The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Friday that it carried out strikes on multiple Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, including a training and qualification compound used by the group’s Radwan Force. In a statement posted on Telegram, the IDF said the compound was used for “drills and training for the terrorists and for advancing attacks against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians.” It added that additional strikes hit “weapon storage facilities and terrorist infrastructure sites,” which were utilized by “Hezbollah to advance terror attacks against the State of Israel.” The strikes follow an Israeli attack a day earlier in southern Lebanon that the IDF said killed a senior Hezbollah operative.
Israeli informs President Trump about plans to attack Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could inform United States President Donald Trump about plans to launch fresh strikes on Iran, as Israel is concerned that Tehran is boosting its ballistic missile production, NBC reported on Saturday, citing a person familiar with the plans and four former US officials also briefed on the plans. Israel is also alarmed by information suggesting that Iran is rebuilding its uranium enrichment facilities, which the US bombed in June, according to the report. Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump in the US at the end of the month and present him with options for Washington to join any future actions against Tehran, arguing that Iran’s latest actions pose a threat not only to Israel but to the entire Middle East region, the sources said
Homeland Security confirmed seizing another oil tanker
- The US launched large-scale airstrikes on more than 70 targets across Syria, fulfilling President Donald Trump’s vow to strike back after the killing of two US soldiers.
- The Pentagon said US forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on US forces.
- The strikes were carried out by fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery, with support from the Jordanian Armed Forces, and targeted ISIS infrastructure and weapon sites.
The US launched large-scale airstrikes on more than 70 targets across Syria, the Pentagon said Friday, fulfilling President Donald Trump’s vow to strike back after the killing of two US soldiers. “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a post on X. “Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue.”
The US Central Command said that fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery targeted ISIS infrastructure and weapon sites. “All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned — YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE U.S.A.,” Trump wrote in a social media post, adding that the Syrian government is “fully in support” of the US operation. Trump had earlier promised to do “big damage” to the militants behind the deadly attack on American forces in Syria that he blamed on the Islamic State group. US Central Command released unusually detailed imagery of the weapons systems used in the attacks that indicated coordinated strikes by the US Air Force and Army. The images depicted Boeing Co.. F-15E Strike Eagle jets dropping GBU-31 GPS-guided munitions, Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters that can fire Hellfire laser-guided weapons and Lockheed Martin Corp. Army M142 High Mobility Artillery Rockey Systems, like those used in Ukraine, that fire an array of GPS-guided rockets. The Jordanian Armed Forces also supported the operation with fighter aircraft. Last Saturday, two US Army soldiers, along with a US interpreter, were killed in the attack in the Syrian city of Palmyra during counterterrorism operations. The gunman was killed, according to US Central Command. Syria’s state-run Sana news agency reported Sunday that security forces arrested five suspects in relation to the attack. Trump also has taken pains to emphasize the attack was the work of the Islamic State — not Syria’s new government. Palmyra is outside the control of Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has promised to join a US-led coalition to defeat the Islamic State. With the strikes on Friday, Trump has now launched major military actions at least three times – against Houthi rebels in Yemen, on Iran’s nuclear program and targeting alleged narcotics-traffickers in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean. Separately, his administration has also kept up a counterterrorism campaign against al-Shabab militants in Somalia.
NN: Does this sound like peace to you?
US confirms another seizure of tanker off Venezuela
The United States Department of Homeland Security confirmed earlier reports of seizing another oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. According to the department, the operation was carried out by the US Coast Guard and the Department of Defense. It identified the seized vessel as Motor Tanker Centuries, suspecting it of transporting sanctioned oil. “The iron fist of America’s joint military and federal law enforcement rules the waves,” the department concluded in a post on X. The seizure comes as tensions with Venezuela continue to grow.
