Latest news with #warplanes
Wall Street Journal
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Israel Strikes Damascus as Sectarian Violence in Syria Escalates
Israel's warplanes struck Syria's military headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday, escalating its intervention in sectarian strife involving the Druze—a community with a foot in both countries. The attack in the Syrian capital followed a wave of Israeli airstrikes on Syrian government tanks, military convoys and positions over the past two days of violence that began with clashes between local Druze and Bedouin populations. Israel says it is intervening in the skirmishes to protect Syrian Druze, who have strong ties to Israel's Druze community.
Washington Post
14-07-2025
- Washington Post
Fireworks, warplanes and axes: How France celebrates Bastille Day
PARIS — Swooping warplanes, axe-carrying warriors, a drone light show over the Eiffel Tower and fireworks in nearly every French town — it must be Bastille Day. France is celebrating its biggest holiday Monday with 7,000 people marching, on horseback or riding armored vehicles along the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees, the most iconic avenue in Paris. And there are plans for partying and pageantry around the country.
South China Morning Post
13-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
China and Japan trade barbs after latest close encounter between warplanes
China and Japan have traded accusations after a series of close encounters between their warplanes last week. On Sunday the Chinese defence ministry accused Japanese reconnaissance aircraft of 'repeatedly' entering China's air defence identification zone in the East China Sea. The comments followed a Japanese statement issued three days earlier that accused a Chinese JH-7 fighter-bomber of making 'unusual approaches' towards a Japanese YS-11EB electronic-intelligence aircraft. on Wednesday and Thursday. 'Such unusual approaches by Chinese military aircraft could lead to an accidental collision,' the Japanese defence ministry said. However, Jiang Bin, a spokesman for the defence ministry in Beijing, said Chinese forces had 'lawfully identified, tracked and monitored' Japanese aircraft in a 'legitimate, reasonable, professional and standard' manner. 'Japanese ships and aircrafts' close-in reconnaissance and harassment of the Chinese side are the root cause of China-Japan maritime and air security risks,' he said.
New York Times
12-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
They Fled War in Ethiopia. Then American Bombs Found Them.
The men awoke in the middle of the night to the roar of warplanes. Fear was nothing new to Fanta Ali Ahmed, who was trapped with more than 100 migrants in a rickety prison. After civil war reached his home region of Tigray in Ethiopia in 2020, he had fled along one of the world's most dangerous smuggling routes. He had hoped to reach Saudi Arabia, across the Red Sea. Instead, as he passed through Yemeni territory ruled by the Houthi militia, he was arrested and sent to a migrant detention center in northern Yemen. For weeks in March and April of this year, he heard American airstrikes nearby, targeting Yemen in a campaign against the Houthis, who are backed by Iran. But this was the closest the planes had ever come. In 2024, the U.N. recorded more than 60,000 migrants arriving in Yemen from the Horn of Africa. Saudi Arabia Red Sea Location of attack in Saada eritrea Yemen houthi- controlled territory eritrea Sana Tigray Gulf of Aden Djibouti Bosaso Addis Ababa somalia Common migration routes Ethiopia Ethiopia Saudi Arabia Red Sea Location of attack in Saada Sudan eritrea Yemen houthi- controlled territory eritrea Sana Tigray Gulf of Aden Djibouti Bosaso Addis Ababa somalia Common migration routes Ethiopia Ethiopia Sources: Migration route information from the International Organization for Migration. Houthi boundaries from the Institute for the Study of War and AEI's Critical Threats Project. By Daniel Wood When multiple 250-pound bombs hit the prison on April 28, tearing through the roof, Mr. Fanta fell to the ground, he recalled. At first, he thought he was the only one hurt. He later realized that he was one of the luckier ones. Ten people close to him were killed, while others were left with limbs hanging by shredded skin, he said. 'The place and everyone in it were mangled,' said Mr. Fanta, 32, who survived with two broken legs and a broken arm. 'I don't know why America bombed us.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Times
UK's F-35 fighter jets grounded by lack of spares and engineers
Britain's F-35 warplanes are only able to fly a third of their missions because of shortages of spare parts and personnel. A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) says that problems including delays, infrastructure gaps and a shortage of specialists 'are undermining the armed forces' war fighting capability'. Auditors said that the rate at which the advanced fighter jets were able to perform all their required missions last year was 'approximately one third of the Ministry of Defence's targets'. A national shortage of F-35 engineers and a global shortage of spare parts is driving the problem and resulting in 'fewer flying hours for pilots', the report says. The MoD began taking delivery of the aircraft, which are manufactured by the American defence firm Lockheed Martin, in 2012 as part of a global programme run from Washington. The F-35's 'fusion' of information from different sensors and its electronic warfare capabilities make it superior to any previous UK fighter aircraft, particularly in its stealth. Britain has committed to buying a total of 138 of the jets, of which 38 have been delivered and another ten are on order, but there is no approved timetable for buying the rest. The MoD expects its F-35 fleet to remain in service until 2069. The National Audit Office's review of the programme found long delays. Plans to equip the aircraft with weapons, including the integration of UK-developed missiles, and to assure the MoD that the aircraft retains its stealth capabilities have been pushed back until the 2030s. Full delivery of the first batch of 48 aircraft is also behind schedule because of a combination of financial pressure and problems with the global programme, the report adds. Other problems include personnel shortages in a range of roles, most significantly in engineering posts. This is compounded with trouble securing spare parts and support equipment from the global programme. The report says that even after the MoD reduced the flying requirement from ten hours to about 7.5 hours per month, pilots were still not able to meet this target as of March last year. So far the government has spent £11 billion on its F-35 programme, more than it has reported publicly. Auditors estimate that the whole-life cost of the programme will be £71 billion, 'considerably higher than the £18.76 billion the MoD has publicly reported'. Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: 'The F-35 programme offers significantly improved capability and considerable economic benefits to the UK. But the capability benefits are not being fully realised due to delays, infrastructure gaps and personnel shortages. 'The MoD now needs to decide where to prioritise its resources to improve capability in a way that maximises the full benefits of the F-35 programme to the UK.' Last month it was announced in the House of Commons that the next tranche of fighter jets to join the UK fleet of F-35B aircraft will be its sister variant the F-35A, which is cheaper, has a longer range and the capability to carry tactical nuclear weapons. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, chairman of the public accounts committee, said: 'As the UK finds itself operating in an increasingly unstable world, the mix of F-35 B and A aircraft provides us with significantly improved warfighting capabilities at an absolutely crucial time. 'However, there are serious shortcomings in the UK fleet today and slow progress has beenmade towards the MoD's commitment to acquiring 138 aircraft. 'The MoD must now remove barriers to increasing capability and take the necessary steps to ensure the F-35 programme delivers the value this country needs it to.'
