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Hamas Makes an Announcement About the Freedom of Future Hostages (VIDEO)

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Iranian backed terrorist organization Hamas announced Monday it will not comply with the next stage of a previously negotiated hostage deal, falsely claiming “Israeli violations” as the reason for the decision. The deal Hamas agreed to requires the release of three more hostages this week, which now isn’t happening.

The move comes less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump said he was “losing patience” with the terrorist group and that the condition of hostages Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami and Or Levy, who were released Saturday, was unacceptable.

(Read more from “Hamas Makes an Announcement About the Freedom of Future Hostages” HERE)

Trump Restores ‘Maximum Pressure’ Policy to Keep Iran From Possessing Nukes

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that reinstates the “maximum pressure” policy on Iran that he implemented during his first term.

The “maximum pressure” executive order was part of a larger package of executive orders that included several foreign policy initiatives, such as withdrawing America from several United Nations agencies including the Human Rights Council and UNESCO. Much of the pressure will be financial, as the executive order tasks the Department of the Treasury to implement sweeping sanctions to keep money out of the pockets of the Iranian regime.

Iran is the world’s premier state sponsor of terrorism, funding and controlling a complex web of jihadist entities including Hamas, Hezbollah, a host of Iraqi Shiite militias, and the Houthi terrorists of Yemen. In 2o18, a State Department study estimated that Iran spends as much as $1 billion a year funding terrorism.

“Iran spends $700 million a year on Lebanese Hezbollah. It gives another $100 million to various Palestinian terrorist groups, including Hamas,” then-Ambassador-at-Large and Coordinator for Counterterrorism Nathan Sales told reporters. “Combined with the money that Tehran provides to other terrorists, the total bill comes close to $1 billion a year.”

During his first term as president, Trump similarly implemented onerous sanctions on Iran that significantly limited its malign influence in the Middle East. Trump also designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a wing of the Iranian military, a foreign terrorist organization, and eliminated IRGC Quds Force chief Qasem Soleimani in an airstrike in 2020. Soleimani was largely responsible for coordination among several major Iranian terror proxies, leaving Tehran’s efforts to control jihadist activity hampered. (Read more from “Trump Restores ‘Maximum Pressure’ Policy to Keep Iran From Possessing Nukes” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Here Are Trump’s Options For Dealing With An Imminent Nuclear Threat That Festered Under Biden

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Iran has largely been left unchecked by the Biden administration in its goal to become a nuclear power, presenting President-elect Donald Trump with a significant foreign policy challenge that has few easy solutions.

Iran, with its current stockpiles, can make a nuclear weapon with 60% enriched uranium in just one week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a November bulletin. The president-elect will have to choose a path quickly upon assuming office, such as renegotiating a deal to halt or slow Iran’s progress, military intervention or re-tooling sanctions that have so far been ineffective.

“The United States needs another Middle East war like it needs a hole in the head,” Justin Logan, director of defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute, told the DCNF. “There are all kinds of angles from which escalation could happen, and Trump openly campaigned as a Peace Through Strength leader, not a warmonger. With that said, a lot turns on what Trump’s closest advisers will do to shape the president’s understanding of the options. Unfortunately, we’re heading to a fork in the road.”

The first, and perhaps most direct option, is a military strike from the U.S. on Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump advisers have reportedly expressed concern that Iran’s progress may be too far in, and a military strike may be the only option, according to Axios. Israel would be a prime candidate to assist with a strike, as it has conducted similar operations in the past.

“The Trump Administration is committed to reestablishing peace & stability in the Middle East. President Trump will keep all options on the table as it relates to the Iran Regime including Maximum Pressure,” Brian Hughes, Trump-Vance transition spokesperson, told the DCNF. (Read more from “Here Are Trump’s Options For Dealing With An Imminent Nuclear Threat That Festered Under Biden” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Drone Mystery Deepens: Who Sent Them?! Not U.S. Military—or Foreign Controlled

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The Pentagon denied Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s (R-NJ) claim that an Iranian “mothership” located “off the East Coast of the United States” has been launching mysterious unidentified drones.

