1. What are we to make of Saturday night’s destruction of the three Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan?
Trump and the U.S. military took a great risk and succeeded in astounding fashion. Operationally, the destruction of the nuclear sites seems to have gone perfectly, in contrast to a long history of America’s Middle East debacles from the failed 1980 Carter rescue mission to the 2021 flight from Kabul.
What we know about the Iran-Israel ceasefire
Donald Trump has warned Israel against launching further attacks on Iran, hours after he said a ceasefire between the two sides had taken effect.
The US president used an expletive as he criticised both sides, after each accused the other of breaking the US and Qatar-brokered truce.
It came after Israel said Iran had violated the deal and vowed to respond with “powerful strikes”.
BREAKING—PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUES WARNING TO ISRAEL, DIRECTING THEM TO STOP ATTACKING IRAN:
“Israel. do not drop those bombs. If you do it is a major violation. Bring your pilots home, now! Donald J. Trump, President of the United States” pic.twitter.com/hWTZeJEwWc
— Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) June 24, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump criticized both Iran and Israel for what he said were violations of a ceasefire between the two adversaries in the hours after he announced the truce would go into force. Content warning: profanity pic.twitter.com/KAZh2WgLN5
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 24, 2025
US President Donald Trump announced late on Monday night that a ceasefire has been reached between Israel and Iran and will enter into effect at 7 a.m. Israel time.
Trump said that Iran will immediately cease attacks and Israel will join the ceasefire on the 12th hour of the agreement. On the 24th hour, both sides will reportedly accept an end to the 12-day war.
Will it last? H/T David Martin
Despite seemingly intensifying attacks by Israel on Iran and the dramatic US bombing of three nuclear sites, defense sources told The Jerusalem Post on Monday night that Jerusalem intends to wrap up the war against Tehran “in the coming days.”
The Carney government largely failed to help Canadian citizens safely and quickly exit Israel as Iran began its deadly bombardment of civilian areas late last week, according to two evacuees.
Two Canadians who spent several days sheltering intermittently in bomb shelters say they found safe passage via Birthright, an organization that brings members of the Jewish diaspora to Israel on a 10-day sponsored trip to learn more about the country.
Iran’s parliament has voted to close the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping channel through which around 20% of the world’s daily oil flows.
The move, which could block $1 billion in oil shipments per day, is likely to send oil prices soaring.
It will come into effect pending a final decision by Iran’s Supreme Council.
‘Return immediately to the negotiating table’: Mark Carney on Iran strikes
In the aftermath of U.S. strikes on Iran Saturday night, Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for parties to “return immediately to the negotiating table,” and for de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.
The US military dropped six “bunker buster” bombs on Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment plant Saturday night — with President Trump declaring the facility hidden beneath a mountain “is gone.”
Trump announced the airstrikes days after Israel initiated extensive attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and military.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space,” Trump posted on Truth Social just before 8 p.m. Saturday — marking the first-ever US strike on Iranian territory.
DM: US bombs three nuclear sites in Iran including key Fordow bunker as Trump hails ‘very successful attack’: Live updates
President Donald J. Trump Delivers Address to the Nation, June 21, 2025 https://t.co/yutRDvtWv0
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 22, 2025
When I finished reading Left Behind, I was fully convinced of the central role Israel played in God’s plan for the nations. I was only 15 years old, but my imagination had been captured. Israel, in my mind, was the ticking clock of prophecy. To question this was to question God Himself.
Fast forward 23 years.
A concise explanation of a contentious topic concerning Israel and Protestantism.
I asked Grok …. What is the Catholic Church’s view of Israel? Is it dispensationalist?
The Catholic Church’s view of Israel is rooted in its theological understanding of salvation history, the covenant, and the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. It is not dispensationalist, as dispensationalism is a Protestant theological framework that the Catholic Church does not endorse.
Israel’s war with Iran has temporarily delayed a reckoning with some of its main Western allies, but seems unlikely to close what has become a yawning gap between them over its conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.
“The relationship’s not in great shape,” said former Canadian ambassador to Israel Jon Allen. “Frankly, it shouldn’t be.”
