The Israeli army has ordered a criminal investigation into the killing in Gaza of five-year-old Hind Rajab, whose death was internationally condemned after a desperate recording of her speaking to paramedics was broadcast around the world.

The Palestinian child was one of seven family members travelling in a vehicle that came under Israeli fire in Gaza City in January 2024.

She initially survived the attack that killed several family members, but her body was recovered days later along with her relatives and two paramedics who had tried to save her in an ambulance.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that “following a review of the findings” and “due to alleged failures in the coordination of the movement of the Palestine Red Crescent ambulance, it has been decided to initiate a criminal investigation of the incident by Military Police Criminal Investigation Division”.

This is the first time the IDF has admitted opening fire on the vehicle carrying Hind and her family. Previously the IDF said its initial investigation suggested no Israeli troops had been in the area at the time of the incident.

Hind Rajab’s car was hit by Israeli fire as she and her family tried to flee bombing during the war in Gaza.

Several family members were killed, but Hind managed to answer a callback from the helpers at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, which lasted hours. Her pleas for someone to rescue her ended when the phone line was cut amid the sound of more gunfire.

The ambulance trying to reach her was also shelled, and the bodies of Hind, her family, and the ambulance crew were all later found.

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Lebanon’s army says its troops have begun deploying to a “pilot zone” in the south of the country following the withdrawal of Israeli forces under a US-brokered agreement reached last month.

A statement from the army command said units had entered the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in Nabatieh district on Tuesday morning.

On Monday night, Israel’s military confirmed the start of the pilot zone plan, which should see Israeli troops pulling out of a small part of the territory occupied during their conflict with Hezbollah as well as the disarmament of the Iran-backed group.

It comes ahead of a meeting in Washington between US President Donald Trump and his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun.

Aoun is expected to urge Trump to put pressure on Israel to withdraw from the rest of southern Lebanon and to provide support to the Lebanese army to take full control of areas where Hezbollah holds sway.

The US state department announced on Monday afternoon that “pilot zone operations” had begun in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh and two other Lebanese villages, Froun and Srifa, in line with the Trilateral Framework agreement between Israel, Lebanon and the US.

It said the “milestone” was the direct result of discussions last week between Israeli and Lebanese representatives in Rome.

Later on Monday, an Israeli military official confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would “adjust its force posture in one of the pilot areas” to allow the Lebanese army to carry out its mission, while also “safeguarding the security of IDF soldiers and preserving its right to self-defence and to remove threats”.

“The objective of the pilot and the agreement is the disarmament of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation and the removal of its illegal weapons,” the official said.

They also reiterated that the IDF would remain in the “security zone” – the 10km (six-mile) deep strip of occupied Lebanese territory running along the border – for “as long as necessary” to defend northern Israeli communities.

On Tuesday, the Lebanese army’s command said its units had begun deploying to Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh “based on ongoing communications with the Military Co-ordination Group for Lebanon”, referring to the trilateral body created to support implementation of the framework.

The statement also called on Lebanese citizens “not to head to the village until the security situation stabilises, and to comply with the instructions of the deployed military units for their own safety”.

The Lebanese army said its troops were already carrying out missions in nearby Froun and Srifa following Monday’s US announcement.

An Israeli source also told the Haaretz newspaper that there were no Israeli troops in those villages.

Lebanon was drawn into the war between Israel, the US and Iran on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader.

Israel responded by launching a bombing campaign across Lebanon and invading a significant part of the country’s south.

More than 4,300 people have been killed in Lebanon, including almost 800 children, women and medics, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Israeli authorities say 37 Israeli soldiers and four civilians have been killed on both sides of the border during the conflict.

Pune-headquartered defence technology company Nibe Limited has reported a significant advancement in its unmanned systems programme, announcing the successful completion of initial technical trials of its loitering munition platform, the Vayu Astra-1. The development comes shortly after the firm’s demonstration of its long-range Suryastra rocket launcher system and represents another step in India’s ongoing effort to expand indigenous precision-strike capabilities.

The announcement, made on Thursday through a regulatory filing to stock exchanges, triggered a sharp market response, with Nibe Limited’s shares hitting a 20 percent upper circuit following the disclosure of successful trial results.

