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The hour-long conversation marked the return of diplomacy to the decade-long conflict, even if their talk brought the familiar refrain it was not yet time to talk. One Western official said there was an “overall collective holding of breath” in Western capitals ahead of Trump’s inauguration. “The Germans speaking to Putin – that will have gone down badly” among Ukraine’s allies, the official said. “Giving Putin that positive bounce will have irked the French and others.” French President Emmanuel Macron has been particularly vocal about continuing support for Ukraine. Kremlin critics also warn of its history of using diplomacy as a pause or foil to pursuing its military goals.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, acceding, Zelensky, ”, Putin, Donald Trump, Trump, Scholz, “, Putin –, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk, Biden, “ Scholz, Alena Epifanova, Epifanova, Scholz’s, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ebrahim Noroozi, Mike Waltz, “ ‘, ‘, ’ ” Trump, Kurt Volker, Trump’s, it’s, Oleksandr Gimanov, Volker, he’s, ’ ” Volker, Trump “, ” Volker, Sen, Marco Rubio, Kim Jong Un, elect’s, Putin won’t, “ He’s Organizations: CNN, White, Sunday, Trump, German, Foreign Relations, Schloss, Reuters, Ukraine, Economist, Getty, Biden Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Europe, Polish, Moscow, Schloss Bellevue, Berlin, Ukrainian, European, Trump’s Ukraine, Odesa, AFP, “, Afghanistan, China, United States, Beijing, US, Kyiv

☆ Video: Why critics say Tulsi Gabbard is a controversial choice for spy chief
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

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☆ Intelligence agencies, already anxious over Trump, find some solace in Ratcliffe pick for CIA
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Current and former officials also cautioned not to assume that the intelligence community is uniformly opposed to Trump. Ratcliffe was among a cohort of Trump officials who aggressively sought the release of intelligence related to Russia and the FBI. Telling Trump ‘war stories’Memories of the tumultuous first Trump administration remain fresh in the minds of many career officials. One senior intelligence official said some veterans in his office told “war stories” on the morning after the election. And some fear what they say is the relative inexperience in the intelligence community of the new CIA director.

Persons: Trump, Donald Trump, John Ratcliffe, Ratcliffe, ”, “, it’s, Kash Patel, Department of Defense Kash Patel, Justin Sullivan, Patel, Gina Haspel, —, William Barr, there’s, “ That’s, Bill Burns, National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, Patrick Semansky, CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Zachary Cohen Organizations: CNN, CIA, “, Trump, Officials, Trump ’, Republican, Staff, Department of Defense, FBI, ” Trump, White, House, National Intelligence, Marine Locations: Lago, Russia, Minden, Minden , Nevada, declassifying, ODNI, Florida, United States, Iran, Washington , DC, Iraq

☆ Large group of Russian and North Korean forces prepared to retake Russia’s Kursk region from Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-10 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday that about 11,000 North Korean soldiers are in the region, where Ukraine’s three-month military incursion into Russian territory has stalled. The New York Times reported Sunday that some 50,000 Russia and North Korean troops are set to take part in the assault. Reports that North Korea was sending troops to Russia began appearing last month, though both countries dismissed the allegations at the time. Russia and North Korea, both pariahs in the West, have forged increasingly friendly ties since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine invaded the Kursk region over the summer, shocking Russia, in the first invasion of the country since World War II.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, hasn’t, Donald Trump, Trump, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Vladimir Putin, ” Trump, Zelensky, Elon Musk, Biden, CNN’s Jack Forrest, Helen Regan, Svitlana Vlasova, Tara John, Victoria Butenko, Nic Robertson, Kristen Holmes, Natasha Bertrand, Haley Britzky, Oren Liebermann Organizations: CNN, Russia, Sunday, The New York Times, Ukraine, US, NATO, Republican, Pentagon Locations: Russia’s Kursk, Russia, North, Korea, North Korea, Ukraine, Kursk, Moscow, Budapest, Kyiv, “, Ukrainian

CNN —Qatar announced Saturday that it has paused its role as a mediator for a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas due to a lack of willingness by the sides to reach an agreement. After months of stop-and-go negotiations, efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal – a top priority for President Joe Biden – remain stalled. Officials in Doha have also decided to close Hamas’ political office in the Qatari capital, a diplomat familiar with the decision told CNN. In April, Doha made a similar move in temporarily closing the Hamas office. As talks faltered, the Biden administration and Israel asked Doha to bring them back, the diplomat told CNN.

Persons: Majed Al, Ansari, Joe Biden –, “⁠, “, ”, ’, Hersh Goldberg, Polin, Biden, CNN’s Ibrahim Dahman, Kylie Atwood, Jennifer Hansler Organizations: CNN — Qatar, Qatari Foreign Ministry, Officials, CNN, ⁠ Doha, Qatar, White House National Security Council, “ Qatar, Qatari, Al, Israel Locations: Gaza, Israel, The State, Qatar, Doha, Cairo, Turkey

“Hamas is a terrorist group that has killed Americans and continues to hold Americans hostage,” a senior administration official told CNN. The final impetus for Qatar agreeing to kick Hamas out came recently after the death of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Hamas’ rejection of yet another ceasefire proposal. Exactly when Hamas operatives would be exiled out of Qatar – and where they would go – are unclear. One US official told CNN the group has not been given an extended amount of time to leave the country. Earlier this year, the Justice Department charged several senior Hamas leaders over the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

Persons: Joe Biden –, ”, “, Hersh Goldberg, Polin, Khaled Meshaal, Antony Blinken Organizations: CNN, Qatar, Doha –, Qatari, Qatar –, Justice Department Locations: Qatari, Doha, Israel, Qatar, Turkey, Gaza

☆ US makes final ceasefire push before election but doubts progress will be made in Gaza before next US president is known
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-31 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CIA Director Bill Burns was in Cairo on Thursday for discussions on Gaza and Lebanon, including a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. The US envoys also met Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant to discuss “security arrangements” related to northern Israel, Lebanon and the return of hostages from Gaza. That makes it likely the war in Gaza will continue shadowing the US contest in its final days. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the opening of the 25th Parliament session in Jerusalem on October 28, 2024. The White House offered the same message; National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said purported drafts shared online do not reflect the current state of ceasefire talks.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Najib Mikati, Netanyahu, Biden, –, Bill Burns, Abdel Fattah El, Amos Hochstein, Brett McGurk, Hochstein, McGurk, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Kamala Harris ’, “, ” Harris, Debbie Hill, Harris, Burns, Yahya Sinwar, David Barnea, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Lebanon’s Mikati, Sean Savett, CNN’s Lauren Izso, Alex Marquardt, Mostafa Salem Organizations: CNN, American, CIA, White, “, University of Wisconsin -, Getty, Democratic, Hamas, Qatari, Hezbollah, White House, National Security Locations: Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, Cairo, Iran, Madison, University of Wisconsin - Madison, “, Jerusalem, AFP, United States, Qatar, Egypt, Doha, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, ” Israel

CNN has reached out to Terada for comment on the R-FBI’s role in Russian disinformation efforts, and ties to the state. Storm-1516 and R-FBI network members have spread at least 54 different disinformation narratives online since August 2023, according to Clemson and CNN’s analysis. “Does anyone believe that an American would be the spearhead of what some call the biggest Russian Disinformation operation since the cold war? TelegramAnother prominent figure in propagating Russian disinformation is American Tara Reade, a former Senate staffer who in 2020 accused then-presidential candidate Joe Biden of sexual harassment. The links between Terada’s group and other Russian disinformation efforts are at best opaque, which is likely no accident.

Persons: –, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Mira Terada, Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, Harris, Walz, Morgan Finkelstein, “ Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Trump, ”, Win McNamee, ” Darren Linvill, Patrick Warren, “, Biden, Warren, Kamala, Influencers, John Mark Dougan, Dougan, he’s, Andrew Harnik, MAGA, IMbaMm8YVF, Darren Linvill, Linvill, ” Clemson, Maxim Shugaley, Terada, Vladimir Putin’s “, ” Prigozhin, Konstantin Pridybaylo, Ruslan Ostashko, Colin Gerard, Gerard, Alexander Dugin, picturing, Tara Reade, Joe Biden, Reade, ” Chay Bowes, Simeon Boikov, podcaster, Bowes, ” Warren, Sean Lyngaas, influencers Organizations: CNN, Clemson University’s, Russian Foundation, FBI, Storm, Democratic, Minnesota Gov, Clemson, Getty, NBC, Wired, Prigozhin’s, Internet Research Agency, Miami Chronicle, Boston Times, DC, IRA, Russian, Gov, National Intelligence, US State Department, Minnesota, Apple, Trump, Infrastructure Security Agency, ’, Federal Bureau, Investigation, Kremlin, Wagner Group, US Justice Department, ANO Dialog, BRICS Journalists Association, Washington Post, Center, Forensics Locations: Russian, Ukraine, West, San Francisco, Zambia, Savannah , Georgia, ”, “, American, Zambian, St . Petersburg, Florida, Moscow, Russia, Kazakhstan, Minnesota, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania, Bucks County , Pennsylvania, Bucks County ,, French, Irish, Sydney, European

When I went down, they put me inside a tank and began interrogating me about my statements and contact with the media,” Abu Safiya recounted. Israeli forces cut off the hospital’s electricity and solar power supply and prevented staff from accessing the water well, he said. Two children on ventilators died after the Israeli military blew up the hospital’s oxygen supply, Abu Safiya said. Three members of the hospital’s nursing staff were injured by sniper fire with facial, neck and chest injuries. “The situation is extremely tragic and terrifying, and the bombing is continuous,” Abu Safiya said,.

Persons: Kamal Adwan, Hussam Abu Safiya, ” Abu Safiya, Abu Safiya, ”, ventilators, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Organizations: Kamal Adwan Hospital, CNN, Gaza Ministry of Health, United Nations, World Health Organization, WHO Locations: Gaza

Yet days after Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in southern Gaza, the fundamentals of the deadlocked talks remain unchanged. “Their internal dynamics will take some time,” a regional diplomatic official told CNN. The regional diplomatic source called it a “safe bet” that Sinwar’s brother Mohammed could take the lead for the hostages inside Gaza. To lead the overall organization, top Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, who is based in Doha, is getting backing from pro-Iran, pro-Gaza corners, the regional official said. Blinken is expected to meet with top Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, on Tuesday, amid tempered expectations he will return to Washington having made any significant progress on the hostage talks.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Yahya Sinwar, Joe Biden, Sinwar, isn’t budging, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, ” Biden, Israel, ”, John Kirby, Mohammed, Mohammed Sinwar’s, it’s, Yahya Sinwar’s, “, ” Mohammed Sinwar, Mohammad Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, Khalil al, Ismail Haniyeh, Blinken, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Blinken’s, Vladimir Putin Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Israeli, Diplomats, Sinwar, National Security, UN Security Council, US, Saudi Crown Locations: Israel, United, Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, Doha, Cairo, Tehran, Qatar, Egypt, Washington, Tel Aviv, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Palestinian, Russia, United States

In Tel Aviv, people protested outside the Israel Defense Forces’ headquarters, blocking traffic and chanting anti-government slogans. Eran Nissan, a peace activist from the progressive Israeli group Mehazkim, has been attending anti-government rallies since January last year. On Saturday, he was handing out T-shirts and stickers with derogatory messages about Israel’s far-right security minister Itamar Ben Gvir. There are 101 hostages still held in Gaza, Israeli authorities say, but as many as one-third of them are thought to be dead. And any poll that you see right now shows they’re going to be hit hard,” he said.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Eran Nissan, Itamar Ben Gvir, Nissan, ”, Yahya Sinwar, “, Hassan Nasrallah Organizations: Israel Defense Forces ’, CNN Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Iran

☆ Leaked documents show US intelligence on Israel’s plans to attack Iran, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-19 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The US is investigating a leak of highly classified US intelligence about Israel’s plans for retaliation against Iran, according to three people familiar with the matter. One of the documents, which says it was compiled by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, says the plans involve Israel moving munitions around. Any such leak would automatically trigger an investigation by the FBI alongside the Pentagon and US intelligence agencies. The US is already on high alert about Iranian hacking campaigns — US intelligence agencies said in August that Iran had hacked documents belonging to Donald Trump’s campaign. Axios first reported on the leaked documents Saturday.

