San Diego mosque attack; Death toll in Lebanon tops 3,000; Kentucky votes in most expensive House primary ever
Drop Site Daily: May 19, 2026
President Donald Trump postpones Tuesday strike on Iran after Gulf leaders intervene. Reuters reports Pakistan deployed 8,000 troops, fighter jets, and air defense system to Saudi Arabia. Treasury extends Russian oil waiver a third time. Death toll in Lebanon exceeds 3,000. Israeli military issues overnight displacement order. Hezbollah claims 14 operations against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says ICC is seeking arrest warrant for him. Hamas denounces Trump Board document accusing it of blocking Gaza plan. Settlers torch West Bank farmland overnight. UN rights chief urges Israel to prevent “acts of genocide” in Gaza, warns of ethnic cleansing. Three killed in attack on San Diego mosque, including the security guard, a father of eight. Kentucky and Georgia hold primary elections today; War Secretary Pete Hegseth campaigns against Trump critic Rep. Thomas Massie. Philadelphia Democrats send unlabeled attack texts targeting progressive candidate. Pelosi endorses San Francisco supervisor Connie Chan to succeed her in Congress. MTA reaches tentative deal to end Long Island Rail Road strike. Minnesota charges ICE agent with assault. More than 100,000 U.S. citizen children may have had a parent detained under Trump, Brookings finds. Russia strikes Chinese-owned cargo ship in Black Sea before Putin-Xi summit. Sudanese army chief quietly pursuing backchannel deal with UAE through Bahrain. Cuba warns of “bloodbath” if attacked. Mali army drones kill at least 10 civilians at wedding procession. U.S.-Nigeria airstrikes reportedly kill 20-plus ISWAP militants. UNHCR warns that lack of funding will force further job cuts. Congolese health ministry reports 131 deaths from Ebola and an additional 513 suspected cases; U.S. imposes temporary entry ban from the region.
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Iran and Ceasefire
Trump postpones Tuesday strike on Iran after Gulf leaders intervene: President Donald Trump announced Monday that a planned military strike on Iran scheduled for Tuesday had been postponed at the personal request of the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, because “serious negotiations are now taking place, and that, in their opinion, as Great Leaders and Allies, a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond.”
Trump said he directed War Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Daniel Caine, and the U.S. military to stand down from the planned attack while remaining prepared to “go forward with a full, large-scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that “several Gulf officials from some of the countries Trump mentioned said they were not aware of the imminent plan to attack Iran he described.”
In his post, Trump added emphatically that Gulf leaders believe that a deal is likely to include “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN.” Iran has officially and publicly stated that it will not pursue nuclear weapons for a period of over 22 years.
Iranian officials respond to Trump’s announcement:
“Dialogue does not mean surrender,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said. “The Islamic Republic of Iran enters into dialogue with dignity, authority, and the preservation of the nation’s rights, and under no circumstances will it retreat from the legal rights of the people and the country.”
Army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia warned that Iran would “open new fronts” against the U.S. if it resumed attacks. “If the enemy is foolish enough to fall into the Zionist trap again and launches new aggression against our beloved Iran, we will open new fronts against it, with new equipment and new methods,” Akraminia said, according to the ISNA news agency.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a call with his Saudi counterpart, Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan to discuss the ongoing diplomatic process and regional developments.
The terms of Iran’s latest proposal: Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that Iran’s proposal which it sent to the U.S. via Pakistani mediators on Monday included, “the country’s insistence on its right to uranium enrichment and peaceful nuclear activities, an end to conflicts across all fronts including Lebanon, the lifting of the US naval blockade, the release of Iranian assets, compensation by the United States for damage caused during the latest war to support reconstruction efforts, the removal of all unilateral sanctions and UN Security Council resolutions, and the withdrawal of US forces from areas surrounding the Islamic Republic,” according to the IRNA news agency. The terms appeared largely unchanged from Iran’s previous offer.
