Reuters reported Wednesday that U.S. intelligence analysts are looking into whether Russia helped Iran strike CIA facilities in the Gulf by providing targeting intelligence or advanced drone technology.
The report, which cited four people familiar with the matter, said analysts have not reached definitive conclusions. But the precision of the strikes and Russia&#8217;s longstanding military support for Iran are among the factors under review. 
The investigation into Moscow&#8217;s possible role in the attacks on CIA sites has not previously been reported.
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-strikes-cia-facilities-prompt-questions-about-possible-russian-role-2026-07-22/?utm_source=braze&amp;utm_medium=notifications&amp;utm_campaign=2025_engagement">Reuters</a> has previously reported that Russia provided Iran with targeting assistance and other military support for attacks on U.S. interests in the Gulf. 
At least two CIA facilities were hit in March, including the CIA station housed inside the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and another facility in eastern Iraq. Some sources said additional sites were also hit but did not provide further details. 
One internal memo from a Western intelligence agency, according to a regional official familiar with it, concluded that Russia likely played a role in targeting regional CIA facilities.
Two Western officials in the Gulf briefed on intelligence reports said analysts believe the Saudi attack involved two Russian-enhanced versions of Iran&#8217;s Shahed drones. According to those officials, the first drone breached a vulnerable section of the embassy&#8217;s exterior, allowing the second to fly through the opening before detonating. No deaths or injuries were reported.
While Russia has long supported Iran militarily, helping Tehran target sensitive CIA facilities would mark a significant escalation in Moscow&#8217;s efforts to disrupt U.S. operations amid the ongoing Iran war.
Concerns about Russian assistance intensified after recent strikes on a U.S. military base in Jordan, where Iranian ballistic missiles hit army barracks and killed two soldiers.
Russia has helped Iran improve the range and accuracy of its Shahed drones by supplying the Kometa-M satellite navigation system, which is more resistant to jamming than Iran&#8217;s domestic version. The Wall Street Journal first <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/russia-secretly-sharing-location-of-u-s-targets-with-iran-u-s-officials-say-127d4f1a">reported</a> this assistance in March; the Kremlin called the report &#8220;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-03-18/kremlin-says-wsj-report-on-russia-sharing-drone-technology-with-iran-is-fake-news">fake news</a>.&#8221;
U.S. analysts have examined whether Iran relied on Russian targeting intelligence during the embassy attack. Some officials noted that few nations besides Russia would have both the capability and interest in providing such sensitive information against the U.S.
Still, some sources cautioned that Iran might have been targeting the broader U.S. Embassy and struck the CIA station by chance.
Daniel Hoffman, a former CIA station chief and undercover operations officer, said Russian assistance in targeting CIA facilities would be consistent with Moscow&#8217;s strategic partnership with Iran. 
&#8220;They share an interest in trying to reduce or eliminate U.S. influence altogether in their self-designated spheres of influence,&#8221; he said.
The White House referred questions to the CIA, which declined comment. Iran&#8217;s mission to the United Nations, Russia&#8217;s Defense Ministry, and the Saudi government did not respond to Reuters&#8217; requests for comment.
CIA facilities overseas typically include stations in embassies, along with offices, safe houses, logistics hubs, and sites for surveillance or other operations. Their locations remain closely guarded.
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U.S. Investigates Russia’s Possible Role In CIA Attacks

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United States

Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, an Iranian national with U.S. citizenship, has been found guilty of helping smuggle drone parts to Iran that the Justice Department says have been used to kill U.S. servicemembers.
Sadeghi was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/iranian-man-indicted-providing-material-support-foreign-terrorist-organization-resulting">arrested</a> in 2024, along with an accomplice named Mohammad Abedini, for “conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death,” following an Iranian drone attack that targeted a U.S. military base in Jordan. Sadeghi was also charged with violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations.
“On Jan. 28, 2024, three U.S. service members were killed, and more than 40 others were injured, in a drone attack by IRGC-backed militants on a military base located in northern Jordan, known as Tower 22,” the Department of Justice said. “According to court documents, analysis of the drone that was recovered from the site of the attack showed that the drone was an Iranian Shahed UAV and that the navigation system used in the drone was manufactured by Abedini’s company.”
The Department of Justice stated that Sadeghi and Abedini tricked American technology companies such as Sadeghi’s employer Analog Devices into supplying “sophisticated semiconductors” and other parts that were used in navigation modules for the military drone program of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This was done through a front company established in Switzerland called Illumove SA, which sent drone parts to Abedini’s Iran-backed company. 
“At its core, this case is straightforward. You cannot send goods, especially the goods at issue in this case, to Iran. Period. Full stop,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter <a href="https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/us-citizen-found-guilty-helping-export-tech-iran-134716949">told</a> the jury during Sadeghi’s trial. “The defendant knew that, and conspired with Mr. Abedini to do that.”
William Fick and Daniel Marx, Sadeghi’s defense attorneys, alleged that Sadeghi was not procuring parts for Abedini, but merely gave his friend general business advice. They also disputed the claims about the Swiss company being a front and the parts from Sadeghi and Abedini ending up in Iran at all.
“He had nothing to gain and everything to lose,” Fick said. “He has lived in the country for decades. He was a well-regarded, respected employee on his way up in the company.”
The judge sided with the defense and ruled that the prosecution could not use any evidence of the drone components being used to target American troops, and must instead rely on general evidence about the drone parts going to Iran.
The trial was delayed for multiple months on the belief that the war in Iran would significantly bias the jury. Marx made sure the jury would not conflate Sadeghi’s case with the news they heard about Iran, saying, “Judge Mr. Sadeghi based on the ​evidence in this courtroom, not what is going on in the rest of the world,&#8221; Reuters <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2026-07-13/iranian-born-engineer-convicted-in-us-of-exporting-technology-to-iran">reported</a>.
Abedini was arrested in Italy upon request of the United States, but was exchanged for an Italian journalist who was arrested in Iran. He is believed to still be in Iran, thus escaping prosecution.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani has scheduled Sadeghi’s sentencing for October 13.

