[ZeroHedge] As the dust settles on President Trump's Friday-night blitz on Venezuela, suspicions of insider trading on the secret operation are rising, after a brand-new Polymarket account scored a huge profit by betting on a US military attack just before it happened. As a result, a US House representative is already preparing to introduce a bill that would prohibit government officials from using inside info to profit in prediction markets.
The account in question was created on Dec. 27, and quickly placed roughly $34,000 in bets on US intervention in Venezuela and Maduro's ouster both happening by January 31. On the Maduro prediction alone, the account scored a 1,242% gain, turning $32,537 into $436,760. At the time of the bets, the market placed the probability of intervention in January at just 6%.
The list of suspects could be quite a long one, given the military was poised to strike for days. "We were going to do this four days ago but the weather was not perfect," Trump said after the attacks and Maduro's extraction. "And then all of a sudden it opened up and we said go." Military officials were said to have contemplated a Christmas-day attack. What's more, given officials' public talk about rehearsals of the operation, preparations likely spanned weeks, following months of a build-up of assets in the region.
That said, one can't entirely rule out the possibility of someone outside reading headlines and placing a big bet, and the mystery account wasn't the only one placing bets on US intervention. According to the Wall Street Journal, more than $56 million had been placed on Maduro's ouster, with $11 million betting he'd be gone by Jan. 31. Another $40 million in losing bets had been placed on him leaving by Nov. 30 or Dec. 31. This X user claimed to have made $80,000 by translating a surge in Pentagon-area pizza traffic into imminent military action:
Regardless of who owns all those accounts, Democratic New York Rep. Ritchie Torres is planning to target officials' potential to profit from access to government secrets. According to Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News, Torres will introduce the "Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026." Here's how Sherman's source describes it:
This bill prohibits federal elected officials, political appointees, and Executive Branch employees from engaging in certain transactions involving prediction market contracts when they either possess material nonpublic information relevant to the transaction or could reasonably obtain such information through their official duties. The restriction applies to buying, selling, or exchanging prediction market contracts tied to government policy, government action, or political outcomes on platforms engaged in interstate commerce.
Torres is targeting a narrow universe of people, leaving plenty of opportunity for other people in government to profit from inside information -- such as a staff sergeant at the Pentagon, or his girlfriend. Outside government, staffers at the Washington Post and New York Times also had an opportunity to profit on the Venezuela operation, as Semafor reports that both outlets learned of the operation shortly before it took place, but refrained from publishing the news to avoid putting US forces in peril.
Let us be pleasantly shocked together that they did not immediately go for the frisson as usual, dear Reader, spoiling all.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Gevorg Mirzayan
Day 1 stories can be seen here, here, and here. For completeness, this story was posted shortly before events commenced.
[REGNUM] On the night of January 2–3, the United States launched a military operation against Venezuela. American troops launched a series of strikes on Caracas and several other cities—according to Venezuelan authorities, in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira.
Moreover, they struck not only military personnel but also symbolic sites, such as Hugo Chávez's mausoleum.
According to US President Donald Trump, the operation succeeded in capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and spiriting them out of the country. The White House occupant promises to hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Washington time (7 p.m. Moscow time) to share the details.
Indirect confirmation of this statement is the absence of a live speech from Maduro in Caracas, which has yet to be heard. Only the publication of his decree declaring a state of emergency in the country has been released.
There is also an official statement from the Venezuelan government, which states that “the sole purpose of the attack is to seize control of Venezuela’s strategic resources, primarily oil and mineral resources.”
The authorities are clearly trying to rally the population for resistance. Not in defense of the president, whom a significant portion of the population views rather negatively, but in defense of Venezuelan mineral resources from American corporations.
US Army helicopters were spotted over the country's capital, Caracas.
Firstly, this means that Venezuela's entire air defense system is not functioning – as military bloggers joke, the only example of their use was the detonation of missiles at Higuerote Airport (east of Caracas) after the Americans struck it.
Oh dear.
Moreover, it's not just the large systems that are nonfunctional—they're not even attempting to shoot down the helicopters with MANPADS. And since these systems couldn't self-destruct, it's possible that some Venezuelan army generals decided (perhaps at a cost) to stand aside.
