Gaza War

<b>WH Shares Israel Atomic Energy Commission's Assessment on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Following US Strikes</b>- <i> townhall.com</i>

WH Shares Israel Atomic Energy Commission’s Assessment on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Following US Strikes– townhall.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

The White House distributed a statement to reporters on Wednesday from the Israel Atomic Energy Commission giving their assessment of the damage U.S. strikes inflicted on key Iranian nuclear facilities.

“The devastating US strike on Fordo destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable,” the IAEC statement reads.

Iran’s nuclear weapons program has now been set back “by many years” following U.S. and Israeli strikes, the statement added.

“We assess that the American strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli strikes on other elements of Iran’s military nuclear program, has set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years,” IAEC said. “The achievement can continue indefinitely if Iran does not get access to nuclear material.”

The statement comes after CNN reported that U.S. strikes against three of Iran’s nuclear sites did not destroy the nation’s nuclear program—a claim fiercely disputed by the administration.

“This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”

<b>After Trump’s historic Iran-Israel truce, do ceasefires really bring peace?</b>- <i> www.foxnews.com</i>

After Trump’s historic Iran-Israel truce, do ceasefires really bring peace?– www.foxnews.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

President Donald Trump brokered an historic ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran on Monday, marking a dramatic pause in the most significant military confrontation between the two foes.

The Monday evening announcement took effect 12 hours later, following a timeline designed to allow final military maneuvers on both sides. However, a barrage of Iranian missile fire in the hours that followed left many Israelis questioning whether the truce had already been violated.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, John Spencer, executive director of the Urban Warfare Institute, said such delayed implementation is not unusual. “It’s hard to turn things off on a switch. You have aircraft in flight. You have forces in position,” he explained.

Middle East Under ‘New Management’ Following Iran Strikes– www.dailysignal.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

The recent Israeli and American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have been “extremely successful” in significantly delaying Iran’s nuclear program, according to Robert Greenway, a former senior intelligence officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency’s U.S. Central Command.

Greenway, who also served as a senior director for the National Security Council and principal architect of the Abraham Accords during President Donald Trump’s first term, questioned leaked intelligence assessments suggesting limited damage.

Speaking to Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo today, Greenway said the Israeli and U.S. operations damaged Iran’s most protected facilities and left the country with no meaningful air defenses.

“The United States and Israel enjoy complete freedom of action in the air over Iran,” Greenway said on “Mornings with Maria,” emphasizing that Iran “has no air defenses to speak of and no air force.”

Greenway expressed optimism that the weakened Iranian position creates favorable conditions for expanding the Abraham Accords, potentially including Saudi Arabia, and represents a fundamental shift in regional power dynamics.

He also suggested the strikes send important signals to other U.S. adversaries like Russia and China, particularly through renewed American influence over global energy markets.

U.S. calls on China to prevent Iran from closing Strait of Hormuz– www.cnbc.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called for China to prevent Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important trade routes for crude oil in the world.

“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said in an interview on Fox News. China is Iran’s most important oil customer and maintains friendly relations with the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s foreign minister warned earlier Sunday that the Islamic Republic “reserves all options to defend its sovereignty,” after the U.S. bombed three key nuclear sites over the weekend.

Iranian state-owned media, meanwhile, reported that Iran’s parliament backed closing the Strait of Hormuz, citing a senior lawmaker. However, the final decision to close the strait lies with Iran’s national security council, according to the report.

An attempt to block the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman could have profound consequences for the global economy. Some 20 million barrels per day of crude oil, or 20% of global consumption, flowed through the strait in 2024, according to the Energy Information Administration.

‘They Want To Spin It’: Trump, Hegseth Team Up To Take On NBC News Reporter Pressing Them About Leaked Iran Report– dailycaller.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired back at NBC News’ Kelly O’Donnell on Wednesday as she attempted to question them on reports that the Iranian nuclear sites were not “obliterated.”

An early assessment by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), which was leaked to CNN, found that the damage done to Iran’s nuclear facilities likely only set back the Iranians’ nuclear program by a few months, which contradicted Trump’s claim that the sites were “completely obliterated.” While O’Donnell repeatedly asked about the report, Trump said the DIA report is incomplete and does not properly assess the damages caused by the U.S.’ bombings on Saturday night.

“You talked about having some on-the-ground assessments at Fordow and other sites … What is your message then, sir, to the intelligence community when they present reports?” O’Donnell asked.

“[The DIA] presented a report that wasn’t finished. We’re talking about something that took place three days ago. The report was done days ago,” Trump said, with O’Donnell attempting to push back. “Wait a minute, they didn’t see it. All they can do is take a guess. Now if you take a look at the pictures, if you take a look at how it’s all blackened. You know the fire and brimstone is all underground because it’s granite and it’s all underground. You don’t show it. But even there, with all of that being said, the whole area for 75 yards around, the hole where it hit is black with fire … It’s been obliterated, totally obliterated.”

WATCH:

Trump’s strikes on Iran set back nuclear program by months, initial intel assessment finds– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

An initial classified assessment found the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities set back Tehran’s nuclear program by a matter of months, according to three sources familiar with its contents.

The assessment, produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon’s military intelligence wing, said the strikes caused the entrances to two nuclear enrichment facilities, including Fordo, to be sealed off. Resumption of the enrichment program may be determined by how long it takes Iran to clear the entrances and make repairs to electrical and water supplies, two sources familiar with the report’s findings said.

The DIA assessment also indicates some of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile was moved before the strikes, one of the sources said.

Officials familiar with the report cautioned that it was an early assessment that could change as more information becomes available about the sites. It was not immediately clear at what confidence level the judgments included in the report were made.

A complete battle damage assessment is still being assembled, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said on Sunday at a press availability.

“Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,” Caine said.

President Trump Confirms Iran Strikes Were Total “Kayfabe”– wltreport.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Was it all Kayfabe all along?

President Trump just came right out and told you, for anyone with ears to hear.

What’s “Kayfabe” mean anyway?

In professional wrestling, kayfabe refers to the practice of maintaining the illusion that the staged events, rivalries, and characters are real, even though they are not. It’s a suspension of disbelief that allows audiences to become invested in the storylines and characters. Essentially, it’s the wrestling industry’s version of “the show must go on” and maintaining the appearance of legitimacy.

And is that what we just got with Iran’s “retaliation” strike against the USA?

President Trump just told you:

Check this out…

💥 KABOOM — President Trump literally confirms it was all KAYFAB with Iran!

“Iran was very nice, they gave us warning. They said we’re going to shoot them. Is 1 o’clock ok?

I said it’s fine… and everybody was emptied off the base, so they couldn’t get hurt.”

🔴 MY THOUGHTS:
Come on… you gotta admit this is a pretty weird thing to say, coming from a “terror regime”. Right?

Trump put Iran in check in 2018. We are watching a clandestine military operation take place.

Don’t Believe the Media’s LIES: Here’s Why Iran’s Nuke Program Is Almost Certainly Sayonara.– pjmedia.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Arn Anderson’s real name isn’t Arn Anderson. It’s Martin Anthony Lunde. But because he kinda-sorta looked like fellow pro wrestler Ole Anderson, he “became” an Anderson in the weird, wacky world of wrestling. (Of course, Ole Anderson wasn’t really an Anderson either: In the 1960s, Alan Robert Rogowski “became” Ole Anderson, when he was teamed with “brothers” Gene Anderson and Lars Anderson… a.k.a. Larry Heiniemi.) Out of the four Andersons, only one was authentic.

Which is why it worked: A 4-1 ratio is all you need to sell a lie. 

If everything you say is untrue, nobody will listen to you. A Devil who only told lies would collect zero souls. There needs to be an anchor — something real and tangible for you to exploit.

The overwhelming majority of political pundits — from the biggest stars on Fox News to the lowliest “influencers” on social media — simply aren’t smart enough to offer new insights and thoughtful, original analysis of fast-breaking events. And that’s a problem, because their livelihood depends on their minds and their mouths: If they aren’t saying something different than the next guy, then what’s the point in paying ‘em for their opinions? These pundits work, after all, in an attention-driven marketplace.

Unfortunately, this incentivizes media “experts” to greatly exaggerate their “expertise.”

 

‘The war is done’: Trump not interested in restarting negotiations with Iran | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

“I don’t see them getting back involved in the nuclear business anymore. I think they’ve had it. They’ve been at it for 20 years, and I don’t see that happening either.”

