US Launches Retaliatory Strikes on Iran

The strikes were focused around the Strait, but have gone further than earlier moves: U.S. strikes on Iran are reportedly expanding beyond previous waves, hitting dozens of sites. Targets now include air defenses, radar systems and anti-ship cruise-missile launchers. Washington is also reportedly targeting Iranian state-owned oil tankers under a new “tanker-for-tanker” policy. The strikes follow reports Iran was moving weapons toward the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a warning that Tehran was rebuilding its capabilities and it was time to “mow the lawn” (Mossad). Barak Ravid: One U.S. official said the idea is to reduce the risk of Iranian attacks on oil tankers, U.S. Navy ships and Air Force aircraft — to “mow the lawn,” as this person put it. According to Iranian media, the strikes hit targets along Iran’s southern coast in the cities of Bandar Abbas, Jask, Chabahar, Konarak, Minab, Sirik and the island of Qeshm (Axios). President Trump late a.m. yesterday: If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran! (Truth).

Two Democrats Reveal Intention to Vote With GOP on Resolution Against Socialism

Or, stated differently: Two Democrats willing to speak up against socialism. And: The Democratic whip Katherine Clark (MA) is not happy. The Hill reports: House Democratic leaders were blindsided Tuesday when two rank-and-file members crossed the aisle to help Republicans advance a series of GOP messaging bills heading into the midterm elections. Rep. Katherine Clark (Mass.), the Democratic whip, said she received no notice from either Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) or Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) about their intention to support a Republican rule governing the GOP bills. “That came as a surprise,” Clark said shortly after the vote. Clark said she has not spoken to the lawmakers since they cast their votes, but she was clearly frustrated with the pair for flouting an unwritten rule of House politics: The minority party virtually always unites against the majority party’s procedural rules, even if individual members of the minority support the underlying legislation. “One of the rules of being on a team is that we vote against the rule. So I’m sure we’ll have further discussions,” Clark said…. Tuesdays defections occurred just as Democratic leaders were poised to block the rule underlying a series of Republican bills that GOP leaders are racing to pass before the House leaves Washington to hit the midterm campaign trail. Among those proposals are bills to condemn socialism, punish universities that boycott Israel and amend protections for the North Atlantic right whale (The Hill).

James Talarico Wants to Dismantle Capitalism

Lone Star Liberty PAC—associated with Paxton—unearthed the video from the Austin Sierra Club. The question in the forum was about how communities of color are most harmed by climate change and yet receive so little support to deal with it. The Democrats’ nominee for the Senate seat in Texas: I am so thankful that you asked this question and also thankful that young activists have really drawn the link between climate change and white supremacy and capitalism in our country. And I think only in the ways that all three of those oppressive systems work together are we going to be able to begin the process of dismantling them (Lone Star).

DHS Announces Detainment of Over 2,100 Criminals in New York Over 30- Day Period

Elite media is very disappointed the success. Ed Morrissey: This weekend, the Washington Post lamented the success of Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement by claiming that it has resulted in record numbers of ‘non-criminal’ illegals being deported. As I wrote yesterday, the real story was that the Department of Homeland Security has found, detained, and deported record numbers of illegal aliens overall – and almost two-thirds of them had separate criminal records by WaPo’s own numbers. That’s more than twice the average rate among American adults (29.5% according to PolitiFact). Well, the narrative minders at the WaPo had better prepare themselves for more disappointment. Today, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the results of a thirty-day operation in New York dubbed “Rotten Apple.” ICE agents received no cooperation from state or local law enforcement but still succeeded in arresting nearly 2,200 illegal aliens – many with significant criminal records: “SecMullinDHS  on ICE operations in New York: “Over the last 30 days, Operation Rotten Apple has taken OVER 2,100 criminals OFF our streets” …. The good news is that Trump and Mullin are determined to reset the incentives around illegal immigration by enforcing the law. The better news is that support for deportation remains at a majority. And the best news is that the media’s narrative manipulators have done nothing to change the above (Hot Air).

Israel Captures Key Hamas Leader

Times of Israel: “Special forces” of the Shin Bet captured the commander of Hamas’s internal security apparatus in a “bold operation” in Gaza City on Tuesday morning, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the military, and the domestic security agency. Arabic-language media claimed earlier in the day  that an Israeli-backed anti-Hamas militia carried out a raid during in the Hamas security chief, Muein al-Arabid, was captured…. The IDF and Shin Bet said the special forces raided a building in Gaza City and captured the Hamas security chief. During the raid, the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on several “military targets in the area to remove threats to the forces.” No Israeli forces were injured in the operation, the joint statement said (Times of Israel). Prime Minster Netanyahu: I commend the Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces for their daring operation today, in which they arrested the head of Hamas’ internal security apparatus near his home in Gaza. He is one of the most senior figures in Hamas and was responsible for concealing and transporting our hostages, hiding senior Hamas officials, and building up the organization’s power and attempting to restore its capabilities. Recently, he has been involved in efforts to restore Hamas’ control in Gaza, deceiving on the issue of disarming the Strip, and assisting in the execution of terrorist attacks against our forces and citizens. My directive is clear: the State of Israel will continue to pursue all Hamas leaders and anyone who participated in the massacre of October 7^th (Warrior).

