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The President's Daily Brief
April 10th, 2026: Netanyahu Signals Diplomacy With Lebanon & China's Devastating Cyber Breach
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It's Friday, the 10th of April. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage and yes, back out on the road. All right, let's get briefed. First up, Prime Minister Netanyahu makes a move toward diplomacy, announcing direct talks with Lebanon, as Washington reported, pushes Israel to ease off attacks on Hezbollah in an effort to ease tensions with Iran ahead of planned ceasefire talks. I'll bring you the details later in the show. A massive cyber breach in China with hackers reportedly stealing sensitive military data, including missile schematics from a state run supercomputer. Plus, Spain moves to reopen its embassy in Tehran. The as President Trump blasts NATO allies over their stance on the Iran conflict. And finally, in the back of the brief, Artemis 2 begins its return to earth tonight, entering the final and arguably most dangerous phase of the mission. But first, today's PDB. As a U.S. delegation prepares to meet Iranian diplomats in Islamabad today we one of the key points of friction remains Israel's ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. Now, earlier this week, President Trump reportedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to scale back strikes in Lebanon in an effort to prevent the already tenuous ceasefire from unraveling or unraveling further. New reporting from NBC News cites a senior administration official who says Trump didn't just make a general appeal, he personally called Netanyahu, urging him to be a, quote, helpful partner as negotiations with Iran supposedly are set to move forward. And for a while, it looked like the president's request had landed. On Wednesday, Vice President J.D. vance told reporters that Israel had agreed to, quote, check itself in Lebanon. That must be a technical term suggesting there was at least some alignment with Washington's approach. Now on paper, well, that sounds promising. The US Pushes for restraint in order to placate Iran. Israel signals cooperation and negotiations with Iran perhaps move ahead. But within hours of Vance's statement, Israel launched the largest bombing campaign in Lebanon since the start of this war. Over the course of roughly 10 minutes, more than 100 targets were hit. Lebanese civil defense officials say over 300 people were killed and more than 1100 wounded, with the toll still expected to rise. Now, Israel says these strikes were aimed at Hezbollah's command and control centers, part of what it's calling Operation E. Darkness, an effort to dismantle what remains of the Iran backed terror group's military infrastructure. And from Israel's perspective, the logic here hasn't changed. Both Washington and Jerusalem maintain that Hezbollah is not covered under the ceasefire with Iran. In other words, from Israel's view this is a completely separate fight and one that they intend to keep pursuing. But the Iranian regime and Pakistani mediators say Lebanon has to be part of any real de escalation. And increasingly, European leaders are lining up behind that argument, warning that the ceasefire may not survive if Lebanon stays outside the deal. Now, not to state the obvious, but Iran, already declaring victory, believes that as long as it controls the strait, the US And Europe will make various concessions, which explains why they are pushing their various demands. Regardless, Israeli air operations continued into Thursday, albeit at a slightly reduced pace. The IDF says it struck additional weapons depots, rocket launchers and Hezbollah headquarters across southern Lebanon. At the same time, Israeli officials claim Hezbollah fighters have been operating deeper inside Beirut and beyond their traditional strongholds. But even as those operations continue, Netanyahu is signaling a willingness to open a diplomatic channel with Lebanon. He says Israel is now prepared to begin direct talks with the Lebanese government, following what he described as Lebanon's repeated requests. The focus would be on disarming Hezbollah and potentially formalizing relationships between the two countries. And Netanyahu made that explicit posting on X. In light of Lebanon's repeated requests, I instructed the cabinet to initiate direct talks with Lebanon as soon as possible, end quote. Now, of course, that would be a significant shift. The last serious attempt at normalization came back in 1983 through US mediated talks, an agreement that ultimately collapsed. A US official confirms the State Department is set to host talks between Israel and Lebanon next week in Washington aimed at ending the current hostilities with Hezbollah. The discussions are expected to be led on the US Side by Ambassador to Lebanon Michael Issa, and on the Israeli side by Israel's ambassador to the U.S. now, one point to note here, and it simply highlights the complexity of the problem. The Lebanese government doesn't speak for Hezbollah. And over the past few decades, the Lebanese government has not had the ability to either control or seriously influence Hezbollah. Hezbollah, as it always, has answers to Iran. And once again, Hezbollah and Iran have dragged Lebanon into a conflict that neither the people nor the Lebanese government wanted. All of that said, Netanyahu has also made it clear that operations against Hezbollah will continue regardless of diplomatic developments. Alright, coming up next, hackers steal sensitive defense data from a Chinese supercomputer. And the government of Spain is set to reopen its embassy in Tehran as tensions flare between President Trump and NATO partners. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. 