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Dec 19, 2025
Iran Update, December 19, 2025
Toplines The United States struck dozens of ISIS-affiliated targets in Syria on December 19 in direct response to the ISIS-affiliated killing of two US soldiers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra on December 13.[1] US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the US operation aims to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites.[2] Unspecified US ... Read more
Dec 19, 2025
China & Taiwan Update, December 19, 2025
Toplines The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is relying on cooperation with Russia to improve the PLA Air Force Airborne Corps’ ability to establish and defend an airhead during a Taiwan invasion. A December 3 Kyiv Independent investigation reported that over 40 high-level PRC military officers, defense industry personnel, and diplomatic staff conducted clandestine visits to ... Read more
Dec 18, 2025
Iran Update, December 18, 2025
Toplines Syrian, Kurdish, and Western sources speaking to Reuters expressed relative optimism about the progress on Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) integration negotiations between the SDF and Syrian government. A Western source and a Kurdish source added that an extension of the March 10 integration agreement’s December 31 deadline is probably imminent. One SDF source characterized ... Read more
Dec 18, 2025
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, December 18, 2025
Toplines Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Chief of the General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov continue to publicly demonstrate their commitment to achieving Russia’s original war aims while exaggerating Russian battlefield gains. Putin stated during a December 17 ceremony awarding medals to Russian servicemembers that Russia will achieve all of its goals and claimed ... Read more
Dec 18, 2025
RBC-Ukraine: Russia unlikely to seize all of Donetsk any sooner than 2027-2028: ISW analysts interview
RBC-Ukraine ISW Russia Researchers Jessica Sobieski and Jennie Olmsted told RBC-Ukraine what to expect on the front line by the end of this year, what Russia may be planning, the risks for Ukraine in 2026, and whether Moscow is ready to end the war. In Moscow, officials are systematically pushing the narrative that a breakthrough ... Read more
