Iran chemical weapons warning, Iraq oil shift, and European probes

Israel warns US of Iranian chemical weapons plans as Iraq boosts oil exports and France investigates a 2024 Beirut strike.

Iran chemical weapons warning, Iraq oil shift, and European probes — Over the past two weeks, Israeli representatives warned the US that Iran is planning to use chemical weapons.[^1] The warning was conveyed in meetings between Israeli and American representatives. The US received the messages with concern and skepticism, and senior American officials view the intelligence as part of a pressure campaign by Prime Minister Netanyahu.[^1] Iraq has increased oil exports to Turkey through the Ceyhan port, rising from 350,000 to 500,000 barrels per day.[^2] This shift, reported by the Jerusalem Post, positions Turkey as a key transit hub amid regional tensions. French judges opened a war crimes investigation into an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in central Beirut in November 2024.[^3] The probe, at the Paris Judicial Court, follows a complaint over the strike. Separately, the British Foreign Office issued an unusual travel warning for tourists in Italy, following protests that turned violent and included riots and looting in major cities.[^4] On Monday, at least seven members of the IRGC-backed Fatemiyoun militia and one gunman were killed in clashes at a school used as a training ground in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province.[^5] The incident, reported by the Jerusalem Post, underscores internal security challenges within Iran. King Charles III, speaking at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua on Tuesday, called the transatlantic slave trade a 'shameful chapter of history' and pledged over $200 million for the Commonwealth Nature Initiative.[^6] The speech, covered by the Times of Israel, was a rare moment of colonial reckoning. Elior Zandani, a former contestant on "The Next Star" who was attacked in Athens, gave an interview today. He said: "Someone approached me and made anti-Semitic remarks. He said to me 'Free Palestine', 'Fuck Israel'. I answered him, and that's where it escalated."[^7] The Shin Bet is working with Greek authorities following information about suspected bombs on a ship owned by Mano Shipping.[^8] On US midterm Election Day, heavy rains and flooding on Florida's east coast forced election authorities to