The White House maintains the strike was lawful, and Bradley is set to brief lawmakers in a closed session Thursday.
Trump to Send National Guard Troops to New Orleans as Part of Federal Crime Crackdown
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that National Guard troops will deploy to New Orleans within weeks, responding to Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s request for federal help to combat crime.
The deployment comes as the city also braces for “Swamp Sweep,” a Border Patrol-led immigration operation aimed at arresting 5,000 people.
Trump did not specify troop numbers or timing but said the move follows Landry’s appeal for up to 1,000 federally funded Guard members.
Landry, a Republican and Trump ally, cited violent crime and police shortages in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport, though local data shows major crime has sharply declined in New Orleans this year.
Trump: “We’re going into New Orleans pretty soon, governor has called me.
We’re sending national guard in a couple of weeks” pic.twitter.com/GKYb6cTOgi
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) December 2, 2025
Mayor-elect Helena Moreno and other city officials oppose the deployment, warning it could harm community relations and disrupt local traditions.
The White House has recently sent or attempted to send Guard troops to other US cities, moves that have sparked legal challenges from Democratic leaders.
US and Bahrain Open Joint Air Defense Center
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Bahrain opened a new combined air defense facility this week at Ras Al Bar camp, strengthening regional defense coordination as tensions between Iran and Israel persist.
CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper and Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa led Monday’s ceremony, marking a new phase of joint operations between the longtime allies.
The center will serve as a hub for integrated air defense planning and operations, staffed by US and Bahraini personnel. Bahrain hosts the US 5th Fleet and the largest US Navy base in the region.
The opening follows a similar initiative in Qatar last month and coincides with US approval of a $455 million F-16 sustainment deal with Bahrain.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) opened the first bilateral Combined Command Post for air defense in the Middle East with Qatar at Al Udeid Air Base, Nov. 3. CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper and Chief of Staff of Qatar Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Jassim Al-Mannai celebrated the… pic.twitter.com/PAoMKLd5rz
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 3, 2025
The move comes after recent missile and drone threats during the Iran-Israel conflict, which saw Bahrain briefly on alert and Iran targeting bases in Qatar.
US officials said the expanded defense cooperation underscores Washington’s commitment to Gulf security and to protecting regional partners from escalating threats.
UN Veteran Jack Christofides Named Leader of New Haiti Gang Suppression Force
The international partners backing the new US-supported Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti have appointed Jack Christofides, a veteran United Nations peacebuilding official, as the force’s special representative.
The appointment was announced by Force Commander Godfrey Otunge and the Standing Group of Partners, which includes the US, Canada, Jamaica, The Bahamas, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Kenya.
Christofides brings decades of experience in conflict zones, including senior roles with UN peacekeeping operations in Lebanon and Africa. He is tasked with guiding the GSF’s mission to restore state authority, reduce gang control, and support Haiti’s path toward democratic governance.
The GSF was authorized by the UN Security Council in September to replace the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission, but it has yet to be fully funded or deployed. A pledging conference organized by the US and hosted by Canada is planned in New York to address financial and logistical needs.
Standing Group of Partners Announces Appointment of Jack Christofides as Special Representative for the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti. pic.twitter.com/DwlTCzZG8e
— Gang Suppression Force – Haiti (@GSForceHaiti) December 2, 2025
Meanwhile, gang violence in Haiti continues to escalate. Over the weekend, armed groups attacked Pont-Sondé, killing at least 10 people and forcing thousands to flee. Local leaders have pleaded for reinforcements as gangs tighten their grip on communities near Arcahaie, underscoring the urgency and challenges facing the new international mission.
Putin Blames Europe for Blocking Ukraine Peace Talks as Trump Envoys Meet in Moscow
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused European nations Tuesday of obstructing US-led efforts to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine, claiming they had “no peace agenda” just hours before meeting with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin.
Putin alleged that European governments added “unacceptable demands” to peace proposals, preventing progress, while reiterating that Russia has no plans to attack Europe but is “ready” if war breaks out.
The meeting came as US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative entered a critical phase, with Washington trying to broker talks between Kyiv and Moscow based on a revised 20-point proposal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv’s European allies Tuesday of sabotaging U.S.-led efforts to end the nearly 4-year-old war in Ukraine, shortly before he met with a delegation sent by President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/5V7TEg0xl1
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 2, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking from Dublin, said the next steps would depend on the outcome of the Moscow meeting and signaled his willingness to meet Trump directly if progress was made.
