U.S. Defense: Hegseth Trip to Texas Defense and Space Facilities
The Department of War published an advisory on January 11, 2026 announcing that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will travel to Brownsville and Fort Worth, Texas.
According to the advisory:
- Hegseth is scheduled to visit SpaceX facilities in Brownsville and Lockheed Martin facilities in Fort Worth.
- The notice does not provide a detailed public schedule, information on public events, or specifics about meetings during the trip.
- The advisory appears on the department’s official website under its news advisories section.
These visits underscore ongoing engagement between the department and major defense and aerospace contractors, but no additional policy announcements or agreements were included in the public text.
U.S. Diplomacy: Secretary Rubio’s Calls with European Counterparts
Call with Cyprus Foreign Minister Kombos
On January 11, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call with Republic of Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos.
According to the State Department’s summary of the conversation:
- The two officials discussed U.S. counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean.
- They addressed the ongoing protests in Iran.
- They reviewed shared priorities linked to Cyprus’s role as holder of the Council of the European Union presidency for the January–June 2026 term.
The readout characterizes the discussion in broad terms and does not specify operational details, commitments, or new agreements on these issues.
Call with French Foreign Minister Barrot
In a separate engagement on January 11, 2026, Secretary Rubio spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
Based on the State Department’s public information:
- The call formed part of routine high-level consultations between the United States and France.
- While the brief readout provides only general language, it indicates continued coordination on shared foreign policy priorities, in the context of heightened regional tensions, including in the Middle East.
No specific policy changes, joint initiatives, or detailed action items were publicly announced following the call.
Middle East: U.S. Airstrikes on ISIS Targets in Syria
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and multiple major outlets reported that the United States, alongside partner forces, carried out additional large-scale strikes on Islamic State (ISIS) targets in Syria on January 10, 2026, with details emerging publicly on January 10–11.
Key facts from CENTCOM and independent reporting:
- The strikes occurred around 12:30 p.m. ET on January 10 and targeted multiple ISIS sites across Syria as part of the ongoing Operation Hawkeye Strike.
- U.S. Central Command described the action as “large-scale strikes” carried out with partner forces, following ISIS’s December 13 attack in Palmyra that killed two U.S. soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter.
- Officials cited by major outlets reported that more than 90 precision munitions were used against over 35 ISIS targets, involving more than 20 aircraft, including U.S. and Jordanian platforms.
- CENTCOM stated the strikes were intended to protect U.S. and partner forces, deter future attacks, and degrade ISIS capabilities; casualty figures from the strikes were not immediately disclosed.
Operation Hawkeye Strike was first launched on December 19, 2025, and the January 10 strikes represent a significant continuation of that campaign.
Iran: Government Response to Protests and Accusations Against U.S. and Israel
On January 11, 2026, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian gave a televised interview addressing widespread protests over the country’s economic situation and political grievances.
According to Iranian state-aligned outlets and international reporting:
- Pezeshkian urged the public to distinguish between protesters and what he called “rioters” and “terrorists,” saying peaceful protest is a right but that violence and attacks on public property would not be tolerated.
- He accused the United States and Israel of directing unrest in Iran, claiming foreign actors had trained and supported violent elements inside the country and were seeking to destabilize Iran following the June 2025 Iran–Israel war.
- Iranian officials reported arrests of individuals described as key figures in the “riots,” and said security personnel had been killed during efforts to quell unrest.
- Rights groups and international media, working with limited access amid widespread internet restrictions, have reported substantial civilian casualties during the crackdown and warned that official figures likely understate the toll.
The protests, initially driven by sharp price increases, currency depreciation, and broader economic grievances, have developed into one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s leadership in recent years. U.S. officials have signaled they are reviewing potential responses, while some members of Congress have expressed concern about the risks of direct military action.