LEGAL EXPERTS BELIEVE THE ATTACKS ON VENEZUELAN BOATS CONSTITUTES A WAR CRIME

Pete Hegseth mocks war crime allegation with inflammatory cartoon as cold-blooded order sparks investigation

 

By Phillip Nieto 

 

Daily Mail

Dec 1, 2025

 

 

 

Hegseth is accused of ordering a second strike on alleged narco-terrorists  

 

Pete Hegseth shared a meme of a children's book turtle character blowing up drug dealers with a rocket launcher in response to allegations he committed war crimes in the Caribbean.

The Pentagon leader's post comes a week after the Washington Post claimed that Hegseth may have committed a war crime by verbally ordering follow-up strikes that killed survivors on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat in the Caribbean.

After US forces targeted a crew of 11 alleged narco-terrorists in September, two survivors could be seen clinging onto the boat's wreckage. A second strike on the defenseless survivors then occurred following Hegseth's spoken directive to kill all crew members during the operation. 

'The order was to kill everybody,' a source told the outlet. 

The report has since spurred calls from Democrats and even some Republican lawmakers for a congressional investigation into Hegseth.

A bipartisan group of senators on the Armed Services Committee, including Mississippi Republican Senator Roger Wicker, vowed to launch 'vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances' on Friday.

Hegseth accused the Post of 'fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting,' insisting: 'Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both US and international law.'

Over the weekend, the Secretary of War courted further controversy by posting the inflammatory children's cartoon.

 

Hegseth now faces an investigation over his conduct during the operation from a bipartisan group of lawmakers

Hegseth responded to the war crime allegations by posting a picture of a turtle character from a children's book blowing up armed drug dealers

 

It shows an edited version of a Franklin the Turtle book with the title, 'Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists.' The cartoon turtle is seen firing a rocket at drug smuggling boats. 

'For your Christmas wish list...,' Hegseth added in the caption.

Donald Trump defended Hegseth from the war crime allegations on Sunday, stating the secretary of war told him he 'did not order the death of those two men.'

The president noted that he believed Hegseth and vowed to 'look into' the matter because he would not have wanted a second strike.

Lawmakers are set to investigate whether Hegseth ordered a second strike that killed survivors of an alleged Venezuelan drug boat.

Meanwhile, the House lawmakers in charge of the chamber's Armed Services Committee, GOP Rep. Mike Rogers and Democrat Rep. Adam Smith, said it would investigate the operation.

'This committee is committed to providing rigorous oversight of the Department of Defense's military operations in the Caribbean.

We take seriously the reports of follow-on strikes on boats alleged to be ferrying narcotics in the SOUTHCOM region and are taking bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operation in question,' said the Republican and Democrat House lawmakers in a joint statement.

 

Trump told reporters on Sunday that he stands behind Pete Hegseth 

 

The Trump administration over the last several months has launched dozens of attacks aimed at alleged narco-terrorists in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that have killed over 80 people. 

Democrats have criticized Trump over the legality of the strikes and the president continues to threaten to oust Venezuela's dictator Nicolas Maduro.

Despite drawing bipartisan concern and criticism in Congress, the Pentagon has not presented evidence to support the claims that the boats were carrying drugs or were operated by terrorist groups.

THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR RELEASING PRISONERS WITH ICE DETAINERS SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH AIDING KNOWN CRIMINA;S

ICE erupts after New York releases 7,000 criminal migrants without warning - including rapists and killers - and demands state surrender thousands more still behind bars

 

By Brittany Chain 

 

Daily Mail

Dec 1, 2025

 

 

 

There are 6,947 illegal aliens with active ICE detainers who have been released from custody since January 20, when Trump returned to the White House 

 

New York has released almost 7,000 criminal illegal migrants back onto the streets since Donald Trump returned to the White House, without notifying the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement office.

The Department of Homeland Security on Monday revealed to the New York Post that these dangerous offenders - including rapists and killers - were granted bail, parole or simply released back into the community with no warning to the agency.

Now, federal authorities are demanding New York Attorney General Letitia James - who was recently indicted by the Trump administration but had the case tossed out - guarantee that a further 7,113 who remain in custody will be handed over at the end of their sentences.

It comes as New Yorkers demonstrate against the arrival of ICE agents across the state, with protests turning violent on Saturday during a raid in Downtown Manhattan. 

In a letter sent to her office by DHS, James was warned 'these are people who are not only in the country illegally, but who have committed additional crimes, including heinous crimes like murder, rape, possession of child pornography, armed robbery, and many others.'

