Latest news with #Iran
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Donald Trump weighing up many risks before possible US strike on Iran
This is the most significant statement from the US president in days, though it still keeps everyone guessing. In a message conveyed through his press secretary, he is giving diplomacy up to two weeks to work. "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, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks," Karoline Leavitt quoted him as saying. It is not clear what "whether or not to go" entails. Israel-Iran conflict: Latest updates We know that he has been given a spectrum of different military options by his generals and we know that the Israelis are pressuring him to use American B2 bombers with their to destroy Iran's nuclear facility at Fodow. The Israelis are encouraging no delay. But against that, he is weighing up many risks, both military and political. Militarily, it is not clear how successful a bunker-busting strike on Fordow would be. Experts have suggested it would require several of the massive bombs, which have never been used in combat before, to be dropped on the site. It is not as simple as one clean strike and job done. Politically, the is under significant pressure domestically not to get involved in Iran. Within his own MAGA coalition - influencers, politicians and media personalities are lining up in criticism of involvement in the conflict. One of those leading the criticism, his former chief strategist , who maintains huge influence, was seen entering the White House on Thursday. His press secretary reiterated to us that the president always wants to give diplomacy a chance and she confirmed that his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has spoken to the Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. European leaders, including the UK foreign secretary David Lammy, who is in Washington, are meeting Mr Araghchi in Geneva on Friday. The two-week window - assuming it lasts that long - also gives space to better prepare for any strike and mitigate against some of the other risks of US involvement. Read more from Sky News: There are 40,000 troops in bases across the Middle East. It takes time to increase security at these bases or to move non-essential personnel out. It also takes time to move strategic military assets into the region. The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its support vessels were redeployed from the Indo-Pacific on Monday. Their last known position was the Strait of Malacca two days ago. The Nimitz Carrier Group will overlap with the USS Carl Vinson group which was deployed to the Middle East in March. The potential two-week window also allows for more time for a 'day after' plan, given that the Israeli strategy appears to be regime change from within. Since the Israeli action in Iran began last week, the worst-case scenario of mass casualties in Israel from Iranian attacks has not materialised. The president is said to be surprised and encouraged by this. "Israel has exceeded a lot of people's expectations in their abilities," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The Israeli success, the absence of a mass casualty event in Israel, and the lack of any sustained counterattack by Iranian proxies in the region remove reservations that previous presidents have had about taking on Iran.
Reuters
19 minutes ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Ukraine's Zelenskiy: Russia's defence of Iran shows need to tighten sanctions
June 19 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Russia's defence of Iran's authorities underscored the need for intensified sanctions against Moscow. Zelenskiy said Russia's deployment of Iranian-designed Shahed drones and North Korean munitions was proof that Kyiv's allies were applying insufficient pressure against Moscow. "Now Russia is trying to save the Iranian nuclear programme. There cannot be any other possible explanation for their public signals and their non-public activity on this," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "When one of their accomplices loses their capability to export war, Russia is weakened and tries to interfere. This is so cynical and proves time and again that aggressive regimes cannot be allowed to unite and become partners." When Russia deploys weaponry from Tehran and Pyongyang, he said, "it is a clear sign that global solidarity and global pressure are not strong enough." Russia signed a strategic partnership with Iran this year. Moscow has denounced Israeli strikes against Iran and offered to mediate. A Russian deputy foreign minister said Moscow was urging Washington to refrain from direct involvement. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the conflict between Israel and Iran had exposed Russian hypocrisy, with Moscow defending Iran's nuclear programme and condemning strikes against Tehran while "ruthlessly" attacking Ukraine. "The only rational conclusion is that Russia cannot be trusted in any situation, and it is always part of the problem rather than the solution," Sybiha wrote in English on X. Zelenskiy has accused Russia of refusing diplomatic approaches and rejecting an unconditional ceasefire in the war, which has lasted more than three years. In his address, he said he was "very much counting on" U.S. President Donald Trump to consider tougher sanctions and boost diplomatic efforts to end the war. Trump has so far ruled out calls to intensify sanctions against Moscow. Zelenskiy also expressed willingness to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, though he said the Kremlin leader had stayed on beyond the constitutional limit of his office. That comment was a reference to Russian accusations that Zelenskiy had remained in office without agreeing, under provisions of martial law in Ukraine, to hold an election.
