JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T
MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE
MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET
SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO
OTHER.
1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST
FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the
firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
WAR WITH IRAN - DAY 108 JUNE 15,26 - MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN US AND IRAN-WILL NEVER WORK.
THE
NEXT US-ISRAEL HIT ON IRAN SHOULD BE VERSE 37. ALL OFFENSIVE NUKE SITES
MISSLES,DRONES,AND OF COURSE KHEMENI AND THE IRGC GUARDS.THEN AFTER
IRANS REGIME CHANGE. MUSLIMS COME TO JESUS BY THE MILLIONS.
JEREMEIAH 49:32-39 (IN IRAN AT THE BUSHEHR OR ARAK NUKE SITES AND ALL OFENSIVE WEAPONS DESTROYED IN IRAN)
Jeremiah 49:32-39
32
Their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a
spoil: and I will scatter to all winds those who have the corners [of
their hair] cut off; and I will bring their calamity from every side of
them, says Yahweh.
33 Hazor shall be a dwelling-place of jackals, a
desolation forever: no man shall dwell there, neither shall any son of
man sojourn therein.(Location & Size: It was strategically located
along the Via Maris (Way of the Sea), a major trade route connecting
Egypt with Syria and Mesopotamia.)
34 The word of Yahweh that came to
Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam,(IRAN) in the beginning of the
reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
35 Thus says Yahweh of
Hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,(IRANS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS)
the chief of their might.(MISSLES AND NUKE SITES)
36 On Elam (IRAN)
will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of the sky, and will
scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation where
the outcasts of Elam shall not come.(SINCE 1979 IRANIANS HAVE GOTTIN OUT
OF IRAN BECAUSE OF KHEMENI AND HIS APOCOPOLIPTIC DEATH CULT
BELIEF-BLACK HATER 12ERS)
37 I will cause Elam (IRAN) to be dismayed
before their enemies, and before those who seek their life;(ISRAEL THE
LITTLE SATAN AND THE U.S THE BIG SATAN) and I will bring evil on them,
(MISSLES) even my fierce anger,(FIRE) says Yahweh; and I will send the
sword after them,(IRANS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS) until I have consumed them;
(DESTROYED THEM ALL NUKE SITES,MISSLES ETC)
38 and I will set my
throne in Elam,(IRAN WILL BECOME A CHRISTIAN NATION) and will destroy
from there king (KHEMENI, ISLAM) and princes, says Yahweh.(IRANIAN ARMY
GUARDS)
39 But it shall happen in the latter days, that I will bring
back the captivity of Elam,(IRAN) says Yahweh.(WERE IN THE LATTER DAYS
NOW)
WHEN ARE THE 500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS IN ISRAEL IN THE SPRING TIME.(GET READY ISLAM TO BE BIRD SEED FOR THESE BIRDS)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m0bXU5Xqc5M
The
500 million migratory birds in Israel during the spring arrive from
Africa and head toward Europe and Asia, with the peak migration
occurring in March and April. While migration starts in late February,
the most intense movements, particularly of birds of prey, storks, and
pelicans, occur during the third week of March and continue into April.
Key Details on the Spring Migration
Peak Period: Mid-March through April.
Main
Migration Route: The birds use the Great Rift Valley, which includes
the Hula Valley and Eilat, acting as a "bottleneck" where millions of
birds fly through the narrow land bridge.
Best Spots: The Hula Lake
Park (Northern Israel) and the Eilat Birding Center (Southern Israel)
are primary locations for observing the migration.
Key Species:
Hundreds of thousands of white storks, along with black kites, raptors,
and pelicans, pass through over these months.
uration: The spring migration runs from late February and continues into June, though the heaviest traffic is in March/April.
The
500 million migratory birds fly over Israel in the fall between late
August and mid-December. The peak migration period for the autumn, when
the highest volume of bird traffic occurs, is typically October and
November.
Key Fall Migration Details
Location: The Hula Valley (Agamon Hula Park) in northern Israel is the premier spot to witness this phenomenon.
Timing: Migration starts as early as late June with some waders, but intensifies from mid-August through November.
Peak Festival: The "Annual Hula Valley Bird Festival" is usually held in November to align with the peak migration traffic.
Key
Species: Many birds of prey (raptors), including honey buzzards and
steppe eagles, cross during this time, along with massive flocks of
storks and cranes.
While roughly 500 million birds pass through in
the autumn on their way to Africa, the same number crosses again in the
spring (mid-February to May) on their way back to Europe and Asia.
JEREMEIAH 49:23-27
23
Concerning Damascus.(SYRIA) Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they
have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the
sea;(WAR SHIPS WITH NUKES COMING ON SYRIA) it cannot be quiet.
24
Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath
seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in
travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26
Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of
war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.
27 And I
will kindle a fire (NUKES OR BOMBS) in the wall of Damascus, and it
shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(ASSADS PALACES POSSIBLY IN
DAMASCUS)
THIS IRAN
SITUATION OF SO CALLED PEACE OR CEASEFIRE OR MEMORAMDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
FOR 60 DAYS. AINT. I CAN TELL TRUMP (THE CHEESE) AND IRAN (THE MOUSE).
THAT THERE WILL NOT TRUELY BE PEACE AGAINST IRAN TILL AFTER THE EZEKIEL
38&39 WAR. WHEN GOD WILL ELIMINATE THE IRANIAN ARMY AND LICE OF THE
MOUSE LEADERS. ONCE AND FOR ALL. BUT UNTILL THEN CHEESE TRUMP WILL FORCE
THE MOUSE IRAN TO DO CHANGES. BUT THE ULTIMATE LEADERS IN IRAN WILL
STILL HATE AMERICA THE BIG SATAN. AND THE LITTLE SATAN ISRAEL.THE CAT
WILL BE THE ARAB PUPPETS OF IRAN CONTINUING TO MISSLE INTO ISRAEL. UNTIL
JESUS GIVES ISRAEL THEIR PROMISED LAND. THIS-CHEESE-MOUSE CAT GAME
SHOULD GO ON FOR YEARS. IF ISRAEL DOES NOT ANNIALATE THE IRANIAN LEADERS
AND THEIR DEATH CULT PUPPET ARABS THAT SHOOT AT ISRAEL UNTIL THE
EZEKIEL 38&39 WAR. ITS JUST GONNA PEACE, BOMB IRAN AFTER THEY BREAK
CONTRACTS. AND I PREDICT THIS CHEESE, MOUSE, CAT GAME GOES ON FOR 2
YEARS OR SO.OR A SPRING OR FALL BIRD MIGRATION WHEN IRAN,RUSSIA WILL
FINALLY BE GONE (THE LEADERS). TRUMP YOU BETTER NOT HASSEL NETANYAHU OR
GOD WILL LET THE MUSLIMS DO A TERRORIST ATTACK ON AMERICA. SO WATCH IT
MR CHEESE.
US says Trump, Vance and Iran’s Ghalibaf
‘digitally’ signed Iran deal on Sunday-Terms of deal still not
published; US official says MOU not conditioned on IDF withdrawal from
Lebanon; Trump claims Hormuz will be fully open by Friday’s signing in
Switzerland By Jacob Magid-Today, 10:44 pm-JUN 15,26
US Vice
President JD Vance said on Monday that the memorandum of understanding
between the US and Iran was signed “digitally” the previous day, ahead
of an in-person signing ceremony apparently set for Friday in
Switzerland with high-ranking American and Iranian officials in
attendance.The text of the agreement between the two countries — said to
halt the US blockade of Iran, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and begin 60
days of negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program — has not been
released to the public. Senior US officials, including Vance and US
President Donald Trump, offered contradictory hints as to its contents
in various interviews and briefings throughout Monday.“We already signed
the deal digitally yesterday,” Vance told ABC’s “Good Morning
America.”A senior US official subsequently confirmed that both Vance and
Trump digitally signed the MOU on Sunday, with Iranian parliament
speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf signing on behalf of Tehran, putting a
decisive end to the war launched by the US and Israel on February 28.It
was unclear when the full text of the deal would be released, with Trump
initially saying it would be made public “pretty soon,” before later
specifying that it would likely be “some time after Friday.”Moments
before Trump’s remarks from France, where he was attending the G7
summit, two of his top aides held a briefing for reporters in which one
of them said the text would likely be released in the next 24 to 48
hours.A pair of top officials in Trump’s administration also held a
background phone briefing with reporters on Monday, shedding some light
on how the deal will be implemented and what it contains.The MOU
established the “structure” for how negotiations on Iran’s nuclear
program will unfold over the coming 60 days, but one of the senior US
officials said that Washington will know “over the next two or three
weeks” whether a follow-on agreement can actually be reached.Trump
threatened on Sunday that attacks on Iran could resume if the sides fail
to reach a nuclear accord.Conditions around Hormuz still murky-Another
top official briefing reporters said that while the deal provides for
the “immediate” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, it will still “take a
little time” to operationalize, as mines allegedly need to be removed
and ship operators have their own judgments regarding the risk of using
the waterway.“We probably won’t return to normal in two weeks, but we
will see a significant increase in strait traffic,” the senior US
official said.Trump, earlier on Monday, declared that the Strait of
Hormuz had already been “partially” reopened, and would be “completely
open” by the time of Friday’s signing ceremony.Further complicating the
narrative surrounding the deal, Vance told CNBC that Washington
“expects” that the Strait of Hormuz will be “opened in a toll-free way
for the long term.”“That’s the sort of thing that we’re going to figure
out in these technical negotiations,” he said.The vice president notably
stopped short of saying that the MOU would ensure freedom of navigation
through the waterway, and his comments appeared to leave open the
possibility that Iran would be able to charge tolls on vessels traveling
through the strait. A senior US official later said that the MOU would
indeed ensure the Strait of Hormuz is operated “toll-free” for the next
60 days, but suggested that tolls could be reimposed after that.Praise
for Iran’s leadership from Washington-Vance also told CNBC that he would
be attending the signing ceremony in Switzerland on Friday and would be
joined by Ghalibaf and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. A
senior US official briefing reporters later said top Trump aides Steve
Witkoff and Jared Kushner would also be in attendance.Vance said the US
had been “dealing with everybody in the Iranian system” — from military
hardliners to political leaders — claiming that Washington was sometimes
doing so directly and had built good relationships with counterparts in
Tehran that would allow for a successful negotiation.The direct
relationships between Washington and Tehran were necessary for the US to
understand Iran’s red lines and where they would be willing to
compromise, a US official briefing reporters said.Trump also spoke
effusively about Iran’s leadership, saying at the G7 summit that
Washington has “gotten along very well” with Iran’s “new set of
leaders,” again claiming that he had enacted regime change, even though
the regime is still intact.The initial MOU is said to include a
commitment from Iran not to obtain a nuclear weapon, although this has
little weight behind it, as Tehran has long insisted it is not seeking
nuclear armament.It previously committed to not seeking a nuclear weapon
in the 2015 JCPOA agreement that Trump vilified and withdrew from in
2018. Both of Trump’s administrations, along with Israel, have refused
thus far to take Tehran at its word — something the president has now
suggested he is prepared to do.In an effort to sell the MOU to
naysayers, Vance insisted to CNBC that the US maintains “all of the
cards,” as it will not offer Iran sanctions relief unless Tehran makes
concessions during the upcoming nuclear talks.“Even if we just stopped
here, what would be true? Their military is destroyed, the Straits of
Hormuz are open, their nuclear program has been destroyed, and we have
incredible economic leverage over them that we didn’t have a year and a
half ago,” Vance said.Despite his claims, though, Iran’s missile program
remains intact, even if badly battered, and it still holds onto its
stockpiles of highly enriched uranium for the time being, which can be
used to create a nuclear weapon. And, notably, the Strait of Hormuz was
only closed in direct response to the US-Israeli offensive.‘A little
talk’ with Hezbollah-Iranian and Pakistani sources have said the MOU
also extends the ceasefire to Lebanon, preventing Israel from continuing
its offensive against Hezbollah, although Jerusalem has insisted that
it will not agree to do so.The announcement of the deal on Sunday night
came after intensive efforts by Washington to avoid new Iranian attacks
on Israel in response to an airstrike in Beirut earlier in the day.
Trump had suggested that Israel had “overreacted” to Hezbollah fire on
northern Israel, and said the IDF should no longer operate anywhere in
Lebanon.Broaching the topic again on Monday, Trump said the US wanted
“to see if we can straighten out the Lebanon thing.”“It just never seems
to end,” he told reporters in Versailles.“Hezbollah, we have to have a
little talk with them,” Trump added, notably not specifying that he
wants to have a talk with Israel. Axios reported on Sunday that the US
president spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the
strike on Beirut, and told him he “has no fucking judgment.”Further
clarifying the situation, a US official told reporters that the MOU was
not conditioned on Israel withdrawing from Lebanese territory, but
nevertheless envisioned a ceasefire that covers both Iran and
Lebanon.“The deal is a ceasefire, but it will not be a one-way
ceasefire. If Iran is not able to control Hezbollah, and if they attack
Israeli positions or Israeli towns, Israel will have the right to defend
themselves and respond,” the US official said.The official touted the
ongoing talks between the Israeli and Lebanese governments in
Washington, which critics say can accomplish little given Hezbollah’s
refusal to cooperate with them.But the US official insisted those talks,
as well as the MOU, present an opportunity.“The first point in the MOU
talks about how Iran and its allies and America and its allies seek to
end hostilities and hopefully have a final peace that hopefully will
include a lot of these proxy groups,” the US official said. “Hopefully,
this will help us get the Israel-Lebanon normalization and peace done
properly.”The Lebanese presidency said in a statement on Monday evening
that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed the announced US-Iran deal
in a call from Iran’s foreign minister.The Lebanese leader said he hoped
the agreement would be a “positive step towards reducing tensions and
opening the door to diplomatic solutions,” while Araghchi emphasized
“the importance of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty,” the statement
said.In a statement on Telegram, Araghchi said he also spoke to
Lebanon’s parliament speaker Nabih Berri, a staunch ally of Hezbollah,
about the clauses in the MOU pertaining to Lebanon.Agencies and Times of
Israel staff contributed to this report.
New IRGC chief
‘frequently overruled’ Iran’s leaders during talks with US — report-WSJ
says Ahmad Vahidi pushed for harder line with Washington, linked Iran
and Lebanon in talks, advocated for striking Israel and Gulf despite
objections from Iran’s FM and president By ToI Staff 14 June 2026, 12:06
pm
Ahmad Vahidi, the commander in chief of Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps, emerged as a key player during negotiations
between the US and Iran, according to a Saturday profile in the Wall
Street Journal, which found that the senior paramilitary leader pushed
for a hard line in talks, advocating against any concessions to
Washington.According to the report, citing Iranian and Arab officials,
the 67-year-old Vahidi advocated for Iran to launch last week’s
ballistic missile barrage on Israel, which Tehran said came in response
to an Israeli strike against Hezbollah headquarters in southern Beirut.
