Moscow enforces stringent limitations on Bashar al-Assad nearly 12 months following his Syrian departure, with curtailed mobility and prohibited public visibility, multiple outlets indicated to Euronews.

Moscow placed severe requirements on Assad's residence when providing refuge in April 2025, Russian Ambassador to Iraq Elbrus Kutrashev revealed to Euronews. Assad must avoid all media visibility and political involvement, Kutrashev informed the Islamic Republic News Agency, according to Euronews.

Russian intelligence agencies maintain Assad under exceptionally severe protection, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated to Euronews. His mobility remains highly constrained, and he has ceased to give public addresses, Euronews reported.

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The July 4 conversation between the American and Ukrainian leaders represents a dramatic shift from Trump's previous position on Russia's war and his campaign commitment to withdraw US involvement from foreign conflicts. Trump's inquiry came after what he characterized as a "bad" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous day, sources familiar with the matter told The Financial Times.

During the Independence Day call, Trump directly questioned his Ukrainian counterpart about striking military installations deep within Russian territory if provided with appropriate weaponry, according to two officials briefed on the conversation. "Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow? Can you hit St Petersburg too?" Trump asked during the call, the sources revealed to The Financial Times.

Zelenskyy responded affirmatively, stating "Absolutely. We can if you give us the weapons," according to the officials. Trump expressed support for the approach, describing the strategy as designed to "make them [Russians] feel the pain" and compel the Kremlin toward negotiations, the two sources told The Financial Times.

The conversation reflects growing sentiment among Ukraine's western partners to provide long-range weapons capable of "bringing the war to Muscovites," according to a western official informed of the call. This perspective has been echoed privately by American officials in recent weeks, The Financial Times reported.

The White House and Ukraine's presidential office declined to respond to requests for comment from The Financial Times.

The Trump-Zelenskyy discussion resulted in US officials sharing a list of potential weapons systems with the Ukrainian president during a Rome meeting last week, according to three sources with knowledge of the exchange. Zelenskyy received the catalog of long-range strike systems that could potentially be made available to Ukraine through third-party transfers during meetings with US defense officials and intermediaries from NATO governments.

This arrangement would enable Trump to bypass the current congressional freeze on direct US military aid by authorizing weapons sales to European allies, who would subsequently transfer the systems to Kyiv, sources explained to The Financial Times.

Ukrainian officials had specifically requested Tomahawk missiles – precision strike cruise missiles with approximately 1,600-kilometer (994-mile) range. However, the Trump administration, like its predecessor, expressed concerns about Ukraine's potential lack of restraint, according to a source familiar with the weapons list shared with Zelenskyy.

During an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday, Trump announced plans to provide Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems and interceptor missiles but did not reveal shipments of other weapons systems, The Financial Times reported.

Trump expressed his displeasure with Russia and Putin over the absence of progress toward ending the war. "I'm disappointed in President [Vladimir] Putin, because I thought we would have had a deal two months ago," the US president stated.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chair of Russia's security council and former interim president, dismissed Trump's decision on social media. "Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin Russia didn't care," Medvedev wrote on X.

Two sources briefed on the Trump-Zelenskyy call and familiar with US-Ukraine military strategy discussions indicated that the Army Tactical Missile System, or Atacms, was among the weapons discussed, according to The Financial Times.

Ukraine has deployed US-supplied Atacms missiles with ranges up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) to strike targets in Russian-occupied territory and, in some instances, deeper inside Russia. The Atacms can be launched from HIMARS rocket systems that the Biden administration delivered to Ukraine, but they lack sufficient range to reach Moscow or St Petersburg.

Russia has repeatedly threatened to attack western targets in response to western weapons supplies to Ukraine but has not yet acted on these warnings, The Financial Times reported.

After Ukraine first used the Atacms system to strike military targets inside Russian sovereign territory last November, Putin declared the war had "taken on elements of a global nature" and responded by test-firing the Oreshnik, an experimental intermediate-range missile, on the city of Dnipro.

The Russian president stated Moscow was entitled to "use our weaponry against military facilities of countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities, and in the case the aggressive action escalates, we will respond just as decisively and symmetrically."

Following the Atacms strikes, Russia published an updated nuclear doctrine that lowered the threshold for potential use. The changes could envision a Russian nuclear first strike against the US, UK and France – NATO's three nuclear powers – in response to Ukraine's strikes on Russia with weapons such as the Atacms and Storm Shadow missiles, The Financial Times reported.

Washington has periodically warned Ukraine against using these weapons to strike deep inside Russia, but those constraints appear to be loosening currently. Ukraine has primarily used its own domestically-produced long-range drones to strike military targets deep inside Russia that fuel its war machine.

Ukraine's most audacious attack occurred in early June, when the SBU security service launched swarms of suicide drones hidden inside prefabricated homes that it smuggled into Russia and attacked the country's fleet of strategic bombers. The planes had been used in Moscow's bombardments of Ukrainian cities throughout the war. At least 12 aircraft were heavily damaged or destroyed in what Kyiv called Operation Spiderweb, according to The Financial Times.

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The US Treasury Department imposed a fresh round of economic sanctions Wednesday on key Houthi officials, exposing an extensive network of weapons deals, financial transfers, and human trafficking operations between the Yemen-based terrorist organization and Russia. Documents released alongside the sanctions detail how Houthi leaders made multiple trips to Moscow, coordinated attacks to avoid Russian vessels, and established a mercenary pipeline sending Yemeni citizens to fight in Ukraine in exchange for cash and military support.

According to the Treasury Department, the sanctions target Houthi officials who smuggled military equipment and weapons systems to areas under their control in the Arab country. These individuals also conducted negotiations to purchase weapons and military equipment for the organization from Russia. Against this background, the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the Treasury Department added another activist associated with the Houthis to the list, along with his company, which recruited Yemeni citizens to fight for Russia in Ukraine and transferred funds to support the organization.

Sanctioning Houthi Leaders for Weapons Procurement and Destabilizing Violencehttps://t.co/TVEaWB5Tl5

— U.S. State Dept - Near Eastern Affairs (@StateDept_NEA) March 5, 2025

As part of efforts to generate revenue, the Yemeni terrorist organization recruited Yemeni citizens to fight in Ukraine for Russia – sometimes through deception. One of the key figures was a senior Houthi commander known as al-Jabari, who managed a sort of manpower company. Through this company, he transferred Yemeni citizens to Russian military units in exchange for cash, creating a new source of income for the organization.

Senior Houthi official Mohammad Ali al-Houthi responded last night to the US State Department's decision to designate Ansar Allah (the Houthis) as a terrorist organization: "Bringing supplies into Gaza is higher on our list of priorities than the American decision, which is illegal," he claimed. "Preventing supplies to Gaza and sabotaging peace agreements is American terrorism, contrary to our support for Gaza through maritime operations."

U.S Treasury sanctioned 7 high ranking #Houthis leaders including spokesman for smuggling military-grade items & weapon systems to #Yemen, negotiating Houthi weapons procurements from Russia, & recruiting Yemeni civilians to fight for Russia in Ukrainehttps://t.co/k4nK4NgmFx https://t.co/XP5ArHEZBw pic.twitter.com/mbfUVzEvRN

— عبده علي الحذيفي Abdu Ali Al-hothifi (@abduhothifi) March 5, 2025

 The Office of Foreign Assets Control listed the names of senior Houthi officials who will face sanctions. The first figure is Mohammad Abd al-Salam. He is the organization's spokesman in the Sultanate of Oman, who played a key role in managing the Houthis' internal and external funding network. Al-Salam also facilitated weapons deals and support from Russia. As part of this effort, he flew to Moscow to meet with Russian Foreign Ministry officials and coordinate with Russian officers to organize additional Houthi delegations in the country. Another senior figure who will face American sanctions is Ashaq Abd al-Malik al-Marwani. He is an assistant to Abd al-Salam.

The US also mentioned Mahdi Mohammad Hussein al-Mashat – head of the Supreme Political Council of the Houthis in Yemen. As head of the council, he worked to increase cooperation between the Houthis and Russian President Vladimir Putin. It should be noted that he is a close associate of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi and acts as his representative.

The American report also mentions Mohammad Ali al-Houthi. The senior organization member serves on the Supreme Council and in this capacity managed contacts with official representatives from Russia and China. The goal was to ensure that Houthi attacks in the Red Sea would not harm Russian or Chinese vessels. At one point, he also planned to fly to Russia with intelligence operatives to discuss Russian assistance to the organization.

