fars | Iranian Army Drones Strike US Military Facilities in Jordan, Bahrain – خبرگزاری فارس
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Trump World
President Donald Trump has announced an historic multi-billion-dollar deal with Saudi Arabia. The deal will result in U.S. firms being contracted to help the Saudis build a nuclear power plant. Critics warn the Saudis will develop a nuclear arms program through the civil program the U.S. will help it build.
Trump Seals Saudi Nuclear Pact, Handing Russia and China a Defeat › American Greatness– amgreatness.com
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EXCERPT:
President Donald Trump has signed off on a sweeping 30-year civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, a deal administration officials say will lock American companies into the kingdom’s energy future and keep Moscow and Beijing on the sidelines.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright is expected to formally sign the accord alongside Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, capping months of negotiations that began during Wright’s first foreign trip to the region in April 2025. The pact, valued at tens of billions of dollars, still must clear a congressional review period before taking effect.
Under the agreement, U.S. firms, led by Westinghouse Electric and its AP1000 reactor capable of powering a midsize city or a large artificial-intelligence data center, would build out Saudi Arabia’s nuclear infrastructure. A joint two-year study will examine whether the kingdom should eventually host its own uranium-enrichment facility, built and operated by American companies under a tightly controlled “black box” structure meant to keep sensitive technology out of Saudi hands. If Washington decides against enrichment, Riyadh would be barred from pursuing it alone or with another country for a decade.
Following Iran’s provocation, the Houthis of Yemen have pledged they will shut the Red Sea down. The hope is that shutting down two major shipping lanes, the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, will cripple the global economy.
Iran-Backed Houthi Terrorists Announce Blockade of the Red Sea– gellerreport.com
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EXCERPT:
The Houthis is another Islamic terror arm of Tehran. They must be confronted accordingly. Iran’s terror regime is a scourge upon humanity, and its reign must be brought to an end.
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Yemen’s Ansarullah has started enforcing a naval blockade on all Saudi ports in the Red Sea.
Ansarullah has deployed anti-ship missiles, increased military activity along the Saudi border, and stepped up naval operations in the Red Sea as part of the blockade. pic.twitter.com/0dbfzt3fQP
— Current Report (@Currentreport1) July 20, 2026
Washington Times: The Houthis, a Yemen-based rebel faction backed by Iran, announced a new blockade of the Red Sea on Monday, potentially opening a new front in the U.S.-Iran war even as Pakistani and Qatari mediators work to broker a ceasefire. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said in a video statement that the group would immediately impose a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, which borders the Red Sea. Houthi-affiliated media confirmed the blockade would take effect immediately, saying it was in response to what the group called Saudi Arabia’s illegal “blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years.”
President Donald Trump announced a 5,000 troop cut in Germany, adding more is to come. He said, “We’re going to cut way down. And we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000.”
Trump Announces Deeper U.S. Troop Cuts in Germany as Tensions With Allies Grow › American Greatness– amgreatness.com
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EXCERPT:
President Donald Trump said the United States will reduce its military presence in Germany beyond an already announced withdrawal, indicating a broader shift in U.S. defense posture in Europe.
Speaking to reporters Saturday evening, Trump said the planned reduction of roughly 5,000 troops is only the beginning. “We’re going to cut way down. And we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” he said.
The Pentagon confirmed Friday that thousands of U.S. personnel will be pulled from bases in Germany over the next year. The move revisits a policy first pursued during Trump’s earlier term, when his administration proposed withdrawing about 9,500 troops before the plan was halted by Joe Biden after he took office.
The United States currently maintains about 36,000 troops in Germany and approximately 80,000 across Europe, making it one of the largest overseas deployments of American forces.
The decision comes amid rising friction between Washington and European allies over defense commitments and strategy. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has publicly criticized the White House’s handling of the Iran conflict, saying the United States had been “humiliated,” a remark that drew attention in Washington.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the U.S. bears an unfair share of the financial burden for Europe’s defense, particularly in Germany, while also pointing to Berlin’s economic ties with countries such as Russia and China.
