WAR news: Middle East, Ukraine, else where

[chirpy]

Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated sharply in recent days, with reports emerging that Iran is contemplating a preemptive military strike on a U.S. base in the region.

This development comes in response to provocative statements attributed to President Donald Trump, who reportedly threatened to bomb Iran if it continued to pursue actions hostile to U.S. interests.
The situation has drawn significant attention from global news outlets, highlighting the potential for a dramatic escalation in an already volatile Middle East.
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The Ramstein summit will take place after the meeting of the coalition of the willing, a group of countries that have pledged peacekeeping troops and other security guarantees for Ukraine in a potential ceasefire.

The coalition's meeting is set for April 10 at NATO Headquarters in Brussels and will be hosted by French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey, according to the U.K. Joint Delegation to NATO.

While there was a pause in drone strikes, Russia continued heavy bombardment on Monday and Tuesday, targeting Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk with glide bombs.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to Russia’s overnight attack, asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to ensure even a partial ceasefire.

Unnamed US officials said Washington’s anger has shifted from Kyiv to Moscow in recent weeks, and it’s eyeing additional measures to begin pressuring Moscow.

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China's military concluded two-day war games around Taiwan in which it held long-range, live-fire drills in the East China Sea, marking an escalation of exercises around the island.

 

[chirpy]

Trump on Wednesday announced China would be hit with a 34% tariff, on top of the 20% he previously imposed earlier this year, bringing the total new levies to 54%.

China firmly opposes this and will take countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests," the ministry said, as the world's largest economies look set to spiral deeper into a trade war that stands to upend global supply chains.

The U.S. government has banned American government personnel in China, as well as family members and contractors with security clearances, from any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens.
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Massive fire breaks out at Russian shipyard in Karelia.
A gas explosion likely started the blaze at the Onega Shipbuilding and Repair Plant's new workshop, which covered an area of 1,500 square meters, the Russian media reported.
Unknown if deliberate or accident.

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and special representative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has reportedly arrived in Washington for a meeting with US President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff.
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Israel & Hamas at odds on peace and hostage deal.   Hamas has not responded to Israels counter offer.  Israel continues it’s push into Gaza.

 

[chirpy]

Trump to attend NATO summit in The Hague in June, Sikorski says.
U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the NATO summit in The Hague in June, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on April 4, Reuters reported.

Ukraine has been increasingly integrating robotic technology into its military operations to enhance effectiveness and minimize dangers to troops

North Korean Koksan artillery was reportedly spotted in Crimea, raising concerns that Pyongyang may soon send troops into Ukraine for Russia’s spring offensive.

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Iran is pulling out of Yemen
Tensions still high as Iran & USA threaten each other over the Yemen attacks.

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Israel keeps finding Hamas terrorists and launchers in Gaza.
No agreement to ceasefire or hostage release
Israel wants all hostages, Hamas wants to slow release them.

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BEIJING, April 4 (Reuters) - China on Friday struck back at the U.S tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump with a slew of countermeasures including extra levies of 34% on all U.S. goods and export curbs on some rare earths, deepening the trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

China imposes extra 34% tariffs on all US goods from April 10
China puts export restrictions on some rare earths from April 4
China adds 11 US bodies to 'unreliable entities' list
Measures against US come in wake of Trump tariffs
'China panicked', Trump says in response

 

[chirpy]

Ukrainian drones hit Russian explosives, fiber optic factories near Moscow.

"Another reckless Russian attack struck a crowded residential area... Russia continues to destroy Ukraine, no interest in peace," European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas wrote on X.

French President Emmanual Macron is readying to become Europe's point person in negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, per the Telegraph.

Key developments on April 4:
US to know whether Russia 'serious about peace' with Ukraine in coming weeks, Rubio says US, Russia make 'significant progress' towards Ukraine ceasefire deal, Kremlin negotiator claims Trump's team advises against calling Putin until Russia agrees to Ukraine ceasefire, NBC reports.

More F-16 jets being prepared for Ukraine, US general says.

Germany finances Ukraine's use of Starlink alternative Eutelsat, Reuters reports.

The U.S. will know within weeks whether Russia is serious about a peace deal with Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on April 4, Reuters reported.
"We're testing to see if the Russians are interested in peace. Their actions — not their words, their actions — will determine whether they're serious or not, and we intend to find that out sooner rather than later," Rubio said.

