The President's Daily Brief
PDB Afternoon Bulletin | December 22nd, 2025: Israel May Strike Iran Again & Russian General Assassinated
22 Dec 2025
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, new reporting says Israel is weighing another round of strikes on Iran. Okay, so not exactly a secret operation. 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 brief 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 in large 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 banner 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.
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Chapter 2: What military actions is Israel considering against Iran?
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.
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Chapter 3: What are the implications of Netanyahu's briefing to Trump?
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Chapter 4: How is Iran's missile program evolving and why is it a concern?
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Welcome back to the Afternoon Bulletin. The war in Ukraine has once again reached the streets of Moscow. Earlier today, a senior Russian general was killed in a car bombing in the capital. That's the third high-ranking officer to die this year as the Kremlin struggles to protect its top brass.
A car bomb tore through the vehicle carrying Lieutenant General Fenil Osorov, 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 Kyiv.
I'd like to point out, I suppose, that the 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 Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Putin was immediately informed of Sovorov's death in acknowledgement of the seriousness of the hit.
As for Sovorov'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 has 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 Yaroslav Moskalik, was also killed in a car bombing in the Russian capital.
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