International Glance
Israel's Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir has authorised residents of Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem to carry firearms, local media reported on Monday.
Under Ben Gvir’s order, residents of 41 Jewish neighbourhoods in the city can now apply for a licence to carry a gun, part of the far-right minister’s wider policy of expanding civilian gun permits.
Reports suggest that around 300,000 Jewish residents of Jerusalem could now be eligible.
Previously, only those living near the separation wall were permitted to carry firearms, as the areas were deemed high-risk due to their proximity to the occupied West Bank. The latest expansion now includes the western neighbourhoods of the city.
"Especially amid the war and during Ramadan, Jerusalem residents have a basic right to defend themselves and their families," Ben Gvir told Israel Hayom on Sunday before issuing the order the day after.
Israel expands gun permits to residents of Jerusalem Jewish neighbourhoods
Zelensky: Over 200 Ukrainian experts in Middle East helping defend against Shahed drones
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that 201 Ukrainian military experts are currently deployed in the Middle East and Gulf region, helping to defend against Shahed drones, with another 34 specialists ready for deployment.
The Ukrainian President made this statement during an address to members of the UK Parliament, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“Right now, there are 201 Ukrainians in the Middle East and Gulf region, and another 34 are ready to deploy. These are military experts – experts who know how to help, how to defend against Shahed drones. Our teams are already in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and on the way to Kuwait,” Zelensky said.
He noted that Ukraine is also cooperating with several other countries and that relevant agreements have already been concluded.
“We do not want this terror of the Iranian regime against its neighbors to succeed,” he emphasized.
The President added that he had sent the military experts at the request of partners, including the United States. According to him, this is effectively part of a drone-related agreement proposed by Ukraine to the U.S., which is still on the table.
Storm Shadow Missiles Smash Russian Chip Plant Linked to Iskander
Ukrainian forces struck a major Russian microelectronics factory in Bryansk with Storm Shadow cruise missile air-launched missiles, damaging a facility that produces critical components for Russia’s missile systems, Ukraine’s military said.
Ukraine’s General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed the strike on the Kremniy El Group plant, describing it as part of a broader campaign to reduce Russia’s military-industrial capacity.
“Kremniy El is a critically important link in the chain of production of Russian ‘high-precision’ weapons,” the General Staff said in a statement.
“The plant specializes in discrete semiconductor devices and integrated microchips that serve as the ‘brains’ and ‘nervous system’ of modern weapons.”
Cuba hit by island-wide blackout as energy crisis deepens
Officials in Cuba reported an island-wide blackout Monday in the country of some 11 million people as its energy and economic crises deepen and its power grid continues to crumble.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines on X noted a "complete disconnection" of the country's electrical system and said it was investigating, noting there were no failures in the units that were operating when the grid collapsed.
It was the third major blackout in Cuba over the past four months.
Tomás David Velázquez Felipe, a 61-year-old resident of Havana, said the relentless outages make him think that Cubans who can should just pack up and leave the island. "What little we have to eat spoils," he said. "Our people are too old to keep suffering."
London Al-Quds rally defies restrictions amid Gaza war anger
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in central London on Sunday for the annual Al-Quds Day rally, after British authorities blocked the traditional march through the capital.
The event, held each year in support of Palestine, was heavily restricted following a government decision to ban the procession. Instead of marching through the streets as in previous years, participants were permitted only to hold a stationary rally.
The restrictions intimidated many supporters from attending.
Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan acknowledged that turnout was lower than expected, saying “fewer people attend than we had anticipated”, adding that the conditions imposed by police meant some participants “chose” to stay away.
The restrictions intimidated many supporters from attending.
Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan acknowledged that turnout was lower than expected, saying “fewer people attend than we had anticipated”, adding that the conditions imposed by police meant some participants “chose” to stay away.
The Al-Quds Day protest, organised in the United Kingdom by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), is typically held toward the end of Ramadan and calls attention to Palestinian rights and Israel’s decades-long occupation.
Israel Is Running Critically Low On Interceptors, Semafor Reports
Israel informed the US this week that it is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors as the conflict with Iran rages on, US officials told Semafor.
Israel had reportedly entered the current war already low on interceptors that were fired during last summer’s conflict with Iran. Israel’s long-range defense system has strained under Iran’s attacks; CNN reported that Iran was adding cluster munitions to its missiles, which may exacerbate the depletion of the stock.
The US has been aware of Israel’s low capacity for months, one US official said: “It’s something we expected and anticipated.”
This official emphasized to Semafor that the US is not running similarly low on interceptors of its own. That comment comes amid broader concerns about interceptor depletion from a longer military engagement in Iran leaving the US in a poor position.
It’s also unclear whether the US might seek to sell or share any of its own interceptors with Israel, which would pose its own strain on domestic supplies. The US has included missile defense assets in past provisions of military aid to Israel.
Russian Losses Have Exceeded New Recruits for 3 Straight Months, Syrsky Says
Russian military losses have exceeded the number of new recruits joining the Russian army for three consecutive months, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky said on Friday, March 13.
Syrsky made the statement after meeting with his Swedish counterpart, General Mikael Claesson, who visited Ukraine to discuss military cooperation and support.
“The Kremlin has no intention of stopping offensive actions, although it is suffering significant losses on the battlefield, which for three months in a row have exceeded the number of reinforcements joining the Russian army,” Syrsky said in a post on Facebook.
The exact number of either Russian and Ukrainian casualties is unknown. However, a joint investigation by the BBC Russian Service and research group Mediazona put the number of verified Russian losses in Ukraine at 200,186 on Feb. 25.
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