tyb
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
January 4, 2026
The Einstein Cross Gravitational Lens
Most galaxies have a single nucleus – does this galaxy have four? The strange answer leads astronomers to conclude that the nucleus of the surrounding galaxy is not even visible in this image. The central cloverleaf is rather light emitted from a background quasar. The gravitational field of the visible foreground galaxy breaks light from this distant quasar into four distinct images. The quasar must be properly aligned behind the center of a massive galaxy for a mirage like this to be evident. The general effect is known as gravitational lensing, and this specific case is known as the Einstein Cross. Stranger still, the images of the Einstein Cross vary in relative brightness, enhanced occasionally by the additional gravitational microlensing effect of specific stars in the foreground galaxy.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Deep Plasma Penetration Due to Pole Shift | S0 News and frens
Jan.4.2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQbd0LwKmxY
https://x.com/MrMBB333/status/2007818485418905693
https://x.com/halocme/status/2007506430866403580
https://x.com/SchumannBotDE/status/2007814512527728791
https://x.com/AstronomyVibes/status/2007773149082108148
https://x.com/forallcurious/status/2007747361360199722
https://x.com/SolarObserverX/status/2007756391906443489
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/solar-storms-influenced-history-environmental-152026433.html
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g1-g2-watches-place-03-04-jan
https://spaceweather.com/
https://usaherald.com/an-early-image-of-3i-atlas-that-scientists-cant-easily-explain/2/
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/
https://johnmantleholder.medium.com/3i-atlas-bright-n-blue-5b50ea08f8c6
https://johnmantleholder.medium.com/3i-atlas-observations-of-near-and-post-perihelion-water-emissions-4228d9dd0df4
https://medium.com/@lanierwilson/3i-atlas-lessons-for-us-2498fc148f05
https://medium.com/@liena.dreams/3i-atlas-lifecycle-six-remarkable-stages-after-perihelium-d219b55f0749
https://www.wionews.com/videos/3i-atlas-why-every-telescope-on-earth-just-pointed-at-this-object-1767513033669
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKEQUhrnjOg
https://www.beachconnection.net/news/comet-31atlas-caught-by-portland-oregon-man-on-way-out.php
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/3i-atlas-sparks-alien-fever-again-scientists-refuse-rule-out-intelligent-origin-1767948
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/3i-atlas-wake-call-humanity-unprepared-ancient-interstellar-visitors-1767906
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-giant-telescope-searched-3i-atlas-for-signs-of-aliens-heres-why
https://gizmodo.com/scientists-scanned-3i-atlas-for-alien-signals-heres-what-they-found-2000704975
https://x.com/AstronomyVibes/status/2007573202021822572
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x9yp0sCSwg (Dobsonian Power: 3I/ATLAS NEW PICTURES - NOT A COMET!)
https://x.com/SolarObserverX/status/2007782370393706498
https://x.com/SolarObserverX/status/2007742066118304224
https://x.com/DigitalReportRU/status/2007806802692366847
https://x.com/DigitalReportRU/status/2007806717086642624
https://x.com/MeteoredUK/status/2007799641270563054
https://x.com/Ammar1176708/status/2007790334772645976
https://x.com/JulieStarmax/status/2007787132560040231
https://x.com/drew4worldruler/status/2007627166033313899
An Early Image of 3I/ATLAS That Scientists Can’t Easily Explain
January 4, 2026 0700
An unsettling early capture of the interstellar visitor hinted at deep structural oddities long before today’s clearer images confirmed them.
When this image of 3I/ATLAS was captured roughly two to three months ago, it barely registered outside a small circle of astronomers tracking the object’s arrival into our solar system.
At first glance, it looked messy, overexposed, almost crude. But in hindsight, this early image may have been quietly screaming the truth about what kind of object 3I/ATLAS really is.
The image is unsettling for a simple reason: it does not behave like a normal comet image should.
Instead of a clean nucleus embedded in a diffuse, roughly symmetric coma, the object appears dominated by a harsh, lopsided glow—almost bulbous—paired with a compact, offset bright knot that looks detached rather than centered.
The light distribution is unbalanced. Directional. Purposeful-looking, even if unintentionally so.
At the time, this was easy to dismiss. Early data is often noisy. Resolution is limited. Exposure artifacts happen.
But now, with weeks of higher-resolution imaging behind us, this early frame looks less like noise—and more like a preview.
