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Middle East conflict

White House says no plans for US boots on ground in Israel

John Kirby underscored that "there is more than enough capability to protect and defend US' national security interests if it comes to that"

US President Joe Biden's spokesman on the National Security Council John Kirby AP Photo/Susan Walsh

US President Joe Biden's spokesman on the National Security Council John Kirby

© AP Photo/Susan Walsh

WASHINGTON, October 18. /TASS/. The Biden administration is not currently planning to "put boots on the ground" in Israel, John Kirby, US President Joe Biden's spokesman on the National Security Council (NSC), told a regular briefing.

"There are no plans or intentions to put US boots on the ground in combat in Israel," Kirby said, taking questions from reporters during Biden’s flight to Israel. "But as we've also said, we have significant national security interests in the region. Those national security interests have not changed," he added.

When asked about what could force the United States to change its mind here, Kirby said: "I'm not gonna get into. We never talked about future military operations and I simply wouldn't do that."

However, Kirby underscored: "There is more than enough capability to protect and defend our national security interests if it comes to that." He said by deploying two aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean Washington clearly sent a signal of deterrence.

Commenting on whether US troops may take part in the effort to free American hostages, the NSC official said: "The less said the better when it comes to how we're trying to get hostages home."

Tensions in the Middle East flared up again after Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7. The Palestinian movement described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel announced a total blockade of Gaza and started carrying out strikes on the Palestinian enclave, as well as on certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place on the West Bank. Over 3,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 13,700 have suffered wounds; in Israel, the death toll stands at about 1,500 and nearly 4,200 people have been wounded.

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According to Deependra Singh Hooda, the recent decision by the US and the UK to use long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia from Ukraine and Russia's use of the Oreshnik missile in response to these actions have already raised concerns about a possible escalation of the conflict

Israeli warplanes deliver seven powerful strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs

Air raid warnings were issued for the Dahieh neighborhood in the south and the Bachoura district in the heart of the capital

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US needs Ukraine's rare earth metals, including lithium — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister noted that American companies had already bought up most of the fertile land

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At the end of September, Elon Musk predicted battles between "drone swarms" in the future

Kiev failed to inform Ottawa Convention signatories about its plans to violate it

The Ukrainian delegation has not yet informed on this development, the convention’s Secretariat said

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Dmitry Peskov noted that this is an absolutely irresponsible line of reasoning from those with a poor grasp of reality

No requests yet for CSTO assistance from Russia over ATACMS strikes — secretary general

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Zelensky shook up by Russia’s response to permission to attack it — Lavrov

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Ukrainian forces attempt to assassinate Novaya Kakhovka head, his deputy with drones

Ukraine tracked two service cars and dropped munitions on them after the vehicles approached the administration building

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Citizens of Poland, Germany, Italy apply for residence permit in Lugansk Republic

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Erik Prince noted that it was necessary to end the Ukrainian conflict as soon as possible

Preparation of Russia’s energy strategy until 2050 is in its final stage — PM Mishustin

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US base in Syria’s Dei ez-Zor governorate comes under missile attack — TV

No further details were provided

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"Our forces continue their coordinated efforts to liberate the Kharkov Region from the enemy," Vitaly Ganchev said

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The Ukrainian servicemen "are able to use ATACMS to defend themselves on an immediate need basis," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said

Ukraine requests UN Security Council meeting on November 27 — Russian mission

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Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested that the Biden administration is "trying to start a nuclear war and use it as the reason to stop the transfer of power to Donald Trump"

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President reiterated that Moscow and Astana have actively supported Eurasian economic integration and were among the founders of the Eurasian Economic Union

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According to the report, his team believes that this step could reduce the risk of an armed conflict

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Sergey Naryshkin added that the Western capitals "stopped thinking about strategically defeating Russia and shifted to thinking about how to avoid such a defeat themselves"

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The implementation of the agreement will help to bring stability to the region, Najib Mikati said

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Ill-thought-out command and control of Ukrainian troops has demoralized enemy forces and increased the number of desertions among its personnel in that frontline area, Andrey Marochko said

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Retreating Ukrainian troops leave dozens of bodies behind in Chasov Yar

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Ukrainian front collapsing due to lack of willing soldiers, Russian offensive — magazine

Additionally, Ukraine "does not have enough weapons, munitions or hardware," the news outlet said

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The new round of US sanctions has become the most notable lately "but generally not critical for the Russian financial system, which has already passed through much worse time," Kyle Shostak said

West seeks to destabilize global order, Russia’s intelligence chief says

"Euro-Atlantic elites are trying to convince the rest of the world that the only alternative to Western power is chaos, and for this purpose, they deliberately seek destabilization in key regions of the planet," Sergey Naryshkin said

Key energy facility in Ternopol Region almost completely destroyed

Vyacheslav Negoda noted that a power shortage will remain in the region for a long time

Ukraine loses 500 troops near Dzerzhinsk in DPR in past ten days — Ukrainian officer

On November 24, 2024, Denis Pushilin, the head of the DPR, said that the Russian Armed Forces were advancing in Dzerzhinsk

