Trump:

I asked them to send whatever they want, but they don’t want to, because NATO is a paper tiger.

Source: Corriere

Trump on Meloni:

She’s not the same person anymore, and Italy won’t be the same country.

Immigration is killing Italy and all of Europe.

Source: Corriere

Trump:

Meloni just says Italy doesn’t want to get involved. Even though Italy gets its oil from there, even though America is very important for Italy.

She doesn’t think Italy should be involved. She thinks America should do the work for her.

Source: Corriere

Sanctioned Chinese Tanker Breaks U.S. Naval Blockade on Hormuz

Sanctioned Chinese tanker Rich Starry transited the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, carrying 250,000 barrels of methanol - the first known passage since the U.S. Naval blockade began. Beijing called the blockade dangerous & irresponsible.

READ MORE

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz:

The United States and Israel have defined the removal of enriched material from Iran as a precondition for ending the campaign.

Trump:

Europe is desperate for Energy, and yet the United Kingdom refuses to open North Sea Oil, one of the greatest fields in the World. Tragic!!!

Aberdeen should be booming. Norway sells its North Sea Oil to the U.K. at double the price. They are making a fortune. U.K., which is better situated on the North Sea for purposes of energy than Norway, should, DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!!

It is absolutely crazy that they don’t… AND, NO MORE WINDMILLS!

CENTCOM update on the U.S. blockade of Iran.

Magazine Cover Showing Real Settler Sparks “Anti-Semitism” Claim

L’Espresso's magazine cover showing a real Israeli settler confronting a Palestinian has sparked a diplomatic row after Israel’s ambassador labeled it “antisemitic,” igniting backlash over whether documenting reality is now being reframed as bias.

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Prof. Nader Hashemi | Middle East Expert | Georgetown University:
 

As a superpower, America uses economic & military leverage to coerce others into serving its national security interests.
 
But like other great powers before it, America suffers from arrogance & hubris - making mistakes it then has to rethink & recalculate its way out of.
 
The US invaded Iraq thinking it would be a cakewalk & Iraqis would welcome troops with flowers. That clearly didn't happen.
 
We're seeing it again with Iran - where America has grossly miscalculated how Iranians would respond.

FULL INTERVIEW

Trump to NY Post:

Something could be happening over the next two days. We’re more inclined to go Pakistan.

You should stay there, really. Why should we go to some country that has nothing to do with it?

The field marshal is doing a great job. He’s fantastic. He’s doing a great job — that’s why it’s more likely.

IDF Givati Brigade soldier in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon, standing near a Hezbollah memorial wall.

The town is long considered a symbolic and operational hub for Hezbollah.

It was a scene of intense urban fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah in 2006 War.

High-resolution satellite imagerry from April 10 show two destroyed U.S. C-130 special operations aircraft and multiple helicopters at a dirt airstrip near Shahreza, Iran.

Multiple impact and damage points are visible along the airstrip.

Senator Graham on Iran:

If there is no deal, it is time to finish the job.

Pakistan is working to arrange a second round of U.S.–Iran talks this week.

Source: NYT

Prof. Nader Hashemi | Middle East Expert | Georgetown University:
 

The international system is anarchic. There's no dominant sovereign to impose accountability. Great powers can do what they want & not be held accountable.
 
The only accountability comes from domestic politics or when the cost of intervention becomes too burdensome, as we saw with Afghanistan.
 
No one was held accountable for Iraq war. Many say that's why this war with Iran has started. Had there been accountability over the Bush administration, this debacle perhaps wouldn't have happened.

FULL INTERVIEW

Dr. Mehmet Oz:

Trump argues that diet soda is good for him because it kills grass, if poured on grass, and therefore it kills cancer cells inside the body.

Norway will lift its ban on its $2.2 trillion sovereign wealth fund investing in Syrian government bonds.

At the same time, Norway plans to add Iran to its exclusion list for such investments.

Source: Reuters

The Trump administration has eased financial sanctions on Venezuela to help stabilize its struggling economy and address protests over low wages.

The change allows major state banks, including the Banco Central de Venezuela, to use U.S. dollars, access oil revenues, and reconnect with the global financial system.

Source: Axios

Europe is preparing a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the war ends, led by Macron and the U.K., but without U.S. involvement.

The idea is to form an international, defensive mission that excludes countries directly involved in the conflict—like the U.S., Israel, and Iran—so it is more acceptable, particularly to Tehran.

Source: WSJ