First Thing: Nato ready to defend ‘every inch’ of territory as Russian drone hits Romania

Good morning. The Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, has said the alliance is “ready to defend every inch” of its territory after a Russian drone hit an apartment building in Romania , a member state, during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine. The incident in Galați, which injured two people, prompted swift condemnation and the threat of repercussions. “Russia’s reckless behaviour is a danger to us all,” Rutte wrote on social media after a call with the Romanian president, Nicuşor Dan. “I affirmed that Nato stands ready to defend every inch of allied territory.” Dan convened an emergency meeting of the country’s supreme council of national defence today and the foreign ministry summoned Russia’s ambassador. What else is happening? Sweden will donate 16 of its existing Gripen fighter jets by next year to Ukraine, which will go on to buy an initial 20 of the latest model, they announced on Thursday, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited an airbase in Uppsala, 70km (45 miles) north of Stockholm. Netanyahu orders Israeli army to seize ‘70% of Gaza Strip’, violating ceasefire deal Palestinians waiting to receive food at a distribution centre in Khan Younis, Gaza, this week. Photograph: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Benjamin Netanyahu has said he has given orders to the Israeli army to seize control of 70% of the Gaza Strip , a move that threatens to torpedo an already fragile ceasefire and create catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the already devastated territory. …