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Nato and EU condemn Russia after drone hits Romanian residential block
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Just nowMircea Barbu,In Bucharest,Jaroslav LukivandChris GrahamInquam Photos/George Calin via ReutersRomanian police were seen at the site of the explosion on Friday morningA Russian drone hit a block of flats in Romania, causing a fire and injuring two people, Romanian officials say.Friday's incident in the eastern town of Galați, near the border with Ukraine, was condemned by Romania's fellow members of Nato and the EU. Ukraine said it proved again that Russia posed "a real threat" to Europe.Romanian President Nicușor Dan said the drone was likely hit by Ukrainian air defences over Kyiv's territory, altering its trajectory. Russian President Vladimir Putin later questioned whether the drone was Russian. Drones fired by Russia have strayed into Romania a number of times during the four-year war with Ukraine, but it is the first time Romanians have been hurt.Romania's emergency situations authority said the drone's entire explosive payload detonated and caused a fire on the 10th floor of the residential building. Two people with abrasions required medical treatment and were taken to the Galați County Emergency Clinical Hospital. About 70 people were evacuated as the fire was put out.DSU via ReutersAbout 70 people were evacuated as the fire was put outRomania's defence ministry said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled after the drones were detected. Brig Gen Gheorghe Maxim said the army had only four minutes from when the drone was detected to the moment of impact.The ministry added in a later update that it appeared the "entire load" of the Geran 2 drone - also known as a Shahed 136 - had exploded on impact.Gen Maxim said Romanian forces were under significant constraints, as they could not fire munitions that violated Ukrainian airspace. "Ukraine is at war, but Romania is at peace. We cannot launch a projectile into Ukrainian airspace," he said.Romania's military has sought to reassure the public that it was not an attack on the country but rather "a conflict at our border, with consequences for the local population".Speaking during a visit to Galați later on Friday, President Dan said the drone was likely hit while over Ukraine, apparently by Ukraine's air defences."There was a group of 43 drones coming from the east. Some were shot down over Ukraine, and one was hit above the [Ukrainian] city of Reni, which altered its trajectory."Dan also said his administration would expel the Russian consul in the Black Sea port of Constanța and shut down the consulate. Moscow said it "won't take long" to respond.President Dan also convened an emergency meeting of Romania's Supreme Defence Council, describing the Russian drone strike as "the most serious incident to have affected Romanian territory since the start of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine".The country's foreign ministry said Bucharest had "requested measures to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities to Romania" from Nato.The alliance's secretary general, Mark Rutte, said he had spoken to President Dan and told him the alliance "stands ready to defend every inch of allied territory"."We will continue to enhance our readiness to deter and defend against any threat, including from drones," Rutte added. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: "Russia's war of aggression has crossed yet another line"."As we continue strengthening our security and deterrence, especially on our Eastern border, we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia," she added.Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said the incident "proved once again that Russian aggression poses a real threat to the Black Sea region".He urged other countries to strengthen support for Ukraine and increase pressure on Russia "to restore peace and security in the region".In a post on social media on Friday evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had expressed support for Romania during a phone call with President Dan."We will be in constant communication with Rom
Just nowSarah Smith,North America editor, Washington DCandNardine SaadUS Navy via Getty ImagesThe strikes come amid a fragile ceasefire and protracted negotiations to end the war, which began with the US and Israel striking Iran on 28 FebThe US military has carried out new strikes on Iran, targeting a military site in Bandar Abbas, a strategic port city. US Central Command (Centcom) said its forces also shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones "that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz".The site in Bandar Abbas was struck as it was about to launch a fifth drone, Centcom said. Iranian media reported that explosions were heard to the east of the city. The strikes come amid a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran, and protracted negotiations to end the three-month war that has choked traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and shot up global energy prices.It is the second time in three days that the US has attacked targets in Iran - saying that the strikes were conducted in self defence. The renewed hostilities threaten the ceasefire. Centcom described its actions as "measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire".Earlier this week, it confirmed a previous round of "self-defence" strikes on southern Iran on Monday in which they targeted Iranian missile sites and boats attempting to lay mines in the Strait, where thousands of commercial tanker ships are stranded as a result of the conflict.Centcom said those strikes were designed "to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces".Iran condemned the strikes as "a grave violation of the ceasefire" and vowed that the Iranian government "will not leave any act of hostility unanswered."Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also said on Tuesday that it had downed a US drone and fired at a fighter jet and another drone that entered Iranian airspace, but did not specify when. During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said that Iran is "negotiating on fumes", insisting that his war strategy will not be impacted by November's US midterm elections."Maybe we have to go back and finish it, maybe we don't," he said. During that meeting, the president also urged Gulf nations to sign on to the Abraham Accords to normalise relations with Israel.Israel launched the war against Iran alongside the US on 28 February and is also embroiled in a war with Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.President Trump has threatened to resume a large-scale bombing campaign if Iran does not agree to his terms.While Trump struck an optimistic note over the weekend, saying that a peace deal with Iran had been "largely negotiated", by Wednesday's cabinet meeting, he said that the US is "not satisfied".He said Tehran was "very much intent" on reaching an agreement to end the conflict, but added "so far they haven't gotten there", repeating Washington's willingness to resume strikes if one is not reached.His remarks came after Iranian state TV reported what it said were details of a draft agreement, which included reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the withdrawal of US forces from the region.The White House branded the text a "complete fabrication".Both sides signalled progress had been made towards a deal late last week, prompting speculation an announcement was close.However, Tehran soon cautioned a deal was "not imminent" while Trump said he had instructed his negotiators "not to rush into" one.Speaking to reporters at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the US president said: "They just want to make a deal - I don't think they have a choice."Trump also said: "Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal."So far, they haven't gotten there and we're not satisfied with it, but we will be. Either that or we'll have to just finish the job."More on this story
U.S. renews strikes on Iran, citing threats posed to American troops The Washington Post Iran War Live Updates: U.S. Strikes Iranian Targets in Fresh Bout of Fighting WSJ Global Oil Price Rises After U.S. Strikes in Iran Cloud Peace Deal The New York Times U.S. conducts 'self-defense strikes' in Iran as Trump pushes for peace deal CNBC US military says it carried out ‘self-defense’ strikes in Iran, including on missile launch sites AP News
7 minutes agoYang TianRussia has launched a large-scale wave of strikes against Ukraine, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. Four people were killed and more than 50 others injured in Kyiv and its surrounding areas, with explosions heard across the region overnight into Sunday, and reports of damage to residential buildings and schools.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Oreshnik hypersonic missile was used in a strike on Bila Tserkva, a city within the Kyiv region. The strikes follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's vow to retaliate after accusing Ukraine of carrying out a deadly attack on a student dormitory in the town of Starobilsk on Friday in which 18 people were killed.The general staff of Ukraine's armed forces said it did carry out an attack near Starobilsk in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine overnight on Friday, but maintained that it struck an elite Russian military unit.Russia's overnight strikes on Sunday came after warnings from Zelensky that there were signs Russia was planning an attack.He had also said that Ukraine's intelligence services had received information that Russia could use the Oreshnik missile, which reportedly travels at more than 10 times the speed of sound and is impossible to intercept.Ukraine's air force said that from 18:00 local time on Saturday, it detected 90 missiles and 600 drones.The attack hit more than 50 locations across Kyiv, according to Ukraine's national police. Residential buildings, shopping centres, and emergency service and police buildings were reportedly struck.Zelensky said a water-supply facility was also attacked.Reuters"The capital has been subjected to a massive ballistic attack. Further launches are possible," Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv's military administration wrote on Telegram shortly after midnight.Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko said two people had been killed in the city itself, with 30 people, including two children in hospital.A person was killed after a nine-storey residential building in the central Shevchenko district was hit and a fire broke out on the top floors.In the same district, a strike near an air raid shelter at a school blocked its entrance with debris, trapping several people inside.Emergency services rushed to multiple scenes of damage across the city, putting out blazes, clearing debris and treating the injured.In the wider Kyiv region surrounding the capital, a further two people were also killed, according to regional head Mykola Kalashnyk.He described the attack as "deliberate terror against peaceful people", adding that "emergency services are working in all places".Outside Kyiv, the regions of Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, and Zhytomyr have also come under attack, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.At least 83 people have been injured since the start of the day, Zelensky said.
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NewsFeedA UN humanitarian convoy delivering aid to the city of Kherson was hit twice by drones, despite prior coordination with Ukrainian and Russian forces. No injuries were reported, and the UN has not attributed the attack to either side.Published On 14 May 2026
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