Joseph Belbruno Blog

  DEATH TO ISLAM! Why the U.S. and Israel Struck When They Did: A Chance to Kill Iran’s Leaders By in Tel Aviv, in Washington and in Berlin Quick Summary Israeli and U.S. warplanes struck Iran, with Iranian state TV saying Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed. Iran retaliated by striking targets across the Persian Gulf, including Dubai, Bahrain and Qatar. Israel launched broad cyberattacks, targeting media and phone apps with messages calling on Iranians to rise up. An artificial-intelligence tool created this summary, which was based on the text of the article and checked by an editor.  Read more  about how we use artificial intelligence in our journalism. Israeli and U.S. warplanes struck Iran, with Iranian state TV saying Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed. Israeli and U.S. military intelligence had long watched and waited for a rare opportunity: senior political and military leaders in Iran holding a meeting—where they could all be killed at once. The day finall...

  Opinion Bret Stephens The Case for Striking Iran Feb. 22, 2026 Listen to this article · 6:16 min  Learn more By  Bret Stephens Opinion Columnist This article was updated on Saturday to reflect news events. It’s happening. On Saturday, the United States and Israel jointly launched what President Trump has described as a “massive and ongoing” series of strikes on Iran, aiming not only to destroy the Islamic Republic’s military capabilities but also to overthrow the regime itself. The president may rightly be faulted for barely bothering to spell out the reasons for war in the weeks leading to Saturday’s attack. But it doesn’t mean there isn’t a compelling case for action. There are three, in fact. Iran poses a threat to global order by way of its damaged but abiding nuclear ambitions, its deep strategic ties to Moscow and Beijing, its persistent threats to maritime commerce and its support for international terrorism. It poses a threat to regional stability, not just...