Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
With cease-fires on two fronts, Israel takes aim at West Bank US top diplomat Rubio discusses Iran, Gaza hostages with Israeli PM Netanyahu Iran tries to calm nuclear concerns as UN warns on enrichment Ships carrying missile propellant ingredients set to sail from China to Iran, say officials Foreign Policy’s John Haltiwanger: How weakened is Iran, actually? Israel-Hezbollah truce set to be extended beyond next week Houthis release hijacked crew and signal end to Red Sea attacks Trump designates Yemen's Houthis as a 'foreign terrorist organization' Qatar eyes wider mediator role after Gaza truce breakthrough Trump’s hint at deal making gives China a little breathing room US deploys typhon missile launchers to new location in Philippines Islamic State claims responsibility for Chinese national killed in AfghanistanIn The News
Israel
The Palestinian Health Ministry said 10 people were killed by Israeli forces in Jenin, all of whom were between the ages of 16 and 57 years old. Israel said Wednesday it had killed 10 militants since the operation began. – Wall Street Journal
Israel’s economy minister said on Wednesday it seeks a peaceful Gaza but has not decided whether to help fund its reconstruction and would not allow the rebuilding of Hamas rule that he said could lead to another cross-border militant attack. – Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to reiterate Washington’s support for its ally, and the two also discussed Iran and Israeli hostages in Gaza, the State Department said. – Reuters
Inside a lavish clubhouse on Doha’s waterfront, tensions strained by months of fruitless back-and-forth weighed on negotiators as the hour neared 3 a.m. On the first floor, a Hamas delegation whose leader had once evaded an Israeli airstrike that killed seven family members combed through the details of yet another proposal to halt the war in Gaza. – Associated Press
The UN Security Council will debate UNRWA next Tuesday as the future of the aid organization’s ability to exist within Israel is uncertain after the Knesset outlawed Israeli participation with UNRWA late last year. – Jerusalem Post
Top officials from the US, Israel, and Egypt were reportedly already moving on the second stage of the Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal on Wednesday, some two weeks ahead of the scheduled date for the discussions to begin. – Times of Israel
Israel attempted on Wednesday to play down reports and speculation that the Palestinian Authority would play a larger role in postwar Gaza and that a deal with Saudi Arabia could include the establishment of a Palestinian state. – Times of Israel
The Hamas terrorist organization on Wednesday blamed the Palestinian Authority’s security mechanisms for the IDF’s operation in the Jenin refugee camp, calling its alleged collaboration with Israel a “crime and a betrayal of the blood of the shaheeds.” – Arutz Sheva
Dr. Martin Sherman writes: Indeed as a reliable ally, Baku has played a major role in ensuring Israel’s energy security, bolstering mutual interests, and offering a model of Judeo-Muslim collaboration that transcends prevailing geopolitical divisions. This is something the new US administration should factor into its foreign policy in its endeavor to engender enhanced stability across the globe. – Arutz Sheva
David E. Rosenberg writes: When then-U.S. President-elect Donald Trump warned last December that there would be “ALL HELL TO PAY” if the Israeli hostages held by Hamas weren’t released by Inauguration Day, the words appeared to be directed at the militant group. But now that the cease-fire and hostage deal is signed and put into motion, it’s Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is feeling the heat. – Foreign Policy
Iran
Iran must make a first step towards improving relations with countries in the region and the United States by making it clear it does not aim to develop nuclear weapons, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Iran is “pressing the gas pedal” on its enrichment of uranium to near weapons grade, U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday, adding that Iran’s recently announced acceleration in enrichment was starting to take effect. – Reuters
Iran delivered a conciliatory message to Western leaders in Davos on Wednesday, with a top official denying it wants nuclear weapons and offering talks about opportunities, days after its arch adversary Donald Trump’s return to the White House. – Reuters
Iran hopes U.S. President Donald Trump will choose “rationality” in its dealing with the Islamic Republic, Iran’s Vice-President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday, adding Tehran had never sought nuclear weapons. – Reuters
Two Iranian cargo vessels carrying a crucial chemical ingredient for missile propellant will sail from China to Iran over the next few weeks, according to intelligence from security officials in two western countries. – Financial Times
Iranian authorities on Wednesday arrested 10 women members of the Bahai community, a representative group said, warning of escalating repression against one of the country’s biggest non-Muslim religious minorities. – Agence France Presse
