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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
❗️According to Israeli official radio:
– "Security forces have arrested three Palestinians from the Gaza Strip in the Bedouin town of Rahat, south of Israel."
– "The detainees had been in hiding since crossing the border during Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on 7 October, 2023."
UPDATE | The Israeli drone strike from moments ago targeted open land on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese town of Taybeh, with no injuries reported.
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Gangs use Israeli-occupied areas of Gaza to target Hamas, seek to be 'subcontracted' for post-war role
Israel and the US are planning to reconstruct areas of Gaza emptied of Palestinians to create luxury, high-tech cities
❗️Gaza Ministry of Health:
– "In the past 48 hours, 13 martyrs were received at Gaza hospitals, including 6 newly confirmed martyrs and 7 recovered martyrs, along with 20 injuries."
– "Since the ceasefire (11 October, 2025):
• Total martyrs: 401
• Total injuries: 1,108
• Total recovered: 641"
BREAKING | Two Israeli kamikaze drones target an unoccupied house in the town of Blida, south Lebanon.
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❗️Gaza Civil Defense:
"Civil Defense teams, in cooperation with local residents, transferred the bodies of 94 martyrs who had been previously buried during the war in a random cemetery on Sahaba Street in central Gaza City.
The Civil Defense Media Office stated that the pure bodies of the martyrs were handed over to the Forensic Medicine Department at Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza for the necessary procedures, in preparation for their burial in the Martyrs Cemetery in Deir al-Balah.
It is noted that Civil Defense teams, in coordination with the Ministries of Health and Endowments, have completed the transfer of the bodies of thousands of martyrs who were buried in random areas, some of whom were unidentified, and buried them in the Martyrs Cemetery in Deir al-Balah in the central governorate."
❗️Epstein survivors condemn redacted files as failure of transparency
Representatives for victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have condemned the US Justice Department for releasing heavily redacted documents, saying the disclosure falls far short of accountability and transparency. Survivors and advocacy groups say the release offers little new information and fails to meaningfully address Epstein’s crimes or those who enabled them.
The documents were released after legislation signed by US President Donald Trump in November mandated publication of the so-called Epstein files, following months of resistance despite campaign promises. However, the material made public on Friday was extensively censored and largely duplicated information already in the public domain, including photographs of former President Bill Clinton with Epstein and a 1996 description of a criminal complaint.
Critics argue the limited release shields powerful figures from scrutiny while denying victims justice. Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie said the disclosure “grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law,” while survivors reported difficulty finding records related to their own cases.
US bombs 'ISIS targets' in Syria hours after lifting sanctions on ISIS-linked govt
The new bombardment campaign comes one week after a member of Syria's security forces killed two US soldiers in an ambush
BREAKING | Israeli forces detonate several buildings southeast of Khan Yunis in Gaza.
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BREAKING | A child was injured by gunfire from Israeli forces while returning from school in the outskirts of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
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❗️Universal Studios in early talks to build theme park in Saudi Arabia
Universal Studios is in the preliminary stages of planning a new theme park in Saudi Arabia, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
According to the report, the Comcast-owned company is working on early concept designs for the park, which could be funded by a Saudi state-backed entity under a licensing arrangement with Universal.
The report also said Comcast CEO Brian Roberts traveled to Saudi Arabia last month to attend an investment conference and toured Qiddiya, the kingdom’s major entertainment and sports development.
❗️US considering reopening embassy in Syria after 12-year closure
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the Trump administration is not ruling out reopening the US Embassy in Syria, which has been closed since 2012, stressing that its continued shutdown is driven solely by security concerns.
According to Al-Monitor, the State Department has informed Congress of plans to reestablish a diplomatic presence in Syria, a process expected to take significant time. Officials carried out a site review earlier this fall to assess potential locations for a new embassy in Damascus.
US officials are reportedly considering sites outside central Damascus, as the former embassy was located in a densely populated downtown area that posed serious security challenges.
Unelected Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump discussed the reopening of both countries’ embassies during the Syrian leader’s White House visit last month. A senior US administration official said Washington would allow Syria to resume operations at its embassy in Washington as part of broader efforts to enhance counterterrorism cooperation, security coordination, and economic engagement.
VIDEO | Israeli drones observed over Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, since the early hours of the morning.
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❗️US pitches $112 billion 'Project Sunrise' to remake Gaza into 'high-tech coastal hub'
A US plan to transform devastated Gaza into a high-tech, upscale coastal hub over the next 20 years has been presented to potential donor states, according to a report published on Friday.
The proposal, expected to cost $112.1 billion in its first decade, was drafted over the past 45 days by a team led by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.
Under the plan, Washington would initially act as an “anchor” investor with a $60 billion commitment, while anticipating that Gaza would gradually finance parts of the initiative as reconstruction begins, the report said.
The plan is outlined in a 32-page PowerPoint presentation marked “sensitive but unclassified." According to the Journal, the slides have been shared with affluent Gulf states, as well as Turkiye and Egypt.
❗️Rubio says new Gaza governance body to follow soon
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that a new governing framework for Gaza, comprising an international board alongside Palestinian technocrats, would be established in the near future, to be followed by the arrival of foreign troops.
Speaking at a year-end press conference, Rubio said the current situation in Gaza was untenable, noting that Israel has continued striking Hamas targets while the militant group has reasserted control since the October peace deal mediated by President Donald Trump’s administration.
