| Middle East → Belgium became the latest western state to announce that it plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, following Australia, Canada, and France. In response, the Israeli government is reportedly considering annexing parts of the West Bank. Netanyahu’s right-flank is pushing for significant annexation, though the move would likely lead to sanctions by European countries and further complicate ongoing negotiations with Hamas and Arab mediators. → The US Department of State announced that it would cease visa issuance for senior Palestinian Authority officials and revoke those already granted. The State Department claims that the decision is due to the PA’s failure to condemn Hamas, alleged use of terrorist propaganda in education, and the PA’s role in anti-Israel ICC cases. The Trump administration may hope that this move will signal to the PA that they should focus their diplomatic efforts on coming to the table directly with the US and Israel, rather than lobbying Canada, Australia, France, and Belgium for recognition to pressure the US and Israel from the outside. Critics claim that this measure further weakens the Palestinian Authority (PA) in a moment when Israel and the US need an authoritative and, compared to Hamas, moderate partner with whom to negotiate. → Over the weekend, the IDF began the mobilization of 60,000 reservists, who will begin serving in the military on a rolling basis. The reservists will likely be stationed along Israel’s borders with the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, allowing regular combat units to focus on the planned Gaza City offensive. Israel believes that Gaza City still hosts significant military Hamas assets; however, hundreds of thousands of civilians are also currently living there. Already, there have been several reports of civilian deaths as a result of airstrikes. Some within the IDF, reportedly including IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, have expressed opposition to the plan due to the risk of civilian and IDF casualties. → On Saturday, IDF airstrikes killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi and additional Houthi leaders. The following day, Houthi rebels stormed the offices of the World Food Program and UNICEF in Sana’a, detaining at least 11. The UN has condemned the detention of its personnel and has requested international support in securing their release. → The IDF carried out additional airstrikes in Syria this week, targeting military sites south of Damascus. Six Syrian government troops were reportedly killed. The Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the strikes as a “violation of international law.” The Jordanian government has also condemned Israel’s continued military involvement in Syria. IDF reports suggest that the strikes revealed Turkish spy equipment that had been in Syria for at least a decade. Simultaneously, the IAEA reported on Monday that they uncovered “traces of uranium” in Syria at the site that the IAEA has long suspected to be housing a nuclear reactor. Reports show that the uranium found at the site was not enriched. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has reportedly agreed to fully cooperate with the IAEA. See Interfor’s analysis of Turkey’s push for regional influence (Part 2) here. International Affairs → On Sunday, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake hit eastern Afghanistan, killing over 1,400 and injuring over 3,000. The Taliban has called for international assistance to improve rescue efforts and rebuild leveled villages. The mountainous terrain of Afghanistan has complicated rescue efforts, particularly in remote areas. → On Sunday, a Bulgaria-bound plane carrying European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen was allegedly targeted by GPS navigation jamming. Pilots reportedly landed the plane using backup paper maps. According to the EC, Bulgarian intelligence suspects Russia of causing the signal jam. President von der Leyen is currently on a European tour to rally additional support for Ukraine, a potential motive for Russian sabotage. The Kremlin denies all allegations of wrongdoing. → On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing to signal their “solidarity with countries shunned by the West.” The three leaders are scheduled to speak on a variety of topics, including, reportedly, defense relations, trade, and the war in Ukraine. → Ukraine is reportedly lobbying for a multi-billion defense buildup, largely funded by Europe, in order to deter further Russian aggression after the war ends. Under the plan, Europe would purchase US weapons for Ukraine, including cruise missiles, Patriot air-defense systems, drones, and GPS tools. This comes after Russian negotiators have rejected any suggestion of deploying western troops on Ukrainian soil as part of a peace deal. Ukraine is reportedly seeking to build its arsenal as an alternative security guarantee. → On Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that he was prepared to respond militarily if provoked by US forces in the Caribbean. Earlier this month, President Trump announced the deployment of three destroyers to the area to combat drug trafficking and cartels. Maduro’s domestic opposition, led by Maria Corina Machado, has thanked the US for deploying military vessels to the region to thwart the “criminal enterprise” of drug cartels. Machado and her supporters have been urging the US to push for Maduro’s resignation since Venezuela’s disputed presidential elections in 2024. |
| Resources: US Department of State Travel Advisories CISA: nation-state cybersecurity threats and other resources for cybersecurity matters. Check out our newly enhanced media hub. See Interfor’s analysis of the shooting at 345 Park Avenue in Manhattan here. See our most recent talk on the rise of ideological violence in the United States and how corporate security professionals are meeting the challenge, featuring former Director of the U.S. Secret Service, Mark Sullivan. Our latest analysis looks at the Israel-Iran conflict; beyond the headlines. See also our second interview with Tom Hardin, one of the most active informants in securities fraud history. |
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