A new poll revealed that the majority of the American public wants a fresh face in the Oval Office, and not a recycling of President Biden or former President Trump.
Biden will be two weeks shy of 82 years old by the time of the November 2024 elections; Trump will be 78 years old.
A June 10th <a href="https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/2e7fbuwkn8/20220610_yahoo_tabs.pdf">Yahoo/YouGov poll</a> found a whopping 64% of respondents felt Biden should not run for reelection in 2024;  only 21% thought he should run again while 15% could not decide which side to take.
Across the board it did not matter whom the poll surveyed; all groups wound up with roughly the same percentage of respondents agreeing Biden should not run. 66% of women, 62% of men, 65% of those ages 18-29, 60% of those ages 30-44, and 65% of those age 45 and older agreed. 66% of whites and 65% of Hispanics also felt Biden should not run. The only group that was somewhat less hostile to Biden running again were African American respondents, among whom 49% thought he should not run.
In a telling statistic,  a massive 76% of independents did not want Biden to run again. Additionally, 40% of people who voted for Biden in 2020 do not want him to run again.
The results were not much better for Trump.
The Yahoo/YouGov poll found that 55% of respondents felt Trump should not run for reelection in 2024;  31% thought he should run again while 14% could not decide which side to take.
Again, across the board it did not matter whom the poll surveyed; all groups wound up with roughly the same percentage of respondents agreeing Trump should not run. 58% of women, 52% of men, 58% of those ages 18-29, 46% of those ages 30-44, and 55% of those age 45 and older agreed. 50% of whites and 58% of Hispanics also felt Trump should not run. The only group tremendously more hostile to Trump were African American respondents, among whom a massive 75% thought he should not run.
57% of independents thought Trump should not run, with a substantial 29% of Republicans concurring with independents on the questions.
In a potential 2024 head-to-head matchup, Trump clung to a three-point lead over Biden, 42%-39%. This is a substantial shift from the popular vote margin in the 2020 election, in which Biden took 51% of the vote while Trump garnered 47%, which amounted to an approximately 7 million vote margin.
The survey continues by asking the respondents what their chief issue is when thinking about next year&#8217;s election, with 37% of respondents selecting inflation, 10% selecting crime and health care respectively, and 9% selecting immigration. 39% of respondents thought the Republican Party would handle inflation better; only 26% of respondents preferred Democrats.

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Majority Of Americans Want Fresh Face, Not Biden Or Trump, Poll Says

CONTINUE READING

In the wake of President Donald Trump&#8217;s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, an Iranian general who serves as the senior advisor to the military&#8217;s commander-in-chief boasted that the Iranians will chop off Trump&#8217;s hands, slit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#8217;s throat, and annihilate all U.S. military assets in the Middle East in the &#8220;blink of an eye.&#8221;
“In addition to chopping off Trump’s hand,&#8221; Iranian general Ebrahim Jabbari said, &#8220;by means of the divine wisdom of our beloved Leader, who is more precious to us than our own lives, we must slit Netanyahu’s throat, and send him to Hell for all eternity.”
Jabbari spoke on Iran’s Channel 3. His appearance was viewed, reported, and translated by <a href="https://www.memri.org/tv/ebrahim-jabbari-threatens-trump-netanyahu-annihilate-israel">MEMRI</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Iranian General Ebrahim Jabbari, Advisor to IRGC Chief, on Iran State TV: We Must Chop Off Trump’s Hand, Slit Netanyahu’s Throat, Annihilate Israel <a href="https://t.co/c9INFEDfnN">pic.twitter.com/c9INFEDfnN</a>
&mdash; MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) <a href="https://twitter.com/MEMRIReports/status/1937117543933886576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
The female presenter, in typical hyperbolic Iranian regime fashion — and unwittingly confirming the Iranian regime’s desire to murder Israeli civilians —  boasted of Iran’s attacks on Israel, claiming without evidence that Israeli reports said “there were over 500 casualties in our attacks yesterday.&#8221;
&#8220;In addition almost 300 people are missing and they are stuck under the rubble and about 200 people are injured. More than 200. So in our operations yesterday alone, more than 1,000 people are killed or injured, or are still missing.”
