Israel claims to have killed Hamas military leader in strike
The Israeli military said it killed the Hamas leader who was the main planner of the Oct. 7 attack that started the Israel-Hamas war. Israel claims to have killed Muhammad Deif in a southern Gaza airstrike in July.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said its conclusion that Deif was dead was based on an intelligence assessment, though it did not offer details.
Deif, who hasn’t been seen in public for year, has been on top of Israel’s most-wanted list for years and is believed to have escaped multiple Israeli assassination attempts.
His fate has been unclear since Israel targeted him in a major attack that killed at least 90 people in Khan Younis on July 13.
Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied his death.
The Israeli military’s claim that Deif is dead comes a day after Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an alleged Israeli strike on Tehran.
Iran’s supreme leader issues order for Iran to strike Israel: Report
Tensions are rising in the Middle East following the assassination of a senior Hamas leader in Iran. Hamas claims an Israeli missile hit the house of political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
This is one of the latest developments from the region. The Israeli military announced on Thursday, Aug. 1, it had killed top Hamas military leader Muhammad Deif during a strike in Gaza earlier in July. Deif is believed to have been one of the masterminds behind the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel.
The New York Times reports with the hit on Haniyeh happening on Iranian soil, the country’s supreme leader has reportedly issued an order for Iran to strike Israel directly, citing three Iranian officials briefed on the order. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied being behind Haniyeh’s assassination.
Alleged 9/11 mastermind agrees to plea deal to avoid death penalty
The alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attack and two accomplices reached a plea deal with prosecutors. And former President Donald Trump sparks controversy with comments made about Vice President Kamala Harris at a conference of Black journalists. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024.
Alleged 9/11 mastermind agrees to plea deal in exchange for life in prison
The alleged mastermind terrorist behind plotting the 9/11 attacks against the U.S. has pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. The Department of Defense said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his two accomplices accused of planning the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil have agreed to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison.
The pre-trial agreement allows them all to escape being sentenced to death, something that is upsetting some families of 9/11 victims. Prosecutors first notified impacted families of the plea deal reached before it went public.
BREAKING: Pentagon announces that Guantanamo that three of the five 9/11 defendants, including mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, have reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Harris is running unopposed and has already been endorsed by most of the Democratic delegates. She also picked up the endorsement of the United Auto Workers on Wednesday, July 31, giving her the support of one of the country’s largest unions.
I am honored to receive the endorsement of the United Auto Workers. From walking picket lines to taking on big banks, I have spent my entire career fighting for unions and working families—and, as President, I will continue to deliver for organized labor. https://t.co/CQc4K0YOBW
Voting on the virtual roll call ends on Monday, Aug. 5. It’s the same day Harris is expected to announce her running mate. They will then start a series of side-by-side campaigning in battleground states, with their first official event together scheduled in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
On Thursday, Trump’s vice presidential pick Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, will be touring the southern border, and Harris will speak at the funeral of Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Trump sparks controversy after questioning Kamala Harris’ racial identity
Former President Donald Trump attended a conference for Black journalists in Chicago on Wednesday, July 31, that’s creating the most buzz on the campaign trail Thursday, Aug. 1 morning. Trump made controversial remarks after being asked if he agrees with Republicans on Capitol Hill who have said the vice president was a “DEI hire.”
“Do you believe that Vice President Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she is a Black woman?” ABC News’ Rachel Scott asked him.
“Well, I can say no,” Trump said. “I think it’s maybe a little bit different. So, I’ve known her a long time indirectly, not directly very much, and she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black. And now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
“She has always identified as a Black woman,” Scott interjected. “She went to a historically Black college.”
“You know what, I respect either one,” Trump said “I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way and then all of a sudden, she made a turn and she went, she became a Black person.”
“We all here remember what those four years were like,” Harris said. “And today we were given yet another reminder. This afternoon, Donald Trump spoke at the annual meeting of the National Association of Black Journalists, and it was the same old show, the divisiveness and the disrespect. And let me just say, the American people deserve better. The American people deserve better. The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth, a leader who does not respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strength.”
During her daily press conference, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to Trump’s comment, saying “it’s insulting.”
The former president defended his comments on his Truth Social platform, saying the questions he was being asked were “rude and nasty” and “often in the form of a statement” rather than question.
The questions were Rude and Nasty, often in the form of a statement, but we CRUSHED IT!@realDonaldTrump Donald Trump Truth Social 03:31 PM EST 07/31/24 pic.twitter.com/wetj11CoG0
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 31, 2024
Some Black Republican lawmakers have also jumped in to defend him — like Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt. Hunt posted a statement on his own Truth Social account reading in part, “He stood strong in the face of vicious attacks and gotcha questions, because that’s what leaders do.”
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., also commented on the former president’s remarks in a post on X.
“Fostering tough conversations and debate is how we make America great again for all Americans,” Donalds said. “Unlike Kamala Harris, President Trump is not afraid of going into any venue, any time, anywhere.”
Unlike Kamala Harris, President Trump is not afraid of going into any venue, any time, anywhere.
Today at the NABJ Convention, President Trump took the incoming fire from hostile reporters, held firm, and articulated his plan to Make America Great Again for ALL AMERICANS. pic.twitter.com/KNEw5yaLmi
Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother. She attended the historically Black Howard University and is a member of the nation’s oldest Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Meanwhile, a debate between the two remains up in the air. Trump has voiced wanting a venue change and said he “probably will” debate Harris, but could also “make a case for not.”
Report: Iran’s supreme leader issues order for Iran to strike Israel
Tensions are rising in the Middle East following the assassination of a senior Hamas leader in Iran. Hamas claims an Israeli missile hit the house of political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The New York Times reported that with the hit happening on Iranian soil, the country’s supreme leader has reportedly issued an order for Iran to strike Israel directly, citing three Iranian officials briefed on the order.
Haniyeh was the Hamas negotiator for a possible hostage deal with Israel. Many fear that deal is now dead.
The strike on Haniyeh came just hours after an Israeli airstrike killed a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon.
Breaking this morning: The Israeli military announced it had killed top Hamas military leader Muhammad Deif during a strike in Gaza earlier in July. Deif is believed to have been one of the masterminds behind the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel.
‘Weapons and Warfare’ goes inside Lockheed Martin’s F-35 assembly facility
In 2001, the Department of Defense awarded Lockheed Martin the contract to develop the F-35 fighter jet to replace aging aircraft. The jet is manufactured in three different variants: one for the Marine Corps, one for the Air Force and one for the Navy.
In a special edition of “Weapons and Warfare,” Straight Arrow News’ Ryan Robertson recently got to take a tour inside the Fort Worth, Texas facility that makes these fighter jets.
You can find this special edition of “Weapons and Warfare” right here.
Katie Ledecky ties record for most gold medals by female swimmer
Team USA now has won five Olympic gold medals in Paris, adding one more to its count after Wednesday’s events — and it was a historic one. Swimmer Katie Ledecky won the women’s 1,500 meter freestyle. She finished more than 10 seconds ahead of her competition to win her eighth Olympic gold medal.
With the victory, Ledecky tied the record for most gold medals by a female swimmer. It was also her 12th Olympic medal of any kind, which tied yet another record.
Ledecky is not done yet. She has a chance to break those records. She’ll be competing in the 4×200 meter relay Thursday, Aug. 1, and the 800 meter freestyle later this week.
Israel ‘reshuffles the cards’ in killing of Hamas leader
On the morning of July 30, Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, was in Tehran for the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president, where legislators could be heard shouting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.” These are the last known images of Haniyeh. A short time later, the leader of one of the world’s largest terror groups was assassinated.
Israel didn’t immediately claim responsibility for the killing, which, according to Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence officer, isn’t surprising.
“Let’s assume Israel is the one behind it,” Melamed, now an author and educator, said. “Obviously, I mean, carrying out something like that indicates a lot of a very advanced capacities are in terms of intelligence, in terms of accuracy, in terms of level of operational coordination that it requires.”
“There are obviously many, many different moving parts that when you do something like that,” Melamed said. “So again, I don’t want to say term victory. I would say this is a significant expression of might that resonants and echoes across the region if you would like to put it this way.”
Haniyeh was killed less than 24 hours after another Iranian-backed terror leader was killed in Beirut. Fuad Shukr was Hezbollah’s top military commander in Lebanon, second only to the group’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
The U.S. government put a $5 million bounty on Shukr for his role in the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine barracks that killed 220 Marines, 18 sailors, and three army soldiers.
According to Melamed, Shukr represented a focal center of knowledge.
“Meaning a person that in the context of the organization is a very significant component because the knowledge, the experience, the capacities, the skills, and so on,” he said.
In an interview with Straight Arrow News Melamed said the same applies to Hamas and Haniyeh from an organizational perspective.
“We have to remember that Hamas, other than its militant capacities and operation, is a political movement, ideological movement, and also a multibillion-dollar organization that runs businesses across the world,” he said.
According to Melamed, the removal of Haniyeh will have an “immediate ripple effect inside the organization.”
“We have to remember that Hamas, other than its militant capacities and operation, is a political movement, ideological movement, and also a multibillion-dollar organization that runs businesses across the world.”
Avi Melamed, Former Israeli Intelligence Officer
Melamed said the timing of the two strikes is also significant and sends a clear message to Iran that Israel is ready to set the pace now.
“Because up until now, the Mullah regime basically was the one that was distributing the cards, sort of speaking,” he said. “I think that’s basically a message from Israel to Iran. It actually says we are now shuffling the cards.”
As far as what sort of response to expect from Iran, Melamed said the Iranian regime losing two of its top commanders in two different terror proxies in less than a day is embarrassing for Iran, and to keep the support and loyalty of its Axis of Resistance, the regime needs to retaliate.
Melamed said Iran knows it can’t win a head-on fight against Israel and the West, so “the bottom line is that currently, the Iranian regime is facing this double-double dilemma. How exactly to retaliate on both events in a way that in the end of the day, will not cause a dynamic that leads to a significant escalation to the point it will turn on to the whole route war. But we definitely should expect retaliation.”
Hamas leader reportedly killed in Iran amid rising tensions in Middle East
A Hamas leader is reportedly assassinated in Iran as developments in the Middle East raise concerns of conflict escalating in the region. And Vice President Kamala Harris is closer to naming her running mate with plans of holding their first rally in a matter of days. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
Hamas leader reportedly killed in Iran amid rising tensions in Middle East
Major developments in the Middle East, with reports of a top Hamas leader being killed in Iran on the same day Israel struck Lebanon’s capitol and killed a Hezbollah commander. The U.S. also carried out a strike in Iraq in what U.S. officials are calling a move of self-defense.
According to state media, Iran’s president said the country “will defend its territory and make those responsible regret their actions.” Fears of an all-out regional conflict have also been renewed with the Hamas leader’s death happening on Iranian soil.
Tensions are also growing in Iraq as the U.S. said it carried out a strike against a base in Baghdad used by Iraqi forces, killing four Iraqi fighters. The U.S. said the move was in self-defense, telling Reuters those militants were looking to launch drones and posed a threat to the U.S.
Some global media outlets are also reporting hopes of any ceasefire hostage deal between Israel and Hamas are looking slim to none given the escalations happening within the past 24 hours.
Kamala Harris to hold rally with vice president pick in Philadelphia next week
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce her running mate pick on Monday, August 5, as she looks to win the presidency. Then, on Tuesday, August 6, she’s expected to hold a rally in Philadelphia with her new running mate joining her on stage.
The campaign trail is heating up, with Harris holding her largest rally yet in Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday, July 30.
Both the Harris and Trump campaigns also released new political ads attacking the records of their opponent. And both are on the road to more events to rally their supporters.
This race will be among a handful that determine who controls the U.S. Senate this fall. Currently, the Senate is controlled by Democrats while the House is controlled by Republicans, both with slim majorities.
Riots over Venezuela’s presidential election continue
Authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro accused opposition leader María Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo González of “criminal violence,” and a close ally is calling for their arrests.
Protesters are demanding Maduro make voting data from Sunday’s, July 28, election public. Venezuela’s opposition and multiple Latin American leaders are refusing to recognize Maduro’s victory.
Machado said on Monday, July 30, the country’s opposition had about 73% of the voting tallies from Sunday’s election, proving Maduro did not win.
The national electoral authority has proclaimed Maduro the winner, giving him a third term in office and extending 25 years of socialist party rule.
Boar’s Head recall expanded to include 7 million more pounds of deli meats
Boar’s Head, a company known for deli meats, is recalling an extra 7 million pounds of its products. This is because there’s an outbreak of listeria, a dangerous bacteria, that has been linked to two deaths and made dozens of people very sick in 13 states.