Another senior official who will be subject to sanctions is Ali Mohammad Saleh al-Hadi. He is the head of the Sanaa Chamber of Commerce, which is controlled by the Houthis. In this role, he became a central figure transferring funding to the organization for weapons purchases. As part of this effort, he flew to Russia several times to secure defense equipment for the organization and investments in industries controlled by the Houthis in Yemen.

Two additional senior officials mentioned are Abdul-Malik al-Ghari and Khaled Hussein Jaber. The former participated in Houthi delegations to Russia and China. The latter participated in meetings with Russian Foreign Ministry officials and managed contacts regarding illegal weapons deals.

The sanctions mean that any property or interests of these individuals located in the US or under US control will be blocked. The sanctions also generally prohibit the US or people in the US from being involved in transactions with these individuals.

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Eduard Kuznetsov, a prominent Soviet-era dissident and former Prisoner of Zion who endured imprisonment for anti-Soviet activities, died Sunday at age 85.

Born to a Jewish father and a Russian mother, Kuznetsov established himself as a journalist, writer, and editor before his activism led to his first arrest by Soviet authorities in 1961. He served seven years in prison for publicly reading protest poetry and anti-regime literature in Moscow's central square.

In June 1970, after being denied permission to leave the country, Kuznetsov joined fellow activist Mark Dymshits in a bold attempt to hijack an empty aircraft bound for Israel. The escape plan failed, and both men were sentenced to death. Their sentences were later commuted to 15-year prison terms following intense international pressure, while Kuznetsov's wife received a 10-year sentence.

Kuznetsov finally gained his freedom in 1979 through a US-negotiated prisoner exchange that released him and four other dissidents. He subsequently immigrated to Israel.

Today, his daughter Anat Zalmanson-Kuznetsov shared an emotional tribute on Facebook: "At 1 a.m., Eduard Kuznetsov, the man, the legend, and my father, passed away. I can't write these words without breaking into tears."

She recounted a meaningful moment from 2018 when they shared the stage, where he received recognition for his contributions to Russian-language journalism in Israel. "I knew this was a defining moment in my relationship with my father, one I would return to again and again throughout my life," she wrote. Despite his reluctance to accept the honor, claiming, "I don't deserve it. I haven't been involved in journalism for many years," she insisted on his worthiness.

"Even at the award ceremony for his own achievements, he focused solely on me," she continued. "Dad, how much I love you. We always said we had a unique understanding of each other. In his final days, though he couldn't speak, his eyes communicated everything. I understood precisely what he needed – whether it was a drink, an explanation of what was happening, or just wanting me to stay longer. When I realized it was the end, I kissed him and expressed my love. My tears seemed to startle him slightly. On our final journey to the emergency room last night, I prayed for more time with him, but an inner voice reminded me that such a wish was selfish, that extending his life would only prolong his suffering. He departed this world with dignity, having lived an extraordinary life that truly changed the world."

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On the anniversary of former Prime Minister Golda Meir's passing, Nativ has released a striking new photograph from her historic 1948 visit to Moscow's great synagogue. The image shows the overwhelming reception that marked a pivotal moment for what became known as the "Jews of Silence" behind the Iron Curtain.

Meir, serving as Israel's first ambassador to the Soviet Union, visited the Choral Synagogue in Moscow on September 10, 1948, just one day after presenting her credentials. While this first visit was quiet, word that the representative of the newly established Jewish state was in the Soviet capital spread like wildfire among Moscow's Jews.

During her next visit two weeks later, Jewish crowds were already waiting, as news of her expected arrival had spread by word of mouth. On Rosh Hashanah 5709 (October 4, 1948), tens of thousands of Jews streamed to the Great Synagogue, despite Soviet authorities' prohibition on religious activities in general and Jewish observance in particular. They flooded the streets around the synagogue, hoping to see Meir, who was born in Kyiv and was already the highest-ranking woman in the new state.

Overwhelmed by the enthusiastic reception, she could only say to the crowd, "Thank you for remaining Jewish." She later described the experience: "As we approached (the synagogue), we couldn't recognize the place. The street was filled with people. Representatives of all generations were there: Red Army officers, elderly people, youth, babies in their parents' arms. There were tens of thousands of people. At first, I didn't even realize what was happening and who they were. Then I understood, they had come. Good, brave Jews had come to show us their belonging and to celebrate with us the establishment of the State of Israel. They surrounded me, almost crushed me, almost lifted me on their shoulders, repeatedly calling my name."