Europe must agree on roadmap to reduce reliance on US defense, Finnish minister tells FT. Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said that Europe cannot afford a disjointed transition in defense capabilities, which could provide Russia with an opportunity to exploit any gaps in the region's security.

 

[chirpy]

No change in posturing between Ukraine and Russia, both slinging missiles/drones at each other with continued ground fighting along Ukraine eastern border.  Loss of life on both sides continues.

No change in Middle East hostilities - Yemen continues to launch missiles towards Israel with USA making strikes on Yemen targets.  Israel hitting targets in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza.  

No change in hostage situation.  Gaza did show proof of life for 2 hostages.

AFRICA - An unprecedented explosion of conflicts has carved a trail of death and destruction across the breadth of Africa—from Mali near the continent’s western edge all the way to Somalia on its eastern Horn.

Africa is now experiencing more conflicts than at any point since at least 1946, according to data collected by Uppsala University in Sweden and analyzed by Norway’s Peace Research Institute Oslo.

Many people don’t die in the fighting itself but from hunger and the breakdown of medical services.

The intensifying conflicts have displaced a record number of Africans—most of them inside their own countries. The continent is now home to nearly half of the world’s internally displaced people, some 32.5 million at the end of 2023. That figure has tripled in just 15 years.

In the absence of the U.S. and other Western governments, other powers have doubled down—and often to the detriment of local populations.

Jihadists are murdering, raping, torturing, kidnapping, enslaving, and, in some instances, burning people alive — across Africa, and now in Syria.

Jihad is Rising in Africa While the West Averts its Eyes.

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South Korea and the United States have reached a landmark agreement to temporarily redeploy U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile defense batteries from South Korea to the Middle East.
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The deployment of VMFA-312 (Marine Aviation) to Panama brings advanced aviation capabilities to the region as part of broader U.S.-Panama security cooperation.

The deployment occurs as U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth prepares to attend the Central American Security Conference in Panama City. His visit aims to reinforce bilateral ties, promote regional defense cooperation, and engage in dialogue over shared security concerns such as transnational crime and infrastructure protection. The conference is expected to bring together defense leaders from across the Americas, emphasizing collaborative approaches to regional stability.

 

Edited April 6 by chirpy

[chirpy]

Sputnik ^ | 4/7/25 | Sputnik
Russia, China and Iran will hold talks on Iran's nuclear program in Moscow tomorrow, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik.

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be greeted by US President Donald Trump at The White House at 1 p.m. local time today.
Netanyahu to meet Trump in DC on Monday, will discuss tariffs, hostages, Iran, Turkey, ICC

Hamas fired 10 rockets at southern Israel on Sunday night in the largest such barrage in months.

Five of the rockets were intercepted by Israel’s air defenses, the Israel Defense Forces said, but at least one of the other five hit Ashkelon, causing damage.

The official logo for the central torch-lighting ceremony at Mount Herzl, which marks the 77th anniversary of the State of Israel, has been officially unveiled. The new design reflects the theme for this year's ceremony—"Bridges of Hope"—symbolizing the connections and shared aspirations among the diverse sectors of Israeli society.

The logo incorporates a graphic fusion of the Star of David and the number 77, depicted as a dual-sided bridge radiating beams of light—an emblem intended to convey hope and optimism for the future. The number is rendered in yellow, serving as both a tribute to the hostages and a powerful expression of the national yearning for their swift and safe return from captivity in Gaza.

Russia's continued missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, despite U.S.-mediated ceasefire efforts. Kyiv argues that Moscow's strikes on civilian areas show it is not serious about peace.

Eutelsat can't match Starlink's scale in Ukraine, CEO admits.
"If we were to take over the entire connectivity capacity for Ukraine and all the citizens — we wouldn't be able to do that. Let's just be very honest," Eutelsat CEO Eva Berneke said.

BEIJING, April 7 (Reuters) - China and Cambodia on Sunday held joint military exercises at a newly expanded naval base on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, a facility the United States worries could become a military outpost for the Chinese.

 

[chirpy]

The NATO chief on Tuesday raised concern about China’s arms buildup and military drills near Taiwan and called on the organization’s members and friendly nations to work together to keep free and open sea lanes in the region. “China is supporting Russia’s efforts. China is building up its armed forces, including its navy, at a rapid pace,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters as he wrapped up his visit to the Japanese navy port of Yokosuka.

