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CNN
a day ago
- Politics
- CNN
June 26, 2025 – Israel-Iran conflict
Update: Date: 1 min ago Title: Content: Our live coverage of the conflict between Israel and Iran has moved here. Update: Date: 1 hr 44 min ago Title: Democratic senators say there was damage to Iran nuclear sites, but too early to tell the extent Content: Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking member on the Senate Intelligence Committee, offered a cautious assessment of US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities after Trump administration officials gave a classified briefing to the chamber on Thursday. 'Clearly, damage was inflicted on the Iranian nuclear program,' Warner said, though he added that 'it is going to take time to get a final assessment of how much damage.' 'The thing that I've had some concern about is when people jump to a conclusion too early. I mean, clearly, the president making a comment on Saturday night, before any assessment, of 'total obliteration' — listen, I hope that is the final assessment. But if not, does that end up providing a false sense of comfort to the American people or, for that matter, the world?' Warner asked. Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, also said her takeaway from the briefing was that 'it's still too early to know exactly what the battle damage was, and that's normal.' Still, like Warner, Slotkin said she thinks what she heard from officials about the strikes 'was significant both in terms of setting back the program but then also in the mentality of the regime.' She stressed that the intelligence community and the military 'should be nonpartisan, apolitical.' The military conducts strikes and then the intelligence agencies assess the damage, 'and that's by design, right, so you're not cooking the books from the military,' Slotkin said. 'That's going to take a minute,' she added. Sen. Jeff Merkley, a Democrat that sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, told the briefing made clear that 'much assessment is yet to be done' because 'nobody really knows how much damage has occurred because there's been no ability to inspect in a fashion that would give you that information.' When asked what the next steps should be for the US, Israel and Iran, Merkley said diplomatic work to rebuild relationships so that an agreement can be forged because countries are still skeptical of each other. Update: Date: 2 hr 52 min ago Title: GOP senators echo bullish assessment of Iran strikes after classified briefing Content: Republican senators, after receiving a classified briefing today, expressed confidence in the US strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend amid conflicting reports about the ultimate extent of damage done to Tehran's nuclear program. Earlier today, the Pentagon released some new details about how the US prepared for its strikes on Iranian nuclear targets but offered no new evidence of their effectiveness against Iran's nuclear program. Here's what some GOP lawmakers said after the all-Senate briefing: • Sen. Tom Cotton: 'We have effectively destroyed Iran's nuclear program,' he said, adding it is going to make the US safer. Cotton condemned what he called the 'selective and unlawful leaking of a report' that showed an early US intelligence assessment found the strikes did not destroy the core components of the country's nuclear program and likely only set it back by months. Cotton insisted that, while Iran could 'reconstitute' its nuclear program 'at some time,' the US strikes had 'caused catastrophic damage.' • Sen. Lindsey Graham: He echoed Cotton's bullish assessment of the strikes, though Graham cautioned: 'Isn't the real question, 'Have we obliterated their desire to have a nuclear weapon?'' He added: 'Here's where we're at: the program was obliterated at those three sites. But they still have ambitions. I don't know where the 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium exists. But it wasn't part of the targets there.' Graham said he's 'looking to change (Iran's) behavior.' • Sen. John Kennedy: He echoed a similar assessment of the US strikes on Iranian targets, and said that if Tehran tried to rebuild, 'Israel would know.' The senator also praised the briefing as 'one of the best I've ever attended.' Update: Date: 7 hr 52 min ago Title: Iran foreign minister says US strikes on nuclear sites left "extensive and serious" damage Content: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites left 'extensive and serious' damage. Araghchi made the remarks as the country moves closer to approving a bill that would suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, according to state media. 'I must say the damage is extensive and serious, but whether IAEA inspectors should come and be fully informed is a decision that must be made in accordance with the parliament's law,' Araghchi told Iran's state news channel IRINN in a televised interview on Thursday. 