Real Madrid beat Pachuca at Club World Cup despite Asencio’s early red card
Xabi Alonso gets his first victory as Madrid manager, despite his football side playing most of the game with only 10 players. Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler scored late in the first half to help 10-man Real Madrid to a 3-1 victory over Pachuca in a Group H clash played amid sweltering conditions in Charlotte, North Carolina, the United States. Federico Valverde’s sliding volley in the 70th minute sealed Xabi Alonso’s first victory as Madrid manager on Sunday. The result puts his side’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign back on track after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Al Hilal in Wednesday’s opener, and despite Sunday’s early dismissal of defender Raul Asencio. Real Madrid can clinch a place in the last 16 with a win or draw against RB Salzburg on Thursday in Philadelphia. Al Hilal play Salzburg later on Sunday in Washington, DC. Thibault Courtois made 10 saves for the victors, though he could do little on Elias Montiel’s 80th-minute deflected effort that provided Pachuca with a consolation goal. The Mexican side was beaten despite leading their Spanish foes by 25-8 in shots overall and 11-3 in efforts on target. But as in Pachuca’s 2-1 Wednesday loss to Salzburg, it was their opponents who had more quality in their attacks. Referee Ramon Abatti showed no hesitation in dismissing Asencio in the seventh minute for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity after the Madrid defender hauled down Salomon Rondon just beyond the penalty area. Real Madrid’s Raul Asencio walks off the pitch after being shown a red card [Susana Vera/Reuters] But after absorbing pressure for most of the opening half-hour, the Spaniards raced out to a 2-0 lead in the half’s final 15 minutes. Advertisement In the 35th, Gonzalo Garcia’s quick flick-on freed Fran Garcia down the left. The latter then picked out the late run of Bellingham, who collected a square ball and slid his low finish past Carlos Moreno from 15 yards. In the 43rd, it was Guler providing the finishing touch from inside the area on another flowing Madrid move, this time with Gonzalo Garcia providing the final square pass after Trent Alexander-Arnold’s first-touch cross. Pachuca continued to apply pressure after the break, with Courtois forced to push Bryan Gonzalez’s early-second-half effort over the bar and John Kennedy’s 61st-minute strike from distance well clear of his left post. But Valverde’s well-taken goal effectively killed the game and Real Madrid held on for an impressive win. Bellingham, who was named the player of the match, hailed the spirit of his teammates after the game. “We stayed together well [after the red card]. Obviously, Raul [Asencio] made a mistake. He is young and it will happen,” he told DAZN. “It was impressive to see how the team came together and won the game.” Alonso singled out Courtois for praise. “We are so happy to have [Courtois] in goal,” he told DAZN after the match. “He was so reliable, especially when we had one player less. We defended with a lot of sacrifice and waited for our chances.” In the earlier Club World Cup game on Sunday, Kenan Yildiz scored two goals and had a hand in another as Juventus beat Wydad Casablanca 4-1 to close in on a place in the last 16. Adblock test (Why?)
Durant traded to Houston Rockets for Green, Brooks, picks: Report
Phoenix Suns All-Star forward Kevin Durant will join his fifth NBA team after being traded to the Houston Rockets. The Houston Rockets are acquiring 15-time All-Star forward Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for guard Jalen Green and forward Dillon Brooks as well as the number 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and five second-round picks, ESPN reported on Sunday. The trade can be completed when the new league year for the US National Basketball Association (NBA) begins on July 6. At that point, Durant will be eligible to sign a two-year extension worth up to $122m. Durant has one season left on his current deal and is set to earn $54.7m in 2025-26. Durant will join a Rockets team that finished the regular season as the second seed in the Western Conference. The star forward will join All-Star Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet, among others, in Houston. Durant, who turns 37 in September, played in 62 games with the Suns in 2024-25. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks, not far off of his career averages. He also shot 43.0 percent from three-point range. Selected to the All-NBA first team six times, Durant has appeared in 1,123 games with the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-19), Brooklyn Nets (2020-23) and Suns. He has career averages of 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds. 4.4 assists and 1.1 blocks, shooting 39 percent from long distance. Green, 23, averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists while starting in all 82 games this season. He now ventures to Phoenix to join All-Star Devin Booker in a potent backcourt. Advertisement He has contributed 20.1 points, 4.3 boards and 3.4 assists in 307 games since being selected by the Rockets with the second overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. Brooks, 29, averaged 14.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 75 games this season. He has contributed 14.2 points, 3.2 boards and 2.0 assists in 492 games with the Memphis Grizzlies (2017-23) and Rockets. He was selected by Houston in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft. Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets, left, is the centrepiece of the trade going back to the Phoenix Suns in the Kevin Durant trade [File: Alex Slitz /Getty Images via AFP] Adblock test (Why?)