The demand letter was signed by acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. 

It stated there are 6,947 illegal aliens with active ICE detainers who have been released from custody since January 20, when Trump returned to the White House.

'Virtually all Americans agree that people like this should be swiftly removed from the United States when they leave New York's custody and not be returned to our streets to wreak havoc on law abiding citizens,' Lyons wrote.

 

It comes as New Yorkers demonstrate against the arrival of ICE agents across the state, with protests turning violent on Saturday during a raid in Downtown Manhattan

Anderson Smith Satuye Martinez (right) and Jose David Hernandez (left) were both released before being caught by ICE

 

Among the dangerous offenders who were released was Crips gang member Anderson Smith Satuye Martinez, who was arrested in August for criminal possession of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance.

He was released from Rikers Island back into the community despite having an ICE detainer against his name.

ICE agents picked him up in the Bronx on September 11 and deported.

According to the department, James received a similar letter back on September 15, but the warning went unanswered.

New York has sanctuary laws in place which prevent local law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal agents. 

In addition to the illegal migrants who were already released, there are as many as 7,113 who remain locked up in custody with active detainers.

These criminals are responsible for 148 homicides, 717 assaults, 260 sexual offenses, 134 burglaries and 235 dangerous drug offenses. 

'Please confirm whether the State of New York plans to honor detainers on these aliens or whether each of these barbarians will someday walk the streets of New York again,' the letter notes.

 

Criminal migrant Alexander Moreno (pictured) was released by local authorities but later caught by ICE

Authorities are demanding New York Attorney General Letitia James - who was recently indicted by the Trump administration but had the case tossed out - hand over the criminal migrants

 

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin slammed James and 'her fellow New York Sanctuary politicians', accusing them of 'releasing murderers, terrorists, and sexual predators back into our neighborhoods and putting American lives at risk.

'We are calling on Letitia James to stop this dangerous derangement and commit to honoring the ICE arrest detainers of the more than 7,000 criminal illegal aliens in New York's custody.

'It is common sense. Criminal illegal aliens should not be released back onto our streets to terrorize more innocent Americans.'

It comes just days after more than 150 demonstrators attempted to block agents during a raid in Downtown Manhattan on Saturday.

Activists lined up trashcans and plant pots in the road in an attempt to barricade agents as they conducted a sting in Chinatown. The demonstration erupted after rumors spread ICE agents would be rounding up illegal immigrants in the area later this weekend.

Large groups of protesters quickly began grouping around a garage where ICE agents were reportedly mustering before the chaos broke loose.

Demonstrators threw trash and cardboard boxes into the street and stood in front of moving vehicles in an attempt to prevent the raid. 

Video from Freedom TV showed the NYPD clashing with protesters and desperately trying to clear the roadway, with some protesters violently shoved out of the way of white vans.

 

It comes just days after more than 150 demonstrators attempted to block agents during a raid in Downtown Manhattan on Saturday

'They were instructed multiple times to disperse, and they did not comply. As a result, multiple individuals were taken into custody,' a NYPD spokesperson told the Daily Mail 

 

Some protesters were seen pouring water in their eyes after being pepper sprayed. It is unclear who sprayed people. 

Other demonstrators were seen blocking a driveway while NYPD and what appeared to be ICE agents blocked the entrance into the garage. 

'You people are scum!' one man yelled as police surrounded a person on the ground. 'F**king scum!' 

'You disgusting, you guys, man,' another man yelled. 'F**k all y'all, man. New York!'

In October, federal agents shut down Canal Street to target illegal street vendors. A bag vendor reportedly sprinted up and down Canal Street shouting: 'ICE is here' and pointing to unmarked cars.

Trump had contemplated sending in the National Guard as he had to other liberal cities, but paused his plans after meeting with New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

Despite trash talking the Democrat socialist during the run-up to the local elections, Trump was impressed by Mamdani and felt no rush to intervene after the friendly catch up.

'If they need it. Right now, other places need it more, but if they need it,' he said, before gushing about his meeting with Mamdani. 

 

Despite trash talking the Democrat socialist during the run-up to the local elections, Trump was impressed by Mamdani and felt no rush to intervene with National Guard troops in New York City after the friendly catch up 

 

'We had a very good meeting. We talked about that, but if they need it, I would do it.'

The president went as far as saying conservatives are going to be surprised by Mamdani, who rose to power on a wave of support from younger voters frustrated by sky-high property prices.