Secondly, American helicopters are deploying troops—Delta Force, according to Western media reports. This means the focus is on the targeted assassination or capture of the Venezuelan government's leaders, chief among them Nicolás Maduro.
In essence, the fate of the operation is now being decided in the next few days, not even hours.
The fact is that, legally, Trump is in limbo. Nominally, the president has every right to launch a military operation and carry it out for 60 days without congressional authorization.
The problem, however, is that he nominally began the “war against the drug mafia” (as Trump calls the operation against Venezuela) several months ago – the moment he sank the first “drug ship” leaving a Venezuelan port.
And members of Congress have the right to accuse the president of breaking the law.
This means Trump needs to conduct a blitzkrieg, with minimal losses and maximum media impact. Then he'll be able to achieve several goals at once. First, he'll wipe the floor with his opponents in the "deep state." Trump needs the image of a victorious president, especially in the run-up to the midterm congressional elections scheduled for November 2026.
Secondly, to demonstrate in practice the "Monroe Doctrine 2.0," which was proclaimed in the US national security strategy. This doctrine, under which the United States positions Latin America as its exclusive zone of influence, demands that local authorities fully subordinate their interests to those of the United States.
And finally, thirdly, Trump needs to prove the seriousness of his threats. For nearly six months, Washington has been massing troops near Venezuela and threatening war for insubordination—and if words remained just words, none of America's enemies would take Trump's threats seriously anymore.
Threats regarding Panama, Greenland, Mexico—that is, in general, regions that are part of the Western Hemisphere and fall under the Monroe Doctrine.
And now much will depend on whether Venezuela can withstand the first days of aggression and whether it can survive the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Yes, the country is nominally prepared to resist—as Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, speaking from his bunker, says, for example. However, experts don't rule out the possibility that the vertical power structure without Maduro could simply crumble.
Meanwhile, Venezuela shouldn't expect any outside help. Of all the countries currently speaking out loudest, Venezuela's neighbor, Colombia (whose president, Gustavo Petro, is also no friend of the United States, and therefore could be the next victim of American aggression) is the one speaking out loudest.
Bogotá calls for immediate emergency meetings of the Organization of American States, as well as the UN Security Council, of which it is currently a non-permanent member.
The great powers remain silent for now.
Partly because they don't have full information about what's happening, including the fate of the Venezuelan president.
Partly because there is no way to physically help Venezuela, which is very far away.
And partly because they all want America to get deeper into the Venezuelan conflict so that Trump has no time for other regions that are already foreign to him.
Summarizing the situation as of 11:30 p.m ET Saturday: President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared in New York City to be indicted in the Southern District of New York. We had reports that their son was also charged with drug trafficking and Vice President Delcy Rodriguez fled to Russia. President Trump announced America will govern Venezuela until a new government is put in place, and American oil companies will refurbish and restart Venezuelan oil production.
But!
Given all the social & physical controls imposed by the Dictatorship / Socialist style Gov over the many years in power, will the people know what to do with the chance they are now given?
ie...
Socialist Venezuela firearm laws, ban private ownership of firearms and ammunition, with exceptions only for the military, police, and certain government-approved groups.
Obviously, the Guilty Elite class will fight, while prepping to flee. On fleeing, usually the elite take huge amounts of the country's remaining assets with them.
Many will flee to avoid answering for their crimes against their own people. Tracking which countries they flee to, for an understanding of the bigger political picture.
Summary: Trump has taken Venezuela in a corporate style takeover in a few days, where most US Presidents take years with less success.
#7
The USA Special Op was a 3 hour success.
The Russian Special Op to take over Ukraine is in its 1400th day
If you compare the mass of Maduro and his wife vs the mass of Ukraine, that is probably about right.
Not long ago, people were wondering about the yuuge build-up of forces which seemed rather excessive for interdicting drug boats. I guess now we know. A very impressive bit of work!
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Vasily Fedorov
[REGNUM] On the night of January 3, 2026, US armed forces conducted a military operation on Venezuelan territory.
Around two o'clock in the morning local time, residents of Caracas heard a series of explosions – at least seven – and aircraft appeared in the skies above the capital.
Strikes targeted military installations in several states, including the Fuerte Tiuna air base, the Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda air base, the port of La Guaira, as well as the parliament building and the mausoleum of former President Hugo Chávez. A state of emergency was declared in the country.
