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The Republic of Somaliland in the Horn of Africa is once again offering the United States a military base in a strategic area with access to critical minerals, this time reminding the USA that this could be the perfect foothold from which to counter terrorist operations from the Iranian regime and the Houthis. On Monday, the Republic of Somaliland's X account shared a Fox News headline about how a potential U.S. base in the African nation could be crucial in combatting the jihadis who terrorize the area: The Republic of Somaliland is seeking international recognition and is offering the United...

Donald Trump claims that the "right people" in Iran have reached out to cut a deal for real after imposing a naval blockade and cutting off Iran's income stream. Who are we talking with in Tehran? Mahdi al-Hall? That's what Trump claimed in an ad-hoc press conference on the veranda of the Oval Office this afternoon. Trump didn't specify the identities of the "right people," but hinted that the blockade may have changed some minds over the last few hours: Trump: The right people called from Iran, they want to make a deal. pic.twitter.com/nbcXnyn19P— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) April 13,...

Judge Khomeini’s state of mind for yourself: Since June 1981, according to estimates published by the Iranian resistance group known as the People’s Mojahedin, the Khomeini regime has put to death some 90,000 Iranians who don’t subscribe to its views. Another 140,000 have been incarcerated. Thousands of adolescent Iranian boys died in the recent war with Iraq when Khomeini asked them to clear mine fields by running across them. The children were promised they would be martyred and go directly to heaven. Iranian women who dare appear in public unveiled or who otherwise defy Khomeini’s standards of modesty are routinely...

Ahead of direct talks with Israel in Washington, a Lebanese official emphasized that "Iran will not be allowed to intervene and regain control of the situation in the country" • Amid fears of a flare-up: Security forces in Beirut on high alert, security around diplomatic missions increased • Hezbollah Secretary-General: "Cancel the negotiation meeting – this is humiliation" In the shadow of preparations for the direct talks that will open tomorrow (Tuesday) between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, and in parallel with the escalation on the ground, Hezbollah fears that "we are on our way to hell." Amid concerns about...

President Donald Trump has announced that the Iranian regime contacted his administration to resume negotiations, even as the United States maintains its strict naval blockade. In a significant diplomatic development, President Donald Trump revealed from the White House that his administration has received a formal outreach from the "proper authorities" in Tehran. According to the President, the Iranian leadership has expressed a clear desire to return to the negotiating table following the collapse of high level talks in Islamabad earlier this month. While the President appeared open to the prospect of renewed dialogue, he maintained a rigid stance on the...

The Lebanese government has reportedly initiated contact with Israel through American mediators, seeking a peace agreement as Hezbollah’s grip on the country significantly weakens. In a potential seismic shift for regional politics, the Israeli government has revealed that the Lebanese administration has reached out for mediated talks. Shosh Badrosian, the Prime Minister's spokesperson for foreign media, announced on Monday that the Lebanese government initiated contact following a significant weakening of Hezbollah's military and political standing. The goal of this dialogue, according to Israeli officials, is the total disarmament of Hezbollah and the demilitarization of southern Lebanon. However, this diplomatic opening...

There was a time when Beirut was not just a battlefield – it was a movie set. At least that’s how I remember it. In the smoky glow of a flickering television, somewhere between power cuts and generator hum, West Beirut became the stage for a fantasy we desperately needed: Americans parachuting in, motorcycles roaring down runways, and one man – Chuck Norris – restoring order to a city that had long abandoned the idea of it. We didn’t call it escapism. We called it hope. Back then, Delta Force was not just a film. It was a parallel reality...

Turkey’s president has threatened to invade Israel over its continued bombardment of Lebanon.Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, of being “blinded by blood and hate” and said there was “no reason” not to attack.The speech came after Turkish prosecutors filed indictments against 35 top Israeli officials, including Mr Netanyahu, seeking a total of more than 4,500 years in prison.

Hezbollah missile hits ancient Byzantine church in Nahariya, 1,400-year-old site damaged. A missile fired from Lebanon struck the remains of a 1,400-year-old Byzantine church in Nahariya, damaging the protective structure; the ancient mosaic survived intact, the Israel Antiquities Authority said.

