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Armenia Says Turkey Sent 4,000 Syrian Fighters to Azerbaijan amid Fighting

Footage released by Armenian Defense Ministry on Sunday, shows its army destroying Azerbaijani tanks. (AP)
Footage released by Armenian Defense Ministry on Sunday, shows its army destroying Azerbaijani tanks. (AP)
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Armenia Says Turkey Sent 4,000 Syrian Fighters to Azerbaijan amid Fighting

Footage released by Armenian Defense Ministry on Sunday, shows its army destroying Azerbaijani tanks. (AP)
Footage released by Armenian Defense Ministry on Sunday, shows its army destroying Azerbaijani tanks. (AP)

Armenia’s ambassador to Russia said on Monday that Turkey had sent around 4,000 fighters from northern Syria to Azerbaijan amid fighting over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Interfax news agency reported.

The ambassador said the fighters were taking part in fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region inside Azerbaijan that is run by ethnic Armenians, the RIA news agency reported.

Turkey is a close ally of Azerbaijan.

The Armenian foreign ministry also accused Turkey on Monday of providing direct military support for Azerbaijan.

In a statement, it said Turkey had a “direct presence on the ground”. It said Turkish military experts “are fighting side by side” with Azerbaijan, which it said was also using Turkish weapons including drones and warplanes.

Azerbaijan denied the allegations. There was no immediate reaction from Turkey.

Armenian and Azeri forces exchanged fierce fire for a second day on Monday, with the sides accusing each other of using heavy artillery amid reports of at least 21 deaths and hundreds of people being wounded.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday Armenia must immediately withdraw from territory he said it was occupying in Azerbaijan, and it was time to end a crisis over the breakaway region.

“It is time to end the crisis in the region, which started with the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh. The region will once again see peace after Armenia immediately withdraws from the Azeri lands it is occupying,” Erdogan told an event in Istanbul.

He said the Minsk group - which is led by Russia, France and the United States and mediates between Armenia and Azerbaijan - had failed to solve the issue for almost 30 years.

Azerbaijan “had to take matters into its own hands whether it likes it or not,” Erdogan said. “Turkey will continue to stand with...Azerbaijan with all its resources and heart.”

He did not directly address whether Turkey was currently playing an active role in the conflict.

Earlier, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Armenia must send back foreign “mercenaries and terrorists” to achieve stability in region.

The clashes, the heaviest since 2016, have rekindled concern over stability in the South Caucasus region, a corridor for pipelines carrying oil and gas to world markets.

The two former Soviet republics have clashed periodically in a decades-long conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan’s president declared a partial military mobilization, and his foreign minister said six Azeri civilians had been killed and 19 injured since the fighting began. Interfax news agency quoted an Armenian defense ministry representative as saying 200 Armenians had been wounded.

Nagorno-Karabakh reported that 15 more of its soldiers had been killed. It had said on Sunday 16 of its servicemen had been killed and more than 100 wounded after Azerbaijan launched an air and artillery attack.

Nagorno-Karabakh also said it had recovered some territory that it had lost control of on Sunday, and said Azerbaijan had been using heavy artillery to shell areas.

Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said Armenian forces were shelling the town of Terter.

China and Russia urged both sides to show restraint.

Under international law, Nagorno-Karabakh is recognized as part of Azerbaijan. But the ethnic Armenians who make up the vast majority of the population reject Azeri rule.

They have run their own affairs, with support from Armenia, since Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan in a conflict that erupted as the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

Although a ceasefire was agreed in 1994, after thousands of people were killed and many more displaced, Azerbaijan and Armenia frequently accuse each other of attacks around Nagorno-Karabakh and along the separate Azeri-Armenian frontier.

Pipelines shipping Caspian oil and natural gas from Azerbaijan to the world pass close to Nagorno-Karabakh.

At least 200 people were killed in a flare-up of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in April 2016. At least 16 people were killed in clashes in July.

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World

NATO to Launch Strategic Airlift Fleet of A400M, Rutte Says

FILED - 19 May 2026, Belgium, Brussels: FILE PHOTO - A flag with the NATO logo flies in the wind in front of the NATO headquarters in Brussels. Photo: Elisa Schu/dpa
FILED - 19 May 2026, Belgium, Brussels: FILE PHOTO - A flag with the NATO logo flies in the wind in front of the NATO headquarters in Brussels. Photo: Elisa Schu/dpa
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NATO to Launch Strategic Airlift Fleet of A400M, Rutte Says

FILED - 19 May 2026, Belgium, Brussels: FILE PHOTO - A flag with the NATO logo flies in the wind in front of the NATO headquarters in Brussels. Photo: Elisa Schu/dpa
FILED - 19 May 2026, Belgium, Brussels: FILE PHOTO - A flag with the NATO logo flies in the wind in front of the NATO headquarters in Brussels. Photo: Elisa Schu/dpa

NATO will launch a strategic airlift fleet of Airbus A400M transport planes and add one aircraft to its existing fleet of A330 MRTT tanker planes, Secretary General Mark Rutte said on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara on Tuesday. He was speaking at a defense industry gathering where allies unveiled arms deals worth billions of dollars to show they are heeding US calls to spend more to defend Europe before joining President Donald Trump for the summit starting in the evening.

