Interior raises bar for probationary employees to stay hired
The Interior Department has barred the automatic hiring of new employees at the end of their probationary period, a change that is part of a broader Trump administration effort to reshape the federal workforce.
Under the mandate, federal employees will be terminated at the end of their trial employment — usually one to two years from their hiring date — unless the agency determines otherwise, according to a personnel bulletin from Jennifer Ackerman, director of Interior's Office of Human Capital. It was signed Monday.
Under the Trump administration, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has sought to shrink Interior's more than 60,000-strong workforce, an agenda that has included proposed budget cuts, voluntary resignation programs and early retirements, as well as consolidation of some areas like human resources and information technology.
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All new federal employees, as well as some federal employees who changed to a different job but remained in federal service, go through a trial period before they are granted full status and greater labor protections.
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8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
U.S. Has Attacked Iran's Nuclear Facilities (Updated)
The U.S. has directly entered the war against Iran, striking three nuclear facilities, President Donald Trump announced via social media. The attack came on the ninth day of the Israel-Iran war in which Israeli forces have been attacking Iranian nuclear weapons facilities among other targets, including ballistic missile launchers, air defense systems, military leaders, and nuclear scientists. You can catch up with our coverage of this fight here. Rolling coverage via live updates are at the bottom of this article. 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,' Trump stated on Truth Social. 'All planes are now outside of Iran airspace. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.' — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2025 Trump did not say how the facilities were attacked. However, as we explained earlier today, at least two separate groups of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers were heading westward across the Pacific Ocean. The destination was unclear, and it's possible other B-2s were sent clandestinely to hit the targets. Other aircraft could also have been involved. However, B-2s carrying 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs are widely seen as the only readily available conventional option for targeting the deeply-buried enrichment facility at Fordow, in particular, short of a ground raid. The U.S. attack came a day after Trump mentioned that he was still deliberating what he would do, but that previous comments about giving Iran two weeks to end their nuclear ambitions were the maximum timeframe. This is a developing story. Stay with TWZ for updates. – After the strikes, the big question is whether Iran will retaliate and in what manner? This could widen the war significantly if Iran launches attacks on U.S. bases throughout the region. An attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz is also a possibility. What isn't known is how Iran's command and control architecture is operating and if additional capabilities have been deployed by the U.S. to degrade it in order to make a massive response harder to execute. The U.S. has evacuated many of its personnel, aircraft, and ships from Persian Gulf bases, but these are still potential targets, which could prompt a response from host countries if attacked. Also, what is important to factor in is that although Israel has degraded Iran's long-range ballistic missile capability over the last week — there has been no launches in the last 24 hours, which is a first and a potential indicator of the state of these forces — Iran's short-range ballistic and cruise missile, as well as one-way attack drone capability is far more expansive and harder to target. These systems are a major threat to U.S. bases in the region. We also don't know if the B-2 group that appeared to be sent out over the Pacific could have made it to Iran on the timetable now established. It is very possible this was a feint in order to provide cover for the real strike force. We are looking into the timing and will report more when we can more definitively answer this question. While the B-52s now located in Diego Garcia can drop GBU-57 MOPs, as they did in early testing, it is not a known operational capability for the type. Also, using those assets would be much riskier than the B-2 due to their lack of stealth. Still, it may have been possible depending on the state of Iran's air defenses, especially in the east of the country where Israeli operations have been far lower in volume, and what other assets would have assisted in the attacks. It seems most likely that another group of B-2s was sent east, using the already deployed tanker bridge, to clandestinely carry out the strikes. They could have also been moved in the days prior, clandestinely, to bases closer to Iran. Even the B-2 shelters in Diego Garcia could have hidden four B-2s. The UK is another established B-2 operating base, but they could have gone somewhere else, as well. The B-2 community has worked to hone its forward operations capabilities in recent years. There are many unknowns at this time. There were also unconfirmed reports leading up to Trump's announcement that strikes had occurred at the three nuclear sites. At the same time, there were also reports that Bandar Abbas, Iran's main naval facility on the Persian Gulf and the epicenter for IRGC naval assets that would be used to close the strait, was struck. Now it appears