Authorities in northeastern Somalia’s Puntland state on Saturday said they were closely monitoring what they described as military maneuvers by Somalia’s federal government in the central town of Galkayo, warning that the developments could threaten regional stability and Puntland’s governing institutions.

Puntland authorities accused the federal government of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of attempting to use military and political pressure to weaken Puntland’s governance system, saying the movements around Galkayo risk provoking a confrontation between the two sides.

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Yemen’s Houthi group on Monday declared “a maritime blockade” on Saudi Arabia effective immediately.

Military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised statement on the group’s Al-Masirah television that a ban on Saudi-linked maritime navigation “has entered into force from the moment of issuing this statement.”

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A Malian army convoy leaving the strategic northern town of Anefis was attacked on Saturday morning by Tuareg separatists, military and security officials said.

Fighters from the Tuareg separatist movement FLA and the Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group JNIM temporarily seized the town on July 4 in the latest in a series of coordinated attacks in the West African country.

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Russia on Tuesday accused Ukraine of terrorism over its escalating attacks on shipping in the Sea of Azov, a route ‌that handles about a quarter of its grain exports.

Ukrainian drones hit 11 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov overnight, Kyiv’s drone forces commander said.

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The U.S. has struck at least 170 Iranian military targets over the past two days in what officials say is retaliation for Iran’s attacks on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to U.S. Central Command, the latest round of strikes hit about 90 targets, including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline. The attacks followed roughly 80 strikes the previous day, including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats.

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