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Tag: Israel
June 23, 2025
News
War

Americans in This Middle Eastern Country Are Being Warned to Shelter in Place.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The United States Embassy in Qatar issued a shelter-in-place warning for U.S. citizens in the country, citing an increased threat to Americans worldwide.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The U.S. Embassy in Qatar, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the State Department.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The warning was issued on Monday morning in Qatar, following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad.” – U.S. Embassy in Qatar

🎯IMPACT: Heightened security measures and increased caution for U.S. citizens globally due to potential threats and disruptions.

IN FULL

The United States Embassy in Qatar on Monday morning told U.S. citizens in the country to immediately “shelter in place until further notice,” as the State Department warns of an increased threat to Americans worldwide.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its own heightened threat alert for all Americans on Sunday, after the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.

The embassy in Qatar said the latest warning was “out of an abundance of caution” and did not appear to be in response to a specific threat.

The warning comes after the embassy said to exercise increased caution on Sunday. “The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East,” the embassy alert said Sunday. “There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution.”

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June 22, 2025
Jack Montgomery
War

IN FULL: Trump Addresses the Nation on Iran Strikes.

President Donald J. Trump addressed the nation overnight on the U.S. strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Here are his remarks in full:

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.

A short time ago, the U.S. military carried out massive, precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime. Fordo, Natanz and Esfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise.

Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.

Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not. Future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.

For 40 years, Iran has been saying. Death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs, with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over 1,000 people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East, and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate in particular. So many were killed by their general, Qassim Soleimani. I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue.

I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they’ve done. And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight, and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades.

Hopefully, we will no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope that’s so. I also want to congratulate the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan ‘Razin’ Caine, spectacular general, and all of the brilliant military minds involved in this attack.

With all of that being said, this cannot continue. There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes. There’s no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight. Not even close. There has never been a military that could do what took place just a little while ago.

Tomorrow, General Caine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will have a press conference at 8 a.m. at the Pentagon. And I want to just thank everybody. And, in particular, God. I want to just say, we love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them. God bless the Middle East. God bless Israel and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you.

WATCH:

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President Donald J. Trump addressed the nation overnight on the U.S. strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. Here are his remarks in full: show more
June 20, 2025
Lauren Gallagher
War

UN Nuclear Watchdog Warns Strikes on Iranian Reactors Could Cause Catastrophic Meltdowns.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: At a United Nations (UN) Security Council meeting, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi warned that an Israeli strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant could trigger catastrophic radioactive fallout.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rafael Grossi, the IAEA, the UN Security Council, Israel, and Iran.

📍WHEN & WHERE: New York City, June 2025

💬KEY QUOTE: “[A] hit that disabled the only two lines supplying electrical power to the plant could cause its reactor’s core to melt, which could result in a high release of radioactivity to the environment.” – Rafael Grossi

🎯IMPACT: A strike on Bushehr could unleash a regional humanitarian disaster and displace thousands.

IN FULL

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warned of the severe consequences of a potential strike on Iranian nuclear reactors at a meeting with the United Nations (UN) Security Council on Friday. He emphasized that the biggest concern is the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

“[Bushehr] is the nuclear site in Iran where the consequences of an attack would be the most serious,” Grossi said, explaining that “a direct hit could result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment.”

“Similarly, a hit that disabled the only two lines supplying electrical power to the plant could cause its reactor’s core to melt, which could result in a high release of radioactivity to the environment,” he added.

Israel continues to hit facilities allegedly tied to Tehran’s plan to build a nuclear bomb, but has yet to strike at Bushehr. Iran has claimed they are not seeking to build a nuclear bomb, and the nuclear program is for civilian energy. However, Iran’s level of enriched uranium exceeds civilian energy needs and is close to achieving enough for a nuclear weapon. Grossi himself previously warned that around 90 percent of Iran’s enriched uranium is weapons-grade.

If there is an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, an extremely high level of radioactivity could be released into the environment. Similarly, Grossi warned that attacks on a nuclear research reactor in the capital of Tehran, with a population of around ten million, “would also have severe consequences potentially for large areas of the city… and its inhabitants.”

These dangerous scenarios would require extensive protective measures to be taken, such as mass evacuations, sheltering populations, and even “the need to take stable iodine” supplements to counteract possible radiation sickness.

The IAEA continues to monitor radiation levels in and around Iran’s nuclear facilities. So far, there are facilities in Iran reporting damage due to Israeli strikes in Arak, Esfahan, Natanz, and Tehran.

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June 19, 2025
Economy
War

Iran Is Poised to Shut a Vital Shipping Route, Here’s What That Could Mean:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Iran has warned it may shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit route, if the U.S. intervenes in its conflict with Israel.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Senior Iranian officials, including Ali Yazdikhah and Behnam Saeedi, along with U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statements were made on Wednesday and Thursday, with escalating tensions in the Middle East and discussions in Washington, D.C., and Geneva.

💬KEY QUOTE: “If the United States officially and operationally enters the war in support of the Zionists, it is the legitimate right of Iran to disrupt their oil trade’s ease of transit.” – Ali Yazdikhah, a senior Iranian lawmaker.

🎯IMPACT: A closure of the Strait of Hormuz could disrupt global oil markets, prompt a strong military response from regional powers like Saudi Arabia, and escalate the conflict further.

IN FULL

Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil transit, if the United States becomes directly involved in its conflict with Israel. Ali Yazdikhah, a senior Iranian lawmaker, stated, “If the United States officially and operationally enters the war in support of the Zionists, it is the legitimate right of Iran to disrupt their oil trade’s ease of transit.”

Behnam Saeedi, a member of Iran’s National Security Committee presidium, echoed this, saying that closing the strait is “one of the potential options.” The remarks come as tensions rise in the region, with U.S. President Donald J. Trump weighing the possibility of military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime passage that handles approximately 26 percent of the world’s oil trade. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that any disruption to the flow of oil through the strait would have significant consequences for global markets. Historically, Iran has demonstrated its capacity to threaten shipping in the strait, using tactics such as deploying mines and targeting oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq War. Notably, if Iran were to deploy a significant number of mines in the strait’s waters, it could effectively close the passage to ships for the foreseeable future.

Recent satellite photos and shipping analysis indicate that Iran is rapidly moving to fill its oil tanker fleet and disperse it well outside the Persian Gulf and into the open ocean. A bulk of the shipping traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days is attributed to the Iranian oil tanker fleet departing the country’s primary petroleum storage hub, Kharg Island. Consequently, satellite images of Kharg Island show its oil storage containers all to be near capacity, suggesting Iran intends to fill and disperse as many tanker ships in its fleet as possible before it makes a possible move to mine the waters of the strait.

During Thursday’s White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read a statement from President Trump, laying out a timeline for potential U.S. action: “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”  Meanwhile, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned late Wednesday, “The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”

Diplomatic efforts remain ongoing, with Germany, France, and Britain set to meet Iranian officials in Geneva on Friday for nuclear talks.

Image via Tasnim News Agency.

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June 19, 2025
War

BREAKING: Trump to Decide on Iran Strikes ‘Within Two Weeks.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump will decide on U.S. actions in the Iran-Israel conflict within two weeks, according to the White House.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Iranian and Israeli leaders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Statement made during a White House press briefing on Thursday, June 19.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.” – President Trump.

🎯IMPACT: The statement underscores the possibility of imminent U.S. action in the Middle East if potential diplomatic efforts with Iran do not succeed.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has stated that he will make a decision on U.S. actions in the Iran-Israel conflict “within the next two weeks,” citing the potential for upcoming negotiations with Iran. The comments were relayed by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during a press briefing on Thursday.

Quoting the President directly, Leavitt said, “Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.”

Leavitt also emphasized that President Trump has been consistent in his stance that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. “Nobody should be surprised by the President’s position that Iran absolutely cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. He has been unequivocally clear about this for decades, not just as President, not just as a presidential candidate, but also as a private citizen,” she said.

Referencing past remarks, Leavitt added, “In 2011, President Trump said, ‘America’s primary goal with Iran must be to destroy its nuclear ambitions. We cannot allow this radical regime to acquire a nuclear weapon that they will either use or hand off to terrorists.'”

