logo
Caitlyn Jenner flees Israel amid Iran missile attacks and praises President Trump: 'Bye bye terrorists'

Caitlyn Jenner flees Israel amid Iran missile attacks and praises President Trump: 'Bye bye terrorists'

Daily Mail​5 days ago

Caitlyn Jenner fled Israel Saturday amid ongoing missile attacks from Iran.
The Olympic gold medalist, 75, departed the area, after sharing snippets of her trip via social media, according to the Times of Israel.
The Mount Kisco, New York-born celebrity said on X Saturday: 'What an incredible way it has been to celebrate Shabbat.
'I am here in Israel, in Tel Aviv with you all. I am a friend, advocate, ally, and thank you to the Israeli people for making me family. We will prevail and liberate the poor Iranian people held hostage by terrorist thugs!'
She added: 'The leadership by @IsraeliPM Bibi, and Israel's closest ally President @realDonaldTrump will not allow this reckless violence towards so many continue. Israeli jets overhead in Iran now. (Bye bye terrorists).
'We will liberate Irans citizens Thank you to all allies! PEACE FOR ALL!'
Jenner and conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings appeared in good spirits as they shared snaps from inside an Israeli bomb shelter and hotel, seeking refuge while bombs rained down in Tel Aviv.
A group of Americans visiting Israel - including the former Olympian and conservative commentator - were prevented from leaving the country on Friday, as the military strike against Iran and the ensuing retaliatory effort locked down the nation's airports.
Jennings, 47, was on his first ever trip to the region, visiting major cities such as Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as well as kibbutz Nir Oz - the site of the Nova music festival massacre on October 7, 2023, according to Hollywood Reporter.
But on Friday, Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel in revenge for strikes on its nuclear sites, prompting a state of emergency and the forced closure of airports amid the escalation.
The next day, as Jennings prepped for a remote CNN interview from his hotel, he received the first emergency alert on his phone.
'I stood out on the balcony in my hotel and watched,' he told the Hollywood Reporter. 'In fact, I'm looking at a military jet fly overhead right now.'
'Airspace is closed, airports are closed,' he added. 'The thing we know the least about is how are we going to get out of here.'
The Israeli military subsequently warned citizens to take cover in bomb shelters on Friday evening, noting that 'dozens' of Iranian ballistic missiles were en route to Israel.
Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept missiles over Tel Aviv, Israel, after Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at the region in revenge for strikes on its nuclear sites on Thursday evening
Hours later, Jennings posted a video to X, capturing the view outside his window: missiles streaking through an orange-hued sky as air raid sirens blared in the background.
During the video, Jennings counted three missiles that appeared to be intercepted in midair.
'Air raid sirens in Tiberias, Israel just after 5am,' he captioned the post. 'Missiles visible in the sky. Incoming from Iran.'
Jenner, 75, traveled to Tel Aviv last week to headline Friday's Pride parade, and posted photos of herself in some of the region's most iconic spots - including Jerusalem's Western Wall - just before the unrest began.
In her posts, she expressed support for the country.
'I am excited to share that I will be in Israel this week,' she wrote 'I'm visiting the resilient people of Israel as the nation continues to recover and restore its place in the Middle East. Stay tuned!'
'My heart is here, with the beautiful people, in Israel,' she wrote on another post.
But the night before the parade, Israel carried out its military strike against Iran, prompting organizers to cancel the parade out of safety concerns.
Similar to Jennings, the former reality TV star ended up stranded in the country as the airports shut down, Daily Mail exclusively revealed.
As ballistic missiles soared through the sky during the counterstrike, Jenner assured loved ones that she is taking every precaution to be safe, including seeking shelter.
'Please pray,' the 75-year-old texted one family member from a secure area. 'I'm holding up okay.'
When asked if the bombs were loud, Jenner merely responded, 'Yes.'
The family member told the Daily Mail that Jenner had phone service throughout the first wave of the attack and handed situation calmly.
On Friday afternoon, Regev Gur - an Israeli influencer - shared a photo to X alongside the former gold medalist as they took shelter together.
'What were you doing with the alarms?' he captioned the post. 'Because I'm drinking wine with Caitlyn.'
In the photo, the pair appear relaxed as they sit against a row of lockers - Gur flashing a wide, toothy smile while Jenner raises a glass of red wine toward the camera.
🚨 🚨 air raid sirens in Tiberias, Israel just after 5am. Missiles visible in the sky. Incoming from Iran. pic.twitter.com/EmqHTYZegd
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) June 14, 2025
'She told us not to worry,' a family member told Daily Mail. 'She says she'll be fine and that Israel will protect her.'
Jenner has been in contact with the American Embassy in Tel Aviv, who advised her to shelter in a windowless area near her hotel.
As the bombs began to drop, she posted an image of the missile defense system lighting up the skies on social media.
''Quiet' night in Tel Aviv. Pray for us all. We will prevail,' the post read. 'I am happy to stand with Israel today, now more than ever.'
For now, her family is watching the news and is constant contact with Jenner, who is in 'good spirits' and 'doesn't seem overly worried at the moment - just trusting that everything is going to be okay'.
After news broke that several Americans were 'trapped' inside Israel, social media was quickly flooded with opinions - many questioning their decision to travel to the region in the first place.
'God works in strange ways!' a user on X wrote. 'Who had it on their Bingo card that two of the most evil inhumane cruel inhabitants of earth are stuck in Israel! Don't come back. You deserve one another!'
Shortly after, Jenner responded to the post, writing: 'Ahhh @ScottJenningsKY we have a fan in common!! LOL'.
The lockdown comes after Israel launched a blistering surprise attack on Iranian nuclear and military sites, killing several top generals - including nine senior scientists and experts involved in the program, Associated Press reported.
Thursday's attack also claimed the lives of 78 people and left more than 320 wounded, according to an Iranian official.
Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei vowed to 'inflict heavy blows' in a threat to civilians in Tel Aviv as he blamed Israel for starting the war, while Benjamin Netanyahu warned 'more is on the way'.
Dramatic footage shows Israel's Iron Dome intercepting the salvo of missiles above the city's skyline, but some could not be stopped - including one that blasted into the side of a building with people reportedly trapped inside.
Israel's emergency services say at least 34 people in Gush Dan, or the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, were injured in the strikes - including one woman in critical condition and one seriously injured man. At least three were killed.
Netanyahu promised that more attacks are 'on the way', adding that 'the regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker'.
As missiles rained down on Tel Aviv for hours, he called on Iranians to 'rise up' and overthrow Tehran's 'evil and oppressive regime' as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate.
A second wave of Iranian missiles also targeted Jerusalem early on Saturday morning, according to Israel's military - with witnesses reporting explosions over the ancient city.
Defense Minister Israel Katz chillingly warned that 'Tehran will burn' if more missiles are fired at Israel.
Katz said: 'The Iranian dictator is turning the citizens of Iran into hostages and bringing about a reality in which they - especially the residents of Tehran - will pay a heavy price because of the criminal harm to Israeli civilians.
'If (Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles toward the Israeli home front - Tehran will burn.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump's top spy confirms worst fears about Iran after public rebuke from president as US prepares military strike
Trump's top spy confirms worst fears about Iran after public rebuke from president as US prepares military strike

