Israel has bolstered its naval capabilities with the recent arrival of its cutting-edge submarine, the most sophisticated and costly vessel it has acquired from Germany. This strategic addition comes as regional tensions continue to rise, as per reported sources.

The introduction of the INS Drakon is poised to dramatically enhance Israel’s naval warfare and intelligence-gathering potential under the sea, according to a report by The Algemeiner. Initially slated for delivery by 2025, the advanced warship’s arrival ahead of schedule marks a significant strategic step for the nation’s defense forces.

During its christening ceremony in Kiel in 2024, a statement highlighted that the INS Drakon belongs to the Dolphin AIP class and is outfitted with cutting-edge technologies. These innovations greatly extend the Israeli Defense Forces’ operational reach across multiple theaters of conflict.

Constructed by Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) for the Israeli Navy, the submarine plays a crucial role in fortifying a sea-based defense strategy. In the current geopolitical climate involving the conflict with Iran, defense experts underscore its importance for deterrence and retaliatory measures.

Dr. Ehud Eilam, a renowned Israeli national security specialist and former defense ministry researcher, stressed to News Media the critical nature of sustaining a relentless underwater presence for Israel’s continued security and autonomy.

“Some of them would have to be at sea, on high alert, around the clock, if Iran suddenly attacked Israel in such a way that would cripple the IDF, including its strategic capabilities,” Eilam said.

“In such a drastic scenario, Israel’s submarine/s that would be at sea could respond,” he added.

“Israel’s other submarines might be in Haifa harbor at the time. They might be attacked and unable to operate. This demonstrates how important it is to always have submarines at sea.”

TKMS reportedly handed over the INS Drakon—the sixth Dolphin-class vessel and third modified Dolphin II-class submarine in Israel’s fleet—at its shipyard in Kiel, Germany, in late July.

Measuring more than 70 meters (230 feet) in length with a displacement exceeding 2,000 tons, the vessel is reported to be the largest submarine constructed in Germany since World War II, carrying an estimated price tag of $634 million, according to The Algemeiner.

According to Israeli outlet Ynet , Israel’s Dolphin-class fleet also provides the nation with a critical sea-based second-strike capability in its defense program.

“Everything is going according to plan with the new program for Israel,” TKMS CEO Oliver Burkhard told Ynet Global.

“That also applies to the handover of the last boat of the previous series, including the homecoming in Israel,” he said of the expansive submarine program.

The INS Drakon’s arrival comes as Israel projects increasing military power across distant operational theaters, Eilam said.

“Israel has been acquiring submarines for several purposes. One of them is for deterrence and retribution, such as if Iran manages to develop nuclear weapons,” Eilam said before adding that “Israel has to be ready.”

While submarines on active deployment carry out intelligence and reconnaissance missions across the Mediterranean Sea, their primary objective remains readiness for “doomsday scenarios,” Eilam noted.

“Israel’s new submarine is bigger than others, which suggests Israel wants to have more options, such as increasing the range of the submarine’s missiles so they can reach every target in Iran, even if the Israeli submarine is in the Mediterranean Sea,” Eilam said.

“That way the submarine does not have to get closer to Iran, which requires crossing the Suez Canal, and this could be very risky, if not impossible in some situations,” he added. “The other alternative is to bypass all of Africa, which would take a long time.”

The new submarine was named INS Drakon (Dragon) — a mythical sea creature symbolizing strength, uniqueness and power — was chosen because it contains the Hebrew letters ד׳, ק׳, ר׳ (Dakar), thus commemorating the legacy of the submarine INS Dakar and its crew, the Ministry of Defense said.

News Media has reached out to the Israeli Navy, the Ministry of Defense, TKMS and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.

Aubrey Plaza is embracing motherhood!

The beloved “Parks and Recreation” star recently welcomed her first child with partner Christopher Abbott.

