Defense and Military Forces

• What to Know About the Rafah Border Crossing in Gaza - The only crossing that connects Gaza with Egypt has reopened. The move will allow residents to leave for medical care or return to homes and families in the territory.
• The Secret Egyptian Air Base Powering Sudan’s Drone War - The covert base offers new evidence of how the Sudanese conflict is morphing into a theater for high-tech warfare, driven by foreign interests.
• Trump Officials Bypass Congress to Push Billions in Weapons Aid to Israel - The move was the third time the Trump administration has tried to expedite arms shipments to Israel by going around the review process for weapons sales.
• Xi’s Military Purge May Set Back His Taiwan Ambitions - By ousting his top generals, Xi Jinping has secured absolute control but also hollowed out the command structure preparing for possible war over Taiwan.
• Trump Warns Iran With Military Muscle, but Risks a Regional War - Iran’s Islamic Republic, weakened by airstrikes in June and huge popular unrest, warns that it will strike back hard if attacked by the United States. This time, Iran may mean it.
• Why the NORAD Cold War Pact Between the U.S. and Canada Is News - The State Department clarified comments made by the U.S. Ambassador to Canada that NORAD would be “altered” if that country did not purchase American F-35 jets.
• Trump Threatens Iran With ‘Massive Armada’ and Presses a Set of Demands - U.S. and European officials say they have put three demands in front of the Iranians, including a permanent end to all enrichment of uranium.
• Hamas Hands Over Body of Ran Gvili, Closing Chapter for Israel - The recovery of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili’s body paves the way for the next stage of the Gaza cease-fire plan, though the path forward is unclear.
• In Xi’s China, Top General’s Fall Shows Precariousness of Power - A combat veteran, Zhang Youxia was once seen as the most trusted man in Xi Jinping’s military. Now he is the most public example of disloyalty to Mr. Xi.
• In Xi’s China, Top General’s Fall Shows Precariousness of Power - A combat veteran, Zhang Youxia was once seen as the most trusted man in Xi Jinping’s military. Now he is the most public example of disloyalty to Mr. Xi.