NewzIntel.com

Category: Middle East

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wagner Statement on Israeli Preemptive Strikes on Iran

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO) released the following statement in response to Israel’s preemptive strikes on Iran:

    “I wholeheartedly support Israel defending its people and nation. The United States must unequivocally stand with the Israeli people as they fight for their right to exist. Our alliance is resolute, and will never waver. 

    “It is the stated goal of Iran to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, and they continued to enrich uranium to construct and use nuclear weapons on the Jewish people and the Western world.  Iranian leaders who operated in defiance of the United States, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the entire international community have now been permanently removed from power due to the success of this Israeli operation.  This should serve as a warning to the Ayatollah.  Agree to the Trump Administration’s terms, or suffer the most severe consequences. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and the House Intelligence Committee to support Israel in their fight for lasting peace throughout the region.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sánchez: Trump’s authoritarian tactics won’t intimidate California

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

    WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (D-Calif.) released the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s ongoing, aggressive ICE raids in her district and the violent removal of Senator Padilla from a DHS press conference:

    “What we’re witnessing is the weaponization of the federal government against immigrant communities and anyone who dares to speak out. These authoritarian tactics, including violently removing and handcuffing Senator Padilla at a press conference, are a clear attempt to intimidate California. But we won’t be silent.

    “Instead of targeting violent criminals, this administration is indiscriminately snatching people off the street in my district and throughout Los Angeles. Arresting them at work, at church and even at their immigration hearings – while trampling on their civil rights and without due process.

    “President Trump’s ongoing ICE raids and deploying federal troops is not making our communities safer. He is wasting $134 million while deploying more U.S. forces in an American city than are currently stationed in Iraq and Syria. Their presence is fanning the flames by sowing fear and chaos in our neighborhoods.

    “The past few days have been horrifying for all of us, and I commend our community for standing with our immigrant neighbors. But it’s critical that we continue to do so peacefully to prevent further escalation from this administration.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Neguse Issues Statement on Developments in Middle East

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

    Washington, D.C. — Congressman Neguse issued the following statement regarding developments in the Middle East: 

    “I continue to closely monitor the situation and developments in the Middle East, and join fellow Americans in praying for the people of Israel. Earlier this week, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog — the International Atomic Energy Agency — declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations. A nuclear Iran would pose an undeniable threat to Israel, the United States and our allies, and Israel, like all nations, has the undeniable right to defend itself against any imminent threat. I urge the President and his administration to ensure that U.S. civilians, personnel and forces stationed across the region are protected, and will continue to support efforts to bring stability and peace to the region.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pappas Statement on Israel Striking Iran

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH)

    Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) released the following statement on Israel striking Iran nuclear sites:

    “Iran is a terrorist state that has long fueled death and destruction aimed squarely at the United States, Israel, and our allies. A nuclear-armed Iran is a severe threat to America’s national security, global stability, and the existence of Israel. Israel is justified in seeking to degrade Iran’s nuclear program, as an international nuclear watchdog agency just verified Iran is in violation of non-proliferation agreements. The Trump administration must take steps to protect our citizens and troops in the region and ensure we stand with Israel.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 13 June 2025 Departmental update Spain strengthens global health leadership with increased support to WHO

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the World Health Organization (WHO) today signed a new agreement and contribution of €5.25 million to support key WHO initiatives on universal health coverage, environmental health and emergency medical response.

    “Spain has long been a strong and steadfast partner to WHO and global health,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We thank Spain for its increased flexible funding of our work, in doing so helping WHO be stronger and more independent and allowing us to deliver the services that countries and communities need from us.”

    This year, Spain’s commitment to global health entered a new chapter as it returned to the WHO Executive Board for the 2025–2028 term, nearly two decades since its last membership. This renewed engagement is supported by the country’s new Global Health Strategy, launched on 27 May 2025.

    This is underscored by today’s signing of a new agreement between Spain, and WHO and a growing collaboration between both partners. At the heart of this effort is the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), under the leadership of Mr Antón Leis; AECID has significantly stepped up flexible and strategic funding for WHO activities.

    AECID’s €5.25 million contribution to WHO is part of a broader €60 million pledge announced by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in November 2024. Spain’s multi-year commitment also includes support for critical health programmes in countries such as Jordan, Mali, and Sudan, and global initiatives like polio eradication, patient safety, and the elimination of cervical cancer.

    Looking forward, Spain will host the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Seville, 30 June–3 July 2025, where it aims to elevate health financing as a core development priority. A high-level special event – co-sponsored by WHO and featuring leaders from global health, finance, and academia – will call for bold action through the “Health financing for a safe and sustainable economy: towards Seville health financing agenda for action.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Veasey Releases Statement on Current Israel-Iran Conflict

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Marc Veasey (33rd District of Texas)

    Headline: Congressman Veasey Releases Statement on Current Israel-Iran Conflict

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Veasey released the following statement regarding the current Israel-Iran conflict: 

    “Donald Trump’s short-sighted withdrawal from the Iran nuclear agreement placed Israel in a position where it felt a preemptive strike in self-defense was necessary. Iran’s failure to abide by nuclear nonproliferation agreements led the International Atomic Energy Agency to issue a censure of the regime. Iran’s continued development of its nuclear program poses a threat not only to Israel, but to the entire Middle East, the United States, and the Iranian people themselves. Israel’s right to self-defense in the face of the Iranian regime’s nuclear threat is paramount to the future safety of the region and of Americans as a whole.

    Trump endangered our ally, Israel, in 2018 and gave Iran an opportunity to further destabilize the region. We must ensure the safety of our service members and Americans who may be caught in the crosshairs of this conflict.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Highlights America First Rescissions Package