1/2
A Coma That Didn’t Behave
Even early on, 3I/ATLAS showed signs that it was not shedding material in the chaotic, isotropic way most icy bodies do when first heated by the Sun.
The brightness here is sharply concentrated, with a steep gradient on one side and a sudden falloff on the other. That asymmetry is now a recurring theme.
More recent images—especially processed observations revealing structured jets and rotating emission features—confirm that this object has preferred directions of activity.
What looked like a washed-out blob months ago now aligns eerily well with today’s sharply resolved, elongated radio and optical profiles.
In other words, this wasn’t an immature view of a comet still “waking up.” It was an early glimpse of an object with built-in geometry.
The Offset Bright Spot That Still Haunts Researchers
One of the most curious features in this image is the compact bright point sitting near the edge of the larger glow.
At the time, it could have been written off as a background star or processing artifact. But follow-up astrometry and later imaging strongly suggest that this brightness was co-moving with 3I/ATLAS.
Today’s data shows that the object’s brightest emissions do not always align with the presumed center of mass. Instead, they appear to migrate as the object rotates, consistent with persistent jet-like structures rather than random outgassing.
Seen in that light, this early image starts to look less chaotic—and more like a blurred snapshot of a structured engine caught mid-cycle.
What This Image Told Us Before We Were Ready to Listen
With hindsight, this image quietly told us several things that later observations have now reinforced:
• The object’s activity is directional, not uniform
• Brightness is concentrated, not diffuse
• Emission appears offset and structured, not centered and random
• The coma does not expand evenly with solar heating
Today’s sharper images—showing elongated profiles, symmetric jet groupings, and resolved radio emission larger than the instrumental beam—fit cleanly into the narrative this early image first hinted at.
A First Impression That Turned Out to Be Accurate
Early impressions in astronomy are often wrong. In the case of 3I/ATLAS, this early image may have been one of the rare exceptions.
What once looked like an odd, overexposed anomaly now reads as the opening frame of a much stranger story—one involving an interstellar object that refuses to behave like the countless comets astronomers thought they already understood.
As 3I/ATLAS continues its journey through the solar system and onward into interstellar space, this image stands as a reminder: sometimes the truth shows itself early—long before we have the resolution, confidence, or courage to name it.
2/2
Nasa astronaut shares ominous purple lights buzzing on Earth as seen from space
UPDATED: Jan 4, 2026 17:17 IST
Nasa astronaut Don Pettit's latest video from space has left everyone speechless.
On January 3, 2026, the veteran explorer shared incredible footage of bright purple lightning flickering inside massive cloud systems, filmed looking straight down from the International Space Station (ISS).
Pettit captioned it: "Nadir ISS views of bright purple lightning flashing through clouds.
Overhead observation of storms this large is best done from orbit, where we keep watch for rare spites and blue jets visible from above!" The word "spites" is clearly a playful typo for those rare red bursts that look almost magical.
The point directly below the space station as it orbits Earth is referred to as Nadir ISS.
RARE LIGHTS HIGH ABOVE THE STORMS
These special lights appear far above powerful thunderstorms. The red bursts look like giant glowing jellyfish stretching upwards for dozens of kilometres, triggered by strong lightning deep inside the clouds.
The blue flashes are narrow streams of light that shoot straight up from the cloud tops.
The purple colour comes from the air itself glowing when huge amounts of electricity pass through it. From the ground, these lights are almost impossible to see because the thick clouds hide everything.
But from the ISS, 400 kilometres above Earth, astronauts like Pettit get a clear view over the top of the storms.
A TRUE SPACE PHOTOGRAPHER
At 70, Pettit has become famous for sharing some of the most beautiful views of Earth. He returned to Earth after completing his fourth space mission in April 2025.
He often builds his own clever tools to capture footage that no one else can. His latest video, likely taken over a huge tropical storm, shows lightning spreading across hundreds of kilometres, a scale that makes any view from an aeroplane seem tiny.
These stunning images are not just pretty. They help scientists understand how electricity moves between thunderstorms and the upper layers of air, which can affect weather and even radio signals.
As storms grow stronger around the world, pictures and videos from space are becoming more important than ever.
