President Donald Trump announced that Attorney General Pam Bondi will leave her post, in a move that comes after days of reports of tensions within the administration and dissatisfaction with her performance, which peaked after she allowed the release of the Epstein files.
During the holiday, about 20 launches crossed from Iran into Israeli territory and 130 from Lebanon. The IDF continued its strikes in Iran, hitting dozens of ballistic missile sites. The military added it did not strike the bridge reportedly hit near Tehran.
Amid the US and Israeli war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, 35 countries are convening for an emergency summit aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the Gulf. Washington is not taking part in the meeting, while European countries are preparing for the possibility of using military force.
The latest statements by US President Donald Trump only adds to the confusion, and may have been intended to do exactly that. In the absence of an official Iranian response, attention is shifting to developments on the ground: If there is indeed a significant increase in the movement of ships and tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, that could point to advanced contacts.
Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz is pushing Gulf states to advance massive plans for alternative oil and gas export pipelines, the Financial Times reported. Despite costs running into the tens of billions of dollars and major security hurdles, Middle East officials believe this is the best path under current conditions.
