Evening Brief: Trump and Netanyahu Announce Gaza Peace Plan, Russia Warns US on Tomahawk Missiles, Afghanistan Faces Internet Blackout

· Guy D. McCardle

President Trump hosts a trilateral call with Israel’s Netanyahu and Qatar’s Al Thani in the Oval Office. (@WhiteHouse/X)

Your SOFREP Evening Brief for Monday, September 29, 2025.

 

Trump and Netanyahu Announce Gaza Peace Plan, Await Hamas Response

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a 20-point plan to end the Gaza war, proposing an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages within 72 hours, and a postwar governing board led by Trump and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The plan offers amnesty and safe passage for Hamas members who disarm and calls for an international security force to oversee Gaza until authority is transferred to a reformed Palestinian Authority.

Hamas negotiators, through Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries, are reviewing the proposal.

Netanyahu apologized to Qatar for a recent Israeli strike on Hamas officials in Doha that killed a Qatari serviceman, seeking to repair ties with a key mediator.

The plan faces uncertainty, with Hamas previously refusing to disarm and Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners opposing compromise. Trump emphasized US backing for Israel if Hamas rejects the deal, while European and Arab leaders await Hamas’s response to the proposal.

 

Ex-Marine, Purple Heart Recipient Charged in North Carolina Bar Mass Shooting

A decorated Marine veteran, Nigel Edge, 40, was charged Monday with murder and attempted murder after opening fire from a boat at patrons of the American Fish Company bar in Southport, North Carolina, on Saturday night, killing three people and wounding five.

Authorities said the attack was “highly premeditated.”

Edge, formerly known as Sean DeBevoise, confessed to police after being arrested when the US Coast Guard spotted him pulling his boat from the water. Court records show a history of lawsuits and erratic behavior, with claims tied to PTSD and delusions following combat injuries sustained during his 2003-2009 Marine service in Iraq.

Edge earned a Purple Heart and other honors before serving with the Wounded Warrior Battalion.

The shooting renewed calls for stronger mental health interventions and highlighted the state’s debate over adopting a “red flag” law to restrict firearms access for those deemed a public risk.

Five victims remain hospitalized.

 

Trump Organization, Dar Global Announce $1 Billion Trump Plaza Project in Jeddah

London-based developer Dar Global announced plans to build Trump Plaza in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a $1 billion project that will include residences, serviced apartments, office space, and townhouses.

The development marks the second collaboration between Dar Global and the Trump Organization, following the launch of Trump Tower Jeddah in December 2024.

The Trump Organization, run by President Donald Trump’s children, has pursued numerous international real estate licensing deals in recent years.

The project highlights Trump’s continued business ties to Saudi Arabia, where his relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has drawn scrutiny since the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Dar Global, the international arm of Saudi developer Dar Al Arkan, currently manages $7.5 billion in projects across the Middle East and Europe.

 

Attorney for Suspect in Charlie Kirk Killing Seeks More Time to Review Evidence

A Utah judge granted defense attorney Kathryn Nester more time to review what both sides described as “voluminous” evidence in the case against Tyler Robinson, 22, charged with aggravated murder in the September 10 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.

Robinson, appearing by audio from jail, did not attend Monday’s hearing in person. The judge set the next hearing for October 30, with a preliminary hearing still expected.

Prosecutors say incriminating text messages, DNA evidence, and a note to Robinson’s partner link him to the shooting, including statements that he intended to kill Kirk.

The assassination has galvanized Republicans, with President Donald Trump calling Kirk a “martyr” and GOP leaders pledging to continue his work through Turning Point USA events.

 

Turkey Joins European Nations in Monitoring Gaza Aid Flotilla as Tensions Rise

Turkey deployed long-range drones to monitor the Global Sumud Flotilla, joining Spain, Italy, and Greece in tracking the international convoy carrying activists, lawmakers, and aid toward Gaza despite Israeli warnings.

The flotilla, which includes about 40 boats and passengers such as Greta Thunberg, resumed its journey after repairing drone damage sustained last week and is expected to reach Gaza in four days. Italy and Spain sent navy vessels to provide humanitarian support if needed but ruled out military involvement.

Israel has pledged to block the flotilla from breaching its naval blockade, though Italian media reported assurances from President Isaac Herzog that lethal force would not be used.

Organizers rejected Italy’s proposal to divert aid to Cyprus for distribution.

The mission comes as Gaza faces dire humanitarian conditions amid an Israeli offensive that has killed more than 65,000 people since the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.

 

Houthi Missile Attack Sets Dutch Cargo Ship Ablaze in Gulf of Aden

A missile strike by Yemen’s Houthi rebels hit the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, injuring two crew members and forcing all 19 mariners to abandon the vessel.

The attack caused significant damage and marked the most serious assault in the area in recent months, extending Houthi activity beyond the Red Sea, where they previously sank two ships in July.

The French military’s Maritime Information, Cooperation and Awareness Center attributed the strike to the Houthis, though the group has not yet claimed responsibility.

