Somalia: Al-Shabaab claimed an attack on U.S. forces at Kismayo airport, but U.S. military reported only indirect fire with no casualties or damage.

Somalia: Al-Shabaab said the Kismayo attack was revenge for U.S. support to Israel in Gaza and vowed more strikes on American forces.

BREAKING: Trump will sign an executive order on Friday to rename the Department of Defense back to its historic title, the Department of War. Pete Hegseth will also be referred to as the "Secretary of War."

Source: Fox News

Pete Hegseth:

DEPARTMENT OF WAR

The Trump administration plans to make the US citizenship test harder, possibly adding essays and raising the passing bar. Officials argue the current test is too easy.

Source: POLITICO

The US sanctioned three Palestinian human rights groups, Al Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR, for supporting the International Criminal Court’s war crimes probe against Israeli leaders.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the groups helped the ICC investigate and prosecute Israelis without Israel’s consent, calling it an overreach since the US and Israel reject ICC authority.

Sudan: Air Force reportedly carried out night strikes on RSF positions in El Fasher.

Kremlin:

Putin invited Zelensky to Moscow to talk, not to capitulate.

Kremlin:

There is light at the end of the tunnel in the Ukrainian settlement.

Putin:

The symbol of Russia is a bear, but the largest tiger in the world is also Russian.

ICE now has access to Paragon Solutions’ Israeli-made spyware Graphite, capable of hacking any phone, including encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Signal.

The Trump administration approved the $2M contract, which was briefly paused under Biden over spyware misuse concerns but has now resumed.

Source: The Guardian

BIG: Two Venezuelan F-16 jets buzzed the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Jason Dunham in international waters, in what the Pentagon called a “show of force.”

Photo: Illustrative

Trump hosted top tech CEOs including Zuckerberg, Cook, Gates, and Altman for dinner at the White House.

Elon Musk wasn't present.

Reporter: What legal authority did the Pentagon invoke to strike that boat?

Pete Hegseth: We have the absolute and complete authority to conduct that.

Sam Altman to Trump:

Thank you for being such a pro-business, pro-innovation President. It's a very refreshing change.

Reporter: Do you plan to speak with Putin in the near future?

Trump: I will be. We are having very good dialogue.

Putin:

There is no point in the presence of foreign military personnel in Ukraine after an agreement on sustainable peace.

Putin:

Foreign troops in Ukraine will now be legitimate targets for Russia.

Putin:

Ukraine is requesting contact with Russia. I am prepared for such contact, but I do not see much point in it.

It will be impossible to reach an agreement with Ukraine.