Netanyahu: 'If Iran attacks again, we'll respond with force'

After the announcement that Israel and Iran will not continue their mutual attacks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issues a statement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation this evening (Monday), following the announcement that Israel and Iran will not continue their mutual attacks, which began with Iran's launching of waves of ballistic missiles at northern Israel last night, and declared that Israel would not tolerate any further attacks by Iran.

"In the last 24 hours, Iran and Hezbollah have tried to impose a new equation on us, one that is intolerable and unacceptable in my opinion. That they will fire from Lebanese territory at Israel - and we will not act. That will not happen, not on my watch," Netanyahu declared.

According to the Prime Minister, “At the moment, the fire on the Iranian front has been contained, because after we struck the terrorist regime in Tehran, it stopped attacking us. If it returns to attacking us - we will respond with force." "Iran and Hezbollah are weaker than ever and we are stronger - but the struggle is not over," he added. According to him, "Our soldiers are destroying Hezbollah. We continue to destroy all of their infrastructure in the security zone, including in the Beaufort Ridge." (Source)

Netanyahu says he won't allow for Iran, Hezbollah to establish 'new security paradigm for Israel'

"Israel has the full right to defend itself, and it will use that right as much as needed," the prime minister said

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a pre-recorded press statement on Monday evening, in which he stated that he would not allow Israel’s enemies to dictate the state’s security paradigm. “Israel has the full right to defend itself, and it will use that right as much as needed,” the prime minister said, adding: “I say this to you as I say it with respect and appreciation to my friend President [Donald] Trump.” Netanyahu also indicated that he was in contact with the US president. 

“I told Trump: ‘Together, we will bring safety to the North.'" Israel will continue to attack the Beirut neighborhood of Dahiyeh if Hezbollah continues to attack Israel's northern region, Defense Minister Israel Katz said earlier on Monday afternoon. "We reject Iran's threats outright," Katz added. "Any attempt by Iran to use ties with Lebanon to attack Israelwill be met with great force."

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, on Monday, reportedly proposed to the Security Cabinet that Israel strike 20 to 30 buildings in Beirut's Dahiyeh for every Iranian missile launched towards Israel.Dahiyeh is a suburb south of Beirut where Hezbollah has a strong presence. The IDF struck Dahiyeh on Sunday, which Iran used as a trigger to begin launching waves of missiles toward Israel on Sunday evening.

The apparent logic behind Smotrich’s plan is that striking Beirut in this manner would affect Iran’s calculations with regard to the Islamic regime’s connection to Lebanon. Additionally, destroying 1,000 to 2,000 buildings in Dahiyeh would strengthen security and create a deterrent for years to come within Lebanon. (Ed note: These guys are just sick of Hezbollah, can you blame them?) (Read More)

Iran parliament speaker: Tehran unfazed by potential collapse of US negotiations

Iran's parliament speaker says Tehran is not afraid of US talks failing, blending force with diplomacy.

The speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, asserted on Monday that Tehran is completely undeterred by the potential breakdown of diplomatic discussions with the United States. Ghalibaf explained that Tehran views defense maneuvers and statecraft as interconnected tools rather than mutually exclusive choices. “Neither diplomacy prevents military operations, nor do military operations prevent diplomacy," he said. “At one point, with the threat of an attack and cutting off negotiations, you prevent Israel’s attack on Beirut. At another point, with an attack, you show that you are not afraid of negotiations being cut off and that you are fully prepared."

The legislative leader rejected the idea that the Islamic Republic must choose between armed conflict and diplomatic engagement, emphasizing that the regime intends to employ both tactically depending on the situation. “So it is not that we are supposed to either fight or negotiate," Ghalibaf added. “Rather, we are supposed to fight when it is time, and negotiate when it is time. This is how we can defeat the enemy. This is how, when we say negotiation is the continuation of struggle, it becomes real." 

He underscored that the regime enters talks from a position of strength, maintaining deep skepticism regarding American intentions. “The hands of our armed forces are always open for action," he said. “Our goal is to end the war and create lasting security, not fireworks in relations with America. We also have no trust in the other side." (Read More)

Defense Minister: 'Dahieh will suffer the same fate as northern Israel'

Minister Israel Katz rejects Iran’s condition for halting fire toward Israel and declares that the IDF will respond forcefully to any Hezbollah violation in southern Lebanon.

Defense Minister Israel Katz rejected the Iranian condition for stopping attacks against Israel and stated that the IDF will respond with a firm hand to any violation by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. “The fate of the Dahieh in Beirut is the same as the fate of the communities of the north. Any attack on northern communities will lead to an attack on the Dahieh. The IDF will continue operating in Lebanon against the Hezbollah terrorist organization. We completely reject Iran’s threats. Any Iranian attempt to link Lebanon and Iran and attack Israel will be met with great force, as happened yesterday," Katz said.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Command, the body coordinating between the Iranian army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, earlier announced the end of its military operation against Israel, but at the same time issued a new threat, stating that continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon could lead to another Iranian response. Shortly after the Iranian announcement, Israel struck targets in southern Lebanon. In response, Hezbollah fired missiles toward Kiryat Shmona and nearby communities, but the IDF reported that the three launches were intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory.

At the same time, a senior Israeli official said that at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel is currently halting its strikes in Iran. However, according to the official, military operations in southern Lebanon will continue in the coming days “at full force," and Israel will continue to act in Beirut’s Dahiyeh district if attacks against Israeli communities continue. (Source)

Fresh IDF strikes reported in Tyre after evacuation warnings

Lebanese media reports Israeli airstrikes in the coastal city of Tyre a short while ago.

“Enemy warplanes launched a violent raid on Tyre,” Lebanon’s National News Agency says.

Earlier, the IDF issued an evacuation warning for the entire city and its outskirts, including a Christian neighborhood that until now had not faced such orders.  (Ed note: This attack was in the historic Christian district where Hezbollah likes to hide amongst the Christians.)  (Source)

Foreign fighters pose integration challenge for Damascus - analysis

DAMASCUS - A statement by foreign fighters of Uzbek origin in Syria criticizing the country’s new government has reopened one of the most difficult security questions facing Damascus after the fall of Bashar Assad: what to do with thousands of non-Syrian combatants who fought in the country’s war and now face a dramatically changed political and military landscape.

The statement, attributed to a group of Uzbek fighters, warned of possible consequences from current policies toward foreign fighters and accused Syria’s new leadership of exerting pressure on some of them. It underscored the challenge facing Damascus as it seeks to consolidate authority over the security and military sectors while managing armed groups that settled in the country during more than a decade of war.

Their future is closely tied to the Syrian state’s ability to restore sovereignty, dismantle independent armed networks, and prevent renewed instability. Since 2012, thousands of foreign fighters have entered Syria from dozens of countries, particularly from Central Asia, the Caucasus, China, Afghanistan, North Africa, and Europe. The Syrian conflict attracted foreign recruits motivated by religious and ideological causes, many of whom joined armed factions and jihadist organizations.

Over the years, several foreign groups emerged as influential battlefield actors. Among the most prominent were the Turkistan Islamic Party, composed largely of ethnic Uyghur fighters from China, and the Imam Bukhari Battalion, which includes Uzbek fighters. Other Chechen and Caucasian groups also played significant roles, alongside foreign fighters previously affiliated with the Islamic State group or other jihadist organizations. (Ed note: While this analysis is somewhat long, it is very informative, and worth the read. Always keep one eye on the state of Syria.) (Read More)

Turkey’s interior minister vows to ‘liberate’ Jerusalem, return it to Turkish hands

Turkey’s interior minister on Saturday said that his country will one day bring about the “liberation” of Jerusalem, vowing to restore Turkish control to the city that the Ottoman Empire ruled for hundreds of years. The comments drew sharp rebuke from Israel, with the Foreign Ministry saying that the “Ottoman Empire is gone” and that Jerusalem “shall remain the eternal capital of Israel.” “Just as we witnessed the liberation of Damascus, Aleppo, and Karabakh, God willing, one day we will also witness the liberation of Jerusalem,” Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said in a speech at a ruling AKP Party conference in the city of Çorum.

Çiftçi was referring to the December 2024 fall of the Assad regime in Syria at the hands of Turkish-backed rebel militants, and the 2023 Azerbaijani capture and expulsion of Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnically Armenian breakaway state that controlled much of western Azerbaijan for decades. In his speech, Çiftçi recalled how he used to pray for God to grant him “governorship of Jerusalem, even if just for a single day.” “I still believe that the Almighty will show us those days,” he said.

“Just as in the past, those lands will be ours once again,” he vowed, saying: “God willing, they will come under our sovereignty and dominion once more.”“Because we have a global leader like [Turkish President] Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at our helm,” he said. “A world leader.” After Çiftçi posted a clip of his speech on his X account, Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a sharp rebuke, telling the senior minister to “wake up and smell the coffee.” “The corrupt Ottoman Empire is gone. Forever,” the ministry said on X, adding that Jerusalem “shall remain the eternal capital of Israel. Forever.” (Ed note: There it is, old Gomer (Turkey) is telling us that they want their Ottoman Empire back. Bet it doesn't happen. And now you know why Gomer will make an appearance in Ezekiel 38/39.) (Read More)

Trump told Netanyahu not to escalate with Iran or else 'you could be left alone very soon' - report

US President Donald Trump told Israel's Channel 12 that he warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against escalating the exchange of fire with Iran into a full-scale war, according to a Monday evening report. "I told Bibi, you'd better be careful what you do, because you could be left alone against Iran very soon," Trump said. On Sunday, Trump asked Netanyahu to avoid striking Iran in retaliation for the recent Iranian missile attack on Israel. That conversation ended without a clear agreement, and Netanyahu did not tell Trump his final decision on the matter, according to a Monday report by Channel 12. 

Later, Netanyahu consulted with defense establishment heads and then informed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that he had decided to attack Iran. Trump told Channel 12 that "the Israelis gave us an update at a very late stage. They were already on their way to Iran." "I was able to reduce the scale of the attack," the US president said. 

Trump also told Channel 12 that five countries from the region, which are also involved in mediation efforts between the US and Iran, asked him to pressure Netanyahu to stop the attacks and move forward with a peace agreement. "This morning the Iranians approached us and said they would no longer carry out an attack on Israel," Trump said to Channel 12. "They asked us to tell Israel to stop attacking. I called Bibi and made him stop." (Read More)

Lebanese PM says Israel has bombed Lebanon nearly 3,500 times during ceasefire

Israel has carried out nearly 3,500 air strikes on Lebanon and hundreds of controlled explosions since the US announced a ceasefire for the country on April 16, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam says. The US-brokered ceasefire came into effect just after midnight on April 17, with Israeli troops still positioned deep inside southern Lebanon. While it has largely halted air strikes on Beirut and its suburbs, it failed to halt fighting in southern Lebanon between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

In comments published by his office on X after a cabinet meeting, Salam says that from April 17 to June 7, Israel carried out 3,491 air strikes, 407 controlled demolitions and six “razing” operations, or demolitions — which have left some entire villages in the southernmost strip of Lebanon entirely flattened.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel says it is acting against the ongoing threat posed by Hezbollah in south Lebanon, and argues that the terms of the ceasefire allow it to do so. Salam says Lebanon is striving to uphold the ceasefire but that the latest escalation between Iran and Israel has caused additional waves of displacement, straining Lebanon’s ability to accommodate fleeing families. (Ed note: What is Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam crying about? Why hasn't he asked why doesn't Hezbollah first stop firing missiles and drones into Israel" Why is it OK for everyone else to hit Israel, but if Israel defends itself and hits back, THAT'S TERRIBLE!)   (Source)

Trump Ordered Netanyahu to Stand Down After Iran Strikes - But Was It Just for Show?

US President demands Israel freeze retaliation after Iranian missile barrage • Trump declares 'I set the rules' in blunt warning to PM | The power play behind closed doors (World News).

US President Donald Trump delivered an explicit ultimatum to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following Iran's overnight ballistic missile strikes on northern Israel, ordering the Israeli leader to freeze all plans for military retaliation against Tehran. The directive, conveyed during a hastily arranged phone call between the two leaders, marks one of the most direct American interventions in Israeli military decision-making in recent memory — raising urgent questions about the true nature of the US-Israel alliance and whether Netanyahu retains genuine operational independence. 

Trump made his position unmistakably clear in an interview with the Financial Times, declaring that Netanyahu would have no choice but to accept any deal Washington negotiates with Iran. "I set the rules. I decide everything. He does not decide," Trump stated, according to the report. The American President emphasized that the latest Iranian attacks would not alter his determination to finalize an agreement with Tehran, signaling that diplomatic engagement with the regime remains his paramount objective regardless of Iranian aggression.

The Iranian missile barrage, which broke a two-month ceasefire that had held since early April, came in direct response to Israeli airstrikes targeting military infrastructure across western and central Iran. The Israeli Air Force executed approximately 15 strikes in a coordinated wave, hitting air defense systems, drone warehouses, and a major petrochemical facility in Mahshahr. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for launching missiles at the Nevatim and Tel Nof air bases, warning they were "prepared for every scenario and for an expansion of the fighting on all fronts."

...Netanyahu faced a defining leadership test: whether to comply with Trump's freeze order and risk appearing subordinate to Washington, or to assert Israeli sovereignty and potentially fracture the alliance with Israel's most critical strategic partner. The Prime Minister's responded with a so-called restrained retaliation in the early hours of this morning.

...The move reveals the fundamental tension at the heart of the US-Israel relationship in the Trump era: a President who publicly champions Israel while simultaneously pursuing détente with its primary adversary. For Netanyahu, the question is no longer whether Trump supports Israel in principle, but whether that support extends to operational freedom when Israeli and American strategic priorities diverge. And no one, except Trump himself, knows the answer. (Read More)

IDF strikes petrochemical targets in Iran

The IAF on Monday morning struck several targets at the petrochemical complex in Mahshahr, in southwestern Iran, the IDF confirmed. "The Israeli Air Force, acting on precise IDF intelligence, struck several infrastructure sites at the petrochemical complex in Mahshahr, in southwestern Iran," a later statement read. "These facilities were used by the armed forces of the Iranian terror regime to produce and export raw materials for weapons production."

"The targeted infrastructure produced unique materials that serve as critical components for the development of ballistic missiles, which pose a threat to the State of Israel and its civilians. These are critical components of the production infrastructure supporting the Iranian terror regime’s missile program." Since Iran began striking Israel on Sunday night, Israel has responded with two waves of attacks, focused on strategic area of Iran.

The first wave focused on striking surface-to-air missile systems, which make up Iran’s air defense array, in several areas of Tehran, as well as in central and western Iran, in order to disrupt the Iranian regime’s ability to detect and intercept threats. The second wave of the operation targeted energy and industrial infrastructure in southwestern Iran. Israeli Air Force forces struck the petrochemical plant in the Ahvaz area. (Source)

IDF strikes Iranian strategic defense systems

Dozens of Israeli fighter jets strike strategic defense systems across Iran, expanding the IAF’s freedom of action in Iranian airspace.

Dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets, directed by the IDF Intelligence Directorate, on Monday morning completed a large-scale strike on strategic defense systems belonging to the Iranian terror regime. Recently, defense systems were deployed in numerous areas across Iran as part of the regime's efforts to restore its detection and defense capabilities, which were degraded during Operation Roaring Lion. The strike led to the dismantling of these systems.

During Operation Roaring Lion, the IDF severely degraded the defense capabilities of the Iranian terror regime. These strikes further enhance the Israeli Air Force’s freedom of action in Iranian airspace .Since Iran began striking Israel on Sunday night, Israel has responded with two waves of attacks, focused on strategic area of Iran.

The first wave focused on striking surface-to-air missile systems, which make up Iran’s air defense array, in several areas of Tehran, as well as in central and western Iran, in order to disrupt the Iranian regime’s ability to detect and intercept threats. The second wave of the operation targeted energy and industrial infrastructure in southwestern Iran. Israeli Air Force forces struck the petrochemical plant in the Ahvaz area. (Source)

After missile fire at Israel: IAF strikes regime targets in Iran

IDF strikes approximately 15 military targets in Iran, including a drone warehouse and an airport in Tehran. The IRGC says that Israel carried out the attack using ballistic missiles.

The Israeli Air Force struck military targets belonging to the Iranian terror regime in western and central Iran early Monday morning, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said. Iranian media outlets reported strikes in the capital Tehran, Isfahan, as well as in Karaj. According to the reports, Mehrabad International Airport was targeted in Tehran.

Explosions were also reportedly heard in several areas, including Tehran and Isfahan. Al Jazeera reported that a UAV storage facility was struck in Tehran. All in all, a total of 15 Israeli strikes were reported. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially announced that Israel carried out a strike on Iranian territory, claiming that ballistic missiles were used in the attack The strikes occurred several hours after Iran breached the ceasefire and launched several barrages consisting of ten missiles targeting areas in northern Israel, the Sharon region, and Samaria.

The IDF intercepted all of the launches, and the Home Front Command announced after about half an hour that residents could leave their bomb shelters. Following the barrages, sirens were activated in dozens of cities and towns. Magen David Adom (MDA) teams provided medical treatment to two individuals who were injured while rushing to safe rooms, including a woman who was moderately wounded. (Read More)

IDF says it struck military targets in western and central Iran following missile attacks

IDF says that the Israeli Air Force struck military targets in western and central Iran, hours after Iran fired a salvo of missiles at northern Israel.

