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The United States Must Continue Showing Resolve to Prevent an Iranian Nuclear Weapon

A satellite image shows airstrike craters over the underground centrifuge halls of the Natanz Enrichment Facility, following US airstrikes amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Natanz County, Iran, June 22, 2025. Photo: Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS

US and Israeli leaders are taking a well-deserved victory lap after their historic achievements against Iran. While visiting the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu correctly observed the two countries’ successes “changed the face of the Middle East.” Yet vigilance is still required.

Neither country can afford to chalk one up in the win column and pivot elsewhere. Despite the immense damage to its nuclear facilities — and missile, conventional military, and proxy efforts — Iran is down, but not out. To ensure Iran does not rebuild, the United States and Israel should signal their will and capacity to further punish Iran militarily if needed, while pursuing an intensive economic and diplomatic pressure campaign against it.

Operation Midnight Hammer, the monumental US strike campaign which Secretary of State Marco Rubio rightly called the stuff of “science fiction,” severely impeded Iran’s nuclear progress. American officials estimate its nuclear program was potentially delayed by two years. However, Iran could have spirited away enriched uranium stocks before the strikes, or maintain them at covert undeclared sites.

Iran, on July 2, further limited the world’s already grainy picture into its nuclear status, suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) — just days after the IAEA chief said 900 pounds of enriched uranium remain unaccounted for.

Even in the best-case scenario, Iran is a diminished but sizable threat. While Israel eliminated numerous Iranian launchers and ballistic missiles, hundreds remain capable of striking US partners and personnel regionally. Iran’s progress towards long-range strike capability is also concerning. Years of Iranian development of space launch vehicles, as a US official observed, isn’t for Iran “to go to the moon” but rather “to build an [intercontinental ballistic missile] so they can one day put a warhead on it.”

Historically, after major setbacks to their nuclear programs, nuclear-threshold states have either been deterred from external aggression — like Syria in 2007 — or escalated it to compensate. Tehran may opt for the latter category — and, indeed, its Houthi surrogates have significantly ramped up their attacks on Israel and commercial ships in the weeks since the war concluded. Iran itself, forced to slow its nuclear progress under US pressure in 2003, began facilitating terrorist attacks on American troops in neighboring Iraq. After Israeli strikes devastated its burgeoning nuclear program in 1981, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq escalated its war against Iran by deploying chemical weapons, then in 1991 invaded Kuwait and tried to invade Saudi Arabia. Two years after an American-led coalition foiled its expansionist plans, Iraq tried to kill former President George H.W. Bush.

Iran cannot be allowed to follow in these baleful footsteps. The United States must force the regime to make a choice: either swallow the poison chalice and abandon its decades long malign projects, or taste more of the same bitter medicine Israel and America administered last month. This is particularly vital in the near-term, before Iran can restore its vanquished air defenses or acquire new ones — rendering future strikes against it riskier and potentially costlier.

US officials must clearly articulate how the Iranian regime can avoid further scathing. A recent report published by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) laid out the criteria that should trigger unilateral or bilateral strikes. These include indications that Iran is rebuilding strategic air defenses, long-range missiles, or missile launchers; utilizing enriched uranium or nuclear equipment; operating secret nuclear sites; or acquiring military or nuclear capabilities from abroad.

Ideally, though, the threat of such repeated military strikes would convince Iran to agree to a new agreement to give up its nuclear and missile programs. Iran’s unprecedented vulnerability gives President Trump a strategic opening to craft a deal Iran can’t refuse, though one with airtight restrictions. These include Iran forfeiting all nuclear and nuclear-adjacent capabilities, including nuclear-capable missiles and missile production sites, and conceding to a total embargo on its nuclear and military imports and exports. Iran’s continued compliance with its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations and IAEA inspections should be non-negotiable — and said inspections made unprecedentedly intrusive.

Even if a good deal proves elusive, the United States should continue solidifying its leverage over, and deterrence against, the Iranian regime. Sensible measures include adopting an enhanced economic pressure campaign and encouraging European allies to snapback United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions on Iran. An agreement declaring Washington backs future Israeli action in Iran under certain circumstances, like the one inked in December 2024 concerning Hezbollah in Lebanon, would also boost leverage.

Crucially, the United States and Israel must display their willingness and capability to resume strikes at a moment’s notice. The United States should expeditiously provide Israel with aerial refuelers, multirole combat jets, precision munitions, and kinetic interceptors. US warplanes also should either conduct overflights, or publicly back Israeli overflights, to reaffirm both nations’ freedom of action in Iranian skies.

The United States and Israel, having achieved historic success by working in concert on the battlefield, must maintain momentum and demonstrate to Iran and the world their continued resolve. US leaders must vow consequences if Iran tries to reconstitute its missile, nuclear, and proxy terror programs — and make good on their word.

RADM Paul Becker, USN (ret.) is former Director of Intelligence (J2) for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a participant in the Jewish Institute for National Security of America’s (JINSA) 2024 Generals and Admirals Program, and a member of JINSA’s Board of Advisors.

Yoni Tobin is a senior policy analyst at JINSA.

