The President's Daily Brief - December 16th, 2024: Will Iran Be The Next To Fall? & Iran’s ‘Drone Motherships’ Revealed

Episode Date: December 16, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Why the Iranian regime may be the next to collapse as its key ally Hezbollah faces devastating leadership losses and Assad’s fall leaves Tehran’s influence in jeopardy. New satellite images reveal Iran’s so-called "drone motherships"—and thankfully, they’re far from the East Coast. Political chaos in South Korea as the parliament votes to impeach the defiant president after his failed martial law stunt. And in today’s Back of the Brief, the latest on the destructive wildfire in Malibu, where firefighters are still struggling to contain the blaze. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Patriot Gold: Call 1-888-870-5457 for a free investor guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world's state. age, and in the ongoing game of Where's Waldo, this week we're still somewhere in the Middle East. All right, let's get briefed. We'll begin today's show with a look at why the Iranian regime may be in trouble, as its key ally, Hasbola, struggles to recover from devastating leadership losses, while the fall of the Assad regime in Syria leaves Tehran's influence in the region significantly diminished. Later in the show, new satellite images reveal Iran's so-called drone motherships, and apparently, despite some claims, they're nowhere near the East Coast.

Plus, we'll have an update on the political chaos in South Korea, where the Parliament has voted to impeach the defiant president following his martial law debacle, but to be fair, who hasn't had a martial law debacle at some point during their lives? And in today's back of the brief, we'll have the late. latest on that destructive wildfire in Malibu, which firefighters are still struggling to contain. But first, today's PDB spotlight. Since the October 7th attacks by Hamas on Israel, well, it's been one bad headline after another for the Iranian regime. The collapse of Assad is just the latest and perhaps most hard-hitting

blow to their ambitions in the region. For years, Iran's Islamic regime has relied on allies like Assad and proxies like Khzbollah and Hamas to maintain its influence. But with Assad gone, one of those pillars has obviously crumbled and others are significantly weakened and decimated. The question now is, could the Mullahs and their Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the IRGC, be in danger? For decades, Assad was one of Tehran's closest allies. Under the Assad family, Syria was basically a satellite state of Iran. It served as a vital hub for Iranian influence, acting as a transit point for sending advanced weaponry, including precision-guided missiles, drones, and anti-tank systems to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

It was also the route for transferring fighters trained by the IRGC, not to mention billions of dollars in financial support, which funded Hezbollah's vast network of social services, media outlets, and military operations. Without Assad, that corridor is now gone. the rebel's victory cuts a critical supply line to one of Iran's most powerful proxies. And speaking of Hezbollah, they're facing their own, well, it's called an existential crisis. The group has sometimes been referred to as the crown jewel in Iran's terror empire, but it's currently dealing with unprecedented losses in Lebanon, both militarily and politically. Israeli strikes have targeted their weapons depots and operational hubs,

while internal Lebanese unrest, fueled by a collapsing, economy has weakened their public support. As we've been reporting for months here on the PDB, Hasbola has suffered significant leadership losses due to targeted Israeli military operations. Most notably, their Secretary-General, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in September an air strike in Beirut. These strikes have eliminated much of Hasbola's senior leadership, including key commanders and unit leaders, severely disrupting the group's command structure. Reports now indicate that nearly all of the group's top commanders have been neutralized. Chasbola is now a shadow of its former self,

underscored by its complete inability to intervene as Assad's forces were pushed back and ultimately defeated by the rebels. Okay, so let's just zoom out here and take a look at it from a 30,000 foot view. This isn't just about Syria or Lebanon. These are pillars of Iran's so-called axis of resistance, since Assad Syria, Hasbola in Lebanon, various militia groups in Iraq, Khammas and Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen, all acted as Tehran's outposts in its campaign to dominate the region, and of course to remove Israel from the map, as they've stated many times in the past as an objective.

But what we're seeing now is the axis crumbling, and the Islamic regime in Iran is looking increasingly isolated. Their proxies are under pressure, their economies and tatters hammered by sanctions and their own mismanagement in the corruption of the IRGC. And perhaps most importantly, the regime appears to be losing credibility at home. Now, let's not forget, Iranians have been protesting against their government for over two years now. And the grievances, well, they haven't disappeared. They began in September of 2022 after the death of 22-year-old Masa Amini, while in the custody of Iran's morality police.

