Tehran’s top diplomat says Israel could spark ‘large-scale war’ with attack on Iran
Iran’s top diplomat warned Israel if it attacks Tehran it could lead to “a large-scale war,” and claimed Iran is ready for any Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic. The comments first surfaced when Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s interview with China’s CCTV aired on Chinese state-run media on Saturday, Jan. 4.
The foreign minister told CCTV that he hopes “Israel will avoid such reckless actions, as they could escalate into a large-scale war.”
Tehran is reportedly concerned because it suspects Israel may strike the country in response to relentless missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi Rebels, who are supplied with weapons from Iran.
Over the past few weeks, Houthis have ramped up attacks against Israel, including launching a ballistic missile toward Israel on Sunday, Jan. 5.
Israel’s counterattacks against the Houthis haven’t been particularly effective. So, some within Israel, such as Mossad Chief David Barnea have suggested that Israel launch another direct strike into Iran to take out the source of the Houthi’s weapons.
Israel already hit Iran with two direct attacks over the past year in retaliation for continual missile and drone strikes, including an Oct. 1, 2024, attack from Tehran that saw some 200 missiles fired at Israel.
Israel’s Iron Dome and other air defense systems intercepted most of the missiles but Israel still carried out a counterattack on Oct. 26, 2024, striking Iranian military sites and decimating the country’s air defenses.
Israel also launched a strike on an air defense battery in April 2024, in retaliation for another series of drone and missile attacks from Iran.
Despite the warning, Iran’s top diplomat said he believes “reason will ultimately prevail and prevent severe consequences.” He also said that Tehran is seeking a “diplomatic solution.”
Report finds US airfields in Pacific vulnerable to Chinese threats
The balance of power in the Indo-Pacific may depend on something as basic as concrete. As China fortifies its military airfields and expands the capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, a new report highlights vulnerabilities in U.S. defenses that could shape future conflicts.
The Hudson Institute, a nonpartisan think tank founded to prepare the U.S. for future military challenges, released the report, titled “Concrete Sky: Air Base Hardening in the Western Pacific.” It details China’s extensive investments in airfield fortifications, which include doubling the number of hardened aircraft shelters over the past decade. China now has more than 3,000 shelters at 134 air bases near the Taiwan Strait.
China has also added 20 runways and over 40 runway-length taxiways, while increasing its total ramp area by almost 75%. According to the report, the amount of concrete used for these upgrades could pave a four-lane interstate highway from Washington, D.C., to Chicago.
In contrast, U.S. efforts in the region have been limited, with only a few shelters, and minimal new infrastructure added. Analysts at the Hudson Institute warn that this leaves U.S. airfields highly vulnerable to missile strikes. This is particularly concerning given Chinese military doctrine, which emphasizes surprise attacks to neutralize air power on the ground.
The People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force has precision-guided missiles capable of targeting U.S. bases across the Indo-Pacific, from Guam to Okinawa. The report highlights that as few as 10 missiles could disable critical assets at Iwakuni, a key Marine Corps air station in Japan.
To mitigate these vulnerabilities, the report recommended strengthening airfield resilience by building hardened aircraft shelters, adding redundant fuel systems, and improving rapid runway repair capabilities. The Hudson Institute also emphasizes the need for long-range aircraft and autonomous systems that rely less on traditional airfield infrastructure.
Pentagon transfers 11 Yemeni detainees from Guantánamo Bay to Oman
The Pentagon said it transferred 11 Yemeni detainees, including two former bodyguards for Osama Bin Laden, from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to Oman, which has agreed to help re-settle them. The U.S. never charged the Yemeni detainees with crimes.
The move comes amid steps to reduce the population at the controversial U.S. military facility. Only 15 detainees remain at Guantánamo Bay’s detention facility, which the U.S. set up when the war on terror began after Sept. 11, 2001.
Of the 15 current detainees, only three are eligible for transfer. The Pentagon said three detainees are eligible for a periodic review and seven are involved in the military commissions process.
The U.S. convicted and sentenced two detainees.
In recent weeks, the Biden administration transferred four other detainees from Guantánamo, including one brought to the detention facility the day it opened in 2002. The U.S. never formally charged that person.
The move follows a recent decision by a military judge that sparked outrage. The judge ruled plea agreements with 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and two other accused terrorists are valid and binding. Those deals take the death penalty off the table for the three men, who also remain at Guantánamo Bay.
At least 95 killed in 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Tibet
A powerful earthquake proves deadly in East Asia on Tuesday morning. And winter weather pounds the United States from the Great Plains to the East Coast. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.
7.1 magnitude earthquake kills at least 95 in Tibet
At least 95 people are dead Tuesday after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocked Tibet, China, according to Chinese state media. The quake occurred just after 9 a.m. on Jan. 7 near Shigatse, one of Tibet’s holiest cities.
The quake reached a depth of 6.2 miles, damaging buildings and sending people running to the streets in neighboring Nepal and India. Cities as far away as Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city about 240 miles away, felt tremors.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.1, while the China Earthquake Networks Center reported it at 6.8. Multiple aftershocks followed the initial quake.
In addition to the dozens of lives lost, local authorities said the disaster injured at least 130 people.
First winter storm of 2025 leaves at least 4 dead across multiple states
The system moved east on Monday, Jan. 6, from the Great Plains to the East Coast. It brought snow, blizzard conditions and ice. The storm hit cities like Kansas City and Cincinnati the hardest.
Authorities said a public works employee in Missouri suffered a fatal injury while working to remove snow. Two people in Wichita, Kansas, died in a weather-related crash, and one person in Houston, Texas, most likely died as a result of the cold weather, according to local authorities.
The storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes across at least a half-dozen states.
While the heavy snow ended, the danger remained. Forecasters said the winter system is drawing cold air behind it, meaning states across the entire U.S. will experience a cold front.
Pentagon transfers 11 Yemeni detainees from Guantánamo Bay to Oman
The Pentagon said the U.S. transferred 11 Yemeni detainees to Oman, which agreed to help re-settle them. Two of the detainees are former bodyguards for Osama Bin Laden and were being held at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba.
None of the 11 detainees released were charged with crimes.
The move comes amid steps to reduce the population at the controversial U.S. military facility. Only 15 detainees remain at Guantánamo Bay’s detention facility, which the U.S. set up as the war on terror began after Sept. 11, 2001.
Of the 15 current detainees, only three are eligible for transfer. Three more are eligible for a periodic review, seven are involved in the military commissions process and two detainees were convicted and sentenced by military commissions.
In recent weeks, the Biden administration transferred four other detainees from Guantánamo, including one brought to the detention facility the day it opened in 2002. That person was never formally charged.
The move follows a recent ruling by a military judge that plea agreements with alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and two other accused terrorists are valid and binding. Those deals take the death penalty off the table for the three men, who remain at Guantánamo Bay.
Biden attends memorial service for New Orleans terror attack victims
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden attended a memorial service Monday, Jan. 6, for the 14 victims killed in the New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans. The interfaith prayer service was held at the famous St. Louis Cathedral in the city’s French Quarter, less than a mile away from the scene of the Bourbon Street terror attack.
Jill and I traveled to New Orleans to stand with a community defined by strength and resilience.
To grieve. To pray. And let them know that America stands with them, and mourns with them. pic.twitter.com/26Phe203WF
The president spoke at the service, reassuring the people of New Orleans they are not alone and highlighting the city’s enduring strength and resilience amid tragedy. He referred to past devastation experienced by the city, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“If there’s one thing we know: New Orleans defines strength and resilience,” the president said. “You define it, whether it’s in the form of this attack, from this attack, or hurricanes or super storms. This city’s people get back up.”
The president and first lady also visited the Bourbon Street memorial, where they placed flowers and prayed for the victims.
While in New Orleans, the Bidens met privately with grieving families, survivors and first responders.
Though both cases were dismissed, the special counsel is required to provide a report to Garland, who can then decide whether to make it public.
According to the letter and a legal filing, Trump’s lawyers and two former co-defendants in the documents case viewed a two-volume draft copy of the report over the weekend. They called the report “one-sided” and “slanted.”
In the letter, Trump’s lawyer requested Garland fire Smith, who is set to resign before Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, or let the decision on the release of the report be handled by Trump’s incoming attorney general, Pam Bondi.
The lawyers for Trump’s two former co-defendants in the documents case also asked the judge who dismissed the case to halt the report’s release, citing her ruling that Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional.
While it is not clear when the report will be released, the lawyers have asked the judge for a hearing on their request by Friday, Jan. 10, believing the release is “imminent.”
‘Shark Tank’ star Kevin O’Leary announces bid to buy TikTok
With millions of social media users counting down TikTok’s days in the U.S., one businessman is looking to prevent the ban from taking effect. “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary issued a press release Monday announcing his interest in purchasing TikTok.
O’Leary — known by “Shark Tank” fans as “Mr. Wonderful” — said he is partnering with former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on the bid.
Speaking to Fox Business, O’Leary said he would need Trump’s help to seal the deal. O’Leary said he’s “protecting the privacy of 170 million American users” and “empowering creators and small businesses.”
TikTok faces a federal ban on Jan. 19 unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sells. The Biden administration and other federal lawmakers believe TikTok threatens national security, accusing the Chinese government of using it to spy on Americans. Lawmakers fear the app is being used to weaponize and influence content Americans view.
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments from ByteDance on why it should prevent the ban.
Why Macron fears Iran’s nuclear program is nearing ‘point of no return’
French President Emmanuel Macron warned the world on Monday, Jan. 6, that Iran is nearing “the point of no return” when it comes to procuring potential nuclear weapons. Macron said during his address to French ambassadors that Tehran has enough enriched uranium to power a handful of nuclear warheads, and called Iran the biggest strategic threat that Europe faces.
It’s not just Macron who said Iran is increasing its enriched uranium stockpile. The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said in December that Iran was “dramatically” accelerating enrichment, and roughly 90% of its uranium stockpile was at bomb-grade level.
France was part of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which fell apart in 2018 when the first Trump administration withdrew the United States. Under that deal, Iran had agreed to pull back on its nuclear program in exchange for international sanctions being lifted.
As a result of the U.S. backing out, Iran began enriching uranium at higher levels, which reportedly shortened the time needed to make a nuclear device from months to weeks.
President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House on Monday, Jan. 20, is also reportedly raising fresh concerns after he drew a hardline with Tehran during his first term.
Macron said he is still debating whether more sanctions may be the answering to deterring Tehran from further enhancing its nuclear program and will talk with the incoming Trump administration about the “Iranian question.”
Israel, Hamas give conflicting updates on hostage negotiations
Hamas still holds around 100 hostages that the terrorist group kidnapped from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Reports abound about how both sides are working towards a deal to free them, but there hasn’t been a formal exchange of hostages in months.
On Jan. 5, Reuters reported Hamas and Israel were working on a ceasefire deal, and that Hamas presented a list to Israel of 34 hostages it was willing to release.
Michael Levy’s brother, Or, was on the list. Or was taken captive from the Nova Music Festival, where his wife was killed.
“My opinion, as a brother of someone who’s on this list, is that Israel should insist on bringing back all the hostages,” Levy said. “It can be in one stage, two stages, three stages, that’s fine. But they need to have an actual plan to bring all of them back. An actual plan with dates, with names, with whatever they need to do in order to make sure all of them are coming back, because if not, some hostages will stay there forever or might die in captivity. And I can’t let it happen.”
Reuters reported it was shown a copy of the list, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas never provided anything like that during negotiations.
Representatives from Israel and Hamas meet in Doha regularly to talk about ending the conflict. In addition to the Qataris, the negotiations are being mediated with help from the U.S. and Egypt. The Biden administration wants a win before leaving office, so it’s pushing hard for Hamas to accept a deal.
The White House said while Israel does have a right to its own defense, the Israeli Defense Forces needs to do more to help the civilian population still living in Gaza, and those displaced from their homes after more than a year of intense fighting.
From the start of the war, Netanyahu said it would only end once Hamas was completely eradicated as a military and governing force. Hamas said it will only agree to a ceasefire once the IDF completely withdraws from Gaza.
Kremlin supporters brag of Moscow-led ‘sabotage’ in Baltic Sea on Russian TV
A Kremlin supporter reportedly bragged on Sunday, Jan. 5, that Russia was responsible for the suspected plot to sever communication lines on Christmas day between Finland and Estonia in the Baltic Sea. Officials said the damage to the cables could take months to fix.
Leaders in the European Union weren’t exactly surprised by the acknowledgment. EU leaders said they believed this suspected “hybrid attack” was Moscow from the start.
What is new about the situation is that someone on Russian state television confirmed those suspicions.
Former Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Federov bragged that the cutting was intentional to hosts on the Russian station NTV and Russia gave authorities a “beautiful story” of a ship accidentally dropping its anchor while sailing.
When pressed on the relatively small impact the alleged operation had, Federov said that was not the point.
Federov said Russia wants to cause destruction and punish Ukraine’s European allies while regaining control of the Baltic Sea, which has been nicknamed “NATO Lake” because aside from Russia, every other nation with a Baltic Sea coastline is also a member of NATO.
