The Babylon Times

📜 US COMMERCIAL SHIPS STUCK IN OMAN'S ROCKY SHALLOWS NEAR STRAIT OF HORMUZ Two US commercial ships, which Washington insists passed through the Strait of Hormuz, sit trapped in the rocky, shallow waters off Oman's southern coast by Masirah and Al Khuyala islands. The vessels can't exit or turn back thanks to the area's hazardous geography. This southern stretch offers nothing but dangerous rocky shallows unfit for any real shipping route. @TheBabylonTimes

📜 HANDALA CYBER GROUP INFILTRATES ISRAEL'S NATIONAL SECURITY THINK TANK FOR YEARS The cyber outfit Handala claims it pulled off a stealthy, years-long hack into Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. In their statement, the group says they quietly snagged secret documents from the outfit without a peep. @TheBabylonTimes

📜 ISRAEL’S FINANCE MINISTER SMOTRICH DANCES IN OCCUPIED IBRAHIMI MOSQUE WITH SETTLERS Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich linked up with rabbis and settlers to dance inside the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, turning Muslim prayer halls into a Jewish holiday party for Lag BaOmer. The site, holy to Muslims and Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs, hosted their traditional festivities. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 MIGRATORY BIRDS SPOTTED OVER IRAN'S MEEGAN WETLANDS FIRST TIME SINCE 2019 Migratory birds have flown over the Meegan wetlands for the first time since 2019. Iran's Central province wetlands protection head announced the 12,000-hectare site's revival after years of drought. Sufficient rainfall finally restored the water. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 HOUSE DEMOCRATS URGE TRUMP TO OFFICIALLY BLESS ISRAEL'S NUCLEAR ARSENAL More than two dozen House Democrats nudge the Trump administration to formally recognize Israel's nuclear weapons program. It's long been suspected, despite decades of U.S. policy playing coy. This would shatter longstanding precedent and rubber-stamp an open secret in intel circles since the 1960s. The Washington Post has the letter. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 NETANYAHU HOSTS PEACE COUNCIL DIRECTOR IN OCCUPIED JERUSALEM WITH US AMBASSADOR TAGGING ALONG Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Nikolai Mladenov, director general of the so-called "Peace Council," and his team into his office in occupied Jerusalem. The US ambassador to Israel joined the little gathering, naturally. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

UPDATE:📜 IRAN FOREIGN MINISTER HEADS TO BEIJING FOR DIPLOMATIC TALKS Iran's Foreign Ministry says Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is off to Beijing today to keep chatting with various countries. Because nothing says progress like more talks amid the usual aggressions. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TRUMP SLAMS POPE FOR GREENLIGHTING IRAN'S NUCLEAR WEAPON AND ENDANGERING CATHOLICS Trump stated the Pope endangers many Catholics and others by deeming it acceptable for Iran to possess a nuclear weapon. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TRUMP SAYS HE WAS READY TO TANK STOCKS 20-25% AND SPIKE OIL TO $200-250 AGAINST IRAN Former US President Donald Trump reminisced about his Iran moves, figuring a 20-25% stock market dip was fine since it'd bounce back, while oil would conveniently hit $200 or $250 a barrel. Instead, oil's merely at $100 to $102. Lately, he calls Iran's military "essentially over" and bets armed ordinary Iranians would put up a real fight. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 IRAN MP WARNS STRAIT OF HORMUZ STAYS IRAN'S CALL, NO BACKING DOWN Iranian parliamentary energy committee member Mohammad Bahrami Seif Abadi states Iran's grip on the Strait of Hormuz is among the Persian Gulf's touchiest geopolitical spots. Iran won't budge from its strategic management and control. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 IRAN FM HEADS TO BEIJING AMID ISRAELI STRIKES ON IRANIAN TARGETS Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi jets off to Beijing today for a sit-down with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. The trip unfolds against heightened regional tensions, thanks to fresh Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Agenda details remain unconfirmed. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TRUMP SAYS IRANIANS NEED GUNS, CLAIMS THEY'LL FIGHT LIKE CHAMPS ONCE ARMED Trump told the Iranian people they need guns and figures they're getting their hands on some. He added that, armed up, they'll scrap as effectively as anyone in the region. This comes right after he called Iran's military essentially defeated. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TRUMP CALLS ZELENSKY TRICKY NEGOTIATOR AS UKRAINE BLEEDS TERRITORY Trump pegs Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a tricky negotiator, all while pining for some settlement in this endless war. He points out Ukraine's losing ground at a hefty price tag for both Russia and Ukraine. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TRUMP SAYS BETTER TO COZY UP TO CHINA THAN FIGHT IT, CALLS IRAN MILITARILY TOAST Trump figures cooperating with China beats clashing with it, and China agrees. He notes China is eyeing Venezuela and Iran closely, with Iran already licked militarily. This as Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi heads to Beijing to chat with his counterpart. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 ISRAELI COURT HEARS CASE FOR BRAZILIAN FLOTILLA ACTIVIST THIAGO AVILA AS PROSECUTION PUSHES DETENTION EXTENSION Video captures the trial hearing of Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, who sailed on the Global Freedom Flotilla's Handala ship, now facing Israel's court. Prosecutors there demanded a six-day detention extension for him and Palestinian activist Saif Abu Kshk. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 MASSIVE RALLY IN BABOL BACKS IRANIAN LEADERSHIP AND ARMED FORCES Large crowds filled Babol in northern Iran for a rally propping up the leadership and armed forces, all while affirming that oh-so-unbreakable Iranian unity. Participants marched through city streets waving flags and banners, packing the roads in a show of solidarity. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 BAHRAIN'S DEFENSE FORCE BRAGS ABOUT SMASHING 194 MISSILES AND 523 DRONES FROM IRANIAN ATTACKS Bahrain's General Command of the Defense Force claims all weapons and units sit at peak readiness and defensive alert. They say since Iranian attacks kicked off, Bahrain intercepted and destroyed 194 missiles and 523 drones aimed at the kingdom. Some reports whisper no hostile missiles or drones even showed up in Bahrain's airspace. @TheBabylonTimes

📜 TÜRKIYE SHOWS OFF MOCK EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON WITH TURKISH FLAGS AT SAHA 2026 IN ISTANBUL Türkiye's putting a full-scale mockup of the Eurofighter Typhoon on display at the SAHA 2026 exhibition in Istanbul. The model sports Turkish flags on its body and tail. Marks Türkiye’s first big buy of a modern fighter jet from beyond the US orbit. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TÜRKİYE UNVEILS TAYFUN BLOCK 4 HYPERSONIC BEAST AT SAHA 2026 EXPO Türkiye rolled out its TAYFUN Block 4 hypersonic ballistic missile at the SAHA 2026 expo in Istanbul. ROKETSAN built this monster, the beefiest in the TAYFUN lineup and the country's farthest-flinging homegrown ballistic toy—range still under wraps, naturally. Stretches 10 meters, tips the scales at 7.2 tons, screams past Mach 5, and posed smugly on an 8x8 launcher. Debuted last year at IDEF 2025. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 ISRAELI MEDIA SAYS SHELTERS OPEN IN ASHDOD AND RISHON LEZION FOR POSSIBLE IRANIAN MISSILES Israeli media reports Yedioth Ahronoth claiming shelters in Ashdod and Rishon LeZion are now open. All prepped for what they call a potential resumption of Iranian missile strikes. @TheBabylonTimes