Links to a report from the Cradle and to an article of commentary from Middle East Eye; others are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA 6-20-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  IRAN entry for this date is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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FROM JUNE 20  UNICEF warns of ‘man-made drought’ in Gaza as Israel razes vital infrastructure. From the Cradle. Gaza is facing a man-made drought as its water systems collapse under sustained Israeli bombardment, the United Nations Children’s Fund warned on Saturday, calling attention to catastrophic shortages in water, food, and medical access across the besieged enclave. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 19  How can Palestinian medics ‘cooperate’ with Israeli health bodies during a genocide? by Carlyn Zwarenstein | Middle East Eye  What is happening in Gaza today is a one-sided assault on its infrastructure and healthcare practitioners in more than 600 days of violence and terror enacted by one of the world’s most powerful armies against a trapped civilian population. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to 18 reports: from Middle East Eye, Anadolu Agency, National Public Radio, Reuters, the Associated Press, Declassified Australia, and the Grayzone, and to commentary from Reuters, Middle East Eye, Consortium News, and the University of Pittsburgh; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (IRAN 6-21-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA entry for this date is HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Iranians say their hopes of peace have been buried by U.S. bombs. From Middle East Eye. According to the U.S. military, 125 warplanes were used in the operation, 14 30,000-pound massive ordinance penetrator bombs were dropped on nuclear sites and B2 bombers and a nuclear submarine were involved. READ MORE . . .

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World awaits Iran’s response after Trump says U.S. ‘obliterates’ nuclear sites. From Reuters. Iran has yet to follow through on its main threats of retaliation against the United States. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said today in Istanbul that Tehran would consider all possible responses, that there would be no return to diplomacy until it had retaliated. READ MORE . . .

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Iran hits back at Israel after U.S. attacks, many casualties, by Ikrame Imane Kouachi | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — A major escalation unfolded early this morning as Iran launched a large-scale missile barrage targeting multiple locations across Israel following a US strike on its nuclear facilities. According to the daily Israel Hayom, Iran launched . . . READ MORE . . .

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U.S. ‘crossed every red line’ with latest attack on nuclear facilities: Iranian FM, by Zehra Nur Çelik | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, during a press conference in Istanbul today, warned that diplomacy may no longer be possible. The recent U.S. strikes on Iran, he said, are . . . READ MORE . . .

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Iran’s foreign minister says U.S. strikes were ‘outrageous.’ Ayesha Rascoe of NPR  asks Arash Azizi, who studies both Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian opposition, what Iran’s next moves may be now that the U.S. has struck its nuclear sites. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Are Americans at risk after U.S. bombing of Iran? Ayesha Rascoe of NPR asks Middle East analyst, author, negotiator and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior fellow Aaron David Miller for his views on the U.S strike on Iran. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Former U.S ambassador to Israel discusses U.S. bombing of Iran. Ayesha Rascoe of NPR speaks with Dan Shapiro, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, about the regional impact of American strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Countries in the Middle East call for de-escalation as fears of a wider war grow. Reported by Aya Batrawy and Ayesha Rascoe | NPR  Countries across the Middle East are concerned about further escalation after the U.S. struck Iran, fearing retaliation could draw in Gulf Arab states. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Israel’s potential next moves after the U.S. bombed Iran. Ayesha Rascoe of NPR speaks with Sarah-Masha Fainberg, a senior research fellow at Tel Aviv University, about Israel’s next moves after the U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Every U.S. citizen, military personnel in region ‘now a legitimate target’: Iranian state TV. From Anadolu Agency.  ISTANBUL — Iranian state television said every American citizen and military personnel in the region is “now a legitimate target,” following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites Sunday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 21  Trump says Iran’s key nuclear sites ‘obliterated’ by U.S. airstrikes, by Phil Stewart and Steve Holland | Reuters  WASHINGTON — U.S. forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites, President Donald Trump said late on Saturday, and he warned Tehran it would face more attacks if it did not agree to peace. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for June 22 report from NPR.

