Troops

• Former President Donald Trump considered reducing U.S. troop levels in Europe by one-third to pressure NATO allies. • The idea emerged during a White House meeting this spring after Trump expressed frustration that alliance members refused to join a military operation in Iran. • While Trump appeared surprised by a Pentagon decision to halt a troop rotation in Poland, he maintained a plan to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany.

• Former President Donald Trump considered reducing U.S. troop levels in Europe by one-third to pressure NATO allies. • This contemplation followed a White House meeting this spring where Trump expressed frustration that alliance members refused to join a military operation in Iran. • While Trump appeared surprised by a Pentagon decision to halt a troop rotation in Poland, he maintained a separate order to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany.

Authorities claim Tyrin Johnson, 20, pulled gun on officers controversially deployed at instigation of TrumpNational guard soldiers on patrol in Memphis shot and killed a man that authorities in the Tennessee city said turned and pulled a gun on the troops during a chase.The shooting took place at about 4am on Sunday as the soldiers responded to a report of gunfire. Continue reading...

• Herve Renard has been appointed as the new head coach of Tunisia, replacing Sabri Lamouchi following a crushing 5-1 defeat to Sweden. • Tunisia made history as the first nation to sack a manager after just one World Cup game, prompting Renard to rally his players with a "spirit of revenge" ahead of their match against Japan. • Renard aims to inspire his squad by citing recent tournament upsets, such as Cape Verde's draw with Spain, to prove that underdogs can compete.

The seven-month-old, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, was in his mother’s arms when he was hit in the incident in HebronIsraeli troops killed a seven-month-old Palestinian baby in the occupied West Bank and injured one of the child’s parents on Friday after opening fire on the family’s car, despite it having complied with an order to stop.Soldiers opened fire on a car carrying the infant and his parents in the Tel Rumeida area of Hebron. The seven-month-old, Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, was critically injured, evacuated in critical condition to a local hospital, where he later died. His parents were also injured. Continue reading...

Violence flares before protests on Thursday over president’s decision to remain in office after his term expiredGovernment troops and militias allied with the opposition have exchanged fire in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, damaging property and forcing some civilians to flee.The violence flared up ahead of planned protests on Thursday over president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s decision to remain in office after his term expired in May. In March, parliament backed constitutional changes that could allow Mohamud to extend his term by a year and push back an election. Continue reading...

Split decision deals blow to Trump administration’s anti-diversity agenda, calling the ban ‘arbitrary, and based on animus’Transgender troops can remain in the US military, but the armed services can continue to block their enlistment, an appeals court ruled Monday in a split decision with potentially significant consequences for the Trump administration’s anti-diversity agenda.The divided, majority opinion by a three-judge panel of the US court of appeals for Washington DC is expected to be challenged by the government. And the case is ultimately likely to reach the US supreme court. Continue reading...

Newly released evidence from inquiry into 80 deaths shows Afghan partner forces no longer willing to work alongside British by 2011Concerns about the number of Afghan civilians being killed by British special forces in the early part of the last decade prompted the country’s then president to make a “muscular” complaint to Nato commanders fighting the Taliban.Newly released evidence from a public inquiry into the deaths of up to 80 people during an SAS deployment also showed that Afghan partner military forces were no longer willing to work alongside the British by the spring of 2011. Continue reading...

• President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States will deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland. • The decision marks a sudden reversal of recent administration efforts aimed at reducing the overall number of U.S. military personnel stationed in Europe. • This move has created significant confusion regarding the U.S. government's strategic military goals and deployment patterns across the continent.

• The United States is deploying 5,000 troops to Poland as it simultaneously reduces its military presence in Germany. • The move follows the suspension of a planned training exercise, which had previously caused alarm among Polish officials and sparked anger in the U.S. Congress. • The deployment occurs amid domestic political tension in Poland, where President Nawrocki, elected in June 2025, aligns with the Trump administration and clashes with pro-EU Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

• President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States will deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland. • The move marks a sudden reversal in strategy, as the administration had previously taken steps to reduce the overall number of US military personnel stationed in Europe. • This deployment deepens confusion regarding the US military's long-term commitment and strategic posture within the European theater.