During the operation, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured and spirited out of the country. The operation lasted less than 30 minutes. According to the Pentagon, more than 150 aircraft were involved, and the elite Delta Force unit carried out the capture.
The victims of the strikes included military personnel, government officials, and civilians; the exact death toll is being determined. There were no casualties among American personnel; one helicopter was shot down, but managed to return to base along with the others.
"PLAYED AND GOT"
At a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence, US President Donald Trump commented on the operation in detail. He called it "one of the most impressive, effective, and powerful demonstrations of American military power and competence in American history" and said it "went perfectly."
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kane said the operation, codenamed "Absolute Resolve," had been in the works for months and required "months of intelligence work," including learning details about where Maduro lives and what he eats.
Trump ordered the operation to begin on January 2 at 10:46 PM Eastern Time. According to CBS News and the New York Times, a CIA source within the Venezuelan government helped track the president's location.
According to General Kane's timeline, American forces arrived at Maduro's compound at 1:01 a.m. ET. The helicopters came under fire and responded with "overwhelming force."
At 3:29 a.m., Maduro and his wife surrendered and were taken aboard the landing ship Iwo Jima. Trump later posted a photo of Maduro on board the ship, blindfolded and wearing headphones.
Earlier that day, in an interview with Fox News, Trump revealed that he personally offered Maduro "capitulation" a week before the operation. He also said the operation was postponed due to weather conditions.
Trump said the captured Venezuelan leader and his wife were being transported to the United States, where they face charges of conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism, cocaine smuggling, and possession and use of weapons and explosive devices.
Maduro faces up to four life sentences under the combined charges. US Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that the defendants "will feel the full wrath of the American justice system."
Trump made a number of fundamental statements regarding Venezuela's future. "We will govern this country until we can achieve a safe, orderly, and rational transition of power," he emphasized.
Asked about the governance mechanism, Trump replied that he was "appointing people right now," and gestured to himself and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The American president also allowed for the possibility of follow-up strikes: the US is “ready for a second wave of attacks,” but does not consider it necessary at this stage.
Trump specifically addressed the rationale for the operation. He described Maduro as the head of the Cartel de los Soles drug cartel and stated that the American side has "absolute evidence" that will be presented in court.
Beyond drug trafficking, Trump accused Venezuela of sending people "from psychiatric hospitals and prisons" to the United States. The American president also claimed that Venezuela "unilaterally took American oil": "It's still our oil. We built that industry, and they took it away as if it wasn't ours."
Now, he said, "major American oil companies will come into the country to fix the infrastructure and start making money for Venezuela."
In closing, Trump warned that the operation "should serve as a warning to anyone who threatens U.S. sovereignty," and that what happened to Maduro "could happen to anyone." He also urged "not to forget the Monroe Doctrine" and declared that the United States intends to ensure that "U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere is never again questioned."
Secretary of State Rubio, speaking at a press conference, recalled that Maduro was indicted in the United States back in 2020 and that the White House considers him an illegitimate president.
"Maduro was a direct threat to us. He had a lot of cards, but he lost. Our president doesn't joke. This is a message to the world," the Secretary of State emphasized. He also addressed Cuba: "If I lived in Havana and was in the government, I'd be worried."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at the same press conference, put it even more bluntly: “Maduro had a chance, just like Iran had a chance… He played and got it.”
A separate question concerned Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. Trump stated that it would be "very difficult" for her to become the country's leader because she "doesn't have the support and respect within the country."
GLOBAL REACTION: FROM CONDEMNATION TO CAUTIOUS SUPPORT
The US military operation sparked widespread international outcry. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the incident an "act of armed aggression" and characterized Washington's justifications as "unfounded." The ministry's statement emphasized that "ideological hostility prevailed over businesslike pragmatism."
Moscow strongly urged the American leadership to release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and insisted on resolving the crisis through dialogue. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people in a telephone conversation with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed "deep shock" and "strong condemnation," describing Washington's actions as a "gross violation of international law" and a "threat to peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean." Beijing called on the American side to "cease its infringement on the sovereignty and security of other countries."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed "deep concern about the escalation," noting that the operation has "potentially alarming consequences for the region" and "creates a dangerous precedent." He assessed that "international law is not being respected."
European Union Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas called for "restraint" and recalled that the EU has "repeatedly stated" that Maduro lacks "sufficient legitimacy." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a "peaceful and democratic transition" in Venezuela. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot directly condemned the operation, calling it "a violation of the principle of the non-use of force, which is at the core of international law."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that London was "not involved" in the operation and stated his intention to "establish the facts" in a conversation with Trump. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk acknowledged that the American attack came as a surprise to Warsaw.
The reaction of German politicians is telling. Roderich Kiesewetter, a Bundestag member of parliament from the conservative CDU, called the operation a "putsch" and declared that "with President Trump, the US is finally abandoning the rules-based order that has shaped us since 1945." According to him, "the putsch in Venezuela marks a return to the old American doctrine from before 1940: thinking in terms of spheres of influence, where the law of the strong prevails, not international law."
Iran called the incident a "gross violation of regional and international peace" and called on the UN Security Council to stop the illegal aggression. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko categorically condemned the US actions, while Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel demanded "an immediate response from the international community to this criminal attack," describing it as "state terrorism."
The New York Times editorial board harshly criticized the Trump administration's actions. The newspaper called the strike on Venezuela "illegal" and "unwise," and noted that the president is "pushing the country toward an international crisis without good reason."
According to the editorial board, “without congressional approval, his actions violate American law,” and the official justification for the operation—the fight against “narcoterrorists”—is “especially absurd.”
NBC News notes: "If any government missed the signal in 2025, that year began with the Trump administration's forceful declaration: 'Bend to our will.'" The publication notes that US allies are being cautious, "trying not to incur Trump's wrath with their response."
Several US Democratic senators issued sharp criticism. Senator Ruben Gallego stated: "This war is illegal, and it's shameful that in less than a year we've gone from being the world's policeman to the world's bully. We have no reason to fight Venezuela. "
Senator Andy Kim recalled that Secretary Rubio and Defense Secretary Hegseth "looked every senator in the eye and said this is not about regime change" just weeks ago, calling it a "blatant lie to Congress."
LATIN AMERICA: BETWEEN CONDEMNATION AND APPROVAL
The reaction of Latin American countries to the operation was mixed, although most countries in the region criticized Washington's actions.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called the explosions in Venezuela and the capture of its president "crossing an unacceptable line" and "an extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community." He assessed that the US actions "are reminiscent of the worst moments of interference in Latin American politics."
"Attacking countries in flagrant violation of international law is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability, where the rule of force prevails over multilateral mechanisms," the Brazilian leader wrote.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum strongly condemned the military action, calling it a "clear violation of Article 2 of the UN Charter," and called for "respect for international law and an end to all acts of aggression against the government and people of Venezuela."
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the incident "an act of aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and Latin America," condemned it, and called for immediate meetings of the UN and the Organization of American States.
He recalled that Colombia has been a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council since January 1, and called for “establishing the international legitimacy of aggression.”
Colombian authorities also deployed forces on the border with Venezuela and declared their readiness to accept refugees. Chilean President Gabriel Boric condemned the strikes and called for a "peaceful solution to this serious crisis."
Argentine President Javier Miley took a special stance, becoming the only Latin American leader to openly support the US actions. "Freedom is coming, long live freedom, damn it!" he wrote on social media, using his signature slogan.
Venezuela has formally requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. This initiative has been supported by Russia, China, and several Latin American countries.
Leaders of the Caribbean Community held an emergency meeting and expressed "grave concern" about the situation, which "may have implications for neighboring countries." Trinidad and Tobago emphasized that it "does not participate" in US military operations.
Furrowed brows all around. And then dessert and brandy came out, and all was joy and light once again.
Sources say the UN Security Council meeting on Venezuela could take place on Sunday or Monday, but a final decision has not yet been made.
Too late. Maduro and wife are already indicted in federal court in New York City, VP Delcy Rodriguez is said to be arrived in Russia, though apparently Russia says no, and President Trump is organizing an interim government until the locals are ready to take their country back.
The prospects for meetings in both the UN Security Council and the Organization of American States remain uncertain. The United States holds a veto in the Security Council, and the positions of Latin American states differ significantly.
