IDF kills Hamas commander Hassan Farhat in Lebanon strike

The IDF killed Hamas commander Hassan Farhat during a strike in Lebanon's Sidon, the military announced on Friday morning. Farhat was the commander of the western sector of Hamas in Lebanon, the IDF said. During the war, Farhat was responsible for numerous terrorist plots, including launching rockets into Safed, the military added.  

 

Addtionally, Farhat was responsible for launching the rocket fire that killed Staff-Sergeant Omer Sarah Benjo in February and wounded several others. Two additional people were also killed during Israel's strike in Lebanon that hit Farhat, the Hezbollah-affiliated news channel Al Mayadeen reported on Friday.  

In February, the IDF withdrew from southern Lebanon but erected and maintained five new outposts in Lebanese territory. Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed to The Jerusalem Post statements by IDF sources made on Wednesday that given the extensive destruction of villages in southern Lebanon, it could take three to five years of rebuilding before there is anything for Lebanese civilians to return to. With many observers concerned that Hezbollah would exploit this mass return of Lebanese civilians to return under the guise of being noncombatants, the realization of the extent of the destruction of Lebanese villages is expected to delay such a threat. (Ed note: Sidon, promised to Israel in Joshus 13:6)   (Source)

IDF expanding ground operations in northern Gaza

IDF troops on Friday morning began conducting ground activity in the area of Shejaiya in northern Gaza, in order to expand the security zone. As part of the activity, the troops eliminated numerous terrorists and dismantled Hamas terrorist infrastructure, including a command and control center that served Hamas terrorists to plan and execute terror attacks. During and prior to the activity, IDF troops are allowing the evacuation of civilians from the combat zone via organized routes for their safety. 

 Brigadier General Yehuda Vach, the division's commander, told his soldiers, "Just like the residents of Zikim and Netiv Ha'asara saw an Israeli flag in Beit Lahia and returned home, I want to see here, at the end of this operation, a huge flagpole with an Israeli flag - so that residents of Nahal Oz will return home, and see that the IDF is protecting them." The IDF stressed that together with the ISA, it "will continue to operate against terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip in order to protect the citizens of the State of Israel."  (Source)

Gazans flee expanding strikes in north, south as IDF says fighting entering ‘new stage’

The military said it was entering “a new stage” of fighting against the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, as troops prepared to cut off the southern city of Rafah and warplanes carried out extensive strikes across the enclave, amid warnings of further attacks.

Hamas-controlled health authorities in the Strip reported dozens killed in Israeli strikes over the previous 24 hours, including 27 people who died when three missiles hit a former school building in the al-Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, though the tolls could not be confirmed.

Israeli authorities said warplanes had targeted “key Hamas terrorists” inside a command center used to plan and execute attacks against Israelis and that it had taken steps to mitigate harm to civilians. The intensification in fighting came a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that troops would carve out a new security corridor that will seemingly cut off Rafah as it seeks to pile pressure on Hamas, which continues to hold 59 Israeli hostages kidnapped on October 7, 2023.  (Read more)

Palestinian Authority encourages rebellion against Hamas

Senior Palestinian Arab officials are blaming Hamas for the dire situation in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing war. Mahmoud al-Habbash, an advisor to Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, called for the formation of a "popular and national stance" demanding that Hamas leave the Gaza Strip.

He described Hamas's policy as "pointless and thoughtless," claiming it has provided Israel with "pretexts to continue its aggression against the Palestinians." In an interview with Voice of Palestine radio, al-Habbash said, "The residents of the Gaza Strip who took to the streets to demand an end to Hamas's rule expressed the sentiment of millions of people who wish to bring an end to the war and strengthen the Palestinian national position under the umbrella of the PLO."

Adnan al-Damiri, a member of Fatah's advisory council, claimed that "the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are demanding an end to the war, whereas Hamas, if it were a true Palestinian movement, would act in the best interests of the Palestinian people." He added, "There is not a single sign indicating that Hamas is a Palestinian movement; rather, it is becoming clear that it is linked to other countries and their interests." (Read More)

‘Attack on the Global Trade Order’ Cries German Chancellor, Warning Trump’s Tariffs ‘Fundamentally Wrong’

Germany’s outgoing Chancellor voices the frustrations felt across the European ruling class at President Donald Trump tearing up the status quo on trade, decrying an “attack” The European Union, which has been hit with tariffs twice as high as post-Brexit Britain given the bloc’s protectionist policies and tariffs on imports, is expressing its distress and even outrage at President Trump’s bid to reform the United States’ trade relationship with the world.

 Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz who is still technically in power nearly six weeks after he lost the Federal elections in February spoke in defense of the globalist status quo on Thursday. He said “This is an attack on a trade order that has created prosperity all over the globe”, called Trump’s policy “fundamentally wrong”, and warned “there will only be losers”, reports Tagesspiegel. Scholz told the European Union to “flex its muscles”, indicating a knee-jerk reaction of retaliation rather than taking — for instance — the UK’s approach of negotiating

Several European leaders, including Germany’s Foreign Minister have tried to rebrand what Trump calls his ‘Liberation Day’ as ‘Inflation Day’, buttressing the official messaging to European voters that this change will be inflationary.   (Read More) 

General Motors to Expand Production at Indiana Plant Thanks to Trump’s Auto Tariffs

General Motors (GM) plans to expand production at one of its plants in Indiana thanks to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign-made cars. 

On Wednesday evening, Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on all foreign-made cars to protect the nation’s auto industry from unfair trade competition. GM executives said they will be increasing production of light-duty trucks at the automaker’s Fort Wayne Assembly Plant in Indiana, according to an exclusive report by Reuters on Thursday.GM executives said they will be increasing production of light-duty trucks at the automaker’s Fort Wayne Assembly Plant in Indiana, according to an exclusive report by Reuters on Thursday. 

 “The Detroit automaker may also add overtime days to the schedule, Plant Director Dennys Pimenta told employees in the webcast,” Reuters reports. “The moves will increase employment there with the hiring of several hundred temporary workers, according to a company source.” As Breitbart News reported, the United Auto Workers (UAW) have praised Trump’s auto tariffs as a necessary tool to end the nation’s decades-long free trade policy that has “devastated” American auto workers.  (Source)

On the road to Gog and Magog? Increasing Turkish military presence in Syria concerns Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan invited Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham leader and Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa to Ankara for discussions regarding the establishment of Turkish bases in Syria, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Several sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters that Erdoğan and al-Sharaa discussed the possibility of establishing two Turkish bases in Syria's central desert region, including a former Russian airbase (T4) east of the city of Homs.The agreement could also include the use of Syrian airspace for military purposes and Turkish participation in the training of the forces of the new Syrian army.

The report also said that the agreement could include Turkish protection of Syrian airspace to prevent future attacks, such as the Israeli strikes aimed at destroying military supplies left by the former government of Bashar al-Assad. According to a report in "Middle East Eye", Turkey has already begun formulating construction plans for the base, which is located near the city of Palmyra in central Syria. That report claims that Turkey would initially establish air defense systems on the base, before stationing long-range UAVs, such as the Turkish Bayraktar TB2, which has seen extensive use by Turkish forces and Turkish militias against Kurdish fighters in Syria, Iraq, and eastern Turkey, as well as in Libya. (Ed note: perhaps not Ezekiel 38/39, but Jeremiah 49:23-27 sure comes to mind.)   (Read More)

Iran has ‘several hundred’ missiles left in its arsenal

As U.S. President Donald Trump gives Iran a two-month ultimatum regarding its nuclear program and moves heavy stealth bombers into position to warn Tehran about the consequences of failing to reach a deal, it has increased its threats to fire missiles in response. Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran during an NBC News interview on March 30, saying, “If they don’t make a deal, there will be a bombing.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded the same day, saying, “Direct negotiations have been rejected, but Iran has always been involved in indirect negotiations, and now too,” while confirming that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is allowing indirect contacts.

The Ayatollah regime has used Iran’s underground missile infrastructures in recent days to issue threats, with the state-run Tehran Times stating on March 31 that “Iranian missiles are loaded onto launchers in all underground missile cities and are ready for launch.”    (Read More)

Israeli forces clash with armed terrorists in southern Syria

The Israel Defense Forces reported a firefight with armed terrorists during operations overnight Wednesday in the southern Syrian town of Tasil. The operation, according to the IDF, was aimed at locating and dismantling terrorist assets in the area. During the encounter, soldiers responded to gunfire and reportedly neutralized several combatants, both through direct engagement and air support.

Tasil is situated near the demilitarized zone along the Syria-Israel frontier—an area where the Israeli military has been operating since the Assad regime lost control of the region late last year. In a related development, the IDF confirmed launching a wave of airstrikes on Wednesday night on multiple military facilities across Syria. Targets included the Hama military airport and the T-4 airbase, where strikes were said to have damaged fuel storage areas, radar equipment and runways.

Additionally, Israeli aircraft carried out strikes near Damascus. Syrian state media reported that one of the locations hit was the Barzeh research facility on the city’s outskirts, a site previously scrutinized in international discussions on weapons development.  (Read more)

'Changing gears' | Netanyahu: 'We are taking control of the Morag Corridor in Gaza'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement on Wednesday about Israel's intensifying operations in the Gaza Strip and announced that Israel will take control of an additional corridor. "Last night in the Gaza Strip, we changed gears. The IDF is taking territory, hitting terrorists, and destroying infrastructure. We are also doing something else: We are seizing the Morag Corridor. This will be the second Philadelphi, an additional Philadelphi Corridor."

 He explained that the reason for this is that "we are now dividing the Strip and increasing the pressure step by step, so that they will give us our hostages. And as long as they do not give them to us, the pressure will increase until they do." Netanyahu affirmed: "We are determined to achieve the war's goals, and we are working without rest and with a clear motive, and clear objective. And with G-d's help and the help of our heroic soldiers - we will achieve it." 

 The corridor that Netanyahu announced is seemingly named for the now destroyed Jewish village of Morag, which was situated between Rafah and Khan Yunis. If the corridor would run through the same area, it would separate southern Gaza's two major cities   (Source0

IDF is closing in on controlling 30% of Gaza, defense sources tell 'Post'

With the IDF’s latest pushes in southern Gaza and northern Gaza, it is close to controlling 30% of the Gaza Strip, defense sources said Wednesday. Division 36 finally started to take a full hand in the invasion, focusing on northern Rafah in southern Gaza. Its activities added to other divisions already active in Gaza since mid-March, including Division 252 in northern and central Gaza and Division 143 in southern Rafah. The latest IDF maneuvers could eventually cut off Rafah from Khan Yunis.

Despite the expanded areas of operation, defense sources have said they are continuing to avoid operating in areas in which hostages might be held. Furthermore, defense sources said even as the growing invasion with three divisions has required some new rounds of reservist call-ups, the still will not need to order a very large reservist call-up wave unless it engages in a much larger invasion of Gaza.

Defense sources threatened that if Hamas did not agree to a new hostage deal soon, a much larger invasion could be ordered within a period of days or weeks.Nevertheless, Defense Minister Israel Katz deflected any questions from The Jerusalem Post that suggested Israel was moving toward a slow military occupation of Gaza.Instead, the focus of the operation was still achieving a hostage deal, he said, declining to speculate about whether Hamas could or would try to outlast Israel’s latest military assault for several more months.  (Read more)

Katz says offensive aimed at seizing ‘extensive territory,’ as IDF pounds south Gaza

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Wednesday morning that Israel is expanding operations in Gaza, following extensive overnight strikes in the southern part of the enclave. Troops will move to clear areas “of terrorists and infrastructure, and capture extensive territory that will be added to the State of Israel’s security areas,” Katz said in a statement. The IDF deployed another division to the southern Gaza Strip early in the day as part of the expansion of the offensive against Hamas.  

Palestinian media reported a large wave of strikes in Rafah and Khan Younis the night prior, and later said troops were advancing in Rafah. According to the reports, the bombings killed 21 people as of Wednesday morning. Later Wednesday, the IDF and Shin Bet said in a joint statement that they carried out a strike on Hamas terror operatives in the Jabalia area. Palestinian media reported at least eight dead in the strike and said the target was an UNRWA clinic. 

“The operatives were in a command and control compound that served as terror infrastructure and as a central meeting point for the terrorist organization,” according to the Israeli statement. “Additionally, the building was used by the Jabalia Battalion to advance [attacks] plans against Israeli civilians and IDF forces,” they added. The military said various measures were taken ahead of the strikes to minimize the risk to civilians, including intelligence gathering and aerial surveillance.  (Read more)

US Treasury chief meets with global banks on Iran oil sanctions

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday met in Washington with 16 global banks and federal law enforcement agencies on US sanctions policy on Iran including efforts to cut its oil exports. Bessent said President Donald Trump's administration is applying economic pressure to the maximum extent possible to disrupt Iran's access to financial resources that help it fund Hamas and other militant groups throughout the Middle East and its efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon.

"This includes the billions of dollars each year that Iran generates via its oil sales, which the regime also uses to finance its dangerous agenda and support its multiple terrorist proxies and partners," Bessent said, according to a copy of his remarks. Trump restored his policy of maximum pressure on Iran in February that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero.

In March Treasury slapped sanctions on tankers carrying Iranian oil and on a Chinese "teapot" refinery for processing the oil. Teapots are small, independent refineries in China. China's national oil company refineries have stopped buying Iranian oil over concerns about sanctions. Bessent mentioned the US sanctioning of Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co., Ltd, the small refinery, and its chief executive officer for purchasing and refining hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian crude oil, including from vessels linked to the Houthis and the Iranian Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics.  (Read More)

US Treasury sanctions Houthi pipeline for Russian arms and stolen Ukrainian grain

The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned a network of Houthi terrorist "financial facilitators and procurement operatives" who procured "tens of millions of dollars worth of commodities from Russia, including weapons, and stolen Ukrainian grain for onward shipment" to Yemen, the Treasury announced on Wednesday. The network was operating in coordination with Sa'id al-Jamal, a senior "Houthi financial official backed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF)," the Treasury added.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that "The Houthis remain reliant on Sa’id al-Jamal and his network to procure critical goods to supply the group’s terrorist war machine," adding "Today’s action underscores our commitment to degrading the Houthis’ ability to threaten the region through their destabilizing activities."