President Pezeshkian Addresses ‘Army Day’ Parade In Tehran

Iranian-American Found Guilty In Conspiracy To Smuggle Drones Used To Kill U.S. Troops

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Public safety agencies across the United States will deploy drones to spot illegal fireworks during Fourth of July celebrations, thanks to new federal rules that accelerated drone-based enforcement.
Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) loosened regulations, allowing cities and counties to launch Drone as First Responder (DFR) initiatives more quickly by cutting bureaucratic red tape. That change led to an increase in the number of policing organizations implementing DFR programs, jumping from 50 to an estimated 1,500 nationwide. The rapid expansion reflects how drone-based enforcement has become a national trend, not only for monitoring illegal fireworks but also for emergency response, crowd management, and search-and-rescue operations.
While some cities have used drones to monitor fireworks for years, this is the first July 4th holiday where aerial enforcement is widespread.
California has been one of the most aggressive adopters, largely because of the extreme risk of wildfires and the prevalence of illegal pyrotechnics. Several cities, including San Jose, Sacramento, and Riverside, are deploying aerial enforcement units specifically to monitor fireworks this holiday weekend. Other western states with similar wildfire risks, including Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, have also adopted unmanned aircraft operations teams. First responders say drones help them detect and respond to fires quickly, especially in wooded areas and during the dry summer months.
The Wheat Ridge Police Department in Colorado has relied on drones to monitor illegal fireworks since 2024, and the Riverside Police Department began using them last year. The drones can capture footage to be used for citations and prosecutions, according to a spokesman.
“This has been a spectacular tool for us to identify those who obviously make the decision to not follow the rules and be unsafe,” Det. Steven Espinosa, public information officer for the Riverside PD, told the Los Angeles Times.
The growing use of DFR programs has raised some privacy concerns, but law enforcement says the technology is deployed only in response to specific calls, not for general surveillance. With thousands of law enforcement agencies now equipped with drones, this year’s Fourth of July could mark a turning point in how cities enforce fireworks laws and how Americans celebrate the holiday.

