Putin on Biden’s remarks that “Russia is going to fight with NATO”:

This is complete nonsense. Russia has no reason, no interest, neither geopolitical, nor economic, nor political, nor military, to fight with NATO countries.

We have no territorial claims against each other with them, and we have no desire to spoil relations with them. We are interested in developing relations.

About 67% of young Americans between the ages of 18-24 believe that "Jews as a class are oppressors and should be treated as oppressors", according to a new poll.

Source: Harris Insights and Analytics and Harvard University's Center for American Political Studies (CAPS).

Israel’s air campaign has been unusually fierce.

It is reported to have dropped 29,000 munitions in total. That is almost exactly as many as America and Britain dropped on the entirety of Iraq in the first month of the war in 2003 and equivalent to just under 500 bombs per day.

Israel also uses unusually high numbers of unguided munitions—from 10% of total in first two weeks after Oct 7th, to 40-45% now.

Israel has bought around $1.9bn-worth of precision-guided munitions (PGMs) from American companies since 2015, including 14,500 JDAM kits and thousands of laser-guided missiles.

Since October 7th America has sent at least 15,000 bombs to Israel, including an estimated 3,000 JDAMs. In November Biden told Congress he planned to send $320m-worth of SPICE munitions, which are like JDAM kits.

Israel is not necessarily running out. Many Israeli officials worry that a bigger war is looming with Hizbullah, a Lebanese militant group.

Israel has also threatened to strike the Houthis in Yemen, another Iran-allied militant group that has been firing ballistic missiles towards Israel. These groups, along with Iran, have access to more sophisticated air-defence systems than those of Hamas, capable of striking targets farther away and higher up.

Israel’s air force probably wants to preserve its stockpile of smart bombs for these better-defended enemies.

Source: The Economist

Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan:

Putin would love to see the war soon. They’re bleeding men, money. They are driving growth, but that growth is entirely the production of more armaments to send to Ukraine to gain no material territory on the battlefield.

The pressures of occupation of a foreign land that does not want you there are real, and they only grow overtime.

Ukrainian Javelin ATGM and mine finish off the remnants of the advancing Russian armored vehicles near Synkivka.

Senator Graham to Biden:

On your watch, the conditions for a 9/11 are greater than I've ever seen since 9/11. According to your own FBI Director the threat level against America is at an all-time high. He sees blinking lights everywhere. The likelihood of another 9/11 grows every day.

In the wake of threats to seamen and attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Hong Kong based shipping company OOCL (Orient Overseas Container Line) announced that "due to operational problems," it will immediately stop transporting cargo to and from Israel until further notice.

Just a normal day in Tel Aviv.

Israeli real estate company Harey Zahav, which specializes in developing settlements, posted this picture of destroyed Gaza with homes and the title:

“Wake up, a beach house is not a dream!"

New Hamas footage shows IDF Merkava tank getting hit & burning.

Current situation of the frontlines in Ukraine.

IDF shares footage what it claims to show Muhammad Sinwar, alleged leader of the tunnel construction project in the northern Gaza Strip and Yahya Sinwar's brother, driving with a car inside the “biggest tunnel in Gaza”.

The footage is claimed to be seized by IDF during ground invasion in the Gaza Strip.

IDF claims it has found the "'biggest Hamas tunnel" near Gaza border, Erez crossing.

The tunnel ran down diagonally to a depth of 50 metres, where it expanded to a relatively capacious 3 metres (10 feet) in height and width, with electrical fittings.

IDF put the full length of the tunnel at 4 km (2.5 miles) - enough to reach into northern Gaza City.

Israel also claims this tunnel was built by Muhammad Sanwar, Yahya Sanwar's brother.

A wiretap was found in Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi's office today.

The device was discovered today.

The effectiveness of forcibly mobilized Ukrainians is "almost zero", Ukrainian Military Intelligence (GUR) chief Budanov says.

"Everyone who wanted to came in the first six months. Who is being called up now? Unfortunately, there won't be a good answer here. If you don’t find motivation for these people, then no matter how many people are forced or according to legal norms, their efficiency will be almost zero. Which, in principle, is what has been happening lately.

Financial gain does not play a big role for those mobilized, and many don’t have the feeling that the enemy has captured the territory and needs to be defended. Everyone is rooting for Ukraine, but everyone is running.

But it's necessary to maintain the size of the army. There are currently 1.1 million people in the country’s defense forces, but due to losses, this number must be maintained constantly."

Senator Graham:

Israel will have to accept a two-state solution if it wants to normalize ties with Saudi Arabia on the day after.

"We have two choices: continue the death spiral, or use Oct. 7th as a catalyst for change."

Putin on Finland joining NATO:

There was no problem at our border, now there will be.

Since December 15th four of the world’s five largest container-shipping companies, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk and MSC, have paused or suspended their services in the Red Sea.

Together these four companies account for 53% of the global container trade.

Smaller container operators, as well as dry-bulk carriers and oil tanker firms, may now follow their lead.

This is the route through which traffic from the Suez Canal must pass.

Revenue from the Suez Canal is a major source of income for Egypt, which is already in the midst of a financial crisis.