The President's Daily Brief - July 29th, 2025: Putin’s Navy Humiliated Once Again & Houthis Plan an Invasion of Israel

Episode Date: July 29, 2025

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Russia cancels its Navy Day parade, citing vague “security concerns,” as its Black Sea Fleet continues to take major losses—from drone attacks to sunken flagships and a naval blockade that Ukraine has effectively broken without even having a navy. A disturbing new report reveals Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are training for a ground invasion of Israel, 1,200 miles away. The mission is named after Hamas’ October 7th attack. Thailand and Cambodia reach a cease-fire agreement after their deadliest border conflict in over a decade leaves dozens dead and hundreds of thousands displaced. And in today’s Back of the Brief—A major cyberattack paralyzes Aeroflot, Russia’s flagship airline, grounding over 100 flights. A Ukrainian and Belarusian hacker alliance claims responsibility. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. 866-885-1881 or visit https://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB - NMLS 182334, https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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It's Tuesday, the 29th of July. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, well, humiliation on the high seas. Russia cancels its Naval Day parade, blaming security concerns, as its once-proud fleet reels from drone strikes, sinking flagships and a failed blockade broken by Ukraine,

a country, by the way, that doesn't have a Navy. Later in the show, A new report says Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are training for a ground invasion of Israel. That's about 1,200 miles away. And they're naming the mission after Hamas's October 7th attack. The Houthis, frankly, are like a bad case of indigestion that refuses to go away. Plus, after the deadliest clash in over a decade, Thailand and Cambodia say the shooting will stop, at least for now. And in today's back of the brief, chaos in the skies over Russia.

A Ukrainian and Belarusian Hacker Alliance cripples Russia's largest airline, grounding more than 100 flights in a major cyber attack. But first, today's BDB spotlight. We begin with a telling scene out of Russia, where Navy Day, that's a national celebration that was revived by Vladimir Putin in 2017 to honor the country's sailors and deflect some maritime muscle, and you know how Putin enjoys flexing. Well, it came and went this weekend without a... a Navy in sight. So really, not exactly Navy Day. It was more like, where's the Navy Day? Or has

anybody seen my Navy Day? Or what up with my Navy Day? You get the point. The Kremlin abruptly canceled its annual naval parade in St. Petersburg, citing only, quote, security reasons. Now, no further explanation was given, though Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, admitted the decision was based on the, quote, general situation. Well, that's not too vague. Instead, Putin was left offering praise by video message, applauding the bravery and heroism of Russian sailors currently engaged in the war against Ukraine. He added that this year's holiday was being celebrated in a, quote, working atmosphere. Now, that could be a thinly veiled nod to the ongoing Russian naval drills taking place

across the Baltic, the Caspian, Arctic, and Pacific. According to the Kremlin, more than 150 ships and 15,000 troops are involved in those maneuvers that they've dubbed July's storm. But the real storm, well, may have been closer to home. Russian officials confirmed that 100 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight, including at least 10 near St. Petersburg. One person was wounded, and flights were canceled and delayed at the city's main airport. So instead of warships and submarines, parading past crowds on the Neva River, Russia's Navy Day was marked by grounded flights, wounded civilians, and a government too spooked to hold its annual parade. And this abrupt cancellation is just the latest embarrassment from Moscow when it comes to its once-suprized fleet, a navy that since the start of the war in Ukraine has suffered a string

of humiliations that have shattered its image of strength around the world, as well as its ability to project its dominance at sea. Now, since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine back in early 2022, Russia's Black Sea Fleet, once a symbol of regional dominance, has become a case study in military vulnerability. Of course, the most high-profile blow came in April of 2022, when Ukraine sank the Moscow, the fleet's flagship cruiser, using domestically modified Neptune anti-ship missiles. That was a major embarrassment to Moscow, but it was more than symbolic. It exposed a glaring weakness in its naval air defenses and command structure, a weakness that it's never been able to completely shore up. See what I did there? Sure up. I'm talking about the Navy.

But the troubles didn't stop there. Over the past two years, Ukraine, despite having no conventional Navy of its own, has managed to cripple Russia's naval operations using a mix of drones and long-range missiles and guerrilla-style ingenuity. Naval bases in Sevastopol and along the occupied Crimean coast have been repeatedly targeted with satellite imagery and open-source intelligence confirming dozens of strikes on ships and docks and logistical infrastructure. In one particularly brazen attack, Ukrainian,

sea drones struck a landing ship right in the heart of Russia's Novozisk port, far from the front lines. The ship had to be towed away, listing badly, caught on video in a viral moment that showcased Keeb's reach and Russia's vulnerability. Russia has since been forced to reposition many of its remaining Black Sea vessels further east away from Crimea in what amounts to a strategic retreat. British intelligence has gone so far as to say the Russian Navy has, quote, lost the initiative in the Black Sea entirely, calling its fleet there, quote, functionally inactive since the spring of last year. Perhaps most humiliating of all, Ukraine has managed to break Russia's attempted naval blockade and resume grain exports from its Black Sea ports. In doing so,

it's pulled off what may be a first in modern military history, a nation without a fleet, defeating a blockade imposed by a one-time naval power. Russia's threats to interdict shipping, have increasingly rung hollow as commercial vessels continue to sail under the protection of Western surveillance and Ukrainian military actions. For a military that once projected power from the Arctic to the Mediterranean, the Russian Navy is now struggling to protect even its own coastline, where now even a parade is apparently too difficult to task. All right, coming up after the break, Houthis reportedly are preparing for a Hamas-style invasion of Israel, which, by the way, is some 1,300 miles away, while Thailand and Cambodia call a halt to their deadliest clash in years.

