World News Today Live Updates: South Korea rules out military troop deployment in US war with Iran
South Korea has maintained a naval presence off the coast of Somalia in an anti-piracy mission.
by Mashkoora Khan · The Indian Express · JoinSouth Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Friday he would not deploy military assets to the Middle East in a way that could draw the country into conflict, but Seoul was reviewing whether to play a greater role in safeguarding navigation in the region. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump says he is nearing a major decision on whether to launch a devastating strike against Iran, as fighting continues to intensify across Yemen. The remarks come amid rising regional tension, with Gulf-brokered diplomacy, Houthi-Saudi clashes, and mounting scrutiny over past US strikes in Iran all unfolding simultaneously.
What Trump said: Trump indicated he is close to deciding whether to pursue an overwhelming military response against Iran, framing it as a choice about the total destruction of the country’s capabilities rather than a limited strike.
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Trump’s comments arrive as Washington also plans direct diplomatic engagement, with talks on Iran expected with Gulf leaders in the coming week. At the same time, US officials reportedly held separate talks with Houthi representatives in Oman, pointing to a two-track approach that combines tough rhetoric on Iran with quiet outreach on Yemen. The overlap suggests Washington is trying to manage both fronts at once deterrence toward Tehran alongside back-channel de-escalation efforts with the Houthis.
Key world developments:
- Trump says he’s nearing a decision on a potentially devastating strike against Iran.
- Talks with Gulf leaders on Iran are expected next week, per Axios.
- US officials reportedly met Houthi representatives in Oman over the weekend.
- A UN fact-finding mission found grounds to believe the US carried out attacks in Iran, including one on a school, that may amount to war crimes.
- South Korea’s Lee rules out military involvement in Middle East conflict.
- Yemen’s Red Sea coast fighting has displaced an estimated 125,000 people, according to the WFP.
Follow the latest world news and major international developments here. This live blog is a rolling curation of the day’s key global stories, with updates added as events unfold and the news agenda changes. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed throughout the day to reflect the stories that matter most at that moment.
Live Updates
Sep 18, 2026 10:58 AM IST
Fire breaks out in southern Lebanese town following Israeli artillery shelling
Israeli artillery has been shelling the town of Hadata in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon. The shelling caused a fire to break out in one of the houses in the area. -Aljazeera
Sep 18, 2026 10:56 AM IST
Malaysian king allows jailed ex-PM Najib Razak to serve house arrest
Malaysia's king agreed on Friday to allow jailed former premier Najib Razak to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest, the government said, four years after his conviction for his involvement in a multi-billion-dollar financial scandal.
Najib, prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was found guilty of corruption in relation to the embezzlement of billions of dollars tied to 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state investment fund he co-founded while in power. He has consistently denied wrongdoing.
Sep 18, 2026 08:43 AM IST
$24 billion deal: US arms Saudi Arabia with its most advanced F-35 jets as West Asia tensions soar
The United States has told Congress it plans to sell up to 48 F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a deal set to cost Riyadh roughly $24.3 billion. The deal, which comes amid renewed tensions in West Asia, would make Saudi Arabia the first Arab country to get access to the advanced fighter jet.
The US Department of State in a statement on Thursday said the sale would support US foreign policy and security goals by strengthening a key partner in the Gulf. It said the move would help Saudi Arabia defend its own territory and work more closely with US forces, and would also improve the country’s ability to defend itself in the air.
Sep 18, 2026 07:46 AM IST
Saudi embassy welcomes proposed F-35 fighter jet sale
The Saudi Arabian embassy in the United States has said the potential sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter jets to the kingdom reflects the advancement of Saudi-US defence cooperation and the strength of its strategic partnership.
The sale, estimated at about $24.3bn, was approved by the US State Department and is aimed at improving security for “a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region”, according to the State Department.
