The University of Manchester has discovered that the world’s largest scorpion, which lived 415 million years ago, was hiding in the museum’s collection for 150 years.
Since the 1870s, researchers have debated the identity of the strange fossil remains lurking in the Manchester archives. They possessed tiny fragments recovered from sites in England and Wales that puzzled them, but they could not piece them together. Was it a large woodlouse-crustacean?
In the 1980s, some research suggested that a scorpion might be the source of the fossil remains. However, this hypothesis faced challenges due to a lack of fossil evidence of its most distinctive feature: its tail.
To resolve the debate, paleontologists conducted a study of the remains using modern imaging and analytical techniques, according to a press release from the University of Manchester. They were “able to build a clearer picture of the animal than was previously possible, which is really exciting.”
The 3.3-foot-long Praearcturus gigas scorpion now joins the ranks of Earth’s ferocious prehistoric beasts, boasting pincers 6.2 inches long. As it roamed the Earth over 400 million years ago, researchers sought to understand the factors that allowed this prehistoric predator to grow to such an astonishing size.
The T. Rex of Scorpions
According to the study authors, “Along with dinosaurs, mammoths, and other charismatic megafauna, giant arthropods are an iconic symbol of the Earth’s deep paleontological history in popular culture.”
Lead author Dr. Richard J. Howard, Curator of Fossil Arthropods at the Natural History Museum in London, described the imagery often associated with giant arthropods: “Carboniferous rainforests filled with giant millipedes or dragonfly-like insects… but Praearcturus lived at least 50 million years earlier, well before the evolution of trees, when life on land was just beginning.“
In other words, researchers may have identified the T. rex of arthropods nearly two hundred million years before the rise of the dinosaurs. The Praearcturus gigas lived during the Early Devonian period – a time when forests had not yet evolved – so this giant scorpion lived among small plants and fungi, as per the press release.
What Did It Eat?
Researchers were stunned: how did the scorpion grow to such a size, surrounded by relatively unassuming and unimposing neighbors? The answer lies in its lack of competition. As few large animals were present at that time, Praearcturus was free to become a predatory giant, according to the NYPost.
Furthermore, the “cool” creature, which might inspire a new figurine in a child’s toy collection, may have been partially aquatic, as suggested by its epimera – the descending lateral plates or flaps found on the bodies of crustaceans.
Dr. Howard stated in Live Science, “Without complex ecosystems to support Praearcturus on land, these animals probably spent part of their lives hunting in water.” The Praearcturus was even “before its time,” and its extraordinary size might be explained by one factor: water.
“This places Praearcturus at a pivotal moment in Earth’s history when animals were first experimenting with life outside the oceans,” as per a press release.
“The boundary between land and sea was much less defined at this time,” Dr Greg Edgecombe, Merit Researcher at the Natural History Museum, London, and co-author of the study, continued. “Praearcturus gives us a fascinating glimpse into how early animals adapted to these changing environments.”
“It may even represent a lineage that returned to the water after earlier ancestors had already begun living on land,” AOL concludes.
House Report Finds Minnesota Officials Ignored Fraud To Avoid Racism Accusations
A House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform report released Monday paints a devastating picture of both Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, finding that they both knew about widespread fraud in state social services programs and failed to act.
The report centers on the Feeding Our Future scandal, in which a Minnesota-based nonprofit systematically exploited federal COVID-19 relief funds intended to provide meals to children.
So far, more than 60 people have already been found guilty of fraud in connection with the scheme, the majority of whom are of Somali descent. Some defendants used stolen taxpayer money to buy luxury goods, while others funneled proceeds to a radical Islamic terrorist group operating in Somalia. At least $300 million in federal child nutrition funds were placed at serious risk, and approximately $9 billion in Medicaid losses resulted from the broader fraud environment state officials allowed to fester.
“Fraud warnings were elevated to the most senior levels of the Minnesota state government, meaningful corrective action was delayed or avoided, and payments continued long after credible signs of fraud emerged,” the report states.
Senior officials in Walz’s office and Ellison’s office knew about systemic fraud concerns as early as 2019 within the Minnesota Department of Human Services and, by April 2020, within the state Department of Education, the report says, directly contradicting Walz’s and Ellison’s public statements.
This matters because both men held legal authority to cut off payments to fraudulent operators. Neither exercised it, even though Walz was aware of the suspected fraud in Feeding Our Future by 2020, and the payments continued.
The fraudsters didn’t just know how to exploit the system for financial gain; they knew how to blackmail state officials to keep their scheme going. When workers inside the Department of Education tried to audit child care and nutrition programs, providers accused them of racism. The accusation worked. Officials backed down despite holding evidence that funds were being fraudulently diverted. Dozens of human services department staff were warned, explicitly, that raising fraud concerns would get them labeled as racists and damage the government’s reputation. Some were pulled into supervisory meetings. Others were excluded from the very internal discussions about the fraud they had flagged.
