Rethinking Economic Warfare with China | Inside Israel’s History of Inventive Assassination Methods | ‘Too Early’ for an Asian NATO | What Does Viktor Orban Want in Africa?, and more
The Israeli government did not tamper with the Hezbollah devices that exploded, defense and intelligence officials say. It manufactured them as part of an elaborate ruse.
Hezbollah Pager Attack Latest: British-Educated Woman Denies Making Devices (David Harding, Larisa Brown, Seren Hughes, Edmund Bower, and Bruno Waterfield, The Times)
Israel detonated devices in ‘use it or lose it’ moment, says US official, as death toll from explosions in Lebanon rises to 12.
Inside Israel’s History of Inventive Assassination Methods (James Rothwell, The Telegraph)
Exploding books and poisoned toothpaste among techniques used to hit targets – with mixed results
Lebanon Attack: Mossad’s History of Unlikely Explosives (Richard Spencer, The Times)
From remote-controlled machine guns to viruses, the Israeli intelligence service has a track record of using technology to kill its enemies.
The Terrible Blunder That Exposed Hezbollah’s Fighters to Audacious Pager Attack (Roland Oliphant and Matthew Field, The Telegraph)
Terror group thought switching to old-fashioned devices would keep it safe – but they appear to have been rigged with explosives.
Israel’s Strategic Win (Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic)
A spectacular attack on Hezbollah is the latest development in the ongoing war between Iranian proxies and the Jewish state.
The Mystery of Hezbollah’s Deadly Exploding Pagers (Lily Hay Newman and Matt urges, Wired)
At least eight people have been killed and more than 2,700 people have been injured in Lebanon by exploding pagers. Experts say the blasts point toward a supply chain compromise, not a cyberattack.
The Crude System of Coded Messages Keeping Hamas’s Leader Alive (Summer Said and Rory Jones, Wall Street Journal)
Yahya Sinwar’s use of low-tech communications has vexed Israel’s efforts to kill him.
How Dangerous Is the Islamist Victory in Jordan’s Elections? (Cathrin Schaer, DW)
Jordan’s Islamic Action Front were successful in last week’s election, partly because their support for Hamas in Gaza made them popular. But their victory won’t cause a crisis, experts say, and could even be beneficial.
Could the Gaza War Revitalize Nuclear Non-Proliferation in the Middle East? (Robert Mason, National Interest)
In hindsight, there never was a perfect time to advance an arms treaty in the region.
Netanyahu Is Playing into Khamenei’s Hands (Dennis Ross, Foreign Policy)
Iran’s leaders are playing a long game. Israel’s leaders are not.
Israel and the Coming Long War (
To defeat Iran’s Resistance Axis, the IDF needs a new strategy—and a unified country
The ‘Fabrications’ and Resignations that Plunged The Jewish Chronicle into Crisis (Ed Cumming, The Telegraph)
The newspaper has lost credibility – and writers including David Baddiel – after a contributor was accused of making up Gaza war reports.
THE LONG VIEW
A New Era in Sabotage: Turning Ordinary Devices into Grenades, on a Mass Scale (David E. Sanger, New York Times)
The attacks in Lebanon required getting deep into the supply chain, which is difficult to do. But the sabotage contributes to a sense of vulnerability that ordinary devices can become a source of danger.
The Private Sector Won’t Save America’s Indo-Pacific Policy (Economist)
More needs to be done to repair the economic relationship with South-East Asia.
‘Too Early’ for an Asian NATO: U.S. Official (Alex Willemyns, RFA)
A leading candidate to become Japan’s next leader says he would spearhead the creation of such a bloc.
The Worrying Nuclearization of Northeast Asia (Bolor Lkhaajav, The Diplomat)
Despite tensions, the region has been free of state conflict for decades, but a realignment of the security architecture puts that hard-won peace at risk.
Russian Army to Overtake U.S. as World’s Second Largest (Joe Barnes, The Telegraph)
Putin signs presidential decree increasing numbers to 1.5 million active servicemen.
Global Democracy Continues to Decline, Says Watchdog (DW)
According to a report, the global index for free and fair elections suffered the biggest decline on record in 2023, while disputed elections are becoming a global phenomenon.
German Police Reintroduce Spot Controls at All Borders (Sabine Kinkartz, DW)
Germany is reintroducing border checks at all its borders for at least six months. The aim is to help restrict migration. DW visited the border area between Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands to see how it was working.
MORE PICKS
Backlash Erupts Over Europe’s Anti-Deforestation Law (Patricia Cohen, New York Times)
Leaders around the world are asking the European Union to delay rules that would require companies to police their global supply chains.
Europe’s New Defense Chief: ‘A King Without a Kingdom’? (Steven Erlanger and Jenny Gross, New York Times)
The European Union has vowed to enhance its military capability. But money is scarce, responsibilities overlap and the new job is less about soldiers than arms manufacturers.
What Does Viktor Orban Want in Africa? (Nosmot Gbadamosi, Foreign Policy)
Hungary’s leader argues that sending troops to Chad will slow migration, but he seems to be seeking security partnerships in exchange for lucrative minerals.
Washington and the West Struggle for a Way Forward with Putin’s Russia (Robyn Dixon and Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post)
In the United States and Europe, there is growing uncertainty about how to counter Putin’s aggression without stoking a direct conflict with Russia.
U.S. General Explains U.S. Movements, Partnerships in West Africa (Carla Babb, VOA News)
The most lethal violent extremist organization threat in the world resides in West Africa.
Germany: Number of Refugees Reaches New High in 2024 (DW)
There are more refugees living in Germany than ever in recent history, according to German government data. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has contributed to the increase in refugees in Germany.
Dutch Demand Opt-Out on EU Migration Rules (Bruno Waterfield, The Times)
Netherlands border controls will be tightened after Germany’s introduction of frontier checks this week.
Two-Tier Justice in Northern Ireland (Jim Allister, The Critic)
Why do only some killings deserve investigation?
Another Blow to Trudeau: Liberals Lose a Long-Held Seat (Norimitsu Onishi, New York Times)
The election in Montreal had been seen as a referendum on Canada’s deeply unpopular prime minister, who has faced calls from within his party to quit.
Narendra Modi Starts Losing Battles (Economist)
India’s prime minister is 100 days into his third term. He’s having a tough time
Biden’s ‘Escalation Management’ in Ukraine Makes the West Less Safe (Edward Hunter Christie, Foreign Policy
Washington should abandon a failed approach to Moscow that does not learn or self-adjust.
Germany Begins Expanded Border Controls to Control Migration (Bernd Riegert, DW)
Citing an overloaded asylum system, Germany on Monday started passport controls on all of its land borders to reduce irregular migration. Such measures are supposed to be the exception within the EU.