this indeed did happen, based on news out of Israel: An explosion seen at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas following an Israeli strike. — Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) June 21, 2025 Trump has also retweeted the statement, 'Fordow is gone.' from an open-source intelligence account on Truth Social: Israel has changed its defense posture following the strikes: Israel hunkering down: IDF: Changes to the Home Front Command Instructions With the approval of the Minister of Defense Israel Katz, and following the situational assessment, it was determined that as of today (Sunday), at 03:45am, immediate changes will be made to the Home Front Command instructions. As part of the changes, it was decided to shift all areas of the country from Partial and Limited Activity to Essential Activity. The instructions include: a prohibition on educational activities, gatherings, and workplaces, except for essential sectors. The public is required to follow the instructions published on the official Home Front Command channels. Full instructions will be updated on the National Emergency Portal and the Home Front Command app. The IRGC just posted this on Telegram: – Ships are still moving through the strait. This is simply an indicator of the current situation. It will likely take time for Iran to act, especially if its command and control is being further disrupted. Possibly the most important map right now, via @ 3 dozen large oil tankers are making their way through the Strait of Hormuz at the moment. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 22, 2025 Sean Hannity, Fox News commentator and close friend to Trump, has stated that the strike included six weapons dropped from B-2s on Fordow, and the other two sites were struck by Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles. We cannot confirm this, but it's the first thing we have heard detailing the assets used. Sean Hannity reports 6 bunker busting bombs were dropped on Fordow from USAF B-2 bombers. Isfahan and Natanz targeted with Tomahawk cruise missiles from submarines. — Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) June 22, 2025 Iranian state media is claiming that they evacuated nuclear materials from these sites. Even if that is the case, the infrastructure is of extremely high value regardless. NYT is reporting that Fordow was 'taken off the table.' US official tells NYT: The Fordow Nuclear facility has been hit by several bunker buster bombs. Initial BDA indicate that the facility has been "taken off the table" — Faytuks News (@Faytuks) June 22, 2025 The NYT is also reporting that Trump acted because Israel had not made significant gains in eliminating Iran's nuclear program, and it was unlikely they could achieve greater results: 'One reason the U.S. may have struck multiple sites on Saturday was that its intelligence agencies estimated that Israeli attacks only set back Iran's nuclear program by about six months. The assessments also concluded that further Israeli attacks were unlikely to do more damage.' 'A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence, said the strikes against the three nuclear sites on Saturday were complete. The official said no follow-up attacks were expected, although commanders were ready to respond to any Iranian retaliatory attacks.' Massive attacks across the electronic spectrum are absolutely right on cue. Defending the strike package from counter-air, yes, but to disrupt Iran's command and control and break their decision cycle is of the utmost importance throughout the coming hours. Fielding a large coordinated response will be extremely challenging without it. Reports out of Iran right now of some of the most heavy wide spectrum jamming of the war, radios, GPS, and cell all experiencing heavy degradation. Most likely US electronic warfare supporting strikes. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 21, 2025 Statement from The Arms Control Association criticizing the strikes: How the Pentagon used the open source community for their feint was a textbook play. It's a tactic we have discussed before. As I have stated repeatedly, for all the issues the OSINT community may cause military planners, it can also be used to their greatest advantage when it really matters. — Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) June 22, 2025 One person appears to have spotted the actual strike aircraft yesterday: I'm in Warsaw Missouri. Just witnessed 9 B2's fly over head traveling due east — David Shayani (@shayadave) June 21, 2025 Speaker Mike Johnson's statement on the operation: The military operations in Iran should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says. The President gave Iran's leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement. President… — Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) June 22, 2025 – CNN reports that Israel was told the strike was coming, which makes absolute sense, as not doing that could lead to a disaster: 'The US gave Israel a heads-up on its strikes in Iran before launching them, two officials familiar with the matter told CNN. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke Saturday evening following the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, two White House officials said.' CNN also reports that top democratic leadership was not briefed prior to the strike. Iran is threatening passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian official: Fuel ships will not pass to Europe through the Strait of Hormuz. — From Iran (@A_M_R_M1) June 22, 2025 Possible video of TLAM strikes on Isfahan: When lined up, the explosions are seen right on top of the tunnel entrances. The camera POV is at 32.551007, 51.88425 — Mitchell Ulrich (@Mitch_Ulrich) June 22, 2025 Trump is speaking now: — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 22, 2025 Trump says the strikes were a spectacular success and that the sites are destroyed, and threatens massive reprisals, including many more strikes, if Iran doesn't make peace. Images from inside the situation room: The White House Situation Room during the strike — Raylan Givens (@JewishWarrior13) June 22, 2025 More threats from the IRGC: Iranian Revolutionary Guard: The U.S. must await severe punishment… we will target all American interests in the Middle East. — From Iran (@A_M_R_M1) June 22, 2025 Iranian state TV is claiming that only the entrance and exits of Fordow were bombed. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he got a basic heads-up, without details: News: Schumer, a member of the Gang of Eight, got a 'perfunctory' heads up about the Iran strikes 'without any details' per source — Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) June 22, 2025 There is a video circulating that supposedly says the Houthis will target U.S. ships once again. This remains unconfirmed at this time: BREAKING: Yemen ready to attack all American ships and warships in the Red — E X X ➠A L E R T S (@ExxAlerts) June 22, 2025 Iran threatens U.S. bases and personnel in the region: Iranian TV: Every American citizen or soldier in the region is now a legitimate target. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 22, 2025 Statement from the Iranian Atomic Energy Agency via Iran's semi-official Tasnim News: Following the brutal attacks of the Zionist enemy over the past few days, at dawn today, the country's nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were attacked by the enemies of Islamic Iran in a barbaric act that violated international law, especially the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This action, contrary to international law, was unfortunately carried out in the shadow of the indifference and even the complicity of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The American enemy, through cyberspace, has claimed responsibility for the attack on the aforementioned sites, which are under the continuous supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, based on the Safeguards Agreement and the NPT Treaty. The international community is expected to condemn the lawlessness based on the rules of the jungle and support Iran in achieving its legitimate rights. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran assures the great nation of Iran that despite the evil conspiracies of its enemies, with the efforts of its thousands of revolutionary and motivated scientists and experts, it will not allow the path of development of this national industry, which is the result of the blood of nuclear martyrs, to be stopped. This organization has put the necessary measures, including legal action, on its agenda to defend the rights of the noble Iranian nation. – Data available through NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) indicates fires in the vicinity of Fordow following the strikes. Fires detected by NASA FIRMS in the vicinity of Iran's Fordow nuclear facility following US strikes. — Status-6 (Military & Conflict News) (BlueSky too) (@Archer83Able) June 22, 2025 CBS News and Fox News are reporting that the individuals listed in the social media posts below were in the White House Situation Room during the mission. A number of additional individuals not seen in pictures put out by the White House were reportedly present, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. DNI Tulsi Gabbard was in the Situation Room — along with others not pictured in WH photos or on this list, I am told — Jacqui Heinrich (@JacquiHeinrich) June 22, 2025 Israeli forces have conducted no additional strikes on Iran since the U.S. operation and are reportedly waiting to see what Iran's reaction might be before continuing with their campaign, according to Israel's public broadcaster Kan. Israel awaits the Iranian reaction, to decide if and how to continue with its military operation. @kann_news says no Israeli strikes reported since the American attack. All eyes on Tehran (and Washington). — rina bassist (@RinaBassist) June 22, 2025 'No radioactive effects were detected on the environment of the Kingdom and the Arab Gulf states as a result of the US military targeting of Iran's nuclear facilities,' according to a machine translation of the post below from the Saudi Arabian Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission (NRRC). لم يرصد أي آثار إشعاعية على بيئة المملكة، ودول الخليج العربية؛ نتيجة الاستهدافات العسكرية الأمريكية لمرافق إيران النووية. — هيئة الرقابة النووية والإشعاعية (@SaudiNRRC) June 22, 2025 Iran's Tasnim News has published the video below, which is said to be evidence that the city of Qom, which is in the vicinity of Fordow, has been unaffected by the U.S. strikes. Tasnim News broadcast a recorded segment from the city of Qom near the Fordow nuclear facility to show that life had not been disrupted by the attack. — Murtaza Hussain (@MazMHussain) June 22, 2025 Tasnim has also published the following, which it says are firsthand accounts of the situation around Fordow in the aftermath of the strikes: People in the area did not hear any loud explosions. Trump claimed this morning that he had attacked Iranian nuclear sites, including Fordow, and destroyed these facilities. Tasnim's reporter immediately went to the Fordow area; people in the area say that last night, like the previous nights, the sounds of small aircraft and air defenses could be heard. People say they heard several continuous sounds, but not what Trump says, and not the loud explosion that has been claimed. According to the Tasnim reporter, conditions in the area are now normal, life is going on, and not even smoke or flames are visible. Iran's