ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Photo : Russian Defense Ministry UPDATE:  The Russian military says that a UAV was intercepted. On May 21, Russian air defense systems, allegedly a Pantsir-S short to medium range system, launched at least four missiles at “unidentified” targets over the Khmeimim air base in Syria, according to local sources. According to some sources, the missiles intercepted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched by militants. The number of the intercepted UAVs is unknown. Previously, Russian forces interceped two UAVs armed with projectiles on April 24.

Israel’s first two F-35 stealth fighter jets on their maiden flight as part of the Israeli Air Force on December 13, 2016. (Israel Defense Forces) F-35I stealth fighters of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) have participated in strikes on Syria, Israel’s air force commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin  said on May 22 . “The F-35 squadron has become an operational squadron. We are flying the F-35 all over the Middle East. It had become part of our operational capabilities. We are the first to attack using the F-35 in the Middle East and have already attacked twice on different fronts,” he said. According to Maj. Gen. Norkin, the F-35I stealth fighter did not participate in the last strike in Syria but did in two previous ones. The Israeli military declared initial operational capability of the F-35I stealth fighter in December after receiving nine F-35I warplanes. The IAF is expected to receive a total of 50 jets to make two full squadrons by 2024. Speaking at the IAF Senior Air F

Illustrative image Syria will confront any Israeli attacks on Syria despite Tel Aviv’s attempts to justify its actions, Syria’s Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad saidi on May 20. “Syria has its own sovereignty. Any outside aggression against the Syrian territory is an aggression,”  Haddad told reporters . “Our forces, including the air defense, protect the Syrian sky and land. We will repel any aggression against Syria, regardless where it will take place.” The remarks were made in a link to the May 10 incident during which  Israel carried out a massive strike on Syria . Then, both Syria and Russia said the Syrian military had intercepted more than half of the Israeli missiles. However, the Israeli military was able to deliver a notable damage to Syrian and Iranian forces across the country. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman even claimed that almost entire Iranian infrastructure in Syria had been destroyed. However, according to experts, this is an exaggeration.

Written by  Frank Sellers ; Originally appeared at  The Duran Upon learning of  Sergei Skripal’s discharge from the hospital , Putin was happy to hear of his recovery. Although, he reiterated that he was doubtful that their malady was caused by poisoning of a military grade nerve agent. About a month ago,  Yulia Skripal had recovered and was released from hospital care , meaning that both of the victims are presently doing well. RT  reports : Russian President Vladimir Putin says he was happy to hear that former double agent Sergei Skripal had been discharged from hospital, stressing that if a weapons-grade poison had been used, Skripal would have died on the spot. Speaking at a joint press conference with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Putin said he had heard Skripal had been released from hospital. “God give him health, we are very happy,” the Russian president said. He added, however, that he doubts a weapons-grade toxin was used to poison Sergei Skripal an

Several Chinese bombers, including the H-6K strategic bomber, have landed on contested islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of ongoing landing and takes-off drills in the area. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army said in a statement  that multiple bombers had taken off from a base in southern China and hit a training target before practicing take-off and landing at an airfield built on an unidentified island in the South China Sea. “A division of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) recently organized multiple bombers such as the H-6K to conduct take-off and landing training on islands and reefs in the South China Sea in order to improve our ability to reach all territory, conduct strikes at any time and strike in all directions,” the statement said. The PLAAF’s Weibo microblogging account also quoted defense expert Wang Mingliang as saying that the recent exercises will help China to “strengthen its combat capability to deal with maritime security threa

Veterans Today reports ( source ): The world is yet to respond to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who keeps telling us that Riyadh will pursue a nuclear weapon if its regional rival Iran obtains one, a stance that has been stated more frequently at a time when the whole world has verified that Tehran’s nuclear program is exclusively meant for peaceful purposes. Unfortunately, his comment is yet to raise concerns at the International Atomic Energy Agency or the UN Security Council about nuclear proliferation at a time when the Saudis are seeking foreign technology for their nuclear energy program, including from the United States. It also comes at a time when President Donald Trump has scrapped the nuclear deal between Iran and the permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany. Saudi Arabia has plans to build 16 nuclear power reactors within 25 years, according to the World Nuclear Association. The cost of the projects could reach $80 billion, a huge o

Click to see the full-size map On May 19, the Libyan National Army (LNA) launched a new ground attack on positions of the Shura Council of Mujahedeen in Derna (SCMD) west of the city of Derna and captured the valleys of Basis and Jirm, according to the Libyan news outlet Africa Gate News. The source also reported that a warplane of the Libyan Air Force had carried out an airstrike on a key position of the SCMD near the Police Academy in Derna. Other Libyan sources said that the LNA artillery had shelled several positions of the SCMD in the western entrance of the city. Meanwhile, the pro-SCMD news outlet Derna Red Line (DRL) claimed that SCMD fighters had repelled an attack of the LNA on the western entrance of Derna. According to the source, SCMD fighters killed and injured several LNA soldiers while repelling the attack. Observers believe that the LNA will develop its ground attack on the western part of Derna in the upcoming days, especially that its attack on the easter

Israeli soldiers are seen next to the border fence on the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border, as Palestinians protest on the Gaza side of the border, Israel April 5, 2018.. (photo credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS) On May 18, thousands of Palestinians protested near the separation fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip in what was called “the Friday of loyalty to the martyrs and the wounded,” according to the Lebanese al-Mayadeen TV. Palestinian sources said that smaller protests against the Israeli authorities were held in the city of Jerusalem, the Western Bank and even in the northern city of Haifa. As usual, the Israeli Army responded to protestors along the separation fence by targeting them with tear gas and rubber bullets. Israeli army snipers also fired at several Palestinian protestors, according to Palestinian activists. Ashraf al-Qudra, spokesman for the Palestinian Health Ministry, announced that 56 protestors had been injured by sniper fire or tear gas during the