Vice President JD Vance appears on Fox News with Bret Baier to discuss the ceasefire and peace plan between Iran and Israel. Vice President Vance notes the entire Middle-East wanted to deal with the Iranian issue and were appreciative of President Donald Trump dealing with the issue. WATCH:
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President Trump has responded with a “thank you” to Iran for their forewarned retaliation; noting he will “enthusiastically encourage” Israel to seek peace now. Via Truth Social:
PRESIDENT TRUMP – “Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered. There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was “set free,” because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their “system,” and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” (source)
PRESIDENT TRUMP – “I’d like to thank the Highly Respected Emir of Qatar for all that he has done in seeking Peace for the Region. Regarding the attack today at the American Base in Qatar, I am pleased to report that, in addition to no Americans being killed or wounded, very importantly, there have also been no Qataris killed or wounded. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” (source)
A few surface points. The time of day, just after 8pm local reflects an “attack” intended to be intercepted, reviewed and assessed. The target U.S. base in Qatar, an intermediary and friendly geopolitical ally to Iran, reflects coordination to give optics of retaliation in name only. No doubt Iran coordinated this retaliatory strike with Qatar. The scale, 6 easily intercepted missiles.
In summary, a response from Iran intended for domestic consumption to give/save regional face for Persians.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards, in an official statement:
In response to the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, we carried out a powerful and devastating missile strike against a strategic asset – the largest American airbase in the Middle East. Any repetition of U.S. aggression will accelerate the collapse of the American military establishment in the region.
Qatar condemns the puff-n-bluster ballistic missile attack by Iran on U.S. Al Udeid Air Base, adding that all of the missiles were intercepted and that there are no reported injuries so far. If Iran does it again, they will be met with a more strongly worded letter.
In return Iran’s top security body tells Qatar: “THIS ACTION DOES NOT POSE ANY THREAT TO ‘OUR FRIENDLY AND BROTHERLY’ NEIGHBOUR QATAR”
Iran’s military claimed it had carried out a “devastating and powerful” missile attack on the Al Udeid U.S. military base in Doha, but Qatar said the missiles were intercepted. Qatari officials said the nation reserves the right to respond directly and in accordance with international law after Iran tried to strike the base.
Jonathan Karl is not known for his pragmatic pontification, however in the framework of what comes next following the U.S. bombing of Iran, he’s correct. The next move is entirely up to Iran, and for the moment that puts the decision to escalate outside the control of President Trump.
As Karl outlines, President Trump was adamant the strikes against the Iranian nuclear sites were “one and done.” However, the underlying consideration in the background was the contingency planning for what comes next. As Karl accurately notes, this puts the power of escalation in the hands of Iran. If Iran strikes U.S. military facilities, President Trump will be pulled into a larger military response, and so – the potential for the escalation spiral begins.
ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl spoke to President Donald Trump about what he hopes these attacks on Iran will accomplish. WATCH:
I think most agree that we do not want to see Iran gaining nuclear weapons power. However, most Americans also do not want to get pulled into a protracted conflict in the middle east again. It is a tenuous moment.
There are many critical interviews today that will be highlighted. We are at an important geopolitical inflection point with multiple consequences amid each chosen path.
The bombing of Iran has united the neocon pro-war groups within the Senate and legislative branch (pro-Ukraine, Pro-Israel) which may assist President Trump’s primary objective to get the Big Beautiful Bill over the finish line. That can be a big short-term strategic benefit, if the operational strikes on Iran do not escalate into a regional conflict.
That said, Secretary of State/National Security Advisor Marco Rubio is the principal person to watch as President Trump’s geopolitical agenda is carried out. Here he is talking to CFR Maria Bartiromo in his first comments after the strike took place. “No regime change” but the era of “playing games” is over. WATCH:
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Multiple media reports are now outlining the movement of U.S. B-2 Stealth Bombers amid the possibility of strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. However, despite what many media outlets might narrate, there is no way to determine the intent of the movements until some type of action actually takes place. It is all supposition.
The media are giddy with excitement.
Daily Mail – Deadly stealth bombers, which only the US has in their arsenal, are on their way to a US Air Force base in Guam amid growing tensions with Iran, according to reports.
Six B-2 stealth bombers, docked at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, appeared to be on the move on Saturday morning, according to Fox News.
The bombers are said to have been refueled, which means they could have launched without full tanks due to the extraordinarily heavy bunker-buster bombs.
President Trump holds an impromptu press conference from the airport in Morristown, New Jersey. After making a few announcements about peace between Congo and Rwanda, President Trump took questions from the assembled press pool.
As we have mentioned before, there is a transparent effort by the mainstream media and their aligned allies in the intelligence bureaucracy to get DNI Tulsi Gabbard removed. President Trump is again questioned about Gabbard’s statements from March where she repeated an Intelligence Community assessment that Iran was not currently building a nuclear weapon. President Trump accepts the misleading question and responds by saying, “she’s wrong.”
President Trump’s admonishment of the manufactured statement is then amplified by the Israel-First group, which includes Laura Loomer and Mark Levin, both ‘influencers’ hoping to see Tulsi Gabbard removed, and replaced with a more pro-Israel, pro-war intelligence head. Watching this unfold is quite remarkable.
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The White House is now saying Iran has everything they need to build a nuclear weapon, the only remaining factor is when to assemble it. “Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that.”
Press Secretary Leavitt then announced President Trump will make the decision to conduct U.S. military strikes within two weeks. “Based on the fact that there is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place in the near future, I will make my decision of whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.
Remember, President Trump proactively defused any reactionary Russian response by talking directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to the eruption of conflict inside Iran. That discussion puts the Chinese interests into a somewhat isolated position. From recent Trump comments we can also see the carrot of sanction removal at play.
China has significant economic exposure within Beijing’s financial ties to Iran. With 90% of Iranian oil production fueling the Chinese economy any disruption would have considerable impact. As Gordon Chang notes in the interview with Maria Bartiromo, no one knows what China is currently sending into Iran via air cargo flights over the past several days. WATCH:
The surface benefit to Israeli attacks against Iran is the elimination of the nuclear threat. The underlying benefit from a USA perspective is the weakening of Chinese economic power that comes as an outcome of the current Iranian regime.
Chang is correct to put emphasis on these mysterious cargo flights.
The USA drone war capability has been tested in Ukraine and Russia. That capability, an enhanced capability thanks to the work of Palantir, could very well be deployed deep inside Iran as the IDF retains total air dominance. Palantir (Peter Thiel and Alex Karp) are ideologically aligned with the goals and objectives of Israel.
