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Netanyahu sacks defence minister, jolting Israeli politics as war grinds on

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on X, however, that “firing Gallant in the middle of a war is an act of madness.”

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday, citing a “crisis of trust”, and replaced him with close ally Israel Katz to lead the country’s war in Gaza and Lebanon.

Netanyahu’s critics accused him of putting politics ahead of national security at a time when Israel is bracing for Iranian retaliation to its [USN:L1N3M60ET TEXT:“Oct. 26 airstrikes”] on the Islamic Republic.

After Gallant was fired, protesters in Israel blocked highways and lit bonfires on roads, police said.

The prime minister named Gideon Saar as the new foreign minister in place of Katz.

Gallant and Netanyahu, both in the right-wing Likud party, have [USN:L1N3MC0YJ TEXT:“clashed for months”] over the objectives of Israel’s 13-month-old war in Gaza against Palestinian militant group Hamas. But the timing of Gallant’s dismissal was a surprise, and came as Israel’s ally the U.S. held its presidential election.

Israel’s campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon have entered new phases following the killing of top commanders in both Hamas and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

Netanyahu said Gallant has made statements that “contradict the decisions of the government and the decisions of the cabinet”. In response, Gallant said: “The security of the state of Israel always was and will always remain my life’s mission.”

Katz vowed the return of Israel’s hostages from Gaza and destruction of Hamas and Hezbollah.

“I accept this responsibility with a sense of mission and holy fear for the security of the State of Israel and its citizens,” Katz said on social media platform X.

As foreign minister, [USN:S8N3LA00X TEXT:“Katz barred”] U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month from entering Israel over what he described as a failure to condemn an Iranian missile attack and antisemitic and anti-Israel conduct. In September, he [USN:L8N3L80L2 TEXT:“rejected proposals”] from the U.S. and France for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon.

[USN:L8N3KY0U8 TEXT:“Reports”] appeared in September that Netanyahu, under pressure from far-right coalition partners, was considering firing Gallant.

Gayil Talshir, a specialist in Israeli politics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, believed the last straw for Netanyahu came this week when Gallant issued 7,000 draft notices for ultra-Orthodox Haredi men, angering those in the government who oppose conscription.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, a minister in Netanyahu’s coalition government, praised Tuesday’s decision, saying Gallant was “deeply trapped in the conception” that it “is not possible to achieve absolute victory”.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said on X, however, that “firing Gallant in the middle of a war is an act of madness.”

In Washington, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said Gallant had been an important partner and that it would continue working collaboratively with Katz.

Gallant rose to the rank of general during a 35-year military career.

France’s foreign minister will travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Wednesday, a day after U.S. elections, to press Israel to engage diplomatically to end the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli forces issued new evacuation orders in the northern Gaza Strip and carried out military strikes which Palestinian medics and media said had killed at least 35 people since Monday night.

Acting U.N. aid chief Joyce Msuya said on X that Israeli military ground operations in northern Gaza had left Palestinians “without the essentials to survive, forced them to flee for safety multiple times, and cut off their escape and supply routes.”

An airstrike late on Monday damaged two houses in the town of Beit Lahiya, killing at least 20 people, the Palestinian official news agency WAFA and Hamas media said.

Ten were killed in central areas of the Palestinian enclave – six in separate airstrikes on Gaza City and the town of Deir Al-Balah, and four in the town of Al-Zawayda around midnight on Monday, medics and health officials said.

At least five others were killed in an Israeli strike on a house in Jabalia north of Gaza City, medics said later on Tuesday.

The Israeli military said, without giving details, that its forces had “eliminated terrorists” in the central Gaza Strip and Jabalia area. Israeli troops had also located weapons and explosives over the past day in the southern Rafah area, where “terrorist infrastructure sites” had been eliminated, it said.

Later on Tuesday, Israeli planes dropped leaflets over Beit Lahiya ordering residents who have not yet left their homes and shelters housing displaced families to quit the town completely.

“To all those who remained at homes and shelters, you are risking your lives. For your safety you have to head south,” said the leaflet, which was written in Arabic.

Palestinians said the new attacks and Israeli orders for evacuations were aimed at emptying areas to create buffer zones.

Israel says the evacuations are meant to keep civilians out of harm’s way as its troops battle Hamas fighters.

