Seventh consecutive night: US launches strikes targeting Iranian military assets (BUSHEHR)

CENTCOM conducting seventh straight night of precision strikes against Iranian military targets, with explosions reported in Bandar Abbas.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Friday that its forces launched a round of strikes against Iran for the seventh consecutive night. "The strikes are designed to continue degrading Iranian military capabilities at the Commander in Chief's direction," it stated .About two hours before CENTCOM’s official announcement, Iranian media reported explosions in the port city of Bandar Abbas. Residents also reported hearing explosions in Bushehr province and Sirik, with additional reports of blasts on Qeshm Island.

On Thursday night, CENTCOM completed a major wave of strikes against Iran for the sixth night in a row, noting that fighter jets, aerial drones, and warships launched precision munitions that hit dozens of Iranian military targets such as coastal surveillance and air defense sites, military logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities. Iranian media reported that the US strikes targeted a wide range of objectives, including Iranshahr Airport. Further reports indicated that the bridge connecting Bandar Abbas and Shiraz was attacked, as was a railway station in Bandar Abbas. CENTCOM later stated that US forces destroyed a surveillance tower at the Chah Bahar Shahid Kalantari Port in Iran.

The tower was part of a maritime surveillance network along Iran’s Gulf of Oman coastline that was used for decades by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to monitor commercial vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, the statement said. The strike has reduced the IRGC’s ability to coordinate attacks against civilian maritime crews and was carried out to protect freedom of navigation in regional waters, according to US forces. (Source)

The Ground Invasion Option: Trump Weighs Boot Invasions of Iranian Oil Islands and Fortified Nuclear Bunkers

United States President Donald Trump has revealed that the military is actively reviewing plans for ground operations to seize Iranian oil islands and launch devastating strikes on the fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear complex, warning Tehran that Washington is prepared to end the crisis once and for all.

The United States government is actively considering an unprecedented expansion of its military operations against Iran, shifting focus from aerial bombardment to potential ground warfare. American officials confirmed that President Donald Trump has spent recent days reviewing detailed defense briefings regarding high-stakes operational choices. The strategic alternatives currently being evaluated include deploying ground forces to capture critical Iranian islands near the Strait of Hormuz, widening the existing air campaign to obliterate domestic energy grids, and launch targeted strikes against a heavily fortified underground facility linked to secret nuclear development.

The commander in chief openly detailed the critical geopolitical situation during a prominent defense and innovation summit in Pennsylvania, making it clear that the pressure on the Islamic Republic has reached historic heights. "The country is hot like it has never been before, and we are also doing very well against Iran," Trump stated during his address, adding that the regime is deeply unhappy with the ongoing destruction. When specifically questioned if the military would completely eliminate the Revolutionary Guard Corps in the same manner as the total destruction of ISIS, the president replied, "Yes, it definitely means that. We will see what happens."

The immense military pressure appears to be forcing panic within the political leadership of Tehran, which is now desperately scrambling to initiate communication channels. The president revealed to the audience that the regime attempted to initiate direct contact just moments before he stepped onto the stage. "We received a phone call exactly when I was on my way here," Trump told the crowd. "They want to meet. They always want to meet." The administration is maintaining a highly aggressive posture, signaling that the historical strategy for handling the Islamic Republic required a total overhaul after decades of perceived diplomatic weakness. "This should have been done by other presidents for many years, for 47 years, and to be honest even much more than that," Trump insisted. He noted that prior attempts to appease the regime failed entirely, stating, "If you do not act the way I am acting, you will never succeed in reaching an agreement with them. They were very tough. They are good negotiators. For 47 years they simply pulled everyone by the nose."

...The military operations have triggered defensive alerts across the region, with the interior ministry of neighboring Bahrain activating public sirens while heavy explosions echoed across Kharg Island. Pentagon planners confirmed that current strikes are intentionally designed to erode coastal defenses and clear the path for a wider invasion if necessary. Specific ground targets under review include a direct amphibious takeover of Kharg Island, the country's primary oil export hub, and a massive assault on "Pickaxe Mountain," a deeply buried tunnel complex associated with suspected nuclear enrichment. (Read more)

Israel shifts toward ‘Defense-Tech Nation’ as start-ups surge to $3b. in funding

New data shows defense-tech firms dominating Israel’s hi-tech investment, with start-up funding tripling year-on-year.

Israeli defense-tech start-ups working with the Defense Ministry raised nearly $3 billion in the first six months of 2026, according to figures presented at the Haifa DefenseTech Start-ups and Investors Forum. The amount is three times the $1b. raised during 2025. During the same period, defense-tech and dual-use companies accounted for almost 30% of the $8.4b. in private investment in Israel’s hi-tech sector. Approximately 800 start-ups are currently fulfilling direct procurement orders for the ministry.

The forum, held this week at EY’s Haifa office and organized by HiCenter Ventures, Gornitzky GNY, and EY, brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and officials from the defense industry and security establishment. “Israel is rapidly transforming from a ‘Cyber Nation’ to a ‘Defense-Tech Nation,’” Ilana Averkin, head of Defense-Tech at HiCenter Ventures, was quoted as saying.

Nevertheless, she warned that start-ups should not try to build full end-to-end systems and compete with the primes, but rather “design the product as an independent, flexible, and agnostic component” that can be easily integrated into the platforms of defense giants like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, or local players such as Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit Systems, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

Global conflicts in Ukraine, the Persian Gulf, Lebanon, and Gaza have contributed to increased demand for defense technologies, including from Israel. Participants at the event cited the ability of Israeli companies to upgrade systems during active combat as a factor drawing interest from foreign customers. Lior Hanuka, CEO of HiCenter Ventures, told the crowd that “following lessons from fighting in the Gaza Strip, in Lebanon, and in Ukraine, control of frequencies and the ability to disrupt GPS systems and drones has become a top investment priority.” (Read more)

Lebanon’s Aoun takes off to US for meeting with Trump

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanese President Joseph Aoun leaves Beirut for Washington, where he is expected to meet Donald Trump, the Lebanese presidency says, after talks between Lebanon and Israel wrapped up in Italy.

Aoun will hold discussions “with several American officials on the situation in Lebanon and ways to strengthen the ceasefire,” particularly in Lebanon’s south, as well as on “the withdrawal of Israel from the Lebanese regions it occupies,” the presidency says. (Ed note: And not a word about his Hezbollah leaving Israel alone? That's pretty bad! Come on, President Aoun!)  (Source)

What is Iran’s secretive Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site?

The Pickaxe facility, located near the Natanz enrichment complex, is believed to be buried deeper than Fordow and was not attacked during the 12-day war or the current round of fighting.

July 17, 2026 / Israel Hayom)

The United States will attack the Iranian nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain, located near the Natanz enrichment complex in the central Isfahan Province, President Donald Trump said on Monday. “We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to get ready. Tell them we’re coming, and there’s nothing they can do about it,” Trump said in an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt. It is one of the most mysterious sites associated with Iran’s nuclear program. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have never been allowed inside, and the facility is believed to be so deep, and protected by such dense rock, that it could be even more difficult to strike from the air than Fordow.

Pickaxe Mountain, known in Persian as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is located about 0.9 miles south of the Natanz Nuclear Facility. The compound covers roughly one square kilometer (0.4 square miles) of mountainside in the Zagros range. Iran has built a security fence several kilometers long around the mountain, connecting it to the perimeter fence surrounding the Natanz enrichment complex. Two paved access roads climb the mountain toward an area containing two tunnel entrances. The mountain itself, which is considerably taller than the one above Fordow, rises 1,608 meters (5,276 feet) above sea level.

Hewitt asked Trump whether he would insist that International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors be allowed into Pickaxe Mountain’s deep tunnels before a new agreement with Iran was signed, to ensure that no “doomsday machine” was being concealed there. “Absolutely,” Trump replied. “They don’t have it, because we have eyes, with Space Force and everything else. We have a lot of eyes on it. But Pickaxe is a possible target for a nice, big, fat shot right in the front door. I think you may see that. I’m telling them that right now.”

The president later added, “We’re watching it very closely, and we don’t see any activity there. They’re not in good shape with their nuclear situation. Every time we hear about something, we blow it up. That’s why they don’t like talking about it. But we’re probably going to give the mountain a shot relatively soon.” Trump’s claim that the U.S. was not seeing any activity at the site appears to contradict a report published recently by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security. (Read More)

Iran said to tell Hezbollah, allies to prepare for wider conflict, which could rope in Israel

8 reported killed in overnight US strikes on Iran; IRGC says it targeted US aircraft, radar systems in Jordan, Qatar; Kuwait says water plant hit, troops hurt in drone attacks.

Iran has reportedly told its regional allies, including Hezbollah, to prepare for the possibility of a broader conflict amid military escalations with the United States, raising the prospect of Israel becoming directly involved in the fighting. Leaders of the Iran-backed regional “Axis of Resistance” told allies that the current period of waiting is nearing an end and that preparations for military scenarios have become a priority, Lebanon’s Nidaa Al Watan newspaper reported on Friday, citing information obtained from meetings held in Tehran on the sidelines of the recent funeral of former Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed when the US and Israel launched the war with Iran at the end of February. 

Friday’s report came as fighting between the US and Iran has renewed a month after the signing of a preliminary deal that aimed to end the conflict. So far, Israel has not been involved in the latest escalation, and Tehran has not directly targeted the Jewish state. But that could change if Hezbollah, Iran’s Lebanese terror proxy, gets involved and resumes its attacks on Israeli territory. Hezbollah was reportedly instructed to be fully prepared for any escalation, with Iranian officials warning that any future conflict could be broader and more severe than previous fighting.

Nidaa Al Watan also reported that Tehran still views Hezbollah as its most important regional asset following setbacks suffered by Iranian terror proxies in recent months. The terror group joined the wider regional conflict on March 2 by attacking Israel, and has objected to US-led diplomacy between Jerusalem and Beirut to solve the countries’ disputes. In response to the Hezbollah attacks, Israel hit Hezbollah with heavy airstrikes and took control of a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, meant to distance Hezbollah from the border. Israel also decimated Hezbollah’s leadership in a previous round of fighting in 2024. Another Iran?-backed terror group, the Houthis in Yemen, has also previously attacked Israel. (Ed note: It appears that the IRGC doesn't know that they have been defeated. Are you thinking that perhaps Iran is working Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis all together for a same time attack)   (Read More)

IRGC strikes Thai vessel attempting Hormuz transit

Iranian media report that the IRGC targeted a Thai-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz after it allegedly ignored warnings and transited without authorization.

Iran said on Friday that the navy of the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a Thai-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Reports in Iranian media claimed that the vessel was targeted after it "ignored warnings and attempted to transit without obtaining permission." A video published by IRGC-affiliated media appeared to show damage to the vessel.

Later, after the US launched strikes on Iran for the seventh consecutive day, the Iranian army’s public relations office said that the navy fired a shore-to-sea cruise missile toward a US vessel in the northern Indian Ocean. On Tuesday, the head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, said thatIran intentionally attacked seven commercial ships over the past seven days, resulting in “nearly a dozen" civilian crew members being killed, injured or going missing.

“Iranian forces have also launched dozens of missiles and drones toward neighboring Gulf countries," Cooper said in a statement posted on social media. He stressed that “US forces are holding Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression that continues to endanger innocent lives." CENTCOM resumed the naval blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas on Tuesday. This occurred hours after US President Donald Trump announced that the Strait of Hormuz is open to international shipping but that a full blockade will be imposed on vessels connected to Iranian ports or Iranian cargo. (Source)

The Islamabad Ultimatum: Pakistan Warns Iran of Direct Military Intervention Over Regional Escalation

Pakistani government officials have issued an explicit warning to Tehran regarding a total breakdown in Iranian leadership structures, while declaring that any proxy attacks on Saudi Arabia constitute a red line that will draw Islamabad into open war. Government officials in Islamabad are tracking the deepening ideological rifts within the highest echelons of the Iranian regime with growing concern. Senior political figures have confirmed that the elected government in Tehran is drifting entirely away from the hardline military factions running the state. This domestic instability comes as regional defense pacts threaten to drag neighboring nuclear powers into the expanding theater of war.

The political leadership in Iran, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, is experiencing a severe disconnect from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Pakistani authorities have expressed deep anxiety that this internal chaos is driving a renewal of active warfare between Houthi rebels in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The escalation threatens to collapse ongoing diplomatic mediation efforts while triggering binding mutual defense treaties across the subcontinent.

The strategic alignment between Islamabad and Riyadh has placed external military forces on high alert to deter further provocations. "Our senior civilian and military leadership made it clear to the highest levels in Iran that attacks on Saudi Arabia are attacks on Pakistan," an official stated. The diplomat emphasized the severity of the geopolitical situation, declaring that "this is a red line for us."

This warning is backed by a massive, prior military deployment designed to reinforce the territorial integrity of the kingdom. Pakistan secretly stationed a significant military contingent inside Saudi Arabia during the height of the recent war with Iran. This specialized force includes thousands of active ground troops, a full squadron of advanced fighter jets, and sophisticated air defense systems. (Read More)

US-Iran Conflict Pushes Pakistan to Brink of Direct Confrontation

The US-Iran conflict is pushing Pakistan toward direct confrontation due to its mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia. Pakistan has deployed thousands of troops and advanced jets to Saudi Arabia, risking involvement in the war. Tehran's retaliatory strikes could target Saudi installations where Pakistani personnel are stationed. Islamabad faces an existential dilemma between honoring treaty obligations and maintaining domestic stability.

As the United States continues to hit Iran, and Tehran keeps up its retaliatory actions across the Persian Gulf on Washington's installations, Pakistan finds itself poised precariously on an agonising geopolitical precipice. Islamabad's immediate priorities go beyond an effective bulwark against collateral damage. While prioritising energy imports and remittances, border security along the 900 km Iran frontier, sectarian tensions at home, and playing the potential mediator, Islamabad is getting closer to being a direct party in the war.

Such a situation upsets its stand as a neutral negotiator between Washington and Tehran. Pakistan's Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia has already resulted in the deployment of thousands of Pakistani troops and advanced fighter jets to the Kingdom. That presence threatens to pull Islamabad directly into the crossfire as the Middle East is careening toward an all-out war. Historically, Pakistan has gone to great lengths to play the role of the regional tightrope walker, despite the political and economic volatility back home.

Sharing its western border with Iran, possessing the world's second-largest Shi'ite population, and maintaining deep, foundational ties with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan's survival depends on avoiding regional entanglements. However, the realities of modern warfare and binding security alliances have fundamentally altered this calculus. Following the American and allied strikes targeting Iranian coastal defences, alleged missile sites, and other infrastructure, Tehran and its proxy networks have increasingly struck back on nearby US installations. (Ed note: And don't forget that Pakistan has long possessed nuclear weapons in their arsenal.) (Read more)

Bridges, Railways, and Airports: US Precision Strikes Devastate Strategic Infrastructure Across Iran

American forces have executed their most damaging round of airstrikes yet, dismantling critical southern Iranian bridges, railway junctions, and airports to completely paralyze the regime's military supply lines toward the Gulf. The United States military has escalated its ongoing air campaign by targeting critical transportation infrastructure deep inside southern and southeastern Iran. These latest strikes represent the most significant wave of attacks since the current military operations began. The high-impact raids have heavily disrupted the logistics capabilities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

A key target during the bombardment was a strategic bridge near Kahurstan in Khamir County. This targeted attack has forced local authorities to completely close the main road connecting Bandar Abbas to Lar in both directions. Local witnesses captured the immediate destruction of the transport link, noting the severe civilian toll on the ground. One witness at the scene described the aftermath of the explosion in detail, saying, "A missile hit the middle of the bridge.

A fuel tanker was destroyed. The driver was killed. Part of the bridge is gone. Nobody should come from this side." This precision hit successfully severed a major artery used for military transit. In another major operation, American forces targeted the railway junction station in Bandar Abbas. This vital freight hub connects Iran's largest commercial port directly to the national rail network. Local reports confirmed that the strike left 2 people wounded and severely damaged the rail lines.  The air campaign also reached other major transit nodes across the country. Media outlets close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that an explosion hit a railway station in the city of Ahvaz. Simultaneously, an airport in southeastern Iran was struck, further degrading the regional aviation and transport capacity of the regime. 

Military analysts believe these systematic strikes are designed to cripple the domestic logistics network of the Iranian military. By destroying bridges, rail lines, and airports, the United States is preventing the rapid movement of troops, heavy equipment, and supplies toward the southern coast. This makes it incredibly difficult for the regime to reinforce or resupply its forces on strategic islands like Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb during the ongoing war. (Ed note: Does this article suggest to you that the US is setting the stage to make a sea invasion from the west?)  (Source)

Zero to One Hundred: Israel Outlines Three Triggers for Unprecedented Air Campaign Inside Mainland Iran

The Israeli defense establishment has finalized comprehensive war plans for an unprecedented aerial campaign inside Iran, establishing specific operational triggers to transition the military from zero to a hundred in the event of an imminent threat. The Israeli defense establishment is currently maintaining a state of maximum vigilance, actively preparing for a rapid military escalation against Iran and its regional proxies. National security forces are finalizing operational designs to transition the entire military apparatus immediately to an active state of war. This strategic framework is designed to bypass bureaucratic delays, ensuring that the air force can respond to hostile threats without losing vital operational time.

Current intelligence assessments indicate that the leadership in Tehran is highly hesitant to initiate a direct war against the Israeli home front. This strategic reluctance stems primarily from the clear understanding that the Israeli Air Force possesses a fully prepared, highly destructive plan to neutralize national infrastructure across the Islamic Republic. Despite the absence of immediate, concrete indicators of a coordinated attack from Iran, Hezbollah, or the Houthi forces in Yemen, national commanders are keeping defense assets positioned for immediate deployment.

Senior defense authorities have outlined three highly specific, distinct scenarios that would trigger active, direct military intervention inside Iranian territory. The primary scenario involves an explicit, direct request from the United States asking its regional ally to join a series of intensive, coordinated airstrikes against high value assets. The secondary trigger depends heavily on intelligence services identifying definitive preparations by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to target the country, which would immediately necessitate a rapid preemptive strike to neutralize the threat. (Ed note: One can ask why Iran hasn't hit Israel during this current round. After screaming, "Death to Israel" for such a long time, and claiming the annihilation of the Jewish race, your darn right Israel wants a piece of Iran.) (Read More)

Israel to produce its own JDAM bombs en masse within two years, in bid for arms independence

Move is part of broader push to reduce Israel's reliance on foreign munitions, expand domestic weapons production • Germany deals lead to quadrupled Arrow production.

Israel should be able to produce its own JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) bombs en masse within two years, The Jerusalem Post has learned. The development serves to revolutionize Israel’s warfare capabilities. Under orders from then-defense minister Yoav Gallant, and with recommendations from the commission of former justice Jacob Turkel, Israel started producing more of its own bombs in late 2024. Israel has relied far more on the US for such weapons during crises for decades.

In May 2024, the Biden administration imposed a partial arms freeze on certain bombs to Israel over differences related to the IDF’s invasion of Rafah. Initially, the idea was for Israel to become more independent in producing “dumb” bombs. But that was only the beginning of the process of making Israel more independent in weapons production, particularly regarding munitions. This process accelerated and expanded significantly in 2025-2026, eventually focusing on producing JDAMs and smarter bombs.

Israel already produces its own kits that convert “dumb bombs” into precision weapons, but it is not anywhere close to the necessary volume that it needs to be considered independent. The JDAM is a guidance kit that converts unguided, or “dumb,” bombs into precision-guided munitions (PGMs) that can be used in all weather conditions, including those that would render dumb bombs ineffective. On January 7, 2025, the Defense Ministry signed two major agreements with Elbit Systems, totaling about NIS 1 billion, as part of a strategic effort to strengthen the IDF’s self-sufficiency and operational readiness both in munitions and in raw materials.

In November, the Defense Ministry said more than 120,000 tons of military equipment, munitions, weapons systems, and protective gear had been transferred to Israel via 1,000 aircraft and about 150 maritime vessels, mostly from the US. Amir Baram, who had served as the IDF’s deputy chief of staff, became director-general of the Defense Ministry in March 2025. Over the past two years, he said, the ministry “has led a tremendous effort to ensure the supply of weapons, equipment, technology, and everything required to enable the IDF to fight and prevail. The 1,000th aircraft that landed today represents another crucial link in the strategic supply chain for the State of Israel.” (Ed note: Did you know that the Biden administration also refused to release an order of munitions to Israel that they had already paid for? Israel must free herself from the US Presidents that don't like Israel, know their Bible, or Bible prophecy.)  (Read More)

Arab leaders tell Trump that Netanyahu is an 'obstacle' to the president's Mideast plans - report

Several Arab leaders have privately urged US President Donald Trump to reconsider his support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli public broadcaster KAN News reported on Wednesday. According to the report, the leaders described Netanyahu and his government as “an obstacle to realizing his vision in the region.” Additionally, Arab diplomats familiar with the discussions said regional governments increasingly view Netanyahu as an impediment to Trump’s diplomatic ambitions in the Middle East, left-leaning Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

Sources told Haaretz that several Arab leaders believe that Trump "is beginning to see Netanyahu as an obstacle to realizing his vision in the region and to advancing regional arrangements." They also reportedly told the president that they lack confidence in both Netanyahu’s leadership and the current Israeli government. The reports come as Israel prepares for elections in late October, with governments across the region closely watching how the political race develops.

KAN reported that Arab officials are seeking to shape Trump’s assessment of Israel’s leadership as he considers the future of his regional policies. The president has continued to highlight his longstanding relationship with Netanyahu, even as he has publicly criticized the prime minister. Trump has suggested that he has not yet decided how to approach the Israeli election and is examining the broader field of candidates.

Last month, he said that he was “very likely” to support Netanyahu. However, he followed his purported comment of support by saying that he would "need to see who is running." "I have a good relationship with Bibi, but he needs to be more rational," he said. (Ed note: Well, Dah! Of course the Arab hate both Netanyahu and Israel, and want both gone. After all, the IDF (Israel) is taking on all comers and defeating them. The Arabs don't like Israel defending herself. "Advancing regional arrangements" means President Trump is looking for the Arab petrodollar, and if he wants it bad enough, he will get rid of BiBi. If Trump takes down Netanyahu, will God then take down the USA?)  (Source)

Iran tells Houthis to close Red Sea oil route if US hits power network, sources say

Source close to the Yemeni group says it is ready to launch missile and drone attacks on shipping near Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a move that would exacerbate the global energy crisis.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) — Iran has asked Yemen’s Houthi rebels to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure, three sources told Reuters on Thursday, posing a potent new threat to global energy supplies. The idea has been discussed within the Islamic Republic’s leadership, and the message has been conveyed to Iran’s Houthi allies, two senior Iranian sources and a regional source familiar with the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The sources said the Houthis had been informed recently of Tehran’s request, which has not been previously reported.

They did not give further details on how it had been conveyed or whether it was after US President Donald Trump’s threat to attack Iranian power infrastructure on Tuesday. Iran’s foreign ministry and a spokesperson for the Houthis were not immediately available to respond to Reuters’ request. A source close to the Houthis said the group had completed preparations to attack shipping by deploying missiles and drones near Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea, in Yemen’s highlands overlooking Hodeidah and the Gulf of Aden and was awaiting the order to begin.

