10:00 AM ET, Monday, November 13, 2023
The Cipher Brief curates open source information from around the world that impacts national security. Here's a look at today's headlines:
THE TOP STORIES
U.S. Carries Out Air Strikes on Iran-Linked Facilities in Syria. The Defense Department announced yesterday that U.S. forces conducted airstrikes on two Iranian targets in eastern Syria that officials said were linked to numerous recent attacks on U.S. troops in Syria and Iraq. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the facilities were used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups. The targets reportedly included a training facility near the city of Abu Kamal and a “safe house” near Mayadin. Austin said President Biden ordered the attacks to make clear the U.S. will defend itself and its interests. The Pentagon said it appears some militia personnel were killed, but no casualty figures were available. A Pentagon official said the U.S. will take further action if necessary. The strike followed similar operations on October 26 and November 8. The Pentagon said there have been at least 48 documented attacks on U.S. forces in the region since the middle of October, resulting in traumatic brain injuries or minor wounds to service personnel. Washington Post Reuters New York Times CNN Bloomberg
Special Operations Troops Killed in Helicopter Accident Over Mediterranean. Defense Department officials confirmed yesterday that a US Army MH-60 helicopter went down in the eastern Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Cyprus during a refueling mishap, killing five U.S. Army Special Operations troops. Two U.S. officials said the troops were in the region as part of Pentagon contingency planning for the war in Gaza. U.S. European Command first announced the incident on Saturday but did not disclose which branch of the military or what aircraft was involved. Saturday’s statement said the cause of the incident is under investigation but that it was related to training and there was no evidence of hostile activity. Washington Post CNN
Hamas Envisioned Deeper Attacks Into Israel, Aiming to Provoke Wider War. Analysts say that before attacking Israel on October 7, Hamas had a broader plan intended to push deeper into Israel, provoke an overwhelming Israeli response and spark a wider war in the region. Two senior Middle Eastern intelligence officials say one Hamas unit carried reconnaissance information and maps which suggest an intention to carry the assault up to the West Bank. A former U.S. official briefed on evidence that has been collected since the attack said that if that had occurred, it would have been “a huge propaganda win” and a symbolic blow to both Israel and the Palestinian Authority that exercises partial control in the West Bank. A senior Israeli official said Hamas planned a second phase, including attacks on major cities and military bases in Israel. Even though that did not happen, Hamas leaders have touted October 7 as a success. Rita Katz, Executive Director of the SITE Intelligence Group, which studies the ideology and communications of extremist groups, said that even if its current leadership is destroyed, Hamas will continue to regard October 7 as a victory because it focused the world’s attention on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Washington Post
Israel Pushing for Hamas to Surrender Stricken Al-Shifa Hospital, Says Hamas Rejected Fuel Delivery. Israel said on Sunday that it is pressuring Hamas to surrender the Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest, as Israeli forces and Hamas fighters continue fighting in the area. Israel alleges that Hamas maintains a key command center at the hospital, a charge Hamas denies. Thousands of displaced people are sheltering inside the hospital complex. Medical supplies, food and water are dwindling, and the facility experienced a power outage due to a lack of fuel. Israel says Hamas has enough fuel for hospitals and other civilian organizations but chooses to use that fuel for military purposes. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also claimed that 300 liters of fuel had been delivered to the al-Shifa hospital and that Israeli forces offered to evacuate newborn babies from the hospital, but both gestures were refused by Hamas. Director of Al Shifa Medical Complex Muhammad Abu Salmiya said the reports were “lies and slander.” Hamas suspended talks on hostage releases on Sunday over fighting at Al-Shifa and other hospitals. A Hamas spokesman said Israel is bombing Al-Shifa and killing civilians inside Al-Shifa. The Israeli military said it has told Al-Shifa staff that people inside can be evacuated safely via the hospital’s east side, but doctors there say they believe the area remains unsafe and that moving wounded patients is not feasible. An Israeli military spokesman said a third party is needed in Gaza to help provide assistance. Reuters Reuters Wall Street Journal Washington Post
