US Forces Strike Alleged Drug Boats, Killing 11; Iran and US Reach Nuclear Understanding; Russia to Compete in Paralympics
Geneva, Switzerland - February 18, 2026 - US forces conducted strikes on three alleged drug smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean, resulting in the deaths of 11 people, according to US Southern Command. Meanwhile, in Geneva, Iran and the United States reached an understanding on "guiding principles" after nuclear talks, and Russia is set to compete under its own flag at the Paralympic Games for the first time since 2014.
The US military's strikes on the alleged drug boats occurred on Monday, targeting vessels along known narco-trafficking routes, as stated by US Southern Command. Two boats were hit in the eastern Pacific Ocean, each carrying four people, while a third boat in the Caribbean Sea had three people on board. These strikes are part of a broader campaign against alleged drug traffickers, with the recent attacks bringing the number of fatalities to at least 145 since the Trump administration began targeting such individuals.
In Geneva, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that while a comprehensive agreement may not be imminent, the discussions with the United States had initiated a "path." Oman's Foreign Minister, Badr Albusaidi, described the talks as "constructive," noting "good progress" had been made. The negotiations involved US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian officials.
Additionally, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced that Russia would be allowed to compete under its own flag at the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, awarding the Russian National Paralympic Committee six slots. This decision marks a significant shift, as Russia had previously been banned from the games in 2016 due to a state-sponsored doping scheme and again in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.
In other news, French authorities arrested nine suspects in Lyon in connection with the death of a French far-right activist. Among those detained was an assistant to Raphael Arnault, a member of parliament from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, who subsequently fired the assistant. The incident has heightened tensions between the far right and hard left ahead of upcoming municipal and presidential elections.
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