Netanyahu weighs risks of Rafah assault as hostage dilemma divides Israelis Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces competing pressures at home and abroad when he weighs how far to push the operation to defeat Hamas in Rafah that complicates hopes of bringing Israeli hostages home. Street demonstrations against the government by families and supporters of some of the more than 130 hostages still held in Gaza have become a constant fixture, with protestors demanding a ceasefire deal with Hamas to get them back. Others are demanding the government and the Israeli Defence Forces press ahead with the Rafah operation against the…

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE What is known about string of blasts at Ukraine’s power facilities Russia’s Armed Forces have struck Ukraine’s energy sector and military-industrial complex in response to Kiev’s attempts to attack Russian power facilities, the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters. According to the ministry, the strikes were carried out with drones as well as sea-and air-launched precision weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic ballistic missiles. In the early hours of Wednesday, explosions occurred at fuel and energy facilities in Kiev as well as in several other Ukrainian regions. Power outages were reported in some Ukrainian cities and districts. The authorities urged citizens…

Israel seizes Gaza's vital Rafah crossing, but the US says it isn't the full invasion many fear Israeli troops seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday in what the White House described as a limited operation, as fears mount of a full-scale invasion of the southern city and talks with Hamas over a cease-fire and hostage release remain on a knife’s edge. The U.N. warned of a potential collapse of the flow of aid to Palestinians from the closure the Rafah crossing from Egypt and the other main crossing into Gaza, Kerem Shalom, from Israel, at a…

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russia, Ukraine trade allegations of chemical weapons use Russia and Ukraine have accused each other at the global chemical weapons watchdog in The Hague of using banned toxins on the battlefield, the organisation said on Tuesday. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said that the accusations were "insufficiently substantiated" but added: "The situation remains volatile and extremely concerning regarding the possible re-emergence of use of toxic chemicals as weapons." Neither Russia nor Ukraine has formally asked the OPCW to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons, it said. Andriy Sybiha, Ukraine’s first deputy foreign minister,…