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A senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Hamas will have 60 days to surrender all weapons, or Israel will resume military operations in Gaza.

Ukraine’s General Staff stated that its forces successfully targeted a Russian Ka-27 helicopter in occupied Crimea during the night. Ukrainian forces also conducted strikes on three Russian UAV command posts in Zaporizhzhia (occupied areas) and Russia’s Kursk region.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would be "indirectly" involved in the nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, which are scheduled to commence on Tuesday in Geneva.

U.S. President Trump announced that members of his newly formed Board of Peace have pledged $5 billion for Gaza’s reconstruction and will provide thousands of personnel for an international stabilization force.

Netanyahu: Gaza will not pose a threat ever again to the State of Israel.

Bezalel Smotrich, Israel ’s Finance Minister, said he would push the next government to “encourage migration” of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainians would reject any peace deal requiring Kyiv to cede full control of the Donbas to Russia. "Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never," he said. Zelensky warned that if Ukraine were to simply withdraw and "sacrifice sovereignty and the citizenship of the people who live there," the public would reject it in a referendum.

WATCH: Burkina Faso’s military released footage of Bayraktar UCAV strikes on JNIM (Group for Support of Islam and Muslims) militants, targeting swarms of motorcycles.

WATCH: Ukrainian F-16s shooting down a Russian Shahed drone using an APKWS laser-guided rocket. The new APKWS setup gives Ukraine by Ukraine’s F-16s up to 14 low-cost air-to-air rockets.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Ethiopia for his first visit in over a decade, marking 100 years of diplomatic ties. He was welcomed in Addis Ababa by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Talks focused on trade, investment, defense, energy, and regional security.

WATCH: Ukrainian ground drone armed with a Browning M2 machine gun eliminates a Russian soldier in the Donetsk region.

Reporter: Are you going to get involved in the rift between UAE and Saudi Arabia? Trump: Well, I could settle it very easily, but they do indeed have a rift and we can get it settled very easily. I settle wars. I settle a lot of rifts between countries. You've been noticing, right? That's an easy one to settle.

Senator Graham on Iran: There are no gaps between Trump and Bibi about what to do and how to do it. There are two lines in the water right now: one is a diplomatic line trying to find a way to end this regime diplomatically that will advance our national security interest. The other line is the military option. I think Trump is looking for which line can catch the biggest fish.

Indonesia states that up to 8,000 troops will be prepared by June for a potential humanitarian peacekeeping mission in Gaza, in support of a postwar reconstruction plan. Approximately 1,000 troops could be deployed as early as April, subject to government approval and international coordination. Officials have indicated that the mission's focus would be on aid delivery and civilian protection, rather than combat operations.

BIG: In December, Trump informed Netanyahu that he would back Israeli strikes on Iran's ballistic missile program should nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran falter. Since then, U.S. military and intelligence officials have initiated internal discussions regarding potential U.S. assistance to Israel, encompassing aerial refueling and the procurement of overflight authorizations. Source: CBS News

BIG: Trump told Netanyahu in December that he would support Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program if nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran fail. U.S. military and intelligence officials have since begun internal talks about how the U.S. could assist Israel, including providing aerial refueling and securing overflight permissions. Source: CBS News

Zelensky to POLITICO: We had the Budapest Memorandum, which was just security guarantees. We gave nuclear weapons and other weapons and a lot of jets — dozens of jets — and yes, we gave them, and we got security guarantees that our sovereignty would be protected. In the end, we don’t have security guarantees, because Russia came and nobody attacked Russia. Nobody saved our independence.

EU's Kaja Kallas: If Ukraine's military is to be limited in size, Russia s should be too. Where Russia has caused damage in Ukraine, Russia should pay. No amnesty for war crimes; return of the deported Ukrainian children. This is really the very least Russia should agree to if peace is Russia's goal.

Russia is not a superpower. Following over a decade of conflict, including four years of full-scale war in Ukraine, Russia has made negligible advances beyond the 2014 lines. The cost has been 1.2 million casualties. Today, Russia is broken. Its economy is in ruins. It is distancing itself from European energy markets, and its own citizens are fleeing.

LATEST: Map shows the scale of the U.S. military buildup against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

I was very honored to see that a very wonderful Prime Minister in Japan won by a landslide. I think she was going to win, but she won by just about the biggest vote ever in Japan. And she attributed my endorsement for that. And that's very good because we have a great relationship with her and Japan.