The historic event was photographed by an 18-year-old Moscow Jew named David Khabkin. Soviet security services later harassed Khabkin for his Zionist activities, and in 1957, he was sentenced to three years in prison. Nevertheless, he managed to preserve the photographs.

Khabkin immediately passed the first photograph from Meir's synagogue visit to Israeli representatives. This documentation, showing her somewhat blurred, later entered the pantheon and was immortalized on the 10-shekel note bearing her image. In the mid-1960s, he passed a second, clearer photograph to Nativ representatives in Moscow. This is the image now revealed. Khabkin himself immigrated to Israel in 1969, the same year Meir became Israel's fourth prime minister.

On Sunday, December 8, it will be 46 years since her passing. Regarding the occasion, Nativ Chief Alon Shoham says, "Golda Meir's arrival at the Moscow synagogue wasn't necessarily intended as a religious gesture, but rather demonstrated Israel's solidarity with Soviet Jewry. Today, on the eve of the 46th anniversary of Golda's death, we are publishing this photo as a testament to Israel's strong connection with Jewish communities worldwide. As head of Nativ, responsible for maintaining ties with diaspora communities in the post-Soviet space, I want to emphasize that even today, these connections continue to strengthen and develop. Israel supports these communities, and the communities support us. In these difficult days for Israel, we truly feel the power of mutual Jewish solidarity. The support that diaspora Jews give to Israel exemplifies the Jewish people's resilience in the face of hatred and violence. The same resilience that will lead to our victory."

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Moscow faced one of the largest drone attacks since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, with Russian air defenses reportedly intercepting and destroying between 10-45 Ukrainian drones.

Russia accused Ukraine of previous drone attacks on the Kremlin and government buildings.

Ukraine has been targeting oil refineries, airfields, and the capital in Russia with drones, and has made significant advances into the Kursk region, altering the dynamic of the conflict.

Ukraine has not yet commented on the attack.

Russia's state telecommunications monitoring service reported mass disruption of Telegram and WhatsApp.

Ukraine claims to control 1,263 square km of Kursk territory, including 93 settlements.

Ukraine's armed forces also claimed to have destroyed a significant number of attack drones launched by Russia, including through electronic warfare.

Ukraine continues to lose ground in its eastern industrial region of Donbas, but its counterattack in Kursk has made additional advances.

Sources: Axios, New York Times, Newsweek, Sky News, Bloomberg, AP News, CBS News, CNBC, NBC News, Independent, ABC News, Fox News, SCMP, The Sun, Al Jazeera, CBC, Hurriyet Daily News, Yahoo News.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Several gunmen burst into a large concert hall on the edge of Moscow on Friday and sprayed visitors with automatic gunfire, killing at least 40 and injuring 100 others in an attack that came just days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on the country in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide.

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There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the raid, which Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described as a "huge tragedy" and which state authorities were investigating as an act of terrorism. It was the deadliest attack in Russia in years and came as the country's war in Ukraine dragged into a third year.

Video: The attack at the site

Russia's Federal Security Service, the main domestic security and counter-terrorism agency, said 40 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded in the attack at Crocus City Hall, a large music venue on Moscow's western edge.

Russian news reports said that the assailants threw explosives, triggering the massive blaze at the hall, which can accommodate 6,000. Video from outside showed the building on fire, with a huge cloud of smoke rising through the night sky. The street was lit up by the blinking blue lights of dozens of firetrucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

The attack took place as crowds gathered for performance by Picnic, a famous Russian rock band. Russian news reports said concertgoers were being evacuated, but that an unknown number could have been trapped by the blaze.

The prosecutor's office said several men in combat fatigues entered the concert hall and fired on concertgoers.

Extended rounds of gunfire could be heard in videos posted by Russian media and on Telegram channels. One showed two men with rifles moving through the venue. Another showed a man inside the auditorium and saying the assailants had set it on fire, as gunshots rang out incessantly in the background.

Other videos showed up to four attackers, armed with assault rifles and wearing caps, who were shooting screaming people at point-blank range.

Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region, said he was heading to the area and set up a task force to deal with the damage. He didn't offer further details.