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke on the House floor before the passage of the Rescissions Act of 2025, which codifies President Trump’s DOGE cuts to root out waste, fraud, and abuse from federal overspending. Leader Scalise emphasized that Democrats’ ‘no’ vote is a vote to prioritize far-left foreign programs over lowering inflation, paying down our debt, and strengthening social services for Americans.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    Leader Scalise’s remarks:“I thank my friend, our conference chair, Ms. McClain, for managing this time on this important bill. Mr. Speaker, a lot of people come up here and they talk about trying to get America’s fiscal house in order, about the idea of getting back to balanced federal budgets. I don’t know many people here who are against it. I know when we later in this Congress put a bill on the floor to require a balanced federal budget, there will be many Democrats, Mr. Speaker, who will vote no on that, because when it comes time to actually put your votes on the board to back up the principles that most Americans relish, they walk away. They won’t be there when it actually matters. Everybody could talk about cutting wasteful spending. Even if you don’t necessarily agree that it’s wasteful spending, and what we’re bringing today is wasteful spending, but even if you think, ‘Okay, might not be as bad as some other things you don’t agree with,’ we all have to agree, Mr. Speaker, that as we just saw a few weeks ago, Moody’s downgraded the credit rating of the United States. Wasn’t a recommendation, Mr. Speaker. Wasn’t a warning that, gee whiz, if you folks don’t get your fiscal house in order, this might happen. They actually did it. They downgraded the credit rating in the United States because spending has to get under control. The party over there that spent the last four years under President Biden spending like drunken sailors, and all due respect to drunken sailors, because they don’t spend this bad. But the trillions of dollars of debt that were racked up had consequences, Mr. Speaker. “It had consequences not only in terms of our national debt, it affected the pocketbooks of families all across America because that spending, bloated spending in Washington, money we don’t have, by the way, increased inflation to the point where people couldn’t even go to the grocery store to fill up their carts. They couldn’t afford to go to the gas station to fill up their cars. They couldn’t afford to take out a loan to buy a house because interest rates had gotten so high that today we’re spending more money servicing our interest than we are on America’s national debt. These are all real, dramatic facts that concern most Americans. They say, thank goodness, Congress is finally bringing a bill to the floor to start cutting some spending that aren’t priorities. Call it wasteful if you want, call it whatever you want, but these aren’t things that we can afford to spend, even if you agree with them. Because it’s not money we have in the bank. It’s all borrowed money, Mr. Speaker. And so, where did we start? “Well, the White House laid out a number of things. They looked at that USAID program – they didn’t gut the whole thing, but they said there are a number of things that are being done that just don’t represent the values of the United States. And are being done in foreign countries while we don’t have our fiscal house in order here in America. So, how about we start there? I know the Democrats on the other side are acting like, ‘Oh, my God, the world’s going to stop spinning on its axis if this spending goes away.’ So why don’t we talk about some of the spending that will go away? Again, borrowed money, not money we just took out of the bank, money we borrowed from countries like China to spend on that is a debt to our kids. Each one of these I list, Mr. Speaker, you should ask, if you vote ‘yes,’ you’re finally relieving that debt burden. But if you vote ‘no,’ you think it’s okay to send this bill to our kids. “We’re not paying for it today, Mr. Speaker, but our kids would if we keep doing it. If the other side votes ‘no,’ they want to keep borrowing money from our children to spend a million dollars on voter ID in Haiti. The same party that doesn’t want voter ID in America – calls it racist – wants to fund voter ID in Haiti. $6 million for net-zero cities in Mexico. I know some of their best supporters are waving a Mexican flag at an American city right now, and they support those efforts. Most Americans don’t, Mr. Speaker. “$3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street. The minority leader held up a Sesame Street character here on the floor as if Sesame Street somehow is going to go away. I was just watching a commercial on TV yesterday where the Cookie Monster was actually doing an advertisement for Netflix because a private company is paying money to run Sesame Street. It’s not going away. It’s doing just fine. Very lucrative. What will go away is some of the far-left radical views that are being espoused. By the way, when this goes away at NPR, you can still turn on about six or seven other channels and get the same far-left radical views, but they’re all going to be private companies, Mr. Speaker, not taxpayer-funded entities. If somebody wants to pay money to go on one of their services that they stream or get over the top, or however they get their digital content, they can still do that.And there are a lot of options. Never been more options. Some people joke that they buy their services for their cable or whatever else they get, and that there’s 200 channels, and they might only watch four or five of them. There is still going to be a plethora of options for the American people. But if they’re paying their hard-earned dollars to go get content, why should your tax dollars go to only one thing that the other side wants to promote? Let everybody compete on a fair basis. They can still watch Sesame Street in Iraq, but let the Iraqi people pay for it, not the taxpayers of the United States of America’s children. “Today’s taxpayers aren’t paying for it because it’s all borrowed money. $2.1 million for climate resilience in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and East Africa. Five hundred thousand for electric buses in Rwanda. Rwanda is more than free to go buy all the electric buses they want or diesel buses. Why should the taxpayers of America be borrowing money from our children to buy electric buses for Rwanda? $33,000 for being LGBTQI in the Caribbean. Taxpayer money that a ‘no’ vote today says is more important than strengthening a program like Social Security. I say not. $643,000 for LGBTQI+ programs in the Western Balkans. Borrowed money. $567,000, Mr. Speaker, for LGBTQI+ programs in Uganda. $5.1 million to strengthen the ‘resilience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer global movement.’ Not sure what that global movement is. They can continue that movement in some other way, but just not with the taxpayer dollars of the United States of America’s children. Again, there’s no bank account that $5.1 million came out of. It’s all borrowed money that a ‘no’ vote says is more important than strengthening Social Security. $135 million in contributions to the World Health Organization, which we all saw during COVID, was the mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party. I would imagine if we stopped this $135 million funding, the CCP may pick it up because they were regurgitating their talking points during COVID. “At some point, Mr. Speaker, the question we’ve all got to answer is, number one, do you believe in fiscal responsibility? Maybe some people have other priorities than these they’d like to defund. But if you think these are all things that are worth borrowing money from our children to fund, then that’s what the ‘no’ vote represents. If you think it’s time we start somewhere, here’s the place to start, not to finish, just the beginning, to finally start getting control over spending and respecting those families who are working hard, who are working two shifts at the diner to pay taxes on tips that will soon go away if our One Big Beautiful Bill passes. Or somebody who’s working overtime because you want to send your kid to college, and you find out this is where your taxpayer dollars are going, and you’re disgusted and say, ‘When will somebody do something about it?’ Today’s the day to do something about it. Talk is cheap. Put the action on the floor. Let’s finally get control over spending in a small way. Start a bigger picture towards a balanced budget, but it starts here. Vote yes, get this done, and let’s keep moving forward to strengthen this great country. With that, I urge a yes vote and yield back, Mr. Speaker.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FY26 Defense Appropriations Bill Approved by Appropriations Committee

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42)

    Today, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Bill introduced by Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert.

    “Keeping Americans safe amidst mounting national security threats around the world requires a significant and multi-faceted investment in our military,” said Chairman Calvert. “The FY26 Defense Appropriations Bill provides the resources necessary for maintaining American military superiority, leveraging our technological innovation into tactical advantages on the battlefield, and supporting the Defense Department’s most valuable assets – our warfighters. Together, with the significant defense funding advancing through Congress as part of the reconciliation process, the FY26 bill will lift total defense spending over $1 trillion in the next fiscal year, representing a historic commitment to strengthening and modernizing America’s national defense. I’m thankful for the contributions of Chairman Cole and my colleagues in shaping this important bill.”

    The Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Bill
     
    In accordance with Chairman Calvert’s national security priorities, the bill invests in America’s military superiority, shapes a more efficient and effective Department of Defense, protects from threats at America’s border, and takes care of our troops and their families.

    Champions America’s military superiority by:

    • Enhancing investments in 5th and 6th generation aircraft including the F-35, F-47, and F/A-XX. 
    • Supporting the modernization of the nuclear triad: the B-21 Raider, the Columbia Class Submarine, and Sentinel.
    • Targeting resources for unmanned aerial systems, uncrewed maritime platforms, and land-based counter-unmanned aerial systems to advance capabilities and strengthen our national defense.
    • Investing in national security space, including proliferated missile warning, missile tracking satellites, and next generation intelligence collection systems to ensure national leaders have real-time global situational awareness.
    • Allocating approximately $13 billion for missile defense and space programs to augment and integrate in support of the Golden Dome effort.
    • Providing over $2.6 billion for hypersonics programs.
    • Reversing the “divest to invest” trend by preserving F-15s and U-2s while investing in next-generation fighters and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems.
    • Continuing to prioritize innovation through over $1.3 billion combined for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT), and Office of Strategic Capital (OSC).
    • Strengthening our defense industrial base by investing $131 million in a Civil Reserve Manufacturing Network.
    • Supporting our close ally Israel by providing $500 million for the Israeli Cooperative Missile Defense Programs, and $122.5 million for U.S.-Israel cooperative development programs.

    Cares for our troops and their families by:

    • Including an increase of 3.8% in basic pay for all military personnel effective January 1, 2026.
    • Continuing historic pay increases enacted in Fiscal Year 2025 for junior enlisted servicemembers.
    • Improving quality of life, readiness, and continuity for servicemembers by slowing permanent change of station moves, saving over $662 million.

    Shapes a more efficient and effective Department of Defense by:

    • Reducing $3.6 billion and almost 45,000 civilian full-time equivalents to capture Workforce Acceleration and Recapitalization Initiative efforts.
    • Prioritizing fiscal sanity and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse through codifying both the Department’s cooperation with DOGE and streamlined functions and management improvements at the Pentagon.
    • Requiring detailed reporting on the Department’s proposed allocations and expenditures of reconciliation.

    Combats international actors who facilitate drug trafficking and manufacturing by:

    • Providing $1.15 billion for counter drug programs, which is $245 million above the budget request.
    • Increasing funding for the National Guard Counterdrug Program.
    • Transferring Mexico from U.S. Northern Command’s jurisdiction to U.S. Southern Command for better coordination and prioritization.

    A summary of the bill is available here.

    Bill text is available here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Calvert Statement on Israeli Strikes On Iran

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42)

    Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Defense Appropriations issued the following statement in support of Israel:

    “Israel has taken the necessary steps to ensure their safety and survival. The extensive air strikes against Iran were targeted; intended to take out senior military leadership and nuclear enrichment and military facilities.  

    Iran was given numerous chances to abandon their nuclear enrichment and weaponization activities but chose to push forward despite warnings from President Trump and Israel.  The Iranian Regime has been the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world; they have armed Hamas and Hezbollah and have repeatedly threatened our shared interests with Israel.  They were the orchestrators of October 7th which saw 1,195 Israelis and 46 Americans murdered, and hundreds taken hostage. From the Beirut bombing in 1983 to the 2024 drone attacks against U.S. assets in Jordan, which resulted in the death of three American troops, they have the blood of hundreds of Americans on their hands. Their day of reckoning has come.  

    As antisemitism rears its ugly head around the world, the reason for the state of Israel has become abundantly clear.  Israel is the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people, and since its inception they have only wished to live in peace with their neighbors but they will not hesitate to defend their nation, and their people, with every tool in their arsenal – as any nation would. Allowing Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, which would enable them to destroy the state of Israel was a red line.  ‘Never again’ is now, and I support Israel’s continued operations to ensure the survival of their people and their home.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cleaver’s Statement on the Escalating Conflict in the Middle East

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) released the following statement on the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

    “I am closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East following Israel’s decision to strike Iran’s military leadership and nuclear capabilities.

    “My highest priority remains the safety of American citizens and servicemembers in the region. While the president’s decision in his first term to withdraw from the JCPOA has led to this extraordinarily alarming moment and made diplomacy substantially more difficult, it is imperative that the Trump administration focus on de-escalation before U.S. armed forces are dragged into another lengthy and lethal quagmire.

    “I continue to support Israel’s right to exist and their right to defend themselves. I urge the leadership of both nations to de-escalate and come to the negotiating table to end this conflict before it spirals out of control.”

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    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McCaul Statement on Israel’s Preemptive Strikes on Iran

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs — released the following statement after Israel preemptively struck Iran’s nuclear program and military leadership.

    “President Trump gave Iran every chance to negotiate in good faith and to dismantle their nuclear program.

    “Prime Minister Netanyahu was also clear: The alternative to diplomacy would be strikes on Iran — a message he reiterated to me when I met with him this month. Unfortunately, the regime chose not to take the path of peace — to prioritize their own interests over their people’s. They brought this calamity on themselves.

    “One thing is certain: Iran will not acquire a nuclear weapon, and our world is safer for it. They would be wise to come to the table and make an agreement with President Trump while the offer still stands. If they instead choose to harm U.S. troops in the region, they will once again regret it.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 14, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 14, 2025.

