Latest news with #JINSA
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
New Israeli Army Chief Declares 2025 a Year of Combat with Iran
Israel's newly appointed Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, has outlined significant military challenges facing the General Staff, emphasizing the need for victory. He identified 2025 as a potential timeline for a military confrontation with Iran and Gaza. He made his remarks on Thursday just two days after a joint air exercise involving American, British, and Israeli aircraft, including the strategic B-52 bomber, over the Middle East. Zamir's statement comes amid rising regional tensions, with the US increasing economic pressure on Tehran and Israel signaling the possibility of a major military strike against Iran. Israel has insisted that any potential strike should not be its sole responsibility but should receive tangible US support. This stance was reinforced by a letter published by American media on Wednesday, signed by 77 retired US generals and admirals, urging former President Donald Trump to back any potential Israeli military action against Iran. The letter warned that Tehran is nearing the capacity to produce nuclear weapons. Israeli sources revealed that the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) organized the letter. It stated that the time has come to allow Israel to complete its mission against the Iranian axis and prevent Iran from crossing the nuclear threshold. The letter also called on Washington to provide the necessary military support. The signatories argued that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a direct threat to US national security, adding that Israel was seeking the support necessary to maximize the effectiveness of its operations while managing the risks of an Iranian response. Zamir presented his military plans to the General Staff, reiterating his expectation of a potential confrontation with Iran and Gaza in 2025. In a message to soldiers, he stressed 'the importance of victory and defeating the enemy,' referencing recent attacks on Israel. Meanwhile, the Israeli military confirmed that it had conducted joint aerial drills with US and British fighter jets over the Middle East. Simultaneously, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced a strategic bomber flight in the region as part of efforts to enhance military cooperation with allies and project power in the area. Both Israel and CENTCOM confirmed the participation of a B-52 Stratofortress bomber, which took off from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom, flew over Europe, and entered CENTCOM's operational zone. The mission included mid-air refueling operations and joint exercises with regional partner forces. CENTCOM emphasized that these flights are intended to strengthen collective defense capabilities and demonstrate US commitment to Middle East security and stability. The missions also highlight the US military's ability to rapidly deploy and respond to emerging threats, marking the third such operation in two weeks. Israeli officials have linked this military activity to ongoing tensions and the exchange of threats between Israel and Iran, following reciprocal strikes in April and October of last year. Although Tehran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, US intelligence agencies assess that Iran has taken steps that bring it closer to developing a nuclear device if it chooses to do so. Tehran has also increasingly signaled its potential pursuit of a nuclear weapon. American intelligence agencies have warned that Israel is considering major strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in the first half of this year, seeking to capitalize on Iran's current vulnerabilities.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Retired US military leaders support letting Israel 'finish the job' against Iran, proxies
Senior retired military commanders are sounding the alarm over Iran's nuclear capabilities and are calling on President Donald Trump to throw U.S. support behind Israel. In a letter issued by Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) and signed by 77 retired U.S. generals and admirals, they say it's "time to let Israel finish the job against the Iranian axis." The letter, which was issued just hours ahead of President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress, asserts that a nuclear Iran would be a threat to U.S. national security. They warn that there is not much more time to stop Iran's "march to the bomb," and say the Islamic Republic cannot be allowed to "cross the nuclear threshold." "What Israel seeks from the United States is support to ensure the maximum effectiveness of its actions and manage the risk of Iranian retaliation. We should provide it expeditiously," the letter says. Over 150 Lawmakers Lend Support To Resistance Movement Inside Iran As Regime's Proxies Fall The former leaders say that they do not take military action lightly and that diplomacy would be "preferable," but they doubt that Iran will participate in the talks in good faith. "Repeated negotiations with Iran over two decades have led to one dangerous result: The world's leading state sponsor of terrorism now stands on the cusp of developing the world's most dangerous weapons." Read On The Fox News App The retired generals and admirals