Tag: iran

Beyond the Bombs: Who Really Won the 12-Day War Between Israel and Iran?

On June 13, 2025, Tel Aviv launched what many international observers and Iranian officials have described as an unprovoked military strike on Iran. Israeli jets bombed military and nuclear sites, while Mossad-run sleeper cells carried out sabotage missions against air and missile defense systems from within Iran, and drones smuggled into Tehran were launched against local missile launch bases.

Dozens—perhaps more—of nuclear scientists and top military commanders were murdered with surgical precision, often in the presence of innocent family members, who were themselves frequently killed. A climate of chaos and uncertainty seemed to engulf everything.

These early results so exhilarated Israeli officials that they talked a big game on where their operation would lead, making several incendiary claims along the way. They boasted of operating in Iranian airspace without hindrance, invited the U.S. to get formally involved with the “elimination” of Tehran’s nuclear weapons program, and anonymously briefed the media that “a multi-faceted misinformation campaign”—in which Donald Trump was an “active participant”—had been conducted “to convince Iran that a strike on its nuclear facilities was not imminent.”

Internationally-wanted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu forecast on June 15 that Israel’s war on Iran “could certainly” produce regime change, as the government was “very weak,” and that “80% of the people would throw these theological thugs out.”

A hard-hitting response to Netanyahu’s premonitions and Tel Aviv’s military strike quickly arrived from Tehran in the form of a wave of missile attacks. Wreaking unprecedented damage on Tel Aviv and Haifa. The impact on Israeli military installations is difficult to assess due to its strict policy of internal censorship.

Visibly, though, Iran’s bombardments sent Israelis scurrying for shelter, while many others fled the country outright. Such was the exodus, from a country that has already suffered mass depopulation since October 7, 2023—the Israeli government has since scrambled to implement legally questionable bans on its citizens leaving.

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US Bombing of Iran Harms Non-Proliferation

Iran didn’t violate the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the United States did. When the U.S. bombed Iran’s civilian nuclear facilities on June 23, they didn’t just violate the cardinal rule of international law by attacking a sovereign nation, without Security Council approval, that had neither attacked it nor threatened to attack it. They also violated the NPT. In doing so, the U.S. may have done irreparable harm to the non-proliferation regime.

As a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran was protected by the “inalienable right to a civilian [nuclear] program.” Iran and the world watched, not only as that nonnuclear umbrella collapsed and failed to protect Iran, but as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the guardian of the non-proliferation regime, whispered barely a criticism. Iran’s parliamentary speaker has criticized the IAEA for having “refused to even pretend to condemn the [American] attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.”

Iran has accused IAEA director general Rafael Grossi of issuing a “biased” report on Iran’s nuclear program right as Trump’s sixty day window for diplomacy was closing that could be used as a “pretext” for the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The U.S. was complicit in using the resolution that followed the report, since only 19 out of 33 countries voted in favor of it after the U.S. pressured eight countries they saw as “persuadable… to either vote with the US on the IAEA vote or not vote at all.”

After Grossi clarified that the IAEA “did not find in Iran elements to indicate that there is an active, systematic plan to build a nuclear weapon” and concluded that “We have not seen elements to allow us, as inspectors, to affirm that there was a nuclear weapon that was being manufactured or produced somewhere in Iran,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the clarification came “too late.” He blasted Grossi for “obscure[ing] this truth in your absolutely biased report that was instrumentalize by E3/U.S. to craft a resolution with baseless allegation of ‘non-compliance’; the same resolution was then utilized, as a final pretext… to launch an unlawful attack on our peaceful nuclear facilities.” Baghaei finished with the accusation that Grossi “betrayed the non-proliferation regime.”