    Fijian in Abu Dhabi worried about Pacific communities in Middle East
    By Susana Suisuiki, Presenter/producer of RNZ Pacific Waves Fiji’s Embassy in Abu Dhabi says it is closely monitoring the situation in Iran and Israel as tensions remain high. Israel carried out a dozen strikes against Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday, claiming it acted out of “self-defence”, saying Iran is close to building a

    Eugene Doyle: Team Genocide and the West’s war on Iran
    COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle I have visited Iran twice. Once in June 1980 to witness an unprecedented event: the world’s first Islamic Revolution. It was the very start of my writing career. The second time was in 2018 and part of my interest was to get a sense of how disenchanted the population was —

    Greta Thunberg tried to shame Western leaders – and found they have no shame
    ANALYSIS: By Jonathan Cook in Middle East Eye If you imagined Western politicians and media were finally showing signs of waking up to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, think again. Even the decision this week by several Western states, led by the UK, to ban the entry of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, two far-right

    News of the Air India plane crash is traumatic. Here’s how to make sense of the risk
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University simonkr/Getty Images On Thursday afternoon local time, an Air India passenger plane bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad. There were reportedly 242 people onboard, including two pilots and ten cabin crew. The

    News of the Air India plane crash is traumatic. Here’s how to make sense of the risk
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University simonkr/Getty Images On Thursday afternoon local time, an Air India passenger plane bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad. There were reportedly 242 people onboard, including two pilots and ten cabin crew. The

    Selwyn Manning Analysis: Israel clearly saw an opportunity to strike Iran. Here’s the trip-wire… UPDATED
    Analysis and Notes by Selwyn Manning: Prep for Radio New Zealand – Israel Strikes Against Iran – June 13, 2025. Listen to the audio from 3:00 minutes in. Over the last 24 hours, the atomic control agency IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) formed a view at its UN Geneva meeting, that there was so-called evidence

    Selwyn Manning Analysis: Israel clearly saw an opportunity to strike Iran. Here’s the trip-wire…
    Analysis and Notes by Selwyn Manning: Prep for Radio New Zealand – Israel Strikes Against Iran – June 13, 2025. Listen to the audio from 3:00 minutes in. Over the last 24 hours, the atomic control agency IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) formed a view at its UN Geneva meeting, that there was so-called evidence

    Why did Israel defy Trump – and risk a major war – by striking Iran now? And what happens next?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow, Victoria University Alarmed by an intelligence assessment that Iran will be able to produce nuclear weapons within months if not weeks, Israel has launched a massive air campaign

    Just one man survived the Air India crash. What’s it like to survive a mass disaster?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Smith, Associate Professor and Discipline Lead (Paramedicine), La Trobe University Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British citizen returning from a trip to India, has been confirmed as the only survivor of Thursday’s deadly Air India crash. “I don’t know how I am alive,” Ramesh told family, according to

    Speculation about the cause of Air India crash is rife. An aviation expert explains why it’s a problem
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natasha Heap, Program Director for the Bachelor of Aviation, University of Southern Queensland It has only been a few hours since Air India flight AI171 crashed in Ahmedabad, killing more than 260 people, yet public speculation about the causes of the disaster is already rife. Parts of

    What do we know about the Air India crash? How did one man survive? What now? An aviation safety expert explains
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guido Carim Junior, Senior Lecturer in Aviation, Griffith University The back of Air India flight 171 after it crashed into a residential building in Ahmedabad. Sam Panthaky / AFP via Getty Images An Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad in northwest India on Thursday

    The Daily Blog calls for NZ to immediately expel Israeli envoy for unprovoked attack on Iran
    OPINION: By Martyn Bradbury, editor of The Daily Blog The madness has begun. We should have suspected something when the cloud strike shut down occurred. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs to continue war so that he is never held to account. This madness is the last straw. NZ must immediately expel the Israeli Ambassador

    Trump may push Albanese on defence spending, but Australia has leverage it can use, too
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Thomas Corben, Research Fellow, Foreign Policy and Defence, University of Sydney Ahead of a prospective meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump at the G7 Summit Canada, two key developments have bumped defence issues to the top of the alliance agenda. First, in

    How long is a vagina? And how do I know if mine is ‘short’?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keersten Fitzgerald, Lecturer in General Practice, University of Sydney Jarrod Simpson/Getty We often use the word vagina to describe everything “down there”, but that’s not actually anatomically correct. The vagina is the stretchy, muscular tube that connects the external genitalia, or vulva, to the cervix, which is

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 13, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 13, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Statement On Israel-Iran Conflict

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

    “The situation in the Middle East is extremely serious and I am closely monitoring ongoing developments. I will always support Israel’s right to defend itself. Iran is the foremost sponsor of terrorism in the world, and it must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. With Iranian retaliation already occurring and likely to continue, I am praying for the Israeli people, as well as for American troops, personnel and citizens throughout the Middle East. I will remain in close contact with our intelligence and national security community as this situation evolves.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russian President holds telephone conversations with Iranian President and Israeli Prime Minister

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Moscow, June 14 /Xinhua/ — In light of the dangerous escalation of the situation as a result of Israel’s military action against Iran, Russian President Vladimir Putin held telephone conversations with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday. The corresponding information was published by the press service of the Russian head of state on the same day.

    The Russian President expressed his condolences to the leadership and people of Iran in connection with the numerous human casualties, including civilians, as a result of Israeli strikes.

    V. Putin emphasized that Russia condemns Israel’s actions, which violate the UN Charter and international law. The Russian side has fully supported efforts to resolve the situation around the Iranian nuclear program peacefully and has put forward specific initiatives aimed at finding mutually acceptable agreements. Russia will continue to contribute to the de-escalation of the conflict between Iran and Israel.

    In a conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister, the Russian President emphasized the importance of returning to the negotiation process and resolving all issues related to the Iranian nuclear program exclusively through political and diplomatic means. Readiness to provide mediation services was also expressed in order to prevent further escalation of tensions.

    It was agreed that the Russian side will continue close contacts with the leadership of both Iran and Israel, aimed at resolving the current situation, which is fraught with the most disastrous consequences for the entire region. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Messi fit as injuries weigh on Inter Miami before Club World Cup

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Veteran defender Jordi Alba has been ruled out of Inter Miami’s opening FIFA Club World Cup clash against Al Ahly due to a leg muscle injury, head coach Javier Mascherano said on Friday.

    The Major League Soccer club will also be without Italian midfielder Yannick Bright and Argentine defender Gonzalo Lujan for Saturday’s tournament curtain-raiser at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

    “They won’t be available for this match but we hope that, for the second game [against Porto], one or two of them could return,” Mascherano told a news conference.

    Mascherano bemoaned his team’s mounting injury list, but expressed confidence that his squad’s younger players could provide cover.

    “We have unfortunately had a lot of injuries in the last 20 days, which clearly has weakened us as a group, but not as a team,” the former Liverpool and Barcelona player said.

    “We’ve shown throughout the season that we have players ready to step up and that puts us much more at ease.”

    While Inter Miami qualified for the Club World Cup by clinching the Supporters’ Shield for the best overall record in the 2024 MLS season, Al Ahly secured its spot as winners of the 2020-21, 2022-23, and 2023-24 CAF Champions League.

    Mascherano said his team would not underestimate the Egyptian club, which last month appointed Spaniard Jose Riveiro as head coach, replacing Marcel Koller.

    “Al Ahly is one of the biggest teams in Africa,” the Argentine said. “It’s a team that wins in its league with certain regularity and comfort.

    “They’ve had five or six signings for this tournament, which is something that we haven’t done, and they changed their head coach a short while ago. But we don’t think they will change the way they play. They have a clear style and they are physical. And we know that they have some very good players, especially in the middle of the pitch and in attack.”

    Mascherano also pointed to the strong form and physical condition of captain Lionel Messi, expressing optimism about the Argentine’s impact in the tournament.

    “He’s been in great shape this season,” Mascherano said. “We’ve rested him at times, but he’s played 15 of the last 16 games, only missing the match against Dallas when we rested the whole team.

    “Now it’s our responsibility to create the ideal environment for him to shine.” 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fijian in Abu Dhabi worried about Pacific communities in Middle East

    By Susana Suisuiki, Presenter/producer of RNZ Pacific Waves

    Fiji’s Embassy in Abu Dhabi says it is closely monitoring the situation in Iran and Israel as tensions remain high.

    Israel carried out a dozen strikes against Iranian military and nuclear sites on Friday, claiming it acted out of “self-defence”, saying Iran is close to building a nuclear weapon.

    Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel that “severe punishment” would follow and two waves of missiles were fired at Israel.

    Fiji’s Embassy in Abu Dhabi is urging the Fijian community there to remain calm, stay informed, and reach out to the Embassy should they have any concerns or require assistance during this period of heightened regional tensions.

    A Fiji national in Abu Dhabi said he had yet to hear how other Pacific communities in the Middle East were coping amid the Israel-Iran conflict.

    Speaking to RNZ Pacific Waves from Abu Dhabi, Fiji media specialist Kelepi Abariga said the situation was “freaky and risky”.

    Abariga has lived in Abu Dhabi for more than a decade and while he was far from the danger zones, he was concerned for his “fellow Pacific people”.

    ‘I hope they are safe’
    “I just hope they are safe as of now, this is probably the first time Israel has attacked Iran directly,” he said.

    “Everybody thinks that Iran has a huge nuclear deposit with them, that they could use it against any country in the world.

    “But you know, that is yet to be seen.

    “So right now, you know we from the Pacific, we’re right in the middle of everything and I think you know, our safety is paramount.”

    Abariga was not aware of any Pacific people in Tehran but said if they were, they were most likely to be working for an NGO or the United Nations.

    However, Abariga said there were Fiji nationals working at the International Christian embassy in Jerusalem and Solomon Island students in the south of Israel.

    He also said that Fijian troops were stationed at Golan Heights occupied by Israel.

    While Abariga described Abu Dhabi as the safest country in the Middle East, he said the politics in the region were volatile.

    “It’s been intense like that for all this time, and I think when you mention Iran in this country [UAE], they have all the differences so it’s probably something that has started a long way before.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Trump is gutting police and public safety funding in California

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 13, 2025

    What you need to know: Donald Trump is raiding public safety funds to bankroll his militarized birthday party this Saturday, while stripping local police departments, first responders, and communities across the country of the tools they need to keep Americans safe.

    Los Angeles, California – Donald Trump, a convicted felon who has prioritized pardoning individuals convicted of assaulting police, is gutting public safety funding — slashing billions from programs that help police departments, fight terrorism, prevent gun violence, and protect women and children from domestic violence — all while he adds to the nation’s debt to pay for militarizing Los Angeles and his ego-driven birthday party this Saturday.

    Trump doesn’t respect the rule of law and taxpayers. He uses our members of the military — our heroes — as his own chess pieces and he’s stacking the deck against our own state and local law enforcement. We’ve had enough.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Trump is defunding public safety

    President Trump is proposing to gut public safety funding across the country — putting the safety and lives of all Americans at risk.

    At a time when violent crime is dropping, Trump’s so-called “big beautiful bill” threatens to erase substantial progress on public safety, at a time when exactly the opposite is needed. 

    The President’s proposed funding cuts include: 

    • $1 billion from police departments to reduce violent crime, hate crime, and crime against women.
    • $646 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for violence and terrorism prevention.
    • $545 million from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), cutting its workforce by more than 2,000 personnel and reducing its capacity to keep criminals off the street. 
    • $491 million from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), making our cyber and physical infrastructure more vulnerable to attack.
    • $468 million from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), greatly reducing its ability to crack down on firearm trafficking and reduce gun violence.
    • $212 million from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), greatly reducing its capacity to help state and local law enforcement and weakening efforts to fight international drug smuggling impacting the United States.
    • $107 million from Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Public Safety and Justice, exacerbating current understaffing and making tribal communities less safe. 

    $134 million reasons why this is wrong

    As the federal government adds to the open deficit tab, taxpayers are footing the $134 million militarization display in Los Angeles where Trump illegally took control over state National Guard units. Trump federalized 4,000 National Guard soldiers and deployed 700 Marines to use as pawns in Los Angeles.

    Even as tensions rise in the Middle East, in an unprecedented move, there are now more American troops deployed in Los Angeles than in Iraq and Syria combined.

    Trump is adding to the national debt

    Trump’s budget proposal would push the country further into debt. Although he proposes cutting public safety funding, he proposes even more massive tax cuts for the wealthy, pushing the federal government further into the red. According to the Congressional Budget Office, his proposal would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit, before even considering interest costs. 

    Birthday display

    And, in a scene more common in authoritarian dictatorships, Trump is holding a massive $45 million birthday party for himself in Washington, D.C.

    Trump’s parade, set to destroy streets in Washington DC due to heavy military vehicles rolling through, including 28 M1A1 tanks, 28 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 28 Stryker armored fighting vehicles and vehicles towing artillery, is being thrown in the face of Americans reeling from his attempt to militarize Los Angeles.

    The festivities will be visible on the ground and in the air – with more than 50 helicopters participating in a large flyover in the nation’s capital. See the Governor’s response to this fete here. 

