Evening Brief: Gunman Dead After Dallas ICE Attack, Iran Rebuilding Sites Hit by Israel, Zelenskyy Warns UN of Global Arms Race

· Guy D. McCardle

“Anti-ICE” engraved on unspent shell casings. (@FBIDirectorKash/X)

Top headlines this Wednesday evening, September 24, 2025.

 

Shooter Kills Self After Opening Fire at Dallas ICE Facility, Three Victims Shot

A gunman opened fire from a nearby apartment building at a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas on Wednesday, shooting detainees and others before killing himself, federal officials said.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons confirmed the attack, and Homeland Security said no ICE agents were injured.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the incident as a targeted act of violence after finding anti-ICE messages on ammunition near the suspect. Three people were shot, including detainees, with two taken to a hospital and one killed at the scene.

The shooting shut down parts of Interstate 35 near Dallas Love Field airport as emergency vehicles responded.

 

Georgia Guardsman Awarded Soldier’s Medal for Rescuing Driver From Burning Vehicle

Command Sgt. Maj. Jon A. Ring of the Georgia Army National Guard became the first in the state to receive the Soldier’s Medal, awarded for heroism outside combat.

Ring was honored Monday at the Georgia State Capitol for saving a driver trapped in a burning vehicle after a March 20 crash in Peachtree City. He entered the car through a shattered window, provided first aid, and stabilized the victim until emergency crews arrived.

A veteran of five overseas deployments with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Ring said his training and leadership experience prepared him for the rescue.

 

US Air Force Overhauls Fitness Program With Biannual Testing, New 2-Mile Run

The US Air Force will implement updated fitness assessments beginning March 1 next year, requiring all airmen to test twice a year and complete a 2-mile run at least once annually.

The program, paused for January and February to allow adjustments, introduces a 100-point scoring system across cardiorespiratory endurance, waist-to-height ratio, strength, and core endurance. Unlike the current policy allowing top performers to test annually, all airmen must now test every six months.

From March through August, assessments will be diagnostic only, with official scoring resuming September 1, 2026.

Leaders said the changes aim to improve readiness, address gaps from pandemic-era policies, and support long-term health.

 

Man Charged After Trying to Board Running Marine Helicopter With Flare at Camp Pendleton

A 58-year-old man attempted to board a Marine Corps helicopter with a lit flare at Camp Pendleton last week, marking his fourth alleged trespass at the base since 2022, according to federal prosecutors in San Diego.

Court documents state that the man came within feet of the running aircraft before crew members directed him away, and the aircraft lifted off safely. He was arrested nearby with two used flares and now faces a misdemeanor charge of trespassing on a military installation, carrying a potential six-month sentence.

Records show he had previously trespassed on the base in September 2022, September 2023, and May 2024, but was not charged in those cases.

He remains in custody pending a detention hearing.

 

Israeli Drone Crashes Into UN Peacekeeping Headquarters in Southern Lebanon

An Israeli drone crashed into the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL in Naqoura, southern Lebanon, this week, the mission said.

No casualties were reported, and UNIFIL’s ordnance experts secured the unarmed drone, which was equipped with a camera.

The force said Israel confirmed ownership of the drone, calling the flight a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which prohibits breaches of Lebanese and Israeli airspace.

The incident followed a recent episode in which Israeli drones dropped grenades near UN peacekeepers clearing roadblocks.

The ongoing Israel-Hezbollah war, which began after Hamas’ October 2023 attack on Israel, has killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon and 127 in Israel.

 

Iran Rebuilding Missile Sites Hit by Israel but Still Lacks Key Fuel-Mixing Equipment

Satellite images show Iran rebuilding missile production facilities at Parchin and Shahroud that were targeted by Israeli strikes during June’s 12-day war, though analysts say the country is still missing large planetary mixers needed to produce solid-fuel missiles.

Experts warn Tehran is likely seeking to reacquire the mixers, potentially from China, as it braces for possible UN sanctions later this month.

Solid-fuel missiles, which can be launched more quickly than liquid-fuel systems, are central to Iran’s deterrence strategy after its air defenses were heavily damaged.

Israel has carried out repeated strikes on facilities housing mixers, which it views as a bottleneck in Iran’s production capacity.

Iran fired more than 570 ballistic missiles at Israel during the war, reducing its arsenal by over a third.

Analysts say restoring mixing capacity could allow Tehran to resume producing over 200 solid-fuel missiles per month, complicating Israel’s ability to counter future attacks.

 

Iran’s President Blames US and Israel for Collapse of Peace Talks as Sanctions Deadline Nears

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that US and Israeli attacks derailed peace negotiations as Tehran faces the reinstatement of UN sanctions this weekend. His remarks, the first at a global forum since June’s 12-day Israel-Iran war, came as Iran’s currency hit a record low of 1,074,000 to the US dollar.

European nations triggered the “snapback” mechanism over Iran’s nuclear program, with sanctions set to automatically resume Sunday unless a last-minute deal is reached. While Tehran signed a cooperation pact with the UN nuclear watchdog earlier this month, it has yet to take effect, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected direct talks with Washington.

The sanctions would freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals and penalize missile development, adding further strain to Iran’s battered economy.

 

Syrian President Addresses UN for First Time in Six Decades, Vows Return to Global Stage

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa addressed the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, the first Syrian head of state to do so since 1967.

