The U.S. military launched a series of strikes against Iranian targets early Wednesday after three merchant ships were struck in the waters off Oman. In a statement posted to social media, U.S. Central Command said American forces launched the strikes 鈥渢o impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.鈥�
Earlier, met with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdo臒an ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, announcing that the U.S. will lift sanctions, opening the possibility of selling F-35 jets to Turkey over Israel’s objections.
Trump also criticized NATO鈥檚 abilities to function without American leadership and power, expressing disappointment at the refusal of some NATO allies to join he launched alongside Israel without consulting them. And he insisted again that Greenland should be 鈥渃ontrolled by the United States, not by Denmark.鈥� Of all of his threats to NATO and its member countries, this has posed the greatest danger to the organization.
Alliance leaders are trying to show increased military capabilities as the American focus shifts from defending Europe. The will showcase military projects worth billions of dollars aimed at persuading Trump they鈥檙e making a stronger Europe for a stronger NATO.
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US launches new strikes against Iranian targets
The U.S. military launched a series of strikes against Iranian targets early Wednesday after three merchant ships were struck in the waters off Oman.
In a statement posted to social media, U.S. Central Command said American forces launched the strikes 鈥渢o impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.鈥�
鈥淚ran鈥檚 demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,鈥� the statement said.
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US Treasury revokes a general license authorizing the sale of Iranian oil
The Treasury did not immediately respond to an Associated Press inquiry on why the license was revoked Tuesday, though notice came after three tankers were hit in the latest attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.
In June, Treasury issued a license that authorized the production, delivery and sale of Iranian oil, that would last through Aug. 21. U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the time said lengthy talks with senior Iranian officials in Switzerland created a 鈥済ood foundation for a successful final deal鈥� to end the Iran war.
Justice Department alumni urge lawmakers to reject Blanche鈥檚 nomination
In a letter to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, more than 1,200 former Justice Department employees accused acting Attorney General Todd Blanche of instilling a 鈥渃ulture of fear鈥� within the agency鈥檚 workforce.
Blanche is expected to appear July 15 before the committee considering his nomination to become attorney general.
Justice Department alumni pointed to the loss of roughly 16,000 employees through firings, resignations and voluntary departures. They wrote that 鈥渢he consequences of Blanche鈥檚 attacks on DOJ鈥檚 apolitical workforce radiate beyond the halls of Main Justice, affecting the entire country.鈥�
The letter was signed by lawyers who worked under both Republican and Democratic administrations.
In a statement, the Justice Department said the signers included 鈥減artisan activists鈥� and 鈥渕ultiple former disgruntled Biden administration officials,鈥� some of whom were involved in the criminal cases against President Donald Trump. The department noted support Blanche has received from law enforcement groups including the Major Cities Chiefs Association.
Protesters march peacefully against NATO in Istanbul
Thousands of protestors from leftist, pro-Palestinian and Kurdish parties in central Istanbul marched against the NATO summit being held in Ankara Tuesday, chanting, 鈥淢urderer, USA, get out of our country.鈥�
鈥淲e are here to protest the hosting in Ankara 鈥� at a cost of millions of dollars 鈥� of NATO, an organization we regard as a massacre machine established to preserve global hegemony,鈥� said Ali G眉ltekin, 21.
G眉n莽a臒 Ayd谋n, 42, a spokesperson for the leftist Red Party, said that leftist groups faced intense pressure from the government ahead of the summit.
鈥淗undreds of our friends have been detained, but we continue to speak out, saying that NATO is a coalition of what we regard as killers and imperialist powers,鈥� Ayd谋n insists.
The protest ended peacefully and without arrests. Earlier Tuesday, police broke up a small demonstration in Ankara, where protests were banned during the NATO summit, and arrested about 20 people.
NATO leaders dine on sea bass, beef, dumplings and baklava
The White House shared details of the menu for the dinner, which had a first course of flatbread and a honeycomb. It was followed by vegetables and yogurt, traditional dumplings and a choice of sea bass or beef.
Dessert was Baklava with milk, a pistachio foam and traditional Turkish Maras ice cream.Trump arrives at NATO leaders鈥� dinner
Trump has returned to the Turkish presidential compound for a dinner for leaders of NATO members.