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Whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings, there's a money side to every story. And when you see the money side, you understand what others miss. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe now at Bloomberg.com. Welcome back to the BDB. I want to turn your attention to an unusual report out of Israeli media. claiming that the Iranian-backed Khutis of Yemen are planning for a possible invasion of Israel.

Now, it may sound far-fetched, well, yes it does, particularly given the fact that Israel and Yemen are separated by some 12 or 1,300 miles. But ongoing regional instability, driven by radical Islamists and countries sharing a border with Israel, like Syria, it has the Israeli military taking the threat of a Khuti invasion seriously. While details of these plans are scarce, an exclusive report. from the Hebrew language newspaper Israel Haim says the Houthi military has just graduated its third class of so-called, quote, elite fighters, with a focus on launching seaborne incursions into Israel.

Now, notably, they've named their mission Al-Aqsa flood. You may recall that's the same name used by Hamas for their barbaric 7-October attacks on Israel back in 2023. Now, they're using that name either because the Iranian Bahutis are enamored with the Iranian-backed Hamas attack on Israel, or they simply couldn't bother coming up with an original name. The reporting was accompanied by a slickly produced YouTube video, of course it was, made by the Houthis showing their elite fighters, training on obstacle courses, and at a shooting range, which also featured flags of Israel, Britain, and the U.S. The invasion plans appear to be in the nascent stage, and the IDF is not officially commented on the report. But Israel-Kaom says that the IDF is actively monitoring the situation,

and assessing any vulnerabilities at keyport cities and coastal communities. The revelation comes as the militant group, threatens to escalate attacks on commercial shipping vessels that do business with Israel. In an announcement on Sunday night, the Houtis said they're preparing to expand their military operations in the region and implement the, quote, fourth phase of what they call their naval blockade against Israel. Now, the Iranian-Bactara group said they'll target, quote, all ships belonging to any company that deals with the ports of the Israeli enemy, regardless of the nationality of that company and in any location within the reach of our armed forces." The militants added that vessels using Israeli ports will be targeted for attack regardless of their ultimate destination. Now, the Houthis said if countries

want to avoid this escalation and a further disruption of international trade routes, they should put pressure on the Israeli government to end the war in Gaza. The latest threat Comes in the wake of the terror group's high-profile attacks on two Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carriers, and that was back in early July this month. The vessels, the Magic Seas and the Eternity Sea, were both hit by a mix of drones and gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, roughly 60 miles southwest of Haudita. That's a port city that's under Houthi control, and it caused both ships to sink. While all 22 members of the Magic Seas were rescued, the attack on the Eternity Sea killed four crew members.

Eleven others were taken captive by the Houthis and brought back to Yemen, where they remain. On Monday evening, the militants released the first video footage of the captives, which showed them being interviewed and receiving medical care after being taken off the vessel. But the video was a clear attempt at spreading propaganda, as it featured members of the crew apologizing to Palestinians for the actions of Israel. As a reminder, since Hamas launched its terror attacks on Israel on the 7th of October in 2023, the Houthis have carried out nearly 150 attacks on commercial vessels, killing eight sailors and sinking at least four ships. The militants describe their attacks as a show of solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel's war with Hamas.

Their attacks have rattled global trade, of course, in one of the world's most critical maritime corridors, driving up shipping costs and disrupting critical global supply chains. In early May, following an intense bombing campaign by the U.S. that struck over 1,000, Houthi targets across Yemen, President Trump announced a ceasefire with the militants, under which the Iran-backed group pledged to stop targeting American maritime assets in the Red Sea. But that deal did not include protections for Israel, and the Houthis have continued targeting the Jewish state with missile and drone attacks. All right. Shifting our attention to the Southeast Asian area, after five days of the deadliest

border fighting seen between Thailand and Cambodia in over a decade, the two countries agreed on Monday to a, quote, immediate and unconditional ceasefire. The ceasefire officially took effect at midnight local time on Monday, with both sides also agreeing to restore direct diplomatic communications and to create a mechanism to ensure the truce is properly implemented. The breakthrough came after more than two hours of direct talks between Thai and Cambodian leaders mediated by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, along with officials from the U.S. and China. that's according to our report from Reuters.

