Good morning.
A suspected anti-ICE attack outside a major federal complex in Lower Manhattan is under investigation, the Pentagon has identified two American soldiers killed in an Iranian missile and drone assault in Jordan, and a federal judge has temporarily blocked Paramount Skydance’s proposed takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Incendiary Device Set Off Outside Federal Complex in Manhattan
A suspect was taken into custody Monday after allegedly setting off an incendiary device outside 26 Federal Plaza, the Lower Manhattan complex that houses offices for the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, federal immigration courts, and several other government agencies.
The incident unfolded around 8:30 a.m., sending smoke and flames across the plaza and prompting officials to order those inside the building to shelter in place.
Authorities believe the suspect poured a flammable liquid outside the complex and ignited it using fireworks. Video reportedly captured the act, while investigators recovered a cart containing additional fireworks, a pellet or airsoft-style gun, lighting equipment, carbon dioxide cartridges, a helmet, and a sign reading, “ICE Off Our Streets.”
Two people—a federal employee and a civilian—suffered minor injuries and were treated and released.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle described the incident as an “anti-government attack on a federal facility.” Law enforcement officials said the suspect may have a history of anti-ICE activity, though his identity and any formal charges had not yet been released.
Reports also indicated that the suspect threatened people nearby with what appeared to be airsoft rifles before federal officers detained him.
The NYPD Bomb Squad examined the cart as a precaution, but officials said there was no immediate evidence of a wider plot. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the investigation.
Pentagon Identifies Soldiers Killed in Iranian Attack
The Pentagon has identified two American soldiers killed during Iran’s July 17 missile and drone attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.
First Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, both served in Army Air Defense Artillery units—the forces specifically tasked with protecting American personnel from the type of attack that killed them.
Gonzales died during the assault, while Feehan succumbed to his injuries the following day. A third American service member remains missing, and forensic testing is underway on unidentified remains recovered at the base.
The attack killed three Americans, wounded several others, and destroyed an AN/TPY-2 radar system valued at roughly $300 million.
Iranian forces reportedly used a coordinated saturation strategy, launching ballistic missiles alongside waves of inexpensive attack drones in an effort to overwhelm American and allied air defenses. At least two missiles penetrated the defensive shield.
The strike exposed mounting pressure on the American missile-defense network after weeks of repeated attacks that had consumed large quantities of interceptor missiles and strained Patriot batteries throughout the region.
Feehan will be posthumously promoted to captain and awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
President Trump said U.S. forces launched another round of strikes against Iran following the attack. CENTCOM said the retaliation targeted Iranian units responsible for the Jordan assault, as well as command centers, air defenses, missile and drone launch sites, maritime assets, and communications infrastructure.
The deaths bring the publicly identified American military toll of the Iran War to at least 17.
Judge Temporarily Blocks Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Deal
A federal judge has temporarily halted Paramount Skydance’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, giving a coalition of 12 states an early victory in its antitrust challenge.
United States District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín issued a temporary restraining order Monday preventing the companies from closing the transaction while she considers whether to impose a longer preliminary injunction.
The ruling does not permanently block the merger, but it places the deal’s planned third-quarter closing in jeopardy.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is leading the coalition of states arguing that the combination would reduce competition in film production, theatrical distribution, cable television, and streaming. The states warn that the merged company could raise prices, reduce consumer choice, and gain excessive leverage over theaters and television distributors.
The acquisition would bring Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Studios under one corporate roof, along with HBO Max, Paramount+, and Pluto TV. The combined television portfolio would include CBS, CNN, HBO, TBS, and Nickelodeon.
Paramount argues the merger would create a stronger competitor to Netflix and other streaming platforms. The company has disputed the states’ market analysis and vowed to fight the lawsuit.
The Trump Justice Department approved the acquisition in June, but that federal clearance did not prevent state attorneys general or private organizations from suing. The Writers Guild of America has filed a separate challenge, while regulators in the United Kingdom and European Union are still reviewing the transaction.
The court will now decide whether the deal should remain frozen while the full antitrust case proceeds.
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