Trump Approves Iran Strike Plan as Tensions Escalate with Khamenei, Israel Intensifies Attacks Amid Missile Exchange

As the Israel-Iran conflict enters a volatile phase, U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly approved military plans for a potential strike on Iran, though he has not made a final decision. According to CBS News, citing senior intelligence officials, Trump is considering a direct attack on the Fordo uranium enrichment facility — one of Iran’s most fortified nuclear sites.

The move comes amid increasing pressure from both military and political leaders in Washington and Tel Aviv, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and ballistic missile program. Trump, while maintaining ambiguity, stated, “I may do it, I may not do it,” further fueling global anxiety over the potential for U.S. intervention.

President Trump’s demand for Iran’s "unconditional surrender" was met with defiance by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In his first appearance since Israel began its air campaign on Friday, Khamenei warned that any U.S. military involvement would come at a significant cost.

“The Iranian nation will not surrender,” Khamenei said. “Any U.S. military intervention will be costly.” He dismissed Trump’s threats and declared that Iran does not negotiate under pressure. Trump responded curtly on social media, stating, “Unconditional surrender – that means I’ve had it.”

In a mocking post, Iran’s mission to the United Nations called Trump a “has-been warmonger” and added, “No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House.”

On the battlefield, Israel has ramped up its airstrikes across Iran, targeting missile factories, nuclear installations, and symbols of the regime. Netanyahu declared, “We control the skies over Tehran… We are striking the nuclear sites, the missiles, the headquarters, the symbols of the regime.”

In retaliation, Iran has launched nearly 400 missiles at Israel, with 24 civilian casualties reported by Israeli authorities. Israel's attacks have so far killed at least 585 people in Iran, including 239 civilians and 126 members of the security forces, according to the Human Rights Activists group based in Washington, D.C.

Iran claims it has also fired hypersonic missiles at Israeli positions, though the damage was reportedly minimal. Israeli air dominance and its Iron Dome defense system have successfully intercepted many of the incoming threats.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon is fully prepared to execute any command from President Trump. The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier strike group is en route to the Middle East from Southeast Asia to join the USS Carl Vinson, already stationed in the Gulf.

Flight tracking data shows an uptick in the movement of U.S. military aircraft, including refueling tankers and advanced strike jets like the F-22 and F-35. The growing military footprint adds weight to reports that the U.S. may be positioning itself for rapid intervention.

While no formal decision has been announced, the BBC reports that the U.S. has not yet made any formal request to use UK military bases in Diego Garcia or Cyprus. However, Washington continues to hold high-level consultations with allies. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Washington to discuss next steps regarding Iran.

Amid escalating hostilities, the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem has issued an evacuation advisory for American citizens residing in Israel. It remains unclear how many Americans are seeking repatriation or whether the U.S. military will support evacuation flights.

Meanwhile, Iran’s domestic stability is showing signs of strain. Citizens are fleeing Tehran en masse, jamming roadways in search of safer regions. Iranian state TV scrambled to respond to a hack of its satellite broadcast, which aired a video urging the public to "rise up" and “take control of your future.” The broadcast featured protest footage from 2022, targeting the regime’s failures.

Iranian authorities dismissed the incident, blaming it on "enemy jamming" and urging viewers to ignore the message.

As tensions spiral, international observers warn of the high stakes. The U.S. remains at a crossroads, balancing the need to deter Iran’s nuclear ambitions with the risk of igniting a larger regional conflict. With Israel escalating its offensive and Iran refusing to yield, the prospect of direct U.S. military involvement looms larger by the hour.

Whether Trump ultimately orders the strike on Fordo may determine not just the fate of the conflict, but the geopolitical stability of the entire Middle East.

A confidential European Union audit report has raised serious concerns that Israel's military actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank may violate key human rights commitments embedded in the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which governs trade and diplomatic relations between the two parties. The audit, conducted by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and obtained by Reuters and AFP, marks the most explicit warning yet from Brussels amid growing outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The document underscores the EU’s deepening unease over Israel’s ongoing military campaign, suggesting that it might not align with the fundamental principles of human rights and democratic values—principles that form the legal and moral foundation of the EU-Israel relationship since the pact took effect in 2000.

