The Hidden Signatures: Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei Holds Final Veto Over Sixty Day Truce

Senior Israeli security officials have revealed that the pending sixty-day ceasefire and nuclear framework agreement remains entirely stalled due to a total lack of authorization from Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

The diplomatic trajectory of the ongoing regional war remains highly volatile, as senior Israeli political and defense officials reveal that the potential sixty-day ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran has not received crucial authorization from the highest levels of the Iranian regime. While Western media outlets reported that a comprehensive memorandum of understanding had been successfully finalized, intelligence assessments in Jerusalem indicate that the deal cannot move forward until Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, provides an official response to the draft.

The political echelon in Jerusalem has maintained a strict, formal silence regarding the specific components of the text, with neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the Ministry of Defense issuing public briefings. However, senior analysts speaking behind closed doors clarified that United States President Donald Trump currently has nothing concrete to sign, as the entire framework is frozen while awaiting approval from the opposing leadership. The sources noted that while high-level Iranian officials like Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Abbas Araqchi managed to reach basic understandings with American negotiators, they simply do not possess the executive authority required to sign a binding international treaty.

Israeli intelligence agencies currently possess zero indications that Mojtaba Khamenei has signaled his assent to the framework, with defense planners predicting that the Supreme Leader will likely utilize a delay tactic by offering a conditional agreement to drag out negotiations. This assessment aligns closely with official statements published by Iran’s state-aligned Tasnim news agency, which quoted sources close to the delegation asserting that the document remains unfinalized. The Iranian press apparatus emphasized that the regime has not yet notified its Pakistani diplomatic intermediaries that a final text exists, contradicting Western reports. (Read More)

Trump meeting to make ‘final determination’ on Iran deal said to end with no decision

Tehran denies US president’s suggestion that agreement announced by White House includes nuclear concessions; deal includes $300B fund for Iran’s reconstruction, sources tell NYT.

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he was entering the White House Situation Room to make a “final determination” on a memorandum of understanding to extend the ceasefire with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But the meeting ended after two hours with no decision, a senior administration official told the New York Times, insisting an agreement was still close but required further debate about issues including the unfreezing of Iranian funds. “President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines,” a White House official told AFP on condition of anonymity after the meeting. “Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.”

Announcing the meeting in a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump insisted that Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium would be extracted and destroyed by the US, even though such a clause is not included in the terms of the MoU. Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded that talks were ongoing but “no final agreement has been reached yet,” contradicting the White House’s claim that Trump’s approval was the last thing needed before a deal could be reached.

The ministry also denied Trump’s suggestion that Iran would relinquish its enriched uranium. “We are focused on ending the war, and there are no negotiations on the nuclear issue,” ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told state TV. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that while a political understanding has been reached, it has not yet been finalized. The MoU announced by the White House on Thursday would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend the ongoing Iran ceasefire by 60 days. In that time, Washington and Tehran would hold further talks on curbing Iran’s nuclear program.  (Read More)

Trump's refusal to return to war with Iran will 'cost him dearly', Saudi expert claims

Saudi analyst Mubarak al-Ati said that the US's decline on the international stage has prevented Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States from taking Trump's demands to join the Abraham Accords seriously.

Saudi Arabia no longer trusts the US to provide protection, Saudi analyst Mubarak al-Ati said in an interview on Russia Today TV earlier this week. "It seems that [US President Donald] Trump refuses to return to war and overthrow the Ayatollah's regime. This will cost him dearly,” Ati said, while claiming that the US president has shown that he is a paper tiger. Ati said that the US’s first real sign of its failure in international affairs was Biden’s “humiliating exit” from Afghanistan in 2021. “The US is still a superpower, but not as it was a decade ago,” he opined.

“The balance of power has changed significantly, and for rising powers such as India, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil, all of which are G20 members, there are now new possibilities, and they can establish relations with all forces, not just with the US.” The Saudi expert claims that the US’s dwindling presence on the world stage has led Gulf States and other Muslim countries to not take Trump’s demands to join the Abraham Accords very seriously.

“Saudi Arabia refrained from being drawn into war and did not stand alongside Israel and the United States, just as it did not stand alongside Iran,” Ati said. “Saudi Arabia has not declared hostility toward any of the parties, and this means they analyzed the situation and saw themselves as an independent actor who cannot be a satellite of Israel and the US. "He said that instead, Saudi Arabia is leading a new “Arab-Islamic bloc” with Pakistan, Turkey, and Qatar, which will likely be announced soon. (Read More)

Satellite images reveal Iran rapidly rebuilds its missile and drone arsenal

A CNN analysis of satellite images reveals that the Islamic Republic has reopened at least 50 blocked access points at 18 underground missile sites. Contrary to statements by Trump, the arsenal was not destroyed but trapped, and is now being cleared with bulldozers. The Pentagon is concerned that Iran will rebuild its drone fleet within six months.

Against the backdrop of the fragile ceasefire between Iran and the US, the Islamic Republic is working at an unprecedented pace to restore the military capabilities damaged during the war. An analysis of new satellite images from Airbus Defence and Space, revealed by CNN, shows that since the ceasefire began, Tehran has already managed to clear at least 50 blocked access points at 18 different missile sites. The satellite analysis casts a heavy shadow over statements by US President Donald Trump that Iran's missile arsenal had been almost completely destroyed. The images indicate that the combined Israeli-US attacks during the war disabled these "missile cities" by blocking their entry points, effectively "trapping" a huge portion of Iran's launchers and severely damaging its ability to fire missiles in real time.

Now, however, using bulldozers and removal trucks, Iran is renewing access to vast quantities of missiles stored in those underground facilities, effectively undoing the results of a military strategy that required enormous Israeli-American firepower. At the same time, the Pentagon continues to stand by the success of the campaign and insists that the operational actions achieved their required objectives. The satellite images present a worrying picture on the ground. Images from April 10 documented intensive efforts to clear debris and rubble from the blocked entrance to a tunnel at a major missile base south of the city of Tabriz. (Read More)

Netanyahu confirms IDF soldiers crossed Litani River, air force 'operating in Beirut, Bekaa Valley'

IDF soldiers crossed to the north of Lebanon's Litani River, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Friday during a visit to Israel's northern border. "Our forces have crossed the Litani and advanced to controlling positions," said Netanyahu, and added, "We are operating in Beirut, in the Beqaa, across the entire width of the front, and are dealing Hezbollah a crushing blow." Netanyahu visited the border alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz and was briefed by Northern Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Rafi Milo and 36th Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Yiftach Norkin on the IDF's Lebanon operations.

"I spoke with the brigade commanders who are currently in the field," said Netanyahu. "I hear them, and I also hear the soldiers, some of whom are standing here behind me; there is an immense fighting spirit. From here, the battle against Hezbollah in the north is being managed." The Prime Minister also said that he was impressed with the military's results. "There are very impressive results here," he said. "The brigade commanders tell me, as do the soldiers, that in every contact with them, in every encounter, we are both eliminating Hezbollah and causing them to flee."

"And it is this spirit that brings us these achievements," Netanyahu continued. "I salute you. You are lions. You have commanders who are lions, and you are proving the strength of the Israel Defense Forces' spirit. Keep going, with great success, until the very end." (Ed note: Israel has issued repeated evacuation warnings to the southern coastal city of Tyre and has carried out heavy strikes there as well.) (Source)

Why Hamas and the Gaza Strip were excluded from the draft US-Iran agreemen

On May 23, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sent a letter to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem stating that Tehran would not abandon its demand for an end to the “aggression against Lebanon” as a fundamental condition for any permanent agreement to end the war with the United States. On May 24, Hezbollah confirmed in an official statement that Qassem had received the message from Araghchi, which declared that “the Islamic Republic, until the very last moment, will never cease supporting movements seeking justice and freedom, foremost among them Hezbollah, the victorious resistance movement.”

The letter further stated that “from the very first moment several regional states entered mediation efforts aimed at reducing tensions between Iran and the United States, the Islamic Republic linked any possible agreement to a ceasefire in Lebanon,” emphasizing that “this important issue remains a nonnegotiable principle and an integral part of the just demands of the Iranian government and our heroic people, and it will remain so in the future.” Araghchi also clarified that “in the latest proposal submitted by the Islamic Republic through the Pakistani mediator, aimed at achieving a permanent and stable end to the war, the demand to include Lebanon within the ceasefire framework was explicitly emphasized.”

...Meanwhile, commentators in the Gaza Strip have expressed considerable astonishment that Iran linked Lebanon to any agreement with the U.S. while refraining from doing the same for Gaza and Hamas, despite Hamas being a clear component of the Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance.” This is particularly notable given that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated by Israel in Tehran on July 31, 2024. Senior Israeli security officials believe that Iran is operating according to a clear strategic hierarchy in which the Lebanese arena is viewed as far more important than Gaza and Hamas.

...There are several central reasons for this assessment. First, from Tehran’s perspective, Hezbollah constitutes the most important strategic asset within the “Axis of Resistance.” The organization serves as Iran’s primary deterrent force against Israel, possessing a vast arsenal of missiles, rockets, UAVs and explosive drones, as well as direct influence along Israel’s northern border and the capability to threaten the Israeli home front. For this reason, Iran sees restoring Hezbollah’s strength and ending the fighting in Lebanon as a top-tier national security interest. By contrast, Hamas and the Gaza Strip are viewed by the Iranian leadership as a less critical strategic arena.

...The war in Gaza has already significantly weakened Hamas, while large portions of the Strip’s military and civilian infrastructure have been destroyed by Israel. Therefore, from Iran’s perspective, although Hamas retains ideological and symbolic importance, it is not considered a strategic asset on the same level as Hezbollah.Another reason is that the current negotiations with the U.S. are focused primarily on preventing a broader regional escalation, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, securing Iranian oil exports, and regulating the confrontation involving Iran, Israel and the U.S. Lebanon is directly tied to this confrontation because of Hezbollah’s involvement and the fear of a full-scale regional war. The Gaza Strip, by contrast, is viewed by the Iranian leadership more as a distinct Palestinian-Israeli arena. (Read More)

Who should speak for Israel? The case for Caroline Glick

Pearl-clutching about the veteran journalist possibly being sent to the New York consulate misses the point. The Jewish state needs bold advocates more than traditional diplomats. 

As far as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leftist critics are concerned, the last thing Israel needs is someone representing the country abroad who enthusiastically supports his policies, and is ready to do intellectual and verbal combat with the government’s opponents. If that doesn’t make sense, then welcome to Israeli politics. That basic conundrum explains the firestorm that has greeted the floating of the idea that Netanyahu might name veteran journalist and current adviser Caroline Glick to the post of consul general in New York City. Glick was a senior contributing editor at JNS and hosted “The Caroline Glick” show on JNS TV before being named as Netanyahu’s international affairs adviser in February 2025.

In many ways, she is an ideal candidate for such a post. She was born, raised and educated (at Columbia and Harvard universities) in the United States. As a result, she speaks unaccented idiomatic American English, unlike most of Israel’s diplomats. After making aliyah, she served in the Israel Defense Forces, where she worked as coordinator of negotiations with the Palestinian Authority during the period of the Oslo Accords. After becoming a journalist, she was embedded with the U.S. Army during the invasion of Iraq and worked as a frontline war correspondent. Since then—and outside of a brief stint running for the Knesset in 2019—she’s been covering and commenting on the issues that are at the forefront of Israeli public policy and diplomacy.

Moreover, as someone who worked with Netanyahu for a while in the 1990s and then again in the last year, she understands the prime minister’s views as well as anyone. So, what’s the problem with sending her to represent Israel in the city with the largest Jewish population outside of the Jewish state? The answer, according to the scathing comments published in recent days in outlets like The Times of Israel and Haaretz, is that her views are in line with those of the government she would represent and the voters who elected it. According to both of those publications, which are bitterly opposed to that government, sending Glick to New York would offend “progressive” Jews. As far as the far-left Haaretz is concerned, Netanyahu is “spitting in American Jews’ faces” by even thinking of such an appointment.

...What Israel and American Jewry need now is not someone who will try to make friends with Mamdani or be comfortable at a soirée with editors of the Times or liberal Jews who continue foolishly to look to both for leadership. An Israeli representative who will take on the intersectional left and the antisemitic right with equal boldness is what is required right now. So is someone who will fearlessly speak directly to ordinary Jews and not just to the Manhattan elites. And that is exactly what Caroline Glick would do if given this opportunity. (Ed note: An excellent article from Jonathan S. Tobin.) (Read More)

US general meets Cuban military officials at edge of Guantanamo Bay

Donovan's meeting in Cuba is the first in recent memory by a head of Southern Command and comes amid growing concerns in Cuba of a possible US military attack on the Communist-run island.

The top US general overseeing forces in Latin America held a rare meeting on Friday with senior Cuban military officials at the perimeter of US Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the US military said on Friday, confirming a Reuters story. US General Francis Donovan, head of US Southern Command, briefly discussed operational security matters with the Cuban delegation, which included Cuban General Roberto Legra Sotolongo, first deputy minister of the chief of the General Staff, US Southern Command said on X.

"Donovan also led a perimeter security assessment of the naval base and discussed force protection, safety of service members and their families, and operational readiness with base officials," it said. Donovan's meeting in Cuba is the first in recent memory by a head of Southern Command and comes amid growing concerns in Cuba of a possible US military attack on the Communist-run island. The Cuban Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The meeting follows a rare visit by CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Havana earlier in May. President Donald Trump has often cited Cuba among the foreign policy goals of his second term and has hinted it will become his focus once the war with Iran is over.Cuba has been a US antagonist for decades, since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution. Trump is strongly supported by hardline Cuban Americans in Florida, who have pushed for US-instigated regime change for decades, and his administration has been steadily ramping up pressure on the island.

On May 20, the US formally charged former President Raúl Castro with four counts of murder for the 1996 downing of a civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exiles. The indictment was the latest example of the Trump administration's efforts to assert US influence in the Western Hemisphere. Washington's more assertive role in Latin America was epitomized by an audacious raid by the US military on January 3 to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, and then fly him to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Maduro, a socialist aligned with Havana, pleaded not guilty. (Read More)

For Israel, the Iran Deal Is Someone Else's Negotiation - With Existential Stakes

Jerusalem supported the war. It had almost no seat at the table. Now it must decide how hard to push back against a deal it didn't shape. When the United States and Iran went to war earlier this year, Israel was a partner. When they sat down to negotiate a way out, Israel was largely not in the room. That gap, between Israel's centrality to the conflict and its near-total exclusion from the diplomatic process, now defines Jerusalem's uncomfortable position as a tentative 60-day framework deal takes shape between Washington and Tehran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he had spoken with Trump the previous evening, and that the two agreed "any final agreement with Iran must eliminate the nuclear danger" - meaning the dismantling of enrichment sites and the removal of highly enriched uranium from Iranian soil. Trump reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself "on every front, including Lebanon," Netanyahu added. The statement was carefully worded, supportive of the process, firm on the destination. But behind it lies a deep unease that Israeli officials have been less careful to conceal.

A senior Israeli official, speaking without authorization to do so publicly, called the emerging agreement "bad." Israel's core fear, the official indicated, is that the deal will ultimately deliver only its first half, Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions ease, oil flows again, while the far harder second half, curbing Iran's nuclear program, simply never arrives. It is a fear with historical resonance. Israeli governments have watched international agreements with Iran expire, collapse, or be circumvented before. The memory is acute.

Despite the deal's profound implications for Israel, negotiations have reportedly been conducted with near-total exclusion of Jerusalem. Israel will not officially be party to whatever agreement emerges, yet will effectively be bound by it — limited in what it can achieve militarily without U.S. participation, and with Netanyahu unlikely to be seen torpedoing the president's deal-making on such weighty matters. That constraint is the central paradox Israel faces. It cannot easily say no to Trump. It cannot easily say yes to a deal that may leave Iran's nuclear infrastructure intact. (Read More)

Report: US demanding Israel coordinate Beirut strikes, prohibits collapsing buildings

Channel 12 reports the US demanded advance notice on targeted eliminations and opposed collapsing buildings during Israeli operations in Lebanon.

American officials instructed Israel to notify them in advance about targeted eliminations and clarified that they do not approve of bringing down buildings during such operations, according to Israeli sources cited by Channel 12. The report stated that the US was not surprised by the targeted strike in Beirut in which Israel reportedly attempted to eliminate Ali al-Husseini, commander of the missile array of Hezbollah’s Imam Hussein Division. As part of the coordination mechanisms between Israel and the US, including military, diplomatic, and security channels, Israel informed the Americans before the operational opportunity to carry out the strike attempt emerged, the report said.

Al-Husseini is affiliated with a force connected to Iran, and Israeli officials viewed the attempted elimination as potentially significant. The report further stated that consultations were held in Israel during which various limited options were discussed. Since Israel was unable to strike Hezbollah’s main strongholds or bring down buildings, the option ultimately selected involved ground territorial operations.

The IDF has been operating on the ground inside Lebanon, although Israeli officials reportedly believe this may not resolve the issue of explosive drones. The report added that expanding the number of soldiers across a wider area could create additional targets for such attacks. According to the report, Israel’s current objective is to exact a price from Hezbollah, though additional incidents involving explosive drones in different locations could occur in the near future. (Ed note: This is ridiculous! How can Israel defend itself, while Hezbollah hides amongst its civilians? President Trump is giving Israel the same orders that the past US presidents have done. This. to the detriment, disadvantage, and harm to the citizens of Israel.)  (Read More)

Israel concerned US-Iran agreement could limit IDF in Lebanon

Israel’s defense establishment fears that a future agreement between the United States and Iran could lead to a freeze in IDF operations against the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon. A senior Northern Command official told Kan News that Hezbollah is applying heavy pressure on Iran to be included in the agreement and is pushing for a full ceasefire.

According to the report, Israel fears that an agreement including Hezbollah could lead to a halt in airstrikes and even to an American demand for IDF forces to withdraw from the security zone in southern Lebanon. The senior Northern Command official said that "the organization is weak, despite the attacks it is carrying out from deep inside the territory against IDF forces - mainly using explosive drones, UAVs, and rockets."

He added, "Hezbollah is fighting for its life." Meanwhile, CNN reported that at least 50 access tunnels to Iran's underground "missile cities" were cleaned out and repaired after they were blocked following Israeli strikes. (Source)

Modern Warfare Incoming: Elite Commanders Warn Explosive Drones Will Soon Target Central Cities

Senior defense experts and former field commanders have issued a stark warning, revealing that advanced kamikaze drone technologies are rapidly spreading toward high-density civilian centers in central Israel.

The tactical reality of modern warfare is shifting rapidly, prompting urgent warnings from seasoned military officers who assert that the explosive first-person-view drone threat currently face by forces along the northern border will inevitably expand into central Israel, Judea, and Samaria. The strategic warning was brought to light by Colonel Oren Zini, the former commander of the Menashe Brigade, who clarified that the arrival of these precision kamikaze aircraft in high-density civilian hubs like Kfar Saba is merely a matter of time. Zini dismissed any skepticism regarding the trajectory of the threat, stating that anyone who doubts this development fails to comprehend the basic operational dynamics of the modern Middle East.

According to the veteran commander, the military establishment cannot rely purely on passive technological shields to safeguard civilian populations from these low-altitude aerial threats. The only permanent solution requires an aggressive, continuous physical presence on the ground, with combat forces operating deep within hostile territory to actively liquidate drone manufacturing laboratories and apprehend the specialized technical cells operating them. Zini noted a historical pattern where advanced combat methodologies utilized by Hezbollah in Lebanon systematically migrate to southern terrorist factions, a process he termed the Lebanonization of Gaza, which is now actively repeating within regional arenas.

The urgency of the aerial threat was echoed by defense analysts who warned that a severe lack of systematic preparation could inadvertently facilitate a catastrophic scenario reminiscent of past border breaches, including coordinated swarm attacks on isolated military bases and civilian outposts. Commentators noted that the fact that Gaza-based factions have not yet launched a mass volley of thirty or forty explosive drones simultaneously to completely overwhelm frontline positions is nothing short of a miracle. The ongoing vulnerability has been characterized as a institutional failure, with critics pointing out that lessons from international conflict zones like Ukraine, where cheap drones permanently altered conventional battlefield doctrines, were largely ignored by procurement officials. (Read More)

Synchronized Decapitation: Israel Ignores International Pressure to Maintain Deep Capital Assaults

Defense Minister Israel Katz has verified that the military will continue launching high-intensity operations across all regional theaters following a powerful precision airstrike targeting a top commander in the heart of Beirut.

The Israeli Air Force has shattered a three-week period of relative quiet in the Lebanese capital, launching a high-powered, precision targeted strike against a senior commander hidden deep within an urban safehouse in central Beirut. The sudden, high-intensity aerial operation targeted a highly fortified structure located directly inside the Dahiyeh district, a primary logistical and military stronghold for regional paramilitary operations. Immediately following the kinetic engagement, Defense Minister Israel Katz convened an emergency, multi-front situational assessment with the nation’s top security brass to review active defense parameters and finalize upcoming operational stages.

The high-level strategy session featured an extensive array of top tier military command personnel, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, the Director-General of the Ministry of Defense, and the commanding generals of the Intelligence and Operations Directorates. Representatives from both the Shin Bet and the Mossad were also present to deliver real-time data regarding the fluid situation on the ground. During the briefing, Minister Katz issued a definitive statement to the international community, asserting that the defense establishment will continue to operate with absolute force wherever necessary to permanently eradicate existential threats to the state.

While initial battlefield reports from the ground in Lebanon suggested the strike had occurred in an outlying rural suburb, verified video footage obtained from the target coordinate quickly confirmed a surgical strike in the dense urban core of the capital. Intelligence tracking indicates that the operation was a direct attempt on the life of Ali Al-Habsani, a senior operative who occupies a critical dual command role bridging the gap between local forces and the Iranian Quds Force. Al-Habsani is identified by Western intelligence networks as the primary official in charge of rocketry systems within the elite Imam Hussein Division.

Furthermore, tactical planners believe Al-Habsani is directly tied to the highly aggressive aerial drone campaigns that have targeted northern civilian districts with increasing frequency over the past several weeks. The targeted safehouse was completely compromised by multiple heavy munitions, which successfully bypassed localized air defense networks to neutralize the threat. Although official forensic validation is still being compiled by field assets, the strike sends an uncompromised message that the political leadership will not tolerate any geographic sanctuaries for individuals planning asymmetric assaults.    (Read More)

US denies Iranian claims of aircraft interception near Bushehr

Explosions were also heard near the Strait of Hormuz and Bandar Abbas, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news reported on Thursday night.

No US aircraft were shot down near Bushehr, Iran, despite a claim made on Iranian state TV, US Central Command announced early on Friday. Iran's state TV said early on Friday that a US aircraft was destroyed in Iran's Jam governorate in Bushehr, citing its governor, Masoud Tangestani. Explosions were also heard near the Strait of Hormuzand Bandar Abbas, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news reported on Thursday night. Tasnim later reported that the sounds came from exchanged fire made in warning to ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Semi-official Fars news agency also said on Thursday that Iran's armed forces carried out a missile launch operation from the southern region of the country toward specified targets, and that the destination of the missiles was not yet clear. Earlier on Thursday, Iran's Revolutionary Guard said that it targeted a US airbase after the US military carried out what a Washington official said were strikes targeting an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, hours after US President Donald Trump rejected a report he was close to a compromise deal with Tehran.

The escalation in hostilities highlighted threats to the tenuous ceasefire between the US and Iran that took effect in early April, dampening hopes for a peace deal and sending oil prices surging again. (Ed  note: Remember, the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is located in Bushehr Province.)   (Source)

Netanyahu says he told IDF to seize 70% of Gaza, well beyond terms of truce

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he ordered the Israel Defense Forces to take control of 70 percent of the Gaza Strip – well beyond the portion of the enclave that Jerusalem was allowed to temporarily continue occupying as part of an October 2025 ceasefire deal with Hamas. “At this point, we are fully in control of 60% of the territory of the Gaza Strip… and my directive is to get to… 70%,” Netanyahu said, in Hebrew-language remarks delivered at a conference held by the Ein Prat Leadership Academy. When one audience member shouted out that Israel should take “100 percent” of the territory in Gaza, Netanyahu responded, “First 70%. We’ll start with that.”

Netanyahu acknowledged last week that Israel already holds 60 percent of the territory in the Strip, significantly more than the roughly 53% allotted to Israel in the October ceasefire deal. That truce, which secured the release of hostages held by Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza, left Hamas in de facto control of the remainder of the Strip.

The deal was envisioned as part of a larger process that would see the terror group disarmed and the enclave demilitarized, but progress toward that vision has stalled, as Hamas has refused to lay down its weapons and Israel has continued striking deep inside Gaza, while facing allegations that it is violating additional terms of the October agreement. Maps issued by Israel in March showed a new restricted area controlled by Israel. Marked with an orange line, it made up an estimated 11% of Gaza’s territory beyond the “Yellow Line” demarcating the part of Gaza occupied by Israeli troops since the truce.The areas appeared to cordon off nearly two-thirds of Gaza’s territory in total. (Ed note: So now the IDF will have to move all those big yellow border blocks.)  (Read More)

Israel Intensifies Attacks on Lebanon, Orders City of 200,000 to Evacuate (TYRE)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that “we are intensifying our operations in Lebanon” to create a larger “security buffer zone” between northern Israel and the Iran-backed terrorists of Hezbollah.

Netanyahu made the announcement after meeting with Defense Minister Israel Katz and Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, chief of staff for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in Tel Aviv to discuss Israel’s response to persistent Hezbollah attacks. Hezbollah has been launching drone attacks from the north side of the river, using fiber optic control systems and visual targeting that make their drones very difficult to intercept or jam. IDF units are reportedly scrambling to improvise defenses against the drone surge. Also on Tuesday, the IDF issued an evacuation order for the Lebanese city of Tyre and its suburbs. Tyre is the fifth-largest city in Lebanon, with about 200,000 residents. The IDF said the evacuation was necessary because it will begin striking “Hezbollah command centers” in the city.

“In light of the terrorist Hezbollah organization violating the ceasefire agreement and targeting Israeli territory, the IDF is compelled to act forcefully against it,” said Avichay Adraee, an Arab-language spokesman for the Israeli military. “The IDF does not intend to harm you. For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately, according to the area shown on the map, and move north of the Zahrani River,” Adraee told Tyre residents in a post on social media platform X.

Hezbollah claimed on Wednesday that its fighters “clashed with the enemy forces at point-blank rage” in the town of Zawtar al-Shaqiyah, which is located on the edge of the Yellow Line in southern Lebanon. The town is a strategic position the IDF hopes to occupy in order to reinforce its safety buffer zone. (Read More)

Closing the Noose: Lebanese Officials Fear Total Israeli Domination Over Strategic Southern Precincts

Senior Lebanese political figures are expressing deep concern that the Israel Defense Forces have effectively secured absolute operational control over southern territories through a relentless, synchronized artillery and aerial blockade.

Bifurcated by heavy artillery barrages and continuous drone surveillance, the southern districts of Lebanon are rapidly falling under absolute Israeli operational control, prompting senior political figures in Beirut to warn that thetactical situation has spiraled entirely out of control. Anti-Hezbollah political circles are openly acknowledging that the Israel Defense Forces have successfully transformed the entire territory south of the strategic Litani Riverinto an open, highly lethal operations zone. Through the systematic application of heavy firepower rather than massive ground incursions, Western military planners have effectively neutralized traditional defensive lines and isolated key regional hubs.

According to territorial data compiled by regional observers, the recent operational capture of the town of Zutar al-Sharqiya has allowed Israeli artillery units to position themselves directly along the southeastern flank of Nabatiyeh. This geographic advancement has created a tight operational noose around the municipality, granting Israeli forces complete fire control over the critical highway networks connecting the urban center to the Litani River. Local administrators fear that if the military apparatus secures the adjacent village of Arnon, which sits on the strategic al-Shaqif ridges, Nabatiyeh will effectively fall from a military standpoint without requiring a single foreign soldier to enter the streets.

The potential collapse of Nabatiyeh carries immense social and psychological ramifications for the wider conflict, as the city functions as the historic cultural, economic, and political capital of the Jabal Amel region. The urban center serves as the emotional heartland for the support networks underpinning both Hezbollah and the allied Amal Movement. Consequently, the systematic dismantling of its security infrastructure and the evacuation of its civilian populace inflicts a devastating blow to domestic morale, demonstrating to the traditional support base that the cost of continuing the war against Israel is entirely unsustainable. (Ed note: The village of Arnon is located about 27 miles from the city of Tyre, and is about 5 north of the Isareli border.) (Read More)

IDF-Hezbollah conflict intensifies as military destroys terror infrastructure across Lebanon

The IDF may have destroyed over 10,000 Lebanese homes that were storing weapons belonging to the Hezbollah terror group since operations began.

The Israel-Hezbollah conflict intensified on Wednesday with the IDF striking over 150 targets in Tyre, Nabatieh, the Bekaa Valley, and throughout southern Lebanon, and the terror group launching drones at Rosh Hanikra and Shlomi, and with sirens wailing in Kiryat Shmona. Hezbollah also continued to launch drones at IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, causing expected additional wounding following weeks of regular wounds and occasional deaths.

Throughout Wednesday, IDF Arabic Spokesperson Col. (res.) Avichay Adraee warned the residents of a long list of cities and villages to evacuate north of the nearby Zahrani River or otherwise away from Hezbollah locations, which the IAF was planning to strike. “In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you,” he said multiple times. Late Wednesday night, the IDF said that over the course of the week, it had struck over 550 Hezbollah targets.

The IDF did not provide any new updates regarding its invasion deeper into Lebanon, which it revealed on Tuesday. In response to ongoing Hezbollah drone attacks, which have harmed an increasing number of IDF soldiers, the IDF confirmed on Tuesday that the military had invaded deeper into Lebanon beyond the April 17 ceasefire Yellow Line. It was unclear how much deeper the IDF would penetrate, though for the moment, it appears the penetrations are temporary, with no intent to hold onto additional territory.

Yet, when the IDF initially entered southern Lebanon, its goals were just to take over a few kilometers. It only pushed deeper toward the Litani River when its initial invasion failed to stop Hezbollah from striking Israel’s northern border towns. In that sense, how far the IDF may go could depend on whether the new moves actually block Hezbollah from striking those northern villages. (Read More)

Target of Beirut strike was Ali al-Husni, head of Iranian militia’s missile force, security source says

The target of the Israeli strike in the Beirut area a short while ago is Ali al-Husni, the head of the missile force in the Imam Hossein Division, an Iranian militia that operates alongside Hezbollah, according to a security source.

It is not immediately clear if the militia member was killed in the strike. The IDF said it would provide further details later. (Source)

Trump hints at conditioning Iran deal on Arab states recognizing Israel

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that he might not sign a peace agreement with Iran if America’s Arab partners in the region do not agree to recognize Israel. Speaking to the media at a cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump listed Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait as among the countries that should join the Abraham Accords that established diplomatic relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and were subsequently joined by Morocco. “I think they owe that to us, to be honest,” Trump said. “I’m not sure we should make the deal if they don’t sign.”

Trump added that he would not make Arab normalization with Israel a formal condition of the talks with Iran. “I don’t want to say that,” Trump said when asked if the two issues are contingent. “I’m not going to give you what’s contingent and what’s not.” Trump and members of his cabinet expressed optimism about reaching a deal with Iran even as the United States and Iran have publicly disputed the potential terms of an agreement. Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian state media published what it claimed was a draft proposal for an agreement that includes Iran managing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which would be a substantial departure from its previous status as an international strait.

A White House media account described that proposal as “a complete fabrication.” “We can make a good deal right now, maybe not a great deal,” Trump said at the cabinet meeting. “If it’s not a great deal, we’re not making it.” “We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be,” he said. “Either that or we’ll have to just finish the job.” (Ed note: If you are a student of End Times Bible Prophecy, got any ideas where this idea from President Trump is going? Need a hint? NOWHERE. )  (Source)

Iran will not back down from red lines in negotiations, Iranian security official says

Azizi asserted that the red lines include Iran’s right to enrich uranium, possess enriched uranium, and manage the Strait of Hormuz, in addition to the lifting of all sanctions.

Iran will not back down from its red lines in negotiations with the US, the head of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, Ebrahim Azizi, asserted in a post on X/Twitter on Wednesday. Azizi asserted that the red lines include Iran’s right to enrich uranium, possess enriched uranium, and manage the Strait of Hormuz, in addition to the lifting of all sanctions.

He also lashed out at US President Donald Trump, claiming that Trump is oscillating between issuing threats and begging for a deal “in order to save himself” from the “strategic deadlock” created by US-Iran talks. Earlier on Wednesday, Trump stated that the US would attack Oman if they interfere in operations in the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that it must “behave like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up," during a cabinet meeting.

He added that the Strait will not be controlled by any country, but that the US would watch over it. Trump also claimed that Iran was keen on reaching a deal with the US. “Iran is very much intent; they want very much to make a deal. So far, they haven't gotten there…,” he said, adding “we're not satisfied with it, but we will be. We will be either that or we'll have to just finish the job."  (Source)

US attacks missile sites in Iran despite ceasefire, says it acted to defend troops

Khamenei warns US will no longer be able to use Gulf states as safe haven; Rubio insists deal still possible but is ‘a few days’ away; Trump: Tehran must hand over enriched uranium or destroy it.

US forces attacked missile sites in southern Iran and boats trying to lay mines on Monday, US Central Command said, as top Iranian negotiators arrived in Doha for talks to end the war. In the aftermath of the strikes, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a thinly veiled threat, warning that the US would no longer have any safe havens in the region. “US forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” Tim Hawkins, a US Central Command spokesman, said in a statement.

It gave no details of the attacks and said only that the targets included missile launch sites and boats trying to “emplace mines.” Unconfirmed reports from Iran claimed four Revolutionary Guards members were killed in American strikes in southern Iran’s Bandar Abbas. Iranian media reported explosions were heard in the port city and coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz. The Mehr news agency said the situation in Bandar Abbas was under control.

Hours later, the IRGC said it had downed a US drone and shot at other aircraft attempting to enter the country’s airspace, without specifying when the incidents took place. In a statement, the IRGC further warned “against any violation of the ceasefire by the aggressor US military and considers its right to reciprocal response legitimate and certain.” The overnight strikes threatened an already fragile ceasefire that began April 8 as the United States and Iran struggle to reach an accord to end a war that has rattled the global economy with a severe disruption of energy flows. Washington and Tehran have played down hopes for an imminent breakthrough. (Read More)

Iranian hardliners attempt to sabotage US ceasefire negotiations, angry with Khamenei - Telegraph

Hardline extremists in Iran’s government are trying to jeopardize a ceasefire deal with the US, The Telegraphreported Tuesday. Additionally, the report noted significant gaps in information regarding the negotiations. “No one knows what is really happening,” the Telegraphquotes one Iranian official as saying. “Most officials hear only from TV what’s happening. They do not know what we are giving up and what we are actually gaining.”

Because of the secrecy surrounding negotiations, several hardliners from the regime are spewing out worst-case scenarios and have begun to claim that negotiators are surrendering Iran to the US and Israel. Some extremist members of the Iranian leadership are concerned that Tehran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and his negotiating team are making secret concessions to US negotiators without telling the Islamic Republic’s leadership.

This comes after Ghalibaf and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Doha on Monday. During the visit, news emerged that Iran is seeking the immediate release of $12 billion in frozen assets held in Qatar as a precondition for continuing the talks with the United States. While Ghalibaf and Araghchi reportedly made headway in Qatar, several Iranian hardliners are still deeply distrustful of the US.

According to the report, extremists in Iran believe that any form of a deal with the US is an inherent concession and a further betrayal of Iran’s dogged resistance to what they classify as American imperialism. This also comes after the US Central Command said that American troops struck Iranian missile sites and boats that were trying to drop sea mines in southern Iran as a means of self-defense. (Read More)

Israel has 'drawn near final stages of their cursed demise,' Khamenei says in latest statement

Khamenei threatened US bases across the Middle East, claimed Israel was nearing its demise, and praised Hezbollah’s operations against Israel.

Countries in the Middle East will no longer be able to host US military bases, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s official Farsi-language X/Twitter account posted on Tuesday. Khamenei’s apparent statement was timed to commemorate the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, a holy event and religious requirement for all Muslims “The nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for American bases,” Khamenei wrote.

“America will no longer have a safe haven for mischief and the establishment of military bases in the region,” he continued. US Central Command, while headquartered in Florida, has a permanent presence at military bases across the region, including in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.
Khamenei also threatened Israel, calling it the “shaky Zionist regime and cancerous tumor.” Israel has “drawn near to the final stages of their cursed demise,” he added, citing a “prescient statement” of his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, approximately a decade ago, which predicted that Israel would no longer exist 25 years from then, i.e., within 15 years from now.

Iran’s leader also praised Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, who act as the regime’s proxy force on the frontlines against Israel. The “mujahideen of the resistance front, especially in dear Lebanon [Hezbollah], achieved remarkable victories against the two fully armed terrorist American-Zionist militaries,” he wrote. Iran, for its part, also “succeeded in rendering the Zionist regime helpless” during Operation Roaring Lion, he claimed. They also “delivered a harsh slap to the aggressor America and thwarted the enemy in its goal of forcing Iran’s surrender,” he added.  (Ed note: Well, well, look who just got well enough to run his mouth.)  (Read More)

Fifteen Years to Live: Irans Hidden Supreme Leader Declares Expiration Date for Israel

Iran's newly installed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a severe series of threats via official state media, declaring that Israel will fail to survive another fifteen years while warning that American forces face complete eviction from the region.

The newly elevated Supreme Leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, has issued his first major strategic declaration since assuming absolute power, unleashing a series of severe threats targeting the sovereign existence of Israel and the foundational security of United States deployments across the Middle East. The aggressive messages, which were broadcast universally over Iranian state television networks and distributed via an official Telegram account designated for the 2026 Hajj pilgrimage, arrive at an incredibly delicate geopolitical moment. The fiery rhetoric reasserts the fundamentalist regime's absolute hostility toward its primary international adversaries, even as diplomatic intermediaries attempt to finalize a comprehensive treaty to bring a permanent end to the recent war.

Khamenei explicitly stated during the official transmission that Israel will not live to see another fifteen years, drastically shortening a notorious timeline previously articulated by his deceased father. The newly installed cleric affirmed that the traditional, foundational slogans of the Islamic Republic remain entirely unaltered, emphasizing that the state infrastructure is still fundamentally guided by the concepts of death to Israel and death to America. The harsh communication is being viewed by regional security networks as a calculated effort by the new leadership to project absolute ideological continuity and structural strength following a period of immense operational vulnerability within the upper echelons of the regime.

The supreme leader turned his rhetorical focus toward the extensive network of American military installations positioned throughout neighboring territories, warning that the historical architecture of regional influence has permanently shattered. Khamenei wrote that what is certain in this regard is that the hands of time will not turn back, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for United States bases. He further elaborated that the administration in Washington will completely lose its remaining safe havens for establishing regional hubs, asserting that American influence is growing more distant from its former status with each passing day. (Read More)

IDF: New footage shows Hezbollah using civilians as human shields

Israel’s military released visual evidence that the Iranian terror proxy used Lebanese civilian sites to store weapons, fire rockets and dig tunnels, endangering noncombatants. The Israel Defense Forces on Monday published extensive visual evidence that it says further proves Hezbollah’s systematic use of Lebanese civilians as human shields.

The materials, released by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, show rockets fired from a school, weapons stockpiled in a government hospital in Bint Jbeil and terror tunnels dug beneath civilian areas, including a clothing store in Al-Khiyam. According to the IDF, the footage documents launchers moved into homes, schools and other civilian structures immediately after rocket-fire, as well as a weapons-production site embedded in a clinic that triggered powerful secondary explosions when struck.

Additional videos and still photographs show rifles, rockets and other munitions discovered in ambulances, inside a children’s bedroom and along a tunnel network in the Qantara area, including images captured on the body cameras of soldiers and a military dog, underscoring Israel’s charge that the Iranian terror proxy has turned civilian infrastructure in Southern Lebanon into a military zone. More IDF visual documentation:     (Source)

IDF issues evacuation warnings for 13 towns in Lebanon ahead of strikes targeting Hezbollah (SIDON)

The IDF issues evacuation warnings for 13 towns and villages in southern Lebanon ahead of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure.

Residents of Sidon, Burj Qalawiya, Jibshit, Al-Qusaibah, Froun, Aabra, Deir Kifa, Kafr Sir, Srifa, al-Ghandouriyah, an-Naffakhiyah, Qaaqaait al-Jisr and Adshit Al-Shaqif are instructed to evacuate north of the Zahrani River.

“In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you,” warns army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee. (Source)

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem reportedly targeted twice as Beirut braces for escalation

Israel has attempted to target Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem at least twice in recent weeks, Saudi outlet Al Hadath reported on Monday, citing an anonymous Israeli source. The report came shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nnouncement that he had instructed the IDF to intensify attacks against the terrorist organization. Additionally, footage shared on social media showed crowds fleeing Beirut’s Dahiya district following the announcement of the escalation.

N12’s Barak Ravid reported on X/Twitter that a senior American official had hinted that Washington would support Israeli military action against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The remarks came amid Hezbollah’s continued escalation against Israel despite the ceasefire framework, according to the report. The American official reportedly said during a briefing in Washington that Hezbollah had ignored repeated requests to stop firing at Israel, including a recent ultimatum. The official added that Israel was not expected to passively absorb attacks on its troops and civilians, reportedly saying, “This is not the Biden administration.”

Iran also warned Washington overnight that any Israeli strike on Beirut or the city’s southern suburbs would seriously threaten ongoing efforts to end the war and could collapse the current diplomatic track, Al Jazeera reported, citing an Iranian official. The warning came as negotiations involving Tehran, Washington, and regional mediators continued in Doha, amid efforts to reach broader understandings linked to the Strait of Hormuz and regional de-escalation. (Source)

Stormy cabinet meeting on Lebanon ceasefire violations: 'Flatten the Dahieh'

Security Cabinet ministers clashed over Hezbollah attacks, with calls for harsher action against Lebanon and expanded military operations.

Tuesday's Security Cabinet meeting was laced with harsh exchanges of words between cabinet members amid the security situation in northern Israel and the ceasefire violations in Lebanon. During the meeting, an argument ensued regarding the most effective courses of action against the Hezbollah terrorist organization and the Lebanese government. The ministers demanded that the current policy of restraint be reconsidered, given the continued harm caused to IDF forces and civilians.

Minister Eli Cohen stated, "It's weird that we need to be careful while they strike us during the ceasefire. They are the ones who are violating it, and we have to take it? The State of Israel has the full right to act." Later in the meeting, Minister Miri Regev asked about the neighboring country's responsibility, pondering: "What is Lebanon doing against Hezbollah?" Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir answered: "They aren't doing anything. They have two Hezbollah ministers, that's the pinnacle of having a 'revolving door.'"

Minister Orit Strock joined the conversation and claimed that "we need to look for what hurts them." Defense Minister Israel Katz responded: "It hurts them when we take territory." Ben-Gvir countered Katz's statement and proposed a more aggressive take: "It will hurt them when we slaughter the Daheih. We'll do there what we did in Rafah, and we'll move the population. I understand that some won't like it, but the red line is harming our soldiers and citizens."

Minister Avi Dichter addressed the military establishment's suggestions and noted that "we need to determine whether the measures the IDF is proposing are sufficient." Minister Eli Cohen stressed the need to expand Israel's targets: "There is no choice but to hit both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government, so that they pay the price. Lebanon is a sovereign country, and it is responsible for what comes out of its territory. We have to hit their infrastructure." (Ed note: It is plain to see that Israel has just had enough of Hezbollah.) (Source)

Major Hamas commander, 10/7 architect targeted in Gaza strike

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed Tuesday evening that the Israel Defense Forces carried out a strike in Gaza Strip targeting Mohammed Odeh, the new leader of the military wing of Hamas. Odeh had reportedly replaced Izz ad-Din Haddad, who served as commander of Hamas’s military wing. An Israeli security source stated about two hours after the strike that Israel had received confirmation that Odeh was successfully eliminated.

Earlier, Arab sources reported powerful explosions in western Gaza City as a result of what was described as an IDF “fire belt" operation in the area. According to some reports, Israeli forces carried out three strikes near the Shaafout restaurant located along Salah al-Din Road in Gaza. According to a joint statement from Netanyahu’s and Katz’s offices, Odeh was considered one of the architects of the October 7 massacre and served as Hamas’s intelligence chief during the attack. He was reportedly appointed about a week ago as the successor to Haddad, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza approximately two weeks earlier.

“Oudeh was responsible for the murder, abduction, and injury of many Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers," the statement said. The two leaders also praised the Israeli military and intelligence services, stating: “Congratulations to the IDF and the Shin Bet for their ongoing efforts to eliminate our enemies. We will continue to pursue everyone who took part in the October 7 massacre. Sooner or later, Israel will reach them all." (Source)

Report: Billions pledged for Trump Gaza plan still haven’t arrived

A report says donor money pledged to Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has not arrived, delaying Gaza reconstruction and aid plans.

The financial mechanism established for President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace has yet to receive donor funds, leaving the organization in legal and political uncertainty and delaying reconstruction efforts in Gaza, according to a report by the Financial Times. The Board of Peace, launched by Trump in January, sought $1 billion “lifetime membership" contributions from world leaders. Member states also pledged $7 billion toward a Gaza relief initiative, while Trump committed an additional $10 billion in US funding.

However, four months after the organization’s creation, the World Bank-administered fund established for the board has not received any deposits from donors, the Financial Timesreported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Instead, donations have reportedly been directed to a JPMorgan account controlled by the board. A spokesperson for the Board of Peace told the newspaper that several channels for contributions had been established, including the World Bank mechanism, and that donors had chosen alternative methods.

The spokesperson added that the board would provide financial reports to its executive board “at a time deemed appropriate." According to the report, Morocco contributed approximately $20 million that has been used to support the office of Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s “high representative" for postwar Gaza, as well as salaries for the Palestinian technocratic committee formed to administer the territory.

The United Arab Emirates also reportedly provided $100 million for the training of a new Gaza police force, though the initiative has not yet begun, and the funds remain frozen. The US State Department is also seeking to redirect roughly $1.2 billion in aid spending toward projects connected to the board’s agenda, although those funds have not yet been used. A separate proposal to transfer about $50 million directly to the board for operational costs also remains pending. (Read More)

Weapons of Mass Destruction Discovered: Intelligence Units Seize Assads Secret Chemical Missile Arsenal

Syrian security forces have successfully uncovered and confiscated over seventy chemical rockets and aerial bombs belonging to the hidden weapons program of former President Bashar al Assad, arresting eighteen high ranking military officials.

Syrian government security forces have successfully located and confiscated significant remnants of the highly secretive chemical weapons infrastructure maintained by the regime of former President Bashar al Assad. The wide scale counter proliferation operation resulted in the immediate seizure of dozens of advanced tactical weapons and the high profile arrest of key military figures from the previous administration. Official international press dispatches confirmed that the targeted dragnet represents a massive step forward in the newly established government's ongoing effort to permanently neutralize the toxic legacy of the displaced dictatorship.

According to an official statement released by senior Syrian authorities, specialized security detachments uncovered more than seventy advanced rockets and specialized aerial bombs specifically manufactured to deliver lethal chemical payloads. The sophisticated weapons systems were directly linked to the legacy chemical warfare program that operated for decades under the direct, personal authorization of Assad. While authorities deliberately withheld the precise geographical locations of the weapon caches to protect ongoing sweeps, they confirmed that the materials are being held under maximum security.

The domestic investigation has led to the immediate arrest of eighteen prominent suspects, with official statements confirming that the detainees include high ranking military commanders who held immense power under the Assad system. These elite officers are strongly suspected of maintaining direct operational command over the storage, maintenance, and potential deployment of the prohibited toxic munitions during the brutal civil wars. Investigators are currently conducting intensive interrogations to determine if additional, undiscovered chemical weapon depots remain hidden across the country's rugged interior.

This critical discovery is viewed as an immensely vital development for regional stability, finally allowing authorities to map out the true volume of the chemical arsenal that remained unaccounted for following international disarmament initiatives. The newly formed administration emphasized its total commitment to placing every single individual involved in the illicit program on trial, promising absolute transparency as the judicial process moves forward. The names and specific military ranks of the eighteen arrested commanders are currently being shielded from public release due to the ongoing nature of the wider operational investigation. (Ed note: This is the type of article that could involve end time prophecy. (See Isaiah 17/ Damascus). Yes, the seventy advanced chemical rockets and specialized aerial bombs have been discovered, and they can still be used against Israel. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.)  (Source)