She also noted that the President had previously issued a 60-day warning to Iran to make a deal, with Israel taking action on day 61.

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June 19, 2025
Media
War

Trump Blasts WSJ Over Iran Report.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming he had authorized a strike on Iran but was awaiting potential negotiations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, the WSJ, and unnamed sources cited in the report.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The denial was issued on Thursday via Trump’s Truth Social platform.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The Wall Street Journal has No Idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran!” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: The denial adds uncertainty to U.S. involvement in the Israeli conflict with Iran, as the administration’s plans remain unclear.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has denied reporting from the Wall Street Journal asserting that he had already authorized a strike on Iran but was waiting to see if Tehran would negotiate. “The Wall Street Journal has No Idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran!” Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, on June 19.

The WSJ reported that Trump had told aides of his plans, citing “people familiar with the deliberations.” The President has remained coy with the public over his plans to enter the ongoing Israeli conflict with Iran. President Trump stated on June 18 that Iran had reached out to the United States regarding a possible ceasefire, but hinted they may have left it too late.

The Netanyahu government launched a preemptive attack on the country’s nuclear facilities and senior officials last week, and both sides have exchanged missile and air strikes every day over the past week. According to some sources, Israel is now running low on certain kinds of ballistic missile interceptors, which could lead to U.S. participation in the conflict. Thus far, the U.S. has officially limited its operations to helping shoot down Iranian missiles launched at Israel.

Israel, meanwhile, has suggested it may escalate the conflict and eliminate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after a 50-missile barrage on June 19 that saw a major Israeli hospital struck.

“A dictator like Khamenei, who heads a country like Iran and has made the destruction of the State of Israel his declared goal, cannot be allowed to continue… without question this man should no longer continue to exist,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said.

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June 19, 2025
War

Israel Suggests Ayatollah Will Be ‘Eliminated’ for Iranian Strike on Hospital.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Israel accused Iran of targeting Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva with a missile, part of a 50-missile barrage, in violation of international law.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. President Donald Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The missile strike occurred Thursday in Be’er Sheva, Israel, with further strikes reported in Tel Aviv and Holon.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A dictator like Khamenei, who heads a country like Iran and has made the destruction of the State of Israel his declared goal, cannot be allowed to continue… without question this man should no longer continue to exist,” said Defense Minister Katz.

🎯IMPACT: Israel’s retaliation against Iran could include a direct attempt on the Iranian Supreme Leader’s life.

IN FULL

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz likened Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, to Adolf Hitler following a missile strike on Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva, suggesting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will now move to “eliminate” the Grand Ayatollah. Iran’s attack, part of a barrage of approximately 50 missiles, fortunately caused minimal injuries, as the building had been evacuated the day prior.

“A dictator like Khamenei, who heads a country like Iran and has made the destruction of the State of Israel his declared goal, this horrific goal of destroying Israel, cannot be allowed to continue or materialize,” Defense Minister Katz said following the missile strike.

“I compare it to the scenario in which, during the horrific Holocaust, if the State of Israel had existed and a strong Israel Defense Forces had existed, and we knew we could send the IDF into a bunker to capture the enemy of the Jewish people, Hitler, in order to thwart his plan to annihilate the Jews, we would have done it,” he continued. “We would have sent the IDF, extracted him, and eliminated him. And just like that, correspondingly, I see the current situation—Khamenei is the modern Hitler.”

Pressed directly on whether eliminating the Iranian Supreme Leader is a war objective, Katz stated, “The objectives of the war are to remove the nuclear threat, eliminate sources of destruction, and neutralize missile threats. Within this framework, the IDF has been instructed and knows that to achieve all the objectives, without question, this man should no longer continue to exist.”

Iranian missiles also hit areas in Tel Aviv and Holon, resulting in several injuries. However, the targeting of the hospital, a facility serving both Jews and Arabs, was described as a “red line” by Israel’s Health Minister Uriel Busso, who emphasized the importance of preparation in preventing casualties.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also issued a stern warning to Iran, stating on X, “We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran.”

Previously, Israel has eliminated a number of senior leaders in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and regular military, with reports that President Donald J. Trump had dissuaded them from assassinating the Ayatollah. However, the strike on Soroka Medical Center appears to have reopened this possibility.

