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Iran said on Monday it attacked US military targets in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in retaliation for the first American strikes on its territory in a month, marking a fresh flare-up in the six-month war. Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they struck two US military air bases with ballistic missiles in Washington-allied Jordan, causing “heavy damage”. Jordan’s army said it had intercepted eight missiles, without stating their origin. The strikes came after the United States said on Sunday it had attacked Iranian rocket launchers on a small island in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington said its attacks were aimed at preventing Iran from launching more sea mines into the strait, days after it announced it had completed clearing explosives from the strategic waterway. “US forces took limited, precise action against IRGC mine laying forces posing an imminent threat in the Strait of Hormuz,” the US Central Command (Centcom) wrote on X. The Guards said the US strikes resulted in “casualties” and that their subsequent attack on Jordan was “in response to the US-Zionist aerial aggression”. In a separate statement, IRGC said it attacked the United Arab Emirates’ Al Minhad Air Base with drones, Iranian state TV reported. It said the attack, prompted by the attack on Larak Island, targeted locations where US forces and helicopters were stationed at the base. Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry said armed forces struck US military bases in Jordan in response to the attack on Larak Island. The ministry said the US bases in Jordan had been used to launch and support the attack on Larak. Condemning the attack, the foreign ministry said strikes by Iranian forces on bases in Jordan were “legitimate defence”. Iran “strongly condemned the American military aggression on Larak”, and Iranian forces responded “in accordance with the inherent right of legitimate defence”, it said. The ministry warned that Iran would respond decisively to further military aggression and that the US and parties supporting its actions bore full responsibility for any escalation. The exchange of fire came shortly after the US-Iran war hit the six-month mark, and at a time when hostilities had been subsiding. In recent weeks, the administration of US President Donald Trump has prioritised “economic warfare” over military strikes on Iran. Tehran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic sea lane through which one-fifth of the world’s oil passed before the United States and Israel triggered hostilities with strikes on Iran on February 28. Bessent signals more sanctions The return to hostilities follows weeks in which the Trump administration has stepped up efforts to punish Tehran and its business partners with costly economic sanctions, shifting away from military options. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Reuters on Sunday new secondary sanctions were likely to be unveiled weekly in the effort to pressure Iran, with an initial focus on banks. “We’re starting with the banks, and we’re telling the banks it’s not okay to have Iranian money and to aid the regime,” Bessent said in an interview. After imposing penalties on the United Arab Emirates branches of Egypt’s Banque Misr on Friday over alleged financial links to Iran, Bessent said the next step may be cutting off an institution entirely from the dollar-based financial system. “You’re going to see a lot more of these every week,” Bessent told Reuters, ahead of a meeting of Group of 20 finance leaders. Unpopular war Diplomatic efforts, spearheaded by mediators including Pakistan and Qatar, have tried for months to bring an end to the war. While a ceasefire was agreed in April and a memorandum of understanding towards a final peace deal was signed in June, no agreement has been forthcoming, and Washington has since declared “economic warfare” against Tehran. A US naval counterblockade of Iranian ports is squeezing petrol supplies in Iran during a shortfall in domestic production, as the US ramps up the pressure. The April ceasefire put an end to the most intense fighting, but sporadic attacks, mainly around the Strait of Hormuz, have dimmed the prospects of a final peace agreement. The last US strike on Iran prior to Sunday’s came on July 29 in response to “an attempted surprise attack on US forces” in the region, the US military said. Earlier in July, Centcom attacked Iran for 13 consecutive nights. Throughout the war, Iran has fought back by striking US facilities and allies in the Gulf region, hitting targets in Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among others. Its closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused pain around the world in the form of price hikes and shortages of fertilizer and energy. Oil prices rose after news of the US strikes on Iran. A barrel of North Sea Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed back above the symbolic $90 threshold. West Texas Intermediate rose to more than $85. The Iran war is deeply unpopular with the US public, with midterm elections looming in November that could overturn Republican control of Congress. In a statement on Friday, US Senator Jack Reed criticised Trump over the war. “Six months later, not a single objective has been achieved,” said Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Indeed, he has weakened our position in the Middle East and the world significantly.”

