Brain trauma, shrapnel and amputation: Injuries of US troops in Iran attacks more severe than disclosed, report says
Survivors describe ‘smoke and fire and crazy and chaos’ in aftermath of drone strike on Kuwait port facility
This Week in the World Affairs Brief
TRUMP DEMANDS IRAN’S UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER
After pummeling Iran for two weeks US President Donald Trump took to social media and called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” late last week. While correct that the US and Israel are winning the war from a military damage point of view, Iran doesn’t show any signs of giving up and letting Trump march in as the dictator/victor. Then on Monday Trump claimed that “the war is nearly complete,” and “will end soon.” These two extreme comments highlight Trump’s habit of bluster and exaggerating every success. He did have to backtrack a bit this week, by saying he’s not finished yet in Iran. Not a few commentators think Trump is looking for an “out” because the US is running low on munitions and anti-missile interceptors. There is only one purpose in demanding unconditional surrender. The conqueror wants to take over and run the defeated country. And Trump clearly harbors such egotistical notions, as he does with Venezuela and Cuba. He wants complete control but with puppet leaders that will let him control the defeated nation, including their rebuilding and economic output. Such a demand is an offense to other cultures, and is sure to prolong the war, as it did with both Germany and Japan in WWII. It also results in many more civilian deaths as Israel and the US turns to bombing more and more of the cities and infrastructure in order to force that unconditional surrender. To receive a free one-time sample of the Brief, along with options on how to subscribe, click on Request a sample on the left.
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Israeli Sources Say Site Hit in Tehran Was Developing Nuclear Trigger Component
Senior Israeli officials say Iran worked covertly after attacks on its nuclear sites during the Twelve Day War, to accelerate its ‘Weapon Group’ project.
US Sends Carrier Ford Through Suez with Reports Bush is Following
The U.S. Navy confirmed that the carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and her strike group transited the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. It joins the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently in the Arabian Gulf, having taken over the duty when the carrier Harry S. Truman left the region last year, and now there are reports that the USS George H.W. Bush is preparing to deploy to the region as well.
Trump teases intervention in Cuba amid war in Iran
President Donald Trump said Thursday he wants to finish the war in Iran first, “but that will be just a question of time before you and a lot of unbelievable people are going to be going back to Cuba.” America’s pressure campaign on Cuba is pushing the country to the breaking point, with President Trump and Republicans in Congress predicting the government’s imminent fall.
Venezuela Inflation Hit 475% In 2025, The World's Highest Level
Venezuelan inflation soared to 475 percent in 2025, the highest in the world, driven by a tightening of US sanctions in the lead up to the ouster of leader Nicolas Maduro. Full-year inflation far exceeded the International Monetary Fund's forecast of 269.9 percent, figures released by the central bank showed Friday.
Trump Admin Says It Can’t Comply With Order To Issue Tariff Refunds
Some companies that attempted to reclaim duties have already been denied refunds, the Financial Times reported Friday. “CBP has never been ordered to, nor has it attempted to, process a volume of refunds anywhere near the volume of total entries and Entry Summary lines on which IEEPA duties have been deposited,” Lord wrote. “However, where CBP’s predecessor, the U.S. Customs Service, was previously ordered to refund to exporters the Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) that was held to have been unconstitutionally imposed as applied to exports by the Supreme Court in United States Shoe Corporation v. United States (1998), the process took several years to complete and required an updated regulatory procedure.”
Indiana Activist Judge Rules There is a ‘Religious Right’ to Kill Babies in Abortions — Blocks State Ban
The ruling states that the plaintiffs believe their religion can require abortion under certain circumstances, including situations involving mental, emotional, or physical wellbeing. “The organization and its members believe that under Jewish law, an abortion is directed to occur if it is necessary to prevent physical, mental, or emotional harm to a pregnant person, even if there is not a physical health risk that is likely to cause substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function,” the court wrote.
