Netanyahu ordered drone attacks on Gaza-bound humanitarian aid boats off Tunisia

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly approved military operations on two vessels early last month that were part of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian supporters, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, CBS News has learned.

Two American intelligence officials briefed on the matter told CBS News that Israeli forces on Sept. 8 and 9 launched drones from a submarine and dropped incendiary devices onto the boats that were moored outside the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said, causing a fire. The officials spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on national security matters.

Under international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict, the use of incendiary weapons against a civilian population or civilian objects is prohibited in all circumstances.

Israel has enforced a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip for more than a decade, first declaring the restriction in January 2009, when its navy announced the closure of the coastal waters to all maritime traffic. The move came some two years after Hamas took control of the region following a brief but violent civil war with the rival Fatah party, the political and military organization of Arab Palestinians, officially known as the Palestinian National Liberation Movement.

The Israel Defense Forces didn’t respond to CBS News’ request for comment. (Read more about the incendiary device attack on the Portuguese vessel HERE)

IDF Attack Kills 14th Doctors Without Borders Staffer

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An early‑morning strike on October 2, 2025, claimed the life of Omar Hayek, an occupational therapist working with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF / Doctors Without Borders), and injured at least four others, in the Gaza Strip. The incident marks the 14th MSF colleague killed in Gaza since the outbreak of the current conflict on October 7, 2023.

According to MSF, the attack occurred on a street in Deir al-Balah, where staff were waiting for a bus to take them to a field hospital. All those present were wearing MSF vests, clearly identifying them as medical humanitarian workers.

MSF stated that colleagues hit in the attack included a physiotherapist, an orthopedic surgeon, a supply officer, and a finance assistant; one staffer was reported to be in critical condition with shrapnel wounds.

Less than two weeks earlier, MSF had mourned the death of Hussein Alnajjar, the 13th staffer killed in Gaza, also in Deir al-Balah by Israeli strikes.
Doctors Without Borders. The organization has expressed profound sorrow and outrage, emphasizing that the killings indicate that “nowhere in Gaza is safe” for health professionals.

Omar Hayek was 42 years old. He joined MSF in June 2018 and had served as an occupational therapist at MSF’s clinic in Gaza City.

Due to the intensifying hostilities and mass displacement, Omar left Gaza City on September 13, heading south under assurances of relative safety — assurances that tragically failed. He was the sole provider for his family following the deaths of his father and his younger brother.

Omar’s death is part of a wider and deeply concerning pattern of attacks on health workers and humanitarian staff in Gaza. The United Nations estimates that at least 562 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, including 376 UN personnel.

MSF has long warned that this war is degrading what remains of Gaza’s health infrastructure. Medical teams operate under extreme danger, frequently under bombardment, with limited access to supplies, and with uncertainty about safe passage.

In past statements, MSF has also condemned militarized food distribution schemes in Gaza—labeling certain operations “orchestrated killings”—arguing that the very lines along which aid is provided are being weaponized.

Under international humanitarian law, medical personnel are protected persons. Deliberate targeting of health staff or failure to distinguish between combatants and medical workers may constitute violations of the laws of war.

Trump to Give Ukraine Intel for Attacks on Critical Energy Targets Deep Into Russia

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By The War Zone. Reports indicate that the United States has agreed to provide Ukraine with targeting intelligence for its long-range strikes against Russian energy infrastructure. For many months now, Ukraine has been waging a campaign to degrade Russia’s oil and natural gas infrastructure, depriving it of critical resources for its offensive in Ukraine as well as revenue from energy exports.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, which cites unnamed U.S. administration officials, and another report from Reuters, the new policy is being adopted ahead of a possible transfer of longer-range and harder-hitting weapons that can be used against the same kinds of targets, and potentially others deep in Russia.

The officials who spoke to the WSJ reportedly said that President Donald Trump had recently signed off on the sharing of intelligence for the Ukrainian strikes, although the caveat that only attacks on energy infrastructure are covered is significant. Targeting data will be provided to Kyiv by U.S. intelligence agencies as well as the Pentagon. Meanwhile, U.S. officials are said to be pushing NATO allies to do the same.

This would be the first time, officially at least, that the Trump administration provides Ukraine with this kind of intelligence for its long-range strikes.

In the meantime, Ukraine has been repeatedly using long-range one-way attack drones, and to a lesser degree, cruise missiles of its own design, to hit Russian refineries, pipelines, power stations, and related infrastructure far beyond the front lines. (Read more from “Trump to Give Ukraine Intel for Attacks on Critical Energy Targets Deep Into Russia” HERE)

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‘Impossible to believe’ Russia would attack NATO countries, says Putin

By The Sky News. Next up, Putin is attacking European countries that are “whipping up hysteria”, trying to “recreate the well-known enemy they invented hundreds of years ago: Russia”.

While Putin says that Europe’s “ruling elites” claim that war with Russia is near, he calls this “nonsense” that is “impossible to believe”. It would run counter to Russia’s security interests, he argues.

And European people are sceptical as well, as they “don’t know what is so bad about Russia and why they should tighten their belts to counter Russia”, the president says. (Read more from “‘Impossible to believe’ Russia would attack NATO countries, says Putin” HERE)

Trump Grants Qatar Security Guarantee Following Israeli Strike in Doha

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President Donald Trump has issued a formal security guarantee to Qatar, pledging U.S. defense support in the event of an external attack on the Gulf nation — just after an Israeli airstrike in Doha killed several Hamas leaders. The executive order, signed on September 29, affirms the United States’ commitment to protect Qatar’s sovereignty and critical infrastructure and declares the U.S.-Qatar relationship an “enduring alliance.”

The move comes amid rising regional tensions and growing friction between U.S. and Israeli interests following the Israeli strike that targeted Hamas operatives inside Qatar’s capital. The assassination — which occurred inside a civilian building — was sharply condemned by President Trump, who reportedly demanded an apology from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the White House on the same day the executive order was signed.

According to the executive order, the United States “shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States.” In response to such an attack, the order says, the U.S. will take “all lawful and appropriate measures — including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military” to defend Qatar.

The order credits Qatar for hosting the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, Al Udeid Air Base, and for playing a key mediating role in regional conflicts.

“The State of Qatar has hosted United States forces, enabled critical security operations, and stood as a steadfast ally in pursuit of peace, stability, and prosperity, both in the Middle East and abroad,” the order reads.

Trump’s security pledge comes amid a broader shift in his approach to Middle East diplomacy. During his second term, the president has grown increasingly close to the Qatari government. He visited Doha earlier this year and even accepted a Qatari gift: a 747 aircraft that Trump said could replace the aging Air Force One.

Qatar has also backed Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, which calls for an immediate ceasefire, a full exchange of hostages, staged Israeli withdrawal, the disarmament of Hamas, and the creation of a transitional government. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said he supports the framework, though “some issues in it need clarification and negotiation.”

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

REPORT: Israel Issues Final Warning for Gaza City Evacuation as Full-Scale Invasion Nears Amid Peace Deal Pressure

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As Israeli forces close in on Gaza City, the Israeli military has issued what it calls a “final opportunity” for Palestinians to flee, warning that those who remain will be treated as “terrorists and supporters of terror.” The warning comes as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claim near-total control of the Netzarim Corridor, a central route that effectively splits the Gaza Strip in two.

According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, the move is aimed at isolating Hamas in Gaza City. “This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south,” Katz stated, while adding that the military operation will proceed regardless of ongoing cease-fire talks. “We are preparing for all possibilities,” he said, referring to both the goal of eliminating Hamas and freeing the remaining 48 Israeli hostages.

While Israel urges civilians to flee south, questions remain over where exactly Palestinians are expected to go. Southern Gaza is already overwhelmed with displaced residents, limited shelter, and ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Humanitarian agencies have warned repeatedly that no area of Gaza is truly safe.
Reports from Gaza’s civil defense indicate that 36 people were killed in Gaza City on Wednesday alone, underscoring the dangers of attempting to evacuate amid constant shelling. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the evacuation as forced displacement, warning that treating civilians who remain as combatants violates international law.

The United Nations has described the situation as a “looming catastrophe,” and the International Criminal Court is reportedly reviewing whether the siege and bombardment meet the legal definition of genocide, given the high civilian death toll, widespread displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and churches.

