The Civilian

The Pentagon has acknowledged that excessive reliance on artificial intelligence contributed to a missile strike that hit a school in Iran. The admission raises pressing questions about the use of AI systems in military targeting decisions and the risks of automation in warfare.

Russian forces launched a heavy bombardment of Kyiv, following a deadly strike that hit Ukraine's Academy of Sciences in the capital. The attack caused casualties and damage to a major scientific institution, adding to a pattern of intensified Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities. The escalation has drawn international attention and renewed condemnation of attacks targeting civilian and scientific infrastructure.

French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticised the international response to the war in Gaza, describing the diplomacy surrounding it as a 'spectacle that shames us all'. His remarks, reported by Reuters, target the gap between world leaders' statements and concrete action to end the suffering of civilians. The comments are drawing wide attention to France's stance on the conflict.

Russian strikes across Ukraine have killed at least seven people and wounded around 80, according to reports. The attacks add to the ongoing toll of Russia's war on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. Officials and media are highlighting the scale of casualties as the conflict continues with no sign of de-escalation.

Ten people were killed after a Russian jet-powered drone struck a science academy in Kyiv, part of a wave of drone attacks across Ukraine. Reuters and other outlets report the strike caused significant damage to the building, with rescue efforts underway. The attack marks another escalation in Russia's use of jet-drones against Ukrainian cities.

CNN reports that outdated intelligence contributed to a deadly U.S. strike on a school in Iran, with the full account emerging seven months after the attack. The investigation examines how stale or incorrect information fed into the targeting decision that killed civilians. The report is likely to renew scrutiny of U.S. strike procedures and accountability for civilian casualties.

At least two people were killed and eight injured in Kyiv after Russian drones and a missile struck a market and a gas station in hours-long overnight attacks on the Ukrainian capital. Emergency services responded to multiple impact sites as air defence worked through the night. The strike is the latest in Russia's continued campaign of aerial attacks against Ukrainian cities, which have repeatedly targeted infrastructure and civilian areas.

Claims are circulating that Russian soldiers forced Ukrainian civilians through a gas pipeline to use them as human shields, in what would amount to another war crime. A video reportedly showing the incident is being shared alongside condemnation of Russian tactics against civilians in occupied areas of Ukraine.

Russian forces have attacked Kyivstar, Ukraine's largest mobile operator, striking the company's data centres and disrupting telecommunications services. The strike marks one of the most significant attacks on Ukraine's civilian communications infrastructure since the invasion began, raising concerns about the resilience of the country's networks as the war continues.

Myanmar's military carried out an air strike on a market in Rakhine state, killing at least 33 people, according to Al Jazeera. The attack adds to a pattern of deadly air raids on civilian areas since the 2021 coup, as the junta battles armed resistance across the country, including fighting with the Arakan Army in Rakhine.

Russian forces struck central Kyiv again, damaging another hospital in the Ukrainian capital, according to Ukrainska Pravda. The attack reportedly caused damage to medical infrastructure, with photos of the aftermath published online. Commentators are sharing the news widely, with some calling for international legal action and citing bodies such as the ICC, UN and OSCE.

Russia's continued strikes on civilians in Ukraine are fueling calls for President Trump to use his sanctions powers against Moscow. Lawmakers and allies are pressing the administration to impose tougher economic measures as the civilian death toll mounts, amid debate in Washington over how far the US should go in punishing Russia.

A Russian attack hit a public market near Kyiv, killing civilians and leaving nearly ten people injured, according to reports shared widely on social media. Commentators are condemning the strike as another war crime against Ukrainian civilians and calling for increased international attention and pressure on Russia over ongoing attacks on populated areas.

A Russian strike hit the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the country's largest scientific research institution. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack, saying it illustrates the Russian regime's hostile contempt for science and truth, and adds to what he called the barbarity of Russia's ongoing strikes against Ukraine.

