Evening Brief: Russia Strikes Ukraine as Allies Pledge $12 Billion in Reconstruction Aid, US Navy Delays Delivery of New Ford-Class Carriers

· Guy D. McCardle

A building engulfed in flames in Ukraine following a recent Russian strike. (@ZelenskyyUa/X)

Good evening! As the day winds down, the headlines remain heavy this Thursday, July 10, 2025. Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza just as a new European Union aid deal takes shape, while peace talks stall. In Ukraine, a major Russian assault coincides with a $12 billion international aid pledge. Across Africa and Asia, security forces respond to mounting threats, and the US Navy faces fresh delays in its carrier fleet. Here’s your evening brief with the key updates from around the globe.

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Israel Strikes Kill Civilians as EU Brokers Gaza Aid Deal, Ceasefire Prospects Dim

European Union officials struck a new humanitarian aid deal with Israel on Thursday to increase the flow of food, fuel, and supplies into Gaza, just as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 36 Palestinians, including 10 children waiting outside a clinic.

The strikes also wounded dozens and destroyed infrastructure across central and southern Gaza, according to hospitals and aid groups.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the agreement will reopen corridors from Jordan and Egypt, allow more aid trucks, and help repair vital infrastructure.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar confirmed the deal, which follows sustained international pressure over worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Aid groups have warned that the territory risks famine 21 months into the war.

Despite the aid breakthrough, hopes for a ceasefire remain uncertain as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concludes meetings with President Donald Trump in Washington.

US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, say negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar are progressing but face challenges.

Israel’s military said the Deir al-Balah strike targeted a militant involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. However, aid group Project Hope confirmed the victims were civilians waiting for nutritional supplements.

The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 57,000 Palestinian deaths since the war began, more than half of them women and children.

In Khan Younis, Israeli forces reported killing multiple militants and dismantling Hamas infrastructure but also confirmed the loss of another Israeli soldier, one of 18 killed in the past three weeks. This marks as one of the deadliest stretches for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in recent months.

Meanwhile, West Bank violence surged. Two Palestinian attackers killed a 22-year-old Israeli man at a supermarket before being shot dead. Elsewhere, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man after he stabbed a soldier. Tensions continue to climb with expanding settler violence and armed clashes.

Back in Israel, demolitions began in Bat Yam following Iran’s deadly missile strike during the recent 12-day Israel-Iran war. The attack left 2,000 people homeless.

Mayor Tzvika Brot vowed to rebuild the city stronger, echoing a broader push by Israeli officials to recover from Iran’s unprecedented barrage of 550 missiles and over 1,000 drones that killed 28 and injured over 3,000. Iran claims more than 1,060 of its citizens died in the conflict.

 

Nigerian Forces Kill 30 Gunmen in Northwest Counter-Operation

Nigerian security forces killed at least 30 gunmen in a joint police and military operation following coordinated attacks on several villages in the country’s northwest, authorities confirmed Thursday.

The operation was launched Wednesday after hundreds of armed men struck Tuesday evening, according to Nasir Mua’zu, Zamfara State’s Commissioner for Home Affairs.

Three police officers and two soldiers were killed in the counterattack.

Mua’zu emphasized continued cooperation with federal security agencies to stabilize the region.

Northwestern and north-central Nigeria have seen a surge in violent attacks by armed groups, often composed of ex-herders engaged in long-standing conflicts with settled communities. These bandit groups carry out mass killings and kidnappings for ransom, exploiting weak security in the mineral-rich region.

While the northwest battles gang violence, Nigeria also remains entrenched in a jihadist insurgency in the northeast that has killed over 35,000 people and displaced more than 2 million, according to UN figures.

 

Al-Shabab Claims Suicide Bombing at Somali Military Academy

Somalia’s defense ministry is investigating a suspected suicide bombing at the Jaalle Siyaad Military Academy in Mogadishu on Wednesday.

Al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the blast, which it said targeted a Western delegation training Somali army recruits.

Details remain unclear regarding casualties or the identity of the alleged foreign delegation. Witnesses reported that the suicide bomber, wearing an explosive vest, was intercepted before reaching his target and detonated himself, causing minimal casualties.

The academy, one of Somalia’s main military training centers, was last hit in July 2023, when a similar attack killed at least 25 soldiers and wounded over 70.

Al-Shabab continues to target military sites and government personnel in its campaign to overthrow Somalia’s Western-backed government and impose strict Sharia law. In response, Somali forces have ramped up operations, including recent offensives in the Hiran region to retake territory held by the militants.

 

Russia Strikes Ukraine as Allies Pledge $12 Billion in Reconstruction Aid

Russia launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine early Thursday, killing two, wounding 23, and damaging infrastructure across Kyiv and other regions.

The attack, involving roughly 400 drones and 18 missiles, struck ahead of a major reconstruction conference in Rome, where international donors pledged over $12 billion in aid. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted most of the aerial threats, but widespread blasts caused fires and structural damage throughout the capital.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Rome conference, urging allies to unlock and repurpose frozen Russian assets for rebuilding, and called for weapons, joint defense manufacturing, and foreign investment.