And the directive to look the other way from the fraud came from the top down. One Minnesota Department of Education official who first contacted the FBI about Feeding Our Future told investigators her supervisors pressured her to stop investigating “at every turn” and that she got her “hand slapped” for continuing to look into it. Staff feared reporting fraud to the Homeland Security Office of Inspector General because that agency would notify the Commissioner or HR, who would then retaliate against them. The internal culture the Walz administration built was one in which accountability was the threat, not the fraud.
Rather than combating the fraud, the Walz administration spent resources monitoring employees to keep them in line. The priority, the report shows, was getting ahead of press coverage about the fraud, not stopping it.
“Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison are responsible for one of the most stunning oversight failures this Committee has ever examined,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said in a statement. “Today’s report is the culmination of months of investigative work and reveals hard evidence showing how the Walz Administration failed to stop widespread fraud, allowing criminals to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers. Billions of dollars were stolen because Minnesota state leaders turned a blind eye to rampant fraud and retaliated against state employees who dared to raise concerns. It is now clear the Walz Administration chose to protect the system rather than protect the taxpayer.”
The report makes clear that this fraud wasn’t some bureaucratic mistake or a problem that went unnoticed. Senior officials were repeatedly warned about what was happening. They chose not to act in order to preserve their political relationship with Minnesota’s Somali community, manage the fallout, and sideline the employees who were raising red flags and trying to stop it.
…on the eighth anniversary of the Kavanaugh nomination. It now appears that there are some women who are not to be believed… when the Senate may be in the balance..
“It’s clear the fix is in.”
Those words from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). came with her vote against confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Warren was outraged that her fellow senators refused to believe a woman who came forward with a decades-old allegation against Kavanaugh that lacked any corroboration.
It now appears that Kavanaugh’s former accusers are making the case that he was treated unjustly at their hands. At least they are now willing to swap “Me Too” for Maine.
Warren’s words were part of a mantra from Democratic members that either you believe women about sexual harassment and assault, or you are enabling abusers.
It was almost exactly eight years ago, in July 2018, that President Trump nominated Kavanaugh to fill the seat of retiring Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy. Kavanaugh, who was at first a very uncontroversial nominee, suddenly became the target of a well-financed, well-orchestrated campaign that would continue to resonate in that fall’s election campaigns. At the time, your failure to accept the word of Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh had assaulted her in high school was just proof that you and the system were sexist.
Long after the Senate confirmed Kavanaugh, the left continued to claim that his presence on the Supreme Court “rests on a mountain of misogyny.” In Ms. Magazine, actress Kathleen Turner reminded people that not believing women was furthering misogyny: “Survivors who come forward break the rules of silence a sexist society demands, and society expects them to pay a price.”
If you recall, the lack of evidence led to the Senate Judiciary Committee combing through Kavanaugh’s personal calendars. Denials that such a thing had ever happened, coming from childhood friends, were treated as still more evidence of sexism.
Screenshot/Judiciary Committee
There was Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who grilled Kavanaugh about using the term “boofing” (apparently referring to passing gas) with a high school friend as if it were a confession to a rape.
His inquisitorial barrage was something straight out of the McCarthy period.
Whitehouse expressed disgust that some would not take Ford’s word for it, declaring, “Today I stand with women who are brave enough to come forward with their stories of abuse and mistreatment. They deserve to be heard and credible allegations must be investigated. We must believe survivors, not bully them.”
Whitehouse is now a major donor and supporter of Graham Platner, the leading Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Maine.
He dismisses the New York Times accounts from women of Platner’s physically and mentally abusive behavior.
Instead of believing these women, he reportedly attacked Lyndsey Fifield, who “bravely” came forward publicly with her story at the request of Times reporters.
Whitehouse is quoted as saying that he was “unimpressed” by the allegations and the multiple women coming forward “seems like a lot of nothing.” He suggested that he is not prepared to believe a woman if she is a conservative. “I mean, the only one who had anything to say that seemed ‘unsettling’ was a woman who works for right-wing political operations,” he said.
That attack was picked up by others like writer Krystal Ball. She too had denounced those who did not believe Ford in the Kavanaugh controversy. In the past, she claimed at that time, “women just didn’t come forward. They knew they wouldn’t be believed.”
Now she cannot imagine why anyone would believe these women, particularly Fifield. “NYT published uncorroborated accusations against [Platner] of ‘unsettling’ and ‘toxic’ behavior that came from a Heritage staffer who previously worked for a conservative org that backs Collins,” she posted online.
Fifield, after sharing stories with the Times of Platner’s alleged abusive behavior, went public to complain that the newspaper had failed to include the corroboration she had provided. She posted that the paper not only failed to include that she has supported Democrats for office, but also asked, “Why does it say ‘nobody could corroborate’ when I offered them sources that COULD corroborate?”
