English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For June 18/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit,
fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in
my name
John 15/15-17: "I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does
not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have
made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not
choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that
will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I
am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."
Titles For The
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on June 17-18/2025
The Imminent Fall of the Evil Mullah Regime: Israel Rescues the World
from the Most Dangerous Regime Since Hitler/Elias Bejjani/June 18/2025
What a Gift—Farah Nabih Berri Becomes Lebanon’s New Ambassador to Britain...
Hurry Up and Congratulate!/Elias Bejjani/ June16, 2025
The Aura of the Mullahs’ Regime Is a Lie, and Hezbollah Is a Fraud Incapable of
Even Protecting Itself/Elias Bejjani/June 17/2025
Link to a video interview with researcher and writer Hussein Abdul Hussein from
the Transparency website
Regional war puts Palestinian disarmament in Lebanese camps on hold
War-weary Syrians and Lebanese watch from the sidelines as missiles fly in
Israel-Iran conflict
Hezbollah's Qmati says Iran 'strong enough', doesn't need military support from
anyone
Report: Macron and US warn Lebanon against involvement in war
Israeli violations: Latest developments
Berri tells Israel 'cheerers' nothing will remain in region but Israel if it
wins
Report: US team visited Lebanon to evaluate UNIFIL mission
Expert says Israel can still target Hezbollah 'no matter how weak'
Lebanese leaders urge Hezbollah to stay out of Israel-Iran conflict
Report: Handover of Palestinian arms to begin from south Lebanon
Salam stresses need to spare Lebanon any involvement in Israel-Iran war
Lebanon Announces Three Return Options for Citizens Stranded in Antalya
Qatar grants Lebanon aviation systems, public transport buses
Three Israeli drones fly over Beirut’s southern suburbs, national agency reports
Israeli Army Kidnaps Elderly Shepherd in Kfarchouba
Syrian Refugees: Voluntary Return or Geopolitical Pressure?
Lebanon at a Crossroads: Chaos or a Place in the New Regional Order
Jean-Pierre Lacroix to Discuss UNIFIL Mandate in Beirut Visit
Health Ministry Distributes Surgical Kits to Boost Emergency Hospital Care
When the Skies Close In: The Impact on Flights, Passengers and Airlines
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on June 17-18/2025
Reza Pahlavi: The Islamic Republic in Iran is collapsing When it does we
have a plan to transition our country to the democracy the Iranian people
deserve.
On Sky News Arabia: If Islamist Iran regime thinks it can beat Israel through a
war of attrition, it is in for a surprise./Hussain Abdul-Hussain/June 17, 2025
Trump says the US knows where Iran's Khamenei is hiding and urges Iran's
unconditional surrender
How else could Iran retaliate over the ongoing Israeli strikes targeting the
country?
Israel says it killed a top Iranian general as Trump warns people to flee
Iranian capital
What Israel’s bombing of Iran’s state broadcaster says about its targeting of
journalists
How Israel used spies, smuggled drones and AI to stun and hobble Iran
Israel’s offensive on Iran is a threat to everyone says Jordan’s King to EU
parliament
Day five of the war sees Iran isolated diplomatically
‘We Need a Face-Saving Solution’: Iran Reportedly Seeks to End Conflict and
Resume Talks
‘Topple This Bloodthirsty Government’: Despite Censorship, Some Iranians Express
Support for Israel’s Strikes
Iran leader Khamenei sees his inner circle hollowed out by Israel
Trump Hits Out At Emmanuel Macron's Explanation For Him Leaving G7 Summit Early
What to know about bunker-buster bombs and Iran's Fordo nuclear facility
Iran set to show off captured Israeli F-35 pilots
Russia says Israel attacks on Iran are illegal, notes Iran’s commitment to NPT
Iraq treads a tightrope to avoid spillover from Israel-Iran conflict
UAE warns against ‘miscalculated actions’ in Israeli-Iranian conflict, calls for
immediate ceasefire
WHO says Gaza health care at breaking point as fuel runs out
UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid
regional escalation
700 foreigners flee Iran to Azerbaijan, Armenia; evacuation from Israel begins
Titles For
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources
on June 17-18/2025
Europe Hesitates To Condemn Iran, While U.S. Stands by Israel/Peter
Doran/FDD/June 17/2025
China Sides With Tehran but Wields Little Influence in Iran-Israel War/Craig
Singleton and Jack Burnham/FDD/June 17/2025
U.S. Forces in the Middle East: Under Attack and Defending Israel/Cameron
McMillan and Ryan Brobst/FDD/June 17/2025
Iraq in the Crossfire/Seth J. Frantzman/The National Interest/June 17/2025
Israel cannot settle for a temporary military win, it must topple the Islamic
regime/Saeed Ghasseminejad/The Jerusalem Post/June 17/2025
Iraqi militias largely rely on rhetoric in response to Israel-Iran conflict—for
now/Ahmad Sharawi and Bridget Toomey/ FDD's Long War Journal/June 17/2025
U.S. Should Not Mistake Oman for a Neutral Mediator/Ahmad Sharawi/FDD/June
17/2025
Will Trump Really Agree to Some Fake 'Deal' That Allows Iran to Keep Fordow,
Secret Sites, and Force the Great Iranian People to Suffer Under a Terrorist
Regime?/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute./June 17/2025
The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on June
17-18/2025
The
Imminent Fall of the Evil Mullah Regime: Israel Rescues the World from the Most
Dangerous Regime Since Hitler
Elias Bejjani/June 18/2025
After more than four decades of organized terrorism and ruthless brutality,
Iran’s evil Mullahs' regime is now crumbling under the weight of decisive
Israeli strikes and the clear, unwavering stance of U.S. President Donald Trump.
This regime—one that has never known limits to its crimes—is living its final
moments after spreading destruction wherever it reached, hiding behind the
Palestinian cause and the liberation of Jerusalem, and wearing a false sectarian
religious mask that has nothing to do with either Islam or humanity.
Since 1979, the Mullahs of Iran have ignited proxy wars, assassinated leaders,
dismantled governments, destroyed societies, and planted sectarian militias from
Lebanon to Yemen, from Iraq to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. The threat
posed by this regime has never been limited to Israel alone—it has endangered
the Gulf and the entire Arab world.
President Donald Trump made yesterday his position crystal clear: “The Mullahs'
regime must surrender unconditionally.”
We believe strongly that the time for diplomatic games is over. No more European
appeasement. No more pointless negotiations. This is the moment of truth.
The Iranian regime cannot be reformed—it must be dismantled.
Credit for this historic turning point goes first and foremost to Israel, the
only nation that never fell for the Mullahs’ lies. With precision and boldness,
Israel has taken out top commanders, destroyed defense systems, disabled nuclear
reactors, and completely dominated Iranian airspace—striking whatever and
wherever it chooses, while Iran stands powerless, unable to respond. The balance
of power is 100% in Israel’s favor.
Unlike many Arab and European nations, Israel never fell for Iran’s deceptive
slogans of “resistance,” “liberation,” or praying in Jerusalem. Nor did it
believe the genocidal threats of throwing Jews into the sea. From the beginning,
Israel saw the truth: a sectarian, hypocritical, bloodthirsty, expansionist
regime driven by delusional historical fantasies. Israel built its strategy on
confrontation, not compromise. Today, the whole world is reaping the rewards of
that clarity and resilience.
One of the most dangerous legacies of Iran’s regime is the ideology of Wilayat
al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist), which recognizes neither nations nor
borders. It is a dangerous belief system that commands blind loyalty from every
Shiite individual—placing allegiance to the Supreme Leader in Tehran above
loyalty to their own country and community.
This twisted ideology has destroyed the fabric of national Shiite communities,
dragging them into betrayal and subservience. Lebanon is the clearest example,
where Hezbollah became the living embodiment of this satanic deviation—holding
the Lebanese Shiite community hostage, occupying the state, hijacking its
institutions, and dragging the peaceful nation of Lebanon into endless wars and
total submission through so-called “divine resistance” and “religious duty.”
The free world—especially the Arab world—owes a great debt to Israel. It never
compromised, never hesitated, and never got fooled. Instead, Israel planned,
waited, struck, and saved the region from what would have been a nuclear,
sectarian nightmare that could have engulfed the Middle East and terrified the
world.
Israel’s role in destroying this terrorist regime must be recorded in history
not only as an act of self-defense but as a bold initiative on behalf of all
humanity. Without Israel’s courage and clarity, this region would already be
enslaved by a regime armed with nuclear weapons and a doctrine of death.
The End of the Mullahs: A Victory for All Humanity in general and to the
oppressed Iranian people in particular.
What a Gift—Farah Nabih Berri
Becomes Lebanon’s New Ambassador to Britain... Hurry Up and Congratulate!
Elias Bejjani/ June16, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144300/
Rejoice! Celebrate! Host your
congratulatory parties! This is your moment, ladies and gentlemen—don’t miss it.
Let’s all applaud and preen the feathers of the “Master,” and may God multiply
the hats and rabbits of his theatrical circus.
It is worth mentioning that officially it was announced today that the Council
of Ministers has appointed Farah Berri, daughter of “President” Nabih Berri, as
Lebanon’s new Ambassador to Britain, replacing Ambassador Inaam Osseiran.
This appointment is yet another product of the infamous “quota corruption
deals”—the corrupt distribution of diplomatic posts among the ruling mafia. It
clearly confirms that Nawaf Salam’s government, along with the tenure credited
to Joseph Aoun, are nothing but submissive tools in the hands of “Master Nabih
Berri, the very man who once coined the phrase about “pulling her leg out of the
window.”
There is no doubt that Farah Berri’s presence in such a prestigious post will
bolster her father—the “Master”—renowned for his “noble” legacy of corruption,
brokerage, manipulation, and absolute control. He maintains firm dominance over
Lebanon’s ruling class and with Hezbollah hijack the decisions and fate of the
Shiite community—now taken hostage by the mullah regime and its local
mercenaries, led by none other than “Nabih Berri” and “Hezbollah.”
So come on, let’s congratulate, offer blessings, ululate, dance, and cheer:
“Long live the tenure of Joseph Aoun!”—a tenure that has become a crippling
burden on Lebanon and its people, a roadblock standing in the way of restoring
sovereignty and implementing UN international resolutions. And here we are, on a
date that was supposed to witness the disarmament of Palestinian factions in
Beirut’s camps and suburbs. But of course, it passed unnoticed—nothing achieved,
as usual, except for a barrage of flimsy excuses.
Joseph Aoun’s tenure has lost its shine, now lumped in with the failed
presidencies of Emile Lahoud, Michel Aoun, and Elias Hrawi. And if you need
further proof, just examine the names, backgrounds, and allegiances of Joseph
Aoun’s chosen advisors. You’ll quickly realize we are living in an age of ruin
and disgrace. ..So pour, my dear, pour—fill my glass again, and raise your voice
with me saying Cheers!
The Aura of
the Mullahs’ Regime Is a Lie, and Hezbollah Is a Fraud Incapable of Even
Protecting Itself
Elias Bejjani/June 17/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144290/
It is urgently necessary for every deluded person who still believes in the
illusion of the Mullahs’ strength, the capabilities of the terrorist group
Hezbollah, the lie of its so-called resistance, or the fantasy of its possible
integration into the Lebanese state, to either seek psychiatric treatment or
wake up from their coma of madness, ignorance, and stupidity.
Link to a video interview
with researcher and writer Hussein Abdul Hussein from the Transparency website
A realistic and logical reading of the course of the
Israeli-Iranian war. Iran is following in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein/The
Lebanese leadership's lack of a realistic vision for the post-war period, and
Hezbollah's continued adherence to the pre-October 7 logic
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144324/
June 17, 2025
Elias Bejjani/”This man is rational, objective, and free from the complexes of
hating Israel, the madness of animosity, and the culture of death and suicide.
Arab countries need analysts and intellectuals of the caliber of Hussein Abdel
Hussein, not the vile, obsessive, and deranged ilk of the terrorist and criminal
Hezbollah propaganda brigade.”
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144324/
June 17/ 2025
Regional war puts
Palestinian disarmament in Lebanese camps on hold
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/June 17, 2025
BEIRUT: A Palestinian official in Lebanon announced “the postponement of the
scheduled collection of weapons from Palestinian refugee camps due to the
current situation in the region.”The announcement came just hours before the
Lebanese government was set to begin disarming Palestinian refugee camps in
Beirut and its suburbs this week. Citing a Lebanese official familiar with
Palestinian affairs in Lebanon, Palestinian news agency WAFA stated that
“Palestine renewed its commitment to the joint statement issued on May 21
following the meeting held between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and President
Mahmoud Abbas in Beirut.” He added that the statement emphasized “Lebanon’s
sovereignty, the extension of state authority, and the exclusive right of the
Lebanese state to bear arms, as well as the need to end any manifestations
outside its authority.
“Palestinian security and military bodies will begin full cooperation with the
Lebanese security forces as agreed upon when conditions permit and after the
necessary preparations are completed,” the official said.
On the Lebanese side, the only statement issued in this regard was by Ramez
Dimashkieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, who said that
“he received a call from Azzam Al-Ahmad, secretary-general of the Palestine
Liberation Organization, during which they discussed the latest
developments.”Dimashkieh affirmed that “the dialogue committee is fully
committed to the joint statement issued by the Lebanese and Palestinian
presidents, which clearly emphasized respect for Lebanese sovereignty, the
principle of exclusive state control over weapons, and the necessity of ending
the visible presence of Palestinian arms, according to a specific
timeline.”Youssef Al-Zari’i, Fatah’s media representative in Sidon, confirmed
that Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Islamic movements, all expressed
willingness to hand over weapons and allow Lebanese authority throughout the
country. However, he argued that delays are “reasonable given the delicate
regional situation,” with implementation tied to evolving Middle Eastern
dynamics. Palestinian sources told Arab News that significant resistance has
emerged within Palestinian ranks over Abbas’s quick acceptance of disarmament
deadlines. “Multiple Palestinian factions, particularly within Fatah, are
uncomfortable with Abbas’s hasty agreement to weapon collection schedules,” one
insider said. Beyond regional timing issues, fundamental questions about
execution mechanisms remain unresolved. “Fatah claims it holds limited heavy
weapons in Lebanese camps compared to other groups, especially Hamas,” a source
said. Since Fatah’s weapons belong to the internationally recognized Palestinian
Authority and operate under Lebanese oversight, unilateral disarmament could
create dangerous imbalances. “If Fatah surrenders its arsenal while Hamas and
affiliated groups retain theirs, Fatah becomes vulnerable within camp dynamics,”
the source warned.
Hamas continues defending its Lebanese weapons as legitimate resistance tools
while deflecting surrender demands through broader political arguments. The
group links disarmament to comprehensive refugee solutions, including return
rights and enhanced social protections for displaced populations in Lebanon.
Palestinian camps across Lebanon emphasize that sustainable solutions must
address living standards, legal rights including property ownership, while
maintaining respect for Lebanese sovereignty and law. The Lebanese and
Palestinian presidents announced in a joint statement issued following their
meeting a few weeks ago “the formation of joint committees to address the issue
of Palestinian weapons in refugee camps and to monitor the situation in the
Palestinian camps.” They affirmed their commitment to the principle of placing
all weapons under Lebanese state control. According to a joint
Lebanese-Palestinian census conducted in 2017, the number of Palestinian
refugees in Lebanon is estimated at around 200,000. Many live in harsh
conditions within camps overseen by Palestinian factions and forces, which
consider the possession of arms as integral to both the right of return and the
broader struggle for the liberation of Palestine.
Lebanon is home to 12 official Palestinian refugee camps, along with dozens of
other communities dispersed across the country. The presence of weapons in
Palestinian camps in Lebanon dates back to the 1969 Cairo Agreement between the
PLO and the Lebanese government.
The agreement stipulated that Palestinians were permitted to establish military
bases in southern Lebanon and conduct political activities within the camps,
effectively legitimizing armed Palestinian presence on Lebanese soil and in
camps.However, following a civil war in which Palestinian weapons played a
dominant role, Lebanon officially annulled the agreement in 1987.
Weapons are distributed unevenly among the camps. Heavy weapons are found in the
Ain Al-Hilweh camp, the most overcrowded camp and home to the various
politically and militarily diverse factions, and in the Rashidieh camp in the
Tyre region.
This is in contrast to the Nahr Al-Bared camp in the north, which is completely
devoid of weapons. It has been under the control of the Lebanese Army since
2007, following violent battles that lasted for more than three months between
the Lebanese Army and Fatah Al-Islam, which launched attacks against the
military that killed dozens. The disarmament process was scheduled to begin this
week in the Shatila, Mar Elias, and Burj Al-Barajneh camps in Beirut and its
southern suburbs.
“A committee was supposed to be formed to oversee implementation. There were
discussions about assigning this role to the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue
Committee, which was seen by some as the appropriate authority. However, others
dismissed it as a political body unrelated to the issue. This raised further
questions: Who would assume responsibility for internal Palestinian affairs once
weapons were handed over? Who would manage security inside the camps? And who
would handle the cases of wanted individuals and those who had taken refuge
there?” a Palestinian source stated.
In recent months, the Lebanese Army has confiscated weapons from Palestinian
military sites supported by the Syrian regime and located in the Bekaa Valley on
the border with Syria. The most important of these was a base in Qusaya
belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, General Command
and Fatah Al-Intifada, confiscating their equipment and ammunition. Before the
outbreak of the Nahr Al-Bared camp battles, Lebanese political leaders had
agreed during national dialogue talks to disarm Palestinians outside the camps
within six months.
This commitment was later echoed in the 2008 Doha Agreement, which outlined a
national defense strategy that included addressing Palestinian arms both inside
and outside the camps. However, these decisions were never implemented. In the
years that followed, Ain Al-Hilweh, the largest Palestinian refugee camp in
Lebanon, repeatedly witnessed violent clashes among rival Palestinian factions.
War-weary Syrians and Lebanese watch
from the sidelines as missiles fly in Israel-Iran conflict
Abby Sewell And Ghaith Alsayed/The
Associated Press/June 17, 2025
DAMASCUS, Syria — In a park overlooking Damascus, 25-year-old Khaldoun Hallak
has spent the past few evenings with his friends, drinking yerba mate, snacking
on nuts, smoking hookah pipes and watching the sky for missiles streaking
overhead. “We’ve been through 14 years of war, and this is the first time Syria
has nothing to do with it and we’re just spectators,” Hallak said. Since Israel
launched a barrage of strikes on Iran last week and Iran retaliated with missile
and drone attacks against Israel, neighboring countries have been in the flight
path.
Outside the scope
Downed missiles and drones have fallen in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, damaging
houses, causing fires and reportedly killing one woman in Syria. But those
countries have so far not been dragged directly into the conflict — which had
killed at least 224 people in Iran and 24 in Israel as of Tuesday — and many in
their war-weary populations are hoping it stays that way. In Lebanon, which is
still reeling from last year’s war between Israel and the Hezbollah militant
group, videos making the rounds on social media have shown revelers dancing and
drinking on rooftops while projectiles flash across the sky in the background.