Pakistan deployed 8,000 troops, fighter jets, and air defense system to Saudi Arabia: Pakistan deployed approximately 8,000 troops, a squadron of roughly 16 JF-17 fighter jets, two drone squadrons, and a Chinese HQ-9 air defense system to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defense pact signed last year, Reuters reported Monday, citing three security officials and two government sources who described the force as “combat-capable” and intended to support Riyadh if the kingdom comes under further attack. Drop Site reported many of the terms of the confidential mutual defense agreement here.
Treasury extends Russian oil waiver a third time: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday announced a new 30-day general license permitting “vulnerable nations” to access Russian oil stranded at sea—the third such waiver since mid-March, when the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran triggered what officials have described as the largest oil supply disruption in history. Bessent had previously said the administration would not renew the waiver.
UAE restores power to Barakah nuclear plant after Sunday drone attack: The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had been informed by the United Arab Emirates that off-site power to Unit 3 of the Barakah nuclear power plant had been restored, ending the reactor’s reliance on emergency diesel generators following a drone strike Sunday. IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi called the restoration “an important step for nuclear safety” and reiterated that nuclear sites must never be targeted by military activity.
Iran seizes assets of 129 people over alleged U.S. and Israeli ties: Iran’s judiciary confiscated the assets of 129 people Monday over alleged cooperation with the United States and Israel, with West Azerbaijan chief justice Nasser Atabati describing the targets as members of “counter-revolutionary and separatist groups”—though no evidence or identifying details were made public.
Wartime crackdown: More than 6,500 people have been arrested on treason and espionage charges since the war began, according to police chief Ahmadreza Radan; Amnesty International separately reported Monday that Iran was the primary driver of a global surge in executions, with at least 2,159 documented in 2025, and at least 202 executions recorded so far in 2026—including aerospace engineer Erfan Shakourzadeh, executed last Monday on charges of cooperating with U.S. and Israeli intelligence.
Al-Monitor: Iran-backed Iraqi militias behind most Gulf drone attacks: A senior Iraqi official told Al-Monitor that roughly 50% of all drone attacks on Gulf states since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began on February 28 have originated from Iraqi territory, launched by Iran-backed Shiite militias, in what a former U.S. diplomat called a showing by Iran that its “proxy threat still has currency.” The attacks have reportedly strained a Saudi-Iraqi rapprochement that had been building since 2020, and have furthered the rift among the Gulf States. Al Monitor’s full report is available here.
Lebanon
Death toll in Lebanon exceeds 3,000: At least 3,042 people have been killed, and 9,301 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Over 22 people were killed in Israeli strikes across Lebanon in the past 24 hours.
Israeli forces carry out broad wave of strikes across Lebanon: At least 31 Israeli airstrikes, five drone strikes, artillery shelling across more than 25 towns, and multiple controlled demolitions in southern border areas on Monday were documented by Field monitoring channels, with reported targets spanning Jezzine, Tyre, Nabatieh, Marjayoun, and Baalbek districts. The shelling reportedly included phosphorus strikes on Arnoun in southern Lebanon. The Israeli army claimed, in a post on X, to have struck 25 Hezbollah “weapons storage facilities and launchers” on Monday in southern Lebanon.
Israeli military issues overnight displacement order: The Israeli military issued a forced displacement order at 1 a.m. local time Monday for parts of Maachouq near Tyre in southern Lebanon, ordering residents within 300 meters of a targeted building to leave immediately and citing alleged proximity to Hezbollah-affiliated facilities. The notice identified the Imam Khomeini Mosque, Al Fajr Pharmacy, and Pharmacy Al Hassan as falling within the designated strike zone. The Israeli military also issued a warning on Tuesday targeting 12 towns and villages across southern and western Lebanon, including areas in the Tyre, Nabatieh, and Western Beqaa districts.
Hezbollah claims 14 operations against Israeli forces on Monday: Hezbollah’s military media reported 14 operations against Israeli forces Monday in retaliation for what it described as ongoing Israeli ceasefire violations and strikes on civilians in southern Lebanon. The operations included drone and rocket attacks on Israeli troop concentrations in Rashaf, Naqoura, and Bayyada; strikes on newly established military sites, a communications vehicle, a D9 bulldozer, and an Iron Dome platform in the Galilee; a surface-to-air missile fired at an Israeli warplane in Lebanese airspace; and a coordinated fire raid on multiple Israeli positions near Khiam, Taybeh, Deir Mimas, and Rashaf.
