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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Russian troops captured village of Zaporizhzhya in Ukraine's Donetsk region, TASS reports
FILE PHOTO: A resident stands next to cars destroyed by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo MOSCOW - Russian troops have captured the small settlement of Zaporizhzhya in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Saturday, citing Russia's Defence Ministry. Reuters could not independently confirm the battlefield report. The small village of Zaporizhzhya, which had a pre-war population of about 200 people, is located near the strategic city of Pokrovsk, where some of the fiercest battles of the war have been fought over the past several months. Pokrovsk is a crucial transport hub in the east of Ukraine. The village is distinct from the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, the regional centre and large industrial hub located some 160 kilometers (90 miles) to the southeast. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
German military deems Russia 'existential risk' to nation and Europe, Spiegel reports
FILE PHOTO: The Russian flag flies on the dome of the Kremlin Senate building behind Spasskaya Tower, in central Moscow, Russia, May 4, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer/File photo Berlin - The German military deems Russia an "existential risk" to the country and Europe, according to a Spiegel news magazine report that cites a new Bundeswehr strategy paper. The confidential document warns that the Kremlin is aligning both its industrial and leadership structures "specifically to meet the requirements for a large-scale conflict against NATO by the end of this decade." Russia is verifiably preparing for a conflict with NATO, particularly by strengthening forces in western Russia "at the borders with NATO," the report cites the strategy paper as saying. As early as next year, Russia could have around 1.5 million soldiers on active duty, according to the paper. Germany can only counter this threat "with a consistent development of military and society-wide capabilities," the document concludes. Military personnel and experts developed the strategy paper over the past 18 months to serve as a guideline for the future direction of Germany's Bundeswehr, the Spiegel report said. The defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently backed U.S. President Donald Trump's demand to hike NATO's defence spending target to 5% of national GDP, a major shift made possible by a historic loosening of Berlin's constitutional debt brake. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Israel Took Control of Iran's Skies
Smoke rises after a reported Israeli strike on a building used by Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, part of Iran's state TV broadcaster, on June 16, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. Credit - Stringer–Getty Images Just four days into its ferocious air campaign, Israel appears to have gained a decisive edge in its escalating conflict with Iran: aerial supremacy over Iran. The Israeli military said Monday that it can now fly over the country's capital, Tehran, without facing major resistance after crippling Iran's air defenses in recent strikes, enabling Israel to hit an expanding range of targets with relative ease. Such control over Iran's skies, military analysts say, is not just a tactical advantage—it's a strategic turning point. Air supremacy gives Israel the freedom to escalate its bombing campaign, look for additional targets, and possibly redraw the rules of deterrence in a region where missile salvos and proxy wars have long defined the limits of conflict. Soon after declaring control of Tehran's skies, Israel warned residents and workers in the capital to evacuate, and later appeared to strike the headquarters of Iran's state television broadcaster while anchors were live on air. It was a symbolically potent moment: a demonstration not just of reach, but of psychological dominance. Israel's aerial ascendancy is not free of risks. Backed into a corner, the Iranian regime may consider its survival at stake and could take more extreme measures. Iran has limited tools given the setbacks it has suffered over the last two years, but it still has terrorist proxies around the world and has attempted assassinations of major figures in the past. It might also try to sprint for a nuclear weapon in one of its remaining underground facilities. The Israeli offensive—codenamed Operation Rising Lion—was launched Friday after the IAEA concluded that Iran had moved closer to the threshold of producing a nuclear weapon. Since then, Israel has carried out one of the most intense and far-reaching air operations in its history, targeting nuclear sites, missile launchers, airports, and senior figures in Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the strikes will continue until both Iran's nuclear facilities and missile stockpiles are destroyed. U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday morning backed Israel's declaration that Tehran has lost control of Iran's airspace: 'We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn't compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured 'stuff.' Nobody does it better than the good ol' USA.' Read more: Here Are the Top Iranian Generals and Scientists Targeted and Killed by Israeli Strikes—and What We Know About Them But while the air campaign has given Israel the upper hand militarily, it has also hardened diplomatic dead-ends. Richard Nephew, the former Deputy Special Envoy for Iran under the Biden Administration, says that reviving nuclear negotiations with Iran is now 'infinitely harder than it used to be' because the U.S. has shown it can withdraw from an agreement at any time and is unable to control its ally in Israel. 'The idea of finding a sustainable, permanent deal here has taken a big hit as a result of Israeli military action,' he says, adding that Trump's 2018 withdrawal from the original nuclear agreement was the catalyst for the current crisis. 'We had a nuclear deal that was working. His own administration was saying it was working.' Now, with Iran's nuclear program damaged but not destroyed, and its retaliatory missile strikes continuing, military analysts say Israel may double down on the advantage its air superiority provides: more strikes, more decapitation efforts, and potentially even covert ground operations—backed by an air force that now roams Iranian skies largely unchallenged. Here's what to know about Israel's air supremacy. Air supremacy is the most complete form of aerial dominance a military can achieve. It means an air force can strike targets across a country at will, without major opposition from enemy aircraft or air defenses. For Israel to claim this over Iran just days after the strikes began is an impressive military accomplishment, says Michael Knights, the Bernstein Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute who specializes in Middle Eastern security. 'It's exceptional to get this level of freedom. I'm quite surprised that they've managed it,' he says, noting that not even the U.S. had been able to establish air superiority over the Houthis despite spending around $1 billion on the effort, losing over 20 major drone systems in the process. 'Air superiority gives you a real edge when it comes to keeping the enemy stationary or watching whenever they try to move,' Knights says, suggesting that Israel may use it to track key targets like nuclear facilities or where certain Iranian leaders live. The air advantage also allows Israel to bomb 'around the clock instead of just at night' without real fear of being shot down, he adds. Read more: Israel Gets the War It Wanted Israel began the war using its most advanced stealth aircraft, the F-35, enhanced with intelligence-gathering modifications to fly deep into Iranian territory and strike Iran's air defense radar installations and surface-to-air missile batteries. After suppressing most of Iran's air defenses, Israel sent older fighter jets, including F-15s and F-16s, to join the operation and began dropping JDAMs and SPICE bombs—relatively inexpensive compared to missiles—on an expanding list of military sites, some of them within the heart of Tehran. Unlike Russia, which has failed to achieve similar air dominance in Ukraine after more than three years of war, Israel has accomplished it in a matter of days. Analysts credit superior training, tighter integration with intelligence and cyber operations, and the element of surprise. 'The two previous Israeli retaliatory operations in 2024 taught them that they could operate within Iranian airspace relatively freely,' Knights says. 'First you take out its command and control, its communications, radar…and pretty soon you can operate drones in daylight over Tehran.' With aerial supremacy, Israel's destructive potential has increased exponentially. Without needing to rely on costly long-range missiles, Israeli jets can now fly directly over Iranian targets, drop cheaper precision bombs, and strike with greater frequency. Knights says that the Israeli military will likely try to destroy the entire Iranian Navy and Iran's weapon storage facilities, military and civilian fuel storage sites, and national security buildings. But he notes that Israel will not be able to strike some of Iran's major uranium enrichment sites, like Fordow, a nuclear facility that is buried deep within a mountain and is considered nearly impervious to conventional airstrikes. 'They don't have bunker busters that are good enough,' he says. Read more: Watch The Moment Israel Strikes Iranian State Television During Live Broadcast Israeli officials have said its military has prepared at least two weeks of strikes, though that could change if the U.S. increases its involvement. The U.S. military has already helped shoot down Iranian missiles fired at Israel, and Trump appears to want a full surrender from Iran rather than a ceasefire. In a social media post on Tuesday morning, Trump said the U.S. knows the location of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei but doesn't want him killed 'for now.' 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding,' Trump wrote. 'He is an easy target, but is safe there—We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.' 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!' Trump wrote in a follow up post. Trump's latest comments were likely welcomed by the Israelis, who 'were quite concerned about what kind of deal Donald Trump was going to make' with the Iranians, Nephew says. That prompted them to 'act now, as opposed to waiting to see what else would come from the negotiating process.' Read more: How Involved Was the U.S. in Israel's Attack on Iran? Already, Israel has destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers—roughly a third of Iran's total—along with two F-14 aircraft, dozens of command centers, and critical infrastructure supporting Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The strike on Mashhad airport, 1,400 miles from Israel, was the longest-range attack in the campaign. Iran is depleting its stockpiles of missiles and drones in repeated attempts to retaliate. Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said that more than 220 civilians in Iran have been killed since the start of Israel's offensive, including 20 children, while more than 1,000 people have been injured. The Israeli prime minister's office says that at least 24 people have been killed by Iran's retaliatory strikes against Israel, and nearly 600 injured. 'Iran has turned out to be much weaker than we had assumed, and yet it's still standing,' says Alex Vatanka, a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute who specializes in Iranian security affairs. He adds that the Iranians know the U.S. is the only country that can stop Israel from attacking, and that Iran's leaders are asking for talks to resume as long as the U.S. doesn't join the attack. 'Israel definitely cannot stay in this fight for the long haul without the U.S.,' he says. 'But Netanyahu is saying to Trump, please let me finish the job.' Write to Nik Popli at
GMA Network
4 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Israeli tank fire kills 51 people in Gaza crowd trying to get food
File photo of a woman next to boxes of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, as Palestinians gather to collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution center in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/ Stringer CAIRO/GAZA - Israeli tanks fired into a crowd trying to get aid from trucks in the Gaza Strip on Monday, killing at least 51 people, according to medics, in one of the bloodiest incidents yet in mounting violence as desperate residents struggle for food. Video shared on social media showed around a dozen mangled bodies lying in a street in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli military acknowledged firing in the area and said it was looking into the incident. Eyewitnesses interviewed by Reuters said Israeli tanks had fired at least two shells at a crowd of thousands, who had gathered on the main eastern road through Khan Younis in the hope of getting food from aid trucks that use the route. "All of a sudden, they let us move forward and made everyone