'In my opinion, the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) should make this decision,' Araghchi added. Some background: The bill suspending cooperation with the watchdog is now on its final step before becoming law, having been sent to the country's president for his signature. However, Iran's supreme leader and the SNSC have decisive authority over how such policies are executed and whether cooperation is effectively suspended. The US military released new details Thursday morning about its bombing mission against three Iranian nuclear sites, but left key questions unanswered about the degree to which the strikes set back Tehran's nuclear program. Update: Date: 6 hr 35 min ago Title: Tehran moves toward ending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog as US-Iran talks stall. Catch up here Content: As the Trump administration defends the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, Israeli and Iranian leaders are speaking out on their post-conflict positions. Meanwhile, senators received a classified briefing on Operation Midnight Hammer. A senior White House official told CNN the administration plans to limit what it shares with Congress, believing the report was posted Monday to CAPNET, the classified intel-sharing system. The White House declined to explain how it will restrict access or address lawmakers demanding full oversight. Top Democrats on House and Senate intel panels have criticized the lack of transparency. Here are the latest developments: Update: Date: 8 hr 17 min ago Title: Iran says no plans have been set to resume nuclear talks with US Content: Tehran has no plans to resume nuclear negotiations with the United States, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday. 'No agreement or arrangement has been made to resume negotiations. Neither any promise has been given, nor any discussion has taken place on this matter,' Araghchi told Iran's state news channel IRINN in a televised interview today. 'We have had a cumbersome experience with the Americans — that they betrayed the negotiations in the middle of the process. This experience will certainly affect our future decisions. But that decision will ultimately be made based on the welfare of the Iranian people, not on emotions, or any superficial or temporary considerations,' he added. Araghchi dismissed speculation about back-channel talks, emphasizing that internal reviews of Iran's interests are 'a separate issue' from formal negotiations. Update: Date: 9 hr 20 min ago Title: Iran's eastern airport reopens to international flights after 13-day closure Content: International flights resumed at Mashhad's Shahid Hashemi Nejad Airport in eastern Iran after a 13-day halt due to the conflict with Israel, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said Thursday. Domestic and international flights to and from all airports in the north, south and west of the country, including Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini international airports in Tehran, are still suspended until further notice, IRNA added. Thousands of Iranians are stranded in various countries due to the suspension of flights. Last week, Iran reported that approximately 12,500 Iranian pilgrims were stranded in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Update: Date: 9 hr 39 min ago Title: US and Israel have told Iran to hand over enriched uranium, Israeli defense minister says Content: The United States and Israel have told Iran it must hand over its enriched uranium, the Israeli defense minister said. In an interview with Israel's Channel 13, Israel Katz discussed the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities that took place over the weekend. 'It was clear from the beginning that the strike would neutralize the surrounding infrastructure — it wouldn't eliminate the (nuclear) material itself. Now there is a joint American-Israeli position saying to Iran, 'You must hand over this material,'' Katz said in the interview, which aired Thursday. The intention of Israel's recent attacks on Iran was to 'neutralize capabilities,' Katz said. 'Today, they have no way to produce a nuclear bomb, because we also destroyed the conversion facility that turns uranium into solid form,' he claimed. Update: Date: 9 hr 38 min ago Title: White House won't say how it is limiting intelligence sharing with Congress Content: The White House declined to say Thursday how it will be limiting the classified information it shares with Congress, or how it will respond to lawmakers who insist their oversight duties necessitate access to the information. The comments came shortly before a classified briefing on Iran by Trump administration officials for the Senate, which is now underway after being delayed by several days earlier this week. 'This administration wants to ensure that classified intelligence is not ending up in irresponsible hands, and that people who have the privilege of viewing this top-secret classified information are being responsible with it,' press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a briefing. 'And unfortunately, clearly, someone who had their hands on this — and it was a very few people, very few number of people in our government who saw this report. … That person was irresponsible with it,' Leavitt added, referring to the early Defense Intelligence Agency assessment that found US strikes on Iran did not destroy the core components of the country's nuclear program and likely only set it back by months. 'We need to strengthen that process to protect our national security and protect the American public,' Leavitt said. The Trump administration is planning to limit what it shares with Congress, a senior White House official told CNN on Wednesday, believing that the report came out after it was posted on Monday to CAPNET, a system used for sharing classified intelligence with Congress. This post has been updated to reflect that the Senate briefing is underway. Update: Date: 9 hr 49 min ago Title: White House brushes off Iranian supreme leader's refusal to surrender: 'You have to save face' Content: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday dismissed comments from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that Tehran will 'never surrender.' 