Palestine
Casualty count in Gaza: Over the last 24 hours, three Palestinians were killed—two in new attacks and one due to wounds sustained from earlier attacks—and three were injured across Gaza. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 has risen to 72,772 killed, with 172,707 injured. Since October 11, the first full day of the so-called ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 880 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded 2,605, while 776 bodies have been recovered from under the rubble, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
Israel detains sister of Irish president in Sumud Flotilla: Israeli naval forces intercepted and boarded Monday the Global Sumud Flotilla approximately 70 nautical miles off the coast of Cyprus—in international waters—and detained around 175 international activists. One prominent detainee was Dr. Margaret Connolly, a general practitioner from Sligo and the sister of newly elected Irish President Catherine Connolly. Dr. Connolly had recorded a message in advance saying she felt “utterly compelled—as a mother, a doctor, and as a human being—to help.”
Palestinians rally at Gaza Port in solidarity with intercepted flotilla: Dozens of Palestinians gathered Monday at Gaza’s port—targeted and destroyed by Israel during its attacks on Gaza—to express solidarity with the roughly 175 activists detained from the Global Sumud Flotilla, which carried 100 doctors and medical supplies for Gaza’s collapsed health system. Ten of the flotilla’s boats are still headed towards Gaza, and are just 121 nautical miles away from its shores, according to organizers.
Israeli forces raid and detain Palestinians in Al-Far’a refugee camp as settlers torch West Bank farmland: Israeli forces carried out an overnight raid on the Al-Far’a refugee camp south of Tubas in the northern occupied West Bank, detaining several Palestinians during the operation, local media reported Monday. Palestinian media and activists also reported multiple settler arson attacks across the occupied West Bank late Monday, with fires burning near the village of Al-Mughayyir northeast of Ramallah and in the Masafer Yatta area south of Hebron. WAFA reported that Israeli forces prevented Palestinian residents from reaching burning agricultural land near Al-Mughayyir, with soldiers firing live ammunition toward those attempting to extinguish the flames, while settlers reportedly blocked ambulances and fire trucks from accessing the area.
Israeli settler filmed attacking cats in West Bank village: Palestinian media circulated footage Monday showing an Israeli settler throwing a concrete block at two cats in the central occupied West Bank village of Atara, three days after another settler was filmed repeatedly striking a guard dog with a club-like object in a nearby Palestinian village. Israeli police reportedly opened an investigation into the earlier attack, though no arrests have been announced.
Smotrich says ICC seeks arrest warrant for him: Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday that the International Criminal Court in The Hague is seeking an arrest warrant against him. Smotrich said he had been told that the court “submitted a secret request for an international arrest warrant against me” and described the move as “a declaration of war.” He did not say what charges the arrest warrant was based on. Last year, the Wall Street Journal reported that the ICC prosecutor was seeking an arrest warrant against Smotrich for his role in expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Immediately after the press conference, Smotrich ordered the demolition of the Palestinian Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar east of Jerusalem. In 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Hamas denounces Trump Board document accusing it of blocking Gaza plan: A document submitted by Gaza’s “Board of Peace” to the UN Security Council acknowledged major setbacks in implementing Trump’s plan for Gaza, according to sources cited by Al Araby TV on Tuesday. The document identified several obstacles, focusing mainly on Hamas’s weapons, the national committee planned to govern Gaza, and the lack of aid and funding. In response, Hamas said the Board’s document contains “misleading claims” that absolve Israel of responsibility for its daily violations of the agreement and obstruction of its implementation. The group said allegations that Hamas is blocking Gaza’s reconstruction are “false,” arguing that Israeli restrictions on the entry of shelter and infrastructure materials are preventing recovery efforts. Hamas also denied refusing to relinquish control of Gaza, stating that it has “repeatedly affirmed its readiness” to hand over administration to a national committee, while Israel has prevented its entry into Gaza. The movement further criticized the report’s emphasis on disarmament, despite Israel’s continued derailment of phase one, calling it a “suspicious attempt” to “adopt the occupation’s conditions.”