Paparazzi caught a glimpse of the new mom cradling her newborn in New York City last Sunday. The outing came after what was reportedly Abbott’s final appearance in Broadway’s acclaimed production, “Death of a Salesman.” According to TMZ, insiders revealed that Plaza gave birth to a baby girl in the final days of July.

Plaza first shared her pregnancy with the world in April, just a day after People magazine announced she was expecting and scheduled to welcome her baby in the fall.

“They feel very blessed,” an insider mentioned at the time, describing the addition to their family as “a beautiful surprise after an emotional year.”

Plaza, notably, lost estranged husband Jeff Baena in January 2025.

The former couple had been separated for four months when the director died by suicide at age 47.

Plaza and Baena’s family released a joint statement in the wake of the “unimaginable tragedy,” reading, “We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time.”

The comedian opened up about her “daily struggle” on Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang” podcast seven months later.

“Right in this very very present moment, I feel happy to be with you,” she told the host in August 2025. “Overall, I’m here and I’m functioning.”

Plaza went on to compare her grief to a “giant ocean of just awfulness.”

She explained, “Sometimes I just want to dive into it and be in it. And sometimes I look at it and sometimes I just try to get away from it, but it’s always there.”

The Emmy nominee credited her “funny friends” with still being able to make her “laugh really, really hard” while navigating the tragedy.

The “White Lotus” alum married Baena in May 2021, with the duo spontaneously tying the knot in tie-dye pajamas after a decade together.

It is unclear when she began dating Abbott.

Plaza and the “Girls” alum, 40, have acted together in the “Black Bear” film and the “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” Off-Broadway production in 2020 and 2023, respectively.

Abbott broke his silence on his girlfriend’s pregnancy in a May “Today” show interview, calling it a “very exciting” development.

Prior to Plaza, the actor dated his “Katie Says Goodbye” co-star Olivia Cooke between 2015 and 2020.

Aubrey Plaza recently made her first public appearance with her newborn, catching the attention of onlookers as she tenderly held the baby close.

On a sunny Sunday, the 42-year-old actress was seen embracing her little one during a family outing in New York City. It marks a new chapter in her life with partner Christopher Abbott, aged 40, as they welcomed their first child together.

Dressed for the warm weather, Plaza opted for a casual look, sporting a black tank top and sunglasses, as she ventured out into the bustling Manhattan streets with their child.

Her day included a stop at the Winter Garden Theatre, where she supported Abbott during the last show of his Broadway, “Death of a Salesman.”

Just two weeks earlier, Plaza was photographed showcasing her baby bump as she enjoyed a leisurely stroll in New York City on July 26.

It is the first child for both Plaza and Abbott. The White Lotus star first confirmed her pregnancy in April. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Plaza’s reps for comment. 

In the days since she welcomed her baby, she dressed for comfort, wearing baggy jeans and black, slip-on sneakers.

Plaza had a smile on her face and was a doting, new mom as she attentively watched a family member, who also took turns holding her baby.

The Parks and Recreation alum showed off her natural beauty and radiant glow as she stepped out sans makeup and with her dark tresses pulled back in carefree, high ponytail. 

At the time, she spoke about becoming a first-time mother over a year since she became estranged from her late husband Jeff Baena.

Baena died by suicide in January 2025. Plaza and the screenwriter had been separated since September 2024, an LA County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report obtained by DailyMail.com revealed. 

When asked if she was ‘excited’ about taking on motherhood on The View in April, she gushed: ‘I am. Yeah, I’ve always wanted to see what that’s all about, you know?’ 

People first confirmed Plaza was pregnant with her first child in April and said she was due to give birth in the fall.  

‘It was a beautiful surprise after an emotional year,’ a source told the publication at the time. 

The couple, who previously starred on Broadway together before falling in love, are said to be feeling ‘very blessed.’

Plaza’s partner Abbott is best known for playing the on-off boyfriend of Allison Williams’s character Marnie on Lena Dunham’s influential HBO comedy Girls. 