Moderate voices within Tehran were hesitant, believing that direct
attacks on Israel would jeopardize talks with the US, the report
added.In the end, Vahidi won out, with Iran launching 24 missiles at
Israel in several attacks last Sunday night and Monday morning.His
gamble seemed to have paid off. Tehran and Washington quickly returned
to the negotiating table after the brief exchange of fire, with the two
sides poised to sign a memorandum of understanding on Sunday.According
to the report, Vahidi and the IRGC “stood as the biggest obstacle” to a
deal with the US, pushing Iran’s negotiating team to hold out until its
demands were met, believing that the country was in an advantageous
position and did not need to offer concessions to Washington.Vahidi has
insisted that Iran “reestablish military deterrence,” the report said,
in the wake of weeks of relentless US-Israeli bombing campaigns, and
then months of protracted conflict and blockades in the Straight of
Hormuz. He also reportedly advocated for more strikes on Arab countries
in the Gulf, despite statements from Iran’s political leaders that such
attacks would stop.This approach has contrasted with the more moderate
positions taken by much of Iran’s public-facing political leadership, a
group that Vahidi has “tussled with” in recent months, the Journal
added.In each instance of disagreement, the IRGC commander “has come out
on top,” it said, adding that Vahidi has “frequently overruled” Iranian
President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi.According to the sources quoted in the report, political
leaders consistently pushed for a quick agreement to end the war and
reopen blockaded shipping lanes, in the hope of rehabilitating Iran’s
crippled economy. The IRGC, which controls Iran’s presence in the Strait
of Hormuz, disagreed.Additionally, it was Vahidi who decided to link an
end to the war in Iran with an end to Israel’s war against Hezbollah in
Lebanon, successfully tying Israel’s hands in its fight against the
Iran-backed terror group, causing the US fear that increased IDF action
in Lebanon would collapse negotiations, the Journal said.With Vahidi now
wielding power that outweighs Iran’s president and top diplomats, he
experienced an “almost unprecedented” rise to helm the vaunted IRGC, an
expert told the Journal, lacking significant experience as a wartime
commander.His background is largely in intelligence, it said, though he
also served as Iran’s defense and interior minister in the 2010s.Vahidi
was a founding member of the IRGC in 1979, taking charge of the
militia’s intelligence forces only three years later, in his early
twenties. From there, he helped found the IRGC’s elite Quds Force, the
unit that trains foreign militias and terror groups and directs their
operations. The IRGC and the Quds Force are US-designated terrorist
organizations.As former head of the Quds Force, Vahidi was instrumental
in building up Hezbollah as a military force in the 1990s, fashioning
the terror group as the premier armed force in Lebanon over the past
several decades with Iran’s strategic, economic, tactical and diplomatic
support.Vahidi is wanted by Interpol over the 1994 bombing of a Jewish
community center in Argentina that killed 85 people, which Hezbollah was
ruled as responsible for.He is also under US sanctions for his role in
the brutal regime crackdown on Iranian women’s rights protests in 2022,
the report added.Now, at the helm of the entire IRGC, Vahidi wields
immense power, shaping his country’s positions in talks with the US,
reportedly refusing to give an inch and insisting that Iran flex its
muscles even after it was battered in the war.However, the Journal noted
that he now wears a “perilous crown,” a crown that his predecessor wore
for less than a year before he was killed during the opening blows of
the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Analysis-Gulf states could be left in
the lurch and exposed by the US-Iran deal-After being caught in the
crossfire of a war they didn’t want, wealthy Arab states are now
‘subjected to what amounts to blackmail’ from both Iran and the US,
experts say By Aya Iskandarani, Callum PATON and Sofiane Alsaar Today,
9:34 pm-JUN 15,26
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — After
bearing the brunt of Iran’s attacks in a war they never wanted, the
US-Iran deal has left Gulf states feeling exposed to proxies and
missiles and frustrated with an unreliable US ally, analysts
said.Tehran’s aerial salvoes and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have
posed an existential threat to the Gulf countries and their economic
model.The memorandum of understanding due to be signed this week will
not permanently end the war. It buys negotiators another 60 days,
extending a state of uncertainty that is bad for business.The agreement
shies away from key Gulf security concerns, forcing countries in the
region to seek their own channels with Iran to protect their interests
as they face an emboldened neighbor while US President Donald Trump is
eager to end the war quickly, experts have said.Everything suggests that
the memorandum “will almost certainly fail to address the Gulf states’
core security concerns over Iran’s offensive military capabilities,
notably its missiles, drones, and regional militia networks,” said Hasan
Alhasan of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.Gulf
leaders have long had close ties to Trump. They showered him with
praise, pledged to invest billions in the American economy, and courted
his entourage.But as the US security umbrella faltered, they were “left
to fend for themselves,” according to Andreas Krieg, a security expert
at King’s College London.Key demands-When Trump withdrew from the 2015
nuclear deal, Gulf states supported that move. They had long complained
the deal failed to involve them and address Iran’s missile program and
proxies.Now, they are faced with a temporary solution that again brushes
those concerns aside.Karim Bitar, a lecturer at Sciences Po in Paris,
said it appeared the deal had been “negotiated hastily and that Iran
made significantly fewer concessions than in 2015,” adding that Gulf
states “have reason to be skeptical.”Iran has agreed to reopen the
Strait of Hormuz, a key Gulf demand after the blockade choked off their
oil and gas exports.But the waterway was only blockaded because of the
war.Further, tying the ceasefire to Lebanon and other conflicts grants
Iran’s proxies “immunity against further Israeli attack or even attempts
by national governments to disarm or integrate these armed factions,”
Alhasan said.Since a shaky April 8 ceasefire, Gulf states have reported
sporadic attacks.Turn toward dialogue-The United Arab Emirates has not
reported fresh attacks in about a month, and has since mellowed its
previously hawkish tone on Iran.“During that high-intensity period of
aggression from Iran, the UAE matched that with rhetoric to try to
establish some kind of deterrence… but the UAE is a pragmatic actor,”
said Gulf International Forum director Dania Thafer.As an agreement
seemed close, the UAE also went for de-escalation, she added.Media
reports alleged that the UAE moved billions of frozen funds to Iran in
exchange for a halt in attacks on its territory, which Abu Dhabi has
denied.Qatar, host of the largest US base in the region, refused to
enter negotiations under Iranian fire, but it hosted in May an Iranian
delegation to discuss the release of frozen funds after the truce.A
diplomat told AFP Qatari negotiators engaged in “17 hours of intensive
negotiations” in Tehran ahead of the announcement of the deal on
Monday.Qatar “played a role trying to secure Gulf interests” during the
talks, according to Thafer.Saudi Arabia, which seeks stability as it
pushes to diversify its oil-reliant economy, has also deepened a
regional alignment with Pakistan, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey to bolster
diplomatic efforts.In the crossfire-Gulf states have found themselves
stuck between a wounded but emboldened Iran and an unreliable alliance
with the US.Chatham House Middle East expert Neil Quilliam said the war
showed the limits of American power.Meanwhile, Iran “has survived and
overcome the US and Israeli decapitation campaign and also demonstrated
that it can strike back and use Hormuz for leverage,” he said.In an
interview with The New York Times on Sunday, Trump suggested Gulf states
pay for American protection against Iran.“The Gulf states are being
subjected to what amounts to blackmail by both Iran and the United
States,” Alhasan said.“Iran will likely continue to hold the Gulf states
and Strait of Hormuz hostage… to its nuclear negotiations with the
United States,” he said.“Trump is exploiting the threat posed by Iran to
pressure the Gulf states into giving in to his demands.”Thafer said
Trump was trying to show Washington could still deter Tehran.“Iran is
weaker, but in some ways emboldened, because it had the opportunity to
test the limits of US power… in the worst-case scenario, and they
survived it,” she added.
US-Iran peace deal announced with 'permanent' end to military action.
Washington,
United States, June 14 (AFP) Jun 14, 2026-The United States and Iran
agreed a peace deal and an "immediate and permanent" end to military
operations on all fronts including Lebanon, mediator Pakistan said, in
the strongest sign yet that more than three months of war in Middle East
is drawing to a close.Pakistani Prime Minister Shebhaz Sharif posted on
X that a peace deal "has been REACHED" and an official signing ceremony
will be held on June 19 in Switzerland."The Deal with the Islamic
Republic of Iran is now complete," US President Donald Trump swiftly
confirmed with his own statement on Sunday, as he marked his 80th
birthday."I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait
of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal
of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your
engines. Let the oil flow!"There was no immediate confirmation from
Iran, which just hours earlier had vowed to retaliate against a strike
by Israel against Iranian ally Hezbollah in the suburbs of Beirut which
threatened to push back an agreement.It had declined Sunday to offer a
clear timeline for reaching a peace deal.But later in the day,
Pakistan's Sharif made the announcement that a deal had been struck,
thanking the US and Iran "for finding a diplomatic solution to the
conflict.""Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent
termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,"
Sharif wrote, adding thanks to leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabi and Turkey
for their support in the mediation effort.It was a rollercoaster
Sunday, with Trump in the morning angrily blaming Israel for delaying
its signing with the airstrike on Beirut, which he said had delayed the
agreement.The last time Israel hit the Beirut suburbs, it sparked one of
the strongest jolts yet to a ceasefire that has largely held since
April, with Iran firing off a retaliatory missile barrage and Israel
responding with strikes.Tehran has long demanded that any agreement to
halt the war must include the parallel conflict in Lebanon, where Israel
has been pursuing a campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah.The war
began in late February, with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which
retaliated with attacks on Israel and US allies in the region, and by
virtually blocking ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route
for global oil and natural gas supplies. The US retaliated to that by
blockading ship traffic to Iranian ports.burs-mp/bgs
Trump insists Iran deal 'hours' away, despite Israeli strike on Beirut.
Washington,
United States, June 14 (AFP) Jun 14, 2026-US President Donald Trump
insisted on Sunday that a deal to end the Middle East war was just
"hours" away, angrily blaming Israel for delaying its signing with an
airstrike on Beirut that drew threats of retaliation from Iran.Trump has
pledged that the agreement will be signed Sunday -- his 80th birthday
-- while Tehran has declined to offer a clear timeline, though both
sides have signalled that diplomatic channels remained open.Tehran has
long demanded that any agreement to halt the war must include the
parallel conflict in Lebanon, where Israel has been pursuing a campaign
against Iran-backed Hezbollah.But after days of momentum building
towards a deal, Israel's strike on Sunday in Beirut's southern suburbs
-- a Hezbollah stronghold -- prompted Iran's chief negotiator to
question the point of continuing peace talks.The attack "showed that the
United States either lacks the will to implement its commitments or
lacks the ability to do so", Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher
Ghalibaf said on X."If you do not have the will or the ability to fulfil
your commitments, then there is no point in talking about continuing
down this path," he added.Trump -- who over weeks of negotiations has
repeatedly declared an accord with Iran was all but concluded -- told
the US news outlet Axios that the strike "delayed the signing"."It was
supposed to be now. Now it is scheduled for a few hours from now," Trump
said in a phone call, while fuming at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu."Why did Bibi have to do a fucking attack?" he told Axios. "I
was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no fucking judgement."-Iran
response 'imminent' -In an earlier social media post, Trump decried the
strike, saying the Iran deal would "bring peace to the region, including
to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down".The Iranian Fars news
agency quoted "a source close to Iran's negotiating team" as saying just
before the Israeli strike that even if Tehran's position was
incorporated into the deal, "no agreement will be signed within the
timeframe announced by Trump".The last time Israel hit the Beirut
suburbs, it sparked one of the strongest jolts yet to a ceasefire that
has largely held since April, with Iran firing off a retaliatory missile
barrage and Israel responding with strikes.Following Sunday's attack,
Iran's highest security body, the Supreme National Security Council,
announced that the "response of the fighters of Islam is
imminent"."Lebanon is our life and violation of the red lines of the
Islamic Republic will not be tolerated," its secretary said on
X.Israel's military said it was "preparing for potential fire toward the
territory of the state of Israel in the coming hours".UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres criticised the Israeli attack,
pointing to its inopportune timing and urging "all parties to show
maximum restraint at this crucial moment."US Defence Secretary Pete
Hegseth had said earlier he did not expect the Israeli attack to
"disrupt" the progress towards a deal."From all I know, we are on
track," he said. "It is not a matter of if. It is a matter of when."-
Sticking points -Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian had said that the
Supreme National Security Council supported negotiations despite
criticism from hardliners, pointedly adding that the body was in charge
of "decisions regarding war and negotiations".A delegation from mediator
Qatar was in Tehran on Sunday "to help facilitate the finalisation of
the agreement", a diplomat with knowledge of the situation told AFP.The
warring parties have released conflicting information about the contents
of the deal, as each seeks to show it emerged from the war with the
upper hand.Tehran has insisted it will maintain control over the vital
Strait of Hormuz -- which it has blockaded since early in the war -- but
the US has repeatedly said this would be unacceptable, and has
responded with its own blockade of Iranian ports.Iran's Foreign Minister
Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the deal on the table called for
lifting the US blockade, while stressing the strait would not return to
its pre-war status quo.Another key sticking point in the talks has been
the fate of Iran's nuclear programme, particularly its stockpile of
highly enriched uranium -- believed to have been buried by US strikes
last year.Araghchi on Friday said the only way to deal with Iran's
enriched uranium "is to dilute it inside Iran".Trump has justified the
war as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons -- an
ambition it has long denied -- and had previously said the US would
remove and destroy the uranium.On Saturday, he said: "When all is calm,
we will go in and get the Nuclear Dust... and downblend and destroy it,
whether in Iran or the United States."burs-smw/jsa
'The general
feeling within Israel: We lost'US-Iran deal met with despair in Israel,
joy in Lebanon and hope in Iran-Northern officials lament uncertain
security outcome as Lebanese begin streaming back to areas they left due
to fighting; Iranians look forward to sanctions relief By ToI Staff and
AFP Today, 6:55 pm-JUN 15,26
The deal between the United States
and Iran to end their war, negotiated in secret and still not revealed
in detail, was greeted Monday with despair in northern Israel, joy in
Lebanon, and a measure of relief among other people across the Middle
East.In Israel, some northern community officials lamented the deal and
how it did not appear to provide them with the security against attacks
from Lebanon that they had hoped for.Eitan Davidi, chair of the Moshav
Margaliot community council, said “the miserable ceasefire that has been
forced [on us]” has left the north “with a continuous threat from
Hezbollah,” the Israel Hayom newspaper reported.He said that Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have been better off not entering into
the recent round of fighting “and leaving the situation the way it was
before.”The deal, he said, “takes us to a place of uncertainty… because
security has not been restored. The complete opposite is true — the
security situation here has deteriorated with the unfortunate agreement
that President Trump is bringing upon us and with the prime minister’s
consent and silence.”Israel and the US launched a campaign against Iran
on February 28 in a bid to destabilize the regime and destroy its
nuclear and ballistic missile capacities. Iran responded with missile
and drone strikes across the region — including at Israel — as did
Hezbollah, which began to attack northern Israel with rocket and drone
barrages. Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground invasion
that displaced hundreds of thousands of southern Lebanese.Though Iran
has tied Lebanon to its negotiations with the US, Israel insists it is a
separate issue, as Hezbollah remains able to strike Israel at will.
Both Iran and Hezbollah are avowed to wipe out Israel, which was not
involved in the negotiations for a truce. Direct negotiations with
Lebanon’s government for a separate ceasefire, hosted by the US, have so
far been unsuccessful.Iran and mediator Pakistan say the agreement with
the US provides for an end to the fighting in Lebanon, but Israeli
ministers said forces will not be withdrawn from the country. Netanyahu
did not immediately comment on the deal, which was lashed by opposition
leaders.Asaf Langleben, head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council, said
in a statement that what mattered for residents was “not declarations
of agreements, but actions.”“The residents of the Upper Galilee are
tired of assurances and demand one thing: real security that will enable
them to return to a sane life,” he said.According to Israel Hayom, some
northern residents also feel despair.Sima Peler, a resident of the
northern border city of Kiryat Shmona, wrote in a residents’ WhatsApp
group, “Last one out, turn off the lights. They sold us out.”Koby
Heller, a 40-year-old Jerusalem resident and owner of a chain of
orthopedic clinics, told AFP that “the general feeling within Israel, I
can’t even say if it’s a feeling within, but everyone I talk to tells
me: ‘We lost.'”“President Trump went to war, with Israel, to achieve
goals. The goals were — as he stated — to dismantle the missiles and to
remove the uranium stockpile from Iran. Neither was achieved,” he said,
referring to the reported terms of the memorandum of understanding
between the US and Iran to halt the fighting.In Lebanon, AFP saw
displaced people preparing to return to homes they fled in the south of
the country, despite Israeli ministers declaring that they are not bound
by the agreement, which reportedly also calls for a halt to fighting
against Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah.At the Qasmiyeh bridge,
gateway to the Tyre area that Israel has pounded in recent weeks, dozens
of cars packed with mattresses and suitcases were passing through a
Lebanese army checkpoint, passengers flashing victory signs.Alaa Merahi,
who was driving with his wife and children, told AFP: “We’re returning
to our south, to the free land… we can’t do without the southern
land.”Many expressed hope this would be a “final return” after hundreds
of thousands of residents were repeatedly forced to flee Israeli
bombings and evacuation orders.At a crowded school-turned-shelter in the
coastal city of Sidon, displaced people sat in classrooms drinking
coffee, waiting for official authorization to return.‘We’ll set up a
tent’“Our joy is greater than the whole world,” said Haifa Sherri, who
was displaced from the town of Khirbet Selm near the border.She said,
however, she would hold off on returning until the situation became
clearer.Lebanon’s army urged displaced residents to delay their return
to southern border villages, while several municipalities told people to
await instructions.But in Sidon, Hanaa Jaffal said she planned to
return on Monday to Ansar, close to Nabatieh and the Israeli
advance.“There’s nothing like returning to your land, even if the houses
are no longer there,” she said.“We’ll set up a tent and stay in it,”
she said, paying tribute to Iran, which backs Hezbollah and which
insisted Lebanon must be included in any peace deal.‘May not be
pleasant’In Iran, where the government brutally suppressed
anti-government protests a month before the war began, most optimism was
economic rather than political.Tehran salesman Efran, 18, told AFP he
hoped an end to sanctions would put the Iranian economy back in gear.“Of
course, if the Americans keep their word and do not break their
promises, as usual,” he added.Nastaran, a 29-year-old software engineer,
said she would be very happy “once the war is over and the sanctions we
had are lifted.”Sadegh, a 52-year-old government worker, said
Washington should be ready to make concessions.“It may not be pleasant
for both sides but nations need peace and tranquility, and I hope that
the other side will adhere to this agreement,” he said.In the monarchies
of the Gulf, whose economies were battered by Iranian strikes and a
shipping blockade imposed by Tehran on the vital Strait of Hormuz after
the war started, but which Trump said would be removed by the deal,
there was also cautious optimism.“I’m relieved,” said 40-year-old
Bahraini Hessa Mahmoud. “No one wants to live through war again.”
Analysis-We
don’t know if Trump loves or hates Netanyahu, and there’s the rub for
the PM-The premier long claimed, credibly, that he had a keen
understanding of the US. Now his greatest American ally ever is
belittling him over and over, right as an election approaches By Ben
Sales-Today, 7:00 pm-JUN 15,26
In late October 2014, a remarkable
transatlantic phone call took place.Earlier that week, an anonymous
official in the Obama White House had sparked a tempest in US-Israel
relations by telling The Atlantic, “The thing about Bibi is, he’s a
chickenshit.”The resulting news cycle lasted days. The White House
publicly denounced the comments about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
as “inappropriate and counterproductive.” US Secretary of State John
Kerry called them “disgraceful, unacceptable, and damaging.” Finally,
Kerry phoned Netanyahu to apologize on behalf of the staffer.Now, here
we are, almost 12 years later, with a US president who openly,
unabashedly calls Netanyahu “fucking crazy,” gripes that he has “no
fucking judgement,” and calls him “very difficult.” And the list goes
on.None of Donald Trump’s individual insults has had a lasting impact on
the public, simply because there are so many of them.The contrast
between the two eras could be taken as evidence of many things: how
Trump has pulverized norms of political discourse; how Netanyahu and his
circle hold Republicans and Democrats to different standards; and how,
simply, Netanyahu has been in power for a very long time.For the prime
minister, however, the problem posed by Trump’s comments is more
immediate and more personal. For years, he’s based his personal foreign
policy chops largely on the claim that he alone is close to Trump. Now,
Trump has provided ample fodder to undercut that claim, right as
Netanyahu is facing a bruising election campaign and emerging from a war
that, at best, has ended inconclusively.It’s possible that Trump still
likes Netanyahu despite the invective. After all, the president is a
champion of flattery as well as humiliation. One could easily make the
case that he loves, or hates, the prime minister. For Netanyahu, that’s
exactly the problem.Netanyahu, who famously attended high school in the
United States, lived there as an adult and speaks fluent, idiomatic
American English, has long claimed that he uniquely knows how to operate
in Washington, DC. In a famous — or, depending on one’s view, infamous —
recording from 2001, Netanyahu boasted, “I know what America is.
America is a thing that can be easily moved, moved in the right
direction.”For much of his career, Netanyahu could back up that
cockiness with receipts. While he didn’t win every battle, he went
toe-to-toe with presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, stymied or
scaled back repeated attempts to persuade Israel to make territorial
concessions, addressed the US Congress again and again, and (mostly)
managed to maintain favorable polling numbers among American voters.Then
came Trump’s first term in office, and it was like a bonanza for
Netanyahu: The US moved its embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israel’s
annexation of the Golan Heights, withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal,
and brokered normalization between Israel and several Arab
countries.When Netanyahu brazenly used building-length ads featuring
Trump’s visage in his 2019 election campaign, it may have broken a
political norm. But few questioned the idea that the two men were
allies.Trump’s second term in office, at first, felt like more of the
same, the partnership culminating with the US and Israel jointly
launching a war, for the first time ever, against Israel’s chief
regional adversary.Since then, however, the two men’s relationship has
clearly become strained. Trump has said plenty of nice things about
Netanyahu and has aggressively pushed President Isaac Herzog to issue a
pardon in the prime minister’s long-running corruption trial.But he’s
also bashed Netanyahu over and over, even mixing praise with damning
words. Last week, he said Netanyahu had had an “amazing career.” But
that comment came in the context of Trump musing that perhaps Netanyahu
shouldn’t even run for reelection — hardly a resounding
endorsement.Throughout it all, Netanyahu’s party has continued to run on
his purportedly unparalleled understanding of the United States, with a
senior aide recently releasing an ad mocking the English-language
skills of rival candidate Gadi Eisenkot.But heading into this election,
Israel’s popularity in the US has plunged to record lows on Netanyahu’s
watch. Netanyahu can no longer claim bipartisan support in the US
Congress, where praise from Democrats, and even some Republicans, has
become a thing of the past. His favorability ratings in the US are deep
underwater.And now, he has to contend with his greatest American ally
belittling him over and over. Seven years after the pro-Netanyahu
campaign ads featuring Trump, it’s easy to imagine one of his opponents
airing an attack ad against the prime minister composed solely of things
Trump has said about him.Trump may yet help him win another election.
If and when the dust settles from the Iran war, the US president may go
back to praising Netanyahu, and finding ways to stage a few more
grinning photo ops.Perhaps the best Netanyahu can still hope for is
that, by the time the elections are held in October, the profanity-laced
insults will recede somewhat in voters’ memories. But that’s a far cry
from being able to say the US president — let alone the US — is
unequivocally on his side.
Analysis-With Trump’s Iran deal, the
October 7 wars are over. Israel really has no idea what to do
next-Netanyahu promised a new Middle East and total victory over
enemies. Having failed to stop Trump’s hugely problematic Iran deal,
Jerusalem is being left behind, vulnerable, in a changed region-By Lazar
Berman Today, 5:51 pm-JUN 15,26
Two days after the Hamas attack
of October 7, 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised that “we
are going to change the Middle East.”That phrase was used by Netanyahu
repeatedly over the next two and a half years, as Israel went to war
against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.“We turned Israel into a regional
power that deters and defeats its enemies,” Netanyahu boasted in March,
at the height of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran.At the time, the
Iran war looked like the successful culmination of Israel’s military
response to October 7. It had delivered painful blows to Hamas and
Hezbollah, and was now fighting alongside the most powerful military in
history to topple the Iranian regime and permanently end the threat
posed by the Iranian axis.The defeat of Israel’s enemies had finally
arrived, some hoped.Now things look very different. The Islamic
Republic’s grasp on power seems more secure than ever, Israel has lost
the legitimacy to respond to direct Hezbollah attacks on its territory,
and US President Donald Trump is about to sign a deal with Iran that
achieves none of the goals stated by either the US or Israel at the
outset of the war on February 28.The post-October 7 wars, which came
with expectations and promises of “total victory,” are over, as are
their illusions. Palestinians are not going to leave Gaza. Hamas won’t
disarm, nor will Hezbollah. Trump is not going to return to war in Iran,
which can now threaten to withdraw from a deal to get Trump to stop any
major Israeli operation against Hamas or Hezbollah.Threats haven’t
disappeared, and enemies haven’t been defeated. Israel will continue to
face threats from the same adversaries, and will have to fight wars
against them sometime in the future, whatever Trump or subsequent
American presidents have to say.The Middle East has certainly changed,
and many of Israel’s enemies are indeed weakened. But many of the
changes — with Iran’s emboldening and Trump’s imposed restrictions on
Israel most emphatically at the forefront — are not in Israel’s favor.In
this emerging and challenging reality, likely shaped by a new US-Iran
deal, Jerusalem will also have to find new ways to act and new means of
achieving goals beyond military force.Goals abandoned-It is today
painfully obvious that this is not the outcome Israel wanted, nor is it
the outcome other US allies in the region expected, when the two allies
went to war a little over 15 weeks ago.Trump and his staff made explicit
promises at the outset of the war.“Our objectives are clear,” Trump
said on March 2. “First, we’re destroying Iran’s missile capabilities…
Second, we’re annihilating their navy… Third, we’re ensuring that the
world’s number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon…
And finally, we’re ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to
arm, fund, and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders.”White
House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said repeatedly that dealing with
Iran’s missile program and its proxies was a stated objective of the
operation.The exact details of the MOU remain unclear, but in no version
leaked to the media does the agreement touch on ballistic missiles or
Iran’s support for terror groups.It will, rather, provide for an end to
US military operations and blockade in exchange for Iran reopening the
Strait of Hormuz and agreeing to talk about its nuclear program, while
enjoying some sanctions relief. Trump will get reduced prices at the gas
pump ahead of the midterms.But the US will not have definitively
blocked Tehran’s path to the bomb, nor will it have removed Iran’s
440-kilogram stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Those central issues
have been set aside for 60-days of post-MOU negotiations, in which Iran
can be reliably expected to resist all substantive concessions.Not
exactly a case of Iran bending to US military might or Trump’s
threats.The MOU also represents a complete abandonment of the protesters
who took to the streets earlier this year to demonstrate against the
regime.“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING — TAKE OVER YOUR
INSTITUTIONS!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social during the protests. “Save
the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price.”“HELP
IS ON ITS WAY.” he promised.While Trump repeatedly claims to have
achieved regime change, the MOU, and any subsequent deal, will only
strengthen the same regime that mowed down tens of thousands of
Iranians.“While the new regime in Iran has not come out of this
confrontation stronger right away, it appears clear that shortly it will
be much stronger,” said Danielle Pletka of the American Enterprise
Institute.“The old guard has been swept away,” she continued, “the IRGC
is firmly in charge; Iran’s leadership has proven it can withstand the
combined might of the United States and Israel; its proxy warfare is
untouched; and the new Iran that rises from the ashes will be more
dangerous to the United States and its allies.”Any limits on Iran’s
nuclear program that it agrees to will be accompanied by the release of
billions of dollars of frozen assets, or the lifting of sanctions that
will pour many billions more into regime coffers.That money will go to
two main purposes — rebuilding the military assets that were lost in the
war, and aiding the recovery of Iran’s armed proxies. Whatever money
does filter down to the Iranian public will only be enough to help
release pressure in a shattered and mismanaged economy.Iranian influence
spreadsIran’s influence in the region is set to recover, as well, in
the wake of the agreement.Since October 7, Israel had been hammering
Iran’s proxy network in Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond. Hezbollah agreed to a
humiliating ceasefire in 2024, and sat quietly while Israel continued
to take out hundreds of its fighters.With Hezbollah’s wings clipped,
Syrian rebels were able to quickly topple the Bashar Assad regime,
taking out another key cog in the Iranian machine.Iran quietly helped
Hezbollah recover somewhat, and with the US-Israeli attack, the Shiite
group resumed its fire on Israel. Many Israeli decision-makers saw an
opportunity to deal Hezbollah a fatal blow, but Iran succeeded in
rescuing its loyal proxy by conditioning any ceasefire with the US on a
truce in Lebanon.Trump, increasingly desperate for a halt in the
fighting, agreed to this in April. But Hezbollah kept firing at northern
Israel and at IDF troops in southern Lebanon, and Israel kept fighting
back.When Hezbollah attacked Israel with drones four times over the
weekend, Israel responded with a strike in Hezbollah’s stronghold in
Beirut, risking the president’s displeasure.And, indeed, Trump would
have none of it. “This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have
happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a peace
deal with Iran,” Trump wrote on Sunday.“Israel has the right to defend
itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very
small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured or killed and should not
disrupt this important process.”Never mind that Trump had said last
week that the US “must, of necessity, respond” to the Iranian downing of
an American helicopter in which both pilots escaped uninjured, which
the US military did.As part of its plan for Lebanon, the US has been
investing significant effort in propping up the government in Beirut and
giving it the legitimacy to clear parts of Lebanon of Hezbollah arms.
That effort is entirely undermined by the MOU. Trump has accepted the
Iranian demand that a ceasefire between the US and Iran extend to the
fighting between Israel and Hezbollah — meaning that what happens in
Lebanon is still determined in Tehran, not in Beirut.“Israeli leaders
are given a choice between avoiding a conflict with the president,” said
Michael Oren, a former Israeli ambassador to the US, “or basically
surrendering the northern part of the country.”A new Middle East-As
Israel seeks ways to defend itself, deter its enemies, and strengthen
alliances in the new reality, its leaders will discover that other
aspects of the Middle East have changed while it has been at war.Arab
countries in the region have sought for years to find a way to guarantee
stability and security. They certainly saw Iran as the major threat,
and in recent years tried to stave off any attacks by Iran and its
proxies through dialogue with the Islamic Republic.That approach failed
spectacularly during the war, as Iran targeted nearly all the Arab
countries in the region.But it is not only Iran that they see as an
aggressive military power destabilizing the region. They are also
unnerved by Israel’s post-October 7 approach, and its willingness to
carry out strikes across the Middle East, including in Qatar when it was
mediating talks to release hostages.Arab countries are increasingly
working together to end conflicts, and creating a regional architecture
through which they speak with one voice to the US.That architecture is
open to dialogue with Iran, despite the attacks. The Arab states still
see Iran as their greatest threat, but are convinced that military force
will not end the threat or bring the regime down.Officials from a range
of Arab countries that were targeted by Iran, including the UAE, have
held meetings with their Iranian counterparts in the past few weeks.The
signal that Arab countries have been sending in recent years is that
Israel — like Iran — is also welcome to enter ongoing dialogue with
them; indeed, many of them have hosted Israeli security officials or
attended multilateral meetings with Israelis.Despite that openness to
dialogue with Israel, an expansion of the Abraham Accords, especially an
agreement with Saudi Arabia, seems extremely unlikely. Arab nations
don’t need Israel in order to access the White House. Far from it: They
have increasingly been influencing US policy in the region, while Israel
is witnessing a series of decisions by Trump that go against its core
interests.“Without meaningful progress on the Palestinian issue, Gulf
leaders have little political incentive to deepen ties with Israel,”
British military analyst Andrew Fox wrote on Monday. “More importantly,
they have reached a sober assessment of Iran itself. Whatever damage has
been inflicted on the regime, it remains the dominant power on the
northern shore of the Gulf and will continue to be a permanent feature
of the regional landscape. Attempts to isolate Tehran completely or
force its collapse no longer seem realistic.”Another informal alliance
has emerged as well. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have
created a quadrilateral partnership to balance against both Israeli and
Iranian power. The foreign ministers of the four countries have met in
Riyadh, Islamabad and Antalya to push for an end to the Iran war and to
throw their collective muscle behind Pakistani mediation efforts.Israel
will have to figure out how to communicate with that alliance,
especially given the presence of Turkey, one of its most bitter critics
on the world stage.Netanyahu alone-In the face of Trump’s decision to
press ahead with an MOU on terms Israel deplores, Netanyahu finds
himself with no recourse in the US system.“We have no friends who will
stand up to Trump,” said Oren bluntly.Netanyahu cannot turn to the
Democrats for support, as they long ago soured on him, and increasingly
on Israel itself.Though they still answer his calls, Republicans in
Congress won’t defy Trump to help Netanyahu either.And forget about
turning to allies elsewhere. Netanyahu has thrown in his lot entirely
with Trump. That strategy has now led to a starkly different outcome
than the one the prime minister envisioned, and he doesn’t have world
leaders ready to stick their necks out for him or for Israel.In the eyes
of most of the region, Netanyahu himself is too toxic a figure at this
point to partner with them on regional integration. He is the leader who
led the war in Gaza. Moreover, he is seen as too concerned about
domestic politics, and self-interest, to be trusted.Netanyahu reportedly
decided to publicize his wartime visit to the UAE — a trip that the UAE
was said to have sought to keep secret and which Abu Dhabi has publicly
denied took place — in order to reduce the political impact of a
planned trip to the Gulf state by political rival Naftali
Bennett.Netanyahu could start making some moves to shift the discourse
around Israel and show some goodwill toward potential partners in the
region and beyond. That could include cracking down forcefully on Jewish
violence in the West Bank, and agreeing to some symbolic moves on the
Palestinian front.But his current government doesn’t give him the
maneuverability he needs to adapt to the new and challenging era. The
right flank of his coalition won’t let him solve soaring extremist
settler violence or make any gestures toward the Palestinian Authority.A
powerful country with deep ties in the region and beyond, Israel will
eventually find options moving forward, and opportunities to improve its
standing. But with Trump’s MOU, the wars that began on October 7 are
over.Under Netanyahu, Israel has no plan for what to do next.
