China’s Eastern Theater Command announced tonight that it will conduct a snap military exercise in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan, dubbed “Justice Mission 2025.” The drill is set to begin later this evening and run through Tuesday, December 30. Units from the People’s Liberation Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force will take part. The exercise appears to rehearse a blockade of Taiwan from the north, south, and east, simulating the early stages of a potential future invasion. Given that a significant portion of U.S. naval and military assets are currently positioned in the Caribbean, along with recent discussion about the Trump administration shifting focus away from Asia and Europe toward the Western Hemisphere, some observers argue that this could be a relatively opportune moment for China to apply pressure on Taiwan—even if Beijing is not yet fully prepared for a broader conflict involving Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

Russia has already begun, or is likely in the process of, deploying new nuclear-capable intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missiles—known to the Russian Armed Forces as Oreshnik—at a former airbase near Krichev in eastern Belarus. Two U.S. researchers reached the conclusion after analyzing satellite imagery, a finding that broadly aligns with U.S. intelligence assessments shared with Reuters. The deployment could significantly enhance Russia’s ability to rapidly strike targets across Europe in the event of a conventional or nuclear conflict with NATO. In response, the Pentagon has accelerated plans to deploy U.S. cruise and hypersonic surface-to-surface missiles in Germany, including the Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), also known as Dark Eagle. The system, which uses a hypersonic boost-glide vehicle, is expected to be stationed in Germany beginning in 2026.

The Syzran oil refinery was struck overnight, with local residents reporting that the attack damaged the ELOU-AVT-5 unit responsible for primary crude oil processing into gasoline, diesel, and other fuels.

Trump administration officials reportedly described the boat strikes as “Phase One,” led by SEAL Team Six, with a potential “Phase Two” involving Delta Force ground operations, according to The New York Times.

The Somali prime minister said there has been international and regional support for Somalia’s position and that the country will continue its diplomatic efforts.

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from arresting or deporting Imran Ahmed, the British CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH). Ahmed, a legal U.S. resident, had been targeted as part of a State Department crackdown on foreign “censorship activists.” Judge Vernon Broderick issued a temporary restraining order ahead of a full hearing scheduled for Monday.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States welcomes the announcement by Cambodia and Thailand that they have reached a ceasefire following a General Border Committee meeting. He urged both countries to immediately honor the commitment and fully implement the terms of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords.

Tucker Carlson said that fears of radical Islam amount to a psychological operation that he claims is being promoted by the Israeli government to shape American public opinion. “It comes from the Israeli government,” he said, adding that he is not aware of a single person in the United States who has been killed by radical Islam over the past 24 years.

Nearly continuous drone attack on Kyiv region lasts over 16 hours. Air raid alert sounded again in the capital. View quoted note →

Reuters reported that Russia struck Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine with hundreds of missiles and drones on Saturday, ahead of what President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described as a crucial meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at working out a plan to end nearly four years of war.