After nearly twelve days marked by airstrikes, missile launches, and heightened fears of a broader regional war, a ceasefire between Israel and Iran has brought a fragile but significant moment of relief to millions living in the Middle East. The truce, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, outlined a phased arrangement in which Iran would cease hostilities first, followed by Israel 12 hours later. Although neither Tehran nor Jerusalem has formally confirmed the ceasefire in official statements, a sharp decrease in military operations since Sunday night strongly suggests that both sides are abiding by the agreement.
The escalation began with a series of carefully coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel against several key Iranian nuclear facilities, including Natanz and Fordow. These attacks involved advanced weaponry such as long-range bombers and submarine-launched cruise missiles, aiming to degrade Iranâs nuclear capabilities and delay its progress. Following these strikes, Iran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli cities and American military bases in the Gulf region, triggering widespread air raid sirens and forcing thousands of civilians to seek shelter.
Israelâs military response, known as Operation Rising Lion, saw a series of over 100 airstrikes aimed at disabling Iranian military infrastructure and nuclear-related installations. According to reports from Israeli emergency services, at least 20 civilians were injured during Iranian missile attacks, many of whom sought medical attention in overwhelmed hospitals. The exact extent of casualties and damage inside Iran remains unclear, but satellite imagery and independent observers have confirmed significant damage to multiple nuclear facilities.
The international community reacted swiftly to the unfolding crisis, with the United Nations, European Union, Russia, and China among those urging both nations to step back from the brink and seek peaceful resolution. The U.S. Vice President called the ceasefire a âcritical turning point,â emphasising the importance of sustained diplomacy and restraint to prevent further bloodshed.
Despite the easing of hostilities, the human toll continues to be felt deeply. Civilians in Israel and Iran endured days of uncertainty and fear, with schools closing and hospitals operating under strain as missile sirens blared and explosions rocked populated areas. The psychological impact on families, including children and the elderly, remains profound.
Analysts caution that while the ceasefire represents a positive development, the underlying tensions between Israel and Iran have not disappeared. Neither country has committed to a formal peace process, and both remain on heightened alert. The potential for future flare-ups persists, underscoring the fragility of the current calm.
For now, the ceasefire offers a vital window of opportunity. Humanitarian agencies are preparing to provide assistance to those affected by the recent violence, and diplomats continue behind the scenes to encourage dialogue. Across cities and towns in both countries, residents are cautiously hopeful that this pause in fighting might lead to more enduring peace.
The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether this ceasefire can serve as a foundation for reducing tensions or if the region will once again face the threat of renewed conflict.
Mayor Lara not looking very happy about the situation. Credit: Ayuntamiento de Benalmadena
Residents in Benalmadena be warned. There will be cuts to the supply on Tuesday, July 8, as essential works have been left to the busiest and hottest time of year.
Between the times of 8am and 3pm, expect a likely drying up of the taps as council contractors attempt to plug the holes in the water pipes in the following areas:
Camino de Amocafre
Camino a la EstaciĂłn
Camino de la Viñuela
It seems that around 80 metres of pipework has more holes than a teabag and is long overdue some repairs. The recommendation is to get some bottled water in while you still can and still enough for afterwards, as there may be some sediment left in the pipes in the afternoon.
The troublesome area? Do you remember that massive pipe burst next to the Los Patos hotel that pumped a geyser of clean drinking water into the air? Thatâs the area that has the problem.
The council apologises for the inconvenience that this measure may cause and thanks the citizens of Benalmadena, and its hotels for understanding while the works, aimed at improving the quality of the water supply, are carried out.
Warning from Benalmadena council and the water company.
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Israel attacks three Houthi ports and a power plant in Yemen Sunday night, Monday morning, July 7th | Credit: @sabio69 on X
Israeli Defence Forces carried out their first strikes against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen since the Tel Aviv-Tehran ceasefire. The Israeli military attacked three Yemeni ports and a power plant around midnight on local time Sunday night and into Monday morning, CNN reported.
