The death toll from severe flooding triggered by days of heavy rain across Kenya has climbed to 62 people, including eight children, as authorities and rescue teams continue searching for victims in submerged neighborhoods, police said Saturday.
The flooding has hit the capital Nairobi particularly hard, where officials confirmed 33 fatalities, the highest number reported in any region.
Police released the updated casualty figure in a statement posted on the social media platform X, noting that the number of victims could still rise as recovery operations continue.
Authorities said more than 2,000 families across the country have been forced from their homes as floodwaters inundated communities and destroyed property.
Emergency officials reported that intense rainfall continues to affect several regions, raising fears that conditions could worsen in the coming days.
Displaced families have sought refuge in temporary shelters while aid agencies work to provide food, water and other basic supplies.
Rescue workers began retrieving bodies from floodwaters in Nairobi last weekend after sudden overnight flash floods swept through large sections of the city.
The surging water carried away vehicles, inundated residential areas and caused widespread disruption to transportation.
Officials said dozens of cars were swept away by fast-moving currents during the initial flooding.
The extreme weather also disrupted operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the busiest aviation hub in East Africa.
Flights experienced delays and operational challenges as heavy rainfall and flooding affected airport infrastructure.
Authorities had initially reported 42 deaths last Sunday as emergency teams began assessing the scale of the disaster.
Since then, additional bodies have been recovered in flooded neighborhoods and riverbanks, pushing the official death toll to 62.
Police said search efforts remain ongoing in areas where floodwaters have receded, as responders continue to comb debris-filled streets and waterways.
Kenya often experiences heavy rains during seasonal weather patterns, but recent storms have produced particularly intense downpours.
Meteorologists say saturated ground and poor drainage in densely populated urban areas such as Nairobi can rapidly turn heavy rain into destructive flooding.
Low-lying settlements and informal housing areas are especially vulnerable, with limited infrastructure to channel excess water away from residential communities.
Government agencies, emergency responders and humanitarian groups have been working to assist victims and restore access to damaged areas.
Officials say displaced residents are receiving emergency relief while authorities assess the damage to homes, roads and utilities.
However, continued rainfall threatens to complicate rescue and recovery operations.
The disaster has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of rapidly expanding cities in East Africa to extreme weather events.
Urban growth in Nairobi has outpaced infrastructure improvements in many areas, leaving drainage systems overwhelmed during heavy storms.
Climate experts have also warned that rising global temperatures may increase the intensity of rainfall events in parts of Africa, heightening the risk of flash floods and other natural disasters.
For now, emergency crews remain focused on locating missing victims and helping displaced residents as Kenya confronts one of the deadliest flood events to hit the capital in recent years.
(AP) — The U.S. Department of State has dramatically reduced the cost for Americans who want to formally renounce their citizenship, slashing the fee by about 80% to $450.
The change, published Friday in the Federal Register, lowers the price from $2,350, a fee that had been in place for nearly a decade.
Officials said the new amount took effect immediately and restores the cost to the same level first introduced in 2010, when the department began charging applicants to complete the renunciation process.
The decision follows years of legal challenges and advocacy from expatriate groups who argued that the high fee effectively prevented some Americans living abroad from exercising their right to give up citizenship.
Formally renouncing American citizenship involves an extensive procedure overseen by consular officers from the State Department.
Applicants must complete multiple written and verbal confirmations affirming that they understand the consequences of relinquishing citizenship. These attestations take place before a consular official and culminate in a formal oath of renunciation.
The application is then reviewed by the department before final approval is granted.
Officials say the steps are intended to ensure individuals fully understand the legal and personal implications of giving up their citizenship, which include losing the right to vote in U.S. elections and limitations on future travel or residency in the United States.
The State Department sharply raised the renunciation fee in 2015, increasing it from $450 to $2,350.
At the time, the department said the increase was necessary to cover administrative costs associated with processing renunciation applications.
The surge in requests was partly attributed to stricter tax reporting requirements for Americans living overseas, including policies requiring expatriates to disclose foreign bank accounts and financial assets to U.S. authorities.
Those rules drew strong criticism from many expatriates who said they faced complicated tax compliance requirements even while residing permanently outside the United States.
The steep fee increase prompted legal challenges from advocacy organizations representing Americans living abroad.
Among the most vocal groups was the Association of Accidental Americans, a France-based organization that argues many of its members are U.S. citizens only because they were born in the country.
Such individuals, often called “accidental Americans,” may have lived most of their lives overseas and maintain few connections to the United States beyond their birthplace.
The organization filed several lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the renunciation fee, arguing that it placed an unreasonable barrier on a fundamental right.
One of those cases remains pending and asserts that the process of renouncing citizenship should be free of charge.
Fabien Lehagre welcomed the State Department’s decision to reduce the cost.
“The Association of Accidental Americans welcomes this decision, which acknowledges the necessity of making this fundamental right accessible to all,” Lehagre said in a statement.
He described the reduction as the result of years of legal advocacy and campaigning on behalf of expatriates seeking to relinquish citizenship.
According to court filings from the group, at least 8,755 Americans paid the full $2,350 fee after the State Department announced in 2023 that it intended to lower the cost but had not yet implemented the change.
The State Department has not released updated figures on the total number of Americans who have renounced citizenship in recent years.
The rule change comes amid broader debates in Washington over citizenship and voting laws.
Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed legislation known as the SAVE America Act.
The proposal would require Americans to present documentary proof of citizenship — such as a passport or birth certificate — when registering to vote in federal elections.
Supporters say the measure is designed to prevent noncitizens from voting, while critics warn it could make voting more difficult for millions of Americans who lack immediate access to such documentation.
The bill passed largely along party lines by a 218–213 vote and now faces uncertain prospects in the United States Senate, where legislation generally requires 60 votes to advance past procedural hurdles.
Republican supporters of the bill argue it would strengthen enforcement of existing election laws.
Bryan Steil defended the proposal during committee deliberations, saying stricter verification measures are necessary to safeguard elections.
But Democrats and voting-rights advocates contend the policy could disenfranchise voters who lack readily available documentation proving citizenship.
Some election experts estimate that more than 20 million Americans of voting age do not have proof of citizenship immediately accessible.
Nearly half of Americans also do not hold a valid U.S. passport.
Opponents of the legislation say implementing such rules shortly before upcoming elections could create logistical challenges for state election officials.
Even though Republicans control the Senate, the legislation faces obstacles under the chamber’s procedural rules.