A Swiss national who Iranian authorities said took his own life while in an Iranian jail after being arrested on suspicion of espionage had taken pictures of military sites, Iran’s judiciary spokesperson said on Wednesday. – Agence France Presse
Erfan Fard writes: For A moment, imagine a Middle East liberated from Velayat-e Faqih (the Shi’ite clerical octopus or mafia) and the networks of Islamic terrorism. Visualize Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi leading Iran through a transitional government – this could establish a stable, democratic future with the right safeguards against internal and external pressures. Envision Israel and the United States reopening their embassies in Tehran and the ideologies of Khomeinism and the turmoil of 1979 being relegated to history. Then, we could truly celebrate the emergence of a new Middle East. – Jerusalem Post
John Haltiwanger writes: Biden’s comments typified current assessments on Iran from the United States and Israel, and there are growing signs that the latter is considering exploiting Tehran’s tenuous position with strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. This comes as more hawkish figures in the Iranian government have called for modifying the country’s nuclear doctrine in the event of an existential threat—publicly flirting with the prospect of weaponization. – Foreign Policy
Russia & Ukraine
One person was killed and 25 others wounded in a Russian drone and missile attack on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, regional officials said on Thursday. – Reuters
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reaffirmed on Thursday the need to step up support for Ukraine, adding it was vital Russia did not win as it could result in Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘high fiving’ the leaders of North Korea and China. – Reuters
President Vladimir Putin has grown increasingly concerned about distortions in Russia’s wartime economy, just as Donald Trump pushes for an end to the Ukraine conflict, five sources with knowledge of the situation told Reuters. – Reuters
Russia sees a small window of opportunity to do deals with Donald Trump but Moscow is making preparations for President Vladimir Putin’s future discussions with the new U.S. president, Russia’s diplomat overseeing U.S. relations said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Tuesday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and emphasized their close ties a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th U.S. president. – Associated Press
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said any effective peacekeeping force deployed in Ukraine will need to include US troops, as he appealed to Donald Trump ahead of talks with Russia. – Bloomberg
Ukraine needs to attract as much as $20 billion to boost weapons production, including long-range missiles, air defense and drones, in order to repel Russia, the country’s Minister for Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin said. – Bloomberg
Alexander J. Motyl writes: What does this analysis imply for possible future negotiations with Russia? That Putin will play it tough, insisting that he has the upper hand. But his interlocutors should not be impressed. They will have to play it even tougher. Unfortunately, any hope of progress will require Putin to admit to Russia’s weakness. That won’t be easy, as it will require Putin admitting that he’s a liar or has been lied to — in other words, that he is weak. – The Hill
Afghanistan
President Donald Trump’s executive order this week suspending the U.S. refugee admissions program has left in limbo tens of thousands of Afghans who were hoping to start new lives in America. – Washington Post
The head of a major humanitarian organisation said U.S. President Donald Trump’s order to halt foreign aid for 90 days would have immediate and disastrous consequences in Afghanistan where relief operations are already stretched thin. – Reuters
Marvin G. Weinbaum writes: A possibly more aggressive approach by the Trump administration does not, however, preclude adopting a more pragmatic course in pursuit of our security interests in Afghanistan, one that better reflects the on-the-ground realities. While there are no assurances of early rewards from a regularized US diplomatic presence in Kabul, a new approach to the Taliban regime offers the promise of opening pathways to impactful relations now denied us. – Middle East Institute
Syria
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani said on Wednesday that the country will open its economy to foreign investment and that Damascus is also working on energy and electricity partnerships with Gulf states. – Reuters
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday she hopes a political agreement on easing Syria sanctions can be reached at a gathering of European ministers next week. – Reuters