Firas Maksad, managing director for the Middle East and North Africa at the
Eurasia Group, a New York-based risk consultancy organization, happened to be
visiting Lebanon when the conflict broke out and was attending a wedding when a
parade of missiles began lighting up the sky as the DJ played ABBA’s disco hit
“Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)”. He posted a video of the scene
that went viral. “Certainly most in Lebanon and also Syria are very satisfied to
be outside the scope of this,” Maksad said.
No longer in the spotlight, a sense of relief
For some in the region, there is also measure of schadenfreude in watching the
two sides exchange blows. There’s a Syrian expression that literally translates
as, “The fang of a dog in the hide of a pig.” It means that two people perceived
as despicable are fighting with each other. The phrase has surfaced frequently
on social media as Syrians express their feelings about the Israel-Iran
conflict.
Watching from a park
Many Syrians resented Iran’s heavy-handed intervention in support of former
President Bashar Assad during the country’s civil war, but are also angered by
Israel’s incursions and airstrikes in Syria since Assad’s fall. The
Sunni-majority Syrian population also widely sympathizes with the Palestinians,
particularly with civilians killed and displaced by the ongoing war in Gaza.
“May God set the oppressors against each other,” said Ahmad al-Hussein, 18, in
Damascus, who was sitting in a park with friends waiting to see missiles pass
overhead Monday night. “I hope it continues. We’ve been harmed by both of them.”
Hallak echoed the sentiment.
“Every time we see a missile going up, we say, may God pour gasoline on this
conflict,” he said. “If one side is hit, we will be happy, and if the other side
is hit, we will also be happy. We will only be upset if there is a
reconciliation between them.”
In Lebanon, where last year’s Israel-Hezbollah war killed more than 4,000
people, including hundreds of civilians, and left destruction in wide swathes of
the country’s south and east and in Beirut’s southern suburbs, some see
retribution in the footage of destroyed buildings in Tel Aviv.
Hezbollah remains largely quiet
A U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal brought an end to the latest Israel-Hezbollah war
in November. The Lebanese militant group — which lost much of its senior
leadership and arsenal in the conflict — has remained largely quiet since then
and has given no indication that it intends to join the fray between Israel and
Iran. Israeli forces have continued to occupy several border points in southern
Lebanon and to carry out regular airstrikes on what Israel says are Hezbollah
facilities since the ceasefire.
“Of course I am
against the Israeli occupation, and Iran is an Islamic country standing up to
it,” said Hussein al-Walid, 34, a welder in the southern coastal city of Sidon.
Iran's axis
Despite the dramatic scenes of buildings reduced to rubble in Israel, Tehran and
other Iranian cities have taken a worse pounding — and other regional countries,
including Lebanon, could still be pulled into the conflict. Caroline Rose, a
director at the Washington-based New Lines Institute think tank said that while
it seems “clear that Iran-backed proxies across the region — particularly
Hezbollah—just do not have the capacity" to enter the fray, Israel could decide
to expand the scope of its offensive beyond Iran. One of the goals announced by
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to eliminate Iran’s “axis of
terrorism” — the coalition of Tehran-backed armed groups across the region known
as the “Axis of Resistance.”
That goal “is
ambiguous and offers Israel the operational space to expand this war to
countries it deems are hosting Iran-backed proxies, no matter how weak they may
be,” Rose said. Al-Walid shrugged off the possibility of a new war in Lebanon.
“The war is already
present in Lebanon," he said. “Israel isn’t abiding by the agreement and is
striking every day."
Shouts of jubilation
Hassan Shreyf, a 26-year-old student from the city of Baalbek in eastern
Lebanon, where Hezbollah has a strong base of support, said that after last
year’s war in Lebanon and the heavy losses suffered by the militant group, many
of its supporters “were clearly anguished and didn’t feel vindicated.” “So
anything, even a window breaking in Tel Aviv, is (now) a victory for them,” he
said. Every time Iranian missiles pass overhead, he said, people in the area
break out in shouts of jubilation.
At the same time,
Chreif said, “there’s always a silent group hugging the wall as we say in
Arabic, treading carefully and praying we stay out of it."Abby Sewell reported
from Beirut. Mohammad Zaatari contributed to this report from Sidon, Lebanon.
Hezbollah's Qmati says Iran 'strong enough', doesn't need
military support from anyone
Naharnet/June 17/2025
Hezbollah political bureau member Mahmoud Qmati denied Tuesday in an interview
with Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik that Hezbollah would get involved
in the Iranian-Israeli war. "Israeli reports about Hezbollah preparing to
intervene are merely false pretexts to justify Israel's ongoing aggression
against Lebanon," Qmati said. He added that Hezbollah is cooperating with the
Lebanese state to prevent anyone from sabotaging the Lebanese unity. "Iran is
strong enough and does not need military support from anyone," he said, urging
the entire region and the medias to support Iran "politically", as he stressed
the need to return to peace and nuclear negotiations.
Report: Macron and US warn Lebanon against involvement in
war
Naharnet/June 17/2025
French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent phone talks with President Joseph Aoun
were part of “intensive phone diplomacy with Baabda aimed at sparing Lebanon the
flames that Tel Aviv has ignited,” a media report said on Tuesday.
The diplomatic contacts also aimed to “deliver direct messages to Hezbollah not
to carry out any military action, although Hezbollah asserted from day one,
during a coordinative meeting with the Lebanese Army, that its mission is to
defend Lebanon, not to mention that Iran does not need anyone,” al-Akhbar
newspaper reported. “Lebanon has received a flurry of advices related to the
possibility that war might protract, with Aoun relaying the messages to
Hezbollah through Army chief Rodolphe Haykal, most importantly the one that came
from the U.S. on the need to stay neutral in order not to pay a hefty price,”
the daily added. France meanwhile warned that “Lebanon’s involvement in this war
will lead to a major Israeli reaction and that no one can offer guarantees to
prevent that,” al-Akhbar said. Hezbollah for its part reiterated that “it is not
currently concerned and that Iran does not want any help, seeing as it is
capable of defending itself, has regained its confidence after the opening
strike, and is daily deterring the enemy,” the daily added. Al-Akhbar also
reported that U.S. envoy Tom Barrack is expected to begin talks in Lebanon on
Thursday, noting that his visit had been scheduled prior to the current
escalation in the region.
Israeli violations: Latest developments
Naharnet/June 17/2025
A civilian narrowly escaped Israeli fire on his car on the outskirts of al-Khiam
in south Lebanon on Monday night as Israel dropped an incendiary bomb on the
southern border town of Blida. On Tuesday, media reports said that Israel
dropped leaflets over al-Naqoura warning fishermen against fishing there, while
a drone dropped a sound bomb on the coastal town. Israeli boats have arrested
during the ceasefire Lebanese fishermen off the coast of Ras Naqoura. Israeli
drones were meanwhile overflying Beirut and its southern suburbs. Overnight into
Tuesday, blasts where heard in the Bekaa and in south Lebanon as a result of
Israeli interception missiles fired at Iranian drones over Syria and Lebanon.
Berri tells Israel 'cheerers' nothing will remain in region but Israel if it
wins
Naharnet/June 17/2025
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri hinted that Israel will destroy everything and
everyone in the region if it wins this war. "There will be only Israel," he
said, in remarks published Tuesday in Annahar, adding that those who are happy
shouldn't be. "The Lebanese and other people who are cheering for Tel Aviv,
including through social media posts, shouldn't be happy," the Speaker said, as
he lauded Lebanon's official condemnation of the the attacks on Iran. President
Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam had both condemned Israel’s attack on
Iran but said that Lebanon must stay out of the conflict because any engagement
would be detrimental to the small nation engulfed in an economic crisis and
struggling to recover from the latest Israel-Hezbollah war. Berri condemned last
week Israel’s massive attack on Iran, said Israel’s hostile actions in the
region "represent a cross-border threat to independent countries and to
international security and stability" and accused Israel of "assassinating any
effort for establishing the rules of fair and comprehensive peace in the world
and in the Middle East region."
Report: US team visited Lebanon to evaluate UNIFIL mission
Naharnet/June 17/2025
A civilian U.S. delegation concerned with the U.S. financing of U.N. missions
visited military and political officials in Lebanon days ago with the aim of
“evaluating the mission of the UNIFIL forces in the South,” al-Akhbar newspaper
reported on Tuesday. According to informed sources, the delegation denied the
Israeli media reports about the possibility of ending UNIFIL’s mission,
stressing that “the United States is not seeking to end the mission but rather
considers its presence necessary during this period.”“Recent evaluations issued
by the embassies of the nations contributing to UNIFIL indicate that Israel
itself is not prepared for the departure of these forces, seeing as they still
represent the first line of defense to prevent the infiltration of any groups
into the occupied Palestinian territories (northern Israel),” the sources quoted
the delegation as saying. But the U.S. stance supportive of UNIFIL’s presence
does not necessarily mean that the force will maintain its current mission and
shape, with informed sources telling al-Akhbar that Washington is mulling the
possibility of introducing adjustments to the mission of the peacekeeping force
that include reducing its military and civilian personnel or lowering its budget
as part of a comprehensive evaluation of global spending, knowing that the U.S.
currently contributes 27% of UNIFIL’s budget.
Expert says Israel can still target Hezbollah 'no matter
how weak'
Associated Press/June 17/2025
Iran has few viable options for striking back at Israel, largely because its key
regional proxy Hezbollah has been "decapitated," according to Fabian Hinz of the
International Institute of Strategic Studies, a London-based think tank focusing
on defense and security issues. The Houthi rebels in Yemen, another of Iran’s
allies, depend on long-range Iranian missiles but supplies are limited, Hinz
said. If Iran chose to strike using short-range missiles, he speculates it could
transfer them to Shiite militants in Iraq, which are nearer to Israel. A
U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal brought an end to the latest Israel-Hezbollah war
in November. The Lebanese militant group — which lost much of its senior
leadership and arsenal in the conflict — has remained largely quiet since then
and has given no indication that it intends to join the fray between Israel and
Iran. Israeli forces have continued to occupy several border points in southern
Lebanon and to carry out regular airstrikes on what Israel says are Hezbollah
facilities since the ceasefire. Caroline Rose, a director at the
Washington-based New Lines Institute think tank said that while it seems "clear
that Iran-backed proxies across the region — particularly Hezbollah—just do not
have the capacity" to enter the fray, Israel could decide to expand the scope of
its offensive beyond Iran. One of the goals announced by Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu was to eliminate Iran's "axis of terrorism" — the coalition
of Tehran-backed armed groups across the region known as the "Axis of
Resistance." That goal "is ambiguous and offers Israel the operational space to
expand this war to countries it deems are hosting Iran-backed proxies, no matter
how weak they may be," Rose said.
Lebanese leaders urge Hezbollah to stay out of Israel-Iran conflict
Associated Press/June 17/2025
Lebanon's president and prime minister have said that their country must stay
out of the conflict between Israel and Iran because any engagement would be
detrimental to the small nation engulfed in an economic crisis and struggling to
recover from the latest Israel-Hezbollah war. Their remarks Monday amounted to a
message to Hezbollah — an ally of both Iran and Hamas — to stay out of the fray.
Hezbollah, which launched its own strikes on Israel a day after Hamas' Oct. 7,
2023 attack, has been hard-hit and suffered significant losses until a
U.S.-brokered ceasefire last November ended the 14 months of fighting between
Hezbollah and Israel. Earlier this year, Hamas fighters inside Lebanon fired
rockets from Lebanese soil, drawing Israeli airstrikes and leading to arrests of
Hamas members by Lebanese authorities. The Israeli war on Lebanon left over
4,000 people dead in Lebanon and caused destruction worth $11 billions. In
Israel, 127 people, including 80 soldiers, were killed during the war. Lebanese
President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam spoke during a Cabinet
meeting Monday that also discussed the Iran-Israel conflict and the spike in
regional tensions over the past four days. Information Minister Paul Morkos
later told reporters that Aoun urged all sides in Lebanon to maintain calm and
preserve the country's stability. For his part, Salam said Lebanon should not be
involved in "any form in the war," Morkos added. Hezbollah, funded and armed by
Iran, has long been considered Tehran's most powerful ally in the region but its
latest war with Israel also saw much of Hezbollah's political and military
leadership killed in Israeli airstrikes. Since Israel on Friday launched strikes
targeting Iran's nuclear program and top military leaders, drawing Iran's
retaliatory ballistic missiles at Israel, the back-and-forth has raised concerns
that the region, already on edge over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, would be
plunged into even greater upheaval.
Report: Handover of Palestinian arms to begin from south
Lebanon
Naharnet/June 17/2025
The major developments in the region, especially the Israeli-Iranian war, have
reshuffled all cards in Lebanon and frozen the discussion of a number of files,
most notably the handover of Palestinian weapons present in refugee camps, a
process that was supposed to begin Monday from Beirut’s camps, a media report
said. Official sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that the relevant
Palestinian sides in Lebanon are yet to be informed of any instructions, whether
from the leadership in Ramallah or from Lebanese security agencies, regarding
the handover of weapons present in any camp during the coming days. “This does
not mean freezing the file, but rather waiting for resolving some internal
Palestinian issues that are being addressed,” the sources said. “The factions
requested a grace period before the start of the handover of weapons from
Beirut’s camps, and it has been agreed to begin from the South’s camps that fall
within U.N. Resolution 1701’s area of operations,” the sources added. “The
handover will begin from the Tyre region where the al-Bass camp is located and
the al-Rashidiyeh and al-Burj al-Shamali camps will follow,” the sources
explained, noting that “execution will take place over stages and without
specific deadlines.”And according to Lebanese sources, Azzam al-Ahmad, the Fatah
Movement official in charge of the Lebanese file, will return to Lebanon over
the next days at the head of a security delegation to continue discussed the
handover mechanisms and the rest of the details. Al-Ahmad had spent days in
Lebanon prior to Eid al-Adha in a bid to resolve some disputes within the Fatah
Movement over this file. He also held talks with Lebanese security agencies and
state authorities.
Salam stresses need to spare Lebanon any involvement in
Israel-Iran war
Naharnet/June 17/2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday underscored the need to “prevent Lebanon's
entanglement in any way in the ongoing war” between Israel and Iran.
Speaking during a cabinet session, Salam said any such involvement would lead to
“repercussions that we have nothing to do with.”Salam also noted that he has
asked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to put into effect the latest
Lebanese-Palestinian resolutions regarding Palestinian weapons in Lebanon, while
clarifying that an official timetable for arms handover is yet to be decided.
Lebanon Announces Three Return Options for Citizens
Stranded in Antalya
This is Beirut/June 17/2025
In response to the situation of Lebanese citizens stranded in the Turkish city
of Antalya, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport announced three return
options, following instructions from Minister Fayez Rasamny. This initiative
aims to ensure the safety of Lebanese nationals and facilitate their swift
return home.
Option 1: Via Istanbul
Travelers can reach Istanbul from Antalya by land or air, then book a connecting
flight to Beirut. This is the fastest self-organized option for those with
urgent travel needs.
Option 2: Direct Flight Under Coordination
Tour operator Nakhal is actively coordinating with several Turkish airlines to
arrange a direct flight from Antalya to Beirut. The flight is expected to
operate once logistical arrangements are finalized, offering a more direct
alternative for returnees.
Option 3: Maritime Route from Tripoli
A vessel will depart from the Port of Tripoli in Lebanon to Mersin, Turkey, to
pick up Lebanese nationals. The vessel is scheduled to leave Lebanon on
Wednesday, June 18, and return with passengers on Thursday, June 19. The
Ministry emphasized that all efforts are being made to provide safe and
practical return options, and urged affected citizens to stay updated through
official communication channels.
Qatar grants Lebanon aviation systems, public transport
buses
LBCI/June 17/2025
Lebanon’s Public Works Minister Fayez Rasamny received a formal grant letter
Tuesday from Qatari Ambassador Sheikh Saud bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani, on behalf
of Qatar’s Transport Minister. The grant includes advanced air navigation and
communication systems for Beirut’s airport, and a large fleet of public
transport buses to support Lebanon’s road and aviation sectors. Rasamny thanked
Qatar for its ongoing support, calling the assistance vital for improving
services and infrastructure.
Three Israeli drones fly over Beirut’s southern suburbs,
national agency reports
LBCI/June 17/2025
The Lebanese National News Agency reported Tuesday that three Israeli drones
were seen flying over the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Israeli Army Kidnaps Elderly Shepherd in Kfarchouba
This is Beirut/June 17/2025
An Israeli infantry force advanced east of the town of Kfarchouba on Tuesday and
kidnapped Mohammad Qasim Ghanem, a 75-year-old shepherd.
In related developments, Israeli drones flew at low altitudes over Beirut’s
southern suburbs. Earlier today, explosions were heard in the Beqaa Valley,
reportedly caused by interceptor missiles in the region’s airspace.
Syrian Refugees: Voluntary Return or Geopolitical Pressure?
Natasha Metni Torbey/This is Beirut/June 17/2025
The Lebanese government has renewed its focus on the issue of displaced Syrians,
designating it a top national priority amid the mounting pressure the crisis
places on the country’s economy and social systems. In recent weeks, it has
collaborated with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and
humanitarian partners to develop a return plan. While the framework aims to
bring structure to the process, it has faced criticism – particularly regarding
the vested interests some key international actors, including the UN, are
perceived to have in maintaining the status quo. In an interview with This is
Beirut, Lisa Abou Khaled, the spokesperson for UNHCR Lebanon, outlined the key
components of the return plan. It provides logistical and financial support for
refugees seeking to return to Syria – including transportation, assistance with
documentation and help with resettlement. The plan was officially submitted to
the Lebanese government and was expected to be approved at the most recent
Cabinet meeting at Baabda Presidential Palace. However, political consensus
remains fragile.
The UNHCR emphasizes its commitment to ensuring that returns are “voluntary,
safe and dignified,” while underscoring that the initiative’s success will
largely depend on international support. This financial reliance raises critical
questions: To what extent does the UN framework genuinely serve the interests of
refugees, and how much does it also reinforce a migration management system that
some agencies may exploit for funding and influence?
Post-Assad Return: Momentum Meets Uncertainty
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad on December 8, 2024, returns to Syria have
accelerated. The UNHCR estimates that more than 507,000 refugees have returned,
including approximately 173,000 from Lebanon. Internal surveys indicate that 27%
of Syrian refugees in the region are considering returning within the next 12
months – compared to less than 2% before the regime’s collapse.
This political shift marks a major turning point, reshaping the negotiation
landscape between Lebanon, international agencies and donors. However,
significant questions remain about the durability of return conditions and the
UNHCR’s actual influence on the ground in Syria – especially amid ongoing
instability, fractured governance and damaged infrastructure.
An Operational Role on Both Sides of the Border
According to the UNHCR, the agency monitors returnees both upon arrival in Syria
and over the long term. Teams are stationed at border crossings to welcome
refugees, while support programs activate once they settle. In Lebanon, the
UNHCR also oversees assessments of the voluntariness of departures, working in
coordination with the General Security Directorate. Yet some critics point to a
troubling contradiction: while the UNHCR facilitates returns, it also benefits
from the ongoing migration crisis, which in turn justifies maintaining its
operations, funding and presence in Lebanon – sometimes seen as a form of
interference or indirect exploitation of the country’s struggles.
