🇺🇸🇻🇪⚡️- “Through Operation Southern Spear, the Department of War is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere in partnership with United States Coast Guard through DHS and the DOJ.

In another pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and apprehended Motor/Tanker Veronica without incident. The Veronica is the latest tanker operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean, proving the effectiveness of Operation Southern Spear yet again.

These operations are backed by the full power of the U.S. Navy’s Amphibious Ready Group, including the ready and lethal platforms of USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), USS San Antonio (LPD 17), and USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28). The only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully. The Department of War, in coordination with interagency partners, will defend our homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere.”

🇺🇸🇻🇪🇮🇷 - The tanker seized is VERONICA, a stateless shadow vessel belonging to the Iranian ghost fleet. The tanker was empty at the time of its capture, and has transported stolen American oil from Venezuelan territory twice in the past. It had recently departed from Amuay, Venezuela.

It marks the sixth tanker the US has now seized from international pirates: 3 Russian, 2 Iranian, 1 Chinese.

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡- "Netanyahu requested that Trump delay any plans for a US attack on Iran," - The New York Times.

🇧🇫🇷🇺 - Media circulating allegedly showing that Burkina Faso has acquired the Russian S-300 missile system are fake.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡- "President Trump is currently postponing a decision to attack Iran, while the White House is holding internal consultations and with US allies regarding the timing of such an operation and whether it would significantly undermine the regime.

The military option certainly remains on the table, but Trump's decision to delay the decision has revealed deep uncertainty, within the administration and among U.S. allies, about the risks of a strike that would punish Iran but could invite a significant retaliatory strike," - Barak Ravid of Axios.

🇺🇸🇻🇪⚡- Venezuelan opposition and Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2024 Maria Corina Machado presented President Trump with the Nobel Peace Medal.

🇺🇸🇻🇪⚡️- President Trump being presented the Nobel Peace Prize from Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.

🇺🇸🇵🇸⚡- "It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed.

The Members of the Board will be announced shortly, but I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place," - President Donald Trump.

🇵🇭🇮🇩🇲🇾⚡- The Philippines joins Malaysia and Indonesia in blocking access to Grok.

🇨🇦🇨🇳⚡- "A pleasure to meet with President Xi in Beijing.

Canada and China are forging a new strategic partnership. We’re leveraging our strengths — focusing on trade, energy, agriculture, seafood, and other areas where we can make massive gains for both our peoples," - Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada.

🇸🇦🇸🇴🇵🇸⚡- "Saudi Arabia is finalizing an agreement on a new military coalition with Somalia and Egypt, part of its bid to curtail the United Arab Emirates’ regional influence.

Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will travel to Saudi Arabia soon to finalize the deal, which aims to foster more strategic collaboration on Red Sea security as well as deeper military cooperation.

Somalia this week canceled security and ports agreements with the UAE, accusing the Gulf state of violating its sovereignty by extracting a Yemeni separatist leader through its territory," - Bloomberg.

Note, Somalia's decision to bar the UAE from entering Somalia's airspace or use its airstrips has been rejected by Jubaland, Puntland and Somaliland.

🇺🇸🇻🇪⚡️- "The C.I.A. director, John Ratcliffe, met with Delcy Rodríguez, the interim president of Venezuela, in Caracas on Thursday, reinforcing the Trump administration’s message that it sees the interim government as the best path to stability in the country in the short term.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the sensitive meeting, added that the two discussed intelligence cooperation, economic stability and the need to ensure that the country was no longer a “safe haven for America’s adversaries, especially narco-traffickers.”" - The New York Times.