Belgian Ex‑official Appeals War Crimes Trial Over 1961 Congo Leader's Murder

Patrice Lumumba

A 93-year-old former Belgian diplomat ordered to stand trial over the 1961 killing of Congolese independence icon Patrice Lumumba has appealed the decision, his lawmaker said Friday.

A novice diplomat at the time, Etienne Davignon is the only person still alive among 10 Belgians accused by the Congolese leader's family of complicity in his murder.

"Mr Davignon has decided to lodge an appeal," lawyer Johan Verbist told AFP.

Davignon was ordered earlier this month to stand trial for "participation in war crimes" over his role in the "unlawful detention and transfer" of Lumumba, a prisoner of war at the time, and for him being denied a fair trial.

The one-time European commissioner is also accused of "humiliating and degrading treatment", although not of direct involvement in Lumumba's killing.

Lumumba, an outspoken critic of Belgium's colonial rule, became his country's first prime minister after it gained independence in 1960.

But he fell out with the former colonial power and with the United States and was ousted in a coup a few months after taking office.

He was executed on January 17, 1961, aged just 35, in the southern region of Katanga, with the aid of Belgian mercenaries -- and his body dissolved in acid.

Should the trial go ahead, Davignon would be the first Belgian official to face justice in the 65 years since Lumumba's death.

A new closed‑door hearing will now pit the parties' lawyers against each other.

If the court decision is upheld, Davignon's trial would take place at the earliest in January 2027, according to Christophe Marchand, lawyer for Lumumba's children.

Report on the 'State of African Governance' Paints Mixed Picture for Continent's Political Outlook

Africa News

By Jerry Fisayo-Bambi

Governance, legitimacy, partnerships and global influence are set to shape Africa’s political outlook in 2026, according to a new flagship report released after a two-day high-level forum in Brussels.

The APO report, titled “Report on the State of African Governance: Forces of the Future”, examines political trends, governance challenges and stability prospects across the continent, presenting a forward-looking but fragile picture.

“We think there are positive trends in African governance, and we think we should expose it. We should talk about it,” said Viwanou Gnassounou, Chairman of APO’s Advisory Board. “When we do our reports, we point our fingers at those aspects on the continent where we think we can do much, much better. Definitely elections.

“Yes, there have been fair elections on the day of voting. But if you look at the whole process, there is a way of kicking out some of the candidates relatively legally, which does not make it a truly fair election,” he added. “If you want real legitimacy, and if you want your people to feel you represent them, make sure you don’t create frustration or a sense that you are not addressing their issues.”

The report notes that 15 elections are scheduled across Africa this year, posing a key test of whether countries can move toward more credible, peaceful and inclusive electoral processes.

At the forum’s Grand Dialogue, leaders and policymakers described a fragmented international environment in which geopolitical tensions are reshaping alliances and priorities. They stressed, however, that the current moment also offers opportunities for reform and progress.

Zambian Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe said the continent must “have skin in the game” by embracing reform. “For us to move away from business as usual and speak on governance issues and the management of affairs in our respective countries in a way that opens up to the ideas we are putting forward, we must speak with one voice,” he said. “It doesn’t help for me in Zambia to say one thing and in Benin there is a different language being spoken. We have to speak with one voice, with one accord. And of course, we also have to understand that partnerships are crucial.”

Guinea’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Ismael Nabe, said that while reports are important, the country’s recent experience shows how discipline, good governance and the rule of law can drive change. “The last three or four years have been great years for us based on discipline and good governance and rule of law,” he said. Guinea has developed a 15-year economic blueprint built on five main pillars and a set of enabling measures, he added.

On Africa’s position in global affairs, the report finds the continent is more consequential to international decision-making than at any time since independence. However, it cautions that being consequential is not the same as being influential, and urges governments and institutions to make choices firmly aligned with Africa’s own interests.

The report depicts a continent under pressure but also in transition. While governance challenges are intensifying, the demand for reform is also growing, particularly among younger populations who are increasingly vocal, driving change and reshaping political debates across Africa.

Reporting by Jerry Fisayo-Bambi for Africanews.

Senegal Distances Itself from AU Support for Macky Sall at the UN

By Africa News

Macky Sall

The Senegalese government has not endorsed Macky Sall's candidacy for UN Secretary-General, despite AU support.

The Permanent Mission of Senegal to the African Union informed the AU Commission on Friday that the Senegalese government has at no stage endorsed the candidacy of former president Macky Sall for the post of Secretary-General of the United Nations, even as the continental organization was calling for African solidarity around this bid.

Senegal distanced itself from Sall's bid amid diplomatic rivalries over the selection of Guterres' successor.

A note from the Senegalese mission on 27 March 2026 stated that the government had never endorsed the candidacy and was not involved, despite the AU's draft decision on 26 March, which supported Sall's bid based on his experience and leadership.

Senegal’s foreign minister said he wasn't consulted, revealing a disconnect.

Sall, the ex-president from 2012-2024, has faced political tensions since leaving office.

The former head of state is accused of having repressed violent political demonstrations that resulted in dozens of deaths during his last years in office.

Senegal's current government additionally accuses Sall of having concealed the true extent of the country's substantial debt.

An IMF team has confirmed that officials made false statements regarding budget deficits and public debt for the period of 2019–2023.

The race to succeed Guterres includes candidates like Michelle Bachelet (support waning), Rafael Grossi, and Rebeca Grynspan.

The Security Council will recommend a candidate to the General Assembly, which will vote from 20 April, with Guterres’ term ending in December 2026.

Moroccan Court Jails Rapper Who Has Criticized Ties with Israel and Corruption

7:11 AM EDT, March 28, 2026

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — A Moroccan court sentenced a rapper known for his criticism of the country’s ties with Israel and government corruption to eight months in prison, the latest in a string of penalties against young musical artists.

Souhaib Qabli’s songs sharply criticize Morocco’s 2020 decision to normalize ties with Israel in an accord brokered by the first Trump administration. His lyrics also call out problems with public services and restrictions on freedom of speech, grievances also voiced by Morocco’s Gen Z protesters last year.

The judge ruled Thursday that Souhaib Qabli, a 23-year-old rapper, was guilty of insulting a constitutional body, his attorney Mohamed Taifi told The Associated Press. Qabli, who is a member of Al Adl Wal Ihsane, a banned but tolerated Islamist association, was also fined $106.

“The court did not clarify what it meant by a constitutional body. No specific party was identified in the case file, and there are many constitutional institutions,” Taifi said.

Taifi said that his client is appealing the verdict. He also said Qabli was cleared of other charges, including insulting public officials and disseminating false allegations.

Before the public hearing, dozens of supporters gathered outside the court in Taza, a city in north-central Morocco about 162 miles (261 kilometers) from the capital Rabat, holding banners calling for Qabli’s release. Rights groups in the North African kingdom have described the case as a political measure aimed at curbing freedoms.

Qabli, known by the stage name L7assal, was arrested earlier this month and remained in custody until the court delivered its verdict. He was studying refrigeration and air conditioning at a vocational training institute in addition to his music career.

His attorney said that in court, Qabli was questioned about his songs and social media posts. Qabli said he had no intent to insult any constitutional body and was expressing his views through rap.

His songs include one titled “No to the Normalization,” referring to Morocco’s decision to normalize ties with Israel in the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, in exchange for Washington’s recognition of Morocco’s claim to the disputed Western Sahara territory.

The move was criticized by Morocco’s vocal pro-Palestinian supporters and sparked large protests in several cities. While authorities allowed the rallies, they have arrested activists who criticized the decision.

Morocco’s constitution generally guarantees freedom of expression, and the country is seen as relatively moderate compared to others in the Middle East. Yet certain types of speech can still trigger criminal charges, and Morocco has seen tightening restrictions on dissent, including against journalists and activists.

Africa is Hurting Again from a Global Crisis it Had No Part in Starting

By OPE ADETAYO

2:32 AM EDT, March 28, 2026

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Lagos taxi driver Adegbola Isaac went to the gas station twice last weekend. Each time, the price in the Nigerian city had climbed further and hit 1,350 naira ($0.99) per liter, a nearly 35% increase since the Iran war started. That’s wiped out most of his daily profit.

