As the Middle East braces for an expected Iranian attack on Israel, the US is boosting its military presence in the region by sending a guided missile submarine capable of carrying over 150 Tomahawk missiles. The Pentagon is also ordering the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group to pick up the pace of its journey to the region.
It’s still unclear precisely when or how Iran will retaliate over recent attacks that killed top figures in Hamas and Hezbollah, but Israel on Monday placed its military on high alert. The Israeli intelligence community reportedly believes that Hezbollah will strike first, but there is likely to be an element of coordination between the Lebanese militant group and Tehran no matter what.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is feuding with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Netanyahu accused Gallant of pushing “an anti-Israel narrative” after the defense minister reportedly criticized the prime minister’s goal of “total victory” against Hamas. The Israeli prime minister and Gallant have a history of disagreeing — Netanyahu fired Gallant last year, only to reinstate him two weeks later amid anti-government protests.
We’ll be watching to see if more cracks emerge in the Israeli government amid fears that the Middle East could be on the verge of a wider conflict amid the already devastating war in Gaza.
As AI creates new opportunities, the people who understand a community best play an important role in determining how those opportunities take shape. Across the US, Microsoft is supporting AI literacy classes as part of a new program developed in collaboration with the Public Library Association, working through trusted local institutions to help people build practical AI skills. By pairing new technology with local knowledge, the initiative is helping communities explore how AI can support their needs and open new possibilities, while putting local leaders and organizations at the center of that work. Read the full story here.
Russia is testing NATO’s red lines with escalating drone attacks and airspace violations. Can Europe defend Ukraine and itself without help from the US? Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski joins Ian Bremmer on GZERO World.
Who among us has not gotten stiffed by a superpower. #PUPPETREGIME
Is Putin's war machine starting to crack? Poland's foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski discusses Ukraine's battlefield gains and mounting economic pressure on Russia.