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FROM JUNE 21  Iranian missiles struck 14 strategic military sites in Israel’s Haifa, Tel Aviv overnight: IRGC, by Rania Abu Shamala | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said Saturday its missiles hit 14 strategic military points in Israel overnight. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 21  Iran’s military forces launched dozens of drones against Israel in last 24 hours, by Rania R.a. Abushamala | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — Iran’s military forces have launched dozens of drones against Israel in the last 24 hours, according to the Iranian Mehr News Agency. “In the past 24 hours,” the military said on Saturday . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 21  U.S. has struck three Iranian nuclear sites, Trump says, joining Israeli air campaign, by Aamer Madhani, David Rising and Sam Mednick | AP  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Saturday that the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel’s effort to decapitate the country’s nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe amid Tehran’s threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE for report from NPR, and HERE for frequent updates from Middle East Eye.

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FROM JUNE 21 The U.S. plan to bomb Iran, by Peter Cronau | Declassified Australia / Consortium News  A plan was developed for the United States to use diplomacy to entice Iran into negotiations that then fail, so Iran can be attacked while the U.S. is pushing a false narrative saying the Iranians “brought it on themselves.” The plan also . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 21  Trump official: CIA’s Ratcliffe acts as ‘Mossad stenographer’ on Iran, by Max Blumenthal and Anya Parampil | The Grayzone  Having launched a damaging war of attrition with Iran, Tel Aviv is deploying every mechanism at its disposal to compel the US to lurch headlong into the conflict it initiated, but which it can not finish on its own. READ MORE . . .

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Despite clashes with U.S. presidents, Israel’s Netanyahu usually gets his way, by Crispian Balmer | Reuters For over three decades, Netanyahu has clashed with American leaders. He has lectured them, defied them, embarrassed them publicly and privately. And yet, across Democratic and Republican administrations, U.S. military aid has flowed . . . READ MORE . . .

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The price of Netanyahu’s forever wars, by Abed Abou Shhadeh | Middle East Eye  This is Netanyahu’s vision for Israel: an ethno-religious, free-market state in permanent conflict with its neighbours, sowing destruction wherever it extends its reach, while actively destabilising the surrounding region. Ironically, this echoes Israel’s critiques of Iran. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 21  How Iran allowed Israel to attack, by As’ad AbuKhalil | Consortium News / ScheerPost  The attack on Iran was not surprising; the ill-preparedness of the Iranian military and intelligence for it was shocking, however. READ MORE . . .

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Over the brink, by Michael Brenner | The University of Pittsburgh / Consortium News / ScheerPost  The United States is sacrificing its principles of liberty, its political integrity, the trust that is the bedrock of its democracy, its standing in the world as the “best hope of mankind,” and its capacity to feel for others – including its fellow citizens. READ MORE . . .

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For today, links to 19 reports: from Middle East Eye, the Cradle, the Associated Press, Reuters, Anadolu Agency, Tass, and National Public Radio; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (IRAN 6-20-25 is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israeli strike hits Iran’s oil-rich Ahvaz, smoke seen rising. From Middle East Eye. Videos verified by Al Jazeera show thick plumes of smoke billowing over the city of Ahvaz following an Israeli air strike, a key hub for the country’s oil production. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli army says Iran war can last ‘many months’ as air defenses falter. From the Cradle. Israeli army officials today warned that the war against Iran could last for “many months,” abandoning earlier estimates that the so-called ‘Operation Rising Lion’ would be completed within weeks. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from AP.

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U.S. deploys more stealth bombers, new aircraft carrier as Iran-Israel war heats up. From the Cradle. The Pentagon is expected to send a third aircraft carrier strike group near Iran in the coming days as Washington increases its military presence near West Asia for a potential involvement in the Israeli war, a Navy official confirmed today. READ MORE . . .

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A week into war, Israel and Iran trade fire as Europe’s diplomatic effort yields no breakthrough, by Sam Mednick, Jon Gambrell and David Rising | AP  TEL AVIV — Israel and Iran traded strikes a week into their war on Friday as President Donald Trump weighed U.S. military involvement and key European ministers met with Iran’s top diplomat in Geneva in a scramble to de-escalate the conflict. But . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel says it killed veteran Iran commander as both sides attack. From Reuters. Israel said today it had killed a veteran Iranian commander, Saeed Izadi, as the countries traded attacks, a day after Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear programme while under threat and Europe tried to keep peace talks alive. READ MORE . . .