Advancing most bills requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, a threshold the measure currently appears unlikely to reach.
Some lawmakers have discussed alternative procedures that could allow extended debate, including the use of a “standing filibuster.”
Supporters say the idea could give the proposal a path forward, though it would likely involve lengthy floor debates.
Lisa Murkowski criticized the legislation, saying federal mandates could interfere with states’ authority to administer elections.
The State Department’s decision to cut the cost of renouncing citizenship highlights how issues surrounding nationality, taxation and political participation remain deeply intertwined in U.S. policy debates.
For Americans living abroad, the renunciation fee had become a symbol of frustration over complex tax regulations and administrative hurdles.
At the same time, discussions in Congress about voter eligibility and citizenship documentation underscore how questions of national identity and political participation continue to shape domestic politics.
While the fee reduction may ease the financial burden for expatriates considering renunciation, the broader conversation about citizenship — who holds it, how it is verified and what rights accompany it — is likely to remain a prominent issue in Washington in the years ahead.
Russian forces launched a sweeping barrage of missiles and drones across Ukraine on Saturday, killing at least six people and damaging infrastructure and residential areas in several regions, Ukrainian officials said, in one of the largest air assaults in recent months.
Authorities said the overnight attack targeted locations around the capital and across multiple provinces, with air defenses scrambling to intercept hundreds of incoming projectiles.
Five people died in the Kyiv region, located outside Kyiv, where officials said strikes damaged homes, schools and businesses while also hitting key energy facilities.
Fifteen people were wounded in the attacks, emergency services reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces launched a large-scale strike involving approximately 430 drones and 68 missiles, many of which were intercepted by Ukrainian air defense systems.
The barrage extended beyond the capital region, with attacks also reported in Sumy region, Kharkiv region, Dnipro region, and Mykolaiv region.
Later Saturday, officials confirmed another deadly strike in southeastern Ukraine.
Ivan Fedorov said Russian guided bombs hit a residential area in Zaporizhzhia, killing one person and injuring three others.
Video captured by Reuters showed emergency crews working among collapsed walls, twisted metal and shattered apartment balconies as rescue teams searched through debris.
Windows were blown out across several buildings, leaving glass scattered through residential streets.
Residents described the sudden violence as explosions ripped through their neighborhoods.
Olha Kiyashko, 65, said the force of the blast destroyed windows throughout her apartment.
“The second attack was very strong,” she told Reuters. “The kitchen window flew out, and the living room and bedroom windows too. Everything roared. I ran and was slightly injured.”
Kiyashko said years of war have drained the resilience of many Ukrainians.
“I’ve got no strength left,” she said. “They took away the years we could have lived peacefully — the years we counted on. Our health is gone.”
Another resident, Natalia Fetko, whose apartment building suffered damage, said the attacks reinforce a belief among many Ukrainians that Moscow has no intention of halting the war.
“There’s no way Russia will stop,” she said. “Nothing is enough for them.”
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry of Ukraine said the strikes and accompanying shelling left consumers in six regions without electricity.
Russian attacks have frequently focused on Ukraine’s power grid, particularly during winter months, when outages can have severe humanitarian consequences.
Large areas of major cities have previously been left without heat or electricity as Russian forces targeted substations, power plants and transmission networks.
Officials say the strategy aims to weaken civilian morale and strain Ukraine’s economy as fighting continues along the front lines.
Zelenskyy suggested the scale of Saturday’s assault reflects Moscow’s attempt to capitalize on shifting global attention.
The conflict in the Middle East involving Iran has dominated international headlines in recent weeks, potentially diverting diplomatic focus from the nearly four-year war in Ukraine.
“Russia will try to exploit the war in the Middle East to cause even greater destruction here in Europe, in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy wrote on the social platform X.
The Ukrainian leader renewed calls for allies to increase the production and supply of air defense systems, warning that stockpiles of interceptors are dwindling as Western partners respond to other regional conflicts.
Ukrainian forces have relied heavily on Western-supplied air defense systems to intercept Russian drones and missiles.
But defense officials say prolonged combat has steadily depleted reserves of interceptor missiles, particularly as the United States and allied countries also deploy air defenses to counter Iranian attacks in the Gulf region.
The situation has heightened concern in Kyiv about the sustainability of Ukraine’s defensive capabilities if the conflict drags on.
Saturday’s attack also prompted heightened security measures in neighboring Poland, a member of the NATO.
Polish authorities said fighter jets were scrambled to protect national airspace during the assault.
The military later confirmed that no Russian missiles or drones crossed into Polish territory.
Such precautionary measures have become common when large Russian barrages occur near NATO borders.
Meanwhile, Moldova lodged a protest after officials said a Russian drone entered its airspace near the Ukrainian border.
Moldova’s Foreign Ministry said the incursion posed a risk to civilian safety and undermined regional stability.
Authorities did not indicate whether the drone caused damage or casualties.
The scale of the latest Russian bombardment underscores how the war in Ukraine has increasingly shifted toward long-range air strikes and infrastructure attacks.
While front-line battles continue in eastern Ukraine, aerial assaults allow Moscow to apply pressure across the country without committing additional ground forces.
For Ukraine, defending against such attacks requires vast quantities of sophisticated air defense missiles — systems that are expensive and difficult to replenish quickly.
The strikes also illustrate how global geopolitical tensions are interconnected.
With Western attention and military resources partly diverted to the Middle East conflict involving Iran, Kyiv fears its war effort may receive less urgency from allies.
At the same time, Russia may view the situation as an opportunity to intensify pressure, testing Ukraine’s defenses while international diplomacy focuses elsewhere.
Despite repeated diplomatic initiatives backed by the United States and European allies, the conflict shows little sign of ending.
As long as both sides continue to escalate air attacks and strategic strikes on infrastructure, analysts say the war is likely to remain a prolonged and grinding confrontation shaping Europe’s security landscape for years to come.
(AP) — U.S. forces carried out airstrikes on military facilities on Kharg Island, President Donald Trump said Friday, warning that Iran’s critical oil infrastructure could face destruction if Tehran continues disrupting maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump declared in a social media message that American forces had “obliterated” military positions on the island, a key hub for Iran’s petroleum exports.
The president added that while the current strikes targeted military facilities, the United States could escalate operations against the country’s energy infrastructure if Iran continues interfering with ships transiting the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to global markets.
