“The muscle-flexing of the hostile forces near the areas of our state’s sovereignty and security may cause unimaginably terrible consequences,” Kim Yo Yong said on Tuesday, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

“The enemies should never try to test our patience, will and capability,” Kim said.

“We will watch to what extent the enemy violates the security of our state and what it is playing at,” she continued.

Kim’s remarks follow the start of the joint Freedom Shield exercises on Monday, which will run for 10 days and involve 18,000 South Korean and US military personnel.

The military manoeuvres are designed to “enhance the combined, joint, all-domain, and interagency operational environment, thereby strengthening the Alliance’s response capabilities,” United States Forces Korea said.

This year’s Freedom Shield will involve 22 field training drills, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, which is fewer than half the number carried out last year.

Kim added on Tuesday that there was no justification to hold the exercises, which have been called a “defensive” action by Washington and Seoul in the past.

“No  matter what justification they may establish and how the elements of the drill may be coordinated, the clear confrontational nature of the high-intensity large-scale war drill staged by the most hostile entities in collusion at the doorstep of [North Korea] never changes,” she said.

“The recent global geopolitical crisis and complicated international events prove that all military manoeuvres of the field warfare troops, to be conducted by the enemy states, assume no distinction between defence and attack, training and actual warfare,” she continued, in an apparent reference to the US-Israel war on Iran.

South Korea and North Korea have technically been at war since 1953, when an armistice agreement paused fighting but did not formally end the armed confrontation.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in 2024 that he would no longer pursue reconciliation with South Korea, although it remains Seoul’s long-term goal.

An official at South Korea’s Ministry of Unification told Yonhap that Kim’s remarks on Tuesday were relatively muted by North Korean standards.

The statement did not refer directly to the US or threaten to use nuclear weapons, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“Kim appears to have limited her response to merely pinpointing the South Korea-US exercise, taking the current security situation into account,” the official told Yonhap.

Official figures show exports jumped by more than 20% in January and February, which is almost three times the rate predicted by economists. It puts the country on track to top the record-breaking annual trade surplus it saw in 2025.

The announcement comes as US President Donald Trump is expected to visit China in early April to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

The world’s second largest economy is heavily reliant on exports as it faces a number of issues including weak consumer spending, a shrinking population and a property market crisis.

Beijing typically combines January and February trade data to adjust for distortions caused by the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls on different dates each year.

China’s exports were boosted by strong demand for electronics while shipments of agricultural and manufactured goods also rose.

Trade with European countries grew by 27.8%, while exports to Asean countries – a group of South East Asian nations including Thailand, Singapore and Philippines – climbed by nearly 30%.

But China’s exports to America fell more than 10% as Trump imposed tariffs and other measures to address trade imbalances between the two countries.

Last week, China set an annual economic growth target of 4.5%-5%, down from its 5% goal in 2025, which had been met largely due to exports.

Exports have been the key driver of China’s economy, lifting it in spite of poor domestic spending and a property slump.

The meeting between Trump and Xi come as China, like many country’s in Asia, is dealing with the economic impact of the US-Israeli war with Iran, which 

On Monday, crude oil surged above $100 a barrel on concerns about potential shortages due to prolonged disruption to Middle East energy supplies.

At the weekend, Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei as its new Supreme Leader – a sign that hardliners remain in charge of the country – while some Gulf countries halted oil production and there were fresh airstrikes in the region.

East Asian nations have been hit especially hard by the conflict due to their reliance on energy that comes through the key Strait of Hormuz sea route.

Authorities in South Korea and Thailand said they would set limits on fuel prices.

South Korean president Lee Jae Myung said his government would “swiftly implement” a price cap on petrol products.

The Iran conflict has created a “significant burden” on the country’s economy, which is highly dependent on region’s energy imports, Lee said during an emergency cabinet meeting.

He added that Seoul is ready to step in with additional measures and expand the country’s 100tn won (£50bn; $67bn) financial markets stabilisation programme if necessary.

In Thailand, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul urged people to not stockpile fuel and announced plans to cap the price of diesel for 15 days. Long queues formed at petrol stations around the country in recent days, with supplies running low at some outlets.

South Korea’s trade ministry also warned oil firms that any attempt to take advantage of the crisis will be dealt with, calling for “transparent and fair” pricing after the cost of petrol rose in in recent days.

Vietnam’s finance ministry said it is are preparing to temporarily remove taxes on fuel imports.

In the Philippines, new measures aimed at saving energy came into effect.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Friday announced plans for a four-day working week for most public offices, with the exemption of critical services like fire stations and hospitals.

Universities in Bangladesh are also shut from Monday to save energy, according to state media.

US President Donald Trump has said on Sunday that a short-term jump in oil prices was a “small price to pay” for removing Iran’s nuclear threat.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said oil and gas prices will fall when the US destroys Iran’s capability to strike tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for around 20% of the the world’s oil.

Shipments through the strait have come to a standstill after Iran threatened to attack vessels that try to pass through the channel as a response to the US and Israeli airstrikes.

Reopening the strait to shipping is key to easing energy prices for Asia as many major economies in the region are reliant on energy from the Middle East, said Roc Shi from the University of Technology Sydney.

The effective closure of the waterway is a “supply chain crisis, not just a price spike” especially for Japan and South Korea, both of which source the majority of their energy from Gulf states, he added.

Plans to set fuel price caps are “politically attractive” as they offer “visible relief”, but risk backfiring if the move leads to panic buying and a shortage of petrol, Shi said.

How long the surge in oil prices lasts depends on the conflict’s duration and how severely supply is disrupted, said OCBC bank strategist Christopher Wong.

Oil prices could unwind “relatively quickly” if tensions in the region ease, but they could continue climbing if there is any disruption to production or shipments, Wong said.

In Foshan city, which has been hit the hardest, chikungunya patients must stay in hospital, where their beds will protected with mosquito nets. They can only be discharged after they test negative or at the end of a week-long stay.

Spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, the virus causes fever and severe joint pain, which sometimes can last for years.

Although rare in China, chikungunya outbreaks are common in South and South East Asia and parts of Africa.

How widespread are the infections in China?

Aside from Foshan, at least 12 other cities in the southern Guangdong province have reported infections. Nearly 3,000 cases were reported in the last week alone.

On Monday, Hong Kong reported its first case – a 12-year-old boy who developed fever, rash and joint pain after traveling to Foshan in July.

The virus is not contagious, and only spreads when an infected person is bitten by a mosquito that then goes on to bite others.

Officials say all the reported cases have been mild so far, with 95% of the patients discharged within seven days.

Still, the cases have led to some panic, given the virus is not widely known in the country.

“This is scary. The prolonged consequences sound very painful,” one user wrote on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

The US has urged travellers to China to exercise “increased caution” following the outbreak.

Authorities across Guangdong province have vowed to take “decisive and forceful measures” to stop the spread of the disease.

Those with symptoms, such as fever, joint pain or rashes, are being urged to visit the nearest hospital so they can be tested for the virus.

Authorities have instructed residents to remove stagnant water in their homes, such as in flowerpots, coffee machines or spare bottles – and warned of fines up to 10,000 yuan ($1,400) if they don’t do this.

They are also releasing giant “elephant mosquitoes” that can devour smaller, chikungunya-spreading bugs; and an army of mosquito-eating fish.

Last week, officials in Foshan released 5,000 of these larvae-eating fish into the city’s lakes. In parts of the city, they are even flying drones to detect sources of stagnant water.

Some neighbouring cities had ordered travellers from Foshan to undergo a 14-day home quarantine, but that has since been withdrawn.

Some people have compared these measures to those imposed during the pandemic, and questioned their necessity.

A user on Weibo wrote, “These feel so familiar… But are they really necessary?”

Another wrote: “What’s the point of the quarantine? It’s not as though an infected patient will then go around biting other people?”

China implemented severe restrictions during the pandemic, including forcing people into quarantine camps and sealing residential buildings and whole neighbourhoods on short notice for days or even weeks.

What is chikungunya?

Most people bitten by an infected mosquito will develop symptoms of chikungunya within three to seven days.

Apart from fever and joint pain, other symptoms include rash, headache, muscle pain and swollen joints.

In most cases, patients will feel better within a week. In severe cases however, the joint pain can last for months or even years.

Those at risk for more severe disease include newborns, the elderly, and people with underlying medical conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes.

There is no cure, but deaths from chikungunya are rare.

The virus was first identified in Tanzania in 1952. It then spread to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia.

To date, it has been reported in more than 110 countries.

The best way to prevent the virus from spreading is to reduce pools of stagnant water that allow the mosquitoes to breed, according to the World Health Organization.

Muhammad Yunus made the announcement at the end of a day of celebrations for what some have called the country’s “second liberation”.

Sheikh Hasina fled to India on 5 August last year, following weeks of student-led protests, bringing an end to 15 years of increasingly authoritarian rule.

Nobel laureate Yunus was brought in to head a caretaker government days later, promising reforms which some say he has struggled to deliver amid continuing political turmoil and a struggle to maintain law and order.

Among the issues dividing the country’s politicians has been the date of the election. Yunus initially suggested June 2026 as a potential date.

However, representatives of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as well as the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party and the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP), all joined Yunus on stage in the capital Dhaka on Tuesday.

Later, Yunus said he would write to the Election Commission to request the vote be held “before Ramadan in February 2026”.

“For many years, none of us have been able to vote,” the 85-year-old said in a televised broadcast. “This time, we will all vote. No one will be left out. Let us all be able to say, ‘I cast my vote to set the country on the path to building a new Bangladesh’.”

Tuesday also saw Yunus reiterate promises on widespread reform, reading out the “July Declaration”, which seeks to recognise the student-led protests which toppled Hasina in the constitution.

Hasina’s time in office was marked by widespread allegations of human rights violations and the murder and jailing of political rivals. Members of the Awami League government ruthlessly cracked down on dissent. The BB spoke to numerous people who were “disappeared” into a network of secret jails across the country.

But it was the student-led protest against a civil service jobs quota system which escalated into calls for the government to stand aside in July and August 2024 that eventually prompted Hasina to flee.

The government collapsed, and the Awami League has since been banned. Analysts note hundreds of Awami League supporters have been detained without trial over the last 12 months.

As part of the declaration read on Tuesday, those who were killed in the uprising will be recognised as “national heroes”, Yunus said.

The document – which also promises a democratic state that would uphold the rule of law and moral values, as well as a justice process for those who engaged in violence during Hasina’s rule – is seen by advocates as the basis of institutional reform, although critics say it is largely symbolic and without power.

Meanwhile, in an open letter to Bangladesh’s citizens on Monday, Hasina argued she had not actually stood aside, describing the events of 2024 as a “coup”.

“Despite claims to the contrary, I never resigned from my duties as your prime minister,” she wrote.

“I believe in you. I believe in Bangladesh. And I believe that our best days are yet to come.”

Hasina is currently on trial in absentia in Bangladesh, having refused to return to face charges which amount to crimes against humanity, related to the deadly crackdown on protesters which left hundreds dead. She denies the charges.

Here’s where things stand on Wednesday 30 July 2025:

• Tsunami waves have hit parts of Russia, Japan and the United States after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.
• The quake struck 136km (84 miles) east of the coastal city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia’s far east, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
• Japan’s meteorological agency issued a tsunami advisory for much of its east coast, warning of waves of up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) high.
• Tsunami warnings were also issued for Taiwan, the Philippines, Hawaii and Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, with advisories issued for much of the US West Coast.

‘All the tents and structures were swept away by the wave’

An expedition group from the Russian Geographical Society was on the island of Shumshu when tsunami waves swept away their tent camp.

“When the wave hit, all we could do was run to higher ground. It’s very difficult to do that in boots on slippery grass and in fog,” group member Vera Kostamo told Komsomolskaya Pravda, a Russian publication.

“All the tents and structures were swept away by the wave, and our belongings were scattered across the beach for hundreds of metres,” she said.

“We have no casualties. Everyone acted quickly, but we lost all our belongings.”

Tsunami warning lifted for Russia’s Far East region

Russia has become the latest country to lift a tsunami warning, after the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off its coast had prompted evacuation orders in the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.

“Dear residents and visitors to the Kamchatka region, our colleagues from the State Emergency Situations Ministry have lifted the tsunami alert,” the region’s Emergencies Minister Sergei Lebedev said on social media.

Kremlin says no casualties after quake

We have some comments from Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson.

Speaking to reporters, Peskov said there had been no casualties in Russia from the magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Kamchatka in the country’s east.

The official credited solid building construction and the smooth working of alert systems for the lack of casualties.

Philippines scraps tsunami advisory

Authorities in the Philippines have cancelled a tsunami advisory put in place for a number of coastal communities.

In a statement, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology at the Department of Science and Technology said there had been no significant sea level disturbances or tsunami waves following the earthquake.

“Any effects due to minor sea level disturbances have largely passed,” it said, adding that it was cancelling the advisory it had issued earlier.

Footage shows rising waves, sound of warning sirens in Japan

Social media users and news outlets in Japan have captured the sound of sirens warning residents of the possibility of a tsunami, as well as the rise in the height of waves following the earthquake earlier today.

Colombia tells coastal residents to evacuate

Authorities in Colombia have issued a tsunami alert for the departments of Choco and Narino, as well as warnings for Cauca and Cauca Valley.

In a statement on Facebook, Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management urged residents to evacuate the beaches and low-lying areas on the coasts of Choco and Narino, telling them to head to higher ground and away from the coast.

Waves of up to 4 metres (13ft) expected in French Polynesia

Local authorities in French Polynesia are warning that waves of up to 4 metres (13 feet) are expected to hit the Marquesas Islands.

Waves ranging from “1.10 metres to 4 metres” (3.6 to 13ft) on the island of Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas archipelago are expected overnight from about 1am local time (11:00 GMT), the High Commission of the French Republic in French Polynesia said in a statement.

The islands of Ua Huka and Hiva Oa are also expected to be affected, it added.

Understanding tsunami alerts

We have been reporting about the various tsunami alerts issued by a number of countries following the earthquake off Russia’s coast earlier today – but what do they all mean?

These alerts are meant to notify local authorities, emergency services and the public about potential risks related to a tsunami. They are divided in four levels, according to the US National Weather Service:

• Tsunami Warning: Take action – danger! A tsunami that may cause widespread flooding is expected or occurring and may continue for several hours or days.
• Tsunami Advisory: Take action – A tsunami with potential for strong currents or waves dangerous to those in or very near the water is expected or occurring.
• Tsunami Watch: Be prepared – A distant earthquake has occurred. A tsunami is possible.
  Stay tuned for more information. Be prepared to take action if necessary.
• Tsunami Information Statement: Relax – An earthquake has occurred, but there is no threat or it was very far away and the threat has not been determined. In most cases, there is no threat of a destructive tsunami.

Russia lifts tsunami alerts, but risks remain

As we reported earlier, Russian authorities have cancelled a tsunami warning for the remote Kamchatka Peninsula and the Kuril Islands.

Still, experts say some risk remains.

Scientists expect aftershocks at magnitudes of up to 7.5 and possible tsunamis on the coast of Avacha Bay on the southeastern coast of the peninsula. That is also where the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is located.

Tsunami from powerful quake spanned the width of world’s biggest ocean

This tsunami has now made its way to the US West Coast.

All of the western seaport states – Washington, Oregon, California – are reporting elevated sea levels. There are no reports of damage and forecasters were predicting that any tsunami surge would be well below half a metre.

Meanwhile, islands and territories across the Pacific issued different warning levels as they braced for the tsunami’s arrival.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has now downgraded the threat level for the Hawaii islands from a warning to an advisory, meaning that people can now return to their homes.

It does appear that Hawaii has avoided a major tsunami, which it feared it might be subjected to, but it did record a tsunami surge of at least a metre.

And in the western Pacific, the island of Guam and the northern Marianas have had their alert warnings lifted, and they also seem to have avoided the worst of this tsunami.

But it gives you a sense of the power of the earthquake that created this tsunami, managing during the course of one long anxious day to span the width of the world’s biggest ocean.

NWS warns of rapid tidal swings in San Francisco Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area’s National Weather Service reports rapid fluctuations of up to 61cm (two feet) in water level, most notably around the Monterey Bay, south of the city.

“These rapid tidal swings may persist through the morning as the tsunami waves continue to propagate through the waters,” it said.

Japan revises tsunami warnings for certain areas

The Japan Meteorological Agency has revised tsunami warnings to lower-level advisories for a number of areas, public broadcaster NHK has reported.

“Warnings remain in effect for parts of Hokkaido Prefecture and the Tohoku region,” the report said, adding that people should exercise caution until all alerts are lifted.

Latest updates on North America tsunami warnings and advisories

The National Tsunami Warning Center has issued its updated observations, saying a tsunami warning in is effect for:

• California – the coast from Cape Mendocino, California to the Oregon/California border

It also said a tsunami advisory is in effect for:

• California – the coast from the California/Mexico Border to Cape Mendocino, California, including San Francisco Bay
• Oregon – the coast from the Oregon/California border to the Oregon/Washington border, including the Columbia River estuary coast
• Washington – outer coast from the Oregon/Washington border to Slip Point, Columbia River estuary coast, and the Juan de Fuca Strait coast
• British Columbia – the north coast and Haida Gwaii, the central coast and northeast Vancouver Island, the outer west coast of Vancouver Island, the Juan de Fuca Strait coast
• South Alaska and the Alaska Peninsula – Pacific coasts from Chignik Bay, Alaska to Unimak Pass, Alaska (80 miles [130km] NE of Unalaska)
• Aleutian Islands – Unimak Pass, Alaska (80 miles [130km] NE of Unalaska) to Attu, Alaska, including the Pribilof Islands.

There is no tsunami threat for other US and Canadian Pacific coasts in North America, it added.

If you’re just joining us

Let’s bring you up to speed with the latest developments:

• A magnitude 8.8 earthquake, one of the strongest ever recorded, has struck off the coast of eastern Russia.
• The US Geological Survey said the tremor was shallow at a depth of 19.3km (12 miles) and centred 119km (74 miles) east-southeast of the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
• There were no immediate reports of deaths or serious injuries.
• A number of countries across the Pacific Ocean issued tsunami warnings and urged residents to evacuate coastal areas.
• In the US state of Hawaii, a tsunami warning has been downgraded to an advisory, allowing residents to return to their homes.
• There is also no further tsunami threat to the Pacific islands of Guam, Rota, Tinian or Saipan.

‘Rapid and damaging surge’ in California area

The National Weather Service for Los Angeles in the US state of California says there is a “rapid and damaging surge” in Port San Luis that is going “from low to high tide in just a few minutes”.

“Do not return to inundated areas as waters will recede, but could return multiple times through the next 24 hours, and the first wave may not be the largest,” it urged residents.

Photos: People in Hawaii evacuate to safe areas after tsunami alert

No further tsunami threat to group of Pacific islands

A tsunami threat for a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean has been revoked, according to the US National Weather Service.

Based on all available data, there is no further tsunami threat to Guam, Rota, Tinian or Saipan from the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Russia earlier this morning, the agency said.

Minor sea level fluctuations may continue, it added.

Dozens evacuated from Russian beach on Pacific coast

Rescue workers have evacuated about 60 people staying in a surf camp on Khalaktyrsky beach on Russia’s eastern coast of Kamchatka.

Russian media reported that the decision was taken by the Ministry of Emergency Situations due to the risk of a tsunami.

No significant increase in water levels was recorded, the report added.

Video footage showed young people with backpacks boarding a truck.

Hawaii tsunami warning downgraded to advisory

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has downgraded its tsunami warning for Hawaii to a tsunami advisory.

This means that people who had evacuated across the US state will be able to return home.

A tsunami advisory also means that the potential for strong currents or dangerous waves is expected to occur for those in or near the ocean. There may also be flooding of beach or harbour areas.

Waves as high as 1.3 metres (4.5ft) were observed in Kahului, Hawaii, by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Smaller waves of 45cm (1.5ft) were observed in Kawaihae and about 30cm (1ft) in Hilo Bay.

Tsunami alert issued for Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

The US embassy in Port Moresby has issued a tsunami alert for Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, warning of “potential dangerous coastal flooding and/or strong and unusual currents dangerous to those in or very near the water”.

The embassy urged visitors to be prepared to move to higher ground and avoid coastal areas, beaches and rivers until further notice.

Major tsunami not expected to strike Hawaii: PTWC

The latest evaluation by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) says that based on all available data, a major tsunami is not expected to strike the US state of Hawaii.

It added, however, that sea level changes and strong currents may occur along all coasts that could be a hazard to swimmers and boaters, as well as to people near the shore at beaches and in harbours and marinas.

“The threat may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival,” it said.

Pacific coastal areas on high alert

Sue Dawson, a professor of hazard geoscience at the University of Dundee in Scotland, says the position of the quake off the coast in Russia “makes the entire Pacific at risk”.

“Fortunately, there is a very effective warming system in place for the Pacific, so warnings have been in place to allow evacuation away from the coastal zones,” she told Al Jazeera.

Dawson said impacts such as the one caused by today’s earthquake typically depend on how deep within the Earth the tremor occurred, as shallow events will have greater impacts.

“There is likely to be warnings for hours to come as the tsunami waves take hours to travel across the ocean.”

Tsunami waves arrive in San Francisco and Seattle

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data indicates that the first waves hit San Francisco, in the US state of California, at 1:12am local time (08:12 GMT).

The National Weather Service warns that the extent of the impact is still unknown, as waves are expected to build in size over time.

Other cities reporting waves include Seattle, Monterey, and Eureka, California.

Waves of 30cm reported in Guam

The US Geological Survey is reporting wave heights of up to 30cm (1ft) in Guam.

It said similar wave heights will continue and then start to diminish in the coming hours.

“The Tsunami Advisory remains in effect for Guam and the [Northern Mariana Islands],” it said.

“Potential impacts include sea level fluctuations, minor flooding of beach and harbour areas, and strong and unusual ocean currents in harbours, bays, and other near-shore waters.”

State of emergency declared in Russia’s Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy

Authorities in the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, in the country’s Far East, say that all services have been put on high alert following the earthquake.

“A state of emergency is in effect in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy due to the earthquake that occurred today,” Mayor Yevgeny Belyaev said in a social media post.

Photos: Aftermath of quake in Russia’s Far East

First tsunami waves hit US West Coast

The first tsunami waves were detected in Monterey, California at 12:48am local time (05:48 GMT), according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

Monterey has issued an evacuation order for Monterey Harbor, Breakwater Cove and nearby areas.

Here’s where things stand on Wednesday 30 July 2025:

• Tsunami alerts have been issued after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake off Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.
• The quake struck 136km (84 miles) east of the coastal city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia’s far east, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said on Tuesday.
• Japan’s meteorological agency issued a tsunami advisory for much of its east coast, warning of waves of up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) high.
• Tsunami warnings were also issued for Taiwan, Hawaii and Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, with advisories issued for much of the US West Coast.

First tsunami waves hit US west coast

The first tsunami waves were detected in Monterrey, California at 12:48am local time (GMT 05:48), according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.

Monterrey has issued an evacuation order for Monterey Harbour, Breakwater Cove and nearby areas.

Japan Meteorological Agency warns of tsunami threat lasting another day

Masashi Kiyomoto, an official from the Japan Meteorological Agency, has warned that the threat of a high tsunami will last for at least one more day.

According to remarks carried by Japanese public broadcaster NHK, Kiyomoto urged people in coastal areas and along rivers to move to higher ground and other safe places as “tsunami are now continuing to be observed”.

The official also said that a tsunami can continue to be observed over a long period.

He also told people to remain alert as tide levels could be higher than at present if tsunamis occur at high tide.

‘The walls were shaking’

In Russia’s Far Eastern coastal city of Petropavlovsk in the remote Kamchatka Peninsula, residents were woken up by one of the 10 biggest quakes recorded, according to the USGS.

Russian authorities said a tsunami hit and flooded the port town of Severo-Kurilsk, while local media said a wave between three and four metres high was recorded in the Elizovsky district of Kamchatka.

A video posted on Russian social media showed buildings in the town submerged in seawater. Authorities said the population of about 2,000 people was evacuated.

As we reported earlier, several people were injured, but none seriously.

“The walls were shaking,” a Kamchatka resident told state media Zvezda.

“It’s good that we packed a suitcase, there was one with water and clothes near the door. We quickly grabbed it and ran out … It was very scary,” she said.

Why are tsunami waves so powerful?

Japanese tsunami expert Kubota Tatsuya says tsunami waves are much more dangerous than regular waves – even if they do not seem that big initially.

“Unlike regular ocean waves, tsunamis are not just a wave only at the surface, but a movement of the entire water column. Therefore, the tsunami wave has tremendous energy and force, which can cause damage even with relatively small wave heights,” he told Al Jazeera.

“Even if the predicted wave height is not very large, it is essential to stay away from the coast and closely follow the guidance provided by official agencies,” he said.

Kubato also warned that waves may grow in size and intensity over time – as has been observed today in Japan.

“In many cases, multiple waves can arrive over several hours. Even if the first wave is not so large, it is possible that a larger tsunami can arrive [later],” he said.