She added, “The Times also failed to include any mention that I DID confide in multiple friends through the years that Graham had been abusive — long before he was running for office. Those friends confirm they told the Times so.”
If true, that is a strikingly different approach from the one taken by the media in reporting on the Kavanaugh allegations.
All the familiar faces are now attacking or dismissing these allegations.
That includes Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who campaigned for Platner this week. Khanna had previously pounded his chest in public over the Kavanaugh allegations: “I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.”
Some of the usual suspects are now quiet, and for good reason. Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) and former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) dismissed Kavanaugh’s claims of innocence but later resigned from their respective offices after accusations of misconduct and harassment.
Of course, the sexual misconduct and mistreatment of women is not the only controversy surrounding Platner, who has reportedly ridiculed a wounded veteran, dismissed rape victims, and made other comments on his since-deleted Reddit account about Blacks and rural Mainers that would be considered disqualifying for most candidates. He made many other posts that were deeply offensive and some that were, frankly, gross.
Nevertheless, figures like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) would not even address the allegations, simply repeating awkwardly, “We’re going to … take back the Senate.”
Back in 2018, Schumer was proclaiming on the Senate floor, “For too long, when women have made serious allegations of abuse, they have been ignored. That cannot happen in this case.”
For her part, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) proclaimed her faith in any woman making such allegations in 2018. Now, she repeats, like Schumer, “I’m very optimistic we’re going to win Maine.”
In “A Man for All Seasons,” there is a scene where Sir Thomas More confronts Richard Rich, a former protege who lied in court to convict him in exchange for being named attorney general of Wales. As Rich passes by, More asks: “For Wales? Why, Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world … but for Wales!”
The response by Democratic leaders today appears to be, “Well, yeah — not for Wales, but we’ll do it for Maine.”
The fee for visas for specialty foreign workers “imposes a tax on H-1B petitions without the requisite delegation by Congress,” U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin said in a 42-page decision.
While the president is able to restrict noncitizen entry into the United States, Congress has the power to tax, and federal law does not delegate it, the judge said.
He also ruled that the fee violated a law called the Administrative Procedure Act because it was issued without allowing the public to comment before it took effect, and ordered officials to vacate the policy in its entirety.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts and 19 other states. They challenged the fee, which Trump announced in September as a way to reduce taxes and bring better people into the country.
A different judge in late 2025 had upheld the fee, finding that Trump had the authority to increase the fee from between $2,000 to $5,000 to the $100,000 level. An appeal is pending in that case.
UBS Warns America’s Restaurants Locked In “Difficult Cycle” As Tax-Refund Sugar-High Fades
There is certainly a growing consensus on Wall Street that the tax-refund sugar high is fading just as consumers’ financial profiles deteriorate. The latest read-through comes from UBS analyst Dennis Geiger, the bank’s U.S. restaurants equity research analyst, who warns that a toxic cocktail of macro pressures is likely to crimp restaurant spending in the second half of the year.
Geiger warned in a note that elevated gas prices at the pump appear to be offsetting tax-rebate benefits, while lower-income, younger, and Hispanic consumers remain among some of the weakest demand cohorts.
“Challenged traffic and sales trends likely largely reflect depressed consumer sentiment across several cohorts, elevated gas prices, and other macro headwinds,” the analyst said, adding, “We are more cautious on restaurant industry trends into 2H26, assuming near-term headwinds persist, rebate check benefits fade, and risk that gas prices stay elevated.”
He said that margin pressure will likely persist for restaurants through summer and into fall as commodity inflation remains a problem.
Despite the negative backdrop, he pointed out valuations for restaurant stocks look attractive:
Despite challenged fundamentals, negative investor sentiment, and valuation pressure, we believe restaurants are in a difficult cycle currently, rather than a longer-term structurally challenged position. Valuations appear attractive relative to history, but with shares likely needing a positive inflection in sales / demand trajectory or favorable macro developments / headlines to realize notable upside.
His top picks are Dutch Bros, Brinker International, and Yum! Brands, while his least favorite restaurant stocks are Cheesecake Factory and Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.
6.4 Magnitude Quake Rocks Western Cuba, Sends Tremors Into South Florida
The USGS reported that a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck just off the coast of Cuba around 2 p.m. ET, with residents across parts of Florida reporting feeling the shaking.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday announced it has asked courts across the country to strip more than a dozen people who have pleaded guilty or been convicted of crimes of their U.S. citizenship.
Filings in federal court requested judges revoke the naturalization of 17 individuals, including Jean Claude Alfred, a 68-year-old Haitian native who became a U.S. citizen in 1994.
Federal officials said that Alfred, who does not have a lawyer listed on the court docket, was convicted in 1996 of attempting sexual battery and indecent assault on his daughter, for conduct that began three years prior.
Alfred “concealed his crime throughout the naturalization process,” DOJ lawyers told the federal court in Miami.
