English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For  January 04/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
The Sunday Of Finding Jesus Christ The Boy at the Temple
Luke 02/41-52/Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man"

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 03-04/2026
Video and Text: “Astrologers Have Lied, Even If They Speak the Truth”/Elias Bejjani/January 02/2026
Patriotic and Faithful Reflections for the New Year/Elias Bejjani/January 01/2026
From Venezuela: Trump’s Messages to Iran, Hezbollah, and the World/Mounir Al-Rabih/Al-Modon/January 04/2026
Sheikh Qassem Voices Pride in Hezbollah Relation with Iran: Israeli Withdrawal is Lebanon’s Priority
Report: Trump asked Netanyahu to wait on Hezbollah op to allow for talks with Lebanese govt.
Hezbollah says US attack on Venezuela violates sovereignty, international law —
Israeli army says it targeted Hezbollah member in south Lebanon
Israeli media cite plan for broader military action against Lebanon: Amal Shehadeh
FM, Raji Contacts Lebanon’s Ambassador to Venezuela to Check on the Community: They are Safe and We are Monitoring the Situation
Hezbollah: The Aggression Against Venezuela is a Flagrant Violation of an Independent State’s Sovereignty
South Beneath the South... The State on the Surface and the "Party" in the Tunnels
In Defense of the “Great Satan”
Reasons for the Postponement of Le Drian’s Visit to Lebanon
Drone Strike Targets "Rapid" Van in Southern Town of Khiam
Increased European Military Support: An Incentive to Complete the Consolidation of Weapons
Lessons for the Lebanese Government and Hezbollah Following the Venezuela Operation/Colonel Charbel Barakat/January 03/2026

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 03-04/2026
UN Security Council to meet Monday over US action in Venezuela
Venezuela’s VP Delcy Rodriguez says Maduro only president of country
Trump: US ‘will run’ Venezuela, send in oil companies
US allies, foes alarmed by capture of Venezuela’s Maduro
US strikes Venezuela and captures its leader Maduro
US strikes Venezuela and says its leader has been captured and flown out of the country
Why has US attacked Caracas and captured Venezuela’s president?
Iran Supreme Leader Says Will Not Yield as Protests Simmer and US Threatens
‘No future for us’: disaffected Iranians say it’s now or never to topple regime
UAE calls for restraint, urges Yemenis to resolve differences through dialogue
Southern Transitional Council welcomes Saudi invitation for Yemen dialogue
Do Syria’s Former Regime Networks Really Command 168,000 Fighters?
Missile hits near military airport in Syria’s Damascus, says state media
Syria begins circulating new post-Assad currency bills
Turkey's Erdogan hails 2.6bn euro jet deal with Spain
Trump’s threat to ‘come to rescue’ of Iran’s protesters raises tensions, intent unclear
Iran’s Khamenei says protesters’ economic demands fair, warns ‘rioters’ as death toll reaches 12
UN chief calls on Israel to reverse NGOs ban in Gaza
Medical charity ‘may have to halt Gaza operations in March’
Spain highlights importance of Gaza reconstruction
Displaced Sudanese escape RSF siege in southern Kordofan

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 03-04/2026
Iran's Exponentiating Missile Threat: Will the U.S. and Europe Just Sit and Watch?/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute./January 03/2026
US-Europe relationship too important to be sidelined/Luke Coffey/Arabic News/January 03, 2026
Israel’s Somaliland play against Turkiye doomed to fail/Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arabic News/January 03, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets/ January 03/2026

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 03-04/2026
Elias Bejjani/Video and Text: “Astrologers Have Lied, Even If They Speak the Truth”
Elias Bejjani/January 02/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/01/138623/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akG1nXqso_E&t=608s
Have those who practice astrology, prophecies, lies, and hypocrisy replaced Almighty God?
Have they truly become capable of reading the future and knowing the unseen?
There is no doubt that in Lebanon, almost all the owners of media facilities (TV stations, radio stations, YouTube channels, newspapers, and online websites) neither fear Almighty God nor the hour of His last reckoning. They brazenly promote infidelity, hoaxes, and lies through programs that epitomize spiritual decadence. These programs—whose stars are alleged astrologers claiming to know and predict the future—are mere swindlers and hypocrites. Some of them are even linked to regional and local intelligence groups that use misinformation to propagate various conspiracies.This heretical media status is deeply flawed, sad, disgusting, and frightening. Many Lebanese media institutions have sunk into a mire of faithlessness and immorality.
To those responsible for these outlets—who promote the lies and trivialities of heretics practicing magic, astrology, and false prophecies—we ask: Do you fear God?
Do you believe in the Holy Scriptures? Are you aware of the dire consequences awaiting those who engage in such satanic practices, condemned by Christian, Jewish, and Islamic teachings alike?
We also ask Lebanese religious authorities: Why do you not take a firm stand against every media outlet that promotes infidelity and Satanism through programs of predictions, prophecies, and claims of knowledge of the unseen? These programs blatantly defy all heavenly laws. Similarly, we question the inaction of MPs, ministers, and other state officials: Why have you not enacted laws to prevent these heresies, which are sinful according to all monotheistic religions?
For those who follow the heresies promoted by most Lebanese media during the New Year—whether in the homeland or the diaspora—this situation evokes memories of the sinful eras of Sodom, Gomorrah, Noah, and Nimrod’s arrogance. Have astrologers, false prophets, and hypocrites replaced God Almighty, claiming to read the future and uncover the unseen? Do clerics, politicians, media professionals, and heretics not understand that only God knows the future? Even the prophets and messengers were not granted this grace. The holy books of monotheistic religions unequivocally condemn practices such as spirit preparation, sorcery, divination, astrology, and the reading of horoscopes. These are considered satanic acts, and believers are urged to reject and avoid anyone who engages in them. Such practices divert believers from God, leading them toward darkness and deception.
In Islam, astrology and all forms of fortune-telling are explicitly prohibited and forbidden (haram). As the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated in Sahih Muslim: “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about anything, his prayers will not be accepted for forty nights.” If merely consulting a fortune-teller results in such consequences, what fate awaits the fortune-tellers themselves?
Christianity and Judaism similarly denounce these practices. The Bible teaches that Satan often masquerades as good, using astrologers, magicians, and fortune-tellers to deceive people and lead them astray. Those who fall into these traps risk distancing themselves from God and embracing satanic deception.
Astrologers and fortune-tellers often become victims of their own delusions, unknowingly serving as tools of Satan. As humans created in God’s image, we are called to seek His will through prayer, faith, and adherence to His teachings, not through sorcery or astrology.
Anyone who believes in the false claims of astrologers and fortune-tellers commits a grave sin, as these acts defy the core tenets of all monotheistic religions. It is no wonder our country faces tribulations, hardships, and divine wrath. As our society mirrors the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, it should come as no surprise that we endure God’s righteous judgment.
In conclusion, all who practice astrology, divination, and similar acts stand in direct opposition to the teachings of heavenly religions. They defy God’s will, becoming tools of Satan and slaves to sin, infidelity, and ingratitude. Those who believe in or promote such practices are complicit in these acts and share in their guilt. We end with a verse from Leviticus 20:27 (Old Testament): “A man or a woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.”
NB: The Above Editorial & Video are from the 2023 Archive
**Scriptural Prohibitions: Biblical and Quranic Verses Condemning Astrology and Divination
Isaiah 44:25
"I am the one who exposes the lies of the false prophets and reveals the folly of fortune-tellers. I confuse the wise and turn their knowledge into foolishness."
Leviticus 20:27
"Any man or woman who is a medium or a fortune-teller shall surely be put to death; they shall be stoned with stones."
Deuteronomy 18:9–22 (Summary of context provided)
"When you enter the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to practice the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or daughter as a sacrifice in the fire, nor one who practices divination, nor a soothsayer, nor an omen-reader, nor a sorcerer, nor one who casts spells, nor one who consults a medium or a spiritist, nor one who consults the dead. For all these things are an abomination to the Lord your God. Be blameless before the Lord your God. For those nations whose land you possess listen to soothsayers and fortune-tellers; but as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so."
Leviticus 19:31
"Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God."
Leviticus 20:6
"And the soul that turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself after them, I will set My face against that soul and cut him off from among his people."
2 Kings 21:6
"And he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists; he did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger."
Isaiah 8:19
"And when they say to you, 'Seek out the mediums and the fortune-tellers who chirp and mutter,' should not a people seek their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living?"
Revelation 21:8
"But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
1 Chronicles 10:13–14
"So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he committed against the Lord, because of the word of the Lord which he did not keep; and also because he consulted a medium for guidance, and did not seek the Lord. Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse."
Exodus 22:18
"You shall not permit a sorceress to live."
Micah 5:12
"I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more soothsayers."
Acts 16:16–19
"And it happened, as we were going to prayer, that a slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, 'These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.' And she did this for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And he came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities."
Islamic Texts (Quran and Hadith)
Surah An-Naml
"Say: 'None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah...'"
Surah Luqman
"Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted."
Prophetic Hadith (Sahih Muslim)
"Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about something, his prayer will not be accepted for forty nights."
Would you like me to find more historical context on how these practices were viewed in ancient times, or perhaps compare how different translations handle specific terms like "medium" and "spiritist"?

Patriotic and Faithful Reflections for the New Year
Elias Bejjani/January 01/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/12/81879/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udOAxwh6Au0&t=7s
How transformative and healing it would be if each and every one of us were fully ready to welcome the new year with a clear conscience, a reconciled spirit, and a renewed commitment to love and understanding. Imagine entering the new year with a heart unburdened by the weight of past grievances, a mind freed from the chains of hostility, hatred, and jealousy, and a soul glowing with forgiveness and compassion.
Life, as fleeting as it is precious, unfolds in the blink of an eye. The gift of life that Almighty God has granted us is a treasure that He may choose to reclaim at any moment. These undeniable truths compel us to reflect deeply on how we live our days and how we engage with those around us. Let us, therefore, make a conscious decision to leave behind the pains, hardships, and disappointments of the ending year, embracing the opportunity for a fresh start.
As we turn the page to the new year, let us commit to filling the blank slate of this new year with acts of kindness, gestures of goodwill, and moments of genuine connection. Let us strive to build bridges where walls once stood, to sow seeds of hope where despair had taken root, and to light the path of love where shadows of division lingered.
For our beloved Lebanon, a nation enduring the heavy yoke of occupation and oppression, let this new year ignite a collective yearning for peace and freedom. May it inspire all its people—the impoverished, the marginalized, and the oppressed—to find strength in unity, courage in faith, and resolve in their pursuit of justice and sovereignty. Let us pray that 2025 brings a renewed spirit of hope and the dawn of a brighter, liberated future for our homeland.
To every faithful and wise individual, the call is clear: Begin this new year with open hands, a forgiving heart, and unwavering faith. Extend love to those who may have wronged you, embrace the gift of reconciliation, and walk forward with self-confidence and hope.
Let us usher the new year with prayers for a year marked by peace, love, and the fear of God. May it be a time of renewal and blessings for all. From the depths of our hearts, we wish everyone a Happy New Year filled with forgiveness, faith, hope, and enduring love.
May Lebanon’s suffering come to an end, and may its people rise with strength and dignity to reclaim their freedom and future.

From Venezuela: Trump’s Messages to Iran, Hezbollah, and the World
Mounir Al-Rabih/Al-Modon/January 04/2026   (Translated from Arabic)
What has happened, is happening, and is about to happen exceeds the limits of reason or imagination. The U.S. strike on Venezuela was expected, but no one could have imagined American forces entering the President's palace and arresting him. This is not just about proving American hegemony or "unipolarity"; the discussion has shifted to the form and quality of American dominance—whether it prevails militarily, economically, securely, or geographically. In essence, the current America recognizes no borders, states, or regimes. There is no longer a governing international order; rather, American interest is what governs. This hegemony sees its interest in what it is doing in Venezuela, or Greenland, or how it deals with Canada, or later with Iran. The targeting of Venezuela will serve as a harsh lesson to all its adversaries, and its repercussions will impact many files, most notably the Russia-Ukraine war, the confrontation with China, Iran, and even North Korea.
The Timing of the Operation: A Message
The timing of the operation was chosen to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the assassination of Qasem Soleimani. By choosing this exact date, Trump wants to signal that he is capable of striking North and South, East and West, whenever he deems it necessary. Through this operation, Washington is proving its primary interest in engineering the situation on its southern border and redrawing all balances of power. This all falls under the new U.S. National Security Strategy and the redrawing of global balances within the framework of the American confrontation with China. It cannot be overlooked that the operation took place after Maduro received a Chinese envoy. Meanwhile, Russia has requested clarification on the events, as the entire world seems to be in a state of shock. No one expected things to reach the point of storming a head of state's residence and capturing him along with his wife. The operation itself carries both symbolic and serious threats to any ruler Washington wishes to dispose of, without any international or legal standards. Rule belongs to power, through which Washington produces whatever balance it desires.
The Impact of Venezuela on Iran and Hezbollah
The direct dimension of what happened in Venezuela will have an immediate impact on Iran, which is currently witnessing popular movements and protests. Trump has already intervened by issuing threats to the Iranian regime against using violence toward protesters. More importantly, Trump's operation in Venezuela will whet Netanyahu's appetite for a similar operation in Iran. Trump may even be thinking of "retroactive revenge" against the Iranians for the 1979 storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and the taking of diplomats hostage. While Netanyahu has been seeking every possible way to convince Trump to wage war against Iran and topple the regime, Washington has left a margin for negotiation—hoping Tehran might avoid war by agreeing to a total change in political direction and adhering to American dictates.
The Venezuela operation does not stop at Iran’s borders; it extends to Lebanon. According to the American narrative, Venezuelan territory and its economy were built on oil trade that bypassed sanctions and drug trafficking, serving as a primary stronghold for funding Hezbollah and the Iranian regime. A while ago, Hezbollah received several messages from American parties stating that "the game is over," the strike on Venezuela would happen, and they should forget the old status quo because everything in the world is going to change.
The message also included advice for the party to act pragmatically, agree to serious negotiations, and relinquish its weapons in exchange for a political settlement and whatever gains it can achieve. Here, Trump might also consider revenge for the 1983 targeting of the U.S. Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, should the trend move toward escalation and political attempts fail to reach a solution.
According to information, a few weeks ago, an influential Lebanese-American figure in Congress visited Lebanon and held meetings with officials and figures close to Hezbollah. This person delivered a message that Trump is determined to strike Venezuela and change its regime, and the same applies to Iran if it does not agree to negotiate under American conditions. The American figure stated that Hezbollah has an opportunity to enter into an internal settlement because the entire regional situation will change, and it should not bet on time or any variable to stop this trajectory.
This talk is echoing behind the scenes and in diplomatic circles, including from American figures. Some have even heard from the American Ambassador, Michael Issa, that the party must enter a political settlement and declare what it wants in exchange for giving up its weapons. Consequently, the movement of many regional and international powers toward the Lebanese arena is not an isolated event. Senior officials have made trips abroad to discuss this settlement, the formula for the future of the regime, and the structure of Lebanon with regional and international powers. The coming period will witness more contacts and movements involving international and regional powers—from Egypt, Qatar, France, Saudi Arabia, and others—toward Lebanon to ripen this deal, avoid a major war, and seek a consensus on a formula that satisfies the various Lebanese parties without departing from the context of "American hegemony."

