US President Joe Biden in a letter to Congress said the recent airstrikes against targets in Syria were necessary and consistent with international law.

"The United States took this necessary and proportionate action consistent with international law and in the exercise of the United States' inherent right of self-defense as reflected in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter," Biden said in the letter on Friday. "The United States stands ready to take further action, as necessary and appropriate, to address further threats or attacks."

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❗️ China attaches great importance to relations with the United States and hopes for stabilization and improvement of relations between the countries, the Chinese Foreign Minister said in a conversation with Biden.

The head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Biden that the purpose of his visit to the United States is to promote the speedy return of relations between China and the United States to the path of “healthy development”.

Elon Musk shared his vision for X, formerly know as Twitter, to become a dating app and a digital bank during a company-wide meeting on the anniversary of his Twitter takeover, US media reported on Friday.

A year into his ownership of X, Musk is continuing to generate unforeseen concepts for the platform's future, as he reportedly conveyed his enthusiastic vision for X in the coming year, aiming for it to become a fully developed dating site and digital bank by next year.

Furthermore, Musk refrained from providing detailed insights into the specific steps required to transition X into a dating app, address potential user demand for these features, or outline additional product modifications, the report said.

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🇺🇸🇮🇱 US covertly expands military base in Israel amidst IDF violence in Gaza

While the US has repeatedly denied any intention of sending American troops to assist their Middle Eastern ally, information recently released by the Pentagon shows the country is nevertheless investing significantly in an unacknowledged military base in Israel’s Negev desert.

💬 “Sometimes something is treated as an official secret not in the hope that an adversary would never find out about it but rather because the US government, for diplomatic or political reasons, does not want to officially acknowledge it,” former CIA analyst Paul Pillar said.

💬 “My speculation is that the secrecy is a holdover from when US presidential administrations tried to offer a pretense of not siding with Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab conflicts,” said David Vine, a professor of anthropology. “The announcement of US military bases in Israel in recent years likely reflects the dropping of that pretense and a desire to more publicly proclaim support for Israel.”

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🇵🇸🇮🇱 IDF kills head of Hamas’ aerial array Aden Abu Rakaba in overnight strike

Abu Rakaba was responsible for Hamas' UAVs, drones, paragliders, aerial detection and aerial defense, the IDF said.

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🇨🇳🇺🇸 One-China principle, three China-US joint communiques must be upheld without interference, Chinese FM says during meeting with Biden in Washington

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🇱🇧🇮🇱 IDF strikes Hezbollah's military infrastructure in Lebanon in response to alleged attack on Friday

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🇬🇧👀 Body of British mercenary missing in Ukraine found in drain

Police have found the remains of missing British mercenary Daniel Burke on a firing range in the Zaporozhye region 24 km behind the front lines, a British outlet reported, citing the father of the mercenary.

Abdelfetah Nourine, an Australian-Algerian mercenary, allegedly told police he had shot Daniel by mistake and led the police to the body.

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🇵🇸🇮🇱 Israelis’ three-pronged ground offensive against Gaza Strip failed, suffering heavy casualties, Hamas says

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🇵🇸🇮🇱 Israel is ready for a “long, difficult war” with Hamas, and understands that it will have to “pay a price to achieve its strategic goals”, Prof. Col. (ret.) Gabi Siboni told Sputnik

💬 “We are prepared and ready to go at any moment that our government will decide that we need to go for this phase,” emphasized the senior consultant to the IDF and other Israeli security organizations.

Siboni was referring to the fact that Israel appears to be readying for the next phase of its military operation, a ground campaign to “crush and destroy” Hamas, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu termed it.

💬 “The IDF is well prepared, and we have enough forces to deal both with the northern front, and the Gaza front, and also the internal front … But we will achieve our goals in the end,” said Prof. Siboni.

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🇭🇺🇪🇺 Hungary will veto the European Union's 12th sanctions package if it targets the delivery of Russian gas, oil or nuclear energy to the country, FM Peter Szijjarto tells Sputnik

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🇵🇸🇮🇱 IDF strikes commander of Hamas' naval forces Ratib Abu Tzahiban

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🇵🇸🇮🇱 Latest updates on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

▪️Israel rejects UNGA call for ceasefire, intends to eliminate Hamas, Foreign Minister says

▪️US recommends Americans leave Lebanon now due to 'unpredictable' security situation

▪️Erdogan calls on Israel to immediately get out of 'state of insanity', stop attacks on Gaza Strip

▪️Hamas leadership abroad says Israeli ground offensive attempt from three directions on Gaza Strip failed

▪️Israeli army struck Hezbollah military infrastructure in Lebanon on Friday in response to missile attacks

▪️IDF kills head of Hamas' air force in overnight strike

▪️Red Cross warns fighting in densely populated areas like Gaza exposes civilians to risks

▪️IDF said no Israeli casualties during night raids in Gaza Strip

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🇵🇸🇮🇱 Israel to allow trucks with food, water and medical supplies into Gaza Strip on Saturday, IDF representative says

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🇵🇸🇮🇱 Russian FM Sergey Lavrov on Palestine-Israel conflict:

▪️Impossible to destroy Hamas without destroying Gaza with most of its civilian population

▪️Russia maintains contact with Israel, sends signals about the necessity for peaceful solution in the region

▪️Humanitarian programs should be launched in the Gaza Strip to rescue population under blockade without water, electricity, food

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🇷🇺🪖 Russian UAVs eliminate Ukrainian troops in Artemovsk direction

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Israel, US Most Responsible for Conflict in Middle East: Expert

💬"Today's situation in the Middle East remains very serious and not only Israel but also America is fully responsible for it. Palestinian airports, hospitals and different areas have been under attacks for the last ten to fifteen days", Fazzur Rehman Siddiqui, a research fellow at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) said.

◾️Prospects of Pushback From Iran

🇮🇱 Israel seeking American support asserts Iran's direct involvement in the Israel-Palestine conflict, though the US denies it and aims to avoid Iran's participation as part of its long-term strategy, as emphasized by the expert.

◾️Signs of Larger Conflict

🇸🇾 🇯🇴 🇪🇬 Siddiqui warns that Washington's actions in the Israel-Hamas conflict may lead to broader global concerns. The involvement of neighboring countries such as Egypt, Syria, and Jordan could escalate the situation further. Siddiqui pointed out a recent incident where Israel mistakenly attacked Egypt, causing injuries. Despite Israel acknowledging the mistake, there is a continued risk of complications.

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🇷🇺🪖 Russian crew from Battlegroup Yug eliminates Ukrainian troops near Spornoye

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😉Elon Musk published a map clearly demonstrating Iran's aggression in the Middle East.

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🇷🇺🪖 Ukrainian UAV crashed into nuclear waste storage facility at Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, Russia’s MFA says:

▪️Ukrainian drones used in the attack has components supplied by Western countries

▪️The Kiev regime must have known that the attack could have resulted in a full-scale nuclear catastrophe

▪️The crime could not have been committed by the Kiev regime without authorization, and possibly on the direct orders, of their Western allies

▪️Russia calls on all countries to condemn the attack on the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, which could have led to irreparable consequences

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🇷🇺🎉 Russian Army Aviation Day: 75 years of air support for Russia’s Ground Forces

Aviators attached to the Russian Aerospace Forces’ Army Aviation corps mark their 75th birthday on Saturday. In honor of the jubilee, check out some of the kinds of helicopters the Russian military has at its disposal for troop transport and close air support missions.

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