Russia ramps up offensives on two fronts in Ukraine as both sides seek an advantage before fall
Moscow aims to maximize its territorial gains before seriously considering a full ceasefire , analysts and military commanders said. Ukraine wants to slow the Russian advance for as long as possible and extract heavy losses.
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Hezbollah stages parade in central Beirut, rattling and outraging Lebanese citizens
Hezbollah's parade in Lebanon causes concerns within Beirut and abroad as the terror organization weighs whether or not to partially disarm. Hezbollah held an armed parade this week in the heart of Beirut—a calculated show of force that has drawn sharp criticism from across the Lebanese political spectrum and stirred fears of renewed internal unrest. The march, held in Beirut's central al-Hamra neighborhood, featured masked Hezbollah fighters parading through a civilian district with military-style precision and heavy weaponry. Photos and videos of the event quickly spread on social media, prompting public outrage and renewed debate over the group's role in Lebanese society. According to observers in Lebanon, the parade served a dual purpose: it projected strength following the group's recent confrontation with Israel and signaled its strategic intentions going forward. Reports citing Arab media claim Hezbollah is conducting internal deliberations about scaling back parts of its weapons stockpile as part of a broader 'strategic reassessment.' According to Lebanese sources, Hezbollah leaders are reportedly debating whether the group's once-vaunted military arsenal has become more of a political liability than an asset. Some factions within the organization are said to support a partial disarmament in order to focus on keeping tactical capabilities such as light rockets and anti-tank weapons while reducing heavier armaments. The armed march also came amid pressure from the United States for Hezbollah to disarm. Washington's Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barak, has urged Lebanese authorities to commit to the principle that only the state should maintain an armed force. America's demand, which was reportedly raised during meetings last month and is expected to be discussed again in July, calls for the dismantling of all militias to ensure full state control over security. While Hezbollah has publicly rejected the notion of full disarmament, the optics of armed men marching openly through Beirut reportedly rattled many Lebanese citizens, who are still grappling with economic collapse, political paralysis, and growing insecurity. Commentators noted the parade was likely intended as both a warning to external powers and a test of Lebanese society's tolerance for renewed displays of militarism. For many, it evoked memories of past violence and raised the specter of further instability at a time when the country can least afford it.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Ukraine says it struck a Russian airbase, as Russia sent hundreds of drones into Ukraine
Trump administration says very little about Ukraine weapons pause Ukraine said it struck a Russian airbase on Saturday, while Russia continued to pound Ukraine with hundreds of drones overnight as part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the more than 3-year-old war. Ukraine's military General Staff said Saturday that Ukrainian forces had struck the Borisoglebsk airbase in Russia's Voronezh region, describing it as the "home base" of Russia's Su-34, Su-35S and Su-30SM fighter jets. Writing on Facebook, the General Staff said it hit a depot containing glide bombs, a training aircraft and "possibly other aircraft." Russian officials did not immediately comment on the attack. Such attacks on Russian airbases aim to dent Russia's military capability and demonstrate Ukraine's capability to hit high-value targets in Russia. Last month, Ukraine said it destroyed more than 40 Russian planes stationed at several airfields deep in Russia's territory in a surprise drone attack. Russia fired 322 drones and decoys into Ukraine overnight into Saturday, Ukraine's air force said. Of these, 157 were shot down and 135 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed. In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) / AP According to the air force, Ukraine's western Khmelnytskyi region was the main target of the attack. Regional Gov. Serhii Tyurin said Saturday that no damage, injuries or deaths had been reported. Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukraine. Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight into Friday in the largest aerial assault since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. On Saturday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the number of people killed in the assault had increased to two. A further 26 people were wounded. The fresh wave of attacks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that he had a "very important and productive" phone call with President Donald Trump. The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defenses might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the U.S. and Ukraine, and broader U.S-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Zelenksyy. People hide in a metro station, being used as a bomb shelter, during a Russian drones attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, early hours Saturday, July 5, 2025. Dan Bashakov / AP Asked Friday night by reporters about the call, Trump said, "We had a very good call, I think." When asked about finding a way to end the fighting, Trump said: "I don't know. I can't tell you whether or not that's going to happen." Mr. Trump also spoke with Putin on Thursday. He told reporters he was "very disappointed" by the conversation and "didn't make any progress" with the Russian president. The Kremlin said the call lasted for about an hour. Mr. Trump told reporters Friday that he believes Putin is worried about the United States' sanctions on Russia. The U.S. has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defense missiles. Ukraine's main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine's domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time. Russia's Defense Ministry said it shot down 94 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday, along with 12 further drones on Saturday morning. No casualties were reported.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
BlackRock Halted Ukraine Fund Talks After Trump's Election Win
(Bloomberg) -- BlackRock Inc. halted its search for investors to back a multibillion-dollar Ukraine recovery fund earlier this year after Donald Trump's election victory saw the US sour on the eastern European country, people familiar with the discussions said. Foreign Buyers Swoop on Cape Town Homes, Pricing Out Locals Massachusetts to Follow NYC in Making Landlords Pay Broker Fees NYC Commutes Resume After Midtown Bus Terminal Crash Chaos Struggling Downtowns Are Looking to Lure New Crowds What Gothenburg Got Out of Congestion Pricing The fund, meant to be unveiled at next week's Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, was close to securing initial support from entities backed by the governments of Germany, Italy and Poland, the people said, declining to be identified discussing private information. However, in January, BlackRock decided to pause talks with institutional investors due to a lack of interest amid increased uncertainty over Ukraine's future. Donald Trump ran his reelection campaign on a promise to immediately end the war in Ukraine and bring the country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin together for peace talks. Since his inauguration at the start of the year, the US president has clashed with both men and issued inconsistent proposals for a path forward, while indicating an end to US military support for Ukraine. The US government was a notable absence from the fund's backers in December. Reconstruction Funding The Ukraine Development Fund was on track to secure at least $500 million from countries, development banks and other grant providers, along with $2 billion from private investors, Philipp Hildebrand, vice chairman of BlackRock who was among the financiers leading the discussions, said last year. At the time, Hildebrand said that could bring together a consortium of equity and debt investors who could finance at least $15 billion of reconstruction work in Ukraine. The total bill to rebuild Ukraine following Russia's invasion was estimated at more than $500 billion by the World Bank and others in February. A BlackRock spokesperson said the firm completed its pro-bono advisory work on the Ukraine Development Fund in 2024 and is currently not engaged in 'any active mandate' with the Ukrainian government. 'The only conversations that drive our decision-making are those with our clients,' the spokesperson added. BlackRock was set to unveil the fund in Italy, some of the people said, during the Ukraine Recovery Conference on July 10-11 that Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Ukraine's Zelenskiy are set to attend, though the timeline was never made public. Spokespeople for Prime Minister Meloni and the foreign ministry didn't respond to a request for comment. France has been working on a fund proposal to replace the canceled BlackRock initiative but it's not clear how effective the new plan will be without US backing, the people said. --With assistance from Daryna Krasnolutska, Harry Wilson, Joe Deaux, Silla Brush and Katherine Griffiths. SNAP Cuts in Big Tax Bill Will Hit a Lot of Trump Voters Too America's Top Consumer-Sentiment Economist Is Worried For Brazil's Criminals, Coffee Beans Are the Target Sperm Freezing Is a New Hot Market for Startups Pistachios Are Everywhere Right Now, Not Just in Dubai Chocolate ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio
