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CENTCOM says US forces shot down 4 Iranian attack drones near Strait of Hormuz: ‘Immediate threat’<\/p>\n
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Friday that American forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones<\/a> launched toward the Strait of Hormuz, calling them an \u201cimmediate threat\u201d to regional maritime traffic.<\/p>\n CENTCOM said U.S. forces later struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island \u201cto defend against further attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAmerican forces remain vigilant and postured to respond to unjustified Iranian aggression in self-defense,\u201d CENTCOM said in a statement posted to X.<\/p>\n 2 hours agoFoley Foundation urges Trump to secure release of American journalist detained in Iran<\/p>\n The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation on Friday called for urgent U.S. action following the release of a voice recording from American journalist Reza Valizadeh, who is being detained in Tehran\u2019s Evin Prison.<\/p>\n In the recording, shared with CBS News by Valizadeh\u2019s attorney and Foley Foundation board member Ryan Fayhee, Valizadeh described deteriorating health conditions among Americans imprisoned in Iran and criticized the U.S. government for failing to secure their release during recent diplomatic developments.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile three American citizens and I are imprisoned in Iran, 20 Iranian sailors were released by the United States on May 21 and returned to Iran,\u201d Valizadeh said in the recording. \u201cThe U.S. government could have demanded our exchange in return. However, it did not happen.\u201d<\/p>\n The Foley Foundation urged President Donald Trump<\/a> to prioritize the release of Americans detained in Iran, including Valizadeh, who has been imprisoned since September 2024.<\/p>\n 2 hours agoIsrael launches deadly strikes in Lebanon after Hezbollah rejects ceasefire deal<\/p>\n Israeli airstrikes<\/a> killed at least six people in Lebanon on Friday after Hezbollah rejected the latest ceasefire agreement with Israel, according to Lebanese state media.<\/p>\n Fox News correspondent Max Gordon reported on ‘Special Report’ that Israeli troops have pushed farther into southern Lebanon than at any point in the last 26 years as fighting with the Iran-backed terror group intensifies.<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck 650 Hezbollah targets and killed 125 Hezbollah fighters over the past week after the group launched rockets into northern Israel.<\/p>\n The latest escalation comes as Iran ties any broader peace agreement with the U.S. to an end to fighting in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israeli forces do not intend to withdraw from southern Lebanon in the near future.<\/p>\n 3 hours agoIDF says hostile aircraft intercepted after sirens sound across northern Israel: ‘No casualties’<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> said Friday that the Israeli Air Force intercepted one hostile aircraft after sirens warning of an aerial infiltration sounded across several areas in northern Israel.<\/p>\n The IDF added that two additional hostile aircraft fell near areas where Israeli troops are operating in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n \u201cNo casualties,\u201d the military said in a post on X.<\/p>\n 4 hours agoTrump says Iran retains roughly 21%-22% of missile arsenal after US strikes<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> said Iran still retains roughly 21% to 22% of its missile arsenal following U.S. military strikes earlier this year, according to a preview clip released Friday from NBC News\u2019 \u201cMeet the Press.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey have some missiles, they have some drones. I would say percentage-wise, maybe 21\u201322% of their missiles,\u201d Trump said in the interview.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a lot of missiles, but it\u2019s not what it was when we first attacked,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The full interview is scheduled to air Sunday.<\/p>\n 4 hours agoState Department approves possible $1.98B sale of counter-drone systems to Kuwait<\/p>\n The State Department approved a possible $1.98 billion foreign military sale to Kuwait for counter-unmanned aerial systems platforms and related equipment, according to a congressional notification released Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n The proposed package includes electronic warfare systems, kinetic interceptors, mobile and maritime sentry towers, tactical operations centers and command-and-control systems designed to counter drone threats.<\/p>\n The State Department<\/a> said the sale would support the security of a major non-NATO ally and improve Kuwait\u2019s ability to counter current and future unmanned aerial system threats in the region.<\/p>\n Anduril Industries, based in Costa Mesa, California, would serve as the principal contractor.<\/p>\n 5 hours agoIranian national pleads guilty in scheme to smuggle military sonar technology to Iran via China<\/p>\n An Iranian national<\/a> pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Seattle to charges tied to a yearslong scheme to illegally export military-related technology to Iran through China, according to the Justice Department.