Feed aggregator

[Video below.] Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed cautious confidence Tuesday that negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program could move forward, even as renewed regional tensions and a fragile ceasefire have cast doubt on the prospects for broader diplomatic progress.

Appearing before lawmakers in his first public testimony since the outbreak of the Iran conflict, Rubio said Tehran has shown a new willingness to discuss elements of its nuclear activities that had previously been off limits during negotiations. However, he stopped short of predicting whether the talks would ultimately produce an agreement.

“They have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program that just a month ago, just a year ago, they were refusing to even mention,” Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He did not elaborate.

Rubio cautioned that progress at the negotiating table does not necessarily mean a final accord is within reach, noting that uncertainty and internal instability within Iran’s leadership continue to complicate efforts to secure a lasting arrangement.

He added, however, that it’s “not a guarantee that ultimately it will lead to a deal that’s acceptable” and that these negotiations have been made difficult by the instability of Iran’s leadership.

Those comments came as reports emerged from two semi-official Iranian news agencies claiming that Tehran had suspended contacts with mediators after Israel warned it could target Beirut amid its ongoing military campaign against Hezbollah.

The developments coincided with a new round of State Department-sponsored discussions between Israel and Lebanon. Those talks are taking place against a backdrop of escalating clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, further clouding hopes of preserving an already tenuous ceasefire.

Rubio’s appearance before Congress quickly turned into a broad examination of the Trump administration’s foreign policy challenges. Lawmakers pressed him on a range of issues, including reductions in foreign aid programs, anti-drug operations in Latin America, and diplomatic initiatives in several global hotspots.

Although the hearings were formally intended to address the State Department’s annual budget request, much of the attention centered on the ongoing conflict with Iran and the increasingly uncertain truce that has been tested by continued exchanges of attacks.

Rubio and other administration officials have repeatedly defended President Donald Trump’s decision to enter the conflict, despite longstanding pledges to avoid prolonged military entanglements in the Middle East. At the same time, critics have pointed to shifting administration objectives as a source of confusion and concern.

The secretary’s testimony marked his first public appearance before Congress since fighting erupted on February 28. Shortly after the initial American and Israeli strikes, Rubio participated in classified briefings for lawmakers, where Democrats criticized the lack of congressional authorization while most Republicans voiced support for the military action.

As the war enters its third month, questions about its cost and long-term economic impact have begun to attract bipartisan attention. A growing number of Republicans have joined Democrats in raising concerns about the conflict’s financial burden as the midterm election season approaches.

One of the most significant economic consequences has been disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of globally traded oil and natural gas normally passes. Reduced tanker traffic has contributed to higher fuel prices and broader concerns about energy markets.

Last month, momentum against the war reached a new level when the Senate advanced legislation that would have required Trump to end U.S. involvement in the conflict. The measure gained support after Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy sided with Democrats shortly after losing a primary contest in which Trump had backed his challenger.

A similar effort in the House never reached the floor. Republican leaders blocked a vote on a war powers resolution after concluding they lacked sufficient support within their own ranks to defeat it.

The episode underscored growing divisions within the GOP, as increasing numbers of Republican lawmakers have shown a willingness to break with Trump over the handling of the conflict.

After testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a House Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday, Rubio is scheduled to return to Capitol Hill on Wednesday for appearances before the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Appropriations subcommittee overseeing State Department funding.

Rubio, whose parents emigrated from Cuba, is also expected to face questions about the administration’s increasingly confrontational posture toward Havana. The issue has drawn heightened attention after Trump suggested Cuba could become a future target once operations involving Iran conclude.

As Rubio entered a Senate briefing room, protesters interrupted the proceedings with chants urging him to “stop killing Cubans.” Security personnel quickly removed the demonstrators from the chamber.

The protesters were quickly pulled from the room. Their chants also included “Let Cuba live!”

Tensions between Washington and Havana have intensified despite ongoing contacts between officials from both countries. The administration recently escalated the dispute by announcing criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro.

Responding to the indictment, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel accused Washington of manufacturing a pretext for future military action, condemning the charges as a political maneuver designed only to “justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba.”

Throughout his years in Congress and now as America’s chief diplomat, Rubio has consistently argued that Cuba poses a national security concern because of its relationships with U.S. adversaries. He has maintained that the Trump administration remains committed to confronting that challenge.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

As Israel continues its military campaign and ground operations in Lebanon, former Prime Minister and former IDF Chief of Staff Ehud Barak delivered a blistering critique of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his government, accusing them of deceiving the public about the war’s progress and achievements.

Barak argued that Israeli leaders are presenting a distorted picture of the campaign against Hezbollah while the country faces what he described as an unprecedented political and security crisis. He maintained that the military is being pushed beyond its limits and that the government is fostering unrealistic expectations regarding the impact of its actions in Lebanon.