Federov claimed a second time that Russia is behind the attacks in the Baltic Sea but it does run counter to Moscow’s claim that it had no concerns when Estlink-2 was severed.
The Kremlin itself is staying mostly mum on the incident.
As Straight Arrow News previously reported, Finnish authorities are holding the ship suspected of the underwater sabotage, the Eagle S, in Finland.
Helsinki officials say the vessel is part of a “shadow fleet” of Russian ships used to avoid Western sanctions and said officials are still inspecting the vessel.
The repairs to the Estlink-2 cable could reportedly take around seven months.
Meanwhile, EU leaders said they’re concerned that more hybrid attacks may be coming from Moscow and believe that previous attacks on undersea lines in the Baltic Sea last year were also the work of Russia.
N. Korea launched first ballistic missile of 2025 during Blinken’s visit: Seoul
Seoul said that North Korea test fired its first ballistic missile of the new year on Monday, Jan. 6, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South Korea. Blinken and his South Korean counterpart condemned the launch during a joint press conference on the same day.
He called the test fire “another violation of multiple U.N. security resolutions” and the South said that it threatens peace in the Indo-Pacific.
South Korea said that the missile traveled 685 miles before falling into the ocean between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Intelligence officials said the missile was fired from Pyongyang, and the U.S. and South Korean military detected preparations before the test fire.
In response to the launch, Seoul said that it is strengthening its surveillance and security in the region for any potential additional launches. There was no reported damage from the test fire on Monday.
The missile launch came as Blinken visited Seoul for talks with South Korea over the threat of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal, and its increasingly close relationship with Moscow. Both Blinken and South Korean officials reportedly believe North Korea’s cooperation with Russia is expanding.
Blinken accused Moscow on Monday of planning to “share space and satellite technology” with North Korea. Moscow is already getting help in part of the deal, as Pyongyang has sent thousands of soldiers to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine.
As of the publishing of this report, North Korean media has yet to report on the test fire. They usually report on test fires within 24 hours of a launch.
Chinese Coast Guard ‘monster ship,’ underwater drone enter Philippine waters
Philippine authorities are investigating the discovery of a suspected Chinese underwater drone and the presence of one of the world’s largest Coast Guard vessels, developments that are adding to rising tensions in the South China Sea. The region is the focus of ongoing disputes over territorial claims between China and the Philippines.
On Monday, Dec. 30, fishermen near San Pascual in Masbate province discovered an unmanned underwater drone. Officials identified the device as Chinese-made and labeled “HY-119,” likely used for navigation and reconnaissance.
The Philippine Navy is analyzing the device due to potential national security implications, authorities said.
The unarmed drone has raised concerns about China’s increasing activity within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The zone extends 200 nautical miles from its coastline.
The discovery follows previous confrontations in disputed areas, including the Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal, where Chinese vessels have used aggressive tactics against Philippine ships.
Adding to the tension, China’s 12,000-ton Coast Guard vessel, CCG 5901, nicknamed the “monster ship,” was recently sighted at Scarborough Shoal.
The reef is located 140 miles west of Luzon Island and lies within the Philippines’ EEZ. However, it has been under Chinese control since 2012. The armed Chinese Coast Guard vessel, accompanied by other Chinese ships, underscores Beijing’s efforts to assert dominance over the South China Sea.
A recent Pentagon report on Chinese military developments highlighted Beijing’s use of its navy, Coast Guard and maritime militia to enforce territorial claims. The deployment of the “monster ship” represents part of China’s broader strategy involving advanced technology and large-scale maritime operations.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, overlapping the EEZs of neighboring nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Since taking office in 2022, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has intensified efforts to counter Chinese incursions, leading to more frequent maritime confrontations.
The United States regularly conducts freedom-of-navigation operations in the region to challenge China’s expansive claims. At the same time, U.S. allies across the Indo-Pacific are bolstering their defenses in response to Beijing’s actions.
Philippine officials have pledged to continue challenging China through diplomatic channels and increased patrols. Beijing has maintained its activities are consistent with its sovereignty claims.
The South China Sea remains a flash point for regional tensions, with significant implications for global security and trade.
Is the new leader in Syria more pragmatic than fanatic?
The Baathist regime ruled Syria with brutality since 1963. Then, in the span of a few weeks at the end of 2024, the dictatorship was overthrown, and Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia. The ouster came at the hands of the rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani and his group, known as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham.
“If you want to translate it, it’s sort of like ‘the Highest Authority for the Liberation of al’Sham’,” said Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence officer. “Sham is the name that has been known for history to the area that is today known by the name of the Levant. It includes what is today Syria and Lebanon and Israel and Palestinian territories.”
