Morning Brief: Gulf War Illness Finally Recognized, Israel Marks Two Years Since Hamas Attack, China’s Premier to Visit North Korea

  US Has Sent $21.7 Billion in Military Aid to Israel Since Gaza War Began, Study Finds The United States has provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel since the Gaza war began two years ago, according to a new report published Tuesday by Brown University’s Costs of War project. The study found that $17.9 billion was delivered during President Joe Biden’s administration in the war’s first year, followed by $3.8 billion in the second year under President Donald Trump. The report concludes that US support has been crucial for sustaining Israel’s military campaign against Hamas. US SENT $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel and spent another $10 billion on strikes across the Middle East — Costs of War study from Brown University This is all over a course of 2 years since the Oct 7th Hamas attack on Israel pic.twitter.com/5hfoHSLlhF — RT (@RT_com) October 7, 2025 A companion report estimates that Washington has spent an additional $9.6 billion to $12 billion on broader Middle East operations since October 2023, including strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen and Iranian targets. Both reports rely on open-source data and congressional notifications for their findings. The State Department and Pentagon declined to comment.   Trump Weighs Ukraine’s Request for Tomahawk Missiles, Says He Won’t Escalate War with Russia US President Donald Trump said Monday he has “sort of made a decision” on whether to supply Ukraine with US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles but wants to know how Kyiv plans to use them before approving any transfer. Trump emphasized he does not want to escalate Russia’s war against Ukraine, telling reporters at the White House he would first ask, “Where are they sending them?” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Washington to allow European allies to purchase and send Tomahawks to Ukraine, which would give Kyiv the capability to strike targets as far as 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) away — including Moscow. U.S. President Donald J. Trump announces from the Oval Office that he has made the decision to provide BGM-109 “Tomahawk” Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAM), which have a range of between 500-1,500 miles, to Ukraine, but states that he still has some questions about how they will… pic.twitter.com/kiDFD1zaaO — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 6, 2025 Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Sunday that such a move would “destroy” relations between Washington and Moscow. Neither the Kremlin nor Ukraine’s government immediately responded to Trump’s remarks.   Pope Leo XIV Reverses Francis-Era Vatican Bank Law, Signals Shift in Financial Control Pope Leo XIV on Monday repealed a 2022 law issued by Pope Francis that had granted the Vatican bank, formally known as the Institute of Religious Works (IOR), exclusive authority over managing Holy See assets. In his first executive decree, Leo reinstated flexibility for the Vatican to use non-Vatican banks abroad when deemed “more efficient or convenient” by its investment committee. The move marks Leo’s clearest effort yet to roll back some of Francis’ financial reforms and redistribute power within the Vatican’s institutions. The 2022 law had faced criticism for contradicting the Vatican’s constitution, which assigns management of Church property to the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA). The late-Pope Francis reportedly planned to amend the measure before his death in April. This is Pope Leo’s second major reform in recent weeks. Pope Leo XIV is changing the management of the Holy See’s financial investment activities, effectively clipping the powers of the Vatican Bank https://t.co/AIajQZsCxY — Bloomberg (@business) October 6, 2025 On September 27, he reassigned Monsignor Roberto Campisi—an ally of Francis and head of a controversial Vatican fundraising commission—to a diplomatic post in Paris, signaling plans to overhaul the cash-strapped Holy See’s fundraising apparatus. The latest decree coincided with Leo’s meeting with the US-based Knights of Columbus, a key Vatican donor, as the pope seeks to restore financial credibility. Meanwhile, the Vatican’s high-profile financial corruption trial—initiated under Francis—remains mired in appeals after procedural errors by prosecutors, with hearings delayed until February.   Israel Marks Two Years Since October 7 Hamas Attack as Divisions Deepen and War Grinds On Israel on Tuesday marked the second anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack that killed 1,200 people and triggered a regional war that continues to devastate Gaza. Memorials organized by bereaved families, rather than the government, reflect public anger toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose failure to secure a ceasefire and free the remaining 48 hostages has fueled weekly protests and deep political divisions. The main ceremony will take place in Tel Aviv, while another memorial at the Nova music festival site near Reim honors the hundreds killed there. Israelis gather at memorial events to mark two years since Hamas’s 7 October attack. Two years on from the 7 October attacks, grief over Israel’s victims is still marked to the soundtrack of bombing in the war next door. In the past two years, this site has transformed from a… pic.twitter.com/cc38eGHBsN — Washington Eye (@washington_EY) October 7, 2025 In Gaza, Israel’s ongoing offensive has killed more than 67,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, and displaced nearly 90 percent of the enclave’s population amid severe famine and humanitarian collapse. Israel denies accusations of genocide, saying it is targeting Hamas fighters embedded in civilian areas. Meanwhile, Israeli and Hamas delegations are holding indirect talks in Egypt over a US-brokered peace plan introduced by President Donald Trump, though major disagreements remain over a ceasefire and the release of hostages.   Syrian Government and Kurdish Forces Reach Ceasefire After Deadly Clashes in Aleppo Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed Tuesday to a ceasefire in Aleppo following a day of intense fighting that killed at least two people, according to Syrian state media. The clashes erupted Monday after bombardments on Kurdish-majority neighborhoods Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, where one member of Syria’s domestic security forces and a civilian were reported dead. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces used explosive drones and surrounded the Kurdish-held areas with army reinforcements. State media reported dozens of families fleeing amid mortar and machine-gun fire, while local authorities urged residents to stay indoors. The SDF denied targeting government forces, accusing pro-Damascus factions of besieging Kurdish districts and attempting to advance with tanks. #BREAKING: A senior Kurdish official from Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods tells Rudaw that the Syrian government has invited them to a meeting. She added that they side will demand an end to the current siege and the implementation of the April agreement between both sides. pic.twitter.com/rLBSnmYow7 — Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) October 7, 2025 The ceasefire brings a temporary halt to escalating tensions between Damascus and the semi-autonomous Kurdish administration in northern Syria.   Macron Faces Deepening Crisis After Fourth Prime Minister Resigns in a Year French President Emmanuel Macron is confronting a worsening political crisis after Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned Monday—just hours after announcing a new Cabinet—making him the fourth premier to depart in barely a year. The collapse of Lecornu’s 14-hour government underscores Macron’s loss of control amid a fragmented parliament and mounting frustration within his centrist coalition. Lecornu said he stepped down after failing to secure cross-party backing for France’s 2026 budget, calling the role “impossible” under current conditions. Macron’s options are narrowing. He could attempt to appoint another prime minister with limited authority or dissolve parliament again, a move that risks boosting Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, already the largest single party in the National Assembly. Sky’s Europe correspondent @AliBunkallSky says Emmanuel Macron ‘faces no good options’ as French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigns less than 24 hours after forming a cabinet. 🔗 Read more: https://t.co/NFtpzwDshx pic.twitter.com/MQZ1PR8p06 — Sky News (@SkyNews) October 6, 2025 The turmoil has rattled markets, undermined France’s fiscal reform agenda, and deepened public disillusionment with Macron’s leadership. Analysts say while his domestic influence is waning, he remains firmly in charge of France’s foreign policy, particularly on Ukraine, the Middle East, and relations with the United States.   Militant Violence in Pakistan Jumps 46% as Deadliest Year in a Decade Looms Pakistan has seen a sharp surge in violence over the past three months, with militant attacks and counter-terrorism operations driving a 46 percent rise in fatalities compared to the previous quarter, according to a report released Monday by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in Islamabad. The think tank warned that 2025 is on course to surpass 2024 as the deadliest year in a decade. Most of the violence is concentrated along Pakistan’s western border, where the Pakistani Taliban are active in the northwest and Baloch separatists operate in the southwest. The increase reflects both intensified militant activity and expanded military operations, CRSS said. Attacks have escalated since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, with Islamabad accusing the Afghan Taliban of harboring militants — a charge Kabul denies. The United Nations has described the situation as a “permissive environment” for extremist groups. Local leaders and opposition lawmakers have warned that Pakistan’s sweeping military response risks civilian casualties as the conflict widens.   China’s Premier Li Qiang to Visit North Korea for Ruling Party’s 80th Anniversary Chinese Premier Li Qiang will travel to North Korea from Thursday to Saturday for the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party, marking the highest-level Chinese visit to Pyongyang since 2019, China’s Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday. Li, China’s second-ranking official after President Xi Jinping, will lead a government delegation as part of Beijing’s effort to reaffirm its close ties with North Korea, which it called a “traditional friend and neighbor.” The visit comes amid deepening cooperation between North Korea, China, and Russia. Moscow is sending former President Dmitri Medvedev to the anniversary events, while Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam, and Laos’ President Thongloun Sisoulith will also attend. China Premier Li Qiang to visit North Korea for ruling party anniversary https://t.co/jXNkxF27Fv https://t.co/jXNkxF27Fv — Reuters (@Reuters) October 7, 2025 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has strengthened ties with both China and Russia while sending troops to aid Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The trip reflects China’s renewed high-level engagement with Pyongyang after Xi’s last visit in 2019, which was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Kim Jong Un Pledges Stronger Alliance with Russia in Birthday Letter to Putin North Korean leader Kim Jong Un congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his birthday, praising his leadership and vowing to deepen the countries’ alliance. In a letter published by North Korea’s state news agency KCNA, Kim said he was confident the “relations of alliance” between Pyongyang and Moscow would continue to strengthen. 🇰🇵🇷🇺Kim’s birthday message to Putin: ‘Our friendship is eternal’ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un congratulated Vladimir Putin on his birthday, praising Russia’s leadership in building a new multipolar world. pic.twitter.com/4twPkJ1xpI — Sputnik (@SputnikInt) October 7, 2025 Kim also reiterated support for Russia’s “just struggle” to defend its sovereignty, a reference to the war in Ukraine, and pledged to uphold the treaty the two leaders signed last year.   Sources: News Agencies