Sabrina Singh, a spokeswoman with the Pentagon, was asked if there was “any truth” to the claims that Iran “launched a mothership” about a month ago containing the alleged drones that have reportedly been spotted in New Jersey and Staten Island, New York.

“There is not any truth to that. There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States, and there’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States,” Singh explained.

When asked what the Pentagon was doing “to address” the issue of drone sightings, Singh said there was “no evidence” that the drones were “coming from a foreign entity” or adversary. Singh added that the drones were not United States military drones.

“At this time, we have no evidence that these activities are coming from a foreign entity or the work of an adversary,” Singh responded. “We’re going to continue to monitor what is happening, but at no point were our installations threatened when this activity was occurring.” (Read more from “Drone Mystery Deepens: Who Sent Them?! Not U.S. Military—or Foreign Controlled” HERE)

U.S., Israel Conduct Dozens Of Strikes, Hit Over 75 Targets In Wake Of Syria’s Regime Collapse

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The U.S. and Israel conducted dozens of airstrikes Sunday on targets in Syria following the dramatic collapse of the ruling Assad regime and amid concerns radical and terrorist groups could exploit Syria’s current situation.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it hit over 75 “known [Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham] ISIS camps and operatives in central Syria” using precision airstrikes.

CENTCOM added that it struck the targets to “disrupt, degrade, and defeat ISIS” and render it incapable of exploiting the nation’s current state to regroup in central Syria.

There was no indication of civilian deaths from the strikes, CENTCOM noted.

“There should be no doubt — we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in Syria,” CENTCOM’s commander, General Michael Erik Kurilla, said. “All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they partner with or support ISIS in any way.” (Read more from “‘They Came in Illegally’: Trump Clashes With ‘Meet the Press’ Host Over Deportation Promises” HERE)

After Multiple Failed Assassination Attempts, Iran Reportedly Considers New Approach to Trump — Diplomacy

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Officials in Iran are considering negotiating and reconciling with incoming President Donald Trump instead of acting adversarially as they have previously been, according to The New York Times.

Iran has long held disdain for Trump, having conducted cyberwarfare operations against his presidential campaign and working through various individuals to try to assassinate him in recent years. Now that Trump has locked in a second term, some Iranian officials are questioning whether it is now the best way forward to deal with Trump diplomatically, according to five officials who spoke to NYT. That sentiment is being shared in Iranian media and among former officials.

“Do not lose this historic opportunity for change in Iran-U.S. relations,” Hamid Aboutalebi, former political adviser to Iran’s government and established politician, wrote in an op-ed, urging Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to congratulate Trump on his presidential win, according to NYT.

To search for diplomatic solutions with Trump would represent a major shift in Tehran’s thinking. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran in 2018, reimposed strict sanctions and assassinated its top general, Qasem Soleimani, in 2020.

In response, Iran has been targeting Trump and openly calling for violence against him. Even as recently as Friday, U.S. officials said that three individuals had been charged with attempting to assassinate Trump, one of many such ploys that have been orchestrated or linked to Iran. (Read more from “After Multiple Failed Assassination Attempts, Iran Reportedly Considers New Approach to Trump — Diplomacy” HERE)

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Trump To Pursue ‘An Aggressive Strategy’ To Cripple Iran

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President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly planning to ramp up the U.S. pressure campaign on Iran by enacting crippling sanctions on the Islamic regime immediately after taking office.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the plans include “drastically increasing sanctions” on the country and killing its oil industry as part of an “aggressive strategy to undercut Tehran’s support of violent Mideast proxies and its nuclear program.”

Trump is expected to move rapidly to cut off Iran’s oil revenue, including by going after “foreign ports and traders who handle Iranian oil.”

The report said that Trump’s new “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran will also factor in the fact that the regime has repeatedly tried to assassinate him and some of his top officials from his first administration.

