Despite seemingly intensifying attacks by Israel on Iran and the dramatic US bombing of three nuclear sites, defense sources told The Jerusalem Post on Monday night that Jerusalem intends to wrap up the war against Tehran “in the coming days.”
The Carney government largely failed to help Canadian citizens safely and quickly exit Israel as Iran began its deadly bombardment of civilian areas late last week, according to two evacuees.
Two Canadians who spent several days sheltering intermittently in bomb shelters say they found safe passage via Birthright, an organization that brings members of the Jewish diaspora to Israel on a 10-day sponsored trip to learn more about the country.
Iran’s parliament has voted to close the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping channel through which around 20% of the world’s daily oil flows.
The move, which could block $1 billion in oil shipments per day, is likely to send oil prices soaring.
It will come into effect pending a final decision by Iran’s Supreme Council.
‘Return immediately to the negotiating table’: Mark Carney on Iran strikes
In the aftermath of U.S. strikes on Iran Saturday night, Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for parties to “return immediately to the negotiating table,” and for de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.
The US military dropped six “bunker buster” bombs on Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment plant Saturday night — with President Trump declaring the facility hidden beneath a mountain “is gone.”
Trump announced the airstrikes days after Israel initiated extensive attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and military.
“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space,” Trump posted on Truth Social just before 8 p.m. Saturday — marking the first-ever US strike on Iranian territory.
DM: US bombs three nuclear sites in Iran including key Fordow bunker as Trump hails ‘very successful attack’: Live updates
President Donald J. Trump Delivers Address to the Nation, June 21, 2025 https://t.co/yutRDvtWv0
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 22, 2025
When I finished reading Left Behind, I was fully convinced of the central role Israel played in God’s plan for the nations. I was only 15 years old, but my imagination had been captured. Israel, in my mind, was the ticking clock of prophecy. To question this was to question God Himself.
Fast forward 23 years.
A concise explanation of a contentious topic concerning Israel and Protestantism.
I asked Grok …. What is the Catholic Church’s view of Israel? Is it dispensationalist?
The Catholic Church’s view of Israel is rooted in its theological understanding of salvation history, the covenant, and the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. It is not dispensationalist, as dispensationalism is a Protestant theological framework that the Catholic Church does not endorse.
Israel’s war with Iran has temporarily delayed a reckoning with some of its main Western allies, but seems unlikely to close what has become a yawning gap between them over its conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.
“The relationship’s not in great shape,” said former Canadian ambassador to Israel Jon Allen. “Frankly, it shouldn’t be.”
The gulf between the Canadian and Israeli governments widened further on June 12 as the Carney government took a firmer position against Israel’s war in Gaza than its predecessor, voting for a UN motion similar to one that the Trudeau government had abstained on in September.
Several television broadcasts in Iran are apparently hacked with pictures and calls on the public to rise up and take to the streets in protest against the government.
Hackers reportedly breached Iranian TV, airing a call for people to take to the streets. pic.twitter.com/njp7SIv0Et
— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 18, 2025
The only option for the Islamists is to all move to Russia. No turning back. https://t.co/dXdYK5PPpC
— Mahyar Tousi (@MahyarTousi) June 15, 2025
BREAKING: UPRISING IGNITES INSIDE IRAN
Armed clashes. Seized military posts. Blackouts in Tehran.What the media won’t tell you:
A full-scale rebellion is erupting across Iran—and it’s not just protests anymore.
Reports say Revolutionary Guard HQs have been overrun.… pic.twitter.com/VtuzdYIwXk— Jim Ferguson (@JimFergusonUK) June 17, 2025
More … Ayatollah Tells Trump “We Will Never Surrender” In Televised Speech To Nation
It’s very difficult to know the truth of the Iranian people openly rebelling against the Mullah regime.
The Mullahs are well protected by the IRGC but if Syria is any indication their fall may be slow at first then all at once.
h/t Mauser, Hermes, patthedog, and XC
Iran bluntly threatened the US on Wednesday that any involvement in its conflict with Israel would trigger an “all-out war” — as Tehran reportedly started prepping missiles for retaliatory strikes on American bases.
“Any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei warned in an interview with Al Jazeera.
The foreign ministry spokesman stopped short of elaborating, but thousands of American troops are based in nearby countries within range of Iran’s weapons
JUST IN: Trump says the AYATOLLAH can RUN but he can’t HIDE.
ISRAEL is BEGGING the U.S. to drop the MASSIVE PENETRATOR on Iran’s NUCLEAR sites.
Tehran says if we do, it’ll go BERSERK on us.
