War Monitor

⚡️🇹🇷 GRAPHIC: Footage showcases the moment of attack at the school at Kahramanmaraş.

⚡️🇵🇰🇹🇷 Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Arrives in Antalya — 3rd Visit in 2 Days Antalya | April 16, 2026 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Antalya, Türkiye, marking his third foreign visit in just two days, underscoring intense diplomatic activity. He was received by Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin, along with Pakistan’s Ambassador to Türkiye Yusuf Junaid and senior officials. The Prime Minister is set to participate in the Fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where he will join the “Leaders Panel” to present Pakistan’s perspective. Key bilateral meetings are also expected, including with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and other global leaders. Senior officials, including Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and other cabinet members, are accompanying the delegation.

⚡️🇺🇸 Trump: Invites Netanyahu & Lebanon’s President to White House for Talks U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced he will invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to the White House for what he described as the first meaningful talks between the two sides since 1983. “Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!” Trump said. The move signals a potential push for direct dialogue amid ongoing regional tensions.

⚡️🇵🇰🇶🇦 Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif & Qatar Amir Sheikh Tamim Hold Key Talks on Regional Security Doha | April 16, 2026 Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a high-level meeting with Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, at the Amiri Diwan, where both leaders discussed evolving regional and international developments, particularly in the Middle East. The Amir praised Pakistan’s role in de-escalating tensions and promoting diplomatic dialogue, while Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s condemnation of attacks on Qatar and expressed full solidarity with the Qatari leadership and people. Both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining regional stability, ensuring secure energy supply chains, and strengthening international coordination amid ongoing tensions. The leaders also reviewed bilateral relations, focusing on expanding cooperation in security, defense, and energy sectors. The meeting included senior officials from both sides, followed by a one-on-one discussion and an official luncheon hosted in honor of the Pakistani delegation.

⚡️🇮🇱🇮🇷🇱🇧🇵🇸 The IDF announced that the Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit conducted an unprecedented operation “thousands of kilometres” from Israel in an area where it has never operated before. A submarine also operated at the farthest distance in the fleet’s history, deployed across three arenas simultaneously. During the war with Iran, the Navy shot down dozens of drones in around 40 aerial threat incidents. Warships carried out 53 strikes in Lebanon and six in the Gaza Strip, while Naval Intelligence supported some 95 airstrikes in Iran.

⚡️🇺🇸🇱🇧🇮🇱Axios: An Israeli defence official believes that ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon could be announced tonight. "We are at a crossroads. Nothing is final but it could happen today.” axios.com/2026/04/16/leb…

⚡️🇺🇸🇱🇧The Office of the Lebanese President confirmed that President Aoun held a call with U.S. President Trump. Aoun said he hopes these efforts will continue in order to stop the fighting as soon as possible and advance a broader peace process. Trump reaffirmed his support for Lebanon and emphasised his commitment to meeting the Lebanese request for a ceasefire at the earliest possible time.

⚡️🇱🇧🇮🇱 Several sonic booms were heard across multiple areas in Lebanon including the capital Beirut a few moments ago.

⚡️🇺🇸🇸🇾The Syrian Foreign Ministry announced that the handover over of U.S. military sites in Syria to the Syrian military is complete. They attributed the extension of control over areas previously not controlled by the Syrian state, such as northeastern Syria, to the government’s sustained efforts to unify the country.

⚡️🇮🇷🇺🇸🇵🇰Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Army Hatami rejected U.S. claims that the Iranian Air Force is destroyed, reporting that Iranian fighter jets escorted the Pakistani delegation arriving in Tehran yesterday through Iranian airspace. “They say, we took away your air force. Yesterday, we had a guest. He was entering the country’s airspace. They said, we want our aircraft to come and escort. We said, no need. With two times the number of aircraft they wanted to escort, we escorted. We brought our guest and carried out the mission.”

⚡️🇮🇱🇱🇧🇺🇸 Al-Araby: U.S. President Trump told the Lebanese President Aoun during a phone call that a ceasefire in Lebanon would be reached within hours.

⚡️🇮🇷ISNA: An Iranian parliamentary official reports that Iran is focusing on strengthening the national currency, the rial by strengthening control over the Strait of Hormuz, with current revenue estimates at between $10 billion and $15 billion annually. Under the proposal, foreign vessels could be required to settle payments through offices in Iran or via Iranian-linked banking systems in the region, a move intended to bolster demand for the rial. The official said the plan aims to give Iran a regulatory role in the strategic waterway, stressing that the intention is not to disrupt shipping or engage in extortion.

⚡️🇩🇪🇫🇷🇬🇧🇮🇹 Süddeutsche Zeitung: Germany is prepared to participate in an international mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, focusing on mine‑clearing and maritime reconnaissance. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will present the offer at a meeting in Paris with French President Macron and British Prime Minister Starmer, also attended by Italy’s Meloni. The Bundeswehr would contribute ten specialised mine‑hunting vessels (Type MJ332) and use its logistics base in Djibouti for reconnaissance. German participation requires a prior end to hostilities, an international mission, a UN mandate (preferably) and Bundestag approval.

⚡️🇸🇾🇮🇱 Approximately 20 Israeli jets were seen flying over Daraa Governorate.

⚡️🇱🇧🇮🇱Firefighters extinguishing the flames of the burning car struck during Hezbollah rocket attacks in Northern Israel.

⚡️🇮🇱🇮🇷1 impact on an empty car in Kiryat Shmona. No injuries were reported.

⚡️🇱🇧🇮🇱 Another footage from an Israeli airstrike in hay targeted Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, southern Lebanon.

⚡️🇱🇧🇮🇱 An Israeli airstrike targets Deir Qanoun al-Nahr, southern Lebanon

⚡️🇮🇱🇱🇧 Haaretz: The IDF is preparing for a potential ceasefire with Lebanon tonight. haaretz.com/israel-news/is…

⚡🇱🇧🇮🇱 L’Orient Today: The Israeli army withdrew from Deir Siryan and Qantara after extensive destruction as part of as an effort to consolidate the boundaries of a “buffer zone,” rather than keep troops deployed in positions considered too exposed to Hezbollah attacks. The two villages were heavily razed during the offensive, with Deir Siryan’s mokhtar reporting fresh explosions in the village as recently as Sunday and Monday, indicating Israeli forces had remained there until shortly before the pullback. According to the report, the withdrawal appears tied less to a full retreat and more to a tactical repositioning after demolishing infrastructure in areas the Israeli army did not intend to hold permanently. today.lorientlejour.com/article/150371…

⚡️🇱🇧🇮🇱 An Israeli drone strike targeted Al-Amanah station in al-Dawair, southern Lebanon.

⚡️🇱🇧🇮🇱 Additional footage from the targeted Vehicle in Jiyeh.

⚡️🇱🇧🇮🇱 Several Israeli airstrikes targeted southern Lebanon, with a fire belt reported in the town of Al Majdil.