Israel has risked a potentially devastating conflict with Iran that could engulf the region and undermine the world economy with an unprovoked attack on nuclear facilities and Iranian leaders on Thursday, reports Joe Lauria.
Anti-aircraft guns guarding Natanz Nuclear Facility, Iran, which Israell said it struck on Thursday, file photo. (Hamed Saber/Wikimedia Commons)
By Joe Lauria
Special to Consortium News
Israel has opened the gates of hell in the Middle East.
In a thoroughly unprovoked attack on Iran, the Israeli military rained down fire on several major sites including the capital Teheran. The New York Times reported:
“The targets of the Israeli strike include nuclear facilities, air defense batteries, homes and headquarters of senior officials, weapons depots and laboratories. The first wave of the assault focused on senior officials. According to two defense officials familiar with the initial assessments of the Israeli attacks in Iran, there is increasing likelihood that Israel succeeded in killing Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, along with several senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guards and leading scientists involved in the country’s nuclear program.”
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was not involved in the attack but he warned Iran not to retaliate against U.S. targets in the region:
“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”
The United States had restrained Israel while Washington was negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran. That restraint was apparently lifted on Thursday as the negotiations with Iran had stalled.
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said in a statement: “Israel’s attack on Iran, clearly intended to scuttle the Trump administration’s negotiations with Iran, risks a regional war that will likely be catastrophic for America.”
Benjamin Netanyahu said in a television address:
“We struck at the heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. We struck at the heart of Iran’s nuclear weaponization program. We targeted Iran’s leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb. We also struck at the heart of Iran’s ballistic missile program.”
As a justification he invoked the Holocaust, alleging that Iran could commit another one.
Israel was put in a state of emergency. Iranian officials vowed to retaliate against Israel and the latest reports indicate that Iran fired 100 drones at Israel in retaliation.
In the days leading to Israel’s attack, Iran warned that U.S. military installations in several nations in the region could be targeted. The U.S. will “receive a forceful slap” said a spokesman for Iran’s Armed Forces after Israel’s attack, and that “a retaliation attack is definite, God willingly.”
Analysts have long warned that all-out war between Israel and Iran, particularly if the U.S. becomes directly involved, could bring about catastrophic consequences to the Middle East.
The world economy could be plunged into recession if Iran shuts down the Straits of Hormuz at the mouth of the Persian Gulf from which about 30 percent of world oil supplies exit.
The attack on Iran and the risks involved demonstrate that the madness driving Israel to commit genocide in Gaza appears to have no bounds.
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY. PLEASE COME BACK FOR UPDATES.
Joe Lauria is editor-in-chief of Consortium News and a former U.N. correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and other newspapers, including The Montreal Gazette, the London Daily Mail and The Star of Johannesburg. He was an investigative reporter for the Sunday Times of London, a financial reporter for Bloomberg News and began his professional work as a 19-year old stringer for The New York Times. He is the author of two books, A Political Odyssey, with Sen. Mike Gravel, foreword by Daniel Ellsberg; and How I Lost By Hillary Clinton, foreword by Julian Assange.
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One again JFK has proven to be correct about Israel having nuclear weapons which are the cause of this conflict. Israel has used it’s possession of nuclear weapons as a Sword of Damocles of sorts hanging over all the countries around it to dissuade it neighbors from making responses to Israeli incursions and overreaches since their threat became widely known as being no bluff.
Now this Israeli – Iranian thingy.
George w. Bush signed a deal with India on 2006 which allowed India , the only country to have nuclear weapons, that has not signed a non-proliferation pact besides Israel. This agreement, the India-United States Civil Nuclear Agreement was to allow business between India and the U.S.. As of. 2015 the agreement had still not been fully implemented .
Wiki – India – United States Civil Nuclear Agreement – Wiki G H W Bush the U.S. Enrichment Corporation .
More very interesting information on the history of this deal can be found at www(dot) nonproliferation(dot)org/wp-content/upload/npr/falken32.pdf
Later while in office G Bush, shrub got in on the act also. I’m just saying you know . . . .!
