The United States is weighing the option of launching airstrikes against terrorists linked to al Qaeda in Mali, as suggested by regional experts and recent media insights.

Since a series of coups in 2020 and 2021, a military junta has taken control of Mali, a nation in the Sahel region of West Africa. Seeking new alliances, the junta distanced itself from Western nations like France and the U.S., opting instead for military backing from Russia and its Africa Corps mercenaries in their battle against jihadist factions.

Among these insurgent groups, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) stands out as a significant threat, currently laying siege to Mali’s capital. The group, in collaboration with another faction, has been implicated in the deaths of 50 Malian soldiers this month alone and the killing of the country’s defense minister earlier this year. Notably, they have forced Russian battalions to withdraw on at least two separate occasions this year.

JNIM harbors ambitions of transforming Mali into an Islamist Jihadist state, which, if realized, would mark it as the first nation in the world under jihadist regime control. The group was officially labeled a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2018 during the initial Trump administration.

Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist groups are also operating freely in Mali, and are linked to terror groups in neighboring Nigeria.

A State Department official didn’t respond to a Washington Post report that the U.S. is considering strikes against JNIM in Mali, but used strong language Thursday when talking to News Media, leading analysts to suggest the time for talking may be over.

“The United States unequivocally condemns the terrorist activity in Mali,” the official said, adding, “in the Sahel, the United States is committed to promoting regional ownership and cooperation against terrorist threats, and monitoring indicators and warnings of threats to our homeland.”

Edmund Fitton-Brown, a former British and United Nations diplomat, said the U.S. could order military action, to primarily try and stop jihadists becoming entrenched in Mali. Fitton-Brown, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told News Media, “Mali is mainly important to the U.S. because, as a failed state becoming a safe haven for al Qaeda and ISIS, it looks like the first of several African dominoes likely to fall.”

Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman, who until last year, served as the Department of War’s West Africa Coordination Element lead, said that with strike action the administration may be able to persuade Mali’s rulers to turn away from Russia, and towards the U.S. for protection – and purchases of military equipment.

Ekman told News Media, “JNIM has a stranglehold on the government and much of the population. The Russians are woefully ineffective and extractive. Cooperation with U.S. forces offers a disproportionate and positive impact.”

Ekman said that U.S. forces have supported partner-led operations against JNIM before, as recently as 2022, adding “⁠recent proposals amount to returning to similar cooperation against a mutual threat.”

The administration may also be in a minerals frame of mind. Mali is one of Africa’s largest gold-producing nations. It also has substantial deposits of lithium, used extensively in rechargeable batteries.

Fitton-Brown said that “President Trump may be less reluctant than his predecessor to work with the juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, if they are losing faith in their Russian friends.”

He continued, “The U.S. is certainly a more capable partner. France has already been displaced, so all three countries might accept U.S. help if it comes only with strings attached that don’t offend or disadvantage them. Whether even the U.S. is capable of stopping the political decline of these countries, and the rise of militant Islam, is another matter. That cannot be achieved by military force alone.”

The FDD’s Fitton-Brown said U.S. assets such as aircraft may not be directly involved if there is a strike, “The U.S. might work with French and other intelligence services to develop local intelligence for strikes on JNIM leadership, but this is unlikely to achieve much. The organization is resilient and will be able to replace those killed.”

A former senior Department of War official told News Media the U.S. has at its disposal cruise missiles and long-range bombers. Attack drones would probably not come into play, and the U.S. Naval Institute’s Fleet Tracker shows no American aircraft carriers anywhere near African waters, effectively ruling out carrier operations.

However, Ekman believes airstrikes are under consideration, noting “JNIM and ISIS are a threat to U.S. interests, and are ascendant in West Africa.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is actively pursuing custody of a Mexican national charged with illegally entering the United States via Texas in 2021 under President Biden’s administration. This individual, according to officials, is responsible for the fatal incident involving a Nashville restaurant owner.