“That is correct,” Jabbari replied, continuing with more fantasies — especially considering Israel’s remarkable success in destroying Iran’s air defenses, missile launchers and killing Iran’s top nuclear scientists and military leaders — saying, “Perhaps America joined the war because we were very close to annihilating Israel. It was in the closing stages.”
“We must not lift our boot from Netanyahu’s throat and the throats of the Zionist criminals,” he bragged. “In addition to chopping off Trump’s hand,  by means of the divine wisdom of our beloved Leader, who is more precious to us than our own lives, we must slit Netanyahu’s throat, and send him to Hell for all eternity.”
“The Zionist idea, in general, is a Satanic ideology that needs to depart this world,” said the female presenter representing the largest terror-supporting government on the planet/ Everybody who lives there, the young and the old, they are all occupiers, plunderers, and enemies.”
Hilariously, she claimed, “Now they are fleeing in boats. Yes, just like you came in boats, you need to flee in boats.”
“America’s biggest asset in the region is not its warships and bases. These will be annihilated in the blink of an eye,” Jabbari again boasted, then claimed of Israel, spitting directly in the face of reality, , “They fail to intercept even a single missile of ours.”

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Iranian General Makes Absurd Boasts, Calls For ‘Chopping Off Trump’s Hand’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing the reality that China would be severely damaged by Iran’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, challenged the Chinese government on Sunday to tell the despotic Iranian regime not to do so.
“China in particular buys more oil from Iran than any other nation &#8211; with its imports from Iran surpassing 1.8 million barrels per day last month, according to data by ship tracking firm Vortexa,” the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c056pyv723vo">noted</a>. Iran&#8217;s state-run Press TV reported that the Iranian Parliament had endorsed closing the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision would be made by the Supreme National Security Council.
“Do you expect Iran to move to close the Strait of Hormuz, to try to disrupt oil transportation across the world?” Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo asked Rubio on Fox&#8217;s &#8220;Sunday Morning Futures.&#8221;
“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them [Iran] about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio answered. “If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake; it’s economic suicide for them if they do it. And we retain options to deal with that, but other countries should be looking at that as well. It would hurt other countries&#8217; economies a lot worse than ours. It would be, I think, a massive escalation that would merit a response, not just by us, but from others.”
“So, look, they’re going to say what they need to say, you know,” he continued. “These are the things that need to happen for their own internal politics, and so forth. But in the end, we’re going to judge them by the actions that they take moving forward. We had three objectives; we struck those three objectives with decisive force, and that was the point of this mission. And what happens next will depend on what they do. If they want to negotiate, we’re ready to negotiate. If they want to get cute, and do things that are dangerous, we have responses available that are devastating.”
Rubio&#8217;s words may well have been heard in China; on Monday, it was reported that China warned Iran to back down from its threat to close the Strait.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
China warns Iran after its threats to close the Strait of Hormuz: “The Persian Gulf and surrounding waters are critical trade routes and must remain stable and open.” <a href="https://t.co/xzIrnzkVQd">pic.twitter.com/xzIrnzkVQd</a>
&mdash; Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) <a href="https://twitter.com/PolymarketIntel/status/1937133481378619475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
“We estimate that 84% of the crude oil and condensate and 83% of the liquefied natural gas that moved through the Strait of Hormuz went to Asian markets in 2024,” the U.S. Energy Information Administration has <a href="https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65504">reported</a>. “China, India, Japan, and South Korea were the top destinations for crude oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz to Asia, accounting for a combined 69% of all Hormuz crude oil and condensate flows in 2024. These markets would likely be most affected by supply disruptions at Hormuz.”
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Rubio Challenges China: Tell Iran Not To Close Strait Of Hormuz. The Next Day, China Warns Iran.

The exiled Crown Prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, is calling on the Iranian people to rid themselves of the tyrannical Islamic regime, declaring, “This is our Berlin Wall moment.”
Pahlavi referred to the historic November 1989 moment when Germans on both sides of the Berlin Wall separating east and West Germany surged forward and crossed over the wall, marking the beginning of the end of East Germany’s repressive government.
Pahlavi, speaking in Paris at a press conference, called for Iran Supreme leader Ali Khamenei to step down, asserting, “Our beloved Iran has been dragged into a devastating conflict, the architect of which is no other than Ali Khamenei and his corrupt destructive faction. He has driven our nation’s economy to the brink of collapse, plundered our national infrastructure and resources, squandered the nation’s wealth on developing nuclear weapons, shattered Iran’s security, and stolen the sovereignty of the Iranian people.”
