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Morning Brief: US Seizes 7th Sanctioned Oil Tanker, Netanyahu Joins Trump’s Expanding Gaza Board, South Korea Deploys Hyunmoo-5 Missile

BY Guy D. McCardle

US seizes tanker as Congress reviews Trump-class ship and Iran issues warnings. Here’s your Wednesday morning brief for January 21, 2026.

A screengrab from a video posted by SOUTHCOM on January 20, 2026, shows joint interagency forces apprehending the M/V Sagitta oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea. Image Credit: @Southcom/X

Good morning. It’s Wednesday, January 21, 2026, and the day opens with the US seizing yet another Venezuela-linked tanker, Congress weighing the multibillion-dollar Trump-class battleship, and Trump landing in Davos under the cloud of his Greenland push. Tensions flare as Iran warns Washington, Netanyahu joins Trump’s Board of Peace, and the UK approves China’s mega-embassy plan despite security concerns.

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US Military Seizes Seventh Sanctioned Oil Tanker in Caribbean Under Trump Quarantine

US military forces seized the Motor Vessel Sagitta in the Caribbean Sea on Tuesday morning, marking the seventh oil tanker taken under US President Donald Trump’s sanctioned-vessel quarantine, US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) said.

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The Liberian-flagged tanker, linked to Venezuela and previously sanctioned under US law, was apprehended without incident after operating in defiance of Trump’s established maritime restrictions, officials said.

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The action is part of a broader Trump administration push to control Venezuela’s oil production, refining, and distribution, including seizing oil and restricting shipments by sanctioned vessels.

The military’s statement stressed the operation’s role in protecting US security and enforcing the quarantine, which has targeted tankers near Venezuela and beyond.

 

Congress Reviews Costly ‘Trump-Class’ Battleship Plan for Future Navy

Congress on Tuesday received its first internal analysis of US President Donald Trump’s proposal to build a new class of guided-missile battleships as part of his “Golden Fleet” vision for the US Navy.

The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service outlined the BBG(X) program, raising questions about cost, strategic need, and alignment with Navy doctrine, as estimates place the price of the first ship at $22 billion or more.

The Navy envisions building 15 to 25 conventionally powered battleships in the early 2030s, armed with missiles, guns, and future weapons such as lasers, and potentially shifting resources away from a planned next-generation destroyer.

Supporters, including the chief of naval operations, argue the ships would deliver unmatched firepower and flexibility, while critics warn the program could prove too expensive, vulnerable, and inconsistent with the Navy’s push toward distributed operations.

 

Air Force One Turns Back After Electrical Issue, Trump Continues to Davos on Backup Jet

Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday evening about an hour after departing for Switzerland when the crew detected a minor electrical issue, the White House said.

The incident occurred shortly after takeoff, when lights briefly went out in the press cabin, prompting the decision to turn around as a precaution. US President Donald Trump later boarded an Air Force C-32 and continued his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos after midnight.

The episode highlights ongoing reliability concerns with the nearly 40-year-old Air Force One aircraft, as replacement planes remain delayed and the administration relies on backup aircraft to ensure the president’s travel and security.

 

Trump Arrives in Davos With Greenland Threats Clouding US-Europe Ties

US President Donald Trump traveled Wednesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as his push to take control of Greenland from NATO ally Denmark threatens to strain relations with European partners and disrupt global markets.

Trump has warned of tariffs starting at 10 percent and rising to 25 percent on Denmark and seven other allies unless they negotiate over the semi-autonomous territory, a move European leaders have rejected.

The dispute has unsettled investors, triggered sharp warnings from European Union officials, and overshadowed Trump’s stated goal of using Davos to highlight domestic affordability issues such as housing costs.

During the trip, Trump is also expected to promote his new “Board of Peace,” meet with world leaders, and defend his trade strategy, even as allies caution that escalating tariffs could undermine economic stability and trans-Atlantic cooperation.

 

Iran Warns Trump Against Threats to Supreme Leader as US Carrier Moves West

Iran on Tuesday warned US President Donald Trump against taking any action targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, escalating tensions as unrest grips the country and US military forces reposition nearby.