“It is hitting hard,” Isaac told The Associated Press.

Like many people across the world, Isaac is one of millions across Africa who are reeling from the economic impacts of the faraway conflict in the Middle East, which began Feb. 28 with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

For many Africans, the fuel price hike because of the Strait of Hormuz being largely closed off worsens the hardships they already struggle with in some of the world’s poorest households.

The latest shock also isn’t isolated.

Africa is hurting again from another global crisis it had no part in starting.

From the COVID-19 pandemic to the war in Ukraine and now the Middle East conflict, the world’s fastest-growing continent — with a population rivaling China and India — is at the painful end of ripple effects that include a global scramble for critical resources like fuel and fertilizer.

With the majority of African countries being net importers of refined oil products, the impact has been swift, leading to rising retail fuel prices in Africa and associated increases in the costs of most goods and services.

Experts say African countries are critically integrated into global economies and are exposed to global shocks because of their dependence on major economies.

The United Nations on Friday said it is pursuing a way to allow fertilizer to resume safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, hoping it would build confidence in wider diplomatic efforts around the Iran war.

Africa is the epicenter of crises

According to a 2025 report by U.N. Trade and Development, or UNCTAD, which describes Africa as “the epicenter of overlapping global crises,” more than half of the continent’s imports and exports are with five non-African countries.

All of Kenya’s fuel comes from the Middle East, particularly from the United Arab Emirates, with its fuel retailers saying 20% of the country’s outlets are already affected. Uganda’s fuel stock was initially projected to last a few weeks.

South Africa sources a significant amount of its fuel from Saudi Arabia. Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, lacks local refinery capacity and relies on importing refined crude products from Europe.

Adapting to higher prices

In Zimbabwe, health labor workers protested in favor of an increase in wages as the cost of living rose sharply. In response, the government plans to increase the blending of fuel with ethanol, from the current 5% to 20% ethanol blending. The blend poses a danger to cars, and a higher blend contributes to the emission of pollutants.

“I now avoid going into town during peak hours because the fares are too high,” said Washington Nyakarize, an informal cellphone trader who works in Harare’s Central Business District. “If I go later, the charge is a bit lower, but I lose business, because most customers come early in the morning.”

After South Africa’s fuel supplies from Saudi Arabia dropped, diesel-dependent industries started to panic-buy, fearing the worst. That is despite the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, or DMPR, saying the country still has untapped strategic reserves and diversified supply routes.

War is likely to impact more than fuel

Access to fertilizer across Africa, including conflict-wracked countries like Sudan and Somalia, is set to be impacted, according to UNCTAD.

Kenya’s flower industry also has reported weekly losses of up to $1.4 million since the Iran war began, with growers attributing the losses to a decline in demand and shipping disruptions.

Experts say the war could further put Africa in uncharted territory if it lasts longer.

“If the conflict persists for another month or two, honestly, we’re going to be in unknown terrain, that no one else, like, no one can really predict, and we just have to wait and see,” said Zainab Usman, a senior research scholar at the New York-based Center on Global Energy Policy.

Governments scramble for alternatives

With the global squeeze in oil supply, African governments have begun to look for alternative routes for supplies.

Bloomberg reported this week that several countries including South Africa, Kenya and Ghana have reached out to Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery for fuel deals.

While it regularly exports jet fuel used in aircraft to the U.S. and Asia, the Dangote refinery this week announced that it completed the sale of 12 shipments of refined petroleum products to several African countries, including Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana and Togo, a first at that scale since reaching full capacity earlier this year.

Energy experts say the Dangote refinery could be challenged in meeting growing demands for its products if its planned expansion is slowed down or if there are disruptions to its crude oil supply.

“As long as there is a steady supply of crude oil, the (Dangote) refinery has the capacity to meet some of the needs” from across the continent, according to Olufola Wusu, a Lagos-based oil and gas expert who was part of a team that helped review Nigeria’s national gas policy.

___

Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Farai Mutsaka in Harare, Zimbabwe, contributed to this report.

Landslides Triggered by Heavy Rainfall Kill at Least 20 People in Tanzania

3:35 PM EDT, March 27, 2026

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP) — Landslides triggered by heavy rainfall have killed at least 20 people in southern Tanzania in recent days, authorities said, as the death toll from across the wider East African region continues to rise.

Rainfall and high winds caused landslides that destroyed houses early Wednesday in the Mbeya region, said Jaffar Haniu, administrator for the Rungwe district where the landslides happened.

“The death toll now stands at 20,” he told reporters. “One victim is a very young child, a year and a half old.”

He said meteorologists predict more rainfall in the days ahead, and urged residents of landslide-prone areas to evacuate.

In neighboring Kenya, which experiences seasonal flooding each year, at least 88 people have been killed. Flooding events have affected 21 counties and at least two rivers have burst their banks since heavy rains started earlier this month.

But the scale and intensity of the current crisis have renewed concerns about disaster preparedness and the vulnerability of communities living near rivers and flood-prone areas. The military was deployed to assist emergency rescue services.

In southern Ethiopia, at least 80 people were killed in landslides earlier in March.

Last month, the Climate Prediction and Applications Centre of a regional bloc known as IGAD said the March-May rainy season has a 45% chance of above-average rainfall across most countries in the region, with affected countries ranging from Uganda to Djibouti.

A Boat Packed with Migrants that Capsized off Djibouti Left at Least 9 Dead and 45 Missing

11:43 AM EDT, March 27, 2026

GENEVA (AP) — A boat packed with migrants capsized off the coast of Djibouti on the way to Yemen this week, the U.N. migration agency said Friday. At least nine people died and another 45 are missing after the shipwreck.

The tragedy was the latest in a series of shipwrecks between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula that have over the past few years killed several thousand African migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in hopes of reaching wealthy Gulf Arab countries.

The boat had left from the Djibouti port town of Obock with more than 300 people were on board and was trying to cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait when it went down on Tuesday, the International Organization for Migration said.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz — Tehran’s chokehold in the ongoing Iran war — are on opposite sides of the Arabian Peninsula.

A search continues for possible survivors, said Tanja Pacifico, IOM’s chief of mission in Djibouti.

“The sea is very rough, and there were also strong winds,” Pacifico told a regular U.N. press briefing in Geneva by video. “This route is known to be a very deadly one.”

She said that testimonies from the survivors described “an extremely heavy load for the boat.”

The shipwreck was the first this year in the area, Pacifico said. Last year, more than 900 migrants died or went missing on the route, the highest toll on record on the strait, the IOM said.

The passage typically lures tens of thousands of migrants from Africa “in search of safety and economic opportunities,” the agency said.

UNICEF Says Iran War Means More Children Will Suffer in Somalia

By OMAR FARUK

7:59 AM EDT, March 27, 2026

DOLLOW, Somalia (AP) — The sound of a crying child is a sign of hope in a crowded displacement camp in southern Somalia — the most malnourished children are too weak to even cry.

For the mothers in the Ladan camp in the town of Dollow, survival is the only thing on their minds — not the Iran war or how UNICEF gets the supplies to keep the place running. The displaced here have fled the drought that has ravaged swaths of this Horn of Africa nation after four failed rain seasons.

Their crops and livestock devastated, they show up at the camp, often with nothing but their children.

Aid workers at Ladan say the raging war in the Middle East — more than 3,000 kilometers (1,800 miles) away — has made their work harder, disrupting supplies and sending fuel costs soaring.

Raising the alarm

UNICEF says it has $15.7 million worth of lifesaving supplies — including therapeutic food, vaccines, and mosquito nets — in transit or being prepared for delivery to Somalia. But those shipments now are uncertain.

Transport costs could rise by 30% to 60%, and even double on some routes, while delays caused by rerouting and backlog become more likely, the U.N. agency says.

During a visit to Dollow on Wednesday, Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s executive director, said the Iran war has been a “shock to the system” for the agency’s work on the ground in Somalia.

“It means that we can’t get supplies in as easily, and that fuel costs are really high,” she said. “It’s another problem that we have to try to deal with, and it means that more and more children will suffer.”

