🇺🇸🇨🇳🇻🇪⚡️- The seizure included a NON-sanctioned, China-based oil tanker with a history of transporting Venezuelan crude oil to Chinese refineries. - NYT.

🇺🇸🇻🇪🇨🇳 - The seized Chinese shadow tanker CENTURIES has valid registration in Panama, its licensing is legitimate and up-to-date as of early 2025, and operated by a Hong Kong based firm.

The tanker is not under US, EU or UK sanctions.

🇺🇸🇻🇪🇨🇳⚡️- "President Trump has been clear: the blockade of sanctioned oil tankers departing from, or bound for, Venezuela will remain in full force until Maduro’s criminal enterprise returns every stolen American asset.

The Department of War, with our partners at the US Coast Guard, will unflinchingly conduct maritime interdiction operations — through OPERATION SOUTHERN SPEAR — to dismantle illicit criminal networks. Violence, drugs, and chaos will not control the Western Hemisphere." - U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

🇺🇸🇻🇪🇨🇳⚡️- A U.S. official told the Associated Press this was a "consented boarding" and that the vessel voluntarily stopped to allow U.S. forces to board.

🇺🇸🇻🇪🇨🇳 - Confirmed: The tanker that Rerum Novarum has been tracking since the 18th of December IS the same CENTURIES tanker the USCG seized earlier today.

The seizure occurred in the Atlantic – Rerum Novarum tracked its entry into the Atlantic waters on December 19. The vessel had four escort ships at the time.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "The Israeli security system expresses grave concern about the pace of the reconstruction of the Iranian ballistic missile system.

Israel is following with concern the Iranian measures aimed at resuming the large-scale production of ground-to-ground missiles, as well as the rehabilitation of air defense systems that were severely damaged during the June operation," - Israeli Channel 13.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "Israel takes the threat of ballistic missiles very seriously, which is an existential threat – no less than the nuclear threat," - Eyal Zamir, Israeli Chief of Staff.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "In the Israeli security establishment, they warn: The upcoming confrontation with Iran will be the most difficult yet," - Haaretz.

🇺🇸🇮🇱⚡️- Netanyahu and Trump are expected to meet at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on December 29.

Israeli Channel 14 reports that Trump and Netanyahu will discuss the second phase of the Gaza peace deal, the disarming of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the possible sale of F-35s to Qatar and Turkey, but more importantly, Netanyahu WILL raise the Iranian file with strike plans.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "We are concerned about the renewal of Iran's missile system, but we are not surprised," - Galei Tzahal (Israeli Army Radio), IDF official outlet.

🇱🇧🇮🇱⚡️- "The Israeli army is raising its state of alert in anticipation of a possible escalation of the confrontation with Lebanon, security officials estimate Hezbollah's response to the assassination of [Hezbollah Chief of Staff] Tabatabai has not yet come," - Israeli Channel 12.

🇺🇸🇮🇶🇮🇱⚡️- Iranian-backed groups in Iraq received "extremely serious" warning messages over an imminent Israeli attack, Asharq al-Aswat reports.

The Saudi outlet reports that the US has given Tel Aviv the greenlight to launch a large scale attack on Iranian-backed groups in Iraq. The US has reportedly handed the Baghdad government documents detailing evidence of the extensive network of Iranian funds to the different groups. Washington has asked Iraq to speed up the disarmament of the non-state actors.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "Iran has started a cyber war and is capable of causing significant damage to Israel's security," - Galei Tzahal (Israeli Army Radio), IDF official outlet.

🇺🇸🇮🇶🇮🇱⚡️- "Iraq’s National Intelligence Service (INIS) on Sunday denied a media report claiming Baghdad had received warnings of imminent large-scale military strikes inside the country, dismissing the claims amid growing US pressure on Iraq to curb Iranian-backed groups," - Rudaw, Iraqi Kurdistan-based outlet.

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "Tehran is closely monitoring all developments," - Ahmad Vahidi, Deputy Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces.

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "Israel is facing serious problems, and its threats are a sign of the disorder and weakness of this regime," - Ahmad Vahidi, Deputy Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces.

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "Israel is resorting to threats, political maneuvers, and media campaigns to cover up the severe defeat that the regime suffered in its illegal aggression against Iran earlier this year," - Ahmad Vahidi, Deputy Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces.

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "Today, the Israeli regime is isolated and alone, flailing about in futile attempts to save itself," - Ahmad Vahidi, Deputy Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces.

🇺🇸🇪🇸🇮🇱⚡️- "The United States is considering taking punitive measures against Spain over Madrid's refusal to allow ships carrying military cargo intended for Israel to dock in its ports, considering these steps undermine American maritime trade freedom," - Israeli Channel 11.                       

🇸🇾🇮🇱⚡️- Israeli drones over Damascus, Syria.

🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "Our enemies have once again felt the strength of the Israeli army's long arm, which will continue to strike wherever it is required on near and far fronts.

The essence of the longest and most complex war that Israel is waging revolves around the confrontation with Iran.

Iran is the one that funded and armed the noose around Israel, and was behind the plans aimed at destroying it," - Eyal Zamir, Israeli Chief of Staff.