Hawaii airports update

The Department of Transportation in Hawaii says all flights to and from Kahului Airport, the main airport in Maui, have been cancelled.

In a social media post, the department said passengers have been sheltering in the terminal.

“In the morning, those sheltering will be re-screened prior to departures,” it added.

Hilo International Airport also remains shut, while baggage screening at Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport has resumed, with inter-island and trans-Pacific flights being staggered, if continued.

Evacuations across the Pacific Ocean after earthquake near Russia’s Kamchatka

A magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula has triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean.

The tsunami wave inundated coastal areas around Russia’s Far East region, and has prompted evacuations in Japan, Hawaii and other countries.

Warnings have also been issued for the Philippines, Indonesia and as far away as Ecuador.

Evacuations across the Pacific Ocean after earthquake near Russia’s Kamchatka

A magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula has triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean.

The tsunami wave inundated coastal areas around Russia’s Far East region, and has prompted evacuations in Japan, Hawaii and other countries.

Warnings have also been issued for the Philippines, Indonesia and as far away as Ecuador.

Photos: Tourists in Hawaii wait, watch for incoming tsunami waves

‘No wave of consequence so far’ in Hawaii: Governor

Hawaii’s Governor Josh Green has just given an update on the situation. Here are key takeaways:

• So far, local authorities have not seen a wave of consequence.
• Significant water recede several times has been reported in Haleiwa.
• No wave activities have been seen coming past the big island.
• While there have been no reports of damage, authorities expect to wait up to four hours before being able to assess that the situation is safe: “We are not yet in the clear.”
• As of now, there are no plans to shut off any power in advance.
• Airports have not been affected, but all flights from and to Maui have been cancelled for tonight.
• Next update will come at 9pm (07:00 GMT).

Japan warns tsunami wave cycles last about an hour, show no signs of receding

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the country’s Pacific coast has already been hit by four to five rounds of tsunami waves, and has warned residents of the following:

• There are no signs of tsunami waves receding.
• The height of waves continues to grow, from 20cm (0.6ft) earlier today to 1.3 metres (4.2ft) in the northeast of the country.
• Long gaps may be observed between rounds of waves.
• Each wave cycle can take about an hour, but waves could continue for an extended period.
• There is also a chance of powerful and unexpected surges.

Hawaii governor warns even small tsunami waves driven with ‘great force’

Hawaii’s Governor Josh Green has said it is too early to tell how big the tsunami waves reaching Hawaii will be.

Green said at a news conference that data from Midway Atoll, which is between Japan and Hawaii, measured waves from peak to trough of 6ft (1.8 metres), and said waves hitting Hawaii could be bigger or smaller than this.

A tsunami of that size would be akin to a 3ft (90cm) wave riding on top of surf, he said.

“This is a longitudinal wave with great force driving through the shoreline and into land,” he added.

Green said Black Hawk helicopters have been activated and high-water vehicles were ready to go in case authorities need to rescue people. “But please do not put yourself in harm’s way,” he said.

Japan prepared to ‘bear the brunt of any tsunamis’

Given its proximity [to the epicentre of the earthquake], the country that will bear the brunt of any tsunamis is Japan.

In 1952, there was another big earthquake in Kamchatka. That resulted in tsunamis that impacted and caused damage in Japan.

So, the most widespread alerts have been raised there, especially around the coastal areas of the northern island of Hokkaido and the Pacific coastal areas of the main Honshu island.

People have been told to evacuate coastal areas, stay away from the mouths of rivers and harbours, seek refuge at higher ground or the highest floors of sturdy buildings.

Because Japan is so prone to tsunami waves and earthquakes, they do prepare for these kinds of natural disasters. The harbours have sea defences which can be raised to try to block incoming waves. People practice evacuations. There is a very elaborate warning system in place.

More on tsunami waves in Russia

The fourth wave of the tsunami has reached the town of Severo-Kurilsk in Russia’s Sakhalin region, but it was already weak, according to the mayor of the Severo-Kurilsk region, Alexander Ovsyannikov, who spoke to the Interfax news agency.

“The most serious was the third wave, which did a lot of damage. It damaged the port infrastructure; the entire small fleet was pulled out to sea, it is now hanging around in the strait, some of the ships were washed ashore,” he said.

The tsunami alert remains. But in Severo-Kurilsk, it applies to the port area. The city itself is located on a hill in a safe place, the mayor added.

There were no casualties. It was previously reported that after a powerful earthquake near Kamchatka, a tsunami alert was declared in Severo-Kurilsk and everyone was evacuated from the tsunami-hazardous zone.

A state of emergency has been declared in the city due to the consequences of the earthquake and tsunami.

Photos: Japanese beaches empty amid tsunami warnings

First tsunami waves reach Hawaii

Tsunami waves appear to be reaching Hawaii as water levels rose suddenly around Kahulai, Nawiliwili, Honolulu, and Pearl Harbour, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Tsunami warning sirens activated in Tonga’s capital Nuku’alofa: Report

Tsunami evacuation sirens have been activated on the South Pacific island of Tonga and alerts are in force across the island-chain kingdom, local news outlet Matangi Tonga Online reports.

According to the news outlet, Tonga’s meteorological service estimates that Tonga’s northern coastlines of Niua and Vava’u will be under tsunami threat from about 10-11pm tonight (09:00-10:00 GMT).

Other coastlines will also be threatened, the news site said.

Tonga’s National Tsunami Warning Centre warned that members of the “public who are in the tsunami threat area are advised to prepare to evacuate”.

“Mariners out at sea are advised to prepare to move to deep water,” it added.

Klyuchevskoy volcano ejects 3km ash column in Russia’s Kamchatka

The Klyuchevskoy volcano in Kamchatka has ejected ash to a height of up to 3 km (1.8 miles) above sea level, according to the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“By now, the ash plume has extended 58km [36 miles] east of the volcano. The volcano is continuing to erupt explosively at the summit. Ash emissions at altitudes up to 8km [4.9 miles] above sea level may occur at any time. Continued activity may affect low-flying aircraft,” the statement said, according to the Interfax news agency.

“The crater is almost filled with lava, we are expecting lava flows,” KVERT reported.

KVERT has assigned an orange colour code for aviation hazards to this volcano. International air traffic routes do not pass through the Klyuchevskoy area.

Japan reports tsunami waves along Pacific Coast

The whole Pacific coast of Japan is now reporting tsunami waves, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK World.

Waves are now as high as 60cm (1.9ft) along some parts of the coast, including Kuji Port and Hamanaka town, according to NHK.

The size of the waves has grown steadily from 20cm (0.6ft) earlier this morning, and authorities say they could reach as high as 3 metres (9.8ft).

Tsunami warning advisories will be in place across Japan for at least the next 24 hours, the broadcaster said.

The National Weather Service urges California residents to take caution

The National Weather Service’s San Francisco Bay office said a tsunami advisory is in place for the entire California coast and people should “stay away from” waterways and beaches.

Where have tsunami alerts been issued around the world?

Tsunami warnings or advisories have been issued for:

• Russia
• Japan
• Taiwan
• The Philippines
• China
• Hawaii
• Guam
• Tonga
• California
• Alaska
• Oregon
• Washington
• British Columbia
• Mexico
• Peru
• Ecuador

Taiwan warns waves will hit south coast

Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration has warned that the island’s south coast could experience waves of 30cm to 1 metre (0.9 to 3.2ft) at about 1:30pm local time (05:30 GMT).

Other parts of Taiwan will experience waves of less than 1 metre, the agency said.

Taiwan lies to the southwest of Japan, close to Okinawa and other outlying islands.

Russia declares emergency on tsunami-hit islands

Authorities in Russia’s far eastern Sakhalin region have declared a state of emergency in the northern Kuril Islands, where tsunami waves have damaged buildings and caused flooding.

“A state of emergency has been declared in the North Kuril District, where an earthquake and tsunami occurred today,” the Sakhalin government said in a statement.

Ships washed away in far-eastern Russian port town

As we reported earlier, tsunami waves have inundated the far-eastern Russian port town of Severo-Kurilsk in the Kuril Islands.

Russia’s TASS news agency is reporting that while the first wave to flood the town passed without incident, a third powerful wave tore ships from their places, carrying them out to sea.

The port and fishing facilities were flooded, according to the Russian Emergency Ministry.

As we reported earlier, the town’s 2,000 residents had evacuated to higher ground.

Earthquake occurred in Pacific Ring of Fire

Chris Elders, a structural geology expert at Curtin University in Australia, told Al Jazeera that Wednesday’s earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is an “area of significant volcanic activity and also earthquake activity”.

“In this particular part of the Pacific Ocean, the Pacific Ocean is moving down underneath the eastern side of Russia… and it’s that movement of the tectonic plates that produces these very large earthquakes,” Elders said.

“The earthquake causes the seabed to lift up a little bit, and that displaces the water sideways, producing the tsunami wave, and it’ll spread away from the epicentre,” he said.

Tsunamis can move at speed of commercial plane: Expert

Nathan Bangs, a research professor at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, told Al Jazeera that today’s earthquake resembled those behind recent disasters.

“Preliminary estimates are 8.8 [magnitude] and occurred along Kamchatka. This is a subduction zone setting that has the potential to generate large tsunamis. It is similar to other settings that have generated large tsunamis in recent years that followed earthquakes, such as Sumatra in 2004 and Tohoku in 2011,” Bangs said.

An earthquake in 2004 unleashed the devastating Boxing Day tsunami in the Indian Ocean, while the 2011 earthquake in Japan was the most powerful ever recorded in the country, and also generated a deadly tsunami.

Bangs said it is still too soon to understand the extent of the damage from the latest seismic event, but tsunami waves can move as fast as a commercial aeroplane.

“Tsunamis travel about the speed of an airliner and may not have yet reached potential danger zones in Hawaii or the US West Coast. If this event did generate a large tsunami, the impact of a tsunami may still occur around the Pacific,” Bangs added.

San Francisco residents warned against taking tsunami photos

The National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area office has warned that people could put themselves at risk, as well as members of the emergency services, if they go to take photos of the expected tsunami.

“This will NOT be a single wave. Do NOT try to go to the coast to take photos,” the service said on social media.

San Francisco’s Bay Area is under a tsunami advisory.

Communities further north are under a warning.

Peru issues tsunami warning for coastal areas

Peru’s navy has issued a tsunami warning for the country’s coastal areas.

“After an analysis and evaluation by the National Tsunami Warning Centre, it has been determined that this event generates a tsunami warning for the Peruvian coast,” the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation of the Peruvian Navy said in a statement.

The situation “will be kept under constant surveillance”, the statement added.

Tsunami expected to hit parts of eastern China

China’s tsunami warning centre has said that waves of between 30cm and 1 metre (11.8 inches and 3.2 ft) are expected to hit parts of the country’s eastern seaboard.

“Based on the latest warning and analysis results, the Tsunami Advisory Centre of the Ministry of National Resources has determined that the earthquake has triggered a tsunami, which is expected to cause damage to certain coastal areas of China,” the centre said.

Magnitude of earthquake revised upwards to 8.8: USGS

The US Geological Survey (USGS) has revised the strength of the earthquake,  which struck off Russia’s far-east coast at 8:25am local time on Wednesday (23:25 GMT on Tuesday) to a magnitude of 8.8.

The magnitude of the quake was initially reported at 8.0 and later revised upwards to 8.7.

Multiple aftershocks as strong as magnitude 6.9 have been recorded.

The quake caused damage to buildings and cars swayed in the streets in the Russian city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which also had power outages and mobile phone service failures.

As we reported earlier, several people sought medical help in Kamchatka after the earthquake, but no serious injuries were reported.

US Coastguard orders all commercial vessels to ‘evacuate’ harbours in Hawaii

The US Coastguard’s captain of the port of Honolulu has ordered all commercial vessels to “evacuate” commercial ports in Hawaii.

“All harbors are closed to incoming vessel traffic,” the coastguard said in a post on social media, ahead of the expected arrival of tsunami waves.

Mexico warns people to avoid Pacific beaches after tsunami alert

The Mexican navy has warned that strong currents are expected at port entrances from Baja California in the northwest to Chiapas in the south of Mexico.

Authorities at all levels of government are working to help keep people away from Pacific beaches due to the tsunami alert.

Photos: Honolulu residents prepare for tsunami

People in Hawaii are reported to be leaving coastal areas for higher ground and stocking up on supplies following the tsunami warning.

Tsunami waves of 50cm measured in Japan

Japan reports that waves as high as 50cm (1.6 ft) were recorded at Ishinomaki Port, a major city in the Miyagi Prefecture on the east coast.

