Iranians Flee Tehran, Israel Strikes, Trump Says 'Stay Tuned': Live Updates
Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025.
Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025.
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Newsweek
32 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Trump's Most Favorable Pollster Warns It Could Be 'All Over for MAGA'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's most favorable pollster has warned that it could be "all over for MAGA" if the president gets the United States more deeply involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel. "Kiss the Republican majority goodbye... For the next decade," Rich Baris, the director of Big Data Poll, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "If he pulls the trigger, it's all over for MAGA." Newsweek reached out to Baris for further comment via the Big Data Poll website. Big Data Poll has given Trump the highest approval rating (+19) of any pollster in his second term so far. It is one of just two pollsters that are yet to record a negative approval rating, although its most recent survey recorded a major drop-off in approval, giving Trump a rating of just +1. Why It Matters A recent poll by the Ronald Reagan Institute, conducted before Israel launched its surprise attack on Iran's military and nuclear program on Friday, shows that a majority of Republicans support Israeli airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. However, polling has also shown that Republican voters are worried about the U.S. being drawn into a military conflict in the Middle East. A Quinnipiac University poll last year found that 86 percent of Republican voters were concerned about it, with 52 percent saying they were "very concerned." Meanwhile, MAGA figures in recent days have been split on the issue, with some advocating for a strong response and others arguing that Trump's supporters backed him because of his promise not to draw the U.S. into expensive foreign wars. President Donald Trump departs Air Force One after arriving at Joint Base Andrews on June 17, 2025. President Donald Trump departs Air Force One after arriving at Joint Base Andrews on June 17, To Know Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday night that he was seeking a "real end" to the conflict. "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it's very simple," he said. "They should have done the deal. I told them, do the deal. So I don't know. I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate." Trump told ABC News on Sunday that "it's possible" the U.S. becomes involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel. However, the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signaled on Monday that the U.S. does not plan to strike Iran ahead of Trump's meeting with his national security staff in the Situation Room at the White House on Tuesday. Costas Panagopoulos, a professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Newsweek that Trump would likely "take a colossal hit" in support from his base if he were to engage the U.S. directly in a conflict in the Middle East. "Such action would represent the antithesis of how Trump has branded himself," he said. "It could be the straw that breaks MAGA's back." While some MAGA Republicans have slammed calls for the U.S. to become militarily involved in the conflict, others have backed a strong response to Iran. "Everyone is finding out who are real America First/MAGA and who were fake and just said it bc it was popular," Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, wrote in a lengthy post on X on Sunday. "Anyone slobbering for the U.S. to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA. Wishing for murder of innocent people is disgusting. We are sick and tired of foreign wars. All of them." Her spokesperson, Alec Ernst, told Newsweek that "real MAGA is unified" and there was "no daylight between her and the president." Mark Levin, a conservative media figure and Trump ally, criticized Greene's position and has been vocal in supporting military action against Iran. "Real MAGA, that is Trump voters, overwhelmingly support destroying the Iranian Nazi regime," he wrote on X on Tuesday. The conflict began with Friday's surprise Israeli attack on Iran's military and nuclear program. Israel said its assault on Iran's top military leaders, uranium enrichment sites and nuclear scientists is necessary to prevent its longtime foe from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. Israel's strikes have killed at least 224 people since Friday. Iran has retaliated by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people in Israel have been killed and more than 500 injured. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful. The U.S. and others had recently assessed that Tehran had not had an organized effort to pursue a nuclear weapon since 2003. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned that the country has enough enriched uranium to make several nuclear bombs should it choose to do so. What People Are Saying Costas Panagopoulos, a professor of political science at Northeastern University, told Newsweek: "There is no appetite for war in the American public. Trump, who has built himself up as a master dealmaker and who has argued only he could avert war and the kinds of embroilments for which he criticized Biden and others, would likely take a colossal hit in support with his base if he engages the U.S. directly in a Middle East conflict. "Such action represent the complete opposite of how Trump has branded himself. This may be the straw that breaks MAGA's back." President Donald Trump told ABC News on Sunday that "it's possible" the U.S. becomes involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel. "We're not involved in it. It's possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved." The White House said in a news release on Tuesday that Trump "has never wavered in his stance that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon—a pledge he has made repeatedly, both in office and on the campaign trail." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News' Jesse Watters on Monday: "[Trump's] position has not changed. What you're watching in real time is peace through strength and America first. Our job is to be strong. We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that's what happens here. "And America first means we're going to defend American personnel and American interests. So when you see jets and you see air defense assets and counter-UAS assets, that's because my job as the Secretary of Defense is to ensure that our people are safe and that we're strong." Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, on X: "I don't want to see Israel bombed or Iran bombed or Gaza bombed. I don't want to see Ukraine bombed or Russia bombed. And we do NOT want to be involved or required to pay for ANY OF IT!!! We are $36+ TRILLION in debt and have mountains of our own problems." Representative Thomas Massie, a Trump ally, on X over the weekend: "This is not our war. We should not engage our military here. Furthermore, doing so would require a vote of Congress." What Happens Next Talks between the U.S. and Iran were canceled over the weekend. On Sunday, Tehran said that Iran would stop its strikes if Israel did the same. On Monday, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, appeared to make a veiled outreach for the U.S. to step in and negotiate an end to hostilities between Israel and Iran. This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Newsweek
32 minutes ago
- Newsweek
How Iran Could Retaliate Against US. Three Possible Options
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. New U.S. forces have been deployed to the Middle East as the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel raises the prospect of Tehran retaliating against Washington, which one expert told Newsweek said could include Americans being taken hostage. Khosro Sayeh Isfahani, a senior research analyst at the National Union for Democracy in Iran, told Newsweek that direct U.S. involvement in the hostilities could prompt Tehran to unleash its "Axis of Resistance" militias and Iranian intelligence sleeper cells globally. The USS Nimitz carrier strike group is heading to the region from the South China Sea the Navy Times reported, citing a U.S. official who said the previously planned move had been expedited due to growing tensions. The U.S. said Israel was acting unilaterally with last week's surprise attack on Iran's military and nuclear program which prompted Iran to launch more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones killing at least 24 people in Israel, according to The Associated Press. Hamidreza Azizi, visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told Newsweek that Tehran is taking "increasingly seriously" the chances of direct U.S. involvement, after which "all bets would be off." President Donald Trump has said he wants a "real end" to the conflict, but Iran views his calls for ending the war as a potential deception tactic, heightening alarm over the chances of military intervention, Azizi said. Newsweek takes a look at three possible scenarios of direct U.S. involvement. A helicopter flies past a plume of smoke in the aftermath of a reported Iranian missile strike on June 17, 2025, in Herzliya, Israel. A helicopter flies past a plume of smoke in the aftermath of a reported Iranian missile strike on June 17, 2025, in Herzliya, on US Assets Israel has said it has full aerial superiority over Tehran and had destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in central Iran, a third of its total arsenal. This Israeli dominance over Iranian airspace and continued strikes on missile launchpads and launchers have stopped Iran from responding with the intensity it wanted to, Azizi said. But Tehran is also making the strategic calculation to conserve enough of its missile arsenal in case of direct U.S. involvement so it is ready for an expanded war. The U.S. operates military sites across at least 19 locations in the Middle East, of which eight are permanent bases located across Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, hosting between 40,000 and 50,000 personnel. So far, Tehran seems to have made a deliberate effort to refrain from attacking U.S. forces or bases, said Azizi, with limited drone strikes on some bases in Iraq which are "more of a warning than an actual engagement." But the U.S. entering the conflict directly would be seen not just as a threat to the Iranian regime, but to the Iranian state, due to the potential for massive damage to critical infrastructure. "We could then expect a range of retaliatory actions, from attacks on U.S. bases across the region to broader efforts to disrupt oil production and transportation, including—but not limited to—the Strait of Hormuz," said Azizi. The Strait links the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and beyond, as well as the vital shipping route through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean and Europe "Other forms of disruptive operations could also be initiated, as this would be perceived as an existential fight for the system," he added. Smoke rises after a reported Israeli strike on a building used by Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, part of Iran's state TV broadcaster, on June 16, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. Smoke rises after a reported Israeli strike on a building used by Islamic Republic of Iran News Network, part of Iran's state TV broadcaster, on June 16, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. Getty Images Disrupting the Strait of Hormuz Esmail Kosari, the head of Iran's parliamentary committee on defense and national security, said closing the Strait of Hormuz between Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman through which around one fifth of the world's oil transits, is under serious consideration, according to Iranian state media. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Monday that there was increasing electronic interference within the Gulf and the Strait which impacted vessels' positional reporting through automated systems (AIS). Jakob Larsen, chief safety and security officer for Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), a shipping association headquartered in Denmark, told Newsweek the conflict has caused concerns in the shipowning community. U.S. authorities had reported that as of Monday, there were no indications of a threat from Iran toward commercial ships other than vessels with links to Israel. But if pressure on Iran continues to mount and the U.S. became more directly involved, Iran might expand its threats toward ships that did not have ties to Israel, Larsen said Tuesday. "Iranian forces are highly skilled in asymmetric warfare and have prepared for decades for a scenario involving attacks against shipping through the Straits of Hormuz and adjacent waters," he said. "Iran can start attacking shipping with almost no notice and certainly faster than the time it takes to sail a ship through the Straits of Hormuz," Larsen added. Aurélien Colson, academic co-director of the ESSEC Institute for Geopolitics & Business, told Newsweek a critical link is the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This is a gateway to the Red Sea and Suez—between Djibouti in Africa and Yemen and only around 15 miles wide at its narrowest point—where Iran-controlled Houthis could redouble their missile attacks against commercial maritime traffic, with substantial consequences on supply chains. Houthi supporters with effigies resembling President Donald Trump, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 6, 2024, in Sana'a, Yemen. Houthi supporters with effigies resembling President Donald Trump, right, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 6, 2024, in Sana'a, Yemen. Photo byUnleashing 'Axis of Resistance' Isfahani said so far Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had avoided directly mentioning the U.S. because he is still hoping "to dupe Washington with false diplomacy." But he told Newsweek that if push comes to shove, the Iranian regime will unleash a multi-pronged attack which would include launching missile and drone strikes against U.S. targets in the region. Tehran will also unleash its "Axis of Resistance" militias in the region, as well as its Ministry of Intelligence and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sleeper cells "to conduct terror attacks and take Americans hostage." "Elements of the Axis might engage in drone and missile strikes against U.S. bases in the region as well," he added. Lara Tandy, associate director at geopolitical and cyber risk consultancy S-RM, told Newsweek hostilities could end the U.S.-Houthi ceasefire agreed in May and Iran could leverage its network of Houthis in the region to attack ships and vessels crossing the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. Based on recent behavior, Iran could also target U.S. bases, forces, and embassies across the Middle East, which would be something Trump may interpret as a proxy for direct confrontation, Tandy added.