Daily Mail​

time30 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Trump's top spy confirms worst fears about Iran after public rebuke from president as US prepares military strike

Tulsi Gabbard finally responded to claims that she said Iran did not have nuclear capabilities after Donald Trump called her 'wrong' on the issue. Trump's Director of National Intelligence had testified in March that the U.S. intelligence community 'continues to assess Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.' She posted to X Friday that 'The dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division. America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can't happen, and I agree.' Gabbard included video of her testimony from March that while the intelligence community suggests that, the Iranians appear clearly to have 'enriched uranium stockpiles at its highest levels and is unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons.' She also noted that Iran 'contains a wide range of threats' to the United States and Israel. Gabbard said that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had 'not authorized a nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.' Trump said earlier Friday that Gabbard was wrong when she said that Iran wasn't building a nuclear weapon. 'Well, then my intelligence community is wrong,' he said Friday at Joint Base Andrews, to a question about what evidence he had that Iran was building a nuclear bomb. But Trump said Friday as he was departing for his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club 'it looked like I'm right about the material that they've gathered already.' 'It is a tremendous amount of material and I think within a matter of weeks or certainly within a matter of months they will be able to have a nuclear weapon and we can't let that happen,' Trump said. After landing in New Jersey for an evening fundraiser for his super political action committee, Trump was asked about Gabbard's comments to Congress in March that U.S. spy agencies believed that Iran wasn't working on nuclear warheads. The president responded, 'Well then, my intelligence community is wrong. Who in the intelligence community said that?' Informed that it had been Gabbard, Trump said, 'She's wrong.' Still, disavowing Gabbard´s previous assessment came a day after the White House said Trump would decide within two weeks whether the U.S. military would get directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran. It said seeking additional time was 'based on the fact that there´s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future.' But on Friday, Trump himself seemed to cast doubts on the possibility of talks leading to a pause in fighting between Israel and Iran. He said that, while he might support a ceasefire, Israel's strikes on Iran could be 'very hard to stop.' Asked about Iran suggesting that, if the U.S. was serious about furthering negotiations, it could call on Israel to stop its strikes, Trump responded, 'I think it´s very hard to make that request right now.' 'If somebody is winning, it´s a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing,' Trump said. 'But we´re ready, willing and able, and we´ve been speaking to Iran, and we´ll see what happens.' The president later added, 'It´s very hard to stop when you look at it.' 'Israel´s doing well in terms of war. And, I think, you would say that Iran is doing less well. It´s a little bit hard to get somebody to stop,' Trump said. Earlier Friday, reported that Gabbard has been the target of a smear campaign from 'deep state' intelligence officials seeking to undermine her influence through strategic leaks as President Trump ponders whether to join Israel's war against Iran, those close to her tell the Daily Mail. Gabbard is in the room, helping the president and his team determine an informed path forward, these officials stressed, pushing back against multiple reports indicating that she's been sidelined. In fact, the president is calling on her, the sources claim. Multiple intelligence officials spoke with the Daily Mail about Trump's spy chief's schedule and work since Israel launched an attack on Iran last week, shedding light on a normally clandestine affair. 'All the National Security Council meetings she's in on, and then, I mean, there's lots of impromptu ones where he's calling her into the office,' one senior intelligence official shared. 'She's in there at all the key junctures,' the source added. 'She's been in every meeting,' a White House official told the Daily Mail, adding the DNI 'has not been sidelined whatsoever.' Reports have suggested that Trump has been advised by a smaller cohort, including VP J.D. Vance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine. They say Gabbard and Pentagon Sec. Pete Hegseth are on the outside looking in. But these Gabbard allies told the Daily Mail the DNI has attended practically every crucial meeting at the White House and Situation Room since the conflict began. Vice President Vance also threw his weight behind Gabbard with a glowing social media post: 'She's an essential member of our national security team, and we're grateful for her tireless work to keep America safe from foreign threats.' The White House official added that Hegseth has also been an integral member of ongoing military discussions regarding the Middle East. Trump campaigned on decrying 'endless wars' and has vowed to be an international peacemaker. That's led some, even among conservatives, to point to Trump´s past criticism of the U.S. invasion of Iraq beginning in 2003 as being at odds with his more aggressive stance toward Iran now. Trump suggested the two situations were very different, though. 'There were no weapons of mass destruction. I never thought there were. And that was somewhat pre-nuclear. You know, it was, it was a nuclear age, but nothing like it is today,' Trump said of his past criticism of the administration of President George W. Bush. He added of Iran´s current nuclear program, 'It looked like I´m right about the material that they´ve gathered already. It´s a tremendous amount of material.' Trump also cast doubts on Iran's developing nuclear capabilities for civilian pursuits, like power generation. 'You´re sitting on one of the largest oil piles anywhere in the world,' he said. 'It´s a little bit hard to see why you´d need that.'

The whole free world has an interest in derailing Iran's nuclear schemes
The whole free world has an interest in derailing Iran's nuclear schemes

Telegraph

timean hour ago

  • Telegraph

The whole free world has an interest in derailing Iran's nuclear schemes

SIR – Allister Heath is correct in his condemnation of Sir Keir Starmer and Labour for their failings over Israel and Iran ('Trump and Netanyahu are saving the decadent West from its demons', Comment, June 19). I have been impressed by the Israelis' operations against Iran so far, and hope they will be supported to finish the job. Those who value Western freedom should be backing them, and Britain should be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with its allies. Yet Sir Keir, David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, and Lord Hermer, the Attorney General ('Hermer: War on Iran may be illegal', report, June 19), have proved an embarrassment. It is also worth remembering that the weakness of multiple European and American leaders allowed Iran to reach the point it is at now. Huw Bell Wetherby, West Yorkshire SIR – Has there ever been an occasion when Lord Hermer's interventions and advice have reflected what most of us consider to be the national interest? Bob Hart Newark, Nottinghamshire SIR – With our Government in the hands of international lawyers, our enemies may rest assured that we are more likely to prosecute our own soldiers than a war against them. Michael Staples Seaford, East Sussex SIR – Charles Moore (Comment, June 17) is absolutely right that we owe real debts to Ukraine and Israel. Ukraine deserves full-hearted support against the tyranny of Vladimir Putin, which menaces all of Europe. Israel has been on the front line fighting Islamist tyranny for almost 50 years. Western calls for 'de-escalation' in Israel's astonishing and understandable offensive against that tyranny are misplaced. Never forget that the Ayatollahs of Iran have spent almost five decades trying to murder the Jewish people of Israel. By contrast, the Israelis seek only to destroy Iran's genocidal regime, and hope then to live in peace with the Iranian people, as they did until the Islamists overthrew the Shah in 1979. William Shawcross London W2 SIR – After the G7, which Donald Trump left early, Britain and its European allies must realise they can no longer be sure of American support in the defence of Ukraine or their own borders. We've seen the vulnerability of Ukraine, Israel and Iran to attacks from the air, and have nothing like their air-defence capabilities. Arbitrary percentages of GDP, which include all manner of non-defence-related expenditure, are blatantly insufficient. Now is the time to cut the rhetoric and prepare adequately for the threats we know are out there. Gp Capt Ron Powell (retd) Barry, Glamorgan

Iran, Israel launch new attacks after Tehran rules out nuclear talks
Iran, Israel launch new attacks after Tehran rules out nuclear talks

Reuters

timean hour ago

  • Reuters

Iran, Israel launch new attacks after Tehran rules out nuclear talks

JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - Iran and Israel exchanged fresh attacks early on Saturday, a day after Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear programme while under threat and Europe tried to keep peace talks alive. Shortly after 2:30 a.m. in Israel (2330 GMT on Friday), the Israeli military warned of an incoming missile barrage from Iran, triggering air raid sirens across parts of central Israel, including Tel Aviv, as well as in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Interceptions were visible in the sky over Tel Aviv, with explosions echoing across the metropolitan area as Israel's air defence systems responded. At the same time, Israel launched a new wave of attacks against missile storage and launch infrastructure sites in Iran, the Israeli military said. Sirens also sounded in southern Israel, said Magen David Adom, Israel's national emergency service. An Israeli military official said Iran had fired five ballistic missiles and that there were no immediate indications of any missile impacts. There were no initial reports of casualties. The emergency service released images showing a fire on the roof of a multi-storey residential building in central Israel. Local media reported that the fire was caused by debris from an intercepted missile. Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying its longtime enemy was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. Iran, which says its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes, retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel. Israel is widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons. It neither confirms nor denies this. Its air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, a U.S.-based human rights organisation that tracks Iran. The dead include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists. In Israel, 24 civilians have been killed in Iranian missile attacks, according to authorities. Reuters could not independently verify casualty figures for either side. Iran has repeatedly targeted Tel Aviv, a metropolitan area of around 4 million people and the country's business and economic hub, where some critical military assets are also located. Israel said it had struck dozens of military targets on Friday, including missile production sites, a research body it said was involved in nuclear weapons development in Tehran and military facilities in western and central Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said there was no room for negotiations with the U.S. "until Israeli aggression stops". But he arrived in Geneva on Friday for talks with European foreign ministers at which Europe hopes to establish a path back to diplomacy. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated that he would take as long as two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel's side, enough time "to see whether or not people come to their senses", he said. Trump said he was unlikely to press Israel to scale back its airstrikes to allow negotiations to continue. "I think it's very hard to make that request right now. If somebody is winning, it's a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing, but we're ready, willing and able, and we've been speaking to Iran, and we'll see what happens," he said. The Geneva talks produced little signs of progress, and Trump said he doubted negotiators would be able to secure a ceasefire. "Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe. They want to speak to us. Europe is not going to be able to help in this one," Trump said. Hundreds of U.S. citizens have fled Iran since the air war began, according to a U.S. State Department cable seen by Reuters. Israel's envoy to the United Nations, Danny Danon, told the Security Council on Friday his country would not stop its attacks "until Iran's nuclear threat is dismantled". Iran's U.N. envoy Amir Saeid Iravani called for Security Council action and said Tehran was alarmed by reports that the U.S. might join the war. Russia and China demanded immediate de-escalation. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Iran was ready to discuss limitations on uranium enrichment but that it would reject any proposal that barred it from enriching uranium completely, "especially now under Israel's strikes".

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store