Fars News has also published additional, reportedly firsthand accounts of the strikes on Fordow: A field report from around the Fordow site in the early hours of this morning indicates widespread activity by air defense systems and the observation of signs of air conflict in the area. The Fars reporter, upon hearing the first activation of the Hazrat Masoumeh (PBUH) defense system at 2:05 AM, moved towards the Fordow site area. On the way, at around 2:07, a slight explosion was heard, which, according to him, was less intense than the sound of the defense targeting on June 14. He also stated that on his way, he heard a loud sound of the defense, and as he reached the area of the Mehr and Mah welfare complex, the effects of the defense activity were clearly visible in the sky. At around 2:35 AM, the present reporter observed flames coming from the direction of Fordow, accompanied by the sound of an explosion, in the vicinity of the Mahtab Welfare Complex. The flames were not very high and subsided after about 3 to 4 minutes. In addition, a significant amount of light smoke and dust rose into the air in the area, which was clearly visible in the darkness of the night. Additional reports regarding the details of this incident and its consequences are being reviewed. – CNN and The New York Times have now reported that a total of 12 GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs were dropped on Fordow by six B-2 bombers, and that another B-2 dropped two more of the bunker buster bombs on Natanz. CNN is now reporting that 6 B-2A 'Spirit' Long-Range Stealth Bombers with the U.S. Air Force dropped a total of 12, not 6, GBU-57A/B MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) 30,000lb 'Bunker Buster' Bombs on the Fordow Nuclear Facility in Central Iran. In addition, U.S. Navy submarines… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 22, 2025 The Times has also reported that the B-2s flew approximately 37 hours nonstop during the mission. NEW: The B-2s that struck Iranian nuclear sites flew non-stop for ~37 hours from Missouri, refueling multiple times mid-air, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity – NYT — Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) June 22, 2025 'I am told by experts that the underground tunnel at Isfahan is a MUCH harder target than Fordow, and it is not clear whether the Tomahawks were able to destroy it,' Fox News' Jennifer Griffin has posted on X. I am told by experts that the underground tunnel at Isfahan is a MUCH harder target than Fordow and it is not clear whether the Tomahawks were able to destroy it. ' There is no way they got in that tunnelIt's deeper than Qom – and harder rock,' well placed source tells Fox.… — Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) June 22, 2025 Imagery captured by Meteosat-9, a meteorological satellite operated by the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), shows a 'flash' at Fordow around the reported time of the U.S. strikes. Faytuks Network: At 22:30 UTC, Meteosat-9 detected a flash over the Fordow enrichment plant. The event registered at 3.90 micrometers and was visible on nighttime microphysics scans. The location aligns with the salt plain east of Fordow. — Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) June 22, 2025 'A senior Israeli official tells me that it is too early to know exactly what the results of the U.S. strike in Iran are, but stressed that 'what is certain is that Iran's nuclear program has been set back by years,'' Axios' Barak Ravid posted on X. 'The senior Israeli official noted that if, following the U.S. strike, a good agreement with Iran is reached, it would be 'the end of the story' for Iran's nuclear program. The senior Israeli official stressed that if no nuclear agreement is reached and if Iran tries to rebuild its nuclear facilities, Israel will strike again — as it did against Iranian entrenchment attempts in Syria and Hezbollah's rearmament efforts in Lebanon.' A senior Israeli official tells me that it is too early to know exactly what the results of the U.S. strike in Iran are, but stressed that 'what is certain is that Iran's nuclear program has been set back by years' The senior Israeli official noted that if, following the U.S.… — Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) June 22, 2025 Iranian authorities have said, so far, there are 'no signs of [nuclear] contamination' following the U.S. strikes on Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz, according to the AP and AFP. #BREAKING Iran says 'no signs of contamination' after US attacks on key nuclear sites — AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 22, 2025 'We're tracking the situation unfolding in Iran,' the New York City Police Department has said in a statement. 'Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We'll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC.' We're tracking the situation unfolding in Iran. Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We'll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC. — NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) June 22, 2025 – Commercial satellite imagery provider Maxar Technologies has shared the following images along with the accompanying statement below: 'Prior to tonight's airstrikes on the three Iranian nuclear-associated facilities, Maxar collected high-resolution satellite imagery on June 19th and June 20th of the Fordow fuel enrichment facility that revealed unusual truck and vehicular activity near the entrance to the underground military complex. On June 19th, a group of 16 cargo trucks were positioned along the access road that leads to the tunnel entrance of the facility. Subsequent imagery on June 20th revealed that most of the trucks had repositioned approximately one kilometer northwest along the access road; however, additional trucks and several bulldozers were seen near the entrance to the main facility and one truck was positioned immediately next to the main tunnel entrance.' – Iran has now launched another salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel, with reported impacts in Tel Aviv and Haifa. There are reports that 25 to 30 Iranian missiles were fired, with at least 10 of them reaching the ground. Central Israel targeted — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 22, 2025 Iranian ballistic missiles screaming back into the lower atmosphere as they descended towards Tel Aviv, Israel, this morning. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 22, 2025 Large ballistic missile engagement over Tel Aviv moments ago, dozens of Israeli interceptors fired as Iranian ballistic missiles fly in. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 22, 2025 Iranian missiles over Israel. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 22, 2025 Iranian missiles hit Israel. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 22, 2025 Impact in Haifa. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 22, 2025 Roughly 25–30 ballistic missiles were fired in that last barrage by Iran, with roughly 10 impacts in the north and center of Israel. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 22, 2025 Video footage that may show U.S. strikes on Isfahan has emerged online. Likely footage of US Navy-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles hitting Iran's Isfahan nuclear facility, as seen from nearby: — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 22, 2025 'Senior officials in the defense establishment told Here News over the weekend that Israel had exhausted its bank of targets in Iran against the Islamic Republic's nuclear sites and that the understanding was that it would have to wait for the US, which alone could, through its military capabilities, destroy the underground nuclear facility at Fordow,' Israeli journalist Itay Blumental has posted on X. 'In the past two days, senior IDF officials told Kan News, the Air Force has attacked targets in Iran in the Revolutionary Guards' surface-to-surface missile and air defense systems – to 'deepen the achievements.'' From @ItayBlumental Senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment told Here News over the weekend that Israel had exhausted its bank of targets in Iran against the Islamic Republic's nuclear sites and that the understanding was that it would have to wait for the US,… — Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) June 22, 2025 'The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations,' Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Araghchi has said in a statement condemning the U.S. strikes. 'In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.' The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting… — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 22, 2025 Iran's Fars News has also reported the following on a letter sent to the United Nations Security Council following the U.S. strikes: Iran's letter to the Security Council following US aggression against nuclear facilities Following today's US aggression against the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, Iran's mission to the United Nations wrote to the Security Council requesting an emergency meeting. The letter states: In order to maintain international peace and security, the Islamic Republic of Iran urgently calls for an emergency meeting of the Security Council without any delay, in order to address this blatant and illegal act of aggression, condemn it in the strongest possible terms, and take all necessary measures within the framework of the responsibilities assigned to the Council under the Charter of the United Nations so that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are fully held accountable and do not go unpunished. The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns in the strongest possible terms these unprovoked and premeditated acts of aggression, which follow the massive military attack carried out by the Israeli regime on June 13 against Iran's peaceful nuclear sites and facilities. – Iran has launched another group of ballistic missiles at Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) now says the Iranians launched 27 missiles in total, 22 in the first barrage and five in the second. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 22, 2025 The IDF Home Front Command says civilians can leave shelters following Iran's ballistic missile least 27 missiles were launched in the attack in two salvos, with impacts in Haifa and in central Israel. The first barrage included 22 missiles, and the second was made… — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 22, 2025 Additional imagery of the aftermath of both salvos continues to emerge online. A crash site in Israel. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 22, 2025 Tel Aviv. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 22, 2025 Aftermath of Iranian missile attacks on Israel. — Clash Report (@clashreport) June 22, 2025 Mark Weatherington, a retired Air Force lieutenant general who flew B-2s and served as the deputy commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, has said that a strike on Fordow is a scenario that American forces have trained for 'many times for several years,' according to Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson. Former B-2 pilot and No. 2 at Global Strike retired Lt. Gen. Mark Weatherington says the Fordow mission has been reheased 'many times for several years.' — Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) June 22, 2025 'Following attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran – including Fordow – the IAEA can confirm that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported as of this time,' the International Atomic Energy Agency has said. 