'When you have a totalitarian regime, you have to save face. I think any common-sense, open-minded person knows the truth about the precision strikes on Saturday night — they were wildly successful, and it's what led to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran, which the president is very grateful for,' Leavitt told reporters at a briefing. Some context: The 86-year-old Khamenei issued his pre-recorded statement from an undisclosed private location Thursday. Khamenei predictably declared victory over Israel and the United States in his address, despite the killing of key Iranian leaders and the strikes on Tehran's nuclear sites. US President Donald Trump's call for 'unconditional surrender' last week appeared to have hit a nerve with Iran's leader, for whom preserving Iranian sovereignty against Western influence is a central tenet. While Trump has voiced confidence that US strikes dealt a massive blow to Iran's nuclear aspirations, US assessments are still ongoing about the extent of the damage. Update: Date: 9 hr 56 min ago Title: Trump 'very open' to Netanyahu visit, White House says Content: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has 'expressed interest in coming to the White House' and President Donald Trump is 'very open' to it, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday. 'The president is obviously very open to that, but we don't have a date. When we do, we'll let you all know,' Leavitt told reporters at a briefing. Israeli media reported Thursday that Netanyahu is planning to visit Washington as early as the second week of July. Remember: Trump and Netanyahu are close allies. The US leader denounced an ongoing corruption trial against his Israeli counterpart as a 'witch hunt' Wednesday night, and Netanyahu has previously called Trump the 'greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House.' Update: Date: 9 hr 57 min ago Title: Trump pushing for more countries to join Abraham Accords, White House says Content: President Donald Trump is pushing for more Gulf and Arab nations to join the Abraham Accords, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters today. Leavitt said Trump's effort to expand upon the landmark series of agreements from his first term, which saw Israel normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco, illustrates his commitment to 'durable peace' efforts in the Middle East. 'The president and his team, namely special envoy (Steve) Witkoff, continue to be in communication with the Iranians, and especially our Gulf and Arab partners in the region, to come to an agreement with Iran,' said Leavitt. 'And we see a new era in which perhaps some of these Gulf and Arab states can sign on to the Abraham Accords,' Leavitt added, saying Trump had already requested the new Syrian president sign on to the accords when the two met in May. Update: Date: 10 hr 50 min ago Title: There was no opportunity to assassinate Khamenei during conflict with Iran, Israeli defense minister says Content: There was no opportunity for Israel to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the 12 days of conflict between the two countries, Israel's defense minister has said. 'If (Khamenei) had been in our sights, we would have taken him out,' Israel Katz said in an interview with Channel 13 that aired today. Though there was not an opportunity to kill the Iranian leader during Israel's 'Rising Lion' operation, Katz said his country would have 'taken him out' if one had arisen. Update: Date: 10 hr 55 min ago Title: Democrats hope classified briefing will provide better idea of damage dealt to Iran Content: Senate Democrats said they hope Thursday's classified briefing from Trump administration officials can provide them with a better idea of the realities on the ground in Iran after last weekend's US military strikes. Sen. Dick Durbin told CNN he wants the 'best report on what damage was done,' but also, 'more importantly, we've got to start a conversation about what follows.' This includes whether hindering Iran's nuclear program will require Americans on the ground in the region, he said. Asked if there is already a trust deficit between the briefers and lawmakers after the briefing was delayed several days, Durbin responded: 'I understand now why they canceled the first briefing: There was no good news, there's bad news. Obliteration turned out to be something much different.' President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted that three Iranian nuclear sites were 'obliterated,' while CNN reported that the US strikes did not destroy the core components of the country's nuclear program and likely only set it back by months, according to an early US intelligence assessment. Durbin also called reports that the White House plans to limit the classified information shared with Congress a 'disappointment' and a 'direct contradiction' to Congress' constitutional war powers. Sen. Richard Blumenthal emphasized, 'we are still at a preliminary fact-finding stage.' He said remaining questions include what remains of Tehran's nuclear program and the 'mission still ahead, whether it is military or diplomatic.' 'Right now, there's no strategy except for a confused and contradictory version of what actually happened, and that is a disservice so far as it exaggerates the degree of success. I think it was successful to a large extent, but by no means should we be saying, 'Mission accomplished,'' he added. Update: Date: 11 hr 4 min ago Title: Israel's "victory" against Iran "opens the door" to other peace agreements, Netanyahu says Content: Israel's 'victory' against Iran provides opportunities for a 'dramatic expansion of the peace agreements,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement today. 'We fought bravely against Iran and achieved a great victory. This victory opens the door to a dramatic expansion of the peace agreements,' Netanyahu said. 'We are working on this vigorously.' The prime minister said there is now a 'window of opportunity' to defeat Hamas and ensure the release of hostages currently held by the terror group in the Gaza Strip. 