5 January 2026
Venezuela
Over the weekend, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was seized by US special forces in a raid on the capital of Caracas. Today, Maduro will be making a court appearance in New York City on charges related to drug trafficking.
The Trump administration has stated that it will influence the current Venezuelan government through an oil embargo on the country, not with boots on the ground as originally alluded to by Trump.
Iran
Iran has listed the Royal Canadian Navy as a terrorist organization. This is due to Canada’s listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization in 2024. The Department of National Defence referred the matter to Global Affairs when asked by journalists, but there has been no response from Global Affairs.
Syria
Britain and France conducted an airstrike in Syria targeting an ISIS underground arms depot. The site was in the mountains just north of Palmyra.
Mediterranean
Cyprus, Greece and Israel have deepened their maritime defence ties in the Mediterranean. The three countries signed a trilateral agreement in Cyprus last week that builds on a multiyear partnership between the three nations, which includes joint air and naval exercises, training and intelligence cooperation.
Yemen
Saudi-backed government forces have retaken the governorates of Hadramout and al-Mahra from the United Arab Emirates-backed secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC). The STC captured these governorates back in early December, which prompted the tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Afghanistan
Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the Taliban, ordered fighters to ignore ethnic, regional, linguistic and factional bias, which points to internal divisions within the Taliban.
Social media wires
Russian soldier films along the route to Pokrovsk
Russia is putting MANPADs on its Geran drones now to fight off helicopters
Featured Photo:
The Wires Brief is a daily breaking news report incorporating wire service news and social media updates. DefRep cannot verify the authenticity of social media reporters nor the accuracy of social media updates. Feature photos are altered with grayscale.