Although the vessel will be handed over as a grant, Jakarta will shoulder the costs of refitting and adapting the ship to meet the operational requirements of the Indonesian Navy.

The 180-metre carrier, capable of speeds of up to 30 knots, previously served the Italian fleet and is equipped with a range of air-defence and anti-ship systems. 

Indonesian officials have indicated that the ship is expected to arrive before October 5, 2026, in time for the anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), subject to the completion of talks.

For context, Giuseppe Garibaldi was retired by Italy in 2025 and would become Indonesia’s first platform capable of operating fixed-wing aircraft at sea, although Jakarta has not yet detailed what aircraft it intends to deploy.

Indonesia joins elite club

Indonesia’s entry into the carrier club would place it among a limited group of nations. According to open-source defence data , the countries currently operating aircraft carriers or large aviation-capable amphibious ships include:

Why aircraft carriers are crucial

The world’s largest carrier force belongs to the United States Navy, which operates 11 nuclear-powered supercarriers, including vessels of the Nimitz and Ford classes. Washington aims to sustain a 12-carrier force in the coming years, even as one older vessel is scheduled for retirement.

By contrast, the People's Liberation Army Navy fields three carriers — the Liaoning, Shandong and the newer Fujian — as Beijing seeks to expand blue-water capabilities.

In an earlier interview with Global South World, veteran defence journalist Manny Mogato noted that while the United States maintains a global network of bases and routinely deploys carriers worldwide, China’s carrier fleet remains smaller and less combat-tested. 

This, Mogato said, was China’s primary weakness, as aircraft carriers are a critical factor in naval dominance as they effectively provide a country with an on-the-go, agile air force.

From an investment standpoint, many still view aircraft carriers as a sound purchase.

A 2020 poll of 3,394 readers by Naval Technology found that 82% believe aircraft carriers remain an effective use of naval budgets, underscoring their enduring appeal despite their high cost.

“The strike followed credible intelligence and careful operational planning aimed at degrading the capability of the targeted elements while minimising collateral damage.

“The operation underscores the resolve of the Federal Government of Nigeria, working with strategic partners, to confront transnational terrorism and prevent foreign fighters from establishing or expanding footholds within Nigeria’s borders,” Local media The Guardian quoted the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major-General Samaila Uba.

The U.S. military ’s Africa Command had said the strike was carried out in Sokoto state in coordination with Nigerian authorities and killed multiple ISIS militants.

This follows Trump’s post on Truth Social that said: “Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!”

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar told the BBC that the strike was a "joint operation" targeting "terrorists", and it "has nothing to do with a particular religion ".

Without naming ISIS specifically, Tuggar said the operation had been planned "for quite some time" and had used intelligence information provided by the Nigerian side, reports Reuters. He did not rule out further strikes, adding that this depended on "decisions to be taken by the leadership of the two countries".

He was identified as Joshua Bryan, a US citizen, after hours of questioning by police, immigration and military intelligence officers.

According to security officials, Bryan was seen taking photographs near a military airport used as an operational base. Witnesses reported that he lingered along the perimeter, repeatedly using his mobile phone and focusing on sensitive areas of the facility.

When officers approached, police said the man attempted to evade them by fleeing into a nearby public park and hiding inside a public toilet. He was surrounded and later escorted to Surin City Police Station for questioning.

Investigators said Bryan refused to allow officers to examine his mobile phone, despite repeated requests. Police said he deflected questions and physically prevented access to the device, complicating efforts to establish what images or data had been recorded.

Senior officers, including the provincial police commander, led a multi-agency interrogation that stretched for several hours on Tuesday evening. Immigration officials and military intelligence officers were also present, reflecting the sensitivity of the case.

Authorities confirmed that Bryan had checked into a hotel in Surin one day earlier, though details of his travel route, length of stay and movements in Thailand were not disclosed. Police said they were not convinced by his initial claim that he was travelling alone.

The detention comes amid tightened security nationwide after Thai authorities warned of potential threats involving foreign nationals during the current border standoff with Cambodia. Police have increased surveillance around military sites and urged the public to report suspicious behaviour.

