Morning Brief: Russia Launches Third Day of Aerial Assaults on Ukraine, American Killed in West Bank

· Guy D. McCardle

Smoke billows from a building in Kyiv, Ukraine following a Russian Drone attack on July 4th. Image Credit: Yehor Konovalov / AP

For three nights in a row, Russian forces have launched intense aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities, using hundreds of drones and dozens of cruise missiles in each wave. These weren’t precision strikes on military targets along the front lines—they hit deep into Ukraine’s western regions, including cities like Lviv and Chernivtsi. That’s like throwing punches well past the battlefield, designed not just to destroy infrastructure but to rattle civilian morale.

The attacks killed at least two people and injured over 18, with residential buildings and hospitals—yes, even maternity wards—taking the brunt of the damage. Fires and explosions lit up the night skies as air raid sirens wailed in areas that, until now, had been relatively insulated from the war’s front edge.

Each night followed a grimly familiar pattern: Russia sent in wave after wave of drones, many of them cheap Iranian-made Shaheds, in an attempt to saturate and overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses. The third night, July 12, saw the heaviest barrage yet. Between 3 a.m. and 4:45 a.m., Lviv and Chernivtsi were rocked by explosions as civilians scrambled for shelter. Emergency crews pulled wounded residents from the rubble while medics treated patients in damaged hospitals running low on supplies. People are packing their bags and heading for safer ground—if any such thing still exists in this conflict.

The message from Moscow is clear: nowhere is safe. These strikes don’t just aim to take out power grids or ammo depots—they’re meant to break the Ukrainian spirit by hitting homes, schools, and hospitals. It’s a cruel tactic that leaves smoldering buildings and shattered families in its wake. The international community has condemned the attacks, but so far, condemnation hasn’t stopped the nightly barrage.

Ukraine’s emergency services are stretched thin, humanitarian needs are mounting, and with each passing night, the war creeps deeper into civilian life. This is more than a military campaign—it’s a psychological one, and most of the targets aren’t soldiers. They’re families.

American Killed by Settlers in West Bank as Violence Escalates

A Palestinian American man was killed in the West Bank on Friday, July 11, 2025, during an attack by Israeli settlers on the village of Sinjil, north of Ramallah. The victim, identified as Saif al-Din Kamel Abdul Karim Musallat (also reported as Sayfollah Musallet), was a 23-year-old dual U.S. citizen born in Florida and visiting family for the summer.

According to the Palestinian Authority and the victim’s family, Musallat was beaten to death by settlers while he was attempting to protect his family’s land from encroachment. Witnesses and relatives stated that settlers surrounded Musallat for several hours, preventing paramedics from reaching him, which delayed life-saving aid. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

In the same incident, another Palestinian man, Mohammad al-Shalabi, was reportedly shot and killed, and at least ten other Palestinians were injured during the confrontation. The Israeli military said the violence began after Palestinians allegedly threw stones at Israeli civilians, leading to a “violent confrontation” that included vandalism, arson, and physical clashes. The military and police are investigating the incident.

The U.S. State Department acknowledged awareness of the death of a U.S. citizen in the West Bank but declined further comment, citing respect for the family’s privacy. Musallat is at least the seventh American killed in the West Bank, Gaza, or Lebanon since October 2023.

No arrests have been reported as of yet, and advocacy groups are calling for a full U.S.-led investigation and accountability for those responsible.

 

Houthis Turn Up the Heat in the Red Sea: Two Ships Sunk, Dozens Dead or Missing

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have upped the ante in the Red Sea, sinking two merchant ships in a matter of days and sending a loud, violent message to the world’s shipping lanes. The most recent hit came against the Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier that was struck on Monday and again on Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, the ship was at the bottom of the sea. At least four crew members are confirmed dead, ten were rescued, and as many as fifteen others are still missing. The Houthis say they’ve taken six of the survivors to a so-called “safe location”—whatever that means in this context.

Just before that, the Magic Seas, another Greek-owned cargo ship, was attacked and ultimately sank as well. All 22 crew members aboard managed to abandon ship and were later rescued. The Houthis, never ones to shy away from spectacle, released videos of both attacks showing their fighters boarding the vessels, planting explosives, and walking away as the ships disappeared beneath the waves. These aren’t random acts of piracy—they’re coordinated military operations, complete with post-production.

The Houthis claim they’re doing this in solidarity with Palestinians as the war in Gaza drags on. But solidarity or not, what they’ve done is reignite chaos in one of the world’s most important maritime routes. The Red Sea had seen a relative lull in attacks recently—until now. With these new strikes, they’ve put global shipping, environmental safety, and maritime security back in the crosshairs. The United Nations and other international players have condemned the attacks, but condemnation doesn’t stop sinking ships. For now, the Red Sea is looking less like a trade corridor and more like a war zone.