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Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Beirut will face fate of Gaza if Hezbollah enters war — Israeli minister

Yoav Gallant said the actions of Hezbollah fighters on the border with Israel are now going beyond minor provocations

TEL AVIV, November 12. /TASS/. Lebanese capital Beirut will likely descend into the same chaos as Gaza if Hezbollah drags Lebanon into a war with Israel, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said.

"I say here to the people of Lebanon: I can already see people in Gaza marching with white flags along the coast and heading south. Hezbollah is dragging Lebanon into a war that could start and is making a mistake. If it makes this mistake, all Lebanese citizens will pay for it first and foremost. What we are doing in Gaza, we will be able to do in Beirut as well," the minister said.

He said the actions of Hezbollah fighters on the border with Israel are now going beyond minor provocations. Israeli forces, Gallant said, are giving a "qualitative response" that results in losses in Hezbollah's ranks.

"You can't provoke us, it would be a fatal mistake. We are on full alert, ready to repel any strike and ready for any turn of events," he stated.

The situation in the Middle East sharply escalated following an incursion of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel on October 7, accompanied by killings of residents of Israeli settlements near the border and taking more than 200 hostages, including children, women and elderly people. Hamas has cast the attack as a response to Israeli actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Israel has declared a complete siege of the Gaza Strip and has started delivering strikes on that area and parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.

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Israel Lebanon Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Two powerful explosions rocks Kharkov

An air raid alert has been in effect in the Kharkov Region for almost eight hours

Russia to take response measures amid nuclear threats — senior diplomat

"Yet this vagueness has always been typical of the Western group’s doctrinal approaches, including nuclear weapons," Sergey Ryabkov noted

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Russia adds deputy head of Ukrainian presidential administration to wanted list

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According to the Russian leader, the partnership between Moscow and Beijing "will serve as a model of how ties between neighboring states should be built"

Russian troops deliver 28 precision strikes on Ukrainian military sites over week

Russian forces advanced to better positions and inflicted casualties on 18 Ukrainian army brigades in the Kupyansk area over the week, the Defense Ministry reported

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian drone over Crimea

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London blacklists two Russian companies, one firm from North Korea

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Russian troops advance towards Borovaya in eastern Kharkov region — official

Vitaly Ganchev added that as of today, more than 200 square kilometers of the region had been liberated from the Ukrainian armed forces

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"The prime minister’s personal protection group acted absolutely properly amid a rapidly developing emergency situation," Matus Sutaj-Estok underlined

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Mistral delivery connected with implementation of Minsk accords — Hollande

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Tourist exchanges between Russia, North Korea gain traction — minister

Russian Natural Resources and Environment Minister Alexander Kozlov also said that the Moscow Zoo and ballet dancers recently paid a visit to North Korea

At least 28 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip — Al Jazeera

Israel launched air attacks on the Jabalia refugee camp, the Qatari TV channel reported

Russian air defenses down Ukrainian drone in Russia’s Belgorod Region — top brass

Air defenses on duty destroyed the Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle over the Belgorod Region, the Defense Ministry reported

Kiev asks US to lift restrictions on using weapons against targets in Russia — newspaper

According to The Wall Street Journal, Kiev has also asked Washington to lift restrictions on the use of US weapons against targets on Russian territory

Lavrov believes Europe won’t be Russia’s partner for at least one generation

He made the remark in response after the idea was suggested by Dmitry Trenin, research director at the Institute of World Military Economy and Strategy

Russian forces cut off ammunition supplies to Ukrainian forces in Volchansk — lawmaker

Viktor Vodolatsky also said the liberation of Staritsa would make it possible to reduce to a minimum and later completely remove the threat of bombardments for the Belgorod Region

Six drones fall near oil refinery in Krasnodar Region — authorities

Roman Sinyagovsky added that, according to preliminary information, there were no casualties or damage

Gazprom delivering 42.4 mln cubic meters of gas to Europe through Ukraine via Sudzha

The transit line through Ukraine remains the only route for Russian gas supplies to western and central European countries

Two powerful explosions rocks Kharkov

An air raid alert has been in effect in the Kharkov Region for almost eight hours

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Mikhail Razvozhaev warned of the danger of falling fragments and submunitions

European Council suspends broadcasting activity of four Russian media outlets

According to the Council, this ban does not apply to any activities other than broadcasting

Six Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes in south and center of Gaza Strip — WAFA

Several others were wounded, the Palestinian news agency reported

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In addition, Ukrainian forces were facing ammunition shortages due to a stalled US aid package

Law on new rules of mobilization comes into force in Ukraine

The new rules caused a storm of indignation among Ukrainian citizens of military age at the stage of the bill's introduction into the Verkhovna Rada at the end of last year

Ukrainian drone attack kills civilian in Russia’s Kursk Region — acting governor

One employee died of injuries, Alexey Smirnov said

Expert says ‘sanitary zone’ in Ukraine should be 300 kilometers deep

it should be enough to make sure that US, French and British-made long-range weapons don’t reach Russia, including the country’s new regions, Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of Russia’s National Defense magazine told TASS

Press review: Day one of Putin's China visit and US stands by Ukraine

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, May 17th

Stock markets on record-hitting spree around the world — Bloomberg

As the agency says, of the world’s 20 largest stock markets, 14 have hit all-time highs recently