"It is about air power, which is essential to strengthen our deterrence and defense," Rutte said.

The MRTT project has nine A330s, which can double as troop or passenger aircraft, based at Eindhoven, Netherlands. By adding another tanker, the military alliance will move closer to plugging gaps left in its defense plans after the United States reduced its contributions.

NATO is seeking to expand the fleet to 12 in the longer run. Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden participate in the programme.

The US has not publicly disclosed details of its cuts, but they range from refuelling aircraft to fighters, drones and ships, according to figures provided by a military source.

Trump has long accused European governments of over-relying on the US to defend them through NATO.

Airbus, which builds both the A400M airlifter and the A330 jet on which the tanker is based, said the shared A400M fleet would involve Belgium, Britain, France, Spain, Türkiye, Croatia, and Poland.

The announcement is a boost for the A400M, which was designed to meet a European shortfall in military cargo and troop transport to rugged areas. Exports have been slow to materialise, leaving doubts over its long-term future.

Airbus earlier this year toned down earlier warnings to investors over the long-term future of A400M production.

The new pool would initially be drawn from aircraft already in operation and then others in the industrial pipeline. Finally, a spokesperson said, the operation may eventually lead to new orders though it was premature to speculate on how many or when.

World

Kremlin Says Russia Will Follow NATO Summit Closely

People walk in Zaryadye Park near St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower in central Moscow, Russia, July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Anastasia Barashkova
People walk in Zaryadye Park near St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower in central Moscow, Russia, July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Anastasia Barashkova
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Kremlin Says Russia Will Follow NATO Summit Closely

People walk in Zaryadye Park near St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower in central Moscow, Russia, July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Anastasia Barashkova
People walk in Zaryadye Park near St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower in central Moscow, Russia, July 6, 2026. REUTERS/Anastasia Barashkova

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Russia would closely monitor the outcome of the NATO summit in Türkiye, adding that a series of "confrontational" statements about Russia had preceded the event. NATO leaders are gathering in Ankara for meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, amid pressure from ‌US President Donald ‌Trump for Europe to step ‌up ⁠defense spending and ⁠following months of transatlantic friction over the Iran war and Greenland, Reuters said.

"This is an event that is of great interest, including to us. Of course, we will be monitoring all the news ⁠and information coming out of Ankara," Kremlin ‌spokesman Dmitry Peskov ‌told journalists.

He said a large number of ‌statements about Russia had been made ahead ‌of the summit. "To our regret, these were not statements about constructive engagement and dialogue, but rather statements of a confrontational nature," ‌he said, without giving further detail. On Monday, Trump said he would ⁠talk ⁠about the war in Ukraine at the summit and that a resolution to the more than four-year conflict was "getting closer than people realize."

Peskov said Russia hoped US "efforts to steer the entire situation onto a peaceful track (would) ultimately succeed. At the very least, we, as the Russian President has repeatedly said, remain open to this."

World

US Support for Israel Slips as Democrats Grow More Critical, Poll Finds

Tents and shelters are pictured next to rubble of collapsed buildings at a camp for people displaced by war in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City on July 6, 2026. (AFP)
Tents and shelters are pictured next to rubble of collapsed buildings at a camp for people displaced by war in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City on July 6, 2026. (AFP)
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US Support for Israel Slips as Democrats Grow More Critical, Poll Finds

Tents and shelters are pictured next to rubble of collapsed buildings at a camp for people displaced by war in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City on July 6, 2026. (AFP)
Tents and shelters are pictured next to rubble of collapsed buildings at a camp for people displaced by war in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City on July 6, 2026. (AFP)

After decades of reliable bipartisan backing for Israel, a new AP-NORC poll reveals a dramatic erosion of support for the longtime US ally, with rising opposition from Democrats and signs of division among Republicans.

The survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research arrives at a moment when a once-consensus foreign policy issue is increasingly polarizing Americans along partisan and generational lines, driven by criticism for Israel's conduct nearly three years after the outbreak of its latest war with Hamas in Gaza.

About one-third of US adults, including roughly half of Democrats, believe that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza, an accusation that’s been leveled by some human rights organizations and vehemently denied by Israel and the US government. About 2 in 10 Americans say Israel has not and the rest, about half, don’t know enough to say.

A similar share, 30%, of Jewish adults say Israel has committed genocide, although about half, 49%, say it has not.

Harold Kalmus, a 69-year-old Democrat from Arden, Delaware who describes himself as Jewish by birth, said he remembers being proud of Israel when he was younger. Not anymore.

“I realize that there is a threat from Hamas. And I realize they’re in a very difficult situation, but what they have done is just an unspeakable horror,” he said of Israel’s military action against the Palestinians. “They’re trying to wipe out a civilization as far as I’m concerned.”

