Month: April 2026

Israel carried out an extensive wave of airstrikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, unleashing one of its most intense bombardments to date just hours after a ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel, the United States, and Iran—an agreement that notably did not extend to Lebanon.

The strikes targeted multiple areas, including Beirut, southern Lebanon, and the eastern Bekaa Valley, sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky and triggering widespread panic. Scenes from the capital showed chaotic evacuations as explosions struck residential neighborhoods during busy daytime hours.

On the ground, the impact was devastating. Emergency responders struggled to reach victims as roads filled with debris and traffic. Hospitals called for urgent blood donations while rescue teams pulled survivors from damaged buildings and burning vehicles. Images of missing loved ones quickly spread online as families searched for relatives. Aid workers described the situation in Beirut as overwhelming. One humanitarian official said there was “total chaos,” with strikes hitting civilian areas “with no warning,” adding, “These are not targeted attacks.”

Lebanese officials reported significant casualties. Estimates vary, with figures ranging from at least 89 deaths and hundreds injured to as many as 254 killed, according to emergency services. Overall, more than 1,500 people have died since the conflict escalated weeks ago, while roughly 1.2 million residents have been displaced.

Despite earlier claims from Shehbaz Sharif that the ceasefire would include Lebanon, Israeli leadership rejected that notion. Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that operations against Hezbollah would continue, emphasizing that the truce applied only to Iran. President Trump echoed that stance, stating, “Because of Hezbollah. They were not included in the deal. That’ll get taken care of too. It’s alright,” and describing the Lebanon conflict as a “separate skirmish.”

According to the Israeli military, around 50 fighter jets struck roughly 100 targets within minutes, hitting Hezbollah command centers, intelligence hubs, and military infrastructure. Officials said the operation had been planned for weeks and was executed when conditions were deemed favorable. The military also claimed to have eliminated dozens of Hezbollah fighters.

Hezbollah, which had paused attacks on northern Israel following the Iran ceasefire, warned displaced civilians not to return home yet, claiming it was nearing a “major historic victory.” At the same time, Lebanese leaders condemned the strikes, with officials calling them attacks on “unarmed civilians” and urging international intervention. Meanwhile, tensions remain high across the region, with Iran reportedly threatening further action if Israeli strikes in Lebanon persist.

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Rex Heuermann, a 62-year-old former New York architect, pleaded guilty Wednesday to murdering seven women and admitted responsibility for an eighth, bringing a major breakthrough in the long-running Gilgo Beach serial killings investigation on Long Island.

Appearing in Suffolk County Court, Heuermann confirmed he strangled all eight victims and left their remains across areas including Gilgo Beach, Manorville, and Southampton. As part of the agreement, he pleaded guilty to seven counts, and acknowledged killing Karen Vergata, whose death had not previously been charged. In exchange, he will not face additional prosecution related to her case and has agreed to cooperate with the FBI.

When asked in court, “Do you feel it’s in your best interest to plead guilty rather than go to trial?” Heuermann responded, “Yes, your honor.” Heuermann admitted he contacted some victims using burner phones, offered them money, and killed them by strangulation. He described binding certain victims and, in some cases, dismembering remains before disposing of them. “You killed each victim in the same manner, namely strangulation?” a prosecutor asked. “Yes,” Heuermann replied.

The Gilgo Beach murders haunted Long Island for over a decade, drawing national attention and spawning books and documentaries.  The case dates back to 2010, when the disappearance of Shannan Gilbert led police to discover multiple sets of human remains along a coastal roadway. Though her case sparked the search, Heuermann has not been charged in her death. The killings stretch between 1993-2010 and primarily targeted women working as escorts. Victims include Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, Amber Costello, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Jessica Taylor, Valerie Mack, Sandra Costilla, and Karen Vergata. Several were among the “Gilgo Four,” whose bodies were discovered in 2010 wrapped in burlap along Ocean Parkway.

For years, the investigation stalled, but was revived in 2022 when a multiagency task force reexamined evidence, ultimately linking Heuermann to the crimes through cellphone data, witness descriptions of a Chevrolet Avalanche, and DNA evidence—including genetic material recovered from discarded pizza crust. He was arrested in July 2023 in Manhattan, where he worked, after investigators tracked burner phones and location data tying him to both his home in Massapequa Park and the crime scenes.

The courtroom was filled with victims’ relatives, many visibly emotional as Heuermann admitted to the killings. His ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and their daughter attended quietly. “My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” Ellerup said afterward. “Their loss is immeasurable.”