On June 20, Iran filed a formal complaint against Grossi to the Security Council, accusing him of a “clear and serious breach of the principle of impartiality.” Iran’s Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeed Iravani, criticized Grossi’s failure to condemn American and Israeli threats and use of force against its peaceful nuclear program as demanded by IAEA resolutions “which categorically prohibit any threat or use of force against nuclear facilities dedicated to peaceful purposes.” He said that Grossi’s “passivity… amounts to de facto complicity.”

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US Refueled Israeli Jets Throughout Iran War

US military tanker aircraft refueled Israeli jets throughout the 12-day US-Israeli war against Iran to ease the burden on Israel’s limited and aging fleet of tankers, Israel Hayom has reported.

The report said that “hundreds of aerial refuelings were conducted for Israeli fighter jets flying to Iran” during the 12 days of attacks on Iran. It was always believed that Israel wouldn’t be able to launch significant airstrikes on Iran without the US supporting the attacks with refueling.

In the first days of the 12-day war, dozens of US KC-135s, KC-46s, and other tanker aircraft were spotted by flight trackers leaving the United States and heading east across the Atlantic Ocean. US officials confirmed that the tanker deployment was related to the Middle East, and the Israel Hayom report said that some of them were used to refuel Israeli jets.

Besides the refueling, the US also supported Israel’s attacks on Iran by providing intelligence, helping intercept Israeli missiles and drones, and eventually launching its own airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities using B-2 bombers, a fleet of fighter jets, and a submarine.

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Fatwa Calling for Muslims to Assassinate President Trump Issued by Iranian Ayatollah

Iranian Shiite Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, 98, issued a fatwa calling on Muslims worldwide to assassinate President Donald Trump, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The semi-official Iranian news outlet Mehr News Agency reported on its English language site on Sunday (excerpt):

Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi has issued a fatwa in which he declares anyone who threatens Leader, and Shia Marja to be the Enemy of God, who has to be fought against according to Islamic teachings.

After threats were made by the criminal American president and the leaders of the child-killing Zionist regime against the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and the senior Shiite clerics known as Marja, a group of believers submitted a request to His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi regarding the duties of Muslims in response to such threats. Grand Ayatollah Makarem response to the question put forward by his followers is as follows:

“Any person or regime that threatens the Leader or Marja (May God forbid) is considered an enemy of God,” Grand Ayatollah Makarem said in his Fatwa, which is a response to the question to him.

The senior Iranian Shia Marja added that “any cooperation or support for that enemy by Muslims or Islamic states is haram or forbidden. It is necessary for all Muslims around the world to make these enemies regret their words and mistakes.”

Definition of “Marja” via Wikipedia:

Marja’ (Arabic: مرجع, romanized: marjiʿ ; plural marājiʿ ; lit. ’source to follow’ or ‘religious reference’) is a title given to the highest level of Twelver Shia religious cleric, with the authority given by a hawzah (a seminary where Shi’a Muslim scholars are educated) to make legal decisions within the confines of Islamic law for followers and clerics below him in rank. The highest ranking marjiʿ is known as the marja al-mutlaq or marja al-taqlid al-mutlaq.[1][2][note 1] A marji’ is usually also[3] a grand ayatollah.

English translation posted by Mark Dubowitz:

In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

It is clear that threatening the leader of the Islamic world, as well as the esteemed sources of emulation, is a war against Islam. According to the Quranic verse “Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against God and His Messenger…”, this act carries a severe punishment.

Strengthening the front of Muslims and the unity of Islamic ranks is an obligation. I consider it haram (forbidden) to remain silent in the face of such threats.

It is necessary for Muslims around the world to strongly condemn these threats and to take appropriate and united action.

May God preserve the Islamic community from the evil of enemies under the protection of the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance), and reward the righteous defenders.

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NATO Holds Drills Near Russian Border Based on Israel-Iran Conflict Tactics

NATO forces near Russia’s border in Karelia have recently conducted drills simulating a breakthrough of Russian air defenses, based on scenarios from the recent Israeli-American campaign in Iran, the Izvestia newspaper said citing unnamed sources.
According to the outlet, NATO aircraft maneuvers in Finland near the Russian border took place as part of the Atlantic Trident 25 exercises held from June 16 to 27. The drills involved over 40 aircraft from the air forces of Finland, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. Notably, the Izvestia reports that RQ-4D Phoenix reconnaissance drones were deployed to Finland for the first time during the exercise.

