Federal investigators have issued subpoenas to prominent left-wing influencer Hasan Piker and Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CodePink, as part of an investigation into aid convoy trips to Cuba conducted earlier this year, according to recent reports.

Both Piker, 34, and Benjamin, 73, are among over 40 Americans being scrutinized by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. The investigation seeks to determine if the March aid mission to Havana breached U.S. sanctions by facilitating, coordinating, or delivering goods to Cuba, as reported by Fox News.

The initiative, known as the “Nuestra America Convoy,” delivered roughly 20 tons of humanitarian supplies to the economically challenged Caribbean nation. Following the trip, Piker, a well-known streamer and democratic socialist, expressed support for the Cuban government.

According to Fox, the subpoenas demand that Piker and Benjamin provide detailed financial, logistical, and communication records related to their Cuban expedition.

Under the Cuban Asset Control Regulations in the United States, citizens are restricted from engaging in unlicensed travel-related transactions and from exporting goods or services to Cuba.

The law, however, presents limited exceptions for humanitarian projects, journalism, educational programs and certain activities meant to support the people of Cuba.  

CodePink, an anti-war feminist group, helped organize the convoy to Cuba as a means to provide humanitarian aid to the country following the Trump administration’s move to blockade the island last year.

The group said its members have yet to be served subpoenas, claiming it followed all the rules during the humanitarian trip to Havana.

“We did nothing wrong during our March 2026 trip to Cuba,” the group said in a statement. “On the contrary, we acted as moral US citizens trying to bring some relief to a population being deliberately starved by the cruel policies of our own government.”

Benjamin has also come under fire over her alleged ties to Hamas and Iran. She has made at least seven trips to Gaza between 2009 and 2012 where she met with Hamas officials, including the group’s then-leader Ismail Haniyeh, publicly posted photos show.

The activist slammed the Treasury’s subpoena as an attack on her group’s humanitarian work.

“The Trump administration is investigating people for bringing medicine to Cuban children while defending policies that deprive those same children of food, fuel, and basic medical supplies,” she wrote on X. “If loving the Cuban people is a crime, then millions around the world are guilty too.”

The Treasury’s investigation marks a serious escalation from the Trump administration against far-left activists who defend Cuba and other communist regimes, often slamming the US for its actions against foreign countries.

The investigations also comes as the Trump administration and Republican allies have ramped up threats against Cuba, designated a state sponsor of terrorism, warning that the US may take military action in Havana.

Tensions quickly escalated last week after the US Justice Department issued an indictment against former Cuban President Raúl Castro.

An NBC reporter has captured widespread attention online for her composed reaction when gunshots erupted near the White House.

Julie Tsirkin, a Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News, was broadcasting live from the vicinity of the White House lawn on Saturday night when the sound of gunfire suddenly interrupted the scene in Washington, D.C.

The 28-year-old journalist displayed a momentary look of confusion as she shifted her gaze towards the source of the noise before turning back to the camera and asking, “What is that?”

A nearby individual, speculated to be her cameraman, replied, “Sounds like fireworks,” which led Tsirkin to cautiously move in the direction of the disturbance, later reported by officials to originate from a Secret Service checkpoint.

Returning her attention to the camera, Tsirkin appeared momentarily bewildered, exchanging a blank stare with the man beside her.

Officials then started screaming: ‘Out! Out!’ as the reporter immediately darted with others to the press briefing room. 

The gunman, Nasire Best, 21, was fatally shot by Secret Service agents after exchanging fire with them while the White House was put on lockdown. 

President Donald Trump was inside the building, but unharmed. 

Julie Tsirkin, an NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent, was live on-air near the White House lawn when bullets rang out on Saturday night in Washington DC. Her calm reaction has since gone viral

Gunfire broke out at a Secret Service checkpoint just outside the White House around 6pm Saturday 

Compared to other reporters, most of whom ran for their lives, Tsirkin’s reaction has left many criticizing her lack of urgency. 

‘Ridiculous…I’d have been running for cover,’ an X user said. 

Nasire Best, 21, has been identified as the suspected shooter. He was fatally shot by law enforcement officers 

‘That woman – Tsirkin has the survival instinct of a goldfish!,’ wrote another. 

Someone else chimed in: ‘Zero situational awareness.’ 

