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Middle East conflict

Israel to eliminate all Hamas battalions, including those in Rafah, PM says

Benjamin Netanyahu said on April 8 that the date for the start of the Rafah operation had been set, but did not disclose it

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

© AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg

TEL AVIV, April 9. /TASS/. Israel to eliminate all battalions of the radical Palestinian Hamas movement, including those in the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

"We will complete the elimination of Hamas's battalions, including in Rafah. No force in the world will stop us," he said while visiting the Tel Hashomer army base.

The prime minister pointed out that "there are many forces trying to do this (stop the Rafah operation - TASS) but it will not help because this enemy (Hamas - TASS), after what it has done, will not do this again."

Netanyahu said on April 8 that the date for the start of the Rafah operation had been set, but did not disclose it. On April 87, the Israeli army has pulled out the 98th Division from Khan Yunis in the southern part of the enclave. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that the withdrawal of troops was due to the completion of tasks related to the elimination of Hamas fighters in the city.

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.

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Benjamin Netanyahu

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Moscow concerned with outgoing US President Biden’s escalation strategy — Kremlin

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

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'Western vector' leaves Ukraine poorest country in Europe — politician

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Russia’s Permanent Representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Mikhail Ulyanov said that what has been done by the White House is very dangerous

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Denmark, its neighbors hold talks with China about damaged cables under Baltic Sea-report

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Sergey Ryabkov stressed that "any escalation scenarios, if they start to materialize, will be a direct consequence of the reckless" and "inhumane policy that is pursued by Washington and leading European countries"

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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

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FACTBOX: What is known about Russian flight incident at Antalya Airport

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The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw

Proposal to give Kiev nuclear arms highly extremist — Kremlin

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New EU sanctions on Russia may target 80 individuals, entities — agency

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

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The Ukrainian armed forces used various modified Western-made mines and improvised explosive devices during the process

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"In my opinion, the United States should invest in the reconstruction of Afghanistan after everything it has done and abandoned there," the top security official emphasized

Trump promises to impose 25% tariff on all goods from Mexico, Canada

Mexico and Canada have every right and opportunity to easily resolve this long-standing problem, US president-elect said

West wants to use Kalinousky Regiment to destabilize Belarus — Russian intelligence chief

Sergey Naryshkin pointed out that now this nationalist group was fighting together with the Ukrainian army along with the Russian Volunteer Corps (recognized in Russia as a terrorist organization) and the Georgian Legion (the paramilitary group Georgian National Legion is blacklisted as terrorist and banned in Russia)

Turkey to investigate causes of Russian Superjet emergency at Antalya airport

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

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

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Retreating Ukrainian troops leave dozens of bodies behind in Chasov Yar

According to the sources, some of these makeshift morgues were destroyed by retreating Ukrainian troops

Russia designs Titan rifle for commandos

The rifle is reliable with precise and dense fire

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

The new fighter-bombers have undergone necessary testing and have been sent to the places of their operation, Vadim Badekha noted

Putin has high hopes for cancer vaccine being developed in Russia

Head of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency Veronika Skvortskova briefed the Russian President on the vaccine's development

Kremlin spokesman says missiles like Oreshnik are developed in secrecy

Dmitry Peskov said that he himself did not know about this work before Russian President Vladimir Putin announced it

Iran challenges US, UK, France military capabilities, IRGC general says

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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

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

Ukraine is a failed state, Russian foreign intelligence chief says

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

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Russian diplomat doesn’t rule out missile deployment in Asia as response to US’ actions

Sergey Ryabkov warned Russia’s adversaries against settling into a "false sense of security"

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

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"

Explosion occurs at oil refinery in western Turkey, cause being investigated — TV

According to preliminary information, the incident occurred at about 8 p.m. (local time)

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

France, UK may deploy troops to Ukraine following ceasefire — expert

According to Elie Tenenbaum, European countries may send troops to east Ukraine to ensure the observation of a ceasefire regime and guarantee Kiev’s security

Putin calls on CIS intelligence agencies to prevent instability

To strengthen security, intelligence services should not only scrutinize threats but also "forecast their development and exchange information and experience," the Russian leader pointed out

London intensifies anti-Russian campaign in face of impending ‘Ukrainian project’ failure

The realization of the impending failure of the ‘Ukrainian project’ London has been staking on in hopes of capitalizing on plans to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on our country by proxy is now as clear as ever," the embassy said

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

The decisions will be made in response to these applications in the near future

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

Ukrainian army mercenaries from Colombia linked to US-controlled drug cartels — expert

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Press review: Israel approves US ceasefire agreement and Georgia's new parliament convenes

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, November 26th

Emergence of new weapons changed canons of war, Medvedev says

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

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

The shooting of civilians could have been meant to "simply intimidate people who want to continue living on their soil," Russian foreign ministry’s ambassador at large, Rodion MIroshnik said

Russian troops liberate Kopanki community in Kharkov Region over past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted roughly 440 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy ammunition depots

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

The Ukrainian armed forces lost over 250 troops, four tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, three armored combat vehicles, eight motor vehicles and two mortars in the past day

Top Indian defense official to visit Moscow, Kaliningrad on December 8-10 — source

Rajnath Singh will participate in the flag-raising ceremony of the Project 11356 frigate and its transfer to the Indian Navy," the source said

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

British mercenary claims he was sent to Russia’s Kursk Region against his will

The captive explained that he had served as a private in a battalion for four months

West attempting to stage color revolution in Georgia, Lavrov warns

According to the top Russian diplomat, the West actively uses an extensive network of non-governmental organizations "to create domestic instability in the countries of the Global South and the Global East"

Russian forces pound Ukrainian military airfields, energy sites over day — top brass

It is specified that the Ukrainian army’s losses in the area of responsibility of Russia’s Battlegroup North in the Kharkov Region over the past 24 hours amounted to 30 personnel, two armored combat vehicles and four motor vehicles

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

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

Lebanon wary of reports of potential ceasefire with Israel

Beirut is cautious for now because it is dealing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "and all previous deals with him have failed," Lebanese Parliament Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab pointed out

Ukrainian commander-in-chief reports threats to troops in Zaporozhye Region

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Fire breaks out in Japan during test of Epsilon S rocket engine

There were no casualties as a result of the incident, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said

North Korea dismantles power lines in Kaesong on border with South Korea

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Netanyahu may accept ceasefire in Lebanon to stop Hezbollah bombings — diplomat

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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"