HE IS RISEN

 

Report: Israeli commando units participated in rescue of US navigator

Iran International reported that the IDF commando units Shaldag and Sayeret Matkal took part in the American operation to rescue a navigator whose aircraft was shot down in Iran.

The IDF commando units Shaldag and Sayeret Matkal participated in the American operation to rescue the navigator whose plane was downed in Iran on Friday, according to a report today (Sunday) by the opposition channel “Iran International." Earlier, Fox News reported that Israel was involved in the rescue operation by sharing intelligence with the United States and by halting Iranian strikes in the area during the hours when the navigator was missing.

This was an operation by US forces that operated on the ground inside Iran to rescue the navigator. It is the first time during the war that the United States has deployed ground forces. According to the report, the navigator used his “Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape" (SERE) training to avoid capture. He hid on an elevated ridge after moving on foot away from the crash site and activated a distress transmitter. He survived with only a handgun and managed to evade potential captors. Rescue forces from US special operations units, along with multiple elite forces, took part in the complex mission, using MQ-9 Reaper drones for aerial cover. It was also reported that the CIA spread rumors inside Iran that the officer had already been located and that American forces were on their way out-creating confusion among local forces and aiding the operation.

US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social account this morning: WE GOT HIM! My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND! This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue." (Read More)

How Israel Helped Rescue a Downed US Hero

Fox News reveals Israel's critical role in the U.S. rescue of an F-15E navigator from Iran, providing real-time intel and air cover for Navy SEAL Team 6. 

Fox News reported that Israel played a direct supporting role in the high-stakes, 36-hour U.S. special forces rescue operation that extracted the second F-15E Strike Eagle crew member (the highly respected Air Force colonel/navigator) from deep inside Iran. According to Fox News’ latest live updates: 

*  Israeli officials shared real-time intelligence with U.S. forces throughout the search-and-rescue mission as it unfolded over the treacherous southwestern Iranian mountains.

* The Israeli military actively helped halt and deter Iranian airstrikes in the rescue area, preventing the regime from launching air attacks that could have endangered U.S. commandos, helicopters, and the downed navigator.

Israel did not carry out the actual ground extraction. That was executed exclusively by U.S. special operations forces (including Navy SEAL Team 6). Israel’s role was intelligence support and force protection — exactly the kind of seamless U.S.-Israel coordination that has defined the current campaign against Iran. President Trump has repeatedly praised the “unbreakable” U.S.-Israel alliance in recent days, and this latest revelation underscores how tightly coordinated the two militaries remain even in the most dangerous operations behind enemy lines. (Source)

Trump gives Iran 48 hours to make a deal before 'all hell reigns', hunt goes on for US pilot

US President Donald Trump repeated his threats to intensify attacks on Iran if it failed to reach a deal or open the key Strait of Hormuz waterway on Saturday. "Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic) down on them. Glory be to GOD!" he said in a post on Truth Social. This comes as Iranian and US forces were searching for a missing American pilot on Saturday from one of two warplanes downed over Iran and the Gulf.

The prospect of a US service member alive and on the run in Iran raised the stakes for Washington as the conflict entered its sixth week with scant prospect of peace talks in sight and polls showing low public support. The downing of two US warplanes shows the risks still facing US and Israeli aircraft, despite assertions by Trump and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that US forces had total control of the skies over Iran.

Iranian fire brought down a two-seat US F-15E jet, officials in both countries said on Friday, and a US official said search-and-rescue efforts had recovered one of the crew. Two Black Hawk helicopters engaged in the search for the missing crew member were hit by Iranian fire but made it out of Iranian airspace, the two US officials told Reuters.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it was combing a southwestern area near where the pilot's plane came down, while the regional governor promised a commendation for anyone who captured or killed "forces of the hostile enemy." In a separate incident, an A-10 Warthog fighter aircraft was hit and crashed over Kuwait, with the pilot ejecting, the US officials said. Iranians, pummeled by air power since the US and Israel began their attacks, celebrated their success. (Read more)

'Gates of hell for you': Iran fires back at Trump’s threat

Iran’s central military command rejects Trump’s 48-hour threat to destroy its infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, branding the warning “helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid".

Iran’s central military command on Saturday rejected US President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iran’s vital infrastructure if it does not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48hours. Trump had posted a warning to Truth Social, writing, "Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!"

General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi later said in a statement quoted by AFP that Trump’s threat was “a helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action" He further warned that “the simple meaning of this message is that the gates of hell will open for you" Since the start of the current conflict, Iran has effectively closed or severely impeded the Strait of Hormuz by declaring it "closed," threatening attacks on commercial vessels, deploying assets like fast boats, drones, missiles, and laying some naval mines. On Wednesday, Trump claimed that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has asked the US for a ceasefire.

"Iran’s new regime president, much less radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE!" the President announced on Truth Social.Trump set a condition for the ceasefire: "We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!"

Iran denied Trump’s claim, with its Foreign Ministry calling it "false and baseless." In a separate statement, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the Strait of Hormuz "is firmly and decisively under the control" of its forces. "This strait will not be opened to the enemies of this nation through the ridiculous spectacle by the president of the United States," it added. (Source)

Army issues evacuation warning to residents of south Lebanon’s Tyre

The Israeli military issued an urgent evacuation warning Saturday to residents of the coastal city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, ahead of planned strikes on Hezbollah targets.

“Urgent warning to the residents of the city of Tyre… Hezbollah’s terrorist activity compels the IDF to operate against it with determination,” the military’s Arabic-language spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee says on X.

“For your safety, we call on you to evacuate your homes immediately, according to the area shown on the map, and move north of the Zahrani River,” he says, adding that the area extends to the Burj al-Shamali refugee camp.  (Ed note: Don't forget that TYRE is named in Psalm 83:7, and the city is definitely located south of the Litani River.)       (Source)

IDF hits Iranian Quds Force terror assets in Lebanon

The IRGC’s Lebanon Corps serves as a liaison between Hezbollah and the Tehran regime.

The Israel Defense Forces on Friday conducted a wave of strikes targeting terror infrastructure across Lebanon, including a command center belonging to the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps, the military said on Saturday. The Quds Force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responsible for overseeing operations outside Iran, uses the Lebanon Corps as a liaison between Hezbollah and Tehran, supporting force buildup and military entrenchment. In addition, the IDF struck two headquarters used by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which the terror group’s senior officials reportedly used for decision-making and coordination with Hezbollah. The Israeli Navy also struck a Hezbollah observation post.

“We will not stop until we remove the threat for the long term and push the direct threat away from the communities. That is the objective... and is exactly why our troops are operating now: on land, in the air, and at sea,” IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said on Friday. “The IDF will not relinquish the objective of disarming the Hezbollah terrorist organization. This is an ongoing objective to which we are committed, and we are continuously working to advance it, just as we did prior to the current operation. Deepening the strikes now, in the current operation, brings us closer to achieving this,” he added.

Earlier on Friday, the IDF released footage of a strike that destroyed a Hezbollah launch site in Lebanon from which rockets had been fired at Israel. “The IDF will act to remove threats to the residents of the State of Israel and will continue to operate with determination against the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” the statement added.The same day, the IDF identified a launch by Hezbollah that struck a UNIFIL post in the Al-Aadaissah area of southeastern Lebanon, across the border from Kibbutz Misgav Am, the military said. As a result of the fire, three U.N. personnel were injured, two of them seriously. “A review of the launch trajectory clearly indicates that the fire was carried out by Hezbollah,” the IDF said. “The Hezbollah terrorist organization continues to operate in a manner that endangers international forces and harms U.N. personnel operating in the area,” it added. (Read More)

Report: Israel preparing to strike Iranian energy infrastructure

IDF completed preparations for attack on Iranian energy infrastructure, waiting for green light from US, security source tells Reuters.

A senior Israeli security official confirmed to Reutersthat the IDF has completed preparations for a large-scale strike on Iran’s energy infrastructure. According to the report, Israel is now awaiting final approval from Washington, with the operational window for the strike estimated within the coming week.

The detailed Israeli plan reportedly includes strategic attacks on the country’s electricity infrastructure, major power stations, oil pumping facilities, and refineries across the Islamic Republic. The stated objective is to undermine the pillars of Iran’s economy in response to the ongoing fighting and disruptions to maritime routes.

Earlier on Saturday, Israel struck petrochemical facilities in western Iran and steel industries, described as part of a gradual tightening of pressure on regime assets. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned in a post on Truth Social,"Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!"  (Source)

Syrian-Lebanese border closed after IDF issues evacuation notice - report

Syria temporarily closed its Masnaa crossing on the Syrian-Lebanese border, after the IDF issued an evacuation warning for the area, CNN reported on Saturday night. The IDF announcement stated that the intended airstrikes were due to Hezbollah's use of the crossing "for military purposes and for smuggling means of combat." 

The Syrian Authority for Border Crossings and Customs stated that the Masnaa crossing, also known as the Jdeidet Yabous crossing, was “designated exclusively for civilian passage,” CNN said. “It is not used for any military purposes, there is no presence of any armed groups or militias, and it is not permitted to be used for any activity outside civilian and legal frameworks,” the Syrian authority said. 

On Tuesday, eight sources from both Lebanon and Syria said that Syria had reinforced its border with Lebanon with rocket units and thousands of troops. The Syrian officers, including a senior member of the military, said the move was aimed at preventing arms and drugs smuggling as well as blocking Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah or other terrorists from infiltrating Syria. (Source)

US-Israel-Iran war LIVE updates: Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran, warns Araghchi

US-Israel-Iran war LIVE updates:

As hostilities continue in West Asia, the United States and Israel continue to strike Iran. Tehran has retaliated by striking across the Gulf and blocking the strategic Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessels passing through the waterway could be targeted. The war has triggered a global energy crisis and trade disruptions. The conflict began on February 28 when the US and Israeli military launched strikes on Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several other top Iranian officials. The operation was named ‘Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel. The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program.

US President Donald Trump has proposed a peace plan to end the war with Iran, which has been going on for over a month now. He has reiterated that talks are ongoing despite Tehran rejecting the claims of any negotiations taking place. In his 15-point peace plan, Trump has demanded that Iran end all uranium enrichment and close Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow nuclear facilities. However, Tehran has rejected the proposal and laid out its own terms, demanding guarantees.

In a recent development, Iran has shot down an American F-15E fighter jet. A rescue operation managed to recover one of the two crew members, while the fate of the second remains unclear. Iran has also claimed downing a US UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter while an A-10 Warthog reportedly crashed in the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz. In his first comments on the jet incidents, Trump said the downing of an American military jet would not affect negotiations with Iran. 

 
Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran, warns Araghchi

"Israel-U.S. have bombed our Bushehr plant four times now. Radioactive fallout will end life in GCC capitals, not Tehran," says Araghchi after attack near nuclear plant.  (Ed note: That was all FM Araghchi said in this article.)   (Source)

Trump Was Wrong: New Leaked Intel Reveals Iran’s Arsenal Survived Massive Strikes

New intel contradicts President Trump’s claims on Iran: Thousands of drones and underground bunkers remain operational, posing a frightening and very real risk to the region. 

More than a month into the war involving Israel, the United States, and Iran, a new intelligence report obtained by CNN reveals a stark disconnect between official government rhetoric and the reality on the ground. Despite weeks of intensive airstrikes, the report suggests Iran’s military infrastructure remains a potent threat. While President Donald Trump stated last Wednesday that Iranian capabilities had been "dramatically curtailed" and weapon factories "blown to smithereens," the internal intelligence data tells a different story:

* Missile Launchers: Approximately 50% of Tehran’s missile launchers remain intact.

* Drones: Thousands of kamikaze drones are still operational within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard 

   Corps (IRGC) arsenal. 

* Subterranean Fortifications: Intelligence officials explain that official estimates often overlook launchers stored in deep underground bunkers and mountain caves. While strikes on entrances have rendered some sites temporarily inaccessible, the hardware inside remains largely undamaged. 

The report highlights a critical and ongoing threat to the maritime sector. Despite the near-total destruction of the regular Iranian Navy, the IRGC Navy has managed to preserve roughly half of its operational capacity.

* Coastal Defense: A high percentage of Iran’s coastal defense cruise missiles are untouched.

* Asymmetric Warfare: The IRGC maintains thousands of fast attack boats and unmanned surface vessels designed for "swarm" tactics. 

* Strategic Impact: These remaining assets allow Tehran to maintain a credible threat against freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil supplies.

While Israeli and American strikes have achieved significant tactical successes, the report concludes that the core of Iran’s asymmetric and long-range strike capabilities is still very much active. (Ed note: We'll just have to wait and see on this one. If the news source is CNN and the IRGC, One just don't have a lot of faith in their ability.  (Source)

Iran reportedly recovering bombed missile bunkers within hours after being struck

Iranian personnel are digging out underground missile bunkers and silos from the rubble, bringing them back into service hours after being struck by the US and Israel, according to US intelligence reports cited by the New York Times.

American intelligence also assesses that Tehran has preserved a notable amount of missiles and mobile launchers, and has cast doubt on how close Washington has come to its goal of destroying the Islamic Republic’s missile capability, the Times reports.

According to the report, Washington cannot be certain how many missile launchers have been destroyed because Iran has deployed decoys. (Ed note: If true, this is not a good look for President Trump.) (Source)

US intelligence report: Half of Iran's missile launchers unharmed

US intelligence believes Iran still capable of launching missiles and UAVs, despite US President Donald Trump's more optimistic claims.

A Thursday night report by CNN revealed a more complex and less encouraging picture regarding Iran’s military capabilities, after over a month of airstrikes by Israel and the US. According to three sources familiar with the intelligence details, Iran’s arsenal is far from destroyed, and large portions of it have not been hit at all.

According to the sources, about half of Iran’s missile launchers remain intact and operational. Many of them survived the strikes thanks to an extensive network of “missile cities" - underground tunnels and caves built over decades that are extremely difficult to detect or destroy from the air. Estimates indicate that around 50% of Iran’s suicide drone arsenal remains intact, leaving the regime with thousands of UAVs capable of operating across the Middle East.

A significant portion of the cruise missiles belonging to Iran’s Navy also remain intact, largely because the US chose not to focus its strikes on coastal military assets. In addition, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps still possesses hundreds or even thousands of fast boats and unmanned vessels. On Wednesday evening, US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran's ability to launch missiles and drones has been "dramatically curtailed, and their weapons factories and rocket launchers are being blown to pieces, very few of them left." Though there has been a 90% drop in launches since the start of the war, intelligence indicates that this is due to a drop in usage, not a drop in ability. (Source)

Netanyahu vows to continue crushing Iranian regime during security assessment

“Together with our American friends, we continue to crush the terror regime in Iran. We are eliminating commanders, bombing bridges, striking infrastructure,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to crush the Iranian regime during a security assessment at the Kirya in Tel Aviv on Friday. “In full coordination between myself and President Trump, between the IDF and the United States Army, we will continue to crush Iran. This regime is weaker than ever - Israel is stronger than ever,” Netanyahu stated. He detailed that the Air Force has destroyed around 70% of the regime’s steel production capacity, describing the move as “a tremendous achievement that deprives the Revolutionary Guards of both financial resources and the ability to produce many weapons.”

“Together with our American friends, we continue to crush the terror regime in Iran. We are eliminating commanders, bombing bridges, striking infrastructure,” Netanyahu said of Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury. He added that Israel is also continuing its operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, stating that the IDF will “continue to strike Hezbollah decisively.”

“We are continuing to expand the security zone and establish it in order to protect the northern communities. Netanyahu also commended the citizens of Israel for maintaining their resilience and for following Home Front Command guidelines even during the Passover holiday. “With God’s help, we will continue to fight and achieve all our objectives. Happy holidays,” Netanyahu concluded. (Source)

Inside the Red Unit: the IDF women trained to think like the enemy

The soldiers of the all-female Red Unit study Hezbollah and Hamas down to the smallest tactical detail – then use that knowledge to expose every gap in Israel's defenses before the shooting starts for real. 

  

Imagine you are a fighter in an IDF elite unit. In two days, a critical mission in Lebanon awaits. Before the operation, you are taken for a final drill at one of the military's training grounds – to sharpen your combat edge and make sure every shot you fire hits the enemy's kill zone dead on. You enter the training compound according to procedure. Everything is advancing smoothly, including the preparations for commendation. Then, in the very last room, a split second before the finish line, a corporal leaps from a hiding spot and shouts at you, "Fire, fire." That's it – you've been neutralized.

Congratulations. You have just had a close encounter with one of the IDF's enemy simulators – a soldier who outsmarted you and caught you in a moment of inattention. From that incident, you are meant to emerge stronger and equipped with lessons that will sharpen your performance in real combat, against a real enemy. "We were waiting for a force inside a large building, and the fighters simply didn't check one of the rooms. I shouted 'Fire, fire' first," recalled Cpl. S. (19), a soldier in the IDF's Red Unit, which simulates enemy forces. "A few months later, I was on guard duty at a base with some fighters, and one of them said to me, 'I remember you from that drill – you and your friends really caught us off guard.'"

The Red Unit was established six years ago and comprises 80 female fighters. Over the course of three and a half months, they undergo specialized training, and their primary mission is to get inside the mind of a Hamas terrorist or a Hezbollah fighter, understand how the enemy operates and what drives him, and then simulate him as realistically as possible in drills against IDF forces.

"When I enlisted, I didn't know the Red Unit existed," 2nd Lt. S. (21), a company commander in the unit, said. "My assignment sheet said 'enemy-forces simulator,' so at least I figured I wouldn't be sitting in an office every day and that I'd be able to influence the combat readiness of fighters in the field. It sounded cool to get to know the enemy, to understand how he operates. I was excited, and in training, a whole new world was opened up to me. (Read More)

Iraqi PMF presence in Iran raises alarm over crackdown, potential US ground war

PMF units reportedly entered Iran last January and assisted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the massacre of civilians.

State media in Iran have published images showing Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) fighters entering Khuzestan, provoking anger and revulsion among many Iranians, who say these proxy forces are repeatedly brought into the country to kill protesters and defend the ruling system.

On Tuesday, Masoud Pezeshkian, the president of the ruling establishment, wrote in a post on X/Twitter, a platform that has been blocked for ordinary Iranians for years, thanking the “Muslim people of Iraq” for standing by the people of Iran in what he called this “unjust” war. He also wrote, “I warmly shake the hands of the people, officials, and fighters of Iraq in Mesopotamia.” Although domestic media have not disclosed how many PMF fighters have entered Iran, residents of Khuzestan say at least 1,000 armed members of the force, carrying its official flags, have entered the province under the guise of a “relief convoy,” arriving with vehicles and military equipment.

They add that others may also have entered the country unofficially and covertly. Under Article 146 of the Islamic Republic’s own constitution, the stationing of armed foreign military forces on Iranian soil is illegal. In previous years, the deployment of Russian forces at a military base inside Iran drew sharp criticism from the press and even from some members of parliament on precisely those grounds. (Read More)

US intelligence said to assess around half of Iran’s missile launchers still intact

Estimate differs from Israel’s, possibly due to not counting launchers that are merely inaccessible; Trump says Israel a ‘team player’ on Iran, ‘will stop when I stop.'

US intelligence has assessed that around half of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers are still intact despite over a month of US and Israeli bombardment across the country, CNN reported early Friday, citing three sources familiar with the intelligence. Some of the remaining missile launchers are not believed to be accessible at present, due to having been buried under rubble amid the waves of airstrikes, the report said.

Israel said in March that it had destroyed or disabled around 60 percent of Iran’s estimated 470 ballistic missile launchers. However, the discrepancy between the two estimates could be put down to differences in how Israel and the US classify launchers that are intact but inaccessible, the report indicated. By Israel’s assessment, around 200 launchers were destroyed in strikes, while another 80 are not considered to be operational after the IAF struck tunnel entrances to subterranean facilities where they are stored. Separately, US intelligence assessments have also indicated that Iran still has thousands of attack drones stockpiled and ready for use, the report said.

The Islamic Republic also remains in possession of “a large percentage” of its coastal defense cruise missiles, which play a key role in Iran’s threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, sources said that while Iran’s navy has largely been taken out, the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) still have about half of their capabilities intact, including “hundreds, if not thousands, of small boats and unmanned surface vessels.” The IRGC is largely responsible for the harassment of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. (Read More)

Trump vows more Iran strikes after bridge attack

The U.S. president posted footage on social media showing the destruction of a major bridge linking Tehran with the nearby city of Karaj.

President Donald Trump warned on Friday that U.S. forces have not yet “started destroying what’s left in Iran,” vowing more attacks on critical infrastructure following airstrikes that destroyed the country’s tallest bridge. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!” Trump on Thursday again urged Iran to “make a deal before it is too late,” after the strike on a major bridge connecting Tehran to the nearby city of Karaj. “The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again—much more to follow,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, sharing footage of the attack. “It is time for Iran to make a deal before it is too late, and there is nothing left of what still could become a great country!” the president added.

The B1 bridge, part of a central transit route between the western part of the Iranian capital and Karaj, is considered the tallest bridge in the Middle East, with a height of at least 446 feet. In response, Iranian state media said that bridges across the region had become “legitimate targets” for the Islamic Republic. Outlets linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps specifically mentioned the Arik Bridge on Route 87 in Israel, linking the Lower Galilee to the Golan Heights. On Wednesday, Trump said that the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran could conclude within two to three weeks as the “core strategic objectives” are near completion.

“Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating large-scale losses in a matter of weeks. Our enemies are losing and America, as it has been for five years under my presidency, is winning and now winning bigger than ever before,” Trump said in an address to the nation from the White House. “We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks; we’re going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong,” he vowed. The president stressed that his administration did not seek regime change in Iran, but that has already transpired after its original leaders were killed. He threatened that if an agreement is not reached, “we are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard and probably simultaneously. We have not hit their oil even though that’s the easiest target of all, because it would not give them even a small chance of survival or rebuilding. But we could hit it and it would be gone, and there’s not a thing they can do about it.” (Source)

Katz to Hezbollah chief Qassem: You won't live to see Israel’s full response to Passover attacks

"You and your friends will pay a very heavy price for the increased shooting at Israeli citizens while they are sitting down to celebrate the Seder Night,” Katz told Qassem in a video message.

Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Thursday, saying he would not live to see the “very heavy price” for attacks on Israel during Passover and would end up “at the bottom of hell” with other eliminated Iranian proxy leaders. Katz’s comments came in a video message following a Thursday situational assessment with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other top military officials at “the pit,” the IDF’s command center beneath the Kiyra military compound.

