Evening Brief: Ice Contamination in Landing Gear Caused F-35 Crash in Alaska, Israeli Forces Stage Rare Daytime Raid in Ramallah

· Guy D. McCardle

An F-35 fighter jet crashed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, on January 28, 2025. (Screenshot)

Here’s what’s happening this Tuesday evening, August 26, 2025.

 

Ice Contamination in Landing Gear Caused $196M F-35 Crash in Alaska, Report Finds

A US Air Force investigation concluded that ice contamination in the landing gear struts caused an F-35A Lightning II to crash at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, last January 28, destroying the $196.5 million aircraft.

The pilot ejected after losing control but suffered spinal, neck, and facial injuries.

Investigators found that water-contaminated hydraulic fluid had frozen in the nose and main landing gear struts, preventing full extension and triggering faulty “weight on wheels” signals that put the jet into ground mode mid-air, rendering it uncontrollable. The incident followed more than an hour of troubleshooting with Lockheed Martin engineers and base personnel.

The crash occurred in extreme cold, with the sequence starting when the nose gear strut froze.

Maintenance issues contributed, including contaminated hydraulic equipment used during a 2023 deployment to Okinawa, lapses in maintenance procedures, and inadequate oversight of hazardous materials.

The investigation highlighted both technical and human factors in the chain of events leading to the mishap.

 

Saudi Arabia, Qatar Pledge Investment in South Lebanon as US Pushes Hezbollah Disarmament Plan

US Middle East envoy Tom Barrack said Tuesday that Saudi Arabia and Qatar are prepared to fund an economic zone in southern Lebanon to provide jobs for Hezbollah members and supporters who disarm under a government plan.

Speaking in Beirut after visits to Israel and Syria, Barrack emphasized that financial support from Gulf partners is essential to offset the loss of income for the roughly 40,000 Hezbollah members currently funded by Iran.

The Lebanese government has pledged to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year, with the army preparing a detailed plan for approval in September.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel could begin withdrawing from parts of southern Lebanon once the disarmament decision is implemented.

The plan follows a US-brokered ceasefire in November 2024 that ended a two-month war between Israel and Hezbollah, which killed more than 4,000 people and caused $11 billion in damage.

Amnesty International reported Tuesday that Israel may have violated international law by destroying civilian property after the ceasefire.

Barrack’s news conference drew controversy when he scolded Lebanese journalists, prompting backlash from the local press syndicate and a statement of regret from the presidential palace.

The US envoy also signaled Washington’s preference to support the Lebanese army over funding the UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, while backing only a one-year extension of its mandate.

 

Talks Between Europe and Iran Fail to Prevent Possible UN Sanctions Snapback

Talks in Geneva on Tuesday between Iran and European representatives from Britain, France, and Germany ended without agreement on how to avert the reimposition of UN sanctions, according to a diplomat familiar with the discussions.

The E3 countries have set an end-of-August deadline to trigger the 2015 nuclear deal’s “snapback mechanism,” which would restore pre-deal sanctions including arms embargoes, missile restrictions, and travel bans.

The Europeans argue Iran has failed to meet conditions, including resuming talks with the US, granting International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to nuclear sites, and accounting for its stockpile of over 400 kilograms (882 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity.

Tehran maintains its program is peaceful and rejects the legality of the snapback, citing Europe’s failure to uphold commitments after the US exited the deal in 2018.

The urgency stems from the snapback’s expiration on October 18 unless extended by the UN Security Council.

Russia has proposed delaying the expiration to allow more time for negotiations, but the draft resolution is unlikely to gain sufficient support.

The outcome leaves uncertainty over Iran’s nuclear program, which has accelerated since Tehran suspended cooperation with UN inspectors following the Iran-Israel war in June.

 

Israeli Forces Stage Rare Daytime Raid in Ramallah, Dozens Wounded

Israeli forces conducted a rare daytime raid Tuesday in downtown Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority, wounding at least 58 people, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

Medics said eight were hit by live fire and 14 by rubber-coated bullets as clashes erupted, with Palestinians throwing stones at Israeli armored vehicles.

Tear gas and gunfire sent crowds fleeing through city streets.

The Israeli military said it targeted money exchanges linked to Hamas and detained five people suspected of terrorist activity. The raid, one of the most high-profile in Ramallah in recent years, risks further weakening the Palestinian Authority, which has limited autonomy in parts of the West Bank and faces public criticism over corruption and cooperation with Israel.

Violence in the West Bank has escalated since the Gaza war began, with large Israeli operations killing hundreds of Palestinians and displacing tens of thousands, alongside rising settler attacks and Palestinian assaults on Israelis.

Daytime raids in central Ramallah remain uncommon despite frequent Israeli operations in the city.

 

Ukraine Lifts Border Restrictions for Men Aged 18-22 Under Martial Law

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced on Tuesday via Telegram that men aged 18 to 22 are now permitted to cross the border freely in either direction despite ongoing martial law.

The change, outlined in a government decree, overturns previous rules that barred men aged 18 to 60 from leaving the country following Russia’s 2022 invasion.

Svyrydenko said the decision also applies to Ukrainians in this age group currently abroad and emphasized the government’s goal of helping young citizens maintain strong ties with Ukraine.

The new regulation will take effect the day after its official publication.

 

Afghan Man Charged with Murder Over Munich Car-Ramming That Killed Mother and Child

German prosecutors filed murder charges Tuesday against an Afghan man accused of killing two people and injuring 44 in a February car-ramming attack in Munich.

The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Farhad N., allegedly drove into a labor union demonstration on February 13, fatally injuring a two-year-old girl and her 37-year-old mother.

Authorities said he carried out the act with “excessive religious motivation,” claiming it was revenge for the suffering of Muslims abroad.

The attack was the fifth violent incident involving immigrants in Germany within nine months and fueled debate over migration during the lead-up to the country’s February 23 national election.

The suspect, who arrived in Germany as an asylum seeker, was arrested at the scene. Federal prosecutors said many of the victims sustained life-threatening or severe injuries.

 

Britain to Compensate Kenyans Over Army-Linked Fire After Immunity Lifted

Britain’s government has agreed to pay 2.9 million British pounds ($3.9 million) to Kenyans affected by a 2021 wildfire accidentally started by its soldiers, marking the first time the UK has faced civil liability in Kenyan courts.

The payout follows a landmark ruling that stripped the British Army of immunity after over 7,700 Kenyans and an environmental group sued for damages.

The blaze destroyed more than 12,000 acres of the Lolldaiga Hills, caused long-term environmental harm, and led to one death. Locals say the compensation is far below their 575 million British pounds ($775 million) demand, with some residents receiving as little as 129 British pounds ($174).

The settlement comes amid wider scrutiny of Britain’s military presence in Kenya.

A recent Ministry of Defense inquiry found that soldiers continued engaging in transactional sex despite an official ban, while a UK High Court ruling ordered the release of contact details for 11 soldiers accused of fathering children with Kenyan women.

The controversies have fueled calls to review the century-old defense pact between Kenya and Britain, which allows 3,000 British soldiers to train in Kenya each year.

 

Suspected Human Remains Found at WWII-Era Mine in Japan Where 183 Workers Died

Divers have recovered suspected human bones, including a skull and limb fragments, at the site of the Chosei undersea mine in Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan, where 183 people — mostly Korean forced laborers — died in a 1942 collapse.

The discovery, announced by the civil group Kizamu Kai, will be examined by local police to confirm whether the remains belong to victims of the accident. If verified, it could accelerate efforts to recover more of the dead, including 136 Koreans and 47 Japanese workers.

The Chosei Mine accident had largely been forgotten until citizen groups began investigations in the 1990s, erecting a memorial and later initiating undersea searches.

The find comes days after a summit in Tokyo between Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, where leaders emphasized cooperation while sidestepping historical disputes.

Japan’s government has acknowledged its wartime aggression but remains reluctant to fund recovery efforts at the site, citing safety concerns. Historians note that hundreds of thousands of Koreans were forced into labor in Japan during World War II.

Wartime compensation remains a contentious issue despite a 1965 treaty, though Tokyo and Seoul have recently sought closer ties amid regional security challenges.

 

Sources: News Agencies