On Monday, August 1, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified of the death of long-time al-Qaeda boss Ayman al-Zawahiri as he walked the balcony of a downtown Kabul safehouse approximately two miles from the site of the former U.S. embassy in Afghanistan. Multiple reports indicate Zawahiri was killed by two Hellfire missiles fired from a CIA-operated MQ-9 Reaper drone.

On Tuesday, AlertsUSA subscribers were notified the State Department had issued a new Worldwide Caution warning of possible retaliation for the killing of Zawahiri:

The Department of State remains concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations, and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas. The Department of State believes there is a higher potential for anti-American violence given the death of Ayman al-Zawahiri on July 31, 2022. Current information suggests that terrorist organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions across the globe. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics including suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, and bombings.

As terrorist attacks, political violence, demonstrations, criminal activities, and other security incidents often take place without any warning, U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance and practice good situational awareness when traveling abroad.

U.S. government facilities worldwide actively monitor potential security threats and may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.

According UK Ministry of Defense:

Following five months of occupation, Russia’s intentions regarding the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remain unclear. However, the actions they have undertaken at the facility have likely undermined the security and safety of the plant’s normal operations.

Russian forces are probably operating in the regions adjacent to the power station and have used artillery units based in these areas to target Ukrainian territory on the western bank of the Dnipro river.

Russian forces have probably used the wider facility area, in particular the adjacent city of Enerhodar, to rest their forces, utilizing the protected status of the nuclear power plant to reduce the risk to their equipment and personnel from overnight Ukrainian attacks.

Transdniestria, Moldova, and Russia’s War in Ukraine

Russia’s war in Ukraine has put the spotlight on the “frozen conflict” in Transdniestria, the Moscow-backed breakaway part of Moldova that borders southwestern Ukraine. Russia has raised the prospect of using Transdniestria to open a second front against Ukraine and to pressure Moldova. Such a move would increase the risk of a Russian confrontation with Romania—a NATO member with close ethnic, cultural, and historic ties to Moldova—which would in turn increase Russia’s perception of a threat to its Transdniestrian client. For three decades, the conflict over the breakaway region has remained without military clashes, with Russia’s military presence there serving as a tripwire to deter any Moldovan offensive. However, the war in Ukraine has changed the calculations of all concerned in this corner of Europe.

~ READ MORE HERE (Carnegie Endowment for Int'l Peace) ~

A Step Forward in Mitigating Existential Threats

It’s no secret that the world is becoming increasingly complex and interconnected. And as our societies become more technologically advanced, the risks of a global catastrophe become greater. Natural disasters or severe climate change in one part of the world can quickly become a humanitarian crisis in another, an airborne virus can spread around the globe in days, and a terrorist attack can have ripple effects across borders. In recent years, we’ve seen a number of such major disasters—both natural and man-made—that have had devastating impacts on communities around the world. From hurricanes and earthquakes to cyberattacks and pandemics, these events have shown us just how vulnerable we are to the forces of nature and the dangers posed by our own technologies. Yet, despite the clear and present danger, governments appear woefully unprepared to manage any of these risks.

~ READ MORE HERE (Federation of American Scientists) ~

AI, Autonomy, And The Risk Of Nuclear War

Will emerging technologies like AI increase the risk of nuclear war? We are in an era of rapid disruptive technological change, especially in AI. Therefore, the nascent journey to reorient military forces to prepare for the future digitized battlefield is no longer merely speculation or science fiction. “AI technology” is already fused into military machines, and global armed forces are well advanced in their planning, research and development, and, in many cases, deployment of AI-enabled capabilities.

~ READ MORE HERE (War On The Rocks) ~

These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of August 1, 2022 based on U.S. Navy, public data provided by the U.S. Naval Institute, and open source reporting. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.

AMERICAS

Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan highlights America’s incoherent strategy
US Army division to keep patch referencing the Confederate Army
Pelosi’s Taiwan trip was about shoring up her legacy
Senate votes to add Finland, Sweden to NATO
Downgrade: Why U.S. military enlistments are plummeting
As Pelosi visits Taiwan, don’t miss the action on China in Congress
Peru's Castillo forced to stay in country as Cabinet crisis continues
Jalisco cartel now has presence in 28 states: US Congress
Gang killings of bus drivers paralyzes Colombia's fourth city

EUROPE

Ukraine under pressure in east as NATO chief says Russia must not win
Russia maintains eastern Ukrainian attacks, new raids from Belarus
The Russian military keeps pushing in the Donbas, but without results
Russian military satellite appears to be stalking a new U.S. spy satellite
Ukrainian strike likely severs rail link between Crimea and Kherson
US says Russia aims to fabricate evidence in prison deaths
3 more ships loaded with grain depart Ukrainian ports
Zelensky accuses Amnesty International of supporting terrorism
Suspicious bookings, illogical cargo led police to discovery of smuggled drugs
Gang of S. American thieves busted after robberies in France and Spain

MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

First flight to Israel crosses Saudi kingdom's airspace after opening of skies
Analysis: Iran now speaking openly on nuclear bomb prospects
South sudan extends transitional government by two years
DRC: UN mission "regrets" decision to expel its spokesperson
Senegal ruling coalition loses comfortable majority
Senegal opposition leader asks supporters to defend their votes by any means
Mali's capital Bamako boosts security fearing jihadi attacks
Ivorian defence minister meets families of soldiers held in Mali
In a first, Somalia-based al-Shabab is attacking in Ethiopia
Death toll reaches 36 in eastern DRC as protesters turn on UN peacekeepers
The US embassy in Kenya cautions against travel to one particular town
Media on the spot as Angola's vote looms

ASIA

Worldwide outrage as ballistic missiles fly over Taiwan
China poised to invade Taiwan’s offshore islands
A detailed look yet at China’s Type 055 super destroyer
Solomon Islands takes tighter control over state broadcaster
U.S. orders Reagan carrier to remain in the region amid China-Taiwan tensions
US postpones missile tests to lower tensions with China on Taiwan
Pelosi visited Korean Demilitarized Zone with congressional delegation
Fire at music pub in eastern Thailand kills at least 13
China halts cooperation with US over climate and military issues
China stresses ties with southeast Asia in Cambodia meeting
Sri Lanka considering restructure of local and sovereign debt
'Bad days ahead,' warns Pakistan's finance minister Miftah Ismail
Breaking down the Taiwan problem