Israel has launched ‘preemptive strikes' against Iran, defense minister says
Israel launched strikes against Iran in the early hours of Friday morning, raising the prospect of a regional war between the longtime foes over Tehran's nuclear program.
'Following the State of Israel's preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future,' Israel's Defense Minister Ian Katz said in a statement.
Explosions were heard in and near the Iranian capital of Tehran in the early hours as the news broke, Iran's state-run Nour News reported.
An Israeli military official told the Associated Press that the attack targeted Iranian nuclear sites. A state of emergency was declared across Israel ahead of the expected response.
Israel has long threatened to carry out military action against Iran's nuclear facilities to prevent it from acquiring an atomic bomb. Israeli officials have accused Iran of seeking a bomb in secret, without providing evidence.
Iran denies that its nuclear program is aimed at building a bomb, a claim that is backed by U.S. intelligence.
Tensions have been building at the same time that Donald Trump has been leading efforts to reach a new agreement with Iran aimed at curbing its nuclear program in return for the easing of sanctions.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the U.S. was 'not involved in the strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.'
'Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S interests or personnel,' he added.
The attack came a day after non-essential personnel began evacuating from U.S. embassies across the Middle East. Despite the rising tensions, Trump signalled earlier Thursday that he still hoped an agreement could be reached.
"We remain committed to a Diplomatic Resolution to the Iran Nuclear Issue!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "My entire Administration has been directed to negotiate with Iran. They could be a Great Country, but they first must completely give up hopes of obtaining a Nuclear Weapon," he added.
Any war between Israel and Iran would likely draw in U.S. forces into a wider regional conflict.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
29 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Marines temporarily detain man while guarding LA federal building
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shortly after they began guarding a Los Angeles federal building Friday, U.S. Marines detained a man who had walked onto the property and did not immediately hear their commands to stop. The brief detention marked the first time federal troops have detained a civilian since they were deployed to the nation's second-largest city by President Donald Trump in response to protests over the administration's immigration arrests. The Marines were activated earlier this week but began their duties Friday. The man, Marcos Leao, was later released without charges and said the Marines were just doing their jobs. A U.S. Army North spokesperson said the troops have the authority to temporarily detain people under specific circumstances. He said those detentions end when the person can be transferred to 'appropriate civilian law enforcement personnel.' Leao's detention shows how the troops' deployment is putting them closer to carrying out law enforcement actions. Already, National Guard soldiers have been providing security on raids as Trump has promised as part of his immigration crackdown . Leao, a former Army combat engineer, said he was rushing to get to a Veterans Affairs appointment when he stepped past a piece of caution tape outside the federal building. He looked up to find a Marine sprinting toward him. 'I had my headphones in, so I didn't hear them,' Leao said. 'They told me to get down on the ground. I basically complied with everything they were saying.' Leao was placed in zip ties and held for more than two hours by the Marines and members of the National Guard, he said. After Los Angeles police arrived, he was released without charges, he said. The Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'I didn't know it was going to be this intense here,' he said later. A U.S. official told the AP that a civilian had stepped over the line. He was warned they would take him down and they did, according to the official, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. About 200 Marines out of the 700 deployed arrived in the city Friday, joining 2,000 members of the National Guard that have been stationed outside federal buildings this week in Los Angeles. Another 2,000 Guard members were notified of deployment earlier this week. Before the unusual deployment, the Pentagon scrambled to establish rules to guide U.S. Marines who could be faced with the rare and difficult prospect of using force against citizens on American soil. The forces have been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force, the military has said. But the use of the active-duty forces still raises difficult questions. 'I believe that this is an inevitable precursor of things yet to come when you put troops with guns right next to civilians who are doing whatever they do,' said Gary Solis, a former Marine Corps. prosecutor and military judge. He said it's an example of Trump's attempt to unravel the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars active-duty forces from conducting law enforcement. ___ Watson reported from San Diego and Baldor from Washington. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Marines Arrive in Los Angeles as City Braces for ‘No Kings' Protests