"I have a clear message to Naim Qassem, Secretary-General of the Hezbollah terrorist organization: You and your friends will pay a very heavy price for the increased shooting at Israeli citizens while they are sitting down to celebrate the Seder Night,” Katz said. Previously, the IDF on Wednesday warned that Iran and Hezbollah might launch coordinated attacks on Israel at the start of the holiday that evening. Iran then fired around 10 ballistic missiles minutes before Passover began in one of the most significant barrages from the Islamic Republic in weeks.

“You will no not be able to see [the heavy price], because you will be at the bottom of hell together with Nasrallah, Khamenei, Sinwar, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil,” Katz said, adding, “but the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which you now head, and its supporters in Lebanon will pay the heaviest prices.” (Ed note: Perhaps there is a new pocket pager in Qassem's short future.) (Read More)

Hezbollah fires some 130 rockets at north on Passover; 4 lightly injured

Four people were lightly injured as Hezbollah fired around 130 rockets at northern Israel on Wednesday and Thursday, the start of the Passover holiday, as the military struck dozens of sites in Lebanon belonging to the Iran-backed terror group. The bombardment as Israelis celebrated the first two days of the Passover festival sent hundreds of thousands of people into shelters, as Iran continued to also launch missiles at the country, including the north. Two men, aged 34 and 85, were wounded Thursday when a rocket struck a building in Kiryat Shmona, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service.

Later, two men in their 30s and 40s were lightly wounded when a Hezbollah rocket struck the northern town of Bi’ina, Magen David Adom emergency personnel said. Footage showed scenes of property damage after the barrages in the north, including a McDonald’s restaurant near Kibbutz Ma’ayan Baruch with many of its windows blown out. Damage was also caused to an empty daycare in the northern city of Nahariya, according to rescue services. Rocket sirens also sounded in the Krayot suburbs of Haifa, though according to the IDF, most of the rockets were intercepted and others were allowed to hit open areas, “according to protocol.” No injuries were reported.

The IDF said on Thursday that more than 40 Hezbollah operatives were killed and dozens of sites belonging to the terror group in Lebanon were struck in the past day. The Israeli Air Force bombed dozens of Hezbollah command centers, weapons depots, rocket launchers and anti-tank missile launch posts, according to the military. The IDF said the Israeli Navy also struck a Hezbollah weapons depot in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, ground forces continued operations in southern Lebanon. (Read More)

Hezbollah fires missiles at central Israel on Passover eve

Hezbollah fires two surface-to-surface missiles toward central Israel on Passover eve, hours after a major Iranian ballistic missile barrage. One missile intercepted, the second lands in open area.

Hezbollah terrorists on Wednesday evening fired two surface-to-surface missiles from Lebanon towards central Israel. The launches, which came as Israelis mark the start of the holiday of Passover, triggered sirens in Tel Aviv and the area, as well as south of that area, in Ashdod, Ashkelon and the Central Coastal Plain. One of the missiles was successfully intercepted, and the second one landed in an open area. Magen David Adom said no reports of injuries were received.

The missiles from Lebanon came hours after the Iranian regime launched an unusually large salvo of eight to ten ballistic missiles toward central Israel. In some locations, missile sirens sounded five times within a few minutes. Following the barrage, rescue forces were dispatched to several impact sites in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, and Savyon.

Magen David Adom teams searched ten different scenes from which calls were received and found no physical injuries. At the same time, they treated a small number of people suffering from anxiety and five cases of injuries sustained by civilians on their way to protected areas. IDF spokesman Effie Defrin addressed the citizens of Israel on Wednesday, shortly before the onset of Passover, amid Operation Roaring Lion against Iran, and warned of the possibility of missile launches at the country during the holiday. (Source)

Gulf states consider bypassing Strait of Hormuz with new oil pipelines via Haifa - FT

The Financial Times reported that the Gulf states aim to create a new network of pipelines, roads, and railways to stop relying on the Strait of Hormuz.

The Gulf states are considering expanding their oil pipelines beyond the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to bypass dependence on the crucial Persian Gulf waterway for exports, The Financial Times reported on Thursday morning. One of the main options examined reportedly includes a trade route that would connect the Arabian peninsula with the Mediterranean through the port of Haifa. According to the report, Saudi Arabia has been the only Gulf state to maintain a steady flow of oil exports amid the war, mainly thanks to the East-West pipeline, which connects its oil fields to the Red Sea port of Yanbu and bypasses the Strait.

“In hindsight, the East-West pipeline looks like a genius masterstroke,” a senior Gulf energy executive told FT. The report mentions that the new projects being considered include not only a new pipeline or the expansion of current infrastructure, but rather the creation of a new network of pipelines, trains, and roads that would allow us to stop relying on the Strait of Hormuz. Christopher Bush, the chief executive of the Lebanese construction company Cat Group, which was one of the main builders of the Saudi East-West pipeline, confirmed to FT that the company "had inquiries about various pipelines." The main project mentioned in the FT report is the US-led IMEC, which would connect India to the Mediterranean Sea via a network of roads, railways, and pipelines. The main challenge for this plan would be securing Saudi Arabia's agreement to include the port of Haifa on the route.

Yossi Abu, the chief executive of Israeli company NewMed Energy, said that the pipes to the Mediterranean were needed for people "to control their own destinies, with their friends." “You need oil pipelines, railway connectivity throughout the region, onshore, without giving others bottlenecks to choke us,” Abu told FT. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the only solution to the Strait of Hormuz crisis would be to reroute the pipelines to gain easier access to the Mediterranean. (Read More)

The Real Hormuz Crisis Is Only Beginning

The world needs one barrel of this fuel for every three people on Earth, every single day. It can’t be replaced with any other fuel. And virtually every industrial and agricultural process depends on it. I’m not talking about oil. Or gasoline. I’m talking about the fuel that powers every economy on Earth: diesel. Every day, the world consumes roughly 29 million barrels of diesel and similar gasoil fuels. Global oil demand of all kinds is about 105 million barrels per day. So diesel alone is only about a quarter of that. But it’s the most important fraction. And it’s impossible to replace.

Diesel is no ordinary commodity. It is distilled from crude oil in a precise alchemy that begins when raw barrels – pumped from the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE – are heated in towering refinery columns. Lighter fractions rise first (gasoline and naphtha), followed by the middle distillates boiling between 315°F and 450°F that yield diesel.

Hydrotreating these middle distillates scrubs out sulfur to meet ultra-low-sulfur diesel standards. The result: a dense, high-energy fuel that powers 99% of the heavy trucks, locomotives, ships’ auxiliary engines, farm tractors, mining haulers, and emergency generators that underpin modern civilization. Virtually every long-haul truck on every continent runs on diesel. Without it, global supply chains seize. One barrel of crude typically yields about 23% diesel after refining – far more than gasoline in many complex facilities – making it the workhorse of freight, agriculture, and construction. In large-population economies, the stakes are existential:

* Indonesia’s 270 million people rely on diesel for inter-island ferries and the trucks that move rice, palm oil, and manufactured goods

* Europe’s 450 million people depend on it for cross-border trucking that delivers everything from German auto parts to French produce

* China’s 1.4 billion keep factories and ports alive with diesel-powered logistics 

  

If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the world’s economy will collapse, and the reason it will collapse is diesel. In a typical year, New York Harbor ultra‑low‑sulfur diesel trades somewhere in the $2.25 to $3.25 per gallon range. When diesel pokes above $3.50, people in the business start using words like “tight.” On March 20, the price hit $4.71. If you own a trucking fleet, your single largest operating cost just went vertical. The only time prices have ever been higher was at the beginning of the Russian-Ukraine war. The price hit $5.33 on May 11, 2022. Europe has its own benchmark called ICE Low Sulphur Gasoil. In calm times it trades between $600 and $900 per metric ton. But when Russia rolled into Ukraine in February 2022, that contract raced up, peaking around $1,250. Today, it’s trading over those previous records around $1,400. (Ed note: A somewhat long, but very interesting article.) (Read More)

US intelligence assessments indicate Iran currently unwilling to negotiate end to war - report

According to assessments conducted by multiple US intelligence agencies, the Iranian regime believes it is in a strong enough position to continue the war and not cede to US demands.

United States intelligence assessments have indicated that the Iranian regime is currently unwilling to engage in negotiations to end its ongoing war with the US and Israel, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing US officials familiar with the assessments. According to assessments conducted by multiple US intelligence agencies, the regime believes it is in a strong enough position to continue the war and not cede to US demands.

The report additionally indicated that Iran is willing to keep diplomatic channels open, but does not trust the US or think US President Donald Trump is serious about engaging in negotiations. Two Iranian officials and one Pakistani official told the NYT that the Iranian regime could engage in diplomacy under the right conditions. Still, they needed to see that the US is willing to seriously discuss ending the war rather than negotiating a temporary ceasefire.

US and Iranian officials both confirmed that the two countries have been exchanging messages through intermediaries, but are not discussing ceasefire terms or ending the war. A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Wednesday that Iran demands a permanent end to the war and that no mediator-facilitated talks have taken place regarding a temporary ceasefire.  (Read More)

Report: Vance tells mediators Trump is impatient on Iran

Vice President JD Vance reportedly conveyed President Trump's impatience for an Iran deal, warning of increased pressure on Iranian infrastructure unless Tehran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

US Vice President JD Vance told intermediaries between the US and Iran that President Donald Trump is “impatient" to reach a deal to end the war, a source familiar with the conversations said, according to a CNN report on Wednesday. Vance, who has adopted a newly prominent role in brokering an end to the conflict, spoke to representatives from the mediating countries which include Pakistan and Turkey as recently as Tuesday.

The source said Vance delivered a “stern message" to relay to Iran: that there would be increased pressure on Iran’s infrastructure sites “unless the Iranians made a deal," the source said. Trump has previously threatened to target power plants and water desalination facilities in Iran if the country does not agree to allow oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, who is planning to address the nation Wednesday on Iran, instructed Vance in his private communications to convey the president’s willingness to agree to a ceasefire if US demands for the war are met, according to CNN.

That includes reopening the strait, which Trump stated in a social media post Wednesday must be unblocked before the US agrees to halt the war. In that same post, Trump also said that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had asked for a ceasefire.Iran denied Trump’s claim, with its Foreign Ministry calling it "false and baseless."

In a separate statement, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the Strait of Hormuz "is firmly and decisively under the control" of its forces.n a separate statement, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the Strait of Hormuz "is firmly and decisively under the control" of its forces. "This strait will not be opened to the enemies of this nation through the ridiculous spectacle by the president of the United States," it added. (Source)

Iran fears Israel’s 'new strategy' after major strikes on steel industry

Mobarakeh, the largest industrial company in Iran and the biggest steel complex in the Middle East, was considered a cornerstone of the country’s economy.

Iran’s largest steel producer, Mobarakeh Steel Company, has reported heavy losses to its production units following joint US-Israeli strikes on its facilities during the war, with attacks hitting multiple sites in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Mobarakeh, the largest industrial company in Iran and the biggest steel complex in the Middle East, was considered a cornerstone of the country’s economy. Reactions on social media platforms reflected both anger at the regime and growing concern over the broader implications of the strikes. 

“Mobarakeh was the pride of Iran’s steel industry and a supplier of raw materials for thousands of factories. The most prominent company in Iran is gone,” one journalist wrote. Another journalist said, “Unfortunately, I have learned from two independent sources that the extent of the damage to Mobarakeh is severe, and there are also casualties. It appears that this key industry will not return to production for a long time.” 