European leaders, frustrated at being sidelined in US-Russia negotiations, are pushing to have a greater role in determining Ukraine’s postwar security and reconstruction. French President Emmanuel Macron and other European Union leaders held parallel consultations with Witkoff and Zelenskyy.
Meanwhile, fighting continued in eastern Ukraine, where Russia claimed to have captured Pokrovsk—a claim Kyiv denied as propaganda.
Netherlands Takes Over NATO Air Defense Mission in Eastern Poland
The Netherlands has assumed command of NATO’s air defense mission in eastern Poland, replacing German forces in Jasionka, where allies help protect supply routes to Ukraine and strengthen the alliance’s eastern flank.
About 300 Dutch troops equipped with Patriot missiles, National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), and counter-drone systems began the mission Monday, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced.
The Netherlands is providing layered air defence in Poland: Patriots, NASAMS, counter-drones and 300 troops.
We protect supply lines to Ukraine, defend NATO’s eastern flank, and develop our capabilities.
This strengthens the security of Poland, Ukraine, NATO and Netherlands! pic.twitter.com/Rexd3oWjky
— Ruben Brekelmans (@DefensieMin) December 1, 2025
The deployment, expected to run through June, marks the latest rotation in NATO’s evolving air defense operations near the Ukrainian border. The mission was initially led by the United States after Russia’s 2022 invasion before being transferred to Germany and then to NATO command earlier this year.
Brekelmans said the Dutch presence “protects supply lines to Ukraine and strengthens the security of Poland, Ukraine, NATO, and the Netherlands.”
Israel Receives Remains Believed to Be Hostage as Fighting Continues in Gaza and West Bank
Israel said Tuesday it received human remains handed over by Palestinian militants in Gaza, believed to belong to one of the two remaining hostages—an Israeli or a Thai national.
The remains, transferred to Israel through the Red Cross from Beit Lahiya, are undergoing forensic testing. Since the US-brokered ceasefire began on October 10, the remains of 26 hostages taken in Hamas’s October 2023 attack have been returned.
Israel says it received the remains of a body from Palestinian group Hamas
⁰📮 Prime Minister’s office says the ‘findings’ were handed over by Red Cross teams to Israeli forces, with no immediate comment from Hamas on report https://t.co/Cfyp0Pr6yS
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) December 2, 2025
Despite the truce, violence continues. Gaza hospitals reported at least four Palestinians killed Tuesday in Israeli strikes, including videographer Mahmoud Wadi in Khan Younis and a boy killed by artillery fire east of Gaza City.
The Israeli military said it killed three individuals who allegedly posed threats in areas under Israeli control. Gaza’s Health Ministry said more than 350 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, adding to a total death toll exceeding 70,000.
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli troops killed two Palestinians accused of attacking soldiers in separate incidents near Ramallah and Hebron. The military also demolished the homes of two suspected militants, a practice Israel says deters attacks but critics condemn as collective punishment.
Taliban Stage Public Execution in Afghan Stadium Before Tens of Thousands
Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Tuesday publicly executed a man in a stadium in Khost for killing 13 members of a family, including nine children.
The Taliban Supreme Court said the execution, attended by tens of thousands of people, was the 11th since the group returned to power in 2021.
The court said the death sentence had been upheld by multiple courts and approved by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The man was shot by a relative of the victims, who had declined an offer of clemency.
#PHOTOS
The Taliban publicly executed a man accused of murder at a stadium in Khost province today (Dec 2). Local residents rushed to the scene, while the Taliban banned spectators from bringing camera-equipped phones. The UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan condemned the… pic.twitter.com/UAHCVCI4v4
— Aamaj News English (@aamajnews_EN) December 2, 2025
United Nations Envoy Richard Bennett condemned the execution, calling it “inhumane” and a violation of international law.
The Taliban have reinstated strict Sharia punishments since taking power, including public executions, floggings, and bans on education and work for women and girls.
Sources: News Agencies
—
** Editor’s Note: Thinking about subscribing to SOFREP? You can do it now for only $1 for your first year. Pull the trigger on this amazing offer HERE. – GDM
Evening Brief: Hegseth Defends Caribbean Strike, New US-Bahrain Air Defense Center, Taliban Stage Public Execution Before Thousands
Tonight’s brief tracks mounting scrutiny over a controversial US strike in the Caribbean, fresh political and security moves from Washington to the Gulf, and escalating flashpoints from Ukraine to Gaza and Afghanistan.
Advertisement