At the same time, more than 400 health and nutrition facilities have closed over the past year across Somalia, due mainly to U.S. funding cuts, leaving many communities without access to support. Aid agencies warn more closures could follow.

All those issues have compounded the situation in Laden, where hunger threatens especially the youngest.

“What we’re seeing is that children are really on the edge already,” Russell said.

Grim numbers

In Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital, the government warned last month that nearly 6.5 million people — out of the population of more than 20 million — face severe hunger as the drought worsens and conflict and global aid cuts intensify the country’s crisis.

The humanitarian needs are just the tip of the iceberg as the Somali government grapples with its long-running war against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militant group, fighting to reclaim territory from the extremists.

The latest data from a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global hunger monitoring group, estimates that 1.84 million children under the age of 5 in Somalia are expected to suffer acute malnutrition in 2026.

Fending for their lives

In Ladan, spread across the town’s dusty outskirts, rows of makeshift shelters stretch under the harsh sun, fragile structures of plastic sheets and torn fabric held together by sticks and thorn branches. The camp is home to about 4,500 households.

“We just want our children to survive,” said Shamso Nur Hussein, a 20-year-old widow with three children. She fled their village in the Bakool region after losing all her farm animals.

Her cooking hearth at the camp — three stones and ash — was cold, with no sign of a recent fire.

“Since morning we have only had black tea,” she told The Associated Press at the camp.

At the hospital in Dollow, mothers sat shoulder to shoulder on narrow beds holding frail children, some too weak to cry while others let out soft whimpers.

Liban Roble, a nutrition program coordinator, said the hospital used to see mainly “moderate cases.”

“Now we are receiving children in extremely critical condition — severely malnourished, weak, and in some cases almost skeletal,” he said.

Supplies running low

Roble said the hospital has only supplies to treat the malnourished “until mid-April or the end of April.”

“If new stock doesn’t arrive, more children will deteriorate and potentially die,” he said.

At Ladan’s nutrition center, health workers weighed children and dispensed a peanut-based paste, squeezing it into the children’s mouths.

It’s a lifeline, a means to prevent rapid decline of the malnourished children, nurse Abdimajid Adan Hussein said.

“Their weakened bodies make them vulnerable to pneumonia, diarrhea and other illnesses,” Hussein said.

Community leaders say support is already falling short.

“We used to receive assistance from humanitarian agencies, but that stopped in September 2025,” said Abdifatah Mohamed Osman, Ladan’s deputy chairman. “Now the little support we get is mainly therapeutic food for malnourished children.”

The War in Iran Sparks a Global Fertilizer Shortage and Threatens Food Prices

By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL and ALLAN OLINGO

4:39 PM EDT, March 27, 2026

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Farmers around the world are feeling the squeeze of the Iran war. Gas prices have shot up and fertilizer supplies are waning due to Tehran’s near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli bombing.

The fertilizer shortage is putting the livelihood of farmers in developing countries — already troubled by rising temperatures and erratic weather systems — further at risk, and could lead to people everywhere paying more for food.

The poorest farmers in the Northern Hemisphere rely on fertilizer imports from the Gulf, and the shortage comes just as planting season begins, said Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program.

“In the worst case, this means lower yields and crop failures next season. In the best case, higher input costs will be included in food prices next year.”

Baldev Singh, a 55-year-old rice farmer in Punjab, India, says smallholders — the bulk of the country’s farmers — may not survive if the government cannot subsidize fertilizers when demand peaks in June.

“Right now, we are waiting and hoping,” he said.

The war halts supplies of key nutrients

Iran is seriously limiting shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage that usually handles about a fifth of the world’s oil shipments and nearly a third of global fertilizer trade.

On Friday Iranian ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Ali Bahreini said Tehran has accepted a request from the U.N to let humanitarian aid and agricultural shipments move through the critical waterway, even as it endured strikes on its nuclear facilities.

The aid plan would be the first breakthrough at the shipping chokepoint after a month of war. While markets and governments have largely focused on blocked supplies of oil and natural gas, the restriction of fertilizer threatens farming and food security around the world.

Nitrogen and phosphate — two major fertilizer nutrients — are under immediate threat from the blockade.

Supplies of nitrogen including urea, the most widely traded fertilizer that helps plants grow and boosts yields, are the hardest hit because of shipping delays and the soaring price of liquefied natural gas — an essential ingredient.

The conflict has restricted about 30% of global urea trade, said Chris Lawson of CRU Group, a London-based commodities consultancy.

Some countries are already facing critical shortages, according to Raj Patel, a food systems economist at the University of Texas. For example, Ethiopia gets over 90% of its nitrogen fertilizer from the Gulf through Djibouti, a supply route that was strained even before the war began in February.

“The planting season is now,” Patel said. “The fertilizer isn’t there.”

Phosphate supplies, which support root development, are also under pressure. Saudi Arabia produces about a fifth of the world’s phosphate fertilizer, and the region exports more than 40% of the world’s sulfur, a key ingredient and byproduct of oil and gas refining, Lawson said.

Even after the war ends, producers in the Gulf would need clear security guarantees before resuming shipments through the strait, and insurance costs would almost certainly rise, said Owen Gooch, an analyst with London-based Argus Consulting Services.

In India, the government has prioritized urea supplies for domestic use and provides fertilizer manufacturers with about 70% of their natural gas needs. Some plants are still running below capacity, leading to lower output.

“The food system is fragile, and it depends on stable fertilizer supply chains to ensure farmers can produce the food the world relies on,” said Hanna Opsahl-Ben Ammar of Yara International, one of the world’s largest fertilizer companies.

Shortages hit at a critical time

Fertilizers are generally applied just before or at planting, so crops miss key early growth stages and yields can fall when deliveries are delayed, even if supplies improve later.

The impact is already being felt in the United States and Europe, where the main planting season is underway, and it is expected to hit the first planting season in much of Asia in the coming months.

“Our crops out in the field need nitrogen now — the sooner the better — so they can get off to a good start, helping them establish themselves and build up reserves for the harvest later this summer,” said Dirk Peters, an agricultural engineer who runs a farm outside Berlin.

Fertilizer prices are below the peaks seen after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but grain prices were higher then, helping farmers absorb the costs, said Joseph Glauber of the International Food Policy Research Institute. Grain prices are lower now meaning margins are tighter and farmers may have to switch to less fertilizer-intensive crops — such as soybeans in the U.S. — or apply less fertilizer, reducing yields. Lower yields can lead to higher consumer prices.

Other nations likely won’t make up the shortfall. China, the world’s largest producer of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers, is prioritizing domestic supply, and urea shipments probably won’t resume until May, Lawson said. Plants in Russia, another major producer, are already running near full capacity, he said.

Developing nations are vulnerable

The disruptions are already being felt across Africa, where many farmers rely on fertilizer imported from the Middle East and Russia.

Early heavy rains in East Africa have left farmers with about a week of dry weather to prepare fields and apply fertilizer, said Stephen Muchiri, a Kenya maize farmer and CEO of the Eastern African Farmers Federation, which represents 25 million smallholders.

Fertilizer shortages and price hikes hit farmers hard, forcing them to use less and leading to reduced yields. Even short delays can reduce maize yields by about 4% in a season, Patel said, citing research from Zambia.

Governments can intervene by applying subsidies, promoting domestic production and controlling exports.

India already subsidizes fertilizer to ease the financial strain on farmers, but those subsidies leave less money for long-term farming investments. It has budgeted $12.7 billion this year for urea subsidies alone, according to the U.S.-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

Efforts to produce domestic urea have increased India’s dependence on imported gas, and excessive urea use has harmed local soil, said Purva Jain of IEEFA, who supports the use of organic fertilizers.

Less reliance on imported fertilizers could protect farmers and consumers from energy price swings and climate shocks, said Oliver Oliveros, executive coordinator of the Agroecology Coalition.

“This could be a turning point,” he said.

___

Olingo reported from Nairobi, Kenya. Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Kerstin Sopke in Berlin contributed.

Hezbollah Hits New Record of 94 Operations Against Israeli Occupation

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Islamic Resistance in Lebanon Military Media

Hezbollah continues to defend southern Lebanon, destroying multiple Israeli Merkava tanks and striking key military sites in Tel Aviv

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah continues to ambush Israeli military armored platoons across multiple sectors in southern Lebanon, announcing that its fighters hit dozens of tanks on Thursday.

With a new record number of military operations, the Resistance continues to defend Lebanon and its people under Operation Devoured Straw, in response to the Israeli aggression targeting dozens of villages, homes, and cities, particularly in South Lebanon, the Bekaa, and Beirut's Southern Suburb. 

On Wednesday, the Israeli occupation intensified its attempted land invasion of southern Lebanon, attempting to advance through the sectors of al-Qawzah and al-Qantara. Israeli occupation forces were ambushed by the Resistance across all fronts, as Hezbollah announced yesterday a record number of operations, 87. 

The Resistance's efforts to repel Israeli aggression continued through Thursday, when anti-armor units targeted Israeli Merkava tanks in Deir Seryan, al-Qantara, Debl, and al-Taybeh. 

Tactical ballistic missiles were also fired at multiple Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv, including the Security Ministry's headquarters, HaKirya.

Following is the list of operations carried out on Thursday, March 26, 2026:

Merkava hits, gatherings struck, direct confrontations

At 1:30 am, Hezbollah's fighters engaged an Israeli force in close-quarters combat, near Deir Seryan's school and hospital.

At 1:50 am, the Resistance hit an Israeli Merkava tank, positioned near Deir Seryan's farm pond, using a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).

At 2:20 am, Hezbollah fighters ambushed an advancing Israeli force near the same pond, engaging the force in close-quarter combat and targeting another Merkava tank with an RPG.

At 2:30 am, on the road linking al-Taybeh to al-Qantara, a Merkava tank was hit by an ATGM.

At 3:00 am, Hezbollah fighters ambushed an advancing Israeli force near al-Qantara's Mosque.

At 3:00 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles and soldiers near the municipality of the border town of al-Khiam.

At 3:15 am, another Merkava tank was hit in al-Qantara via an ATGM.

At 3:40 am, the Resistance hit another Merkava tank near the technical school in the same town. A military helicopter attempted to evacuate casualties from the town; however, Hezbollah fighters fired a Man-Portable Air-Defense System (MANPAD) at it, forcing it to retreat.

At 4:35 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles and soldiers near the reservoir in the town of al-Qantara.

At 5:00 am, a Merkava tank was hit in the town of Debl by an ATGM.

At 5:00 am, Hezbollah’s fighters engaged an Israeli force in close-quarters combat with light and medium weapons at point-blank range in the city of al-Khiam, achieving confirmed hits.

At 5:06 am, the Resistance hit a Merkava tank in al-Qantara with an ATGM, this time positioned near the town's technical school.

At 5:15 am, a Merkava tank was near the technical school, raising the total number of tanks hit in al-Qantara to five.

Concurrently, three Merkava tanks were hit in the town of Deir Seryan with ATGMs. At the time of the statement's release, Hezbollah said that five tanks were hit in total in Deir Seryan alone.

At 5:30 am, a Merkava tank was hit in Dibl with an ATGM.

At 6:00 am, three Merkava tanks were hit on the al-Muhaysbat hilltop in al-Taybeh, via ATGMs.

At 6:30 am, a Merkava tank was hit near the technical school in al-Qantara, raising the number of confirmed hits to six.

At 6:40 am, Hezbollah fighters hit the seventh Merkava tank with an ATGM in al-Qantara, this time positioned near the town's water tower.

At the same time, the Resistance targeted an assembly point of Israeli troops and armored vehicles in al-Qawzah with a salvo of rockets.

At 7:00 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched artillery shells at a gathering of Israeli soldiers on the Jnejl height in the town of al-Qantara.

At 7:05 am, the Resistance hit the eighth Merkava tank in al-Qantara, near the water tower, with an ATGM.

At 10:50 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on an Israeli army gathering at the Ras al-Naqoura site.

At 11:40 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers near the reservoir in the town of al-Qantara for the second time.

At 11:50 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers on the Jnejl height in the town of al-Qantara for the second time.

At 11:55 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers on the Jnejl height in the town of al-Qantara for the third time.

At 12:30 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank in the town of al-Qantara with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a hostile helicopter over Kfarkila with a surface-to-air missile, forcing it to retreat.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank in the town of al-Qantara with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 2:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank in the town of al-Qantara with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 2:10 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched artillery shells at a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the border town of Marun al-Ras.

At 2:30 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank in the town of al-Qantara with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 2:50 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters struck two Merkava tanks in the town of Deir Seryan with guided missiles, achieving confirmed hits.

At 3:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles and soldiers near the pond of the town of Debl, at the entrance to Wadi al-Oyoun.

At 3:45 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles at the Jal al-Deir site, opposite the border town of Aytaroun.

At 4:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles near the settlement of al-Malkiyya.

At 4:20 pm, Hezbollah targeted gatherings of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the square of the town of al-Qantara and its surroundings with successive rocket barrages and artillery shells.

At 4:30 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted three Merkava tanks and a D9 bulldozer in the town of al-Qantara with guided missiles, achieving confirmed hits.

At 4:40 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles and soldiers in the Al-Jami’ neighborhood of the border town of al-Naqoura.

At 6:00 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the settlement of Shomera with a rocket barrage.

At the same time, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the settlement of Shtula with a swarm of drones.

Also at 6:00 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the town of Qantara with a rocket barrage.

At 6:15 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the border town of Al-Qawzah with a rocket barrage and artillery shells.

At 6:25 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the town of Debl with a swarm of attack drones.

At 7:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank between the al-Muhaysabat height and al-Qantara with a direct-fire missile, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 7:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched artillery shells at a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles near the settlement of al-Malkiyya for the second time.

At 8:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters engaged an Israeli force in close-quarters combat with light and medium weapons and rocket-propelled grenades in the town of al-Naqoura, achieving confirmed hits, with clashes ongoing.

At 8:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles in the border town of al-Naqoura.

At 8:50 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched artillery shells at a newly established helicopter landing site in Beidar al-Fuq’ani in the town of al-Taybeh.

At 9:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the border town of al-Naqoura for the second time.

At 9:45 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank on the Shummar height in the border town of al-Naqoura with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 9:50 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles at the Al-Malkiya site with a rocket barrage.

At 10:50 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the city of Al-Khiam with artillery shells.

At 11:20 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles at the Metula site with a rocket barrage.

Concurrently, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the vicinity of Al-Khiam detention center with a rocket barrage.

Again at 11:20 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the town of Al-Qawzah with a guided missile, achieving a direct hit.

At 11:40 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles at the Misgav Am site with a rocket barrage.

Rocket attack, drone strikes

Hezbollah also responded to Israeli bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon by firing several tactical ballistic missiles at Israeli Security Ministry headquarters and a site affiliated with the Military Intelligence Directorate in Tel Aviv. Drones and rocket-artillery were also launched at targets in northern occupied Palestine.

At 1:10 am, Hezbollah fired tactical ballistic missiles at the HaKirya, which houses the Israeli War Ministry, and the Dolphin Base, which hosts the Military Intelligence Directorate.

At 3:10 am, a salvo of rockets was fired at the settlement of Misgav Am near the border. 

At 5:20 am, a salvo of rockets was fired at the al-Aabbad military site, opposite the border town of Houla. 

At 6:00 am, the Resistance fired a salvo of rockets at the Dado Base, hosting the headquarters of the Northern Command, north of the occupied city of Safad.

At 6:15 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Manara.

At 7:30 am, a swarm of one-way attack drones was launched toward the settlement of Metulla on the border.

At 9:00 am, a swarm of drones was launched at the Poria Base, west of Tabarayya Lake, targeting Iron Dome launchers and installations.

At 9:15 am, the Resistance fired a salvo of rockets at the city settlement of Kiryat Shmona.

At the same time, a salvo of rockets was fired at the settlement of Manara, near the border.

At 10:20 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones targeting the Tifon base, east of the occupied city of Akka.

At 10:20 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket barrage targeting the settlement of Nahariya.

At 10:50 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones targeting the Lehman barracks north of the settlement of Nahariya.

At 10:50 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones on an Israeli army gathering at the newly established Nimr al-Jamal site, opposite the border town of Alma al-Shaab.

At 12:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a precision rocket strike on the Krayot area, north of the occupied city of Haifa.

At 12:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the Adather (Jabal Adir) site.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones targeting an Israeli army logistics base in the settlement of Karm Ben Zimra in Upper Galilee.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones targeting the Lehman barracks north of the settlement of Nahariya for the second time.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Avivim.

At 1:25 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Shtula.

At 1:40 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Malkiyya.

At 2:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Netu'a.

At 2:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Malkiyya for the second time.

At 2:25 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Malkiyya for the third time.

At 2:30 pm, the Resistance targeted the industrial zone in the settlement of Rosh Pina with a rocket barrage.

At 3:10 pm, Resistance fighters targeted Israeli military infrastructure in the occupied city of Safad with a rocket barrage.

At 3:40 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Malkiyya for the fourth time.

At 4:05 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Nahariya for the second time.

At 4:25 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Nahariya for the third time.

At 5:00 pm, Hezbollah targeted Israeli enemy artillery positions in Odem in the occupied Syrian Golan with a swarm of attack drones.

At 5:20 pm, Hezbollah targeted Israeli enemy artillery positions in Mi’ilya, west of the settlement of Ma’alot-Tarshiha, with a swarm of attack drones.

At 5:30 pm, Hezbollah targeted infrastructure belonging to the Israeli enemy army in the settlement of Katzrin in the occupied Syrian Golan with a rocket barrage.

At 7:10 pm, Hezbollah targeted Israeli enemy artillery positions in the settlement of Elon with a swarm of attack drones.

At 8:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Kiryat Shmona for the second time.

At 9:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a precision rocket strike on the Haifa naval base and the Ze’ev air defense base in the occupied city of Haifa.

At 9:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a precision rocket strike on the Eliakim base, which houses training camps of the Israeli army’s Northern Command, and on the Tivon base east of the occupied city of Akka.

At 9:10 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Nahariya for the fourth time.

At 10:35 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli enemy artillery positions in the settlement of Kabri with a swarm of attack drones.

Hezbollah releases footage

Meanwhile, Hezbollah released footage of an earlier operation in which fighters targeted the Tivon base in Haifa with a squadron of one-way drones.

Iran Slams West’s ‘Whitewashing’ of Israeli Aggression in Lebanon

Thursday, 26 March 2026 8:15 PM

Hezbollah has announced the destruction of 13 Israeli Merkava tanks during clashes in southern Lebanon.

Tehran slams Western media outlets for whitewashing violations of international law in their coverage of Israel’s military atrocities in Lebanon.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has slammed Western media outlets for whitewashing violations of international law through their coverage of Israel’s military aggressions in Lebanon.

In a post on his X account on Thursday, Baghaei reacted to a report by The New York Times which indicated that Israel planned to expand its occupation of Lebanese territories.

On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that “Israel planned to expand the territory it controls in Lebanon, suggesting it might remain there beyond the fighting.”

Baghaei responded by saying, “Planning to expand the territory it controls is a euphemism for military aggression and illegal occupation in Lebanon.”

“This is how sanitized, politically correct journalism whitewashes violations of international law and conceals the brutal reality of atrocity, death and destruction on the ground,” he wrote.

Hezbollah on Thursday announced the destruction of 13 Israeli Merkava tanks during clashes in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese resistance group reported that several Israeli military targets were hit in the ongoing fighting across various fronts in southern Lebanon.

According to a statement from Hezbollah, the attacks took place on Thursday, targeting Israeli armored vehicles.

The group specifically highlighted the destruction of 9 Merkava tanks, including three in the western al-Taybeh area. Additionally, a military D9 bulldozer was also destroyed.

Hezbollah further detailed a series of attacks in which a total of 4 additional Merkava tanks and one D9 bulldozer were targeted and destroyed in the region of al-Taybeh. The statement indicated that these targets were struck by precision-guided missiles.

In a separate report, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for another missile strike in which an Israeli armored unit, advancing towards the village of al-Muhaysibat, was targeted. Four more Merkava tanks and another D9 bulldozer were destroyed in the attack.

The resistance group added that a series of missile strikes were also launched towards northern Israel, with approximately 10 rockets being fired from Lebanon. The missile barrage was reported by Yedioth Ahronoth, a major Israeli daily.

Qalibaf Rejects Trump’s Ultimatum, Says Iran Set for ‘Historic Victory’

Thursday, 26 March 2026 8:54 PM

Tehran residents rally in support of the armed forces and protest against the US-Israeli terrorist war on Iran in Revolution Square, braving heavy rain.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has responded firmly to US President Donald Trump's recent threats, asserting that “no one can issue ultimatums to Iran and Iranians.”

Qalibaf's statement in a tweet on Thursday came after Trump backtracked on a threat to “annihilate” Iranian power plants, reaffirming Iran’s resolve to protect its sovereignty and achieve a historic victory.

"The heroic people of Iran! Your 25 nights of presence in the streets and the sacrifices made by our armed forces have created the conditions for a historic victory for our dear Iran,” Qalibaf wrote.

“No one can issue ultimatums to Iran and Iranians. Your children will not let go of this opportunity until the complete victory is achieved and the vicious cycle of 'war–ceasefire–war' is broken."

Qalibaf’s remarks came following President Trump's latest threat of military action. The US leader had warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed unless Tehran lifted its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil chokepoint, by a set deadline.

This ultimatum was initially issued on Monday, March 23, with a deadline for action that was later pushed back to March 27.

Over the last 25 nights, millions of Iranians have rallied in the streets of the country in support of the Islamic Republic and in condemnation of the US-Israeli war of terrorism.

The mass demonstrations, marking a decades-long movement against foreign interference and imperialism, have become a symbol of Iran’s steadfast commitment to its sovereignty and the resistance against external pressures.

These public gatherings have bolstered national unity, reinforcing the message that the Iranian people will not tolerate foreign ultimatums or military threats.

Amid Trump's ultimatum, reports in Western media are speculating that American airborne forces could launch a ground invasion of Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.

A military source, cited by Tasnim news agency on Thursday, said that over one million Iranian troops are being organized for potential ground combat.

The source also revealed a surge of volunteers from young Iranians eager to participate in the defense of their country, particularly against any US ground invasion.

"Along with the organization of over one million ground troops, an overwhelming number of requests from Iranian youth are pouring into Basij, IRGC, and army recruitment centers to participate in this battle," the official was quoted as saying.

The source also addressed US tactics, saying, "The United States wants to open the Strait of Hormuz through suicide tactics and self-destruction; that's fine, we are ready for both—they can carry out their suicidal strategy, and the Strait will remain closed."

'Merkava Massacre': Hezbollah Destroys Nearly 100 Israeli Tanks—$6mn Each—in Weeks

Thursday, 26 March 2026 10:23 PM

Hezbollah fighters have in the past few weeks destroyed Merkava tanks on a daily basis.

Hezbollah resistance fighters destroyed at least 21 Israeli military Merkava tanks across southern Lebanon and northern occupied Palestine over 24 hours on Wednesday, in what is being described as a new "Merkava massacre."

By Thursday morning, the group reported achieving direct hits on at least 20 more Merkava tanks, bringing the total number of Merkava tanks taken out since March 2 to at least 73.

On Thursday, dozens more Merkava tanks were successfully targeted and destroyed by Hezbollah fighters, taking the total number close to 100, as per informed sources.

As per details released by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, the latest round of strikes on Thursday targeted Merkava tanks across multiple locations.

In Debel, three tanks were struck with guided missiles. In Al-Qantara, strikes hit Merkava tanks near the technical school, the vocational school, the reservoir, and the water tank, while three more were struck using attack drones.

In Taybeh, nearly a dozen Merkava tanks were hit with guided missiles. In Deir Siryan, four tanks were struck near the pond, and another was hit on the Taybeh-Al-Qantara road.

At the time of filing this report, the attacks were underway at multiple locations.

Many military pundits have described it as "Merkava massacre," a term that traces back to a similar operation during the 2006 war, when a small squad of Hezbollah fighters, reportedly just three men, destroyed at least 25 Merkava tanks and killed 34 Israeli occupation soldiers before they were forced to retreat from the area.

Military analysts also point to the stark economic disparity between the two sides' arsenals.

The guided missiles Hezbollah deployed to target these tanks cost a few thousand dollars each, a mere fraction of the cost of the Merkava tanks. Each Merkava takes up to two years to produce and carries a price tag of approximately $6 million, according to reports.

The Lebanese resistance group's latest operation, which started earlier this month, came after more than a year of strategic patience during which the Israeli occupation continues to attack villages and towns in southern Lebanon in blatant breach of the ceasefire.

On Wednesday, the Lebanese movement carried out a record 87 operations against the Israeli military sites in the occupied territories, using both missiles and drones.

Iran and the US Harden Their Positions Over Talks to End the Nearly Month-old War

By JON GAMBRELL and DAVID RISING

8:40 PM EDT, March 26, 2026

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and the United States appeared at an impasse Thursday, hardening their positions over ceasefire talks and setting the stage for more potential escalation in the Middle East war as thousands more U.S. troops neared the region.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump extended his deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz to April 6, and Tehran tightened its grip on the crucial strait while Israel poured more troops into southern Lebanon to fight the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Sirens over Israel warned of barrages of incoming Iranian missiles, and Gulf nations worked to intercept fire. Heavy strikes were reported in Iran’s capital and other cities.

In a war that appears defined by who can take the most pain, the U.S. has offered shifting objectives, including ensuring Iran’s missile and nuclear programs are no longer a threat and ending Tehran’s support for armed groups in the region. Washington at one point also pushed for the overthrow of Iran’s theocracy.

While the U.S.-Israeli campaign has hit Iran’s military and government hard, killing top leaders and striking scores of targets, Iran continues to fire missiles, and there is no sign of an uprising against the government.

Surviving could be seen as victory for Iran

For Iran’s leadership, by contrast, merely outlasting the onslaught could be seen as victory. It may be hoping to get the U.S. to back down by roiling the world economy with its stranglehold on the the strait, which has disrupted oil and natural gas shipments and raised prices worldwide for energy and other goods.

Short of a negotiated solution, the U.S. would need a dramatic escalation to end Iran’s attacks and restore the free flow of goods through the strait, where 20% of all traded oil and natural gas is transported in peacetime. Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal put forth by the U.S., while putting forth its own demands.

Trump has vowed to strike Iran’s power plants if it does not fully reopen the strait. His new deadline pulls back on an earlier threat to bomb Iran’s energy plants if Tehran did not open the waterway.

Iran had threatened to retaliate against the region’s vital infrastructure, like desalination facilities, if Trump followed through. Trump said he was holding off on carrying out his threat because talks aimed at ending the conflict are going “very well.”

A Gulf Arab bloc said Thursday that Iran is now exacting tolls from ships to ensure their safe passage through the waterway.

Iran is operating Strait of Hormuz as ‘de facto toll booth’

Iran has been blocking ships from the strait that it perceives as linked to the U.S. and Israeli war effort, while letting through a trickle of others. Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday that Iran is allowing some oil tankers through as a sign of good faith for talks.

Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a bloc of six Gulf Arab nations, said Iran was charging for safe passage.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence called it a “de facto ‘toll booth’ regime,” saying that at least two vessels have paid in yuan, China’s currency.

Iran’s grip on the strait and relentless attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have sent Brent crude, the international standard, up more than 40% since the war started.

Israel said it killed the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s navy, Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, and the country’s naval intelligence chief, Behnam Rezaei. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tangsiri was responsible for bombing operations that have blocked ships from crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the killings.

Trump says Iran needs to ‘get serious’ about negotiations

Using Pakistan as an intermediary, Washington has delivered to Iran a 15-point “action list,” Trump envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed Thursday, calling it a framework for a possible peace deal. Witkoff said there were “strong signs” the U.S. could “convince Iran that this is the inflection point, with no good alternatives for them other than more death and destruction.”

A day after saying Iran wants to cut a deal, Trump posted on social media Thursday that Tehran needs to “get serious soon” on negotiating an end to the war “before it is too late.”

Press TV, the English-language broadcaster on Iranian state television, said Iran has its own five-point proposal, which includes reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview on state TV that his government has not engaged in talks to end the war and does not plan to. He said the U.S. had tried to send messages to Iran through other nations, “but that is not a conversation nor a negotiation.”

Egypt is also acting as a go-between, according to Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who said Thursday that his country sees a desire from both sides “for calm, for the exploration of negotiations.”

As the diplomatic efforts went on, a group of ships, including the USS Tripoli, drew closer to the Mideast with some 2,500 Marines. Also, at least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne — trained to land in hostile territory to secure key territory and airfields — have been ordered to the region.

A wave of Israeli airstrikes hits as Iran fires on Israel and Gulf neighbors

The Israeli army said Thursday it had deployed the 162nd Division into southern Lebanon, joining thousands of troops that already have moved there since the war erupted. Israel says the open-ended invasion is aimed at protecting its northern border towns from Hezbollah attacks and uprooting the militant group from the area.

Israel also said it carried out a wave of attacks targeting Iranian infrastructure early Thursday. Heavy strikes were also reported around Isfahan, home to a major Iranian air base and other military sites, as well as one of Iran’s nuclear sites.

Witnesses told The Associated Press that power was out in some areas of Iran’s capital Tehran. Witnesses had earlier reported the sounds of heavy strikes and fighter jets overhead.

Loud booms could be heard across Israel as it was repeatedly targeted by barrages from Iran. Israel’s emergency service said a man in his 30s was killed near the northern coastal city of Nahariya after a wave of strikes that came from Lebanon. In the United Arab Emirates, two people were reported killed by shrapnel from a missile interception over Abu Dhabi.

Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Thursday that the army needs another 15,000 soldiers, roughly half of them combat troops, to be at full strength for its multiple missions. Israel can call up tens of thousands of reservists, but repeated deployments have drawn pushback, with many citing exhaustion and financial strain.

Since the war began, more than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran, Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian told Al Jazeera.

Eighteen people have died in Israel, while three Israeli soldiers have also been killed in Lebanon. At least 13 American troops have been killed. More than a dozen civilians in the occupied West Bank and Gulf Arab states have also died.

Authorities said more than 1,100 people have died in Lebanon. In Iraq, where Iranian-supported militant groups have entered the conflict, 80 members of the security forces have been killed.

___

Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Julia Frankel, Koral Saeed and Sam Metz in Jerusalem, Rod McGuirk in Melbourne, Australia, Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Giovanna Dell’Orto in Miami contributed to this report.

UN Calls for Reparations to Remedy the ‘Historical Wrongs’ of Trafficking Enslaved Africans

By EDITH M. LEDERER

3:38 PM EDT, March 25, 2026

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations as “a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs.”

The resolution also urges “the prompt and unhindered restitution” of cultural items — including artworks, monuments, museum pieces, documents and national archives — to their countries of origin without charge.

The vote in the 193-member world body was 123-3, with 52 abstentions. Argentina, Israel and the United States were the three members voting against the resolution. The United Kingdom and all 27 members of the European Union were among those that abstained.

While the United States opposes the past wrongdoing of the transatlantic slave trade and all other forms of slavery, it “does not recognize a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred,” deputy U.S. ambassador Dan Negrea said before the vote.

“The United States also strongly objects to the resolution’s attempt to rank crimes against humanity in any type of hierarchy,” he said. “The assertion that some crimes against humanity are less severe than others objectively diminishes the suffering of countless victims and survivors of other atrocities throughout history.”

In the United States, support for reparations gained momentum in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. However, the issue has been a difficult one and has been caught up in a broader conservative backlash over how race, history and inequality are handled in public institutions.

Unlike U.N. Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but are an important reflection of world opinion.

“Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice,” Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, a key architect of the resolution, said before the vote.

“The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting,” he said. “Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery.”

Mahama noted that the vote was taking place on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, honoring the memory of about 13 million African men, women and children enslaved over several centuries.

Diplomats applauded and some cheered the adoption of the resolution.