Michel Gurfinkiel writes: His son Bashar, succeeding him in 2000, sought to emulate his father during the 2011 Sunni uprising in the north, the quasi-secession of Kurdish Rojava, and the rise of ISIS. He survived for over a decade with support from Russia, Iran, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. However, Russia became bogged down in Ukraine after 2022, while Hezbollah suffered defeats against Israel in a war recklessly launched in 2023. With Sunnis emerging as default victors, the question remains: can they rebuild a viable Syria? A flag does not make a state, just as one swallow does not make a spring. – Arutz Sheva
Lebanon
The ceasefire agreement that paused the war between Israel and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon will likely be extended when it expires next week, according to several people familiar with the matter. – Bloomberg
The IDF hopes the government and key Western powers such as the US will support it being able to extend its stay in southern Lebanon beyond the January 27 deadline for about another 30 days to ensure that more Hezbollah weaponry concealed in border villages is destroyed. – Jerusalem Post
Anchal Vohra writes: Lebanon has two new leaders and neither is to Hezbollah’s liking. On Jan. 9, Gen. Joseph Aoun, commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), was elected president with 99 out of 128 votes from Lebanese parliamentarians across the political spectrum. Nawaf Salam, president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and a Sunni who is backed both by Saudi Arabia and across Lebanon’s nonsectarian civil society, was appointed prime minister. – Foreign Policy
Arabian Peninsula
Houthi rebels in Yemen have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader more than a year after they seized the ship in the Red Sea and signaled they would stop attacking vessels after the Israel-Hamas cease-fire agreement. – Wall Street Journal
Qatar plans to introduce three new laws as part of a sweeping review of legislation designed to make the Gulf Arab state more attractive to foreign investors, the new minister of commerce and economy told Reuters. – Reuters
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told President Donald Trump that the kingdom wants to put $600 billion into expanded investment and trade with the United States over the next four years, the Saudi State news agency said early on Thursday. – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday re-designated Yemen’s Houthi movement, known formally as Ansar Allah, as a “foreign terrorist organization”, the White House said. – Reuters
Qatar’s success in helping to broker the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire has enhanced its reputation as an international mediator, with officials now considering which other conflicts they could help resolve. – Bloomberg
Yoel Guzansky and Ilan Zalayat write: As Gaza’s postwar future takes shape, Qatar’s involvement seems set to grow, raising critical questions about its impact on the region’s power dynamics. For Israel, navigating this reality requires balancing pragmatic cooperation with firm measures to protect its national security interests. By working closely with the US and other international partners, Israel can better manage Qatar’s role in Gaza while striving to minimize the risks associated with its continued support for Hamas. – Jerusalem Post
Middle East & North Africa
The International Criminal Court demanded answers from Italy on Wednesday over why it freed a Libyan man suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, torture, rape and sexual violence. – Reuters
Turkey has detained 11 people as part of an investigation into a fire that killed 79 people and injured dozens at a ski resort in the Bolu mountains, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Wednesday that the state needs $20 billion annually to secure petroleum products, according to a video provided by Sisi’s office. – Reuters
Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) will chair a key subcommittee on Middle East affairs, ascending to the role after campaigning as a resolute defender of Israel and fierce critic of Biden-era policies that enabled Iran’s terror network in the region, The Post has learned. – New York Post
Korean Peninsula
The North Korean soldiers fighting for Moscow in Russia’s Kursk region are assigned their own patches of land to assault. Unlike their Russian counterparts, they advance with almost no armored vehicles in support. – New York Times
South Korea’s anti-corruption agency on Thursday transferred to prosecutors its case against impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, recommending his indictment for insurrection and abuse of power over his brief martial law declaration. – Reuters
The South Korean government will reduce subsidies for biomass energy after rising domestic and international criticism of its link to deforestation. Environmental activists generally applauded the reforms but criticized loopholes and slow timelines for phasing out the subsidies. – Associated Press
China
Authorities in Beijing are ramping up pressure on neighbors to rein in cyberscams after the high-profile kidnapping of a young Chinese actor who says he was trafficked into a criminal enclave in Myanmar. – Wall Street Journal
