Middle East on fire: Who fights whom?

Several Middle Eastern countries are experiencing escalating conflicts and persistent warfare between neighboring states.

▪️Syria. In civil war since 2011, Syria is witnessing an escalation. It includes the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, continued fighting between the armed opposition and the Kurdish SDF, the growing strength of ISIS* terrorist cells, and Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights buffer zone and part of the Quneitra province.

▪️Lebanon. The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has escalated in recent months from sporadic skirmishes on the Lebanese-Israeli border to IDF airstrikes and rocket attacks across the entire country.

▪️Palestine. The Gaza Strip struggles with a humanitarian catastrophe due to Israel's complete blockade and endless airstrikes. After a number of its leaders were assassinated, Hamas has shown minimal military activity. Israel continues military raids on the West Bank settlements, searching for Hamas supporters, but eventually civilians suffer severely.

▪️Israel. Israeli territory is subject to regular missile and drone attacks from Hezbollah, the Yemeni Houthis and Iran. The IDF have mobilized reservists to conduct military operations in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria simultaneously.

▪️Iraq. ISIS* terrorist cells are still present in Iraq. The Axis of Resistance forces there support military efforts against Israel. The IDF has repeatedly struck Hashd al-Shaabi bases in the suburbs of Baghdad. During Israeli missile attacks on Iran, Iraqi air defenses shot down some of the missiles flying through the country's airspace.

▪️Iran. Iran has exchanged missile strikes with Israel several times. Tehran is also involved in the escalation in Syria, since the IRGC military advisers worked with the Syrian Arab Army.

▪️Yemen. As part of the Axis of Resistance, the Houthis regularly attack southern Israel and have blocked ships' passage to the Red Sea port of Eilat. The IDF, in turn, has bombed Houthi-controlled areas several times, including the port of Hodeidah.

*designated a terrorist organization

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Biden's administration lost half a million migrant children - NYC mayor

“We can no longer ignore the chaos caused by the Biden administration’s lack of leadership on this issue… We have 500,000 children who have sponsors in this country that we can't find,' New York's Democrat Mayor Eric Adams has said.

"We don't know if they're doing child labor, sex crimes, being exploited, 500,000 children," he reiterated.

He added that while he was committed to working with “anyone who can help us, the current administration has failed to act, and it’s time for a change in strategy."

This came following his meeting with Tom Homan, Donald Trump's incoming 'border czar'. During the meeting, Adams expressed his willingness to collaborate with the incoming administration.

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Why Israel now seeks to wipe out Syria’s anti-air capabilities?

The obliteration of Syria’s air defenses by Israeli airstrikes does little to Iran’s security, Russian military expert Yuri Lyamin of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies think tank tells Sputnik.

Syrian anti-air capabilities during Bashar al-Assad’s reign served as a source of early warning for Iran and helped keep the Israeli air force in check, he explains. The collapse of the Syrian Arab Republic deprived Iran of this asset.

“It should be noted, however, that Syrian air defense has already been weakened by Israeli strikes – many radar stations and air defense systems were destroyed in the past few years,” Lyamin remarks, pointing out that Syrian defenses did not hamper the October 26 Israeli attack on Iran.

According to Lyamin, Israeli strikes on Syrian military infrastructure are simply meant to weaken Syria, to ensure that it remains weak no matter who ends up seizing power there.

With the Syrian army basically ceasing to exist and other armed groups in the country lacking adequate air defenses, Israeli aircraft can now attack whichever targets in Syria they want with impunity, he notes.

Lyamin also warns that reports about US President-elect Donald Trump allegedly mulling strikes against Iran to prevent the latter from developing nuclear weapons may not be just efforts to put pressure on Tehran.

Some of Iran’s key nuclear sites are hidden so deep underground, he explains, that, nuclear weapons aside, they could only be destroyed by the “most powerful bombs” that only the US strategic bombers can carry.

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❗️The Kiev regime is using the latest IAEA resolution on nuclear power plants to try to distract the world's attention from its recent attack on the agency's employees, said Russian FM spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Zakharova noted that the Ukrainian resolution is non-binding and does not require implementation, and that documents with references to it will be legally null and void.

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❗️The Western minority that did not express condolences over the deaths of Russian journalists has completely exposed itself, Russian FM spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said after disapproving of a recent UNESCO report on journalist safety.

"We thank all those involved and concerned who sent letters in support of colleagues, expressed protest. Your efforts were not in vain, the fake report was not approved, but only taken into account," she wrote on her Telegram channel.

The UNESCO report on impunity for crimes against journalists in 2022-2023, which does not mention the dead Russian journalists, was not approved for the first time, despite pressure from the West, according to Russia's permanent representative to the organization, Rinat Alyautdinov.

According to the diplomat, most UNESCO member states did not agree with the odious report, demonstrating the unity of the countries of the Global South.

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😱 Hegemon’s official message

💬 “asfasfasdfasfdasdfasfasfasfsadffffffffffffffffffffasdfsfsafsfdwfgasdgbdfbgdsgasdgdsbdb,” the US Department of Defense (DoD) wrote on its official website.

Secret message? Accident? Keyboard nap? The world is left to wonder…

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🗳 Georgian parliament, not the people, to elect president – first time in history

On December 14, for the first time in Georgia's history, the president will be chosen by an electoral college in parliament, rather than by popular vote.

The only candidate is former football player and current MP Mikheil Kavelashvili, nominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Opposition parties that entered parliament following the election results have refused to engage with the legislature, calling the elections fraudulent, and have not put forward any candidates.

Acting President Salome Zurabishvili has insisted that she will not step down. She reaffirmed her intention to remain in office a day before the election, also declaring herself the only legitimate representative of power in Georgia.

On Saturday, a panel of 300 parliamentarians and deputies will elect the new president for a five-year term in the Georgian parliament building. The entire process will be broadcast live on the parliament's website and on social media.

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Barnier officially hands over powers of French Prime Minister to successor Bayrou

Michel Barnier, who served as French prime minister from September 5 until his successor was appointed, has formally transferred the prime ministerial powers to François Bayrou.

The French parliament ousted Barnier, of The Republicans party, in a vote of no confidence on December 4 after he bypassed parliament to push through a draft social security budget for 2025. The bill proposed an "austerity" regime, including public spending cuts of 40 billion euros ($42 billion), with another 20 billion euros to be raised through tax increases.

Barnier defended the draft budget, arguing it aimed to reduce public debt, which has reached 3.2 trillion euros, or 112% of GDP, by taxing corporations and the wealthy. He planned to reduce the budget deficit from an estimated 6.1% of GDP to 5% in 2025, and 3% by 2029.

Bayrou is considered a close ally of French President Emmanuel Macron, who helped him rise to power in 2017. Bayrou also supports Macron's foreign policy.

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💥 Trump calls for shooting down mysterious drones spotted over the US

💬 “Mystery drone sightings all over the country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge? I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” US President-elect Donald Trump said on Truth Social.

Earlier, the White House failed to provide information on the drone sightings, which have been concerning Americans. White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby claimed that the authorities “are working hard” to investigate the matter.

The Pentagon had earlier told the public that the drones don’t pose a threat, arguing that there is no evidence that they are foreign drones.

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🤡 "I wish I could tell you exactly why we don't have an answer" – Kirby almost provides an insight into the drone mystery in an extensive 5.5-minute talk

💬 “We spend 824 billion dollars on defense. We have the greatest intelligence capability in the world. So how can you stand there and say to the country right now, ‘Gosh, darn, we just don't know what these are’?!” a Fox News reporter asked White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby.

💬 “Because I'm not going to lie to you or to the American people. And I'm not going to say we know something when we don’t,” Kirby almost cracked a joke.

💬 “We would never, ever stoop to think that an American citizen was crazy or nuts because of what they're seeing and what they're documenting,” the adviser almost made the viewers laugh.

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US Treasury considers new measures to curb Russian oil exports – Yellen

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen confirmed that Washington will continue efforts to tighten sanctions against Russian oil exports and may impose measures on the so-called "dark fleet," as well as reduce the previously imposed ceiling on Russian fuel prices.

"There are a number of possibilities here. We don't preview sanctions, but we're always looking at oil revenues, and if we can find ways to further impair Russian oil revenues that would, I think, strengthen Ukraine's hand. That remains on our list," Yellen said.

At the same time, she did not rule out that, in the event of "evidence," the United States might impose sanctions on Chinese banks allegedly cooperating with Russia's defense sector.

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