Persons: ”, Mick Mulroy, Mulroy, Donald Trump’s, Axios, CNN’s Evan Perez, Katie Bo Lillis Organizations: CNN, East Spectator, US, Iran, National Geospatial - Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, FBI, Pentagon, CIA, National Security Council, National Intelligence, National Locations: Iran, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Israel, South Korea, Ukraine

How to strike a hostage and ceasefire deal, and with whom, is now a matter of uncertainty for American officials, who spent the hours after Sinwar’s death trying to determine if he had a successor. But US officials stopped short of saying Thursday that his death will result in a deal overnight. For long stretches, American officials couldn’t even say definitively whether he was alive or dead. “By all accounts, Sinwar has been the biggest obstacle within Hamas to a ceasefire-hostage release deal in Gaza. Depending on who would take his place, Sinwar’s death could revive hope for an agreement to end the war.

Persons: Yahya Sinwar, Antony Blinken, Hamas —, ”, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Kamala Harris ’, Harris, Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sinwar, “, Jonathan Panikoff, ” Panikoff, Aaron David Miller, Miller, ’ ” Sinwar, couldn’t, Andrew Miller, ” Biden, Lloyd Austin Organizations: CNN, Hamas, US, Sinwar, State Department, “, Michigan Locations: Gaza, Israel, Sinwar, fatalistic, Palestinian, Lebanon

A major part of the fears is that the US’ influence with Israel has appeared to be steadily waning over the last year. Israel’s security cabinet has not yet reached a decision on how to proceed, an Israeli official told CNN on Friday. As of last week, Israel had not given any assurances that it would not target Iran’s nuclear facilities, CNN reported. Israel has for decades been planning attacks on Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and just two years ago simulated striking them in a military exercise. ‘Our strike will be powerful’Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued a strong warning to Iran about his country’s response on Wednesday.

Persons: CNN —, Israel, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Hassan Nasrallah, ”, “, Israel —, Yoav Gallant, ” Gallant, Jordan, Abbas Araghchi, Al, Netanyahu “, Araghchi, it’s, Ben Gurion, CNN’s Kayla Tausche, Dania Karni, Katie Bo Lillis Organizations: CNN, Israel, Wednesday, United Arab, US, Israel’s, Iran’s, Zionist Locations: Tehran, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Arab, Iran, Damascus, Gaza, Lebanon, Beirut, France, cyberattacks, Saudi Arabia, Jordanian, backchannels, Washington, Yom, Tel Aviv

As with Gaza, US officials say Israel was initially planning for a much larger ground incursion into Lebanon before the US convinced it to scale back. ‘The right moment’ for diplomacyThe US still wants to see Lebanon ceasefire talks resume, officials said, and US officials continue to believe that the conflict can only be resolved diplomatically. Nasrallah and other members of Hezbollah’s senior leadership are now dead as a result of Israel’s operations in Lebanon. Earlier in the day, a reluctant Biden told reporters he’d be “comfortable with [Israel] stopping” the campaign in Lebanon that risked further inflaming the region. Behind closed doors, sources say, Biden offered reluctant support for eliminating Hezbollah infrastructure along Israel’s border and in southern Lebanon, as long as Israel’s operations remained limited in nature.

Persons: Israel upended, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Biden, Israel, Matthew Miller, that’s, Joe Biden, ” Alon Pinkas, Yoav Gallant, Lloyd Austin, Gallant, Pinkas, ” Pinkas, Netanyahu, Hassan Nasrallah, ” Gallant, ‘, “ We’re, Karine Jean, Pierre, ”, Nasrallah, Austin, “, “ What’s, Antony Blinken, CQ Brown, National Intelligence Avril Haines –, he’d, hasn’t, ” Maj, Patrick Ryder, ” Israel, Ryder, Miller, CNN’s MJ Lee, Alex Marquardt Organizations: CNN, Biden, White House, Hamas, ”, ” Senior, US, Israeli, Israel, Iran, Joint Chiefs, National Intelligence, Pentagon, State Department Locations: Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, Israel, France, ”, Washington, Israeli, New York, Beirut, Lebanese, “, Austin, Beirut’s

It should be a proportional response,” Biden told reporters Wednesday following a virtual call with leaders from the Group of 7 industrialized nations. The administration currently assesses it’s unlikely Israel would target Iran’s nuclear sites, though one senior official said Israel still hasn’t decided on where it might strike. Biden said Wednesday he does not support an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. “The answer is no,” he responded when questioned about the prospect of Israel launching a retaliatory strike on sites related to Iran’s nuclear program. “Iran is a destabilizing, dangerous force in the Middle East, and today’s attack on Israel only further demonstrates that fact.”

Persons: Joe Biden, Israel, Biden, “, ‘, ’, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Netanyahu “, Kurt Campbell, ” Campbell, ” Biden, hasn’t, Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Hashanah, Kamala Harris —, —, Harris Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Hamas, West Bank, Hezbollah, Democratic Locations: Israel, retaliating, Iran, Lebanon, “ Iran, Gaza, United States, Isfahan

Here’s what you need to know:• Israeli strikes killed over 100 people and wounded over 350 others in Lebanon on Sunday. The Israeli military said it was striking Hezbollah, including in attacks by fighter jets on about 45 targets near a village in southern Lebanon. The Houthis, like Hamas and Hezbollah, are among the Iran-backed militant groups battling Israel since the war in Gaza began. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced onto the streets as Israeli strikes destroy homes and infrastructure. • US President Joe Biden said he is “working like hell” with allies to prevent an all-out war in the Middle East.

Persons: stoking, :, •, Nabil Qaouk, Hassan Nasrallah, Israel, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Sunday, Relief Locations: Beirut, East, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Gaza

In support of Hamas and Palestinians, Hezbollah and the Houthis have launched regular attacks on Israel over the past year. The Shiite group emerged out of Israel’s invasion of Lebanon in 1982. In 2006, Hezbollah and Israel fought a war for 34 days, which ended with no clear victor. The Houthis: The Shiite group, bolstered by Iranian weapons and technology, has been fighting Saudi-backed forces for more than a decade in Yemen’s civil war. Hamas: The group emerged in 1987 as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist group from Egypt.

Persons: ”, Israel Organizations: US Locations: Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran’s, Iraq, Syria, Gaza, Saudi, Red, Egypt

☆ Biden administration fears Iranian attack and is working with Israel on defenses, US official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Biden administration is worried that an attack from Iran is being planned in the wake of Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and is working with Israel on defenses, a US official said Sunday night. Joint defenses are being prepared to ward off an attack with changes in US military posture, the official added. The Biden administration spearheaded a multi-national defense of Israel in mid-April when Iran launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel in response to the Israeli bombing of senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers in Syria. The US official told CNN the US-led statement issued Wednesday had been greenlit by Israel after working on it together for several days. On a hastily-arranged call that night, senior Biden administration officials told reporters with confidence: “the ceasefire will be for 21 days” across the Lebanon-Israel border.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Hassan Nasrallah, Patrick Ryder, Nasrallah, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, Israel “, “, ”, Ron Dermer, Jake Sullivan, John Kirby Organizations: CNN, Iranian Revolutionary Guard, US, Pentagon, ” Defense, USS, Lincoln Carrier Strike, Biden, Israeli, Lebanese, US National Security Locations: Iran, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, United States, Beirut, France

Those officials were clear: The question was not if Israel and Hezbollah would accept the ceasefire proposal, but precisely when. But only hours later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would throw cold water on the multi-national proposal. “I can’t speak for Prime Minister Netanyahu, I can’t answer the question why he said what he said,” he told reporters. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with top Israeli officials in New York Thursday afternoon. Dermer and Israeli Ambassador Michael Herzog demurred when asked by CNN ahead of that meeting if they are going to accept the ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hezbollah.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, Ron Dermer, Jake Sullivan, Emmanuel Macron, ”, Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, John Kirby, wasn’t, ” Kirby, Antony Blinken, Michael Herzog demurred, Dermer Organizations: CNN — Senior, Israeli, IDF, White, CNN Locations: United States, Israel, Lebanon, New York City, Washington, Netanyahu’s, Dermer, New York

CNN —The United States is working urgently on a plan to mediate a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, according to three sources familiar with the matter, as officials eye with deepening concern the prospects of a widening conflict. The efforts come as Israel’s top general said Wednesday that the Israeli military is preparing for a possible ground incursion into Lebanon. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given the green light for his government to engage with the US efforts, an Israeli official told CNN. Amos Hochstein, a senior White House adviser, is involved, the source said, adding that the Americans are not talking to Hezbollah directly. Because while there’s a very legitimate issue here, we don’t think that war is the solution,” he told NBC News.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Amos Hochstein, Joe Biden, ”, Antony Blinken Organizations: CNN, Israel’s, White House, United Nations General, UN Security, West Bank, NBC News Locations: United States, Israel, France, Gaza, Lebanon, New York