Yeah, always be concerned when your country has what they call. called the Morality Police. Her death, reportedly due to severe beatings, sparked outrage and became the catalyst for nationwide demonstrations led by women and youth. The protests initially focused on women's rights, particularly against the mandatory hijab laws, but quickly expanded into broader anti-government movements. Over time, these protests, well, they have evolved. Economic grievances over inflation, unemployment, and government corruption merged with calls for regime change. What began as isolated demonstrations have grown into a sustained movement with slogans like women life freedom resonating across cities, towns, and even rural areas typically

strongholds for the regime. Despite brutal crackdowns by security forces, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests, Iranians have continued to defy the regime through strikes, public demonstrations, and various acts of civil disobedience. The focus now isn't just about women's rights or economic hardship. It's about a growing sense of anger toward a regime that prioritizes foreign wars, proxies, and nuclear ambitions over the well-being of its people. The protests are revealing deep discontent with a government that pours resources into supporting groups like Khazbalah, Hamas, and the Khutis, while failing to address crumbling infrastructure, water shortages, and poverty at home. In the days since the fall of Damascus, the government,

has faced a fierce public backlash over the billions of dollars spent and the Iranian blood shed to prop up the Assad regime. The criticism has come from unexpected corners, including conservatives, and is flowing freely on television channels, talk shows, and in virtual town halls attended by thousands of Iranians. It also appears on the front pages of newspapers every day. One former lawmaker declared on social media that Iranians should rejoice at the fall of Assad. saying, quote, no one will be able to waste Iran's dollars for maintaining a spider web anymore, end quote. Now, of course, Tehran's security forces are ruthless and the regime has a history of clamping down hard on dissent. Over the decades, there have been moments when much of the population

seemed ready to push back against the regime, but those moments have been short-lived in the face of brutal repression. However, since October 7th, It feels like the regime has been playing defense. Their proxies have been exposed as weaker than advertised. Assad's fall is a significant body blow to their regional strategy. And their compadre and chaos, Vladimir Putin, well, he, of course, is distracted with his own problems due to his invasion of Ukraine. If the regime can't project power abroad and can't maintain stability at home,

well, that would appear to be a recipe for, eternal upheaval. And, frankly, there are numerous regional players in the Middle East who would not shed a tear if the current Iranian regime were to go the way of Assad. All right, coming up next, new satellite images expose Iran's drone motherships, and we'll have the latest on South Korea's political chaos as the nation's legislature votes to impeach the president. I'll have those stories when we come back. USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day,

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For kids who love gaming, choose a Lego set. The gift that always clicks. Welcome back to the PDB. Shifting now over to the U.S. and the mysterious drone activity over New Jersey skies. New satellite imagery reveals Iran's so-called drone mother ship conducting its first sea trials, and those trials are far from the east coast of the U.S.

The satellite images obtained from Maxar Technologies and shared with the Hill show a converted commercial container ship now outfitted as a drone drone launch vessel and anchored off an Iranian naval port in the Persian Gulf, not off the Jersey shore, as some have suggested. The vessel modifications include a ski jump ramp, of course you need one of those, and an angled flight deck, both designed for launching and recovering drones. Flanking the carrier are two similar vessels showing Iran's growing drone arsenal. Interestingly, and, well, I suppose concerningly enough, the drone carrier operated untracked for weeks, with the drone carrier, satellite data indicating its departure from Iran's naval port sometime between 12 and 28 November.

Speculation regarding the vessel's whereabouts reached a fever pitch last week when New Jersey representative Jeff Van Drew alleged that an Iranian mothership was responsible for the drone activity along the East Coast, an assertion that the Pentagon swiftly dismissed as baseless, stating there is, quote, no evidence linking Iran to the sightings. Of course, the Pentagon unfortunately failed to provide evidence that would link the drones to anyone. Van Drew's citing from his confidential sources regarding the whereabouts of the drone carrier suggests Iran had been conducting clandestine drone operations near New Jersey and Staten Island. The latest satellite imagery, well, along with the statements from the Pentagon and White House,

would seem to refute that notion. Still, the drone mystery, well, it continues, including a sighting that had the FAA temporarily shut down Stewart International airport, that's some 60 miles north of New York City, for a drone buzzing overhead on Friday night. Since mid-November, New Jersey residents have flooded federal hotlines with nearly 5,000 tips. However, federal investigators, including the FBI, confirmed that fewer than 100 of those reports yielded any actionable leads. Against the backdrop, though, of escalating unease, Governor Kathy Hokel of New York called on Congress Saturday to pass the Counter-Ur unmanned Aircraft Systems Authority, Security, Safety and Reauthorization Act, who comes up with the names for these acts. Legislation aimed at enhancing FAA oversight of drone activity and granting local law enforcement expanded authority to respond to potential threats.

Hockel stated, quote, this has gone too far, end quote. Well, that's quite the quote. pressing for additional federal resources to address the disruptions. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, and several members of Congress have also urged the federal government to investigate the sightings. Despite these efforts, the source of the drone activity apparently remains unknown, which in today's world, with today's technology, seems odd. The FAA and FBI have yet to establish a clear link between the sightings

and any foreign or domestic actor. And of course, there's always the possibility that the drones are part of a U.S. government Black Files project, perhaps testing capabilities or new technology, although you have to ask why they'd be operating in plain sight. And for now, the Iranian drone carrier, well, it remains anchored in the Persian Gulf, and there's no evidence yet connecting it to the drones disrupting critical infrastructure in the U.S. And in other unidentified mysterious drone news, there's lots of it, the airspace over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, that's a massive military complex in Ohio, was closed temporarily over this past weekend due to, you got it, drone intrusions. The airspace has since reopened, but while there's no word on the origins or ownership of those drones.

