Israel's decapitation of Iranian top-brass, hacking of air-defense systems, local drone attacks and stand-off air-to-ground missile attacks from F-16s was impressive for several days, as Iran kept sending cheap drones and their oldest missiles to Israeli targets, depleting expensive US-made air-defense missiles and Israli air defense missiles. More and more Iranian missiles started getting through, as defensive missiles were used up, and Iran started using newer ballistic missiles. Now most Iranian ballistic missiles are hitting Israeli targets. The damage is a "secret", though it's really no secret, but just hard to keep up with.
Iran is taking lots of hits, but Iranian command and control structures are back in order, and Iranian air defense systems appear to be working, as Israel has quit sending F-35s in to get shot down. Israel is still using drones and stand-off air to ground missiles against Iranian targets, and applying political pressure to get the US to fly B-2 Stealth bombers over Iran with massive GBU-57 30,000# bunker-buster bombs, which might be able to get 800 meters down at Iran's Fordow nuclear site, if 4 are dropped in sequence into precisely the same hole by four B-2 bombers, since each B-2 can carry one such bomb.
B-2 bombers are not stealthier than F-35s, and likely much easier to hit, since they are so big, and would be carrying heavy loads in. Does that seem like good odds of "success", Mr. Trump? Is the "success" just to get the US into a war with Iran, perhaps? This is a broadly unpopular idea in the US.
Iran is getting lots of military supplies, presumably against American military planes, from Russia and China, who will sell more if they work as they are expected to against American "wunderwaffen". China has been given the reins, as Russia is busy with Ukraine.
China has a couple of high tech electronic surveillance ships in the Persian Gulf, is "neutral", and is calling regional countries like Oman and Egypt to coordinate de-escalation efforts, like closing their airspace to American and Israeli warplanes and missiles. Chinese anti-aircraft and air-to-air missiles served Pakistan well in its recent mini-war with India. Pakistan owes China a favor, and is being very, very helpful to neighboring Iran with supplies and encouragement.
Trump was going to "decide" about attacking Iran as early as today, and approved the Pentagon plans for those attacks, but has not given the order. Now he says he is giving himself 2 weeks, which will be July 4. There is a rumor that he will attack after market-close Friday. That would appear to assume a short conflict for the US, but it looks like it would be a very long conflict.
There is talk of using a nuclear-bunker-buster bomb against Iran's Fordow site, without justification, or maybe with the justification of a false-flag attack against a US Navy vessel, or an American base in the region, which has not yet been evacuated.
Chinese electronic surveillance ships would likely "see" such a false flag attack, as would Russian, Chinese and even Iranian satellites...
Could they "warn the US", publicly, in time to forestall such a casus belli? It would be a close call, but who does not expect it at this point?
How firmly is President Trump controlled by "Israel", and how firmly are critical members of the House, Senate and Pentagon command & control structure controlled by "Israel"? We may soon get a clear indication.
It is clear, as every war-game has shown, that the US cannot "prevail" upon Iran in a war like this, even though Iran and Iranians are clearly suffering badly. That is very far from their being defeated by air power alone, which is something that only happens in theory, not even in war games.
For Trump to hand Netanyahu a temporary reprive as Prime Minister of Israel will assure a great American defeat in the world, and will only delay the inevitable collapse of theocratic Israel.
Meanwhile Israel hit the Busher nuclear power generating station that Russia was building for Iran, so Iran warned personnel at Israel's Dimona (dual use) reactor, to evacuate. Dimona is where Israel first got "the bomb". Netanyahu had assured Putin in a phone call that the 200 Russians working at Busher would be spared from danger. How did that play out?
Trump has painted himself into a corner with only bad choices, and he might get killed for taking either choice, but one choice is much, much worse than the other. What'll it be Mr. President, betray Netanyahu, or betray America?
Sleep on it... Keep sleeping on it...
Trump to decide whether US will strike Iran ‘within next two weeks’
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Trump is waiting due to a ‘substantial chance of negotiations’. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/19/trump-to-decide-whether-us-will-strike-iran-within-two-weeks
US Starts Evacuating Diplomats From Embassy In Israel, As Prospect Of US Entry Into War Lingers https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-starts-evacuating-diplomats-embassy-israel-prospect-us-entry-war-lingers
President Trump Told Netanyahu To ‘Keep Going’ in Iran, Trump said Netanyahu is a 'good man' who has been treated 'unfairly' https://news.antiwar.com/2025/06/18/president-trump-told-netanyahu-to-keep-going-in-iran/
John Helmer asserts that Russia is being very conservative with talk, not talking about military aid to Iran, though the transport planes were seen to arrive, saying that Iran has not asked for any help, and it is not required. Putin and Xi very belatedly made a joint statement supporting diplomacy, but China is taking the leading role in supporting Iran without fanning flames. THE PRESIDENTS OF RUSSIA AND CHINA ANNOUNCE THE CARDINAL POINTS OF THE OBVIOUS
This means Putin has delegated to the Defense Ministry, General Staff, the intelligence services, and the Foreign Ministry the job of “cooperation” with the Chinese which he also says the Iranians haven’t requested and which isn’t required by the treaty if they do.