Indeed. Some of the Latin American countries — plus the Venezuelans themselves — are thrilled.
At the same time, Venezuela's opposition leader, Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado, declared that "the hour of freedom has come" and called on supporters to "prepare to take power."
THE MONROE DOCTRINE IS BACK
The military operation in Venezuela was the largest direct US intervention in Latin American affairs since the 1989 invasion of Panama – exactly 36 years ago, when American forces overthrew and captured General Manuel Noriega on drug trafficking charges.
The parallels are obvious: both then and now, the official justification was the fight against drug trafficking, and the declared goal of the operation was the capture of the head of state for trial in the United States.
This development fits within the logic of the updated US National Security Strategy, adopted by the Trump administration in December 2025. The document enshrines Washington's desire for unconditional dominance in the Western Hemisphere and effectively proclaims a return to the principles of the Monroe Doctrine—a two-hundred-year-old concept that North and South America constitute a zone of exclusive US interests.
Trump himself called at a press conference "not to forget the Monroe Doctrine." A number of observers, including German lawmaker Kiesewetter, directly point to a "return to the pre-1940 doctrine" and "thinking in terms of spheres of influence."
The key question is what happens next. The Trump administration has declared its intention to "manage" Venezuela until a "proper transition of power" occurs, but it still has no control over the situation on the ground.
Government structures formally continue to function, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez has issued a call for resistance, and Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has reportedly left the country.
If the Venezuelan opposition succeeds in coming to power and establishing cooperation with the military, the operation could go down in history as a success for Trump. If the country descends into chaos or civil strife, it could be seen as his greatest failure.
“Even if the U.S. sells this oil for HALF of the market rate, that’s still $8.7 TRILLION,” the Kobeissi Letter noted on X. “In other words, in 12 hours, the U.S. has gained control of oil reserves worth more than the entire GDP of ALL countries in the world, aside from the U.S. and China.”
#6
It is NOT reserves that are important. You guys are easily misled. It's recoverable reserves. Venezuela is primarily very, very heavy oil and as such it means it has lower percentages of what makes oil valuable. As OSPASDaharan might say, KSA's oil is lighter and flows more easily, thus has a higher percentage of its total reserves which can actual reach wellheads. Don't be fooled by these total reserve figures. They have long been internally manipulated for public consumption, especially in order to lay claim to your higher allocated OPEC proportion of that groups total monthly negotiated production rate. Secondly, a very relevant fact to keep in mind is that oil is fungible, (just like money is fungible). What a particular country doesn't produce this month can be replaced by another country's production. A third key factor....in the very long run (measured in decades) is its best to consume another country's oil production long before depleting ones own reserves.
#8
also the heavy crude of Venezuela is most appropriate for road tar and bunker fuel unless processed (distilled) by the heavy oil refineries of Texas.
#9
Correct 3dc. Cracking the heavy long chain molecules is not only a risky refining process, as it takes higher cracking temps, but has to be carefully monitored for each batch of crude. Many Euro and Asian refineries are far simpler straight runs systems that don't easily accept heavy assays. Texas has much better Chem Eng experts. This Venezuela issue has far longer time frame implications for the States than most folks realize. It's similar to the news about the discovery of Ghawar's size achieved during WW2 and left undisclosed from the world. Just think of it in these layman terms: The world's largest consumer of oil just acquired control of the worlds' largest know receivers and its in the same time zone, just a hop skip and jump away by VLCC. It's not just about oil, but oil sure plays a huge factor in making this stick. Good news for the stock market. Especially energy intensive US industries. Buy stock tomorrow morning.....
At 4:21 on Saturday morning, President Donald Trump sent a message on his Truth Social platform: the United States had carried out a daring mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
The action came as a surprise, but according to sources familiar with the matter, planning for one of the most complex U.S. operations in recent memory had been in the works for months and included detailed rehearsals.Elite U.S. troops, including the Army's Delta Force, created an exact replica of Maduro's safe house and practiced how they would enter the strongly fortified residence.
The CIA had a small team on the ground starting in August who were able to provide insight into Maduro's pattern of life that made grabbing him seamless, according to one source familiar with the matter.