Donald Trump’s criticism of China on the campaign trail and after his election had raised the specter that Day 1 of his second presidency would reignite a trade war between the world’s two largest economies. – Wall Street Journal
As far as first salvos go, President Donald J. Trump’s threat of a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods in retaliation for China’s role in America’s fentanyl crisis could be interpreted in Beijing as encouraging. – New York Times
China’s navy has commissioned a new-generation frigate as competition rises with the U.S. and other regional powers, saying the ship will “play a vital role in enhancing the overall combat effectiveness” of its forces. – Associated Press
The Chinese government is trying to encourage people to spend more by ensuring that share prices will rise, ordering pensions and mutual funds to invest more in domestic stocks to help jolt its languid markets out of the doldrums. – Associated Press
Jennifer Granholm writes: Securing the next generation of U.S. manufacturing jobs will require strong government and private-sector partnerships and continued investment in domestic clean energy production. When we flipped off the lights in our offices on Monday, we left the next occupants a plan for success — already in motion. It will be up to them to decide if they want to make the most of it. – New York Times
Asia
The U.S. military has moved its Typhon launchers – which can fire multipurpose missiles up to thousands of kilometres – from Laoag airfield in the Philippines to another location on the island of Luzon, a senior Philippine government source said. – Reuters
Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai on Thursday decried what he said were “suicidal” budget cuts passed by the opposition-dominated parliament this week, saying that he may ask lawmakers to review and vote again on the slashed spending that includes defence. – Reuters
New U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed China’s “dangerous and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea” with his Philippine counterpart on Wednesday and underscored the “ironclad” U.S. defense commitment to Manila. – Reuters
Indian and U.S. diplomats are trying to arrange a February meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, two Indian sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters. – Reuters
New Zealand will relax rules to lure foreign investment, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Thursday, as his centre-right government tries to spur economic growth and boost jobs. – Reuters
The Philippine foreign ministry said on Thursday it takes any indication of espionage operations by foreign nationals seriously, after the arrest this week of a Chinese national on suspicion of espionage. – Reuters
Europe
German police detained an Afghan man suspected of stabbing two people to death, including a 2-year-old, putting immigration back at the center of the campaign for next month’s election. – Wall Street Journal
The European Union should put an end to anonymity of users on social-media platforms and hold their chief executives personally accountable if they fail to comply with the bloc’s regulations, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said. – Wall Street Journal
Britain on Wednesday warned that it faced a growing threat of aggression from Russia, asserting that a Russian spy ship had passed by the English coast for the second time in three months, in the latest incident that seemed designed to test British military capabilities. – New York Times
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas pushed back on Wednesday against Donald Trump for saying that Europe lagged behind the U.S. in aid for Ukraine, and insisted the bloc must have a seat at the table when the time comes for peace talks. – Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sought to project unity at a meeting in Paris on Wednesday, as Europe struggles to respond with one voice to threats of tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump. – Reuters
A record 47% of the European Union’s electricity now comes from solar and other renewables, a report Thursday said, in yet another sign of the growing gap between the bloc’s push for clean energy and the new U.S. administration’s pursuit of more fossil fuels. – Associated Press
Greek authorities say more than 170 migrants have been picked up from rickety boats in the past three days with most found off the southern tip of the country in a route that appears to be increasingly used by traffickers. – Associated Press
Swiss prosecutors said Wednesday they were examining several complaints against President Isaac Herzog, as reports suggested nonprofits were accusing Israel’s head-of-state of “incitement to genocide” in the Gaza Strip. – Agence France Presse
Antisemitism in France continued to surge to alarming levels across the country last year, with 1,570 incidents recorded, according to a new bombshell report. – Algemeiner
Africa
The 613 men had traveled from their native Niger to neighboring Libya, where many of them planned to reach Europe over the Mediterranean Sea, a journey thousands of people from sub-Saharan Africa endeavor to make every year. – New York Times
