🛡️ ISRAEL PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE IRANIAN RETALIATION: Israeli security officials estimate that if the U.S. carries out another wave of strikes on Iran tonight, Tehran may respond with missile attacks against Israel.
Israel is preparing for all scenarios and has approved plans for extensive strikes inside Iran. Officials are also considering a preemptive Israeli strike if concrete preparations for an attack on Israel are detected.
⚓ U.S. WARNS IRAN OVER HORMUZ: U.S. Vice President JD Vance warned that if Iran attacks shipping or attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz, the United States will respond militarily.
Vance said, "If the Iranians bomb the ships in Hormuz, we will respond with force. If Iran attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz, it will face a US military response."
He added: "The basic deal that we cut was we'll lift our blockade if you stop shooting at ships. But if you shoot at ships, we are going to punch back, and we're going to punch back harder than ever before... If they shoot at ships, we're going to knock the hell out of them."
Vance also said President Trump retains multiple military options, adding: "Now, the president maintains a lot of options... The Strait of Hormuz is going to be open. If Iran tries to close the strait down, there's going to be a response for the American military. That's the deal."
💥 REPORTS OF NEW MILITARY ACTIVITY IN SOUTHERN IRAN: Reports emerged of explosions in the Strait of Hormuz and in the Iranian cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik.
Iranian media reported air defense systems were activated around Bandar Abbas to engage hostile targets. There were also reports of a U.S. attack on multiple targets inside Iran.
🔸 PRESIDENT TRUMP: ANY RESPONSE WILL BE FAST: Asked whether fighting with Iran could resume, President Trump said, "I don't think it's going to start again. I think it's going to go very quickly... they hit a couple of ships, and so we hit them much harder."
When asked whether the U.S. could strike Iran again tonight, he replied, "We might, yeah, we might."
Trump added, "We're not looking for long term."
Asked why he shifted from describing Iranian leaders as "very rational people" to calling them "scum, sick people," Trump said, "I got to know them... I'm not sure I want to make a deal with them."
He later added, "Let's just finish the job."
Following the conclusion of the NATO Summit, President Trump departed Turkey.
⚠️ LEBANON REMAINS A POTENTIAL FLASHPOINT: According to Al-Jadeed, diplomatic sources believe any renewed U.S.-Iran escalation could spill into Lebanon through Hezbollah-Israel hostilities.
The report says Hezbollah has declared its readiness to open a front to prevent an Israeli entry amid ongoing Israeli survey activity in the Shaqif and Ali Taher areas, which Israel has designated as militarily significant.
Al-Jadeed also reports internal Lebanese divisions over a proposed framework agreement requiring the Lebanese Army to confiscate Hezbollah's weapons under U.S. supervision before Cabinet ratification. Former MP Walid Jumblatt reportedly warned Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal against implementing the clause before formal approval, prompting efforts to modify the framework ahead of President Joseph Aoun's July 21 visit to Washington and a planned visit to Ankara later this month.
During negotiations in Rome, Beirut is reportedly demanding an Israeli withdrawal from two experimental zones before agreeing to an extension of the U.S.-led deployment under General Clearfield. Separately, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is expected to travel to Istanbul next week for talks with Turkish President Erdogan, a visit reported to signal support amid the emerging Turkey-Saudi Arabia-Pakistan-Egypt-Qatar Sunni alignment regarding Lebanon and the conflict with Israel.
🔸 ERDOGAN ON HORMUZ: Turkish President Erdogan said, "We do not want the Strait of Hormuz to turn into a theater of war."
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