Iranian strikes have damaged 20 US military sites since the start of the US-Israeli war against Tehran in February, a BBC analysis of satellite images and videos showed on Monday. The targeted facilities span Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Bahrain, and Oman, found the analysis by BBC Verify using satellite imagery from multiple international providers, along with archived images from Planet, a major provider, to assess damage from Iranian attacks. While the White House has repeatedly said Iran’s military capability has been largely destroyed, analysts argue that damage observed at US facilities suggests that Iran’s counterstrikes were both more precise and more extensive than American officials have publicly acknowledged. Among the significant losses were three advanced anti-ballistic missile battery systems at Al Ruwais and Al Sader airbases in the UAE, as well as Muwaffaq Salti Airbase in Jordan, the report said. The satellite...
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio early Monday discussed “peace and security” in the disputed South China Sea.
In a phone call, Marcos and Rubio discussed a range of bilateral economic and security priorities, including “efforts to advance peace and security in the South China Sea.” The disputed waters of minerals-rich South China Sea have seen the Philippines and China regularly engage in verbal clashes due to overlapping maritime claims.
Philippines is one of the oldest military allies of the US in the wider Asia-Pacific region with a mutual defense agreement.
According to the office of Marcos, the two sides discussed “critical regional and economic priorities, as well as bilateral trade matters.”
Read: China conducts naval, air patrols around disputed South China Sea shoal
Rubio also reaffirmed US “commitment to developing the Luzon Economic Corridor and exploring ways to address the energy challenges in the region,” said the State Department.
The Luzon Economic Corridor is a trilateral initiative of the US, Japan, and the Philippines, according to details shared by the US Embassy in Manila. It also engages their partners, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom — to “catalyse mutual economic growth, create jobs, strengthen connectivity, and improve transport and logistics, energy, and digital infrastructure.”
Read More: China holds live-fire drills
Separately, Chinese Coast Guard Monday conducted “law-enforcement patrol” in waters east of Taiwan in “response to Japan and the Philippines' unilateral announcement of maritime delimitation talks in the area,” state-run Xinhua News reported.
In a joint statement last week following talks between Philippines President Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo, the two countries agreed to begin formal negotiations on delimiting the maritime boundaries of their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves.
“We urge Japan and the Philippines to immediately cease all illegal actions that undermine China's sovereignty, rights and interests,” said the Chinese Coast Guard.
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