Next time you watch lightning during a storm, think about the even more amazing light show happening far above the clouds, and the Nasa astronaut lucky enough to film it.
https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/nasa-astronaut-don-pettit-iss-purple-lightning-red-bursts-blue-flashes-thunderstorms-space-views-mind-blowing-nadir-2846385-2026-01-04
https://x.com/astro_Pettit/status/2007221959227257120
GESTA Update on GSFC Library Closure
January 3, 2026
this is an except from the GESTA IFPTE Local 29 blog Building Closure Updates 27 Dec 2025 – it is important to note that this library also includes the contents of the NASA HQ library which was closed and removed to make a visitor’s center. More below
The information below is based on GESTA’s understanding of recent events as of this date.
Since management has put very little information in writing, some of this information also comes directly from employees who have been personally involved in the building closures or who have received verbal information from management.
We acknowledge the disruption or loss of these facilities represent decades of our colleagues’ work and may carry deep personal and institutional impacts.
The brevity of these updates is not meant to reflect the depth of the impacts. We are also aware indirectly of impacts to multiple laboratories and buildings not mentioned here.
If you have a (non-controlled) status update or information you would like to provide GESTA regarding the closures or moves of a building or lab for a future bulletin, please feel free to send it to our tipline email or share it via our Survey on this topic.
Building 21 Library – Currently management has stated that all in person library services at GSFC are paused as of December 9th, while library staff complete a 60-day review of the collection.
As of December 9th employees are no longer allowed to check out books from the library. Collaborative spaces are listed to remain open but close on January 2nd.
Associate Center Director, Ray Rubilotta stated in a meeting with Code 600 on December 10th that the physical library will be closed, though some version of the library’s Collaboration Center will be moved to Building 28, Ask a Librarian will remain and some digital subscriptions will remain, but those subscriptions will be more limited.
The closure of the GSFC library is in direct violation of a 2012 Negotiated Settlement Agreement between GESTA and NASA Goddard.
This agreement is available to read on our website Librarynegosettlementagree04oct2012.pdf. Library staff have reportedly been given permission (after requests by library staff) to go through the collection and save the most rare 10-15%.
The other 85-90% is going to be picked up by the General Services Administration.
The former NASA HQ library is also in our stacks since that collection was cataloged and brought to the Greenbelt Goddard library.
https://nasawatch.com/budget/gesta-update-on-gsfc-library-closure/
https://www.gesta-goddard.org/uploads/4/0/5/6/40565251/librarynegosettlementagree04oct2012.pdf
Shenzhou-21 crew busy with scientific experiments two months into space mission
2026-01-04 15:28 Last Updated At：21:57
The three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou-21 mission have completed a diverse range of scientific experiments and routine station maintenance tasks during their second month on the Tiangong Space Station.
China launched the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship on Oct 31, 2025, sending the three astronauts to its orbiting space station on a six-month mission.
The Shenzhou-21 crew consists of mission commander Zhang Lu, along with astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang.
The trio serve respectively as space pilot, flight engineer and payload specialist, representing the three categories of Chinese astronauts currently employed in the country's space program.
In the field of space medicine, ongoing research focuses on the kinematic characteristics of astronauts during long-term missions in orbit.
By capturing three-dimensional structured light video of the astronauts in specific work scenarios, researchers obtain data on their kinematic properties and changes during on-orbit operations and activities, providing support for ergonomic design and evaluation, as well as optimization of mission planning.
In the footage, astronauts are conducting studies related to musculoskeletal loading forces.
Using equipment for muscle structure and function measurement, plantar pressure collection, and patch-based ultrasound, they gather data on plantar pressure, joint kinematics, motion images, and muscle parameters during running and resistance exercises under different load conditions in flight, aiming to understand the relationship between different exercise parameters and physical stress.
Neuroscience research has also progressed. The crew has performed multiple electroencephalogram (EEG) tests for studies on visual field perception and executive function training.
Using near-infrared brain imaging equipment, they investigate how long-term spaceflight affects astronauts' brain functional networks and the brain's adaptive mechanisms to the space environment.
Studies on psychological and behavioral capacity, including assessments of emergency decision-making and emotional states, are also underway.
The crew has conducted microgravity experiments on intuitive physical behavior, investigating how long-term spaceflight affects and reshapes these innate responses.
In microgravity physical science, the astronauts have completed scheduled tasks including sample replacements in the colloid experiments unit of the fluid physics rack and maintenance work on the electrode mechanisms of the containerless experimental facility.
Ongoing research includes an in-situ optical study of lithium-ion battery electrochemistry for space applications.
For routine operations, the crew have conducted regular maintenance on key equipment such as the space treadmill and the environmental control and life support system, alongside general cabin cleaning.
They have also performed environmental monitoring, measuring parameters like acoustic levels, airflow, and temperature.
To ensure their own health, the astronauts have undergone standard medical examinations, including non-invasive cardiac function tests, hearing assessments, and comprehensive vision checks.
They have also used a Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostic instrument to collect physiological data, supporting long-term health monitoring for the mission.
As the new year begins, the Shenzhou-21 crew plans to conduct additional extravehicular activities with both astronauts and experimental payloads, along with a series of scientific experiments and technical tests.
https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/5500962-shenzhou-21-crew-busy-with-scientific-experiments-two-months-into-space-mission
Spain’s New Communications Satellite Suffers “Space Particle” Strike
January 3, 2026
Indra Group has announced that the SpainSat NG II communications satellite was struck by a “space particle” as it was en route to its operational orbit. According to the company, it is currently assessing the extent of the damage.
In 2019, Hisdesat selected a consortium led by Airbus, alongside Thales Alenia Space, to build two satellites for Spain’s SPAINSAT NG programme, intended to provide secure communications for the country’s armed forces and government agencies.
The programme is backed by the Spanish government, which has invested more than €2 billion in the construction, launch, and operation of the two satellites, which are expected to have an operational lifespan of 15 years.
The first of the two satellites was launched in January aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and is currently operational.
Indra Group’s involvement in the project stems from its purchase of 89.68% of Hispasat, which owns 43% of Hisdesat, giving the company indirect control of Hisdesat, in addition to a 7% direct stake.
The acquisition, which was initially announced in February 2025, was formally completed in late December, just days before the SpainSat NG II satellite was impacted.
The SpainSat NG II satellite was launched aboard another Falcon 9 mission in October and is en route to its operational orbit.
On 2 January, Indra Group announced that the satellite had “suffered the impact of a space particle” at an altitude of 50,000 kilometres.
According to the release, Hisdesat has “implemented a contingency plan” to ensure continuity of services for Spain’s Ministry of Defence.
Operators often use terms like “space particle” when an impact is suspected, but the object involved is too small to be tracked or definitively identified by space surveillance networks.
Technical teams are currently assessing the extent of the damage. While the initial announcement offers little definitive insight into the assessment, it may nevertheless be notable that Indra Group stated that “if necessary, SpainSat NG II will be replaced as soon as possible.”
https://europeanspaceflight.com/spains-new-communications-satellite-suffers-space-particle-strike/
Space Force begins base network overhaul as cybersecurity demands grow
January 4, 2026
The U.S. Space Force is moving to modernize the computer networks that underpin its operations, awarding new work under a $12.5 billion Air Force-led contract vehicle designed to overhaul aging military infrastructure.
Defense contractor CACI International said in a news release Dec. 31 it was awarded a five-year task order valued at up to $212 million to upgrade network infrastructure at U.S. Space Force bases.
The award was made under the Base Infrastructure Modernization, or BIM, contract.
According to the Department of the Air Force, the task order will provide resilient, high-throughput connectivity across all 14 U.S. Space Force bases.
“This modernization effort will upgrade both classified and unclassified network infrastructure,” the Air Force said, including the use of zero trust security architectures and support for cloud-based applications.
The Space Force operates bases across the United States, including Patrick Space Force Base in Florida, Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station in Colorado and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The service also operates an overseas installation, Pituffik Space Base in Greenland.
The BIM program is a 10-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, or IDIQ, contract vehicle.
Under the IDIQ model, the government establishes a pool of prequalified vendors and awards work through individual task orders rather than issuing a single, fixed-scope contract.
The approach is intended to give the military flexibility to compete work over time as requirements evolve.
CACI is one of 22 vendors selected in 2024 by the Department of the Air Force for the $12.5 billion BIM IDIQ, which is focused on upgrading base network infrastructure across Air Force and Space Force installations worldwide.
The program targets what officials describe as the digital backbone of military bases — the networks that carry data, support command-and-control systems and connect mission-critical applications.
Many of those systems were built years ago and were not designed to handle today’s cybersecurity threats, data volumes or cloud-centric operations.
Rather than relying on periodic refresh cycles under traditional government procurement processes, the BIM program uses what the Air Force calls an “enterprise IT as a service” model.
Under that approach, contractors are responsible not only for installing new infrastructure but also for sustaining and updating it over time.
The move comes as the Pentagon faces mounting pressure to modernize legacy networks to operate in contested environments, where cyber attacks and electronic disruption are expected early in any conflict.
For the Space Force, which operates data-intensive satellite constellations and ground systems, network performance is increasingly tied to operational readiness.
The Air Force has so far awarded BIM task orders to General Dynamics Information Technology and CACI, covering both Air Force and Space Force locations.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-begins-base-network-overhaul-as-cybersecurity-demands-grow/
Death toll rises in Ukrainian drone strike on Russian New Year’s Eve party
4 Jan, 2026 12:49
The death toll from a Ukrainian drone strike on a New Year’s Eve party in Russia’s Kherson Region has risen to 29, the Investigative Committee in Moscow has said.
The attack struck shortly before midnight on December 31 in Khorly, a Black Sea village, hitting a café and hotel where about 100 people were celebrating.
Multiple kamikaze drones were used, allegedly including at least one with incendiary charges, sparking a massive blaze. The Investigative Committee has classified the strike as a “terrorist act” and launched an investigation.
Initial reports cited about two dozen dead and 50 wounded, but Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said on Sunday that the toll has since risen.
“At least 60 people were injured, with 29 dead so far, including two minors. Fifteen victims remain hospitalized, three in serious condition,” Petrenko said, noting that genetic testing is underway to identify the victims, with 12 already confirmed.
“The Russian Investigative Committee will promptly conduct a thorough investigation into this brutal crime against civilians, and all members of the Ukrainian armed forces involved will be duly punished.”
Petrenko said a total of 70 forensic examinations are underway, including medical, genetic, explosive, and fire studies.
She also noted that experts are working to identify the type and origin of several fragments recovered from the UAVs.
Military expert Vitaly Kiselev said earlier that the drones appeared to have been assembled from parts made by German arms maker Rheinmetall, which has been a key supplier to Kiev since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022.
Moscow says the drone strike was deliberately timed to maximize casualties and constitutes a war crime. Russian officials compared the attack to Nazi atrocities, while Kherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo likened it to the 2014 Odessa massacre, when dozens of pro-Russian activists were killed by Ukrainian ultra-nationalists.
Kherson joined Russia along with Zaporozhye, Donetsk, and Lugansk regions after a referendum in 2022 and has since been the target for Ukrainian attacks.
A day after the Khorly attack, a five-year-old boy was killed in a drone strike on his family’s car in the nearby village of Tarasovka.
https://www.rt.com/russia/630511-death-toll-ukrainian-strike-kherson/
Trump issues warnings to three Latin American countries
4 Jan, 2026 02:31
President Donald Trump issued veiled warnings to the governments of Mexico, Colombia, and Cuba following a US special forces raid in which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured.
Trump’s comments came Saturday as he defended the Venezuela operation, characterizing Maduro as a “narco-terrorist.”
When asked about implications for neighboring countries, Trump doubled down on his criticism of Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a key Maduro ally.
“He has cocaine mills, he has factories where he makes cocaine,” Trump said, adding, “he does have to watch his ass.”
The US president also noted that Cuba is “going to be something we’ll end up talking about,” suggesting that Washington wants to “help the people” of this “failing nation,” which he claimed is similar to Venezuela.
“It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba, but we also want to help the people who were forced out of Cuba and are living in this country,” he said.
Trump also said that “something’s going to have to be done with Mexico,” claiming that drug cartels effectively control the country, but that President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is “frightened” of them.
“They’re running Mexico. I’ve asked her numerous times: ‘Would you like us to take out the cartels?’ ‘No, no, no, Mr. President, no, no, no, please.’ So we have to do something,” he said in a phone interview with Fox News earlier in the day.
Washington’s military action has sparked widespread international condemnation, with all three nations denouncing it as a breach of international law and a threat to regional stability.
Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strong condemnation of the US intervention, stating it “seriously jeopardizes regional stability,” while stressing that Latin America and the Caribbean must remain a “zone of peace.”
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel described the attack as “cowardly, criminal and treacherous” and called for international condemnation.
Colombia’s President Petro expressed “deep concern” and reaffirmed his government’s rejection of “any unilateral military action.”
https://www.rt.com/news/630489-trump-warning-cuba-colombia-mexico/
https://www.rt.com/news/630478-venezuela-raid-aftermath-footage/
Unidentified drones attack Moscow: Airports closed, around 200 flights delayed
Sun, January 04, 2026 - 17:42
On Sunday, January 4, unidentified drones attacked Moscow. Around 200 flights are delayed in the Russian capital, according to Russian Telegram channels.
