Iran bought S-400s from Russia year before last. Have they ever been delivered? The World’s Largest Network of S-200 Missile Defences Guards Iran: Can it Keep Israeli Fighters at Bay? https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/iran-is-guarded-by-the-world-s-largest-network-of-s-200-long-range-missile-defences-can-it-keep-israeli-fighters-at-bay
Hey, that’s more than two “6 Day Wars”: Israel aims to complete strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites within 1 to 2 weeks: Local media
Israeli assault mainly targets Iranian nuclear facilities, ballistic missile platforms, air defense systems, local media claim https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-aims-to-complete-strikes-on-iran-s-nuclear-sites-within-1-to-2-weeks-local-media/3603398Putin says seeking ways to end Iran-Israel conflict is ‘right for everyone’ https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/putin-says-seeking-ways-to-end-iran-israel-conflict-is-right-for-everyone-/3603875
John Helmer asserts that Russia is being very conservative with talk, not talking about military aid to Iran, though the transport planes were seen to arrive, saying that Iran has not asked for any help, and it is not required. Putin and Xi very belatedly made a joint statement supporting diplomacy, but China is taking the leading role in supporting Iran without fanning flames. THE PRESIDENTS OF RUSSIA AND CHINA ANNOUNCE THE CARDINAL POINTS OF THE OBVIOUS
This means Putin has delegated to the Defense Ministry, General Staff, the intelligence services, and the Foreign Ministry the job of “cooperation” with the Chinese which he also says the Iranians haven’t requested and which isn’t required by the treaty if they do.
This may be a smoke screen for the role in the fighting which the Chinese naval squadron is playing since it sailed into the Gulf last month. Coordination of battlefield intelligence between the Chinese, Russian and Iranian navies has been practiced and tested for several years. In the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf, the three militaries were exercising this coordination together in March. Article 4 of the January treaty requires it now – unless Putin’s press statement reveals that he has stopped it. https://johnhelmer.net/the-presidents-of-russia-and-china-announce-the-cardinal-points-of-the-obvious/#more-91910IAEA chief rebuffs Trump, says no evidence Iran is building nuclear weapons https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/06/18/749985/iaea-chief-rebuffs-trump-admits-no-evidence-iran-building-nuclear-weapons
Pentagon and US intel chiefs sidelined from Iran‑Israel discussions
US President Donald Trump has excluded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi **bard from high-level discussions on the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, NBC News and the Washington Post have reported, citing senior administration officials.
**bard’s sidelining, according to NBC, reportedly stems from her public and internal pushback against the official US and Israeli narrative that Tehran is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons...
..Trump is now said to be relying on a smaller, more experienced ‘Tier One’ advisory group – comprising Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs Vice Chair General Dan Caine – which is now reportedly shaping US policy on Iran. https://swentr.site/news/619904-trump-**bard-hegseth-iran/Trump intel chief **bard ‘off-message’ on Middle East: Report
‘When the president thinks you are off message, he doesn’t want you in the room,’ senior White House adviser says, according to CNN [“Groupthink”]
US President Donald Trump has come to see Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi **bard as “off message” on the conflict in the Middle East, CNN reported Thursday.
Citing a senior White House adviser, CNN said Trump’s annoyance with **bard peaked earlier this month when she posted a three-minute video warning that the world is “closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before,” and blaming “political elite and warmongers” for stoking fear and tensions between nuclear powers.”
Trump viewed the video as a thinly veiled criticism of his consideration to allow Israel to strike Iran, and many inside the White House agreed **bard was speaking out of turn, CNN said. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/trump-intel-chief-**bard-off-message-on-middle-east-report/3604962A Dangerous Moment – The Targeting of Tulsi **bard
CTH approaches this after being very concerned about Tulsi **bard’s ability. Not because of intent, but rather because we doubted she understood the scope of the IC opposition aligned against the office of the Director of National Intelligence. She started out with these weaknesses, but she learned quickly – grasped the opposition– and has become a transformative force within the Intelligence Community. Director **bard’s recent efforts within the Intelligence Community Inspector General office is another feather in her cap of competence. **bard is now a threat.
