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)

Escalation continues: IDF strikes over 100 Hezbollah targets across Lebanon

The IDF said it struck over 100 Hezbollah targets overnight, including weapons depots and command centers across Lebanon.

The IDF confirmed on Monday that overnight, it struck more than 100 Hezbollah infrastructure sites and terrorists in the Beqaa Valley and across southern Lebanon. In several strikes in the Beqaa Valley, terrorist infrastructure sites were struck, including a Hezbollah weapons storage facility.

In southern Lebanon, more than 90 weapons storage facilities, command centers, observation posts, and infrastructure sites used by Hezbollah terrorists to advance attacks against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians were struck.

Footage from one of the strikes overnight in the area of Mashghara shows several strikes within seconds against Hezbollah infrastructure sites where terrorist activity was identified. During the strike, the terrorists were eliminated. (Ed note: These articles are tallking about the IDF attacking the southern suburbs of Beirut, the Upper Galilee, the coastal city of Tyre, the Beqaa Valley, and across southern Lebanon.) (Source)

Eighty Five Precision Strikes: Air Force Pulverizes Ten Separate Command Headquarters Across Tyre

The Upper Galilee Regional Council issued an extraordinary emergency directive warning border residents to prepare for an intense night of heavy bombardment as the Air Force launched over eighty five precision strikes across Lebanon.

The security environment along the northern frontier has reached a violent boiling point, prompting the Upper Galilee Regional Council to issue an extraordinary, direct notification ordering frontline communities to prepare for an intense night of offensive operations. The official municipal dispatch warned residents that heavy artillery echoes and massive explosions would reverberate continuously throughout the sector as security forces execute wide scale maneuvers across the border. The domestic mobilization followed closely on the heels of formal executive declarations confirming a massive increase in tactical velocity against hostile infrastructure. 

The sudden escalation follows a definitive policy pronouncement from the Commander of the Northern Command, Major General Rafi Milo, who stated that continuous projectile impacts targeting civilian centers would no longer be tolerated as a baseline reality. Milo asserted that the terror apparatus had deliberately chose to inflame the border sector, executing direct hits on the civilian communities of Metula and Shomera earlier in the day. The regional commander declared that the enemy had crossed a severe, unacceptable red line, prompting an immediate, unyielding counteroffensive by all available combat components.

...In immediate alignment with these directives, the Air Force and the Northern Command launched a massive wave of synchronized strikes, deploying more than eighty five precision guided weapons against critical military infrastructure within a twenty four hour window. The primary focus of the aerial bombardment targeted the coastal city of Tyre, a major logistical and operational hub for the terror group's southern front. Elite flight wings successfully leveled ten separate command headquarters, deeply embedded communications bunkers, and subterranean weapon storage facilities utilized to direct rocket fire against domestic towns.

...Beyond the destruction of static command infrastructure, the aerial campaign maintained a continuous, active hunt against mobile threats operating in close proximity to advancing ground forces. Military intelligence units successfully identified multiple terror cells navigating the undulating terrain on motorcycles, attempting to orchestrate ambushes against frontline infantry components. Armed reconnaissance aircraft closed the loop instantly, deploying lightweight munitions that eliminated the operators before they could execute their tactical plans. Defense officials conclude that this synchronized wave is part of a broader offensive layout designed to permanently strip the enemy of command capabilities. (Ed note: First the southern suburb of Beirut, then Tyre, then Hezbollah could be trapped in a city called Sidon, which is also in the Bible.) (Read More)

IDF strikes city of Tyre in southern Lebanon following surge in Hezbollah drone attacks

The IDF struck Tyre on Monday evening after multiple public warnings in response to an escalation in Hezbollah drone strikes. Tyre is in the southern half of Lebanon, but it is beyond the smaller security zone that the IDF took over in March. The lack of an IDF presence in that area allows Hezbollah to launch attacks from there. The IDF had begun attacking Tyre in recent days with long-range airstrikes and appeared ready to up the ante this week.