Any threat to the Red Sea and its Bab el-Mandeb gateway risks hugely exacerbating the global energy crisis triggered by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and underscores the explosive risks stemming from a new round of warfare. With the Strait of Hormuz already shut, any Houthi attacks on vessels or ports in the Red Sea would leave the Middle East’s two main oil export routes disrupted simultaneously, opening a new front in both the energy crisis and Iran’s wider conflict with the United States. (Read More)

Live Updates: Iranian attack damages power generation, water plant in Kuwait, as conflict enters sixth day

US forces keeping Strait of Hormuz ‘free and open,’ CENTCOM says • Herzog: Renewed Iranian attacks are 'unsurprising' • US House Republicans push forward on Trump funding plan for Iran war. 

 
Kuwait says Iranian attack damages power generation, water desalination station

One of Kuwait's power generation and water desalination stations was hit in an Iranian attack, causing damage to facilities, a fire, and the disruption of a large number of electricity generation units, Kuwait's Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said on Friday. 

 
CENTCOM 'holding Iran accountable,' completes sixth night of strikes against military targets

CENTCOM added that over 50,000 US service members stationed in the Middle East remain "vigilant, lethal, and ready."The latest wave of American strikes against Iran has been completed, US Central  

Command (CENTCOM) announced on X/Twitter on Thursday night. 

"US forces, including fighter jets, aerial drones, and warships, launched precision munitions that hit dozens of Iranian military targets such as coastal surveillance and air defense sites, military logistics infrastructure, and maritime capabilities," CENTCOM said. "This was the sixth consecutive night of US strikes against Iran." (Read more)

LIVE: Iran says US airstrikes hit key bridges, airport in southern provinces (BUSHEHR)

NOTE: THESE ARE LIVE UPDATES FROM IRAN INTERNATIONAL WEBSITE, 

as of 3:30pm Pacific Time on Thursday 7-16-26.

7 minutes ago
US strikes hit Lorestan, Bushehr targeted again-IRNA

US attacks struck an area in Veysian district of Iran’s western Lorestan province on Thursday, while the southern city of Bushehr was targeted for the second time in several hours, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported.

47 minutes ago
Iraqi militias offer $10 million bounty for Trump’s killing

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced Thursday night that it was offering a $10 million reward for the killing of US President Donald Trump, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency and Russia’s state-run RT, formerly Russia Today, reported. The group said the reward followed what it described as Trump’s “audacious and offensive statements” against commanders killed while fighting ISIS. Conservative activist Laura Loomer said Russian state media was “promoting the Iraqi Islamic Resistance’s $10 million bounty for the assassination of President Trump,” adding: “Every day, Russia proves more and more why they aren’t an ally.”

1 hour ago
Multiple explosions heard in Hamidieh in southwestern Iran - state media

Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency is reporting multiple explosions near the city of Hamidieh in Khuzestan province, southwestern Iran. (Ed note: Hamidiyeh is a city located in Khuzestan Province, Iran. Geographically and historically, it sits directly in the heart of the territory that formed the lowlands of Ancient Elam.) (Read More)

US completes seven-hour strike wave in Iran, dozens of targets hit

CENTCOM completes a seven-hour wave of strikes on Iranian military sites while resuming its naval blockade.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced early Wednesday morning that it had completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, hitting dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian coastal areas. "US fighter aircraft, drones, and naval vessels launched precision munitions against Iranian missile and drone sites, naval capabilities, and coastal defense systems during the seven-hour wave to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews," said CENTCOM.

It noted that the strikes took place the same day US forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to or from Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade went into effect at 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday. "US forces remain vigilant, lethal, and prepared to execut operations directed by the Commander in Chief," the CENTCOM statement concluded. Earlier, CENTCOM confirmed that its forces have begun launching an additional round of strikes against Iran to continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

At 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (11:00 p.m. Israel time), CENTCOM officially announced that "US forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas." It added, "There are currently more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft operating across the Middle East. American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready."

Iranian state media reported strikes on Qeshm Island, as well as sounds of explosions in Ahvaz and Bandar Abbas. At the same time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it destroyed multiple warehouses containing weapons, vessel parts, and aircraft components at the Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain and struck the MQ9 drone deployment ramp at the Ali Al-Salem base in Kuwait, destroying or damaging several US drones. (Read more)

US expands strikes into Tehran area as Iran threatens to ‘resist until the end’

American attacks reported across northern provinces, US fires on Iranian tanker headed for Kharg island; Iran responds with missile and drone fire on Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait.

The United States intensified its strikes targeting Iran early Thursday, hitting targets further north and into the Tehran area, as the Islamic Republic expanded its attacks on US allies in the region and vowed to “resist until the end.” Days of back-and-forth strikes by the US and Iran across the Middle East — and renewed threats to the Strait of Hormuz — have shredded the interim deal to end the Iran war and could tip the region back into all-out war. Iranian officials say US strikes have killed more than 35 people and wounded over 300. US strikes reached into areas around Iran’s capital, Tehran, for the first time in the latest round of violence, showing a widening set of targets for the Americans.

Iranian state media also reported American attacks in the northern Semnan province, home to Iran’s ballistic missile production and space program. Other strikes were reported in the provinces of Hamedan, Hormozgan, Khuzestan, Lorestan, Markazi, and Sistan and Baluchistan. “US forces struck Iranian command centers, air defense sites, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal surveillance facilities,” the US military said in a statement, adding it also hit targets in Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s largest port and to key navy and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities on the Strait of Hormuz.

In the Persian Gulf, the US military began to enforce Trump’s newly reinstated naval blockade of Iranian ports, and said it opened fire on the Curacao-flagged oil tanker Belma sailing toward Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal. After the ship “ignored multiple warnings,” a US aircraft disabled the merchant vessel by firing a missile into the ship’s smokestack.

Another American strike Wednesday targeted a barracks for Iran’s 388th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, which operates tanks and armored vehicles, in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iranian state television reported. The report said Americans fired at least 13 missiles in the attack and the seven dead included conscripts and career soldiers. A number of troops were wounded. (Read More)

Report: Trump weighing ground force deployments in Iran

President Trump is weighing escalatory military options against Iran - including strikes on a deep nuclear facility and island seizures - as diplomacy stalls, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Following high-level briefings with top national security advisors, US President Donald Trump is giving serious consideration to significantly expanding American military operations targeting Iran, according to US officials cited on Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal. The strategic alternatives placed before the president include intensifying campaign airstrikes, launching ground operations to capture key Persian Gulf islands near the Strait of Hormuz, or bombing a deeply buried, fortified subterranean tunnel network known as Pickaxe Mountain that could support covert nuclear developments.

Trump reviewed these military possibilities during a Situation Room briefing on Tuesday evening, where discussions centered on sending American forces to occupy strategic territory along the strait, such as Kharg Island, alongside options to target Pickaxe Mountain and hit broader Iranian energy infrastructure, according to the WSJ report. The session capped days of consultations involving senior leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.

While Trump maintains publicly and privately that he prefers a diplomatic resolution, negotiations remain stuck. Tehran has resisted demands to surrender its enriched nuclear stockpiles despite months of direct strikes and a brief interim agreement that briefly permitted restricted oil exports. The impasse has prompted Trump to seek harsher options designed to compel capitulation or end Houthi and Iranian aggression against international maritime traffic.

A decision to greenlight ground operations or target Pickaxe Mountain would mark the most hazardous escalation of the nearly five-month conflict, carrying risks of increased gas prices and political complications ahead of the midterms. However, administration sources note that Trump remains hesitant to put troops on the ground and has repeatedly walked back past declarations regarding full-scale territorial seizures. The military options come on the heels of a fifth consecutive day of US military strikes against Iran, triggered when a temporary ceasefire collapsed after Iranian forces launched attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Washington to reimpose its naval blockade. (Read more)

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Dr. Bill Salus says: If the events in this article happen, it could lead toward the fulfillment of the prophecy below. Trump Is angry with Tehran, but the LORD is fiercely angry with Iran, which trumps even Trump”s anger!

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will destroy the archers (missile launchers) of Elam (southwest Iran)—the best of their (IRGC) forces. I will bring enemies (likely ground forces) from all directions, and I will scatter the people of Elam to the four winds. They will be exiled to countries around the world. I myself will go with Elam’s enemies (possibly a USA led coalition) to shatter it. In my fierce anger, I will bring great disaster upon the people of Elam,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 49:35-37, NLT; emphasis added)

Watch related video on the Elam prophecy below. 

Why lessons learned on October 7 prevent Israeli withdrawal from Syria - analysis

When Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa swept into power and ousted Bashar Assad in December 2024, Israel quickly implemented policies born of the lessons learned from October 7. The first was to act before threats metastasize rather than after. The second was never again to let those who want to murder you encamp right on the border. As a result, the IDF rapidly entered Syria, destroyed planes, helicopters, naval vessels, missiles, chemical weapons depots, air bases, and ports belonging to the Assad regime before they could fall into the hands of jihadist groups.

It also carved out a buffer zone inside southern Syria designed to keep forces hostile to Israel from establishing themselves within easy striking distance of communities on the Golan Heights. Again, the trauma of October 7 looms large. This buffer zone, together with the ones Israel has created inside Gaza and southern Lebanon, is now increasingly viewed in Washington as a problem that needs to be solved.

US President Donald Trump gave voice to that sentiment during a phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, first reported by Axios, in which he reportedly urged Israel to begin withdrawing from southern Syria. “They don’t want you there. You should redeploy,” Trump reportedly told Netanyahu. Again, he sees Israel’s presence in Syria as a problem. Israel sees it as a solution.

With the exception of a handful of far-right activists who dream of establishing settlements across the border, Israel has no territorial ambitions in southern Syria. The one exception is Mount Hermon, whose strategic importance is so overwhelming that Israeli leaders have made clear they have little intention of relinquishing it. The same is not necessarily true regarding the rest of the buffer zone. The question has never really been whether Israel will eventually leave, but under what conditions. (Ed note: What al-Sharaa really wants is for Israel to leave the buffer zone, give back the Golan Heights, and for Israel to return to the 1967 border lines. All demands are impossible for Israel, and President Trump should know better. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.)   (Read More)

Report: Erdogan offers Trump a regional deal that could complicate matters for Israel

A Lebanese report reveals a joint Turkish-Qatari initiative presented to the president, linking Middle East stability to a rapid Israeli pullback from Syria and Lebanon.

The Al-Akhbar (Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese daily) newspaper reported Wednesday morning on a Turkish-Qatari proposal presented by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to US President Donald Trump during their recent meeting in Ankara. According to sources, Erdogan – who is aware of Israeli pressure on the Trump administration regarding the war on Iran and other regional issues – proposed that the US support a broad economic project involving several countries in the region, with an emphasis on Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. The report added that Erdogan had previously discussed the outlines of this project with the US special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack. According to the report, the project is designed "to provide stable and secure foundations in the region, in a way that will enable the launch of major economic enterprises."


The sources noted that Erdogan complained to Trump about the Israeli "occupation" in Syria and Lebanon, alongside Israel's ongoing attacks in regional countries and threats toward other nations. He charged that this is "the main cause of instability that harms any process aimed at reining in Iran's allies." Additionally, Erdogan explained to Trump the importance of a rapid Israeli withdrawal from territories in Lebanon and Syria, as a precursor to future security arrangements between Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, the report said.


According to the report, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa also raised the issue of withdrawals during his meeting with Trump, emphasizing that stability in Syria requires the restoration of sovereignty over all its territory. He was quoted as saying, "Israel is preventing a solution in southern Syria, refused to include the word 'withdrawal' in the agreement, and halted negotiations when this issue arose. As long as it refuses to withdraw, why should we sign an agreement with it?" The ruling regime in Damascus is primarily demanding a return to the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement and an Israeli withdrawal from the territories captured after the collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024. (Source)

Foreign influence, including from Israel, does not dictate US's Iran policy, Vance tells Joe Rogan

US Vice President JD Vance downplayed Israel's alleged political influence on US policies in the Iran war while talking to Joe Rogan on the latter's podcast, broadcast on Wednesday. "There's a lot of talk about how much the Israeli government is influencing American politics. There are certainly certain people within the Israeli government who hate the deal. And we see exact evidence," Vance said.

