SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT: 

THE HEAT IS ON – FROM DAILY MAIL:   Russia and China are flexing their military might with provocative war games, stepping up the pressure on U.S. President Joe Biden as he meets with G7 allies in the UK and faces Vladimir Putin in Geneva.  In recent days, both Beijing and Moscow have goaded Biden with aggressive military exercises, with Chinese warplanes encroaching on Taiwan and Russian bombers flying off Hawaii.  On Tuesday, the U.S. Navy responded with its own show of force, saying an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Ronald Reagan had entered the South China Sea to conduct maritime security operations and strike exercises.  The Navy said the strike group is committed to upholding U.S. security agreements with 'regional allies', as well as demonstrating the capability of forward-deployed naval forces to quickly respond to 'any contingency across the region.'   The U.S. carrier group's presence in the disputed South China Sea is sure to infuriate Beijing, which claims the entire vast waterway as its own.  The South China Sea is pivotal to the free flow of commerce that fuels the economies of those nations committed to international law and rules based order,' said Rear Adm. Will Pennington, commander of the Ronald Reagan carrier strike group, in a statement.   'It is both a privilege and a pleasure to work alongside our allies, partners, and joint service teammates to provide full spectrum support to key maritime commons and ensure all nations continue to benefit from a free and open Indo-Pacific region,' he added.   Do not underestimate the importance of this story.  While Americans debate whether critical race theory should be taught to teenagers, our opponents are happily planning our defeat in the next conflict.

SOMETHING ELSE TO WATCH CAREFULLY – FROM FOX:    Israel’s Defense Forces launched a counterattack into Gaza after a balloon attack sent incendiary devices floating into southern Israel.  The counterstrike, which happened Tuesday evening in the U.S. and early Wednesday morning local time, targeted Hamas military compounds, according to the IDF.  The targets were used by Hamas' Khan Yunis and Gaza Brigades for "terror activities," according to the IDF.  "The Hamas terror organization is responsible for all events transpiring in the Gaza Strip, and will bear the consequences for its actions," the military said in a statement. "The IDF is prepared for any scenario, including a resumption of hostilities, in the face of continuing terror activities from the Gaza Strip."  Authorities on both sides said there were no injuries, the Times of Israel reported.  The violence comes just three weeks after a cease-fire halted 11 days of fighting that marked the worst clashes between the IDF and Hamas militants since a small-scale war in 2014.
The balloon attacks sparked nearly two-dozen fires.  There is a new Israeli government in power, and it's likely that Hamas, and its Iranian masters, will test that government's resolve. 

June 16, 2021