Another user said her reaction resembled that of a character in a horror film. 

‘If she was a person in a horror movie, she would be the one that hears the noise outside at night then walks outside alone with nothing but a flashlight calling out hello,’ they wrote. 

While some people were left troubled by her reaction, others embraced the moment, with Tsirkin going viral online in a series of memes. 

The reporter even poked fun at the attention she’s gotten since the clip hit the internet. 

‘I’m glad I could take one for the team with @nbcsnl on summer break,’ Tsirkin said, referring to the late-night sketch comedy show that just wrapped up its 51st season on May 16. 

At one point, Tsirkin looked completely confused as she simply asked: ‘What is that?’ during her report 

A gunshot hole and shattered glass near the White House following the shooting 

After officials told reporters to take cover inside the press briefing room, Tsirkin darted over with an umbrella in hand

She smiled next to an enlarged image of her wearing a Trojan-inspired hat, adding: ‘Thanks for the memes, internet! Hope you’ll stick around for the reporting.’ 

An adult male bystander, who has not been named, was struck by a bullet during the shooting and taken to a nearby hospital for medical care. 

He underwent surgery and is in stable condition as of Sunday afternoon, the Secret Service and Metropolitan Police said, according to The New York Times. 

Police continue to investigate exactly who shot the bystander. 

When gunfire first rang out, reporters at the White House said they heard about 20 to 30 gunshots. 

ABC White House Correspondent Selena Wang appeared startled as gunshots rang out while she was recording a report on her phone. 

She immediately ducked down before running toward the White House briefing room, per officials’ orders. 

Best approached a Secret Service post and opened fire with a revolver he drew from a bag and pointed in the direction of an agent booth. 

The reporter even poked fun at the attention she’s gotten since the clip hit the internet

Secret Service Uniformed Division officers quickly returned fire, killing Best. 

Best, who was known to the protection agency and had a documented history of mental health conditions, had been living in Washington, DC, for around 18 months, a source told CBS News. 

The president was inside at the time as he was working on an Iran peace deal with Middle Eastern leaders inside the Oval Office.

Trump aides Steven Cheung, Natalie Harp, Margo Martin, and others were all present with the president when the shooting occurred.

In the hours after the shooting, it was revealed that the suspect believed he was Jesus, officials said. 

After the chaos, Trump took to Truth Social, stating that Best ‘had a violent history and possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure.’

The shooting happened just beyond the perimeter of the White House on Saturday evening

ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang appeared shocked as gunfire rang out while recording a segment on her phone

The president, who appeared to be talking about the White House, added: ‘Thank you to our great Secret Service and Law Enforcement for the swift and professional action taken this evening against a gunman near the White House, who had a violent history and possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure.

‘The gunman is dead after an exchange of gunfire with Secret Service Agents near the White House gates.

‘This event is one month removed from the White House Correspondent’ [sic] Dinner shooting, and goes to show how important it is, for all future Presidents, to get, what will be, the most safe and secure space of its kind ever built in Washington, DC. The National Security of our Country demands it!’

Shipping activities in the Persian Gulf experienced disruptions as maritime tracking systems failed near the UAE’s primary oil hub. This incident occurred just hours before President Trump announced advancements in a peace agreement with Iran, as reported by a maritime intelligence firm utilizing AI technology.

Windward AI, a maritime intelligence company, was the first to notice the failure in Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmissions around Fujairah. This event suggested increased electronic warfare activities, including jamming, intentional AIS shutdowns, and significant cyber interference near the vital UAE oil port.

Windward highlighted the situation with a post on X: “Fujairah goes dark: AIS transmissions collapse after Iran’s PGSA announcement.”

The firm further elaborated, stating, “Vessels remain in the vicinity, though they are loading smaller quantities, and a significant number have ceased transmitting their positions.”

GULF SHIPPING OPERATIONS GRIND TO HALT NEAR IRAN, US QUIETLY PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE STRIKE: ‘HEIGHTENED RISK’

A tanker sits at the Port of Fujairah, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran limits marine traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. (Reuters/Amr Alfiky/File Photo)

As Trump announced that an Iran deal was “largely negotiated” and would see a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Fujairah went on to move 1.35 million barrels of crude Sunday aboard a single tanker bound for South Korea.

“Today, May 24, the port moved 1.35 million barrels, a single VLCC, destined for South Korea,” Windward said before reporting a tense, ongoing “ceasefire posture” and blockade footprint quickly being set into place.

“One cargo doesn’t mark a return to baseline, but it’s the first signal of flow resuming out of Fujairah since the announcement,” Windward said.

Ahead of the barrel transfer, Trump had stated that Washington and Tehran had “largely finalized” a memorandum of understanding for a peace agreement. He posted an AI-generated image depicting exploding IRGC fast boats in the strait.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE END

A cargo ship sails in the Persian Gulf toward the Strait of Hormuz on April 22, 2026. (AP Photo)

Iran responded directly by continuing to declare the strategic maritime choke point stays under Tehran’s absolute control.

“We reaffirm that the Strait of Hormuz will remain under full Iranian administration and sovereignty, even in the event of reaching any future agreement,” Iran’s official military spokesperson, Ibrahim Al-Fiqar, said in a statement shared on X.

“The Islamic Republic emphasizes that the authorities to determine transit routes, timing, and issuance of maritime licenses are an absolute sovereign right exclusively in the hands of Tehran.”

The tanker blackout, crude transfer activity and movement toward a U.S.-Iran deal accelerated following the launch of Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority on May 20.

Overseen by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, the PGSA functions as a sovereign regulator by requiring ships to submit vessel, cargo, insurance and crew details — along with mandatory payments — for “safe passage” through the strait.

Regional analysts told Fox News Digital that, ahead of deal progression, Iran’s territorial claims had even been stretching beyond its own waters into areas tied to Oman and the UAE.

US EYES IRAN FAST BOATS WITH ‘KILL’ TACTICS TESTED IN VENEZUELA DRUG-BOAT STRIKES

An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboat sails in the Persian Gulf near the Bushehr nuclear power plant during a marine parade marking Persian Gulf National Day in Bushehr, Iran, on April 29, 2024. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto)

Alex Vatanka, director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital that enforcement “relies on the IRGC Navy’s asymmetric playbook.”

“This includes fast boats, drones, radar tracking, coastal missiles and selective intimidation rather than constant physical interdiction,” Vatanka said.

“Tehran wants Gulf states and major importers to gradually accept Iranian oversight of Hormuz as a new geopolitical reality,” he added.

While nuclear issues are dominating the current negotiations amid reports of a 60-day ceasefire, the PGSA has quickly emerged as an economic leverage tool threatening global oil and shipping markets.

“Now Hormuz is Iran’s main non-nuclear leverage tool,” Vatanka said as the PGSA he claimed gives Tehran a “mechanism to pressure rivals, favor allies and normalize IRGC oversight of one of the world’s most critical energy routes.”

According to Vatanka, the system was functioning as a wartime extortion mechanism.

“Ships submit cargo and crew data for approval, while reports point to quiet ‘facilitation payments,’ preferential treatment for friendly states and uncertainty for everyone else,” Vatanka warned.

“Iran keeps the penalties deliberately vague. Noncompliant ships risk delays, harassment, drone surveillance, IRGC interception or denial of safe passage — enough pressure to encourage compliance without outright closing the strait.”

In the picturesque town of Rutherford, California, a tale of triumph and transformation unfolds at Grgich Hills Estate. It’s a story that began half a century ago when an unassuming bottle of Chardonnay made waves in the world of wine. This bottle, crafted by a Croatian immigrant, not only captured the attention of the French but forever etched Napa Valley on the global wine map.

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the legendary 1976 Judgment of Paris, the vineyards of Grgich Hills Estate buzz with memories and pride. It was here in St. Helena that the legacy of this historic event continues to thrive, carrying forward the spirit of innovation and excellence that turned the wine world on its head.

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, the mastermind behind this transformation, arrived in Napa Valley in 1958. With nothing more than a dream and a degree in viticulture and oenology, he journeyed from a humble Croatian village where wine was woven into the fabric of everyday life. “My father grew up actually stomping grapes and making wine,” recalls his daughter Violet, now leading the charge as President of Grgich Hills Estate. From his modest beginnings, Mike’s talent shone as he crafted the 1969 Cabernet that gained Robert Mondavi recognition, followed by the creation of the game-changing Chardonnay at Chateau Montelena.