According to the report, there are clear indications that Israel may be in breach of its human rights obligations under international law. The EEAS audit specifically highlights Israel’s severe restrictions on the delivery of food, medicine, and medical equipment in Gaza—actions that have affected the entire civilian population in the region.

The report details numerous incidents involving:

• Denial of humanitarian aid
   
• High-casualty attacks on civilians
   
• Strikes on medical facilities
   
• Mass displacement
   
• Ongoing settler violence in the West Bank
   
• Lack of accountability
   

The audit is based on facts and assessments verified by independent international institutions, with a focus on recent events. These findings are likely to fuel already volatile discussions within the bloc about Europe’s role in the Israel-Gaza war and its economic ties with Tel Aviv.

The review was launched last month following escalating humanitarian concerns and was backed by 17 EU member states, with the Netherlands taking the lead. The audit's findings will be formally presented by Kaja Kallas, the EU’s incoming foreign policy chief, to the bloc’s foreign ministers during a meeting in Brussels on Monday.

While the EU-Israel Association Agreement allows for suspension in the case of human rights violations, such a move would require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states—a scenario many diplomats believe is unlikely given the bloc's internal divisions.

Yet, voices within the EU are growing louder. “The question is … how many member states would still be willing not to do anything and still keep on saying that it’s business as usual,” one unnamed diplomat told AFP. They warned against allowing Israel to divert attention from ongoing human rights concerns.

The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner, with €42.6 billion ($48.2 billion) in goods exchanged in 2024 and €25.6 billion ($29.5 billion) in services in 2023. These economic ties complicate any potential punitive measures, especially in the absence of consensus.

Despite this, the EEAS report may mark a turning point. Kallas is expected to propose a range of responses to the audit findings at the next foreign ministers’ meeting in July. Whether the bloc can rally behind a firm course of action remains uncertain, but the political pressure is mounting.

The EU now faces a pivotal decision: whether to hold Israel accountable under the human rights provisions of their long-standing agreement or allow economic and political considerations to override legal and moral obligations.

As Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens and international watchdogs continue to raise alarms, the credibility of the EU’s human rights-based foreign policy hangs in the balance. The coming weeks may determine whether Brussels can transform concern into concrete action—or whether Israel-EU relations will continue on as “business as usual.”

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra finds herself at the center of a spiraling political firestorm after a leaked phone call between her and Cambodia’s former strongman Hun Sen raised serious questions about her loyalty to Thailand’s national interests. The scandal emerges at a precarious time, with border tensions escalating, the economy under strain, and domestic pressure mounting on the young leader.

The 17-minute call, confirmed as authentic by both countries, was leaked online by Hun Sen himself, who claimed he had originally shared it with about 80 Cambodian officials. The diplomatic fallout has been immediate and severe—Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Cambodian ambassador and condemned the leak as a “breach of diplomatic etiquette.”

“This undermines the spirit of good neighborliness,” the ministry stated, asserting that the incident damaged bilateral trust at a critical geopolitical moment.

In the conversation, which took place on June 15, Paetongtarn, only 10 months into her role as Thailand’s youngest-ever prime minister, referred to Hun Sen affectionately as “uncle” and appeared to criticize her own military over a border clash that resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier.

Speaking candidly, she appeared to distance herself from the Thai army’s official stance, describing some military voices as seeking “to look cool” rather than resolve tensions, and urged Hun Sen not to believe the “opposite side”—a reference widely interpreted as a swipe at outspoken Thai army commanders.

The fallout has been swift: the Bhumjaithai Party, a key coalition partner, has withdrawn its support from her Pheu Thai party, leaving her government on shaky ground. Analysts say her resignation is now a matter of time.

“Paetongtarn compromised her position as prime minister and damaged Thai national interest by kowtowing to Hun Sen,” noted political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak, warning she could soon face legal charges.

The timing of the scandal couldn’t be worse. The leaked audio has fueled nationalist outrage in both countries, further destabilizing fragile ties. In Thailand, conservative forces have demanded her resignation and legal accountability. Meanwhile, Cambodia has rallied its citizens in pro-military demonstrations, showcasing support for the government amid the ongoing border dispute.

The border clash, which occurred in a contested section of the Emerald Triangle—a region where Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos intersect—resulted in the death of a Cambodian soldier and intensified the long-simmering dispute over territorial boundaries.

While both militaries initially called for de-escalation, the subsequent rhetoric and military posturing have worsened the standoff. Thailand responded with strict border control, electricity cut-off threats, and internet service suspensions. Cambodia retaliated with bans on Thai produce, films, and dramas.

Cambodia has since filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve the territorial conflict, but Thailand has dismissed the move, refusing to acknowledge the ICJ’s jurisdiction over the disputed zones, including several centuries-old temple sites.

This tension has historical precedent: in 2011, clashes near the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO site, displaced thousands and resulted in over 20 deaths on both sides.

In a damage-control press conference, Paetongtarn attempted to clarify her remarks, saying the call was intended to de-escalate tensions and that her comments were “negotiation tactics,” not statements of allegiance.

“This was never about real negotiation. It was political theater,” she said. “Releasing this call… is just not the way diplomacy should be done.”

Despite her defense, the political pressure is unrelenting. Many in Thailand view the call as a betrayal, and the fact that her father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is a close ally of Hun Sen only adds to the controversy.

This scandal touches deeply on Thai-Cambodian history, regional geopolitics, and internal power struggles. Paetongtarn’s position is not only threatened by external criticism but also by fractures within her own political base. The call—once private—has now become a public referendum on her credibility and capacity to lead during a moment of national crisis.

With the economy faltering, border tensions rising, and coalition support unraveling, Thailand faces yet another chapter of political instability. Whether Paetongtarn can weather this storm or become the latest in a long line of leaders undone by scandal and power struggles remains to be seen.

A tragic and violent incident unfolded on Indonesia’s world-famous resort island of Bali, where an Australian tourist was fatally shot and another seriously injured during a villa attack in the Badung district near Munggu Beach. The shocking event, which took place just after midnight on Friday, has triggered an intense investigation and manhunt by Indonesian authorities, as well as growing concern among international tourists.

The victim, Zivan Radmanovic, a 32-year-old man from Melbourne, Australia, was found dead inside a bathroom at Villa Casa Santisya, riddled with gunshot wounds. According to police, 17 bullet casings and two intact bullets were recovered at the scene, indicating a potentially targeted and premeditated attack. A second Australian man, aged 34 and also from Melbourne, suffered physical injuries after reportedly being beaten by the assailants.

Badung Police Chief Arif Batubara confirmed that the police are actively searching for two suspected Australian gunmen, both of whom reportedly fled the scene on a scooter. Surveillance and eyewitness accounts suggest one suspect wore an orange jacket and dark helmet, while the other donned a dark green jacket, a black face mask, and a helmet. Both men are believed to be foreigners, and their motive remains under investigation.

“We cannot yet determine the motive,” Batubara said, indicating that all leads — including personal, criminal, or financial disputes — are currently being considered.

Authorities have also reached out to Australia’s consulate in Bali, and coordination between Indonesian police and Australian federal authorities is underway to track down the culprits and uncover potential links.

During the time of the attack, the villa had three occupied rooms with five total guests, including Radmanovic and his wife, Gourdeas Jazmyn, as well as the second injured man and his spouse. According to police statements and eyewitness reports, Jazmyn was awoken by the sound of screams and rapid gunfire. Fearing for her life, she hid under a blanket until the shooting stopped.

Upon emerging, she discovered the lifeless body of her husband and the injured second guest. Her statement, along with that of the other female witness, has been crucial to piecing together the attackers’ movements and appearance.

An autopsy on Radmanovic’s body is currently pending as authorities await formal consent from the grieving family. Meanwhile, the Australian government has been briefed on the situation, and officials are providing consular assistance to the affected families.

This shocking villa shooting in Bali has cast a shadow over the island’s reputation as a safe and serene holiday destination. Bali, known for its beaches, luxury resorts, and wellness retreats, is now facing a crisis that may prompt renewed focus on tourist safety and crime prevention.

In response to the attack, local police forces have stepped up patrols in tourist-heavy areas, including Canggu, Seminyak, and Ubud. Investigations are also focusing on the origins of the firearm used and whether the attackers had local accomplices.

While Bali has seen isolated instances of violence in the past, incidents involving firearms and international victims are extremely rare, making this case particularly alarming.

As tourists continue to arrive on the island in the high season, many are now questioning the security protocols at private villas and calling on both local authorities and international embassies to reassess emergency measures for foreign travelers.