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Dear A.,
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced today that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan for continued talks tomorrow with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. “We’re hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward,” Leavitt
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said .
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine
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provided an update on Operation Epic Fury this morning, as the U.S. blockade of Iranian vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz continues, and as the administration awaits a new, unified proposal from the Iranian regime.
The U.S. blockade has forced 34 Iranian vessels to either turn around or return to a different port near the Strait: "Just this week, we seized two Iranian dark fleet ships in the Indo-Pacific region that had left Iranian ports before the blockade went into effect. They thought they'd made it out just in time. They did not. We seized their sanctioned ships, and we will seize more. Our blockade is growing and going global."
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You can watch the full briefing here.
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As U.S. operations in the region continue, CENTCOM today
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announced that the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East, marking the first time in more than 20 years that three aircraft carriers have operated together in the region.
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Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) laid more mines in the Strait of Hormuz this week, a U.S. source
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told Axios, in violation of the ceasefire.
In response, President Trump
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ordered the U.S. Navy to "shoot and kill any boat... that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation. Additionally, our mine 'sweepers' are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!"
Continue to follow our
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social media channels to stay informed in real-time. I've included links to share AIPAC social media content below.
Shabbat Shalom,
Jake Braunstein
Senior Director, Policy Communications
Contact Senators Following their Votes on Arms Sales to Israel
Last week, the Senate defeated two resolutions to block arms sales to Israel. The votes were
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40-59 and
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36-63 .
It’s critical that senators hear from pro-Israel constituents, expressing appreciation for those who voted to stand with Israel and disappointment to those who voted to block arms to our ally fighting a multi-front war.
TAKE 45 SECONDS: Thank those who voted NO on Sanders' dangerous resolutions and express your disappointment in those who voted YES.
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Hezbollah attacks Israel after ceasefire extended; Hezbollah using ambulances to transport weapons and fighters
Following yesterday's announcement of a three-week ceasefire extension, Hezbollah
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fired multiple barrages of missiles and an explosive drone at northern Israel, all of which were intercepted.
The IDF responded by striking the launcher that had been used, another that was being prepared to fire at Israel, Hezbollah terrorists, and
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terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
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IDF exposes Hezbollah using ambulances as cover to transport weapons and terrorists.
Additionally, the IDF today exposed how Hezbollah uses civilian ambulances and medical teams as a cover to transport its weapons and terrorists, which undermines the "special protections granted to medical facilities and equipment under international law," the IDF said.
"During IDF searches in southern Lebanon, an ambulance used by Hezbollah to conceal weapons was located. Among the weapons found were explosive devices, mortar shells, magazines, and a grenade."
Treasury Dept. levies sanctions targeting global network fueling Iran's shadow fleet
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control today levied new sanctions on the global network that fuels Iran's shadow fleet and illicit oil trade.
Sanctions today — which were aided by our work with Congress on the SHIP Act, which imposes sanctions on entities involved in transporting and purchasing Iranian oil — were placed on China-based independent teapot refinery, Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co., Ltd. China's independent teapot refineries, especially Hengli, have been some of Iran's largest customers, having purchased billions of dollars of Iranian oil, funding the regime and its terror proxies.
Treasury also placed sanctions on 40 other vessels and shipping firms that operate as part of Iran's shadow fleet.
"Economic Fury is imposing a financial stranglehold on the Iranian regime, hampering its aggression in the Middle East, and helping to curtail its nuclear ambitions," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
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said . "Treasury will continue to constrict the network of vessels, intermediaries, and buyers Iran relies on to move its oil to global markets. Any person or vessel facilitating these flows — through covert trade and finance — risks exposure to U.S. sanctions."
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You can read the full press release here.
Seth Mandel: 'Iron Dome Doesn’t Make Israel More Aggressive'
A
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new piece by Seth Mandel pushes back against growing calls to end U.S. funding for joint missile defense programs like Iron Dome:
"Anyone who has participated in the social media discourse on Iron Dome has had this theory tossed at them... 'Iron Dome facilitates greater Israeli offensive measures, because it lowers the perceived cost to Israel of escalating or extending or initiating attacks.'"
"But in the case of the Iron Dome the debate is even more frustrating because we don’t need to theorize. We already have the answer. The data tell us what common sense would suggest: Iron Dome makes Israel less likely to escalate military conflicts because it can absorb a significant level of rocket attacks from Gaza with minimal casualties.
"Israel left Gaza entirely in Palestinian hands in 2005... In 2008, Palestinians in Gaza fired over 2,000 rockets at Israel, far more than double the number of the prior year... The key fact here: Iron Dome didn’t yet exist. It was field tested in 2009 and deployed in 2011..."
"So, to be clear: We do not wonder whether Iron Dome saves Palestinian lives just as it saves Israeli lives. It does. We do not wonder whether Iron Dome makes Israel more or less willing to escalate the conflict; it makes Israel less willing to escalate."
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You can read the full op-ed here.
Other notable headlines
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Trump turns time into a weapon as Iran war shifts to economic pressure phase
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First Bnei Menashe flight lands as Israel launches operation to complete community’s Aliyah
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Abdul El-Sayed brings in campaign cash from head of Hamas-cheering group
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"Dabbling with extremism isn’t merely wrong; it’s an unforced error...Democrats have been here before. The party’s most successful leaders understood that expanding the tent and policing its boundaries are necessary complements, not contradictions." - Ethan Wolf
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Did you know? Israel is a global leader in conservation, clean energy, water management, and carbon reduction.
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IDF soldiers helped save a failing falafel stand after the owner fed soldiers throughout the war. #ThisIsIsrael
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How an Israeli Tech Company, Fibrotex, is protecting U.S. forces and creating U.S. jobs here at home.
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.
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