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OIC to hold special session at Iran’s request over Israel-Iran conflict, by Muhammet Tarhan and Zehra Nur Celik | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — ISTANBUL / ANKARA  At Iran’s request, a special closed-door session with the participation of all members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will be held this evening as part of the bloc’s 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul, diplomatic sources said today. READ MORE . . .

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Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei retreats to bunker, names successors amid Israeli assaults: report, by Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — The New York Times reports today that in order to safeguard both his life and the leadership structure of the Islamic Republic amid escalating Israeli attacks on Iranian territory, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has . . . READ MORE . . .

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5 members of Iranian Revolutionary Guards killed in Israeli attacks on western Iran’s Khorramabad, Ikram Kouachi | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — Five members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were killed in Israeli attacks targeting the city of Khorramabad in western Iran, the Iranian Mehr news agency reported today. The regional capital of the Lorestan province . . . READ MORE . . .

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Iran has right to peaceful use of nuclear technology — Putin. From Tass. DUBAI — Iran has the right to develop a civilian nuclear program and to use atomic technologies for peaceful purposes, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with Sky News Arabia . READ MORE . . .

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Turkey’s Erdogan says Israel attacks aimed to sabotage Iran nuclear talks. From Reuters. ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Israel’s attacks on Iran right before a new round of nuclear talks with the United States aimed to sabotage the negotiations, and it showed Israel did not want to resolve issues through diplomacy. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 20  No diplomacy until Israel stops war, faces consequences for crimes’: Iran FM. From the Cradle. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that the Islamic Republic is not open to negotiations “with any party” until the US-backed Israeli war against the country is brought to an end. READ MORE . . .

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Iran warns U.S. against involvement in Israeli strikes, urges return to diplomacy, by Merve Berker | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned today that the U.S. participation in Israel’s ongoing attacks on Iran would be “very unfortunate” and “extremely dangerous for everyone.” READ MORE . . .

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Türkiye vows to champion Muslim world, global justice, slams Israel’s regional aggression, by Zehra Nur Celik | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — Türkiye today pledged to champion the Muslim world and advocate for global justice, while condemning Israel’s regional aggression at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit. READ MORE . . .

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Turkish President Erdogan warns against ‘new Sykes-Picot order’ in Middle East, by Merve Berker | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA — “We will not allow the establishment of a new Sykes-Picot order in our region with borders to be drawn in blood,” Turkish President Recep Erdogan said today, calling for stronger solidarity among Islamic nations to counter Israeli actions and regional destabilization. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 20  Grossi says IAEA report ‘not basis for war’ after threat of legal action from Iran. From the Cradle. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, says the agency’s report accusing Iran of secret and illicit nuclear activity is not the reason behind Israel’s war against the country, after Tehran signaled . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 20  Trump hesitates on Iran strike as satellite images expose limits of Israeli attacks. From the Cradle. A Bloomberg investigation and satellite analysis published on Friday revealed . . . READ MORE . . .

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Can Israel’s air defense keep up against Iranian attacks? Reported by Kat Lonsdorf | NPR  As the war between Israel and Iran enters its second week, there’s a specific kind of math that will determine just how much longer it can go — how many long-range missiles Iran has versus how many missile interceptors Israel has to shoot them down. Click HERE to listen and read.

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How likely is Israel’s goal of regime change in Iran? Scott Simon of NPR speaks with Mehrzad Boroujerdi of Missouri University of Science and Technology about potential regime change in Iran as an objective of Israel’s attacks on the country. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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For today. links to three reports: from Middle East Eye, the Cradle, and National Public Radio; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (GAZA 6-18-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, IRAN and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Israeli attacks kill 42 in Gaza, including 25 seeking aid. From Middle East Eye. Medical sources in Gaza say at least 42 Palestinians have been killed since dawn today in Israeli air strikes, including 25 people who were trying to receive humanitarian aid. READ MORE . . .

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UNICEF warns of ‘man-made drought’ in Gaza as Israel razes vital infrastructure. From the Cradle. Gaza is facing a man-made drought as its water systems collapse under sustained Israeli bombardment, the United Nations Children’s Fund warned today, calling attention to catastrophic shortages in water, food, and medical access across the besieged enclave. READ MORE . . .