gather, and then shells started falling, tank shells," said Alaa, an eyewitness, interviewed by Reuters at Nasser Hospital, where wounded victims lay sprawled on the floor and in corridors due to the lack of space. "No one is looking at these people with mercy. The people are dying, they are being torn apart, to get food for their children. Look at these people, all these people are torn to get flour to feed their children." Medics said at least 51 people were killed and 200 wounded, at least 20 of them in critical condition. Casualties were being rushed into the hospital in civilian cars, rickshaws, and donkey carts. In a statement, the Israeli Defence Forces said: "Earlier today, a gathering was identified adjacent to an aid distribution truck that got stuck in the area of Khan Yunis, and in proximity to IDF troops operating in the area. "The IDF is aware of reports regarding a number of injured individuals from IDF fire following the crowd's approach. The details of the incident are under review. The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and operates to minimise harm as much as possible to them while maintaining the safety of our troops." Medics said at least 14 other people were also killed in separate Israeli gunfire and airstrikes elsewhere in the enclave, taking Tuesday's death toll to at least 65. The incident was the latest in nearly daily mass killings of Palestinians seeking aid in the past three weeks, since Israel partially lifted a total blockade on the territory it had imposed for nearly three months. Israel has been channelling much of the aid it is now allowing into Gaza through a new U.S.- and Israel-backed group, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates a handful of distribution sites in areas guarded by Israeli forces. The United Nations rejects the system as inadequate, dangerous and a violation of humanitarian impartiality rules. Israel says it is needed to prevent Hamas fighters from diverting aid, which Hamas denies. Gaza authorities say hundreds of Palestinians have been killed trying to reach the GHF's sites, including 23 people killed by Israeli gunfire on Monday in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. The GHF said in a press release late on Monday that it had distributed more than three million meals at its four distribution sites without incident. Eyes on Iran war The Gaza war was triggered in October 2023, when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli allies. Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed nearly 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, while displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million and causing a hunger crisis. Since last week, residents of Gaza have kept an eye on war between Israel and Iran, which began with Israel launching major strikes on Friday. Iran has long been a major supporter of Hamas. Residents of the Gaza Strip have circulated images of wrecked buildings in Israel hit by Iranian missiles, some openly happy to see Israelis experiencing a measure of the fear of air strikes that Gazans have endured for 20 months. "We live these scenes and pain daily. We are very happy that we saw the day when we saw rubble in Tel Aviv, and they are trying to get out from under the rubble and the houses that were destroyed on top of their residents," said Saad Saad, a Gaza man. Said another, Taysseir Mohaissan: "The time has come for Iran to teach the Israeli occupation state a lesson." — Reuters
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Uncertainties over global seaborne trade
The Maersk Sentosa container ship sails southbound to exit the Suez Canal in Suez, Egypt, on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023. Photographer Stringer/Bloomberg PETALING JAYA: The ongoing Israel-Iran war and the impending US reciprocal tariffs will continue to keep the transportation sector on edge, adding further uncertainties to the equation. Given the 'fluid nature' of the geopolitical and trade-related developments, RHB Research is keeping its 'neutral' rating on the sector. It also retained its earnings forecasts for now, with the exception of Westports Holdings Bhd . In a note, the research house said the recent escalation in the Israel-Iran war has ramped up uncertainties over global seaborne trade, particularly key trade passages near regional flashpoints, namely the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Traffic at the Suez Canal had already slowed down even before the war broke out as shippers rerouted their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope due to the risk of being attacked by Houthi rebels. 'While the Strait of Hormuz remains open, we do not rule out the possibility of this passage being blocked if the war further escalates. 'If a blockade or a serious disruption happens, route diversions around the African continent might be considered by the shipping lines, which may result in port congestion across various regions due to longer travel times,' noted RHB Research. Being one the largest oil chokepoints, RHB Research said disruptions at the strait could also result in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pipelines being used as alternatives. This is despite the fact that their combined capacity of 6.5 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) is far below Strait of Hormuz's oil flows of over 20 million bpd. 'Higher oil prices, coupled with potentially rising insurance premiums, could drive up freight rates.' On the transportation sector's first-quarter of financial year 2025 (1Q25) earnings, RHB Research said the results were generally in line with expectations, with Westports' 1Q25 performance meeting estimates. The port operator's performance made up 23% and 24% of the research house's and consensus full-year forecasts. 'Despite the upward earnings revision due to tariff hikes, this port counter is fairly valued – it is trading at its historical mean, with limited upside potential.' The tariff hikes refer to the 30% increase in container tariffs for Port Klang from July 1. This will be implemented in three stages – starting with a 15% upward revision effective until end-2025, followed by an 8.7% increase in 2026 and a final 4% upward adjustment for 2027 onwards to bring the effective hike to 30%. Beyond Westports, the logistics players' results disappointed in 1Q25. 'Within the logistics sector, we remain positive on Tasco Bhd , which is our top pick due to its diversified client base and business segments, which help maintain earnings stability. 'Additionally, the integrated logistics services tax incentives provide a buffer against challenges within the sector,' said RHB Research.
