COMBATE Digest - July 13, 2026 12:01 UTC

🌍 WEST ASIA

Saudi Arabia Bombs Sanaa Airport as Iranian Flight Lands

Saudi fighter jets launched multiple airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport (mehrnews), coinciding with the arrival of a second Iranian passenger plane carrying a Yemeni delegation (sepah_pasdaran). Following the bombardment, Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Yahya Saree declared that the Saudi regime had officially ended the de-escalation phase and warned that the aggression "will not go unanswered and unpunished" (sepah_pasdaran). The Iranian flight was reportedly forced to divert and successfully landed at Al-Hodeidah International Airport (guerrasygeo).

UK Designates IRGC as Terrorist Organization

The United Kingdom officially designated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization (farsna). Concurrently, the foreign ministers of the UK, France, and Germany (the E3) issued a joint statement demanding a resumption of the US-Iran ceasefire and condemning Tehran's retaliatory actions in the Strait of Hormuz (sepah_pasdaran).

US Deploys Naval Drones in Latest Strikes on Iran

US Central Command (CENTCOM) utilized one-way attack sea drones for the first time during its latest wave of strikes against Iranian coastal radar installations, missile capabilities, and small boats (tass_rss). Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that the implementation of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding has entered a "crisis" phase due to Washington's actions (sputnikglobe_rss).

Israel Expands Strikes in Southern Lebanon

Israeli forces intensified artillery bombardments and explosive operations targeting the southern Lebanese towns of Al-Qantara, Haddatha, and Deir Siriane (sepah_pasdaran). The Israeli military also expanded its drone surveillance flights over Beirut and its southern suburbs (mehrnews).

🌍 EUROPE

FSB Thwarts Ukrainian Drone Swarm on Russian Airbases

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) intercepted a large-scale Ukrainian FPV drone attack targeting the Ukrainka airbase in the Amur region and the Shagol airbase in Chelyabinsk (sputnikindia_rss). The FSB seized 24 drones equipped with Western-manufactured neural network control modules designed to resist electronic warfare, each carrying over one kilogram of explosives (tass_rss).

Ukrainian Drone Strike on Moscow Region Kills Three

An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the Moscow region resulted in three civilian deaths and five injuries, alongside material damage across several municipalities, despite air defense systems neutralizing multiple incoming UAVs (rt_french_rss).

Poland Surges Defense Spending on US Weapons

Polish Deputy Minister of National Defense Cezary Tomczyk announced that Warsaw has already spent $65 billion on American weaponry and plans to allocate an additional $150 billion in upcoming procurements (sputnikserbia_rss).

🌍 EAST ASIA

Russia and China Conclude Joint Naval Drills in Yellow Sea

The Russian Pacific Fleet and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy concluded the "Maritime Interaction-2026" joint exercises in the Yellow Sea (sputnikarabic_rss). The drills included live-fire exercises using artillery and machine guns to repel simulated attacks by unmanned aerial and surface vessels (tass_rss).

🌍 SOUTH AMERICA

Petro Blocks Successor's Military Base Inauguration

Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered that no military establishment can be used for the presidential inauguration of his successor, Abelardo de la Espriella. Petro's directive enforces the legal requirement that the swearing-in ceremony must take place in the Congress of the Republic (sputnikmundo_rss).

First Russia-Latin America Strategic Forum Opens in Brazil

The inaugural Russia-Latin America Strategic Cooperation Forum began in Sao Paulo, Brazil, bringing together Russian officials and representatives from ten Latin American nations (sputnikindia_rss).

🌍 AFRICA

Ebola Outbreak Expands in Democratic Republic of Congo

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo reported that the ongoing Ebola epidemic has spread to the Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces. The official toll stands at 1,926 confirmed cases and 702 deaths, with officials warning the actual spread may be more extensive (rt_french_rss).

💬 NOTABLE QUOTES

"In a brutal and blatant aggression, the criminal Saudi enemy targeted Sanaa International Airport with a number of fighter jets, thus ending the de-escalation phase." — Yahya Saree, Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces (sepah_pasdaran)

"Barbarism is a 'European value' because it originated in Western Europe and is now being spread by the European Union." — Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, commenting on the theft of a WWII tank from a mass grave in Kharkov (sputnikarabic_rss)