🇺🇦❌🇷🇺 — WATCH: Ukrainian drones struck 28 vessels overnight in the Sea of Azov, including 21 tankers, two cargo ships, four tugboats, and one special-purpose vessel.

➡️ The Unmanned Systems Forces say their units have struck a total of 76 ships over the past six days.

🇪🇪🇷🇺⚡️ — Estonia has begun preparations to build a new military base in Narva, directly on the border with Russia, where around 200 Estonian troops will be permanently stationed, according to ERR.

➡️ A temporary modular camp capable of housing up to 150 personnel is expected to be established by early 2027, while construction of the permanent base is set to begin later this year and be completed by summer 2028.

➡️ The completed facility will have capacity for up to 1,000 military personnel, significantly strengthening the Estonian Defense Forces' presence along the Russian border.

🇺🇸⚡️ — The Trump administration has subpoenaed several New York Times journalists after the newspaper reported on security concerns surrounding President Trump's Qatari-donated Air Force One, according to NYT.

➡️ The reporters have been ordered to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan, with federal agents reportedly delivering some of the subpoenas directly to journalists' homes. The subpoenas provide few details, referring only to an "alleged violation of federal criminal law."

➡️ The Times condemned the move as an attempt to intimidate journalists and undermine press freedom, calling the appearance of federal agents at reporters' homes a development that "should shock the conscience of any American."

➡️ The newspaper's reporting cited anonymous U.S. officials who said Trump's new aircraft lacks some of the defensive and security capabilities available on the older Air Force One.

🇸🇾🇹🇷🇺🇦⚡️ — EXCLUSIVE: From Idlib to Ukraine: A Turkish Volunteer on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Fall of Assad, and Fighting Russia — written with Warfront Witness' Meer.

From a battlefield medic to an HTS platoon commander, one foreign fighter recounts his journey through Syria's war and offers a rare insider's perspective on the planning behind the offensive that toppled the Assad regime.

In an exclusive interview with Tabz, he discusses HTS's transformation into a disciplined fighting force, Türkiye's role behind the scenes, Israel's shadow in the offensive, the military lessons that shaped the offensive, and the path that ultimately led him from Syria to Ukraine.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE

🇮🇳🇮🇱⚡️ — Israel’s state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is in talks with Indian defense companies to establish a production line in India for Tamir interceptor missiles, which are used by the Iron Dome air-defense system, according to NDTV.

➡️ The proposed arrangement would allow the missiles to be co-produced under India’s Make in India initiative, while helping Rafael reduce costs, expand exports to third countries, and create additional production capacity for emergencies.

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇴🇲⚡️ — The U.S. and Iran will resume negotiations on Saturday in Oman, according to ABC News, citing U.S. officials.

🇮🇳🇳🇿⚡️ — India and New Zealand have upgraded relations to a Strategic Partnership during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to New Zealand in 40 years, following talks with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland.

➡️ The two countries agreed on a Roadmap to 2030, aiming to double bilateral trade to NZ$7 billion, while a new Free Trade Agreement will remove or reduce tariffs on 95% of New Zealand exports to India, with 57% becoming tariff-free immediately.

➡️ New Delhi and Wellington will also expand cooperation in defense, maritime security, science, education, tourism, agriculture, and disaster management, citing shared democratic values and common interests in the Indo-Pacific.

🇺🇸⚡️ — FBI Director Kash Patel abruptly canceled a planned weekend trip to Chicago to visit his girlfriend after senior Trump administration officials summoned him to the White House, according to MS NOW.

➡️ The exact reason for the meeting remains unclear, but administration officials have grown frustrated with several of Patel's recent actions. Some questioned his decision to leave Washington amid renewed fighting with Iran and reported threats against President Trump's life.

➡️ Several allies have staged multiple interventions in an effort to help Patel rebuild trust with the White House and strengthen his standing as FBI director.

🇺🇸🇮🇶🇸🇾⚡️ — Iraq, Syria, and the U.S. are planning to revive the historic 500-mile Kirkuk-Baniyas oil pipeline to Syria's Mediterranean coast as part of efforts to reduce reliance on energy routes through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Middle East Eye.

➡️ An agreement is expected to be announced next week when Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets President Trump at the White House. U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has been working on the details, while Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani is expected to travel to the U.S. for the signing ceremony.

➡️ Officials estimate the pipeline may need to be almost entirely rebuilt, with reconstruction potentially taking two to three years. A consortium of U.S. companies has already been enlisted for the project.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡️ — Russia has temporarily halted shipping through the Don-Azov Channel, the key waterway linking the Don River to the Sea of Azov, following the recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian vessels, according to Reuters.

➡️ Russian border guards also stopped accepting requests for passage through the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea, with no indication of when traffic will resume.

➡️ With roughly 25% of Russia's wheat exports passing through the Sea of Azov route, traders fear the shipping disruption could affect global grain supplies, pushing wheat prices up around 4%.

🇮🇱❌🇵🇸 — At least 4x Israeli drone strikes hit a vehicle on Wadi Gaza Bridge, west of Nuseirat Camp in central Gaza, killing several people and wounding others.