Key players tangle at UNSC at ‘perilous turn’ of US-Israel-Iran conflict
Tensions soar at the UN as Iran and its allies condemn US military actions, while the US and Israel reject censure. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has convened an emergency session after the US-led strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, prompting sharp rebukes from several member states and renewed calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East, while allies Israel and the US lauded the attack. Russia, China and Pakistan have proposed a resolution demanding an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire”, according to diplomats familiar with the draft circulated on Sunday. While the proposal does not explicitly name the United States or Israel, it condemns the attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. A vote has not yet been scheduled. To pass, the resolution requires the backing of at least nine members and no vetoes from the five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the US. This makes it a non-starter since the US will not censure itself. Speaking to the UNSC, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the region was standing “on the brink of a deadly downward spiral”. “The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn in a region that is already reeling,” Guterres said. “We now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation. We must act – immediately and decisively – to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme.” Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea defended the military action, saying that Washington had moved to dismantle Iran’s enrichment capacity to protect both US citizens and allies. Advertisement “The time finally came for the United States, in defence of its ally and our own interests, to act decisively,” Shea told the chamber. “Iran should not escalate… Any Iranian attack, direct or indirect, against Americans or American bases will be met with devastating retaliation.” Iran’s ambassador, Ali Bahreini, said the Israeli and US attacks on Iran did not come about “in a vacuum” and were the result of “politically motivated actions” of the US and its European partners. He said the US “decided to destroy diplomacy”. He pointedly made it clear that the Iranian military will decide on the “timing, nature and scale” of its response. Meanwhile, Israel’s UN envoy, Danny Danon, said the attacks had made the world “a safer place”, rejecting calls for condemnation. When asked whether Israel supported regime change in Tehran, he said, “That’s for the Iranian people to decide, not for us.” China’s ambassador, Fu Cong, condemned the US strikes and urged restraint. “We call for an immediate ceasefire,” he said. “China is deeply concerned about the risk of the situation getting out of control.” Russia’s UN envoy, Vasily Nebenzya, described the attacks as yet another sign of Washington’s disregard for global norms. “The US has opened a Pandora’s box,” he said. “No one knows what catastrophe or suffering will follow.” Pakistan’s ambassador, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, also condemned the US bombing as deeply troubling. “The sharp rise in tensions and violence as a result of Israeli aggression and unlawful actions is profoundly disturbing,” he said. “Pakistan stands in solidarity with the government and brotherly people of Iran during this challenging time.” This comment comes a day after Pakistan suggested that US President Donald Trump be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Trump’s announcement that US forces had “obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear sites marked the most significant Western military action against Tehran since the 1979 revolution. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, told the UNSC that while the scale of underground damage remained unclear, impact craters were visible at the Fordow enrichment site. The entrances to tunnels at the Isfahan site appeared to have been struck, while Natanz – long a target of Israeli sabotage – had been hit again. Iran has castigated Grossi for being complicit in paving the way for Israel and the US to attack it. The IAEA’s Board of Governors approved a resolution declaring Iran was not complying with its commitment to international nuclear safeguards the day before Israel launched its initial attack on June 13. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Weather Update: When will monsoon reach Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Chandigarh and other North Indian regions? IMD provides big update, says…
The IMD said that current weather conditions are favourable for the monsoon to advance further across north and northwest India.