Japan considers China as a threat in the region and has in recent years accelerated military buildup, including preparing to acquire strikeback capability with long-range cruise missiles.
Japan, in addition to the United States, has expanded its defense ties with other friendly nations in the Indo-Pacific and Europe, as well as NATO, saying Russia’s war on Ukraine underscores that security risks in Europe and Asia are inseparable.
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US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will lead talks with Iran on its nuclear program in Oman set to take place on Saturday (12 April), Iran’s state media reported Tuesday.

Israel and Turkey are engaged in ongoing negotiations to establish a deconfliction mechanism in Syria, aiming to prevent unintended military confrontations as both countries increase their presence in the region, Middle East Eye reported, citing Western officials.

Despite Turkey’s plans to install air defence systems and operate from Syrian bases, Israeli officials believe there has been progress toward a working agreement. According to Western sources, Israel continues to push for the demilitarisation of southern Syria, which includes limiting Turkish presence in that area.

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South Korean soldiers this morning fired warning shots at a contingent of North Korean troops that crossed the heavily fortified border separating the two nations.
Ten armed North Koreans reportedly chose to cross the frontier but were forced to retreat rapidly when their southern counterparts opened fire.
The crossing is the latest in a concerning trend of border infringements by the North in recent months as the pariah state's leader Kim Jong Un ruthlessly pursues a never-ending militarisation campaign.

 

[chirpy]

Ukrainian troops have captured two Chinese nationals who were fighting in the ranks of the Russian military against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 8.

"We have information that there are much more than two such Chinese citizens in the occupier's units," Zelensky said.

[chirpy]

Ukraine’s claim that significant numbers of Chinese nationals are fighting alongside Russia’s invading army is “totally unfounded,” a Beijing official said Wednesday.

A Chinese national captured by Ukrainian forces said he paid 300,000 rubles (roughly $3,500) to a middleman in China to join the Russian military in exchange for the promise of citizenship, Ukraine's Luhansk military unit press service told Ukrainian Pravda on April 9.

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Combat data analyzed by CNN confirms a surge in Russian activity across the front line over the past two weeks.

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New Delhi:
Donald Trump's tariffs are doing, it appears, what decades of political and diplomatic wrangling could not, at least with any great degree of success - to get India and China to work together, to "make the dragon and elephant dance", as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said last month.
"China-India economic and trade relationship is based on mutual benefits. Facing the US' abuse of tariffs, which deprives countries, especially in the 'Global South', of their right to development, the largest developing countries (in the area) should stand together..." Yu Jing, the spokesperson for the Embassy in Delhi, said on X.

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A security source on Wednesday morning said that the IDF has destroyed around 25% of Hamas' tunnels in Gaza, Channel 12 News reported.
According to the report, the defense echelon believes that there is a significant number of smuggling tunnels which cross from Gaza into Egypt.

Experts said that this vast tunnel network is the reason Israel has not yet succeeded in its stated goal of dismantling Hamas, as the terrorist group's forces would stand little chance against the IDF if they were forced to fight entirely aboveground.

Since Tuesday, the IAF has struck over 45 terror targets throughout Gaza. Guided by intelligence, the Southern Command, and the ISA, the IAF struck a site for manufacturing weapons, a launch site with ready-to-use rockets aimed towards Israeli territory, military structures, weapons storehouses, and terror cells.

 

[chirpy]

Key developments on April 9:
Over 160 Chinese nationals fight for Russia in Ukraine, obtained documents show
Russia's spring offensive has "effectively already begun," Syrskyi says
Ukraine open to buy US military aid package for $50 billion, Zelensky says
Russian military airfield reportedly targeted in mass drone attack
At least 163 Chinese nationals are serving in Russia's Armed Forces as of early April, according to a Ukrainian intelligence document seen by the Kyiv Independent on April 9.
"Beijing knows about this. Russians distribute advertising videos about recruitment through Chinese social networks," Zelensky said.

Beijing responded by saying it was "verifying" the claims, reiterating that Chinese citizens are prohibited from participating in foreign armed conflicts.

The U.S. State Department called the incident "disturbing," adding that it is closely monitoring the situation. "We're aware of those reports," spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on April 8.
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With Iran, if it requires military, we’re going to have military. Israel will be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, we do what we want to do,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office.