"The Houthis have deployed missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and naval mines to attack commercial shipping interests in the Red Sea, threatening global freedom of navigation and the integrity of international commerce," Bessent added. "These indiscriminate attacks on civilian economic infrastructure, enabled and incentivized by the support of the Iranian regime, have resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians and resulted in millions of dollars in damage to commercial shipping," he continued.   (Read More)

The Looming Housing Crisis No One Is Talking About

The U.S. housing market is standing on a precarious edge, and almost no one is paying attention. Right now, over 1 million defaulted FHA mortgages are being artificially kept from foreclosure by government policies that should have ended with the pandemic. This is not just a housing problem—it's a potential economic disaster waiting to happen. If these policies continue, we risk inflating a new subprime housing bubble—one eerily reminiscent of 2008. If they suddenly end, we could see a massive surge in foreclosures that floods the market with inventory, leading to plummeting home prices and financial turmoil. Either way, the government’s intervention in the housing market is setting up a crisis that could shake not only homeowners but also the broader economy.  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, mortgage relief programs were enacted to protect struggling homeowners. These policies made sense at the time—millions of Americans lost jobs overnight, and foreclosures would have been catastrophic. But instead of phasing these protections out as the economy recovered, the Biden administration continued extending them long after the pandemic ended. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, over 300,000 seriously delinquent FHA mortgages are still being blocked from foreclosure by these outdated policies. The FHA mortgage program, which backs 7.8 million active loans, now has nearly 14% of its loans in default—a staggering number that should be setting off alarm bells. Here’s why this matters:  

Artificially Low Foreclosure Rates: The government is essentially propping up borrowers who haven't made payments in months or even years. This keeps foreclosure numbers artificially low, giving the illusion of a strong housing market. 

A Hidden Wave of Inventory: If these protections were lifted, 300,000 to 400,000 homes could suddenly hit the market as foreclosures or short sales. That’s a 40% increase in U.S. housing inventory—and in some regions, available homes could double or triple overnight.  

Housing Prices Are Being Manipulated: With such a limited supply of homes for sale, prices remain high. But the moment these defaulted homes hit the market, we could see a dramatic price correction. Homeowners who bought at peak prices could suddenly find themselves underwater, just like in 2008.  (Ed note: and this article does not address the commercial vacancy rate which is now 20% in many major cities.)   (Read More)

Israel expands military operation in Gaza following wave of strikes

The Israel Defense Forces has deployed another division to the Gaza Strip following overnight strikes on the enclave’s south, with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stating on Wednesday morning that “Operation Strength and Sword” is being expanded. Israeli forces will move to secure wider areas to reinforce buffer zones along the border, with the aim of weakening terrorist infrastructure and pressure local communities to distance themselves from Hamas while supporting the return of hostages, he said.

On Wednesday, the IDF reported that troops eliminated an armed terrorist who approached the security fence in southern Gaza. According to the military, the suspect posed a threat and was shot before reaching the fence. No Israeli injuries were reported.

Also on Wednesday, the IDF and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) confirmed a targeted strike on Hamas operatives in Jabalia. According to a joint statement, the terrorists were located in a command center used to coordinate attacks and serve as a key meeting point for the group’s leadership. The compound, operated by Hamas’ Jabalia Battalion, was also used to plan attacks on Israeli civilians and troops, according to the statement.   (Read More)

Mapped: These are the nuclear sites in Iran the US and Israel could hit if talks fail

Trump warned Iran that without a nuclear deal, 'there will be bombing,' echoing Israeli threats; since the 2015 deal collapsed, Iran has ramped up enrichment at key sites like Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan—now potential targets if talks fail. U.S. President Donald Trump said this week that if Iran did not strike a deal with the United States over its nuclear program "there will be bombing," adding to U.S. ally Israel's long-standing threat to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. 

Israel has consistently warned that it will act militarily if necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. With Trump’s remarks, the prospect of a coordinated or unilateral attack on Iranian nuclear facilities has gained new urgency. Below are some of Iran’s key nuclear sites that could be targeted in such a scenario.

Where are Iran's nuclear facilities? Iran's nuclear program is spread over many locations. While the threat of Israeli airstrikes has loomed for decades, only some of the sites have been built underground. The United States and the UN nuclear watchdog believe Iran had a coordinated, secret nuclear weapons program that it halted in 2003. The Islamic Republic denies ever having had one or planning to have one.
Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for relief from international sanctions under a 2015 deal with world powers. 

