Israel planning to stay on Mount Hermon for the time being; Russian general killed in Moscow explosion

THE WAR NEWSLETTER — DEC 17 2024

Today’s email brings you news from Israel and Ukraine.

1 - ISRAEL

1 thing to know

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel will keep forces stationed on Mount Hermon for the foreseeable future.

The context 

Israeli forces seized the Syrian side of Mount Hermon after the fall of Syria’s Assad regime. The mountain is a strategic position and Israel did not want it falling into the hands of Syrian rebels who might use it to attack Israel.

Israel’s Defense Minister reiterated that Israeli forces will stay in place atop the mountain as long as needed. He also said the mountain is a useful deterrence and observation point not only against the Syrian rebels but also Hezbollah in Lebanon.

More from the region

The current leader of the Syrian rebel movement and chief of the terrorist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, said that under him, Syria will not be used as a base for anti-Israel terror attacks.

Jolani said that he wants to bring back the UN-controlled buffer zone between Israel and Syria and implement the 1974 agreement again.

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TECH SPOTLIGHT: MINE COUNTERMEASURES USV

The Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MCM USV) is a semi-autonomous, diesel-powered vessel designed for mine countermeasure operations. It supports Minesweeping, Minehunting, and future Mine Neutralization payloads, and is equipped with sonar, radar, and modular systems.

The MCM USV can be launched from the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), other vessels, or from the shore, and clears mines using the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) or detects and classifies mines, such as bottom mines, close-tethered moored mines and volume moored mines, with sonar systems like the AN/AQS-20C, which consists of multiple sonars, and AN/AQS-24B. 

What it’s used for

As of yet, the MCM USV has not seen extensive deployment on active mine clearing missions, and remains primarily in integration and testing phases by the US Navy. 

2 - UKRAINE

1 thing to know

Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov was by an explosion in Moscow by the Ukrainian Security Service.

The context

Russian Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, the head of radiation, chemical, and biological protection forces and an assistant were killed by an explosive device planted inside a scooter as they were leaving a residential building on December 17.

According to emergency services, the explosive was equivalent to 200 grams of TNT, and caused damage up to the third floor of nearby building as well. Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) have since claimed attack, saying he was a war criminal and responsible for the use of chemical weapons against Ukraine. Russia has claimed that the attack was unprovoked act of terror.

More from the region

At least 50 North Korean troops were reportedly killed in a drone attack in Russia's Kursk region. Vehicles and equipment were also destroyed in the attack.

Attacks against the Ukrainian forces currently occupying the Kursk region has increased over the last week, and at least 200 North Korean soldiers have killed so far, of the 12,000 that have been reportedly deployed alongside Russian troops in Kursk.

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