Satellite imagery captured early Wednesday has revealed the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning operating approximately 430 nautical miles southeast of Taiwan, signaling a renewed show of force by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) amid rising cross-strait tensions. The image, taken at 02:21:52 UTC and analyzed by geopolitical intelligence sources, showed the Type 001 carrier accompanied by fighter jets in the Pacific Ocean, well beyond Taiwan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Liaoning, originally a Soviet Kuznetsov-class carrier acquired by China in 1998 and commissioned into the PLAN in 2012, has evolved from a training platform into an active instrument of Chinese naval power. Its deployment comes in the wake of escalating military maneuvers by China, including the massive Joint Sword-2024A exercises conducted in May last year, during which China deployed 111 aircraft and 46 naval vessels around Taiwan, with 82 aircraft crossing the Taiwan Strait median line.

Taiwan’s defense ministry remains on heightened alert following reports of China’s record deployment of nearly 90 vessels in the region in late 2024. Analysts from the Global Taiwan Institute believe such moves are part of Beijing’s strategic signaling aimed at deterring regional support for Taiwan, particularly from nations like Japan and the Philippines.

Japanese defense observers have highlighted the Liaoning’s intensified operations, noting a “very high operational tempo” in recent months. The aircraft carrier’s participation in the Joint Sword-2024B drills, confirmed by Captain Li Xi of China’s Eastern Theater Command in October 2024, further emphasizes its role in China’s broader military assertiveness.

Despite its symbolic value, the Liaoning faces operational limitations. The U.S. Department of Defense notes constraints on the range and armament of the carrier’s J-15 fighter jets due to the ski-jump launch system, as well as ongoing logistical challenges, including the absence of dedicated carrier-based transport aircraft.

This latest deployment also follows the May 2024 inauguration of Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te, an event that prompted immediate Chinese military drills. Since the Democratic Progressive Party came to power under Tsai Ing-wen in 2016, China has ramped up its military pressure on Taiwan, frequently conducting air sorties, live-fire drills, and naval blockades to reinforce its claim over the island.

Although the Liaoning is operating in international waters, well beyond Taiwan’s 200-nautical-mile EEZ, the timing and location of its presence are being interpreted by regional observers as a potential precursor to further escalations. Experts suggest the deployment reflects Beijing’s continuing efforts to refine joint operations and modern warfare tactics, potentially in preparation for a future confrontation over Taiwan.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday confirmed the elimination of Muhammad Sinwar, a senior Hamas commander and younger brother of former Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar, in a targeted Israeli airstrike.

Muhammad Sinwar had risen to prominence within Hamas after the death of his brother Yahya, who was killed by Israeli forces in October last year. Taking over as a senior commander in the group’s military wing, Muhammad played a critical role in directing operations and was believed to be the de facto leader of Hamas’s military structure in Gaza following the death of Muhammad Deif in July 2024.

“Based on all indications, Muhammad Sinwar was killed in a strike carried out on the grounds of the European Hospital in Khan Younis,” said Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz earlier this month. Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had previously targeted underground tunnels and command centres located beneath the hospital, which intelligence claimed were being used by Hamas militants.

According to a report by Saudi news outlet Al-Hadath, Sinwar’s body was recently recovered along with the remains of at least ten aides. The same strike is also believed to have killed Mohammad Shabana, commander of Hamas’s Rafah Brigade.

Sinwar’s death marks yet another major blow to Hamas’ top-tier leadership amid Israel’s continued offensive following the October 7, 2023 terror attack, orchestrated by his brother Yahya. That assault ignited the current war in Gaza and left over a thousand Israeli civilians and soldiers dead.

Born in Khan Younis in 1975, Muhammad Sinwar joined Hamas in the late 1980s. He was first arrested by Israeli authorities in 1991 and spent under a year in jail for suspected militant activities. During the 1990s, he was also imprisoned for several years by the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.

In 2006, he played a significant role in the abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, one of the most high-profile operations conducted by Hamas in that era. Sinwar later commanded Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade and steadily rose through the ranks, becoming a top military strategist after the deaths of other senior leaders.

Netanyahu hailed the strike as a significant success, asserting that Israel remains committed to dismantling Hamas’ leadership and operational network. The confirmation of Sinwar’s death is expected to further weaken Hamas’s command structure amid rising international pressure for a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Hamas has yet to issue an official response or confirm the deaths reported by Israeli and Arab media.

A billboard erected in Karachi on May 27 has ignited fierce controversy, as it features images of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist commanders alongside senior Pakistan Army generals. Displayed to commemorate Youm-e-Takbeer, the national day marking Pakistan’s 1998 nuclear tests, the billboard has raised concerns over the open celebration of a globally banned terrorist group alongside the country’s military leadership.

Situated in a prominent location in Karachi, the billboard bears the words “Youm-e-Takbeer” in bold Urdu, celebrating Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities. While the occasion is traditionally associated with national pride and strategic deterrence against India, the inclusion of LeT leaders—implicated in some of the deadliest terrorist attacks in South Asia, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks—has drawn sharp criticism both within Pakistan and internationally.

The timing of this display comes amid strained India-Pakistan relations following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir earlier this year, which killed 26 Hindu tourists. India has blamed Pakistan-based groups for the assault, further escalating regional tensions. The billboard’s appearance, juxtaposing LeT figures with Pakistan Army generals, reinforces longstanding allegations that groups like LeT operate as strategic proxies under military patronage, particularly in the Kashmir conflict.

General Syed Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Field Marshal, had earlier courted controversy during a February 2025 speech marking Kashmir Solidarity Day, where he declared Pakistan was ready to fight “10 more wars” over Kashmir. This latest display appears to lend symbolic support to such statements, indicating a continued alignment between militant narratives and state-backed nationalism.

LeT, founded in the 1980s by Hafiz Saeed, has been designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations, the United States, India, and several other nations. It has been repeatedly accused of receiving logistical and financial support from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), despite Islamabad’s official denials. The public celebration of its commanders as part of a national commemorative event suggests a defiant disregard for international norms on counterterrorism.

Youm-e-Takbeer marks the anniversary of Pakistan’s nuclear tests conducted on May 28, 1998, in Chagai, Balochistan, which made it the seventh nuclear power in the world. While the day holds patriotic significance, critics argue that associating it with terrorist figures severely undermines Pakistan’s global image and obligations.

The billboard has triggered demands for Pakistan’s actions to be reviewed by international oversight bodies. The United Nations and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) have long pressured Islamabad to sever ties with extremist groups and fully comply with global anti-terrorism measures. The incident may prompt renewed scrutiny, especially as Pakistan attempts to avoid reclassification or sanctions under the FATF’s grey list framework.

As the debate unfolds, the Karachi billboard stands as a symbol of the persistent entanglement of militancy and statecraft in Pakistan, a dynamic that continues to cast a long shadow over peace and stability in South Asia.