Now, Wright Patterson is home to the Air Force Research Lab, the Air Force Material Command, the 655th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing, and the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, among other important elements. Look, if it seems like the U.S. government, the military, and law enforcement, don't have clear, consistent guidelines for dealing with drone intrusions over and near-critical infrastructure, well, you wouldn't be wrong. Perhaps, and here I'm just spitballing, perhaps it's time that they get that sorted out. Okay, turning to South Korea, we're in a historic move.

Parliament impeached President Yun Sukyo on Saturday, after his controversial martial law declaration backfired, leaving even his ruling party to turn against him. As we've reported on the PDB, this seismic shift comes after Yun declared martial law on 3 December, deploying troops to Parliament in an attempt to suppress opposition lawmakers. The unprecedented act backfired spectacularly, triggering widespread protests and condemnation from across South Korea's political spectrum. The dramatic confrontation culminated in lawmakers physically breaking through military barricades at the National Assembly, forcing a vote to nullify martial law, and demanding Yun's resignation. Initially, Yun appeared defiant, framing his actions as

necessary in a speech on Thursday to, quote, save the country from perceived opposition party chaos and vowing to fight for his presidency. His ruling People Power Party, the PPP, stood by him, blocking an initial impeachment vote last week and urging Yunn just to step down voluntarily. However, his refusal to relent, coupled with widespread public outrage, triggered a political chain reaction. The turning point came when the PPP leader withdrew his support, just before Eun's speech, denouncing the president's actions as indefensible and calling impeachment, quote, the only way to defend democracy. On Saturday, Parliament overwhelmingly passed the impeachment motion, making Yun only the second South Korean president to face removal from office. Under the

country's constitutional process, the prime minister has assumed the role of acting president, while the constitutional court deliberates Eun's fate. The acting chief justice of the constitutional Court has pledged a, quote, swift and fair review set to begin Monday, though notably the process could take up to six months. Meanwhile, Yun's legal troubles are mounting. Prosecutors launched multiple investigations into allegations of treason, abuse of power, and insurrection, with Parliament approving a special counsel to probe his martial law declaration. According to Jan Haap News Agency, Yun was summoned for questioning on Sunday, but failed to appear further inflaming the political crisis.

Authorities are reportedly preparing arrest warrants for high-ranking military officials involved in enforcing the declaration, including the head of the Army Special Warfare Command and the Chief of the Capital Defense Command. It's important to note that although Yun retains immunity from most criminal charges as a sitting president, allegations of treason or rebellion remain exceptions. Analysts note that while he's been barred from leaving, the country, authorities may hesitate to detain him, fearing a direct clash with his presidential security service. Yun, for his part, has vowed to continue fighting, declaring on Sunday that he will,

quote, not give up on his vision for the nation, even as his political and legal battles multiply. All right. Coming up in the back of the brief, an update on the Franklin Fire in Malibu, where firefighters are still battling to bring the blaze under control. I'll be right back. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money, whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings.

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Live coverage, sharp analysis, real perspective. At home or on the go, stay connected when it counts. Stream Fox News on Fox One. Download today. In today's back of the brief, the Franklin Fire in Malibu, California, has entered a critical phase as cooler weather and calmer winds provide a vital window for firefighters battling the over 4,000-acre inferno. Since erupting last Monday, what began as a five-acre blaze exploded into a fast-moving wildfire, driven by punishingly low humidity and wind gusts surpassing 50 miles per hour that propelled flames at a staggering pace. At its peak, the fire consumed over five football fields of land per minute. According to Cal Fire, over 1,700 firefighters have been deployed to combat to Franklin Fire using a combination of ground crews and aerial suppression.

Fire officials described the Malibu seaside terrain as, quote, steep and very dangerous, and it is, but notably, containment reached over 40% on Sunday, and that is a significant advance from the early days of the fire. Over the weekend, evacuation orders were lifted for several neighborhoods, granting residents a tentative return to their homes. However, fire officials cautioned that containment efforts remained fragile, dependent on weather conditions that could shift at any moment. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and officials have not ruled out human activity as a potential factor. As the week unfolds, fire crews remain locked in a race against the clock, hoping to capitalize on favorable weather before the region's infamous Santa Ana wins return.

And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Monday, 16 December. If you have any questions for me that you'd like me to address on the air, please reach out to me at PDB. at thefirstTV.com. The PDB Operations Center is busy preparing another episode of the critically acclaimed Ask Me Anything in which we answer your questions and relay your comments to the global PDB community. And I hope you had a chance to check out this past weekend's PDB Situation Report. We had excellent guests, including Brian Carter and Steve Yates, with a focus on Syria, the Middle East, China, and Taiwan. Give it a watch over on our YouTube channel. Check that out. you can find it at at President's Daily Brief.

It's chock full of information and insight. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back later today with the BDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool. Mom, can you tell me a story? Sure. Once upon a time, a mom needed a new car. Was she brave? She was tired, mostly.

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