From 14 Jun 2025 03.34 BST Explosions heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as fresh wave of Iranian missiles reported Explosions have been heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and the Israeli military told the public to find shelter, as Iran launched a fresh wave of missiles.

The IDF said it had identified that missiles had been recently launched from Iran. “You must enter the protected areas upon receiving the alert, and remain there until further notice. Exiting the protected area will only be possible after receiving explicit instructions,” it added.

This follows an earlier wave of missile attacks that struck a high-rise building in Tel Aviv. Police said one person died in the attacks, while Israel’s ambulance service said 34 people were injured. Share

14 Jun 2025 05.37 BST Closing summary Explosions were heard over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv early on Saturday as Iran launched fresh missile attacks. Three people were reported to have been killed, one in Tel Aviv in an attack on Friday night and two in central Israel on Saturday morning.

In Iran, fresh explosions were reported at an airport in Tehran that houses an air force base, and across the Hakimiyeh and Tehranpars neighbourhoods in the east of the capital. Iran’s envoy to the UN security council, Amir Saeid Iravani, said 78 people including senior officials had been killed in the Israeli attacks on Friday, and that more than 320 were injured, most of them civilians. He said the US was complicit in the attacks and accused Israel of seeking “to kill diplomacy, to sabotage negotiations and to drag the region into wider conflict”.

The US role in the attack remained murky with President Donald Trump giving conflicting accounts as to his approval and foreknowledge . In the run-up to the Israeli 200-plane attack, Trump had publicly urged Israel to give diplomacy more of a chance, before US-Iranian talks that were planned for Sunday. But on Friday, the US president insisted he had been well informed of Israel’s plans and described the Israeli attack as “excellent”.

A top-level UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians scheduled for next week has been postponed, French president Emmanuel Macron said on Friday. France and Saudi Arabia had been due to co-chair the conference hosted by the UN general assembly in New York on 17-20 June, and Macron had been among leaders scheduled to attend.

Israel closed all checkpoints to the Israeli-occupied West Bank as the country attacked Iran, a military official said Friday. The move sealed off entry and exit to the territory, meaning that Palestinians could not leave without special coordination. This live blog is now ending. You can follow our continued coverage here. Share

14 Jun 2025 05.16 BST Israel’s paramedic service says two people are confirmed to have been killed following an earlier missile strike in central Israel. A further 19 were injured. In total, three people have been killed since missile strikes against Israel began on Friday. Share

14 Jun 2025 04.39 BST One person was killed and 19 injured in the recent wave of missile attacks in central Israel, according to a spokesperson for Magen David Adom rescue service cited by local media. Three of the injured are in a serious condition, the spokesperson said.

Share

14 Jun 2025 04.31 BST Iran said dialogue with the US over Tehran’s nuclear programme is “meaningless” after Israel’s biggest-ever military strike against its longstanding enemy and accused Washington of supporting the attack, reports Reuters.

“The other side [the US] acted in a way that makes dialogue meaningless. You cannot claim to negotiate and at the same time divide work by allowing the Zionist regime [Israel] to target Iran’s territory,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying.

He said Israel “succeeded in influencing” the diplomatic process and the Israeli attack would not have happened without Washington’s permission.

Iran earlier accused the US of being complicit in Israel’s attacks, but Washington denied the allegation and told Tehran at the United Nations Security Council that it would be “wise” to negotiate over its nuclear programme.

The sixth round of US-Iran nuclear talks was set to be held on Sunday in Muscat, but it was unclear whether it would go ahead after the Israeli strikes. Share

14 Jun 2025 03.55 BST The Israel Defence Force told the public it is now possible to leave protected areas, but that they should remain nearby until further notice. Emergency responders say they are treating 10 people who sustained injuries in the latest missile attacks, adding that they are in a mild to moderate condition. Magen David Adom rescue service said these figures were based on initial reports and that its teams continue to scan affected areas. Footage from the Iranian ballistic missile impact in central Israel. Medics say they’re treating at least 10 wounded. pic.twitter.com/iZtMAh8IlD — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 14, 2025 Share Updated at 03.58 BST

14 Jun 2025 03.34 BST Explosions heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as fresh wave of Iranian missiles reported Explosions have been heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and the Israeli military told the public to find shelter, as Iran launched a fresh wave of missiles.

The IDF said it had identified that missiles had been recently launched from Iran. “You must enter the protected areas upon receiving the alert, and remain there until further notice. Exiting the protected area will only be possible after receiving explicit instructions,” it added.

This follows an earlier wave of missile attacks that struck a high-rise building in Tel Aviv. Police said one person died in the attacks, while Israel’s ambulance service said 34 people were injured. Share

14 Jun 2025 02.59 BST China condemns Israel’s violations of Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and urges Israel to immediately stop all risky military actions, China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong has said, according to a report by state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Fu added that China opposes the expansion of conflicts and is deeply concerned about the consequences that may be brought about by Israel’s actions. Share

14 Jun 2025 02.51 BST Sirens are sounding across northern Israel, according to local media.

Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that alerts had been activated in several areas of the country after it identified missiles being launched from Iran. “At this time, the Air Force is working to intercept and attack wherever necessary to eliminate the threat,” it said. Share

14 Jun 2025 02.47 BST A top-level UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians scheduled for next week has been postponed amid surging tensions in the Middle East, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday. Associated Press reports: France and Saudi Arabia were due to co-chair the conference hosted by the UN General Assembly in New York on June 17-20, and Macron had been among leaders scheduled to attend. The Palestinian Authority hoped the conference would revive the long-defunct peace process.

Macron expressed his “determination to recognize the state of Palestine” at some point, despite the postponement. France has pushed for a broader movement toward recognizing a Palestinian state in parallel with recognition of Israel and its right to defend itself.

After Israel’s strikes on Iran on Friday, Macron said that France’s military forces around the Middle East are ready to help protect partners in the region, including Israel, but wouldn’t take part in any attacks on Iran.

Macron told reporters that the two-state conference was postponed for logistical and security reasons, and because some Palestinian representatives couldn’t come to the event. He insisted that it would be held “as soon as possible” and that he was in discussion with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about a new date.

The UN ambassadors from France and Saudi Arabia said in a letter to the 193 UN member nations that the delay is “due to the current circumstances in the Middle East that prevent regional leaders from attending the conference in New York.” View image in fullscreen French President Macron meets with Palestinian President Abbas, in Ramallah in October 2023. Photograph: Reuters Share Updated at 02.54 BST

14 Jun 2025 02.38 BST Canadian prime minister Mark Carney said he had convened the National Security Council to ensure that “all necessary steps” will be taken to protect Canadian nationals amid the escalation in the Middle East. In a statement on X, he said: Iran’s nuclear program has long been a cause of grave concern, and its missile attacks across Israel threaten regional peace.

Today, I convened our National Security Council to receive an update on the situation and to ensure that all necessary steps will be taken to protect our nationals and our diplomatic missions in the region.

Canada reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself and to ensure its security. We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and move towards a diplomatic resolution. Share Updated at 02.54 BST

14 Jun 2025 02.22 BST Iran’s Tasnim News Agency has reported that several loud explosions have been heard in the Hakimiyeh and Tehranpars neighbourhoods in eastern Tehran.

This follows earlier reports that two projectiles hit the Mehrabad airport area in the Iranian capital. Share

Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.

03:43 PM EST Ukraine and Middle East conflicts ‘eating away’ at U.S. stocks Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East are depleting the U.S.’s air defense stocks, according to the top admiral in charge of American forces in the Asia-Pacific area, Reuters reported. “With some of the Patriots that have been employed, some of the air-to-air missiles that have been employed, it’s now eating into stocks and to say otherwise would be dishonest,” Admiral Sam Paparo, head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said. “Inherently, it imposes costs on the readiness of America to respond in the Indo-Pacific region, which is the most stressing theater for the quantity and quality of munitions, because the PRC is the most capable potential adversary in the world.”

03:32 PM EST Chinese ship suspected of cutting undersea cables A Chinese vessel was reportedly detained in connection with an undersea data cable between Finland and Germany being cut. Denmark seems to have nabbed the Chinese flagged ship linked to the Baltic cable cutting … https://t.co/LkxKD3LqhI — Shashank Joshi (@shashj) November 19, 2024

03:17 PM EST U.S. decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range weapons against Russia will not have consequences, Ukraine says Ukraine allies do not anticipate President Joe Biden’s recent permission of long-range missile attacks by the Ukrainian army deep into Russia to have a substantial influence or change the balance of the Russia-Ukraine war, Bloomberg reported. Previously, Ukraine had anticipated that clearance to hit Russia with shorter-range missiles would change the situation. However, the Ukrainian army has been losing territory in recent months, “amid heavy pressure from more numerous and better-equipped Russian troops,” according to the media site.

02:56 PM EST U.S. will send millions in weaponry to Ukraine ahead of Trump presidency The Pentagon will send Ukraine at least $275 million in additional weaponry, according to U.S. sources, as the Biden administration races to help Kyiv fight back against Russia in the next two months before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The current shipment of weaponry comes as concerns rise over the conflict’s escalation, with both sides vying for whatever edge they can use if Trump demands a rapid conclusion to the war, as he has promised.

