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Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
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Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Feb. 13 Summary of USCENTCOM Self-Defense Strikes in Yemen CENTCOM 14 Feb 2024 -- On Feb. 13, at approximately 2:35 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces successfully conducted a self-defense strike against one mobile anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM), in Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen, that was prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea.
• New US-led aggression targets Rass Issa in Hodeidah, Yemen ISNA 14 Feb 2024 -- A new US airstrike targeted the area of Rass Issa in Al-Salif District, northwest of the coastal city of Hodeidah, located on the Red Sea coast in western Yemen.
• Aggression rages: US, UK conduct new round of airstrikes in western Yemen Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- The United States and the UK have launched a fresh military strike in Yemen in response to the Arab nation's pro-Palestine attacks on Israeli-affiliated shipping in the Red Sea, raising fears of an escalation of conflict in the region.
• US, UK launch new attacks on Yemen IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- The United States and Britain according to news sources launched another round of attacks on Yemen as part of their growing aggression against the Arab country over its anti-Israeli operations in the Red Sea.
• US base in eastern Syria faces spike in attacks IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- An American military base located in Syria's eastern Deir ez-Zour province has come under fresh missile attacks amid growing anti-American sentiment in the region.
• Somali, U.S. forces engage insurgents in support of the Federal Government of Somalia AFRICOM 14 Feb 2024 -- At the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike with five engagements against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Feb. 9.

Defense Policy / Programs

• US Officials Push Back After Lawmaker Sounds Alarm on Security Threat VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- The White House along with other top officials are seeking to reassure the American public after a key lawmaker sounded alarms about a "serious national security threat" facing the United States.
• MDA, SDA Announce Upcoming Launch of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor and Tranche 0 Satellites DoD 14 Feb 2024 -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Space Development Agency (SDA) announce the upcoming launch of six satellites into low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.
• Guard Vice Chief Emphasizes Cyber Readiness During Maine Visit Army News 14 Feb 2024 -- The National Guard's motto is "Always Ready, Always There," and for one group of Maine National Guardsmen, being "there" is a loose term with no specific battlefield or location in mind. Being ready is a constant for the small collection of specialized Soldiers and Airmen who operate in an infinite area of responsibility known as cyberspace.
• Collaboration, Technology Innovation on Display at Joint Interagency Field Experimentation DoD 14 Feb 2024 -- The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering conducted the first of multiple Joint Interagency Field Experimentation (JIFX) technology showcases Feb. 6 - 8 at Camp Roberts, California.
• Kentucky Guard Hosts Ecuadorian Military for Leader Engagement Army News 14 Feb 2024 -- Senior Kentucky National Guard leaders welcomed military personnel from the Armed Forces of Ecuador in a State Partnership Program exchange Jan. 30-Feb. 1.
• New EHET tie-down system tested at Coleman APS-2 worksite more efficient, safer Army News 14 Feb 2024 -- The team at the Coleman Army Prepositioned Stocks-2 worksite in Mannheim recently tested a new Enhanced Heavy Equipment Transporter, or EHET, trailer tie-down system and a scale system that will help the Army in Europe operate more efficiently while also improving safety.
• AMC rises to increasing global tension US Air Force 14 Feb 2024 -- Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Command, participated in the "Rising Intensity of Competition and Conflict" panel with commander of Air Combat Command, Gen. Mark D. Kelly, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa commander Gen. James B. Hecker, and Pacific Air Forces commander Gen. Kevin Schneider, Feb. 13, at the Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora.
• SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power Competition US Air Force 14 Feb 2024 -- Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall sat down with retired Lt. Gen. Bruce "Orville" Wright, AFA president and chief executive officer, for a "Fireside Chat" to close out the AFA Warfare Symposium Feb. 14 on the same note that it started, with a look at how the services will operate in an era of Great Power Competition.
• USAFE-AFAFRICA commander emphasizes five focus areas during AFA Warfare Symposium US Air Force 14 Feb 2024 -- Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa and NATO Allied Air Command, provided updates on USAFE-AFAFRICA's priorities during multiple engagements at the Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium, Feb. 13.
• ONR Global Gaining Insight into the Effects of Glacial Melting in Coastal Regions US Navy 14 Feb 2024 -- A research project from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global is providing valuable information about the effects of melting glaciers in Patagonia that feed into coastal fjords, transporting sediments, freshwater and nutrients.