GettyImages-1241718780

This Fourth of July, The Sky May Be Watching Back

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At least 28 drones have successfully entered the Gaza Strip in recent months despite dozens of Israeli interception efforts, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-901044#google_vignette">raising concerns</a> among Israeli security officials that many of them could be used by Hamas terrorists.
Army Radio reported Wednesday that the drones crossed into Gaza through multiple routes, including from Egypt and from within Israel. According to the report, Israeli defense officials believe most of the drones that successfully entered the strip ultimately reached Hamas, though it remains unknown what cargo many of them were carrying.
Israeli officials say the drones themselves could become valuable operational assets even if they were not transporting weapons or other supplies. According to Army Radio, Hamas has increasingly used drones to observe Israeli troop movements and carry out attacks by attaching explosives to the aircraft.
The report said Israeli authorities have thwarted 89 drone smuggling attempts since January. Combined with the 28 drones believed to have entered Gaza, that represents at least 117 known drone smuggling operations during the first half of the year. Israeli officials also cautioned that the figures only include known cases, meaning the real number of attempted or successful smuggling operations could be higher.
&#8220;The IDF claims that all smuggling attempts intercepted so far contained drugs only,&#8221; Army Radio reported. &#8220;However, as noted, dozens were not intercepted, and these figures represent only the cases known to the military.&#8221;
The report added that Israeli officials acknowledge some drones may have entered Gaza without ever being detected. <a href="https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/429465">Security officials also said</a> it is impossible to determine what the drones that reached Gaza were carrying, according to Israel National News.
Israeli authorities have recently stepped up efforts to disrupt the smuggling networks. In June, Israel Police and the Defense Ministry confiscated property linked to drone smuggling into Gaza, while Defense Minister Israel Katz imposed economic sanctions on individuals accused of participating in the operations.
&#8220;Anyone who smuggles weapons, equipment, or funds to terrorist organizations in Gaza is part of the terrorist network itself and will pay a heavy price,&#8221; Katz said in a statement.
<a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-897758">The concerns come as Israeli military leaders</a> continue to warn about the growing role of drones in modern warfare. Hamas is reportedly studying Hezbollah&#8217;s use of explosive drones in Lebanon, where such attacks have killed 16 Israeli soldiers and wounded many more in recent months, according to the Jerusalem Post.
In May, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir described Hezbollah&#8217;s first-person-view drone capabilities as &#8220;a challenge&#8221; but said the military already has &#8220;operational and technological solutions&#8221; in development to counter the threat.
&#8220;The drone threat is a challenge, but we will overcome it,&#8221; Zamir said. &#8220;The battlefield is unpredictable and always will be, but we are dedicating the IDF&#8217;s best resources, minds, and capabilities to this issue.&#8221;
Israeli officials have increasingly pointed to drones as one of the evolving threats facing the military, both from Hezbollah in Lebanon and from Hamas in Gaza, as armed groups continue adapting commercially available technology for military purposes.

Hamas fighters carry a drone as they attend the military

Hamas Gets Hands On Dozens Of Drones That Israel Worries Could Be Used In Future Attacks

Gaza

Hamas

Israel

President Donald Trump shared previously unreported details about a downed U.S. Army Apache helicopter on Wednesday, including how the two pilots survived after an Iranian drone lodged in between them as they were flying.
Trump described the incident and rescue mission in an exclusive call with Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst. The U.S. Army Apache helicopter was shot down earlier this week when, according to the president, an Iranian drone struck the helicopter but failed to detonate, lodging itself between the two pilots as they flew at low altitude.
Flying a gunship with a live, burning drone embedded in the cockpit, the pilots faced the possibility of explosion at any moment. Trump said the cockpit filled with heat and fire before the crew managed to ditch the aircraft into the sea. The two pilots were subsequently rescued — in what Trump described as the first-ever rescue of its kind — by an unmanned sea drone.
After the Iranian drone attack, Trump warned Wednesday that he is nearing a decision to order strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges, signaling a sharp escalation in the ongoing military confrontation with Tehran amid stalled nuclear negotiations.
The revelation comes amid a broader military campaign against Iran. Overnight Tuesday, U.S. fighter jets struck Iranian radar systems and air defense sites in response to what the administration characterized as ceasefire violations. Iran had reportedly attempted to rebuild its defensive capabilities during a pause in hostilities, an effort Trump said was explicitly prohibited. The overnight strikes were described as highly effective: even the partial reconstruction Iran managed represented &#8220;just a few percentages&#8221; of its original capacity, and Trump said U.S. forces destroyed roughly 55% of even that rebuilt capability.
Iran also fired missiles at U.S. forces stationed in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan — attacks that Trump suggested could prompt further American military action. When Yingst asked about a possible response, Trump said, &#8220;I may keep going.&#8221; In a post on Truth Social Wednesday morning, the president pointedly declared, &#8220;The bully of the Middle East is DEAD.&#8221;
The president&#8217;s most pointed remarks concerned the state of nuclear negotiations. Trump said Iran has been &#8220;tapping the United States along&#8221; in talks, and that he is now seriously considering strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges to increase pressure. He said Iran &#8220;had a chance to sign a deal and survive,&#8221; a phrase widely interpreted as a direct warning that the window for a diplomatic resolution may be closing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: President Trump exclusively tells <a href="https://x.com/TreyYingst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TreyYingst</a> that the U.S. is getting close to ordering new strikes against Iranian power plants and bridges in response to “tapping the United States along” when it comes to drawn out negotiations.
The U.S. launched overnight strikes… <a href="https://t.co/Eh3zZBWh7q">pic.twitter.com/Eh3zZBWh7q</a>
&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2064674387941314810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The dual-track pressure — military strikes coupled with explicit threats of further escalation — marks a significant hardening of the U.S. posture. Whether Tehran responds at the negotiating table or with additional military action is now the central question as the confrontation enters a potentially decisive phase.