“Credible reports indicate that Ali Khamenei’s family and the family of senior officials are making preparations to flee Iran. The regime is on its last legs in towns and cities across the country. The military is fractured,” he noted.
“I am establishing a formal channel for military security and police personnel to reach out directly to me, my team, and our expanding operation,” he announced. “This is a secure platform to efficiently manage the growing volume of inbound communications and requests from those breaking with the regime and seeking to join our movement.”
Pahlavi&#8217;s speech came just a day after President Donald Trump called for &#8220;regime change&#8221; in Iran, saying it was time to &#8220;Make Iran Great Again.&#8221;
&#8220;If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn&#8217;t there be a Regime change???&#8221; Trump wrote.
Pahlavi warned that the destruction of the Natanz, Esfahan, and Fordow enrichment facilities had diminished the regime’s domestic nuclear enrichment, but did not diminish the regime’s intent to acquire and use nuclear weapons. “The regime, enraged and emboldened, will be seeking revenge, and can, it can nuclear weapons from other rogue regimes like North Korea,” he stated. “The destruction of the regime’s nuclear facilities alone will not deliver peace, but the path I offer can. So work with us to ensure a peaceful transition. Now is not the time for hesitation. Now is the time for principled action from each of us.”
Looking forward, he said:
<blockquote>
Our transition and future democracy will be based on these three core principles: Iran’s territorial integrity, individual liberties and equality of all citizens; separation of religion and state. The final form of this future democracy we seek will be for the Iranian people to decide in a national referendum. What I offer is not just a vision for the future of our country, but a plan to execute a peaceful orderly transition. To achieve that, today I am announcing the following initial steps: First, I will convene a national unity summit. This gathering will include activists, dissidents, and groups from across the ideological spectrum who agree to these three principles. It will not be limited just to political groups, but business leaders, professionals, experts, and other groups with influence across Iranian society. This summit’s objective will be to agree on a road map for democratic transition and reconstruction. Second, in parallel to the democratic process, I am developing an economic plan to rebuild Iran. We have already launched the Iran Prosperity Project, a comprehensive plan for the economic reconstruction and social stabilization of our country in three phases. The emergency phase or the first 4 to 6 months; the establishment phase of 18 to 24 months, and the normalization phase, which is long-term.
</blockquote>
“Imagine this new Iran: a free and democratic Iran, living at peace with our neighbors, an engine of growth and opportunity in the region, a beacon of culture, innovation, and pride in the world. It is within our reach,” he declared. “We are a proud, ancient, resilient people. The task before us Iranians today  is no less than the ones faced by the great leaders, the great unifiers, the great builders of our history, like Cyrus the Great. As we embark on the final steps of this path to national revival, to liberation, to peace, we continue to be inspired by him. &#8230; This is our moment. I am with you. Let us build this Iran together.”
The full text of the speech is below:
<blockquote>
My fellow compatriots: Our beloved Iran has been dragged into a devastating conflict, the architect of which is no other than Ali Khamenei and his corrupt destructive faction. He has driven our nation’s economy to the brink of collapse, plundered our national infrastructure and resources, squandered the nation’s wealth on developing nuclear weapons, shattered Iran’s security, and stolen the sovereignty of the Iranian people.
This regime is defeated, teetering on the edge of collapse. and must not be allowed to continue. The time has come to end this reign and begin a new era for Iran. This is a new dawn for Iran‘s lion and sun.
Ladies and gentlemen, over the past few days I have spoken with people across Iran from every walk of life; an officer in the Armed Forces; a mother fleeing Tehran; a factory worker from Tabriz; a young woman activist for the Women, Life, Freedom Movement. These voices represent a nation embattled but resilient that is not asking for his freedom; it is fighting for it.
From the 1999 student protests to the Green Movement to the 2017 Dey and 2019 Aban  uprisings,  thousands of Iranians have given their lives in the fight for Iran‘s liberation. Today, millions of my brave compatriots continue the fight.