President Donald Trump spoke to press at the NATO summit from The Hague in the Netherlands on Wednesday, telling reporters that he did not think restarting negotiations with Iran was necessary since the “war is done.”

Trump celebrated the missile strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling it “obliteration.” He said that “no other military on Earth could have done it” and it was an “incredible exercise of American strength” that has “paved the way for peace with a historic ceasefire agreement.”

He said that he believes the 12 Day War is “over,” and added “I don’t think they’re going to be going back at each other.” He noted a letter that stated Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities were rendered “totally inoperable” during the strikes, and that the strikes “set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons for many years to come.”

Trump was asked what made him “so confident” that the conflict between Israel and Iran was over, to which Trump replied, “they’re both tired, exhausted. They both fought very, very hard and very viciously, very violently, and they were both satisfied to go home and get out.”

“Can it start again? I guess someday it can. It could maybe start again soon. I think a big telltale sign was when, as you know, Iran, somewhat but not much, violated the ceasefire. And Israel had the planes going out that morning, and there were a lot of them, 52 of them. And I said, you got to get them back, and they brought them back. They didn’t do anything.”

He said of Iran, “I don’t see them getting back involved in the nuclear business anymore. I think they’ve had it. They’ve been at it for 20 years, and I don’t see that happening either.”

Rubio Goes Off on Iran Leakers– pjmedia.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

All those breathless headlines about Iran’s nuclear program from the fake news media on Tuesday are, well, fake news. Shocking, I know.

We kind of already knew that, as my colleague Chris Queen reported yesterday and others have spoken out on it, but when it comes to foreign policy, I listen to one man and one man only, and that is Secretary of State Marco Rubio. On Wednesday,  he not only set the record straight on the impact of bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities, but he also explained why most of Europe is wrong to want to sanction Russia.

Rubio, who is traveling with President Donald Trump to Europe this week, sat down for an interview with Politico on Wednesday morning, and, as you can imagine, Iran was the first topic to come up. Rubio’s biggest problem with the situation is the intelligence leak and the fact that it was likely misread and/or misused just to embarrass the president or promote an agenda:

Well, I can’t talk to you about intelligence.  I can also tell you that intelligence leaks are one of the most frustrating things anywhere, not just because you’ve got somebody who has access to this putting stuff out there, but because it’s so often mischaracterized.  An intelligence report, for anyone who’s ever seen it, sometimes is an assessment.  Some analyst will make an assessment, or analysts will make an assessment.  And in these leaks, what you typically have is someone who read it and then leaks it to the media, giving it the spin and the angle they want it to have because they’ve got some purpose:  embarrass the administration, they were against the action, whatever it may be.

After expressing his frustration with intelligence leaks, he explained that our bombs did significant damage to Iran’s nuclear program.

Let me tell you this. The Iranian program, the nuclear program today, looks nothing like it did just a week ago. The program today has been set behind significantly from where it was a week ago. It is in far worse shape today than it was a week ago because of U.S. actions and because some of the actions the Israelis took. So the bottom line is they are much further away from a nuclear weapon today than they were before the President took this bold action. That’s the most important thing to understand. Significant, very significant, substantial damage was done to a variety of different components, and we’re just learning more about it.

Understand that most of the damage that occurred here in Fordow occurred deep underground. That’s why we used penetrator weaponry to do that. So that’s why I hate commenting on these stories, because often the first story is wrong and the person putting it out there has an agenda. And I would say that story is a false story and it’s one that really shouldn’t be re-reported because it doesn’t accurately reflect what’s happening here.

J.D. Vance Vows There Will Be No American ‘Boots on the Ground’ in Iran– slaynews.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Vice President J.D. Vance has vowed that America will not see “boots on the ground” in Iran.

Vance made the promise as he defended President Donald Trump’s bold airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“We’re not at war with Iran,” Vance told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program.

“We have no interest in a protracted conflict.

“We have no interest in boots on the ground,” he said.

“We didn’t blow up diplomacy.”

Trump has said he has no interest in a prolonged conflict in the Middle East after the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities over the weekend.

The strikes led to criticism from Democrats, as well as some libertarians and non-interventionists on the Right, who feared Trump was breaking a promise not to embroil the U.S. in another war.

Vance, a vocal non-interventionist, said that Trump’s strikes had a limited objective and only came as a last resort.

