The Iranian regime is escalating its aggression against the United States, instigating two provocations yesterday against American military personnel in the Persian Gulf.
In the first incident, an Iranian surveillance drone "aggressively approached" the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, prompting a U.S. Navy fighter jet to shoot it down. Hours later, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC) sent two fast attack boats and an aerial drone to seize a U.S.-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM said that the IRGC boats approached the vessel "at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker," before a U.S. guided missile destroyer in the area responded to the threat and escorted the vessel to safety.
Yesterday, the deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament boasted that, "In about a month, we will recite the funeral prayer for Trump, the United States, and their allies."
American and Iranian officials are set to meet in Oman this Friday, for talks which Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted today must include the "range of their ballistic missiles ... their sponsorship of terrorist organizations across the region ... the nuclear program ... the treatment of their own people."
Rubio added that the "Iranian regime cannot provide the people of Iran the quality of life that they deserve is because they’re spending all their money, they’re spending all their resources – of what is a rich country – sponsoring terrorism, sponsoring all these proxy groups around the world, exporting – as they call it – their revolution."
Vice President JD Vance warned today that, "Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon... You don't let crazy people get nuclear weapons."
"If the Iranians get a nuclear weapon, you know who gets a nuclear weapon like the next day? The Saudi Arabians... [then] you will have nuclear proliferation on a global scale," Vance added.
Meanwhile, new satellite photos show that Iran is continuing its efforts to conceal the status of its nuclear program and efforts to reconstitute it, after operations Rising Lion and Midnight Hammer.
The photos show tents built above the regime's sites, in an apparent effort to block the United States, Israel, and other countries from seeing the work being done to rebuild.
Satellite photo of tents above the Natanz nuclear facility as the regime tries to hide the work being done to repair its damaged nuclear facilities.
Israeli leaders across the political spectrum are united on the Iranian threat. Yesterday, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid met with Prime Minister Netanyahu for a security briefing, and said:
"The entire State of Israel is united against Iran. There are no disagreements among us regarding the importance of dealing with this threat. It is important that Tehran knows that the State of Israel stands united against the terrorism of the regime."
Witkoff in Israel to discuss Iran, Hamas, and future of Gaza with Netanyahu
White House envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Israel yesterday for talks with high-level officials,
including Prime Minister Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
Alongside their discussions about Iran, Witkoff and Netanyahu talked about the future of Gaza and Hamas.
Netanyahu reiterated to Witkoff that Hamas must be disarmed before any reconstruction in the Strip can start. Additionally, he said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) must have no role in the administration of Gaza.
For a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike, the United States must increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Qatar and Turkey to ensure the terror group fully disarms.
Hamas using ambulances to transport terrorists and weapons; IDF uncovers cache of mortars in UNRWA humanitarian aid bags
The IDF today released new footage showing Hamas terrorists using ambulances to move terrorists and weapons from a hospital to a school, demonstrating once again Hamas' systematic abuse of civilian infrastructure for terrorism.
Meanwhile, the IDF yesterday uncovered a cache of more than 100 mortar shells, rockets, and other weapons, hidden inside blankets and UNRWA humanitarian aid bags.
For peace and a better future in the region, Hamas and UNRWA must have no role in Gaza.
Israel continues to surge aid into Gaza
Israel continues to surge aid into Gaza to fulfill the terms of the peace agreement and ease the challenges facing the civilian population.
Since the ceasefire deal went into effect, more than 4,200 trucks full of humanitarian aid have entered the Strip each week, delivering over one million tons of food.
The mission of AIPAC is to encourage and persuade the U.S. government to enact specific policies that create a strong, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship with our ally Israel.
