Evening Brief: Netanyahu Defends Gaza War at UN, UN Rejects Bid to Delay Sanctions on Iran, Europe to Build ‘Drone Wall’

· Guy D. McCardle

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a nearly empty UN General Assembly hall after a mass protest walkout. (Image grab via X)

Wrapping up Friday, September 26, 2025. Here’s the latest.

 

NYC Shooter Who Targeted NFL Had CTE, Medical Examiner Confirms

Shane Tamura, 27, who killed four people in a Manhattan office tower housing the NFL’s headquarters before taking his own life in July, was found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the New York City medical examiner said Friday.

The report showed “unambiguous diagnostic evidence” of low-stage CTE, a brain disease linked to repeated head trauma and associated with behavioral and impulse-control issues.

Tamura, a former high school football player from California, left a note blaming the NFL for concealing the dangers of brain injuries and urging doctors to study his brain. He intended to target NFL offices but mistakenly took the wrong elevator, killing a police officer, a security guard, and two office workers.

The NFL called the shooting “horrific and senseless,” noting that research on CTE is still evolving.

Tamura, who had a history of mental health crises and hospitalizations, never played professionally.

The case highlights ongoing concerns over the long-term effects of head trauma in contact sports, with the NFL already having paid over $1.4 billion to settle concussion-related claims.

 

Representaive Turner Urges Swift Vote on Russia Sanctions After Ukraine Visit

Representaive Michael Turner of Ohio, a senior Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, called on Speaker Mike Johnson to bring a stalled Russia sanctions bill to a vote after leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to Ukraine, Poland, and Germany.

Turner said Ukraine can reclaim territory from Russia “with the right support” and argued that cutting off Russia’s energy revenues through steep tariffs is critical to weakening its war effort.

The sanctions bill, backed by most senators and many House members, would impose tariffs of up to 500 percent on goods from countries such as China and India that buy Russian oil and gas.

Despite broad bipartisan support, the measure has been delayed awaiting approval from the Trump administration.

Turner warned that Russian provocations in NATO airspace show Moscow’s ambitions extend beyond Ukraine. He said Congress must act quickly to choke off Russia’s economy, strengthen Ukraine, and prevent further destabilization across Europe.

 

US Sends Warship Fleet to Venezuela as Trump Warns of “Incalculable” Price

President Donald Trump deployed eight US warships with more than 5,000 sailors and Marines to waters off Venezuela and announced three deadly strikes on vessels he says were smuggling drugs, two tied to Venezuela.

The naval force includes three destroyers, a cruiser, three amphibious assault ships carrying nearly 2,000 Marines, plus helicopters and aircraft, and a submarine capable of launching Tomahawk missiles.

Analysts say the flotilla is too small for a full-scale invasion but gives the US options for targeted strikes.

Trump warned Venezuela to accept deportees or face an “incalculable” price, and he circulated footage and rhetoric tying the deployments to a campaign against narcoterrorism.

Congress raised legal and oversight questions, and lawmakers filed War Powers resolutions to curb unilateral military action.

Caracas called the operation a sovereignty violation, activated a civilian militia it says numbers 6 million, and vowed to defend against any aggression.

 

Netanyahu Defends Gaza War at UN as Delegates Walk Out, Critics Call for Ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a defiant speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, vowing Israel “must finish the job” against Hamas despite mounting international criticism and isolation. His remarks came as dozens of delegates staged a walkout, and hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters rallied outside the UN.

Netanyahu rejected recent moves by several nations to recognize Palestinian statehood, calling them “disgraceful” and accusing critics of antisemitism. He used visual props, praised US President Trump as a key ally, and claimed special broadcasts into Gaza were meant to reach Israeli hostages.

The speech followed a series of international actions against Israel, including an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant, UN resolutions, and growing calls for sanctions.

More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, according to UN figures, with 90 percent of the population displaced. While over 150 countries now recognize a Palestinian state, the United States continues to support Israel, though Trump recently warned against annexing the West Bank.

Netanyahu rejected the two-state solution, insisting Israel’s fight is part of a broader battle against radical Islam.

 

Microsoft Cuts Off Israeli Military Unit Over AI-Driven Surveillance of Palestinians

Microsoft announced this week that it disabled access to some of its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services for a unit within the Israeli military after an internal and external review found its technology was being used for mass surveillance of Palestinians.

The move follows reports by the Associated Press and The Guardian that Israel’s Unit 8200 relied on Microsoft’s Azure platform to store and process vast amounts of intercepted phone calls, texts, and other data, which were then fed into targeting systems during the Gaza war and West Bank occupation.

Microsoft Vice Chair Brad Smith said the company was enforcing compliance with its terms of service, though he did not identify the specific unit losing access.

The company acknowledged earlier this year that it had provided AI tools and cloud services to Israel but denied they were directly used to target people.

Despite the restriction, Israeli officials said the action would not harm military operations, while activists and former Microsoft employees argued the company’s contracts with Israel remain largely untouched. An outside law firm’s investigation into Microsoft’s role is still ongoing.