“We only took this action when it was clear, as the president said, that the Iranians were tapping us along,” he said.

“The Iranians are clearly not very good at war.

Trump Announces New Talks With Iran and They Aren’t About Nukes– townhall.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Speaking to reporters during a press conference to finish out his visit to the 2025 NATO Summit, President Donald Trump revealed talks with Iran are in the works and won’t be about their “obliterated” nuclear program.

“We may sign an agreement. I don’t know,” Trump said. “I don’t think it [a signed agreement] is necessary.”

Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth all vehimentely pushed back on leftist media reports Wednesday that the U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure over the weekend didn’t severely damage their program.

Earlier in the day Trump told reporters Iran could be a great country and that they should return their focus to the oil business, not building a nuclear bomb.

<b>Strikes on Iran's Fordow enrichment site rendered it inoperable, Israeli atomic agency claims</b>- <i> www.euronews.com</i>

Strikes on Iran’s Fordow enrichment site rendered it inoperable, Israeli atomic agency claims– www.euronews.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) has said that US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Sunday have rendered the Fordow underground enrichment site “inoperable.”

In a handout, the IAEC claimed the “devastating” strikes “destroyed the site’s critical infrastructure.”

“We assess that the American strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli strikes on other elements of Iran’s military nuclear program, has set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years,” the statement said.

The statement was initially shared by the White House and then later released on X by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli assessment contradicts a leaked intelligence report from the US, which suggests that Iran’s nuclear programme has only been set back by a few months and was not “completely and fully obliterated” as US President Donald Trump claimed.

The report issued by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) on Monday is at odds with statements from Trump and Netanyahu about the status of Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Trump’s Iran Victory Makes CNN, AOC, and the Entire Left Absolutely Decompose– www.louderwithcrowder.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 1

Source Link
Excerpt:

President Trump shut down Iran’s nuclear program and helped get a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. CNN is so upset about it; their reporting is worse than usual. Today’s show breaks it down.

“How can anyone be upset about that?” Crowder said.

Per a Truth Social post from the POTUS:

FAKE NEWS CNN, TOGETHER WITH THE FAILING NEW YORK TIMES, HAVE TEAMED UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEMEAN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY STRIKES IN HISTORY. THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED! BOTH THE TIMES AND CNN ARE GETTING SLAMMED BY THE PUBLIC!

However, CNN would like you to believe otherwise.

According to CNN:

The US military strikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities last weekend did not destroy the core components of the country’s nuclear program and likely only set it back by months, according to an early US intelligence assessment that was described by seven people briefed on it.

The assessment, which has not been previously reported, was produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon’s intelligence arm. It is based on a battle damage assessment conducted by US Central Command in the aftermath of the US strikes, one of the sources said.

The analysis of the damage to the sites and the impact of the strikes on Iran’s nuclear ambitions is ongoing, and could change as more intelligence becomes available. But the early findings are at odds with President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that the strikes “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also said on Sunday that Iran’s nuclear ambitions “have been obliterated.”

 

Iran lawmakers back suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

TEHRAN: Iranian lawmakers voted on Wednesday (Jun 25) in favour of suspending cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, state TV said, after a 12-day war that saw Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear facilities.

“The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which refused to even marginally condemn the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, put its international credibility up for auction,” Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, according to state TV.

The decision still requires the approval of the Guardian Council, a body empowered to vet legislation.

Should it be ratified, Ghalibaf said “the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran will suspend its cooperation with the IAEA until the security of the nuclear facilities is guaranteed”.

<b>Israel thinks Netanyahu is victorious against Iran – what will he do next? | Benjamin Netanyahu News</b>- <i> www.aljazeera.com</i>

Israel thinks Netanyahu is victorious against Iran – what will he do next? | Benjamin Netanyahu News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

As the Israel-Iran ceasefire staggered into effect on Tuesday, all of the combatants launched a plausible argument for victory.

In the United States, President Donald Trump claimed that both his diplomatic and military interventions had largely been responsible for halting the fighting, while the leaders of Iran and Israel each claimed to have secured a decisive win in a regional contest that dates back decades.

In Israel, however, the emerging narrative is that the end result of the conflict with Iran has solidified the position of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Just two weeks ago, Netanyahu was in real trouble. On the night before he ordered the unilateral strike on regional nemesis Iran, his governing coalition was only able to survive thanks to a last-minute deal with dissenting members. Public and political opinion had also appeared to have turned against his war on Gaza, and internationally, Israel’s allies were beginning to protest the blockade of the Palestinian enclave.

Now, he can argue that he has severely weakened Israel’s most dangerous regional enemy, Iran, and he claims that its nuclear programme has been destroyed and sent “down the drain”.

ENEMEDIA: Despite “Total Obliteration,” CNN Says US Strikes on Iran Did Not Destroy Nuclear Sites– gellerreport.com

pgnewser June 25, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

President Trump revealed Wednesday that Israel sent agents to Iran’s bombed nuclear sites to confirm their “total obliteration” — while insisting his surprise attack was too quick for Tehran to have removed its uranium.

Trump was adamant the strikes wiped out Iran’s nuclear facilities and set the program back decades — despite a leaked preliminary intelligence assessment suggesting Tehran could salvage it within months.

Story continues below advertisement

“Israel is doing a report on it now, I understand, and I was told that they said it was total obliteration,” Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in the Netherlands. (NY Post)

Therefore, the total weight of the bombs dropped was 14 bombs * 30,000 pounds/bomb = 420,000 pounds.

Authorities, Local Law Enforcement Remain on High Alert to Protect U.S. Cities from Iran’s Hollow Threats– townhall.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Following President Donald Trump’s decisive strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, federal agencies and local officials in key U.S. cities and states are leaving nothing to chance, stepping up security efforts and heightening surveillance to guard against potential threats.

After President Trump took decisive action to launch a surprise attack on Iran’s nuclear program, taking out Iran’s three major nuclear facilities, Tehran warned the United States that it would counterattack with retaliatory strikes, saying that it would “cause deep regret.”

“Today’s act of aggression by the terrorist American regime has granted the Islamic Republic of Iran the legitimate right to act in self-defense, including through options that go beyond the delusional calculations of the aggressor coalition,” an IRGC statement published on Iran’s state-affiliated news agency Tasnim said. “The invaders should expect responses that will cause deep regret.”

In response, federal authorities and top leaders across the U.S. have ramped up security measures to monitor for potential threats.

Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem promised to “work unceasingly to protect the American homeland.”

Iran’s Fatal Error? How a ‘Demonic Regime’ Might Trigger End Times Prophecy– www.cbn.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Author and communications strategist Joel Rosenberg is praying for the “liberation of Iran,” encouraging Christians to join him in asking God to change the tides inside the Islamic Republic.

“I don’t want to just destroy or neutralize the Iranian threat,” he said. “I want to see this wicked, demonic regime fall.”

Rosenberg, a bestselling author and the founder of The Joshua Fund, a group that provides humanitarian aid, said the current conflict between Israel and Iran is unlike anything he’s seen in the region during his more than 11 years living in the Jewish state.

“I have never seen a war as intense,” he said. “This is the most consequential war that Israel has ever fought since the War of Independence, in which seven Arab countries were attacking.”

Rosenberg said Iran’s purported nuclear ambitions posed a dire threat to Israel and created a situation that necessitated Israel’s military response — a preemptive reaction many never thought would happen.

“Nobody outside the country thought that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had the courage to do it, the will to do it … to attack Iran’s nuclear program when no one else would, and the ballistic missile program, and try to take out all of Iran’s top military leadership,” he said. “Even if Bibi Netanyahu was crazy enough to do it, everybody — all of our enemies and many of our allies — thought that every American president would stop Netanyahu from doing it the way President Obama stopped Netanyahu from doing it, President Biden stopped Netanyahu from doing it, and, in the last few months, it looked like President Trump did not wanna see a military attack, but here we are.”

 

Pope Leo says ‘war does not solve problems’ following US strikes on Iran– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Pope Leo XIV called the increasing tensions in the Middle East “alarming” and pushed for diplomacy as a path forward.

In a message that did not directly reference U.S. military action in Iran but came just hours after it, Leo said, “Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for peace.”

“This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason, and it must not be drowned out by the din of weapons or the rhetoric that incites conflict. Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable chasm. There are no ‘distant’ conflicts when human dignity is at stake,” he said after reciting the Angelus prayer in front of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square.

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass on Corpus Christi Day in St. John Lateran Archbasilica, in Rome, Sunday, May 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

“War does not solve problems; on the contrary, it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of peoples which take generations to heal,” he added.

The U.S. strikes came nearly two weeks after Israel began attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities and its military infrastructure. Iran’s health ministry has said at least 430 people have been killed so far as a result of Israeli missiles, with Israel saying 24 people have been killed from Iranian strikes.

China and Russia Condemn U.S. Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites; European Allies and Arab States Offer Muted Support– legalinsurrection.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan on Sunday morning was met with muted approval from European allies and Arab states.

While China predictably teamed up with Iran, Russia, and Pakistan to condemn the U.S. action, European leaders were surprisingly vague in their response, urging ‘all parties’ to show restraint and find a diplomatic solution.

Arab states, fearful of seeing a nuclear-armed Iran, called for ‘de-escalation’ and more ‘diplomacy.’

China led the condemnation of the U.S. targeting of Iran’s nuclear weapons program. In its first statement following the strikes, Beijing claimed the action “seriously violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law and exacerbates tensions in the Middle East.”

China singled out Israel as the aggressor, calling for a “ceasefire.” “China calls on all parties to the conflict, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible,” the statement added.

The South China Morning Post reported China’s reaction:

China condemned the United States for its weekend attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, describing them as serious violations of international law.

In a brief statement on Sunday night, the Chinese foreign ministry said the bombing of the facilities, which were under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, seriously violated the United Nations Charter and its principles.

It called on all parties, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible, ensure the safety of civilians and start dialogue.

“China is willing to work with the international community to uphold justice and restore peace and stability in the Middle East,” the ministry said.

Socialist NYC Mayor Hopeful Says Iran Bombing Will ‘Plunge’ World ‘Into Chaos’– dailycaller.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Democratic Socialist and New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani slammed the U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities Saturday, calling it an “unconstitutional military action” and warning it could “plunge the world deeper into chaos.”

Mamdani, a state assemblyman and vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy, released a statement on X after President Donald Trump’s address to the nation, in which Trump said the strikes aimed to “destroy Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity” and neutralize “the nuclear threat posed by the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror.” (RELATED: How The US Crippled Iran’s Nuclear Program In One, Clandestine Attack)

“Donald Trump ran for president promising to end wars, not start new ones,” Mamdani wrote. “Today’s unconstitutional military action represents a dark, new chapter in his endless betrayals that now threaten to plunge the world deeper into chaos.”

Mamdani added that the “political establishment” prioritizes “endless wars” and military spending over domestic needs like poverty alleviation and peace-building. The progressive candidate is currently polling second behind former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary.

Brad Lander, New York City comptroller and fellow Democratic mayoral candidate, also condemned the bombing. “Trump’s reckless & unconstitutional strikes against Iran are a dangerous escalation of war — and threaten countless Iranian, Israeli & American lives,” Lander posted on X.

Chuck Schumer Breaks Silence, Opposes Trump Attack on Iran– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who once claimed to be Israel’s “guardian” in Congress, put out a statement late Saturday night opposing President Donald Trump’s airstrike on Iran’s nuclear sites.

After a delay of several hours, and long after his colleagues — Republican and Democratic — had reacted, Schumer issued a statement criticizing the attacks and backing legislation to limit Trump’s war powers.

The criticism from Schumer and other Democrats echoes their criticism of his successful airstrike on Iranian terror general Qasem Soleimani, when they again cited constitutional limitations on the commander-in-chief.

In reality, Trump’s actions are constitutional, provided that he complies with deadlines established by the existing War Powers Resolution of 1973, which allows the president to conduct war, provided that he report to Congress within 60 days. Few Democrats objected when President Barack Obama used his war powers — even in excess of those allowed by the War Powers Resolution, as Breitbart News has noted in the past:

[F]ew Democrats raised objections when President Barack Obama went to war — often exceeding the boundaries of his legal authority as president. The most notorious case was the Libya War, which President Obama launched in March 2011 without congressional authorization. He continued the war effort beyond the War Powers Resolution’s deadlines because, the administration argued, the U.S. was not engaged in “hostilities” but “leading from behind.”