Two other sources told Reuters the intelligence agency also had an asset close to Maduro who would monitor his movements and was poised to pinpoint his exact location as the operation unfolded.
[IsraelTimes] Alleging the soldier took part in war crimes in Gaza, Belgium-based pro-Palestinian legal group says Czech authorities are obligated to act ‘under international and domestic law’
The Hind Rajab Foundation
…a project launched late 2024 by the March 30 Movement, itself named in memory of the Palestinian general strike on that date in 1976 in the West Bank against the Israeli government. Both groups are lawfare boiler rooms generating endless lawsuits against Israelis and those who support Israel in Western Europe and elsewhere, and between times propagandizing against Israel using the currently fashionable far left shibboleths. March 30 is the hobby of lawyer Haroon Raza, appearing at the end of 2023, but at bottom it’s a Hezbollah front founded by Dyab Abou Jahjah (Dyab Abu Jahjah) …
recently filed a criminal complaint to Czech authorities against an Israeli soldier who is visiting the country, the group announced Friday, accusing the soldier of war crimes allegedly committed in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... The foundation, a pro-Paleostinian, anti-Israel legal group based in Belgium and named for a 6-year-old Gazook girl killed in January 2024, has filed dozens of criminal complaints against Israeli soldiers and officials who are visiting or stationed in European countries over the past two years.
According to the group, the IDF soldier in question is currently a tourist in Prague.
The group’s complaint alleges that the soldier, as a member of the Givati Brigade, took part in "genocide, war crimes, and persecution of civilians committed during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza."
Givati has been deployed extensively during the war in Gaza, which began when the Hamas ..a regional Iranian catspaw,... terror group attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
Israel vehemently denies it has committed war crimes or genocide in Gaza, and says it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities, stressing that that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.
Since the soldier is currently in the Czech Republic, the group claims that Prague must prosecute the soldier due to its "obligations under international and domestic law"
"These crimes fall under universal jurisdiction. Where a suspect is present on Czech territory, prosecutors are not merely empowered to act — they are legally obliged to do so," the complaint alleges.
There was no immediate response from Czech authorities.
According to the group, the soldier was deployed in Gaza between December 2023 and November 2025, "including during the siege and destruction" of the al-Shifa hospital complex in Gaza City.
Over the course of the war, the IDF carried out several operations in and around the Shifa complex, where it said was the site of a major Hamas command center and weapons depot. Despite overwhelming evidence, Hamas has denied operating from Shifa and other health facilities.
The complaint claims the soldier took part in "operations connected to an attack on a protected medical facility, the siege of civilians, patients, and medical staff, mass detention and mistreatment of Paleostinian civilians, practices involving blindfolding, restraint, and humiliation during arrest and transfer operations."
"The Hind Rajab Foundation is more determined than ever to ensure that 2026 becomes a year of justice for the victims of the Gaza genocide — not another year of impunity for Israeli perpetrators," said Dyab Abou Jahjah, the group’s general director of HRF.
Beginning in 2024, the Hind Rajab Foundation has used social media posts by Israeli soldiers, officers, and reservists to locate them in an attempt to have them arrested for alleged war crimes when they travel abroad. The group has sparked alarm within Israel, prompting the IDF to create new rules to better protect troops’ privacy and keep them from being victims of doxxing — the practice of publishing someone’s personal information online to expose them.
While the group has spurred European authorities to detain a number of IDF soldiers and forced a soldier visiting Brazil to flee back to Israel fearing arrest, it has been unsuccessful in court, and no soldier targeted by the group has been prosecuted for war crimes or any other alleged offenses committed in Gaza.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council (SC) on the situation in Venezuela will take place on Monday, January 5. This was announced on January 3 by the Somali mission to the UN Security Council, which holds the presidency for January. And if necessary, permanent member America will veto whatever silliness they come up with.
The Somali Permanent Mission clarified in a conversation with RIA Novosti that the meeting is scheduled for 10:00 local time (18:00 Moscow time).
On January 3, the United States conducted a military operation in Venezuela. US President Donald Trump announced the arrest and extradition of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. They were charged in the US with conspiracy to commit "narcoterrorism," cocaine smuggling, and the use and possession of weapons and explosive devices. Maduro faces up to four life sentences. Trump also stated that the US intends to assume "interim control" of Venezuela.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as the country's acting president.
