A Tren de Aragua Leader Is Killed in a Joint Strike, U.S. and Venezuela Say

© Eric Lee for The New York Times

© Eric Lee for The New York Times

© Devin Oktar Yalkin for The New York Times





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With the latest exchanges of fire between the United States and Iran, the war in the Persian Gulf and its fragile ceasefire — marked by increasingly serious skirmishes — has entered a new phase, the most dangerous yet, raising the prospect of a return to hostilities. While the United States attacked Iranian targets for the second consecutive night, the Iranian General Staff has once again announced the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that Iranian troops will respond “decisively” to any attack by the adversary. President Donald Trump has threatened attacks may continue on Thursday if Tehran does not accept his conditions for peace.

© Foto: Mohammed Zaatari (AP Photo) (AP)
A wave of US strikes represents the gravest test yet of the fragile truce. Here’s what happened, what officials are saying and whether the deal can survive
The US launched strikes across southern Iran for a second consecutive day on Thursday. Although there have been several breaches of the ceasefire agreed between the two sides in April, the attacks this week – launched after the downing of a US helicopter over the strait of Hormuz – represent the most serious and extensive breakdown of the truce to date.
The US president, Donald Trump, raised the prospect of further attacks, while his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, told reporters that if strikes “have to happen … they will be strong and they will be clear”.
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© Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA

© Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA

© Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA
Il Segretario alla Difesa statunitense Pete Hegseth ha risposto che “tutte le opzioni sono sul tavolo” alle domande dei giornalisti riguardo alla possibilità che il Pentagono stia pianificando un’operazione militare per catturare il presidente cubano Miguel Diaz-Canel, come già fatto con Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. “Abbiamo opzioni a 360 gradi”, ha risposto Hegseth quando gli è stato chiesto se un’operazione per “catturare e uccidere” Diaz-Canel fosse un’opzione, parlando con i media durante la sua visita al Comando Centrale degli Stati Uniti (Centcom), con sede in Florida. “Nel nostro edificio, la pianificazione è il nostro mestiere. Quindi, a parte il Pentagono, nessuno pianifica meglio del Comando Centrale degli Stati Uniti. Per tornare al punto principale del perché siamo qui, tutte queste opzioni sono sul tavolo”, ha aggiunto.
Il Segretario ha dichiarato in Florida che “il regime cubano è sottoposto a forti pressioni in questo momento, e a ragione”, aggiungendo che “devono prendere decisioni importanti e a volte i leader prendono decisioni sbagliate quando sono sotto pressione”. Ciononostante, ha evitato di rispondere esplicitamente alla domanda se l’esercito statunitense stia pianificando un’operazione simile a quella condotta il 3 gennaio a Caracas per catturare l’allora presidente venezuelano Maduro, ora detenuto a New York con l’accusa di narcotraffico e terrorismo. “Tutto quello che posso dire è: opzioni, opzioni, opzioni. Il nostro compito è presentare opzioni di diversa portata, a seconda di dove il comandante in capo, il presidente degli Stati Uniti, voglia arrivare”.
L'articolo Cuba, Trump valuta un attacco. Hegseth si fa sfuggire qualcosa su Diaz-Canel proviene da Affaritaliani.it.

US defense secretary continues ramp-up of pressure against country including sanctions and devastating oil blockade
Pete Hegseth has warned Cuba against acquiring weapons that could threaten the United States, during a visit to the US military base at Guantánamo Bay.
Washington has ramped up pressure against Cuba with sanctions and a devastating oil blockade, and Donald Trump has repeatedly signaled that the Cuban government could be the next after Venezuela to fall to US pressure.
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© Photograph: Phil Stewart/Reuters

© Photograph: Phil Stewart/Reuters

© Photograph: Phil Stewart/Reuters

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Nancy Lacore, ousted by Pete Hegseth last year, heads to a run-off in race for Nancy Mace’s seat
A three-star navy rear-admiral fired by Pete Hegseth last year in the defense secretary’s purge of senior US military officials advanced to a Democratic run-off in a closely-watched congressional race in South Carolina.
Nancy Lacore, who served 35 years in the navy, was chief of the navy reserve when she was ousted by Hegseth in August.
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© Photograph: Shawn Thew/EPA

© Photograph: Shawn Thew/EPA

© Photograph: Shawn Thew/EPA

© Shawn Thew/EPA, via Shutterstock