Misdirection and ‘deception’ likely key in Trump admin’s surprise Iran strike
Potential misdirection likely served a key role in the Trump administration’s successful strikes on a trio of Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday evening, which were abruptly announced by President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post just days after he said his decision on Iran would unfold within the next two weeks. “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump said on Truth Social on Saturday evening. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow.” Trump’s surprise announcement came with no media leaks ahead of time, and followed White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announcing on Thursday during a press briefing that Trump would make a decision on potentially striking Iran within a two-week time period as opposed to an imminent decision. “I have a message directly from the president, and I quote, ‘based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,’” Leavitt said at a White House press briefing on Thursday, quoting Trump. TRUMP SAYS ISRAEL’S NEXT IRAN ATTACK WILL BE EVEN MORE BRUTAL: ‘MAKE A DEAL’ Ahead of the strikes on Saturday evening, six B-2 stealth bombers from an Air Force base in Missouri appeared to be en route to a U.S. Air Force base in Guam, U.S. officials confirmed to Fox News on Saturday. Fox New’s Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin said during an appearance Saturday evening as news broke of the strikes that reports of the bombers were likely part of the “misleading tidbits put out there to suggest that maybe President Trump had had put off the decision.” TRUMP FACES CRITICAL DECISION AS MIDDLE EAST TEETERS ON BRINK OF WAR “Those six B-2 bombers that were heading west towards Guam, they would not have made it to Iran in time to take part in this strike. So, that suggests to me that there was an additional B-1 package that perhaps flew eastward from Whiteman Air Force Base. Again, this was all part of the deception. There was a great deal of sort of misleading tidbits put out there to suggest that maybe President Trump had put off the decision and that this would happen two weeks from now.” She said this while speaking with Fox News’ Bret Baier on Saturday evening. “But as we knew, there were other indications, and we did not report earlier this week, even though we knew that Whiteman Air Force Base had put out a notice suggesting that the base was closed for so-called repairs until Monday, June 23. Now, if you look at the timeframe of where we are right now, those B-2s would be home at Whiteman by the time that notice and that would be lifted on Monday, June 23. So, that was put out a week ago, and so we should have had some clue that this might have been some indication of the time frame,” Griffin added. Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson added on Saturday:”Everyone woke up this morning to chatter about these six B-2 bombers flying West over the Pacific, refueling over Hawaii at about 11pm.But it’s clear now that those were decoys and that another flight of B-2s flew east, likely three of them.” TRUMP WEIGHS STRIKING IRANIAN NUCLEAR FACILITIES: ‘I MAY DO IT, I MAY NOT DO IT’ Trump said in his Truth Social post he will address the nation at 10 p.m. ET to provide details on the strikes. “I will be giving an Address to the Nation at 10:00 P.M., at the White House, regarding our very successful military operation in Iran. This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!” Israel launched pre-emptive strikes on Iran on June 12 after months of attempted and stalled nuclear negotiations and subsequent heightened concern that Iran was advancing its nuclear program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared soon afterward that the strikes were necessary to “roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.” He added that if Israel had not acted, “Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time.” Dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” the strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure and killed a handful of senior Iranian military leaders. ISRAEL LAUNCHES SWEEPING STRIKE ON IRAN WHILE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SEEKS DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION Trump has repeatedly urged Iran to make a deal on its nuclear program before striking its nuclear facilities, but the country pulled out of ongoing talks with the U.S. scheduled for June 15 in Oman and refused to return to the table in the days following. “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign,” Trump posted to Truth Social Monday evening, when he abruptly left an ongoing G-7 summit in Canada to better focus on the Israel–Iran conflict. “What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Trump receives mixed support from Congress for Iran strikes as war powers debate rages
Most Republicans are willing to give great deference to President Donald Trump to strike Iran — without Congressional authorization to hit inside sovereign territory inside another country. There are some concerns that the President’s aggressive action could peel off some pro-MAGA supporters — simply because Trump campaigned against getting involved in overseas conflicts. There are also divisions among Democrats. Pro-Israel Democrats have been calling for the US to strike Iran because of the threat it poses to Israel. TRUMP DECLARES ‘VERY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK’ ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AS US FORCES STRIKE 3 KEY SITES Regardless, lawmakers from both sides are concerned about retaliation from Iran and its proxies. Even possible strikes in the U.S. from sleeper cells. Members of Congress will want to understand what risks lie ahead for the US as it infuses itself into this conflict — and what battle plans lie ahead. Expect a Senate-wide briefing on Iran to come Tuesday. ISRAEL SAYS IT KILLED IRANIAN COMMANDER WHO HELPED FUND, ARM HAMAS Now the question is what else the U.S. may need to do. Will Congress feel it needs to authorize further action against Iran, under the “war powers” provision in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution? CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., have a resolution to ban the U.S. from getting involved in Iran. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., will force a vote Thursday or Friday in the Senate on whether the U.S. should be involved overseas at all.