NN: Maduro is toast. And oil supplies will be disrupted like never seen before
Netanyahu may brief Trump on possible new Iran strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could inform United States President Donald Trump about plans to launch fresh strikes on Iran, as Israel is concerned that Tehran is boosting its ballistic missile production, NBC reported on Saturday, citing a person familiar with the plans and four former US officials also briefed on the plans.
Israel is also alarmed by information suggesting that Iran is rebuilding its uranium enrichment facilities, which the US bombed in June, according to the report.
Netanyahu is expected to meet with Trump in the US at the end of the month and present him with options for Washington to join any future actions against Tehran, arguing that Iran’s latest actions pose a threat not only to Israel but to the entire Middle East region, the sources said
NN: Its war and Israel damn well Knows it
Rubio: US doesn’t consider Maduro legitimate
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that Washington does not consider Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a legitimate leader, arguing that his government poses a “direct threat” to US “national interests and regional stability.” Speaking to reporters, Rubio described the Maduro administration as an “illegitimate regime”, claiming that it cooperates with Iran, Hezbollah and drug trafficking networks. He even said armed groups such as the ELN and dissident factions of the FARC operate openly inside Venezuelan territory, sometimes controlling entire areas. Rubio stressed that allegations of narco-trafficking are not based on intelligence assessments alone, noting that a federal grand jury in New York issued indictments against Maduro and members of his government. According to Rubio, Venezuela’s crisis has triggered one of the largest migration waves in modern history, destabilizing the wider region.
Trump: there will be additional seizures of Venezuela oil tankers
United States President Donald Trump did not rule out that his country will go to war with Venezuela in a phone interview with NBC News on Thursday, stating that while he is not discussing it currently, it is a possibility. Trump also declined to confirm whether ousting his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, is his goal, but claimed that the Venezuelan president “knows exactly what I want.”
He also stated that there will be additional seizures of oil tankers.
The US president’s comments follow his order for a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers that are coming and going from Venezuela, with Trump claiming that the South American country “illegally took” the United States’ oil and energy rights.
NN: Trump is not screwing around here
US sanctions 29 shadow fleet vessels tied to Iran
The United States Department of State announced on Thursday that it is adding 29 “shadow fleet vessels” to its sanctions list, over their alleged engagement in the “covert delivery of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil and petroleum products.” As per a statement, among the sanctioned entities are companies and vessels operated by Hatem Elsaid Farid Ibrahim Sakr, an Egyptian businessman, alongside other firms operating in the United Arab Emirates, India, the Marshall Islands, and Panama. The US government said that today’s decision will further constrain Tehran’s “ability to export petroleum and petroleum products through obscure and fraudulent mechanisms.”
NN: “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 18, 2025
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Treasury Increases Pressure on Iran’s Sanctions-Evading Shadow Fleet
Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on 29 vessels and their associated management firms involved in the illicit transport of Iranian petroleum products. These vessels have been using deceptive practices to evade sanctions and facilitate the export of Iranian oil. In addition, Egyptian businessman Hatem Elsaid Farid Ibrahim Sakr has been designated for his role in coordinating the activities of multiple sanctioned vessels.
‘Treasury will continue to deprive the Iranian regime of the petroleum revenue it uses to fund its military and weapons programs,’ said Under Secretary John K. Hurley. ‘We remain committed to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and will use all available tools to disrupt these illicit networks.’
This action is part of the broader strategy to limit Iran’s ability to fund destabilizing activities and support for terrorism through its oil revenues. Effective immediately, all U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the designated entities, and any assets of these entities within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked.”
That’s the official Treasury press release for you. I have included a link below:
!U.S. Department of the TreasuryU.S. Department of the Treasury
Oil Prices Surge: Trump Orders Blockade of Venezuelan Tankers….White House Chief Reveals Regime Change Goal in Bombshell Interview
- Trump’s announcement of a blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan tankers pushed WTI crude up more than 2.4%, reflecting heightened geopolitical risk premiums.
- The move could ultimately disrupt a sizable share of Venezuela’s exports, cutting into global supply.
