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The situation in the Middle East seems to be on the brink as Israel has launched an air strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, targeting and reportedly killing Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander.

This as the carnage in Ukraine continues.

More details below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣🇮🇱 Israel: The United Nations has accused Israel of torturing and abusing thousands of Palestinians detained during the Gaza war. A report from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights highlighted widespread allegations of arbitrary detention, torture, and sexual abuse of detainees. The release of this report coincides with an ongoing investigation into the abuse of a Palestinian detainee by Israeli soldiers at the Sde Teiman detention facility. 

2️⃣🇮🇷 Iran: Masoud Pezeshkian has been sworn in as Iran’s ninth president, following the death of Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash. During the ceremony, Pezeshkian vowed to remove US sanctions and criticized Western support for Israel amid the Gaza conflict. He is expected to announce his cabinet within two weeks. 

3️⃣🇻🇪 Venezuela: Protests over the disputed presidential election have escalated, with opposition supporters targeting statues of former leader Hugo Chávez. In cities like La Guaira, Coro, and Calabozo, statues were torn down and destroyed amid chants of government downfall. The Carter Center has criticized the lack of transparency in declaring Maduro the winner, while protests face severe repression from security forces.

4️⃣🇺🇦 Ukraine: Ukraine's air force successfully repelled one of the largest Russian aerial attacks in months, shooting down 89 drones and one missile targeting the Kyiv region. Despite some damage from falling debris, no casualties were reported. The attack prompted over 11,500 residents to seek shelter, marking the seventh drone assault on Kyiv in July.

5️⃣🇷🇺 Russia: Russia has initiated the third stage of tactical nuclear drills, focusing on deploying dummy warheads for Iskander-M missile systems and covertly moving them to launch sites. The drills, involving soldiers from the Southern and Central military districts, aim to maintain readiness for combat missions. This stage follows earlier exercises in May and June, with heightened tensions as Russia accuses the West of provoking nuclear confrontation by arming Ukraine.

Major Story

Israel launched an air strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, targeting and reportedly killing Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander. Shukr, believed to be a senior advisor to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was allegedly behind a rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which resulted in the deaths of 12 people, primarily children. The Israeli military described the operation as an "intelligence-based elimination," while Hezbollah has not confirmed Shukr's death, acknowledging only that he was present in the targeted building.

In response to the attack, Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the strike as a "criminal act" and a violation of international law. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant asserted that Hezbollah had "crossed the red line." The strike, carried out in the densely populated and fortified Dahiyeh area, reflects the ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, with both sides mindful of the catastrophic potential of an all-out war. Despite the aggressive stance, Israeli officials have indicated they do not seek to escalate the conflict into a broader war involving Lebanon or other regional players.

The international community has expressed concern over the rising violence, urging restraint to prevent further escalation. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized President Joe Biden's desire to avoid a wider war, while UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy advised British nationals to leave Lebanon immediately to avoid getting caught in the conflict. With recent violence heightening fears, global leaders continue to push for de-escalation and diplomatic solutions to the ongoing hostilities.

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Other News

1️⃣🇫🇷 France: French President Emmanuel Macron is urging Danish authorities not to extradite anti-whaling activist Paul Watson to Japan. Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd, was arrested in Greenland under an international warrant for interfering with a Japanese whaling ship in 2010. Macron is closely monitoring the situation, with public and political support in France advocating for Watson's release. 

2️⃣🇵🇸 Gaza: Thousands of displaced Palestinians have returned to the devastated city of Khan Younis following a week-long Israeli operation. The IDF reported killing over 150 gunmen during the offensive, while the Hamas-run Gaza media office claimed at least 250 Palestinians were killed and more than 300 injured. Thirty Palestinians remain missing. 

3️⃣🇸🇩 Sudan: Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan survived an assassination attempt, with the army blaming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the drone attack that killed five at an army base in Jabait. Despite the RSF denying responsibility, tensions remain high as both sides have been in conflict for 16 months. Gen Burhan vowed no negotiations, even as his government conditionally agreed to US-mediated talks in Geneva next month. The conflict has caused over 10 million people to flee their homes, creating a massive humanitarian crisis.

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Prisoners of Geography

The Revenge of Geography

The World: A Brief Introduction

The Shock Doctrine

Sea Power

The Tragedy of Great Power Politics

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