Trump gave a thumbs-up as he walked the blue carpet past a military honor guard to meet Erdogan and his wife who waited at the top of some stairs for him.
Trump shook their hands and spoke to them for a few minutes before posing for a photograph.
He then continued speaking to Erdogan for a moment more before they went inside together.
US establishes energy framework with Japan and Korea on sidelines of NATO summit
The trilateral cooperation agreement was agreed to by Secretary Marco Rubio and his Korean and Japanese counterparts on the margins of the summit to 鈥渁dvance our mutual security interests and paves the way for partner countries to meet their energy security needs,鈥� the U.S. State Department announced in a press release Tuesday.
The memorandum of understanding between the three countries is aimed at accelerating deployment of advanced nuclear reactors in other countries, initially focusing on the Indo-Pacific region.
The release said the U.S. is also committing more than $10 million in new funding for a State Department program aimed at providing technical support to relevant countries.
NATO leaders arrive for dinner hosted by Erdogan
NATO leaders are arriving at the Turkish presidential compound for a dinner hosted by Erdogan.
The leaders are walking along a turquoise鈥慶olored carpet lined with soldiers dressed in historic military garments, before ascending steps where they are greeted by Erdogan and his wife, Emine.
Four NATO allies could face strife over defense spending
Slovenia, Belgium, Spain and the Czech Republic could be in hot water with the Trump administration after new NATO defense spending figures showed they鈥檙e struggling to meet the organization鈥檚 old target.
NATO leaders to invest 5% of GDP on defense by 2035 鈥� 3.5% on core defense requirements and 1.5% on upgrading security related infrastructure like roads, bridges, ports and airports.
The Trump administration is expecting a 鈥渇irst report card鈥� to be handed in by European allies and Canada to demonstrate progress. It鈥檚 threatened to take unspecified action against those lacking a solid plan to make the grade.
Some are still struggling to meet NATO鈥檚 old target of 2% of GDP. Slovenia is expected to fall short, with just 1.6%. Belgium, Spain and the Czech Republic are forecast to barely make 2%.
How will Netanyahu react?
Rahm Emanuel鈥檚 remarks could prompt a similarly fiery response from Benjamin Netanyahu, who famously once called the Democrat who had ambitions of being the first Jewish speaker of the U.S. House a 鈥渟elf-hating Jew.鈥�
The prime minister faces in October, and may try to use a confrontation with Emanuel for political gain by appearing to stand strong in the face of international criticism.
As for Democrats, Emanuel鈥檚 speed represents a particularly frontal strategy for possible presidential contenders gauging how to address the fallout from and Netanyahu鈥檚 perceived tilt toward 鈥檚 Republican Party.
Emanuel, a longtime Israel supporter, tells AP he has a blunt message for Netanyahu
Rahm Emanuel told The Associated Press in an interview from Tel Aviv ahead of his speech on Wednesday that he鈥檚 avoiding interactions with elected officials so as to not interfere with upcoming elections. Instead he鈥檚 visiting a hospital serving Israelis and Palestinians and meeting with the family of an Oct. 7 hostage.
Emanuel said Israel鈥檚 continued military response to the on Oct. 7, 2023, has been 鈥渞eckless and careless in the treatment of Palestinian life 鈥� not only the military campaign but using food and medicine as an instrument of your military goals.鈥�
Asked whether Israel had committed genocide, the stalwart of Democratic centrists said the question should not be considered in isolation without also examining conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan.
鈥淚鈥檓 ready to have that discussion,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut I don鈥檛 think it should be politicized, and then dilute the power of what genocide means.鈥�
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What is NATO鈥檚 Article 5?
Article 5 is at the heart of the 32-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It states that an armed attack against one or more of the members shall be considered an attack against all members.
That security guarantee is the reason previously neutral Finland and Sweden sought to join NATO and why Ukraine and other countries in Europe also want in. It has only been invoked once, in the wake of the Sept.11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States.
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Turkey鈥檚 opposition leader criticizes Trump for not visiting Ataturk tomb
Ozgur Ozel said Trump would be the only visiting U.S. president not to pay his respects at the mausoleum of Turkey鈥檚 founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
He said every visiting U.S. president since Eisenhower in 1959 had gone to the monument to honor Ataturk, who remains a revered figure in Turkey.
