OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

lousubcap · July 25

A bit more on the Russia-Ukraine war (today citing a dated event but...):

"RUSSIA’S FALSE FLAG: An investigation from The Associated Presspresents new evidence that Russia may have intentionally exploded one of its own barracks housing Ukrainian prisoners of war in order to accuse Ukraine of attacking its own men.

Russian guards moved the prisoners to hastily- built buildings within a prison colony two days before the July 29, 2022 attack that killed more than 50 Ukrainians. The guards also began wearing bulletproof vests and dug trenches for themselves around the building, which was detached from the other structures in the prison colony, AP reports. Survivors were also isolated from the other prisoners and some recounted hearing Russians laughing and tossing rags into the fire once the explosion broke out.

Russia accuses Ukraine of conducting the attack, but an investigation from the independent Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine concluded that Russia was responsible."

lousubcap · July 26

Friday Israel-Hamas update:

"After meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, Harris did not stray from Biden on policy, but struck a stronger tone on the plight of Palestinians.Harris told reporters Israel had a right to defend itself, but that “far too many innocent civilians” had died in Gaza and that “I will not be silent” about their suffering. Azi Paybarah reports for The Washington Post; Pete Baker reports for The New York Times.

Trump yesterday urged Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza ahead of their meeting today. Israel must end the war in Gaza “and get it done quickly,” Trump said in an interview on Fox News, arguing that Israel was “getting decimated” by negative publicity over its conduct of the war. Ephrat Livni reports for The New York Times.

The United States has sent thousands of bombs and missiles to Israel over the past ten months, a new report finds. A tally of publicly known deliveries, compiled by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, shows that more than 20,000 unguided bombs, some 2,600 guided bombs, and 3,000 precision missiles, among other weapons, have been shipped since Oct. 7. Lauren Leatherby reports for The New York Times."

lousubcap · July 26

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia yesterday launched 38 Shahed drones at Ukraine overnight, with three straying into NATO-member Romania’s airspace. Ukraine said its air defense intercepted 25 of the drones. Veronika Melkozerova reports for Politico.

Russia targetted Ukrainian energy facilities in the northern regions of Chernihiv and Zhytomyr overnight with drones, causing disruptions to electricity supplies, according to Ukrenergo, the national power grid operator. Power was being restored to most consumers by Friday, it said.

Footage filmed in Plauru, on the Romanian side of the Danube river facing Ukraine, showed an explosion and smoke on the Ukrainian side near the town of Izmail. Drone fragments were found around a Romanian village near the Danube and Ukraine border after overnight Russian attacks against Ukrainian infrastructure, earlier reports said.

Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu condemned Russia’s new “heinous attacks”, in a statement on X. For a second night in a row, Romania deployed air force planes to monitor the situation in the border region.

The E.U. will transfer 1.5 billion euros, or $1.6 billion, in proceeds from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said today. Reuters reports."

lousubcap · July 29

Monday Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah update:

"A rocket from Lebanon struck a soccer field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday, killing at least 12 children. Israel blamed Lebanon’s Hezbollah for the attack. Hezbollah has denied responsibility, although it said it was behind a volley of rockets intended for Israeli military targets earlier the same day, and claimed instead that falling projectile from Israel’s Iron Dome missile system was responsible. Patrick Kingsley, Euan Ward, and Isabel Kershner report for The New York Times; Ruth Michaelson reports for The Guardian.

Israel struck Hezbollah targets deep inside Lebanon yesterday in response to the rocket strike, raising the specter of all-out war, although the strikes fell short of a major escalation Israeli officials threatened. The Washington Post reports.

Israel’s security cabinet yesterday authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister to decide on the “manner and timing” of Israel’s response. Lebanon said it received assurances from third countries that Israel’s response will be limited, and told Lebanese media that Hezbollah’s response to Israel’s escalation will also be limited. Rachel Pannett reports for the Washington Post; Helen Regan reports for CNN.

Israel struck a school in central Gaza on Saturday, killing at least 30 Palestinians and injuring over 100, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The Israeli military said a Hamas command and control center was embedded inside the school, a claim Hamas said were “false.” Mallory Moench reports for BBC News.

Senior officials from Israel, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States met in Rome yesterday to continue Gaza ceasefire negotiations, according to three officials. Patrick Kingsley, Ronen Bergman, and Adam Rasgon report for the New York Times.

Turkish President Recep Erdogan yesterday said that Turkey might “enter” Israel, without specifying what sort of intervention might take place. “We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them,” Erdogan said, adding, “There is no reason why we cannot do this.” Reuters reports. "

lousubcap · July 29

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russian forces have been making quick gains in the eastern Donetsk region over the past week, capturing a few villages and closing in on the city of Pokrovsk, one of the main Ukrainian defensive strongholds in the region. Constant Méheut reports for the New York Times.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged his country’s forces were under pressure in the eastern Donetsk region after Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed its forces had taken control of the villages of Prohres and Yevhenivka. Speaking in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said the situation was “extremely challenging in the Donetsk directions, and it is in the Pokrovsk direction that there have been the biggest number of Russian assaults these weeks – the most intense enemy attacks are precisely there”.

Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces were behind an attack on a fuel depot in Russia’s Kursk region which it said was supplying the Russian military. Alexei Smirnov, the governor for Kursk, said Kyiv launched more than two dozen drones on the region in several waves of attacks that started on Saturday night. Smirnov said at least 13 drones were destroyed by Russia’s air defence systems late on Sunday, with 19 drones destroyed over the region during the day. The drone attacks started a fire at the fuel depot.

Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday threatened retaliation should Washington deploy long-range missiles in Germany, saying Moscow would deploy missiles within striking distance of the West if the plan advances. Washington and Berlin announced earlier this month that the United States will deploy the arms in Germany starting in 2026. Jordyn Dahl reports for POLITICO; Guy Faulconbridge and Dmitry Antonov report for Reuters."

lousubcap · July 30

Interesting comments on the Presidential election interference games being played out internationally:

"Iran is using covert social media activity and undercover influence operations in a bid to undercut former President Trump’s candidacy, the Office of the Director of Intelligence said yesterday. The efforts appear to be at cross-purposes with a simultaneous attempt by Russia to influence the election in Trump’s favor, even as the two countries have forged closer ties during the Ukraine war. Sean Lyngaas reports for CNN; Olivia Gazis reports for CBS News.

The Kremlin is relying on unwitting Americans to spread disinformation about the U.S. presidential race, top intelligence officials said yesterday. “The American public should know that content that they read online — especially on social media — could be foreign propaganda,” an official said. David Klepper reports for AP News."

lousubcap · July 30

Tuesday Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah update:

"Concerns about an all-out war between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah are “exaggerated,” even as Israeli officials signal that a fierce retaliation could come soon, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday, citing “conversations we’ve been having.” Matt Berg and Miles Herszenhorn report for POLITICO.

Far-right protesters in Israel broke into a military base holding Palestinian detainees after nine reservists were detained in connection to allegations of “serious abuse of a detainee.” It came after ultranationalist politicians, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, posted on X, “get your hands off the reservists.” The incident was the most serious political violence in Israel since Oct. 7. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Louisa Loveluck and Miriam Berger report for the Washington Post.

Thousands of Palestinians fled a community in central Gaza yesterday following new Israeli evacuation orders. Meanwhile, Hamas accused Israel of blocking a ceasefire, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government had added new conditions to a longstanding proposal at the latest talks. Israel denied Hamas’s claims that it had changed its ceasefire conditions. Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Ramadan Abed report for Reuters; Benjamin Brown reports for CNN."

lousubcap · July 30

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"The United States will send $1.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine, officials announced yesterday. The package includes $1.5 billion in funding for long-term contracts, and $200 million in immediate military aid taken from Pentagon stockpiles. Lolita Baldor reports for AP News.

French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday warned his new Iranian counterpart Massoud Pezeshkian against Iran’s continuing support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Elysee palace said in a statement. Reuters reports.

Ukraine’s military said fighting on the Pokrovsk front in Donetsk was the fiercest anywhere in the country’s east and that its soldiers had fought off 52 Russian assaults there in the previous 24 hours. The town, which had about 61,000 residents before the war, lies on a main road that serves as an important supply route to other Ukrainian-held towns, such as Chasiv Yar and Kostiantynivka.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its soldiers had taken control of Vovche, east of Pokrovsk. About 100 people lived in the hamlet before the war but only seven people remained after Ukraine urged remaining residents to evacuate last month. Ukraine acknowledged the Russian advance. Oleh Chaus, the chief sergeant of Ukraine’s 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade told Radio Svaboda: “They sent in a large number of troops, which had not previously been used.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the front in the northeastern Kharkiv region as “one of the most difficult” as he visited special forces near Vovchansk, which lies about 5km (3 miles) from the Russian border. The Ukrainian military said earlier it had repelled six Russian attacks on the Kharkiv front line over the previous day, including at Vovchansk.

Russia said it brought down 39 Ukrainian drones targeting fuel depots, refineries and energy facilities in its border areas, mostly in the southern Kursk region. Kyiv said it was targeting substations there and that some power had been cut."

lousubcap · July 31

Wednesday Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah update:

"Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed after attending the inauguration of Iran’s new president in Tehran. Hamas and Iran both blamed Israel, while the Israeli military declined to comment. Iran’s supreme leader said it was the country’s “duty” to avenge the killing, and Hamas’s armed wing warned of “major repercussions.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a security assessment in Tel Aviv later today, an Israeli official said. CNN reports; Lior Soroka reports for the Washington Post; Ephrat Livni and Raja Abdulrahim report for the New York Times.

The United States did not know about the strike on Haniyeh ahead of time, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today. “This is something we were not aware of or involved in,” Blinken said. David Gallagher reports for the New York Times.

Jordan, Lebanon, and Qatar condemned the killing of Haniyeh. Jordan said the killing will lead to “more tension and chaos in the region,” while Qatar described it as a “heinous crime, a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law.” Lebanon’s prime minister said he would convene an urgent meeting of his cabinet today.

China and Russia have joined regional condemnation of Haniyeh’s killing. China’s foreign ministry said it “resolutely opposes the assassination” and is “deeply concerned” about regional escalation, while Russia urged all parties to step back from the brink of an all-out war. BBC News reports; Reuters reports.

Israel said it killed a top Hezbollah commander after carrying out a strike on a suburb of Beirut. Lebanon’s Hezbollah has not confirmed his death, but says Fuad Shukr, who Israel claims was responsible for Saturday’s rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, was in a building that was hit at the time. Shukr had previously been accused by the United States of orchestrating the 1983 bombing in Beirut that killed 241 U.S. servicemen. Quentin Sommerville, Nafiseh Kohnavard and Mark Lowen report for BBC News; Bassem Mroue and Kareem Chehayeb report for AP News."

lousubcap · July 31

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

Ukraine’s air force today said it repelled one of Russia’s largest long-range drone attacks overnight, shooting down all 89 drones launched at Kyiv and the surrounding regions. No casualties or major damage was reported. Anastasiia Malenko and Tom Balmforth report for Reuters.

The United States has agreed to arm F-16 jet fighters being sent to Ukraine with U.S.-made weapons and advanced missiles. Denmark and the Netherlands are preparing to send the first U.S.-made F-16s to Ukraine this summer, with more coming from Belgium and Norway later. Lara Seligman and Alistair MacDonald report for the Wall Street Journal.

And this:

Americans are divided on whether the U.S. should keep funding Ukraine, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

The survey found 48 percent of Americans saying their country has “a responsibility to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia’s invasion.” However, 49 percent of Americans disagreed with the idea that their country has that “responsibility” in the same survey.

lousubcap · August 1

Thursday Israel-Iran (new player)-Hamas-Hezbollah update:

"Iran’s supreme leader has issued an order for Iran to strike Israel directly in retaliation for the killing in Tehran of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, according to three Iranian officials. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave the order at an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council yesterday. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times. Readers may also be interested in Brianna Rosen’s analysis for Just Security of Haniyeh’s killing and prospects for avoiding a wider regional war.

Lebanese Hezbollah yesterday confirmed its senior military commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli air strike in Beirut on Tuesday. At least four civilians were killed in the strike, including two children, in what the Israeli military described as an “intelligence-based elimination.” Alex Smith and Hugo Bachega report for BBC News.

The leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, is set to outline his group’s “political stance” later today on the Israeli strike on Beirut, according to a statement. Euan Ward reports for the New York Times.

The Israeli military today announced that it killed the leader of Hamas’s armed wing, Muhammad Deif, in a strike in Gaza in mid-July. The military said its conclusion was based on an intelligence assessment. Hamas has not commented at the time of writing. Aaron Boxerman reports for the New York Times.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken today urged “all parties” in the Gaza conflict to stop taking escalatory actions, “a message that was clearly aimed at Israel a day after the assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran.” Michael Birnbaum reports for the Washington Post.

The Biden administration is “very concerned” that Haniyeh’s assassination could derail Gaza ceasefire negotiations and increase the risk of a regional war, three U.S. officials said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios. "

lousubcap · August 1

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine has received the first F-16 fighter jets it has sought for months, a U.S. official confirmed to AP News. A Ukrainian lawmaker also confirmed Ukraine had received a small number of F-16 fighter jets. Tara Copp reports.

Ukrainian forces shot down all 89 Shahed drones launched by Russia in a nighttime attack on the country, Ukraine’s air force said Wednesday, in what was one of the largest drone barrages this year.

The Russian drones are being shot down by Ukraine’s Soviet-era aircraft, according to Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, an aviation expert in Kyiv.

“The air force is using electronic jamming against the drones’ GPS which forces the drones to fly at a higher altitude, which then makes it easier for Ukrainian aircraft to strike them down,” he told The Associated Press.

Ukraine’s military said it struck a storage facility for weapons and military equipment in the western Russian region of Kursk overnight and it was working to assess the damage. Russia, it said, engaged its air defences to try to counter the attack, but explosions were visible at the target locations. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said earlier it had destroyed one incoming drone and a Ukrainian Neptun guided missile over the Kursk region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with French media that Kyiv does not want China to act as a mediator in the conflict with Russia, but hoped Beijing would put more pressure on Moscow to end the war. China has a “no limits” partnership with Russia and did not attend the first peace summit on Ukraine held last month in Switzerland, but it has recently stepped up diplomatic efforts and hosted Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba last week. Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine would like to see Russia attend the next summit."

lousubcap · August 2

Friday Israel-Iran-Hamas-Hizbollah update:

"The leader of Lebanese Hezbollah said in a televised address yesterday that the conflict with Israel has entered a “new phase.” Nasrallah said the enemy must wait for the “inevitable response” because it had crossed “red lines,” adding that the reaction would be proportionate to Israel’s targeting of a civilian building. Hugo Bachega reports for BBC News.

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated on Wednesday by an “explosive device covertly smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse where he was staying,” according to seven Middle Eastern officials. The bomb had been hidden around two months ago in the guesthouse run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, sources said. Ronen Bergman, Mark Mazzetti, and Farnaz Fassihi report for the New York Times.

The Israeli military yesterday confirmed it had killed Al Jazeera journalist Ismail Al-Ghoul in an airstrike in Gaza, claiming he was a Hamas operative who had taken part in the Oct. 7 attack. The network dismissed what it said were “baseless allegations” which it said was an attempt to justify the intentional killing of its journalists. Reuters reports.

A former IDF reservist has alleged serious misconduct by Israeli forces in Gaza in an interview with CNN. Yuval Green, 26, said Palestinian homes were destroyed “for revenge,” and that there was an atmosphere of “demonizing Gazans.” Ami Kugman and Bianna Golodryga report.

The Biden administration is preparing to counter an Iranian attack on Israel within days, three U.S. officials told Axios. U.S. officials say they expect any retaliation “to be from the same playbook as their Apr. 13 attack on Israel,” but potentially larger in scope. Barak Ravid reports."

lousubcap · August 2

Friday Russia-Ukraine update: (Nothing big on the fighting front.)

"Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and a number of prominent Russian opposition politicians and activists who were jailed for criticising the war in Ukraine were among 26 people freed in the biggest prisoner swap between Russia and the West since the Cold War. Russia got back Vadim Krasikov, a Russian jailed in Germany for the assassination of a former Chechen rebel commander in 2019.

Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, awarded two Ukrainian athletes – rower Anastasiia Kozhenkova and diver Oleksii Sereda – with the Grand Vermeil Medal, the French capital’s highest distinction, in a show of solidarity.

The Kremlin said that Russian forces would shoot down US-built F-16 fighter jets sent to Ukraine, and claimed the aircraft would have no significant impact on the course of the war. The first planes arrived in Ukraine this week."

lousubcap · August 3

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

Ukraine’s military says it attacked overnight Russia’s Morozovsk airfield and a number of oil depots and fuel storage facilities in the Russian regions of Belgorod, Kursk and Rostov.

The Russian Ministry of Defence says its military destroyed at least 76 drones launched by Ukraine, including 36 over the border region of Rostov and 17 in the Oryol region, adding that it disabled eight and nine drones respectively over the regions of Kursk and Belgorod.

The Ukrainian Air Force says it shot down 24 out of 29 Iranian-made Shahed drones launched by Russia during the night.

Russian forces have ratcheted up pressure on the eastern town of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region where the Ukrainian military has acknowledged an increasingly difficult situation, The Kyiv Independent reports.

JohnInCarolina · August 4

lousubcap · August 4

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has praised his forces for hitting military targets inside Russia, after his army reported several strikes including the Morozovsk airfield in the Rostov region and a B-237 submarine in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Kyiv said it had faced several missiles and 29 drones, out of which 24 drones were destroyed. Officials in the central region of Vinnytsia said the attacks damaged infrastructure, without giving more details. Zelenskyy earlier said that Russia launched more than 600 guided air bombs on Ukraine in the last week alone.

Kherson regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said Ukrainian air defence shot down five drones over his region. Russian attacks on the region in the past day struck critical infrastructure, an administrative building and nine residential homes, he said."

lousubcap · August 5

Monday Israel-Hamas-Iran and the Houthis update:

"Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it launched a drone attack early today on northern Israel that the Israeli military said wounded two troops and set off a fire. In a statement, Hezbollah said it targeted a military base in northern Israel in response to Israeli “attacks and assassinations” in south Lebanon. It follows both Israel and Hezbollah exchanging limited fire yesterday. AP News reports; Vivek Shankar reports for the New York Times.

Israeli airstrikes on two school buildings in Gaza City yesterday killed at least 30 people, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense. The IDF and the Israel Security Agency have taken responsibility for the strike, saying they were targeting “terrorists operating inside Hamas command and control centers” that were “embedded” within the schools. Kareem Khadder, Ibrahim Dahman, Eyad Kourdi, and AnneClaire Stapleton report for CNN.

Iran has claimed the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week was carried out by a “short-range projectile” and a “severe explosion” outside the guest house where he was staying. The claim contradicts reports that Haniyeh was killed by an explosive device that had been covertly hidden inside the guest house. Radina Gigova and Jeremy Diamond report for CNN.

The United States will move a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East and maintain an aircraft carrier in the region, the Pentagon said Friday. Defense Secretary Austin has also ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the European and Middle East regions. A White House official yesterday said the measure is aimed at de-escalating regional tensions. Lolita C. Baldor and Tara Copp report for AP News; Doina Chiacu reports for Reuters.

A missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck a “Liberian-flagged container ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden,” authorities said yesterday, the first attack by the group in two weeks. Jon Gambrell reports for AP News."

lousubcap · August 5

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine announced the mandatory evacuation of children and their guardians from areas in the eastern region of Donetsk, where Russia has been claiming advances. Donetsk Governor Vadym Filashkin said 744 children and their families would leave Novohrodivka, about 20km (12 miles) from the village of Novoselivka Persha, which Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it had captured just hours before the announcement.

Ukrainian pilots have started flying F-16s on operations within the country, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said as he visited an airbase under tight security at an undisclosed location. Two of the jets were behind him on the ground as he spoke and two more flew overhead.

Russian diesel-electric attack submarine Rostov-on-Don was sunk Friday in Sevastapol, international news outlets reported. The BBC and Reuters, citing Ukrainian general staff online postings, said a missile attack sank the Kilo-class attack boat while it was at anchor in the Black Sea port.

The Ukrainian military also claims Friday’s attack “significantly damaged” four launchers attached to a Russian S-400 air defense system protecting the city on the Crimean peninsula. The S-400 is the Kremlin’s most advanced air defense system."

lousubcap · August 6

Tuesday Middle East update:
"President Biden met his senior national security team yesterday as concerns rise of a possible Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were told by their national security team that it is still unclear when Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah are likely to attack Israel and what specifically the attack might entail, officials said. Christy Cooney reports for BBC News; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

A top Russian security official arrived in Tehran yesterday to meet with senior officials. Iranian media reported that Iran has requested advanced air-defense systems from Russia as it prepares for a possible war with Israel. Two Iranian officials confirmed that Iran has made the request and said Russia has started delivering advanced radars and air-defense equipment. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah today launched a swarm of drone and rocket attacks into northern Israel, but warned that its retaliation for Israel’s killing of a top commander last week was yet to come. The Israeli military said several civilians were injured in Nahariya. Separately, the IDF today confirmed it struck what it said was a building used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, killing four people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Reuters reports; The Times of Israel reports.

At least four Palestinians were killed and seven others injured by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank today, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Two of the injured were in critical condition. Reuters reports.

Ten ultra-Orthodox men protesting their conscription were arrested yesterday outside an army recruitment office near Tel Aviv, the police said, after “hundreds of protesters” arrived “with the aim of breaking into the military base.” The New York Times reports.

Jordan’s King Abdullah warned Biden in a phone call yesterday of “hostile acts in Jerusalem. “Extremist settler violence against Palestinians, as well as unilateral Israeli measures” threaten the status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites and “may fuel violence in the region,” Abdullah said. Reuters reports. "

lousubcap · August 6

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia sent multiple missiles and drones at Kyiv as air raid warnings sounded in the capital from about 11pm (20:00 GMT). “Air defence forces and equipment operated in the capital and on the outskirts of the city. According to preliminary data, enemy missiles were hit,” Serhiy Popko, the head of the city’s military administration, said on social media. “As of now, no damage or casualties have been recorded in Kyiv.”

Ukraine’s Air Force chief said the military shot down all 24 Russian drones launched at targets across Ukraine. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian told Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia’s security council and a former defence minister, that Tehran was determined to expand relations with its “strategic partner Russia”, according to Iranian state media. Russia has cultivated closer political and military ties with Iran since starting its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and has said it is preparing to sign a wide-ranging cooperation agreement with the country. The Reuters news agency reported in February that Iran had provided Russia with a large number of powerful surface-to-surface ballistic missiles."

lousubcap · August 7

Wednesday Middle East update:

"The Israeli military yesterday closed the only route for humanitarian aid to enter southern Gaza, after it said “several Israeli soldiers were injured by anti-tank missiles fired at them in eastern Rafah.” Hamas’s military wing said it had attacked a tank in the area. The New York Times reports.