Al-Sharaa declared Syria’s reentry into the international community after the December ouster of Bashar Assad, which ended five decades of Assad family rule and nearly 14 years of civil war. He accused Israel of continuing to threaten Syria despite international support for Damascus and warned of regional instability.

Negotiations remain ongoing over a potential security deal aimed at halting Israeli attacks and restoring a 1974 disengagement agreement, though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed skepticism about a breakthrough.

 

Drone Strike from Yemen Hits Eilat, Dozens Wounded as Israeli Strikes Kill 19 in Gaza

A drone launched from Yemen struck the southern Israeli city of Eilat on Wednesday, wounding at least 22 people, two of them seriously, Israel’s military and medics said.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility, saying they fired two drones, while Israel said it attempted interceptions and warned of retaliation.

In Gaza, at least 19 Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes, including 12 in the Nuseirat refugee camp and four from one family, according to local hospitals. Separately, three people were reported killed by gunfire while seeking aid.

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot dead a 24-year-old near Jenin, saying he threw an explosive device.

The developments come as Israel’s war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

 

Zelenskyy Warns UN of Global Arms Race, Urges Action to Stop Putin’s Expansion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday that the world is in “the most destructive arms race in human history,” driven by drones and artificial intelligence, and warned that Russia’s war could spread further into Europe. He urged nations to act against Moscow now, saying stopping President Vladimir Putin would be cheaper and safer than preparing for wider conflict.

Zelenskyy said international institutions had failed to prevent wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan, stressing that “weapons decide who survives.”

He highlighted Moldova as vulnerable to Russian interference, called for global rules on artificial intelligence (AI) in warfare, and noted Ukraine’s coalition with over 30 countries to build a new security architecture.

His remarks came a day after meeting US President Donald Trump, who shifted his stance and said Ukraine could win back all occupied territory.

 

First Family Arrives in UK Under France-UK ‘One In, One Out’ Migration Deal

A family of three, including a child, became the first asylum-seekers sent to the United Kingdom from France under the new “one in, one out” agreement, the Home Office said Wednesday.

The arrangement, in effect since last month, allows Britain to return migrants who cross the Channel without authorization in exchange for receiving vetted asylum-seekers approved in France.

Four migrants who arrived in the UK by small boat have already been returned to France.

The British government says the program is an early step toward deterring dangerous Channel crossings, which brought over 32,000 arrivals so far this year, with the total expected to surpass 2024’s figure of 37,000.

The pilot scheme runs until June 2026 as London seeks to reduce unauthorized migration and speed up asylum processing.

 

Russia Sends Nuclear Submarine Through La Perouse Strait in First Sighting Near Japan

Japan’s military said Wednesday it tracked a Russian Borei-class ballistic missile submarine sailing through the La Perouse Strait for the first time.

The submarine, escorted by cruiser RFS Varyag (011) and tug Fotiy Krylov, transited west from the Sea of Okhotsk into the Sea of Japan near Hokkaido, monitored by Japanese patrol aircraft and ships.

Russia operates eight Borei-class submarines, with five assigned to its Pacific Fleet.

The transit came days after Chinese warships passed through the same strait and amid recent sightings of both Russian and Chinese surveillance ships near Japan.

 

Pakistan Security Forces Kill 13 Taliban Fighters in Northwest Raid

Pakistan’s military said Wednesday its forces killed 13 Pakistani Taliban fighters in a raid on a hideout in Dera Ismail Khan, near the Afghan border.

The shootout erupted during the operation, which targeted militants accused of involvement in past attacks, including a 2023 suicide bombing that killed 23 security personnel.

Weapons and ammunition were recovered, the military said, adding that the fighters had backing from India, an allegation New Delhi denies.

Pakistan has faced a surge in militant violence in recent years, with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan strengthened since the Afghan Taliban’s 2021 return to power.

 

Xi Skips UN General Assembly, Premier Li Qiang Takes Spotlight as China’s Voice Abroad

Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the UN General Assembly this week, instead sending Premier Li Qiang to deliver China’s message in a sign of Xi’s reduced international travel but continued tight grip on power.

Xi, once an active global traveler, has scaled back overseas trips since the pandemic, skipping recent G20 and BRICS summits, while foreign leaders increasingly come to Beijing to meet him. Analysts say Xi, 72, is conserving energy and ruling through a more hands-off, “oracular” style, leaving loyalists like Li to act as intermediaries.

At the United Nations, Li has met world leaders and announced China would no longer claim developing-country trade advantages, signaling his rising role as China’s key international representative while Xi remains firmly in control at home.

 

Philippine Navy Receives New Frigate BRP Diego Silang Amid South China Sea Tensions

The Philippine Navy’s new guided-missile frigate, BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07), arrived at Subic Bay last week as part of Manila’s military modernization drive.

Built by South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, the 3,200-ton vessel is the second in the Miguel Malvar-class and is equipped with French vertical launch systems, South Korean anti-ship missiles, and Turkish close-in weapon systems.

The ship was escorted into Philippine waters by flagship BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and Coast Guard vessel BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301).

The lead ship of the class, BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06), arrived earlier this year and has joined joint patrols with US and Japanese forces. The acquisition reflects Manila’s push to strengthen its naval capabilities in response to rising tensions with China in the South China Sea.

 

Sources: News Agencies