The statement marked one of the strongest warnings yet from Washington during the nearly two-week-old war between Iran and its regional adversaries.
Kharg Island sits roughly 21 miles (33 kilometers) off Iran’s coast and serves as the primary terminal through which most of the country’s crude oil exports move to international markets.
Iran has shipped roughly 13.7 million barrels of oil since the conflict began on Feb. 28, according to maritime intelligence firm TankerTrackers.com, which identified tankers loading crude at the island earlier this week using satellite imagery.
Trump said the latest American strikes avoided the island’s oil export facilities, though he cautioned that restraint could end quickly.
“If Iran or anyone else interferes with ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz, we will reconsider wiping out the oil infrastructure,” Trump wrote.
The threat underscores how energy infrastructure has become central to the expanding confrontation, with analysts warning that attacks on oil facilities could have far-reaching economic consequences.
Iranian officials responded with stark warnings that further attacks on their maritime frontier could trigger a broader conflict.
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf warned earlier this week that assaults on Iran’s islands in the Persian Gulf would prompt the country to abandon restraint.
In a social media post, he cautioned that any such strikes could lead to “a new level of retaliation.”
On Saturday, Iran’s joint military command reiterated that warning.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari said Iranian forces could target energy installations linked to U.S. interests across the region.
The warning included oil facilities belonging to companies with American investment or those cooperating with the United States.
Iran’s semiofficial Fars News Agency stated that the strikes caused no damage to Kharg Island’s oil export infrastructure.
However, the outlet said at least 15 explosions were recorded on the island, including hits on an air defense installation, a naval base, an airport control tower and a helicopter hangar used by an offshore oil company.
As tensions escalate, Washington is also expanding its military footprint across the Middle East.
A U.S. official familiar with the deployment plans confirmed that roughly 2,500 additional Marines and an amphibious assault ship are being dispatched to the region.
The reinforcements include elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the amphibious assault vessel USS Tripoli.
The unit is currently based in Okinawa and has been moving across the Pacific Ocean in recent days.
Satellite tracking earlier showed the USS Tripoli sailing near Taiwan, placing it more than a week away from waters near Iran.
Marine Expeditionary Units are designed for a wide range of missions, including amphibious landings, embassy protection, evacuation of civilians and humanitarian response.
Officials stressed that the deployment does not necessarily signal preparations for a ground invasion.
The additional Marines could eventually join a significant U.S. naval force operating in the region.
Earlier this week the Navy had 12 warships stationed in the Arabian Sea, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and eight destroyers.
Should the USS Tripoli link up with that group, it would become the second-largest American vessel in the theater.
One of the region’s largest American installations, Al-Udeid Air Base, typically hosts about 8,000 U.S. troops.
The Pentagon has not publicly disclosed the total number of American service members currently deployed across the Middle East.
Meanwhile, violence linked to the war reached Baghdad, where a missile struck a helipad inside the U.S. Embassy Baghdad complex, two Iraqi security officials said.
Video captured by The Associated Press showed smoke rising above the sprawling diplomatic facility Saturday morning.
The embassy has frequently been targeted by rockets and drones launched by Iran-aligned militias operating inside Iraq.
The U.S. Embassy did not immediately comment on the strike.
A day earlier, the mission renewed a Level 4 security warning advising Americans not to travel to Iraq due to threats from Iran-linked militant groups.
The island strikes unfolded as Israeli and American forces continued a broad air campaign targeting military infrastructure inside Iran.
Pete Hegseth said in Washington that more than 15,000 targets have been hit since the war began.
Israeli officials said their air force struck more than 200 sites during the previous 24 hours alone, including missile launchers, weapons factories and air defense systems.
Beyond Kharg Island, several smaller islands in the Persian Gulf remain sensitive flashpoints between Iran and Gulf states allied with Washington.
Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunb have long been contested between Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran seized the islands in 1971 after British forces withdrew from the region, shortly before the formation of the UAE.
Tehran maintains military garrisons on the islands, which sit near major shipping lanes used by global energy markets.
Another strategic location, Qeshm Island, lies near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz and hosts a population of roughly 150,000 people.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi previously accused the United States of striking a desalination plant on Qeshm earlier in the war — a claim Washington has not acknowledged.
The strikes on Kharg Island represent a potentially dangerous turning point in the confrontation between the United States and Iran.
Unlike military bases or weapons facilities, energy infrastructure sits at the core of Iran’s economy. Kharg Island alone handles the vast majority of the country’s crude exports.
Energy analysts warn that disabling the terminal could instantly halt Iran’s ability to sell oil abroad, depriving the government of one of its primary sources of revenue.
At the same time, such a move could trigger severe retaliation.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, with roughly 20% of globally traded oil passing through the narrow waterway.
Any sustained disruption could send shockwaves through international energy markets, raising fuel prices worldwide and increasing economic pressure far beyond the Middle East.
For Washington, the threat to strike oil infrastructure appears designed to increase leverage against Tehran without immediately triggering the most destabilizing scenario.
But with Iranian leaders warning they will target regional energy facilities tied to the United States, the economic battlefield may soon become as significant as the military one in determining how the conflict unfolds.
All six crew members aboard a U.S. military refueling aircraft died after their KC‑135 Stratotanker crashed during a combat support mission connected to the war against Iran, American military authorities confirmed Friday.
Officials from U.S. Central Command disclosed that the tanker went down Thursday in western Iraq following an incident involving two aircraft operating in what the military described as “friendly airspace.”
A second aircraft involved in the episode completed the mission safely and landed without damage, military officials said, while the circumstances that led to the crash remain under investigation.
The loss of the tanker marks another deadly episode in the expanding U.S. military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, pushing the confirmed American death toll in the conflict to at least 13 service members.
Seven other U.S. troops were previously killed in combat operations tied to the war, while roughly 140 American service members have sustained injuries, including several severe cases, according to figures the Pentagon shared earlier in the week.
Three of the six airmen killed in the crash were assigned to the Ohio Air National Guard 121st Air Refueling Wing, Mike DeWine revealed in a message posted to social media.
DeWine did not release the names of the airmen but extended condolences to their families and colleagues.
“Our hearts are with the families and fellow airmen grieving this tragic loss,” the governor wrote.
Military officials indicated that the crew was conducting an operational mission supporting combat aircraft when the incident occurred.
Senior defense leaders acknowledged the crash during a briefing at the Pentagon, though confirmation of the deaths came afterward.
