This roundup covers U.S. "large-scale" strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria tied to a Dec. 19 campaign, and Iran saying it is prepared for conflict while remaining open to talks after U.S. warnings. Domestic incidents in Mississippi include an arson attack on a historic synagogue and a separate mass shooting that killed six. The Trump administration suffered two judicial setbacks blocking a freeze on roughly $10 billion in federal funds and enforcement of an order to withhold election funds. Additional items note potential failures in U.S. strikes in Nigeria, a New York Times analysis of appeals-court judges favorable to the administration, an EU trade pact with four South American nations, and continued vigilance over avian flu strains including H5N1 and H9N2.
Monday Mini-Report — Jan. 12, 2026: Syria Strikes, Iran Tensions, Mississippi Tragedies, and Major Court Rulings
Today’s quick roundup of notable developments at home and abroad.
In Syria: U.S. Central Command said on Saturday that U.S. and partner forces carried out "large-scale strikes" on multiple Islamic State positions in Syria. The action is part of an operation that began on Dec. 19, when U.S. forces struck "more than 70 targets" in central Syria in retaliation for the killing of three Americans by an ISIS gunman in early December.
In Iran: Tehran said Monday it was prepared for conflict but remained open to negotiations after President Trump warned the United States might intervene to try to stop an increasingly deadly government crackdown on protesters.
In Mississippi (Arson): The FBI said Monday that a suspect in an arson attack at a historic Mississippi synagogue admitted targeting the building because of its "Jewish ties." The suspect’s father turned him in after noticing burn marks on his son’s ankles, hands and face.
In Mississippi (Shooting): Law enforcement officials said Saturday that a single gunman carried out a Friday evening shooting spree in Mississippi that killed six people, mostly members of his extended family.
Legal Setback For The White House — Part I: A federal judge in New York temporarily blocked the Trump administration from freezing roughly $10 billion in federal funds for child care and social services bound for five Democratic-led states, allowing the funds to continue while a lawsuit proceeds.
Legal Setback For The White House — Part II: On Friday a federal judge barred the administration from enforcing part of an executive order that would have withheld federal election funds from states that did not change voting procedures to match the president’s demands.
On U.S. Strikes In Nigeria: When President Trump announced U.S. airstrikes in Nigeria on Christmas night he called them "numerous perfect strikes." However, officials, analysts and imagery reviewed by The Washington Post indicate that warheads on four of the 16 Tomahawk missiles fired that night appeared not to have exploded.
Judicial Analysis: A New York Times analysis of 2025 records found that appeals-court judges President Trump appointed during his first term have acted as a powerful, though little-noticed, bulwark for his administration, voting overwhelmingly in its favor when its actions were challenged in court this term.
Trade: The European Union, after resolving deep divisions among member states, approved a broad trade pact on Friday with four South American countries that would create one of the world’s largest free-trade zones, linking markets that together cover more than 700 million people.
Public Health: In the United States the term "bird flu" has become associated with the H5N1 virus that has devastated poultry and dairy farms in recent years. Scientists warn that H5N1 is not the only avian influenza strain of concern; they are also monitoring other variants, including a fast-evolving virus called H9N2.
See you tomorrow.
Help us improve.