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll Resigns

It was no secret that Driscoll and War Secretary Hegseth had a tense relationship. Stars and Stripes: Dan Driscoll’s departure as Army secretary after 18 months leaves a gap in the service’s senior leadership. Driscoll’s resignation leaves the Army without a Senate-confirmed leader as the Iran war stretches into its seventh month. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ousted Gen. Randy George as the Army’s chief of staff in April, and a successor has not been named…. In April, the Pentagon abruptly announced that Navy Secretary John Phelan was leaving leaving the post, becoming the first head of a military service to depart during Trump’s second term. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell at the time announced Undersecretary of the Navy Hung Cao would become acting secretary of the Navy. Though the Army and Pentagon have not said who will be the acting secretary, Parnell, a trusted adviser to Hegseth, has been reported to be considered as the Army’s next top civilian leader (Stars and Stripes).

Trump Nominates Hung Cao to Serve as Naval Secretary

Hung Cao has been acting Secretary of the Navy since April this year—after John Phelan left. Cao is a fit to work to with War Secretary Hegseth. President Trump: I am pleased to nominate a true WARRIOR, Hung Cao, to become the next Secretary of the Navy. We need Patriots like Hung leading our Navy and Marine Corps, and I can think of no one better than him to make sure our Great Navy and Marine Corps remain the FIERCEST and BEST Force the World has ever seen. The Senate needs to confirm this Warfighter, ASAP, so he can continue the fantastic work he has been doing over the past 4 months. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP (Truth). Cao will need Senate approval before he’s confirmed. In October of last year, Cao was confirmed by a 52-45 margin to serve as Under Secretary of the Navy (GovTrack). Stars and Stripes (written in the wake of confirmation as Under Secretary: In 2022, Cao ran unsuccessfully for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District and in 2024 lost the Senate election to Kaine, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Seapower subcommittee… He told senators he will focus on reversing years of neglect and mismanagement in the production and maintenance of vessels and munitions as well as restoring “the warrior spirit that my generation relied on as the core of our ethos.” “I will deliver to the combatant commanders the most lethal Navy and Marine Corps the world has ever seen,” he said (Stripes).

Russia Helping Iran With Hypersonic Cruise Missiles

A dangerous provocation from Putin. Financial Times: Russia has been secretly helping Iran develop advanced supersonic cruise missiles in one of the most significant known transfers of strategic military technology from Moscow to Tehran. The multiyear covert programme, codenamed C430L, has enlisted some of Russia’s most experienced missile specialists to help Iran develop a new class of weapon capable of threatening US aircraft carriers and other warships in the Middle East. An FT investigation uncovered the programme, which began in 2023 and continued into the US-Israeli war against Iran, through leaked Russian correspondence, travel records and analysis of military patents. The main purpose of C430L is to help Iran to develop a ramjet propulsion system, an engine that allows a cruise missile to sustain flight at several times the speed of sound. Missile and military experts said the technology was almost certainly intended for anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles…. Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday that Moscow was “trying to give you the help you need in this difficult period” during the war with the US and “supplying you with the goods you need”, without elaborating. (Financial Times).

Putin Meets With Erdogan at SCO Summit in Kyrgyzstan

The SCO Summit is the annual meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)—led, as you’d guess, by China. This year’s meeting was hosted by Putin ally Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov. Turkey’s state outlet TRT World boasted of the state of the relationship between the autocratic leaders and their respective nations: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that relations between Türkiye and Russia have reached their most advanced level yet as he met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kyrgyzstan. The two leaders held talks on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of State Summit in Bishkek, with Erdogan emphasising the importance of maintaining momentum in bilateral cooperation. “Türkiye-Russia relations are truly at a much more advanced level today than in any previous period,” Erdogan said. He said the meeting provided an important opportunity to build on existing cooperation and advance new joint initiatives…. The meeting underscored the breadth of economic cooperation between Ankara and Moscow, with energy remaining one of its most prominent areas (TRT World).

Is Putin Planning to Test NATO?

Cliff May notes the recent visit from CIA Director Ratcliffe to Moscow. He also states what many have observed: Putin cannot win the war he started. May: So, the Kremlin may reason, if we now take a bite out of tiny Latvia or Lithuania, would President Trump really honor the pledge? Or would he decide the game is not worth the candle, given his frustration with NATO members he regards as freeloaders, the longer-and-tougher-than-expected conflict with Tehran, depleted munitions stockpiles, and a Pentagon posture review that could thin American forces in Europe? Should Washington decline to defend even a single NATO ally, the alliance would almost certainly collapse. Mr. Putin would be heartily congratulated by Xi Jinping in Beijing, Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang and Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran. America’s friends in the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific and even Latin America would start hedging their bets. Who could blame them? That may be what Mr. Putin now has in mind. He cannot win the war he started, but he can enlarge it. A wider war would let him redefine victory. Deterrence requires more than saying “Don’t!” (Just ask Mr. Biden.) It requires that Mr. Putin believe Mr. Trump has both the capability and the will to defend America’s NATO allies (Washington Times).