Some on the left bent over backwards to defend Obama’s unconstitutional war. Former Yale Law School dean Harold Koh was once “one of the country’s foremost defenders of the notion that the president of the United States can’t wage wars without the approval of Congress,” the New York Times noted, but later became “the administration’s defender of the right to stay engaged in a conflict against Libya without Congressional approval.”

Later, when Obama was mulling military action against Syria, an administration that came to power by arguing that the Iraq War had been waged “without strong international support” argued that war against Syria would have been justified even without the backing of the United Nations Security Council because there was no way to win Russian support regardless, and because the threat of weapons of mass destruction against civilians was dire. Few objected.

Israel Cracks Down on Foreign Media Outlets with New ‘Zero Tolerance’ Censorship Policy– www.westernjournal.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Israel is placing strict limits on video that news organizations can take at the scene of Iranian missile attacks.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi announced the policy, which requires prior approval from “the Israel Police, the Government Press Office (GPO), and the military [Israel Defense Forces] censor,” according to the Jerusalem Post.

“In accordance with new zero-tolerance enforcement measures led by the national security minister and the police commissioner, any transmission — live or recorded — from areas under missile fire must receive explicit clearance from the IDF censor,” GPO Director Nitzan Chen said.

The new policy was enacted after missile attacks in Beersheba, Holon, and Ramat Gan.

In those incidents, footage was appearing on Al Jazeera. The Jerusalem Post report said CNN and The New York Times were targeted by the new rule in addition to Al Jazeera.

Although some photographers said they represented other outlets, Israeli officials said the footage was used by Al Jazeera, regardless of who might have recorded it.

Massie says ‘no imminent threat’ from Iran authorized Trump to bypass Congress for strikes– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) increased his criticism of President Donald Trump’s decision to enter Israel’s war with Iran.

Massie and other members of Congress have criticized Trump for circumventing congressional approval for war as outlined in the Constitution. The president can only authorize strikes if there is an imminent threat to the United States, but Massie said such a threat did not exist.

“There was no imminent threat to the United States which would authorize that,” Massie said.

He said the administration “misinterpreted” the War Powers Act.

“Congress was on vacation when all of this was happening. We haven’t been briefed, they should have called us all back [from House recess], and, frankly, we should have debated this War Powers Resolution that Ro Khanna and I offered,” he said.

Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna’s (D-CA) Iran War Powers Resolution highlights that the Constitution grants the power to declare war to Congress. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) had introduced his own version of the resolution in the Senate.

Rubio says it would be ‘suicidal’ for Iran to close Strait of Hormuz after US attack– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran against closing the Strait of Hormuz after the United States attacked three of the country’s nuclear facilities on Saturday.

Rubio claimed that while the U.S. would be affected, the impact would be greater on the rest of the world, most notably China.

“It would be a suicidal move on their part because the whole world would come against them if they did that,” Rubio said on CBS News’s Face the Nation.

In this image provided by the White House, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in foreground, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio sit in the Situation Room, Saturday, June 21, 2025, at the White House in Washington. (The White House via AP)

The strait, which is about 100 miles long and 21 miles wide, is shared between Iran and Oman and connects the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. It handles about a quarter of the world’s oil trade, and disruptions in the supply chain there would likely increase oil prices globally.

Rubio said a move to close the strait would escalate tensions and prompt a response from the U.S., saying such an action would be “the worst mistake they’ve ever made.”

<b>Exclusive: Israel blasts EU report accusing it of breaching human rights in Gaza</b>- <i> www.euronews.com</i>

Exclusive: Israel blasts EU report accusing it of breaching human rights in Gaza– www.euronews.com

pgnewser June 22, 2025 0

Source Link
Excerpt:

Israel has blasted the EU-Israel Association Agreement (EUSR) review, saying “this report and its conclusions should not be taken seriously or used as a basis for any future actions or conversations”, in a letter from the country’s foreign ministry to the EU seen by Euronews.

”Decency would dictate addressing the report’s shortcomings and dismissing it in its entirety,” the letter, sent to the Commission and External Action Service, concludes.

The EU-Israel Association Agreement review released on Friday said that Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip indicate a breach of the human rights provisions contained in its Association Agreement with the European Union. The issue is set to be considered by foreign ministers meeting on Monday.

Citing a collection of findings by independent international organisations, the highly anticipated review from the bloc’s diplomatic service said it found “indications” that Israel breached its human rights obligations with actions in Gaza.