🚨 US launches strikes against ISIS targets in Syria - Hegseth

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said US forces launched “Operation Hawkeye Strike” in Syria earlier today, targeting ISIS* fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites.

According to Hegseth, the operation was carried out in response to an attack on US forces in Palmyra on December 13. He described the strikes as a limited action, stating that it was “not the beginning of a war,” but a response aimed at those responsible for the attack.

*A terrorist organization outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

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🚨 Trump announces retaliation against ISIS in Syria

US President Donald Trump said the United States is carrying out strong retaliatory strikes against ISIS* positions in Syria, citing the recent killing of US personnel.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that any further attacks on US targets would be met with a strong response.

*A terrorist organization outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

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🚨 CENTCOM releases footage of strikes on ISIS targets in Syria

US Central Command (CENTCOM) posted video footage showing US forces conducting airstrikes against ISIS* targets in Syria.

According to CENTCOM, the operation involved fighter jets, attack helicopters, and other assets, targeting ISIS infrastructure and weapons sites. The command said the strikes followed the Dec. 13 attack on US and partner forces in Syria.

*A terrorist organization outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

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🇺🇸🇻🇪 US Treasury imposes new sanctions on Venezuelan officials’ relatives

The US Department of the Treasury announced new sanctions on family members and alleged “associates” tied to figures close to the Venezuelan government, according to a statement published on the Treasury’s website.

According to the statement, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated several relatives of Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, a nephew of Venezuela’s First Lady Cilia Flores, as well as family members of Panamanian businessman Ramon Carretero Napolitano.

🗣 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures target what Washington calls “the narco-corruption structure” tied to Venezuela’s government.

The statement says the designations block any US-based assets of those listed and generally bar US persons from transactions with them without OFAC authorization.

⚠️ Venezuela has previously rejected similar US measures as politically motivated and illegitimate, maintaining that unilateral sanctions violate international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty.

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🚨 CENTCOM posts video of joint US–Jordan strikes in Syria

US Central Command posted video footage that it says shows US and Jordanian forces striking "70+ ISIS* targets in Syria with 100+ precision munitions."

The strikes were earlier announced by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who described the operation as “Operation Hawkeye Strike.”

*A terrorist organization outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

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🔥 Best of the best: here’s why drone operators are becoming the elite of Russian army

The 2024 decision to create a separate unmanned systems branch in the Russian Armed Forces created a “backbone upon which the armed forces of all other branches and services will rely,” National Defense magazine editor-in-chief Igor Korotchenko told Sputnik, commenting on the popularity of drone operator positions in the military.

The forces, which include not only UAVs, but naval and ground-based drone equipment, enable the corresponding branches to “utilize the capabilities of various classes of unmanned systems to enhance their own, both in the context of the Special Military Operation, and in preparations for other types of combat operations.”

💬 “Drone operators are, first and foremost, technically-savvy individuals eager to put their skills and practical experience to good use, including when it comes to the direct control and use of drones,” Korotchenko explained.

The profession’s “prestigiousness” comes down to the “astonishing” amount of Ukrainian equipment that Russia’s drone operators destroy, and technological innovations in the field.

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👀 Ex-CIA analyst warns of merciless guerrilla war if US invades Venezuela

US forces currently deployed in the Caribbean would be insufficient for a potential American invasion of Venezuela, former CIA analyst Larry Johnson told Sputnik.

He estimated that the US would need between 500,000 and 800,000 troops for that purpose.

👉 The main problem could be the Venezuelan militia, who would launch a guerrilla war. It would be death by a thousand cuts, Johnson noted, adding that America still lacks a clear and coherent strategy regarding a potential escalation with Venezuela.

The US justifies its military presence in the Caribbean region by the need to combat drug trafficking. In September and October, the US repeatedly conducted strikes off Venezuela, destroying boats allegedly used to transport narcotics.

Caracas condemned these actions and viewed them as provocations aimed at destabilizing the region and as a violation of international agreements establishing the Caribbean Basin as a demilitarized and nuclear-weapon-free zone.

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