More than 43,300 Palestinians have been killed in more than a year of war in Gaza, health authorities in Gaza say.

The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. – Reuters

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Trump says US will send additional 5,000 troops to Poland

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The United States will be sending an additional 5,000 troops ​to Poland, U.S. President Donald Trump said on ‌Thursday.

Trump, in a Truth Social post, cited his relationship with Poland’s conservative nationalist president, Karol Nawrocki, as the reason behind his decision ​to send additional troops.

The announcement comes two days ​after U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters a ⁠U.S. troop deployment to Poland had been delayed.

The U.S. ​had been reviewing its troop presence in Europe and had ​long been expected to scale it back following demands from Trump that NATO take a larger role in the defense of Europe.

“Based ​on the successful Election of the now President of ​Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, and our relationship ‌with ⁠him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” Trump said in the post.

Trump hosted Nawrocki at the White ​House in May ​last year ⁠and backed him at a crucial moment ahead of the Polish election in which Nawrocki ​went on to defeat the candidate of Polish ​Prime ⁠Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European, centrist party.

He met Nawrocki again at the White House in September, and said at the time that ⁠the ​U.S. could increase its troop presence ​in Poland and pledged to secure the country’s defense.

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Trump says willing to wait for a few days to get ‘right answer’ on Iran peace deal

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the United States was ready to proceed with further attacks ​on Tehran if Iran did not agree to a peace deal, but suggested Washington could wait a few days to “get the right answers.”

Speaking to reporters, Trump said the situation was “right on the ‌borderline” and could escalate quickly, Reuters reported.

Six weeks after he paused Operation Epic Fury for a ceasefire, talks to end the war have shown little progress, while soaring gasoline prices have weighed on the president’s approval ratings.

“Believe me, if we don’t get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We’re all ready to go,” he said at Joint Base Andrews. Asked how long he would wait, Trump said, “It could be a few days, but it could go very quickly.”

Iran warned against renewed attacks. “If aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will extend beyond the region ​this time,” the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement.

Trump reiterated his determination not to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. “We’re in the final stages of Iran. We’ll see what happens. Either have a deal or ​we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won’t happen,” Trump told reporters earlier in the day. “Ideally I’d like to see few ⁠people killed, as opposed to a lot. We can do it either way.”

He spoke with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who welcomed the extension of the ceasefire and told Trump he thought a “reasonable solution” was possible, Ankara said.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer ​Qalibaf, Iran’s top peace negotiator, said in an audio message on social media that “obvious and hidden moves by the enemy” showed the Americans were preparing new attacks.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran remained open to negotiations, but added in an X ​post, “forcing Iran to surrender through coercion is nothing but an illusion.”

‘SUSPICION OVER AMERICA’S PERFORMANCE’

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran was pursuing negotiations “with seriousness and good faith, but it has strong and reasonable suspicion over America’s performance.”

In the latest diplomatic push, the interior minister of Pakistan – which hosted the only round of peace talks so far and has since been the conduit for messages between the sides – was in Tehran on Wednesday.

Baghaei said Washington and Tehran continued to exchange messages through the Pakistani minister’s mediation.

Iran submitted a new offer to the U.S. this ​week. Tehran’s descriptions suggest it largely repeats terms previously rejected by Trump, including demands for control of the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, lifting of sanctions, release of frozen assets and the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Trump on ​Tuesday said he had been an hour away from ordering attacks this week in response to requests from several of Iran’s Gulf neighbours.

CHINESE TANKERS CROSS STRAIT

Iran has largely shut the Strait of Hormuz to all ships apart from its own since the U.S.-Israeli attacks ‌began on February ⁠28, causing the biggest disruption to global energy supplies in history. The U.S. responded last month with its own blockade of Iran’s ports.

Iran on Wednesday released a map showing a “controlled maritime zone” at the strait and said transit would require authorization from the newly created authority. It says it aims to reopen the strait to friendly countries that abide by its terms. That could potentially include fees for access, which Washington says would be unacceptable.

Two giant Chinese tankers laden with a total of around 4 million barrels of oil exited the strait on Wednesday. Iran had announced last week, while Trump was in Beijing for a summit, that it had agreed to ease rules for Chinese ships.

South Korea’s foreign minister said on Wednesday a ​Korean tanker was crossing the strait in cooperation with Iran.