As a brief reminder, the 500-mile Thai-Cambodian border has been contested for generations, but the current crisis marks the worst escalation of violence in some 14 years. The situation began deteriorating back in May after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a cross-border skirmish. Since Thursday, both sides have accused the other of striking civilian areas with shelling in rocket attacks. At least 38 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the clashes, and an estimated 300,000 people have now been displaced from their homes. But under the ceasefire deal reached Monday, both sides agreed to withdraw their armed forces from the disputed border region and accept some kind of independent monitoring mechanism

led by Malaysia to prevent further clashes. At a press conference on Monday, the Malaysian Prime Minister, flanked by Thai and Cambodian leaders, declared, quote, this is a vital first step to a de-escalation and a restoration of peace and security. Now, it's worth noting that Thailand initially rebuffed the Malaysian Prime Minister's effort to negotiate a settlement late last week, as Thai military forces pushed back against the heavily outgunned Cambodians, capturing a number of Cambodian-held hills, and that's according to the BBC. The White House eventually stepped in, calling the leaders of both Thailand and Cambodia over the weekend, warning that ongoing tariff negotiations would be paused until the fighting stopped. Both countries are facing 36% tariffs on their exports unless they reach a trade agreement with the U.S. by the 1st of August.

Adding to the pressure, their neighbors in Vietnam and Indonesia have already cut trade deals with the U.S. reducing their tariffs to 20% or less. Given the fact that America is the largest export market for both countries and they're already facing a competitive disadvantage in the region, it appears that the Trump administration's threat helped tip the scales in favor of deployment. Indeed, the acting Prime Minister of Thailand heaped praise on Trump for his intervention and said their conversation would help accelerate trade negotiations with the U.S. Speaking to reporters after returning from Malaysia, the Prime Minister stated, quote, I thanked him from my heart for what we received from him and helped our country move beyond this crisis.

He added, quote, after today the situation should de-escalate. Now, the Prime Minister of Cambodia echoed those sentiments, thanking Trump, quote, for initiating and pushing the ceasefire negotiations. Trump, ever humble, and never one to shy away from the spotlight, took to truth social after the ceasefire was announced, saying, quote, Congratulations to all. By ending this war, we have saved thousands of lives. I have instructed my trade team to restart negotiations.

I have now ended many wars in just six months. I'm proud to be the president of peace, end quote. Yes, humble is the president's middle name. Regional commanders from the Thai and Cambodian militaries met Tuesday morning for discussions regarding the truce and further talks are slated for August 4th. Okay, coming up next in the back of a brief, Russia's biggest airline goes offline as a major cyber attack grounds over 100 flights, and the hackers, well, they say they're just getting started. Stay with us. Hey, Mike Baker here. Let's take just a brief moment to talk about ways to protect your heart.

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In today's back of the brief, a coordinated cyber attack paralyzed Russia's flagship airline, grounding more than 100 flights and throwing Moscow's busiest airport into chaos. The attack is labeled as one of the most damaging digital strikes to Russia since its invasion of Ukraine. Initially, the airline-eraflot tried to downplay the situation, citing, quote, technical difficulties in a vague statement early Monday. But the fallout was immediate and unmissable. Departure boards at Moscow's Sheramettevo Airport illuminated red as cancellations piled up.

Stranded passengers flooded terminals and delays rippled across the carrier's subsidiaries stretching international. Two well-known hacker groups, Ukraine's Silent Crow and Belarus's cyberpartisans, quickly stepped forward, claiming credit. Now, both have a track record of striking Kremlin-linked targets, and made clear this wasn't a nuisance hack. It was a deliberate attempt to kneecap a key node of Russia's infrastructure. In a message posted to Telegram, Silent Crow boasted, quote, all of these resources are now inaccessible or destroyed, and restoring them will possibly require tens of millions of dollars, citing damage to some 7,000 Aeroflot servers. And just in case that didn't land hard enough, they mockingly added, quote, the personal data of all Russians who have ever flown

with Aeroflot have now also gone on a trip, albeit without luggage into the same destination. The group implied the captured data may soon be released publicly. However, the telegram posts can't be independently verified at this time. The Belarus cyberpartisans, a digital resistance group, opposed to Belarusian president and Kremlin ally Alexander Lukashenko echoed the offensive, writing on their website, quote, We are helping Ukrainians in their fight with the occupier by carrying out a cyber strike, end quote. Kremlin mouthpiece, Dmitry Peskov, admitted the situation was, quote, quite alarming, which is, well, putting it mildly.

Russia's state-run systems have been hacked before, such as railways and ministries and even TV, but typically recovered within hours. But this time, while the attackers weren't there to simply destroy, It appears the intent was to destroy. The airline's digital recovery timeline remains uncertain. Belarus, which has served as a launchpad for Russian troops in Ukraine and hosts Moscow's tactical nukes, has also condemned the strike. But this is harder the first time that Belarus' cyberpartisans have embarrassed that regime. Earlier this year, the group claimed it had infiltrated the Belarusian KGB's internal systems. The Aeroflot hack is part of a broader war that's heating up

in cyberspace. While Russia and Ukraine exchange long-range drone and missile strikes, hacker collectives are increasingly targeting infrastructure, banking systems, and staying controlled entities. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Tuesday, the 29th of July. Now, if you have any questions or comments, and I hope you do, just reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And to listen to the show ad-free, which is very easy to do, just become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDB Premium.com. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.

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