The findings show sharply eroded views of Israel in the US, nearly three years after Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which left 1,200 people dead in Israel, mainly civilians, while 251 hostages were taken back to Gaza.

More than 73,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilian and militant deaths, including more than 1,000 killed since the beginning of the latest ceasefire.

American sympathies had been shifting toward the Palestinians and away from the Israelis since around 2020, according to other polling, but has nose-dived since the latest war in Gaza began.

Many Americans, about 4 in 10, don't know enough to say whether Israel’s immediate military response to Hamas’ attack or its ongoing military operations were justified. Among those who did have an opinion in each case, most say the initial retaliation was justified, but a majority think its current actions are not.

About three-quarters of Jewish adults said Israel's initial response was justified, but only about 4 in 10 believe that about its ongoing operations.

Only about one-third of US adults view Israel as an “extremely” or “very" important issue to them personally. But it's been a searing topic in American politics as the relationship between the two countries remains tense, just four months before high-stakes midterm elections determine the balance of power in Congress for President Donald Trump’s final two years in office.

Vice President JD Vance recently criticized Israeli leaders who have expressed frustration with Trump, while vocal critics of Israel recently defeated establishment-backed Democrats in New York and Colorado primaries.

Democrats' support for Israel drops

The AP-NORC poll reveals a decisive shift within the Democratic Party.

About 58% of Democrats now say the US is “too supportive” of the Israelis, up from 45% in an AP-NORC poll from January 2024 when former President Joe Biden was in office. That includes 51% of Jewish Democrats in the new poll.

Roughly 6 in 10 Democrats, 62%, say the US is “not supportive enough” of the Palestinians, up from 49% in 2024. Younger Democrats — those 45 and younger — are still more likely than older ones to say that the United States is “not supportive enough” of the Palestinians, but older Democrats are catching up to their younger counterparts. About 57% of older Democrats now say the US should do more for the Palestinians, up from 39% two years ago.

Joy Jennik, a 73-year-old Democrat from Brookfield, Wisconsin, said she didn’t have strong opinions about the US relationship with Israel until after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.

Now, she believes Israel is guilty of genocide.

“The Gaza Strip, there’s not a lot left of it. Those poor people are barely living,” said Jennik, a retired home economics teacher.

GOP stays behind Israel, but less so among young

Republicans Just a sliver of Republicans, 13%, describe Israel’s actions as genocide, although there is an apparent age gap. About 2 in 10 Republicans under 45 say Israel has committed genocide, while about 1 in 10 Republicans ages 45 and older say the same.

Overall, 60% of Republicans describe the US support for Israel as “about right." Only about 2 in 10 Republicans say that the United States is “too supportive” of the Israelis, although Republicans under 45 are more likely to say this.

The share of Republicans overall who say the US is “too supportive” of Israel has not changed meaningfully since 2024, but the share who say the US is “not supportive enough” has shrunk from 39% to 15%.

Mike Cardona, a 70-year-old Republican from suburban Phoenix, said he's pleased with the level of support that the US is giving Israel and rejects the notion that Israel has committed genocide.

“I wish they’d gone in harder and better,” Cardona, a retired industrial supply salesperson said of Israel's military action in Gaza. “Unfortunately, some innocents will be hurt, but Hamas and Hezbollah never took that into consideration when they were killing children and women in Israel.”

Netanyahu is broadly unpopular, while views of Mamdani are split

In interviews, several respondents emphasized that their criticism of Israel was focused on its leaders, especially Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is perceived as closely aligned with Trump after repeated clashes with Democratic presidents.

Overall, only 20% of US adults have a favorable view of the Israeli prime minister, while about twice as many, 38%, have an unfavorable view. About 41% don't know enough to have an opinion.

Netanyahu is particularly unpopular among Jewish adults: about 6 in 10 view him unfavorably, while about one-third see him positively.

Younger adults, regardless of party, are more likely than older adults to say they don't have an opinion about Netanyahu. But while older Republicans see Netanyahu more positively than negatively, younger Republicans' views tilt unfavorably.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has gained prominence as an outspoken critic of Israel, and 27% of US adults have a favorable opinion of the 34-year-old democratic socialist. Another 28% of US adults have an unfavorable opinion, while 44% don’t know enough to say.

Jewish adults, who overwhelmingly identify as Democrats, have a more positive view of Mamdani than of Netanyahu, with 44% viewing the New York City mayor positively, 39% viewing him negatively, and 17% saying they don't know enough to say.

About half of Democrats overall have a favorable impression of Mamdani and only about 1 in 10 have an unfavorable view of him, while the rest, about 39%, don't have an opinion.

Meanwhile, the US-Israel relationship is not top of mind for many Americans as they think about the upcoming midterm elections.

For people like Michael Ripka, a 34-year-old stage hand from Casper, Wyoming who typically votes Republican, the economy is by far the most important thing on his mind.

“Everything is mad expensive,” he said. The conflicts in the Middle East, he added, is “100% a very big distraction.”