Jim LaPorta

Perhaps some good news—just in from Ellee Watson of @cbsnews.com — As of this morning, the number of seriously wounded is down from 18 to 10 service members as they progress through medical treatment, per a US official.

This is what the tactical operations center looked like in Kuwait. You can see the T-walls around it but there's no protection from above, especially if C-RAM or C-UAS system doesn't stop incoming. Strike appeared to be dead-center from above I'm told. www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-st...

Military officials question fortifications at site where U.S. troops were killed in Iranian strike The first American service members to die in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran were killed in an apparent Iranian drone attack on a makeshift office space in Kuwait, sources told CBS News.

On the 6 US troops who died at Shuaiba port in Kuwait: Troops asked for more drone defeat capabilities, none came. It was recommended that the makeshift tactical operations center not be used because it was hard to defend and concentrated too many troops in one place. www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-st...

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Trump plans to honor 100-year-old veteran during State of the Union, sources say President Trump will award Royce Williams a Medal of Honor for his actions in a secret mission during the Korean War, sources with knowledge of the matter told CBS News.

Scoop: Jennifer Jacobs and I report that President Trump plans to honor 100-year-old veteran during State of the Union, sources say — This would mark the first time that a president has awarded the U.S. military's highest honor during a SOTU address. www.cbsnews.com/news/state-o...

Trump has discussed timeline for Iran strikes — including as soon as this weekend — but no decision yet Trump has not yet made a final decision about whether to strike Iran, sources told CBS News.

Top national security officials have told Trump the military is ready for potential strikes on Iran as soon as this weekend, but the timeline for any action is likely to extend beyond Saturday or Sunday. Trump has not yet made a final decision. www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-p...

Flawless Asphalt, Empty Homes: A 300-Mile Drive Through Afghanistan

Flawless Asphalt, Empty Homes: A 300-Mile Drive Through Afghanistan www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/w...

Trump told Netanyahu he would support Israeli strikes on Iran's ballistic missile program, sources say President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December at Mar-a-Lago with Mr. Trump saying the U.S. would support strikes if no deal was made with Iran.

Trump told Netanyahu he would support Israeli strikes on Iran's ballistic missile program, sources say www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-n...

CBS News matching report in The New York Times- Three U.S. officials say the USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships are expected to head from the Caribbean to the Middle East. CENTCOM will have two carriers the Ford and the Lincoln which is already there.

I met Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down when I was 13. My Aunt was their promoter. He was kind and generous with his time. I commented that it must be awesome to have all these fans—he explained it was sometimes a burden, he never wanted them to waste their hard earned money so he had to always be on. RIP

He Was Laid Off at The Washington Post After Working There 60 Years

He Was Laid Off at The Washington Post After Working There 60 Years www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/b...

Thousands Displaced for a Military Push Pakistan Said It Didn’t Order

Thousands Displaced for a Military Push Pakistan Said It Didn’t Order www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/w...

Democracy might die in darkness but the @washingtonpost.com is being murdered in broad daylight. For NatSec reporting, you can’t understand power by staring at press releases; you have to chase it across borders. Foreign correspondents are a bloodline for a NatSec desk

“There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time.” — 1984 (re-reading)

The Sacrifice of the Danes After September 11, Denmark fought alongside its ally. The families of fallen soldiers have a message for Trump.

“We have done so much for America”: Denmark fought alongside the U.S. in Afghanistan. Now, as Trump eyes Greenland, the families of fallen soldiers have a message for him, Isaac Stanley-Becker reports: www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...

China calls Trump battleship ‘easier target’ amid mixed US reception Some analysts have suggested the battleship proposal may ultimately not be realistic and instead a move by Trump to jolt awake U.S. shipbuilders.

U.S. President Donald Trump calls the vessel a new class of “battleship” graced by his own name, but China just calls the U.S. Navy’s latest concept a larger and “easier target” for its growing array of anti-ship drones and missiles.
www.militarytimes.com/news/pentago...

A Danish soldier gave me this patch in 2013. Denmark lost 43 in Afghanistan, one of the highest per capita death rates among troop-contributing nations, with casualties primarily from combat in Helmand (where I was) between 2002 and 2014. Now Pres. Trump won’t rule out taking Greenland by force.

Device that may be tied to Havana Syndrome obtained by U.S. government The device was purchased by Homeland Security officials under the Biden administration and cost millions, two sources said.

Busy week in news. In case you missed it. From Olivia Gazis of CBS News - Device that may be tied to Havana Syndrome obtained by U.S. government www.cbsnews.com/news/device-...

Trump briefed on military, cyber, psychological options for Iran, sources say President Trump has been briefed on a wide array of military and covert tools that can be used against Iran that go well beyond conventional airstrikes, including cyber operations and psychological ca...

New: President Trump briefed on U.S. military options which include cyber and psychological options for Iran, sources say www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-b...

Sen. Mark Kelly sues Hegseth to block move to cut rank and pension over illegal orders video Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly filed a lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seeking to block the Pentagon's efforts to downgrade his retirement rank and pay.

Sen. Mark Kelly sues Hegseth to block move to cut rank and pension over illegal orders video www.cbsnews.com/news/mark-ke...

Thinking about John this morning. It’s been 13 years. I wrote this about him for The Washington Post - we served in Afghanistan together. www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpo...

U.S. forces seize 5th oil tanker linked to Venezuela Two U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News that the Coast Guard, supported by the Navy, were the process of seizing the Olina oil tanker.

U.S. forces seize 5th oil tanker linked to Venezuela www.cbsnews.com/news/us-forc...

A Chinook helicopter pilot who helped plan the operation to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was wounded in the leg during the pre-dawn mission via me and Jennifer Jacobs of CBS News - NY Times first reported. x.com/jimlaporta/s...

8-years ago around this time President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were publicly comparing the size of their respective nuclear arsenals in a mine is bigger than yours tit for tat. www.npr.org/sections/the...

U.S. carrying out operation to seize Venezuela-linked oil tanker, sources say The U.S. is carrying out an operation to seize the Marinera, a Venezuela-linked oil tanker formerly known as Bella-1, according to sources.

New this morning at CBS News - U.S. carrying out operation to seize Venezuela-linked oil tanker, sources say www.cbsnews.com/news/us-oper...

U.S. plans to intercept tanker involved in Venezuelan oil trade, days after Maduro's capture Two U.S. intelligence officials said Venezuelan officials had discussed placing Soviet-era defense systems and armed military personnel on tankers — disguising them as civilians for defense purposes.

#BREAKING The U.S. is carrying out an operation to seize the Venezuela-linked oil tanker formerly known as Bella-1, three U.S. officials tell @cbsnews.com - on Monday, CBS News broke the news that the U.S. was planning to seize the sanctioned oil tanker. www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-int...

Venezuela's ex-president Maduro held in NYC jail as Trump administration plans next steps Ex-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro spent the night in jail after he appeared in a U.S. courtroom — as questions linger about President Trump's plans for Venezuela.

New: A Russian submarine and other naval vessels have been deployed to escort a sanctioned tanker that has historically carried Venezuelan oil, as the U.S. continues its weeks-long pursuit of the ship, two U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News. WSJ reported first. www.cbsnews.com/live-updates...

Aldrich Ames, CIA officer convicted of spying for Russia, dies at age 84 Aldrich Ames was a counterintelligence officer for the CIA who spied for the Soviet Union and later Russia.

Aldrich Ames, CIA officer convicted of spying for Russia, dies at age 84 www.cbsnews.com/news/aldrich...