A Hezbollah strike on an Israeli tank in southern Lebanon killed four IDF soldiers Friday — including a battalion commander — raising fresh doubts about whether the Iranian-backed militia will honor terms that Iran agreed to earlier this week in the memorandum of understanding with the United States.
The attack struck near the Lebanese village of Tebnit overnight, when &#8220;a suspicious target impacted an IDF tank,&#8221; an IDF official told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/06/19/four-israeli-soldiers-killed-combat-lebanon-imperils-us-iran-deal/">The Washington Post</a>. Israel responded by striking multiple Hezbollah infrastructure sites across Nabatieh and other areas of southern and eastern Lebanon.
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‼️ ANOTHER BLATANT CEASEFIRE VIOLATION: As a result of an explosive drone impact in southern Lebanon, an IDF reserve officer was severely injured, and 3 reserve NCOs &amp; an NCO were lightly injured.
This incident follows numerous blatant ceasefire violations by Hezbollah. Just… <a href="https://t.co/I0LgRUk8sH">https://t.co/I0LgRUk8sH</a>
&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://x.com/IDF/status/2067882793753829685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The fallout was swift: Vice President JD Vance scrapped a planned trip to Switzerland, where he was to have led American negotiators, and both Washington and Tehran announced they were postponing the talks.
The memorandum of understanding signed Wednesday by President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/17/middleeast/us-iran-war-mou-text-intl">explicitly declares</a> &#8220;the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,&#8221; with both parties pledging to &#8220;refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.&#8221; Hezbollah is an ally of Iran and fought alongside Iranian forces in the current war — making its continued attacks a direct challenge to Tehran&#8217;s commitments under the deal.
Trump signaled his expectations on Thursday in a social media post, writing: &#8220;We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel.&#8221; Within hours, four Israeli soldiers were dead.
Ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#8217;s government called for intensifying strikes against Hezbollah following Friday&#8217;s deaths. Friday&#8217;s strike did not come out of nowhere. It is the latest episode in a campaign of violence that Hezbollah has sustained across multiple ceasefires and diplomatic agreements.
Hezbollah opened its current front against Israel on October 8, 2023 — the day after Hamas&#8217;s massacre — firing rockets and guided missiles at Israeli border communities in what it called solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. What began as sporadic fire escalated into one of the most sustained cross-border bombardments in the history of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
By the time a ceasefire halted major fighting on November 27, 2024, Hezbollah had <a href="https://israel-alma.org/summary-of-war-data-israel-northern-arena-2023-2024/">carried out</a> 5,185 documented attack waves against Israel — firing over 10,000 rockets, and deploying anti-tank missiles, suicide drones, and air defense systems. The deadliest single strike of that phase killed 12 children and teenagers on a soccer field in the Druze village of Majdal Shams on July 27, 2024. October 2024 alone saw 1,158 attacks — the most intense single month of the conflict.
Since a new ceasefire took effect on April 17, 2026, Hezbollah has carried out 975 documented attack waves — 745 targeting IDF forces operating inside Lebanon and 230 directed at Israeli territory itself. Seventeen IDF soldiers and one Israeli civilian have been killed during that ceasefire period alone, according to the Alma Research and Education Center, which tracks attacks on Israel&#8217;s northern front.
Neither the April ceasefire nor a subsequent Statement of Principles issued June 3 slowed Hezbollah&#8217;s operational tempo. In the <a href="https://israel-alma.org/weekly-report-hezbollah-attacks-against-israel-june-1-7-2026/">first seven days</a> of June alone, Hezbollah launched 198 attack waves, including 93 rocket and missile barrages against IDF forces and 30 strikes at Israeli territory.
Friday&#8217;s killing of four soldiers — coming within 48 hours of a U.S.-Iran agreement committing both sides and their allies to permanent cessation of hostilities — suggests that whatever Tehran agreed to in Versailles, its proxy Hezbollah, as always, has no intention of holding to it.

ISRAEL-US-LEBANON-IRAN-WAR

Hezbollah Kills Four Israeli Soldiers In Attack Just Two Days After U.S.-Iran Peace Deal

Donald Trump

Hezbollah

Iran

Israel

Lebanon

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

United States

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee offered a blunt solution Wednesday to one of the Middle East&#8217;s most intractable problems: deport every member of Hezbollah and Hamas to Iran.
&#8220;Iran demands Israel cease defense of border against Hezbollah. Gaza peace plan depends on Hamas disarming,&#8221; Huckabee posted on X. &#8220;Idea: EVERY member of Hezbollah &amp; Hamas DEPORT to &#8216;Mothership&#8217; in Iran. Result? Lebanon &amp; Israel free from Iran terror proxies. Give PEACE a chance!&#8221;
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Iran demands <a href="https://x.com/Israel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Israel</a> cease defense of border against Hezbollah. Gaza peace plan depends on Hamas disarming. Idea: EVERY member of Hezbollah &amp; Hamas DEPORT to &quot;Mothership&quot; in Iran. Result? Lebanon &amp; Israel free from Iran terror proxies. Give PEACE a chance!
&mdash; Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) <a href="https://x.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/2067154997607845901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The proposal, characteristically direct, cuts to the heart of a dynamic that has destabilized the Levant for decades — both Hamas and Hezbollah are, in the most meaningful sense, Iranian instruments. The Congressional Research Service has documented that Iran&#8217;s support for regional armed groups has been &#8220;a pillar of the Iranian government&#8217;s foreign policy since the 1979 founding of the Islamic Republic,&#8221; coordinated through the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. The State Department estimates Iran provides up to $100 million annually to Palestinian terrorist groups including Hamas, while Hezbollah — Iran&#8217;s most powerful proxy — receives the bulk of its &#8220;funding, training, weapons, and explosives&#8221; directly from Tehran.
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Huckabee&#8217;s quip lands against a backdrop of renewed diplomatic activity. Reports of a possible Israeli-Lebanese rapprochement have emerged in recent weeks, raising cautious hopes that Lebanon might finally escape the orbit of Iranian influence. But history counsels skepticism. Lebanon&#8217;s sovereignty has been hollowed out twice over — first by the PLO following the 1969 Cairo Accord, which turned southern Lebanon into a launchpad for attacks on Israeli civilians and helped ignite the catastrophic civil war that killed roughly 150,000 people, and then by Hezbollah, which filled the vacuum left after Israel&#8217;s 1982 war forced the PLO terrorist Yasser Arafat into Tunisian exile.
By 2023, Hezbollah&#8217;s arsenal had grown to over 150,000 rockets, dwarfing the Lebanese army it nominally coexists with. Its financial corruption has metastasized through Lebanon&#8217;s banking sector, contributing to what the World Bank describes as one of the most severe economic depressions globally since the mid-19th century. The Lebanese pound, pegged at 1,507 to the dollar for two decades, had lost over 98% of its value.
The human cost of Iran&#8217;s proxy strategy was underscored when 92 retired U.S. generals and admirals published an <a href="https://jinsa.org/open-letter-from-retired-u-s-military-leaders-in-support-of-israel-on-october-7-anniversary/">open letter</a> on the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas massacre of over 1,200 Israelis, warning that &#8220;Iran&#8217;s reign of terror transcends boundaries&#8221; and that &#8220;October 7 is not an isolated incident, but one front in a much larger global civilizational struggle.&#8221;
Huckabee&#8217;s &#8220;Mothership&#8221; proposal won&#8217;t appear in any formal peace framework. But its underlying logic — that sustainable peace in Lebanon and Gaza requires severing, not managing, Iran&#8217;s grip on its proxies — reflects a growing consensus among U.S. and Israeli strategists that half-measures have consistently failed.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Holds Nomination Hearing For Mike Huckabee To Be Ambassador To Israel