Trump hints at regime change in Iran while declaring ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN’ after US strikes
President Donald Trump on Sunday said there may be a regime change if Iranian leadership cannot “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN,” following strategic U.S. strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday. In a post to Truth Social, the president questioned why there would not be a leadership shift following the devastating blow to the country’s nuclear program. “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” he wrote. “MIGA!!!” Earlier in the day, Trump announced the B-2 stealth bombers credited with strategic attacks landed safely at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, applauding their efforts. PENTAGON FLEXES US MILITARY’S DECOYS AND STRATEGIC DECEPTION THAT TOOK IRAN AND WORLD BY SURPRISE “The GREAT B-2 pilots have just landed, safely, in Missouri,” he wrote. “Thank you for a job well done!!! DONA[L]D J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!” The president added that the damage to the sites was “monumental,” pushing back on skepticism from critics about the success of the operation. SATELLITE IMAGE SHOWS FORDOW NUCLEAR FACILITY AFTER MASSIVE BOMB STRIKE “The damage to the Nuclear sites in Iran is said to be ‘monumental,’” he wrote in a separate post. “The hits were hard and accurate. Great skill was shown by our military. Thank you!” More than 125 aircraft were involved in the strikes in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, including seven B-2 stealth bombers, multiple fourth and fifth-generation fighters, dozens of air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine and “a full array” of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
Over 700 Iranian nationals released into US during Biden administration despite terrorism concerns
Over 1,500 Iranian nationals who illegally entered the U.S. at the southern border were arrested during the Biden administration, and nearly 50% of them were released back into the country, according to a senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) source. More specifically, Border Patrol agents arrested 1,504 Iranian nationals from fiscal year 2021 through fiscal year 2024. Of the 1,504 individuals who were arrested, 729 were released into the U.S. The number of Iranian nationals arrested at the southern border increased year-to-year, with 48 being arrested in FY21; 197 in FY22; 462 in FY23 and 797 in FY24. Likewise, the number of Iranian nationals released also increased, with 12 in FY21; 40 in FY22; 229 in FY23; and 448 in FY24. BORDER PATROL ANNOUNCES ‘PHENOMENAL’ TURNAROUND AS NUMBER OF MONTHLY MIGRANT RELEASES DROPS TO ZERO It is unclear how many of the Iranians released into the U.S. were on the terrorism watchlist, as the Biden administration repeatedly denied Fox News’ Freedom of Information Act requests and appeals for the data. The Biden administration cited “privacy concerns” of the people on the list, as well as “minimal public interest” for denying the requests. Still, there were over 2 million known gotaways at the border during the Biden administration, and because they were never caught, there is no way of knowing where the individuals were from. All Iranians are considered “special interest aliens” because of national security concerns. Therefore, they are supposed to receive enhanced vetting from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN REVEALS UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS IN TRUMP’S BORDER STRATEGY The news comes as U.S. officials sound the alarm regarding the threat of terror-backed sleeper cells in the country just hours after President Donald Trump ordered the successful strikes on key nuclear facilities within Iran. Hours after Trump addressed the nation about the military strikes, the DHS issued a memo sounding the alarm to a “heightened threat environment” in the U.S. While the bulletin did not cite any specific threats, it came as Iranian officials vowed retaliation against the U.S. SOUTHERN BORDER APPREHENSIONS PLUNGE MORE THAN 90% FROM YEAR AGO IN APRIL, CBP SAYS The bulletin points to law enforcement within the U.S. disrupting “multiple potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots” since 2020, while noting the Iranian government’s unsuccessful attempts to target critics of its regime. The advisory comes after Trump ordered military strikes on Iran’s key nuclear facilities in what officials are calling “Operation Midnight Hammer,” prompting law enforcement to be on high alert regarding the threat of foreign adversary operatives conducting an attack on U.S. soil, with thousands of Iranian nationals previously crossing over the border. “Because of the open borders, we are at a serious catch-up phase,” Former FBI assistant director Chris Swecker told Fox News Digital. “We don’t know where those thousand Iranians are and who knows how many others got across the border. We missed an opportunity when they caught and released those thousand. We missed the opportunity to gather intel by interviewing them and thoroughly vetting them. We just simply let them go, which is gross negligence on the part of the Biden administration.” The possibility of foreign cells carrying out a domestic terror plot was pushed into the national spotlight last year after federal prosecutors announced a member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and two U.S.-nationals were arrested for allegedly plotting to murder then-President-elect Trump and a U.S. citizen critical of the Iranian regime. Fox News Digital’s Julia Bonavita, Danielle Wallace and Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
FACT CHECK: Did US military jets use Indian airspace to launch attacks on Iran? Government says…
India has rejected as “fake” claims by certain social media handles that the US fighter jets used Indian airspace to launch strikes against Iran. The US bombed three nuclear sites in Iran overnight, with President Donald Trump warning of additional strikes if Iran retaliates. Read on to know more.
