Middle East live: Trump threatens economic punishment on 'any country' helping Iran
· France 24
20/08/2026 - 08:13
Iran says Trump's 'Economic D-Day' is a diversion from US domestic problems
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday that the US "Economic D-Day" against Iran was a diversion from America's economic problems and warned that further pressure would fail.
Earlier, Trump announced what he called the "most crushing economic operation" ever taken against a country, targeting Iran with economic warfare and isolation.
20/08/2026 - 08:07
Investigation into killing of Hind Rajab and Gaza paramedics comes ‘extremely late’
The investigation into the killing of Hind Rajab and paramedics in Gaza launched by the Israeli army came as a “surprise” in the country, “because so much time has passed” since the events took place, FRANCE 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky said. “The timing is extremely late.”
But Tarnopolsky said “the fact that these two very renown cases are being referred to criminal investigation is already an admission on the part of the Israeli army that something here went deeply wrong.”
20/08/2026 - 07:30
Israeli defence minister Katz says Erdogan is 'dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria'
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said on Thursday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria" and that his country would not "allow any entity to threaten its security", in a post on X.
Turkey firmly rejected on Wednesday what it called "untenable allegations" by Israel regarding its military position in Syria, after Israel bombed a Syrian air base near the Turkish border and said Syria was on the verge of permitting Turkish troops to deploy there.
20/08/2026 - 04:59
Hormuz shipping unchanged amid US-Iran stalemate, data shows
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday was unchanged from the day before
as discussions to end the war between the United States and Iran remained deadlocked, according to the latest shipping data.
Commodity vessel transits at Hormuz totalled nine on Wednesday, unchanged from Tuesday, shiptracking data from Kpler showed.
Transits remained low amid conflicting claims between the U.S. and Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday no talks were taking place and that the strait was open. Iran said the waterway remained shut.
20/08/2026 - 04:27
Israel admits its troops killed 5-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza, opens criminal probe
Israel's military acknowledged on Wednesday that its troops had opened fire on a car carrying 5-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab and her family members in Gaza in 2024 and said it had opened a criminal investigation, though rights groups say such probes rarely lead to convictions.
Hind Rajab's killing was one of the most high-profile incidents involving civilian deaths during Israel's military assault in Gaza, launched following the 2023 Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel.
20/08/2026 - 03:55
UK summons Israeli envoy over West Bank settlement project
Britain said on Wednesday it had summoned Israel's charge d'affaires and demanded a halt to a major West Bank settlement project after Israeli authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area.
The E1 plan, green-lit by Israel last year, has drawn international condemnation, with the UN secretary general saying at the time that it posed an "existential threat" to a contiguous Palestinian state.
The project would further separate east Jerusalem, occupied and annexed by Israel and predominantly inhabited by Palestinians, from the West Bank.
British foreign minister Ed Miliband called the move "an unacceptable and destructive act" and said it would "endanger the viability of a two-state solution".
"The Israeli Government must halt E1 plans immediately, retract the tender and stop all settlement expansion," Miliband said in a statement.
20/08/2026 - 01:28
Australia 'outraged' over Israel decision to close probe into aid worker killings
Australia's top diplomat said Thursday she was "outraged" by Israel's decision to not pursue a criminal investigation into the killing of Australian aid worker Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom and her colleagues in Gaza.
Australia will summon Israel's ambassador Hillel Newman over the move and has asked Canberra's envoy in the country to "convey our views directly" to the government there, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement
"The Australian Government learned of Israel's decision late last night, moments before it was announced, on World Humanitarian Day -- which is especially insulting to Zomi's loved ones, humanitarians and all Australians," Wong said.
Frankcom was among a group of seven World Central Kitchen staff killed in April 2024 when their aid convoy was mistakenly hit by an Israeli air strike.
20/08/2026 - 01:22
Trump warns of economic consequences for any country that supports Iran
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned of economic consequences against any country that supported Tehran or provided "any type of lifeline to Iran".
"ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
He did not specify what specific steps Washington would take against such a country and did not list any country by name.
20/08/2026 - 01:14
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)