Huckabee’s Bold Proposal: Send Iran’s Proxies Back To The ‘Mothership’

Hamas

Mike Huckabee

A foreign reporter with a history of praising Palestinian terrorism is roaming the United States for the World Cup, prompting one legal group to push the Trump administration to revoke his visa and deport him.
Ibrahim Khadra, a British national and beIN Sports broadcaster, has posted on social media in recent days indicating that he&#8217;s in the United States. In one post from June 7, Khadra wrote that he was awaiting the arrival of the Algerian soccer team at the airport in Kansas City, indicating that he&#8217;s in the country to cover the World Cup.
In a June 8 letter, the Lawfare Project asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revoke Khadra&#8217;s visa for his &#8220;glorifying the terrorist activities of Hamas and Hezbollah, both designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations.&#8221;
&#8220;Your Department has exercised exactly this authority in comparable cases. The same authority should be applied here to a foreign national who has celebrated the slaughter of civilians and presents, based upon his prior documented conduct, a concrete risk of converting a World Cup credential into a platform for terrorist glorification on American soil,&#8221; the letter read.
&#8220;We urge the Department to act before that platform is furnished,&#8221; it added.
Khadra&#8217;s past statements of terrorist support include an X <a href="https://archive.md/pcrhI#selection-427.0-480.0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> he made the day of Hamas&#8217; attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, saying &#8220;scored goals that pierced the enemy&#8217;s net, crossed its borders and soldiers, and caught it by surprise from where it least expected.&#8221;
&#8220;O God, protect our people in proud Gaza and throughout #Palestine. God is Greatest, and praise be to God,&#8221; he wrote.
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On the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre, Khadra wrote that &#8220;the hypocritical leaders in Europe and the United States repeated the same lies, expressing sympathy for the victims of a single day of resistance, while conveniently ignoring 365 days of far greater brutality and terror, during which countless more lives were lost and affected,&#8221; adding &#8220;They lack the true values of humanity we hold #shame #FreePalestine.&#8221;
Khadra <a href="https://archive.md/PRn6a#selection-619.0-637.2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> a picture of late Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin in May 2021 with the caption &#8220;Good news foretold by the Sheikh of the Mujahideen, Ahmed Yassin, may God have mercy on him, more than 20 years ago.&#8221;
&#8220;I ask God to hasten the end of oppression and occupation from the land of pride and dignity, Palestine,&#8221; he wrote.
He also <a href="https://archive.md/0cXKl#selection-659.0-665.83" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> his &#8220;condolences&#8221; after the assassination of senior Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh in a July 2024 X post.
The organization also wrote to Homeland Security officials asking them to initiate removal proceedings against Khadra, making him amenable to deportation from the United States.
&#8220;This referral follows a recognized and recently exercised enforcement sequence: the Department of State revokes a nonimmigrant visa on terrorism-related grounds, the visa holder&#8217;s lawful basis for presence is extinguished, and ICE may detain and place the individual in removal proceedings,&#8221; the Lawfare Project wrote.
&#8220;Mr. Khadra&#8217;s documented pattern of glorifying Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists, while exploiting U.S.-hosted international sporting events, poses a direct risk to public safety and to U.S. counterterrorism policy,&#8221; the group added.
Gerard Filitti, Senior Counsel with The Lawfare Project who signed the referrals, told The Daily Wire that the case exposes &#8220;a systemic flaw with our immigration screening process that the Trump administration has very appropriately put additional emphasis on screening visa applicants from a lot of countries, but when it comes to traditionally allied nations or friendly nations like the UK or the European Union, perhaps that&#8217;s a back door that&#8217;s being exploited.&#8221;
A State Department spokesperson said they couldn&#8217;t comment on &#8220;specific cases due to visa record confidentiality,&#8221; but said the country &#8220;is well prepared to welcome legitimate travelers from around the globe for the largest and greatest FIFA World Cup in history.&#8221;
&#8220;At the same time, the Administration will not waver in upholding U.S. law and the highest standards of national security and public safety in the conduct of our visa process,&#8221; the spokesperson said.
In one recent action, federal authorities blocked the entrance of a Somali World Cup referee because he associated with “suspected members of terror organizations.&#8221;
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) denied Omar Artan&#8217;s entry after he landed at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday after discovering “derogatory information,” including his “association with suspected members of terror organizations,&#8221; a senior administration official recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-somali-referee-denied-entry-into-usa-for-associating-with-terror-organizations?author=Mary+Margaret+Olohan&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Somali+World+Cup+Ref+Denied+Entry+Into+USA+For+Terror+Ties">told</a> The Daily Wire.
The spokesperson added that the department adjudicates &#8220;each visa application on a case-by-case basis after rigorous review and thorough vetting to determine whether the individual is eligible under U.S. law.&#8221;
&#8220;Vetting is a continuous process, and applicants are vetted before, during, and after consular adjudication. After issuance of a visa, if the Department becomes aware of new, potentially adverse information, a consular officer reviews that information to determine whether the applicant remains eligible for a visa,&#8221; the spokesperson said.
Khadra didn&#8217;t respond to multiple requests for comment.

