The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | December 22nd, 2025: Israel May Strike Iran Again & Russian General Assassinated

Episode Date: December 22, 2025

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin: New reporting reveals that Israel is weighing another round of military strikes against Iran, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu preparing to brief Donald Trump on potential options as concerns grow over Tehran’s missile activity. Later in the show—Russia’s war comes home again, as a senior Russian general is killed in a car bombing in Moscow, the third high-ranking military leader to be taken out this year. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Stash Financial: Don't Let your money sit around. Go to https://get.stash.com/PDB to see how you can receive $25 towards your first stock purchase. Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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And Prime Minister Netanyahu plans to walk President Trump through the options. I'll have the details. Later in the show, another senior Russian military leader is killed, this time in a car bombing in Moscow. It's the third such attack this year. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is preparing to bring to bring to bring. President Trump on potential new military strikes against Iran. According to new reporting, Israeli officials are increasingly concerned that Iran is rebuilding and expanding key parts of its

ballistic missile program. That program, of course, was damaged during the airstrikes of the 12-day war, but Israeli intelligence now believes Tehran is moving quickly to restore production and possibly accelerate it. From Israel's perspective, this is not a distant theoretical threat. Ballistic missiles are central to Iran's strategy against the Jewish state and one of the few tools that Tehran possesses that can reach Israel directly and enlarge numbers. Netanyahu plans to walk President Trump through Israel's assessment of that threat and outline options for renewed military action. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean strikes are imminent, but it does signal that Israel believes the window to act, if action is coming, may be narrowing.

This briefing also comes against the backdrop of a second development that has raised alarms in Jerusalem. Israeli officials have warned their American counterparts that Iran is currently conducting large-scale missile drills, and that those drills could potentially be used as cover for a real-world attack. The concern is straightforward. Missile exercises allow Iran to move launchers, fuel the missiles, activate command and control systems, and disperse assets, all under the ban. of a supposed scheduled drill. In that environment, distinguishing between training activity and an operational launch becomes much more difficult. For now, U.S. intelligence agencies are saying

they don't see clear indicators that Iran is preparing an imminent strike, but Israeli officials are urging Washington not to treat the drills as routine. From Israel's vantage point, recent history has taught painful lessons about ignoring warning signs. It's also important to understand how Israel's threat perception protocols have shifted over the past two years. Since the October 23, Hamas attacks in the subsequent regional escalation, Israeli leadership has adopted a far lower tolerance for strategic surprise. That mindset now shapes how Jerusalem views Iran's missile forces, not just as a deterrent, but as an active evolving threat that could be used with a little warning.

Another key detail here. Israel's focus is not limited to Iran's. nuclear program anymore. While enrichment and weaponization remain long-term concerns, Israeli defense planners see ballistic missiles as the more immediate danger. Missiles don't require nuclear warheads to cause significant damage, overwhelmed defenses, or change strategic calculations, and Iran has invested heavily in expanding range, accuracy, and survivability across its missile arsenal. So, you ask, what does Netanyahu want from this briefing. At minimum, Israeli officials want alignment, ensuring that Washington

understands Israel's assessment of the threat and the potential consequences of inaction. There may also be an effort to secure political backing or operational coordination should Israel decide to act again. Whether that means intelligence sharing or diplomatic cover or something more, well, that remains unclear. What is clear is that this is not simply an academic discussion. The combination of Iranian missile drills renewed production activity and Israel's post-October security posture has created a more volatile equation. Even if no one intends escalation, the risk of miscalculation is rising. There are still major unknowns.

It's not clear whether Netanyahu will push for immediate action or simply lay out options for the months ahead. And it remains to be seen whether President Trump will share that sense of urgency or opt for pressure short of force, particularly given his desire to preserve the fragile ceasefire in Gaza. What happens next will likely hinge on intelligence indicators. Any changes in Iran's missile readiness, unexplained movements, or shifts in command posture could force faster decisions. And any public signals coming out of the Netanyahu Trump meeting will, of course, be closely watched, not just in Tehran, but across the region. Coming up next, Russia's military leadership

takes another hit as a top general is killed in a car bomb attack in Moscow. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, as the New Year approaches, let me take a minute to talk about your financial goals. Because of a great company out there called Stash, here's the great news. You don't need to overhaul your life to start investing. You just automate it. With Stash, your New Year money goals can quietly run in the background while you focus on everything else in your busy life. Stash isn't just another investing app. It's a registered investment. advisor that combines automated investing with expert personalized guidance, so you don't have to worry about gambling or figuring it out on your own. Think about it. Just $3 per month get you access to

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brass. A car bomb tore through the vehicle, carrying Lieutenant General Faneal Sarvarov, who was the head of the operational training directorate of the Russian Armed Forces general staff. Following the blast, the general was transported to a hospital where he later died from his injuries. Russian investigators were quick to point the finger at Ukraine, the investigative committee, which is, comparatively speaking, a hybrid of the FBI and the Department of Justice, said it was pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, including the possibility of Ukrainian involvement. A committee spokeswoman said investigators are examining whether the killing was explicitly orchestrated by intelligence services from Kiev. I'd like to point out, I suppose, that Ukrainian authorities have so far remained silent

and have not yet claimed responsibility for the bombing. The Kremlin moved just as quickly to signal the seriousness of the attack. Spokesman Dmitri Peskov said Russian President Putin was immediately informed of Sovorov's death and acknowledgement of the seriousness of the hit. As for Severoff's career, well, it reflects the wars that have defined Moscow's modern military posture. According to Russian defense ministry, he previously fought in Chechnya and took part in Russia's campaign in Syria, conflicts long associated with brutal tactics and widespread civilian harm. His killing fits into a pattern that is increasingly unsettled Moscow. Earlier this year, we discussed the death of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who was the head of Russia's nuclear, biological,

and chemical protection forces, killed also in a car bombing, an attack that Ukrainian forces later acknowledged. In April, another senior officer, Lieutenant General Jairoslav Moskallik was also killed in the car bombing in the Russian capital. After Moskalik's death, Ukrainian President Zelensky said he received reports about the successful, quote, liquidation of Russian military leaders. While he did not mention Muscolyc by name, the message was once again clear, those directing Russia's war effort are no longer beyond reach, even far from the front lines. The latest car bombing comes as Ukraine and the U.S. continue peace negotiations to hammer out a revised framework, while the U.S., at the same time held separate talks over the past few days with a Russian envoy.

While the U.S. delegation, led by envoy Steve Whitgoff, expressed optimism over the discussions, the Kremlin, well, they downplayed the idea of any progress. And in parallel, Putin has continued to insist that Russian forces are advancing in Ukraine's east and that Moscow will soon achieve its objectives by force if Ukraine doesn't accept Russia's maximalist territorial terms. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Monday the 22nd of December. Now, if you have any questions or comments, and I hope you do, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirstTV.com. And of course, to listen to the show ad-free, well, simply become a

premium member of the president's daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed. Stay safe. Stay cool.