War
TRUMP THREATENS “SEVERE CONSEQUENCES” FOR RUSSIA IF PUTIN BLOCKS UKRAINE PEACE
US President Donald Trump has warned Russia of “very severe consequences” if President Vladimir Putin does not agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine during their upcoming summit in Alaska. Trump made the comments after a virtual meeting with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where they discussed the upcoming talks and the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
“If the first one goes okay, we’ll have a quick second one,” Trump said, describing the aim of the meeting between the pair in Alaska as “setting the table” for a quick follow-up that would include Zelenskyy. “I would like to do it almost immediately, and we’ll have a quick second meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy and myself, if they’d like to have me there,” he added.
During the virtual meeting, European leaders and Zelenskyy laid out red lines ahead of the Alaska meeting. French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump agreed that Ukraine must be involved in any discussions about ceding land, while Zelenskyy said Trump supported the idea of security guarantees in a post-war settlement. “President Trump was very clear that the United States wanted to achieve a ceasefire at this meeting in Alaska,” Macron said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who hosted the virtual meeting, emphasized that borders cannot be changed by force and that pressure on Russia should be increased if there is no movement on the Russian side. “If there is no movement on the Russian side in Alaska, then the United States and we Europeans should… increase the pressure,” he said.
Zelenskyy expressed concerns that Russia is trying to apply pressure before the meeting in Alaska, saying Putin is “bluffing” about his stated wish to end the war. “He is trying to apply pressure before the meeting in Alaska along all parts of the Ukrainian front. Russia is trying to show that it can occupy all of Ukraine…,” Zelenskyy said.
The upcoming summit between Trump and Putin is seen as a crucial opportunity to address the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict in Ukraine. However, Russia’s stance remains unchanged, with demands for Ukraine to withdraw its forces from four regions claimed by Russia and renounce its plans to join NATO, conditions Kyiv has rejected as tantamount to surrender.
Iran has destroyed a key 300 million dollar radar system crucial to directing US missile defence batteries in the Gulf, a move that risks further straining the region’s ability to counter future attacks, according to a US official. The AN/TPY-2 radar and support equipment used by US THAAD missile defence systems was destroyed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan in the opening days of the war, CNN reported earlier, citing commercial satellite imagery. The destruction of the equipment was later confirmed by a US official.
The US has eight THAAD systems globally, including in South Korea and Guam. The batteries cost about one billion dollars each, with the radar comprising about 300 million dollars of that, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. These are scarce strategic resources and its loss is a huge blow, said Tom Karako, a missile defence expert with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. The army’s current eight-battery force is still below the force structure requirements of nine set back in 2012, so there aren’t exactly any spare TPY-2 lying around, he said.
Data gathered by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank show two reported Iranian strikes in Jordan: one on February 28 and one on March 3. Both were reported to have been intercepted. Air and missile defence systems in the Gulf region have been stressed and, at times, overwhelmed by Iranian retaliatory attacks of drones and ballistic missiles. It has prompted fears that stockpiles of advanced interceptors such as THAAD and PAC-3 will soon run dangerously low.
Israel has carried out several strikes on Gaza and ordered a halt to humanitarian aid after accusing Hamas of violating a US-brokered ceasefire.
The truce, which ended months of fighting, is in its second week and has seen previous accusations from both sides of violations, but is now facing its most serious test yet.
An Israeli military official said Hamas attacked Israeli forces in Rafah in southern Gaza with rocket-propelled grenades and sniper fire, prompting Israel to carry out strikes in the area.
Hamas has denied knowledge of any clashes in Rafah and said it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a halt in aid until further notice, and Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed military chiefs to “act forcefully” against “terrorist targets” in Gaza.
“Hamas will pay a heavy price for every shooting and violation of the ceasefire, and if the message is not understood, the intensity of our responses will continue to increase,” Katz said.
At least eight people were killed in Israeli strikes in several parts of Gaza, according to hospitals and witnesses.
The situation in Gaza remains volatile, with internal clashes between Hamas and rival groups, including an apparent public execution of eight people in Gaza City.
Hamas released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, marking a significant development in the ceasefire agreement aimed at pausing two years of devastating war that has pummeled the territory, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and left scores of captives in militant hands. Seven of the hostages were freed early Monday, with the remaining 13 released a few hours later.
The 20 hostages, all men, were reunited with their families and expected to undergo medical checks. Families and friends of the hostages gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square erupted in wild cheers as Israeli television announced the first group was in Red Cross custody. Tens of thousands of Israelis watched the emotional transfers at public screenings across the country.
Israel released poignant photos of hostages arriving home, including 28-year-old twins Gali and Ziv Berman embracing upon reunion. Previously released hostages had indicated the twins from Kfar Aza were held separately. The photos showed the first seven hostages looking pale but less gaunt than some freed in January.
“The war is over,” U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters upon arrival in Israel, even as the ceasefire leaves critical unanswered questions about Hamas and Gaza’s future. Trump landed Monday in Israel where he’ll meet hostage families and address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Vice President JD Vance said Trump likely would meet newly freed hostages.
Palestinians awaited release of hundreds of prisoners held by Israel. Buses lined up in Gaza’s Khan Younis anticipating prisoner releases. In the West Bank, an Israeli armored vehicle fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a crowd near Ofer Prison; the group scattered amid drones overhead following circulation of a flier warning support for “terrorist organizations” risked arrest.
The bodies of 28 dead hostages are also expected handed over, though timing remains unclear. Gal Hirsch, Israel’s hostages coordinator, said an international task force would locate deceased hostages unreturned within 72 hours.
The hostages’ return caps a painful Israel chapter. Captured in the October 7, 2023 attack igniting war, Israelis wore yellow pins/ribbons in solidarity; tens of thousands demonstrated weekly for their release. Demonstrators previously accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of political foot-dragging.
The ceasefire envisions Arab-led international security forces in Gaza alongside Palestinian police trained by Egypt/Jordan; Israeli forces would withdraw as those deploy. Some 200 U.S. troops monitor the ceasefire in Israel. The plan mentions a future Palestinian state – a Netanyahu nonstarter.
Hamas refuses disarmament Israel insists upon; it wants complete Israeli Gaza troop withdrawal. Israel withdrew from much of Gaza City, Khan Younis; troops remain in Rafah, Gaza’s north, and Israel border strip.
The war began with Hamas’s October 7, 2023 surprise attack killing 1,200 Israelis (mostly civilians), taking 251 hostage. Israel’s offensive killed over 67,000 Palestinians per Gaza’s Health Ministry (not differentiating civilians/combatants; ~half women/children). U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called Gaza “much of it a wasteland”.
Trump heads later Monday to Egypt for a summit with over 20 leaders on Gaza/Middle East future alongside Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. Mahmoud Abbas (Palestinian Authority leader) and Netanyahu will attend. The plan envisions eventual Palestinian Authority Gaza role – long opposed by Netanyahu – requiring sweeping reforms spanning years.