Fragile Presence in Syria
The UNHCR maintains an active presence in Syria to address humanitarian needs,
providing shelter, protection services, economic reintegration assistance and
distributing essential supplies. The agency also supports public services and
promotes self-sufficiency. However, the reality on the ground is far more
complex. Persistent underfunding in both Syria and Lebanon severely limits the
impact of these programs. The UNHCR itself acknowledges that available resources
fall short of meeting essential needs. While these efforts are notable, they
often remain largely symbolic compared to the magnitude of the challenge.
An Ongoing Political and Humanitarian Challenge
The humanitarian situation in Syria remains critical, with vast needs in
education, employment, healthcare and housing. The UNHCR is calling on the
international community to intensify support, including the easing of sanctions,
which the agency views as a major barrier to reconstruction. However, this
stance sparks debate, as some see it as downplaying the Syrian regime’s
responsibility for the country’s collapse. Lebanon continues to bear a
disproportionate burden, grappling with a shattered economy and strained
institutions. While the UNHCR frames the return of refugees as a “historic
opportunity,” many in Lebanon regard it as an urgent necessity – far beyond
matters of dignity or logistics.
Lebanon at a Crossroads: Chaos or a Place in the New
Regional Order
Bassam Abou Zeid/This is Beirut/June 17/2025
Lebanon is closely monitoring the unfolding Iranian-Israeli war - a conflict it
has kept at arm’s length, but whose fallout is certain to reach its borders. The
real test is whether the government will be able to leverage the outcome to its
advantage.
Hezbollah resents being forced to remain on the sidelines of a war it sees as a
sacred duty, an obligation to stand with the oppressed. That conviction fueled
its campaign of support for Gaza. By the same logic, it would have been expected
to open a new front in defense of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the doctrine
of Wilayat al-Faqih, a cornerstone of its ideological identity. However, the
military, political, and social consequences of Hezbollah’s involvement in the
Gaza war now prevent it from entering this new conflict. Even its own base shows
little appetite for escalation. Pushing further would risk significant internal
backlash, despite the frustration simmering among supporters as they watch their
financial and military sponsor weaken under Israeli strikes.
Just as Hezbollah refuses to concede defeat or surrender in Lebanon, it remains
convinced that the Islamic Republic of Iran will neither falter nor yield. The
pro-Iranian group hopes that Iranian missile strikes on Israel will pressure
both Israel and the United States to ease their stance, allowing Tehran to exit
the conflict with its dignity intact. Such an outcome would provide Hezbollah
with a critical boost, enabling it to claim that the Iranian political project
endures and could, once again, gather momentum under the banner of jihad and the
destruction of Israel.
Iran will not emerge from this war unchanged, and Hezbollah’s ambitions are
unlikely to materialize. Tehran’s military nuclear program is expected to be
hindered, its ballistic missile and drone capabilities curtailed, and its
regional influence significantly reduced. If the Islamic Republic struggles to
control its proxies in Lebanon—chief among them Hezbollah—its regional influence
will continue to erode, and could collapse entirely in the event of regime
downfall. The region is clearly heading toward a new political order led by the
United States, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. This conflict may well mark the last
major war in the area. Countries across the Middle East are likely to seize the
opportunity to benefit from this new reality, especially if a resolution is
found for the Palestinian issue. Many will focus on developing, modernizing, and
improving their societies.
The real danger is that Lebanon could be left behind, isolated from this
unfolding transformation. Hezbollah and the Amal Movement are unlikely to accept
the collapse of the current power structure without resistance. The mix of
coercion and incentives used to control the Lebanese people is sustained by the
constant threat of armed conflict and civil war at every political turning
point. This dynamic is compounded by a hesitant government lacking the will to
confront the issue head-on, alongside political leaders who consistently put
personal and sectarian interests above the national good. These leaders shy away
from challenging Hezbollah under slogans like "civil peace" and "bad timing."
These factors, among others, keep Lebanon locked in paralysis; a country ruled
by chaos and sectarian power-sharing, devoid of genuine reform or economic
recovery. A nation that survives by draining its citizens at home and abroad,
yet remains reluctant to even open a second airport.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix to Discuss UNIFIL Mandate in Beirut
Visit
This is Beirut/June 17/2025
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix
is expected in Beirut on Wednesday for a multi-day visit focused on the renewal
of the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) mandate, two months
ahead of the UN Security Council’s scheduled session. According to informed
sources, the visit could pave the way for potential changes to UNIFIL’s rules of
engagement or even an expansion of its mandate, in light of rising regional
instability following the outbreak of the Israel-Iran conflict.
Lacroix’s trip, planned before the conflict began, includes high-level meetings
with Lebanese officials. He is set to meet Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Tuesday
afternoon to address ongoing cooperation and operational challenges facing the
peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon.
In addition to political consultations, Lacroix will travel south to visit
UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura. He is also expected to inspect Lebanese Army
barracks in the coastal city of Tyre, highlighting ongoing collaboration between
UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese Armed Forces.
This visit comes at a critical time, as discussions intensify within the
international community over the future scope and structure of the UN
peacekeeping force in Lebanon. Any potential changes to UNIFIL’s mandate could
have significant implications for security dynamics along the Blue Line,
particularly as tensions remain high across the broader Middle East.
Health Ministry Distributes Surgical Kits to Boost Emergency Hospital Care
This is Beirut/June 17/2025
The Ministry of Public Health distributed on Tuesday 33 Surgical Instrument Sets
(SI Sets) to government hospitals to enhance their capacity to treat trauma and
provide emergency treatment. The initiative, carried out in partnership with the
World Health Organization (WHO), is part of a national emergency preparedness
plan set in motion during the recent escalation of conflict with Israel. Public
Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine emphasized the project’s significance,
stating that these surgical kits, tailored for general, cardiac and orthopedic
surgeries, will be distributed equitably based on hospital capacity. “This is a
vital step toward strengthening our public hospitals, which remain at the
forefront of health care delivery during crises,” he said. The Minister raised
concerns about current hospital funding, warning that without a significant
budget increase in 2026, the system risks falling back on “patchwork solutions”
that undermine long-term care. WHO Representative Dr. Abdel Nasser Abu Bakr
noted that over 17,700 trauma injuries have been treated since the war in Gaza
escalated in October 2023 and later affected Lebanon. He said the WHO Emergency
Trauma Surgical Kit, capable of supporting up to 50 major surgeries, is designed
to be used even in damaged or overcrowded facilities. “These supplies go beyond
equipment; they represent preparedness, partnership, and the commitment to
preserve life,” Abu Bakr said, reaffirming WHO’s commitment to supporting
Lebanon’s health infrastructure through replenishment of kits, staff training
and integration of trauma care into national emergency protocols.
Officials stressed the importance of ongoing support, especially as Lebanon
continues to face regional instability. “Our goal,” said Nassereddine, “is to be
ready, but to never need these kits.”
When the Skies Close In: The Impact on Flights, Passengers and Airlines
Yara Germany/This is Beirut/June 17/2025
Each time tensions flare in the Middle East, airspace closures thrust airlines,
travel agencies and passengers into a frantic race against time. Flights are
rerouted, layovers stretch and last-minute decisions become the norm… A
behind-the-scenes look at a sky turned unpredictable, where everyone struggles
to navigate the chaos. Following last Friday’s military escalation between Iran
and Israel, travelers once again faced the harsh realities of a tense sky.
Airspace was closed over several countries, flights were canceled or rerouted,
and hundreds of passengers were left stranded at airports. But what exactly
happens when airspace is shut down? And how does it impact the key players –
passengers, travel agencies and airlines alike?
A Decision Rooted in Politics and Security
The decision to close airspace is typically made by the national civil aviation
authority of the country involved. It is never taken lightly and always involves
close coordination with military forces, intelligence agencies and government
officials.
In the context of regional conflicts – such as the ongoing tensions between Iran
and Israel – the assessment focuses on risks posed by airstrikes, missiles or
drones. Once the decision is finalized, it is communicated to airlines through
NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen), official aviation alerts that inform pilots of
restrictions or hazards within the affected airspace. Upon inquiry by This is
Beirut, Lebanon’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) declined to
comment on the procedures currently governing the opening or closure of Lebanese
airspace.
MEA: Balancing Caution and Adaptation
Lebanese airline Middle East Airlines (MEA) manages this instability through a
permanent crisis unit. In an interview with This is Beirut, Captain Mohammad
Aziz, the senior advisor to MEA’s president and an expert in risk management and
airport security, emphasized the company’s close cooperation with the DGAC: “We
receive information from the DGAC, with whom we maintain constant coordination.
But even when flight authorization is granted, if our crisis unit assesses the
risk level to be too high, we choose not to operate.”
On Friday evening, as the full extent of the escalation between Iran and Israel
remained unclear, “we had no precise information on the missiles’ altitude or
trajectory,” Captain Aziz explained. Erring on the side of caution, the DGAC
decided to suspend all flights until the following morning. This decision had
immediate consequences: a flight from Paris was diverted to Istanbul, another
from Doha was redirected to Cairo, while Larnaca airport was already operating
at full capacity.
To better manage such unexpected situations, MEA now takes additional logistical
precautions. Planes are loaded with extra fuel to accommodate possible detours.
“It costs more and adds weight to the aircraft, but it increases our safety
margin. Greater flexibility in decision-making means enhanced operational
safety,” Aziz explained.
The situation in the region has rendered standard planning nearly impossible.
Jordanian airspace, for example, opens and closes intermittently, while Syrian
and Iraqi airspace remain closed. “A Beirut-Amman flight, normally about an
hour, can now take up to two. The route to Dubai has increased from three to
four hours. Under these conditions, maintaining normal operations is impossible
– cancellations and last-minute changes have become routine,” he added.
With ongoing schedule disruptions, MEA adjusts its operations daily. To
accommodate passengers stranded by cancellations, the airline added extra
flights this past weekend to Istanbul, Cairo and Milan. Meanwhile, other routes
remain suspended – flights to Baghdad, Erbil and Najaf were canceled on Tuesday,
June 17, due to the prolonged closure of Iraqi airspace. This constant schedule
shifting highlights the unstable conditions the airline must navigate.
Passenger Support: A Shifting Landscape
Managing passengers in this fluid situation depends on several factors.
“If the plane has already taken off, we take care of the passengers onboard. If
it’s still on the ground, passengers remain at the airport. For delays lasting a
few hours, like last Friday, travelers wait in the VIP lounge. If the flight is
postponed until the following day, we cover overnight accommodation,” Aziz
revealed, adding, “There’s no set rule – each case is handled individually.”
Air France, meanwhile, has suspended its flights to and from Beirut through June
17 inclusive. In a statement to This is Beirut, the airline said it is “closely
monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East in real time” and
emphasized that “the safety of its passengers and crews remains its top
priority.” Commercial measures have been implemented, allowing affected
travelers to postpone or cancel their trips free of charge until June 22.
As for travel agencies, their teams are scrambling to keep up amid the chaos.
The director of a Lebanese agency shared that they receive airline schedule
changes “by the minute” and must constantly juggle requests from clients, some
of whom are stranded abroad. He recalled passengers booking online tickets with
a layover in Istanbul, only to be left stranded after their connecting flight
was canceled. “They called us, and we managed to secure seats on MEA flights –
the only ones still flying routes to Lebanon,” he said.
When waits stretch beyond eight or nine hours, agencies request that airlines
provide accommodations for travelers. “For the charter flights we handle, we
sometimes end up covering the overnight stay ourselves,” the agency director
added. In cases of extended delays, he tries to get passengers out of the
airport to offer lodging, a guide or other essential services. “It depends on
the situation, but we do everything possible to minimize the impact on the
traveler,” he assured.
Despite widespread uncertainty, some routes remain relatively stable: flights to
Europe generally face no major issues. “Flights heading eastward, however, are
more complicated,” the manager noted, advising clients to arrive at the airport
at least four hours before departure and to always set aside extra funds to
cover unexpected expenses.
Insurance in Risky Times
Insurance companies have been slow to provide a clear stance on travel
insurance. “Normally, they cover delays, but this situation falls under force
majeure. We have yet to receive any response from the insurers,” the agency
director said. Regarding specialized aviation insurers, Aziz noted that they
exercise some leniency thanks to MEA’s solid reputation for reliability built
during past conflicts. “We still have some flexibility with insurers, who trust
our risk management approach,” he noted, emphasizing that the company remains on
constant alert in such situations. As geopolitical tensions keep Middle Eastern
skies in flux, airlines, agencies and passengers are forced to navigate the
unseen and unpredictable. The cost of adapting continues to rise – especially
for travelers’ wallets.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on June 17-18/2025
Reza Pahlavi: The Islamic Republic
in Iran is collapsing When it does we have a plan to transition our country to
the democracy the Iranian people deserve.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144330/
Reza Pahlavi: Fellow countrymen,
Ali Khamenei, the foolish leader of the anti-Iranian regime of the Islamic
Republic, has once again embroiled our Iran in a war; a war that is not between
Iran and the Iranian nation, but between the Islamic Republic and Khamenei. My
message to the military, law enforcement, and security forces is clear: This
regime and its corrupt and incompetent leaders do not value your lives or our
Iran. Separate yourselves from them and join the people. The Iranian nation’s
fight against the destructive regime of the Islamic Republic is to reclaim Iran
and rebuild it. The solution is to overthrow the Islamic Republic through street
protests and nationwide strikes.I am with you in these difficult moments. We are
all in this fight together and we will win.
The stalwart of Iran,
Reza Pahlavi
On Sky News Arabia: If Islamist Iran regime thinks it can beat
Israel through a war of attrition, it is in for a surprise.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/June 17, 2025
https://www.facebook.com/61553631413159/videos/1241619034015826
The military performance of Islamist regime against #Israel is the weakest in
the history of this conflict. Even in six days of war in 1967, which the Arabs
call defeat, the Arabs downed 46 Israeli fighter jets, destroyed 400 tanks, and
killed close to 1,000 troops. Iran has barely downed a few Israeli drones. The
performance of Hamas and Hezbollah was more threatening to Israel than Iran.
Hamas fired 600 missiles a day on Israel and, because of proximity, forced more
Israelis, in more cities, to take shelter, for a longer time and so did
Hezbollah. Iran has now changed its tactic, from four waves of 50 missiles each,
a day, to a trickle of 3 to 4 missiles every hour or so, hoping to send the
Israelis to shelters the longest time possible. Iran has already downgraded its
war from slapping Israel to poking it.
- Iran has only one tool in its arsenal: Throwing missiles from afar. Iran has
no Air Force, distance makes ground battles impossible, and that's that. While
Iran pokes, Israel will be eroding Iranian nuclear and military capabilities to
near complete destruction.
Finally, when the dust of battle settles, the regime will be licking its wounds
and Israel will be victorious. Yet the Islamist regime will claim "divine
victory." This is the same delusion that got the rulers of Iran to where they
are in the first place. Iranian interests will be best served if Tehran
renormalizes ties with Jerusalem.
Trump says the US knows where Iran's Khamenei is hiding and urges
Iran's unconditional surrender
AAMER MADHANI and CHRIS MEGERIAN/AP/June 17, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday the U.S. knows where
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is hiding during the Israel-Iran
conflict but doesn’t want him killed “for now.” Trump urged, in a social media
posting, Iran's “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” as the five-day conflict continues to
escalate. “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,”
Trump added. “He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take
him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at
civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.” Trump's
increasingly muscular comments toward the Iranian government come after he urged
Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives as he cut short his
participation in an international summit to return to Washington for urgent
talks with his national security team.
The comments about Khamenei and calls for surrender came shortly after Trump in
a separate posting touted complete control of the skies over Tehran.
Trump in the opening days of the conflict rejected a plan presented by Israel to
kill Khamenei, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter, who was
not authorized to comment on the sensitive matter and spoke on the condition of
anonymity. The Israelis had informed the Trump administration that they had
developed a credible plan to kill Khamenei. But White House officials informed
the Israelis that Trump opposed such a move. Administration officials were
concerned that the plan to kill Khamenei could enflame the conflict and
potentially destabilize the region. Trump returned to the White House from his
abbreviated trip to the Group of Seven summit in the Canadian Rockies early
Tuesday at a moment of choosing in his presidency. Israel, with five days of
missile strikes, has done considerable damage to Iran and believes it can now
deal a permanent blow to Tehran's nuclear program — particularly if it gets a
little more help from the Republican president. But deepening American
involvement, perhaps by providing the Israelis with bunker-busting bombs to
penetrate Iranian nuclear sites built deep underground or offering other direct
U.S. military support, comes with enormous political risk for Trump. Trump, as
he made his way back to Washington, expressed frustration with Iranian leaders
for failing to reach an agreement. He said he was now looking for “a real end”
to the conflict and a “complete give-up” of Tehran's nuclear program. “They
should have done the deal. I told them, ‘Do the deal,’” Trump told reporters on
Air Force One. “So I don’t know. I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.”Iran
has insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, and U.S.
intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb.
Trump, who held a Situation Room meeting with advisers on Tuesday afternoon, has
been gradually building the public case for a more direct American role in the
conflict. His shift in tone comes as the U.S. has repositioned warships and
military aircraft in the region to respond if the conflict between Israel and
Iran further escalates. Meanwhile, the State Department created a special task
force to assist Americans seeking to leave Israel and other Mideast countries,
although no government evacuations are currently planned. There are some 700,000
Americans, many of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, now in Israel and thousands
more in other Mideast countries, including Iran.
Trump made an early departure from G7
Trump left the G7 summit a full day early so he could return to Washington to
focus his attention on the Mideast crisis. Trump, while at the summit, also
raised alarms when he urged Iranians with a social media posting to “immediately
evacuate Tehran.”Asked about his evacuation comment, Trump told reporters: “I
just want people to be safe.”Trump said he wasn't ruling out a diplomatic option
and he could send Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to
meet with the Iranians. He also dismissed congressional testimony from National
Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, who told lawmakers in March that U.S. spy
agencies did not believe Iran was building a nuclear weapon. “I don’t care what
she said," Trump said. "I think they were very close to having it.” Gabbard on
Tuesday brushed off the inconsistency, blaming the media for misconstruing her
earlier testimony and asserting that “President Trump was saying the same thing
that I said."
Speculation grows that Trump may be tilting toward more direct involvement
The Israelis say their offensive has eviscerated Iran's air defenses and they
can now strike targets across the country at will. Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu says the Israeli bombardment will continue until Iran's
nuclear program and ballistic missiles are destroyed. So far, Israel has
targeted multiple Iranian nuclear program sites but has not been able to destroy
Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility.
The site is buried deep underground — and to eliminate it, Israel may need the
30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which uses its weight and sheer
kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets and then explode. But Israel does
not have the munition or the bomber needed to deliver it — the penetrator is
currently delivered by the B-2 stealth bomber. Israel’s own defenses remain
largely intact in the face of Iran's retaliatory strikes, but some of Tehran's
missiles are getting through and having deadly impact. Trump and Netanyahu spoke
by phone on Tuesday about the evolving situation, according to a White House
official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition
of anonymity.