The recall includes various types of meats like liverwurst, ham and salami made at their Virginia plant and have sell-by dates ranging from July 29 to Oct. 17. This recall adds to an earlier one of more than 200,000 pounds of similar products.
The issue was first noticed when a liverwurst sample from Maryland tested positive for listeria. Further tests confirmed that this same listeria strain was making people sick.
Starbucks sales down as prices go up
For the second quarter in a row, Starbucks’ sales have slumped as prices continue to rise. In its latest earnings report, Starbucks’ sales dropped 3% globally and 2% in North America.
Total transactions at North American stores fell by 6%, but higher prices shorten the gap between sales and revenue as coffee chains and restaurants alike continue to struggle with bringing customers in amid high prices.
Simone Biles leads U.S. Women’s gymnastics team to gold medal
After dropping out of the women’s gymnastics team event in Tokyo three years ago and taking time to focus on her mental health, Simone Biles returned to the same event on Tuesday, July 30, in Paris. This time she led Team USA to the gold.
Biles, along with Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, won by more than five points. Italy took home the silver medal and Brazil won bronze.
With the victory, Biles becomes the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history, with eight medals.
And she’s not done yet. Biles will compete in four more individual events including the all-around final on Thursday, Aug. 1, where she’ll have a chance to add more gold to her historic record.
As fears of Iranian attack grow, Israel calls up soldiers, disrupts GPS
Fear of an Iranian retaliatory military strike is reportedly growing in Israel. The enhanced threat level comes after Iran accused Israel of launching an airstrike on its consulate in Damascus, Syria, on Monday, April 1. The attack killed three senior Iranian commanders, including one who led Iran’s weapons-smuggling operations in Syria.
Now, Israel is preparing for Iran’s forces to strike. Israelis have reportedly rushed to grocery stores and lined up for fuel on Friday as anxiety over an Iranian threat grew.
The Israeli government urged calm in the wake of enhanced apprehension. However, at the same time, the country’s military mobilized its force, calling up reservists.
Israeli officials also said that they were preparing emergency shelters in case of an attack. An Israeli official said that there is no need for residents to “buy generators” or “withdraw money from ATMs.”
Israeli security forces also took precautionary measures by scrambling GPS signals to throw of any potential GPS-guided weapons from enemies.
However, the disruption to GPS signals also impacted everyday life for Israelis. The practice — otherwise known as “GPS spoofing” — threw off directions for taxi drivers and had some residents incorrectly located in Beirut.
The Israeli military has used GPS spoofing in the north in response to rocket attacks by Hezbollah. The practice is much rarer in more metropolitan areas like Tel Aviv and other parts of Israel.
The Israeli military said it’s what’s necessary to protect Israel, especially after Iran vowed revenge after the suspected Israeli airstrike in Damascus.
Iran vows revenge against Israel after airstrike kills 2 senior commanders
Iran has vowed revenge after an airstrike that it claims Israel is behind. The strike reportedly killed a pair of Iranian military commanders and several other officials when it allegedly leveled Iran’s consulate in Damascus, Syria. The incident may have widespread ramifications, not just for Israel, but the United States as well.
The Israeli military told CNN Iran is lying about the building that was hit. An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said that the structure was being used to house Quds forces and was “disguised as a civilian building.” He went on to say that the building leveled was “no consulate” or “embassy.”
One of the Iranian commanders killed in the airstrike reportedly managed a weapons operation smuggling arms into Syria. The top commander’s death is said to be a major blow to Iran.
In response, one Israeli analyst told the Jerusalem Post that Iran could be “laying the groundwork to strike” Israeli diplomatic posts around the world, which could include the United States. However, a direct conflict with the U.S. is not believed to be what Tehran wants.
Iran may instead engage in revenge through proxies, including militias in Syria or Houthis in Yemen. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson warned that the country has the right to take “reciprocal measures and will decide the type of response and punishment against the aggressor.”
While considering responses, Iran’s foreign minister also put the U.S. on notice for its support of Israel, saying, “the United States should be answerable.”
Meanwhile, protesters in the streets of Tehran have burned Israeli and American flags in response to the airstrike.
As tensions rise, the United Nations secretary is urging all sides to show restraint, fearing a more widespread conflict could result from any escalatory actions.