Trump slams Republican Massie as ‘not MAGA’ following congressman’s criticism of Iran strikes
President Donald Trump slammed Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on social media, calling him a “LOSER” after the legislator posted a string of social media posts criticizing the president for bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities on Saturday night. Massie said on X that Trump’s actions were “not constitutional.” “When two countries are bombing each other daily in a hot war, and a third country joins the bombing, that’s an act of war,” Massie said in another post. “I’m amazed at the mental gymnastics being undertaken by neocons in D.C. (and their social media bots) to say we aren’t at war … so they can make war.” FAR LEFT, ANTI-ISRAEL VOICES DECRY TRUMP IRAN STRIKE, DISMISS IDEA HE’S ‘ANTIWAR PRESIDENT’ In another post, Massie responded to Speaker Mike Johnson’s post in which he defended Trump’s actions and said leaders in Congress were aware of the urgency of the situation — though “imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act.” “Why didn’t you call us back from vacation to vote on military action if there was a serious threat to our country?” Massie said in response to Johnson’s post. Massie’s words caught Trump’s attention. On Sunday, the president aimed some words back toward the representative. “Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is not MAGA, even though he likes to say he is. Actually, MAGA doesn’t want him, doesn’t know him, and doesn’t respect him,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. TRUMP EARNS BIPARTISAN PRAISE FOR DECISIVE ACTION AGAINST IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM “He is a negative force who almost always votes ‘NO,’ no matter how good something may be. He’s a simple-minded ‘grandstander’ who thinks it’s good politics for Iran to have the highest level Nuclear weapon, while at the same time yelling ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ at every chance they get.” The president restated his case for bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying Iran has “killed and maimed” thousands of Americans — and under the Jimmy Carter administration, even took over the American Embassy in Tehran. “We had a spectacular military success yesterday, taking the ‘bomb’ right out of their hands (and they would use it if they could!) but, as usual, and despite all of the praise and accolades received, this ‘lightweight’ Congressman is against what was so brilliantly achieved last night in Iran,” Trump wrote. ‘NOT CONSTITUTIONAL’: CONGRESS EVOKES NEW WAR POWERS RESOLUTION TO REJECT TRUMP’S STRIKES ON IRAN “Massie is weak, ineffective, and votes ‘NO’ on virtually everything put before him (Rand Paul Jr.), no matter how good something may be,” the president added. Trump also accused Massie of being “disrespectful” to the military and suggested he “drop his fake act” and put America first. “MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague!” Trump said. “The good news is that we will have a wonderful American Patriot running against him in the Republican Primary, and I’ll be out in Kentucky campaigning really hard. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “MAGA is not about lazy, grandstanding, nonproductive politicians, of which Thomas Massie is definitely one,” Trump continued. “Thank you to our incredible military for the AMAZING job they did last night. It was really SPECIAL!!! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” Fox News Digital reached out to Massie’s office for comment on the matter.
