U.S. to participate in major land-based exercise amid rising tensions between China, the Philippines; Putin hopes need to use nukes in Ukraine does not arise; Israel unveils plan to capture entire Gaza Strip.
1. U.S. Marines and sailors will soon participate in a major land-based exercise in the Philippines alongside forces from the host nation, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Between 1,500 and 2,000 American troops will join 12 days of regional defense training at sites across the Philippines during Kamandag, an annual exercise that begins May 26, Capt. Johnny Fischer, a spokesman for Marine Rotation Force-Darwin, said by text message Monday. The rotational force recently arrived in Australia’s Northern Territory for a six-month deployment but has already taken part in two other Philippine exercises, including Balikatan, which began April 21 and concludes Friday. The exercise comes amid rising tensions between the Philippine and Chinese coast guards over disputed territory in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
2. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in comments broadcast Sunday that the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine had not arisen and that he hopes it will not. In a preview of an upcoming interview with Russian state television, published on Telegram, Putin said Russia has the strength and the means to bring the conflict in Ukraine to a “logical conclusion.” Responding to a question about Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, Putin said: “There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons ... and I hope they will not be required. We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires,” he said.
3. Israel approved plans on Monday to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain in the territory for an unspecified amount of time, two Israeli officials said, in a move that if implemented would vastly expand Israel's operations in the Palestinian territory and likely bring fierce international opposition. Israeli Cabinet ministers approved the plan in an early morning vote, hours after the Israeli military chief said the army was calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers. The new plan, which the officials said was meant to help Israel achieve its war aims of defeating Hamas and freeing hostages held in Gaza, also would push hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to southern Gaza, what would likely exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis.
4. A new space operations specialty for enlisted soldiers will support ground forces through the use of electronic warfare, Army officials announced recently. The new career field, known as 40D space operations specialist, is expected to be in place by October 2026, Army Space and Missile Defense Command boss Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey said Friday. “These soldiers will become the experts we turn to during the next conflict,” Gainey said during a Pentagon briefing. The space specialists will disrupt adversaries and ensure that Army forces can “fight from positions of relative advantage in all domains,” he said. That will mean using an electronic warfare arsenal so soldiers can maneuver and communicate without being detected, Gainey said.
5. A U.S. Navy vessel recently completed a five-month overhaul at a Japanese shipyard, a milestone for the service as it seeks to expand joint repair capabilities with allied countries. The USS Miguel Keith, an expeditionary mobile base, wrapped up its stint at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Yokohama on April 15, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a news release Friday. While Japanese shipyards have provided maintenance service to U.S. warships, the Miguel Keith’s overhaul marked the first time a Japanese shipyard had bid on and won a “contract of this scale” from the U.S. Navy, according to the command.
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