We have helped weaponize religious warfare across the Middle East in our strategic interest for them to destabilize each other for our religious interests over the ages even since the Roman occupation and religious theft for a new kind of trans national empire that arose from the ashes.
By pure coincidence, yesterday Netanyahu was facing a vote that threatened to dissolve the Knesset and force new elections. Elections that the vastly unpopular Netanyahu is almost sure to lose. He held on to power by the skin of his teeth by making unknown promises to his right-wing religious allies who had grown tired of his excuses.
The next day, Israel attacks Iran.
Do you believe in coincidence?
Or, do you believe that Netanyahu would risk regional war and world war by igniting a war in the Middle East just to save his political hiney? Some people should be locked up.
Brian Berletic called this. Trump is either a fraud or too weak to take on the deep state – probably a combination of the two.
Yes. A very upset and agitated Berletic was on Rachel Blevins’ show earlier today, and he was excellent as usual. Trump is actually up bragging about his deceptions, depravity, constant lying, and murderous intent. Insane, astounding!
Berletic makes good points.
The DT a fraud? Of course, and an incompetent moron. Dude has been a serially-mendacious, obnoxious, loud-mouthed a-hole his whole life. Yet we saw many informed, intelligent people fall for his BS more than once. Only a good social psychologist can explain the irrational behavior when it comes to politics. People will continually support people who undermine their interests. It’s like collective Stockholm Syndrome or something.
*“Some humans ain’t human!” We,“live” in a world of sharks, minnows–and baby sharks;” High above, are the “Killer Whales.” At any time, the shark, can yell, “Shark attack!” There’s blood in the water! “Funny thing about sharks. They don’t really go after minnows; they are too small. But they will go after each other once blood is drawn,” i.e. “Israeli military rained down fire on several major sites including the capital Teheran.” Joe Lauria.
………. “Israel has opened the gates of hell in the Middle East.” Joe Lauria
No doubt, Israel’s Benyamin Netanyahu’s channeling Colin Powell, 2.5.2003, sans the “vial” &/or the consensus of the UNSC, that “Israel was put in a state of emergency.” Consequently, the Butcher & the Banker, the “Killer Whales,” have “all their “unilateral” sharks in check. “Sharks” doing the “readying,” “aiming,” prepared to properly & tactically “fire,”@ the right time, in the right direction.” This time, Teheran. “Mission, Accomplished!” No doubt, Netanyahu’s & Trump’s Board of Executioners is “made up of sharks out for blood.”
The owl asks, “WHO are the “Analysts” that “have long warned that all-out war between Israel and Iran, particularly if the U.S. becomes directly involved could bring about catastrophic consequences to the Middle East?” The bird tweets, “Analysts?” Fuhgeddabout ‘em! Everybody, knows, *“Trump Defies Rational Analysis.” Joe Lauria.
W/o a doubt, 2025 is beyond f/vile! 2003, “LIVES!” Israel’s, imo, Butcher also channels that Cowboy from Texas, “who $tarted his own in Iraq;” &, “the “B*tch in the Middle,” is the world’s largest US Embassy, in downtown, Baghdad, Iraq. W/o a doubt, Iran’s 1st “target,” Iraq?!? Trumping, DJ “the Big $hot” Trump’s, “unilateral” position, “[taking] all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.” Marco Rubio’s Yada. Yada. Yada. Blah. Blah. Blah!
What’s the Plan? What’s the “deal?” B/c, everybody, knows,
…..“What’s required is a full sustained comprehension, that Trump may be incapable of.” JOE LAURIA!!!
Concluding, Trump-Vance, Inc., need: 1) to “Make the Call,” 1-800-911-VIPS! 2) a “Plan to Save the Planet,” NOT Nuke it! 11.24.21 hxxps://thetricontinental.org/text-a-plan-to-save-the-planet/…….., 3) “Release the Dragon!” When the doors of the prison have opened. The real dragon will fly out!” Ho Chi Minh (The quote encapsulates his belief that individuals who have been suppressed or held captive have the potential to rise above their circumstances and achieve greatness once they are granted their long-awaited liberation). “Keep It Lit!” TY Joe Lauria, CN, et al.
* 6.8.25 hxxps://consortiumnews.com/2025/06/08/watch-joe-lauria-trump-defies-rational-analysis/
* 7.28.23 hxxps://management.org/blogs/training-and-development/2013/01/30/four-ways-to-deal-with-sharks-and-minnows-in-the-office/
* 5.19.25 hxxps://consortiumnews.com/2025/05/19/rooting-out-the-root-causes-in-ukraine/
* 2005, “Some Humans Ain’t Human,” John Prine’s album “Fair & Square.”
* hxxps://www.socratic-method.com/quote-meanings/ho-chi-minh-when-the-prison-doors-are-opened-the-real-dragon-will-fly-out
To reiterate something I’ve been writing for over 20 years: the Zionist Power Configuration in all its paranoia, hegemonic ambitions, and bloodlust is totally out of control. Wesley Clark described in 2001 all the nation-states it wanted to regime change; it’s looking like its sick plans have probably been successful. All of this paid for by hard pressed American taxpayers with the full approval of a bought off legislature!
So we have a Spartan state in the Middle East that provides free healthcare coverage for all its supremacist citizens while the US pays for it all and is filled with tens of millions of its own citizens full of healhcare debts that can lead to bankruptcy or suicide.
We are now left with the most religio-ethnic exclusionary state armed to the teeth that ignores international law and devalues gentile life.
Only entities with courage and integrity in smy of this is the DPRK and AnsarAllah.
May I dissent?
We’ve let our enemies Russia, China, North Korea and dangerous states like Pakistan and India develop nukes on our watch, while engaging in pointless wars in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. This has been insane. When one of their nukes kills millions of us, it is on the hands of those who just let it happen.
Meanwhile, the only reason the mullahs–and their suicidal affiliates–have not had a fusion bomb by now is Israel’s stopping them twice.
I’m a Green party peacenik, who joined the Army Security Agency (Russian) in lieu of letting my low draft number get me sent to ‘Nam.
“The Mullahs”? You just gave yourself away, you repeat the same language as Israel and the DT2 regime.
You are clearly not a “peacenik”, but an obvious apologist for Israel. The “enemies” you speak of are the same as the enemies of the CIA and MI6. The Orwellian message you send: war is peace, ignorance is strength. Please don’t insult our intelligence.
This was a US/UK backed operation, clearly. The Idiot Emperor has said he will “defend Israel”. The DT has said many times that he will “allow Israel to bomb Iran”. He threatened Iran to come to a deal, or be bombed.
And don’t forget the Genocide of Palestine… or do you approve of that as well?
With “peaceniks” like you, who needs the warmongering MICIMATT?
I’m confused. Please educate me on why Russia, China, North Korea India and Pakistan are your enemies ?
Weren’t they all on ‘our’ side 85 years ago, as was Iran ?
The only insanity I see is letting mad dog Israel have nuclear weapons.
Wake up. The cold war was over decades ago. Stop falling for empire propaganda
Really? Until very recently, the USA explicitly viewed Russia, China and North Korea as enemies. Trump has a somewhat more benign take on Russia than many of his predecessors, but is the Cold War over?
Sunni – Shia, who cares, right?
Ignorance is bliss.
At least you’re happy.
You do a fine job of repeating the CIA’s Official Enemies List. And interestingly, you ignore the world’s foremost Rogue Nuclear Power …. Israel, again following the CIA’s lead. Despite recent intelligence leaks confirming what has always been known, probably by the Army Security Agency, that Israel has been getting USA support in its Rogue Nuclear Program. Fascinating the religious bias and attacks on “the mullahs and their suicidal affiliates.” From being an original Green-Party peacenik from back in the day, you sure don’t talk like any peaceniks I’ve ever shared a campfire with at a hippie gathering. You have your official enemies list and you have your list of nations who you are happy to see bombed whenever Israel decides they want to bomb them today. That sounds a lot more like US Army Security Agency than Green Party peacenik.
“Our” enemies? Speak for yourself, Strangelove. You’re a Green Party “peacenik,” eh? On top of being a reactionary paranoid war-monger and supporter of Israel. It’s all good though.
The only ones committing a HOLOCAUST are the israelis. How often is israel going to invoke ‘Holocaust’ behind which to hide when committing atrocities against Palestinians/Palestine???
