Hard-Hitting World Leaves EU Soft Power Stranded
Last week, with uncertainty raging over whether the US would join Israel in striking Iran, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto delivered an elegy for a soft-power Europe that looked stranded in a hard-power world. 'We talk about Europe as if Europe counted for something,' he said. 'But its time is over, and I say it with sadness.' It turned out to be a fitting prelude to the weekend's events as Europe's last-ditch push for diplomacy with Tehran ended with American bombers striking Iranian nuclear sites.
It speaks to wider anxiety over Europe's geopolitical future as drones and missiles continue to pound Ukraine, tensions rise in the Taiwan strait and the Middle East erupts. Yes, the combination of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump has finally stung the European Union out of complacency, with the prospect of rearmament projects worth €800 billion ($920 billion) sending share prices soaring and industrial capacity whirring into life. German weapons maker Rheinmetall AG, for example, is outperforming tech darling Nvidia Corp. and taking Gucci parent Kering SA's place on the Euro Stoxx 50 index. Yet at the same time, we're a long way from a European defense worthy of the name.
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CNN
10 minutes ago
- CNN
How Trump quietly made the historic decision to launch strikes in Iran
By the time President Donald Trump was milling about his golf club in New Jersey on Friday evening, the planes were about to be in the air. To onlookers at the club, Trump showed little anxiety about his decision to authorize airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities that could have profound ramifications both on US national security and his own presidential legacy. The B-2 stealth bombers carrying 30,000-pound bunker busters were preparing to take off at midnight from their base in Missouri, destined for Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Another set of planes was heading west, a deliberate attempt at misdirection as Trump demanded complete secrecy for his momentous decision. As Trump escorted around Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, to an event for new members being held in one of the clubhouse's dining rooms, he was loose and — at least in public — in an easygoing mood, people who saw him said. 'I hope he's right about the AI,' Trump joked at one point, gesturing to his guest. Twenty-four hours later, Trump was in the basement Situation Room at the White House, wearing a red 'Make America Great Again' hat as he watched the strikes he had approved days earlier, codenamed 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' play out in real time on the facility's wall of monitors. 'Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,' he said a few hours later during late-night remarks from the White House Cross Hall. 'Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.' The decision to go ahead with strikes thrusts the United States directly into the Middle East conflict, raising worries about Iranian reprisals and questions about Trump's endgame. It came after days of public deliberation, as Trump alternated between issuing militaristic threats against Iran on social media and holding private concerns that a military strike could drag the US into prolonged war. Yet by Thursday, the same day he instructed his press secretary to announce he was giving Iran two weeks to return to the negotiating table before deciding on a strike, allies who spoke to him said it was clear that the decision was already made. Speaking on NBC Sunday, Vice President JD Vance said Trump retained the ability to call off the strikes 'until the very last minute.' But he elected to go ahead. Administration officials went to great lengths to conceal their planning. Deferring the strike decision for a fortnight appeared in keeping with the mission's attempts at diversion – a tactic designed to obscure the attack plans, even though Trump held off giving a final go-ahead until Saturday, according to senior US officials. By the end of the week, US officials had come to believe Iran was not ready to return to the table and strike a satisfactory nuclear deal after Europeans leaders met with their Iranian counterparts on Friday, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Trump's two-week public deadline lasted only 48 hours before he took one of the most consequential actions of his presidency. The operation began at midnight ET Friday, with the B-2 bombers launching from Missouri on an 18-hour journey that was the planes' longest mission in more than two decades, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a Sunday morning Pentagon briefing. 'This is a plan that took months and weeks of positioning and preparation so that we could be ready when the president of the United States called,' Hegseth said alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. 'It took a great deal of precision. It involved misdirection and the highest of operational security.' Discussions about potential options for American strikes on Iran began in earnest between Trump and members of his national security team during a weekend retreat at Camp David in early June, where CIA Director John Ratcliffe briefed Trump on US assessments that Israel was prepared to imminently begin strikes. The options for Trump to join Israel in its campaign had been drawn up in the months beforehand, with the president's advisers having already worked out differences among themselves over what options were on the menu for him to decide from. In the week before he made the final call for US stealth bombers and Navy submarines to target three Iranian nuclear sites, Trump held briefings each day with his national security team in the basement Situation Room to discuss attack plans — and to weigh the potential consequences. Trump came to the secret talks with two principal concerns: that a US attack be decisive in taking out the highly fortified sites, including the underground Fordow enrichment facility; and that any action he took did not pull the US into the type of prolonged, deadly war he promised to avoid as a candidate. On the first point, officials were confident in the US bunker-busting bombs' ability to penetrate the facility, even though such an action hadn't been tested previously. Caine said Sunday that the initial assessment shows 'extremely severe damage and destruction' to Iran's three nuclear sites, though he noted it will take time to determine the ultimate impact to the country's nuclear capabilities. (Iranian officials downplayed the impact of the US strikes to their nuclear facilities on Sunday.) But on the second question of a prolonged war, officials could hardly promise the president that Iran's reprisals — which could include targeting American assets or personnel in the region — wouldn't draw the US into a new quagmire. 'As the president has directed, made clear, this is most certainly not open-ended,' Hegseth said Sunday. 'Doesn't mean it limits our ability to respond. We will respond if necessary.' The uncertainly seemed to give Trump pause, and throughout the week he said in public he hadn't yet made a decision, even if behind the scenes it appeared to Trump's advisers that his mind was made up. Trump departed his Bedminster golf club Saturday afternoon and returned to the White House for a scheduled 'national security meeting' — travel that was unusual for the president on a weekend but was previewed on his daily scheduled released the day prior. The US conveyed to Iran through back-channel discussions that the strikes Trump ordered Saturday would be contained and that no further strikes were planned going forward, according to two people familiar with the discussions. But Trump's public message Saturday night after the strikes — warning of 'far greater' future US attacks if Iran retaliates — underscored the unpredictable period he is entering in the Middle East. In April, Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran on a potential nuclear agreement, warning Tehran to strike a deal within 60 days – by mid-June. At the same time, Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on attacking Iran so he could give talks the time and space to show progress. A first round of talks was held in mid-April between the US and Tehran in Oman, led by Trump's foreign envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Despite optimistic notes sounded following the conversations, there was little progress toward an actual nuclear deal. On June 8 – less than a week before Trumps' 60-day deadline was set to expire – he huddled with his advisers at Camp David, where he was presented with potential options on Iran. The next day, Trump and Netanyahu spoke by phone. Several weeks earlier, Netanyahu had told a group of US lawmakers that Israel was going to strike Iran — and he was not seeking permission from the US to do so. Sixty-one days after Trump's ultimatum, Israel launched unprecedented strikes on Iran, targeting its nuclear program and military leaders. 'Iran should have listened to me when I said — you know, I gave them, I don't know if you know but I gave them a 60-day warning and today is day 61,' Trump told CNN's Dana Bash after the Israeli strikes began. But senior Trump officials also initially distanced themselves from the attack, issuing statements that Israel took unilateral action and the US was not involved. As Israel continued its military campaign in Israel, Trump traveled to Alberta, Canada, for a G-7 summit, only to return to Washington early 'because of what's going on in the Middle East,' the White House said. Trump spent much of the past week meeting in the Situation Room with his national security team to review attack plans and their potential consequences. On Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt read a statement dictated by Trump: 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.' But there were signs that diplomacy was not moving forward. Witkoff made attempts at meeting his Iranian interlocutor, Araghchi, with little luck. Ater European leaders met with Iran's foreign minister on Friday in Geneva, US officials felt it appeared the Iranians would not sit down with the US without Trump asking Netanyahu to stop Israel's attacks — something Trump was not willing to do, sources said. That afternoon, on his way to his New Jersey club, Trump told reporters that his two-week timeframe was the 'maximum' amount of time, and he could make up his mind sooner. Ahead of Saturday's strikes, the US gave Israel a heads up it was going to attack. Netanyahu held a five-hour meeting with top Israeli officials that lasted through the US strikes, according to a source familiar with the meeting. Trump and Netanyahu spoke by phone again afterward, and the Israeli prime minister praised the US attack in a video message, saying it was carried out 'with complete operational coordination between the IDF and the United States military.' The US had also notified some Gulf partners that it was ready to strike Iran within the coming days, but it did not specify targets and time frame, according to a source familiar with the matter. The message was delivered verbally, the source said, and there was a meeting at the White House where some of these Gulf partners were told. Trump and his team were in contact with top congressional Republicans before Saturday's strikes, but top Democrats were not told of his plans until after the bombs had dropped, according to multiple people familiar with the plans. Hegseth said Sunday that congressional leaders were notified 'immediately' after planes were out of Iranian airspace. The operation began at midnight Eastern Time Friday into Saturday morning. Caine said that B-2 bombers launched from the US, some headed West as a decoy while the rest 'proceeded quietly to the East with minimal communications throughout the 18-hour flight.' The unprecedented US operation involved seven stealth B2 bombers. All told, over 125 aircraft were involved, including the B2s, refueling tankers, reconnaissance planes and fighter jets. At approximately 5 p.m. ET, Caine said, a US submarine 'launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets' at the Isfahan nuclear site. And shortly after, at approximately 6:40 p.m. ET, or 2:10 a.m. local time, the lead B-2 bomber plane launched two bunker-buster bombs at Fordow nuclear site, Caine said, and the 'remaining bombers then hit their targets.' Those additional targets were struck, Caine said, 'between 6:40 p.m. ET and 7:05 p.m. ET.' The US military then 'began its return home,' Caine said, noting that no shots were fired by Iran at the US on the way in or out. After US planes had left Iranian airspace, Trump revealed the attack to the world on his social media platform, Truth Social. 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,' Trump wrote, adding that 'a full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow.'
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Iran has little choice but to retaliate against US - as Russia faces urgent decision on how to back Tehran
Donald Trump's decision to attack Iran could trigger a wider regional or even global war, but much will hinge on how Russia and China - Tehran's most powerful allies - respond. Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, said he will hold "serious consultations" with Vladimir Putin on Monday morning in Moscow. His country is also in contact with Beijing. Israel-Iran live: 'Incredible success' of US strikes on Iran hailed by Hegseth Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are regarded by Western allies as a new axis of authoritarian powers, increasingly aligned and supportive of each other. Donald Trump, though, has broken ranks from his country's traditional democratic partners to forge a closer relationship with Mr Putin than any other US leader in recent years. How much that might affect the Kremlin's calculations, as Moscow weighs up how to respond to his actions in Iran, adds a new layer of unpredictability to the crisis. Another limiting factor is the Russian military's physical capacity - should it wish - to bolster Iran with military support given its war in Ukraine. Unlike the NATO alliance, there is no formal agreement between Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, and Pyongyang to come to each other's assistance in a crisis. However, the weakening of one member of the quartet would impact on the vital national interests of the other three, making it mutually beneficial to help each other out - including with military force or at the very least by supplying weapons. Iran has little choice but to retaliate directly against the United States after three of its main nuclear facilities were struck overnight. But its ability to launch ballistic missiles and drones has been severely degraded by waves of Israeli strikes since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to war with Iran a week and a half ago. Read more: What are Iran's options? US bases, warships, and aircraft across the region are well within range of Iranian missiles and drones, but the Pentagon has significantly strengthened its air defences in anticipation of an Iranian counterattack. There are plenty of softer targets, though, such as American embassies or other diplomatic missions. Iran could also choose to mine the Strait of Hormuz - a move that would have global ramifications by disrupting the flow of large amounts of oil and gas, as well as other trade. In addition, the military assets of American allies could be viewed as legitimate targets. The UK has said it played no part in the US attack. But Britain's Ministry of Defence has further increased "force protection" measures for its military bases and personnel in the Middle East to their highest level in the wake of the US strikes, it is understood. What was hit in US attack? In an operation that has been in the planning for years, American B-2 stealth bombers dropped enormous bunker-busting bombs - the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator - on the Fordow nuclear fuel enrichment plant, around 70 miles (110km) southwest of Tehran. It was built under a mountain - about 80 to 90 metres beneath the ground - to be beyond the reach of Israel's armed forces. Only the US Air Force carries munitions large enough to penetrate the rock, earth and concrete to inflict meaningful damage. Also targeted with the enormous munitions was Iran's main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, 155 miles (250km) southeast of the Iranian capital. In addition, US submarines launched TLAM cruise missiles against Natanz and at a site outside the city of Isfahan, which is 260 miles (420km) south of Tehran. Near-bomb-grade nuclear fuel is thought to be stored here. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN's nuclear watchdog, however, said the six buildings at Isfahan that were hit contained little or no nuclear material. Mr Trump has said he ordered the attack to destroy Iran's ability to enrich uranium to a level that could be used to make a nuclear bomb. Tehran has always insisted its nuclear programme is purely for civilian purposes. Analysts warn, though, that it would be very difficult to stop the Iranian nuclear programme through military action alone and that such a move may spur Iran to accelerate efforts to make a bomb if it has managed to protect key components. The Russian foreign ministry on Sunday strongly condemned the American strikes against Iranian nuclear sites as a "dangerous escalation" that could further undermine "regional and global security". "The risk of an escalation of conflict in the Middle East already beset by multiple crises, has increased significantly," it said in a statement. Last week, the Russian government warned the US against joining Israel's war in Iran, saying this "would be an extremely dangerous step with truly unpredictable negative consequences". The remarks came after Mr Putin held a call with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. It means the Russian government in particular - given Tehran's military support to Moscow in the Russian invasion of Ukraine - faces an urgent decision about how to support Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, whose very existence is under threat from Israel.
Fox News
12 minutes ago
- Fox News
WNBA champ seemingly calls for Trump's impeachment after US strikes Iranian nuclear facilities
New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud seemingly reacted to the U.S. military's strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday night. Cloud, a WNBA champion with the Washington Mystics and three-time All-Defense Team member, fired off a few posts on social media after the strikes were announced. "A sad sad day, Cloud wrote on X. "Grounds for impeachment," she added. Cloud also retweeted a post that read, "the three branches of government don't operate under a system of checks & balances anymore … democracy or autocracy?" On Instagram, Cloud shared Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's, D-N.Y., criticism of Trump's actions. "The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. "He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. "It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment." Cloud is far from one to hold off on opinions of the president and the state of the country. She reacted in February to President Donald Trump's decision to eliminate several government DEI programs. "The systems of power are working as they always were intended to work," Cloud told The Associated Press. "And it's time to break down a system that has only been about White men." Cloud added that she believes the country is putting "money over people." "I understand the business aspect and I understand the human aspect," Cloud said. "Too often this country has put the human aspect aside, and put profit and money over people." Cloud doubled down on her remarks in a social media post days later. Thing is I'm not soft, & words don't hurt me lol are we 5? it still remains people over profit," she wrote on X. "If yall truly about being unbiased… Google search any overseas media coverage of what's happening in America. "Then come back to me and tell me the whole world crazy." Trump announced on Saturday night the U.S. had struck a trio of nuclear facilities in Iran. The president ordered U.S. B-2 stealth bombers to carry out the strikes against Iran's Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities. "Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated," Trump said. "And Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not. future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