    Hypocrisy on full display

    In 2020, Trump said he wouldn’t federalize National Guard members without the approval of a state’s Governor first. The head of his own Department of Homeland Security said just last year that federalizing the National Guard would be a direct attack on state rights. But now his administration is adding more National Guard soldiers and Marines to an already charged situation in Los Angeles when they are unneeded. There are 1,600 soldiers waiting for commands at armories in the area.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Director General Grossi’s Statement to UNSC on Situation in Iran

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Early this morning, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was informed of the military operation launched by Israel which includes attacks on nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    As I reported this morning to the IAEA Board of Governors, we have been in permanent contact with the Iran Nuclear Regulatory Authority, to ascertain the status of relevant nuclear facilities and to assess any wider impacts on nuclear safety and security.

    Iran has confirmed that at present, only the Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant site has been attacked in today’s strikes. This facility contains the Fuel Enrichment Plant and the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant.

    At Natanz, the above-ground part of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, where Iran was producing uranium enriched up to 60% U-235, has been destroyed.

    Electricity infrastructure at the facility (electrical sub-station, main electric power supply building, emergency power supply and back-up generators) has been destroyed.

    There is no indication of a physical attack on the underground cascade hall containing part of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant and the main Fuel Enrichment Plant. However, the loss of power to the cascade hall may have damaged the centrifuges there.

    The level of radioactivity outside the Natanz site has remained unchanged and at normal levels indicating no external radiological impact to the population or the environment from this event.

    However, due to the impacts, there is radiological and chemical contamination inside the facilities in Natanz. The type of radiation present inside the facility, primarily alpha particles, is manageable with appropriate radiation protection measures.

    At present, the Iranian authorities are informing us of attacks on the other facilities, the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant; and Esfahan site, where a fuel plate fabrication plant, a fuel manufacturing plant, a uranium conversion facility and an enriched UO2 powder plant are located. However I have to inform that at this moment we do not have enough information beyond indicating that military activity has been taking place around these facilities as well which initially had not been part of military operation.

    All these developments are deeply concerning. I have repeatedly stated that nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances, as it could harm both people and the environment.  Such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security.

    In this regard, the IAEA recalls the numerous General Conference resolutions on the topic of military attacks against nuclear facilities, in particular, GC(XXIX)/RES/444 and GC(XXXIV)/RES/533, which provide, inter alia, that “any armed attack on and threat against nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes constitutes a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law and the Statute of the Agency”. 

    Furthermore, the IAEA has consistently underlined that “armed attacks on nuclear facilities could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked”, as was stated in GC(XXXIV)/RES/533.

    As Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and consistent with the objectives of the IAEA under the IAEA Statute, I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation. I reiterate that any military action that jeopardizes the safety and security of nuclear facilities risks grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond.

    Madame Under Secretary General evoked that yesterday, the Board of Governors of the IAEA adopted an important resolution on Iran’s safeguards obligations. In addition to this, the Board resolution stressed its support for a diplomatic solution to the problems posed by the Iranian nuclear programme.

    The IAEA continues to monitor the situation closely.  Our Incident and Emergency Center (IEC) has maintained continuous contact with Iranian authorities from the onset of the attack, regularly confirming the status of the facilities and will continue to do so in the coming days. Additionally, we have established a task force comprising several senior staff members to monitor the situation closely over the next few days, and they will be available 24/7at the disposal of the UNSC.

    The IAEA stands ready to provide technical assistance, and remains committed to its nuclear safety, security and safeguards mandate in all circumstances. I stand ready to engage with all relevant parties to help ensure the protection of nuclear facilities and the continued peaceful use of nuclear technology in accordance with the Agency mandate, including, deploying Agency nuclear security and safety experts (in addition to our safeguards inspectors in Iran) wherever necessary to ensure that nuclear installations are fully protected and continue to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.

    As I informed today the IAEA Board of Governors, I have indicated to the respective authorities my readiness to travel at the earliest to assess the situation and ensure safety, security and non-proliferation in Iran.

    I have also been in contact with our inspectors in Iran and Israel. The safety of our staff is of paramount importance. All necessary actions are being taken to ensure they are not harmed.

    Despite the current military actions and heightened tensions, it is clear that the only sustainable path forward—for Iran, for Israel, the entire region, and the international community—is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace, stability, and cooperation. 

    The International Atomic Energy Agency, as the International technical institution entrusted with overseeing the peaceful use of nuclear energy, remains a unique and vital forum for dialogue, especially now. 

    In accordance with its Statute and longstanding mandate, the IAEA provides the framework and natural platform where facts prevail over rhetoric and where engagement can replace escalation. 

    I reaffirm the Agency’s readiness to facilitate technical discussions and support efforts that promote transparency, safety, security and the peaceful resolution of nuclear-related issues in Iran.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advocacy – PSNA appalled at deportation of Palestinian New Zealander from Egypt

    Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

     

    PSNA has conveyed to the Egyptian government its shock and anger at the deportation of a Palestinian New Zealander from Egypt yesterday (Thurs eds).

    PSNA says Rana Hamida was deported because she planned to take part in the Global March to Gaza. Others deported include Spanish, Swedish, Finnish, Moroccan, Greek and US citizens.

     

    The Global March to Gaza is due to start today in Egypt with thousands of people from throughout the world taking part.

     

    “PSNA Co-Chair John Minto says the march is to express humanity’s outrage at the ongoing Gaza-wide bombing and starving of the Palestinian population by Israel in Occupied Gaza.

     

    “Egypt’s action in deporting activists can only be seen as assisting Israel’s attacks against the Palestinian population.”

     

    “Unfortunately, Egypt has a long history of collaboration with the US and Israel to stifle the Palestine liberation struggle. This is in sharp contrast to the Egyptian people who are as appalled and angry as the rest of humanity at Israel’s horrendous war crimes.”

     

    “We received this message from Rana as she makes her way home:

     

    “They Egyptian authorities along with other governments think that blocking humanity from this act of solidarity will stop because of them blocking people from being there and doing the job that they continue failing to do !!! 

    They are so mistaken – the more complicit and enabling they get in their inactions and in this case their active participation, the more we will rise, and roar. 

    We are escalating as you awaken the dragons within us. 

    We will sing louder and we will walk longer — with our hiking shoes in the Sinai desert, or barefoot towards your embassies. We will disrupt your meetings, we will crowd your phone with calls and emails, and we will be the light that blinds your robotic heart and melts it alongside the lies you stand for. 

    This is not about us, it is about HUMANITY within us that is dying and being oppressed in various forms, it is about the humans enduring hell in Gaza, West Bank and Falastine as a whole. 

    Muslims, Jews and Christians together.

    It is about NEVER AGAIN !!!

    Boycott, divest — We will not stop we will not rest.

