Overview
- Gabbard’s written testimony states Iran has undertaken no attempt to rebuild its destroyed enrichment program since Operation Midnight Hammer, a finding she did not read aloud, citing time constraints.
- Pressed in Senate and House hearings, Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe declined to say Iran posed an “imminent” threat, arguing the president determines imminence.
- Senior counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigned in protest over the war, asserting there was no imminent threat; U.S. media report the FBI has opened an inquiry into alleged leaks tied to him.
- President Trump labeled NATO a “paper tiger,” called allies “cowards,” and said the U.S. would remember their reluctance to join operations, as he dismissed calls for a cease-fire.
- Hormuz shipping remains severely disrupted, with the IMO citing roughly 3,200 vessels and about 20,000 mariners delayed, and U.S. media report additional Marine deployments and a large Pentagon funding request under consideration.