In its warnings, the IDF said residents in parts of Tyre and nearby areas were being used as human shields by Hezbollah, but that it would still strike Hezbollah officials. Due to “Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire... we call on residents whose buildings will be marked in red on the known maps... to immediately evacuate their homes for their own safety, as the IDF does not intend to harm them,” IDF Arabic-language Spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee said.

There were several Hezbollah drone attacks against Israel on Monday. An explosive drone hit a home in Metula. No casualties were reported.There were fewer drone attacks on Monday than on Sunday, when Hezbollah launched about 30 drones in the morning. Although the IDF has been shooting down regular Hezbollah drones and rockets, the terrorist group’s first-person view (FPV) drones, which operate on fiber optics, are much harder to track. Despite the IDF’s increased attacks on Tyre, it is still mostly refraining from striking Hezbollah in Beirut. (Source)

Residents flee southern Beirut after Netanyahu orders escalation against Hezbollah

Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for escalation in strikes against Hezbollah, an AFP correspondent reports residents fleeing the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.

Lebanese security sources also tell Reuters that residents are evacuating.

Except for a strike targeting a Hezbollah commander in the area earlier this month, there have been no strikes on Beirut or its surroundings since the April 16 truce. Netanyahu did not say in his video message whether Israel planned to resume broader attacks in Beirut. (Ed note: Watch for war to heat up from the southern suburbs of Beirut to Sidon, to Tyre.)  (Source)

US launches ‘self-defense strikes’ on Iranian missile launch sites, boats near Strait of Hormuz amid ceasefire talks

The US military carried out ‘self-defense strikes’ targeting Iranian missile launch sites and boats near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday (May 25), even as a ceasefire between the two countries remained in place and diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continued. “U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” CENTCOM spokesman Timothy Hawkins told CNN in a statement after explosions were reported around the Strait of Hormuz. “Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines. US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” he added.

According to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), three explosions were heard in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas early on Tuesday local time. The group cited sources but did not immediately confirm the reason behind the blasts. In another statement issued later, the IRGC said an explosion was also heard near Bandar Abbas airport. It added that Iran’s air defense system in Bandar Abbas has been activated to counter hostile targets.

Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that “the sound of several consecutive explosions was heard around midnight … in Bandar Abbas city, the cause of which has not yet been announced by official sources.” Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, citing eyewitnesses, reported similar sounds in parts of the Persian Gulf near Sirik and Jask. Earlier, Iranian armed forces claimed they had destroyed a hostile drone in the Persian Gulf region, according to local reports. Bandar Abbas, located in southern Iran, hosts a major Iranian naval and air base and sits along the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. (Source)

Netanyahu admits to aides he has little influence over Trump on Iran — sources

Israel ‘has no maneuver to influence the president right now,’ sources quote those close to premier as saying, amid Israeli wariness of emerging deal; PM’s Office doesn’t comment.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told confidants in private conversations that Israel has little ability to influence US President Donald Trump’s decision-making on Iran as the president negotiates a deal in the nearly three-month-old war, according to two sources speaking to Reuters on Monday. Netanyahu’s comments, described by two Israeli officials with knowledge of the conversations, come as Israel has largely been left out of talks to reach an initial deal to halt a war that began with joint US-Israeli strikes on February 28.

Since Trump said on Saturday that the deal would be announced “shortly,” both the US and Iran have played down hopes for an imminent breakthrough in talks, and they remain at odds over Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions, Tehran’s demands for the lifting of sanctions, and Israel’s war against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Netanyahu is demanding the right to continue operations against threats on multiple fronts, including attacks by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon, a caveat that could derail a deal if Iran insists on a complete halt to Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon.

One of the Israeli officials, involved in Netanyahu’s private conversations, said the premier had expressed concerns about the memorandum of understanding currently being negotiated. Both of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. (Read More)

The $12 Billion Standoff: Iran Won't Sign Until It Gets the Money and Qatar Won't Pay

Iran is demanding $12 billion in frozen assets before signing anything, Qatar just denied it offered to front the money, and the clock is ticking on a deal that could reshape the Middle East. As indirect US-Iran talks continue under Qatari mediation, frozen Iranian financial assets, particularly approximately $12 billion held in Qatar, have solidified as the last major point of contention blocking progress toward an initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). 

Iranian negotiators are insisting on immediate, guaranteed access to this $12 billion tranche as a strict precondition before any preliminary diplomatic framework can advance. Sources describe this as only the first installment, with Tehran seeking broader unfreezing of tens of billions more in frozen assets worldwide as part of a fuller agreement.

These funds largely trace back to restricted Iranian oil revenues, including portions transferred to Qatar under the 2023 prisoner swap (later re-frozen after October 7, 2023, and subsequent escalations). Recent high-level Iranian visits to Doha, including by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, focused heavily on securing operational mechanisms for rapid access.

Qatar has categorically denied reports suggesting it offered or would front $12 billion to Iran as an interim bridge (potentially with later US reimbursement). Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari called the claims “utterly baseless,” attributing them to parties attempting to sabotage diplomatic efforts and undermine Qatar’s role as a trusted mediator. This denial effectively grounds speculation of a quick Qatari-funded workaround, leaving the onus on direct US-Iran arrangements regarding the existing frozen sums in Doha banks. (Read More)

Trump says ‘mandatory’ for Muslim nations involved in Iran deal to join Abraham Accords

US president urges Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to normalize ties with Israel; Saudi source says not without ‘irreversible pathway’ to Palestinian state.

US President Donald Trump insisted on Monday that six Muslim-majority countries join the Abraham Accords normalization agreements with Israel ahead of any deal between the US and Iran to end the war, negotiations on which he said were “proceeding nicely.” The remarks were the second time in as many days that Trump tried to link the emerging deal with Iran to the accords, which were first signed in September 2020 by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, followed by Morocco and Sudan months later.

“Negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are proceeding nicely! It will only be a Great Deal for all or, no Deal at all,” Trump announced on Truth Social on Monday, reiterating his oft-uttered threat that if no deal is reached, it will mean “Back to the Battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before.” He said that during discussions with leaders of Muslim and Arab states, he told them that “after all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords.”

He specified that the countries he wished to see sign onto the accords included Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan. He said he also spoke to the UAE and Bahrain about this possibility. It was not clear why Egypt and Jordan would be required to sign the Abraham Accords, given that both have had peace treaties with Israel since 1979 and 1994, respectively. Turkey and Israel have had rocky relations almost since the founding of the State of Israel, with long periods of amicable ties, although those have nosedived in the past decade.

After the US leader’s comments, a Saudi source told international outlets that Riyadh will only normalize relations with Israel if an irreversible pathway” to Palestinian statehood is established. (Ed note: And that last sentence would be the nail in the coffin of the state of Israel. Trump had better not let that happen.)  (Read More)

Trump: Iran’s Enriched Uranium to Be ‘Immediately Turned’ Over to U.S. or Destroyed in Iran

President Donald Trump explained in a Truth Social post on Monday that Iran’s enriched uranium would either be “immediately turned over” to the United States or would be destroyed “in place” in Iran.

In the post, Trump said that if the enriched uranium was not turned over to the U.S. to be “destroyed,” it would be “destroyed in place” in Iran or at another location. “The Enriched Uranium (Nuclear Dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place or, at another acceptable location, with the Atomic Energy Commission, or its equivalent, being witness to this process and event,” Trump said.

The news that Iran would give up its enriched uranium came after “two senior Iranian sources” told Reuters on Thursday that Supreme Leader of Iran Mojtaba Khamenei had said Iran’s “stockpile of enriched uranium should not leave the country.” “The Supreme Leader’s directive, and the consensus within the establishment, is that the stockpile of enriched uranium should not leave the country,” one Iranian source explained to the outlet. (Source)

Three Fault Lines That Could Easily Sink the US-Iran Deal

The US and Iran can't even agree on what they've agreed. A breakdown of the nuclear, Hormuz, and Lebanon fault lines threatening to collapse the MOU before the ink dries. Trump says it's "largely negotiated." Iran says it isn't. Israel is alarmed. And Lebanon may be the tripwire that brings the whole thing down. The United States and Iran are closer to a formal agreement to end their war than at any point since joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28 ignited the current conflict. U.S. officials say a deal has been agreed in principle, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei having endorsed the broad framework. Trump declared on Saturday that the agreement was "largely negotiated" and that an announcement would come "shortly."

Tehran's response was rather different. Iran did not officially confirm the deal, and state media contradicted parts of it. The gap between what Washington is announcing and what Tehran is confirming is not a minor communications problem. It is the story. The proposed instrument, a Memorandum of Understanding, not a treaty, is a 14-point framework crafted by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner alongside Iranian officials. If signed, it would trigger a 60-day ceasefire extension and open the door to further talks toward a final agreement. Three issues threaten to prevent that signature from ever appearing.

Fault line one

The nuclear questionThe central American demand has always been clear: Iran cannot have nuclear weapons, and its enriched uranium must go. Netanyahu told Trump that any final agreement must include "dismantling Iran's nuclear enrichment sites and removing its enriched nuclear material from its territory." Trump has echoed this publicly. 

The problem is that the MOU does not actually deliver this. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Tehran has not agreed to hand over its highly enriched uranium stockpile under the preliminary agreement. Instead, the draft MOU includes Iranian commitments to never pursue nuclear weapons and to negotiate over a suspension of uranium enrichment and the removal of its stockpile, with those steps deferred to a later stage. (Read More)

Trump: Iran agreement will be ‘great and meaningful’ or ‘there will be no deal’

U.S. President Donald Trump pushed back on Monday against critics of the potential agreement being negotiated with Iran, writing on his Truth Social account that any such accord “will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal.” Trump continued, “It will be the exact opposite of the [2015] JCPOA disaster negotiated by the failed Obama Administration, which was a direct and open path to a Nuclear Weapon for Iran. No, I don’t do deals like that!” The White House said in a social media post on Sunday that negotiations with Tehran are progressing smoothly. The statement followed an announcement on Friday by Trump that Iran and “various other countries” had “largely negotiated” an agreement to end hostilities.

The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side. ... Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!” the White House posted, quoting Trump. The post included an attached statement from the president saying that the relationship between the United States and the Iranians was becoming much more “professional” and “productive. “They must understand, however, that they cannot develop or procure a nuclear weapon or bomb,” Trump said.

Reportedly, the proposed deal with Iran includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing sanctions to allow Tehran to resume oil exports. In return, Iran reportedly committed not to advance its nuclear program. Trump defended the potential deal in a Truth Social post on Sunday, saying that if an agreement is reached, “it will be a good and proper one, not like the one made by Obama, which gave Iran massive amounts of CASH, and a clear and open path to a Nuclear Weapon.” The president continued: “Our deal is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it, or knows what it is. It isn’t even fully negotiated yet. So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about. Unlike those before me who should have solved this problem many years ago, I don’t make bad deals! President DJT.” (Read More)

Iran has legal right to manage Strait of Hormuz, supreme leader's military advisor says

Trump said the Iran blockade will remain until a deal is signed, as Tehran claimed control over the Strait of Hormuz was needed for security.

Mohsen Rezaei, a military advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, said on Sunday that managing the Strait of Hormuz was Tehran's "legal right" in order to ensure national security. "Iran's management of Hormuz Strait ends 50 years of insecurity in the Persian Gulf," Iranian news agencies quoted Rezaei as saying. Additionally, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran is ready to "reassure the world that it does not seek nuclear weapons," in a Sunday statement.

Pezeshkian further blamed "regional instability" in the Middle East on the "Israeli regime" and its "envisioning of a 'Greater Israel,'" according to the regime's official Islamic Republic News Agency. Iranian negotiators will not "compromise on Iran's dignity or honor," he added.  

Meanwhile, a potential deal between Iran and the United States stipulates that the number of ships able to transit the Strait of Hormuz would return to the pre-war level within 30 days, according to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated Tasnim News Agency. (Read More)

Trump's Predicament - William Koenig

President Trump has been in a very difficult position. He believed he could intimidate Iran, pressure them with threats, and potentially destabilize or remove elements of the leadership. But at the same time, he was facing enormous geopolitical and domestic constraints. The global economy was already under pressure. Inflation remained elevated. Energy prices were high. Midterm elections were only six months away. The United States was preparing to host the World Cup, and the last thing the administration wanted was to become deeply entangled in a prolonged regional war during such a sensitive period.

Iran understood those pressures.

Despite President Trump’s strong rhetoric and repeated threats, Tehran appeared to conclude that Washington’s room for escalation was limited. Iranian leaders calculated that a broader conflict would become politically costly for the United States and economically destabilizing for the world. From their perspective, time was on their side. Iran’s strategy seemed clear: prolong negotiations, delay decisions, create uncertainty, agree one day and retract the next, and steadily wear down American leverage. Their objective was not necessarily immediate resolution, but exhaustion — politically, economically, and diplomatically.

At the same time, President Trump faced another major concern: the vulnerability of the Sunni Arab Gulf states. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates were deeply nervous about Iranian retaliation. One day they supported a tougher American posture; the next day they feared the consequences of escalation.

A major reason was desalination infrastructure.

Roughly 75% to 95% of the drinking water supply in many Gulf nations comes from desalination plants along the Persian Gulf coastline. If Iran targeted those facilities, it could create an immediate humanitarian and economic crisis throughout the region.

President Trump also demanded major concessions from Iran — including the removal of uranium from the country, unrestricted access through the Strait of Hormuz, and some form of international oversight mechanism to guarantee maritime security. But Iran negotiated from a position of significant leverage. They understood the pressure points: oil markets, shipping lanes, regional infrastructure, water vulnerability, election-year politics, and growing fatigue within Congress over the prospect of another Middle East conflict. 

Over time, President Trump’s options narrowed.

And despite the administration’s strong rhetoric and public threats, Iran appeared unconvinced that the United States was prepared to fully follow through militarily under those circumstances. That is ultimately the core argument of this commentary. President Trump was out-negotiated. Not because Iran was stronger militarily, but because Tehran successfully leveraged geopolitical risk, economic pressure, regional vulnerabilities, and American political realities to weaken Washington’s negotiating position.  (Ed note: Great analysis by Bill Koenig as he suggests that the "Deal Maker" just got had.) (Source)

Republican politicians warn Iran ceasefire deal could strengthen Tehran, would be 'disaster'

Republican lawmakers and former Trump administration officials sharply criticized reports of an emerging 60-day ceasefire agreement with Iran, warning that the proposed deal could hand Tehran a strategic victory and undermine the results of the US campaign against the Islamic Republic. US President Donald Trump said Saturday that a peace agreement involving the US, Iran, and several Middle Eastern countries had been “largely negotiated,” adding that the deal would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also said he had spoken separately with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing the call as having gone “very well.”

The reported framework, which has not yet been finalized, would extend the current ceasefire for 60 days while further negotiations take place on issues including Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz. Several senior Republicans responded with alarm, arguing that any deal that leaves Iran with influence over the strait, access to funds, or nuclear capabilities would represent a failure. “I am deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran ‘deal,’ being pushed by some voices in the administration,” Sen. Ted Cruz wrote on X/Twitter.

Cruz said Trump’s decision to strike Iran was “the most consequential decision of his second term,” but warned that ending the conflict on the reported terms would be a mistake. “If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime — still run by Islamists who chant ‘death to America’ — now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake,” Cruz added. (Read More)

Iranian President Says Tehran ‘Ready to Assure World’ They Are Not Seeking Nuclear Weapons

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Tehran is “ready” to demonstrate to the world that it is not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons as talks of a potential peace agreement between the Islamist regime and the United States appear to be advancing. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday afternoon that an “agreement has been largely negotiated” with what remains of the Iranian regime. While the president did not divulge the specifics of the deal, reports emerged from U.S. officials briefing that negotiators for the Mullahs had intimated their willingness to give up their nuclear programme and to hand over their enriched uranium.

Although Tehran has yet to officially confirm the details of the planned memorandum of understanding, Iranian President Pezeshkian indicated that his government would be willing to make such a deal. In comments reported by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (INRA) on Sunday, Pezeshkian said: “Prior to the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s late Leader, we declared—and we reiterate now—that we are ready to assure the world we do not seek nuclear weapons.”

Pezeshkian went on to claim that Tehran does not seek to create regional instability, but did not elaborate on what measures the regime would be willing to take to demonstrate its commitment to not acquiring a nuke.Separately, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that the regime was in the final stages of reaching a memorandum of understanding with the United States. “We are in the stage of finalizing a memorandum of understanding, and the issues being discussed, as I mentioned before, are generally focused on ending the war,” he said. (Ed note: It has been widely reported that Iran has over 970 pounds of uranium that has been enriched up to 60%, and would only be used to produce an atomic bomb. They say they don't "seek to create regional instability" but it's no secret that they support such terrorist groups as the Houthis, Hamas and Hezbollah. It can be said that if the Iranians lips are moving, they are lying.) (Read More)

Prospect of US-Iran deal fuels attacks on Ghalibaf

Talk of a possible agreement between Tehran and Washington has intensified political attacks on parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a central figure in Iran’s diplomatic push and a politician widely seen as backing a more pragmatic approach to negotiations. The pressure comes as parliament prepares to elect its new presidium on Monday. An unusually blunt report published Sunday by the semi-official Iran Labour News Agency (ILNA) described what it called “organized destruction,” media pressure campaigns and coordinated text-message attacks targeting Ghalibaf ahead of the vote.

A lawmaker interviewed by ILNA, Rouhollah Lak Aliabadi, accused political rivals of orchestrating text-message campaigns against Ghalibaf in an effort to influence members of parliament before the leadership vote. He said opponents were portraying support for negotiations as a form of surrender or deviation from revolutionary principles, even though decisions regarding diplomacy ultimately rest with Iran’s top leadership. The attacks reflect broader tensions inside Iran’s conservative establishment as indirect negotiations with Washington appear to be gaining momentum. US President Donald Trump struck a cautiously optimistic tone over the weekend, saying negotiators should “not rush into a deal” because “time is on our side,” while administration officials indicated progress had been made on the outlines of a possible agreement.

At the same time, officials and media outlets close to the Revolutionary Guards have emphasized deep skepticism toward Washington, insisting major disagreements remain unresolved and warning against excessive optimism. Among the most contentious issues are restrictions affecting the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief, the future of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and the sequencing of commitments by both sides. The growing attacks on Ghalibaf suggest hardliners fear that even a limited diplomatic breakthrough could shift the balance of power within the Islamic Republic toward figures advocating a more controlled and pragmatic form of engagement with the West.

A similar dynamic is also visible in Washington, where prominent Republican hawks and conservative commentators have begun warning against any agreement they believe would leave Iran’s military or nuclear infrastructure substantially intact. Senator Ted Cruz has been among those signaling concern that the administration may be softening its position, while Democratic critics such as Senator Chris Murphy argue the war failed to achieve its objectives and ultimately left Tehran in a stronger position. (Source)