Judging by posts from Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, the attack on the Russian capital began at around 02:39 PM. At that time, according to the city head, air defense forces shot down a drone heading toward Moscow.
A short while later, Sobyanin continued posting about additional drones allegedly being shot down, and this went on at least until 04:31 PM.
Russian media, based on Sobyanin’s posts, calculated that so far, Russia’s air defenses have downed 27 drones.
At the same time, it is reported that Moscow airports — Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky — are temporarily not operating (neither receiving nor dispatching flights).
As a result, about 200 flights are currently delayed, and several more have been canceled.
It is also worth noting that if you check the Flightradar service, you can see that there are practically no planes currently flying over Moscow.
Drone attack on Moscow
Yesterday evening, January 3, Moscow was also targeted by unidentified drones. As a result, around 50 flights were delayed at Vnukovo Airport.
Russian media reported that some flights were diverted to another airport, Sheremetyevo. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 18 drones were shot down over the Moscow region.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that on the night of December 15, unidentified drones also flew toward Moscow and its suburbs.
Residents of the Moscow-region town of Kashira complained about explosions, and several capital airports had already restricted their operations on the evening of December 14.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/vu-i-announces-resumption-of-operations-at-1767539411.html
https://t.me/RBC_ua_news/177168
other Russia and Ukraine
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4076644-russian-drone-strikes-civilian-infrastructure-in-sumy.html
https://ukranews.com/en/news/1126356-russian-drone-attacks-gas-station-in-kherson
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4076536-air-defense-forces-neutralize-39-out-of-52-russian-drones.html
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4076451-usf-destroys-valuable-russian-counterdrone-radars.html
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/67336
IDF detains 100 terror suspects in Judea and Samaria
Jan. 4, 2026
Over the past week, the Israel Defense Forces arrested about 100 Palestinian suspects and seized more than 1 million shekels ($310,000) in terror funds in Judea and Samaria, the military said on Friday.
“Forces from the Binyamin Brigade completed several operations, including a large-scale nighttime operation in which 38 wanted suspects were arrested in more than 15 different villages,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.
In addition, troops arrested several Hamas terrorists and another terrorist who was planning to attack IDF soldiers, the army added.
Troops from the IDF Samaria Brigade apprehended 16 wanted suspects and seized 26 drones that were being held illegally in the Palestinian village of Fandaqumiya.
The activity was carried out alongside ongoing operations in the Samaria city of Qabatiya, near Jenin, the hometown of a terrorist who murdered two civilians in the Valleys area in northern Israel on Dec. 26.
Troops from the Ephraim Brigade, in the Qalqilya sector in western Samaria, arrested six terrorist operatives, arms dealers and another terrorist identified with Hamas, the IDF added.
The military added that Etzioni Brigade troops in Judea operated in several Palestinian villages southwest of Jerusalem and arrested terrorists who had thrown stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Members of the brigade questioned dozens of suspects and located a hunting rifle and ammunition in the Beit Ummar area.
Soldiers from the Judea Brigade responsible for the Hebron sector completed three operations, during which they arrested 18 wanted terrorist suspects, including six key suspects involved in an arms-trafficking network, the army said.
It was during these operations that the terror funds, as well as two weapons and ammunition, were uncovered, according to the military.
On Dec. 31, Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the military to prepare for the possibility of a large-scale terrorist infiltration in Judea and Samaria, similar to Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border massacre.
Katz’s order followed the minister’s visit to the Judea and Samaria Division headquarters near the town of Beit El, north of Jerusalem.
The minister told participants that IDF operations in northern Samaria over the past year had been effective, leading to a drop of more than 80% in terrorism in the area.
The campaign included evacuating residents, targeting terrorists and maintaining an ongoing Israeli military presence.
https://www.jns.org/idf-detains-100-terror-suspects-in-judea-and-samaria/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93oHQVDp_rk
other Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-struck-hezbollah-operative-in-southern-lebanon-3/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-demolished-2-kilometer-hamas-attack-tunnel-in-north-gaza/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/two-people-killed-by-idf-gunfire-in-southern-gaza-reports-hamas/
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-882283
https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/2026-01-04/ty-article-magazine/.premium/in-gaza-idf-drones-infiltrate-every-moment-of-palestinians-life/0000019b-7441-dd15-a3fb-fd630f9b0000
Israeli military ordered to prepare for war on all fronts amid Iranian protests
3 Jan, 2026 16:20
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been ordered to prepare for a possible simultaneous war against Iran, Lebanon, and the West Bank, according to Israeli Channel 12.