Sounds of explosions were heard in Tehran, Tabriz and Isfahan, in Iran, according to local media.

US President Donald Trump had said earlier that he was planning to urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on any retaliation to the ballistic missile attacks. (Source)

WATCH: IDF strikes Hezbollah in Beirut's Dahiyeh after terror group ignores ceasefire

The Israel Air Force on Sunday afternoon attacked Hezbollah’s stronghold of Dahiyeh in Beirut, after the Lebanese terror group ignored the ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump on June 1. This attack – foreshadowed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz – was a low-grade strike on Beirut, an apparent attempt to walk the tightrope between increasing pressure on Hezbollah and avoiding antagonizing Iran too much over a more serious attack on its main proxy.

Despite Israel’s efforts to keep its attack on Beirut limited, some Islamic regime officials hinted at a threat to attack Israel later Sunday night in retaliation. An Israeli source told The Jerusalem Post that, according to the understandings underlying the joint Israel and US-Lebanon ceasefire agreement announced on June 4, following the June 1 freeze on attacking Beirut, a Hezbollah attack on Israeli civilian territory would entitle Israel to respond by striking the terror group in Dahiyeh.

A senior US official told Axios reporter Barak Ravid on Monday that Washington did not provide a "green light" for Sunday's IDF strikes on Beirut.c"We had no part in this,” added another senior US official. Washington was reportedly informed ahead of the strikes, according to Saudi outlet al-Hadath. The IDF dropped at least 10 one-ton bombs on one command center, which comprised multiple compounds. IDF sources suggested some mid-level Hezbollah operatives were struck, while other IDF statements seemed to hint that an empty command center might have been struck. (Read More)

Iran Just Attacked Northern Israel

Iran apparently wants to react to the IDF firing on Beirut, but not enough to re-start the war. Israel has said it will react massively. Iran just launched at least 4 missiles towards Northern Israel. Reports indicate they are launching more and that at least one of the mssiles achieved a direct hit. Air raid sirens are sounding in the North and interceptors have been launched.

School has been canceled throughout Israel tomorrow. In addiiton, the Home Front Command drastically changed the civilian safety guidelines for the entire country. Mayors in Northern Israel have ordered bomb shelters to be opened immediately. According to MDA, 2 people were injured while en route to sheltered areas. Aside from that, there have been no reports of injuries. Multiple U.S. aerial refueling tankers have started to scramble from Ben Gurion International Airport as Iranian ballistic missiles target Israel.

Meanhwile, Hezbollah has fired at Kiryat Shmona along with the Iranian attack.A discussion held at the Prime Minister's office assessed that Iran is not seeking an all-out escalation, but rather a limited response. Israeli officials were clear, however: there is no such thing as a "contained incident" - Israel will respond. An Iranian official declared, "The bombing in Lebanon has set the negotiating table on fire." The IRGC warned that "it will strike far more decisively if Israel expands its Lebanon offensive or responds to its fire."  (Ed note: What is going to happen? Do you think that Israel has had about enough of the Iranian missiles?)   (Read More)

Live Updates: IDF chief says ready to strike Iran when given ‘green light’ after Netanyahu, Trump speak

IDF Chief of the General Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said the IDF is prepared to respond "forcefully" to Iran's earlier missile attack on Israel, the military said on Monday.

"The IDF will strike the enemy with determination as soon as the order is given," said Zamir.  (Ed note: Many short articles talking about this new attack from Iran on Israel.)  (Source)

Netanyahu said to be speaking to Trump amid renewed Iranian strikes on Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently on the phone with US President Donald Trump, a US official tells Axios, after Trump told the news site that he would be calling Netanyahu to tell him not to retaliate to Iran’s missile attacks on northern Israel.

The Prime Minister’s Office does not immediately confirm that the call is taking place. (Ed note: This can get very serious in a hurry.)   (Source)

US downs two Iranian attack drones 'threatening int'l maritime traffic' in Strait of Hormuz

On Saturday, CENTCOM revealed that the US had intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and drones launched by Iran towards Kuwait, Bahrain, and the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones threatening international maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a post to X/Twitter early Sunday morning. "American forces remain postured and ready to continue defending against Iranian aggression," CENTCOM wrote. On Saturday, CENTCOM revealed that the US had intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and droneslaunched by Iran towards Kuwait, Bahrain, and the Strait of Hormuz.

Initial assessments indicated that six of the missiles were intercepted, and a seventh failed before hitting anything.Iran launched the missiles hours after American forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that were posing a threat to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

After shooting the drones down, the US struck Iranian military radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island. The strikes follow weeks of negotiations to reach a comprehensive deal between Washington and Tehran that would end the war and reopen the strait to international shipping. (Source)

Iran demands billions of dollars for agreement with USA

Mohsen Rezaei, the senior military adviser to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, told CNN that the release of frozen Iranian assets is a condition for an agreement with the United States.

Mohsen Rezaei, the senior military adviser to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, set out a series of demands on behalf of Iran to end the war with the United States and Israel in an interview with CNN. Among the main demands he presented are the release of frozen Iranian assets and the thawing of billions of dollars held by the United States. Rezaei said that the release of the assets would constitute a significant test for Tehran vis-à-vis the Trump administration. "The release of the funds by the Trump administration will be a new horizon for the future of Iran and the United States. If he wants to reach an agreement with Iran, these $24 billion are a test of trust that Iran wants with Trump."

"This is a test that America must pass. This is our money, not America's money." Rezaei also dismissed the possibility of a meeting between Khamenei and President Trump and said, "That will not happen; at the moment we are in the first stage of negotiations, and Mr. Trump has brought the talks to a standstill." Addressing the possibility of renewed fighting with the United States and Israel, Rezaei warned that Iran will not be content with confrontations only in the Persian Gulf, "We can add another dimension to the war by attacking the other American bases that we have struck so far," he said.

He additionally claimed that Iran is prepared for the possibility of an American invasion of its territory, "The world w does not yet understand Iran's true capabilities. Our land forces are several times greater than our missiles. The possibility of war is low." He also described the current war as Iran's first victory in the 47 years of the Islamic Republic's existence. Rezaei also addressed the issue of the Strait of Hormuz and said that "Iran and Oman have sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran will charge maintenance fees because it should not bear alone the costs of managing the strait." (Ed note: "This is a test that America must pass." says Mohsen Rezaei. That's interesting. The US has control of that money, why must it 'pass a test'? Remember, with Iran, "if their lips are moving, they are lying.") (Source)

Revenge in the Air: Revolutionary Guard Leaders Actively Plotting Strikes Against Regional Allies

Senior Israeli defense officials have revealed that Iran is attempting to manipulate international negotiations by playing cards it does not possess, exploiting American desires to avoid escalation. Internal intelligence indicates a massive power struggle is brewing in Tehran between moderate politicians and hardline military commanders seeking vengeance.

Top security officials within the defense establishment have stated that United States President Donald Trump is currently making significant efforts to prevent a renewed outbreak of direct warfare with Iran, despite the persistent delays and calculated negotiation games being played by the Iranian regime. Intelligence assessments indicate that the leadership in Tehran is acting under the assumption that the American administration is highly motivated to avoid a major military confrontation prior to and during upcoming global events like the World Cup, using this window to artificially improve their bargaining position.

American decision-making is also heavily influenced by domestic milestones, as the United States is preparing for its historic 250th independence celebrations on July 4, 2026. The White House places immense strategic and symbolic importance on this upcoming date, which has led Trump to temporarily hold back on expanding military operations. Consequently, the likelihood of a joint, immediate military strike against the Islamic Republic appears to be growing more distant as Washington focuses heavily on diplomatic channels and economic leverage instead.

Meanwhile, Israeli intelligence agencies are tracking extreme internal friction within the highest echelons of the Iranian regime, which is currently split by two competing factions. The supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly finding it difficult to make definitive state decisions, a situation exacerbated by severe physical injuries including facial wounds and an amputated leg. His political authority is facing constant challenges due to the heavy interference of senior ayatollahs and powerful commanders within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This internal rift has created a dangerous deadlock between government officials and military zealots. (Read More)

Reports: U.N. Nuclear Body Has No Idea Where Iran’s Enriched Uranium Is, Demands Access

A report drafted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the status of Iran’s nuclear program reportedly asserts that the U.N. agency has no way of verifying the status or location of the country’s illicit enriched uranium stockpile, multiple news outlets reported on Thursday. The IAEA has a global responsibility to inspect and approve the nuclear activities of countries that are parties to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), such as Iran. The Iranian terror regime has historically obstructed the IAEA’s ability to monitor its activities, however, particularly its high levels of uranium enrichment, which experts agree are not consistent with any known civilian use.

The U.N. agency, in the report, allegedly demanded that Tehran allow immediate access to its nuclear sites for its inspectors to assure that the material is safe and compliant with the NPT. The status of the enriched uranium stockpiles is of particular concern following American military activities in June 2025 targeting the enrichment facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, which may have destroyed the enrichment facilities. President Donald Trump announced the decision to conduct airstrikes on those sites after last year’s IAEA report on Iran’s status, which resulted in the agency passing a resolution condemning Iran for violating international law for the first time in two decades.

Reuters, the Associated Press, and the Agence France-Presse (AFP) all reported having seen a copy of the upcoming IAEA update on Iran on Thursday. Their reports widely coincided, sharing that the agency was demanding immediate access to Iranian nuclear sites and had no way of verifying if Iran was abiding by international law. The agency “cannot provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran or whether Iran has suspended all enrichment-related activities,” the report allegedly stated, citing a “loss of continuity of knowledge over all previously declared nuclear material ​at affected facilities in Iran.” (Read More)

Majority of Israelis say Trump should not determine the nature of IDF operations - poll

This poll comes against the backdrop of the "shouting call" between Trump and Netanyahu, a profanity-laced tirade against the Israeli prime minister, demanding that Israel halt IDF airstrikes.

A majority of Israelis (62%) think that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not allow US President Donald Trump to dictate the nature of Israel's military actions, a poll published by Maariv on Friday found. The breakdown shows that there is general agreement on the issue across the political aisle, with 66% of coalition voters and 62% opposition voters holding the view that Netanyahu should not agree to Trump's demands to halt planned IDF attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. Meanwhile, 25% think that Netanyahu has no choice but to concede to Trump's demands, while 13% say they do not know.

This poll comes against the backdrop of the "shouting call" between Trump and Netanyahu, where Trump unleashed a profanity-laced tirade against the Israeli prime minister, demanding that Israel halt planned IDF airstrikes on Beirut. This, as well as the controversy surrounding the vote for the state comptroller position, contributed to the coalition bloc weakening by two seats in this week's poll, dropping to 50 mandates collectively. The opposition bloc strengthened to 60 seats, while the Arab parties continue to maintain stability with 10 seats.

In the opposition bloc, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid's Together Party strengthened to 23 seats, and Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beytenu rose by one seat to 10. The Maariv poll further reveals that out of the 23 seats of the Together Party, 16 come from Bennett 2026 voters, 5 from Yesh Atid, and 2 from undecided/other. (Read More)

Hezbollah invasion attempt triggered Lebanon war

Hundreds of Hezbollah commandos from the elite Radwan Force crossed the Litani River in Southern Lebanon in an attempt to invade Israeli communities along the Lebanese border during the first week of “Operation Roaring Lion” in the beginning of March, it became known on Thursday. The intended invasion, identified by the Israeli intelligence community, was blocked by an Israel Defense Forces offensive. Israeli forces repelled the attack and eliminated the terrorists. Channel 14 correspondent Yaki Adamker reported that the raiding attempt was the reason that the war in Lebanon restarted.

Since the beginning of the war, IDF troops have taken control of a stretch of territory that runs along the border into Southern Lebanon. Israel Hayom on Friday cited military officials commenting on the incident. Referring to criticism leveled at the IDF Northern Command’s aggressive response to a barrage of rockets fired into Israel following the targeted killing on Feb. 28 of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a military official who spoke under conditions of anonymity said, “They apparently don’t understand what we saw during the first week of March.

“Hundreds of Radwan Force operatives crossed the Litani River. Why did they come? If there had been even a single raid on a single community, all of us would have had to go home [be dismissed]. What were we supposed to do if not meet them on their own territory and kill them?” On Oct. 7, 2023, thousands of Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians invaded Israel’s northwestern Negev, slaughtered some 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 more to the Strip. The massacre triggered Israel’s longest-ever war, seeing the IDF fight on multiple fronts against Iran’s so-called Axis of Resistance. (Source)

Israeli strike kills Lebanese army general, two soldiers; IDF says incident under review

The Lebanese army said an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Saturday killed a senior commander, another officer and a soldier, as the IDF issued fresh evacuation warnings and Hezbollah continued launching drones toward Israeli troops and communities along the northern border. According to the Lebanese Armed Forces, the strike targeted a military vehicle traveling on a road between Kfar Tebnit and Khardali in the Nabatieh area, killing a brigadier general, a captain and a soldier. “The continued, deliberate, and repeated Israeli aggression against Lebanon, its people and its army only strengthens our resolve, faith and determination,” the army said in its statement.

It said Israel’s attacks aim to thwart all efforts “to reach a solution that would restore stability, establish a comprehensive ceasefire and lead to the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Lebanese territories.” The IDF later acknowledged carrying out the strike, saying the vehicle was “moving suspiciously” in an active combat zone where movement requires prior coordination with Israeli forces. The military said troops operating in the area had been on heightened alert due to intelligence warnings of potential Hezbollah attacks and information indicating the terror group was active in the vicinity.

“Following the identification, and due to the warning information and the danger to the forces, the vehicle was struck,” the IDF said. The military confirmed that the vehicle was carrying two Lebanese army officers and a soldier, adding that the incident is under further review. The Lebanese army has largely stayed out of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel and has not taken part in the fighting during the current conflict. (Ed note: This was not an 'oops.' The Lebanese general knew better. Was he perhaps spying for Hezbollah? Hezbollah is well mixed into the Lebanese government and its army. The town of Kfar Tebnit is about 21 miles south of SIDON.) (Read More)

Lebanon inaugurates a second international airport amid Israel-Hezbollah war

QLAYAAT, Lebanon — Lebanon launched the rehabilitation of its second airport on Saturday, in preparation for an opening within months, at a time when the country faces constant fighting between Hezbollah and Israel. Lebanon currently has one international airport, in south Beirut next to Dahiyeh, a Hezbollah stronghold that has been subjected to heavy Israeli bombardment during successive wars. The new airport, in the town of Qlayaat in Lebanon’s northernmost province of Akkar, near the border with Syria, has been used as a military base by the Lebanese army for decades.

Lebanese Minister of Transport and Public Works Fayez Rasamny inaugurated the airport on Saturday “after more than fifty years of promises, delays and waiting.” “Today we are moving from promise to execution,” Rasamny said, adding that the goal is for the airport to be “operational in a few weeks” to serve travelers to Mersin, Istanbul and Dubai, adding there are plans to expand the destinations to Saudi Arabia, Cairo and Athens at a later stage.

Lebanon is also in contact with low-cost airlines, such as Ryanair and Pegasus, he said. Rehabilitation is due to begin next week and will take at least three months, going through a pilot phase before the airport is put into full service in November 2026, according to local media. The work is being carried out by the Lebanese company Sky Lounge, which on Saturday posted on its Instagram page a video of a test flight between Beirut airport and Qlayaat airport. (Read More)

Iran's military 'totally destroyed' with around 21% missile capacity remaining, Trump claims

US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran’s military has been “totally destroyed” and only has around 21% of its missile capacity left after US-Israeli strikes, during an interview with NBC News’s Kristen Welker on Friday.“We know where their drones are, and we know where their drone factories are. Most of the drone factories have been knocked out… and most of the missile manufacturing areas have been knocked out,” Trump asserted. When asked if he knew exactly how many missiles and drones Iran still holds, Trump said he did not want to tell Welker but that he knows “almost to the number” how many of such weapons remain in Tehran’s hands.

“They have some missiles. They have some drones,” Trump stated, adding that percentage-wise, Iran maintains “maybe 21%, 22% of their missiles.” He clarified that the percentage is still “a lot of missiles,” but it is greatly less than what Iran had before US-Israeli strikes began on February 28.  When asked why the US and Iran have not yet reached a peace deal after rounds of negotiations, Trump attributed the prolonged process to Iranian leadership being “proud.” “I think they can't believe they're in the situation where they've been virtually decapitated,” Trump stated. “They're proud. There are things they never thought they'd be doing that they're going to have to do. They've got no choice.”

On Wednesday, Trump claimed to reporters at the White House that negotiations between the US and Iran are "going well." "It might not happen," Trump said in reference to a possible final agreement, before adding that "it could happen over the weekend." He stated that while it would be “very easy” for the US military to renew strikes against Iran, he would rather “get something down in writing which will accomplish the same thing without killing everybody.”  (Source)

US military strikes Iranian radar sites after drones launched toward Strait of Hormuz

The US military says it carried out strikes on Iranian radar sites in what it calls a defensive action after Iran launched four attack drones toward the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military shot down all of the Iranian drones, saying they “posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic.” It says the Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites targeted by the US were located in Goruk and on Qeshm Island.

The incident was the latest in back-and-forth attacks that have strained the tenuous ceasefire in the war and efforts to reach a deal to extend that truce. Earlier this week, Iranian drones heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait’s main airport, killing one person, wounding dozens and briefly closing the airfield. (Source)

Senior Iranian official: Talks are at a deadlock, the ball is in Trump’s court

Tehran on Friday conditioned a prospective diplomatic accord with Washington on the unfreezing of $24 billion in blocked Iranian assets, according to a high-ranking official who warned that the White House would “enter into a dark corridor" if military hostilities resume.Mohsen. Rezaei, a top military advisor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, told CNN in an interview on Friday that the diplomatic track has stalled.

Rezaei asserted that “the negotiations are at a deadlock and (US President Donald) Trump must break this deadlock," adding that “the ball is in Trump’s court." The Islamic Republic is reportedly seeking a two-phase payout, demanding $12 billion immediately upon the ratification of an interim truce, followed by the remaining $12 billion at a later date.

Conversely, policymakers in Washington are hesitant to release the capital, fearing that relinquishing the funds would strip the US of critical leverage. Trump has insisted that any new framework must be vastly more stringent than the 2015 nuclear pact signed by the Obama administration. In the CNN interview, Rezaei characterized the asset demand as a baseline barometer for future diplomacy. He argued that unlocking the funds would establish “a new horizon for the future" of bilateral relations.

According to the adviser, “If he (Trump) wants to reach an agreement with Iran, this $24 billion is a test of trust that Iran wants to have with Trump - this is a test that America must pass and the path will be opened," noting that “this is our own money, not America’s money. Should Washington reignite the conflict, Rezaei threatened to “drag the war" well beyond the Persian Gulf, extending retaliatory strikes from the Strait of Hormuz into the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Indian Ocean. (Read More)

Hezbollah leader appears to reject US-brokered Israel-Lebanon truce

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Thursday appeared to reject a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, warning that the Iran-backed terrorist group would continue attacking as long as Israeli operations persist. “We have not given anyone a commitment not to resist aggression and respond to it,” Qassem said in remarks carried by Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar, adding that “as long as the aggression continues, we will confront it with all the strength we possess.”

Qassem said any ceasefire must include a full halt to Israeli military activity across Lebanon and a withdrawal of Israeli forces, alongside the return of displaced residents and reconstruction efforts. He described Lebanese sovereignty as the “primary objective,” calling for “halting Israeli aggression in all its forms—air, land and sea,” and deploying the Lebanese army south of the Litani River, according to Al Manar.

He also denounced U.S.-led diplomacy and any efforts to disarm Hezbollah, calling direct negotiations a “farce” and the so-called Washington Declaration “a roadmap for the extermination of a segment of the Lebanese people.” Qassem warned that “as long as the occupation exists, the resistance will continue,” rejecting any arrangement that would limit Hezbollah’s terrorist activity while Israeli strikes continue. (Source)

'It's not your country': Lebanese President Aoun hits out at Hezbollah, Iran in CNN interview

During his interview with Christiane Amanpour, Aoun asked Israelis if they truly want to live in "perpetual war." He then said that negotiations are a "huge opportunity" for both countries.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun slammed Hezbollahand Iran in an interview with CNN on Friday, saying that his country's people "are not [Hezbollah leader] Naim Qassem’s people." Aoun told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that he spoke to a diverse number of Lebanese civilians, who have told him that they are "fed up" with the war between Hezbollah and Israel. “They deserve not seeing their homes destroyed every five to ten years," Aoun said, describing the war as "futile."

Regarding Iran, Aoun accused the Islamic Republic of using Lebanon "for the sake of your [Iran's] own interest." “You are not trying to help us," said Aoun. "The people of Lebanon are paying the price." He then criticized statements by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) connecting Lebanon to a potential US-Iran ceasefire, saying the regime is "using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiation." “It’s unacceptable,” he said. “It’s not your country, it’s our country.”

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam concurred with Aoun's assessment of Iran, further accusing the Islamic regime of bringing "destruction and ruin" to Lebanon.On Friday, Salam spoke of Iran's rejection of the recent ceasefire framework, calling it "proof that this is not our war, but one that is being waged on our land and at the expense of our residents." President Aoun also discussed Israel with CNN, emphasizing that he believed that only negotiations would bring safety and security to the region. He directed a question to the Israeli people, asking them if they truly want to live in "perpetual war."

“We are ready, we are willing, we are committed [to negotiations],” he said. "If you [Israel] are not, you will never live in peace, safety, and security.” Aoun claimed that both Lebanese citizens and Israelis are "fed up with war," and added that the negotiations are a "huge opportunity" for both countries. (Ed note: It sounds as if President Aoun may be waking up a little bit, BUT, what is this "we are willing bit?" Lebanon has laws on their books that state they can not even talk to a Jew. Trump couldn't believe it, but it's true.) (Read More)

85 House Dems urge Trump to back up anti-annexation rhetoric with action against E1 settlements

In letter to Rubio obtained by ToI, US lawmakers warn ‘window for meaningful intervention’ against project, which cuts off Palestinian contiguity in the West Bank, is rapidly closing.

Eighty-five Democrats in the US House of Representatives signed onto a letter urging President Donald Trump’s administration to back up its rhetoric against Israeli annexation of the West Bank with action in order to prevent the rapidly approaching construction of the controversial E1 project that would severely undermine Palestinian territorial contiguity beyond the Green Line.

“We write to strongly urge the administration to use every available diplomatic tool to halt the advancement of settlement construction in the E1 area of the West Bank,” reads the letter, obtained by The Times of Israel, which was organized by progressive Reps. Mark Pocan and Jan Schakowsky, and which was sent to Rubio on Friday. Trump last year declared that he wouldn’t allow Israel to annex the West Bank, the letter recalls. It argues that “construction in E1 is annexation in its clearest form.”

Construction of a settlement in the 12-square-kilometer corridor east of Jerusalem would bisect the West Bank and cut off Palestinian communities in Ramallah from those in Bethlehem, while completing an unbroken band of Israeli-controlled territory from Jerusalem through E1 to the Ma’ale Adumim city settlement. “In doing so, it would cement Israeli sovereignty over the geographic heart of the West Bank,” the letter states. Given that the Democrats don’t currently control Congress or the White House, the letter is likely to be ignored. However, the party could take over at least one body of Congress after the November midterms, giving it more power to influence foreign policy. (Read More)

Iran says it fired warning missiles, drones at US warships in Gulf of Oman

Iran’s navy says it fired warning missiles and drones at US warships in the Gulf of Oman, accusing the US Navy of harassing maritime traffic and seizing commercial vessels and oil tankers, Iranian state media reports.

Earlier, the US Indo-Pacific Command said US forces intercepted the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T DAVINA in the Indian Ocean overnight.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions over maritime security around Iran, as Washington enforces sanctions on Iranian oil shipments and Tehran has repeatedly threatened shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz. (Source)

Majority of Israelis say Trump should not determine the nature of IDF operations - poll

This poll comes against the backdrop of the "shouting call" between Trump and Netanyahu, a profanity-laced tirade against the Israeli prime minister, demanding that Israel halt IDF airstrikes.

A majority of Israelis (62%) think that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not allow US President Donald Trump to dictate the nature of Israel's military actions, a poll published by Maariv on Friday found. The breakdown shows that there is general agreement on the issue across the political aisle, with 66% of coalition voters and 62% opposition voters holding the view that Netanyahu should not agree to Trump's demands to halt planned IDF attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, 25% think that Netanyahu has no choice but to concede to Trump's demands, while 13% say they do not know. This poll comes against the backdrop of the "shouting call" between Trump and Netanyahu, where Trump unleashed a profanity-laced tirade against the Israeli prime minister, demanding that Israel halt planned IDF airstrikes on Beirut.

This, as well as the controversy surrounding the vote for the state comptroller position, contributed to the coalition bloc weakening by two seats in this week's poll, dropping to 50 mandates collectively. The opposition bloc strengthened to 60 seats, while the Arab parties continue to maintain stability with 10 seats. In the opposition bloc, Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid's Together Party strengthened to 23 seats, and Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beytenu rose by one seat to 10. The Maariv poll further reveals that out of the 23 seats of the Together Party, 16 come from Bennett 2026 voters, 5 from Yesh Atid, and 2 from undecided/other. (Read More)

‘Khamenei’ says US, Israel hit by ‘decisive blow’ amid mixed signals on talks, US security alert

A statement attributed to Iran’s supreme leader on Thursday said that the United States and Israel had been dealt a “decisive blow” in their war with the Islamic Republic, as the US sent mixed signals about whether the fighting could resume. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen or heard in public since being wounded in strikes that killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the US-Israeli war with Iran on February 28. His message, read out by a prayer leader at a ceremony marking the anniversary of the death of the Islamic Republic’s founder, came amid weeks of talks marked by threats and flare-ups of violence that have so far failed to secure a deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for global energy flows.

In his message, Khamenei ostensibly said his country’s enemies, after “facing a decisive blow,” were now “experiencing a deeply meaningful and profound humiliation.” Every June 4 since 1989, the elder Khamenei had delivered a speech at the commemoration of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s death. This year, however, an empty chair bearing his portrait stood at the mausoleum, according to footage broadcast from the site. The US and Iran have sent divergent messages about the talks, with Tehran insisting on steep conditions for progress, even as US President Donald Trump again voiced optimism, telling reporters on Wednesday that a deal “could happen” over the weekend. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump has told aides privately that he would consider ending the ceasefire with Iran if Tehran killed American troops.

On Thursday, according to a report on Channel 12, the US sent a message to Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator, demanding a reply from Iran by the weekend and a signing ceremony in Geneva next week. It was unclear what the consequences would be if Iran failed to abide by those terms.And in an interview with state TV, Khamenei adviser Mohsen Rezaei said the current draft of the memorandum of understanding being negotiated to end the war has ambiguities that have to be clarified. Trump wants to pressure Iran to accept his conditions and keep Tehran’s conditions in a vague state, Rezaei added. (Read More)

Iranian parliamentarians demand Khamenei order intercontinental ballistic missile development

Iranian officials demanded that the Islamic Republic begin developing intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in a letter addressed to Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the reformist Iranian newspaper Asriran reported on Wednesday. A total of 85 officials were reported to have penned the letter, which expressed condolences to Khamenei on his father’s death and cast doubt on the trustworthiness of Washington in ceasefire negotiations, asserted that the parliamentarians would “continue to support our military forces and defense industries until the day comes when the range of our missiles reaches the offices of the killers of the deputy of the Imam of the Age (Muhammad al-Mahdi, the twelfth and final Imam) and the martyred Khamenei.

“We believe that to end the cycle of terror by the so-called ‘Al-Epstein,’ who adhere to no moral, human, or international principles, it is not merely an eye for an eye; rather, the enemy must know that it will be a head for an eye.”

Experts from the Institute for the Study of War interpreted this as a call to develop missiles capable of reaching the United States. The Islamic Regime has often referred to Israel and the United States as the “Epstein Regime” as part of its propaganda campaign to affiliate Jerusalem and Washington with the crimes of the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, a former advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, told The Jerusalem Post that it has long been within the Islamic regime’s goal to develop a missile capable of reaching the US. 

He warned that should Tehran walk away with favorable financial terms in the ongoing ceasefire talks with Washington, the Islamic regime would have the financial capacity and longevity to eventually see this goal through. Iran’s ballistic missile stock was understood to have a maximum range of around 2,000 km, according to the regime’s own claims, with its longest-range systems being the Khorramshahr, Sejjil, and Shahab-3 missiles.  (Read More)