UN rights chief urges Israel to prevent “acts of genocide” in Gaza, warns of ethnic cleansing: A new report from the UN Human Rights Office concludes that Israel has committed serious violations of international humanitarian law that may amount to war crimes and atrocities in Gaza, with High Commissioner Volker Türk calling on Israel to prevent acts of genocide, allow displaced Palestinians to return, and end its unlawful presence in Palestinian territory. The report warned of ethnic cleansing across Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
U.S. News
By Julian Andreone, with Ryan Grim. Have a tip on Capitol Hill? Email Andreone at Julian@dropsitenews.com.
Three killed in attack on San Diego mosque: Three people were killed Monday at the Islamic Center of San Diego in the city’s Clairemont neighborhood when two suspects, believed to be 17 and 19 years old, opened fire at the complex, which houses both a mosque and a school; both suspects were later found dead of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said authorities are treating the attack as a hate crime, noted that a security guard who was among those killed played a “pivotal role” in preventing greater casualties. He also said the mother of one suspect had contacted police two hours before the shooting to report her son was suicidal and had gone missing with weapons and her car. The security guard who was killed was reportedly a father of eight.
Kentucky and Georgia hold primary elections today; Pete Hegseth campaigns against Trump critic Rep. Thomas Massie: War Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Kentucky to campaign against seven-term Republican Rep. Thomas Massie. Hegseth appeared at a rally for Massie’s primary challenger Ed Gallrein, attacking Massie as an obstructionist who undermines fellow Republicans. His appearance has been described as an unprecedented breach of Pentagon tradition, though Hegseth has said he was campaigning for Gallrein in a “personal capacity.” Massie has voted against Trump’s tax legislation, opposed his war on Iran, and helped lead efforts to release the Epstein files. The primary is the most expensive primary race ever, thanks to billionaires John Paulson, Paul Singer, and Miriam Adelson.
Philadelphia Democrats send unlabeled attack texts targeting progressive congressional candidate: Ahead of Tuesday’s primary, Philadelphia’s Democratic City Committee sent anonymous attack texts to voters in the 3rd Congressional District race without the federally required disclosure of who paid for them, according to a new report from the Philadelphia Inquirer. The ads were sent in coordination with state Sen. Sharif Street’s campaign after Street won the party’s official endorsement, a Street campaign spokesperson confirmed Monday. The texts targeted state Rep. Chris Rabb, a progressive front-runner, over a since-deleted social media post claiming the Bondi Beach antisemitic attack was a “false flag” orchestrated by “Zionists” and over his association with commentator Hasan Piker. Rabb faces a competitive three-way race against Street and physician Ala Stanford.
Nancy Pelosi endorses San Francisco supervisor Connie Chan in race to fill her seat in Congress: Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday endorsed San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Connie Chan in the race to succeed her in California’s 11th Congressional District, where voters will head to the polls in two weeks to select the top two candidates for the November general election. Chan, 47, faces a competitive field that includes state Sen. Scott Wiener and Saikat Chakrabarti, a Justice Democrats co-founder and the former chief of staff to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
MTA reaches tentative deal to end Long Island Rail Road strike: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reached a tentative agreement Monday with five unions representing roughly 3,500 workers to end a strike on the nation’s largest commuter rail line. The deal resolves the central dispute over 2026 wages—unions had sought a 5% increase against the MTA’s offer of 3%—though final terms have not been released. Phased service is set to resume at noon on Tuesday.
Minnesota charges ICE agent with felony assault: Hennepin County prosecutors on Monday charged ICE agent Christian J. Castro, 52, with four counts of second-degree felony assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime in connection with the January 14 shooting of Julio C. Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan immigrant shot in the leg during Operation Metro Surge. Castro is the second ICE agent charged by Hennepin County this year, and County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office is investigating more than 30 additional incidents of possible criminal misconduct by federal agents, including the killings of two U.S. citizens—Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
More than 100,000 U.S. citizen children may have had a parent detained under Trump, Brookings finds: More than 100,000 American citizen children have had a parent detained since President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign began, a Brookings Institution report estimates. The actual figure is nearly impossible to verify because the administration does not track family separations. A separate ProPublica analysis using government data obtained through litigation found at least 11,000 American children had a parent detained in just the first seven months of Trump’s second term, and that the administration is deporting mothers of American children at roughly four times the daily rate of the Biden administration.
Trump admin proposes raising refugee ceiling for white South Africans: The Trump administration is proposing to raise the refugee admissions ceiling specifically for white South Africans to 17,500 for fiscal year 2026, CNN reports—a dramatic expansion of Afrikaner resettlement that comes after the administration cut overall annual refugee admissions from 125,000 to 7,500. Trump has repeatedly claimed white South Africans face a genocide, a characterization that is unsupported by evidence.
Greenland tells U.S. envoy the island is “not for sale”: Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen told U.S. special envoy Jeff Landry that “the Greenlandic people are not for sale” and that self-determination “is not something that can be negotiated,” following talks Monday in Nuuk. Trump has threatened to take control of Greenland, potentially by military force, citing its importance to U.S. security and particularly to his proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense system.
Trump admin pays Palantir millions to track office attendance of federal employees: The Trump administration has contracted Palantir to build employee surveillance systems across multiple federal agencies, starting with a no-bid contract worth up to $13.3 million at the Department of Agriculture to track workers’ return-to-office compliance, according to a new report from The American Prospect. The Department of Veterans Affairs and Social Security Administration are also reportedly pursuing similar programs. Whitney Curry Marsh’s full report for TAP is available here.
Pentagon inspector general opens investigation into Southern Command’s lethal strikes in Caribbean: The War Department’s inspector general launched an investigation into U.S. Southern Command’s targeting of small boats in Operation Southern Spear, the Pentagon’s campaign against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Pacific that has destroyed 59 vessels and killed 193 people since last fall, according to a May 11 letter reported by NBC. The probe will examine the basis for each strike, with particular attention to their legality.
Other International News
Russia strikes Chinese-owned cargo ship in Black Sea: Russian drones struck two civilian vessels in the Black Sea approaching Ukrainian ports Monday, including the KSL Deyang, a Chinese-owned cargo ship with an all-Chinese crew sailing under a Marshall Islands flag toward Odesa. President Vladimir Putin is set to meet President Xi Jinping this week.
Putin praises Russia-Chinese partnership before departing for summit: Putin’s two-day visit is scheduled to begin Tuesday evening. Ahead of the visit, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the bilateral relationship between Russia and China as having reached an “unprecedented level” and described their partnership as a stabilizing force in global affairs. Trade between the countries more than doubled from 2020 to 2024, reaching $245 billion.
Belarus and Russia begin joint nuclear weapons drills: Belarusian military units began joint training exercises with Russia on nuclear weapons combat on Monday. The Belarusian Ministry of Defence described the drills as a “planned event” not directed at any specific third party in a statement on Monday. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry condemned the exercises as turning Belarus into a “nuclear staging ground near NATO borders.”
Russia strikes Ukraine’s Danube grain hub: Russian forces struck port infrastructure in Izmail—Ukraine’s largest Danube River port and a key grain-export hub—in an attack overnight. A separate Russian drone attack on Kharkiv left at least two people rescued from rubble and one potentially still trapped. Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, killed one and wounded two others on Monday evening, according to the region’s Military Telegram channel.