Pete Hegseth described the crew as American heroes while addressing reporters.
“War is hell. War is chaos,” Hegseth said. “As we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them.”
At the same briefing, Dan Caine told journalists that the crash unfolded over friendly territory in western Iraq while the crew was engaged in a combat support mission.
Both officials emphasized that preliminary information shows the aircraft was not brought down by hostile fire or friendly fire.
Military authorities have not yet identified the specific chain of events that caused the aircraft to crash.
A U.S. official familiar with the incident, speaking anonymously due to the ongoing investigation, indicated that the second aircraft involved in the encounter was also a KC-135 tanker.
Meanwhile, Yechiel Leiter wrote on the social platform X that the other aircraft safely reached Israel following the incident.
Aviation specialists note that refueling missions require aircraft to fly extremely close together, sometimes only a few feet apart, which creates a narrow margin for error.
Yang Uk said it would be unusual for a tanker aircraft to be shot down by enemy forces because refueling operations typically occur far from the front lines of combat.
The KC-135 Stratotanker is among the most important support aircraft in the U.S. military arsenal.
Its primary mission is to refuel fighter jets, bombers and surveillance aircraft while they are in flight, dramatically extending their range and allowing them to remain in combat zones for longer periods.
The aircraft can also transport cargo and personnel and is sometimes used in aeromedical evacuation missions to move wounded troops from the battlefield.
The tanker is based on the same airframe design as the Boeing 707, one of the most widely used passenger aircraft of the mid-20th century.
Although the KC-135 has undergone numerous upgrades over the decades, the final examples were produced in the 1960s.
According to the Congressional Research Service, the U.S. Air Force maintained 376 KC-135 tankers as of last year, including aircraft assigned to active duty units, the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve.
The tanker fleet is gradually being replaced by the next-generation KC‑46A Pegasus, though hundreds of Stratotankers remain in service.
A typical KC-135 crew includes three airmen: a pilot, a co-pilot and a boom operator.
The boom operator controls a telescoping refueling arm that extends from the rear of the aircraft to deliver fuel to another plane.
During the operation, the receiving aircraft carefully approaches the tanker and aligns with the boom, often guided by a series of lights beneath the aircraft.
The boom operator typically performs the task while lying face-down and looking through a viewing window at the underside of the tanker.
Some variants of the aircraft also use wing-mounted pods that allow them to refuel multiple aircraft at once.
Military experts note that such missions frequently occur at night and sometimes without external lighting to avoid detection by enemy radar or missiles.
Despite its long service history, the KC-135 has been involved in several fatal accidents.
One of the most recent occurred in May 2013 when a tanker supporting operations in Afghanistan crashed shortly after takeoff near Chaldovar.
An investigation by the U.S. Air Force determined that problems with the aircraft’s rudder contributed to the accident.
As the crew struggled to maintain control, the tail section separated and the aircraft broke apart in midair, killing all three people aboard.
Another historic accident occurred in 1966 when a tanker collided with a B‑52 Stratofortress carrying nuclear weapons near Palomares.
The crash caused nuclear material to scatter across the area, triggering a major international cleanup operation.
The latest crash has revived questions about safety procedures aboard KC-135 aircraft, including the use of parachutes.
Alan Diehl said not all KC-135 crews historically carried parachutes.
Maintenance costs and training requirements were among the reasons the equipment was sometimes removed from the aircraft in earlier decades.
In some cases, military guidance suggested it was statistically safer for crews to remain inside the aircraft rather than attempt a midair escape.
“Removing parachutes from military aircraft may sound peculiar, but KC-135s are not like other aircraft,” an Air Force news release in 2008 explained while discussing the policy.
Diehl cautioned that it remains unclear whether parachutes were present on the aircraft that crashed in Iraq or whether they would have altered the outcome.
Refueling tankers are expected to become even more essential if the conflict with Iran continues to expand.
Long-distance missions may require American aircraft to operate far from regional bases as Iranian forces reposition deeper inside the country.
Air-to-air refueling enables fighters and bombers to stay airborne for extended periods, making it a crucial element of sustained air campaigns.
Although fighter jets and missile strikes dominate headlines during wartime, the crash underscores the often-overlooked dangers faced by support crews operating behind the front lines.
Aerial refueling missions involve complex choreography between multiple aircraft traveling at high speed while maintaining extremely close formation.
Even a minor error in positioning or turbulence can trigger a catastrophic chain reaction.
The loss of a tanker also carries strategic implications.
Each KC-135 acts as a force multiplier, allowing dozens of combat aircraft to extend their missions without landing. Losing one reduces operational flexibility, particularly during a sustained campaign such as the current war involving Iran.
At the same time, the accident highlights the aging nature of parts of the U.S. tanker fleet. Although heavily upgraded, many KC-135 aircraft remain more than half a century old.
The Pentagon has accelerated efforts to introduce the KC-46A Pegasus as a replacement, but the transition will take years to complete.
For now, the Stratotanker remains a backbone of American air operations — and the crash in Iraq serves as a reminder that even the most routine support missions carry serious risks in wartime.
(AP) — The United States has ordered approximately 2,500 Marines and an amphibious assault ship to the Middle East, significantly reinforcing American forces in the region as the war involving Iran intensifies and begins to reshape global energy markets.
A U.S. official familiar with the deployment confirmed the move Friday while speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the military planning had not yet been publicly detailed.
The reinforcements include elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, which have been directed toward the Middle East amid the deepening conflict involving Iran, Israel, and several regional actors.
The order represents one of the largest single reinforcements of U.S. military personnel to the region since the outbreak of the current hostilities nearly two weeks ago.
The latest deployment comes as Iranian missile and drone attacks continue to strike Israeli territory and energy infrastructure across the Gulf region. At the same time, Israeli aircraft have launched waves of strikes against Iranian military facilities and related targets.
The conflict has also disrupted one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors — the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly one-fifth of globally traded oil typically passes.
Iran’s actions to effectively shut the strait have amplified concerns across global energy markets, pushing oil prices higher and raising fears of wider economic repercussions.
Meanwhile, violence has spilled beyond Iran and Israel into neighboring countries.
In Lebanon, Israel has intensified airstrikes against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, contributing to a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry indicated that nearly 800 people have been killed and more than 850,000 displaced since the latest round of fighting began.
In an interview with Fox News, President Donald Trump suggested that the duration of the conflict remains uncertain.
“The war will end when I feel it in my bones,” Trump said during the interview.
