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Taiwan Stays on High Alert as Chinese Ships Pull Back After Massive Drills
Explosive barrels placed by Taiwan military at the Tamsui river, as part of a series of emergency combat readiness drills, in response to China conducting “Justice Mission 2025” military drills around Taiwan, in Taipei, Taiwan, Dec. 31, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ann Wang
Taiwan remained on high alert on Wednesday after China staged massive military drills around the island the previous day, keeping its emergency maritime response center running as it monitored Chinese naval maneuvers, the coast guard said.
The exercises named “Justice Mission 2025” saw China fire dozens of rockets towards Taiwan and deploy a large number of warships and aircraft near the island, in a show of force that drew concern from allies in the region and the west.
Beijing announced late on Wednesday the completion of the drills, saying its military would remain on high alert and continue to strengthen their combat-readiness.
In reply, Taiwan‘s defense ministry said that as there were still a significant number of Chinese planes and vessels in its response area, its armed forces would maintain an “appropriate contingency mechanism.” It did not elaborate.
“The Chinese Communist Party’s aggressive and militaristic provocations endanger regional security and stability, and have been condemned by democratic allies in the international community,” it said in a statement.
China’s President Xi Jinping struck a familiar tone on Taiwan in his New Year address shortly after Beijing’s announcement, repeating last year’s warning to what it regards as forces seeking Taiwan‘s independence.
“Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are bound by blood ties thicker than water, and the historical trend toward national reunification is unstoppable,” he said in a speech televised by state broadcaster CCTV.
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, and it has not ruled out using force to take it under Chinese control. Taiwan, which rejects China’s claims, condemned the latest drills as a threat to regional security and a blatant provocation.
Chinese ships were moving away from Taiwan by Tuesday night, according to Kuan Bi-ling, head of Taiwan‘s Ocean Affairs Council.
“The maritime situation has calmed down, with ships and vessels gradually departing,” she said in a post on Facebook late on Tuesday.
A Taiwan coast guard official told Reuters that all 11 Chinese coast guard ships had left waters near Taiwan and were continuing to move away. A Taiwan security official said emergency response centers for the military and coast guard remained active.
There were more than 90 Chinese naval and coast guard vessels in the region, with many of them deployed in the South China Sea, near Taiwan and the East China Sea, two security officials in the region told Reuters earlier.
The officials, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the size of China’s maritime deployment had steadily increased since early this week.
China is in the middle of what has become a busy season for military exercises.
Taiwan‘s defense ministry on Wednesday said 77 Chinese military aircraft and 25 navy and coast guard vessels had been operating around the island in the past 24 hours.
Among them, 35 military planes had crossed the Taiwan Strait median line that separates the two sides, it added.
‘STERN WARNING’
As the war games unfolded, the ambassadors to China from countries in the Quad grouping, formed to conduct security dialogue, met in Beijing on Tuesday.
United States Ambassador David Perdue posted on X a photo of himself with the Australian, Japanese, and Indian ambassadors at the US embassy. He called the Quad a “force for good” working to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific but gave no details about the meeting. The US embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the meeting.
The drills, China’s most extensive war games by coverage area to date, forced Taiwan to cancel dozens of domestic flights and dispatch jets and warships for monitoring. Soldiers ran rapid-response drills including putting up barricades at various locations.
China regards the exercises as a “necessary and just measure” to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, its Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Zhang Han told reporters on Wednesday at a weekly briefing. They were “a stern warning against Taiwan independence separatist forces and external interference,” she added.
China’s state news agency Xinhua published an article summarizing “three key takeaways” from the drills, which began 11 days after the United States announced a record $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan.
The simulated “encirclement” demonstrated the People’s Liberation Army’s ability to “press and contain separatist forces while denying access to external interference – an approach summarized as ‘sealing internally and blocking externally,’” the article said, citing Zhang Chi, a professor at the PLA National Defense University.
Despite the growing intensity of China’s war games, Beijing is unlikely to start a war at the cost of its reputation, said Lyle Goldstein, the Asia program head of US think tank Defense Priorities.
“They threaten and bluster a lot, but ultimately [a war] would be very costly for China no matter what,” Goldstein said.
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Israel Court Extends Detention of Gaza Flotilla Activists
Activist Saif Abu Keshek, a member of the Global Sumud Flotilla detained by Israel, sits at a magistrate’s court for a detention extension hearing in Ashkelon, southern Israel, May 3, 2026. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
An Israeli court has extended by two days the detention of two activists arrested aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Greece, their lawyer said on Sunday.