Did Trump arm Iranians and they failed to deliver?
Trump’s Claim of Arming Iranian Protesters Triggers Speculation Among Chinese Netizens Vision Times
from news.google.com
Israel and Hamas meet in Egypt to hash out Trump peace plan– www.foxnews.com
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Chief negotiators from Israel and Hamas convened in Egypt on Monday to hash out details on President Donald Trump’s peace plan to end the yearslong war and return the 48 hostages still held.
The talks come one day ahead of the second anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel, when some 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were dragged into the Gaza Strip, where dozens of dead and alive remain hostage.
Egypt announced on Saturday that the high-level negotiations would occur Monday in the coast resort city of Sharm El Sheikh, located in the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, after Hamas leadership appeared to accept part of the 20-point blueprint.
Einav Zangauker, the mother of Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker, speaks during a solidarity protest, calling for an end to the war and the release of all remaining hostages on Oct. 04, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Potential hurdles litter road as Israel and Hamas head to Gaza peace talks | Israel-Palestine conflict News– www.aljazeera.com
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Excerpt:
Delegations from Hamas, Israel and the United States are due to convene in Egypt for talks on US President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the war in Gaza.
Indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the 20-point plan are due to begin in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday.
The talks, which come on the eve of the second anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel that led to the war, have raised hopes that the devastating conflict, which has killed tens of thousands in Gaza, could soon end. But at the same time, there are plenty of potential obstacles to sealing a deal.
Trump has insisted that both sides are on board with his peace framework and has called for the negotiations to “move fast” in reaching an agreement.
Despite the failure of several initiatives to try to end the conflict, including two brief ceasefires that collapsed, the bombardment of Gaza, which has now killed at least 67,160 people, wounded 169,679, and pushed the enclave’s two million or so people towards starvation, Trump said “the first phase should be completed this week”.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said there had been “very positive discussions with Hamas” and other governments over the weekend “to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza but, more importantly, finally have long sought peace in the Middle East”.
Gaza peace plan agreed to by Trump, Netanyahu– www.chicagotribune.com
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CAIRO — After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threw his support behind the U.S. peace plan for Gaza, the question now is whether Hamas will agree.
Hamas faces a bitter tradeoff — the proposal demands that the group effectively surrender in return for uncertain gains. But if it rejects the deal, the U.S. could give Israel an even freer hand to continue its punishing campaign in the already devastated territory.
Under the proposal, the group would have to disarm in return for an end to fighting, humanitarian aid for Palestinians, and the promise of reconstruction in Gaza — all desperately hoped for by its population.
But the proposal has only a vague promise that some day, perhaps, Palestinian statehood might be possible. For the foreseeable future, Gaza and its more than 2 million Palestinians would be put under international control. An international security force would move in, and a “Board of Peace” headed by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would oversee Gaza’s administration and reconstruction. The territory would remain surrounded by Israeli troops.
Trump and Netanyahu said they agreed on the plan Monday after talks at the White House.
The proposal includes one provision that Netanyahu and his hard-line government most strongly oppose: It says the Palestinian Authority will eventually govern Gaza. But Netanyahu is likely betting that will never come to pass. Israel also rejects any Palestinian state.
The White House issued the text on Monday of its 20-point proposal. Here is what to know.
The ceasefire
The plan calls for all hostilities to immediately end. Within 72 hours, Hamas would release all hostages it still holds, living or dead. The fighters still hold 48 hostages — 20 of whom are believed by Israel to be alive.
In return, Israel would free 250 Palestinians serving life sentences in its prisons as well as 1,700 people detained from Gaza since the war began, including all women and children. Israel would also hand over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for each body of a hostage handed over.
Troop withdrawal
The plan calls for an Israeli troop withdrawal. But it would only take place after Hamas disarms and as the international security force deploys to fill in areas that Israeli forces leave.
Israel would also maintain a “security perimeter presence” – a vague phrasing that could mean it would keep a buffer zone inside Gaza.
Those terms could bring pushback from Hamas, which has said it will not release all its hostages unless it receives a “clear declaration” the war will end and Israel will leave Gaza completely.
The fate of Hamas and postwar Gaza
Hamas would have no part in administering Gaza, and all its military infrastructure — including tunnels — would be dismantled. Members who pledge to live peacefully would be granted amnesty, and those who wish to leave Gaza would be allowed to.
The international security force would ensure Hamas’ disarmament and keep order. It would also train Palestinian police to take over law enforcement. Mediator Egypt has said it is training thousands of Palestinian police to deploy to Gaza.
Meanwhile, humanitarian aid would be allowed to flow into Gaza in large amounts and would be run by “neutral international bodies,” including the U.N. and the Red Crescent. It is unclear whether the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, a controversial alternative food distribution system backed by Israel and the U.S., would continue to operate.
The plan also specifies that Palestinians will not be expelled from Gaza, and that there will be an international effort to rebuild the territory for Palestinians.
In normal cases, that might not need spelling out. But Palestinians have feared mass expulsion after both Trump and the Israeli government spoke of pushing out Gaza’s population — ostensibly in a “voluntary” manner — and rebuilding the strip as a sort of international real estate venture.
The interim administration of Palestinian technocrats would run day-to-day affairs in Gaza. But it would be overseen by the “Board of Peace.” The board would also supervise funding of reconstruction, a role that could give it enormous power over governing Gaza since that is the biggest task facing the territory, almost completely destroyed by Israel’s campaign.
The Palestinian Authority and statehood
During this interim administration, the Palestinian Authority would undergo reforms so it can eventually take over governing Gaza.
The plan has only a slight nod to the issue of statehood. It says that if the Palestinian Authority reforms sufficiently and Gaza redevelopment advances, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
The response so far
Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief shared the 20-point plan Monday evening with Hamas negotiators. The Hamas negotiators said they would review it in good faith and provide a response.
Hamas has so far rejected disarmament, saying it has a right to resist until Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands ends.
Arab countries appear to back the outline. The governments of Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement applauding Trump’s proposal.
Netanyahu could face resistance from within his own ultra-nationalist coalition allies.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is part of Netanyahu’s security Cabinet, published a list of his “red lines” on X on Monday. Top among them, he wrote, any deal must not allow involvement of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza or allow a Palestinian state. Smotrich is one of the more vocal members of the right-wing bloc of Netanyahu’s coalition who have previously threatened to leave the government if Netanyahu halts the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu may see a loophole. The proposal makes PA involvement in Gaza conditional on it completing internal reforms, which it pledged to do, saying it welcomed Trump’s plan to end the war.
But in his comments alongside Trump on Monday, Netanyahu expressed his belief it will never successfully do so.
Originally Published:
US again vetoes UN Security Council Gaza ceasefire call– www.channelnewsasia.com
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Excerpt:
UNITED NATIONS: The United States on Thursday (Sep 18) again wielded its veto and thwarted a UN Security Council call for a ceasefire in Gaza, shielding its ally Israel from meaningful diplomatic pressure.
The 14 other members of the Council backed the resolution, initiated in August in response to the UN’s official declaration of famine.
The vote came as Israeli tanks and jets pounded Gaza City, the target of a major new ground offensive, forcing Palestinians to flee south.
The resolution text seen by AFP had demanded “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties” as well as the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
The US has repeatedly rejected that approach multiple times, most recently in June when it used its veto to back Israel.
This was the sixth time the US had cast a veto in the Security Council over the nearly two-year war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas.
“Let this resolution send a clear message, a message that the Security Council is not turning its back on starving civilians, on the hostages and the demand for a ceasefire,” Denmark’s UN ambassador Christina Lassen said ahead of the vote.
“A generation risks being lost not only to war – but to hunger and despair. Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its military operation in Gaza City, further deepening the suffering of civilians as a result.
“It is this catastrophic situation, this humanitarian and human failure that has compelled us to act today.”