Russian media reports said that riot police units were being sent to the area as people were being evacuated.

Russian authorities said security was tightened at Moscow's airports and railway stations, while the Moscow mayor canceled all mass gatherings scheduled for the weekend.

White House National Security Advisor John Kirby said Friday that he couldn't yet speak about all the details but that "the images are just horrible. And just hard to watch."

Video: The fire at the place of the attack

"Our thoughts are going to be with the victims of this terrible, terrible shooting attack," Kirby said. "There are some moms and dads and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters who haven't gotten the news yet. This is going to be a tough day."

The attack followed a statement issued earlier this month by the US Embassy in Moscow that urged the Americans to avoid crowded places in the Russian capital in view of an imminent attack, a warning that was repeated by several other Western embassies.

Putin, who extended his grip on Russia for another six years in the March 15-17 presidential vote after a sweeping crackdown on dissent, earlier this week denounced the Western warnings as an attempt to intimidate Russians.

Video: People fleeing the site of the attack

Russia was shaken by a series of deadly terror attacks in the early 2000s during the fighting with separatists in the Russian province of Chechnya.

In October 2002, Chechen militants took about 800 people hostage at a Moscow theater. Two days later, Russian special forces stormed the building and 129 hostages and 41 Chechen fighters died, most of them from effects of narcotic gas Russian forces use to subdue the attackers.

And in September 2004, about 30 Chechen militants seized a school in Beslan in southern Russia taking hundreds of hostages. The siege ended in a bloodbath two days later and more than 330 people, about half of them children, were killed.

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A delegation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry was criticized this week for traveling to Moscow for an official visit.

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On May 3, Simona Halperin, deputy director general for Euro-Asia and Joshua Zarka, deputy director general for strategic affairs, met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, director of the Department for Middle East and North Africa.

It is the first known high-level meeting between Israeli and Russian diplomats since the invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, excluding efforts by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow.

Moscow confirmed the meeting took place the day after. Keeping a low profile, Jerusalem did not make any official announcements on the matter but too confirmed the meeting took place as a response to an Israel Hayom inquiry, saying the talks focused on strategic issues, most likely the Iranian threat.

The Foreign Ministry was criticized on social media, with Hanna Zharova, co-founder and co-chair of Israeli Friends of Ukraine NGO, saying, "Turns out that while Russia is being isolated by the entire world, except by Iran, Israel is holding official meetings [in Moscow]. Especially at a time when missiles are being launched toward Israel by the friends of the Putin regime."

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Russia fired more than 20 cruise missiles and two drones at Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine early Friday, killing at least twelve people and striking a residential building in central Ukraine, officials said.

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Air raid sirens sounded around the capital in the first attack against the city in nearly two months and Ukraine's air force intercepted 11 cruise missiles and two unmanned aerial vehicles over Kyiv, according to the Kyiv City Administration. There were no immediate reports of any missiles hitting targets in Kyiv but fragments from intercepted missiles or drones damaged power lines and a road in one neighborhood. No casualties were reported.

But in Uman, around 215 kilometers (134 miles) south of Kyiv, two cruise missiles hit a nine-story residential building, killing at least six people and wounding 17, according to Ukrainian national police. Three children were rescued from the rubble, police said.

"All the glass flew out, everything flew out, even the chandelier fell. Everything was covered in glass," resident Olha Turina told The Associated Press at the scene. "Then there was an explosion. ... We barely found our things and ran out."

Turina, whose husband is fighting on the front lines, said one of her child's classmates was missing. "I don't know where they are, I don't know if they are alive," she said. "I don't know why we have to go through all this. We never bothered anyone."

One of the people killed in the Uman attack was a 75-year-old who was in her apartment in a neighboring building and suffered internal bleeding from the shockwave of the blast, according to emergency personnel on the scene.

Three body bags lay next to the building as smoke continued to billow hours after the attack. Soldiers, civilians and emergency crews searched through the rubble outside for more victims, while residents dragged belongings out of the damaged building. One woman, crying in shock, was taken away by rescue crews for help.

A 31-year-old woman and her 2-year-old daughter were also killed in the eastern city of Dnipro in another attack, regional Governor Serhii Lysak said. Four people were also wounded, and a private home and business were damaged.