The holocaust is the primary justification for the existence of Israel. The gift that keeps giving.
More often than you or I can keep up with, that’s for sure.
Teach israel lessons not to be forgotten (or ignored) so soon. :-(
So the BBC front page has a massive banner across the top third of the screen with a headline saying ‘make a deal or the attacks will be more brutal’ but then
Immediately below it are 7 larger than normal mugshots of brown skinned Muslim men with the headline ‘Grooming gang guilty of raping & abusing girls’.
This is a deliberate way to remove any sympathy for the slaughter of innocent Muslims – it’s clever & sophisticated and it will hoodwink the masses no doubt. They have Full spectrum dominance of our MSM
“Bend it like Beckham!!!”…. “This is a deliberate way to remove any sympathy for the slaughter of innocent Muslims – it’s clever & sophisticated and it will hoodwink the masses no doubt. They have Full spectrum dominance of our MSM.” Arch Stanton. (Spot On). TY!
*“So, let us once and for all dispense with the lie about the US being a mediator, a restraining influence, or as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (considered to be on the extreme Left of mainstream US politics) put it, ‘working tirelessly for a ceasefire’. A party to the genocide cannot be a mediator.” Arundhati Roy.
…… Repeat the Line: *“[NOT] all the power and money, not all the weapons and propaganda on earth can any longer hide the wound that is Palestine. The wound through which the whole world, including Israel, bleeds.” Arundhati Roy
hxxps://pentransmissions.wordpress.com/2024/10/15/no-propaganda-on-earth-can-hide-the-wound-that-is-palestine-arundhati-roys-pen-pinter-prize-2024-speech/
This is an American project through and through. hxxps://journal-neo.su/2025/04/03/trumps-threats-against-iran-exposes-us-continuity-of-agenda/
Clearly coordinated. The US head General for the region changed his travel plans at the last minute, the day before the attack. Trump and Netanyahu are buds who talk on the phone all the time. They are both backed by the same rich oligarchs, so its like one employee talking to another employee about what their common boss wants done.
It was American bombs and missiles, fired from American airplanes, with America providing pre-attack cover and distractions. All prepared and planned with American intelligence ‘sharing’ and likely the same for post-strike bomb-damage assessments. The only thing that’s not American is the captured Israeli pilots who got shot down in their Great American Airplanes.
And now, once again, American military personal are again fighting to protect the Genocide, engaging in combat alongside the forces of Genocide. Openly. USA hearts and protects Genocide with the lives of its soldiers, in addition to its $billions of dollars that are not being used for health care. Once again, it is clear to the world that the USA is a part and party of this ongoing Genocide.
Re: your comment below, starting ‘I don’t care if the elites “buy it” or not’ (which has no ‘Reply’ thingy):
Neither do I when it comes to guilt, but I was replying to Carolyn Zaremba’s ‘the U.S. and the collective west actually believe this shit.’ And if they ever are brought to trial for war crimes, I’d say they deserve far worse than most of those who were ‘only following orders’.
As for ‘The non-voting Americans are, by their lack of protest, to be considered 100% in favor of the ongoing policies of war and genocide’, there have been many protests by both voting and non-voting USAmericans. And while most US presidents of late have lined up solidly behind the State of Israel whatever it does, voters have elected principled representatives – Ilhan Omar springs to mind, but I’m sure there are others.
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran,” says Rubio? This was a CIA-Mossad-MI6 engineered and executed attack! And don’t say that Israel is trying to “lure” us into a war — this has been in the planning stages at Langley for decades. Reading tea leaves from Trump’s statements will be about as productive as Biden statement tea-reading was, because neither one was or is actually directing the government. No one whom we are permitted to “elect” is.
You are correct.
This attack, and others to follow, were definitely on the cards when miriam adelson gave the Trump campaign $100M.
Go back a lot further . To 2009 or before
Read Brian Berletic NOW!!
The dim-witted, insecure Rubio was immediately made out to be a liar when Trump broadcasted his treacherous crimes on “Truth” Social. Of course Trump really told the truth this time. Yes, this is the US’ war on Iran. The Iranians certainly understand that.