'We must not waste even a single day,' Netanyahu said. For his part, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also declared victory in the 12-day conflict, despite Israel's killing of senior Iranian military leaders and strikes on nuclear sites. More context: Israel's ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon had hinted on Tuesday that Israel was open to new relationships with Arab nations. Speaking to reporters at the United Nations in New York, Danon said now is the 'time to build bridges and partnerships in the region.' Danon did not point to any particular country but cited Israel's normalization of relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco via the Abraham Accords. Update: Date: 11 hr 9 min ago Title: White House says 'no indication' enriched uranium was removed from sites in Iran Content: There is no evidence that Iran moved any enriched uranium from its nuclear sites before US strikes last weekend, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday. 'There was no indication to the United States that any of that enriched uranium was moved prior to the strike from any of the sites,' Leavitt said when pressed about Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz, the three facilities targeted in the attack. President Donald Trump said earlier Thursday that 'nothing was taken out of' Iran's nuclear facilities ahead of the strikes. 'The cars and small trucks at the site were those of concrete workers trying to cover up the top of the shafts. Nothing was taken out of facility. Would take too long, too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said this morning that in the days leading up to the attack, Iran attempted to cover the main shafts of the facilities with concrete. Update: Date: 11 hr 38 min ago Title: US Senate classified briefing on Iran set for this afternoon Content: The all-Senate classified briefing on the situation in Iran has been scheduled for 2 p.m. ET today, after being rescheduled from earlier in the week. The Trump administration has faced criticism from top Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, who have expressed frustration at the lack of communication about the US strikes in Iran. Some have warned the administration against manipulating facts ahead of the briefings. The House is expected to be briefed on Friday. Update: Date: 11 hr 39 min ago Title: Iran's president set to enact law suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog Content: Iran has moved closer to approving a bill that would suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iranian state media IRNA reported on Thursday. The bill is now on its final step before becoming law, having been sent to the country's president for his signature. This follows its approval by Iran's 12-member Guardian Council, which holds the power to vet legislation and oversee elections. The Council's approval came just one day after the Iranian parliament's national security committee passed the bill to halt cooperation with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. The IAEA said on Thursday that it is 'aware of these reports.' In a short statement shared with CNN, it added: 'As of now, the IAEA has not received an official communication from Iran on this matter.' According to IRNA, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said cooperation with IAEA will be suspended until Iran's nuclear facilities are guaranteed security. Update: Date: 11 hr 58 min ago Title: Watch: Joint Chiefs chairman shares test footage of "bunker buster" bomb used in Iran strikes Content: Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Daine shared video of a test of the 'bunker buster' bomb used during US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. The US used six B-2 bombers to drop 12 of those 'bunker-busting' bombs during its strikes, a US official told CNN. A CNN analysis of satellite imagery showed that the US strikes left at least six large craters at the Fordow nuclear site, pointing to the use of bunker-busting bombs. Watch the moment Cain shows the test footage: TikTok post not found. Post has been removed or is no longer public. Update: Date: 12 hr 19 min ago Title: Pentagon reveals new details about US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Here's what we know Content: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth doubled down on the Trump administration's claim that the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities 'obliterated' the country's nuclear program, during a Pentagon briefing this morning. Meanwhile, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine offered new details on Operation Midnight Hammer. Here's what was revealed during the briefing:
CBS News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Senate Democrats question "obliteration" of Iran's nuclear sites after classified briefing on strikes
Washington — Some Senate Democrats cast doubt on the Trump administration's characterization of the strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities after top officials briefed senators Thursday. In recent days, President Trump repeatedly declared "total obliteration" after three nuclear sites were bombed in a secret attack by the U.S. Meanwhile, an initial classified assessment found that the strikes set back Tehran's nuclear program by a matter of months, while Mr. Trump said the nuclear program was set back "basically decades." Democrats questioned assertions regarding how much Iran's nuclear program has been hindered. "I walk away from that briefing still under the belief that we have not obliterated the program," Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, told reporters. "The president was deliberately misleading the public when he said the program was obliterated. It is certain that there is still significant capability, significant equipment that remain." "You cannot bomb knowledge out of existence — no matter how many scientists you kill," Murphy added. "There are still people in Iran who how to work centrifuges. And if they still have enriched uranium and they still have the ability to use centrifuges, then you're not setting back the program by years. You're setting back the program by months." Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, suggested that administration jumped to a conclusion too soon. "Listen, I hope that is the final assessment," Warner said. "But if not, does that end up providing a false sense of comfort to the American people?" Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said he did not receive adequate answers about whether the nuclear stockpile was obliterated. "What was clear is that there was no coherent strategy, no end game, no plan, no specific, no detailed plan on how Iran does not attain a nuclear weapon," Schumer said. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said only a final battle damage assessment confirming the assertions "would enable us to be comfortable or complacent about what has been done." "The point is, we don't know. Anybody who says we know with certainty is making it up because we don't have a final battle damage assessment," he said. "I think 'obliterated' is much too strong of word because it implies that it couldn't be reconstituted or somehow it was completely eliminated." Still, Blumenthal praised the military action as "one that will go down in the annals of military history." "Certainly, this mission was successful insofar as it extensively destroyed and perhaps severely damaged and set back the Iranian nuclear arms program. But how long and how much really remains to be determined by the intelligence community itself," he said. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina stood behind the administration's characterization, but acknowledged that Iran's capabilities could eventually be restored. "The real question is, have we obliterated their desire to have a nuclear weapon," Graham said after the classified briefing. "I don't want people to think that the site wasn't severely damaged or obliterated. It was. But having said that, I don't want people to think the problem is over, because it's not." Graham said he believed the program had been set back by years. Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said he was confident "it's been set way back — a year, at minimum." Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the strikes "effectively destroyed Iran's nuclear program." Cotton added that the initial assessment had several intelligence gaps and "assumed the worst-case scenario with perfect conditions in Iran." Top intelligence officials said Wednesday that new intelligence showed the nuclear program had been "severely damaged" and its facilities "destroyed." It would take the Iranians "years" to rebuild the facilities, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said. Ratcliffe was among those who briefed senators Thursday, along with Secretary of State and national security adviser Marco Rubio and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. The briefing had been initially scheduled for Tuesday but was delayed two days, upsetting some Democrats who demanded immediate transparency about the strikes after they were initially left in the dark about the military action. and contributed to this report.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats say they were left in dark about plans for US strikes on Iran
Senior Democrats have claimed they were left in the dark about operation Midnight Hammer, the US's highly coordinated strike on Saturday on Iran's nuclear enrichment program. Neither Mark Warner, a US senator of Virginia, nor Jim Himes, a representative of Connecticut, both top Democrats on the Senate and House intelligence panels, were briefed before the attack, according to reports. But that came amid claims that Republican counterparts were given advance notice of the operation, which involved 125 aircraft – including seven B-2 bombers carrying 14 bunker busters weighing three tons – and 75 Tomahawk missiles launched from US submarines. Axios reported that the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, had been informed shortly before the attacks began at 6.40pm eastern time. Himes's committee staff received notification about the strike from the Pentagon only after Donald Trump made the announcement on social media soon before 8pm, according to the outlet. Related: Global alarm at US strikes on Iran amid fears conflict could spiral out of control The president's defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, told a press conference early on Sunday that the strikes 'took months and weeks of positioning and preparation so that we could be ready when the president called'. 'It took misdirection and the highest of operational security,' Hegseth said, in part alluding to the US's deployment of B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam earlier on Saturday. The US attack of Iran came as most Democrats had left Washington for the Juneteenth holiday – but the apparent lack of forewarning to lawmakers on intelligence committees is striking. Top lawmakers are typically informed of military operations in advance. 'Cost, duration, risk to our troops, strategy – the basics before we make a decision of this consequence,' said Chris Coons, a senior Democratic member of the Senate foreign relations committee, last week. Arizona senator Mark Kelly told NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that the White House should have been 'right up front' in coming to Congress 'and asking for authorization to do this'. 