Russian UAVs attack Ukraine, US affirms Israel's 'right to self-defense'

Ukraine's Foreign Minister states "the only way" to strengthen the EU, Japan-Philippines confirm historic agreement negotiations... are some notable international news in the past 24 hours.

During a meeting in Manila on November 3, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Philippine President Marcos Jr. agreed to begin negotiations on the RAA. (Source: Reuters)

The World & Vietnam Newspaper highlights some of the day's international news highlights.

* Ukraine : Russia launches large-scale attack with UAVs : On November 3, writing on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated: “Last night there were about 40 'Shahed' (UAVs). More than half of them were shot down”. According to him, Russian UAVs were deployed to 10 regions, including Kharkov, Zaporizhzhia, Lviv as well as the capital Kiev. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force announced that it had shot down 24 UAVs and one Russian missile.

Interior Minister Igor Klymenko described the attack as “large-scale”, while Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak warned that Russia was “gradually increasing air strikes”.

Western media say Russia has used hundreds of Iranian-made Shahed suicide UAVs to attack across Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. (AFP)

* Ukrainian Foreign Minister : Joining Kiev is the “only way” for the EU to become stronger : On November 2, attending a conference in Berlin (Germany) on expanding and reforming the decision-making process of the European Union (EU), Mr. Dmytro Kuleba emphasized that Ukraine is making significant efforts and achieving clear results in reforms that are important to Ukrainian society, thereby making the country stronger and more resilient.

Ukraine’s accession to the EU would strengthen, not weaken, European security, he said. Kiev would bring “added value” rather than being a burden. Russia’s actions show that the EU can be stronger and act more decisively.

“Ukrainians are now at their most optimistic about the European project. They are committed to the values ​​and principles of the EU. This historic moment and this unprecedented level of support cannot be ignored. This potential should be used to bring about further positive changes in the EU situation,” the diplomat said.

Mr. Dmytro Kuleba stressed that EU citizens themselves will be the first to benefit from the enlargement because it means strengthening the capabilities of the single market, human rights and the rule of law, and making the EU a stronger player in world affairs. (TTXVN)

* Israel kills senior Hamas commander , cuts off “all communications” with Gaza Strip: On November 2, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli security agency Shin Bet said that Mustafa Dalul, commander of the Sabra Tel al-Hawa Battalion of the Hamas movement, was killed in an IDF airstrike on the night of November 2 in the Gaza Strip. This figure played an important role in Hamas' efforts against the IDF in the Gaza Strip.

In addition, the IDF eliminated a number of other terrorists, discovered and seized many weapons and equipment of Hamas. The force also said that four more Israeli soldiers were killed in the fighting in Gaza, bringing the total number of soldiers killed in the ground offensive in Gaza to 23.

On the same day, the Israeli security committee stated: “Israel is cutting off all communications with Gaza. There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza. Workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day the war broke out will be sent back to Gaza.” The next morning, Israel released 3,200 Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip who were detained in the West Bank after Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7. They were then sent back to the Gaza Strip via the Kerem Shalom border crossing, east of the Rafah border crossing.

According to COGAT, the Israeli defense agency responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, before the Israel-Hamas conflict began, Israel had issued work permits to about 18,500 Gazans, mainly construction and agricultural workers, to work on construction sites and farms in the West Bank and around the Gaza Strip. Israel now faces a huge labor shortage in these sectors and is actively negotiating with the countries involved to ensure their re-employment during the ongoing war. (AFP/Jerusalem Post/Times of Israel)

* Hamas accuses Israel of airstrike on UN school , mentions possibility of compromise: On November 2, the Hamas Government Health Agency accused Israel of airstrike on UN school in Jabalia refugee camp, killing 27 people and injuring many others. Video posted on AFP showed a crowd of Palestinians gathering to help some of the injured after the airstrike. Meanwhile, the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNWRA), which manages the school, has yet to comment on the incident.

In another related development, the Civil Defense Authority in Gaza said on the same day that at least 15 Palestinians were killed in the latest Israeli airstrike on the Bureij refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip.

In related news, on November 2, in an interview with NBC (USA), Mr. Ghazi Hamad, a senior official of the Hamas movement, announced that the movement is ready for a "comprehensive compromise" to exchange prisoners with Israel. According to him, Hamas's conditions are the same as before: Israel releases all Palestinian prisoners being held. In return, Hamas will release 240 Israeli hostages. The Hamas official also announced that Israel must stop its attack in the Gaza Strip so that the parties can negotiate the release of the hostages. (AFP/Jerusalem Post)

* Lebanon speaks out, Japanese and US Foreign Ministers visit Israel one after another: On November 2, meeting with German Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs in the Middle East, Deike Potzel in Beirut, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said: "Israel must stop its military machine and agree to a political solution based on the two-state solution according to UN resolutions."

Earlier in the day, he met with the ambassadors of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria and Paraguay, calling on the West to put pressure on Israel to stop its threats to destroy Lebanon and its military attacks on the south of the country.

According to an anonymous Lebanese intelligence source, border clashes with Israel continued on November 2, killing three Lebanese citizens and one Hezbollah fighter. Israel carried out 13 airstrikes along the border, starting from Naqoura in the southwest to Shebaa and Kfarchouba in the southeast of Lebanon. Accordingly, during the day alone, the IDF fired more than 225 artillery shells at more than 40 towns in southern Lebanon, causing serious damage.

Meanwhile, the Hezbollah movement claimed that militants attacked the IDF barracks in Shebaa Farms with two explosive-laden UAVs, the Al Manara settlement and Israeli targets opposite the town of Hula in southern Lebanon.

On the same day, speaking at a policy conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Noura al-Kaabi said: “As we continue to work to prevent conflict, we cannot ignore the broader context and the need to cool down the regional situation, which is approaching a boiling point. The risk of regional spillover and further escalation is present and extremist groups will exploit the situation to promote ideologies that will keep us trapped in a spiral of violence.”

Meanwhile, on November 3, speaking to reporters before meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “Israel not only has the right but also the obligation to defend itself... to ensure that the attack of October 7 never happens again. Besides, we also need to affirm that the way Israel exercises this right is also very important.”

Earlier in the day, he called on Israel to protect civilians in Gaza, amid the IDF’s continued ground offensive in the area. “Everything must be done to protect them and to provide assistance to those in need, who are not responsible for what happened on October 7,” the US secretary of state said. This is Mr. Blinken’s second visit to the region in less than a month.

For her part, on November 3, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa met with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Tel Aviv. She is the first Japanese minister to visit Israel since the conflict between the Jewish state and Hamas broke out on October 7. There, she will hold talks with her Palestinian counterpart Riyadh al-Maliki in Ramallah in the West Bank later on November 3. The Japanese Foreign Minister is expected to ask the parties to temporarily halt the conflict to allow humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip.

The Japanese foreign minister’s four-day tour of the Middle East will also take her to Jordan. Japan relies heavily on crude oil imports from the Middle East and has traditionally maintained friendly relations with the Arab bloc as well as Israel, a country strongly supported by the United States, Tokyo’s key security ally.

Kamikawa said regional stability was important to Japan and pledged $10 million in emergency aid for Gaza civilians. Tokyo has criticized Hamas' military actions last month that led to the ongoing large-scale military clashes. However, Tokyo has not criticized Israel's attacks, which have raised concerns in many countries. (Kyodo/Jerusalem Post/Reuters)

* Southeast Asia strives to evacuate citizens in Gaza : On November 3, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that, according to a commitment from Israel, his citizens waiting to leave Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt can leave on November 3 or 4. The leader also offered to assist other Southeast Asian countries whose citizens are stuck at the Rafah border crossing.

On the same day, according to Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, four Indonesian citizens and the wife of one citizen evacuated from Gaza on November 2 and arrived in Cairo, Egypt.

Meanwhile, Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara stressed that the country is coordinating with all governments that have contact with Hamas to rescue dozens of Thai citizens being held hostage by the group. According to the diplomat, Iranian officials have promised to help negotiate with Hamas. (Reuters)

Southeast Asia

* Japan, Philippines strengthen defense cooperation : On November 3, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed to strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries in the context of China's increasing military presence in the region. Earlier the same day, Mr. Kishida arrived in the capital Manila.

The two sides confirmed they will begin negotiations on a new bilateral pact, called the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), to strengthen security ties and facilitate joint defense exercises. This would be Japan's first RAA with a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the third after pacts with Australia and Britain that took effect earlier in 2023. (Reuters)

South Pacific

* Australia “regrets” Russia’s withdrawal of CTBT ratification : On November 3, the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade “regretted” Moscow’s withdrawal of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), calling it a “disdain” for all who want a world without nuclear weapons.

According to the statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again “disregarded” international rules and norms in pursuit of his own political goals. Canberra said Moscow’s actions have undermined global peace and stability. Australia and its partners called on Russia to immediately reverse its actions.

With 178 ratifications, the CTBT is an essential part of the global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime aimed at permanently ending nuclear weapons testing. Australia calls on all states to sign and ratify the treaty without delay. Canberra also welcomes the efforts of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization to promote and push for the treaty’s entry into force. (Reuters)

Northeast Asia

* China affirms close cooperation with Germany : On November 3, Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met online.

Xi said that trade between China and Germany is developing steadily, with growing interest in two-way investment. He stressed that Beijing hopes that Germany will push the EU to uphold the principles of marketization and fairness, and work with China to safeguard fair market competition and free trade.

Meanwhile, a German government spokesman said the two leaders discussed economic cooperation, as well as Hamas' attacks on Israel and the situation in the region. Scholz and Xi also discussed Ukraine, stressing that nuclear war must not happen there, the statement said. (Reuters/Xinhua)

* Russia denies Wagner supplying Pantsir-S1 systems to Hezbollah : On November 3, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the private military corporation Wagner “in fact” does not exist and such accusations are baseless.

Earlier the same day, the Wall Street Journal (USA) quoted an unnamed US official as saying that Washington had intelligence that Wagner planned to provide Russia with the Pantsir-S1 system. This system, known as the SA-22 by NATO, uses anti-aircraft missiles and anti-aircraft guns to intercept aircraft.

In a related news, commenting on Western sanctions, Mr. Peskov said: "We have learned to overcome them," referring to Western sanctions. Earlier, on November 2, the US announced a new package of sanctions, targeting Arctic LNG 2 and many other individuals and entities due to Russia's military activities in Ukraine. (Reuters)

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tin-the-gioi-311-uav-nga-don-dap-tan-cong-ukraine-my-khang-dinh-quyen-tu-ve-cua-israel-248633.html