Large US Refueling Aircraft Down In Western Iraq In First Of Iran War
Iran claims responsibility for shooting down US refueling plane, says US refueling plane was downed with all crew killed in Western Iraq. CENTCOM confirms search and rescue operation underway after large KC-135 refueling tanker goes down over Western Iraq....Dubai suffers significant drone attacks Northern Israel hammered by Hezbollah, "largest wave" of missiles since war began IDF says it struck key Iranian nuclear development site US Intel assesses Iranian regime remains intact Oman port operations halted Trump proclaims "we won"
FDA Unveils New Platform For Tracking Side Effects
“The FDA’s previous adverse event reporting systems were outdated and fragmented and made important data difficult to access. These clunky systems also wasted millions of taxpayer dollars and created blind spots in our postmarket surveillance of products ranging from drugs and vaccines to cosmetics,” Dr. Marty Makary, the FDA’s commissioner, said in a statement. “We’re fixing the problem through a major modernization initiative
Iran’s Sea Mines Are One of Its Most Powerful Weapons
Sea mines are simple weapons that could give Iran outsize power to wreak havoc with the global economy. U.S. officials said Wednesday that Iran had laid mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries 20% of the world’s oil exports from the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world. The U.S. Institute for the Study of War estimated that 10 mines had been laid...
‘Moderate’ Gov. Abigail Spanberger Expected to Sign Sweeping Gun Ban Into Law
The law will ban the sale, import, manufacture, purchase, and transfer of what it describes as “assault firearms,” and it will treat high-capacity magazines that can hold 15 rounds or more in the same way. It will make any violations of the law a “Class 1 misdemeanor,” which could mean up to a year in jail and a $2,500 for a first offense. While SB 749 does not explicitly ban AR-15 rifles, since the popular long rifle falls under the bill’s definition of assault weapons, it will be effectively banned.
Apparent Vehicle-Ramming Attack And Active Shooter Situation Unfolds At Michigan Synagogue
FBI Director Kash Patel says agents are at the scene of what appears to be a vehicle-ramming attack and an active shooter situation at Temple Israel Synagogue in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.
US Strikes 16 Iranian Mine-Laying Boats Near Strait of Hormuz: Pentagon
The president’s comments came after reports first published by CBS News that Iranian small craft, capable of carrying two to three mines each, have been detected moving into the 100-mile waterway.
Saudi Arabia in Talks to Buy Air-Defense Equipment from Ukraine
Saudi Arabia is set to buy a large order of Ukrainian air-defense equipment, as it and other Gulf countries face attacks from the same type of drones that Kyiv has been battling for years. The Gulf state is negotiating to buy so-called interceptor drones and electronic warfare, according to two people familiar with the matter. The deal could be worth millions of dollars but has yet to be signed, they said.
In Massive News For SAVE Act, Cornyn Flips On Filibuster To Push Through Voter ID
Up until today, establishment poster boy Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) was a chief obstacle to killing the filibuster so that Republicans could pass the SAVE Act, which would require photo ID to be able to vote in US elections.
Most Ships Transit Strait Of Hormuz Since War Started Led By Iranian, China-Linked Tankers
This morning, Bloomberg confirms that while mainstream Western shipping remains largely suspended through the Strait of Hormuz, recent 24-hour observations reveal a jump in Iran-linked traffic, specifically involving two sanctioned (read China-focused) VLCCs. There were eight commercial transits on Tuesday and four more were identified early Wednesday, most of which have ties to Iran or have Chinese commercial links, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.
$330 Million In U.S. Reaper Drones Suffer Grim Fate In Operation Epic Fury
CBS News sources confirmed that over the eleven-day course of Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. lost eleven General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drones. At roughly $30 million apiece, the losses likely cost taxpayers more than $330 million.
South Korea Angry Over US Plan To Redeploy Critical Air Defense System To Mideast
We previously highlighted that Zelensky's biggest current worry is that the Iran war and ongoing major US operations there will starve Ukraine of critical arms, and especially long sought-after and expensive anti-air systems and munitions. It's not just Ukraine expressing alarm, but now South Korea too, with President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday loudly complaining about Washington's plans to redeploy Patriot air defense batteries from the Korean Peninsula to the Middle East in order to bolster regional defenses against Iran
Epstein Guard Googled Him Minutes Before Body Found
Chase Bank flagged 12 cash deposits totaling $11,880 in suspicious activity report to the FBI...