This may be a smoke screen for the role in the fighting which the Chinese naval squadron is playing since it sailed into the Gulf last month. Coordination of battlefield intelligence between the Chinese, Russian and Iranian navies has been practiced and tested for several years. In the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf, the three militaries were exercising this coordination together in March. Article 4 of the January treaty requires it now – unless Putin’s press statement reveals that he has stopped it. https://johnhelmer.net/the-presidents-of-russia-and-china-announce-the-cardinal-points-of-the-obvious/#more-91910
IAEA chief rebuffs Trump, says no evidence Iran is building nuclear weapons https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/06/18/749985/iaea-chief-rebuffs-trump-admits-no-evidence-iran-building-nuclear-weapons
Pentagon and US intel chiefs sidelined from Iran‑Israel discussionsUS President Donald Trump has excluded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard from high-level discussions on the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, NBC News and the Washington Post have reported, citing senior administration officials.
Gabbard’s sidelining, according to NBC, reportedly stems from her public and internal pushback against the official US and Israeli narrative that Tehran is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons...
..Trump is now said to be relying on a smaller, more experienced ‘Tier One’ advisory group – comprising Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs Vice Chair General Dan Caine – which is now reportedly shaping US policy on Iran. https://swentr.site/news/619904-trump-gabbard-hegseth-iran/
Trump intel chief Gabbard ‘off-message’ on Middle East: Report
'When the president thinks you are off message, he doesn’t want you in the room,' senior White House adviser says, according to CNN ["Groupthink"] US President Donald Trump has come to see Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard as "off message" on the conflict in the Middle East, CNN reported Thursday.
Citing a senior White House adviser, CNN said Trump’s annoyance with Gabbard peaked earlier this month when she posted a three-minute video warning that the world is “closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before,” and blaming “political elite and warmongers” for stoking fear and tensions between nuclear powers.”
Trump viewed the video as a thinly veiled criticism of his consideration to allow Israel to strike Iran, and many inside the White House agreed Gabbard was speaking out of turn, CNN said. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/trump-intel-chief-gabbard-off-message-on-middle-east-report/3604962
A Dangerous Moment – The Targeting of Tulsi Gabbard CTH approaches this after being very concerned about Tulsi Gabbard’s ability. Not because of intent, but rather because we doubted she understood the scope of the IC opposition aligned against the office of the Director of National Intelligence. She started out with these weaknesses, but she learned quickly – grasped the opposition– and has become a transformative force within the Intelligence Community. Director Gabbard’s recent efforts within the Intelligence Community Inspector General office is another feather in her cap of competence. Gabbard is now a threat.
If President Trump allows or supports the removal of DNI Gabbard, he is opening up the backplate of his armor, and making himself vulnerable.
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Chairman Tom Cotton, the disassembled National Intelligence Council and a host of Intelligence Community embeds would like to see Gabbard removed. DC wants to see her removed because the traditional role of the DNI has been a willfully blind tool of the Intelligence Community; Gabbard is not that.
As DNI Mrs Tulsi Gabbard has chased down intelligence community leakers, released the JFK files, released Joe Biden’s domestic terrorism surveillance plan, intercepted an NIC plot to impeach President Trump (confirmed by Rubio), taken control of the Presidential Daily Briefing, and more recently begun to confront the weaponized corruption within the IC Inspector General organization. These are actions, not words, and those actions speak boldly. Suffice to say, her effectiveness has placed a target on her back. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/06/18/a-dangerous-moment-the-targeting-of-tulsi-gabbard/#more-273198
One
nuclear bunker buster would not work:
Pentagon Agency Believes US Needs To Drop A Nuke To Destroy Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Plant
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency believes conventional bunker-busters won't completely destroy the facility The officials were told that in order to destroy Fordow completely, the US would likely need to first soften the ground with conventional bombs and then ultimately drop a tactical nuclear weapon from a B2 bomber.
