🇺🇸🇺🇿🇨🇳⚡️- The US signed a Joint Investment Framework with Uzbekistan to secure critical minerals and deepen ties in Central Asia, a region long dominated by China and Russia. The Development Finance Corp (DFC) will back exploration, extraction, and processing, plus a proposed US-Uzbek joint holding company for minerals and infrastructure.

🇰🇷⚡- Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol sentenced to life in prison for his botched insurrection in December 2024.

🇮🇷⚡- Iranian pilot Mehdi Firoozmand was killed in a jet crash in the Hamedan region of Iran. Firoozmand flew on his aircraft from the Nojeh Air Base, Hamedan, which is home to the F-4s.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡- "Trump is considering a limited initial strike on Iran to apply pressure into accepting US demands in negotiations," - Center for Strategic and International Studies, US Think Tank.

🇺🇸🇮🇷 - The Wall Street Journal has also reported similar – Trump may carry out a limited operation to force Iran into accepting US demands.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡- "Trump is ready to launch an extended military assault on Iran.

Regional allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE favor a limited operation instead of an extended attack," - Washington Post.

🇸🇦🇬🇷🇮🇱⚡- "Riyadh wants to replace Israel with Syria for Greece fibre-optic cable route.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has publicly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Riyadh is also at odds with the UAE, Israel’s closest Arab partner, in Yemen, Sudan, and the Red Sea.

A project like this is consistent with Saudi attempts to reintegrate Syria to the regional fold and isolate Israel. Saudi Arabia's shift on the project could throw a wrench in Greece’s relationship with Israel if it is indeed snubbed in the new route," - The Middle East Eye.

🇷🇺🇨🇳⚡️- Russia has carried out its first known triple LNG ship-to-ship transfer near Murmansk. The LNG is likely bound for China’s Beihai LNG terminal, despite Western sanctions.

🇺🇸⚡️- "Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War, and other relevant Departments and Agencies, to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" - President Trump via Truth Social

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️- BREAKING: Congress and its elected leaders are on track to give U.S. President Donald Trump the equivalent of a green light ahead of a potential major war in the Middle East, barring a surprise. - Axios.

🇺🇸🇰🇷🇨🇳⚡- "U.S. Forces in South Korea (USFK) and Chinese fighter jets were in a brief aerial standoff over the Yellow Sea earlier this week as the U.S. Air Force's rare exercise prompted the Chinese military to scramble its own fighter jets in response.

Several USFK F-16 fighter jets took off from Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, and flew above international waters in the Yellow Sea, prompting the Chinese military to dispatch its own fighter jets to the scene, but no clash occurred," - Yonhap.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "IDF officials estimate Iran could possess at least 5,000 ballistic missiles by 2027, producing about 100 per month, and say layered air defenses cannot fully prevent damage from sustained, large-scale barrages." - ynet.

🇪🇹⚡- Ethiopian military, ENDF, has now begun amassing heavy troops along the western Tigray Interim Administration, TIA, region. Large ENDF columns are arriving in Tselemti and Welkait, near the Eritrean border.

Tigray separatists, TDF, continue mobilizing in the southern TIA region, particularly around Alamata.

🇺🇸🇸🇦⚡- As part of a US - Saudi Arabia deal, Riyadh will possibly start enriching uranium on its soil, AP reports.

🇪🇹⚡- Addis Ababa has blocked international media from travelling to the Tigray region, northern Ethiopia.

🇺🇸🇷🇺⚡- "The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked two Russian Tu-95s, two Su-35s, and one A-50 operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on February 19th, 2026.

NORAD launched two F-16s, two F-35s, one E-3, and four KC-135s to intercept, positively identify, and escort the aircraft until they departed the Alaskan ADIZ," - NORAD.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡- "NATO officials have received no details of a US plan for strikes on Iran," - The New York Times.

🇩🇰🇮🇷⚡- Denmark seized an Iranian container vessel, NORA, just north of Denmark.

The vessel, flying under the Cameroonian flag, had departed St. Petersburg, Russia, and was en route to Iran via a stop in Egypt.

🇳🇬⚡- "At least 34 people were killed when suspected [Islamic State affiliated] Lakurawa militants launched coordinated attacks on multiple villages in Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria," - Reuters.