A widening schism over Iran among Trump's MAGA supporters
Trump bristled when asked about some of his MAGA faithful, including
conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, who have suggested that further U.S.
involvement would be a betrayal to supporters who were drawn to his promise to
end U.S. involvement in expensive and endless wars.“Somebody please explain to
kooky Tucker Carlson that,’ IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!’” the president
wrote on social media. Other prominent Trump supporters and Republican lawmakers
have also raised concerns about how far the president should go in backing
Israel. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, former Trump adviser Steve
Bannon and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk are among prominent Trump
World allies who have noted that voters backed Trump because he promised not to
entangle the nation in foreign clashes and to be wary of expanding U.S.
involvement in the Mideast conflict. And Reps. Thomas Massie, a Republican from
Kentucky, and Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, introduced a resolution on
Tuesday that calls on Trump to “terminate” the use of U.S. armed forces against
Iran unless “explicitly authorized” by a declaration of war from Congress. In a
Tuesday posting on X, Vance said he wanted to address “a lot of crazy stuff on
social media” about Trump’s approach to Iran.
Vance made the case that Trump has been consistent that “Iran cannot have
uranium enrichment” and has said “repeatedly that this would happen one of two
ways — the easy way or the ‘other’ way.”There are also Trump backers, including
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who are making the case that this is Trump's moment
to deliver a decisive blow to Iran. Graham is calling for Trump to "go all-in”
in backing Israel and destroying Iran’s nuclear program.
How else could Iran retaliate over the ongoing Israeli strikes
targeting the country?
Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press/June 17, 2025
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — As Israel pounds Iran with airstrikes
targeting military facilities and its nuclear sites, officials in Tehran have
proposed a variety of steps the Islamic Republic could take outside of launching
retaliatory missile barrages.
Those proposals mirror those previously floated by Iran in confrontations with
either Israel or the United States in the last few decades. They include
disrupting maritime shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, potentially leaving
the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and attacks by allied militants.
Here's a look at what those options could mean — both to Iran and the wider
Middle East.
Targeting the Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, through which some
20% of all oil traded globally passes. The strait is in the territorial waters
of Iran and Oman, which at its narrowest point is just 33 kilometers (21 miles)
wide. The width of the shipping lane in either direction is only 3 kilometers (2
miles). Anything affecting it ripples through global energy markets, potentially
raising the price of crude oil. That then trickles down to consumers through
what they pay for gasoline and other oil products. There has been a wave of
attacks on ships attributed to Iran since 2019, following President Donald
Trump's decision to unilaterally withdraw the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear
deal and re-imposing crushing sanctions on Tehran. U.S. forces routinely travel
through the strait, despite sometimes-tense encounters with Iran’s Revolutionary
Guard, a paramilitary force answerable only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei. The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet conducts those operations,
known as freedom of navigation missions, to ensure the waterway remains open to
business. Iran views those passages as challenging its sovereignty — as if it
operated off the coast of the U.S. Since the Israeli attacks began, Iranian
officials have repeatedly raised blocking the strait — which likely would draw
an immediate American response.
Withdrawal from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty
Experts fear Tehran could respond to the strike by deciding to fully end its
cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, abandon the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty and rush toward a bomb. As a member of the treaty, Iran
is obligated to explain any radioactive traces outside of declared sites and to
provide assurances that they are not being used as part of a nuclear weapons
program. Iran insists its program is peaceful, though it is the only
non-nuclear-armed state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step
away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA
assess Iran hasn't had an organized military nuclear program since 2003. There
is precedent for the concern. North Korea said it withdrew from the treaty in
2003 and tested a nuclear weapon in 2006. However, again, if Iran withdrew from
the treaty, it could draw the U.S. into the fight, something Tehran so far has
been seeking to avoid.
Asymmetric attacks by militants
Iran could encourage more asymmetric attacks, targeting Jewish tourists,
synagogues or Israeli diplomatic missions as it has done in the past. However,
it's been a rough few years for those forces. Iran’s allies, the self-described
“Axis of Resistance,” have been severely hurt by ongoing Israeli attacks since
the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, particularly Lebanon’s Hezbollah and
Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Iran has long used those groups as both an asymmetrical
way to attack Israel and as a shield against a direct assault. Iraqi groups
backed by Iran so far haven't become involved, leaving just Yemen's Houthi
rebels as the only member of the axis to launch attacks on Israel since its
campaign against Iran began.
Israel says it killed a top
Iranian general as Trump warns people to flee Iranian capital
Agencies/June 17, 2025
DUBAI: Israel claimed Tuesday to have killed a top Iranian general as it traded
more strikes with its longtime foe, and US President Donald Trump warned
residents of Tehran to evacuate while demanding that Iran surrender without
conditions. Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early to deal
with the conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters on Air Force One
during the flight back to Washington: “I’m not looking at a ceasefire. We’re
looking at better than a ceasefire.”When asked to explain, he said the US wanted
to see “a real end” to the conflict that could involve Iran “giving up
entirely.” He added: “I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.”Later on social
media, he warned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that the US knows where
he is hiding and called for Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”
It was not clear what Trump meant by urging Iran to surrender or if he was
suggesting that the country give up its nuclear ambitions. No immediate response
from Iran, but military leaders vowed Israel would soon see more attacks. “The
operations carried out so far have been solely for the purpose of warning and
deterrence,” Gen. Abdul Rahim Mousavi, the commander in chief of Iran’s army,
said in a video. “The punishment operation will be carried out soon.”Trump’s
hard line added to the uncertainty roiling the region on the fifth day of
Israel’s air campaign aimed at Iran’s military and nuclear program. Residents of
Tehran fled their homes in droves, and the UN nuclear watchdog for the first
time said Israeli strikes on Iran’s main uranium-enrichment facility at Natanz
had also damaged its main underground section, not just an above-ground
facility, as previously acknowledged. Israel says its sweeping assault is
necessary to prevent its adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic
weapon. The strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran. Iran has retaliated
by launching some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24
people have been killed in Israel. EU foreign ministers all agreed on need for
urgent de-escalation in Middle East, says Kallas. European Union foreign policy
chief Kaja Kallas on Tuesday reaffirmed the need for an urgent de-escalation in
the Middle East, where Iran and Israel have been firing missiles at each other
since Friday, while also saying Tehran should not develop a nuclear bomb. “We
all agreed the urgent need for de-escalation, Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb
and diplomacy is the solution to prevent this and the EU will play its part,”
she told reporters after a meeting with EU foreign ministers.
“We cannot be lenient when Iran accelerates its nuclear program.”
Israel says killed top Iran commander and aide to supreme leader
The Israeli military said Tuesday it killed Iran’s top military commander, Ali
Shadmani, in an overnight strike, calling him the closest figure to supreme
leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a statement, the military said following “a
sudden opportunity overnight, the (Israeli air force) struck a staffed command
center in the heart of Tehran and eliminated Ali Shadmani, the war-time Chief of
Staff, the most senior military commander, and the closest figure to Iranian
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.”The Israeli military said Shadmani had commanded
both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian armed forces. Trump
team proposes Iran talks this week on nuclear deal, ceasefire. The US is
discussing with Iran the possibility of a meeting this week between US envoy
Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss a nuclear
deal and an end to the war between Israel and Iran, Axios reported on Monday
citing four sources briefed on the issue. Trump to depart the G7 early as
conflict between Israel and Iran shows signs of intensifying. President Donald
Trump is abruptly leaving the Group of Seven summit, departing a day early
Monday as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies and the US leader has
declared that Tehran should be evacuated “immediately.”World leaders had
gathered in Canada with the specific goal of helping to defuse a series of
global pressure points, only to be disrupted by a showdown over Iran’s nuclear
program that could escalate in dangerous and uncontrollable ways. Israel
launched an aerial bombardment campaign against Iran four days ago. At the
summit, Trump warned that Tehran needs to curb its nuclear program before it’s
“too late.” He said Iranian leaders would “like to talk” but they had already
had 60 days to reach an agreement on their nuclear ambitions and failed to do so
before the Israeli aerial assault began. “They have to make a deal,” he said.
Asked what it would take for the US to get involved in the conflict militarily,
Trump said Monday morning, “I don’t want to talk about that.”
White House says US forces remain in ‘defensive posture’ in Middle East
US forces in the Middle East remain in a “defensive posture, and that has not
changed,” the White House said Monday as Israel and Iran traded heavy strikes
for a fourth day. “We will defend American interests,” White House spokesperson
Alex Pfeiffer added in a post on social media. China tells citizens in Israel to
leave ‘as soon as possible’ China’s embassy in Israel on Tuesday urged its
citizens to leave the country “as soon as possible,” after Israel and Iran
traded heavy strikes. “The Chinese mission in Israel reminds Chinese nationals
to leave the country as soon as possible via land border crossings, on the
precondition that they can guarantee their personal safety,” the embassy said in
a statement on WeChat.
“It is recommended to depart in the direction of Jordan,” it added.
Airports close across the Mideast as the Israel-Iran conflict shutters the
region’s airspace. Israel has closed its main international Ben Gurion Airport
“until further notice,” leaving more than 50,000 Israeli travelers stranded
abroad. The jets of the country’s three airlines have been moved to Larnaca. In
Israel, Mahala Finkleman was stuck in a Tel Aviv hotel after her Air Canada
flight was canceled, trying to reassure her worried family back home while she
shelters in the hotel’s underground bunker during waves of overnight Iranian
attacks. “We hear the booms. Sometimes there’s shaking,” she said. “The truth, I
think it’s even scarier … to see from TV what happened above our heads while we
were underneath in a bomb shelter.”Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
office warned Israelis not to flee the country through any of the three
crossings with Jordan and Egypt that are open to the Israeli public. Despite
having diplomatic ties with Israel, the statement said those countries are
considered a “high risk of threat” to Israeli travelers. Iran on Friday
suspended flights to and from the country’s main Khomeini International Airport
on the outskirts of Tehran. Israel said Saturday that it bombed Mehrabad Airport
in an early attack, a facility in Tehran for Iran’s air force and domestic
commercial flights. Israel says strikes have set back nuclear program. Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes have set Iran’s nuclear
program back a “very, very long time,” and told reporters he is in daily touch
with Trump.
“The regime is very weak,” he added.
Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, uranium
enrichment sites and nuclear scientists, is necessary to prevent its longtime
adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. The strikes have
killed at least 224 people since Friday. Iran maintains that its nuclear program
is peaceful, and the US and others have assessed that Tehran has not had an
organized effort to pursue a nuclear weapon since 2003. The head of the
International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned that the country has
enough enriched uranium to make several nuclear bombs should it choose to do so.
Iran has retaliated by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones
at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500
injured. The back-and-forth has raised concerns about all-out war between the
countries and propelled the region, already on edge, into even greater upheaval.
Israel’s military issues evacuation warning affecting up to 330,000 people.
Earlier Monday, Israel’s military issued an evacuation warning to 330,000 people
in a part of central Tehran that houses the country’s state TV and police
headquarters, as well as three large hospitals, including one owned by Iran’s
paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The city, one of the region’s largest, is home
to around 9.5 million people. Israel’s military has issued similar evacuation
warnings for civilians in parts of Gaza and Lebanon ahead of strikes. State-run
television abruptly stopped a live broadcast after the station was hit,
according to Iran’s state-run news agency. While on the air, an Iranian state
television reporter said the studio was filling with dust after “the sound of
aggression against the homeland.” Suddenly, an explosion occurred, cutting the
screen behind her as she hurried off camera. The broadcast quickly switched to
prerecorded programs. The station later said its building was hit by four bombs.
An anchor said on air that a few colleagues had been hurt, but their families
should not be worried. The network said its live programs were transferred to
another studio.
Israel claims ‘full aerial superiority’ over Tehran
Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Monday that his
country’s forces had “achieved full aerial superiority over Tehran’s skies.”The
military said it destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in
central Iran, a third of Iran’s total, as well as two F-14 planes that Iran used
to target Israeli aircraft and multiple launchers just before they launched
ballistic missiles toward Israel. Israeli military officials also said fighter
jets had struck 10 command centers in Tehran belonging to Iran’s Quds Force, an
elite arm of its Revolutionary Guard that conducts military and intelligence
operations outside Iran. The Israeli strikes “amount to a deep and comprehensive
blow to the Iranian threat,” Defrin said. One missile fell near the American
consulate in Tel Aviv, with its blast waves causing minor damage, US Ambassador
Mike Huckabee said on X. He added that no American personnel were injured.
Explosions rock Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva and Haifa oil refinery
Powerful explosions rocked Tel Aviv shortly before dawn Monday, sending plumes
of black smoke into the sky over the coastal city. Authorities in the central
Israeli city of Petah Tikva said Iranian missiles hit a residential building
there, charring concrete walls, shattering windows and ripping the walls off
multiple apartments. Iranian missiles also hit an oil refinery in the northern
city of Haifa for the second night in a row. The early morning strike killed
three workers, ignited a significant fire and damaged a building, Israel’s fire
and rescue services said. The workers were sheltering in the building’s safe
room when the impact caused a stairwell to collapse, trapping them inside.
Firefighters rushed to extinguish the fire and rescue them, but the three died
before rescuers could reach them.
No sign of conflict letting up
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, appeared to make a veiled outreach
Monday for the US to step in and negotiate an end to hostilities between Israel
and Iran. In a post on X, Araghchi wrote that if Trump is “genuine about
diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential.”“It
takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu,” Iran’s
top diplomat wrote. “That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy.”The
message to Washington was sent as the latest talks between the US and Iran were
canceled over the weekend after Israel targeted key military and political
officials in Tehran. On Sunday, Araghchi said that Iran will stop its strikes if
Israel does the same. The conflict has also forced most countries in the Middle
East to close their airspace. Dozens of airports have stopped all flights or
severely reduced operations, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded
and others unable to flee the conflict or travel home.Health authorities
reported that 1,277 people were wounded in Iran. Iranians also reported fuel
rationing. Rights groups such as the Washington-based Iranian advocacy group
Human Rights Activists have suggested that the Iranian government’s death toll
is a significant undercount. The group says it has documented more than 400
people killed, among them 197 civilians. Ahead of Israel’s initial attack, its
Mossad spy agency positioned explosive drones and precision weapons inside Iran.
Since then, Iran has reportedly detained several people and hanged one on
suspicion of espionage.
What Israel’s bombing of Iran’s
state broadcaster says about its targeting of journalists
GABRIELE MALVISI/ Arab News/June 17,
2025
LONDON: In what press freedom groups say is only the latest in a string of
attacks on media workers, the Israeli military on Monday struck the headquarters
of the state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting network in Tehran.
The attack, which interrupted a live broadcast, killed at least two members of
staff — news editor Nima Rajabpour and secretariat worker Masoumeh Azimi — and
injured several others, according to state-affiliated media. In footage widely
shared online, Sahar Emami, an anchor for the Islamic Republic of Iran News
Network, was seen fleeing the studio as the screen behind her filled with smoke.
Moments earlier, she had told viewers: “You hear the sound of the aggressor
attacking the truth.” The strike destroyed the building — known as the Glass
Building — which burned through the night. Israel immediately claimed
responsibility. Defense Minister Israel Katz had issued a warning less than an
hour earlier, calling IRIB a “propaganda and incitement megaphone,” urging up to
330,000 nearby residents to evacuate. The attack drew swift condemnation from
Iranian officials. Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry,
called it “a wicked act of war crime,” urging the international community to
demand justice from Israel for its attack on the media.
NUMBER
70%
Israel is responsible for the majority of journalist killings globally in 2024,
the highest number by a single country in one year since the Committee to
Protect Journalists began documenting this data in 1992.
Source: CPJ
“The world is watching,” Baqaei wrote on X. “Israeli regime is the biggest enemy
of truth and is the No#1 killer of journalists and media people.”Over the past
week, the long-running shadow war between Israel and Iran has escalated
dramatically. On Friday, Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Iranian
nuclear and military facilities, including the Natanz enrichment site. With the
stated aim of preventing Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, the strikes caused
significant damage to the country’s nuclear infrastructure and military command
structure, with multiple high-ranking commanders killed. Iran has retaliated
with missile barrages targeting Israeli cities and military bases. Civilian
casualties have mounted on both sides, and major cities like Tehran and Tel Aviv
have experienced widespread panic and disruption.
The Israeli attack on IRIB shows media workers are not exempt from the violence.
Sara Qudah, regional director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said she
was “appalled by Israel’s attack on Iran’s state television channel,” noting
that the lack of international censure “has emboldened it to target media
elsewhere in the region.”There is absolutely no logical reason for Israel to
target a media outlet in Iran that poses no threat to anyone, says Peyman
Jebelli, Head of IRIB
Loreley Hahn Herrera, lecturer in global media and digital cultures at SOAS
University of London, echoed this view. “The exceptional status through which
Western powers have historically shielded Israel has allowed it to
systematically commit international law and human rights violations without ever
being held accountable or suffer any legal, financial, military or diplomatic
repercussions,” she told Arab News. “This has indeed emboldened Israel to attack
not only Palestine and Iran. In the last months, Israel has broken the ceasefire
in Lebanon, bombed Yemen, and Syria as well.” Israel’s treatment of media
workers in combat zones has long been documented by press freedom organizations.
Despite repeated calls for accountability, Israel has consistently evaded
consequences.
“Israel has a sophisticated political communication strategy which rests on its
hasbara (propaganda) that has worked hand in hand with its material strategies
to control the public spaces in the West through repeating narratives about
victimhood and its right to defend itself,” Dina Matar, professor of political
communication and Arab media at SOAS, told Arab News. Monday’s strike in Tehran
closely mirrors Israel’s record in Gaza and the West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023.
Under the banner of “eliminating terrorists,” Israel has killed at least 183
journalists in Palestine and Lebanon, according to CPJ. Others put the figure
closer to 220. A separate report published in April by the Costs of War project
at Brown University described the Gaza conflict as “the worst ever for
journalists.”
Titled “News Graveyards: How Dangers to War Reporters Endanger the World,” the
study concluded that more journalists have been killed in Gaza than in all major
US wars combined. The report was swiftly attacked by Israeli nationalists, who
dismissed it as “garbage” and factually flawed for not linking the journalists
killed to militant activity.
“There is no policy of targeting journalists,” a senior Israeli officer said
last year, attributing the deaths to the scale and intensity of the bombardment.
But Herrera disagrees.
“Israel is not only targeting journalists, it is targeting the families of the
journalists as a strategy to deter their coverage and punish them for reporting
the war crimes Israel commits on a daily basis in occupied Palestine,” she said.
Herrera cited several examples where Israel appeared to punish journalists by
targeting their families. One case was that of Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief,
Wael Dahdouh, who was broadcasting live when he learned that his wife, daughter,
son, and grandchild had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in October 2023. A
more recent case involved photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, who was killed
alongside several family members. Both attacks, Israel claimed, were aimed at
Hamas operatives, but critics say they reflect a broader strategy of silencing
coverage through collective punishment.
Yet accusations of Israel’s targeting of journalists precede the last 20 months.
“Israel has a long and documented history of targeting Palestinian journalists,”
said Matar, pointing to the 1972 assassination of writer Ghassan Kanafani in
Beirut.
A prominent Palestinian author and militant, Kanafani was considered to be a
leading novelist of his generation and one of the Arab world’s leading
Palestinian writers.
