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President Trump told Sean Hannity that the US used six bunker buster bombs on Iran's Fordow nuclear site. The US also launched 30 tomahawk missiles to destroy the Natanz and Esfahan sites.

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- China sent 74 warplanes toward Taiwan between late Thursday and early Friday, 61 of which crossed the central line in the Taiwan Strait that unofficially divides the sides, an unusually large number as tensions remained heightened in the region.

It wasn’t clear why so many planes were scrambled between late Thursday and early Friday, as tabulated by Taiwan’s Defense Ministry. The planes were sent in two separate tranches, it added.

Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei named three senior clerics as candidates to succeed him should he be killed, the New York Times reported on Saturday citing unnamed Iranian officials. It is understood the Ayatollah fears he could be assassinated in the coming days. 

Khamenei reportedly mostly speaks with his commanders through a trusted aide now, suspending electronic communications.

Khamenei has designated three senior religious figures as candidates to replace him as well as choosing successors in the military chain of command in the likely event that additional senior officials be eliminated.

Six B-2 stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force base in Missouri appear heading towards a U.S. Air Force base in Guam according to flight tracking data and voice communications with air traffic control.

The B-2 can carry a two-ton bunker buster bomb — something only the U.S. possesses — which experts say could be key in destroying Iran's most heavily protected nuclear facility.

President Donald Trump, who said that he would make a decision on involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, is expected to return to the White House on Saturday afternoon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Defense Minister Israel Katz, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and other Israeli officials met with officials from the Trump administration, which included Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, on Thursday night, two sources with knowledge of the meeting told The Jerusalem Post. 

The meeting took place as the US was deliberating whether to join Israel in strikes against Iran. US President Donald Trump said he would make a decision in a matter of two weeks on whether the country would join the strikes against the Islamic Republic.

Citing a message from Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks."

[WWD Note: The article is not fully clear how the meeting occurred, but it might have been via video link as there are no other records indicating otherwise.]

As President Trump is contemplating potential U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, law enforcement officials have stepped up surveillance of Iran-backed operatives in the United States, multiple sources told CBS News. 

FBI Director Kash Patel has increased efforts to monitor possible domestic sleeper cells linked to Hezbollah — a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization backed by Iran — since Israel's Operation Rising Lion offensive began earlier this month, U.S. officials said.

Both the White House and FBI declined to comment.

As tensions rise between Israel and Iran, Gulf states are accelerating their emergency preparedness in anticipation of a potential regional spillover, particularly involving the threat of chemical or nuclear weapons. 

On Thursday, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Jassem al-Budaiwi outlined the latest measures in an interview with the Saudi daily Al-Sharq al-Awsat.

"The coordination among member states has reached advanced levels to prepare for various emergency scenarios, including those involving chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons," al-Budaiwi said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Thursday morning that it carried out a major overnight air operation targeting Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, including a direct strike on the inactive nuclear reactor in Arak.

According to an official IDF statement, 40 Israeli Air Force fighter jets launched a series of coordinated airstrikes across Tehran, Arak, Natanz, and other key locations throughout Iran. The aircraft deployed over 100 munitions, targeting dozens of military installations under precise guidance from the IDF Intelligence Directorate.

One of the most high-profile targets was the inactive heavy-water nuclear reactor in the Arak region. Though the facility never became fully operational—its construction halted in 1997 under international pressure—the reactor was originally designed to produce weapons-grade plutonium, a key material used in nuclear warheads.

Join us for a powerful evening of truth, urgency, and biblical insight as we welcome leading prophecy experts: Brandon Holthaus will be hosting this Prophecy Q&A with Bill Koenig, Tom Hughes, and Billy Crone.

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US President Donald Trump appears to scoff at Vladimir Putin’s offer to mediate in the Israel-Iran conflict, saying the Russian president should end his own war in Ukraine first.

“He actually offered to help mediate, I said, ‘Do me a favor, mediate your own. Let’s mediate Russia first, okay?'” Trump told reporters at the White House. “I said ‘Vladimir, let’s mediate Russia first, you can worry about this later.'”

The Israeli Air Force struck a centrifuge production site in Tehran overnight Tuesday that the military said was used by the Iranian regime to expand and accelerate its uranium enrichment.

More than 50 fighter jets had carried out a series of strikes against targets in the Iranian capital region, the Israel Defense Forces said.

“The Iranian regime is enriching uranium for the purpose of developing nuclear weapons,” the IDF stressed in its Wednesday morning operational update. “Nuclear power for civilian use does not require enrichment at these levels.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers Wednesday that the Pentagon was providing possible options to President Donald Trump as he decides next steps on Iran but would not say whether the military was planning to assist with Israeli strikes, an action that could risk dragging America into a wider war in the Middle East.

In questioning before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth said “maximum force protection” was being provided for U.S. troops in the Middle East and that it is Trump’s decision whether to provide Israel a ”bunker buster” bomb to strike at the core of Iran’s nuclear program, which would require U.S. pilots flying a B-2 stealth bomber. He would not indicate what the U.S. may do next.

Shalom, friends! In this video, I bring you an urgent and powerful update on the war between Israel and Iran, filmed right here in Jerusalem. Despite the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, hope is rising, and life is beginning to return to normal across Israel.

 I’ll share how your prayers are making a difference, how the people of Israel are standing strong, and how we believe — with faith and resilience — Israel is winning this war, both in the physical and spiritual realms.

