Israel

Türkiye has told Iran that it does not want further escalation in the region following Tehran's attack against Israel late on April 13.

According to diplomatic sources, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on the phone on April 14.

Hamas has demanded a "clear written commitment" that Israel will withdraw from the Gaza Strip during the second of a three-phase ceasefire deal, a senior Egyptian official and a Hamas official said yesterday.

"We confirm our readiness to reach a deal regarding a serious exchange of prisoners between the two sides," Hamas said.

Turkish Airlines (THY) and Pegasus Airlines have canceled their flights to Iran, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon scheduled for late on April 13 and April 14 for security reasons in the wake of Iran's retaliatory missile strike against Israel.

Iran has issued a warning of a robust retaliation should Israel respond to the recent attack with drones and missiles. Mohammad Bagheri, head of Iran's Armed Forces, conveyed this message on state television, cautioning against any support from Washington for Israeli retaliation, which could lead to attacks on US bases.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued a call to the global community to condemn the Israeli bombardment of hospitals, schools, mosques and churches in the besieged Gaza Strip.

"Humanity must prevent further violations of international law in Gaza," Erdoğan said in a letter to Pope Francis on April 13, emphasizing that civilians should never be targeted in times of war.

Senior Turkish and American officials will meet in the Turkish capital to discuss joint efforts to improve bilateral ties and discuss regional issues, including the situation in Gaza and Russia's occupation of Ukraine.

Under Secretary of State Department John Bass will be in Ankara on April 15 and 16, the State Department has announced.

As tensions escalate in Israel following a barrage of rocket attacks from Iran, Bulgarian expatriate Rina Bakalov shares her harrowing experience of waiting anxiously for hours as rockets flew towards the country.

Boryana Kaleyn secured victory and Stiliana Nikolova clinched second place in the women's all-around competition at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup held in Sofia.

Following Iran's drone attack on Israel, Bulgaria's government has reassured its citizens that there is currently no immediate threat to national security. The government's press service issued a statement affirming this stance.

In Israel has successfully foiled an unprecedented direct attack by Iran, marking a significant escalation in tensions in the region. Sirens blared across Israel as explosions reverberated in key cities during the initial wave of Iran's drone strike, targeting locations including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Dimona.