In Baltic skies, there's a regular ballet of posturing between pilots from NATO nations and Russia. The military alliance regularly sends up fighter jets to intercept Russian flights that NATO says fail to adhere to international norms and endanger other flyers. The Associated Press spoke to French and Romanian pilots serving on a NATO mission in Lithuania. With spring bringing better weather for flying, they're being kept busy, taking to the skies to identify and watch Russian planes. Alliance members take turns policing Baltic skies around the clock, seven days a week.
The United States once protected ships from Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz in the 1980s. That came during Iran's long war with Iraq. The U.S. could follow that model now and become more aggressive to protect ships passing through the strait as the ceasefire in the Iran war remains shaky and Tehran attacks vessels there. But this time it wouldn't be so easy. Military technology has advanced. The U.S. hasn't defined the same clear, narrow goals in this conflict as it did in the 1980s. And it's not clear international shippers would feel safe even with an American Navy escort given it is a combatant now.
By BEN FINLEY, KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and BILL BARROW Associated Press
U.S. forces have boarded an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia. The Pentagon said Tuesday that the military "conducted a right-of-visit maritime interdiction" of the M/T Tifani "without incident." A U.S. defense official says the tanker was captured in the Bay of Bengal and was carrying Iranian oil. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing military operation, says the U.S. military will decide in the next four days what to do with the vessel. It's the latest move by the U.S. during the Iran war to stop any ship tied to Tehran or those suspected of carrying supplies that could help its government.
By VASILISA STEPANENKO and DAN BASHAKOV Associated Press
Russia has launched a massive aerial attack on Ukraine, targeting civilian areas with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. Officials say the assault killed at least 16 people and injured over 100. The attack, which stretched from daytime into the night, is the largest in almost two weeks. The Russian Defense Ministry claims it was in retaliation for Ukrainian strikes inside Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been seeking more air defense systems from allies. Ukraine's air force reports that air defenses shot down or disabled most of the incoming targets.
By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN, BEN FINLEY and DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press
The U.S. military has widened its efforts beyond the blockade of Iran's ports. It is allowing its forces around the world to stop any ship tied to Tehran or those suspected of carrying supplies that could help its government. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday that the U.S. would be targeting vessels in other areas, like the Pacific, that had left before the blockade began earlier this week. The military also published a notice detailing an expansive lists of goods that it considers contraband, declaring that it will board, search and seize them from merchant vessels "regardless of location."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country's top priority is securing help to buy and build more air defense systems. Russia continues its attacks on civilians and infrastructure, and warns that European sites that make drones and other equipment for Ukraine were "potential targets." Zelenskyy is visiting European capitals to secure military and financial support. He aims to boost air defense capabilities, including the Patriot system. Britain plans to send 120,000 drones to Ukraine this year. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues long-range drone attacks on Russia. Defense leaders from over 50 nations are meeting online to coordinate aid for Kyiv.
Sudan is entering a fourth year of war marked by famine and massacres in what the United Nations calls an "abandoned crisis." The conflict between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has displaced 13 million people. At least 59,000 people have died. Regional powers like the United Arab Emirates are reportedly backing combatants while global attention has shifted to the Middle East. Fuel prices have surged and food costs as well. The war is rooted in a power struggle after Sudan's transition to democracy and could spill over borders. The International Criminal Court is investigating potential war crimes.
By KAREEM CHEHAYEB and MATTHEW LEE Associated Press
Lebanon and Israel have held direct diplomatic talks for the first time in decades. Tuesday's more than two-hour meeting at the State Department came after more than a month of conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the talks a "historic opportunity," while Israel's ambassador to the U.S. hailed what he called a convergence of opinion about removing Hezbollah's influence from Lebanon. Hezbollah opposed the direct talks and wasn't represented. There was no immediate comment from the Lebanese side. The Lebanese government hopes the talks will lead to an end to the war, which has killed over 2,000 people there.
