United States and Israel attack Iran Early Saturday Morning

[MACKTEXAS]

I write that they support your opinion and you don't like this. Strange.
But let me tell you that I am not inclined in further discussions with you also.
In this point obviously we agree.

I read his post 3-4 times, and didn't understand why he replied that way either, when it seemed you were both on the same page up to that point.

 

[Rich]

And what I read, that like his father, he is also a hard liner. So basically, no change in the governing body of Iran.

From what I've read the U.S. goal was regime change in Iran. Apparently that goal was reached this by swapping Ayatollah Khamenei for Ayatollah Khamenei.

 

[hollydolly]

Iran's new Supreme Leader has ordered his nation to weaponise the Strait of Hormuz in his first statement, amid claims he is 'in a coma' and has lost a leg after being seriously injured in air strikes.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, made the statement on state TV this afternoon, which was read out by a news anchor.

He added in the written statement that Iran would not refrain from avenging the 'blood of its martyrs.'

He is said to be in intensive care at the Sina University Hospital in the city's historic quarter surrounded by security officials, according to a source in Tehran. A section of the hospital has been sealed off to guard Iran's Supreme Leader.

It is unclear whether Mojtaba was injured in the same air strikes which killed his 86-year-old father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on February 28.

Iranian state media announced today that Mojtaba's first message since his appointment will be released imminently, without specifying whether it would be a recorded message or a written statement.

Khamenei's official Telegram channel wrote: 'The first message of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, the supreme leader of the Islamic revolution, will be released in a few moments.'

The message will address 'the martyred leader of the revolution (Ali Khamenei), the role and duties of the people, the armed forces, executive bodies, the resistance front, as well as the countries of the region and dealing with enemies.'

A source, who does not want to be named out of fear for his life, said the new Supreme Leader is under the care of Mohammad Reza Zafargjani, Iran's Minister of Health, Treatment and Medical Education and one of the country's top trauma surgeons.

 

[WhatInThe]

Andrew Bustamante, former CIA agent gives his take on why this war was started He also gives insight on how threats are assessed.
"Andrew explained that annually, the CIA and other agencies produce a national threat assessment, which is forwarded to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). The ODNI then consolidates this information into an evaluation of the most pressing dangers facing the US.

This Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community is accessible to the public and, as Andrew pointed out, serves as a resource for Congress members to "fund intelligence operations" in the upcoming year.

Delving deeper, Andrew stated: "Iran very clearly, in that document published in March 2025, is not working on weapons of mass destruction, has no plans to increase or enhance its uranium enrichment, and may be at the early stages of research and development for chemical and biological weapons. That's what it says.

"That was in March 2025. In June 2025, we bomb Iran under the accusation that they are enriching uranium beyond military grade or up to military-grade levels at the Fordow plants in Iran.

"In stark contrast, what we were told as the public contradicted what the ODNI published as an official source document for the national intelligence infrastructure. But that's only one of several documents."

He then highlighted documents from the US Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) and the White House's national security strategy. He noted that, in terms of publicly available documents, "none of them highlighted Iran" as a national security priority. Full article:
https://www.themirror.com/news/poli...n=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

For now Iran was and is still a threat to the region and Israel. Not the mainland US-yet. US assets overseas yes.

The people that assessed Iran before the war did what previous generations of intelligence types have done for over half a century including missing the overthrow of the Shah/those who did it. They still think in terms of a nation state and that they think and act like one. No. The end game is a religious goal not a political one.

They also under estimated Iran's industrial capacity. It's known they are supplying drones and missiles to other countries is all one needs to know. They focused too much on nuclear related sites/assets. The fact they can export shows their manufacturing capabilities wether it's drones, missiles, boats etc. 2 weeks later and their 'navy' is still launching suicide boats to hit tankers along with drones hitting all over the region. Their inventory of Iranian assets and capabilities was off.

Wether it's this think tank/contractor or US intelligence they were off.

 

[Ted01]

Andrew Bustamante, former CIA agent gives his take on why this war was started He also gives insight on how threats are assessed.
"Andrew explained that annually, the CIA and other agencies produce a national threat assessment, which is forwarded to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). The ODNI then consolidates this information into an evaluation of the most pressing dangers facing the US.

This Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community is accessible to the public and, as Andrew pointed out, serves as a resource for Congress members to "fund intelligence operations" in the upcoming year.

Delving deeper, Andrew stated: "Iran very clearly, in that document published in March 2025, is not working on weapons of mass destruction, has no plans to increase or enhance its uranium enrichment, and may be at the early stages of research and development for chemical and biological weapons. That's what it says.

"That was in March 2025. In June 2025, we bomb Iran under the accusation that they are enriching uranium beyond military grade or up to military-grade levels at the Fordow plants in Iran.

"In stark contrast, what we were told as the public contradicted what the ODNI published as an official source document for the national intelligence infrastructure. But that's only one of several documents."

He then highlighted documents from the US Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) and the White House's national security strategy. He noted that, in terms of publicly available documents, "none of them highlighted Iran" as a national security priority. Full article:
https://www.themirror.com/news/poli...n=continue_reading_button#amp-readmore-target

Thanks for that great link!! There's some interesting reading there!

You know what's strange though, is that the opening line about Iran of that document seems to conflict with what it says later about Iran's Nuclear Program...
here's the Opening Line:

IRAN
Strategic Overview
Tehran will try to leverage its robust missile capability and expanded nuclear program, and its diplomatic outreach to regional states and U.S. rivals to bolster its regional influence and ensure regime survival.

And then a portion of the WMD section:
WMD
We continue to assess Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and that Khamenei has not reauthorized the nuclear weapons program he suspended in 2003, though pressure has probably built on him to do so. In the past year, there has been an erosion of a decades-long taboo on discussing nuclear weapons in public that has emboldened nuclear weapons advocates within Iran’s decisionmaking apparatus. Khamenei remains the final decisionmaker over Iran’s nuclear program, to include any decision to develop nuclear weapons. Iran very likely aims to continue R&D of chemical and biological agents for offensive purposes. Iranian military scientists have researched chemicals that have a wide range of sedation, dissociation, and amnestic incapacitating effects, and can also be lethal.