Vice President JD Vance on Saturday headed to peace talks in Switzerland, signaling renewed efforts to keep an agreement signed earlier this week by President Trump on track after Iranian security officials said they had closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Archiv: Sabotage (de / en)
JD Vance Unloads On Israel For Not Backing ‚Only Powerful Ally‘ It Has Left
At times, he said, “We seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough in the agreement, and then all of a sudden there’s a major explosion that goes off in a major population center in Beirut, and a lot of people who have nothing to do with Hezbollah lose their lives, and that’s not acceptable.”
Vance said Trump has become frustrated with Israel for attacking Lebanon.
‚Wake Up and Smell the Reality‘: JD Vance Warns Israel to Abide by Trump’s Iran Deal
(June 18, 2026)
In response to those attacks, Vance pointed out that two-thirds of Israel’s defense weapons have been built and paid for by Americans and that the problem for Israel “is not Donald Trump.”
“Anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the President of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation in that country,” he added.
Vance Issues Blunt Warning to Israel as He Defends Trump’s Deal
Vice President JD Vance on Thursday delivered an extraordinarily direct rebuke to Israeli critics of the U.S.-Iran peace agreement, as he sought to defend the preliminary deal with repeated misrepresentations of some of its terms.
“Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time,” Mr. Vance said. He added, “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”
Ending the Costly, Unnecessary Iran War Is the Right Thing. Period.
The task now is not to reward Trump politically, nor to excuse the recklessness that produced this war. It is to prevent the war from returning. Democrats can condemn the decision to start it without sabotaging the agreement that ends it. They can hold Trump accountable without helping Netanyahu drag the United States back into conflict. The choice before them is not between opposing Trump and supporting peace. It is between learning from America’s endless wars and repeating them.
Trump says Netanyahu „has to be more responsible“ with Lebanon, recent Israeli attack there was „too much“
Mr. Trump said Tuesday that Netanyahu „has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon.“
„[I] didn‘t like where two hours before we‘re signing the agreement that there was an attack in Lebanon, in Beirut,“ Mr. Trump said Tuesday. He also described the attack as „vicious,“ saying it was „too much.“
But the president added he and Netanyahu have a „great relationship,“ and „we‘re talking about some end details.“
Ex-Israeli premier urges removal of Netanyahu ‘with sticks, stones’ if elections are sabotaged
Barak argued that Netanyahu “could sabotage the elections by launching operations in Lebanon that would provoke retaliation from Hezbollah and Iran.
“Netanyahu wants an endless war because he understands that ending it would accelerate his trial,” Barak said. “Just as he obstructed some prisoner-exchange deals (with Hamas), he also blocked the possibility of progress in Lebanon.”
Netanyahu is currently standing trial in Israel on corruption charges and is also wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) since 2024 on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
This morning’s attack on Beirut should not have happened, particularly on a special day when we are so close to a Peace Deal with Iran.
Israel has the right to defend itself against threats, but the attack it was responding to was very small and meaningless, nobody was hurt, injured, or killed, and should not disrupt this important process. We are very close to a Deal that will bring peace to the region, including to Lebanon, and all sides should stand down. There should be no more attacks by Israel anywhere in Lebanon, but there should also be no more attacks by any other party, including Hezbollah, against Israel. This could be the beginning of a long and beautiful peace — Let’s not blow it! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP
Iran warns Israel‘s Beirut strike could derail U.S. deal
Behind the scenes: The Israeli military notified the U.S. Central Command shortly before the Beirut strike, Israeli and U.S. officials say.
It is not clear whether the White House gave it a green light.
What they are saying: Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf signaled the Israeli strike on Beirut could undermine the U.S.–Iran deal.
Possible US-Iran deal marks ‘moment of danger’ for Lebanon
As regional powers are discussing whether or not Lebanon is included in a deal between Iran and the US, this isn’t necessarily a moment of peace here. In fact, it is a moment of danger, just like it was on April 8, when there were discussions on whether or not Lebanon was going to be included in the deal.
The Israeli prime minister and his military made it clear that it would not be, and later that afternoon it turned into the deadliest day of the war as more than 350 people were killed.
UN observes heavy Israeli troop and air movements near border
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said peacekeepers in southern Lebanon continue to observe extensive Israeli military activity, including “high-density armoured movements, large-scale engineering and demolition works and sustained logistical traffic” in areas near the border.
Dujarric said the UN peacekeeping mission, Unifil, also recorded intensive air activity involving fighter aircraft and drones.
US strikes radar installations in Iran’s Goruk and Qeshm Island
The United States military said it attacked radar sites on Iran’s southern coast Friday in the latest flare-up to threaten the ceasefire in the Middle East conflict.
US Central Command said in a statement that its forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones launched toward the Strait of Hormuz, then attacked Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in the city of Goruk and on Qeshm Island.
Centcom says US shot down Iranian radars and drones near Strait of Hormuz
6 June 2026 00:59 BST
US Central Command (Centcom) said American forces shot down four Iranian attack drones that were launched towards the Strait of Hormuz, describing the aircraft as an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic.
In a statement posted on X, Centcom said US forces subsequently struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island “to defend against further attacks”.
House blocks Rep. Rashida Tlaib‘s war powers resolution on Lebanon
The resolution, introduced by Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, directs the president to remove U.S. armed forces „from Lebanon“ within seven days of the measure‘s adoption. It failed in a 92 to 324 vote, with two voting present.
„Currently, there are no U.S. servicemembers involved in combat operations or hostilities in Lebanon,“ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a statement before the vote.
House Dems Coming Around on Iran War — But Won’t Vote to Stop Israel’s Destruction of Lebanon
House Democrats voted unanimously on Wednesday against continuing the Iran war without congressional approval — but a day later, Democratic leaders helped defeat a similar measure aimed at Israel’s parallel war in Lebanon.
The second measure failed 324-92 Thursday afternoon, a day after passage of a war powers resolution focused on Iran sent a message to the Trump administration.
Ninety-one Democrats voted for the measure sponsored by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., to block U.S. support for Israel’s assault on Lebanon. 117 Democrats voted against.
Report: Israel Pressing the US To Assassinate Iran’s Lead Negotiator
Israel is pressing the US to restart heavy airstrikes on Iran that would involve the targeted killing of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, one of Tehran’s lead negotiators, and attacks on the country’s oil infrastructure, Capital & Empire reported on Thursday.
The report, which cited US sources familiar with a classified report circulating within the US intelligence community, said Israel is aggressively pushing for the US to abandon talks with Iran and insisting that destroying oil infrastructure in the country could bring about regime change while also downplaying the impact the renewed full-scale war will have on the global economy.
Iran War Live Updates: White House Denies Iranian State Media’s Outline of ‘Unofficial’ Deal
The reported draft agreement said Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in return for the United States’ lifting its naval blockade.
Meeks Statement on Republicans Pulling Iran War Powers Vote
(May 21, 2026)
„Let’s be clear: Republicans pulled this vote because they knew they were going to lose it. They know this war is a political and strategic disaster. They know that as Americans head into Memorial Day weekend paying over 4.50 a gallon at the pump, they cannot go home and explain they voted to keep this war going. So instead of casting that vote, they ran from it.
„This is not over. When the House returns, Republicans will have no choice but to take this vote. Democrats will not stop fighting until Congress reasserts its constitutional authority and this war is brought to an end.“
The Real Reason Mike Johnson Sent Congress Home Early
(May 21, 2026)
House Republican leaders yanked a planned vote to restrict President Trump’s ability to conduct military strikes against Iran, after it became clear that the resolution, forced to the floor by Democrats, would likely pass.
“You don’t have the votes!” Democrats shouted in a heated moment on the House floor, when Republicans moved to delay the vote until after lawmakers return from a weeklong Memorial Day recess.
Mystery PACs roil Democratic primaries
Yet Lead Left PAC has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on Galindo’s behalf ahead of Tuesday’s primary runoff. Democrats are accusing Republicans of orchestrating the effort.
“You have an openly bigoted person who has no business in elected office getting boosted by a Republican PAC,” Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) said. “So the Republican leadership here, of course, is going to go to great lengths to hide that.”
The district is a Trump +10, and Galindo would certainly be a weaker opponent for the GOP in November than Garcia.
The Congressional Leadership Fund, the GOP super PAC aligned with House Republican leaders, has declined to say if it’s behind Lead Left PAC.
Democrat rebuked by party for antisemitic remarks will lose Texas House runoff, CNN projects
Galindo caught Democrats off guard when she placed first in the March 3 primary, despite spending just a few thousand dollars on her campaign. After a mysterious super PAC spent nearly $1 million boosting her bid, Democrats were forced to grapple with the possibility that she could win the nomination — an outcome the party worried could jeopardize its chances in the district and tie them to rhetoric they’ve denounced.
Iranian analyst says Trump retreated from two key elements in proposal
According to the analyst, the changes involved a ceasefire provision that was expected to cover Lebanon and the issue of unfreezing certain Iranian assets.
Ahmadian said the shift came after a phone call between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Leader’s advisor: Iran will break US naval blockade, exit NPT if attacked again
“If you enter the Persian Gulf, first of all, we will give a tough, painful and unprecedented response and break the naval blockade,” he warned Washington.
“But more importantly, we may withdraw from the NPT. Do you know what will happen to you if we withdraw? So… don‘t commit suicide.”
Atomwaffensperrvertrag: Keine Einigung
Themen waren unter anderem die Atomprogramme des Irans und Nordkoreas.
Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on the Eleventh Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
Delivered by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General
The Secretary-General expresses his disappointment at the inability of the Eleventh Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to reach consensus on a substantive outcome and to seize this critical opportunity to make our world safer.
UN event on nuclear non-proliferation treaty stumbles, US and Iran clash
There was no consensus among the 191 parties to the NPT, the third failure in a row at a conference reviewing the treaty
(…)
Britain’s Rebecca Johnson, founding executive director of the Acronym Institute for Disarmament Diplomacy, had harsh criticism for both the US and Russia, the two largest nuclear powers, which she said “double down on nuclear threats, blame others and try to undermine or ignore the NPT’s nuclear disarmament commitments and related agreements”.