02:50 PM EST OPINION: Freedom Stands with Ukraine. Will We? A Ukrainian serviceman guards in the village of Mayaky, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 27, 2022. A Ukrainian serviceman guards in the village of Mayaky, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 27, 2022. Andriy Andriyenko/AP Images Academic Director at the University of Amsterdam Andrew Chakhoyan writes: War is hell. A criminal war of aggression is worse. It’s been 10 years since Russia invaded Ukraine to strip away its sovereignty, subjugate its people, and erase its culture. It’s been 1,000 days since Moscow abandoned all pretense on Feb. 24, 2022, turning its imperial ambitions into an open assault on a free nation. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Ukraine’s survival is on the line, but so are the principles that underpin the free world—sovereignty, freedom, and the belief that aggression must not go unpunished. And yet, we still haven’t summoned the courage to tell it like it is. We’ve viewed this war through the prism of risk management of cutting losses—how to avoid escalation, how to manage the fallout. But this framing is deeply flawed. Ukraine’s fight isn’t about what the free world might lose—it’s about what we must defend to make freedom reign again. It’s about winning a righteous fight, not caving to blackmail, not ceding ground to a depraved adversary who kidnaps children, deliberately bombs cancer hospitals, targets peaceful cities with rockets, and subverts free speech. A decisive Ukrainian victory isn’t just possible; it’s essential. It’s a chance to reaffirm that liberty, courage, and moral clarity are not relics of the past but urgent and necessary ideals for our time. Read the full opinion article by Academic Director at the University of Amsterdam Andrew Chakhoyan on Newsweek.

02:42 PM EST Ukraine was a top concern at G20 summit Ukraine was one of the most pressing problems for European leaders at the G20 conference in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday. Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he highlighted the matter of North Korea’s deployment of soldiers in Russia’s war in Ukraine during his meeting with China. However, Scholz continued to refuse to sell German Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. “It remains important and central to do everything we do with caution,” Scholz said on Tuesday. “I decided very early on that supplying cruise missiles would be a mistake, in my view.”

02:26 PM EST Understanding Russia’s nuclear doctrine Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Moscow-appointed head of Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, Yevgeny Balitsky during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. Putin has approved Russia’s updated nuclear… Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Moscow-appointed head of Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, Yevgeny Balitsky during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. Putin has approved Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine to share the country’s nuclear deterrence with its allies. More Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo/AP The revised version of Russia’s nuclear doctrine, approved by President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, outlines the conditions under which Moscow can deploy the world’s biggest nuclear arsenal. This new version lowers the bar, providing him the ability to respond to even a conventional strike backed by nuclear weapons. That might include Ukraine using US-supplied ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory, as Moscow claims happened Tuesday when six missiles struck the Bryansk area. Putin signed the first iteration in 2020, and the Kremlin said he authorized the most recent version on Tuesday. It indicates when Russia may use its nuclear weapons. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Putin and other Kremlin spokespeople have repeatedly threatened the West with nuclear weapons. However, Kyiv’s friends have continued to provide it with billions of dollars in modern weaponry, some of which have been used on Russian land. The updated statement refers to nuclear weapons as “a means of deterrence,” emphasizing that their deployment is an “extreme and compelled measure.” It indicates that Russia “takes all necessary efforts to reduce the nuclear threat and prevent aggravation of interstate relations that could trigger military conflicts, including nuclear ones.” Decisions to change the doctrine have been in the works for months, according to AP. The announcement, however, comes days after President Joe Biden made the choice to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range weapons against Russia.

02:16 PM EST Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: ‘Canada has proudly stood with Ukraine from day one’ Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared a statement on the thousandth day of the Russia-Ukraine war. “Canada has proudly stood with Ukraine from day one — and we will be there until victory,” he wrote. When Putin brutally invaded Ukraine one thousand days ago, he thought Ukraine would surrender. Instead, he was met with the stunning resistance of the Ukrainian people.

Canada has proudly stood with Ukraine from day one — and we will be there until victory. pic.twitter.com/S38V2iyH65 — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 19, 2024

02:06 PM EST Turkey’s Erdoğan hints he does not support Biden’s missile decision Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has hinted that he disapproves of President Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use U.S. long-range missiles. Speaking after the G20 summit in Brazil, he said that Ukraine’s attack on Russia using the U.S. ATACMS missiles was “not positive”. Erdoğan added that NATO should carefully review Russia’s statement after Putin decided to lower the threshold for ordering a nuclear strike, adding that Russia was allowed to take steps to protect itself.

01:57 PM EST Does video show US missiles firing into Russia? U.S. and Ukrainian officials confirmed on Tuesday that U.S.-made missiles had been fired into Russia for the first time after President Joe Biden permitted Ukraine to do so. Senior American and Ukrainian officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to The New York Times to discuss ongoing operations, acknowledged that ATACMS was utilized, as reports from RIA Novosti said the Ukrainian military fired six ATACMS missiles against a target in the Bryansk region during the night. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has referred to the attack as “escalation”; a U.S. official speaking to Newsweek responded that Lavrov’s comments were “irresponsible rhetoric” and that the use of soldiers from North Korea presented a “significant escalation of its war of choice against Ukraine and we warned that the United States would respond.” As the news went out, videos appeared on social media that appeared to show the U.S. missiles being launched into Russian territory. Read the fact check by Tom Norton on Newsweek.

01:49 PM EST WATCH: Jeremy Laurence speaks on ‘grim milestone of 1,000 days’ since start of war Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Jeremy Laurence spoke about the “grim milestone of 1,000 days since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale armed attack on Ukraine.” He said in his remarks: Today marks the grim milestone of 1,000 days since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale armed attack on Ukraine. Our Office has verified that at least 12,162 civilians have been killed since 24 February 2022, among them 659 children. At least another 26,919 civilians have been injured. Over the past two days, at least 30 civilians have reportedly been killed in a series of deadly strikes in residential areas in Sumy City, Odesa and Hlukhiv. In the very latest attack on Hlukhiv, which occurred late last night, nine civilians, including a child, were reportedly killed, and 11, including two children, injured. Search and rescue operations are ongoing. On Monday, the Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Danielle Bell, visited several locations in Zaporizhzhia that had recently been struck by Russian glide bombs. These weapons carry large amounts of explosive material which – when deployed in cities and other populated areas – cause extensive civilian casualties and damage to civilian property. Among the sites visited was an oncology centre hit by a glide bomb on 7 November at 2:30 PM, where cancer patients were undergoing chemotherapy at the time of the attack. The medical centre sustained severe damage and is now undergoing repairs. Bell also visited the site of an apartment building where half of the structure was destroyed by another glide bomb, also on 7 November. In this incident, 10 people lost their lives. Colleagues in our Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine later spoke with a man whose home had been destroyed after two vehicles, thrown through the air by the blast wave on the same day, struck his house. Next door, a family suffered a devastating loss: their 20-year-old son was killed in the attack. His mother, who was severely injured, remains hospitalized. The family’s two-storey home, the largest in the neighborhood, was almost completely levelled by the glide bomb’s direct impact. As the High Commissioner has said, it has been 1,000 days too many of senseless pain and suffering. Violations of human rights have become the order of the day, both in the conduct of hostilities and in areas under occupation. We call on all parties to ensure the safety and protection of civilians. Effective measures must also be taken to fully and impartially investigate where there are credible allegations of violations. The violence must stop – for the sake of the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia, and the world. The High Commissioner repeats his call on the Russian Federation to cease immediately its armed attack and to withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine. Russia must meet its international obligations under the UN Charter, the order of the International Court of Justice and other applicable law.

01:41 PM EST Chinese ship Yi Peng under investigation for underwater cable damage The Chinese ship Yi Peng is now the prime suspect in the continuing investigation into the cutting of two crucial underwater communication cables connecting Finland to Germany and Sweden to Lithuania. Authorities think the ship’s movements were directly related to the date and location of the cable interruptions. 🇨🇳 The Chinese vessel Yi Peng is the main suspect in the investigation into the cutting of two submarine cables between Finland and Germany, and Sweden and Lithuania, – Reuters

❗️The Chinese vessel suspected of cutting the submarine cables docked in Russia 4 days ago. pic.twitter.com/LyiIPF2Ibs — MAKS 24 🇺🇦👀 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) November 19, 2024

01:34 PM EST Fact check: Does video show US missiles firing into Russia? United States and Ukrainian officials confirmed on Tuesday that U.S.-made missiles had been fired into Russia for the first time after President Joe Biden permitted Ukraine to do so. Senior American and Ukrainian officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to The New York Times to discuss ongoing operations, acknowledged that ATACMS was utilized, as reports from RIA Novosti said the Ukrainian military fired six ATACMS missiles against a target in the Bryansk region during the night. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has referred to the attack as “escalation”; a U.S. official speaking to Newsweek responded that Lavrov’s comments were “irresponsible rhetoric” and that the use of soldiers from North Korea presented a “significant escalation of its war of choice against Ukraine and we warned that the United States would respond.” As the news went out, videos appeared on social media that appeared to show the U.S. missiles being launched into Russian territory. Read in full from Tom Norton on Newsweek. BREAKING: Ukraine has now officially put US longrange missiles into usage, striking Russian territory in an effort to continue their defense against Russia’s illegal invasion and aggression. pic.twitter.com/jLotJAJnGU — Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) November 19, 2024

01:32 PM EST Denmark delivers fighter jets to Ukraine The Danish government has decided to deliver two further batches of F-16 fighter planes to Ukraine. Kyiv has already received six aircraft, and a total of 19 such fighters are expected. Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, stated this during a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. She said that Denmark has not revised its plans to provide a certain quantity of F-16 fighter planes to Ukraine. 🇩🇰 Denmark has delivered 6 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, confirms Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. A total of 19 jets will be provided in three batches.https://t.co/wZ3RJoGPbG pic.twitter.com/eAMiX2nj9i — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) November 19, 2024

01:30 PM EST Gold rises, stocks slide as Russia-Ukraine conflict escalates Wall Street opened lower Tuesday while escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war prompted investors to shift toward traditional safe-haven assets including gold and Treasury bonds. The S & P 500 fell 0.5 percent in early trading, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 319 points, or 0.7 percent. The Nasdaq composite also slid 0.5 percent. Gold, a traditional refuge during geopolitical uncertainty, rose 0.5 percent, clawing back some of its recent losses. U.S. Treasury bond prices also climbed, pushing the 10-year Treasury yield down to 4.37 percent from Monday’s 4.41 percent. Read the full story by Lilith Foster-Collins on Newsweek.