Untitled design – 2026-06-11T105259.224

Trump Admin Urged To Deport World Cup Reporter Who Glorified Terrorists

terorrism

Visas

World Cup

A social media post buried inside a newly unsealed federal terrorism complaint appears to place an Iran-backed terror group frighteningly close to first daughter Ivanka Trump during a family trip to Disneyland Paris earlier this year.
According to the complaint, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya — a group the Department of Justice says is part of the U.S.-designated terror organization Kata’ib Hizballah — issued a message to President Donald Trump via Snapchat on April 20 that specifically referenced Ivanka Trump.
“From the heart of the matter, where your daughter Ivanka, that whore who throws herself into the arms of men, adorns her face lightly and breathes with delight wherever she falls upon the edge of a rich wealthy man,” the message read before warning: “You moron, your daughter was on the brink of death thirteen days ago, but our men don’t kill whores.”
The post goes on to encourage people to kill “arrogant, criminal, cursed Trump.”
Thirteen days before April 20 was April 7, which is the same day Ivanka Trump was visiting Disneyland Paris with her children, according to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/04/09/ivanka-trump-at-disneyland-when-president-threatened-iran/">TMZ</a>. The outlet reported the family was accompanied by security, including guards stationed outside rides. 
No major outlet appears to have connected the date in the threat to Ivanka Trump’s publicly documented Paris trip.
The timing is especially notable because prosecutors say the threat network was overseen by 32-year-old Iraqi national Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, a senior Kata’ib Hizballah operative tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who was recently arrested on terrorism charges.
According to the complaint, Al-Saadi and his associates were actively operating in Paris around the same time as Ivanka Trump’s visit and had allegedly attempted to bomb the Bank of America building in the city on March 28. Prosecutors say Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya released a propaganda video on March 16, 2026, previewing an attack against the exact building.
Al-Saadi allegedly made a “pledge” to assassinate Ivanka Trump, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/22/world-news/ivanka-trump-targeted-for-assassination-by-iraqi-terrorist-in-twisted-plot-to-avenge-president-taking-out-his-mentor-sources/">reported The New York Post</a>.
“After Qassem was killed, he went around telling people ‘we need to kill Ivanka to burn down the house of Trump the way he burned down our house,’” former Iraqi diplomat Entifadh Qanbar told the Post.
In posts on X in both 2021 and 2023, Al-Saadi <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ivanka-trump-targeted-in-chilling-plot-tied-to-iran-linked-terror-network">posted a map</a> showing the Florida neighborhood where Ivanka Trump — who is Jewish — lives with her husband, Jared Kushner, and their three children. 
“I say to the Americans look at this picture and know that neither your palaces nor the Secret Service will protect you,” he wrote in the 2021 post. “We are currently in the stage of surveillance and analysis. I told you, our revenge is a matter of time.”
Al-Saadi allegedly coordinated or inspired nearly 20 terrorist attacks across Europe and Canada through Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which first emerged following the U.S. Operation Epic Fury attacks on Iran. The group was allegedly created to obscure its ties to Kata’ib Hizballah, Hezbollah, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
<div id="attachment_1102441" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1102441" class="size-large wp-image-1102441" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM-1024x499.png" alt="" width="1024" height="499" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM-1024x499.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM-300x146.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM-768x374.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-26-at-9.16.11-PM.png 1322w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Surveillance footage allegedly showing the aftermath of an April 2026 arson attack targeting a synagogue in Skopje, North Macedonia, which includes Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya&#8217;s logo. (U.S. Department of Justice.)</div>
According to the complaint, Al-Saadi’s group specifically targeted American, Israeli, and Jewish sites, including an explosives attack against the Bank of New York Mellon building in Amsterdam in March 2026, and attempted to target Jewish institutions inside the United States in early April. The DOJ also cited an arson attack targeting a synagogue in Skopje, North Macedonia, on April 12. Days later, Al-Saadi posted a video showing the synagogue engulfed in flames alongside a red target symbol.
The complaint also says Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya claimed responsibility for a violent stabbing attack in London on April 29, 2026, in which two Jewish men were seriously injured, including a dual U.S.-British citizen. The group allegedly posted a propaganda video on Telegram the same day claiming credit for the attack.
Federal prosecutors say Al-Saadi repeatedly used Telegram, Snapchat, and X to encourage attacks against Americans and Jews. 
On February 28, 2026, the day the Iranian military conflict began, prosecutors say Al-Saadi posted a message urging followers to “kill everyone who supports America and Israel” and target both civilians and military personnel worldwide. That same day, he allegedly issued another call on X encouraging anyone capable of killing an “American or Zionist target” anywhere in the world to begin doing so.
Days later, Al-Saadi “posted a Snapchat message titled ‘Shadow soldiers’ that investigators say was intended to activate terrorist ‘silent cells’ around the world to begin operations in support of Iran and its proxy groups.&#8221;
Authorities also cited a July 2020 post allegedly published by Al-Saadi showing the U.S. Capitol in ruins beneath images of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis alongside the message: “Our revenge for the martyred leaders is ongoing. No negotiations with the occupier.”
Federal prosecutors say Al-Saadi was driven by a desire to avenge the death of Qassem Soleimani, the longtime commander of Iran’s IRGC-Qods Force who was killed in a U.S. airstrike ordered by President Trump near Baghdad International Airport in January 2020. The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the leader of Kata’ib Hizballah.
Al-Saadi, who grew up in Baghdad, Iraq, allegedly trained in Iran with the IRGC and worked closely with Soleimani prior to his death. Prosecutors say Al-Saadi repeatedly pledged revenge online, posting photos with Soleimani across his social media platforms and portraying the slain commander as a martyr.
<div id="attachment_1102437" style="width: 877px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1102437" class="size-large wp-image-1102437" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7-867x576.jpeg" alt="Qassem Soleimani" width="867" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7-867x576.jpeg 867w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7-300x199.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7-768x510.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/EeUBNRRXYAAmEm7.jpeg 960w" sizes=" (max-width: 867px) 100vw, 867px" />Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi and Qassem Soleimani (X)</div>
Al-Saadi was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-backed-terror-operative-brought-to-u-s-over-plot-targeting-american-jews?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Iran-Backed+Terror+Operative+Brought+To+U.S.+Over+Plot+Targeting+American+Jews">reportedly arrested</a> in Turkey before being brought to the United States to face terrorism charges. The Department of Justice said he appeared in federal court in Manhattan earlier this month after being captured overseas and transferred into U.S. custody. Prosecutors say the Iraqi national has been active with Kata’ib Hizballah since approximately 2017.
Federal prosecutors <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/iraqi-national-arrested-and-charged-providing-material-support-iranian-backed-terrorist">charged</a> Al-Saadi with six terrorism-related offenses for his activities, including conspiring to provide material support to Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, plotting attacks targeting Americans, conspiring to bomb places of public use, and attempted destruction of property using fire or explosives. Some of the charges carry potential prison sentences ranging from 15 years to life.
According to the Post, Al-Saadi also possessed an Iraqi service passport issued by the Iraqi government, a document typically used by government employees and civil servants that allows for easier international travel.
The Iraqi government has appeared largely silent following Al-Saadi’s arrest, prompting backlash and protests from members of one of Iraq’s largest Shiite Arab tribes, Bani Saad tribe, who described his detention as a “kidnapping.”
According to the Iraqi Kurdistan-based outlet <a href="https://thenewregion.com/posts/5380">The New Region</a>, tribal leader Mazhar Atallah Hussein Alwan Al-Saad sent a letter to senior Iraqi officials condemning the arrest of Mohammad Baqer al-Saadi in Turkey by U.S. authorities and demanding his return to Iraq.
“We consider this a blatant violation of the sovereignty of Iraq, its land and its people,” the tribal leader wrote, while also calling for a case to be filed at the International Court of Justice against those responsible for the arrest.
Videos <a href="https://x.com/iq_alm/status/2057901897508364289?s=42">circulating</a> online on May 22 appeared to show protests in Baghdad over Al-Saadi’s arrest.
At the time of his arrest, FBI Director Kash Patel described Al-Saadi as a “high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism” and praised FBI agents, tactical units, and international partners involved in the operation.
“This was a righteous mission executed brilliantly by our agents, investigators, CIRG tactical units, and interagency partners who delivered yet again,” Patel wrote.
Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the State Department’s special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, <a href="https://x.com/stateseas/status/2055456405398683712?s=46">praised</a> the operation that led to Al-Saadi’s capture and transfer to the United States.
“I am proud that my office assisted efforts to ensure Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi — accused of directing and urging others to attack U.S. interests, including by killing Americans and Jews across the globe — will face justice,” Kaploun wrote on X.
Kaploun added that President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “have been clear: If you target Americans or American interests, we will find you and hold you accountable.”