'That's the constitutional approach to this,' Kelly said. 'He could have talked to us about what the goal is and what the plan is ahead of time.' Tim Kaine, a Virginia senator who sits on the armed services as well as the foreign relations committees, said Congress needed to be informed ahead of time. 'Congress needs to authorize a war against Iran,' he said. 'This Trump war against Iran – we have not.' Senators are expected to receive a briefing on the strikes next week. But the signs that an attack was imminent were there to see: additional US military assets had been moved into the region, and the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had postponed a briefing with the Senate intelligence committee last week. Moderate and progressive Democrats have been in conflict over the engagement of US forces in support of Israel. Trump's use of force could now deepen the ideological schism. Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, told CNN on Sunday that 'the destruction of these facilities is a positive in the sense that it will set back Iran's program'. But he warned that Iran could now 'sprint for a bomb'. He added that the strikes were 'not constitutional' and Congress should be brought in 'on an action this substantial that could lead to a major outbreak of war'. But Schiff refused to be drawn in on whether the world was safer following the strike. 'We simply don't know,' he said. Schiff maintained that in absence of a briefing 'this is an order that should not have been given'. Prominent Democrats with 2028 presidential aspirations have been notably silent on the 10-day war between Israel and Iran. 'They are sort of hedging their bets,' said Joel Rubin, a former deputy assistant secretary of state during the Obama administration. 'The beasts of the Democratic party's constituencies right now are so hostile to Israel's war in Gaza that it's really difficult to come out looking like one would corroborate an unauthorized war that supports Israel without blowback.' But some had spoken out. Ro Khanna, a California congressman, called the White House threats of an attack on Iran 'a defining moment for our party'. That came as progressive and isolationist lawmakers on the right found themselves uncomfortably aligned. Khanna had introduced legislation with the Kentucky Republican US House member Thomas Massie that called on Trump to 'terminate' the use of US armed forces against Iran unless 'explicitly authorized' by a declaration of war from Congress. Following the strike, Khanna posted on X: 'Trump struck Iran without any authorization of Congress.' Khanna said Congress needed to 'immediately return' to Washington to vote on the measure he and Massie co-authored. Kaine said he would bring a similar resolution to the Senate in the coming days. Massie said in response to the strikes: 'This is not Constitutional.' The independent US senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats, said supporting the Israeli prime minister Benjamin 'Netanyahu's war against Iran would be a catastrophic mistake'. He introduced legislation prohibiting the use of federal money for force against Iran. The New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on X that the decision to attack Iran's nuclear sites was 'disastrous'. 'The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote. Halie Soifer, the chief executive officer of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, said in a statement: 'This is an incredibly difficult moment for the vast majority of American Jews, who are supportive of Israel, concerned about the security and safety of the Israeli people and Jews in the United States and around the world, and fearful that president Trump lacks a clear strategy about what happens next with Iran.' On NBC's Meet the Press JD Vance, the US vice-president, maintained that it was untrue to say that Saturday's strikes in Iran exceeded Trump's presidential authority. Schiff, meanwhile, declined to support calls for impeachment proceedings against Trump, saying the failure to brief Democrats ahead of the strike was 'another partisan exercise'.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Bombs over Iran, but no heads-up for Dems: Irritated lawmakers gripe they were left in the dark on secret strikes
Congressional Democrats are blaring they were kept in the dark about President Donald Trump 's Saturday night strikes on Iran 's nuclear sites. Representative Jim Himes (D-Conn.) and Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) the top ranking Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence committees, respectively, did not know about the attacks until after they took place, sources told CNN. Himes, part of the intelligence-heavy Gang of Eight, voiced outrage: 'According to the Constitution… my attention to this matter comes BEFORE bombs fall.' CNN also reported that other Democrat members of the Gang of Eight did not get a heads up on the operation. Warner indicated he was 'frustrated' by the delay in being briefed. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations committee complained that the president bucked a bipartisan tradition of 'regularly briefing Congress on major national security events.' Meanwhile, other Democrats, including Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), are contending the Iran strikes were ill-advised because the country 'posed no imminent threat' to the U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded to the attack with a call for a vote of the War Powers Act on the Senate floor. 'No president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy,' Schumer said in a statement following the American strike on Iran's nuclear sites Saturday evening. 