• WEST 2024: Naval Special Warfare a Force Multiplier for the Fleet, Joint Force US Navy 14 Feb 2024 -- Rear Adm. Keith Davids, commander, Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC), attended and participated in AFCEA-USNI WEST (WEST) 2024 conference, Feb. 13-15.
• Navy SEALs Forge Alliance with Cypriot Navy Underwater Demolition Team in Eastern Mediterranean US Navy 14 Feb 2024 -- In a constant demonstration of partnership in the Eastern Mediterranean, U.S. East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) collaborated with Cypriot Navy Underwater Demolition Team (MYK) partners Jan. 22 - Feb. 14, 2024, refining their operational expertise in the maritime domain throughout waters surrounding Cyprus.
• US House Speaker: No Vote on Foreign Aid Before Domestic Issues Get Addressed VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday the American people want lawmakers to focus on domestic problems instead of on sending assistance overseas, repeating his pledge not to bring up the $95 billion bipartisan Senate foreign aid bill for a vote.
• Readout of U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg DoD 14 Feb 2024
• NATO Ministers to Discuss Ukraine, Spending, Deterrence at Brussels Meeting DoD News 14 Feb 2024 -- Russia's war in Ukraine, NATO spending, progress in meeting the goals of the Vilnius Summit and preparations for the Washington Summit this summer are on the agenda for the NATO Defense Ministers Meeting, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a news conference in Brussels today.
• Secretary General welcomes unprecedented rise in NATO defence spending NATO 14 Feb 2024 -- Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg released NATO's latest defence spending figures on Wednesday (14 February 2024), which show an unprecedented increase across European Allies and Canada.
• NATO Allies discuss the importance of boosting defence industrial capacity with European Commissioner Thierry Breton NATO 14 Feb 2024 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, to the NATO Headquarters on Tuesday (13 February 2024).
• Deputy Secretary General at the European Parliament: NATO-EU partnership is crucial to European security NATO 14 Feb 2024 -- Speaking at the European Parliament on Wednesday (14 February 2024), NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană underlined the importance of NATO-EU cooperation to address the security situation in the Black Sea, Western Balkans and eastern Europe, and tackle other shared challenges like disinformation, cyber security and military issues.
• NATO Sees No Immediate Military Threats From Russia, But Believes That Hybrid Attack Threats Persist Sputnik 14 Feb 2024 -- NATO does not see any immediate military threats to the alliance member states from Russia, but there are "constant threats of hybrid attacks," Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
• Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Statement on the 19th Ukraine Defense Contact Group DoD 14 Feb 2024
• Opening Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at the 19th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (As Delivered) DoD 14 Feb 2024
• Austin Affirms U.S.-Led Coalition Stands With Ukraine DoD News 14 Feb 2024 -- Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III affirmed today the unwavering resolve among the U.S. and its partners in support of Ukraine.
• Special Representative Pritzker's Remarks on Ukraine's Economic Recovery US Dept. of State 14 Feb 2024
• Austin Leads Talks on Defense Support for Ukraine VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is hosting a virtual meeting with allies Wednesday to discuss support for Ukraine as the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion nears.
• Minister Blair announces $60 million in military aid for Ukraine at 19th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group Canada 14 Feb 2024 -- Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, participated in the 19th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting, hosted by United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.
• Protocol of Intent on Demining Coalition for Ukraine signed banding together 20 first members Lithuania MND 14 Feb 2024 -- The Demining Coalition for Ukraine Lithuania is forming begins to develop a shape: on February 14 Lithuania and 20 other Allies signed an establishing Protocol of Intent in Brussels.
• NATO Defence Ministers to address defence spending, ammunition production, support to Ukraine NATO 14 Feb 2024 -- Defence Ministers will meet in Brussels on Thursday (15 February 2024) to prepare the NATO Summit in Washington in July.
• Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel ICGS Varaha makes a port call at Maputo Port, Mozambique as part of strategic overseas deployment to East Africa India PIB 14 Feb 2024 -- Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ICGS Varaha made a significant port call at Maputo Port, Mozambique on 14 February, 2024 as a part of ongoing strategic overseas deployment to East Africa, marking a pivotal milestone in the ongoing diplomatic maritime engagements
• Aatmanirbharta in Defence: MoD signs contract worth Rs.1,752 Cr with AWEIL for 463 Stabilised Remote Control Guns for Indian Navy & Indian Coast Guard India PIB 14 Feb 2024 -- The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract on February 14, 2024 with Advanced Weapon Equipment India Ltd
• Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant DoD 14 Feb 2024
• Iran has capability to fight wars from distance: IRGC chief IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says Iran has acquired the ability to fight in wars from a distance.
• IRGC simulates destroying Israeli F-35 hangars ISNA 14 Feb 2024 -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has simulated using ballistic missiles to destroy hangars housing the Israeli regime's United States-procured F-35 warplanes.
• Iran achieves 'unparalleled naval power', acquires remote warfare capabilities: IRGC chief Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- The chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has underscored the elite force's sophisticated capabilities in maritime wars and says the IRGC never leaves unanswered any aggression on Iranian soil.
• 'Terrorist sabotage attack': Blast hits major gas transmission pipelines in southern Iran Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji says a "terrorist sabotage" attack has targeted two main gas transmission pipelines in the country's southwestern province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari as well as the southern province of Fars, causing a massive explosion and a subsequent fire.
• IRGC simulates destroying Israeli F-35 hangars with ballistic missiles Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has simulated using ballistic missiles to destroy hangars housing the Israeli regime's United States-procured F-35 warplanes.
• North Korea Launches Several Cruise Missiles From East Coast - Reports Sputnik 14 Feb 2024 -- North Korea fired several cruise missiles off its east coast toward the Sea of Japan early on Wednesday, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
• Readout of U.S., South Korea Nuclear Consultative Group Framework Signing DoD 14 Feb 2024
• South Korea to Participate in Joint Multinational Drills With US, Thailand - Reports Sputnik 14 Feb 2024 -- South Korea will take part in the Cobra Gold large-scale multinational military drills to be jointly led by Thailand and the United States, the Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday, citing South Korean officials.
• Germany to Spend $535Mln on Expansion of Holzdorf Air Base - Military Sputnik 14 Feb 2024 -- Germany is in the process of remaking its eastern Holzdorf military air base, with 500 million euros ($535 million) expected to be spent on the facility's expansion, Col. Christian Guntsch said on Wednesday.
• A look at the Defence news 5 - 11 February Netherlands Ministry of Defence 14 Feb 2024
• Announcement of this year's threat and risk assessments Government of Norway 14 Feb 2024 -- On 12 February, the Norwegian Intelligence Service, the Police Security Service, and the Norwegian National Security Authority published their open threat and risk assessments.
• Foreign and security policy focus on Sweden's NATO membership, the neighbourhood and support to Ukraine Government Offices of Sweden 14 Feb 2024 -- Today, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström presented the Government's 2024 Statement of Foreign Policy in the Riksdag. The Government's most important foreign policy priorities are support to Ukraine, Sweden's NATO membership and deepened cooperation in the neighbourhood.
• Speech by Tobias Billström - Statement of Foreign Policy 2024 Government Offices of Sweden 14 Feb 2024 -- On 14 February, Minister for Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström presented the 2024 Statement of Foreign Policy in the Riksdag.
• Close encounters in the Giant Mountains. Gripen's first air-to-air refuelling with Airbus A330 MRTT Czech Republic Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces 14 Feb 2024 -- On Tuesday afternoon, the airspace over the Giant Mountains in the Czech Republic hosted the unique union of the Czech Air Force JAS-39 Gripen aircraft and the Airbus A330 MRTT tanker.
• Secretary Blinken's Call with Algerian Foreign Minister Attaf US Dept. of State 14 Feb 2024
• Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan The White House 14 Feb 2024

Defense Industry

• Contracts For Feb. 14, 2024

Other Conflicts

Ukraine Conflict News


• 14 February 2024 - Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General United Nations 14 Feb 2024

Operation Iron Swords / Operation Al-Aqsa Flood

• IDF Demands Military Activities within the Nasser Hospital Complex Cease Immediately Israel Defense Forces 14 Feb 2024
• Statement by PM Netanyahu Israel - Prime Minister 14 Feb 2024
• Prime Minister's Office Statement Israel - Prime Minister 14 Feb 2024
• Israel Receives No New Proposals From Hamas in Cairo on Release of Hostages - Netanyahu Sputnik 14 Feb 2024 -- Israel has not received any new proposals from the Palestinian movement Hamas in Cairo on the issue of the release of hostages, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
• Netanyahu Vows Rafah Attack, Pulls Out of Cease-fire Talks VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed again Wednesday to attack Hamas militants in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, even as he pulled Israel out of cease-fire talks in Cairo because he said Hamas had not changed what he described as "ludicrous demands" to halt the fighting.