<\/p>\n Prosecutors said Reza Dindar managed a China-based company that concealed the true destination of U.S.-purchased goods, falsely claiming they were headed to China when they were allegedly intended for Iran.<\/p>\n According to court records, Dindar and his co-conspirators used deception to purchase parts for three military sonar systems from a Washington state business before routing them through China in violation of U.S. sanctions and export controls.<\/p>\n Dindar faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine when sentenced in August.<\/p>\n 5 hours agoNew report claims Israel operated covert bases in Azerbaijan, Somaliland during Iran war<\/p>\n CNN reported Friday<\/a> that Israel secretly deployed elite forces and Mossad agents to Azerbaijan and operated a covert fighter jet refueling base in Somaliland during the war with Iran, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n According to the report, Israeli commandos stationed near the Azerbaijan-Iran border were initially tasked with rescuing downed pilots before their mission expanded to intelligence and drone operations supporting strikes inside Iran.<\/p>\n CNN also reported Israel used a base in Somaliland for aerial refueling operations during the conflict.<\/p>\n Azerbaijan\u2019s embassy in Israel rejected the report as \u201centirely baseless,\u201d saying the country has \u201cnever allowed, and will never allow,\u201d its territory to be used for hostile operations against another state.<\/p>\n 6 hours agoDOJ says US seized sanctioned supertanker tied to Iran\u2019s \u2018Ghost Fleet’<\/p>\n The Justice Department (DOJ) said Friday that U.S. forces seized a sanctioned supertanker allegedly tied to Iran\u2019s \u201cGhost Fleet,\u201d a network accused of helping Tehran evade sanctions<\/a> and generate oil revenue.<\/p>\n According to the DOJ, the M\/T Davina, also known as Lenore, can carry up to two million barrels of oil and was listed under U.S. Treasury sanctions targeting Iran\u2019s petroleum and petrochemical sectors.<\/p>\n The department said the seizure is part of a broader U.S. effort to disrupt Iran\u2019s illicit oil smuggling operations and revenue streams benefiting the Iranian government and the IRGC.<\/p>\n 7 hours agoIDF says it killed Hezbollah operative accused of using UNIFIL base in southern Lebanon<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> said Friday it killed a Hezbollah operative accused of operating from inside a United Nations base in southern Lebanon and \u201cendangering UN personnel.\u201d<\/p>\n According to the IDF, troops identified the operative inside a UNIFIL site in the Burj Qalaouiyah area before he later left the compound in a vehicle and approached Israeli forces \u201cin a manner that posed an immediate threat.\u201d<\/p>\n The military said it then carried out a \u201cprecise strike\u201d targeting the operative while avoiding damage to the nearby UN facility.<\/p>\n 8 hours agoIranian World Cup players reportedly granted US visas ahead of tournament<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s World Cup soccer players have been granted visas to enter the United States ahead of the tournament, Reuters reported Friday<\/a>, citing a White House official.<\/p>\n The visas were approved just 10 days before Iran\u2019s opening Group G match against New Zealand in Los Angeles amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran, according to the report.<\/p>\n Reuters reported Iran\u2019s ambassador to Mexico said late Thursday the team had still not received visas before approval came overnight.<\/p>\n 8 hours agoTrump envoys reportedly met with nuclear experts in Tennessee as Iran talks intensify<\/p>\n President Donald Trump\u2019s Iran envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner quietly traveled to Tennessee this week to meet with nuclear experts who could help implement a potential deal with Tehran, according to a new Axios report<\/a>.<\/p>\n Axios, citing two U.S. officials, reported the pair visited Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Y-12 National Security Complex on Thursday as the White House pushes toward a possible memorandum of understanding with Iran<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to Axios, the officials said a team of roughly 100 experts was recently assembled to prepare for potential technical implementation of a future deal, including handling Iran\u2019s enriched uranium stockpile.<\/p>\n The report said some of the experts involved previously participated in recovering enriched uranium from Venezuela and also joined Witkoff and Kushner during earlier nuclear negotiations in Oman before the war.<\/p>\n The report said the meetings focused on preparations for handling Iran\u2019s enriched uranium stockpile and enforcing possible limits on future enrichment if negotiations move forward.<\/p>\n 8 hours agoTrump says Iran \u2018in no position\u2019 to obtain nuclear weapon as oil fears soften<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> said Friday the U.S. is seeing \u201cgreat success\u201d with Iran and insisted Tehran is \u201cin no position to have a nuclear weapon\u201d as concerns over oil prices and energy markets continue amid tension in the Middle East.