According to Jeff Seldin of VOA News, the ISIS-Somalia decision-maker killed in the February 1 strike, carried out by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), Ahmed Maeleninine, was tracked for at least 2 years.

Footage from a Security Camera, which managed to capture today’s Crash of a U.S. Navy EA-18G “Growler” Electronic-Warfare Aircraft into the San Diego Bay in Southern California, with both Naval Aviators managing to safely eject before being rescued by nearby Boats.

F-22 fighters (foreground) and T-38 trainer aircraft (background) of the 1st Fighter Wing conduct an elephant walk at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia. (DOD)

In a Statement made earlier today by the Israel Defense Force, the IDF stated that the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been actively smuggling Cash to Hezbollah in Lebanon via Commercial Flights to Beirut International Airport. According to the IDF, the Money is being used by Hezbollah to rebuild its Military Power and Influence in Lebanon; with Israel in constant contact with the U.S-led Ceasefire Supervision Committee to foil these Cash Shipments, though Israel has threatened before to shoot down Aircraft or strike Beirut International Airport if it is found that Weapons and/or Cash is to be being transferred to Hezbollah by Iran.

The Australian Department of Defense has announced an incident between a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft patrolling over the South China Sea and a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) J-16 fighter aircraft. The J-16 deployed flares close to the P-8A that came within 30 meters (~100 feet) of the aircraft. The “unsafe and unprofessional” action of the Chinese aircraft mirrors those of Russian aircraft over the Black Sea in recent years and is not a new tactic employed by the Chinese. China claims the majority of the South China Sea inside its “nine-dash line, a series of unfounded territorial claims made by the Chinese that overlap the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of a number of nations in the Western Pacific.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on NATO burden-sharing and spending disparities at the NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels, Belgium:
“We are very much committed to the NATO alliance and to our allies, but without burden-sharing, without creating the right set of incentives for European countries to invest, then we would be forced to attempt to be everywhere for everybody all the time. Which in a world of fiscal restraints…is just not reality…you have to spend more on your defense for your country on that continent.”

Secretary Hegseth has drawn fire for his comments yesterday that were seen by many as an abandonment of the European continent. Today, Hegseth made clear that no such abandonment was taking place, but should European partners fail to step up, the U.S. will not provide a conventional security umbrella indefinitely.

According to the Israel Defense Force (IDF) a rocket was fired from inside Gaza a short while ago but fell inside the Gaza Strip and injured a number of people. The IDF subsequently conducted a strike against the launcher site that destroyed it. The IDF spokesperson has called this a “clear violation of the ongoing ceasefire agreement.” More to come.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for the secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has now been confirmed by the U.S. Senate 52-48.

The U.S. Navy has announced that the Nimitz-Class Aircraft Carrier, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) was involved last night in a Collision with the Panamanian-Flagged Cargo Vessel, M/V BESIKTAS-M, near the Egyptian Port of Said in the Southeastern Mediterranean. The Collision is said to have occurred at around 11:46pm Local Time, and did not cause any Serious Damage to the Truman, with no reports of Flooding or Injuries aboard the Aircraft Carrier. Damage to the BESIKTAS-M is currently not known, with more details about the Incident to be released as they become available.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for the Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, has now been confirmed by the U.S. Senate 72-28.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. EST on the topic of tariffs.

The Moscow Exchange (MOEX) the principal stock exchange in Russia, suspended trading after a “data transmission” issue, according to the Moscow Exchange group.
On a yet unrelated note, the Russian Ruble and stocks have seen a bit of a rebound since U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ruble, recently closed at the highest level since September of last yea, according to Reuters. Should this story see any significant updates, this post will be updated.

Still waiting for the presser at the White House to begin. The press briefing is to announce reciprocal tariffs to match the rates that other countries charge on imports (ABC).

A U.S. Air Force C-37B VIP Passenger Jet which took off earlier today from Joint Base Andrews near Washington, likely carrying a Diplomatic Delegation, is currently preparing to land in Moscow.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has expanded on his plan for reciprocal tariffs on the Truth Social app. One point of note made by the president was that countries that use the Value-added Tax (VAT) system will be treated the same as nations with tariffs on U.S. imports.

Wrapping up President Trump said:
“I have instructed my Secretary of State, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of the Treasury, and United States Trade Representative (USTR) to do all work necessary to deliver RECIPROCITY to our System of Trade!”

During an ongoing presser at the White House, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick stated that the implementation of the reciprocal tariffs could be as early as April 2. A proposed reciprocal tariff framework may be presented to the president on the 1st of April.

Reports of several Israeli Airstrikes near the Villages of Yohmor and Deir Siryan in Southern Lebanon.

Close to 100 Lebanese Nationals are currently stuck at Imam Khomeini International Airport in the Iranian Capital of Tehran, after a Mahan Air Flight was refused landing earlier today at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut by Lebanese Authorities. The refusal comes after the Israel Defense Force released a Statement yesterday, claiming that Iran was using Commercial Flights to transport Cash to Hezbollah in Lebanon, having threatened before to shoot down such Flights if they were proved to be carrying Funding or Weapons for Hezbollah.