One of their stories moved me deeply: In September 2022 Javad Heydari was murdered, protesting the Islamic republic’s killing of Mahsa Amini. His sister has continued his fight. She’s one of the hundreds of activists the regime has arrested and harassed in recent days. When security forces raided her home, she cried out, “Oh God, where shall we go? Where shall we go to flee from your tyranny?” One by one her neighbors began to respond to her: “We’re not going anywhere. They (meaning the regime)are the ones who’ve got to go.”
These words echo in my heart and should echo in every corner of power around the world. Today it is clearer than ever. The Islamic Republic is collapsing. Credible reports indicate that Ali Khamenei’s family and the family of senior officials are making preparations to flee Iran. The regime is on its last legs in towns and cities across the country. The military is fractured. The people are united; the foundations of this 46-year tyranny are shaking.
This is our Berlin Wall moment.
But like all moments of great change, it comes fraught with danger. We stand at a crossroads. One road leads to bloodshed and chaos; the other, a peaceful and democratic transition. The difference in these two roads depends on one factor and one factor alone: whether the current regime in Iran is allowed to survive. If the West throws the regime a lifeline. there will be more bloodshed and chaos because this regime will not submit or surrender after it has been humiliated. It will lash out.
As long as it is in power, no country and no people are safe, whether on the streets of Washington, Paris, Jerusalem, Riyadh, or Tehran. There’s only one way to achieve peace: a secular, democratic, Iran.
I am here today to submit myself to my compatriots to lead them down this road of peace and democratic transition. I do not seek political power, but rather to help our great nation navigate through this critical hour toward stability, freedom and justice.
To the people of Iran: I see your courage. I feel your pain. I know you are suffering. I know many of you are afraid for your loved ones, your children, your future. So I speak to you with a heavy heart. I worked for years, for decades, so that the scourge of war would never reach the borders of our land. Seeing the images of the people of Tehran forced to flee our beautiful capital, the explosions in Esfahan; the fires along the Persian Gulf; all fill me with pain.
But more than pain, I am filled with anger because this war is the result of the selfishness, hatred and terror of one man: Ali Khamenei. While he directs this war from the safety of his hidden bunker, he uses our people as human shields.
It is time to end the suffering. So today, I have a direct message for Ali Khamenei: Step down.  And if you do, you will receive a fair trial and due process of law, which is more than you have ever given any Iranian.
To other senior regime officials, those of you whose who hands are soiled with the blood of the Iranian people, you too will have to face justice, but we will not repeat the mistakes in other failed transitions.
To those who are loyal to the Iranian nation and not the Islamic Republic, there is a future for you in a democratic Iran — if you join the people now. The choice is yours to make. I know these officers, these soldiers, these brave men exist because they are reaching out to me and telling me they want to be part of this national salvation. But now greater coordination is needed.
So, to that end, today I am announcing that I am establishing a formal channel for military security and police personnel to reach out directly to me, my team, and our expanding operation. This is a secure platform to efficiently manage the growing volume of inbound communications and requests from those breaking with the regime and seeking to join our movement.
For those patriotic members of our own forces: The time is now to join the nation. If you do, I will make sure your service to Iran is not forgotten and is celebrated. To the international community: Now is the moment to stand with the Iranian people. Do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Do not throw this regime a lifeline. You are right to be concerned about stopping nuclear weapons and securing regional stability. Only a democratic transition in Iran can ensure these goals are achieved and are lasting. Take, for example, the destruction of Natanz, Esfahan, and Fordow enrichment facilities. Yes, this has diminished the regime’s domestic nuclear enrichment, but it does not diminish the regime’s intent to acquire and use nuclear weapons. The regime, enraged and emboldened, will be seeking revenge, and can, it can nuclear weapons from other rogue regimes like North Korea.
The destruction of the regime’s nuclear facilities alone will not deliver peace, but the path I offer can. So work with us to ensure a peaceful transition. Now is not the time for hesitation. Now is the time for principled action from each of us.
46 years ago when my late father and our family were forced to leave Iran,  I took an oath to God and my country: I would not turn my back on Iran or the Iranian people. Every day since I have dedicated my life to my compatriots, and today, I am here to put myself at their service. I am stepping forward to lead this national transition, not out of personal interest, but as a servant of the Iranian people. I have a clear plan for transition and national renewal. Our transition and future democracy will be based on these three core principles: Iran’s territorial integrity, individual liberties and equality of all citizens; separation of religion and state. The final form of this future democracy we seek will be for the Iranian people to decide in a national referendum. What I offer is not just a vision for the future of our country, but a plan to execute a peaceful orderly transition.