.BREAKING: 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia fully restores East-West oil pipeline, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz and pumping 7,000,000 barrels per day. Saudi Arabia says it needs no more strait of Hormuz.

The deployment aimed to enhance joint military coordination, improve operational readiness between the armed forces of the two countries, and support security and stability at regional and international levels

The U.S. military has launched operations to begin de-mining the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said on Saturday. Centcom said in a social media post highlighted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that two Navy guided-missile destroyers began “setting conditions” for this mission on Saturday morning. The USS Frank E. Peterson and USS Michael Murphy have previously operated in the Arabian Gulf to help clear the strait of sea mines set by Tehran, according to Centcom. “Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to...

President Donald Trump said Saturday the U.S. military has begun clearing the Strait of Hormuz, declaring Iran’s naval and air capabilities have been wiped out. "Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti Aircraft apparatus is nonexistent, Radar is dead," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. He added Iran’s missile and drone infrastructure has been "largely obliterated," along with the weapons themselves, and said the country’s longtime leaders "are no longer with us." Trump also said Iran’s ability to threaten shipping has been neutralized. "The only thing they have going is the threat that a ship...

Several U.S. Navy ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, a U.S. official told Axios. Why it matters: The move was not coordinated with Iran. It is the first time U.S. warships crossed the strait since the beginning of the war. The operation was aimed at increasing confidence for commercial ships to cross, sources say. It came as peace talks between the two sides kicked off in Pakistan. "This was an operation that focused on freedom of navigation through International waters," the U.S. official said.

A US official denied on Saturday that Washington had agreed to release frozen assets belonging to Iran, contradicting earlier reports. Reuters had reported that the United States agreed to release Iranian funds held in Qatar and other foreign banks, citing a senior Iranian source, which described the move as a goodwill step ahead of talks.

The dust of conflict has settled. The fever of the moment has yielded to the cooler discipline of strategic reflection. It is time to ask, with unflinching clarity, what the United States and its partners should do with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Tehran’s propaganda organs were quick to claim victory. That claim, however theatrical, must be taken seriously -- not because it reflects battlefield reality, but because it reveals an uncomfortable truth: the regime cannot, or will not, abandon the terrorist and extremist doctrines that have defined it for more than four decades. No amount of quiet concessions extracted...

An Iranian negotiating delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqher Ghalibaf arrived in Islamabad Friday ahead of Saturday’s peace talks with the United States, which Ghalibaf demanded accept Iran’s “preconditions” before talks could begin. Speaking from Islamabad, Ghalibaf claimed Iran had goodwill toward negotiations but no trust in the United States, adding that the Islamic Republic was ready to reach a deal if Washington offered what he described as a genuine agreement and granted Iran its rights, Iranian state media reported. Ghalibaf stated earlier that Tehran’s demands include a ceasefire in Lebanon, which Iran and mediating Pakistan have stated was...

Britain will host further talks on reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane with a coalition of countries next week. The meeting will continue the Government’s efforts to restore freedom of navigation to the strait, which provides shipping routes for oil and gas. It comes after the Prime Minister spoke to Donald Trump about the need for a “practical plan” to get ships going through the area amid suggestions Iran wants to charge vessels for passage. An official with knowledge of the planning has said the meeting is expected to look for ways to support a sustainable end to...

KEY POINTS President Donald Trump lauded Palantir in a post to Truth Social on Friday as the stock headed for a plunge this week. Palantir's tools are reportedly being used in Iran, and the company is benefiting from its ties to the Trump administration and government contracts. Short seller Michael Burry again targeted the stock this week. ... President Donald Trump lauded Palantir in a post to Truth Social on Friday as the artificial intelligence software stock plunged 14% for its worst week in a year. "Palantir Technologies (PLTR) has proven to have great war fighting capabilities and equipment," Trump...

Mahmoud Khalil is vowing to press on in his fight for the pro-Palestinian cause after he was released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention over the weekend. His arrest three months ago “felt like a kidnapping” as officers would not produce a warrant or give him any information, Khalil, a green card holder and the former lead negotiator for Columbia University’s pro-Palestinian encampment, said in his first interview since his release with The New York Times. In the airport when he returned to New York City on Saturday, he was greeted by supporters whom he told he would...