Hamilton Spectator
35 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Israeli strikes damage Iran's underground nuclear site, agency says as Trump warns Tehran
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel pounded Iran for a fifth day in an air campaign against its longstanding foe's military and nuclear program, as U.S. President Donald Trump warned residents of Tehran to evacuate and suggested the United States was working on something 'better than a ceasefire.' Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early to deal with the conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters on Air Force One during the flight back to Washington: 'I'm not looking at a ceasefire. We're looking at better than a ceasefire.' When asked to explain, he said the U.S. wanted to see 'a real end' to the conflict that could involve Iran 'giving up entirely.' He added: 'I'm not too much in the mood to negotiate.' Trump's cryptic messages added to the uncertainty roiling the region as residents of Tehran fled their homes in droves and the U.N. nuclear watchdog for the first time said Israeli strikes on Iran's main enrichment facility at Natanz had also damaged its underground section, and not just the suface area. Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran's top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites and ballistic missile program is necessary to prevent its adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon . The strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran. Iran has retaliated by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel. The Israeli military said a new barrage of missiles was launched on Tuesday. Damage at Natanz The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday it believes that Israel's first aerial attacks on Iran's Natanz enrichment site had 'direct impacts' on the facility's underground centrifuge halls. 'Based on continued analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday's attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz,' the watchdog said. Located 220 kilometers (135 miles) southeast of Tehran, the Natanz facility was protected by anti-aircraft batteries, fencing and Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The underground part of the facility is buried to protect it from airstrikes and contains the bulk of the enrichment facilities at Natanz, with 10,000 centrifuges that enrich uranium up to 5%, experts assess. The IAEA had earlier reported that Israeli strikes had destroyed an above-ground enrichment hall at Natanz and knocked out electrical equipment that powered the facility. However, most of Iran's enrichment takes place underground. Although Israel has struck Natanz repeatedly and claims to have inflicted significant damage on its underground facilities, Tuesday's IAEA statement marked the first time the agency has acknowledged impacts there. Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, and the United States and others have assessed Tehran has not had an organized effort to pursue a nuclear weapon since 2003. But the head of the IAEA has repeatedly warned that the country has enough enriched uranium to make several nuclear bombs should it choose to do so. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Tuesday that Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear sites have set the country's nuclear program back a 'very, very long time,' Israel has not been able to reach Iran's Fordo uranium enrichment facility , which is buried deep underground. Shops closed, lines for gas in Iran's capital Echoing an earlier Israeli military call for some 330,000 residents of a neighborhood in downtown Tehran to evacuate, Trump on Tuesday warned on social media that 'everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with around 10 million people, roughly equivalent to the entire population of Israel. People have been fleeing since hostilities began. Asked why he had urged for the evacuation of Tehran, Trump said: 'I just want people to be safe.' Downtown Tehran appeared to be emptying out early Tuesday, with many shops closed. The ancient Grand Bazaar was also closed, something that only happened in the past during anti-government demonstrations or at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. On the roads out of Tehran to the west, traffic stood bumper to bumper. Many appeared to be heading to the Caspian Sea, a popular vacation spot where a large number of middle- and upper-class Iranians have second homes. Long lines also could be seen at gas stations in Tehran. Printed placards and billboards calling for a 'severe' response to Israel were visible across the city. Authorities cancelled leave for doctors and nurses, while insisting everything was under control. The Israeli military meanwhile claimed to have killed someone it described as Iran's top general in a strike on Tehran. Iran did not immediately comment on the reported killing of Gen. Ali Shadmani, who had just been named as the head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, part of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Iran has named other generals to replace the top leaders of the Guard and the regular armed forces after they were killed in earlier strikes. Trump leaves G7 early to focus on conflict Before leaving the summit in Canada, Trump joined the other leaders in a joint statement saying Iran 'can never have a nuclear weapon' and calling for a 'de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.' French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters that discussions were underway on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, but Trump appeared to shoot that down in his comments on social media. Macron 'mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a 'cease fire' between Israel and Iran,' Trump wrote. 'Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.' Trump said he wasn't ready to give up on diplomatic talks, and could send Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians. 'I may,' he said. 'It depends on what happens when I get back.' Israel says it has 'aerial superiority' over Tehran Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Monday his country's forces had 'achieved full aerial superiority over Tehran's skies.' The military said it destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in central Iran, a third of Iran's total, including multiple launchers just before they launched ballistic missiles towards Israel. It also destroyed two F-14 fighter planes that Iran used to target Israeli aircraft, the military said. Israeli military officials also said fighter jets had struck 10 command centers in Tehran belonging to Iran's Quds Force, an elite arm of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard that conducts military and intelligence operations outside Iran. Israel's military issued an evacuation warning for a part of central Tehran that houses state TV and police headquarters, as well as three large hospitals, including one owned by the Guard. It has issued similar evacuation warnings for parts of the Gaza Strip and Lebanon ahead of strikes. ___ Melzer reported from Nahariya, Israel. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel; and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report. 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 .