“For decades, Saudi-US security cooperation has contributed to regional stability, strengthened our collective defense capabilities, and advanced our shared security interests,” the Saudi embassy said in a post on X.
Sep 18, 2026 07:34 AM IST
Israeli air attacks reported across southern Lebanon
Israeli forces have carried out a series of air strikes across southern Lebanon, according to the country’s National News Agency.
Israeli aircraft struck Talloussah and launched two attack on the Jinjil area of al-Qantara on Thursday evening.
A separate air strike targeted Nabatieh al-Fawqa, while Israeli forces fired illumination flares over the outskirts of Yater and Beit Lif.
Sep 18, 2026 07:16 AM IST
US clears way for $24.3 billion fighter jet sale to Saudi Arabia
The US Department of State said on Thursday it had approved the potential sale of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, as the kingdom is drawn deeper into war in the Middle East.
A sale would mark a significant policy shift from the US, potentially altering the balance of military power in the Middle East and testing Washington's definition of maintaining its ally Israel's "qualitative military edge."
Saudi Arabia made a direct appeal for the jets in early 2025 to US President Donald Trump and has long been interested in Lockheed Martin's fighter.
The estimated $24.3 billion sale, which still needs congressional approval, would include 48 of the military aircraft and 49 Pratt & Whitney engines along with communications equipment, spare parts and other support items, the State Department said.
Sep 18, 2026 06:58 AM IST
Tens of thousands flee as Iran-backed rebels draw Yemen into the wider war
As Houthi rebels closed in, Eshraq Abdel Gelil and her husband fled their home, walking through the mountains before catching a ride to a nearby city. Four months pregnant, she feared another miscarriage. They are among an estimated 125,000 people who have fled as the Iran-backed rebels have advanced down the Red Sea coast to a key maritime chokepoint.
The offensive, linked to the wider Iran war, has threatened Saudi oil exports, pushed up global fuel prices and rattled markets. The cost has been far greater for Yemenis caught in the crossfire. Many have fled their homes with only what they could carry.
Sep 18, 2026 06:56 AM IST
Oil prices fall 1% on hopes of limited supply disruptions
Oil prices fell about 1%, extending losses for a third session, but stayed above $100 on Friday, as hopes of alternate ways for barrels from the Middle East to reach markets outweighed concerns about strikes between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis.
Brent crude futures fell $1.01, or 1%, to $103.77 a barrel by 0020 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate futures fell $1.03, or 1%, to $100.88 a barrel. Both benchmarks had closed down about 1% on Thursday.
Markets largely shrugged off concerns about new threats to supplies even as Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis exchanged fresh strikes across their border on Thursday, expanding the Middle East war front.
Sep 18, 2026 06:46 AM IST
US seeks tips on alleged IRGC use of digital asset exchanges
The US State Department’s Rewards for Justice program has issued a new appeal for information about the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s financial activities.
“The IRGC uses digital asset exchanges to launder money, fund terrorism, and retain covert access to international financial systems,” it said in a post on X. “Help disrupt these illegal transactions. Send us a tip.”
Sep 18, 2026 06:36 AM IST
A sweeping US sanctions bill offers Ukraine new leverage on Russia, but enforcement looms
Ukraine has long argued that Russia will only negotiate seriously if the cost of continuing the war becomes too high.
For Kyiv, punitive sanctions that impose real economic costs on Moscow are a key part of that strategy.
This week's passage of a long-sought, sweeping package of US sanctions aimed at cutting off some of the financial resources President Vladimir Putin relies on to fund the war gives Ukraine another potential source of leverage, but its impact may depend on whether and how aggressively the measures are implemented by the United States.
The House on Wednesday approved the sanctions package targeting Russian officials and key sectors of the economy. On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the vote "symbolic," adding that the House passed the bill on the same night Russia
Sep 18, 2026 06:03 AM IST
IRGC says it struck tanker attempting ‘illegal passage’ through Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it struck a Togo-flagged tanker as it attempted what it described as an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz tonight.
