Jul 31, 2026, 07:00 AM UTC

The death toll from mass crossing attempts into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta has risen to at least 18, according to news agency reports, as migration pressure extends to the neighboring enclave of Melilla.

Thousands of individuals have attempted to reach Spanish territory by sea despite heightened surveillance. In response to the influx, Moroccan security forces intensified controls on roads, transit hubs, and border areas to curtail movement toward the coast.

Spain’s military deployment of 60 personnel continues to support law enforcement officers around Tarajal beach, where local government officials maintain their call for Madrid to declare a formal state of emergency.

Sources: Danas, FENA, HRT Vijesti, N1, Tanjug

Southern Europe is experiencing a severe heatwave and expanding wildfires, causing fatalities and widespread pollution. In Greece, three firefighters died while battling blazes on Crete and the Peloponnese peninsula amid strong winds. Wildfire smoke across France and Spain has exposed millions of residents to hazardous air quality. Meanwhile, Croatia issued red weather alerts for the Rijeka and Dubrovnik regions as temperatures surged, with the heatwave expected to peak over the weekend.

In separate regional developments, search operations are underway in Messina, Sicily, after a three-story building collapsed, leaving seven people missing and two injured. Additionally, a drone attack in Russia's Volgograd region ignited fires at warehouses and an energy facility, injuring five people.

Sources: HRT Vijesti

Under NATO's Enhanced Air Policing mission, fighter jets and personnel from Turkey, Spain, and Italy are deploying to Estonia, Romania, and Lithuania to reinforce eastern flank airspace security.

According to NATO Allied Air Command, the Italian Air Force is stationing four Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft and more than 100 personnel at Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania to safeguard Baltic airspace. Meanwhile, Turkish and Spanish forces are participating in rotational air defense operations across Estonia, Romania, and Lithuania.

The deployments form part of NATO's continuous efforts to maintain airspace integrity and bolster deterrence across member states along the eastern border.

Sources: Defence Turk

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US President Donald Trump this week to address Ukraine's critical air defence requirements. Kyiv has repeatedly highlighted its urgent need for advanced systems, particularly Patriot missiles, to protect its cities and civilian population against ongoing Russian air strikes.

During their discussions, the two leaders addressed the potential for Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles domestically under a US licensing agreement. Following the meeting, Trump stated that he has not yet made a decision on whether to grant authorization for local manufacturing of the defence system. Kyiv continues to view enhanced air defence capabilities as a crucial priority in safeguarding national infrastructure.

Sources: Sweden Herald

Ukrainian drone commander Robert Brovdi, leader of the military's Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS), has claimed that his units are responsible for a major share of Russian military casualties. Brovdi, a 50-year-old commander also known by the call sign "Madjar," heads the specialized drone branch established two years ago to coordinate Ukrainian unmanned aerial operations.

According to reports citing Ukrainian opinion polls, Brovdi has become one of the country's most prominent military leaders. In an interview with Norwegian media, Brovdi asserted that his forces inflict greater personnel losses on Russian troops than any other single Ukrainian unit, alleging that his branch accounts for nearly one in three Russian casualties. Unmanned systems have played an increasingly central role in Ukraine's defense strategy as both sides rely heavily on drone operations along the frontline.

Sources: Sweden Herald.