IDF launches most extensive war drill in decades
The Israel Defense Forces announced on Monday the start of its largest war drill in decades, dubbed “Chariots of Fire.”
Military
Russia’s President Defends Invasion On Victory Day
Isolated from the Western world and facing unprecedented sanctions, Russia’s president defended his Ukraine invasion, invoking World War II, but without signaling an escalation.
Violence Overshadows Philippines Election
There were reports of violence during Monday’s presidential election in the Philippines that the son of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos was expected to win.
Israel: ‘Russia Apologizes For Calling Hitler Jewish’
Israel says Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has apologized after his foreign minister said that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler had “Jewish blood.”
Scores Dead As Russia Hits School In War-Torn Ukraine
More than 60 people are now feared dead after a Russian bomb reportedly hit a school in eastern Ukraine on Saturday. The attack came as diplomatic efforts were underway to evacuate wounded soldiers from a steel plant in Ukraine’s devastated city of Mariupol.
UN Seeks More Evacuations From Wartorn Mariupol
The United Nations tried Friday to secure the evacuation of at least hundreds of civilians trapped at the Azovstal steelworks in Ukraine’s bombed-out city Mariupol.
Senior Russian lawmaker accuses U.S. of being directly involved in Ukraine war
The speaker of Russia’s State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, on Saturday accused the U.S. of being directly involved in military operations against Russia in Ukraine.
Syria’s Bashar Assad pays rare visit to ally Iran
Syrian President Bashar Assad paid a short visit to Tehran on Sunday, meeting with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi during his brief sojourn, according to Iranian and Syrian media.
Russia said to pull troops from Syria to bolster forces in Ukraine
Russia has begun the process of withdrawing some of its troops in Syria to help bolster its forces in Ukraine, the Moscow Times reported.
Biden announces additional $150 million in Ukrainian military aid
President Joe Biden on Friday announced another round of military aid to Ukraine to help the Eastern European nation combat an ongoing invasion by Russia.
Congress fires its first warning shot on Biden’s Iran deal
President Joe Biden’s bid to revive the Iran nuclear deal flunked its first test in the U.S. Senate.
UN Chief Guterres concerned about Hezbollah’s hold on“sophisticated military capabilities”
Calling for a free and fair election as Lebanon heads to the polls on May 15, United Nations director general Antonio Guterres expressed concern about the hold that Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese terror goup and political party, has on “sophisticated military capabilities” the government has no control over, i24 News reports.
Thousands Of Myanmar Christians Flee To India
Thousands of Christian men, women, and children have entered northeast India to escape deadly violence in neighboring Myanmar, Christian leaders, and aid workers say.
EU Debates Oil Embargo As Ukraine War Escalates
Frustrated over the escalating Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union’s leadership announced a new plan to penalize Russia financially. It wants a total ban on oil imports from Russia by the end of the year, but several EU member states objected.
Has Pentagon depleted own stocks by sending Javelin missiles to Ukraine?
The United States has delivered so many Javelin tank-buster missiles to Ukraine that the Pentagon’s own stocks have dwindled perilously, according to defense insiders.
US intelligence helped Ukraine target Russian generals
Intelligence provided by the United States has helped the Ukrainian military target several Russian generals since Moscow’s invasion, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.
Israel Rings in 74th Independence Day With Jerusalem Torch-Lighting Ceremony
After a mournful day commemorating its fallen soldiers and victims of terror, Israel kicked off its 74th Independence Day celebrations on Wednesday evening, with a festive ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem attended by government leaders, military brass, and representatives of swaths of Israeli society.
EU Proposes Toughest Sanctions Yet As Russia Steps Up Offensive In Eastern Ukraine
The European Union on May 4 unveiled a proposal to ban Russian oil imports by the end of the year as Russian forces intensified their assault in on a steel plant in the southeastern port city of Mariupol that Ukrainian forces continue to defend.
Pope Francis Seeks Talks With Russia’s Putin On Ukraine War
Pope Francis said Tuesday he wants to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to help end Europe’s worst conflict since World War Two. “I am not going to [Ukraine’s capital] Kyiv for now. I feel that I must not go,” the leader of the Catholic Church told Italy’s daily newspaper Corriere della Sera.
Ukraine intelligence says Russia’s war may end in September
Russia may be looking to conclude its war in Ukraine within four months’ time, according to Kyiv’s Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense, which said Tuesday it believes September is Moscow’s intended deadline.