E.U. Denounces Hamas for Using 'Hospitals as Human Shields’ and Calls on Israel to Show Restraint. E.U. foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Sunday denounced Hamas for using “hospitals and civilians as human shields,” while also calling on Israel to use restraint and prevent more civilian casualties. Gaza’s two largest hospitals, Al-Shifa and Al-Quds, have said that they are suspending operations amid the violence, and medical staff in Gaza’s northern hospitals say that they are blockaded by Israeli soldiers and barely managing to care for patients. Medical staff said at least three newborns have died in hospitals in northern Gaza, and more are at risk due to power outages. The U.N. reported Monday that three nurses in al- Shifa were killed. The World Health Organization has described the situation at the hospitals “dire and perilous” and is calling for an immediate ceasefire. Israel claims Hamas has established command centers inside and under Palestinian hospitals, though the militant group denies this. In a statement, Borrell condemned Hamas for its actions but called on Israel to “exercise maximum restraint” to shield civilians from hostilities, which are “severely” affecting medical facilities and “taking a horrific toll on civilians and medical staff.” He urged Israel to take into account international humanitarian law, which calls for the safety of hospitals, medical supplies, and civilians inside. Reuters Reuters Al Jazeera United Nations Al Jazeera
Saudi Arabia Hosts Arab-Islamic Summit Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict. Saudi Arabia hosted an extraordinary joint summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League in Riyadh on Saturday, bringing together the leaders of Iran, Turkey, Syria, Qatar, and other Arab and Muslim countries in the region. The summit called for an immediate end to military operations in Gaza, rejecting Israeli claims that its actions in the territory are in “self defense” and urging the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution to halt Israel’s “aggression.” The summit also urged the International Criminal Court to investigate “war crimes and crimes against humanity” committed by Israel in the Palestinian territories. It also called for an end to weapons sales to Israel and asserted that a political solution must connect Gaza to the West Bank. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said he “holds the occupation (Israeli) authorities responsible for the crimes committed against the Palestinian people.” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who made his first visit to Saudi Arabia, said Islamic nations should designate the Israeli army a “terrorist organization.” The summit disagreed on further actions. Some countries, like Algeria and Lebanon, proposed to disrupt oil supplies to Israel and its allies and sever some diplomatic and economic ties with Israel for its actions in Gaza. At least three countries, including the U.A.E. and Bahrain, rejected this proposal. Hamas called on summit participants to expel Israeli ambassadors, establish a legal commission to try “Israeli war criminals” and fund reconstruction in Gaza. Reuters Al Jazeera Wall Street Journal
Biden, Qatari Emir Discuss Gaza, Hostage Releases. The White House said that President Joe Biden and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani spoke on Sunday about the situation in Gaza as well as "urgent ongoing efforts" to ensure the release of hostages being held by Hamas. The White House said that Biden "unequivocally" denounced the detainment of hostages by the militant group. Only four hostages out of the approximately 240 taken by Hamas on October 7th have been released. Also on Sunday, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that Israel, Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. were engaged in "active, intensive negotiations" to secure the release of more hostages. The Qatari government said earlier that Al Thani, while speaking with Biden, called for a ceasefire and the permanent opening of the Rafah crossing into Egypt. Washington, however, did not mention any discussions about a ceasefire, which it has pushed back against, saying only that talks covered humanitarian assistance and the need to protect civilians. Biden also spoke about his desire to see a Palestinian state in which “Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side with equal measures of stability and dignity.” The White House said that Hamas has not allowed that idea to come to fruition. Reuters The White House
Ukrainian Military Officer Allegedly Coordinated Nord Stream Pipeline Attack. Roman Chervinsky, a former Ukrainian intelligence officer who served in Ukraine’s special forces, allegedly coordinated the Nord Stream pipeline blasts last year, according to The Washington Post citing anonymous sources. The Post said Chernivsky was the “coordinator” of the operation, overseeing logistics for a six-person team that placed explosives on the pipeline. The blasts on the Nordstream 1 and 2 pipelines, which run from Russia to Germany in the Baltic Sea, in September last year destroyed three of four gas links in the network. The sources said Chernivsky did not plan the operation and reported to more senior Ukrainian military officials, who ultimately reported to Ukraine’s top military officer General Valery Zaluzhny. Chervinsky is currently in a Kyiv jail on charges that he abused power in a plot to lure a Russian pilot to defect to Ukraine in July 2022. He was arrested in April for acting without permission in the operation, which reportedly gave away the coordinates of a Ukrainian airfield and led to a Russian air attack on the facility. Chernivsky said he was not responsible for the Russian attack and was following orders in the operation. He has denied involvement in the Nord Stream blasts through his attorney. In a written statement to The Post and Der Spiegel, he said speculation about his role in the sabotage is “being spread by Russian propaganda without any basis.” Ukraine’s government did not comment on the matter. Chernivsky’s alleged role in the Nord Stream explosions, if true, would seem to contradict Ukraine’s denial that it was involved. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly denied Kyiv’s involvement after a report from The Post alleged that U.S. and European intelligence learned of plans about the operation. In June, Zaluzhny also said he denied Ukraine’s involvement when asked by U.S. General Mark Milley, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a phone call. Washington Post Reuters
