March 6, 2025 19:23 E75

China says they are ready for a war with the US as the trade war escalates

Cedric: Welcome to the Geopolitical
Report Daily for March 6, 2025.

Complete reports with casualty
information, interactive web maps, and

our IntelHub dashboard are available with
a Geopolitical Report Pro subscription.

Wednesday, we collected 46 events,
including China saying they are

ready for war with the US, as
Trump pauses intelligence to

Ukraine, so let's get started.

"China

China has issued a warning, stating
its readiness for any type of war

with the US, in response to tariffs
imposed by the Trump administration.

The Chinese government has imposed
additional tariffs on US goods, targeting

American farmers who voted for Trump.

The US has imposed 25% tariffs on
goods from Mexico and Canada and

10% tariffs on imports from China.

The situation is escalating, with both
countries imposing retaliatory measures.

The new Chinese tariffs will
come into effect on March 10."

"China

China's defense budget
will increase by 7.2%

in 2025, matching last year's growth rate.

At $245.7

billion, it remains less than
a third of US military spending

despite having more personnel.

The increase comes amid military
modernization and US-China strategic

competition, with spending at 1.6%

of GDP."

"China

Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledged to
""firmly advance"" Taiwan reunification

while opposing foreign interference.

China has intensified military
pressure on Taiwan and dropped

""peaceful"" from previous statements.

Li expressed the desire to work with
""fellow Chinese in Taiwan"" toward

China's national rejuvenation."

"United States

The Trump administration has paused
intelligence-sharing with Ukraine as part

of a broader review of assistance to Kyiv.

This decision was made to encourage
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

to engage in peace talks to end the war.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe and
National Security Adviser Mike

Waltz expressed optimism that
negotiations would resume shortly."

"United States

The White House has rejected an Arab
plan for post-war Gaza management,

instead supporting President Trump's
proposal to take over Gaza and

relocate its two million residents.

NSC spokesperson Brian Hughes stated
that Gaza is currently uninhabitable

due to debris and unexploded ordnance.

The Arab plan proposed establishing
a temporary committee of Palestinian

technocrats to manage Gaza before
transferring control to the

Palestinian Authority, emphasizing that
Palestinians should remain in Gaza."

"United States

US President Donald Trump has issued
a new ultimatum to Hamas, demanding

the immediate release of all remaining
hostages and the return of dead bodies.

He warns that failure to comply will
result in severe consequences, including

destruction and harm to Hamas members.

Trump also threatens to send Israel
everything it needs to complete the

mission and advises Hamas leaders
to leave Gaza while they still can."

"France

French President Emmanuel Macron plans
to discuss using France's nuclear

deterrent to protect Europe from Russian
threats amid concerns over potential U.S.

disengagement.

He aims to provide long-term
support for Ukraine and deploy

European forces to guarantee peace."

"Armenia

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense
has made a claim about the Armenian

Armed Forces firing at Azerbaijani
positions, but the Armenian

Ministry of Defense disputes this.

Armenian MoD also notes that they
have proposed a joint investigation

mechanism with Azerbaijan but
have yet to receive a response."

"Netherlands

The Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad
al-Shaibani announced he will attend

a meeting of the Organization for
the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

(OPCW) in The Hague, marking Syria's
first participation following Bashar

al-Assad's removal from power.

In his statement, Shaibani emphasized
that this participation demonstrates

Syria's commitment to international
security and honors victims who

died from chemical attacks carried
out by the previous Assad regime."

"Romania

Romania has declared the Russian
embassy's military attache and his

deputy persona non grata due to alleged
acts contravening diplomatic rules,

as governed by the Vienna Convention.

This move comes amid tensions over
the war in Ukraine and allegations

of electoral interference.

Russia has vowed to respond to the
decision, following a similar move

by Romania in May when it declared a
Russian diplomat persona non grata."

"Sudan

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and
allied groups have signed a transitional

constitution, which aims to establish
a parallel government in Sudan.