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Palestinians in Gaza risk their lives to get food as hunger increases. Reported by Aya Batrawy and Leila Fadel | NPR  Gaza has receded from headlines as the conflict between Iran and Israel escalates. But in past week, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, many trying to get food, officials said. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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For today, links to three reports: from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Anadolu Agency; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 6-18-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  GAZA, IRAN and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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Russian drones slam into 2 Ukrainian cities, killing at least 1 person in nighttime attack, by Illia Novikov | AP  KYIV — In overnight attacks Russian drones struck the southern Ukraine port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv, killing at least one person, authorities said today. READ MORE . . .

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Putin says does ‘not rule out’ Russia taking Ukrainian city of Sumy. From AFP. Russian President Vladimir Putin said today he did not “rule out” his forces taking control of Ukraine’s northeastern city of Sumy as part of efforts to create a buffer zone along the border. In a string of hawkish remarks . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Anadolu Agency.

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For today, links to 15 reports: from Anadolu Agency, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, Middle East Monitor, the Cradle, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio, and to articles of commentary from Indian Punchline, Brave New Europe, and the Associated Press; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (IRAN 6-19-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, GAZA and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM

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21 injured in Iranian missile attack on northern Israel, by Ikram Kouachi and Rania Abu Shamala | Anadolu Agency  ANKARA / ISTANBUL — At least 21 people were injured, three seriously, in an Iranian missile attack on the northern Israeli city of Haifa today. READ MORE . . .

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NEWER  Iran says no nuclear talks under fire, UN atomic watchdog urges maximum restraint. From Reuters. Iran said today it would not discuss the future of its nuclear programme while under attack by Israel, as Europe tried to coax Tehran back into negotiations and the United States considers whether to get involved in the conflict. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Anadolu Agency.

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Army chief tells Israelis to prepare for ‘prolonged’ Iran war.  From AFP. Israeli’s military chief Eyal Zamir said today his country should be “ready for a prolonged campaign” against Iran, as the longtime foes exchanged fire for the eighth day. READ MORE . . .

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IAEA says can guarantee ‘watertight’ inspections in Iran deal. From AFP. The head of the UN nuclear watchdog pleaded today for a diplomatic solution to end Israel’s strikes on Iran, saying his agency . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israeli military says hit missile launchers in new Iran attacks. From AFP. The Israeli military said it carried out a fresh wave of attacks on Iran today, targeting missile launchers in the southwest of the country. Statements said other attacks today . . . READ MORE . . .

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Israel’s war with Iran costs $200M a day, raising pressure for swift end. From Middle East Monitor. Israel’s war with Iran is costing the country an estimated $200 million per day, according to early assessments reported by The Wall Street Journal — a staggering figure that is quickly becoming a major constraint on the duration of the conflict, Anadolu reports. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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Iran hacking security cameras across Israel to improve missile accuracy. From the Cradle. Iran has been hacking into private security cameras across Israel to gather intelligence and improve the accuracy of missile strikes. Israeli cyber security experts cited by Bloomberg today confirmed . . . READ MORE . . .

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A week into their war, Israel and Iran launch new strikes even as diplomatic effort gets underway, by Sam Mednick, Jon Gambrell and David Rising | AP  TEL AVIV— Israel and Iran exchanged strikes a week into their war today as President Donald Trump weighed U.S. military involvement and new diplomatic efforts got underway with Iran’s foreign minister arriving in Geneva for talks. READ MORE . . .

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Europe to give Iran message that U.S. open to direct talks. From Reuters. GENEVA — European foreign ministers would tell their Iranian counterpart today that the U.S. is open to direct talks even as it considers joining Israeli strikes intended to smash Tehran’s nuclear capacity, diplomats said before a meeting in Geneva. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE to listen to report from NPR, and read later.

