Middle East Threats, Texas Flood Aftermath, and PEPFAR Funding Debate | CBN NewsWatch July 11, 2025

Middle East Tensions and Diplomatic Efforts

• 🇮🇱 Israel's leaders returned from Washington following high-level talks with no breakthrough, as regional threats from Iran and Houthi militants in the Red Sea continue to multiply.
• 💥 Heavy fighting persists in Gaza, with Israeli forces deepening their operations against Hamas strongholds, resulting in significant Israeli soldier casualties.
• 🕊️ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking the release of hostages in exchange for a 60-day ceasefire, but has stated that if Hamas does not meet terms through negotiation, they will be achieved by force.
• ☢️ Israeli officials suspect that part of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile may have survived recent strikes, potentially leading to further Israeli action against Iran.
• 🚢 Houthi militants have resumed missile and drone attacks in the Red Sea, impacting commercial shipping and prompting calls for renewed US airstrikes against their positions.

Texas Flood Recovery and Faith in Action

• 🌊 One week after a historic July 4th flood in Texas, the death toll has risen to over 120, with at least 150 people still missing.
• 🙏 Stories of survival are emerging, with individuals recounting clinging to trees and being rescued from rooftops.
• 🏠 Volunteers from Operation Blessing are assisting in the cleanup and salvage efforts for hundreds of homes destroyed by the flood.
• 💧 Survivors like Colleen Lucas and Pastor Mike Oaks shared their harrowing experiences of navigating rising floodwaters and their gratitude for being alive.
• ⛪ Churches, pastors, and volunteers are uniting in the affected regions, providing support and a path back to hope and peace through prayer and community services.

Debate Over Foreign Aid and PEPFAR Funding

• 🗳️ The Senate is preparing to vote on a bill that could cancel previously approved federal funding for foreign aid, a measure that narrowly passed the House.
• 💔 Senator Collins expressed concern over drastic cuts to PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), a program credited with saving millions of lives, particularly in Africa and Asia.
• 🌍 Proponents of PEPFAR argue that cutting the program will lead to increased HIV resurgence and that it is a vital