Report: Iran warned Moscow days before 144 killed in terrorist attack
It’s getting harder for Russia to brush off reports that it had received multiple terror attack warnings before the concert hall massacre near Moscow on Friday, March 22. Now, Russia’s ally, Iran, is saying it tipped off the Kremlin days before Russia’s deadliest terror attack in 20 years, which left at least 144 people dead.
Tehran said it forewarned Moscow about a possible “big terrorist attack.” Iranian intelligence reported it learned of a potential attack during interrogation of alleged terrorists arrested in connection with a pair of bombings in the Iranian city of Kerman.
“As Iran has been a victim of terror attacks for years, Iranian authorities fulfilled their obligation to alert Moscow based on information acquired from those arrested terrorists,” a senior security official told Reuters.
However, when asked by Reuters about the intelligence, a Kremlin spokesperson claimed he did not know “anything about this.” Meanwhile, a second Reuters source, who asked to remain anonymous, claims that Iranian intelligence lacked specific details, like timing and location.
U.S. intelligence also said it learned of a planned ambush by eavesdropping on “chatter” among Islamic State militant group fighters, and repeatedly warned Russia about a possible terror attack. However, Moscow dismissed the intelligence, reportedly skeptical of a foreign adversary.
ISIS-K has since claimed responsibility for the bombings in Iran and the concert hall killings near Moscow. Despite the reported claims, the Kremlin has linked Ukraine to the attack, without any evidence. Kyiv and the U.S. have said there’s no truth to Russia’s claim.
The acts of terror in Iran and Russia both reportedly involve Tajik nationals. ISIS-K reportedly recruits heavily from poverty-stricken Tajikistan, which was part of the former Soviet Union.
The Iranian intelligence reports come as Tehran and Moscow have deepened ties militarily during the war in Ukraine, and both remain under Western sanctions.
However, recently Iran has raised concerns about the capabilities of Russian security forces amid the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall.
Iran says top commander killed after Israeli airstrike
At least seven people are reportedly dead and Iran’s Consulate building in Damascus, Syria, is destroyed. Iran claims it’s the result of an Israeli airstrike on Monday, April 1. A Lebanese security source told Reuters that among those killed are three senior Iranian commanders.
Israel has not said whether or not its military was behind the strike.
“We do not comment on reports in the foreign media,” an Israeli military spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the Iranian ambassador condemned Israel for the alleged attack and vowed revenge.
This latest incident comes as Israel continues its war in Gaza and is reportedly targeting supporters of Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces have hit several Iranian targets in the Gaza Strip and initiated airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Reuters reporters at the scene of the blast, in the Mezzeh district of Damascus, said they saw smoke rising from the ruins of the building. The Syrian foreign minister and interior minister were both at the scene.
“We strongly condemn this atrocious terrorist attack that targeted the Iranian Consulate building in Damascus and killed number of innocents,” Syria’s Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said.
First responders were at the scene of the airstrike, searching for bodies among the rubble.
The White House did not immediately comment on the incident. However, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told Reuters that the United States remains “concerned about anything that would be escalatory or cause an increase in conflict in the region.”
If the airstrike does happen to be from Israel, it would signal a major escalation in tensions between the Jewish state and Islamic Republic.
Iran triples output of near-weapons grade enriched uranium
Iran is producing 60% enriched uranium and has tripled its production levels in recent weeks. It’s the only country in the world not declared a nuclear power that is capable of producing such highly enriched uranium.
Uranium can be converted to weapons-grade material within days. New reports show Iran growing its arsenal at unprecedented levels.
Iran is said to have high enough stock to fuel at least three nuclear weapons — a growing threat amid increasing tensions from the Israel-Hamas war.
Iran and Iranian-backed militant groups are supporting Hamas while the U.S. is backing Israel, putting Iran and the U.S. further at odds. Since the war began, more than 100 attacks on U.S. bases by Iran’s proxy groups have been carried out.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an autonomous organization within the United Nations that oversees countries’ use of nuclear weapons. However, Iran has not always been forthcoming with the agency.
Last year, Iran was caught turning off cameras monitoring inside its nuclear facilities, and Tehran has been accused of failing to comply with the IAEA’s investigations.
The investigations also eventually led to the discovery that Iran produced a small amount of 83% highly enriched uranium — just shy of the 90% weapons-grade level.
While Iran is not a nuclear world power, it has power over militant groups that are currently launching strikes at U.S. bases and in the Red Sea in retaliation over the war.