The American president emphasized that "the last thing they want to do now is enrich. They're focused on recovery." He questioned, "Can you imagine after all that, that they're going to say 'Oh, let's go do a bomb'?"

Trump acknowledged that while the ceasefire "represented a victory for Iran as well – they still have their nation," he stressed that Israel endured significant attacks. "Israel took severe hits from those ballistic missiles. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deserves recognition," he remarked.

Nuclear capabilities pushed back decades

The American president provided additional details about Iran's assessment of the damage, revealing that "Iran went down to the site afterwards. If that thing was devastated, they would have never settled," Trump elaborated, "they said it's so devastated... they said 'the place is gone.'"

He continued, "It was obliteration. Israel is doing a report on that now, they have guys that go in there after the hit." Shortly after his comments, the White House released a statement from Israel's Atomic Energy Commission saying that "the devastating US strike on Fordo destroyed the site's critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable." It also noted that according to the Israeli assessment, "the American strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, combined with Israeli strikes on other elements of Iran's military nuclear program, has set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years." The statement concluded with, "This achievement can continue indefinitely if Iran does not get access to nuclear material."

Trump asserted confidently that Iran's nuclear ambitions have been set back decades. "I don't think they'll ever do it again. I think they're going to take their oil... I think they've had it. They just went through hell."

Trump declared optimistically, "We're actually getting along with them very well right now. That hit ended the war."

As analysis of US and Israeli airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities continues, two Israeli sources told ABC News it is too early to declare the operation a success.

One source downplayed the damage at the Fordo uranium enrichment facility – built hundreds of feet under a mountain southwest of Tehran – saying the outcome there is "really not good."

The sources said they do not know how much enriched uranium may have been moved from the sites in advance of the Israeli and American strikes, or how many centrifuges – used to enrich uranium – are left and can be made operational in the country. To establish such details could take months, one source said, or prove impossible.

The American president also linked the Iranian operation to Gaza hostage negotiations, claiming that good news is about to emerge because of "the attack that we [US] made." Addressing separate developments, he mentioned that "Special Envoy for Middle East Steve Witkoff told me that Gaza is very close," referencing the hostage agreement.

When reporters asked whether America would launch additional strikes if Iran attempted to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure, Trump responded decisively, "Sure."

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Sources involved in the diplomatic efforts report that Hamas requested additional clarifications and textual modifications last week, postponing its response. These sources suggest the delay may have been strategic, designed to await outcomes from the Iran conflict.

Intensive pressure has been applied to Hamas over the past 24 hours to deliver an answer and move the process forward. The United States demonstrates measured optimism, evident in statements from Witkoff and White House officials, particularly President Donald Trump himself, as well as in private communications with Israel. An American source indicates that direct negotiations prove significantly more effective than those mediated through Egypt and Qatar.

Nevertheless, the source emphasized that both nations remain crucial in conveying the stark reality to Hamas – that the organization now operates with its back against the wall, devoid of supporters, alongside the deteriorating conditions facing Gaza's Palestinian population. Should momentum prove positive, delegations from both parties will likely travel to Cairo or Doha (with both capitals competing for hosting rights) to finalize remaining details. Witkoff may also participate in these negotiations.

Framework specifics

Available information indicates a structured agreement involving the immediate release of 8 living hostages and 6 deceased individuals upon deal implementation, with an additional 2 hostages released during the ceasefire period. The proposed ceasefire extends 60 days, during which parties would negotiate war termination terms, including the release of all remaining hostages.

American negotiators proposed language referencing their guarantee of "the commitment of all involved parties to achieve war conclusion and Gaza rehabilitation." Hamas has reportedly abandoned previous demands, including explicit Israeli and American commitments to end hostilities, along with requirements for extensive Israeli withdrawal shortly after the deal commencement.

An Arab source participating in negotiations told Israel Hayom that the Israel-Iran war significantly impacts current discussions, with Hamas leadership receiving clear messages from mediating parties. These communications indicate that with Iranian hostilities concluded, the absence of a Gaza agreement will trigger unrestricted Israeli military operations against Hamas, free from American or international constraints.