Ulises Raigoza-Martinez has entered a guilty plea and received a lengthy prison sentence on Tuesday. Consequently, ICE has filed an immigration detainer, urging Tennessee authorities to alert them prior to his release. This coordination allows federal agents to assume custody for deportation procedures, as conveyed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

This tragic case traces back to an encounter on June 19, 2024, in the parking lot of Smokin’ Thighs, a Nashville eatery. Investigators allege Raigoza-Martinez attempted to steal tools from owner Matt Carney’s truck.

During the confrontation, the 42-year-old Carney approached Raigoza-Martinez, who then fled the scene, hitting Carney with his vehicle, law enforcement authorities reported.

Carney was launched onto the vehicle’s hood, eventually falling to the ground when Raigoza-Martinez maneuvered the car, leading to the fatal outcome.

Carney suffered critical injuries and died at a Nashville hospital on July 4, 2024.

Police arrested Raigoza-Martinez in South Nashville on July 18, 2024.

Two years later, on July 22, 2026, he pleaded guilty to murder, theft over $10,000, tampering with evidence and theft over $2,500, before being sentenced to 20 years in prison.

DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said Raigoza-Martinez “should NEVER have been in our country to commit this heinous murder.”

“We will work with our state and local partners in Tennessee to ensure that he is handed over to ICE custody once his sentence is complete, so that we can remove him from our country,” Bis said.

If Tennessee officials honor the ICE detainer, federal immigration authorities will take custody of Raigoza-Martinez after he completes his prison sentence so he can be placed into removal proceedings and deported.

In a heartwarming tale of reunion, a woman from Florida has been joyfully reunited with her cat following an agonizing seven-month separation. The feline, who was reportedly abducted and confined in a squalid home overrun by nearly 100 animals, has finally found his way back to his rightful owner.

Linh Nguyen, hailing from Stuart, couldn’t hold back her tears as she welcomed her cherished cat, Patchy, back into her life. Their emotional reunion took place at the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast on Wednesday. Patchy had gone missing in January, and Nguyen had feared the worst until their paths crossed again.

According to a report by WPEC News, Patchy was among 80 cats and 12 dogs rescued from the residence of 77-year-old Gail Giustino, a worker for the US Postal Service. This operation was carried out just two days before Nguyen and Patchy’s reunion.

“It feels as though I’ve been reunited with a family member. Patchy is like a child to me. Seven long months,” Nguyen shared emotionally with the news outlet. “I had lost all hope, never expecting to see him again.”

In a poignant conversation with WFLX News, she added, “I’ve had him for seven years, ever since he was just a kitten, and he’s like my baby.” Her words spoke volumes about the deep bond between pet and owner.

‘I cried so much when I lost him. There were so many nights when I couldn’t sleep, thinking that he might be somewhere getting abused.’

The reunion came after Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek announced Monday that police had found nearly 100 animals crammed inside Giustino’s home on the 11500 block of Southwest Meadowlark Circle. 

‘Clearly this is a hoarder scenario,’ he said, describing it as the worst animal hoarding case the county had ever seen.

Investigators alleged that Giustino had been ‘collecting’ cats. The sheriff said many of the animals were friendly house cats ‘that you can pet and are used to having a lot of attention.’ 

‘It looks like, on her mail route, she would identify cats that were loose, come back with traps, trap the cats and then bring them home,’ Budensiek said.

Speaking about the suspect, he added: ‘In her mind – she told us that she thought she was doing, you know, the world a favor by taking these cats in.’

The discovery led to her arrest on charges of animal cruelty and confining animals without sufficient food or water. The animals, who the sheriff said were living in ‘squalor’ and ‘horrific’ conditions, were seized by authorities.

‘The goal of arresting her was to be able to seize the animals to save them from death,’ the sheriff said. ‘We could have charged her with 160 counts, two counts per animal. We’re only charging with two counts.’

Nguyen joined several other pet owners at the Humane Society on Wednesday, hoping one of the rescued animals was the pet they had been desperately searching for. 

‘I was praying to God, asking for a miracle. On Monday night, when I saw the news I had a very strong feeling that my cat was one of the 80 cats that was found,’ she told WPEC.