Ivanka Trump

Chilling Post Adds New Twist To Ivanka Trump Assassination Plot

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi

Qassem Soleimani

A commander of the Iran-backed militia group Kataib Hezbollah has been brought to the United States to face terrorism charges over a plot targeting Americans and Jewish sites, according to the Department of Justice.  
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, appeared in federal court in Manhattan after being captured overseas and transferred into U.S. custody, the DOJ said. Authorities describe Al-Saadi as a senior operative tied to the Iraq-based Shia terror group.
Federal prosecutors <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/iraqi-national-arrested-and-charged-providing-material-support-iranian-backed-terrorist">charged</a> Al-Saadi with six terrorism-related offenses for his activities, including conspiring to provide material support to Kataib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, plotting attacks targeting Americans, conspiring to bomb places of public use, and attempted destruction of property using fire or explosives. Some of the charges carry potential prison sentences ranging from 15 years to life.
Federal authorities said Al-Saadi and his associates were involved in coordinating terrorist attacks across Europe and Canada and were planning future attacks in the United States.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Al-Saadi and his associates were targeting Jewish institutions in multiple states. 
“Al-Saadi and his associates allegedly planned, coordinated, and claimed responsibility for at least 20 terrorist attacks across Europe and in Canada — and were believed to be targeting the United States for upcoming attacks including Jewish institutions in New York, California, and Arizona,” Patel wrote in a <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2055343717351928061">statement</a> posted to X.
The DOJ listed examples of alleged attacks tied to Al-Saadi and his associates, including a March 2026 explosives attack targeting the Bank of New York Mellon in Amsterdam. Prosecutors say Al-Saadi later posted a propaganda video referencing the attack.
In another alleged incident, an arson attack targeted a synagogue in Skopje, North Macedonia, on April 12. Days later, prosecutors say Al-Saadi posted a video showing the synagogue engulfed in flames alongside a red target symbol.
Patel described Al-Saadi as a “high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism” and praised FBI agents, tactical units, and international partners involved in the operation.
“This was a righteous mission executed brilliantly by our agents, investigators, CIRG tactical units and interagency partners who delivered yet again,” Patel wrote.
Federal prosecutors also allege that Al-Saadi used social media to encourage attacks against Americans and Jews in support of Kataib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 
According to the DOJ, Al-Saadi posted a message in February 2026 urging followers to “kill everyone who supports America and Israel” and calling for attacks on both civilian and military targets. Prosecutors say the post was part of a broader effort to direct and inspire attacks against U.S. and Israeli interests.
Kataib Hezbollah was formed following the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and has long been considered one of Iran’s most dangerous and loyal proxy organizations.
The Shiite militia is backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, or IRGC-QF, which the United States has designated as a terrorist organization. U.S. officials have repeatedly accused the group of carrying out attacks on American military personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria using rockets, drones, and improvised explosive devices.
According to the <a href="https://www.dni.gov/nctc/terrorist_groups/kh.html">National Counterterrorism Center</a>, Kataib Hezbollah works extensively with the IRGC-QF, closely follows the direction of Iran’s Supreme Leader, and seeks to establish an Iran-aligned government in Iraq.
The National Counterterrorism Center says the organization possesses armored vehicles, artillery systems, missiles, man-portable air defense systems, and explosively formed projectiles. The militia has also reportedly received extensive funding, intelligence support, training, and weapons from Iran.
The group additionally maintains close ties with Hezbollah in Lebanon, another Iranian-backed organization designated by the United States as a terrorist group.
Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the group of kidnapping American journalist Shelly Kittleson in Baghdad before later releasing her.
Al-Saadi also reportedly knew Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, the longtime commander of the IRGC-QF who was killed in a U.S. airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump in January 2020 near Baghdad International Airport.
Jewish institutions across the United States and Europe have faced heightened threats and security concerns since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.