Another man, 39-year-old Armando Mendoza of Mexico, received sexually explicit images of minors as early as 2009 and pleaded guilty in 2013. Mendoza failed to disclose the crime in his 2011 citizenship application and interview, which means his citizenship should be revoked, officials said in a separate filing in federal court in California.
Mendoza has not hired an attorney, according to the court docket.
“When criminal aliens exploit the naturalization process by breaking the law, there are consequences,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement. “Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters.”
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin added that “American citizenship is a privilege, and it must be earned honestly.”
He said, “If you come here break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege.”
Apple’s Long-Awaited AI Siri Fails To Impress As Shares Pump Then Dump During WWDC
Summary:
Market Reaction: Buy the rumor, Sell the news
Apple Reveals Long-Awaited AI Siri
CEO Tim Cook gives his final WWDC keynote speech
Goldman And UBS Preview Apple’s WWDC: AI Siri Takes Center Stage
Apple CEO Tim Cook opened WWDC26 with a keynote on artificial intelligence, software updates, and developer tools across the company’s ecosystem.
WWDC26 presentation centered on a broad rollout of Apple Intelligence features across its ecosystem, with the tech giant previewing a more conversational Siri, a dedicated Siri app, Visual Intelligence tools and new AI capabilities across Safari, Mac, Watch, Vision Pro and first-party apps.
The updated Siri will be available first in English, then expand to other languages. It is expected to work across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Vision Pro, with deeper device context, back-and-forth conversations, and more integration with Spotlight and system files. Apple also showed a customizable Siri voice, revamped dictation, and a 3D Siri experience for Vision Pro.
Safari is getting AI-powered automatic tab grouping, along with a feature that monitors web pages and notifies users of changes. Apple also highlighted privacy messaging, taking a shot at rival AI browsers that track user activity.
1. Tim opens the show for the last time: Tim Cook is giving his usual intro talking about how great Apple’s devices and tools are and praising its developers. Show a pic of the Earth taken from the journey to the moon. Apple Intelligence and Siri starting things off!
2. Three areas of focus: Platform improvements, Trust and safety, Apple Intelligence, and Siri
3. A new version of macOS has been revealed, called Golden Gate
4. They’re not announcing features for each iOS (just yet), but rather talking about system-wide changes that affect all OSes. For example, there’s now a Liquid Glass slider as well as a unified menu bar. In macOS, sidebar icons will be clearer and more consistent. App icons will get a new Liquid Glass layer that add depth and refraction. System optimization is smooth, and “a lot” of things are faster. iPhone and iPad launch up to 30% faster.
5. Improved Search: iOS, iPad, and macOS rebuilt the foundation of search that powers Spotlight, Settings, and Mail. It’s more stable and more efficient, indexed immediately. This is the only thing I wanted and I can’t wait to try it out.
6. A new voice for Siri: Siri AI, as Apple is calling it, has a new customizable voice with sliders for pace and expressivity.
7. Siri does what other chatbots do: Apple is spending a bit of time demoing Siri doesn things that ChatGPT and Gemini already do, like making plans, messaging groups of friends, getting information from the web, create a menu on the iPhone. On the Mac, Siri is integrated into Spotlight, which could be trouble if Apple hasn’t fixed it like it said.
8. Siri, Siri, Siri: The Siri section is long as expected, but there’s not a lot here that wasn’t previewed back in 2024. And of course, other chatbots and AI platforms are already doing a lot of this stuff. It remains to be seen whether the deep integration with Apple products will be enough.
9. WatchOS: It took almost an hour, but Apple finally mentioned watchOS in the WWDC keynote. It will be getting a new app layout and some Apple Intelligence features including the new Siri.
10. Visual Intelligence gets new abilities: Visual Intelligence with Siri can understand more about what’s on your screen and will be able to get contextual answers about the things it sees around you and on your screen. I have to wonder how many of these features will elicit yawns from users. We’ll have to see how it works.
“The WWDC 2024 version was pure vapourware but this looks more legit because Siri responses actually take a while to respond. After getting fined last time for false advertising, Apple can’t mess around with this Siri update,” tech journalist Trung Phan wrote on X.
Goldman And UBS Preview Apple’s WWDC: AI Siri Takes Center Stage
Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) begins this afternoon at 1 p.m. EST at Apple Park in Cupertino, Calif.
Ahead of WWDC, Goldman analysts led by Michael Ng provided clients with a preview of what to expect, including the unveiling of a long-delayed AI-enhanced Siri and operating system version “27” across iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS.
The new AI-enhanced Siri will include many delayed features from WWDC24, such as on-screen awareness, personal context, and deeper integration with apps like Messages, Calendar, Photos, and Notes.
“We view these new features as key demand drivers for the iPhone and other products, which should help extend the strong revenue momentum realized to date (e.g., iPhone revenue +23% YoY in F1H26),” Ng wrote in the note.