The attacks come shortly after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for civilians in the areas, warning of imminent air strikes, the BBC said.
The Israeli Air Force said these strikes on Yemenâs three ports were in response to ârepeated attacksâ by the Houthis on Israel and its citizens. It added that the targeted ports were being used to âtransfer weapons from the Iranian regime to carry out terror plansâ against Israel and its allies.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed on social media the strikes on the Houthi-controlled sites, including a power station and a ship that was hijacked by the group two years ago.
Houthis will pay âa heavy priceâ
Katz said the strikes were part of âOperation Black Flagâ and warned that the Houthis âwill continue to pay a heavy price for their actionsâ.
âThe fate of Yemen is the same as the fate of Tehran. Anyone who tries to harm Israel will be harmed, and anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have their hand cut off,â he said in a post on X.
âHouthi forces installed a radar system on the ship and have been using it to track vessels in the international maritime arena to facilitate further terrorist activities,â the IDF said in a statement following the strikes.
Following the strikes, Houthi forces said they âeffectively repelledâ the Israeli attacks, according to a post from a Houthi spokesperson on X, according to ABC News.
Enrique Iglesias delights 25,000 fans upon his return to Spain after a long absence | Credit: @Enriqueiglesias/Instagram
It had been six years since Enrique Iglesias last sang on Spanish soil, but on Saturday night in Gran Canaria, he didnât just returnâhe reclaimed it. And nobody expected it because, as reported by Euro Weekly News in mid-2022, the son of Julio Iglesias had announced his retirement from the music business.
Under the warm island sky and in front of 25,000 roaring fans, the Madrid-born global star brought his entire world back to where it began. And what unfolded wasnât just a concert. It was a reckoningâintimate, explosive, and unapologetically his.
The stadium was vibrant, filled with energy even before Iglesias sounded off his first note. There was a hum in the air and a roaring vibration on the ground as if something unprecedented or surreal was about to happen. And then, it did. The opening bars of âSĂșbeme la radioâ streamed through the air and into the night, and just like that, time collapsed.Â
No filler, no gimmicks
Thousands of LED bracelets lit up the stands, and thousands of Iglesiasâs fans danced to his rhythm, as if the crowd itself had become a living, breathing constellation.
For two hours, Enrique delivered what his fans expected. He gave them all he is and all he has, which is more than enough.Â
No filler, no gimmicksâjust music, memory, and connection. From âBailandoâ to âEl perdĂłnâ to âDuele el corazĂłn,â each track hit like a homecoming anthem. The hits werenât dusted off for nostalgiaâthey were alive, pulsing with new urgency, sung not just by him but by a crowd that knew every word and had waited too damn long to shout them back.
There was a gravity to this night, and not just because it marked Enriqueâs first show in Spain since 2019. He turns 50 this year. Itâs also the 30th anniversary of his debut albumâthree decades that saw him break from Julio Iglesiasâs long shadow and build his throne on the global stage.
Heâs no longer just the heartthrob from the â90s. Heâs one of the best-selling Latin artists of all time, with over 180 million albums sold and more than 19 billion streams in the digital ether.
They sang like heâd never left
But hereâs the truth Enrique proved on Saturday: statistics donât sing back. People do. And the people of Spain? They sang like he never left.
The Gran Canaria performance was also one of only five shows on his 2025 tourâa list that includes cities as far-flung as Sofia, Abu Dhabi, and Mumbai. Spain got the only hometown date. And the fans knew it. They treated every note like a gift.
Earlier in the day, festival-goers were treated to vibrant sets by Rawayana, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso, and the electric Picocoâs, but once Enrique Iglesias took the stage, time just seemed to freeze and stand still in awe. The music, the light, the voicesâit became something tribalâa collective release.
When it ended, there was no encore. Just Enrique, hand on his heart, eyes full of something unsaid. Maybe gratitude. Maybe relief. Maybe both.
Whatâs certain is this: Spain didnât just witness a concert. It welcomed home a son.
Enrique showing his best on-stage moves | Credit: @nabscab/Instagram