Criticism of Iran’s leadership also intensified online. “It is difficult for all of us to hear this news. But we must remember that we need to continue along this path and move beyond the cursed regime of the Islamic Republic. A free Iran can be rebuilt, but Iran in the hands of bloodthirsty terrorists will always move toward destruction. As long as the regime does not surrender, we are likely to hear more bad news like this. To hell with the Islamic Republic,” another post read. (Read More)

War and inflation batter Iran’s workforce

Iran’s economy is entering the new fiscal year under the weight of a profound wartime shock, with inflation reaching levels not seen in decades and essential goods becoming increasingly unaffordable for much of the population. Official figures released at the end of fiscal year 1404 (March 2026) show annual inflation at 50.6 percent, according to data compiled by government bodies including the parliament’s Research Center. Prices rose 5.6 percent in March alone.

But economists say the headline figure understates the severity of the crisis. The more revealing measure—point-to-point inflation—shows how sharply living costs have risen over the past year. Government statistics indicate that prices in March 2026 were 71.8 percent higher than a year earlier, a surge that has sharply eroded household purchasing power. In major cities such as Tehran, the increase is believed to be even higher, particularly for food. 

The shock has unfolded as weeks of US and Israeli strikes have disrupted economic life across the country. In Tehran, where many residents have temporarily left the city, large parts of the capital’s commercial activity have slowed sharply. Many businesses remain closed and those who have stayed behind often limit their movements, wary of being caught in unpredictable air strikes. 

Attacks on what the attackers describe as “regime infrastructure” have also begun to hit the industrial economy more directly. Recent strikes on major steel production facilities—among the country’s most important industrial employers—have disrupted supply chains and raised fears of wider job losses in manufacturing regions. For working-class and rural families, the situation is especially acute. Following the removal of preferential exchange rates (arz-e tarjihi), monthly food inflation has climbed above 100 percent, turning basic nutrition into the central economic struggle for many households. (Read More)

Iran, Hezbollah launch attacks as Israelis host Passover Seders, sending millions to shelters

Four lightly hurt, including two babies, by bomblet from Iranian cluster warhead that struck Bnei Bnei overnight as Israel comes under attack before and during holiday’s first night.

Sirens sounded repeatedly in central Israel Wednesday evening, surrounding the start of Passover, as Iran fired a major ballistic missile barrage and Hezbollah launched rockets from Lebanon, sending millions to bomb shelters and safe rooms as families across the country hosted their Seder meals. The attacks continued into early Thursday morning, with Iranian ballistic missiles fired at central Israel, the Jerusalem area and the north, while Hezbollah rocket fire from Lebanon triggered sirens near Haifa.

One of the Iranian missiles was carrying a cluster warhead, spreading bomblets across central Israel, with the Magen David Adom ambulance service reporting that a 12-year-old and two 7-month-olds in Bnei Brak were lightly injured from shattered glass. A 24-year-old was also lightly injured in the same incident, according to MDA. On Wednesday morning there, an 11-year-old girl was injured by shrapnel in another missile strike and she remains in critical condition, the medical service added. The overnight attack on Bnei Brak also damaged a water main in the city.

The IDF had previously warned that a missile attack was expected on Seder night, one of the most widely observed Jewish rituals. According to initial IDF assessments, some 10 ballistic missiles were fired at central Israel, in the largest Iranian salvo on Israel since the early days of the war. Minutes later, sirens again sounded in central and northern Israel, as the IDF detected another Iranian ballistic missile launch, the sixth such salvo of the day. Around the same time, sirens sounded in the Golan Heights and Galilee due to rocket fire by Hezbollah from Lebanon. (Read More)

Lebanese Army Withdraws from Christian Villages, Leaving Locals Exposed on Holy Week

The Lebanese Army on Tuesday withdrew from four border villages, two of them Christian-majority towns whose residents have refused to follow instructions from Israel to evacuate the area while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) battle the Iran-backed terrorists of Hezbollah.

The three villages that lost Lebanese Army coverage were Rmeish, Ain Ibl, and Braasheet in the Bint Jbeil district, plus Beit Yahoun in Nabatieh. Rmeish and Ain Ibl are Christian towns. “The army has indeed withdrawn from Rmeish, and we would have preferred it to stay, but we, as residents of the town, will remain despite the risks. We understand the army’s reasons for leaving, but our decision is to stay,” said Hanna al-Amil, head of the Rmeish municipal council. The army was apparently stung by criticism over its withdrawal plan, because on Wednesday it announced that some Lebanese troops would remain in the border villages.

“Following the escalation of Israeli aggression against Lebanon, particularly in areas facing enemy incursions around border localities, which result in encircling, isolating, and cutting off supply lines to deployed units, the army carried out a redeployment and repositioning operation that included a number of these units,” the Lebanese Army said. By “enemy,” the army meant Israel, not Hezbollah. Hezbollah is the malevolent actor that dragged Lebanon into the war by launching unprovoked attacks on Israeli civilians with weapons it was not supposed to have. Having effectively admitted that it cannot control Iran’s heavily armed terrorist proxy, the Lebanese government is increasingly turning its ire against Israel for invading Southern Lebanon and attempting to create a buffer zone.

The Lebanese Army statement stated that Israeli attacks are “indiscriminately targeting both military personnel and civilians in various regions,” and lashed out at “some media outlets and social media platforms” for questioning how Lebanese officials are responding to the crisis. (Ed note: The Bint Jbeil district is less than 3 miles from the Israeli border.) (Read More)

The Iran and Sudan Connection: A new Empire crosses the Red Sea

Iran is great at turning battlefields into bases for its ideology, and Sudan's military culture is soaking this up. If no one stops them, they will control the Red Sea and Khartoum will host permanent Iranian drone teams, electronic spying stations, and naval advisors reaching deep into Africa's interior.

