U.S. Military Prepares Iran Strike, South Korean Ex-President Sentenced to Life Imprisonment – 2/19/2026, 8:28:35 PM

Here are the major international news stories from today:

U.S. Military Preparations Against Iran

The U.S. military is preparing to strike Iran as soon as this weekend, pending President Trump’s final decision.[1] According to CNN, Trump is “spending a lot of time thinking about” the strike.[1] The preparations follow failed indirect nuclear talks between U.S. and Iranian negotiators in Geneva on Tuesday.[1] The U.S. is deploying a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, to the Middle East to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf.[1] Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to travel to Israel later this month to discuss Iran’s nuclear program with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[1]

Gaza Military Base and Board of Peace Summit

The Trump administration is planning to construct a 5,000-person military base in Gaza spanning over 350 acres, intended to host an International Stabilization Force as part of Trump’s Board of Peace initiative.[1] The Board of Peace held its inaugural meeting in Washington today, with delegations from countries largely led by authoritarian governments—including Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.[1] European allies declined to participate in the summit.[1]

Gaza Death Toll Study

Researchers publishing in The Lancet medical journal found that Israel’s assault on Gaza killed over 75,000 Palestinians in the first 16 months, significantly higher than the roughly 49,000 deaths reported by the Palestinian health ministry.[1] More than half of those killed were women, seniors, or children.[1] Palestinian photojournalist Mariam Dagga was posthumously awarded the 2026 George Polk Award for her documentation of Israel’s starvation campaign; she was killed last August when Israel’s military bombed Nasser hospital in Khan Younis.[1]

South Korea’s Former President Sentenced

South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor after being found guilty of leading an insurrection during a failed attempt to declare martial law in December 2024.[1] The court found Yoon unlawfully attempted to send troops into South Korea’s national assembly to arrest key political figures.[1]

Russia Supports Cuba Against U.S. Embargo

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Cuba’s foreign minister and pledged support to the island nation.[1] Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov urged the U.S. to end its blockade and oil embargo, which has left Cuba facing blackouts and severe fuel shortages.[1]