Sheikh Qassem Voices Pride in Hezbollah Relation with Iran: Israeli Withdrawal is Lebanon’s Priority
almanar/January 03/2026
Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem marked the anniversary of the martyrdom of leaders Iran”s General Qassem Suleimani and Iraq’s PMF deputy commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, saying that Suleimani was a model of the authentic Islamic humanitarian project working for humanity’s cause.Sheikh Qassem added that Suleimani’s goal was to support resistance movements and thwart US plots. He noted Iran’s Islamic Republic leads in backing resistance and supporting justice and humanitarian causes. “Martyr Suleimani was a thoughtful and professional military leader who had close ties with Master of Umma Martyrs Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah.”Sheikh Qassem praised the Palestinian people’s sacrifices in facing aggression, stressing they never surrendered.
Sheikh Qassem noted Lebanon is a model of sacrifice, dignity, and liberation with its resistance, people, and army. He also saluted the Yemeni and Iraqi peoples for supporting justice and facing aggression, saying Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was targeted for defeating ISIL in Iraq. Sheikh Qassem stressed that killing martyrs won’t stop their movement, adding “It’ll only make it stronger.”
Hezbollah’s Sheikh Qassem said the West created ‘Israel’ to dominate the region culturally and economically. Iran’s revolution flipped the regional script, pushing back against Western control, he added.
Sheikh Qassem stressed that shared views between resistance movements and Iran don’t hurt nationalism. Their ties with Iran are natural, targeting arrogance in the region.
Sheikh Qassem clarified that Iran supports resistance movements without seeking political or economic gains, benefiting from positive vibes and coexistence in the region. He stressed that colonial powers intervene in the region for their own gains, unlike Iran, which doesn’t meddle in others’ affairs. Resistance movements got Iran’s support without conditions, based on shared principles and interests against aggression, his eminence added.
Sheikh Qassem proudly noted Iran’s supportive relationship, giving without taking. He slammed those submitting to US control, justifying Israeli occupation, or not pressuring against Israeli aggression. Hezbollah’s Sheikh Qassem stressed the Party’s commitment to Lebanon being sovereign, free, and capable. He said Hezbollah backs building a capable, fair state, fighting corruption, and rejecting occupation.
Sheikh Qassem emphasized Hezbollah wants Lebanon sovereign, free, independent, and capable. He called for dialogue, consensus, and national unity against enemies.
Sheikh Qassem underlined Lebanon’s main priorities: halt of aggression, Israeli withdrawal, reconstruction, and return of captives. He also urged parliamentary elections on schedule. Sheikh Qassem stressed returning depositors’ funds in full, arming the Lebanese army to protect Lebanon, and addressing public sector workers’ rights so they can function effectively. Sheikh Qassem felicitated Muslims on the Birthday of Imam Ali (A.S.), affirming, “Allah has blessed us with the loyalty to the Commander of the Faithful.”

Report: Trump asked Netanyahu to wait on Hezbollah op to allow for talks with Lebanese govt.
Naharnet/January 03/2026
Israel is considering launching an operation in Lebanon instead of settling for the current routine of airstrikes, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation has reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump "discussed in their meeting the expansion of Israeli strikes in Lebanon" and "according to two sources familiar with the details, and from what can be said from a censorship perspective, Israel is considering an operation in Lebanon, in order to eradicate the threat from Hezbollah," the report said. "The IDF (Israeli army) has so far been content with airstrikes" but "under the cover of the ceasefire, Hezbollah has managed to recover to some extent, and in Israel they say that the Lebanese government stands helpless" against the Iran-backed group, the report added.The report also said that the Trump administration is not against this possibility, but "Netanyahu was asked to wait with the decision in order to allow further dialogue with the Lebanese government."

Hezbollah says US attack on Venezuela violates sovereignty, international law —
LBCI/January 03/2026
Hezbollah said the United States carried out what it described as an unprecedented act of aggression against Venezuela, accusing Washington of targeting Caracas and civilian infrastructure and of abducting President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
In a statement, the group said the alleged actions amounted to a blatant breach of Venezuela’s sovereignty, international law, and the U.N. Charter, describing U.S. justifications as “false and flimsy.”The statement said the alleged attack underscored what Hezbollah called a long-standing U.S. policy of domination and coercion, accusing Washington of undermining global security and hollowing out the international system. It also criticized what it described as international silence in the face of U.S. actions, warning that the attack posed a direct threat to any sovereign state that rejects external domination. Hezbollah concluded by declaring full solidarity with Venezuela’s people, leadership, and government, calling on states and “free forces” worldwide to condemn the alleged aggression and support Venezuela’s right to defend its sovereignty and independence.

Israeli army says it targeted Hezbollah member in south Lebanon
LBCI/January 03/2026
The Israeli army said it carried out a strike Saturday targeting a Hezbollah member in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon.

Israeli media cite plan for broader military action against Lebanon: Amal Shehadeh
LBCI/January 03/2026
Amal Shehadeh told LBCI that Israeli media are reporting a decision to expand military operations against Lebanon, including intensified airstrikes and possible ground incursions. According to the report, an Israeli security cabinet meeting is expected to convene to discuss a plan prepared by the army outlining the expanded operations. In addition, Israeli media reported, citing an unnamed source, that the Trump administration does not rule out a possible Israeli operation against Hezbollah, but said it asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to delay any decision to allow more dialogue with the Lebanese government.

FM, Raji Contacts Lebanon’s Ambassador to Venezuela to Check on the Community: They are Safe and We are Monitoring the Situation
Al-Markazia/January 03, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Youssef Raji, held a phone call with Lebanon’s Ambassador to Venezuela, Nisrine Bou Karam, to check on the conditions of the Lebanese community there. Minister Raji directed the Ambassador to closely monitor the welfare of community members and to secure all necessary measures for their protection in the event of any emergency. He emphasized the need for the embassy to remain in constant contact with community members, urging Lebanese citizens in Venezuela to contact the embassy immediately at +58 422-2477777 regarding any developments or updates requiring intervention. A diplomatic source confirmed that the Lebanese community in Venezuela is safe, noting that the embassy has not received any complaints or reports indicating that individuals have come to any harm as a result of the ongoing events in the country. The source added that Ambassador Nisrine Bou Karam has been in continuous communication with community members in the capital, Caracas, and other Venezuelan states to ensure their well-being. The source explained that the Lebanese embassy is monitoring the situation closely, with the Ambassador ensuring direct communication with Lebanese residents to provide support and assistance if required. Furthermore, the source stressed that the embassy remains in a state of readiness to keep pace with any developments that may arise in Venezuela, following the situation on a daily basis.

Hezbollah: The Aggression Against Venezuela is a Flagrant Violation of an Independent State’s Sovereignty
Al-Markazia/ January 03, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
Hezbollah issued the following statement:
Hezbollah condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the terrorist aggression and American thuggery against the Republic of Venezuela, which targeted the capital, Caracas, vital civilian facilities, and residential complexes, and included the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. This constitutes a flagrant and unprecedented violation of the national sovereignty of an independent state, international law, and United Nations charters, based on flimsy and false pretexts. This assault serves as a new confirmation of the approach of hegemony, arrogance, and piracy practiced by the U.S. administration without any deterrent. It is blatant evidence of its disregard for international security and stability, an enshrinement of the "law of the jungle," and a destruction of what remains of the international system's structure, hollowing it of any substance that could provide a guarantee or safety for peoples and nations. The United States of America—which remains obsessed with control and dominance, particularly under its current president—continues its aggressive policies based on subjugating free nations and peoples, looting their wealth and resources, and leading war projects aimed at redrawing national maps. While it falsely claims to spread world peace and support democracy and the right of peoples to self-determination, it quickly reveals its true criminal face, from Afghanistan to Iraq, Yemen, and Iran, through the manufacturing of terrorism and the support of its protégé, Israel, which shares the same criminal, aggressive, and colonial behavior. Meanwhile, the international community maintains a shameful silence instead of rising up and sounding the alarm to reject and curb this aggression.
Today’s aggression against Venezuela poses a direct threat to every independent, sovereign state that rejects hegemony and submission. Hezbollah affirms its full solidarity with Venezuela—its people, presidency, and government—in the face of this American arrogance and aggression. This aggression will fall before the will of the free Venezuelan people, who have rejected all forms of dominance and colonialism on their land and have always sided with the causes of truth and the oppressed in the world, foremost among them the Palestinian cause. Finally, Hezbollah calls upon all countries, governments, peoples, and free forces in the world to condemn this aggression and to stand by Venezuela and its people in their full right to defend their sovereignty and independence.

South Beneath the South... The State on the Surface and the "Party" in the Tunnels
Norma Abu Zaid/Nidaa Al-Watan/January 03, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
At a time when fears are growing over the erosion of the Lebanese entity’s fringes, and regional maps are once again being circulated as documents prone to erasure and redrawing, a diplomat emerges with remarks that do not conform to the ruler of geography. The diplomat states that "Lebanon’s area has exceeded 10,452 square kilometers," placing a large period at the end of his sentence, as if settling a debate that should not have been raised in the first place. Such a statement naturally requires political imagination, especially when the diplomat asserts that his words were neither a slip of the tongue nor a mathematical error, but rather a calculated statement. He claims to be drawing Lebanon’s area on the paper of reality, not the paper of maps. Here, questions arise about this mysterious expansion in a country that is supposedly shrinking, before the answer arrives swiftly: "The expansion happened southward."
He adds: "There is another South beneath the South. The conclusion: the containment of weapons south of the Litani River only touched the surface crust, while the hand of the State never reached the depths because 'Hezbollah' did not hand over its maps of this 'Other South,'" as he put it.
The diplomat goes further in his reading, Likening the recent diplomatic tour south of the Litani to the one organized by the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2018 for accredited ambassadors around the Beirut airport. He notes that "Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusations against Lebanon from the UN podium were the motive for then-Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil to summon the ambassadors, attempting to turn the tour into a preemptive step accompanied by talk of 'faded and flimsy' pretexts regarding Hezbollah weapon depots."
The diplomat concludes that the "Support War" (Harb al-Isnad) exposed the reality of that "theatrical and folkloric" tour, and he draws a parallel between its results and the outcome of the Litani tour. He adds that the absence of war in 2018 was not evidence that the area was free of weapons, but rather a natural result of Israel’s lack of readiness to launch a war at that time. Today, however, conditions have radically changed, the regional context is entirely different, and war may be closer than some Lebanese officials believe.
The diplomat links the "folkloric Litani tour" to recent comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the Lebanese government during his meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu. He suggests that Trump—whose body language revealed more than his words—showed disdain for the Lebanese government’s efforts to restrict weaponry. Consequently, this has placed Lebanon in the line of fire, effectively granting an American "green light" to the Israeli war machine.
The diplomat connects Trump’s gestures to the recent, clear statements by Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, who denied any commitment by the "Party" to the Lebanese State regarding the surrender of weapons. He concludes that while Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to impose demilitarized zones on his borders to ensure war-free fronts for decades to come, Hezbollah is—in his view—providing the necessary pretexts, sometimes by refusing to hand over weapons and at other times by hinting at rearmament.

In Defense of the “Great Satan”
Antonios Nader/Nidaa Al-Watan/ January 03, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
Poor Satan. His name has been etched into the great religious narratives since ancient times, and he has served as the ultimate proverb for evil until tongues grew weary of repeating it. Yet, in our era, he appears like an aging employee forced into retirement, surpassed by "ideological humans" who have ascended to ranks of malice he never dreamed of in his most ambitious fits of temptation. The fallen angel—or the rebellious jinn, as they say—still maintains a degree of moral etiquette, so to speak. He respects the protocol of distance between himself and his victims. If he intervenes, he does not advance as a tyrant or storm in like a commander; rather, he enters like a passing consultant. He hints rather than declares; he whispers rather than raises his voice; he "whispers into the hearts," as the Holy Quran attributes to him. Then, he retreats to a far corner, sitting like a cool spectator with his legs crossed, watching you with a cynical glint as you masterfully craft your own folly, directing it as if you were its sole author and owner. Despite his ancient cunning, Satan possesses a strange nobility. He does not sell sin through coercion, nor does he market it through compulsion. Instead, he displays it like a clever merchant under a system of "free choice," leaving you alone with the honor of carrying the full, undiminished burden when the time of reckoning arrives. From here, if you contemplate the narrow scope of evil available to the Master of Evils, a paradox opens up that serves as the starting point for his defense. The evil that leaves you room for choice—despite its ugliness—seems lighter and less burdensome, almost charming, when measured against a "goodness" that is shoved down one’s throat, enforced by the deputies of Heaven on Earth: the Mullahs of Tehran.
The "goodness" of these men is more malicious and cunning. It arrives softly in the literature of Wilayat al-Faqih (Absolute Guardianship), polished in phrasing, its words dusted with the powder of piety and surrounded by an aura of untouchable sanctity. Despite all this subtlety and guile, it is far from being the "evil of a devil." A devil opens the door to sin and leaves you hesitating at the threshold; these men lock every door in your face, then call the locking "guidance," the confiscation "kindness," and the coercion a "divine blessing."
At this point, the question is no longer an ethical one seeking to distinguish good from evil. It turns into a question of procedure and authority: Who grants you the right to err, and who robs you of the right to question? Who decides when obedience is a virtue and when thinking becomes a crime?
To find the answer, one need only observe the hysteria that gripped Hezbollah’s base and its praise-singers following MP Paula Yacoubian’s description of the politicized cleric as the "Great Satan." The angry statements that rained down upon us—like a boulder dislodged by a torrent from on high—did not pause to consider a single question worth contemplating: Does the "religionization" of politics corrupt religion itself? Instead, they assumed the description was a full-fledged felony—a blatant assault on prophets, companions, the constitution, coexistence, and the ozone layer all at once!
Good heavens, how did MP Paula Yacoubian manage to cross all these red lines in a single breath? In reality, Paula did not err because of what she said, but because she said what must not be said out loud. She erred because she stripped the title of its functional sanctity and used it outside the "instruction manual," moving the "Great Satan" from the export category to the category of domestic circulation. Anyone who does that is not held accountable for the meaning, but for the audacity itself.
We return to our initial dilemma: Why defend the devil then? Because the comparison, as harsh and provocative as it is, forces us to reorder our definitions. Return, without affectation or hesitation, to the book Governance of the Jurist (Wilayat al-Faqih) by Imam Khomeini. Look at how its phrases are marketed and its words polished. You will find that the powers of the "Guardian" (Al-Wali) have exceeded, in both theory and practice, everything attributed to Satan himself.
In Islamic religious texts, Satan is a creature of limited power and a restricted role. His only business is invitation and whispering. He possesses no power of compulsion, no legislation, and no hand to force obedience. He explicitly admitted this on the Day of Judgment when he said he merely "called, and you responded." His authority ends at the limit of a suggestion; then his mission concludes, and the realm of human choice opens—where there is no authority but will, and no guardianship but conscience.
The "Guardian," however, in this trans-geographical ideology, does not stop at the limit of invitation or settle for guidance. He moves steadily from guidance to decision, from decision to compulsion, and from compulsion to punishment. The devil suggests and then steps aside; the Guardian suggests, decides, commands, judges, launches missiles, and destabilizes systems. He turns choice into a duty, error into a crime, and questioning into a rebellion against the community.
Thus, Satan—by comparison—becomes a creature of modest ambition who knows his limits and admits his impotence. Meanwhile, Absolute Guardianship advances with a confidence that knows no hesitation, demanding what Iblis (Satan) himself never demanded: the authority of the will over minds, the monopoly on truth, and the right to represent Heaven without restriction or review. This is exactly where the paradox lies: while Absolute Guardianship claims to fight evil and global arrogance, it grants itself powers that Absolute Evil itself never sought.
This is why describing a political cleric with this title becomes a "complete crime" in Iran's parallel universe. Not because it is an assault on Shia sanctities, but because it breaks the monopoly on the name. How does anyone dare to recycle the "Great Satan" title—reserved exclusively for the United States and the West—and redirect it inward? What a glitch in the symbolic order!
Nevertheless, for the sake of fairness, one must distinguish between the "Guardians" within the schools of the Shia sect. Generalization here is an injustice to the idea before the people. Some of them—may their shadow endure—foster humility and stability; their roles are confined to guidance and preaching, their presence is ethical, and their weight is symbolic, seeking nothing more than a listening ear. Others—if their shadow endures, so does their oppression. Their hands extend from the fatwa to the weapon, and from "resistance" to collective suicide (labeled "collective victory" in the dictionary of Absolute Guardianship).
I conclude by saying, to avoid the charge of "Satanism" ready to be hurled at me: I write in defense of the devil, not out of love for him or to vindicate his deeds, but because he, in all his classic insolence, recognizes and respects your humanity. He treats you as a being capable of choice—one who errs because he chose, and is held accountable because he chose. Ideological humans, however, treat you as a perpetual minor in need of a guardian, a pre-packaged interpretation, and a closed ending that permits no review—nor even a question about its terms.

Reasons for the Postponement of Le Drian’s Visit to Lebanon
Al-Markazia/January 03, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
An informed source told MTV that holding the "Mechanism" meeting without civilian participation is linked to the reluctance of the United States and the Israeli army to involve the French in political negotiations. The source noted that Jean-Yves Le Drian’s visit was originally scheduled to coincide with the date of that meeting.The source added that one of the reasons for postponing Le Drian’s visit to Lebanon by about a week was the death of his sister, in addition to a French desire for the visit to coincide with that of the Saudi envoy.

Drone Strike Targets "Rapid" Van in Southern Town of Khiam
Al-Markazia/January 03, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
An Israeli strike targeted a "Rapid" van in the southern town of Khiam. The Public Health Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of Public Health issued a statement announcing that the Israeli enemy's raid on the town of Khiam, in the Marjayoun district, resulted in injuries to three citizens.
Israeli machine-gun fire was also recorded from the Ruwaisat al-Alam site toward the outskirts of Kfarshouba. This afternoon, the Israeli army carried out a combing operation with machine guns from the Malkiyya site toward the outskirts of Aitaroun. Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated that "the Israeli army recently attacked a Hezbollah operative in the Khiam area of southern Lebanon."

Increased European Military Support: An Incentive to Complete the Consolidation of Weapons
Lara Yazbek/Al-Markazia/January 03, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
The European Union intends to launch a "non-executive" security mission in Lebanon by the end of this year, according to an internal document from the European External Action Service. The mission aims to provide advice and training to both the Lebanese Army and the Internal Security Forces (ISF), with a specific focus on maintaining security and controlling the borders with Syria. It will not engage in combat missions, disarmament, or ceasefire monitoring with Israel. According to the document, European experts will arrive during January to assess field needs in preparation for the mission’s launch. This step comes as the mandate of the UNIFIL forces approaches its end in late 2026, amid speculation that it may not be extended. However, European documents emphasized that the new mission will be limited in size and will not serve as a replacement for the role played by United Nations international forces; rather, it falls within the framework of supporting Lebanese security capabilities and enhancing stability without changing the nature of existing international tasks. Political monitoring sources told Al-Markazia that the decision to send the upcoming mission follows reports from early December indicating that the EU is studying options to strengthen the Lebanese ISF to relieve the burden on the Lebanese Army, allowing it to focus efforts on disarmament. Amid this atmosphere, French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian is expected to return to Beirut in the coming days to discuss local economic, political, and military developments with Lebanese officials. According to sources, Le Drian will brief the Lebanese State on the forthcoming European support for legitimate military and security institutions. In addition to the mission and aid mentioned above, an upcoming conference to support the Lebanese Army is scheduled for February. This conference was agreed upon weeks ago during a French-American-Saudi meeting held in Paris, with the participation of Army Commander General Rudolf Heikal.
Through this "tempting basket" of aid, Le Drian seeks to urge official Lebanon to expedite the plan to consolidate all weapons in the hands of the Lebanese State. This is based on the premise that the entire international community will stand by Lebanon to achieve this task, recognizing that the capabilities of current agencies are limited and intending to bridge these gaps. Lebanon's hesitation or slowness in restricting weapons will keep the specter of Israeli war present over the Lebanese arena. In any case, this is the message the Europeans want the Lebanese State to understand through their broad embrace of legitimate Lebanese agencies. Will the incentives from Le Drian and the international community succeed in convincing the State not to retreat and to move forward with the consolidation of weapons? Would you like me to look for more details regarding the "Mechanism" meeting mentioned in the first report or the specific details of the European security mission's training modules?

Lessons for the Lebanese Government and Hezbollah Following the Venezuela Operation
Colonel Charbel Barakat/January 03/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/01/150739/
Today, U.S. Special Forces arrested Venezuelan President Maduro and transported him and his wife to the United States to face trial regarding his dealings with terrorism. This was achieved through a swift, specialized operation that caused minimal casualties and destruction, signaling that the United States has a long reach against those who cause subversion around it.
This trajectory, which followed President Trump’s meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister, suggests that the Israeli hand might be unleashed in a similar fashion. It also indicates that should Khamenei fail to respond to President Trump’s call, the American hand is capable of reaching the highest levels of government in Tehran. Does this mean the days of the Islamic Republic are numbered, and that its proxies in Lebanon—specifically—as well as in Yemen and Iraq, will be swiftly severed at the start of this year?
The American President means what he says. Strong governance in a superpower like the United States suggests a return to order and that the hour of reckoning for terrorism is near. Consequently, Lebanese officials in government and state security institutions must pay attention to this detail and take it into account. There is no longer room for delays or appeasement, from the highest offices to the lowest.
Everyone must understand that what is coming may be even greater—from Speaker Berri and his cronies to the terrorist group Hezbollah. The latter cannot be called a Lebanese party, as it is merely an armed group subordinate to the Iranian regime, working to sabotage Lebanon and turn it into an arena for the Mullahs' hegemony over the Middle East. Some may wonder what must be done, and what our advice is to those who were deceived into following this group—whether by receiving salaries and grants, executing subversive missions, or representing this group in councils and media outlets.
We say clearly: without a doubt, what is coming is greater. Anyone who knows they have any involvement with this group must take the initiative to devise pressures to force these groups to surrender the following:
First: Issuing orders to hand over weapons, cease all military and preparatory operations, and surrender all detailed maps of weapon and ammunition depots located on Lebanese territory and elsewhere.
Second: Handing over full name lists of intelligence, military, media, economic, and political organizations—including those dealing with humanitarian affairs—that cover, fund, and direct the work of these armed groups, including individuals working within state institutions and security agencies.
Third: For officials in charge of these organizations to place themselves at the disposal of the government, relinquish their titles and responsibilities, and remain in reported places of residence or hasten to leave the country to avoid arrest and trial.
Fourth: Giving orders to whom it may concern to dismantle the "liquidation apparatus" and hand over its members to the specialized courts along with details of their crimes, clarifying all aspects of the killings and assassinations they were assigned, so they might perhaps benefit from reduced sentences.
Finally: Handing over to the state the funds still held by the institutions managed by this group, to be annexed to the state treasury as spoils of war to be used for reconstruction.
We offer this advice for free because we believe in the "Lebanese-ness" of some who fell under brainwashing operations during nearly half a century of Mullah control over the country, during which there was no one to deter them. Thus, we are trying to spare them a humiliating surrender, imprisonment, and harsh sentences. However, we wish to inform them that what is coming is difficult, and the coming days will clarify who the victor is. Therefore, it is preferable for them to surrender to the Lebanese state and their brothers in the nation rather than face an unknown fate.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 03-04/2026
UN Security Council to meet Monday over US action in Venezuela
Reuters/04 January/2026
The ‍United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Monday after the US attacked Venezuela and deposed its ‍long-serving autocratic President Nicolas Maduro, a move that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres views as setting “a dangerous precedent.”Colombia, backed by Russia and China, requested the meeting of the 15-member council, diplomats said. The UN Security Council has met twice - in October and December - over the escalating tensions between the United States and ⁠Venezuela. US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington would run Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” It is unclear how Trump plans to oversee Venezuela.
‘A colonial war’: Venezuela
“This is a colonial war aimed at destroying our republican form of government, freely chosen by our people, and at imposing a puppet government that allows the plundering of our natural resources, including the world’s largest oil reserves,” Venezuela’s UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada wrote to the UN Security ‍Council on Saturday. He said the US had violated the founding UN Charter, which states: “All members shall refrain in their ‍international relations from the threat ‍or use of force against ⁠the territorial integrity or political independence of any ‌state.”The US military action overnight ⁠constitutes “a dangerous precedent,” Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric ‍said in a statement. “The Secretary-General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect - by all - of international law, ⁠including the UN Charter. He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected,” Dujarric said. The Trump ‌administration has for months targeted suspected drug trafficking boats off the Venezuelan coast and the Pacific coast of Latin America. The US ramped up its military presence in the region and announced a blockade of all vessels subject to US sanctions, last month intercepting two tankers loaded with Venezuelan crude. In ‍October, the US justified its action as consistent with Article 51 of the founding UN Charter, which requires the Security Council to be immediately informed of any action states take in self-defense against armed attack. “This is not regime change this is justice,” US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz posted on X on Saturday. “Maduro was an indicted, illegitimate dictator ‌that led a declared Narco-terrorism organization responsible for killing American citizens.”

Venezuela’s VP Delcy Rodriguez says Maduro only president of country
AFP/January 03/2026
Nicolas Maduro is Venezuela’s “only president” his vice president Delcy Rodriguez said Saturday, demanding the United States release the leader arrested in a military operation Saturday. Speaking live on television, Rodriguez demanded “the immediate release of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The only president of Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro.”Rodriguez also said the government was ready “to defend” the country. Rodriguez, who is next in line to succeed Maduro, insisted in a live address that “We are ready to defend Venezuela; we are ready to defend our natural resources” after US President Donald Trump said Washington intends to “run” the Caribbean nation and tap its huge oil reserves.

Trump: US ‘will run’ Venezuela, send in oil companies
AFP/January 03, 2026
PALM BEACH, United States: President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States will “run” Venezuela and tap its huge oil reserves after snatching leftist leader Nicolas Maduro out of the country during a bombing raid on Caracas.
Trump’s announcement came hours after a lightning attack in which special forces grabbed Maduro and his wife, while airstrikes pounded multiple sites, stunning the capital city. Trump did not go into detail what he meant but told a press conference in Florida: “We’re going to be running it with a group.”“We’re designating people,” he said, mentioning that cabinet officials standing with him would be in charge.In another surprise, Trump indicated that US troops could be deployed in Venezuela.
The US is “not afraid of boots on the ground,” he said. Although the operation is being framed as a law-enforcement action, Trump made clear that regime change and Venezuela’s oil riches are the major goals. “We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure,” he said. “We’ll be selling large amounts of oil,” he said. The 79-year-old Republican posted a picture of Maduro in custody on a US naval ship wearing a blindfold, handcuffs and what looked like noise-canceling ear muffs. He and his wife were being taken to New York to face narcotics and terrorism charges.
Trump dismisses opposition leader
US-backed opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, posted on social media: “the hour of freedom has arrived.”She called for the opposition’s candidate in the 2024 election, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, to “immediately” assume the presidency. But Trump scotched any expectation that Machado should emerge as Venezuela’s new leader. She doesn’t have “support or respect” there, he said. He indicated he could instead work with Maduro’s deputy, Delcy Rodriguez, saying “she’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”Trump also made clear that the US presence is unlikely to be short. “We’re there now, but we’re going to stay until such time as the proper transition can take place.”The United Nations chief said he was “deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected.”China, a backer of Maduro’s hard-left regime, said it “strongly condemns” the US attack, while France warned that a solution for troubled Venezuela cannot “be imposed from outside.”
Black-out and bombing
Venezuelans had been bracing for attacks as US forces, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, spent months massing off the coast. Caracas residents woke to explosions and the whir of military helicopters around 2:00 am (0600 GMT). Airstrikes hit a major military base and an air base, among other sites, for nearly an hour, AFP journalists said. The bombing turned out to be only part of the more ambitious plan to topple Maduro and bring him to US soil to face narco-trafficking charges. Trump said the assault began with a partial blackout caused by US “expertise.”The top US military officer, General Dan Caine, said 150 aircraft took part in the operation, supporting troops helicoptering in to seize Machado with the help of months of intelligence into the leader’s daily habits — down to “what he ate” and what pets he kept. Maduro, 63, and his wife “gave up” without a struggle and there was “no loss of US life,” he said. Maria Eugenia Escobar, a 58-year-old resident of La Guaira, near the heavily bombed main airport, told AFP that the blasts “lifted me out of bed, and I immediately thought, ‘God, the day has come.’“Within hours of the operation, Caracas had fallen eerily quiet, with police stationed outside public buildings and a smell of smoke drifting through the streets.
Shifting justifications
The US and numerous European governments already did not recognize Maduro’s legitimacy, saying he stole elections both in 2018 and 2024. Maduro — in power since 2013 after taking over from leftist mentor Hugo Chavez — long accused Trump of seeking regime change in order to control Venezuela’s huge oil reserves. Trump said the extraordinary snatching of a foreign country’s leader was justified because of his claim that Venezuela is responsible for mass death from drugs in the United States. But Trump has given a variety of justifications for the aggressive policy toward Venezuela, at times stressing illegal migration, narcotics trafficking and the country’s oil industry. He had previously avoided openly calling for regime change — likely mindful of his nationalist political base’s dislike for foreign entanglements. Several members of Congress quickly questioned the legality of the operation. However, Trump’s key ally Mike Johnson, Republican speaker in the House of Representatives, said it was “decisive and justified.”

