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The President's Daily Brief
September 10th, 2025: Israel Strikes Hamas Leaders in Qatar & 600 Arrested in Sinaloa Cartel Operation
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Kim Jong Un personally oversaw the test of a new ICBM rocket engine that puts the US Mainland in range. And in today's back of the brief, an explosion aboard Greta Thunberg's Gaza flotilla. She's got another Gaza flotilla sparks claims of a drone attack. Tunisian officials investigating the incident, well, they're telling a different story. Honestly, it could have just been the result of all that combustible hot air being pumped out by the self righteous flotilla participants. But maybe that makes me sound churlish. All right, first up, today's PDB Spotlight. Israel has clearly declared that no state is off limits in their fight against Hamas, targeting the group's senior political leadership with an unprecedented airstrike in the Qatari capital of Doha on Tuesday. The attack marked a sharp escalation in Israel's tactics against the terror group and Jerusalem's first strike inside Qatar since the 7 October Hamas attacks that started this conflict in Gaza. Qatar, of course, has played host to exiled Hamas leadership for quite some time, while at the same time serving as the chief mediator of the seemingly never ending ceasefire negotiations with the militants. But it appears that Israeli leaders have finally had enough officials with the IDF and Shin Bet, said the precision strikes focused on the top leaders of Hamas's political bureau. Key targets included Khalil al Hayah, Hamas top negotiator, and Zaher Jabarin, the longtime leader of Hamas's financial bureau. Israeli officials said the targets led the terrorist organization's activities for years and are directly responsible for carrying out the October 7th massacres and managing the war against the state of Israel. They added that prior to the strike, measures were taken to minimize any harm to civilians in the area. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, many of Hamas top political leaders had gathered Tuesday morning in Doha for a meeting at the time of the attack. Videos from the scene showed plumes of black smoke billowing from a petrol station in the city that sits next to a small residential compound. Intelligence suggests that compound has served as a political base of operations for Hamas, as it has been guarded by Qatar's Amiri Guard 24 hours a day since the war in Gaza began. The results of the strike still remain unclear, however. In a statement, Hamas officials told Reuters that five members were killed in the strikes but claimed their senior leaders on the ceasefire negotiating team survived the attack. Subsequent reports from Palestinian media confirm the deaths of Hamam Al Haya, the son of Hamas's top political leader, and Jihad Labad, the director of Al Hayy's office. Additionally, Qatari officials said one member of their internal security forces was killed and others were injured in the attack. Needless to say, the strike likely dealt a fatal blow to any hopes of Israel reaching a ceasefire deal with the terror group anytime soon. It came just one day after President Trump released a new ceasefire proposal that called for the release of all the remaining hostages, both living and deceased, on the first day of a 60 day truce. Israel quickly accepted the proposal, but Hamas rejected it, calling the offer a one sided surrender agreement. Sources familiar with the operation, which Israel dubbed Summit of Fire, said Israel informed the US that the attack was imminent and that the US subsequently informed Qatar. It's worth remembering that Qatar is a critical US partner in the Middle east and hosts America's most important air base in the region. But a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office stressed that the action was not done in coordination with the U.S. netanyahu later said that the strike was a direct response to Monday's terror attack at a bus stop in Jerusalem, which killed six people and wounded 12. Hamas's Al Qassam Brigades later claimed responsibility for that shooting. The statement from Netanyahu's office said the strike was a wholly independent Israeli operation. Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility, end quote. A subsequent statement from President Trump suggested he was not pleased with Israel's decision to strike or at least had conflicting feelings. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt provided a readout of Trump's statement which said in part, quote, unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the US that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America's goals. However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal, end quote. The statement added that, quote, president Trump believes this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace. The diplomatic fallout from the strike was predictably swift, with condemnations pouring in from the uae, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and France, among many others. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the UN, also denounced the attack, saying it undermined Qatar's long standing efforts to achieve a ceasefire and secure the release of the remaining hostages. A senior advisor to Qatar's Prime Minister, who had met with Hamas leader Khalil Al Hayya the previous day, condemned the attack as a cowardly and blatant violation of international laws and norms. He added that Qatar will, quote, not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional security. Well, of course, the ongoing disruption of regional security can be attributed to, yes, Hamas and their sugar daddy, Iran. But Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu struck a defiant posture in remarks at the US Embassy in Jerusalem following the attack. He declared, quote, the days are over when terror leaders can enjoy immunity of any kind. I won't allow that kind of immunity to exist, end quote. All right, coming up after the break, over 600 alleged members of the Sinaloa cartel are arrested in a massive DEA sweep. Plus, Kim Jong Un touts a new missile engine that North Korea says can reach the US Mainland. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. I want to take just a moment of your time to talk about my favorite purveyor of steaks and beef. And of course, that would be the great Tri Tails Ranch. Now, as I'm sure you're aware, it's back to school season. 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Well, they're not really a food group and your family deserves the best. Hey, Mike Baker here. I tell you what, let's talk about plants. Well, let's talk about plants. And trees. Well, also bushes. Don't forget the bushes. And let's not forget shrubs either. Now, did you know that Fast Growing Trees. Fast Growing Trees is the biggest online nursery in the US with thousands of different plants. And get this, over 2 million happy customers. They have all the plants your yard needs. Fruit trees, privacy trees, flowering trees, shrubs and. And really so much more. Whatever plants you're interested in, Fast Growing Trees has you covered. To get your dream yard delivered directly to your door, think about the time that saves you. This is a great company and again, an amazing time saver. No more time consuming trips to the nursery, hoping to find something for your yard or your home. And this fall they have the best deals, up to half off on select plants. Even better, my listeners get 15% off of their first purchase. Just enter code PDB at checkout. That's an additional 15. 15 off@fastgrowingtrees.com with code PDB at checkout. Again, fast growingtrees.com code PDB now's the perfect time to plant. Use code PDB to save today. Offer is valid for a limited time. Terms and conditions may apply. Welcome Back to the PDB. The U.S. drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA says its agents fanned out nationwide and abroad in a week long blitz against the Sinaloa cartel, arresting more than 600 operatives and hauling in mountains of drugs, guns and cash. The operation, running from the 25th to the 29th of August, saw coordinated rates across 23 domestic divisions in the US and seven foreign regions. The numbers were impressive. Agents tallied 617 arrests, seized 480 kilos of fentanyl powder, nearly 715,000 counterfeit pills, 2,200 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 7,400 kilos of cocaine, 420 firearms and $13 million in seized assets. The crackdown followed President Trump's February executive order to designate the Sinaloa cartel, along with seven other Mexico based cartels, as foreign terrorist organizations, or FTOs. That designation, which also roped in MS.13 in El Salvador and Trenda Aragua or TDA in Venezuela, effectively elevated cartel enforcement to the level of counterterrorism. The DEA has since branded the Sinaloa Cartel, quote, one of the most significant threats to public safety, public health and national security in the U.S. dEA Administrator Terence Cole hammered that point home, declaring that, quote, every kilogram of poison seized, every dollar stripped from the cartels and every arrest we make represents lives saved and communities defended, end quote. For those unfamiliar, the Sinaloa Cartel has long been regarded as one of the world's most violent and sophisticated trafficking syndicates, responsible for the vast majority of fentanyl flowing across the US Southern border and fueling America's record overdose crisis. Record fentanyl Deaths occurred in 2022 under then President Joe Biden, when cartel flows went largely unchecked. Since Trump's return to office and his designation of the Sinaloa Cartel as an FTO government analysts say the US has been able to bring the full weight of counterterrorism powers against traffickers. This allows federal agents to strike deeper into the cartel's network than ever before and deliver the kind of coordinated blows that were absent in previous admin. By DEA estimates, the Sinaloa Cartel counts tens of thousands of members, associates and facilitators operating in at least 40 countries. Division chiefs underscored that reach. Jim Scott, who leads the DEA's Louisville division, said, this shows that the Sinaloa Cartel's tentacles spread far and deep. No community is spared. Brian Clark, special DEA agent in charge of Los Angeles, cautioned that even the week long haul was only a snapshot of the broader fight, stating, this ruthless cartel is in intent on cashing in, permeating our communities with their poisoning with no regard to human suffering. End quote. And while agents hailed the arrests and seizures as a major win, the war, as you could imagine, is far from finished. With fentanyl overdoses still ongoing, the DEA says it will intensify its operations until the cartel's sprawling infrastructure is crushed. Okay. Turning to North Korea, the regime says it has wrapped up the final ground test of its most powerful solid fuel rocket