One scenario reportedly includes an “explosive operation” against Tehran, which is currently facing widespread Israeli-backed cost-of-living protests.
The preparations are part of a four-year long-term plan led by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, the broadcaster revealed on Wednesday.
On top of war readiness, they also reportedly include plans to develop capabilities to attack both satellites and ground targets from space.
Officials in West Jerusalem expect Iran to attack Israel to “prevent the dissolution” of the Iranian government under the pressure of the protests, Channel 12 said.
Israel has held off on officially commenting on the mass unrest shaking Iran, concerned about a potential military response, Channel 12 claimed.
However, Israel’s Mossad spy agency has openly backed the protests on social media, and claimed that it has agents embedded in the demonstrations.
The demonstrations began in late December, prompted by hyperinflation and an enduring economic crisis in the sanctioned Islamic Republic.
The unrest, the worst in recent years, rapidly spread to multiple cities and reportedly led to deadly clashes with the Iranian authorities, with some protesters demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy, ousted by the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to militarily intervene. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go” if Iran kills “peaceful protesters,” he said on Truth Social on Friday.
Just days before, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Florida, Trump threatened to back new airstrikes on Iran if it ramps up its ballistic missile program.
Last June, Trump ordered the US military to join coordinated military strikes with Israel against Iranian nuclear sites during an open conflict between Tehran and West Jerusalem.
He claimed the attack preempted the development of a nuclear weapon by the Islamic Republic – allegations Iran denied, condemning the attack as unprovoked.
https://www.rt.com/news/630431-israeli-military-war-all-fronts-iran/
Drone strikes knock out Sudan’s El Obeid power station, thousands left in darkness
Sunday, January 4, 2026
A drone strike on El Obeid’s main power station in North Kordofan caused a citywide blackout and injuries, as Sudan’s conflict deepens an already severe humanitarian crisis.
A power outage hit Sudan’s El Obeid on Sunday after drone strikes targeted the city’s main power station, leaving thousands of residents without electricity, authorities confirmed.
The Sudanese Electricity Company said the attack, which occurred at dawn in the North Kordofan capital, damaged critical machinery at the El Obeid power station, plunging the city into darkness.
Some injuries were reported during the incident, but there were no fatalities.
“The White Station was attacked by marching planes at dawn today, resulting in direct injuries and a fire of the machinery building at the station, which led to a power outage,” the company said in a statement on Facebook.
Authorities rushed to the scene to contain the fire, which threatened to spread to surrounding areas. Once the flames are under control, engineers will assess the facility to plan repairs and restore electricity.
“The civil defense forces are making great efforts to extinguish the fire, and the engineering department team will conduct a technical evaluation of the effects of the attack,” the company added.
The blackout in El Obeid comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan that has persisted since April 2023.
Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has intensified in central states such as North Kordofan, causing massive displacement and hardship.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), more than 21 million people in Sudan—nearly half the population—are facing acute food insecurity as the conflict disrupts farming, markets, and supply routes.
“Famine was first confirmed in August 2024 in North Darfur’s Zamzam camp. A protracted famine is now taking hold and, without humanitarian assistance, hundreds of thousands of people could die,” WFP said in a recent statement.
Continued fighting in regions such as North and South Kordofan has also forced large-scale displacement.
UNICEF reported that nearly 40,000 people fled their homes in and around North Kordofan between late October and mid-November 2025 as insecurity and threats to civilians escalated.
Humanitarian agencies warn that access remains extremely limited in many conflict-affected areas, complicating efforts to deliver food, medical supplies, and clean water to those in need.
https://eastleighvoice.co.ke/sudan/265095/drone-strikes-knock-out-sudans-el-obeid-power-station-thousands-left-in-darkness
https://thesun.my/news/world-news/drone-strikes-plunge-sudanese-city-into-darkness-amid-fierce-fighting/
Cambodia Urges Nationwide Ban on Drone Use
January 4, 2026, 6:27 PM
Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense has imposed a nationwide ban on the use of drones, citing the need to ensure the safety of civilians and military personnel, particularly in provinces along the Cambodia–Thailand border.