Expected WWDC announcements:
AI-enhanced Siri launch timing & feature details. After announcing AI-enhanced Siri at WWDC in 2024 and seeing subsequent delays, we expect Apple to share updated details on AI Siri’s launch timeline and capabilities.
Launch timing: During Apple’s F2Q26 earnings call, the company stated it expects to launch personalized Siri this year (C2026). We expect Apple to confirm AI Siri should launch with iOS 27 in September 2026 alongside the premium iPhone 18 family launch.
AI Siri feature details: First, AI-enhanced Siri should have greater on-screen awareness (e.g., using information across iOS Apps including Messages, Calendar, Photos, Notes), which should allow it to provide more detailed, personalized answers to queries/prompts. Second, Apple likely will announce that users will have the ability to choose between various model providers to power AI features (Siri, Image Playground, Writing Tools), per Bloomberg. Third, Apple likely will announce a new standalone Siri app for users to interact in a chatbot-like manner.
Additional AI-driven & ancillary features. Aside from AI Siri, per Bloomberg, Apple likely will announce more sophisticated AI photo editing tools on the Photos App (besides Clean Up) that allow users to (a) generate content within a photo (Extend), (b) enhance photo aspects, and (c) adjust photo framing (Reframe). Apple likely will also announce improved Visual Intelligence capabilities through the Camera app, which will be able to do things like scanning nutrition labels (to sync with the Health app to log food intake) or scan business cards to create new contacts. Lastly, Apple is also expected to announce the ability to make tab groups in Safari and create custom Wallet passes from physical tickets.
Ng noted that Apple’s price action tends to be positive heading into WWDC, but shares often trade lower during the event.
Shares have traded up 19% since late April.
Ng remains “Buy” rated on Apple with a 12-month target price of $340.
Separate from NG’s note, UBS analyst David Vogt does not expect WWDC26 to be a positive catalyst for shares.
What Vogt expects at WWDC:
Google Gemini integration: Apple is expected to rebuild its internal models utilizing Gemini, using a combination of Google’s and its own in-house model to power Siri features. Apple is reportedly paying around $1 bn annually for access to the 1.2T model, which will run on its Private Cloud Compute servers.
Link to third-party models: Currently offered with ChatGPT, users will be able to choose which model they use through a feature called “Extensions”, a potential tailwind to App Store revenue.
Dedicated Siri app: The app will function similarly to other AI apps, including a history of prior conversations and an interface for text, voice, and attachments. Chat syncing across devices with iCloud: User conversations will sync across devices with iCloud, potentially increasing its usage.
Personalization and on-screen awareness: Siri is expected to possess the ability to understand personal data and analyze on-screen content. Users have long awaited these features since they were originally announced at WWDC24
WWDC26 is set to be Apple’s first major test of AI Siri.
Trump Admin Provided No Defensive Action For Israel Amid Iranian Missile Salvo
We’ve been documenting the apparent immense strain in the US-Israel relationship related to Iran policy and strategy. In this latest round of trading major blows, President Trump reportedly not only told Israel to immediately halt its response and to not retaliate, but gave no order for US forces to protect Israel, for example by manning and operating crucial anti-air defenses.
While Iranian ballistic missiles were inbound, “The US military didn’t take part in the Israeli attacks against Iran, the first since the ceasefire, and the Trump admin didn’t order any US defensive action to shield Israel from incoming Iranian missiles, per a US official” – according to CBS White House correspondent Jennifer Jacobs.
If accurate, this marks a major change in US priorities and the Pentagon’s posture in the region. Going back to last year’s 11-day June war, as well as from the start of Operation Epic Fury, Washington has previously provided consistent cover and protection for Israel, especially on the anti-air defense front.
The notable change and shift is also being reported by NBC, which writes Monday morning, “The U.S. military did not conduct any strikes against Iran with Israel, according to a U.S. official.”
“The U.S. did not shoot down or intercept any incoming Iranian missiles or projectiles during this recent volley between Israel and Iran,“ the report continues. “And the current U.S. assessment is that Iran was not targeting any U.S. personnel, assets, or locations during the strikes directed at Israel, the official said.”
US Central Command (CENTCOM) has however, affirmed it has been in contact with senior Israeli military officials, presumably to receive updates and briefings on the Iranian attacks of the prior 24 hours, as well as related to the latest on Israeli offensive actions.
While Washington is creating distance between itself and this renewed round of fighting, Iranian officials aren’t buying the narrative.
In a fresh message from Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, Tehran says that “Without a doubt … the actions of the Zionist regime in the region cannot be separated from U.S. policies.” Tehran is rejecting the US insistence that it is not behind Israel’s actions: “No one believes that the Zionist regime would carry out any action without prior coordination and cooperation with the United States,” Baqaei added.