This move comes as the country is
embroiled in a two-year conflict

with the army, resulting in mass
displacement, hunger, and violence.

The RSF-led constitution outlines a
federal, secular state with a single

national army and provisions for
elections, but its legitimacy and

future operations are uncertain."

"India

A suspected grenade attack occurred
near a police post in Old Town,

Baramulla, in north Kashmir on
Tuesday night around 9:20 PM.

Security forces found a grenade
pin outside the boundary wall of

the police post, though the impact
crater has not yet been located.

No casualties or damage were
reported from the blast.

Police have cordoned off the area,
initiated an investigation, and

launched a search operation."

"India

Three CRPF personnel were injured
in an IED blast triggered by Maoist

insurgents in West Singhbhum district,
Jharkhand, on Wednesday morning.

The explosion occurred near Kalibagh
village during anti-Naxal operations.

The injured jawans from the 197 Battalion
were airlifted to Ranchi for treatment."

"Iraq

Engineer Saad Hussein Radam Al-Tamimi, the
deputy director of Diyala's electricity

distribution branch, was shot and survived
an assassination attempt on Wednesday.

He is set to undergo surgery
after sustaining gunshot wounds.

The motive behind the attack and
the identity of the assailants

are currently unknown."

"Nigeria

Boko Haram militants attacked Buni Yadi,
killing two sons of the Police Inspector

Malam Jibrin and burning their home.

The attack occurred around 1:00 am Monday,
with Jibrin escaping by scaling his fence.

The insurgents, believed to operate from
nearby Buk and Talala areas, attacked

for nearly an hour unchallenged."

"Nigeria

Armed kidnappers attacked travelers
on the Ayere-Kabba federal expressway

in Kogi State, abducting three
passengers and injuring four others.

The incident occurred around 3:00 p.m.

on Tuesday, with the assailants stopping
two vehicles and forcing them to a

halt before whisking away the victims.

A joint operation has been mobilized
to track the kidnappers and ensure

the safe rescue of the victims."

"Nigeria

At least 20 Boko Haram insurgents were
killed during a surprise attack by

rival Islamic State West Africa Province
(ISWAP) fighters in Borno State, Nigeria.

The clash occurred on March 3 in
the Abadam Local Government Area,

extending into Niger Republic.

While many Boko Haram fighters
were killed or wounded, ISWAP

casualties remain unknown."

"Nigeria

Nigerian troops successfully repelled
a suspected ISWAP terrorist attack

on Malari Police Station in Borno
State that occurred at 1 am Wednesday.

The 222 Battalion responded quickly
to protect the station and secure

a police Armoured Personnel Carrier
that terrorists attempted to seize.

No security forces were killed,
though the APC sustained damage."

"Pakistan

A powerful blast in Khuzdar's Nal tehsil
killed at least 5 people and injured 7.

Explosives were planted in a
motorcycle targeting a tribal leader.

Authorities are investigating and
security measures have been heightened."

"Pakistan

A suicide bombing attack on a military
compound in Bannu, Pakistan, killed

18 people (13 civilians and five
soldiers), including four children.

Four suicide bombers drove explosive-laden
vehicles into the army facility,

with fighting lasting into Wednesday.

The Hafiz Gul Bahadur group
claimed responsibility.

Pakistan's military alleges Afghan
nationals were involved and that

militant leaders in Afghanistan
orchestrated the attack."

"Syria

Violent clashes occurred between
Internal Security Forces and a group

called Al-Haymad, which reportedly
has ties to a former military

security service and is accused of
involvement in previous assassinations.

The fighting resulted in three deaths
among Al-Haymad members and injuries

to four others, including a child,
two other civilians, and one member

of the Internal Security Forces.

During the confrontation,
Al-Haymad members reportedly

fired indiscriminately."

"Yemen

The US Air Force lost contact with
an MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Red

Sea during anti-Houthi operations.