 

While Gaza, Lebanon, and the Gulf get all the attention, a quieter Iranian move is unfolding across the Red Sea right in the middle of Sudan's civil war, affording another reason the current war must achieve a decisive outcome. Tehran and Khartoum restored their diplomatic ties in October 2023 after being apart for 32 years. Since then, Iran has steadily supplied weapons to General Abdel Fattah al Burhan's Sudanese armed forces. This turned a local power struggle into the western base of Iran's alliance network.

Late March 2026 battlefield videos show Iranian drones flying over Khartoum and Iranian military trainers teaching Sudanese recruits. Tehran's revolutionary ideas are also mixing into Sudan's military culture. This is more than just basic military help. It creates a loyal and dependent ally on Africa's strategic Red Sea coast, looking a lot like what Iran did with the Houthis in Yemen. 

Since the civil war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces started in April 2023, Burhan's regular troops have struggled against his rival's fast movements, Gulf funding, and early drone advantage. Tehran stepped in to help. Starting in late 2023, flights from Iran to Port Sudan brought multiple types of attack and spy drones. By early 2025, these weapons changed the army's luck. They took back Omdurman, secured state TV towers, and hit rival positions hard from Darfur to Sennar. 

Iran trades its hardware for a great location. They get a foothold on the Red Sea, which is vital after the US and Israel damaged Houthi weapons. Sudan is becoming Tehran's listening post, right across the water, to track naval movements from the US, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE Iran's real genius is using belief as a weapon in the middle of chaos. The al Baraa bin Malik Brigade is a perfect example. This group is tied to the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood and was sanctioned by the US in 2025. Once just a small militia, these fighters are now trained by Iran and fight alongside the main army. They take territory and use religious slogans that link them to groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis. (Read More)

Behind the scenes: IAF fighters refuel en route to strike Iran

Air Force tanker aircraft, which have carried out approximately 2,000 aerial refuelings, enable Israel's sustained air superiority in Iran over time.

Since the start of Operation Roaring Lion, hundreds of Israeli Air Force combat aircraft have been operating in Iranian airspace, striking targets of the Iranian terror regime. Aerial refueling is a critical component of the Air Force’s operations over Iran, enabling sustained air superiority in the area over time.

Air Force tanker aircraft support the combat aircraft and have conducted approximately 2,000 aerial refuelings. (Ed note: Did you know that the fighter jet and the fuel tanker must be moving through the air at the same speed, which is about 300 to 400 miles per hour? While the fuel tanker is flying at a high consistent speed, the fighter jet must match that speed and connect the fuel hose or boom, and do so in often turbulent air.) (Read More)

THE FUTURE WAR PROPHECIES

In the last days, mankind will dwell in a war-torn world! Conventional battles, nuclear exchanges and supernatural demonic invasions are coming.

The FUTURE WAR Prophecies book and DVD locates the battlefields, identifies the participants, explains the motives, provides the details and explores the outcomes of these coming world changing conflicts which include:

• Israel vs. Iran and its proxies,
• The destruction of Damascus in Isaiah 17,
• The final Arab-Israeli war of Psalm 83,
• The Russian coalition’s invasion of Israel in Ezekiel 38,
• The two Christian-killing crusades of the Tribulation Period,
• The demonic invasion that torments unsaved people for 5 months,
• The 200-million demonic army that kills one-third of humankind,
• The war in heaven between Michael the archangel vs. Satan,
• The battle of Armageddon between Jesus Christ vs. Antichrist,
• The final Gog of Magog War at the end of the Millennium.

These wars and more are covered in this revealing book. Don’t be caught in the crossfire! Discover what wars are coming so that you can keep yourself and your loved ones out of harm’s way. (CLICK HERE)

Frustrated with allies, Trump tells countries needing fuel to go to Hormuz and ‘just take it’

US President Donald Trump expressed frustration Tuesday with allies who have been unwilling to do more to support the US war effort, telling them to “go get your own oil” as the conflict with Iran and its closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent average US gas prices past $4 a gallon. Trump singled out Britain and France as unhelpful in the month-long war that has roiled global markets, driven up energy prices, and seen Iran effectively close oil tanker traffic through the Strait.

“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. “You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!” He also lashed out at France for not letting planes carrying military supplies to Israel fly over French territory.

“The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

Allies have refused to get involved

The French military has previously said France allowed the US Air Force to use the Istres base in southern France, because it had guarantees that only planes not involved in carrying out strikes would land there. Spain, which has emerged as Europe’s loudest critic of the war, said Monday that it had closed its airspace for US planes involved in the conflict. Italy has refused permission for US military assets to use the Sigonella air base in Sicily for an operation linked to the offensive in the Middle East, an official with knowledge of the matter said, confirming a local press report.

The denial was issued a few days ago and concerned American aircraft, including bombers, which were supposed to land at the base before continuing toward the Middle East, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The Italian government later insisted that its relationship with the US is “solid and based on full and loyal cooperation.” (Ed note: This could be a game changer with the US's relationship with both Europe and Nato, and  President Trump could pull the US out of Nato.)   (Read More)

Trump says US strongly considering NATO exit, Telegraph newspaper says

Trump described the alliance as a "paper tiger" and said removing the United States from the defense pact was now "beyond reconsideration," the newspaper reported.

US President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO after allies failed to back US military action against Iran, according to an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph. Trump described the alliance as a "paper tiger" and said removing the United States from the defense pact was now "beyond reconsideration," the newspaper reported.

He said he had long held doubts about NATO's credibility. "Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration," Trump told the newspaper when asked about whether he would reconsider US membership of the alliance after the conflict.

"I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way." (Source)