'I think he's gonna surprise some conservative people, actually,' Trump said after their meeting. 'And some very liberal people he won't surprise because they already like him.'

Mamdani, 34, was elected in a landslide result last month. He is widely seen as a next generation leader of the Democratic party.

The president said he would 'absolutely' live in a Mamdani-run New York City and that he has 'very little doubt' the unlikely pair agree on crime policy. 

Mamdani said he spoke to the president about affordability and ICE operations in New York as well as bringing down costs as inflation eats away at middle class earnings. 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported in October that it had deported 527,000 illegal migrants this year, with the figure expected to reach 600,000 by year's end.

Another 1.6 million, officials said, had 'voluntarily self-deported.'

The White House set a goal of one million immigration-related arrests in 2025, and a daily arrest target of 3,000. In reality, the average number of daily arrests barely tops 700.

THE WAY ICE BARBIE WORDED IT, THE TRAVEL BAN COULD ACTUALLY APPLY TO ALL COUNTRIES BECAUSE SOME IMMIGRANTS FROM ALL COUNTRIES HAVE ENDED UP ON WELFARE, 'LEECHES' AND 'ENTITLEMENT JUNKIES' AS SHE CALLS THEM

Kristi Noem calls for 'full travel ban' on countries flooding US with 'killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies'

 

By Stephen M. Lepore 

 

Daily Mail

Dec 1, 2025

 

 

 

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Donald Trump to institute a 'full travel ban' on several countries that are sending 'killers, leeches and entitlement junkies' to the United States

 

Kristi Noem has revealed her plans for a 'full travel ban' on countries that are sending 'killers, leeches and entitlement junkies' to the United States after a meeting with Donald Trump.

The Department of Homeland Security Secretary did not specify which countries she was calling for a ban from in the wake of the attack on two National Guard members in Washington DC last week.

'I just met with the President. I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that's been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies,' Noem wrote on social media. 

'Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedom - not for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS. WE DON'T WANT THEM. NOT ONE.'

Trump has shared Noem's post to his own Truth Social page in an apparent endorsement. 

Her plan comes after Trump announced a halt to all immigration from Afghanistan, including decisions on refugee status in the wake of the attack in the nation's capital on Wednesday.

Trump has also vowed to 'permanently pause migration' from all Third World countries and has announced that immigrants who hail from 19 countries covered by his travel ban will have their cases re-examined.

The countries include Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Haiti, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Venezuela among others.

 

Noem announced the plan following a meeting with Donald Trump on Monday

 

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, has been named as the alleged gunman in custody over the horror shoot-out at Farragut West metro station in the center of Washington, DC, which has left two soldiers in a critical condition. 

The dad-of-five is facing first degree murder charges after Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old member of the West Virginia National Guard, succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving Day.

Her colleague Andrew Woolfe, 24, was critically wounded in the ambush-style shooting and is still fighting for his life.

Law enforcement sources initially told NBC News the gunman has been identified as an Afghan national and the shooting is being investigated as a possible act of terror.

He allegedly came to the United States during the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 under Joe Biden's Operation Allies Welcome, sources told The New York Post.

The operation sought to resettle vulnerable Afghans, including those who assisted the US during the war. It is understood Lakanwal was residing in Bellingham, Washington.

Biden long defended the catastrophic withdrawal, which cost 13 Americans their lives and weakened the U.S.-backed Afghan government against the Taliban, ultimately allowing the terror group to seize control again.

Donald Trump vowed that 'the animal' who shot the troops 'will pay a very steep price.'

 

The Department of Homeland Security Secretary did not specify which countries she was calling for a ban from in the wake of the attack on two National Guard members in Washington DC last week

 

 

The suspect was shot during the shoot-out and is being treated in hospital, authorities said. Police have since recovered a handgun from the scene which they believe was used in the attack, according to CNN.

The FBI, ATF and Secret Service swarmed on the scene as a helicopter landed on the National Mall to evacuate one of the wounded National Guardsmen. 

Trump has deployed 2,300 National Guard troops into DC since August as part of his promise to crack down on rampant crime in the nation's capital.

The president ordered an additional 500 troops to deploy following the shooting on Wednesday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said, calling it a 'cowardly, dastardly act, targeting the best of America.' 

After the shooting, the president wrote on Truth Social: 'God bless our Great National Guard, and all of our Military and Law Enforcement. 

'These are truly Great People. I, as President of the United States, and everyone associated with the Office of the Presidency, am with you!' 