     

    John Minto

    Co-Chair

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: GAZA – June 13 – Lives at risk as communications down at Gaza’s hospitals

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

    Flash Quote by Jose Mas, Head of MSF Emergency Programmes:

    “Our teams in Gaza are witnessing another chaotic day as the carnage at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution sites continues unabated, internet connection is cut off at mass scale after an attack that hit communications lines, and Israeli forces issued new displacement orders in the blocks that include Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

    On 11 June, MSF-supported Al Mawasi Primary Health care clinic received 32 casualties including three dead on arrival. The ICRC field hospital received 160 casualties including five dead on arrival and three with severe wounds who were declared dead shortly after. Today ICRC field hospital saw 125 people wounded with three declared dead upon arrival. Most of those killed and wounded are Palestinians that were seeking urgent assistance at GHF distribution sites.

    The delivery of supplies by private logistics and security firms, as well as local armed actors under the guise of aid, disregarding humanitarian principles, imposing access restrictions on humanitarian agencies in terms of movements, supplies, as well as constantly displacing the population all with the backdrop of 20 months of intense daily bombardment, is pushing Gaza’s fragile social order to the brink of collapse.

    The partial loss of communication has dealt another severe blow to the already decimated humanitarian and medical response, putting the lives of our patients and staff at imminent risk. We have barely heard from our teams in Gaza for over 12 hours. The lack of internet and limited phone connections makes it even harder for humanitarian and medical teams to coordinate movements of staff and supplies, call ambulances, and manage our teams’ security in one of the world’s deadliest war zones.

    Moreover, the possibility of Nasser hospital being subjected to bombardment or damaged by attacks in the area or hardly being accessible anymore is harrowing. Nasser hospital has wards that cannot be moved without putting patients’ lives at grave danger, as their specialist equipment cannot be found anywhere else in southern Gaza, including incubators for the 17 babies currently in intensive care. The hospital is already functioning over capacity, as are other hospitals in Gaza.”

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. 

    MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Statement on Israel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), co-chair of the Abraham Accords Caucus, released the following statement:
    “Join me in praying for Israel and the protection of Americans in the region and around the world. President Trump gave Iran an option for peace, but the regime proved it cannot be trusted by continuing to enrich its nuclear supply. This enrichment is only possible because the Biden administration refused to enforce sanctions on the world’s largest sponsor of terror that has American blood on its hands. Make no mistake, Iran cannot threaten the United States with nuclear weapons.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Celebrates U.S. Army’s 250th Birthday

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran who served in the Iowa Army National Guard, released the following statement ahead of the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday tomorrow:
    “From Bunker Hill and Gettysburg to the Beaches of Normandy and the Iraqi desert, the U.S. Army has fought to secure and protect the freedoms that we hold so dearly as Americans,” said Ernst. “The real story behind the 250 years of the Army is revealed in the brave young men and women who have stepped up and answered the call to serve our country. My own time in the Army opened my horizons to a life of service, and I am honored to have played a small part in the decorated history of America’s oldest military branch. I will continue working to ensure our military remains the most lethal, efficient, and effective fighting force the world has ever seen.”
    Click here to download this image.
    Background:
    Senator Ernst, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been a leading voice in Washington supporting the new Army Transformation Initiative emphasizing the need to bring greater efficiency and readiness to our armed forces.
    Ernst has also led the charge to build upon the success of military recruitment under the Trump administration through her SERVE Act that promotes the benefits of service by expanding access for high school students.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Van Orden Statement on Israel’s Strikes on Tehran

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin 3rd)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) released the following statement on Israel’s strikes on Tehran:

    “The Iranian regime is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans and was enabled by the weak leadership under the Obama and Biden administrations. 

    “They are the world’s greatest state sponsor of terrorism, and allowing the regime to inch closer to developing nuclear weapons was a foolish proposition. Iran must never possess a nuclear weapon. 

    “I fully support Israel’s strikes against Iranian military targets as a necessary defense of their sovereignty and a decisive stand for our shared national security interests.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Statement on Netanyahu’s Unilateral Attack on Iran

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    BURLINGTON, Vt. June 13 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today released the following statement:
    The world is more dangerous and unstable as a result of the extremist Netanyahu’s government ongoing defiance of international law. 
    First, he uses the starvation of children in Gaza as a tool of war, a barbaric violation of the Geneva Conventions. Now, his illegal unilateral attack on Iran risks a full-blown regional war. These strikes also directly contravened the express wishes of the United States, which was seeking a diplomatic resolution to the long-standing tensions around Iran’s nuclear program. Talks were planned for Sunday, but Netanyahu chose instead to launch an attack. 
    The U.S. must make it clear that we will not be dragged into another Netanyahu war. Along with the international community we should do everything possible to prevent an escalation of this conflict and bring the warring parties to the negotiating table.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Statement on Israel and Iran

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    June 13, 2025

    For Immediate Release

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement in response to Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and Iranian retaliation:

     “Iran’s nuclear ambitions are a threat to peace and stability and I support Israel’s right to defend itself from these threats. I call on the Trump administration to commit to serious diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear program, which is the best path to durable peace and security in the region. Americans are clear they do not want U.S. troops to be dragged into another war in the Middle East.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Israel’s Military Strikes Against Iran

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement in response to Israel’s recent military strikes against Iran:

    “Israel’s decision to attack Iran is a dangerous and unprecedented escalation, which endangers American servicemembers and civilians in the region, and puts countless other innocent lives at risk. Along with my colleagues, I will be closely monitoring the situation and urging the administration to ensure Americans remain out of harm’s way.  I urge the Trump administration and other leaders around the world to de-escalate the situation before it devolves into a prolonged, regional conflict that threatens the safety and security of millions of people and undermines U.S. national security interests. Like all Americans, I hope for a peaceful resolution as soon as possible.

    “While we should never forget that it was Trump who carelessly walked away from President Obama’s deal to contain the threat of an Iranian nuclear weapons program, President Trump and his administration must now do everything possible to de-escalate the situation.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Afghan National Pleads Guilty to Plotting Election Day Terror Attack in the United States

    Source: US State of California

    Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, a native and citizen of Afghanistan, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Oklahoma City to two terrorism-related offenses: conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a federal crime of terrorism.

    “The defendant admits he planned and obtained firearms to carry out a violent terror attack on Election Day in 2024, a plot that was detected and disrupted through the good work of the FBI and our partners,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Let this serve as notice to anyone who tries to conduct attacks in our homeland for ISIS or any other terror group: we will find you and you’ll face American justice. I want to commend the FBI teams and our partners for their hard work and success in executing the mission.”