He was killed along with his 17-year-old niece, Lamees, by an explosive device
planted in his car by Mossad, in one of the first known extrajudicial killings
for which the Israeli spy agency ever claimed responsibility.
More recently, in May 2022, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh
was shot dead by an Israeli soldier during a raid in Jenin, despite wearing a
press vest. Initial Israeli claims blaming Palestinian fire were quickly
disproven by independent investigations and the UN.
A 2025 documentary identified the suspected shooter, but no one has been held
accountable. Foreign media workers have also been killed. In 2014, Italian
journalist Simone Camilli and his Palestinian colleague Ali Shehda Abu Afash
died when an unexploded Israeli bomb detonated while they were reporting in
Gaza. In 2003, Welsh documentarian James Miller was fatally shot by Israeli
forces while filming in Rafah. A year earlier, Italian photojournalist Raffaele
Ciriello — on assignment for Corriere della Sera — was shot dead by Israeli
gunfire in Ramallah during the Second Intifada, becoming the first foreign
journalist killed in that conflict.
No one has been held accountable in any of these cases.
“The reason behind Israel’s targeting and killing of journalists is to send a
clear message and instill fear of reporting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza
and the West Bank, as it can carry the consequence of death and/or injury,” said
Herrera, who noted Israel’s refusal to allow international media into Gaza as
part of a wider strategy to monopolize the narrative. “This is an attempt to
minimize or flat out stop any negative coverage of Israeli actions in Gaza and
the rest of the occupied territories,” she said. “Israel does not want
international media, and particularly Western media, to cover their genocide
campaign and their ongoing and systematic war crimes … and push further the
delegitimization of Israel.”While Israel has so far refused to grant broader
media access to the enclave, Western news organizations and human rights groups
have attempted to push back against the Israeli narrative, arguing that
affiliation with outlets like Al-Aqsa TV or Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB does
not justify extrajudicial killings. “News outlets, even propagandist ones, are
not legitimate military targets,” the Freedom of the Press Foundation said in a
statement on Monday. “Bombing a studio during a live broadcast will not impede
Iran’s nuclear program.”As the conflict with Iran escalates, incidents like
Monday’s bombing are likely to face growing scrutiny. For many observers,
Israel’s actions are becoming increasingly indefensible, and international
tolerance for such attacks may be nearing its limit. “The international
community has played an important role in allowing Israel to act in this
manner,” said Herrera. “Since its establishment in 1948, and even before that
though the Balfour Declaration in 1917, the West has protected Israel in the
international relations arena. “The best example of this is the use of the US
veto in the UN Security Council or the ever-present declarations that Israel
‘has a right to defend itself’ by European and American political leadership.
“Until the international community effectively implements sanctions, stops
funding and arming Israel, we will only continue to witness Israel’s brazen
violations of international and human rights law. “We cannot expect Israel to
self-regulate because Israel is not a democracy. Its political and legal systems
are subservient to the Zionist ideology of colonization and racial supremacy,
and will act to satisfy these aims.”
How Israel used spies, smuggled drones and
AI to stun and hobble Iran
AP/June 17, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israel stunned and hobbled Iran last week when it pulled off an
intelligence and military operation years in the making that struck high-level
targets with precision. Guided by spies and artificial intelligence, the Israeli
military unleashed a nighttime fusillade of warplanes and armed drones smuggled
into Iran to quickly incapacitate many of its air defenses and missile systems.
With greater freedom to fly over Iran, Israel bombarded key nuclear sites and
killed top generals and scientists. By the time Iran mustered a response hours
later, its ability to retaliate — already weakened by past Israeli strikes — was
greatly diminished. This account is based on conversations with 10 current and
former Israeli intelligence and military officials, some of whom spoke on
condition of anonymity to discuss clandestine operations.
It was not possible to independently verify some of their claims. But the former
head of research at Israel’s spy agency, the Mossad, confirmed the basic
contours of the attack, saying she had inside knowledge of how it was planned
and executed. “This attack is the culmination of years of work by the Mossad to
target Iran’s nuclear program,” said Sima Shine, the former Mossad research
director who is now an analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies.
Israel’s element of surprise was enhanced by Iranian officials’ apparent
assumption that Israel wouldn’t attack while talks over its rapidly advancing
nuclear program were ongoing with the US. A sixth round of talks had been
planned for last Sunday in Oman, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
activated “Operation Rising Lion” on Friday – after his country first notified
President Donald Trump. Netanyahu has for years said neutralizing Iran’s nuclear
program was vital for Israel’s security, and Israel had previously taken steps
to set back Iran’s ability to enrich uranium to weapons grade. But Netanyahu
said a more aggressive attack proved necessary, as Iran kept advancing its
enrichment program despite US diplomatic efforts and warnings from UN watchdogs.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini has repeatedly called for Israel’s
destruction. Iran’s political leaders say their nuclear program is for peaceful
purposes, though it was the only country without the bomb to enrich uranium
close to weapons-grade levels.
Smuggling drones into Iran
The Mossad and the military worked together for at least three years to lay the
operational groundwork, according to a former intelligence officer who said he
had knowledge of the attack. This person spoke on condition of anonymity given
the sensitivity of the subject. The attack built off knowledge Israel gained
during a wave of airstrikes last October, which “highlighted the weakness of
Iranian air defenses,” said Naysan Rafati, an Iran analyst at the International
Crisis Group. To further diminish Iranian air defenses and missile systems at
the start of last week’s attack, Mossad agents had smuggled precision weapons
into Iran that were prepositioned to strike from close range, according to two
current security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the
missions. Those weapons included small, armed drones, which agents snuck into
the country in vehicles, according to the former intelligence officer. Mossad
agents stationed weapons close to Iranian surface-to-air missile sites, Shine
said. The agency works with a mix of people, both locals and Israelis, she said.
Using AI and human intelligence to select targets
To analyze information gathered from various sources, Israel used the latest
artificial-intelligence, or AI, technology, said an intelligence officer
involved with selecting individuals and sites to target. He said AI was used to
help Israelis quickly sift through troves of data they had obtained. That effort
began last October according to the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity
because he was not authorized to talk to the media; it was one month before
Netanyahu said he had ordered the attack plans. An investigation by The
Associated Press earlier this year uncovered that the Israeli military uses
US-made AI models in war to sift through intelligence and intercept
communications to learn the movements of its enemies. It’s been used in the wars
with Hamas in Gaza and with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The intelligence officer
involved in identifying the possible targets said options were first put into
various groups, such as leadership, military, civilian and infrastructure.
Targets were chosen if they were determined to be a threat to Israel, such as
being deeply associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard — a paramilitary force
that controls Iran’s ballistic missiles. The officer was tasked with putting
together a list of Iranian generals, including details on where they worked and
spent their free time.
Among the high-level military officials killed since Friday’s attack were Gen.
Hossein Salami, the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and Gen. Mohammed
Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces.
In addition to AI, the Mossad relied on spies to identify top nuclear scientists
and members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, according to one security official.
At least eight members of the Guard, including the head of its missile program,
were killed in a single Israeli strike on an underground bunker.
Targeting Iranian vehicles
Another facet of the attack was to strike Iranian vehicles used to transport and
launch missiles. Shine said the strategy was similar to a Ukrainian operation
earlier this month in Russia. In that operation, nearly a third of Moscow’s
strategic bomber fleet was destroyed or damaged with cheaply made drones snuck
into Russian territory, according to Ukrainian officials. In an interview with
Iranian state-run television, the country’s police chief, Gen. Ahmadreza Radan,
said “several vehicles carrying mini-drones and some tactical drones have been
discovered.” He added: “a number of traitors are trying to engage the country’s
air defense by flying some mini-drones.”
How far back does this go?
The Mossad is believed to have carried out numerous covert attacks on the
Iranian nuclear program over the years, including cyberattacks and the killing
of Iranian nuclear scientists. But it rarely acknowledges such operations.
In the 2000s, Iranian centrifuges used for enriching uranium were destroyed by
the so-called Stuxnet computer virus, believed to be an Israeli and American
creation. In 2018, Israel stole an archive of Iranian nuclear research that
included tens of thousands of pages of records, said Yossi Kuperwasser, a
retired general and former military intelligence researcher who now directs the
Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security. In July 2024, Israel killed a
senior leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, with a bomb in a bedroom of a government
guesthouse in Tehran. Israel’s blistering attack last week on the heart of
Iran’s nuclear and military structure didn’t come out of nowhere, said retired
Israeli Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi, who heads the Israel Defense and Security Forum
think tank. It was the result of “Israeli intelligence working extensively for
years in Iran and establishing a very strong robust presence,” he said.
Israel’s offensive on Iran is a threat to everyone says Jordan’s King to EU
parliament
Arab News/June 17, 2025
AMMAN: Israel’s expanded offensive on Iran is a threat to everyone, said
Jordan’s King Abduallah II to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday.
“There is no telling where the boundaries of this battleground will end… the
attacks on Iran threaten a dangerous escalation in our region and beyond,” he
said. “If our global community fails to act decisively we become complicit
in rewriting what it means to be human. If Israeli bulldozers continue to
illegally demolish Palestinian homes, olive trees and infrastructure, so too
will they flatten the rails that defy moral grounds,” he added. He reiterated
the need for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state and the
importance of granting Palestinians the right to freedom and statehood. “Global
security won’t be assured until the global community acts to end the three-year
war in Ukraine and the world’s longest and most destructive flashpoint, the
eight-decade-long Palestinian Israeli conflict,” said AlHussein. The King cited
the failure of international law and intervention in Gaza and said what was
considered an atrocity 20 months ago has now become routine. “Weaponizing
famine against children, targeting of health workers, journalists and children
have all become normalized after the failure of the international community,” he
said. Europe’s leadership will be vital in choosing the right course of history,
said the King and assured Jordans position in its support to the EU. “This
conflict must end and the solution is rooted in international law. The path to
peace has been walked before, and it can be walked again if we have the courage
to choose it and the will to walk it together,” he concluded. On Tuesday
morning, Israel warned hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate the middle of
Iran’s capital as Israel’s air campaign on Tehran appeared to broaden on the
fifth day of an intensifying conflict. Israel on Friday said it targeted Iran’s
nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders at the
start of what it warned would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from
building an atomic weapon. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the
military operation on Iran would “continue for as many days as it takes” to
“roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.”Since then, Iran has
launched retaliatory attacks on TelAviv with some missiles intercepted before
impact and some striking buildings in Israel.
Health authorities reported that 1,277 people were wounded in Iran. Iranians
also reported fuel rationing. The conflict has also forced most countries in the
Middle East including Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon to close their airspace. Dozens
of airports have stopped all flights or severely reduced operations, leaving
tens of thousands of passengers stranded and others unable to flee the conflict
or travel home.
Day five of the war sees Iran isolated diplomatically
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN/Face Book/June
17/2025
Iran entered day five of the war reeling from continued military losses and
struggling to find diplomatic support. In the months leading up to the war, the
Islamic Republic had sought to improve its diplomatic ties abroad. It had been
working more closely with the Gulf, as well as Russia, China, and other
countries. Iran also did outreach to Egypt, Pakistan, and Central Asia. Tehran
likely expected a lot more support by the fifth day of the war. However, even
its friends in places like Venezuela and Russia do not seem to be able to aid it
all that much.
Iran’s other friends, such as Turkey, have slammed Israel, but it is not clear
what they can do for the Islamic Republic. Further, it is unclear if Qatar and
Turkey, who are both US allies, can encourage the Trump administration to help
Iran get a deal that would enable it to back down from the conflict. Iran’s own
state media highlighted the diplomatic isolation, as the country does not appear
to be emphasizing any visits by foreign heads of state or phone calls with
countries willing to offer assistance.
There is no doubt that Iran has reached out to China, Russia, and other
countries. Tehran was in the middle of talks with the US on a possible nuclear
deal when the war broke out. However, Iran was slow-playing the deal talks. It
thought it had all the time in the world and that US President Donald Trump
wanted a deal more than Tehran did. The Islamic Republic appears to have
miscalculated there. What can we tell about Iran’s apparent isolation from its
own state media accounts?
Iran’s IRNA reported that the country condemned Israel’s attack on its national
TV headquarters. Also, Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s UN envoy, has said Israel
“crossed all red lines” in its attacks on Iran. In addition, the envoy said that
Iran has the will to defend its homeland and will not “weaken.”Iravani would not
need to assure the world of this if it were true. These kinds of statements are
an attempt at instilling confidence when it is clear that Iran is not confident.
Israel eliminated the commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters,
according to an IDF announcement on Tuesday. Ali Shadmani, who was viewed as
Iran’s wartime chief of staff and a top aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, was killed just days after his predecessor was killed on Friday.
Iran is reeling from its military losses. It has lost a third of its long-range
missile launchers. It has lost top commanders. It has suffered losses to other
key military sites, and it cannot defend its own airspace.
Iran likely hoped that the Gulf states, along with China, Russia, Pakistan,
India, and other countries, would help contain this war and end it quickly.Now
the Islamic Republic faces the prospect of a humiliating defeat or a long battle
in which the regime could weaken and even be overthrown. Iran does not want to
end up in a situation like Libya or Iraq, with its nuclear program dismantled.
It knows Libya sank into civil war, and Iraq was invaded and became a weak
state. However, Iran’s military defenses have proven to be of the quality of a
paper tiger, and the country is much weaker than people thought it was prior to
Friday. Israel has torn off the mask of Iran’s military prowess. The days when
countries in the region cowered due to Iranian threats appear to be over.
‘We Need a
Face-Saving Solution’: Iran Reportedly Seeks to End Conflict and Resume Talks
FDD/June 17/2025
Latest Developments
Iran Pursues De-Escalation: Tehran has reportedly said it seeks to end
hostilities with Israel and resume negotiations, Middle Eastern and Western
diplomats told The Wall Street Journal. However, Iran reportedly told Arab
officials that it would only restart talks if the United States does not join
Israel’s military campaign. At the same time, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that
Jerusalem has received no indication that Iran seeks dialogue. Iranian leaders
“want to continue to have these fake talks in which they lie, they cheat, they
string the U.S. along,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ABC News.
Tehran Prioritizes Survival: According to a report in Iran Wire, the clerical
regime wants to de-escalate because it believes its existence is at stake. “But
we need a face-saving solution,” a high-ranking Iranian diplomat told the outlet
on the condition of anonymity. “The real priority of the supreme leader and our
government is survival. The ongoing cycle of attacks and counterattacks between
Israel and Iran will inevitably weaken our military, security forces, economy,
public morale, and ultimately, the government.”
U.S. Repeatedly Promotes Talks: President Trump has said multiple times since
Israel’s attack began that he seeks a negotiated agreement. Israel and Iran
“should talk and they should talk immediately,” Trump said on June 16. The
previous day, Trump posted on social media, “Iran and Israel should make a deal,
and will make a deal.”
FDD Expert Response
“The Islamic Republic may fear for its survival, but its offer to negotiate is
likely a trap. Ultimately, Iran seeks not a deal that would dismantle its
nuclear program but a pause in the fighting that would enable the regime to
rebuild its nuclear facilities and reconsolidate its military forces. Israel and
the United States should not be fooled. Instead, Israel should continue its
campaign and do everything in its power to destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure
on its own.” — Tzvi Kahn, Research Fellow and Senior Editor
“Israel’s unprecedented military campaign, which has decimated Iran’s military
infrastructure and eliminated key leadership figures, marks a point of no
return. The regime, humiliated and increasingly insecure at home, will likely
seek to reassert itself later to save face. Any diplomatic resolution at this
stage would merely postpone the next major confrontation. The Islamic Republic
has consistently demonstrated its inability to change its behavior and will
continue to view the United States and Israel as implacable enemies. This moment
instead presents a vital opportunity for Washington to pursue maximum support
for the Iranian people.” — Janatan Sayeh, Research Analyst
FDD Background and Analysis
“‘We Are Not Pausing for a Moment’: Israel Strikes Iranian Ballistic Missile
Infrastructure,” FDD Flash Brief
“Iran Appeals to Qatar, Oman to Revive Nuclear Talks,” FDD Flash Brief
“Israel’s Air Defenses Stand Firm Under Iranian Fire,” FDD Flash Brief
“IAEA Declares Iran in Breach of Nuclear Nonproliferation Obligations,” FDD
Flash Brief
‘Topple This Bloodthirsty Government’: Despite Censorship,
Some Iranians Express Support for Israel’s Strikes
FDD/June 17/2025
Latest Developments
Iranians Seen Supporting Israeli Strikes: As Israeli forces continue to conduct
airstrikes on military and infrastructure targets belonging to the Iranian
regime, a steady stream of reports has emerged of Iranian citizens cheering the
strikes despite government censorship. Videos posted on social media in the past
few days showed Iranians chanting “Death to [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali]
Khamenei” and “Death to the Islamic Republic,” among other slogans, as well as
chanting slogans calling for the restoration of the Pahlavi monarchy. Many view
the targeted Israeli strikes that have eliminated several of Iran’s top military
leaders and nuclear scientists as the start of the collapse of the oppressive
regime.
Iranian Regime Throttles Information Access: The videos emerged despite Iran’s
Ministry of Communications imposing restrictions on internet access, hindering
citizens’ access to information. One Iranian quoted by The Washington Post
stated, “We know that even if there’s a war that involves the [Iranian] people,
it’s still better than the situation we are in with this government.” A viewer
of the dissident London-based Iran International TV channel called on Iranians
to go out into the streets “united with each other and to topple this
bloodthirsty government.”
Promoting Pro-Regime Sentiment: The Iranian authorities have been trying to
boost public support through disinformation and propaganda. As residents of
Tehran fleeing the strikes clogged roads out of the capital, Iranian officials
blamed poor auto maintenance for the gridlock. Iran’s state-owned IRIB TV1
(Channel 1) — targeted in an Israeli strike on June 16 — broadcast footage from
a pro-regime rally on June 15, where attendees chanted “Death to Israel!” and
“Death to America!” “We need to plough Israel because Israel is the enemy of
mankind and humanity,” said one woman in attendance, while another called for
the Iranian people to “chew off” Netanyahu’s throat.