IEA Agrees to Release Record 400 Million Barrels From Reserves
The IEA’s decision comes a day after 32 member governments convened an extraordinary meeting to assess fallout from the Iranian conflict and its impact on global market conditions. Each country will release its emergency stockpiles into the market over a timeframe, and some nations will take additional actions on top of these injections.
Standoff and Standstill in the Strait: No Easy Solution to Restoring Gulf Tanker Traffic
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—which has trained for decades in small-craft operations in these waters and has artillery hidden in reinforced bunkers looming above—were to opt to do so, especially with mines. Only Iran’s self-interest as a Persian Gulf oil exporter has shielded the strait from the heaviest of drone and missile attacks since Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28, but that could change immediately if the United States and Israel were to destroy Tehran’s energy infrastructure, said maritime industry analyst and historian Salvatore Mercogliano.
Suspected Missile Fuel Precursor Materials Sail From China To Iran, Even As US Bombs Fall
A pair of cargo ships tied to a sanctioned Iranian state shipping line have quietly departed a Chinese chemical hub and are now sailing toward Iran carrying what analysts suspect is missile fuel precursor, according to fresh Washington Post analysis of ship-tracking data and satellite imagery.
Iran Vows 'Eye For An Eye, Not Seeking Ceasefire' Amid Reports Of 150 US Troops Wounded So Far
Trump's mixed messaging as war could end 'soon' while saying Iran's military is crippled, but also warns Tehran would be hit "20 times harder" if it disrupts oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Signs of Washington officials looking for an offramp. A mere few days ago Trump stressed the US would stop at nothing short of Iran's "unconditional surrender" - but that continues to look dubious.
Suspected Missile Fuel Precursor Materials Sail From China To Iran, Even As US Bombs Fall
A pair of cargo ships tied to a sanctioned Iranian state shipping line have quietly departed a Chinese chemical hub and are now sailing toward Iran carrying what analysts suspect is missile fuel precursor, according to fresh Washington Post analysis of ship-tracking data and satellite imagery.
Hormuz Mine Threat Emerges; White House Denies Tanker Escort
Iran is reportedly using smaller crafts that can carry 2 to 3 mines each. While Iran’s mine stock isn’t publicly known, estimates over the years have ranged from roughly 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines of Iranian, Chinese and Russian-made variants. That sent oil prices dramatically higher...
Trump Says War in Iran Is ‘Very Complete,’ Far Ahead of Schedule
“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” Trump told Weijia Jiang, CBS’s senior White House correspondent. “They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force,” he said, according to Jiang.
Trump Says He Won’t Sign Any Bill Until SAVE America Act Passes
Trump’s ultimatum could add renewed pressure on Senate Republicans to consider procedural workarounds. Some Republicans have called for changing the filibuster rules to give the voter ID bill a path to passage
House Of Horrors: Cops Search Epstein's Zorro Ranch
Weeks after New Mexico officials launched an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico - which has since been purchased to turn into a Christian retreat, the FBI and local law enforcement descended on the 7,500 acre property in search of dark secrets, including the possible graves of trafficked girls who may have been strangled to death
Satellite Data Shows Iran Moving Crude Through Hormuz Chokepoint, Putting Kharg Island In Focus
Ten days into the U.S.-Israeli Operation Epic Fury against Iran, which has forced shut-ins at major Gulf oil and gas facilities, disrupted production at key oil fields, sent stockpiles soaring, sparked a global energy crisis (Brent crude hit $119/bbl highs overnight) and severely disrupted commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical energy chokepoint, new satellite imagery data from TankerTrackers, first cited by Bloomberg, suggests Tehran has recently moved substantial volumes of crude through the waterway.
Ending Iran War Will Be Mutual Decision With Israel, Trump Says
U.S. President Donald Trump told The Times of Israel that Iran was ‘going to destroy Israel and everything else around it.’