US President Donald Trump was reportedly warned against launching attack on Iran in February by US intelligence chiefs, who cautioned him that the American military operation could backfire, strengthen hard-line forces in Tehran and trigger a wider regional crisis. According to a report, then-US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard told Trump in February that killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could lead to an even more authoritarian government, one potentially more determined to pursue weapons of mass destruction.<h2>What did Gabbard say?</h2>The Wall Street Journal reported that Gabbard was summoned to the Oval Office before the US-Israel strikes began on February 28. Trump was reportedly seeking her assessment after being encouraged by the previous summer’s Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, and strikes on Venezuela’s Caracas that led to capture of Nicolas Maduro.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had pushed for military action, arguing that Iran was at its weakest and that its nuclear ambitions could finally be extinguished, the report added.However, according to WSJ, Gabbard warned Trump that Tehran would likely retaliate. She warned that Iran could shut the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices higher, while striking US allies across the Middle East – which is exactly what happened.<h2>What did US military leaders say?</h2>US military leaders also cautioned that the conflict would cost American lives, consume dwindling stocks of munitions and stretch US forces already deployed across the region.Vice President JD Vance was also reportedly against entering the war but assured Trump he would support him if the president chose to proceed.Trump ultimately followed the recommendations of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command. They presented detailed plans for disabling Iran with Israeli assistance.Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, and Khamenei was killed on the first day. Trump initially celebrated the result, but the situation soon became more complicated as the consequences predicted by Gabbard began unfolding.<h2>Trump’s Iran war drags on</h2>The war has now entered its sixth month, despite Trump initially saying it would take six weeks. Gulf allies including Saudi Arabia and Qatar have pressed Washington to end the fighting, while Republicans have grown concerned about its impact ahead of the midterm elections.The 60-day negotiating period under the June 17 peace framework has also expired. Trump has since turned to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to intensify economic pressure on Tehran through Operation Economic Outcast.The conflict has killed 3,000 Iranians and 18 US service members, while another 756 American troops have been injured.White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales defended Trump’s approach, saying: “He will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. It would be wise for Iran to reach a deal. Otherwise, they know what could happen.”

US President Donald Trump was warned by Tulsi Gabbard and US intelligence against striking Iran. Despite warnings that the consequences could backfire, Trump launched Operation Epic Fury in February—and many of those risks materialised.

US President Donald Trump was reportedly warned against launching attack on Iran in February by US intelligence chiefs, who cautioned him that the American military operation could backfire, strengthen hard-line forces in Tehran and trigger a wider regional crisis. According to a report, then-US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard told Trump in February that killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could lead to an even more authoritarian government, one potentially more determined to pursue weapons of mass destruction. What did Gabbard say? The Wall Street Journal reported that Gabbard was summoned to the Oval Office before the US-Israel strikes began on February 28. Trump was reportedly seeking her assessment after being encouraged by the previous summer’s Operation Midnight Hammer, which targeted Iranian nuclear facilities, and strikes on Venezuela’s Caracas that led to capture of Nicolas Maduro. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had pushed for military action, arguing that Iran was at its weakest and that its nuclear ambitions could finally be extinguished, the report added. However, according to WSJ, Gabbard warned Trump that Tehran would likely retaliate. She warned that Iran could shut the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices higher, while striking US allies across the Middle East – which is exactly what happened. What did US military leaders say? US military leaders also cautioned that the conflict would cost American lives, consume dwindling stocks of munitions and stretch US forces already deployed across the region. Vice President JD Vance was also reportedly against entering the war but assured Trump he would support him if the president chose to proceed. Trump ultimately followed the recommendations of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and Adm. Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command. They presented detailed plans for disabling Iran with Israeli assistance. Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, and Khamenei was killed on the first day. Trump initially celebrated the result, but the situation soon became more complicated as the consequences predicted by Gabbard began unfolding. Trump’s Iran war drags on The war has now entered its sixth month, despite Trump initially saying it would take six weeks. Gulf allies including Saudi Arabia and Qatar have pressed Washington to end the fighting, while Republicans have grown concerned about its impact ahead of the midterm elections. The 60-day negotiating period under the June 17 peace framework has also expired. Trump has since turned to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to intensify economic pressure on Tehran through Operation Economic Outcast. The conflict has killed 3,000 Iranians and 18 US service members, while another 756 American troops have been injured. White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales defended Trump’s approach, saying: “He will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. It would be wise for Iran to reach a deal. Otherwise, they know what could happen.”

US President Donald Trump was warned by Tulsi Gabbard and US intel against launching strikes on Iran. Despite the likely consequences being pointed out, all of which came true, the US military launched Operation Epic Fury in February.

Did Tulsi Gabbard warn Trump Iran war could backfire? What US intel got right

US Intelligence team have raised the level of threat from Israel to its highest level, “critical”, amid a growing rift between the two sides over the direction of the war. Recent US intelligence assessments reveal that Israel has intensified its espionage operations against top American officials in President Donald Trump’s administration to gain insights into secret peace negotiations with Iran. According to US officials eventhough US and Israel have long been known to spy on each other, this time it has crossed a line.&nbsp;According to a NYT report, recent intelligence analysis has said that Israel has been trying to spy on US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Elbridge A Colby, the Pentagon’s top policy official, and one of his main deputies, Michael P DiMino IV, to understand US deliberations behind the US-Iran negotiations. Both US and Israeli officials have maintained plausible deniability and stated these were completely false and based on sources without direct knowledge.However, according to intelligence officials who spoke to NBC News and The New York Times, the classified document is not just a vague warning but a highly detailed analytical product. The internal Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), with contributions from other military and security agencies, have detailed other such events, outlining various efforts by Israel to spy on American military personnel and government officials.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-government-stake-openai-sam-altman-1780749692161">Trump administration explores potential government stake in OpenAI</a>The earlier incident in 2021 included Israeli military intelligence officers who were caught planting listening devices at DIA headquarters, and Shin Bet officers attempted to bug a US Secret Service vehicle in 2025. They claim that these efforts of spying have increased since 2024, when the Biden administration pressed Israel against attacks on Gaza, and continued throughout Trump's first and second terms.These officials made themselves easy targets by frequently utilising personal cellphones for national security matters, flying on private aircraft, and declining official support from US embassies abroad. The US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that they employ a range of techniques, including using their cellphones and other electronic devices, especially while travelling in Israel. &nbsp;For instance, the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Centre in Kiryat Gat has a US-only floor and an Israel-only floor despite the two sides working together always for a Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid.The US and Israel have been largely aligned on the US-Israel war on Iran, but the two sides have differing opinions on the end goal. The US has focused on military erosion to force concessions and end the war through a negotiated settlement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government seeks a total collapse of the Iranian leadership and has grown anxious after being left out of the negotiations.&nbsp;

US intelligence agencies have reportedly raised Israel's threat level to 'Critical' amid allegations that Israeli operatives spied on Trump administration officials involved in secret Iran negotiations.

US Intelligence team have raised the level of threat from Israel to its highest level, “critical”, amid a growing rift between the two sides over the direction of the war. Recent US intelligence assessments reveal that Israel has intensified its espionage operations against top American officials in President Donald Trump’s administration to gain insights into secret peace negotiations with Iran. According to US officials eventhough US and Israel have long been known to spy on each other, this time it has crossed a line. According to a NYT report, recent intelligence analysis has said that Israel has been trying to spy on US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Elbridge A Colby, the Pentagon’s top policy official, and one of his main deputies, Michael P DiMino IV, to understand US deliberations behind the US-Iran negotiations. Both US and Israeli officials have maintained plausible deniability and stated these were completely false and based on sources without direct knowledge.However, according to intelligence officials who spoke to NBC News and The New York Times, the classified document is not just a vague warning but a highly detailed analytical product. The internal Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), with contributions from other military and security agencies, have detailed other such events, outlining various efforts by Israel to spy on American military personnel and government officials. Also Read: Trump administration explores potential government stake in OpenAI The earlier incident in 2021 included Israeli military intelligence officers who were caught planting listening devices at DIA headquarters, and Shin Bet officers attempted to bug a US Secret Service vehicle in 2025. They claim that these efforts of spying have increased since 2024, when the Biden administration pressed Israel against attacks on Gaza, and continued throughout Trump's first and second terms. These officials made themselves easy targets by frequently utilising personal cellphones for national security matters, flying on private aircraft, and declining official support from US embassies abroad. The US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that they employ a range of techniques, including using their cellphones and other electronic devices, especially while travelling in Israel. For instance, the US-led Civil-Military Coordination Centre in Kiryat Gat has a US-only floor and an Israel-only floor despite the two sides working together always for a Gaza ceasefire and humanitarian aid. The US and Israel have been largely aligned on the US-Israel war on Iran, but the two sides have differing opinions on the end goal. The US has focused on military erosion to force concessions and end the war through a negotiated settlement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government seeks a total collapse of the Iranian leadership and has grown anxious after being left out of the negotiations.

US intelligence agencies have reportedly raised Israel's threat level to 'Critical' amid allegations that Israeli operatives spied on Trump administration officials involved in secret Iran negotiations.

US intelligence raises Israel threat level to ‘Critical’ amid spying allegations over Iran negotiations

Iran has already resumed parts of its drone production during the six-week ceasefire that started in early April, according to sources familiar with US intelligence assessments. The development suggests Tehran is rebuilding key military capabilities far faster than initially expected following US-Israeli strikes. Four sources told CNN that recent US intelligence assessments indicate Iran’s military recovery is progressing rapidly, including efforts to restore missile launch sites, launchers, and weapons production facilities damaged during the conflict.&nbsp;The rebuilding effort means Iran could continue posing a major threat to regional allies if US President Donald Trump resumes military operations, according to sources familiar with the intelligence findings. The assessments also challenge claims that US-Israeli attacks caused long-term crippling damage to Iran’s military infrastructure.According to one US official, intelligence estimates suggest Iran could fully restore its drone strike capability within six months. “The Iranians have exceeded all timelines the IC had for reconstitution,” the US official said.&nbsp;Drone warfare remains a major concern for countries in the region. If fighting resumes, Iran may rely more heavily on drone attacks while rebuilding its missile production systems, many of which were heavily damaged in recent strikes. Trump has repeatedly warned that military operations against Iran could restart if negotiations fail to end the conflict. On Tuesday, he publicly claimed he was only an hour away from ordering renewed bombing operations. Sources familiar with the intelligence assessments told CNN that Iran’s rapid rebuilding has been supported by multiple factors, including assistance from Russia and China, as well as the fact that US and Israeli strikes may not have caused as much destruction as expected.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-hezbollah-is-a-terrorist-organisation-us-sanctions-hezbollah-linked-individuals-as-israel-strikes-continue-in-lebanon-1779392763276">'Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation': US sanctions Hezbollah-linked individuals as Israel strikes continue in Lebanon</a>&nbsp;Two sources said China continued supplying Iran with components that can be used in missile production during the conflict, though the flow may have slowed due to the ongoing US blockade. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CBS last week that China is giving Iran ‘components of missile manufacturing’ but declined to provide further details. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun rejected the accusation during a press briefing, calling it ‘not based on facts’. Despite extensive damage caused by US-Israeli attacks, Iran still retains ballistic missile systems, drone attack capabilities, and anti-air defenses, according to recent intelligence assessments.&nbsp;A spokesperson for United States Central Command declined to comment on intelligence matters. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told CNN, “America’s military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President’s choosing.” “We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the U.S. military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests,” Parnell added. CNN previously reported in April that roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers survived US strikes. More recent intelligence estimates suggest nearly two-thirds may still remain operational, partly because the ceasefire allowed Iran time to recover launchers buried under debris from previous attacks.&nbsp;The assessments also indicate that around 50% of Iran’s drone capabilities remain intact, with thousands of drones still available. US intelligence further found that many of Iran’s coastal defense cruise missiles survived the attacks, largely because US operations did not heavily target coastal military assets. Those systems remain critical to Iran’s ability to threaten shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Overall, recent intelligence reports suggest the conflict significantly weakened Iran’s military capabilities but failed to eliminate them entirely. Analysts believe Tehran has demonstrated an ability to reduce the long-term effects of the strikes by rapidly rebuilding military production and infrastructure.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-nuclear-drills-moscow-rolls-out-missiles-jets-submarines-in-joint-exercises-1779383780605/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-nuclear-drills-moscow-rolls-out-missiles-jets-submarines-in-joint-exercises-1779383780605/embed</a>&nbsp;This includes restoring parts of its defense industrial base, despite claims from CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper that much of it had been destroyed. “Operation Epic Fury significantly degraded Iran’s ballistic missiles and drones while destroying 90% of their defense industrial base, ensuring Iran cannot reconstitute for years,” Cooper testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. However, sources familiar with recent intelligence reports told CNN that the assessments contradict Cooper’s remarks and suggest Iran’s rebuilding timeline may only be delayed by months rather than years. One source said portions of Iran’s defense industrial infrastructure remain operational, which could accelerate the recovery of several military capabilities.&nbsp;Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

US intelligence reports Iran is rapidly rebuilding drone and missile capabilities after US-Israeli strikes, raising regional security concerns