BBC News
19 minutes ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Trump to decide on US action in Israel-Iran conflict within two weeks
US President Donald Trump will decide whether or not the US gets directly involved in the Iran-Israel conflict within the next two weeks, the White House has said. In a White House press briefing, Press secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a message directly from Trump:"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, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks."Earlier, Iran's deputy foreign minister told the BBC it would cause "hell" in the region if the US got involved, adding: "This is not America's war." The news comes 24 hours after Trump said he had not made up his mind on joining the conflict. Asked what the message was for "everyday Trump supporters" who have concerns about US involvement, Leavitt said to "trust in President Trump".She added that the president's "top priority" is ensuring that Iran does not successfully construct a nuclear press secretary has so far repeatedly declined to discuss "hypotheticals", including on whether Iranian officials could come to the White House, or whether Trump would seek approval from Congress over any US and his administration have sought to maintain an air of strategic ambiguity - not revealing much publicly about their thinking or potential courses of action."I may do it," he told reporters on Wednesday. "I may not do it."The administration has maintained it believes that Iran has "never been closer" to successfully building a nuclear weapon. Trump has dismissed intelligence assessments - including some given by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in Congress earlier this year - that Iran was not planning to do mounted about Trump's intentions on Wednesday after Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected his demand for BBC's US partner CBS reported that Trump had approved plans to attack Iran, but had not made a final decision on whether to go ahead. The US president was holding off in case Iran agreed to abandon its nuclear programme, an intelligence source said. On Thursday Trump responded on Truth Social, saying the Wall Street Journal, where the reports first appeared, had "no idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran". He did not address whether plans had been president is reportedly considering strikes on the Iranian nuclear site Fordo, a subterranean uranium enrichment facility. Iran insists Fordo is used for civilian purposes site's location, hidden away in a mountainside, puts it out of reach of Israel's weaponry. Only the US is considered to have a bomb that might be large enough to destroy Fordo. Diplomatic efforts are under way as the conflict continues, with European foreign ministers set to meet their Iranian counterpart in Switzerland on Friday. Leavitt said that correspondence between American negotiators and the Iranians was earlier reported that US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had spoken on the phone several times since Israel began its strikes on Iran last week, in a bid to find a diplomatic end to the deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told the BBC he was hoping for diplomacy as a "first option", but that while bombardment continues "we cannot start any negotiation".He said US involvement would be "hell for the whole region", that would turn the conflict into a "quagmire", continue aggression, and delay an end to the "brutal atrocities".This is "not America's war" and if Trump does get involved, he will always be remembered as "a president who entered a war he doesn't belong in", Khatibzadeh added. Trump's two-week deadline came after a hospital in southern Israel was hit during an Iranian missile attack on Thursday state media reported that the strike targeted a military site next to the hospital, and not the facility itself. Israel's Ministry of Health said 71 people were wounded during the attack on the Soroka Medical Centre. Israel said at least 24 people had been killed in the country since the start of the conflict. Iranian state media last updated its death toll on Sunday 15 June, when it said 224 people had been Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) - a Washington-based human rights organisation that has long tracked Iran - has said 639 people have been killed in Iran since Friday last military continued its strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure on Thursday, saying it had struck an "inactive nuclear reactor" in Arak in overnight raids which also saw the uranium enrichment facility in Natanz targeted again.
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Tom Lee says the odds favor a stock-market rally after the Fed decision
Happy Fed Day to all who observe, and at least one widely followed analyst says there's potential for market fireworks despite the 98.8% probability (according to futures markets) the central bank won't move interest rates. That analyst is none other than Tom Lee, the head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, whose enthusiasm for stocks generally extends to any day ending with the letter 'Y.' 'I'm at my wit's end': My niece paid off her husband's credit card but fell behind on her taxes. How can I help her? 'I prepaid our mom's rent for a year': My sister is a millionaire and never helps our mother. How do I cut her out of her will? Israel-Iran clash delivers a fresh shock to investors. History suggests this is the move to make. I'm 51, earn $129K and have $165K in my 401(k). Can I afford to retire when my husband, 59, draws Social Security at 62? Why Tom Lee says the odds favor a stock-market rally after the Fed decision Lee, like most everyone, isn't expecting the Fed to cut interest rates later on Wednesday. But he does make a notable case for why the market may react positively. 'We believe the Fed will acknowledge that inflation is undershooting their expectations. Recall the Fed has argued that tariff uncertainty causes them to be on hold. But incoming inflation has been soft,' says Lee. The consumer price index rose a scant 0.1% on a monthly basis in May. Import prices were flat. A real-time measure of import prices, updated through data last week, also has shown little pass through from tariffs to end prices. Market-based measures have fallen to the lowest level in a year, he adds. 'So we think Fed will have to acknowledge this. And we know there is a lot of partisan bias in the inflation consumer surveys,' says Lee. 'So markets likely realize Fed will have to relent eventually and return to a dovish bias.' Lee expects the stock market to return to all-tim highs (the S&P 500 was only 3% away anyway) — he said bitcoin is a leading indicator and the cryptocurrency achievved a record last week. He still has a 6,600 target for the S&P 500 by year end. Stock-market futures ES00 NQ00 were flipping between small gains and losses after an 0.8% retreat for the S&P 500 SPX on Tuesday. Oil CL00 edged higher. Key asset performance Last 5d 1m YTD 1y S&P 500 5982.72 -0.93% 0.71% 1.72% 9.03% Nasdaq Composite 19,521.09 -0.98% 1.98% 1.09% 9.29% 10-year Treasury 4.382 -4.50 -22.30 -19.40 15.50 Gold 3396.8 0.62% 2.42% 28.70% 44.90% Oil 72.63 6.34% 18.41% 1.06% -10.09% Data: MarketWatch. Treasury yields change expressed in basis points Need to Know starts early and is updated until the opening bell, but to get it delivered once to your email box. The emailed version will be sent out at about 7:30 a.m. Eastern. At pixel time, the U.S. military still has not joined Israel's fight with Iran, which continued into Wednesday. Iran's supreme leader said the country would not surrender, replying to U.S. President Donald Trump's demand on Tuesday. The Fed decision — and importantly, the dot plot of interest-rate projections — is coming at 2 p.m. Eastern, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference at 2:30 p.m. Morgan Stanley's economists say they still expecting the dot plot to forecast two rate cuts this year. Weekly jobless claims dipped by 5,000 to 245,000, while housing starts tumbled 9.8% in May to an annual rate of 1.26 million. The Senate passed the stablecoin bill, which creates a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency tokens, and now goes to the House. Goldman ditches ban on SPACs as blank-check firms stage comeback. Jamie Dimon wants workers in the office. So why is he letting JPMorgan's European chief work remotely? The bigger picture from Bulgaria joining the euro Data on the U.S. economy is clearly deteriorating, says Neil Dutta, head of economic research at Renaissance Macro. This chart plots the decline in building material sales, which at a seasonally adjusted annual rate have tumbled 7.7% over the last six months. 'Recall that building material store sales represent an intermediate product that ultimately affects residential investment,' he says. Besides the retail sales report, Dutta also noted the New York Fed's service sector index points on ongoing contraction, industrial production fell for the second time in three months and home builder confidence fell to the lowest level since 2022. Here were the top stock-market tickers on MarketWatch as of 6 a.m. Eastern. Ticker Security name TSLA Tesla NVDA Nvidia GME GameStop PLTR Palantir Technologies AMD Advanced Micro Devices AAPL Apple TSM Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing AMZN MLGO MicroAlgo CRCL Circle Internet Group An Italian museum had a crystal-covered chair on display, and the inevitable happened. An 80-year old man tried driving down the famous Spanish Steps in Rome, and it didn't go well. This elderly dog, however, had more success taking on a wild bear. For more market updates plus actionable trade ideas for stocks, options and crypto, . I'm 75 and have a reverse mortgage. Should I pay it off with my $200K savings — and live off Social Security instead? 20 companies in the S&P 500 whose investors have gained the greatest rewards from stock buybacks Israel-Iran conflict poses three challenges for stocks that could slam market by up to 20%, warns RBC 'I'm 68 and my 401(k) has dwindled to $82,000': My husband committed financial infidelity and has $50,000 in credit-card debt. What now? 'It might be another Apple or Microsoft': My wife invested $100K in one stock and it exploded 1,500%. Do we sell?
The Sun
21 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Israel's President calls out Starmer for ‘sitting on fence' and says Europe is next in line for Mullahs' missiles
ISRAEL's president last night accused Britain of 'sitting on the fence' as his nation fights for its life against Iran. Embattled Isaac Herzog said it was Sir Keir Starmer's government's moral duty to support his strife-torn country's war on terror. 5 5 And he told The Sun that Iran's missiles of mass destruction could one day be trained on the UK. In an exclusive interview at the presidential palace in Jerusalem, he said: 'There are things Britain cannot turn a blind eye to. It's obvious. 'And I think the British leadership should not only look at demonstrations or comments. We have to show them clear moral clarity. 'We are fighting the war that will protect Britain in the foreseeable future.' Mr Herzog, a moderate political figure on the left of Israeli politics, added: 'You ask yourself, why would Iran have missiles reaching London? "Why? If London is not an enemy, then why? That is the question that needs to be asked.' He spoke out as Donald Trump, who has moved battleships and aircraft towards the Middle East warzone, last night appeared to give Iran a fortnight to agree to axe its nuclear programme. The Israel-backing US President, who yesterday signed off on a plan believed to involve ordering B-2 stealth bombers to wipe out Iran's surviving nuclear plant, said: 'I will make my decision whether or not to 'go' within the next two weeks.' Mr Trump, who has demanded Iran's immediate 'unconditional surrender' said he based his decision on the fact there was a 'substantial chance of negotiations' with Iran in the near future. President Herzog, 64, hit out as Keir Starmer's Labour government continued to fight shy of commitments to back ally Israel's war with the rogue terror state. RAF Typhoon jets have been moved to a UK base in Cyprus but the PM and his Foreign Secretary David Lammy have sought to focus squarely on pleas for de-escalation. Sir Keir yesterday again urged all parties to back off as Britain prepared to enter crisis talks in Geneva with Iran. He said: 'The continuation of the current situation is in no-one's interest. We want to see cool heads and a return to diplomacy because that is the best route forward.' The UK has sanctioned two far-Right Israeli ministers over 'incitements of violence against Palestinian communities' in the occupied West Bank. Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the UK frozen. Mr Herzog spoke of his respect for British values as he poured out his frustration yesterday. The nation's figurehead, a political opponent of strongman PM Benjamin Netanyahu, let rip during a 20-minute defence of Israel's 'existential' war with Iran. And he spoke of his enduring pride in his father, late Israeli president Chaim Herzog, who was an officer in the British Army and battled the Nazis in World War II. He said: 'My father, you know, he was really a war hero in World War Two. 5 5 'He was very proud of the fact that he served in the British Army. He saw the worst of atrocities when he fought the Nazis and liberated the concentration camps. And we always believed, and I always believed, in the uniqueness of the British parliamentary system.' Mr Herzog went on to warn Britain that Iran must be stopped, and that Israel was at a now or never moment when there had never been a better time to end the terror from Iran and its proxies such as Hezbollah and the Houthis. He told The Sun: 'Ask yourself, why would a small tribe of 50,000 Yemenite Houthis receive ballistic missiles and cruise missiles? Ballistic missiles is something only empires have. It's all planned and arranged by Iran. It's a war machine planned against us. 'But, truly, the next ones in line are the Europeans and the 'infidels' as they call them. 'So let's not delude ourselves and let's all join together in identifying the national security risks of all these nations who have to stand up to Iran and say, 'No more'. 'Enough with your terror cells, enough with your jihadist cells, enough with your proxies and enough with your nuclear programme. 'We are defending Europe' 'It's now or never. Iran went on procrastinating for decades and decades and there were all sorts of windows of opportunity. 'Each time they told us, 'OK, let's give it a chance . . . let's have an agreement. Let them do X or Y'. 'But underneath, they had covert operations of lying. Their covert operation threatens Middle East stability and world stability. That's what people don't get. 'They love to criticise Israel automatically. But we are defending the West. We are defending Europe.' Mr Herzog saluted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for his recent show of support as he urged Sir Keir Starmer to follow suit. And he called on the people of Iran to rise up against terror stoking Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini in his nation's strongest call yet for regime change. He told The Sun: 'The chancellor of Germany said it beautifully. 'He said Israel is doing the dirty work for us. It's true. 'We are here at the frontier of a clash of civilisational values vis-à-vis jihadists. That's what we are dealing with. The world, for 80 years, has made clear that nuclear capabilities are the most dangerous thing if they are linked with an extreme, cruel, jihadist ideology. Isaac Herzog 'I trust President Trump. I think he sees it lucidly. I don't want to go into bombastic declarations but I think that he sees things correctly and my message to the people of Iran is very clear, 'We do not seek war but this war is your opportunity to uprise and bring change in your country. Totally uprise and change direction'. 'It's not one of our main plans or aims, but it is a major, major side-effect of our campaign. Our prime minister and our executive branch, they're taking care of it.' Referring to Ali Khameini, he said: 'It is clear that the leader of this war machine of terror, of atrocities, he himself is in charge of everything. 'He's taking billions of dollars off his own people from their food to spend on this terrible machine of cruelty. The world has to stand up to him once and for all.' Mr Herzog said he trusted Donald Trump to end Iran's reign of terror across the Middle East but said Israel's military had the power and the guile to win the war solo. Asked if his military could go it alone, he told The Sun: 'Israel can. It has many capabilities. We haven't shown everything yet. 'And we are very cautious in commenting about President Trump's considerations or decision-making process. We respect him immensely and we leave it up to him to take the historic decision. 'What we're doing is strictly in line with national security interests of all these major countries — all the G7 countries. 'We are showing our ingenuity and capabilities. We have a lot in stock. I don't want to brag about it. 'I met pilots yesterday who flew 2,300 kilometres and destroyed armaments that were aimed at us. 'And now they hit the Arak nuclear plantation and other places. That's a huge achievement. 'The world, for 80 years, has made clear that nuclear capabilities are the most dangerous thing if they are linked with an extreme, cruel, jihadist ideology.' The president said he hoped for an historic change, possibly within the next seven days, as Israel's vast military operation continued. He said: 'I sincerely hope that there will be a different balance that will block Iran, make clear that they cannot go on with that nasty, terrible game of theirs all over the world and in the region. 'They cannot threaten Israel's existence and move to the bomb — it's clear — and that is our aim.'