POLAND-NATO-DEFENCE-DRILL

The Heart-Stopping Scene Inside U.S. Chopper Cockpit Revealed After Iran Drone Strike

Donald Trump

U.S. Military

School districts in Florida and Georgia are adopting a &#8220;revolutionary&#8221; security system that aims to stop mass shooters by deploying drones that can spray pepper gel, which can stick to and incapacitate a target.
The drones, created by Mithril Defense and known as “Black Arrows,” are part of a system called Campus Guardian Angel. The technology is being tested in several schools, with additional districts expressing interest.
The drones are equipped to emit disorienting lights and sounds, spray pepper gel, and collide with a suspected shooter. They are operated remotely by trained pilots in Austin, Texas, who can guide the drones using live video feeds. 
After a threat is reported, multiple drones can be deployed within seconds, transmitting real-time footage to both operators and local law enforcement. The Black Arrow drones can reach speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, the manufacturer said.
“We can take every corner, we’ll swing every door first, because we don’t care if we get shot, we’re metal and plastic,” Christian Van Sloun, Mithril’s chief drone pilot, told The Wall Street Journal. 
Officials in Volusia County, Florida, described the system as a potential shift in school security strategy.
“It’s revolutionary,” Florida’s Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Captain Todd Smith <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/a-startup-is-supplying-drones-to-high-schools-to-stop-mass-shootings-a7800ade?mod=hp_lista_pos1">told</a> The Wall Street Journal. “This is the future.”
More than $500,000 in funding has been allocated for drone use in school districts in Florida and Georgia. An installation is underway at Deltona High School in Florida. Some parents have expressed cautious support.
“To find out that we’re one of the first ones to get this pilot program was a little nerve-racking at first,” parent Jessica Clayton told The Journal. “But at the same time, you have to start somewhere, and I’m hoping this can be a positive influence for the community.”
Mithril believes its drone technology will reduce response times and improve safety in active-shooter situations. 
“Our vision is ultimately to be in every school in the nation and to eradicate mass shootings,” Mithril co-founder Billy Marston told The Journal. “We believe we can help in the vast majority of these mass shootings.”

MixCollage-06-Apr-2026-10-28-AM-2705

Schools Roll Out Armed System To Stop Shooters As Districts Bypass Old Rules

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Mass Shooting

An American was among three people arrested in connection with a fire that destroyed a warehouse in the Czech Republic linked to a company supplying drones to Ukraine.
Two suspects were <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/czechs-investigate-fire-after-reports-anti-israel-group-claiming-responsibility-2026-03-20/">arrested</a> in the Czech Republic, while a third was detained in Slovakia and faces possible extradition. Authorities are investigating the suspected arson attack as an act of terrorism. Police identified the suspects as U.S. and Czech nationals.
&#8220;Based on what we know so far, it is likely the incident may be related to ⁠a terrorist ​attack,&#8221; Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar said.
An unnamed protest group claimed responsibility for the fire in letters sent to Czech media outlets, according to multiple reports. The group reportedly said it had intended to target Czech defense firm ​LPP Holding, which operates in the same complex, alleging the company was supplying drones to Israel.
The group described the warehouse in Pardubice as a &#8220;key manufacturing hub&#8221; for Israeli weapons and stated that the fire was intended to end the company&#8217;s alleged role in the &#8220;genocide in Gaza.&#8221;
LLP Holding released a statement confirming that a fire had been reported at one of its facilities, but denied manufacturing Israeli drones. The company acknowledged that it had explored cooperation with Israeli firm Elbit Systems in 2023, but said nothing ever came of it.
&#8220;No Israeli drones have ever been manufactured at our facility,&#8221; LPP&#8217;s statement now.
One of the suspects has been identified as Youssef Morsi, who has been linked to a number of protest groups and has also been associated with pro-Palestinian activism.
Prague Youth Queer &amp; Intersectional Collective for Palestine, another organization to which Morsi has been linked, released a statement via Instagram saying that some &#8220;connected with the movement&#8221; had been approached by police in connection with the investigation and offered tips for anyone dealing with law enforcement.
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&#8220;The Charlie Kirk Show&#8221; producer Blake Neff <a href="https://x.com/BlakeSNeff/status/2036710489120809029">speculated</a> on the wild sequence of events, saying, &#8220;An Egyptian with U.S. citizenship (for some reason) went to the Czech Republic and burned down a factory making drones for Ukraine because he thought it was making them for Israel. Immigration gives us so many novel sentences and crimes we would not have otherwise. We are very enriched.&#8221;