• 'Netanyahu against proposal of spy chiefs on deal with Hamas' IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- Israeli media reports suggest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is against the proposal put forth by the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet spy agencies as well as the army to reach an agreement with the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement.
• Feb. 13: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Press TV 14 Feb 2024
• Gaza truce talks end 'without breakthrough' as panic grows over Israel's Rafah invasion Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- Multi-party negotiations on hammering out a truce agreement between the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and the Israeli regime has reportedly failed to yield any results as the occupying entity's genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip enters its fifth month.
• News Analysis: Tensions escalated in Gaza as Israel raided Rafah People's Daily 14 Feb 2024 -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) raided Rafah City early Monday morning and rescued two Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. The raids have killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds more, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.
• UNRWA Situation Report #77 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (All information from 11-12 February 2024, is valid as of 12 February 2024 at 22:30 (local time)) UNRWA 14 Feb 2024
• Gaza: Rafah invasion would be a disaster 'beyond imagination', warn UN medics UN News 14 Feb 2024 -- UN medics said on Wednesday that they feared a humanitarian disaster "beyond imagination" if a full-scale incursion by the Israeli military happens in Rafah in southern Gaza.
• Israel's Rafah assault could lead to 'slaughter,' put aid work at 'death's door', warns UN Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- The United Nations humanitarian chief has raised alarm about potential Israel's ground invasion of Rafah, saying the raid could lead to a "slaughter" in the densely populated Gaza city and put aid operation at "death's door."
• UN relief chief warns Israeli military operations in Rafah could lead to slaughter People's Daily 14 Feb 2024 -- Military operations in Rafah could lead to a slaughter in Gaza and put a fragile humanitarian operation at death's door, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths warned Tuesday.
• UN says Gaza being pushed into abyss amid Israeli assault on Rafah Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) has warned that Israel's planned ground invasion of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip will cause unprecedented levels of misery and further push people in Gaza into the abyss.
• Statement from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Deferred Enforced Departure for Palestinians The White House 14 Feb 2024
• Memorandum on the Deferred Enforced Departure for Certain Palestinians The White House 14 Feb 2024
• Gaza's current status mirrors world's unjust systems: Raisi IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says that the current situation in Gaza is a clear manifestation of the unjust systems that have been dominating the world for many years.
• Iran FM meets Hamas political bureau chief in Doha ISNA 14 Feb 2024 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian met and talked with Ismail Haniyeh head of the political bureau of the Palestinian movement Hamas in Doha.
• Iran president: Gaza situation symbolic of unjust world structure Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- President Ebrahim Raeisi has considered the ongoing situation in the Gaza Strip, which is enduring a genocidal Israeli war, to be symbolic of the unjustness of the governing global structure.
• US intervention, support for Israel could cause major regional crisis: Iran tells Saudi Arabia Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani has warned that the United States' support for Israel in its genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip could lead to a "major crisis" in West Asia.
• Foreign Minister Baerbock prior to her departure for Israel Germany Federal Foreign Office 14 Feb 2024 -- Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock issued the following statement today (14 February) prior to her departure for Israel:
• Political talks in the midst of a conflict that knows nothing but dilemmas - Foreign Minister Baerbock travels to Israel again Germany Federal Foreign Office 14 Feb 2024 -- Foreign Minister Baerbock is to visit Israel again from 14 to 15 February. It is her fifth trip there since Hamas' despicable terrorist attack.
• Israeli regime launches fresh attack on southern Lebanon IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- The Israeli regime's fighter jets have attacked areas in southern Lebanon in a new wave of aggression against the Arab country, media sources have reported.
• Nasrallah: Israeli attack on Lebanon leading to two million displaced settlers ISNA 14 Feb 2024 -- Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declared that Israel must realize that if they launch a war on us, then they will have "two million displaced [settlers] from the north and not just a hundred thousand".
• 'It won't go unanswered': Hezbollah vows retaliation after Israel kills civilians Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- A senior Hezbollah official has slammed Israel's latest airstrikes on southern Lebanon that killed two children, vowing that the Lebanese resistance movement's response is sure to come.