Sudanese army chief quietly pursuing backchannel deal with UAE through Bahrain: Sudanese Armed Forces commander Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan made an unannounced visit to Bahrain’s Sakhir Air Base on May 13 as part of a quiet effort to use Manama as a proxy channel to Abu Dhabi, according to reporting from the Ayin Network. Khartoum has severed civil aviation ties and downgraded diplomatic relations with the UAE over its weapons transfers to the Rapid Support Forces. To entice the UAE—the RSF’s chief external backer—Sudanese officials have signaled openness to reviving a proposed 40% Emirati stake in the Al-Fashqa agricultural zone and a multibillion-dollar port deal on the Red Sea.
RSF commander who executed civilians released and returned to battlefield: A Reuters investigation, citing 13 sources including RSF commanders, intelligence officials, and figures close to RSF leadership, found that Rapid Support Forces commander al-Fateh Abdullah Idris—known as Abu Lulu—has returned to active duty months after he was imprisoned for allegedly shooting at least 15 unarmed captives during the siege on al-Fashir in October. The RSF denies he was released.
Sudanese army breaks siege of Dilling for third time: The Sudanese Armed Forces broke the siege of Dilling—South Kordofan’s second-largest city—for the third time Monday, opening a route from North Kordofan that allowed military reinforcements and civilian food convoys to enter the city. The Sudanese army also said Monday it had retaken Kern Kern and Doukan in the southeastern Blue Nile region following heavy fighting, according to the Sudan Tribune.
Mali army drones kill at least 10 civilians at wedding procession: Mali’s military drones killed at least 10 civilians Sunday in the central part of the country. The victims were reportedly preparing for a traditional collective wedding; a security source told Agence France-Presse that the army likely targeted the group because it was suspicious of a procession of motorbikes. The killings mark another escalation in the country’s deepening security crisis, which escalated after the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and Tuareg separatist Azawad Liberation Front launched a coordinated nationwide offensive late last month that killed Mali’s defence minister, captured towns in the country’s north, and led to a blockade of and clashes in the country’s capital, Bamako.
Gunmen abduct 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers in Nigeria; one teacher killed: Gunmen abducted at least 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers from multiple schools in Nigeria’s southwestern Oyo state on Friday, according to reporting from Reuters on Monday. One abducted teacher was killed, according to the state’s governor, who also said that six suspects had already been arrested. A rescue attempt by Nigerian security forces and local “vigilantes” was disrupted by an improvised explosive device, which wounded several of the rescuers.
U.S. and Nigeria claim airstrikes killed 20-plus ISWAP militants: After reportedly killing the Islamic State’s second leading official in operations in the Lake Chad region over the weekend, the U.S. Africa Command and Nigerian military carried out additional airstrikes Sunday against Islamic State West Africa Province fighters in Nigeria’s Borno state, killing more than 20 militants, according to an estimate by the Nigerian military.
Cuba warns of “bloodbath” if attacked: Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel warned that a U.S. military attack would “trigger a bloodbath with incalculable consequences” and asserted Cuba’s right to self-defense. His remarks follow an Axios report over the weekend, citing American intelligence, that Havana had obtained more than 300 military drones from Russia and Iran and was considering strikes on the U.S. base at Guantánamo Bay, American naval vessels, and possibly Florida.
On Monday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on Cuba’s main intelligence agency and nine Cuban nationals, including the country’s communications, energy, and justice ministers, as well as senior Communist Party officials and at least three generals. Cuba’s UN ambassador told the AFP: “In the 60s, they (the US) tried to invade Cuba, and they were defeated. Of course, everybody can say this is a different situation. Yes, it is. But the will of the people of Cuba has not changed.”
Croatia’s president refuses to approve Israeli ambassador over Gaza: Croatian President Zoran Milanović on Monday rejected Israel’s proposed new ambassador to Zagreb, Nissan Amdur, citing “the policies pursued by the current Israeli authorities.” Israel said it would send Amdur as a chargé d’affaires instead, a posting that does not require presidential consent. Milanović has been a vocal critic of Israel, barring Croatian armed forces from cooperating with the Israeli military in February, on account of Israel’s “unacceptable actions and unprecedented trampling” of international humanitarian law.