Al-Jolani has a long history of involvement with Salafi jihadist groups, including ISIS and al-Qaida. During the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2014, however, ISIS and al-Qaida broke ties.
“That was the time, roughly speaking, when Abu Mohammed al-Jolani basically turned towards this al-Qaida side, and started operating in Syria as al-Qaida’s branch under the name of Jabhat al-Nusra, which means the ‘Front of the Supporters’ or the ‘Disciples,’” Melamed said.
Al-Nusra grew into a powerful player in northwest Syria. The entire country is about the size of Washington State, and al-Nusra was carving out an area about the size of Delaware.
Melamed said the group was made up of a number of different fighters and factions from different countries. That conglomeration also brought in spiritual influences from foreign countries. It was during this time period that al-Jolani continued his journey away from the more extreme elements in Syria.
“In 2016, al-Jolani made an interesting move in two aspects,” Melamed said. “First, he announced that he’s detaching from al-Qaida, and basically emphasized that it has been done in mutual consent with the leadership of al-Qaida. And the other thing he did was to expose himself. He actually gave interviews before, but it was anonymous.”
Melamed said the announcement and split from al-Qaida was an interesting early indicator that Jolani was starting to focus more on the Syrian domestic identity rather than jihadism.
This shift wasn’t welcomed by all in al-Nusra, and actually led to some pretty violent internal fighting. But in the end, al-Jolani and his more pragmatic approach won out.
“And so Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, that actually was formed following this inner split,” Melamed said. “The interesting thing is that one of the significant ramifications of that was he was able, to a large extent, neutralize the influence of these foreign spiritual religious leaders. And that basically enabled him to increase [HTS’] political maneuvering capacities.”
Melamed was asked whether the shift from Jihadi influence to a more Syrian-centric focus suggests that the Jolani government is prioritizing national issues over spiritual Jihadi concerns.
“Well, you know, this is one of the major questions that bothers intelligence agencies and analysts,” he said. “It’s an open question, because on the one hand, we should remember, Jolani is coming ideologically from this camp. I mean, the man has been for the last two decades very much entrenched in a world of Salafi jihadi groups. So it’s definitely, I would say, part of its DNA.
“We should remind ourselves that in the end of the day, those Salafi jihadist groups like al-Qaida or ISIS are brutal, murderous organizations. We are all familiar with the atrocities those groups are involved in. And al-Jolani is coming from that world. Now, on the other hand, we can indicate the milestones where Jolani is actually taking a more, what we could call, a pragmatic approach.”
Melamed points to the stark differences between ISIS’ rule of its short-lived caliphate and al-Jolani’s governing style.
Idlib, in northwest Syria, has been under Jolani’s control for several years now. There, he created the political arm of HTS, called the Syrian Salvation Government, which is markedly more welcoming to progressive ideas in Syria.
For instance, under the SSG, women had many more rights and could even get a university education. A far cry from the brutality with which ISIS ruled, when petty theft could result in the perpetrator losing their hands and beheadings were quite common.
“Information that came from Idlib, which I evaluate as reliable, basically indicates that, at the end of the day, it was and is an Islamic-affiliated government,” Melamed said. “However, it could also be at the same time characterized as one that is not totally authoritarian; in the sense that it is leaving enough space of maneuvering to decide what are the things that it’s important for them to insist and to dictate, and what are the things that they don’t necessarily think are important and insist to dictate.”
In almost every interview since he seized power, al-Jolani talks about the future of Syria and how he wants to set up a government free from the brutality of the past and focused on the needs of Syria’s people.
He seems to be making headway in some Western circles too. The U.S. government canceled the $10 million bounty on al-Jolani’s head. In another sign of separation from past events, Jolani also changed his name. He dropped his wartime moniker and instead reverted back to his birth name, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Whether it’s all enough to earn him legitimacy on the world stage, and maybe more importantly to fellow Syrians, remains to be seen. But, if we believe what al-Sharaa told the BBC, a more diversified, free, and economically robust Syria may not be the stuff of fantasy anymore.
“The Syrian population lived together for thousands of years,” al-Sharaa said during a December 2024 interview. “We’re going to discuss all of it. We’re going to have dialogue and make sure everyone is represented. The old regime always played on sectarian divisions. But we won’t.”
And it will all take time. Al-Sharaa said it could be four years before Syria’s new constitution is written and a permanent government can be established.