US Prepares for Iranian Retaliation; China Continues Military Technology Advancement; Rwandan Opposition Leader Arrested

Good Morning,

U.S. has officially entered the Israel-Iran conflict, with President Trump authorizing strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, while international security concerns mount across multiple fronts. Further developments include ongoing speculation about expanded U.S. military involvement in the Middle East conflict, Rwanda's detention of a prominent opposition figure raising questions about political freedoms ahead of elections, and warnings from military experts about America's vulnerability to attacks in the Middle East. Meanwhile, technological warfare takes a new turn with reports of China's advanced mosquito surveillance drones, Spain secures an exemption from NATO's defense spending targets in a political win, and tensions rise between Iran and international nuclear oversight as threats are directed against a key UN agency official.

Top Stories

• What to know about the U.S. military’s intervention in the Israel-Iran war - PBS

• Rwanda arrests opposition leader Victoire Ingabire - France24

• Former Centcom commander: US ‘certainly vulnerable’ to attacks in Iraq, Syria - The Hill

• China's New Military Weapon: Tiny Mosquito Drone Could Change Warfare Forever - NDTV

• Spain reaches deal with NATO ahead of summit to be excluded from 5% defense spending goal - Associated Press

• Iran threatens Argentine diplomat who leads UN nuclear agency - Buenos Aires Times

United States

• What to know about the U.S. military’s intervention in the Israel-Iran war - PBS 

• Trump claims US ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear sites as Tehran warns of consequences - CNN

• Judge will order Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s release before trial, but ICE plans to detain him - Associated Press

• Vance, in Los Angeles, says troops need to stay, blasts Newsom over immigration - Reuters

• Threat of sleeper cells in US has ‘never been higher’: CBP - The Hill

Africa

• Egypt Warns of Escalation After U.S. Strikes Iranian Nuclear Sites, Urges Political Resolution - Egyptian Streets

• Rwanda arrests opposition leader Victoire Ingabire - France24

• Nigeria Civil War: US group faults Gowon’s position on failure of Aburi Accord - The Guardian

• Somalia Government is Fueling Insecurity Near Ethiopian Border - Horn Observer

• Ethiopia, Morocco Establish Joint Military Commission, Sign Defense Cooperation Agreement - Capital Newspaper

Middle East

• Iran, Israel trade missiles as US bombing of nuclear sites escalates crisis - Al Jazeera

• Trump claims US ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear sites as Tehran warns of consequences - CNN

• Suicide bombing at Damascus church kills 22, Syrian authorities say - BBC

• Erdogan says Israel-Iran war near ‘point of no return,’ vows to boost missile production - Times of Israel

• Former Centcom commander: US ‘certainly vulnerable’ to attacks in Iraq, Syria - The Hill

Indo-Pacific

• China's New Military Weapon: Tiny Mosquito Drone Could Change Warfare Forever - NDTV

• Tokyo votes in local election seen as key test for ruling party - Japan Times 

• ‘I think you and I are at war’: the Australians suddenly united in grief over the Israel-Iran conflict - The Guardian

• South Korea counts on shipbuilding to ease U.S. tariff woes - Japan Times

• Former traditional Chinese medicine chief Yu Wenming caught in corruption crackdown - SCMP

Europe

• Spain reaches deal with NATO ahead of summit to be excluded from 5% defense spending goal - Associated Press

• Hundreds protest against NATO summit, Israel-Iran conflict in The Hague - Al Jazeera

• One million and counting: Russian casualties hit milestone in Ukraine war - The Guardian

• Belarus pardons, frees opposition leader Tikhanovsky following visit from Trump envoy - France24

• Tariffs: German and French industry united on EU retaliation on aircraft sector - Euro News

Latin America

• Iran threatens Argentine diplomat who leads UN nuclear agency - Buenos Aires Times

• Mexican authorities seize 110,000 fentanyl pills and arrest 3, including 1 American - CBS

• A Frenchman charged with commissioning online pedophile crimes in Colombia - ABC 

• Detroit student arrested by Border Patrol while on field trip deported to Colombia - Detroit Free Press

• At least 8 dead after hot air balloon accident in southern Brazil - CNN

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