That pact fell apart after then-President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of it in 2018 and Iran started abandoning the restrictions the next year. Yes. Iran has been expanding its uranium enrichment program ever since the pact broke down, reducing the so-called "breakout time" it would need to produce enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear bomb to days or little more than a week from at least a year under the 2015 deal.   (Read More)

US deploys B-2 bombers and carrier strike groups amid rising tensions with Iran

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has deployed additional warplanes to reinforce the Pentagon's naval assets in the Middle East, the Pentagon said in a statement on Tuesday. The statement did mention specific aircraft, but US officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity stated that at least four B-2 bombers have relocated to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, close enough to reach Yemen or Iran.

Hegseth has also ordered the Carl Vinson carrier strike group to the region, which will arrive in the region after completing exercises in the Indo-Pacific, according to Bloomberg. The Department is also prolonging the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group’s deployment in the region, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said. The two carriers will “continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region,” added Parnell.

The statement comes as the US continues to strike Houthi targets in Yemen, having officially launched an operation against the Iran-backed rebels last month. US President Donald Trump recently stated that the Houthis would be “completely annihilated" and added that Iranian support would only impede but not stop the Houthis' destruction.Trump later said that the Houthis now want peace because the US attacks on them have been very successful, while stressing that those strikes will continue for a very long time. The Pentagon statement also comes amid tensions with Iran, after Trump warned Iran on Sunday that "if they don't make a deal, there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before." In response, Iran’s state-controlled Iranian newspaper Tehran Times wrote in a post on X that Iran's missiles are "loaded onto launchers in all underground missile cities and are ready for launch."   (Read More) 

The Storm Before The Fire: Is The U.S. About To Bomb Iran?

Picture this: sirens wailing across Israeli cities as ballistic missiles rain down. U.S. military bases from Iraq to Bahrain erupt in explosions as Iran's proxy militias launch a coordinated assault. Oil prices skyrocket overnight, crippling the global economy. American warships in the Persian Gulf scramble to defend themselves against a barrage of drones and fast-moving attack boats. 

This isn't some hypothetical doomsday scenario--it's the very real chain reaction that could begin in the next few weeks. Right now, the United States is assembling an armada of bombers in the Indian Ocean, while Iran is loading its missile launchers and bracing for a fight. The world stands on the edge of a military conflict that could reshape the Middle East for a generation. The question is: will the U.S. strike, and if so, what will be the consequences?  

For years, Iran has played a dangerous game, inching closer to nuclear capability while taunting the West with open threats. The Islamic Republic has not been shy about its intentions--time and again, its leaders have called for the complete destruction of Israel. A nuclear-armed Iran is not just an abstract geopolitical threat; it would be an existential crisis for both Israel and the broader stability of the Middle East. The U.S. has spent decades trying to contain Iran's ambitions through diplomacy and sanctions, but Tehran has consistently found ways to evade restrictions. Now, the Trump administration appears to be done waiting. A two-month deadline for Iran to strike a nuclear deal only has a little time left, and intelligence reports indicate that Iranian ballistic missiles are now "loaded onto launchers in all underground missile cities and ready for launch."   (Read more)

RAF fighter jets to patrol Polish airspace on Nato’s eastern flank

RAF fighter jets will patrol Polish airspace on Nato’s eastern flank, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said. The department said British-built Typhoon jets had arrived in eastern Poland on Tuesday from RAF Lossiemouth to take part in a “Nato enhanced air policing mission”.

The MoD said six UK Typhoon fighter jets from II (AC) Squadron would be deployed alongside Swedish Airforce Gripen fighter jets. It added that defence minister Lord Coaker met with Polish defence minister Wladyslaw Marcin Kosiniak-Kamysz and Swedish defence minister Pal Jonson on Tuesday to “outline the UK’s commitment to European security and to mark the start of the operation”. 

Lord Coaker said: “The UK is unshakeable in its commitment to Nato. With threats increasing and growing Russian aggression, it is vital that we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies.“This latest air policing mission in Poland displays the UK’s ability to operate effectively with Nato’s newest member in Sweden and deter our common adversaries across the alliance’s airspace, keeping us secure at home and strong abroad.” The deployment is the first time that Swedish fighter jets will take part in air policing on the territory of another Nato ally since Stockholm joined the alliance in 2024. In April 2024, six Typhoon fighter jets with more than 200 personnel were stationed in Romania to defend Nato’s eastern border.  (Read more)

Germany launches permanent troop deployment on NATO’s eastern flank

BERLIN — Germany officially launched its first permanent foreign troop deployment since World War II on Tuesday — a 5,000-strong armored brigade in Lithuania — as Berlin moves to bolster NATO’s eastern flank in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine. According to the German military’s lobbying group, the newly created 45th Armored Brigade was formally activated during a ceremony outside Vilnius. A temporary headquarters was established, with the brigade's crest unveiled and the unit now officially under the command of Brigadier General Christoph Huber.