He also referenced a story published on Tuesday in Timemagazine, which commented on how Trump's former election campaign manager, Brad Parscale, was linked with an Israeli government-funded campaign paying conservative influencers to push their audiences towards denouncing the ceasefire between the US and Iran.

"I definitely think you have seen this very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign to try to derail the negotiation and try to derail the deal," Vance told Rogan. The Time article is "worth reading because it lists a bunch of people who have quite literally been paid by a former Trump campaign person who was himself paid by certain elements within the Israeli government. And those people are attacking me viciously for quite literally trying to accomplish the negotiation objective that the president set for the country," he added. Rogan asked how these people are attacking Vance, to which the vice president said that "It's social media posts... leaking to reporters. They're attacking me obsessively, saying that we should not be negotiating with Iran. We should just keep the military campaign going indefinitely." (Read More)

JD Vance alleges secret Israeli campaign to derail Trump Iran deal

JD Vance alleges Israeli government elements funded a campaign attacking him over Iran talks, while also claiming Jeffrey Epstein had Israeli intelligence ties.

US Vice President JD Vance accused "certain elements within the Israeli government" of financing a campaign whose participants attacked him over the Trump administration's negotiations with Iran. Speaking during an interview on Joe Rogan's podcast, Vance claimed that a "very discreet, extremely well-funded campaign" had sought to derail negotiations and a ceasefire agreement.Vance cited a TIME report that examined a digital campaign run by Brad Parscale, a former Trump campaign manager, whose firm Clock Tower X was hired by global advertising agency Havas to conduct a campaign on behalf of the State of Israel.

According to Foreign Agents Registration Act filings reviewed by TIME, Israel agreed to pay Clock Tower X $1.5 million per month. The campaign was intended to produce online content aimed primarily at younger audiences and amplify messaging through social media and other digital channels. TIME reported that three people familiar with the operation described a network in which conservative influencers received suggested language through private group chats and were compensated according to the reach and engagement generated by their content.

Parscale denied that money from the Israel contract was used to pay influencers and rejected allegations that he had sought to undermine President Donald Trump's policies. Vance, however, described the report differently. "It lists a bunch of people who have quite literally been paid by a former Trump campaign person who was himself paid by certain elements within the Israeli government," Vance told Rogan. He alleged that those individuals were "attacking me viciously for quite literally trying to accomplish the negotiation objective that the president set for the country."

Asked by Rogan how he was being attacked, Vance pointed to social media posts and leaks to reporters. "They're attacking me obsessively, saying that we should not be negotiating with Iran. We should just keep the military campaign going indefinitely," he said. Vance said critics had accused him of being influenced by Qatar and other foreign governments and of taking "marching orders from Tucker Carlson." (Read More)

Netanyahu warns Iran: ‘Attack us, and we will hit you harder than last time’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a message to Iran’s leaders on Tuesday, warning that should they decide to attack Israel, the Jewish state’s response will be greater than the last round. “Don’t count on it to be quiet if you attack us. Don’t count on a rerun. It will be a different broadcast—far more powerful,” the prime minister said while addressing the Negev Conference in Dimona, a regional forum focused on the economic development of Israel’s south. “We are prepared for any scenario,” he said. “Gone are the days when someone hits us, and we don’t even strike them with a single blow.” Israel and Iran last exchanged strikes on June 7, when Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for an Israeli attack against its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel hit Iran’s Mahshahr petrochemical complex in return.

Since then, the Islamic Republic has so far refrained from hitting Israel, even as U.S. and Iranian forces intensify their exchange of volleys. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps instead attacked Bahrain, Jordan and three tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz in response to the latest U.S. strikes. Two of the vessels, the Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, which were linked to the United Arab Emirates, briefly caught fire, the Associated Press reported. The Emirati Defense Ministry said the attacks killed one mariner and wounded eight others. Bahrain’s Defense Force said its air defenses intercepted “a number of treacherous Iranian aerial attacks,” adding that “the deliberate use of missiles and drones to target civilians and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.”

A Jordanian military source told the state-run Petra News Agency that the army “successfully intercepted and shot down four missiles that breached Jordanian airspace from Iranian territory early Tuesday.” U.S. President Donald Trump ordered more strikes against Iranian regime targets on Monday in response to the Islamic Republic’s attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Also on Monday, Trump told Fox News that the United States will be “taking over” the Strait of Hormuz. In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump declared the Strait open and that, from “this point forward,” the United States will be known as “the guardian of the Hormuz Strait.” (Ed note: President Trump sees this war with Iran as political and can be resolved by his deal making. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees this war as the survival of his nation. Remember that the peoples of the Middle East can afford to fight and lose all week long, the Jewish nation can't afford to lose once.) (Read More)

Trump’s Strategy Is a War Without Victory

Threatening Tehran with further attacks unless it returns to negotiations makes little sense when the president himself says the regime cannot be trusted—and when the Iranian people cannot overthrow it without meaningful outside support. There is something deeply strange about President Donald Trump’s insistence that Iran must return to the negotiating table, or face additional American strikes.

After all, Trump himself has repeatedly described the Iranian leadership as dishonest, fanatical and incapable of honoring its commitments. The recent memorandum and ceasefire have already broken down, while Tehran has again rejected negotiations under military pressure. Yet the administration’s answer is apparently to bomb Iran until the same regime agrees to sign another document.

What, precisely, would such an agreement accomplish? Treaty is valuable only when the parties signing it believe they are bound by it, or when an enforcement mechanism makes violating it prohibitively expensive. According to Trump’s own assessment, Iran’s rulers are not reliable negotiating partners. If that is true, returning to negotiations cannot itself be the strategic objective. At most, negotiations should formalize a reality that has already been created by overwhelming American power. Instead, Washington appears to be using military force not to produce a decisive outcome, but to bring Iran back into an endless diplomatic process. That is not a strategy. It is a cycle. (Ed note: Whatever the conclusion is to Iran, prophecy tells us that after this time, Persia will make a second appearance in Ezekiel 38:5.) (Read More)

U.S. Bombs Iran’s Bushehr, Home to Its Only Known Nuclear Power Plant (BUSHEHR)

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the arm of the Pentagon responsible for the Middle East, confirmed on Monday that its forces had conducted military strikes on a variety of targets throughout Iran, including the city of Bushehr, the home of the country’s only known functioning civilian power plant.

