A Return to ‘Hot War?’: Where the US and Iran Could Escalate Fighting

The U.S. Central Command said it targeted Iran's coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites and maritime capabilities. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted Bahrain, Jordan and three tankers that had traveled through the Strait of Hormuz. Two of the ships, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were linked to the United Arab Emirates and were set ablaze, killing one mariner and wounding eight others. Iran has threatened to retaliate against American military sites across the region.

2026 World Cup in the live ticker: England against Argentina

Weekly digital edition of SPIEGEL includes e-paper (PDF), digital archive and S+ newsletter. Free access to all S+ articles on SPIEGel.de and in the app (e-paper, digital archive, and newsletter). For more information, visit the website.

What Now?
What Now?

Richard Haass is the former president of the Council on Foreign Relations and co-host of America’s fastest-growing podcast, ‘Alternate Shots’. He believes that the U.S. has tried three strategies in its war with Iran and failed each time, so the next step is back to the drawing board.

As the country turns 250, retired judges hit the road to defend judicial independence

The retired judges are on a tour of the Rust Belt to promote the rule of law and teach voters about the constitution. Americans' confidence in the court system and democracy has dipped in recent years. President Donald Trump has cast doubt on the fairness of the judicial system. Federal judges have received death threats and profane messages.

Last remaining US troops set to exit Iraq by Sept. 30, capping 2-decade mission

Ali al-Zaidi, Iraq's new prime minister, announced Tuesday that all remaining U.S. troops will leave the country by the end of September. The Pentagon footprint in Iraq fluctuated from 170,000 service members at the height of the Iraq War to fewer than 200 now. The United States has been at war with Iran for several months.

The US is building a new pressure architecture against Iran

Trump's presence at the NATO summit in Turkiye signals a recalibration of the U.S. strategic calculations regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran and the “axis of resistance’. The new US strategy is based on generating simultaneous pressure within Iran, across its geopolitical periphery and throughout its network of regional connections. NATO is not just a military alliance, but a vehicle for the political, security and narrative alignment of Western allies against Iran.

China Is Ready to Get Tough

In the past, the core task of Chinese diplomacy was to secure external space for domestic development. Today, Chinese diplomacy seeks to use the strength accumulated at home to transform the country’s external environment. In recent years, although China has promoted the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind and global governance, it has become unforgiving toward countries it believes have offended it. The latest example is Beijing's announcement that it would prohibit exports of dual-use items to 10 U.S. companies.

House lawmakers urge federal agencies to brace for AI election integrity threats

Reps. Mike Lawler and Josh Gottheimer wrote to the heads of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Justice Department, Federal Election Commission and Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday. They asked them to prepare for AI-driven threats to election integrity, such as deploying monitoring and mitigation capabilities, and engage with major AI companies regarding safeguard protocols, testing practices and how political bias, misinformation or model vulnerabilities are identified.

New ICE boss, same old lies

Kristi Noem was pushed out of her job as the secretary of homeland security and replaced with Oklahoma’s GOP senator, Markwayne Mullin. The public was assured he would make all the problems with Immigration and Customs Enforcement go away, but it's still Donald Trump's presidency. ICE remains what Noem always wanted it to be: a rogue organization staffed by people who are either unqualified or sadistic.

Op-Ed | The Food System Is Driving Two Crises at Once—and Could Help Solve Both

Food production contributes to greenhouse-gas emissions, land-use change, freshwater use, and biodiversity loss. Unhealthy dietary patterns are helping drive rising rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic illnesses around the world. Food occupies a unique position among climate solutions because it influences both human health and environmental sustainability simultaneously.

A Return to ‘Hot War?’: Where the US and Iran Could Escalate Fighting
A Return to ‘Hot War?’: Where the US and Iran Could Escalate Fighting

The U.S. Central Command said it targeted Iran's coastal defense systems, missile and drone sites and maritime capabilities. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted Bahrain, Jordan and three tankers that had traveled through the Strait of Hormuz. Two of the ships, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, were linked to the United Arab Emirates and were set ablaze, killing one mariner and wounding eight others. Iran has threatened to retaliate against American military sites across the region.