The Minervagracht had survived an earlier failed attack on September 23 and was confirmed to have no links to Israel.

Houthi forces have launched over 100 drone and missile attacks on commercial ships and Israel since the Gaza war began, disrupting global trade routes and heightening regional tensions.

 

Russia Warns of Escalation if US Supplies Tomahawk Missiles to Ukraine

Russia said it is analyzing the potential consequences if the United States supplies Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, warning that such a move could sharply escalate the war.

US Vice President JD Vance confirmed Washington is considering Ukraine’s request, though President Donald Trump has not made a final decision.

Tomahawks, with a range of 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles), could strike deep into Russian territory, including Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov questioned whether Ukrainians alone would operate the missiles or if US personnel would be involved, stressing the risks of direct confrontation. Russian officials warned that any American specialists aiding Ukraine could become targets.

While calling the missiles no “game-changer” for Kyiv, Moscow reiterated that countries enabling strikes on Russia could face retaliation.

The debate underscores heightened tensions following stalled ceasefire talks and continued Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.

 

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Without External Power for Six Days, IAEA Warns

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Ukraine has been cut off from offsite power for six days, forcing reliance on emergency diesel generators, UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said Monday.

The plant, occupied by Russian forces since early in the war, has repeatedly lost external power during the conflict, raising safety concerns. Ukraine’s nuclear regulator warned that the outage poses major risks to nuclear and radiation safety.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of attempting to integrate the facility into its grid and urged temporary International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stewardship to prevent a potential nuclear incident.

The IAEA said it is working to help restore power.

 

Moldova’s Pro-EU Party Wins Majority, Defeats Pro-Russian Rivals

Moldova’s pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) won a decisive parliamentary majority in Sunday’s election, taking 50.1 percent of the vote and securing about 55 of 101 seats.

The pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc followed with 24.2 percent, with smaller Russia-friendly and populist parties also entering parliament.

European leaders praised the result as a clear mandate for European Union integration, while President Maia Sandu said the vote reaffirmed Moldovans’ choice of peace, freedom, and Europe.

Prime Minister Dorin Recean is expected to remain in office.

Authorities said Russia attempted to sway the outcome with cyberattacks, disinformation, and vote-buying schemes, though Moscow denied interference.

Turnout was 52.1 percent, with 280,000 ballots cast abroad.

The result strengthens PAS’s ability to push reforms and continue accession talks with the European Union, even as Moldova faces ongoing geopolitical pressure from Russia.

 

Poland and Baltic States Plan Bunkers, Anti-Drone Nets to Shield Power Grids from Russian Threats

Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia have drawn up a 382-million-euro ($447-million) plan to fortify energy infrastructure against Russian drone incursions and airspace violations.

The proposal, submitted to the European Union for partial funding, includes building concrete bunkers to protect substations, installing anti-drone nets, and stockpiling hard-to-replace components.

The move follows Russian drone violations of Polish airspace earlier this month and increased sightings near critical sites, including Copenhagen Airport.

Lithuania has already begun installing concrete protections at a key substation near Belarus and plans to expand bunker coverage across its grid.

Officials said the project draws lessons from Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s power system and is focused on securing vital nodes rather than the entire grid. Poland also plans to create an armed security unit with helicopters to protect its grid link through the Suwalki Gap, a strategic corridor between Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave.

 

Afghanistan Faces Nationwide Internet Blackout Amid Taliban Crackdown

Afghanistan experienced a near-total internet shutdown on Monday, with connectivity dropping to 14 percent of normal levels, according to monitoring group Netblocks.

Local media reported the blackout was tied to a Taliban decree banning fiber-optic services to prevent “immorality.”

It is the first nationwide disruption since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

Journalists in Kabul, Nangarhar, and Helmand were unreachable, and the Taliban government has not confirmed the outage, despite relying heavily on digital communications.

TOLO News cited sources saying fiber-optic connections could be cut across the entire country starting Monday.

The blackout severely restricts the public’s ability to communicate with the outside world.

 

North Korea Reaffirms Nuclear Weapons Program at UN, Signals Openness to Renewed Diplomacy

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong told the UN General Assembly that Pyongyang will not give up its nuclear arsenal, calling it essential to maintaining a “balance of power” with South Korea amid growing US-led military exercises.

While reiterating longstanding complaints about joint US-South Korea-Japan drills, Kim’s remarks were more restrained than past rhetoric and avoided direct attacks on US President Donald Trump. He emphasized that North Korea’s nuclear program is enshrined in its constitution and vowed the country would “never give up nuclear.”

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, in contrast, has called for rebuilding trust and pursuing peaceful coexistence.

The speech marked North Korea’s first senior-level presence at the UN since 2018 and came as speculation grows about renewed diplomacy, with Trump expected to visit South Korea next month.

Both North Korea and the US have hinted at possible talks, though Pyongyang continues to reject disarmament demands as a precondition.

 

Sources: News Agencies