'Confronting Iran's ruthless campaign of terror, nuclear ambitions, and regional aggression demands strength, resolve, and strategic clarity. The danger of wider, longer, and more devastating war has now dramatically increased.' I was briefed on the intelligence last week. Iran posed no imminent threat of attack to the United States. Iran was not close to building a deliverable nuclear weapon. The negotiations Israel scuttled with their strikes held the potential for success. — Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 22, 2025 NEWS — Chuck Schumer says Congress must enforce the War Powers Act. 'I'm urging Leader Thune to put it on the Senate floor immediately. I am voting for it and implore all Senators on both sides of the aisle to vote for it.' — Stephen Neukam (@stephen_neukam) June 22, 2025 Ranking Member Jim Himes on Military Action in the Middle East — House Intelligence Committee (@HouseIntelDems) June 22, 2025 In post on X, Himes critiqued Trump's decision as unconstitutional, without approval from Congress, a position endorsed by anti-interventionist Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Massie, the first member of the president's party to condemn the strikes, joined forces with California Democrat Ro Khanna last week to introduce the Iran War Powers Resolution in the House of Representatives 'to prohibit U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran war.' At least two Democrats called on Saturday night for Trump to be impeached over ordering the strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez went scorched earth with her statement posted on X. She said: 'The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. 'He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.' The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment. — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 22, 2025 US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, speaks to the press in Newark, New Jersey, on June 21, 2025 U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) walk to attend a press conference following the U.S. Senate Democrats' weekly policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 10, 2025 Illinois Democrat Sean Casten was another member of the House to call for the President to be ousted. 'This is not about the merits of Iran's nuclear program. No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress. This is an unambiguous impeachable offense,' Casten wrote, within an hour of Trump announcing the successful attack. This is not about the merits of Iran's nuclear program. No president has the authority to bomb another country that does not pose an imminent threat to the US without the approval of Congress. This is an unambiguous impeachable offense. — Sean Casten (@SeanCasten) June 22, 2025 Yet, a few Democrats split from the bulk of their party and took Trump's side, defending the Commander in Chief's decision to strike Iran. Richie Torres, another New York Democrat, praised the success of the attack without mentioning Trump directly. 'The decisive destruction of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant prevents the dangerous spread of nuclear weapons in the world's most combustible region. No one truly committed to nuclear nonproliferation should mourn the fall of Fordow' Torres wrote. The world can achieve peace in the Middle East, or it can accept a rogue nuclear weapons program—but it cannot have both. The decisive destruction of the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant prevents the dangerous spread of nuclear weapons in the world's most combustible region. No one… — Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) June 22, 2025 Pennsylvania's Democrat Senator John Fetterman reposted Trump's announcement of the successful attack, adding 'As I've long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS. Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities.I'm grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.' As I've long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS. Iran is the world's leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I'm grateful for and salute the finest military in the world. 🇺🇸 — U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) June 22, 2025 Last week, Fetterman passionately articulated his support for Israel amid its conflict with Iran on Tuesday, encouraging the United States to do all they can to assist its ally in the Middle East. Fetterman also explicitly called for America to use the '30,000 pound bunker busters' on Iran's nuclear sites. I just introduced an Iran War Powers Resolution with @RepRoKhanna to prohibit U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran war. This is not our war. Even if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution. — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) June 17, 2025 This is insane. Trump just bombed Iran without Congressional approval, illegally dragging us into war in the Middle East. Have we not learned our lesson!?!? Congress must return to Washington at once to vote on @RepThomasMassie 's War Powers Resolution to stop this madness. — Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) June 22, 2025 Tonight, the President ignored the Constitution by unilaterally engaging our military without Congressional authorization. I join my colleagues in demanding answers from the Administration on this operation which endangers American lives and risks further escalation and… — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) June 22, 2025 Congressman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) Ranking Member on the House Rules Committee called for his colleagues to immediately 'return to Washington' to vote on Massie and Khanna's War Powers Resolution to 'stop this madness', also calling Trump's action 'insane.'