• 4 killed as Israel launches 'extensive wave of attacks' on southern Lebanon Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- The Israeli military has launched new airstrikes on Lebanon as tensions remain high along Lebanon's southern border where the Hezbollah resistance movement and Israeli forces keep exchanging fire on a daily basis.
• Israel seeking to displace Gazans: PIJ Deputy Chief ISNA 14 Feb 2024 -- The Deputy Secretary-General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, Mohammad Al-Hindi, warns that threatening with an aggression against Rafah would lead to dire consequences if it is not met with a decisive rejection from Cairo.
• No Israeli ship passing through Red Sea: Yemeni official IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- The Yemeni naval forces have managed to completely stop shipping by the Zionist regime in the Red Sea, bringing the number of Israeli vessels traversing the strategic waterway down to "zero," a Yemeni official has said.
• Al-Houthi: We achieved important victory in preventing Israeli ships from passing Red Sea ISNA 14 Feb 2024 -- The leader of the Ansar Allah movement in Yemen, Sayyed Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi, stressed that the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) would not intend to target submarine cables that extend through the Red Sea's floor, including the Internet cables.
• US, Britain, Israel seeking to liquidate Palestinian cause, says Ansarullah leader Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- The leader of Yemen's Ansarullah resistance movement says the United States, Britain and Israel are seeking to liquidate the Palestinian cause, emphasizing that the Yemeni military's retaliatory strikes in the Red Sea have proven to be "effective and a game changer."
• Yemen's Houthis Claim to Have Stopped Ship Traffic to Israeli Ports Sputnik 14 Feb 2024 -- Naval forces of the Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, have prevented the passage through the Gulf of Aden of all ships that have been heading to Israeli ports recently, the movement's leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Tuesday.
• Families of Gaza Hostages Push International Court for Charges Against Hamas Leaders VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- A group of family members of people taken hostage by Hamas militants in the October attack on Israel is asking prosecutors at the International Criminal Court to bring charges against Hamas leaders.
• ICRC remains extremely concerned about the lives and welfare of hostages in Gaza ICRC 14 Feb 2024 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross remains extremely concerned about the lives and welfare of hostages being held in Gaza for more than four months. In addition to what they are experiencing, their families are caught between despair and hope as they wait for news about their loved ones.
• Gaza: Increased armed hostilities in Rafah pose disastrous risk to civilian lives and infrastructure ICRC 14 Feb 2024 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cautions the parties to the conflict, and the international community, about the dire impact of increased and sustained armed hostilities in Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip. Official statements and reporting, as well as continuous military strikes, indicate that a new phase of the conflict is unfolding, and it is critical that civilian lives are protected. Even amidst the carnage and extreme polarization, the fundamental principle of humanity must be upheld.
• Doctors without Borders 'very worried' over unfolding situation in Gaza's Nasser hospital Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- The Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders has expressed concerns about the unfolding situation at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, calling on Israeli occupation forces to make sure civilians and medical staff trapped inside are unharmed.

Other Conflicts

• FAO proposes five key actions to address climate-conflict nexus at the United Nations Security Council FAO 14 Feb 2024 -- Climate crisis and conflicts are becoming increasingly intertwined, feeding into one another to perpetuate hunger and poverty. Urgent action and innovative solutions are required to address global food insecurity, said Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Beth Bechdol on Tuesday at the United Nations Security Council High-Level Open Debate.
• UN, EU Diplomats Discuss Afghanistan With Central Asian Officials Ahead Of International Conference RFE/RL 14 Feb 2024 -- The UN secretary-general's envoy for Afghanistan met on February 14 in Bishkek with EU and Central Asian officials to discuss joint efforts to assist people in Taliban-led Afghanistan ahead of a more formal international meeting scheduled to take place on February 18-19 in Doha, Qatar.
• UN Seeks Taliban's Presence at Qatar-Hosted Huddle on Afghanistan VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- The United Nations says it would like to see Taliban representatives attend a two-day international conference on Afghanistan that will take place in Qatar next week.
• Taliban say they assured Iran of mutual cooperation IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- The Ministry of Defense of Taliban's caretaker government in Afghanistan has announced its readiness for cooperation with Iran, including on border issues and bilateral ties.
