Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a cabinet meeting that the October 7 attack in Israel, the wars in Afghanistan and Ukraine, and the broader perception of U.S. deterrence would not have occurred under President Donald Trump, claiming Trump’s firm stance on Iran would have prevented a nuclear program and a deal could still be possible if Iran refrains from enrichment; Hegseth warned that the U.S. military stands ready to act on any orders from the president and noted that Iran is amassing drones and preparing for possible confrontation, while Iranian media report the country prefers a costly war over a negotiated settlement. Click here to read more.

Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, speaking from exile in the United States, declares that the nationwide protests sparked on Dec. 28 have evolved into a decisive “final battle” to overthrow the Islamic Republic, urging the international community—especially the United States and Israel—to target the IRGC’s leadership and infrastructure to protect civilians and cripple the regime’s repression; he cites staggering casualty figures, widespread communications blackouts, and growing defections as proof that the movement now rejects the entire system rather than merely economic grievances, and he promises to return to Iran, even before the regime falls, to oversee an orderly emergency‑phase transition that secures services, stabilizes the country, and leads to free constitutional elections. Click here to read more.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a joint press conference with hostage coordinator Gal Hirsch that Israeli soldiers fell in Gaza because the IDF ran out of ammunition—a shortfall he said was corrected after President Donald Trump took office—and celebrated that, for the first time in 12 years, no hostages remain in the Gaza Strip, noting 168 were rescued alive while 87 died; he declared the “sacred mission” of returning all captives complete, pledged to dismantle and disarm Hamas and Gaza, dismissed proposals to rebuild Gaza before demilitarisation, to station Turkish or Qatari troops, or to create a Palestinian state there, and warned that any Iranian attack would meet an unprecedented Israeli response, while also noting the recent recovery of St‑Sgt‑Maj Ran Gvili’s remains. Click here to read more.

The Israeli Defense Forces recovered the remains of St‑Sgt‑Maj Ran Gvili, the last Israeli hostage taken during the Oct. 7 assault, after a month‑long covert effort that began with the capture and interrogation of an Islamic Jihad operative who disclosed the burial site at al‑Batesh cemetery in northern Gaza; the IDF exhumed and examined roughly 250 bodies, using dental experts, fingerprint, and DNA analysis to confirm Gvili’s identity, then promptly notified his family and arranged a funeral in Meitar, while senior officials—including Prime Minister Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Lt‑Gen Eyal Zamir, and President Isaac Herzog—publicly celebrated the recovery as the final fulfillment of Israel’s promise to bring every captive home; the operation also highlighted ongoing intelligence coordination, the involvement of rabbinic advisers, and the broader context of heightened Israeli‑Palestinian tensions over ceasefire negotiations and the Rafah crossing. Click here to read more.

Israel is accelerating its quantum‑technology program to stay competitive in a global arms race dominated by the United States and China, leveraging a €1.1 billion Horizon Europe grant (2021‑2024) and a national budget that grew from NIS 1.25 billion in 2018 to over NIS 1.7 billion by 2022, while seeking deeper ties with the U.S., EU, and regional partners such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia; despite these efforts, U.S. investment in Israeli quantum work remains modest (≈ $47 million in 2023) compared with the EU’s vastly larger contributions, and Israel faces infrastructure constraints, uncertain EU‑Israel relations, and the need to develop post‑quantum encryption before NIST mandates a 2030‑2035 transition—experts estimate that a truly universal, error‑corrected quantum computer may still be eight to ten years away. Click here to read more.

Greece and Israel have signed a cooperation pact to share expertise on counter‑drone systems and cybersecurity, with Defense Ministers Nikos Dendias and Israel Katz agreeing to exchange know‑how on detecting and neutralizing drone swarms and to coordinate responses to cyber threats; the deal builds on their existing air‑training center, recent joint drills, and a broader trilateral alliance that also includes Cyprus, which recently affirmed a strategic partnership and announced progress on the India‑Middle‑East‑Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC); Greece’s €25‑28 billion defence modernization program will integrate Israeli technologies such as Barak MX, David’s Sling, Spyder and PULS rocket artillery into its new “Achilles’ Shield” air‑defence network, bolstering deterrence against regional challenges. Click here to read more.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi published a stark op‑ed in the Wall Street Journal, warning that Iran will fire back with “everything we have” if the United States attacks, and insisting the warning reflects reality, not a threat. He blames Israel and U.S. proxies for any escalation, claims the two nations were close to a “middle‑way” deal in Oman that collapsed, and accuses Washington of pursuing sanctions, cyber assaults, and potential military action. Araghchi also portrays the recent Iranian protests as hijacked by foreign‑backed terrorists, denying reports of a massive civilian crackdown that human‑rights groups estimate has killed thousands and led to tens of thousands of arrests. While he asserts Iran prefers peace and remains ready for genuine negotiations, the piece sparked controversy and led to his exclusion from the Davos summit. click here to read more.

Iran’s massive protests peaked in early January, but a brutal crackdown that killed thousands and jailed tens of thousands has likely stalled any chance of toppling Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei unless President Donald Trump orders a military intervention; after briefly hinting at help, Trump aborted a strike amid doubts about targets, limited U.S. resources, and opposition from Arab states and Israel, while the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier moves toward the region and Tehran eases its repression to avoid provoking a U.S. attack. Analysts outline five U.S. options—symbolic strikes, assaults on the IRGC and Basij, attacks on missile and nuclear sites, cyber operations, or supporting provincial autonomy—each with distinct risks and limited prospects for quickly overturning the regime. click here to read more.

Former French prime minister Manuel Valls tells the Jerusalem Post that Europe’s fate hinges on Israel’s survival, arguing that a defeat of Israel would imperil the West’s fight against Islamism, Iranian‑Russian ties, and antisemitism; he stresses that supporting Israel counters modern antisemitism, criticizes left‑wing parties for exploiting the issue, and calls France’s 2025 recognition of a Palestinian state a mistake, urging a security‑first two‑state solution backed by Arab partners. click here to read more.

The United States sanctions five Iranian officials—senior security council members, IRGC commanders, and law‑enforcement leaders—accusing them of orchestrating the brutal crackdown on protests, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vows to trace and freeze funds the regime wires abroad; concurrently, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declares the state‑run Bank Melli a terrorist organization, echoing a 2018 U.S. designation and aiming to choke the bank’s role in sanction evasion and financing of Iranian proxies, as the Treasury also targets 18 individuals and shadow‑banking networks linked to illicit oil revenues and labels Fardis Prison a terror entity. click here to read more.