Islam Abdel-Rahman

Biden's Middle East advisor suggests that America's war with Iran was unavoidable In a conversation with the American Jewish Committee, Brett McGurk, who was the Biden White House's top Middle East official, was asked: Was this war inevitable or was it avoidable? His answer reveals surprising overlaps between how Biden and Trump national security leaders see Iran and the Middle East. "We've been at war with Iran since 1979, and the Iranian ideology, which remains very much intact, is to get the US out of the Middle East and to eliminate Israel," McGurk says. "And as the White House point person through that [post-Oct. 7] crisis, let me just kind of very succinctly, what a day was like. Put aside the horror of Gaza and the hostages and everything going on there for a moment. "We’re under attack in the Red Sea. Anti-ship ballistic missiles flying Mach 4 trying to hit US ships and kill dozens of sailors. We're under attack in Iraq. We took a grievously wounded casualty on Christmas Day 2023 and attacks continued to escalate until we have three Americans dead in Jordan at the end of January. "Iran launched two of the largest ballistic missile attacks in history against Israel before Israel ever attacked into Iran, and all the while Iran is enriching uranium in Fordow to 60% grade as this is all going on. "I met the Iranians in Oman during this crisis. I dealt with it every day. And what Iran was doing to continue to escalate throughout that horror that was going on in the Middle East is a story that I don't think has been effectively, frankly, told. "But it gets to your question. You can dissect decisions of certain American presidents from Carter all the way through Trump. You can dissect American decision-making. You have to look at what Iran does, its policy and what it does in the region which drives so much of this mayhem. And I can criticize certain elements of the way this current campaign has been prosecuted. I think we're in a very difficult predicament now which we can talk about. "But the core of your question was this war — this war has been ongoing since 1979."

🇱🇧🇮🇱⚡️‐ Israel's ambassador brings DRONE to UN to complain about Hezbollah's FPVs: "By the time you hear it above your head, it's too late — Cheap. Precise. Deadly."

"You're f****** crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your a***. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this." That's what a U.S. official tells Axios President Trump unloaded on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a heated phone call over Israel's military actions in Lebanon. Trump was reportedly furious that Israel's moves risked blowing up U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region, at one point also asking Netanyahu: "What the f*** are you doing?"

⚡️ Dr. Adam Hamawy, the decorated former U.S. Army combat trauma surgeon has widened his lead in New Jersey’s 12th District Democratic primary. With 56% of the vote counted, Hamawy leads by roughly 2,500 votes - almost 6% - as of a few minutes

For immediate attention: The ceasefire between Iran and the US is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Its violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation.