Israeli forces completed five waves of airstrikes on Gaza City as part of their takeover plan, targeting over 500 sites while the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly backed a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. NATO launched "Eastern Sentry," a new defense mission reinforcing the alliance's eastern flank after Russian drones violated Polish airspace earlier this week. Ukraine conducted a major drone attack on Russia's largest Baltic oil port at Primorsk, suspending operations and potentially costing Russia $41 million daily, while Myanmar's military killed at least 18 students in airstrikes on two private schools in Rakhine State.
Israeli forces intensified their assault on Gaza City on September 12, completing five waves of airstrikes targeting over 500 sites as part of their comprehensive takeover plan for the territory's largest population center. The Israeli military reported targeting what it described as terrorist infrastructure and Hamas positions, while local health authorities confirmed at least 59 Palestinians were killed during Friday's operations, most of them in Gaza City itself.
Satellite imagery analysis revealed the scope of Israel's systematic destruction campaign, with over 1,800 buildings damaged or destroyed in and around Gaza City since the offensive began on August 9. CNN analysis of satellite data showed concentrated demolitions in the Zeitoun neighborhood, where Israeli forces used excavators and bulldozers to conduct block-by-block demolitions rather than relying solely on airstrikes.
The assault occurred as Israeli security chiefs warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the planned Gaza City takeover would "inevitably" lead to the killing of hostages held in the territory. The assessment came during a meeting convened by Netanyahu, with security officials providing more definitive predictions about hostage casualties than in previous briefings about the Gaza City operation.
Israeli forces continued expanding the Kissufim Crossing with Gaza to facilitate increased humanitarian aid deliveries and civilian evacuations from Gaza City to southern areas of the Strip. The military reported working to prepare and adapt crossing areas, including paving new routes and expanding goods terminals as part of efforts to move civilians away from combat zones.
The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted the "New York Declaration" on September 12, backing a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine by a vote of 142 in favor, 10 against including Israel and the United States, and 12 abstentions. The resolution outlined "tangible, timebound, and irreversible steps" toward establishing a Palestinian state, while also condemning Hamas and demanding the release of Israeli hostages. Palestine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the Saudi-French efforts to create an actionable plan toward the two-state solution while calling for activating mechanisms to end Israeli occupation.
NATO launched "Eastern Sentry," a comprehensive defense mission to reinforce the alliance's eastern flank on September 12, following Russian drone incursions into Polish airspace earlier this week. Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced the mission during a joint press conference with Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich, describing the operation as a response to Russia's "reckless and unacceptable" violation of allied territory.
The mission will deploy fighter jets and naval assets from Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany to strengthen NATO's posture from the Baltic states in the north to countries like Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. Denmark committed two F-16 fighters and an anti-air warfare frigate, France pledged three Rafale jets, Germany offered four Eurofighter aircraft, while the United Kingdom expressed willingness to provide additional support assets.
The Eastern Sentry operation responds to Poland's shooting down of at least 19 Russian drones that violated its airspace on September 10, marking the first time a NATO member had engaged Russian military assets over its territory. Polish officials characterized the incursions as deliberate attempts by Russia to test NATO's capabilities and response mechanisms, rejecting US President Trump's suggestion that the violations may have been accidental.
Ukrainian forces conducted a major drone strike on Russia's Primorsk oil port in Leningrad Oblast on September 12, marking the first attack on Russia's largest Baltic Sea oil terminal. Security Service of Ukraine sources confirmed their drones struck the port, which handles approximately 60 million tons of oil annually and serves as a key hub for Russia's "shadow fleet" used to evade international sanctions. The attack caused fires on a moored vessel and at a pumping station, forcing the suspension of oil shipments with estimated daily losses to Russia reaching $41 million.
Russian forces conducted drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian territory overnight September 11-12, with the Defense Ministry claiming to have intercepted 221 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions. The strikes targeted Sumy region, where three people were killed and buildings damaged, while Ukraine reported that Russian ground offensives in multiple directions had failed to achieve territorial gains. Ukrainian officials emphasized that Russia's aerial bombardment campaign continued despite mounting equipment losses and international pressure.
Quad states presented a comprehensive roadmap to end Sudan's devastating civil war on September 12, while the United States announced new sanctions targeting individuals and entities supporting the conflict. The initiative involves the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia working together to establish a framework for peace negotiations between Sudan's warring factions.
The proposed roadmap addresses key issues including humanitarian access, protection of civilians, and the establishment of transitional governance arrangements to replace the current military competition between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. International mediators emphasized the urgent need to halt fighting that has displaced millions of Sudanese civilians and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
US Treasury officials confirmed that the new sanctions target individuals and companies providing military support, financing, or logistical assistance to parties perpetuating the conflict. The measures aim to cut off revenue streams funding the war while preserving humanitarian and commercial activities essential for civilian survival during the ongoing crisis.
The diplomatic initiative comes as fighting continues across multiple Sudanese states, with international observers documenting widespread human rights violations and the systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure. Regional partners stressed that sustainable peace requires addressing the underlying political and economic grievances that initially sparked the conflict between military factions competing for control.
Myanmar's military conducted a nighttime airstrike on two private schools in Thayet Thapin village, Kyauktaw township, killing at least 18 people and injuring more than 20 others on September 12. Arakan Army spokesperson Khaing Thukha confirmed that a military jet fighter dropped two bombs on Pyinnyar Pan Khinn and A Myin Thit Private High Schools, with most victims being 17 to 18-year-old students from the boarding schools.
The attack occurred in territory controlled by the ethnic Arakan Army in western Rakhine State, approximately 250 kilometers southwest of Mandalay. Local sources reported that the military used 500-pound bombs in the strike, with debris and casualties documented at both educational facilities. The Myanmar military has not announced any operations in the area, and internet and cellphone service remains largely cut off, preventing independent verification of the incident.
The airstrikes represent the latest escalation in Myanmar's ongoing civil war, which began after the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. The Arakan Army captured Kyauktaw township in February 2024 as part of broader territorial gains by ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy forces challenging military rule across the country.
No significant conflict developments, military operations, terrorist attacks, or major cybersecurity incidents were documented across South & Central Asia, the Americas, and cyber/space theaters on September 12, 2025. The absence of immediate events during this reporting period reflects normal variance in daily conflict cycles rather than resolution of underlying security challenges affecting these regions.