Weekend Recap: Trump Denies Assassination Intel, Warns of Retaliation
By Sammy Tisser,
Trump told the New York Post that Israel had passed him no intelligence on an Iranian assassination plot, saying "Israel came up with nothing" and that he's been atop Iran's kill list "for a long time." He said he's left orders to "bomb them at levels they've never seen before" if anything happens to him. Separately on Truth Social, he said "1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded" and aimed at Iran, with the military ready to "decimate and destroy all areas of Iran" for a year if Tehran acts on assassination threats made openly at Khamenei's funeral.
Talks Push Continues Despite Mixed Signals
Egypt and Qatar's foreign ministers urged Washington and Tehran back to the table. Pakistan and Qatar separately pressed for diplomacy over the Strait of Hormuz, and Turkey's foreign minister said there's "no reason" for open conflict with Israel, blaming election-season rhetoric from Israeli politicians. Iran's Ghalibaf warned of "all-out defense" if the US breaks the MoU, while Araghchi accused Washington of already violating it by keeping extra forces in the region. US officials say they're demanding Iran publicly commit to stop shooting at ships in the Strait of Hormuz and hand over its roughly 900 pounds of enriched uranium, calling it "nuclear dust." One official said, "if we don't get the dust, we do not have a deal." Araghchi arrived in Oman for weekend talks reportedly set to include Vance, Rubio, Witkoff and Kushner, though an Iranian outlet said no talks would happen until the US backs off. Iranian state media said the visit was "focused on the Strait of Hormuz and shipping safety," and Araghchi said he and his Omani counterpart discussed "appropriate mechanisms" for safe passage of ships through the strait under the US-Iran memorandum of understanding. Iran's Foreign Ministry denies it requested negotiations, even as Trump insists Tehran asked to keep talking; Tehran did confirm accepting a Qatari mediation visit.
Gaza and Lebanon Strikes
The IDF killed two more Hamas commanders this week: Khalil Jamal Khalil Manna, a weapons-production commander in northern Gaza working to rebuild capabilities during the ceasefire, and Osama Walid Deeb Muhareb, a Nuseirat Battalion company commander accused of storing explosives for use against troops. Both "posed a threat," the IDF says. In south Lebanon, troops killed a Hezbollah operative near a tunnel shaft at the Ali Taher ridge, where the IDF believes dozens remain in an underground complex, and a separate strike killed a suspect in a vehicle near the buffer zone.
Bushehr Struck, Rosatom Pauses Return
Rosatom halted the return of staff to Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant after a reported US strike near the site's perimeter. Chief Alexei Likhachev said six workers had started heading back before the halt, with next steps still to be decided. Rosatom pulled over 600 staff after the war began February 28 and now has only about 20 on site.
EU Weighs Settlement Import Ban
EU foreign ministers meet Monday in Brussels to discuss banning imports from Israeli settlements, with Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain already restricting such trade. Germany and Italy remain undecided, and it's unclear whether a ban would need unanimous or weighted-majority support.
Sanctions, Satellite Images and Fallout
Washington loosened UAE export controls on military items, satellites and computing hardware. Ten F-22s left Israel's Ovda base for the UK, ending their deployment ahead of the Iran war. Treasury sanctioned 14 people and entities including Dubai banker Ali Ansari, accused of holding assets for Mojtaba Khamenei's benefit; Bessent said the US would keep isolating Khamenei financially. Satellite images reviewed with the Institute for Science and International Security suggest Iran is repairing nuclear sites, including bunker-buster damage at Parchin. Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly said avenging his father is "the demand of the nation." An explosion near Tehran, initially unexplained, was later attributed to controlled ammunition disposal.
Jericho, West Bank Incidents
An off-duty soldier and two other Israeli women were extracted from PA-controlled Jericho in separate incidents overnight; all face questioning for entering the area illegally. Rep. Ro Khanna says he was detained over an hour by armed Israeli civilians near a demolished West Bank village, with the IDF saying troops dispersed the group and let his vehicle pass. In Mughayyir, Palestinian media reported several wounded, including one by live fire, during clashes the IDF says began with stone-throwing; troops later fired at a suspect to "remove the threat." Near Sinjil, four Israeli civilians were detained for allegedly blocking and damaging a CNN crew's vehicle, with a knife and clubs found inside.
Lebanon Withdrawal Update
The IDF says it struck Hezbollah operatives transporting weapons inside the south Lebanon buffer zone, after Lebanese media had reported several strikes in Mansouri, near Tyre. Troops from the 91st "Galilee" Regional Division spotted operatives driving into the security zone and moving anti-tank missiles from the vehicle into a building, the military says; after more operatives brought in weapons and entered the structure, the IDF struck it "to remove the threat," reporting secondary explosions afterward and releasing footage of the strike. A US military delegation met Lebanon's army in Beirut to plan Israel's withdrawal from the first of two "pilot zones" under the June 26 framework deal; a US official said it would launch "in a matter of days."
Topics: Iran, Strait of Hormuz, Lebanon & Hezbollah
Reported by Sammy Tisser for Bernie News Network. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.