U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
Maduro Confirms “Respectful” Call With Trump, Signals Openness to Diplomatic Dialogue 
Israel Receives Body of Deceased Hostage as Rafah Crossing Reopening Hinges on Final Returns 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
U.S. Repatriation Flight Carrying 266 Venezuelan Migrants Lands in Caracas 
Trump Administration Tightens H-1B Visa Vetting With New Focus on Free Speech and Censorship 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
UN Chief Says Gaza Operation “Fundamentally Wrong” as Concerns Over War Crimes Grow 
New Orleans Immigration Crackdown Sparks Fear as Federal Arrests Intensify 
Drones Spotted Near Zelenskiy’s Flight Path in Ireland Trigger Security Alert 
U.S. Expected to Expand Travel Ban to More Than 30 Countries 
Trump and Lula Discuss Trade, Sanctions, and Security in “Productive” Phone Call 
U.S. Defense Chief Pete Hegseth Defends Controversial Second Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Trump’s Name Appears on U.S. Institute of Peace Ahead of Rwanda–Congo Deal Signing 
U.S. President Donald Trump made a strongly worded Twitter post accusing Iran as behind the attacks on the U.S. embassy compound in Iraq. But Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei remained unflustered and even posted a message of his own on social taunting Trump that there’s nothing he can do about it.
“Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities,” Donald Trump tweeted accusing Iran as behind the horde of angry demonstrators that stormed the U.S. Embassy in Iraq on Tuesday. “They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!”
But Iranian leader was not cowered by Trump’s threat on social media. In fact, he tweeted a message of his own taunting his U.S. counterpart and pointing out that Iran had nothing to do with the embassy attack since America is hated by most people in the region.
“First of all, you can't do a damn thing!” Ayatollah Khamenei via his English language Twitter account, according to Daily Mail. “This has nothing to do with Iran. Secondly, be logical... The people of this region hate America. Why don't Americans understand this?”
Khamenei later added that it is the U.S. that committed various crimes in the past. “You Americans have committed crimes in Iraq, you have committed crimes in Afghanistan,” the Iranian leader said. “You have killed people. If the Islamic republic decides to oppose or fight against a country, it will do this explicitly.”
According to BBC, last Tuesday’s attack on the U.S. embassy was in retaliation to the militia fighters kills in the recent airstrike done by America. Around 25 persons were killed when the U.S. bombed Kataib Hezbollah militia bases in eastern Syria and western Iraq on Sunday.
The U.S. responded by immediately sending 750 troops from a rapid response unit of the 82nd Airborne Division, Aljazeera reported. “This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against US personnel and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement.