Two terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Washuk district, state-run PTV reported on Monday, citing security sources. In a post on the social media platform X, the state broadcaster said the IBO was conducted in the Palantak area of Washuk as part of the ongoing Operation Radul Fitna against Fitna al Hindustan. The state has designated Balochistan-based terrorist groups as Fitna al Hindustan to highlight India’s alleged role in terrorism and destabilisation across Pakistan. PTV said the terrorists killed were involved in attacks on the Mashkhel police station and the Customs House. “The terrorists’ vehicle was destroyed during the operation, while a large quantity of weapons and ammunition was also recovered,” it said. Last week, 11 terrorists were killed during separate IBOs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies’ monthly security assessment released on July 31, the security situation deteriorated most significantly in Balochistan last month. The overall death toll increased by 241pc in Balochistan, from 109 in June to 372 in July, the report said. Security personnel deaths in Balochistan increased from six in June to 62 in July, representing a rise of 933pc. Terrorist deaths rose from 75 to 238, while civilian deaths increased by 93pc, from 28 to 54. Eighteen members of peace committees were also killed in the province.

ISLAMABAD: Following the recent tragic incident at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), where 14 newborn babies died in a fire, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has intensified enforcement of fire and life safety regulations across Islamabad, sealing several high-rise buildings and partially sealing two hotels in Blue Area while imposing fines on three hospitals. The CDA imposed a fine of Rs500,000 each on Pims, Polyclinic and its own Capital Hospital for “non-compliance with Fire and Life Safety Requirements”. As part of the enforcement operation in Blue Area, the CDA sealed Shaheed-i-Millat Building, State Life Building, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Building and Beverly Centre. Teams were also inspecting the National Insurance Company Limited building until the filing of this report. Action follows Pims fire that killed 14 newborns as civic agency intensifies inspections, enforcement Two hotels in Blue Area were partially sealed, with further intake of guests stopped. “Yes, today we have sealed several high-rise buildings in Blue Area, besides partially sealing two hotels. Fines of Rs500,000 each were also imposed on Pims, Polyclinic and CDA’s own hospital,” a CDA official said. An official pastes a ‘sealed’ notice on the State Life Building in Islamabad on Sunday. — White Star The official added that teams had moved towards F-11 to seal an apartment building owned by a politician. “We have reached F-11 and after a while, high-rise apartment buildings owned by a politician will be sealed for non-compliance with rules, despite issuance of several notices,” he said. In a press release, the CDA said it had intensified enforcement of fire and life safety standards across Islamabad, making it clear that the protection of human lives would remain its “topmost priority”. The civic agency said it had sealed Shaheed-i-Millat Secretariat, State Life Building and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Building in Blue Area following non-compliance with fire safety observations issued earlier by the CDA’s Fire & Emergency Services Directorate. “Chairman CDA Sohail Ashraf has directed the concerned formations of CDA to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards serious fire safety violations and ensure strict compliance with safety standards,” the press release said. It added that the chairman had emphasised that no building, institution or organisation could be permitted to compromise people’s lives and safety by ignoring essential fire prevention and emergency response requirements. According to the CDA, its Fire & Emergency Services Directorate had been conducting inspections of buildings to identify deficiencies relating to fire prevention, emergency exits, firefighting arrangements, evacuation preparedness and other essential life safety measures. The Building Control Section of the CDA had been advised to rectify identified deficiencies within the prescribed timeframe, the press release said. The CDA chairman also directed relevant departments to maintain close monitoring of fire safety compliance and ensure that safety observations were followed by effective corrective measures. The chairman said fire safety was a collective responsibility, adding that timely installation and maintenance of firefighting equipment, clear emergency exits, proper evacuation arrangements and compliance with safety protocols could save lives during an emergency. “Protection of human lives is the first and foremost responsibility. No compromise will be made on fire and life safety,” the CDA statement said. Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court was approached against the alleged non-implementation of fire safety laws. A citizen, Malik Naveed Ashiq Awan, through his counsel Advocate Afrasiab Ahmed Rana, filed a petition before the IHC, making the federation, CDA chairman, chief commissioner, Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), Higher Education Commission (HEC), Private Educational Regulatory Authority (Pera), Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and Islamabad Food Authority, among others, respondents. The petitioner contended that 14 newborn babies were burnt alive in a fire at Pims on August 26, raising serious questions about fire safety arrangements at one of the capital’s largest public hospitals. The petition stated that Pims itself allegedly did not have a fire safety no-objection certificate (NOC) from the relevant fire department. It further alleged that several commercial, educational and medical buildings across Islamabad were operating without mandatory fire safety NOCs. Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2026

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake a three-day official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic from Aug 31 to Sept 2 at the invitation of President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement. “The visit will include participation in the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting, as well as bilateral engagements in the Kyrgyz Republic,” the FO said. It said the premier will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister of Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, Minister of Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and other senior officials. “During his stay in Bishkek, the prime minister will participate in the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State and the SCO Plus Summit,” the statement said. “The prime minister will also assume Pakistan’s chairmanship of the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026-2027,” it said, adding that he would also hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of the participating countries on the sidelines. PM Shehbaz will also participate in the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games on Aug 31, the statement said. It added that on Sept 2, the prime minister would hold bilateral discussions with the Kyrgyz president on the “entire spectrum of Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations”. “The two sides will comprehensively review Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan relations and discuss ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, energy, regional connectivity, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges,” it said. “The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest and cooperation at regional and multilateral fora,” it added. “Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan enjoy warm and fraternal relations, rooted in shared history, faith and cultural affinity, as well as common aspirations for peace, connectivity and prosperity in Central and South Asia,” the FO said. “The forthcoming visit will provide an important opportunity to consolidate the momentum generated by recent high-level exchanges, translate political goodwill into enhanced practical cooperation, and further strengthen the enduring partnership between Pakistan and the Kyrgyz Republic,” the statement concluded. Around a dozen world leaders will head to Bishkek to mark 25 years of the SCO, which comprises 10 member states: India, Iran, China, Pakistan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The two observer states are Afghanistan and Mongolia. Pakistan is set to assume the chairmanship of the SCO’s Council of Heads of State, while next year’s CHS summit will also be hosted by Islamabad.

WASHINGTON: Google redesignated Lake Ontario as “Lake America” on maps seen by US users on Sunday after President Donald Trump announced he was renaming the body of water, with a Canadian official slamming the cross-border tensions as “absolutely backwards.” People in Canada will still see Lake Ontario, the Indigenous-rooted name used for the lake since the 17th century, on their devices and computers, the US-based tech giant said. The shock nomenclatural spat erupted as the latest element of Trump’s “America First” narrative, with longtime allies the United States and Canada ramping up a trade war that has seen Washington and Ottawa slap tit-for-tat tariffs on each other. Apple’s Maps app that comes installed on all iPhones makes no mention of “Lake America” on its maps as of Sunday morning. Google said it made its change in line with the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), the official federal database for geographic names. “Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, which is GNIS for the US, people using Maps in the US will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario,’ and those outside of the US and Canada will see both names,” Google said on its blog. The change mirrors Trump’s unilateral altering of the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in January 2025 — a move Mexico has also rejected. Ontario is the smallest by surface area of the five Great Lakes, which straddle the Canada-US border between Ontario province and the US state of New York. The province’s premier, Doug Ford, offered fresh criticism Sunday of the trade dispute and Trump’s lake name change. “It’s absolutely backwards. It was like something out of (US comedy TV show) ‘Saturday Night Live’ when he signed a document saying — changed to ‘Lake America.’ No one’s going to call it Lake of America,” Ford told ABC talk show “This Week.” “It’s just so disappointing.” Ford also warned that while a trade war would harm both countries, “it’d be definitely devastating on the US” given that Canada has been by far the largest purchaser of US vehicles. Should those buys dry up, US auto factories would be hit hard. “A tariff on Canada is nothing more than a tax on American people,” he said. “It’s probably the worst move you could ever do.” Canada and the US have a deeply interconnected auto manufacturing sector, and a sizeable portion of parts for US vehicles are made in Canada. Trump himself waded in Sunday to say Americans “want to make our own cars.” “Canada has been ripping us off for years — NO LONGER!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2026