Israeli Military Hits Iranian Nukes – The Israeli military says it struck dozens of targets, including nuclear facilities, in Iran, stoking fears of an all-out war. Two Iranian nuclear scientists named in the strike were subjects of international sanctions, according to Haaretz, which reports that Iran’s FARS news agency has confirmed several top military officials were killed, including Iranian Army Chief of Staff Mohammad Baqeri.
Iran was reportedly in the process of quickly building up its nuclear capabilities and announced it had built and would activate its third nuclear enrichment facility, The Associated Press reports, after a United Nations watchdog censured Iran for failing to comply with its nonproliferation obligations.
The International Atomic Energy Agency, you might recall, found Iran was complying with restrictions on its nuclear development from the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action negotiated by then-presidents Barack Obama and Hassan Rouhani.
Donald J. Trump in 2016 campaigned hard against the JCPOA and quickly dismantled it when he took office in 2017. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's (above) right-wing government has opposed the JCPOA all along.
In his second term Trump has sought a deal with Iran, and recently tried to warn off his erstwhile ally Netanyahu from starting war with Iran. A day before Netanyahu defied Trump, the US president warned that such an attack was imminent, according to Politico.
Now an Iranian counterattack seems likely, if not immediate. Trump will no longer be able to claim he never starts wars – only ends them (even if he finds a way to blame the Biden administration), and Netanyahu, even after defying Trump’s demand not to attack, will expect military assistance.
Iran also expects as much. Its foreign ministry has said that as Isreal’s “main supporter,” the US will be responsible for the consequences of “Israel’s adventurism” (per AP).
We – meaning the US – expect as much.
After Israel’s attacks on Iran began, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement (per The New York Times), “We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for self-defense.”
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National Guard is California’s – The Trump administration illegally federalized the California National Guard in response to anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles, and control must be returned to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) “forthwith,” US District Judge Charles Breyer ruled Thursday. But Breyer’s 36-page order was put on hold to at least Tuesday by the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals following the administration’s immediate filing for appeal, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The Trump administration’s “actions were illegal,” Breyer wrote, “both exceeding the scope of his authority and violating the 10thAmendment to the United States Constitution.”
--Compiled and edited by Todd Lassa