Trump declares ‘very successful attack’ on Iran’s nuclear program as US forces strike 3 key sites
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social Saturday that U.S. forces have successfully launched attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and [Isfahan],” Trump wrote in the post. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space.” B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS APPEAR TO BE ON THE MOVE HOURS BEFORE TRUMP EXPECTED AT WHITE HOUSE The president said a “full payload of BOMBS” was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. Fox News host Sean Hannity said he spoke with Trump and six bunker busters were used on Fordow. They were dropped by American B-2 stealth bombers. All planes are safely on their way home, according to Trump. President Trump reposted a screenshot of Open Source Intel announcing, “Fordow is gone.” Fordow, Iran’s main underground enrichment site, was difficult for the Israeli Army to destroy due to its location, leading to requests for the U.S. to use its B-2 stealth bombers and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs. ISRAEL WEIGHS OPTIONS TO DESTROY FORDOW IF IT HAS TO GO IT ALONE WITHOUT HELP FROM THE US Fox News Digital on Saturday morning reported six B-2 stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri appeared to be on their way to a U.S. Air Force base in Guam. The bombers reportedly refueled after taking off from Missouri, suggesting they launched without full fuel tanks due to the weight of carrying bunker-buster bombs — which only the U.S. has. “Congratulations to our great American Warriors,” he wrote. “There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.” This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Fox News Digital’s Lucas Y. Tomlinson and Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
Mahmoud Khalil vows to continue to ‘speak up for Palestine’ after release
Former Columbia University student was released from a detention centre on Friday after being held for more than three months. Former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil has pledged to continue protesting Israel’s war on Gaza, as well as the United States’s support for Israel’s military operations. Khalil, who was released on Friday night after being detained for more than three months at a detention centre, told reporters at New Jersey’s Newark International Airport on Saturday that the government was funding “this [Gaza] genocide, and Columbia University is investing in this genocide”. “This is why I will continue to protest with every one of you. Not only if they threaten me with detention. Even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Palestine,” he said. “Whether you are a citizen, an immigrant, anyone in this land, you’re not illegal. That doesn’t make you less of a human.” Born in Syria to Palestinian parents, Khalil, 30, was arrested by immigration agents at his university residence in March and swiftly became the image for President Donald Trump’s harsh crackdown on pro-Palestine student protesters and their possible deportation in the name of alleged anti-Semitism. The government has claimed that the grounds to detain and deport Khalil, a legal US citizen, were that there were inaccuracies in his application for permanent residency. But District Judge Michael Farbiarz said it was “highly, highly unusual” for the government to continue detaining a legal US resident who was unlikely to flee and had not been accused of any violence. Under the terms of his release, Khalil is not allowed to leave the country except for “self-deportation” and faces restrictions on where he can go in the US. Advertisement The government condemned the decision to release Khalil and filed a notice that it was appealing the decision. Adblock test (Why?)
