Feed aggregator

President Donald Trump said Monday evening that his deadline for Iran to reach an agreement remains unchanged, warning that failure to comply could lead to a devastating military response against Tehran.

In remarks delivered publicly, Trump issued a stark warning about the potential consequences. “The entire country [of Iran] can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night” Trump said. His comments followed Iran’s rejection of a temporary ceasefire proposal and its counter-demands, which included ending regional conflicts, ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, rebuilding damaged infrastructure, and lifting all sanctions.

Trump reiterated that time is running out while noting some movement in talks. “Tuesday is the deadline. The Iranians have made an offer, a significant offer, a significant step. It’s not enough, but a very significant step. They are negotiating now and they have made a very significant step.”

He added that the current Iranian interlocutors appear different from previous representatives. “The group we are talking to is not as extreme as the previous one – and it is also smarter,” the president claimed.

Despite pointing to possible progress, Trump coupled his remarks with renewed threats of force. “We are crushing this country. I hate to do that. If they don’t make a deal, they won’t have bridges, power plants or anything else. If I had a choice – I would take their oil. But the American people want to see the soldiers come home. The American people want to see us win,” Trump clarified.

Iran’s refusal came after Pakistan proposed a phased plan to both sides, calling for an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, followed by negotiations aimed at a comprehensive agreement within 15 to 20 days.

Trump also referenced the recent rescue of a downed American airman inside Iran, describing it as a major military achievement. “We’re here today to celebrate the success of one of the largest, most complex, most harrowing, combat searches, I guess you would call it a search-and-rescue mission, ever attempted by the military.”

He claimed the Iranians became aware of the missing crew member due to an internal leak. “We have to get that leaker” he said, adding that the individual responsible would face imprisonment once identified.

Following Trump’s remarks, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that military operations are intensifying. “the amount of bombing today in Iran will be the highest since the beginning of the war – tomorrow, even more than today. And Iran has a choice. Choose wisely because this president does not play around.”

CIA Director John Ratcliffe said intelligence efforts played a critical role in the successful rescue mission. “a deception campaign to confuse the Iranians who were desperately hunting for our airmen.”

Ratcliffe added that the operation achieved its central objective. “We achieved our primary objective by finding and providing confirmation that one of America’s best and bravest was alive and concealed in a mountain crevice, still invisible to the enemy, but not to the CIA,” Ratcliffe said.

The Artemis II mission reached a defining milestone Monday as its crew began a sweeping flyby of the moon, offering both the astronauts and observers on Earth unprecedented views of previously unseen portions of the lunar far side.

The Orion capsule initiated its maneuver at approximately 2:45 p.m. Eastern Time, embarking on a trajectory that will carry it around the moon for more than six hours, with its windows facing the far side of the lunar surface.

During this phase, all four astronauts are expected to become the first humans ever to directly observe certain regions of the moon’s far side, areas that remained hidden during the Apollo missions more than five decades ago.

Unlike the Apollo flights, which orbited much closer to the lunar surface and therefore had a limited field of vision, the Artemis II spacecraft is maintaining a significantly higher altitude.

By traveling between roughly 4,000 and 6,000 miles above the moon, the crew is able to view the entire far side illuminated by sunlight, providing a broader and clearer perspective than was previously possible.

From inside the Orion capsule, the moon appears relatively small—comparable to a basketball held at arm’s length—though at the beginning of the maneuver, astronauts reported that it appeared three to four times larger than Earth.

Throughout the flyby, the astronauts are conducting research by photographing the lunar terrain and making direct visual observations of the far side.

Midway through the maneuver, at around 6:44 p.m. Eastern Time, communication with Earth is expected to temporarily cease as the moon blocks the signal between the spacecraft and ground control.

Contact is anticipated to resume at approximately 7:25 p.m., shortly after the capsule reaches its closest point to the moon at an altitude of about 4,000 miles.

Earlier in the day, at around 2 p.m., the crew surpassed a long-standing record by traveling farther from Earth than the Apollo 13 mission, which reached 248,655 miles in 1970.

That distance record is expected to be extended further, with Artemis II projected to reach approximately 252,757 miles from Earth during the mission.

The flyby is scheduled to conclude around 9:20 p.m., after which the spacecraft will begin its return journey to Earth.

Rather than relying on propulsion, the capsule will utilize the moon’s gravitational pull to slingshot back toward Earth.

The return trip is expected to take four days, with a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at approximately 8:07 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday.

Looking ahead, if the mission proceeds successfully, NASA plans to follow up with another crewed mission in 2027 that will orbit Earth, followed by a lunar landing mission in 2028 as part of the Artemis program.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said Monday that Israel’s ongoing campaign against Iran is continuing to escalate, highlighting what he described as a major strike on Iran’s economic infrastructure and emphasizing close coordination with the United States.

Speaking about recent developments, Netanyahu revealed that Israel had targeted a key Iranian petrochemical site, describing it as a significant blow to the financial backbone supporting terror activity across the region.

He also detailed his latest conversation with President Donald Trump, noting the cooperation between the two countries. “Yesterday, I spoke again with my friend, President Trump. I expressed our immense appreciation for the heroic rescue operation of that American aircrew member, and President Trump, for his part, thanked me for the assistance Israel provided in this mission,” Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu added that Trump spoke highly of Israel’s role in the joint effort. “In general, he spoke of us in superlatives. He said: ‘You guys are great.’ He views Israel as a steadfast, determined, and firm ally that fights shoulder-to-shoulder alongside the United States, and together, we are continuing to crush Iran’s regime of terror,” he added.

Turning to the military campaign itself, Netanyahu said Israel is systematically targeting Iran’s sources of funding and leadership. He stated: “Today, we destroyed the largest petrochemical plant in Iran. This means we are systematically dismantling the IRGC’s money machine. We are destroying factories, eliminating operatives, and yes, we are continuing to eliminate senior officials.”

He concluded by contrasting Israel’s current strength with Iran’s weakening position, attributing Israel’s success to both spiritual and military factors. “Iran is no longer the same Iran, and Israel is no longer the same Israel. Israel is stronger than ever, and the terrorist regime in Iran is weaker than ever. And what is the key? What is the secret? Faith and power. We have both in abundance,” Netanyahu concluded.