According to the company, the Vayu Astra-1 system was evaluated in response to a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by the Indian Army, which is seeking a loitering munition capable of engaging targets at ranges of up to 100 kilometres while maintaining high accuracy, autonomous functionality, and operational flexibility in diverse terrain conditions.

To validate the system’s performance under realistic operational conditions, Nibe Limited conducted a series of structured trials across multiple locations, including the Pokhran Field Firing Range and high-altitude operational terrain near Joshimath (Malari).

The dual-location testing strategy was designed to assess both desert and mountainous combat environments, reflecting the varied geographic challenges faced by India’s armed forces along its western and northern borders.

In the Pokhran phase of testing, the Vayu Astra-1 demonstrated its primary strike capability. Equipped with a 10-kilogram high-explosive anti-personnel warhead, the system successfully engaged a target located 100 kilometres away on its first attempt. The company reported a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of under one metre, indicating a high degree of precision for a system in this category.

Such accuracy levels place the system within the higher tier of modern loitering munitions, which are increasingly designed to minimize collateral damage while maximizing target effectiveness.

Beyond strike accuracy, Nibe Limited highlighted a series of successful functional validations during the trials, focusing on the system’s autonomous decision-making and mission adaptability.

Controlled mission abortion

Real-time attack initiation

Re-attack sequencing in dynamic conditions

These features are considered critical for modern loitering munitions, which must operate in contested environments where targets may move, disappear, or require reassessment during engagement windows.

Company statements also emphasized successful testing of operator control flexibility. During the trials, command of the platform was transferred from a Ground Control Station to a Forward Control Station located approximately 70 kilometres away. This capability is designed to enhance battlefield survivability by allowing operators to maintain control from safer, more dispersed positions.

One of the most significant segments of the trial involved a night-time anti-armour mission designed to test the system’s infrared (IR)-guided targeting suite. In this scenario, the Vayu Astra-1 successfully engaged a designated armoured target using its onboard IR camera system, achieving a reported accuracy margin of approximately two metres.

Night-time precision engagement is a critical requirement for modern unmanned combat systems, particularly in high-threat environments where visibility is limited and adversaries operate under concealment. The successful execution of this test underscores the system’s potential utility in both surveillance-strike and deep interdiction roles.

A separate phase of evaluation was conducted in Uttarakhand’s mountainous terrain near Joshimath (Malari), where the system was tested at elevations exceeding 14,000 feet.

At such altitudes, thin air, reduced lift efficiency, and extreme temperature variations pose significant challenges to aerial platforms, particularly those carrying payloads such as warheads and sensor suites.

Despite these constraints, the Vayu Astra-1 reportedly achieved sustained flight endurance of more than 90 minutes, demonstrating stable performance and control reliability in high-altitude conditions. This capability is especially relevant for deployment scenarios along India’s northern borders, where terrain-induced operational limitations have historically complicated aerial missions.

In a notable deviation from conventional loitering munition design philosophy, Nibe Limited confirmed that the Vayu Astra-1 platform was recovered intact after testing rather than being expended upon target impact.

This recoverable architecture introduces potential cost efficiencies, particularly for training cycles, iterative testing, and mission rehearsal scenarios. Reusability is also seen as advantageous in development programmes, allowing multiple test iterations without requiring full system replacement after each engagement.

Industry analysts note that while most loitering munitions are designed as expendable “one-way” systems, hybrid recoverable models may become increasingly relevant in early-stage deployment or dual-use reconnaissance-strike platforms.

Loitering munitions—often referred to in military terminology as “kamikaze drones”—have become a defining feature of contemporary battlefield systems. These platforms combine the endurance of unmanned aerial vehicles with precision strike capability, allowing them to patrol designated zones before autonomously or semi-autonomously engaging high-value targets.

The Vayu Astra-1 fits into this emerging class of intelligent strike systems, which are being rapidly adopted across global militaries due to their flexibility, cost-effectiveness compared to traditional missile systems, and reduced dependency on manned aircraft.

Military observers note that such systems are particularly effective in asymmetric warfare environments, where rapid target identification and precision engagement are essential.

The successful demonstration of the Vayu Astra-1 is being viewed within broader discussions around India’s push for defence indigenisation and technological self-reliance under national industrial policy frameworks.

