11 articles on this subject, from across the site.
There are armed conflicts in around 40-50 countries worldwide, depending on how a conflict is defined. The latest major studies provide these figures: 40 armed conflicts across the world, according to the School for a Culture of Peace at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
A British Airways flight landed in Kuwait during Iraq's 1990 invasion. All 385 people were detained for 126 days. Survivors now allege the UK government and BA knew beforehand and allowed the flight to land, possibly to insert special forces operatives.
Arab governments condemned Israel's actions but lacked military capacity, feared escalation, depended on U.S. support, and prioritised stability over intervention.
Netanyahu pursued a strategy of containing Hamas through periodic military operations whilst preventing Palestinian unity, accepting fragmentation over statehood. Critics argue this approach inadvertently strengthened Hamas before the October 2023 attack.
Deliberate ramming by a military vessel could constitute an act of war, depending on context, intent and nationality. Historical incidents show most have been resolved through diplomacy rather than escalation.
U.S. military aid takes multiple forms: grants requiring no repayment, Lend-Lease agreements that do, and direct sales. Most aid to Ukraine has been grant-based, not requiring repayment.
Countries have greater rights to destroy ships damaging infrastructure in their territorial waters than in international waters, though responses must be proportionate and justified under international law.
Saddam Hussein's execution resulted from complex political, economic and military factors including WMD claims, oil interests, regional opposition and documented human rights abuses rather than any single piece of knowledge.
Russia's invasion stemmed from historical claims, NATO expansion fears, strategic interests in Black Sea access, domestic political needs, economic leverage, security concerns, and ideological motivations regarding post-Soviet influence.
A large-scale nuclear war would cause hundreds of millions of deaths through blast, radiation and fallout, plus environmental devastation, economic collapse and societal breakdown.
Israel gained control of Gaza following the 1948 war, then captured it from Egypt in 1967. The situation remains contested, involving settlements, blockades, and unresolved Palestinian claims.
