I was recently in Panama City and pulled up to what used to be Howard Airfield. I’ve got to tell you, the place is buzzing. Pete Hegseth’s plane is here, and I counted four F-18 fighter jets sitting on the tarmac. Nearby, a pair of Blackhawk helicopters lifted off, likely carting Pete to his next stop. Oh, and there’s a couple of C-17s parked here, too. If you’re wondering what all that military hardware is doing here—so am I.

At first glance, this might look like the U.S. gearing up for a new operation. But don’t jump to conclusions. I stuck around, listened to what Pete had to say at the dock dedication near the canal, and now I’m driving across the iconic Bridge of the Americas—built by the U.S. over 50 years ago—watching ships pass through the waterway that remains one of the most strategically important routes in the world.

Pete’s speech was powerful. Let me give you a few key quotes:

The Middle East is once again lit up by airstrikes, this time in Yemen, where CENTCOM may have just taken out a major Houthi leader—possibly the leader, Mahdi al-Mashat, the Houthis' so-called “president.” But let’s be honest: calling him a president is like calling a pirate captain a shipping executive. There’s a democratically elected government of Yemen, but it’s been sidelined for over a decade. The Houthis? They muscled their way in, took over the populated western chunk of the country, and never looked back.

Now, rumors are swirling that a U.S. airstrike outside the old presidential palace in Sana’a hit a key convoy—possibly carrying al-Mashat himself. If true, that’s a big hit. Almost immediately after the strike, armed Houthis poured out of the palace and set up a perimeter, which is a pretty good clue that someone important got barbequed. CENTCOM’s message is clear: if you mess with global shipping, you're going to pay—big time.

Yemen’s Geography of Chaos

Yemen isn’t just “a giant dirt parking lot,” as I’ve joked before. It’s a dirt parking lot with some fascinating relics of ancient history—palaces and fortresses that remind you this land once mattered. The palace in Sana’a and the ancient fortress at Mount Nuqm are reminders of that past. Sadly, they’re now being used as command centers by terrorists, turning cultural treasures into legitimate military targets. You play terrorist games, you win military strikes.

That fortress on Mount Nuqm? CENTCOM has hit it at least 10 times already. Yes, it’s a shame to see historical sites damaged, but let’s be real: if you don’t want your history turned to rubble, don’t turn it into a war room.

The Truth About “Democracy” in the Middle East

Here’s a little civics quiz: Out of 18 countries in the Middle East, how many have democratically elected governments recognized by the global community?

Answer: Two.
Just Israel and Tunisia.

The rest? Monarchies, figureheads, rigged elections. Countries like Iraq hold elections, sure—but whether those votes mean anything is another story entirely. And the Houthis? They’re not elected. They’re armed thugs with a flag.

Why the U.S. Needs to Hit Harder

Let’s not sugarcoat it—the U.S. response until recently has been tepid. The Biden administration treated the Houthis like a mosquito bite: annoying but not worth a strong response. They lobbed a few bombs at empty warehouses and called it a day.

But now, under Trump’s return to the spotlight, CENTCOM is striking Yemen hourly. It’s a good start—but not enough. When the Saudis went to war with the Houthis, they flew 75,000 sorties in seven years. And still, the Houthis came out stronger. Why? Because sustained conflict—no matter how justified—can rally the very populations it seeks to subdue.

The Houthis are the honey badgers of the Middle East. Bombs don’t scare them. If anything, it fuels their propaganda machine.

Terrorism on the High Seas

Today’s battlefield isn’t just desert and cities—it’s the ocean. The Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, the Gulf of Aden—vital arteries of global trade are being threatened. And the Houthis know it. By targeting commercial ships, they’re not just making headlines—they’re disrupting the global economy.

That’s why the U.S. wants the Houthis to attack military ships instead of civilian ones. As absurd as it sounds, if they aim for our destroyers and aircraft carriers (and miss by a hundred miles, as usual), they aren’t blowing up container ships. The strategy? Keep them focused on us, not on trade routes.

You Don’t Get Nice Things

This is the heart of the matter: when you become a global menace, you don’t get to keep your toys. No fancy palaces. No working power grids. No satellite TV. If you harbor terrorists or become one yourself, don’t be surprised when the rest of the world comes knocking—with bunker busters.

It’s not about collective punishment. It’s about moral clarity. The Houthis are not freedom fighters. They are Iranian proxies, funded and armed to destabilize an already broken region. And the people of Yemen, though deserving of compassion, have to live with the consequences of their rulers’ decisions.

Just like protesters who block freeways instead of city squares, the Houthis punish the innocent to make a point. That’s terrorism. And it should be treated as such.

A Fragile Peace?

After the recent strike, the Houthis suddenly floated the idea of a truce—“We’ll stop hitting your ships if you stop hitting us.” That’s not diplomacy. That’s a toddler’s tantrum. And no, we shouldn't buy it. The second we ease off, they'll go right back to drone strikes and missile launches.