He also cautioned that overthrowing Iran’s ruling system would be difficult, pointing to the country’s internal security apparatus.
Trump specifically cited the Basij, a force aligned with Iran’s leadership that has historically suppressed domestic protests.
“That’s a big hurdle for people who don’t have weapons,” Trump said.
Military officials said the Marine deployment does not necessarily signal that American ground combat operations are imminent.
Units such as the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are trained for a broad range of missions that include evacuating civilians, securing embassies, conducting amphibious operations and responding to humanitarian disasters.
The Marine unit and its supporting ships are based in Okinawa and have spent recent days moving across the Pacific.
Satellite imagery recently captured the USS Tripoli sailing near Taiwan, suggesting it could take more than a week to reach waters near Iran.
Once there, the vessel would likely join a growing American naval presence that already includes the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and multiple guided-missile destroyers operating in the Arabian Sea.
At the start of the week, the U.S. Navy had at least 12 ships in the area.
As the military buildup continued, a powerful blast struck a central district of Tehran during a large state-organized rally.
The explosion occurred in Ferdowsi Square, where thousands had gathered for the annual Quds Day.
Participants at the rally were chanting anti-Israel and anti-U.S. slogans when the blast erupted.
Israel had issued a warning in Persian on social media urging civilians to leave the area shortly beforehand.
However, many residents may not have seen the message because Iranian authorities have imposed sweeping internet restrictions across the country.
Footage circulating online showed crowds continuing to chant religious slogans as smoke rose in the distance.
Among those present was Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, who was conducting a televised interview when the explosion occurred.
Security guards quickly surrounded him as the broadcast continued.
Iranian officials did not immediately confirm casualties.
In Washington, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the scale of ongoing military operations against Iranian targets.
Hegseth said more than 15,000 enemy targets have been struck since the start of the war.
That average — roughly 1,000 targets per day — highlights the intensity of the air campaign underway.
He also sought to reassure markets concerned about disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We have been dealing with it and don’t need to worry about it,” Hegseth said during a briefing.
Amid the expanding operations, the U.S. military confirmed that all six crew members aboard a KC‑135 Stratotanker died after the aircraft crashed in Iraq.
Officials with U.S. Central Command said the crash did not involve hostile fire.
Another aircraft involved in the mission landed safely.
The incident pushed the confirmed U.S. death toll in the conflict to at least 13 service members.
Earlier in the war, three American fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by friendly fire from Kuwait, military officials said.
Iran continued launching attacks across the broader Gulf region.
Authorities in Oman said two people were killed when drones crashed in the Sohar area, the Oman News Agency said.
Elsewhere, a U.S. official indicated that the Navy destroyer USS Oscar Austin intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile over Turkey.
Residents in Adana said they heard a loud blast followed by sirens at Incirlik Air Base, which hosts American forces.
In Lebanon, Israeli strikes continued to batter areas believed to host Hezbollah infrastructure.
An attack on the southern coastal city of Sidon killed at least eight people, the country’s Health Ministry said.
The death toll could rise as rescue workers search collapsed buildings.
The United Nations estimates that hundreds of thousands have fled their homes since the latest escalation began.
During a visit to Lebanon, Secretary-General António Guterres launched a $325 million humanitarian appeal.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam urged Israel to halt its strikes while also criticizing Hezbollah’s attacks on Israeli targets.
“There is no justification in holding an entire nation hostage,” Salam said.
Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, signaled that the military campaign could expand.
The strikes so far, Katz said earlier, are “just the beginning.”
The dispatch of 2,500 Marines to the Middle East reflects Washington’s effort to maintain strategic flexibility in a rapidly expanding conflict.
Marine Expeditionary Units function as crisis-response forces capable of evacuating civilians, reinforcing embassies or launching amphibious operations if conditions deteriorate.
Their deployment suggests the Pentagon is preparing for scenarios ranging from humanitarian evacuations to possible escalation involving American personnel.
Equally significant is the economic dimension of the war.
Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz threatens global oil supply chains at a moment when energy markets remain fragile. Even temporary restrictions in the narrow waterway can trigger sharp price increases worldwide.
Another concern involves regional spillover.
The conflict already spans multiple fronts — Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and the Gulf states — increasing the risk that a localized war could evolve into a broader regional confrontation.
The arrival of additional U.S. forces may help deter further escalation, but it also underscores how quickly the crisis has drawn in global powers.
If the fighting continues to widen, analysts warn the Middle East could face one of its most volatile geopolitical periods in decades, with significant consequences for global security and the world economy.
(AP/BBC/Reuters) — A U.S. military refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during operations connected to the war with Iran, triggering an emergency rescue mission, United States Central Command announced Thursday.
The aircraft, a Boeing KC‑135 Stratotanker, went down after what military officials described as an “incident” involving two aircraft flying in the same area.
Central Command said one aircraft landed safely while the other crashed in what it described as “friendly airspace” in western Iraq.
Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the crash site.
“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing,” the command said in a statement, referring to the U.S. military campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure.
Officials emphasized that the crash was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire, suggesting that enemy action did not bring down the aircraft.
A U.S. official familiar with the developing situation, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that the second aircraft involved in the incident was also a KC-135 refueling tanker.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether there were casualties.
The tanker aircraft was part of the extensive aerial network supporting Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military campaign launched after the United States and Israel began coordinated strikes against Iranian targets on Feb. 28.
In recent weeks, the Pentagon has moved a significant number of aircraft into the Middle East as part of the operation.
Refueling aircraft such as the KC-135 play a critical role in sustaining long-range combat missions.
They allow fighter jets, bombers and surveillance aircraft to remain airborne for extended periods by transferring fuel mid-flight.
Military analysts note that these aircraft are often positioned in carefully coordinated aerial formations involving multiple combat jets and support planes operating simultaneously.
Although the cause of the crash remains under investigation, aviation experts say one possible explanation could involve a mid-air collision or mishap during aerial refueling operations.
The BBC noted that refueling missions require aircraft to fly extremely close together — sometimes only a few feet apart — while a fuel boom extends from the tanker to connect with another aircraft.
During these operations, pilots rely on precision maneuvering and visual cues to align their aircraft with the tanker.
Once contact is established, fuel flows through the boom for several minutes while the aircraft maintain tight formation.
The process becomes even more complex when conducted at night or under combat conditions.
In some cases, aircraft lights are turned off to reduce the risk of detection by enemy radar or missile systems.
