BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) conducted on Monday an airdrop operation in Iraq's western province of Anbar, capturing an Islamic State (IS) local leader and killing an associate, the Iraqi military said.

The CTS troops, backed by U.S.-led coalition aircraft, carried out the airdrop operation in the town of al-Rutba, some 300 km west the provincial capital Ramadi, the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) said in a statement. (Iraq-IS militants)

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JERUSALEM -- Israeli court sentenced on Monday a Jewish settler who burned to death a Palestinian family in 2015 to three life sentences in jail.

The Central District Court in Lod, outside Tel Aviv, handed down right-wing extremist Amiram Ben-Uliel, 25, a life sentence for every family member he killed, 18-month-old baby Ali Dawabshe, the baby's mother Riham, and father Saad. (Israel-Life sentences-Palestinian family)

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TEHRAN -- The total number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in Iran on Monday reached 404,648, after an overnight registration of 2,619 patients, the Iranian Ministry for Health and Medical Education announced.

Sima Sadat Lari, the spokeswoman for the ministry, pointed out that out of the new patients, 1,382 people required hospitalization. (Iran-COVID-19)

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SANAA -- Yemen's Houthi militia said on Monday that the Saudi-led coalition in the country launched multiple airstrikes on its military sites in the capital city of Sanaa for the third straight day.

The militia's al-Masirah TV said the airstrikes at dawn on Monday targeted al-Daylami Air Base and al-Sama'a military camp in the northern part of Sanaa, as well as Raymat Hameed military camp in the southern outskirts of Sanaa. (Yemen-Houthi-Coalition)