Saif Abu Keshek, a Spanish national, and Brazilian Thiago Avila were detained by Israeli authorities late on Wednesday and brought to Israel, while more than 100 other pro-Palestinian activists aboard the boats were taken to the Greek island of Crete.
A court spokesperson confirmed that their remand had been extended until May 5.
The governments of Spain and Brazil issued a joint statement on Friday calling their detention illegal.
The activists were part of a second Global Sumud flotilla, launched in an attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian assistance. The ships had set sail from Barcelona on April 12.
Israeli authorities requested a four-day extension of their arrest on suspicion of offenses that include assisting the enemy during wartime, contact with a foreign agent, membership in and providing services to a terrorist organization, and the transfer of property for a terrorist organization, said rights group Adalah, which is assisting in the activists’ defense.
Hadeel Abu Salih, the men’s attorney, said that the two deny the allegations. Their arrest was unlawful due to a lack of jurisdiction, she told Reuters at the Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court after the hearing, adding that the mission was meant to provide aid to civilians in Gaza, not to any militant group.
Abu Salih said that Abu Keshek and Avila were subjected to violence en route to Israel and kept handcuffed and blindfolded until Thursday morning.
Asked for comment, the Israeli military referred Reuters to the Israeli foreign ministry, which said that staff were compelled to act to stop what it described as violent physical obstruction by Abu Keshek and Avila. All measures taken were lawful, it said.
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Israel Initiates Project to Counter Drone Threats in Sweeping Military Upgrade Plan
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participates in the state memorial ceremony for the fallen of the Iron Swords War on Mount Herzl, Jerusalem on Oct. 16, 2025. Photo: Alex Kolomoisky/POOL/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Israel is moving forward with a new initiative to counter drone threats, as part of a broader strategy to expand military capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign defense suppliers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
The drone project, ordered several weeks ago, is already in development, with officials preparing to review its initial progress. While details remain limited, the effort reflects growing concern over the increasing use of unmanned aerial systems in regional conflicts.
Netanyahu framed the initiative within a wider defense doctrine centered on “strengthening and independence,” emphasizing the need for Israel to maintain a decisive military edge. He noted that Israel is acquiring two squadrons of advanced fighter jets, including the F-35 Lightning II and the F-15IA, to reinforce its air superiority.
“These aircraft strengthen Israel’s overwhelming air superiority,” he said, referencing recent military operations as evidence of that advantage. He added that Israeli pilots are capable of operating at long range if necessary.
Alongside procurement, the government is planning a major expansion of domestic defense manufacturing. Netanyahu announced that Israel will allocate an additional 350 billion shekels ($95 billion) to the defense budget over the next decade, aiming to produce more of its own armaments and reduce dependence on foreign countries.
He also pointed to future ambitions to develop advanced aircraft domestically, describing the effort as potentially transformative for Israel’s defense industry.
The drone defense program, though still in early stages, is expected to become a key component of this strategy. Netanyahu acknowledged that the project will take time to fully develop but stressed that it is actively being pursued.
Despite the evolving nature of the threats, he reiterated Israel’s long-standing objective of maintaining military superiority across all domains.
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Iran Presents US 3-Step Plan to Move from Ceasefire to End of War
Atomic symbol and USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, September 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
i24 News – Iran has reportedly submitted a new draft agreement to the United States outlining a three-stage framework aimed at de-escalating regional tensions and restructuring oversight of its nuclear program, according to reporting from Al Jazeera.
The proposal was allegedly delivered via Pakistan and combines military, maritime, and nuclear commitments with a long-term regional security vision.
The first phase calls for transforming the current ceasefire into a permanent end to hostilities within 30 days, alongside a regional non-aggression pact that would include Iran’s allies and Israel. It also proposes steps such as gradually reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing maritime restrictions on Iran, and reducing military activity in surrounding waters.
The second phase focuses on Iran’s nuclear program. It reportedly includes a freeze on uranium enrichment for up to 15 years, followed by a return to limited enrichment at 3.6%, in line with earlier international agreements.
The draft explicitly rejects dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. It also outlines possible arrangements for existing uranium stockpiles, including export or reprocessing, and calls for a structured sanctions relief mechanism tied to compliance milestones.
The final phase envisions broader regional engagement, with Tehran proposing a strategic dialogue between Iran and Arab states to establish a comprehensive security framework across the Middle East.