Explainer-Operation
to remove Iranian mines from Strait of Hormuz could take weeks, experts
say-Even with conventional minesweepers and state-of-the-art underwater
drones, it will take time until many insurance, shipping and oil
companies are willing to use the waterway By Reuters Today, 4:10 pm-JUN
15,26
Ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is safe from mines could
delay a return to normal shipping traffic by weeks following a deal to
reopen the waterway, shipping and maritime security sources say.The
operation by conventional minesweepers and state-of-the-art underwater
drones could continue for 40 to 50 days before many insurance, shipping
or oil companies are confident enough to sail through, according to
assessments from five Western maritime security sources.That could
potentially hold up tens of millions of barrels of oil, in addition to
the oil supply from the Gulf already blocked since the United States and
Israel attacked Iran on February 28, according to estimates based on
pre-war flows.Every export barrel from the Gulf is crucial given
stockpiles in the world’s largest economies are headed toward their
lowest levels since at least 2003, according to analysis last week by
the US Energy Information Administration.Even though Iran and the US
quietly helped ships pass through the blockaded waterway in recent
weeks, shipping officials continued to urge caution after the US and
Iran said on Sunday they had reached a preliminary agreement to end
their war and reopen the strait.“We still consider it very risky for
ships to commence transits at this point,” said Jakob Larsen, chief
safety & security officer at shipping association BIMCO. “The threat
of mines in the area remains a concern immediately as well as further
down the line and mine-free routes need to be established.”Assurance
sought by shippers-It is unclear how many mines Iran may have laid in
the strait, which handled 20 percent of the world’s daily supply of oil
and liquefied natural gas before the war.Iran, which has sought to
assert its control over the waterway during the war, has threatened to
deploy naval mines, without commenting on whether its forces have
planted them.The US has indicated that mines are a risk, and says it has
targeted Iranian mine-laying boats.On June 2, US Secretary of State
Marco Rubio told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that Iran
had “mined large segments of Hormuz — international waters,” without
elaborating.In a June 11 note, Germany’s navy, citing information from
the US and British navies, said mines were located in four locations
around the strait, adding that the mine locations could not be verified
by Germany.Even the possibility of mines could deter companies.A
supertanker and its cargo of crude are worth about $300 million, so war
risk underwriters, oil and tanker companies would need assurances that
passage is safe before they attempt to pass through the strait, shipping
industry officials said.“One sea mine is enough to have fatalities,”
said Rene Kofod-Olsen, CEO of V.Group, one of the world’s top technical
ship and crew management specialists which has 13 ships stuck in the
Gulf.“That’s obviously a massive issue for global shipping,” he
said.Shipping traffic remains lowWhen asked last week about how many
mines had been laid and locations, a spokesperson with the US military’s
Central Command (CENTCOM) said it was unable to publicly discuss
specifics for operational security reasons.“US military efforts for
ensuring the Strait of Hormuz is fully clear of sea mines laid by Iran’s
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are ongoing,” they said.The White
House did not respond to requests for comment.Oman’s Maritime Security
Centre warned mariners on May 30 navigating around its side of the
strait to exercise caution after it described the sighting of an “object
suspected to be a floating mine.”Oman’s information ministry did not
immediately respond to a request for comment.As Iran and the US
negotiated over the interim deal to halt the war, both sides enabled
some ships to exit the strait.US President Donald Trump said last week
that the US had been taking millions of barrels of oil out, and Reuters
reported in May on how some states have struck deals with Tehran to
secure passage for vessels.The number of ships passing through the
strait increased to an average of 12 to 15 vessels a day in recent
weeks, according to shipping data that can be verified once the vessels
become visible after leaving the strait. But that is a fraction of the
120 to 140 ships that passed through the waterway daily before the
war.Threat of mines-In March, before the agreement of a tenuous
ceasefire between the US and Iran, Iran’s National Defence Council said
any attempt by “the enemy” to target Iranian coasts or islands would
lead to mining of access routes and communication lines throughout the
Gulf, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.It said
measures would include various types of naval mines, including floating
mines that could be launched from shore.Iran’s foreign ministry did not
respond to a request for comment.Britain, France and Germany have all
despatched warships and minesweepers to the Middle East in anticipation
of a potential mine-clearing operation.Corey Ranslem, chief executive of
maritime security group Dryad Global, said even after US strikes aimed
at destroying Iranian military capacity including mine laying vessels
and stocks, Iran was estimated to possess up to 1,000 naval mines.“If
there is a mine field detected, it could potentially take weeks or
months to remove the threat,” he said.Arsenio Dominguez, head of the
UN’s shipping agency, on Monday welcomed the deal to reopen Hormuz as
“an important step toward restoring safety in this vital maritime
corridor for seafarers and ships.”“However, its implementation will
require time to ensure that all necessary safety and security guarantees
are in place,” he said.
As Trump heads to G7, world leaders
welcome Iran deal, stress need for regional security-Regional leaders
focus on Mideast, as other nations offer help with clearing mines from
the Strait of Hormuz, while insisting Tehran won’t be permitted to
obtain nuclear weapons By Agencies Today, 1:23 pm-JUN 15,26
World
leaders welcomed on Monday the announcement of a framework for a
US-Iran deal to end hostilities and kickstart peace talks, as US
President Donald Trump headed to the French Alps for the Group of Seven
summit.Saudi Arabia, which was targeted by Iran during the war, welcomed
“the agreement reached between the United States of America and the
Islamic Republic of Iran to end military operations and initiate
detailed negotiations within 60 days to reach a permanent agreement.”The
Saudi ministry of foreign affairs insisted that a lasting peace deal
would be one “that takes into consideration the security interests of
regional states, sticking to the principle of non-interference in the
interior affairs of other countries.”Qatar’s foreign ministry, also
targeted by the Islamic Republic, expressed its “full support for all
efforts and initiatives aimed at enhancing regional security and
stability.”Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who sparked a war of
words with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week when he said
that Israeli “aggression” posed a threat to the whole world, stressed
“the need to avoid rhetoric, provocations, and actions that could
escalate tensions in the period leading up to the signing of the
agreement, and to remain vigilant against possible sabotage.”Other
nations focused on the potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,
while emphasizing that Iran must not be permitted to have nuclear
weapons.French President Emmanuel Macron called for “the urgent and
unconditional reopening” of the key waterway, adding that France and the
UK were “ready to support.”France will also support “the determined
efforts of the Lebanese authorities to restore the sovereignty of the
State,” and the agreement “must address concerns related to Iran’s
nuclear and ballistic programs,” Macron added.British Prime Minister
Keir Starmer said “toll-free freedom of navigation must now be restored
in the Strait of Hormuz,” and that the UK was ready “to offer support on
mine clearance.”“It remains the UK’s firm and longstanding position
that Iran must never have a nuclear weapon,” Starmer said.Japan’s Prime
Minister Sanae Takaichi said she hoped that “free and safe navigation
through the Strait of Hormuz will actually be ensured, and that a final
agreement on Iran’s nuclear issue and other matters will be achieved as
soon as possible.”While Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and
Foreign Minister Penny Wong called for “continued restraint and
constructive engagement” from the US and Iran.“Iran must address
longstanding concerns about its nuclear program and the threat it poses
to international security,” they said in a joint statement.With the
agreement, Trump is due to arrive in Evian-les-Bains on Monday afternoon
with some wind at his back for talks with G7 leaders, including some
who have been sharply critical of his managing of the roughly 15-week
conflict that has led to a surge in global energy prices.France is keen
to expand the reach of the G7 beyond its membership of Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.Arab
leaders including Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the emir of
Qatar and president of the UAE will be there to discuss Iran.The leaders
of Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya and South Korea are also
attending.“Ships of the World, start your engines,” Trump said in a
social media post celebrating the deal that he said would lead to the US
ending its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of
the world’s crude had flowed before the conflict. “Let the oil
flow!”Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, however, said
the Iranian closure of the strait would continue until the agreement is
officially signed.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Oil
prices fall and stocks soar with announcement of framework for Iran
deal-After repeated false starts, investors are betting that this time
the war might end, leading to the flow of oil and gas supplies: ‘The
reopening of Hormuz is a relief valve’By AP Today, 12:09 pm-JUN 15,26
World
share prices soared Monday after a tentative deal was announced on
ending the Iran war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices
fell more than $4 a barrel.The future for the S&P 500 was up 1.2
percent and that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1%,
auguring likely early gains for Wall Street.In early European trading,
Germany’s DAX advanced 1.7% to 25,066.48, while the CAC 40 in Paris also
added 1.7% to 8,410.36.Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.8% to
10,553.18.After repeated false starts, investors were betting that this
time, the war might end. US President Donald Trump confirmed the initial
agreement and authorized an end to the US naval blockade of Iranian
ports.Iran confirmed it but signaled that implementation would not start
until a signing that Pakistan said would be held Friday in Switzerland.
Broader negotiations on issues like Iran’s nuclear program are expected
to continue over the next 60 days.In early trading Monday, the price of
Brent crude oil, the international standard, fell $4.08 to $83.25 per
barrel. US benchmark crude lost $4.51 to $80.37 per barrel.It may take
months for oil prices to stabilize after the disruptions from the war
caused them to surge, pushing costs up for gasoline and many other
products. Energy experts said shipping and insurance companies will want
to be confident the pact will hold, ensuring that oil and gas supplies
will flow freely enough for the world’s needs to be met.“The reopening
of Hormuz is a relief valve, not a full peace dividend. The market can
remove some crude panic, but it still has to price the gap between a
headline, a signature, and a regime that actually complies,” Stephen
Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a report.People gather on
paddleboards in shallow water as cargo and service vessels are anchored
in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, June 1, 2026.
(Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP)Still, the news was a huge relief for
markets that have been roiled since the conflict began in late
February.Stocks rallied in Asia, where Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gained 5% to
69,317.50 as the benchmark logged another record high.Buying was
heaviest for technology shares, especially those related to artificial
intelligence. The boom in AI has been driving gains in Japan, where the
benchmark has gained more than 80% in the last year.“This is great
news,” said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at Monex. “Buying by
foreign investors is leading the market with expectations of easing
tensions around the situation in the Middle East. Then the decline in
New York crude oil futures is supporting this positive market.”The Kospi
in Seoul surged 5.2% to 8,545.98.In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng gained
0.6% to 24,864.13, while the Shanghai Composite index was up 1.6% to
4,096.47.Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 advanced 1.3% to 8,922.90. Taiwan’s
Taiex was up 2.8%, and the Sensex in India rose 1.2%.On Friday, US
stocks advanced as Musk’s SpaceX soared in its highly anticipated debut
on Wall Street.The strong start suggested plenty of demand still exists
among investors for AI after SpaceX stock leaped 19.2% in its first day
of trading. That gave Elon Musk’s rocket company a total value of $2.1
trillion, making it bigger than Exxon Mobil, Bank of America and
Coca-Cola combined. In addition to building rockets, SpaceX also owns
the artificial intelligence company xAI.The S&P 500 added 0.5% to
close out its 10th winning week in the last 11. The Dow industrials
climbed 353 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.3%.This
week will bring interest rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and
Bank of England, on Thursday. On Tuesday, the Bank of Japan is due to
announce its monetary policy updates. It is widely expected to raise its
benchmark interest rate to 1% from the current 0.75%.That would be the
highest rate in more than 30 years.In other dealings early Monday, the
dollar slipped to 160.17 Japanese yen from 160.12 yen late Friday. The
euro climbed to $1.1608 from $1.1578.
Netanyahu says details of
US-Iran deal aren’t yet known, rejects comparisons to Obama’s 2015
pact-By Nava Freiberg and Lazar Berman
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu declines to criticize the emerging US-Iran agreement,
stressing during his press conference that Israel does not yet know its
details, while insisting he is “not limiting” himself in acting to
prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon or in preserving Israel’s
freedom of action against Hezbollah in Lebanon.Pressed by a reporter
about concerns over potential similarities between the US Obama
administration’s 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reported details of the
emerging US-Iran framework, Netanyahu responds: “I would not make that
comparison. We do not know what the agreement was.”“I can say that the
fundamental difference between the situation then and the situation
today is that any agreement must be accompanied by a credible military
threat. Back then, there was no credible military threat. Today, because
of what we did — not only the United States, but also because of us,
because we entered there with 14,000 sorties — that is the biggest
difference,” he says.The premier says the 14,000 sorties were split
“roughly half and half” between Israel and the United States, arguing
that they demonstrate how “there is a credible military threat.”He
repeats that Israel “will do what is necessary” to prevent Iran from
obtaining a nuclear weapon, stressing that “I am not limiting myself in
any way regarding this goal.”Asked by another reporter how much he would
oblige himself to the US-Iran deal, Netanyahu does not answer directly,
but emphasizes that Israel is not a signatory and distances himself
from Trump’s decision to sign an agreement.“This agreement was made by
the United States, by the president of the United States. And he
believes that he can truly combine both the opening of the [Strait of
Hormuz] and the cancellation of the nuclear program… And I repeat and
say that this is his decision, and he is leading it.”“Of course, I
expressed my view in various conversations. On the other hand, I said
that we have our own interests – first of all, regarding the nuclear
threat. I am committed that there will not be such a threat facing
us.”Regarding the question of Israel’s freedom of action against
Hezbollah in Lebanon — a country Tehran insists be covered by any
ceasefire deal with the US — Netanyahu says: “We created a buffer zone
there, a security zone. We will remain in it for as long as
necessary.”“Iran wanted us to withdraw from there. That did not happen.
Do you know why it did not happen? Among other reasons, because I stood
very, very firm. I was very, very resolute on this matter. And I think
our American friends respect that resoluteness and that firm stance,” he
says.Channel 12 reported earlier this week that Trump proposed a full
Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon as part of an Iran deal during a phone
call with Netanyahu, but that the premier resolutely rejected the
notion.“We want to preserve — and are acting to preserve — our freedom
of action,” Netanyahu says.
4hr ago-Netanyahu: Trump and I ‘have a relationship of partners’By Lazar Berman and Nava Freiberg.
Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushes back against the idea that Israel
has lost its autonomy in strategic decision-making.“In the US, they say
that President [Donald]Trump does everything I ask, and in Israel, they
say the opposite, that I do everything he asks,” he says in response to a
question during a press conference at the Prime Minister’s
Office.“Neither is true.”“We have a relationship of partners who know
each other,” Netanyahu argues. “Many times, we agree; sometimes we don’t
agree. That happens in the best families.”Netanyahu stresses that
Israel “has to take into account” what the US says.“We appreciate it,”
he says. “He entered into this [campaign] boldly; he brought the US
military to fight with us against our common enemy. That’s a big deal. I
respect it.”“Just as it’s impossible to say we are totally ignoring
what is happening in the world, or geopolitical considerations, you
can’t say we are totally bound by these considerations,” Netanyahu
continues, “because under my leadership, Israel has proven that it does
major things and it leads many things.”“We are initiating, we are
operating, we are surprising, and we are also winning,” he says.
4hr
ago-Netanyahu claims main goals of Iran war achieved, says they never
included regime change but ‘there are cracks’ in Tehran’s rule By Nava
Freiberg and Lazar Berman
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
continues to defend the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran in his
press conference, claiming its central goals were achieved despite the
Iranian regime remaining in power.Asked by a reporter about his apparent
objective of removing the threat “posed by Iran’s regime” — and why,
three months later, the end of the campaign is being declared while that
regime remains intact — Netanyahu rejects the premise that things went
wrong.“It did not go wrong at all. I defined the goals — and the cabinet
defined the goals — differently from what you said,” Netanyahu says.“We
said we wanted to remove an existential danger from over us: first, the
nuclear danger — and we did that. We said we wanted to remove from over
us the [ballistic missile] danger — and we did that. And we said we
wanted to create the conditions that would allow the Iranian people,
should they wish, to remove from themselves this terror regime,”
Netanyahu says.Both the US and Israel had been somewhat vague when
laying out war aims at the outset of the campaign, but Israel
consistently stressed the threat from Iran’s nuclear and ballistic
missile capabilities, as well as from its proxy network, at times,
adding the goal of “creating the conditions” for regime change in
Iran.While appearing to acknowledge that any aspirations for regime
change have not yet been met, Netanyahu adds: “Iran is in a very
difficult economic situation. We struck every possible infrastructure
there. The damage is enormous. There are cracks within this regime as
well.”“Can I tell you when this regime will fall? I do not know. Could I
have told you when the Soviet regime would fall? No. I cannot tell
you,” he says.Addressing Israel’s broader strategic achievements since
the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023, which ultimately led to
Israel’s wars with Iran last year and this year, Netanyahu argues that
Israel is far stronger today than it was on October 7, pointing to what
he describes as achievements against Iran’s nuclear and ballistic
missile threats as well as against Hamas and Hezbollah.“Israel on
October 7 and Israel today — how can one compare them? Israel before,
with a regime racing toward nuclear weapons and going to produce
thousands more ballistic missiles against us — and today this threat has
been averted… And the main thing I can tell you is that there is an
organized, systematic effort to minimize these enormous achievements, to
avoid showing that Israel is emerging renewed, strong and steadfast,
and that it has leadership capable of standing for what is necessary,”
he says.
4hr ago-Netanyahu reiterates that he will run in the upcoming elections-By Lazar Berman and Nava Freiberg.
Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again promises that he will run in this
year’s elections, after being asked about the issue during a press
conference at the Prime Minister’s Office.“I am going to run, and I
intend to win,” he says.During an interview last week, US President
Donald Trump wondered “if Bibi even wants to continue.”“I don’t know,
he’s had an amazing career,” Trump said. “Does he want to continue?
Because, you know he’s a wartime prime minister. We will very shortly
win the war one way or the other, and you know he’s a wartime prime
minister.”Likud responded at the time to Trump in an X post, saying
Netanyahu “will run in the upcoming election, and, God willing, will
win.”
5hr ago-Hamas welcomes US-Iran deal to end the war-By AFP and ToI Staff.
The
Palestinian terror group Hamas hails the deal between the United States
and Iran, expressing hope that it will help put an end to violence in
the Gaza Strip.Israel and Hamas trade near-daily accusations of truce
violations and the Gaza Strip remains gripped by bloodshed, as progress
on permanently ending the war remains stalled, including due to the
group’s refusal to disarm.In a statement, Hamas says it “welcomes the
announced agreement on the memorandum of understanding between the
Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States,” congratulating its
backer Iran for its “steadfastness… in the face of pressures and
challenges.”“We hope that this agreement will serve as a step to
contribute to enhancing regional stability and positively reflect on
various regional files, foremost the immediate cessation of the ongoing
Zionist aggression against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and
an end to the repeated attacks and violations against Lebanon and all
other fronts,” it adds.