The report said that President Trump is not considering using a nuclear weapon and that the option was not presented to him by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. According to a report from Axios, Trump is casting doubt on the idea that the GBU-57s could do enough damage to destroy the facility. https://news.antiwar.com/2025/06/19/report-pentagon-agency-believes-us-needs-to-drop-a-nuke-to-destroy-irans-fordow-nuclear-plant/
Ex-CIA Insight: Larry Johnson Reveals What's Really at Stake as Trump Mulls Iran Attack
“I think the political realities are starting to catch up to Trump, which is why he’s now backing away from that,” Johnson said, pointing out that conservative voices sounding the alarm bell include Trump’s most prominent pre-election supporters, from political commentators Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens to comedian Dave Smith. On top of that are the logistical uncertainties, like whether a US bunker buster bombing of the Fordow nuclear site would even work, and whether the B-2 bombers based in Diego Garcia used for such an operation would be safe if Russia were to supply Iran with systems capable of detecting and downing the stealth bomber. Overall, it’s an “extremely dangerous, extremely volatile situation,” and one that clearly has “nothing to do with nuclear weapons,” Johnson stressed. Instead, it’s about “regime change” – an attempt “to install a government that’s going to be a lackey of the West and that will not cooperate or be friendly with Russia.” https://sputnikglobe.com/20250618/ex-cia-insight-larry-johnson-reveals-whats-really-at-stake-as-trump-mulls-iran-attack-1122282438.html
Israeli Enemy Hits Arak Nuclear Reactor as It Proceeds Aggression on Iran https://english.almanar.com.lb/2440231
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps announces expulsion orders for Israel's Dimona nuclear site https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/irans-revolutionary-guards-announce-expulsion-orders-dimona
Israel’s Missile Defence Arsenal Depleted After Just Five Days of Iranian Strikes https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/israel-missile-defence-increasingly-depleted-iran
Iranian Missiles Strike Israeli Stock Exchange Iranian missiles have struck the Israeli stock exchange building in Ramat Gan this morning. The strike follows Israeli-linked cyberattacks that crippled Iran’s banking system and destroyed tens of millions in digital assets.
➤ Missile Strike on Ramat Gan One of the missiles earlier this morning hit the Israeli stock exchange in Ramat Gan’s Diamond District, causing structural damage and prompting emergency response efforts in the Tel Aviv suburb.
➤ Cyberattacks on Iranian Banks The hacker group Predatory Sparrow—widely believed to be linked to Israeli intelligence—claimed responsibility for a major breach of Bank Sepah on June 17, wiping internal data and knocking ATMs, online banking, and branch services offline. https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1935574563242348931
Did Iranian missiles target a hospital in Israel? Soroka Hospital has been used by the Israeli military to treat soldiers wounded during operations in Gaza. However, Iranian sources stress that the hospital itself was not the intended target.
Soroka Hospital is located between two major Israeli military sites: the IDF’s main intelligence headquarters and a central command facility, both of which are situated in the Gav-Yam Technology Park.
These installations reportedly serve as critical hubs for Israel's cyber operations, digital command systems, and military intelligence infrastructure (including IDF C4I and C4ISR systems).
While the hospital sustained shockwave damage from nearby blasts, it was not directly hit, Iranian reports emphasize. Instead, they accuse the Israeli government of engaging in psychological warfare by falsely linking the missile strike to civilian infrastructure, in order to deflect attention from the damage inflicted on its military command network.
However, in recent days, Israeli strikes targeted two civilian hospitals in Iran — one in Tehran and another in Kermanshah — an action they say has drawn little international condemnation. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/514637/Iran-denies-targeting-Israeli-hospital-says-missiles-aimed-at
Israeli police prevent media from reporting at scene of Soroka hospital strike
Officers block journalists from filming at medical center hit by Iranian missile on Thursday, and demand they hand over equipment https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605077/media
Iran’s Mach 15 speeding solid-fueled ballistic missiles penetrate Israel’s air defense The Fattah missile, used in the attack, is an advanced hypersonic weapon with a range of 870 miles (1,400 kms).
Capable of performing high-precision maneuvers inside and beyond the atmosphere, the missile has an advanced guidance system to bypass the enemy defense system. Equipped with a movable nozzle, the missile is expected to bolster Iran’s position in the ongoing conflict. https://interestingengineering.com/military/iran-launches-mach-15-speeding-fattah-missiles
Five aircraft carrier groups are moving towards Iran
WHO reiterates calls for unimpeded entry of aid, fuel into Gaza https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250619-who-reiterates-calls-for-unimpeded-entry-of-aid-fuel-into-gaza/A COVID vaccine database covering 18 million citizens has just been released for the first time.
After reviewing the data, a top professor warned: “The more doses you get, the sooner you’re likely to die.”
The most terrifying finding was a deadly spike just 3 to 4 months after the final shot.
After Years of Silence, New CDC Vaccine Panel to Vote on Mercury in Flu Shots
The committee will also vote on RSV vaccines for pregnant mothers, babies and young children at its meeting next week — the first since HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tapped eight new ACIP members, just days after removing all 17 former members in what he called a “clean sweep.” https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/after-years-silence-new-cdc-vaccine-panel-vote-on-mercury-flu-shots/
HPV Vaccine Increases Risk of Autonomic Dysfunction and Menstrual Irregularities in Young Women
After adjusting for age, girls and young women in the study cohort had a 23% higher chance of being diagnosed with autonomic dysfunction and a 30% higher chance of being diagnosed with menstrual irregularities, TrialSite News reported. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/hpv-vaccine-risk-autonomic-dysfunction-menstrual-irregularities-young-women/
After Years of Silence, New CDC Vaccine Panel to Vote on Mercury in Flu Shots
The committee will also vote on RSV vaccines for pregnant mothers, babies and young children at its meeting next week — the first since HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tapped eight new ACIP members, just days after removing all 17 former members in what he called a “clean sweep.” https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/after-years-silence-new-cdc-vaccine-panel-vote-on-mercury-flu-shots/
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