The Judgment of Paris, as Violet recounts, was a serendipitous event with far-reaching impacts. Organized by wine merchant Steven Spurrier and his colleague Patricia Gallagher, this blind tasting was meant to celebrate the American Bicentennial. It pitted California wines against the elite French Burgundies and Bordeaux, with an all-French panel of judges. The unexpected result rocked the wine world when Mike’s Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena and Stag’s Leap’s red wine emerged victorious. “The number one winner overall was the Chardonnay that my father made,” says Violet, a triumph that encouraged wine appreciation beyond special occasions, particularly on the West Coast.

In 1977, Mike Grgich founded Grgich Hills Estate, which has remained a family-owned gem ever since. The winery achieved regenerative organic certification in 2022, adhering to a philosophy of restraint and respect for the land. Today, Mike’s nephew, Winemaker and Vice President Ivo Jeramaz, continues this legacy. “We recognize there’s no great wine without great grapes,” he asserts. “Chemicals are not good for us, for nature, or for the quality of wine.” Their approach is one of simplicity and trust in nature: allowing the soil to flourish and letting nature take its course.

In 2023, Mike Grgich passed away at nearly 101 years old, still selling wine in his final week. He drank it just about every day of his life. “He’s one of the healthiest people we knew, and definitely one of the happiest,” Violet says with a smile. His founding spirit lives on in the estate’s ethos, and perhaps most purely in his own words: “If wine doesn’t bring nothing more, just the smile and the happiness of the people, I think it’s worthwhile to try.”

At Grgich Hills, they’re still trying. And the world is still smiling.

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A lost gem from the world of classic television has been unearthed, rekindling a thrilling mystery that dates back to 1968. A devoted film enthusiast has stumbled upon a long-forgotten British TV movie about vampires, reputed to be so frightening that its destruction was ordered, according to a preservation group.

The film, titled “No Such Thing as a Vampire,” was part of the short-lived BBC anthology series “Late Night Horror,” which aired in the 1960s. This particular episode had been missing for over five decades after it reportedly left audiences so disturbed that it led to an outcry, ultimately resulting in the series being pulled from the airwaves.

In a remarkable twist, the last known copy of this chilling episode was recently discovered by Darren Payne, an English film aficionado and cinematic engineer. The announcement came from Film is Fabulous!, a group dedicated to film preservation, which shared this exciting discovery on Saturday.

Payne expressed his enthusiasm, stating his eagerness to bring the episode back to the public eye, according to the preservation group. This long-hidden horror piece is set to be showcased at Europe’s “Grindfest” horror festival this September, marking its first public screening since 1969. The anticipation surrounding its return is palpable, as audiences prepare to experience the legendary scare that once caused such a stir.

The newly re-discovered horror film will screen publicly for the first time since 1969 at Europe’s “Grindfest” horror festival this September, the group said.

From the 1950s through the 1970s, BBC routinely erased old broadcasts to reuse expensive tapes, a cost-cutting policy that wiped out an estimated 70% of its programming throughout those two decades, according to an estimate by the British Film Institute.

But the total disappearance of Late Night Horror’s six episodes, which was canceled by the BBC after numerous viewers called in to the network complain it was far too horrific, fueled a darker theory that the network deliberately destroyed the copies because the content was too disturbing at the time.

The lost vampire episode, which was shot in color but preserved in a black-and-white copy, was written by legendary horror writer Richard Matheson, who is best known as the author of “I Am Legend” and roughly a dozen episodes of the classic series, “The Twilight Zone.” 

Another missing episode of the series was written by the great Roald Dahl. One other episode, “The Corpse Can’t Play,” previously resurfaced, leaving four still missing.

“The recovery of ‘No Such Thing As A Vampire’ was purely by chance,” Payne said, according to the group.

A board member of The Regent movie theater in England turned up a small collection of mystery reels that had been in storage for years and asked Payne to check them out, he explained.

One of the film canisters was scrawled with the words “Late Night Horror” in handwriting, and as a self-described horror aficionado, the name rang a bell, he said.

Film is Fabulous! is also attempting to restore the episode’s original color using a “colour recovery” process, though success isn’t guaranteed, they said.