Meanwhile, President Trump declared in a Financial Times interview published on Sunday – “I call the shots” regarding actions against Iran, and not Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “won’t have any choice” but to accept an impending agreement between the US and Iran, Trump stated.
Mark Levin rages over lack of US defense for Israel:
At the same time, a US official told Axios on Sunday that Trump was “pretty adamant that we are close to a deal with Iran,” urging space to give diplomacy a chance.
Though Israel ultimately went ahead with a strike on Iranian territory following Sunday’s missile barrage, the situation is showing signs of a temporary pause on Monday. Iran’s military announced it had halted its operations, claiming it had successfully sent its intended message, even as Trump continued to publicly insist that both nations are actively looking to agree on an “immediate CEASEFIRE” (on Truth Social).
Netanyahu Confirms Israel ‘Holding Fire, For Now’ – Rejects Iran Red Line To Not Attack Lebanon
Summary
Israel has rejected Iran’s warning not to attack Lebanon, though aerial operations appear paused.
Israeli officials say strikes on Iran being halted at President Trump’s request to ‘stop shooting’. Netanyahu confirms attacks halted ‘for now’.
Iran FM accuses US of cooperating with Washington: “No one believes that the Zionist regime would carry out any action without prior coordination and cooperation with the United States” (Foreign Ministry spox).
Iran’s sprawling Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex bombed by Israeli Air Force.
Houthis seek to close/threaten Bab-el-Mandeb Strait for Israeli-linked passage: We declare a complete and total ban on maritime navigation for the Israeli enemy in the Red Sea.
Israel Rejects Iran Attempt to Assert Red Line on Not Attacking Lebanon
The Lebanon crisis remains a tug-of-war flashpoint between Tehran and Tel Aviv. The Iranians want to force a situation where any broader peace deal with the US is linked directly to achieving permanent truce in Lebanon. However, the US and Israel have consistently sought to thwart these attempts. According to Bloomberg:
Israel will strike Hezbollah in Beirut in retaliation for any further cross-border attacks by the Iranian-backed Lebanese faction, Israel’s defense minister says in a statement, rejecting a threat by Tehran to resume missile salvos in solidarity with Lebanon.
“Any Iranian attempt to link Lebanon to Iran in attacking Israel will be met with a forcible response, as happened yesterday,” Defense Minister Israel Katz says, referring to an air strike in the Lebanese capital which prompted Iranian missile fire against Israeli targets. If Hezbollah attacks Israel’s northern communities “it will lead to an attack on the Dahieh,” he says, referring to a Beirut suburb where support for Hezbollah is strong.
Still, Israel has by late Monday (local) made clear it is halting attacks on Iran and Lebanon ‘for now’ after President Trump called for immediate restraint.
Israel Halts Iran Attacks ‘For Now’
“After Iran attacked Israel, I instructed the IDF to strike military and economic targets throughout Iran,” Netanyahu said in a fresh Monday statement. “For now, the fire has been contained, because after we struck the terrorist regime in Tehran, it ceased attacking us. If the terrorist regime in Iran makes the mistake of attacking us again, we will respond with force.” The key lines from Netanyahu:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel had stopped its attacks on both Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, after the Iranian military announced it was halting operations.
In a brief statement Monday, Netanyahu said “Iran and Hezbollah are weaker than ever, and we are stronger than ever – but our struggle with them is not over yet.”
Having bombarded both adversaries, he added, “right now, the fire has been halted.”
Iran’s military headquarters responds: “Should aggression and hostile actions continue—including in southern Lebanon—far more severe and forceful measures than before will follow,” it said, according to Iranian state media.
And in a clear sign of the exchange of strikes having ceased:
Iran says flight restrictions have been lifted with airspace returning to normal conditions: state media
Israel Pauses Iran Strikes At Trump’s Request
Israel’s N12 News is reporting that Israel is halting strike on Iran at President Trump’s request. There are widespread initial reports that Israeli forces are indeed pausing the attacks, which persisted overnight through Monday morning, and included attack on a major petrochemical complex. However, the latest Israeli messaging has included a warning on the Lebanon front, per Bloomberg:
Senior Israeli official says Israel is stopping strikes in Iran at Donald Trump’s request, but confirms operations in southern Lebanon will continue at full intensity in the coming days. The official also warns that Dahieh in Beirut could be targeted if attacks on Israeli settlements and civilians continue.
There are also emerging reports (via CBS) that Trump did not order any US defensive efforts to protect Israel from the latest Iranian ballistic missile attacks – which were the first against Israel since the early April ceasefire.
Meanwhile, in a fresh message from Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, Iran says “Without a doubt … the actions of the Zionist regime in the region cannot be separated from U.S. policies.” Tehran is rejecting the attempts of the Trump administration to distance the US from Israeli actions: “No one believes that the Zionist regime would carry out any action without prior coordination and cooperation with the United States,” Baqaei added.
