Iranian missiles have been seen over Tel Aviv and the occupied West Bank, reportedly breaking through Israel’s defence system. Iran has said it is targeting Israeli military facilities.
Iranian missiles light up skies over Israel, occupied West Bank
Trump vows to continue attacks on Iran, says more US troops ‘likely’ to die
United States President Donald Trump has pledged to continue the “righteous mission” against Iran, until “all objectives are achieved”, adding there will likely be more US troop deaths in the process.
Speaking in a video posted to his Truth Social account on Sunday, Trump again framed the war against Iran as a response to an existential threat to the US, saying that “an Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be a dire threat to every American”.
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Trump and his top officials had repeatedly made similar statements in the run-up to Saturday’s attacks, which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking members of the country’s leadership.
However, they have to date presented no evidence to support that Iran was developing a long-range missile capable of hitting the US or was anywhere close to developing a nuclear weapon.
Tehran has long denied seeking such a weapon, with experts assessing that if it did seek nuclear weapons, the development would still be several years off. The US launched its attacks alongside Israel in the middle of ongoing US-Iran talks on its nuclear programme.
Trump also referenced the three US military personnel confirmed killed on Sunday amid Iran’s regional retaliation.
“As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives,” Trump said.
“And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” he said. “That’s the way it is – likely be more, but we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case.”
He added: “But America will avenge their deaths, and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, basically, civilisation”.
No mention of diplomacy
The speech marked a stark contrast to several interviews Trump had given throughout the day, in which he appeared to float diplomatic off-ramps.
“They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” Trump told the Atlantic magazine, referring to what the publication described as Iran’s “new leadership”.
“They should have given what was very practical and easy to do sooner. They waited too long,” he said.
A White House official confirmed to Al Jazeera that Trump was willing to engage with Iran’s new leaders.
Earlier on Sunday, Iran announced a three-member interim leadership council to run the government in the wake of Khamenei’s killing. It includes: President Masoud Pezeshkian; the chief justice of the Supreme Court, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei; and a member of the Guardian Council, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi.
Trump acknowledged that some of the negotiators involved in the talks with the US had since been killed.
Some analysts have argued that Iran’s new leadership will likely be wary of engaging with the Trump administration, given its track record. The US also launched attacks alongside Israel during US-Iran negotiations in June last year.
The new leadership could instead pursue a protracted conflict that could be politically damaging for Trump, some experts have said.
“Most of those people are gone,” Trump told The Atlantic. “Some of the people we were dealing with are gone, because that was a big – that was a big hit.”
Attacks continue
In his speech on Sunday, Trump did not reference any diplomatic overtures, instead calling for regime change in Iran.
He again offered amnesty to Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members, the Iranian military and police who “lay down” their arms. If they do not, they will face “certain death”, he said.
He also again called on “Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom to seize this moment to be brave, be bold, be heroic, and take back your country”.
He appeared to reference his threats in January to strike Iran in response to the government’s crackdown on protesters.
“I made a promise to you, and I fulfilled that promise,” Trump said. “The rest will be up to you. We’ll be there to help”.
Trump spoke as fighting continued across the region.
The US command that oversees the Middle East (CENTCOM) announced the killing of the three members of the US military earlier on Sunday, but did not provide further details. It said five others were “seriously wounded” in the operation.
The US media has reported that those killed in Iranian strikes were based in Kuwait. Iran has also launched a barrage of attacks against Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, and Oman.
Meanwhile, at least 201 people have been killed in Iran, with 747 wounded, while at least nine have been killed and 121 wounded in Israel.
At least one person has been killed in Kuwait, three have been killed in the UAE, and two have been killed in Iraq since the escalation began.
Iran’s IRGC said earlier on Sunday that it had targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with four ballistic missiles, but a US official told Al Jazeera that no damage was caused.
Speaking in a separate Fox News interview on Sunday, Trump said that 48 “leaders” had been killed in Iran, although a full list of those killed has not been released. In a post on Truth Social, the US president said the US had “destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important”.
“In a different attack, we largely destroyed their Naval Headquarters,” he said.
In a post on X, CENTCOM said the IRGC “no longer has a headquarters”.
Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi, meanwhile, said Iran’s military command had been interrupted, with units acting in an “independent and somewhat isolated” way. He said they were operating “based on general instructions given to them in advance”.
Referee halts La Liga game under racism protocol
Sunday’s La Liga match between Elche and Espanyol was paused for three minutes under Uefa’s racism protocol, the match referee has indicated in his report.
Referee Iosu Galech Apezteguia wrote that he halted the game after Espanyol’s Omar El Hilali said Elche’s Rafa Mir had made a racist comment to him, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.
The incident occurred in the 78th minute.
Under Uefa’s protocol, the referee will stop a game if a player reports alleged racism, and give details to the fourth official.
Espanyol later posted a picture of 22-year-old Spain-born Morocco international El Hilali on social media with the message “with you”.
