Morning Brief: Israel Strikes Syrian Military Headquarters After Sectarian Bloodshed in Sweida, Russia Strikes Four Ukrainian Cities as Trump Sets Peace Deal Deadline

· Guy D. McCardle

Black smoke rises after Israeli forces strike Syria’s military headquarters. (Image grab via X)

Israel hits Damascus hard as sectarian violence spirals in Syria. A US Army vet is wrongfully caught in California’s immigration crackdown. Meanwhile, Washington fires key diplomats, Moscow rains missiles in Ukraine, and London and Berlin forge a new security pact. Here’s what you need to know to stay sharp this Thursday morning, July 17, 2025.

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Israel Strikes Syrian Military HQ After Sectarian Bloodshed in Sweida

Israel launched an airstrike on Syria’s military headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday following a warning to Damascus to cease attacks on the Druze minority in Sweida province.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike, stating it targeted the entrance to the Syrian regime’s headquarters.

The airstrike followed reports that Syrian government forces, despite pledging to enforce a ceasefire, joined with local Bedouin tribes in attacks on Druze fighters and civilians.

Clashes erupted after the kidnapping of a Druze merchant, triggering sectarian violence that has killed at least 248 people since Sunday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Among the dead are 92 Druze, including 28 civilians and 21 allegedly executed by regime forces, and 138 Syrian troops.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed continued military action until Syrian forces withdrew from Sweida, calling the situation “an existential battle for the Druze community.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed the stance, reinforcing Israel’s demand for a fully demilitarized southern Syria and deploying additional troops to the Golan Heights armistice line.

The Sweida violence is the worst sectarian outbreak in Syria since the Islamist-led government overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December. The new regime has been repeatedly accused of targeting ethnic and religious minorities, exacerbating long-standing tensions between the Druze and Bedouin communities.

Despite presenting itself as a protector of the Druze, analysts suggest Israel’s involvement is also aimed at pushing Syrian government forces away from its borders.

 

US Army Veteran Tear-Gassed, Detained Without Charges in Massive California Immigration Raid

US Army veteran George Retes, 25, says federal agents tear-gassed, pepper-sprayed, and forcibly removed him from his car during a July 10 immigration raid at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, California—despite identifying himself as a US citizen.

Retes, who served in Iraq in 2019, was held for three days at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles without being told the reason for his arrest or allowed to contact a lawyer or family.

His detention occurred during one of the largest immigration crackdowns under President Donald Trump, which resulted in over 360 arrests at two Southern California marijuana farms. A farmworker died during the raids after falling from a rooftop, sparking outrage from officials and immigrant rights groups.

Retes said agents never explained his arrest and released him without charges. He now plans to sue for wrongful detention, calling the raid tactics excessive and discriminatory.

Federal authorities confirmed his arrest but offered no specific justification.

A federal judge has since ordered the government to halt warrantless immigration arrests in seven California counties. The Justice Department has appealed.

Retes wasn’t the only American citizen detained. Authorities also arrested CSU Channel Islands professor Jonathan Caravello, who allegedly threw a tear gas canister away from a disabled person. He was later released on bond and faces arraignment on August 1.

California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the operation, calling Trump a “chaos agent” spreading fear.

Retes condemned the raids, saying, “No one deserves to be treated the way they treat people,” and warned the issue goes beyond immigration status, impacting all Americans.

 

US Deports Five “Barbaric” Migrants to Eswatini Under Expanded Third-Country Program

The US has deported five convicted foreign criminals to Eswatini, marking the first third-country deportation since the Supreme Court cleared the practice.

The men—citizens of Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos—were described by Homeland Security as “barbaric,” with convictions including murder, child rape, and gang affiliation. Their home countries had refused to take them back.

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the men had been “terrorizing American communities” and confirmed they are now “off American soil,” but offered no details on whether they were deported from prison or immigration custody. Their identities were not released.

The move follows a similar deportation of eight violent offenders to South Sudan, whose government has refused to disclose their current whereabouts. Like South Sudan, Eswatini has not commented on any agreement to accept foreign deportees, raising alarm among human rights groups. SWALIMO, a local pro-democracy organization, criticized the secrecy and warned that Eswatini lacks the resources to manage high-risk individuals.

Eswatini, ruled by King Mswati III as Africa’s last absolute monarchy, has a record of suppressing dissent and was rocked by deadly protests in 2021.

Critics say the US is offloading dangerous criminals into vulnerable states in exchange for diplomatic or economic concessions.

The Trump administration plans to expand third-country deportation deals with African governments and has already discussed migration terms with West African leaders. Talks with Rwanda are ongoing. Meanwhile, nations like Nigeria have pushed back against hosting deportees from other countries, calling the practice unjustified.

Human rights advocates continue to question the legality, transparency, and ethical implications of the deportation policy. Local leaders in recipient countries have warned: “We are not a dumping ground for criminals.”

 

State Department Fires 1,300 Amid Reorganization, Cutting Key Expertise on China, Energy, and Intelligence

The US State Department fired over 1,300 employees last week under Secretary Marco Rubio’s sweeping reorganization, eliminating deep institutional knowledge and triggering alarm across America’s diplomatic corps.