Plaza and Abbott worked together in 2019 on the indie psychological drama Black Bear, in which both actors played dual roles as actors and directors trying to shoot a film in an eerie, isolated lake house. 

The low-budget thriller premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020 to critical acclaim, with several reviewers singling it out as one of Plaza’s best performances to date. 

In 2023, the pair collaborated together again — this time on stage — in the Off Broadway revival of John Patrick Shanley’s play Danny And The Deep Blue Sea, which ran until January 2024. 

CHICAGO (WLS) — Amid a growing concern over escalating crime rates, community members convened at the Bold Mongol restaurant in Bridgeport. Their goal was to urge federal intervention and request more resources to combat the rising wave of violence, particularly gun-related incidents, affecting neighborhoods throughout Chicago.

This call to action came shortly after a series of shootings were reported across the city.

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“When is this going to stop?” questioned Raul Montes Jr., a fervent community activist, voicing the exasperation felt by many.

As he addressed those gathered, Montes highlighted the prevailing frustration among residents over the unrelenting violence.

“The trail of destruction continues unabated throughout Chicago, and we have had enough,” Montes declared.

Police are investigating at least seven separate shootings across the city that authorities said are not believed to be connected. Several people were injured, and at least three people were killed.

Among the incidents, police said a man was fatally shot near 45th Street and Honore Street around midnight. About two hours later, police said a 32-year-old man was shot and killed in the temple in West Garfield Park.

Roughly 30 minutes later, police said a 29-year-old man standing outside a vehicle near 28th Street and Kedzie Avenue was killed in a drive-by shooting.

Later in the morning, gunfire erupted shortly before 8:30 a.m. 400 block of North Leclaire Avenue in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, leaving three people shot and another also wounded. They were listed in fair condition.

SEE ALSO | Woman found stabbed to death in Albany Park, Chicago police say

The escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine has taken a perilous new turn, as high-profile figures in the drone industry find themselves under attack. According to industry experts, operatives allegedly linked to intelligence services are increasingly targeting key executives and engineers, whose cutting-edge developments in drone technology are proving pivotal on the battlefield.

In one of the latest incidents, a car bomb detonated on August 4 near Yekaterinburg, severely injuring Vladimir Tkachuk, CEO of Russian drone maker Uraldronzavod, while also claiming the life of his driver. This information comes via Russian state news agency TASS, as reported by The Associated Press.

Uraldronzavod is renowned for producing the “Upyr,” or “Ghoul,” a sophisticated first-person-view attack drone actively deployed by Russian forces in Ukraine, marking it as a critical component of their military capabilities.

Adding to the tension, just days prior, another alarming incident unfolded when Andrei Cherezov, leader of a separate Russian drone firm, was shot three times in an overnight shooting on July 28-29 in Tula. This attempted assassination has yet to be publicly attributed to any specific party, as reported by the Ukrainian news outlet Pravda. The lack of definitive blame only adds to the tension and uncertainty surrounding these events.

Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell told News Media that the rise in attacks comes as Russia and Ukraine race for an edge in drone warfare, making the relatively small number of people responsible for developing new technology increasingly important targets.

“When you can’t take out all the distributed infrastructure, drone manufacturing leadership becomes the primary target,” Chell said.

“These strikes in Russia and Ukraine and Germany on founders, leaders, engineers of defense and, in particular, drone-type companies are down to drones and these companies having such an impact themselves.”

“Because drone technology evolves rapidly — often with significant iterations occurring every 10 to 30 days — targeting a key engineer, founder, or product lead creates immediate operational disruptions on the battlefield.”

“Taking out a particular engineer or taking out a particular leader can set a very important weapons program back quite some time and disrupt shipments to the front line,” Chell added.

German authorities have also arrested two suspected operatives accused of spying on a Bavarian drone manufacturer for Russian intelligence, while reports this month said the alleged operation included preparations to target company executive Stefan Thumann, according to Germany’s Die Zeit.