“We have a clear mission: to ensure the protection, freedom and security of our Lithuanian allies on NATO’s eastern flank,” Huber told dpa, the German press agency. “In doing so, we also protect NATO territory — and Germany itself.” Berlin pledged the long-term deployment in 2023, breaking with decades of German defense policy that avoided permanent stationing of combat troops abroad. The unit is set to be fully operational by 2027 and will eventually be based in a new military complex in Rūdninkai, roughly 30 kilometers south of Vilnius. Until then, troops will operate out of temporary Lithuanian bases.

The plan includes not just frontline forces but also support units — such as a medical center, signal company and command support teams — across multiple locations. Currently, 150 German troops are stationed in Lithuania. That number is expected to reach 500 by year’s end. For NATO, the deployment represents a critical part of the alliance’s shift to deterrence by forward defense. For Germany, it’s a major step in shedding its reputation as a reluctant military power. Lithuania, which borders Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Kremlin ally Belarus, sees the move as vital to its national security. The war in Ukraine has turned the Baltic region into a frontline zone — and Berlin’s presence into a symbol of NATO’s long-term commitment.  (Read More)

King Dollar Rocked by Trump's Assault on World Economic Order

(Bloomberg) — As US stock prices tumbled this month, John Sidawi, a fund manager at Federated Hermes, noticed something strange. The dollar, long a go-to hiding place during market selloffs, wasn’t rallying this time as investors rushed for safety. It was sinking, too, and fast as hot money poured into gold, the yen, European stocks — almost anywhere but the US. “It’s unusual and very telling,” said Sidawi, who helps oversee bond investments at the firm. “The dollar, in an environment where it should be acting like a safe haven, is not. ”That, as with so much of the volatility that has whipsawed global markets recently, has a singular explanation: President Donald Trump.

Just two months into his second term, his escalating fusillade of tariffs and bid to roll back decades of globalization is shaking confidence in the US currency — which has had a privileged place at the heart of the world financial system for eight decades. The dollar has dropped against all but a handful of the 31 major currencies over the last three months, sending Bloomberg’s dollar index down nearly 3%, its worst start to a year since 2017. The price of gold — a rival haven — has surged to a record high of over $3,000 an ounce. By mid-March, speculative traders started betting against the dollar for the first time since Trump’s election amid fear his policy shifts could drive the world’s largest economy into a recession

“The rise and fall of currencies is not something that occurs because you get a wildcard president that is doing his best to kill globalization,” said Carmen Reinhart, a Harvard University professor and former World Bank chief economist. “The dollar did not overtake the British pound as a reserve currency overnight.”But Trump’s actions are rekindling long-simmering discussions about whether overseas governments will accelerate efforts to less reliance on the dollar. In Europe, leaders have seen it as an opportunity to strengthen the euro’s role by creating more integrated, liquid markets that would allow the common currency to better rival the dollar. In the developing world, a handful of countries have also periodically floated the idea of banding together to challenge the dollar’s supremacy. (Ed note: I believe that Trump is trying to pay off the US debt with cheaper dollars. Did you notice how the globalists do not like a capitalist?)   (Read more)

Trump: US strikes will continue until Houthi attacks stop

U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a pointed message to Yemen’s Houthi rebels and their Iranian supporters on Monday, warning that U.S. military operations would not let up until hostile actions against American naval vessels come to a halt. “The Iran-backed Houthi Terrorists have been decimated by the relentless strikes over the past two weeks,” Trump wrote on social media. “Many of their Fighters and Leaders are no longer with us.”

He emphasized the ongoing nature of the campaign, stating, “We hit them every day and night — Harder and harder.” Trump explained that these operations are aimed at dismantling the Houthis’ ability to endanger regional maritime routes, noting their offensive capabilities “are rapidly being destroyed.”

Looking ahead, the president made the U.S. stance clear: “longer a threat. Our attacks will continue until they are no  to Freedom of Navigation.” He issued a direct ultimatum to the Houthis: “The choice for the Houthis is clear: Stop shooting at U.S. ships, and we will stop shooting at you.” Otherwise, he continued, “we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran.”   (Read More)

Khamenei's advisor: If bombed, Iran will be forced to develop nuclear weapons

Ali Larijani, an advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warned on Monday that Iran would be forced to develop a nuclear bomb if the US or Israel attack the Islamic Republic .Larijani said that a fatwa (religious edict) published by Khamenei prohibits nuclear weapons, but “if the US or Israel make a mistake and bomb Iran, it would force Iran to develop them due to public pressure.”