Trump: ‘Stop Shooting’
A big question remains is if this flare-up in major fighting, which has featured the first direct attacks between Iran and Israel since the April ceasefire took effect, will be short-lived or whether it will endure and escalate into sustained war.
So far the situation is showing signs it could be short-lived, after early Monday morning President Trump urged Israel and Iran to immediately stop “shooting” in a Truth Social post. He also expressed that this musts be done “quickly” and is still talking up a “final” peace deal – which at this moment looks as distant as ever. Iran is signaling it is ready to get back to ceasefire, but Israel is again threatening the Beirut suburbs.
Here’s what Trump wrote in a couple of brief Monday posts:
Israel and Iran must immediately stop “shooting.” …and:
Both sides, Israel and Iran, are looking to do an immediate CEASEFIRE! Final negotiations on “Peace” are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way. The Blockade will remain in place, and in full force and effect, until a “Final Deal” is reached. Things should move quickly. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Big Round of Israeli Retaliation Airstrikes on Iran
Videos of Israel’s further daytime attacks on sites across Iran have emerged, after Iran sent ballistic missile waves on Israel on Sunday, in response for the IDF renewing airstrikes on Beirut.
BREAKING NEWS: Israel is striking targets in Iran.
The Israeli Air Force carried out heavy strikes across Iran. About 15 targets in total. pic.twitter.com/3dlaht2nm5
For now, Tehran is claiming the current round is over, with Iran’s armed forces having announced the end of military operations against Israel while warning of “harsher” attacks if Israel resumes strikes on Lebanon, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spelled out the Islamic Republic’s latest justification: “Following the aggressions and acts of mischief by the brutal Zionist regime in southern Lebanon and the Dahieh area, carried out with the support of criminal America, the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in support of the oppressed people of Lebanon, delivered a painful response to this regime.” And there’s a new message from Iranian President Pezeshkian, saying:
“Diplomacy and defense are the two wings of national power; we have neither left the field nor the negotiating table… We will defend the rights of the nation with authority and will not retreat in the face of any threat.”
Massive Iranian Petrochemical Complex Hit
Israel, however, made sure to leave a massive mark before any cooling off. The Israeli military confirmed it attacked Iran’s sprawling Mahshahr petrochemical complex on Monday, marking its first strike on the critical asset since the April 7 ceasefire agreement.
The Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex, as it is formally known, is widely seen as one of the crown jewels of Iran’s energy sector. Tucked near the southern city of Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini – a vital industrial port on the Persian Gulf – the sprawling complex consists of more than 50 separate petrochemical plants producing roughly 72 million tons of products annually, according to Iran’s oil ministry.
The Israel Defense Force (IDF) released color footage of strikes on an Iranian air defense system in Iran. Per the IDF release, Israel has gained relative air superiority over western and central Iran and have struck a number of air defense systems in these areas. pic.twitter.com/WjEPzqSu3H
Iranian state media reported that one specific installation, the Karun petrochemical plant, was hit twice Monday morning. While a local official told Fars that no casualties were reported, the facility sustained notable structural damage.
IRGC: ‘Dangerous Game’
The response from Iran’s elite military branch was immediate and ominous. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps condemned the precise strike as a “dangerous game” – openly threatening to expand the scope of how it retaliates against Israel, explicitly noting that future targets will include energy-related sites.
Israel already compiled a visual strike map showing targets it hit in Iran overnight into Monday:
The latest wave of strikes in Iran involved dozens of fighter jets targeting the regime’s strategic defense systems. pic.twitter.com/A2mBGwd9LU
With both sides testing the absolute limits of the April truce, the macro risk to regional energy infrastructure has officially rocketed back to the forefront, as Trump desperately tries – or is at least appearing to – walk the two sides back from the ledge.
Vital Bab-el-Mandeb Strait (Red Sea) Under Threat: Houthis Declare “Total Ban” On Israeli Ships
On the maritime chokepoint front, Iran-backed Houthis declared a full ban on Israeli vessels in the southern Red Sea, warning that any Israeli ship (or linked ship) will be seen as a military target:
“First: We declare a complete and total ban on maritime navigation for the Israeli enemy in the Red Sea, and we consider all enemy movements to be military targets for our Armed Forces from the moment this statement is issued.”
The statement continued, “Second: We affirm that we will meet escalation with escalation, and that our military operations will escalate in line with events, the battle, and in conjunction with the axis of Jihad and Resistance.”
The announcement is similar to the Houthis’ late-2023 campaign, when rebel forces attacked ships linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports in or around the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. They framed the attacks as retaliation for the Gaza war. Potential disruption of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in the southern Red Sea will only add to the headaches for global maritime trade, as it is a critical sea route for Asia-to-Europe commerce and Gulf energy exports.
At its narrowest point, the strait is about 18 miles wide, making commercial vessels extraordinarily vulnerable to suicide drones, missiles, mines, and small boats.