Law enforcement sources told CNN that the suspected shooter is not cooperating with cops.

Lakanwal appeared to target the soldiers, firing first at one of the guardsmen who was mere feet away, according to the sources.

The suspect then allegedly fired at the other guardsman who tried to get behind a bus stop shelter.

I DON'T SEE JESSICA TISCH STAYING ON AS POLICE COMMISSIONER WITH A RADIAL IN MAMDANI'S ADMINISTRATION WHO WANTS TO ABOLISH THE POLICE AND CALLS POLICING GANGS RACIST

NYC's incoming socialist mayor hires 'community safety' advisor who wants to abolish cops and who said policing gangs is 'racist'

 

By Will Potter 

 

Daily Mail

Dec 1, 2025

 

 

New York City 's incoming socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed anti-police advocate Alex Vitale (pictured) to join his transition team

 

New York City's incoming socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed an anti-cop advocate to his team who has called to end policing and abolish the presidency.

Sociologist Alex Vitale, author of 'The End of Policing', a 2017 book that argued for the abolition of almost all police activity in the US, was added to Mamdani's team last week.

Vitale was among 26 advocates tapped to join Mamdani's Committee on Community Safety, and on X the author said the news marked 'A New Era for NYC.' 

Vitale's book rose to prominence following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and subsequent anti-police demonstrations. 

The author argues that police officers do not intend to help citizens and prevent crimes, but instead work to uphold inequalities in society, at one point writing that 'the problem is policing itself.' 

In the book, Vitale also calls for the end of traditional policing for most crimes, including for drug use, border control, prostitution, and 'misbehaving adolescents.' 

The appointment sparked backlash after Vitale shared the news to social media, with many fearing a reduction in policing in New York City could have catastrophic effects for the city of over eight million people. 

Mamdani had attempted to distance himself from his own past anti-police rhetoric during the campaign, and his independent rival Jim Walden wrote on X after Vitale's appointment: 'Just when a glimmer of centrist hope started to flicker, THIS.' 

 

Mamdani had attempted to distance himself from his own past anti-police rhetoric during the campaign, but Vitale's appointment sparked backlash for his ardent advocacy against police 

NYPD officers escort a person who has been arrested during a protest in New York,  November 29, 2025

 

Vitale was an early proponent of a policy that Mamdani adopted during his campaign, which is to reduce the number of NYPD officers and replace them with social workers.

Mamdani has said he will create a 'Department of Community Safety' for the social workers to handle public safety issues, feeling that cops do not fix the root causes of why a person commits a crime. 

Despite the Big Apple's long history of gang violence, Vitale has also argued that the police should not combat street gangs, arguing that doing so can be racist. 

In chapter five of his book, Vitale wrote: 'In most cities, gang units function as a mechanism for racialized social control. 

'Black and Latino youth are labeled as gang members for hanging out together, while white youth groups are dismissed as harmless.' 

He also argues that the 'expansion' of border patrol powers in the United States is 'inhumane' and 'has been justified through fear and racism.' 

'It legitimizes xenophobic narratives that define immigrants as threats rather than as fellow workers or neighbors,' Vitale wrote. 

 

 

Vitale's book 'The End of Policing' rose to prominence following the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and subsequent anti-police demonstrations

 

His book became popular on the left as Black Lives Matter protests swept the country, as he proclaimed that the entire system of policing is racist even if individual police officers are not. 

'Racism in policing is structural, not simply a product of bad attitudes,' Vitale wrote. 

'Training officers to recognize implicit bias without changing what they are tasked with enforcing is like teaching a soldier to be sensitive while sending him to occupy a foreign country.' 

Vitale has also shared some outlandish views on his X account, including calling for the abolition of the presidency, and the end of a number of law enforcement agencies, including the DEA and anti-terrorism task forces. 

 

Vitale is not alone among the controversial appointees to Mamdani's Committee on Community Safety, also including Dana Rachlin, an advocate who helped create the Brownsville Safety Alliance, a police‑alternative' zone where social workers and community groups handled low-level issues instead of the NYPD

 

Joining him on Mamdani's Committee on Community Safety is a number of other far-left advocates who have called for the end of policing. 

Among them is Joo-Hyun Kang, a 'defund-the-police' campaigner who is the director for Communities United for Police Reform. 

In 2020, she proclaimed: 'We would argue that the police unions as an institution, as well as the NYPD, because they're not as separate as people say, have outsized political power', per the New York Post. 