Reports from Sudan indicate a rise in cases of sexual violence, prompting alarm from regional media and rights observers. The country's ongoing conflict has left civilians, particularly women and girls, increasingly exposed to abuse amid weakened protection services and displacement. Observers are calling for urgent attention to the safety of vulnerable populations.

Amnesty International has published a new report presenting damning evidence of war crimes committed in Mali by the country's state armed forces and personnel from the Russian Wagner Group. The findings point to serious abuses against civilians amid the ongoing conflict, and the report is drawing attention to the conduct of Mali's military and its Russian partners.

Officials aligned with the Houthi movement accuse Yemen's government of carrying out a deadly airstrike on a market, killing civilians. The reported strike adds to a pattern of bombardments in Yemen's long-running war, and the contested blame reflects how both sides routinely dispute responsibility for attacks on populated areas. No independent casualty toll has been confirmed in the initial reports.

At least 35 people were killed in Darfur, Sudan, when a drone strike hit a gathering at a court, according to a rights group that blames the army. The attack adds to the heavy civilian toll of Sudan's ongoing war, and reports of strikes on courts and public gatherings are drawing condemnation and concern over the escalation of attacks on civilian spaces.

Russian guided bombs hit civilian areas in Sumy, Ukraine, killing two people and injuring five others. The attack was reported by Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda and condemned online as a war crime, with calls for accountability before international bodies including the ICC, UN, OSCE and the Council of Europe.

A Myanmar military airstrike killed dozens of people, with bodies at the scene described as being burned 'like pieces of charcoal'. The attack is the latest in the junta's escalating air campaign against civilians and resistance areas since the 2021 coup. Reports of the high death toll and horrific conditions of the victims are drawing renewed condemnation of the military regime.

Drones linked to Sudan's Rapid Support Forces struck a fuel depot in El Gezira state, according to Radio Dabanga, as the paramilitary force and the Sudanese army both claim to have shot down each other's aircraft. The strike on fuel infrastructure adds to the country's deepening humanitarian and economic crisis, with people voicing concern over the war's expanding use of drones against civilian supply targets.

Russian strikes on Ukraine have killed at least seven people, among them a woman at Kyiv's National Academy of Sciences. The attack adds to a pattern of overnight bombardments hitting Ukrainian cities, drawing renewed condemnation and attention to civilian casualties as the war continues.

Commentators are arguing that the privatisation of humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza failed the territory's population, and that international donors and agencies should draw lessons to avoid repeating the model elsewhere. The piece contends that outsourcing aid to private channels undermined effective relief for civilians during the conflict, and urges a rethink of how the world organises and funds humanitarian assistance.

Sudanese authorities have accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of attacking civilian facilities in El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state. The accusation comes as fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF continues to devastate cities across Sudan, displacing millions and worsening a severe humanitarian crisis. Details on casualties or damage were not immediately available.

Israeli whistleblowers have come forward with revelations about civilian deaths in Gaza, drawing attention to what commentators describe as a longer history of Palestinian isolation. Writing in CounterPunch, analysts argue the testimony reflects decades of separation policies affecting Palestinians. The disclosures are fueling renewed debate over accountability and the conduct of military operations in the territory.

Peter Thiel's longtime collaborator and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale has sparked criticism after suggesting people should be less judgmental about a deadly Israeli strike on a school in Iran that killed civilians, according to Mother Jones. Commenters are debating his comments, with many viewing them as a striking example of tech-industry figures defending military action that kills children.

Attention is turning to the escalating economic and human costs of the war involving Iran. Reports highlight mounting expenses for Iran and its adversaries, including military spending, damage to infrastructure, and broader regional instability. Commenters and news outlets are weighing the toll on civilians and the strain on national budgets as the conflict continues with no clear end in sight.

A new report documents war crimes committed by the Malian army and foreign allied forces along Mali's border with Mauritania, in an area affected by the decade-long conflict with armed groups. Witnesses describe killings of civilians regardless of age or status, summed up in the finding that 'no one is spared'. The allegations renew scrutiny of Mali's military and its foreign partners.