are calling on the U.S. to provide Israel with munitions, weapons systems and "support needed to ensure the effectiveness of its operations against this common threat." They assert that by supporting Israel in its fight against a nuclear Iran, the U.S. would be protecting its own influence in the region. The Iranian regime was also recently accused of plotting to assassinate Trump, which the president said would lead to the Islamic Republic being "obliterated." During a recent trip to Israel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Iran "the single greatest source of instability" in the Middle East. He added that the Islamic Republic is "behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence." Rubio went on to say that "there can never be a nuclear Iran — a nuclear Iran that could then hold itself immune from pressure and from action. That can never happen." Rubio, Netanyahu Affirm 'Common Strategy' For Gaza, Set Sights On Iran In Joint Statement In the same news conference, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a staunch opponent of a nuclear Iran, said that "Israel and America are shoulder-to-shoulder in countering the threat of Iran." While the theme of President Trump's speech Tuesday night is "Renewal of the American Dream," he is still expected to speak about domestic and foreign issues — one of which could be the threat of a nuclear Iran. On Feb. 4, President Trump signed a national security memorandum declaring the return of maximum pressure on the Iranian regime and vowing to block any and all paths to a nuclear weapon. "Iran remains the world's leading state sponsor of terror and has aided Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, the Taliban, al-Qa'ida, and other terrorist networks," the memorandum reads. In the memorandum, President Trump also says, "Iran bears responsibility for the horrific Hamas massacres committed on October 7, 2023." Tonight, there will be someone in the audience of the joint address who experienced the brutality of an Iran-funded terror group firsthand. Former Hamas hostage Noa Argamani, who was rescued by the Israel Defense Forces in June, will attend as a guest of House Speaker Mike article source: Retired US military leaders support letting Israel 'finish the job' against Iran, proxies
Fox News
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Retired US military leaders support letting Israel 'finish the job' against Iran, proxies
Senior retired military commanders are sounding the alarm over Iran's nuclear capabilities and are calling on President Donald Trump to throw U.S. support behind Israel. In a letter issued by Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) and signed by 77 retired U.S. generals and admirals, they say it's "time to let Israel finish the job against the Iranian axis." The letter, which was issued just hours ahead of President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress, asserts that a nuclear Iran would be a threat to U.S. national security. They warn that there is not much more time to stop Iran's "march to the bomb," and say the Islamic Republic cannot be allowed to "cross the nuclear threshold." "What Israel seeks from the United States is support to ensure the maximum effectiveness of its actions and manage the risk of Iranian retaliation. We should provide it expeditiously," the letter says. The former leaders say that they do not take military action lightly and that diplomacy would be "preferable," but they doubt that Iran will participate in the talks in good faith. "Repeated negotiations with Iran over two decades have led to one dangerous result: The world's leading state sponsor of terrorism now stands on the cusp of developing the world's most dangerous weapons." The retired generals and admirals are calling on the U.S. to provide Israel with munitions, weapons systems and "support needed to ensure the effectiveness of its operations against this common threat." They assert that by supporting Israel in its fight against a nuclear Iran, the U.S. would be protecting its own influence in the region. The Iranian regime was also recently accused of plotting to assassinate Trump, which the president said would lead to the Islamic Republic being "obliterated." During a recent trip to Israel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Iran "the single greatest source of instability" in the Middle East. He added that the Islamic Republic is "behind every terrorist group, behind every act of violence." Rubio went on to say that "there can never be a nuclear Iran — a nuclear Iran that could then hold itself immune from pressure and from action. That can never happen." In the same news conference, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been a staunch opponent of a nuclear Iran, said that "Israel and America are shoulder-to-shoulder in countering the threat of Iran." While the theme of President Trump's speech Tuesday night is "Renewal of the American Dream," he is still expected to speak about domestic and foreign issues — one of which could be the threat of a nuclear Iran. On Feb. 4, President Trump signed a national security memorandum declaring the return of maximum pressure on the Iranian regime and vowing to block any and all paths to a nuclear weapon. "Iran remains the world's leading state sponsor of terror and has aided Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, the Taliban, al-Qa'ida, and other terrorist networks," the memorandum reads. In the memorandum, President Trump also says, "Iran bears responsibility for the horrific Hamas massacres committed on October 7, 2023." Tonight, there will be someone in the audience of the joint address who experienced the brutality of an Iran-funded terror group firsthand. Former Hamas hostage Noa Argamani, who was rescued by the Israel Defense Forces in June, will attend as a guest of House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump must not repeat his Kim Jong Un mistake with Iran, security expert warns