Also on the team is Dana Rachlin, an advocate who helped create the Brownsville Safety Alliance, a 'police‑alternative' zone where social workers and community groups handled low-level issues instead of the NYPD. 

The experiment was slated as 'reckless' by city leaders.  

ISRAEL WILL CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE DRUZE AS LONG AS THEY ARE ATTAKED BY AL-SHARAA'S FORCES

Trump strengthens ties with Syria, urges Israel not to interfere

US President Donald Trump hinted at rising tensions between Jerusalem and Damascus, writing that "It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria's evolution into a prosperous State."

 

By Dudi Kogan  

 

Israel Hayom

Dec 1, 2025

 

 

President Donald Trump welcomes Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa to the White House

Less than a week after the incident in the village of Beit Jann in southern Syria. Trump noted in a post on TRUTH that "It is very important that Israel maintain a strong and true dialogue with Syria, and that nothing takes place that will interfere with Syria's evolution into a prosperous State." 

Trump wrote that the new president of Syria is "Working diligently to make sure good things happen, and that both Syria and Israel will have a long and prosperous relationship together."

The president also addressed the lifting of sanctions following the fall of Bashar Assad's regime. He wrote that "One of the things that has helped them greatly was my termination of very strong and biting sanctions — I believe this was truly appreciated by Syria, its Leadership, and its People!"

 

Ahmed al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump at the White House. 

 

He concluded that this is a "Historic opportunity, and adds to the SUCCESS, already attained, for PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST!"

After the remarks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with President Donald Trump. According to the Prime Minister's Office, both stressed the importance and their commitment to dismantling Hamas and disarming the Gaza Strip, and discussed expanding the peace agreements. At the end of the call, President Trump invited Netanyahu to a meeting at the White House in the near future.

Trump's post was published against the backdrop of the Beit Jann incident that took place last Friday. IDF troops entered the village in southern Syria, about 11 kilometers (7 miles) from the border, to arrest suspects belonging to al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya, the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Gunfire was directed at the forces during the operation, and six soldiers were wounded, three of them seriously. The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the operation and called it a war crime, claiming that 13 Syrians were killed in Israeli strikes.

Trump's comments also came in the context of the visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz to the buffer zone in southern Syria about two weeks ago. The visit was held a week after the historic White House meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa, and was also attended by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the head of the Shin Bet.

 

        IDF troops of the 474th Special Operations Group defend the Druze inside Syria 

 

Talks over a US-brokered security agreement between Israel and Syria form the backdrop to the current developments. Washington had hoped to conclude the agreement and announce it at the UN General Assembly last September, but the negotiations stalled due to significant gaps between the sides. Syria is demanding a return to the 1974 disengagement agreement and an Israeli withdrawal from areas captured after the fall of the Assad regime, particularly Mount Hermon.

Israel, for its part, is demanding the demilitarization of southwest Syria, preservation of a humanitarian corridor to the Druze community in the As Suwayda region, and normalization steps from Damascus.

In early November, al-Sharaa visited the White House, becoming the first Syrian leader to meet with an American president in Washington since the country gained independence in 1946. During the visit, Trump announced that the freeze on sanctions on Syria would be extended for another six months. The president praised al-Sharaa and described him as a young and appealing, tough leader with a very strong background.

IT AIN'T OVER 'TILL IT'S OVER

Israel faces mounting tests as five fronts heat up

Hamas is rebuilding in Gaza, Hezbollah is rearming in Lebanon, and Iran is using every passing day to recover. The question is: when will Israel act. 

 

By Vice Adm. (ret.) Eliezer Marom  

 

Israel Hayom

Dec 1, 2025

 

 

 

IDF troops operating in Syria, Gaza and Lebanon

 

After two years of fighting, the ceasefire deal signed on October 9 between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the US, Qatar, Turkey and other countries, was supposed to signal the end of the Swords of Iron War. Yet on the main fronts, fighting continues at varying levels of intensity. 

This prolonged condition of regional security instability does not bode well for Israel. A coordinated military and diplomatic effort, carried out in full partnership with the US, is needed to restore calm and stability.

The Lebanon front

On this front, Hezbollah is undergoing reconstruction and renewed force buildup. To prevent threats to northern communities, most of whose residents have already returned home, Israel must conduct daily military activity to disrupt any attempt by the Hezbollah terrorist organization to regroup near the border.

 

Men hold Hezbollah flags against the backdrop of destruction in Lebanon.

 

The agreement signed in November 2024 with the Lebanese government, mediated by US envoy Amos Hochstein, contained two major weaknesses. The first was its reliance on Lebanon's fragile government. The second was reliance on the Lebanese army to enforce the arrangement and dismantle Hezbollah's arsenal. Both proved to be unreliable pillars.

The Israel Defense Forces must carry out near-daily air operations and maintain control over dominant terrain inside Lebanese territory. The targeted killing of Hezbollah Chief of Staff Ali Tabatabai sent a message to Lebanon's government that it must act aggressively against the terrorist organization in order to preserve the agreement. For now, no long-term solution appears on the horizon and the IDF is likely to continue operating almost daily.

The Syrian front

The IDF is required to disrupt the efforts of Hamas, Hezbollah and other groups that are attempting to organize and challenge Israel along the line of contact. Israel's position on this front is somewhat better because the area contains very few Syrian communities, allowing more operational freedom. In addition, despite its internal problems, the Syrian government seems interested in stabilization and in reaching an arrangement.

 

 

 

Syrian regime fighters inside the city of Sweida. 

 

Ultimately, Syria will remain a smaller state, with Turkish zones of influence in the north and Israeli zones of influence in the south. From time to time, deep operations will be necessary, similar to the recent one in Beit Jann, to eliminate growing terrorist activity. For now, it appears that IDF forces deployed in Syria will not withdraw to the international border and will remain inside Syrian territory for an extended period.

The Gaza front

This front is complex and fragile and is close to collapse and renewed fighting. The current reality, in which the IDF controls half of the Gaza Strip and the Hamas terrorist organization controls the other half, is volatile and dangerous. At this stage there is no progress in negotiations over the second phase of the agreement and Israel may remain in this situation for some time.

 

Hamas "police officers" on the streets of Gaza after the deal took effect. 

 

Hamas is restoring its military and administrative capacity and with every passing day the challenge Israel faces grows. The question is when Israel will need to act forcefully in areas controlled by Hamas in order to once again destroy the infrastructure that is constantly being rebuilt.

The Iranian front

The quiet on this front is deceptive. Iran is using every passing day to rebuild its air defense network and manufacture additional ballistic missiles that threaten Israel. Iran has not abandoned its nuclear project and will undoubtedly restore it.

 

An Iranian missile on display during a military parade in Tehran last month. 

 

It must be uthat Iran operaith a long-term vision, looking decades ahead. Israel must remain alert to this evolving threat, one it came to understand during Operation With the Lion. It is clear that the last word on this front has not been spoken.

The diplomatic front

President Donald Trump, who brokered the ceasefires in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza and is closely involved in developments in Syria, views the Middle East as a single strategic arena. His primary goal is expanding the Abraham Accords and bringing Saudi Arabia into them. Israel, for its part, is walking a tightrope. On the one hand, it must preserve its crucial alliance with the US. On the other, it must stand by its core principles.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with U.S. President Donald 

Trump at the White House, Washington, D.C., Sept. 29, 2025.

 

 

Israel therefore needs a continuous dialogue with the US while making clear that certain red lines cannot be crossed. First, no Palestinian state can be established between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean. Second, at this stage the security of frontline communities requires a physical IDF presence in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza.

In addition, the IDF will continue active operations to prevent hostile entrenchment across the border until responsibility can be transferred to others, if that even becomes possible. These principles must be explicit in every meeting with Israel's closest ally, the US. Only by upholding them can Israel ensure its security and its future.

BUT HOW EFFECTIVE WILL THE IRON BEAM BE AGAINST A MASSIVE AIR ASSAULT LIKE THOSE THAT IRAN DIRECTED AGAINST ISRAEL?

Iron Beam laser defense system set for IDF launch

Israel will begin deploying the technology at the end of the month, offering cost-effective interception of rockets and UAVs.

 

By Joshua Marks  

 

Israel Today

Dec 1, 2025 

 

 

Israel’s Iron Beam (“Magen Or” in Hebrew) laser defense system will begin defending against aerial threats at the end of the month, the country’s Defense Ministry announced on Monday.

“With development complete and a comprehensive testing program that has validated the system’s capabilities, we are prepared to deliver initial operational capability to the IDF on Dec. 30, 2025,” said Brig. Gen. (res.) Daniel Gold, head of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development at the Defense Ministry.

Speaking at the International DefenseTech Summit at Tel Aviv University, Gold said the system was a complement to the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow air defense systems, and “is expected to fundamentally change the rules of engagement on the battlefield.”

The system uses a 100-kilowatt laser to intercept rockets, mortars and UAVs at a range of more than 6 miles (10 kilometers), at a fraction of the cost of traditional interceptors. The estimated cost per firing is about $2 to $5, compared to $40,000 to $80,000 for a single Iron Dome interceptor.

The Iron Beam—to be renamed “Ohr Eitan” (“Eitan’s Light”) after Eitan Oster, who fell in battle in Lebanon and whose father was one of its developers—will be integrated into the Israel Defense Forces’ air defense array.

The Defense Ministry and Israel’s Rafael defense technology firm announced in September the completion of a series of successful trialsof the Iron Beam system at a facility in southern Israel.

“The system proved its effectiveness in a complete operational configuration by intercepting rockets, mortars, aircraft and UAVs across a comprehensive range of operational scenarios,” they said in a joint statement at the time.

The Israeli military revealed in May that a smaller version of the laser defense system was tested in combat operations during the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, shooting down dozens of enemy drones. Most of the interceptions were of Hezbollah drones, but the system also downed UAVs on other fronts, according to the IDF.

FURTHER INFO ON STOCKTON SHOOTING

By Bob Walsh

 

Susano Archuleta 

 

 

The family has released the name of Susano Archuleta, 21, as the one adult killed in the shooting.  The name was not officially released by the authorities.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff has stated that there were multiple shooters.

On Sunday evening authorities snagged five suspected gang members, including one juvenile, several of whom were armed, while in the process of conducting the investigation.  They are NOT claiming that any of these five were shooters are the original incident.

THEY DON'T COME ANY TOUGHER THAN HOCKEY PLAERS

NHL star plays through ACL tear and sets up goal in remarkable display of toughness

 

By Isabel Baldwin 

 

Daily Mail

Nov 30, 2025

 

 

 

New York Islanders star Kyle Palmieri tore the ACL in his left knee during Friday's game 

 

New York Islanders star Kyle Palmieri displayed remarkable grit on the ice on Friday when he skated on through a horrific injury. 

The 34-year-old tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee late in the second period of the Islanders' 4-3 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at the UBS Arena - but that didn't stop him from helping his team find the back of the goal.   

Palmieri was checked by Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale, which sent him flying awkwardly into the boards behind the net. 

He stayed down on the ice for a while, appearing to grimace in pain, before he managed to gather himself and get back to his feet. 

Yet, as he gingerly skated towards the Islanders' bench, he snuck in behind an unsuspecting Flyers defenseman and seized the chance to steal the puck. 

Palmieri then passed the puck to teammate Jonathan Drouin, who dropped it onto the stick of Emil Heineman. 

 

The forward showed remarkable grit as he momentarily played through the pain 

Palmieri's steal set up Emil Heineman's (right) goal in the second period of the 4-3 loss 

 

Heineman then flicked it home to polish off Palmieri's steal with a goal and claw it back to 3-1.

After completing the pass, Palmieri immediately made his wat to the bench and hobbled to the locker room with the help of a trainer. He did not return.  

The injury came as a major blow to the Isles and Palmieri with the forward now set to miss the remainder of the season.

The veteran is set to undergo surgery, ruling him out for out six-to-eight months, the team confirmed.

Palmeiri had six goals and 12 assists in 25 games this season. The gritty forward joined the Islanders in a trade with New Jersey in April 2021. He had played 223 straight games for the Islanders before Friday's injury.

Palmieri was a first-round pick by Anaheim in 2009. He has 276 goals and 269 assists in 925 regular-season games with the Ducks, Devils and Islanders.

The Islanders also lost defenseman Alexander Romanov to a serious shoulder injury earlier this month. Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau is also out with an upper-body injury.

TRUE, IF MCGEE HAD BEEN BLACK AND REED WHITE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A MEDIA FRENZY AND BLM RIOTS ..... AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WITH DEREK CHAUVIN

Chicago train attack victim Bethany MaGee would be as well-known as George Floyd if she were black and man who burned her was white, conservative commentator says

 

By Anna Wright 

 

Dauly Mail

Nov 30, 2025

 

 

Bethany MaGee and her attacker Lawrence Reed

 

The burning of a white woman on a Chicago train would have made national headlines had the races of she and the black serial-criminal suspect been reversed, a conservative commentator claims. 

Bethany MaGee, 26, was attacked on the city's Blue Line on November 17, with investigators naming serial criminal, 50-year-old Lawrence Reed as their suspect. 

Reed has 72 prior arrests and was freed months earlier by a judge after he allegedly attacked a social worker. 

MaGee's church community said the young woman suffered the most serious burns on her left arm and hand and is expected to be in hospital for at least three months.

Conservative commentator Victor Joecks wrote an opinion piece for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, with his belief that the attack on MaGee would be 'as well-known as George Floyd' if their 'races were reversed.'

He highlighted how neither The New York Times nor Washington Post had reported the story, despite devoting acres of coverage to the killing of Floyd. Both the Associated Press and Reuters news wires have also declined to cover the MaGee story.

Floyd was murdered in 2020 by white police officer Derek Chauvin, who used his knee to pin the black man's neck to the pavement for almost 10 minutes.

His death sparked outrage across the country and world, reigniting the Black Lives Matter movement, and saw demonstrators chanting his dying words: 'I can't breathe.'

Bethany MaGee, is a 26-year-old who had gasoline poured on her and was set on fire by a lunatic criminal

Surveillance footage shows the attack on MaGee.  A conservative commentator wrote an opinion piece and believes her attack would receive more attention if the 'races were reversed'

Pictured Victor Joecks, Review Journal columnist and host of Sharp Arrows Podcast

 

Joecks argued that her horrific attack should have been a national story, labeling Cook County Judge Teresa Molina-Gonzalez's decision to allow the dangerous criminal to walk the streets a 'scandal.'

The commentator also touched upon the brutal nature of the crime to a 'young attractive woman' that the press 'craves.'

In a horrifying chain of events, MaGee attempted to fight off her attacker while Reed allegedly tried to set her on fire.

Reed approached her and repeatedly screamed 'burn alive b***h,' a criminal affidavit filed in federal court alleged.

MaGee was seen running to the front of the train car to escape before her attacker allegedly ignited the bottle in his hand. He ran to the front of the train car and watched as her body was 'engulfed in flames,' according to the affidavit.

MaGee attempted to extinguish the flames and collapsed when she arrived at the station with multiple witnesses aiding her before first responders arrived.

Joecks also explained in his piece that the ongoing feud between President Trump and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson should be included in the national coverage.

'[The media is] silent because this crime doesn't fit the left's narrative,' Joecks wrote. 'It wants you to believe that the criminal justice system is systemically racist against African Americans.'

He concluded by saying: 'America's criminal justice system has a systemic problem, but it isn't white supremacy. It's the judges and prosecutors who protect criminals instead of the public.'

Others have agreed with Joeck's view, comparing the horrific incidents involving Floyd and MaGee on social media. 

An account posted the comparison of searching MaGee's name versus George Floyd on Reuters, writing 'Reuters mentions of Bethany MaGee: 0. Reuters mentions of George Floyd: 1,068.'

 

MaGee suffered the most serious burns on her left arm and hand and is expected to be in hospital for at least three months, her church community says

Lawrence Reed is the suspect accused of setting MaGee alight. He has a slew of previous arrests and was branded a danger to society by prosecutors at his most recent court appearance on an assault charge in August 

He approached the victim on the Chicago train and doused her in gasoline, before screaming and setting her on fire

Some people drew on the May 2020 incident regarding an officer kneeling on Floyd's neck, slamming the lack of media attention for MaGee 

 

One user commented: 'I don't think the mainstream media would care about an innocent young white lady getting lit on fire by a violent criminal with many prior arrests as it doesn't fit their narrative. 

'Sadly poor Bethany is not the only victim of a violent attack that the media doesn't care about.'

Others pushed back on this belief, writing that her death happened recently and Floyd's death happened in 2020, so the media coverage wouldn't be the same.

'George Floyd's death happened in 2020 and spurred protests. How could they have similar coverage? I don't think the event has hit mainstream media yet? If you want similar attention create a movement and hit the streets,' one Facebook post read.

Reed was hit with a federal terrorism charge after investigators obtained security footage of Reed allegedly filling a container with gasoline at a gas station 20 minutes before the attack.

The 26-year-old's chilling attack drew comparisons to the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22. 

Zarutska was fatally stabbed in an apparent random attack aboard a commuter train in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Her alleged attacker Decarlos Brown Jr. is also a career criminal who was allowed to walk from court in January despite a litany of arrests for armed robbery and assault.

Zarutska's boyfriend, Stanislav Nikulytsia, has also blasted the Chicago judge and drew a direct parallel with the murder of his girlfriend and the sickening attack on MaGee.