“This is a government that misleads the public; Netanyahu is counting bodies,” Barak claimed without evidence. “They didn’t kill 800 terrorists, nor 400 terrorists-it’s all nonsense. During funerals in Israel, Netanyahu said that we were delivering a crushing blow to Hezbollah. He said that Hezbollah had been pushed back by decades.”

Rejecting the government’s portrayal of the campaign, Barak contended that claims of significantly weakening Hezbollah are detached from reality. He said the organization cannot be eliminated without a full conquest of Lebanon, a scenario he described as neither practical nor achievable.

Barak also criticized the destruction of Lebanese villages and statements suggesting a prolonged Israeli presence in southern Lebanon. In his view, such actions do not diminish Hezbollah’s influence. Instead, he argued, they strengthen the group’s standing within Lebanon and weaken opportunities for diplomatic progress.

According to Barak, every Israeli military operation inside Lebanese territory enhances Hezbollah’s image among segments of the Lebanese population, who increasingly view the organization as “the defender of Lebanon.”

The former premier further asserted that Iran and its regional allies have been successful in applying pressure on Washington. He said the only viable path forward is a coordinated international effort involving Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, France, the United States, and Syria to strip Hezbollah of any legitimacy for maintaining an armed force.

Drawing on Israel’s past experience in southern Lebanon, Barak questioned the rationale behind the current military strategy and warned against repeating mistakes made during Israel’s previous presence in the security zone.

“There is a deep concern that going there is not connected to practical considerations,” Barak said. “The real question regarding the withdrawal from Lebanon is not why it took place in 2000, but why it did not take place 15 years earlier. Hezbollah developed because we were inside Lebanon.”

Barak concluded by arguing that Israel’s leadership has lost sight of the broader purpose of military action. He said warfare must ultimately serve diplomatic and political objectives, and asserted that either Naftali Bennett or Gadi Eisenkot would be better suited than Netanyahu to lead the country.

{Matzav.com}

The Israeli government has approved a sweeping initiative to prosecute the Hamas Nukhba terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre, setting aside more than NIS 1 billion over the coming years to establish the legal and logistical framework needed for the trials.

The plan, advanced jointly by Defense Minister Yisroel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, received government approval and assigns responsibility to the Defense Ministry and the IDF for carrying out the prosecution effort. Funding will be distributed between 2026 and 2029.

The allocated budget, totaling more than NIS 1 billion—roughly $350 million—will finance the creation of the infrastructure necessary to conduct the proceedings. This includes the construction of a dedicated courthouse, prosecution offices, and an IDF command center connected to the project.

In addition to building facilities, the funding will support the recruitment of personnel and cover ongoing operational expenses. These include salaries, maintenance costs, computer and communications networks, broadcasting capabilities, transportation, medical services, food provisions, and other administrative needs associated with the trials.

With the government’s approval secured and the funding in place, the defense establishment is expected to begin preparations immediately to launch the judicial process against those accused of carrying out the October 7 atrocities.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said: “As we promised, we are working to ensure that every murderer, rapist, and kidnapper who took part in the murderous terrorist attack against the citizens of Israel bears full responsibility for his actions. Bringing them to trial is our moral and national duty toward those who were murdered, the bereaved families, the survivors, the hostages and their families, and all the citizens of Israel. The State of Israel will exact justice from the perpetrators of the most brutal massacre committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, and will send a clear and unequivocal message to all our enemies: whoever slaughters, murders, rapes, and kidnaps Israeli civilians will pay the full price.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich added: “The State of Israel is committed to delivering justice to those who dared threaten our existence and massacre our citizens. We are now providing the full budget necessary to advance this moral obligation, so that all those who plot harm against us will know their fate and what awaits them.”

{Matzav.com}

The IDF announced on Tuesday that it had killed a Hamas terrorist involved in the October 7 massacre and hostage kidnappings during a targeted operation in the central Gaza Strip.

According to the military, Yousef Ayesh Awad Ramadan, deputy commander of a Hamas Nukhba terrorist cell, was eliminated in a strike carried out on Monday. The IDF said Ramadan was among the terrorists who infiltrated Israel during the October 7 attack.

Military officials stated that Ramadan participated in the abduction of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eliya Cohen, Alon Ohel, and Or Levy from the bomb shelter at the Re’im Junction during the Hamas-led assault.

The IDF said Ramadan continued to play an active role in Hamas operations throughout the war. In recent weeks, he was involved in advancing plans for attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF personnel, according to the military.

Because of his ongoing involvement in terror activities, the IDF said Ramadan posed an immediate threat to troops operating in Gaza and was therefore targeted.

The military added that a number of precautions were taken before the strike in an effort to minimize civilian casualties. Those measures included the use of precision-guided munitions and aerial surveillance to improve the accuracy of the operation.