World roundup: December 12 2025

Stories from Thailand, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Russia, and elsewhere

TODAY IN HISTORY

December 12, 627: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats a Sasanid Persian army at the Battle of Nineveh. The Byzantine victory broke the Persian resistance and allowed Heraclius and his army to raid deeper into the heart of the empire. Two months later what was left of the Persian army and the Persian nobility overthrew Emperor Khosrow II, who was already on shaky ground due to the failure of his siege of Constantinople in 626, and so brought to an end the Byzantine-Sasanian War of 602-628. It was the last war the Romans and Persians ever fought against one another, as both empires would soon be confronted by the Islamic caliphate emerging from Arabia.

December 12, 1098: The army of the First Crusade captures the Syrian fortress of Maʿarrat al-Nuʿman. The end of this siege saw some of the worst atrocities committed during the campaign, as Crusaders slaughtered as many as 20,000 surrendered defenders and civilians. After the siege, the Crusaders quickly ran of out provisions and by several accounts (even in “official” Crusader chronicles) turned to cannibalism to survive.

MIDDLE EAST

LEBANON

The Israeli military (IDF) conducted “at least a dozen attacks across southern Lebanon” on Friday, claiming as usual that it was striking targets linked to Hezbollah. I haven’t seen any indication as to casualties, and Al Jazeera reported that the strikes “avoided densely populated areas” so it’s possible there weren’t any.