 

UN Security Council Rejects Bid to Delay Iran Sanctions Snapback

The UN Security Council on Friday rejected a resolution by Russia and China to delay the reimposition of sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program, setting the stage for measures to take effect Saturday.

The sanctions, triggered by Britain, France, and Germany under the 2015 nuclear deal’s “snapback” mechanism, will freeze Iranian assets abroad, block arms deals, and penalize ballistic missile development.

European nations said Iran failed to meet conditions for an extension, including renewed US talks, full access for UN inspectors, and accounting for its enriched uranium stockpile.

Iran argued it had offered proposals to preserve diplomacy, but European officials said weeks of talks produced no results.

The decision heightens tensions between Iran and the West, with Tehran warning it could withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) remain in Iran but signaled their presence would not stop the sanctions.

Russia and China accused Western nations of escalation, while European leaders insisted the snapback is necessary to address Iran’s noncompliance.

 

EU Moves to Build ‘Drone Wall’ Against Russian Airspace Threats

European defense ministers agreed Friday to develop a “drone wall” along borders with Russia and Ukraine to counter escalating drone incursions.

The plan, led by 10 eastern-flank nations with NATO and Ukrainian participation, will focus first on detection systems before expanding to interception capabilities.

Officials said the shield could take a year to build, with technical roadmaps to be finalized soon.

The decision follows recent incidents, including Russian drones breaching Polish airspace and drone activity that forced Danish airport closures.

European Union leaders are set to discuss the project at summits in Copenhagen and Brussels, with European industry expected to contribute. NATO allies such as Sweden have already offered anti-drone systems to Denmark.

EU leaders, including Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, framed the project as a joint European defense imperative. She announced 6 billion euros ($7 billion) for a drone alliance with Ukraine, stressing that Europe must be able to respond in real time to hybrid threats and protect its territory without ambiguity.

 

Ukraine Says Russian Drones in Poland Were Deliberate Test of NATO Response

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said Friday that Russia deliberately sent drones into NATO member Poland’s airspace earlier this month to test the alliance’s response and pressure Western countries to reduce support for Kyiv.

The assessment, shared with and reported by Reuters, followed NATO jets downing Russian drones that penetrated up to 100 km into Poland on September 9-10.

Ukraine said the use of decoy drones and multiple launch points, including Belarus, showed Moscow did not intend to hit targets but aimed to provoke and intimidate.

Russia denied the drones were deliberate, with President Donald Trump suggesting they may have strayed accidentally during strikes on Ukraine.

NATO allies have reported a rise in airspace violations, including Estonia and Romania, while Moldova has recorded multiple drone intrusions.

Ukraine’s intelligence agency said such incidents are now systematic and part of Moscow’s broader plan to expand aggression to countries bordering Ukraine.

 

Zelenskyy Asks Trump for Tomahawk Missiles to Pressure Putin

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked US President Donald Trump for Tomahawk missiles during their meeting at the UN General Assembly this week, Axios reported Friday.

Citing a Ukrainian official and another source familiar with the talks, the report said Zelenskyy argued that long-range weapons are needed to push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward peace.

In a separate interview Wednesday, Zelenskyy confirmed he had requested long-range arms from Washington.

 

Leaked Russian Papers Suggest Arms Sales Could Speed China’s Airborne Option for Taiwan

A Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) analysis of about 800 pages of leaked Russian documents says Moscow agreed to sell China equipment and training that could bolster airborne invasion capabilities potentially usable against Taiwan.

The files, published by the Black Moon group and reviewed by RUSI and the Associated Press, list deliveries and timelines for high-altitude parachute systems, amphibious assault vehicles, airborne armored personnel carriers and command equipment, with a total price cited at roughly $210 million.

The documents describe testing and training, including a parachute system, Dalnolyot, designed for drops from about 8,000 meters that could let forces glide tens of kilometers.

RUSI and analysts say the transfers would shorten China’s learning curve in airborne operations by years, but the papers do not show clear evidence that China has paid for or received the items.

The report notes limits: parts of the cache may be altered, Russia’s own airborne efforts failed in Ukraine, and an invasion of Taiwan would still require suppressing air defenses and securing a sustained landing force.

Moscow, Beijing and Taipei did not comment, and Associated Press could not independently verify the documents.

 

Pakistani Forces Kill 17 Taliban Fighters in Northwest Raid

Pakistani security forces killed 17 Pakistani Taliban fighters in a raid on a militant hideout in Karak district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Friday, police said.

Regional Police Chief Shehbaz Elahi reported that three officers were wounded in the gunbattle. Authorities described the militants as “Khwarij,” a term used for members of the Pakistani Taliban.

The operation came two days after a similar intelligence-based raid in Dera Ismail Khan that left 13 militants dead.

Pakistan has faced a surge in militant violence in recent years, much of it linked to separatist groups and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The group, allied with but distinct from the Afghan Taliban, has gained strength since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Many TTP leaders and fighters are believed to be based across the border.

 

Sources: News Agencies