📸 Israeli soldier desecrating a Virgin Mary statue by placing a cigarette in its mouth in southern Lebanon.

Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett:

We will remove from the Israeli education system teachers who teach "Palestinian ideology."

Israeli National Security Minister Ben-Gvir:

October 7 can happen at any time.

The FBI has reportedly opened a leak investigation tied to an Atlantic article criticizing FBI Director Kash Patel.

The probe focuses on reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick, who published claims from anonymous sources about Patel’s alleged drinking and erratic behavior.

The investigation is unusual because it does not involve classified information and appears centered on identifying leaks to a journalist.

Source: MS NOW

First Time Since WWII: Japanese Troops Fire on Foreign Territory

For the first time since World War II, Japan deployed combat troops to Philippine soil — about 1,400 personnel — as part of Balikatan 2026, the largest iteration of the US-Philippines exercise yet.

Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force troops fired Type 88 anti-ship missiles from Ilocos Norte and sank the decommissioned BRP Quezon roughly 50–75 km offshore, Japan's first use of the system outside its own territory.

The drill, joined by US, Philippine, and Australian forces, simulates repelling an amphibious assault in the South China Sea, and China has condemned it as "remilitarization" and "playing with fire."

The exercise runs April 20–May 8 with ~17,000 troops from seven nations.

NEW: France's Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group is transiting the Suez Canal today and repositioning south toward the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The move pre-positions the carrier closer to the Strait of Hormuz ahead of a possible France-UK-led multinational mission (40+ nations) to restore safe navigation through the strait.

France stresses the posture is purely defensive — focused on escorting commercial shipping — and not part of direct combat operations.

Türkiye signed its first KAAN serial production contract today at SAHA 2026 in Istanbul.

The deal moves the fifth-generation stealth fighter jet from development into domestic production.

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video saying he “dreams” of nooses, alongside AI-generated images referencing a proposed death penalty law for Palestinian detainees.

Melania Trump:

This is a time of military conflict for America.

Trump on Iran:

I call it a skirmish because that’s what it is. It’s a skirmish.

CENTCOM:

U.S. forces in the Gulf of Oman stopped an Iranian-flagged tanker attempting to violate the U.S. blockade on May 6.

After repeated warnings were ignored, a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln fired several 20mm rounds, disabling the vessel’s rudder and preventing it from reaching an Iranian port.

Trump on Iran:

We are dealing with people who want to make a deal very much... We have it very much under control.

Netanyahu:

I speak with Trump almost on a daily basis. There is full coordination between us, with no surprises.

We share common goals, and the most important goal is the removal of the enriched material from Iran — all enriched material — and the dismantling of Iran’s enrichment capabilities.

Trump:

Pete Hegseth was standing on top of a table while everyone else was under the table during the WHCA dinner shooting.

The crowd laughs when Melania Trump mentions her husband’s empathy.

Bill Clinton:

Free Haiti.

Israel bombs Dahieh, Beirut.

Netanyahu:

The IDF has just struck a Radwan Force commander in Beirut in an attempt to eliminate him.

BIG: Trump:

Drugs coming in by sea are down 97%, and now we started the land force, which is much easier.

You will hear some complaints from some people in Mexico and other places, but if they are not going to do the job, we are going to do the job.

Germany's Chancellor Merz:

Growth is the basic requirement for a functioning welfare state in Germany.

There is no good healthcare system, no adequate pension system, no proper care system without growth.

We must get out of this mindset — this ‘no growth’ mindset — this idea that we can simply keep everything exactly as it is today and everything will somehow remain fine.

No, ladies and gentlemen. For years, Germany has been operating below its potential.

The good news is: we can change that.