The siege of Gaza City comes amid growing scrutiny of Israeli military actions. Multiple churches, including the historic Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, have been struck during the conflict, drawing international condemnation. Israel claims the strikes target Hamas operatives using civilian sites as shields, but religious leaders and humanitarian groups insist these attacks violate protections under international law.

With access to clean water, electricity, and medical care all but vanished in northern Gaza, the implications of a full siege could be devastating for the tens of thousands who remain, many of whom are elderly, disabled, or unable to evacuate due to lack of transport.

As the violence escalates, pressure is mounting on all parties to accept a U.S.-backed cease-fire plan spearheaded by former President Donald Trump. The 20-point proposal includes:

An immediate cease-fire
The exchange of all remaining hostages
A staged withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza
The disarmament of Hamas
The establishment of a transitional government under international supervision

The proposal has been backed by several Arab states and is reportedly being reviewed by Hamas leadership. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled that military objectives will not be paused for diplomatic talks. “The only path forward is victory over Hamas,” Netanyahu said this week.

With the IDF declaring that anyone left in Gaza City may be considered a combatant, the stage is set for what may be the bloodiest phase of the war yet. Humanitarian groups warn that labeling civilians as enemy combatants risks mass civilian casualties and undermines the principle of distinction — a core tenet of international humanitarian law.

The UN estimates that over 1.8 million Palestinians — more than 80% of Gaza’s population — have already been displaced since the conflict reignited nearly two years ago. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, and vital infrastructure has been decimated.

If a full-scale invasion proceeds, it could mark a significant escalation in a war that is already being examined under the lens of potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Israel Wants to Train ChatGPT to Be More Pro-Israel

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The government of Israel has hired a new conservative-aligned firm, Clock Tower X LLC, to create media for Gen Z audiences in a contract worth $6 million. At least 80 percent of content Clock Tower produces will be “tailored to Gen Z audiences across platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, podcasts, and other relevant digital and broadcast outlets” with a minimum goal of 50 million impressions per month.

Clock Tower will even deploy “websites and content to deliver GPT framing results on GPT conversations.” In other words, Clock Tower will create new websites to influence how AI GPT models such as ChatGPT, which are trained on vast amounts of data from every corner of the internet, frame topics and respond to them — all on behalf of Israel.

As part of this work, the firm will also use search engine optimization software MarketBrew AI, a predictive AI platform that helps clients adapt to algorithms and promote their work on search engines like Google and Bing, to “improve the visibility and ranking of relevant narratives.”

Clock Tower will integrate its pro-Israel messaging into Salem Media Network properties, a conservative Christian media group that boasts a vast radio network and produces high-profile shows such as the Hugh Hewitt Show, the Larry Elder Show, and the Right View with Lara Trump. In April, the conservative media network announced Donald Trump Jr. and Lara Trump as significant stakeholders in the company. Salem Media Network did not respond to a question clarifying whether it would be compensated by Clock Tower for promoting messages on behalf of Israel, or how these messages would be integrated. (Read more from “Israel Wants to Train ChatGPT to Be More Pro-Israel” HERE)

REPORT: Democrats Trigger Schumer-Led Government Shutdown With No Exit Plan in Sight

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As the clock ticks down to a midnight government shutdown, Senate Democrats — led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — are poised to filibuster a clean, short-term spending bill, virtually guaranteeing a lapse in government funding. Despite the looming crisis, Democrats are offering no clear path to end the shutdown they are helping to initiate.

The Republican-sponsored measure would have kept the government funded through November 21, buying more time for negotiations. But Democrats, demanding $1.5 trillion in unrelated policy concessions, have refused to support the extension — despite not presenting a viable alternative.

“It’s right now impossible to say — there are about 20 different possible exit ramps — some of them good, some of them troubling,” admitted Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) when asked about the Democrats’ strategy.

Hours before the deadline, even Senate Republicans were left baffled by the Democrats’ lack of a coherent plan to end the shutdown once it begins.

“I don’t think my Democratic friends have thought through how to get this thing back open,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA). “And I don’t think they have thought through what I believe the OMB Director is going to do while the government is shut down.”

Kennedy warned that the Trump administration could leverage the shutdown to reduce federal workforce numbers or cut funding to programs typically favored by Democrats — actions that could become permanent.