01:25 PM EST Russian state TV talking heads believe Trump will save them after Biden’s missile move Donald Trump in Washington D.C., November 13, 2024 Donald Trump in Washington D.C., November 13, 2024 Alex Brandon/ASSOCIATED PRESS Russian state media broadcasters, left nervous by Biden’s decision to allow Ukraine to use U.S. long range missiles, appear to be looking to President-elect Donald Trump to overturn the move in Russia’s favor once he takes office. Hosts of popular Russian morning show At Dawn, Kristina Busarova and Roman Guz, admitted having a “restless” night after Biden’s decision, but assured their audience that as soon as Trump took office, he would withdraw permission, the Daily Beast reports. Olga Skabeeva, host of 60 Minutes, claimed on her state TV show that Trump may even rule now, while President Biden is still in office, that Ukraine cannot use American missiles, although it is not clear what powers she believed he could do that under. Political scientist Bogdan Bezpalko said during an appearance on The Meeting Place that he believed that Trump would use Biden’s approval of long-range missiles to deny any further aid to Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly criticized the U.S.’s continued military aid to Kyiv and has insisted he could end the fighting with a deal. Russian state media cited an unnamed source in the incoming Trump administration as saying Biden’s decision could be “revised.”

01:08 PM EST Stocks volatile after Putin lowered threshold for using nuclear weapons The Dow plummeted around 450 points this morning after the news that Vladimir Putin had lowered Russia’s threshold for using nuclear weapons. It has since recovered from its lowest drop but remains around 200 points, or 0.5% down, as of this afternoon. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have also both bounced back from this morning’s losses. Meanwhile, the market rushed to invest in traditional safe havens like gold, sending the price soaring.

12:55 PM EST Zelensky says that 2025 will decide who wins the Ukraine war Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a joint statement with Prime Minister of Denmark following their meeting in Kyiv, on November 19, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a joint statement with Prime Minister of Denmark following their meeting in Kyiv, on November 19, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. ROMAN PILIPEY/AFP via Getty Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today that 2025 will decide who wins the Ukraine-Russia war. Speaking to his country’s parliament on the 1,000th day of the Russian invasion, he said: “In the decisive moments, and they are coming next year, we must not allow anyone in the world to doubt the resilience of our entire state. “And at this stage, it is being decided who will prevail. “This battle is not only about Pokrovsk, Kupiansk or any other city, town or village, not only about this or that region of ours,” he continued. “This battle is about the whole of Ukraine, the battle is about the whole of Europe, about order or chaos for the whole world,” he said

12:46 PM EST UK’s prime minister slams Russia for ‘irresponsible rhetoric’ over nuclear threats British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, speaks during an Interpol General Assembly on November 4, 2024 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, speaks during an Interpol General Assembly on November 4, 2024 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. Russell Cheyne – WPA Pool/Getty Images UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Russia of using “irresponsible rhetoric” after Vladimir Putin lowered Russia’s threshold for a nuclear strike. “There’s irresponsible rhetoric coming from Russia, and that is not going to deter our support for Ukraine,” he said at the G20 summit in Brazil, Tuesday. Vladimir Putin updated Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which takes effect from Tuesday, to state that its nuclear deterrence will be exercised “against a potential enemy,” although it still views nuclear weapon use as an “extreme measure.”

12:29 PM EST Russia claims it destroyed seven Ukrainian drones Russia claims it destroyed seven Ukrainian drones over Bryansk region. “The Russian Defense Ministry’s air defense forces detected and destroyed seven fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles,” Russia Regional Governor Alexander Bogomaz said on his Telegram channel on Tuesday. He added that there no casualties reported, and emergency response services were at the scene.

12:24 PM EST Watch how a copter bomber destroys Russian air defense system Footage of the Ukrainian strategic copter bomber “Baba Yaga” destroying a Russian air defense system was shared on X. Baba Yaga is a nickname for a Ukrainian drone used in the war against Russia and is also the name of a character in Slavic folklore. Ukrainian strategic copter bomber “Baba Yaga” takes out a Russian TOR air defense system. pic.twitter.com/aOGTdrLbOX — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) November 19, 2024

12:13 PM EST Russia-linked ‘floating bomb’ ship back at NATO port Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles, during his joint news conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018. A Russian-linked ship dubbed a “floating bomb” carrying… Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles, during his joint news conference with Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018. A Russian-linked ship dubbed a “floating bomb” carrying 20,000 tons of explosives has dumped part of its load 14 miles off the coast of England. More Alexander Ryumin/TASS News Agency Pool Photo via AP A Russia-linked ship carrying 20,000 tons of explosives has reportedly discharged part of its load before returning to the U.K. Ruby, a Malta-flagged cargo ship dubbed a “floating bomb,” set off from Russia’s northern port of Kandalaksha in August and is docked in Norfolk, England, according to MarineTraffic, a website that provides real-time ship locations. Several European countries had turned the ship away over fears about its cargo, reported The Sun, a British tabloid newspaper. However, on October 28, the ship docked in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, with plans of transporting a load of explosive fertilizer to a harbor in the town. Read in full from Billal Rahman on Newsweek.

12:11 PM EST German chancellor under fire for refusal to allow Ukraine long-range Taurus missiles This illustrative image from March 5, 2024 shows a Taurus cruise missile at a production facility of MBDA Deutschland, in Schrobenhausen, Germany. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under pressure to give the missiles to Ukraine… This illustrative image from March 5, 2024 shows a Taurus cruise missile at a production facility of MBDA Deutschland, in Schrobenhausen, Germany. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is under pressure to give the missiles to Ukraine to fight Russia. More Leonhard Simon/Getty Images German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has come under fire from opposition parties over his decision not to allow long-range Taurus missiles to be used against Russia. Berlin has been a major military donor to Ukraine but Scholz has held back on providing the German-Swedish-built Taurus missiles, which have a 500km (310m) range, compared to the 300km (186m) U.S.-built ATACMS. Scholz fears Germany getting drawn into the Ukraine-Russia war if Taurus missiles hit a sensitive target, but critics have accused him of “putting party interests above the interests of Germany’s foreign and security policy.” Florian Hahn, a member of the German opposition CDU/CSU block, added that the chancellor was seen as “indecisive and unreliable.”

12:06 PM EST Ukraine’s US missile attack is Western ‘escalation’ says Russia The attack on the Russian Bryansk region from Ukraine, using U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles is a signal that the West wants to escalate the Ukraine conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday. The minister, who was speaking in Rio de Janeiro at the G20 Summit, told reporters: “The fact that ATACMS were used repeatedly in the Bryansk region overnight, is of course, a signal that they want escalation.” In response, a U.S. official told Newsweek: “This is more of the same irresponsible rhetoric from Russia which we have seen for the past two years. As we said to Russia weeks ago, Russia’s use of DPRK soldiers in combat operations against Ukraine presents a significant escalation of its war of choice against Ukraine and we warned that the United States would respond.” “As we have observed no changes to Russia’s nuclear posture, we have not seen any reason to adjust our own nuclear posture in response.” Read the full story by Marni Rose McFall on Newsweek.

11:57 AM EST Training Ukrainian military makes France a direct participant, says senior Russian official Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends the second session of the G20 Leaders’ Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 18, 2024. Lavrov said that Paris training Ukrainian soldiers at a military base in… Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends the second session of the G20 Leaders’ Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on November 18, 2024. Lavrov said that Paris training Ukrainian soldiers at a military base in France makes them directly involved in the war. More Ludovic Marin/Getty Images Paris is training Ukrainian soldiers at a French military site, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated that it is actively participating in the war during a press conference following the Group of Twenty meeting. “[French President Emmanuel] Macron has been one of the most vocal and biggest material supporters of the war, advocating for victory over Russia, for Russia’s strategic defeat,” Lavrov said, per TASS. “Ukrainian servicemen are currently completing their training in France, an entire assault shock brigade is being prepared. In essence, they are directly participating in the combat.”