- Despite the escalation, broader bearish forces, including weak Chinese demand and optimism surrounding Ukraine peace talks, are likely to limit any rally.
More than 11 million barrels of Venezuelan crude are currently stranded on vessels waiting to leave as traders haggle over terms. Buyers are reportedly using their leverage—bolstered by easy access to cheap Russian and Iranian oil—to force PDVSA to drop its requirement for prepayment in digital currency. Adding to the chaos, PDVSA’s administrative systems were hit by a cyberattack this week, forcing a temporary suspension of deliveries at its terminals. Amid the paralysis, only one operator appears immune: Chevron. LSEG data confirms the Chevron-chartered tanker Ionic Anax set sail for the U.S. on Tuesday without issue, highlighting that the U.S. major remains the sole entity moving crude out of Venezuela without delay. President Donald Trump escalated his pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro on Thursday, ordering a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. In a dramatic statement posted to social media, Trump accused the Venezuelan government of “drug terrorism,” “human trafficking,” and the theft of U.S. assets, while declaring the Maduro regime a foreign terrorist organization. The directive follows the U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan-linked tanker in the Caribbean earlier this month—an operation Trump described as “the largest one ever seized.” The move marks a significant shift in Washington’s strategy. Rather than solely pressuring Maduro to step down, the administration is now targeting the legal and structural foundations of Venezuela’s oil sector, including its historic 1943 Hydrocarbons Law, which enshrined national control over oil resources. Analysts say Trump’s escalation comes at a moment of relatively low global oil prices, reducing the risk of market disruption and giving the White House confidence that tightening enforcement will not spark an energy shock. Venezuela’s production has already fallen to a seven-month low amid tanker seizures and sanctions targeting shipping firms assisting PDVSA’s exports.
China—Venezuela’s largest oil customer—has sharply increased crude stockpiles this fall, a move analysts see as a buffer against U.S. enforcement actions. Beijing condemned Washington’s tanker seizure as “international piracy” and warned that U.S. military activity near Venezuela threatens both regional stability and China’s long-standing investments there. While avoiding direct involvement in the incident, China remains deeply exposed: roughly 80% of Venezuela’s exports ultimately feed Chinese refiners through sanction-evading routes. Beijing is expected to continue offering economic and diplomatic backing to Caracas while keeping its distance from any military confrontation.
White House Chief Reveals Regime Change Goal in Bombshell Interview
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles confirmed that President Trump’s escalating naval campaign off the coast of Venezuela is designed to force President Nicolás Maduro from power, telling Vanity Fair in a profile published on Tuesday that the strategy is to “keep on blowing boats up until Maduro cries uncle.” The admission contradicts the administration’s official diplomatic stance, which has framed the recent blockade of oil tankers and strikes on vessels as strictly “counternarcotics” operations aimed at stemming the flow of illicit drugs. Wiles detailed a November 4 Oval Office meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio where the agenda was explicitly focused on “forcing Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro from power.” Trumps comments suggest the “total blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers announced today is likely to remain the administration’s primary lever for pressure, keeping the conflict offshore to avoid a clash with Capitol Hill while tightening the economic noose around the nation’s oil-dependent economy.
Oil extends losses, WTI falls 2.7%
Crude oil prices extended their losses on Tuesday, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropping by more than 2.7% to its lowest level since April, and briefly falling below the $55 mark. Traders digested the latest comments by United States President Donald Trump, who said that peace in Ukraine is “closer now” than ever before. His comments were echoed by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, who claimed that the negotiators are “on the verge of resolving this terrible crisis.” Russian President Vladimir Putin also extended the ban on deliveries of his country’s oil and petroleum products to buyers that comply with the Western-imposed price cap, setting the new date to June 30, 2026.WTI for January’s deliveries fell by 2.79% at 10:30 am ET to $55.03 per barrel. At the same time, Brent for February’s settlements dropped 2.58% to $58.80 per barrel.