The United States is reportedly considering a naval blockade aimed at curbing Iran’s oil exports as a possible step before any direct military action, The Jerusalem Post reports. The plan being examined would involve U.S. naval forces intercepting and potentially seizing Iranian oil tankers to restrict Tehran’s ability to sell crude. Similar measures were used by the Trump administration earlier this year against Venezuela, where a blockade of sanctioned tankers was implemented as part of pressure on the Maduro regime.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar sprayed with unknown liquid during town hall meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The person who sprayed the liquid at her was subdued.

Speaking at a rally in Clive, Iowa, President Donald J. Trump commented on Iran, saying that “another beautiful armada” was moving toward the country. He added that he hoped Iran would choose diplomacy, stating, “I hope they make a deal.”

During an interview on Fox News tonight, President Donald J. Trump confirmed that U.S. Border Patrol “Commander-at-Large” Gregory K. Bovino would be departing Minneapolis along with several agents and would be replaced by White House Border Czar Tom Homan. Trump described Bovino as “very good,” but added that he is “a pretty out there kind of guy,” suggesting that his approach may not have been well-suited to the situation in Minneapolis.

Asked by a reporter whether Alex Pretti had been acting as an “assassin” during the Minneapolis incident—an assertion previously made by Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller—President Donald J. Trump rejected the characterization. “No, I don’t think so,” Trump said. However, he reiterated that firearms should not be brought into such situations, stating, “You can’t have guns. You can’t walk in with guns.” When pressed about the Second Amendment, Trump repeated that carrying guns in that context was unacceptable, adding that the shooting was “a very unfortunate incident.”

Speaking at a restaurant in Iowa, President Donald J. Trump spoke about Alex Pretti, the victim of this weekend’s shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis, once again criticizing his decision to bring a handgun to the protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): “He certainly shouldn't have been carrying a gun. But all of - hey look, bottom line, everybody in this room - we view that as a very unfortunate incident, okay? Everyone, unless you're a stupid person. Very, very unfortunate incident. I don't like that he had a gun. I don't like that he had two fully loaded magazines. That's a lot of bad stuff. And despite that, I say that's a very unfortunate incident.”

Trump on Minnesota: We’re going to de-escalate a little bit.

Trump on Venezuela: “We’re going to get a lot of money from Venezuela. We had a very strong moment with Venezuela a couple of weeks ago.”

Newly released footage captures scenes from a deadly security crackdown in Mashhad, Iran.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we renew our pledge to confront antisemitism, defend historical truth, and uphold the enduring promise of ‘never again.’”

An Iranian Telegram channel linked to the Revolutionary Guard escalated its rhetoric, sharing a stark image paired with a Quranic verse stating, “We are going to destroy the people of this city.” The passage—traditionally associated with the angels’ warning to Abraham before the destruction of Sodom—was widely interpreted as a veiled threat aimed at the United States.

President Vladimir Putin said Russia could restart the Nord Stream 2 pipeline immediately if Germany gave the green light. He claimed the pipeline alone could supply Germany and much of Europe’s energy needs, but argued Berlin refuses to act because Washington says “no,” adding that Europe is “completely powerless.”

Israeli officials assess that the Rafah crossing is likely to be used primarily to allow Gazans to leave the Strip, raising questions about how Egypt will respond. Saudi outlet Al-Hadath reports that Jordanian, Egyptian, and European intelligence officials recently met in Ramallah with Palestinian Authority intelligence chief Majed Faraj to discuss reopening the Rafah crossing. One proposal under consideration is the establishment of an alternative terminal inside Gaza, initially limited to sick and wounded patients, operating under a strict one-in, one-out arrangement with Egypt. The delegation reportedly arrived in Ramallah by Jordanian helicopter and included Jordanian intelligence chief Ahmed Husni Khatoukai.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he was puzzled by Mark Carney’s thinking, arguing that Canada relies heavily on the United States. He emphasized that north–south trade far outweighs any potential east–west trade and dismissed the idea of “middle countries” charting an independent path, recalling that a similar approach under French President François Mitterrand in the 1980s failed—and, he said, would fail again today.

A year after her release from Hamas captivity, Agam Berger performed at the “From Holocaust to Growth” conference marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that, given the role of radicalized extremist Islam in the Bondi terrorist attacks, Australia’s response must directly and explicitly address the issue. He noted that the December 14 attackers were homegrown, emphasizing that their radicalization did not occur in madrasas in Southeast Asia or Afghanistan, but in the suburbs of southwest Sydney.

U.S. President Donald Trump met for nearly two hours Monday evening in the Oval Office with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her chief aide, Corey Lewandowski, according to The New York Times.

"Customs and Border Protection commander-at-large Greg Bovino is returning to El Centro, California, to resume his duties as chief of that sector, multiple sources told ABC News. The position of commander-at-large was a temporary position. Dept. of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Monday that Bovino "has NOT been relieved of his duties," referring to him as a "key part of the President’s team and a great American."

"The US is weighing precision strikes on "high-value" Iranian officials and commanders who it deems responsible for the deaths of protesters, a Gulf official familiar with the discussions told Middle East Eye. The strikes could come as early as this week, but that timeline could shift, MEE was told on Monday."

Anti-ICE protesters seen throwing snowballs as police in riot gear arrive at Springhill Suites in Minneapolis, Minnesota where protesters believe Greg Bovino is staying.