“People tend to take that stuff personally,” said Mick Mulroy, a top Pentagon official during Trump’s first term. “If he’s going to be hawkish on any particular country, designated major adversaries, it’s Iran.” (Read more from “Trump To Pursue ‘An Aggressive Strategy’ To Cripple Iran” HERE)

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Iran Reportedly Executes California Man Amid Ongoing Execution Spree: ‘Murdered by the Regime’

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The Islamic Republic of Iran on Monday reportedly executed the journalist Jamshid Sharmahd, who was a resident of California and a sharp critic of the regime in Tehran, according to The Associated Press.

The Iranian regime’s judiciary Mizan website announced that the 69-year-old Sharmahd was killed on Monday morning.

Sharmahd’s daughter, Gazelle, who lives in California, previously told Fox News Digital the Iranian regime is “scapegoating an innocent man” over bombing allegations, and spoke of his affinity for the United States.

She told Fox News Digital in August, 2023, “My dad chose the United States as his home, worked hard, followed all the rules, belongs to a family of four generations around him of U.S. citizenship, lived here for 20 years as a tax-paying, law-abiding resident and would already have his citizenship if it wasn’t for the terrorists and qualifies as a U.S. national under the Levinson law.”

The Levinson Act defines a “United States national” as a “lawful permanent resident with significant ties to the United States.” According to the State Department, the definition applies to non-U.S. citizens. (Read more from “Iran Reportedly Executes California Man Amid Ongoing Execution Spree: ‘Murdered by the Regime’” HERE)

Iran’s Supreme Leader Calls for Global ‘Military Coalition’ Against Israel

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Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called Sunday for a global “military coalition” as other top officials vowed that Israel will pay a price for its weekend airstrikes against key Iranian military sites.

The long-simmering Israel-Iran military tensions have reached a pivotal moment after spilling into direct conflict several times this month and threatening to drag the Middle East into a broader, more deadly conflict.

The supreme leader’s strong rhetoric reflects Iran’s strengthening alliances with China, Russia and North Korea, all leading U.S. adversaries. It suggests those autocratic allies could ultimately stand with Iran against Israel.

The “Axis of Authoritarians,” as some analysts call it, is bolstered by Iran’s military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine and the arrival of North Korean troops in Russia. The troops are expected to be deployed to the front lines to battle Ukrainian forces.

Iran’s supreme leader did not offer any details about his coalition or call on any specific country to take direct military action against Israel. (Read more from “Iran’s Supreme Leader Calls for Global ‘Military Coalition’ Against Israel” HERE)

Alleged U.S. Intel Docs Outlining Israel’s Plan To Strike Iran Leaked

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Leaked U.S. intelligence documents allege to outline how Israel plans to strike Iran soon, according to multiple reports.

Israel is expected to retaliate against Iran after the terror-supporting nation launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles into Israeli territory on Oct. 1; most of those missiles were intercepted. The timing and nature of Israel’s plan to retaliate against Iran have been shrouded in mystery, until now — U.S. intelligence documents that were leaked publicly in recent days revealed Israel’s preparatory actions ahead of the attacks, according to several reports.

It isn’t clear how the documents were leaked or who was behind the move to release them publicly. An investigation has been opened to determine how the documents were leaked, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson confirmed Sunday, according to Reuters.

“If it is true that Israeli tactical plans to respond to Iran’s attack on Oct. 1 have been leaked, it is a serious breach,” Mick Mulroy, former CIA officer, told CNN. “Future coordination between the U.S. and Israel could be challenged as well. Trust is a key component in the relationship, and depending on how this was leaked that trust could be eroded.”

The documents were highly classified and only meant to be seen by the U.S. and a handful of other Western nations, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, according to reports. The intelligence was created by the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. (Read more from “Alleged U.S. Intel Docs Outlining Israel’s Plan To Strike Iran Leaked” HERE)