Iran has already resumed parts of its drone production during the six-week ceasefire that started in early April, according to sources familiar with US intelligence assessments. The development suggests Tehran is rebuilding key military capabilities far faster than initially expected following US-Israeli strikes. Four sources told CNN that recent US intelligence assessments indicate Iran’s military recovery is progressing rapidly, including efforts to restore missile launch sites, launchers, and weapons production facilities damaged during the conflict. The rebuilding effort means Iran could continue posing a major threat to regional allies if US President Donald Trump resumes military operations, according to sources familiar with the intelligence findings. The assessments also challenge claims that US-Israeli attacks caused long-term crippling damage to Iran’s military infrastructure. According to one US official, intelligence estimates suggest Iran could fully restore its drone strike capability within six months. “The Iranians have exceeded all timelines the IC had for reconstitution,” the US official said. Drone warfare remains a major concern for countries in the region. If fighting resumes, Iran may rely more heavily on drone attacks while rebuilding its missile production systems, many of which were heavily damaged in recent strikes. Trump has repeatedly warned that military operations against Iran could restart if negotiations fail to end the conflict. On Tuesday, he publicly claimed he was only an hour away from ordering renewed bombing operations. Sources familiar with the intelligence assessments told CNN that Iran’s rapid rebuilding has been supported by multiple factors, including assistance from Russia and China, as well as the fact that US and Israeli strikes may not have caused as much destruction as expected. Also Read: 'Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation': US sanctions Hezbollah-linked individuals as Israel strikes continue in Lebanon Two sources said China continued supplying Iran with components that can be used in missile production during the conflict, though the flow may have slowed due to the ongoing US blockade. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CBS last week that China is giving Iran ‘components of missile manufacturing’ but declined to provide further details. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun rejected the accusation during a press briefing, calling it ‘not based on facts’. Despite extensive damage caused by US-Israeli attacks, Iran still retains ballistic missile systems, drone attack capabilities, and anti-air defenses, according to recent intelligence assessments. A spokesperson for United States Central Command declined to comment on intelligence matters. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told CNN, “America’s military is the most powerful in the world and has everything it needs to execute at the time and place of the President’s choosing.” “We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the U.S. military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests,” Parnell added. CNN previously reported in April that roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers survived US strikes. More recent intelligence estimates suggest nearly two-thirds may still remain operational, partly because the ceasefire allowed Iran time to recover launchers buried under debris from previous attacks. The assessments also indicate that around 50% of Iran’s drone capabilities remain intact, with thousands of drones still available. US intelligence further found that many of Iran’s coastal defense cruise missiles survived the attacks, largely because US operations did not heavily target coastal military assets. Those systems remain critical to Iran’s ability to threaten shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Overall, recent intelligence reports suggest the conflict significantly weakened Iran’s military capabilities but failed to eliminate them entirely. Analysts believe Tehran has demonstrated an ability to reduce the long-term effects of the strikes by rapidly rebuilding military production and infrastructure. https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-nuclear-drills-moscow-rolls-out-missiles-jets-submarines-in-joint-exercises-1779383780605/embed This includes restoring parts of its defense industrial base, despite claims from CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper that much of it had been destroyed. “Operation Epic Fury significantly degraded Iran’s ballistic missiles and drones while destroying 90% of their defense industrial base, ensuring Iran cannot reconstitute for years,” Cooper testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. However, sources familiar with recent intelligence reports told CNN that the assessments contradict Cooper’s remarks and suggest Iran’s rebuilding timeline may only be delayed by months rather than years. One source said portions of Iran’s defense industrial infrastructure remain operational, which could accelerate the recovery of several military capabilities. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations, and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

US intelligence says that Iran has restarted drone production and is rebuilding military capabilities faster than expected after strikes

Iran rapidly rebuilding military capabilities, drone production faster than expected: US intelligence

To rescue a downed F-15E airman trapped deep inside Iranian territory, the CIA orchestrated a massive psychological warfare campaign. By executing phantom extractions and deploying a 155-aircraft decoy armada, US intelligence blinded Iran's Revolutionary Guard to save the stranded colonel.

To rescue a downed F-15E airman trapped deep inside Iranian territory, the CIA orchestrated a massive psychological warfare campaign. By executing phantom extractions and deploying a 155-aircraft decoy armada, US intelligence blinded Iran's Revolutionary Guard to save the stranded colonel.

‘Phantom extractions’: How the CIA blinded Iran’s Revolutionary Guard

When an F-15E Eagle crashed in Iran, the CIA orchestrated a massive deception campaign to carry out a rescue. By deploying advanced psychological warfare and conducting phantom strikes, US intelligence confused the Iranian military, allowing special operators to safely extract the airman.

When an F-15E Eagle crashed in Iran, the CIA orchestrated a massive deception campaign to carry out a rescue. By deploying advanced psychological warfare and conducting phantom strikes, US intelligence confused the Iranian military, allowing special operators to safely extract the airman.

‘Master of battlefield deception’: How CIA advanced technology confused the Iranian army in a rescue operation

Over 100 US intelligence officers have been fired for engaging in sexually explicit discussions on a government chat tool, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, announced on Tuesday.&nbsp;
These officers are from 15 agencies and would also have their security clearances revoked.
The chat platform, managed by the National Security Agency (NSA), was for having classified discussions, however, it was misused for explicit conversations, including discussions on gender transition surgery.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-sued-by-diversity-officers-in-an-attempt-to-block-anti-diversity-orders-8690162">Trump sued by diversity officers in an attempt to block anti-diversity orders</a>
The chats took place on a secure intranet called Intelink in two server channels titled "LBTQA" and "IC_Pride_TWG," according to intelligence community officials.
"This behavior is unacceptable and those involved WILL be held accountable," Tulsi Gabbard posted on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This behavior is unacceptable and those involved WILL be held accountable. These disgusting chat groups were immediately shut down when <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> issued his EO ending the DEI insanity the Biden Admin was obsessed with. Our IC must be focused on our core mission: ensuring the safety,&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/CnpWYyhyNk">https://t.co/CnpWYyhyNk</a>
&mdash; DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) <a href="https://twitter.com/DNIGabbard/status/1894228806405107800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

She added that the "disgusting chat groups" were immediately shut down when President Donald Trump issued his executive order ending diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the federal government.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indian-americans-in-trump-20s-who-are-indian-american-officials-in-donald-trumps-administration-8743080">India connect of Team Trump: Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel, several Indian-Americans hold key posts in Donald Trump's administration</a>
"Our IC must be focused on our core mission: ensuring the safety, security, and freedom of the American people," Gabbard said.
On Tuesday evening, Gabbard appeared on Fox News and said that she had issued a directive to fire more than 100 people who participated in the discussions and to strip the officers of their security clearances.&nbsp;
She added that the chats were an &ldquo;egregious violation of trust&rdquo; that violated &ldquo;basic rules and standards&rdquo; of workplace professionalism.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pm-modi-lands-in-us-for-a-2-day-visit-meets-us-intelligence-chief-tulsi-gabbard-8715830">PM Modi lands in US, meets US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard</a>
The researchers at the conservative Manhattan Institute obtained the leaked chats from the NSA 'Interlink' messaging platform through NSA sources.&nbsp;
<h2>Musk reacts</h2>
After the move by the director of national intelligence, Elon Musk reacted on X while posting a screengrab of the leaked screenshot.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Wow <a href="https://t.co/7Lvte5oLM6">https://t.co/7Lvte5oLM6</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1894454908398834059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
"Wow", billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk reacted.&nbsp;
Deputy Chief of Staff Alexa Henning said that a memo was sent to all intelligence agencies, requiring them to identify employees who participated in these chats by Friday.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-blocks-trumps-order-to-transfer-transgender-women-inmates-to-mens-prisons-8758246">US judge blocks Trump&rsquo;s order to transfer transgender women inmates to men's prisons</a>
(With inputs from agencies)

World: The chat platform, managed by NSA, was for having classified discussions, however was misused for explicit conversations, including discussions on gender transition surgery.

Over 100 US intelligence officers have been fired for engaging in sexually explicit discussions on a government chat tool, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, announced on Tuesday. These officers are from 15 agencies and would also have their security clearances revoked. The chat platform, managed by the National Security Agency (NSA), was for having classified discussions, however, it was misused for explicit conversations, including discussions on gender transition surgery. Also read: Trump sued by diversity officers in an attempt to block anti-diversity orders The chats took place on a secure intranet called Intelink in two server channels titled "LBTQA" and "IC_Pride_TWG," according to intelligence community officials. "This behavior is unacceptable and those involved WILL be held accountable," Tulsi Gabbard posted on X. This behavior is unacceptable and those involved WILL be held accountable. These disgusting chat groups were immediately shut down when @POTUS issued his EO ending the DEI insanity the Biden Admin was obsessed with. Our IC must be focused on our core mission: ensuring the safety,… https://t.co/CnpWYyhyNk — DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) February 25, 2025 She added that the "disgusting chat groups" were immediately shut down when President Donald Trump issued his executive order ending diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the federal government. Also read: India connect of Team Trump: Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel, several Indian-Americans hold key posts in Donald Trump's administration "Our IC must be focused on our core mission: ensuring the safety, security, and freedom of the American people," Gabbard said. On Tuesday evening, Gabbard appeared on Fox News and said that she had issued a directive to fire more than 100 people who participated in the discussions and to strip the officers of their security clearances. She added that the chats were an “egregious violation of trust” that violated “basic rules and standards” of workplace professionalism. Also read: PM Modi lands in US, meets US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard The researchers at the conservative Manhattan Institute obtained the leaked chats from the NSA 'Interlink' messaging platform through NSA sources. Musk reacts After the move by the director of national intelligence, Elon Musk reacted on X while posting a screengrab of the leaked screenshot. Wow https://t.co/7Lvte5oLM6 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 25, 2025 "Wow", billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk reacted. Deputy Chief of Staff Alexa Henning said that a memo was sent to all intelligence agencies, requiring them to identify employees who participated in these chats by Friday. Also read: US judge blocks Trump’s order to transfer transgender women inmates to men's prisons (With inputs from agencies)

'Wow': Musk reacts as Tulsi Gabbard says over 100 intelligence officers fired over sexually explicit NSA chats

The US intelligence has issued a warning about the growing nuclear threat posed by Iran. The alert urges the international community to pay close attention to the escalating situation.

US Intel Warns Against Iran's Nuclear Threat

Days after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the US military on Thursday (Oct 17) clarified that it had no direct involvement in the Israeli operation that resulted in the death of the militant group's leader.

However, the Pentagon revealed that American intelligence did play a supporting role.&nbsp;

Sinwar was killed in a firefight that ended with the Hamas leader cornered and alone in a destroyed building.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:150,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1836}">An Israeli operation</h2>

Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, emphasised that the mission was entirely an Israeli effort.

"This was an Israeli operation. There (were) no US&nbsp;forces directly involved," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiJ8aK-iJyJAxUYRmcHHUj6GV0QxfQBKAB6BAgKEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/troops-find-yahya-sinwars-letters-written-to-his-10-year-old-son-instilling-hatred-for-israel-report-768993" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/troops-find-yahya-sinwars-letters-written-to-his-10-year-old-son-instilling-hatred-for-israel-report-768993&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJ8aK-iJyJAxUYRmcHHUj6GV0QxfQBKAB6BAgKEAE">Troops find Yahya Sinwar's letters written to his 10-year-old son, instilling hatred for Israel: Report</a>

However, he acknowledged that US intelligence had contributed and said,&nbsp;"The United States has helped contribute information and intelligence as it relates to hostage recovery and the tracking and locating of Hamas leaders who have been responsible for holding hostages. And so certainly that contributes in general to the picture".

"But again, this was an Israeli operation. And I would refer you to them to talk about the details of how the operation went down," added the Pentagon spokesperson.

The Pentagon's clarification comes after US President Joe Biden, in a statement mentioned authorising US special operations and intelligence assistance to aid Israel's search for Sinwar and other militant leaders after the Hamas assault on October 7, 2023.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:460,&quot;w&quot;:715,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2146}" data-ved="2ahUKEwiJ8aK-iJyJAxUYRmcHHUj6GV0QxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-yahya-sinwar-the-butcher-of-khan-younis-israel-says-it-may-have-killed-768472" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-yahya-sinwar-the-butcher-of-khan-younis-israel-says-it-may-have-killed-768472&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJ8aK-iJyJAxUYRmcHHUj6GV0QxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">Who was Yahya Sinwar? The ‘Butcher of Khan Younis’ Israeli forces killed after year-long pursuit</a>

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:514,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2200}">Who was Yahya Sinwar?</h2>

Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar as per Israel was the mastermind behind the Oct 7 attack.

Born in Khan Younis in 1962, Sinwar was seen as one of the&nbsp;uncompromising top officials of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. In the early 1980s, Sinwar was repeatedly arrested by Israel because of his involvement in anti-occupation activism held at the Islamic University in Gaza.

"The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who is responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers," said Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, in a statement on Thursday.

The IDF&nbsp;released a statement saying,&nbsp;"Yahya Sinwar was eliminated after hiding for the past year behind the civilian population of Gaza, both above and below ground in Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Days after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the US military on Thursday (Oct 17) clarified that it had no direct involvement in the Israeli operation that resulted in the death of the militant group's leader.

Days after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the US military on Thursday (Oct 17) clarified that it had no direct involvement in the Israeli operation that resulted in the death of the militant group's leader. However, the Pentagon revealed that American intelligence did play a supporting role. Sinwar was killed in a firefight that ended with the Hamas leader cornered and alone in a destroyed building. An Israeli operation Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, emphasised that the mission was entirely an Israeli effort. "This was an Israeli operation. There (were) no US forces directly involved," he said. Also read | Troops find Yahya Sinwar's letters written to his 10-year-old son, instilling hatred for Israel: Report However, he acknowledged that US intelligence had contributed and said, "The United States has helped contribute information and intelligence as it relates to hostage recovery and the tracking and locating of Hamas leaders who have been responsible for holding hostages. And so certainly that contributes in general to the picture". "But again, this was an Israeli operation. And I would refer you to them to talk about the details of how the operation went down," added the Pentagon spokesperson. The Pentagon's clarification comes after US President Joe Biden, in a statement mentioned authorising US special operations and intelligence assistance to aid Israel's search for Sinwar and other militant leaders after the Hamas assault on October 7, 2023. Also read | Who was Yahya Sinwar? The ‘Butcher of Khan Younis’ Israeli forces killed after year-long pursuit Who was Yahya Sinwar? Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar as per Israel was the mastermind behind the Oct 7 attack. Born in Khan Younis in 1962, Sinwar was seen as one of the uncompromising top officials of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. In the early 1980s, Sinwar was repeatedly arrested by Israel because of his involvement in anti-occupation activism held at the Islamic University in Gaza. "The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who is responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers," said Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, in a statement on Thursday. The IDF released a statement saying, "Yahya Sinwar was eliminated after hiding for the past year behind the civilian population of Gaza, both above and below ground in Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip." (With inputs from agencies)

'No US forces directly involved': Pentagon clarifies role in Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death

The intelligence officials of the United States have revealed that they had found evidence hinting at Iran plotting against the country's former president Donald Trump, as reported by CBS News.