Join me for exclusive footage, firsthand insight, and a message of encouragement from the heart of the Holy Land. This is the side of the story that many media outlets won’t show you.

 Keep praying for Israel. This battle is not only on the ground — it’s spiritual. And your prayers matter.

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The IDF says most of the ballistic missiles launched at Israel from Iran a short while ago were intercepted by air defenses.

According to IDF assessments, fewer than 10 missiles were launched.

The Home Front Command says civilians in areas where sirens sounded can leave shelters.

Israel announced that it had gained aerial superiority over western Iran, including Tehran, 48 hours after the start of “Operation Rising Lion,” something Russia hasn’t been able to do in three-and-a-half years of war in Ukraine.

Why one succeeded while the other failed was the subject of a report by The Wall Street Journal on Monday. The most obvious reason is that the Israel Air Force is more capable than the Russian Air Force.

On October 7, 2023, the brutal Hamas attack on Israel prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare, “We will reshape the Middle East.”

Since then, Israel has launched a multifaceted campaign to dismantle Iran’s network of terrorist proxies in Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen.

Last week, this effort culminated in “Operation Rising Lion,” a pre-emptive strike targeting Iran’s leadership, military installations, and nuclear sites.

This audacious operation has sparked intense debate about its geopolitical ramifications, but Israel is confident it can win this war, destroy Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and change the Middle East for the better.

The Israeli Air Force bombed the offices of Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB in Tehran a short while ago.

Footage shows the moment of the attack.

The Israeli strike interrupts the state TV broadcast, with the anchor seen fleeing the studio.

The Israeli Air Force has destroyed more than 120 missile launchers since the start of “Operation Rising Lion,” comprising a third of the Iranian regime’s total missile launchers, the military said on Monday.

During attacks on Sunday night involving 50 fighter jets and other aircraft, more than 20 missiles were destroyed simultaneously, minutes before they were fired at Israel. In one of the strikes, a launch squad was eliminated and the surface-to-surface missiles destroyed.

At Iran's urging, Russian President Vladimir Putin contacted US President Donald Trump to address the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran, delivering a grave warning to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that his regime's survival is at stake, Israel Hayom has learned.

Russia has started taking an active role in the diplomatic efforts surrounding the conflict between Iran and Israel. According to information obtained by Israel Hayom, Putin initiated a phone call with his American counterpart, President Trump, at Iran's request.

Following the conversation, in which Trump likely made it clear that he would not restrain Israel, Putin sent a warning to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stating that his regime is in danger. Putin informed Khamenei of the call's outcomes and advised him to move quickly toward negotiations. Additionally, Putin ordered the evacuation of Russian embassy personnel from Tehran.

President Donald Trump spoke for an hour Saturday morning with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump announced, amid increasingly volatile situations in the Middle East — and Putin’s war in Ukraine.

Trump, in a post on Truth Social Saturday afternoon, said the two leaders discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East — which comes after Israel issued a “preemptive” strike on Iranian military leaders and nuclear infrastructure, and Iran retaliated — as well as the need for a nuclear agreement between the U.S. and Iran.

Trump said in his post that “much less time was spent” discussing Russia’s war with Ukraine, adding that those conversations “will be for next week.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday visited the scene of a deadly Iranian missile on Bat Yam overnight Saturday, vowing that Iran would face severe consequences for its actions.

Standing alongside members of the Israeli military’s Home Front Command and emergency responders, Netanyahu expressed condolences on behalf of the nation. “Our hearts are with the families,” he said.

Six people were killed when an apartment building in the city just south of Tel Aviv, sustained a direct hit. A 4-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy are among the dead.

The Israel Air Force is now capable of operating without obstruction as far as Tehran, following what was described as the destruction of a majority of Iran's air defense systems, security officials said on Saturday morning.

The reported elimination of Syria’s military capabilities, including those of Hezbollah, has further expanded Israel’s operational range and shortened flight paths to Iran.

Until approximately two years ago, the IAF faced severe limitations in operating over Lebanon and Syria. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir's statement on Saturday, saying "The road to Tehran has been paved" reflects the IDF’s present air dominance and signals a strategic shift. According to military officials, the pace of air operations is expected to accelerate.

Take note of what was required from Israeli cabinet ministers who approved the attack during the night. Around 8 p.m. on Thursday, a meeting was held during which a vote on the attack against Iran took place.

First, they were required to sign a confidentiality agreement, meaning they were absolutely forbidden from leaking anything. Second, their phones were taken, they were brought into a closed compound, and they were not allowed to leave until explosions began to be heard in Iran. For many hours, they sat there without being allowed to meet anyone from outside, so that by mistake no one would say anything – and also for information security reasons, to ensure this information would not leak or get out.

Israel operated with a very high level of sophistication, even deploying diplomats to make specific statements, like the tweet by U.S. President Donald Trump around midnight in which he wrote that the U.S. would do everything possible to resolve the conflict with Iran through diplomatic means.

Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, posed a question to the U.N. Security Council, during an emergency session on Friday. “How long did the world expect us to wait?” the Israeli envoy asked.

The session was called in response to multiple Israeli strikes on nuclear and military sites in Tehran, including on the Natanz nuclear facility on Friday morning.

“While you continue talking, we will continue with actions,” Danon told the body.

“Israel did not act recklessly. We waited,” Danon said, calling the operation “an act of national preservation.”