Rooma News : day of strikes, storms and searches 140 Iranian sites hit in US strikes 5 Gulf states hit in reprisal strikes 27 Killed in Bangkok pub fire 1.7M+ Evacuated for Typhoon Bavi 20,000+ Est. heatwave deaths, Europe 42 Killed in Balochistan's worst week

 Monday, July 13, 2026

Islamabad Edition

Vol. I · No. 1 · Rs. 30

Rooma News

Compiled & Edited by Rooma Mehmood — Islamabad

World◆Pakistan◆Editorial

By The Numbers

A day of strikes, storms and searches

140

Iranian sites hit in US strikes

5

Gulf states hit in reprisal strikes

27

Killed in Bangkok pub fire

1.7M+

Evacuated for Typhoon Bavi

20,000+

Est. heatwave deaths, Europe

42

Killed in Balochistan's worst week

World News

Dubai —

Hormuz Shut Again as U.S. Hits 140 Iranian Targets

Tanker attack and retaliatory strikes on five Gulf states deepen a five-month-old war; Washington disputes Tehran's closure claim

Iran's Revolutionary Guard struck a Cyprus-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, setting it ablaze and leaving one crew member missing, then declared the waterway closed "until further notice." The United States answered overnight with its third round of strikes on Iran this week, hitting roughly 140 military sites — missile and drone facilities, naval assets, ammunition stores and coastal radar, according to Central Command.

Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on U.S.-linked targets across the Gulf, including Jordan's Prince Hassan Air Base, with air-defence systems activated over Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE. Qatar suspended all maritime activity in its waters, the first blanket suspension by a Gulf state since the war began. Washington insists the strait remains open to lawful traffic; Tehran maintains otherwise, and shipping data shows transits have fallen to a fraction of pre-war levels.

The exchange is the latest reversal of a ceasefire President Trump declared "over" over the weekend, in a war that began in February when U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Iran's Supreme Leader. Regional mediators continue pressing both sides toward de-escalation as oil markets react: Brent crude has climbed back above $78 a barrel.

Climate & Disasters

Europe's Deadly Summer Passes 20,000

Excess deaths from Europe's back-to-back summer heatwaves have climbed past 20,000 by aggregated estimates, as a second severe heat spell pushed temperatures above 40°C from France to Poland. Belgium and Spain have each recorded their deadliest heatwaves in decades.

Typhoon Bavi Slams Into China

Typhoon Bavi made landfall in Zhejiang province Saturday night, the second typhoon to hit China in just over a week. Authorities evacuated more than 1.7 million people; the storm earlier killed at least 17 in the Philippines and injured dozens in Taiwan.

Bangkok Pub Fire Kills 27

A blaze tore through a crowded pub in northern Bangkok early Monday, killing at least 27 people and injuring 63. Thailand's prime minister said several victims were found near what may have been a blocked fire exit — the country's deadliest fire since 2009.

Also In The World

Kyiv —

Zelensky Ousts Prime Minister in Wartime Shake-Up

President Volodymyr Zelensky moved Sunday to replace Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko as part of a broader reset of Ukraine's wartime political strategy, triggering the constitutionally required resignation of the entire cabinet. State energy executive Sergii Koretskyi and former premier Denys Shmyhal are seen as the leading candidates to succeed her, with the shake-up framed around shoring up air defences and energy resilience before another wartime winter.

Pakistan News

Quetta —

Balochistan Reels From Its Deadliest Week as Crackdown Toll Tops 100

Operation Shaban presses on after coordinated attacks killed 42, including 18 abducted police officers found executed

Pakistan's security forces launched a sweeping air-and-ground offensive, Operation Shaban, after coordinated militant attacks across Balochistan killed 42 people — 38 security personnel and four civilians — in the days between July 5 and 8. Eighteen police officers were abducted and later found executed after militants overran a checkpoint near the Mangi Dam in Ziarat district, while 11 soldiers died in a separate highway ambush in Lasbela.

The military says more than 100 militants have since been killed in the joint Army, Frontier Corps and police campaign, though — as with past tolls from the province — the figures have not been independently verified. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an apex committee meeting in Quetta and vowed the campaign would continue until the militant network is dismantled, again accusing India of backing the attackers.

Weather

PMD Warns of Windstorms, Urban Flooding in the North

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast rain, windstorms and thundershowers through this week across Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and northern Punjab, warning of isolated heavy falls, landslides and urban flooding in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore and Faisalabad. The NDMA has urged tourists to avoid non-essential travel to the north through July 14 given the risk of glacial lake outburst floods and sudden river surges. Hot, humid weather continues to grip Sindh and southern Punjab.

Latest PMD Readings (°C)

Islamabad 22°

Lahore 30°

Karachi 29°

Peshawar 25°

Quetta 24°

Gilgit 18°

Murree 15°

Muzaffarabad 23°

Windstorms and lightning may damage weak structures — solar panels, power poles, billboards — through the forecast period. — PMD

In Brief

Chitral: Rescue 1122 evacuated more than 200 stranded passengers after flash floods and mudslides blocked the Drosh–Ashirat road in Lower Chitral. No casualties were reported, though the district has seen repeated flash flooding this monsoon season.

Ormara: Search teams recovered wreckage of a K2 Airways cargo Boeing 737 that vanished en route from Sharjah to Karachi, found roughly 53 nautical miles south of Ormara. Efforts continue to locate the five crew members aboard.

Gulf Watch: With the Strait of Hormuz disputed and oil prices climbing, officials and analysts here are watching the Gulf crisis closely for its knock-on effects on energy import costs, remittances from Gulf-based workers, and regional stability.

The Editorial

Fragile Ceasefires and Looming Storms

The rapid return to hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz is a stark reminder of how quickly fragile diplomatic gains can evaporate. With ships targeted, retaliatory strikes launched, and closures declared, global energy markets face renewed volatility at a time when many economies are already strained. Mediators deserve credit for their efforts, but without genuine de-escalation from all parties — including restraint on proxy actions and threats — the region risks a broader conflagration that no one can afford.

For Pakistan, the timing could not be more challenging. As monsoon rains bring relief from heat but heighten flood risk in the north, the country must prioritise preparedness and resilient infrastructure. Security operations against terrorism remain critical, yet long-term stability demands addressing root causes alongside kinetic responses. Diplomatically, Pakistan's calls for calm in West Asia align with its own interest in secure sea lanes and economic recovery.

In an interconnected world, distant conflicts ripple locally through oil prices, trade and security dynamics. Leaders must prioritise dialogue over dominance. Pakistan, with its strategic location and experience in mediation, can play a constructive role — but its greatest strength will come from internal cohesion and proactive governance amid weather, security and global uncertainty. Prudence today prevents crises tomorrow.

— Rooma Mehmood, Editor