• Yemen: Recent progress marred by Gaza war fallout, UN envoy reports UN News 14 Feb 2024 -- The shockwaves from the war in Gaza continue to reverberate across the wider Middle East region, with the situation in Yemen much more complex than it was a few months ago, the UN Special Envoy for the country said on Wednesday.
• The Yemeni people deserve nothing less than recovery and sustainable peace: UK statement at the UN Security Council UK FCDO 14 Feb 2024 -- Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Yemen.
• Offshoot of ethnic Mon group joins fight against Myanmar's junta regime Radio Free Asia 14 Feb 2024 -- An offshoot of an ethnic Mon organization announced on Wednesday that it will no longer negotiate with Myanmar's military and will join with anti-junta forces in the fight against the regime.
• Myanmar youths go into hiding to avoid getting forced into battle Radio Free Asia 14 Feb 2024 -- With Myanmar's junta plowing ahead toward a full-scale draft, young men say they are staying indoors to avoid getting dragooned into the army to fight in a war in which the military is losing ground and men.
• UNHCR urges protection of civilians and aid access amid surging violence in eastern DR Congo UNHCR 14 Feb 2024 -- In the wake of the heightened violence last week between government forces and non-state armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is deeply concerned by the dire consequences for civilians, including an estimated 135,000 internally displaced people fleeing the town of Sake towards the nearby provincial capital Goma.
• Massive displacement as fighting surges in eastern DR Congo UN News 14 Feb 2024 -- Civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are once again bearing the brunt of localized violence, amid a sharp uptick in fighting between Government forces and the M23 armed group, the UN refugee agency reported on Wednesday.
• WHO: Coming Lean Season in Sudan Could Trigger Catastrophic Hunger VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- The World Health Organization says the coming lean season in Sudan could trigger catastrophic levels of hunger and widespread illness and death from infectious disease among a malnourished, famished population.

News Reports

• China's Propaganda Push in Spanish Fails to Impress, Report Shows VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- China has been scaling up its influence campaign in Spanish-speaking countries in the past few years by producing and publishing tens of thousands of videos through the three largest Spanish-language YouTube channels of its state media, a recent study finds.
• US Homeland Security Chief's Impeachment Trial to Start in Two Weeks VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is facing a Senate trial in two weeks after Republicans in the House of Representatives impeached him by a single vote, blaming him for the tens of thousands of illegal migrants who have crossed into the U.S. from Mexico in the past year.
• U.S. CDC to drop 5-day COVID-19 isolation guideline: report People's Daily 14 Feb 2024 -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to drop its five-day COVID-19 isolation recommendations under a new guidance planned by the agency, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
• NASA Looks Forward to Hearing From Russia on Readiness to Continue Cooperation - Official Sputnik 14 Feb 2024 -- NASA expects that Russia's space agency Roscosmos will continue cooperation on the International Space Station (ISS) through 2030, Space Operations Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Kenneth Bowersox said during a congressional hearing on Wednesday.
• Briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow, February 14, 2024 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 14 Feb 2024
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks and answers to questions during Government Hour at the State Duma of the Federal Assembly, Moscow, February 14, 2024 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 14 Feb 2024
• Answers to questions from journalist Pavel Zarubin President of Russia 14 Feb 2024
• Video address to participants in the annual expanded meeting of the Emergencies Ministry Board President of Russia 14 Feb 2024
• Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu inspects implementation of state defence order for missile system production in Moscow region Russia MoD 14 Feb 2024 -- Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation General of the Army Sergei Shoigu has checked the state defence order for the production of portable and operational-tactical missile systems by the Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau Research and Production Corporation in Moscow region during a visit to the troops of the Western Military District.
• Pacific Fleet ship detachment enters the Andaman Sea Russia MoD 14 Feb 2024 -- A detachment of warships of the Pacific Fleet consisting of the fleet flagship Guards Order of Nakhimov missile cruiser Varyag and frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov crossed the Strait of Malacca and entered the Andaman Sea.
• Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's participation in Government Hour at the State Duma of the Federal Assembly Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 14 Feb 2024
• Baltics Take Diplomatic Steps To Protest Politicians Being Placed On Russian 'Wanted List' RFE/RL 14 Feb 2024 -- The three Baltic nations have taken diplomatic steps to protest against Russia on February 14 a day after Moscow confirmed senior lawmakers and officials from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were placed on Russia's "wanted list" for destroying Soviet-era monuments.