The post The United States Must Continue Showing Resolve to Prevent an Iranian Nuclear Weapon first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Vows to Press on with Offensive

Smoke rises following an Israeli strike, in Gaza City, August 24, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

Israeli planes and tanks pounded the eastern and northern outskirts of Gaza City overnight Saturday to Sunday, destroying buildings and homes, residents said, as Israeli leaders vowed to press on with a planned offensive on the city.

Witnesses reported the sound of explosions non-stop overnight in the areas of Zeitoun and Shejaia, while tanks shelled houses and roads in the nearby Sabra neighborhood and several buildings were blown up in the northern town of Jabalia.

Fire lit the skies from the direction of the explosions, causing panic, prompting some families to stream out of the city. Others said they would prefer to die and not leave.

The Israeli military said on Sunday that its forces have returned to combat in the Jabalia area in recent days, to dismantle militant tunnels and strengthen control of the area.

It added that the operation there “enables the expansion of combat into additional areas and prevents Hamas terrorists from returning to operate in these areas.”

Israel approved a plan this month to seize control of Gaza City, describing it as the last bastion of Hamas. It is not expected to begin for a few weeks, leaving room for mediators Egypt and Qatar to try and resume ceasefire talks.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz on Sunday vowed to press on with the offensive on the city where famine has been declared, which has raised alarm abroad and objections at home. Katz has said that Gaza City will be razed unless Hamas agrees to end the war on Israel’s terms and release all hostages.

Hamas said in a statement on Sunday that Israel’s plan to take over Gaza City showed it wasn’t serious about a ceasefire.

It said a ceasefire agreement was “the only way to return the hostages,” holding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for their lives.

The proposal on the table calls for a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 10 living hostages held in Gaza and of 18 bodies. In turn, Israel would release about 200 long-serving Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Once a temporary ceasefire begins, the proposal is for Hamas and Israel to begin negotiations on a permanent ceasefire that would include the return of the remaining hostages.

On Thursday, Netanyahu said that Israel would immediately resume negotiations for the release of all 50 hostages – of whom Israel believes around 20 are still living – and an end to the nearly two-year-old war but on terms acceptable to Israel.

‘HUNGRY AND AFRAID’

Around half of the enclave’s two million people currently live in Gaza City. A few thousand have already left, carrying their belongings on vehicles and rickshaws.

“I stopped counting the times I had to take my wife and three daughters and leave my home in Gaza City,” said Mohammad, 40, via a chat app. “No place is safe, but I can’t take the risk. If they suddenly begin the invasion, they will use heavy fire.”

Others said they will not leave, no matter what.

“We are not leaving, let them bomb us at home,” said Aya, 31, who has a family of eight, adding that they couldn’t afford to buy a tent or pay for the transportation, even if they did try to leave. “We are hungry, afraid and don’t have money.”

A global hunger monitor said on Friday that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine that will likely spread. Israel has rejected the assessment and says it ignores steps it has taken since late July to increase aid.

The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led gunmen burst into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.

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Iran Signals Willingness to Scale Back Uranium Enrichment to Ease Tensions

Atomic symbol and USA and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken, September 8, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

i24 NewsIran may be prepared to significantly reduce its uranium enrichment levels in a bid to stave off renewed UN sanctions and limit the risk of further strikes by Israel and the United States, according to a report published Sunday in The Telegraph.

Citing Iranian sources, the paper said Tehran is considering lowering enrichment from 60% to 20%.

The move is reportedly being championed by Ali Larijani, the newly appointed secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, who is holding talks with regime leaders.

“Larijani is trying to convince the system to reduce the level of enrichment in order to avoid further war,” a senior Iranian official told the paper.

The proposal, however, faces stiff resistance from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has long opposed concessions on the nuclear program. Still, the report suggests Iran’s leadership may be open to greater flexibility, including the possibility of reviving engagement with Western powers.

Last month, i24NEWS reported exclusively that a delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to travel to Iran. The team of technical experts would seek to resume monitoring of nuclear sites, inspections that have been heavily restricted in recent years.

The development comes amid mounting regional tensions and could represent a critical turning point in the long-running nuclear standoff.

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Major Brush Fire Erupts Near Jerusalem, Evacuations Underway

A view of the new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem fast train seen over the HaArazim Valley (“Valley of Cedars”) just outside of Jerusalem, Sept. 25, 2018. Photo: Yossi Zamir/Flash90.

i24 NewsA large brush fire broke out Sunday in the Cedars Valley area, near Route 1 and the Motza interchange, prompting an emergency response from Jerusalem district fire services. Several water-bombing planes were dispatched, and authorities have declared a “fire emergency.”

As a precaution, residents of Mevaseret Zion are being evacuated. Access to the town from Route 1 has already been blocked, and officials are weighing a full closure of the major highway.

Fire crews from the Ha’uma station are on site working to contain the flames, while motorists in the area are urged to heed traffic updates and follow instructions from emergency services.

Eight firefighting aircraft are currently operating above the blaze in support of ground teams. The fire comes amid one of the hottest, driest summers on record, with conditions fueling a series of destructive wildfires across the country.

Officials warn the situation remains critical, as the blaze threatens a vital transportation corridor leading into Jerusalem.

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