EU Commissioner for Justice calls on members states to step up assistance to Ukraine

Didier Reynders stressed that EU countries provided Ukraine with 45.5 billion euros for military needs and supplied "a wide variety of arms" from their stockpiles, including F-16 aircraft

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He is expected to discuss various cooperation aspects and take part in the summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization

Kiev troops attempted to kill British mercenary who surrendered to Russians — officer

In his words, they fired conventional 120mm mortar rounds, silent munitions and at least one FPV drone with a fragmentation charge

Trump focused on solution to Ukrainian conflict — national security adviser

Mike Waltz compared the scope of the tragedy to World War One, describing it as "trench warfare" with hundreds of thousands of victims

Russia designs Titan rifle for commandos

The rifle is reliable with precise and dense fire

NATO spies study damage from Oreshnik at Yuzhmash — expert

Alexander Stepanov emphasized that both Kiev and its Western allies are closely scrutinizing the consequences of the strike on the plant

FACTBOX: Overview of Ukraine's ATACMS strikes on Kursk Region

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Russian Agriculture Ministry weighs idea of growing bananas domestically

Oksana Lut highlighted the export potential of agricultural products, given that certain parts of the world do not have a climate conducive to growing things

Anglo-Saxon special services involved in Nord Stream blasts, SVR chief says

Sergey Naryshkin recalled that Nord Stream was a joint Russian-European project "aimed at ensuring the uninterrupted supply of inexpensive Russian gas to Europe"

Russia ‘shows teeth’ with launch of Oreshnik missile while avoiding escalation — media

"Russia has shown that it has a weapon, previously unveiled, and was prepared to use it," the report says

Russia rejects Korean scenario for freezing Ukraine conflict — foreign intel chief

Sergey Naryshkin recalled that the only way to ensure peace is to eliminate the root causes that triggered the Ukrainian conflict

Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iraq discuss oil market, compensations

Participants in the meeting highlighted importance of keeping stability and balance in global oil markets

Senators support Putin's decision to launch Oreshnik missile — speaker

Valentina Matviyenko noted that the Federation Council is willing to further support actions aimed at protecting Russia

No existing missile defense system can counter Oreshnik — US expert

Theodore Postol also vehemently rejected suggestions that the Oreshnik system represents previous outdated developments of Moscow

Russia may soon push Kiev troops out of Kursk Region — Ukrainian battalion commander

It is noted that Russia has about three times as many men as the Ukrainians in the Kursk Region and six times as many explosive drones

NATO pledges to continue supporting Ukraine following Russia’s launch of Oreshnik missile

NATO said in the statement that Russia’s deployment of the missile called the Oreshnik will not change the course of the conflict

Intel chief calls on West to embrace Putin's vision for resolving Ukraine conflict

"The sooner Western capitals realize [the need to accept] the Russian president’s conditions for a peace agreement and talks, the better it will be for Ukraine, Europe and Russia, too," Sergey Naryshkin noted

Majority of Americans oppose further military support for Ukraine, poll shows

The poll, conducted on November 19-22, involved over 2,200 Americans

Air defenses down 22 Ukrainian drones over six Russian regions last night

Air defense forces on duty intercepted and destroyed 22 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, including 10 UAVs over the Rostov Region, seven over the Belgorod Region, two over the Voronezh Region, and the other three over the regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Smolensk, the ministry specified

Emergence of new weapons changed canons of war, Medvedev says

According to Russian security council deputy chairman, this primarily concerns drones

Germany orders closure of Russia’s Channel One bureau in Berlin

According to Ivan Blagoy, his bureau received the corresponding documents, a 10-page report that substantiates the move, citing EU sanctions, from the German authorities on Tuesday

West tired of Ukrainian conflict, while Russia ready to continue it — magazine

The article noted that the West "no longer has the political will to help Ukraine win by military means" and is trying to achieve peace through negotiations with Russia"

Israeli-Lebanese ceasefire deal enters force — newspaper

According to Al Nahar, the Lebanese government will undertake the commitment to act against illegal armed groups on its territory and to curb their ability to arm themselves through arms trafficking and illegal production of weapons

West disregards Russia’s signal with Oreshnik’s launch to shift blame for escalation

Alexander Tokovinin said that the next NATO-Ukraine session at the level of foreign ministers of the Western military bloc’s member states is scheduled to take place on December 3-4 in Brussels

Russian military repels Ukrainian attack, destroys two targets over Sevastopol waters

According to Mikhail Razvozhayev, all services are on high alert

Austria ready to host Ukraine talks — chancellor

According to reports, US president-elect Donald Trump mentioned Nehammer's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which took place shortly after the start of the special military operation in Ukraine

Ceasefire deal does not envisage US military presence in Lebanon’s south — Biden

A high-ranking US administration official confirmed the information at a special briefing, adding that Washington will provide military support to Lebanon’s armed forces

British military instructor captured, Ukrainian losses: situation in Kursk Region

In total, the enemy has lost more than 35,510 troops since the fighting began in the region