The Houthis claimed they shot it down
over Hodeidah, saying it was their 15th

American drone downing since 2023."

"Yemen

The US has imposed sanctions on
seven senior Houthi members and two

companies, accusing them of smuggling
military-grade items, negotiating

arms purchases from Russia, and
recruiting Yemenis to fight in Ukraine.

The Treasury Department also designated
Abdulwali Abdoh Hasan Al-Jabri and

his company for raising money to
support Houthi military operations

and recruiting fighters for Russia.

The move is part of the US effort
to hold the Houthis accountable for

threatening Red Sea security by acquiring
weapons from various suppliers."

"United States

Mohammad Sharifullah, alias ""Jafar,""
was charged on March 2, 2025, for

supporting ISIS-K, leading to death.

He's accused of facilitating the
August 26, 2021, Abbey Gate attack

in Kabul, killing 13 US military
personnel and 160 civilians.

Sharifullah allegedly helped prepare
the attack, scouted a clear route, and

supported ISIS-K in other lethal attacks.

If convicted, he faces life in prison.

This case is being handled by the U.S.

Attorney's Office for the Eastern
District of Virginia and the Department

of Justice's National Security Division."

"Afghanistan

Shelling fired from Pakistan wounded
three Afghan journalists covering

the Torkham border crossing closure.

There have been no
comments from Pakistan."

"Lebanon

Lebanese official media reported
that Israeli drones struck a vehicle

in southern Lebanon, wounding
two siblings who were collecting

scrap metal near Ras Naqura.

The Israeli military has not immediately
commented on the latest drone strikes."

"Philippines

China monitored a Philippines boat
delivering supplies to what it

calls an ""illegally grounded""
warship at Second Thomas Shoal.

The countries reached a provisional
agreement in July on these previously

contentious resupply missions.

China urged the Philippines to honor
commitments and avoid ""hyping up

incidents,"" while Philippine forces
completed the mission without incident,

affirming their presence in what
they call the West Philippine Sea."

"Russia

Russian authorities reported killing
four ISIS-linked militants during

a counter-terrorism operation
in Dagestan's Kirovsky district.

The militants, who were planning to
attack an Interior Ministry facility

in Kaspiysk, were neutralized
on the outskirts of Semender.

Authorities discovered various
weapons, including grenade launchers,

explosive devices, and machine guns."

"Sudan

Clashes between the Sudanese army and
the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have

been reported in Khartoum and Sennar
State, resulting in heavy fighting,

explosions, and civilian casualties.

The RSF has also been accused of
shelling a displacement camp in

North Darfur State, killing six
people and injuring several others."

"Syria

Suspected Israeli military jets conducted
renewed airstrikes at dawn, targeting

a warehouse belonging to the 155th
Missile Brigade near Hala village in

the Al-Qutayfah area of Rif Dimashq.

No casualties were
reported from this strike."

"Syria

Military clashes between Syrian
Democratic Forces (SDF) and

Turkish-backed National Army factions
were reported near the Teshreen Dam.

Turkish aircraft supported an
attack on SDF positions, with

unconfirmed reports of casualties.

The SDF reportedly shot down
two Turkish drones in the area.

Additionally, Turkish fighter
jets attacked villages near Sarin

city, causing material damage to
civilian homes and properties."

"Syria

Turkish fighter jet attacked a
position near Teshrin Dam in eastern

Aleppo, alongside ground shelling
and renewed violent clashes between

SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces)
and Turkish-backed factions.

No casualties were reported
from these military actions."

"Taiwan

The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense
reported monitoring Chinese military

activity around Taiwan over a 24-hour
period, including seven naval ships,

five aircraft, and three official ships.

Two Chinese military aircraft crossed
the Taiwan Strait median line in Taiwan's

southern air defense identification zone.

Taiwan responded by deploying aircraft,
naval vessels, and coastal missile

systems to monitor these activities."