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June 18, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
War
World

Israel Is Running Out of Interceptors to Stop Iranian Missiles.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: At least one U.S. official believes Israel is running low on medium-range missile interceptors as Iran continues strikes.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Israel, Iran, and a U.S. official cited by The Wall Street Journal.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The report was published on June 18.

🎯IMPACT: Israel running low on interceptors and becoming vulnerable to Iranian strikes could prompt the United States to become directly involved in the conflict.

IN FULL

At least one U.S. official believes that Israel is running out of medium-range ballistic missile interceptors as the Iranian regime continues to attack cities across the country. A report by The Wall Street Journal claims that the U.S. has been aware of Israel’s situation for several months, has helped augment the country’s defence, and has moved significant missile assets to the Middle East.

Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, stated that neither Israel nor the United States has the capacity to intercept missiles indefinitely. “The Israelis and their friends need to move with all deliberate haste to do whatever needs to be done, because we cannot afford to sit and play catch,” he said.

The shortages largely revolve around Israel’s Arrow missile systems, which are powerful enough to intercept missiles from Iranian or Yemeni airspace. The more famous Iron Dome system is equipped mainly to shoot down drones and smaller rockets.

President Donald J. Trump is reportedly considering involving the United States directly in the conflict between Iran and Israel. On June 17, President Trump said, “We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” and indicated that the U.S. knew the location of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin,” Trump warned.

Trump said Wednesday that the Iranian regime has reached out to the United States to negotiate.

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June 18, 2025
War

The U.S. Is Sending More Warships Towards Israel.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s largest aircraft carrier, is set to be deployed to the Mediterranean amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The USS Gerald R. Ford, U.S. Navy, and other American military personnel.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Deployment expected next week to the Mediterranean Sea, joining other U.S. carriers in the region.

🎯IMPACT: The deployment signals a heightened U.S. military presence in response to the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict.

IN FULL

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy’s largest and newest aircraft carrier, is set to be deployed to the Mediterranean. This move—which relocates a significant U.S. military asset—comes as tensions between Israel, located on the Mediterranean coast, and Iran escalate, with mutual airstrikes ongoing.

The $13 billion nuclear-powered carrier, which spans 1,100 feet, is expected to leave for Europe as early as next week. This will make it the third U.S. aircraft carrier group in the area, joining the USS Carl Vinson in the Persian Gulf and the USS Nimitz, which was sent from Southeast Asia earlier this week.

The deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford was reportedly scheduled last year, but its arrival in the Mediterranean will still be viewed as a significant response to the rising tensions in the region. The carrier is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and serves as the flagship of America’s naval fleet.

In addition to the carrier group, other U.S. warships have departed from a naval base in Bahrain, and aerial refueling tankers have been sent to the region, the latter likely towing a number of Air Force warplanes. These movements come amid reports of increased military activity following Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejecting calls for unconditional surrender.

Image via NATO.

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June 18, 2025
Jack Montgomery
War

BREAKING: Trump Says Iran Has Reached Out to Him, Wants to Negotiate.

President Donald J. Trump has said the Iranian leadership has reached out to his administration to negotiate an end to the Israel-Iran conflict. Speaking to the press at the unveiling of a new flagpole at the White House on Tuesday, President Trump said, “Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate.”

“It’s very sad to watch this,” the President said of the conflict, noting that there are many Iranians in America who are “incredible people.”

With respect to the prospects of a peace deal, he said that “nothing’s too late,” but that he was upfront with the Iranians when they reached out to him that “it’s very late… to be talking,” and that he was disappointed they did not negotiate with him in earnest when he attempted to before the first Israeli strikes.

“We may meet,” Trump added. Still, he stressed that, “There’s a big difference between now and a week ago,” with the Iranian regime having sustained heavy damage and the possibility of a U.S. strike on Iran’s hardened nuclear facilities on the table.

This story is developing…

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President Donald J. Trump has said the Iranian leadership has reached out to his administration to negotiate an end to the Israel-Iran conflict. Speaking to the press at the unveiling of a new flagpole at the White House on Tuesday, President Trump said, "Iran's got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate." show more