Turkey has revoked the operating license of Iran's Mellat Bank, according to the Jerusalem Post, in a move consistent with escalating financial pressure on Tehran as regional hostilities intensify following military operations launched on Feb. 28.
Israel and the United States launched Operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury on Feb. 28, aiming to create conditions for regime change in Iran. An Israeli air strike killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's defense minister, and several IRGC generals in a bunker in Tehran. Iran retaliated by firing across the Middle East at Gulf nations and U.S. military bases.
A ceasefire was announced on April 7 and took effect on April 8. Since Feb. 28, ballistic missile attacks across Israel have killed 39 IDF soldiers and 23 civilians and injured at least 7,693 people, according to the source. The U.S. Central Command reported 18 American soldiers killed.
Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's security chief and adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, stated that Tehran conveyed conditions to Qatari and Pakistani mediators for ending the war with the United States. The demands include halting fighting on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian funds, and lifting the U.S. naval blockade, pending a response from President Donald Trump.
On the maritime front, CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper said the command has escorted over 2,000 commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months, carrying more than 1 billion barrels of oil.
The conflict's spillover continued into late September. On Sept. 19, the Houthis claimed missile and drone strikes against a Saudi Aramco facility in Yanbu and Riyadh. Overnight alerts were issued by Saudi civil defense, and black smoke was seen near Riyadh's main airport. A Saudi-led coalition subsequently foiled Houthi attacks on civilians in Bish, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu on Sept. 20.
Israel's air force struck targets in the Nabatia area of southern Lebanon early Sept. 20. Major General Diodato Abagnara, head of UNIFIL, said the peacekeeping force — which has monitored hostilities in southern Lebanon for nearly five decades — is preparing to withdraw by year-end and stressed the need for Lebanese troops and other UN agencies to assume humanitarian escort duties.
In Gaza, photographer Motaz Azaiza said he filmed Israeli captives being beaten by a mob on Oct. 7, 2023, but chose not to publish the footage. He told Al Jazeera he feared Israel would use the videos to identify and eliminate those filmed. "I did not want to be responsible, even indirectly, for the deaths of those people in exchange for a few likes and views online," he said.
