U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has announced that the U.S. and Nigeria continue to conduct joint operations against the Islamic State of the Levant (ISIS/ISIL), releasing new video of strikes conducted yesterday, May 17th, in which ISIS fighters were struck and no U.S. or Nigerian forces were injured.

Following Iran’s formation of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), a PGSA page is now active on 𝕏.

According to the IRGC-affiliated news outlet Tasnim, as a part of ongoing negotiations, the U.S. has proposed that OFAC sanctions against Iran be suspended. At the time of writing, such reports are not confirmed, but if true, the move could be a ‘good faith’ gesture to ease pressure on Iran and entice them to shift left or right on key points of contention.

According to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, at the request of Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and President of the United Arab Emirates Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, he has chosen to postpone a resumption of combat operations against Iran that he says would have started tomorrow. President Trump said in his Truth Social post that “serious negotiations are now taking place,” and that he has instructed U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine to maintain readiness to conduct “full, large scale assault of Iran.”

There is a heavy police presence at the Islamic Center of San Diego (CA) following reports of an active shooter at the location.

Authorities in San Diego, CA, have held a press conference regarding an active shooter incident at the Islamic Center of San Diego, which they are considering a hate crime, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has responded to assist. Upon arrival, responding officers observed 3 deceased males outside the building. At nearly the same time, authorities received another call of shots fired a few blocks away. As authorities were responding to these calls, a third call came in a few blocks away, and upon arrival, officers discovered 2 deceased teenagers, believed to be the shooters. There are no other injuries, and the investigation is ongoing.

A Christian medical missionary from the United States, working as a doctor in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has tested positive for Ebola after being exposed and developing symptoms over the weekend, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC states that it is working with the U.S. State Department to transfer the patient and other Americans exposed during the recent outbreak in Africa to Germany.

Asked earlier if Americans should be concerned about the ongoing outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, President Trump said that he is certainly concerned about it but that the outbreak appears to be confined right now to Africa.

Following his announcement that the resumption of combat operations against Iran would be postponed, U.S. President Donald J. Trump told the press today that Gulf leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar asked him to postpone strikes for “2 or 3 days,” and he agreed. It’s yet unclear if this is a hard timeline for negotiations to play out.

According to the New York Times, citing U.S. officials, Iranian forces exercised a level of battlefield adaptability, not previously attributed to their military. Per the report, possibly by liaising with their Russian counterparts, Iranian forces were able to learn U.S. flight tactics and better employ air defenses against U.S. aircraft, as officials told the New York Times that they believed American air tactics had become somewhat predictable.

The National Armed Forces of Latvia have declared a possible drone threat to Latvian Airspace in the Krāslava, Preiļi, Ludza, and Rēzekne Municipalities, with fighters being scrambled from NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission to respond to any threats from Belarus or Russia.

A Romania F-16 serving with NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission, based out of Šiauliai, Lithuania, successfully intercepted and shot down an unidentified drone this morning over Central Estonia, in the first such action by the alliance over the Baltic States, according to the Baltic news channel Delfi.

According to the Financial Times, citing a number of people with knowledge on the matter, Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald J. Trump that Russian President Vladimir Putin may regret his invasion of Ukraine.

Per the report, President Xi said this during the recent summit in Beijing, China with President Trump and Xi had not gone as far as to suggest such a dynamic in past meetings with former U.S. President Joe Biden.

It should be noted that China has provided increasing financial and material support for Russia since they commenced large-scale combat operations against Ukraine in 2022. Such support includes, but is not limited to, dual-use technology/components that indirectly support the Russian war effort and an increase in economic cooperation efforts that aid in Russia’s efforts to insulate its economy from U.S. and EU sanctions regimes.

Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche is now testifying before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s FY-27 budget request for the Department of Justice.

Speaking to press outside construction of the White House Ballroom, U.S. President Donald J. Trump spoke on Iran, highlighting Iran’s unreliable negotiating tactics saying that another “big hit,” referring to a possible resumption of strikes against Iran, may be necessary.

According to U.S. Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper, in the past 7 months, the U.S. has transferred over 5,700 ISIS prisoners from Syria to Iraq. This, against the backdrop of the tiered reduction of the U.S. force-posture in Syria.

Speaking to reporters this morning, President Trump gave several new details about the ballroom being constructed to replace the East Wing of the White House, the roof of which he says is inspired by architecture from Greek and Rome, and will provide snipers with a 360° view of the Nation’s Capital.

President Trump claims that the ballroom will be not only “drone-proof” but will also act as a drone port that will protect all of Washington. In addition to drone capabilities, Trump states that structure below the ballroom will extend over six stories underground, featuring a military hospital, research labs, and other facilities for use by the military in coordination with the White House.

Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Russian Embassy and lodged a categorical protest against a public statement issued earlier today, May 18, by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russian (SVR), which claimed that Ukraine was planning to use Latvian territory to launch drone attacks against Russia. This comes amidst reports that unidentified drones violated and the airspace today over both Estonia and Latvia.

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has announced that American forces, in coordination with the Nigerian Army, carried out a series of targeted strikes Monday, May 18, 2026, against an ISIS fighter camp in Northeastern Nigeria. This is the second wave of strikes to be carried out against ISIS positions in Nigeria since last week’s operation by U.S. and Nigerian Special Forces, which resulted in the successful elimination of several ISIS leaders, including Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, ISIS’ Director of Global Operations.