temperature for the five-year period from 2026 to 2030 will be more than 1.5C above the pre-industrial average.

Simon Stiell, the UN climate chief, said: “The latest heatwave in Europe is a brutal reminder of the spiralling impacts of the climate crisis, both human and economic. Many other parts of the world are also getting hit hard, such as India and other parts of Asia.”

…

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/28/climate-impacts-spiralling-more-record-global-heat-warns-un

Donald Trump urges you to be a Climate Science denier like him. He says that he makes millions and millions for destroying the planet, Burn, Baby, Burn and Flood, Baby, Flood.
Donald Trump urges you to be a Climate Science denier like him. He says that he makes millions and millions for destroying the planet, Burn, Baby, Burn and Flood, Baby, Flood.
Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him and his Deputy Richard Tice. He says that Reform UK has received £Millions and £Millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.
Nigel Farage urges you to ignore facts and reality and be a climate science denier like him and his Deputy Richard Tice. He says that Reform UK has received £Millions and £Millions from the fossil fuel industry to promote climate denial and destroy the planet.
Elon Musk urges you to be a Fascist like him, says that you can ignore facts and reality then.
Elon Musk urges you to be a Fascist like him, says that you can ignore facts and reality then.
Continue ReadingWorld almost certain to endure record hot year by 2030, UN warns

New breed of political prisoner arises in Britain as anti-protest sentences rise

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/may/23/anti-protest-sentences-rise-england-wales-political-prisoners

Three Just Stop Oil protesters wearing orange hi-vis jackets speak with police in front of the Houses of Parliament. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

More people are being jailed in England and Wales as a result of acting to prevent climate breakdown and the war in Gaza, research reveals

Britain has created a new breed of political prisoners through the systematic incarceration of people acting to prevent climate breakdown and the annihilation of Gaza, a report claims.

The research by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and the protest group Defend Our Juries says that custodial sentences for acts of direct action or civil disobedience were once rare but are now being imposed with increasing length and frequency.

Their report, which will be launched on Tuesday, points to an increase in anti-protest legislation in England and Wales, police powers and civil law injunctions brought by corporations and public bodies as well as judges removing legal defences and “exceptionally long” sentences.

In what they say is the first analysis of the jailing of “Britain’s new political prisoners”, the researchers identified 286 cases involving climate and Palestine-solidarity activists who were sent to prison for protest for a total amount of jail time of 136 years.

The average detention period in the 256 cases for which data was available was 28 weeks, with one in three protesters jailed for six months or more and one in five for more than a year.

…

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2026/may/23/anti-protest-sentences-rise-england-wales-political-prisoners

Keir Starmer says that he's banning words and phrases now as well as placards.
Keir Starmer says that he’s banning words and phrases now as well as placards.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn't know anything about democracy.
Keir Starmer confirms that he doesn’t know anything about democracy.
Palestine Action joke that appeared in the UK satirical magazine 'Private Eye'.
Palestine Action joke that appeared in the UK satirical magazine ‘Private Eye’.
Continue ReadingNew breed of political prisoner arises in Britain as anti-protest sentences rise