What is the cost of the war between Israel and Iran?
Continuing strikes from both countries are draining their economies. Israel and Iran are in the second week of the conflict. As well as inflicting damage, both countries are putting their economies under strain. Israel has spent billions of dollars on its war on Gaza and has upped its spending considerably with its largely air-based attacks on Iran. Iran was already struggling with the years of sanctions and now its oil and gas facilities are being hit. So can the two nations sustain the conflict? Which is likely to be worst affected? And will the conflict eventually damage the global economy? Presenter: Neave Barker Guests: Aly-Khan Satchu – Geoeconomic analyst and investor Eyal Winter – Professor of economics at the Hebrew University and Lancaster University Nader Habibi – Professor of practice in the economics of the Middle East at Brandeis University Adblock test (Why?)
The Netherlands returns 119 stolen sculptures to Nigeria
The Benin Bronzes were artefacts stolen during the UK’s imperial plunder of Benin, modern-day southern Nigeria. The Netherlands has officially handed back 119 ancient sculptures stolen from the former Nigerian kingdom of Benin more than 120 years ago during the colonial era. Olugbile Holloway, director-general of Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments, said on Saturday that the artefacts were the “embodiments of the spirit and identity of the people from which they were taken from”. “All we ask of the world is to treat us with fairness, dignity and respect,” he said at a ceremony held at the National Museum in Lagos. Holloway added that Germany had also agreed to return more than 1,000 additional pieces. The artefacts, known as the Benin Bronzes, are the latest return of precious history to Africa as pressure increases on Western governments to return items taken during imperialism. Four of the artefacts are on display in the museum’s courtyard and will remain in the museum’s permanent collection, while the others will be returned to the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II – the traditional ruler of the Kingdom of Benin in southern Nigeria. The Benin Bronzes include metal and ivory sculptures dating back to the 16th to 18th centuries. The items were stolen in 1897 when British forces, under the command of Sir Henry Rawson, ransacked the Benin kingdom – modern-day southern Nigeria – and forced Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, the monarch at the time, into a six-month exile. In 2022, Nigeria formally requested the return of hundreds of objects from museums worldwide. In the same year, about 72 objects were returned from a museum in London, and 31 were returned from Rhode Island in the United States. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
New insight into Texas family detention reveals adults fighting kids for clean water
A motion filed Friday reveals details about the conditions some immigrant families face at detention centers in Texas.
Trump demands special prosecutor investigate ‘stolen’ 2020 election, loss to Biden
President Donald Trump has called for a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate the 2020 presidential election, which he has long maintained was rigged against him and in favor of Joe Biden. In a fiery Truth Social post Friday, Trump praised his administration for cutting border crossings to zero in May compared to the Biden administration, which oversaw the release of 62,000 migrants into the country during the same time last year. Trump said it was incomprehensible a president could oversee such an influx of illegal immigration and then took aim at the 2020 election. “Zero Border crossings for the month for TRUMP, verses 60,000 for Sleepy, Crooked Joe Biden, a man who lost the 2020 Presidential Election by a “LANDSLIDE!” Trump wrote. “Biden was grossly incompetent and the 2020 election was a total FRAUD! The evidence is MASSIVE and OVERWHELMING. A Special Prosecutor must be appointed.” Trump has argued for years that a series of alleged misdeeds led to Joe Biden’s 2020 victory. In the lead-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, certification of the Electoral College results, several pro-Trump marches were held, culminating in a violent riot at the U.S. Capitol. TWO MEN CONVICTED IN PENNSYLVANIA MAYORAL RACE ELECTION FRAUD CASE HIT WITH HARSHER SENTENCES THAN EXPECTED Trump and his supporters failed to convince Vice President Mike Pence to delay the certification by sending the results back to key battleground states’ legislatures to allow for further investigation or the consideration of alternate slates of