Thomas Massie says he feels ‘misled’ by Trump after Iran strikes: ‘He’s engaged in war’
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Thomas Massie is accusing President Donald Trump of falling short of his campaign pledges with his Saturday night strikes on Iran. “I feel a bit misled,” Massie told Fox News Digital in a Sunday afternoon interview. “I didn’t think he would let neocons determine his foreign policy and drag us into another war.” “Other people feel the same way, who supported Trump — I think the political danger to him is he induces a degree of apathy in the Republican base, and they fail to show up to keep us in the majority in the midterms.” Massie, a conservative libertarian who has long been wary of foreign intervention by the U.S., has been one of the most vocal critics of the Trump administration’s recent operation. RUBIO DECLARES IRAN’S DAYS OF ‘PLAYING THE WORLD’ OVER AFTER TRUMP’S DECISIVE STRIKE U.S. stealth bombers struck three major nuclear enrichment facilities in Iran Saturday night. Trump and other GOP leaders hailed the operation as a victory, while even pro-Israel Democrats also offered rare praise. “Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Trump said Saturday night. “And Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not. future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.” But progressives and the growing isolationist wing of the GOP blasted it as a needless escalation of tensions in the Middle East, at a time when Israel has been engaged in a weeklong conflict with Iran as well. Top officials up to Trump himself have said the U.S. is not seeking war with Iran. Vice President JD Vance told NBC News’ “Meet The Press” Sunday, “We’re not at war with Iran. We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program.” Massie told Fox News Digital those assurances were “ludicrous.” DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS CRITICIZE ISRAEL’S DEFENSIVE STRIKES AGAINST IRAN’S NUCLEAR SITES “He’s engaged in war. We are now a co-belligerent in a hot war between two countries,” the Kentucky Republican said, arguing that conflict separates this action from Trump’s strikes that killed deceased Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. “You can’t say this isn’t an act of war, that it’s a strike outside of a war,” he said. “This is inside, geographically and temporally, of a war.” The Kentucky Republican notably has broken from Trump on several other occasions, and has been one of the few GOP officials to openly clash with the president — particularly on government spending and foreign intervention. He’s co-leading a resolution to prevent the “United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran” alongside Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., which they introduced days before the strikes. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., is leading a Senate counterpart. Massie noted his team was looking at ways to get the resolution on the House floor — while conceding likely opposition from pro-Israel groups and congressional leaders. “We’re going to try to use the privileges of the House to get this to the floor,” he said. “People were saying, ‘Why did you introduce this resolution? The president’s not going to strike Iran.’ He has struck Iran. And now the the naysayers said, ‘Oh, well, you don’t need this resolution.” ISRAEL-IRAN WAR DIVIDES DEMOCRATS, BUT TRUMP’S DIPLOMACY ALSO SPLITTING REPUBLICANS Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Sunday morning press conference that the administration properly notified Congress about the strikes within existing statute — even as progressives and some conservatives accuse him of bypassing a co-equal branch of government. “They were notified after the planes were safely out,” Hegseth said. “We complied with the notification requirements of the War Powers Act.” But Massie noted that the same War Powers Act also requires Congress to vote on U.S. military intervention in foreign countries within 60 days, if the conflict continues. “Even if they’re able to circumvent a vote on the resolution that Ro Khanna and I have introduced, we’re going to have to vote at some point if this becomes a protracted engagement,” he said. War powers resolutions can be called up for a House vote after 15 days of inaction by the relevant committee, after the legislation is referred to that committee. When reached for comment, the White House pointed Fox News Digital to Trump’s most recent Truth Social post calling Massie a “grandstander” and threatening to recruit a primary challenger against him. “Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is not MAGA, even though he likes to say he is,” Trump wrote. “Actually, MAGA doesn’t want him, doesn’t know him, and doesn’t respect him. He is a negative force who almost always Votes ‘NO,’ no matter how good something may be.” “MAGA should drop this pathetic LOSER, Tom Massie, like the plague! The good news is that we will have a wonderful American Patriot running against him in the Republican Primary, and I’ll be out in Kentucky campaigning really hard. MAGA is not about lazy, grandstanding, nonproductive politicians, of which Thomas Massie is definitely one. Thank you to our incredible military for the AMAZING job they did last night. It was really SPECIAL!!!” Fox News Digital also reached out to Speaker Mike Johnson’s office for comment.
