The Trump administration has imposed new sanctions on three nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a businessman close to the regime, and six companies involved in shipping Venezuelan oil, Axios reported. The U.S. is also preparing to intercept additional vessels transporting Venezuelan oil following this week’s tanker seizure, according to Reuters, which cited six sources familiar with the plans.

Democrat Rep. Seth Magaziner, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, confronted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during today’s House Homeland Security Committee hearing over reports that several veterans had been deported. Magaziner: “Madam Secretary, how many United States military veterans have you deported?” Noem: “Sir, we have not deported U.S. citizens or military veterans.” Magaziner: “Madam Secretary, joining us on Zoom is Sae Joon Park — a U.S. Army combat veteran who was shot twice while serving our country in Panama in 1989. He was arrested in the 1990s for minor drug offenses… and earlier this year, you deported him to Korea, a country he hasn’t lived in since he was seven years old.”

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem walked out of today’s tense hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee, saying she needed to attend a FEMA Review Council meeting — a meeting that FEMA has since confirmed was canceled.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced today that he will be “returning power to the people” as he submits a Royal Decree to King Vajiralongkorn seeking permission to dissolve Parliament, following a dispute with the country’s largest political party, the People’s Party. If the dissolution is approved, Charnvirakul will have sixty days to call new elections, as required by the Thai Constitution. He added that the move will not affect the ongoing conflict with Cambodia.

It appears that in 2024, Russian state hackers with the GRU successfully targeted and damaged several water utilities in Texas. The indictment is remarkable, detailing a years-long campaign in which Russian operatives carried out cyberattacks against Western infrastructure.

Joe Borelli: “Your dollar is worth 20% less today because of 21% CPI inflation under Joe Biden. Your wages are $3,000 lower on average — real American earnings fell by that much. That’s on Joe Biden!”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee: “Charlie Kirk is a friend of mine, and there is absolutely no reason he would ever appear on any Israeli target list.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee: “Israel did not attack the nation of Qatar. Israel launched a missile to strike a terrorist.”

Bennie Thompson described the horrific attack on two National Guard servicemembers in D.C. as merely an “unfortunate accident.” Secretary Noem responded: “You think that was an unfortunate accident? It was a terrorist attack. He shot our National Guardsmen in the head.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon: “The six hostages — Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Sgt. Ori Danino — who were murdered in captivity and brought home for burial, are seen in newly recovered footage lighting Hanukkah candles deep underground while held by their captors nearly two years ago. We will not forget. We will not forgive.” View quoted note →

Recovered Israeli military footage shows six murdered hostages lighting Hanukkah candles in Gaza Israel has released footage recovered during operations in the Gaza Strip that shows the six Israeli hostages killed by their captors in August 2024. The video, filmed inside a tunnel, depicts Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Ori Danino, 25; Alex Lobanov, 32; Carmel Gat, 40; and Almog Sarusi, 27, reciting the Hanukkah candle-lighting blessing and singing Ma'oz Tzur. The hostages were killed on August 29, 2024, in a tunnel beneath Rafah’s Tel Sultan neighborhood. Their bodies were recovered by Israeli forces two days later. The IDF regularly shares such footage with families once hostages are found, who may then decide whether to release it publicly.

Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command: “It’s an honor to speak to conference attendees about the historic opportunity presented by Syria’s ongoing transition. The United States and Syria share a vital interest in preserving peace and stability throughout the Middle East. Since taking command of CENTCOM in August, I’ve had the privilege of visiting Syria multiple times — including a landmark trip to Damascus in September, where I met President Alshara and became the first CENTCOM commander to visit what is clearly a vibrant city full of hope, possibility, and opportunity. As you may have seen this past week, I publicly commended Syria for the role its security forces played in intercepting weapons intended for Hezbollah. These are exactly the kinds of tangible security gains we can achieve through close cooperation with Syrian government forces. CENTCOM will remain deeply engaged in supporting Ambassador Barrack’s efforts to realize the president’s vision of a prosperous Middle East and a stable Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors. We are heavily involved in facilitating U.S. interagency engagement with the Syrian government in Damascus, backing more than a dozen visits by U.S. officials and members of Congress since last summer. And since I know some of you are wondering — yes, we did manage to squeeze in a few three-pointers during basketball. That’s well documented. At CENTCOM, we’re fully committed to ‘hoops diplomacy.’ It’s a new approach, and I can assure you, it works.”

Footage shows a Royal Thai Army convoy of M113A3 armored personnel carriers advancing last night through eastern Thailand toward the Cambodian border.

Denmark has designated the United States as a potential national security threat in its annual intelligence assessment. For the first time, Danish military intelligence warned that Washington’s increasing use of economic and technological leverage to advance its own interests—sometimes at the expense of allies—poses a strategic concern. The report cautions that “the U.S. no longer rules out the use of military force, even against its allies,” citing former President Trump’s attempt to purchase Greenland as an example.

Germany’s *Der Spiegel* cover portrays Trump and Putin as “two villains” stabbing Europe, underscoring fears that Trump’s pro-Putin posture endangers EU sovereignty and the stability of NATO.

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir: “The grave of the arch-terrorist Izz ad-Din al-Qassam must be removed. Yesterday, we took the first step toward doing so.”

Lutnick: “Remember, Americans don’t have millions of people to fasten tiny screws in iPhones — but we do have the capacity to run robotics.”

The Trump administration is preparing to appoint a U.S. two-star general to lead the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in the Gaza Strip, even as the White House continues to insist that no American boots will be deployed on the ground there, according to two U.S. officials and two Israeli officials who spoke with Axios.

Amnesty International has released a 173-page investigation concluding that Hamas committed crimes against humanity both on October 7 and throughout the ensuing conflict. The report details a wide range of abuses, including killings, forced detention, torture, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. Better two years late than never.

U.S. B-52 bombers flew alongside Japanese F-35 and F-15 fighters over the Sea of Japan, Tokyo announced Wednesday, in a pointed show of allied air power just days after Chinese and Russian aircraft conducted joint operations in the area. Japan’s defense ministry said the exercise was meant to underscore both nations’ determination to counter any coercive actions that threaten regional stability.