Biden to Push Xi to Reestablish Military Ties. President Joe Biden intends to re-establish military-to-military ties with China, according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan. This was announced just days before Biden and the Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet on Wednesday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. It will be only the second in-person meeting between the two leaders since Biden took office. Sullivan said in an interview with CBS that Biden is seeking the re-establishment of military ties to ensure there are lines of communication that help avoid “mistakes or miscalculations or miscommunication." Sullivan added that restored military ties, which had been severed by Beijing, may take place at every level from senior leadership to the tactical operational level, including “on the water and in the air in the Indo-Pacific,” calling it a “top agenda item”. Relations between the two countries grew bitter after Biden ordered a Chinese spy balloon to be shot down after it flew over the U.S. Since then, top Biden administration officials have visited Beijing and met with their counterparts to rebuild communications and trust. Reuters Bloomberg
Former British PM Cameron Appointed Foreign Secretary, Cleverly Named Home Secretary. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appointed former Prime Minister David Cameron as foreign secretary. James Cleverly, who had been foreign secretary, was named home secretary, replacing Suella Braverman, who had criticized U.K. police for being what she described as easy on pro-Palestine protests. Cameron said that while he disagreed with some “individual decisions” by Sunak, he believed him to be a capable leader. Analysts say Cameron’s surprise move will likely spark divisions in the ruling Conservative Party since he had previously campaigned against Brexit and because some in the party supported Braverman’s stance on the protests. BBC Reuters The Guardian
Expert Perspective: Ukraine Could Learn from South Korea’s Postwar Reconstruction. Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and Cipher Brief Expert Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.) writes in Bloomberg that the reconstruction of South Korea after the Korean War could provide lessons on the reconstruction of Ukraine. Stavridis first says that the West must provide serious reconstruction aid to Ukraine, like Seoul received postwar. Ukraine must also get security guarantees, which Stavridis said would mean NATO membership, similar to South Korea being made a full U.S. treaty partner in 1953. Lastly, Stavridis argues that it probably will be necessary to agree to a land-for-peace conclusion to fighting. This would mean that Ukraine would need to at least temporarily acquiesce to Russian occupation of Crimea and a land bridge connecting the peninsula to Russia. Stavridis says that while this is not a desirable outcome, Ukraine is not in a position to demand Russia withdraw from the entirety of its territory, much like South Korea was not in a position to achieve complete territorial victory over North Korea in the 1950s. While Kyiv will not be happy about this outcome, Stavridis notes that Russian President Vladimir Putin will also hate it too since it will mean he has failed to fully conquer Ukraine. And Stavridis predicts that despite the territorial loss, the agreement will allow Ukraine to overtake Russia in terms of gross domestic output and overall agrarian output in the postwar reconstruction period. Bloomberg
ISRAEL AND HAMAS WAR
Israel Pushes Back on Palestinian Authority Rule in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told NBC’s Meet the Press yesterday that the Israeli military is the only force that can take military responsibility for Gaza and guarantee his country’s security after the war and that he sees no administrative role there for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in its current form. He said Gaza has to be demilitarized and de-radicalized and that he has not seen any Palestinian entity, including the PA, able to do that. He repeated earlier comments that Israel must maintain security control “for as long as necessary.” A spokesman for PA President Mahmoud Abbas responded that any attempt by Israel to separate Gaza from the West Bank is destined to fail and that stability will be achieved only by ending Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. New York Times Reuters Wall Street Journal
Israel sharpens warning to Lebanon as cross-border hostilities spike. Israel said it was seeking to impose quiet on the Lebanese front as hostilities spiked with Hezbollah wounding civilians in a cross-border missile attack and the Israeli air force bombing sites linked to the group. The chief Israeli military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said Hezbollah was "the defender of Hamas-ISIS”. Hezbollah has been carrying out relatively limited attacks in solidarity with the Palestinians. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah described the Israel front as being "active". With at least 70 of the group's fighters, along with Lebanese civilians, killed in Israeli counterstrikes, Hezbollah's tactics have expanded. Hezbollah has sought to include rockets with 300kg-500kg warheads and kamikaze drones against Israel. On Sunday, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a guided missile attack that wounded at least two electrical company workers who were sent out to do repairs at a border community. The Israeli military claims that a mortar attack wounded seven Israeli soldiers recently. A rocket set off sirens near the Israeli port city of Haifa near the Lebanese border, but no casualties have been reported. A Lebanese wing of Hamas later took credit for the attack. Reuters