Payne, however, said the episode will terrify audiences and is “more than capable of sending shivers down spines,” even if it’s shown in black and white.

The digital scan and original 16mm print will also be returned to the BBC Archives and the episode will screen at a future Film is Fabulous! event alongside other recent recoveries that have yet to be announced, the organization said.

A 14-year-old schoolgirl from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, has been left paralyzed below the neck after contracting what initially seemed like a routine case of the flu. Lexi Brown’s life took a dramatic turn when she fell ill last December, experiencing a high temperature and dizziness. However, the situation quickly escalated when, just days later, she called her mother in excruciating pain.

In a desperate rush, Lexi was taken to the hospital after undergoing CPR. There, medical staff placed her in an induced coma to stabilize her condition. Doctors now believe that Lexi’s severe illness was caused by a spinal stroke, potentially triggered by the flu virus she contracted.

Upon regaining consciousness, Lexi faced the heart-wrenching reality of being unable to walk, talk, or breathe on her own. Since then, she has remained hospitalized, relying on a ventilator for respiratory support as she and her family navigate this challenging new chapter of her life.

Doctors now suspect she suffered a spinal stroke which was triggered by a bout of flu.

When she awoke, Lexi was unable to walk, talk or breathe unaided – and has since been in hospital using a ventilator.

Her mother, Stacy Grantham, 33, described the teenager, now 15, as ‘healthy and active’ and a ‘passionate singer’.

Recalling the ordeal, Ms Grantham said: ‘She phoned me, screaming in pain.

‘You know when you hear a certain scream, and you just know it’s something serious? It was that.

Lexi Brown (pictured), 14, fell ill in December last year with a temperature and dizziness – ringing her mother a few days later screaming in pain as she could not move her arm

Ms Grantham said her daughter felt she had ‘lost everything she loves’ and ‘cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel’. She is pictured here before the illness

‘She was so healthy and active, a really passionate singer and she loved theatre,’ Ms Grantham said. Lexi is pictured here in hospital

‘She was so healthy and active, a really passionate singer and she loved theatre.’

Ms Grantham said her daughter felt she had ‘lost everything she loves’ and ‘cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel’.

She added: ‘It’s something no mum ever wants to see or hear, but we’re trying to stay positive for her.’

By the time Ms Grantham had rushed home after receiving her daughter’s call, paramedics and air ambulance crew had arrived and were resuscitating Lexi.

She was put into a ‘neuroprotective’ coma at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge until medics could figure out the problem.

Five days later, Lexi woke up and was told she had suffered a stroke in her spinal cord.

Ms Grantham, who is raising money on Just Giving to help fund Lexi’s ongoing treatment, said: ‘You picture a stroke as an older person, you don’t think it can happen to a healthy 14-year-old.

‘They never found a cause – the only thing they can go on is that she had the flu, but she had no underlying conditions.

Lexi Brown is pictured with her father. The family have launched a fundraiser to help with the costs of travel, private physio and other needs

‘When she woke, she was paralysed from the neck down and we were told she’d have no movement again, and be ventilated for the rest of her life.’

Lexi is now going through intensive physiotherapy in the hopes her muscle strength might be regained.

She can talk through a tracheostomy tube and uses a ventilator to breathe at night, but is now growing strong enough to breathe for herself during the day.

The teenager has also regained some movement in her limbs but is unable to use them for ‘functional things’ such as feeding herself and pushing her own wheelchair.

Ms Grantham said: ‘She can now talk as she would before, but her voice is huskier and she has an uncomfortable tube in her neck.

‘She was an avid singer and her voice has been taken away, that’s been devastating for her.’

The family said they had seen positive signs over time that Lexi would be able to regain movement as muscles ‘wake back up’ with strength training and rehabilitation.

But Ms Grantham said: ‘It’s so difficult, because the progress is so small. She sat up by herself for 30 seconds the other day, which is huge because we were told she wouldn’t be able to do that.’

The teenager has also regained some movement in her limbs but is unable to use them for ‘functional things’ such as feeding herself and pushing her own wheelchair. She is pictured here before the illness

Lexi is regularly visited by her mother, her father Craig Brown, 37, stepmother Lou Baird–Brown, 33, and brothers Jake Brown, 12, and Theo Brown, one.