In such environments, multiple aircraft may be operating simultaneously in confined airspace.
Maintaining formation under those circumstances requires exceptional skill from pilots and boom operators.
A typical KC-135 carries a crew of three: a pilot, a co-pilot and a boom operator responsible for controlling the refueling apparatus.
The crash represents the latest aviation incident since the United States and Israel began military operations against Iran.
According to reporting cited by The Guardian, it marks the fourth U.S. aircraft lost since the start of the conflict on Feb. 28.
Earlier this month, three U.S. fighter jets were accidentally shot down by Kuwait Air Defense Forces in what officials described as a “friendly fire” incident.
All pilots in those aircraft successfully ejected and survived.
The broader conflict has already resulted in significant casualties.
Seven U.S. service members have been killed in attacks linked to the war, while Reuters indicated earlier this week that as many as 150 American troops have been wounded during retaliatory strikes by Iran.
Iranian officials say more than 1,300 people have died inside the country since the fighting began, according to the nation’s ambassador to the United Nations.
Aerial refueling aircraft like the KC-135 are often described by military planners as the “lifeline” of long-range air operations.
Without them, combat aircraft would be limited by their onboard fuel capacity, significantly reducing mission range and operational endurance.
In modern conflicts — particularly those involving strikes across vast geographic distances — refueling tankers enable bombers and fighter jets to travel thousands of miles to reach their targets and return safely.
The United States Air Force maintains one of the largest aerial refueling fleets in the world.
According to the service’s Air Mobility Command, nearly 400 tanker aircraft operate across the U.S. military’s global logistics network.
These aircraft often fly continuous missions during major conflicts, remaining airborne for hours while servicing multiple fighter jets.
Rescue operations in western Iraq may prove complex depending on the location of the crash site.
Although the region is described by the military as “friendly airspace,” large portions of western Iraq consist of remote desert terrain with limited infrastructure.
Search and rescue teams typically rely on helicopters, drones and ground forces to reach downed aircraft crews quickly.
Military doctrine places a high priority on recovering pilots and aircrew, both for humanitarian reasons and to prevent sensitive equipment or information from falling into hostile hands.
Officials have not yet disclosed the number of crew members aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash.
The crash illustrates the enormous operational pressure placed on military aviation during large-scale conflicts.
Since the start of the war with Iran, the United States has significantly increased its air presence across the Middle East.
That expansion has created an environment where dozens of aircraft may operate simultaneously across relatively tight air corridors.
Such conditions increase the risk of accidents even when enemy forces are not directly involved.
Military analysts note that logistical aircraft — particularly refueling tankers — often fly continuous missions that stretch crews and equipment.
While combat losses typically draw more public attention, aviation accidents have historically accounted for a substantial share of aircraft losses during prolonged military operations.
The incident also underscores how aerial refueling missions, though routine, remain among the most technically demanding tasks in military aviation.
As investigators work to determine the precise cause of the crash, the outcome of the rescue mission will likely be the Pentagon’s immediate focus.
Further details about the aircraft, its crew and the circumstances of the crash are expected as the investigation continues.
(AP/NBC/Reuters) — A shooting inside a classroom at Old Dominion University, Virginia, USA, left one person dead and two others wounded Thursday before the suspected gunman was killed, authorities said, prompting a lockdown and the cancellation of campus operations.
Police said the gunfire erupted shortly before 10:49 a.m. inside Constant Hall, the building housing the university’s College of Business.
Officers rushed to the scene within minutes of receiving emergency calls reporting shots fired. When law enforcement arrived, the suspected attacker was already dead, officials said.
Two victims were transported by ambulance to a hospital while a third individual who had been wounded made their way independently to another medical facility, Old Dominion University Police Chief Garrett Shelton told reporters during a news conference.
“One of the victims is deceased, and we’re working on getting in touch with the family at this point,” Shelton said, adding that authorities would withhold the victim’s identity until relatives were notified.
All three victims are affiliated with the university community, he said.
Senior law enforcement officials briefed on the case told NBC News that the gunman has been identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a 36-year-old resident of Sterling, Virginia.
Officials said Jalloh was also killed during the incident, though investigators have not yet determined the exact cause of his death.
The suspect had previously pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to Islamic State, according to public court records cited by NBC News and federal authorities.
Court documents from that case indicate that Jalloh attempted to help obtain weapons for a potential attack in the United States and provided financial support to individuals seeking to join the extremist organization.
He was sentenced to 11 years in prison and released from federal custody in 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed.
Officials said investigators are examining whether the university shooting had any connection to terrorism.
Two of the injured victims are members of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Old Dominion, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Cadet Command told The Associated Press.
Lt. Col. Jimmy Delongchamp, public information officer for Army Cadet Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky, confirmed the affiliation during a telephone interview.
“We will continue to coordinate with the university and law enforcement agencies as they investigate the incident,” Delongchamp said.
Medical officials said two victims were transported to the Level I trauma center at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. One of those patients later died from their injuries, while the other remains hospitalized.
A third person was treated at Sentara Independence, a freestanding emergency facility in Virginia Beach, before being released, Sentara Health said.
The university issued an emergency alert shortly before 10:48 a.m. warning of an active threat in Constant Hall.
At approximately 11:30 a.m., campus officials issued another message describing the situation as an “active shooter” event and announcing that the attacker had been neutralized.
Authorities subsequently confirmed that there was no ongoing threat to the campus.
Police vehicles blocked streets around the university as officers secured the area and conducted searches inside the building.
Within about an hour, the university lifted the emergency alert but urged people to avoid the vicinity while investigators processed the scene.
Classes and campus operations were canceled for the remainder of Thursday and the university announced it would remain closed Friday.
Counseling and support services were made available for students and staff.
Brian O. Hemphill described the shooting as a tragedy for the campus community.
“Old Dominion University has faced a tragedy today,” Hemphill said in a message to students and staff.
“The safety of our campus community is my top priority,” he added. “We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a secure learning, living, and working environment at all times.”
Abigail Spanberger said she had spoken with university leadership and was coordinating assistance from state agencies.
“My administration remains in close contact with local emergency responders as state support is being mobilized to assist,” Spanberger wrote on social media.
Law enforcement agencies responding to the scene included Norfolk Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and federal investigators.
Officials said several groups of high school students were visiting the campus when the shooting occurred.
Norfolk Public Schools confirmed that students from multiple area high schools were participating in a campus tour at the time.
