China to host world leaders for V-Day commemorations

Chinese President Xi Jinping will host leaders from 26 countries at a massive military parade in Tian'anmen Square next week to mark the 80th anniversary of the country's victory against Japanese aggression and the world's victory against fascism.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un are high up on the guest list announced on Thursday by China's Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei.

Leaders from Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Belarus, Serbia, Iran, and Cuba will also come, said Hong at a press conference on the Sept. 3 commemorations for the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

European countries inform Iran of plan to reinstate sanctions

The three European countries of France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3, as well as the European Union (EU) informed Iran on Thursday of their intention to reinstate sanctions on Tehran.

In a phone call, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that they planned to officially notify the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) of the start of the process to trigger the snapback mechanism, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

The "snapback" clause, part of a 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), between Iran and world powers, allows the other parties to reimpose international sanctions if Iran fails to comply with the deal.

Israel launches fresh strikes on Yemen's capital, targets senior Houthi officials

Israel launched airstrikes on Yemen's capital Sanaa on Thursday afternoon, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported, as Israeli media said the airstrikes targeted senior Houthi officials.

Local residents said they heard warplanes and saw around 10 huge explosions south of Sanaa, including the Attan Mountain, the Al-Sabeen Square, and the Central Security Camp.

The Houthi group has yet to reveal the targeted sites or casualties.

The Israeli military said in a statement that its air force struck a Houthi "military target" in Sanaa, without mentioning the outcome of the attack.

Israel's state-owned Army Radio said "a large number of senior Houthi officials" had gathered at several locations in Sanaa, and "all were struck simultaneously within minutes."

Without disclosing their identity, it said the Houthi officials had apparently gathered to watch a televised speech by the group's leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi.

The airstrikes came a few hours after the Israeli military said it had intercepted two drones fired from Yemen.

Russia says it hit Ukrainian military-industrial enterprises, airbases

Russian forces have carried out a group strike against Ukraine's military-industrial enterprises and airbases, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.

The strike involves long-range high-precision air-launched weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles, as well as combat drones, the ministry said in a statement.

"The targets of the strike were achieved, and all designated objectives were hit," it said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier in the day on social media that Russia had launched "another massive attack against our cities and communities," adding that at least eight people were killed and dozens injured.