Russia and Ukraine announced competing ceasefires ahead of Victory Day, while both sides launched large-scale aerial attacks: Russia struck multiple Ukrainian regions with missiles and drones, and Ukraine hit military-industrial and energy targets deep inside Russia, including a defense plant in Cheboksary and an oil refinery near St. Petersburg. The US announced further troop reductions and canceled Tomahawk missile deployments to Germany, signaling a major shift in NATO commitments. A car ramming attack in Leipzig killed two and injured 20, investigated as suspected terrorism.

The U.S. and Iran engaged in direct military confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz, with U.S. destroyers transiting under attack and a massive buildup of U.S. air power. A shooting near the White House caused a lockdown and injuries, while two U.S. soldiers remain missing in Morocco.

Iranian forces targeted a South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering missile alarms in Dubai and prompting US calls for Chinese assistance to reopen the waterway. In India, the BJP swept West Bengal while actor-politician Vijay's TVK emerged as the largest party in Tamil Nadu. North Korea's Kim Jong-un urged youth to join Russia's war in Ukraine, and Pakistan faced multiple militant attacks in North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and Balochistan.

Iran launched sustained missile and drone attacks on UAE energy infrastructure, triggering a major fire at Fujairah and prompting Bahrain to declare a state of emergency. In the Strait of Hormuz, US forces destroyed Iranian speedboats while Iran claimed civilian casualties, and commercial shipping remains under threat. The US-Iran ceasefire is near collapse, with President Trump issuing an ultimatum and preparations underway for renewed US-Israeli strikes, while Israel and Hezbollah continue cross-border hostilities in southern Lebanon.

The most critical development is a drone attack on Khartoum International Airport, which Sudan attributes to the UAE and Ethiopia, ending a period of calm. In Nigeria, bandits burned a military camp in Zamfara and a cross-border raid killed dozens of Fulani herders, while two US soldiers remain missing after a hike during military exercises in Morocco. Other significant events include xenophobia-driven returns of Nigerians from South Africa, a French journalist dropping his appeal in Algeria, and Egypt suspending flights to UAE cities.