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Welcome back to the pdb. In a solid case of the SHU being on the other foot, I want to turn now to what could be one of the largest cyber hacks ever carried out against China. The attack targeted a Chinese state run supercomputer where sensitive military and research data may have been quietly accessed and stolen for six months. What we're learning from cybersecurity experts is that the person behind this breach is now claiming they extracted more than 10 billion petabytes. Not terabytes, but petabytes. Don't ask me what that means. Of data from China's National Supercomputing center in Tianjin. Now, this facility hosts a centralized system supporting more than 6,000 clients across China, including defense contractors, aerospace firms, and advanced research institutions directly tied to Beijing's military and technological developments. The center is part of a broader network of supercomputing hubs that underpin some of China's most sensitive work. And just to put that in perspective, because it's easy to lose track of how large this really is. One petabyte. Oh, here comes the information. One petabyte equals roughly 1,000 terabytes. Did you know that? I had no idea. So, at 10 petabytes, we're talking about a volume of data so massive that only governments or major intelligence services could realistically process it. To give you a clearer sense of scale, about 10 petabytes could store the entire text collection of the Library of Congress roughly 1,000 times over. And you're welcome for that really fun bit of cocktail party conversation for the next time you're out at a cocktail party. According to analysts who reviewed samples posted by the alleged hacker account calling itself Flaming China on Telegram, the contents appear to include documents marked secret in Chinese, along with missile schematics, aerospace research, and simulation data tied to military systems. Importantly, some of that material has been linked to major state affiliated organizations, including the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, and the National University of Defense Technology, entities that sit right at the center of Beijing's Defense industrial base. So you ask yourself, how did this come to light? That's a good question. The account Flaming China first began offering previews of the data set for thousands of dollars, with full access priced in the hundreds of thousands requested in cryptocurrency. The account described the archive as containing research across various fields, including aerospace engineering, military research, bioinformatics, fusion simulation, and more. But at the same time, it's important to be clear about what we don't know. This breach has not been independently verified. But multiple cybersecurity experts who have examined portions of the data set, including a researcher who said he spoke directly with the individual claiming responsibility on Telegram, say their initial assessment is that the data appears authentic. So the next obvious question is, how did the attacker get in? Well, according to the individual claiming responsibility, access was gained through a compromised virtual private network connected to the supercomputing center. And notably, experts say the attacker appears to have gained entry with comparative ease. Once inside, the attacker allegedly deployed what's called a botnet, a distributed network of systems to quietly extract the data over time. Now, naturally, small amounts of data are far less likely to raise red flags than a single large transfer. I want to point out that China has long struggled with cybersecurity vulnerabilities across both government and private sector Systems. Back in 2021, a massive database containing the personal information of up to 1 billion Chinese citizens was left unsecured for more than a year before it was discovered and eventually offered for sale online. Even senior Chinese officials have acknowledged the problem. In its 2025 National Security White Paper, Beijing emphasized the need to build robust security barriers across its network, data and AI sectors. Now, that's an implicit admission that gaps still exist as the country tries to strengthen its defenses. So if this breach is confirmed, it doesn't just expose sensitive military and research data. It exposes a deeper vulnerability inside one of China's most critical technological ecosystems at a moment when Beijing is actively trying to compete with the US in artificial intelligence, advanced computing and next generation warfare. Now, the irony here is that the Chinese Communist Party, over many years, in its efforts to compete with the US and west, has itself engaged in aggressive efforts to steal intellectual property, economic intelligence and sensitive research and development information. Okay, I want to shift to Europe, where a move by a key NATO ally is raising new questions about divisions inside the alliance over the war with Iran. Spain is moving to reopen its embassy in Tehran just one month after pulling staff out amid the conflict, making it the first Western nation to return a diplomatic presence to the Iranian capital since the war began. Spain's Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Alvarez, confirmed the controversial decision on Thursday, saying he's instructed his country's ambassador to return to the post. Alvarez said the decision is aimed at supporting diplomatic efforts from inside Iran, telling reporters that Spain intends to, quote, join in this effort for peace from every possible quarter, including from the Iranian capital itself. But the timing tells a more complicated story, revealing significant strain within the NATO alliance. Madrid has not been aligned with Washington's broader approach to the war with Iran. And their move comes just days into the fragile two week ceasefire, such as it is, between the US And Iran. Spain has been openly critical of Israeli military actions since the start of the war and on Thursday accused Jerusalem of, quote, flouting the ceasefire and violating international law with its strikes in Lebanon. Israeli officials quickly hit back at Spain's decision to reopen its embassy, with the foreign minister saying Spain was now moving, quote, hand in hand with the Iranian terror regiment. I should also note that Spain, currently led by a leftist government, declined to allow US Forces to use its bases in support of operations tied to the war. That's a position that puts it starkly at odds with the US Strategy of maintaining military pressure on Iran while working to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. While perhaps the most vocal in their public criticism, Spain is far from alone. France and the UK have also shown reluctance to allow their regional infrastructure to be used for strikes on Iran, another indication that not all NATO allies are aligned on how this conflict should be handled. As a result, tensions between Washington and its NATO partners have been rapidly rising. President Trump has openly criticized allies for not doing more to support U.S. operations, particularly efforts tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. And according to reporting cited by the New York Post, the administration has even discussed potential consequences for countries that declined to assist, such as pulling US Troops out of NATO countries that hampered or failed to help in Operation Epic Fury. On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt also noted that the president has discussed the possibility of the US Reconsidering its membership in NATO, though no formal policy changes have been announced. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, during which Spain reportedly came up as a source of tension. Ruta described the meeting as, quote, frank and open. While acknowledging that Trump had voiced disappointment with the alliance, Ruta emphasized unity following the sit down, saying the discussion focused on maintaining a stronger, fairer alliance despite differences over the Iran conflict. But the meeting appeared to do little to allay Trump's concerns. Later on Wednesday evening, the president took to truth social, saying, quote, and this is all caps. So you know he's serious. NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again. Now, as an aside, there is a practical upside to Spain or other Western nations reopening or maintaining embassy facilities in Tehran. Even if there are differences between allies, there is still information sharing that goes on behind the scenes. Countries that disagree on various policies often still maintain important liaison relationships that aren't visible to the public. In this case, given how difficult it has always been to gather information and insight into the activities of the Islamic Republic, I would rather have Spain operating from inside Iran with the potential to share information than have no window at all. Coming up in the back of the brief, Artemis 2 prepares for re entry tonight as the mission approaches arguably its most dangerous stage. More on that story when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, you've probably heard me talk about Gold Belly, right? That's the amazing company that brings iconic foods from America's greatest chefs straight to your doorstep. It's that simple. You may also be aware that you've looked at the calendar and you realize Mother's Day is right around the corner. And what better way to make Mum feel special than to order up food she's going to love? Goldbelly celebrates the best of America by shipping the country's most iconic and celebrated foods from legendary eateries straight to your door. And they'll ship anywhere across the country for free. In time for Mother's Day. Everything I've ever ordered from Gold Belly shows up perfectly packed and absolutely delicious. Come on, celebrate your mom with something like Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcakes. Right? 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After an historic 10 day mission around the moon, traveling further in space than any humans have before, NASA's Artemis 2 crew is preparing for splashdown. Tonight at 8:07pm Eastern Time, the four astronauts will bring their Orion capsule back through Earth's atmosphere before landing in the Pacific Ocean, where recovery teams aboard the USS John P. Murta are standing by off the coast of San Diego. At a time when the world seems almost overwhelmed with conflict, Artemis 2 has been an incredible story of courage, adventure, and human spirit that, frankly, we all needed. Now, while this is the final leg of their journey, it may also be the most dangerous part of the entire mission. As the capsule re enters the Earth's atmosphere, it will be traveling at roughly 24,000 miles per hour. At that speed, the air in front of the spacecraft doesn't just rush past, it compresses and superheats, creating temperatures of nearly 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The only thing standing between that heat and the astronauts inside the capsule is what's known as the heat shield, a protective layer on the bottom of the capsule designed to absorb and burn away as it takes on that extreme energy. And that's where the concern comes in. During the earlier Artemis 1 mission, which flew the same Orion design without a crew, engineers found unexpected damage on the heat shield. After splashdown, chunks of material had broken off. Instead of burning away evenly. NASA says it understands what caused that issue. Gas buildup inside the material creating pressure that led to cracking, and has adjusted the re entry path of Artemis 2 to reduce the stress on the shield. In simple terms, they're bringing the capsule in faster and steeper, limiting how long it's exposed to peak heat. NASA officials say they're confident the system will hold, but apparently not everyone agrees. Some former NASA engineers and astronauts warn the agency still doesn't fully understand how that heat shield behaves under these conditions, and that there's no backup system if it fails. If the shield were to break down too quickly, the structure beneath it could overheat, weaken, and ultimately fail. Now, to be clear, NASA's analysis suggests there is still a significant safety margin and the crew themselves had been involved in the process every step of the way. Again, the crew will be returning tonight a little after 8:00pm Eastern Time. Godspeed will be watching, hoping and praying for their safe return. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Friday, 10 April. Now, if you have any questions or comments, and I hope you do, please reach out to me@pdbthe first tv.com now, given that it's Friday, and it most definitely is Friday, that can only mean one thing. That I'm about to remind you that a new episode of our extended weekend show, the PDB Situation Report, is set to hit the airwaves. This evening at 10:00pm on the First TV. As always, you can find it also, and past episodes on our YouTube channel, at President's Daily Brief, and of course, on podcast platforms everywhere. I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Sam.