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FROM JUNE 19  Israel and Iran have now been at war for a week. There’s no sign of it stopping. Reported by Jane Arraf | NPR  Israel’s prime minister is voicing outrage after an Iranian missile struck a medical center in southern Israel. Israel launched the first attacks one week ago. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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What the Israel-Iran conflict means for the wider region. Leila Fadel of NPR talks with journalist Kim Ghattas in Beirut about how far the Israel-Iran war could spread and whether other Middle East powers are bracing for a wider conflict. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Hear from people in Iran and Israel as the countries continue to exchange airstrikes. From NPR. People in Iran and Israel share their experiences as airstrikes ordered by the leadership of the two countries continue. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Putin in reflective mood muses on U.S.-Iran confrontation, by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  In reality, Russian-Iranian relations are no less complex than the U.S.-Russia tango. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 19  War deja vu, by Chris Hedges | Brave New Europe / The Chris Hedges Report  There are few differences between the lies told to ignite the war with Iraq and the lies told to ignite a war with Iran. The assessments of our intelligence agencies and international bodies are, as they were during the calls to invade Iraq, airily dismissed for hallucinations. READ MORE . . .

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Under attack from Israel, Iran’s supreme leader faces a stark choice, by Lee Keath | AP  CAIRO — Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who crushed internal threats repeatedly during more than three decades in power, now faces his greatest challenge yet. READ MORE . . .

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A link to an interview from the Chris Hedges Report* via ScheerPost and Consortium News; other published material is accessible by clicking on their names above and below. (MEDIA 6-8-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE, GAZA and IRAN entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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FROM JUNE 12 AND JUNE 19  ‘Journalists & Their Shadows.’ Chris Hedges of the Chris Hedges Report* talks with Patrick Lawrence, author most recently of the 2023 book whose title is the headline of this segment, about the disintegration of mainstream news in the United States, some factors involved, and the promise of (and threats to) independent reporting in the digital age. Click HERE for intro, video, and transcript.

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* A more correct name may be the Chris Hedges YouTube Channel, although Hedges still apparently uses the old logo.

For now, links to 16 reports: from Middle East Eye, the Cradle, Reuters, the Associated Press, and National Public Radio, and to articles of commentary from Indian Punchline and the Cradle; others or at least headlnes are accessible by clicking on their names below. (IRAN 6-18-25 is HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Iranian missiles rain down on Tel Aviv after Israel attacks Arak nuclear reactor, by Mera Aladam | Middle East Eye  Iranian ballistic missiles struck several areas of Israel today, with extensive damage reported at the Israeli stock exchange building in Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv, as well as a major hospital in the south of the country. READ MORE . . .

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IRGC targets Israeli command center in Beersheva. From the Cradle. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced today that it targeted an Israeli command center near Soroka Hospital in the city of Beersheva, following the launch of approximately 30 ballistic missiles at Israel that morning. READ MORE . . .

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Israel threatens Iran’s top leader after missiles damage hospital and wound more than 200, by Sam Mednick, Natalie Melzer, Melanie Lidman and Jon Gambrell | AP  BEERSHEBA, Israel — Israel’s defense minister overtly threatened Iran’s supreme leader today after the latest missile barrage from Iran damaged the main hospital in southern Israel and hit several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv. READ MORE . . .   Click HERE and HERE for reports from Anadolu Agency.

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IRGC claims ‘total air dominance’ over Israel. From the Cradle. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared “complete control over the skies” of Israel in a statement on Wednesday, following a wave of missile strikes. READ MORE . . .

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Israel says ‘it was a mistake’ to say Iran’s Bushehr was hit. From Reuters.  An Israeli military official said today “it was a mistake” for a military spokesperson to have said earlier in the day that Israel had struck the Bushehr nuclear site in Iran. READ MORE . . .