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs summons Russia's chargé d'affaires Estonia MFA 14 Feb 2024 -- Today 14 February, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Russia's chargé d'affaires a.i. Lenar Salimullin in connection with media reports about the decision of the Russian Federation to add Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Estonian Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop to the Russian Interior Ministry's list of wanted persons.
• Foreign Ministry summons Russia's representative, hands in a diplomatic note expressing strong protest over illegal actions against Lithuanian citizens Lithuania MFA 14 Feb 2024 -- On February 14, a representative of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Lithuania was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania and handed in a diplomatic note expressing a strong protest over the decisions of the Russian Federation to include politicians, civil servants and other Lithuanian citizens on the list of wanted persons for decisions taken by them in the performance of their direct duties.
• Russian company seeks millions in compensation from PetroVietnam: report Radio Free Asia 14 Feb 2024 -- A Russian electrical equipment manufacturer, owned by billionaire Alexey Mordashov, is asking for US$500 million in compensation after a successful lawsuit against Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), according to Russian news site RBC.
• Moldova Saves $553Mln by Buying Gas From Russia's Gazprom - Moldovagaz CEO Sputnik 14 Feb 2024 -- Moldova has saved $553 million by buying gas from Russian gas giant Gazprom between November 2021 and November 2022, Vadim Ceban, the head of Moldovan gas company Moldovagaz, said on Tuesday.
• Russians Living In Bosnia Will Be Able To Vote In Presidential Elections Next Month RFE/RL 14 Feb 2024 -- Russian citizens living in Bosnia-Herzegovina will be able to vote in the Russian presidential election next month, the Balkan country's Council of Ministers said on February 14.
• Volkswagen reviews Xinjiang operations as abuse pressure mounts Radio Free Asia 14 Feb 2024 -- The German auto giant Volkswagen is facing renewed accusations of using Uyghur forced labor, as new evidence directly implicates its use of slave labor in the construction of a test track in Xinjiang, where brainwashing, surveillance and assimilation measures on employees were implemented.
• 9 Chinese military aircraft cross median line: Taiwan defense ministry CNA 14 Feb 2024 -- A total of 14 warplanes and drones sent by the Chinese People's Liberation Army were detected in waters near Taiwan on Wednesday afternoon, with nine of them crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND).
• Taiwan's DPP condemned for driving away mainland fishing boat and resulting in two deaths People's Daily 14 Feb 2024 -- The spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council strongly condemned the Taiwan authorities for driving away a fishing boat from East China's Fujian Province in the waters near Kinmen, a group of islets in the Taiwan Straits, and resulting in two deaths when all four people onboard fell into the sea on Wednesday afternoon.
• U.S. representative Mike Gallagher to lead Taiwan delegation next week: FT CNA 14 Feb 2024 -- U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher, who chairs the House select committee on competition with China, will visit Taipei next week along with a group of lawmakers, according to the Financial Times.
• US lawmaker, arch critic of China, to visit Taiwan: report Radio Free Asia 14 Feb 2024 -- Rep. Mike Gallagher, chair of the House Select Committee on China, will lead U.S. lawmakers on a trip to Taiwan next week, a report says.
• US must better engage allies on Taiwan: experts Radio Free Asia 14 Feb 2024 -- It's not always clear to America's allies why they should devote any time or attention to the disputed sovereignty of Taiwan, especially when they have enough problems in their immediate backyards.
• PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Feb. 14, 2024 ROC MND 14 Feb 2024
• China's Economic Woes May Give US Chance to Pressure North Korea, Some Experts Say VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- Some Asia experts are calling for tough new economic sanctions on China, arguing that the nation's economic downturn makes it particularly vulnerable to pressure to crack down on North Korea's ability to make and launder money for its nuclear weapons and missile programs.
• 'Terrorist sabotage attack': Blast hits major gas transmission pipelines in southern Iran Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji says a "terrorist sabotage" attack has targeted two main gas transmission pipelines in the country's southwestern province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari as well as the southern province of Fars, causing a massive explosion and a subsequent fire.
• Iran's gas network stable after 'sabotage acts': Official IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- Iran's gas transmission network is stable after sabotage acts targeted natural gas pipelines in two provinces in the center and south of the country, says the dispatching director of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC).
