On November 3, 2024, the United States announced the deployment of B-52 Stratofortress bombers from the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base to the Central Command area of responsibility in the Middle East. This move comes amid escalating tensions following the recent conflict in Gaza. The Pentagon emphasized that the U.S. is prepared to take necessary measures to defend its personnel and interests in the region against potential threats from Iran and its allies.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned that Israel and the U.S. would face a 'crushing response' for their actions against Iran and its allies, known as the 'Axis of Resistance.' This warning follows an Israeli attack on Iranian military targets, which occurred after Iran launched approximately 200 missiles at Israel on October 1, 2024.
In a separate development, Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets requested lists of Ukrainian prisoners of war from Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova, seeking to facilitate a prisoner exchange. Lubinets emphasized Ukraine's readiness for exchanges and adherence to the Geneva Conventions.
Russian officials have accused Ukraine of sabotaging the exchange process, claiming that Kyiv is primarily interested in specific groups of prisoners. Meanwhile, Moskalkova reported that out of 935 Ukrainian soldiers proposed for exchange, only 279 had been agreed upon, attributing the slow progress to political motivations from the Ukrainian side.
This ongoing dialogue follows a previous exchange on October 18, 2024, where both nations successfully swapped 95 prisoners each, mediated by the United Arab Emirates.