The US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington transits the Strait of Malacca on August 13, 2026. © US Navy via Reuters
The USS George Washington aircraft carrier strike group has arrived in the Middle East, the US military announced Thursday. The aircraft carrier will replace the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln after apparently deteriorating living conditions on board sparked fresh criticism of President Donald Trump’s war against Iran. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
New US carrier strike group arrives in Middle East
A new US aircraft carrier strike group has arrived in the Middle East, the US military announced, after apparently deteriorating living conditions aboard a long-deployed carrier provoked fresh criticism of US President Donald Trump’s war against Iran.
“The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in Middle East during a scheduled deployment after arriving in the CENTCOM theater yesterday,” Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US forces in the Middle East, said in a post on X.
SUMMARY
- Trump warns of economic consequences for any country that supports Iran
- Turkey denies military presence at Syrian air base targeted by Israel, defence ministry says
- Turkey ‘will not fall into trap’ set by Netanyahu on Syria, Turkish presidency says
- Yemen’s Houthis say they targeted Saudi airport and Aramco facility
- New US carrier strike group arrives in Middle East
- US targets Lebanon’s Hezbollah with fresh sanctions
- France, Germany, UK and Italy condemn Israel’s ‘E1′ settlers’ project in occupied West Bank
- Turkey, Egypt, Qatar condemn deadly Israeli attacks on Gaza
Other developments
French President Macron to host Saudi Crown Prince on August 23-24
French President Emmanuel Macron will host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on August 23 and August 24, with the two leaders expected to discuss current tensions in the Middle East, Macron’s office said.
“The two leaders will discuss the main top
ics of regional importance, within a framework of close collaboration between France and her partners in the Gulf with a view to backing stability and peace in the Middle East,” the French president’s office said.
US targets Lebanon’s Hezbollah with fresh sanctions
The United States will on Thursday issue fresh sanctions targeting Lebanon’s Iran – backed Hezbollah, including re-designating it under a terrorism authority, according to a statement seen by Reuters. A US official said the move was aimed at emphasizing the Shiite group’s links to the Iranian government.
France, Germany, UK and Italy condemn Israel’s ‘E1′ settlers’ project in occupied West Bank
France, Germany, Britain and Italy condemned plans by Israel to open up construction tenders for a residential property project called ‘E1’ in the occupied West Bank.
US tells allies they’re ‘with us or against us’ on efforts to economically isolate Iran
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the country’s allies that they were either “with us or against us” on economically isolating Iran, after President Donald Trump announced a fresh slew of sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
“This is going to be the greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world. And we are going to them and saying you are either with us or against us,” Bessent told US broadcaster CNBC of his message to allies.
Iran calls new US sanctions ‘economic terrorism’
Iran’s foreign ministry condemned newly announced US economic and trade sanctions, saying they targeted ordinary Iranians and amounted to “economic terrorism” and crimes against humanity.
US President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday of sweeping economic consequences for any country that provided what he called “any type of lifeline to Iran”, threatening economic warfare and isolation on an unprecedented scale.
U.S. Sailors work on the flight deck of USS George Washington (CVN 73), Aug. 20, as the aircraft carrier transits the Arabian Sea. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in Middle East during a scheduled deployment after arriving in the CENTCOM theater yesterday. pic.twitter.com/DEkHHukHeI
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 20, 2026
Israelis return to last West Bank settlement closed more than 20 years ago
Israelis have began moving into the occupied West Bank settlement of Kadim, the local settler council said, the last of four communities from which Israel withdrew more than two decades ago to be repopulated.
It came a week after Israel officially reopened neighbouring Ganim, in a move emblematic of the current government’s policy of rapid settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the territory, which are illegal under international law, among some three million Palestinians.
The Samaria regional council said that 30 families were moving to live permanently in the settlement, accompanied on Thursday by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and head of the Samaria regional council, Yossi Dagan.
Kadim is one of four Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank that Israel evacuated under former prime minister Ariel Sharon’s disengagement plan in 2005, which also included abandoning all Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip.
Under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, settlement construction and expansion have surged, including with the re-establishment of all four evacuated communities — Ganim, Sa-Nur, Homesh and now Kadim.
Vatican expresses ‘serious concerns’ over Israel-Lebanon deal implementation
The Vatican expressed Thursday “serious concerns” about problems implementing a US-brokered deal between Israel and Lebanon, following a meeting between Pope Leo XIV and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
“The Holy See, whilst welcoming the signing of the document, has expressed serious concerns about the difficulties being encountered in implementing it, and has pledged its support for efforts to that end,” the Vatican said in a statement.
Australia ‘outraged’ over Israel decision to close probe into aid worker killings
Australia’s top diplomat Penny Wong on Thursday said relations with Israel were “difficult” after it dropped a probe into the killing of aid worker Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom and her colleagues in Gaza.
Australian national Frankcom was among a group of seven World Central Kitchen staff killed in April 2024 when their aid convoy was hit by an Israeli air strike.
Their deaths triggered global outrage and a renewed push to ensure the safety of aid workers in Gaza.
Israel slams UK demand to halt West Bank settlement project
Israel’s foreign minister on Thursday slammed a demand by the UK government to halt a major settlement project in the occupied West Bank, after Israeli authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area.
Britain said it had summoned Israel’s charge d’affairs over the E1 plan, which was green-lit by Israel last year and has drawn international condemnation.
The UN secretary general said at the time that E1 posed an “existential threat” to a contiguous Palestinian state.
Investigation into killing of Hind Rajab and Gaza paramedics comes ‘extremely late’
The investigation into the killing of Hind Rajab and paramedics in Gaza launched by the Israeli army came as a “surprise” in the country, “because so much time has passed” since the events took place, FRANCE 24 correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky said. “The timing is extremely late.”
But Tarnopolsky said “the fact that these two very renown cases are being referred to criminal investigation is already an admission on the part of the Israeli army that something here went deeply wrong.”
AFP/ France24