South Sudanese authorities have suspended access to social media platforms for a minimum of 30 days after videos depicting the alleged killings of South Sudanese nationals in Sudan’s El Gezira state triggered riots and deadly revenge attacks. – Reuters
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday that he was not worried about the country’s relationship with the U.S. under President Donald Trump. – Reuters
Zimbabwe’s finance minister expressed concern on Wednesday that a U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization will lead to aid cuts to countries such as his that are most affected by HIV/AIDS. – Reuters
The United Nations will this week appeal for $910 million to help tackle a humanitarian crisis in northeastern Nigeria, which has been in the grip of an Islamist insurgency since 2009 and was hit by flooding last year, documents showed on Wednesday. – Reuters
The Americas
The cheap Canadian oil America craves is becoming a key bargaining chip in President Trump’s threatened trade war. – Wall Street Journal
The U.S.-Canada border, once hailed as the “longest border of peace on Earth,” has become a flash point in bilateral relations. – Washington Post
President Trump’s executive order designating Mexican cartels and other criminal organizations as foreign terrorists could force some American companies to forgo doing business in Mexico rather than risk U.S. sanctions, according to former government officials and analysts — an outcome that could have a major effect on both countries given their deep economic interdependence. – New York Times
When President Trump did not follow through with his promise to immediately impose new tariffs on his first day in office, business executives and others who support international trade breathed a sigh of relief. – New York Times
Mexican authorities have begun constructing giant tent shelters in the city of Ciudad Juarez to prepare for a possible influx of Mexicans deported under U.S. President Donald Trump’s promised mass deportations. – Reuters
Mexico’s president said on Wednesday she has not agreed to accept non-Mexican migrants seeking asylum in the United States, a day after her new U.S. counterpart announced the return of a program to do so. – Reuters
Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to travel to Panama as part of a trip to Latin America as soon as next week, a person familiar with the matter said, underscoring President Donald Trump’s seriousness about taking back the Panama Canal. – Bloomberg
Latin America
Chilean police carried out raids in the capital of Santiago on Wednesday, targeting a notorious Venezuelan gang that officials said had killed a Venezuelan opposition figure in an assassination orchestrated by Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro’s regime. – Wall Street Journal
Brazil’s newly nominated head of the planned 2025 COP30 climate summit in the Amazonian city of Belem warned on Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement would cast a shadow over the talks. – Reuters
Staff from an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission are in Argentina discussing a possible new debt deal, an economy ministry source told Reuters on Wednesday, confirming recent comments from the IMF chief about promising conditions for the talks. – Reuters
Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived in Haiti’s southeastern city of Jacmel on Wednesday afternoon in a rare visit by a foreign head of state to the Caribbean nation, as Haiti endures an extended conflict with armed gangs. – Reuters
Gangs in Haiti could overrun the capital, Port-au-Prince, leading to a complete breakdown of government authority without additional international support for the beleaguered national police, the United Nations chief warned. – Associated Press
Argentine President Javier Milei said he would leave Mercosur if necessary to cement a free trade agreement with the US, although he hopes to reach a deal without needing to take such drastic action. – Bloomberg
United States
The Trump administration is attempting to amass a larger force of law-enforcement officials to help carry out deportations by granting agents across the federal government the same powers as an immigration officer, according to an internal memo seen by The Wall Street Journal. – Wall Street Journal
U.S. civil rights groups are warning that an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday lays the groundwork for reinstatement of a ban on travelers from predominantly Muslim or Arab countries. – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump will speak remotely at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday in Davos, Switzerland, delivering his first major speech to global business and political leaders. – Reuters
Representative Elise Stefanik’s performance at a Senate hearing this week seems to have secured her nomination to be America’s next ambassador at the United Nations. Once arriving there, she has vowed that some Turtle Bay’s agencies will be defunded — including one that is reportedly helping Hamas hide hostages in Gaza. – New York Sun