President Macron States that a Ceasefire Would Benefit Gaza. In an exclusive interview with the BBC on Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Israeli military operations in Gaza, calling on Israeli forces to stop the killing of Gazan women and children and saying there is “no justification” for the bombings conducted in high-density civilian areas. The French president also advocated for a ceasefire to allow for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and said that he hopes that the U.S. and U.K. join in his calls. The president also stated that he does not believe it is his place to determine if international law was broken and condemned the October 7th actions of Hamas. Macron also expressed the desire to limit antisemitism and monitor extremist speech online. BBC
THE UKRAINE UPDATE
Zelensky Warns Ukrainians to Prepare for Russian Attacks in Winter, Renewed Russian Assaults on Eastern Front. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday warned Ukrainians to prepare for constant Russian attacks on infrastructure throughout the winter and said that soldiers were expecting renewed Russian offensives on the eastern war front. He emphasized that “all attention” should be centered on defense, as well as on “responding to terrorists” and improving the capabilities of Ukraine’s soldiers. Last winter, Russian forces consistently struck energy facilities, causing blackouts to pressure Ukraine’s civilian population. Energy Minister German Galushchenko on Saturday reassured the country that there would be enough energy resources to get through the winter but noted: “The question is how much future attacks can affect supplies." Separately, military spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun said that though Russian assaults on the town of Avdiivka had slowed, they were likely to grow in intensity soon. General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the chief of Ukraine’s ground forces, added that Russian troops were "more active in the Bakhmut sector and trying to recover lost positions.” Reuters France 24
Ukraine Says Three Russian Officers Killed in Explosion in Occupied Town. Ukrainian intelligence reports that three Russian National Guard officers were killed in an explosion in the occupied southwestern city of Melitopol on Saturday in an apparent "act of revenge" by local resistance groups. Ukraine’s Defence Ministry's intelligence department said the blast, which happened during a gathering of Russian National Guard and FSB intelligence service officers, was carried out by members of a resistance movement. The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter, and Reuters could not immediately confirm the reports. Ivan Fedorov, the ousted mayor of Melitopol, said that Russia “does not learn anything and continues to organize its headquarters” in the town, which Kyiv continues to attack. Ukraine has said that recapturing Melitopol would secure a route to the Crimean Peninsula. Reuters Ukrinform The Independent
Germany Set to Double Ukraine Military Aid. A political source in Berlin said on Sunday that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his governing coalition have agreed in principle to double Germany’s military aid to Ukraine next year to 8 billion euros ($8.5 billion). The source added that if parliament grants final approval to the plan, Germany’s defense spending would increase to 2.1% of gross domestic product, more than the 2% pledged by NATO members. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the aid increase “a strong signal to Ukraine that we will not leave them in the lurch.” The move comes amid what diplomats said this week has been resistance in European Union countries to an EU plan to spend up to 20 billion euros ($21 billion) on military aid for Ukraine. Reuters
Ukrainian Economic Minister Arrives in the U.S. to Discuss Defense Cooperation. On Sunday, Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko arrived in the U.S. to meet President Joe Biden. The Ukrainian Presidential Office said the two discussed Ukraine’s peace proposal and bolstering cooperation in defense and other areas. The visit comes as plans for new Ukraine aid stall in Congress. Top officials like Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have called for the immediate passage of new assistance. The Ukrainian delegation has stated that a minimum of $11.8 billion is necessary to meet “Ukraine’s baseline needs.” Kyiv Independent
E.U. Says Unlikely to Meet Ammunition Pledge for Ukraine. The European External Action Service, the E.U.’s foreign policy arm, informed diplomats from member states that the bloc is very unlikely to meet its pledge to provide 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition to Ukraine by March 2024. The E.U. approved a plan in March to send the shells to Ukraine within a year. The ammunition would first be pulled from member states’ stocks, and then reimbursed, followed by joint purchase of new munitions. Bloomberg reported in October that the E.U. had only delivered 30% of planned supplies under the plan. Sources say that some member states have been reluctant to share information on their supply efforts, and the E.U. may push them to reveal details at an E.U. defense ministers’ meeting next week. Media reports and investigations have found that E.U. efforts to boost defense production for Ukraine has been stymied by bureaucracy and protectionism of individual countries. Bloomberg Kyiv Independent