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re having great success with Iran<\/a>,\u201d Trump told reporters before departing the White House for Wisconsin. \u201cThey\u2019re not going to have a nuclear weapon. They\u2019re in no position to have a nuclear weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump also downplayed chatter of a major oil pricing shock, noting crude prices had not surged as dramatically as some had feared.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople thought it was going to be a lot worse,\u201d Trump said. \u201cToday I looked at $96 a barrel. People thought that was going to be $300 a barrel.\u201d<\/p>\n The president added the U.S. has \u201ca lot of alternatives\u201d on energy and touted American oil, gas and coal reserves while also celebrating warming relations with Venezuela’s energy sector.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have more oil and gas and coal and everything else than any other country on the planet,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n 9 hours agoLebanon\u2019s president accuses Iranian regime of trying to use his country as a \u2018bargaining chip\u2019<\/p>\n Lebanon\u2019s President Joseph Aoun accused Iran<\/a> on Friday of trying to use his country as a \u201cbargaining chip\u201d in negotiations with the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n The remark comes after Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps released a statement on Thursday declaring that \u201cno peace in the region will be established\u201d unless Israeli forces withdraw from Lebanese territory, according to Iran International.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n The regime supports Hezbollah, a Lebanese terrorist group that has been launching attacks toward Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not your country, it\u2019s our country,\u201d Aoun told CNN.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThey are using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiation with US,\u201d he reportedly added. \u201cIt\u2019s unacceptable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou are not trying to help us\u2026 the people of Lebanon are paying the price \u2026 for the sake of your own interest,\u201d CNN also quoted Aoun as saying, adding that \u201cour interests\u2026 do not coincide with your interests.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 10 hours agoCENTCOM\u2019s commander meets with US allies in trip to Middle East<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command<\/a> said Friday that Adm. Brad Cooper, its commander, met with senior leaders from Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan during a recent trip to the Middle East.\u00a0<\/p>\n CENTCOM has played a central role in Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military campaign against Iran that was launched on Feb. 28.\u00a0<\/p>\n In a post on X, CENTCOM also said that Cooper \u201cmet with deployed U.S. service members, recognized exceptional performers, and presided over the leadership transition for U.S. Army Central\u201d during his visit to the Middle East.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 11 hours agoTreasury Department takes action to \u2018sever\u2019 Iran\u2019s shadow fleet and shadow banking networks<\/p>\n The U.S. Treasury Department announced Friday that its Economic Fury campaign against Iran is taking further aim at Iranian gas smuggling<\/a> and shadow banking networks.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Office of Foreign Assets Control said it is \u201cdesignating a network of individuals, entities, and vessels responsible for shipping hundreds of millions of dollars\u2019 worth of Iranian-origin liquid petroleum gas (LPG) –intentionally disguised as Omani LPG — to end users in South and East Asia.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe network used front companies in the United Arab Emirates and China, foreign bank accounts, and Iran\u2019s shadow fleet to move millions of barrels of Iranian LPG while concealing its Iranian origin and evading U.S. sanctions,\u201d the department said. \u201cOFAC is taking this action to expose the complicit actors enabling an economic lifeline for Iran while exploiting commercial infrastructure to obfuscate their actions.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The moves are part of Economic Fury, which the Treasury Department is describing as a \u201cmaximum pressure\u201d campaign against Iran focused on \u201ctargeting the regime\u2019s ability to generate, move, and repatriate funds.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOFAC is also taking action today against Iranian exchange house Mehrdad Geramian Nik and Partners Company and its leadership, who have moved hundreds of millions of dollars of foreign currency on behalf of sanctioned Iranian banks,\u201d the Treasury Department added. \u201cIran\u2019s foreign exchange system relies heavily on selected brokers and rahbar companies, which use overseas shell and front companies to conceal Iranian connections, bypass sanctions, and move funds through accounts typically held outside Iran on behalf of Iranian bank customers.