Provinces under heightened security alert include Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Preah Vihear, Pursat, Koh Kong, Battambang, and Pailin.
The ministry has instructed authorities across the country to strengthen security measures, including the deployment of anti-drone systems by military units where necessary.
Individuals operating drones without official permission will face legal action, the ministry warned.
The ban, issued on December 29, restricts the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles in all cities and provinces to maintain national security, public safety, and social order until further notice.
Maly Socheata, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, dismissed Thailand’s claim that more than 250 drones crossed into Thai territory on December 29.
She said the ministry had issued strict instructions prohibiting all drone launches and confirmed that no such activities had taken place.
https://cambodianess.com/article/cambodia-urges-nationwide-ban-on-drone-use
US deploys 150-plus military aircraft, drones and other tech in raid to capture Venezuela’s Maduro
January 3, 2026
Gen. Dan Caine shared new information about the U.S. military’s preparation for the operation — and a play-by-play of how it was carried out.
The U.S. military’s surprise, overnight operation to detain Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was months in-the-making and involved more than 150 aircraft and drones, integrated space and cyber effects, multiple intelligence agencies and law enforcement personnel, according to senior government officials who oversaw it.
Explosions were reported in Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas early Saturday as U.S. forces launched strikes and a large-scale raid that led to the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The couple are now on a U.S. Navy ship en route to the states, where they are indicted in the Southern District of New York on narco-terrorism charges.
During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate Saturday morning, President Donald Trump and several of his closest advisors revealed new details about this mission, dubbed Operation Absolute Resolve.
“All Venezuelan military capacities were rendered powerless, as the men and women of our military — working with U.S. law enforcement — successfully captured Maduro in the dead of night,” Trump said.
“It was dark, the lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have.”
Tensions between the two nations have been escalating in recent months, with a large U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean late last year.
The intensifying conflict has been fueled by accusations from the second Trump administration about Venezuela’s vast oil reserves and alleged drug-smuggling threats to America.
At Saturday’s press briefing, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine shared new information about the U.S. military’s preparation for the operation — as well as a brief play-by-play of how it was carried out.
“At 10:46pm Eastern Time last night, the president ordered the United States military to move forward with this mission,” Caine said. “Over the course of the night, aircraft began launching from 20 different bases on land and sea across the Western Hemisphere.
In total, more than 150 aircraft — bombers, fighters, intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, rotary wing — were in the air last night. Thousands and thousands of hours of experience were airborne.”
The age range for crew members on this mission were 20 to 49 years old.
Caine said that as military forces approached Venezuelan shores, the U.S. “began layering different effects provided by [U.S. Space Command, U.S. Cyber Command] and other members of the interagency to create a pathway overhead.”
They were protected by aircraft from the Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Air National Guard.
“The force included F-22s, F-35s, F-18s, EA-18s, E-2s, B-1 bombers and other support aircraft — as well as numerous remotely piloted drones,” Caine told reporters.
“As the force began to approach Caracas, the joint air component began dismantling and disabling the air defense systems in Venezuela, employing weapons to ensure the safe passage of the helicopters into the target area.”
American personnel conducting the op arrived at Maduro’s compound at 1:01am Eastern Standard Time or 2:01am Caracas local time. Their helicopters came under fire from the Venezuelans, and one was hit but remained flyable, Caine said.
As the operation unfolded at Maduro’s compound, U.S. air and ground intelligence teams provided real-time updates to the ground force, who also remained protected by overhead tactical aviation assets.
Maduro and his wife eventually surrendered and were taken into custody by officials from the U.S. Department of Justice.
“There were multiple self-defense engagements as the force began to withdraw out of Venezuela.
The force successfully exfiltrated and returned to their afloat launch bases — and the force was over the water at 3:29am Eastern Standard Time, with indicted persons onboard and both Maduro and his wife were embarked aboard the USS Iwo Jima,” Caine said.
The full extent of damage to Venezuelan infrastructure or civilian casualties resulting from this operation remains unclear.
But in its wake, Venezuela’s government has declared a state of national emergency and denounced the act, calling it “extremely serious military aggression” by the U.S.
In response to questions from reporters at his Florida resort, Trump suggested that America aims to “run Venezuela” until there is a “safe, proper and judicious transition” of power.
https://defensescoop.com/2026/01/03/us-military-operation-venezuela-absolute-resolve-details-gen-caine/
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/american-stealth-drone-linked-to-venezuela-operation/
They gave us everything tho