If President Trump allows or supports the removal of DNI **bard, he is opening up the backplate of his armor, and making himself vulnerable.
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Chairman Tom Cotton, the disassembled National Intelligence Council and a host of Intelligence Community embeds would like to see **bard removed. DC wants to see her removed because the traditional role of the DNI has been a willfully blind tool of the Intelligence Community; **bard is not that.
As DNI Mrs Tulsi **bard has chased down intelligence community leakers, released the JFK files, released Joe Biden’s domestic terrorism surveillance plan, intercepted an NIC plot to impeach President Trump (confirmed by Rubio), taken control of the Presidential Daily Briefing, and more recently begun to confront the weaponized corruption within the IC Inspector General organization. These are actions, not words, and those actions speak boldly. Suffice to say, her effectiveness has placed a target on her back. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/06/18/a-dangerous-moment-the-targeting-of-tulsi-**bard/#more-273198One nuclear bunker buster would not work: Pentagon Agency Believes US Needs To Drop A Nuke To Destroy Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Plant
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency believes conventional bunker-busters won’t completely destroy the facility
The officials were told that in order to destroy Fordow completely, the US would likely need to first soften the ground with conventional bombs and then ultimately drop a tactical nuclear weapon from a B2 bomber.
The report said that President Trump is not considering using a nuclear weapon and that the option was not presented to him by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. According to a report from Axios, Trump is casting doubt on the idea that the GBU-57s could do enough damage to destroy the facility. https://news.antiwar.com/2025/06/19/report-pentagon-agency-believes-us-needs-to-drop-a-nuke-to-destroy-irans-fordow-nuclear-plant/Ex-CIA Insight: Larry Johnson Reveals What’s Really at Stake as Trump Mulls Iran Attack
“I think the political realities are starting to catch up to Trump, which is why he’s now backing away from that,” Johnson said, pointing out that conservative voices sounding the alarm bell include Trump’s most prominent pre-election supporters, from political commentators Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens to comedian Dave Smith. On top of that are the logistical uncertainties, like whether a US bunker buster bombing of the Fordow nuclear site would even work, and whether the B-2 bombers based in Diego Garcia used for such an operation would be safe if Russia were to supply Iran with systems capable of detecting and downing the stealth bomber. Overall, it’s an “extremely dangerous, extremely volatile situation,” and one that clearly has “nothing to do with nuclear weapons,” Johnson stressed. Instead, it’s about “regime change” – an attempt “to install a government that’s going to be a lackey of the West and that will not cooperate or be friendly with Russia.” https://sputnikglobe.com/20250618/ex-cia-insight-larry-johnson-reveals-whats-really-at-stake-as-trump-mulls-iran-attack-1122282438.htmlIsraeli Enemy Hits Arak Nuclear Reactor as It Proceeds Aggression on Iran https://english.almanar.com.lb/2440231
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps announces expulsion orders for Israel’s Dimona nuclear site https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/irans-revolutionary-guards-announce-expulsion-orders-dimona
Israel’s Missile Defence Arsenal Depleted After Just Five Days of Iranian Strikes https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/israel-missile-defence-increasingly-depleted-iran
Round 15 of Iranian counter-attacks: True Promise III: A massive missile, drone barrage rips through occupied territories https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/06/19/749998/true-promise-iii-massive-missile-barrage-iran-rocks-occupied-territories
Iranian Missiles Strike Israeli Stock Exchange
Iranian missiles have struck the Israeli stock exchange building in Ramat Gan this morning. The strike follows Israeli-linked cyberattacks that crippled Iran’s banking system and destroyed tens of millions in digital assets.
➤ Missile Strike on Ramat Gan One of the missiles earlier this morning hit the Israeli stock exchange in Ramat Gan’s Diamond District, causing structural damage and prompting emergency response efforts in the Tel Aviv suburb.
➤ Cyberattacks on Iranian Banks The hacker group Predatory Sparrow—widely believed to be linked to Israeli intelligence—claimed responsibility for a major breach of Bank Sepah on June 17, wiping internal data and knocking ATMs, online banking, and branch services offline. https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/1935574563242348931
