Joe Kent secures Senate confirmation to work alongside Tulsi Gabbard



As the Senate continues to chip away at the backlog of nominees, President Donald Trump's allies are one by one getting confirmed.

Most recently, the Senate confirmed former congressional candidate Joe Kent to serve as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, an office overseen by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

'Joe has hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life.'

The Senate confirmed Kent in a 52-44 vote Wednesday night, with Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina voting against the nominee and four Democrats missing the vote altogether.

"It’s an honor to serve our nation again & to be back in the fight against terrorism," Kent said in a post on X. "Thank you President Trump & DNI Gabbard for your confidence in my leadership. NCTC will relentlessly pursue & defeat our nation’s enemies. In honor of our fallen, we fight on."

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Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Prior to his nomination in February, Kent twice ran for Congress in the state of Washington but failed to defeat his Democratic opponents. Kent also enlisted in the Army and eventually rose through the ranks into the Ranger Regiment and the Special Forces, serving for 20 years and 11 combat deployments.

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Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

"As a Soldier, Green Beret, and CIA Officer, Joe has hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life," Trump said in his Truth Social post nominating Kent. "Above all, Joe knows the terrible cost of terrorism, losing his wonderful wife, Shannon, a Great American Hero, who was killed in the fight against ISIS."

"Joe continues to honor her legacy by staying in the fight," Trump added. "Joe will help us keep America safe by eradicating all terrorism, from the jihadists around the World, to the cartels in our backyard."

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Israeli commandos raid West Bank hospital while disguised as doctors, Muslim women and kill 3 Palestinian militants: Report



Israeli commandos raided a West Bank hospital Tuesday while disguised as doctors and Muslim women and killed three Palestinian militants, Reuters reported, citing witnesses and authorities.

What are the details?

The Israeli military said the raid on Ibn Sina hospital in Jenin was a joint undercover operation that its army, Shin Bet security service, and border police carried out, the outlet noted.

The military said one of those killed was Hamas member Mohammad Walid Jalamna, who was planning an Oct. 7-style attack, and that the two others killed were brothers Basel Al-Ghazzawi and Mohammad Al-Ghazzawi who were part of the Jenin Brigade and the armed wing of the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad, Reuters reported.

The outlet added that the Islamic Jihad said the Al-Ghazzawi brothers were members of its armed wing, and Hamas confirmed that Jalamna belonged to its Al Qassam Brigade.

Hospital surveillance video showed about 10 people dressed in medical scrubs and in headscarves and women's clothing going through a corridor armed with rifles, Reuters said.

The hospital's director, Dr. Naji Nazzal, told the outlet that the commandos entered the hospital around 5:30 a.m. and killed the three men with head shots while they were sleeping. He added to the outlet that Basil Ayman Al-Ghazzawi had been paralyzed due to a spinal injury since Oct. 25 and was receiving treatment at the hospital.

The Israeli military told Reuters that the trio had been hiding in the hospital and said it was "another example of the cynical use of civilian areas and hospitals as shelters and human shields by terrorist organizations."

Israel's military chief Herzi Halevi told troops near Gaza that "we are even more determined not to allow hospitals in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, above ground or in tunnel shafts and tunnels under hospitals, to become a place that is a cover for terrorism," the outlet said, adding that Hamas has denied the allegations.

Reuters added that thousands of mourners filled the streets as the three Palestinian militants were buried.

Israeli forces raid West Bank hospital disguised as doctors and civiliansyoutu.be

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