Ukrainian kamikaze drone hits a Russian soldier standing still.

Donald Trump's team is crafting a wide-ranging sanctions strategy to facilitate a Russia-Ukraine deal in the coming months.

One option is to build on the sanctions, ramping up pressure on Russia to further increase leverage.

But if Putin accepts the peace deal, Trump is ready for good-faith measures.

Source: Bloomberg

Hamas Spox. Abu Obaida:

After announcing the agreement, Israel targeted a place where a female prisoner from the first stage of the deal was located.

Israeli cabinet will meet tomorrow to approve the Gaza deal.

Source: Al Jazeera

American Journalist Max Blumenthal confronts U.S. Secretary of State Blinken during his farewell address:

“Why aren’t you at The Hague?

Why did you allow the Holocaust of our time to happen?

How does it feel to have your legacy be genocide?”

Houthi Leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi:

If the Zionist enemy escalates genocide before the ceasefire, we will continue operations to support the Palestinian people.

Operations will stop with the ceasefire but will resume if massacres against Gaza’s people persist.

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken:

We discussed with President Erdogan the need to use his influence to bring Hamas back to the table and finalize Gaza deal.

President Erdogan delivered, and Hamas returned to negotiations.

BIG: Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir expected to resign from Netenyahu's government.

Biden on Netenyahu:

I said, “Bibi, you can't be carpet bombing these communities.” And he said to me, “well, you did it, you carpet bombed.” “You carpet bombed Berlin. You dropped a nuclear weapon.”

Israel cannot ensure its security while ignoring the security needs of Palestinians.

Seeing Israel bomb hospitals in Gaza, I called for a ceasefire.

Hamas’ tunnels, reaching 20 meters deep, are impressive.

Netanyahu’s government is the most extreme in Israel’s history. Netanyahu lacks the courage to confront his own government, and coalition members might vote to oust him.

NEW: Biden revised the executive order issued during Türkiye’s 2019 Peace Spring Operation in Syria, removing all references to Türkiye.

The original Executive Order 13894, signed by then-President Donald Trump on October 14, 2019, imposed sanctions on Türkiye for its military operation in northern Syria. The sanctions targeted:

— Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.
— Senior officials, including Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez, and Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu.

Following the operation’s conclusion, Trump lifted these sanctions on October 23, 2019.

However, Türkiye’s removal from the executive order entirely was a longstanding request by Ankara, now fulfilled under Biden’s revision.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrives in Russia for an official visit to meet with Vladimir Putin.

The two leaders will sign a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement.

Chinese state-sponsored hacked US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a cyberattack, accessing fewer than 50 unclassified files on her computer.

The breach also affected Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Acting Under Secretary Brad Smith.

Source: Bloomberg

Former Iranian VP Hossein Marashi:

We’ve lost Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and can no longer rely on the Houthis.

Our current situation mirrors 1988, when Iraq reclaimed Faw in the Iran-Iraq War.

Canada's Green Party Leader Elizabeth May:

If Mr. Trump is serious about annexing Canada, I would like to offer a counter-proposal:

Let’s take Washington, Oregon, and California as new Canadian provinces.

NEW: PKK/YPG/SDF terror group continues resorting to using human shields in Tishrin, effectively taking over the dam building; blocking officials from entering.

Necessary inspections cannot be carried out, increasing risks to the dam and surrounding area.

Sudan Army's Bayraktar TB2 UCAV hits Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at Beka Bridge, west of recently liberated Wad Medani.

Israeli far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir:

I will ensure Netanyahu remains Prime Minister, but I will leave because the signed agreement is disastrous.

If war resumes and the government protects its citizens by not leaving a major terror hub in Gaza, we will return to the government.

French President Macron makes a rare visit to Lebanon, stopping for coffee in Beirut.

Israel’s security cabinet meets at the Prime Minister’s Office to approve Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas.