Israel-Iran live: Arrest in Cyprus as Israel claims Iran tried to attack its citizens in Mediterranean holiday hotspot
Israel's foreign minister has accused Iran of plotting to attack Israelis on Cyprus, hours after the arrest of a terror suspect on the Mediterranean island. Listen to our Trump 100 podcast as you scroll.
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The Guardian
29 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Are the Maga isolationists losing influence over Trump's Iran deliberations?
The Trump administration is managing internal dissent over deliberations on whether to launch a strike against Iran, breaking what many supporters saw as a campaign pledge not to involve the US in new conflicts in the Middle East. Trump for the second time this week disregarded testimony by his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, that Iran had not been seeking to build a nuclear weapon as of March this year. 'She's wrong,' Trump said, then added: 'My intelligence community is wrong.' In a striking about-face, Gabbard late on Friday said her March testimony had been taken 'out of context' by the media and claimed there was no difference between her opinion and Trump's. 'The dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division,' she said in a post on X. 'America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalise the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can't happen, and I agree.' Gabbard was nominated to her position in large part because of her skepticism of the US intelligence community and its role in the US involvement in a series of 'forever wars' in the Middle East, especially the Iraq war. Her transition from Democrat to Trump supporter is indicative of the broad coalition that Trump has united under his America First movement – and the potential for a schism as the US grows closer to launching an attack on Iran. Steve Bannon, an influential advisor who has been critical of the potential for a US-Iran war, was seen having lunch at the White House with Trump this week, following a series of podcast episodes in which he and other popular MAGA pundits criticised what they saw as preparations for a preemptive US strike against Iran. Bannon came to lunch armed with talking points that the Iran strike would be a bad idea and the massive 30,000lb bunker-buster bombs that could target the Iranian uranium enrichment facility at Fordow may not destroy the target. The Guardian previously reported that Trump was not fully convinced the bombs would destroy the target, and has held off authorising strikes as he also awaits the possibility that the threat of US involvement would lead Iran to talks. Others close to the administration have pushed back forcefully in support of a strike on Iran. Republican congressmen including Mitch McConnell and Tom Cotton have lashed out against the isolationist wing of Trump's support; the radio host Mark Levin has personally spoken with Trump in support of stronger backing for Israel; and other top members of the administration – including secretary of state Marco Rubio – are avowed Iran hawks. Others, such as vice-president JD Vance, are public anti-interventionists but have limited their criticism of potential strikes to allow Trump the space to make a decision. But Bannon is believed to have an outsized influence on Trump's decision-making on the war. According to US media, he has warned Trump he shouldn't trust Israeli intelligence that the Iranian government was seeking a nuclear weapon imminently. Others in the MAGA wing of Trump's support have sought to rebuild ties after sharply criticising Trump's positioning on the Israeli strikes against Iran. Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News host, had called Trump earlier this week in order to apologise after blasting those advising Trump to launch strikes against Iran as 'warmongers.' 'Tucker is a nice guy,' Trump said from the Oval Office on Wednesday. 'He called and apologised the other day because he thought he said things that were a little bit too strong, and I appreciated that.'
The Sun
32 minutes ago
- The Sun
John Healey says NATO must 'step up' and increase its military might amid plan to spend 5% of GDP on defence
JOHN Healey today says NATO must 'step up' and increase its military might - as he pushes for defence spending to hit 5 per cent of GDP. The Defence Secretary said this week's NATO summit will be a 'defining moment for our alliance and for Britain's security' as we confront a more dangerous world. 2 And as war between Iran and Israel rages, he said 'Britain stands ready' to send more RAF jets to protect UK bases in the Middle East. Keir Starmer is meeting fellow NATO leaders for crunch talks this week as the bloc is poised to agree a new target to spend 5 per cent on defence and security by 2032. It comes after Donald Trump said the bloc is shirking its responsibilities and the days of America paying for Europe's protection are over. Writing in The Sun on Sunday, Mr Healey said: 'We're living in a more dangerous and unpredictable world. 2 This Summit is a defining moment for our alliance and for Britain's security. 'It's a moment where NATO allies will pledge to step up on defence spending to boost our collective security. 'President Trump and NATO chief, Mark Rutte, are right: the current NATO spending pledge – to spend at least 2 per cent of GDP on defence – is a relic of a past era. 'We are now in a new era of threat. And as threats increase, defence spending must too.' He added: 'It's why this week, at NATO we will discuss a new, higher spending target. And Britain is up for that discussion.' NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is pushing for the bloc to spend 5 per cent of GDP on a new defence and security by 2032. This would be made up of 3.5 per cent for core military spending and 1.5 per cent on broader security related areas like infrastructure resilience. Spain is reportedly kicking off at the new target and may try to block it. But while Mr Healey does not explicitly commit to the new target in today's article, he backs talking about hiking spending. Britain faces a more 'dangerous and unpredictable world' as Iran and Israel trade missiles and Russian troops continue to fight in Ukraine, he warned. Amid spiralling tensions in the Middle East, the PM has already sent Typhoon fighter jets to the region. Mr Healey said he is prepared to send more there if security fears grow. He writes: 'Force protection for our bases and personnel is at the highest level and I won't rule out sending more capabilities if needed. Because Britain stands ready.'
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
This NATO summit is a defining moment for our alliance and for Britain's security – we must spend more on defence
The Middle East is on the brink. Homes, hospitals and schools in Israel are under bombardment. The crisis in Gaza continues. Millions of people across the region live in fear of what comes next. 2 This government will always back Israel's security and will never allow Iran to get its hands on a nuclear weapon. But we are urging restraint on all sides. As Defence Secretary, my top priority is the protection of our armed forces in the region. It's why we moved at pace to deploy extra military assets when the conflict broke out. The additional Typhoon jets promised by the Prime Minister have now arrived in the region. Force protection for our bases and personnel is at the highest level and I won't rule out sending more capabilities if needed. Because Britain stands ready. Let's not forget that Iran's race to build a bomb is what dragged the Middle East into this crisis. Britain is a nuclear power. Last week, I visited the brilliant British scientists and engineers working on our next-generation nuclear deterrent – the ultimate guarantee of our national security. But we are a responsible nuclear power. Iran would not be. It's a nation committed to the destruction of Israel, whose Supreme Leader described as a 'cancerous tumour' that should be 'removed and eradicated'. 2 The instability in the Middle East, and continued war in Ukraine, shows why this week's NATO Leaders' Summit in the Netherlands matters. We're living in a more dangerous and unpredictable world. This Summit is a defining moment for our alliance and for Britain's security. It's a moment where NATO allies will pledge to step up on defence spending to boost our collective security. President Trump and NATO chief, Mark Rutte, are right: the current NATO spending pledge – to spend at least 2 per cent of GDP on defence – is a relic of a past era. We are now in a new era of threat. And as threats increase, defence spending must too. That's why our government is already one of the biggest spenders in NATO. It's why we've announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, funded by switching spending from overseas aid – and we urge NATO allies to match that pace. It's why this week, at NATO we will discuss a new, higher spending target. And Britain is up for that discussion. This debate is not just about getting hard military kit and capabilities into the hands of our outstanding British troops. Not just about investment in housing and pay to fix forces morale and boost recruitment. We are ramping up all these things. It's also about the investment in the security of the British people with the infrastructure, the energy security, the industry and the innovation needed to help harden Britain in a more dangerous world where have seen increasing 'grey zone' threats: cyberattacks, sabotage and more. Sun readers know that investing in defence doesn't just make Britain safer, and back our British troops – it makes British workers better off, too. Our world leading defence industry is an engine for economic growth creating jobs, skills and pride – the foundation of our government's Plan for Change. Last week, I was in Sheffield opening a new artillery factory for British firm BAE Systems, 200 new, skilled jobs. This week, in Aldermaston I saw how our £15bn investment in a new nuclear warhead for our UK nuclear deterrent is supporting 9,500 jobs in Berkshire and doubling the number of apprenticeships. New investment. New jobs. New opportunities for young people. Our government's boost to defence spending will bring more of this good, well-paid work to the places that need it most across the UK. Now and in the coming years, more and more communities will benefit from this 'defence dividend'. And as we boost British jobs, we will make Britain safer. Secure at home, and strong abroad.