In parallel with Atlantic Trident 25, NATO also reportedly conducted another set of maneuvers titled Itakaira-2025/2, which were not officially announced by the alliance. These exercises included rapid aircraft launches, air combat, gaining air superiority, striking ground targets, and penetrating Russian air defense systems, according to the publication.

Military analyst Yuri Lyamin stated that NATO’s growing strike presence along Russia’s border necessitates a reinforcement of Russia’s fighter aviation and air defense systems.

Another expert, Dmitry Kornev, suggested that in the event of actual hostilities in the region, NATO could deploy over 70 aircraft against Russia.

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Lessons Unlearned From Israel’s Bombing Of Iraq’s Osirak Reactor

In a recent New York Times opinion article, Amos Yadlin, a former chief of Israel’s military intelligence, attempted to defend Israel’s recent decision to start a war with Iran, in which Israel was briefly joined by the U.S. government under the administration of President Donald Trump.

Under the headline “Why Israel Had to Act,” Yadlin’s opening sentence states, “Forty-four years ago this June, I sat in the cockpit on the Israeli air force mission that destroyed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor. In one daring operation, we eliminated Saddam Hussein’s nuclear ambitions.”

The parallels between that event and the current war on Iran are indeed remarkable—but the real lesson to be learned from it is precisely the opposite of the one Yadlin draws.

In addition to constituting aggression under international law, “the supreme international crime” as defined at Nuremberg, the American and Israeli bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities proves how policymakers in both countries refuse to learn from the lessons of history.

The claim that Israel’s bombing of Iraq’s Osirak reactor in 1981 halted or set back Saddam Hussein’s efforts to acquire a nuclear weapons capability is a popular myth.

In fact, Iraq had been a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) since it came into force in 1970, and its nuclear program was under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which had reported that the program was in compliance with Iraq’s legal obligations under the treaty.

Israel, by contrast, is known to possess nuclear weapons and “has not adhered to” the NPT, as the United Nations Security Council observed in Resolution 487. Unanimously adopted on June 19, 1981, that resolution strongly condemned Israel’s act of aggression.

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Israeli defense minister threatens to restart war against Iran

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on 27 June that he has instructed the Israeli army to prepare a military plan targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, as well as its regional alliances.

In a post on X, Katz said the “enforcement plan” would focus on “maintaining Israel’s air superiority, preventing nuclear advancement and missile production, and responding to Iran for supporting terror activity against Israel.”

“We will act regularly to thwart such threats,” he added, warning Iranian leaders to “understand and beware: Operation Rising Lion was only the preview of a new Israeli policy, after 7 October, immunity is over.”

Speaking separately to Israel’s Channel 12, Katz elaborated that the plan would be implemented regardless of the current ceasefire.

“We are saying unequivocally, once the Iranians violate, we will strike,” he said. He stressed that Tel Aviv would not seek US approval for such actions, comparing the approach to Israeli strikes in Lebanon, “just times 100.”

Katz’s statements follow a US-brokered ceasefire earlier this week, ending a 12-day Israeli war on Iran. The truce, announced by US President Donald Trump, was preceded by US airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Fordow site.

Despite the ceasefire, Israeli officials have repeatedly threatened to strike Iran again should it attempt to restore strategic infrastructure.

The New York Times reported Katz’s claim that Israel is determined to prevent the advancement of “threatening long-range missiles,” while continuing to disrupt Iran’s air power capabilities.

In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned, “Iran is not Lebanon … We do not accept any ceasefire or halt in operations that implies an agreed-upon arrangement.” He added that Tehran would “decisively respond to any breach by the Zionist regime.”