THE CYBER AND TECH RUNDOWN
NSA Still Highly Concerned About Chinese Cyber Threat to Critical Infrastructure. The National Security Agency (NSA) continues to warn of the threat of Chinese government-backed hackers attacking U.S. critical infrastructure. NSA officials at the Cyberwarcon security conference in Washington on Thursday had a “call to action” for the cybersecurity community to specifically look out for hackers manipulating and misusing legitimate tools to conduct clandestine operations, as well as novel intrusion techniques used by Chinese hackers. Morgan Adamski, director of NSA’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center, said the threat is “extremely sophisticated and pervasive” and aimed at embedding into critical networks “for the long haul.” NSA and “Five Eyes” intelligence partners have been warning since May that the Beijing-sponsored group Volt Typhoon has been targeting critical infrastructure networks. Microsoft representatives at the conference said that while the group had seemingly been dormant in the spring and early summer, it reappeared in August with improved operational security, making it more difficult to track. Wired
Hamas Increasingly Using Crypto to Get Iranian Funds. Hamas’s so-called hawala financing network is relying on digital currencies to evade Israeli authorities. The group’s use of crypto, overseen by Palestinian businessman Zuhair Shamlakh, has become critical to its operations, helping Hamas to more easily receive large sums from Iran. Millions of dollars of the funds are channeled through Gazan exchanges and money-service businesses. Hamas’s use of crypto has intensified scrutiny of the crypto industry in Israel and its Western partners. Since 2021, Israel’s National Bureau for Counter-Terror Financing has issued seven orders to seize digital wallets and crypto funds held by three Gazan exchanges. Wall Street Journal
Russian Hacker Group Sandworm Found Responsible for Attack Ukrainian Power Grid. Google’s Mandiant reports that Russian hacker group Sandworm launched a third attack against the Ukrainian power grid in October of 2022. Mandiant described the hack as a “multi-event cyber attack” that occurred in parts: first tripping substation circuit breakers, then causing the initial outage, and then wiping digital evidence from affected computers. Mandiant added that a custom malware moved from computer to computer was used to access industrial control systems. The new malware differs from the one used in the 2016 power grid attack by the same group as it is harder to track. Mandiant also noted how the hack occurred simultaneously with missile strikes. The Hacker News WIRED
Microsoft Warns that North Korean Hacker Group May Be Impersonating Skill Assessment Portals. Microsoft has warned users to be aware of a new attempt by a subgroup of the North Korean hacking group Lazarus to gain entry to personal computers. The group, dubbed Sapphire Sleet, has developed infrastructure that aims to mimic skill assessment portals used by those in the IT field. Sapphire Sleet has used similar social engineering campaigns in the past to commit cryptocurrency thefts. The Microsoft Threat Intelligence team warns that the program targets websites like LinkedIn with “skill assessment” tests that send the user to a malicious domain when clicked on. Microsoft has yet to gain access to these second domains for analysis. The Hacker News
ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD
Asia and Oceania
U.S. Treasury Secretary Calls for Action Against Chinese Firms Aiding Russia’s Military. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Friday said the U.S. government has seen evidence that Chinese firms are possibly aiding the transfer of military equipment to Russia despite Western sanctions, and warned of “significant consequences” for companies that continue to do so. Yellen said she raised the issue in her meetings with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and urged Beijing to take action, especially when the U.S. is “able to provide information” on businesses violating sanctions. Yellen noted that the U.S. has already sanctioned several financial institutions and private firms, including some in China, that are accused of helping Russia’s war effort. She also emphasized that offending Chinese firms were private and that she was not suggesting that the Chinese government had knowledge of their actions. She did not specify companies involved or discuss He’s reaction. Yellen also reiterated that the U.S. is not seeking to “decouple” from China and called for improved business ties between the two countries. Reuters New York Times
US, South Korea Revise Deterrence Strategy. The U.S. and South Korea updated a bilateral security agreement aimed at countering North Korean threats on Monday. South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed the revised Tailored Deterrence Strategy (TDS) at talks in Seoul. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the revision updated the agreement to better address North Korea’s rapid advancements in its missile and nuclear programs. The ministry did not immediately specify changes to the agreement, which says that the U.S. will use strategic military assets, including nuclear forces, to defend its allies. Shin and Austin also agreed to increase joint drills and cooperation with Japan. Reuters