“As a justification he invoked the Holocaust, alleging that Iran could commit another one.”
As if they are not currently committing one in Gaza.
The hypocrisy is stunning.
Amen! Israel invoking “pre-crime” justification for its own criminal attack on Iran.
And the U.S. and the collective west actually believe this shit.
I disagree. A great many ordinary citizens openly reject this nonsense, and I’m not at all convinced the ruling elites buy it either – for many of their number, it’s a convenient cover story.
I don’t care if the elites “buy it” or not. If they try to claim it was only a convenient cover story when we get to the stage of War Crime Trials, then they deserve the prison cells on the same block as the people who try to claim ‘we were only following orders.’
No candidate opposed to Israel has gotten more than a couple of percent in a Presidential election. In the last election, over 95% of voting Americans proudly voted for one flavor of Genocide or the other flavor of Genocide. The non-voting Americans are, by their lack of protest, to be considered 100% in favor of the ongoing policies of war and genocide.
Humans have a way of shying away from the true picture of the horror. The genocidals use this. Trying to pretend that a vast majority of Americans today don’t love war and genocide is one example. If you look at American politics, you see wars, hatred and aggression from everyone involved. You look at American culture, and you see hate and aggression. Everyone is out to get someone else. As someone who’s young eyes saw the America of the 1960’s, the lack of any peace movement or peace politics is noticeable. Peace is not talked about or even discussed, except in the nationalist, militarist sense that we will find peace after we kill all our enemies. The Dems are as bad as the Repubs … its all the politics of hate, who do they hate, and what they want to do to the people that they hate.
The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one. America needs to stand in front of a mirror and admit to itself it is a brutal, aggressive, hate-filled, blood-thirsty culture that is always out to get somebody. The only debate in America is who we should kill today, and how big of a celebration should we throw after the successful ‘hit’.
America really needs to put Al Capone’s picture onto the currency.
Cannot afford to be complacent with the mad dog Israel.
Iran must retaliate or they’ll end up like Syria or Lebanon.
Unfreakin’ believable. The Iranians are their own worst enemy. Their leadership is Just. Not. There. Iran is taking the hit for this leadership INCOMPETENCE.
Iran had the absolute right to develop nuclear power and to enrich uranium to power those reactors. The zio-Israeli death cult (and their servants in Washington) decided to wipe them out. I sincerely hope Israel and Washington reap what they have sown. That’s assuming Iran can recover from it’s idiot leadership. Maybe it’s time for new leadership in Iran?
*** . That’s assuming Iran can recover from it’s idiot leadership. Maybe it’s time for new leadership in Iran? ***
That sounds suspiciously like the agenda of the US and Israel, and I’m sure the covert operators within Iran have already been briefed and are busy doing their thing.
However, Iran (and Russia and China, for that matter) don’t subscribe to the knee-jerk “bomb them back to the stone age” mindset of the US and NATO.
I’m sure there will be retaliation, but at a time of Iran’s choosing.
I hope they retaliate soon. And forcefully. Israel needs a little lesson.
Haaretz says Tel Aviv residents are reporting hits.
And of course, for the fucking Zionists, it’s all Iran’s fault… YOU’RE GOING TO BURN IN THE HELL YOU’VE CREATED!!!
Looks like you stole your argument from Scott Ritter, with whom I disagree on this topic.
@jason:
granted, irans leadership is not among the most brilliant
in terms of caring for their population. at least, they showed
RESTRAINT in the face of constant provocations by israel’s
mossad, by bombardments of natanz decades ago and following
israel’s killing of leading military figures in recent months – bc
they KNOW: retaliating in kind will make the entire region go
up in flames. who would REALLY want that? who wants that?
representatives of my EU country still stick to the lame line that
“israel has a right to defend itself!” THAT is what i call LACK of
competence, lack of respect, cruel double standardry.
as to regime change in iran: as long as the west does business
with the current regime why should things change to the west’s
disadvantage. remember what happened when dr. mossadegh
nationalized iran’s oil industry?
I find your comment disingenuous. Why would Iran need uranium enriched to 60% U-235 to power reactors?