President Donald Trump's revelation this week that he wants to negotiate with Iran raised eyebrows in the security sector. A former national security advisor cautioned the president against forming a Kim Jong Un-type relationship with the Ayatollah. Trump has described his relations with Kim as a "love" affair, but his first-term efforts at diplomacy with the hermit kingdom failed to prevent North Korea from advancing its nuclear program. "On the question of negotiations, we'll see where this goes," said John Hannah, former national security advisor to Dick Cheney and current Randi & Charles Wax senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA). Hannah spoke Thursday evening during a discussion hosted by JINSA in Washington, D.C., on Trump's new plans to start negotiations with Iran. Iran's Supreme Leader Says Nuclear Talks With Trump Admin Would Not Be 'Wise' "Trump and Kim Jong Un — that's a worst-case [scenario] — he comes out hot and heavy against. He gets engaged and snared in a negotiation. He gets sweet talked to. It's dragged out for the rest of his presidency," Hannah said. "And we make absolutely zero progress on dismantling or neutralizing the North Korean nuclear program. Read On The Fox News App "That's the nightmare." Trump's decision to pursue negotiations with Iran to dismantle its nuclear program was announced by the president in a post Wednesday night on his Truth Social media platform, when he stated his desire for a "Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement." "We should start working on it immediately, and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed," he wrote. "God Bless the Middle East!" His post came one day after Trump signed an executive order directing the Treasury Department to begin a "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran through sanctions targeting the regime's oil exports in a move to deter Tehran from continuing its nuclear development. President Trump Says 'We Will Have Relations With North Korea'; It's A 'Big Asset' That He Gets Along With Kim But, after the order, he told reporters he was "torn" about signing the directive and added he was "unhappy to do it." The Trump administration has not released details on who will lead these negotiations, how they will differ from the negotiations attempted by the Biden administration or what a new deal would include that wasn't in the international deal reached during the Obama administration under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). That deal was finalized by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — China, France, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S. The so-called Iran nuclear deal, which Trump pulled out of in 2018, was also signed onto by Germany and the European Union. Hannah said Trump's change in tune on securing a nuclear deal with Iran could be a negotiating tactic, though he warned that "25 years of negotiations with the Iranians on the nuclear program have led nowhere except an Iran right on the cusp of having nuclear weapons." The former national security advisor, along with the former special representative for Iran and Venezuela Ambassador Elliott Abrams, together warned that the Trump administration is facing a serious deadline when it comes to taking on negotiations with Iran. Come October, Russia, a top ally to Iran, will take on the lead role of the United Nations Security Council, filling the presidency for one month, which could pose its own security concerns. Trump Reinstates 'Maximum Pressure' Campaign Against Iran But there is another October deadline looming over international attempts to block Iran's nuclear development. The ability for the nations remaining in the JCPOA to apply "snapback" sanctions on Tehran will expire Oct. 18, 2025. "There have to be negotiation discussions between Trump and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu on how long are we going to wait to see this negotiation drag on," Abrams said, referring to the years-long talks by the Biden administration that proved fruitless. "I'm sure the Iranians will say if you impose snapback [sanctions] the negotiations are over, and we will leave the nuclear nonproliferation treaty." Iran, particularly in recent years, has been found to have repeatedly violated the treaty, though proponents of a nuclear deal argue it is a useful tool to keep Tehran involved in nuclear nonproliferation discussions. But Abrams also warned that the U.S. and Israel should engage in military drills to remind Iran of what it is potentially facing should it move forward with nuclear development. Retired Israel Defense Forces Major General Yaakov Amidror echoed this sentiment and said he believes it is unlikely that Iran completely ignores the threat of U.S.-Israeli strike force capabilities because it relies on the legitimate aspects of this nuclear program for economic stability. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday rejected the possibility of engaging in any future negotiations with the Trump article source: Trump must not repeat his Kim Jong Un mistake with Iran, security expert warns