Netanyahu: Trump and I don’t always see
eye-to-eye; I stand up for Israel’s security interests-By Nava Freiberg
and Lazar Berman.
Taking questions from Israeli reporters in his
press conference, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserts that he
knows how to “stand firm” against the White House on Israeli security
interests, amid growing concerns over US limitations on Israeli military
freedom of action against Hezbollah and Iran.Netanyahu declines to say
whether he would permit Israel to strike Iran alone or act independently
against Hezbollah in Lebanon, as one reporter asks. But he insists that
he defends Israel’s interests in his interactions with US President
Donald Trump, following days of reported friction between the two
leaders and public criticism from Trump of the premier on those
issues.Speaking about Trump, Netanyahu says, “Many times we see eye to
eye, and there are also cases in which we see less eye to eye. I am
responsible for Israel’s security interests. I stand up for them.”In a
likely dig at political opponents he portrays as less experienced,
Netanyahu adds, “One must stand up for them not with fiery rhetoric. It
must be done wisely, and that requires a great deal of experience, a
great deal of wisdom, and a great deal of familiarity with the American
arena. It requires a great, great deal of experience, and I think I do
it in the best possible way. And when necessary, I stand firm on our
security interests.”
5hr ago-Netanyahu claims Israel, US removed
‘immediate’ Iranian nuclear threat, ‘saved State of Israel from
anniliation,’ but fight is ‘not over’By Nava Freiberg and Lazar Berman
Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opens his press conference with an
assertive defense of what he portrays as the success of the US-Israel
campaign against Iran, vowing that, regardless of any deal between
Washington and Tehran, the Islamic Republic will not have a nuclear
weapon.Facing mounting domestic backlash — including from within his own
government — over the war’s apparent end, Netanyahu reiterates that
preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is his “life’s mission,”
saying: “With an agreement or without an agreement, Iran will not have
nuclear weapons — not today and not tomorrow. As long as I am prime
minister of Israel, it will not happen.”Netanyahu repeats his assertion
that the nuclear threat from Iran had been an “immediate danger” and
Israel succeeded in removing it, “together with our American
friends.”“We launched the largest attack operation in Israel’s history.
We targeted the nuclear scientists; we eliminated the leaders of the
terror regime; we crushed the nuclear facilities; we destroyed missiles
and the vast majority of the factories that produce missiles. We struck
countless military industries and infrastructures. We destroyed their
navy, their air force. We eliminated basij commanders who massacred the
Iranian people. We caused enormous damage — [some] estimate it in the
hundreds of billions of dollars, some estimate it at even close to a
trillion dollars — to Iran’s economy,” he says.“We removed, for years to
come, this danger hanging over us of the elimination of Israel’s
population. That is what we did. We saved the State of Israel from
annihilation,” he says.He adds, however, that “the struggle is not over
and complete. We will need to continue standing guard, continue being
strong and determined, and defend ourselves as much as necessary.”“This
is true not only against Iran,” he says, saying Israel’s fight will
continue against “Iran’s terror arms” as well, as he says it has been
doing against groups in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and the West
Bank.Amid concerns over US limitations on Israeli freedom of action,
Netanyahu adds that in addition to fighting terror groups in those
areas, “we established deep security zones around Israel… in Gaza, in
Lebanon, in Syria,” and stresses that “we will remain in the security
zones for as long as necessary to protect our country.”Netanyahu vows
Israel “will continue to thwart threats in the region, “build new
alliances with countries in the region and outside the region,” and
“ensure our security independence.”To assist in that last effort, he
says he is “putting an additional NIS 350 billion into the defense
budget,” saying Israel will “develop technologies that push the
boundaries of imagination, and we will turn Israel into an even stronger
power.”
Israel not party to talks; officials deeply troubled by
terms-US, Iran reach deal to end war, which mediator says includes
Lebanon; Trump: Hormuz to open-Deal’s completion said to be spurred by
recent Israel-Iran tensions; Iran media reports that deal releases $12
billion to Iran; nuclear talks to begin after Friday signing by Vance
and Iran’s Ghalibaf-By Agencies, ToI Staff and Jacob Magid-15 June 2026,
4:44 amUpdated at 4:50 pm
US and Iranian officials said early
Monday that they had agreed on a memorandum of understanding to end
their war. The agreement is expected to halt the US blockade of Iran,
reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin 60 days of talks on Tehran’s
nuclear program.US President Donald Trump reportedly threatened that
attacks on Iran could resume if the sides ultimately fail to reach a
nuclear accord.The deal, set to be signed on Friday in Switzerland, will
formally put an end to the war launched on February 28 by the US and
Israel against the Iranian regime, which subsequently spread across the
Middle East.The MOU has not yet been publicized, but Iranian and
Pakistani sources said it also includes a ceasefire in the conflict
between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese terror group backed by
Iran.“The deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” Trump
posted on Truth Social on Sunday evening. “Congratulations to all! I
hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz,
and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the
United States Naval blockade. Ships of the world, start your engines.
Let the oil flow!”Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi,
said the sides had agreed to the “immediate and permanent end of the war
and all military operations on various fronts, including Lebanon,”
according to one of Tehran’s diplomatic missions.Similar claims were
made about the ceasefire deal that the US and Iran reached in April,
with Iran and Pakistan insisting that it covered Lebanon. But the US and
Israel denied this and Jerusalem carried on its operations against
Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, while largely refraining from attacks on
Beirut.“The Deal with Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete.
Congratulations to all!” President Donald J. Trump ????????
pic.twitter.com/RdSwyEdEtO Advertisement — The White House (@WhiteHouse)
June 14, 2026-It’s unclear whether the US will back continued IDF
operations in Lebanon after this deal as well, with Trump increasingly
angered by Israeli strikes in the country, which he said had risked
torpedoing Sunday’s agreement.The deal was first announced by Shehbaz
Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, which acted as a mediator. He
said in a statement that the pact called for “the immediate and
permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in
Lebanon.”As of early Monday, Israeli leaders had yet to respond
publicly to the announcement of the deal. But the reported framework of
the agreement has caused profound concern among Israeli
officials.Israel, despite having started the war alongside the US, was
not involved in the negotiations over the agreement. The reported
elements of the deal do not achieve the goals of the war that were set
out by the US and Israel, including eliminating Iran’s nuclear program,
depleting its ballistic missile stockpile, ending its support for terror
proxies and creating the conditions for the fall of the regime.The
precise terms of the deal are not immediately known, but according to
reports citing Iran’s Mehr news agency, they include opening the Strait
of Hormuz, a key pathway for the global oil supply that Iran has
blocked, and ending the US blockade of Iranian ports.Trump posted on
social media, “With the opening of the strait upon the signing of the
deal on Friday, for purposes of mine removal, oil will flow on both ends
again for the region, and the world!”But Iran has not confirmed that
the strait will remain open in perpetuity without tolls, and has long
asserted its right to control the vital waterway, a key sticking point
in negotiations. There is also no confirmation that mines have been
placed in the strait.Oil prices fell on the news of the deal. Brent
crude futures fell 4% in early trading on Monday, while US West Texas
Intermediate slid more than 4.6%.Mehr also reported that the deal would
see the release of $12 billion in frozen Iranian assets, with another
$12 billion to follow, along with the suspension of sanctions on Iran’s
oil and energy industries. However, US officials have repeatedly
insisted that any release of funds will be conditioned on Iran making
concessions in the subsequent nuclear talks.Under the deal, the US will
also reportedly pledge not to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs,
while Iran will reportedly pledge not to create a nuclear weapon. An
Iranian official told Reuters that Iran agreed to maintain the nuclear
status quo, including no uranium enrichment or expanding nuclear
facilities, until a final deal is reached.A US official, speaking before
the deal was announced, said the agreement would ultimately lead to the
dismantling of Iran’s nuclear program, with its stockpile of highly
enriched uranium to be destroyed and removed. A senior Iranian official
said the draft deal would allow Iran to dilute its enriched uranium
inside the country.Iran, which openly seeks to destroy Israel, denies
seeking a nuclear bomb but has enriched some 440 kilograms of uranium to
60% — a short step from weapons-grade, with no civilian application.
The stockpile is believed to be held at one or more underground nuclear
facilities, and to have survived bombing by US B-2 bombers in June
2025.The announcement of the deal followed a spike in regional tensions
that raised fears of resumed Iranian missile fire on Israel. On Sunday,
Israel fired on Beirut in response to a Hezbollah attack on northern
Israel. That, in turn, reportedly sparked concern that Iran would
retaliate, as it did last week after a previous Israeli strike on
Beirut.Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it held the United States
responsible for the attack. Iran warned of a “strong response”, and its
top joint military command said the “finger [is] on the trigger” ready
to fire at the “enemy’s heart.”But according to the New York Times, Iran
called off a planned retaliation under pressure from Trump, and a
desire to avoid a flare-up of regional tensions accelerated the deal’s
completion.Trump criticized the Israeli strike on Beirut while the
negotiations with Iran were in their final stages, saying “it should not
have happened.”And he laid into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in
comments to multiple reporters.On Sunday, he told Axios that Netanyahu
“has no fucking judgment.” After the deal was announced, he criticized
the premier to The New York Times, claiming that Israel should be
grateful to the United States.“He’s a very difficult guy,” Trump told
the Times regarding Netanyahu, “and to be honest with you, he should be
very thankful to us for doing this. Because if Iran had a nuclear
weapon, Israel wouldn’t be around for two hours.”On Sunday night, Trump
told Netanyahu over the phone that an agreement with Iran could be
imminent, Channel 12 news reported. Netanyahu reportedly left an ongoing
cabinet meeting to hold the phone conversation.The war began with joint
US-Israeli strikes on February 28 that killed Iran’s supreme leader,
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, injured his son and successor Mojtaba, and
killed other Iranian leaders. Iran responded with missile fire on Israel
and across the Gulf.During the war, 21 Israeli civilians and foreign
nationals were killed in Israel in Iranian ballistic missile attacks,
along with four Palestinians in the West Bank. The fighting largely
halted with a ceasefire in early April.The signing ceremony for the deal
is set to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday. US Vice
President JD Vance said Sunday he planned to attend the ceremony, but
that Trump might also go.“I certainly plan to be there, but it’s
possible the president himself could be there,” Vance told Fox News. He
added that the deal would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,
lower energy prices and “fundamentally transform the Middle East for the
next 50 years.”Iran is expected to be represented by its top negotiator
and parliament speaker, Mohammad Ghalibaf. That would make the event
the highest-level meeting between Iranian and US officials since Iran’s
Islamic Revolution in 1979.Trump, in a Truth Social post, wrote, “This
great deal will bring peace and security to the whole region.”He added,
“Many presidents have tried to make peace with Iran, and all have failed
before me. The leaders of the region have, for the first time, found a
president who can help them achieve real peace.”But in a subsequent
interview, The New York Times said Trump warned that if Iran fails to
reach a final nuclear accord with the United States, he will restart
military attacks on Tehran or make the United States “the guardian of
the Middle East” in return for 20 percent of the region’s revenues.The
Iran war has become a political liability at home for Trump and his
fellow Republicans in Congress, with public opinion polls showing
Americans deeply frustrated by rising gas prices ahead of November’s
midterm elections. But Trump has also faced pressure from members of his
own party who insist that Iran’s nuclear program must be completely
shut down.Republican Senator Lindsey Graham appeared to lay the
groundwork for distancing Trump from the MOU in the event that it
doesn’t lead to a deal that sufficiently curbs Iran’s nuclear program.In
a tweet Sunday night tacitly welcoming the agreement reopening the
Strait of Hormuz, Graham said he’ll be closely following the subsequent
nuclear talks launched by the MOU.“I am somewhat concerned that Iran’s
view of the agreement seems different than what the American negotiating
team is claiming,” Graham said.He claimed that any deal resulting from
the subsequent nuclear talks will have to come before Congress for a
vote.“I believe it is imperative that the architect of the deal, Vice
President Vance and his negotiating partners, be part of the process in
presenting the final deal to Congress,” Graham wrote, referring only to
Vance by name as the “architect” of the deal, rather than Trump, who
heads the administration in Washington.After bitterly criticizing Trump
when he was only a candidate for the presidency in 2016, Graham has
since become one of Trump’s most die-hard supporters.Trump has warmed up
to him considerably and Graham has used the relationship to
aggressively lobby in favor of US military action in Iran.Vance
reportedly opposed launching a war with Iran in February but agreed to
back it once Trump decided to move ahead.During his first term, Trump
withdrew the US from a 2015 multilateral Iran deal, negotiated by
Democratic former president Barack Obama, that lifted sanctions on
Tehran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program, including
international inspections.Iran responded by ramping up its enrichment of
uranium, producing more than 400 kilograms (around 900 pounds) of
material at close to bomb-grade purity. The eventual fate of that
uranium is likely to be a key negotiating point during the upcoming
talks.The deal garnered praise from world leaders. UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres said it was a “critical step” toward resolving the war
in the Middle East.The United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy said
they were prepared to lift sanctions imposed on Iran and will work “with
the US, Iran and regional partners to seize this moment, maintain
momentum and achieve a long-term diplomatic settlement.”But at
pro-government rallies across Iran on Saturday night, residents and news
agencies reported that hardliners opposed to the framework agreement
loudly voiced their dissatisfaction.A resident in the northeastern city
of Mashhad told Reuters that some protesters chanted “Death to the
compromiser,” in an apparent reference to Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi.According to The New York Times, Iran waited until Monday
morning, local time, to confirm the agreement in order not to do so on
Trump’s 80th birthday.
US says Hormuz to be toll-free under Iran deal.
Washington,
United States, June 15 (AFP) Jun 15, 2026-The United States said Monday
that ships will move toll-free through the Strait of Hormuz under an
Iran peace deal signed by President Donald Trump, and insisted Tehran
would have to fulfill its commitments before getting any economic
benefits.They included a possible $300 billion reconstruction fund for
the war-battered country, but the release of funds will be "tied to
performance," a senior Trump administration official said in a call with
reporters.Trump, US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian parliament
speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf electronically signed the so-called
memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Sunday, the officials said."The
president wanted to sign it personally because he wanted to show his
dedication to the process," one of the US officials said on condition of
anonymity.But Vance admitted the brief outline deal kicks the thorniest
issues -- especially Iran's nuclear program -- down the road."The MoU
is about a page and a half, so it is a very general document," Vance
told CNN.Vance will lead technical talks this week and attend a physical
signing ceremony expected in Geneva, Switzerland. Trump's son-in-law
Jared Kushner and Middle East Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will also be
present.Trump, who is attending the G7 summit in France, said the text
would likely be released after Friday -- but the US officials said it
would be "put out in the next 24-48 hours."- Hormuz normal in 'couple of
weeks'? -The signing will kick off a 60-day period in which Iran and
the United States will try to hammer out a full-scale peace deal."We
want to put the nuclear discussions up front," a US official said on the
call.But the bottleneck in the Strait of Hormuz is an immediate
priority due to the global economic effects from the spike in oil
prices.Vance told CNBC there was an understanding with Iran that the
strait would reopen "in a toll-free way for the long term, and that's
the sort of thing that we're going to figure out in these technical
negotiations."Trump himself said the critical strait would be
"completely open" from Friday but added there was still "hunting" going
on to ensure it was de-mined.Shipping traffic should return to pre-war
levels "over the next couple of weeks" but there had already been a
"substantial increase in traffic," the first US official said.However,
Iran's foreign ministry said Monday that the deal would allow it to
charge maritime service fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz,
rather than imposing "tolls."- 'Zero' funds released -Uncertainty also
surrounds other key aspects of the deal, including Iran's access to its
frozen funds and relief from international and US sanctions.The issue is
politically sensitive for Trump because he has alleged that an Iran
deal signed under Democratic president Barack Obama -- which Republican
Trump scrapped in 2018 -- gave Tehran too much money."The very simple
fact is zero dollars of frozen assets have been released by the United
States or any other country," the first US official said."We discussed
the possibility of releasing frozen funds, sanctions relief, a big $300
billion fund to rebuild their country, and all of these things are going
to be tied to performance," added the second official.The US officials
also lashed out at former mediator Oman, which sits across the Strait of
Hormuz from Iran, and which Trump threatened to bomb last month."We
were very unhappy with the job the Omanis did," the second official
said. "We felt they were very duplicitous, almost like employees of the
Iranians."
Hezbollah says attacked 'advancing' Israeli force in southern Lebanon.
