Good morning! Start your week with SOFREP’s morning brief, bringing you essential updates on defense and global affairs for Monday, May 5, 2025. Xi will visit Russia for Victory Day to boost ties with Putin. Israel escalates Gaza operations, mobilizes reservists. Iran offers to mediate India-Pakistan tensions after Kashmir attack. Houthi missile hits near Tel Aviv airport; US strikes back in Yemen.
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Xi Jinping to Visit Russia for Victory Day, Deepen Strategic Ties with Putin
Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay an official visit to Russia from May 7–10, the Kremlin confirmed Sunday, signaling continued close coordination between Beijing and Moscow amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and escalating tensions with the West.
Xi will attend Russia’s Victory Day Parade on May 9 in Moscow and meet with President Vladimir Putin to discuss expanding their “comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction.”
The two leaders will also sign a series of bilateral agreements, though specific details have not been disclosed.
The visit marks Xi’s third trip to Russia since the Kremlin launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While China publicly claims a neutral stance on the war, it has echoed Russia’s narrative that the conflict was provoked by the West and has continued to supply dual-use goods and critical components for Russian weapons manufacturing.
Xi last visited Russia in September 2024 for the BRICS summit and in March 2023 for a state visit.
Putin reciprocated with a trip to China in October 2023 and met Xi again in Beijing in May 2024 and Kazakhstan in July, underscoring the growing diplomatic alignment between the two autocratic powers.
With Western sanctions isolating Russia economically, Moscow has grown increasingly dependent on Beijing. China has absorbed much of Russia’s diverted energy exports and serves as a key supplier of advanced technology and components for Russia’s defense industry—helping it bypass sanctions and sustain its military operations in Ukraine.
The Kremlin characterized Xi’s visit as a demonstration of enduring strategic trust. Russia continues to brand its war in Ukraine as a “special military operation,” and views Chinese support—economic, political, and technological—as crucial to weathering Western pressure.
Meanwhile, Moscow accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of threatening the safety of foreign dignitaries expected at the Victory Day celebrations after Ukraine rejected a Russian-declared 72-hour unilateral ceasefire.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv could not guarantee the security of visiting officials, warning of possible Russian provocations intended to discredit Ukraine.
Israel Approves Escalation in Gaza, Mobilizes Tens of Thousands of Reservists
Israel’s government approved a plan on Monday to intensify its military campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, with aims to capture additional territory and mobilize tens of thousands of reserve troops.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the plan would be implemented gradually and reflects a significant shift in operational tempo.
The decision follows renewed hostilities that began in mid-March after an eight-week ceasefire collapsed amid failed negotiations.
Over the weekend, Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir confirmed that tens of thousands of reservists would be activated and that the military would expand operations into new areas of Gaza, continuing its campaign against militant infrastructure.
Israel currently holds about half of Gaza’s territory, including a border buffer zone and three corridors cutting across the enclave. These advances have severely restricted civilian movement and squeezed the population into increasingly overcrowded and devastated zones.
Since March 18, Israeli strikes have reportedly killed over 2,600 people, including many women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Overall, more than 52,000 Palestinians have died since the war began, although the figures do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
In contrast, Israel’s military operation began in response to Hamas’ October 7 assault, which killed 1,200 Israelis and saw roughly 250 people taken hostage. Israel says 59 hostages remain in Gaza, though around 35 are believed to be dead.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. Israel has blocked aid deliveries since early March, triggering widespread hunger, shortages, and looting. More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, with many forced to relocate multiple times amid ongoing bombardment. Large sections of the territory have been rendered uninhabitable.
Despite international calls for restraint, Israel maintains it will not agree to a ceasefire or end the war until Hamas is fully defeated. Hamas, for its part, has insisted on a ceasefire as a prerequisite to broader peace negotiations—leaving both sides deadlocked as civilian suffering escalates.
Iran Seeks to Mediate India-Pakistan Tensions After Kashmir Tourist Attack
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Pakistan on Monday in a diplomatic effort to deescalate rising tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi following last month’s deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The April 22 assault in the resort town of Pahalgam left 26 people dead, mostly Hindu civilians.
Araghchi’s visit, confirmed by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, marks the first by a foreign official since the attack reignited hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. He is scheduled to meet with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Tehran recently offered to mediate between the two sides, though no formal details have emerged on the substance of Monday’s discussions.
Pakistan’s armed forces remain on high alert. Government minister Attaullah Tarar stated last week that Islamabad had credible intelligence suggesting a possible retaliatory strike from India. Pakistan has denied involvement in the Pahalgam attack and has called for an international investigation—an offer New Delhi has not accepted.
The latest crisis has already led to diplomatic fallout. Both countries have expelled each other’s diplomats and nationals, and closed their airspace in a move reminiscent of prior confrontations.
The US and other global powers have urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid further military escalation.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence, two of them over Kashmir, a region both countries claim in full but control in part. Their relationship remains defined by cycles of conflict, deep-rooted mistrust, and competing nationalist narratives centered on the disputed Himalayan territory.
Houthi Missile Hits Near Tel Aviv Airport, US Retaliates With Strikes in Yemen
Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a missile that struck near Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, prompting retaliatory US airstrikes in and around the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
The missile, reportedly a hypersonic ballistic type, created a deep crater near Terminal 3’s parking area and wounded at least six people, according to Israeli officials.
The Israeli military confirmed that despite multiple interception attempts, the missile impacted within the airport perimeter—marking the first time a projectile directly struck inside Ben Gurion’s secured area.
Flights were briefly suspended, and international airlines halted service to Israel following the incident. Operations resumed shortly after, though security remains on high alert.
In response to the attack, US forces reportedly carried out approximately 10 strikes in Sanaa, targeting areas including Arbaeen Street and the airport road. The Houthis’ Saba news agency accused Washington of “American aggression” and reported that 14 people were wounded in the Sawan neighborhood.
The US has increased its military response against Houthi positions since President Donald Trump resumed intensified operations previously launched under President Biden.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the strike on Ben Gurion and warned of additional attacks on Israeli airports. The group, which has consistently targeted Israel and Red Sea shipping lanes during the Gaza conflict, urged airlines to avoid Israeli airspace.
🚨Sirens sounded across Israel due to a projectile launch from Yemen pic.twitter.com/ZxgypYMEJp
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 4, 2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the attack by vowing future retaliation.
“It will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs,” he said in a video message, also pledging to respond to Iran “at a time and place of our choosing.”
The missile strike triggered widespread panic at the airport. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud bang and feeling intense reverberations. Security personnel directed hundreds of passengers to shelters and bunkers during the alert.
Sources: News Agencies