Americas
The US decision to step up military support for Israel after the surprise assault by Hamas will not harm Washington’s ability to keep arming Ukraine, its NATO envoy said on Tuesday. “On the question of whether or not US support for Israel could possibly come at the expense of US support for Ukraine — we don’t anticipate any major challenges in that regard,” US ambassador Julianne Smith told journalists.
American shipbuilding firm Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has launched the US Navy’s third America-class amphibious assault ship named “Bougainville.” The vessel was launched into the Pascagoula River in southeastern Mississippi last week, following a series of preparation and dry dock trials. According to HII, the Bougainville is the first ship in the America class to be built with a well deck, supporting surface assault capability.
In a strategic relocation, the US Air Force’s 19th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron is moving its MQ-9 Reaper drones from Kanoya Air Base in Kyushu to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. The move marks a significant shift in regional reconnaissance capabilities and underscores the strong collaboration between the US and Japan. Eight MQ-9 Reaper drones, along with over 150 airmen, are completing their yearlong deployment at Kanoya Air Base, which is situated near the southern tip of Kyushu, Japan’s southernmost main island. The drones will now be based at Kadena Air Base, a major fighter base on Okinawa.
Middle East and Africa
The Gaza Strip is witnessing unprecedented strikes by Israel after Hamas attacks. Israel imposed a “complete siege” on the Gaza Strip, mobilized a record 300,000 reservists, and pummelling the Hamas-controlled enclave by air. Israeli Defense Forces said the Gaza border has been sealed while bodies of 1,500 terrorists were found inside Israel.
Israel has incurred several cyberattacks following the large-scale surprise attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas. Among the recorded incidents was an attack on the country’s services and government information website, resulting in the portal’s connectivity failure. It was claimed by hacktivists called Killnet, a pro-Russian cyber group that gained notoriety after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Europe
Naval Group has launched Greece’s first Belharra-class medium-sized frigate in Lorient, France. The development is part of a September 2021 contract seeking three warships to bolster the Hellenic Navy’s capabilities in supporting national security and the EU. Once completed, the new vessels will be integrated into the navy’s active fleet consisting of 13 frigates made between the 1980s and early 2000s.
Asia-Pacific
According to Defense News, the US Army commanders overseeing forces in the Indo-Pacific outlined their work with allies and partners in the region to sustain the supply lines that allow the service to maintain forces throughout the broad, diffuse area. “This mesh network of friends, partners and allies helps us to accomplish the things that the Army needs to have done,” Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson, who commands the Army’s I Corps, said at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference. “One of those things is we’ve got to build interior lines.”
Today’s Video
WATCH: Israel Regains ‘Full Control’ Of Gaza Fence; ‘Bodies Of 1,500 Hamas Terrorists Found,’ Says IDF