To achieve that, today I am announcing the following initial steps: First, I will convene a national unity summit. This gathering will include activists, dissidents, and groups from across the ideological spectrum who agree to these three principles. It will not be limited just to political groups, but business leaders, professionals, experts, and other groups with influence across Iranian society. This summit’s objective will be to agree on a road map for democratic transition and reconstruction. Second, in parallel to the democratic process, I am developing an economic plan to rebuild Iran. We have already launched the Iran Prosperity Project, a comprehensive plan for the economic reconstruction and social stabilization of our country in three phases. The emergency phase or the first 4 to 6 months; the establishment phase of 18 to 24 months, and the normalization phase, which is long-term.
In the coming days, my team of experts will publish the plans for the first hundred days after the collapse of the Islamic Republic based on this work. We are bringing together some of the world‘s greatest investors, builders, entrepreneurs, and experts who care about Iran, and see its immense potential. They stand ready to put in the expertise, the talent, and the capital to rebuild our nation and turn it into one of the world‘s most attractive markets. Imagine this new Iran: a free and democratic Iran, living at peace with our neighbors, an engine of growth and opportunity in the region, a beacon of culture, innovation, and pride in the world. It is within our reach.
We are a proud, ancient, resilient people. The task before us Iranians today  is no less than the ones faced by the great leaders, the great unifiers, the great builders of our history, like Cyrus the Great. As we embark on the final steps of this path to national revival, to liberation, to peace, we continue to be inspired by him.
To my compatriots: This is our moment. I am with you. Let us build this Iran together. Thank you.
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‘This Is Our Berlin Wall Moment’: Crown Prince Of Iran Calls For Islamic Regime To Step Down

On Sunday, Israel Defense Forces announced they had recovered the bodies of three Israeli hostages murdered by Hamas who had been held since October 7, 2023.
“The bodies of SSGT Shay Levinson, Yonatan Samerano and Ofra Keidar, who were held hostage for 625 days in Gaza, have been recovered in a joint IDF and ISA military operation,” the IDF announced.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Bodies of 3 Deceased Hostages Recovered
The bodies of SSGT Shay Levinson, Yonatan Samerano and Ofra Keidar, who were held hostage for 625 days in Gaza, have been recovered in a joint IDF and ISA military operation.
May their memories be a blessing. <a href="https://t.co/8FUo9XJwXo">pic.twitter.com/8FUo9XJwXo</a>
&mdash; Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1936715024711450746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
Keidar, 71, from Kibbutz Be’eri, was mother of three and the wife of Shmuel Keidar, who was murdered by Hamas in their home, Israel National News <a href="https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/410445">reported</a>. “Yonatan Samerano was brutally murdered and abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, by Hamas terrorists, including a UNRWA employee, after fleeing the Nova music festival. Yonatan was 21 years old at the time of his death.”
Levinson, 19, was a tank commander in the “Oz” Battalion and was captured fighting Hamas terrorists on October 7.
 “Yesterday was Yonati’s Hebrew birthday,” Samerano’s father Kobi stated. “On his 23rd birthday, on the very day he was born, our Yonati was rescued in a heroic operation by the brave soldiers of the IDF and the Shin Bet. From the first moment, I believed with all my heart that our army would bring back my son. I never stopped believing, and that’s exactly what happened.&#8221;
“Our hearts are with the Keidar, Samerano, and Levinson families today,” the Hostages Families Forum stated. “Alongside the grief and pain, their return provides some comfort to the families who have waited in agony, uncertainty, and doubt for 625 days. We wish to express our deep gratitude to the IDF and security forces who acted with dedication and courage. The return of all the hostages is an essential condition for the process of national healing and recovery.”
&#8220;Particularly against the backdrop of current military developments and the significant achievements in Iran, we want to emphasize that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving complete Israeli victory. There is a historic window of opportunity—the significant regional achievements enable Israel to end the war from a position of clear strength. The return of all hostages through a comprehensive deal—this is in Israel&#8217;s interest, this is the next stage, and this is the victory of this war. There will be no victory until the last hostage returns,” the forum added.