US allies, foes alarmed by capture of Venezuela’s Maduro
AFP/January 03, 2026
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply alarmed” by the US strikes
PARIS: The US military operation that led to the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday sparked alarm across the international community, with allies and foes of Washington and Caracas expressing disquiet.
US President Donald Trump said Maduro and his wife would be taken to New York to face federal charges after military strikes and an operation which he described as looking like a “television show.”
The Venezuelan government decried what it termed a “extremely serious military aggression” by Washington and declared a state of emergency.
Countries such as Russia and Iran, which had longstanding ties with Maduro’s government, were quick to condemn the operation but their alarm was also shared by Washington’s allies including France and the EU.
Here is a rundown of the main reaction.
Russia
Russia demanded the US leadership “reconsider its position and release the legally elected president of the sovereign country and his wife.”
China
Beijing said “China is deeply shocked and strongly condemns the US’s blatant use of force against a sovereign state and its action against its president.”
Iran
Iran, which Trump bombed last year, said it “strongly condemns the US military attack on Venezuela and a flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Mexico
Mexico, which Trump has also threatened with military force over drug trafficking, strongly condemned the US military action in Venezuela, saying it “seriously jeopardizes regional stability.”
Colombia
Colombian President Gustavo Petro — whose country neighbors Venezuela — called the US action an “assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America which would lead to a humanitarian crisis.
Brazil
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva slammed the US attacks as a “serious affront” to Venezuela’s sovereignty.
Cuba
Cuba, a strong ally of Venezuela, denounced “state terrorism against the brave Venezuelan people.”
Spain
Spain offered to mediate in the crisis to find a way to a peaceful solution, while calling for “de-escalation and restraint.”
France
France condemned the US operation, saying it undermined international law and no solution to Venezuela’s crisis can be imposed from the outside.
EU
The EU more generally expressed concern at the developments and urged respect for international law, even as it noted that Maduro “lacks legitimacy.”
EU candidate country North Macedonia, along with fellow Balkan nations Albania and Kosovo, backed Washington, however.
“We stand with the United States and the Venezuelan people for freedom and democracy,” North Macedonia FM Timco Mucunski said on X.
Britain
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said all countries should “uphold international law” and added that “the UK was not involved in any way in this operation” as he urged patience in order to “establish the facts.”
Italy
In a rare expression of support for the US operation by a major European country, far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — a Trump ally — argued the US military action in Venezuela was “legitimate” and “defensive.”
Israel
Israel also hailed the operation, saying Washington acted as the “leader of the free world.”
Ukraine
Ukraine — dependent on US support in its war against invading Russia — did not address the legality of a big country like America using military force against a much smaller one like Venezuela.
Foreign minister Andriy Sybiga instead focused on Maduro’s lack of legitimacy and the Venezuelan government’s repression, while backing “democracy, human rights, and the interests of Venezuelans.”
South Africa
South Africa, which Trump accuses of alleged discrimination — and even “genocide” — of minority white Afrikaners, said: “Unlawful, unilateral force of this nature undermines the stability of the international order and the principle of equality among nations.”
UN
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply alarmed” by the US strikes, with his spokesman quoting him as saying it could “constitute a dangerous precedent.”

US strikes Venezuela and captures its leader Maduro
AP/January 03, 2026
CARACAS: The United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country in an extraordinary nighttime operation that was accompanied by a flurry of strikes following months of escalating Trump administration pressure on the oil-rich South American nation. The US is now deciding next steps for Venezuela, President Donald Trump said Saturday on Fox News, adding, “We’ll be involved in it very much.”The legal authority for the attack was not immediately clear. The stunning American military action, which plucked a nation’s sitting leader from office, echoed the US invasion of Panama that led to the surrender and seizure of its leader, Manuel Antonio Noriega, in 1990 — exactly 36 years ago Saturday. US Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, would face charges after an indictment in New York. Bondi vowed in a social media post that the couple would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”Maduro and other Venezuelan officials were indicted in 2020 on “narco-terrorism” conspiracy charges, but it was not previously known his wife had been and it wasn’t clear if Bondi was referring to a new indictment.
Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández told The Associated Press that Maduro and Flores were at their home within the Ft. Tiuna military installation when they were captured. “That’s where they bombed,” he said. “And, there, they carried out what we could call a kidnapping of the president and the first lady of the country.”Early Saturday, multiple explosions rang out and low-flying aircraft swept through the Venezuelan capital. Maduro’s government accused the United States of attacking civilian and military installations, calling it an “imperialist attack” and urging citizens to take to the streets.
With the Venezuelan leader’s whereabouts not known, the vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, would take power under Venezuelan law. There was no confirmation that had happened, though she did issue a statement after the strike, demanding proof of life for Maduro and his wife. Maduro, Trump said, “has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement.” He set a news conference for Saturday morning. The attack itself lasted less than 30 minutes and the explosions — at least seven blasts — sent people rushing into the streets, while others took to social media to report what they’d seen and heard. Some Venezuelan civilians and members of the military were killed, said Rodríguez, the vice president, without giving a number.
It was not known if there more actions lie ahead, though Trump said in his post that the strikes were carried out “successfully.” The Pentagon referred questions about the safety of American personnel involved in the operation to the White House.
The White House did not immediately respond to queries on where Maduro and his wife were being flown to. Maduro last appeared on state television Friday while meeting with a delegation of Chinese officials in Caracas.
The strike followed a months-long Trump administration pressure campaign on the Venezuelan leader, including a major buildup of American forces in the waters off South America and attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean accused of carrying drugs. Last week, the CIA was behind a drone strike at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels — the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the US began strikes in September.
As of Friday, the number of known boat strikes was 35 and the number of people killed at least 115, according to the Trump administration. Trump said that the US is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels and has justified the boat strikes as a necessary step to stem the flow of drugs into the US.
Maduro has decried the US military operations as a thinly veiled effort to oust him from power. Venezuela’s government responded to the attack with a call to action: “People to the streets!”Armed people and uniformed members of a civilian militia headed into the streets of a Caracas neighborhood long considered a stronghold of the ruling party. At a pro-Maduro protest in the capital, Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez joined a crowd demanding Maduro’s return. “Maduro, hold on, the people are rising up!” the crowd chanted. They also said: “We are here Nicolás Maduro. If you can hear us, we are here!”
Some streets in Caracas fill up
In other parts of the city, the streets remained empty hours after the attack, as residents absorbed events. Some areas remained without power, but vehicles moved freely. “How do I feel? Scared, like everyone,” said Caracas resident Noris Prada, who sat on an empty avenue looking down at his phone. “Venezuelans woke up scared, many families couldn’t sleep.”Video obtained from Caracas and an unidentified coastal city showed tracers and smoke clouding the landscape as repeated muted explosions illuminated the night sky. Other footage showed cars passing on a highway as blasts illuminated the hills behind them. The videos were verified by The Associated Press. Smoke was seen rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas, while another military installation in the capital was without power. The Venezuelan government’s statement said Maduro had “ordered all national defense plans to be implemented” and declared a state of emergency that gives him the power to suspend people’s rights and expand the role of the armed forces. The website of the US Embassy in Venezuela, a post that has been closed since 2019, urged American citizens to shelter in place.
Reaction begins to emerge
The FAA warned all commercial and private US pilots that the airspace over Venezuela and the small island nation of Curacao, just off the coast of the country, was off limits “due to safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity.”The Armed Services committees in both houses of Congress, which have jurisdiction over military matters, have not been notified by the administration of any actions, according to a person familiar with the matter and granted anonymity to discuss it. Lawmakers from both political parties in Congress have raised deep reservations and flat-out objections to the US attacks on boats suspected of drug smuggling near the Venezuelan coast and Congress has not specifically approved an authorization for the use of military force for such operations in the region. Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he had seen no evidence that would justify Trump striking Venezuela without approval from Congress and demanded an immediate briefing by the administration on “its plan to ensure stability in the region and its legal justification for this decision.”Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the military action and seizure of Maduro marks “a new dawn for Venezuela,” saying that “the tyrant is gone.” He posted on X hours after the strike. His boss, Rubio, reposted a post from July that said Maduro “is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government.”Cuba, a supporter of the Maduro government and a longtime adversary of the United States, called for the international community to respond to what President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez called “the criminal attack.”“Our zone of peace is being brutally assaulted,” he said on X. Iran’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the strikes. President Javier Milei of Argentina praised the claim by his close ally, Trump, that Maduro had been captured with a political slogan he often deploys to celebrate right-wing advances: “Long live freedom, dammit!”

US strikes Venezuela and says its leader has been captured and flown out of the country
REGINA GARCIA CANO and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN/Associated Press/January 03/2026
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country in an extraordinary nighttime operation that was accompanied by a flurry of strikes following months of escalating Trump administration pressure on the oil-rich South American nation. The U.S. is now deciding next steps for Venezuela, President Donald Trump said Saturday on Fox News, adding, “We'll be involved in it very much.” The legal authority for the attack was not immediately clear. The stunning American military action, which plucked a nation’s sitting leader from office, echoed the U.S. invasion of Panama that led to the surrender and seizure of its leader, Manuel Antonio Noriega, in 1990 — exactly 36 years ago Saturday. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, would face charges after an indictment in New York. Bondi vowed in a social media post that the couple would “soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”Maduro and other Venezuelan officials were indicted in 2020 on “narco-terrorism” conspiracy charges. The Justice Department released a new indictment Saturday of Maduro and his wife for alleged role in narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Trump said the couple were aboard the U.S. warship Iwo Jima and headed to New York, where they will face prosecution. Venezuelan ruling party leader Nahum Fernández told The Associated Press that Maduro and Flores were at their home within the Ft. Tiuna military installation when they were captured.
“That’s where they bombed," he said. “And, there, they carried out what we could call a kidnapping of the president and the first lady of the country.”Early Saturday, multiple explosions rang out and low-flying aircraft swept through the Venezuelan capital. Maduro's government accused the United States of attacking civilian and military installations, calling it an “imperialist attack” and urging citizens to take to the streets.With the Venezuelan leader's whereabouts not known, the vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, would take power under Venezuelan law. There was no confirmation that had happened, though she did issue a statement after the strike, demanding proof of life for Maduro and his wife. Maduro, Trump said, “has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.” He set a news conference for Saturday morning. The attack itself lasted less than 30 minutes and the explosions — at least seven blasts — sent people rushing into the streets, while others took to social media to report what they’d seen and heard. Some Venezuelan civilians and members of the military were killed, said Rodríguez, the vice president, without giving a number. Trump said some U.S. forces were injured in the strikes but that he believed “we had nobody killed.”It was not known if more actions lie ahead, though Trump said in his post that the strikes were carried out “successfully.” The White House did not immediately respond to queries on where Maduro and his wife were being flown to.
Maduro last appeared on state television Friday while meeting with a delegation of Chinese officials in Caracas.The strike followed a months-long Trump administration pressure campaign on the Venezuelan leader, including a major buildup of American forces in the waters off South America and attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean accused of carrying drugs. Last week, the CIA was behind a drone strike at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels — the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the U.S. began strikes in September. As of Friday, the number of known boat strikes was 35 and the number of people killed at least 115, according to the Trump administration. Trump said that the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels and has justified the boat strikes as a necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the U.S.
Maduro has decried the U.S. military operations as a thinly veiled effort to oust him from power. Some streets in Caracas fill up
Venezuela’s government responded to the attack with a call to action: “People to the streets!”Armed people and uniformed members of a civilian militia headed into the streets of a Caracas neighborhood long considered a stronghold of the ruling party. At a pro-Maduro protest in the capital, Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez joined a crowd demanding Maduro’s return. “Maduro, hold on, the people are rising up!” the crowd chanted. They also said: “We are here Nicolás Maduro. If you can hear us, we are here!”In other parts of the city, the streets remained empty hours after the attack, as residents absorbed events. Some areas remained without power, but vehicles moved freely. “How do I feel? Scared, like everyone,” said Caracas resident Noris Prada, who sat on an empty avenue looking down at his phone. “Venezuelans woke up scared, many families couldn’t sleep.”Video obtained from Caracas and an unidentified coastal city showed tracers and smoke clouding the landscape as repeated muted explosions illuminated the night sky. Other footage showed cars passing on a highway as blasts illuminated the hills behind them. The videos were verified by The Associated Press. Smoke was seen rising from the hangar of a military base in Caracas, while another military installation in the capital was without power. The Venezuelan government's statement said Maduro had “ordered all national defense plans to be implemented” and declared a state of emergency that gives him the power to suspend people’s rights and expand the role of the armed forces. The website of the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela, a post that has been closed since 2019, urged American citizens to shelter in place.
Reaction begins to emerge
The FAA warned all commercial and private U.S. pilots that the airspace over Venezuela and the small island nation of Curacao, just off the coast of the country, was off limits “due to safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity.”The Armed Services committees in both houses of Congress, which have jurisdiction over military matters, have not been notified by the administration of any actions, according to a person familiar with the matter and granted anonymity to discuss it. Lawmakers from both political parties in Congress have raised deep reservations and flat-out objections to the U.S. attacks on boats suspected of drug smuggling near the Venezuelan coast and Congress has not specifically approved an authorization for the use of military force for such operations in the region. Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he had seen no evidence that would justify Trump striking Venezuela without approval from Congress and demanded an immediate briefing by the administration on "its plan to ensure stability in the region and its legal justification for this decision.”Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the military action and seizure of Maduro marks “a new dawn for Venezuela,” saying that “the tyrant is gone.” He posted on X hours after the strike. His boss, Rubio, reposted a post from July that said Maduro “is NOT the President of Venezuela and his regime is NOT the legitimate government.”Cuba, a supporter of the Maduro government and a longtime adversary of the United States, called for the international community to respond to what President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez called “the criminal attack.”
“Our zone of peace is being brutally assaulted,” he said on X. Iran’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the strikes.
President Javier Milei of Argentina praised the claim by his close ally, Trump, that Maduro had been captured with a political slogan he often deploys to celebrate right-wing advances: “Long live freedom, dammit!”
*Toropin and Associated Press writer Lisa Mascaro reported from Washington.