However, she is unable to return to her family home as the property is rented, making wheelchair–friendly adaptations difficult.

The family have now joined the local council housing register to stay in a suitable place for Lexi when she is discharged, with support from carers.

They have launched a fundraiser to help with the costs of travel, private physio and other needs.

Ms Grantham said: ‘I don’t think there is anything that could have been done for Lexi – there were no warning signs.

‘It’s what we do now, how everyone is coming together to support Lexi.

‘It’s not over anytime soon and we’re living in a state of survival – it’s a confronting thing, but we’re trying to stay positive.

‘But I’ll forever tell people that Lexi was home alone, and saved her own life by calling me for help. She wouldn’t be here today otherwise.’

Recent leaks and tense communications between President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which hinted at a strained relationship over Iran, were actually part of a deliberate strategy. This tactic aimed to keep Iran uncertain, according to a prominent defense analyst who spoke with Fox News Digital on Sunday.

The outward display, which seemed to show the U.S. exercising diplomatic patience while excluding Israel, was actually a covert move to set the stage for a united front, the analyst explained.

This strategic maneuver reached its peak over the weekend when Trump and Netanyahu demonstrated complete alignment by Sunday. This development was highlighted by Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and the Misgav Institute.

TRUMP AND NETANYAHU TO CONVENE AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR CRUCIAL DISCUSSIONS ON IRAN AND GAZA

U.S. President Donald Trump (left) welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival at the White House on September 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Axios had reported Thursday that a difficult call between the leaders focused on a revised U.S. proposal sent to Iran via Pakistan, which Netanyahu reportedly rejected in favor of renewed military action to degrade Tehran’s infrastructure.

One U.S. source told the outlet that “Netanyahu’s hair was on fire” after the exchange.

Separately, weekend reports suggested Israeli leaders were being marginalized from U.S.-Iran negotiations after Netanyahu’s prewar push for a joint campaign to topple the Iranian regime failed to materialize.

Netanyahu broke his silence Sunday, posting on X to declare absolute solidarity with the White House and project a unified stance.

IRAN’S NEW SUPREME LEADER IS ‘HIS FATHER ON STEROIDS,’ EXPERTS WARN OF HARDLINE RULE

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 7, 2025. They discussed efforts to release Israeli hostages from Gaza and new U.S. tariffs. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“The partnership between us and our two countries has been proven on the battlefield and has never been stronger,” Netanyahu shared on X. “My policy, like President Trump’s, remains unchanged: Iran will not have nuclear weapons.”

Michael viewed the public friction and targeted leaks as a calculated tactical feint designed to keep Tehran blindsided.

“Neither President Trump nor Prime Minister Netanyahu has any interest in any crisis, but by leaking the story of a crisis between Trump and Netanyahu, the Iranians might find themselves surprised by the timing of the next military attack,” Michael said.

“The leak created a sense of disagreement between the two leaders and positions Trump as the leader who gives another chance to the diplomatic path despite the pressures of Prime Minister Netanyahu,” he said. 

“Trump understands who the Iranians are.”

The final synchronization followed a weekend phone call in which Trump reassured Netanyahu that any final agreement with Iran would fully dismantle Tehran’s nuclear program.

UN’S NUCLEAR WATCHDOG WARNS ITS UNABLE TO CONFIRM IRAN’S PROGRAM IS ‘ENTIRELY PEACEFUL’

President Donald Trump monitors U.S. military operations in Iran following an Israeli strike in Tehran on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, alongside several Cabinet members. (White House)

Netanyahu also said Trump also “reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.”

Washington has been keeping Jerusalem updated on the negotiations “over a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and enter negotiations toward a final agreement on the points that remain in dispute,” an official statement read.

Following the Sunday call, Netanyahu also thanked Trump for his “exceptional commitment to Israel’s security.”

“Netanyahu’s last post about his last conversation with Trump can be understood as the ultimate closure to this deception and any accusations,” Michael added.

“This is trying to prepare the Israeli public for the idea that everything was fully coordinated with the U.S., and the diplomatic developments will serve the Israeli interest.”

Michael added, however, that skepticism remained in Jerusalem over whether the gaps between the U.S. and Iran will be bridged, or whether “Trump will accept the Iranian position” remained.