Elsewhere, the first tsunami waves measured 20cm to 40cm (0.6 to 1.3 ft), but Japanese authorities say the second and third waves could be larger.

NHK World warned earlier that tsunami waves are stronger than ordinary waves, and a 50cm wave can carry a force of up to 200kg (440 pounds).

Philippines advises residents to stay away from beach in coastal areas

The Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has said that Pacific coastal areas in the country are expected to experience tsunami waves of less than 1 metre high (3.2 ft).

“The first tsunami waves are expected to arrive between 01:20 PM to 02:40 PM” on Wednesday [06:20 GMT Thursday to 07:40 GMT Thursday], the institute said.

People are advised to stay away from the beach and not go to the coast in the provinces affected by the advisory.

The regions affected by the advisory are:

• The Batanes group of islands
• Albay province
• The Dinagat Islands
• Cagayan province
• Sorsogon province
• Surigao del Norte province
• Isabela province
• Catanduanes Island
• Surigao del Sur province
• Aurora province
• Northern Samar province
• Davao del Norte province
• Quezon province
• Eastern Samar province
• Davao Oriental province
• Camarines Norte province
• Leyte Island
• Davao Occidental province
• Camarines Sur province
• Southern Leyte province
• Davao del Sur province
• Davao de Oro province

Seismologist says earthquake and tsunami resemble 1952 event

University of Tokyo seismologist Sakai Shinichi told Al Jazeera that today’s earthquake and tsunami resemble a historic incident from 1952.

The powerful 1952 Severo-Kurilsk earthquake also struck off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s far east, causing extensive damage and a tsunami.

“We will have to wait for reports from Russia to determine the extent of the damage on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Tsunamis of [20-50] centimetres [0.6-1.6 ft] have been observed in Japan, but information is still insufficient, so the number may increase in the future,” Sakai said.

“In the past, large earthquakes have occurred off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Kuril Islands, and the resulting tsunamis have reached Japan, causing widespread damage. For example, the 1952 earthquake,” he said.

Traffic jams reported in Honolulu as residents said to heed tsunami warning

Social media users have been sharing images of what is reported to be bumper-to-bumper traffic in Honolulu and other urban areas as residents of Hawaii leave for higher ground amid tsunami alerts.

Expert says tsunami focus will be central Pacific Ocean

Tsunami expert Philip Liu shared more analysis of potential tsunami damage with Al Jazeera a little earlier.

Liu said that given the direction of the tsunami, Japan is less at risk than other parts of the Pacific.

He said that tsunami wave heights are also smaller than originally estimated.

“Tsunamis tend to propagate in the direction normal to the long axis of the fault plane. Therefore, in this event, the major direction of tsunami propagation is towards the centre of the Pacific Ocean,” he said by email.

“Hawaii islands might be at risk, if the generated tsunamis are large enough.”

Trump says Tsunami Warning in place for Hawaii

US President Donald Trump has advised that a “Tsunami Warning is in effect for those living in Hawaii.”

“A Tsunami Watch is in effect for Alaska and the Pacific Coast of the United States,” Trump added.

“STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE!”

If you’re just joining us

Here’s what you need to know:

• A powerful magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off Russia’s far-east coast at 8:25am local time on Wednesday (23:25 GMT on Tuesday), the US Geological Survey said.
• Several people were injured in Russia’s far east during the earthquake, the TASS state news agency reported.
• Residents were evacuated as tsunami waves flooded the Russian port town of Severo-Kurilsk, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said.
• Japan’s meteorological agency issued a tsunami advisory for much of its east coast, warning of waves of up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) high.
• Tsunami warnings were also issued for Taiwan, the Philippines, Hawaii, Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and some parts of Indonesia, with advisories issued for much of the US West Coast.

Tsunami will be felt more strongly in the Pacific: Expert

Tsunami expert Philip Liu, a professor of civil and environment engineer at Texas A&M University, told Al Jazeera that due to the direction of the tsunami, Japan is at lower risk than some Pacific islands.

Warnings have been issued for Hawaii and the US territory of Guam, among other locations.

Workers at Japan’s stricken Fukushima nuclear plant evacuate after tsunami warning

Staff at the still-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeast Japan have been evacuated amid countrywide tsunami warnings.

“We have evacuated all workers and employees” at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, a spokeswoman for plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) told the AFP news agency, adding “no abnormality” had been observed at the site.

Fukushima went into meltdown in 2011 after a magnitude 9 earthquake struck off the coast of northeastern Japan, triggering a devastating tsunami that knocked out power and cooling systems at the plant, leading to the meltdown of three of the plant’s six reactors and causing the country’s worst nuclear accident.

Tsunami waves flood parts of Russian port town of Severo-Kurilsk

A tsunami has hit Russia’s far east coast, flooding a port town home to about 2,000 people, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said.

“The tsunami flooded parts of the port town of Severo-Kurilsk … The population has been evacuated,” the ministry said in a statement.

A video posted on Russian social media appeared to show buildings in the town submerged in seawater.

Several people injured by quake in Russia’s Kamchatka

Several people were injured during the earthquake in Russia’s far east, Russia’s state TASS news agency is reporting.

“Unfortunately, there are patients who were injured during the earthquake,” Kamchatka’s health minister, Oleg Melnikov, was quoted as saying by TASS.

“All patients are in satisfactory condition. No serious injuries have been reported at this time,” he added.

Indonesia geophysics agency issues tsunami warning for Papua region

Indonesia’s geophysics agency has issued a warning that tsunami waves of less than 0.5 metres (1.6 ft) could hit some parts of Indonesia by this afternoon.

The tsunami could reach some coastal cities and towns in the Papua region, North Maluku province and Gorontalo province, the agency said in a statement.

US issues tsunami warnings for Alaskan islands, advisory for US West Coast

The National Tsunami Warning Center, based in Alaska, has issued a tsunami warning for parts of the Alaskan Aleutian Islands.

Alaska Public Media said that the warning currently includes Atka, Adak, St Paul and St George.

Under a tsunami warning, people should evacuate inland or to higher ground.

The warning centre also issued a tsunami watch for portions of the US West Coast, including California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii.

The advisory includes a vast swath of Alaska’s coastline, including parts of the panhandle.

An advisory means that people should stay away from beaches and waterways.

More tsunami waves arrive in Hokkaido

Japanese media report that the first tsunami waves of 30cm to 40cm (1 to 1.3 ft) have been observed in northern Hokkaido, including the following locations:

• Tokachi Port
• Nemuro Hanasaki
• Hamanaka town
• Kushiro Port
• Erimo town

Foreign tourists visiting Japan have been advised to ask locals for help to find shelter and other assistance.

Residents evacuate as waves reach Russia’s far-east

Valery Limarenko, the governor of the far-eastern Russian region of Sakhalin, says that the first waves of the tsunami have hit the coastal area of Severo-Kurilsk.

“Residents of the settlement remain safe on high ground until the threat of repeated waves is completely lifted,” Limarenko wrote on Telegram.

Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba speaks about tsunami

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba briefly addressed the public earlier, urging people to evacuate from areas under a tsunami warning.

Ishiba said the government “will put in our best effort in order to avoid any damage to the public”, although it is still unknown how the day’s events will unfold.

The first waves are currently reaching northern Japan, according to estimates from the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Tokyo Bay and Osaka are both under tsunami advisory, and could experience waves as high as 1 metre (3.3 ft) .

Russia’s eastern Kamchatka region urges people to avoid coast after tsunami alert

The governor of Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka region has urged residents not to approach the coastline.

“A tsunami warning has been issued, and the strength of the wave is being determined”, Vladimir Solodov said on Telegram.

“I urge everyone to stay away from the coastline in tsunami-prone areas and to follow announcements on loudspeakers.”

The region is home to the coastal city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, which has a population of some 180,000 residents.

Some coastal areas ordered to evacuate in Hawaii ahead of ‘destructive’ waves

The Honolulu Department of Emergency Management has called for the evacuation of some coastal areas in Hawaii due to the threat of tsunami waves generated by the magnitude 8.7 earthquake of Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.

“Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,” the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said on X.

First waves hit Hokkaido in northern Japan

The first tsunami wave was reported in Hanasaki Port in northern Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture.

The wave measured 30cm (almost 1 foot), according to NHK World Japan. The news outlet said waves have likely hit other locations as well.

Despite the relatively smaller size of the first waves, the news outlet said tsunami waves are much stronger than ordinary ones.

A 50cm wave carries a force of up to 200kg (441 pounds), or enough to knock over an adult.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency warns that parts of Japan could be hit by waves as high as 3 metres (9.8 feet).

Japan warns tsunami waves can hit more than once

Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) has warned that anyone in an area under a tsunami warning from Hokkaido to Wakayama should evacuate immediately and move to higher ground.

Anyone in a region under a tsunami advisory has also been warned to stay away from the coast or river areas.

The JMA said at a news conference that tsunami waves can come repeatedly, and often, the second wave of a tsunami is higher than the first, so evacuation should continue until the tsunami warning is taken down.

Waves are expected to start at about 10am local time (01:00 GMT) and continue until 2pm (17:00 GMT).

What to know about the Kuril-Kamchatka arc

• The earthquake hit earlier, east of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, in an area known as the Kuril-Kamchatka arc, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
• The Kuril-Kamchatka arc has frequent moderate-to-large earthquakes, the USGS said, with 31 other earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.5 or higher recorded within 250km (155 miles) of Wednesday’s earthquake in the past 100 years.
• A magnitude 7.4 earthquake recorded there on July 20, 2025, would now be considered a foreshock to this morning’s earthquake, the USGS said.
• The epicentre of the latest earthquake was 45km (28 miles) southeast of the November 4, 1952, magnitude 9.0 Kamchatka earthquake epicentre.
• The 1952 earthquake caused a Pacific-wide tsunami, but no deaths were reported despite it setting off 9.1-metre (30-foot) waves in Hawaii.

Taiwan issues tsunami warning

Taiwan, which lies directly to the southwest of Japan, has now also issued a tsunami warning.

Waves are expected to hit Japan’s north first, and then its southernmost islands at about 2pm local time (05:00 GMT), according to Japan’s Meteorological Agency, which means they would hit Taiwan shortly afterwards.

The current advisory for Japan says waves will be about 1 metre high (3.3 ft) at that point, although this could change.

Hawaii on tsunami watch

Hawaii’s Emergency Management Agency says that if tsunami waves affect the islands, they are estimated to reach them by 7:17pm local time on Tuesday (06:00 GMT, Wednesday).

No injuries in Kamchatka after earthquake, town in Sakhalin evacuated: Russian governors

There were no injuries reported after the strongest earthquake “in decades” off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula earlier today, but evacuation was ordered for a small town in the Sakhalin region after a tsunami warning, regional governors said.

“Today’s earthquake was serious, and the strongest in decades of tremors,” Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app.

He said that according to preliminary information, there were no injuries, but a kindergarten was damaged.

Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko said on Telegram that an evacuation order was declared for the small town of Severo-Kurilsk after a tsunami warning was issued following the earthquake.

Japan issues tsunami advisory for east coast

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued a tsunami warning for much of its east coast along the Pacific.

People have been warned to stay away from beaches, where waves of up to 3 metres are expected to start from 10 am local time (1:00 GMT) in the north of Hokkaido and gradually move south.

The JMA says they will announce further details at a press conference at 10:10 am (1:10 GMT).

What we know so far

• A powerful magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off Russia’s far east coast at 8:25am local time on Wednesday (23:25 GMT on Tuesday), the US Geological Survey said.
• The magnitude of the quake was initially reported at 8.0 and later revised upwards to 8.7.
• The quake struck 136km (85 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia’s far east, the US Geological Survey said.
• Japan’s meteorological agency issued a tsunami advisory for the country, warning of waves of up to 1 metre (3.3 feet) high.
• The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an immediate “tsunami watch” for the state of Hawaii.

Welcome to our live coverage

Hello, and welcome to our live coverage of the tsunami warnings issued following a magnitude 8.7 earthquake off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

Stay with us for the latest news as it happens.

What exactly did Trump tell Cambodia and Thailand?

Thailand and Cambodia agreed to a ceasefire after Donald Trump threatened not to make a trade deal with them until the fighting stopped.

Trade talks are a no-go “until such time as the fighting STOPS”, he wrote on Truth Social on Saturday.

Then on Sunday, he again took to social media, saying: “I called the prime ministers of each and said, ‘we’re not going to make a trade deal unless you settle a war’. A lot people killed.”

“I think by the time I got off, I think they wanted to settle.”

A kick from Trump and a win for Malaysia

President Trump may have delivered the kick, with his trade talks threat, that enabled this ceasefire, but it is Malaysia which is getting the credit.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, flanked by his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, announced an agreed end to hostilities between the two countries at midnight, and said Malaysia and other members of the Association of South East Asian Nations were on hand to help monitor the ceasefire.

Tellingly both the US and China had observers at the talks.

Cambodia’s prime minister Hun Manet described it as a very good meeting that he hoped would immediately stop the fighting; Cambodia has been pushing for a ceasefire since Friday, as its outgunned forces have been driven back by the Thai military.

The acting Thai prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai seemed less thrilled by the outcome, but promised to honour the ceasefire.

Shells and rockets continued to land in both countries even as the peace talks were underway; it will take a lot longer to cool the emotions on both sides of the border stirred up by the destruction and loss of life over the past five days.

Here’s more on what the two countries agreed to

As part of the ceasefire agreement, Thailand and Cambodia will also resume direct communications between their prime ministers, foreign minister and defence ministers.

The defence and foreign ministers of Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand have also been asked to set up a “detailed mechanism” for the “implementation, verification and reporting of the ceasefire”, according to a press release published after this afternoon’s talks.

It is unclear from the statement what form this “mechanism” will take.

What exactly did Thailand and Cambodia agree to?

Here’s a recap of what Thailand and Cambodia agreed on:

• An “unconditional ceasefire” from midnight Malaysia time (16:00 GMT)
• Military commanders from both countries will hold an “informal meeting” at 07:00 on Tuesday
• This will be followed by a meeting of defence attaches, led by the chairman of Asean, on 4 August

Thai and Cambodian leaders thank Trump and China

Notably, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand’s acting leader Phumtham Wechayachai both thanked US President Donald Trump and the Chinese government in their brief comments during the press conference.

As we’ve been reporting, this afternoon’s talks were held after Trump told the South East Asian neighbours to agree to a ceasefire as a pre-condition to their respective trade talks with Washington. This forced Thailand’s hand – Bangkok was earlier opposed to any third-party mediation, insisting that the conflict can be resolved only through bilateral negotiations.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim put forward his offer to mediate late on Thursday, which Thailand took up only after Trump’s threat.

China, which has strategic ties with both Thailand and Cambodia, also sent representatives to help broker peace.

Press conference ends with gesture of unity

In true Asean fashion, the leaders held hands in unity at the end of the press conference.

Press conference ends

The press conference has just wrapped up. The leaders all shook hands for the cameras, but did not take any questions from the floor and were promptly escorted out of the room.

Acting Thai PM says ceasefire struck ‘in good faith’

Acting Thai PM Phumtham Wechayachai spoke briefly after his Cambodian counterpart.

He said the ceasefire was negotiated by his country “in good faith” and that Thailand is committed to peace.

‘Time to start rebuilding trust and confidence’ – Hun Manet

Hun Manet says he is confident that results from the talks will “provide a lot of opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people on both sides to return to normalcy”.

He adds that it’s a time to “start rebuilding trust and confidence going forward between Cambodia and Thailand”.

Thai and Cambodian military commanders to meet

The morning after the ceasefire takes effect, military commanders will hold an “informal meeting” at 07:00 Tuesday, Anwar also said.

It will be followed by a meeting of defence attaches led by the chairman of Asean on 4 August.

‘A very good meeting’ – Hun Manet

Hun Manet has called the talks “a very good meeting” and said he hopes to stop the fighting “immediately”.

There have been 300,000 people displaced on both sides of the conflict, he notes.

The Cambodian leader thanked Anwar, US President Donald Trump and the Chinese government for their involvement in the mediation.

He also thanked his Thai counterpart Phumtham Wechayachai for his

Hun Manet addresses the media

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet is now addressing reporters.

‘Immediate and unconditional ceasefire’ from midnight

Thailand and Cambodia will have an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” with effect from midnight local time, Anwar says.

“This is a vital first step to a de-escalation and a restoration of peace and security,” he says.

Ceasefire reached – Anwar

Cambodia’s PM Hun Manet and Thai acting leader Phumtham Wechayachai have “expressed their positions and willingness to immediate ceasefire”, Anwar says.

Anwar has started speaking

Malaysia’s leader Anwar Ibrahim has started speaking. For a start he has expressed his “deep appreciation and gratitude” to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia.

Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting?

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have been simmering for a while but last Thursday, they exploded into a deadly battle at the border.

Each side is blaming each other for causing the escalation. Thailand has accused Cambodia of then firing rockets, while Bangkok carried out air strikes on Cambodian military targets.

In fact, the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century, when the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.

Things officially became hostile in 2008, when Cambodia tried to register an 11th Century temple located in a contested area as a Unesco World Heritage Site – a move that was met with heated protest from Thailand.

Over the years there have been sporadic clashes that have seen soldiers and civilians killed on both sides.

The latest tensions ramped up in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash. This plunged bilateral ties to their lowest point in more than a decade.

Read more here on the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

Post-talks press conference set to begin

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is due to hold a press conference after hosting Cambodian and Thai leaders for ceasefire talks.

Stay with us as we bring you the latest.

China calls for end to conflict ‘as soon as possible’

China, which has political and economic ties with both Cambodia and Thailand, says it welcomes efforts to end fighting between the South East Asian neighbours.

Calling for an end to the conflict “as soon as possible”, Beijing’s foreign ministry said: “We hope that both sides will start from the shared interests of their peoples, uphold the spirit of valuing peace and promoting good neighbourliness, remain calm and exercise restraint.”

First photos from the meeting

The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia are now sitting in the same room, as peace talks are held at the official residence of Malaysia’s prime minister Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya, around 30 minutes from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Officials from US and China, who both said they want to see a de-escalation of the conflict, are also in attendance.

Peace talks begin in Malaysia

The peace negotiations between Thai and Cambodian leaders are underway, according to Reuters and AFP.

We’ll bring you the latest updates as we get them. Please stay with us.

Here’s what you need to know

In just a few minutes, the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia will meet for peace talks as deadly border clashes enter a fifth day.

If you’re just joining us, here’s what you need to know:

• Thailand has reported 22 deaths – including 14 civilians – since the clashes started on Thursday. Cambodia has not released a national casualty toll
• Their dispute dates back more than a century, when their borders were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia. There have been sporadic clashes over the years. Now, each side is blaming the other the recent escalation
• Peace talks are set to begin in Kuala Lumpur at 15:00 local time (07:00 GMT). Malaysia’s leader Anwar Ibrahim will chair the talks. Officials from China and the US are also expected to be there

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the US wants the conflict to end “as soon as possible”
• President Donald Trump said that tariff negotiations with Washington will not proceed until the “fighting STOPS”
• Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has called for an “immediate ceasefire”, but his Thai counterpart Phumtham Wechayachai said he would have to assess if Cambodia shows “genuine intent” at the meeting

In pictures: Conflict displaces tens of thousands

Intense fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in the last five days has claimed dozens of lives, wounded many more, and displaced tens of thousands of people. Here’s a look at the situation in evacuation centres, border checkpoints and in cities farther afield from the border provinces.

Why are Thailand and Cambodia fighting?

Simmering tensions between Thailand and Cambodia exploded into a deadly battle at the border last Thursday.

Each side is blaming each other for causing the escalation. Thailand has accused Cambodia of then firing rockets, while Bangkok carried out air strikes on Cambodian military targets.

In fact, the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia dates back more than a century, when the borders of the two nations were drawn after the French occupation of Cambodia.

Things officially became hostile in 2008, when Cambodia tried to register an 11th Century temple located in a contested area as a Unesco World Heritage Site – a move that was met with heated protest from Thailand.

Over the years there have been sporadic clashes that have seen soldiers and civilians killed on both sides.

The latest tensions ramped up in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a clash. This plunged bilateral ties to their lowest point in more than a decade.

Read more here on the Thai-Cambodian border dispute.

US wants conflict to end ‘as soon as possible’ – Rubio

The US wants the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia to end “as soon as possible”, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said.

State Department officials are in Malaysia to assist in peace talks, Rubio said on the eve of the negotiations, which will start in less than two hours.

Earlier, we reported that the talks come after US President Donald Trump asked both South East Asian countires to agree to a ceasefire as a condition for trade talks with Washington.

Thais and Cambodians slug it out on social media, as border tensions flare

As the border clashes intensify, a different kind of war between their citizens has been raging – via increasingly belligerent exchanges on social media.

Nationalists from both sides have long bickered over several points of national pride – from ownership of temples and territories to the origins of traditional dances, costumes, food and sports.

The rising tensions in recent weeks, which culminated in the deadly attacks on Thursday, have now prompted young people on both sides to trade fresh barbs online.

The comment sections of social media posts about the conflict have turned into an online warzone, with Thai and Cambodian users arguing with each other and backing their governments official version of events.

“Justice for Cambodia,” one Cambodian user commented on a TikTok video of a user trying to explain the conflict. “Thai troops opened fire on Cambodian forces first.”

“[Who’s] gonna trust [what] the largest scammer country said?” a Thai user replied, making a reference to the widespread scam centres in Cambodia that have entrapped hundreds of thousands.

Cambodian prime minister seeks ‘immediate ceasefire’

The purpose of peace talks in Kuala Lumpur is to “achieve an immediate ceasefire”, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet has said on X about an hour ago.

In an earlier post on Facebook, the Cambodian leader thanked Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for initiating and coordinating the meeting. Officials from the US and China will also attend the meeting, he wrote.

Thai leader says Cambodia not acting ‘in good faith’

Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has accused Cambodia of not acting “in good faith” as he left for peace talks in Malaysia.

“We do not believe Cambodia is acting in good faith, based on their actions in addressing the issue,” Phumtham told reporters at Bangkok airport as fighting at the two countries’ border reached a fifth day.

“They need to demonstrate genuine intent, and we will assess that during the meeting,” he said.

Cambodia had on Saturday called for an “immediate” ceasefire.

Who is attending the peace talks?

Malaysia’s leader Anwar Ibrahim will chair the peace talks later today in Kuala Lumpur. Anwar, who is chair of Asean or the Association of South East Asian Nations, had proposed ceasefire talks soon after intense fighting broke out along the Thai-Cambodian border on Thursday.

The Thai delegation will be led by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai while Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet is expected to lead Phnom Penh’s delegation.

Officials from China and the US will also be present at the negotiations, AFP news agency reported.

What happened over the weekend

Cambodia had on Saturday called for “immediate” ceasefire with Thailand and a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said he told Thailand’s and Cambodia’s leaders that negotiations to reduce tariffs would not proceed until the “fighting STOPS”.

The US president’s ultimatum forced Bangkok’s hand. Thailand, which had earlier refused any third-party mediation, has now accepted a mediation offer put forward by Malaysia – the current chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations.

Leaders will now head to Kuala Lumpur for talks at 15:00 local time (07:00 GMT). The Thai delegation will be led by acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai while the Cambodian side will be led by Prime Minister Hun Manet.

Thailand has reported 22 deaths – including 14 civilians – since fighting started on Thursday. Cambodia has not released a national casualty toll.

Thailand and Cambodia due for peace talks

The festering border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia has entered its fifth day today and the country’s leaders are due to meet later in Malaysia for peace talks.

The clashes have claimed dozens of lives. Heavy exchanges of fire have continued overnight, while Thailand and Cambodia continued to point fingers at each other for aggravating the dispute.

Stay with us as we bring you the latest.

Here’s where things stand on Thursday 17 July 2025:

• Syrian government forces are withdrawing from the southern region of Suwayda as part of a ceasefire agreed with the Druze minority.
• The Syrian president accuses Israel of sowing divisions and trying to “ignite tension and chaos” in his country after Israel’s military hit the heart of Damascus in what it says was support for the Druze.
• In the Gaza Strip, casualties are reported after an Israeli strike on a Catholic church in Gaza, with the building also sustaining damage.
• Medical sources tell Al Jazeera that at least 93 Palestinians, including 30 people waiting for food aid, have been killed in Gaza over the latest 24-hour reporting period, and the death toll continues to rise amid ongoing Israeli attacks.
• Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 58,573 people and wounded 139,607, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks, and more than 200 were taken captive.

What is the Holy Family Church that was hit in Gaza?

• The Holy Family Church is the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip.
• The church was sheltering both Christians and Muslims, including several children with disabilities, according to Fadel Naem, the acting director of al-Ahli Hospital that received those wounded in the attack earlier today.
• The injured include one child with disabilities, two women, and an elderly person.
• Naem told AP that at least two people were in critical condition.
• The church is a short distance from the al-Ahli Hospital and the area has been repeatedly struck for more than a week, he said.
• Only about 1,000 Christians live in Gaza, an overwhelmingly Muslim territory, according to a US State Department’s report for 2024.
• The majority of Palestinian Christians are Greek Orthodox but they also include other Christians, including Roman Catholics

Syrian president accuses Israel of ‘sowing division’ after attacks

Ahmed al-Sharaa has addressed the nation in a televised address during which he accused Israel of trying to turn Syria into a “theatre of endless chaos”.