Why has US attacked Caracas and captured Venezuela’s president?
William Christou/The Guardian/January 03/2026
Overnight on Friday, the US carried out airstrikes across Venezuela, with explosions rocking the capital, Caracas, before dawn. Shortly afterwards, Donald Trump announced that US forces had captured the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, and flown them out of the country.
The stunning attack and unprecedented capture of a sitting president follow months of an intense US pressure campaign against Venezuela. Since September, the US navy has amassed a huge fleet off the Venezuelan coast and carried out airstrikes against alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific and seized Venezuelan oil tankers. At least 110 people have been killed in the strikes on boats, which human rights groups say could amount to war crimes. Venezuelan officials have accused the US of trying to gain access to the country’s oil reserves, the largest in the world.
The bombardment of Venezuela and the capture of Maduro is a serious and dramatic escalation of the US campaign. The future of Venezuela’s ruling regime remains uncertain.
How did we get here?
Since Trump took office for his second term, he has put Maduro squarely in his sights, pursuing a maximum pressure campaign against the Venezuelan regime. He accused Maduro of being behind destabilising activity in the Americas, including drug trafficking and illegal immigration to the US. In July, the US announced a $50m (£37m) bounty on Maduro’s head, accusing him of being one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world. Trump’s administration declared Venezuelan gangs such as Tren de Aragua as terrorist organisations and began carrying out airstrikes against alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean sea. Soon, the US began to seize Venezuelan tankers and build up its military presence in the waters surrounding the South American country. Trump has openly flirted with the idea of regime change in Venezuela. In late November, Trump gave Maduro an ultimatum to relinquish power, offering him safe passage out of the country. Maduro refused the offer, telling supporters in Venezuela that he did not want “a slave’s peace” and accusing the US of wanting control of his country’s oil reserves. As the Trump administration ratcheted up the pressure, the government in Caracas at times seemed bewildered. Maduro repeatedly said Venezuela did not want war with the US, at one point dancing in front of Venezuelan students to the lyrics, “no war, yes peace” and mimicking Trump’s double-fist pumping dance move. On Thursday, two days before his capture, Maduro said in a televised interview he would welcome US investment in the country’s oil sector.
Why are the US and Venezuela at odds?
Relations between the US and Venezuela have been strained since Hugo Chávez became the president in 1999. A self-professed socialist and anti-imperialist, Chávez angered the US in his opposition to its invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as his alliances with countries such as Cuba and Iran. Relations further spiralled after Chávez accused the US of backing a 2002 coup attempt. To many in the US, particularly in the more hawkish wing of the Republican party, the socialist ideological orientation of Venezuela’s government has made it a natural adversary of the US, alongside its ally Cuba. As Chávez consolidated power, punished political opponents and expropriated much of the country’s private sector, the US condemned Venezuela for its poor human rights record. Despite occasional minor thaws in relations between the two countries over the years, the relationship has continued to deteriorate, especially after Maduro took power in 2013. Under the Trump administration, the US has portrayed the Maduro government as illegitimate, recognising Juan Guaidó, the speaker of the parliament, as Venezuela’s president in 2019. In July 2024, Maduro appeared to suffer a landslide defeat in the presidential election, amid widespread anger at his increasingly authoritarian rule and Venezuela’s economic collapse. The Biden administration recognised the opposition candidate Edmundo González as the victor. Detailed voting data released by the opposition and verified by independent experts indicated that González had won the vote, but Maduro clung to power after launching a ferocious crackdown. In early December, the Trump administration published what it called the “Trump corollary”, which said that the western hemisphere must be controlled by the US politically, economically, commercially and militarily. As part of the new Trump doctrine, the US military can be used to gain access to energy and mineral resources in the area. Who is Nicolás Maduro and why did Trump capture him? Maduro has been the president of Venezuela since 2013. The former bus driver rose to prominence under Chávez, working as his minister of foreign affairs before becoming the country’s president after Chávez’s death. Maduro’s rule is considered dictatorial, with the UN estimating in 2019 that more than 20,000 Venezuelans were killed in extrajudicial executions. Key institutions, such as the judiciary, have been eroded under Maduro and the rule of law has deteriorated. Relations with the US have also suffered under his rule.Over recent months, Trump has repeatedly called for the ousting of Maduro, accusing him of sending drugs and criminals into the US – a claim experts have said lacks evidence. Despite months of escalating rhetoric, Saturday’s capture of the sitting president arrived without warning and Venezuelan authorities seemed to have been caught off guard by the brazen operation.
What happens next?
The future is uncertain. Venezuela’s defence minister has vowed to fight on and has called on citizens to unite to resist the foreign “invasion”, calling resistance to the US a “fight for freedom”. Though Maduro has been captured, Venezuela’s institutions and military appear to be intact. It is unclear if Saturday’s attack on Venezuela was the beginning of a wider conflict or a one-off operation. Venezuelan opposition leaders, chief among them the Nobel peace prize winner María Corina Machado, have called for Trump to help support an uprising in the country. The US has in the past carried out war games to simulate a scenario where Venezuelan leadership was “decapitated”. The simulations predicted prolonged chaos, with refugees pouring out of Venezuela and rival groups fighting one another for control of the country.
“You’d have prolonged chaos … with no clear way out,” Douglas Farah, a Latin America expert who helped run the war games, said.

Iran Supreme Leader Says Will Not Yield as Protests Simmer and US Threatens
Asharq Al Awsat/January 03/2026
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed not to yield after US President Donald Trump threatened to come to the aid of protesters, as ​rights groups reported a sharp rise in arrests following days of unrest sparked by soaring inflation. Speaking in a recorded appearance on television on Saturday, Khamenei said the Islamic Republic "will not yield to the enemy" and said rioters should be "put in their place".
ECONOMIC CRISIS
Authorities have attempted to maintain a dual approach to the unrest, saying protests over the economy are legitimate and will be met ‌by dialogue, while ‌meeting some demonstrations with tear gas amid violent street confrontations. "The ‌bazaaris ⁠were ​right. They ‌are right to say they cannot do business in these conditions," said Khamenei, referring to market traders' concerns over the currency slide.
"We will speak with the protesters but talking to rioters is useless. Rioters should be put in their place," he added. The weeklong protests, have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the protests have yet to be as widespread and intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. Reports of violence have centered on small cities in Iran's western provinces, where several people have been killed. Authorities have said two members of the security services had died and more than a dozen were injured in the unrest.  Rights groups say more than 10 people have been killed so far. Hengaw, a Kurdish rights group, said ⁠late on Friday that it had identified 133 people arrested, an increase of 77 from the previous day. The deaths overnight into Saturday involved a new level of violence. In Qom, a grenade exploded, killing a man there, the state-owned IRAN newspaper reported. Online videos from Qom purportedly showed fires in the street overnight.The second death happened in the town of Harsin, some 370 kilometers (230 miles) southwest of Tehran. There, the newspaper said a member of the Basij, the all-volunteer arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, died in a gun and knife attack in the town in Kermanshah province. Demonstrations have reached over 100 locations in 22 of Iran’s 31 provinces, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported.

‘No future for us’: disaffected Iranians say it’s now or never to topple regime
Deepa Parent and William Christou/The Guardian/January 03/2026
Mehnaz was too young to protest when Mahsa Amini died in police custody three years ago after she was arrested for allegedly wearing the hijab improperly. Her mother did not let her join the throngs of crowds chanting “woman, life, freedom” in Tehran and across the country – so she could only watch at home as they were beaten back by batons and bullets.Since then, the 19-year-old computer science student in Tehran has waited for the chance to join fellow Iranians in protest. On Sunday, the moment finally came. A sudden nosedive in the value of Iran’s currency was the final blow to a population growing tired of being patient under an ailing economy. Protests soon began in Tehran and spread, kicking off the country’s biggest protests in years – some of which have turned deadly. At least 10 people had been killed by violence surrounding the protests, with two new deaths occurring overnight.
“Despite my mother’s fears, I joined in [on protests] on Wednesday. They execute, and arrest us anyway. So people now think, if they continue to kill us when we are not even on the streets in protest, why the fuck are we waiting for the right moment?” said Mehnaz, speaking under a pseudonym for fear of repercussions.The demonstrations started with merchants closing their shops in protest against deteriorating economic conditions and have spread from Tehran to about 32 cities across the country. What began as a movement to express economic grievances has widened in scope, with protesters chanting against the Iranian government. Students and activists have begun chanting “death to the dictator”, referring to the 86-year-old supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and “woman, life, freedom”, echoing the 2022 protests that paralysed Iran.
As the protests have grown, so has the government’s concern. Iran’s president, the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, initially announced he had instructed authorities to listen to the “legitimate demands” of protesters and said he was seeking dialogue with protest leaders.
At the same time, Iranian human rights groups allege security forces have used deadly force against protesters. The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran said on Friday that eight protesters have been killed by state security forces and dozens more injured. At least 119 people have been arrested for their involvement in protests, according to the human rights activists news agency.
Reza, a 20-year-old university student involved in the protests, described how plainclothes officers and the Basij [the volunteer paramilitary force] burst into his dorms on New Year’s Eve. They began interrogating students and beating them as they asked about who was leading the protests. Since then, many classes have been moved online to prevent gatherings on campuses where security forces have beefed up their presence. “Joining these protests is a matter of ruining our future, but we have realised there is no future for us under this regime, so why cower and hide now?” said Reza, who asked to use a pseudonym.
The protests come at a precarious time for the Iranian government, which was rocked by a 12-day war with Israel in June. More than 1,000 people were killed when Israel bombed Iran for nearly two weeks with almost complete impunity. It was a blow to the image of an impregnable Iranian regime, which for years had said Israel would not dare strike Iran on its home soil. Iranians watched Israelis shelter in missile bunkers, while they had to crowd inside metro stations and flee Tehran under the threat of bombs, wondering why their country was not better prepared for a war that seemed years in the making.
As protests spread across the country, Donald Trump twice threatened a fresh attack on Iran. On Monday he told reporters he would “knock them down” if Iran was rebuilding its missile capabilities – a claim Iran denies. On Friday, he threatened US intervention if Iran killed protesters, warning that the US was “locked and loaded, and ready to go”.Trump’s threats have led Iranian officials to lean into the narrative that protests at home are foreign backed, with the secretary of Iran’s supreme national security council, Ali Larijani, accusing the US and Israel of having a hand in the demonstrations. The threats confronting the Iranian government have only fed some protesters’ convictions that the time is right to take to the streets. “We are fed up, and after June we know we must hit them when they are weakest, which is now. They say you must hit the iron when it’s hot, right?” said Mehnaz.
Another 28-year-old protester said instead of foreign military attacks, he wanted the west to put diplomatic pressure on the Iranian authorities and provide technical support to protesters, such as ensuring the internet remained open in Iran.
Fuelling the protests is an ailing economy, which experts blame on a mixture of government mismanagement and international sanctions that have driven inflation as Iran cannot access frozen assets abroad and foreign exchange. The Iranian rial has lost more than 50% of its value in the last six months, hitting a historic low of 1.4 million rials to the dollar on Sunday.The cost of living has soared as people’s purchasing power has been eroded, with the cost of food increasing on average by half since this time last year. A new government tax, meant to take effect in the Iranian new year on 21 March, has further angered people. It is unclear if the protests could survive a violent crackdown such as the one in 2022. This time around, protests are smaller and lack a central figure such as Mahsa Amini to rally behind. Demands are more diffuse and grievances more economic in nature. Still, the protesters on the streets say they are determined to stay there until they see real change. They say they have learned from the protests three years ago and are eager to apply the lessons. “We learned that no matter what, the only way to get freedom is to continue protesting and doing so consistently and strategically, which I think lacked in the past,” said Moein, a 28-year-old protester in Lorestan speaking under a pseudonym. “We knew we wanted the end of the regime – and that’s been the common goal for all the protests.”

UAE calls for restraint, urges Yemenis to resolve differences through dialogue
Arab News/January 03, 2026
DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates said Saturday that is closely following recent developments in Yemen and expresses its deep concern over the ongoing escalation. The UAE statement said Yemenis should exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue to safeguard security and stability. “The UAE stresses the importance of de-escalation, giving precedence to dialogue over confrontation, and addressing existing differences among the brotherly Yemenis through understanding and consensus on sustainable political solutions,” read a statement on WAM news agency. “This should be pursued through a rational and responsible approach that priorities the interests of the country and its people, with stability and prosperity as the foremost priorities.” “The UAE further affirms that de-escalation and constructive dialogue remain the most effective path to overcoming current challenges, contributing to lasting stability in Yemen and the region, and fulfilling the aspirations of their peoples for security and prosperity.”

Southern Transitional Council welcomes Saudi invitation for Yemen dialogue
Arab News/January 03, 2026
RIYADH: The Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen on Saturday welcomed Saudi Arabia’s invitation to take part in an inclusive dialogue among southern Yemeni factions in Riyadh. In a statement, the group said the move reflected the Kingdom’s commitment to resolving political issues through dialogue, particularly in relation to the southern people’s right to restore their state. The STC stressed that any meaningful dialogue must recognize the will of the southern people, include full international guarantees, and consider a free referendum as part of any future proposals or political solutions. The council said it had taken part in all stages of dialogue sponsored by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council, beginning with the 2019 Riyadh Agreement, followed by the 2022 Riyadh Consultations, and culminating in the comprehensive Southern Dialogue that led to the adoption of the Southern National Charter in 2023—underscoring its consistent commitment to dialogue and political responsibility. Saudi Arabia announced the invitation earlier on Saturday at the request of Rashad Al-Alimi, president of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council. The Kingdom urged all factions to participate “to develop a comprehensive vision” that would fulfill the aspirations of the southern people. The initiative has received broad regional and international support.

Do Syria’s Former Regime Networks Really Command 168,000 Fighters?
This Is Beirut/January 03/2026
As Syria tries to stabilize after years of devastating war, a new and unsettling narrative has emerged: claims that remnants of Bashar al-Assad’s former regime command an armed force of up to 168,000 fighters, allegedly preparing for renewed confrontation.
The figure, revealed through leaked documents and intercepted communications obtained by Al Jazeera and corroborated in part by a New York Times investigation, raises urgent questions, not only about its credibility, but also about the intentions behind it. It is being deployed as a message to adversaries, to international actors, and to Syrians themselves that the old order remains capable of disruption.
A Shadow Network Re-emerges
The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s rule did not dissolve the structures that sustained it. Instead, several senior figures appear to have reorganized beyond Syria’s borders, particularly in Russia and Lebanon, while maintaining operational links inside the country. These networks combine military coordination, financial support, and political messaging, forming a parallel architecture of influence. Among the key figures identified are Suhail al-Hassan, the former elite forces commander known for his brutality; Rami Makhlouf, Assad’s cousin and longtime financial pillar of the regime; Kamal al-Hassan, former head of military intelligence; and Ghiyath Dalla, a senior officer from the Fourth Division. Together, they represent a constellation of power rooted not in formal authority, but in loyalty networks forged during years of conflict. According to leaked documents, this structure spans Syria’s coastal regions, Homs, Hama, and parts of Damascus, supported by logistics, funding channels, and communication networks extending beyond the country’s borders.
The 168,000 Fighters Narrative: Power Through Perception
Central to this emerging strategy is the assertion in handwritten notes attributed to Suhail al-Hassan that as many as 168,000 fighters remain mobilizable, particularly in coastal areas historically aligned with the former regime. Al-Hassan’s documents provide unusually detailed breakdowns of manpower and weaponry, including individuals reportedly equipped with automatic weapons, anti-aircraft systems, and anti-tank capabilities. Yet even within these circles, the credibility of these figures is contested. Sources cited by Al Jazeera suggest growing internal tensions between Rami Makhlouf and Suhail al-Hassan, with accusations that the latter deliberately inflated troop numbers to secure greater financial backing. This internal mistrust raises doubts about whether the force truly exists at the scale claimed or whether the number serves a strategic purpose. In conflict dynamics, numbers are power. Inflated strength can intimidate rivals, attract foreign interest, and justify funding flows. Whether real or exaggerated, the figure of 168,000 has become a political weapon in itself. This is a strategic narrative of strength designed to intimidate rivals, reassure loyalists, and attract external backing. In this sense, the claim of 168,000 fighters functions less as a military reality and more as a psychological and political instrument.
Financing Influence and Rebuilding Loyalty
Financial leverage remains central to this effort. Investigative findings indicate that funds continue to flow toward maintaining loyalty networks, with payments reportedly ranging from two hundred to one thousand dollars per fighter each month. Additional resources are directed toward weapons procurement, communications infrastructure, and logistical preparation. Rami Makhlouf’s role extends beyond financial sponsorship. He appears to be positioning himself as a protector of the Alawite community, cultivating an image of stability and continuity amid uncertainty. This strategy seeks to convert economic dependency into political allegiance, reinforcing his relevance at a time when formal authority has shifted elsewhere.
Regional Reach and Military Coordination
One of the most sensitive dimensions of these developments is the role attributed to Lebanon. According to investigative findings, a coordination hub was established on Lebanese territory near the Syrian border, serving as a logistical and operational center beyond the reach of Syrian authorities. This development carries significant implications. Lebanon’s fragile political and security environment makes it particularly vulnerable to becoming an unintended platform for regional power struggles. Reports indicating the presence of non-Syrian fighters and logistical activity linked to former regime networks underscore the risk of spillover instability. More concerning still are indications of Iranian facilitation. Communications cited in investigations suggest that Tehran assisted in relocating former Syrian air force officers, including individuals accused of involvement in war crimes, to secure locations in Lebanon. Among them is Mohammad al-Hassouri, linked to the 2017 Khan Sheikhoun chemical attack. Such movements signal a shift from passive support to operational preparedness.
Exploiting Instability and Sectarian Fault Lines
These efforts appear to be unfolding alongside attempts to exploit moments of internal unrest. Communications cited by The New York Times indicate deliberate efforts to capitalize on violence along Syria’s coast, where recent unrest has already claimed more than 1,600 lives. At the same time, political lobbying abroad has reportedly accompanied military planning. In Washington, networks linked to former regime figures have sought to influence policy debates through lobbying firms and advocacy platforms, portraying themselves as a stabilizing alternative to what they describe as “chaos” in post-Assad Syria. Operating through entities such as the West Syria Development Foundation, these initiatives aim to reshape international perceptions and potentially legitimize alternative political arrangements, including notions of territorial autonomy.
A Strategy of Pressure, Not War
Operational coordination appears fragile. Ghiyath Dalla, reportedly involved in arms procurement and logistics, faced difficulties maintaining unified command, while regional and international surveillance continues to limit the network’s room for maneuver.What emerges from these developments is not evidence of an imminent return to civil war, but rather a calculated strategy of pressure. By amplifying perceptions of strength, activating dormant networks, and leveraging regional instability, former regime figures appear to be testing the resilience of Syria’s post-conflict order.
A Fragile Moment for Syria and the Region
Syria today stands at a precarious crossroads. The legacy of war has not disappeared; it has merely adapted. While the country seeks stability, the reactivation of old networks, particularly through neighboring Lebanon, underscores how easily unresolved power structures can reassert themselves. If effective oversight and coordination are not ensured by Lebanese state institutions, this dynamic risks evolving into a broader security challenge, potentially forcing difficult discussions about border control and the limits of cross-border movement in the absence of firm governance.
Whether these efforts of Assad’s remnants collapse or evolve into something more destabilizing will depend on regional vigilance, political resolve, and the ability of Syria’s new leadership to address the very vulnerabilities these actors seek to exploit. What remains clear is that the shadows of the old fallen regime are not yet completely gone, and the cost of underestimating them could once again be devastating

