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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
ISRAEL’S ATTACK ON IRAN
Israeli strikes on Iran are ongoing, with reports of a strike on Iran’s key Natanz nuclear site, according to Israel’s chief military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin. Johnathan Reiss reports for the New York Times.
Israel launched a series of large-scale strikes on Iran earlier this morning, targeting Tehran’s nuclear program. Israel also said that it had destroyed dozens of Iranian radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers. Jon Gambrell and Josef Federman report for AP News; Tamar Michaelis reports for CNN.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei promised a “harsh punishment” for Israel’s attack, with the IDF later stating that Iran had launched about 100 drones toward Israel. An Israeli military official said that Israel sought to intercept Iran-launched drones in the Saudi Arabian, Syrian, and Jordanian airspace. Israel has since lifted an order for Israeli residents to take shelter. Shira Rubin reports for the Washington Post; Maayan Lubell, Parisa Hafezi, and Steve Holland report for Reuters; BBC News reports.
Israel’s strikes killed the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, Gen. Hossein Salami, and the Iranian military’s Chief of Staff, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Iranian state media confirmed. Israel also killed multiple top nuclear scientists, another senior general, and an unknown number of civilians, according to media reports. Khamenei has since named new commanders to lead key military entities. Shayan Sardarizadeh and Ghoncheh Habibiazad report for BBC News; Barak Ravid and Dave Lawler report for Axios; Francesca Regalado reports for the New York Times; Mostafa Salem reports for CNN.
In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning said that Israel had attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities to ward off “the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival” and vowed that the attacks would continue for “as many days as it takes.” Aaron Boxerman and Isabel Kershner report for the New York Times; BBC News reports.
Israel’s Mossad spy agency has laid the groundwork for today’s attacks by secretly installing swarms of explosive drones inside Iran several months ago, a senior Israeli official said. Gerry Shih, Ilan Ben Zion, and Lior Soroka report for the Washington Post.
ISRAEL’S ATTACK ON IRAN — U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
The United States was not involved in Israel’s “unilateral” strikes on Iran and its “top priority” is protecting U.S. forces in the region, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said late yesterday, adding that “Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.” Separately, President Trump claimed that he was aware of Israel’s strikes before they happened and that while he hopes that talks with Iran would continue, “several people in leadership … will not be coming back.” Alex Gangitano reports for the Hill; Frances Vinall reports for the Washington Post.
Trump will attend a National Security Council meeting this morning to discuss Israel’s strikes on Iran, the White House said. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres asked “both sides to show maximum restraint, avoiding at all costs a descent into deeper conflict.” Russia condemned Israel’s “unprovoked” and “unacceptable” strikes, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Beijing is “deeply concerned,” and the EU, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand called for a de-escalation. Jessle Yeung reports for CNN; France 24 reports via AFP.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Lebanon all condemned Israel’s strikes. Lucas Lilieholm and Mostafa Salem report for CNN.
U.S. PROTESTS RESPONSE
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated yesterday that while he would abide by a Supreme Court order to remove troops from Los Angeles, “we should not have local judges determining foreign policy or national security policy for the country.” Joe Gould and Kyle Cheney report for POLITICO.
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) yesterday activated the state National Guard as a precaution to potential civil unrest, Kehoe’s office said. Separately, during a news conference with James Uthmeier, Florida’s Attorney General, Sheriff Wayne Ivey of Brevard County in Florida said if protesters “throw a brick, a fire bomb, or point a gun” at law enforcement officials, they would be “killed.” Dionne Searcey reports for the New York Times; Patricia Mazzei reports for the New York Times.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, on Wednesday declined to confirm Trump’s assessment that those participating in immigration policies protests are agents of a “foreign invasion.” Abigail Hauslohner reports for the Washington Post; Aaron Blake reports for CNN.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
The U.N. General Assembly yesterday voted 149-12 to approve a resolution demanding an “immediate, unconditional, and lasting” ceasefire in Gaza. Israel and the United States opposed the resolution. UN News reports.
A full internet blackout in Gaza is paralyzing aid operations, a U.N. spokesperson said yesterday, adding that mobile networks are “barely functioning” in the territory. Reuters reports.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE
Gen. Dan Caine on Wednesday told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing that “[he] does not believe” that Putin intends to “stop in Ukraine,” departing from Trump’s assessment of the Russian president’s intentions. Abigail Hauslohner reports for the Washington Post.
GLOBAL AFFAIRS
Prior to Israel’s attacks, Iran yesterday said it had built and will activate a third nuclear enrichment facility, with Tehran’s statement coming immediately after the International Atomic Energy Agency censured Iran over no-proliferation non-compliance. Stephanie Liechtenstein, Jon Gambrell, and Aamer Madhani report for AP News.
The North Korean state media yesterday reported the country had successfully relaunched its new 5,000-ton naval destroyer, less than a month after its capsize during a launch attempt. Jean Mackenzie and Joel Guinto report for BBC News.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The United States is pressing Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo for swift progress in peace negotiations, the U.S. Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, Troy Fitrell, said this week, adding that the United States is aiming for “a June or July peace agreement.” Reuters reports.