The European Commission pledged $2.7 billion of the total aid.

At the same time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held direct talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur. Rubio pressed Moscow for a roadmap to end the conflict and warned of new sanctions. US President Donald Trump, increasingly vocal in his criticism of Putin, has pledged to boost defensive aid to Ukraine, including artillery and Patriot missiles.

The recent wave of Russian strikes has put heavy strain on Ukraine’s air defenses as frontline pressure intensifies. Moscow claims it targeted military-industrial sites and airfields but denies striking civilians, despite continued attacks on populated urban areas.

Zelenskyy’s calls for more support coincided with a renewed push from European leaders. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced plans to purchase US Patriot systems for Ukrainian use, while calling on the US to maintain its commitment to Ukraine’s defense.

Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign ministry downplayed Trump’s criticism and said it remains open to continued diplomatic engagement with Washington.

 

Rubio, Lavrov Trade Ukraine Peace Ideas Amid Tensions Over US Tariffs in Asia

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a 50-minute meeting Thursday in Malaysia, exchanging new proposals for potential Ukraine peace talks.

Rubio described the discussion as a “new and different approach” but stopped short of calling it a breakthrough. He noted President Trump remains frustrated with Moscow’s lack of flexibility and emphasized the need for a roadmap to end the conflict.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry echoed that the meeting included a “substantive and frank exchange” on Ukraine, Syria, Iran, and broader global issues. Both sides reaffirmed a commitment to peaceful conflict resolution and improving US-Russia ties, including restoring direct air travel and diplomatic channels.

Rubio also addressed the ASEAN Regional Forum, affirming the Indo-Pacific as a US strategic priority. However, US credibility in the region is under pressure due to Trump’s sweeping tariff threats.

Eight of the 10 ASEAN nations face new tariffs—ranging from 20% to 40%—if they fail to finalize trade deals. Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, and the Philippines were all recently notified.

Rubio sought to downplay the impact of tariffs, insisting security and maritime cooperation in the South China Sea remain the focus. But skepticism persists. Regional leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, criticized the weaponization of trade, with ASEAN calling for unified resistance to external pressure.

The meeting sets up a likely encounter between Rubio and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Beijing remains a central issue amid ongoing US accusations that China is enabling Russia’s war effort by revitalizing its defense industrial base.

Rubio also signed a memorandum on civilian nuclear energy with Malaysia, initiating steps toward a formal 123 Agreement that would allow US companies to invest in Malaysian nuclear energy projects under strict safeguards.

 

US Navy Delays Delivery of New Ford-Class Carriers Kennedy and Enterprise

The US Navy has announced fresh delays for its next two Ford-class aircraft carriers, John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) and Enterprise (CVN-80), according to Fiscal Year 2026 budget documents.

The Kennedy, originally scheduled for delivery this month, is now delayed until March 2027 due to incomplete certification of the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) and ongoing work on the Advanced Weapons Elevator (AWE). This marks a second delay after a prior one-year setback.

The Enterprise, initially slated for 2028, had already been postponed to 2029. It will now face another delay, pushing delivery to July 2030. Budget documents cite material shortages and supply chain performance issues for the latest schedule slip.

The Ford-class carriers incorporate advanced technologies including electromagnetic launch systems, improved nuclear reactors, and modernized propulsion. However, the persistent delays highlight broader systemic challenges in Navy shipbuilding.

Last month, Adm. James Kilby told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense that every ship class is behind schedule “by at least years.”

The Pentagon is responding by investing in new contracts, modernizing shipyards, and advancing unmanned naval systems to improve production and readiness. The lead ship of the class, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), is currently deployed in Europe amid tensions with Iran, operating with all critical systems online.

 

US Marine F-35Bs Operate from UK Carrier Ahead of Talisman Sabre as Asia-Pacific Tensions Rise

US Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighters from VMFA-242 conducted launch and refueling operations Tuesday aboard the Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales in the lead-up to Exercise Talisman Sabre.

The drills mark the second time the UK Carrier Strike Group has integrated foreign F-35Bs during Operation Highmast, following joint operations with Italian F-35s in May.

The carrier, joined by allied warships, is now near Darwin, Australia, preparing for the US-Australian-led multinational exercise starting Sunday.

Meanwhile, Japan has started relocating its V-22 Osprey fleet to Camp Saga, near the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, to bolster island defense capabilities.

The move comes amid rising Chinese military pressure around the Senkaku Islands and Taiwan.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani called the deployment critical for strengthening rapid-response forces in Japan’s southwest.

In Taiwan, the military launched the ten-day Han Kuang exercise focused on defending against Chinese aggression, including cyberattacks and a full-scale invasion.

China denounced the drills, calling them political theater and vowing that its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) countermeasures against “Taiwan independence” would continue.

The combined military activity underscores deepening defense cooperation among US, UK, Japanese, Australian, and Taiwanese forces, even as Beijing ramps up threats and operations across the region.

 

Sources: News Agencies