The intelligence officials of the United States have revealed that they had found evidence hinting at Iran plotting against the country's former president Donald Trump, as reported by CBS News. However, intelligence officials have not been able to find any ties between Iran's plotting and 20-year-old shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks' failed attempt to assassinate Trump. They have not been able to trace any foreign or domestic accomplice of Crook. When they gathered information regarding the threat, the National Security Council reached out to the Secret Service. The Secret Service in response increased the assets and resources required for protection of Trump in June. Also Read: Biden considering proposals to reform Supreme Court: Report The additional resources provided included counter-sniper team personnel, Counter Assault Team personnel, robotic dogs and drones. According to the report published by CBS News, it remains unclear how much of the Iranian plot was detected by the officials. Iran's anger against Trump administration 'not new' Trump has always spoken about the ire of the Iranians, especially after the 2020 airstrike in which top Iranian commander Gen. Qasem Soleimani was killed. "As we have said many times, we have been tracking Iranian threats against former Trump administration officials for years, dating back to the last administration," NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. "As we have said many times, we have been tracking Iranian threats against former Trump administration officials for years, dating back to the last administration. These threats arise from Iran's desire to seek revenge for the killing of Qassem Soleimani. We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority," he added. The Secret Service denied commenting on any specific threats, but stated that it "takes threats seriously and responds accordingly." Watch: Trump assassination attempt: Did the Secret Service in its core duty? "The Secret Service and other agencies are constantly receiving new potential threat information and taking action to adjust resources, as needed," said Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, in a statement. The report was published at a time when the Republican National Convention took place in Milwaukee. Trump for the first time appeared in public on Monday night (July 15) after the incident with a bandage covering his right ear, as his nomination was formalised and he announced Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran hatched plot against Donald Trump, claim US intelligence officials

A former US&nbsp;Marine pilot, currently fighting&nbsp;extradition from Australia on charges filed by the US&nbsp;for allegedly training Chinese military pilots in aircraft carrier landings, collaborated unknowingly with a Chinese hacker, according to his lawyer.&nbsp;

Recently, Duggan's lawyer shed light on his client's unwitting association with a convicted Chinese defence hacker, adding a layer of complexity to the case.

Duggan, a naturalised Australian citizen, expressed concerns about requests for sensitive information from Western intelligence agencies, fearing for his family's safety. He denied&nbsp;any wrongdoing regarding US&nbsp;arms control laws but has been detained in an Australian maximum-security prison since his arrest in 2022 upon returning from a six-year stint in Beijing.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-and-china-ratchet-up-ai-arms-race-amid-growing-strategic-concerns-720970">Also read |&nbsp;US and China ratchet up AI arms race amid growing strategic concerns</a>

<h2>Links to convicted Chinese hacker Su Bin</h2>

In a legal filing supporting Reuters' investigative findings, Duggan's lawyer, Bernard Collaery, revealed correspondence between Duggan and Su Bin, a convicted Chinese defence hacker. Su Bin, arrested in Canada in 2014, admitted to stealing US&nbsp;military aircraft designs through hacking. Duggan's lawyer maintains that his client's interaction with Su Bin was unrelated to the charges against him.

Evidence presented in extradition documents indicated&nbsp;that Su Bin facilitated Duggan's travel from Australia to Beijing in 2012.

Duggan, known to Su Bin as an employment broker for the Chinese state aviation company AVIC, sought assistance in sourcing aircraft parts for his business in Australia. Despite this association, Duggan's lawyer asserted&nbsp;that his client was unaware of Su Bin's potential improper connections.

Also watch |&nbsp;Israel war: US' strongest public criticism of Israel, Blinken defends arms pause

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-war-us-strongest-public-criticism-of-israel-blinken-defends-arms-pause-720956/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Duggan's legal team contests the extradition, arguing that there is no evidence linking the Chinese pilots he trained to the military.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A former US Marine pilot, currently fighting extradition from Australia on charges filed by the US for allegedly training Chinese military pilots in aircraft carrier landings, collaborated unknowingly with a Chinese hacker, according to his lawyer.

A former US Marine pilot, currently fighting extradition from Australia on charges filed by the US for allegedly training Chinese military pilots in aircraft carrier landings, collaborated unknowingly with a Chinese hacker, according to his lawyer. Recently, Duggan's lawyer shed light on his client's unwitting association with a convicted Chinese defence hacker, adding a layer of complexity to the case. Duggan, a naturalised Australian citizen, expressed concerns about requests for sensitive information from Western intelligence agencies, fearing for his family's safety. He denied any wrongdoing regarding US arms control laws but has been detained in an Australian maximum-security prison since his arrest in 2022 upon returning from a six-year stint in Beijing. Also read | US and China ratchet up AI arms race amid growing strategic concerns Links to convicted Chinese hacker Su Bin In a legal filing supporting Reuters' investigative findings, Duggan's lawyer, Bernard Collaery, revealed correspondence between Duggan and Su Bin, a convicted Chinese defence hacker. Su Bin, arrested in Canada in 2014, admitted to stealing US military aircraft designs through hacking. Duggan's lawyer maintains that his client's interaction with Su Bin was unrelated to the charges against him. Evidence presented in extradition documents indicated that Su Bin facilitated Duggan's travel from Australia to Beijing in 2012. Duggan, known to Su Bin as an employment broker for the Chinese state aviation company AVIC, sought assistance in sourcing aircraft parts for his business in Australia. Despite this association, Duggan's lawyer asserted that his client was unaware of Su Bin's potential improper connections. Also watch | Israel war: US' strongest public criticism of Israel, Blinken defends arms pause Duggan's legal team contests the extradition, arguing that there is no evidence linking the Chinese pilots he trained to the military. (With inputs from agencies)

Ex-US Marine pilot arrested in Australia worked with Chinese hacker unknowingly, lawyer says

During a congressional hearing on Thursday, US&nbsp;intelligence officials cautioned that China and Russia are stepping up their military cooperation, particularly on Taiwan.

"Bottom line is that basically, if we were to have a conflict with one, the chances are we would have a second front," Lt Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said.

Since the two nations declared a "no limits" alliance just before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, relations between Moscow and Beijing have reached unprecedented heights. China has benefited from cheaper natural gas and oil from Russia, and increased bilateral commerce has helped support Russia's economy, which is subject to severe sanctions.

<h2>China's stance on Russia-Ukraine conflict?</h2>

China claims to remain impartial toward the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but it filters social media posts that criticise Moscow's war, which Beijing has neither denounced nor classified as an invasion.

"We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn't," Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said on Thursday.

Also read:&nbsp;<meta name="uuid" content="uuideh9WpNBTnM51" /><a href="http://wionews.com/world/west-is-waging-hybrid-war-moscow-reacts-to-camerons-statement-on-uk-arms-for-ukraine-717941" target="_blank">West is waging hybrid war...: Russia reacts to Cameron's statement on UK arms for Ukraine</a>

When asked if the Department of Defense was factoring in the increased cooperation between Beijing and Moscow when making plans, Kruse responded, &nbsp;"From the Department of Defense perspective, that would certainly be the case, and it just has to be taken into account whether or not we actually believe there would be two full-up fronts. That is analysis and assessments that will mature over time."

<h2>China's claim on Taiwan</h2>

Although the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing has never held power in Taiwan, China nonetheless claims democratic Taiwan as its territory and promises to integrate it into China one day, even if it means using force.

Since 2022, China and Russia have carried out five military exercises, the most recent of which took place in the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan last year.

According to Ukraine, Chinese companies are the source of drones and the majority of drone-related components used by invading Russian forces, but China denies the accusations. Washington has sanctioned many Chinese companies accused of engaging in similar actions. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

During a congressional hearing on Thursday, US intelligence officials cautioned that China and Russia are stepping up their military cooperation, particularly on Taiwan.

During a congressional hearing on Thursday, US intelligence officials cautioned that China and Russia are stepping up their military cooperation, particularly on Taiwan. "Bottom line is that basically, if we were to have a conflict with one, the chances are we would have a second front," Lt Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said. Since the two nations declared a "no limits" alliance just before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, relations between Moscow and Beijing have reached unprecedented heights. China has benefited from cheaper natural gas and oil from Russia, and increased bilateral commerce has helped support Russia's economy, which is subject to severe sanctions. China's stance on Russia-Ukraine conflict? China claims to remain impartial toward the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but it filters social media posts that criticise Moscow's war, which Beijing has neither denounced nor classified as an invasion. "We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn't," Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said on Thursday. Also read: West is waging hybrid war...: Russia reacts to Cameron's statement on UK arms for Ukraine When asked if the Department of Defense was factoring in the increased cooperation between Beijing and Moscow when making plans, Kruse responded, "From the Department of Defense perspective, that would certainly be the case, and it just has to be taken into account whether or not we actually believe there would be two full-up fronts. That is analysis and assessments that will mature over time." China's claim on Taiwan Although the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing has never held power in Taiwan, China nonetheless claims democratic Taiwan as its territory and promises to integrate it into China one day, even if it means using force. Since 2022, China and Russia have carried out five military exercises, the most recent of which took place in the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan last year. According to Ukraine, Chinese companies are the source of drones and the majority of drone-related components used by invading Russian forces, but China denies the accusations. Washington has sanctioned many Chinese companies accused of engaging in similar actions. (With inputs from agencies)

US intelligence warns Taiwan of growing China-Russia military cooperation

US&nbsp;intelligence agencies have said that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably did not personally order the killing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny at an Arctic prison camp in February, as reported by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday (April 27).

Navalny, aged 47 at the time of his death, was known as one of Putin's most vocal&nbsp;critics within Russia. His allies, who have been labelled extremists by authorities, have accused Putin of orchestrating Navalny's killing&nbsp;and have said they would&nbsp;present evidence to support their accusation.&nbsp;

The Kremlin has refuted any state involvement, with Putin describing Navalny's death as "sad" last month and expressing willingness to exchange the jailed politician with the West, on the condition that Navalny would not return to Russia.

Navalny's associates claimed discussions about such an exchange had been ongoing. According to unnamed sources familiar with the situation, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, US&nbsp;intelligence agencies have determined that Putin likely did not give the order to have Navalny killed in February.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/navalnys-retaliation-hackers-allegedly-breach-massive-russian-prisoner-database-706571">Also read |&nbsp;Navalny’s retaliation? Hackers allegedly breach massive Russian prisoner database</a>

While Washington hasn't fully cleared Putin of responsibility for Navalny's death, it acknowledges Navalny was targeted by Russian authorities for years, jailed on what the West sees as politically motivated charges, and poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020. The Kremlin has denied&nbsp;involvement in the poisoning.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, responding to the Journal's report, called it&nbsp;"empty speculation".

"I've seen the material, I wouldn't say it's high quality material that deserves attention," Peskov told reporters when asked about the matter.

The US&nbsp;evaluation considered various sources, including classified intel and public facts like the timing of Navalny's death, which coincided with Putin's reelection in March, according to sources cited by the paper. Leonid Volkov, a top aide to Navalny, dismissed the US&nbsp;findings as naive and absurd.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-navalnys-death-wife-of-another-putin-critic-fears-for-his-safety-704122">Also read |&nbsp;After Navalny’s death, wife of another Putin critic fears for his safety</a>

<h2>What we know of Navalny's death&nbsp;</h2>

Several days after the initial report of Alexei Navalny's death, there is still&nbsp;lack of information regarding the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to Russian reports, the 47-year-old went for a brief walk at his Siberian penal colony, complained of feeling unwell, and subsequently collapsed without regaining consciousness.

Navalny's family confirmed that the political activist passed away at 14:17 local time (09:17 GMT) on Friday, February 16.

The prison authorities where he was detained claimed he experienced "sudden death syndrome," as reported by his team.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

US intelligence agencies have said that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably did not personally order the killing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny at an Arctic prison camp in February, as reported by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday (April 27).

US intelligence agencies have said that Russian President Vladimir Putin probably did not personally order the killing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny at an Arctic prison camp in February, as reported by the Wall Street Journal on Saturday (April 27). Navalny, aged 47 at the time of his death, was known as one of Putin's most vocal critics within Russia. His allies, who have been labelled extremists by authorities, have accused Putin of orchestrating Navalny's killing and have said they would present evidence to support their accusation. The Kremlin has refuted any state involvement, with Putin describing Navalny's death as "sad" last month and expressing willingness to exchange the jailed politician with the West, on the condition that Navalny would not return to Russia. Navalny's associates claimed discussions about such an exchange had been ongoing. According to unnamed sources familiar with the situation, as reported by The Wall Street Journal, US intelligence agencies have determined that Putin likely did not give the order to have Navalny killed in February. Also read | Navalny’s retaliation? Hackers allegedly breach massive Russian prisoner database While Washington hasn't fully cleared Putin of responsibility for Navalny's death, it acknowledges Navalny was targeted by Russian authorities for years, jailed on what the West sees as politically motivated charges, and poisoned with a nerve agent in 2020. The Kremlin has denied involvement in the poisoning. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, responding to the Journal's report, called it "empty speculation". "I've seen the material, I wouldn't say it's high quality material that deserves attention," Peskov told reporters when asked about the matter. The US evaluation considered various sources, including classified intel and public facts like the timing of Navalny's death, which coincided with Putin's reelection in March, according to sources cited by the paper. Leonid Volkov, a top aide to Navalny, dismissed the US findings as naive and absurd. Also read | After Navalny’s death, wife of another Putin critic fears for his safety What we know of Navalny's death Several days after the initial report of Alexei Navalny's death, there is still lack of information regarding the circumstances surrounding his death. According to Russian reports, the 47-year-old went for a brief walk at his Siberian penal colony, complained of feeling unwell, and subsequently collapsed without regaining consciousness. Navalny's family confirmed that the political activist passed away at 14:17 local time (09:17 GMT) on Friday, February 16. The prison authorities where he was detained claimed he experienced "sudden death syndrome," as reported by his team. (With inputs from agencies)

US intel suggests Putin unlikely to have ordered Navalny's killing: Report

SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a classified contract with a US&nbsp;intelligence agency, five sources familiar with the programme said, demonstrating deepening ties between billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's space company and national security agencies.

