Evening Brief: Russia Launches Major Strikes on Southern Ukraine, Israeli Airstrike Kills Houthi Prime Minister in Yemen

· Guy D. McCardle

Houthi PM Ahmed al-Rahawi killed in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen military meeting. (Image grab via X)

Catch up on today’s headlines for Saturday evening, August 30, 2025.

 

White House Officials Accuse Europe of Undermining Ukraine Peace Talks, Axios Reports

Axios reported Saturday that senior White House officials believe some European leaders are undermining US efforts to end the war in Ukraine by quietly pushing Kyiv toward unrealistic territorial demands from Russia while publicly backing President Donald Trump’s peace initiative.

Two weeks after the Alaska summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, officials say progress has stalled and blame European allies rather than Moscow or Washington.

The administration is pressing Europe to impose tougher sanctions, including halting Russian oil and gas imports and adding tariffs on India and China. While US officials see Britain and France as constructive, they accuse other European powers of leaving the US to bear most of the burden.

Trump, frustrated by the stalemate, has suggested stepping back from diplomacy until either Russia or Ukraine shows flexibility. European officials deny duplicity and say new sanctions are already in the works.

Axios also reported that Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met Ukrainian chief of staff Andriy Yermak in New York to discuss a possible Putin-Zelensky summit, but no significant progress was made.

 

US Navy Tests Arctic Search and Rescue in Alaska During Northern Edge Exercise

US Navy helicopter and Osprey squadrons recently conducted extended search and rescue drills in Alaska’s austere Arctic environment during Exercise Northern Edge, testing their ability to recover downed crew in frigid waters.

The “Chargers” of HSC-14 staged MH-60R Sea Hawks from an expeditionary advanced base in Dutch Harbor, supported by the “Titans” of VRM-30 with CMV-22B Ospreys, which refueled helicopters and enabled medical evacuation drills.

The exercise validated new tactics for forward-deployed operations and interoperability between squadrons, with support from the Air Force, Coast Guard, and Navy recovery experts.

MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter
An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter prepares to land on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) during exercise Northern Edge. (DVIDS)

Operating separately from the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group, Carrier Air Wing 9 logged over 3,000 flight hours and 1,100 sorties across the Alaskan water space and Aleutian Islands, conducting maritime strikes, defensive counter-air, and expeditionary operations alongside US and Canadian forces.

Navy leaders said the drills demonstrated the strike group’s readiness to deliver combat power in contested environments.

 

Russia Launches Major Strikes on Southern Ukraine

Russia carried out a large aerial assault on southern Ukraine overnight into Saturday, killing at least one person and wounding 28 in Zaporizhzhia, officials said.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported 537 drones and 45 missiles launched, with most intercepted.

The strikes followed Thursday’s deadly barrage on Kyiv that killed 23 people, including children, and hit European Union diplomatic offices.

Despite saying it remains open to peace talks, Moscow has continued pressing its offensive, claiming since March to have captured 3,500 square kilometers (1,351 square miles) of territory and broken into Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.

Meanwhile, Ukraine hit two Russian oil refineries in Krasnodar and Samara, worsening fuel shortages that have already led Moscow to halt gasoline exports.

Separately, former Ukrainian parliament speaker Andriy Parubiy was shot dead in Lviv, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to condemn the killing and order an investigation.

 

Finland to Remove Swastikas from Air Force Flags to Avoid NATO Awkwardness

Finland’s Air Force is phasing out swastikas from some of its unit flags, citing concerns that the symbol creates awkward situations with NATO allies and foreign visitors.

The swastika, first adopted in 1918 when Sweden’s Count Eric von Rosen donated Finland’s first military plane bearing the emblem, predates Nazi Germany but has become internationally associated with tyranny and hate.

While Finland previously defended its use as historically unrelated to Nazism, officials acknowledged the need to align with NATO partners, many of whom view the symbol negatively.

The move follows Finland’s accession to NATO in 2023 amid tensions with Russia.

New flags featuring an eagle will replace the swastika designs, which currently appear in four air force units, though no timeline was given. The decision continues earlier efforts to remove the emblem from air force insignia and reflects a push to modernize military symbolism while avoiding diplomatic friction.

 

UK Bars Israeli Officials from Major Arms Fair Over Gaza Concerns

The UK government announced it will not invite Israeli government officials to attend the DSEI UK arms exhibition in London this September, citing Israel’s escalation of military operations in Gaza.

The ban does not apply to Israeli defense contractors, who may still participate.

Britain previously suspended arms sales to Israel that could be used in the nearly two-year war and has pledged to recognize a Palestinian state unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire and long-term peace plan.

Israel’s Defense Ministry condemned the move as political discrimination and said it will withdraw from the event and not host a national pavilion.

 

Israeli Airstrike Kills Houthi Prime Minister in Sanaa, Most Senior Rebel Official Targeted

An Israeli airstrike in Yemen’s capital Sanaa killed Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of the Houthi rebel-controlled government, along with several ministers, the Houthis said Saturday.

Al-Rahawi, appointed in 2024, is the most senior Houthi official killed since the US and Israel began their campaign against the Iran-backed group in response to its missile and drone attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping.

The strike hit a villa in Beit Baws during a recent government workshop and coincided with a televised speech by Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi.

Analysts said the killing marked a shift by Israel from targeting infrastructure to striking rebel leadership, posing a threat to the Houthis’ command structure.

The group has escalated attacks on shipping and Israel in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war, disrupting global trade through the Red Sea.

 

Israel to Curb Aid in Northern Gaza as Offensive Expands, Death Toll and Starvation Rise

Israel will soon halt airdrops and reduce aid deliveries into northern Gaza as it expands its offensive in Gaza City, declared a combat zone Friday. The move is expected to trigger widespread criticism amid worsening humanitarian conditions and fears for the remaining 48 hostages.

The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that a mass evacuation of Gaza City would cause “a massive population movement” that no area could absorb given the destruction and shortages of food, water, and medical care. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported at least 63,371 deaths since the war began, including 332 from starvation and malnutrition, with children making up a significant share.

Recent Israeli strikes killed dozens, including 12 at a bakery in Gaza City and four people seeking aid in central Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israelis rallied to demand a ceasefire and the release of hostages, as families warned the government that continued military escalation risks killing more captives.

 

China Protests Taiwan Foreign Minister’s Visit to Philippines, Warns Manila ‘Not to Play with Fire’

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung visited the Philippines this week as head of a business delegation, sparking a sharp protest from China.

Philippine officials said Lin traveled in a private capacity to lead investors in semiconductors and other industries and held no official meetings with political or security leaders.

Manila reaffirmed its adherence to the “One China” policy while stressing that it maintains economic and cultural exchanges with Taiwan within that framework.

Beijing accused the Philippines of giving a platform to “Taiwan independence” forces and warned of consequences if Manila continued what it called a violation of its commitments.

The visit comes amid heightened tensions between China and the Philippines over disputes in the South China Sea.

 

Sources: News Agencies