FDD Expert Response
“There is a notable rise in anti-regime activity as Israel begins to degrade the
infrastructure of the regime’s domestic security apparatus. This signals the
potential for broader and more sustained protest activity if Israeli efforts
continue to target the internal regime forces.” — Saeed Ghasseminejad, Senior
Iran and Financial Economics Advisor
“While Israeli strikes have dealt a serious blow to the regime’s military
infrastructure, Tehran’s deeper fear concerns domestic unrest. In an effort to
rally support, the regime is invoking nationalist rhetoric, but many Iranians
aren’t buying it. They don’t see the Islamic Republic as representing their
side, and for them, this war remains strictly a confrontation between the regime
and its adversaries.” — Janatan Sayeh, Research Analyst
FDD Background and Analysis
“‘We Are Not Pausing for a Moment’: Israel Strikes Iranian Ballistic Missile
Infrastructure,” FDD Flash Brief
“Israel May Need U.S. Help to Take Out Key Iranian Nuclear Site Before Disaster
Strikes,” by Andrea Stricker
“Iran Appeals to Qatar, Oman to Revive Nuclear Talks,” FDD Flash Brief
“Elaborate ‘deception operation’ orchestrated by Trump and Israel’s Netanyahu to
decapitate Iran’s leadership and cripple nuclear program,” by Mark Dubowitz
Iran leader Khamenei sees his inner circle hollowed out by Israel
Parisa Hafezi and Angus McDowal/Reuters/June
17/2025
DUBAI/LONDON -Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cuts an
increasingly lonely figure. Khamenei has seen his main military and security
advisers killed by Israeli air strikes, leaving major holes in his inner circle
and raising the risk of strategic errors, according to five people familiar with
his decision-making process. One of those sources, who regularly attends
meetings with Khamenei, described the risk of miscalculation to Iran on issues
of defence and internal stability as "extremely dangerous". Several senior
military commanders have been killed since Friday including Khamenei's main
advisers from the Revolutionary Guards, Iran's elite military force: the Guards'
overall commander Hossein Salami, its aerospace chief Amir Ali Hajizadeh who
headed Iran's ballistic missile program and spymaster Mohammad Kazemi. These men
were part of the supreme leader's inner circle of roughly 15-20 advisers
comprising Guards commanders, clerics, and politicians, according to the sources
who include three people who attend or have attended meetings with the leader on
major issues and two close to officials who regularly attend. The loose group
meets on an ad-hoc basis, when Khamenei's office reaches out to relevant
advisers to gather at his compound in Tehran to discuss an important decision,
all the people said. Members are characterised by unwavering loyalty to him and
the ideology of the Islamic Republic, they added.
Khamenei, who was
imprisoned before the 1979 revolution and maimed by a bomb attack before
becoming leader in 1989, is profoundly committed to maintaining Iran's Islamic
system of government and deeply mistrustful of the West. Under Iran's system of
government he has supreme command of the armed forces, the power to declare war,
and can appoint or dismiss senior figures including military commanders and
judges. Khamenei makes the final decision on important matters, though he values
advice, listens attentively to diverse viewpoints, and often seeks additional
information from his counsellors, according to one source who attends meetings.
"Two things you can
say about Khamenei: he is extremely stubborn but also extremely cautious. He is
very cautious. That is why he has been in power for as long as he has," said
Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute
think-tank in Washington. "Khamenei is pretty well placed to do the basic
cost-benefit analysis which really fundamentally gets to one issue more
important than anything else: regime survival."
KHAMENEI'S SON AT THE FORE
The focus on survival has repeatedly been put to the test. Khamenei has deployed
the Revolutionary Guards and its affiliated Basij militia to quell national
protests in 1999, 2009 and 2022. While the security forces have always been able
to outlast demonstrators and restore state rule, years of Western sanctions have
caused widespread economic misery that analysts say could ultimately threaten
internal unrest. The stakes could barely be higher for Khamenei who faces an
escalating war with Israel, which has targeted nuclear and military sites and
personnel with air attacks, drawing retaliatory Iranian missile fire. The five
people familiar with Khamenei's decision-making process stressed that other
insiders who have not been targeted by Israel's strikes remain important and
influential, including top advisers on political, economic and diplomatic
issues. Khamenei designates such advisers to handle issues as they arise,
extending his reach directly into a wide array of institutions spanning
military, security, cultural, political and economic domains, two of the sources
said. Operating this way, including in bodies nominally under the elected
president, means Khamenei's office is often involved not only in the biggest
questions of state but in executing even minor initiatives, according to the
people with knowledge. His son Mojtaba has grown ever more central to this
process over the past 20 years, the sources said, building a role that cuts
between the personalities, factions and organisations involved to coordinate on
specific issues, the sources said.
A mid-ranking
cleric seen by some insiders as a potential successor to his ageing father,
Mojtaba has built close ties with the Guards, giving him added leverage across
Iran's political and security apparatus, the people added. Ali Asghar Hejazi,
the deputy of political security affairs at Khamenei's office, has been involved
in sensitive security decisions and is often described as the most powerful
intelligence official in Iran, according to the sources said. Meanwhile, the
head of Khamenei's office, Mohammad Golpayegani, as well as former foreign
ministers Ali Akbar Velayati and Kamal Kharazi, and ex-parliament speaker Ali
Larijani, remain trusted confidants on diplomatic and domestic policies issues
such as the nuclear dispute, the people said. The loss of the Revolutionary
Guards commanders nonetheless decimates the top ranks of a military organisation
that Khamenei has put at the centre of power since becoming supreme leader in
1989, relying on it for both internal security and regional strategy. While the
regular army chain of command runs through the defence ministry under the
elected president, the Guards answer personally to Khamenei, securing the best
military equipment for their land, air and sea branches and giving their
commanders a major state role. As he faces one of the most dangerous moments in
the Islamic Republic's history, Khamenei finds himself further isolated by the
recent losses other key advisers in the region as Iran's "Axis of Resistance"
coalition has been hammered by Israel. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was
personally close to the Iranian leader, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in
September last year and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by
rebels in December.
Trump Hits Out At Emmanuel Macron's Explanation For Him Leaving G7 Summit Early
Kate Nicholson/HuffPost UK/June 17, 2025
Donald Trump has hit out at Emmanuel Macron after the French president tried to
explain why he had left the G7 summit early. The US president stunned his fellow
leaders by flying back to Washington before the gathering had ended.
French president
Emmanuel Macron claimed his US counterpart departed so he could work on a truce
between Iran and Israel, who have just exchanged fire for the fifth day in a
row. But in an angry post on Truth Social, the US president said his French
counterpart was “wrong” to say he had returned to Washington for ceasefire
talks. In a scathing takedown, he said: “Publicity seeking President Emmanuel
Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go
back to DC to work on a “cease fire” between Israel and Iran. Wrong!
“He has no idea why
I am now on my way to Washington. But it certainly has nothing to do with a
Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. “Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always
gets it wrong.”But the US president did not say exactly why he was leaving, only
telling his followers to “Stay Tuned!”Macron had been quite positive about
Trump’s early exit, saying there was progress with Israel and Iran.
He said: “There is
indeed an offer to meet and exchange. An offer was made especially to get a
ceasefire and to then kick-start broader discussions.”Trump also appeared to be
forgetting that his own press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said he was leaving
because of “what’s going on in the Middle East”.
The rest of the G7
leaders had been hoping to secure a joint sanctions package against Russia over
its war in Ukraine, as Vladimir Putin continues to drag his heels over peace
talks. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy even flew out to Canada just for
a meeting with Trump. However, without the US president, that’s unlikely to go
ahead.
What to know about bunker-buster bombs and Iran's Fordo nuclear facility
David Rising/The
Associated Press/June 17, 2025
BANGKOK — If the U.S. decides to support Israel more directly in its attack on
Iran, one option for Washington would be to provide the “bunker-buster” bombs
believed necessary to significantly damage the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment
plant, built deeply into a mountain. Such a bomb would have to be dropped from
an American aircraft, which could have wide-ranging ramifications, including
jeopardizing any chance of Iran engaging in Trump's desired talks on its nuclear
program. Israeli officials have also suggested that there are other options for
it to attack Fordo in central Iran as it seeks to destroy the country's nuclear
capabilities.
But aside from a
commando attack on the ground or a nuclear strike, the bunker buster bomb seems
the most likely option.
What is the bunker-buster bomb?
“Bunker buster” is a broad term used to describe bombs that are designed to
penetrate deep below the surface before exploding. In this case, it refers to
the latest GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb in the American arsenal.
The roughly 30,000 pound (13,600 kilogram) precision-guided bomb is designed to
attack deeply buried and hardened bunkers and tunnels, according to the U.S. Air
Force. It's believed to be able to penetrate about 200 feet (61 meters) below
the surface before exploding, and the bombs can be dropped one after another,
effectively drilling deeper and deeper with each successive blast.
The bomb carries a
conventional warhead, but the International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed
that Iran is producing highly enriched uranium at Fordo, raising the possibility
that nuclear material could be released into the area if the GBU-57 A/B were
used to hit the facility. However, Israeli strikes at another Iranian nuclear
site, Natanz, on a centrifuge site have caused contamination only at the site
itself, not the surrounding area, the IAEA has said.
How tough a target is Fordo?
Fordo is Iran's second nuclear enrichment facility after Natanz, its main
facility, which already has been targeted by Israeli airstrikes. The IAEA said
Tuesday it believes the strikes have had “direct impacts” on the facility's
underground centrifuge halls.
Fordo is smaller than Natanz, and is built into the side of a mountain near the
city of Qom, about 60 miles (95 kilometers) southwest of Tehran. Construction is
believed to have started around 2006 and it became first operational in 2009 —
the same year Tehran publicly acknowledged its existence. In addition to being
an estimated 80 meters (260 feet) under rock and soil, the site is reportedly
protected by Iranian and Russian surface-to-air missile systems. Those air
defenses, however, likely have already been struck in the Israeli campaign.
Still, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the goal of attacking
Iran was to eliminate its missile and nuclear program, which he described as an
existential threat to Israel, and officials have said Fordo was part of that
plan. "This entire operation ... really has to be completed with the elimination
of Fordo,” Yechiel Leiter, Israel's ambassador to the U.S., told Fox News on
Friday.
Why does the U.S. need to be involved?
In theory, the GBU-57 A/B could be dropped by any bomber capable of carrying the
weight, but at the moment the U.S. has only configured and programed its B-2
Spirit stealth bomber to deliver the bomb, according to the Air Force. The B-2
is only flown by the Air Force, and is produced by Northrop Grumman.
According to the
manufacturer, the B-2 can carry a payload of 40,000 pounds (18,000 kilograms)
but the U.S. Air Force has said it has successfully tested the B-2 loaded with
two GBU-57 A/B bunker busters — a total weight of some 60,000 pounds (27,200
kilograms). The strategic long-range heavy bomber has a range of about 7,000
miles (11,000 kilometers) without refueling and 11,500 miles (18,500 kilometers)
with one refueling, and can reach any point in the world within hours, according
to Northrop Grumman. Whether the U.S. would get involved is another matter. At
the G7 meeting in Canada, Trump was asked what it would take for Washington to
become involved militarily and he said: “I don't want to talk about that.”In a
weekend interview with ABC News, Israeli Ambassador Leiter was asked about the
possibility of the U.S. helping attack Fordo and he emphasized Israel has only
asked the U.S. for defensive help. “We have a number of contingencies ... which
will enable us to deal with Fordo,” he said. “Not everything is a matter of, you
know, taking to the skies and bombing from afar."
Iran set to show off captured Israeli F-35 pilots
Arab News/June 18, 2025
RIYADH: Iran is set to present images of captured Israeli F-35 pilots “soon,”
according to the Tehran Times. The Iranians on Friday said they had captured two
Israeli fighter jet pilots, one of them a woman. The Israelis have not confirmed
they had lost any of its pilots after carrying out a surprise attack on Iran on
Friday morning. The two countries militaries have been engaged in missile and
drone attacks since then, prompting fears the confrontation could spiral out of
control and lead to a major regional conflict. Iranian media reported on Tuesday
the arrest of an Israeli-linked “terrorist team” with explosives, in a town
southwest of the capital Tehran.
Russia says Israel attacks on Iran are illegal, notes Iran’s commitment to NPT
Reuters/June 17, 2025
MOSCOW: Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday denounced continued Israeli attacks
on Iran as illegal and said a solution to the conflict over Tehran’s nuclear
program could only be found through diplomacy. A ministry statement posted on
Telegram noted Iran’s “clear statements” on its commitment to adhere to the
nuclear non-proliferation treaty and its willingness to meet with US
representatives. The statement also said Moscow was waiting for the
International Atomic Energy Agency to provide “unvarnished” assessments of the
damage caused to Iranian nuclear facilities by Israeli attacks.
Iraq treads a tightrope to avoid spillover from Israel-Iran
conflict
AFP/June 17, 2025
BAGHDAD: In Iraqi airspace, Iranian missiles and drones have crossed paths with
Israeli warplanes, forcing Baghdad to step up efforts to avoid being drawn into
the region’s latest conflict. But with Baghdad both an ally of Iran and a
strategic partner of the United States, Israel’s closest supporter, it may
struggle to avoid the fighting spreading to its territory. “There is a sizable
risk of a spillover escalation in Iraq,” said political analyst Sajad Jiyad.
“Iraqis have a right to be worried,” he added.
With warnings of all-out regional war intensifying following Israel’s surprise
assault on Iran last week, fears are growing over an intervention by Iran-backed
Iraqi factions, which have been calling for the withdrawal of US troops deployed
in Iraq as part of an anti-jihadist coalition. A senior Iraqi security official
told AFP on condition of anonymity that among pro-Iran actors “everyone is
cooperating with the government to keep Iraq away from conflict.”But Jiyad
warned that if the US supports Israel’s attacks, it “may lead to pro-Iran
elements inside Iraq targeting US troops” or other American interests like the
embassy in Baghdad or the consulate in Irbil, the capital of the autonomous
Kurdistan region. This could lead to the US and Israel taking retaliatory
actions within Iraq, Jiyad added. Iraq, which has been for years navigating a
delicate balancing act between Tehran and Washington, has long been a fertile
ground for proxy battles. In 2020, during US President Donald Trump’s first
term, Washington killed Iran’s esteemed Revolutionary Guards general Qasem
Soleimani in Baghdad.
Most recently, amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Iraq was on the brink of being
drawn into the conflict after pro-Iran factions launched numerous attacks on US
troops in the region, as well as mostly failed attacks on Israel, in support of
Palestinians. Washington retaliated by hitting the armed groups.
In recent days, Baghdad has been working diplomatic channels to prevent the
latest violence from spreading onto its turf. It has called on Washington to
prevent Israeli jets from using Iraqi airspace to carry out attacks against
Iran. It also asked Iran not to strike US targets in its territory, and was
promised “positive things,” according to a senior Iraqi official. Israel’s use
of Iraq’s airspace has angered pro-Iran groups, who accused US troops of
allowing it. Powerful armed faction Kataeb Hezbollah stressed that Iran does not
need “military support,” but it said that the group is “closely monitoring” the
US military in the region. It warned that if Washington intervenes in the war,
the group “will act directly against its interests and bases in the region
without hesitation.”
A US official urged the Iraqi government to “protect diplomatic missions, as
well as US military personnel.” “We believe Iraq will be more stable and
sovereign by becoming energy independent and distancing itself from Iran’s
malign influence,” the official told AFP, referring to Iraq’s dependency on gas
imports from Iran.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, warned that Iran-backed
groups “continue to engage in violent and destabilising activities in
Iraq.”Israel’s surprise attack on Iran targeted military and nuclear facilities
and killed many top commanders and atomic scientists. Iran responded by
unleashing barrages of missile strikes on Israel. Tamer Badawi, an expert on
Iraqi armed groups, said “the more Iran struggles to sustain its firepower
against Israel, the likelier it becomes that Iraqi paramilitary actors will be
drawn in.”For now, “Iran is trying to avoid collateral damage to its network by
keeping its regional allies on standby. But this posture could shift,” he added.
Before launching its attack on Iran, Israel had badly hit Tehran’s proxies in
the region, significantly weakening some groups, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
“Beyond attacks within Iraq, Iran-backed Iraqi groups retain the capacity to
target Israel from western Iraq using their missile arsenals, as they have done
before,” Badawi said.They might also target American interests in Jordan.
But Iraqi officials say they have other plans for their country, which has only
recently regained a semblance of stability after decades of devastating
conflicts and turmoil. Iraq is gearing up for its legislative elections in
November, which are often marked by heated political wrangling. For armed
groups, elections are a crucial battleground as they strive to secure more seats
in parliament. “Sometimes, the sword must be kept in the sheath, but this does
not mean abandoning our weapons,” a commander of an armed faction told AFP. The
armed groups will not leave Iran, their “godfather.. in the battle alone.”
UAE warns against ‘miscalculated actions’ in Israeli-Iranian
conflict, calls for immediate ceasefire
Arab News/June 17, 2025
LONDON: As military exchanges between Israel and Iran continued on Tuesday for a
fifth consecutive day, the UAE’s minister of foreign affairs, Sheikh Abdullah
bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, warned of the wider threat posed by the continuing conflict
and called for an immediate ceasefire. “There is no alternative to political and
diplomatic solutions,” he said, calling on the UN and its Security Council to
intervene and halt the escalating violence. He also highlighted “the risks of
reckless and miscalculated actions that could extend beyond the borders” of
Israel and Iran, the Emirates News Agency reported. The UAE believes “a
diplomatic approach is urgently required to lead both parties toward
deescalation, end hostilities, and prevent the situation from spiraling into
grave and far-reaching consequences,” he added.
The goal of international diplomacy, he said, must be to immediately halt
hostilities, prevent the conflict from spiraling out of control, and mitigate
its effects on global peace and security. The UAE condemned the Israeli
airstrikes on Iran that began on Friday, which have targeted nuclear sites,
military leaders, intelligence chiefs and atomic scientists. Iran has responded
by firing ballistic missiles at Israeli towns and cities along the
Mediterranean, including Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZion and Haifa.
Sheikh Abdullah said the Emirati leadership is dedicated to the promotion of
stability, prosperity and justice, and he stressed the urgent need for wisdom in
a region long embroiled in conflicts. “The UAE believes that promoting dialogue,
adhering to international law and respecting the sovereignty of states are
essential principles for resolving the current crises,” he added. “The UAE calls
on the United Nations and the Security Council to fully uphold their
responsibilities by preventing further escalation, and taking urgent and
necessary measures to achieve a ceasefire and reinforce international peace and
security.”
WHO says Gaza health care at breaking point as fuel runs
out
AFP/June 17, 2025
GENEVA: The World Health Organization on Tuesday pleaded for fuel to be allowed
into Gaza to keep its remaining hospitals running, warning the Palestinian
territory’s health system was at “breaking point.”“For over 100 days, no fuel
has entered Gaza and attempts to retrieve stocks from evacuation zones have been
denied,” said Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO’s representative in the Palestinian
territories. “Combined with critical supply shortages, this is pushing the
health system closer to the brink of collapse.”Peeperkorn said only 17 of Gaza’s
36 hospitals were currently minimally to partially functional. They have a total
of around 1,500 beds — around 45 percent fewer than before the conflict began.
He said all hospitals and primary health centers in north Gaza were currently
out of service. In Rafah in southern Gaza, health services are provided through
the Red Cross field hospital and two partially-functioning medical points.
Speaking from Jerusalem, he said the 17 partially functioning hospitals and
seven field hospitals were barely running on a minimum amount of daily fuel and
“will soon have none left.”“Without fuel, all levels of care will cease, leading
to more preventable deaths and suffering.”Hospitals were already switching
between generators and batteries to power ventilators, dialysis machines and
incubators, he said, and without fuel, ambulances cannot run and supplies cannot
be delivered to hospitals. Furthermore, field hospitals are entirely reliant on
generators, and without electricity, the cold chain for keeping vaccines would
fail. The war was triggered by an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel on
October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, according to
official Israeli figures. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Monday
that 5,194 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on the territory
on March 18 following a truce. The overall death toll in Gaza since the war
broke out on October 7, 2023 has reached 55,493 people, according to the health
ministry.“People often ask when Gaza is going to be out of fuel; Gaza is already
out of fuel,” said WHO trauma surgeon and emergency officer Thanos Gargavanis,
speaking from the Strip. “We are walking already the fine line that separates
disaster from saving lives. The shrinking humanitarian space makes every health
activity way more difficult than the previous day.”
UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid
regional escalation
Arab News/June 18, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and France, co-chairs of the United Nations Conference on
the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question, joined with the chairs of
the conference’s working groups in issuing a joint statement on Tuesday
expressing “deep concern” over recent developments in the region, the Saudi
Press Agency reported. The statement said the latest escalation had
“necessitated the suspension” of the high-level conference, underscoring “the
validity of warnings about the fragility of the situation” and the urgent need
to “restore calm, respect international law, and strengthen diplomatic
action.”Despite the setback, the group reaffirmed their “full commitment to the
conference’s objectives” and pledged to “ensure the continuity of its work and
the achievement of its goals,” SPA added. They added that “the co-chairs of the
working groups will announce the date of the conference's roundtables soon,”
with the aim of generating “clear and coordinated international commitments” to
advance the implementation of a two-state solution. “In these critical
circumstances,” the statement continued, “we must redouble our efforts calling
for respect for international law and the sovereignty of states, and to promote
peace, freedom, and dignity for all peoples of the region.”The group also
reiterated its “unwavering support for all efforts aimed at ending the war in
Gaza” and called for a “just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian
issue,” affirming that regional stability and security hinge on a lasting peace.
700 foreigners flee Iran to Azerbaijan, Armenia; evacuation
from Israel begins
AFP/June 17, 2025
BAKU: More than 700 foreign nationals have crossed from Iran into neighboring
Azerbaijan and Armenia since Israel began striking the country last week,
government officials in Baku and Yerevan said on Tuesday. The Caucasus countries
border Iran’s northwest, with the closest crossing into Azerbaijan around 500 km
from Tehran by road. “Since the start of the military escalation between Israel
and Iran, more than 600 citizens of 17 countries have been evacuated from Iran
via Azerbaijan,” a government source said on Tuesday. The evacuees, who crossed
the border via the Astara checkpoint on the Caspian Sea coast, are being
transported to Baku airport and “flown to their home countries on international
flights,” the source said. Among those evacuated are citizens of Russia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, as well as Germany,
Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, the US, the UAE, China and Vietnam.
Azerbaijan shut its land borders in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has
kept them closed ever since. “In light of the evacuation need, Azerbaijan has
temporarily opened its border for those leaving Iran,” the official said. India
also evacuated 110 of its citizens from Iran through Armenia, Ani Badalyan,
Yerevan’s Foreign Ministry said. Poland’s Foreign Ministry said it would
evacuate part of its embassy staff in Tehran via Baku. “We have decided to
evacuate or support the departure of staff who do not need to remain in the
country, so-called non-essential personnel,” Deputy Foreign Minister Henryka
Moscicka-Dendys said. “Our colleagues will try to reach the border with
Azerbaijan,” she said, without specifying how many people were involved.
Turkmenistan — one of the world’s most closed-off countries — said it had also
allowed the transit of around 120 people evacuated from Iran through its
territory, mainly citizens of Central Asian countries. The Czech Republic and
Slovakia have taken 139 people home on government planes from Israel because of
its conflict. A Czech plane carrying 66 people landed in Prague on Tuesday a day
after a Slovak plane had taken 73 evacuees to Bratislava from Amman. “I am glad
they are all OK. The transport was really demanding in the difficult
environment,” Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said about the Czech flight
on social media site X. The Defense Ministry said most of the 66 evacuees were
Czech nationals. “It was not possible to send the army plane straight to
Israel,” the ministry said, citing the air-space closure.“The evacuees were
taken to the airport in the neighboring country by buses. They crossed the
border on foot.”Czech media said a convoy with the evacuees had left Tel Aviv on
Monday morning and boarded the plane in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
A Slovak government plane with 73 passengers, mostly Slovaks, landed in
Bratislava on Monday.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources
on June 17-18/2025
Europe
Hesitates To Condemn Iran, While U.S. Stands by Israel
Peter Doran/FDD/June 17/2025
The upcoming G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, could add a new layer of friction
between the United States and Europe. In contrast to President Donald Trump’s
unwavering support for Israel in the war, Europe’s largest countries have issued
watered-down condemnations of war in general and encouraged both sides to
de-escalate.
Condemning Iran’s attacks on Israeli cities, ending its nuclear program, and
ending the clerical regime in Tehran should be unifying issues for the summit.
Instead, disagreements on all of these fronts could widen the existing fissures
between Europe and the United States.
European Leaders Cite Fears of Escalation
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who will host the summit, set the agenda
before Israel launched its targeted military campaign against the clerical
regime in Tehran, Operation Rising Lion. The formal docket will exclude the
Iran-Israel war in favor of tariffs, energy security, support for Ukraine, and
Russia sanctions. Since this summit will not have a joint communique, there will
be no chance for the G7 as a whole to at least condemn Iran’s missile attacks on
Israeli civilians.
Even so, it will be difficult for leaders to ignore the war. European leaders
are likely to push for an end to the fighting in principle, but they will arrive
at the gathering without a clearly developed plan to do so.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for example, affirmed Israel’s right to
self-defense and his “grave concerns about Iran’s nuclear program” on a call
with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, he also stressed how the United
Kingdom believes that “Escalation serves no one in the region.” Berlin,
Brussels, and Paris issued similar statements in lockstep.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk took a different tack: highlighting Europe’s
fears of a global war. The current clashes “may destabilize the whole world.
Since WWII we haven’t been so close to a global conflict. Europe and the U.S.
must unite their efforts to stop further escalation. It is still not too late,”
Tusk said.
Meanwhile, Trump will arrive at the G7 with political winds at his back on his
handling of the crisis. Two polls conducted prior to the start of Operation
Rising Lion indicated that between 45 and 57 percent of Americans, respectively,
said they would approve of Israeli military action against Iran’s nuclear
program. Trump has since encouraged Tehran to “make a deal before there is
nothing left,” aiming to provide Iran with an off-ramp without undercutting
Israel.
Europeans More Concerned About Oil Prices Than a Nuclear Iran
Two factors are driving Europe’s lack of full-throated support for Israel:
economics and a temptation to kick the nuclear can down the road.
Oil prices jumped 8 percent when the bombing began. They are likely to continue
rising as Israel expands its targeting of Iran’s energy infrastructure. Every
percentage point increase in the price of a barrel risks tipping the EU-wide
economy into stagflation.
Second, the prospect of a nuclearized clerical regime in Iran does not pose an
existential threat to Europe. It does for Israel, as Netanyahu has asserted. At
the G7 Summit, the European delegation is likely to push Trump to take a
different, less supportive, approach to Israel in practice.
Instead of ‘feeding the crocodile’ of Iran and hoping it will eat them last, G7
members should do the opposite in Kananaskis: stand firm with the United States
and Israel against the clerics in Tehran.
**Peter Doran is an adjunct senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies (FDD). FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute
focused on national security and foreign policy. For more analysis from Peter
and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Peter on X @PeterBDoran. Follow FDD on X
@FDD.
China Sides With Tehran but Wields Little Influence in
Iran-Israel War
Craig Singleton and Jack Burnham/FDD/June 17/2025
Beijing condemned Israel’s sweeping strikes on Iranian nuclear and military
sites shortly after they began as a violation of “Iran’s sovereignty, security,
and territorial integrity,” according to a June 14 Chinese foreign ministry
readout. Beyond rhetoric, however, Beijing has offered no material aid or
mediation plan, underscoring the widening gap between China’s great power
aspirations in the Middle East and its limited ability to shape fast-moving
crises.
Beijing Condemns Israel, Amplifies Tehran’s Narrative
During a call between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Iranian Foreign
Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Yi stated that China “firmly opposes the reckless
attacks targeting Iranian officials and causing civilian casualties,” warning
that Israel’s strikes “set a dangerous precedent with potentially catastrophic
consequences.” He urged “countries that have influence over Israel” to restrain
Jerusalem and pledged that Beijing would stay in close contact with Tehran while
safeguarding Chinese personnel and assets in Iran.
Reinforcing the message at the Security Council, Chinese UN Ambassador Fu Cong
said that Beijing “opposes the intensification of contradictions and the
expansion of conflicts” and is “deeply concerned about the consequences” of
Israel’s actions.
These themes were amplified in a May 15 editorial published by China Daily, an
English-language news outlet owned by the Chinese Communist Party’s Propaganda
Department. While claiming that Israel’s strikes violated international law, the
article described Iran’s nuclear sites as being “peaceful” — a claim directly
contradicted by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The editorial also
claimed that Israel’s action against Iran stemmed from its refusal to “rein in
its war machine” following the October 7, 2023, massacre carried out by Hamas,
while accusing Israeli leaders of wanting to entrap the United States in a war
against Iran.
China Remains a Key Lifeline for Tehran
China remains a financial and military lifeline to Tehran, allowing the regime
to pay for its nuclear weapons program and expand its ballistic missile arsenal.
China purchases nearly 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports — a trade that accounts
for nearly 20 percent of Iran’s economy and is heavily controlled by the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These purchases are primarily routed to China
via “shadow fleets” of unregistered ships, transferred at sea to other vessels,
and brought to small or independent refineries — offering Beijing a discounted
source of crude and undermining U.S. sanctions meant to enact maximum pressure
on the Iranian regime.
Iran is also a key customer for China’s defense industrial base, purchasing
significant quantities of missile fuel components and other armaments. While
Beijing officially ceased selling major weapons systems to Tehran in 2005
following three decades of defense industrial cooperation and technology
sharing, Iran continues to source ammonium perchlorate — a key component in
manufacturing solid-fueled missiles — from China. China has also allegedly sold
both missile components and targeting data to the Houthis, a Yemen-based Iranian
proxy, for use in striking both Israeli and American shipping transiting the Red
Sea.
U.S. Must Maintain Pressure on China to Weaken Iran
China’s ongoing political support for Iran, paired with its past record of
financing and supplying both the IRGC and Iranian proxies, illustrates Beijing’s
effort to strengthen Tehran’s position during a period of profound
vulnerability. Yet Beijing’s loud condemnations mask shallow leverage as Iran
seeks to protect its nuclear program. Thus far, China has remained on the
sidelines, unwilling — and seemingly unable — to translate words into meaningful
support for the Iranian regime in its time of need.
The United States should dramatically expand its sanctions on Chinese refineries
and banks involved in illicitly purchasing Iranian oil, placing greater pressure
on the regime during a critical moment while forcing Beijing into a painful
choice between supporting Tehran or maintaining economic stability. These
measures should also be paired with efforts to disrupt the flow of ballistic
missile components, including sanctioning Chinese chemical producers and
shipping firms.
*Craig Singleton is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
(FDD) and senior director of FDD’s China Program, where Jack Burnham is a
research analyst. For more analysis from Craig, Jack, and the China Program,
please subscribe HERE. Follow Craig on X @CraigMSingleton. Follow Jack on X
@JackBurnham802. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based,
nonpartisan research institute focused on national security and foreign policy.
U.S. Forces in the Middle East: Under Attack and Defending
Israel
Cameron McMillan and Ryan Brobst/FDD/June 17/2025
U.S. forces are under attack in the Middle East. U.S. officials stated on June
14 that three drones had been launched at Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq,
where U.S. troops are stationed. The drones were almost certainly fired by
Iranian-backed proxies and were intercepted before hitting their targets. The
attack comes amid renewed threats from Tehran, which has vowed to continue
strikes against Israel and said it would attack U.S. bases as the U.S. military
helps defend the Jewish state from Iran’s long-range missile and drone barrages.
Both President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have warned
Tehran not to attack U.S. forces in the region. The likely use of proxies to
target U.S. troops in Iraq indicates that Tehran may be testing the willingness
of the United States to impose costs on those who defy its warnings.
Iran Threatens U.S. Forces
While it is unclear which specific group conducted the attack on Al-Asad, a
network of Iran-backed militias operates in Iraq under the umbrella of the
Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), which have previously assaulted U.S. forces in
both Iraq and Syria, as well as attacking Israel. Last week, multiple Iraqi
Iranian-backed militias demanded that U.S. forces withdraw from Iraq. On June
15, one of Iran’s most potent proxies in the country, Kataib Hezbollah,
threatened to attack U.S. forces if America intervened in the conflict. Iran has
also threatened to target French and UK forces if they assist in defending
Israel.
Washington Moves to Defend U.S. Forces and Israel
U.S. preparations for an Iranian response began prior to Israel’s strikes
against Iran, including evacuations of non-essential personnel from the U.S.
Embassy in Baghdad and departures of U.S. military dependents in the region. In
light of the attack in Iraq, these moves proved prescient.
On June 13, U.S. European Command deployed additional destroyers to the eastern
Mediterranean, the same types of vessels that participated in the U.S. defense
of Israel during Iran’s missile and drone attacks in April and October of 2024.
Over the past three days, American ground-based air defense systems and at least
one U.S. Navy destroyer have assisted Israel in intercepting Iranian ballistic
missiles.
The United States has also maintained a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
battery in Israel since last fall and reportedly deployed a second battery this
spring to augment Israel’s integrated air and missile defense network. Likewise,
the United States operates ground-based air defense systems in several other
Middle Eastern countries, as well as air and naval forces, that may assist
Israel in defending against Iranian ballistic missile, cruise missile, and drone
attacks.
U.S. Must Strengthen Force Posture in the Region
If past is prologue, the attack on Al-Asad Air Base will not be the last time
Iran or its proxies target U.S. troops with drones or other munitions. The Trump
administration should move quickly to ensure that U.S. forces have the
additional ground, air, and naval assets needed to defend against future
attacks. Washington must also ensure that U.S. forces have permission to respond
with overwhelming force when attacked.
Experience shows that an insufficient response encourages further assaults.
Washington made precisely that mistake during previous cycles of attacks on U.S.
forces in the region, which led to the deaths of three American soldiers in
Jordan in January 2024. The best defense is to show Tehran and its proxies that
punishment for aggression is a certainty.
**Cameron McMillan is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies’ (FDD’s) Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP), where Ryan
Brobst is the deputy director. For more analysis from the authors and CMPP,
please subscribe HERE. Follow Ryan on X @RyanBrobst_. Follow FDD on X @FDD and @FDD_CMPP.
FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on
national security and foreign policy.
Iraq in the Crossfire
Seth J. Frantzman/The National Interest/June 17/2025
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/middle-east-watch/iraq-in-the-crossfire
Iraq was in crisis before Israel and Iran started trading blows. Now, it’s next
door to a conflict.
In the days before Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, the State Department was
preparing for a possible evacuation of personnel from Iraq. In the past,
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have targeted the US Embassy in Baghdad as well
as US military personnel in Iraq. Iraq is in a complex position because it hosts
American forces who are part of the US-led coalition to defeat the remnants of
ISIS.
In addition, Iraq is home to tens of thousands of military members of the
pro-Iranian Popular Mobilization Forces, many of whom vehemently oppose the
United States. These groups have targeted Israel with kamikaze drones, as well
as targeting Americans. US Central Command head General Michael Kurilla told
members of Congress on June 10 that Iranian-linked militias in Iraq are
undermining the country.
Iraq was already facing a crisis prior to the Israeli airstrikes on Iran and
Iran’s retaliation. In May, the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)
in Iraq sent a delegation to Washington to sign energy deals that could be worth
up to $110 billion with HKN Energy and WesternZagros.
In Baghdad, there was outrage. Baghdad has long clashed with the KRG over its
energy policy. During the war on ISIS, when the KRG was largely cut off from
Baghdad, it exported oil and developed its energy sector. However, that changed
after ISIS was defeated and Baghdad sought to reassert control. A crisis in 2017
over the KRG’s drive for independence led to clashes in Kirkuk. Iranian-backed
militias have used drones to attack energy fields in the Kurdistan region.
The battle between Baghdad and Erbil extends beyond energy. The Iraqi government
has slashed KRG government salaries. Under pressure from Iran, it has also
worked to disarm and relocate Kurdish dissident militias operating in Kurdistan.
Baghdad called the recent energy agreements “null and void.” In Washington, the
Trump administration appeared to support the deals. Three days before the
Israeli strikes on Iran, reports in Erbil indicated that the UN might help
reduce tensions with Baghdad. Now, attention has shifted from the energy deals
to the crisis next door in Iran. Much is at stake in Iraq. US forces are slowly
withdrawing from neighboring Syria. Iraq is a key logistics conduit for the US
presence there, and the units stationed in Iraq help keep ISIS in check. US
forces have enjoyed friendly ties with the KRG, even as they’ve faced threats in
Baghdad and the rest of Iraq over the years.
The Trump administration has also attempted to get Baghdad to free a Princeton
researcher named Elizabeth Tsurkov, who Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed
militia in Iraq, kidnapped in 2023. The US government sanctions Kataib Hezbollah
as a foreign terrorist organization, and its former leader, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis,
was killed in a drone strike in January 2020. Muhandis was in the same car as
Iran’s IRGC Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in the same
strike. The event illustrated the close connection between Iran and extremist
militias in Iraq.
The big question now is what comes next in Iraq and how it will affect relations
between the Kurdistan region, Baghdad, Washington, and Tehran. Iraq is facing a
possible multi-week crisis as the war streaks through its skies. Iranian drones
and missiles fly over Iraq, closing Iraq’s airports. Iraqis are on edge, with
explosions reported across the country, which may be linked to the conflict. In
the past, when tensions rose in the region, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq
attacked US forces in the Kurdistan region. Iran has also targeted Erbil with
missile attacks, claiming to target Israeli agents who reportedly operate there.
The Kurdish-Iranian dissident groups in northern Iraq have condemned Tehran in
the wake of the Israeli strikes. “Due to its aggressive nature, deliberate
provocation of crises, and systematic destabilization of regional and global
security, the Iranian regime has now brought war to its own soil,” the Kurdistan
Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) said in a statement on June 13. The Free Life
Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), a different anti-Iranian Kurdish party, has called
for protests in Iran.
It’s possible the conflict between Iran and Israel could spill over to Iraq.
That should be viewed as a major threat to regional stability. It’s also
possible that the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq could use the war to inflame
tensions with the United States or threaten US forces. Consequently, Erbil is
increasingly important for the American posture in the region.
This is increasingly relevant in the wake of the recent crisis. The Kurdistan
region is both relatively stable and economically successful compared to the
rest of the country. However, it is surrounded by threats, including from Iran
and Iranian-backed groups in Iraq. Preventing those threats from growing in the
wake of the war in Iran is essential to Iraq’s stability and will help prevent
threats to other neighbors.
*Seth Frantzman is the author of Drone Wars: Pioneers, Killing Machine,
Artificial Intelligence and the Battle for the Future (Bombardier 2021) and an
adjunct fellow at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He tweets at @sfrantzman.
Israel cannot settle for a temporary military win, it must
topple the Islamic regime
Saeed Ghasseminejad/The Jerusalem Post/June 17/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/06/144320/
For Israel, this is not a conventional conflict, it is a confrontation with a
country that is determined to destroy the Jewish State.
The calls for restraint will come, as they always do. As Israeli military
successes against the Islamic Republic of Iran mount, a chorus of international
voices will urge Jerusalem to “take the win” and seek a diplomatic off-ramp.