Beirut,
Lebanon, June 15 (AFP) Jun 15, 2026-Lebanese militant group Hezbollah
said on Monday it had attacked an Israeli force trying to advance in
southern Lebanon despite the US-Iran agreement to end the Middle East
war.Fighters from the group "using rockets and drones" blocked an
Israeli force consisting of an excavator and two Merkava tanks that was
"advancing" in the vicinity of Kfar Tebnit town near the southern city
of Nabatieh, Hezbollah said in a statement.In another statement late
Monday, it added: "The enemy army regrouped its forces in the vicinity
of the crossing area by bringing in an armored force consisting of five
Merkava tanks and four vehicles."The mujahideen of the Islamic
Resistance targeted them with rocket barrages and artillery shells, and
the clashes are still ongoing".Earlier on Monday, an Israeli drone
targeted a car in the same area "killing its driver," Lebanon's National
News Agency (NNA) reported, marking the first deadly strike since the
agreement was announced.Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio
Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric, said there had been fewer clashes
on Monday."We just got an update from our peacekeeping colleagues at
UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon), who report that from
midnight until 4:00 pm local time today, UNIFIL observed a decrease in
violence and exchanges of fire, recording 133 trajectories of
projectiles and two airstrikes attributed to the IDF (Israel Defence
Force)."No trajectories from Hizbullah or non-State actors were reported
during that time".Details of the agreement to end the Middle East war
on all fronts have not been made public, but Iran and mediator Pakistan
have both said it includes Lebanon.Hezbollah drew the country into the
Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel to avenge the
killing of Iran's supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.Israel responded
with airstrikes and a ground invasion that Lebanon says have killed more
than 3,700 people and displaced more than one million others.An
official source told AFP that "Lebanon was not informed of the terms of
the agreement or the time of the ceasefire".
PROOF HALF ON EARTH
DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH) (DO NOT EVER
LISTEN TO ANYBODY THAT SAYS THE WORLD IS ENDING.ITS NEVER GONNA
HAPPEN-4 BILLION WILL BE LEFT ON EARTH TO GO INTO JESUS" 1000 YEAR
RULE)(THAT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD TO ANY ONE, DOES
IT-NOT ME.THE EARTH IS JUST RENOVATED.NEVER ENDED.
REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that
sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given
unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with
sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE
DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).
REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18
By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the
fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their
mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)
HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
LUKE
17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS
KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE
BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND
DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in
that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN
WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4
billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto
them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered
together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against
Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten
by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE
SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE
CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH
IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.
MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11
The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with
violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the
earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and,
behold, I will destroy them with the earth.(CAN YOU SAY
TORNADOES,HURRICANES,VOLCANOES,EARTH QUAKES,LANDSLIDES,FLASH
FLOODING,EXPLOSIONS,SNOW STORMS,THEN FINALLY NUKESAND ANY OTHER
JUDGEMENTS THE EARTH CAN VOMIT THE SINNERS OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH
WITH.
MARK 13:8
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom:(ETHNIC GROUP AGAINST ETHNIC GROUP) and there
shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and
troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11
11
And great earthquakes shall be in divers places,(DIFFERNT PLACES AT THE
SAME TIME) and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great
signs shall there be from heaven.
2 Peter 3:6-7 Amplified Bible (AMP) (HOT SUN, NUKES ETC)
6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
7
By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire,
being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
LUKE 21:25-26
25
And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in
the moon,(MAN ON THE MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the
stars;(ASTEROIDS-PROPHECY SIGNS) and upon the earth distress of nations,
with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE
WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for
fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven
shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)
GENESIS 16:11-12
11
And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with
child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF
THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And
he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS)
man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be
against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against
him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL
ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his
brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the
morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground,
which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine
heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars
of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the
sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above
the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF
THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that
whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM
MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
And here are the
bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or
peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels
land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the
future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan,
Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq
west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe
23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN
THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE
FUTURE.
Joel 3:2-King James Version (YOU DIVIDE JERUSALEM IN
HALF - YOUR POKING GOD IN THE EYE - GOD SAYS AN EYE FOR AN EYE AND A
TOOTH FOR A TOOTH- YOU WANNA DIVIDE JERUSALEM IN HALF - HALF OF EARTHS
POPULATION 4 BILLION DIE ON EARTH.
2 I will also gather all nations,
and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead
with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have
scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
And here are
the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war
or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only
Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land
in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel,
Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half
of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18,
Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY
OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND
IN THE FUTURE.
LUKE 19:40
40 And He answered and said unto them, “I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
Hamas
documents show Oct. 7 attack aimed at thwarting Israel-Saudi
normalization-Kan reveals minutes from Gaza meetings in run-up to terror
onslaught, recording then-chief Sinwar’s decision to launch
‘exceptional action’ to spoil regional rapprochement By ToI Staff Today,
11:27 am-JUN 15,26
The Hamas terror group carried out its
October 7, 2023, attack on Israel partly in order to thwart the Jewish
state’s rapprochement with Saudi Arabia, according to seized
documents.The internal Hamas materials were published by the Meir Amit
Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, a government-controlled
think tank, and then aired by the Kan public broadcaster on Sunday.In
the years and months leading up to the attack, it was widely reported
that the oil-rich kingdom was considering normalization with Israel,
along the lines of the US-brokered Abraham Accords with other Arab
states.A Times of Israel report last year confirmed that, on the eve of
the October 7 attack, Washington and Riyadh had already reached
understandings regarding concessions Israel would have to make vis-Ã -vis
the Palestinians for Riyadh to normalize relations with Jerusalem.In a
meeting held by Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip in February 2022, the
Iran-backed terror group, which had long functioned as the enclave’s de
facto government, decided to establish a new office, tasked with
overseeing efforts to thwart normalization between Israel and its
erstwhile enemies.Hamas decided to heat up the conflict in Gaza as well
as the West Bank and East Jerusalem, “in order to thwart the Saudi
kingdom’s process of normalization,” according to the minutes of the
meeting.The terror group noted, as precedent for its campaign, that the
Second Intifada – a deadly, years-long campaign of suicide bombings and
other terror attacks in the early 2000s – was “one of the chief factors
leading to the blow-up of the normalization process presented through
the Arab Peace Initiative.”In 2023, the group decided that its renewed
attempt to stir disorder in the region was not bearing enough fruit. In
late September, the group’s leadership held another meeting, chaired by
Gaza chief – and October 7 mastermind – Yahya Sinwar.At the meeting,
Sinwar presented a memo titled “Dealing with the normalization process
between Saudi Arabia and Israel.”“Hamas is not a negligible party; our
resistance can thwart the plans, just as we played a role in the failure
of Oslo,” he said, referring to the US-brokered peace process decades
ago in which Israel sought to withdraw from the West Bank and allow for
the creation of a demilitarized Palestinian state.“We’ll play a role in
causing the Zionist enemy pain and sending a message to those
participating in normalization… that the Israeli occupation is not an
oasis of security and stability,” Sinwar resolved.“We may not succeed in
stopping the process, but we will disrupt it and deprive it of
legitimacy,” he determined, according to the Kan report.On October 2,
2023, Sinwar told assembled leadership that, in light of the threat
posed by normalization with Saudi Arabia, there was no way around what
he described as “an exceptional action” by Hamas and its partners in the
“Axis of Resistance,” referring to Iran and its regional proxies.At
this meeting, the Hamas leadership decided to move forward with the
surprise attack on Israel.Five days later, on the morning of the Simchat
Torah holiday, thousands of Hamas-led terrorists burst through the
Gaza-Israel border under cover of incessant rocket fire, killing some
1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages, amid acts of
brutality and sexual assault.The attack triggered the subsequent
multi-front war, drawing support from the Hezbollah terror group in
Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria,
as well as Iran itself. Despite efforts to keep the vision afloat,
normalization with Saudi Arabia does not appear imminent, with Israeli
and Saudi leaders both signaling it is not currently on the table.
Israel says top Hezbollah militant accused of killing US soldiers slain.
Jerusalem,
June 14 (AFP) Jun 14, 2026-The Israeli military said Sunday that its
forces had killed a senior Hezbollah militant accused of involvement in
the kidnapping and killing of five American soldiers in Iraq in 2007.Ali
Mussa Daqduq was killed on Friday in a "precise strike" south of the
Litani River in Lebanon, the military said."Over the past several years,
Daqduq led much of Hezbollah's operational planning against IDF
soldiers along the Lebanon border," the military said."In 2007, he was
imprisoned by US forces after orchestrating the kidnapping and murder of
five American soldiers" in Iraq, the military added.He was held by
American troops until he was handed over to Iraqi officials in December
2011.In 2012, Daqduq was released by Iraq due to lack of evidence after
being accused of plotting to kill the US soldiers in the Iraqi city of
Karbala.Following his release, the US Treasury Department imposed
sanctions on him."His elimination constitutes another significant blow
to Hezbollah's senior chain of command by eliminating one of the most
prominent operatives responsible for terrorist activity against Israeli
civilians, IDF soldiers, and American service members."According to the
Israeli military, Daqduq held several senior positions within Hezbollah
in recent years, including as commander of former Hezbollah leader
Hassan Nasrallah's security unit and head of the group's infantry unit.
Settlers
attack Palestinians and activists near Hebron, vandalize vehicles-IDF
troops declare area a closed military zone, forcing Palestinians to
leave their farmland; elsewhere, Palestinian say settlers destroy olive
trees near Bethlehem By Nurit Yohanan-and ToI Staff Today, 8:23 pm-JUN
15,26
A group of Palestinian farmers from the Hebron-area town of
Halhul in the West Bank and activists from the Bnei Avraham
organization who were protecting them were attacked by a group of some
10 settlers on Monday, an activist from Bnei Avraham told The Times of
Israel.The activist, who asked not to be named, said that around 30
Palestinians and activists had arrived to work on privately owned
Palestinian farmland near Halhul. The farmland is located in Area C,
where Israel maintains both security and civilian control.The group was
also accompanied by a CNN media crew, there to document the day’s
activities, the Ynet news outlet reported.The activist said that the
settlers who initially descended on them were from a nearby outpost, and
were later joined by others from additional outposts in the area.The
group assaulted the Palestinians and activists, punching and kicking
them, she recounted, before vandalizing five vehicles, most of them
Palestinian-owned, smashing their windows and mirrors, and slashing
their tires.One of the cars that was vandalized reportedly belonged to
the CNN crew.Another activist who had been present at the scene told
Ynet that the settlers “broke into the field and started shouting and
threatening the Palestinians, including young girls.”The Palestinians
and activists tried to put space between themselves and the settlers,
the activist recounted, but “they continued to try and approach the
Palestinians and threaten them.The activist told ToI that following the
violent incident, IDF troops arrived at the scene and presented an order
declaring the area a closed military zone, before removing the
Palestinians and activists from the area.Local residents are supposed to
be exempt from closed military zone orders, and the one wielded by the
troops had been issued to evacuate the nearby illegal outpost, not the
Palestinian farmland.The Bnei Avraham activists and Palestinians filed a
complaint with police over the incident.In response to an inquiry from
ToI, the IDF said troops “attempted to disperse everyone in the area”
after “Israeli civilians smashed windows and vandalized vehicles.”It did
not address the forced removal of Palestinian landowners from the
area.According to Ynet, two off-duty IDF reservists were among the Bnei
Avraham activists. The organization, which describes itself as a “Jewish
religious action group,” is one of several left-wing and pro-peace
Israeli groups that works with Palestinian communities in the West Bank
to protect them from settler attacks.Elsewhere in the West Bank on
Monday, settlers were reported to have destroyed dozens of privately
owned olive trees near Bethlehem.A local source told the Palestinian
Authority’s official Wafa news agency that the settlers descended on an
olive grove owned by a resident of Kisan, a village east of Bethlehem,
and damaged around 50 trees.Settlers have increasingly targeted Kisan in
acts of violence in recent weeks, Wafa reported, and shepherds from the
village have previously been attacked.Violent attacks by settlers are a
daily occurrence in the West Bank, with extremists assaulting
Palestinians, torching their cars, damaging their property, and stealing
their livestock without fear of repercussion.Arrests in cases of
settler violence are rare, and convictions are even less common. The IDF
has faced criticism for often standing by and failing to prosecute
perpetrators, or even for actively participating in the rampages.In
contrast, the military frequently arrests Palestinians who confront the
settler violence with violence of their own.
UK court upholds ban
on Palestine Action group, days after four activists jailed-Judge rules
anti-Israel organization ‘is not, as it claims, a direct action civil
disobedience protest group,’ but rather a ‘covert organization operating
with secret cells’By AFP Today, 4:05 pm-JUN 15,26
LONDON —
London’s Appeals Court on Monday upheld a UK government ban on activist
group Palestine Action that has seen thousands of people — from students
to an 83-year-old retired vicar — arrested and carried away from
protests by police.The ban, which came into force on July 5, 2025, was
imposed under the country’s Terrorism Act. It made membership of or
support for the protest group a criminal offense punishable by up to 14
years in prison under the terrorism legislation.The proscription came
after activists raided a facility belonging to the Israeli Elbit defense
contractor, breaking a police officer’s spine with a sledgehammer and
causing millions of pounds of property damage.The banning of the group
had been challenged by Palestine Action’s co-founder Huda Ammori, but
the Appeals Court ruled “the proscription decision was not
unlawful.”Palestine Action “is not, as it claims, a direct action civil
disobedience protest group like the suffragettes operating transparently
in the open,” said judge Sue Carr, reading the decision.“It is a covert
organization operating with secret cells to avoid the detection and
prosecution of those using violence to destroy the property of third
parties.”BREAKING: The government's decision to ban Palestine Action as a
terror organisation was lawful, the Court of Appeal has ruled. Live
updates: https://t.co/6Y7qY7ZWUN Advertisement ???? Sky 501, Virgin 602,
Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/dPhG7Il57J — Sky News
(@SkyNews) June 15, 2026-The ban, which has led to some 3,000 arrests,
puts the group on a government blacklist that also includes Hamas and
Hezbollah.Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper had defended the proscription,
arguing supporters of the group were unaware of the “full nature” of
the organization.“It’s really important that no one is in any doubt that
this is not a nonviolent organization,” she said last year.Set up in
2020, Palestine Action’s stated goal on its website — blocked to UK
internet users — is to end “global participation in Israel’s genocidal
and apartheid regime.”It gained visibility after the Hamas terror
group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel triggered a multi-front war in
the Middle East, including a deadly campaign in the Gaza
Strip.Palestine Action has mainly targeted weapons factories in the UK,
especially those belonging to Elbit.Since the ban came into force,
protesters have held a string of rallies holding up signs saying: “I
oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action,” resulting in many
arrests.Hundreds have been charged and are awaiting court hearings.The
group challenged the ban in the UK courts on the basis that it was
“disproportionate” and had a “very significant” impact on human
rights.The High Court in London in February agreed and ruled in
Palestine Action’s favor but the government then appealed.Monday’s
ruling at the Appeals court, however, reverses that judgment, finding in
favor of the UK’s interior ministry.The ruling came after a judge on
Friday jailed four activists for raiding an Elbit site near Bristol in
western England causing over a million pounds in damage.Wearing red
boilersuits, the four damaged computers, drones and other equipment,
before clashing with security guards and police who tried to stop them
in the August 2024 raid.One of them hit a police officer twice on the
back with a sledgehammer, leaving her with a fractured spine.The group
said their aim was to “dismantle drones and weaponry” they believed
would be used to kill people, particularly in the Gaza Strip.They were
each jailed for between four years and eight months and seven years and
eight months.Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Russian
barrages on Ukraine’s biggest cities kill at least 11, damage historic
cathedral-Dozens injured, including children; bombardment hits
11th-century Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastic complex, setting fire to
Dormition Cathedral’s roof; Zelensky, Trump set to attend G7 By HANNA
ARHIROVA Today, 2:29 pm-JUN 15,26
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia
fired hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Ukraine’s biggest
cities in a nighttime bombardment that killed at least 11 people and set
fire to a renowned religious site, Ukrainian President Volodymyr
Zelensky and other officials said Monday.The attacks on the capital,
Kyiv, and the second-largest city, Kharkiv, came after Zelensky and
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke separately by phone with US
President Donald Trump on Sunday.The exchange suggests Washington hasn’t
given up on its diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting that followed
Moscow’s all-out invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.The war in
Ukraine is also set to feature in talks on Tuesday among G7 leaders at a
summit in France.Zelensky and Trump are due to attend the gathering, as
Ukraine’s president pushes to keep the war on leaders’ minds while the
Iran war diverts international attention from Ukraine’s plight.“This is
how Russia shows the world its intention to continue the war,” Zelensky
said in a post on X referring to the overnight attack, which damaged a
historic religious site in Kyiv.“It is very important that there be a
response from the G7 countries … and that this response be decisive and
substantive: more pressure on the aggressor and more support for
Ukraine’s air defense, especially anti-ballistic capabilities,” the
Ukrainian leader said.Children among the injured in Kyiv-The overnight
assault by Russia involved hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles.The
barrage killed five people in Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.At
least 30 people were injured, including two children aged 5 and 6,
according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s Military
Administration.A series of powerful explosions were heard across Kyiv,
with a wave of ballistic missiles followed by Shahed drones as many
people sought shelter underground and officials urged residents to take
cover. Clouds of black smoke drifted over the city.Five strikes hit
civilian sites in the city’s Shevchenkivskyi district in less than 30
minutes, Tkachenko said, including a 25-story apartment building, while a
market and a grocery store caught fire. In the Obolonskyi district, a
nine-story residential building took a direct hit.Russia’s Defense
Ministry said that the strikes targeted defense and industrial
facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro, including enterprises and
workshops producing components for long-range drones and cruise
missiles. It said that a workshop producing medium- and long-range
drones located on the premises of the Dovzhenko film studios in Kyiv was
among the targets hit.Russia also claimed to have hit Kyiv’s Radar
plant, which it said makes drone components, and the Mayak plant that it
said makes Ukraine’s Flamingo long-range cruise missiles. Military
conscription offices in Kyiv were also struck, it said.Authorities in
the northeastern city of Kharkiv said Russian forces used a “double tap”
tactic, launching four additional drone strikes after emergency crews
arrived at the scene of an earlier attack.Four emergency service workers
and an employee of the Kharkiv City Council’s emergency department were
killed, while six rescuers and three civilians were injured, local
officials said.Religious site damaged in attack-In Kyiv, the bombardment
damaged the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, an 11th-century monastic complex and a
religious landmark.The roof of the complex’s Dormition Cathedral caught
fire during the attack, said Metropolitan Epiphanius, head of the
Orthodox Church of Ukraine. He condemned the strike as another Russian
crime “against humanity, against history, against Christianity” and
appealed for prayers to save the site.The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, also
known as the Monastery of the Caves, is a sprawling complex of
monasteries and churches, including some underground, built between the
11th and 19th centuries. Some of the churches at the UNESCO-listed World
Heritage site are connected by a labyrinthine complex of caves spanning
more than 600 meters (2,000 feet).Zelensky called the attack Russia’s
“biggest crime yet against Christian culture” and reportedly visited the
scene on Monday morning together with Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko
and Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.The cathedral, churches and other
buildings overlook the right bank of the Dnieper River and have been a
pilgrimage site for centuries.French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot
said the attack was the “equivalent, for us French, of a bombing of
Notre Dame,” referring to the Paris cathedral.French President Emmanuel
Macron said the attack only strengthened the determination of Ukraine’s
allies to pursue a ceasefire and work toward peace.“Just as nothing can
justify the war of aggression that Russia has been waging against
Ukraine for more than four years, nothing can justify this attack on our
shared universal heritage,” Macron wrote on social media.Russia’s
Defense Ministry claimed without offering evidence that the complex was
hit by one of Ukraine’s US-made Patriot air defense missiles, saying
that it might have veered off course because its shelf life had expired.