By developing long-range, precision-guided unmanned strike systems domestically, firms like Nibe Limited are contributing to reduced import dependency and expanded domestic defence manufacturing capacity.

The development also aligns with increasing procurement preferences for locally produced systems, particularly those that integrate artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation, and advanced sensor fusion technologies.

Defence analysts suggest that the emergence of private-sector players capable of delivering complex systems such as loitering munitions marks a structural shift in India’s defence industrial base, which has historically been dominated by public-sector undertakings.

The Vayu Astra-1 announcement follows closely on the heels of Nibe Limited’s earlier trials of its Suryastra rocket launcher system, which demonstrated extended-range precision strike capability.

Between May 18 and 19, the company conducted test firings of 150-kilometre and 300-kilometre rocket variants at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, marking another milestone in its expanding portfolio of indigenous strike platforms.

The Suryastra system is supported by a ₹293 crore emergency procurement contract awarded by the Indian Army earlier this year, underscoring growing institutional support for domestic alternatives in long-range artillery and rocket systems.

Together, the Suryastra and Vayu Astra programmes illustrate a broader convergence of rocket artillery and autonomous aerial strike technologies within India’s defence ecosystem.

The rapid progression of Nibe Limited’s defence portfolio reflects a wider trend in which private-sector firms are increasingly participating in high-end military technology development. This shift has been facilitated by policy reforms encouraging private investment in defence manufacturing and accelerated procurement pathways for indigenous systems.

As global conflicts continue to demonstrate the strategic importance of unmanned systems, India’s ability to produce its own loitering munitions, precision rocket systems, and autonomous strike platforms is likely to play a critical role in shaping future defence readiness.

The successful trials of the Vayu Astra-1 loitering munition represent a notable milestone for Nibe Limited and a broader indicator of India’s advancing capabilities in autonomous weapon systems. With demonstrated long-range precision, autonomous mission flexibility, night-strike capability, and high-altitude endurance, the system reflects the growing sophistication of domestically developed defence technologies.

Syrian troops fighting Kurdish forces in north-eastern Syria have seized the country’s largest oilfield.

The Omar facility and nearby gas fields are under army control after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) pulled back, officials and monitors say. Earlier the army captured the strategic Tabqa dam on the Euphrates river.

The push came after the SDF announced it would redeploy east of the Euphrates, following deadly clashes last week. That withdrawal followed talks with US officials.

Ongoing fighting in the area stems from the breakdown of an agreement between SDF and the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is seeking to integrate Kurdish bodies into Syrian institutions.

On Friday, in an apparent good-will gesture, al-Sharaa said he would make Kurdish a national language and make the Kurdish new year an official holiday. The decree is the first formal recognition of Kurdish national rights since Syria’s independence in 1946.

The US-backed SDF then announced its pullout east of the Euphrates river.

Kurdish forces have been controlling swathes of Syria’s oil-rich north and north-east, much of it gained during the fight against the Islamic State group over the past decade.

Over the weekend, Syrian troops continued their eastward push. They entered the town of Tabqa on the south-western bank of the Euphrates and nearby dam on Saturday.

On Sunday, Syrian officials announced they had seized Omar, Syria’s largest oil field, on the eastern side of the river. The facility has been a major source of revenue for the SDF.

This claim was supported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group. It said the SDF had withdrawn from “entire villages and towns of the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor [province]” as well as the Omar and Tanak oil fields early on Sunday.

Meanwhile Syrian authorities accused the SDF of blowing up two bridges on the Euphrates River, including the new al-Rashid bridge in the city of Raqqa.

Last week at least 12 people were reported killed in clashes between the two sides in the northern city of Aleppo.

The latest fighting comes despite attempts by the US to broker a ceasefire. Washington has long backed the SDF, but it also supports the Syrian government.

Following the ousting of longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, President al-Sharaa has been seeking to integrate Kurdish military and civilian bodies into Syria’s national institutions.

In March 2025, the SDF signed a deal with the government to that effect. Almost a year on, the agreement is still not implemented, with each side blaming the other.

Eastern Aleppo witnessed heightened military activity on Friday as United States Air Force F-15 fighter jets were spotted flying at low altitude over the region, coinciding with the redeployment of Syrian government forces into the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskana following the withdrawal of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) units.

