Iran-US war latest: Trump ramps up threats against Tehran as rift with Germany deepens

Israel gave final approval for a plan to purchase two new combat squadrons of F-35 and F-15Ia aircraft from Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the defence ministry gas said.

The is deal worth tens of billions shekels, it added on Sunday.

British-made parts make up around 16 per cent of the value of F-35 fighter jet parts.

Nato is working with the US to understand the details of the decision for a planned drawdown of American troops from Germany, a spokesperson said on Saturday.

“We are working with the US to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany.

“This adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defence and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security – where we’re already seeing progress since Allies agreed to invest 5% of GDP at the Nato Summit in The Hague last year,” wrote spokesperson Allison Hart on X.

“We remain confident in our ability to provide for our deterrence and defence as this shift towards a stronger Europe in a stronger Nato continues,” she added.

As Charles and Camilla decompress in Bermuda – no doubt with a nice single malt – they can enjoy the rave reviews for their highly successful trip to the United States.

However, the warm amber glow is chilled by an unwelcome reminder that not even the royal touch can cure Donald Trump of his erratic ways. No sooner had the royal couple left his company than the president was reverting to type.

First, he told chancellor Friedrich Merz he was minded to withdraw US forces from Nato bases in Germany. Then he told the world he “might restart” the war in Iran (no one thinks it’s all over, Donald) – and now he’s turned on Italy and Spain, again threatening to bring his troops home.

Iranian authorities must release Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi to her dedicated medical team so she can urgently receive treatment as her life remains at risk, the head of the Nobel Peace Prize committee told Reuters on Saturday.

The health of Mohammadi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for her campaign for human rights in Iran in 2023, has “deteriorated seriously”, said Joergen Watne Frydnes, citing her family and lawyer.

Lebanese armed forces commander General Rudolf Haykal and US General Joseph Clearfield met in Beirut to discuss the security situation in Lebanon and regional developments, the army said on Saturday in a statement.

Clearfield heads a committee monitoring a US-backed ceasefire in fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

The participants at the meeting underlined the importance of the Lebanese army’s role and the need to support it during the current phase, the statement said.

Republican senator Lindsey Graham has said US president Donald Trump should “finish the job” in Iran and resume military strikes if Tehran continues to be “provocative”.

Talking to the FT, Graham said the US needs to “open up the strait” to break the stalemate, noting it will need harsher military action.

“We have the capability to increase ship flow,” he said in an interview on Thursday.

The US should do “whatever combination of events is necessary to start the flow” of ships and “take the leverage away from Iran”, the close-aide of Trump said.

“Between the blockade, which has been brilliantly executed, and letting Iran know that Kharg Island is in play, hopefully that will create some deterrence,” Graham said, referring to Iran’s oil export hub.

“If it doesn’t, [we need to] just stand up to Iran, don’t let them get away with blackmailing the world.” energy prices.

The Israeli military has said it will attack 12 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, ordering residents to flee their homes, in what it claims are operations against Hezbollah.

The towns and villages are al-Duwayr, Arab Salim, al-Sharqiya (Nabatieh), Jibshit, Braashit, Sarafand, Dounin, Briqa, Qaaqaiya al-Jisr, al-Qasiba (Nabatieh) and Kfar Sir, reported Al Jazeera.

The IDF also asked residents to move at least 1,000 metres from their towns and villages to open areas.

Approximately 61 percent of the 2,560 people surveyed by Ipsos, The Washington Post and ABC News said the United States made a mistake in using military force against Iran. Just 36 percent of people said it was the right decision.

That is the same percentage of people who said the U.S. sending troops to Vietnam was a mistake in 1971, according to Gallup, and a similar percentage of people – 59 percent – who said the US made a mistake going to war with Iraq in 2006, according to the Washington Post.

Low-cost Spirit Airlines announced early Saturday that it would shut down its operations immediately after 34 years in business, leaving thousands of passengers scrambling to rebook their travel on other airlines.

The company, which operated hundreds of daily flights across the U.S. and employed 17,000 people, had been in discussions with the Trump administration about a $500m rescue package, but no deal was reached.

But the effort has stalled because Spirit has been unable to secure the necessary backing from bondholders and government stakeholders, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal on Friday.

The airline said on its website that all flights have been canceled and customer service is no longer available.