International
Drone Attacks Target Moscow, Kremlin retaliates
In a shocking turn of events, both Moscow and Kyiv became the targets of multiple drone attacks, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. While details are still emerging, the situation is fraught with conflicting narratives and escalating tensions.
According to Russian officials, at least eight drones targeted Moscow, specifically hitting exclusive neighborhoods where senior officials reside. The defense ministry claims that all eight drones were successfully intercepted, with some being suppressed by electronic warfare and others shot down by the Pantsir-S missile system. The ministry said, “Three of them were suppressed by electronic warfare, lost control and deviated from their intended targets. Another five drones were shot down by the Pantsir-S surface-to-air missile system in the Moscow region.” There were no serious injuries reported in Moscow.
However, the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, was not spared from the assault either. Ukrainian officials reported an overnight drone attack, resulting in one confirmed fatality and buildings catching fire due to falling debris. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted over 20 drones during the attack.
Both Russia and Ukraine have traded accusations over the origins and motives behind these drone attacks. Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking on Russian TV, claimed that the attack was in response to alleged Russian aggression against Ukraine’s military intelligence HQ. He described the Kyiv regime’s actions as terrorism and accused them of provoking Russia into a reciprocal response.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government denied any direct involvement in the attacks but expressed satisfaction at witnessing events unfold. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak even predicted a rise in similar incidents.
The international community has been cautious in responding to these developments. The US State Department reiterated that it does not support attacks inside Russia and is still gathering information about the drone strikes. However, Russia’s foreign ministry criticized Western support for Ukraine, accusing it of pushing the Ukrainian leadership toward reckless criminal deeds.
Furthermore, the unprecedented nature of these drone attacks raises concerns about the effectiveness of air defense systems in both Moscow and Kyiv. While Russian authorities claim that their defenses dealt satisfactorily with the threat, President Putin acknowledged that improvements are needed to detect and counter low-altitude drones.
As tensions continue to escalate between Russia and Ukraine, the situation remains volatile and unpredictable. The conflicting narratives and lack of independent verification complicate efforts to fully understand the events surrounding these drone attacks. The international community watches with growing apprehension as the conflict between the two countries enters a new and dangerous phase.
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What would a new Trump administration mean for the Middle East? Expect the following:
Increased Pressure on Iran and its Proxies
Brian Hook, Trump’s former special envoy to Iran who is believed to be leading Trump’s transition team for the State Department, stated that the new Trump administration would seek to “…isolate Iran diplomatically and weaken them economically, so that they can’t fund all of the violence…” coming from Iran’s proxies, “…all of whom destabilize Israel and our Gulf partners.” This approach contrasts with the Biden-Harris administration, who engaged the Islamic Republic diplomatically and economically, and even removed the Houthis from the Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity list from February 2021 through January 2024. That being said, Hook also stated that the new Trump administration would have “no interest in regime change” in Iran, and that decisions about the future of Iran lies with its people.
The Trump administration may green light an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear sites. GOP spokeswoman Elizabeth Pipko refused to say whether President-elect Trump would approve of Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear sites, stating that Trump should speak for himself on this issue and will do so when he assumes office. However, Trump had stated in October that Israel should strike Iran’s nuclear sites. In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration vocally opposed Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear sites or oil fields, and Israel’s attack plans were leaked to Iran through someone in the Biden-Harris administration’s Defense department.
Striving to End Wars in Lebanon and Gaza
According to Pipko, President-elect Trump wants Israel to end the wars in Gaza and Lebanon quickly, decisively, and with victory. Pipko contrasted this approach with the Biden-Harris administration’s “back and forth” policy, and that the Biden-Harris administration was pressuring how Israel conducts war based on election considerations. The Biden-Harris administration was guilty of “armchair quarterbacking” Israel’s wars in an unproductive way, including by leaking Israel’s plans to strike Lebanon, opposing the Rafah invasion, and opposing the killing of several arch-terrorists.
Trump will also likely prioritize the release of the hostages; Trump recently threatened Hamas, stating that if they did not free its hostages before inauguration day, it will pay “a very big price.” In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration has been spinning its wheels in endless failed diplomacy with Qatar, having not produced a hostage deal with Hamas since November 2023.
Pursuing a Conditional Peace with Palestinians
President-elect Donald Trump will likely re-visit his 2020 peace plan between Israel and the Palestinians, according to Brian Hook. Regarding the 2020 plan, Hook stated that “much of that work is still relevant today.”
On the issue of a Palestinian state, expect that the Trump administration won’t pursue a Palestinian state unconditionally for its own sake, as the Biden-Harris administration has. Hook conceded that Trump’s 2020 plan, which was endorsed by Israel and U.S.’ allies in the Gulf, “had a path to a two-state solution.” But Hook also recognized that Israelis are not focused on a Palestinian state now, and are instead focused on protecting themselves from terrorism in the wake of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Additionally, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas outright rejected the 2020 plan, and the plan also required the PA to provide security guarantees for Israel, recognize Israel, and allow Israeli citizens to remain in Judea and Samaria, all of which the PA did not agree to. If the new Trump administration seeks to revive this plan, it will likely revive these conditions for a Palestinian state as well. The PA will then in turn likely reject it a second time, proving again that the PA is not a partner for peace.
Expanding the Abraham Accords
President-elect Trump is also poised to expand the Abraham Accords. Trump brokered normalization deals between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Reportedly, the previous Trump administration was on the verge of expanding the Abraham Accords to Indonesia and Mauritania, but were prevented from doing so once the administration’s term expired. During the past Trump administration, Saudi Arabia had been trying to get Pakistan to join the Abraham Accords as well.
In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration failed to add any countries to the Abraham Accords. Most notably is the administration’s failure to clinch an Israel-Saudi Arabia deal after chilling US relations with Saudi Arabiaand insisting on a Palestinian state as an integral part of any deal. The Biden-Harris administration seems content with now pursuing a bilateral US-Saudi deal that ices out Israel, which would completely undermine the spirit of the Abraham Accords.
Jared Kushner has had multiple discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the issue of US-Israel-Saudi relations since President-elect Trump left office. So given past efforts, the new Trump administration could clinch Abraham Accords deals with Indonesia, Mauritania, Oman, and/or the big prize, Saudi Arabia.
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