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the firing of celebrity chef Jose Andres, founder of the controversial World Central Kitchen (WCK), from the president’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, claiming that the restaurateur and humanitarian is “not aligned with” the current White House’s mission. – Algemeiner
John Spencer writes: Finally, the United States must establish rapid-response tunnel destruction teams capable of swiftly identifying, neutralizing and demolishing illicit tunnels before they pose a greater security risk. Only by integrating all these elements into a cohesive strategy can the United States effectively combat the growing underground threat at the southern border. – Washington Post
Lisa Jarvis writes: “We are in an era where there is an increased number of cross-species transmissions and outbreaks, largely due to habitat destruction and climate change,” Beyrer says. So many facets of global health hinge on everyone working together. Pathogens don’t know borders, and they certainly don’t recognize political parties. Pretending otherwise is a bad way to protect the health of Americans. – Bloomberg
Jonathan Harounoff writes: Another paragraph from the leaflet warned Within Our Lifetime’s adherents that “settler-colonial” Zionists are, under no circumstances, to be acknowledged in any kind of “collaboration and dialog” and that a strict policy of “anti-normalization” must prevail. There are times when one wonders if those chanting genocidal slogans on our streets and on our college campuses mean what they say. Perhaps they’re merely jumping on the bandwagon, or are simply ignorant. But when those chants are roared proudly and publicly and unashamedly, perhaps it’s time to take their word for it. – Fox News
Ilan I. Berman writes: This isn’t simply a chronicle of missed opportunities. It’s also a teachable moment for the incoming Trump foreign policy team. Time after time during its tenure, the Biden administration failed to act resolutely on the international stage because of its fear of the potential consequences. This hamstrung the way the United States supported its allies and helped embolden America’s adversaries. If it wants to avoid the same outcome, the new White House must take the resulting lesson to heart. When it comes to foreign policy, there’s simply no substitute for seriousness. – Washington Times
Press Statement by Marco Rubio, Secretary of State on Priorities and Mission of the Second Trump Administration’s Department of State. – State Department
Cybersecurity
The lawyer for an Israeli private investigator said for the first time publicly on Wednesday that her client is being prosecuted over allegations that he was hired by an Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), lobbyist to hack emails of environmental activists. – Reuters
OpenAI has told an Indian court that any order to remove training data powering its ChatGPT service would be inconsistent with its legal obligations in the United States, according to a recent filing seen by Reuters. – Reuters
President Donald Trump downplayed the national security risk posed by TikTok in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, days after offering the social video app a reprieve from legislation that would have forced it to shut down. – Bloomberg
Defense
President Trump on Wednesday named Sean Curran, the head of his security detail, as the next director of the Secret Service, elevating him to lead the agency as it seeks to move past two assassination attempts on Trump last year. – Wall Street Journal
The U.S. military will send 1,500 additional active-duty troops to the border with Mexico, the White House said on Wednesday, just two days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on immigration. – Reuters
The European Union cannot rely on the United States to defend it and must increase military spending and security preparedness to help Ukraine and deter Russia from targeting any more of its neighbors, top EU officials warned on Wednesday. – Associated Press
NATO is continuing to build the output of its new ‘Baltic Sentry’ maritime surveillance activity, as it seeks to deter threats to critical undersea infrastructure (CUI) in the Baltic Sea. This capacity is being built with more navies participating in the activity, and with different countries contributing different capabilities. – Janes
The US Coast Guard (USCG) is immediately increasing the number of cutters, aircraft, and other assets it deploys to “key” border areas to support executive orders signed by President Donald Trump soon after he was sworn in on 20 January, the service said in a statement on 21 January. – Janes
Long War
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese national in Afghanistan’s northern Takhar province, in a post on its Telegram channel late on Wednesday. – Reuters
To counter the perceived threat of terror from Iran and jihadi groups, South Africa’s chief rabbi is setting up a specialist task force. – Fox News
The Jerusalem District court on Thursday morning filed a Prosecutor’s statement against a resident of Jerusalem’s Isawiya neighborhood who is suspected of ties to the Hezbollah terror group. – Arutz Sheva