• Two Explosions Rock Iranian Gas Pipelines, Disrupt Supplies RFE/RL 14 Feb 2024 -- Two explosions at gas pipelines that officials are calling "sabotage and terrorist acts" have disrupted gas supplies to offices and industries across three provinces in Iran.
• Designating Persons Tied to Network Smuggling U.S. Technology to Central Bank of Iran US Dept. of State 14 Feb 2024 -- The United States is today designating four entities and three individuals tied to a network facilitating the illegal export of U.S. goods and technology to end users in Iran, including the Central Bank of Iran.
• Treasury Sanctions Network Smuggling U.S. Technology to Central Bank of Iran US Treasury 14 Feb 2024 -- Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned a procurement network responsible for facilitating the illegal export of goods and technology from over two dozen U.S. companies to end-users in Iran, including the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), which is designated for its role in providing financial support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and Hizballah.
• Plane seized in US has nothing to do with Iran's Mahan Air: Official IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- Head of the Civil Aviation Organization has dismissed reports suggesting that a Venezuelan plane seized by the US earlier this week belonged to Iran's Mahan Air.
• Iran reiterates need for peaceful settlement of gas field dispute with Kuwait IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has reiterated the country's position regarding the need for peaceful settlement of a dispute about a gas field with neighboring Kuwait.
• Iran, Saudi Arabia should not allow ill-wishers to damage their ties: Envoy IRNA 14 Feb 2024 -- Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Iran Abdullah bin Saud Al-Anzi has said that Tehran and Riyadh should not allow those who are not pleased with the two countries' close ties to achieve their objectives.
• Iran urges solid work on implementation of security pact with Iraq Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- The Islamic Republic of Iran and Iraq should work on a more consolidated approach toward the implementation of a high-profile security pact signed in March 2023, says Iran's Judiciary chief.
• Transcript of Special Briefing by Foreign Secretary on Prime Minister's visit to the UAE (February 14, 2024) India MEA 14 Feb 2024
• Wounded Ex-Lawmaker Among Scores Of Candidates Challenging Results Of Disputed Pakistani Elections RFE/RL 14 Feb 2024 -- Mohsin Dawar and his supporters were protesting alleged voting irregularities in their constituency during Pakistan's February 8 general elections when security forces opened fire on them.
• Suharto-era general wins Indonesia's presidency, exit polls project Radio Free Asia 14 Feb 2024 -- Indonesians elected Prabowo Subianto as their president by a wide margin on Wednesday, according to projections by reliable exit polls, as the former army general rode on the coattails of the extraordinarily popular incumbent, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.
• Likely Winner of Indonesian Presidency Has Contentious History VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- The likely winner of Indonesia's presidential election is Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, following an unofficial count of Wednesday's vote. The prospect of his win is alarming to rights groups due to his history of alleged human rights violations — allegations that are little known among young Indonesian voters.
• Indonesian Defense Minister Claims Victory in Presidential Race VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- The front-runner for Indonesia's presidency, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, declared victory Wednesday after unofficial vote counts showed him with a wide lead in the three-way race.
• Polls close in presidential vote as Indonesia holds world's largest single-day election Press TV 14 Feb 2024 -- Polls closed in Indonesia on Wednesday with more than 200 million voters casting their ballots to elect a new president, in the world's biggest single-day election.
• "We are determined to step up our talks with Egypt at all levels in order to establish peace and stability in our region" Presidency of The Republic of Turkey 14 Feb 2024 -- Holding a joint press conference with Egyptian President Sisi, President Erdoğan said: "We don't want to see any conflicts, tensions or crises in Africa, the Middle East or elsewhere in our kindred geography. Accordingly, we are determined to step up our talks with Egypt at all levels in order to establish peace and stability in our region."
• World News in Brief: DR Congo clashes, invest in ending polio, say #IDONT to child marriage UN News 14 Feb 2024 -- Tensions remain high in North Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), particularly in the town of Sake, as clashes persist between M23 rebels and Government forces, the UN mission in the country, MONUSCO, reported on Wednesday.
• Botswana Opposition Slams Electoral Body for Benchmarking in Zimbabwe VOA 14 Feb 2024 -- Botswana's coalition of opposition parties has slammed the country's electoral body for traveling to Zimbabwe to benchmark its election procedures — the process by which the performance of a system is assessed for success and emulation.