They will argue from a well-worn script, advising Israel to consolidate its
victory from a position of strength. It is a tempting and logical-sounding
argument that would be a catastrophic mistake.
For Israel, this is not a conventional conflict that can be concluded with a
ceasefire and a treaty. It is a confrontation with an ideologically driven
regime whose very identity is predicated on Israel’s destruction. To settle for
anything less than the removal of the Islamist regime in Tehran is to merely
pause a clock that is ticking towards a more dangerous future: a defeat in
disguise.
A remarkable consensus is forming across the Israeli political spectrum on this
critical point. When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks directly to the
Iranian people, urging them that “your light will defeat their darkness,” he is
doing more than scoring rhetorical points.
His words, echoed by key opposition figures like former prime minister Naftali
Bennett, who has long expressed a desire to see the Iranian people freed from
their oppressors, signal a fundamental shift. The debate in Israel is no longer
about whether to confront Iran, but how to ensure the confrontation yields a
permanent solution. The answer is clear: the regime must go.
Israel has degraded critical threats, it must do more
Israel’s immediate military actions have, by all accounts, been successful in
degrading Tehran’s most critical threats. The three pillars of the regime’s
threat – its nuclear program, its ballistic missile arsenal, and its global
terror network – have been shaken. But to believe these setbacks are permanent
is to ignore decades of history.
The Islamic Republic’s ambition is resilient. Its nuclear program, though
damaged, retains its most crucial asset: the knowledge to build a bomb. The
scientists may be gone, the centrifuges shattered, but the blueprints remain.
History shows us that after every setback, Tehran has rebuilt its program with
greater speed, sophistication, and secrecy. To allow this regime to survive is
to guarantee that it will rise from the rubble more determined than ever to
cross the nuclear threshold, this time building deeper, more fortified sites,
and learning from every Israeli success.
Similarly, its ballistic missile program is not merely a strategic asset; it is
a core pillar of its regional dominance and its primary threat against the
Israeli home front. While stockpiles can be destroyed and launch sites cratered,
the industrial base and the engineering expertise remain. The regime’s leaders
are driven by ideological and strategic imperative to maintain and advance this
capability. They will rebuild, and they will aim for missiles that are faster,
more precise, and capable of overwhelming any defense system.
Finally, the regime’s tentacular support for terrorism has been its primary
method of waging war for decades. From Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis in
Yemen and militias in Iraq, this proxy network is Iran’s way of bleeding its
enemies without risking a direct state-on-state war. Disrupting weapons convoys
and eliminating commanders are necessary tactical actions, but they do not
address the source of the cancer. As long as the head of the snake remains in
Tehran, it will continue to fund, arm, and direct its legion of proxies to sow
chaos and violence on Israel’s borders.
The nature of this regime is not subject to negotiation. It will not be pacified
by diplomacy or deterred by temporary military defeats. Its commitment to
regional hegemony and the destruction of Israel is woven into its very DNA.
Therefore, Israel faces a stark choice. It can heed the calls for de-escalation,
enjoy a fleeting moment of victory, and allow a wounded and vengeful regime to
reconstitute its strength for the next, more lethal, round. Or, it can commit to
a policy that sees this conflict through to its only logical conclusion: to
topple the regime once and for all. It is time to stop trimming the branches of
the poison tree and focus on uprooting it entirely.
**Saeed Ghasseminejad is a senior adviser for Iran and financial economics at
the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, specializing in Iran’s economy,
financial markets, sanctions, and illicit finance. Follow him on LinkedIn and X
@SGhasseminejad.
Iraqi militias largely rely on rhetoric in response to
Israel-Iran conflict—for now
Ahmad Sharawi and Bridget Toomey/ FDD's Long War Journal/June 17/2025
https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2025/06/iraqi-militias-largely-rely-on-rhetoric-in-response-to-israel-iran-conflict-for-now.php
Iran-backed militias in Iraq have resorted mainly to words, not actions, to
support Iran since direct conflict between Israel and Iran began on June 13. The
statements issued by the groups have included anti-American and anti-Israeli
sentiments typical of the militias, condemnations of Israel’s strikes, and vague
threats aimed at American forces in the region. Notably, the militias have
focused their threats against the United States instead of Israel.
Kataib Hezbollah (KH), a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization backed by
Iran, issued a statement on June 15. It indicated that the group would not join
Iran’s attacks on Israel, saying, “While Iran bravely and steadfastly confronts
the Zionist aggression, we are closely monitoring the movements of the American
enemy’s military in the region.” The group goes on to threaten, “If America
intervenes in the war, we will act directly against its interests and bases
throughout the region without hesitation.” KH also calls on the Iraqi government
to prevent the use of Iraqi airspace for attacks, close the US embassy, and
expel US forces.
Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba (HHN), a Specially Designated Global Terrorist
entity known for its extreme loyalty to Iran’s supreme leader, released a
statement on June 13. The statement, full of praise for Iran, warned, “The
treacherous Zionist aggression against the Islamic Republic, the blatant
violation of Iraq’s sovereignty, and the repeated breaches of its airspace in
coordination with the American occupier will not go unpunished.” It went on to
say, “The American occupation must be completely expelled from all Iraqi lands
and airspace.” However, the statement stopped short of declaring that HHN would
conduct attacks on Israeli or American assets.
Drones have targeted US interests in Iraq on two occasions since Operation
Rising Lion began, but no group has yet claimed these attacks. In the first
incident on June 14, three drones were launched toward Ain al Assad airbase in
western Iraq. The next day, local media reported that US forces downed a drone
near the American mission in Erbil in the Kurdistan region.
Recent attacks on American interests by Iran-backed militias in Iraq have been
carried out under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), a
collection of groups that includes KH and HHN. The IRI targeted US forces in
Syria and Iraq nearly 200 times since it began a campaign in solidarity with
Hamas terrorists in Gaza after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The
militias had stopped targeting US interests after a January 2024 drone attack
killed three US servicemembers.
Since the start of Israel’s attacks on Iran, Sabereen News, an Iraqi Telegram
channel linked to several Iranian-backed militias (and possibly Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force), has ramped up its incitement and
propaganda targeting the United States and its presence in Iraq. One of its
first posts is an image of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s hand holding a
rifle barrel with a caption reading, “America and Israel are under your feet.”
On June 14, the channel published a quote attributed to Khamenei: “The world
must destroy America, or these problems will destroy the world as long as
America exists.” Beneath the quote is a message reading, “Our time is at 8 near
the suspension bridge”—a reference to a protest by Baghdad’s July 14 Bridge,
which leads to the Green Zone and the US Embassy.
The channel escalated its rhetoric in subsequent messages, calling for direct
action against the embassy. One statement read, “O Ali’s people, take your
positions and make your presence known today to demand the closure of the US
Embassy and the expulsion of the occupation, in numbers matching the size of Eid
al Ghadir.”
Sabereen also issued calls for participation in demonstrations to specific
militia factions. To the Badr Organization, it declared, “To the Badris, the
youth and the elderly, to the men of Abu Hassan al Amri—today is the day of
allegiance.” To Kataib Hezbollah: “O sons of the Victorious Brigades, to the
swords of allegiance and the sons of silent jihad, we await your banners on the
suspension bridge.” To Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba: “O sons of Akram al Kaabi,
sons of Abu Taqwa al Saidi, men of the arenas—show generosity today through your
attendance and support for Islam.” And to Asaib Ahl al Haq: “O sons of Hajj
Mahdi al Kinani and Abu Siddiqah, O Asaib Ahl al Haq, O guardians of the
battlefield—will you allow the military barracks disguised as an embassy to
remain in Baghdad?!”
Other posts echoed sectarian and nationalistic themes, with lines such as,
“Where are the free Shiites of Ali? Where are the students of the Ashura school?
Closing the US Embassy is a religious, sectarian, and national duty.” Sabereen
repeated messages urging Iraqis to “Head to the suspension bridge in support of
Islam and the Messenger of God.”
On June 16, Sabereen reported that flocks of Iraqis had attended protests and
demonstrations near the July 14 Bridge. Iraqi parliamentarians have reportedly
joined in the demonstrations along with individuals raising the flag of Kataib
Hezbollah. Sabereen also reported that individuals affiliated with the media
office of the Popular Mobilization Forces, an official military arm of the Iraqi
government largely comprised of pro-Iran militias, were heading toward the
bridge to join the protests.
*Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies focused on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the Levant.
Bridget Toomey is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies focusing on Iranian proxies, specifically Iraqi militias and the
Houthis.
U.S. Should Not Mistake Oman for a Neutral Mediator
Ahmad Sharawi/FDD/June 17/2025
Oman is not hesitating to show its sympathy for Iran. The country’s sultan,
Haitham bin Tarik, called Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 16 to
offer condolences and tell Pezeshkian that Oman seeks “to contribute actively
through all political and diplomatic means to resolv[e] this crisis.” The call
follows a report in The Jerusalem Post indicating that Iran has turned to both
Oman and Qatar to mediate with Washington in the hope that the United States
will prevail on Israel to stop its airstrikes so Washington and Tehran can
revive their stalled nuclear talks. But Oman is unfit to serve as a trusted
go-between despite hosting several backchannel meetings between U.S. and Iranian
officials over the past three months.
Muscat maintains a deep strategic relationship Tehran even though it portrays
itself as a neutral broker guided by “principles of openness, neutrality, and
mutual respect.” Oman continues to provide a haven for one of Iran’s most
dangerous proxies — the Houthis — and its officials have echoed anti-Israel
rhetoric in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on the Jewish state.
Muscat and Tehran’s Strategic Relationship
Oman has long functioned as Iran’s financial artery. At the height of U.S.
sanctions against Iran, the country not only maintained thriving trade with Iran
but also repatriated billions of dollars in frozen funds through Bank Muscat.
Iranian banks sanctioned for financing terrorism remain operational in Oman,
allowing Tehran access to the international banking system as a whole.
The relationship has a military dimension as well. In early 2025, Oman’s top
military commander, Vice Adm. Abdullah bin Khamis Al Raisi, met with Iran’s
military chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, pledging tighter defense
cooperation. Israel killed Bagheri in an airstrike on June 13.
Oman has also provided sanctuary to Houthi officials since 2015, including their
de facto foreign minister, Mohammed Abdul Salam, whom the United States
sanctioned in March. The Houthis also use Omani territory as a conduit for
weapons smuggling, including missiles and Chinese drone parts.
Oman Sides With Iran Against Israel
On June 13, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi condemned Israel’s strikes on
Iran, declaring, “Israel’s unilateral attack on Iran is illegal, unjustifiable,
and a grave threat to regional stability.” The Foreign Ministry echoed this
sentiment, calling the Israeli strike “a dangerous and reckless escalation that
violates the United Nations Charter and international law.”
Oman’s reactions went beyond official condemnations. Some state-aligned figures
openly celebrated Iran’s retaliation. Ahmad Al Khalil, Oman’s grand mufti (a key
religious leader) since 1975, offered ample praise: “The Iranian response to the
Zionist aggression was firm and crucial — it warmed hearts, reassured souls, and
renewed hope for the end of the Zionist occupation of the holy lands.” This is
not the first time the mufti has supported attacks against Israel. He previously
endorsed Houthi strikes on Israel, earning recognition from Hamas operatives —
some of whom wore Omani flags on their chests and raised an image of the mufti
during a hostage release ceremony in February.
Washington Needs No Mediator To Deal With Tehran
The Trump administration has made clear what it expects from Tehran. When the
clerical regime says it is ready to negotiate the verifiable dismantlement of
its uranium enrichment and nuclear weapons programs, the White House is ready to
make a deal. There is no need for a mediator to convey a message that should
come directly from Tehran.
**Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies (FDD), where he focuses on Middle East affairs, specifically the
Levant, Iraq, and Iranian intervention in Arab affairs, as well as U.S. foreign
policy toward the region. For more analysis from Ahmad and FDD, please
subscribe HERE. Follow Ahmad on X @AhmadA_Sharawi. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is
a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national
security and foreign policy.
Will Trump Really Agree to
Some Fake 'Deal' That Allows Iran to Keep Fordow, Secret Sites, and Force the
Great Iranian People to Suffer Under a Terrorist Regime?
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute./June 17/2025
If US President Donald J. Trump wants actual long-term peace in the Middle East,
like it or not, there is no alternative other than allowing the departure of
Iran's theocratic terrorist dictators and liberating the Iranian people – just
as, after World War II, the US liberated Germany and Japan to enable the
election of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer in Germany and the highly successful
democracy in Japan.
More negotiations are just the usual stalling tactic of the Iranian regime.
Interminably negotiating some "deal" -- which, based on their track record, Iran
will cheat on, no matter how vigilant its guardians are, just allows Iran's
regime a 24-karat opportunity to resupply, regroup and terrorize the region
again.
The last thing Trump needs is "help" from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The US urgently needs to spearhead not another porous, fake "nuclear deal" but
real security, stability and freedom -- not only for millions of Muslims,
Christians and Jews, but also for the great people of Iran who have been forced
to suffer under vicious psychopathic despots long enough.
For real peace, Trump needs to be the Churchill of our time. Let Israel finish
the job. It is for us. For real peace, President Donald Trump needs to be the
Churchill of our time. Let Israel finish the job. It is for us. The Israel-Iran
war erupted as Palestinians were marking the 18th anniversary of the Hamas coup
against the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the Gaza Strip. On June 14, 2007, the
Iran-backed terror group staged a violent coup that lasted for a few days and
resulted in the death of hundreds of PA loyalists, some of whom were lynched in
public squares, while others were thrown from the top floors of high-rise
buildings. Human Rights Watch reported on June 12, 2007:
"In internal Palestinian fighting over the last three days, both [the PA's
ruling] Fatah faction and Hamas military forces have summarily executed
captives, killed people not involved in hostilities, and engaged in gun battles
with one another inside and near Palestinian hospitals...
"On Sunday, Hamas military forces captured 28-year-old Muhammad Swairki, a cook
for President Mahmoud Abbas's Presidential Guard, and executed him by throwing
him to his death, with his hands and legs tied, from a 15-story apartment
building in Gaza City. Later that night, Fatah military forces shot and captured
Muhammad al-Ra'fati, a Hamas supporter and mosque preacher, and threw him from a
Gaza City high-rise apartment building."
The Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip could not have taken place without Iran's
financial and military support for the terror group. Former PA General
Intelligence Chief Tawfik Tirawi has accused Iran of playing a "big role" in
Hamas's seizure of the Gaza Strip. Dozens of Hamas members, Tirawi said, had
received military training in Iran. He also accused Hamas of smuggling weapons
into the Gaza Strip to fight the PA. Prominent Palestinian human rights activist
Bassem Eid noted that Hamas was able to defeat the security forces of the PA in
the Gaza Strip partly as a result of training and weapons provided from Iran."It
looks like through the operation of Hamas, I can see the Iranian weapons there.
I am quite sure [of the Iranian connection]. And this is why Hamas becomes more
violent than any other Palestinian political movement."
According to a 2020 US State Department report, Iran provides about $100 million
annually to Palestinian terror groups, including Hamas. As of 2023, according to
an Israeli security source, Iran had significantly increased its funding for
Hamas to $350 million a year. The late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh told the
Qatari-owned Al-Jazeera TV network in 2022 that his group had received $70
million in military aid from Iran, adding:
"We have rockets that are locally manufactured, but the long-range rockets came
from abroad, from Iran, Syria and others through Egypt."
Earlier, Haniyeh had thanked the Iranian regime for "supporting and funding the
[Palestinian] resistance financially, militarily, and technically."
In 2020, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar revealed that Iran gave him $22
million in cash. In an interview with Iran's Arabic-language television network
al-Alam, Zahar said he outlined some of the financial problems Hamas faced
during a meeting with Iran's slain Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander
Qassem Soleimani during a visit to Tehran in 2006.
"The following day, I found $22 million in bags at the airport" as a Hamas
delegation was about to leave Tehran," Zahar said. "We had agreed on a higher
amount, but we were only nine people, and we could not carry any more cash due
to baggage allowance." Iran's financial and military support for Hamas enabled
the terror group to build a vast network of tunnels and manufacture weapons in
the Gaza Strip. Thanks to this support, Hamas was able to build an army
consisting of tens of thousands of fighters and turn the Gaza Strip into a large
base for jihad (holy war) against Israel. Were it not for Iran's financial and
military backing, Hamas would not have been able to launch its October 7, 2023
invasion of Israel. On that day, Hamas terrorists and thousands of "ordinary"
Palestinians murdered more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and wounded
thousands.
Unsurprisingly, Iran was quick to praise the massacres. Iran's Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed the October 7 invasion as "logical and legal."
Iran's foreign ministry described the massacre as "a turning point in the
history of the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people against the Zionist
regime."
The Iranian regime chose to support Hamas and its other terror proxies –
Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Houthis – to advance its goal of
destroying the "Zionist entity." Iran's mullahs bear full responsibility for the
death of thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. They are also responsible
for the death of the "two-state solution," because their support for the 2007
Hamas coup led to the creation of two separate rival Palestinian entities in the
Gaza Strip and West Bank. The Iranian regime was always prepared to support any
Palestinian or Arab who carried the banner of jihad against Israel.
The Iranian regime has brought nothing but death and destruction on the
Palestinians and many Arabs in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Its support for
terror proxies and militias has triggered civil war and bloodshed throughout the
Middle East. These attacks include the deaths of more than 1,000 Americans (such
as here, here and here). Iran and its proxies, such as the Houthis, have
repeatedly launched rockets and missiles not only at US assets in the Middle
East, but also at its oil rich-Sunni neighbors, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates.
Many Arabs and Iranians will not shed a tear if Iran's mullahs are removed from
power. If US President Donald J. Trump wants actual long-term peace in the
Middle East, like it or not, there is no alternative other than allowing the
departure of Iran's theocratic terrorist dictators and liberating the Iranian
people – just as, after World War II, the US liberated Germany and Japan to
enable the election of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer in Germany and the highly
successful democracy in Japan.
As pointed out in Politico, hardly a "right wing" news outlet, "Iran's Target
Isn't Just Israel. It's Us."More negotiations are just the usual stalling tactic
of the Iranian regime. Interminably negotiating some "deal" -- which, based on
their track record (such as here and here), Iran will cheat on, no matter how
vigilant its guardians are, just allows Iran's regime a 24-karat opportunity to
resupply, regroup and terrorize the region again. Trump would be wise to let
Israel "finish what they started" in Iran and do what is good for Israel, the
Free World and the West.
The last thing Trump needs is "help" from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The US and the rest of the international community should fully support Israel
in its war against Iran's bloodthirsty regime. Not only is it brutal to its
neighbors and Israel, but to its own people as well. In 2024, Iran repressed,
imprisoned, tortured and executed a large number of its own citizens.
The US urgently needs to spearhead not another porous, fake "nuclear deal" but
real security, stability and freedom -- not only for millions of Muslims,
Christians and Jews, but also for the great people of Iran who have been forced
to suffer under vicious psychopathic despots long enough.
For real peace, Trump needs to be the Churchill of our time. Let Israel finish
the job. It is for us. Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in
Jerusalem.
Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)
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