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.”