Morning Brief: South Sudan Airstrikes Kill Civilians as Fighting Intensifies, Ukrainian Strikes Cut Power to 600,000 in Russian-Held Territories

Good day! Here’s your SOFREP Morning Brief for Tuesday, June 3, 2025: Iran plans to reject a US nuclear deal proposal, calling it one-sided and lacking sanctions relief. South Sudan’s military airstrikes killed civilians amid intensified fighting with militias. The European Union is preparing countermeasures after Trump imposed a 50 percent steel tariff. Dutch PM Wilders may collapse the coalition over migration demands. Ukrainian strikes knocked out power to 600,000 in Russian-held areas. The US Senate is pushing a tough sanctions bill targeting Russia and its trade partners. China’s Liaoning carrier group reached deep into the Pacific, showcasing expanded naval reach.

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Iran Poised to Reject US Nuclear Deal Proposal, Citing “One-Sided” Terms

Iran is preparing to reject a recent US proposal aimed at resolving its decades-long nuclear dispute, calling the offer a “non-starter,” according to a senior Iranian diplomat close to Tehran’s negotiating team.

The proposal, delivered via Omani mediation, reportedly fails to address Iran’s core demands regarding uranium enrichment rights and sanctions relief.

US President Donald Trump’s administration presented the proposal after five rounds of indirect talks between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff.

The US reportedly insisted that Iran abandon domestic enrichment and export its highly enriched uranium stockpile, both of which Tehran flatly refuses.

Exclusive: Iran poised to dismiss US nuclear proposal, Iranian diplomat says https://t.co/Az0VWarMLL https://t.co/Az0VWarMLL

— Reuters (@Reuters) June 2, 2025

Iranian officials maintain their nuclear ambitions are peaceful, and accuse the US of pushing a deal that is overly demanding and lacks clear commitments to lift economic sanctions, which have devastated Iran’s oil-driven economy since being reinstated in 2018.

Iran says any new agreement must guarantee sanctions relief and include assurances that the US won’t withdraw unilaterally again, as it did from the 2015 nuclear pact.

The White House has urged Iran to accept the new proposal, warning that Trump remains committed to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and has reimposed “maximum pressure,” including fresh sanctions and threats of military action.

Tehran, however, remains firm in demanding the immediate release of frozen funds and recognition of its right to civilian enrichment before broader talks can proceed.

As Middle East tensions escalate, Iran also warned Israel against launching military strikes on its nuclear facilities. Iran’s regional posture has weakened amid battlefield losses suffered by its allies in the so-called “Axis of Resistance.”

Meanwhile, regional actors like Saudi Arabia are pressuring Iran to engage with the US deal to avoid triggering a wider conflict.

South Sudan Airstrikes Kill Civilians as Fighting Intensifies Across Jonglei and Upper Nile

South Sudan’s military campaign against opposition militias has escalated, with recent airstrikes killing and wounding dozens of civilians, including women and children, in northern Jonglei and Upper Nile states.

The series of bombings in early May killed seven people, including several at a Doctors Without Borders facility.

🚨@MSF strongly condemns the bombing of its hospital in Old Fangak, Jonglei State, South Sudan.

Around 4:30 a.m. today, helicopter gunships dropped a bomb on our MSF pharmacy and fired on the town for 30 minutes. Later, a drone bombed the market.#NotATarget pic.twitter.com/5u0TeJ6oDW

— MSF South Sudan (@MSF_SouthSudan) May 3, 2025

The offensive, which began in March after the White Army militia overran a military barracks in Nasir, has spread to previously unaffected regions. The government blamed Vice President Riek Machar for the attack, placed him under house arrest, and called in Ugandan forces to support operations.

Human Rights Watch alleges the military has used improvised incendiary weapons, killing at least 58 people in Upper Nile, including children.

In May, violence surged in Jonglei’s Fangak region after alleged opposition hijackings of government barges. Bombings there and in nearby villages, such as Wichmon, have reportedly killed at least 25 civilians this month, with one strike killing 12 people — eight of them children. The true toll is likely higher due to restricted access to remote areas.

Medical teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Akobo report overwhelming casualties and extreme difficulty transporting patients due to ongoing combat. Most wounded are young men, but staff confirm a growing number of female and child victims.

Between March and 20 May 2025, ICRC medical teams in #SouthSudan performed 1,141 surgeries on weapon-wounded patients, one patient as young as 5 years old.

Fredy Aruni, an ICRC operating theatre nurse, shares more. 👇🏾

Latest update ➡️ https://t.co/o0VVm9zSLh pic.twitter.com/iagz9fq7qa

— ICRC South Sudan (@ICRC_SSudan) May 28, 2025

The South Sudanese military denies targeting civilians but refuses to comment on ongoing operations. The attacks have reignited fears of renewed civil war and exacerbated a dire humanitarian situation already marked by flooding, disease, and food insecurity in the Greater Upper Nile region. Residents continue to flee by night, fearing further aerial assaults.

EU Prepares Countermeasures After Trump Slaps 50% Steel Tariff

The European Union (EU) announced Monday it is preparing retaliatory measures against the United States following President Donald Trump’s surprise decision to impose a 50 percent tariff on steel imports, a move that has disrupted global markets and strained ongoing trade talks.

European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill confirmed that Brussels is finalizing an expanded list of countermeasures set to take effect by July 14, the end of a 90-day grace period aimed at facilitating negotiations.

The tariff increase came mid-way through that pause, catching EU officials off guard and prompting a stern warning from Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

EU strongly regrets the announced US increase of steel & aluminium tariffs from 25% to 50%.

This decision adds further economic uncertainty on both sides of the Atlantic.

Negotations continue – both sides have agreed to accelerate talks, with meetings happening this week. pic.twitter.com/WbDBQ5Es9K

— Olof Gill (@olofgill) June 2, 2025

Trade negotiations between the EU and US will resume Wednesday in Paris, with EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič meeting US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. While the EU has floated options such as increased purchases of US liquefied natural gas (LNG) and defense goods, along with lowered car duties, it refuses to eliminate its value-added tax or open its market to US beef.

Brussels has proposed a “zero for zero” deal to eliminate tariffs on industrial goods, including automobiles—an offer Trump has so far rejected. EU officials say it remains on the table.

The new 50 perecnt steel tariff raises concerns about broad consumer price hikes across industries, from appliances to construction, as steel’s ubiquity in packaging and manufacturing makes it a cornerstone of global supply chains.

Dutch Government on Brink of Collapse as Wilders Pressures Coalition Over Migration

The Netherlands’ ruling four-party coalition teetered on the edge of collapse Monday after far-right leader Geert Wilders threatened to pull his party out of government unless sweeping anti-migration measures are adopted.

Wilders demanded the Cabinet agree to a 10-point plan that includes deploying the army to guard borders and rejecting all asylum-seekers.

After a tense meeting with coalition leaders, Wilders said he would “sleep on” a final decision, but admitted “it doesn’t look good.” His ultimatum comes just weeks before the Netherlands is set to host a NATO summit in The Hague.

NEW: 🇳🇱 Crisis talks this evening among the Dutch coalition government parties didn’t go as planned.

Geert Wilders, leader of the dominant PVV, wants his 10-point plan for the “strictest asylum policy ever” in the Netherlands to be signed off by the center-right parties, but… pic.twitter.com/RL6clBMJFK

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) June 2, 2025

Wilders, whose Party for Freedom won the most seats in the November 2023 elections, has repeatedly pushed for tougher migration controls. His coalition partners pushed back Monday, urging him to submit concrete amendments instead of issuing threats.

“If your goal is to blow things up, just say so,” said Dilan Yesilgöz, leader of the conservative People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy.

Tensions have simmered for months. In February, Wilders issued a similar threat over asylum bills but ultimately backed down. His latest maneuver coincides with a rightward political shift in Europe, underscored by the recent election of populist Karol Nawrocki as Poland’s new president with backing from US President Donald Trump.

Ukrainian Strikes Cut Power to 600,000 in Russian-Held Southern Ukraine

Ukrainian attacks on Russian-controlled territory in southern Ukraine triggered mass power outages across Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Russian-installed officials reported Tuesday.

The strikes damaged high-voltage infrastructure, leaving over 600,000 people in nearly 500 settlements without electricity in Zaporizhzhia alone.

Russia-appointed Zaporizhzhia Governor Yevgeny Balitsky said Ukrainian shelling targeted equipment in the region’s northwest, forcing authorities to activate emergency measures and shift healthcare facilities to backup power.

❗️Total blackout across the entire occupied part of Zaporizhzhia and a significant part of Kherson regions due to UAV attacks at night, – Russian media.

▪️Russian bases and ammunition depots were also hit, strikes were made on several substations;
▪️There are numerous damage to… pic.twitter.com/kjOEh3Ntf2

— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) June 3, 2025

In the neighboring Kherson region, Russian-installed Governor Vladimir Saldo reported that drone debris hit two substations, cutting electricity to more than 100,000 residents in 150 towns and villages.

Officials stated the strikes did not affect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, which remains offline and under Russian control. Radiation levels remain normal, and the plant is monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The attacks came shortly after peace talks in Turkey, where Russia reiterated demands for Ukraine to cede additional territory and downsize its military as conditions for ending the war.

Ukraine has not commented on the strikes, but both sides deny targeting civilians, despite the ongoing civilian toll throughout the conflict.

US Senate Readies Bipartisan Sanctions Bill Targeting Russia and Its Trading Partners

US Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday the chamber may take up a sweeping sanctions bill this month to pressure Russia over its war in Ukraine.

The bipartisan legislation would impose harsh penalties on Russia and secondary sanctions on countries trading with it—specifically slapping 500 percent tariffs on nations purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other exports.

The bill, co-sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), has at least 82 supporters in the 100-member Senate. Thune said the measure is being coordinated with the Trump administration, which still seeks a diplomatic resolution but is open to more aggressive tools to push Moscow to negotiate.

China and India, which account for about 70 percent of Russia’s energy exports, would be among the primary targets of the secondary sanctions.

Senators Graham and Blumenthal in Kyiv: the U.S. is preparing a massive new sanctions package — and Putin will feel it. Plan includes seizing $300B in frozen Russian assets, using Ukraine’s minerals for arms, and 500% tariffs on China if it backs Putin. 82 senators back it. 0/ pic.twitter.com/B7XFUJbMZ6

— Tymofiy Mylovanov (@Mylovanov) May 30, 2025

Graham described the legislation as imposing “bone-breaking” penalties on both Russia and its customers if peace talks fail or if Moscow violates Ukrainian sovereignty after any agreement.

While Trump has expressed concern that additional sanctions could complicate negotiations, he has not ruled out signing the bill. For the measure to become law, it must pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by the president. So far, House Republican leadership has not scheduled a vote.

The Senate could act on the bill before the July 4 recess, depending on White House coordination and progress in ongoing peace discussions.

China’s Liaoning Carrier Strike Group Reaches Deep into Western Pacific in Major Show of Force

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Liaoning Carrier Strike Group (CSG) sailed into the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines last week, marking its furthest deployment in the Western Pacific to date, according to a Monday release from Japan’s Joint Staff Office (JSO).

The deployment signals an expansion of China’s naval reach and comes amid rising regional tensions.

Between May 27 and May 30, the Liaoning CSG operated progressively farther south of Japan’s Miyako Island, culminating in its presence east of Samar, Philippines and west of Guam by Friday.

The strike group includes carrier CNS Liaoning (16), Type 055 cruiser CNS Nanchang (101), destroyers CNS Qiqihar (121) and CNS Tangshen (122), and fleet oiler CNS Hulunhu (901).

During a five-day period under Japanese surveillance, Liaoning conducted 260 total aircraft operations, including 80 fighter take-offs and landings and 60 helicopter sorties in just three days.

Japan scrambled Air Self-Defense Force fighters in response and had the destroyer JS Umigiri monitor the Chinese flotilla.

China’s Ministry of National Defense claimed the deployment was part of routine training and criticized Japan’s reaction as excessive. The PLAN asserted the operations were in accordance with international law and not aimed at any specific country.

Separately, on May 30, a new Type 052D Luyang III destroyer (hull number 158) and CNS Hebi frigate transited the strait between Okinawa and Miyako Island into the Philippine Sea. Japan tracked the vessels using fleet oiler JS Tokiwa and a P-3C Orion patrol aircraft.

This latest maneuver underscores the PLAN’s growing blue-water capabilities and regional ambitions, with the Liaoning CSG now operating near critical US and allied strategic corridors in the Pacific.

Sources: News Agencies, Reuters, The Associated Press, USNI News