Steve Bannon urges Donald Trump to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate the United States' war against Iran and make the results public, judging the initiative as necessary for the president to regain the trust of Americans. According to the former controversial White House strategist, Israeli institutions should collaborate by making their documents accessible.
“If America uses its bases in Europe, including those in Italy and Germany, Iranian missiles will be launched towards Europe.” Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, member of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, told Euronews. The statement comes after Mojtaba Khamenei gave orders for a "geographically unrestricted" response to any enemy threat.
Consultations for the new government in Israel have begun: Israeli President Herzog has concluded consultations with the far-right party Religious Zionism and has started meetings with the ultra-Orthodox Sephardic party Shas, led by Aryeh Deri. During consultations at the president's residence, the parties indicate the name they propose for the position of prime minister.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has started the second day of consultations with the parties elected in the new Knesset on who to put in charge of forming Israel's next government. The consultations, which began last night with the smaller groups — Religious Zionism, Shas, Yisrael Beytenu and Zehut — are being streamed live from the president's residence in Jerusalem, the Times of Israel reports. The day began with the United Torah Judaism party and continues with Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit deployment. Subsequently, Herzog will meet with the Democrats, the Ra'am party and in the afternoon the Joint List and B'Yachad. The day will end with meetings with Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar movement and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud. Each party will be asked to indicate a candidate for the office of prime minister, it will then be up to Herzog to decide who to entrust the first mandate to in an attempt to form a coalition. Otzma Yehudit and the Likud have said they will nominate Netanyahu, while Yashar, the Democrats, B'Yachad and Ra'am have said they will support Eisenkot. The four representatives of the Degel HaTorah faction within United Torah Judaism have announced that they will not support either candidate, while the three representatives of the Agudat Yisrael faction have not yet made their decision known. The Arab-led United List has not yet declared who it intends to support: it could indicate Eisenkot or choose to abstain.
The Houthis have asked Saudi Arabia for $51 billion to end attacks on the country. The Wall Street Journal reports this, adding that the proposal was presented following an initiative by Saudi Arabia, after the Houthis managed to take control of the strategic city of Al-Mokha, near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. According to the report, which is based on sources involved in the talks, the Houthis said this was the sum needed to rebuild after years of attacks and blockade. It was also reported that, for greater security, the Houthis wanted Saudi Arabia to officially recognize them as the "rulers" of Yemen.
Iran said today that two oil tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, at the center of the conflict between Tehran and Washington. Last night "a large oil tanker attempting to cross a closed passage south of the strait caught fire after hitting a mine and was immobilized", the Iranian Revolutionary Guards reported, quoted by state media. In a separate episode "another supertanker was stranded due to a violent fire while leaving the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz. A tugboat, which approached the supertanker to douse the flames, also caught fire", the note continues. Since the beginning of the conflict, Tehran has strictly controlled this sea passage, regularly targeting boats that attempt to cross it without its authorization. In response, Washington imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
Steve Bannon urges Donald Trump to establish a commission of inquiry to investigate the United States' war against Iran and make the results public, judging the initiative as necessary for the president to regain the trust of Americans. The statements of the former controversial White House strategist, reports the Washington Post, represent the latest example of a prominent conservative figure, close to Trump, demanding transparency and responsibility from the administration. His request comes in the aftermath of the Republicans' heavy defeat in the midterms: a result that, at least in part, reflects voters' frustration at the high costs of the war with Iran. According to Bannon, Israeli institutions should collaborate, making their documents accessible.