IDF says two soldiers will spend weeks in military prison over incident it said was viewed with great severityTwo Israeli soldiers will spend weeks in military prison for the desecration of a Christian object after one stuck a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon and the other photographed it.The photo of the soldier, a cigarette dangling from his own mouth, went viral and sparked widespread outrage. It was the latest act by Israeli forces in southern Lebanon to be denounced as anti-Christian. Continue reading...

US announced withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers last week after German chancellor said US was being ‘humiliated’ by IranDonald Trump has threatened to withdraw more US troops from Germany after stunning European leaders and some senior members of his own party by last week announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany.The move left 30,000 US troops still in the country, according to CNN. But Trump threatened on Saturday that more cuts were coming. “We are going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” he told reporters on Saturday. Continue reading...

• The Trump administration announced plans to withdraw 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany over the next 6 to 12 months, impacting the approximately 35,000 American service members currently stationed there. • Defense Secretary Hegseth is pulling the troops amid ongoing tensions between Trump and the German Chancellor over defense spending and NATO contributions. • The reduction marks a significant shift in U.S. military presence in Europe and signals potential strains in the transatlantic alliance during this period.

• The Trump administration announced plans to withdraw approximately 5,000 US troops from Germany over the next 6-12 months. • The troop withdrawal fulfills an earlier Trump threat and reflects tensions over Germany's stance on the Iran conflict. • The move signals a broader shift in US military posture in Europe and could weaken NATO presence in a key strategic location.

German government calls redeployment of 5,000 troops ‘anticipated’ and reminder of Europe’s need to invest in its own defence‘We love our Americans’: the German town rocked by Trump’s plan to withdraw US troopsNato is seeking to “understand the details” of a US decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, a redeployment ordered by Donald Trump amid a feud with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz.The German government sought to play down the severity of Trump’s move, describing it as “anticipated”, and a reminder of Europe’s need to invest in its own defence. The US withdrawal, which the Pentagon said would take place over the next six to 12 months, comes after criticism from Merz over Trump’s war with Iran and his handling of subsequent talks with Tehran. Continue reading...

German defence minister responds to US president’s announcement that 5,000 US troops will leave bases in GermanyHello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.The German defence minister, Boris Pistorius, said that it was “foreseeable” that the US would withdraw troops from Europe, after the Pentagon announced it would pull thousands of American soldiers from Germany.Trump said he is “not satisfied” with a new proposal from Iran on ending the war, as peace talks remain stalled despite a weeks-long ceasefire. Iran delivered the proposal text to mediator Pakistan on Thursday evening, Iranian state news agency Irna reported, without detailing its contents.The US state department said it was approving military sales totalling more than $8.6bn to Middle Eastern allies Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. It came as Washington warned European allies including the UK, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia to expect long delivery delays for US weapons as it scrambles to replenish stockpiles depleted by the Iran war, according to a report in the Fianancial Times citing multiple sources.In Lebanon, 12 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the south, Lebanon’s health ministry said, including in the town of Habboush, where the Israeli army had issued an evacuation order despite the continuing ceasefire. Israeli warplanes “launched a series of heavy strikes … less than an hour after” the warning, the state-run National News Agency said.The US Treasury Office warned that any shipping companies that paid tolls to Iran for passage through the strait of Hormuz, including charitable donations to organisations such as the Iranian Red Crescent Society, would risk punitive sanctions. Tehran has proposed charging fees on vessels passing through the strait, as part of a deal to end the war.Trump wrote to US lawmakers on Friday declaring hostilities with Iran “terminated”, despite no change in the US military posture, as he faces continuing pressure at home to seek congressional authorisation for the war.The state department’s announcement on Friday included approving military sales to Qatar of Patriot air and missile defence replenishment services costing $4.01bn and of advanced precision kill weapon systems (APKWS) costing $992.4m. They also included approval of the sale to Kuwait of an integrated battle command system costing $2.5bn and to Israel of APKWS costing $992.4m.Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei urged his people to wage economic battle and “disappoint” its enemies, as the war and years of sanctions take a toll. In a written statement he also said “the owners of damaged businesses should avoid, as much as possible, layoffs and separation of their workforce”. Continue reading...

US president says European countries are ‘absolutely horrible’ to refuse to support operations in strait of Hormuz Europe live – latest updatesDonald Trump has threatened to withdraw US troops from Italy and Spain a day after saying he was looking at reducing the number deployed in Germany.The US president’s threat to Germany came after the country’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said America was being “humiliated” by Iran. Continue reading...