He further urged the US to “choose a different course rather than hostility.”Larijani’s comments come hours after Khamenei warned US President Donald Trump against any attack on Iran. According to Khamenei, if the US follows through on its threats, it will receive a "strong blow." On Sunday, Trump told NBC, "If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before."

In response, Iran’s state-controlled Iranian newspaper Tehran Times wrote in a post on X that Iran's missiles are "loaded onto launchers in all underground missile cities and are ready for launch." Later, Trump again threatened Iran, saying he could consider imposing secondary tariffs on Iran should the Islamic Republic fail to agree to a deal on its nuclear program. “We're going to make a decision on secondary tariffs on Iran based on whether or not they're going to make a deal. If they're going to make a deal, then we're never going to put secondary tariffs on. We can hope they have a great, long, and successful life as a country. But we'll see what happens,” he told reporters. “I can't imagine them doing anything else but making a deal,” Trump added. “I would prefer a deal to the other alternative, which I think everybody in this plane knows what that is, and that's not going to be pretty, and I do not prefer that.”   (Source)

Iran threatens preemptive strike on base housing US bombers, report says

The Iranian military has called for a preemptive strike on Diego Garcia island, located about 1,100 miles south of India in the Indian Ocean, where strategic bombers have been stationed, in an effort to deter President Donald Trump from using the base to attack the Islamic Republic, according to a report in the British Telegraph. The paper spoke with a senior Iranian official who said commanders in the Iranian military have been urging leaders to order if Trump's threats against Iran, become more serious. 

Discussions about the island have increased since the Americans stationed bombers there," the officials said. "The response to Trump's threats must come through action, not words. Every base in the region is within the range of our missiles. "The officials said Iran's missiles are ready to strike any target in the region that poses a threat, be it in Bahrain or Diego Garcia. "Commanders have been instructed to ensure that all missile launchers are prepared and that nuclear facilities are protected. They are preparing for an all-out war, with everything in place for the moment Trump decides to attack."

Satellite images released last week, showed at least three Northrop B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, along with transport and refueling aircraft, arriving at the base. These are capable of evading the most advanced air defense systems and carrying out lethal strikes. Diego Garcia is the main island in the Chagos Archipelago, a British-owned territory in the Indian Ocean. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had expressed a desire to return the islands to Mauritius. According to the Telegraph, the future of the military base is a key point of contention in negotiations over the islands' transfer. As part of Starmer's proposal, the main island would be leased back to Britain for an annual fee of €90 million, allowing the U.S. to continue its military operations there. (Read More)

Iran's dangerous game: The message behind Tehran's threats to Trump - analysis

Iran is issuing a warning to the US regarding potential airstrikes. This comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has been reaching out to Tehran, and the US has stationed warplanes on Diego Garcia. Iran fears that the US may be considering airstrikes if an agreement is not reached, and the Iranian government wants to make it clear that it will retaliate if these threats become a reality. This is a risky move by Iran, which is using its nuclear program as a bargaining chip to potentially secure concessions. At the same time, Iran is seeking to strengthen its ties with Russia and China.  

Iran is ramping up its rhetoric against the US to send a clear message. For instance, a video featuring Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a high-ranking Iranian official, was circulated online, in which he warns the US against striking. Hajizadeh, who heads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) aerospace unit, stated that Iran could retaliate by targeting US military bases in the region. "The Americans have around ten military bases in the region—at least near Iran—and 50,000 troops," Hajizadeh said in an interview with Iranian state media. "It’s like they’re sitting in a glass house. And when you’re in a glass house, you don’t throw stones at others."  

Iran is stressing that, although the US may have the ability to carry out precision airstrikes on Iran, Tehran has the capability to strike American bases in the Gulf, including those in Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE. Iran believes this could make the US reconsider, as Iran can destabilize multiple regions.

In the past, Iran has used proxies to attack US forces in Iraq, carried out drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia in 2019, and has collaborated with the Houthis in Yemen to target the UAE. Currently, the US is retaliating against the Houthis with the USS Harry Truman carrier strike group.   (Read More)  

Israel aims to begin building new $1.4b border barrier with Jordan within months

Israel intends to begin building a long-promised new fence along the border with Jordan in June, The Times of Israel learned on Monday. The work was expected to take three years. The fence will run from Hamat Gader at the southern edge of the Golan Heights to the Ramon International Airport north of Eilat. A 30-kilometer (18-mile) portion of the border with Jordan, from Eilat to Ramon Airport, was already upgraded in a similar fashion to Israel’s border barriers with Egypt and the Gaza Strip in the 2010s.  

