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Middle East conflict

Israeli army eleminates dozens of radicals during fighting in Gaza

IDF troops are continuing intensive operations in western Khan Yunis

TEL AVIV, February 8. /TASS/. The Israeli army has destroyed dozens of armed radicals during fighting in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, the press service of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported.

"In Khan Yunis (in the south of the Gaza Strip - TASS), IDF troops identified and killed over 20 terrorists during offensives on terror targets," the statement said. In addition, in the area, "IDF troops killed two terrorists in close-quarters combat," as well as "identified and killed a terrorist positioned on the roof of a school using precise fire." "IDF troops are continuing intensive operations in terrorist hubs in western Khan Yunis. Over the past day, IDF troops have apprehended dozens of individuals suspected of involvement in terrorist activity, including two terrorists who participated in the October 7th massacre," the press service added.

"In the northern Gaza Strip, IDF troops killed ten terrorists in various encounters during the day, terrorists carried out anti-tank missile fire toward a tank," after which "the troops identified the terrorists who fired at them and directed an IDF fighter jet which struck and killed the terrorist cell," the press service said. "During intelligence gathering activity in the northern Gaza Strip, IDF troops identified a terrorist cell that attempted to transfer technological systems to the Hamas terrorist organization," the military added. "The troops activated a drone that killed the terrorist cell."

"In the central Gaza Strip, IDF troops killed a number of terrorists over the past day. In one of the activities, the troops struck Hamas military infrastructure and killed four terrorists belonging to the organization," the army added.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas 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. In response, Israel declared a total blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians before the crisis, and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes have also been reported on the West Bank.

Middle East conflict

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According to Waldemar Skrzypczak, satellite reconnaissance failed to detect the launch and flight of this missile

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Europe resumes talks of troop deployment to Ukraine — newspaper

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Russian military engaged in tough battles with Ukrainians in Kharkov Region — official

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

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

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Public tribunal releases more testimonies exposing Kiev forces' atrocities in Selidovo

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Russian forces entrap Ukrainian troops near Svatovo in LPR — military expert

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Kremlin explains why Oreshnik missile came as surprise

"I am sure that neither of us is even aware right now of any new future developments," Dmitry Peskov said

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Alexander Sternik noted that Moscow was closely watching how relations among NATO, the European Union and the states directly adjacent to Russian territory were developing

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"When we have more to provide, we will," Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said

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

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

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Kabul counts on Moscow to help neutralize Western pressure

"We can assure you that the Islamic Emirate is a reliable economic partner," Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said

US gives Ukrainian servicemen guidance on selecting targets for ATACMS — White House

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

Lithuania open to sending European troops to Ukraine — foreign minister

"It may become necessary for European soldiers to be deployed on Ukrainian soil, and Lithuania is always ready to consider such options," Gabrielius Landsbergis stated

Ukrainian forces indiscriminately shoot Selidovo passers-by — Russian envoy

According to Rodion Miroshnik, Ukrainian security forces came to places where there were generators, where people came to get water, and could shoot a person

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Russia designs Titan rifle for commandos

The rifle is reliable with precise and dense fire

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

Talk of halting Ukraine conflict related to Russia’s initiative on battlefield — SVR

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"

West beginning to realize only part of Ukraine will remain — Lavrov

According to the Russian foreign minister, this represents the "confrontational logic" of the West

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

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NATO expanding presence in Arctic, Baltic, Black Sea, Caspian regions — FSB chief

According to Alexander Bortnikov, a US lab network is reportedly working to implement a program to create biological weapons of selective action, while citing the need to combat some "biological threats" as an excuse

Ukrainian officer says 90% of fellow servicemen have no desire to fight

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Russia fails to get seat at OPCW Executive Council — vote outcome

Russian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Permanent Representative to the OPCW Vladimir Tarabrin noted that the current situation regarding the participation in the Executive council "is clear evidence of the crisis that the Organization has fallen into"

Potential handover of nuclear arms by US to Kiev ‘act of treason’ — US congresswoman

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"

UK delivered dozens of Storm Shadow missiles to Kiev weeks ago — news agency

Bloomberg pointed out that the missiles were sent before the US and UK authorization to use long-range precision-guided weapons to launch strikes from Ukrainian territory deep into Russia

US continues to plunder Afghanistan with impunity, says Shoigu

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Russia gave OPCW over 30 reports proving Ukraine used banned substances, official says

Kirill Lysogorsky noted that "the Kiev regime continues to systematically use toxic chemicals and chemical riot control agents"

Proposal to give Kiev nuclear arms highly extremist — Kremlin

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

Scholz vows to continue supporting Ukraine following his chancellor nomination

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Anglo-Saxons secretly push Kiev toward nuclear terrorism — FSB head

"The minds of the Ukrainian population have been reformatted in a Russophobic way," Alexander Bortnikov stated

West attempting to stage color revolution in Georgia, Lavrov warns

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Russian national Nikita Zhuravel sentenced to 14 years in prison for high treason

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

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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

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Russia’s launch of new missile illustrated assured retaliation capability, lawmaker says

Andrey Kartapolov also noted that the enemy currently has no defenses against the Oreshnik.

British mercenary taken into custody and Ukraine's losses: situation in Kursk Region

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NATO disregards all etiquette in discussing possible preemptive strikes on Russia — Lavrov

NATO Military Committee Chairman Rob Bauer earlier called for producing more weapons for precision strikes inside Russia in case a conflict broke out

Kiev has ‘no chance’ of retaking lost territories — Blackwater founder

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

No int’l restrictions on deployment of Oreshnik systems — senior Russian diplomat

When asked if the 1998 Russian-US memorandum of understanding on notifications of missile launches remained in effect, Sergey Ryabkov answered in the affirmative

Defense contractor delivers new batch of Su-34 bombers to Russia’s Aerospace Forces

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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

Ukraine is a failed state, Russian foreign intelligence chief says

Sergey Naryshkin stressed that Moldova is "following in its footsteps"

Turkey to investigate causes of Russian Superjet emergency at Antalya airport

The Turkish side will also provide information on the progress of the investigation

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

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No one wins in trade war, says Chinese embassy in US

Earlier, Trump promised to impose an additional 10% tariff on all goods from China due to the alleged large-scale drug smuggling from China into the US

Shooting of Selidovo residents by Ukrainian troops meant to repeat Bucha provocation

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