The message continues that Hamas must choose immediate agreement to preserve organizational remnants or face complete elimination. While acknowledging potential Israeli costs, they remain prepared to pay such prices.

An Israeli source characterizes Hamas as "looking back and seeing no remaining supporters." This assessment means only Qatar, hosting most Hamas senior leadership, maintains conditional support, though even Qatar's international standing has suffered due to its exposed involvement with Hamas' military operations.

The source explains Hamas faces the option of accepting the proposed agreement to avoid continued combat, though even temporary relief would prevent rearming due to resource limitations. "This generates hope that Hamas leadership will finally abandon unrealistic positions," the source states, describing such an agreement as completing the dual mission of hostage liberation and Hamas defeat.

However, the source cautions that cornered circumstances with minimal escape options might trigger desperate "all-or-nothing" decisions and resistance until complete defeat, consistent with previous military wing declarations.

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Airlines seeking to restart flights include Flydubai, Etihad, Ethiopian, Flyyo, and Red Wings, among others. Blue Bird and Tus Airways are expected to return on Thursday. However, unless they expedite their plans, Flydubai and Ethiopian will remain grounded until the end of June. Hainan Airlines is set to resume flights to Israel from Shenzhen on June 29 and from Beijing on June 30.

Lufthansa, ITA, Air India, and United Airlines have canceled flights until July 31. LOT has suspended operations until July 6, and Etihad until July 15. Other airlines canceling through July include Air Seychelles, Air Europa, Eurowings, Austrian, and Brussels Airlines.

Delta has extended its cancellations until August 31. Aegean, Transavia, and Air Canada have halted flights until September 7, while Wizz Air has canceled until September 15. Air Baltic is grounded until September 30, and Ryanair, Swiss, Iberia Express, British Airways, and easyJet have suspended operations until October 25.

List of Airlines and Cancellations

• Lufthansa: Canceled until July 31
• ITA Airways: Canceled until July 31
• Air India: Canceled until July 31
• United Airlines: Canceled until July 31
• Delta Air Lines: Canceled until August 31
• Aegean Airlines: Canceled until September 7
• Air Canada: Canceled until September 8
• Wizz Air: Canceled until September 15
• Air Baltic: Canceled until September 30
• Swiss International Air Lines: Canceled until October 25
• Iberia: Canceled until October 24
• easyJet: Canceled until October 25
• Ryanair: Canceled until October 25
• British Airways: Canceled until October 25

The post Which airlines are flying to Israel? appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The classified DIA analysis examined Pentagon bomb damage evaluations from strikes targeting nuclear complexes at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, which utilized earth-penetrating ordnance delivered by B-2 stealth bombers and submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles, The Washington Post reported. The assessment determined that the bombardment failed to eliminate fundamental elements of Iran's nuclear infrastructure and likely delayed the program by months rather than years, one source disclosed.

Intelligence findings also suggest Iran relocated several quantities of its highly enriched uranium away from nuclear installations prior to the strikes, leaving uranium reserves unaffected, the individual stated, speaking anonymously to discuss classified intelligence information, according to The Washington Post. A second person familiar with the preliminary DIA evaluation – designated as "low confidence" – confirmed it determined some Iranian centrifuges used for uranium enrichment that could potentially be weaponized remained undamaged.

Trump has repeatedly declared the US bombardment of Iranian nuclear enrichment complexes achieved complete success. "The sites that we hit in Iran were totally destroyed, and everyone knows it," he posted on social media Monday following the reports on the only-partial damage to the sites. Reports of the classified intelligence evaluation emerged as a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, brokered by Trump and Qatari leadership, remained fragile but intact.

On Wednesday, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin announced the start of a ceasefire with Iran following the achievement of Operation Rising Lion's objectives. "Yesterday, a ceasefire with Iran began after all goals were met," Defrin said. "This operation was planned over years. Recognizing we faced a point of no return, we accelerated our plans. We achieved significant operational successes – all actions were executed with synchronization across all branches and divisions."

