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US Lawmakers Offer Mixed Reactions to Israeli Strikes Against Iranian Nuclear Sites
US House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks to members of the media at the Capitol building, April 20, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
US lawmakers offered mixed reactions to Israel’s strikes on Iran overnight on Friday, with responses largely falling along ideological lines: Republicans broadly defended Israel’s right to act unilaterally, while many progressive Democrats expressed concern over the potential for regional escalation and what they viewed as the lack of prior US coordination.
“Today, Israel has determined that it must take decisive action to defend the Israeli people,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, (R-SD) said on X/Twitter. “The United States Senate stands ready to work with President [Donald] Trump and with our allies in Israel to restore peace in the region and, first and foremost, to defend the American people from Iranian aggression, especially our troops and civilians serving overseas.”
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) also defended Israel’s preemptive strikes against Iran, arguing that Tehran’s nuclear ambitions are unacceptable.
“Israel and the United States have been united, including in our shared insistence that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon. President Trump and his administration have worked tirelessly to ensure that outcome. Unfortunately, Iran has refused to agree and even declared yesterday its intent to build a new enrichment facility,” Johnson wrote on X/Twitter.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee added, “We back Israel to the hilt, all the way,” white vowing that if “the ayatollahs harm a single American, that will be the end of the ayatollahs.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of the foremost supporters of the Jewish state in Congress, wrote on X, “Game on,” adding, “Pray for Israel.”
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said, “I ask every American to join me in praying for the safety of US personnel in the Middle East and the safety and success of Israel as it takes action against a leading state sponsor of terrorism and our shared enemy, Iran.”
Meanwhile, while many more centrist, moderate Democrats offered support for Israel, some were much more critical of Israel’s strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, urging the White House and Jerusalem to seek a diplomatic resolution.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed Israel’s military operations as “reckless.”
“Israel’s alarming decision to launch airstrikes on Iran is a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence,” Reed said in a statement.
Progressive Democrats lambasted Israel for its military operation.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), one of the most anti-Israel voices in Congress, repudiated Israel’s attack on Iranian nuclear sites, warning that Jerusalem could lead the US into a hot war with Tehran.
“The Israeli government bombing Iran is a dangerous escalation that could lead to regional war. War Criminal Netanyahu will do anything to maintain his grip on power. We cannot let him drag our country into a war with Iran. Our government must stop funding and supporting this rogue genocidal regime,” Tlaib wrote, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), another staunch critic of the Jewish state, lambasted Jerusalem’s preemptive actions against Iran, suggesting that Israel behaves with impunity.
“Regardless of what Trump thinks, Israel knows America will do whatever they want and feels confident about their ability to get into war and have the American government back them up. Israel also knows they can always rely on getting America to protect and serve its needs. Everyone in America should prepare themselves to either see their tax dollars being spent on weapon supplies to Israel or be dragged into war with Iran if this escalates,” Omar said.
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer (NY), the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in Congress, was one of the top Democrats not to criticize Israel’s strikes against Iran.
“I have long said that Israel has a right to defend itself and that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Schumer said in a statement on Friday. “Ensuring they never obtain one must remain a top national security priority.”
He added, “The preferred path to preventing a nuclear-armed Iran and for supporting security and stability in the region has always been a strong, unrelenting diplomatic effort backed by meaningful leverage, and every effort must be made to move toward the path of a diplomatic solution.”
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Armed Services Committee, also defended Israel’s decision to strike Iranian nuclear sites.
“Israel acted in self-defense against an attack from Iran, and the US must continue to stand with Israel, as it has for decades, at this dangerous moment,” Rosen wrote.
In the early hours of Friday morning, Israel launched a large-scale military operation against Iran, named Operation Rising Lion, targeting key nuclear and military sites across the country. The strikes resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian officials, including Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Major General Hossein Salami, and two prominent nuclear scientists, Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi. Explosions were reported in Tehran and other provinces, with significant damage to facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, Khondab, and Khorramabad.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described the operation as a preemptive measure to prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear weapons program. In retaliation, Iran launched over 100 drones at Israel, most of which were intercepted, as well as two barrages of ballistic missiles that reportedly caused about two-dozen injuries. The Trump administration condemned Iran’s actions and reaffirmed its commitment to Israel’s defense, while distancing itself from the Israeli strikes by saying it was not involved in the operation.
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Israeli Cruise Ship Targeted Again as Pro-Palestinian Protests Escalate in Greece
Greek riot police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters near the port of Rhodes during a demonstration targeting an Israeli cruise ship. Photo: Screenshot
Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with Greek riot police on Monday on the island of Rhodes as they attempted to block an Israeli cruise ship from docking at the island’s main port.
The MS Crown Iris — operated by Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime — was once again targeted by anti-Israel activists this week.
Demonstrations against the war in Gaza took place during the ship’s scheduled stop on the island, where more than 600 passengers were set to disembark.
According to videos circulating on social media, riot police can be seen confronting a group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered near the dock, who shouted antisemitic slogans like “Freedom for Palestine.”
As authorities worked to control the crowd, tensions escalated and brief clashes broke out.
Ένταση στο λιμάνι της Ροδου με την άφιξη Ισραηλινών τουριστών, πολλες προσαγωγές.
Συνελήφθη υποψήφια βουλευτής της Πλεύσης ελευθερίας. pic.twitter.com/gAPnUnxu1A
— Ακροκεντρώος (@akrokentrwos_2) July 28, 2025
However, unlike a previous incident, passengers were able to disembark from the cruise ship without any major interruptions.
