IDF's Drone Strike "Message" Supports Syrian Druze Community + US & Ukraine Agree to Mineral Deal + EU Will Not Recognize Crimea as Russian + More

I - On Defense Podcast

For review:

1. Israel seeks international aid in fighting wildfires across the country. A statement from Israel's Foreign Ministry said the minister had spoken with the foreign ministers of the UK, France, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Argentina, Spain, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, and other unspecified countries.

2. IDF's Drone Strike "Message" Supports Syrian Druze Community. Joint Statement from Israel's PM and Defense Minster: “Israel will not allow harm to the Druze community in Syria, out of a deep commitment to our Druze brothers in Israel, who are connected by family and historical ties to their Druze brothers in Syria.”

3. US & Ukraine Agree to Mineral Deal. The Ukrainian Cabinet approved the agreement Wednesday. The deal still needs to be ratified by the Ukrainian Parliament before it can take effect.

4. EU Will Not Recognize Crimea as Russian. EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on April 30: "On the European side, we have said this over and over again… Crimea is Ukraine."

5. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calls for accelerating the nuclear weapon capability of the Korean People’s Army Navy.

6. At Modern Day Marine conference, Polaris unveiled MRZR Alpha vehicle with one kilowatt of exportable power. The company is also working on a MRZR variant capable of generating five kilowatts of power.

7. US Navy has awarded a long-awaited contract modification to General Dynamics Electric Boat, and major subcontractor HII, for the construction of two Virginia-class submarines appropriated through fiscal 2024 funding.