The gulf between the Canadian and Israeli governments widened further on June 12 as the Carney government took a firmer position against Israel’s war in Gaza than its predecessor, voting for a UN motion similar to one that the Trudeau government had abstained on in September.
Several television broadcasts in Iran are apparently hacked with pictures and calls on the public to rise up and take to the streets in protest against the government.
Hackers reportedly breached Iranian TV, airing a call for people to take to the streets. pic.twitter.com/njp7SIv0Et
— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 18, 2025
The only option for the Islamists is to all move to Russia. No turning back. https://t.co/dXdYK5PPpC
— Mahyar Tousi (@MahyarTousi) June 15, 2025
BREAKING: UPRISING IGNITES INSIDE IRAN
Armed clashes. Seized military posts. Blackouts in Tehran.What the media won’t tell you:
A full-scale rebellion is erupting across Iran—and it’s not just protests anymore.
Reports say Revolutionary Guard HQs have been overrun.… pic.twitter.com/VtuzdYIwXk— Jim Ferguson (@JimFergusonUK) June 17, 2025
More … Ayatollah Tells Trump “We Will Never Surrender” In Televised Speech To Nation
It’s very difficult to know the truth of the Iranian people openly rebelling against the Mullah regime.
The Mullahs are well protected by the IRGC but if Syria is any indication their fall may be slow at first then all at once.
h/t Mauser, Hermes, patthedog, and XC
Iran bluntly threatened the US on Wednesday that any involvement in its conflict with Israel would trigger an “all-out war” — as Tehran reportedly started prepping missiles for retaliatory strikes on American bases.
“Any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei warned in an interview with Al Jazeera.
The foreign ministry spokesman stopped short of elaborating, but thousands of American troops are based in nearby countries within range of Iran’s weapons
JUST IN: Trump says the AYATOLLAH can RUN but he can’t HIDE.
ISRAEL is BEGGING the U.S. to drop the MASSIVE PENETRATOR on Iran’s NUCLEAR sites.
Tehran says if we do, it’ll go BERSERK on us.
Trump has a BIG decision to make, and it will be his MOST CONSEQUENTIAL decision. pic.twitter.com/HSHdNnAcd3
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) June 18, 2025
The Israeli hope is for ordinary Iranians to rise up against a regime in disarray and free the Iranian people once and for all
The clue is in the name of Israel’s operation. “Operation Rising Lion” is a direct reference to the Pahlavi flag which shows a lion standing proud against the backdrop of a glowing orb, the sun. In Persian this is called the “Shir-e Khorshid.” For many years now, Netanyahu has sought to speak directly to Iranians, attempting to transcend the Islamic Republic, and to present himself as the savior of the Iranian people. These ongoing strikes are simply a continuation of this policy, and Israel’s determination to avoid civilian casualties (something we’ve not seen in Gaza) feeds into its desire for an anti-regime uprising caused by elite splits and popular rage.
Wishful thinking? Iranians are likely gun-shy. Obama turned a blind eye to previous anti-regime efforts.
JUST IN: The streets of Tehran, Iran are absolutely DESERTED after President Trump sent a warning to “EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY”
Holy crap.
They’re taking Trump VERY seriously. pic.twitter.com/jR1YKT0qNH
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 17, 2025
The Trump administration has begun sending warning flares to Iran that might equal some in Tehran’s skyline these days about their future if they do not give up their nuclear ambitions. First, Donald Trump himself took a cease-fire off the table while Iran refuses to concede. Now J.D. Vance has followed that up with a stark warning of American intervention.
JUST IN: President Trump calls for “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” from Iran, tells the Supreme Leader “we know exactly where you’re hiding.”
The threats are ramping up.
GET TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE NOW, IRAN! pic.twitter.com/tF6pAXpiCT
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 17, 2025
Israeli air and drone strikes during the early hours of June 13th crippled Iran — and severely set back Tehran’s regional ambitions. The Israel Defense Forces hit nuclear weapons development facilities and ballistic missile sites, and killed senior military officers, including Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the armed forces chief of staff, and Major General Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iranian media announced the death of Ali Shamkhani, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s top adviser.
