Good morning, readers!

Global tensions are escalating rapidly, from Israel's brief Gaza invasion to Russia's nuclear launches, the situation is deteriorating alarmingly.

Today’s hotspots

3 Iran-backed militant groups meet.

The leaders of Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad have met in Beirut, Lebanon, to discuss their common enemy: Israel. They have vowed to work together to achieve “victory” and “liberation” of Palestine.

But what does this really mean?

🐾 Who are they?

• Hezbollah: A Shiite militant group based in Lebanon, backed by Iran and Syria. It has fought several wars with Israel and is considered a terrorist organization by many countries, including the US.

• Hamas: A Sunni Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, a coastal enclave under Israeli blockade. It is responsible for the massacre of thousands of Israeli citizens on October 7, 2023, and is designated as a terrorist group by the US and the EU.

• Islamic Jihad: Another Sunni militant group in Gaza, allied with Hamas (sometimes) and Iran. It was lately blamed for misfiring a rocket into Gaza’s own hospital, then blaming Israel for it.

🐾 The leaders.

Hezbollah: Hassan Nasrallah.

Hamas: Saleh al-Arouri.

Islamic Jihad: Ziad al-Nakhala.

🐾 What did they say?

The meeting was announced in a joint statement by the three groups on Wednesday. The statement issued after the meeting was rather vague and generic.

🔎 It said:

• The three leaders agreed on the “next steps” to achieve “a real victory for the resistance in Gaza and Palestine” and to stop Israel’s “treacherous and brutal aggression.”

Are they intentionally being elusive to conceal their strategies? Or do they just not have one?

🐾 What does it mean?

• The meeting is a rare show of unity among the three groups, which have different agendas and ideologies.

• It also signals their growing confidence and defiance in the face of Israel’s military superiority and diplomatic isolation.

🐾 Why does it matter?

• It shows that the threat of terrorism is not over, despite the US presence in the region.

• Middle East’s security and stability may get shaken up, altering the path to peace and dialogue.

• It could also sway the interests and policies of stakeholders like the US, Russia, China, and Europe.

• It may directly impact you, as the terror alliance may trigger violence, instability, and humanitarian crises. Recent thwarted and successful attacks in the EU are a stark reminder of this threat.

Quick updates

Click the country's name for more.👇🏻

🇮🇱 Israel:

Tanks roll into Gaza for a “targeted raid.”

Israel has launched a limited ground invasion into Gaza, sending troops and tanks into the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The raid is part of Israel’s preparation for a full-scale incursion. The Israel Defense Forces says it has struck terrorists, infrastructure, and missile launchers in the raid.

✱ NOTE: This is the most significant ground incursion into Gaza since the war broke out earlier this month.

🇷🇺 Russia:

Putin tests nukes as he dumps nuclear test ban treaty.

Putin has just flexed his nuclear muscles by launching ballistic and cruise missiles from land, sea, and air. He also practiced a “massive” nuclear strike in response to an enemy attack.

The show of force came hours after Russia ditched a key nuclear test ban treaty that aimed to prevent a nuclear war.

✱ NOTE: The US had previously signed the treaty, but didn’t ratify it.

🇺🇸 United States:

Jewish Democrat backs GOP censure of Tlaib over Israel lies.

In a rare bipartisan moment in Congress, Jared Moskowitz, a Jewish Democratic congressman, is backing Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resolution.

Resolution: A censure of Congresswoman Tlaib, who blamed the Jewish state for the hospital bombing in Gaza on October 17. This echoed Hamas’ claims, which were later debunked by US intelligence.

Marjorie Taylor Greene:

✱ NOTE: Tlaib is one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, along with Ilhan Omar, who is also facing censure for similar remarks.

🇹🇷 Turkey:

Erdogan says Hamas is not a terrorist group, but a liberation group.

Turkey’s President Erdogan has just declared that Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza and is widely considered a terrorist organization, is actually “a liberation group.” He also slammed the West for supporting Israel’s retaliation against Hamas, calling any support for Israel’s attacks on Gaza “murder and mental illness.”

✱ NOTE: Erdogan’s comments have angered Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister, who said they were “grave and disgusting.”