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Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs

Three US Navy Destroyers Came Under Iranian Fire in Strait of Hormuz

Three US Navy destroyers came under missile and drone fire from Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, the most serious breach of the month-old ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. No American vessels were struck, and the US military responded with self-defense strikes against Iranian launch sites.

By Yara Halabi
Foreign Affairs

Israel strikes Beirut for first time since Lebanon ceasefire, targets senior Hezbollah commander

Israel hit Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday for the first time since the April 17 Lebanon ceasefire, saying the strike targeted a Hezbollah Radwan force commander. The attack landed as Iran reviews a US peace plan that aides on both sides describe as the closest the war has come to a deal.

By Yara Halabi
US Politics

Stanford's Fingar calls Trump tariff policy a complete failure ahead of Xi summit

Former US Assistant Secretary of State Thomas Fingar told the Shanghai Forum that the Trump tariff regime has missed every stated goal. Refunds of $166bn loom as the Supreme Court ruling bites.

By Ramona Castellanos
Foreign Affairs

Trump motorcade arrives in Beijing as Xi summit goes ahead through Iran war

Armoured Secret Service vehicles spotted on Beijing highways and four C-17s already on the ground signal that the May 14 Trump-Xi summit is on track, even as US forces remain engaged against Iran.

By Yara Halabi
World

Trump revives Project Freedom convoy as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait restore US airspace access

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said American destroyers are on station after Riyadh and Kuwait City reversed earlier restrictions blocking US sorties.

By Yara Halabi
Foreign Affairs

Iran weighs US-backed truce framework as Pakistan signals deal close

Pakistani Foreign Ministry says deal is near. Iran is examining the package while Trump revives Project Freedom convoy and presses UN resolution.

By Yara Halabi
Foreign Affairs

China's top envoy meets Iran's foreign minister in Beijing, calls for full Hormuz reopening

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Beijing on Wednesday and called for a 'comprehensive ceasefire' and full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, days before President Donald Trump arrives in the Chinese capital for a summit with Xi Jinping.

By Yara Halabi
World

Iran ceasefire on the brink as world leaders press Tehran after Hormuz attacks

World leaders piled pressure on Tehran on Tuesday after a salvo of Iranian attacks on the United Arab Emirates and a US-Iran exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz left a four-week-old ceasefire on the brink of collapse.

By Yara Halabi
World

US tables tougher UN resolution threatening Iran with sanctions over Hormuz

The United States and a group of Gulf nations circulated a draft Security Council resolution on Tuesday that threatens Iran with sanctions and "other measures" if it does not stop attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the most concrete diplomatic step yet to break a four-week stand-off over the world's most strategic oil chokepoint.

By Yara Halabi
World

Trump tells Iran to 'wave white flag' as Hormuz ceasefire frays

Donald Trump on Tuesday demanded Iran 'wave the white flag of surrender,' calling its military 'totally gone' even as Iranian missiles again struck the United Arab Emirates and a four-week-old ceasefire showed fresh signs of strain.

By Yara Halabi
World

Putin and Zelensky declare rival Victory Day ceasefires as 26 die in fresh strikes

Russia and Ukraine declared rival ceasefires on Monday in the runup to the May 9 anniversary of the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany, even as overnight Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least 26 people across Ukraine and Kyiv accused Moscow of 'utter cynicism.'

By Anya Voronova
Defense

Taiwan defense budget stalls for third time as Trump-Xi summit nears

Taiwan's ruling and opposition parties on Tuesday failed for the third time to break a deadlock over a NT$1.25 trillion ($40 billion) special defense budget, with the latest negotiation collapsing days before US President Donald Trump's mid-May trip to China for a summit with Xi Jinping.

By Theo Larkin