The movement of Syrian troops into territory east of Aleppo marks a significant stage in the ongoing reorganization of forces in northern Syria, following an internationally mediated agreement between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led SDF.

Syrian army units were observed entering Deir Hafer, approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Aleppo city, shortly after the Kurdish-led forces began pulling back from the area. Maskana, another strategic town in the eastern Aleppo countryside, also saw the arrival of government forces as part of a coordinated push to reassert state control over regions that had remained outside Damascus’s direct authority for years.

The SDF announced last week that it would redeploy its forces east of the Euphrates River, following talks with U.S. officials and political initiatives by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Among these steps, al-Sharaa pledged to recognize Kurdish as a national language, signaling an attempt to ease long-standing tensions and integrate Kurdish institutions into the Syrian state framework.

In a statement carried by the state-run Sana news agency, the Syrian army confirmed that its units “began entering the western Euphrates area” and declared that they had established “full military control” over Deir Hafer. Authorities urged civilians to remain out of the area until it is secured and cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance, emphasizing that demining operations remain ongoing.

The presence of U.S. F-15 fighter jets over the eastern Aleppo countryside coincided with the ground movements, underlining continued American air activity during this sensitive transition. While the U.S. military has not commented publicly on the specific flights, American aircraft routinely operate in Syrian airspace as part of broader security missions, including surveillance, deterrence, and monitoring of regional force movements.

F-15s, key assets of the U.S. Air Force, are frequently deployed for air superiority patrols and rapid response in contested areas. Low-altitude flights, such as those seen over Aleppo, are often associated with visible deterrence, reconnaissance, or close monitoring of ground developments. Analysts note that such operations aim to maintain situational awareness while preventing escalation in regions where multiple forces operate in close proximity.

The redeployment of the SDF follows a week of deadly clashes between Kurdish fighters and Syrian government-aligned units, prompting Washington to call for restraint. U.S. officials urged both sides to avoid confrontation and to maintain stability while negotiations over the political and military future of Kurdish-controlled areas continue.

President al-Sharaa has reiterated plans to integrate Kurdish military and civilian institutions into national structures, a move intended to reduce the risk of further internal conflict. The withdrawal of SDF units from towns east of Aleppo represents the first tangible step in this process, enabling Syrian government forces to reestablish control over key population centers and strategic transport routes.

Deir Hafer and Maskana sit along vital links connecting Aleppo to central and eastern Syria. The entry of Syrian army forces into these towns strengthens Damascus’s lines of communication and logistics while diminishing the territory previously administered by the SDF west of the Euphrates.

The U.S. military continues to operate in Syria primarily to counter terrorist threats, including the potential resurgence of Islamic State cells, and to support partner forces. Aircraft operations in shifting control areas are intended to safeguard American personnel, maintain situational awareness, and deter inadvertent clashes.

Despite the Syrian government’s declaration of full control over Deir Hafer, conditions on the ground remain fluid. Military engineers continue to clear mines and explosive remnants, with authorities warning civilians against returning prematurely. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the redeployment leads to a sustained reduction in regional tensions or further localized instability.

The Syrian army is moving into areas east of Aleppo city, after Kurdish forces started a withdrawal.

Syrian troops have been spotted entering Deir Hafer, a town about 50km (30 miles) from Aleppo.

On Friday, the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia announced it would redeploy east of the Euphrates river. This follows talks with US officials, and a pledge from Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to make Kurdish a national language.

After deadly clashes last week, the US urged both sides to avoid a confrontation. President al-Sharaa is seeking to integrate the Kurds’ military and civilian bodies into Syrian national institutions.

In a statement to state-run news agency Sana, the Syrian army said its forces “began entering the western Euphrates area”, and declared it had established “full military control” of Deir Hafer.

The military urged civilians not to enter the operations area until it is secured and “cleared it of all mines and war remnants”.

Images showed Syrian forces advancing towards the area, including with tanks.

The move comes after Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi agreed to pull back his US-backed SDF “towards redeployment in areas east of the Euphrates”, responding to “calls from friendly countries and mediators”.

US special envoy Tom Barrack and Mazloum Abdi are set to meet later on Saturday in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

In recent days, the Syrian army had urged civilians to flee the Deir Hafer area, with at least 4,000 people leaving, according to Syrian authorities.