Iran-Backed Terror Operative Brought To U.S. Over Plot Targeting American Jews

Iraq

A fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran is holding for now, but pressure is mounting across multiple fronts.
Here is a breakdown of where the conflict stands:
<h3>Iran Floats Proposal, Sidesteps Nuclear Demands</h3>
The Iranian regime has reportedly floated a new proposal to the United States: end the war and lift the blockade in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to the <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/iran-offers-to-reopen-strait-of-hormuz-if-u-s-lifts-its-blockade-and-the-war-ends-officials-say">Associated Press</a>. The proposal does not immediately address U.S. demands regarding Iran’s nuclear program and instead calls for ending the conflict before any negotiations on the issue take place.
President Donald Trump is expected to meet with his top national security officials to discuss the situation in Iran, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/27/world/live-news/iran-war-trump-israel#cmoh5xuho00003b6q0dewnpeg">CNN reported</a>. The current ceasefire was extended for an unspecified period last week as Trump weighs his next moves. Options under consideration likely include resuming the U.S. bombing campaign, maintaining economic pressure and the naval blockade to force Iran back to the negotiating table, or pursuing a broader end to the war.
Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor, on Monday accused Tehran of stalling negotiations and humiliating the American government, saying Iran’s leadership is “very skillful at not negotiating” after U.S. envoys traveled for talks that yielded no results, according to Reuters.
“The Iranians are obviously very skilled ⁠at negotiating, or rather, very skillful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad ​and then leave again without any result,” <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/5850794-germany-chancellor-merz-iran-us/">Merz said</a>. “An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible.”
U.S. Blockade Chokes Strait of Hormuz Traffic
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped sharply as the U.S. Navy implemented a blockade on ships going to or from Iranian ports.
According to Reuters, only seven vessels have passed through the strait in the past day, down from the 125-140 that typically transited before Operation Epic Fury began in February.
At least six vessels carrying 10.5 million barrels of Iranian oil were forced back to port, according to the satellite tracker, <a href="https://x.com/TankerTrackers/status/2048431267742401020?s=20">TankerTrackers.com.</a> Two additional tankers carrying around four million barrels of Iranian oil reportedly managed to sail past the blockade on April 24.
Since the blockade was announced on April 13, about 37 vessels have been turned back, <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2048142422702510115">according to the U.S. Central Command</a>.
The U.S. has also upped its presence in the region with the arrival of the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft strike group to the Middle East. It joins the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford strike groups. Together, they bring more than 200 aircraft and approximately 15,000 Sailors and Marines to the region.
The Iranian regime is still attempting to assert its authority in the strait, despite its depleted navy. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the national security commission in Iran’s parliament, said the country’s armed forces would take full authority over the strait under a proposed law aimed at regulating transit and potentially barring “hostile vessels,” reported the <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/iran-says-its-armed-forces-should-be-authority-for-strait-of-hormuz/">Times of Israel</a>. So far, Iran has used small vessels to intimidate and shoot at commercial vessels attempting to transit.
<h3>Iranian Diplomat On Tour</h3>
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, is on a multi-stop “timely tour” to coordinate with key allies as tensions escalate with the United States.
Ahead of the trip, Araghchi announced he would visit Pakistan, Oman, and Russia to consult on regional developments, emphasizing that “our neighbors are our priority.”
In Pakistan, he described his visit as “very fruitful,” praising Islamabad’s role in attempting to restore peace in the region through mediating. He added that he has yet to see if the “U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy.”
In Oman, Araghchi <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/2048519460793761995">highlighted</a> discussions focused on the Strait of Hormuz, stressing ensuring “safe transit that is to benefit of all dear neighbors and the world,” adding again that “our neighbors are our priority.”
During the current conflict, Iran has fired missiles or drones affecting at least a dozen countries across the region, including Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
Araghchi later traveled to Russia, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. According to The Times of Israel, Putin said Moscow would “do everything” possible to help secure peace in the Middle East and expressed hope that stability would return to the region. During the visit, Araghchi blamed the United States for the failure of recent negotiations, arguing that “excessive demands” from Washington derailed talks that had otherwise made progress.
“For our part, we will do everything that serves your interests, the interests of all the people of the region, so that peace can be achieved as soon as possible,” Russian state media quoted Putin as telling Araghchi.
Fighting Reignites Along Israel-Lebanon Border
Fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah is resuming despite an extended ceasefire.
Hezbollah launched a series of drone attacks in recent days, including a strike on Monday morning that triggered air-raid sirens across in northern Israel and sent thousands of civilians rushing to shelters.
The Israel Defense Forces said it fired an interceptor missile at the incoming UAV, but ultimately lost contact with the target. No injuries were reported, though additional alerts were activated over concerns of falling debris, and images circulated of children taking cover in shelters.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;הפסקת אש&#8221; בצפון: 
האזעקות בצהריים בשל חדירת שלושה כטבמים 
לגליל המערבי, תפסו תלמידים בבתי ספר בעיצומם של הלימודים. נותר להם לשכב ולשים ידיים על הראש. 
זו השיגרה כאן מאז שהוכרזה הפסקת האש בלבנון: ירי רקטות וכטבמים, פיצוצים, מטוסי קרב וכל מה שלא נופל תחת ההגדרה של הפסקת אש. <a href="https://t.co/OGXYlfOh0n">pic.twitter.com/OGXYlfOh0n</a>
— Rubi Hammerschlag | רובי המרשלג (@rubih67) <a href="https://twitter.com/rubih67/status/2048381773822726342?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The attack caused officials in northern border towns to suspend school and increase security restrictions to be stronger than those implemented by Israel’s official Home Front Command.
Israel has stepped up its military operations in Lebanon, carrying out a wave of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley and southern regions. Targets included rocket-launching cells, a loaded launcher ready for immediate use, and weapons storage facilities. The military also said it has dismantled more than 50 terrorist sites in recent days, including a weapons cache discovered inside a children’s room.
The escalation comes despite a recent agreement to extend the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon by three weeks following meetings at the White House involving their ambassadors, President Donald Trump, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 
Following a meeting with the U.N.’s special coordinator for Lebanon, Gideon Sa&#8217;ar <a href="https://x.com/gidonsaar/status/2048745481543528640">said Monday</a> Hezbollah continues to violate the ceasefire “against Lebanon’s interests.”

Mojtaba and Trump

Where Things Stand In The Iran War Right Now

Global Politics

World

Diplomats from Israel and Lebanon are set to meet today for a second round of face-to-face negotiations, as both sides weigh whether a fragile ceasefire can be extended and potentially transformed into a longer-term framework for peace.
The meeting comes as tensions remain high, with Israeli officials accusing Hezbollah of repeatedly violating the ceasefire. A recent Israeli strike targeting what it said was a threat to troops reportedly resulted in journalist casualties.
The talks, hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will bring together senior U.S. and regional officials, including U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, Counselor Michael Needham, Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad.
Lebanon is reportedly seeking a one-month extension of the current ceasefire.
The current agreement was announced by President Donald Trump as a 10-day pause that took effect at 5 p.m. ET on April 16, following calls with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It allows Israel to take self-defense measures while requiring Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah from “carrying out attacks, operations, or hostile activities against Israeli targets.”
While Lebanese authorities have long sought to disarm Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group remains one of the most powerful political and military forces in the country. At the same time, it has been significantly weakened since launching attacks on Israel in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, assault. Israel’s response—an extensive air campaign and ground invasion—killed longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah and degraded much of the group’s operational capacity.
Trump has emphasized that the arrangement is separate from broader U.S. efforts involving Iran.
“This deal is in no way subject to Lebanon, either, but the USA will, separately, work with Lebanon, and deal with the Hezbollah situation in an appropriate manner,” Trump said last week. “Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!”
Despite the diplomatic push, tensions on the ground remain high. Israel has accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire multiple times and recently conducted a strike against terrorists in vehicles it says approached Israeli troops “in a manner that posed an immediate threat to their safety.” In response, the Israeli air force struck one of the vehicles, and a structure the individuals fled into.
The strike reportedly also resulted in the death of journalist Amal Khalil, who worked for the pro-Hezbollah outlet Al Akhbar, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. Another photojournalist was reportedly injured.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the incident, writing on X that “targeting journalists and obstructing the access of rescue teams to them, and then the renewed targeting of those teams after they’d arrived, constitute described war crimes.” 

The Israeli military acknowledged that two journalists were injured in the strike, but denied deliberately targeting media personnel.
The first round of talks, held on April 14, was described by the State Department as “productive,” raising cautious optimism for continued diplomacy. U.S. officials have said a sustained agreement could unlock significant reconstruction assistance for Lebanon, help stabilize its economy, and expand regional investment opportunities.
Lebanese officials have stressed the importance of fully implementing the cessation of hostilities agreement, alongside addressing the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis. Israel has expressed a willingness “to engage in direct negotiations to resolve all outstanding issues and achieve a durable peace that will strengthen security, stability, and prosperity in the region.”
The negotiations mark the most significant high-level engagement between Israel and Lebanon since 1993 and are seen as a potential stepping stone toward formal diplomatic talks between the two countries.
On the ground, Israeli forces remain in southern Lebanon as part of efforts to push Hezbollah away from the border. Hezbollah, meanwhile, has refused to disarm unless Israel fully withdraws, though it has largely adhered to the ceasefire while publicly opposing the negotiations.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israel-restores-damaged-christian-statue-in-lebanon-punishes-soldiers-responsible?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=After+Jesus+Statue+Is+Vandalized%2C+Israel+Takes+Swift+Action">Controversy erupted</a> in recent days after an Israeli soldier damaged a statue of Jesus in the southern Lebanese village of Debel, prompting swift condemnation and a formal response from the Israel Defense Forces.
In a statement on X, the IDF expressed “deep regret,” calling the act a “moral failure” that contradicts its core values. The soldier responsible, along with the individual who filmed the incident, has been removed from combat duty and sentenced to 30 days of military detention. Additional troops present have been called in for review, with the Chief of the General Staff stating the conduct “far exceeds any acceptable standard.”
The IDF replaced the statue in “full coordination” with the local Christian community.

