US News
- The US approves $3.3 billion in missile sales to Japan. [Link]
- Thailand will receive 120 armored vehicles from the US by the end of 2020. [Link]
Afghanistan
- The Taliban say Trump’s remarks about not being in a hurry to remove troops from Afghanistan slowed peace talks. [Link]
- The Taliban killed 14 members of a pro-Afghan government militia. Some Afghan militia leaders are hoping a peace deal between the US and the Taliban will give an opening for amnesty. [Link]
Israel
- Israel and Saudi look to prevent talks between the US and Iran. [Link]
- Explosions killed three people at two checkpoints in Gaza. [Link]
- The Hezbollah leader says his group will respond to Israel’s drone strikes in Beirut. However, he does not expect a larger war to break out. [Link]
- The Pentagon denies any involvement of assisting Israel in bombing Iraq. [Link]
Turkey/Syria
- Russia is in talks with Turkey to sell fighter jets. [Link]
- Putin says Turkey and Russia came to some agreements on how to handle the terrorists in Idlib, Syria. [Link]
- Turkey says airstrikes hit near its observation post in Idlib. [Link]
- Syrian Kurds agree to withdraw from a strip along the Syrian-Turkish border. The strip will range from three to nine miles wide. [Link]
- About 60 fighters have been killed as Assad tries to retake Idlib from al-Qaeda linked rebels. About half the deaths are from each side in the conflict. [Link]