As cities across the nation brace for 'No Kings' protests on June 14, Donald Trump deployed 700 Marines to Los Angeles, with 200 troops arriving Friday to guard the Wilshire Federal Building — the latest provocation in the president's militarized answer to immigration enforcement and protest policing. Marines have already carried out the first known detainment in the city. Reuters obtained photographs of armed Marines temporarily detaining a civilian. The U.S. military confirmed the incident, which took place at the Wilshire Federal Building, to the outlet. The New York Times reported that the individual said he was an Army veteran and tried to reach the Veteran's Affairs office located past caution tape. The man said he was undisturbed by his brief detention. Earlier this week, the commander overseeing military operations in the city said that military personnel can only temporarily detain people but cannot make arrests. The move to have Marines involved in local police work tests the boundaries of the Posse Comitatus Act, which broadly prohibits the military from engaging in domestic law enforcement. The pictures have surfaced a day after a federal judge attempted to place a restraining order on Trump's move to federalize 4,000 California National Guard Troops. (That injunction has since been stayed by an appeals court.) The judge did not address the role of Marines under Trump's command, writing that he would await a court date to weigh evidence as to whether these federal forces were engaging in police-like behavior including 'interrogating, detaining, or searching civilians.' Trump has long dreamed of using military force to counter his domestic opposition. On June 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeted warehouses, clothing manufacturers, and Home Depot parking lots across Los Angeles, prompting a wave of local protests. Trump seized the opportunity to exert control over the state, deploying 2,000 National Guard troops into the city despite protests from both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass. The president has since mobilized as many as 4,000 members of the California National Guard along with the 700 Marines to deploy in Los Angeles. On Thursday, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was dragged out of a Department of Homeland Security press conference, forced to the ground, and handcuffed by members of the FBI after attempting to ask DHS Secretary Kristi Noem a question. Padilla later said in a press conference that he was 'there peacefully' and was hoping to get answers from the administration about their immigration policies. 'I began to ask a question,' the senator recalled. 'I was forced to the ground, and I was handcuffed,' he said, clarifying: 'I was not arrested. I was not detained.' Padilla then addressed reporters: 'If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question you can only imagine what they're doing do farmers … and day laborers.' Millions are expected to protest President Trump's military parade on his birthday (which is also Flag Day and the 250th anniversary of the Army). The president has planned for a procession of tanks, Howitzers, mobile rocket launchers, and other war machines to roll through the streets of Washington, D.C., as military aircraft, including Apache helicopters, fly overhead. Protest organizers have called June 14 a 'nationwide day of defiance.' The protest website reads: 'They've defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.' Trump has threatened demonstrators planning to show up at his military spectacle, declaring, 'If any protester wants to come out, they will be met with very big force.'More from Rolling Stone Trump's Military Crackdown Is Starting To Dent His Poll Numbers Kim Gordon Has Words for Donald Trump on Re-Recorded 'Bye Bye 25!' Trump Calls on Iran to Agree to Nuclear Deal 'Before There Is Nothing Left' Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
New York Times
31 minutes ago
- New York Times
Even Before His Return to the White House, Trump Was Becoming a Crypto Czar
Donald J. Trump got a small taste last year of life as a cryptocurrency mogul. His stake in World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency firm that he unveiled during the presidential campaign, earned about $57 million, making it one of the Trump family's most lucrative investments in 2024. And a licensing deal involving a related industry, NFT collectibles, produced another $1.2 million. Mr. Trump's wife, Melania, contributed to the family income, receiving $217,000 in licensing fees related to a digital token. The results, detailed in Mr. Trump's mandatory financial disclosure report for 2024 and released on Friday, previewed the crypto riches he is now poised to reap as president. Since Mr. Trump took office a second time this year, his crypto fortunes have skyrocketed through a series of business ventures that pose unprecedented conflicts of interest. Not only is Mr. Trump a major operator in the crypto industry, he is also its top policymaker — and a symbol of its rising stature in Washington. Even as the president seeks to deregulate and promote the industry, Mr. Trump's personal net worth has soared through crypto. Though the information in the financial disclosure ends as of Dec. 31, 2024, World Liberty announced this year that it had sold more than a half-billion dollars' worth of its coin, a significant portion of which the Trump family was entitled to. Separately, Mr. Trump developed a personal cryptocurrency known as $TRUMP, a memecoin launched days before his inauguration, that on paper could be worth billions of dollars. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