Before the Kurdish withdrawal, President al-Sharaa said he would make Kurdish a national language, and recognise the Kurdish new year as an official holiday.

The decree, announced on Friday, is the first formal recognition of Kurdish national rights since Syria’s independence in 1946. It stated that Kurds were “an essential and integral part” of Syria, where they have endured decades of oppression under previous rulers.

Despite the apparent easing of tensions, disagreements linger. In response to the decree, the Kurdish administration in Syria’s north and north-east said it was “a first step” but called for “permanent constitutions that express the will of the people”, rather than “temporary decrees”.

Meanwhile, after Syrian troops entered areas east of Aleppo, accusing Damascus of “violating” the agreement by moving in earlier than agreed.

Syria’s army also accused the SDF of “violating the agreement”, saying two of its soldiers had been killed by Kurdish forces as the military moved in.

Kurdish forces have been controlling swathes of Syria’s oil-rich north and north-east, much of it gained during the civil war and the fight against the Islamic State group over the past decade.

Following the ousting of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, President al-Sharaa has been seeking to integrate the Kurdish bodies into Syrian institutions.

In March 2025, the SDF signed a deal with the government to that effect. Almost a year on, the agreement is still not implemented, with each sides blaming the other.

The Lebanese army says it has taken over security in the south of the country, which for decades had been dominated by the Iranian-backed movement Hezbollah, amid fears that Israel could escalate its military offensive against the group.

Lebanon has been under intense international pressure, particularly from the US, to disarm Hezbollah, a powerful militia and political party, since a ceasefire deal in November 2024 ended a devastating year-long war between Israel and Hezbollah.

The army had set a year-end deadline to clear the area south of the Litani river, about 30km (20 miles) from the border with Israel, of non-state weapons in the first phase of a government-backed plan.

The army said its objective had been achieved in an “effective and tangible way” but that there was more work to be done to clear unexploded ordnance and tunnels.

Responding to the Lebanese army’s statement, the office of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said efforts toward fully disarming Hezbollah were “an encouraging beginning, but they are far from sufficient, as evidenced by Hezbollah’s efforts to rearm and rebuild its terror infrastructure with Iranian support”.

In recent months, Lebanese soldiers have dismantled infrastructure in areas once controlled by Hezbollah in the south without facing resistance from the group, which says it has complied with the ceasefire deal and removed its fighters from those areas, where Palestinian factions including Hamas had also operated.

But US and Israeli officials have expressed frustration with the pace of the army’s efforts.

Israel has accused Hezbollah – which is considered a terrorist organisation by countries including the US and the UK – of trying to recover its military capabilities, including in the south. In recent days, Israeli media reported that Netanyahu had been given a green light by US President Donald Trump to intensify its military campaign against Hezbollah.

Despite the ceasefire, Israel has carried out near-daily attacks on targets it says are linked to Hezbollah and continues to occupy at least five positions in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese government rejects the Israeli claims, and says Israel’s actions are a violation of the ceasefire deal and an obstacle to the army’s efforts.

Israel has not made the evidence it says it has about Hezbollah’s activities public, and the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, known as Unifil, says it has seen no indication that the group is rebuilding its infrastructure in the areas where it operates.

Lebanese officials say the next stage of the army’s plan will focus on the area between the Litani and the Awali rivers, which includes the port city of Sidon. There is no timeline for that, and the cash-strapped Lebanese army has also complained of insufficient funding and equipment.

Meanwhile, it is unclear if Hezbollah will resist the measures in other areas as it says it will not disarm north of the Litani. The group also has a strong presence in the eastern Bekaa valley and in Beirut’s southern suburbs, known as the Dahieh.

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has rejected the use of force against the group, saying this could exacerbate sectarian divisions and lead to violence.

Hezbollah – which is also a political party with representation in parliament and in the government, and a social movement that runs hospitals and schools – still enjoys significant support among Lebanon’s Shia community.

Opponents, however, see this as a unique opportunity to disarm the group, after its losses in the war. Hezbollah, so far, has rejected calls from the authorities to discuss the future of its weapons.

In Lebanon’s south, tens of thousands of residents remain displaced and communities lie in ruins, as Lebanon’s international partners have conditioned funds for reconstruction on measures that include action against Hezbollah.