International

Blinken regrets in a call with Egypt that Hamas did not release the hostages to achieve a truce

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, spoke this Sunday on the phone with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdel Aty, and accused Hamas of not wanting to release hostages in order to achieve a truce with Israel, the State Department reported on Monday.

Blinken regretted that the Islamist group “has refused to release even a limited number of hostages to ensure a ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza,” according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.

Blinken discusses Lebanon’s situation in the call with Egypt

“The importance of establishing a path for the post-conflict period that provides governance, security and reconstruction was discussed,” Miller added about the call that both diplomats had on Sunday.

In the call they also talked about the situation in Lebanon and Abdel Aty delved into the need to find a diplomatic solution that allows civilians to return to their homes, while Blinken pointed to the void in the Presidency and the need for it to be filled.

This day, the Egyptian Foreign Minister spoke with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araqchí, and conveyed the need for “all parties” to act to avoid the scald in the Middle East and strengthen “without external interference” the institutions of the Lebanese Government.

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Tension between Israel and Iran increases

Tension has been escalating in recent months between Israel and Iran, which has threatened to respond “fiercely” to the Israeli attack just over a week ago against military targets in the territory of the Islamic Republic, which caused five deaths.

With that attack, Israel responded to the launch of Tehran, on October 1, of 180 missiles against the Jewish state in retaliation for the recent murder of the top leaders of the Lebanese Shii group Hezbula in Israeli attacks in Beirut, and of the head of the Hamas political office, Ismael Haniyeh, last July in Tehran, and which was attributed to Israel.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”