Fitrell will retire next month, a State Department spokesperson said yesterday, adding that Jonathan Pratt, the Bureau of African Affairs deputy assistant secretary, will take Fitrell’s place. Filip Timotija reports for the Hill.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau yesterday posted and then quickly deleted a social media post attacking the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Matt Whitaker, and describing the alliance as a “solution in search of a problem.” Chris Cameron and Peter Baker report for the New York Times.
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s senior aides have blocked extraditions of MS-13 leaders to the United States and repeatedly impeded the work of a U.S. task force as it pursued evidence of Bukele diverting U.S. aid funds to the MS-13 gang, according to current and former U.S. and Salvadoran officials, internal documents, and court records. T. Christian Miller and Sebastian Rotella report for ProPublica.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
Security detail forcibly removed and handcuffed Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference after Padilla interrupted Noem yesterday. The Homeland Security Department later accused Padilla of “lunging” toward Noem, while Padilla characterized the incident as a violation of his First Amendment rights. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the incident “sickened his stomach,” while Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CN) said that “[w]e’re watching the end of democracy.” Rebecca Beitsch reports for the Hill; Lisa Kashinsky and Mia McCarthy report for POLITICO.
The Senate yesterday voted 53-44 to confirm Billy Long to head the Internal Revenue Service. Democrats previously expressed concerns over Long’s qualifications and potential for political interference at the agency. Bernie Becker reports for POLITICO.
The House yesterday narrowly approved a rescission package approving more than $9 billion in DOGE’s cuts in funding for global health and for public radio and TV stations. Jacob Bogage reports for the Washington Post.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
The Department of Homeland Security yesterday issued termination of status notices to hundreds of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who entered the United States under Biden-era humanitarian parole programs, according to a copy of the notice reviewed by CNN.
The Trump administration wants to use the National Guard to “augment … security, transportation, infrastructure, [and] intelligence” efforts to carry out Trump’s immigration agenda, border czar Tom Homan told the Washington Post. According to a memo reviewed by the Post, the DHS last month requested more than 20,000 troops to help ICE catch fugitives, guard detention centers, and process and transport migrants. Pentagon officials say they have not yet decided on the number of troops that will be sent. Marianne LeVine, Liz Goodwin, and Alex Horton report for the Washington Post.
The DHS was holding 43 immigration detainees at the Guantánamo military base as of Wednesday, according to a defense official. Carol Rosenberg reports for the New York Times.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
The Trump administration plans to eliminate a Department of Homeland Security terrorism prevention program as it “does not align with DHS priorities,” according to the DHS budget submitted to Congress last month. Former government officials and experts say the program has helped thwart violent lone-wolf attacks in the United States. Ken Dilanian reports for NBC News.
The Office of Management and Budget last week directed several agencies to freeze upward of $30 billion in spending in a bid to lock in DOGE cuts without Congressional approval according to sources and emails reviewed by POLITICO. The agencies affected include the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the Interior Department, and Health and Human Services. Scott Waldman and Cobin Hiar report.
SpaceX’s role in Trump’s Golden Dome missile shield program is in question after last week’s dramatic fallout between Elon Musk and Trump, sources say. Marisa Taylor and Nandita Bose report for Reuters.
Trump yesterday moved to withdraw from a Biden-era agreement in a decades-long legal battle with Pacific Northwest tribes over dams that had prevented fish from spawning. In its announcement, the White House portrayed the issue as revolving around “speculative climate change concerns” and did not mention the dams’ effects on tribes. Chris Cameron reports for the New York Times.
Army officials raised concerns over a vendor selling Trump-branded merchandise in Fort Bragg ahead of Trump’s Tuesday rally-style appearance at the base, sources say. The officials were concerned about the vendor’s presence undermining the Army’s commitment to political neutrality and were shocked when the vendor later appeared at the event, the sources add. Steve Beynon reports for Military.com.
Martin Kulldorff, one of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointees to the influential Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, has worked as a paid expert witness in litigation against Merck’s HPV-caused cancer vaccine, court records show. Kennedy justified his firing of the previous members of the committee by claiming they had “persistent conflicts of interests.” Chad Terhune and Dan Levine report for Reuters.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
A federal appeals court yesterday temporarily blocked a lower court’s order that directed Trump to hand over control of California’s National Guard to the state. The block, issued two hours after the lower court’s decision, allows Trump to continue the deployment until at least Tuesday next week. The lower court judge found that the administration has not shown that the situation in Los Angeles constituted a “rebellion” that would justify the federalization of the Guard under the statute. Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein report for POLITICO; Devan Cole reports for CNN.
The Trump administration cannot rapidly deport the family of an Egyptian man charged with attacking a gathering in Boulder, a federal judge ruled yesterday, finding that summary deportation “would likely have violated” the family’s due process rights. The judge’s order also transfers the case to the Western District of Texas, the location of a detention center where the government has moved the family. Mark Berman and Maria Sacchetti report for the Washington Post.
The Justice Department yesterday sued New York over a state law that blocks immigration officials from arresting individuals at or near New York courthouses. Reuters reports.
A judge yesterday freed Kseniia Petrova, a Russian scientist facing criminal charges after failing to declare scientific samples she was carrying to the U.S. Customs, on bail from federal custody after four months of detention. Ellen Barry and Maya Shwayder report for the New York Times.
Did you miss this? Stay up-to-date with our Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
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