The network is being built by SpaceX's Starshield business unit under a $1.8 billion contract signed in 2021 with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), an intelligence agency that manages spy satellites, the sources said.

The plans show the extent of SpaceX's involvement in US&nbsp;intelligence and military projects and illustrate a deeper Pentagon investment into vast, low-Earth orbiting satellite systems aimed at supporting ground forces.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacexs-starship-super-heavy-targeting-moon-missions-in-future-launches-in-3rd-test-flight-700132" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/science/spacexs-starship-super-heavy-targeting-moon-missions-in-future-launches-in-3rd-test-flight-700132&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjF8L_IjfmEAxV7zzgGHe_RBnoQFnoECAEQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw2cMmTE8YXP8ikaEDifaWn-&amp;arm=e" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacexs-starship-super-heavy-targeting-moon-missions-in-future-launches-in-3rd-test-flight-700132" target="_blank">SpaceX's&nbsp;Starship, targeting moon missions in future</a>

If successful, the sources said the programme would significantly advance the ability of the US&nbsp;government and military to quickly spot potential targets almost anywhere on the globe.

The contract signals growing trust by the intelligence establishment of a company whose owner has clashed with the Biden administration and sparked controversy over the use of Starlink satellite connectivity in the Ukraine war, the sources said.

The Wall Street Journal reported in February the existence of a $1.8 billion classified Starshield contract with an unknown intelligence agency without detailing the purposes of the programme.

Reuters reporting discloses for the first time that the SpaceX contract is for a powerful new spy system with hundreds of satellites bearing Earth-imaging capabilities that can operate as a swarm in low orbits, and that the spy agency that Musk's company is working with is the NRO.

Reuters was unable to determine when the new network of satellites would come online and could not establish what other companies are part of the program with their own contracts.

SpaceX, the world's largest satellite operator, did not respond to several requests for comment about the contract, its role in it and details on satellite launches. The Pentagon referred a request for comment to the NRO and SpaceX.

In a statement the NRO acknowledged its mission to develop a sophisticated satellite system and its partnerships with other government agencies, companies, research institutions and nations, but declined to comment on Reuters' findings about the extent of SpaceX’s involvement in the effort.

"The National Reconnaissance Office is developing the most capable, diverse, and resilient space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system the world has ever seen," a spokesperson said.

The satellites can track targets on the ground and share that data with U.S. intelligence and military officials, the sources said. In principle, that would enable the US&nbsp;government to quickly capture continuous imagery of activities on the ground nearly anywhere on the globe, aiding intelligence and military operations, they added.

Roughly a dozen prototypes have been launched since 2020, among other satellites on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets, three of the sources said.

A US&nbsp;government database of objects in orbit shows several SpaceX missions having deployed satellites that neither the company nor the government have ever acknowledged. Two sources confirmed those to be prototypes for the Starshield network.

All the sources asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to discuss the US&nbsp;government program.

The Pentagon is already a big SpaceX customer, using its Falcon 9 rockets to launch military payloads into space. Starshield's first prototype satellite, launched in 2020, was part of a separate, roughly $200 million contract that helped position SpaceX for the subsequent $1.8 billion award, one of the sources said.

The planned Starshield network is separate from Starlink, SpaceX's growing commercial broadband constellation that has about 5,500 satellites in space to provide near-global internet to consumers, companies and government agencies.

The classified constellation of spy satellites represents one of the US&nbsp;government’s most sought-after capabilities in space because it is designed to offer the most persistent, pervasive and rapid coverage of activities on Earth.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-why-is-india-paying-elon-musks-spacex-to-launch-gsat-20-676608" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-why-is-india-paying-elon-musks-spacex-to-launch-gsat-20-676608&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjF8L_IjfmEAxV7zzgGHe_RBnoQFnoECAcQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw1SWYx1z2zFbbCpov4RORnY&amp;arm=e" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-why-is-india-paying-elon-musks-spacex-to-launch-gsat-20-676608" target="_blank">Explained: Why is India paying Elon Musk's&nbsp;SpaceX&nbsp;to launch GSAT</a>

"No one can hide," one of the sources said of the system’s potential capability, when describing the network's reach.

Musk, also the founder and CEO of Tesla and owner of social media company X, has driven innovation in space but has caused frustration among some officials in the Biden administration because of his past control of Starlink in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s military uses it for secure communications in the conflict with Russia. That authority over Starlink in a war zone by Musk, and not the US&nbsp;military, created tension between him and the US government.

A series of Reuters’ stories has detailed how Musk's manufacturing operations, including at SpaceX, have harmed consumers and workers.

The Starshield network is part of intensifying competition between the U.S. and its rivals to become the dominant military power in space, in part by expanding spy satellite systems away from bulky, expensive spacecraft at higher orbits. Instead a vast, low-orbiting network can provide quicker and near-constant imaging of the Earth.

China also plans to start building its own satellite constellations, and the Pentagon has warned of space weapon threats from Russia, which could be capable of disabling entire satellite networks.

Starshield aims to be more resilient to attacks from sophisticated space powers.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/science-technology/5-amazing-facts-about-spacexs-starship-rocket-1681731585636" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/science-technology/5-amazing-facts-about-spacexs-starship-rocket-1681731585636&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjF8L_IjfmEAxV7zzgGHe_RBnoQFnoECAgQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw0RPQ17ojCJXw_-JRZtER01&amp;arm=e" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/science-technology/5-amazing-facts-about-spacexs-starship-rocket-1681731585636" target="_blank">5 Amazing Facts about&nbsp;SpaceX's&nbsp;Starship Rocket</a>

The network is also intended to greatly expand the U.S. government's remote-sensing capabilities and will consist of large satellites with imaging sensors, as well as a greater number of relay satellites that pass the imaging data and other communications across the network using inter-satellite lasers, two of the sources said.

The NRO includes personnel from the US&nbsp;Space Force and CIA and provides classified satellite imagery for the Pentagon and other intelligence agencies.

The spy satellites will house sensors provided by another company, three of the sources said.

SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a classified contract with a US intelligence agency, five sources familiar with the programme said, demonstrating deepening ties between billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's space company and national security agencies.

SpaceX is building a network of hundreds of spy satellites under a classified contract with a US intelligence agency, five sources familiar with the programme said, demonstrating deepening ties between billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's space company and national security agencies. The network is being built by SpaceX's Starshield business unit under a $1.8 billion contract signed in 2021 with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), an intelligence agency that manages spy satellites, the sources said. The plans show the extent of SpaceX's involvement in US intelligence and military projects and illustrate a deeper Pentagon investment into vast, low-Earth orbiting satellite systems aimed at supporting ground forces. Also read: SpaceX's Starship, targeting moon missions in future If successful, the sources said the programme would significantly advance the ability of the US government and military to quickly spot potential targets almost anywhere on the globe. The contract signals growing trust by the intelligence establishment of a company whose owner has clashed with the Biden administration and sparked controversy over the use of Starlink satellite connectivity in the Ukraine war, the sources said. The Wall Street Journal reported in February the existence of a $1.8 billion classified Starshield contract with an unknown intelligence agency without detailing the purposes of the programme. Reuters reporting discloses for the first time that the SpaceX contract is for a powerful new spy system with hundreds of satellites bearing Earth-imaging capabilities that can operate as a swarm in low orbits, and that the spy agency that Musk's company is working with is the NRO. Reuters was unable to determine when the new network of satellites would come online and could not establish what other companies are part of the program with their own contracts. SpaceX, the world's largest satellite operator, did not respond to several requests for comment about the contract, its role in it and details on satellite launches. The Pentagon referred a request for comment to the NRO and SpaceX. In a statement the NRO acknowledged its mission to develop a sophisticated satellite system and its partnerships with other government agencies, companies, research institutions and nations, but declined to comment on Reuters' findings about the extent of SpaceX’s involvement in the effort. "The National Reconnaissance Office is developing the most capable, diverse, and resilient space-based intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system the world has ever seen," a spokesperson said. The satellites can track targets on the ground and share that data with U.S. intelligence and military officials, the sources said. In principle, that would enable the US government to quickly capture continuous imagery of activities on the ground nearly anywhere on the globe, aiding intelligence and military operations, they added. Roughly a dozen prototypes have been launched since 2020, among other satellites on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets, three of the sources said. A US government database of objects in orbit shows several SpaceX missions having deployed satellites that neither the company nor the government have ever acknowledged. Two sources confirmed those to be prototypes for the Starshield network. All the sources asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to discuss the US government program. The Pentagon is already a big SpaceX customer, using its Falcon 9 rockets to launch military payloads into space. Starshield's first prototype satellite, launched in 2020, was part of a separate, roughly $200 million contract that helped position SpaceX for the subsequent $1.8 billion award, one of the sources said. The planned Starshield network is separate from Starlink, SpaceX's growing commercial broadband constellation that has about 5,500 satellites in space to provide near-global internet to consumers, companies and government agencies. The classified constellation of spy satellites represents one of the US government’s most sought-after capabilities in space because it is designed to offer the most persistent, pervasive and rapid coverage of activities on Earth. Also read: Explained: Why is India paying Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch GSAT "No one can hide," one of the sources said of the system’s potential capability, when describing the network's reach. Musk, also the founder and CEO of Tesla and owner of social media company X, has driven innovation in space but has caused frustration among some officials in the Biden administration because of his past control of Starlink in Ukraine, where Kyiv’s military uses it for secure communications in the conflict with Russia. That authority over Starlink in a war zone by Musk, and not the US military, created tension between him and the US government. A series of Reuters’ stories has detailed how Musk's manufacturing operations, including at SpaceX, have harmed consumers and workers. The Starshield network is part of intensifying competition between the U.S. and its rivals to become the dominant military power in space, in part by expanding spy satellite systems away from bulky, expensive spacecraft at higher orbits. Instead a vast, low-orbiting network can provide quicker and near-constant imaging of the Earth. China also plans to start building its own satellite constellations, and the Pentagon has warned of space weapon threats from Russia, which could be capable of disabling entire satellite networks. Starshield aims to be more resilient to attacks from sophisticated space powers. Also read: 5 Amazing Facts about SpaceX's Starship Rocket The network is also intended to greatly expand the U.S. government's remote-sensing capabilities and will consist of large satellites with imaging sensors, as well as a greater number of relay satellites that pass the imaging data and other communications across the network using inter-satellite lasers, two of the sources said. The NRO includes personnel from the US Space Force and CIA and provides classified satellite imagery for the Pentagon and other intelligence agencies. The spy satellites will house sensors provided by another company, three of the sources said.

Musk's SpaceX is building spy satellite network for US intelligence agency: Reports

Iranian leaders "did not orchestrate nor had foreknowledge of the Hamas attack against Israel", a US intelligence assessment report released on Monday (March 11) claimed while referring to the October 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel in which around 1200 people were killed. But it added that Tehran has since encouraged its proxy militias in the region to mount attacks against Israeli and US interests.

The report also warned that the Lebanon-based Hezbollah movement "will consider a range of retaliatory options" in the immediate future&nbsp;depending on Israel’s actions in Lebanon.

<h2>Netanyahu's coalition is 'in jeopardy': US intelligence&nbsp;</h2>

The "annual threat assessment" report said Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition is "in jeopardy".&nbsp;

"Netanyahu’s viability as leader as well as his governing coalition of far-right and ultraorthodox parties . . . may be in jeopardy," the assessment said.

The assessment added that people's distrust of Israel's embattled premier "has deepened and broadened".&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;Israelis demand PM Netanyahu's resignation, faces heat over his hardline policies

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israelis-demand-pm-netanyahus-resignation-faces-heat-over-his-hardline-policies-699392/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

While Netanyahu has attempted to assuage public sentiment by purportedly launching a strong retaliatory state of war in Gaza after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, the failure to stop such an attack continues to hover over his prospects to be in power.&nbsp;

The US intelligence noted that "a different, more moderate government is a possibility" after any new election.

About 70 per cent of Israeli people want Netanyahu to step down either immediately or following the conclusion of the ongoing war in Gaza, according to public opinion polls.&nbsp;

<h2>Hamas threat will remain for years to come: US assessment</h2>

The US assessment said that Prime Minister Netanyahu's stated goal of "destroying Hamas" enjoys strong public support. But at the same time, Israel&nbsp;"probably will face lingering armed resistance from Hamas for years to come".

The report posed doubts over "governance outcomes" in post-war Gaza as Hamas continues to have significant public support and there remains "continued animosity" between the militant group and its rivals in the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-netanyahu-reacts-to-perceived-tensions-between-israel-and-us-699143">Israel-Hamas war: Netanyahu reacts to perceived tensions between Israel and US</a>

"Much...  will hinge on Israel’s decisions regarding how to deal with Gaza in the aftermath of its campaign as well as the scale and scope of its support for the PA," the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Iranian leaders "did not orchestrate nor had foreknowledge of the Hamas attack against Israel", a US intelligence assessment report released on Monday (March 11) claimed while referring to the October 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel in which around 1200 people were killed.

Iranian leaders "did not orchestrate nor had foreknowledge of the Hamas attack against Israel", a US intelligence assessment report released on Monday (March 11) claimed while referring to the October 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel in which around 1200 people were killed. But it added that Tehran has since encouraged its proxy militias in the region to mount attacks against Israeli and US interests. The report also warned that the Lebanon-based Hezbollah movement "will consider a range of retaliatory options" in the immediate future depending on Israel’s actions in Lebanon. Netanyahu's coalition is 'in jeopardy': US intelligence The "annual threat assessment" report said Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition is "in jeopardy". "Netanyahu’s viability as leader as well as his governing coalition of far-right and ultraorthodox parties . . . may be in jeopardy," the assessment said. The assessment added that people's distrust of Israel's embattled premier "has deepened and broadened". Also watch | Israelis demand PM Netanyahu's resignation, faces heat over his hardline policies × While Netanyahu has attempted to assuage public sentiment by purportedly launching a strong retaliatory state of war in Gaza after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, the failure to stop such an attack continues to hover over his prospects to be in power. The US intelligence noted that "a different, more moderate government is a possibility" after any new election. About 70 per cent of Israeli people want Netanyahu to step down either immediately or following the conclusion of the ongoing war in Gaza, according to public opinion polls. Hamas threat will remain for years to come: US assessment The US assessment said that Prime Minister Netanyahu's stated goal of "destroying Hamas" enjoys strong public support. But at the same time, Israel "probably will face lingering armed resistance from Hamas for years to come". The report posed doubts over "governance outcomes" in post-war Gaza as Hamas continues to have significant public support and there remains "continued animosity" between the militant group and its rivals in the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority. Also read | Israel-Hamas war: Netanyahu reacts to perceived tensions between Israel and US "Much...  will hinge on Israel’s decisions regarding how to deal with Gaza in the aftermath of its campaign as well as the scale and scope of its support for the PA," the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

US intelligence says Iran ‘did not orchestrate nor had foreknowledge’ of October 7 attacks

The US intelligence community is believed to have briefed President Joe Biden about the imminent violence between Hamas and Israel in the weeks ahead of the October 7 terrorist attacks, a CNN report has revealed.

One update came on September 28, backed by multiple intelligence inputs that indicated Hamas was planning a massive rocket attack on Israel. The second assessment was produced on October 5, when the country’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) warned of the increasing possibility of violence by Hamas.

On October 6, the day before Hamas’ assault, US officials reportedly circulated inputs that came directly from Israel. All of this heralded a massive Gazan attack on Israel.

It was unclear whether or not the US intelligence assessments were shared with the Israeli administration.

While the intelligence hinted at the possibility of violence, none of the inputs gave details or indicated the sheer scale and brutality of the attack.

<h2>Intelligence failure?</h2>

Since Israel-Hamas tensions are so frequent and prevalent, it is sometimes an arduous task for intelligence experts to predict or assess the gravity of the situation.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;A week of Israel-Hamas fighting: Tales of horror

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-week-of-israel-hamas-fighting-tales-of-horror-gravitas-646531/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“The problem is that none of this is new,” said one of the sources familiar with the intelligence. “This is something that has historically been the norm between Hamas and Israel. I think what happened is everyone saw these reports and were like, ‘Yeah of course. But we know what this will look like,’” the source added.

<h2>Warning also came from a Middle Eastern ally</h2>

The evaluations were part of a series of stern alerts conveyed to the Biden administration by its own intelligence agencies and allies in the Middle East over the past year, prompting doubts about whether the United States and Israel were adequately prepared for the potential risks.

A senior representative from a Middle Eastern nation in the area indicated that their country had consistently expressed concerns to American and Israeli authorities regarding the escalating Palestinian tensions, yet, as the official put it, "They never listened every time we warned them.”

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-hamas-war-live-israel-closes-on-for-ground-assault-in-gaza-with-right-to-defend-stance-646094">Also read:&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: Top developments Oct 13 | Israel`s infantry, tanks enter Gaza, and more</a>

Furthermore, a Middle Eastern diplomat stationed in Washington, DC, was quoted by CNN as saying that their government had repeatedly cautioned the White House and American intelligence officials about the mounting stockpile of Hamas weaponry and the rising anger within the Palestinian population, which was on the verge of eruption.

(With inputs from agencies)

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

The US intelligence community is believed to have briefed President Joe Biden about the imminent violence between Hamas and Israel in the weeks ahead of the October 7 terrorist attacks, a CNN report has revealed.

The US intelligence community is believed to have briefed President Joe Biden about the imminent violence between Hamas and Israel in the weeks ahead of the October 7 terrorist attacks, a CNN report has revealed. One update came on September 28, backed by multiple intelligence inputs that indicated Hamas was planning a massive rocket attack on Israel. The second assessment was produced on October 5, when the country’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) warned of the increasing possibility of violence by Hamas. On October 6, the day before Hamas’ assault, US officials reportedly circulated inputs that came directly from Israel. All of this heralded a massive Gazan attack on Israel. It was unclear whether or not the US intelligence assessments were shared with the Israeli administration. While the intelligence hinted at the possibility of violence, none of the inputs gave details or indicated the sheer scale and brutality of the attack. Intelligence failure? Since Israel-Hamas tensions are so frequent and prevalent, it is sometimes an arduous task for intelligence experts to predict or assess the gravity of the situation. Watch: A week of Israel-Hamas fighting: Tales of horror × “The problem is that none of this is new,” said one of the sources familiar with the intelligence. “This is something that has historically been the norm between Hamas and Israel. I think what happened is everyone saw these reports and were like, ‘Yeah of course. But we know what this will look like,’” the source added. Warning also came from a Middle Eastern ally The evaluations were part of a series of stern alerts conveyed to the Biden administration by its own intelligence agencies and allies in the Middle East over the past year, prompting doubts about whether the United States and Israel were adequately prepared for the potential risks. A senior representative from a Middle Eastern nation in the area indicated that their country had consistently expressed concerns to American and Israeli authorities regarding the escalating Palestinian tensions, yet, as the official put it, "They never listened every time we warned them.” Also read: Israel-Hamas war: Top developments Oct 13 | Israel`s infantry, tanks enter Gaza, and more Furthermore, a Middle Eastern diplomat stationed in Washington, DC, was quoted by CNN as saying that their government had repeatedly cautioned the White House and American intelligence officials about the mounting stockpile of Hamas weaponry and the rising anger within the Palestinian population, which was on the verge of eruption. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

US intelligence warned of violence by Hamas in weeks ahead of Oct 7 assault: Report

It may sound like a conspiracy theory or a plot for a sci-fi movie a US intelligence officer who has turned whistleblower reveals that the American government has UFOs for real and Washington along with other nations has been using these alien technologies to produce weapons more in our next report.

US intelligence officer turns whistleblower | UFOs, Alien vehicles & covert operations

A decade ago, much before the dawn of Artificial Intelligence emerged on internet's horizon,&nbsp;US whistleblower Edward Snowden stunned the world with revelations that the massive US spy apparatus was secretly monitoring communications and private data on people around the world.&nbsp;

His revelations, apart from triggering crucial debates about state surveillance programmes,&nbsp;led to advancing of privacy protections in Europe and the United States and accelerated the use of encryption.

A former consultant at the&nbsp;US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Snowden became&nbsp;one of the world's most consequential whistleblowers of all time for the monumental exposé of US government, revealing that Washington was executing&nbsp;large-scale surveillance of its own citizens and abroad.

Ten years later, Snowden lives in exile in Moscow as a naturalised Russian citizen. At the same time, the US intelligence still collects&nbsp;huge amounts of private electronically stored and transmitted information.&nbsp;

<h2>Edward Snowden's&nbsp;exposé: Top Revelations</h2>

Snowden revealed that no one was safe from the electronic prying by the US National Security Agency (NSA), least of all Americans, whose private communications are supposedly constitutionally protected.&nbsp;

At the age of 29, Snowden, who worked as an NSA systems administrator, downloaded thousands of classified documents from the NSA and CIA.

These documents provided evidence of a global data collection operation that had gained momentum after the 9/11 terror attacks.

Snowden shared these documents with journalists, which revealed how the US intelligence community collaborated with organisations like Britain's GCHQ [Government Communications Headquarters] to compile dossiers on billions of individuals without any reasonable suspicion.

The documents also disclosed that the US had the capability to intercept the communications of the&nbsp;leaders of countries, including its allies.

The NSA's Prism programme was exposed, under which the US collected user data from internet giants like Google and Facebook, sometimes without their consent.

Also watch |&nbsp;Putin grants citizenship to Edward Snowden; exposed surveillance by NSA

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/putin-grants-citizenship-to-edward-snowden-exposed-surveillance-by-nsa-520250/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Furthermore, the NSA obtained call records from major cell provider Verizon and routinely extracted data from public institutions such as companies, hospitals, and universities.

<h2>Edward Snowden's revelations: The No Limits intelligence collection</h2>

Snowden said that the problem lay not in justifying these activities for counter-terrorism purposes but in the fact that these were secretive programmes with virtually no limits. He emphasised the importance of public discourse in determining where&nbsp;such programmes and policies were right or not.

The public response to Snowden's revelations was characterised by outrage, but it also sparked a backlash from US intelligence agencies.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-sri-lankan-refugees-who-hid-edward-snowden-in-hong-kong-begin-new-lives-in-canada-416868">Four Sri Lankan refugees who hid Edward Snowden in Hong Kong begin new lives in Canada</a>

They accused Snowden of severely compromising counter-terrorism efforts and assisting America's adversaries. However, the intelligence community refrained from providing a detailed account of the damage caused, instead highlighting the prevention of numerous attacks as a result of their surveillance activities.

<h2>Edward Snowden's&nbsp;exposé: The impact</h2>

In 2016, James Clapper, the national intelligence director at the time, acknowledged that Snowden's actions had made the NSA's work more challenging by pressuring internet and mobile communication companies, as well as app developers, to enhance encryption in their services.

According to Ben Wizner, an attorney for Snowden and the American Civil Liberties Union, the leaks bolstered civil liberties, even though an increasing number of internet companies continue to collect user data.

Wizner told news agency AFP that Snowden's revelations compelled the White House, the US Congress, and the judiciary to reverse their course on secretive surveillance practices, leading to the revision and cancellation of certain programmes.

He pointed out that for the first time since the 1970s, Congress legislated to reduce rather than expand surveillance authorities.

The impact of Snowden's global surveillance revelations was particularly evident in Europe. The European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, aiming to restrict the power of US companies like Google and Facebook in collecting and exploiting user data.

The impact of Snowden's global surveillance revelations was particularly evident in Europe. The European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, aiming to restrict the power of US companies like Google and Facebook in collecting and exploiting user data.

Many ask, why did Snowden give up on information the US deemed confidential. In his past interviews, he has cited it to be a matter of principles. That's why, Snowden told Guardian once, he gave up his freedom in the United States and a comfortable lifestyle.

<h2>Transparency is important: Snowden</h2>

"There are more important things than money. If I were motivated by money, I could have sold these documents to any number of countries and gotten very rich," he told The Guardian shortly after his revelations exposed the previously confidential realities of the US government.

"I carefully evaluated every single document I disclosed to ensure that each was legitimately in the public interest," he said. "There are all sorts of documents that would have made a big impact that I didn’t turn over, because harming people isn’t my goal. Transparency is."

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

A decade ago, much before the dawn of Artificial Intelligence emerged on internet's horizon, US whistleblower Edward Snowden stunned the world with revelations that the massive US spy apparatus was secretly monitoring communications and private data on people around the world.

A decade ago, much before the dawn of Artificial Intelligence emerged on internet's horizon, US whistleblower Edward Snowden stunned the world with revelations that the massive US spy apparatus was secretly monitoring communications and private data on people around the world. His revelations, apart from triggering crucial debates about state surveillance programmes, led to advancing of privacy protections in Europe and the United States and accelerated the use of encryption. A former consultant at the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Snowden became one of the world's most consequential whistleblowers of all time for the monumental exposé of US government, revealing that Washington was executing large-scale surveillance of its own citizens and abroad. Ten years later, Snowden lives in exile in Moscow as a naturalised Russian citizen. At the same time, the US intelligence still collects huge amounts of private electronically stored and transmitted information. Edward Snowden's exposé: Top Revelations Snowden revealed that no one was safe from the electronic prying by the US National Security Agency (NSA), least of all Americans, whose private communications are supposedly constitutionally protected. At the age of 29, Snowden, who worked as an NSA systems administrator, downloaded thousands of classified documents from the NSA and CIA. These documents provided evidence of a global data collection operation that had gained momentum after the 9/11 terror attacks. Snowden shared these documents with journalists, which revealed how the US intelligence community collaborated with organisations like Britain's GCHQ [Government Communications Headquarters] to compile dossiers on billions of individuals without any reasonable suspicion. The documents also disclosed that the US had the capability to intercept the communications of the leaders of countries, including its allies. The NSA's Prism programme was exposed, under which the US collected user data from internet giants like Google and Facebook, sometimes without their consent. Also watch | Putin grants citizenship to Edward Snowden; exposed surveillance by NSA × Furthermore, the NSA obtained call records from major cell provider Verizon and routinely extracted data from public institutions such as companies, hospitals, and universities. Edward Snowden's revelations: The No Limits intelligence collection Snowden said that the problem lay not in justifying these activities for counter-terrorism purposes but in the fact that these were secretive programmes with virtually no limits. He emphasised the importance of public discourse in determining where such programmes and policies were right or not. The public response to Snowden's revelations was characterised by outrage, but it also sparked a backlash from US intelligence agencies. Also read | Four Sri Lankan refugees who hid Edward Snowden in Hong Kong begin new lives in Canada They accused Snowden of severely compromising counter-terrorism efforts and assisting America's adversaries. However, the intelligence community refrained from providing a detailed account of the damage caused, instead highlighting the prevention of numerous attacks as a result of their surveillance activities. Edward Snowden's exposé: The impact In 2016, James Clapper, the national intelligence director at the time, acknowledged that Snowden's actions had made the NSA's work more challenging by pressuring internet and mobile communication companies, as well as app developers, to enhance encryption in their services. According to Ben Wizner, an attorney for Snowden and the American Civil Liberties Union, the leaks bolstered civil liberties, even though an increasing number of internet companies continue to collect user data. Wizner told news agency AFP that Snowden's revelations compelled the White House, the US Congress, and the judiciary to reverse their course on secretive surveillance practices, leading to the revision and cancellation of certain programmes. He pointed out that for the first time since the 1970s, Congress legislated to reduce rather than expand surveillance authorities. The impact of Snowden's global surveillance revelations was particularly evident in Europe. The European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, aiming to restrict the power of US companies like Google and Facebook in collecting and exploiting user data. The impact of Snowden's global surveillance revelations was particularly evident in Europe. The European Union implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, aiming to restrict the power of US companies like Google and Facebook in collecting and exploiting user data. Many ask, why did Snowden give up on information the US deemed confidential. In his past interviews, he has cited it to be a matter of principles. That's why, Snowden told Guardian once, he gave up his freedom in the United States and a comfortable lifestyle. Transparency is important: Snowden "There are more important things than money. If I were motivated by money, I could have sold these documents to any number of countries and gotten very rich," he told The Guardian shortly after his revelations exposed the previously confidential realities of the US government. "I carefully evaluated every single document I disclosed to ensure that each was legitimately in the public interest," he said. "There are all sorts of documents that would have made a big impact that I didn’t turn over, because harming people isn’t my goal. Transparency is." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | Snowden leaks, a decade later: When no limits surveillance by US intelligence was exposed

Pakistan’s junior foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar suggested to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that the country should stop cosying up with the United States at the expense of sacrificing its strategic relationship with China, leaked US intelligence documents revealed.