Missile hits near military airport in Syria’s Damascus, says state media
AFP/January 03, 2026
DAMASCUS: An unidentified missile hit an area of Syrian capital Damascus home to a military airport on Saturday, state media reported. Syrian media outlets and residents reported hearing the blast in the Mazzeh area, while Syria’s official SANA news agency said that the explosion’s “nature is being verified.”A security source added: “An unidentified missile landed near Mazzeh Military Airport in Damascus, without causing any casualties or material damage,” according to SANA. On Monday another explosion was heard in the vicinity of Mazzeh, which official media said was the result of “military exercises,” without providing further details. The Mazzeh area has recently witnessed a series of explosions from falling projectiles, with authorities not identifying those responsible. On December 9, SANA quoted a military source as saying that the surroundings of Mazzeh Military Airport were targeted by “three unidentified projectiles, without causing any casualties or material damage.” On November 14, a woman was injured in a rocket attack that struck a house in the Mazzeh area. SANA quoted a military source as saying the attack was carried out “using rockets launched from a mobile platform,” adding that those responsible remain unidentified

Syria begins circulating new post-Assad currency bills
AP/January 03, 2026
DAMASCUS, Syria: Syria started the process of circulating new currency bills on Saturday as the nation seeks to stabilize the economy as it recovers from the fall of Bashar Assad’s government. A decree issued earlier this week by President Ahmad Al-Sharaa said that “old Syrian currency” will be gradually withdrawn from circulation according to a timetable set by the central bank and through designated exchange centers. Central Bank Governor Mokhles Nazer posted on X that after months of preparations, the exchange of old Syrian pounds with new banknotes officially began Saturday morning. The presidential decree posted on the SANA state news agency stipulates that “new Syrian currency” will be issued by removing two zeros from the nominal value of the old currency. It means every 100 Syrian pounds of the old currency will now equate to one Syrian pound. The largest denomination of the old currency was 5,000 Syrian pound, while under the new currency it is 500 pounds. The US dollar was selling at exchange shops in Damascus on Saturday for 11,800 pounds for the old banknotes, some of which bear the images of Assad and his late father and predecessor, Hafez Assad. At the start of Syria’s conflict in mid-March 2011, the US dollar was worth 47 Syrian pounds. Since insurgent groups led by Al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham marched into Damascus in December 2024 to end the Assad family’s 54-year rule, work has been ongoing by the country’s new authorities to improve the economy battered by years of war and Western sanctions. The US and the European Union have removed most of the sanctions imposed on Syria during Assad’s rule.

Turkey's Erdogan hails 2.6bn euro jet deal with Spain
AFP/January 03, 2026
ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday welcomed an agreement under which Spain will procure Turkish-made HURJET training aircraft, describing it as evidence of Turkey's "pioneering role" in defence and aviation industry. Under the deal, signed this week, the Spanish Air Force will acquire 30 HURJET aircraft from Turkey in a contract valued at around 2.6 billion euros, according to Turkish officials. Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey had become a globally recognised player in the defence and aviation sectors. "Most recently, the agreement we concluded with Spain has confirmed our country's pioneering role in this field," Erdogan said. He added that the inclusion of HURJET in the inventory of a European Union and NATO member state would further expand Turkey's opportunities in the coming years. On Tuesday, Haluk Gorgun, head of Turkey's defence industry agency, described the agreement as more than a simple aircraft sale. "This is not merely a training aircraft deal," Gorgun said. "It is a comprehensive package that includes ground systems, simulation systems, maintenance and sustainment services, as well as a cooperation model." He added that the agreement underscored the deepening of defence industry and high-technology cooperation between Turkey and Spain, noting that the aircraft configuration would be updated over time to meet Spain's specific operational requirements. Turkey has steadily expanded its defence exports in recent years, including drones that have been sold to multiple countries. Erdogan said Turkey's defence exports, which stood at $248 million in 2002, had increased nearly 40 fold to reach $9.8 billion in 2025.

Trump’s threat to ‘come to rescue’ of Iran’s protesters raises tensions, intent unclear
The Arab weekly/January 03/2026
President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States was “locked and loaded” threatening to intervene in Iran if authorities there killed protesters. His remarks and his choice of military terms in his threat provoked a sudden escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran but did not convey a clear sense of the US president’s immediate intent in Iran. Trump said on his Truth Social platform that if Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue”.“We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he added.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Trump’s remarks “reckless and dangerous”, and warned that the armed forces were “on standby” in the event of any intervention. The head of Iran’s top security body, Ali Larijani, warned Trump that “US interference in this internal matter would mean destabilising the entire region and destroying America’s interests”. The American people “should be mindful of their soldiers’ safety”, Larijani added on X. Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said any US intervention would “be exposed to a response”, calling Iran’s security a “red line”.
Iranian leaders, including Larijani and President Masoud Pezeshkian, have in recent days said that peaceful protests over Iran’s dire economy were legitimate and understandable. Iran’s economy has been battered by years of crushing international sanctions over its nuclear programme, with raging inflation and a collapsing currency.
Pezeshkian said on Thursday that from a religious perspective, he and his government would be damned to hell if they failed to address the people’s economic hardship. At the same time, officials have warned of a firm response to any instability. An Iranian police spokesman said on Friday that the authorities acknowledged that the protests “express the will of the people to improve their living conditions”. “The police clearly distinguish between the legitimate demands of the people and destructive actions… and will not permit any enemies to transform the unrest into chaos,” spokesman Said Montazeralmahdi added in a statement.The prosecutor of the district of Lorestan, where clashes took place on Thursday, was quoted on the judiciary’s Mizan website as saying: “Any participation in illegal gatherings and any action aimed at disturbing public order, destroying property, disobeying law enforcement, inciting illegal gatherings… will be treated with the greatest firmness”.
Conflicting interpretations
There was a high degree of confusion among US analysts about future intentions of the US president in Iran. Some expressed the view that Trump’s threats were intended to ratchet up pressure on the Iranian regime at a time it appeared to be most vulnerable. Others, however, warned the threats could reinforce Iranian hard-liners’ argument that their country faces an imminent American threat and hence help them rally support for the regime. Among US politicians there was no clear consensus neither. Republican congressman Thomas Massie on Friday criticised President Trump’s threat to intervene in Iran. He wrote on X, “We have problems at home and shouldn’t be wasting military resources on another country’s internal affairs.” The GOP lawmaker also noted that strikes on Iran “require Congressional authorisation.”“This threat isn’t about freedom of speech in Iran; it’s about the dollar, oil, and Israel,” added the Kentucky Republican, a frequent critic of Trump. Trump spoke a few days after he met Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, a longtime advocate of military action against Iran, and warned of fresh strikes if Tehran resumed nuclear or ballistic work. The protest movement comes as Iran has found itself weakened by major blows dealt to its regional allies in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Iran also fought a 12-day war with Israel in June that saw the United States briefly join with strikes on nuclear sites. This week’s protests are so far smaller than some previous bouts of unrest in Iran, but have spread across the country, with deadly confrontations between demonstrators and security forces focused in western provinces. State-affiliated media and rights groups have reported at least 10 deaths since Wednesday, including two men who authorities said were members of the Basij paramilitary force affiliated with the elite Revolutionary Guards.
The Islamic Republic’s clerical leadership has seen off repeated eruptions of unrest in recent decades, often quelling protests with heavy security measures and mass arrests. But economic problems may leave authorities more vulnerable now.This week’s protests are the biggest since nationwide demonstrations triggered by the death of a young woman in custody in 2022 paralysed Iran for weeks, with rights groups reporting hundreds killed. The new wave of upheaval started when Shopkeepers in the capital Tehran went on strike on Sunday over high prices, currency swings and economic stagnation. UN human rights chief Volker Turk urged Iranian “authorities to uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly”.

Iran’s Khamenei says protesters’ economic demands fair, warns ‘rioters’ as death toll reaches 12
AP/January 03, 2026
TEHRAN: Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday acknowledged the economic demands of protesters in Iran, where demonstrations have spread to more than two dozen cities, even as he warned there would be no quarter for “rioters.”The protests began on Sunday as an expression of discontent over high prices and economic stagnation, but have since expanded to include political demands. Iranian media have reported localized violence and vandalism in the west of the country in recent days. “During clashes in Malekshahi, Latif Karimi, a member of the IRGC, was killed while defending the country’s security,” Mehr news agency said. Malekshahi is a county of about 20,000 residents with a large Kurdish population, where “rioters attempted to enter a police station,” according to separate news agency Fars, which added that “two assailants were killed.”Mehr earlier reported a member of the Basij paramilitary force was also killed during another protest in western Iran after being “stabbed and shot” by “armed rioters.”The protests have affected, to varying degrees, at least 30 different cities, mostly medium-sized, according to an AFP tally based on official announcements and media reports. At least 12 people have been killed since Wednesday in clashes, including members of the security forces, according to a toll based on official reports. Speaking to worshippers gathered in Tehran for a Shiite holiday, Khamenei said the protesters’ economic demands in the sanctions-battered country were “just.”
“The shopkeepers have protested against this situation and that is completely fair,” he added. But Khamenei nonetheless warned that while “authorities must have dialogue with protesters, it is useless to have dialogue with rioters. Those must be put in their place.”The first deaths were reported on Thursday as demonstrators clashed with authorities. The Tasnim news agency, citing a local official, also reported a man was killed on Friday in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, when a grenade he was trying to use exploded “in his hands.”A 17-year-old boy, connected to the Qom protests and wounded by gunfire, also died from his injuries, Tasnim added. However, local media do not necessarily report on every incident, and state media have downplayed coverage of protests, while videos flooding social media are often impossible to verify.
- Political demands -
The Fars news agency reported gatherings on Friday in several working-class neighborhoods of Tehran, which is home to around 10 million people. In Darehshahr, in the country’s west, around 300 people blocked streets, threw Molotov cocktails and “brandished Kalashnikovs” on Friday, according to Fars. The movement kicked off on Sunday when shopkeepers went on strike in Tehran to protest economic conditions, and spread after university students elsewhere in the country took up the cause. In recent days, the protests have taken on a more overtly political bent. In Karaj, on the outskirts of the capital, “a few people burned the Iranian flag, shouting ‘Death to the dictator!’ and ‘This isn’t the last battle, Pahlavi is coming back!’” Fars reported, adding that others in the crowd objected to the slogans. The pro-Western Pahlavi dynasty ruled Iran from 1925 to 1979, when it was toppled by the Islamic revolution. Since the protests began, authorities have adopted a conciliatory tone when it comes to economic demands, while warning that destabilization and chaos will not be tolerated. Though widespread, the demonstrations are smaller than the ones that broke out in 2022, triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women. Her death sparked a nationwide wave of anger that left several hundred people dead, including dozens of members of the security forces. Iran was also gripped by nationwide protests that began in late 2019 over a rise in fuel prices, eventually leading to calls to topple the country’s clerical rulers.

UN chief calls on Israel to reverse NGOs ban in Gaza
AFP/January 03, 2026
UNITED NATIONS, United States: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on Friday for Israel to end a ban on humanitarian agencies that provided aid in Gaza, saying he was “deeply concerned” at the development. Guterres “calls for this measure to be reversed, stressing that international non-governmental organizations are indispensable to life-saving humanitarian work and that the suspension risks undermining the fragile progress made during the ceasefire,” his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. “This recent action will further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians,” he added. Israel on Thursday suspended 37 foreign humanitarian organizations from accessing the Gaza Strip after they had refused to share lists of their Palestinian employees with government officials.The ban includes Doctors Without Borders (MSF), which has 1,200 staff members in the Palestinian territories — the majority of whom are in Gaza.
NGOs included in the ban have been ordered to cease their operations by March 1. Several NGOS have said the requirements contravene international humanitarian law or endanger their independence. Israel says the new regulation aims to prevent bodies it accuses of supporting terrorism from operating in the Palestinian territories. On Thursday, 18 Israel-based left-wing NGOs denounced the decision to ban their international peers, saying “the new registration framework violates core humanitarian principles of independence and neutrality.”A fragile ceasefire has been in place since October, following a deadly war waged by Israel in response to Hamas’s unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. In November, authorities in Gaza said more than 70,000 people had been killed there since the war broke out. Nearly 80 percent of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged by the war, according to UN data, leaving infrastructure decimated. About 1.5 million of Gaza’s more than two million residents have lost their homes, said Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza.