‘I think it’s unbelievable. I asked for a miracle and this is really a miracle for me and my family.’

Others in the community are now questioning whether Giustino may have been behind the mysterious disappearances of their pets. Megan Remick, who lives nearby, said her cat Savannah vanished three years ago.

‘I saw one of the rescuers, animal control officers bring out a cage with a tiny white cat in it,’ Remick told KPTV News.

‘I know there are other white cats in the world, but man, something just hit me and just the thought that she could have been sitting in that filth, not being able to breathe in a cage for three years, is just absolutely horrifying,’ she added.

Shannon, another neighbor whose cat Tux went missing two weeks ago, said: ‘I didn’t really even know about the news story until about two random people called me and said, “You live next to Sunshine Mobile Homes, right? The mail lady got arrested.”‘

‘I looked on the news and saw a video of one of the tuxedo cats inside of the cage that they were taking out of the house, and I’m very hopeful that it’s my cat and I’m really hoping to be reunited with my cat,’ she added.

Eight of the rescued animals were microchipped, allowing investigators to trace them back to their owners. Ahead of Wednesday’s reunion, deputies had already reunited at least five of the animals with their families. 

‘We saved at least 92 animals from a living hell,’ Sheriff Budensiek said. ‘They’re in there in 100 plus degree heat, no proper food and water, no ventilation. Standing on top of six inches of feces.’

‘If we had not have acted and taken this seriously and forced our way into that house, all these animals would still be out there being essentially tortured to death,’ he added.

Authorities were first alerted by a report that a female postal worker was ‘stealing or collecting cats along her route,’ sending investigators to Giustino’s home. 

The sheriff said she spent a week refusing to cooperate or reveal how many animals were inside the home. Her lack of transparency ultimately led investigators to execute a search warrant on Monday. 

Police, animal control officers and firefighters removed 92 animals from the home, with chilling bodycam footage showing crews carrying carrier after carrier out of the property. 

Because of the ‘severe conditions’ inside the home – including poor ventilation and floors covered in animal waste – a HAZMAT team was called to the scene before crews could continue the rescue. 

Humane Society staff said many of the rescued animals arrived underweight and suffering from a host of health problems, including skin conditions, hair loss and dental disease, according to WPEC.

‘It’s really sad. It’s really, really sad,’ Lori Tucker, Director of Operations at the Humane Society, told the outlet.

‘But at the same time, we are very fortunate that we are in this role, when we love what we do, and so we feel like we’re going to put that aside, and we’re going to focus on giving these animals a fresh start, you know, a new chance at a happy life.’

The rescued animals are now recovering, where they will need vaccinations, spay or neuter procedures and medical clearance before they can be adopted into new homes. 

Budensiek also revealed that this was not Giustino’s first encounter with authorities, saying she had received ‘up to 65 citations’ in previous years for confining various animals inside her home. 

He said he hopes the court process will help connect her with the support she needs. 

‘What we want to happen is that she doesn’t get animals back, or she can only have one or two,’ the sheriff said. ‘And then we want her to go through the mental health court process to get her some kind of an evaluation and see where she is.’

The sheriff’s office said it is now investigating whether any of the rescued animals belonged to other families and urged anyone with a missing pet to come forward and file a report. 

In a significant defense maneuver, a Romanian F-16 fighter jet successfully intercepted and eliminated an unauthorized drone that breached the nation’s airspace on Friday. This marks a historic first for the NATO member in taking decisive action to destroy a drone within its own skies, according to official sources.

As of now, Romanian authorities have not determined the drone’s source or mission. According to Reuters, the country’s army chief mentioned that pilots have reported the drone resembled a Shahed-type model. This particular drone, designed in Iran, has gained notoriety for its frequent use by Russian forces in their ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

This event underscores critical concerns for the United States and its NATO allies, particularly in light of the continuous airspace violations near the eastern borders of the alliance. There is growing apprehension over the potential spillover of Russia’s aggression beyond Ukrainian territory. Romania, sharing a border with conflict-stricken Ukraine, has documented numerous drone-related incidents, including intrusions and debris discoveries, since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Romania’s Foreign Minister, Oana Țoiu, confirmed that the drone interception was conducted over an uninhabited region in Buzău County, minimizing potential risks to civilian areas.