Talking about Trump鈥檚 welcome, Ozel said the president should be greeted by children 鈥渉olding pictures of the 165 girls killed in Iran鈥� 鈥� a reference to an airstrike on a school at the start of the Iran war.
Ozel was removed as head of the Republican People鈥檚 Party by court order last May. However, many believe the ruling was politically motivated and still consider him the de facto opposition leader.
Trump鈥檚 predecessor Joe Biden did not visit Turkey but he did lay a wreath at Ataturk鈥檚 tomb as vice-president in 2011.
Explosions rock Damascus as France鈥檚 Macron visits Syria
The explosions in capital on Tuesday injured at least 18 people, the interior ministry said, as France鈥檚 president met with his counterpart in a landmark visit. Both leaders later announced the reappointment of ambassadors, marking a major restoration of diplomatic ties after years of civil war.
It was the second attack in Damascus in a week and a setback for President Ahmad al-Sharaa as he welcomed the first major Western leader to visit since the in late 2024. But French President was safe in the presidential palace when the explosions happened, and voiced support for the country鈥檚 new direction.
鈥淣othing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria,鈥� Macron said on X hours later. Both he and Al-Sharaa will next appear in Ankara, Turkey for the .
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Three tankers hit in the Strait of Hormuz, British military says
The British military now says three tankers were struck Tuesday in the Strait of Hormuz. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a third ship was hit by a drone in the critical oil-shipping waterway, where two other tankers had been attacked earlier in the day.
The third ship sustained minor damage, with no one injured, and continued on its way, the UKMTO said.
Iran and the United States agreed to allow ships to pass without paying charges for 60 days. But Tehran insisted it must control the routes and later charge fees, which would upend decades of practice in the waterway.
say they will not agree to Iran charging for passage through the strait. An effort by Oman and a United Nations agency to launch a new route near Oman鈥檚 shore earlier sparked attacks across the Mideast.
Security is tight in the Turkish capital
Air defenses are on alert, and tens of thousands of police will be on duty.
Neighborhoods around the summit site are closed to traffic, and some state workers have been given time off to help keep roads unclogged.
Public gatherings are banned; however, Turkish police detained more than 20 protestors at a demonstration in central Ankara against the NATO summit on Tuesday.
Erdogan鈥檚 government has prioritized security, and authorities have carried out raids on people allegedly linked to extremist groups ahead of the summit.
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Trump says US will lift sanctions that prevented sales of F-35 jets to Turkey
Trump said on Tuesday that the U.S. will lift sanctions on Turkey that were issued after Ankara purchased a Russian missile defense system that led to the country being kicked out of the F-35 fighter jet program.
There are still a number of legal hurdles before Turkey could be fully admitted back to the U.S. program, but the removal of the sanctions 鈥� issued under the Countering America鈥檚 Adversaries Through Sanctions Act 鈥� would help ease the process for Ankara to regain access to the F-35s, a top goal of Erdogan.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be taking the sanctions off, OK?鈥� Trump said in response to a question at the presidential palace in Ankara. He said Cabinet officials were working on the matter.
Earlier, he said that the possibility of selling the F-35s to Turkey is 鈥渃ertainly something we will consider.鈥�
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Erdogan hopeful over US defense sales
Erdogan expressed hope that the U.S. will sell F-35 planes to Turkey, saying the U.S. president always stands by his word.
At a joint news conference with Trump, Erdogan also said the two leaders would take up the issue of the sale of jet engines to power Turkey鈥檚 domestically-produced KAAN fighter planes.
He said Turkey expects Trump to 鈥渞epeat the positive news鈥� he previously gave about supporting Turkey鈥檚 defense projects.
Trump repeats his insistence that the US should control Greenland
Trump says the semiautonomous island, which is part of NATO ally Denmark, is 鈥渁n important part for the United States,鈥� and that he does not intend to let Greenland be threatened by China and Russia. He that it鈥檚 surrounded by Chinese and Russian ships.
鈥淭hat should be controlled by the United States, not by Denmark,鈥� Trump told reporters during a meeting with Erdogan.
Of all Trump鈥檚 threats to NATO and its member countries, Trump鈥檚 repeated insistence that the U.S. should acquire Greenland has posed the greatest danger to the organization. NATO is founded on the principle that its 32 members will defend each other鈥檚 territory and not threaten to seize it.
