The U.S. military is speeding up the deployment of thousands of Marines and sailors to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran.

The USS Boxer group and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are leaving early, carrying about 4,000 personnel with aircraft, missiles, and assault vehicles. They will join other ships, including the USS Tripoli.

Source: Newsmax

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian:

The nature of the Zionist regime is state terrorism.

Yet US aggression against Iran and the assassination of the martyred Leader sets a new precedent in international disputes that will destroy global legal norms.

If the world fails to stand firm, its flames will burn many.

Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi on Barron Trump:

I know he has grown up so much into a very tall, good-looking gentleman.

Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi quotes Shinzo Abe:

Japan is back!

JD Vance is caught in a political dilemma heading toward 2028. Once known for opposing foreign wars, he is now publicly supporting Trump as the U.S. enters a conflict with Iran.

If the war ends quickly, his allies believe voters won’t dwell on it. But if it drags on for months, it could define the election and force Vance—or any Republican nominee—to justify the conflict.

At the same time, Vance hasn’t even decided whether he’ll run for president in 2028.

With a growing family and political uncertainty, he’s taking a wait-and-see approach.

Source: WaPo

French President Macron on Lebanon:

The Israeli ground military operation as well as the bombings are unacceptable.

A Trump-appointed federal arts panel approved a commemorative 24-carat gold coin featuring Trump for the U.S. 250th anniversary.

The coin is a collector’s item (not for circulation), which may avoid legal restrictions.

Denmark reportedly prepared for a possible U.S. attack on Greenland in January after Trump threatened to take the island by force.

Danish troops were sent with explosives to destroy runways (to block U.S. landings) and blood supplies for potential casualties.

Source: DR

Tulsi Gabbard on Mojtaba Khamenei:

He was injured very severely in one of the Israeli strikes, and so the decision-making is unclear regarding what’s happening in the Iranian leadership.

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez on Iran:

We are against this war because it's illegal, there's no reason behind it and is causing a lot of damage.

A father of a U.S. service member killed in the Iran war says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth overstated what families told him.

Hegseth claimed families urged them to keep fighting, but at least one father says he never said that.

Charles Simmons (the father) pushed back:

“That was not something we talked about. No, I didn’t say anything along those lines.”

Instead, he expressed uncertainty about the war:

“Who wants war?… I just don’t know what’s going on.”

Another official also didn’t hear families telling Trump to “finish the job.”

Source: NBC

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez fired the old military leadership and replaced the entire high command to tighten control after Maduro’s removal.

This comes right after replacing the defense minister.

A U.S. strike hit the IRGC’s tunnel complex on Qeshm Island, causing visible surface damage (craters, hits on nearby facilities), but failed to destroy or penetrate the hardened underground tunnels, meaning key assets likely survived.

Crater impacts near tunnel entrances, but no signs of collapse or deep penetration.

The underground complex (used for boats, missiles, drones) is still likely operational or repairable.

Source: MT_Anderson, A_z_im (at X)

Iran has set up a “safe passage” route through the Strait of Hormuz for ships it approves.

Some vessels reportedly paid up to $2 million for guaranteed transit.

Source: FT, LLI

NEW: Israel says it carried out overnight airstrikes on Syrian military targets in southern Syria.

Trump shows Japan’s PM Takaichi a White House display where Biden’s portrait is replaced by an autopen, mocking him.

Takaichi appears to laugh.

EU official on Iran War to Politico:

The EU was left with doing what we always do.

Writing nice statements.

Turkish President Erdogan on his Eid al-Fitr message:

The Middle East is boiling right now, and as is known, Zionist Israel has killed hundreds of thousands of people.

God willing, it will pay the price for this. I have no doubt about that.

WATCH: U.S. C-RAM system shooting down a kamikaze drone near Baghdad at night using rapid-fire 20mm tracer rounds.