In Kyiv, the anti-aircraft system was activated, according to the Kyiv City Administration. Air raid sirens started at about 4 a.m., and the alert ended about two hours later. The attack was the first on the capital since March 9.

The missiles were fired from aircraft operating in the Caspian Sea region, according to Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander in Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

Overall, he said, Ukraine intercepted 21 of 23 Kh-101 and Kh-555 type cruise missiles launched, as well as the two drones.

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The attacks came as NATO announced that its allies and partner countries have delivered more than 98% of the combat vehicles promised to Ukraine during Russia's invasion and war, strengthening Kyiv's capabilities as it contemplates launching a counteroffensive.

Along with more than 1,550 armored vehicles, 230 tanks and other equipment, Ukraine's allies have sent "vast amounts of ammunition" and trained and equipped more than nine new Ukrainian brigades, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said.

Some NATO partner countries, such as Sweden and Australia, have also provided armored vehicles.

The overnight attacks and comments came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a "long and meaningful" phone call on Wednesday in their first known contact since Russia's full-scale invasion more than a year ago.

Though Zelenskyy said he was encouraged by Wednesday's call and Western officials welcomed Xi's move, it didn't appear to improve peace prospects.

Russia and Ukraine are far apart in their terms for peace, and Beijing – while looking to position itself as a global diplomatic power – has refused to criticize Moscow's invasion. The Chinese government sees Russia as a diplomatic ally in opposing U.S. influence in global affairs, and Xi visited Moscow last month.

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Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is set to depart for Moscow Friday for an introductory meeting with Russian President Vladmir Putin. In their meeting, the Israeli leader will ask to keep the Iranians away from Israel's northern border and maintain Israel's freedom of operations in the region.

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Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze'ev Elkin is expected to join Bennett on his trip. Elkin, who served as a translator in former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meetings with the Russian leader, is well-versed on the intricacies of the relationship and the agreements between the countries over the years.

From Bennett's perspective, the objective of the meeting is to establish an interpersonal relationship with Putin. Practically speaking, however, the central issue will be Iran, or more precisely, its worrying attempts to establish itself and terrorist infrastructure in Syria. Evidence of this infrastructure was made evident over the weekend when, according to foreign reports, Israel assassinated Madhat al-Saleh, the man considered to be Beirut's liaison to Tehran who had been hard at work establishing the necessary terrorist infrastructure to carry out attacks against Israel on the Golan Heights border.

Ever since 2015, Moscow has maintained an increased presence in Syria, making Russia something of a neighbor to Israel's north. It's no secret that Russia's and Iran's interests do not align in Syria. On the contrary, the two are competing for resources and control of the state. Israel has tried to use this dynamic to its advantage by ensuring Jerusalem and Moscow's interests in Syria converge with those of Russia.

With the exception of the downing of a Russian plane by Syrian anti-aircraft artillery fire targeting Israeli planes in Sept. 2018, the Russians have stayed out of Israel's military activity in Syria. The two countries even have a hotline in place to update one another on events in real-time.

Nevertheless, recent reports from Moscow indicate the Russians are unhappy with Israel's actions in attacks attributed to it within the framework of this campaign. Security and diplomatic officials who are in direct and ongoing contact with the Russians, however, have clarified nothing has changed on the ground, and the Russians are continuing to allow Israel full freedom of operations in Syria.

Meanwhile, another central issue to be raised in Bennett's talks with Putin will be Iran's nuclear program. Against the background of reports from Lebanon, according to which Iran will return to the negotiating table, the defense system has expressed concerns Tehran is playing for time and making it more difficult to return to talks in Vienna toward the restoration of the 2015 nuclear deal.

When Joe Biden's entered the White House in Jan. 2020, Washington removed sanctions imposed by former US President Donald Trump on Iran in an effort to return to the deal as quickly as possible. Given the fact that Iran is not currently committed to the accord, it has allowed itself to continue to enrich uranium to levels of 60% and move as well as advance additional components in its nuclear program.

The US is far from pleased with the way things are going, and recently, the Israelis have been given the message that Washington may be interested in weighing additional sanctions on Iran. Jerusalem, however, understands such sanctions are unlikely to be as meaningful as those imposed by the Trump administration as part of its "maximum pressure" campaign. Israeli officials have referred to this conduct as treading water, and as a result, are very concerned by Iran's efforts to buy itself more time.

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