'IAEA will provide further assessments on the situation in Iran as more information becomes available.' Following attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran – including Fordow – the IAEA can confirm that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported as of this will provide further assessments on situation in Iran as more information becomes available. — IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) June 22, 2025 – We have some more content from Trump's statement about the U.S. airstrikes on Iran. 'Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror,' Trump said in a speech from the White House. 'Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.' Footage from Fordow, Iran, shows smoke near the nuclear site after a US strike. — WarTranslated (@wartranslated) June 22, 2025 We are also getting more evidence of the aftermath of Iranian reprisal strikes launched against Israel, including extensive damage to a residential area in Tel Aviv, as seen in the tweet below. Residential neighborhood hit by an Iranian ballistic missile in Tel Aviv. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 22, 2025 The United Kingdom, which has often in the past taken part in joint military actions with the United States, says it was not involved in the airstrikes on the three nuclear facilities. However, U.K. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds confirmed that the British government was aware of U.S. plans to launch the airstrikes. He added: 'I can't tell you exactly when we did know, but we were informed, as you might expect, by a key ally, of this action.' Reynolds said: 'We support the prevention of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon. We had proposed a diplomatic course of action, as other European countries had done, the Iranians had rejected that.' Reynolds says there was no U.S. request to use its Diego Garcia airbase in the Indian Ocean. Israel has continued to strike targets in Iran. The Israel Defense Force (IDF) posted on X that it had struck 'dozens of locations' in central Iran. The IDF said that eight missile launchers were destroyed, as well as a military site containing 'components for the production of explosives.' The Israeli Air Force (IAF) attacked the airport at Isfahan, 'in order to prevent the Iranian air force from using military infrastructure at the site.' Meanwhile, the following video shows the destruction of two Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) F-5 fighter jets at Dezful, which was home to the 41st and 43rd Tactical Fighter Squadrons. The Israeli Air Force bombed two Iranian F-5 fighter jets at Dezful Airport in Iran a short while ago, the military says. — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 22, 2025 Contact the author: howard@
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
B-2 Bombers Head West Across Pacific Amidst Iran Crisis
At least two separate groups of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are currently heading westward across the Pacific Ocean, but their exact final destination is currently unclear. The bomber movements come as U.S. officials have been deliberating whether or not to join Israel's ongoing campaign against Iran, and President Donald Trump has said a final decision could come within the next two weeks. B-2s carrying 30,000-pound GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker buster bombs are widely seen as the only readily available conventional option for targeting the deeply-buried enrichment facility at Fordo, in particular, short of a ground flight tracking data, together with publicly available air traffic control audio, shows at least two separate flights of B-2 bombers using the call signs Mytee 11 and Mytee 21 departing Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri overnight, supported by a large force of aerial refueling tankers. Whiteman is the main operating base for the Air Force's entire fleet of 19 B-2s. The stealth bombers headed west and subsequently linked up with additional tankers off the coast of California. The B-2s have begun their oceanic crossing over the 11 flt and MYTEE 21 flt wkg SAN FRANCISCO RADIO on HF this morning after refueling with HIFI 81 flt (KC-46) and HIFI 83 flt (KC-46) along the AR5 West High track off the coast of California. NKAWTG… — Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) June 21, 2025 NITRO61 flt (KC-135) refueling MYTEE21 flt (B-2) on the AR309 NITRO71 is the next cell of tankersAudio via @liveatc and tracking via @ — Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) June 21, 2025 How many B-2s are in each Mytee flight is not clear, but there are reports that each one contains at least three B-2s. Flight tracking data shows four tankers were tasked to support each group after the initial launch from Whiteman. Earlier this year, two sets of three B-2s had deployed to the highly strategic Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, from where they flew strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen, in what was also a major show of force aimed at Iran. KC135s NITRO61-64 are joined with B2s MYTEE21 NITRO71-74 are joined with B2s MYTEE11 groups of B2s. — Aircraft Spots (@AircraftSpots) June 21, 2025 Two groups of four tankers out of Altus are now lined up with air refueling route AR-309 (west) for Whiteman AFB air the spacing between each group of four. — Evergreen Intel (@vcdgf555) June 21, 2025 1147z MYTEE 21 x3 USAF B-2/A Spirit's(Making the Total now atleast x6 #B2's)Departed from Whiteman AFB #KSZL Likely heading to Guam / Anderson AFB # with San Francisco (SFO) #HF on 5574 khz.