A district spokesperson told WAVY-TV that all visiting students and staff were safe.
The university campus sits in Norfolk, a coastal city that is home to roughly 24,000 Old Dominion students and located near Naval Station Norfolk.
Nearly 30% of the university’s students are affiliated with the military, according to the school’s website.
Kash Patel said the shooting is being examined as a possible act of terrorism.
In a statement posted on social media, Patel said the gunman died after “a group of brave students stepped in and subdued him.”
Their intervention, he said, “undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement.”
Investigators are continuing to determine whether the suspect specifically targeted the ROTC classroom and whether any ideological motivation played a role.
The shooting at Old Dominion University highlights ongoing concerns about how individuals with violent histories reintegrate into society after completing prison sentences.
The suspect’s prior conviction for attempting to support ISIS raises difficult questions for policymakers about monitoring individuals previously convicted in terrorism cases.
Federal law enforcement agencies typically track such individuals after release, but civil liberties protections limit the extent to which authorities can monitor former offenders without evidence of new criminal activity.
Security experts note that universities face particular vulnerabilities because they must remain open, accessible environments while still protecting large populations of students and staff.
In recent years, many institutions have expanded campus police forces, installed emergency alert systems and implemented active-shooter training programs.
The rapid police response at Old Dominion — with officers arriving within minutes — likely prevented additional casualties.
Still, the tragedy underscores the persistent threat of gun violence in educational institutions across the United States.
For the Old Dominion community, the coming days will likely focus on mourning the loss of a member of the campus family while confronting the reality that even well-protected academic environments are not immune to violence.
(AP/NBC/Reuters) — A man armed with a rifle crashed a vehicle into one of the largest Reform synagogues in the United States on Thursday before being fatally shot during a confrontation with security personnel, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press.
Authorities said the attacker drove a vehicle through the entrance of Temple Israel, a large Jewish congregation in the Detroit suburbs, sending the vehicle into a hallway of the complex.
Shortly after the impact, the vehicle burst into flames, filling parts of the synagogue building with smoke. Investigators later discovered the suspect dead inside the vehicle.
The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.
“We can’t say what killed him at this point but security did engage the suspect with gunfire,” Michael Bouchard told reporters.
The sheriff said the attacker appeared to have driven deliberately through the building.
“He was traveling with purpose down the hall, from my look at the video,” Bouchard said.
Authorities have not yet publicly identified the suspect or determined a motive. A person familiar with the investigation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity cautioned that the inquiry remains in its early stages.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene after the crash, where aerial footage showed smoke rising from the synagogue’s roof as police and fire units surrounded the building.
Temple Israel also houses an early childhood center that serves children as young as six weeks old.
Sheriff Bouchard said no children or staff members were injured in the incident.
A security officer stationed at the synagogue was struck by the vehicle and briefly knocked unconscious. The officer was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover, authorities said.
The synagogue maintains multiple security personnel on site, a measure that officials say proved crucial in preventing further harm.
“Everything that was supposed to happen, happened,” Bouchard said. “Security did their job, and then the responders did theirs.”
Police quickly cleared the synagogue building while parents rushed to retrieve children from the preschool program.
About a dozen parents were seen running toward the facility after learning about the incident.
The West Bloomfield School District placed its campuses on lockdown as a precaution.
Authorities also issued a temporary shelter-in-place order within roughly a mile of the synagogue while officers searched the surrounding area to ensure no accomplices were present.
The Michigan State Police confirmed they were aware of what they described as an active incident and urged residents to avoid the area while first responders worked.
Nearby Jewish institutions initially entered lockdown as well after guidance from the Jewish Federation of Detroit, which advised affiliated organizations to secure their buildings until authorities confirmed the situation had stabilized.
The federation later lifted the advisory.
Federal investigators joined local authorities at the scene.
Kash Patel said personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigation were assisting with the investigation.
“FBI personnel are on the scene with partners in Michigan and responding to the apparent vehicle ramming and active shooter situation out of Temple Israel Synagogue,” Patel wrote on social media.
Investigators were also searching the suspect’s vehicle.
CNN cited law enforcement sources saying a significant quantity of explosives may have been found in the car, though authorities have not yet confirmed those details publicly.
Temple Israel describes itself as the largest Reform synagogue in North America, representing roughly 1% of the Reform movement’s membership.
The congregation includes approximately 12,000 members from around 3,500 families, according to information on its website.
Founded in 1941, the synagogue emphasizes inclusive community life and Jewish education.
“Our mission is to be an inclusive congregation that demonstrates respect for the needs of all,” the synagogue states.
Community members gathered outside police barricades as the investigation unfolded.
Lisa Stern, a congregant who stood outside the perimeter, told NBC News affiliate WDIV that she feared for friends inside the building.
“I’m scared to death for my friends,” Stern said.
She avoided calling anyone she knew inside, worried that a phone ringing could endanger people.
“This is senseless. It’s senseless,” she said.
Samuel Bennett, whose wife had been inside the building during the attack, told WDIV-TV that he struggled to find words after learning she had escaped unharmed.
“I don’t even know what the words are,” Bennett said.
Children from the preschool program were evacuated and transported to a nearby Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit, where they were reunited with their parents.
Gretchen Whitmer said she was closely following developments and expressed support for the Jewish community.
“This is heartbreaking,” Whitmer said in a statement. “Michigan’s Jewish community should be able to live and practice their faith in peace.”
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel also condemned the attack.
“Antisemitism has no place in Michigan and cannot be tolerated,” Nessel said.
Jewish institutions across the United States and abroad have heightened security in recent weeks following the outbreak of a broader conflict in the Middle East after U.S. and Israeli missile strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.
Law enforcement agencies have warned of potential retaliatory threats and extremist activity.
The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia said officers in Washington were increasing patrols around synagogues and other houses of worship as a precaution.
Authorities have also pointed to a rise in antisemitic incidents in recent years.
FBI statistics show that anti-Jewish hate crimes account for nearly two-thirds of religion-based hate crimes reported in the United States.
The incident in West Bloomfield underscores the growing security pressures facing religious institutions across the United States.
Over the past decade, synagogues, churches and mosques have increasingly invested in private security, surveillance systems and emergency preparedness training.
The quick response by armed security officers at Temple Israel may have prevented a far more devastating outcome.
Many Jewish institutions in the U.S. have adopted such measures following high-profile attacks including the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and the Poway synagogue shooting.