Newsweek
corporate
2026 World Cup in the live ticker: England against Argentina
2026 World Cup in the live ticker: England against Argentina

Weekly digital edition of SPIEGEL includes e-paper (PDF), digital archive and S+ newsletter. Free access to all S+ articles on SPIEGel.de and in the app (e-paper, digital archive, and newsletter). For more information, visit the website.

DER SPIEGEL | Online-Nachrichten
translated_corporate
What Now?
What Now?

Richard Haass is the former president of the Council on Foreign Relations and co-host of America’s fastest-growing podcast, ‘Alternate Shots’. He believes that the U.S. has tried three strategies in its war with Iran and failed each time, so the next step is back to the drawing board.

News Items
independent
As the country turns 250, retired judges hit the road to defend judicial independence
As the country turns 250, retired judges hit the road to defend judicial independence

The retired judges are on a tour of the Rust Belt to promote the rule of law and teach voters about the constitution. Americans' confidence in the court system and democracy has dipped in recent years. President Donald Trump has cast doubt on the fairness of the judicial system. Federal judges have received death threats and profane messages.

Courthouse News Service
news
Last remaining US troops set to exit Iraq by Sept. 30, capping 2-decade mission
Last remaining US troops set to exit Iraq by Sept. 30, capping 2-decade mission

Ali al-Zaidi, Iraq's new prime minister, announced Tuesday that all remaining U.S. troops will leave the country by the end of September. The Pentagon footprint in Iraq fluctuated from 170,000 service members at the height of the Iraq War to fewer than 200 now. The United States has been at war with Iran for several months.

Stars and Stripes | The U.S. military's independent news source.
independent
The US is building a new pressure architecture against Iran
The US is building a new pressure architecture against Iran

Trump's presence at the NATO summit in Turkiye signals a recalibration of the U.S. strategic calculations regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran and the “axis of resistance’. The new US strategy is based on generating simultaneous pressure within Iran, across its geopolitical periphery and throughout its network of regional connections. NATO is not just a military alliance, but a vehicle for the political, security and narrative alignment of Western allies against Iran.

Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
news
China Is Ready to Get Tough
China Is Ready to Get Tough

In the past, the core task of Chinese diplomacy was to secure external space for domestic development. Today, Chinese diplomacy seeks to use the strength accumulated at home to transform the country’s external environment. In recent years, although China has promoted the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind and global governance, it has become unforgiving toward countries it believes have offended it. The latest example is Beijing's announcement that it would prohibit exports of dual-use items to 10 U.S. companies.

Foreign Policy
corporate
House lawmakers urge federal agencies to brace for AI election integrity threats
House lawmakers urge federal agencies to brace for AI election integrity threats

Reps. Mike Lawler and Josh Gottheimer wrote to the heads of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Justice Department, Federal Election Commission and Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday. They asked them to prepare for AI-driven threats to election integrity, such as deploying monitoring and mitigation capabilities, and engage with major AI companies regarding safeguard protocols, testing practices and how political bias, misinformation or model vulnerabilities are identified.

The Washington Times
corporate
New ICE boss, same old lies
New ICE boss, same old lies

Kristi Noem was pushed out of her job as the secretary of homeland security and replaced with Oklahoma’s GOP senator, Markwayne Mullin. The public was assured he would make all the problems with Immigration and Customs Enforcement go away, but it's still Donald Trump's presidency. ICE remains what Noem always wanted it to be: a rogue organization staffed by people who are either unqualified or sadistic.

Salon.com
corporate
Op-Ed | The Food System Is Driving Two Crises at Once—and Could Help Solve Both
Op-Ed | The Food System Is Driving Two Crises at Once—and Could Help Solve Both

Food production contributes to greenhouse-gas emissions, land-use change, freshwater use, and biodiversity loss. Unhealthy dietary patterns are helping drive rising rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic illnesses around the world. Food occupies a unique position among climate solutions because it influences both human health and environmental sustainability simultaneously.

Food Tank
food_safety
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