Ukrainian forces unprepared to withstand Russian offensive near Kharkov — newspaper

It also emphasized that Russia had "a huge advantage in artillery shells," adding that "depleted Ukrainian air defenses" were unable to counter Russian air power

Preparations for Putin’s visit to DPRK ongoing — Kremlin spokesman

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un invited the Russian President to visit his country when he traveled to Russia in September

Russia’s upgraded T-80BV tank to feature capability of firing depleted uranium shells

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Dominican Republic to hold general election under influence of Haitian factor

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Chairman of Georgia’s ruling party blasts foreign ministers for speaking at protest

Garibashvili suggested that foreign diplomats feel dismissive toward Georgia

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Legitimate Ukrainian president needed to sign any agreements, says Putin

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The test launch confirmed the accuracy and reliability of the system, the Korean Central News Agency reported

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Russian court seizes Deutsche Bank’s assets under RusChemAlliance’s claims

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Russian troops use latest Upyr FPV drones in Kharkov push

Russian troops employed the Upyr FPV drone for the first time in the special military operation in Ukraine in May 2023

Energy infrastructure facility suffers damage in Ukraine’s Poltava Region

Ukrainian media outlets reported explosions in the city of Mirgorod

Assassination attempt on Slovak PM Fico was planned in advance — defense minister

It is reported that doctors are doing everything possible to stabilize the patient

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Renowned musician expects West to continue canceling Russian culture

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Russian air defense shot down 57 UAVs in Krasnodar region overnight — Defense Ministry

Three UAVs were destroyed over the territory of the Belgorod region

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Georgian president vetoes bill on foreign agents

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Ukrainian attack on bus in Kherson Region injures 16 civilians, kills one — governor

All the others have bruises and light wounds, Governor Vladimir Saldo told TASS

Slovak PM’s attacker pleads guilty before court — media

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Ukrainian army’s logistics centers hit in Odessa Region

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Russian Tor air defense systems effective in destroying Storm Shadow missiles — top brass

Teams of Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile systems of Russia’s Battlegroup East shield first-echelon troops and civilian facilities in the south Donetsk direction

Russia warns US, EU, Kiev they are playing with fire — MFA about Ukrainian strikes

Maria Zakharova pointed out that behind these barbaric attacks with Western weapons the silhouettes of US and British handlers of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky's were clearly visible

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Russian MFA describes Putin’s China trip as defining for world’s future

The trip laid the groundwork for many years to come, Maria Zakharova said

Patriot supplies unlikely to impact Russia’s plans to liberate Kharkov, expert says

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Russia-China relations surpass classical alliances of past era — Lavrov

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Battlegroup North liberates settlement of Staritsa — Russian Defense Ministry

Russian air defenses down 37 drones, Tochka U missile, 21 HIMARS, Vampire, Olkha rockets in past day, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported

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Russian MFA urges France to refrain from use of force against protesters in New Caledonia

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US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle hit near Avdeyevka — security forces

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Russia, China sign ten joint documents

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US, Iran enage in indirect talks on Middle East security — news outlet

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Tehran holding indirect talks with Washington in Oman, Iran's envoy to UN confirms

Amir Saeid Iravani said that the talks are "an ongoing process"

French army train unit of ‘super covert’ scouts in Estonia — radio

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Russian missile cruiser Varyag enters Mediterranean Sea

The ship's crew continues to fulfill the mission it was given for the long-range voyage

Russia has no plans today to seize Kharkov, says Putin

The current Kiev regime is to blame for ongoing battles in the Kharkov direction, the Russian leader stressed

Crowd gathered in central Bishkek agrees to disperse after talks with top police officer

The meeting was held in a generally calm atmosphere, the 24.kg news agency reported

'Sanitary zone' near Kharkov and talks on Ukraine: What Putin told the media in Harbin

Even though Vladimir Putin’s visit to China was a state one, "it was a purely working trip"

Current Kiev regime rooted in coup — Putin

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Israeli army says radical commander eliminated in airstrike on Jenin

Islam Khamayseh was involved in organizing a number of terror attacks in the area, the army’s press service reported

Russian Aerospace Forces destroy three militant bases in Syria — Defense Ministry

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Air defense is repelling a missile attack in Sevastopol — region’s governor

Traffic on the Crimean Bridge has been temporarily closed

Americans undermine trust in dollar, its role as reserve currency themselves — Putin

The Russian leader noted that solutions on how to make payments are possible and do exist

Slovakia’s PM Fico still in intensive care — TV

According to the report, Robert Fico is in stable but still serious condition

US President Joe Biden officially announces re-election bid

US Vice President Kamala Harris also announced plans to run for re-election

French tired of supporting Ukraine — war correspondent

Christelle Nahan noted that people were tired of the fact that there was not enough money for the development of infrastructure, hospitals and schools, for pensions and benefits for children

Putin, Xi Jinping discussed China’s security proposal, Lavrov says

Russian Foreign Minister said that there is great rationale for the practical advancement of the idea of ensuring global security to begin with the formation of the foundations of Eurasian security without any Euro-Atlantic overlay

Russian air defenses down four Hammer air bombs, two HARM missiles over Belgorod Region

Attack on targets in Russia was foiled between 12:20 and 12:30 p.m. Moscow time (9:20 to 9:30 a.m. GMT) on May 18