President Donald Trump echoed those concerns from the Oval Office on Tuesday, hinting that the administration may take aggressive action during the shutdown.

“We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for [Democrats] and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people out … cutting programs that they like,” Trump said.

Despite Democrats’ resistance, the White House appears ready to let the shutdown run its course — potentially using the opportunity to trim federal programs long targeted by conservatives.

While Democrats are blocking the clean resolution, they’re simultaneously placing the blame for the shutdown on Trump and Republican lawmakers.

“I’ll quote President Trump as he’s said repeatedly, ‘It’s the responsibility of the president to keep the government open.’ Those are his words. I believe him,” said Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA). “They control every part of the government. It’s the president’s job.”

Meanwhile, others like Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are banking on Republicans eventually buckling to Democrat demands. “At some point they’re going to come to the table realistically because there’ll be such mounting pressure,” Blumenthal said.

Those demands include reversing cuts to foreign aid, restoring public broadcasting funds, and extending COVID-era healthcare subsidies that are not set to expire until year’s end.

Photo credit: Flickr

Trump Backs Plan to Make Ex-UK PM Tony Blair ‘Interim Administrator’ of Gaza: Report

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President Trump is backing a White House plan to tap former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to run Gaza under a United Nations-backed transitional authority once the war ends, according to Arab and US officials familiar with the proposal.

Under the draft, Blair, 72, would serve as interim administrator of a Gaza International Transition Authority (GITA) that would govern the enclave for several years with Palestinian technocrats and an Arab-led peacekeeping force before handing control to Palestinian leaders, officials told the Wall Street Journal.

The blueprint is being circulated to Arab and Israeli counterparts and remains one of several options under consideration, White House officials cautioned to the Journal.

The plan faces steep obstacles, including securing the support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas, which would have to free all hostages and disarm, according to officials.

Some Arab governments and several Palestinian figures have received the outline positively, analysts said, adding that Trump’s backing gives it the strongest traction of any postwar plan floated so far. (Read more from “Trump Backs Plan to Make Ex-UK PM Tony Blair ‘Interim Administrator’ of Gaza: Report” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Netanyahu at UN: Iranians Will ‘Regain Their Freedom’ and ‘Make Iran Great Again’; A New Middle East Is Within Reach

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in his address to the United Nations General Assembly Friday that “the long-suffering Iranian people will regain their freedom” and “make Iran great again,” predicting that the Middle East will look “dramatically different” in the years ahead.

Netanyahu tied his remarks to Israel’s recent battlefield victories over Iran’s terror axis, arguing that those wins have opened unprecedented possibilities for peace across the region, including with former enemies once considered beyond reach. “Many of those who wage war on Israel today will be gone tomorrow. Brave peacemakers will take their place,” he told world leaders.

The Israeli leader directly addressed Iran, stressing that its citizens would ultimately free themselves from the ayatollahs’ grip. “Nowhere will this be more true than in Iran. The long-suffering Iranian people will regain their freedom. They will Make Iran Great Again!” Netanyahu declared — a phrase that echoed a slogan familiar to many in the hall.

(Read more from “Netanyahu at UN: Iranians Will ‘Regain Their Freedom’ and ‘Make Iran Great Again’; A New Middle East Is Within Reach” HERE)

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Zelensky Shares Ominous ‘Bomb Shelters’ Warning for Russian Officials Refusing to End War

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ominously warned Russian officials to find the nearest bomb shelter if they continue to refuse to end the war.

“They have to know where the bomb shelters are,” Zelensky told Axios Wednesday. “They need it. If they will not stop the war, they will need it in any case.”

Zelensky went on to insist Ukraine would only target Kremlin officials and not Russian civilians because “we are not terrorists.”

“They have to know that we in Ukraine, each day, we will answer. If they attack us, we will answer them,” he said.

The threat came soon after President Trump made a surprise pivot by saying for the first time that he believes Ukraine could win the three-year war and retake land captured by Moscow.

Zelensky, who met with Trump this week while he was in New York for the UN General Assembly, said the president had suggested to him that Ukraine should repeatedly strike back against Russia. (Read more from. “Zelensky Shares Ominous ‘Bomb Shelters’ Warning for Russian Officials Refusing to End War” HERE)