The new fence will cost NIS 5.2 billion ($1.4 billion). Israel will aim to build the fence as close as possible to the actual border with Jordan, keeping in mind security and topographical considerations. The current fence leaves some 170 square kilometers between it and the border. It also has plans to develop new towns along the border. 

There is an aging chain link fence equipped with sensors along some of the border that Jordan shares with Israel and the West Bank. Other sections are only equipped with barbed wire. The border’s porousness has made it a site of frequent gun- and drug-running. Officials say that weapons that have made it over the border — likely tens of thousands over the past decade — have fueled a surge in violence in the Arab community in Israel, and have been used by Palestinian terrorists. (Ed note: Bill Salus and Hal Lindsey have well said that, "Israel's  treaties with Jordan and Egypt are as thin as the paper they are printed upon.")  (Read More)

Egypt military buildup in Sinai threatens peace with Israel, source warns

Israel has recently observed a military buildup by Egypt in the Sinai Peninsula, according to a security source who spoke with reporters on Monday. “Egypt has deployed forces beyond the permitted quota, expanded port facilities, and extended runways at airports,” the source said. The source added that these actions violate the peace agreement between the two nations.

Regarding the entry of Egyptian forces beyond the permitted quota, security officials emphasized that “such actions are reversible – it is not a problem to pull tanks back.” The security source emphasized that Israel is committed to maintaining the peace agreement and will not alter its deployment along the border. However, the source also added, “Israel will not accept the situation and will not tolerate violations from Cairo.”

Israel is currently in discussions with both Cairo and Washington on the matter. The source said, “Washington is responsible for upholding the peace agreement and must ensure it is implemented as written.” So far, Israel has refrained from commenting on Egypt’s military buildup, aside from a few rare statements. In February, Israel’s Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter stated that Egypt’s military buildup in Sinai is “intolerable.” The ambassador added, “For a long time, this issue was pushed aside, but it is continuing. This will be a topic we are going to put on the table – very soon and very firmly.”  (Source)

Israel confronts Egypt over 'major' peace treaty violation

Israel has approached Egypt and the US with a request to begin dismantling military infrastructure constructed by the Egyptian army in Sinai that violates the peace agreement between the countries. A senior security official characterized the Egyptian actions as a "major violation" of the security annex during a conversation with journalists. The official explained that the entry of military forces into Sinai beyond the quotas agreed upon in the military annex to the peace agreements represents "the smaller problem," since "such actions are reversible. It's not complicated to move tanks backward," the senior official said. He emphasized that this issue ranks high on Defense Minister Israel Katz's priority list, who requested special attention be given to the matter. The Israeli senior official stressed that Israel remains committed to preserving the peace agreement with Egypt and has no intention of altering its military deployment along the Egyptian border. However, he added that Israel "will not accept the situation."  

In a separate context, the senior official revealed that the threat from "external Hamas" is intensifying globally. Particularly concerning is the risk of terrorist activity by Hamas forces in Syria. The security official disclosed that Syria's leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, has released Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders from Syrian prisons where they had been detained during Bashar Assad's rule. Following their release, these organization leaders are threatening to attack Israel.

To counter this threat, Israel has established a security zone approximately 11 miles wide and 50 miles long into the Syrian side of the Golan Heights. Along this zone, nine major outposts have been constructed, with the central position located at the Hermon peak. "The IDF will remain in these areas until further notice. The army will separate the enemies from Israeli residents. The situation that existed before October 7 will not return," the security official said.  (Read More)

Iran warns US: Our missiles are poised for launch

After Trump threatens Iran with "bombings" if it doesn't agree to a nuclear deal, state-controlled Iranian newspaper Tehran Times posts on X that Iran's missiles are loaded onto launchers and are ready for launch. Iran's missiles are "loaded onto launchers in all underground missile cities and are ready for launch," the state-controlled Iranian newspaper Tehran Times wrote in a post on X on Sunday night. "Opening the Pandora's box will come at a heavy cost for the US government and its allies," the newspaper’s post further warned.

The warning came after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian officially announced that Tehran has rejected direct negotiations with the United States over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. The decision marks Iran’s first formal response to a letter from President Donald Trump, which was delivered to Iran’s Supreme Leader through Oman.

While Pezeshkian left the possibility of indirect negotiations open, he indicated that such efforts have made little progress since Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. "We don’t avoid talks; it’s the breach of promises that has caused issues for us so far," Pezeshkian stated during a televised Cabinet meeting. "They must prove that they can build trust." Trump later sent another threatening message to the Iranian regime, warning there would be "bombings" if the Islamic Republic does not accept a nuclear deal. Speaking to NBC, the President warned, If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing — and it will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before." (Read More)