The strikes are part of a renewed campaign against the Iranian terrorist regime that began in response to Iran resuming violent attacks on seemingly random commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz in the first week of July, coinciding with a week-long mourning period in which the country held funerals for late dictator Ali Khamenei. President Donald Trump announced on February 28 that the former “supreme leader” was eliminated in the first American airstrikes as part of Operation Epic Fury, a campaign to erode Iran’s ability to pose a threat to its neighbors.

Operation Epic Fury was paused by a ceasefire in April, then allegedly fully concluded following the signing of a “memorandum of understanding” between Washington and Tehran in late June. As part of the memorandum, Iran committed to not interfering in free commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, a commitment it broke by resuming strikes on ships in early July. President Trump has since stated that the ceasefire with Iran is “over” but he is still willing to engage in negotiations with the country’s remaining leadership. “The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote last week on his websites, Truth Social. (Read More)

Trump says US will strike Iranian power plants, bridges next week if no deal reached

US President Donald Trump said that the United States will target Iranian power plants and bridges next week, during an interview with Fox News's Trey Yingst on Wednesday. "We're going to hit them very hard tonight. We're going to hit them very hard tomorrow night. We're going to hit them very hard the night after," said Trump. "Will save energy targets for last. Next week it gets really bad for them." "We're gonna knock out all their power plants," he said. "We're gonna knock out all their bridges, unless they get to the table and negotiate."

Trump added that Iran has "no choice" but to agree to a deal, noting that US and Iranian representatives held talks on Tuesday. “I said, you better make a deal," noted Trump. "You're not going to have anything left.” President Trump also alluded to the effect of recent US Central Command (CENTCOM) strikes on the Islamic regime along the Strait of Hormuz.

"We're beating them up really badly," Trump said. "They have to be beaten up." "We're hitting them very, very hard," he added. We're hitting every single thing they have along the [Hormuz] shore." Trump noted the success of the renewed US military operations in the region, saying that it is "hard to find" targets left to strike. (Read More)

Trump Vows Iran Strikes Will Continue as Tehran Claims Attack on US Positions in Jordan

US forces launch a five-hour wave of strikes across southern Iran, while Kuwait intercepts suspected Iranian aerial targets and Tehran warns that oil exports will remain under threat. The military confrontation between the United States and Iran intensified overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, as President Donald Trump declared that American attacks would continue and Iranian forces claimed to have targeted US positions in Jordan.

US Central Command launched a new wave of strikes against Iranian military infrastructure at approximately 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, according to reports. The operation was aimed at further weakening Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes came as American forces prepared to renew a maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports and coastal areas. The blockade was reportedly scheduled to take effect at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. CENTCOM later said the American attack lasted approximately five hours. Iranian locations reportedly targeted included Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa and Bandar Abbas. “These strikes will continue to inflict heavy losses on Iranian forces and degrade their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” the US military said as the operation began.

Trump: “The strikes will continue”

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said Iranian energy sites were being reserved for a later stage of the campaign. “The strikes will continue until I say it is enough,” Trump said, adding that Iran still had “a little fight left,” but “not much.” The president also said American representatives had communicated with Iranian officials during the previous 24 hours, despite the continuing military escalation. Trump had earlier warned that the United States would strike Iran “very hard” during the night and again the following day.

Kuwait intercepts suspected Iranian targets

Kuwait’s military announced that it had intercepted suspected aerial targets sent from Iran after they entered Kuwaiti airspace. Kuwait’s state news agency also reported that firefighters had brought a blaze under control at a site targeted in what officials described as an Iranian attack. Six firefighting teams responded with support from the Kuwaiti military and National Guard. No casualties were reported, and officials said the damage was limited to property. Reports also emerged of Iranian missiles equipped with separating or multiple warheads being launched toward Bahrain. Footage circulating on Arab social media appeared to show such a projectile over Bahraini airspace, although the precise nature of the weapon could not be independently verified. Air-raid sirens were activated in Bahrain during the Iranian attacks. (Read more)

Government says $431 million allocated last month for 34 new West Bank settlements

The government announced Tuesday that NIS 1.3 billion ($431 million) was allocated by the security cabinet last month to fund the establishment of dozens of new West Bank settlements approved by Israel over the last three and a half years. The cabinet decision was formulated by the Prime Minister’s Office, and will be implemented by the Settlements Ministry and the Housing and Construction Ministry. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Settlements Minister Orit Strock announced the details in a joint press conference, stating that the funds would be used to establish “pioneer neighborhoods” at the sites of newly approved settlements, which will include prefabricated homes, roads and infrastructure.

Smotrich, who has long opposed Palestinian statehood, is the head of the Religious Zionism party that draws much of its support from settlements. He is also in charge of the Defense Ministry Settlement Administration, which oversees settlement activities in the West Bank. Declaring the cabinet’s decision historic and a “day of celebration for Israel and settlements,” Smotrich thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his support.

“We are strengthening the security of the State of Israel, killing the idea of establishing a terrorist state in the heart of the country, and strengthening our hold on the homeland in Judea and Samaria,” Smotrich said in a statement, using the biblical term for the West Bank. “There has never been a Zionist-settlement decision of this size in the whole history of Zionism since it was founded,” Strock said. United Nations bodies, Palestinians and most countries view the settlements as illegal under international conventions — a stance rejected by Israel — and as a primary obstacle to peace. Palestinians want the West Bank and East Jerusalem as territory for their own future state.

The government has, during its tenure, approved 103 new West Bank settlements, an unprecedented number in the history of the settlement movement. The expedited establishment of 34 new settlements will run in parallel to the usual settlement development process, Smotrich said, and appears designed to establish facts on the ground before any potential new government can reverse or stall the establishment of these settlements. (Read More)