Iran admits seizure of foreign tanker, 12 crew members in Strait of Hormuz; US warship enters Persian Gulf
Iran’s state television said Thursday that regime forces captured a foreign tanker with a crew of 12 accused of smuggling oil.
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US fears Iran seized UAE-based tanker that vanished in Persian Gulf
A small oil tanker from the United Arab Emirates traveling through the Strait of Hormuz entered Iranian waters and turned off its tracker two days ago, leading the US to suspect Iran seized the vessel amid heightened tensions in the region, an American defense official said Tuesday.
Muslim Moat Designed to Repel Crusaders Discovered on 920-Year Anniversary of Jerusalem Siege
A moat used by Muslim conquerors of Jerusalem in the 11th Century to keep Crusaders out was discovered near the Zion Gate along the Old City’s walls, confirming the existence of something that had formerly only been found in chronicles thought to be fanciful.
Netanyahu’s Claim that Iran Performed ‘Clean-Up’ Job At Covert Nuclear Site Confirmed by IAEA
An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) test at a claimed Iranian nuclear site yielded signs of radioactivity, thus proving the site was used for storage of illicit nuclear materials, according to Israeli sources.
Archaeologist Says a Stone Pillar in the City of David is Where Abraham Met Melchizedek
An Israeli archaeologist has uncovered the remains of an altar believed to be from around the time when Abraham met the high priest Melchizedek in Jerusalem.
EU, Israel, Egypt express unease about Turkey’s gas drilling off Cyprus
Turkey said on Wednesday it rejected Greek and European Union assertions that Turkish drilling for gas and oil off Cyprus was illegitimate, and said they showed the EU could not be an impartial mediator on the Cyprus problem.
International Pressure Increases on Iran as IAEA Verifies Breach of 2015 Nuclear Terms
A closed-door meeting of the UN atomic watchdog agency in Vienna Wednesday determined that Iran had indeed breached the 3.76% uranium enrichment limit of the 2015 nuclear deal, confirming reports from Iran Monday that it had ramped up its enrichment to 4.5%.
TV: Israel intelligence foiled 50 Islamic State, Iranian attacks in 20 countries
Israeli intelligence agencies have prevented dozens of Islamic State terror group and Iran-sponsored attacks in various countries around the world by providing local authorities with key information, according to a television report on Tuesday.
Trump adviser: ‘Iran is very likely a significant spoiler’ to Israeli-Palestinian peace plan
Iranian officials could sabotage U.S. efforts to broker a deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians, according to one of President Trump’s top advisers on the issue.
Iran warns British detention of oil tanker won’t go ‘unanswered’
Tehran warned Tuesday that Britain’s seizure of an Iranian oil tanker will not go ‘unanswered’ after denying earlier in the week that the ship detained in Gibraltar was carrying crude to Syria, which would put it in violation of EU sanctions.
‘Seize a British Oil Tanker,’ Says Iranian Official in Response to Iranian Ship Taken in by British
Iran is calling for the detention of a British oil tanker in retaliation for an Iranian ship carrying crude oil to Syria that was detained in the British territory of Gibraltar.
‘The Truth Will Set You Free’: Pastor Refutes Ocasio-Cortez Portrayal of Border Conditions
On Monday the President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, who toured the same Texas border facility maligned by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, disputed the freshman congresswoman’s characterization.
US trade deficit rises to 5-month high of $55.5B in May
The U.S. trade deficit rose to a five-month high in May as the politically sensitive imbalances with China and Mexico widened.
Israeli Intelligence Chief Says Mossad Must Lead the Way in ‘One-Time’ Opportunity to Oust Iran
Israel’s Mossad chief is coming out saying the Middle East has a ‘one-time opportunity’ to eliminate Iranian aggression in the region, with the U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia, in addition to smaller Gulf Arab states, all aligned against the Islamic republic’s ‘thuggish behavior.’
American Delegates Reiterate US ‘Maximum Pressure” Campaign on Iran to Allies, While Iran Agrees to Stay in Nuclear Deal
Acting Defense Secretary Mark Esper met with NATO officials in Brussels Thursday, the same day special envoy Brian Hook was in Paris to drum up support from nuclear deal partners for the US’s position on Iran.
Trump says trade deal ‘possible’ with China’s Xi, tariffs could be lower
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that a trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping was possible this weekend but he is prepared to impose U.S. tariffs on virtually all remaining Chinese imports if the two countries continue to disagree.
Pompeo in Saudi Arabia to ‘Build Out a Global Coalition’ Against Iran
Mike Pompeo is in Jedda, Saudi Arabia this week to ‘build out a global coalition…prepared to push back against the world’s largest state sponsor of terror,’ following the downing of a $160 million unmanned U.S. drone by Iran on June 20.
2020 Democrats defend abortion rights at Planned Parenthood forum
Twenty Democratic presidential candidates attending a Planned Parenthood forum on Saturday vowed to defend abortion rights under nearly any circumstance while largely ignoring nuances around the issue that have already roiled their party heading into the 2020 election.
U.S. warns Iran not to ‘mistake restraint for a lack of resolve,’ military strike still an option
Top White House officials on Sunday warned that Iran should not mistake U.S. discretion for weakness after President Trump called off airstrikes last week in retaliation for Tehran’s downing of an American drone, and officials confirmed over the weekend that the Pentagon already struck back with cyberattacks on Iranian military systems.
Iranian hackers step up cyber efforts, impersonate email from president’s office
Iran has increased its offensive cyberattacks against the US government and critical infrastructure as tensions have grown between the two nations, cybersecurity firms say.