Trump has a BIG decision to make, and it will be his MOST CONSEQUENTIAL decision. pic.twitter.com/HSHdNnAcd3
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) June 18, 2025
The Israeli hope is for ordinary Iranians to rise up against a regime in disarray and free the Iranian people once and for all
The clue is in the name of Israel’s operation. “Operation Rising Lion” is a direct reference to the Pahlavi flag which shows a lion standing proud against the backdrop of a glowing orb, the sun. In Persian this is called the “Shir-e Khorshid.” For many years now, Netanyahu has sought to speak directly to Iranians, attempting to transcend the Islamic Republic, and to present himself as the savior of the Iranian people. These ongoing strikes are simply a continuation of this policy, and Israel’s determination to avoid civilian casualties (something we’ve not seen in Gaza) feeds into its desire for an anti-regime uprising caused by elite splits and popular rage.
Wishful thinking? Iranians are likely gun-shy. Obama turned a blind eye to previous anti-regime efforts.
JUST IN: The streets of Tehran, Iran are absolutely DESERTED after President Trump sent a warning to “EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY”
Holy crap.
They’re taking Trump VERY seriously. pic.twitter.com/jR1YKT0qNH
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 17, 2025
The Trump administration has begun sending warning flares to Iran that might equal some in Tehran’s skyline these days about their future if they do not give up their nuclear ambitions. First, Donald Trump himself took a cease-fire off the table while Iran refuses to concede. Now J.D. Vance has followed that up with a stark warning of American intervention.
JUST IN: President Trump calls for “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” from Iran, tells the Supreme Leader “we know exactly where you’re hiding.”
The threats are ramping up.
GET TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE NOW, IRAN! pic.twitter.com/tF6pAXpiCT
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) June 17, 2025
Israeli air and drone strikes during the early hours of June 13th crippled Iran — and severely set back Tehran’s regional ambitions. The Israel Defense Forces hit nuclear weapons development facilities and ballistic missile sites, and killed senior military officers, including Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the armed forces chief of staff, and Major General Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iranian media announced the death of Ali Shamkhani, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s top adviser.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran Sunday of orchestrating the two failed assassination attempts on President Trump during his third presidential campaign last year.
Netanyahu characterized Trump as the greatest threat to Iran and its ambitions for acquiring a nuclear weapon — claiming that’s why the rogue regime tried to murder him, in a shocking moment during an interview with Brett Baier of Fox News.
Israeli Prime Minister @netanyahu on intel of Iranian attempts to assassinate President @realDonaldTrump— “he’s enemy number one..” and on when he let President Trump know of the plans for launching the strikes #FoxNews #SpecialReport #Israel pic.twitter.com/l2xX10ZwfH
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) June 15, 2025
DUBAI—Iran has been urgently signaling that it seeks an end to hostilities and resumption of talks over its nuclear programs, sending messages to Israel and the U.S. via Arab intermediaries, Middle Eastern and European officials said.
In the midst of a ferocious Israeli air campaign, Tehran has told Arab officials they would be open to return to the negotiating table as long as the U.S. doesn’t join the attack, the officials said. They also passed messages to Israel saying it is in the interest of both sides to keep the violence contained.
But with Israeli warplanes able to fly freely over the capital and Iranian counterattacks inflicting minimal damage, Israeli leaders have little incentive to halt their assault before doing more to destroy Iran’s nuclear sites and further weaken the theocratic government’s hold on power.
What would the point of this be? Regime change seems the best course of action. This is nothing more than a Hail Mary by the Mullahs in my view.
⚠️BREAKING:
Unprecedented bombings by the Israeli Air Force on Tehran, capital of Iran, right now.
— Vivid. (@VividProwess) June 16, 2025
Iranian civilians are now sharing footage celebrating Israeli Air Force strike on the Iranian Army-Navy Headquarters—another precise blow in Israel’s mission to dismantle the Islamic Republic’s terror machine.
This is what justice looks like.
Israel is finally doing what the… pic.twitter.com/C9jHm0oxLX
— Liza Rosen (@LizaRosen0000) June 15, 2025
h/t Mauser
It has been clear that there has been growing tension between Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump over the possibility that Israel would launch an attack on Iran.
Trump has been telling the Israeli leader that he doesn’t want him to do this now and to wait, while the US administration continues nuclear negotiations with the Iranians.
But the Israelis clearly thought that they had their opportunity to act.
They believe that the Iranians are as debilitated as they are going to be in the region after last year’s degradation of Hezbollah in Lebanon – that took away a huge deterrent factor from Israel.
Mixed signals.
#Iran all nuclear facilities are now history!
What #Trump was negotiating with #Iran to not to make atom bombs, #Israel finished all of them in 30 minutes.
If #Isreal falls, entire Europe will fall.
Everybody will be affected.Great job @IDF
pic.twitter.com/zhSfHNBJvr— Tamal Das (@AskTamal) June 13, 2025
