World Echo

The US military used as many as 70 Patriot interceptors and more than a dozen THAAD anti-missile interceptors to counter a recent Iranian ballistic missile attack on Jordan, highlighting growing pressure on American air defence stocks, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. US forces fired between 60 and 70 Patriot interceptors against an attack involving about 20 ballistic missiles, while more than a dozen Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) interceptors were also launched, the newspaper reported, citing US and regional officials familiar with the matter. The number of interceptors expended was roughly equivalent to what US forces have used during an entire week at other points in the conflict, according to the report. Iran reportedly used warheads that separated into multiple projectiles as they approached their targets, complicating efforts to intercept them. The defences did not stop all incoming threats, with Iran striking fighter jets and other aircraft at Muw...

A federal judge on Monday blocked United States President Donald Trump's administration from implementing a new rule that would limit how long foreign students and journalists can remain in the US without applying for extensions. US District Judge F Dennis Saylor in Boston ruled in favour of a coalition of unions and higher education advocacy groups a day before the Department of Homeland Security's rule was set to take effect. Saylor said DHS adopted the policy based on "exceptionally weak" rationales. The agency had cited national security and the need to prevent fraud in the visa program, but the judge found it had not adhered to its legal obligations to engage with concerns about a policy change or consider less burdensome alternatives. In a statement, DHS General Counsel James Percival criticised Saylor's ruling, saying that under it, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement must "permit this rampant...

Saudi Arabia has discovered 110 million tonnes of raw materials ⁠containing uranium concentrations in Madinah, the kingdom's energy minister said at the IAEA ⁠General Conference in Vienna, Saudi state ⁠TV reported on Monday. Speaking at the 70th Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference, Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the kingdom does not develop its peaceful programme in isolation from the international community or through secret facilities deep within mountains without naming Iran. #VIDEO: Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman says the Kingdom does not develop its peaceful nuclear program in isolation from the international community or through secret facilities hidden deep within mountains. pic.twitter.com/0ko8tQTz49 — Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) September 14, 2026 Saudi Arabia was looking for a comprehensive nuclear programme solely for civil purposes. According to Arab News, he...

Iranian authorities have arrested 6,000 people so far over their alleged involvement in anti-government protests and unrest in January, the country’s police chief said on Monday. In remarks aired by state broadcaster IRIB, Ahmadreza Radan said the detainees were involved in an attempted coup and accused them of assisting countries hostile to Iran during the unrest on January 8-9. “We will not release these people, except those who express regret and repent,” he said. The protests began on December 28, 2025, at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar amid a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions before spreading to several cities across the country. The demonstrations intensified on January 8-9, with Iranian authorities saying some of the protests turned violent and involved attacks on security forces as well as public and private property. Read: Iran arrests dozens accused of sharing information with Israel Authoriti...

Clashes between Yemeni government forces and the Houthi group are intensifying along the country’s western coast, with airstrikes and ground fighting inflicting heavy casualties on both sides and displacing tens of thousands of civilians. At the same time, the wave of people fleeing western coastal areas has expanded, with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reporting that more than 82,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of September, including more than 2,000 who have reached Djibouti. The Yemeni army said that Houthi positions and military equipment were targeted in airstrikes in the areas of Mokha and Dhubab in the western part of Taiz governorate. Armed Forces spokesman Colonel Majid Al-Nazili said in a statement posted on the United States social media platform X that Houthi elements had been neutralised in an area described as a “zone of destruction.” Read: Explainer: Why is the Bab el-Mandeb Strait so important? The s...

Several electricity generators at hospitals in the Gaza Strip have stopped operating due to shortages of oil, spare parts and fuel, the Health Ministry said Sunday. The ministry said several generators had stopped working in recent days, warning that shortages of generator oil were making it increasingly difficult to maintain electricity supplies at hospitals. It said the limited quantities of oil recently allowed into Gaza by Israel were only sufficient for emergency needs, while hospitals require around 2,500 liters per month. “The remaining generators are operating around the clock under difficult technical and mechanical conditions and are unable to meet the electricity needs of all life-saving departments,” the ministry said. Read: Muslim states warn against forced Gaza exodus It warned that more generators could stop working without urgent oil changes and called for the immediate entry of essential supplies to keep them operational. Generators have beco...