Shipping ​monitor Lloyd’s List said at least 54 ships had ⁠transited the strait last week, about double the previous week. Iran said 26 ships had crossed in the past 24 hours, still only a fraction of the 140 per day before the war.

PRESSURE TO END WAR

Trump is under pressure to end the war, with soaring energy prices hurting his Republican Party ahead of congressional elections in November.

“Investors are keen to ​gauge whether Washington and Tehran can actually find common ground and reach a peace agreement, with the U.S. stance shifting daily,” said Toshitaka Tazawa, an analyst at Fujitomi ​Securities.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told ⁠Reuters in an interview on Tuesday that he viewed elevated yields and headline inflation as “transient” and they will subside when the conflict ends.

“The strait will open, and we’ll normalize energy prices,” he said.

The U.S.-Israeli bombing killed thousands of people in Iran before it was suspended in a ceasefire in early April. Israel has also killed thousands more and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes in Lebanon, which it invaded in pursuit of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. Iranian strikes on Israel and neighbouring Gulf states have ⁠killed dozens of ​people.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said when they launched the war that their aims were to curb Iran’s support for regional militias, ​dismantle its nuclear programme, destroy its missile capabilities and make it easier for Iranians to topple their rulers.

But Iran has so far retained its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium, and its ability to threaten neighbours with missiles, drones and proxy militias. Its clerical rulers, who put down a mass ​uprising at the start of the year, have faced no sign of organised opposition since the war began.

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US Senate advances measure curbing Trump’s Iran war powers

Trump declared ​on May 1 that a ceasefire had “terminated” hostilities against Iran.

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The U.S. Senate advanced a war-powers resolution on Tuesday that would end ​the Iran war unless President Donald Trump obtains Congress’ authorization, a rare rebuke of the Republican leader 80 days after ‌U.S. and Israeli forces began striking Iran, Reuters reported.

The vote on a procedural measure to advance the resolution was 50 to 47, as four of Trump’s fellow Republicans voted with every Democrat but one in favor. Three Republicans missed the vote.

The result was a victory for lawmakers who have been arguing that Congress, not the president, should have ​the power to send troops to war, as spelled out in the Constitution. However, it was only a procedural vote, and ​the resolution faces steep hurdles before going into effect.

Even if it eventually passes the 100-member Senate, the resolution ⁠must also pass the Republican-led House of Representatives and garner two-thirds majorities in both the House and Senate to survive an expected Trump ​veto.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, who sponsored the resolution, said a ceasefire offered Trump an ideal opportunity to make his case to Congress ​as the president has said Tehran has made a new proposal to end the U.S.-Israeli war that began on February 28.

“That’s the perfect time to have a discussion before we start up war again. The president is receiving peace and diplomatic proposals that he is throwing into the trash can without sharing them with us,” Kaine ​said during debate before the vote.

Trump’s Republicans blocked seven previous attempts to advance similar resolutions in the Senate this year. They have also stopped three ​war-powers resolutions by narrow votes in the House this year.

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to vote against the measure. Republicans Rand ‌Paul of ⁠Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted in favor, as did Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, days after he lost his primary to an opponent backed by Trump, read the report.

The war-powers vote was the second in the Senate since the conflict hit a deadline on May 1, 60 days after Trump formally informed Congress that the conflict had started, for Trump to come to Congress about the war.

Under a 1973 U.S. ​war-powers law passed in response to ​the Vietnam War, a U.S. president ⁠can wage military action for only 60 days before ending it, asking Congress for authorization or seeking a 30-day extension due to “unavoidable military necessity regarding the safety of United States Armed Forces” while withdrawing forces.

Trump declared ​on May 1 that a ceasefire had “terminated” hostilities against Iran.

Despite that assertion, the U.S. has been blockading ​Iranian ports and ⁠striking Iranian ships, and Iran has been effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz and attacking U.S. ships.

Democrats, and a few Republicans, have called on Trump to come to Congress for authorization to use military force, noting that the U.S. Constitution says that Congress, not the president, can declare war. They have ⁠expressed concerns ​that Trump may have entered the country into a long conflict without setting out ​a clear strategy.

Republicans, and the White House, say Trump’s actions are legal and within his rights as commander in chief to protect the U.S. by ordering limited military operations.

Some congressional ​Republicans have accused Democrats of filing the war-powers resolutions only because of their partisan opposition to Trump.

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