Latest news with #MarkDubowitz
Yemen Online
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yemen Online
National Interest : Houthi Threat to Red Sea Will Persist Without Consequences
Aden — In a sharply worded analysis, The National Interest magazine cautioned that Yemen's Houthi militia will continue to endanger international shipping in the Red Sea unless it faces tangible repercussions for its escalating attacks. The article, co-authored by researchers Mark Dubowitz and Kobi Gottlieb, argues that diplomatic efforts led by the United States and Saudi Arabia have failed to deter the Iran-backed group. Instead, the Houthis have exploited ceasefires to rearm and intensify their operations, including ballistic missile launches on Israeli targets and dozens of assaults on commercial vessels since October 2023. Global Maritime Security at Risk - Houthis' actions have disrupted global supply chains, threatening one of the world's most vital maritime corridors. - The threat, the authors stress, extends beyond Israel and now jeopardizes international trade and civilian safety across the region. Call for a Harder Line The report urges the U.S. administration to abandon its 'de-escalation at any cost' approach and instead adopt: - Stricter sanctions - Heightened diplomatic pressure - Potential military intervention, if necessary The authors emphasize that 'ceasefires must be earned, not given', warning that agreements with terrorist-designated groups are unreliable without credible deterrence mechanisms. As tensions mount in the Red Sea, the article reflects growing international concern over the Houthis' role as a strategic proxy for Iran, and the urgent need for a decisive response to safeguard maritime stability.
Roya News
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
US deploys B-2 bombers, capable of destroying Iran's Fordow nuclear facility to Pacific: Report
The United States has deployed six B-2 stealth bombers toward Guam, a strategic base in the Western Pacific, amid escalating regional tensions and ongoing 'Israeli' airstrikes on Iranian territory. The aircraft are capable of carrying the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a bunker-busting bomb believed to be the only conventional weapon that could threaten Iran's heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility. According to a report by Fox News, the bombers departed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, accompanied by at least four aerial refueling tankers. Flight tracking data and air traffic control communications indicated that the bombers likely refueled shortly after takeoff, suggesting they may have launched with a heavy payload that could include bunker-buster munitions. Fordow, located near the city of Qom and buried 80–90 meters beneath a mountain, has long been regarded as one of Iran's most secure nuclear sites. Experts have debated whether even the GBU-57—designed to penetrate reinforced underground bunkers—could fully destroy the site, though multiple strikes may be capable of collapsing surrounding infrastructure. 'Destroying Fordow from the air is a job only the U.S. can do,' Fox News Digital quoted Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, as saying. Jonathan Ruhe of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) explained that the GBU-57 relies on gravity and kinetic energy to burrow through layers of rock and concrete before detonation, potentially collapsing or disabling key infrastructure underground. The 'Israeli' daily Haaretz reported that Fordow is already among the designated targets in Israel's military planning. A senior Israeli military source told the outlet: 'If we are given the order to strike, we will act.' While the bombers are currently en route to Guam, Haaretz noted they may continue on to Diego Garcia, a U.S. base in the Indian Ocean that lies just over 3,500 kilometers from Iran, though this has not been confirmed. The deployment follows an intense week of conflict. On June 13, 'Israel' launched over 1,000 airstrikes across Iran, targeting missile infrastructure, military facilities, and nuclear sites. Tehran responded with missile attacks, escalating fears of a wider regional war. The Iranian Health Ministry reported that at least 430 people have been killed and over 3,500 wounded in the 'Israeli' assault. In contrast, Israeli authorities say at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iran's retaliatory strikes. Iran has issued a warning to the United States, stating that direct involvement in 'Israeli'-led operations would trigger a regional response. Tehran also said it would not return to stalled nuclear talks 'under fire.'
Fox News
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
B-2 stealth bombers appear to be on the move hours before Trump expected at White House
Six B-2 stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri appear to be en route to a U.S. Air Force base in Guam, according to flight tracking data and voice communications with air traffic control. The bombers apparently refueled after launching from Missouri, suggesting they launched without full fuel tanks due to a heavy onboard payload, which could be bunker-buster bombs. The B-2 can carry a two-ton bunker-buster bomb—something only the U.S. possesses—which experts say could be critical to targeting Iran's most heavily fortified nuclear site: Fordow. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that "destroying [Fordow] from the air is a job only the U.S. can do." According to Jonathan Ruhe, Director of Foreign Policy for JINSA, the bunker-busters are designed to use the force of gravity to "penetrate through any mixture of earth, rock, and concrete before the bomb itself then explodes" underground. The explosion that ensues could take out the target fully or "collapse the structure" around the target "without necessarily obliterating it," he explained. President Donald Trump, who has said he will make a decision on U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, is expected to return to the White House on Saturday afternoon. The president is expected to receive intelligence briefings with the National Security Council on Saturday and Sunday as he considers possible actions against Iran. Recently, the president appeared to publicly disagree with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, stating she was "wrong" when she testified in March that there is "no evidence" Iran is building a nuclear weapon. Gabbard later responded to the apparent controversy, saying that "the dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division." "America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can't happen, and I agree," Gabbard added in her post on X. While the U.S. has not taken direct action in the conflict, the State Department on Friday announced sanctions on Tehran despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially putting distance between Jerusalem and Iran. The sanctions were imposed on eight entities and one individual "for their involvement in the procurement and shipment of proliferation-sensitive machinery from China for Iran's defense industry."
Fox News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Israel's 'resounding' military campaign against Iran could be historic turning point, experts say
Israel's military campaign in Iran has already produced "enormous achievements," according to experts tracking the conflict, with many citing the operation as the payoff for years of preparation, battlefield innovation and intelligence development. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a leading voice on U.S. policy toward Iran, called Israel's progress "a resounding military win." "They've actually dominated the Iranian military," Dubowitz told Fox News Digital. "They've taken out many senior military leaders, the Iranian Air Force, and a significant percentage of missile launchers and ballistic inventory." Still, Iran's retaliation is taking a toll. On Thursday morning, an Iranian missile struck Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba and targeted several major cities, injuring hundreds. Despite the heavy costs, military experts insist that the IDF continues to hold the upper hand, both tactically and strategically. Comparing the scale of success to the Six-Day War, Dubowitz said, "It's starting to look like 1967, when the Israelis eviscerated five Arab armies. It may take longer than six days, but they're certainly on that trajectory." Hila Hadad-Hamelnik, a strategist at "Mind Israel" think tank and former CEO of the Ministry of Innovation, noted that the success is no accident — it is the result of "years of preparation in every aspect." From developing long-range strike capabilities to building an unparalleled intelligence apparatus and adapting operational doctrines from Gaza and Lebanon, she said the IDF's current dominance is a product of both innovation and experience. "This is not a campaign someone decided to do six months ago," she said. "This is years of work — in intelligence, in weapons development, in defensive and offensive operations. The methods we tested against Hezbollah — striking command chains quickly and precisely — were studied, refined, and applied here." She pointed to lessons learned in Gaza, especially the importance of rapidly identifying and eliminating rocket launchers before strikes even begin. "We learned through hard fighting that you have to neutralize launchers, not just intercept the missiles. And that doctrine — developed in Gaza where targets are five minutes away — has now been adapted to Iran, with all the complexity that entails." Hadad-Hamelnik stressed that Israel's control over Iranian skies is "stunning … the Air Force is flying over Iran day after day. Drones are holding the skies." Even with the heavy toll taken when Iran's missiles get through, like the attack against Soroka hospital on Thursday, she credited the country's defensive systems, like Iron Dome and David's Sling — systems she helped develop — which intercepted missile salvos with over 90% effectiveness, even amid unprecedented barrages. "This is a war of a different scale, and yet the systems are holding," she said. Dubowitz acknowledged that despite massive gains, one key target remains: the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility, buried under a mountain at a Revolutionary Guard base. "Israel has devastated Iran's nuclear infrastructure. They've eliminated 14 senior nuclear scientists — the 'Oppenheimers' of Iran's program," he said. "But Fordow remains. And if it's left standing, Iran can rebuild." While Dubowitz clarified that he is not explicitly calling for U.S. military strikes, he said that "President Trump must ensure Fordow is fully dismantled — whether through a diplomatic agreement or, if Iran refuses, a targeted military intervention." He outlined three potential paths: "One, Iran shows up for a real deal and the program is dismantled. Two, Trump strikes Fordow. Three, Trump strikes and then negotiates. But either way, it has to end with Iran losing its nuclear weapons capability — not just temporarily, but permanently." Hadad-Hamelnik believes Israel's success has created an opportunity for the United States. "Thanks to the phenomenal achievements of the IDF, the situation is now very clear. If the U.S. were to join at this point, with Fordow as the main remaining target and most assets already degraded, it would not look like getting pulled into a quagmire," she said. "This is nothing like Ukraine or Afghanistan. There's an actual path to decisive success, and that can change the political calculus in Washington." Dubowitz added that Israel's offensive struck not only military and nuclear targets, but also Iran's internal security infrastructure — including state media and the regime's repressive arms. for that, he said, could open the door for future domestic unrest. "We can't expect people to protest while missiles are falling. But if Israel continues striking the regime's tools of repression, space may open for Iranians to return to the streets." Dubowitz, who has spent two decades warning of Iran's nuclear ambitions, reflected on the moment with cautious hope. "I'm heartened to see the long arm of Israeli justice reach those responsible for such brutal aggression," he said. "This may be a historic opportunity to truly end Iran's nuclear threat, and perhaps even to support the Iranian people in reclaiming their future," he added, "There have been incredible achievements, but if Fordow is left standing by President Donald Trump, then it could end up being a Pyrrhic victory."
Wall Street Journal
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Will the U.S. Help Israel Eliminate Iran's Nuclear Threat?
As Israel continues its aerial assault on Iran and its nuclear facilities, Paul Gigot speaks with Foundation for Defense of Democracies CEO Mark Dubowitz about Donald Trump's contribution to Israel's initial surprise attack. They also discuss the possibility of regime change and how the United States can help Israel eliminate Iran as a nuclear threat. Read the lightly edited transcript below, or you can listen to the full episode here:
