Evening Brief: Israel Strikes Yemen’s Capital, Gaza City Outskirts; VP Vance Says Russia Has Made Key Concessions in Ukraine Peace Talks

· Guy D. McCardle

A massive explosion cloud rises after an Israeli airstrike in Yemen. (Image grab via X)

Top stories this Sunday evening, August 24, 2025.

 

US Threatens to Deport Human Smuggling Defendant to Uganda After Plea Deal Rejected

US immigration officials plan to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Uganda after he rejected a plea deal that would have sent him to Costa Rica in exchange for pleading guilty to human smuggling charges. Abrego Garcia declined the deal, which required him to remain in jail and accept sentencing, according to a Saturday court filing in Tennessee.

After his release from pretrial custody on Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) notified his attorneys of the planned deportation and gave him until Monday morning to accept the original Costa Rica offer or lose it permanently. His attorneys accused the government of acting vindictively and using deportation threats to pressure him into a guilty plea.

Abrego Garcia, who has lived in Maryland with his American wife and children, was charged after a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee revealed nine passengers in his car. He pleaded not guilty and sought dismissal of the case, claiming it was retaliation for previously challenging his mistaken deportation to El Salvador, a country where a judge had ruled that he faced credible threats.

The Justice Department said it would hold Abrego Garcia accountable and protect the public, while ICE cited a prior 2019 deportation order and Uganda’s recent agreement to accept US deportees. His defense argues the Uganda plan is punitive, noting Abrego has no ties there and does not speak the language.

A 72-hour deportation notice was issued late Friday, complying with a Maryland court ruling requiring advance warning before removal.

 

VP Vance Says Russia Has Made Key Concessions in Ukraine Peace Talks

US Vice President JD Vance said Sunday that Russia has made “significant concessions” toward a negotiated settlement in its war with Ukraine, signaling progress despite no formal ceasefire.

Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Vance stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has dropped demands to install a pro-Russian regime in Kyiv and has accepted the idea of Ukraine receiving future security guarantees.

Vance emphasized that this marks the first time in over three years of war that Moscow has shown meaningful compromise.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov separately said a group of nations, including members of the UN Security Council, should act as guarantors for Ukraine’s security.

President Donald Trump, following his recent meeting with Putin in Alaska, warned Friday that Russia faces new sanctions if peace talks do not advance within two weeks.

Vance confirmed sanctions are under consideration but admitted they may not compel Moscow to halt the war.

He pointed to Trump’s recent 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, imposed in response to India’s continued purchases of Russian oil, as an example of using economic pressure to influence behavior.

The vice president said Russia remains isolated and will not regain global economic access unless it ends the violence in Ukraine.

 

Israel Strikes Yemen’s Capital After Houthi Cluster Bomb Missile Launch

Israel launched airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, on Sunday, targeting Houthi-controlled power plants and a military site linked to the presidential palace.

The strikes came days after Houthi rebels fired a missile toward Israel, identified as the first cluster bomb the group has used since 2023.

At least two people were killed and 35 wounded in the strikes, according to Houthi-run health officials. The Houthis claimed the strikes hit multiple areas, including an oil company site, which ignited a large fire. Residents reported powerful explosions near military facilities and the presidential palace, with widespread damage to homes.

Israel’s military said the targets included key energy infrastructure used for military operations. An Israeli Air Force official confirmed over 10 jets participated in the operation and described the Houthi cluster bomb as a new threat enabled by Iranian technology.

The Houthis vowed to continue attacks against Israel in support of Gaza, despite the strikes. They claim to have targeted Ben Gurion Airport on Friday with the new missile, though Israel reported it fragmented mid-air without causing damage.

The Israeli strikes mark the second round in recent weeks, as tensions escalate over continued Houthi drone and missile attacks.

Since late 2023, the Houthis have disrupted international shipping in the Red Sea, launching over 100 attacks on vessels. A US-brokered deal in May temporarily paused the group’s Red Sea assaults but did not stop its operations against Israeli-linked targets.

 

Israel Pounds Gaza City Outskirts as Planned Offensive Looms

Israeli air and ground forces launched heavy attacks overnight on Gaza City’s eastern and northern edges, targeting Zeitoun, Shejaia, Sabra, and Jabalia with artillery and airstrikes.

The Israeli military confirmed renewed combat in Jabalia to destroy militant tunnels and prevent Hamas from reestablishing operations.

Israel’s leadership confirmed plans to launch a full-scale offensive to seize Gaza City, described as Hamas’ last stronghold.

Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to press forward unless Hamas accepts Israel’s terms for ending the war and releases all hostages. He warned Gaza City would be razed otherwise.

Hamas rejected the threat, saying Israel’s plan proves it is not serious about a ceasefire. A proposed deal includes a 60-day truce, the release of 10 living hostages and 18 bodies, and 200 long-serving Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would follow.

 

Sudanese Paramilitary Kills 13 Civilians in Darfur Amid Ongoing Ethnic Cleansing Campaign

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least 13 civilians—mostly women, children, and elderly—during an attack Sunday on a road between el-Fasher and Tweila in North Darfur, according to the Sudan Doctors Network.

The group called the killings part of an ongoing ethnic cleansing campaign by the RSF in the region.

The attack followed RSF shelling of a hospital in el-Fasher on Saturday, which wounded six patients, including a child and a pregnant woman, and a healthcare worker.

RSF has not commented on either incident.

The RSF is pushing to seize control of el-Fasher, the Sudanese military’s last stronghold in Darfur. The UN human rights office recently reported at least 89 civilians killed by RSF forces in and around el-Fasher over a 10-day period, including 16 summary executions.

RSF forces have bombarded the city for over a year and imposed a full blockade last month, trapping hundreds of thousands.

Sudan’s civil war erupted in April 2023 after tensions between the military and RSF escalated into open conflict. The war has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and pushed parts of the country into famine.

The International Criminal Court is investigating RSF-led atrocities, including mass killings and rape, as potential war crimes.

 

Nigerian Military Frees 76 Hostages in Airstrikes Targeting Militants

Nigeria’s military rescued at least 76 hostages, including children, during precision airstrikes on militant targets near Pauwa Hill in Katsina state’s Kankara area early Saturday, according to state officials.

The operation targeted a known kidnapper and aimed to dismantle criminal networks operating in the region.

Among the rescued were victims abducted during a deadly mosque attack in Unguwan Mantau that killed at least 50 people. One child reportedly died during the rescue operation.

Authorities also confirmed that a separate airstrike in the northwest killed 35 militants the same day.

The strikes are part of a broader campaign to disrupt criminal hideouts and stop ongoing cycles of killings, kidnappings, and extortion in Nigeria’s northwest and north-central regions. Violence in these areas has escalated in recent years, driven by clashes between farming and herding communities and the proliferation of armed groups.

Nigeria also continues to face an insurgency in the northeast that has killed around 35,000 civilians and displaced over 2 million. Despite counterterrorism efforts by President Bola Tinubu’s government, militancy and insecurity persist across multiple regions.

 

Sources: News Agencies