Donald Trump stated regarding Cuba: "Cuba is right now a failed nation and they don't even have jet fuel to get for airplanes to take off. They're clogging up their runway. But we're talking to Cuba right now. They have Marco Rubio talking to Cuba right now and they should absolutely make a deal because it's a humanitarian threat."

Senator Graham on the IDF: The wars of the future are being planned here in Israel. If you are not one step ahead of the enemy, you suffer.

Senator Graham on Iran: Could our soldiers be hit in the region? Absolutely, they could. Can Iran respond if we have an all-out attack? Absolutely, they can. I think the risk associated with that is far less than the risk associated with blinking, pulling the plug, and not helping the people as you promised.

African Union leaders met in Addis Ababa this weekend as AU chief Mahmoud Ali Youssouf urged ending violence against Palestinians and addressed wars across Africa.

Trump Backs Potential Israeli Strikes on Iran Missiles U.S. President Donald Trump told Benjamin Netanyahu that he would back Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program if nuclear talks fail.

The Israeli government has authorized the registration of large areas in the occupied West Bank as “state property” for the first time since 1967.

Rubio on Syria: We like the trajectory. We have to keep it on that trajectory. We've got good agreements in place. The key now is implementation, and we'll be very involved in that regard.

Iran and the United States have completed a second round of indirect nuclear negotiations in Geneva, exchanging proposals through Omani mediators amid heightened regional tensions and military signaling in the Gulf. READ MORE

Polish President Duda: For many years — including during Prime Minister Tusk’s governments — we were a vassal of Berlin or Brussels...

India has requested 31 additional Rafale Marine (Rafale-M) fighter jets from France. This would be on top of the 26 Rafale-M already ordered in April 2025. If approved, the Indian Navy would operate 57 carrier-based Rafale-M fighters. That number would exceed France’s own naval Rafale fleet (around 41 aircraft).

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated: "Türkiye is trying to flip Saudi Arabia against us and establish a hostile Sunni axis that includes nuclear-armed Pakistan."

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi: They turn a blind eye to the Israeli regime’s nuclear weapons while portraying Iran’s peaceful program as a threat. There is no crime it has not committed and no red line it has not crossed. READ MORE

WATCH: Ethiopian children greet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with a warm show of affection ahead of the official dinner in Addis Ababa. Source: Anadolu Agency

The second round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks has concluded.

BREAKING: Iran will temporarily close the Strait of Hormuz during military drills. The temporary closure is linked to planned live-fire and naval exercises by the Military Forces of Iran in the area. Source: Fars READ MORE

BIG: The U.S. is massing major airpower in the Middle East. New deployments: 18 × F-35A 36 × F-16 12 × F-22 2 × E-3 AWACS Up to 18 × F-15E NOTE: This is in addition to all the aircraft currently deployed near Iran including the Lincoln CSG. Source: OAlexanderDK

Iran's Khamenei to Trump: More dangerous than a fleet of warships is a weapon that can send them to the bottom of the sea.

UN Chief: Africa Deserves Permanent Security Council Seat UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, urging Security Council reform, peace efforts and UN-AU priorities. READ MORE

Senator Graham: The Iranian Ayatollah and his murderous regime are at their weakest point since 1979. Their economy is in shambles, their military has been degraded, and their people are in the streets — Iranian people in the streets demanding an end to oppression. All these forces are coming together. We must meet the moment.

EU's Kaja Kallas on Russia: The greatest threat Russia presents right now is that it gains more at the negotiation table than it has achieved on the battlefield.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi addressed the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, urging the complete elimination of nuclear weapons, stating, "Either we dismantle nuclear weapons or they will one day dismantle us."

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney: The truth is, over the last few decades, Canada has neither spent enough on our defense nor invested enough in our defense industries. We’ve relied too heavily on our geography and others to protect us. This has created vulnerabilities that we can no longer afford and dependencies that we can no longer sustain.

Germany's FM Johann Wadephul states that Europe cannot defend itself without the U.S. He said, "We are only capable of defending ourselves together with the USA, not alone. Without the nuclear umbrella of the USA, without the secret service information from the USA, we are not capable of defending ourselves here. That is the pure reality."

A Japanese aviation spotter posted what appears to be the first blurry public photo of a new/additional JASDF (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) Kawasaki RC-2 SIGINT (signals intelligence) aircraft. The RC-2 is Japan’s modern signals-intelligence jet (based on the C-2 transport), replacing old YS-11EB aircraft.

Araghchi Meets IAEA Chief Ahead of US Talks Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met the head of the UN nuclear watchdog in Geneva ahead of a high-stakes second round of nuclear negotiations with the United States. READ MORE

The United Kingdom government is considering increasing defense spending to 3% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ahead of its original schedule, possibly by 2029. Keir Starmer had previously pledged to raise defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with the aim of reaching 3% within the next parliamentary term. Officials are currently examining the possibility of advancing this 3% target.

Czech President Petr Pavel: What we probably need in Europe is what I would call more of a Scandinavian spirit. Russia is a weak country with a lot of nuclear weapons, and we should approach it that way.

Japanese Foreign Ministry: A Chinese participant made inappropriate remarks regarding the security policies of the Japanese government at the Munich Security Conference on February 14. Responding to the statement, Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu made his case clear at another session of the Conference, followed by a stern demarche against the Chinese side through diplomatic channels.

A French MP, Éric Bothorel, was reportedly sanctioned by the US after referring X (formerly Twitter) to French prosecutors over alleged algorithm changes and foreign interference. He was denied White House accreditation and advised not to travel to Washington. Bothorel stated that he was the only MP whose "Secret Service refused to grant accreditation," calling it "the beginning of trouble."

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi: Last November, when pirates boarded a private tanker off the coast of Somalia, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces rushed to the scene. Maritime forces from the EU and other partners safely rescued the crew, and the hijacking attempt was thwarted.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi: Either we dismantle nuclear weapons or they will one day dismantle us. Together, we can work to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. READ MORE

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi: Iran has consistently affirmed that it neither seeks to manufacture nor acquire nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons have no place whatsoever in Iran’s national security doctrine. This position is rooted in our defense policy and reinforced by clear religious prohibitions.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian: In what language should we say that we are not seeking nuclear weapons, and we will not be? If they truly want Iran not to have nuclear weapons, we are ready for any kind of verification they want to have together.

The US will send additional cutting-edge missile and unmanned systems to the Philippines. In a joint statement after talks in Manila, both countries agreed to expand deployments of advanced US weapons. Source: Bloomberg READ MORE

German FM Johann Wadephul states that France talks a big game about "European sovereignty" but fails to allocate sufficient defense spending to support it. He emphasized, "Whoever speaks of it must act accordingly in their own country." Wadephul further noted, "The efforts in the French Republic so far have been insufficient." He concluded, "Whoever speaks today of independence from the USA must first do homework at home."

Rubio: Iran Deal ‘Not Easy’ Amid Theological Rule US Senator Marco Rubio stated that reaching a deal with Iran is “not easy,” asserting that Tehran’s decisions are influenced by “radical Shia clerics” who formulate policy based on theology, as he discussed global issues during his visit to Budapest.

Rubio: China is a large country with over a billion people and the world's second-largest economy. They possess nuclear weapons. It would be irrational and insane for the United States and China not to maintain relations and interact with each other.

China will allow holders of UK and Canadian passports to visit mainland China visa-free for up to 30 days from February 17 until December 31. The policy covers tourism, business, and family visits.

AfD Leader Alice Weidel: We must return quickly and urgently to a reliable baseload energy supply. And that includes re-entering nuclear power and immediately stopping the destruction of our nuclear power plants.

In France, nuclear power plants are being built. In China, in the United States — everywhere around us. Only Germany is blowing them up. And that, despite already having the highest energy prices. What is that, if not pure ideology, stupidity, or deliberate sabotage?

Netanyahu: Germany's Chancellor was here. On his initiative, we would like to discuss our defense industry, in which they wish to invest a very, very substantial sum of money. Who is coming here next week? Narendra Modi. There is a tremendous alliance between Israel and India, and we are going to discuss all sorts of cooperation.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot: China’s spectacular performance since COVID in particular is creating a shock — a shock to European industry and European jobs. The right way forward should not be to raise walls or to fall into the trap of generalized protectionism.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi: Today, the Indo-Pacific region faces a crisis—one of them is the weaponization of everything. The weaponization of the economy, technology, resources, information, and cyberspace. The boundaries between peacetime and contingency, between military and non-military, between truth and fake news—these are no longer clearly visible.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Venezuela: Maduro canceled elections. He was an anti-democratic leader. That doesn’t mean that we can kidnap a head of state and engage in acts of war just because the nation is below the equator.