She said that the country can “no longer try to maintain a middle ground between China and the United States,” the report stated, according to the Washington Post.

The leaked documents, published by Washington Post, contain two Pakistani memos warning the top brass not to irk China to maintain links with the United States.

The Washington Post, however, has not revealed how it got access to those Pakistani memos.

It also states how Pakistan should distance itself from the United States on issues like Moscow and China.

One of the memos talks about the meeting that took place between Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and the PM in March this year to discuss Pakistan’s relations with China

The memo titled “Pakistan’s difficult choices”, details how Islamabad is cautious and wants to avoid giving the appearance of appeasing the West.

<h2>US Warns Beijing on South China Sea</h2>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-warns-beijing-on-south-china-sea-587506/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Another memo, dated February 17, reveals details of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s discussions with a subordinate on an upcoming UN vote on the Ukraine conflict. It also anticipated renewed Western pressure to back the UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion.

Pakistan is among the 32 countries that abstained from voting every time a US-backed resolution on the Ukrainian conflict was raised in the UN General Assembly.

In the memo, one of his advisors told PM Sharif that supporting the UN-backed resolution would signal a shift in Pakistan’s position as it had earlier maintained absence on a similar resolution.

The advisor further states Pakistan should focus on negotiating trade and energy deals with Russia, and not support the resolution as it could jeopardise those ties.

The Washington Post report further points out that leaked documents reflect how major developing nations are looking to “evade the intensifying standoff between the United States, Russia and China and, in some cases, exploit that rivalry for their own gain.”

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Pakistan’s junior foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar suggested to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that the country should stop cosying up with the United States at the expense of sacrificing its strategic relationship with China, leaked US intelligence documents revealed.

Pakistan’s junior foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar suggested to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that the country should stop cosying up with the United States at the expense of sacrificing its strategic relationship with China, leaked US intelligence documents revealed. She said that the country can “no longer try to maintain a middle ground between China and the United States,” the report stated, according to the Washington Post. The leaked documents, published by Washington Post, contain two Pakistani memos warning the top brass not to irk China to maintain links with the United States. The Washington Post, however, has not revealed how it got access to those Pakistani memos. It also states how Pakistan should distance itself from the United States on issues like Moscow and China. One of the memos talks about the meeting that took place between Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and the PM in March this year to discuss Pakistan’s relations with China The memo titled “Pakistan’s difficult choices”, details how Islamabad is cautious and wants to avoid giving the appearance of appeasing the West. US Warns Beijing on South China Sea Another memo, dated February 17, reveals details of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s discussions with a subordinate on an upcoming UN vote on the Ukraine conflict. It also anticipated renewed Western pressure to back the UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion. Pakistan is among the 32 countries that abstained from voting every time a US-backed resolution on the Ukrainian conflict was raised in the UN General Assembly. In the memo, one of his advisors told PM Sharif that supporting the UN-backed resolution would signal a shift in Pakistan’s position as it had earlier maintained absence on a similar resolution. The advisor further states Pakistan should focus on negotiating trade and energy deals with Russia, and not support the resolution as it could jeopardise those ties. The Washington Post report further points out that leaked documents reflect how major developing nations are looking to “evade the intensifying standoff between the United States, Russia and China and, in some cases, exploit that rivalry for their own gain.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Pak minister Hina Rabbani Khar told PM Sharif not to side with US at expense of angering China: Report

The United States' National Intelligence Director Avril Haines said on Saturday (December 3) that the Russian forces in Ukraine are using up ammunition "quite quickly".&nbsp;Despite the recent attacks on missile infrastructure, US intelligence believes that fighting in parts of Ukraine has been slowing down, which apparently will continue in the coming months.&nbsp;

Haines told the annual Reagan National Defense Forum in California, "We are seeing a kind of a reduced tempo already of the conflict ... and we expect that's likely to be what we see in the coming months."&nbsp;

According to Haines, both the Ukrainian and Russian troops will prepare for a counter-offensive after the winter. But before that, they might try to refit and resupply.&nbsp;

She said, "We actually have a fair amount of scepticism as to whether or not the Russians will be in fact prepared to do that. I think more optimistically for the Ukrainians in that timeframe."&nbsp;

At the defence forum, Haines also noted said she thought Russian President Vladimir Putin had been taken aback by his military's lack of greater success.&nbsp;

She said: "I do think he is becoming more informed of the challenges that the military faces in Russia. But it's still not clear to us that he has a full picture at this stage of just how challenged&nbsp;they are ... we see shortages of ammunition, for morale, supply issues, logistics, a whole series of concerns that they're facing."&nbsp;

Haines also claimed that Putin might think to scale back his military objectives "on a temporary basis with the idea that he might then come back at this issue at a later time".&nbsp;

Russia appeared to be using up its military stockpiles "quite quickly", Haines said, further adding that "it is pretty extraordinary, and our own sense is that they are not capable of indigenously producing what they are expending at this stage."&nbsp;

"That's why you see them going to other countries effectively to try to get ammunition ... and we've indicated that their precision munitions are running out much faster in many respects," she added.&nbsp;

<h2>UK warns Putin could use 'peace talks' to restock his army&nbsp;</h2>

In an interview with The Telegraph, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that Putin could use peace talks to restock his army in Ukraine before launching another attack.&nbsp;

Cleverly alleged that Putin could pretend to engage in negotiations while training more troops and sending more ammunition, the newspaper said on December 2.&nbsp;

The paper quoted Cleverly as saying that there is a risk that a cease-fire would be used by Putin to "refit his damaged armed forces and to rearm his armed forces".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The United States' National Intelligence Director Avril Haines said on Saturday (December 3) that the Russian forces in Ukraine are using up ammunition "quite quickly".

The United States' National Intelligence Director Avril Haines said on Saturday (December 3) that the Russian forces in Ukraine are using up ammunition "quite quickly". Despite the recent attacks on missile infrastructure, US intelligence believes that fighting in parts of Ukraine has been slowing down, which apparently will continue in the coming months. Haines told the annual Reagan National Defense Forum in California, "We are seeing a kind of a reduced tempo already of the conflict ... and we expect that's likely to be what we see in the coming months." According to Haines, both the Ukrainian and Russian troops will prepare for a counter-offensive after the winter. But before that, they might try to refit and resupply. She said, "We actually have a fair amount of scepticism as to whether or not the Russians will be in fact prepared to do that. I think more optimistically for the Ukrainians in that timeframe." At the defence forum, Haines also noted said she thought Russian President Vladimir Putin had been taken aback by his military's lack of greater success. She said: "I do think he is becoming more informed of the challenges that the military faces in Russia. But it's still not clear to us that he has a full picture at this stage of just how challenged they are ... we see shortages of ammunition, for morale, supply issues, logistics, a whole series of concerns that they're facing." Haines also claimed that Putin might think to scale back his military objectives "on a temporary basis with the idea that he might then come back at this issue at a later time". Russia appeared to be using up its military stockpiles "quite quickly", Haines said, further adding that "it is pretty extraordinary, and our own sense is that they are not capable of indigenously producing what they are expending at this stage." "That's why you see them going to other countries effectively to try to get ammunition ... and we've indicated that their precision munitions are running out much faster in many respects," she added. UK warns Putin could use 'peace talks' to restock his army In an interview with The Telegraph, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said that Putin could use peace talks to restock his army in Ukraine before launching another attack. Cleverly alleged that Putin could pretend to engage in negotiations while training more troops and sending more ammunition, the newspaper said on December 2. The paper quoted Cleverly as saying that there is a risk that a cease-fire would be used by Putin to "refit his damaged armed forces and to rearm his armed forces". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US believes Russia using up military stockpiles ‘more rapidly’ than it can replenish

The Russian Ministry of Defense is in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for its ongoing fight in Ukraine, according to a newly downgraded U.S. intelligence finding. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

WION Fineprint | US: Russia to buy rockets, artillery shells from North Korea

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. According to a US Intelligence finding, the Russian Ministry of Defense is apparently in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for the ongoing war against Ukraine, news agency The Associated Press reported. While speaking on the condition of anonymity, a US official told the agency on Monday that Moscow's move shows that "the Russian military continues to suffer from severe supply shortages in Ukraine, due in part to export controls and sanctions." ALSO READ | 'Only thing reliable from Russia is lies': Faced with energy crisis Germany takes a U-turn to nuclear energy As per US Intelligence officials, Russians could look to purchase additional North Korean military equipment in the future. Although, there is no clarity over how much weaponry Russia intends to purchase from North Korea. When the US and Europe pulled away from Russia, North Korea sought to tighten relations with Russia. Recently, the Biden administration confirmed that the Russian military in August took delivery of Iranian-manufactured drones for the Russia-Ukraine war. The White House also said that Russia faced technical problems with Iranian-made drones, which were said to be acquired in August. ALSO READ | EU urges Liz Truss to adhere to the Brexit deal This comes amid a bold statement by the United Kingdom Defense Secretary Ben Wallace. He said it has been more than six months into its war in Ukraine, and Russia "has yet to achieve any of its strategic objectives" in its invasion. Wallace said that Russia "continues to lose significant equipment and personnel" in the war. He further added that the losses will have a lasting impact on Moscow's future combat effectiveness. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia to buy rockets and artillery shells from North Korea: US intelligence

The documents recovered by the FBI during their raid on former United States president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on August 8 will be assessed by the country’s intelligence community in order to understand the potential risk to national security, according to Reuters.

In a letter obtained by the news agency, the National Intelligence Director (DNI) Avril Haines told House Intelligence Committee chair Adam Schiff and Oversight Committee chair Carolyn Maloney that the two agencies "are working together to facilitate a classification review" of materials.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-hints-it-is-developing-military-option-against-iran-510671">Gantz receives 'positive sign' US is developing military option against Iran</a>

Earlier, the US Justice Department released a highly redacted affidavit stating the nature of the documents found in the raid and the circumstances and proof leading up to the FBI operation.

According to The Washington Post, the affidavit also said that 184 documents found in the boxes had “classification markings”. Among the documents mentioned in the affidavit, 67 of them were marked “CONFIDENTIAL,” 92 marked “SECRET,” and remaining 25 were marked as “TOP SECRET”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-blocks-un-nuclear-treaty-agreement-text-over-zaporizhzhia-row-510547" hreflang="en">Russia blocks final text of UN's NPT agreement over Zaporizhzhia mention</a>

In a joint statement, Schiff and Maloney made it clear that the two agencies will be trying to understand the complete content of the recovered documents and their potential impact.

They cited the affidavit released the Justice Department and said that it "affirms our grave concern that among the documents stored at Mar-a-Lago were those that could endanger human sources. It is critical that the IC move swiftly to assess and, if necessary, to mitigate the damage done."

Despite the constant criticism, Trump continued to defend his position and his lawyers said on Saturday that the authorities are trying to malign his name ahead of the 2024 Presidential run.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The documents recovered by the FBI during their raid on former United States president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on August 8 will be assessed by the country’s intelligence community in order to understand the potential risk to national security, according to Reuters.