11:46 AM EST European leaders suspect sabotage over severed Baltic Sea cable Leaders from Sweden, Lithuania, Finland, and Germany suspect sabotage over the severed Baltic Sea cable. Two fiber optic cables, linking Finland to Germany, and Sweden to Lithuania, suddenly stopped working overnight on Sunday. In a joint statement, the foreign ministries of Finland and Germany said the sudden damage comes at a time that “our European security is not only under threat from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors.” “We are deeply concerned by the severed undersea cable connecting Lithuania and Sweden in the Baltic Sea,” Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson and his Lithuanian counterpart Laurynas Kasciunas added in another joint statement. “Situations like these must be assessed with the growing threat posed by Russia in our neighborhood as a backdrop.” Germany’s defense minister Boris Pistorius said, at a regular meeting of European Union defense ministers, that “no one believes these cables were severed by mistake.” “So we have to state, without knowing in concrete terms who it came from, that this is a hybrid action. And we also have to assume, without already knowing it, obviously, that this is sabotage.”

11:44 AM EST Zelensky thanks Prime Minister of Denmark for support Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a post to X, thanking Denmak’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen for her support of Ukraine and for the new support package Denmark is giving the country. “A thousand days of full-scale war is a very difficult path, and we are enduring it because we have friends like Denmark by our side, and leaders like Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen,” Zelensky wrote. “I am deeply grateful to Mette Frederiksen for her personal leadership, her team, and the Danish people for their support of Ukraine and our people.” A thousand days of full-scale war is a very difficult path, and we are enduring it because we have friends like Denmark by our side, and leaders like Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

I am deeply grateful to Mette Frederiksen for her personal leadership, her team, and the Danish… pic.twitter.com/CDIyklB4zF — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 19, 2024

11:35 AM EST National security advisor speaks on mobilization challenges in Ukraine According to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the challenging situation on the front lines in Ukraine is caused by mobilization challenges rather than a shortage of armaments. He said in a PBS interview that the U.S. has contributed tanks, F-16s, HIMARS, and Patriot air defense, but that many systems are required for success. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan states that the difficult situation on the frontlines in Ukraine is not due to a lack of weapons but issues with mobilization. He said that the U.S. has provided tanks, F-16s, HIMARS, and Patriot air defense, but multiple systems are needed… pic.twitter.com/LdlvIFDyWE — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) November 19, 2024

11:31 AM EST Zelensky says he won’t lower age of conscription ‘despite U.S. pressure’ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured his country’s citizens that he was not planning on lowering the age of military conscription, despite reported pressure from the U.S. The current age of conscription in Ukraine is between 25 and 60. In October, Serhiy Leshchenko, an advisor to Zelensky’s chief of staff, claimed that U.S. lawmakers, who he declined to name, are pressuring Ukraine to drop the minimum age down to 18. “(The) Americans are hinting, Western weapons alone are not enough, we need mobilization from the age of 18,” he said. On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said that the Ukraine Ministry of Defense was creating a new contract model for younger men who wanted to serve their country, but that minimum conscription age would remain at 25. “And no need for speculation: our state is not planning to lower mobilization age. We have to use a new approach to [army] contracts to gradually rely on contracts rather than mobilization to shape our army.”

11:27 AM EST U.S. has no ‘reason to adjust our own nuclear posture’ after Putin lowered Russia bar for nuclear weapons use Officials say the White House sees no need to revise its own nuclear posture after Vladimir Putin publicly lowered the bar for Russia’s nuclear weapons use. A U.S. National Security Council official told Reuters that they were not shocked by Putin’s move; however, the Biden administration doesn’t see “any reason to adjust our own nuclear posture or doctrine in response to Russia’s statements today.”

10:46 AM EST Analysts say neither Russia nor Ukraine can sustain war for too long Local residents walk past destroyed houses in the city, approximately 10 km from the frontline, on November 16, 2024 in Pokrovsk, Ukraine. A video of a Ukrainian soldier shows her appearing to successfully shoot down… Local residents walk past destroyed houses in the city, approximately 10 km from the frontline, on November 16, 2024 in Pokrovsk, Ukraine. A video of a Ukrainian soldier shows her appearing to successfully shoot down a Russian cruise missile in her first combat launch. More Kostiantyn Liberov/Getty Images The 1,000-day mark has increased scrutiny of how the conflict is progressing and how it may finish, with suggestions that a watershed moment may be on the horizon with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump taking office in around two months. Trump has promised to terminate the war as soon as possible and has criticized the amount of money spent by the United States to help Ukraine. Analysts believe that neither Russia nor Ukraine can prolong the conflict for an extended period of time, even though Russia is able to do so due to its greater resources. Ukraine’s soldiers are under intense Russian pressure on the battlefield, particularly along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line where its army is stretched thin. Russian drones and rockets have regularly targeted Ukrainian people.

10:38 AM EST Moldova ‘stands by’ Ukraine on 1,000th day of war Posted with a video message, President Maia Sandu of the Republic of Moldova shared a statement on the thousandth day of the war between Russia and Ukraine. “For 1,000 days, Ukraine has been fighting tirelessly to defend its land and freedom with incredible courage,” Sandu wrote. “This fight is about restoring faith in a world where sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by all. “Moldova stands by your side—now and always.” For 1,000 days, Ukraine has been fighting tirelessly to defend its land and freedom with incredible courage.

This fight is about restoring faith in a world where sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by all.

Moldova stands by your side—now and always. pic.twitter.com/tgigUPbPJh — Maia Sandu (@sandumaiamd) November 19, 2024

10:29 AM EST Are NATO troops off to Ukraine to operate U.S.-donated missiles? The United States’ approval for Ukraine to send long-range American missiles into Russia has led to misleading claims about the conflict and the nations that support Kyiv’s fight against Moscow. U.S. officials said on Sunday that the White House had approved the use of U.S.-supplied Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, missiles for use against targets far into Russia’s territory. The move marks a distinct shift in policy by the outgoing Biden administration. While it does lift a chafing restriction from Ukrainian officials, doubts swirl about how much of an impact the limited ATACMS stocks can have nearly 1,000 days into the full-scale war. Among the commentary that followed were suspect claims that NATO General Secretary Mark Rutte had approved the deployment of NATO troops into Ukraine to operate the long-range missile use. Read the fact check by Tom Norton on Newsweek.

10:17 AM EST European Commission president: ‘Dear Ukrainians, Europe is your true friend’ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shared a message to her X account in support of Ukraine on the thousandth day of the war with Russia. “One thousand days ago, Russia tried to wipe Ukraine off the map, and for one thousand days, Russia has failed because of Ukraine’s resistance and the sacrifice of your heroes,” von der Leyen said in her video. “Today is a day of mourning but also a day of promise. We promise to keep standing by your side for as long as it takes. You can rest assured that European and Western support will continue to flow. The winter ahead may be scary, but it is in stormy days that true friends show up and Europe is your true friend. Your freedom is our freedom and our Union is your home.” Dear Ukrainians, Europe is your true friend.

Your freedom is our freedom.

Our Union is your home ↓ pic.twitter.com/9wmHExkljf — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) November 19, 2024

10:10 AM EST Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials confirm use of long-range missiles today Rescue workers seen cleaning rubble from a residential building destroyed by a Russian attack in Hlukhiv, Ukraine on November 19, 2024. A new poll by Gallup found that the majority of Ukrainians want to negotiate… Rescue workers seen cleaning rubble from a residential building destroyed by a Russian attack in Hlukhiv, Ukraine on November 19, 2024. A new poll by Gallup found that the majority of Ukrainians want to negotiate to end the war as soon as possible. More Ukrainian Emergency Service/Associated Press Ukraine’s military deployed long-range American-made missiles to strike inside Russia for the first time today, according to top U.S. and Ukrainian officials, The New York Times reported. This comes two days after President Biden authorized it in what amounted to a significant reversal in American policy. According to Ukrainian officials, the strike occurred before morning and targeted an ammo store in the Bryansk area of southern Russia. According to a statement from Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Kyiv fired six long-range ballistic missiles known as the Army Tactical Missile System or ATACMS. Senior American and Ukrainian officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations, acknowledged that ATACMS was utilized.

10:01 AM EST Russia accuses U.S. of seeking escalation Russia has accused the U.S. of seeking retaliation following President Joe Biden authorizing the use of U.S.-made long-range weapons. “Strikes on Bryansk with ATACMS are a signal that the West seeks escalation,” says Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He also said that European principles are “racist” to Russians and that the Ukrainian government does not represent the majority of people in seized territories. “Strikes on Bryansk with ATACMS are a signal that the West seeks escalation,” says Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He also added that European values are ‘racist’ to Russians, and the Ukrainian government does not represent the majority of people in occupied territory. pic.twitter.com/nNQRLxXwxj — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) November 19, 2024

09:51 AM EST Jon Finer: ‘I would put the question back to Russia about who’s actually putting fuel on the fire here’ The White House denied on Monday that it is adding “fuel the fire” by allowing Ukrainian forces to employ U.S.-supplied missiles inside Russia. “The fire was lit by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer said. “So, I think this notion of fuel on the fire is, frankly, a side issue to the main issue, which is Russia waging a war of aggression across a sovereign border, into Ukraine, and continuing to do so.” He added, “I would put the question back to Russia about who’s actually putting fuel on the fire here, and I don’t think it’s the Ukrainians.”