The British military says a second ship has been hit in the Strait of Hormuz
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center made the announcement Tuesday, hours after it said a tanker traveling off the coast of Oman in was struck by a projectile and caught fire.
Iranian state television reported on the earlier attack, saying the liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings, while not directly claiming responsibility. Tehran has repeatedly declared that only its approved route through the strait is safe, and is suspected of attacking other ships that have tried to transit the strait close to the Omani shore.
Talks between Iran and the U.S. appeared to be on hold until after the burial of , who was killed during the initial attacks by the U.S. and Israel that launched the war. Iranian mourners have called for .
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NATO official dismisses fears of a Russian attack on alliance members
A senior NATO official speaking on the sidelines of the summit in Ankara Tuesday said that despite some 鈥渞eckless鈥� actions by Russia, including airspace violations over Poland, Romania and Estonia, he believes the alliance has been successful in deterring Russia from any potential attack on a member country.
鈥淚 see absolutely no indications whatsoever that Russia is interested in any sort of conflict with NATO,鈥� the official said.
He said Moscow is overstretched by its war in Ukraine and knows NATO would respond to any attack on a member.
鈥淚 would say now that Russia is deterred, but Russia is deterred because of the actions that we are taking,鈥� he said.
Rahm Emanuel will assail Netanyahu in Tel Aviv speech as American politics shift against Israel
While Trump is in Turkey demanding loyalty from NATO allies, a leading Democrat will be in Tel Aviv, directly accusing the president鈥檚 military partner of driving Israel into a 鈥渄ead end.鈥�
Potential presidential candidate Rahm Emanuel plans to denounce Prime Minister and call for an end to U.S. subsidies of Israel鈥檚 defense budget in a speech Wednesday at Tel Aviv University.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e lost Europe,鈥� Emanuel will say, according to remarks obtained by The Associated Press. Castigating Netanyahu for doing little to end the Iran war, he鈥檒l note that 鈥渟upport for Israel is plummeting around the world.鈥�
About 58% of Democrats now say the U.S. is 鈥渢oo supportive鈥� of Israel, according to by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, up from 45% in January 2024. Roughly half of Democrats believe Israel鈥檚 government has committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza, an accusation leveled by some human rights organizations and vehemently denied by Israel and the U.S. government.
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Trump says he thinks Russia-Ukraine war will be settled 鈥榟opefully soon鈥�
The U.S. leader was asked about his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy scheduled for Wednesday on the sidelines of the NATO summit, and responded by saying he鈥檚 had great recent phone conversations with both the Ukrainian president and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
鈥淭hey both want to get it settled now,鈥� he said.
He added later that Erdogan is 鈥渉elping us get it settled.鈥�
Trump refreshes complaints against European allies
At his bilateral meeting with Erdogan, Trump said he was testing European allies when he asked for their help with the Iran war.
鈥淚taly turned us down and Germany turned us down and France turned us down,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 OK. But, you know, why are we spending hundreds of billions of dollars and they鈥檙e not there for us?鈥�
The complaint has been a central point of conflict between Trump and NATO, which he has described as a 鈥減aper tiger.”
Trump says he has great chemistry with Erdogan
As they sat down for a bilateral meeting, Trump showered praise on Erdogan, saying they have a 鈥渧ery special relationship鈥� that benefits both countries.
Asked about what makes their relationship so strong, Trump said there鈥檚 鈥渁 chemistry that works between us.鈥�
鈥淪ometimes you get along with the toughest people, like him,鈥� Trump said, gesturing to Erdogan. 鈥淪ometimes you don鈥檛 get along with the weakest, most pathetic people.鈥�
Trump says he鈥檚 going to consider selling F-35 jets to Turkey
The president was asked by a reporter as he met with Erdogan whether he鈥檒l allow the sale of the American fighter jets to Turkey, which had been banned from the program after purchasing Russian missile defense systems.
鈥淚t鈥檚 certainly something we will consider,鈥� Trump said as he sat with his Turkish counterpart.
He said that 鈥淭urkey has been in many ways much more loyal than other countries.鈥�
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly urged the U.S. not to sell the jets to Turkey, saying it would upset the balance of power in the Middle East.
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