Russia
fires more than 600 drones at Ukraine-Ukraine’s air force said Russia
launched 70 missiles and 611 drones overnight, primarily targeting Kyiv,
while also striking the cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv.The military said
air defenses intercepted or electronically suppressed 632 aerial
targets, including 50 missiles and 582 drones.Preliminary data showed 20
ballistic missiles and 27 attack drones hit 42 locations across the
country, while debris from intercepted drones fell at 12 sites.Russia’s
Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 123 Ukrainian drones
overnight.
Report warns Israeli restrictions pushing Palestinian
economy in West Bank to collapse-Deprived of tax revenues and work
permits, ‘economic conditions necessary for any Palestinian future other
than permanent subjugation’ being lost, warns International Crisis
Group By Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 12:54 pm-JUN 15,26
RAMALLAH,
West Bank — The economy in the West Bank is teetering toward collapse
as Israel maintains a web of restrictions that limit opportunities for
Palestinians, according to a new report from a leading conflict
tracker.The International Crisis Group said that Israeli measures
restricting movement, withholding revenue and taking land are not only
crippling the Palestinian economy but also fueling deep instability.“The
economic conditions necessary for any Palestinian future other than
permanent subjugation are being dismantled,” it said.The report, based
on interviews with Palestinian business leaders, mayors and government
officials, detailed the financial crisis afflicting companies,
households and the internationally backed Palestinian Authority, which
administers some cities and towns in the West Bank.It said Israeli
policies suggested a concerted effort to “advance Israel’s own declared
goal of extending its control and preventing a Palestinian state from
emerging.”Israel took control of the West Bank from Jordan during the
Six Day War in 1967. In the decades since, waves of terror attacks
against Israelis drew the imposition of tight security measures across
the territory, and the Palestinian economy has been hobbled by
checkpoints and military gates that curtail movement of people and
goods.Households and businesses have relied heavily on jobs and imports
tied to Israel, and faced restrictions on land and trade. The roughly
3.4 million Palestinians living in the West Bank today face roughly 30
percent unemployment and have seen their economy contract substantially
since the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel from
the Gaza Strip that sparked the subsequent multifront war.In the wake of
the Hamas onslaught, Israel revoked work permits for most of the nearly
200,000 Palestinians who had worked there previously. The move, for
which Israeli officials cited security motivations, deprived the
Palestinian economy of nearly $400 million a month, or almost one-fourth
of its overall economic output.Many businesses today are struggling to
pay workers, contractors and suppliers, with private companies seeing an
estimated 50% decline in business since before the war, “reflecting
tightened movement controls, disrupted supply chains and heightened
uncertainty,” according to the ICG report.“Palestinian society survives,
but in a state of grinding immiseration. Absent remedies, the result
will likely be a loss of hope and a growing risk of instability and
greater violence,” it said.As the West Bank’s largest employer and
service provider, the Palestinian Authority is at the heart of the
crisis. Government agencies have borrowed heavily to stay afloat as
public sector workers go unpaid and infrastructure like roads and water
lines crumbles. The inability to fund public services is keeping
patients out of hospitals and kids out of school.Most of the PA’s money
comes from taxes collected on goods entering the West Bank through
Israeli ports, because Palestinians do not control their own borders.
But under far-right ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
government, Israel has withheld billions of dollars in owed tax revenue
and unilaterally imposed deductions on the funds. No transfers have been
made since May 2025.Since 2019, Israel has deducted amounts from tax
revenues that are equivalent to the PA’s payments to security prisoners
held by Israel and the families of those who carry out terror attacks
targeting Israelis. Ramallah insisted that it halted that policy last
year.Beginning in November 2023, following the Hamas-led October 7,
2023, attack and outbreak of the war in Gaza, Israel has transferred
only partial funds, also deducting sums the PA had allocated to Gaza
(including salaries for former PA employees and services such as
electricity and water). The PA said at the time that it would refuse to
accept partial transfers.According to a statement from the Finance
Ministry, the remaining funds — beyond those allocated to Gaza — “have
been frozen for about a year due to the minister’s policy not to
transfer funds to the Palestinian Authority in light of its actions
against the State of Israel in the international arena and its support
for incitement to terrorism.”Far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich
has also repeatedly vowed to try and collapse the Palestinian Authority
and prevent a Palestinian state.Joost Hiltermann, the International
Crisis Group’s special adviser for the Middle East and North Africa,
said the world’s focus on more than two years of war in Gaza had drawn
attention away from the West Bank, but that changes taking place now
could have arguably wider consequences for Palestinians’ future
aspirations.Hiltermann, who wrote the report, said Israeli officials,
who exert considerable control over many of the policies in question,
did not agree to be interviewed. But he noted disagreements within
Netanyahu’s government, with settler leaders and security officials
often clashing on how to manage the Palestinian economy.“The security
establishment doesn’t want the Palestinian Authority or economy to
collapse because they would have to assume the burden of governing the
territory in full after essentially destroying it,” he said.
Israeli
defense industry booths walled off at leading French arms
exhibition-Move comes after France barred Israeli pavilion, government
officials from Eurosatory, a year after black partitions surrounded
Jerusalem’s exhibits at Paris Air Show By Stav Levaton-Today, 12:44
pm-JUN 15,26
Wooden barriers have been erected around Israeli
defense industry booths by event organizers at the Eurosatory exhibition
in Paris, the Defense Ministry said on Monday, despite the companies
complying with French restrictions requiring Israeli companies to
display only defensive weapons systems.In a statement, the ministry
accused organizers of taking a “cynical” and “discriminatory” step aimed
at excluding Israeli technology from the international defense
expo.Eurosatory is one of the world’s leading defense exhibitions,
showcasing military systems and other security innovations from across
the globe.“The Defense Ministry will continue to promote Israeli defense
exports around the world to new heights, despite French efforts to
conceal Israel’s technological superiority from the global community,”
Monday’s statement read.There was no immediate comment from Eurosatory
or the French government.Earlier this month, the Defense Ministry said
French authorities barred Israel from establishing a national pavilion
or sending government representatives to Eurosatory, while allowing
Israeli firms to exhibit only air defense systems and banning the
display of offensive weapons.At the time, the Defense Ministry panned
the exhibition organizers’ decision, saying that the move was driven by
“political and commercial calculation,” accusing France of applying
discriminatory restrictions to Israel that are not imposed on other
participating countries “in direct violation of the established norms
governing international defense exhibitions.”This year’s Eurosatory is
not the first time France has restricted Israel from participating in
weapons expos. French authorities also initially banned Israeli defense
firms from exhibiting at the 2024 Eurosatory, before later reversing the
decision.Similarly, organizers erected black partitions around Israeli
company exhibits displaying offensive weapons systems at the 2025 Paris
Air Show.Monday’s development came amid growing tensions between
Jerusalem and Paris. On June 7, France was said to be working with
several countries to step up pressure on Israel by advancing coordinated
national sanctions targeting individuals linked to violence in the West
Bank.Two days later, Paris announced it had barred Finance Minister
Bezalel Smotrich, four leaders of settler organizations and 21 violent
settlers from entering the country, as a number of countries introduced
fresh sanctions against settlers and organizations deemed to be
responsible for violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.In April,
the Defense Ministry halted all defense procurement from France in
response to French measures that it said “harmed Israel’s security,”
including prohibiting Israeli aircraft from using French airspace during
the US-led war on Iran.The US also claimed that France refused it the
use of its airspace for military purposes during the war.Additionally,
French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Israel’s defense
establishment during the Iran war, openly condemning the scale of the
US-Israeli campaign against the Islamic Republic, and urging a
diplomatic solution to the conflict and a halt to fighting in Lebanon
against the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group.Further straining
France’s relationship with Israel is its exclusion from mediating direct
talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington.The absence is not for
lack of interest, with Macron offering in March for his country to host
direct talks between Israel and Lebanon and telling President Isaac
Herzog over the phone that “France is working to promote this goal.”
PA’s
Abbas says oft-canceled presidential elections to be held in
2027-Palestinian Authority’s leader has now remained in power for 20
years, 15 years beyond the original date on which he was due to seek
re-election By Nurit Yohanan-Today, 8:23 am-JUN 15,26
Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has announced that presidential
elections will be held in 2027, the official Palestinian news agency
WAFA reported Sunday.The presidential decree did not provide any
specific date for the elections beyond stating the year.Abbas has
canceled elections several times in the past that he had previously
announced, and has now remained in power for 20 years, 15 years beyond
the original date on which he was due to seek re-election as PA
president.Abbas had previously said that elections would be held one
year after the end of the war in Gaza, meaning in October 2026, but did
not set a specific date for the presidential vote. It now appears that
timeline has changed.The decree also stated that elections for the
Palestinian National Council, the parliament of the PLO, will be held in
November 2026.According to WAFA, the declaration additionally increased
the number of seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council to 200,
lowered the electoral threshold to one percent and required the
inclusion of one woman for every three candidates on any list.Abbas, 90,
limits decision-making to his tight inner circle and rarely leaves his
headquarters in the city of Ramallah, except to travel abroad.An October
poll by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey
Research found that 80 percent of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza
want him to resign.In May, Abbas’s Fatah party held a three-day
conference to elect its highest leadership body for the first time in 10
years — Abbas was re-elected as head of the movement, with his
64-year-old son Yasser Abbas securing a place on its central
committee.Abbas and the Palestinian Authority are under mounting
pressure from the United States, the European Union and Arab states to
implement reforms and hold elections, amid widespread accusations of
corruption, political stagnation, and the body’s declining legitimacy
among Palestinians.The international community also wants the PA to play
a key role in eventually running the Gaza Strip again after it was
devastated in the war sparked by the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion of
southern Israel.Israel, however, bitterly opposes the involvement of the
PA.A potential rival to Abbas could be Marwan Barghouti, the former
head of Tanzim who is serving five life terms for direct involvement in
three terror attacks: a March 2002 shooting attack at the Seafood Market
restaurant in Tel Aviv in which three Israelis were killed; the January
2002 killing of Yoela Chen in Givat Ze’ev; and a June 2001 shooting
attack near Ma’ale Adumim in which a Greek monk was killed.Barghouti is
considered among the most popular Palestinian politicians and would
rival Abbas for leadership were he to be released from prison, opinion
polls show. He says he has reformed and no longer supports violent
resistance.Israel refused to release him in the hostage-prisoner release
deal that was part of the Gaza ceasefire last year.Times of Israel
staff and agencies contributed to this report.
Visiting
Somaliland president opens embassy in Jerusalem-Abdirahman Mohamed
Abdullah launches site in capital’s Har Hotzvim hi-tech park; foreign
minister reveals guest was in Israel 2 months before recognizing it By
Lazar Berman-Today, 7:55 pm-JUN 15,26
Somaliland President
Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar
opened Somaliland’s embassy in Jerusalem on Monday, the eighth top-level
diplomatic mission in the capital.Abdullahi is making his first state
visit abroad since becoming president. In December, Israel became the
first country in the world to recognize Somaliland, which broke away
from Somalia in 1991.The Muslim nation’s embassy is in Jerusalem’s Har
Hotzvim hi-tech park.Somaliland’s first ambassador to a foreign country
presented his diplomatic credentials to President Isaac Herzog in
March.Dr. Mohamed Hagi, appointed in February, had been serving as an
adviser to Abdullahi, and was an architect of Israel-Somaliland
relations.The United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, and Fiji also have embassies in Jerusalem, while other
countries — including Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia — have
embassy branches in the capital. Other countries refuse to move their
embassies to the city so long as Palestinian claims to its eastern
neighborhoods have not been addressed in a peace agreement.Sa’ar met
with Abdullahi earlier at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, revealing
in a readout from his office that the two had also met at the ministry
in October, in secret, two months before Israel’s recognition.“I will
always be proud of the privilege I had to write, with you and your
people, the first pages in the story of the Israel-Somaliland
relationship. I am certain this partnership will continue to grow
stronger for the benefit of both our nations,” Sa’ar said, thanking
Abdillahi for his “historic” decision to open an embassy in
Jerusalem.Sa’ar acknowledged that “there are indeed challenges in
building the relationship between Israel and Somaliland.”Jerusalem’s
unilateral recognition of the country was condemned internationally,
including by the African Union and over a dozen Muslim-majority nations,
which also issued a joint statement condemning Somaliland’s decision to
open its embassy in Jerusalem“Unfortunately, there are many trying to
undermine [bilateral ties]. They will not be successful,” Sa’ar vowed,
adding, “I am certain this partnership will continue to grow stronger
for the benefit of both our nations.”On Sunday, Abdillahi met with
Herzog at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, where he said that
Somaliland will remember Israel’s recognition of his country and its
willingness to host the first-ever state visit by its leader.“Israel has
taken part in a moment that will be remembered in the diplomatic
history of our nation, and we do not take that gesture lightly,” said
Abdillahi.“Somaliland has been talking, has been reaching out to the
world leaders for the last 35 years,” he continued. “They were asking
only one question: to see us. Only one country desired to see us and
recognize Somaliland, and that’s the government of Israel and its
people.”Herzog said the bilateral relationships must move “from
declarations to people-to-people cooperation in a range of fields — and
we had a very interesting discussion on that — of so many topics of
common interest, and we both also face strategic challenges, which are
important to both nations.”“We both face the threat of radical
extremism,” added Herzog. “We both seek security and stability in the
region and in the Horn of Africa. We both see the importance of
protecting maritime freedom.”Sa’ar also previously met Abdillahi during
an official visit to the Somaliland capital in January.When Israel
recognized Somaliland in December, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
invited Abdillahi to visit.At the time, Abdullahi said that Somaliland
would join the Abraham Accords, calling it a step toward regional and
global peace.The 2020 accords were brokered by Trump’s first
administration and included Israel formalizing diplomatic relations with
the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, with other countries, including
Morocco, joining later.The agreement with Morocco was followed by Israel
recognizing Rabat’s sovereignty over the contested Western Sahara
region.Aside from Israel, no other United Nations member states have
recognized Somaliland.