CZECH-ISRAEL-FIRE

American Arrested, Accused Of Sabotaging Drone Factory Over Israel

Global Politics

Politics

Ukraine

Headlines today claim the war in Iran is a catastrophe.
We awakened to some bad but true stories: Oil tankers on fire in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to large-scale oil disruptions and a spike in the price of Brent Crude oil. Rumors of impending Iranian drone attacks in California. And then, the Iranian schoolgirls who were killed in a botched missile attack.
We&#8217;re not going to sugarcoat what&#8217;s going on because war is ugly.
But what&#8217;s happening right now is that Iran is fighting back. The regime is on its last legs, and it knows it. Even if it survives the current conflict, the question is, for how long? Because if they&#8217;re heavily damaged, and if it turns out they can&#8217;t defend against insurgents in their streets or against air flights, air sorties from opposing forces, how long does the regime last?
What we&#8217;re watching right now are the dying throes of a poisonous snake.
But that doesn&#8217;t mean the snake can&#8217;t do serious damage before it goes. This is typically what the endgame of a war looks like. The enemy lashes out with all of its final strength, pulling out every stop, pulling every lever. And then, unless we lose our willpower, they lose.
As Japan collapsed at the end of World War II, American casualties went up, not down. The Battle of Okinawa — fought on territory controlled by Japan since 1879, populated heavily with Japanese citizens and entirely with Japanese subjects — was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific War; 12,000 Americans ended up dead, between 36,000 and 49,000 Americans were wounded, alongside some 110,000 Japanese military killed and another 100,000 to 150,000 Japanese civilians, many of whom committed suicide.
That battle ended June 22, 1945, and within seven weeks the war was over.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2386-can-iran-hit-the-us"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
This sort of activity isn&#8217;t uncommon, as America&#8217;s enemies realize that they are in their final hours.
The Battle of the Bulge was Hitler&#8217;s final attempt to stave off defeat. It was bloody. It was terrible. And Hitler lost.
At the end of the Gulf War, actually, even after a cease-fire had been declared, the Iraqi Hammurabi Republican Guard Division attacked the U.S. 24th Infantry Division. That was a large-scale mistake, and the U.S. ended up destroying nearly 200 tanks and erasing the Hammurabi Division entirely. But that was sort of the last gasp.
It&#8217;s quite common.
In the 2001 war in Afghanistan, the final Taliban stand, before the launch of their large-scale insurgent warfare strategy that lasted years, was something called Operation Anaconda. That&#8217;s where the Taliban fighters dug in in the mountains, and then they tried to engage U.S. forces. This was in 2002, and they lost.
The losing side very often will launch a last stand, a final push, or pull out all the stops.
That&#8217;s what we&#8217;re actually watching right now. The question is whether Iran&#8217;s activity represents the death throes of the regime or the reconsolidation of regime power.
The answer is not up to Iran. It&#8217;s up to the United States and Israel.
The only hope for the Iranian regime right now is that the United States and Israel somehow stop in their tracks before the Iranian regime suffers irreparable damage.
That is precisely why American enemies make that final push. It&#8217;s the last-gasp attempt to prevent the increasingly inevitable.
Iran is a terrorist regime, and so it&#8217;s pursuing three lines of terror tactics. One terror tactic is targeting the American homeland; a second is targeting the Strait of Hormuz and other Gulf oil supplies, and the third is targeting our allies.
<h3>First: The American Homeland</h3>
Yesterday, ABC News reported that the FBI has warned police departments about the possibility of an Iranian drone attack on American soil. According to the FBI, “As of early February 2026, Iran allegedly aspired to conduct a surprise attack using unmanned aerial vehicles from an unidentified vessel off the coast of the United States homeland, specifically against unspecified targets in California.”
President Trump said, “We&#8217;ve got our eyes on the terrorists.” Asked, “Have you been briefed about how many Iran sleeper cells there could be inside the U.S. right now?” he answered, “I have been and a lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border, but we know where most of them are. We&#8217;ve got our eye on all of them.”
The president is not wrong about the open border. The president also added that when it comes to these threats, all we can really do is take them as they come, which, of course, is the reality.
None of this should be a major shock. Iran has infiltrated South and Latin America. That is one of the reasons that the Trump administration moved against Venezuela, which was the center of Iranian activity in the Western Hemisphere under Nicolas Maduro, now a treasured guest of President Trump in prison. Iran and Venezuela even signed a 20-year cooperation agreement, and that included drones and missiles shipped from Iran to Venezuela.  
<h3>Second: The Threat To The Strait Of Hormuz</h3>
This is making a lot of headlines because it should. Iran has been firing ordnance at oil tankers that have been shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. 
But here&#8217;s the point. If you leave the regime in place, a regime that is increasingly powerful and can choke off that waterway any time it wants, it doesn&#8217;t make things better. 
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/ending-iran-war-quickly-carries-big-risks-for-the-u-s-and-allies-60c003de?utm_source=chatgpt.com">stated:</a> 