Defense attorney Michael Brown said the decision to plead guilty brought his client relief and was partly intended to spare families the pain of a trial. “There came a point in this defense when Rex said, ‘I want to plead guilty,’” Brown explained, adding the admission gave him “a huge sense of relief.”

Heuermann is expected to receive multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole—three consecutive life terms plus additional sentences totaling decades more. Sentencing is scheduled for June 17.

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An American freelance reporter kidnapped in Iraq has been released after days of uncertainty, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.

Shelly Kittleson, 49, was taken on March 31 from a busy street in central Baghdad. Officials in both the U.S. and Iraq had pointed to the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah as responsible. About a week later, the group announced it would free her, saying she must leave the country immediately.

In a statement, a spokesperson said Kittleson’s release came “in appreciation of the patriotic positions” of Iraq’s prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who had been involved in efforts to secure her freedom. The group added, “This initiative will not be repeated in the future,” and warned, “We are in a state of war waged by the Zionist-American enemy against Islam and in such situations, many considerations are disregarded.”

While Iraqi officials confirmed she was released Tuesday afternoon, her exact location was not immediately disclosed. Prior to her release, she had reportedly been held somewhere in Baghdad. U.S. officials have not publicly confirmed details of her status.

Kittleson’s kidnapping appeared to be premeditated. Sources said her name had been included on a list of American journalists targeted by the militia. She had also received repeated warnings from U.S. authorities about threats against her safety—most recently the night before she was abducted.

Details of the abduction point to a coordinated operation. Iraqi officials said two vehicles were involved; one crashed during a pursuit southwest of Baghdad, after which Kittleson was transferred to another car that escaped. During her captivity, the militia released a short video showing her speaking directly to the camera. The footage offered few clues about her location.

Behind the scenes, negotiations were complicated. Iraqi officials struggled to establish contact with militia leaders, who had reportedly gone into hiding. One official described the effort as difficult, saying communication channels were nearly nonexistent. There were also indications that the group sought the release of detained members in exchange for Kittleson’s freedom.

Kittleson is an experienced journalist who has spent years reporting across the Middle East, including in Iraq and Syria. She has contributed to outlets such as Al-Monitor, BBC World Service, and Politico, and earned Italy’s Premio Caravella award in 2017 for her work covering conflict zones. Originally from Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, she has lived abroad for much of her career, including time in Rome and Istanbul.

Colleagues say she was well aware of the risks but remained committed to her reporting. According to journalist Kiran Nazish, Kittleson had been advised not to travel but chose to proceed anyway, continuing the work she had long pursued. She had planned to stay with a local family who reassured her they “would keep her safe.”

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In a milestone moment for human spaceflight, NASA’s Artemis II crew has traveled farther from Earth than any astronauts before, marking the first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years. During their journey around the moon on April 6, 2026, the four-person team aboard the Orion spacecraft reached a record distance of 252,756 miles—surpassing the benchmark set by Apollo 13 in 1970.

The crew—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—spent roughly seven hours circling the moon, coming within about 4,067 miles of its surface. Along the way, they became the first humans to directly view certain regions of the moon’s far side without instruments.

As expected, communication with Mission Control briefly dropped for about 40 minutes while the spacecraft passed behind the moon. Contact was restored later that evening without issue. The astronauts have been documenting their journey with a series of remarkable images. Among them was a striking “Earthset,” showing Earth slipping behind the lunar horizon, partially shadowed with Australia and Oceania still illuminated. Another iconic moment included a modern recreation of “Earthrise,” echoing the famous Apollo 8 photograph.

One of the most extraordinary sights came in the form of a solar eclipse visible only from their vantage point in space. The moon completely obscured the sun for nearly 54 minutes—far longer than typical eclipses seen from Earth. Astronaut Victor Glover described the scene vividly, noting the glowing corona forming “a halo almost around the entire moon … It just looks unreal. You can see the surface of the moon against the Earthshine. … You can actually see a majority of the moon. It is the strangest looking thing that you can see so much on the surface.” Reflecting on the experience, Glover added, “Because humans probably have not evolved to see what we’re seeing,” and called the moment “truly hard to describe” and “amazing.”

The crew also captured detailed views of the moon’s rugged terrain, including craters, ridges, and long shadows stretching across the boundary between lunar day and night—features made more dramatic by low-angle sunlight.

After completing its lunar flyby, the Artemis II began its trip back to Earth. The 10-day mission is expected to conclude with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego just after 8 p.m. EDT Friday evening. As Artemis II heads home, it not only marks a historic return to deep space exploration but also sets a new benchmark for future missions.

You can view all photos and read updates on Artemis II’s journey at www.nasa.gov.

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