Abrar H Hashmi

On 7 and 8 July 2026, a NATO summit was held in Ankara; heads of 32 NATO members along with representatives from Ukraine and South Korea attended the summit. There was an announcement of billions of dollars for new defense spending, but this budget raises concern about the future of this alliance. The US-Iran war signaled the uncertainty and lack of trust among the member states; that uncertainty is the real story of Ankara.

On 4 July 2026, the United States of America celebrated its 250th anniversary of independence; at the same time, Iran began preparations for the funeral of its spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and opened the gates of the Grand Mosalla in Tehran. On 28 February, the USA launched the strikes on Khamenei’s residence; the results were disastrous and caused his death along with close family members.

On May 9, 2026, a police post was attacked in Bannu with a 1200-kilogram car bomb. The damage was severe and immediate. In no time, more than a hundred militants were coordinating from above, quadcopter drones cutting through the night sky. Twenty-one officers died and five were wounded. Every media platform called it an “attack,” but Islamabad moved on within 48 hours. Non-state militant groups in Pakistan combined land and air assaults by using aerial coordination.