🌎 ISRAEL'S EARTHQUAKE MISSION IN VENEZUELA FOCUSES ON REBUILDING: Israel's delegation to Venezuela, deployed following the devastating earthquakes, is conducting engineering assessments to support recovery efforts rather than search-and-rescue operations. According to Home Front Command Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Elad Edri, the mission was launched at the request of the Venezuelan government to assist with rehabilitation.
The delegation includes about 30 specialists, primarily Home Front Command structural engineers, who are assessing whether damaged buildings can be repaired, safely occupied, or must be demolished. Around 1,300 buildings require evaluation, with Israeli teams working alongside local authorities to prioritize the most critical structures. The mission also includes advising on demolition planning and debris removal to help accelerate reconstruction.
Israel's Foreign Ministry is participating in the delegation, with the civilian component led by Ambassador Yoed Magen, who was raised in Venezuela. Although Israel and Venezuela have not maintained formal diplomatic relations since 2009, Brig. Gen. Edri said the delegation has been warmly received by government officials, local residents, and Venezuela's Jewish community. He added that the team has encountered no security concerns while operating openly in IDF uniforms and described the welcome upon arrival as a positive surprise.
❗️ MONACO PARCEL BOMB INVESTIGATION TAKES NEW TURN: Monaco initially issued an arrest warrant and sought an Interpol Red Notice for 39-year-old Ukrainian national Anastasiia Berezovska, identified as the prime suspect in last week's parcel bomb attack targeting Ukrainian Jewish businessman Vadym Yermolaiev.
The explosion wounded Yermolaiev, his wife Anna Yermolaeva, and their 13-year-old son, David. Yermolaiev, reportedly the intended target, is Jewish and an active member of the Dnipro Jewish community.
Investigators alleged Berezovska disguised herself as a man, fled through France, Italy, and Germany, and likely acted with accomplices due to the sophistication of the attack.
In the latest development, Ukrainian law enforcement sources said Berezovska was found shot dead near Kyiv. Two men have since been detained in connection with the case, including an active officer of Ukrainian Defence Intelligence and a former law enforcement officer, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
❗️ EXPLOSIONS NEAR MACRON'S HOTEL IN DAMASCUS: Multiple improvised explosive devices detonated near the Four Seasons Hotel and the Ministry of Tourism in Damascus during French President Emmanuel Macron's landmark visit to Syria, the first by a major Western leader since the fall of the Assad government.
Macron's convoy departed the hotel about 15 minutes before the blasts, allowing him to safely reach the presidential palace.
Syrian authorities said the devices were improvised, with one reportedly hidden in a trash can and another inside a vehicle.
Officials reported at least 18 people were injured, including four police officers, while local reports indicated three fatalities. Security forces launched a search for those responsible.
Authorities stated the explosions occurred outside the designated security zone for the French delegation, posed no direct threat to Macron, and that his visit is continuing as scheduled.
Macron reaffirmed France's support for Syria's future, stating: "Nothing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria. This morning I met Syria in all its diversity. I saw dignity, courage, and determination. My visit continues."
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