More Headlines/Latest Developments
via Newsquawk…
WEEKEND MIDDLE EAST RECAP
Israel conducted airstrikes on a couple of apartment buildings in Beirut’s Dahiya district on Sunday, in what the military described as targeting a Hezbollah command centre.
Iran launched four waves of strikes against Israel on Sunday evening in retaliation for an Israeli strike on Beirut, which it stated ‘crossed all red lines’, while it threatened devastating blows if Israel expands Lebanon operations. Iran signalled a halt to attacks if Israel refrains from strikes, but vowed stronger retaliation if Israel strikes back, and it closed its western airspace until further notice.
IRGC said that the Ramat David Airbase was hit by ballistic missiles and that future attacks are to target US-Israel regional assets, while Tehran Times noted reports of missiles being fired at a US airbase in Jordan.
Israeli PM Netanyahu was reported to be holding security consultations following the latest developments, while the Israeli military said the missiles launched by Iran were intercepted, although Iran claimed a successful strike on northern Israel.
US President Trump said he was supposed to announce that a deal with Iran would be signed this week, and now this is happening, while he called for Iran to end the missile fire and return to talks. Trump also stated that he was not happy about Israel striking Beirut and that Israel’s attacks were not coordinated with the US. Furthermore, Trump said he would call Israeli PM Netanyahu to tell him not to attack Iran in response, and noted that they are close to a final deal, which he doesn’t want to blow up.
US attacked Iranian coastal surveillance sites on Saturday after shooting down drones launched towards the Strait of Hormuz. US military said that Iran had fired missiles and drones towards Kuwait and Bahrain, while drones were also fired towards 4 commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran Supreme Leader’s military adviser Rezaei said Iran’s attack on Israel on Sunday serves as a warning to Israel to cease strikes on Beirut, while he warned of a further response to aggression.
EUROPEAN MORNING IRAN CONFLICT UPDATES
US President Trump posted “Israel and Iran must immediately stop shooting.”
US President Trump said Israeli PM Netanyahu will have no choice but to accept whatever deal the US negotiates with Iran because he calls the shots. Trump stated that Iran’s strikes had not changed his desire to conclude US-Iran negotiations and he thinks the deal is going on, but we will see what happens, and he would consider a commando raid on Iran if a deal failed, according to FT.
US told Israel to hold off for a few days to allow space for a deal, with a joint action plan to proceed if talks fail. It was separately reported by Tasnim, citing Israel’s Channel 12, that Israeli PM Netanyahu tried to object to US President Trump’s request not to react to Iran during a phone call, but in the end accepted it.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said Washington is responsible for the current situation because it is a party to the ceasefire agreement, and the ceasefire has been continuously and repeatedly violated by the opposing sides. Action is to be taken whenever deemed necessary to defend the country’s interests. On the ceasefire agreement, the spokesperson said that ending the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire agreement, and when this clause is violated, the diplomatic track is also affected. Furthermore, he said the message exchange is ongoing with the US and Pakistan’s Interior Minister visited Tehran to push negotiations. Lastly, he said they are not talking about the issues of enriched uranium or enrichment at this stage.
Iran’s IRGC said that by taking action against civilian targets and targeting oil industries, Israel has targeted a dangerous game which will encompass all energy targets in the region and consequences for the global economy belong to the US. Iran’s IRGC further said that we are ready to carry out operations on all fronts, and our response has been planned based on various enemy scenarios.
An Iranian source said that “Iran is prepared for a long-term war… The coming days will show that the calculations of the Israelis and Americans are always wrong”, Tasnim reported.
Iranian Supreme Leader senior adviser said on Sunday that Tehran threatened to block the Bab-al Mandab if Israel escalates its attack, according to CNN citing IRIB.
Yemen’s Houthis announce a complete and total ban on Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea. The Houthis also claimed responsibility for a missile attack in Israel and said banning navigation to the enemy is a preliminary step and the group is prepared for additional steps against any escalation.
Israeli projectile hit an Iranian petrochemical plant, with the Karun petrochemical plant damaged in Khuzestan province.
Israel’s army expects the exchange of strikes with Iran to continue for several days, Al Hadath reported.
Israeli Minister Smotrich is expected to propose at the next Security Cabinet meeting that Israel should respond to every Iranian missile launched at Israel by striking 20-30 buildings in Beirut’s Dehaya district, journalist Stein reported.
Israeli military said the Israeli Air Force struck military targets belonging to the Iranian regime in western and central Iran.
Throughout Monday in Iran, there have been reports of loud explosions in Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Kermanshah and Karaj, while explosions were reportedly heard in southern Lebanon. Additionally, there were some arab sources reporting explosions at the Prince Sultan Air Base in central Saudi Arabia, however involvement was denied by Iran.
Drone attack reported from Yemen towards Israeli targets, according to Tasnim.
