Israel Strikes Iran's Heavy-Water Reactor in Arak
Israel's military said it hit Iran's heavy-water reactor in Arak as well as what it described as a site used for the development of nuclear weapons in the city of Natanz. Arak's heavy-water reactor, which is under construction, is important for spent-fuel reprocessing.
Israel's military Wednesday night told people to evacuate the central Iranian cities of Arak and Khondab ahead of the strike.
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CNN
24 minutes ago
- CNN
Trump's new two-week negotiating window sets off scramble to restart stalled Iran talks
President Donald Trump's decision to open a two-week negotiating window before deciding on striking Iran sets off an urgent effort to restart talks that had been deadlocked when Israel began its bombing campaign last week. The hope among Trump and his advisers is that Iran — under constant Israeli attack and having suffered losses to its missile arsenal — will relent on its hardline position and agree to terms it had previously rejected, including abandoning its enrichment of uranium, according to US officials. The deferred decision, which came after days of increasingly martial messages from the president suggesting he was preparing to order a strike, also gives Trump more time to weigh the potential consequences — including the chance it could drag the United States into the type of foreign conflict he promised to avoid. But negotiating a diplomatic solution in Trump's condensed timeline appeared to face significant early hurdles. Earlier this week, discussions were underway inside the White House to dispatch Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance to the region for talks with Iran. But as Trump grew wary that diplomatic efforts might succeed, the idea never resulted in scheduled talks, and both Vance and Witkoff remained in Washington as of Thursday. Foreign ministers from Britain, Germany and France are traveling to Geneva on Friday to hold talks with Iranian representatives, and have been briefed on the details of the last deal Witkoff offered to Iran, which Tehran ultimately rejected before the Israeli strikes began. Among US officials, there were not high expectations of success for Friday's meeting in Geneva, one US official said. But a White House official kept the door open to progress. 'This is a meeting between European leaders and Iran. The President supports diplomatic efforts from our allies that could bring Iran closer to taking his deal,' a White House official said. Iran's consistent message to the US since Israel began its strikes a week ago has been they will not engage in further talks with the US until the ongoing Israeli operation ends, two sources familiar with the messages said. The US has so far not pressured Israel to halt its strikes, sources said. And Trump said this week that his message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been to 'keep going.' So far, Iran has offered no indication it is willing to move off its positions on enrichment, which it views as a red line. And as of Thursday, no official talks between the US and Iran were on the books, US officials said. In putting off a decision, Trump appears to be placing more stock in a diplomatic solution that only a day earlier he appeared to suggest was out of reach. 'I think the president has made it clear he always wants to pursue diplomacy. But believe me, the president is unafraid to use strength if necessary,' press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday after relaying Trump's new two-week timeline. 'And Iran and the entire world should know that the United States military is the strongest and most lethal fighting force in the world, and we have capabilities that no other country on this planet possesses.' In a string of Situation Room meetings over the course of this week, Trump has quizzed advisers about the likelihood US bunker-buster bombs could entirely eliminate Iran's underground nuclear facility at Fordow, and how long such an operation might last, according to people familiar with the conversations. He has insisted repeatedly he wants to avoid taking action that could devolve into a multi-year conflict, something many of his own loyalists — including his onetime top strategist Steve Bannon, with whom the president had lunch Thursday — argue would be unavoidable should he make the decision to go ahead. And while the president has seen the military options, he remains worried about a longer-term war. Any assessments on whether a strike would cause prolonged US engagement are predictive and, by their nature, not entirely satisfactory, one official said. The new, within-two-weeks time frame for talks was not universally welcomed. An Israeli intelligence official expressed dismay that Trump would not make a decision – one way or the other. 'This is not helping,' the official said. Trump will continue to convene top-level intelligence briefings over the coming days, returning to Washington early from a weekend trip to his property in New Jersey to be updated at the White House. He has relied principally on his CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine in meetings to discuss his options, according to people familiar with the matter. But at the center of the diplomatic efforts will be Witkoff, the president's friend and foreign envoy who has led negotiations meant to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Witkoff began direct messaging with his Iranian counterpart, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, earlier this month and the administration has maintained some communications with Iranian officials over the past tense days as Trump weighed a strike. The plan that Witkoff last offered to Tehran would have required Iran to eventually end all uranium enrichment on its soil, and on Thursday the White House said it still views a ban on Iranian uranium enrichment as necessary to a final deal. As the Europeans head into Friday's meeting, they will be 'taking the temperature' on how receptive the Iranians are to finding a diplomatic solution, given their belief that strikes in both directions are not a solution, a European official said. European leaders believe the risks of Iran's nuclear program persist even amid Israel's strikes because Tehran maintains nuclear know-how and may still have clandestine nuclear-related efforts that won't get demolished by military strikes. Meanwhile, most US diplomats who are not in Trump's inner circle at the State Department have not been given specific guidance to offer US allies on the diplomatic efforts, a US official and a European diplomat said. That has led to many frustrating discussions with foreign interlocutors as US diplomats have very few answers to give the allies as they try to determine their diplomatic and military posture in the region, pointing only to Trump's own words. As Trump has weighed his options, Secretary of State Rubio has been close by, also departing early from the Group of 7 summit in Canada along with the commander in chief earlier this week. The top US diplomat spoke on Monday with his French, British and European Union counterparts about efforts to 'encourage a diplomatic path that ensures Iran never develops a nuclear weapon,' according to State Department readouts of the calls. On Wednesday, Rubio 'compared notes' on the matter with the Norwegian foreign minister. Rubio met with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Thursday before Lammy departs for the Geneva talks, and the two 'agreed Iran can never develop or acquire a nuclear weapon,' according to the State Department. 'Meeting with Secretary of State Rubio and Special Envoy to the Middle East Witkoff in the White House today, we discussed how Iran must make a deal to avoid a deepening conflict. A window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution,' Lammy said in a statement Thursday. US officials, including Witkoff, have also been actively engaged with officials in the region, many of whom have offered their help in mediating a diplomatic path forward. Multiple sources said Iran has responded to messages from third parties, but their responses have not changed.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump to make a decision on Iran within two weeks
