16 people were killed and 35 wounded in U.S. and British strikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah province. The strikes targeted a radio building in Al-Hawk district and port of Salif. The U.S. and British militaries launched strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen to deter the militant group from disrupting shipping in the Red Sea.
Animals collapsed and people jumped on water tankers with buckets amid shortages due to blistering summer heat in north India. Delhi recorded temperatures touching 47 C (116.6 F) and saw its first heat-related death. Authorities are investigating a 52.9 C reading in one area. Delivery personnel are spending more time on scooters due to the heat, and companies like Zomato are taking measures to help them. The extreme temperatures have also led to more fires in several parts of the country. India, along with other countries in Asia, is experiencing unusually high temperatures, which scientists attribute to human-driven climate change. India has set a target of becoming a net-zero emitter by 2070.
Ukraine launched a major attack on Crimea and Russian regions with missiles and drones, causing an oil refinery in southern Russia to halt operations. Russian air defenses shot down the missiles and drones. The Ukrainian-launched drones carried bigger charges than previous attacks, including steel balls. Russia has reported a rise in Ukrainian attacks on its territory, prompting President Putin to carve out a buffer zone in northeastern Ukraine. The White House reiterated its policy of not encouraging Ukraine to use U.S. weapons against Russian territory. Russia captured a village in Kharkiv region and considers Crimea and other regions part of Russia, while Ukraine and its allies reject this stance. President Zelenskiy is determined to eject all Russian troops from Ukraine and expects Russia to escalate its offensive. Ukraine lacks sufficient air defenses to defend itself, and the West is concerned about the outcome of a potential defeat for Russia.
– Two helicopters from Jordan are in full operational readiness to assist in firefighting.
– Tenders for six leased aircraft are in the final stages.
– The additional aircraft are expected to be in Cyprus in June.
– The forestry department has eight drones for daily patrols.
– Forces have been on standby since April for what is expected to be a particularly difficult year.
The United States is concerned about Iran’s oil being moved with the help of service providers based in Malaysia, particularly near Singapore. Treasury official Brian Nelson visited Singapore and Malaysia to counter Iran’s financing and revenue generation efforts in Southeast Asia. Treasury imposed sanctions on Malaysia-based companies supporting Iran’s drone production. Nelson also mentioned progress in sanctions against Russia, affecting Moscow’s oil sales and global energy markets. Shipping hub Singapore faces challenges in verifying compliance with the Russian oil price cap.
The U.S. Navy is facing challenges in building a fleet of unmanned vessels due to a focus on big shipbuilding projects, despite the demonstrated effectiveness of sea drones in combat situations. The Pentagon is now incorporating lessons from Ukraine and the Red Sea to counter China’s naval power in the Pacific, launching the Replicator initiative to deploy small air and sea drones. This initiative aims to match China’s military threat and is funded by reallocating funds from the existing Pentagon budget. The use of sea drones for maritime surveillance, minehunting, and protection of critical infrastructure is seen as crucial, with the U.S. Navy testing unmanned vessels in combat scenarios and expanding their use in different regions. Companies like Saildrone and Ocean Aero are actively involved in supplying autonomous vessels to the Navy, showing the increasing focus on deploying sea drones quickly to stay ahead in naval warfare.
Los Angeles police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California without making arrests on Sunday following turmoil at universities across the United States over the Israel-Hamas war. USC President Carol Folt requested police intervention as the occupation was spiraling in a dangerous direction. The camp was cleared peacefully in 64 minutes. At UCLA, Chancellor Gene Block announced the creation of a new Office of Campus Safety after clashes between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Senator Bernie Sanders compared campus protests to those against the Vietnam War. A student at the University of Mississippi was expelled for making racist gestures towards a Black female protester. At the University of Texas in Austin, pro-Palestinian demonstrators rallied peacefully, calling for universities to divest from Israel and push for a ceasefire in Gaza.
French officials have proposed measures to ease tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, as the cross-border strikes between the two sides have been escalating over the past six months. The proposals aim to implement U.N. resolution 1701 and include Hezbollah pulling back 10km from the Israeli border and Israel halting strikes in southern Lebanon. France, with historical ties to Lebanon, is trying to work as an intermediary to prevent a wider regional conflict.
A Russian missile attack targeted power facilities in Ukraine, causing damage and fires. Ukrainian air defenses were able to intercept some of the incoming missiles. The attacks have led to a significant loss of power generation capacity in Ukraine. The United States approved a major aid package for Ukraine, including new weapons for air defense systems.
Hezbollah fired rockets at an Israeli town and Israel responded with heavy airstrikes on a Lebanese town near the border. The hostilities between the two sides have escalated, with Hezbollah launching drone attacks on Israeli military bases. The violence has resulted in casualties on both sides, with more than 70 civilians killed in Lebanon and 18 people killed in Israel.