Medical charity ‘may have to halt Gaza operations in March’
AFP/January 03, 2026
PARIS: Banned from the Gaza Strip with 36 aid bodies, medical charity Doctors Without Borders said on Saturday it will have to end its operations there in March if Israel does not reverse its decision. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Friday for Israel to end a ban on humanitarian agencies that provided aid in Gaza, saying he was “deeply concerned” at the development. Israel confirmed on Thursday that it was barring 37 major international humanitarian organizations from entering the Gaza Strip, accusing them of failing to provide the list of their employees’ names, which is now officially required for “security” reasons.
FASTFACT
MSF has approximately 40 international staff in the Gaza Strip and employs 800 Palestinian staff across eight hospitals. MSF called this demand a “scandalous intrusion” but Israel says it was needed to stop extremists from infiltrating into humanitarian structures. “To work in Palestine, in the occupied Palestinian territories, we have to be registered ... That registration expired on Dec. 31, 2025,” said Isabelle Defourny, a physician and president of MSF France, on France Inter. “Since July 2025, we have been involved in a re-registration process, and to date, we have not received a response. We still have 60 days during which we could work without being re-registered, and so we would have to end our activities in March,” if Israel maintains its decision, she said. MSF has approximately 40 international staff in the Gaza Strip and employs 800 Palestinian staff across eight hospitals. “We are the second-largest distributor of water (in the Gaza Strip). Last year, in 2025, we treated just over 100,000 people who were wounded, burned, or victims of various traumas. We are second in terms of the number of deliveries performed,” the president of MSF France said. According to her, the Israeli decision is explained by the fact that NGOs “bear witness to the violence committed by the Israeli army” in Gaza. The UN chief “calls for this measure to be reversed, stressing that international non-governmental organizations are indispensable to life-saving humanitarian work and that the suspension risks undermining the fragile progress made during the ceasefire,” his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in the statement. “This recent action will further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians,” he added. Several NGOS have said the requirements contravene international humanitarian law or endanger their independence. On Thursday, 18 Israel-based left-wing NGOs denounced the decision to ban their international peers, saying “the new registration framework violates core humanitarian principles of independence and neutrality.”In November, authorities in Gaza said more than 70,000 people had been killed there since the war broke out. Nearly 80 percent of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged by the war, according to UN data, leaving infrastructure decimated. About 1.5 million of Gaza’s more than 2 million residents have lost their homes, said Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza.

Spain highlights importance of Gaza reconstruction
WAFA/January 02, 2026
RAMALLAH: The Palestinian prime minister, Mohammed Mustafa, and the Spanish foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares, on Friday discussed the latest developments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. During their telephone conversation they emphasized the need to intensify international efforts to end the Israeli occupation and halt attacks and settler violence, and to secure the release of Palestinian funds held by Israeli authorities. They affirmed the importance of ongoing efforts relating to plans for the reconstruction of Gaza, and Europe’s significant role in this process. Mustafa and Albares highlighted the need to unify Palestinian institutions in Gaza with those in the West Bank, with the aim of establishing a Palestinian state in line with international resolutions, including last year’s New York Declaration. They also discussed coordination between their countries, and the strengthening of Spain’s political, diplomatic and financial support for Palestine, and Mustafa thanked Spain for its ongoing support. Spain officially recognized Palestine as a state in May 2024, in a coordinated move alongside Ireland and Norway. Estephan Salameh, the Palestinian finance and planning minister, is set to visit Spain this month to discuss enhanced cooperation, particularly in the areas of development and reconstruction. Meanwhile, Israel continues operating in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Prisoners media office said on Friday that Israel carried out numerous raids across the territory, including the major cities of Ramallah and Hebron, according to The Associated Press. Nearly 50 people were detained, following the arrest of at least 50 other Palestinians on Thursday, most of those in the Ramallah area. As 2026 begins, the shaky 12-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has largely ended large-scale Israeli bombardment of Gaza. But Palestinians are still being killed by Israeli fire, especially along the so-called Yellow Line that delineates areas under Israeli control, and the humanitarian crisis is compounded by frequent winter rains and colder temperatures.On Friday, American actor and film producer Angelina Jolie visited the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. The only crossing between the territory and a country other than Israel, it remains closed despite Palestinian requests to reopen it to people and aid. Jolie met with members of the Red Crescent on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing and then visited a hospital in the nearby city of Arish to speak with Palestinian patients on Friday, according to Egyptian officials. Aid groups say not enough shelter materials are getting into Gaza during the truce.

Displaced Sudanese escape RSF siege in southern Kordofan
AFP/January 03, 2026
GEDAREF, Sudan: When paramilitary Rapid Support Force fighters closed in on the Sudanese border town and oil field of Heglig, paraplegic Dowa Hamed could only cling to her husband’s back as they fled, “like a child,” she said. Now, the 25-year-old mother of five — paralyzed from the waist down — lies shell-shocked on a cot in the Abu Al-Naga displacement camp, a dusty transit center just outside the eastern city of Gedaref, nearly 800 km from home. But her family’s actual journey was much longer, crossing the South Sudan border twice and passing from one group of fighters to another, as they ran for their lives with their children in tow alongside hundreds of others.“We fled with nothing,” Hamed said. “Only the clothes on our backs.”Hamed and her family are among tens of thousands of people recently uprooted by fighting in southern Kordofan — the latest front in the war between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces that erupted in April 2023. Since capturing the army’s last stronghold in Darfur in October, the RSF and their allies have pushed deeper into neighboring Kordofan, an oil-rich agricultural region divided into three states: West, North, and South. In recent weeks, the paramilitary group has consolidated control over West Kordofan, seized Heglig — home to Sudan’s largest oil field — and tightened its siege on Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan, where hundreds of thousands now face mass starvation. On the night of Dec. 7, the inhabitants of Heglig — many of them the families of oil technicians, engineers, and soldiers stationed at the field — got word that an attack would happen at dawn. “We ran on foot, barefoot, without proper clothes,” said Hiyam Al-Hajj, 29, a mother of 10 who says she had to leave her mother and six siblings behind as she ran around 30 km to the border.
“The RSF chased us to the border. The South Sudan army told them we were in their country and they would not hand us over,” she said.
They were sheltered in South Sudan’s Unity State, but barely fed. “Those who had money could feed their children,” Al-Hajj said. “Those who did not went hungry.”They spent nearly four weeks on the move, trekking long distances on foot and spending nights out in the open, sleeping on the bare ground.
“We were hungry,” she said. “But we did not feel the hunger; all we cared about was our safety.”Eventually, authorities in South Sudan put them in large trucks that carried them back across the border to army-controlled territory, where they could head east, away from the front lines. Hamed, who was paralyzed during childbirth, said that “during the truck rides, my body ached with every movement.”But not everyone made it to Gedaref. Between the canvas tents of the Abu Al-Naga camp, 14-year-old Sarah is struggling to care for her little brother alone. In South Sudan, their parents had put them on one of the trucks, “then they said the truck was full and promised they would get on the next one.”But weeks on, the siblings have received no word as to where their mother and father might be. Inside the tents, children and mothers sleep on the ground, huddled together for warmth, while outside, children dart across the cracked soil, dust clinging to their bare feet. According to camp director Ali Yehia Ahmed, 240 families, or around 1,200 people, are now taking refuge at Abu Al-Naga. “The camp’s space is very small,” Ahmed said, adding that food was in increasingly short supply. Food is distributed from a single point, forcing families to wait for limited rations. Some women haul water from a single well, pouring it into plastic buckets to cook, wash, and clean with, while others wait in a long line outside a makeshift health clinic, little more than a large canvas tent. Asia Abdelrahman Hussein, the minister of social welfare and development of Gedaref State, said shelter was one of the most urgent needs, especially during the winter months.“The shelters are not enough. We need support from other organizations to provide safe housing and adequate shelter,” she said. In one of the tents, Sawsan Othman Moussa, 27, said how she had been forced to flee three times since fighting broke out in Dilling. Now, though she might be safe, “every tent is cramped, medicine is scarce, and during cold nights, we suffer.”

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 03-04/2026
Iran's Exponentiating Missile Threat: Will the U.S. and Europe Just Sit and Watch?
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute./January 03/2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22157/iran-missile-threat
These missiles – now part of reportedly the largest missile arsenal in the Middle East – can reach not only regional targets but also the U.S. and Europe, a senior Iranian lawmaker has openly boasted. The regime does not just brag about these weapons; it uses them.
This trajectory should deeply concern the United States, Europe, and other democracies. A regime that openly calls for the destruction of Israel, supplies weapons to violent proxies, and supports Russia's war effort against Ukraine cannot be allowed to expand such a missile capability unchecked.
Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and other armed groups aligned with Iran have all benefited from Iran's "beneficence."
With the weapons it is supplying to Russia, Iran's drones and related technologies are already devastating Ukraine. This alone should dispel any illusion that Iran's ballistic missile program is a purely regional issue.
Increased sanctions, unified pressure, and a clear willingness to keep all options -- especially a military one -- on the table are not acts of aggression. They are measures of responsibility in the face of a growing and irrefutable threat.
Since the end of Iran's 12-day war with Israel, there has been mounting evidence that its regime has been ramping up missile production. These missiles – now part of reportedly the largest missile arsenal in the Middle East – can reach not only regional targets but also the U.S. and Europe, a senior Iranian lawmaker has openly boasted. Pictured: Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian looks on as a 'Qasem Soleimani' missile is displayed during a military parade in Tehran, on September 21, 2024. (Photo by Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)
Since the end of Iran's 12-day war with Israel, there has been mounting evidence that its regime has been ramping up missile production. Tehran's perspective is straightforward: if its nuclear program has become more vulnerable, then its missile arsenal must increase as a compensatory tool of power.
It is no secret that the Iranian regime has been accelerating and expanding its ballistic missile program at an alarming pace, and has invested heavily in improving the range, accuracy, survivability, and payload capacity of its missiles. These missiles – now part of reportedly the largest missile arsenal in the Middle East – can reach not only regional targets but also the U.S. and Europe, a senior Iranian lawmaker has openly boasted.
Such statements – far from rhetorical – appear part of a purposeful strategy of intimidation and coercion aimed at democracies and U.S. allies alike. While much global attention has understandably focused on Iran's nuclear ambitions, the regime's ballistic missile program has quietly emerged as its most immediate credible threat. This trajectory should deeply concern the United States, Europe, and other democracies. A regime that openly calls for the destruction of Israel, supplies weapons to violent proxies, and supports Russia's war effort against Ukraine cannot be allowed to expand its missile capabilities unchecked.
It would be a mistake to conclude that because the 12-day war significantly damaged key elements of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, that the threat from the Iranian regime has therefore been neutralized. During that war, when Iran launched missiles at Israel, the mullahs used these weapons directly against civilians – most likely a war crime -- not at military targets.
Equally troubling is that over the years, Tehran has transferred missile systems, components, and technical expertise to its network of regional proxies and militias. Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and other armed groups aligned with Iran have all benefited from Iran's "beneficence." These weapons transfers have transformed local militias into strategic actors threatening international shipping lanes, civilian populations, and critical infrastructure far beyond their borders. Iran's missile program, therefore, is not just "defensive," as it claims. It is the backbone of a transnational strategy designed to destabilize the Middle East and challenge Western interests. Iranian officials have repeatedly emphasized -- presumably to project power -- that their missiles can reach U.S. bases and European targets. When democracies respond to such threats with hesitation, they end up emboldening the behavior they are trying to prevent. Iran surely has learned over time that ambiguity and delayed responses often work in its favor, allowing it to advance its capabilities incrementally while avoiding disruptive consequences. With the weapons it is supplying to Russia, Iran's drones and related technologies are already devastating Ukraine. This alone should dispel any illusion that Iran's ballistic missile program is a purely regional issue. It is a source of instability that now stretches from the Middle East to Eastern Europe, undermining international norms and fueling conflicts far beyond Iran's borders.
The Iranian regime today possesses the largest ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East, and these missiles are central to its strategy of intimidation, proxy warfare, and regional domination. Even without a nuclear warhead, such weapons can alter strategic calculations across multiple regions. Ignoring this reality risks repeating past mistakes that allowed the problem to grow until the costs of action became far higher.
So, the question facing democracies is: Are we just going to sit and watch? If the answer is no, then the flow of funds sustaining the regime must be significantly curtailed, and sanctions targeting Iran's shipping networks, financial institutions, and procurement channels must be expanded and rigorously enforced.
As oil exports remain Tehran's primary source of revenue, the enforcement of existing sanctions—particularly on Chinese purchases of Iranian oil — have to become far more serious. Without sustained pressure on this revenue stream, Iran will continue to finance missile production, proxy warfare, and repression at home. European governments must move beyond rhetorical concern and align their policies accordingly. Fragmented enforcement only creates loopholes that Iran exploits with remarkable efficiency.
The West must have a serious discussion—in close consultation with Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco — about deterrence beyond sanctions. If Iran continues to expand its ballistic missile production and openly threatens other nations, policymakers must ask whether the same logic that justified action against nuclear infrastructure also applies to missile production capabilities. This is not a call for reckless escalation, but rather for credible consequences that convince Tehran its current stance carries unacceptable costs.
Iran uses its weapons directly, transfers them to militias, or leverages them to coerce and intimidate other nations. Increased sanctions, unified pressure, and a clear willingness to keep all options -- especially a military one -- on the table are not acts of aggression. They are measures of responsibility in the face of a growing and irrefutable threat.
**Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, is a political scientist, Harvard-educated analyst, and board member of Harvard International Review. He has authored several books on the US foreign policy. He can be reached at dr.rafizadeh@post.harvard.edu
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US-Europe relationship too important to be sidelined
Luke Coffey/Arabic News/January 03, 2026
There is no shortage of geopolitical challenges and opportunities facing US President Donald Trump in 2026. His to-do list, ranging from his Gaza peace proposal to finalizing an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and managing his evolving policy toward Venezuela, will ensure that global affairs, whether he wants it or not, remain a top agenda item. One area of US foreign policy that should be routine and stable, however, but has instead become difficult and fraught, is relations with Europe. At the beginning of Trump’s second term, relations in the transatlantic community were going well. Many did not expect the problems now seen between the US and Europe. European leaders, having learned lessons from Trump’s first term, knew exactly how to engage with the president. Successful bilateral visits by several European leaders were widely viewed as successes. Trump did not abandon Ukraine, as many feared, and instead pursued pragmatic solutions to contentious issues in the US, such as arming Ukraine, while at the same time seeking a peaceful outcome to the conflict. Toward the end of 2025, however, tensions in the relationship began to mount. These tensions culminated in the US imposing travel bans on five European officials over alleged crackdowns on American social media companies and how they operate in Europe. Europe, nevertheless, still needs the US and the US still needs Europe. The two regions share historical roots that go back centuries, to America’s founding. Many of the ideas valued in the US today were brought from Europe as Americans built a new nation. The US also sacrificed greatly through two world wars to keep Europe free and it would be a mistake to turn its back on the region after investing so much.
Europe still needs the US and the US still needs Europe. Most importantly, each side needs the other for economic reasons
Most importantly, each side needs the other for economic reasons. Taken together, North America and Europe account for nearly half of the world’s gross domestic product. Europe and North America are each other’s largest trading partners. Forty-six of the 50 US states trade more with Europe than with China, for example. Europe accounts for nearly two-thirds of all foreign investment into the US, totaling more than $4 trillion, and each side is responsible for creating millions of jobs on the other side of the Atlantic. This is why, despite growing frustration in the White House with dealing with European countries, it remains in the interest of both sides to find a way to get the relationship back on track. There are three main points of contention in the transatlantic relationship that need to be resolved if the relationship is to get back on track. The first concerns Ukraine. While Europeans have been pleasantly surprised that Trump has not abandoned Ukraine, as he hinted during the presidential campaign, there is growing frustration over how the diplomatic process is unfolding. This frustration also reflects deep divisions within Europe over the best way forward.
Some European countries remain dangerously dependent on Russian energy and want peace at almost any cost, even if that means Ukraine losing territory. Others, predominantly in Central and Eastern Europe, view Russia as an existential threat and see Ukraine as the primary barrier preventing the Russian military from threatening their own countries. These countries want to see a strong, stable and sovereign Ukraine emerge from the war. There is a growing perception that Washington is placing more pressure on the victim of the war — Ukraine — while showing unnecessary deference toward Russia. Ukraine has become one of the most serious issues in the transatlantic relationship and resolving it in a satisfactory way would benefit both sides of the Atlantic. Many around the White House view EU bureaucrats as unelected officials pursuing policies that undermine US interests
Another sticking point is Trump’s preference for engaging European partners on a bilateral basis rather than through intergovernmental or supranational organizations such as NATO or the EU. Much of Trump’s global engagement is driven by personalities, with the strength of his relationships often shaped by how he perceives individual leaders and their political authority. Europe has, at times, used this dynamic to good effect, as many leaders have deliberately cultivated personal relationships with Trump during his second term.
Here again, Europe is divided — this time institutionally — between the EU and individual member states. EU officials are frequently among the most vocal critics of Trump. Within Trump’s nationalist, America First worldview, many around the White House view EU bureaucrats as unelected officials pursuing policies that undermine US interests. A third area of concern is the growing perception in Europe that the Trump administration does not value Europe’s role in the transatlantic community or on the global stage. This was made particularly clear in the national security strategy published late last year. The section on Europe drew significant media attention across the continent and many interpreted its tone as a political attack on Europe and the transatlantic alliance.
Europe was treated more as an adversary than a friend, while Russia was barely acknowledged as a challenge or competitor to the US. This marked a sharp departure from Trump’s national security strategy during his first term and has only deepened European anxieties about Washington’s intentions.
As Trump enters the second year of his second term, he needs to think carefully about how he manages relations with his European counterparts. Put simply, Europe is too important to America’s economic well-being and overall security to be treated as just another region the US happens to engage with.
At the same time, with US midterm elections taking place later this year, Trump’s political energy will almost certainly be focused more on domestic priorities than on the global stage. Europe needs to understand this reality. For the sake of both continents, the two sides will need to find pragmatic ways to manage differences and ensure that the transatlantic relationship remains durable during what will be a politically demanding year in Washington.
• Luke Coffey is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. X: @LukeDCoffey

