Donald Trump
Day 251 | Trump takes election hit, Hormuz attacks escalate
Diplomatic efforts to end the eight-month US-'Israeli' war on Iran continued, even as military confrontations intensified across the region, with Washington and Tehran exchanging threats and competing claims over developments in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Vice President JD Vance said indirect negotiations mediated by Qatar had made progress, while US President Donald Trump said there were no immediate plans for further strikes but warned that US forces remained “locked and loaded.” Trump also claimed Washington was getting what it wanted from Tehran, including progress on discussions over Iran's enriched uranium. However, Iranian officials said no new agreement had been reached and warned of a wider military response to any renewed aggression.
Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz remained particularly high. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed four oil tankers were destroyed after striking naval mines, two other vessels were intercepted and a US-made MQ-9 Reaper drone was shot down. Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a tanker was struck by two unidentified projectiles northeast of Oman, while an Indian-crewed dhow was attacked in the waterway, prompting Omani naval forces to rescue surviving crew members. The claims surrounding the Iranian operations have not been independently verified.
The conflict also continued to affect Saudi Arabia and Yemen, with the Houthis claiming missile and drone attacks against Saudi military positions and alleging a ballistic missile strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. Saudi Civil Defense issued several emergency alerts in Najran, Jazan and Riyadh, later issuing all-clears in some areas. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition reported missile and drone interceptions.
The confrontation has also become a major political issue in Washington following sweeping Democratic gains in the November 3 midterm elections. Trump acknowledged that the war's economic consequences, particularly rising fuel prices, contributed to Republican losses, although he defended the military campaign and said he would not have acted differently. He also ruled out replacing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Iranian officials portrayed the election results as a political setback for Trump. Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei claimed Tehran had secured a strategic victory on the battlefield and in the Strait of Hormuz, while Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said American voters had sent Washington a clear message against the war. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei separately warned that any renewed US aggression would trigger retaliation on a “far broader scale.”
The election results also prompted criticism of Netanyahu from political rivals, who argued that his policies were damaging relations with Washington. Gadi Eisenkot pledged to restore bipartisan ties with the United States, while Yair Golan described Netanyahu as increasingly toxic across both US political parties. Opposition leader Yair Lapid warned that his continued leadership threatened 'Israel's' security, democracy and international standing.
Elsewhere, the US Treasury announced new sanctions against individuals and companies accused of helping Iran's shadow fleet evade maritime restrictions through fraudulent shipping documents. In Lebanon, an 'Israeli' airstrike targeting a motorcycle in Qabrikha killed one person and wounded another, while France opened a war crimes investigation into a 2024 'Israeli' strike in Beirut that killed seven civilians.
Iraqi Hezbollah threatens US forces across region, vows ‘crushing’ response to any attack
- The group warned that US military personnel and installations across West Asia were legitimate targets, with no geographical boundaries limiting its strikes.
- It demanded the withdrawal of US forces from the region, warning they would otherwise be driven out.
- It claimed US bases, radar systems and command centers were within range of its precision-guided missiles and drones.
Iraqi Hezbollah has threatened to launch attacks against US forces and military installations across West Asia, stating that no geographical boundaries would restrict its response to any further aggression.
In statements circulated by Iran's Fars News Agency on Thursday, the armed group said it was prepared to carry out a “crushing” response following what it described as a decisive order from the Supreme Leader of the Revolution.
The group addressed its warning to the White House and Pentagon commanders, saying its fighters were ready for confrontation, with “fingers on the trigger” and prepared for a new campaign.
Iraqi Hezbollah further declared that US military personnel and assets were legitimate targets, warning that “no line or geography will prevent our strikes.”
It also invoked the deaths of what it described as martyrs, including children in Gaza and students in Minab, saying their blood would not be forgotten or constrained by “artificial borders.”
In a further escalation of its rhetoric, the group demanded an end to the US military presence in West Asia, warning American forces to leave the region or face being driven out.
It claimed that US bases, radar systems and command centers across the region were within range of its precision-guided missiles and suicide drones, adding that “zero hour is approaching.”
The group also warned that any US attack would trigger consequences extending beyond the immediate battlefield, describing the region as a single, interconnected front and threatening American military and strategic interests across the region.
The statements did not specify a timeline or identify any particular targets, but signal an escalation in Iraqi Hezbollah's threats against US forces amid heightened regional tensions.
Read more: Iran says ceasefire across all fronts essential for any agreement
Trump’s aid announcement sparks debate over US-’Israel’ defense cooperation
- Trump said he and Netanyahu had reached an understanding to phase out roughly $4 billion in annual US assistance to ‘Israel’ by the end of the year.
- No detailed public framework has been released explaining how the proposed phaseout would be implemented.
- Section 219 of the House NDAA focuses on coordinating US-’Israel’ defense technology cooperation, including research, development and supply chains.
US President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States could end roughly $4 billion in annual assistance to ‘Israel’ has raised questions about the future of the two countries’ military relationship, particularly as a separate defense provision in Congress draws growing scrutiny.
Speaking on Fox & Friends, Trump said he and ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reached an understanding to phase out the annual US assistance by the end of the year. He argued that ‘Israel’ had developed a sufficiently strong economy and no longer needed direct American funding.
However, the announcement has not been followed by a publicly released agreement or detailed plan explaining how the proposed phaseout would work. Questions remain over whether the reported understanding will lead to formal policy changes and how Congress would approach any changes to existing funding arrangements.
At the same time, a provision in the proposed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has become the focus of a separate debate over the future of US-’Israel’ military cooperation.
Section 219 of the House version of the defense bill, known as the United States–’Israel’ Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative, has attracted criticism from politicians who argue that it could bring the two countries' militaries closer together.
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the provision would “merge parts of our military” with the ‘Israeli’ military. Republican Representative Thomas Massie also criticized the proposed integration of US and ‘Israeli’ defense technology and supply chains, while Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate James Fishback claimed that Congress had voted to merge the two countries' militaries.
Section 219 directs the Pentagon to appoint a senior official responsible for overseeing collaboration in areas including joint research and development, technological innovation and defense supply chains. Its Senate counterpart appears under Section 1217.
The provision does not establish a joint military command, place US troops under ‘Israeli’ authority or create a mutual defense treaty. Rather, it provides an administrative framework for coordinating defense technology initiatives between the two countries.
There is also an important distinction between the NDAA and the legislation governing foreign assistance. The NDAA authorizes defense programs and establishes policy priorities, but it does not independently provide funding for foreign aid. That money is allocated through separate congressional appropriations legislation.
This means Section 219 does not, by itself, replace the annual US assistance package or establish an alternative funding arrangement. Direct military assistance and defense technology cooperation are separate policy mechanisms, even as both form part of the broader US-’Israel’ defense relationship.
Trump's remarks nevertheless raise broader questions about how Washington intends to structure its military relationship with ‘Israel’ in the coming years, particularly if direct financial assistance is reduced while defense technology cooperation continues.
For now, the precise terms and timeline of the proposed aid phaseout remain unclear, while the final form of the NDAA will depend on ongoing congressional negotiations.
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