WATCH: Astronauts aboard the ISS captured a large Russian missile strike on Kyiv on December 26–27 2025, showing ballistic and cruise missiles, including Kh-101 and Iskander types and Ukrainian air defense interceptions.

Source: RikyUnreal

BIG: Türkiye is updating contingency plans in case of a US-Iran conflict, preparing for a potential refugee surge from Iran.

Measures reportedly include setting up border camps or, in an extreme scenario, moving into Iranian territory to block crossings if chaos erupts.

Source: Bloomberg

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi:

We are ready to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

If there is political will on all sides, the deal can be reached as soon as possible.

We will enter the negotiating room with sincerity and good will.

Source: NPR

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi:

You cannot contain a war once it is started.

How can one end a war with just one strike? That is a real gamble.

A war can be started — but ending it is not easy.

The whole region will suffer as a result of an aggression against Iran.

Source: NPR

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi:

How can anybody expect Iran to be silent? We have to respond to US assets in the region.

Does sending an armada mean they want to intimidate Iran? That is not going to happen. Iranians have proved to be resilient.

There is no military solution for the Iranian nuclear dossier.

Instead of warmongering, it is better to concentrate on diplomacy.

Source: NPR

German AfD Leader Alice Weidel:

The gas storage facilities in Germany are almost empty.

Nevertheless, Merz decided to pipe the remaining gas to Ukraine. This too exclusively serves the interest of Ukraine.

The CDU has already announced today, and the Chancellor himself, he is the Chancellor of Ukraine.

We as AfD stand on the side of the German people and we represent the national interests of Germany and that is exactly what makes the difference between us here.

NEW: The U.S. has significantly expanded its naval presence near Iran, with the destroyer USS John Finn recently entering the CENTCOM region, bringing the total to 12 American warships in and around Middle Eastern waters.

The buildup — including two carrier strike groups led by USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford — is one of the largest in decades.

NEW: Anthropic expanded its Claude AI platform with about 10 new enterprise plugins aimed at automating knowledge work in finance, HR, engineering, and design.

In finance, Claude can now assist with due diligence, financial modeling, equity research, portfolio analysis, and competitive benchmarking, with direct integrations to market data providers like FactSet and LSEG.

In HR, it can generate onboarding materials, job descriptions, and compliance-aligned documents tailored to company policies.

The update also introduces a plugin marketplace and allows businesses to build custom integrations with tools such as Slack, Google Workspace, DocuSign, and other enterprise apps.

Netanyahu:

We are challenged on one side by a wounded Shiite axis, but there is also the Sunni axis of the Muslim Brotherhood.

We have a strong interest in creating an axis of our own — an axis of countries that oppose both axes of extremist Islam.

This includes many countries. Some are visiting us these days; others we are visiting.

I am speaking about a full circle that embraces the Middle East.

I wanted to use the biblical expression appropriate for Purim — “from Hodu to Cush” — quite close, and everything in between, extending into the Mediterranean.

A new axis.

German Chancellor Merz on China:

We must pursue a policy of de-risking — but decoupling from China would be a mistake.

With decoupling, we would only harm ourselves.

We would block our own economic opportunities instead of improving them.

The world would not become safer — and we would lose the chance to tackle global challenges together.

German Chancellor Merz on China:

China has risen into the ranks of the great powers. No one can bypass China anymore.

Global political challenges cannot be managed today without Beijing.

China’s voice is heard — including in Moscow.

China has the opportunity to use its influence.

For peace and security in the Pacific, China is a decisive factor.

BREAKING: The U.S. is deploying F-22 Raptor jets to Israel’s Ovda Air Base.

11 U.S. F-22 fighter jets have already landed at Ovda Air Base in Israel after flying from RAF Lakenheath in the UK.

A 12th aircraft reportedly turned back due to a fuel leak.

WATCH: Footage of the moment Iranian Army AH-1J Super Cobra helicopter crash today.

NEW: CIA Director John Ratcliffe is set to join Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a classified 3 p.m. ET briefing on Iran with the congressional “Gang of Eight.”

India is reportedly considering buying 36–40 Russian Su-57 stealth fighters in a roughly $7 billion deal as a stopgap until its indigenous AMCA jet is ready in about a decade.

Moscow is offering technology transfer and local production, and the move is driven by concerns over China’s growing fifth-generation fleet.

No final decision has been made yet.

NEW: France has agreed to restore full access for U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner after a phone call with Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

Kushner pledged not to interfere in France’s domestic affairs, easing tensions triggered by U.S. comments and his earlier failure to attend a diplomatic summons.

Normal high-level contacts are now being reinstated.

Trump will discuss his plans for Iran during his State of the Union speech.

Source: Reuters, citing White House officials

Hegseth gave Anthropic until Friday to grant the Pentagon unrestricted access to its Claude AI model or face penalties, including being cut off as a supplier or forced compliance under the Defense Production Act.

Anthropic refuses to allow uses involving mass surveillance or fully autonomous weapons.

Source: Axios