engine to date, a breakthrough that gets Pyongyang closer to fielding intercontinental missiles capable of striking the US mainland. North Korean state media declared Tuesday that leader Kim Jong Un himself watched over Monday's trial, hailing the engine's output as eye opening and a significant change in his evolving nuclear program. Built with carbon fiber, the engine reportedly kicks out nearly 2000kn of thrust, which, for reference, in case you're not a Kilonewtons expert, is roughly the combined power of seven Boeing 747 engines. And if this sounds familiar, well, it should. This was the ninth such test of the system meant to propel next generation ICBMs, including a variant now dubbed the Hwasong 20. And the advantages of solid fuel over liquid are alarming faster launch times, easier concealment, and a far tougher target to hit preemptively. I want to point out that the design could also enable more ICBMs fired from trucks or submarines, systems that could complicate US and allied defenses. Still, it's not a full celebration in Pyongyang, as one hurdle remains. The regime has yet to prove its warheads can survive atmospheric re entry. That's a key component, of course, of effective ICBMs. Every launch so far has been on a steep and somewhat restricted trajectory meant to keep missiles from flying over Japan or other neighbors. A spokesman for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the country is watching closely but has held back from any new assessment. It's expected that Kim will stage a full flight test later this year, timed to maximize impact ahead of a key party Congress in 2026, where he'll trumpet his next strategic vision for the regime. The timing is no accident, of course. Since talks with Washington collapsed in 2019, Kim has escalated weapons tests to force recognition of his country as a nuclear state and to negotiate from strength. And the geopolitical context matters. As we discussed last week, Kim stood shoulder to shoulder with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at Beijing's military parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. His dispatch of roughly 11,000 troops to Ukraine cemented ties with Moscow and likely brought him access to advanced Russian missile technology to propel his regime's own program with Beijing. Kim has gone so far as to pledge stronger strategic communication with Xi and a recent personal letter. All right, coming up next in the back of the brief, Greta Thunberg's Gaza flotilla. Of course we're going to cover that. Claims it was hit by a drone off Tunisia, but local authorities say the explosion came from inside the boat. More on that story when we come back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now this is for anybody working on a job site or maybe just Getting stuff done around the yard or perhaps just banging around the garage trying to fix things. 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In today's Back of the Brief, we've got a strange story out of Tunisia. A Gaza bound flotilla, most notably featuring everyone's favorite angst ridden activist Greta Thunberg, is claiming one of its ships was struck by a drone. How dramatic. Organizers of the Global Sumud flotilla say a drone hovered over their Portuguese flagged vessel near the Tunisian port of Sidi Busaid before dropping an explosive device. The organization even posted dramatic video. Of course they did. Of the incident, which they say shows the moment of impact. But here's the thing. When you look at it, it doesn't look anything like a drone strike. It looks more like a firework or a flare on the boat that set off a blaze among life jackets on board. And that's exactly what Tunisian authorities are saying. Their nation's Interior Ministry reported there was, quote, no basis in truth to the claim of a drone attack. Officials say no drones were detected in the area and that the fire was almost certainly started by those on board. So on one side you have activists breathlessly insisting that they were attacked from the air. On the other you have Tunisian authorities and the video itself suggesting this was more of a self inflicted or possibly intentional accident more than an act of war. The flotilla, by the way, has been trying to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, a blockade that's been in place since 2007 to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons. Israeli officials have long dismissed these voyages as publicity stunts. More about Instagram selfies and aid delivery. This isn't the first time a so called aid flotilla has tried to run the blockade. Back in June, Greta Thunberg was on another boat that was quickly intercepted by Israeli authorities in international waters. She and the other activists were detained, then put on commercial flights back home. Greta herself reportedly was given a coach class ticket, not even a business class on Ell out of Tel Aviv. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Wednesday, 10th September. Now if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdb@the first tv.com and of course to listen to the show ad free. Well, it's simple. Just become a premium member of the President's Daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. For a limited time at McDonald's, get a Big Mac Extra Value meal for $8. That means two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun and medium fries and a drink. We may need to change that jingle.
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