The case follows a reported 2024 plot disrupted by U.S. and German intelligence to target Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger.

Chell said as Ukraine and Russia push toward artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons systems, engineers developing those technologies are more strategically important.

“What we see in the Ukraine-Russia conflict is nobody in the loop — total autonomy is the direction things are going because it moves with more speed and precision,” Chell said.

“AI and total autonomy are the big innovations for the next 18 months, so a potential reason we could see more targeted activity against leaders is because Ukrainians have that technology advantage.”

“Targeting small drone companies is a relatively easy operation compared to targeting individuals in state-run weapons programs,” he said.

“It is a fairly inexpensive, low-risk tactic for intelligence agencies that yields an immediate impact on the battlefield, and that’s why we’ve seen this tactic.”

“It is a very interesting turn or tactic that’s being played by both sides here.”

Chell highlighted how Russia and Ukraine approach such plots differently.

“I wouldn’t suggest one side has an advantage over the other in terms of tactics, but psychologically, it has a deeper effect on the Russian side,” Chell said.

“The volume of drone advantage will remain with the Russians for the foreseeable future, but the innovation of drones, tactics, and technology lies with the Ukrainians right now.”

“Ukraine faces an existential threat, so they are ready for anything. Their tactics tend to be much more blunt — a direct shooter in a hallway or a car bomb,” he added.

“The Russian tactics tend to be much more state-organized, using old Cold War tactics: low-level contacts, extensive intelligence and surveillance ahead of time, and inserting into other countries like Germany,” he said.

“The Russians have a long-standing, well-established intelligence infrastructure dating back to World War II and the Cold War.”

As the drone manufacturing industry takes greater precautions, Chell maintained that threats against companies and individuals in the defense supply chain are receiving increased scrutiny.

“We are very cognizant of it, and we’re in contact with the proper authorities to make sure we’re taking precautions on both a cyber and physical level to ensure we’re at less risk,” he said.

“We certainly don’t take anything for granted.”

“There are training and programs in place to ensure executives have a level of safety, primarily around awareness, cybersecurity, and physical location protection,” Chell added before stating that the attacks and attempted assassinations have “heightened the conversation around it.”

“We as an industry are taking it with a measured amount more seriously,” he said.

Jannik Sinner has been dealt a setback just weeks ahead of the U.S. Open, as a right knee injury has compelled him to pull out of the Cincinnati Open.

Currently the World No. 1, Sinner made the difficult choice to withdraw after seeking advice from his medical team and trusted advisors, as he revealed in a statement distributed by the tournament.

“I’ve been struggling with my right knee, and despite diligent efforts with my medical team, I must acknowledge that I’m not yet fit to compete,” Sinner explained in his announcement. “It’s deeply disappointing not to join the competition in Cincinnati. I extend my best wishes to [tournament director] Bob [Moran] and his team for a fantastic and successful event. I’m eagerly looking forward to returning next year, as my current focus is on preparing for the upcoming U.S. Open.”

Last year at the U.S. Open, Sinner reached the finals but was bested by World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in a gripping four-set match in Queens. In 2024, Sinner clinched his maiden U.S. Open title with a victory over Taylor Fritz.

The eagerly awaited Grand Slam action is set to begin on August 30.

Sinner’s injury forced him out of his second straight major ATP event after he skipped the Canadian Open that was held in Montreal this week in order to “prioritize my health.” 

The Italian has not competed since he captured his sixth major championship in July when he defeated Alexander Zverev in the final at Wimbledon. 

Sinner is not the only one dealing with injury lately. 

Alcaraz hasn’t played since April as he’s recovered from a wrist injury and will also be skipping the Cincinnati Open, he announced last week. 

“We know Carlos is doing everything he can to get back to playing tournaments as soon as possible,” Moran said in a statement at the time. “We wish him the best with his recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to Cincinnati in the future.”