Skip to main content

Israel expands ground operation beyond Yellow Line in south Lebanon as clashes intensify

By Jana Choukeir

May 26 (Reuters) - The Israeli military has expanded its ground operations in southern Lebanon beyond a demarcation line that Israel set up several kilometres inside Lebanese territory after an April 16 ceasefire with Hezbollah, two sources said on Tuesday.

The sources gave no further details on the extent of the advance beyond the so-called "Yellow Line".

Smoke billows following an Israeli strike in Nabatieh, Lebanon  May 26, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

Remnants of Assad's chemical weapons program recovered, Syrian official says

AMSTERDAM, May 26 (Reuters) - Syria's transitional leadership has located remnants of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's clandestine chemical weapons program, including raw materials and munitions similar to those used to carry out deadly gas attacks during the country's long-running civil war, a Syrian official told Reuters on Tuesday.

A damaged portrait of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at a military base in Damascus, Syria, December 15, 2024. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky

Iran partially restores internet access after months-long shutdown

Iranian authorities partially restored internet connectivity Tuesday after an almost three-month shutdown imposed against the backdrop of the war against Israel and the US, said a monitor, a senior official and sources inside the country.

The shutdown left Iranians largely cut off from international networks, with only a domestic intranet working for daily tasks like shopping, ride-hailing and education.

The internet has been cut in Iran for almost three months

Ukraine expects NATO summit to discuss funding despite trouble securing backing, envoy says

By Tuvan Gumrukcu

ANKARA, May 26 (Reuters) - Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey said he expects NATO to discuss financial support for Kyiv at its summit in July, suggesting each member contributes a small proportion of its budget, despite the proposal not gaining traction from allies.

Ambassador Nariman Dzhelialov told Reuters on Tuesday he hoped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy would attend the July 7-8 summit in Ankara, adding Kyiv also wants members to reaffirm support for Ukraine's strategic goal of joining the military alliance.

A Ukrainian national flag rises in front of the NATO emblem, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in central Kyiv, Ukraine July 11, 2023. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

Pilgrims pray on Mount Arafat as hajj reaches peak

Huge numbers of Muslims prayed on Mount Arafat on Tuesday at the climax of the hajj pilgrimage, defying searing temperatures under the desert sun as they fulfilled a lifelong dream.

From daybreak, thousands of white-robed worshippers recited Quranic verses on the 70-metre (230 feet) rocky hill near Mecca, where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his last sermon.

Volunteers handed out bottles of water, parasols and food packages to the tens of thousands of pilgrims as they made their way toward Mount Arafat, as helicopters buzzed overhead regularly.

More than 1.5 million people have joined the hajj this year

Saudi Arabia turns to drones to shield pilgrims from extreme heat

With temperatures hitting 45C in Mecca this week, Saudi health workers have increasingly relied on drones to supply a vast array of medical clinics treating heat-stressed pilgrims during the hajj.

The rituals at the hajj have been a constant for centuries.

But technology is rapidly changing the experience for pilgrims and officials alike -- with AI, UAVs and mobile apps providing crucial services, logistical support and helping manage the mammoth crowds.

Rituals at the hajj have been a constant for centuries but technology is changing the pilgrims' experience

Sheep theft ruins Eid festivities for Palestinian shepherd

By Mussa Qawasma

MASAFER YATTA, West Bank, May 26 (Reuters) - Palestinian shepherd Sameeha Rasheed was planning for the sacred ritual of sacrificing her family's sheep for the Eid al-Adha holiday, one of the holiest occasions in Islam, but West Bank Jewish settlers stole them in a pre-dawn raid, she said.

Instead of celebrating, Rasheed has been left with nothing and has also been deprived of the income she would have received from selling the sheep not used by her family.

FILE PHOTO: A sheep is seen inside a vehicle at a makeshift livestock market as Palestinians shop in the West Bank city of Nablus August 31, 2017. REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini/ File Photo

Iranian hackers responsible for Los Angeles transit system breach, Israeli researchers say

May 26 (Reuters) - Iranian hackers were responsible for a disruptive computer breach in March that forced Los Angeles' transit system to shut down parts of its network, Israeli researchers say.

The saboteurs stole at least 700 gigabytes of emails, backups, and other files from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), according to Gambit Security, a Tel Aviv-based cybersecurity firm that said it discovered the misappropriated data afterit was inadvertently exposed online.

FILE PHOTO: The website used by the Handala Hack Team, an Iran-linked hacker group which has claimed credit for the breach of FBI Director Kash Patel?s personal email, is shown on a screen in Washington D.C., U.S., March 27, 2026. REUTERS/Raphael Satter/File Photo