Israel and Iran Edge Closer to All-Out War After Missile Strikes Leave Civilians Dead
After Israeli attacks on Iran, Tehran responds with deadly missile strikes on central and northern Israel. Netanyahu vows retribution as the UK warns citizens against travel to the region
Iran launches missiles at parts of central and northern Israel after Israel's military confirms it has carried out attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure Israeli emergency services say at least 10 people have been killed in Iranian strikes, but Iran makes no mention of casualties from Israeli attacks Tehran's Shahran oil depot is still in operation after being struck by an Israeli missile, as oil exports resume between Afghanistan and Iran. Meanwhile, the British government has issued an advisory against travel to Israel as the conflict continues - BBC
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran will pay a "very heavy price" for the deaths of Israeli civilians. Speaking at the site of a missile strike on a residential building in Bat Yam, Netanyahu calls it "the premeditated murder of civilians, women and children", and says Iran poses an "existential threat" to Israel. He adds that he "expresses sorrow" for those killed, and that "our hearts are with the families", while urging people to follow safety instructions from officials - BBC
Iran has reached out to Oman and Qatar, requesting that they mediate with Washington in an effort to halt the ongoing Israeli strikes and restart nuclear talks, a source familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post. At the same time, Saudi Arabia is also working behind the scenes to promote a ceasefire framework aimed at resuming talks, the source added. These Iranian efforts come amid clear messages from Washington: only full Iranian acceptance of the American proposal, which includes a complete halt to uranium enrichment, will lead to an end to Israeli military operations. “We could easily reach an agreement between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!” US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday. A senior US administration official told the Post on Saturday, “We remain committed to negotiations and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said overnight: “As long as the Zionist regime continues its attacks on the Iranian nation, participating in talks with its biggest supporter and partner (the United States) is meaningless.” - Jerusalem Post
President Donald Trump on Saturday celebrated his birthday at the massive military parade he’s dreamed of for eight years. It was a fête befitting of the approach Trump has taken as commander-in-chief, using military iconography to telegraph strength to opponents, foreign and domestic. “Time and again America’s enemies have learned that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for you,” Trump said. “Your defeat will be certain. Your demise will be final, and your downfall will be total and complete.” His speech, which focused on lauding the Army’s history, was a more disciplined and marked departure from the more campaign rally-like events Trump presided over in recent weeks at Fort Bragg and West Point. Still, across the nation, hundreds of thousands saw Saturday’s events in the nation’s capital in a more ominous light, marching in “No Kings” protests aimed at highlighting the ways in which demonstrators argue Trump has acted more like a dictator than a president. But in Washington it was mostly calm. At the parade, people in MAGA gear and Army veteran garb looked on as soldiers in modern-day and historical uniforms, tanks, drones and other military vehicles — even a robotic dog — paraded down Constitution Avenue. Trump and other top officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, were stationed at a viewing stand near the end of the parade route. Attack helicopters and historic military planes soared overhead at points during the parade - Politico
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump for 50 minutes on Saturday, focusing on hostilities between Israel and Iran and calling for efforts to bring them to an end. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin condemned the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressed concern about the risks of escalation. Trump, in his account on Truth Social, said most of the discussion centered on the Middle East, but that he also told Putin that Russia's war in Ukraine should end. "Vladimir Putin condemned Israel's military operation against Iran and expressed serious concern about a possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East," Ushakov told reporters. Ushakov said Trump described events in the Middle East as "very alarming". But the two leaders said they do not rule out a return to the negotiating track on Iran's nuclear programme, Ushakov said. Ushakov said U.S. negotiators were ready to hold further talks with Iranian representatives, with Oman as mediator. The latest round, scheduled for Sunday in Oman, has been cancelled. Trump said he and Putin mostly discussed the Middle East and spent "much less time" talking about the war in Ukraine. Trump hinted at follow-up discussions on the war in Ukraine in the coming week. On Ukraine, Ushakov said Putin told the U.S. leader that Russia was ready to continue negotiations with the Ukrainians after June 22, according to state news agency RIA. Ushakov also said that the presidents expressed satisfaction "at their personal relations which have allowed for them to speak in a business-like manner to seek solutions to issues that are bilateral or on the international agenda, however complex those issues might be". Putin also congratulated Trump on his 79th birthday - Reuters
Russia 15 returned another 1,200 bodies it says belong to Ukrainians killed in the war, Ukrainian authorities said, while fighting continued and Russia claimed it seized control of a village in the Donetsk region. The repatriations are being conducted following two rounds of direct peace talks in Istanbul that produced agreements on the return of prisoners and the bodies of the dead but brought no visible progress on ending Russia's war against Ukraine. They come ahead of a summit of the Group of Seven (G7) nations in Alberta, Canada, which Kyiv hopes will yield tighter Western sanctions against Moscow, including a lower price cap on Russian oil exports. "Another 1,200 bodies that the Russian side claims belong to Ukrainian citizens, among them soldiers, have been returned to Ukraine," Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said on Telegram on June 15. The authorities will work to identify the bodies, it said. The development brought the total number of bodies sent from Russia to Ukraine to 4,012. Russia reported receiving a total of 27 Russian servicemen from Ukraine so far. According to Russian state media citing unnamed sources, Moscow received no bodies in the June 15 transaction. - RFE/RL
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said his government is lobbying among EU states to revoke visa-free travel to the bloc for Georgian citizens. Tusk made the comments while speaking about immigration in an address to the Polish parliament on Wednesday, before winning a crucial vote of confidence in his government. ‘We are building the necessary majority to limit or suspend visa-free travel with Georgia, among others’, he said. ‘Yes, this is also my intention, in the full knowledge that a third of Georgians are people who would very much like to share our values, but we know what the problem is.’ ‘It is not just about Georgia — I apologise to Georgians who may feel offended — but in general, I am a strong advocate of restricting visa-free travel from countries which, as in the case of Georgia, no longer respect either the standards regarding authoritarian authorities or from which migration poses a direct threat to law and order in our country or in Europe’, he said. The EU lifted the requirement for Georgian citizens to obtain visas to visit most EU countries in 2017. The policy has been popular among Georgians, with the government frequently touting it as one of the key achievements of their time in power. Suspending the measure would require the support of a qualified majority of EU member states, meaning 15 of 27 member states representing at least 65% of the bloc’s total population. As the Georgian Government has grown increasingly authoritarian in recent years, there have been several reports that suspending the visa-free regime was being considered in Brussels - OC Media
ZEG Storytelling Festival Highlights
Radio Free Europe Faces Funding Crisis Amid Global Unrest
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) has laid off more than 700 freelance journalists and made significant cuts at its Prague headquarters after the Trump administration withheld Congressionally-approved funding, according to Vice President and Editor-in-Chief Nicola Careem.
Describing RFE/RL as “a first line of defense,” Careem underscored the cost-effectiveness of independent media. “It’s far more expensive to suppress conflict. We operate with an annual budget of $142 million — probably less than what Trump’s birthday parade cost,” she said.
Speaking at the ZEG Storytelling Festival, Careem emphasized the importance of the broadcaster’s reach, particularly in Iran amid rising tensions with Israel. “Imagine if there was no way for Iranians to figure out what’s truthful.”
Founded in 1950 to counter Soviet propaganda, RFE/RL continues to reach millions across Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Today, it plays a critical role in delivering independent journalism to authoritarian-leaning regions.
Careem also spoke of RFE/RL’s work in Ukraine, saying she is proud of the outlet’s dual role: acting as a check against corruption and offering critical coverage of President Volodymyr Zelensky — at a time when many other outlets tend to lionize him. Notably, she added, Zelensky has yet to grant RFE/RL an interview since taking office.
RFE/RL President Stephen Capus said last week that the administration froze federal grants in March, forcing the organization to seek legal recourse. According to Reuters, funds for May were only released after a court order. Over $50 million in appropriated funding remains outstanding for the current fiscal year ending in September.
“After September 30, there’s still a possibility of receiving funds from Congress,” Capus said. “We’ve got very strong bipartisan support... We have confidence that can happen.”
Georgia’s neighbors have long had a habit of invading us — but in recent years, it’s Russia that can’t seem to stop, said freelance Georgian journalist Masho Lomashvili at the ZEG Storytelling Festival. She explained that the occupation line with Russia is intentionally left vague, allowing it to be gradually pushed further into Georgian territory. “That’s exactly what Russia wants — to make it seem like others are to blame for provoking the conflict,” she said. “When Trump told Zelensky to apologize for starting the war, it sounded all too familiar.”
The journals…
