Morning Brief, Monday 25 May

Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that Israel will intensify military operations against Hezbollah, declaring, "We will intensify our blows, increase our firepower, and we will crush them." Shortly after his video statement, Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in the Bekaa Valley and other areas, prompting residents to flee Beirut's southern suburbs. The escalation defies a US-brokered ceasefire in effect since April 17, which was extended last month. Despite the truce, daily exchanges have persisted, with Hezbollah firing over a thousand drones and 700 rockets, according to a US official. Israel has continued strikes in southern Lebanon, and 10 Israeli soldiers and over 400 Lebanese have been killed since the ceasefire began. Israel accuses Hezbollah of breaching the agreement.

On May 25, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement announcing that systematic strikes would expand to "decision-making centers" and military-industrial facilities in Kiev. The ministry explicitly warned foreign nationals, including diplomatic staff, to leave the city immediately. Concurrently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov telephoned US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to deliver the same message directly, urging the evacuation of the American embassy and recommending that other states with missions in Kiev do likewise. According to the Russian readout, Lavrov acted on instructions from President Vladimir Putin. The escalation follows a massive barrage of missiles and drones against Kiev on May 24, which killed at least four people and wounded over 100. The assault included the third-ever use of the advanced Oreshnik missile, described by Moscow as retaliation for a Ukrainian drone strike on a dormitory in occupied Starobilsk. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha dismissed the warning as blackmail, insisting it would not work. He noted that earlier that day he had invited over 70 diplomatic mission heads to visit the sites of the recent Russian strikes. France pushed back sharply, with its foreign ministry stating it had no intention of evacuating its diplomats.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday ordered the reopening of international internet access, according to Iranian state media. The announcement was made by the head of public relations at Iran's Communications Ministry. However, the mechanism and exact timing of the reconnection remain unclear. Internet disruptions in Iran trace back to early 2026. Authorities first imposed a nationwide blackout on January 8 in response to anti-government protests. Connectivity gradually returned in February, but a new shutdown was enforced on February 28 shortly after the start of US and Israeli military strikes against Iran. Most Iranians have been unable to access the global web for 87 days, according to internet observatory NetBlocks. Only a small minority with expensive, advanced VPNs have managed to bypass restrictions. Even during normal times, Iranian internet access is heavily censored, with authorities increasingly relying on a domestic intranet for services such as online school curricula. The February 28 blackout coincided with the escalation of hostilities between Iran and a US-Israeli coalition. The earlier January shutdown was tied to nationwide unrest. The prolonged disconnection has drawn international criticism and deepened the country's digital isolation during a period of heightened conflict. While the presidential order signals a potential end to the blackout, officials have not provided a timeline for restoration. Observers note that even if access is restored, comprehensive censorship and surveillance are expected to persist in Iran's tightly controlled online environment.

On May 25, 2026, exactly 79 years after the Ferrari 125 S won at the Caracalla circuit, Ferrari returned to Rome to unveil the Luce, its first fully electric car. The event at the Vela di Calatrava featured five Luces painted in a gradient from Ferrari red to white and light blue, signaling a break from the brand's traditional muscular styling.

SC Paderborn secured their third-ever promotion to the Bundesliga with a thrilling 2-1 extra-time victory over VfL Wolfsburg in the second leg of their relegation playoff on Monday. The result, combined with the 0-0 first-leg draw, means Wolfsburg will play in the 2. Bundesliga next season for the first time in the club's history after an unbroken top-flight presence since 1997. Wolfsburg made a blistering start when Dzenan Pejcinovic scored in just the third minute, converting a cross from Adam Daghim to give the visitors an early lead. But the match turned dramatically in the 14th minute when Wolfsburg's Joakim Maehle received his second yellow card in quick succession, leaving his team to play with ten men for more than 100 minutes. Paderborn, backed by a sold-out crowd of 15,000, gradually took control. Filip Bilbija headed in an equaliser in the 38th minute after sustained pressure. After the break, the hosts piled on more chances, hitting the woodwork twice through Sebastian Klaas and Sven Michel, while Wolfsburg barely threatened. In the 100th minute, Laurin Curda finally broke through with Paderborn's 35th shot of the game, sparking wild celebrations. The victory marks Paderborn's third Bundesliga promotion after 2014 and 2019, joining fellow promoted sides Schalke 04 and Elversberg in the top flight. For Wolfsburg, the defeat caps a disastrous season in which they only reached the playoff thanks to a late resurgence of eight points from five games.

A fresh case of the rare Andes hantavirus has been detected in a Spanish citizen who was among passengers evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship earlier this month. The Spanish Health Ministry announced on Monday that one of the Spanish nationals already in preventive quarantine at Madrid's Gómez Ulla military hospital tested positive for hantavirus following a PCR check. The patient, who showed no symptoms, was immediately transferred to the hospital's High-Level Isolation Unit. Authorities stressed that the individual had been under clinical monitoring and isolation since admission, in line with protocols of the Early Warning and Rapid Response System.