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIran\u2019s economy is floundering and its military is decimated,\u201d Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said. \u201cThrough Economic Fury, Treasury will continue to sever Iran\u2019s shadow fleet, shadow banking networks, and access to global trade.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 11 hours ago3 Israeli military officers injured in southern Lebanon<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> said Friday that three of its officers have been injured in southen Lebanon over the last two days.\u00a0<\/p>\n The IDF described how in one incident this morning, \u201ca combat officer was seriously injured and another combat officer was lightly injured during an encounter with terrorists in southern Lebanon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYesterday, a combat officer was seriously injured as a result of a suspected aerial target strike in southern Lebanon,\u201d it added.\u00a0<\/p>\n The IDF said following both incidents, the injured were evacuated for medical treatment at hospitals.\u00a0<\/p>\n Israel and the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah continue to clash along the Israel-Lebanon border.<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 13 hours agoUS blockade of Iranian ports has redirected 129 commercial ships, CENTCOM says<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command said Friday that 129 commercial ships have been redirected during the ongoing blockade of Iranian ports.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n It released a photo showing the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship transiting the Arabian Sea in support of the blockade, which began in mid-April.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, warned Monday that Iran’s armed forces have little patience with the blockade.\u00a0<\/p>\n “The Strait of Hormuz is under Iran’s management,” Rezaei wrote on X. “We will not allow the continuation of the maritime blockade, and the escalation of tensions in Lebanon will not be tolerated either.”\u00a0<\/p>\n Fox News Digital\u2019s Emma Bussey contributed to this report.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 13 hours agoIsrael has struck more than 650 Hezbollah targets over the last week<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> said Friday that the Israeli Air Force has struck more than 650 Hezbollah targets over the last week.\u00a0<\/p>\n Israeli forces also have eliminated over 125 Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon and have worked \u201cto destroy terrorist infrastructure and eliminate threats to the citizens of the north,\u201d the IDF added.\u00a0<\/p>\n The IDF said earlier Friday that it killed Abed Harb, the commander of Hezbollah\u2019s engineering unit, who \u201cwas responsible for assembling explosives intended to harm IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon.\u201d<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 14 hours agoCENTCOM refutes Iranian navy\u2019s claims that it fired at US warships in Gulf of Oman<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command pushed back Friday on reports citing Iran\u2019s navy<\/a> as saying that it fired warning missiles and drones at American warships in the Gulf of Oman.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Iranian forces did NOT attack or fire at U.S. Navy warships,” CENTCOM said, adding that “doing so would be a gross violation of the ceasefire.”<\/p>\n \u201cU.S. forces continue to operate freely in regional waters while fully enforcing the ongoing blockade against Iran,\u201d it continued.<\/p>\n The statement comes after Reuters reported<\/a> that Iranian media was citing Iran’s navy as saying it fired warning missiles and drones at American warships in the Gulf of Oman.<\/p>\n Tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S. and Iran are trying to negotiate a deal to end the war.\u00a0<\/p>\n CENTCOM said as of Thursday, U.S. forces \u201chave redirected 127 commercial vessels, disabled 6 non-compliant ships, and allowed 36 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass\u201d as part of the blockade.<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 14 hours agoUS military intercepts sanctioned ship in push to cut off aid for Iran<\/p>\n U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said Friday that American forces overnight carried out a \u201cmaritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel MT DAVINA\u201d in the Indian Ocean.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran,<\/a> wherever they operate,\u201d INDOPACOM wrote on X.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n It shared a video showing American soldiers boarding the ship by helicopter.<\/p>\n \u201cInternational waters cannot be used as a shield by sanctioned actors. The Department of War will continue to deny illicit actors and their vessels freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain,\u201d INDOPACOM added.