Israel has asked the United States for “operational freedom” to carry out unilateral military action against Iran, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, as President Donald J. Trump appears to favor diplomacy over direct strikes on the Islamic Republic. In my view, there is little to no chance that President Trump would grant Israel a green light to strike Iran while genuinely pursuing a diplomatic path. Even if the U.S. did not participate directly in any attack, American military assets would almost certainly be needed to help defend Israel in the aftermath.

The House narrowly passed a $1.2 trillion funding bill by a 217–214 vote, ending the partial government shutdown and sending the measure to President Trump, who has said he will sign it into law. View quoted note →

🚨 U.S. House has passed the government funding bill, sending it to U.S. President Donald Trump's desk.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says talks with Iran are still scheduled, adds that U.S. President Donald Trump has range of options on the table.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier on Fox News that a U.S. Navy aircraft shot down an Iranian drone that was “acting aggressively” toward the USS *Abraham Lincoln* (CVN-72) over the Arabian Sea today. She stressed that President Trump remains committed to diplomacy with Iran and noted that talks between Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Iranian officials are still expected to take place later this week, despite Tehran’s demands for changes to the format and location of the discussions.

Under a newly implemented integration agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), security units from Syria’s Ministries of Defense and Interior have entered the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria, near the Turkish border.

The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a key procedural vote to move forward with ending the partial government shutdown, approving the measure 217–215. All Democrats voted against it, with Rep. Thomas Massie casting the lone dissenting vote among Republicans.

Brit Hume says President Trump is “in a predicament” over negotiations with Iran, arguing that while Trump feels pressure to act, pursuing nuclear talks with a country that has repeatedly proven untrustworthy risks making it appear he fell short.

German authorities are probing a major suspected sabotage plot involving the German Navy’s new corvette Emden, uncovered earlier this year in Hamburg. The attempt was detected in early January 2025 during a routine pre-delivery inspection at the Blohm+Voss shipyard, part of the NVL Group. Inspectors discovered dozens of kilograms of metal shavings intentionally poured into the vessel’s propulsion and gearbox systems, including critical diesel engine components. Investigators say the abrasive material would likely have caused catastrophic engine failure had the ship gone to sea, potentially crippling the corvette, delaying its commissioning for months or even years, and resulting in millions of euros in repair costs. The sabotage was uncovered just days before scheduled sea trials and the ship’s maiden voyage.

Key takeaways from Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem’s speech today: • Claimed Israel is targeting all of Lebanon, not just Hezbollah, and urged the entire country to confront it. • Said Hezbollah is capable of inflicting pain on Israel in return, stressing that “everything has its time.” • Rejected surrender, declaring: “Between the sword and humiliation, we choose martyrdom.” • Criticized the Lebanese government over efforts to disarm Hezbollah, accusing it of aligning with Israel. • Softened earlier rhetoric about joining a potential U.S. strike on Iran, stopping short of committing to intervention. • Framed the conflict as resistance to U.S. global dominance, describing Iran as the “crown jewel” capable of defeating both the United States and Israel.