North Korea Criticizes Planned U.N. Command Meeting in Seoul. North Korea on Monday called for the U.N. Command (UNC) to be dissolved, describing it as an “illegal war organization” in response to a meeting set to take place between members of the multinational military force and South Korea this week. The U.S.-led UNC oversees the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas. Seoul said last week that defense officials from South Korea, the U.S. and other member states will meet on Tuesday to urge the North to stop “illegal activities” and enforce U.N. security resolutions. North Korean state media highlighted that the meeting is also set to adopt a joint declaration on contingencies in the Korean peninsula. The North’s criticism of the meeting comes a day after U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met his South Korean counterpart Shin Won-sik and Japan’s Defense Minister Minoru Kihara for a trilateral meeting in Seoul. Reuters U.S. Department of Defense
US, Japan, South Korea to Share North Korean Missile Data. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met his South Korean counterpart Shin Won-sik and Japan’s Defense Minister Minoru Kihara for a trilateral meeting in Seoul on Sunday. The three officials agreed to boost three-way military cooperation, including by starting real-time data sharing on North Korean missiles in December. The ministers also condemned military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, and also stressed the importance of stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait. General Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, held separate talks with his South Korean counterpart in Seoul on Sunday to discuss the “continuous provocations” from Pyongyang and reiterate the U.S. commitment to defend Seoul. Reuters U.S. Department of Defense
Europe
Russia Investigating Freight Train Derailment. Russia’s investigative committee has opened a terrorism investigation into the derailing of a major freight train in the western-central Ryazan region. The committee said an “improvised explosive device” was used to derail 19 wagons of the freight train. Sabotage attacks within Russia have occurred more frequently in recent months of the Ukraine war. Reuters Kyiv Independent RFE/RL
Fugitive Pro-Russian Moldovan Businessman Returns to Israel. Interpol says fugitive pro-Russian Moldovan businessman Ilan Shor has returned to his exile base in Israel. Interpol said he arrived in Israel by air on Wednesday, but Israeli officials were unable to say where he had been or where he returned from. A Moldovan court sentenced Shor in absentia to 15 years in prison in April over a $1 billion bank fraud. He is also accused of using 50 million euros ($53.5 million) in a campaign aimed at “buying votes” to sway elections against Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s party. Moldovan authorities outlawed his party and barred its allies from last week’s local elections. Reuters RFE/RL
More Than 100,000 March in France Against Antisemitism. More than 100,000 people in Paris and other French cities marched on Saturday to demonstrate support for the country’s Jews amid a wave of anti-Semitic acts that have taken place in the country since the Hamas attack on Israel October 7. Among the marchers were several former French presidents and prime ministers. More than 1,240 anti-Semitic acts have been reported in France since the Hamas-Israel war began. In an open letter published in the newspaper Le Parisien on Saturday, President Emmanuel Macron said there would be “no tolerance” for the resurgence of anti-Semitism. The demonstrations, called by the French Parliament, came a day after a pro-Palestinian protest in London that police said involved 300,000 people. New York Times
Pro-Palestine Protests in London Attract Tens of Thousands. An estimated 300,000 pro-Palestine protestors gathered in London on Saturday to advocate for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The protests attracted counter-protestors from far-right groups demonstrating for the World War I Remembrance Day, Armistice Day. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had called for the cancellation of the demonstration, claiming it would be disrespectful on a national holiday. Skirmishes broke out between the two protesting groups and police officers. Over 140 people were arrested. Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said on social media that Interior Minister Suella Braverman should be held responsible for encouraging counter-protestors to act violently against police, whom she believed favored pro-Palestine demonstrators. Braverman was later removed from her position on Monday. Reuters Associated Press
The Americas
Shots Fired into Jewish School in Montreal, Canada. A series of shots were fired into the Yeshiva Gedola Jewish school in Montreal on Sunday. No injuries have been reported, though bullet marks are visible on the exterior of the building. This incident marks the third time in a week that the school has been fired upon. Two other schools in Montreal have reported similar attacks, though it is unclear whether or not the incidents were related. Mayer Feig of the Council of Hasidic Jews of Quebec says that the shootings were intended to instill fear within the Jewish population. In the weeks since the October 7th Hamas attacks, reported violence against Jewish and Muslim people has more than doubled in comparison to 2022, according to Toronto police. Reuters
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Brad Christian, Ethan Masucol, Bruce Wilmot, Katharine Campbell, Emma Fisk, and Ryan Simons contributed to this report.
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