"That's why we have a sense of urgency about bringing phase one to its full completion, which is the establishment of the Board of Peace, and the establishment of the Palestinian technocratic authority or organization that's going to be on the ground, and then the stabilization force comes closely thereafter," Rubio said.
UPDATE | The Lebanese army and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) inspected the home that was targeted earlier today in Blida, south Lebanon. They concluded that the home contained no weapons.
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Whistleblowers accuse CPJ of 'shielding' Israel to appease donors
The organization's annual fundraiser drew $250,000 from Rupert Murdoch-owned media outlets last year
BREAKING | Israeli drone bombs a vehicle near Taybeh, south Lebanon.
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❗️Netanyahu to brief Trump on Iran missile threat, potential action
US President Donald Trump is expected to receive a briefing from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighting that any growth in Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities represents a threat that might require immediate action, NBC News reported today.
According to the report, Israeli officials are worried that Iran is rebuilding nuclear facilities targeted by US airstrikes in June and plan to present Trump with potential options for striking the missile program again.
US officials pitch $112bn plan to rebuild Gaza as 'high tech metropolis': Report
The reconstruction scheme seeks to fulfill Donald Trump's vision of a 'Riviera of the Middle East' in the destroyed Palestinian enclave
❗️White House spokesperson Anna Kelly, as per NBC News:
“As President Trump has said, if Iran pursued a nuclear weapon, that site would be attacked and would be wiped out before they even got close.”
‼️ Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam:
– "The first phase of the plan to restrict weapons south of the Litani River is days away from completion."
– "The state is ready to move to the second phase, north of the Litani River, based on the army’s plan."
(Al Jazeera)
❗️Australian state plans on banning 'globalize the intifada' slogan in light of Bondi attack
The Australian state of New South Wales plans to ban the phrase “globalize the intifada” as part of a broader crackdown on what authorities describe as hateful and extremist slogans. The move follows last week's shooting in Bondi, which marked the deadliest attack in Australia in nearly three decades.
NSW Premier Chris Minns also called for a Royal Commission into the attack, in which 15 people were killed at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach.
In response, both state and federal governments have announced a series of measures aimed at countering extremism. Minns said he will recall the NSW parliament next week to fast-track stricter hate speech and gun control laws. He has also signaled plans to tighten protest laws, arguing they are needed to promote what he described as “a summer of calm.”
Minns confirmed he intends to formally classify the chant “globalize the intifada” as hate speech.
WATCH | Syria's self-appointed President Ahmad al-Sharaa, on his new official X account, released a video yesterday:
"Great Syrian people, peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings.
From Mount Qasioun, I congratulate you on the lifting of sanctions on Syria. Today marks the first day of a Syria free from sanctions, thanks to God and to your patience and sacrifices over 14 years.
Deep gratitude to all who endured hardship, displacement, and loss, and to the martyrs whose sacrifices led us to this moment. This victory is crowned by the complete removal of restrictions on Syria.
I extend sincere thanks to President Donald Trump, members of the US Congress, and to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, and all Arab, Islamic, and European countries that supported the Syrian people.
Great Syrian people, today is your day. The time of pain has ended, and the time of rebuilding has begun. Together, we will build Syria."
(Translated by Clash Report)
BREAKING | Israeli forces shell areas south and east of Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.
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VIDEO | Armed Israeli settlers attack Palestinian vehicles under the protection of Israeli forces near the town of Ein Yabrud, east of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
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❗️ The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) has published a recent satellite image of Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility showing panels covering the damaged site.
ISIS says: "Activity has been spotted at the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) at the Natanz Nuclear Complex. Satellite imagery from December 13, 2025, shows that Iran placed panels on top of the remaining anti-drone structure, providing cover for the destroyed facility, although a large hole remains in the middle where the drone cage was penetrated and damaged. This indicates Iran wants to explore the rubble out of sight of prying eyes ... No other activity has been observed at Natanz or even Fordow. We will continue to monitor the site for any new developments."
❗️Moments ago, the secondary road between the southern Lebanese towns of Odaisseh and Kfar Kila came under machine-gun fire from Israeli forces stationed in the illegal Israeli border settlement of Misgav Am.
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❗️Iran executes convicted Mossad agent after Supreme Court upholds death sentence
Iranian judicial authorities announced the execution of Aqil Keshavarz, convicted of espionage and collaboration with Israel, after the completion of all legal procedures and final confirmation of his death sentence by the Supreme Court. According to Iranian press reports citing the Judiciary, Keshavarz was executed on Saturday morning following due process.
Keshavarz was arrested in the spring of 2025 during a security patrol by the army in the northwestern city of Urmia, where officers observed him filming the headquarters of the Urmia Infantry Division. Investigators said his mobile phone contained communications with contacts linked to Israel. Searches of his residence and hotel room reportedly uncovered documents, coded notes, and addresses connected to security institutions.
Judicial authorities stated that investigations showed Keshavarz had established online contacts with Israeli military and intelligence services, including the Mossad, and carried out more than 200 missions prior to his arrest. According to court findings and confessions, he provided information on sensitive locations by photographing military and security sites and conducting surveillance in several cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, Urmia, and Shahroud. The court cited documentary evidence, technical reports, and confessions in sentencing him to death on charges of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel.
❗️Israeli drones are flying in the skies of the following southern Lebanese towns:
- Majdal Salem
- Khirbet Salem
- Al-Jumayjimah
- Safad al-Battikh
- Nabatieh