Africa & World

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil — a major funding source for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

The new tariff, which takes effect in three weeks, will be applied on top of another 25 percent duty scheduled to come into force on Thursday. Existing exemptions for products already covered by sector-specific tariffs, such as steel and aluminum, will remain in place, as will exclusions for sensitive categories including pharmaceuticals.

The move marks a significant escalation in Washington’s efforts to pressure countries maintaining energy ties with Russia, even as it risks straining trade relations with India.

Israel launched a large-scale airstrike on Iran early Friday, targeting approximately 100 sites including nuclear facilities and military command centres. The strikes resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian officials, including Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami, according to Iranian media.

Among the key targets was Iran’s Natanz atomic facility, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as central to Tehran’s nuclear enrichment programme. “These strikes will continue as many days as it takes,” Netanyahu stated, warning that intelligence indicated Iran was nearing the “point of no return” in its nuclear development.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation sent a “strong and clear message,” asserting that individuals involved in efforts to destroy Israel would be “eliminated.”

In response, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed a “bitter and painful” retaliation. The Iranian military declared there would be “no limits” to its response, and later launched about 100 drones toward Israel. The Israeli military reported that its air defences intercepted the drones outside Israeli territory.

Neighbouring Jordan also reported intercepting drones and missiles that had violated its airspace, with air raid sirens sounding in the capital, Amman.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News he had prior knowledge of the Israeli strikes, while emphasising that Iran “cannot have a nuclear bomb.” The U.S. government, however, stated it was not involved in the operation and warned Tehran against targeting American personnel or interests.

Iran dismissed the U.S. denial, saying the scale and coordination of the Israeli strikes could not have occurred without Washington’s involvement. “The United States will be held responsible for the consequences,” Tehran stated.

Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh has not ruled out the possibility of seeking a sixth term in the country’s 2026 presidential election, despite a constitutional age limit that would bar his candidacy.

In an interview published on Friday by The Africa Report, the 77-year-old leader declined to give a direct answer when asked if he would run in April 2026.

“I won’t answer that,” Guelleh said. “What I can say is that I love my country too much to lead it into a reckless venture or sow division.”

Under Djibouti’s current constitution, candidates over the age of 75 are prohibited from contesting presidential elections, meaning a sixth term would require constitutional amendments.

Guelleh, widely known by his initials “IOG”, secured a fifth term in 2021 with 97 percent of the vote. His ruling party, the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP), maintains a firm grip on parliament.

Guelleh came to power in 1999 after serving as chief of staff to Djibouti’s founding president, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, for 22 years. His tenure has been marked by political stability in a region often plagued by unrest.

Djibouti’s strategic location at the Horn of Africa has made it a key military hub for global powers, including the United States, France, and China, all of which maintain military bases in the country.