Defrin added, "It is too early to fully assess the operation's achievements, which will be discussed for years to come. Even at this moment, we maintain high alertness. Our missions are not complete, and we will continue to act for our future." He stressed that Iran's nuclear program, according to Israeli assessments, "has been set back for years."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian both recognized the ceasefire agreement and declared victory in the 12-day conflict. Prior to the truce, Iran launched missiles at the substantial US air installation in Qatar, claiming retaliation for American strikes on its nuclear facilities, with no reported casualties.

CNN initially disclosed the Defense Intelligence Agency assessment Tuesday morning. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt challenged the report's findings while not disputing its existence. "This alleged 'assessment' is flat-out wrong and was classified as 'top secret' but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community," Leavitt posted on X.

"The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran's nuclear program," she continued. "Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration."

Nuclear nonproliferation specialists and weapons experts have consistently maintained that eliminating Iran's decades-old atomic infrastructure through aerial bombardment alone would prove virtually impossible. Israel also struck numerous components of Iran's nuclear program, including installations at Natanz and Isfahan, during attacks initiated June 13.

The Trump administration arranged and subsequently delayed Iran briefings for House members Tuesday. Representative Mike Quigley, a Democrat from Illinois serving on the House Intelligence Committee, told The Washington Post widespread congressional belief exists that embarrassing assessment content prompted the Trump administration's decision to postpone the classified briefing. "They don't delay briefings that have good news," Quigley explained.

Quigley refused to discuss classified briefing content he received earlier this week but noted years of intelligence official warnings that aerial attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities would lack lasting impact. "I've been briefed on the likelihoods of how this would play out for years, and I was always told you have to finish the job with troops on the ground," he stated. "Nothing has changed my mind on that."

The DIA report, a Pentagon division, represents likely just one among numerous ongoing US intelligence evaluations of American airstrike damage. A senior administration official cautioned that battle damage assessments remain incomplete and other reports may reach different conclusions, according to The Washington Post.

The strikes inflicted enormous damage and Iran will be unable to reconstitute its nuclear program in the near future, the official stated. The Fordow installation particularly sustained devastating impact and will remain unusable for an extended period, the official added. Fordow houses Iran's most deeply buried facility containing chambers of rapidly spinning centrifuges for uranium enrichment.

The post Did Trump's Iran strike do its job? New information sparks controversy appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

MAMDANI: "As Mayor I would have Netanyahu arrested if he came to New York!"

WTF? pic.twitter.com/BOWhI6hbmh

— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) June 24, 2025

Mamdani has vowed to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to visit the city due to his actions in the Gaza Strip. This would in effect exercise the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court in November 2024, even though Israel and the US are not party to the tribunal and it is unlikely that the mayor has the authority to arrest a diplomat without any specific crime committed on city's jurisdiction.

The former New York governor – who had secured backing from influential Democratic figures including Bill Clinton and centered his campaign around combating antisemitism – acknowledged defeat to Mamdani at approximately 10 p.m. Tuesday evening, JTA reported. Cuomo, aged 67, addressed his supporters at a campaign watch event with gracious remarks.

"Tonight was not our night," Cuomo said to supporters gathered at a watch party. "Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won," according to JTA.

During the extended campaign period, Cuomo – who stepped down as governor in 2021 following sexual harassment allegations from multiple women – had been widely viewed as the overwhelming favorite to secure the nomination, JTA reported.

With the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and rising antisemitic incidents across New York City and beyond, both Israeli policy and anti-Jewish hatred became pivotal campaign themes, according to JTA. Cuomo characterized antisemitism as "the most serious and most important issue" in the mayoral race and "in many ways, the toughest issue facing the city of New York and the country."

Mamdani represents a sharp contrast as a vocal Israel opponent who has consistently championed the boycott movement against the Jewish state, JTA reported. Following the October 7 attacks, he criticized Israel, defended his conversations with popular Twitch streamer Hasan Piker despite antisemitism accusations against the content creator, and initially supported before later rejecting the "globalize the intifada" slogan that many Jewish Americans interpret as inciting violence against Israelis.

Under the city's ranked-choice voting mechanism, victory requires achieving 50% support, according to JTA. The Associated Press calculated Mamdani's support at 43.5% and Cuomo's at 36.4% by Tuesday's conclusion, with vote counting expected to extend into next week.

While Tuesday evening marked a significant triumph for Mamdani, uncertainty surrounds his potential general election opponent, JTA reported. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams seeks reelection under two newly created ballot lines titled "EndAntiSemitism" and "Safe&Affordable." Cuomo had indicated potential interest in mounting an independent campaign if unsuccessful in the primary but declined to confirm such plans Tuesday evening.

Mamdani's platform featured promises of rent freezes and fare-free public transportation, alongside proposing establishment of a Department of Community Safety designed to expand anti-hate programming, including antisemitism prevention initiatives, according to JTA.

"Antisemitism is not simply something that we should talk about – it's something that we have to tackle," he stated during his Monday evening appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. "We have to make clear there's no room for it in this city, in this country."

City Comptroller Brad Lander, who identifies as both Jewish and progressive, captured slightly more than 11% of Tuesday's counted ballots, securing third position behind Cuomo, JTA reported. During the campaign's final weeks, Lander and Mamdani provided mutual endorsements.

Should Mamdani prevail in November's general election, he would become New York City's inaugural Muslim mayor, according to JTA.

"We are not going to let anyone divide Muslim New Yorkers and Jewish New Yorkers," Lander declared at a Tuesday evening watch party.

In additional ballot contests, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who is Jewish, prevailed over Councilman Justin Brannan in the comptroller race, while in a closely monitored Park Slope, Brooklyn City Council contest, incumbent Shahana Hanif – who has also criticized Israel and lost Jewish community support over her responses to antisemitic incidents in the borough – defeated Maya Kornberg, who is Jewish, JTA reported.

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This digital mockery unfolds amid the Israel-Iran conflict of recent weeks, throughout which the Tehran regime absorbed devastating losses. High-ranking military commanders and nuclear scientists slain in targeted strikes, nuclear installations faced bombardment from Israeli and American forces, and the nation's ballistic missile infrastructure plus air defenses sustained crippling damage. Israeli leaders openly threatened Khamenei's assassination during this period, though such operations remained unrealized before both sides agreed to a ceasefire arrangement.

Khamenei represents merely one regime personality subjected to satirical claims of "Mossad collaboration." Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani has repeatedly faced characterization as an Israeli intelligence asset.

This perception stems from his succession of strategic disasters over recent years, notably the systematic elimination of Hezbollah's senior leadership in Beirut during his diplomatic mission there, plus the December collapse of Assad's Syrian government. Throughout the current conflict, Arab observers questioned Qaani's survival of Israeli targeting operations, derisively branding him an "Israeli operative."

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Video: Dogs rescued from rubble in Tel Aviv / Credit: Police Spokesperson

Israel's rescue forces saved a dog from a damaged building in Tel Aviv. She was terrified, poor thing. I'm glad she's okay now. Dogs are going through so much trauma in Israel because of the sirens and explosions. My heart goes out to these poor animals. pic.twitter.com/aTNl1hCEFl

— Vivid. (@VividProwess) June 13, 2025

 Body camera footage shows the officers working at the scene shortly after the impact, helping residents escape from damaged buildings while simultaneously ensuring the rescue of animals left in apartments.

Medal of Honor for good boy Tzvika, who was rescued by the IDF from what was left of his home in Israel. He survived there for four days! Take that Iran!
(@kann_news) pic.twitter.com/WVPbCkpm5T

— Yael Bar tur (@yaelbt) June 18, 2025

Police officials stated that the officers acted with determination and speed while risking personal safety, as part of the police's commitment to protecting human life and public security.

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What else is there to say about Aviv? A lot of friends have poured a lot of good words out this week, ever since we were notified of the return of his body from Gaza. When someone dies, everyone always only shares the good things about them, but in this case Aviv only had a positive side. This sea of words can be condensed into one: "creator" – in all senses of the word.

A Kibbutznik through and through, farmer, mechanic, artist and craftsman in every field that you can imagine. Whether you needed an omelette for breakfast or to fix a combine harvester, Aviv turned everything into a fine craft. Organize a gig in the kibbutz garage? Easy, and then joke with the band backstage, when "backstage" is a tractor hitched to a plow (remind me to tell you about that time when Dani Litani or Ehud Banai arrived onstage via the nuts and bolts storage in the metalsmith workshop). Need a loving teacher to ignite creativity in the kids? With pleasure. Need something – anything – fixed? He's got it sorted. Need to build that invention that we dreamed up to sort out that one task in the field or for the volleyball club? It'll be ready before your 10 a.m. coffee break. Everything always done with style and his little twist, accompanied by a wink and a laugh. Everything always done with love and with his whole heart, accompanied by a sprinkle of a curse in Russian or broken German.

But at the end of the day, Aviv's greatest creation was always a good atmosphere. He had a special way of making everyone around him feel comfortable, feel that everything would be OK, and there'd be fun and jokes along the way. Don't worry, take it easy, we'll even have time for a beer when we're done. A people-person of the type that they don't make anymore, a cliche as perfect as it sounds. Well, he grew up in Nir Oz after all. I can't even count the times I woke him up in the middle of the night because we did some idiotic thing while harvesting and we broke the shlongmeister on the combine harvester. He'd jump out of bed while mumbling some joke, get into work clothes and land directly from a dream about some bike ride in India straight into crawling inside a greasy tractor to fix in seconds what we'd been trying to solve for hours.

And on that Saturday morning, too, he jumped out of bed directly from a dream straight into a nightmare. This time with a bulletproof vest, helmet and gun, not greasy overalls and a wrench. I don't know what exactly happened to him in those final moments that morning, and what he managed to do alongside his team in the civilian guard. I can only imagine. They were the last line of defense for Nir Oz, and according to all the reports I've seen, after they fell the gates of hell opened, because there was no one left to fight. It was the moment that the gunshots stopped, because there was no one left to shoot, and so began the mass kidnapping of defenseless families, those who became hostages.

So, I allow myself to imagine that he was with friends. That they watched each other's backs. Maybe, also, from inside that hell of being an inadequately armed few in the face of hundreds of heavily armed and well-prepared terrorists, at the beginning of the end that dawned on them with every bullet shrieking overhead or grenade exploding at their feet and leaving not much room for hope, they still managed a dark joke or two. I imagine, also, a barrage of curses in a variety of languages, those that you can only let loose with good friends and it's best not to have them in writing. Curses for the Gazans, for Hamas, for sh**tyluck, for the army that was supposed to back them up within minutes, for the fact that after two and a half hours there was still not one word…and maybe they also had some curses for God, our supposed savior, and also the sun because they'd run out of things to curse. I'm glad they don't know what has happened since.

It was a great honor to be able to create with Aviv. Even though for the most part I was the one who broke the stuff that he then had to fix – a role in which I take great pride – we also knew how to create together. Amongst the mechanical creations destined for agricultural purposes were abstract statutes made from discarded metal, decorating the rusty landscape of the tractor storage. On old scraps of equipment he'd paint delicate paintings: he'd ask me for photos of the fields and the tractors at work, and reimagine them with brushstrokes on the chisels of ploughs and digger blades. As beautiful as they were simple. We shared a love of the visual beauty of agricultural work, and for that I will be forever grateful. What else is there to say? Aviv Atzili. Creator, father, partner, and a friend for life. I am full of envy for the way you walked the paths of life with the calm and tranquility of a man sure of his way and surrounded by friends and family. In these deeply turbulent times, I wish for everyone to be a bit more like Aviv. To live truthfully, with love and creativity. Brothers in arms when necessary, but using force with restraint. Partners in sowing and building, and exploring the beauty and value of life in all its forms. We are still searching for a heart of gold to compare to yours. Dear Aviv, you were always the best of us, and that's what she, and everyone else, said.

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