Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has reacted against the KFOR commander who decided to open the main bridge over the Ibar River in Kosovska Mitrovica.

Speaking to journalists during a visit to the new emergency department building of the health centre in Kursumlija, the President announced that he would write a letter to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to request that the main bridge over the river not be opened.

This step follows the decision by the Kosovo Force (KFOR) to withdraw from the main bridge dividing North and South Mitrovica after approximately 27 years.

The current commander of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) is Major General Ozkan Ulutas.

Italian Carabinieri removed their tents on the northern side of the bridge, marking the start of a gradual withdrawal of the permanent presence of NATO-led international troops.

In a statement to German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, KFOR said that after the completion of the process, it would maintain a visible and strong presence in North Mitrovica and throughout northern Kosovo, and would “continue to contribute to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all communities.”

No statement was made regarding whether the Kosovo Police would take over the security of the bridge.

The newspaper Srpske novine had previously reported that Brussels had confirmed the necessary conditions for opening the Ibar Bridge.

Now, for the first time, a concrete written step is coming from Serbia’s highest official, addressed directly to the head of the Alliance.

“I will send a letter to Rutte this evening. So what can we do? We will fight as much as we can,” Vucic said.

Placing the Ibar Bridge issue within the broader context of relations with Pristina and the West, the President claimed that this was an attempt to exert pressure on Belgrade.

The Serbian leader continued:

“They thought everything was going in their favour; first they broke up Yugoslavia, then Serbia and Montenegro; now they want to separate Kosovo, which Serbia does not and will not accept, and they think they can use this to pressure us.”

Asked by a reporter about growing concerns among Serbs in Kosovo regarding the conduct of Albanian Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Vucic asserted that Serbs were being “harassed with unfounded accusations” and were subsequently not even allowed to prove their innocence.

“This is an act of terror; it stems not only from Albin Kurti, but also from his backers in the West,” Vucic said.

The President cited the case of Nenad Raskovic as an example. According to his claim, media outlets had reported for a month that this individual had been beaten over a gambling debt.

Vucic said hundreds of reports had been published claiming Raskovic had a gambling debt and was beaten by Serbs, but they later admitted to filing lawsuits against two police officers.

The President maintains that the admission that an investigation had been launched against two police officers over their conduct toward Raskovic refutes earlier claims that the beating stemmed from a gambling debt.

He also sharply criticised the KFOR command on this matter:

“What liars, what scoundrels. And the situation of those who support them and open the Ibar Bridge is even worse. Everyone is playing dumb, even the KFOR commander is playing dumb. Tonight I will send a letter to Rutte.”

It remains unclear whether the Serbian president’s letter will affect the timeline for transferring control of the bridge from international troops to the Kosovo Police. According to the Pristina administration’s interior minister, this process has already begun.

The Iranian leadership is weighing the option of striking American military facilities in Europe should US President Donald Trump escalate tensions.

According to a report by the Financial Times citing two sources close to Iranian officials, Tehran has worked on potential strike plans targeting American facilities in Southeastern Europe. In this context, Bezmer Air Base in Bulgaria, used by the US military for aircraft refuelling, alongside Cyprus, which hosts British military bases, were listed among potential targets. Iran was also reported to have evaluated the possibility of attacking undersea fibre-optic cables in the Strait of Hormuz.

The sources stated that in the event of a new conflict, Tehran could expand its strike range beyond the borders of the Middle East. One source said: “If the US goes too far, Iran will defend itself at all costs, go beyond the region’s borders, and strike Europe.”

The Tehran government has previously attempted strikes against long-range targets. The US announced in February that missiles were launched towards the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, while Türkiye stated in March that it intercepted Iranian-origin ballistic missiles in mid-air. The report noted that Tehran might find it more convenient to act through allied groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen rather than via direct action.

Iran accelerates preparations for potential major conflict

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal citing Iranian and Arab officials, Tehran has prepared a comprehensive plan against the possibility of conflict reigniting in the Middle East. Sources indicated that Tehran views the memorandum signed with the US in June as an attempt by Washington and Israel to buy time ahead of a new offensive.

Iran has been conducting preparations over the past two months against the prospect of an expanded conflict. The report noted that officials have increased Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps oversight of the regular armed forces, appointed veterans of the Iran-Iraq War to key posts, expanded counterintelligence operations, and accelerated missile and drone production.

Data from Arab intelligence services indicates that Iran also maintains contact with armed groups in Yemen and Iraq. Tehran’s objective is reportedly to raise costs for the US and prevent a recurrence of the previous conflict.

The Wall Street Journal sources also reported that Tehran expects attempts to instigate domestic unrest. Commenting on the matter, Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to Iran’s chief negotiator, said: “Iran is ready for a major conflict.”

The war between the US and Iran began in February. The two countries signed a ceasefire memorandum in June, but the resulting agreement lasted only a few weeks. Following the resumption of hostilities, Iran maintained its naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, while the US continued its blockade of Iranian vessels and ports.

Negotiations for a new agreement are currently suspended. Trump stated that the US is maintaining negotiations and economic pressure on Tehran, adding that ending the Iranian nuclear programme remains one of the primary goals of the American operation. However, citing its own sources, Al Arabiya reported on 17 August that Washington and Tehran had extended the peace agreement.

The head of a German defence start-up supplying strike drones to Ukraine has been living in hiding for months due to an alleged Russian assassination plot.

Stefan Thumann, the head of Donaustahl, said in a joint interview with the television channel RTL and Stern magazine that German authorities warned him in late 2025 about a plot by Russian intelligence.

The CEO of the company, which produces strike and reconnaissance drones as well as military drone software, said he has effectively been living underground since then.

Thumann said:

“I am locked in a duel for my life with the Russian military intelligence service. I am constantly moving, living under 24-hour personal security; my private life is now gone.”

Prosecutors announced in March the arrest of two “disposable agents”—individuals typically hired for relatively low pay and given minimal training—who had allegedly surveilled the CEO in preparation for the assassination attempt.

However, according to reports, the danger to the CEO may not yet be over. RTL cited a German lawmaker who stated that the plans targeting him were at a very advanced stage and involved the use of a nerve agent.

The 39-year-old CEO said that following the “shock” of learning about the plot, he wrote his will and filled out an organ donor card.

“Things you would not normally think about at my age,” Thumann said.

To avoid dwelling on his personal situation, he sleeps next to his computer and starts working as soon as he wakes up.

He added that the war in Ukraine has become “a completely personal war” for him.

Donaustahl is among the defence technology start-ups in Germany that have come to prominence by developing high-tech drones, which are playing an increasingly central role in the Ukrainian conflict.

According to a CNN report, in 2024 the US foiled a Russian plot aimed at assassinating Armin Papperger, the CEO of German defence giant Rheinmetall.

Rheinmetall is Germany’s largest defence group and one of the principal suppliers of ammunition and weapons to Ukraine.