The U.S. military completed the withdrawal of its remaining troops and equipment from Iraq, with the final personnel leaving an air base in Irbil, in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region, under an agreement reached between Baghdad and Washington in 2024. The withdrawal ended more than two decades of U.S. military involvement in Iraq, which began with the 2003 invasion, followed by a withdrawal in 2011 and a return in 2014 to support Iraqi forces against the Islamic State. The mission was wound down as the Islamic State was reduced to scattered sleeper cells. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi described the withdrawal as the beginning of a new phase focused on Iraqi sovereignty, stronger institutions and an Iraqi led security effort. Iran and Iran backed Iraqi militias welcomed the departure and described it as a victory, while officials warned that they could seek greater influence over Iraq’s security and political affairs. Iraqi and Kurdish officials also expressed concern about potential security gaps resulting from the loss of U.S. intelligence, logistical, drone and air defense support, particularly as the Islamic State could exploit the reduced U.S. presence to regroup. Iraqi security forces reported that a suspected Islamic State cell was preparing suicide attacks to coincide with the withdrawal. The Kurdish regional government said the region had experienced more than 1,000 drone and ballistic missile attacks during the recent U.S. Iran conflict, while seven of the 18 U.S. service members reported killed during the conflict were in Iraq. Iraq had initially linked the 30 September deadline for the U.S. withdrawal to the disarmament of non state armed groups, but powerful Iran backed militias rejected disarmament or imposed conditions, leading to the militia disarmament deadline being extended to June 2027. Since 2003, about 4,500 Americans have been killed in wars and military operations in Iraq.

At around 9 am local time, FlyDubai flight FZ1073, carrying more than 150 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv, issued a hijacking distress signal while flying over Saudi Arabia near the Jordanian border, prompting Israeli fighter jets to be scrambled. The incident followed a violent confrontation between the captain and first officer, during which the captain was stabbed and reportedly lost consciousness after being attacked by the Omani co pilot. The aircraft subsequently descended approximately 15,000 feet in just over one minute before Israeli passengers overpowered the copilot. A replacement pilot who was onboard the aircraft then made an emergency landing in Tabuk, western Saudi Arabia. Israeli authorities categorically described the incident as a failed jihadist attack. The distress signal was later cancelled after the aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia. FlyDubai confirmed that the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk and that all passengers and crew were safe. The airline said it would send a special aircraft from the United Arab Emirates to return the Israeli passengers to Israel. As the incident evolved, all FlyDubai flights landing at Ben Gurion Airport were diverted to a separate area and inspected by security forces to rule out the possibility that the incident was part of a wider event. The Israeli Transportation Ministry later stopped all flights operated by the carrier to Tel Aviv until further notice.

Police arrested five British men in their 20s from London after receiving a call at 12:45 am local time. about three suspicious vans travelling toward RAF Fairford in Whelford, Gloucestershire, an airbase operated by the United States and used by American bombers during operations against Iran. The men were initially arrested under the Explosives Act and later on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. Army explosive ordnance disposal specialists examined the three vans using a bomb disposal robot. A 400 meter cordon was established, and about 85 households in Whelford were evacuated to a nearby recreation center as a precaution. Authorities said the incident was contained and continued investigating the circumstances, including a possible connection to Iran, Russia or non-state militant groups. The following day, the five men were released on bail under stringent conditions but remained under investigation. Authorities examined multiple lines of inquiry, including whether the suspected offences involved proxies or individuals knowingly or unknowingly working for a foreign state. Investigators had not concluded that the incident was state backed, and Iran denied involvement. Authorities also reported that no viable explosives had been found. The evacuated residents were allowed to return home after the scene was declared safe, while the investigation continued.

At around 4:00 am local time, four masked men entered a family home in Vendin le Vieil, northern France, and kidnapped the parents and their two children, aged 8 and 12. The father, an IT worker in the cryptocurrency sector, was taken to another room and forced to provide access codes and transfer approximately €40,000 in cryptocurrency. The family was held for more than three hours, and the father was assaulted while the 12 year old girl was struck in the face. The four suspects took identity documents, mobile phones and a computer before fleeing the scene in a vehicle and remained at large. The investigation is examining how the perpetrators identified the family and learned that the father held cryptocurrency. Under French law, cryptocurrency holders are required to declare their holdings to the tax authorities. Reports indicate that victims in similar cryptocurrency related kidnappings are often identified through leaked personal data obtained in cyberattacks, which can expose victims' identities, addresses and information about their cryptocurrency holdings. An example of this occurred in August 2026, when the tax data of more than half a million people was leaked. The data, obtained by cybercriminals, was sold to kidnapping gangs, which use it to identify potential targets. (criptotendencias.com, 20 September 2026)

Seven Ethiopian armed and opposition groups officially announced the formation of a unified coalition called the Ethiopian Peoples’ Forces Alliance for Survival, also known as the Alliance for Survival, to coordinate their political and organizational capacities in challenging Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and seeking an inclusive transitional government. The coalition comprises the Amhara Fano National Movement, Oromo Liberation Army, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (Ugugumo), Benishangul Peoples’ Liberation Movement and Gumuz Peoples’ Democratic Movement. The alliance brings together groups from several regions, including former adversaries such as the TPLF and Fano, which fought on opposing sides during the 2020–2022 Tigray war. The coalition said its objectives include ending armed conflicts, protecting the rights and security of Ethiopia’s peoples, and conducting an inclusive political and constitutional transition, while its formation signals increased coordination among regional armed groups and heightened pressure on federal forces across multiple fronts.