The US president said he would carry out of a review of US military presence in Europe after public criticism of the US-Israeli war on IranItaly and Spain have joined a growing list of countries that US president Donald Trump is threatening with pulling US troops from as part of a broader review of the US military presence in Europe.Responding to a question from a reporter, Trump said he would “probably” consider such a move, linking it to the two countries’ criticism of the US campaign in Iran.“Look, why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.” Continue reading...

• Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have launched joint military exercises involving 8,000 NATO troops in response to Russian force mobilization along the eastern border, marking the largest Baltic-focused NATO drill this year. • Russian military intelligence reports indicate approximately 35,000 Russian troops have gathered near the Belarus-Poland border; NATO commanders assess this as a potential preparation for military action. • Pentagon officials have authorized increased US military presence in the region, with 2,500 additional American troops authorized for rapid deployment if tensions escalate further.

• North Korea has deployed an additional 10,000 troops to support Russian forces in Ukraine, escalating foreign involvement in the conflict as fighting intensifies along multiple fronts. • South Korean intelligence reports indicate the troops are equipped with advanced weaponry and are positioned in the Kursk region; this represents a significant expansion of Pyongyang's military commitment to Moscow. • The deployment raises concerns among US and allied officials about the global implications of expanding proxy conflicts and potential technology transfers between Russia and North Korea.

• NATO announced Friday the deployment of 5,000 additional personnel to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, citing concerns over Russian military buildups near the Ukraine border and increased reconnaissance flights in NATO airspace. • The alliance activated contingency protocols allowing individual member states to request reinforcements without full consensus; Poland alone will receive 2,500 troops, primarily from the United States and Germany. • Russia's Foreign Ministry condemned the deployment as "provocative" and pledged countermeasures, while NATO Secretary-General stated the move was "defensive and proportional" to regional security threats.

• The United States has deployed more than 10,000 American personnel, 12 warships, and multiple aircraft in a naval blockade around Iranian ports that began Monday, according to US Central Command. • The blockade represents a significant military escalation in the region, with no ships crossing Iranian ports in the first 24 hours of the operation. • The deployment underscores heightened US-Iran tensions following recent military exchanges and reflects the Trump administration's aggressive posture toward Tehran.

• US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized 5,000 National Guard deployment to Texas border on April 8, 2026, amid 15,000 monthly migrant encounters. • Troops will support Customs and Border Protection with logistics, not enforcement, following Supreme Court approval. • Move addresses cartel violence spike, including 22 murders in Juarez last week; Biden admin cites 'hemispheric crisis' impact on US fentanyl deaths (110,000/year).

Defense secretary signs memo letting members request permission to carry firearms on military installationsDefense secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Thursday that would allow military service members to request permission to carry their personal firearms on military installations such as bases, naval yards and recruitment centers, claiming the new policy will allow soldiers and other military personnel to defend themselves in case of an attack.While the full text of the memo has yet to be made public, it appears to loosen the current policy that allows for personnel to get permission to have their weapons on base on a case-by-case basis, and requires that they are registered with the base’s authorities and stored in a secure device. Continue reading...

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced 5,000 additional US troops to Poland on April 2, responding to Russian incursions 20 km into Ukraine near Lviv. • Deployment includes Abrams tanks and HIMARS systems, totaling 15,000 US forces in Eastern Europe. • Move signals NATO resolve as Ukraine reports 300 civilian deaths last week from shelling.

John Healey says extra deployment is response to ‘expanding threat’ from IranMiddle East crisis – live updatesUK politics live – latest updatesThe UK is sending more military support to the Gulf taking the total deployment to 1,000 troops, amid more jibes from Donald Trump about Britain’s refusal to get involved in offensive operations against Iran.Speaking from Qatar where he met UK troops, the defence secretary, John Healey, said the extra deployment was in response to an “expanding threat” from Iran. Continue reading...

• G7 foreign ministers have rejected US President Trump's request to send troops to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, citing concerns about escalation into a broader conflict with Iran. • The group of seven nations stated they would only assist with securing the critical energy export passage once hostilities with Iran conclude, and condemned Iran's closure of the strait as affecting non-combatant countries. • Trump has publicly criticized European and NATO allies for refusing to establish the mission, suggesting their participation should not be conditioned on ceasefire negotiations.