Not fled to Russia after all? Delta Force will be glad to know.
Rodriguez demanded the US immediately release Maduro. She also emphasized that Venezuela will not be anyone's colony and announced the entry into force of a decree declaring a state of emergency in Venezuela.
Uruguayan authorities reject the US military intervention in Venezuela and call for respect for international law and the United Nations Charter. This was reported by the Uruguayan Foreign Ministry press service on January 3.
The statement stated that the Uruguayan government is closely monitoring events in Venezuela. The country's Foreign Ministry noted that Montevideo rejects military intervention by any country in the territory of another and reaffirms the importance of upholding international law and the UN Charter, in particular its fundamental principle that countries must refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
Latin America and the Caribbean are a zone of peace and free of nuclear weapons, the Uruguayan Foreign Ministry emphasized. Diplomats called on the UN and the Organization of American States to assist in finding a resolution to the situation.
On January 3, the United States conducted a military operation in Venezuela. US President Donald Trump announced the arrest and extradition of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flore. In the US, they were charged with conspiracy related to "narcoterrorism," cocaine smuggling, and the use and possession of weapons and explosive devices. Maduro faces up to four life sentences. Trump stated that the US intends to assume " interim control " of Venezuela.
[Jpost] Audit found that from November 2024, the Pentagon maintained records for only 44%, down from 69% before the war began.
A recent report by the US Department of Defense Inspector General reveals that Washington struggled to maintain full accountability over sensitive American‑supplied weapons in Israel during the first year of the Gaza war, as the conflict’s intensity and operational constraints disrupted standard monitoring procedures.
The audit, completed in December 2025, examined how effectively the Pentagon carried out Enhanced End‑Use Monitoring (EEUM), the highest level of oversight applied to US defense articles considered particularly sensitive, such as advanced munitions, night‑vision systems, and specialized weapons platforms.
Since the audit was partially redacted, it was not possible to identify which defense articles were involved.
The United States is facing comparable challenges with weapons sent to Ukraine, and it had similar issues during the war in Iraq when the Pentagon had trouble conducting inspections due to hostilities.
According to the report, US officials in Israel had been largely compliant in monitoring requirements before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre. However, once the war erupted, the Office of Defense Cooperation-Israel (ODC‑I), the US Embassy unit responsible for tracking was unable to conduct many of the required on‑site inspections and serial‑number inventories.
The report found that from November 2024, the Pentagon maintained records for only 44% of the platforms that are subject to enhanced monitoring, down from 69% before the war began. Much of the equipment was unable to be tracked because it had already been deployed by the IDF.
The audit cites a combination of additional factors, such as travel restrictions imposed by the US State Department, the rapidly shifting security environment, and staffing shortages within the ODC‑I. Together, these conditions made it impossible to carry out the annual physical checks mandated by the Pentagon’s Security Assistance Management Manual.
While the report acknowledges that ODC‑I continued some monitoring activities, such as recording Israeli notifications of weapons expended in combat, it concludes that the DoD “only partially complied” with its own rules after the war began. Large portions of the US tracking database contained outdated or incomplete information, and many items lacked updated disposition codes indicating whether they were deployed, stored, or unavailable for inspection.
The Inspector General also faulted US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) for failing to provide adequate oversight during the conflict. Both organizations are responsible for ensuring that embassy teams follow monitoring procedures and for intervening when compliance issues arise. The audit found that neither entity identified the emerging gaps or took steps to mitigate them.
“Without effective accountability, these EEUM defense articles could be acquired by adversaries in the region. Adversaries who obtain EEUM defense articles would have firsthand access and knowledge of sensitive US weapon systems technology, decreasing the technological advantage on the battlefield and increasing the risk to the United States, partner nations, and allies,” the report warns.
It also stresses that incomplete monitoring does not imply misuse of United States weapons by Israel. Rather, it highlights the difficulty of maintaining strict accountability during an active, high‑intensity conflict, and the risks that arise when documentation lags behind battlefield realities. Enhanced monitoring is designed to ensure that sensitive US systems are stored securely, used according to bilateral agreements, and protected from diversion.
