While in the Gaza the number of victims continues to rise and Israel confirms the raid on a school in Gaza City, knows no respite there war in Ukraine. Russian defense ministry, in fact, announced that he had hit with a missile with thermobaric warhead the site of “foreign mercenaries” on the southern outskirts of Sudzha, Kursk region. The Ukrainian armed forces in the area – according to the president ofRussian atomic agency Rosatom, Alexei Likhachev – constitute a “direct threat” to the nuclear power plant. What is certain is that the numbers are merciless: the month of July 2024 recorded in Ukraine the highest number of civilian casualties since October 2022, with a total of 219 dead: this was reported by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country.
Israel, raid on Gaza school: 100 dead
At least 100 people were killed and dozens more injured in Israeli raid on a school in Gaza City, according to what medical and security sources in the Palestinian territory reported today. The government press office controlled by Hamas reports that Israeli forces attacked the Al-Tabeen school, used as a shelter for displaced people, during morning prayers. Dozens of people died in the fire caused by the bombing.
In a note published on Telegram, in fact, the Israeli army confirmed the raid near a school in Gaza City explaining that the air force "precisely struck Hamas terrorists who were operating inside a control and command center in the Al-Tabai'een school and located next to the mosque in Daraj Tuffah, which is used as a shelter by residents of Gaza City." “The control and command center – highlights the IDF – was used as a hideout for terrorists and Hamas commanders. From there, numerous attacks were planned against the Israeli military and the State of Israel."
Meanwhile, for the Middle East we're aiming for Ferragosto, with Israel responding to the US offer and announces that he will send i mediators in Cairo to agree the details of the ceasefire framework in Gaza. For the Israeli government it is "important to quickly reach" an agreement on the release of the hostages. Hamas calls for the release of Marwan Barghouti and the leaders of the Palestinian factions, a request accepted by USA, Egypt e Qatar, ready for a bridging agreement.
Ukraine, Moscow: thermobaric warhead against Kiev's mercenaries
The attempts of the mobile units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to penetrate deeper into the Kursk region were foiled and a attack was thrown against foreign mercenaries using a missile with a thermobaric warhead in the southern suburbs of Sudzha, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Air and missile troops launched attacks on reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Sumy region, the ministry said. An attack was launched using a missile with a thermobaric warhead on a temporary deployment site of foreign mercenaries in the southern outskirts of Sudzha, Moscow added. A total of 15 foreign mercenaries were neutralized from this raid according to the note.
While not illegal, the thermobaric weapons they are controversial because they are much more devastating than conventional explosives of similar size and have a terrible impact on anyone within the radius of their explosion.
A thermobaric bomb (also called vacuum bomb) consists of a fuel container with two separate explosive charges. It can be cast as a rocket or unhooked like a bomb from a plane. When it hits the target, the first explosive charge opens the container and widely disperses the fuel mixture like a cloud. This cloud can penetrate any opening or defense in the building that is not completely sealed. A second charge causes the cloud to "explode", giving rise to ahuge fireball, a massive shock wave with a vacuum that sucks up all the surrounding oxygen.
Ukraine: Russian raid on supermarket in Donetsk
On the Ukrainian front, the Russia hit a supermarket in the city of Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, killing at least 10 people and injuring at least 35 others. This was announced by the Ukrainian State Emergency Service. The city was attacked by Russian artillery, according to regional governor Vadym Filashkin. The local broadcaster Novosti Donbassa shared footage of the “Ekomarket” building on fire.
“The attack on the Kostiantynivka supermarket is another case of Russian terror. War against civilians is all they can do,” commented the head of the presidential office Andriy Yermak on Telegram. “Some people are trapped under the rubble. Search and rescue operations are underway,” he wrote on Telegram Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Russia will be held responsible for this terror.”
Fighting near the gas pipeline to Europe, nervous markets
Moscow, meanwhile, announced the introduction of a special anti-terrorism regime – which involves restrictions for the population – in the regions of Belgorod, Kursk e Bryansk, on the border with Ukraine. Kiev, which continues its push into Russian territory, has claimed responsibility for the attack on a Russian military air base in the Lipetsk region, 300 km from the border. The fighting of recent days in the Russian Kursk region they threaten the pipeline which carries half of the Russian natural gas still exported to Europe. Nervousness on the European gas market, despite the reassurances from Gazprom.
The fighting of recent days in the Russian region of Kursk, in fact, has directly affected the town of Suzdha - which according to unconfirmed reports fell into the hands of the Ukrainians -, where the last transit station of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod gas pipeline is located , that is, the pipeline that transports half of the Russian natural gas still exported to Europe. The other half passes through the Turkstream, which crosses the Black Sea.
Despite Gazprom, the Russian state giant in the sector, has ensured that exports continue normally, war events have caused quite a few nervousness on the European gas market, with prices which for the first time in 2024 exceeded the 40 euros per megawatt hour, with a jump of more than 4% in one day. A Gazprom executive quoted by the agency Tass He said that in addition to the ongoing battle in Suzdha, maintenance work underway at some facilities in Norway could contribute to pushing prices higher, resulting in production limitations.
(last update at 15.40pm)
