DAN HODGES: In a moment of crisis, spineless Keir Starmer is cowering. He is happy to keep his hands clean while his allies do the dirty work of keeping Iran in check... what an embarrassment
Yesterday morning armed forces minister Luke Pollard appeared on LBC radio to present the Government's view on the US strikes on Iran.
Unfortunately for Pollard, his government didn't have a view. 'Are we opposing the action?' Nick Ferrari asked him not once, but seven times. 'Um...morning…um...er…let's be absolutely clear...' Pollard stammered.
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The Independent
35 minutes ago
- The Independent
US carrier strike group will embark on scheduled deployment amid Middle East tensions
The United States' most advanced aircraft carrier leaves Virginia for a regularly scheduled deployment Tuesday that could position it near Israel after the U.S. inserted itself in Israel's war to destroy Iran 's nuclear program. The U.S. was already planning to deploy the USS Gerald R. Ford when American warplanes bombed three Iranian sites early Sunday to support Israel's goals. Iran retaliated with a limited missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar on Monday. But later on Monday, President Donald Trump said on social media that Israel and Iran have agreed to a 'complete and total ceasefire' to be phased in over 24 hours. Trump said on Truth Social that the ceasefire would bring an 'Official END' to the war. The Ford will sail for the European theater of command, which includes waters off Israel's Mediterranean coast. The presence of the aircraft carrier and its accompanying warships gives Trump the option of a third carrier group in the Middle East if needed. The U.S. has been shifting military aircraft and warships into and around the region to protect Israel from Iranian attacks. Nearly 4,500 sailors will depart Tuesday morning from the nation's largest Navy base in Norfolk, which sits near the southern edge of Chesapeake Bay. The carrier strike group includes guided-missile destroyers and several squadrons of fighter jets. The Ford is the first in the new Ford class of aircraft carriers, which use an electromagnetic system for launching planes instead of steam catapults to increase flying missions. The ships are also designed to carry a wider variety of planes and operate with several hundred fewer sailors. The Ford was previously sent to the Eastern Mediterranean to be within striking distance of Israel after Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks in 2023. The carrier stayed in the Eastern Mediterranean while its accompanying warships sailed into the Red Sea, where they repeatedly intercepted ballistic missiles fired at Israel and attack drones fired at the ships from Houthi-controlled Yemen. From November 2023 until January 2025, the Iranian-backed Houthis waged persistent missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group's leadership described as an effort to end Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The U.S.-led campaign against the rebels included Navy fighter jets and turned into the most intense running sea battle the Navy has faced since World War II. U.S. Navy sailors saw incoming Houthi-launched missiles seconds before they were destroyed by their ship's defensive systems. Pentagon officials talked last year about how to care for the sailors when they returned home, including counseling and treatment for possible post-traumatic stress. The Houthi rebels recently said they would resume attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joined Israel's military campaign against Iran. The Houthis paused such attacks in May under a deal with the U.S.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Karoline Leavitt dismisses MAGA dissent on Iran while praising Trump for ‘steps towards peace'
Karoline Leavitt has responded to Republican criticism following Donald Trump 's strikes in Iran, claiming that the president is taking steps to "successfully implement peace in the Middle East.' Speaking to Fox News host Brian Kilmeade on Monday (23 June), the White House press secretary was grilled on discontent from high-ranking GOP figures, including Steve Bannon and Marjorie Taylor Green. Ms Leavitt said: 'One of the things that makes President Trump a great leader is his ability to listen to people with different perspectives but ultimately make a decision based on his own instinct and the intelligence that he saw.' The president is taking steps to forge a 'peaceful, prosperous Middle East', she added.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Gold at near 2-week low after Trump announces Israel-Iran ceasefire
June 24 (Reuters) - Gold prices fell to a near two-week low on Tuesday as risk appetite improved after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire, denting demand for safe-haven assets. Spot gold was down 0.5% to $3,351.47 an ounce, as of 0257 GMT, after hitting its lowest level since June 11 earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures slipped 0.9% to $3,365.30. "It seems like there's a good bit of geopolitical risk that's exiting the market here near term after, of course, we have signs of de-escalation between the U.S. and Iran," said Ilya Spivak, head of global macro at Tastylive. Trump announced a complete ceasefire between Israel and Iran, potentially ending the 12-day conflict that saw millions flee Tehran and prompted fears of further escalation in the war-torn region. There was no immediate comment from Israel. While an Iranian official earlier confirmed that Tehran had agreed to a ceasefire, the country's foreign minister said there would be no cessation of hostilities unless Israel stopped its attacks. Global shares rallied, while oil prices slipped to a one-week low after Trump announced the Iran-Israel ceasefire. Meanwhile, U.S. Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said on Monday that the time to cut interest rates is approaching amid potential risks to the job market. Investors await testimony by Fed Chair Jerome Powell before the House Financial Services Committee later on Tuesday. Powell has been cautious about signalling near-term easing. "The bias for gold prices is higher, but we might see a correction in near-term and an uptick in the dollar if Powell convinces markets that they're not going to cut more than twice this year," Spivak said. Gold tends to thrive in a low-interest-rate environment. Elsewhere, spot silver eased 0.1% to $36.10 per ounce, platinum fell 0.2% to $1,292.39, while palladium slipped 0.4% to $1,073.05.
