Chris Byrd

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

In a notable and much welcome announcement, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has announced that she is now cancer free, following reporting from CBS that she had undergone an operation earlier. Wiles announced this past March that she had breast cancer, but notably, has continued to work throughout her recovery.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

Iranian news outlets are now reporting that a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone has been shot down. Last month, the Washington post reported that the U.S. has lost 25% of its Realer fleet since the war with Iran started.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

More reports now of U.S. strikes against Iran’s Qeshm Island, following the resumption of scaled up U.S. strikes against Iran.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

Earlier today, the U.S. Senate passed Senate Bill 5025, the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026”, by a margin of 86-11 sending the bill to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Key provisions include:
• Up to 500% tariffs on goods imported directly from Russia.
• Up to 100% tariffs on imports from the largest purchasers of Russian crude oil and natural gas, as well as countries determined to be facilitating Russian sanctions evasion.
• Expanded sanctions targeting Russian government officials, banks, energy companies, vessels involved in sanctions evasion, and entities supporting Russia's defense industrial base.
• New restrictions on investment in Russia, Russian energy exports, uranium imports, sovereign debt purchases, and access to international financial messaging systems.

If enacted, the legislation would represent one of the most comprehensive U.S. sanctions packages against Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine, while also increasing economic pressure on third countries that continue purchasing Russian energy.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

During a joint presser with U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, President Trump said he would like to press the issue of Lebanon’s involvement in the Abraham Accords, an increasingly expanding region-wide Arab-Israeli rapprochement process, with his Lebanese counterpart during today’s talks.

[Chris Byrd @chrisbyrd]

@SkyNews @MarkKleinmanSky What do you want him to do? Stay in the Travelodge?

[Justine Moore @venturetwins]

Me using Claude Opus 4.8 to rename a file

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys seen flying over the Venezuelan capital of Caracas earlier, amid an emergency military response exercise at and around the U.S. Embassy.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

CNN has reported that sources have told them that a resumption of U.S.-Israeli strikes against targets inside Iran are expected within the next day. This follows Iranian strikes on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against the United Arab Emirates’ primary oil export infrastructure in Fujairah.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

According to a release from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has directed 29 vessels to turn back or return to port since the beginning of the blockade on vessels traveling to or leaving Iranian ports. Per the release, CENTCOM has refuted past reporting that a number of ships passed the blockade, saying that the M/V Hero II and M/V Hedy are instead docked at Iran’s Chabahar port after being directed to turn back. Additionally, in confirmation of reporting from yesterday, CENTCOM has said that the M/V Dorena is currently under the escort of a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Indian Ocean.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

According the Washington Post, citing three sources with knowledge on the matter, the Pentagon has told Congress that Iran may have placed up to 20 naval mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz and that it may take up to 6 months for clearance operations to conclude. Additionally, per the report, it’s unlikely that said operations can be carried out until the end of the conflict with Iran and a long-term ceasefire can be put in place.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

Five oil tankers that had been loitering outside Iran’s easternmost port in the Gulf of Oman were no longer visible in satellite imagery late this week, with the ships having left the gulf in the hours before President Trump’s blockade took effect around Iran. One of the vessels has since returned to an Iranian port, two others have turned around and the remaining two are being shadowed by U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers in the Arabian Sea, a U.S. official tells the Washington Post.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

U. S. President Donald J. Trump has announced that the king and queen of the UK, King Charles and Queen Camilla, are set to visit the U.S. on April 27-30, 2026.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

China and Pakistan released a joint communique today, with a five-point plan on returning stability to the Middle East. Both nations have called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, the earnest start of peace talks in the near-term, the security of non-military targets, the security of key shipping lanes, and the “primacy of the UN Charter.”

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

According to Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), an electrical substation and several transmission lines were damaged by shrapnel from strikes earlier tonight near the Northern Iranian city of Karaj, causing major power outages in large portions of Karaj and Eastern Tehran.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

Per a release from the IDF, after missile launches towards Israel were detected, air defense systems are now working to intercept incoming projectiles.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

In addition to the E-11A BACN that arrived in Germany yesterday, 3 more are deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. When this one arrives, 5 of 8 active aircraft in the fleet will be in the EUCOM and CENTCOM areas of operation. The E-11A enables cross platform data and voice connectivity for ground and air forces.

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

Speaking at tonight’s CEO Reception and Dinner for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Donald J. Trump stated: “We had a good speech. We got great reviews. I can't believe it. We got good reviews in that speech. Usually they say, ‘he's a horrible dictator type person.’ I'm a dictator. But sometimes you need a dictator. But they didn't say that in this case. And no, it's common sense. It's all based on common sense. It's not conservative or liberal or anything else. It's mostly, let's say, 95% common sense.”

[David K 🎹 @DavidKPiano]

Before AI coding agents, I'd constantly have 2 or 3 side-projects that I would struggle to finish

AI completely changed the game

Now I have 15-20 unfinished side-projects

[OSINTdefender @sentdefender]

Several government offices and other buildings burn tonight in the Nezam Abad Neighborhood of Central Tehran, set ablaze by crowds of anti-government protesters estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands across the capital of Iran.