The documents recovered by the FBI during their raid on former United States president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on August 8 will be assessed by the country’s intelligence community in order to understand the potential risk to national security, according to Reuters. In a letter obtained by the news agency, the National Intelligence Director (DNI) Avril Haines told House Intelligence Committee chair Adam Schiff and Oversight Committee chair Carolyn Maloney that the two agencies "are working together to facilitate a classification review" of materials. Also read | Gantz receives 'positive sign' US is developing military option against Iran Earlier, the US Justice Department released a highly redacted affidavit stating the nature of the documents found in the raid and the circumstances and proof leading up to the FBI operation. According to The Washington Post, the affidavit also said that 184 documents found in the boxes had “classification markings”. Among the documents mentioned in the affidavit, 67 of them were marked “CONFIDENTIAL,” 92 marked “SECRET,” and remaining 25 were marked as “TOP SECRET”. Also read | Russia blocks final text of UN's NPT agreement over Zaporizhzhia mention In a joint statement, Schiff and Maloney made it clear that the two agencies will be trying to understand the complete content of the recovered documents and their potential impact. They cited the affidavit released the Justice Department and said that it "affirms our grave concern that among the documents stored at Mar-a-Lago were those that could endanger human sources. It is critical that the IC move swiftly to assess and, if necessary, to mitigate the damage done." Despite the constant criticism, Trump continued to defend his position and his lawyers said on Saturday that the authorities are trying to malign his name ahead of the 2024 Presidential run. WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

US intelligence to carry out risk assessment of documents from Mar-a-Lago raid

North Korea fired three missiles on Wednesday (May 25). The tests allegedly included one of its largest intercontinental ballistic missiles. In the aftermath, the United States intelligence is assessing&nbsp;whether North Korea tested a ballistic missile with properties that the US has not seen before earlier this week, CNN reported citing three US officials. The US and South Korea have said that North Korea tested three rockets, including an intercontinental ballistic missile. The report suggested that North Korea could be preparing for its first nuclear test since 2017. The US also forced a vote at the Security Council on toughening sanctions on North Korea.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-successfully-test-fires-zircon-hypersonic-cruise-missile-482895">Amid Ukraine war, Russia successfully test-fires Zircon hypersonic cruise missile</a>

As per the CNN report, out of the three missiles that were allegedly fired, one flew an unusual trajectory. The officials noted that the missile's flight path had a "double arc" with the missile ascending and then descending twice, the media outlet stated.&nbsp;

According to two of the officials, as quoted by CNN, such an unusual trajectory suggests that North Korea might have been testing the ability to fire a missile and then make it re-enter the Earth's atmosphere to reach a target.&nbsp;

A joint statement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Friday noted: "The United States, the ROK, and Japan express deep concern about the May 25 DPRK launches of an intercontinental ballistic missile and shorter-range ballistic missiles."&nbsp;

"The DPRK has significantly increased the pace and scale of its ballistic missile launches since September 2021. Each of these launches violated multiple UNSC resolutions and posed a grave threat to the region and the international community," it added.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Taiwan conducts annual missile drills in Eastern waters

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/taiwan-conducts-annual-missile-drills-in-eastern-waters-482962/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-seals-deal-with-samoa-causing-fresh-jitters-in-western-sphere-482892">China seals deal with Samoa causing fresh jitters in western sphere</a>

Meanwhile, the US on Friday (May 27) imposed sanctions on two Russian banks, a North Korean company and a person it accused of supporting North Korea's weapons of mass destruction program.&nbsp;

The move came a day after China and Russia vetoed a US-led push to impose more United Nations sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile launches.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

North Korea fired three missiles on Wednesday (May 25). The tests allegedly included one of its largest intercontinental ballistic missiles. In the aftermath, the United States intelligence is assessing whether North Korea tested a ballistic missile with properties that the US has not seen before earlier this week, CNN reported citing three US officials.

North Korea fired three missiles on Wednesday (May 25). The tests allegedly included one of its largest intercontinental ballistic missiles. In the aftermath, the United States intelligence is assessing whether North Korea tested a ballistic missile with properties that the US has not seen before earlier this week, CNN reported citing three US officials. The US and South Korea have said that North Korea tested three rockets, including an intercontinental ballistic missile. The report suggested that North Korea could be preparing for its first nuclear test since 2017. The US also forced a vote at the Security Council on toughening sanctions on North Korea. ALSO READ | Amid Ukraine war, Russia successfully test-fires Zircon hypersonic cruise missile As per the CNN report, out of the three missiles that were allegedly fired, one flew an unusual trajectory. The officials noted that the missile's flight path had a "double arc" with the missile ascending and then descending twice, the media outlet stated. According to two of the officials, as quoted by CNN, such an unusual trajectory suggests that North Korea might have been testing the ability to fire a missile and then make it re-enter the Earth's atmosphere to reach a target. A joint statement from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Friday noted: "The United States, the ROK, and Japan express deep concern about the May 25 DPRK launches of an intercontinental ballistic missile and shorter-range ballistic missiles." "The DPRK has significantly increased the pace and scale of its ballistic missile launches since September 2021. Each of these launches violated multiple UNSC resolutions and posed a grave threat to the region and the international community," it added. WATCH | Taiwan conducts annual missile drills in Eastern waters × ALSO READ | China seals deal with Samoa causing fresh jitters in western sphere Meanwhile, the US on Friday (May 27) imposed sanctions on two Russian banks, a North Korean company and a person it accused of supporting North Korea's weapons of mass destruction program. The move came a day after China and Russia vetoed a US-led push to impose more United Nations sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile launches. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US intelligence assesses 'unusual trajectory' of missile test-fired by North Korea: Report

According to the New York Times, which cited top US officials, the US has provided intelligence that has assisted Ukrainian forces in killing many of the Russian generals who have perished in the Ukraine conflict.

According to the newspaper, Washington has provided Ukraine with information on Russia's expected troop movements as well as the location and other details of Russia's mobile military headquarters, and Ukraine has combined this information with its own intelligence to conduct artillery strikes and other attacks that have killed Russian officers.

Ukrainian officials claim to have killed roughly 12 Russian generals on the battlefield. According to the publication, US officials refused to say how many generals were slain as a result of American intelligence.

“The United States provides battlefield intelligence to help the Ukrainians defend their country,” NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in an email.

Watch | Russia Ukraine crisis: Europe aims to phase out Russian crude in six months

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-crisis-europe-aims-to-phase-out-russian-crude-in-six-months-476481/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The large number of high-ranking Russian military officers who have died has astounded Western security experts, who last acknowledged an official total of seven generals in late March, but Ukraine has subsequently announced that more have died.

Low morale was highlighted by Western diplomats in March as a rationale for Russian generals being so close to the front lines. They also mentioned possible Russian communications and logistics challenges, which might lead to top officers using unencrypted channels and exposing themselves to Ukrainian forces.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION. 
 
&nbsp;

According to the New York Times, which cited top US officials, the US has provided intelligence that has assisted Ukrainian forces in killing many of the Russian generals who have perished in the Ukraine conflict.

According to the New York Times, which cited top US officials, the US has provided intelligence that has assisted Ukrainian forces in killing many of the Russian generals who have perished in the Ukraine conflict. According to the newspaper, Washington has provided Ukraine with information on Russia's expected troop movements as well as the location and other details of Russia's mobile military headquarters, and Ukraine has combined this information with its own intelligence to conduct artillery strikes and other attacks that have killed Russian officers. Ukrainian officials claim to have killed roughly 12 Russian generals on the battlefield. According to the publication, US officials refused to say how many generals were slain as a result of American intelligence. “The United States provides battlefield intelligence to help the Ukrainians defend their country,” NSC spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in an email. Watch | Russia Ukraine crisis: Europe aims to phase out Russian crude in six months The large number of high-ranking Russian military officers who have died has astounded Western security experts, who last acknowledged an official total of seven generals in late March, but Ukraine has subsequently announced that more have died. Low morale was highlighted by Western diplomats in March as a rationale for Russian generals being so close to the front lines. They also mentioned possible Russian communications and logistics challenges, which might lead to top officers using unencrypted channels and exposing themselves to Ukrainian forces. WATCH WION LIVE HERE Decode the geostrategy, diplomacy, and ideologies of the world’s unending wars. Catch our special series ‘World at War’ every Saturday at 8:30 PM IST and Sunday at 10:30 PM IST only on WION.

US intelligence helped Ukraine target Russian generals: Report

The Director of US Intelligence service has said that the threat of Russia launching 'Nuke' attack on Ukraine can't be taken lightly but he asserts that the CIA has not seen lot of practical evidence reinforcing that concern

Threat of Russia launching 'Nuke' attack on Ukraine can't be taken lightly: US

US: Threat of Russia launching 'Nuke' attack on Ukraine can't be taken lightly

Three former US&nbsp;intelligence officers hired by the United Arab Emirates to carry out sophisticated cyber operations admitted to hacking crimes and violating US&nbsp;export laws that restrict the transfer of military technology to foreign governments, according to court documents made public on Tuesday.

The documents detail a conspiracy by the three men to furnish the Emirates with advanced technology and to assist Emirati intelligence operatives in breaches aimed at damaging the perceived enemies of the small but powerful Persian Gulf nation.

The men helped the Emirates, a close American ally, gain unauthorized access to “acquire data from computers, electronic devices and servers around the world, including on computers and servers in the United States,” prosecutors said.

The three men worked for DarkMatter, a company that is effectively an arm of the Emirati government. They are part of a trend of former US&nbsp;intelligence officers accepting lucrative jobs from foreign governments hoping to bolster their abilities to mount cyber operations.

Legal experts have said the rules governing this new age of digital mercenaries are murky, and the charges made public on Tuesday could be something of an opening salvo by the government in a battle to deter former American spies from becoming guns for hire overseas.

The three men, Marc Baier, Ryan Adams and Daniel Gericke, admitted violating US&nbsp;laws as part of a three-year deferred prosecution agreement. If the men comply with the agreement, the Justice Department will drop the criminal prosecution. Each man will also pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. The men will also never be able to receive a U.S. government security clearance.

Baier worked for the National Security Agency unit that carries out advanced offensive cyber operations. Adams and Gericke served in the military and in the intelligence community.

DarkMatter had its origins in another company, an American firm called CyberPoint that originally won contracts from the Emirates to help protect the country from computer attacks.

CyberPoint obtained approval from the US&nbsp;government to work for the Emiratis, a necessary step intended to regulate the export of military and intelligence services. Many of the company’s employees had worked on highly classified projects for the NSA and other U.S. intelligence agencies.

But the Emiratis had larger ambitions and repeatedly pressed CyberPoint employees to exceed the boundaries of the company’s American license, according to former employees.

CyberPoint rebuffed requests by Emirati intelligence operatives to try to crack encryption codes and to hack websites housed on American servers — operations that would have run afoul of American law.

So in 2015 the Emiratis founded DarkMatter — forming a company not bound by United States law — and lured numerous American employees of CyberPoint to join, including the three defendants.

DarkMatter employed several other former NSA and CIA officers, according to a roster of employees obtained by The New York Times, some making salaries of hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

The investigation into the American employees of DarkMatter has continued for years, and it had been unclear whether prosecutors would bring charges.

Experts cited potential diplomatic concerns about jeopardizing the United States’ relationship with the Emirates -&nbsp;a country that has cultivated close ties to the past several US&nbsp;administrations -&nbsp;as well as worries about whether pursuing the case might expose embarrassing details about the extent of the cooperation between DarkMatter and US&nbsp;intelligence agencies.

There is also the reality that US&nbsp;laws have been slow to adapt to the technological changes that have provided lucrative work for former spies once trained to conduct offensive cyber operations against America’s adversaries.

Specifically, the rules that govern what US&nbsp;intelligence and military personnel can and cannot provide to foreign governments were devised for 20th-century warfare — for instance, training foreign armies on American military tactics or selling defense equipment like guns or missiles.

They have not addressed the hacking skills honed in some of America’s most advanced intelligence units and sold to the highest bidder.

This year, the CIA sent a blunt letter to former officers warning them against going to work for foreign governments. The letter, written by the spy agency’s head of counterintelligence, said it was seeing a “detrimental trend” of “foreign governments, either directly or indirectly, hiring former intelligence officials to build up their spying capabilities.”

“I can’t mince words -&nbsp;former CIA officers who pursue this type of employment are engaging in activity that may undermine the agency’s mission to the benefit of US&nbsp;competitors and foreign adversaries,” wrote Sheetal T. Patel, the CIA’s assistant director for counterintelligence.

Prosecutors said that the Emirates gradually transitioned its contracts from CyberPoint to DarkMatter, but that at no time did the three men obtain the necessary approvals to provide defense services to DarkMatter. The court documents said that the three men and others worked in DarkMatter’s “Cyber Intelligence Operations,” which gained access to “information and data from thousands of targets around the world.”

In interviews, former DarkMatter employees said that Emirati officials were particularly focused on hacking the computer systems of the country’s main rival, Qatar, but that operations were also carried out against Emirati dissidents and journalists. They even hacked the emails of a Qatari minister communicating with former first lady Michelle Obama about a planned trip to Qatar.

Baier and his group purchased computer tools from US&nbsp;companies for use in hacking operations, according to prosecutors. In two instances, DarkMatter paid about $750,000 and $1.3 million -&nbsp;illustrating how much American companies stand to gain from selling those dangerous tools to foreign countries and businesses.

Prosecutors said the men “expanded the breadth and increased the sophistication” of the operations that DarkMatter was providing to the Emirati government. The efforts took aim at “individual, corporate and government targets by compromising computers and accounts belonging to associates, employees or relatives of the primary targets,” according to court documents.

Prosecutors said CyberPoint warned the Americans that it could not support DarkMatter’s intended computer exploitation operations without obtaining the proper US&nbsp;authorisation.

Two former employees, Lori Stroud and Jonathan Cole, left the company after growing troubled about DarkMatter’s hacking and targeting of US&nbsp;citizens. When the pair, who are married, raised the issue with their superiors, they were sidelined, they said.

They left the company in 2017 and began cooperating extensively with the FBI’s investigation.

“This is a huge win,” Cole said in an interview Tuesday. “This will send a message to former US&nbsp;intelligence operatives working overseas. They should not share US&nbsp;tradecraft with foreign governments.”

Three former US intelligence officers hired by the United Arab Emirates to carry out sophisticated cyber operations admitted to hacking crimes and violating US export laws that restrict the transfer of military technology to foreign governments, according to court documents made public on Tuesday.

Three former US intelligence officers hired by the United Arab Emirates to carry out sophisticated cyber operations admitted to hacking crimes and violating US export laws that restrict the transfer of military technology to foreign governments, according to court documents made public on Tuesday. The documents detail a conspiracy by the three men to furnish the Emirates with advanced technology and to assist Emirati intelligence operatives in breaches aimed at damaging the perceived enemies of the small but powerful Persian Gulf nation. The men helped the Emirates, a close American ally, gain unauthorized access to “acquire data from computers, electronic devices and servers around the world, including on computers and servers in the United States,” prosecutors said. The three men worked for DarkMatter, a company that is effectively an arm of the Emirati government. They are part of a trend of former US intelligence officers accepting lucrative jobs from foreign governments hoping to bolster their abilities to mount cyber operations. Legal experts have said the rules governing this new age of digital mercenaries are murky, and the charges made public on Tuesday could be something of an opening salvo by the government in a battle to deter former American spies from becoming guns for hire overseas. The three men, Marc Baier, Ryan Adams and Daniel Gericke, admitted violating US laws as part of a three-year deferred prosecution agreement. If the men comply with the agreement, the Justice Department will drop the criminal prosecution. Each man will also pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. The men will also never be able to receive a U.S. government security clearance. Baier worked for the National Security Agency unit that carries out advanced offensive cyber operations. Adams and Gericke served in the military and in the intelligence community. DarkMatter had its origins in another company, an American firm called CyberPoint that originally won contracts from the Emirates to help protect the country from computer attacks. CyberPoint obtained approval from the US government to work for the Emiratis, a necessary step intended to regulate the export of military and intelligence services. Many of the company’s employees had worked on highly classified projects for the NSA and other U.S. intelligence agencies. But the Emiratis had larger ambitions and repeatedly pressed CyberPoint employees to exceed the boundaries of the company’s American license, according to former employees. CyberPoint rebuffed requests by Emirati intelligence operatives to try to crack encryption codes and to hack websites housed on American servers — operations that would have run afoul of American law. So in 2015 the Emiratis founded DarkMatter — forming a company not bound by United States law — and lured numerous American employees of CyberPoint to join, including the three defendants. DarkMatter employed several other former NSA and CIA officers, according to a roster of employees obtained by The New York Times, some making salaries of hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. The investigation into the American employees of DarkMatter has continued for years, and it had been unclear whether prosecutors would bring charges. Experts cited potential diplomatic concerns about jeopardizing the United States’ relationship with the Emirates - a country that has cultivated close ties to the past several US administrations - as well as worries about whether pursuing the case might expose embarrassing details about the extent of the cooperation between DarkMatter and US intelligence agencies. There is also the reality that US laws have been slow to adapt to the technological changes that have provided lucrative work for former spies once trained to conduct offensive cyber operations against America’s adversaries. Specifically, the rules that govern what US intelligence and military personnel can and cannot provide to foreign governments were devised for 20th-century warfare — for instance, training foreign armies on American military tactics or selling defense equipment like guns or missiles. They have not addressed the hacking skills honed in some of America’s most advanced intelligence units and sold to the highest bidder. This year, the CIA sent a blunt letter to former officers warning them against going to work for foreign governments. The letter, written by the spy agency’s head of counterintelligence, said it was seeing a “detrimental trend” of “foreign governments, either directly or indirectly, hiring former intelligence officials to build up their spying capabilities.” “I can’t mince words - former CIA officers who pursue this type of employment are engaging in activity that may undermine the agency’s mission to the benefit of US competitors and foreign adversaries,” wrote Sheetal T. Patel, the CIA’s assistant director for counterintelligence. Prosecutors said that the Emirates gradually transitioned its contracts from CyberPoint to DarkMatter, but that at no time did the three men obtain the necessary approvals to provide defense services to DarkMatter. The court documents said that the three men and others worked in DarkMatter’s “Cyber Intelligence Operations,” which gained access to “information and data from thousands of targets around the world.” In interviews, former DarkMatter employees said that Emirati officials were particularly focused on hacking the computer systems of the country’s main rival, Qatar, but that operations were also carried out against Emirati dissidents and journalists. They even hacked the emails of a Qatari minister communicating with former first lady Michelle Obama about a planned trip to Qatar. Baier and his group purchased computer tools from US companies for use in hacking operations, according to prosecutors. In two instances, DarkMatter paid about $750,000 and $1.3 million - illustrating how much American companies stand to gain from selling those dangerous tools to foreign countries and businesses. Prosecutors said the men “expanded the breadth and increased the sophistication” of the operations that DarkMatter was providing to the Emirati government. The efforts took aim at “individual, corporate and government targets by compromising computers and accounts belonging to associates, employees or relatives of the primary targets,” according to court documents. Prosecutors said CyberPoint warned the Americans that it could not support DarkMatter’s intended computer exploitation operations without obtaining the proper US authorisation. Two former employees, Lori Stroud and Jonathan Cole, left the company after growing troubled about DarkMatter’s hacking and targeting of US citizens. When the pair, who are married, raised the issue with their superiors, they were sidelined, they said. They left the company in 2017 and began cooperating extensively with the FBI’s investigation. “This is a huge win,” Cole said in an interview Tuesday. “This will send a message to former US intelligence operatives working overseas. They should not share US tradecraft with foreign governments.”

Ex-US intelligence officers admit to hacking crimes in work for Emiratis

Amid the row over US intelligence agency spying on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-acceptable-between-allies-european-partners-macron-on-us-danish-spying-row-388658">European </a>politicians with the help of Denmark, the Norwegian government on Thursday summoned a&nbsp;US embassy official, reports said.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/europe-demands-answers-after-us-danish-spying-claims-388683/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Prime Minister Erna Solberg told the local news agency that US officials had told the government that they had changed the practice since 2014. The prime minister added that she had summoned the US embassy official to follow-up on it.

The Danish radio on Sunday had reported that US intelligence had used the country's underwater internet cables from 2012 to 2014 to spy on European politicians including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The US officials had also reportedly spied on politicians from France, Norway and Sweden.

However, Denmark PM Frederiksen said that there was no&nbsp;"need to repair relations with France or Germany" asserting that the country was engaged in an "ongoing dialogue".

The Danish media had reported the US National Security Agency(NSA) officials had intercepted messages and phone calls of former German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and ex-opposition leader Peer Steinbruck including the German Chancellor.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/extremely-serious-says-france-amid-us-nsa-denmark-spying-row-388588">French</a> President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel after a meeting had demanded an explanation from the US and Denmark. The French president said that the incident was "not acceptable between allies" while asserting that he was waiting for "complete clarity" from both nations allegedly involved in the spying case.

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg echoed similar thoughts as her European allies saying it was "unacceptable if countries which have close allied cooperation feel the need to spy on one another."

Macron's minister Clement Beaune had said that the allegation was "extremely serious" as he reiterated that there should be trust between allies.

In a development close to the spying case, whistleblower Edward Snowden who was a contractor with the NSA had released thousands of secret files in 2013 on US surveillance which revealed that the US had carried out spying on several countries and had tracked German Chancellor Merkel's mobile phone.

Snowden later fled to Russia after the Obama administration launched a manhunt to arrest him.

(With inputs from Agencies)&nbsp;

Amid the row over US intelligence agency spying on European politicians with the help of Denmark, the Norwegian government on Thursday summoned a US embassy official, reports said.

Amid the row over US intelligence agency spying on European politicians with the help of Denmark, the Norwegian government on Thursday summoned a US embassy official, reports said. Watch: Prime Minister Erna Solberg told the local news agency that US officials had told the government that they had changed the practice since 2014. The prime minister added that she had summoned the US embassy official to follow-up on it. The Danish radio on Sunday had reported that US intelligence had used the country's underwater internet cables from 2012 to 2014 to spy on European politicians including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The US officials had also reportedly spied on politicians from France, Norway and Sweden. However, Denmark PM Frederiksen said that there was no "need to repair relations with France or Germany" asserting that the country was engaged in an "ongoing dialogue". The Danish media had reported the US National Security Agency(NSA) officials had intercepted messages and phone calls of former German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and ex-opposition leader Peer Steinbruck including the German Chancellor. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel after a meeting had demanded an explanation from the US and Denmark. The French president said that the incident was "not acceptable between allies" while asserting that he was waiting for "complete clarity" from both nations allegedly involved in the spying case. Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg echoed similar thoughts as her European allies saying it was "unacceptable if countries which have close allied cooperation feel the need to spy on one another." Macron's minister Clement Beaune had said that the allegation was "extremely serious" as he reiterated that there should be trust between allies. In a development close to the spying case, whistleblower Edward Snowden who was a contractor with the NSA had released thousands of secret files in 2013 on US surveillance which revealed that the US had carried out spying on several countries and had tracked German Chancellor Merkel's mobile phone. Snowden later fled to Russia after the Obama administration launched a manhunt to arrest him. (With inputs from Agencies)

Norway summons American embassy official amid Denmark-US NSA spying row

Russia on Wednesday warned the United States it would "rebuff aggression" after Washington imposed sanctions on Kremlin's officials over the poisoning of prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny.&nbsp;

"We will continue to systematically and resolutely defend our national interests and rebuff aggression," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-eu-imposes-sanctions-on-russia-over-alexei-navalny-attack-367544/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

She further threatened the United States that Kremlin's reaction would be based on "reciprocity and not necessarily symmetrically."

The comments came after the US along with the European Union on Tuesday imposed penalties after US intelligence concluded that Russia was behind the poisoning of Navalny.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sanctions-will-worsen-strained-ties-with-us-russia-on-navalny-row-367529">Sanctions will worsen strained ties with US: Russia on Navalny row</a>

Accusing Washington of "trying to cultivate the image of an external enemy," the spokesperson asked the US and its European allies to "not play with fire".&nbsp;

Biden's administration has frozen any US assets of seven Russian officials, including the director of FSB, Russia's intelligence organisation.&nbsp;

It has also criminalised any transactions with these seven officials.&nbsp;

The action has been taken after US intelligence assessed "with high confidence" that FSB officials poisoned Navalny with the nerve agent Novichok on August 20, 2020, a US official told reporters.

"The US government has exercised its authorities to send a clear signal that Russia's use of chemical weapons and abuse of human rights have severe consequences," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement said.

 
&nbsp;

Russia on Wednesday warned the United States it would "rebuff aggression" after Washington imposed sanctions on Kremlin's officials over the poisoning of prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Russia on Wednesday warned the United States it would "rebuff aggression" after Washington imposed sanctions on Kremlin's officials over the poisoning of prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny. "We will continue to systematically and resolutely defend our national interests and rebuff aggression," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. Watch | She further threatened the United States that Kremlin's reaction would be based on "reciprocity and not necessarily symmetrically." The comments came after the US along with the European Union on Tuesday imposed penalties after US intelligence concluded that Russia was behind the poisoning of Navalny. Also read | Sanctions will worsen strained ties with US: Russia on Navalny row Accusing Washington of "trying to cultivate the image of an external enemy," the spokesperson asked the US and its European allies to "not play with fire". Biden's administration has frozen any US assets of seven Russian officials, including the director of FSB, Russia's intelligence organisation. It has also criminalised any transactions with these seven officials. The action has been taken after US intelligence assessed "with high confidence" that FSB officials poisoned Navalny with the nerve agent Novichok on August 20, 2020, a US official told reporters. "The US government has exercised its authorities to send a clear signal that Russia's use of chemical weapons and abuse of human rights have severe consequences," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement said.

'Don't play with fire': Russia warns US, its allies over sanctions on Navalny poisoning

U.S. congressional leaders will seek more information from top intelligence officials Thursday on reported Russian payments to Taliban militants to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan.

The directors of U.S. intelligence agencies were scheduled to brief the "Gang of Eight" made up of congressional leaders and chairs of the intelligence committees in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.

President Donald Trump, a Republican who has worked to cultivate warmer relations with Moscow, denied being briefed on the matter before it was reported by news outlets last week. On Wednesday, he called the reports hoaxes.

Democrats in Congress have accused Trump of not taking intelligence information concerning soldiers` deaths seriously enough.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top elected Democrat, said the United States must immediately impose sanctions on Russia.

"To see this&nbsp;possible threat, this bounty on&nbsp;our soldiers be treated so&nbsp;lightly, without investigation&nbsp;and the rest, is so&nbsp;inappropriate. It is dereliction of duty," she said in an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday evening.

The White House has struggled to explain the Trump administration`s response to the bounty reports, but has not commented on their substance or denied the information was included in written presidential intelligence briefings.

National security adviser Robert O`Brien said Trump was not verbally briefed on the intelligence because his CIA briefer concluded the allegations were uncorroborated.

Trump said on Wednesday he was not told about the reported Russian effort because many U.S. intelligence officials doubted its veracity, a stance contradicted by four U.S. and European sources and by its inclusion in a widely read CIA report in May.

"We never heard about it because intelligence never found it to be of that level," he told Fox Business Network. 
The New York Times, which broke the story last week, has reported Trump received a written briefing in February.

U.S. congressional leaders will seek more information from top intelligence officials Thursday on reported Russian payments to Taliban militants to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan.

U.S. congressional leaders will seek more information from top intelligence officials Thursday on reported Russian payments to Taliban militants to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan. The directors of U.S. intelligence agencies were scheduled to brief the "Gang of Eight" made up of congressional leaders and chairs of the intelligence committees in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. President Donald Trump, a Republican who has worked to cultivate warmer relations with Moscow, denied being briefed on the matter before it was reported by news outlets last week. On Wednesday, he called the reports hoaxes. Democrats in Congress have accused Trump of not taking intelligence information concerning soldiers` deaths seriously enough. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the top elected Democrat, said the United States must immediately impose sanctions on Russia. "To see this possible threat, this bounty on our soldiers be treated so lightly, without investigation and the rest, is so inappropriate. It is dereliction of duty," she said in an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday evening. The White House has struggled to explain the Trump administration`s response to the bounty reports, but has not commented on their substance or denied the information was included in written presidential intelligence briefings. National security adviser Robert O`Brien said Trump was not verbally briefed on the intelligence because his CIA briefer concluded the allegations were uncorroborated. Trump said on Wednesday he was not told about the reported Russian effort because many U.S. intelligence officials doubted its veracity, a stance contradicted by four U.S. and European sources and by its inclusion in a widely read CIA report in May. "We never heard about it because intelligence never found it to be of that level," he told Fox Business Network. The New York Times, which broke the story last week, has reported Trump received a written briefing in February.

US intelligence to brief congressional leaders on Russia bounty report

As many as 35 Chinese troops died, including one senior officer, in a fierce clash with the Indian Army in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15, hints US Intelligence.

35 Chinese troops dead in clash with Indian Army, says US Intelligence

us-intelligence

Us Intelligence, News on Us Intelligence, stories on Us Intelligence, articles on Us Intelligence, Us Intelligence stories at Wion, Us Intelligence news, Us Intelligence latest news

us intelligence