    “Through incredible law enforcement effort and coordination, a violent terrorist attack on American soil was thwarted, and those responsible are being held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “I commend the outstanding work by the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and prosecutors to diligently discover, thoroughly investigate, and completely foil this terror plot. These guilty pleas serve as an emphatic reminder that the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue those who attempt to harm Americans through terrorist acts.”

    “Thanks to outstanding work by the Oklahoma City Joint Terrorism Task Force, the defendant’s plan to kill innocent Americans in a terrorist attack on Election Day was stopped,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “The FBI is grateful to all who stand beside us in our fight against terrorism. Together, we will continue to safeguard our communities from those who conspire against the United States.”

    According to court documents, Tawhedi admitted that between June 2024 and October 2024 he conspired with at least one other individual to purchase two AK-47 rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition, and 10 magazines, with the intent to carry out a mass-casualty attack on or around Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, on behalf of ISIS.  According to a criminal complaint affidavit filed in the case, Tawhedi communicated with an ISIS facilitator about his plan to purchase firearms for use in the terror plot, including asking the individual whether 500 rounds of ammunition would be sufficient.

    Tawhedi and his co-conspirator, Abdullah Haji Zada, were arrested on Oct. 7, 2024, after purchasing the firearms and ammunition from an undercover FBI employee.  Zada, 18, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to the firearms offense in connection with his role in the terror plot and is awaiting sentencing. Zada, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, entered his guilty plea as an adult and will be sentenced as an adult.

    At sentencing, Tawhedi faces a maximum penalty 20 years in prison for the material support charge and up to 15 years in prison for the firearms charge. Zada faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Upon completion of any sentence, Tawhedi and Zada will be permanently removed from the United States and barred from reentry under stipulated judicial orders of removal to Afghanistan. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Marshals Service, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Edmond Police Department, the Moore Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma City Community College Police Department, and the Oklahoma City University Police Department, is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Perry and Matt Dillon for the Western District of Oklahoma; Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian, who previously served in the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section; and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Mark Stoneman of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, who previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, also assisted with the prosecution.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni calls Government meeting and speaks with international leaders on Israel-Iran crisis

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    After calling a government meeting on the crisis in the Middle East, the President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, spoke over the telephone today with the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, with the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Friedrich Merz, and with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. 

    Later in the day, President Meloni spoke with a number of leaders in the region – the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud; His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan;  the Sultan of Oman, His Majesty Haitham bin Tariq Al Said; and, the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – discussing how to work together to support a diplomatic solution.

    To all partners, President Meloni expressed Italy’s readiness to take any action that may facilitate such an outcome, as it has already done by hosting two rounds of negotiations between Iran and the United States.

    President Meloni also had a conversation today with the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. During the call, President Meloni agreed on the need to ensure Iran cannot, under any circumstances, become equipped with nuclear weapons, while also expressing the hope that the efforts being made by the United States to reach an agreement can still be successful. Lastly, President Meloni once again stressed the urgent need to ensure access to humanitarian aid for the civilian population in Gaza.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Afghan National Pleads Guilty to Plotting Election Day Terror Attack in the United States

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, a native and citizen of Afghanistan, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Oklahoma City to two terrorism-related offenses: conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a federal crime of terrorism.

    “The defendant admits he planned and obtained firearms to carry out a violent terror attack on Election Day in 2024, a plot that was detected and disrupted through the good work of the FBI and our partners,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Let this serve as notice to anyone who tries to conduct attacks in our homeland for ISIS or any other terror group: we will find you and you’ll face American justice. I want to commend the FBI teams and our partners for their hard work and success in executing the mission.”

    “Through incredible law enforcement effort and coordination, a violent terrorist attack on American soil was thwarted, and those responsible are being held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma. “I commend the outstanding work by the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and prosecutors to diligently discover, thoroughly investigate, and completely foil this terror plot. These guilty pleas serve as an emphatic reminder that the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue those who attempt to harm Americans through terrorist acts.”

    “Thanks to outstanding work by the Oklahoma City Joint Terrorism Task Force, the defendant’s plan to kill innocent Americans in a terrorist attack on Election Day was stopped,” said Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. “The FBI is grateful to all who stand beside us in our fight against terrorism. Together, we will continue to safeguard our communities from those who conspire against the United States.”

    According to court documents, Tawhedi admitted that between June 2024 and October 2024 he conspired with at least one other individual to purchase two AK-47 rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition, and 10 magazines, with the intent to carry out a mass-casualty attack on or around Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, on behalf of ISIS.  According to a criminal complaint affidavit filed in the case, Tawhedi communicated with an ISIS facilitator about his plan to purchase firearms for use in the terror plot, including asking the individual whether 500 rounds of ammunition would be sufficient.

    Tawhedi and his co-conspirator, Abdullah Haji Zada, were arrested on Oct. 7, 2024, after purchasing the firearms and ammunition from an undercover FBI employee.  Zada, 18, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to the firearms offense in connection with his role in the terror plot and is awaiting sentencing. Zada, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, entered his guilty plea as an adult and will be sentenced as an adult.

    At sentencing, Tawhedi faces a maximum penalty 20 years in prison for the material support charge and up to 15 years in prison for the firearms charge. Zada faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Upon completion of any sentence, Tawhedi and Zada will be permanently removed from the United States and barred from reentry under stipulated judicial orders of removal to Afghanistan. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Oklahoma City Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Marshals Service, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Edmond Police Department, the Moore Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, the Oklahoma City Community College Police Department, and the Oklahoma City University Police Department, is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Perry and Matt Dillon for the Western District of Oklahoma; Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian, who previously served in the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section; and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Mark Stoneman of the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, who previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma, also assisted with the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Egypt: President El-Sisi Speaks with French President Macron


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    Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron.
    The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said that the call reviewed the latest regional and international developments, as well as the military escalation in the region.

    The call also touched on the Palestinian issue and the two-state solution conference. The two presidents emphasized the urgent necessity to respect established international rules, principles, and international law.

    The two presidents reiterated the significance of continued joint coordination in addressing regional and international crises, particularly in light of the pressing need to avoid escalation and regulate the situation in the Middle East. They also affirmed their commitment to continuing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations across various fields, especially in economic, trade, and investment aspects, thereby consolidating the close ties between the two friendly peoples.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

    MIL OSI Africa –