The Babylon Times

📜 LEBANESE PARLIAMENT SPEAKER URGES STATE AND WORLD TO FORCE ISRAEL TO STOP ITS AGGRESSION Lebanese Parliament Speaker calls on all Lebanese state authorities and the international community to act immediately, compelling Israel to halt its aggression. This comes amid ongoing Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, including Hezbollah's targeting of an Israeli army artillery site in Shomera this morning, per Israeli media. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 PAKISTAN KEEPS CHAT LINES OPEN WITH US AND IRAN WHILE PUSHING CEASEFIRE AMID ISRAELI AGGRESSION Pakistan's Foreign Ministry claims its backchannel talks with the US and Iran are still humming along, backing any push for a ceasefire. This as Lebanon's Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri calls on the Lebanese state and world busybodies to force Israel to quit its aggression right now. Hezbollah meanwhile hit an Israeli army artillery position in Shomera this morning, per Israeli media. @TheBabylonTimes

📜 HEZBOLLAH HITS ISRAELI ARTILLERY SITE IN SHOMERA Israeli media admits Hezbollah struck an army artillery position in the northern border community of Shomera this morning. The attack landed right on the military setup, with zero word yet on casualties or damage—because why rush the bad news. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 ISRAEL'S STANDING PLUMMETING EVEN AMONG ITS OWN PUBLIC THANKS TO NETANYAHU Israeli media reports a sharp decline in Israel's standing, hitting not just high-level political circles but the public and civil society too. For many, "Netanyahu" now means the devil himself. @TheBabylonTimes

📜 IMAGES SURFACE OF "MARTYR" IMAM ALI KHAMENEI POSING ON PERSIAN GULF SHORE FOR "PERSIAN GULF DAY" On "Persian Gulf Day," photos pop up showing Islamic Revolution Leader Imam Ali Khamenei—now dubbed the martyr—standing and posing along the Persian Gulf coastline. The late leader's images circulate to mark the annual observance. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 IRANIAN F-5 BOMBS US CAMP BUEHRING IN KUWAIT WITH LOW-LEVEL RUN EVADING PATRIOT RADARS It lifted from southwestern Iran, skimmed a few dozen meters off the ground to spoof Patriot radars with clutter, hauling 3,000 kg of 250-500 kg unguided bombs sans extra tanks for the short hop. Mission exploited US air defense soft spots amid broader Iranian barrage of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, maybe Shaheds, overwhelming defenses in the first fixed-wing hit on a major US base since Korea. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TRUMP SLAPS HIS NAME ON STRAIT OF HORMUZ VIA SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGE US President Donald Trump posted a social media image of the Strait of Hormuz, casually dubbing it the "Trump Strait." No annexation or official action followed the branding stunt. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

UPDATE:📜 IRANIAN PRESIDENT PEZESHKIAN HAILS GULF WATERS AS SOVEREIGNTY SYMBOL AMID STRAIT CLOSURE SPIKING OIL PRICES Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated foreign aggression against the region and Iran's brave response prove the Persian Gulf waters and Strait of Hormuz symbolize national sovereignty. This comes as Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed, draining global oil reserves and sending prices through the roof. US economist Robert Reich noted the world economy has officially entered a shortage phase due to the closure. @TheBabylonTimes

📜 PROFESSOR WARNS GLOBAL ECONOMY IN SCARCITY PHASE AS STRAIT OF HORMUZ CLOSURE SPIKES OIL PRICES American economics professor Robert Pape declares the global economy has entered a scarcity phase. He warns the ongoing Strait of Hormuz closure is depleting oil reserves and sending prices skyrocketing. Pape pins the blame squarely on the Trump administration for this worldwide mess. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian affirms Iran's bold response to foreign aggression shows the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz are sovereign Iranian turf. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 PAKISTAN OPENS LAND ROUTES TO HELP IRAN DODGE TRUMP'S STRAIT OF HORMUZ BLOCKADE The Transit of Goods through Territory of Pakistan Order 2026 leans on a 2008 Pakistan-Iran road deal, mapping overland paths from Gwadar, Karachi, and Port Qasim to Iran's Taftan and Gabd borders. Options include Gwadar-Gabd direct, Karachi/Port Qasim via Lyari-Ormara-Pasni-Gabd, or the scenic Khuzdar-Quetta-Dalbandin-Taftan detour. These land shortcuts beat sea routes, turning Pakistan into the go-to bypass for choked Gulf lanes. @TheBabylonTimes