#MYTEE21 #MYTEE22 #MYTEE23. — Andy (@Andyyyyrrrr) June 21, 2025 Signs have been growing for days that a major deployment of B-2s could be imminent. A large force of aerial refueling tankers had been tracked deploying to various locations across the Pacific. C-17 cargo aircraft had also made flights to Whiteman, where they could have been dropping off or picking up personnel and/or materiel in support of an upcoming mission. Another C-17 with a 4-digit code (interestingly is also the tail code :-)) is outbound from Whiteman. It is also a McChord based C-17 and was on the ground for just over 3 hours before launching again. #08-8192 — MeNMyRC (@MeNMyRC1) June 20, 2025 Starting on June 13, Whiteman had also been closed for operations for scheduled maintenance to the airfield, and had been set to reopen on June 23. However, the reopening occurred ahead of schedule on June 19, after which the C-17 flights began. C-17s descending into Whiteman this evening — Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) June 19, 2025 As noted, the ultimate destination for the Mytee 11 and Mytee 21 flights is not clear at present. A Notice to Air Mission (NOTAM) released yesterday suggested that the B-2s were at least set to refuel off the coast of Hawaii today as part of their onward movement, which has now been backed up by flight tracking data and air traffic control audio. A NOTAM for aerial refueling just north of Hawaii has been published for June 21st starting at 0300 Zulu (11:00 AM EST). The attitude reservation entitled 'GLOCK' is for altitudes FL210 – FL280. Looks like the B-2s are getting ready. PS. The B-2 looking shape in red is… — Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) June 20, 2025 1431z "#MYTEE21 ATC Requests Advice when MARSA With #FRESH35 Flight." — Andy (@Andyyyyrrrr) June 21, 2025 There are reports that the stealth bombers are currently heading to Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. If that is true, some or all of the bombers could still continue on to Diego Garcia or other forward locations. Diego Garcia is one of a very limited number of locations outside of the United States with existing infrastructure to support sustained B-2 operations. AR #2 out of Travis AFB, HIFI81-82 supporting B-2s MYTEE21 HIFI83-84 supporting B-2s MYTEE11 FLT. — Aircraft Spots (@AircraftSpots) June 21, 2025 It should be stressed here that there are no clear indications one way or the other at this time that the B-2s are actively headed to conduct strikes on Iran, although they have the capability to do so without forward basing. This was demonstrated last October when a group of them flew straight from Whiteman to strike targets in Yemen. At that time, TWZ also highlighted the clear signal that the marathon mission had sent to Iran. The fact that the B-2s refueled immediately after takeoff could point to them at least having MOPs onboard, as the weight of the weapons requires some fuel to be sacrificed for departure. Positioning the B-2s even in Guam would still reduce the time for sorties to and from Iran, which would, in turn, help the turnaround time for follow-on missions. Each of the stealth bombers can only carry two GBU-57/Bs at a time, and multiple MOPs would be required to neutralize Fordo as part of a sustained campaign. It's also important to note that B-2s would conduct any strikes on Iran as part of a larger force package that would include supporting assets to help shield the bombers from anti-air threats, as well as conduct post-strike damage assessments. Combat search and rescue forces would also be part of the equation. The B-2s are already extremely survivable and Iran's air defense capabilities have been severely degraded by Israeli strikes, but that does not mean there are zero risks. At least as of June 19, four B-52 bombers, as well as six F-15E Strike Eagles, continue to be forward-deployed at Diego Garcia after having arrived there at various points back in May. TWZ was first to report on the deployment of the F-15Es, which are there explicitly for force protection purposes. Satellite imagery has also consistently shown tankers, cargo planes, and other supporting aircraft at the strategic island outpost in recent months. The U.S. military also recently repositioned air assets from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, some of which at least appear to have been relocated to Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. American naval vessels in Bahrain were also observed putting to sea. These movements would help reduce the vulnerability of the forces in question to potential Iranian attacks. Higher resolution Chinese satellite imagery from the 19th posted by Mizarvision. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 21, 2025 Satellite images of Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, one of the U.S. Air Force's most important bases in the Middle East, appear to show the base now completely abandoned. The base, which regularly maintains dozens of military aircraft, including aerial-refueling tankers, surveillance… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 18, 2025 Almost all vessels have sortied out from Salman Port in Bahrain, a multinational naval base on the Persian Gulf. At least 1x US Navy LCS, 2x minesweepers, both of the Royal Bahraini Navy's Perry-class Frigates, and a roughly a dozen smaller vessels have put to sea. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 17, 2025 This all comes amid what the U.S. military has openly acknowledged as a major force build-up across the Middle East, as well as Europe, in light of the current Israel-Iran conflict. Officials have insisted that the recent deployments, which include airpower and naval assets, are defensively focused. However, these forces are also now inherently better positioned to support offensive operations against Iran if the decision is made to do so. Lajes Air Base, a key mid-Atlantic stopping-over point for US aircraft headed to and from Europe and beyond, is absolutely packed. New images show 12x USAF tankers sitting on the ramp as the massive ongoing US airlift to the Middle East continues. — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 21, 2025 A flock of USAF F-22 Raptor stealth fighters follow their KC-46 tanker towards the Middle East, as seen from the @TheAviationist and @TallGlenn85 — OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 20, 2025 The U.S. Navy now has five guided-missile destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean, according to U.S. defense officials. This is a significant increase. Earlier this week, the U.S. had just one in the eastern Med. Following Israel's attack on Iran, the U.S. had two positioned in… — Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) June 20, 2025 'We're going to see what that period of time is, but I'm giving them a period of time, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum,' Trump told reporters yesterday when asked about the possibility of U.S. strikes on Iran. 'I think it's very hard to make that request right now,' Trump also said in response to questions about the possibility of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran to provide space for a negotiated settlement to the conflict. 'If somebody is winning, it's a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing, but we're ready, willing and able, and we've been speaking to Iran, and we'll see what happens.' 'We're the only ones that have the capability to do it — but that doesn't mean I'm going to do it,' Trump had also said on Wednesday when asked about a possible U.S. strike on Fordo. 'I have ideas as to what to do. I like to make the final decision one second before it's due because things change, especially with war. Senior Iranian and European officials did meet in Geneva, Switzerland yesterday about a possible diplomatic resolution to the fighting, but the only clear outcome was a readiness for further talks. A new ultimatum from the Trump administration demanding Iran abandon domestic enrichment activities and dismantle other elements of its nuclear program, as well as accept new restrictions on its missile capabilities, was reportedly conveyed to Iran at that time. Even just a forward deployment of B-2s would be in line with a maximum pressure campaign to push the regime in Tehran to accept these terms. According to N12 news, The U.S. has delivered a final offer to Iran:• END uranium enrichment• SLASH long-range missile programs• DISMANTLE key nuclear infrastructureIsrael believes rejection = U.S. enters the Oman, Italy & Norway offered to host talks. Iran… — Open Source Intel (@Osint613) June 20, 2025 The Iranian government has already pushed back on the possibility of any negotiations while Israeli strikes continue. Israeli officials, for their part, have also expressed disinterest in diplomatic engagement with Iran. As the force of B-2 bombers continues to head west across the Pacific, their ultimate destination at least may become NBC News, and The Wall Street Journal are now reporting that the B-2s are headed for Andersen Air Force Base on Guam, all citing unnamed U.S. officials. The possibility remains that some or all of the stealth bombers could continue onward to a location like Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. 'The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, declined to disclose any further details,' according to Reuters' report. 'One official said no forward orders had been given yet to move the bombers beyond Guam. They did not say how many B-2 bombers are being moved.' 'However no order has been given to strike Iran, officials say,' The Wall Street Journal's Lara Seligman also wrote in a post on X. However no order has been given to strike Iran, officials say — Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) June 21, 2025Contact the author: joe@
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Coeur Mining (CDE) Gets an Outperform Rating from National Bank with a $12 PT
Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE:CDE) is one of the 11 Cheap Gold Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. On June 13, National Bank transferred its coverage of Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE:CDE) to analyst Alex Terentiew, who gave the stock an Outperform rating with a $12 price target. The firm released a positive research note on Metals & Mining on the price of silver, stating that the mining companies focused on silver are experiencing notable positive transformations at present due to improvements in balance sheets. Aerial view of a gold mine, reflecting the company's precious metals mining operations. The analyst further stated in a research note that Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE:CDE) has a diversified portfolio of assets expected to deliver increasingly stable and high-margin cash flow. This could further bolster its already strong balance sheet, positioning the company to consider increased shareholder returns. Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE:CDE) explores and develops gold and silver mines and mining properties in the US, Canada, and Mexico. It operates through the Palmarejo, Rochester, Kensington, Wharf, and Other segments. The Palmarejo segment manages a gold-silver complex, while the Rochester segment operates a silver-gold mine in northwestern Nevada. Similarly, the Kensington and Wharf segments operate an underground gold mine and an open-pit heap leach gold mine, respectively. While we acknowledge the potential of CDE as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
