Ahead of the next round of nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran on Sunday, White House envoy and lead negotiator Steve Witkoff said in an interview published today:
"We’ve stated our position. The Iranians cannot have a bomb. They have stated back that they don’t want one... If that’s how they feel, then their enrichment facilities have to be dismantled. They cannot have centrifuges... An enrichment program can never exist in the state of Iran ever again. That’s our red line. No enrichment. That means dismantlement, it means no weaponization, and it means that Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan—those are their three enrichment facilities—have to be dismantled."
And members of Congress reaffirmed this week that any deal with Iran must permanently and verifiably dismantle Iran's nuclear program, including eliminating its domestic uranium enrichment capability.
Senators Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton and Katie Britt introduced a resolution yesterday in the Senate "outlining the acceptable outcome of the United States’ negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran," saying that outcome must be "the complete dismantlement and destruction of its entire nuclear program."
Meanwhile, the Treasury Department yesterday issued new sanctions on Chinese entities involved in Iran's illegal oil trade. The sanctions targeted a Chinese refinery and three port terminal operators "for their role in purchasing or facilitating the delivery of hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of Iranian oil," and "several companies, vessels, and captains responsible for facilitating Iranian oil shipments as part of Iran’s 'shadow fleet.'"
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, "The United States remains resolved to intensify pressure on all elements of Iran’s oil supply chain to prevent the regime from generating revenue to further its destabilizing agenda."
The United States must continue to impose maximum pressure on the Iranian regime coupled with a credible threat of military force to facilitate time-bound negotiations to verifiably and permanently dismantle Iran’s nuclear program.
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Israel developing new Gaza aid mechanism, backed by U.S.
With the backing of the United States, Israel is working to develop a new mechanism for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza so that it will not be stolen by Hamas.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff laid out a proposal at the U.N. this week, reportedly involving a new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation that would operate four distribution sites in the enclave providing "pre-packaged rations, hygiene kits, and medical supplies," and initially serving over a million people.
The Foundation would be operated by private contractors and use private security, not relying on IDF troops.
Meanwhile, while visiting an IDF training center yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu warned, "To Hamas I say one thing: The rules are about to change very soon."
In addition to approving the new humanitarian plan, Israel's Security Cabinet this week approved plans to significantly expand military operations in Gaza if Hamas continues to refuse to release hostages.
The United States must continue to stand with Israel and increase the pressure on Hamas and its sponsors in Qatar, Turkey and Iran to release the 59 hostages, including 5 Americans, still held in captivity in Gaza.
Israel intercepts Houthi missile
The IDF today successfully intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
Israeli Defense Minister Katz said, "The Houthis continue to launch Iranian missiles at Israel. As we promised, we will respond strongly in Yemen and anywhere else necessary."
According to reports, the missile was intercepted by Israel’s Arrow air defense system, and the U.S. THAAD system deployed in Israel attempted to intercept the missile but missed, for the second time this week.
IDF establishes medical treatment facility for Syrian Druze
The IDF has established a medical facility in southern Syria to help treat Syrian Druze injured in the ongoing violence in the country.
"The facility is part of a number of efforts that the IDF is carrying out to support the Syrian Druze population, and to maintain their security," the IDF said.
More than 30 Syrian Druze have been brought to hospitals in Israel for medical treatment over the past few weeks.
IDF troops are currently deployed to nine posts in southern Syria to protect Israeli communities from terror threats, and have committed to assisting Druze communities there as well.
Iranian IRGC leader threatens U.S. and Israel
The head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened to "open up the gates of hell" on Israel and the United States yesterday.
"These are serious warnings to Zionist officials, to U.S. officials. The criminal prime minister of the Zionist regime talks a lot these days, threatens Iran," IRGC head Hossein Salami said. "I’m issuing a serious warning: If you make one wrong move, we will open up the gates of hell on you."
"If the U.S. threatens us on the nuclear issue, Iran is prepared for war at all levels and in all arenas," he added.
America must continue to stand with Israel against the Iranian regime and finally end the regime's nuclear blackmail.
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The United States and Israel are key allies working together to confront shared challenges as America faces new, bolder, and more sophisticated threats from Russia, China, and Iran. This episode breaks down the bipartisan U.S.-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025—legislation to strengthen cooperation on next-gen tech, anti-drone defenses, and counter-tunneling.
The Free Press: "So many unthinkable tragedies have occurred since Hamas’s massacre on October 7, 2023, but a famine in Gaza isn’t one of them."
59 hostages, including 5 Americans, are still being held captive in horrific conditions by genocidal Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
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Omer Shem Tov was held hostage by Hamas for 505 days. 450 of those days he was held underground with no sunlight and barely any food.
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