Israeli Defense Minister Katz:

We will not withdraw from Mount Hermon.

Netanyahu on the F-35:

We will prevent anyone who should not have these advanced aircraft from obtaining them.

Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir:

Even in these days, the security of the State of Israel is not guaranteed.

Alongside threats that have been removed, new threats are emerging, and at the conclusion of rounds that have ended, new preparatory actions are being carried out.

Israeli Defense Minister Katz:

The defense establishment is closely monitoring developments in Iran — and naturally, I cannot elaborate.

But on one principle there is no dispute: what existed before October 7 will not return.

Mali: The army says it destroyed a major terrorist hideout east of Mourdiah in the Nara region following a reconnaissance mission on 23 December.

The Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, will visit Türkiye on 25 December 2025 at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The talks will focus on bilateral relations, developments in Sudan, the humanitarian situation, and regional stability.

Kaja Kallas:

The decision by the U.S. to impose travel restrictions on European citizens and officials is unacceptable and an attempt to challenge our sovereignty.

Europe will keep defending its values — freedom of expression, fair digital rules, and the right to regulate our own space.

Russia plans to seek changes to a 20-point US-Ukraine peace plan, viewing it only as a starting point for negotiations.

Moscow wants stricter limits on Ukraine’s military, guarantees against NATO expansion, clarity on sanctions relief and frozen assets, and “protections” for the Russian language.

Source: Bloomberg

Hamas:

The Rafah explosion resulted from bombs planted by Israel, and the movement informed the mediators of this.

Netanyahu:

German Chancellor Merz asked to visit Israel. We met, and after this visit I can tell you that Germany wants to purchase more systems from us. Other important countries in the world are standing in line.

We need to understand the magnitude of the historical upheaval: 80 years after the Holocaust that destroyed European Jewry, a weapon developed by the Jewish State protects the skies of Europe.

Netanyahu:

Our enemies are licking their wounds and seeking to rearm to harm us again: Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Yemen, and of course Iran itself.

While old threats are changing form, new threats are being born. We are not looking for threats, but our eyes are open to every possible danger.

Netanyahu:

We will strive for our armaments to be manufactured as much as possible in the State of Israel, including some of the aerial platforms.

I approved a total of 350 billion shekels over the coming decade to build an independent arms industry for the State of Israel.

We want to reduce our dependence on any factor, including our friends.

Netanyahu:

We established our status as a regional power, and in certain areas as a global power.

Zelensky on his Christmas message:

On the eve of Christmas, the Russians once again showed who they truly are. Massive shelling, hundreds of Shaheds, ballistics, Kinzhals—everything was there.

This is how the godless strike. This is what those who have absolutely nothing in common with Christianity or anything human do.

Zelensky wishing for Putin’s death on his Christmas message:

My dear people, since ancient times, Ukrainians believed that on Christmas night, the heavens open.

And if you tell them your dream, it will surely come true.

Today, we all have one dream. And we have one wish for everyone:

"May he perish," as everyone says to themselves.

Netanyahu’s press office shared this AI-generated video on Instagram.

Russia says it plans to build a nuclear power plant on the Moon by around 2036 to support its lunar programme and a joint research base with China, according to Roscosmos.

The plant would power rovers, scientific equipment, and long-term infrastructure, marking a shift from one-off missions to a permanent presence.

The U.S., through NASA, has also announced plans to deploy a lunar nuclear reactor by about 2030 as part of renewed competition in space.

Source: Reuters

The U.S. Coast Guard is not yet able to seize the Venezuela-linked oil tanker Bella 1 because it lacks nearby specialized boarding forces.

The ship has refused boarding, meaning only elite Coast Guard teams—of which there are very few—can take it by force.

Source: Reuters

NEW: Algeria’s parliament has passed a law declaring France’s 1830–1962 colonisation a crime, banning its glorification and demanding an apology and reparations.

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom have condemned Israel’s approval of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The countries said the decision violates international law, risks further instability, and undermines prospects for peace, including efforts toward a comprehensive plan for Gaza.

Lieutenant General İlkay Altındağ, Director General for Defense and Security at Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense, visited Tehran, where he said that Iran’s security is Türkiye’s security and stressed that Türkiye views Iran as its own home.

During the visit, he held talks with Iranian military officials on regional developments, border issues, shared threats, military cooperation, joint exercises, and exchanges of military delegations.

Source: IRIB