Second Israeli drone attack hits southern Lebanon

A second Israeli drone attack has hit the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura, shortly after a separate attack was reported near Nabatieh.

The Health Ministry said the attack, which targeted a truck, killed one person.

Video shows Gaza priest lightly injured in the leg

Footage published by a Palestinian activist and verified by Al Jazeera shows Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of the Holy Family Church in northern Gaza, following the Israeli strike.

The video shows the priest with his right leg bandaged but otherwise in good condition. Romanelli was very close with the late Pope Francis and the two spoke often since the start of the war on Gaza.

Photos: Aftermath of Israeli strike on Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City

Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem says several injured in attack on Gaza church

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has issued a statement confirming that the Holy Family Church in Gaza was hit by a military raid this morning.

“Currently there are no fatalities confirmed,” it said, adding that several people including parish priest Gabriel Romanelli were injured.

“The Patriarchate will provide additional details upon their confirmation,” the statement said.

Israeli drone attack kills one, injures two in southern Lebanon: Health Ministry

At least one person was killed and two were injured in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon, the country’s Health Ministry has said.

A drone hit a vehicle on a highway in the Nabatieh district, it added.

Israel continues to periodically attack Lebanon despite agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah, which ended more than a year of fighting.

According to the November truce, both parties were supposed to pull their forces out of southern Lebanon.

But Israel has maintained troops in at least five outposts and continues to hit the Lebanese group, which it accuses of being rebuilding its capacity. On the other side, Hezbollah says it will not disarm until Israel ends its air raids and fully withdraws from the country’s south.

Italian PM slams Israeli forces over attack on church in Gaza

Giorgia Meloni, prime minister of Italy, has issued a harsh – and rare – condemnation of Israel’s air raids on Palestinians in Gaza after Israeli forces bombed a Catholic church in Gaza City.

“Israeli raids on Gaza also hit the Church of the Holy Family,” Meloni said on X.

“The attacks against the civilian population that Israel has been carrying out for months are unacceptable. No military action can justify such an attitude.”

Two people were killed and six were injured, according to Italy’s ANSA news agency.

More on Israeli strike on Catholic parish in Gaza

As we reported earlier, two women have been killed and several injured in an Israeli strike on the Catholic parish in Gaza City, according to doctors at al-Ahli Arab Hospital.

We now have more information on the strike, which damaged the Holy Family Church.

Italy’s ANSA news agency said six people were seriously injured while the parish priest, Father Gabriele Romanelli, who used to regularly update the late Pope Francis about the war, suffered minor leg injuries.

Death toll in Gaza rises to 22 since dawn

As reported earlier, Israeli air attacks continue in the Strip, and the death toll is rising.

Medical sources now say at least 22 Palestinians have been killed since dawn today.

A source told Al Jazeera on the ground that two women were killed when an Israeli attack hit the Latin Monastery church in the east of Gaza City.

Eight Palestinians killed while trying to protect aid trucks on way to northern Gaza

• Hani Mahmoud

Reporting from Gaza City

In the past hour, eight people, who had been tasked with securing aid trucks, have been reported killed. As many as 20 trucks were on their way to designated areas in the northern part of the Strip and were hit in a drone attack. Body parts were scattered and civil defence members had to collect them.

This is, unfortunately, routine for those who attempt to secure aid trucks, which will end up in the hands of looters and gangs supported largely by the Israeli military.

Food distribution is still very limited. Whatever is available is coming from the GHF centres and it’s only a trickle.

Only a few people are able to get some food, while those who get large quantities are the looters who are stealing the aid and reselling it on the market for prices that are beyond the capabilities of many here in Gaza.

Israeli drone attack reported in southern Lebanon

Lebanese media are reporting an Israeli drone attack on a car in southern Lebanon.

The attack took place between the southern towns of Kfour and Toul, near Nabatieh, according to Lebanon’s National Broadcasting Network (NBN).

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Syria’s leader bows to ‘reality’ by withdrawing troops from Suwayda

Marco Vicenzino, a global strategy adviser and geopolitical risk specialist, says Syria’s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa has bowed to reality by withdrawing government forces from Suwayda, as he is not in a position to maintain troops there in light of Israeli attacks.

“[Al-Sharaa’s] main challenges are maintaining order at home and centralising power, and also incorporating minorities into the new Syria,” Vicenzino told Al Jazeera.

“So I think, realistically speaking, he realises he’s limited in what he can do. But on the one hand, he risks losing credibility at home – particularly with his political base – but on the other hand, he cannot keep a presence there if there’s the threat of continued [Israeli] bombing.”

Syrian government forces leave Suwayda as ceasefire comes into effect

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has spelled out what this new ceasefire deal is about, and it involves the state withdrawing from the border region.

We can confirm that we have seen government forces leave Suwayda for now. The responsibility for security will be handed over to the people of this region, which is populated by the Druze minority.

Al-Sharaa made a choice at this point in time, and it really has been Syria’s policy since he took over. Since the beginning, he has been saying that they are not ready for a confrontation with Israel as there are so many challenges that lie ahead.

People here have enjoyed some sort of autonomy, and security was in the hands of local forces. But the Druze are a divided community. There are some who are ready to work with Syrian authorities, and there are others who refuse a deal with the authorities, who they say are not a government but a group of armed gangs.

European missile group MBDA selling parts for bombs used in Gaza: Report

An investigation by a journalism consortium has found that Europe’s top missile manufacturer is supplying Israel with essential parts of bombs, which may have killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

A joint investigation by British newspaper The Guardian, European watchdog Follow the Money, and French investigative journalism nonprofit Disclose found that MBDA produced a key component for the so-called GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb – a glide bomb often used by Israel’s Defense Ministry.

The company has its headquarters near the French capital, Paris, and is owned in part by the French commercial aircraft manufacturer Airbus. It has a contract with US commercial aircraft manufacturer Boeing to produce a key component known as the Diamond Back, according to the report.

MBDA has major subsidiaries in France, Germany and Italy. The UN Arms Trade Treaty, which these countries are signatories to, prohibits the export of weapons where there is an “overriding risk” that they could be used for serious breaches of international humanitarian law.

Syria government forces withdraw from majority-Druze city of Suwayda: Reports

Syrian government forces have withdrawn from areas they entered in recent days in Suwayda, the heartland of the Druze minority in southern Syria, Al Jazeera Arabic is reporting.

The pullout came after al-Sharaa announced in a televised address that “responsibility” for security in Suwayda would be handed to religious elders and some local factions “based on the supreme national interest”.

UNRWA says vulnerable groups most affected by Gaza war

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said people with disabilities, the elderly, and children are being disproportionately affected by Israel’s war in Gaza.

More than 83 percent of people with disabilities have lost assistive devices, while an estimated 80 percent of the elderly are in urgent need of medication, the agency said on X.

GHF says Khan Younis aid site to be closed today after deadly stampede

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) says its Khan Younis aid distribution site will be closed today “for maintenance”.

On Wednesday, at least 20 people were killed at the GHF’s distribution hub in the southern Gaza city, including 15 from a stampede and suffocation due to tear gas fired at aid seekers, according to Palestinian health officials.

The Israel- and US-backed group acknowledged the deaths at its distribution point but accused Hamas-affiliated Palestinians of fomenting the unrest. It also denied its forces used tear gas against the crowd.

Witnesses said guards at the site sprayed pepper gas at them after they had locked the gates to the centre, trapping them between the gates and the outer wire fence.

Since it began operating in late May, the GHF has been engulfed in criticism for setting up sites that the UN describes as “death traps”. More than 870 people have been killed near or at its distribution hubs.

Palestinian ministry says medical supplies set to arrive in Gaza

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has announced that later today, “trucks carrying medical supplies and vaccinations for children” are scheduled to arrive at hospitals in the enclave.

It said the shipments were being facilitated “through the World Health Organization and UNICEF” and “they do not contain any food items”.

“The items expected to arrive are of great importance and urgent need to continue providing medical care to the wounded and sick and save lives,” the ministry said in a statement.

It called on all “concerned parties” to “make every effort to protect the convoy” and “enable their safe arrival to hospitals”.

At least 18 killed in Gaza since dawn

Medical sources have told Al Jazeera correspondents on the ground that at least 18 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn today.

Thirteen of them were killed in Gaza City, they said.

Two Israeli soldiers seriously wounded in Gaza

Two members of Israel’s Battalion 202 paratrooper brigade have been “seriously injured” in fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israeli military says without providing further details.

The two were medically evacuated for treatment in Israel, and their families have been informed, the military said.

‘Any attack on the Syrian state is an attack on the Druze community’

Druze religious leader Sheikh Yousef Jarbou has condemned Israel’s air strikes on central Damascus, which Israel says it carried out to protect the Druze minority and prevent hostile forces from gaining ground near its borders.

“Any attack on the Syrian state is an attack on the Druze community,” Jarbou told Al Jazeera Arabic.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced late on Wednesday that all parties, including Israel, had agreed to a ceasefire.

Jarbou said the agreement enjoyed broad support within the majority-Druze city of Suwayda in southern Syria and expressed his hope that the Syrian state would overcome the obstacles posed by attempts to disrupt it.

Israeli forces arrest 8, set explosives to demolish two homes in occupied West Bank

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic report that at least eight Palestinians were arrested in raids by Israeli forces across the occupied West Bank overnight.

The Palestinian news agency, WAFA, said two Palestinians aged 58 and 23 were arrested in raids on two homes in the Bethlehem governorate, and in a separate incident a Palestinian youth was injured by troops south of Tubas city.

In Qabatiya town, south of Jenin, one person was arrested and the family homes of two slain Palestinians were rigged with explosives by Israeli forces in preparation for demolition, a punitive action that is regularly carried out by Israeli forces, WAFA reports.

Palestinian homes were also raided by Israeli forces in the villages of Kafr Jamal and Kafr Zibad, southeast of Qalqilya city.

Israel’s attacks on Syria aren’t about protecting Druze, but expanding control

Israel is threatening to continue its attacks on Syria, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming they are to protect the Druze community there.

Mohamad Elmasry, professor of media studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, said Israel’s attacks are not about protecting the Druze, but about expanding control and weakening Syria.

Elmasry views Israel’s actions as part of a wider strategy to divide and fragment the region.

Hague Group meeting on Gaza gives hope Israel’s ‘era of impunity’ will end

Delegates in Bogota call it the most ambitious multilateral action since the start of the war in Gaza.

Thirty-two countries, mostly from the Global South, came together not just to condemn Israel’s actions but to adopt coordinated steps to try to stop it.

To launch the process, 12 of the countries from different regions pledged to immediately implement six concrete steps, including preventing the provision or transfer of arms to Israel, stopping the transit of vessels that might be used to carry arms to Israel, and ensuring public funds are not used to support Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian territory.

The group also set September 20 – during the UN General Assembly – as a target date for the other countries to join.

Palestine’s ambassador to the UN called the move “historic”.

But others warned that without the participation of Western powers and the imposition of diplomatic and political sanctions, the initiative risks falling short.

Now the real test will be whether these promises can translate into enforcement, and if this will be the beginning of the dismantling of what many here called an era of impunity for Israel.

Israeli military strikes Gaza City, killing at least 1

The Israeli military has bombed a gathering of residents in Nassr neighbourhood, west of Gaza City in the north of the enclave, killing at least one person and injuring others, the Palestinian Information Center and the Quds News Network report.

We will bring you more information when we have it.

If you’re just joining us

Here’s a look at the latest developments:

• The Israeli military has continued its assault on Gaza with several overnight attacks, including a strike on a school in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, which has killed at least four people.
• The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has published a list of 58,380 people killed as a result of Israel’s war on the besieged enclave since October 7, 2023, including the names of some 953 children less than a year old.
• US President Donald Trump hinted that Gaza ceasefire negotiations are going well, as he said his administration would soon announce some “good news”.
• President Ahmed al-Sharaa has given his first speech since Israel attacked Syria, saying his country would overcome attempts to tear it apart and drag the Druze into the “hands of an external party”.
• The UN Security Council will meet on Thursday for an emergency session on Israel’s attacks on Syria, the Reuters news agency reports, citing unnamed diplomatic sources.

Israel’s Syria strikes expose push for regional hegemony – Marwan Bishara

Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara condemned Israel’s strikes on Syria as “vulgar exhibitionism” aimed at asserting regional hegemony.

He argued Israel exploits minority divisions under false pretexts of protection, just as colonial powers historically did, while deflecting from Gaza’s genocide.

Bishara noted Syria’s Druze community prefers national unity despite Israeli interference, comparing it to failed attempts to divide the Kurds.

US lawmakers condemn Irish bill to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements

Almost two-dozen mostly Republican members of Congress have expressed their opposition to legislation making its way through Ireland’s parliament attempting to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham – one lawmaker who posted on X as part of a coordinated campaign opposing the bill – said he hopes “Ireland will reconsider their efforts to economically isolate Israel”.

“I do not believe these efforts would be well received in the United States and they certainly would not go unnoticed,” he added.

US lawmakers opposing the legislation include:

• Republican Senators Hal Rogers, Tom Cotton, Bill Hagerty, Kevin Cramer, Lindsey Graham and Rick Scott.
• Republican Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Tom Emmer, Daniel Webster, Lisa McClain, Mike Lawler, Andy Barr, Pete Stauber, Harriet Hageman, Mike Crapo, Andy Ogles, Barry Moore, Mark Messmer and Claudia Tenney.
• Democratic Representatives Brad Schneider and Josh Gottheimer.

Israel’s bombing of Syrian capital caught live on camera

In its third consecutive day of attacks on Syria, Israel bombed the country’s capital, Damascus, hitting the Defence Ministry and areas near the presidential palace, killing a number of people and injuring dozens.

The bombing was captured live on camera.

Palestinian Ministry of Health publishes list of every person killed in Gaza

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has published a list of every known death of a Palestinian killed as a result of Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7, 2023.

The 2,086-page document, published on Telegram, lists the name, age, gender, and ID number of 58,380 people.

The list features some 953 children less than a year old, with the first nine entries documenting children killed on the same day they were born.

Syrian leader’s speech ‘encouraging’ for Druze, but action needs to follow: Analyst

Al Jazeera spoke earlier to Mohamad Elmasry, professor of media studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. Here’s more from what Elmasry said about the televised speech by Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Israeli attacks on Syria.

“It’s a very difficult situation in Syria. You are talking about a very multiethnic society. You have outside forces, starting with Israel, trying to basically fragment the country and establish a separatist system, if you will, in Syria,” Elmasry said.

“I thought it was interesting that al-Sharaa decided to devote part of his speech to the Druze, and the messages were encouraging. He said that the Druze are an essential component. They are an essential part of Syria. He said it’s the Syrian government’s responsibility to protect them and to hold to account those who have transgressed against them in recent days. So that’s all encouraging,” he said.

“But it’s going to come down to policy and what he does and what the government does with their actions, because I think their actions will speak louder than words for those minority groups in Syria.”

‘There is no one who has clean hands when it comes to Palestine’: UN’s Albanese

Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory, has called on countries to cut all ties with Israel over its genocide in Gaza while speaking at a two-day conference in Colombia focused on ending Israel’s war on the territory.

Syrian leader’s speech marks ‘significant departure’ in tone towards Israel: Analyst

Mohamad Elmasry, professor of media studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, said the televised speech by Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa contained a note of warning to Israel that while the country does not want a war, “anyone who starts a war with Syria … would regret it”.

“He said it’s easy to start a war. But it’s not easy to control the end results of a war,” Elmasry told Al Jazeera.

“So these were messages directed at Israel, and it marked a very significant departure from what we’ve heard from him and at times not heard from him when Israel has attacked Syria,” Elmasry said.

“I think we’re at a potentially dangerous tipping point and it really will come down to, I think, the extent to which Donald Trump and the United States are willing to kind of rein in Israel,” he said.

Syrian president says he will stop Druze being dragged into hands of ‘external party’

Earlier, we reported that interim President al-Sharaa gave a televised address to the nation, saying Syria would overcome attempts by Israel to tear the country apart.

During that speech, al-Sharaa also said that protecting the Druze citizens and their rights is “our priority”.

Addressing Syria’s Druze citizens, al-Sharaa said, “We reject any attempt to drag you into the hands of an external party”.

“We are not among those who fear the war. We have spent our lives facing challenges and defending our people, but we have put the interests of the Syrians before chaos and destruction,” he said.

We will bring you further updates when we have them.

Four dead as Israeli military bombs central Gaza school; 3 killed in Gaza City

The Israeli military’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip is continuing overnight, with news emerging of two deadly attacks over recent hours.

A strike on the Abu Halu School in the Bureij refugee camp, central Gaza, has killed at least four people, the Palestinian Information Center and the Quds News Network report.

An Israeli strike on a residential apartment near the Imam Shafi’i School in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood, northern Gaza, has also killed at least three people and injured others, the Palestinian Information Center reports.

We will bring you more information on these attacks when we have it.

US calls Israel’s bombing of Syria a ‘misunderstanding between new neighbours’

Throughout the course of the day, the State Department has been characterising this conflict as a misunderstanding.

The spokesperson for the State Department, Tammy Bruce, said, “It’s a misunderstanding between new neighbours”.

The secretary of state has been in touch with all parties from both the Israeli and the Syrian side, and he has now taken to social media announcing that the conflict may be nearing an end.

So the US secretary of state is apparently convinced that an end to this splurge of conflict is now in sight.

It is now, he says, up to the parties involved to make good on whatever commitments they have made to the United States and, perhaps, to each other.

Photos: Demonstrators protest arms shipment to Israel at Greek port

Syrian president addresses Israel’s attacks in televised address

Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has given a televised address to the nation, saying that Syria has rejected all forms of division over its long history and would overcome attempts by Israel to tear the country apart, according to reports.

Addressing the country’s minority Druze community, al-Sharaa said the Druze people are an essential part of the national fabric in Syria and protecting them was a priority.

He also said that Druze “elders” have been tasked with restoring security in the south of the country, where clashes broke out between Bedouin and Druze fighters.

Al-Sharaa said that Israel was seeking to turn Syria into a land of conflict, and that could not be allowed to happen.

We will bring you more on this shortly.

Gaza humanitarian camp totally unbearable, impractical idea – ex-Israeli PM

This week, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert likened Israel’s plans for a so-called “humanitarian city” in Gaza to a concentration camp.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Olmert, Israel’s leader from 2006-09, clarified his comments on the planned forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into a small zone in southern Gaza.

“I said some will try to interpret it [as a concentration camp]. It’s bad, it shouldn’t be done. But it’s not a concentration camp, and it’s not a genocide. It’s just stupid, reckless, irresponsible and something that may amount to a crime, which should be prevented,” Olmert said.

“And I hope my voice and the voices of many Israelis will succeed to stop it. The idea of a ‘humanitarian camp’ is totally unbearable and impractical,” he added.

UNSC to hold emergency session to discuss Israel’s strikes on Syria: Reports

The UN Security Council (UNSC) will meet on Thursday for an emergency session on Israel’s attacks on Syria, the Reuters news agency reports, citing unnamed diplomatic sources.

The Anadolu news agency also reports that the meeting – requested by Syria’s UN mission and endorsed by Algeria, a current UNSC member – will take place on Thursday afternoon, Eastern Time.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, called for the UNSC to “condemn the barbaric crimes committed against innocent civilians on Syrian soil” by Syria’s government, according to Reuters.

“Israel will continue to act resolutely against any terrorist threat on its borders, anywhere and at any time,” he added.

Israel’s bombing of Syria sends a message to Damascus and the Druze: Analyst

Mohammad Al Abdallah, executive director of the Washington, DC-based Syria Justice and Accountability Centre, said Israel’s bombing of Syria appears to be aimed at sending “a message” to the new Syrian leadership as well as the Druze minority in Israel.

Israel is trying to “reinforce their leverage on Syria”, Al Abdallah told Al Jazeera earlier.

“The second element is that Netanyahu is facing some domestic pressures from the Druze of Israel who crossed the border into Syria and [are] trying to fight along with the Syrian Druze against Damascus,” he said.

“Netanyahu is also sending a message to the Druze of Israel that basically they can count on him and he can count on them on domestic political issues,” he added.

The Israeli bombing is also sending a message to Damascus that it will not tolerate a “militarised zone” in its border regions with Syria.

Trump says ‘good news’ coming on Gaza truce as he hails ‘fantastic’ job by Witkoff

US President Donald Trump thanked his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, as he hinted that Gaza ceasefire negotiations are going well, ahead of a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Wednesday.

“We have some good news on Gaza and good news on a couple of things that we’re working on at a very high level, but you’ve done a fantastic job,” Trump said to Witkoff during a White House bill signing event.

Syrian official says Israeli military attacking medical convoy trying to reach Suwayda

Syria’s Minister of Health Musab al-Ali said Israeli military aircraft are preventing a medical convoy sent by the government from entering the city of Suwayda, the state-run SANA news agency reports.

Al-Ali said Israeli air attacks have been targeting any moving vehicle in and near the southern Syrian city over recent hours.

The medical convoy is comprised of 15 ambulances, 10 surgeons from various specialities and two trucks carrying medication and medical supplies, he added.

Separately, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent in Syria reports that the Israeli military has shelled the headquarters of the Syrian army’s 107th Brigade in the village of Bzamel in the Latakia governorate.

We will bring you more information when we have it.

Israel says strikes on Syria to continue as long as it deems necessary

Israel says it’s going to continue carrying out air strikes in Syria until however long it sees fit.

For the last couple of days, they have mainly been targeting areas in the south near Suwayda, where all of the unrest was going on.

But earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli army targeted the heart of Damascus, saying they want to send a message to the Syrian president, Ahmed al-Sharaa.

But elsewhere in the north, in the occupied Golan Heights, there were more than a thousand members of the Druze community who crossed the border, prompting the Israeli army chief of staff to go there and deploy more forces.

Israeli forces even used measures like tear gas to disperse the people who were trying to go above or beneath the fence into Syrian territory.

All this comes as the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel is carrying out these attacks to protect the Druze community. That they are not going to sit idly by while the Druze are being attacked.

The Israelis have also said that they want the area along their border, which includes Suwayda, to be completely demilitarised and that they would carry out any sort of military action they deemed necessary.

But there is a different rhetoric within Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Members of his far-right coalition, including the national security minister and the minister for diaspora affairs now calling for the assassination of the Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, while Israeli forces and the defence minister say that these types of military actions against Syrian forces might continue.

Israel targets Syrian government with attacks on Damascus

Israel launched powerful air strikes on Damascus on Wednesday, targeting the Defence Ministry and the area around the presidential palace in the Syrian capital.

At least three people were killed in the strikes and around 34 were wounded, according to Syrian state media.

Analysts told Al Jazeera the assault signals that Israel has chosen “military hegemony” over potential cooperation in the region.

A recap of recent developments

• Israel continued its relentless assault on Gaza, with at least 93 Palestinians killed on Wednesday, according to health officials in the besieged enclave.
• Among the dead were at least 25 more people killed at a GHF aid distribution site, most of whom were trampled in a stampede reportedly caused by tear gas being fired into the crowd by the American contractors.
• GHF, the controversial US- and Israeli-backed aid contractor, again justified the death of unarmed civilians at one of its sites in Gaza, claiming armed groups in the crowd caused unrest.
• Syria’s government said a new ceasefire had been agreed in Suwayda after clashes erupted there between Druze and Bedouin fighters on Sunday, while its army had “begun withdrawing” from the southern city.
• The withdrawal comes after the Israeli military bombed multiple sites in Damascus and warned it would escalate attacks if Syrian troops did not leave the area bordering Israel.
• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the various parties involved in fighting in Syria had agreed on “specific steps” to end the clashes there.

Welcome to our coverage

Hello, and welcome to our live coverage of Israel’s war on Gaza and its attacks on Syria.

Stay with us for the latest news, reactions and analyses.

You can find all our updates from Wednesday, July 16, here.

Here’s where things stand on Monday 15 July 2025:

• Residents of Gaza City tell Al Jazeera that bodies are “lying in the streets” of the Zeitoun neighbourhood, as at least 54 people have been killed in the city today by Israel. At least 95 people have been killed across the Gaza Strip today.
• The number of starving Palestinian aid seekers killed by Israeli forces has surpassed 800, according to Gaza authorities, as malnutrition and starvation continue to grow.
• The family of Sayfollah Musallet, an American-Palestinian who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, is calling on the United States to launch an inquiry and hold the perpetrators accountable.
• Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 58,026 people and wounded 138,520, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attacks, and more than 200 were taken captive.

Israelis attempt to block aid trucks entering Gaza

Israeli media outlets have broadcast footage of dozens of activists, including family members of Israeli captives held in Gaza, closing the Allenby Bridge crossing today in protest against the continued entry of humanitarian aid convoys into the Gaza Strip.

