The US used to be a beacon of human rights. Not anymore. Today, it stands alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali & Russia, isolated. And the world no longer listens to it.

— The Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations in Geneva

Trump has temporarily backed away from plans to escalate the war with Iran after senior advisers warned that a larger military campaign could dangerously deplete U.S. air-defense missile stockpiles, particularly Patriot interceptors needed to protect American forces in the Middle East.

Source: NYT

🇫🇷🚒
French farmers delivering water tanks from all of France for firefighting effort in Bordeaux region.

🇷🇴🚀🇷🇺
This morning at 10:13 a.m., a Romanian pilot flying a Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter jet shot down a third drone that had entered the Romanian airspace.

🇺🇦🇷🇺Russian forces struck a dairy farm in Ukraine's Sumy region.

Cows were killed and injured.

…. ?

🇺🇦🇮🇷Iran's First Deputy Speaker Ali Nikzad warns that "the reckless act of the Ukrainian government will not go unanswered".

He declared any launch site used against Iran a legitimate target after Kyiv confirmed long-range drone strikes on vessels in the Caspian Sea.

Iran says a commercial ship was hit, killing one sailor and wounding another, and has summoned Ukraine's chargé d'affaires.

⚡️🇺🇦🇮🇷 Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Korniychuk confirmed that Ukraine carried out the strike on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea.

Korniychuk said the vessel was transporting drone and missile components to Iran, rather than civilian cargo as Tehran had claimed.

“This is not the first time we have hit such military targets, and of course, we can expect to hit them again. This is a legitimate military target in our view.”

@wfwitness

Why did it have to be specifically Ukrainian ambassador to Israel saying this? Because these strikes are more political than military minded for Ukraine.

Do we give a shit (in the scope of our war) what Russia sends to Iran? Not really. Did we hit it just after Trump said that Putin promised not to send Iran any military supplies? Yes. Specifically to point out the lies.

🇮🇷🇷🇺🇺🇸According to Zelenskyy, since the beginning of July, Russia has been actively conducting satellite reconnaissance of countries in the Persian Gulf and American military facilities in the region, and is passing the results on to Iran. Ukrainian intelligence has recorded a clear correlation between this information and subsequent Iranian attacks. As an example, the President cited data showing that on July 19-20 alone, Russian satellites monitored four air bases – two in Bahrain, one in Jordan, and one in Kuwait.

The White House did not respond, and it won’t. They admitted it back in spring and brushed it off. Trump isn’t angry at Putin, he’s angry at Zelensky for saying it out loud, because it complicates his “relationship” with Putin (a relationship that exists only in his head)

Gulf states cuckoldry is a separate story. Some Gulf governments are quietly taking the Ukrainian intel, but are not saying anything publicly about Russia’s role.

A large Israeli quadcopter drone have dropping explosive containers on Ali Taher Hill, likely targeting a tunnel entrance. It is cheaper than an air strike and gets the job done anyway

After failing repeatedly to capture the hill and its underground fortifications + suffering around 8 dead and a blown up tank during previous attempts, IDF forces have kept the hill under close monitoring to prevent any reinforcements or resupplies from reaching the defenders and have likewise prevented evacuations, effectively besieging it

I’ve seen some people claim that around 40 Hezbollah fighters are currently trapped there although there’s no way to actually know the exact number, or how long they can hold it

🇺🇦Pilots using Як-52 aircraft are shooting down Shahed drones near Odesa beaches.

🇵🇱According to updated data on engineering structures along the border between the Baltic states and Poland, there is no significant rush to build fortifications along the border with Russia.

Over the past 8 months, no major changes have been observed.

Year 5 of Russia’s invasion — how are NATO’s frontline states fortifying? (via @clement_molin)

🇵🇱 Poland: Under 1% of the border covered. Discontinuous ditches and dragon’s teeth in just 4 zones, no depth, no barbed wire, Suwalki Gap unprotected. Digging like Ukraine in 2023-24 — the approach that led to trouble.

🇱🇹 Lithuania: Most at risk (Kaliningrad + Belarus + Suwalki), least fortified. Zero structures found, only roadmaps.

🇱🇻 Latvia: Furthest along — dragon’s teeth going in, border clearing underway. Same flaws though.

🇪🇪 Estonia: Very little done, despite the Narva threat.

🇫🇮 Finland: No fortifications visible yet, but impressive infrastructure prep along the whole border.

Bottom line: no immediate threat. Right direction, wrong pace. Very careless.

Additionally, according to satellite images, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have begun actively constructing fortifications near Chernihiv and along the border with Belarus.

It is estimated that Russia has about 2 months left before the mobilisation.

🇷🇺"We have not started any wars, and there has been no aggression on the part of Russia," Putin stated.

Russia is justified in allocating significant resources to achieve victory in the special military operation, he added.