Trump: "I'll be honest -- I think I'd be the greatest communist in history"

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Jarrard has departed Ceiba, Puerto Rico to lead and oversee earthquake relief efforts by the U.S. Department of War in Venezuela.

An Airbus A320-233 with the Mexico-based low-cost airline Volaris departed El Salvador earlier filled with humanitarian aid, search-and-rescue personnel and military medical teams, bound for earthquake-torn Venezuela.

Two transport aircraft with the Mexican Air Force, carrying roughly 250 members of the Mexican Army, including search-and-rescue teams, stretcherbearers, medical personnel, and dog teams, departed Santa Lucía Air Force Base in Mexico City earlier today bound for areas devastated by the recent twin earthquakes in Northern Venezuela.

Rare daytime footage of a Ukrainian PATRIOT battery successfully intercepting a pair of Russian ballistic missiles over Kyiv this afternoon.

According to The Wall Street Journal, citing two senior U.S. officials, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. The reported incident appears to correspond with a maritime security alert issued earlier today by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which detailed an incident in the Strait involving a commercial vessel. Further information regarding the extent of the damage, casualties, or the circumstances surrounding the attack has not yet been released.

Israeli FM Gideon Sa'ar is submitting a government resolution for the upcoming cabinet meeting seeking official Israeli recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Based on moral and historical responsibility, the proposal would recognize the genocide committed against the Armenian people in the final years of the Ottoman Empire and condemn any denial, minimization, or distortion of the events.

French President Macron: Regarding Lebanon, France and Italy have a special responsibility because both contribute to UNIFIL. Together with Prime Minister Meloni, we want to launch a coalition to prepare a post-UNIFIL mechanism, naturally in cooperation with the European Union and the United Nations. The objective is to strengthen Lebanon's sovereignty and prevent its territory from once again becoming the starting point of a new regional conflict. I believe our cooperation on this issue is excellent, and I hope it will open a new perspective before the end of UNIFIL's mandate.

French President Macron: On Ukraine, for the first time, the United States endorsed a text stating that it is no longer a neutral mediator, but stands with us in supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity, military support, energy assistance, and sanctions against Russia.

Italian PM Meloni on Iran: Italy did not participate in the conflict with Iran. In fact, if we had participated in the conflict with Iran, it would be difficult to explain the repeated disappointment expressed by the American President. We respected our commitments by making our bases available only for logistical and technical activities, not for combat operations. And when requests were made that went beyond that framework, and you know this because it has been widely reported, we did not grant authorization for the use of our facilities.

Aerial footage filmed from a helicopter early Thursday morning appears to show widespread destruction across the northern Venezuelan coastal cities of Maiquetía and La Guaira following the two major earthquakes that struck west of Caracas yesterday, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5. The footage suggests that a significant number of multistory buildings suffered severe structural damage, with many reportedly collapsing. The scale of the destruction is likely to leave tens of thousands, and potentially far more, without adequate shelter, food, or access to clean water across northern Venezuela.

According to Saudi Al-Hadath, a declaration of intent regarding pilot zones in southern Lebanon is expected to be announced following today’s talks in Washington. The report states that Israeli and Lebanese negotiators have reached an advanced stage in discussions, with both sides reportedly nearing an agreement on the proposed framework.

This morning, two oil refineries in Ufa, Bashkortostan—approximately 1,400 kilometers from the Ukrainian border—were reportedly struck in an attack. According to Exilenova+, three major Bashneft-operated refineries are located in northern Ufa: Bashneft-Novoil, Bashneft-Ufaneftekhim, and Bashneft-UNPZ. Monitoring-channel reports indicate that two of the three facilities were hit, though the extent of the damage remains unclear.

The Kremlin told Russians to move to Android or local platforms after Apple removed Russian apps from the App Store.

The IRGC Navy has issued a warning stating that safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is only permitted via routes designated by the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a statement, the IRGC said that certain authorities announced a new shipping route through the Strait a few hours earlier without notifying or coordinating with Iran, calling the move “unacceptable” and “extremely dangerous.” The statement emphasized that the only authorized transit routes are those announced by Iranian authorities and warned that navigation outside those routes is prohibited and poses significant risks to vessel safety. The IRGC further stated that all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz must coordinate with the IRGC Navy on Channel 16 and warned that any vessel violating these directives would be subject to enforcement measures.

French President Emmanuel Macron: The French Navy seized another oil tanker from the Russian shadow fleet off the coast of Sicily.

GM NOSTR 🫡

Marco Rubio: America stands with the Venezuelan people during this difficult time and at the direction of President Trump, the State Department is immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela.

UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash: "Imposing a reality born from aggression does not create stability - it sows new seeds of discord and conflict."

Tucker Carlson: Israel has completely changed. I feel sorry for Israel. But the Israel that I first visited decades ago bears no resemblance to modern Israel.