<blockquote>Leaving in place Iran’s theocratic regime—angry, defiant and in possession of its nuclear stockpile and what remains of its arsenal of missiles and drones—would essentially grant Tehran control over the world’s energy markets. It would also sacrifice the security of America’s partners and allies, and possibly make another, more devastating, regional war likely.</blockquote>
Right now, President Trump is holding down oil prices largely by talking about the incipient end of the war through the release of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. But the problem with talking about the end of the war is that it&#8217;s the kind of talk that actually emboldens the Iranians to increase their attacks on shipping, hoping that exerting more pressure on the Strait of Hormuz will force President Trump to stop.
What would be really, really helpful here would be America&#8217;s Gulf allies. Saudis, UAE, Qatar: None of them has actually engaged in action against Iran, even though they&#8217;re the ones who are getting truly pounded. You know what they could do? They could increase their pumping. They could pump to areas not controlled by Iran, such as the west of Saudi Arabia.
Iran has fired far more ordnance at the UAE than it has fired at Israel. If our allies are not going to join us offensively in the fight, they could at least relieve pressure on the oil markets created by the Iranian attacks. We are defending them.
<h3>Third: Terrorizing Our Allies</h3>
Which brings us to the third tentacle of Iranian terror, terror against our allies. Iran knows that the entry of the Saudis and the UAE directly into the war would be quite bad for them. And they know that the Saudis and UAE could help the United States calm world markets. That would allow the U.S.-Israel operation to continue, which is why they&#8217;ve been firing more missiles at the Gulf states than at Israel, trying to convince them to cower in fear.
 Israel has been targeted with 550 strikes by Iran. That is 14% of all strikes. Kuwait has been targeted with 24%, UAE with 44% of all strikes. Bahrain has been hit with almost as many strikes as Israel, and Saudi Arabia has been hit with 176.
Qatar is low on the list because, obviously, Qatar and Iran are half-allies.
Iran has been taking indirect counteraction against Israel. They&#8217;ve been using their proxy, Hezbollah. Hezbollah has been absolutely shellacked by Israel over the last couple of years, since the pager operation, the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, and the ground operation in Lebanon. Iran is hoping that drawing Israeli resources toward Lebanon might somehow save the Iranian government. They&#8217;re counting on the Lebanese government to back down, because the Lebanese government could theoretically exert some sort of pressure or push the Americans to stop Israel. That is why overnight rockets were raining on northern Israel.
If the Lebanese government doesn&#8217;t stop Hezbollah from its offensive action, if Israel is forced to stop its destruction of Hezbollah yet again, that would be a disaster for the region&#8217;s Christians. Lebanon used to be a Christian country before it was wrecked by the Palestine Liberation Organization, before it was wrecked by the Iranians through Hezbollah. Hezbollah is moving to destroy Lebanon&#8217;s Christian population.
Ordering Hezbollah to attack Israel is another sign of a last gasp.
What does all this mean?
It means that in the end, only the true collapse or serious damage leading to the collapse of the Iranian government will bring lasting victory. That&#8217;s what it means. 
Which is why President Trump correctly says we have to finish the job.
“As we end this threat to America and the world, we don&#8217;t want to leave early. We have to finish the job, right?” <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/world-news/trump-says-us-must-finish-the-job-in-virtually-destroyed-iran-dont-want-to-leave-early/">he told</a> a cheering crowd. 
He is correct. We actually have to finish the job. And the goals spelled out by the administration are clear: ending the missile threat, ending the nuclear threat, and ending support of terrorism. Leaving an Iranian regime in power, or at least not seriously destabilized or weakened, would likely encourage China to take aggressive action against Taiwan. 
It is astonishing to me to see the level of uproar over a war that has lasted less than two weeks with extremely low American casualties, by any historic comparison. If China understands that the American attention span is so short that we can&#8217;t even sustain a serious offensive action with low cost for longer than a few weeks, they will know they can move. 
Not only that, if we don&#8217;t do what we can while President Trump, who actually has stones, is president, then Iran likely will come back, mainly because weaker people will be president. People like Barack Obama, Joe Biden, or pretty much anyone else, because Trump has been uniquely strong on this score. 
President Trump is not wrong to call this out. He <a href="https://x.com/clashreport/status/2031840956639567928">stated</a>: 
<blockquote>“We don&#8217;t want to go back every two years. There&#8217;ll be some day when you don&#8217;t have me as president, you&#8217;ll have perhaps a weak, pathetic person like we&#8217;ve had in the past. Like Barack Hussein Obama, who signed one of the worst deals ever with Iran, where they were going to give up everything. Remember when he filled up a 757 with billions of dollars of cash and sent it to Iran? People forget that. That&#8217;s when I realized the presidency is very powerful. When you could put over $1 billion in an airplane and fly it over and give it to a foreign country that&#8217;s your enemy. How stupid was that?” </blockquote>
The president is not wrong. 
If you want to end threats to America, you actually have to end them.

TOPSHOT-IRAQ-IRAN-US-ISRAEL-WAR

Death Throes Of A Regime

Ben Shapiro

Oil and Gas

Opinion

A Mexican cartel drone incursion in the border city of El Paso, Texas, forced a temporary shutdown by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday.
While the southern border is seeing record-low illegal crossings since President Donald Trump&#8217;s return to the White House, cartels still lurk, finding new ways to threaten the United States.
Several cartels operate in Chihuahua, which borders El Paso, and for years, profited off of the open border under the Biden administration, where human smuggling became their largest source of income.
Robert Beltran, a constable in Hudspeth County, which neighbors El Paso, told The Daily Wire that the Mexican cartels are now desperate to find new ways &#8220;to move narcotics and contraband&#8221; by air since the &#8220;land and sea has been blocked off.&#8221;
Weeks after Trump&#8217;s second inauguration, federal agents received a warning that cartels in Mexico were employing suicide drones.
“On February 1, 2025, the El Paso Sector Intelligence and Operations Center (EPT-IOC) received information advising that Mexican cartel leaders have authorized the deployment of drones equipped with explosives to be used against US Border Patrol agents and US military personnel currently working along the border with Mexico,” the internal memo titled “Officer Safety Alert” said.
“It is recommended that all US Border Patrol agents and DoD [Department of Defense] personnel working along the border report any sighting of drones to their respective leadership staff and the EPT-IOC,&#8221; the memo continued.
Last week, in nearby New Mexico, law enforcement officials from both sides of the border came together to discuss ways to counter the cartels&#8217; increasing use of drones, <a href="https://www.borderreport.com/hot-topics/border-crime/cartel-drones-coming-over-the-border-worry-new-mexico-officials/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Border Report.
“What we are doing here today is making it possible for Chihuahua and New Mexico to be more safe and secure,” Chihuahua Public Safety Secretary Gilberto Loya said at a news conference following the meeting. “To that end, we have started today a structural collaboration to tackle these emerging issues and crimes.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion.
The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region.
The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming. <a href="https://t.co/xQA1cMy7l0">https://t.co/xQA1cMy7l0</a>
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/2021594420806639787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
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In Mexico, cartels have deployed drones in recent years to carry out assassinations.
Cartels sent bomb-dropping drones into the central Mexican state of Michoacán, killing Mexican soldiers operating in the area in 2024.
Last year, a Mexican army officer, a soldier, and a police officer were <a href="https://www.borderreport.com/hot-topics/border-crime/cartels-unleash-drone-attacks-on-mexican-soldiers-in-chihuahua/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">injured</a> after a cartel drone dropped explosives on them in Chihuahua.
“We’ve had a pair of incidents in which members of organized crime are using drones with explosives to hinder our personnel on the ground,” Chihuahua state police Chief of Staff Luis Aguirre said at the time. “There is a strong presence by the Ministry of Defense and we are making substantial advances.”
The FAA initially instituted a 10-day airspace closure of the El Paso airport on Wednesday, citing &#8220;special security reasons.&#8221; That closure has since been reversed.
&#8220;Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace,&#8221; a Trump administration official told The Daily Wire, adding that the Department of War immediately acted &#8220;to disable the drones.&#8221;
&#8220;The FAA and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel,&#8221; the official said.
About 15 miles from El Paso, in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, similar <a href="https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_2234" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restrictions</a> were put in place.

US-MEXICO-BORDER-SECURITY

Cartel Drones That Forced U.S. Airspace Shutdown Underscore Ongoing Threat From Mexico

Mexican Cartel Drones 'Breached' Border, Forcing Shutdown Of U.S. Airspace

El Paso

Mexico

The Federal Communications Commission <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-updates-covered-list-add-certain-uas-and-uas-components-0">announced</a> on Monday that it is adding new foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems, including drones and their critical components, to its &#8220;Covered List&#8221; of communications equipment deemed to pose “unacceptable risks to U.S. national security.”
The move follows a Trump administration review, which found that foreign-produced drones could enable unauthorized surveillance, data theft, and disruptions, threatening U.S. homeland security and the domestic drone industry.
The action, in line with President Donald Trump’s Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty and Unleashing American Drone Dominance executive orders, reflects the administration’s goal of strengthening American drone manufacturing and reducing dependence on foreign — particularly Chinese — technologies. The decision arrives ahead of major upcoming international events hosted in the United States, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America&#8217;s 250th anniversary celebrations, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, when airspace security risks will be elevated.
The updated Covered List includes Chinese drone manufacturers DJI and Autel, as well as all other foreign drone producers. Under U.S. law, the FCC cannot update this list independently and must act based on national security agencies’ determinations under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act. Equipment placed on the Covered List is barred from receiving new FCC equipment authorizations, effectively preventing new models from entering the U.S. market. However, this decision does not affect existing drones, meaning consumers and retailers may continue to use, sell, or trade models previously authorized by the FCC.
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U.S. officials framed the action as critical to national and economic security. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr praised the move, saying the agency would “work closely with U.S. drone makers to unleash American drone dominance.” The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) also encouraged organizations to use the list in risk management and regulatory compliance efforts.
China’s Foreign Ministry criticized the decision as an excessive use of national security grounds and “discriminatory” toward Chinese companies. DJI <a href="https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-881097">expressed disappointment</a> with the move<a href="https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-881097">,</a> arguing that no supporting evidence for the determination was publicly released. Despite such objections, U.S. lawmakers and officials, including Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR) and National Security Council’s Sebastian Gorka, welcomed the measure as a necessary step to ensure drones vital to America’s defense are “made in the USA.”

FRANCE-GOVERNMENT-DEFENCE-SECURITY-MILIPOL-EXPO

Feds Deem New Foreign-Made Drones ‘Unacceptable’ National Security Risks

China

On Sunday, speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” U.S. Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll discussed the growing threat of drones. Driscoll underscored the seriousness of the issue, calling drones “the threat of humanity’s lifetime.”
Driscoll explained that under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Army is now leading the Pentagon’s counter-drone efforts, coordinating closely with federal and local law enforcement. Driscoll stressed that drones, particularly inexpensive, 3D-printed models, act as “flying IEDs,” capable of crossing borders quickly and causing rapid, unpredictable destruction. He cited recent examples in Ukraine and Russia to illustrate the scale and speed of devastation drones can produce, framing them as a unique and unprecedented security challenge.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll says drones, and flying IED devices, are “the threat of humanity’s lifetime.”
“The problem with the drone fight, you need all sorts of layered defense. One solution does not work, if you just try to jam them. If you look at what’s happening in… <a href="https://t.co/hK58Kj3R0W">pic.twitter.com/hK58Kj3R0W</a>
&mdash; Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1990112148492853731?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Driscoll emphasized that responding to this threat requires a layered, technologically integrated approach. Simple measures like radar jamming are insufficient, especially against drones that can be hardwired to resist interference. Countermeasures include net guns and other intercept tools, but success depends on human coordination and real-time information sharing. He described the need for a “digital layer” to exchange sensing data, allowing the closest personnel or devices to neutralize threats quickly. Driscoll noted that the complexity of the problem increases when protecting sensitive sites such as airports, borders, or major public events like the Super Bowl, World Cup, and Olympics.
Regarding domestic drone regulation, Driscoll conveyed cautious optimism. Brennan asked, “Should there be restrictions in this country on who is able to own and operate drones?” He replied, “I’m pretty optimistic that we will be able to figure out a solution where we will know what is in the sky at every moment across our country all at once. … We’re not there yet.”
Driscoll said the goal is to track all drones nationwide in real-time, enabling Americans and commercial companies, such as Amazon, to operate drones safely while ensuring national security. He likened this approach to a “golden mini dome” over key sites, integrating detection systems, interceptors, and trained personnel to maintain safety and order.
Driscoll’s comments align with broader U.S. drone initiatives. The Pentagon has recently moved to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-unleashes-u-s-military-drone-dominance?utm_source=chatgpt.com">accelerate</a> drone production and deployment, empower lower-ranking officers to test and operate drones, and streamline bureaucratic procedures. Past programs include CIA MQ-9 Reaper <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cia-operating-reaper-drones-over-mexico-in-war-against-drug-cartels?utm_source=chatgpt.com">surveillance</a> over Mexico and AI-enabled drones for active shooter deterrence on military bases.
Across these efforts, Driscoll’s framing of drones as the “threat of humanity’s lifetime” highlights the urgency with which the U.S. government is addressing both military and domestic challenges posed by drone technology.

Senate Holds Nomination Hearings For Daniel Driscoll To Be Army Secretary

‘Flying IEDs’: Army Sec Calls Drones ‘The Threat Of Humanity’s Lifetime’

'The Threat Of Humanity's Lifetime': Army Sec Warns Of Drones Being 'Flying IEDs'

U.S. Army

Drone and artillery strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on a shelter in the Sudanese city of Al Fashir killed at least 60 people on Friday night and Saturday morning, according to local activists.
Al-Fashir is under siege by the RSF as it struggles to wrest control of the army&#8217;s last stronghold in the Darfur region.
The siege has spread hunger and disease in the city and relentless drone and artillery strikes have hit displacement shelters, mosques, and hospitals and clinics.
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&#8220;Bodies remain under the rubble, and others were burned alive inside the shelter caravans, children, women, and elderly killed in cold blood, the al-Fashir Resistance Committees said in a statement earlier on Saturday. It said in a later statement that the shelter had been hit twice by drones and eight times by artillery shells.
The resistance committee said hundreds of civilians have been killed by the attacks, and residents who spoke to Reuters said they had dug bunkers into their homes and neighborhoods for protection.
The activist group said the city is losing 30 people on average daily to violence, hunger, and disease.
(Reporting by Nafisa EltahirEditing by Mark Potter and Toby Chopra)

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