Israeli military strikes Houthi energy site in Yemen, calls it retaliatory
The military said in a statement that the strikes were in response to repeated attacks by the Houthis against Israel, including launching missiles and drones towards its territory.
Israeli media reported earlier that the attack on the Haziz power station near the capital was carried out by the Israeli navy.
Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said that the power station was hit by an "aggression", knocking some of its generators out of service. It did not indicate the source of the attack.
Teams were able to contain a resulting fire, Al Masirah reported, citing the deputy prime minister.
At least two explosions were heard earlier in Sanaa, residents said.
Israel has been bombing Yemen in response to Houthi attacks on Israel. The Yemeni group has been firing missiles towards Israel, most of which have been intercepted, in what they describe as support for Palestinians during the war in Gaza.
The United States and the UK have also previously launched attacks against the Houthis in Yemen.
In May, the U.S. announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to the group's attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.
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First Post
16 minutes ago
- First Post
Inside Donbas, Ukraine's industrial powerhouse and the area that Putin wants in exchange for peace
As Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads to Washington, all eyes turn to Donbas, a contested region in Ukraine. Why? Vladimir Putin has demanded this area in exchange for peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. But what makes this stretch of land so significant to the Russian leader? A man walks on a muddy road in the Donbas region. The future of Ukraine's industrial heartland in the east of the country is uncertain, after Vladimir Putin reportedly demanded it be handed to Russia. File image/AFP What's the price of peace? For Russia, it is Ukraine's industrial region of Donbas. At least that's what emerged from the 'historic' Alaska summit where Vladimir Putin met Donald Trump to discuss the next phase of the war, which began back in February 2022. Now, all eyes turn to the White House, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accompanied by an entourage of European leaders, head to the American capital this evening (August 18) to meet with Trump and deliberate on the Alaska summit and the demands put forth by the Russian strongman to end this war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The question that many are asking — why does Putin want Donbas so eagerly? And what would handing over this territory mean for Ukraine? Putin's price for peace On August 15, US President Donald Trump met with Vladimir Putin, a first since 2018, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. While there was no substantial outcome from this meet, the two leaders hailed the 'big progress' they made with Trump even posting on social media: 'Big progress on Russia. Stay tuned!' It is believed that during the talks, Putin offered to freeze the front lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, if Ukrainian troops withdraw from their heavily fortified toehold in the Donbas, an industrial region composed of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Some senior officials also said that Putin would provide a written promise not to attack again if Kyiv agreed to his demand for Donbas. US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin walk to a joint news conference following their meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Reuters Following the meeting between the two strong men, Trump, according to sources, backed Putin's plan, with one source telling AFP, 'Trump is inclined to support it.' Moreover, the New York Times, citing officials said that Trump told European leaders that he supported the plan and is expected to present this proposal to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to Washington. All about Donbas Before we get into the why Putin is eyeing this territory, let's understand what it is and where is it located. Situated along Ukraine's eastern border, the Donbas takes its name from 'Donets Basin', a further abbreviation of 'Donets Coal Basin', in reference to the coal basin along the Donets Ridge and River. Predominantly Russian-speaking, Donbas stretches the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It holds vast coal reserves, once fuelling much of Ukraine's energy grid and steel production. This has also earned it the honour of being Ukraine's industrial powerhouse. A miner works at the Komsomolets of Donbas coal mine in the settlement of Kirovskoye (Khrestivka) in the Donetsk region. Donbas is reported to contain more than 56 per cent of Ukraine's hard coal reserves. File image/Reuters According to the 2025 CIRSD report 'The Mineral Wars,' the Donbas and Crimea regions collectively host significant coal deposits, natural gas fields, and critical minerals. It is reported to contain more than 56 per cent of Ukraine's hard coal reserves, among the largest in the world and valued at approximately $12 trillion. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It is also rich in critical minerals such as lithium, which is important for batteries and green technologies. Also, it contains tantalum, cesium, and strontium, which are essential for the green energy and defence sectors. Apart from its mineral wealth, the Donbas also has significant water resources, sustaining farming operations across southern Ukraine and supplying water to Crimea too. Donbas' significance to Putin Many say that Donbas is of great importance to Putin, symbolically and strategically. In his initial speech declaring war in 2022, Putin said he wanted to liberate Russian-speaking people in Donbas from a 'genocide' perpetrated by Kyiv. In fact, in the early months of the war, Putin even switched tactics, saying that the invasion had one goal — the liberation of Donbas. Additionally, the Donbas is also the native region of Viktor Yanukovych, the corrupt Ukrainian president ousted by pro-western demonstrators during the 2014 Maidan revolution. Indicating its historical importance, Sergei Markov, a Moscow-based political scientist and former Kremlin adviser told The New York Times, 'Donetsk is perceived as way more 'ours' than Dnipro, Sumy or Kharkiv.' Ukrainian servicemen fire at Russian positions with a 105mm howitzer in the region of Donbas, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. File image/AFP Moreover, today, despite the war way into its third year, Kyiv still holds about a third of Donetsk. Luhansk is almost entirely in Russian hands. It has been described as a 'fortress belt' by the Institute for the Study of War. It forms the main fortified defensive line across the front line, stretching through Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, and Kostiantynivka. As Elina Beketova, a fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, was quoted telling The Independent, 'Ukraine is holding a key defensive line across Donetsk.' She added that Russia hasn't been able to break through since 2014, and has lost many people there. The entire region is heavily mined, and Ukrainian troops have been preparing it for years. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And experts note that if Zelenskyy abandoned his minefields, trenches and dragon's teeth anti-tank defences in Donetsk, Putin would be able to mount another full-blown invasion with relative ease, potentially even making another push for Kyiv. Yaroslav Trofimov, the chief foreign affairs correspondent of The Wall Street Journal, even said that surrendering the fortifications of northern Donbas would be suicidal for Ukraine, unless Trump is willing to send US troops to protect Ukraine the way they protect South Korea. Ukraine's stance on Donbas Even before Putin made the demand for Donbas at the Alaska summit, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for the surrender of this territory. The Ukrainian leader has vowed that his people would 'never leave' the Donbas, and even warned that Putin's troops could use it as a springboard for a future invasion. 'We will not leave Donbas. We cannot do this. Everyone forgets the first part — our territories are illegally occupied. Donbas for the Russians is a springboard for a future new offensive,' he said. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed not to give Donbas to Russia, saying that abandoning it would open the door for Russian President Vladimir Putin to 'start a third war' in Ukraine. File image/Reuters But, now as Zelenskyy heads to the White House, he is left with this conundrum: land versus life. Does the Ukrainian leader choose to give up Donbas or does he hold on to it, at the cost of more lives? Volodmyr Ariev, a Ukrainian MP from the opposition European Solidarity party, even told the BBC, 'We don't have enough forces to continue the war for an unlimited time. But if Zelenskyy were to concede this land it would be not only a breakdown of our constitution, it could have the hallmarks of treason.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There's also the issue of how such an agreement, if agreed upon, would take place. For Zelenskyy to hand over the Donbas to Russia, he would require approval of the parliament and a referendum of the people. Now, we will have to wait until the White House meeting to see what comes out next. Will Trump push Zelenskyy to surrender the Donbas and will the Ukrainian leader give in? With inputs from agencies
News18
26 minutes ago
- News18
Chinese FM Wang Yi to visit Pakistan this week: Report
Agency: Islamabad, Aug 18 (PTI) China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi will arrive in Islamabad this week to attend the Pakistan-China strategic dialogue and hold meetings with the civil and military leadership to discuss bilateral ties as well as key regional and international developments, a media report said on Monday. The top Chinese diplomat will undertake a two-day visit beginning on August 21, The Express Tribune newspaper reported, citing official sources. In Islamabad, Wang will review the current state of bilateral ties between the two countries and discuss key regional and international developments, the paper said. His visit comes against the backdrop of a host of developments, including the India-Pakistan four-day conflict in May, the Iran-Israel war in June and the recent warming of ties between Pakistan and the United States. Given the current geostrategic environment, both sides are expected to explore ways to deepen cooperation, the paper said. During Wang's visit, the agenda of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's upcoming trip to China is also expected to be finalised, it added. Sharif is likely to travel later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit and hold bilateral meetings with the Chinese leadership. PTI SH ZH ZH (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 18, 2025, 16:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump to Zelenskyy: Abandon Nato hopes and Crimea before peace talks; Russia signals readiness to hand over 31 people even as war rages on
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Ukraine should give up on reclaiming Crimea and abandon its ambition to join Nato, as he prepared to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Washington, according to Reuters. The talks are part of Trump's push for a peace deal with Russia to end the war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since February 2022. Trump's remarks came days after he hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where Moscow laid out conditions for halting the conflict. Writing on Truth Social, Trump said Zelenskyy 'can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,' adding, 'No getting back Obama-given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE.' Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014 during Barack Obama 's presidency. High-stakes meetings in Washington According to the White House, Trump will meet Zelenskyy at 1:15 pm EDT (10:45 pm IST, Monday) in the Oval Office before holding a joint session with leaders of Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, the European Union and Nato at 3 pm EDT (12:30 am IST, Tuesday). European leaders are traveling to Washington to show solidarity with Ukraine and to push for firm security guarantees in any post-war settlement. Trump's aides said on Sunday that compromises would be required from both sides, but his comments placed the burden on Kyiv to end the conflict. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play this game for 1 minute and see why everyone is crazy about it Undo Relations between Washington and Kyiv, once extremely close, have been rocky since Trump's return to the White House in January, but Ukraine's urgent need for US weapons and intelligence has forced Zelenskyy to keep working with him. After arriving in Washington on Sunday night, Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the invitation but reiterated Ukraine's stance. 'We all equally want to end this war swiftly and reliably. Russia must end this war -- the war it started. And I hope that our shared strength with America and with our European friends will compel Russia to real peace,' he said on Telegram. Zelenskyy rejects Moscow's proposals Kyiv has already dismissed the outline of Putin's Alaska proposals, which reportedly included Ukraine relinquishing the rest of the Donetsk region. Ukrainian forces currently control about a quarter of Donetsk and rely on its towns and hills as a defensive barrier, reported Reuters. Zelenskyy is pushing instead for an immediate ceasefire followed by detailed negotiations. Trump initially backed a ceasefire but shifted his position after his meeting with Putin, aligning more closely with Moscow's preference to negotiate while fighting continues. Russia steps up attacks, signals concessions As the diplomatic maneuvering unfolded, Russia launched missile and drone strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city near the Russian border. Seven people, including two children, were killed in the overnight attacks, officials said. 'They hit an ordinary apartment block… many families were living here, small children, children's playground, residential compound,' said Olena Yakusheva, a local resident. 'We lived here peacefully in our homes.' On the battlefield, Russian troops continue to grind forward, leveraging their numerical and artillery advantages. Putin has signaled that Moscow is prepared to fight on until its objectives are met. At the same time, Russia has indicated limited concessions -- the RIA news agency reported on Monday that Moscow is ready to hand over 31 people to Ukraine. Europe seeks role in talks Concerned about being sidelined after the US-Russia talks in Alaska, European leaders held a call with Zelenskyy on Sunday to coordinate strategy. 'It's important for the Europeans to be there: (Trump) respects them, he behaves differently in their presence,' said Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian lawmaker. British and German media highlighted the stakes of Monday's meeting. The UK's Daily Mail called it 'D-Day at the White House,' while Die Welt in Germany termed it the 'moment of truth' for Trump. German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said, 'It is probably not an exaggeration to say the whole world is looking to Washington.'