Fox News
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump must not repeat his Kim Jong Un mistake with Iran, security expert warns
President Donald Trump's revelation this week that he wants to negotiate with Iran raised eyebrows in the security sector. A former national security advisor cautioned the president against forming a Kim Jong Un-type relationship with the Ayatollah. Trump has described his relations with Kim as a "love" affair, but his first-term efforts at diplomacy with the hermit kingdom failed to prevent North Korea from advancing its nuclear program. "On the question of negotiations, we'll see where this goes," said John Hannah, former national security advisor to Dick Cheney and current Randi & Charles Wax senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA). Hannah spoke Thursday evening during a discussion hosted by JINSA in Washington, D.C., on Trump's new plans to start negotiations with Iran. "Trump and Kim Jong Un — that's a worst-case [scenario] — he comes out hot and heavy against. He gets engaged and snared in a negotiation. He gets sweet talked to. It's dragged out for the rest of his presidency," Hannah said. "And we make absolutely zero progress on dismantling or neutralizing the North Korean nuclear program. "That's the nightmare." Trump's decision to pursue negotiations with Iran to dismantle its nuclear program was announced by the president in a post Wednesday night on his Truth Social media platform, when he stated his desire for a "Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement." "We should start working on it immediately, and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed," he wrote. "God Bless the Middle East!" His post came one day after Trump signed an executive order directing the Treasury Department to begin a "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran through sanctions targeting the regime's oil exports in a move to deter Tehran from continuing its nuclear development. But, after the order, he told reporters he was "torn" about signing the directive and added he was "unhappy to do it." The Trump administration has not released details on who will lead these negotiations, how they will differ from the negotiations attempted by the Biden administration or what a new deal would include that wasn't in the international deal reached during the Obama administration under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). That deal was finalized by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council — China, France, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S. The so-called Iran nuclear deal, which Trump pulled out of in 2018, was also signed onto by Germany and the European Union. Hannah said Trump's change in tune on securing a nuclear deal with Iran could be a negotiating tactic, though he warned that "25 years of negotiations with the Iranians on the nuclear program have led nowhere except an Iran right on the cusp of having nuclear weapons." The former national security advisor, along with the former special representative for Iran and Venezuela Ambassador Elliott Abrams, together warned that the Trump administration is facing a serious deadline when it comes to taking on negotiations with Iran. Come October, Russia, a top ally to Iran, will take on the lead role of the United Nations Security Council, filling the presidency for one month, which could pose its own security concerns. But there is another October deadline looming over international attempts to block Iran's nuclear development. The ability for the nations remaining in the JCPOA to apply "snapback" sanctions on Tehran will expire Oct. 18, 2025. "There have to be negotiation discussions between Trump and [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu on how long are we going to wait to see this negotiation drag on," Abrams said, referring to the years-long talks by the Biden administration that proved fruitless. "I'm sure the Iranians will say if you impose snapback [sanctions] the negotiations are over, and we will leave the nuclear nonproliferation treaty." Iran, particularly in recent years, has been found to have repeatedly violated the treaty, though proponents of a nuclear deal argue it is a useful tool to keep Tehran involved in nuclear nonproliferation discussions. But Abrams also warned that the U.S. and Israel should engage in military drills to remind Iran of what it is potentially facing should it move forward with nuclear development. Retired Israel Defense Forces Major General Yaakov Amidror echoed this sentiment and said he believes it is unlikely that Iran completely ignores the threat of U.S.-Israeli strike force capabilities because it relies on the legitimate aspects of this nuclear program for economic stability. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday rejected the possibility of engaging in any future negotiations with the Trump administration.
