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Aftermath of airstrikes amid Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict, in Kandahar

Pakistan's strikes on Friday hit Taliban military ‌installations and posts, some of them in Kabul and Kandahar, in one of the deepest Pakistani incursions into ‌its western neighbour in years, officials said.

Islamabad accuses the Taliban of harbouring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, who it says are waging an insurgency inside Pakistan, a ​charge the Taliban denies.

Pakistan said it was responding to cross-border assaults, while Kabul complained of a breach of its sovereignty, saying it remained open to dialogue but warning that any wider conflict would have serious consequences.

PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN FIGHTING RAISES FEAR OF LONG WAR

The fighting has raised the risk of a protracted conflict along the rugged 2,600-km (1,600-mile) frontier.

Diplomatic efforts gathered pace late on Friday as Afghanistan ‌said its foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, ⁠had spoken with Saudi Arabia's Prince Faisal bin Farhan about reducing tensions and keeping diplomatic channels open.

The European Union urged both sides to de-escalate and engage in dialogue, while the United ⁠Nations urged an immediate end to hostilities.

Russia urged a return to talks, while China said it was deeply concerned and ready to help ease tensions.

The U.S. State Department said the U.S. supported Pakistan's right to defend itself against attacks by the Taliban.

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A U.S. official, ​speaking on ​condition of anonymity, said Washington did not view Pakistan as the ​aggressor and that Islamabad was under pressure to ‌address security challenges.Exchanges of fire continued along the border overnight.

Pakistani security sources said an operation dubbed "Ghazab Lil Haq" was ongoing and that Pakistani forces had destroyed numerous Taliban posts and camps. Reuters could not independently verify the claims.

Both sides have reported heavy losses. Pakistan said 12 of its soldiers and 274 Taliban had been killed while the Taliban said 13 of its fighters and 110 Pakistani soldiers had died.

Taliban deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said 52 civilians had been killed and 66 wounded ‌in the Khost and Paktika provinces. Reuters could not verify the ​figures.

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Islamabad's patience had run out ​and described the fighting as "open war".

Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin ​Haqqani said in a speech that the conflict would be "very costly", and that Afghan forces had ‌not deployed broadly beyond those already engaged.

He said ​the Taliban had defeated "the world" through "unity ​and solidarity" and through "great patience and perseverance" rather than superior military power.

Pakistan's military capabilities far exceed those of Afghanistan, with a standing army of hundreds of thousands and a modern air force.

The Taliban lacks any conventional air ​force and relies largely on light ‌weaponry and ground forces.

However, the Islamist group is battle-hardened after two decades of insurgency against U.S.-led forces before ​returning to power in 2021.

(Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul and Ariba Shahid in Karachi; Additional ​reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Editing by Sam Holmes)

At least 11 quarterbacks have been selected in each of the last three editions of the NFL draft. The 2025 NFL Draft – which was considered to be similarly weak at the position – saw 13 players at the position come off the board, as teams spent nine Day 3 picks on quarterbacks.

Something similar could happen in 2026. While there is a dearth of early-round talent at the position, there are a handful of potential-packed prospects who teams will take a swing on during the latter half of the draft.

Where could the top quarterback prospects be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft? Here's a quarterback-only mock draft as the draft's top signal-callers prepare to work out at the NFL combine.

7. Washington Commanders – David Bailey, OLB, Texas Tech

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 8. New Orleans Saints – Jeremiah Love, RB, Notre Dame

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 9. Kansas City Chiefs – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 10. Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 11. Miami Dolphins – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 12. Dallas Cowboys – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 16. New York Jets – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 17. Detroit Lions – Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 19. Carolina Panthers – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 22. Los Angeles Chargers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 23. Philadelphia Eagles – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) – KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 26. Buffalo Bills – T.J. Parker, DE/OLB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 29. Los Angeles Rams – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 30. Denver Broncos – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 31. New England Patriots – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 32. Seattle Seahawks – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine

NFL mock draft 2026: Projecting all QB landing spots

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

• Team: Las Vegas Raiders

• Pick: No. 1 overall, first round

This pick can probably be written in pen now. It's a forgone conclusion the Raiders will select Mendoza – the reigning Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to an undefeated season and a national championship – with the top overall selection.

Mendoza completed 72% of his passes for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions in his lone season with the Hoosiers. His accuracy, field-reading skills and ability to effectively navigate the pocket haveearned him Joe Burrow comparisons.

Ty Simpson, Alabama

• Team: Los Angeles Rams

• Pick: No. 29 overall, first round

Simpson has a wide draft range, as he could end up being a top-five pick but could also slip to the end of the first round. This scenario would represent his floor, and it would feature quarterback-needy teams like the New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers passing on him.

Simpson wouldn't complain about this landing spot. He would get a chance to learn behind reigning MVPMatthew Staffordand establish himself as the long-term successor for the 38-year-old in Sean McVay's quarterback-friendly offense.

Simpson completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in his lone season as a full-time starter at Alabama. He will need time to gain more experience and iron out his consistency issues, but his combination of accuracy and ball placement, along with his ability to navigate and manipulate the pocket, should allow him to develop into a solid NFL starter, at the very least.

2026 NFL MOCK DRAFT:Projecting first round heading into combine workouts

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

• Team: New York Jets

• Pick: No. 44 overall, second round

Nussmeier is the clubhouse leader to be the third quarterback taken in the 2026 NFL Draft. It's just a matter of whether teams will view him as a second-round selection or if his combination of turnover and injury issues will push him into the latter half of Day 2.

The Jets may be willing to take Nussmeier here, given that the 44th selection is the team's fourth and they presently have a big-time need at quarterback. New York may add a veteran signal-caller with Aaron Glenn set to face a hot seat in 2026, but pairing that veteran with a younger, higher-upside quarterback like Nussmeier would make sense.

Nussmeier completed 67.4% of his passes for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions across nine games for LSU last season. He has a solid arm, good anticipation and NFL bloodlines as the son of New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.

Carson Beck, Miami (FL)

• Team: Miami Dolphins

• Pick: No. 90 overall, third round

The Dolphins are in a tough spot at quarterback, as they will have to take a massive dead-cap hit if they releaseTua Tagovailoaduring the 2026 NFL offseason. That may leave them looking for a cheap option at quarterback, and drafting someone to compete with 2025 seventh-round pickQuinn Ewersmay be the squad's ideal solution.

Beck is an experienced, sixth-year quarterback who started 43 games with Georgia and Miami. He threw for at least 3,485 yards in each of his final three seasons and capped his career by completing 72.4% of his passes for 3,813 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his lone season with the Hurricanes.

Beck seemed to possess merely average arm strength in 2025, his first season since having surgery on the UCL in his throwing elbow. He has prototypical size (6-4, 220 pounds) and throws with good touch and anticipation, but struggles under pressure, coupled with concerns about his arm strength, may render him more of a high-end backup than a long-term starter.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR TUA?Trade chances, landing spots, more

Cade Klubnik, Clemson

• Team: Arizona Cardinals

• Pick: No. 104 overall, fourth round

The Cardinals appear to be heading toward a split withKyler Murray. That could lead them to target a quarterback early in the draft, but they could also rely on a stopgap likeJacoby BrissettorJimmy Garoppolo– with whom new coach Mike LaFleur is familiar – or another young free agent likeMalik Willisto lead the team.

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Regardless of what happens, Arizona may be best served to target a mid-round quarterback as it looks to build up the rest of its roster. Klubnik was once considered a potential first-round pick but was inconsistent in his final season at Clemson. The three-year starter has great arm talent and mobility but will need to improve his field-reading capabilities at the next level.

Klubnik completed 65.6% of his passes for 2,943 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions his final year at Clemson.

Drew Allar, Penn State

• Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

• Pick: No. 121 overall, fourth round

It's sounding more and more likeAaron Rodgerswill return to the Steelers for an additional season. That still shouldn't stop Pittsburgh from using one of its league-high 12 draft picks on a potential successor with upside.

Allar would qualify, as the 21-year-old was a touted recruit who earned first-round buzz at times while at Penn State. The 6-5, 235-pound quarterback has prototypical size and excellent arm talent but was having an up-and-down senior campaign before suffering a season-ending ankle injury after six games.

Allar completed 64.8% of his passes for 1,110 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions in his final season at Penn State. He would represent an intriguing dart throw for Pittsburgh and would battle 2024 sixth-round pickWill Howardfor the right to be the team's quarterback of the future.

Cole Payton, North Dakota State

• Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

• Pick: No. 164 overall, fifth round

The Jaguars could stand to add a developmental quarterback behindTrevor Lawrenceand experienced backupNick Mullens. Payton enjoyed a strong performance at the Senior Bowl, as the lefthander demonstrated the dual-threat capabilities that allowed him to find success in his lone season as a starter at North Dakota State.

Payton completed 72% of his passes for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions while running for 777 yards and 13 scores on 136 carries. What he lacks in arm strength, he makes up for with his touch passing skills and mobility, which could be enough to make him a solid NFL backup.

Taylen Green, Arkansas

• Team: Green Bay Packers

• Pick: No. 199 overall, sixth round

Green was a four-year starter at Boise State and Arkansas and has tantalizing tools. The 6-6, 230-pounder possesses a cannon arm and elite mobility for his size but had mechanical issues and struggled with turnovers throughout his college career.

The Packers could use a high-upside backup behindJordan Lovewith Malik Willis set to hit free agency. Pairing Green with a proven, offensive-minded coach like Matt LaFleur could pay dividends.

Sawyer Robertson, Baylor

• Team: Detroit Lions

• Pick: No. 203 overall, sixth round

Jared Goffis the only quarterback the Lions presently have under contract next season. That could lead the team to explore adding a draft pick to the mix after theHendon Hookerexperiment failed.

Robertson has a pro-caliber arm but showed inconsistent accuracy and ball placement across his two years as a starter at Baylor. He completed 60.3% of his passes for 3,681 yards, 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2025.

Luke Altmyer, Illinois

• Team: Buffalo Bills

• Pick: No. 220 overall, seventh round

Josh Allen's backup,Mitch Trubisky, is set to be a free agent in 2026. If he doesn't return, the Bills could add another quarterback to their depth chart to jockey withShane Buechelefor position behind Allen.

Altmyer was a three-year starter at Illinois who lacks elite traits but was steady in Bret Bielema's pro-style offense. The 6-1, 210-pound quarterback completed 67.4% of his passes for 3,007 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions in his final college season.

Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

• Team: Carolina Panthers

• Pick: No. 235 overall, seventh round

Pavia was the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2025, as he completed 70.6% of his passes for 3,539 yards, 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions while adding 862 yards and 10 scores on the ground. He showed great toughness while turning Vanderbilt from an afterthought into a legitimate SEC contender, but his small frame – 5-9, 198 pounds – will likely limit him to a backup role in the NFL.

The Panthers could have an interest in developing Pavia behindBryce Young, who is one of the NFL's smallest quarterbacks at 5-10, 204 pounds.Andy Daltonis the lone other quarterback on Carolina's roster, so Pavia would fill the team's need for depth.

Jalon Daniels, Kansas

• Team: Baltimore Ravens

• Pick: No. 252 overall, seventh round

The Ravens could stand to add young depth behindLamar JacksonwithTyler Huntleyset to be a free agent and Cooper Rush struggling as the team's backup last season.

Daniels spent six seasons at Kansas and enjoyed his best season in 2025, completing 62.1% of his passes for 2,531 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions while adding 404 yards and four scores on the ground. The 23-year-old's best trait is his mobility, but perhaps he can turn into a backup-caliber passer with some time to develop behind Jackson.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL mock draft: Projecting landing spots for top QBs in 2026

APTOPIX Israel US Iran

Many apartments in poorer areas are not equipped with adequate shelters.In Jaffa,a mixed Arab-Jewish neighborhood of Tel Aviv, more than 100 people, including Muslim families with young children, religious Jews from a nearby seminary and at least a dozen dogs crammed into the public shelter underneath a park.

Some groups splayed out on mattresses they brought into the shelter and played cards, others shared snacks, while observant Muslims were fasting forthe holy month of Ramadan.Many stared at their phones, swiping through updates as siren after siren sounded in the neighborhood. As the sun set, Muslims were forced to have their iftar meal, breaking the daily fast at sundown, in bomb shelters.

"Of course we expected it, even though we didn't want it to happen," said Idit Cohen, who lives near the park. She noted, however, that it was one of the times when you could see the community come together.

Her son received an emergency summons for reserve military duty, and a stranger in the shelter volunteered to drive him to the base, even though he was a religious Jew who generally does not drive on Saturdays, the Jewish sabbath.

"I want it to end as soon as possible, it's a nightmare, people are more and more frustrated and tired," Cohen said. "We see families with babies and young kids here, but there are elderly people that aren't able to keep running here all day."

For the past 2 1/2 years, Israelis have become familiar with the routine after fighting with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi rebels in Yemen and a 12-day war last June against Iran.

Igor Libenson, a construction worker and father of two sons, said his family was mostly tired from the constant moving back and forth. "The kids aren't scared, we were here also in June in the same situation," said Libenson, whose sons are 4 and 7 years old.

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Some of the religious Jews sang psalms with their arms slung around each others' shoulders.

"We look at this in the long term. We suffer today but we do hope that it will resolve the problems of tomorrow," said Maya Tutian, a resident of Tel Aviv, who was in a public shelter in the northern part of the city. "The Iranian regime is not just a threat of us, people who live here in Tel Aviv, but for the entire world."

During last year's war with Iran, some people without access to shelters in their homes took tosleeping in Tel Aviv's underground light rail stationsand underground mall parking lots.

While new buildings in Israel are required to have reinforced safe rooms meant to withstand rockets, Iran is firing much stronger ballistic missiles. And shelter access is severely lacking in poorer neighborhoods and towns, especially in Arab areas and in rural parts of the country.

More than two thirds of Israel's Bedouin minority have no access to shelters, according to the Negev Coexistence Forum, a local advocacy group. Last summer, many Bedouin familiesresorted to building DIY shelters out of available material:buried steel containers, buried trucks, repurposed construction debris.

Iran began striking shortly after a joint attack by Israel and the U.S. early Saturday. By nightfall, the Israeli army said dozens of missiles had been launched at Israel.

Israeli police and emergency services said several people were lightly wounded in missile strikes, while the military intercepted many of the incoming missiles.

Israel issued a nationwide warning and put the country on high alert, canceling school and most gatherings across the country.

A skirmish broke out in the fourth quarter of the Oklahoma City Thunder's clash with the Denver Nuggets, when the Thunder guard appeared to intentionally trip the three-time MVP. At the very least, it was a hip check with an outstretched leg.

Jokić took exception to the contact and angrily confronted Dort, who is well known for being one of the NBA's most, ahem, physical players. Dort's teammate, Jaylin Williams, then confronted Jokić, and the two got physical as players and coaches from both sides quickly rushed to midcourt.

It took a while, but the two were eventually pried loose from each other.

The end result of the incident was Dort being ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul, while Jokić and Williams were hit with offsetting technical fouls.

Further replay showed a side of Jokić that was frankly terrifying.

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The incident was part of a thriller between two teams that could be seeing each other in the NBA playoffs. The game went to overtime after Jokić tied the game with 38 seconds left in regulation.

The extra five minutes wound up being one-sided in favor of the Thunder, who shut down the Nuggets for a 127-121 win.

Jokić finished the game with 23 points on 9-of-25 shooting, 17 rebounds and 14 assists, while Jamal Murray led all scorers in scoring with 39 points. Only two other Nuggets scored more than seven points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander,making his return from an abdominal strain, led the Thunder with 36 points and 9 assists in 34 minutes, while Chet Holmgren had 15 points, 21 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Denver had led the game by as many as 16 points in the first quarter, but OKC came back and triumphed despite Gilgeous-Alexander missing all of overtime due to a minutes restriction. OKC's depth ended up being the difference, with players like Williams, Alex Caruso and Jared McCain all making key plays over the course of the game.

The win keeps the 46-15 Thunder two games ahead of the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in the West, while the Nuggets are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for fourth place at 37-23.