Drone strike on UAE nuclear plant renews risk of war in Middle East, Marine Corps faced with ‘unfilled’ gap in Indo-Pacific, and Russia unleashes more missile strikes on Ukraine.
1. A drone strike sparked a fire on the edge of the United Arab Emirates’ sole nuclear power plant on Sunday in what authorities called an “unprovoked terrorist attack.” No one was blamed, but it highlighted the risk of renewed war as the United States and Iran signaled they were ready to fight again. There were no reported injuries or radiological release. The UAE, which has hosted air defenses and personnel from Israel, recently accused Iran of launching drone and missile attacks. Tensions have risen over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy waterway gripped by Iran, which is under a U.S. naval blockade. “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media shortly after a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, whose attack on Iran with the U.S. sparked the war on Feb. 28.
2. The Marine Corps has left a gap “unfilled” in the Indo-Pacific by moving an expeditionary unit from Okinawa to the Middle East to support operations against Iran, the service’s top leader told lawmakers. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith testified before the House Armed Services Committee during a Thursday hearing about the U.S. Navy’s proposed 2027 budget. Smith replied to a question from Rep. Derek Tran, D-Calif., who asked how the Corps is filling gaps in its ability to deter adversaries in the Indo-Pacific while 2,500 Marines and three warships are deployed from the region to the Middle East. “Well, frankly, the gap is unfilled,” Smith said, according to video of the hearing. “When you move … an [amphibious ready group/Marine expeditionary unit], you simply don’t replace it. When you move one force from one combatant command theater to another, you don’t replace it.”
3. Russia targeted eight regions of Ukraine in its latest nighttime drone and missile barrage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, with local authorities reporting that the strikes wounded more than two dozen civilians, including three children. Russian forces fired 524 attack drones and 22 ballistic and cruise missiles, Zelenskyy said. The city of Dnipro and the surrounding central region of Ukraine bore the brunt of the attack, officials said. The barrage continued a recent spiral of long-range strikes that have grown in scale following a May 9-11 ceasefire that U.S. President Donald Trump said he asked Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to observe but which had little impact. There is no sign a peace deal is taking shape despite U.S. diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s invasion.
4. All four crew members ejected safely after two Navy jets collided and crashed Sunday during an air show at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho, officials said. The collision involved two U.S. Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington, said Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet. The aircraft were performing an aerial demonstration when the crash occurred, Umayam said in a statement. The four crew members from both jets safely ejected and the crash was under investigation, she said. The crew members were in stable condition, base officials said.
5. For Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise, supporting all aspects of the U.S. military is second nature. The acclaimed actors spoke with Military.com in the days leading up to their annual co-hosting gig at the National Memorial Day Concert, taking place this year at 8 p.m. Sunday, May 24 from the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. Airing on PBS, the 35-year-long event is always one of the network’s most-watched programs. Performers at this year’s festivities run the traditional gamut across entertainment, music and the military. They include actors Jonathan Banks, Melissa Leo, Mary McCormack and Noah Wyle; musicians Mickey Guyton, Alan Jackson and Jamey Johnson; and service-specific musicians. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Chiefs of Staff also participate. This year’s concert is also special, commemorating the United States’ 250th birthday as well as the 85th anniversary of Pearl Harbor and the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
- Security