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Israeli Forces Retrieve Bodies Of 3 Hostages Killed By Hamas

On Sunday, General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered his statement to the American public regarding the military details of Operation Midnight Hammer, in which the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear sites. Caine emphasized the precision and surprise of the attack and the incredibly tight security regarding the secrecy of the mission, pointing out that both on the way in and the way out, no shots were fired at the U.S. aircraft.
“Any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks &#8230; would be an incredibly poor choice,” he stated bluntly.
Full transcript below:
<blockquote>
Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thanks for recognizing all of our folks out there doing our nation’s work, and nice to see everybody on this early Sunday morning.
Last night, on the President’s orders, U.S. Central Command, under the command of General Eric Kurilla, executed Operation Midnight Hammer: a deliberate and precise strike against three Iranian nuclear facilities. This was a complex and high-risk mission carried out with exceptional skill and discipline by our joint force. I want to thank every service member, planner, operator, that made this mission possible. Their actions reflect the highest standards of the United States armed forces.
This operation was designed to severely degrade Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure. It was planned and executed across multiple domains and theaters with coordination that reflects our ability to project power globally with speed and precision at the time and place of our nation’s choosing. This was a highly classified mission with very few people in Washington knowing the timing or nature of this plan. I’ll refer you to the graphic on the side as I walk you through some of the operational details.
At midnight Friday into Saturday morning a large B2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States. As part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the package proceeded to the west and into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa.
The main strike package comprised of seven B2 Spirit bombers, each with two crewmembers, proceeded quietly to the East with minimal communications. Throughout the 18-hour flight into the target area. the aircraft completed multiple inflight refuelings. Once over land, the B2‘s linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex tightly-timed maneuver requiring exact synchronization across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communication communications.
This type of integration is exactly what our joint force does better than anyone else in the world.
At approximately 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time last night and just prior to the strike package entering Iran, a U.S. submarine in the central command area of responsibility launched more than two dozen Tomahawk plane attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets at Esfahan. As the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace, the U.S. employed several deception tactics, including decoys, as the fourth and fifth generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed, sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface-to-air missile threats.
The strike package was supported by U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Cyber Command, U.S. Space Command, U.S. Space Force, and U.S. European Command. As the strike package approached Fordow and Natanz, the U.S. protection package employed high-speed suppression weapons to ensure safe passage of the strike package, with fighter assets employing preemptive, suppressing fires against any potential Iranian surface-to-air threats.
We are currently unaware of any shots fired at the U.S. strike package on the way in. At approximately 6:40 p.m. Eastern Standard time, 2:10 a.m. Iran time. The lead B2 dropped two GU 57 massive ordinance penetrator weapons on the first of several aim points at Fordow. As the president stated last night, the remaining bombers then hit their targets as well. with a total of 14 MOPs dropped against two nuclear target areas. All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. Eastern time. Again that’s about 2:10 in the morning local time in Iran, with the Tomahawk missiles being the last to strike a Esfahan to ensure we retained the element of surprise throughout the operation.
Following weapons released the Midnight Hammer strike package exited Iranian airspace, and the package began its return home. We are unaware of any shots fired at the package on the way out. Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface-to-air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission. We retained the element of surprise.
In total, U.S. forces employed approximately 75 precision-guided weapons during this operation. This included, as the president stated last night, 14 30,000 pound GBU- 57 massive ordinance penetrators, marking the first-ever operational use of this weapon.
I know that battle damage is great interest; final battle damage will take some time but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction. More than 125 U.S. aircraft participated in this mission, including B2 stealth bombers, multiple flights of fourth and fifth generation fighters, dozens and dozens of air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine, and a full array of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as hundreds of maintenance and operational professionals.
As the Secretary said, this was the largest B2 operational strike in U.S. history and the second longest B2 mission ever flown, exceeded only by those in the days following 9/11.
Well prior to the strike, General Kurilla elevated force protection measures across the region, especially in Iraq, Syria and the Gulf. Our forces remain on high alert and are fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks, which would be an incredibly poor choice.
We will defend ourselves.
The safety of our service members and civilians remains our highest priority.