The Inspector General issued four recommendations, including updating all disposition records in the US tracking system and restoring full annual inspections once conditions allow. One recommendation was closed during the audit after ODC‑I took corrective action, while the remaining three remain open pending further documentation.
SURGE IN MILITARY AID
The findings come at a time when US military aid to Israel has surged.
From October 2023 to April 2024, the United States made 42 deliveries of over four million munitions from strategic US stockpiles within Israel, the report said. In addition, from October 2023 to August 2025, the DoD notified Congress of over $20 billion in military sales of defense articles to Israel, on top of the long‑standing $3.8 billion annual commitment under the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding.
As Israel continues implementing the first phase of the 2025 Gaza peace plan and the region transitions into a new security landscape, US officials say they expect monitoring activities to normalize. But the audit underscores a broader challenge: how to maintain rigorous oversight of advanced weapons systems in the middle of a fast‑moving, multi‑front conflict.
The United States is facing comparable challenges with weapons sent to Ukraine, and it had similar issues during the war in Iraq when the Pentagon had trouble conducting inspections due to hostilities.
No mention of tracking equipment in Afghanistan, for some reason.
#6
Grom where do you think our intel into deep Iranian and ISIS operations and people comes from? Israel. They are better at it in that part of the world than we are because they HAVE to be.
[IsraelTimes] Handala group urges followers to ‘stay tuned’ as it publishes dozens of pictures of Shaked with family and friends, in latest cyber attack on an Israeli political figure
Iran-linked hacking group Handala on Saturday published about 60 pictures and videos it said were stolen from former minister Ayelet Shaked’s mobile phone, in the group’s latest attack on an Israeli political figure.
"For years, Shaked stood on podiums, preaching security, authority, and the fight against her enemies. But now, her messages, documents, and confidential information about Hamas ..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,... , Iran, and behind-the-scenes decisions are in our hands," Handala claimed on X. "Stay tuned; parts of what we have uncovered will soon be released, so everyone will know."
Shaked, a right-wing leader who served as interior and justice minister, did not immediately comment on the statement.
Handala claimed last month that it hacked the phones of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff Tzachi Braverman and of former prime minister Naftali Bennett, who is Shaked’s political ally and Netanyahu’s main challenger. The Prime Minister’s Office denied Braverman’s phone had been breached, while Bennett said his Telegram account was hacked but not the device itself.
In a series of X posts titled "The Queen’s Secrets," Handala on Saturday alluded to Bennett’s statement, asking Shaked if she would try to "mislead the public by claiming that only Telegram has been compromised."
Some of the footage in the thread appeared unrelated to Shaked, including a picture of Braverman at the Western Wall in Jerusalem and several videos of an unidentified woman introducing herself as a long-time staffer of Netanyahu’s Likud party and avid supporter of the premier.
Other footage featured Shaked, 49, with her family, friends and co-workers. One grainy picture appeared to show a young Shaked as a soldier holding a semi-automatic rifle.
The footage included videos of Shaked congratulating people on personal occasions; signing Justice Ministry documents and meeting with Bennett in a government office; celebrating her birthday at the Kardan real estate company, where she became chairperson in 2023 after her departure from politics; visiting an army base during the war in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... ; and accusing pro-Netanyahu journalist Yinon Magal of defending wartime humanitarian aid deliveries to the Strip during the war.
In an unsourced report in August, Channel 12 said Shaked had been informed by the Shin Bet that Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... hacked a phone belonging to her during the Islamic Theocratic Republic’s 12-day war with Israel in June. It was unclear if that reported infiltration was related to Handala’s statement Saturday.
Handala, whose name and logo derive from a Paleostinian cartoon character, has claimed several attacks on Israeli targets throughout the Gaza war, including hacking loudspeakers in some 20 kindergartens last January to broadcast rocket sirens and odes to terrorism.
The group also reportedly published the personal information of thousands of Israeli gun owners from various sources including the police, the National Security Ministry and private security firms.
Before that, the group posted what it said was footage hacked from former defense minister Benny Gantz, former foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi and former prime minister Ehud Barak, but the pictures Handala posted had already been published.
The group also said it had stolen troves of data from the Soreq nuclear research center and from the Shin Bet internal security agency in late 2024. Neither alleged infiltration was confirmed.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
..a regional Iranian catspaw,...
..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,...