Behind the scenes, Washington has sought to reopen nuclear negotiations. 

According to a CNN report, the Trump administration is considering a proposal to fund a $20–30 billion civilian nuclear program in Iran through Gulf partners.

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Netanyahu Wants To Visit White House To ‘Celebrate’ Iran Strikes With Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to meet with President Trump at the White House in the coming weeks after the 12-day US-Israeli war on Iran, Axios has reported.

Israeli officials said that Netanyahu wants to “celebrate” the joint bombing campaign with Trump, as the Israeli leader is declaring the war a victory, although Israel got hit hard by Iranian missiles right up until the ceasefire took effect, something President Trump has acknowledged.

“Israel got hit really hard. Those ballistic missiles, boy, they took out a lot of buildings,” Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in The Hague on Wednesday.

Netanyahu may be seeking additional military aid from the US to replenish Israel’s interceptors and bombs in the ongoing conflict. The Axios report said that Trump and Netanyahu are “closer than ever” and that US and Israeli officials have discussed the possibility of Netanyahu’s third White House visit this year, but so far, a date hasn’t been set.

The report comes after Trump called for the corruption charges against Netanyahu to be dropped, which an Israeli official claimed is part of a strategy to ‘bring an end to the war in Gaza, the release of all the hostages, an end to Netanyahu’s trial, and a serious regional move.”

According to a report from Israel Hayom, Trump and Netanyahu have reached an understanding on terms for a potential deal that would end Israel’s genocidal onslaught in Gaza and involve other moves in the region, but many of the terms are likely unacceptable to Hamas and Palestinians in general.

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Customs and Border Protection Raid Human Smuggling Hub in Los Angeles Linked to Iranian Terror Suspects

A massive human smuggling ring with Iranian terror ties was busted up by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), raising more concerns about potential terror sleeper cells in America as the Iran-Israel war continues.

The CBP revealed on Friday night that it had executed a federal search warrant at a human smuggling hub in Los Angeles tied to national security threats from Iran.

During the operation, two people were arrested thanks to a combined effort from the CBP’s Special Response Team, Border Patrol tactical units, and Air and Marine Operations.

CBP noted that seven Iranian nationals were arrested at the same address earlier in the week. These included ones on the FBI Terror Watchlist and associates of an Iranian human trafficking network.

The agency also said that the house has been repeatedly used to harbor illegal aliens linked to terrorism.

This news comes as the Trump Administration made a massive nationwide bust just a few days ago, which sent shockwaves across the Internet.

The Gateway Pundit previously reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday arrested 11 Iranian nationals found to be living in the country illegally, including individuals with suspected terrorist ties and significant criminal histories.

These individuals were apprehended from eight states, including Minnesota, Mississippi, Alabama, California, New York, Colorado, and Texas.

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Senate blocks war powers resolution for Israel-Iran conflict

The Senate voted down an attempt to take away power from President Donald Trump to incite further military action in the Israel-Iran conflict.

Senators voted largely along party lines, except Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who voted with Democrats and Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who voted with Republicans.

Fetterman said he fully supported the strikes on Iran and that they made the world safer.

The resolution was put forth by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.

“I think the events of this week have demonstrated that war is too big to be consigned to the decisions of any one person,” said Kaine on the Senate floor.

War powers have sparked a debate on Capitol Hill for both Democrats and Republicans alike.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a staunch Trump ally, voiced her opposition in TV interviews and on social media.

“Six months in, Steve, and here we are, turning back on the campaign promises, and we bombed Iran on behalf of Israel, yes it was on behalf of Israel. We are entering a nuclear war, World War III,” she said on Steve Bannon’s War Room. “No American slept better after America bombed Iran, because all of a sudden we now have threats on our homeland.”

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., criticized the strikes as “unconstitutional.” He appeared on “Face the Nation” alongside Rep Ro Khanna, D-Calif.

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