09:46 AM EST Finland president confirms ‘unwavering’ for Ukraine Finland President Alexander Stubb has said that support from the country to Ukraine is “unwavering.” In a video posted to his X account, Stubb compared Finland’s Winter War to the Russia-Ukraine war, saying that the latter “has lasted 10 times longer.” “We understand what you’re going through,” Stubb said in the video. “We will support for as long as it takes. We support you because it is morally right. We support you because you are fighting for your independence, but we also support you because you are fighting for Europe’s security.” Ukraine has been fighting for its independence for 1,000 days.

Finland’s support for Ukraine remains unwavering. We will continue to stand by Ukraine.

Slava Ukraini. pic.twitter.com/JlF5xSO0jH — Alexander Stubb (@alexstubb) November 19, 2024

09:35 AM EST Zelensky: ‘We must do everything to end this war—fairly, justly, and, of course, together’ Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a video of himself addressing the European Parliament on the thousandth day of the start of the war with Russia. In his tweet, he wrote: “We must do everything to end this war—fairly, justly, and, of course, together. A thousand days of war is a tremendous challenge. Ukraine deserves to make the next year the year of peace.” Today, I addressed the participants of an extraordinary session of the European Parliament marking the 1,000th day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Every “today” is the best moment to push Russia harder. It is clear that without certain key factors, Russia will lack… pic.twitter.com/etKlasOmtg — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 19, 2024

09:30 AM EST Drone catches epic battle of Ukrainian tanks against Russian forces Ukrainian tanks have been shown taking on Russian forces in the Donetsk region in drone footage that has been widely viewed on social media. “Footage of an epic tank battle near Kurakhove,” says the X, formerly Twitter, post of War Is Translation next to a three-minute video. It was one of the pro-Ukrainian social media accounts sharing the clip in which users noted how two Ukrainian tanks had entered an occupied village and fired at and destroyed houses where Russian troops had gathered. Footage of an epic tank battle near Kurakhove. The Ukrainian tank in front fires at the houses where the Russians were hiding, then blows a smoke screen and retreats. The second tank, which was providing cover, comes under attack from an enemy FPV. pic.twitter.com/trfC4xhcfs — WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) November 18, 2024 Read the full story by Brendan Cole on Newsweek.

09:18 AM EST Zelensky confirms child’s death among 7 in drone attack Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a tweet confirming seven deaths, one of which was a child, following a drone attack from Russia. Ten others were injured, he said. “Russia continues to terrorize our border region,” Zelensky wrote. “Last night, a drone hit Hlukhiv, destroying a dormitory at one of the local educational institutions. Tragically, as of now, we know that seven people, including a child, were killed in this attack. My deepest condolences go to their families and loved ones.” Russia continues to terrorize our border regions. Last night, a drone hit Hlukhiv, destroying a dormitory at one of the local educational institutions. Tragically, as of now, we know that seven people, including a child, were killed in this attack. My deepest condolences go to… pic.twitter.com/QTGbj5GQXn — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 19, 2024

09:01 AM EST NATO allies to make individual decisions on authorizing Ukraine to use weapons Members of NATO will make individual judgments on whether or not to allow Ukraine to use their weapons for attacks within Russia, according to the alliance’s Secretary General, Mark Rutte, ahead of the meeting of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council in Defense Ministers format in Brussels. “It’s up to an individual ally to decide what they do,” he told reporters, per the Russian News Agency. “I am not going into whether individual allies should yes or no or what they are doing.” “I would generally say let’s not communicate too much and not make our adversaries more wise than is necessary,” he added. “Today we will discuss how to help Ukraine to prevail. That means more aid, more money.”

08:50 AM EST Emmanuel Macron calls Russia-Ukraine conflict ‘illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression’ French President Emmanuel Macron shared a tweet in support of Ukraine, calling the conflict with Russia “an illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression” on the thousandth day of its beginning. A thousand days that Ukraine has bravely resisted an illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression.

A thousand days that Russia has pursued its brutal and imperialist agenda, targeting civilian populations and violating the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.… — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 19, 2024

08:47 AM EST ‘1000 days of avoidable tragedy’: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis shared a tweet this morning in response to the thousandth day of the Russia-Ukraine war. “1000 days of avoidable tragedy. 1000 days of lost time,” he wrote. “1000 days of sacrifice and heroism of Ukraine’s best and bravest. 1000 days of defiance against 1000 days of terror. 1000 days too many. And if we stick with our current failed strategy, the next 1000 days might be worse.” 1000 days of avoidable tragedy. 1000 days of lost time. 1000 days of sacrifice and heroism of Ukraine’s best and bravest. 1000 days of defiance against 1000 days of terror. 1000 days too many. And if we stick with our current failed strategy, the next 1000 days might be worse. — Gabrielius Landsbergis🇱🇹 (@GLandsbergis) November 19, 2024

08:37 AM EST European foreign ministers issue a statement commemorating 1,000 days of conflict Following a meeting in Warsaw, the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Spain, and the U.K. released a unified pledge of support for Ukraine. “Russia is systematically attacking European security architecture,” they wrote. “For the last 1,000 days, in its war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia has killed many thousands and repeatedly violated international law. “Russia’s reckless revisionism and constant refusal to stop the aggression and engage in meaningful talks challenges peace, freedom and prosperity on the European continent and in the transatlantic area. “Russia is increasingly reliant on partners such as Iran and North Korea in order to sustain its illegal warfare. “Moscow’s escalating hybrid activities against NATO and EU countries are also unprecedented in their variety and scale, creating significant security risks. “To live up to this historic challenge, we are determined to stand united with our European and transatlantic partners to think and act big on European security. European countries must play a still greater role in assuring our own security, acting alongside our transatlantic and global partners.”

08:31 AM EST Trump peace accord requires European forces on the ground to safeguard Ukraine Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna has suggested that European countries should be prepared to send armed forces to secure any Russia-Ukraine peace deal reached by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. While NATO membership for Kyiv would be the finest security assurance, Politico reported that Tsahkna believes that deploying soldiers to Ukraine to secure an agreement may be the next best thing. “If we are talking about real security guarantees, it means that there will be a just peace. Then we are talking about NATO membership,” Tsahkna said in an interview with the Financial Times. “But without the US it is impossible. And then we are talking about any form [of guarantee] in the meaning of boots on the ground”But without the US it is impossible. And then we are talking about any form [of guarantee] in the meaning of boots on the ground.”

08:21 AM EST Kim Jong Un hails ‘new level’ of partnership with Putin Kim Jong Un meets with Russian Natural Resources and Ecology Minister Alexandr Kozlov at the headquarters of the Workers’ Party of Korea on Nov. 18. During their meeting, Kim reportedly hailed the developments that had… Kim Jong Un meets with Russian Natural Resources and Ecology Minister Alexandr Kozlov at the headquarters of the Workers’ Party of Korea on Nov. 18. During their meeting, Kim reportedly hailed the developments that had been made in cooperation between Russia and North Korea. More Korea Central News Agency Kim Jong Un has celebrated a new era of cooperation between North Korea and Russia, amid a visit to the country by a member of Vladimir Putin’s administration. North Korean state media reported on a meeting between Kim and Russia’s resource minister, Alexander Kozlov, on Tuesday. According to the Pyongyang Times, the North Korean leader expressed to Kozlov his appreciation that “bilateral solidarity and cooperation has been growing closer and more intense in different fields since the conclusion of a new treaty between the two countries.” Over the past few weeks, both countries’ leaders ratified the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, a document outlining expanded opportunities for collaboration in the realms of trade and security between the two isolated nations. The treaty, unveiled during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June, includes a promise to provide mutual military assistance using “all means” available in the event that either of them is attacked. Read the full story by Hugh Cameron on Newsweek.

08:12 AM EST Russian losses approach three grim milestones after 1000 days of war Russia’s war on Ukraine has reached one thousand days of conflict marking one of three grim milestones since Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion. Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Tuesday: “For 1,000 days, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been confronting the enemy on the front line, which stretches over 1,000 kilometers.” Also approaching four figures is the cost in anti-aircraft systems for Russia, according to Ukraine’s defense ministry, whose latest figures on Tuesday said 999 had been lost. In addition, the 29,548 tally of car and cistern losses approached a record 30,000, adding to the milestones racked up during the conflict. There are also continuing high losses of Russian personnel, which according to Kyiv, are at 724,050 dead and wounded and a recent daily average of around 1,500 casualties could see the three quarter of a million mark hit within the next month. However, it is difficult to get an exact number of personnel losses as both sides keep tight-lipped about these figures. Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment. Syrskyi described Ukraine’s fight from the “frozen trenches of the Donetsk region to the burning steppes of the Kherson region under shells, Grads [rocket systems], KABs [Russian glide bombs],” as he described how his country was “fighting for the right to life—[for] us and our children. Read the full story by Brendan Cole on Newsweek.

07:57 AM EST German defense minister says damaged data cables in Baltic Sea was ‘sabotage’ Two cables in the Baltic Sewere severed on Sunday and Monday, increasing the possibility of a deliberate assault, but police originally declined to speculate. These lines were located between Finland and Germany and the other between Sweden and Lithuania, Today, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that it “was sabotage.” ⚠️ “The two damaged data cables in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Germany were no accident—it was sabotage. I don’t believe they were damaged by anchors,” said German Defense Minister Pistorius. pic.twitter.com/JL6uic8fYy — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) November 19, 2024

07:29 AM EST ATACMS debris reportedly falls in Russia city, country claims Russia claims that debris from a U.S.-made ATACMS missile has fallen in the Bryansk area. According to Russia’s state-owned news service Tass, which cited the Ministry of Defense, the debris fell on a military base in the Bryansk area. It added that there was a small fire. The ministry said that it has shot down five of the missiles over the Bryansk area. The incident caused no injuries or property damage, according to the report. The assertions have not undergone independent verification and Ukraine has not commented on the Russian allegations. There has been no confirmation from the U.S. or other ally forces. The Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukraine attacked the Bryansk region with ATACMS missiles. The Ukrainian General Staff did not confirm the information.

I commented for the NYT on Biden’s authorization to attack Russian territory with long-range missiles.… — Oleksiy Goncharenko (@GoncharenkoUa) November 19, 2024

07:25 AM EST Emmanuel Macron calls Biden’s missile move a ‘good decision’ French President Emmanuel Macron called President Joe Biden’s call on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-issued long-range missiles a “good decision.” Macron added that the decision came as a result of Russia escalating the war with the use of North Korean soldiers. “Russia is the only power that made an escalatory decision … it’s really this break that led to the U.S. decision,” Macron said at the G20 summit in Brazil.

07:20 AM EST Prime minister of Poland reacts to 1000th day of war President Donald Tusk of Poland shared a tweet this morning, reacting to it being the thousandth day of the war between Russia and Ukraine. He wrote, “1000 days of Russian aggression, 1000 days of Ukrainian heroism and suffering, 1000 days of Polish aid and solidarity. By supporting Ukraine, we’re moving the war away from our Polish and European borders. Let us remember that every single day.” 1000 days of Russian aggression, 1000 days of Ukrainian heroism and suffering, 1000 days of Polish aid and solidarity. By supporting Ukraine, we’re moving the war away from our Polish and European borders. Let us remember that every single day. — Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) November 19, 2024

07:17 AM EST Russia boost investment in US government debt U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (L) and Ukrainian Minister of Finance Sergii Marchenko shake hands at the conclusion of a signing ceremony at the Treasury Department on October 23, 2024 in Washington, DC. Russia has… U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (L) and Ukrainian Minister of Finance Sergii Marchenko shake hands at the conclusion of a signing ceremony at the Treasury Department on October 23, 2024 in Washington, DC. Russia has increased their investments in US Government debt in September, according to documents published by the US Department of the Treasury. More Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Russia has increased investments in U.S. Government debt in September, according to documents published by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This marks the first increase since February, amid a general declining trend, according to data from Statista. Long-term treasuries accounted for $22 million of Russian investments with short-term treasuries standing at $3 million. Russia began reducing their investments in the US sovereign debt in the spring of 2018. They fell from $96 billion down to $48.7 billion in April and then to $14.6 billion in the May of that year. US treasuries held by Russia came to an amount of $24 million in August. This is a long-term worth of $21 million and a short-term worth of $3 million, according to Russian news agency Tass. Read the full story by Marni Rose McFall on Newsweek.

07:14 AM EST Russia says Ukraine launched an attack with U.S. missiles According to Russian official media, Ukraine launched an attack on Russia using ATACMS missiles provided by the U.S., Sky News reported. RIA Novosti reports that the Ukrainian military fired six ATACMS missiles against a target in the Bryansk area during the night. The air defense crew fired down five rounds and damaged another, but missile pieces fell into the military facility’s technological property, creating a fire. The government told the news agency that the rockets caused no injuries or damage.

07:06 AM EST Putin ally resigns amid mass protests in Russia’s backyard Aslan Bzhania, the leader of Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia, is pictured in Moscow on June 24, 2020. Aslan Bzhania, the leader of Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia, is pictured in Moscow on June 24, 2020. ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/Getty Images The leader of a Russian-backed breakaway region in Georgia has resigned following weeks of protests and tensions in the self-declared republic in Moscow’s backyard. Aslan Bzhania submitted his resignation as leader of Abkhazia on Tuesday following negotiations with the opposition in the region. There has been public anger at a deal that would allow Russian companies to invest in the region, but which opponents said would increase property prices and Russian influence. The political turbulence could pose a challenge for Russian president Vladimir Putin as the full-scale war he started against Ukraine turns 1,000 days old on Tuesday. Newsweek has emailed the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment. In 2008, Moscow recognized the independence of Abkhazia, along with neighboring South Ossetia following a brief war between Russia and Georgia. Abkhazia is considered by most of the international community as part of Georgia, but it has a strong Russian military presence and its economy is propped up by Moscow. Read the full story by Brendan Cole on Newsweek.

06:47 AM EST Russian Drone Kills At Least 12 A Russian drone strike targeted a residential area in Ukraine’s Sumy region, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 people, including a child reports The Associated Press. The attack, carried out by a Shahed drone, also injured 11 others, including two children. Rescue services reported that more individuals might be trapped under the rubble. The strike occurred late Monday night, hitting a dormitory of an educational facility in the town of Hlukhiv, as confirmed by the regional administration. In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is test-fired from the Plesetsk launchpad in northwestern Russia. Putin’s decree on… In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile is test-fired from the Plesetsk launchpad in northwestern Russia. Putin’s decree on Tuesday emphasizes that Russia’s top state priority is deterring aggression from potential adversaries against itself and its allies. More Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP

06:41 AM EST Zelensky Condemns Russian Strike That Killed Seven According to Reuters Zelensky has commented on a Russian drone attack on the northeastern Sumy region that resulted in the deaths of seven people, including a child. The strike targeted a residential building in the town of Hlukhiv, also injuring 12 individuals, according to the Sumy military administration. President Zelensky stated, “Every new Russian strike only confirms Putin’s true intentions. He wants the war to continue; he is not interested in talking about peace.” In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian rocket attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. The front lines between Russia and… In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian rocket attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. The front lines between Russia and Ukraine have shifted amid intense battles and geopolitical tension. More Ukrainian Emergency Service/AP

06:32 AM EST Ukraine Issues Defiant Message Kyiv declared on Tuesday its firm stance to “never submit” in its defense against Moscow’s invasion, urging the global community to avoid appeasement of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, the Kremlin echoed its resolve in the conflict and continued its practice of nuclear sabre-rattling. “Ukraine will never submit to the occupiers, and the Russian military will be punished for violating international law,” a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv declared. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, poses for a photo surrounded by soldiers in the front line city of Kupiansk, the site of heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Nov…. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, poses for a photo surrounded by soldiers in the front line city of Kupiansk, the site of heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. Kyiv insisted on Tuesday that it will “never submit” in defending against Moscow’s invasion. More Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/AP

06:26 AM EST Russia Reacts Following reports that Ukraine may have deployed U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles in Russia’s Kursk region, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated in multiple media reportsthat the Russian military is “monitoring the situation very closely.” This development comes after the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to use these long-range missiles to strike deep into Russian territory, according to U.S. officials familiar with the decision. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awards servicemen in the front line city of Pokrovsk, the site of heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk… In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awards servicemen in the front line city of Pokrovsk, the site of heaviest battles with the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. On Feb. 24, 2022, the world was shaken by the sight of Russian tanks advancing into Ukraine, marking the beginning of a full-scale invasion. More Ukrainian Presidential Press Office/AP

06:16 AM EST Germany Declares Damage to Undersea Cables ‘Sabotage’ On Sunday and Monday, two undersea internet cables in the Baltic Sea were damaged in what German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described as acts of sabotage reports Reuters. The incidents involved fiber-optic communications cables connecting Germany to Finland and Lithuania to Sweden. A joint statement from Finland and Germany expressed immediate suspicions of intentional damage. Minister Pistorius stated, “No one believes” the cables were cut accidentally, adding, “I also don’t want to believe in versions that these were anchors that accidentally caused damage over these cables.” He concluded, “Therefore we have to state, without knowing specifically who it came from, that it is a ‘hybrid’ action. And we also have to assume, without knowing it yet, that it is sabotage.”

06:04 AM EST The UK Imposes More Sanction on Russia The United Kingdom imposed new sanctions targeting individuals and organizations involved in the forced deportation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children by Russian authorities. The Foreign Office announced sanctions against 10 entities, including leading Russian officials and state-linked youth organizations. According to the statement, over 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred or deported to Russia and temporarily occupied territories. Approximately 6,000 of these children have been relocated to re-education camps, where they are subjected to efforts aimed at eroding their Ukrainian identity and instilling pro-Russian sentiments—a strategy that dates back to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea more than a decade ago. The UK government emphasized that those responsible for these actions have been sanctioned. Today is the sobering milestone of 1,000 days since Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

As the people of Ukraine continue to bravely defend their sovereignty, the UK’s commitment to them remains ironclad. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) November 19, 2024

06:00 AM EST Zelensky: North Korea Could Send 100,000 Troops to Aid Russia Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the European Parliament in Brussels via video link from Ukraine, emphasizing the critical role of sanctions against Russia. He stated, “Oil is the lifeblood of Putin’s regime,” highlighting the importance of strong sanctions imposed by many Western states. Zelenskyy urged continued and increased support, asserting, “Together we have accomplished much, but we must not fear to give more.” In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian rocket attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. November 19 marked 1,000 days since… In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian rocket attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. November 19 marked 1,000 days since Russia invaded Ukraine. More Ukrainian Emergency Service/AP Addressing the involvement of North Korean troops, he noted that while 11,000 are currently fighting alongside Russia, he believes that up to 100,000 could eventually be sent. He warned, “No one can enjoy calm waters amid a storm,” underscoring the broader implications of the conflict. His address concluded to a standing ovation from the European Parliament members in Belgium.

05:54 AM EST G20 Issues Statment At the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, leaders expressed support for a “just, durable peace” concerning Russia’s war in Ukraine. This carefully crafted language aimed to balance the positions of Western allies, such as the UK, US, and France, with those of Russia and its supporters, notably China. However, this consensus fell short of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s call for nations to “double down” on their support for Ukraine, as the conflict reached its 1,000th day Instead, the G20 statement declared: “We welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace, upholding all the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter for the promotion of peaceful, friendly, and good neighborly relations among nations.”

05:51 AM EST Ukraine-Russia Conflict Reaches 1,000th Day On November 19, 2024, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine reached its 1,000th day. Ukraine remains resolute, pledging continued resistance, while Russia has vowed to achieve victory by any means. “The military operation against Kyiv continues and will be completed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told news agency AFP.

TEL AVIV — The Israeli military launched a new wave of attacks against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on Thursday after two days of device explosions that left the Middle East fearing all-out war.

The attack on southern Lebanon involved airstrikes and artillery, but Israeli ground forces had not crossed the border, an Israeli official told NBC News.

The Israel Defense Forces announced the strikes — which it said were aimed at degrading the group’s “capabilities and infrastructure” — just as the leader of the Iran-backed militant and political group began a much-anticipated response to the stunning attacks using walkie-talkies and pagers.

Two soldiers were killed in combat in northern Israel, the IDF said. Lebanon’s Public Health Ministry reported four people were injured in raids on a town in southern Lebanon, according to the state-run National News Agency.

There were 52 Israeli air raids across a wooded area of southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to the news agency.

Israel’s military said its air force hit about 100 Hezbollah launchers and other infrastructure sites it alleged were “ready to be used in the immediate future to fire toward Israeli territory.”

At least 37 people, including two children, were killed and thousands were more injured across Lebanon, the country’s health minister said early Thursday — a rising toll from the wave of attacks that left the country reeling and the region on the brink.

As the world urged against further escalation after months of devastating war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israel indicated its focus had shifted to its northern border with Lebanon, declaring a “new phase” to its simmering monthslong conflict with Hezbollah.

Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke to this “new phase” in a video posted to X, noting that it will bring both risk and benefits. He warned that Hezbollah will pay an “increasing price” as time goes on.

“Hezbollah feels that it is being persecuted, and the sequence of military actions will continue,” Gallant said. “Our goal is to ensure the safe return of Israel’s northern communities to their homes.”

In Lebanon, the attacks left Hezbollah in disarray and an already beleaguered country rattled, with hospitals overwhelmed and the public fearful that mobile phones or other devices may explode.

In a speech Thursday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said, “There is no doubt that we have been exposed to a major and severe security and humanitarian blow,” referring to the device explosions as an unprecedented “terrorist” attack and noting that the explosions of roughly 4,000 devices wounded civilians, not just Hezbollah members.

He went on to call it an act of war against Lebanon but did not specify how or when Hezbollah would retaliate.

“The enemy has crossed all red lines and all laws in this attack,” Nasrallah said, vowing that Israelis would not be able to achieve their goal of repopulating Israel’s evacuated northern areas without ending its military “aggression” and reiterating that Hezbollah “will not stop before the aggression on Gaza stops.”

As Nasrallah spoke, Israeli warplanes flew over Beirut, breaking the sound barrier with sonic booms shaking the capital, in what appeared to be a show of might.

The Lebanese Army said Thursday that specialized units were detonating “pagers and suspicious communication devices in various areas,” warning the public to stay away from the blast sites and report any suspicious devices without approaching them.

A former senior Israeli security official told NBC News that the devices were detonated not as part of a strategic decision but because the military was trying to act while it was still possible to use the explosives.

The former official said Israel does not plan to go to war with Lebanon “as of now.”

“The timing was not a strategic decision, but of necessity, because it became a kind of use-it-or-lose-it situation,” the former official said.

The Israeli military said it was “operating to bring security to northern Israel in order to enable the return of residents to their homes, as well as to achieve of all of the war goals.”

In northern Israel earlier Thursday, at least eight people were injured by anti-tank fire from across the Lebanon border, health authorities said.

“The ‘center of gravity’ is moving northward — resources and forces are being allocated [to this front],” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Wednesday in an address at an air base, without mentioning the explosions. “We are at the start of a new phase in the war — it requires courage, determination and perseverance on our part.”

Gallant, in a separate post on X, said he spoke with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin overnight, briefing him on “IDF operations in the southern and northern arenas, focusing on Israel’s defense against Hezbollah threats.”

Two U.S. officials told NBC News that Israel told the U.S. it was going to do something in Lebanon but did not give any details and that the U.S. was caught by surprise when the reports of the pager attacks emerged Tuesday.

While Israel has not taken direct responsibility for the attacks, the militants and Lebanese officials also pinned the blame on Israel.

The country’s foreign minister, Abdallah Rashid Bouhabib, is set to participate in an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council in New York on Friday.

Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, described the device explosions as “indiscriminate,” “insane” and “barbaric” in a statement Thursday. He also criticized the U.S. for its continued support of Israel, which he described as a “savage and murderous regime.”

Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, reiterated the position Thursday that the U.S. supports Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorist groups but that the U.S. does not want to see escalation in the region.

“We think that the best way to solve the very real security challenge that Israel faces is through a diplomatic resolution that would allow thousands of Israeli citizens to return home and allow thousands of Lebanese citizens to return home,” Miller said.

Exploding devices leave a trail from Taiwan to Bulgaria

Lebanon’s civil aviation agency Thursday directed all airlines flying out of its main airport in Beirut to prohibit passengers from transporting pagers and walkie-talkies, NNA, the state news agency, reported.

The agency also prohibited their transportation via freight cargo.

The Lebanese Telecommunications Ministry identified the exploding devices Wednesday as Icom V82s, a type of handheld walkie-talkie.

Osaka, Japan-based Icom said Thursday that it had not shipped that model for 10 years after it ceased production of the unit.

Icom walkie-talkies on display at a store in Tokyo. Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP – Getty Images

“There’s no way a bomb could have been integrated into one of our devices during manufacturing,” Yoshiki Enomoto, a director at Icom, said outside the company’s headquarters Thursday.

“The process is highly automated and fast-paced, so there’s no time for such things,” he told Reuters.

Enomoto added that the company cannot confirm whether the devices shipped by Icom to the Middle East a decade ago were involved in the explosions because it did not put any hologram stickers on them, a common way of verifying the authenticity of products.

Icom’s website lists the V82 as one of its most counterfeited products.

“No parts other than those specified by our company are used in a product,” Icom said in a statement. The firm declined a request for further comment.

As authorities across the world scrambled to track how the devices that exploded made their way into the hands of Hezbollah, Bulgaria’s state news agency said Thursday that the country was investigating the possible involvement of a company registered there, without directly naming it.

Images of the pagers bore the name of a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, Gold Apollo, which said the devices were made by a Hungarian firm, BAC Consulting, that it said was authorized to use Gold Apollo’s logo for product sales in certain regions, “but the design and manufacturing of the products are entirely handled by BAC.”

Whether original Gold Apollo products were tampered with or entirely fake ones were manufactured was still being investigated, a spokesperson for the Taiwanese Economic Affairs Ministry told NBC News.

Hungarian officials said that BAC Consulting was just a trading intermediary and that none of the pagers had been in the country.

The company’s chief executive, Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono, confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday that her company worked with Gold Apollo. But when she was asked about the pagers, she said over the phone: “I don’t make the pagers. I am just the intermediate. I think you got it wrong.”

Bársony-Arcidiacono has not responded to requests for further comment.

Raf Sanchez reported from Tel Aviv, Mithil Aggarwal from Hong Kong, Yuliya Talmazan from London and Doha Madani from New York.

The blackened husks of pagers and handheld radios that exploded in a colossal attack on Hezbollah this week have become fragmentary clues to how Israel orchestrated what current and former Israeli and Western security officials said was part of an elaborate, decade-long effort to penetrate the militant group. Markings on the mangled electronic components have left a trail leading back through a manufacturer in Taiwan to a Hungarian shell company suspected of being set up or exploited by Israeli intelligence to disguise its alleged role in delivering the lethally rigged devices to Hezbollah. Security officials in another European capital have probed whether a second shell company there was the real seller behind the pagers deal.

Current and former officials have described it as part of a multipronged effort by Israel over the past decade to develop what Israeli officials referred to as a “red button” capability — meaning a potentially devastating penetration of an adversary that can remain dormant for months if not years before being activated.

Advertisement

Israel’s reason for pressing one such “red button” this week remains murky, though experts have speculated that Israeli officials were worried that the conversion of thousands of pagers to miniature IEDs was at risk of being detected. Such attacks are generally designed to be unleashed as a prelude to a broader offensive, officials said, sowing chaos in preparation for follow-on military operations.