Last week, approximately 1,600 Israeli passengers expecting a peaceful stop on their cruise were unable to disembark from a ship docked on the island of Syros after a pro-Palestinian protest erupted at the port, raising safety concerns.
Around 300 protesters had gathered at the dock to protest against the war in Gaza, while Syros Port Authority police guarded the area and intervened to prevent violence until the ship departed.
Amid the large anti-Israel protest, the cruise company chose to divert the ship to Limassol, Cyprus.
In videos circulating on social media, protesters were seen waving Palestinian flags and holding banners with slogans such as “Stop the Genocide” and “No AC [Air Conditioning] in Hell,” while chanting antisemitic slogans.
Since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have surged to alarming levels across Europe. This recent incident appears to be just one of the latest in a wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes that Greece and other countries have witnessed in recent months.
Earlier this month in Athens, a group of pro-Palestinian activists vandalized an Israeli restaurant, shouting antisemitic slurs and spray-painting graffiti with slogans such as “No Zionist is safe here.”
The attackers also posted a sign on one of the restaurant’s windows that read, “All IDF soldiers are war criminals — we don’t want you here,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
Last month, an Israeli tourist was attacked by a group of pro-Palestinian activists after they overheard him using Google Maps in Hebrew while navigating through Athens.
When the attackers realized the victim was speaking Hebrew, they began physically assaulting him while shouting antisemitic slurs.
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Ritchie Torres Says Netanyahu Has Done ‘Irreparable’ Harm to Democratic Party Relationship With Israel
US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) standing at the US Capitol in February of 2023. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Israel’s most vocal supporters in Congress, delivered pointed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, saying the longtime leader has “done harm” to Israel’s relationship with the Democratic Party and called for an end to the war in Gaza.
“If you’re a Democrat, and if you’re a Democrat of color and if you’re a Black Democrat, you take immense pride in Barack Obama. He represents one of the greatest achievements in politics. We take great pride in his presidency,” Torres said in an interview with . “To see a foreign leader visibly disrespect him in the manner that Bibi Netanyahu did, I feel did irreparable damage to the relationship with the Democratic Party.”
Torres offered a gloomy assessment of Netanyahu’s relationship with the Democratic party, arguing that “the damage may be irreparable.” He also cautioned that support for the Jewish state is rapidly “eroding” according to various polls.
Furthermore, Torres stated that despite his strident support for Israel, he does not “consider myself having a good relationship with the Israeli government.”
Torres said that Netanyahu “made a terrible mistake” in establishing a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, arguing that the Israeli premier politicized the US-Israel relationship. The progressive lawmaker said that there is a “legitimate perception that the present Israeli government is just aligned with the Republican Party.”
The remarks represent a notable shift from Torres, a New York Democrat who has historically defended Israel amid bipartisan divisions over the war. While maintaining his commitment to Israel’s security, Torres said Netanyahu’s government has failed to articulate a clear endgame in Gaza and warned that the ongoing military campaign is undermining both humanitarian values and strategic interests.
“There’s a real need to end the war, secure the release of the hostages, bring humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in distress.”
Torres cited prominent Israeli journalists and media figures that have warned that Gaza has approached “catastrophic” levels of hunger and that famine might be looming without a rapid policy shift.
Torres’s comments come amid growing pressure from the Democratic base on centrist and progressive Democrats alike to take a firmer stance on Israel’s military operations, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched its campaign following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Torres’s comments underscore a growing divide within the Democratic Party over the U.S.-Israel relationship. While the party remains broadly supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself, a significant faction ,including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) condemned the war in Gaza and called for a suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel.
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Israeli Defense Firm Lands Huge Deal With Germany
An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at Elbit’s drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Orel Cohen
On Monday, Elbit Systems Ltd., a military contractor based in Israel, announced it had received a $260 million government contract from Germany to spend six years installing Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) self-protection systems for defending Germany’s A400M aircraft fleet.
The contract is just the latest in a string of blockbuster deals between Israeli defense firms and international militaries. Israeli defense exports to Europe jumped to 54% of overall defense exports last year, up from just over 33% in 2023, according to the Israeli media outlet Globes.
Elbit’s defense system works to counter infrared-guided missiles, with a focus on mobile anti-aircraft weapons. It offers the ability to track missile threats as they happen and also provides automatic protection without needed human action.
Other countries which have deployed the system include Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil. In February, Morocco announced plans to purchase 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery systems from Elbit, making Israel the country’s third largest weapons supplier.
“This contract further strengthens Elbit Systems’ position as a leading global provider of DIRCM solutions,” Elbit president and CEO Bezhalel Machlis said. “Our systems are already trusted by numerous air forces and defense organizations around the world, and we are proud to support Germany in enhancing the protection of their strategic air assets. Our successful collaboration with Airbus DS on this important program is highly valued, and we are pleased that our advanced self-protection systems will contribute to the safety and operational readiness of the German A400M fleet.”
The announcement prompted Elbit’s share price to jump 1 percent on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE).
Since Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, Israel’s financial markets have been buoyed by significant foreign investment and renewed investor confidence. Over the past year, the TASE has repeatedly broken past its all-time highs, despite Israel’s multi-front wars.
On Friday, Germany announced that it would not join France in recognizing a Palestinian state. A government spokesperson said “Israel’s security is of paramount importance to the German government” and that “the German government therefore has no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.”
On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the country had no plans to sanction Israel and that “for now, we want to await the foreign minister’s trip and the talks that will be held with the Israeli government in the coming days.”
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