La Liga said: “We condemn any racist act. On the field and off it, there is no place for those who hate.”
Elche said that they condemn any discriminatory act but asked for caution in the “absence of evidence”.
- 18 February
The racism protocol was recently used in a Champions League game when Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr told the match referee he had been racially abused by Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni during the first leg of the play-off tie between the clubs.
The Argentina international has denied the allegation but missed the second leg after being given a one-match ban by Uefa pending the result of a full investigation by an ethics and disciplinary inspector.
He could be punished further once that is complete.
Vinicius has also suffered a number of incidents of racist abuse during games in Spain.
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- 17 October 2025
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Chelsea could rival Newcastle for Nunez – Monday’s gossip
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Chelsea could join the race for Al-Hilal striker Darwin Nunez, Manchester City looking to make a big move for Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento and Crystal Palace determined to hold on to keeper Dean Henderson.
Chelsea have emerged as potential rivals to Newcastle United for the signature of Uruguay international Darwin Nunez. The 26-year-old forward has been frozen out at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in favour of 38-year-old French forward Karim Benzema. (Chronicle Live)
Manchester City are willing to pay £70m – a world record fee for a full-back – in order to land England international Tino Livramento, 23, from Newcastle United. (Teamtalk)
Germany centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck’s contract at Borussia Dortmund runs out in 2027 and the 26-year-old, who has been linked with Liverpool, is one of Real Madrid’s top targets for the summer. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish)
Sunderland and West Ham are interested in 24-year-old Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez, who could be allowed to leave AC Milan. (AS – in Spanish)
Manchester United keeper Altay Bayindir is expected to leave the club in the summer, with Besiktas a possible destination for the 27-year-old Turkey international. (Football Insider)
England striker striker Marcus Rashford, 28, has agreed to his wages being reduced while also foregoing some bonuses in an effort to make his loan move from Manchester United to Barcelona permanent. (Teamtalk)
Crystal Palace will block any approaches for Dean Henderson from Tottenham and other clubs. The 28-year-old, who has four England caps, has been a crucial part of Palace’s success under Oliver Glasner. (Football Insider)
Juventus could be prepared to sell Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners but want at least 30m euros (£26m) for the 28-year-old, who has been linked with Galatasaray and Roma. (Tuttosport – in Italian)
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- 17 October 2025
PHOTOS: Citizens Demand Stronger Electoral Safeguards On 2026 Electoral Act
Civil society leaders, electoral experts, and INEC’s top brass gathered on Sunday evening for the Citizens’ Townhall on the freshly signed Electoral Act 2026.
Organised by the Civil Society Network on Electoral Integrity (including YIAGA Africa and TAF Africa), the event dissected the law’s reforms, mandatory electronic result transmission via IReV/BVAS, hybrid manual backups, revised party primaries, and earlier funding release, and their real impact on voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The evening poster captures the urgency: “Electoral Act 2026: What it means for your vote and the 2027 Elections.”
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan delivered the headline assurance, vowing that 2027 will be Nigeria’s “best election yet” thanks to reforms, heightened voter awareness since 2023, and planned mock presidential exercises to iron out any transmission glitches.
He stressed simpler laws for transparency and pledged no repeat of past “technical failures.”
Samson Itodo, Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, took a critical stance, labelling the manual transmission fallback proviso a dangerous loophole that could erode trust.
He urged the National Assembly to swiftly amend the Act again to prioritise full electronic transmission, warning that citizens risk losing faith without it.
Other voices included former INEC officials optimistic about BVAS recognition and electronic mandates, political party reps (APC, Labour Party, ADC) debating party perspectives, and activists like Oby Ezekwesili pushing for citizen empowerment.
Panellists highlighted remaining gaps but celebrated progress in funding and timelines.
Electoral Act 2026: Nigerians Identify Hopes, Gaps At Citizens’ Townhall
The national debate over the Electoral Act 2026, recently signed into law, continued on Sunday, with Nigerians expressing divergent views over the new legislation that will serve as a legal guide for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
The issues identified in the new law took centre stage during a Citizens’ Townhall, an event broadcast live on Channels Television.
READ ALSO: If Tinubu Could Revert National Anthem In 24 Hours, Electoral Act 2026 Can Be Amended – Sam Amadi
The programme, themed “Electoral Act 2026: What it means for your vote and the 2027 elections?”, provided a platform for Nigerians to ask critical questions about the thorny issues in the new Act, including the contentious debate over electronic result transmission.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, used the forum to address the technical concerns facing the Commission.
Identifying network inadequacy as a primary challenge, he emphasised that the quality of an election is inherently linked to logistical capacity.
“I don’t see the issue of transmission as a problem; the problem is not the network but the adequacy of the networks we have,” he said.
While acknowledging that Nigeria might not achieve “100 per cent perfect elections for now,” Amupitan assured the public that the Commission is striving to deliver the best possible outcome.
He further declared that technical glitches would not derail the 2027 polls.
“The glitch is eliminated; by God’s grace, it will not surface in Nigeria,” he added.
To bolster this confidence, he disclosed that INEC would conduct a mock presidential election to stress-test the transmission architecture.
“One of the things we are trying to do before the election is to have a mock presidential election so that we are sure that this transmission across the states must not fail,” Amupitan added.
Yiage Faults NASS
However, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, remained critical of the National Assembly’s decision to make manual transmission an option.
He argued that electronic transmission must be the sole, real-time method for results to ensure credibility.
Itodo further warned that the recently announced compressed election timetable places immense pressure on the Commission.
“And as we approach 2027, the credibility of that election will not just be determined on election day. It will be determined by a few things: the quality of preparations, the transparency of resource management, the professionalism of election officials, how political actors restrain themselves, but more importantly, the independence and the integrity of our security agencies and the judiciary.
“And lastly, the vigilance of citizens is what will determine the credibility of the next elections, because democracy is not self-executing. It requires guardians, and the citizens of this great country are the guardians that we need.”
‘Gaps, Loopholes’
Former INEC National Commissioner, Okechukwu Ibeanu, reinforced the need for systemic commitment over legislative tinkering.
“I think there are still gaps and loopholes in the law, and it’s unfortunate that it took us debating about a proviso for the country to come to a consensus that electronic transmission was actually in the 2022 act.
“But what we have done is actually to take us far back to 2018… We consistently tinker with the electoral legal framework as if that holds all the answers to our electoral problems,” Ibeanu cautioned.
He urged citizens to remain the ultimate watchdogs.
“Citizens, this is about you. It is not about politicians; it is not about INEC. Except citizens are in a position to protect their votes and control those who ostensibly represent them, our dream of a truly democratic country will remain an illusion,” he added.
Chidi Nwafor, who is a former director of information and communication technology at INEC, said security agencies and the judiciary play a crucial role in maintaining the sanctity of elections in Nigeria.
He also urged INEC to assess sections 50 and 70 of the Electoral Act.
Lawmakers Disagree
The chairman of the bipartisan conference committee on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill to harmonise differences between versions passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, Adebayo Balogun, stated that Form EC8A remains the primary source of collation of results.
But the member representing Anambra Central at the National Assembly, Senator Victor Umeh, described the INEC Result Viewing portal, IREV, as the game-changer.
He noted that the inclusion of a proviso that allows the presiding officer to use the Form EC8A remains a challenge, adding that the electronic transmission of the Form EC8A to the IREV was to forestall manipulation.
Similarly, a former Director of Voter Education at INEC, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, said the Electoral Act has taken Nigeria back with the proviso on manual collation when the network fails.
“Who is the judge when there is a network failure? Is it the electoral officer?” he queried.
For the Head of ICT at the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Oluwadara Oluwalana, Nigeria has the capacity to try out technology in the 2027 polls, with the collaboration of operators.
“Yes, I believe telecom operators can come together and make it work. I think we have the capacity now,” he submitted during the panel discussion.
‘Defections To APC Fair’
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, said the Electoral Act did not confer any advantage to the ruling party.
Asked whether it was fair that the APC allowed politicians who won elections on the platform of opposition parties to defect to the ruling party, Yilwatda said, “Very fair, very fair because you will discover that many of those political parties are already dying.
“They saw a reason to join us because of how we operate as a party—from party management to organization and mobilization,” Yilwatda said at the event.
“APC seems to be the best party in terms of mobilization, organization, and governance. That provides a leeway for competition. When I go to the market, I have a choice to make: a choice between good governance, good party management, and a transparent system,” he added.
However, a chieftain of the African Democratic Party, Sam Amadi, said the submission of the INEC chairman it the commission’s preparedness for the general elections does not inspire confidence.
Among those who attended the event are serving and former members of the National Assembly, representatives of security agencies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders in the electoral process.
A former Country Director of ActionAid, Ene Obi, faulted the campaign spending guideline set out in the Act, expressing worry over how this can prevent Nigerians with less financial capacity to vie for public offices.
“Another thing to look out for is the source of whatever money they are talking about,” she added.
New Law
Nigeria recently updated its electoral system after President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law on February 18, 2026, after weeks of heated debate, replacing the 2022 legislation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Key provisions of the new law include the mandatory electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, recognition of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), new timelines for election notices and candidate nominations, revised methods for party primaries, and earlier release of funding for the electoral commission.
While Tinubu explained that the amendment aims to strengthen transparency, opposition parties and civil society organisations slammed aspects of the law, arguing that certain discretionary powers granted to electoral officials during technical failures could affect the credibility of the election.
The Commission had earlier fixed Saturday, February 20, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections and Saturday, March 6, 2027, for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.