This mission demonstrates the unmatched reach, coordination, and capability of the United States military; in just a matter of weeks, this went from strategic planning to global execution. This operation underscores the unmatched capabilities and global reach of the United States military. As the President clearly said last night, no other military in the world could have done this. I join the President and the Secretary in being incredibly proud of the air crews, naval forces, cyber operators, planners and support teams and commanders who made this mission possible; it is their skill, discipline, and teamwork that makes this operation possible.
I am particularly proud of our discipline related to operational security, something that was a great concern to the President, the Secretary, General Kurilla and me. And we will continue to focus on this. As we stand here this morning, many assets are still airborne and we have hundreds deployed. I ask that we keep our war fighters on their way home and our deployed service members in our thoughts. Our joint force remains ready to defend United States our troops and our interest in the region. Thank you very much.
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‘Retained The Element Of Surprise’: Trump’s Top General Gives Details On Operation Midnight Hammer

On Sunday, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivered a statement to the American public in which he called the U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities an &#8220;overwhelming success,&#8221; noted that President Trump has not wavered from his long-stated intention to eliminate Iran&#8217;s nuclear weapons program, stated bluntly that &#8220;American deterrence is back,&#8221; and paid tribute to all the members of the American military who participated in Operation Midnight Hammer,&#8221; praising them as &#8220;warriors.&#8221;
Hegseth&#8217;s statement below:
<blockquote>
Thank you for joining us this morning. Last night, on President Trump&#8217;s orders, U.S. Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran: Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan, in order to destroy or severely degrade Iran’s nuclear program. And as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs will demonstrate, it was an incredible and overwhelming success.
The order we received from our Commander-in-Chief was focused; it was powerful, and it was clear. We devastated the Iranian nuclear program, but it’s worth noting the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people.
For the entirety of his time office, President Trump has consistently stated for over 10 years that Iran must not get a nuclear weapon.  Full stop. Thanks to President Trump‘s bold and visionary leadership and his commitment to peace through strength, Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated. Many presidents have dreamed of delivering the final blow to Iran‘s nuclear program and none could until President Trump.
The operation President Trump planned was bold, and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this president speaks the world should listen. And the U.S. military? We can back it up. The most powerful military the world has ever known. No other country on planet Earth could have conducted the operation that the chairman is going to outline this morning. Not even close. Just like Soleimani found out in the first term, Iran found out when POTUS says 60 days that he seeks peace and negotiation, he means 60 days of peace and negotiation, otherwise that nuclear capability will not exist. He meant it. This is not the previous administration; President Trump said no nukes. He seeks peace and Iran should take that path. He sent out a Truth last night saying this: “Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.” Signed, the president of the United States, Donald J Trump.
Iran would be smart to heed those words. He said it before, and he means it. I want go to give recognition to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Joint Staff, General Erik Kurilla at CENTCOM, who did a phenomenal job, he and his staff, all of CENTCOM policy. Across the board, this was a joint effort, an across-the-Pentagon effort.
I want to recognize pilots who flew those bombers; who flew those fighters; who flew those refuelers: Warriors. I want to recognize the sailors, on those destroyers, in those subs. on those carriers: Warriors. All of them. I want to recognize our soldiers doing air defense, base  defense, QRF: Warriors. All of them.
Every American involved in this operation performed flawlessly. And I want to give recognition to our allies in Israel as well.
This is a plan that took months and weeks of positioning and preparation so that we could be ready when the president of the United States called. It took a great deal of precision; it involved misdirection and the highest of operational security. Our B2s went in and out of these nuclear sites in and out and back without the world knowing at all. In that way it was historic. A strike that included the longest B2 Spirit Bomber mission since 2001 and the first operational employment of the MOP, a massive ordinance penetrator.
The mission demonstrated to the world the level of joint and Allied integration that speak to the strength of our alliance and our joint forces. As President Trump has stated, the United States does not seek war, but let me be clear: We will act swiftly and decisively when our people, our partners, or our interests are threatened. Iran should listen to the United States and know that he means it: every word.
I want to give congratulations to our Commander-in Chief. It was an honor to watch him lead last night and throughout and to our great American warriors on this successful operation. God bless our troops. God bless America, and we give glory to God for his Providence and continue to ask for his protection.
I turn it over now to the Chairman for specifics.
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‘Warriors’: Read Hegseth’s Full Statement To America Regarding Strike On Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

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This “We Who Wrestle With God” tour stop was filmed in Omaha, NE, on October 21st, 2024.


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