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Exclusive-Ukraine missile maker targets 'game changer' air defence system by 2027

By Max Hunder and Daniel Flynn

April 6 (Reuters) - Fire Point, maker of Ukraine's Flamingo cruise missile, is in talks with European companies to launch a new air defence system by next year, a senior executive told Reuters, creating a low-cost alternative to the increasingly hard-to-get Patriot system.

With governments seeking to defend their skies as the wars in Ukraine and Iran sow global instability, Fire Point's co-founder and chief designer Denys Shtilierman said it aimed to slash the cost of intercepting a ballistic missile to below $1 million.

Denys Shtilerman, the Fire Point company chief designer and co-founder, speaks during an interview with Reuters, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in an undisclosed location in Ukraine, April 2, 2026. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

Iran wartime executions mount as another protester hanged

Iran on Monday hanged another man convicted in connection with nationwide protests in January, as executions of people regarded by rights groups as political prisoners mount against the backdrop of the war against Israel and the United States.

Ali Fahim, 23, was hanged after being found guilty of involvement in an attack on a Tehran base of the Revolutionary Guards' Basij militia during the protests, according to rights groups who have followed the case.

Iran executes more people than any nation other than China

Israeli strike kills Christian party official in Lebanon, widening divisions over Hezbollah

By Raghed Waked and Maya Gebeily

AIN SAADEH, Lebanon April 6 (Reuters) - An Israeli strike on an apartment east of Beirut late on Sunday killed a local official from a Christian political party, sharpening internal divides over Hezbollah as Israel's strikes expand to new parts of the country.

The war raging in Lebanon over the past month has deepened fractures between supporters of Hezbollah and those who blame the Iran-backed group for igniting a new conflict with Israel just 15 months after the last one.

Lebanese Army servicemen stand near an apartment building hit by an Israeli strike amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran continues, in Ain Saadeh, Lebanon, April 6, 2026. REUTERS/Raghed Waked

Kremlin says the whole Middle East is 'on fire'

MOSCOW, April 6 (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Monday said that the Iran war was escalating in both geography and economic impact, and that the whole Middle East region was "on fire" due to the U.S. and Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in an expletive-laden Easter Sunday social media post, threatened to target Iran's power plants and bridges on Tuesday if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.

Smoke rises over Azadi Square following a strike, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 6, 2026, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Social Media via REUTERS

Four killed in Israel's Haifa after Iranian missile strike

April 6 (Reuters) - Four people were killed in the Israeli port city of Haifa after what Israeli media said was an Iranian missile strike that hit a residential building late on Sunday.

The bodies of the four people were recovered from beneath the rubble following hours of intensive search-and-rescue operations, the Israeli military said on Monday.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visits the site of a projectile impact, as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran continues, in Haifa, Israel, April 6, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem

Spanish PM's party gains on anti-war stance, support for far right stalls in polls

MADRID, April 6 (Reuters) - Spain's ruling Socialist Party has gained voter support amid Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's staunch opposition to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, while far-right Vox, which supports the offensive, has seen a decline, two surveys published on Monday showed.

Sanchez has emerged as one of the most vocal Western leaders criticising what he calls an illegal and reckless war, closing Spanish airspace to U.S. planes involved in the strikes and banning them from using jointly operated military bases in southern Spain.

FILE PHOTO: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks during a press conference after attending a special summit of European Union leaders to discuss transatlantic relations in Brussels, Belgium January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

Iran has formulated its response to ceasefire proposals, foreign ministry spokesperson says

DUBAI, April 6 (Reuters) - Iran has formulated its positions and demands in response to recent ceasefire proposals conveyed via intermediaries, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday, adding that negotiations were "incompatible with ultimatums and threats to commit war crimes."

Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had a set of requirements based on its national interests that had already been conveyed via intermediary channels, adding that earlier U.S. demands such as the 15-point plan were rejected for being "excessive."

People inspect the damage at the research building of the Shahid Beheshti University, which was damaged by a strike, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 4, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

Iran accuses UN nuclear watchdog of inaction, warns of risk from attacks

DUBAI, April 6 (Reuters) - Inaction by the UN nuclear watchdog "emboldens aggression" against nuclear facilities such as the Bushehr power plant, Iran's atomic energy chief Mohammad Eslami said on Monday in a letter addressed to the International Atomic Energy Agency's director.

Eslami said Iran's only functioning nuclear power plant had so far been targeted four times, with the most recent attack in its vicinity on April 4 killing a security staff member and injuring others.

Satellite image shows the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, in Bushehr Province, Iran, May 26, 2025. 2025 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS

Lebanon says Israeli strikes hit Beirut suburbs, country's south

An Israeli airstrike on Monday hit the southern suburbs of Beirut, where Israel's army said it was targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, as Lebanon reported more attacks in the country's south.

AFPTV footage showed smoke billowing across the skyline after the strike on the southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold which has largely emptied of residents following repeated Israeli attacks and evacuation warnings.

Israel's army said it was "striking Hezbollah terror targets in Beirut", after previously warning it would hit the area.

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's southern suburbs, near Camille Chamoun Sports City stadium

Iran, U.S. receive plan to end hostilities, immediate ceasefire; source says

April 6 (Reuters) - Iran and the United States have received a plan to end hostilities that could come into effect on Monday and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a source aware of the proposals said on Monday.

A framework to end hostilities has been put together by Pakistan and exchanged with Iran and the U.S. overnight, the source said, outlining a two-tier approach with an immediate ceasefire followed by a comprehensive agreement.

Emergency personnel work at the site of a strike, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 12, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS