US officials say military operation carried out, without giving further details; Iran state media says air defences fired and airspace closed in some areas What we know so far about Israel’s strike on Iran Follow all our Middle East crisis coverage It’s 7:24am in Tehran and 6:54 In Tel Aviv. Let’s get a reminder of what we know so far: US officials have confirmed that Israel has carried out military operations against Iran but did not describe those operations. The Israeli military has told news agencies including Agence France-Presse and Associated Press: “We don’t have a comment at this ti ..read more

Former president’s comments are being described as a shift in tone days before Republicans vote on a multibillion-dollar aid package. What we know on day 786 See all our Ukraine war coverage Donald Trump has said the survival of Ukraine is important to the US, in what Reuters describes as a shift in tone days before Republicans are due to vote on a $61bn aid package in the US House of Representatives. “As everyone agrees, Ukrainian Survival and Strength should be much more important to Europe than to us, but it is also important to us! GET MOVING EUROPE!” Trump said on his social media platf ..read more

The US vetoed a Palestinian request to the United Nations security council for full UN membership, blocking the world body’s recognition of a Palestinian state. US officials had been hoping Washington could avoid use of its veto if other states objected to a draft resolution before the council recommending the 'State of Palestine be admitted to membership of the United Nations' UN demands end to Israeli forces’ support of settler attacks on West Bank Palestinians ..read more

Critics condemn ‘reckless and cruel’ expulsions and say deportees likely to be targeted by armed gangs who control much of country More than 70 Haitians expelled from the United States have been flown back to Haiti on the first deportation flight since heavily armed gangs launched a bloody insurrection which has paralysed the capital and forced the prime minister from office. The flight, which landed in the port city of Cap-Haïtien early on Thursday, was described as “inhumane” by human rights activists who warned that deportees would likely be targeted by the criminal factions who control mos ..read more

Washington blocks security council resolution supported by 12 member countries, with two abstentions including UK The US has vetoed a Palestinian request to the United Nations security council for full UN membership, blocking the world body’s recognition of a Palestinian state. The vote in the 15-member security council was 12 in favor, the US opposed and two abstentions, the UK and Switzerland ..read more

Panel urged denial of Israel funds because of serious human rights violations but state department has not yet acted, report says The US state department has failed to act on internal reports of human rights abuses by Israeli army and police units, according to a new report, raising new questions over whether Washington’s continued supply of arms to Israel is breaking US law. The ProPublica investigative journalism site quoted officials as saying that a special panel set up by the Biden administration had recommended that multiple Israeli military and police units be denied US funding because ..read more

The gulf state’s prime minister said he was making the move due to ‘exploitation and abuse of the Qatari role’ See all of our updates on the Israel-Gaza war and wider Middle East crisis Julian Borger is the Guardian’s world affairs editor. Lisa Nandy, the UK’s shadow minister for international development, has called for support for the UN relief agency, Unrwa, warning that “time has run out for hundreds of thousands” of people in Gaza ..read more

House speaker Mike Johnson has unveiled his plans to pass foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific, with a vote likely on Saturday US House speaker, Mike Johnson, has said long-awaited votes on aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific will take place as soon as Saturday, putting the senior Republican on a collision course with members of his own party. At stake is $95bn of US security assistance that has been in limbo for months, amid fierce objections from far-right Republicans. Johnson’s decision to push ahead with the votes also puts his own job at risk, with at least two Re ..read more

Exercises starting on Monday will be the first to be held outside Philippines’ territorial waters, and come amid a rise in tensions in the South China Sea Philippine and US forces will carry out their first ever military exercises outside the south-east Asian country’s territorial waters, in a move China has said will only lead to greater insecurity in the South China Sea. The annual Balikatan or “shoulder-to-shoulder” drills – which will run from 22 April to 10 May – will involve 16,700 soldiers simulating retaking enemy-occupied islands in areas facing Taiwan and the South China Sea ..read more

Two fellow Republicans have threatened to remove House speaker if he advances Ukraine funding proposal The House speaker, Mike Johnson, is pushing ahead with his plan to hold votes on four separate foreign aid bills this week, despite threats from two fellow Republicans to oust him if he advances a Ukraine funding proposal. Shortly after noon on Wednesday, the rules committee posted text for three bills that would provide funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The text of a fourth bill, which is expected to include measures to redirect seized Russian assets toward Ukraine and force the sale o ..read more