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Democrats say they were left in dark about plans for US strikes on Iran
Senior Democrats have claimed they were left in the dark about operation Midnight Hammer, the US's highly coordinated strike on Saturday on Iran's nuclear enrichment program. Neither the US senator Mark Warner of Virginia nor representative Jim Himes of Connecticut, both top Democrats on the Senate and House intelligence panels, were briefed before the attack, according to reports. But that came amid claims that Republican counterparts were given advance notice of the operation, which involved 125 aircraft – including seven B-2 bombers carrying 14 bunker busters weighing three tons – and 75 Tomahawk missiles launched from US submarines. Axios reported that the Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, had been informed shortly before the attacks began at 6.40pm eastern time. Himes's committee staff received notification about the strike from the Pentagon only after Donald Trump made the announcement on social media soon before 8pm, according to the outlet. The president's defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, told a press conference early on Sunday that the strikes 'took months and weeks of positioning and preparation so that we could be ready when the president called'. 'It took misdirection and the highest of operational security,' Hegseth said, in part alluding to the US's deployment of B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam earlier on Saturday. The US attack of Iran came as most Democrats had left Washington for the Juneteenth holiday – but the apparent lack of forewarning to lawmakers on intelligence committees is striking. Top lawmakers are typically informed of military operations in advance. 'Cost, duration, risk to our troops, strategy – the basics before we make a decision of this consequence,' Chris Coons, a senior Democratic member of the Senate foreign relations committee, said last week. Senators are expected to receive a briefing next week. But the signs that an attack was imminent were there to see: additional US military assets had been moved into the region, and the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had postponed a briefing with the Senate intelligence committee last week. Moderate and progressive Democrats have been in conflict over the engagement of US forces in support of Israel. Trump's use of force could now deepen the ideological schism. Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, told CNN on Sunday that 'the destruction of these facilities is a positive in the sense that it will set back Iran's program'. But he warned that Iran could now 'sprint for a bomb'. He added that the strikes were 'not constitutional' and Congress should be brought in 'on an action this substantial that could lead to a major outbreak of war'. But Schiff refused to be drawn in on whether the world was safer following the strike. 'We simply don't know,' he said. Schiff maintained that in absence of a briefing 'this is an order that should not have been given'. Prominent Democrats with 2028 presidential aspirations have been notably silent on the 10-day war between Israel and Iran. 'They are sort of hedging their bets,' said Joel Rubin, a former deputy assistant secretary of state during the Obama administration. 'The beasts of the Democratic party's constituencies right now are so hostile to Israel's war in Gaza that it's really difficult to come out looking like one would corroborate an unauthorized war that supports Israel without blowback.' But some had spoken out. The California congressman Ro Khanna called the White House threats of an attack on Iran 'a defining moment for our party'. That came as progressive and isolationist lawmakers on the right found themselves uncomfortably aligned. Khanna had introduced legislation with the Kentucky Republican US House member Thomas Massie that called on Trump to 'terminate' the use of US armed forces against Iran unless 'explicitly authorized' by a declaration of war from Congress. Following the strike, Khanna posted on X: 'Trump struck Iran without any authorization of Congress. We need to immediately return to DC and vote on [Massie] and my War Powers Resolution to prevent America from being dragged into another endless Middle East war.' Massie said in response to the strikes: 'This is not Constitutional.' The independent US senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats, said supporting the Israeli prime minister Benjamin 'Netanyahu's war against Iran would be a catastrophic mistake'. He introduced legislation prohibiting the use of federal money for force against Iran. The New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on X that the decision to attack Iran's nuclear sites was 'disastrous'. 'The President's disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers. He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote. On NBC's Meet the Press, Vice-President JD Vance maintained that it was untrue to say that Saturday's strikes in Iran exceeded Trump's presidential authority. Schiff, meanwhile, declined to support calls for impeachment proceedings against Trump, saying the failure to brief Democrats ahead of the strike was 'another partisan exercise'.