The history of slavery and “its devastating consequences and long-lasting impacts” must never be forgotten, said British acting U.N. Ambassador James Kariuki, speaking on behalf of mainly Western nations, including some that enslaved Africans.

Western nations are committed to tackling the root causes that persist today, he said, pointing to racial discrimination, racism, xenophobia and intolerance. He said “the scourge of modern slavery” also must be addressed — trafficking, forced labor, sexual exploitation and forced criminality.

Cyprus’ deputy U.N. ambassador, Gabriella Michaelidou, speaking on behalf of the EU, echoed the U.S. and U.K. on concerns about “the use of superlatives” that imply “a hierarchy among atrocity crimes.”

Michaelidou also cited the EU’s concern about the resolution’s “unbalanced interpretation of historical events” and legal references that are inaccurate or inconsistent with international law, including “suggestions of a retroactive application of international rules which was non-existent at the time and claims for reparations.”

The resolution “unequivocally condemns the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans, slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as the most inhumane and enduring injustice against humanity.”

In approving the resolution, the General Assembly affirms the importance of addressing the historical wrongs of slavery that promotes “justice, human rights, dignity and healing.”

The resolution calls on U.N. member nations to engage in talks “on reparatory justice, including a full and formal apology, measures of restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, guarantees of non-repetition and changes to laws, programs and services to address racism and systemic discrimination.”

It encourages voluntary contributions to promote education on the transatlantic slave trade and asks the African Union, the Caribbean Community and the Organization of American States to collaborate with U.N. bodies and other nations “on reparatory justice and reconciliation.”

What to Know as Africans Welcome UN Vote on Slavery Reparations

By CHINEDU ASADU

4:18 PM EDT, March 26, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly’s resolution on Wednesday declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations is being welcomed across Africa and among slave descendants and advocates of restorative justice.

At the same time, questions swirl over what the resolution means and what reparations could look like.

About 12 million Africans were forcefully taken by European nations from the 16th to the 19th century and enslaved on plantations that built wealth at the price of misery.

Here’s what to know about the U.N. resolution:

Ghana pushed for the resolution for ‘moral awareness’

Ghana sought the resolution that also urged “the prompt and unhindered restitution” of cultural items — including artwork, monuments, museum pieces, documents and national archives — to their countries of origin without charge.

Ghana foreign affairs minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the resolution “recognizes that even within (its) complexity, there are moments in history that stand apart ... To acknowledge this is not to diminish any other history; it is to deepen our collective moral awareness.”

Although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they are an important reflection of world opinion and are often referenced as the legal framework for causes.

In this case, the decision “marks an important step toward truth, justice and healing,” the African Union said in a statement.

A total of 123 member states voted in favor of the resolution, with three votes against it from Argentina, Israel and the United States. The United Kingdom and all 27 members of the European Union were among the 52 abstentions.

Speaking before the vote, deputy U.S. ambassador Dan Negrea said while the U.S. opposes the past wrongdoing of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and all other forms of slavery, it “does not recognize a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred.”

France through Sylvain Fournel, legal adviser for its U.N. mission, argued that the resolution “seems to establish a hierarchy among crimes against humanity,” an outcome that gives rise to “serious legal difficulties and runs the risk of creating a competition against historic tragedies.”

Africans and slave descendants have praised the resolution

The U.N. resolution is “an answer to the prayers of our kidnapped, oppressed and murdered ancestors,” said Erieka Bennett, founder of the Diaspora African Forum, a Ghana-based organization that connects people of African descent with their roots.

“This vote will energize our collective resolve to continue the fight for the dignity of African people and the liberation of our Motherland from the stranglehold of Western domination,” she added.

Nadege Anelka, a travel agent from the French overseas territory of Martinique in the Caribbean, moved to Benin and became a citizen under a 2024 law granting citizenship to those who can trace their lineage to the slave trade.

She described Wednesday’s resolution as “fantastic news” even if it does not mean much for her at this stage. “Having returned to Benin, I already feel like I have undergone my ‘journey of reparations’,” said Anelka, 58.

Gilles Olakounle Yabi, founder of WATHI, the West Africa Citizen Think Tank, said the resolution is “symbolic,” coming at a time when not many are eager to acknowledge the cost of slavery.

Yabi said the votes against the resolution and abstentions indicate that “it’s still not so clear that people recognize the immensity of the crimes that were committed.”

How should reparations be paid?

At a reparations summit in Ghana in 2023, participants from across the world tried to answer that by establishing a Global Reparation Fund to push for financial compensation as reparations.

However, as recently as a few years ago, Americans viewed the prospect of reparations mostly negatively. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2021 found that only about three in 10 U.S. adults said descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some way, such as being given land or money.

Some activists have said reparations should go beyond direct financial payments to also include developmental aid for countries, the return of colonized resources and the systemic correction of oppressive policies and laws.

Efforts made in the form of reparations must address “justice for those communities who have suffered from this abject, inhuman and serious practice,” said Elkory Sneiba with SOS Esclaves, an anti-slavery group in Mauritania.

Beverly Ochieng, a Senegal-based analyst at Control Risks Group, said it’s unlikely Western governments will set aside funds to pay for slavery.

“Some will argue that they have tried to develop former colonies and countries they exploited,” Ochieng said.

Olivette Otele, distinguished research professor of the Legacies and Memory of Slavery at SOAS, University of London, once wrote that advocates for reparations “hardly ever” seek only money. According to her, “their work is grounded in an understanding that the social, the political and the economic are bound together and must be addressed together, creating the possibility of a better world.”

___

Associated Press writers Mark Banchereau and Monika Pronczuk in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.

Police in Kenya Exhume at Least 33 Bodies from a Mass Grave

By NICHOLAS KOMU and ANDREW KASUKU

11:32 AM EDT, March 26, 2026

KERICHO, Kenya (AP) — Authorities in western Kenya said Thursday they have exhumed at least 33 bodies from a mass grave, and the remains were believed to have been transferred there from a hospital morgue.

Homicide detectives exhumed the remains of eight adults and 25 children as well as dismembered body parts packed in gunny sacks from a mass grave at a church-owned cemetery in the town of Kericho, according to authorities.

“We were able to establish that these were bodies transferred from Nyamira District Hospital to a private cemetery in Kericho,” Mohamed Amin, the head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, told reporters.

Amin said detectives want to find out whether the bodies were disposed legally after being removed from a morgue.

Under Kenyan law, hospitals and morgues are required to dispose bodies that are unclaimed for more than 14 days. The process requires authorization by court order.

Government pathologists conducted autopsies on Thursday to determine the cause of death. The bodies’ identities have not been revealed.

At least two people have been arrested.

Local media reported that unidentified people brought the bodies from elsewhere in a vehicle belonging to the government and hurriedly buried them. Some of the gravediggers are said to have alerted the police.

“We need authorities to conduct a thorough investigation,” said resident Brian Kibunja.

Another local, Samuel Moso, said authorities should “reveal if the government was involved or if a different group of people was behind the mass burial.”

This is the third major mass-grave incident in Kenya over the last three years.

In 2023 police uncovered hundreds of bodies buried in a forest in the Kenyan coastal region of Kilifi. The bodies were exhumed from mass graves linked to a religious leader who starved his followers to death.

In 2024, authorities recovered 9 bodies from a dumpsite in Nairobi, the capital.

The latest discovery coincides with growing concern among some Kenyans over rights abuses allegedly perpetrated by the police.

Missing Voices, a human rights group, has documented 125 extrajudicial killings and 6 enforced disappearances over the last year in Kenya. The number of reported extrajudicial killings was 104 the previous year.

Conflict in Eastern DR Congo is Escalating with Use of Heavy Weapons and Drones, UN Warns

U.N peacekeepers guard a house hit by a drone strike in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)

By EDITH M. LEDERER

6:46 PM EDT, March 26, 2026

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations’ acting top envoy for Congo warned the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that the conflict in mineral-rich eastern Congo is escalating and expanding, with increasing use of heavy weapons and offensive drones posing serious risks to civilians.

Vivian van de Perre said that despite the withdrawal of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and their allies from the town of Uvira under international pressure in January, clashes are escalating in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu between the M23 and Congolese army forces and their supporters.

