Global flashpoints: Drone strikes, spy arrests, and diplomatic rifts

A drone attack on ships near Bulgaria, the arrest of a former BND chief, and a British threat to expel Israeli diplomats mark a volatile 12 hours.

Global flashpoints: Drone strikes, spy arrests, and diplomatic rifts — A precedent-setting drone attack struck two commercial ships in the Black Sea today near the Bulgarian coast, marking the first such incident in NATO territorial waters. [^1] The ships, the Togo-flagged 'Alfa Watan' and the 'Able,' were hit; 18 crew members were rescued from the 'Able' after it caught fire, but the 'Alfa Watan' sank. [^1] The attack raises immediate questions about the security of commercial shipping in the Black Sea and NATO's response to a strike so close to its borders. In Germany, August Hanning, the former head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), has been arrested on suspicion of espionage and treason. [^2] The arrest of a former chief of a major intelligence agency is a dramatic development, signaling a serious breach of state secrets. Separately, in the UK, three Iranian citizens are on trial for conducting surveillance between August 2024 and March 2025 on employees of the Iran International channel. [^3] The case highlights ongoing Iranian efforts to target dissidents and media outlets abroad. The diplomatic front is also tense. Britain is threatening to expel a similar number of Israeli diplomats if Israel proceeds with its plan to expel about 30 British diplomats. [^4] This tit-for-tat threat underscores a severe deterioration in UK-Israel relations. In a separate incident, European Parliament member Rima Hassan was documented knocking down and stepping on Israeli and European Union flags on the Parliament grounds. [^5] The act, which occurred this week, adds a symbolic dimension to the ongoing political tensions surrounding Israel in European institutions. Meanwhile, Iranian security forces have raided the homes of at least five families of protesters killed in the January 2026 protests over the past two weeks. [^6] One mother of a killed protester was quoted as saying: "If you publish another photo or video, nothing will remain in the child's room." [^6] The raids represent an intensification of the regime's pressure on the families of those who died in the protests, aiming to suppress any commemoration or documentation of the events. IDF grapples with