☆ US troops deployed to Cyprus as fears of wider Middle East war intensify
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The UK announced on Tuesday that it was sending 700 troops to Cyprus to prepare for a possible emergency evacuation of British citizens from Lebanon if one becomes necessary. The US State Department has also repeatedly warned US citizens to leave Lebanon while commercial travel options are still available. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that the US is “working tirelessly” on diplomatic efforts to prevent an “full-blown war” between Israel and Lebanon. A US official told CNN on Monday that “we are the closest we’ve been to spiraling to a regional war” since Hamas’ October 7 attack. Tehran has not intervened yet, but they will if they believe they are about to lose their most powerful proxy force, Hezbollah, the official added.

Persons: Pat Ryder, Yiannis Antoniou, ”, Keir Starmer, Israel, Antony Blinken, ” Blinken Organizations: CNN, Hezbollah, Pentagon, Reuters, British, US State Department, Ramat David, Wednesday, Israel Defense Forces, Gulf Cooperation Council, UN, Assembly Locations: Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon, Beirut, Ramat, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Gulf, New York, Iran, Tehran

CNN —The US is expected to announce a major weapons package to Ukraine as soon as next week, but it will likely delay the shipping of the equipment due to inventory shortages, according to two US officials. The US currently has $5.9 billion left in Presidential Drawdown Authority for Ukraine, the Pentagon said this week, which is set to expire at the end of the fiscal year in less than two weeks. Presidential drawdown packages were initially intended as a way of supplying Ukraine with arms and equipment in the short-term since the start of the war with Russia. More sophisticated equipment with long production times was sent through another mechanism – the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative – that purchased weapons directly from arms manufacturers for future delivery. The US believes Ukraine will need at least $500 million worth of presidential drawdown authority per month through fiscal year 2025, according to a senior administration official.

Persons: Sabrina Singh, Biden Organizations: CNN, US, Pentagon, Defense Department, Ukraine Security, Initiative Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Europe

☆ Russia will be ‘at war’ with NATO if Ukraine long-range missile restrictions lifted, Putin warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Avery Schmitz | Michael Conte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“This will mean that NATO countries – the United States and European countries – are at war with Russia,” Putin told reporters on Thursday. US officials have expressed concerns that allowing Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia could escalate the conflict and cause Russia to further accuse the US of being part of the war. Blinken said he discussed the restrictions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and would report back to President Biden. On Tuesday, the bipartisan congressional Ukraine caucus called on Biden to allow Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia with the long-range weapons. The United States already does provide intelligence to Ukraine, and has previously assisted in the targeting, although not with the long-range systems currently being considered.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, ” Putin, Joe Biden’s, Antony Blinken, we’ll, ” Blinken, Andrii Sybiha, David Lammy, Blinken, Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden, Putin, Stacie Pettyjohn, CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Rustem Umerov, William Courtney, ”, Michael Callahan, Natasha Bertrand, Oren Liebermann, Lex Harvey Organizations: CNN, NATO, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Britain’s, Biden, Republicans, West, United, Center, New American Security, Belbek Airbase, Tactical Missile, Ukrainian Defense, RAND Corporation Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, United States, Russia, Kyiv, Blinken’s Ukraine, Russian, Belbek, Crimea, Ukrainian, Iran, US

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has poured cold water on US hopefulness, though Biden officials have largely refrained from criticizing him. “In my view, the less that’s said about particular issues, the better,” a senior administration official told reporters Wednesday in response to Netanyahu’s press conference. Days later, a senior administration official who briefed reporters argued that the majority of the details of a ceasefire deal – “90%” – had been agreed to by the two parties. In a detail not previously shared, the senior official said that of the 18 paragraphs in the agreement, 14 were finished and agreed to. They need to rest and refit, in case a war in the north [with Hezbollah] is going to happen,” the second senior administration official said.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Yahya Sinwar, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, “, ”, Itamar, Ben, Antony Blinken, ” –, – “, Feedback Netanyahu, CNN Biden ‘, Hersh Goldberg, Polin, it’s, Israel, Haniyeh, Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh’s, —, ” Biden, –, Bill Burns, I’ve, John Kirby, “ I’m, ” Kirby Organizations: CNN, Hamas, CIA, Defense Ministry, IDF, White House Locations: Gaza, Israel, ” – Israel, Egypt, Qatar, Tehran, London, White

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