President Biden spoke with the leaders of Qatar and Egypt yesterday about their efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and calm regional tensions, the White House said. All three leaders agreed on the urgency of closing negotiations “as soon as possible,” the statements said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly told Iran to avoid civilian casualties in any retaliatory attack on Israel. Foreign ministers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation will likely echo the call at a meeting in Jeddah today. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington has been “engaged in intense diplomacy,” urging both Iran and Israel to not “escalate this conflict.” Patrick Wintour reports for The Guardian; Missy Ryan, John Hudson, Yasmeen Abutaleb, and Karen DeYoung report for the Washington Post.

The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah yesterday pledged a “strong and effective” response to Israel’s killing of its military commander last week no matter the consequences. Hassan Nasrallah said Hezbollah would act either alone or with its regional allies, adding that it would wait for the right moment to respond. Timour Azhari and Maya Gebeily report for Reuters."

lousubcap · August 7

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine yesterday launched a cross-border attack into the Kursk region, Russia’s ministry of defense has said. Up to “300 Ukrainian militants” launched the attack, supported by “11 tanks and more than 20 armored fighting vehicles,” the ministry said. Although Russia claimed it repelled the incursion, reports from Russian military bloggers indicate the attack was substantial. Dan Sabbagh reports for The Guardian.

And the Russian version:
Russia said it sent reserve troops to the Kursk region, claiming some 300 pro-Kyiv fighters had stormed across the border supported by 11 tanks and more than 20 armoured vehicles. Alexei Smirnov, the acting governor of Russia’s southwestern Kursk region said that the situation was “tense” but “under the control” of Russian forces. Kyiv did not comment on the alleged incursion.

lousubcap · August 8

Thursday Middle East update:

"World Central Kitchen (WCK) said one of its Palestinian team members was killed near Deir al-Balah in Gaza yesterday. The organization said they are still looking into the incident, but they believe Nadi Sallout was off duty at the time. The Israeli military said it did not know of any such incident and that it has been in contact with WCK. Lauren Sforza reports for The Hill; Reuters reports.

The White House said yesterday it is as “as close” as it has ever been to reaching a ceasefire and hostage release deal. “There is a good proposal before both sides, and they need to both accept that proposal so we can get this in place,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters. Brad Dress reports for The Hill.

The E.U. condemned far-right Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich for saying it “might be justified” to starve two million civilians in Gaza until hostages held there are returned. “Deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime: Minister Smotrich advocating for it is beyond ignominious,” E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said today in a post on X. The New York Times reports.

Israel’s foreign ministry said today it plans to effectively close Norway’s diplomatic mission to the Palestinians. The move follows Norway, along with Spain and Ireland, officially recognizing a Palestinian state in May. The New York Times reports.

Israel told the United States that if Lebanon’s Hezbollah harms Israeli civilians as part of its retaliation for the assassination of its top military commander, “the IDF’s response would be disproportionate,” two Israeli officials said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Iran’s acting foreign minister said yesterday his country will respond to the killing of top Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh at the “right time” in the “appropriate” manner. Tom Bennett reports for BBC News.

Iran warned all commercial airlines to avoid its airspace for three hours yesterday and today over military drills. Samy Magdy reports for AP News."

lousubcap · August 8

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"A state of emergency was declared in the Kursk region of Russia as a rare cross-border attack by Ukrainian troops continued yesterday. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin described the incursion as a “large-scale provocation.” At least five civilians have been killed and 31 wounded since the incursion began, according to Russian officials. James Waterhouse and Laura Gozzi report for BBC News; Ketrin Jochecová reports for POLITICO.

Ukraine’s air force said it shot down all 30 drones Russia launched over seven regions of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency confirmed its forces conducted a raid on the Russian-controlled Tendra Spit in the northwest of the Black Sea, saying they damaged equipment and fortifications and inflicted casualties. Moscow-installed authorities in the area said on Tuesday that Russian forces had repelled a Ukrainian attempt to land on the Russian-held spit."