JD Vance says Iranian nuclear program ‘substantially’ set back after ‘precise, surgical’ US strikes
Vice President JD Vance said Sunday that America “is not at war with Iran,” but rather is at war with the Iranian nuclear program, which was “substantially” set back by U.S. strikes. In an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Vance praised President Donald Trump’s “decisive action to destroy the program” and expressed an “incredible amount of gratitude” to the U.S. troops, who, he says, flew thousands of miles on a 30-hour non-stop flight, “never touched down on the ground” and dropped a 30,000-pound bomb “on a target about the size of a washing machine.” “No military in the world has the training, the skills, and the equipment to do what these guys did last night,” Vance said. “I know the president and I are both very proud of them, and I think what they did was accomplish a very core American national objective. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapons program. The president’s been very clear about this, and thanks to the bravery and competence and skill of our great pilots and everybody who supported this mission, we took a major step forward for that national objective last night.” Vance was hesitant to disclose too much sensitive information about the mission, which reportedly involved 125 aircraft. THE MISSING MULLAH: IRAN’S ‘SUPREME LEADER’ A NO-SHOW FOR NEGOTIATIONS, THEN HID AS US POUNDED NUKE SITES ABC’s Jonathan Karl asked the vice president, “Can you say definitively that Iran’s nuclear program has now been destroyed?” “I don’t want to get into sensitive intelligence here, but we know that we set the Iranian nuclear program back substantially last night. Whether it’s years or beyond that, we know it’s going to be a very long time before Iran can even build a nuclear weapon if they want to,” Vance said. Pressed on the extent of the damage, the vice president again declined to disclose sensitive intelligence but added, “I feel extremely confident, and I can say to the American people with great confidence that they are much further away from a nuclear program today than they were 24 hours ago.” “That was the objective of the mission – to destroy that Fordow nuclear site – and, of course, do some damage to the other sites as well,” he said. “But we feel very confident that the Fordow nuclear site was substantially set back and that was our goal.” Vance separately told NBC’s “Meet The Press” that the U.S. had engaged in a diplomatic process with the Iranians to no avail until around mid-May when Trump then “decided to issue some private ultimatums to the Iranians.” ISRAEL RECOVERS REMAINS OF THREE MORE BODIES “My message to the Iranians is it would be the stupidest thing in the world,” Vance said about potential retaliation after the U.S. strikes. “If you look at what happened last night, we had an incredibly targeted, precise surgical strike on the nuclear facilities that are the target of the American operation. Our national interest is for Iran to not get a nuclear weapon. Our strikes last night facilitated that national objective. If the Iranians want to enlarge this by attacking American troops, I think that would be a catastrophic mistake.” Vance reiterated how Trump mentioned in his late Saturday night address from the White House that the United States wants Iran to give up their nuclear program peacefully – but allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon remains off the table. “There is no way that the United States is going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon. And so they really have to choose a pathway,” Vance told ABC. “Are they going to go down the path of continued war, of funding terrorism, of seeking a nuclear weapons? Or are they going work with us to give up nuclear weapons permanently? If they’re willing to choose the smart path, they’re certainly going to find a willing partner in the United States to dismantle that nuclear weapons program.” He also issued a warning. “But if they decide they’re going to attack our troops, if they decide they’re going to continue to try to build a nuclear weapon. Then we are going to respond to that with overwhelming force. So really, what happens next is up to the Iranians.” Trump warned Saturday that “any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.” The U.S. military carried out “massive precision strikes” on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan,” which Trump said for years carried on a “horribly destructive enterprise” and have now been “completely and totally obliterated.”