The warning followed Trump’s public call for new leadership in Iran after weeks of deadly protests sparked by economic hardship.

Iranian officials said any aggression against Khamenei would prompt severe retaliation, while the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group moved west through the Indian Ocean, placing it within days of the Middle East.

The standoff comes as rights groups report more than 4,400 deaths and over 26,000 arrests linked to the protests, raising international concern over potential mass executions and signaling a volatile moment in US-Iran relations.

 

Netanyahu Joins Trump’s Expanding Board of Peace Despite Early Objections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel will join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, a US-led initiative initially tied to overseeing a Gaza ceasefire but now framed as a broader platform for addressing global conflicts.

Netanyahu’s decision followed earlier criticism from his office over the board’s executive committee, which includes Turkey, a regional rival, and was formed without Israeli coordination.

Trump is promoting the board while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he suggested it could rival or even replace the United Nations, prompting pushback from European leaders.

The board includes representatives from several countries and prominent political and business figures, and it will oversee a separate Gaza Executive Board tasked with implementing the next phase of the ceasefire, including security arrangements, Hamas disarmament, and reconstruction of Gaza.

 

UK Approves Mega Chinese Embassy in London Despite Espionage Fears

Britain’s government on Tuesday approved plans for a massive new Chinese Embassy in central London, overruling bipartisan objections that the site could enable espionage and intimidation of dissidents.

Local Government Secretary Steve Reed signed off on the project near the Tower of London, ending years of delays since China bought the Royal Mint Court site in 2018.

Critics, including opposition lawmakers, human rights advocates, and local residents, warned the complex’s size and proximity to sensitive financial data cables pose security risks, while intelligence chiefs said mitigations are in place and risks cannot be fully eliminated.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government said the decision supports diplomatic engagement with China without compromising national security, as the move is expected to advance broader UK-China relations, including a possible prime ministerial visit to Beijing.

 

Australia Passes Gun and Anti-Hate Laws After Deadly Sydney Terror Attack

Australia’s Parliament on Wednesday passed new gun control and anti-hate speech laws after a father and son killed 15 people at a Jewish festival in Sydney last month in an attack authorities say was inspired by the Islamic State group.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the legislation responds to the December 14 shooting at Bondi Beach and aims to address both extremist violence and access to firearms.

The gun law tightens ownership rules and establishes a government-funded buyback program, while the anti-hate legislation allows authorities to ban extremist groups not formally designated as terrorist organizations.

The bills passed with split political support as the government reconvened Parliament early to respond to the deadliest mass shooting in Australia since 1996, amid ongoing debate with states over funding and free speech concerns.

 

South Korea Deploys Hyunmoo-5 ‘Monster’ Missile to Counter North Korea

South Korea has begun operational deployment of its Hyunmoo-5 surface-to-surface ballistic missile, a powerful non-nuclear bunker-buster designed to strike deeply buried targets, officials and local media reported.

The 39-ton missile, carrying an 8-ton warhead, was fielded at an operational base late last year and will be deployed in greater numbers under South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

The deployment, confirmed Tuesday by the Defense Ministry, is part of South Korea’s Massive Punishment and Retaliation system aimed at deterring North Korean nuclear and missile threats.

The move underscores Seoul’s effort to strengthen deterrence while remaining compliant with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as tensions persist on the Korean Peninsula.

 

Japan Sentences Abe Assassin to Life, Exposing Political Ties to Controversial Church

A Japanese court on Wednesday sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami to life in prison for assassinating former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a 2022 election campaign speech in Nara.

Yamagami pleaded guilty and said he targeted Abe to draw attention to the former leader’s ties to the Unification Church, which he blamed for personal and family suffering.

The killing shocked Japan and prompted heightened security for public officials, while investigations triggered by the case exposed long-standing links between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the church, leading to the loss of its tax-exempt status in Japan.

The case has also fueled broader debate over religious influence, political accountability, and protections for victims of coercive donation practices.

 

Sources: News Agencies

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