“Our borders and our sovereignty are non-negotiable, and our military and NATO air police will continue to monitor the land border, the Danube and the Black Sea, as our military frequently identifies risks,” Țoiu told News Media. 

“The impact area and the drone debris are currently being analyzed, but the pattern is consistent with prior confirmed Russian drone flights during the numerous illegal attacks against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure on Romania’s border,” she added.

Țoiu said Romania and NATO would continue to defend allied territory.

“NATO works, and we plan to be even stronger with the decisions on air defense and budget allocation from The Hague and Ankara summits,” she said. “The path toward increased security is the path toward peace at Romania’s border. We will defend our citizens and we will continue to invest in protecting Romanian and Allied territory.”

Țoiu previously told News Media July 2 that Russian drones had been detected inside Ukraine roughly 19 miles from Romania’s border, prompting two Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon jets operating from Romania’s 86th Air Base in Fetești to scramble under NATO’s Enhanced Air Policing mission. A Romanian Air Force IAR 330 Puma helicopter was also deployed, she said at the time.

Romanian President Nicușor Dan and Defense Minister Radu Miruță reaffirmed the country’s commitment to protecting its airspace and investing in modern air-defense and anti-drone capabilities, according to Țoiu.

The incident underscores the growing danger along NATO’s eastern flank as Russia continues strikes across Ukraine and Kyiv increasingly targets Russian military and energy infrastructure deeper inside Russia.

The drone shootdown came as Ukraine reported deadly Russian strikes in the Kyiv region and Slovyansk. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a rescue operation was underway in the Kyiv region after a Russian missile strike killed six people and wounded dozens. Reuters later reported that Ukrainian officials and industry representatives said the strike killed 10 people and injured close to 100 at a site where a defense industry event was being held.

“There were also casualties in Slovyansk following guided aerial bomb strikes,” Zelenskyy said. “Five people were killed. My condolences to their families. Nine others were injured. The Russians damaged ordinary homes, the consulate building, and vehicles.”

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said Latvia’s honorary consulate building in Slovyansk, in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, was destroyed Friday morning in a Russian attack involving a KAB-250 guided aerial bomb, according to information provided by Ukrainian authorities.

Braže said Latvia’s honorary consul, Oleksandr Pavenko, was not injured, but two consulate staff members were wounded. She informed European Union and NATO foreign ministers and international organizations about the incident, while Latvia summoned Russia’s chargé d’affaires and delivered a note of protest.

“Russia will be held accountable for this and other violations of international law,” Latvia’s Foreign Ministry said. “All war crimes committed by Russia must be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible must be brought to justice.”

Zelenskyy called the strikes “brutal attacks on civilians” and again pressed Ukraine’s partners for air-defense support.

“Interceptors for Patriot systems are the number one priority,” he said.

Ukraine also said its forces had struck one of Russia’s key military enterprises in Kirov, which Zelenskyy said supplies components for Russian aircraft and missile systems used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had also hit an oil facility nearly 840 miles away and that operations against Russian logistics supplying drone components, navigation equipment and military gear remained underway. Ukrainian outlet UNN reported that Zelenskyy confirmed the Kirov strike and the long-range strike on the oil facility.

The Security Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Ukraine Monday at 10 a.m., as requested by Ukraine, according to a United Nations schedule viewed by News Media. The meeting comes after Kyiv has repeatedly urged the international community to respond more forcefully to Russia’s attacks on civilians and infrastructure.

The back-and-forth comes as Kyiv is trying to show battlefield momentum despite continued Russian missile and drone attacks. 

Outgoing Ukrainian Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine had recaptured 270 square miles of territory in 2026 and was handing over to his successor “an army that is not only holding the defence but is also on the offensive,” Reuters reported Wednesday. 

News Media reached out to the Russian defense ministry but didn’t receive a response in time for publication.