Pentagon
Telaviv is reportedly concerned that Trump could reach a deal with Tehran without ordering military strikes
A senior Israeli military delegation led by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir made a secret visit to Washington over the weekend amid intensifying tensions over Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and a growing US military presence in the region.
According to Israeli and US media reports, Zamir met with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and other senior US defense officials at the Pentagon to present sensitive intelligence, discuss military options against Iran and attempt to shape ongoing diplomatic contacts between the Trump administration and Tehran.
The visit, which had not been publicly disclosed at the time, comes as Israel is growing increasingly concerned that US President Donald Trump could ultimately strike a deal with Iran focused narrowly on freezing uranium enrichment while leaving Tehran’s ballistic missile program largely intact and without authorizing military action.
Trump refuses to reveal his Iran ‘plan’READ MORE: Trump refuses to reveal his Iran ‘plan’
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later met with Zamir in Tel Aviv to review the military’s operational readiness “for any possible scenario,” Katz’s office said on Sunday.
The United States has increased its naval and air defense presence in the Middle East, deploying the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, additional guided-missile destroyers and advanced air defense systems in what Trump has described as a “massive and beautiful armada.”
Israeli reports suggest that even senior officials in both countries are unsure whether Trump will opt for military action. Publicly, Trump has said he prefers a diplomatic solution and has refused to reveal his plans even to close US allies, arguing that doing so could undermine negotiations.
At the same time, he has warned Tehran that “time is running out” and that any future strike would be far harsher than the US-Israeli attacks last summer.
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https://www.rt.com/news/631841-israel-general-visit-pentagon/
The European Commission has announced plans to “strengthen” the borders of nine member states
The European Commission unveiled a strategy on Wednesday to reinforce nine EU member states bordering Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, by means of the ‘European Drone Defense Initiative’. Previously dubbed the ‘drone wall’, the plan has faced criticism over its feasibility.
Russia has repeatedly dismissed Western claims of being a threat to NATO or EU nations, calling the narrative “nonsense” and “fearmongering” meant to justify inflated military budgets.
Announced by the commission’s executive vice president, Raffaele Fitto, the plan includes Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Brussels says that these nations are facing reduced investment, demographic pressure, and “hybrid” threats linked to the Ukraine conflict.
The new strategy includes a €28 billion ($33 billion) loan program, as well as commitments to implement ...
Washington’s initiative seeks to secure a supply chain for AI, semiconductors, and critical minerals
India has joined the US-led Pax Silica alliance, which aims to secure a supply chain for artificial intelligence, chips, and critical minerals.
The Pax Silica declaration was signed on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit currently underway in New Delhi.
Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, Singapore, the UAE, and the UK are the other signatories of the declaration, according to the US State Department.
Canada, the European Union (EU), the Netherlands, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Taiwan are non-signatory participants.....more below