Israel’s Somaliland play against Turkiye doomed to fail
Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arabic News/January 03, 2026
The deterioration of relations between Turkiye and Israel has now extended beyond the borders of the Middle East and reached the Horn of Africa following Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state. Last week, Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland, describing the move as being in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and a few Arab states. However, the decision sparked strong criticism from Turkiye and several regional powers, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which warned that it could destabilize the Horn of Africa.
Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the central government after the civil war. But it has failed to gain recognition from either the UN or the African Union. The Somali government continues to reject Somaliland’s independence, considering it an integral part of its territory, and views any direct engagement with Somaliland as a violation of its sovereignty and unity. Following the Israeli move, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohammed traveled to Ankara to meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Although it was a scheduled visit, it took place at a highly critical moment. Turkiye is Somalia’s closest partner in the region and has invested heavily in the country for more than a decade through its political, military, humanitarian and development institutions. High-level leadership diplomacy and strong people-to-people relations have enabled Turkiye to emerge as a key actor in Somalia and the wider Horn of Africa. In 2011, when Somalia faced one of the worst humanitarian crises in decades due to severe drought, Turkiye launched a nationwide aid campaign. That same year, Erdogan became the first foreign leader to set foot in Somalia in more than two decades. Five years later, Ankara inaugurated its largest embassy in the world in Mogadishu, where it appointed its first ambassador back in 1981 and maintained diplomatic presence there since then. These initiatives gave significant momentum to bilateral relations.
Turkiye is Somalia’s closest partner in the region and has invested heavily in the country for more than a decade
Turkiye has since been involved in managing Mogadishu’s airport and seaport, establishing a military training academy and investing in sectors such as energy, trade, education and infrastructure. Today, Turkiye hosts a large number of Somali students. Several Somali ministers were educated in Turkiye and speak fluent Turkish, which makes the roots of the bilateral relationship even stronger. But Turkiye’s support for Somalia has not come without cost. In 2013, its embassy in Mogadishu was targeted by Al-Shabab, a Somalia-based terrorist group affiliated with Al-Qaeda, in an attack that killed several Turkish nationals. As well as its diplomatic staff, Turkish construction workers have also been attacked on several occasions. There have been systematic attempts to prevent the country’s development and let it remain as a fertile ground for terrorist activities. However, Ankara did not change its Somalia policy and maintained its presence on the ground to support the country’s development. Moreover, between 2010 and 2013, when neither regional nor international actors were willing to address the dispute between Somalia and Somaliland, Turkiye stepped in as the sole mediator. Istanbul hosted conferences on Somalia in 2010 and 2012, bringing together leaders from both sides. These efforts culminated in renewed dialogue in 2013, when Somali and Somaliland representatives met in Turkiye after years of political silence. Trilateral meetings were also held with then-Prime Minister Erdogan, leading to the signing of the Ankara Declaration in 2013. The declaration aimed to revive dialogue and establish a framework for advancing the peace process. As part of its role, Turkiye maintains a consulate in Somaliland and has a special envoy for Somalia-Somaliland negotiations, placing it in a unique position to engage with Hargeisa.
As part of its role, Turkiye maintains a consulate in Somaliland and has a special envoy for Somalia-Somaliland negotiations
Turkiye is highly concerned about preserving Somalia’s territorial integrity, viewing the country’s stability as central to its Africa policy. Somalia has long been regarded as Turkiye’s gateway to the continent. Israel’s recognition of Somaliland poses a direct threat not only to Somalia’s sovereignty and unity but also to Turkish interests and investments in the country. The timing of the move appears linked to Israel’s broader strategy of challenging Turkiye on multiple fronts, from Gaza to Syria, as well as its long-term political and economic interests.
Several reports suggest that Israel aims to relocate up to 2 million Palestinians displaced by the war in Gaza to parts of the Horn of Africa. The Somali president warned that such a move would “open a box of evils” and accused Israel of attempting to “export its problem in Gaza” to the region. Citing Somali intelligence, the president stated that Somaliland allegedly accepted three conditions in exchange for Israeli recognition: the resettlement of Palestinians, the establishment of an Israeli military base along the Gulf of Aden and Somaliland’s participation in the Abraham Accords.
Meanwhile, Somalia, as a member of the Arab League, does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. Tel Aviv’s move appears designed to secure a strategic foothold on both sides of the Bab Al-Mandab Strait and comes amid reports that Turkiye and Somalia have been planning to establish another military base in Las Qoray, a port with direct access to the Red Sea. However, as has often been the case, Israel is pursuing a highly controversial policy that risks destabilizing an already-fragile region and deepening divisions in a country that has suffered from fragmentation for decades. Rather than contributing to security, this misguided decision threatens to open a Pandora’s box in the Horn of Africa, creating fertile ground for further instability, terrorist activity and disruptions to maritime security in the Red Sea. Any policy that threatens the security of a nation is, as always, doomed to fail.
• Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz

Selected Face Book & X tweets/ January 03/2026
The White House
"The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country. This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow. There will be a News Conference today at 11 A.M., at Mar-a-Lago. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

Mike Pompeo
The Iranian regime is in trouble. Bringing in mercenaries is its last best hope.
Riots in dozens of cities and the Basij under siege — Mashed, Tehran, Zahedan. Next stop: Baluchistan. 47 years of this regime; POTUS 47. Coincidence?
Happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also to every Mossad agent walking beside them...

Attorney General Pamela Bondi
Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States. They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts. On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international narco traffickers.

THE HELL OF THE DECOR
Lara Khoury Hafez/Face Book/January 03/2026
I caught up on the details of the Crans-Montana tragedy late last night, as if the news had deliberately bypassed me before I came back in full swing. And I slept so badly! This drama was invited into my night, like these stories that we don't live ourselves but that touch you deeply in solidarity with the human, and by identification! This could have been our kids...What happened there is beyond words....Death lurks around a party like a hyena around its prey: it waits, it watches for the moment of weakness, then it suddenly melts on young people who had only one intention: to count until midnight, dance, laugh, and start a new year of their lives, at the beginning again. And just as soon as this "Happy New Year" pronounced that his goodness turns into a nightmare. Le champagne qui devait éclater en bulles de fête s’est mué en sabre invisible tranchant des destins.
A crematory kiln is seen on a snowy mountain. Hot as hell then cold in the morgue. How can a night supposed to celebrate life become a hecatomb with such brutality? The questions are piling up. Why this place, why this moment, why these young people? Why were there no more adults...? More responsible people who are really responsible? More glances clear enough to sense the danger and alert directly as the ceiling caught fire... We will talk about investigation, safety standards, shortages, materials, rescue outcomes.Sans issue…Reports will be made, responsibilities will be made. Behind all these conclusions, there is an irreversible conclusion: lives sacrificed freely and others, those of loved ones, irreparably broken. Families whose New Year turned into a fracture line: one before and one after. And who will now live haunted by unsustainable images, etched in their memories forever. Who writes these scripts? Which twisted fate chooses to overlap the "happiest" night on the calendar with an end-of-the-world scene?... What is this silent sky trying to tell us that such tragedies take place without any hand coming to divert the spark and prevent the tragedy? Is there a message in these dramas, or are we just extras in a narrative that is not explained?A huge question mark always stands without an answer. Last night, I could only find one gesture within my reach: go to my daughters, hug them against me, beg them to be careful, as if my arms could stop everything. They can't, I know that.But in a world where a New Year's Eve can turn into a hell, sometimes all we can do is simply love those who are here and silently pray for their safe return.

Hussain Abdul-Hussain
For those not yet celebrating capture of Maduro, let us explain this in a more scholarly manner. There are two models of sovereignty: the older Westphalian and the newer Wilsonian. Under the Westphalian model, sovereign states were immune to foreign intervention. As long as they adhered to international law in their external relations, they could act as brutally as they wished domestically. Thus, after liberating Europe, the United States would have had no grounds to invade Germany to topple Hitler. In the Wilsonian model, however, international law governs not only interstate relations but also domestic affairs of sovereign states. Enforcement was intended to be collective, with FDR and Truman building on Wilson's vision by transforming a toothless League of Nations into a more robust United Nations. The flaw arises when the enforcers themselves are violaters of the principles they're supposedly upholding, as seen in Iran, North Korea, and Turkey serving on the UN Human Rights Council. Without reliable collective enforcement, the Wilsonian model is applied only when law-abiding states act from goodwill (e.g., R2P in Kosovo) or when their interests coincide with upholding the law (e.g., grabbing Maduro). Maduro did not play by international law that stipulated his abiding by human rights charter, and therefore was not entitled to protection by the law he didn’t uphold. Please stop pretending that America's arrest of Maduro disrupted a harmonious world order peacefully governed by international law.

Charles Elias Chartouni
Getting people to buy into lies. The AI generated answer:
To "buy lies" means to believe deceptive information, often because it's appealing, confirms biases, or comes from a trusted source, leading to a psychological or practical commitment to a falsehood, like accepting unrealistic promises for quick gain or believing negative self-narratives. People buy lies by seeking easy answers, ignoring contradictory evidence, investing emotionally in a comforting untruth, or being swayed by charisma, making them susceptible to scams, self-deception, and manipulation.

Charles Elias Chartouni
An added pleasure to Maduro's capture is the befuddled response from the Eurocrats, silly Kallas here but also the rage from Maduro's close allies (PSOE, Podemos) in Madrid.US Ambassador Alberto Miguel Fernandez
*Cuba, Nicaragua, Colombia and Mexico next on the list. The elimination of drug trafficking states

Pierre Poilievre
Congratulations to President Trump on successfully arresting narco-terrorist and socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro, who should live out his days in prison.
The legitimate winner of the most recent Venezuelan elections, Edmundo González, should take office along with the courageous hero and voice of the Venezuelan people, María Corina Machado. Down with socialism. Long live freedom.

Amjad Taha أمجد طه
Congratulations. The United States has air-struck Venezuela and captured its Sinwar. Dictator Nicolás Maduro has been removed and flown out of the country. Maduro was not just a tyrant; he was a drug lord, a sponsor of Palestinian terrorism, and a financier of Islamist terrorists operating in northern Yemen, aligned with the Islamic regime in Iran, Hamas in Gaza, and networks in Port Sudan..targeting the United States and the civilized world, from Israel to the UK and beyond.
Now the U.S. should do the same in Sudan, in northern Yemen against the Iranian proxy Houthis, and in Hadramout, where Muslim Brotherhood terrorists operate freely. And yes Mahmoud Abbas, the corrupt figurehead of the West Bank, should be next. When a nation is under existential threat, it does whatever is necessary to survive. This is the defense of civilization. This is the act of saving humanity.

JD Vance
The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. Maduro is the newest person to find out that President Trump means what he says.
Kudos to our brave special operators who pulled off a truly impressive operation.

Nancy Pelosi
Venezuela is ruled by an illegitimate regime, but the Administration has not made the case that an urgent threat to America’s national security existed to justify the use of U.S. military force. President Trump has made no secret of his intentions to effectively abolish the Congress, and that pattern continues today with his flagrant disregard for the Article One war powers of Congress which is essential to our constitutional system of checks and balances. If the President grounds his actions on the basis of drug trafficking charges, it is entirely hypocritical in light of his recent pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández who was responsible for bringing more than 400 tons of cocaine in the United States in order to “shove the drugs right up the noses of the gringos.” The Administration says Maduro will be tried for drug trafficking in a U.S. court — but Hernández was convicted of the same crime by an American jury and Trump pardoned him. Congress must be fully and immediately briefed on the strikes and regime change in Venezuela, the objectives and extent of this operation, and how the Administration intends to prevent further regional fallout.

Lindsey Graham
Well said, Mr. President. The Monroe-Trump doctrine is alive and well. We will be more prosperous and safer for it. I am hoping and praying that the Venezuelan people will soon have a fresh start on democracy and freedom. It will not be long before a new, sovereign, democratic and free Venezuela emerges out of the ashes of Maduro’s dictatorship. The President is correct to counsel patience. We have to get this right. But the sooner Venezuela is put back in the hands of the Venezuelan people, the better.

Reza Pahlavi
My thoughts are with my friend María Corina Machado, President-elect
@EdmundoGU and the brave people of Venezuela who, like my own countrymen, have persevered through great hardship. May Venezuelans’ sacrifices soon be rewarded with the freedom and prosperity for which they have fought so valiantly. Together, a free Iran and a free Venezuela will bring peace and stability to our two people and the world.

The White House
https://x.com/i/status/2007500683675873565
"Maduro and his wife will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil." - President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸

Mossad Commentary
IRAN IS NEXT!!
Millions of Venezuelans are celebrating tonight as Venezuela emerges from decades of socialist rule. The Nicolás Maduro regime has collapsed following a U.S.-led operation, ending years of hyperinflation, starvation, and narco-terrorism. One domino just fell. Others are watching closely.
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