All articles tagged with #nuclear weapons
Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly undercuts Donald Trump’s boast about an imminent Iran deal, cautioning that the agreement isn’t fully negotiated yet and signaling that alternatives could be pursued if diplomacy stalls, even as Trump touts progress. Rubio’s measured stance—while Trump remains optimistic and dismissive of critics—highlights ongoing divisions over issues like reopening the Strait of Hormuz and sanctions relief.
Israeli officials call the emerging US-Iran framework a 'bad deal' because it reportedly fails to curb Iran’s missile program or its regional proxies, potentially restricting Israel’s actions in Lebanon and elsewhere. Prime Minister Netanyahu convened a group of ministers and security officials to discuss the nascent agreement as negotiations continue. While US officials signal broad support from Tehran’s leadership, Israeli assessments say Tehran will seek to buy time rather than fully abandon its nuclear program, with sticking points including verification/monitoring, what happens to damaged nuclear infrastructure, and Hezbollah’s inclusion in any ceasefire.
President Trump says Iran is getting closer to a deal with the US on the conflict, with Iran signaling progress but insisting nuclear weapons won’t be in initial terms; Tehran outlines a 14-point framework and a 30–60 day window to finalise an agreement, while US officials express cautious optimism. The US continues naval blockades around the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran claims control of areas near the strait, though Washington and Gulf allies reject those claims.
NATO says any Russian nuclear strike on Ukraine amid Belarus-led drills would provoke a severe, coordinated response from the alliance, highlighting the heightened risk of nuclear escalation in the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
Ukraine says it attacked Russia’s Syzran oil refinery in Samara Oblast, more than 800 km from the border, as part of Kyiv’s long-range sanctions on the oil sector; the refinery reportedly supplies fuel to the Russian military. Separately, Russia is alleged to have deployed nuclear warheads to Belarus for joint drills, while Ukraine struck the Russian FSB HQ in occupied Kherson and is developing low-cost interceptor missiles for Shahed drones; meanwhile Russian drone strikes on Dnipro injured civilians, including a 13-year-old boy. The updates underscore ongoing war actions, extended sanctions campaigns, and counter-drone efforts.
Russia says it has delivered nuclear munitions to field storage in Belarus as part of a three-day, large-scale joint drill across Russia and Belarus involving about 64,000 personnel and hundreds of launchers and vehicles, amid heightened tensions with NATO after Baltic drone incidents. The drills feature Iskander-M launchers and are accompanied by video claims of munitions loading; Kyiv is tightening security near its northern border, and Belarus opposition critics warn of increased risk to Belarusians.
Russia ran unannounced strategic-nuclear exercises May 19–21 involving tens of thousands of personnel and strategic assets, with Belarusian participation, to posture against Ukraine’s allies and distract from perceived battlefield weaknesses. The move accompanies intensified messaging about NATO and Baltic security while Moscow seeks to shape Western calculations amid manpower and recruitment challenges. Putin’s China visit coincides with reports that the PLA trained Russian personnel in drone operations in 2025. Ukrainian long-range strikes against Russian oil infrastructure continue, and Russia’s drone campaign persists with high volumes and evolving FPV capabilities. Overall, ISW views these activities as part strategic signaling and information operations intended to bolster Russian aims while masking setbacks on the ground.
Russia launched three days of major nuclear drills from May 19–21, involving about 65,000 troops and thousands of weapons, including missile launchers and submarines, with test launches planned, and joint training on Belarus's territory; the exercise comes as Putin travels to China and after the end of the New START pact, with Moscow stressing a responsible approach while prioritizing its nuclear forces.
At a White House briefing, Vice President JD Vance said U.S. negotiations with Iran will continue in private and insisted the conflict is not a 'forever war,' stressing that Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon. He also fielded questions on European troop rotations, the controversial $1.8 billion compensation fund tied to January 6, and his political future, while noting that fuel prices could fall after a deal is secured and emphasizing a focus on American interests.
Russia and Belarus staged a joint drill to test readiness to launch nuclear weapons from mobile or unplanned sites, coming a day after Ukraine’s drone attack on Moscow. Belarus said the exercise was scheduled and not aimed at any specific party, while Kyiv reported strikes on Moscow’s refinery, an oil depot in Solnechnogorsk, and a microelectronics plant amid Russia’s evolving nuclear posture and Belarusian mobilization rhetoric.
President Trump said in remarks on Iran negotiations that Americans’ finances do not motivate any deal and that stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is the only priority, underscoring that the nuclear threat is what matters even as inflation and gas prices weigh on voters.
North Korea updated its nuclear-policy law to automatically launch a nuclear strike if Kim Jong Un is killed by a foreign power or if its nuclear command system is threatened, and revised Article 2 to redefine borders with China and Russia while removing reunification language. The changes, reportedly approved by the Supreme People’s Assembly, were publicized during a South Korean intelligence briefing and seen as a response to the effectiveness of decapitation-style attacks elsewhere, such as Iran.
North Korea revised its constitution to require an automatic nuclear strike if Kim Jong Un is assassinated or his leadership is otherwise incapacitated, approved by the Supreme People’s Assembly. The change comes amid heightened tensions after the killing of Iran’s leader in an Israeli operation, with the policy outlining immediate retaliation if the state’s nuclear-command system is threatened.
A frustrated Donald Trump appeared to threaten using nuclear weapons against Iran, saying that if there’s no ceasefire you’ll see ‘one big glow’ from Iran, as the U.S. bombs targets on two Iranian islands after Iran attacked two American warships, with oil hovering near $100 a barrel and negotiations remaining at an impasse.
A bipartisan group of 30 US lawmakers asked the State Department to disclose Israel's nuclear capabilities—warheads, launchers, enrichment levels, and any nuclear doctrine—arguing that Washington’s longstanding ambiguity hinders coherent regional nonproliferation policy as tensions with Iran intensify. The letter highlights the Negev Dimona facility and references past intelligence and Nuclear Threat Initiative estimates that Israel possesses roughly 90 warheads and related delivery systems, noting the White House’s ambivalence on the issue and calling for clear assurances not to use nuclear weapons.