The IRGC navy said the vessel caught fire and was brought to a halt after the attack. It claimed the tanker had attempted to cross the waterway after being “incited and deceived” by the US military.
The force said its sailors remained in control of the strategic waterway and “will not allow any aggressor to pass through it”.
“Illegal passage through the Strait of Hormuz will achieve nothing other than the destruction of the offending vessel,” it warned in a statement carried by Iran’s IRNA news agency.
Sep 18, 2026 05:35 AM IST
Qatar signs agreement with UN to send 1.3 million liters of fuel to health sector in Gaza
Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced a deal with the UN to deliver around 1.3 million litres of fuel to help meet humanitarian needs in Gaza, as the territory continues to struggle with severe fuel shortages, particularly in its medical sector.
Bus drivers went on strike over fuel shortages, causing a sharp drop in medical staff numbers at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Hasan al-Balaawi, medical coordinator for Medical Aid for Palestinians at al-Shifa, said low staffing has forced the hospital to limit care to emergency surgery and intensive care only.
Sep 18, 2026 05:18 AM IST
US to restrict ‘luxury splurge’ shopping by Iran officials during UN General Assembly
The US will ban Iran’s delegation to the UN General Assembly from purchasing wholesale club memberships and luxury goods while visiting New York, the State Department has said.
“The regime’s officials want to go on shopping sprees in New York. Not on our watch. We will not let the Iranian regime’s elites exploit UNGA for a luxury retail splurge paid for by the Iranian people’s suffering,” spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement on X.
Piggott urged New York retailers to be vigilant and not “become complicit in these violations”.
Sep 18, 2026 05:12 AM IST
Israel launches air attacks across southern Lebanon
Israel has launched several attacks across southern Lebanon in recent hours, according to the country’s state-run National News Agency.
Four air strikes by Israeli warplanes were reported in al-Qantara and Nabatieh al-Fawqa. Another attack was launched on the Lebanese town of Talloussah.
Sep 18, 2026 05:03 AM IST
At least 48 dead in Nigeria after consuming drink suspected to contain methanol, authorities say
At least 48 people have died and around 100 others are receiving treatment in southern Nigeria after consuming a locally brewed alcoholic concoction suspected to contain methanol, officials said on Thursday.Banji Ajaka, Ondo state's commissioner for health, said the cases had been reported in the Odigbo and Irele local government areas.
A total of 182 people are believed to have been affected and some are being treated in the hospital, he said.“I took like two shots and I went out on Friday.
On Saturday, I noticed that I could not see,” 32-year-old Sola Adebayo told the local TVC News channel from a hospital bed. Drinking locally made alcohol is common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, especially in rural areas where it is more affordable and poorly regulated.
Sep 18, 2026 05:00 AM IST
Saudis and Houthis exchange strikes as Middle East war spreads
Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis traded fresh cross-border strikes on Thursday, with civilians fleeing by boat across the Red Sea as the widening Middle East conflict raises fresh alarm over global oil supplies.
3 key points:
Saudi Arabia confirms its first death from Houthi attacks — a Yemeni resident killed by drone debris in Taif — after more than 80 previously wounded.
Houthis report fresh Saudi air strikes in Hajjah and near Taiz after seizing Yemen's entire Red Sea coast in a rapid advance.
No US-Iran talks have taken place since a June ceasefire deal collapsed, deepening fears of a prolonged regional energy crisis.
Sep 18, 2026 04:56 AM IST
Trump tells Axios he's approaching major crossroads in Iran war
US President Donald Trump told Axios that he is approaching a critical juncture in the Iran war as he weighs whether to resume large-scale attacks in an effort to bring the conflict to an end.
"It's a big decision. Anything could happen with me," Axios quoted him as saying.
Iran is in direct contact with the US, Trump said, adding that the Iranians still want to reach a deal.
Sep 18, 2026 04:50 AM IST
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