“The situation in South Kivu remains tense and the renewed hostilities have expanded and shifted the front lines, including toward Burundi’s border, increasing the risk of a regional conflagration,” she warned.

Eastern Congo has been battered by decades of unrest as government forces fight more than 100 armed groups, the most potent being M23, often over access to its mineral riches. M23 fighters made a major advance into the region early last year, seizing Goma and other key cities as they quickly expanded their presence.

Van de Perre, who heads the nearly 9,000-member U.N. peacekeeping force in Congo known as MONUSCO, said the situation in Ituri province also “remains alarming,” with numerous casualties from violence linked to one rebel group while another group has been attacking mining sites.

Van de Perre cited two “concerning” emerging elements: the conflict is expanding from North and South Kivu into Tshopo province, and the use of heavy weapons and drones in urban areas poses risks to civilians and civilian infrastructure, which she said includes “recent incidents affecting sites such as Bangoka Airport in Kisangani and in Goma town.”

At the same time, she said, M23 is consolidating parallel administrative structures in areas under its control, which include Goma, “further undermining state authority and complicating the delivery of humanitarian assistance.”

Officials from Congo, Rwanda and the United States met in Washington last week and agreed on coordinated steps to de-escalate tensions in eastern Congo.

After briefing the Security Council, van de Perre told reporters that the “extremely volatile” situation in the east is why all agreements signed by the parties must be implemented. The first step should be a ceasefire, followed by the reopening of airports and the restoration of freedom of movement for peacekeepers, she said.

Massad Boulos, who chaired the council meeting and is a senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump on African and Arab affairs, said “MONUSCO remains indispensable to the success of the peace process.”

He said resolving the conflict in eastern Congo is “a matter of highest priority” for Trump. He echoed van de Perre’s call for the parties to stick to their obligations and commitments, including respecting a ceasefire.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the U.N. envoy for Congo says one rebel group has been linked to violence that has caused casualties in Ituri province and another rebel group has been attacking mining sites there.

'Most Extensive': IRGC Launches 82nd Wave of Missile, Drone Strikes Against US-Israeli Assets

Thursday, 26 March 2026 11:37 AM

Screengrab from footage released by IRGC shows the moment of launch of suicide drones against US-Israeli assets in the 82nd wave of Operation True Promise 4, on March 26, 2026.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced the launch of the 82nd wave of retaliatory operations against the invading US-Israeli coalition, using different types of missiles and drones. 

In a Thursday statement, the IRGC said that this wave came in retaliation for earlier airstrikes against critical infrastructure and civilian facilities throughout Iran.

It noted that the wave began early on Thursday and would continue throughout the day. 

According to the statement, designated US interests in Arifjan and al-Kharj districts of Saudi Arabia, the US Defense Logistics Site (kGL), the Patriot radar systems in Bahrain's Sheikh Isa region, support fuel depots of the US military, a hangar for P8 surveillance aircraft, a hangar for MQ-9 Reaper combat drones, and a satellite communications dish for drones deployed at Ali al-Salem airbase were devastated with a large swarm of kamikaze drones.

The retaliatory strikes were dedicated to honorable and heroic Iranians in the northern provinces of East Azarbaijan, Ardabil, Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan. 

It also noted that a military command center in the occupied territories, as well as industries related to the Israeli regime's nuclear program near the Dead Sea, were also hit in an "impact-driven" strike. 

Meanwhile, footage coming from the occupied territories show the impact of Iranian missiles. 

The IRGC said fighters from the Axis of Resistance successfully conducted 230 operations in the past 24 hours, registering the "most extensive" in terms of scale against US interests and Israeli positions.

It noted that fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement launched 87 operations, members of the Iraqi Islamic Resistance group conducted 23 offensives, and Iranian Armed Forces carried out 110 retaliatory missile and drone strikes.

The IRGC statement described the ongoing conflict in West Asia as a war of choice by the United States, the Israeli regime and their regional allies, stressing that the response against the large-scale aggression will continue until "the hands of aggressors and tyrants are cut off from the region," and genuine peace and stability are restored.

The United States and Israel launched an extensive and unprovoked military campaign against Iran in the wake of the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, along with several high-ranking military commanders and civilians on February 28.

The aggression has comprised a series of intensive strikes on both military installations and civilian facilities throughout the country, leading to considerable loss of life and widespread damage to infrastructure.

In response, the Iranian Armed Forces launched retaliatory missile and drone operations against American bases across West Asia and Israeli positions in the occupied territories.

Iraq’s Economy Teeters as Oil Sales Collapse

Crude exports have fallen by more than 70% because of hte war in Iran, leading to major shortfall in the state budget

Raya Jalabi in Beirut

Iraq is facing an economic crisis following the collapse of its oil sector due to the Iran war, compounding the pressures on a weak caretaker government struggling to contain the fallout of a spiralling conflict.

The country’s oil exports have fallen from 3.4mn barrels per day to around 250,000 since the war started, with storage tanks at near-critical levels, as Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz shut off its main shipping route. Production has been slashed by nearly three quarters.

Tasked with tackling the crisis is a caretaker government with limited powers, still in place five months after the last general election.

The administration has also been grappling with more than three weeks of US strikes on Tehran-backed Shia militias inside Iraq, as Washington fights a shadow front of the Iran war on Iraqi soil. This week, seven Iraqi soldiers were killed in an apparent US strike on a military base.

“Iraq is much more vulnerable than the Gulf states right now,” said Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at the Chatham House think-tank. “In normal times, a fragmented state can muddle through. But at moments of massive conflict, it’s much more susceptible to shock.”

Iraq’s failure to modernise and diversify its economy over the past two decades has left it uniquely exposed to this disruption, economists say.

One of the world’s most oil-dependent nations, Iraq’s crude sales make up around 90 per cent of the state budget. It also relies on imports for 90 per cent of consumer goods, food and medicine — many via Hormuz. And its grid depends heavily on Iranian gas imports, which have plunged due to Israeli attacks on Tehran’s largest gasfield.

The country, OPEC’s second-largest producer, has already lost about $5.4bn — almost 2 per cent of its 2024 GDP — in oil sales from the Strait’s closure, estimated Justin Alexander, director of Khalij Economics.

The budget is under severe strain, with enough money to pay public sector salaries for the next month or two, but problems look set to arise in May, said Abdul Rahman al-Mashhadani, an Iraqi economist.

The government’s challenge has been complicated by rogue Iran-backed Shia militia groups that have attacked a range of US targets, including its embassy in Baghdad and military base in Erbil, as well as hotels and oil and gas installations.

Apparent US retaliations have hit locations across the country, including a strike on a residential area in central Baghdad last week.

“For the past few years, the government took advantage of relative stability to build bridges and roads instead of also diversifying its economy and creating a coherent security sector that could have put an end to these attacks,” said Mansour.

Baghdad is urgently trying to find alternative ways to ship its oil to global markets, including by repairing the pipeline currently in use and another damaged pipeline in the north. Last week, Baghdad declared force majeure on all oilfields developed by foreign oil companies.

It hopes to increase current exports to 500,000 b/d but even that “will not be enough, not even to cover basic obligations such as social welfare payments, let alone salaries”, he said.

It is only able to export the current quarter of a million b/d via a pipeline that runs from the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region to Turkey’s Ceyhan port. The arrangement is tenuous, owing to a longstanding dispute between the Kurdish authorities and Baghdad, and only came about due to pressure from Washington, Iraqi officials told the FT.

In January, the country’s foreign minister who also chairs the economic committee, said the country was running a monthly deficit to fund the bloated public sector payroll — a key source of patronage for political parties, which accounts for around 40 per cent of Iraq’s workforce.

“The government has no real options except to borrow directly from the central bank and also from the IMF,” Mashhadani said, noting that the central bank has stepped in during previous crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

The CBI claims to have 12 months of import cover, but much of its liquidity sits in accounts controlled by the US Federal Reserve. Before the war, Washington threatened Iraq with a dollar crunch if it failed to rein in the militias. There are fears it will renew those threats, Iraqi officials said.

Additional reporting by Anas al-Gburi in Baghdad and Verity Ratcliffe in London