So, what now? Keep the pressure on. Hit the power grids. Hit the command centers. Make it impossible for the Houthis to function. When they realize terror doesn’t pay, maybe then—maybe—we can talk.

Until then?
No nice things.

Watch the full video HERE

  Over the past few months, we’ve all seen the headlines—violence erupting in Gaza, growing tension in the Middle East, and ripple effects being felt around the globe. But what’s really going on behind the scenes? And how should everyday Americans be thinking about all of this?

I’ve spent a lot of time in and around conflict zones. What I see in Gaza isn’t just about Israel and Hamas. It’s about what comes next—and what it reveals about where we’re all headed.

Let’s break it down.

Why This War Feels Different

  Right now, it feels like something fundamental has shifted. The war in Gaza is becoming the spark that could ignite a much bigger regional fire. We’re seeing moves from Egypt, pressure from Iran, and signals from other players that suggest this conflict could spiral.

Some of you may be wondering, “Is this just another flare-up that will fade, or are we looking at the beginning of a broader war?”

Let me be clear: This feels different. It feels like we’re entering a new era.

Egypt and the Sinai Buildup

  Take Egypt, for example. They’ve been moving troops into the Sinai Peninsula—an area demilitarized under the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt. That treaty, signed decades ago, has kept the peace between the two nations. But now, Egypt is building permanent infrastructure—airstrips, bases—right near the Gaza border.

  Israel sees this as a threat. Egypt says it’s legal under a 2001 amendment to the treaty that allows them to respond to instability. But here's what’s really going on: Egypt doesn’t want a flood of Palestinian refugees crossing into their country. Their show of force is a deterrent—not a precursor to invasion.

They’re saying, “Don’t even think about pushing Gazans into our backyard.”

The Danger of Sleeper Cells

Now, let’s bring this closer to home.

With heightened tensions overseas, the question comes up: Are there threats already here in America? Are sleeper cells a real danger?

The short answer? Yes. But they’re incredibly hard to detect.

Just look at the New Orleans attack on January 1st. That individual showed little warning before going radical. It’s not about what’s on the surface—it’s about what people believe deep down, what they’re being exposed to, and whether they're being radicalized quietly.

If you notice someone posting a lot of pro-Hamas or pro-Iran content, that doesn’t mean you call the cops—but it is a red flag. Those sympathies matter. It’s the quiet ones we need to watch.

And here’s what I’ve said for years: If you want to protect your family and community, stop asking, “How can I spot a terrorist?” Start asking, “How well do I know my neighbors?”

Rebuilding Community in a Fractured World

Most people today don’t even know the names of the people living two doors down. That’s dangerous—not just socially, but strategically.

The military understands this. They work hard to build esprit de corps because it’s the glue that holds a unit together in tough times. We need that same kind of cohesion in our neighborhoods.

That’s why I wrote Death of Civilization. It’s a call to rebuild the human terrain around us. Know your neighbors. Share meals. Trade skills. Build relationships before a crisis hits—not after.

Because when things go sideways, it’s your community that will save you—not Washington.

How We Track Threats Abroad

You might be surprised how good we are at identifying threats overseas. We already know where Iran’s nuclear sites are—over 50 of them, spread across major cities. We don’t need some super-secret deep-earth sonar to find them. We’ve got satellites, human intelligence, signals intelligence, and even AI that tracks things like dirt movement from digging sites.

Open-source analysts—just regular guys—are using this tech to track military targets, sometimes even faster than the government. Sites like Bellingcat do an amazing job turning satellite imagery into actionable intel.

The tools are out there. The question is whether we’re paying attention.

Trump, Erdogan, and Misplaced Trust

Now let’s talk about Turkey. President Trump’s admiration for Erdogan has always baffled me. Erdogan is a thug. He jails journalists, disappears critics, and funds terror groups. But Trump seems to admire his strength.

I get it—strong personalities can be appealing. But when strength is paired with evil, it’s a deadly mix. Trump gave too much too soon to Putin, and he’s doing the same with Erdogan. That’s not how you win negotiations. That’s how you get played.

Will Anyone Take in Palestinians?

So what happens to the civilians in Gaza?

A few countries—Canada, some in Europe—have said they’ll take a limited number of Gazans. But the vast majority? They’re stuck. Egypt won’t take them. No one else is lining up.

This is the true humanitarian crisis. Not just the bombs—but the fact that millions of people have nowhere to go.

Final Thought

Everything I’ve shared here comes down to this: We are living in a time of global instability that’s only going to get worse before it gets better. You can’t control what happens in Gaza or Tehran or Moscow—but you can prepare your family and your community.

Get to know your neighbors. Build strong relationships. Pay attention to the signs.

And above all—don’t count on anyone else to protect your way of life. That job falls to you.

Watch the full video HERE