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Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, hit by an Israeli airstrike, was part of Tehran’s nuclear deal, by Jon Gambrell | AP  DUBAI — Much of the focus on Iran’s nuclear program has been on Tehran’s enrichment of uranium, but experts also keep a close watch on the Islamic Republic’s Arak heavy water reactor. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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President Trump says he hasn’t decided whether to strike Iranian nuclear facility. Reported by Franco Ordoñez and Leila Fadel | NPR  President Trump on Wednesday declined to say whether the United States is moving closer to a decision to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JUNE 18  Iran’s leader rejects calls to surrender and warns that intervention would harm the U.S., by Joseph Krauss, Jon Gambrell and Julia Frankel | AP  DUBAI — Iran’s supreme leader rejected U.S. calls for surrender in the face of more Israeli strikes Wednesday and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause “irreparable damage to them.” European diplomats prepared to hold talks with Iran on Friday. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 18  Putin says Russia could help broker a deal between Iran and Israel, by James Jordan and Harriet Morris | AP  ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Wednesday to help mediate an end to the conflict between Israel and Iran, suggesting Moscow could help negotiate a settlement that could allow . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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FROM JUNE 18  Israel’s president talks with NPR about Iran. Reported by Daniel Estrin | NPR  As Israel’s war with Iran expands, Israeli President Isaac Herzog called for international support in destroying Iran’s main nuclear facilities. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JUNE 18  Weapons and war: Parallels between Iran and Iraq. Reported by Tinbete Ermyas, Michael Levitt and Ari Shapiro | NPR  Author Steve Coll compares Iraq in 2002 with Iran today in connection with a potential war due to an adversarial country’s weapons program. His book The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the C.I.A., and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq was published in 2024. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JUNE 18  Iranians flee Tehran. Reported by Jackie Northam | NPR  Some iranians welcomed Israeli attacks on their leaders, but now fear for their own safety. Thousands are scrambling to get out of Tehran as the air war intensifies. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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FROM JUNE 18  Trump orders ‘unconditional surrender’ by Iran. Who’s listening? by M.K. Bhadrakumar | Indian Punchline  Trump has a major decision to take — how to rescue Israel from the attritional war that lies ahead. Pressure for U.S. military intervention is mounting. He is obligated one way or another to all three segments of the Israel Lobby. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 16  Tel Aviv miscalculates: Why Israel’s shock strategy failed against Iran, by Ali Salehian | The Cradle  The Israeli occupation state’s early morning blitz on June 13 — the most brazen assault on Iranian soil in decades — was designed to replicate its past successes in Lebanon. It didn’t work. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 14  Israel’s war on Iran was never just about nukes, by Qassem Qassem | The Cradle  The current war is a culmination of Benjamin Netanyahu’s decades-long obsession. As documented by Israeli think tanks and strategic planners, the long-term goal is regime change. READ MORE . . .

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TO BE CONTINUED

For now, links to three reports: from Middle East Eye and the Cradle, and to commentary from Middle East Eye; other articles and reports are accessible by clicking on their names below. (GAZA 6-17-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE and IRAN entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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UNRWA chief slams U.S.-Israeli aid distribution system in Gaza as ‘war crime,’ by Mera Aladam | Middle East Eye  The commissioner-general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, has condemned the “lethal” U.S.–Israeli relief delivery mechanism in Gaza, as over two million are left starving across the besieged enclave. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Dozens of Palestinian aid seekers killed by Israeli troops in new GHF massacre. From the Cradle. Israeli forces on Tuesday morning committed another massacre targeting aid seekers in Khan Yunis, resulting in over 60 Palestinians killed and more than 200 injured, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli documents reveal further American interests in firm guarding Gaza aid hubs, by Dania Akkad and Nadav Rapaport | Middle East Eye  LONDON / TEL AVIV — Business registration documents filed in Israel last month by a private U.S. contractor operating in Gaza reveal a wider network of Americans linked to a controversial aid plan whose funding has remained opaque as more than 400 Palestinians have been killed seeking food from its sites. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  ‘Execution site,’ by Maha Hussaini | Middle East Eye  GAZA CITY, occupied Palestine  In the three weeks since the U.S.-Israeli aid distribution mechanism handled by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operating, more than 420 Palestinians have been killed and more than 3,000 others injured by Israeli fire near the three aid distribution points. READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED

For now, links to 18 reports: from Anadolu Agency, the Cradle, the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, Middle East Monitor, and Middle East Eye, and to articles of commentary from Middle East Monitor, Middle East Eye, and the Cradle; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (IRAN 6-17-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  UKRAINE and GAZA entries for this date, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll down.) — MCM

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Explosions heard as Israel renews attacks on Iranian capital, by Mohammad Sio | Anadolu Agency  ISTANBUL — Explosions were heard in Tehran today as the Israeli army launched new airstrikes on the Iranian capital. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said fighter jets destroyed the Iranian internal security headquarters in Tehran. READ MORE . . .

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IAEA chief confirms agency has ‘no proof’ Iran building nuclear bomb. From the Cradle. The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, said on Tuesday there is “no proof” that Iran has been working toward the development of a nuclear weapon. READ MORE . . .