Golan Heights .Israel .Border

What To Know As Israel And Lebanon Enter Another Round Of High-Stakes Negotiations

Marco Rubio

As reports of a rapprochement between the governments of Israel and Lebanon have surfaced, it would be instructive to review how the terrorist organizations of the PLO and later, Hezbollah, have wrecked what was once a beautiful, thriving region of the Middle East.
The history of Lebanon’s destabilization is defined by the erosion of state sovereignty, first by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and later by Hezbollah. Both organizations established &#8220;states within a state,&#8221; effectively dismantling the central government’s monopoly on violence and turning Lebanon into a launchpad for perpetual conflict with Israel.
The destabilization began in earnest following the 1969 Cairo Accord, which permitted PLO terrorists to operate from southern Lebanon. After being expelled from Jordan during Black September (1970), the PLO relocated its headquarters to Lebanon, transforming the south into &#8220;Fatahland.&#8221;
From this base, the PLO launched a relentless campaign of attacks against Israeli civilians, which provoked devastating retaliations on Lebanese soil:
<ul>
<li>International Terror: Following the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre of Israelis by PLO terrorists, Israel occupied parts of southern Lebanon for 36 hours to strike PLO bases.</li>
<li>Targeting Schools and Hotels: In 1974, PLO-affiliated terrorists seized a school in Maalot, resulting in the deaths of 25 hostages, including 22 children. In 1975, PLO commandos launched the Savoy Hotel attack in Tel Aviv.</li>
<li>The Coastal Road Massacre: In 1978, a PLO hijacking of a bus on Israel&#8217;s coastal road left 38 civilians dead, prompting the first major Israeli invasion of Lebanon.</li>
</ul>
These operations effectively broke the Lebanese state&#8217;s control over its borders. The PLO’s military strength deepened sectarian divides, aligning with Lebanese Muslims against Christian militias, sparking the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990). The conflict killed approximately 150,000 people. Eventually, the 1982 Israeli war, launched after the PLO fired waves of Katyusha rockets into northern Galilee, forced Yasser Arafat to evacuate to Tunisia, leaving Lebanon in ruins.
In the power vacuum of the 1980s, Hezbollah emerged with Iranian backing. Like the PLO, Hezbollah seized territory in the Bekaa Valley and southern Lebanon. By 2023, Hezbollah’s military capabilities had eclipsed the Lebanese Army, maintaining an arsenal of over 150,000 rockets.
Hezbollah’s impact has been both military and systemic:
<ul>
<li>Political Stranglehold: Hezbollah effectively vetoes state decisions that conflict with Iranian interests through armed resistance, despite losing its majority in the Lebanese government in 2022.</li>
<li>Financial Corruption: The group’s &#8220;System&#8221; of global money laundering and illicit trade has compromised the Lebanese banking sector. Investigations such as Bartlett v. Société Générale de Banque au Liban allege that major banks bankrolled Hezbollah operations, leading to international isolation.</li>
<li>Economic Collapse: Lebanon’s economy devolved into a $100 billion Ponzi scheme. When Hezbollah’s dominance triggered tensions with Gulf Arab states, tourism and remittances evaporated, causing the system to implode.</li>
</ul>
The legacy of the PLO and Hezbollah is a nation in &#8220;acute financial distress.&#8221; Lebanon&#8217;s financial collapse is considered one of the most severe economic depressions globally since the mid-nineteenth century. It wasn&#8217;t a single event but a systemic implosion of a &#8220;Ponzi-like&#8221; financial model that had sustained the country for decades. The collapse &#8220;officially&#8221; detonated in October 2019, but the fuse had been burning for years.
Warning signs started in 2016; foreign capital inflows began to dry up. To keep the Lebanese Pound pegged to the dollar, the Central Bank (BDL) launched &#8220;financial engineering&#8221;—essentially offering massive interest rates (up to 15–20%) to local banks to attract dollars, which were then used to pay off old debts.
The Breaking Point came in October 2019, when a proposed tax on WhatsApp calls sparked mass protests (the &#8220;October Revolution&#8221;). This caused a crisis of confidence; banks closed for two weeks and, upon reopening, unofficially locked depositors out of their dollar accounts. In March 2020, for the first time in its history, Lebanon defaulted on a $1.2 billion Eurobond repayment, signaling it could no longer service its approximately $90 billion national debt.
The Lebanese Pound (LBP), which was pegged at 1,507 to $1 for over 20 years, lost over 98% of its value. By early 2026, the economy will have become almost entirely &#8220;dollarized,&#8221; meaning prices will be set in USD because the local currency is too volatile to use for basic trade.

LEBANON-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-ISRAEL-REFUGEES

Architecture Of The Collapse: How The PLO, Hezbollah Dismantled The Lebanese State

With the 2026 midterm elections fast approaching, Democrats have been scrambling to find new ways to connect with voters — particularly young men, a demographic with which the party struggled mightily in 2024 — and thus far, they appear to have settled on a popular streamer who claimed that the United States &#8220;deserved&#8221; 9/11.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sad-michigan-muslims-drove-dem-senate-hopeful-to-silence-on-khamenei">Hasan Piker</a>, who boasts over four million followers between YouTube and Twitch, has hosted Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D-NYC), and endorsed Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) — and is set to campaign with Democratic Michigan Senatorial hopeful Abdul El-Sayed.
Not all Democrats are willing to stretch the party&#8217;s tent quite that far, however, and have warned others not to welcome Piker too warmly.
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI), who is also vying for the Democratic Senate nomination, has accused El-Sayed of intentionally bringing in someone with a reputation for spreading &#8220;antisemitic rhetoric.&#8221;
El-Sayed defended his choice, saying, &#8220;If we want to have a conversation where we’re actually bringing people together about the things that we need and deserve, we’re gonna have to go to unlikely and uncommon places.&#8221;
He also defended his association with Piker — who said the sexual violence and rapes that occurred during the October 7 terrorist attack did not change his opinion that Hamas was &#8220;1,000 times better than Israel&#8221; — during a recent appearance on Fox News.
&#8220;America&#8217;s Newsroom&#8221; anchor Bill Hemmer asked El-Sayed, &#8220;With regard to October 7th, he said that what Hamas did is the lesser of two evils. Why saddle up with that?&#8221;
El-Sayed claimed that his interested in appearing with Piker was no different than his interest in appearing on Fox News, and was nothing more than an attempt to reach more potential voters.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defending his event with Hasan Piker: &#8220;Doesn&#8217;t matter if r*pes happened on October 7th.&#8221;
This is what passes for leadership in today&#8217;s Democratic Party. <a href="https://t.co/Im4h7WGJQp">pic.twitter.com/Im4h7WGJQp</a>
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/2039345494724387039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Senator John Fetterman voiced his shock that some in his party weren&#8217;t just agreeing with Piker, but were seeking him out: &#8220;I mean, my God, you have many in my party, they&#8217;re proud to do events with Hasan Piker. This is the individual that said that America deserved 9/11.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Senator Fetterman slams members of the Democrat party for associating with Hasan Piker.
“I mean, my God, you have many in my party, they&#8217;re proud to do events with Hasan Piker. This is the individual that said that America deserved 9/11.” <a href="https://t.co/DBpXQyAt6S">pic.twitter.com/DBpXQyAt6S</a>
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) <a href="https://twitter.com/EYakoby/status/2040935080575598663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Bulwark&#8217;s Tim Miller and Sarah Longwell <a href="https://www.thebulwark.com/p/is-hasan-piker-toxic-or-gettable">debated</a> whether or not the Democratic Party would be wise to embrace Piker or reject him. Miller argued that although he didn&#8217;t agree with Piker&#8217;s politics, he thought that Democrats would be wise to appear on his show — and then said that if the party establishment were to shun him entirely, they would only make him more powerful.
Longwell laid out a number of the problematic things Piker had said, arguing that he was &#8220;all the toxic things&#8221; and his &#8220;worldview&#8221; was entirely incompatible with anything any Democrat in America claims to stand for.
Some of the comments that Longwell laid out as problematic were as follows:
<h4>&#8220;If you cared about Medicare fraud &#8230; you would kill Rick Scott.&#8221;</h4>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Democrat spokesperson Hasan Piker urged his audience to kill Republican lawmakers.
PIKER: “If you cared about Medicare fraud&#8230;you would kill Rick Scott.”
This is the SICK LUNATIC who Democrats are campaigning with. <a href="https://t.co/vgccGZSbem">pic.twitter.com/vgccGZSbem</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/2041540038714929217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h4>On landlords who choose not to rent properties, &#8220;KiII the motherf*ckers. Let the streets soak in their red, capitalist bIood!&#8221;</h4>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hasan Piker: &#8220;KiII the motherf*ckers. Let the streets soak in their red, capitalist bIood!&#8221;
Democrats are campaigning with him <a href="https://t.co/YxiL47tOOw">pic.twitter.com/YxiL47tOOw</a>
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2041269836399940076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h4>&#8220;Hezbollah &#8230; I think as a resistance group, they&#8217;re pretty successful &#8230; I don&#8217;t have an issue with them.&#8221;</h4>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hasan Piker, who endorses Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff, also endorses terrorists:
PIKER: &#8220;Hezbollah&#8230;I think as a resistance group, they&#8217;re pretty successful&#8230;I don&#8217;t have an issue with them&#8230;they are a terrorist organization&#8230;&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/ossoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ossoff</a>, why haven&#8217;t you condemned this? <a href="https://t.co/6hEhC20FPf">pic.twitter.com/6hEhC20FPf</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/2040157561333125437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h4>&#8220;America deserved 9/11. I do not support the United States of America.&#8221;</h4>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hasan Piker: “America deserved 9/11. I do not support the United States of America.”
This is Gavin Newsom’s new friend btw.
<a href="https://t.co/LDjizrQgVN">pic.twitter.com/LDjizrQgVN</a>
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) <a href="https://twitter.com/EYakoby/status/2037028037556941014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h4>&#8220;Overall, my favorite flag is Hezbollah.&#8221;</h4>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Hasan Piker, sitting at a table with an LGBTQ+ flag, says: “Overall, my favorite flag is Hezbollah.”
This is progressivism today—a guy in a tank top, in the West, praising a terror group that executes gay people, right in front of a pride flag. <a href="https://t.co/9QrtKqMKnl">pic.twitter.com/9QrtKqMKnl</a>
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) <a href="https://twitter.com/EYakoby/status/2040544322278338951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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<h4>&#8220;Hasan Piker closed his Stanford speech by framing the U.S. as the &#8216;belly of the beast,&#8217; urging students to use their position inside it to &#8216;fight&#8217; the system, warning of &#8216;techno-fascist danger,&#8217; and ending with &#8216;Free Palestine.'&#8221;</h4>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
For those curious, Hasan Piker closed his Stanford speech by framing the U.S. as the “belly of the beast,” urging students to use their position inside it to “fight” the system, warning of “techno-fascist danger,” and ending with “Free Palestine.” <a href="https://t.co/8OdSZgE3M8">pic.twitter.com/8OdSZgE3M8</a>
— Stu Smith (@thestustustudio) <a href="https://twitter.com/thestustustudio/status/2039706184261795984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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If the 2024 election taught Democrats that they need to do more outreach to young men, the 2026 midterms might teach the party that the voice they choose to do that outreach matters.

Hasan Piker online streamer, influencer, and left-wing

Dems Are Scrambling To Campaign With Terrorist Groupie Who Says America ‘Deserved’ 9/11

Dems Are Scrambling To Campaign With Terrorist Groupie Who Says America 'Deserved' 9/11

9/11

Democrats

John Fetterman

Jon Ossoff

Ro Khanna

terrorist

Newly released photos show the extent of destruction inside Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan, following last week&#8217;s Hezbollah-linked terrorist attack.
Images obtained by The Daily Wire and released by the synagogue capture a burned-out truck lodged at the end of a hallway, debris scattered across the floor, and sprinkler water pooling around a child’s red tricycle.
The attack occurred last Thursday when 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali rammed his vehicle into Temple Israel and opened fire before committing suicide when confronted by security. Authorities say the vehicle ignited after the crash, causing extensive damage and <a href="https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/a-truck-rammed-a-michigan-synagogue-with-more-than-a-hundred-children-inside-here-s/article_c50e2347-3b5f-552e-bcb6-c2f58785a54f.html">resulting in</a> 63 first responders needing treatment for smoke inhalation. 
The attack took place while the synagogue’s preschool was in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mentally-unstable-ex-wife-warned-police-within-minutes-of-temple-israel-terrorist-attack?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Mentally+Unstable%E2%80%99%3A+Ex-Wife+Warned+Police+Within+Minutes+Of+Temple+Israel+Terrorist+Attack">session</a>, but all 140 children and staff were safely evacuated without injury.
<div id="attachment_1063135" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1063135" class="size-large wp-image-1063135" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3-1024x576.png" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3-1024x576.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3-300x169.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3-768x432.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Bebas-Neue-3.png 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />(Temple Israel, West Bloomfield, Michigan)</div>
Large quantities of fireworks and gasoline containers that were ignited were recovered from his truck.
Additional images show charred hallways, broken glass, burnt photos, and destroyed ceilings. One preschool classroom appears frozen in time, with snacks still laid out on tables, underscoring how suddenly the attack unfolded while young children were inside.
In a statement, the synagogue said it chose to release the photos to “take back control of our narrative.”
<div id="attachment_1063139" style="width: 886px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1063139" class="size-large wp-image-1063139" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-876x576.jpg" alt="" width="876" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-876x576.jpg 876w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-300x197.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-768x505.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n-1536x1010.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/653713026_921736420465178_5230362133539875900_n.jpg 1770w" sizes=" (max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px" />(Temple Israel, West Bloomfield, Michigan)</div>
“We have chosen thus far not to make public photos of the devastation of our building,” the synagogue said. “This week, several videos and photos have made their way into the media, which have caused considerable harm to the survivors of last week&#8217;s attack.”
It added that its “community deserves to see our building through eyes of love, not through the lens of spectacle.”
“This is our sacred space, and we will be the ones to tell its story,” Temple Israel said.
According to the Israel Defense Forces and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Ghazali had family members in Lebanon connected to the U.S.-designated terror group Hezbollah. 
Ghazali, a naturalized American citizen originally from Lebanon, was reportedly described as “mentally unstable” by his ex-wife. She said he had been distressed following the deaths of family members in an Israeli airstrike.

Temple Israel

New Photos Reveal Devastation Inside Michigan Synagogue After Hezbollah-Linked Terror Attack

Anti-Semitism

Michigan

A violent synagogue terror attack in Michigan is taking on an even darker dimension after new intelligence revealed a chilling connection: the attacker’s brother was a Hezbollah terrorist commander responsible for rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.
According to the official Israel Defense Forces social media account, Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Muhammad Ghazali oversaw weapons operations inside the group’s Badr Unit, a branch responsible for launching hundreds of rockets toward Israeli civilian areas during the war.
His brother, Ayman Muhammad Ghazali, carried out the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-respond-to-reports-of-active-shooter-as-michigan-synagogue-goes-up-in-smoke">terror attack </a>in Michigan on Thursday, where <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fbi-trained-michigan-temple-how-to-stop-a-shooter-just-weeks-before-attack">armed synagogue security guards </a>exchanged gunfire with him during the confrontation. His body was later found burned inside the vehicle he rammed into the building.
Israeli forces reportedly eliminated Ibrahim Ghazali in an Israeli Air Force strike on a Hezbollah military structure, just days before the synagogue attack unfolded in the United States.
The newly revealed family connection is now prompting investigators to take a closer look at whether the Michigan attacker had deeper ties to the Iran-backed terror group.
Hezbollah is designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization. The group has spent decades building global networks while carrying out attacks against Israeli and Western targets.
Authorities have not yet said whether the terrorist had direct operational ties to Hezbollah or whether the attack was carried out independently. But the discovery that his brother served as a weapons commander inside the group is likely to intensify scrutiny around the case.
The disturbing link comes as Operation Epic Fury — the ongoing U.S. military campaign targeting Iran’s military infrastructure and proxy networks — has intensified in recent days, with American and Israeli forces coordinating strikes aimed at weakening the regime’s military capabilities. The joint effort has targeted missile systems, military facilities, and infrastructure tied to Iran’s nuclear and weapons programs.
In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said U.S. Central Command carried out one of the most powerful bombing raids in Middle East history, “totally obliterating” military targets on Kharg Island, which he described as Iran’s “crown jewel.” The island serves as a critical hub for the regime’s operations in the Persian Gulf. Trump said the strike deliberately spared the island’s oil infrastructure but warned that could change if Iran attempts to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

IDF_Michigan_montage

New Intel Reveals Killer Blood Tie To Hezbollah Behind Synagogue Terror Attack

Operation Epic Fury

Terrorism

As Israel faces mounting threats from rockets, drones, and mortar fire across multiple fronts following the weekend strikes on Iran, attention is turning to a new system poised to reshape modern air defense: Iron Beam.
Israel’s highly anticipated laser-based defense platform is expected to be delivered to the military by the end of the month, according to Israeli officials. The system is designed to intercept short-range rockets, mortar rounds, and unmanned aerial vehicles using a high-powered directed-energy beam rather than traditional interceptor missiles.
One of the most striking features of Iron Beam is its cost efficiency. Each laser interception is estimated to cost as little as $2 in electricity, a dramatic reduction compared to the interceptor missiles used by Israel&#8217;s existing layered defense systems — roughly $100,000 per missile fired by Iron Dome, which counters short-range rockets, and up to $1 million per interceptor launched by David&#8217;s Sling, designed to defeat longer-range missiles and aircraft.
Iron Beam, first <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/rafael-unveils-laser-shield-at-premier-defense-show/">revealed</a> to the public in 2014, has been heralded as the future of air defense and is capable of intercepting the ever-growing threat of suicide drones, unguided rockets, and even traditional kinetic ordnance such as mortars and artillery. Iron Beam was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the same firm behind Iron Dome, in partnership with U.S.-based defense giant Lockheed Martin. The system consists of an air defense radar, a command and control unit, and two High Energy Laser (HEL) systems, enabling it to track and destroy incoming threats at the speed of light.
According to publicly available material from <a href="https://www.rafael.co.il/system/iron-beam/">Rafael</a>, Iron Beam is designed to integrate into Israel’s existing multi-layered air defense architecture, complementing systems such as Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow. While missile interceptors remain essential for higher-altitude and long-range threats, a directed-energy platform offers a potentially transformative solution against short-range projectiles and drone swarms, particularly in scenarios involving sustained, high-volume attacks.
According to <a href="https://www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org/defense-systems/iron-beam/">missile defense analysts</a>, Iron Beam is intended to relieve pressure on Iron Dome by handling lower-end threats, reserving expensive interceptors for more complex or long-range attacks. The system has reportedly demonstrated successful interceptions, particularly short trajectory targets during extensive testing, though operational details remain classified.
These missile defense analysts have also long argued that directed-energy weapons represent the next phase of air defense evolution. Unlike traditional systems that require physical interceptors and complex resupply chains, laser platforms can, in principle, operate indefinitely as long as power is available, eliminating reloads and significantly reducing per-shot costs.
The technology is also reportedly being shared with the U.S. Army’s directed energy program, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-unveils-iron-beam-laser-weapon-while-achieving-record-15b-arms-sales">Fox News</a>, underscoring growing American interest in laser-based air defense capabilities.
While questions remain about operational constraints, including weather limitations and line-of-sight challenges, Iron Beam’s imminent fielding marks a major milestone in the development of practical battlefield laser systems. If it performs as advertised, it could fundamentally alter the cost calculus of missile defense and provide Israel with a powerful new tool to counter the increasingly sophisticated arsenal of Iranian-backed proxy groups.

Iran fires missiles at Israel

What Is Iron Beam? The Israeli Laser Defense System Explained

Iron Dome

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