Channel 14 reported that the protesters issued warnings to the government, accusing it of “collaborating with the rehabilitation of Hamas.”

“We will prevent aid by every legal means available,” a statement from two of the groups organising the protest reads, according to Channel 14.

Israel has heavily restricted the flow of aid to the Gaza Strip since earlier this year, only letting in the barest minimum of food and other essential supplies beginning in late May.

The US said this week that at least Gaza 90,000 children need immediate treatment for malnutrition and authorities in the Strip said today that more than 800 people have been killed while trying to access the few aid distribution sites that do exist.

Israeli soldiers admit using civilian drones to drop grenades on Palestinians in Gaza

An investigation by Israeli outlets +972 and Local Call exposes how the Israeli army weaponises commercial Chinese drones (EVO models) to drop grenades on Palestinian civilians in Gaza, with soldiers describing it as “decentralised killing”, requiring no high-level approval.

Lapid: ‘Humanitarian city’ is a bad idea

Israeli opposition politician Yair Lapid has come out against Israel’s plans to concentrate a significant percentage of the population of Gaza in Rafah.

“A bad idea from every possible perspective – security, political, economic, logistical, the [Israeli army] of course opposes it loudly; there is nothing good in it except an attempt to create a process that will ultimately leave Israel in Gaza out of no choice”, he said, according to Israeli Army Radio.

Death toll in Gaza rises

At least 95 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since the early hours of this morning, sources at area hospitals tell Al Jazeera.

Death toll of journalists in Gaza rises above 230 after latest Israeli strikes

Medical sources in Gaza say two Palestinian journalists were killed in Israeli air strikes today, bringing the total number of media workers killed since Israel began its assault on the enclave to more than 230.

Journalist Hossam al-Adlouni was killed along with his wife and three children in a strike on a tent sheltering displaced families in al-Mawasi near Khan Younis, while Fadi Khalifa was killed in a separate strike as he visited his home in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood, Wafa news agency reported.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the killings as part of a systematic campaign to silence the press, Wafa said.

Abu Obeida says Al-Aqsa Flood shattered Israeli deterrence ‘forever’

The spokesperson of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, said the group’s October 7 attack on Israel, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, permanently broke Israel’s deterrence and unified the region’s focus on Palestine.

In a statement marking one year since the death of Mohammed Deif, the group’s top military commander, Abu Obaida said the operation “delivered the harshest blow in the enemy’s history and brought the Palestinian cause back to the forefront”.

He described Deif, who was killed last year in an Israeli strike, as a symbol of decades of armed struggle and sacrifice, whose blood was “mingled with that of our people and our nation”.

“Deif will remain, like other great leaders, a beacon for all the free people of the world,” Abu Obeida said, adding that his comrades continue to inflict “strategic losses” on Israel and that his legacy remains a “nightmare haunting war criminals and occupiers”.

‘Bodies lying in the streets’ of Gaza City

Israel continues to pound the nothern city’s Zeitoun neighbourhood, with a recent attack killing a man, his wife and their three children.

Displaced Palestinians in the area told Al Jazeera that the bodies of those killed in recent attacks are “lying in the streets”, and that continued Israeli shelling threatens dozens of people trapped in their homes with death and starvation.

The Palestinian Civil Defence in the Gaza Strip told Al Jazeera that they were unable to respond to any distress calls from the Zeitoun neighborhood because it was completely surrounded by Israeli fire.

We will keep you updated on the situation in the neighbourhood.

Why does Israel want to prolong the war on Gaza?

Israeli columnist Gideon Levy says Israel has “no clue” how to deal with Gaza, besides ongoing death and destruction.

Levy argues that it makes no difference if a Republican or Democratic administration were in power in the United States or if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or a different politician were in power in Israel.

“The same war might have taken place, and the same crimes of war would have been committed,” he said.

Civil Defence: No Israeli withdrawal from Gaza City neighbourhoods, danger persists

Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal has denied reports claiming Israeli forces have withdrawn from parts of Gaza City, calling them “completely false”.

“There has only been a very limited pullback of some vehicles, while Israeli forces continue to fire up to Salah al-Din Street,” he said in a statement.

Basal warned civilians not to approach the street under any circumstances, saying: “Anyone who comes close is at risk of being directly targeted without mercy.”

He added that Civil Defence teams have strong indications of casualties and people trapped in the area, but are unable to reach them – “with or without coordination” with the Israeli army.

Basal also urged residents west of Salah al-Din Street not to go up to rooftops, sit outside homes, or film from windows, due to the high risk of being shot.

US envoy Witkoff says he is ‘hopeful’ on Gaza talks

US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said that he was “hopeful” on Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

Witkoff told reporters in Teterboro, New Jersey, that he planned to meet senior Qatari officials on the sidelines of the FIFA Club World Cup final.

Another deadly Israeli attack on Gaza City

A source at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital tells Al Jazeera that one person was killed and several others were wounded in Israeli artillery shelling of homes in the Zeitoun neighborhood, in the south of Gaza City.

More than 50 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza City today alone.

Iran confirms President Pezeshkian injured in air strike during war with Israel

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was injured in the leg during an Israeli air strike on June 16 that targeted a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council in western Tehran, the IRGC-linked Fars News Agency has revealed.

The strike, which marked a rare direct hit on Iran’s top leadership, reportedly involved six missiles aimed at blocking exits and cutting off ventilation in the underground site. Pezeshkian and other senior officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, were forced to evacuate through an emergency hatch.

The report is the first official confirmation of injuries sustained by Iran’s leadership during the 12-day war with Israel. It also follows Pezeshkian’s recent interview with US journalist Tucker Carlson, where he said: “They did try [to assassinate me], yes… but they failed,” without previously confirming he was hurt.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing into possible insider collaboration with Israel. More than 700 people have been arrested, and a new espionage bill proposing the death penalty is being pushed through parliament.

Israel’s planned concentration camp in Rafah may be prohibitively expensive: Report

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reports that the estimated cost of establishing Israel’s so-called “humanitarian city” in the Gaza Strip, which the United Nations has said would actually be a concentration camp, amounts to approximately 20 billion shekels (just over $6bn) for the first year alone, according to preliminary estimates prepared by the security system and submitted to the Ministry of Finance.

The report explained that this amount includes the operation and maintenance of the city, which is supposed to accommodate about 600,000 Palestinians from the sector, and to provide education, social services, and waste collection, among other services.

According to the news outlet, the ministries of finance and defence were asked to prepare “less costly” alternatives, including reducing services or merely levelling the ground without establishing complete infrastructure, leaving residents to manage their affairs themselves, in an attempt to reduce spending.

The report indicated that the plan will be discussed tonight with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid proposals to establish the city in an area between the Morag axis and Rafah. However, the report warned that the project could be cancelled entirely if Israel agrees to withdraw from Morag as part of any potential prisoner exchange deal.

Israeli drone kills at least 12 in Gaza City food market attack, including top surgeon

Watch Ibrahim al-Khalili’s report from Gaza City, detailing the horrific scenes at the site of a deadly Israeli drone attack earlier today.

The attack turned the crowded market into a place of carnage, with bloodied food stalls and panicked civilians attempting rescues, and witnesses describing victims being “targeted brutally without warning” while gathering basic supplies.

Germany’s Merz decries Israel’s plan for forced relocation of Gaza’s population

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticised Israel’s plan to relocate 600,000 Palestinians to an internment camp built on the ruins of Rafah in southern Gaza.

“The way things are currently happening in the Gaza Strip is unacceptable,” Merz said during an interview with public broadcaster ARD, reiterating his call for increased humanitarian aid and a ceasefire.

“I have not liked what the Israeli government has been doing in the Gaza Strip for many weeks now. I have also expressed that,” the conservative leader said.

“I hope that we Europeans, together with the Americans, can bring about a solution that ultimately leads to a two-state solution. The Palestinians have a right to have a place where they can live,” Merz said.

Germany has offered unflinching military and diplomatic support for Israel for the majority of its war on Gaza, which multiple international bodies have described as a genocide.

Families of Israeli captives urge Netanyahu to accept ceasefire deal

Families of Israeli captives held in Gaza have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of once again trying to create a “false impression” that reaching a comprehensive ceasefire agreement is impossible.

They say the government has “failed time and time again” in securing the return of captives due to “narrow political interests”.

“Over 80 percent of the people want an agreement that will bring an end to the fighting and the return of all the hostages,” they said in a statement. “Whoever sabotages such an agreement is acting maliciously against the will of the people of Israel for the sake of political survival.”

The remarks come shortly after Netanyahu placed blame on Hamas, claiming the group rejected the US proposal for a ceasefire.

Israeli court extends detention of Palestinian journalist

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that a military court in Ofer Prison, noted for allegations of torture made by released Palestinian prisoners, decided today to extend the detention of Palestinian journalist Nasser al-Lahham for three more days.

Al-Lahham is the editor-in-chief of the Palestinian Ma’an agency, and he used to manage the offices of the Lebanese Al Mayadeen TV channel in the occupied West Bank, which is considered to be linked to Hezbollah, according to Israeli authorities.

Al-Lahham maintains that he stopped managing Al-Mayadeen’s offices in November 2023.

The Israeli police accuse al-Lahham of “incitement, providing services to a terrorist organization, and sympathizing with a terrorist organization”.

Fuel blockade continues to worsen Gaza’s water crisis

Gaza’s water crisis has intensified since Israel blocked nearly all fuel shipments into the enclave on March 2. With no fuel, desalination plants, wastewater treatment facilities and pumping stations have largely shut down.

Families, many of them with children, are spending hours each day under the scorching sun searching for a few litres of water just to survive.

Asem Alnabih, a spokesperson for Gaza’s municipality, said only 12 of more than 70 municipal wells remain operational.

“We’re on the verge of death. Water can reach only 50 percent of the city,” Alnabih told Al Jazeera, adding that the rest get nothing.

Aya Fayoumi, a displaced Palestinian, says her family doesn’t get enough water for their basic needs.

“There’s never any water in the toilets. There’s barely enough drinking water. So we have nothing left for personal hygiene or to wash clothes,” she said.

According to the International Rescue Committee, most people in Gaza now receive far less than the World Health Organization’s emergency minimum of 15 litres per person per day.

Healthcare sector in Gaza on its knees due to severe fuel shortages

Mohammad Abu Afsh, the director of medical relief in Gaza, says medical teams have been severely exhausted due to the overwhelming number of injuries each day.

Speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic, he warned that if fuel is not delivered to hospitals soon, intensive care units and neonatal incubators will cease to function.

“We cannot go on like this – without fuel, without medical supplies, without resources,” Abu Afsh said.

Without immediate fuel access, he warned, hospitals may see a surge in patient deaths.

UN warns Gaza fuel shortage pushing aid response to brink of collapse

In a joint statement, eight UN agencies have warned that Gaza’s worsening fuel shortage is threatening to shut down critical humanitarian operations.

UNICEF, WHO, WFP, UNRWA, UNFPA, UNDP, OCHA, and UNOPS said without immediate fuel deliveries, essential services – including hospitals, water desalination, food distribution, and sanitation – could come to a halt.

“Without fuel, these lifelines will vanish for 2.1 million people,” the statement read, adding that hospitals are “already going dark”.

“Fuel must be allowed into Gaza in sufficient quantities and consistently to sustain life-saving operations.”

Family of Palestinian-American slain by Israeli settlers calls for US probe

The family of 20-year-old Palestinian-American Sayfollah Musallet, beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank town of Sinjil on Friday, demands a US investigation into his killing.

Five Palestinian-Americans have been killed by settlers or Israeli forces without accountability, emboldening further violence.

Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim reports that settlers, increasingly encroaching on Palestinian land, operate with government tacit approval, turning villages like Sinjil into regular attack zones.

The funeral for Musallet, held near Ramallah, underscores growing outrage over unchecked settler brutality.

Latest Israeli attack on south Gaza brings today’s death toll to 92

Sources at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis tell Al Jazeera that a Palestinian man, his wife and three of his children were killed in an Israeli attack on their tent in the al-Mawasi area, west of the city.

This brings today’s death toll from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip to 92 people.

Hospitals will stop running by tomorrow without fuel, health official warns

The director of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, has warned that hospitals in the besieged enclave will cease operations tomorrow if they are not supplied with the necessary fuel.

Speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic, Abu Salmiya said the Israeli army withholds much-needed fuel “up to the point of death”, and only then are hospitals given a very small amount of fuel.

“Hospitals cannot function properly in this way. We have patients, medical teams who want to work in full force. Instead, they are all on edge … the fuel crisis is a massive one,” Abu Salmiya said.

Medical supplies and medicines are also running “dangerously low”, he said.