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Israeli attacks hit Iran’s centrifuge production sites in Tehran, Karaj: UN nuclear watchdog, by Ahmet Gencturk | Anadolu Agency  ATHENS — Iran’s centrifuge production sites in Tehran and the central province of Karaj were hit, the International Atomic Energy Agency said today. READ MORE . . .

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Iran’s leader rejects call to surrender, saying U.S. intervention would cause ‘irreparable damage,’ by Jopeph Krauss, Jon Gambrell and Julia Frankel | AP  DUBAI — Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, today rejected U.S. calls for surrender in the face of blistering Israeli strikes and warned . . . READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Reuters.

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What it’s like in Iran as the conflict with Israel continues. Reported by Steve Inskeep | NPR  Setareh Sadeqi, assistant professor at Tehran University, talks about how Iranians are experiencing the conflict with Israel and what Iran hopes to achieve. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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How President Trump is responding to the conflict between Iran and Israel. Reported by Franco Ordoñez and A Martínez | NPR  President Trump once distanced himself from Israel’s military action in Iran. Now he’s taking some ownership, and he’s pushing back against political allies who oppose U.S. involvement. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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Iran says it targeted Israeli air bases in retaliatory attack. From Anadolu Agency. Iran carried out a retaliatory strike Tuesday targeting Israeli air bases “used in the regime’s terror attacks on Iranian civilians and infrastructure,” state-run Press TV reported. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for June 17 report.

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Israel facing critical shortage of interceptor missiles, U.S. warns of imminent rationing: WSJ. From Middle East Monitor. Israel is running critically low on key missile defence interceptors, particularly the Arrow system, amid intensified missile barrages from Iran, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal citing a senior U.S. official. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from the Cradle.

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FROM JUNE 17  Trump calls for Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ as Israel-Iran air war rages on, by Parisa Hafezi, Jana Choukeir and Maayan Lubell | Reuters  DUBAI / JERUSALEM — President Donald Trump warned that U.S. patience was wearing thin but said there was no intention to kill Iran’s leader “for now,” as the Israel-Iran air war raged for a fifth day. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from AP.

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FROM JUNE 17  G7 blames Iran for ‘instability’ in West Asia, backs Israeli war. From the Cradle. The G7 group of nations released a statement on 16 June expressing support for Israel and calling Iran a “source of regional instability and terror.” READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Tehran denies western media reports about ‘seeking mediation’ to end war.  From the Cradle. Iran has categorically denied requesting that regional countries pressure Washington for an end to Israel’s war against the country, as some recent reports in western media have said. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Airports close across the Mideast as the Israel-Iran conflict shutters the region’s airspace, by Kareem Chehayeb and Qassim Abdul-Zaharia | AP  The dayslong attacks between Israel and Iran have opened a new chapter in their turbulent recent history. Fearing a wider conflict as waves of attacks cross their skies every night, most countries in the Middle East have closed their airspace, and dozens . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Iranian missile strikes force closure of Israel’s largest oil refinery. From the Cradle. Israel’s largest oil refinery was forced to shut down on Monday after an Iranian missile strike caused extensive damage to the Bazan Group’s Haifa complex, killing three workers and disabling its main power station, Israel’s Calcalist reported. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty explained. From Middle East Eye. On June 13, Israellaunched a surprise attack on Iran, striking nuclear facilities, civilian neighbourhoods, and a state broadcasting station. Iran retaliated, sparking . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Who’s steering the ship? by Ramzy Baroud | Middle East Monitor  U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East appears to be adrift, no longer guided by fixed strategies or clear goals. Instead . . . READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 16  The Iraq play book is back for Israel’s attack on Iran. But it fools no one, by Omar Suleiman | Middle East Eye  The world has seen this before: A narrative of existential threat. A media chorus that refuses to question. Politicians beating the drums of war, invoking security to justify aggression. It was Iraq then. READ MORE . . .

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FROM JUNE 17  Israel’s war on Iran is the frontline of a U.S. war on multipolarity, by Nina Farnia | The Cradle  On the early morning of June 13, Israel launched an aerial assault on Iran, killing over 224 people to date. This is the gravest breach of Iranian sovereignty since the U.S.-backed Iran–Iraq War of the 1980s, widely understood as a proxy effort to dismantle the nascent Islamic Republic. READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED