SOFREP Morning Brief: France to Modernize Luxeuil Air Base for Nuclear-Capable Rafale Bombers, South Korean Navy Patrol Plane Crashes During Training

Good Morning! SOFREP’s Morning Brief is here with key updates on defense and global affairs for Thursday, May 29, 2025. Today’s headlines at a glance: Israel destroyed Yemen’s last Houthi plane. France upgrades air base for nuclear Rafales. Russia rejected Zelenskyy’s summit request. The US is set to revoke more Chinese student visas. The Thai-Cambodian border clash killed 1. A South Korean Navy plane crash killed two.

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Israeli Airstrikes Destroy Final Plane at Houthi-Held Yemen Airport

Israeli fighter jets struck rebel-held Sanaa International Airport in Yemen on Wednesday, destroying the last operational aircraft, according to Israeli and Yemeni sources.

The targeted Yemenia Airways plane was reportedly preparing to carry pilgrims to the Hajj in Saudi Arabia.

The attack follows repeated Houthi projectile launches toward Israel, including two fired just a day earlier. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the airstrikes targeted “terror targets” at the airport, accusing the Houthis of using aircraft to transport personnel for attacks on Israel.

Video posted by the airport director showed thick black smoke rising from the burning plane on the tarmac. The airport had only recently resumed limited operations on May 17 after a previous Israeli strike destroyed six aircraft.

Officials in Yemen say an Israeli attack on Sanaa airport has destroyed the last passenger plane operated by the country’s main airline, Yemenia Airways. pic.twitter.com/godJND5yCa

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) May 29, 2025

The Houthis, aligned with Iran and in control of much of northern Yemen, began targeting Israel and Red Sea shipping lanes last November in response to the Gaza war. These actions have triggered repeated retaliatory strikes from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel.

The US reached a temporary ceasefire with the Houthis earlier this month, but the group continues to fire at Israel, including attempts to strike Ben Gurion Airport. Israel has since threatened to escalate by targeting Houthi leadership directly.

United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg warned the ongoing clashes are worsening Yemen’s already fragile situation.

The country remains locked in a nearly decade-long civil war between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition, with periodic lulls in fighting since a UN-brokered truce in 2022. The destruction of the airport’s final aircraft now further isolates Houthi-held areas from international travel and aid.

France to Modernize Luxeuil Air Base for Nuclear-Capable Rafale Bombers Amid Rising European Tensions

France has launched a $1.7 billion overhaul of the Luxeuil-Saint Sauveur air base in eastern France to accommodate nuclear-armed Rafale fighter jets by 2035.

The decade-long project, driven by heightened European security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, will transform Luxeuil into France’s most modern nuclear-capable air base.

President Emmanuel Macron announced the renovation in March, the same day Presidents Trump and Putin held discussions on the Ukraine war.

Luxeuil will host 50 upgraded Rafale jets and France’s future ASN4G hypersonic nuclear missiles.

La base aérienne de Luxeuil va retrouver sa place dans la dissuasion nucléaire française.

1,4 milliards d’euros seront investis pour rénover ses infrastructures et lui permettre d’accueillir les deux prochains escadrons de Rafale. pic.twitter.com/5RPvokrpWe

— Élysée (@Elysee) March 18, 2025

The base currently operates outdated Mirage-2000 jets and infrastructure dating back to the 1950s.

Upgrades include expanding the runway, replacing hangars, increasing security, and quadrupling personnel from 300 to 1,000 technicians. The base will shut down between 2029 and 2032 for major construction. The first new Rafales are expected to arrive during that period.

Strategically located near Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium, Luxeuil’s modernization also positions France to potentially deploy nuclear assets across Europe.

Macron has hinted at talks with European partners on joint nuclear defense options—a move Russia has strongly condemned as destabilizing.

Kremlin Rejects Zelenskyy’s Call for Trump-Putin-Ukraine Summit as Frontline Tensions Escalate

The Kremlin rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call for a three-way summit with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, insisting any meeting must follow concrete agreements between negotiating teams.

Moscow continues to deny Zelenskyy’s legitimacy and has ruled out face-to-face talks without prior progress, despite recent failed peace discussions in Istanbul.

Zelenskyy said he is open to any format—including a trilateral summit—to push for an end to the three-year war. However, Russia remains unresponsive to coordinated Western demands for a ceasefire, while Putin’s proposed peace memorandum has yet to reach Kyiv.

#UPDATE Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a three-way summit with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as he seeks to force Moscow to halt its three-year-long invasion ➡️ https://t.co/8tLs55QMcG pic.twitter.com/MptEWSWzNm

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 28, 2025

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy urged the US to impose new sanctions on Russia’s banking and energy sectors, citing discussions with Trump, who has expressed mounting frustration with both sides.

Trump recently called Putin “crazy” and warned that the Russian leader is “playing with fire.”

On the battlefield, Ukraine launched one of its largest drone barrages against Russia, forcing flight suspensions at Moscow’s major airports. Russia claimed minimal damage. Simultaneously, Moscow’s forces continue advancing in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, with over 50,000 Russian troops reportedly massing along the border and new villages falling under occupation as part of Putin’s plan to create a “buffer zone.”

NEW: Western insider reporting about Kremlin demands to end the war in Ukraine continues to align with repeated public statements from Kremlin officials outlining Russia’s demands, indicating that Russia’s goal of Ukrainian capitulation and destruction of NATO remains unchanged.… pic.twitter.com/roSKAMmnKc

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) May 29, 2025

Zelenskyy met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, where Merz pledged robust support for Ukraine’s defense.

US to Aggressively Revoke Chinese Student Visas Under New Rubio Directive

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that the State Department will begin aggressively revoking visas for Chinese students, particularly those linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or studying in sensitive academic and technological fields.

The move aligns with President Donald Trump’s broader immigration crackdown and escalates tensions in the US-China rivalry.

Rubio said the US will also tighten future visa screening for applicants from China and Hong Kong, working alongside the Department of Homeland Security. The policy could significantly disrupt US universities, which rely on Chinese students for revenue, and affect American tech firms that benefit from talent trained at US institutions.

The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 28, 2025

The number of Chinese students in the US has already declined from 370,000 in 2019 to about 277,000 in 2024 amid growing geopolitical tensions, tighter visa scrutiny, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Many are now choosing to study in Europe or return to China after graduation.

Critics warn the sweeping policy risks harming legitimate students and undermining US leadership in scientific innovation. Human rights researcher Yaqiu Wang called the policy “deeply concerning,” warning it jeopardizes livelihoods and academic freedom.

The crackdown follows similar actions by the Trump administration, including shutting down Chinese-funded Confucius Institutes and revoking Harvard University’s foreign student enrollment privileges over alleged ties to Beijing—though that decision is currently blocked by a judge. Visa screening protocols have also expanded to include social media vetting.

The Chinese government has not yet responded as of writing, but has previously pledged to defend the rights of its students abroad.

The move comes despite a temporary pause in the US-China trade war and may further strain diplomatic and academic ties between the world’s two largest economies.

Thailand, Cambodia Hold Military Talks After Deadly Border Clash

Military commanders from Thailand and Cambodia will meet Thursday following a deadly border clash that left one Cambodian soldier dead. Both governments confirmed the talks, aiming to deescalate tensions along the disputed frontier.

The incident occurred Wednesday in Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province. Cambodian officials accused Thai troops of launching an unprovoked attack on a Cambodian patrol.

Thailand said its soldiers returned fire after being shot at by Cambodian forces, with a 10-minute exchange ending when Cambodian troops called for a ceasefire.

The Cambodian Army is continuing to pull troops toward the border with Thailand after a Cambodian soldier was killed during a border clash with Thai soldiers this morning.

The border conflict in the area started in 2008 pic.twitter.com/x5zgTfTADK

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 28, 2025

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet both urged calm and peaceful dialogue. Thailand’s defense minister described the incident as a “misunderstanding,” while Hun Manet expressed hope the meeting would deliver “positive results.”

The border region, marked by historical disputes, has seen previous violence—most notably over the Preah Vihear temple, where clashes between 2008 and 2011 killed at least 28 people before a UN court ruled the land belonged to Cambodia.

Tensions have recently flared over cultural provocations, including a video posted in February showing Khmer nationalist songs sung near another contested site.

The border remains sensitive, but leaders from both nations have pledged to cooperate on broader issues, including security, environmental concerns, and cybercrime.

South Korean Navy Patrol Plane Crashes During Training, Killing Two

A South Korean Navy P-3 patrol aircraft crashed Thursday during a training flight shortly after takeoff from Pohang, killing at least two of the four crew members onboard, the Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy confirmed.

Search and rescue teams are still working to locate the remaining two personnel.

The aircraft went down at 1:43 p.m. (local time) for unknown reasons and ignited a fire on a hillside near an apartment complex, prompting a large emergency response. No civilian casualties have been reported. Photos from the scene showed smoke and flames in a wooded area as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

A P-3C Maritime Patrol and Surveillance Aircraft with the South Korean Navy crashed this morning near its base at Pohang Gyeongju Airport, during a training flight along the eastern coast of South Korea. The aircraft reportedly held a crew of four, with the pilots and crew… pic.twitter.com/g2hZTeBOSy

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 29, 2025

ROK is the official name of South Korea.

The ROK Navy has suspended all P-3 flights and launched an investigation. The crash adds to growing safety concerns following a deadly Jeju Air passenger jet crash in December that killed 179 people.

Sources: News Agencies