The layoffs impacted experts in intelligence, strategic competition with China, and energy diplomacy—many of whom held decades of experience.

Among those dismissed were specialists in visa fraud, money laundering, passport processing, and regional issues in Russia, Ukraine, and East Asia.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs lost over 100 staff, including nearly half of its passport fraud team. The move also affected analysts fluent in Chinese and professionals overseeing migrant labor abuses in Mexico and Central America.

Rubio’s office justified the cuts as necessary to streamline operations and refocus the department’s mission. But the dismissals overlap with priorities the Trump administration has touted for a second term, such as countering Chinese influence and bolstering US energy exports.

Critics argue the cuts contradict those goals, removing the very personnel tasked with executing them.

Fired employees, many still technically on payroll until September, told reporters they received no warning and were barred from contacting attorneys or family while under administrative review. Some were on vacation when layoff notices arrived. Several described the process as abrupt, chaotic, and undermining national security.

Deputy Secretary Michael Rigas defended the layoffs before Congress, saying the department had grown bloated and inefficient. His testimony sparked outrage on Capitol Hill, especially from Sen. Cory Booker, who accused Rigas of lying to lawmakers about the scope and nature of the firings.

The Biden administration has not commented on the firings. The affected employees may reapply for new roles once a hiring freeze is lifted, but many fear the damage to critical US diplomatic capabilities, especially regarding China and energy security, may already be done.

 

Russia Strikes Four Ukrainian Cities as Trump Sets Peace Deal Deadline

Russia launched a major overnight attack on four Ukrainian cities—Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih, Vinnytsia, and Odesa—injuring at least 15 people and targeting energy infrastructure with 400 drones and one ballistic missile, according to Ukrainian officials.

The strikes mark another escalation in Moscow’s ongoing aerial campaign as President Vladimir Putin faces a new US deadline.

US President Donald Trump has set a September 2 deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal or face intensified US sanctions.

He also pledged to send more Patriot air defense systems and additional weapons to Ukraine, though he stated that European allies would bear the financial burden. Some US and European officials criticized the deadline, warning it could allow Putin to seize more territory before negotiations resume.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for increased air defense support and said Russia’s strategy remains unchanged. Despite previous rounds of peace talks and multiple ultimatums, Russia continues to make incremental territorial gains, banking on Western fatigue, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

In response to Trump’s announcement, the European Union (EU) welcomed the renewed US commitment but pushed for burden-sharing.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a $116 billion aid package to support Ukraine’s economy, not its military, as the country continues its path toward EU membership. The proposal awaits approval from all 27 EU member states.

 

UK, Germany to Sign Treaty Boosting Defense and Anti-Smuggling Cooperation

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will sign a landmark treaty Thursday in London aimed at deepening defense ties and cracking down on migrant-smuggling gangs operating across the English Channel.

The agreement marks Merz’s first official UK visit since taking office in May and builds on earlier groundwork laid by Starmer and former Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The treaty will strengthen bilateral cooperation against human trafficking networks, with Germany committing to criminalize the facilitation of migrant smuggling to the UK Merz pledged to adopt the legal change by year’s end, enabling law enforcement to better target the supply chain of small boats used in the illegal crossings.

Over 20,000 migrants crossed the Channel in the first half of 2025 alone, with dozens of fatalities reported.

Starmer praised the move as a major step in disrupting smuggling operations and underscored the alliance, calling the UK and Germany “the closest of allies.”

The agreement also expands on a previous defense pact, reaffirming mutual support in the event of a military attack and signaling continued cooperation in countering Russian aggression. The leaders are expected to announce joint export initiatives for Boxer armored vehicles and Typhoon jets and begin development of a deep precision strike missile system within the next decade.

In addition to defense and security, the treaty will include new investment deals between Europe’s two largest economies.

Starmer has prioritized rebuilding ties with European neighbors after Brexit, seeking practical cooperation while avoiding re-entry into the EU’s single market or customs union.

Chancellor Merz, a critic of Brexit, said the renewed partnership on foreign and security policy is a positive sign of restored UK-EU cooperation under Starmer’s leadership.

 

Myanmar Junta Claims Recapture of Strategic Town After 11-Month Battle

Myanmar’s military junta announced Thursday that it has recaptured the northeastern town of Nawnghkio from ethnic and pro-democracy rebels following nearly a year of intense fighting.

The town, seized last summer by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and People’s Defence Forces, lies just 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Pyin Oo Lwin, home to the country’s main military officer training academy.

According to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, government forces engaged in 566 clashes over 11 months, eventually retaking the area through coordinated ground and air operations.

A rare front-page spread showcased troops celebrating and acknowledged the deaths of officers and soldiers in the early stages of the campaign.

The TNLA did not confirm the loss but admitted it had relocated civil administration services due to heavy junta offensives.

Nawnghkio’s fall marks a symbolic win for the regime, given its proximity to Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city.

The rebels’ broader offensive, launched in 2023, had earlier secured key victories including the capture of Lashio. That city was returned to junta control in April under a China-brokered agreement.

Despite territorial losses, analysts note that the military still maintains control over Myanmar’s core urban centers, bolstered by its air superiority.

 

Sources: News Agencies