electors. Pence rejected the demands, arguing that the Constitution did not give the vice president authority to decide which electoral votes to count. Trump and his allies filed dozens of lawsuits challenging the results in various states. Most lawsuits failed due to what judges determined was a lack of standing or insufficient evidence. Biden secured 306 electoral votes with 81.2 million votes compared to Trump’s 232 electoral votes and 74.2 million votes. RED STATE AG INVESTIGATING MORE THAN 30 POTENTIAL NONCITIZENS WHO VOTED IN 2024 ELECTION The president has made a variety of claims to support his assertion that the 2020 election was “stolen.” Trump has argued that ballot harvesting “mules” deposited ballots at late-night ballot drops after deadlines in key swing states. He made the claims central to his 2024 re-election bid, often using the slogan “too big to rig” to urge supporters to turn out in force and overcome what he described as a rigged or unfair system. “This cannot be allowed to happen again in the United States of America!” Trump said in the post Friday. “Let the work begin! What this Crooked man, and his CORRUPT CRONIES, have done to our Country in 4 years, is grossly indescribable! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump’s attorney general in 2020, Bill Barr, said there no was evidence of fraud that could have affected the outcome, and the Department of Homeland Security’s cybersecurity arm pronounced the election “the most secure in American history.” It was unclear who Trump had in mind for a special prosecutor, but in the event Attorney General Pam Bondi heeds his call, she may face pressure to appoint someone who has already been confirmed by the Senate. The Justice Department in recent years has appointed a succession of special counsels — sometimes, though not always, plucked from outside the agency — to lead investigations into politically sensitive matters, including conduct by Biden and by Trump. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom challenges Vice President JD Vance to debate: ‘How about saying it to my face?’
California Gov. Gavin Newsom challenged Vice President JD Vance to face off in a debate. “Hey @JDVance — nice of you to finally make it out to California. Since you’re so eager to talk about me, how about saying it to my face? Let’s debate. Time and place?” the Democratic governor said in a Friday post on his @GavinNewsom X account. So far, the vice president has not replied on the social media platform to Newsom’s challenge. JD VANCE RAILS AGAINST NEWSOM, LA MAYOR FOR DECLARING ‘OPEN SEASON ON FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT’ Fox News Digital reached out to Vance’s press team on Saturday, but did not receive a response by the time of publication. The vice president lambasted the Golden State governor and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass while delivering remarks in Los Angeles on Friday. Vance said that the governor “is endangering law enforcement,” adding, “The law enforcement officials themselves tell me as much.” Newsom communications director Izzy Gardon pushed back, calling Vance “a liar” in an email to Fox News Digital on Saturday. “Jose Vance is a liar. The Vice President’s claim is categorically false. There is no evidence to support his made-up claim — and we challenge him to produce any. The Governor has consistently condemned violence, including against law enforcement officers, and has made his stance clear over and over again. Here are at least a dozen examples,” Gardon wrote, providing a list of more than a dozen links to posts on the @CAgovernor X account. One of the posts reads, “Los Angeles: don’t take Trump’s bait. Trump wants chaos and he’s instigated violence. Those who assault law enforcement or cause property damage will risk arrest. Stay peaceful. Stay focused. Don’t give him the excuse he’s looking for.” Gardon’s reference to “Jose Vance” seems to be a play on Vance’s comment about “Jose Padilla” on Friday when apparently referring to U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif. “He knows my name,” Padilla said during remarks Saturday on MSNBC, calling Vance’s jab an “indicator of how petty and unserious this administration is.”
Days after Air India plane crash, Chennai-bound IndiGo flight with 168 passengers issues ‘Mayday’ call due to…; diverted to Bengaluru
An IndiGo flight from Guwahati to Chennai, with 168 passengers aboard, made an emergency landing at the Bengaluru international airport on Thursday after the captain gave a ‘Mayday’ call. Mayday is a distress call issued by aircraft, indicating a life-threatening situation. Read on to know more.