"Ukraine

A 77-year-old man was killed in a Russian
drone attack in the suburbs of Odesa.

The victim, a resident of the village
of Lymanka, died from shrapnel wounds.

The attack also damaged private homes
and left parts of the city without

electricity, water, and heating."

"Ukraine

On March 5, 2025, the Ukrainian
Air Force reported that Ukraine's

Defense Forces shot down 115 Russian
drones and intercepted 55 decoy

UAVs with no damage on the ground.

The attack involved three Iskander-M/KN-23
ballistic missiles, an S-300 anti-aircraft

guided missile, and 181 Shahed one-way
attack UAVs launched from various Russian

regions and temporarily occupied Crimea.

The attack affected the Kyiv, Odesa,
Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv regions.

Overnight, a kindergarten, a school,
and several houses were damaged in a

Russian drone attack in the Kyiv region."

"Ukraine

Russian attacks in the Kherson
region resulted in significant damage

and loss of life on March 4 and 5.

On March 4, one person was killed, and six
others were wounded due to Russian fire

and airstrikes in multiple settlements.

Additionally, a 55-year-old man
was killed on March 5 as a result

of Russian shelling in Kherson."

"Ukraine

Ukrainian forces claimed to have
killed or wounded 1,250 Russian

soldiers over the past day.

Over 220 pieces of military equipment
were destroyed in the fighting."

"Ukraine

The Kyiv region experienced drone
attacks overnight, resulting in damage

to two apartment buildings, a private
house, a kindergarten, and a school.

The air raid alert sounded three times,
but air defense forces successfully

engaged all incoming targets.

There were no reported civilian casualties
or damage to critical infrastructure."

"Ukraine

Russian forces targeted Kharkiv's
central area with a Molniya

drone, hitting an abandoned part
of the Osnovianskyi district.

Fortunately, no casualties
or fires have been reported."

"Ukraine

Russian forces struck Pavlohrad,
damaging two industrial enterprises

and two residential buildings.

No casualties were reported.

Ukrainian air defense shot down 12 Russian
drones over Dnipropetrovsk region."

"Ukraine

A Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih has
resulted in significant damage to civilian

infrastructure, with a fire breaking out
and people possibly trapped under rubble.

One person, a 53-year-old man, has been
confirmed dead, and three others have been

injured, with two in serious condition and
one woman sustaining moderate injuries.

The authorities are assessing
the extent of the destruction

and responding to the situation."

"Greece

Protesters in Greece clashed with police
outside parliament, setting fire to

trash bins and launching gasoline bombs.

The protests, calling for accountability
for a 2023 rail disaster, erupted

after opposition parties challenged the
government with a no-confidence motion.

The 2023 rail disaster, which killed
57 people, including many university

students, occurred in a head-on collision
between a passenger and a freight train."

"India

Two workers were killed and one injured
when a slab collapsed at Manganese

Ore (India) Limited's Chikhla mines
in Maharashtra's Bhandara district.

All three were permanent
employees at the mines."

"Philippines

Philippine rescuers found the wreckage
of an FA-50 fighter jet and the bodies

of two pilots in Bukidnon province.

The aircraft lost communication
during a nighttime mission

against communist rebels.

Military officials described
it as a ""total wreck""

discovered in jungle terrain.

The cause remains unknown, and the
remaining 11 FA-50 jets have been

grounded pending investigation."

"Syria

One civilian was killed and another
injured when a landmine exploded

in agricultural lands in Akiba
Village, Shirawa district in Efrin

countryside, northern Aleppo.

In another incident, a child
died when a landmine exploded in

Ayash Town, west of Deir Ezzor.

Both explosions involved
remnant landmines."

"United States

A pilot has been found dead
after her Cessna 150 crashed

in Kittitas County, Washington.

The pilot was reported missing
after failing to arrive at Lake

Chelan Airport on Tuesday evening.

Radar data indicated the plane's path
before the signal was lost, leading search

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