Africa suffers from fuel and food crises brought upon it by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran: The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran that began February 28 has triggered a continent-wide fuel, fertilizer, and inflation crisis across Africa, where disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have sent oil prices surging and supply chains into freefall. Madagascar has declared a national energy emergency, Somalia’s fishing fleets are docked for lack of diesel, and schools in Soweto are closed because buses cannot afford fuel. Even countries like Nigeria and South Sudan, which are themselves oil producers, have suffered from lack of refining capacity. Read the latest dispatch from Africa from Drop Site contributor Godfrey Olukya here.
Four killed, 348 arrested in Kenya fuel protests: At least four people were killed, and more than 30 were injured in nationwide fuel protests on Monday in Kenya. An additional 348 Kenyans were arrested during the protests, according to the country’s Interior Ministry. The demonstrations are focused on fuel prices in the country, which have risen more than 23.5% in the past week alone, following a 24.2% increase the previous month.
UNHCR warns that lack of funding will force further job cuts: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih warned member states that the agency has just over $3 billion for the year 2026, Reuters reports. That is roughly 15% below the 2025 total, which was itself a 30% drop from 2024. These cuts, Salih warned, leave the agency with “no choice” but to lay off more of its staff, even though the number of people displaced by war and persecution continues to rise globally.
Mexico freezes bank accounts of officials charged by U.S. with Sinaloa Cartel ties: Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit has frozen the bank accounts of Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha and nine other current and former officials indicted by U.S. prosecutors on April 29 for allegedly aiding the Sinaloa Cartel in exchange for political support and bribes. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum characterized the action as an “automatic” and “preventive” measure triggered by the U.S. arrest warrants rather than a signal of a domestic investigation into the case. Senior U.S. cabinet officials, including drug czar Sara Carter and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, plan to visit Mexico in the coming days.
Kurds turn over Kobani administration to Syrian government: Syria’s national government assumed control of the administration of Kobani in the country’s north on Sunday, with a new district director allowed for the first time to carry out administrative duties in the city. The takeover follows talks between the Syrian Democratic Forces commander and the new director in Hasakah. A January 29 ceasefire agreement between Damascus and the SDF promised the gradual integration of military forces and administrative bodies into state institutions, as well as the deployment of Syrian security forces into Hasakah, Qamishli, and Kobani.
Congolese health ministry reports 131 deaths from and 513 suspected cases of Ebola: The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national health minister reported Tuesday that at least 131 people have died from the recent outbreak of Ebola, and that there are 513 suspected cases. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday he is “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic” as the agency convened its emergency committee to issue recommendations. The U.S. imposed an entry ban on foreigners who have traveled in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past three weeks. The order is in effect for 30 days.
Gunmen kill two police officers guarding polio teams in Pakistan: Gunmen killed two police officers assigned to protect polio vaccination teams in two separate attacks Monday in northwest Pakistan. The country has launched a nationwide campaign to vaccinate 19 million children against the disease. More than 200 polio workers and their police escorts have been killed in Pakistan since the 1990s by militants who claim vaccination drives are a Western sterilization conspiracy. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only countries where polio has not been eradicated. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Talks begin over Hungarian minority rights in Ukraine in EU bid: Expert level talks between Ukraine and Hungary over the rights of minorities in Ukraine have begun in a bid to restart Ukraine’s membership accession to the European Union. The issue of Hungarian rights in Ukraine has been a longstanding obstacle to Kyiv’s EU membership bid, highlighted under former Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán’s leadership. Ukraine is pursuing an accession agreement by 2027, though other states have proposed an “associate membership” status to defuse Russian hostility and prevent further escalation of the conflict, which Kyiv rejects.
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There is currently only one flotilla boat remaining (Lina from Freedom Flotilla), the final GSF boat appeared to get rammed before going offline about an hour ago (it is at the end of their last live stream). Freedom Flotilla has some land-based aid also but apparently was stopped in Libya.
What motivated the UN rights chief to now urge Israel to prevent “acts of genocide” in Gaza? Was it the Israeli settler attacking cats and dogs in the West Bank that got their attention? Will the detainment of the Irish president’s sister in international waters by IDF forces also get noticed.