The explosions on Tuesday killed at least 12 people and wounded as many as 2,800, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, including Hezbollah operatives but also civilians and children. A second wave involving radios on Wednesday killed at least 25 people and injured 450, the ministry said. An Israeli airstrike Friday on a Beirut suburb killed more than 30 people, including two Hezbollah commanders and other members of the group as well as children, but the pager and radio explosions have not been followed by major Israeli military incursions into Lebanon.

A “red button” is “a concept for something you can use when you want or need it,” said a former Israeli official with knowledge of the pager operation. The detonation of the devices this week “wasn’t part of the comprehensive plan” envisioned when the operation was set in motion, the official said, though he stressed that Israeli officials believe that it had substantial impact.

Advertisement

“Look at the outcome,” the former official said, referring to explosions that wounded or killed leaders, filled hospitals and rendered operatives unable to use or trust basic communications gear.

He and other current and former officials spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the secrecy and sensitivity of the operation.

A second former Israeli intelligence official said that the explosions marked the culmination of a multiyear investment in penetrating Hezbollah’s communications, logistics and procurement structures. Long before the pagers were packed with explosives, the official said, Israel’s external intelligence agency, Mossad, and other services had developed a detailed understanding of “what Hezbollah needs, what are its gaps, which shell companies it works with, where they are, who are the contacts.”

Advertisement

After mapping those networks, the former official said, “you need to create an infrastructure of companies, in which one sells to another who sells to another” — all to maneuver closer to Hezbollah’s purchasing agents, who rely on shell companies of their own, while hiding any link to Israel.

Scant corporate records for the European companies linked to the pagers mention founders with no discernible background as suppliers of communications gear or clear connection to the Israeli government, leaving uncertain whether they were aware of the roles their firms may have played in the attack on Hezbollah.

With many Hezbollah operatives hospitalized and others scrambling to assess damage to the organization, individuals tied to the group described the pager attack as a stunning security failure.

“How could Hezbollah not check this shipment when it arrived?” asked a Lebanese individual close to the organization. “They have the technical capacity; they have manufactured drones and missiles. How can they not detect this compromise?”

Key details about the operation remain unclear, including whether Israel intercepted and sabotaged an existing pager shipment or executed a scheme in which Israeli intelligence entities actually manufactured or assembled devices packed with explosives. The New York Times reported this week that Israeli intelligence both built the devices and created front companies to deceive Hezbollah. The Israeli government has not publicly acknowledged responsibility.

Advertisement

U.S. and Western security officials said they are still piecing together details. Several officials said that they assume, but have not confirmed, that the work installing explosives inside the pagers took place in Israel, to avoid the risks of exposure or accident in foreign territory.

In interviews, current and former intelligence officials marveled at the complexity of the plot, though some questioned its strategic significance. One former U.S. intelligence official said that Israel’s decision to rig the devices with explosives rather than with sophisticated espionage equipment reflected a “cult of the offensive mindset” in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, prioritizing displays of kinetic power that may not achieve Israel’s broader aims in an escalating regional conflict.

Others defended the operation. “It’s a severe hit on the command and control structure” of Hezbollah, said Eyal Pinko, a former Israeli naval commander and intelligence officer. “This will take Hezbollah off-balance; it will take [Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah] quite a long time to set back his forces.”

Advertisement

The complexity and audacity of the plot have drawn comparisons to other notable operations in the annals of espionage. Thomas Rid, founding director of the Alperovitch Institute for Cybersecurity Studies at Johns Hopkins University, likened Israel’s apparent penetration of the pager supply chain to a post-World War II operation in which U.S. and German intelligence agencies secretly gained control of a Swiss-based company, Crypto AG, that sold rigged communications equipment to dozens of foreign governments.

Both operations involved the perennial intelligence objective of penetrating an adversary’s supply chain. Experts also cited the so-called “Stuxnet” attack in which Israel and the United States collaborated to infect nuclear enrichment equipment in Iran with damaging malware.

The pager case raises new moral and ethical questions, officials and experts said, because its aim, at least in part, was to kill and maim in addition to sabotage or acquiring intelligence. If the United States had had advance notice of the pager operation, given its widespread nature, officials “would freak out and pull every lever they think they had to get them to not do it,” said Ralph Goff, a former senior CIA official who served in the Middle East. But a former Israeli official said the attack “hurt as precisely as possible people who needed to be hurt.”

If the emerging outlines of the plot are confirmed, Israel could also face questions about its decisions to base elements of the operation in Western countries and possibly to have exploited individuals — including alleged front company founders — who may not have understood the consequences of their alleged roles in the pager transactions.

Advertisement

“There’s a lot of front companies and cutouts and fake personas,” said Gavin Wilde, a former White House official who is a cybersecurity expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “If there really are folks who were truly patsies, they’re going to have to live in fear the rest of their lives because [even if they were unaware of the plot] Hezbollah isn’t going to believe that.”

By tracing clues in the bomb debris, a network of suppliers and shell entities starts to come into sight. Back panels of the pagers were marked with brand and model information associated with a Taiwanese manufacturer, Apollo Gold, that remains a major supplier of devices that were widespread in the 1990s but have since been largely displaced by cellphones.

Hezbollah reportedly turned to the use of pagers because it believed their low-tech limitations made them less vulnerable to hacking by Israeli intelligence.

Advertisement

Facing a deluge of media inquiries, Apollo Gold executives said the company had neither designed nor manufactured the devices circulated by Hezbollah, and that they were produced under a licensing arrangement with a company based in Hungary called BAC Consulting KFT.

The true nature of BAC’s work remains opaque. According to Hungarian company records, the company was registered in May 2022, and it lists 118 business activities in its corporate filing, including book publishing, motion picture distribution and the manufacturing of “oils and fats” and “imitation jewelry.” The company’s website — disabled since Tuesday’s attack — touts an equally wide-ranging set of services, offering consulting advice on everything from social impact investing to waste management solutions.

A woman listed as the founder of BAC Consulting, Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, 49, did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Washington Post. Reached briefly by NBC News earlier this week, she said she was “just an intermediate” in the pager transactions and never had custody of the devices.

Advertisement

Barsony-Arcidiacono’s mother told the Associated Press on Friday that her daughter is now in the protective custody of the Hungarian government. Hungarian authorities did not respond to a request for comment on the arrangement.

But a Hungarian security official said that investigators had determined that BAC was a shell company and was involved in the transaction that supplied pagers to Hezbollah. The devices “never came to Hungary,” the official said, but the BAC identity appears to have been used as part of the operation to deceive Hezbollah, though it is not clear that Barsony-Arcidiacono “was involved or has deep knowledge.”

Taiwanese police visited a BAC office in Taipei on Wednesday and uncovered shipping records that indicate Gold Apollo last sent 254 pagers to Hungary in 2022, according to local media. Another business contract reportedly seized by investigators indicated that the Taipei-based firm earned $15 for each pager sold by BAC.

Bulgarian security services this week investigated a second company, Norta Global Ltd. of Sofia, following a media report on Wednesday that the firm had sold and delivered the exploding pagers to Hezbollah. Telex, a Hungarian news website, attributed the information to unidentified sources.

Bulgaria’s state agency for national security issued a statement Friday saying that it had “established beyond doubt” that no communications devices detonated in Lebanon or Syria had been “imported, exported or manufactured in Bulgaria.” The statement did not rule out a Norta Global connection to the pager sale to Hezbollah, however, saying only that the company “did not carry out transactions in respect of which Bulgaria has jurisdiction.”

Bulgarian records state that Norta Global is owned by Rinson Jose, a 39-year-old Norwegian man who was born in India. Jose incorporated the firm in April 2022 to do “technological project management,” according to its formation paperwork, which was signed by Jose in Oslo. Jose previously formed a technology firm in Norway named Nortalink.

During 2022 and 2023, Norta Global received total revenue of more than $1.5 million at today’s exchange rate, according to financial reports filed to Bulgarian authorities. Throughout that period, Jose had a full-time job with an Oslo-based media company, according to his online résumé.

In a brief interview, Norta Global’s accountant did not respond to questions about whether the firm had connections with Israel. The accountant, Dimitar Daskalov, repeatedly directed The Post to the statement from the security services.

Jose has a profile on Founders Nation, an Israeli business networking website, that lists multiple organizations with connections, either now or in the past, to the Israel Defense Forces as official partners.

Guy Franklin, who is identified as a co-founder of the site, said he had never heard of Jose or Norta Global and that he did not believe Israel’s government provided any funding via Founders Nation. “In the tech world you want to have as many logos on your platform to show that you have support (not finance-wise) from many entities,” Franklin said in a text message.

Jose did not respond to calls and messages from The Post. A friend in Oslo, Bibin Bhaskaran, said that he and Jose’s brother had also been unable to reach Jose.

Jose traveled to Boston on Tuesday and remained in the United States as of Friday, according to U.S. government records. He was there to attend a technology conference, according to a source familiar with his plans as well as a report on the Norwegian VG news site.

Jose did not respond to requests for comment. An organizer at the conference, sponsored by the software company HubSpot, told a Post reporter that Jose had not picked up a credential created for him or attended any sessions. Efforts to reach him at more than 30 hotels listed on the conference website were unsuccessful.