Immigration checks have also been stepped up at airports and land crossings, with closer coordination between police, the military and border agencies. Officials say the measures are intended to prevent espionage and other security-related offences.

By early evening, police said Bryan remained in custody as questioning continued. Authorities have not announced any formal charges, but indicated the investigation would hinge on determining his activities near the military airport and the contents of his phone.

Governments that suspended flights or warned citizens against travelling cite a combination of security concerns, institutional breakdown, and unpredictable diplomatic tensions.

Since early September, the U.S. government has been carrying out airstrikes on vessels it claims are drug-running boats from Venezuela and other Latin American countries, actions that Democrats, legal scholars and human rights groups have criticised as extrajudicial killings.

On Thursday, November 27, Trump again warned that he is prepared to expand those strikes to targets on land.

"The land is easier, but that's going to start very soon," Trump told reporters.

Maduro also accused the U.S. in a televised address in October of openly authorising CIA operations to topple his government, calling the move “unprecedented” in modern history.

“The U.S.  government  has decided to send the CIA to Venezuela,” Maduro said in the televised address reported by Viory. “They want to frighten, divide, and demoralise our people. But our people are clear, united, with millions of eyes and ears. We will defeat this conspiracy again.”

A relationship built on confrontation

Tensions between Trump and Maduro date back to 2017, when the White House imposed sweeping sanctions on Venezuelan officials, state-run oil company PDVSA, and the government’s financial networks in a bid to force democratic reforms.

The sanctions accelerated Venezuela’s economic collapse, restricting its access to global capital markets and worsening shortages of fuel, medicine and basic goods.

By early 2019, the Trump administration recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate interim president, triggering a rupture in diplomatic relations. Caracas expelled U.S. diplomats and accused Washington of orchestrating a coup.

As the political crisis intensified, Venezuela’s aviation system deteriorated further, prompting the U.S. decision to halt all flights that year.

Despite a brief easing of sanctions under President Joe Biden in 2023–24, Washington reinstated many restrictions after disagreements over electoral guarantees.

By the time Trump re-emerged as a central political figure in 2025, the relationship had once again become combustible.

Airlines began withdrawing voluntarily years before official bans, citing unpaid debts, unsafe airport conditions, and rising crime around transit hubs. Carriers from Colombia, Brazil, and several European countries reduced their routes long before the current wave of political restrictions.

Today’s bans come against a backdrop of continued concerns over Venezuela’s regulatory oversight, reports of airport corruption, and frequent nationwide blackouts that disrupt aviation systems. Several governments warn that deteriorating security and infrastructure make travel too risky for citizens or airline crews.

The decision, revealed by Israel’s Army Radio and reported by The Jerusalem Post, marks a dramatic escalation in the military’s digital security efforts amid intensifying regional conflict.

The move is designed to reduce the risk of cyber intrusions on high-level military devices, the reports say.

Even before the ongoing conflict with Hamas and escalating clashes across the region, Israeli forces had faced repeated cyber-espionage attempts, including “honeypot” attacks targeting soldiers in order to steal sensitive information such as troop positions and strategic movements.

Just weeks ago, Google had launched a major campaign promoting Android security, celebrating the approval of Pixel phones for the U.S. Department of Defense ’s Information Network. 

Google called it a “significant milestone” and described Pixel devices as “mission-ready” and resilient for government users. Until recently, only Apple and Samsung appeared on that list.

However, the Israeli military clearly believes iPhones offer stronger protection. According to The Jerusalem Post, the new policy follows a series of efforts to harden digital discipline, including training programmes and staged cyberattack drills inspired by Hezbollah-linked tactics designed to trick soldiers into compromising their devices.

Israel National News reports that the decision comes alongside fresh intelligence warnings and increasing concerns about sophisticated phishing and espionage attempts targeting defence personnel.

Meanwhile, Ynet News says Israeli officials are currently facing a new Iranian cyber campaign aimed at high-level government and defence figures. The effort, linked to the IRGC, allegedly uses WhatsApp lures, impersonation and a PowerShell backdoor to infiltrate targets. 

As physical fighting continues on multiple fronts, a parallel digital war is accelerating.