Security experts say vehicle ramming attacks have also become a tactic used in extremist violence worldwide because they require minimal planning and are difficult to detect in advance.
For the Jewish community in the Detroit region, the events at Temple Israel serve as a reminder of both vulnerability and resilience.
Rabbi Josh Whinston told reporters that incidents like this often strengthen community resolve.
“While this is deeply upsetting and traumatic, regardless if we know anyone in that community or not, when things like this happen, we deepen our resolve as Jews,” Whinston said.
He added that the synagogue’s security response likely saved lives.
“Thank God they were there,” he said. “It could have been much worse than what it turned out to be.”
(AP) — Soldiers moved into several crime-stricken neighborhoods of Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday as Cyril Ramaphosa began a major security operation using the military to support police efforts against organized crime.
Military vehicles rolled through the suburbs of Riverlea and Westbury, two communities long troubled by violent crime. Armed troops disembarked from armored carriers and entered residential buildings as part of patrol operations designed to deter gangs and illegal mining syndicates.
The deployment marks the first significant implementation of Ramaphosa’s pledge, announced during his annual address to the nation last month, to deploy the army against criminal networks he described as one of the most serious threats facing the country’s democracy and economy.
Authorities indicated that soldiers would operate under police supervision during the operation.
Residents in Riverlea, where gunfire and gang activity have become a near-daily occurrence, reacted with cautious optimism as troops arrived in the neighborhood.
Pearl Hilma, a resident of the area, said she supported the security crackdown.
“Because there’s lots of gangsterism as well as gunshots every night,” Hilma told The Associated Press, describing the atmosphere in the community.
Nearby walls and buildings reflect similar frustrations with crime. One message painted on a structure near a school reads: “No to Guns, Pray for our Community.”
The South African government had initially scheduled the operation to begin March 1, but the rollout was delayed while soldiers completed additional training.
The deployment is being coordinated by South African Police Service and the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, which oversees the country’s armed forces.
Officials have yet to release detailed operational plans, though Ramaphosa informed Parliament that about 550 soldiers would initially be assigned to security duties in Gauteng Province, the region that includes Johannesburg.
That deployment is expected to run until the end of April.
Police authorities have indicated that the broader operation could extend across five of South Africa’s nine provinces, depending on conditions on the ground.
Yasin Botha, another resident of Riverlea, said the presence of both police and soldiers gave him a sense that authorities would be able to respond more quickly to violence.
“Currently, I feel unsafe because we don’t know when the next shooting is going to happen and we don’t know who it is targeted at,” Botha told the AP.
Government plans show that the deployment will focus on two major security threats: illegal mining operations and gang violence.
Illegal mining activity will be targeted primarily in Gauteng, North West Province, and Free State Province.
Meanwhile, gang violence will be the focus in the Western Cape Province and Eastern Cape Province.
Officials have indicated that parts of the operation could continue for more than a year if conditions require extended intervention.
South Africa’s second-largest city, Cape Town, has become one of the most notorious centers of gang violence in the country.
On the outskirts of Cape Town, areas collectively known as the Cape Flats have been plagued by turf wars between rival gangs for decades.
Groups with names such as the Americans, the Hard Livings and the Terrible Josters have fought for control of lucrative illegal drug markets, while also participating in extortion, prostitution rings and contract killings.
Bystanders — including children — are frequently caught in the crossfire.
Police statistics indicate that three of South Africa’s most crime-ridden precincts are located in and around Cape Town, reflecting the intensity of the violence.
Illegal mining has also emerged as a major national security challenge.
Across Gauteng and surrounding regions, abandoned gold mines have become hubs for underground mining gangs commonly referred to as “zama zamas.”
Authorities say these operations are often controlled by heavily armed criminal syndicates.
The gangs recruit informal miners from impoverished communities to descend into abandoned shafts in search of leftover gold deposits.
Investigators say these operations are frequently linked to violent crime in nearby communities.
One of the most shocking incidents connected to illegal mining occurred in 2022, when about 80 suspected illegal miners were accused of gang-raping eight women who were filming a music video near an abandoned mine.
Another confrontation last year resulted in at least 87 illegal miners dying after police cut off supplies to a mine shaft in an effort to force them to surface.
Officials estimate that around 30,000 illegal miners are currently operating across South Africa, using roughly 6,000 abandoned mines.
The government estimates that illegal mining operations cost the country more than $4 billion annually in lost gold, much of it believed to be controlled by criminal networks with links to migrants from neighboring Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.
South Africa continues to struggle with some of the highest violent crime rates in the world.
Police data show that 6,351 homicides occurred between October and December 2025, an average of nearly 70 killings every day in a country with a population of roughly 62 million people.
In addition to homicide, authorities also report high levels of attempted murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault.
The scale of violence has fueled growing public pressure on the government to take stronger action.
The use of the military to support domestic policing has occurred several times in recent years.
In 2021, thousands of troops were deployed following riots and widespread looting in two provinces after the imprisonment of former president Jacob Zuma.
Those unrests left more than 350 people dead and caused extensive economic damage.
South Africa also used soldiers to enforce strict COVID-19 lockdown measures in 2020.
Ramaphosa has acknowledged that deploying the army domestically carries historical sensitivities.
During the decades of racial segregation under the Apartheid, which ended in 1994, government troops were frequently used to suppress pro-democracy protests.
Mindful of that legacy, Ramaphosa said the current decision had not been taken lightly.
“It has become necessary due to a surge in violent organized crime that threatens the safety of our people and the authority of the state,” the president said.
He also emphasized that soldiers would operate under police command to avoid concerns about military overreach.
The military deployment reflects both the severity of South Africa’s crime problem and the growing political pressure on the government to demonstrate decisive action.
For many analysts, the decision suggests that conventional policing alone has struggled to keep pace with sophisticated criminal networks involved in drugs, mining and organized violence.
Illegal mining syndicates in particular have evolved into complex operations that resemble organized crime cartels, often equipped with weapons and international connections.
Yet security experts caution that military intervention may offer only temporary stability.
Soldiers are trained for combat rather than community policing, and long-term reductions in crime typically depend on economic development, police reform and stronger judicial systems.
Still, for communities such as Riverlea and Westbury — where residents describe nightly gunfire — the visible presence of troops may provide a sense of security that has been missing for years.
Whether the strategy succeeds in reducing violence, however, will likely determine how far the government is willing to rely on the military to confront crime in the future.