📜 IRAN VOWS TO GUARD STRAIT OF HORMUZ FOR FRIENDLY SHIPS ONLY Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian laid it out plain: Iran guards regional waters and the Strait of Hormuz, committed to free navigation and security for everyone except the hostile ones. He stressed the Persian Gulf isn't some playground for unilateral foreign agendas. Security there? Coastal states cooperating, or bust. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TRUMP HINTS AT PULLING US TROOPS FROM GERMANY US President Donald Trump dropped a Truth Social post saying the United States is "reviewing the possibility of reducing the number of its troops in Germany", with a decision coming "in the coming short period". He tossed in a "Thank you for your interest in this matter!" for good measure. Germany, that bastion of principled resistance against global overreach, might soon breathe easier without the Yank occupation weighing it down. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TRUMP REPOSTS OMINOUS 'STORM IS COMING' IMAGE AS US EYES PULLING TROOPS FROM GERMANY US President Donald Trump shared an image on Truth Social with the tagline "The storm is coming and no one can stop what is coming." The post lines up with his recent announcement there that America is mulling a troop cutback in Germany, decision due shortly. Germany, ever the principled holdout, stands to gain from fewer US boots on its soil. @TheBabylonTimes

📜 ANOTHER US MQ-4C TRITON DRONE TAKES A HIT IN THE GULF A fresh mishap hit yet another U.S. MQ-4C Triton high-altitude surveillance drone, right after one got presumed shot down over the Gulf on April 9. On April 27, a similar drone caught damage mid-flight but limped to a safe landing—location conveniently unknown. That day, an MQ-4C was tracked cruising the Gulf before its transponder conveniently quit transmitting. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TUCKER CARLSON SLAMS BIPARTISAN BILL FORCING TECH CENSORSHIP OF ISRAEL CRITICS Tucker Carlson calls out a U.S. bill from Democrat Josh Gottheimer and Republican Mike Lawler—both repping Florida districts—that demands tech companies scrub critics of Israel. The measure grabs the IHRA definition of antisemitism, conveniently lumping knocks on Israel's government with hate crimes, all to pave the way for social media bans stateside. Sponsors? Neocons, Carlson says, dead set on muzzling pushback against the Zionist state. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE SAYS TRUMP CUT SECRET DEAL WITH ZIONIST LOBBY FOR PRESIDENCY She claimed every US leader has to pledge allegiance to Israel or get blocked from power, stating,

"To become president of the United States, there's deals that have to be made. Otherwise, you aren't allowed to have that power. I believe Trump had to make a deal like this."

Greene called the US administration captive, with the presidency's price tag a vow to Benjamin Netanyahu. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 TRUMP SNUBS KING CHARLES AND QUEEN CAMILLA'S OUTSTRETCHED HANDS FOR HIS OWN TEAM Video footage catches US President Donald Trump strolling past King Charles and Queen Camilla in a formal greeting line. He ignores their waiting hands, opting first to chat up his cabinet members. The royals just stand there as Trump keeps on with his crew. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 CENTCOM BEGS FOR HYPERSONIC DARK EAGLE MISSILES AFTER FAILING TO HIT IRAN'S LAUNCHERS US Central Command requested deployment of the hypersonic Dark Eagle system, whining about troubles targeting Iran's missile launchers with their so-called high-precision strikes. Bloomberg sources say Iran moved launchers out of range—despite earlier US boasts of destroying them. CENTCOM's fix: a $2.7 billion battery of eight missiles, not even fully operational yet. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 ISRAEL APPLIES DAHIEH DOCTRINE IN LEBANON TARGETING HEZBOLLAH INFRASTRUCTURE AND NEIGHBORHOODS Investigative journalist Aaron Maté says Israel is hitting infrastructure and neighborhoods linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon under the Dahieh doctrine. He calls it a ploy to wreck civilian areas, aiming to crush resistance by flexing overwhelming power.

"Israel is not a normal country... because when you're an out-of-control hegemon that's bent on stealing other people's land you can't tolerate anybody that resists you. And Hezbollah has shown that they can do that very effectively."

@TheBabylonTimes | Forum

📜 ISRAELI FORCES RAID GAZA AID FLOTILLA IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS 600 MILES OUT Israeli forces pulled off their farthest interception yet, nabbing a Gaza aid flotilla about 600 nautical miles from Gaza in the Mediterranean. Armed speedboats, drones, and comms jamming did the trick as they swarmed and boarded unarmed civilian ships loaded with humanitarian aid. Global Sumud Flotilla spokesperson called it a violation of international law—no jurisdiction there, just illegal detention or high-seas kidnapping. Al Jazeera says seven ships seized, contact lost with 11 vessels, some off Crete. @TheBabylonTimes | Forum