'The really big discoveries always turn up
on the last day'‘Wondrous’ Roman busts unearthed in ancient winepress
in northern Israel-The 1,700-year-old marble sculptures, possibly
secreted away from early Christians, may depict prominent figures from
the Greco-Roman world, researchers say By Zev StubToday, 6:51 pm-JUN
15,26
Archaeologists excavating near the coastal town of
Binyamina recently unearthed two remarkably well-preserved marble busts
from the ancient Roman period, hidden face-down in the pit of an ancient
winepress, the Israel Antiquities Authority said Monday.The
1,700-year-old statues, possibly depicting prominent figures from the
Greco-Roman world, may have been hidden due to fears that early
Christians would destroy them, researchers said. The artifacts will be
on public display at Tel Aviv’s MUZA – Eretz Israel Museum beginning
this week.The discovery of the two protomes – sculpted heads and upper
torsos from the Roman period – was made three weeks ago, on the last day
of an excavation funded by Israel Railways as part of a massive
infrastructure project designed to double the coastal rail line between
Tel Aviv and Haifa.The project, known as the High-Speed Coastal Railway,
will eventually allow trains to travel at speeds of up to 250
kilometers per hour and cut travel times between the two cities to about
30 minutes, IAA noted. Like many large construction projects in Israel,
the railway expansion required extensive archaeological investigations
before work could proceed.The excavation uncovered a sprawling
Byzantine-era wine-production complex with treading floors, filtration
basins and collection pits for fermenting grape juice, Eliran Oren, one
of the excavation’s directors, told The Times of Israel.“We found the
types of things that we would normally find in a site like this: jars,
coins strewn around, pieces of glass and metal,” said Oren, who directed
the dig along with Avishag Reiss. “But on the last day of the dig, we
found this very big surprise. The really big discoveries always turn up
on the last day.”The statues stand about 55 centimeters (22 inches) tall
and weigh roughly 60 kilograms (132 pounds) each, Oren noted.When
workers told archaeologist Michael Sorotskin that they saw something
sticking out of the ground, “there was a feeling that we were about to
discover something that really shouldn’t be there,” Sorotskin said in a
statement. “Suddenly, we saw that this was not the usual pottery — it
was marble. Then, slowly, slowly, the two statues were revealed.”“I’m
still struggling to find the right words,” Sorotskin added. “It is
simply wondrous.”Historic mysteries-The circumstances surrounding the
discovery raised several questions, including the question of who the
images represent.One protome bears a Greek inscription preserving the
name of Lycurgus, a name that is recognized by historians of the
era.“One possibility is that this is Lycurgus of Sparta, the founder of
the doctrine of education and military discipline for which Sparta is
remembered,” Oren said. “But that’s a complicated thesis because
historians only began mentioning him hundreds of years after he
supposedly lived, so we don’t even know whether he was a real or
fictional character.”Another possibility is that the bust represents
Lycurgus of Athens, a famed statesman and orator who lived in the 4th
century BCE. It is possible that the statue will eventually prove to be
one of these figures, but the research “is still in its early stages,”
Oren said.A second mystery concerns how the busts arrived in Binyamina
hundreds of years after they were created.While researchers dated the
statues to the second or third century CE, during the height of Roman
rule in the region, the winepress where they were found appears to have
been constructed centuries later, Oren noted.Most likely, the site was
built during the Byzantine period, roughly between the fifth and seventh
centuries CE, meaning the statues were already antiques when they were
buried.Both the statues and the winepress were dated using historical
clues, Oren said. More precise dating technologies may be used at a
later stage.“These were probably valuable statues that were dear to
their owners and preserved for several generations,” Oren said. Quite
possibly, they were brought from nearby Caesarea, one of the region’s
major Roman cities, he added.Such statues were common in wealthy cities
at that time, noted Peter Gendelman, an IAA specialist on the Caesarea
region.“During the Roman period, statues of this type were displayed
both in public buildings and in the homes of the elite, who sought to
connect themselves to the cultural and spiritual world of antiquity,”
Gendelman explained in a statement. “Not far from the discovery site,
remains of a bathhouse were previously uncovered, and it is possible
that the statues decorated a luxurious villa of a Caesarea resident.”A
third question is why the statues were hidden in the winepress. The two
figures were buried next to each other with their heads down, indicating
that they were intentionally buried that way.“We don’t know yet if it
was due to fear of war, or theft, or conflicts that were being fought at
the time between the Christian world and the pagan world,” Oren said.By
late antiquity, as Christianity became the dominant religion of the
Roman Empire, many pagan temples and monuments were being vandalized or
destroyed, and statues associated with the Greco-Roman world were
frequent targets, Oren noted.“What is certain, however, is that the
winepress and the statues are not from the same period,” he added.
“Perhaps the owners buried them, hoping to come back and collect them at
a later point when the situation got quieter. We still don’t know
exactly.”The statues will be unveiled for the first time at an
archaeological conference this week at Tel Aviv’s MUZA – Eretz Israel
Museum, and will be on public display at the museum throughout the
summer months. After the initial display, the statues will undergo a
process of cleaning, conservation, and further research, IAA said.
Turkish-Saudi
rail that bypasses Israel will link to Jordan and Syria, minister
says-Countries should be linked in 3-4 years, while Gulf states, and
possibly Yemen, will later be added to route that would connect region
with Europe, says Turkish transport minister By Reuters and ToI Staff 14
June 2026, 11:52 pm
Turkey and Saudi Arabia aim to build a
railway to link their two countries with Jordan and Syria in the next
three or four years, Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said
on Sunday, adding that other Gulf countries would also join the
project.Speaking to Al Jazeera, Uraloglu said the railway would help
alleviate future instances of the problems that have arisen from the
disruption of the Strait of Hormuz caused by the war in Iran.The project
was described in a memorandum of understanding that Ankara and Riyadh
signed last week on logistics cooperation and the railway sector.Ankara
boasted at the time that the project would bypass Israel and diminish
its regional influence. Supporters of the Saudi monarchy also noted that
the project dealt a “fatal blow” to a 2023 US-Israeli plan to link
India with the Middle East, Israel and Europe. The plan hinged on
Israeli-Saudi normalization, which remains distant, with Riyadh
demanding irreversible progress toward Palestinian statehood, which
Israel rejects.Speaking to Al Jazeera, Uraloglu said a rail link would,
in its initial phase, allow for the transport of goods, oil, natural
gas, and people between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Syria, and
Europe.He added that the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and
possibly Yemen would be included later too.“A train leaving from Saudi
Arabia, from Riyadh already reaches several regions of Saudi Arabia. So
this is a project for it to reach Turkey via Jordan and Syria. We are
talking about a route that will carry every type of freight via this
route to Europe,” Uraloglu was cited as saying.He said the route from
Saudi Arabia to Jordan’s border had been finished, and, on the Turkish
side, the link was completed from Islahiye to Kilis and Gaziantep in
southeastern Turkey, near the border with Syria.That leaves a gap of
some 400 kilometers (248.55 miles) between Syria and Jordan, he said.In
addition to commercial trade, Uraloglu said the railway could also be
used by people on the annual Muslim hajj pilgrimage.Turkey, which
neighbors Syria, has built close ties with the government in Damascus
after the fall of president Bashar al-Assad at the end of 2024, and has
said it will help the country rebuild.Uraloglu told Al Jazeera a
financial plan would be drawn up for the rail project. The investment
would include some $100 million to rebuild the route between Turkey and
Syria’s Aleppo, creating a direct link to Damascus.
Eight dead in fiery US bomber crash in California: military.
Los
Angeles, United States, June 15 (AFP) Jun 15, 2026-Eight people died
when a US B-52 bomber crashed and erupted into a catastrophic fire
shortly after takeoff at an air force base in California on Monday,
officials said.The heavy bomber was on a routine testing mission with a
mixture of military, government and civilian contractors on board when
it came down in a huge fireball at Edwards Air Force Base, 60 miles (95
kilometers) north of Los Angeles.Footage of the aftermath of the crash,
which officials said was "unsurvivable," showed a large charred patch of
ground on which almost nothing remained of the huge plane."Edwards Air
Force Base experienced a horrible tragedy, and we lost eight great
Americans," Colonel James Hayes told reporters at the base.Hayes said
the B-52 Stratofortress -- a long-range bomber used by the US military
since the 1950s -- was on a test sortie as part of a radar modernization
process."It took off, and immediately after takeoff, crashed and burst
into flames," he said, adding emergency services quickly swung into
action, but soon determined that there would be no one to rescue."After
reviewing the footage of the crash, it was deemed that this was an
unrecoverable crash and unsurvivable."There was no immediate indication
as to the cause of the tragedy, and a safety investigation probe was
immediately begun.The crash happened around lunchtime at the base, a
major operations center for the US military, and was contained within
the perimeter, Hayes told reporters.In the aftermath of the accident,
the airfield was closed and all inbound aircraft were being diverted,
the base said on social media.Hayes said the identities of those who
perished would not be released until all next of kin had been informed, a
process he said was ongoing and could last for the rest of the day.The
B-52 is a heavy bomber that first flew in 1954 and was originally
designed for war with the Soviet Union. It has received continual
upgrades to keep it in service for decades since the Cold War's end.The
massive bomber -- which can carry a range of weapons, including bombs
and cruise missiles -- has a wingspan of 185 feet (56 meters) and a
length of 159 feet (48 meters).The plane is usually crewed by five
people: an aircraft commander, a pilot, a radar navigator, a navigator
and an electronic warfare officer, according to a US Air Force fact
sheet on the plane.With a combat range of up to 8,800 miles, the plane
is capable of carrying a nuclear payload.The United States has deployed
the aircraft in conflicts in Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, Afghanistan, and
most recently in Iran.
UK says will supply nuclear fuel to Ukraine, up sanctions on Russia.
Evian,
France, June 15 (AFP) Jun 15, 2026-The UK will supply enriched uranium
to Ukraine for its nuclear power stations and impose new sanctions
against Russia, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said ahead of a G7 summit
session Tuesday.Denouncing Russia's "barbaric strikes" on Ukraine, the
UK is "stepping up" by "choking off the revenues that fuel Putin's war
and powering Ukraine through the winters ahead", his office quoted
Starmer as saying, referring to Russian President Vladimir
Putin.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was due to attend the
summit of seven leading world powers in the French resort town of
Evian-les-Bains on Tuesday, with allies looking to tilt the balance in
Kyiv's favour after over four years of war.His appearance comes after a
Russian barrage of missiles early Monday killed at least 11 people
across Ukraine and sparked a fire at one of the most important Orthodox
monasteries in the capital.Starmer's office said the energy deal would
"power Ukraine for the next two years".The British premier -- under
pressure at home after his defence minister resigned in a row over
military spending last week -- will tell leaders at the session that
"the G7 should collectively go further to ensure Ukraine secures the
just and lasting peace it deserves"."We will stand with Ukraine for as
long as it takes and this announcement reinforces that," Starmer said,
according to his office.Some pound210 million ($282 million) worth of
export finance will allow the UK-based Urenco to supply enriched uranium
to Ukraine's nuclear power producer, Energoatom, it said.The new
sanctions "will choke Russia's war effort across multiple fronts" by
targeting Russia's illicit shadow fleet and finance networks used to
circumvent sanctions, Starmer's office said.
Taiwan launches website to collect intelligence on China.
Taipei,
June 15 (AFP) Jun 15, 2026-Taiwan said a website launched for Chinese
citizens to leak intelligence was working "normally" on Monday, but
analysts provided mixed opinions on its implications for the island's
security.China claims democratic Taiwan is part of its territory and has
threatened to use force to take it, while Taipei accuses Beijing of
using espionage and infiltration to weaken its defences.Taiwan's
National Security Bureau (NSB) introduced the platform Sunday with a
one-minute AI-generated video showing a Chinese civil servant witnessing
colleagues being removed and investigated, "reflecting a pervasive
atmosphere that everyone is on edge under China's totalitarian regime",
it said in a statement.The website invited Chinese nationals "who share
the same values of democracy" to collaborate on reporting on Beijing.An
"increasing number" of people have approached agencies in Taiwan
"wishing to provide various types of information", the NSB said."There
really are a lot of dissatisfied people inside China, whether among
ordinary citizens, or within the government or the military," said Su
Tzu-yun, a military expert at the Taipei-based Institute for National
Defense and Security Research, adding that the platform would make
sources of intelligence more "diverse"."Because of (Chinese President)
Xi Jinping's one-man dictatorship, there's significant discontent... I
think this initiative does have potential," he said.The NSB said it
would "rigorously filter", evaluate and follow up on submissions to the
platform.- A 'bull's-eye' -On Monday, the bureau told AFP that the
website had been working "normally" in its first day of operations, but
provided no further information."What mainland China now sees is a
website that is so clearly there in the open," said Chieh Chung, adjunct
assistant professor from Tamkang University, adding the reporting
platform carried "significant risk" for Taiwan."Even if you have all
kinds of measures, it becomes a bull's-eye."The NSB said the reporting
channel was based on "practices adopted by intelligence agencies in the
United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel".These countries have a
"great deal of money and manpower" to filter information and strengthen
cyber security, Chieh said.But Taiwan's situation "is exactly the
opposite," he said, adding that mainland China "devotes more talent than
we do, and its cyber-attack capability is constantly on the rise"."I'm
quite worried about whether we have the resources to fight this battle,"
he said.
China says growing its military helps world peace.
Beijing,
June 15 (AFP) Jun 15, 2026-China said on Monday that strengthening its
military is beneficial to world peace, slamming a think tank report that
warned the threat of a direct strike by Beijing on Australia was
increasing.A Lowy Institute report said on Sunday that China is capable
of a direct missile strike on Australia and the threat of such a move is
growing as Beijing amasses long-range and hypersonic weapons and builds
islands in the South China Sea.China's capacity to strike Australia
would grow over the next decade as "the DF-27 intermediate-range
ballistic missile, and potentially a conventionally armed
intercontinental ballistic missile, grow in service numbers", the
Sydney-based group said.China condemned the report's "serious strategic
misjudgement" on Monday, saying it was committed to "a path of peaceful
development"."The growth of China's military strength represents an
increase in the forces for world peace," foreign ministry spokesperson
Lin Jian told reporters at a news briefing."China's development of
military strength is intended to safeguard national sovereignty,
security and development interests and is not directed at any specific
country," he added.The report found the main threat to Australia was
from Chinese missiles fired from ships, submarines and a new
intermediate-range ballistic missile that could reach the island
continent from China.The DF-27 missile has a range of 5,000 to 8,000
kilometres (3,100 to 5,000 miles), the US military said in December.The
report said it was assessing Beijing's capability and not its
intentions.Lin urged the "relevant institutions" on Monday to "stop
hyping up the so-called China threat" and to view the country's
development in an objective, fair and rational manner.Australia reshaped
its military strategy three years ago in response to China's rapid navy
build-up and rising friction between Beijing and Washington, focusing
on deterring an adversary from its northern approaches.
China direct strike threat to Australia 'growing': report.
Sydney,
June 14 (AFP) Jun 14, 2026-China is capable of a direct missile strike
on Australia and the threat is growing as Beijing amasses long-range and
hypersonic weapons and builds islands in the South China Sea, an
Australian think tank said on Sunday.A Lowy Institute report found the
main threat to Australia was from Chinese missiles fired from ships,
submarines and a new intermediate-range ballistic missile that could
reach the island continent from China.China's capacity to strike
Australia would grow over the next decade as "the DF-27
intermediate-range ballistic missile, and potentially a conventionally
armed intercontinental ballistic missile, grow in service numbers", it
said.The DF-27 missile has a range of 5,000 to 8,000 kilometres (3,000
to 5,000 miles), the US military said in December.The direct military
threat posed to Australia was not well understood by the public, the
report said, adding that it was assessing Beijing's capability and not
its intentions.Sam Roggeveen, the director of the Lowy Institute's
International Security Program, told AFP the report was "neither hawkish
nor dovish, neither alarmist nor complacent"."I think the growth of the
People's Liberation Army is the most important thing to happen to
Australian security since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and there is
a pressing need for a more informed Australian discussion about it," he
said.Australia reshaped its military strategy three years ago in
response to China's rapid navy build-up and rising friction between
Beijing and Washington, focusing on deterring an adversary from its
northern approaches.However, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's
government has been reluctant to talk about the potential for a direct
attack on the Australian mainland.Although China's ability to sever
undersea communications cables, cyber attacks and interdicting maritime
trade are the primary risk for Australia, "the direct strike threat is
real and growing", the report said.The Dong Feng-26 intermediate-range
ballistic missile could reach northern Australia if deployed from one of
Beijing's artificially built islands in the South China Sea, it
said.The threat to Australia would "dramatically escalate" if China
fielded a crewed or drone long-range bomber, or deployed bombers or
missiles on Pacific islands close to Australia.Australia has been locked
in competition with China to cement security ties with South Pacific
nations, seeking to prevent Beijing from gaining a base.
Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant reconnected to grid: IAEA.
Vienna,
June 13 (AFP) Jun 13, 2026-The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear
power plant in Ukraine was reconnected to the grid Saturday, nearly
three days after a strike cut off its external electricity supply, the
UN nuclear watchdog said.Power was restored after repairs to a back-up
line, carried out while a local ceasefire was in place, the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a post on X.During the
loss of external power, Europe's largest atomic power plant had to rely
on emergency diesel generators to maintain cooling for its reactors,
the agency added.The plant's 19th loss of off-site power during the war
between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022, was caused by a
strike late Wednesday on a substation."Lasting almost three days, it
was one of the site's longest such loss of power events, underlining the
extreme fragility of the electrical grid," the IAEA said.The agency
previously said no release of radioactivity had been detected and
radiation levels remained normal.The plant is now preparing to repair
its main power line, which has been offline since March 24.Zaporizhzhia
lies close to the front line in southern Ukraine, and was captured by
Russian troops in the early days of their invasion.Moscow and Kyiv have
repeatedly accused each other of risking a nuclear catastrophe with
attacks near the plant.