\u00a0<\/p>\n The maneuver comes as U.S. Central Command continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 15 hours agoIran war \u2018will end only when it ends in Lebanon as well,\u2019 foreign minister says<\/p>\n Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi<\/a> said Friday that “this war will end only when it ends in Lebanon as well,” according to Reuters.\u00a0<\/p>\n “The end of the war on Lebanon must be accompanied by the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they have occupied,” Araghchi was quoted as saying to Lebanese TV station Al Mayadeen.\u00a0<\/p>\n The remarks come after Hezbollah rejected a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal between Lebanon and Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Today we again warn this sinister regime to leave Lebanon. They should know that Lebanon will be an inseparable part of any agreement and any ceasefire,\u201d Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, also told the Mehr news agency, according to Reuters.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces have been continuing military activity against Hezbollah in recent weeks in response to attacks from the Iran-backed terrorist group.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rezaei reportedly added that Hezbollah “made great sacrifices in the recent war and it is our ally,\u201d and, \u201ctherefore, we support Hezbollah and remain firmly committed to our obligations toward it.”\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 16 hours agoRepublicans face ticking midterm clock as Iran fallout keeps pressure on gas prices<\/p>\n As the Trump administration weighs diplomacy and military pressure against Iran,<\/a> a political clock is ticking at home.<\/p>\n Even if the Strait of Hormuz \u2014 the global oil choke point largely shuttered since the conflict with Iran due to Iranian attacks \u2014 reopened immediately, it could take months for oil flows to return due to logistical bottlenecks involving trapped tankers, swollen inventories and damaged oil infrastructure, according to Kpler oil analyst Matt Smith, pushing normalization of global energy markets closer to the Nov. 3 midterm elections.\u00a0<\/p>\n “It’s then going to take until the fourth quarter of the year for things to return to normal,” Smith said.<\/p>\n The question facing Republicans is whether the economic consequences of the conflict will outlast the conflict itself. While the White House continues to pursue a diplomatic resolution with Iran, strategists and energy analysts say disruptions to global energy markets could linger long after any agreement is reached, leaving voters with months of elevated costs heading into the midterms.<\/p>\n The economic effects are already visible.\u00a0<\/p>\n The national average price of regular gasoline stood at $4.241 per gallon Thursday, according to AAA, up from $3.144 a year earlier \u2014 an increase of nearly 35%.<\/p>\n Moody’s Analytics estimates the conflict has cost American households roughly $100 billion throughout the past three months, or about $750 per household, through higher fuel, transportation and related costs.<\/p>\n Posted by Morgan Phillips<\/p>\n 16 hours agoIsrael\u2019s military eliminates Hezbollah explosives expert<\/p>\n The Israel Defense Forces<\/a> said Friday that it killed Abed Harb, the commander of Hezbollah\u2019s engineering unit.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHarb\u2019s unit was responsible for assembling explosives intended to harm IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon,\u201d the IDF said on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n It described Harb as a senior commander within the Iran-backed terrorist group in Lebanon, who was \u201cresponsible for numerous attacks against IDF soldiers\u201d dating back to 2006.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAdditionally, a Hezbollah rocket launcher was dismantled,\u201d the IDF also said Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posted by Greg Norman-Diamond<\/p>\n 17 hours agoTrump: I\u2019d meet Khamenei \u2018respectfully,\u2019 though I’m \u2018not his favorite person\u2019<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> said Thursday that he would be willing to meet with Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei if ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran produce a deal, saying he would approach any meeting with respect despite any differences.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s remarks came amid ongoing negotiations with Tehran,<\/a> where Khamenei appears to have become more involved.<\/p>\n Asked by Fox News’ senior White House Correspondent Peter Doocy about meeting the Iranian leader in the United States, Trump said, “I’d be honored to meet him.”<\/p>\n \u201cI’d like to see if we make a deal. But if we make a deal, it’s possible that I would meet him. I’d be okay with that,\u201d he added before stating that if they did meet, he would be:<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I would say I’m not his favorite person,\u201d Trump added.<\/p>\n \u201cBut with that being said, he’s probably a professional in some circles,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n 17 hours agoOnly US, China can retrieve enriched uranium from Iran’s ‘obliterated’ nuclear sites, says Trump<\/p>\n