President Donald Trump has set a two-week deadline to decide if the United States will strike Iran. "Based on the fact that there is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place in the near future, I will make my decision of whether or not to go within the next two weeks," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday, reading a statement from the president to reporters. Leavitt said Trump would prefer a diplomatic solution, but the president — in consultation with the National Security Council — is weighing U.S. military intervention to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, according to a recent POLITICO report. The U.S. is the only country with the military capacity to destroy Iran's nuclear program. 'Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon,' Leavitt said. 'All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that, and it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon, which would of course pose an existential threat not just to Israel, but to the United States and to the entire world.' The comments came at the end of a week of heightened tension in the decades-long conflict between Israel and Iran. As Iran and Israel lobbed rockets at each other, Trump left the Group of Seven conference early and has convened multiple meetings in the Situation Room. The conflict has divided Trump's coalition, driving a rift between an isolationist faction and hawks who have long sought to hobble Iran. Leavitt said Trump has long maintained his position that the U.S. should interfere to keep Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and quoted his comments on the subject from more than a decade ago. 'The president has made it clear he always wants to pursue diplomacy, but believe me, the president is unafraid to use strength as necessary,' Leavitt said. 'And Iran and the entire world should know that the United States military is the strongest and most lethal fighting force in the world, and we have capabilities that no other country on this planet possesses.' Leavitt declined to answer whether the president wanted regime change in Iran, which has been a goal of hawks like Sen. Lindsey Graham and a red line for MAGA isolationists.
CNN
44 minutes ago
- CNN
Living in fear in Iran, Dodger Stadium dispute, marijuana risks: Catch up on the day's stories
👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! That extra fee for a plastic shopping bag at the grocery store is actually making a difference for marine ecosystems. Those policies are associated with a 25% to 47% decrease in plastic bag litter in shoreline cleanups, a new study found. Here's what else you might have missed during your busy day. 1️⃣ Living in fear: After days of tit-for-tat strikes between Israel and Iran, the civilians stuck in the middle are feeling desperation and despair. Israel's bombing campaigns have taken out much of the key leadership in Iran's military and nuclear program. 2️⃣ Stadium dispute: The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Trump administration are at odds over what happened when federal agents showed up outside Dodger Stadium. Protesters began chanting anti-ICE slogans, but the government said there were no operations related to the baseball team. 3️⃣ A female first: A key election in Virginia this fall will make history no matter who wins: Democrat Abigail Spanberger or Republican Winsome Earle-Sears will become the state's first elected female governor. Neither candidate is talking much about it. 4️⃣ Cannabis risks: Marijuana use dramatically increases the chance of dying from a heart attack or stroke, according to a new analysis. Experts say weed's higher potency is a growing concern when it comes to potential health problems. 5️⃣ Cracks and dents: It's fair to say that the Florida Panthers are enjoying their Stanley Cup victory celebrations — but they've come at the expense of the trophy itself. Get '5 Things' in your inbox If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. 💥 'Major anomaly': In the latest setback for Elon Musk's SpaceX venture, a Starship rocket preparing for a test flight exploded into a giant fireball in southern Texas. No one was injured, and the cause is under investigation. • Trump to allow up to two weeks for diplomacy before deciding on US strike on Iran• Unpacking the second trial and verdict that cleared Karen Read of murder• How a leaked phone call between a former strongman and a young leader could topple a government 🚘 That's how much General Motors said it would invest in three US plants to boost production of gas and electric vehicles. ✨ Living in your skin: Membership of traditional naturist organizations and clubs is on the decline, but there are growing numbers of people embracing clothing-free lifestyles. Check out these communities whether it's to explore your newfound freedom or grow closer to nature, your community and yourself. 'I don't know how I survived … For some time, I thought I was going to die. But when I opened my eyes, I realized I was alive.' Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the only survivor of the Air India plane crash 🛩️ Sole survivor: Moments after the plane crashed, the 40-year-old unbuckled himself and stepped out of the scene that had just killed 241 people — including his brother Ajay Ramesh. A day after his discharge from the hospital, he solemnly carried his loved one's coffin, performing the last rites for a life lost in the deadly disaster. 😷 A new coronavirus variant surging in China has arrived in the US. What is it called?A. DeltaB. OmicronC. AlphaD. Nimbus⬇️ Scroll down for the answer. 💙 Something old, something new: Piercing blue eyes. Strong brows. A nose similar to that of Cheddar Man. These are the features of a prehistoric woman who lived around 10,500 years ago in what is now Belgium. Researchers studying the remains have produced a reconstruction of her face using ancient DNA. Take a look. 👋 We'll see you tomorrow.🧠 Quiz answer: D. The NB.1.8.1 coronavirus variant, known as Nimbus, has been linked to about one-third of new cases in the US.📧 Check out all of CNN's newsletters. 5 Things PM is edited and produced by CNN's Chris Good, Meghan Pryce, Kimberly Richardson and Morgan Severson.
