Operation Epic Fury (April 20-24): Joint U.S. & Israel Operation Against Iran
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Trump: I Won’t Let Democrats Rush Me into Iran Deal That Isn’t Optimal
April 20: Breitbart by Nick Gilbertson
President Donald Trump said Monday he will not let Democrats pressure him into a deal with Iran that is less than optimal. Trump took to Truth Social in the afternoon to stress he will not be rushed into a deal by Democrats and that news reports suggesting he is facing pressure to cut a deal with Iran are false. He also forecasted a deal would materialize “relatively quickly,” writing:
“The Democrats are doing everything possible to hurt the very strong position we are in with respect to Iran. Despite World War I lasting 4 years, 3 months, and 14 days, World War II lasting 6 years and 1 day, the Korean War lasting 3 years, 1 month, and 2 days, the Vietnam War lasting 19 years, 5 months, and 29 days, and Iraq lasting 8 years, 8 months, and 28 days, they like to say that I promised 6 weeks to defeat Iran, and actually, from the Military standpoint, it was far faster than that, but I’m not going to let them rush the United States into making a Deal that is not as good as it could have been. I read the Fake News saying that I am under “pressure” to make a Deal. THIS IS NOT TRUE! I am under no pressure whatsoever, although, it will all happen, relatively quickly!”
He added that time is not his opponent: “Time is not my adversary, the only thing that matters is that we finally, after 47 years, straighten out the MESS that other Presidents let happen because they didn’t have the Courage or Foresight to do what had to be done with respect to Iran. We’re in it, and it will be done RIGHT, and we won’t let the Weak and Pathetic Democrats, TRAITORS ALL, who for years have been talking about the Dangers of Iran, and that something has to be done, but now, since I’m the one doing it, belittle the accomplishments of our Military and the Trump Administration. This is being perfectly executed, on the scale of Venezuela, just a bigger, more complex operation. The result will be the same. In my First Term, I built the Greatest Military our Country has ever seen, including adding Space Force. In my Second Term, I am properly and judiciously using our Military to solve problems left to us by others of far less understanding or competence. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
President Trump Throws Cold Water on Hopes for a Peace Agreement in Islamabad
April 21: Red State by Streift
Tuesday morning, President Trump did a brief telephone interview with Joe Kernen of CNBC’s Squawk Box. The subject was Trump’s prognosis for how the negotiations would proceed.
President Trump doesn’t seem to have high hopes. He points out that even though the Iranian leadership has stated it would not attend the new round of negotiations in Islamabad, it is participating, so long as the U.S. continues to blockade Iranian ports. Trump did not back off and yet here we are. He frames their attendance as being under duress, “[T]hey just got the okay to go forward, which I knew they were going to do anyway. I mean, I don’t think they had a choice. They have to negotiate.”
Trump lays out a stark choice for Iran: “And you know, the one thing I’ll say is this: Iran can get themselves in very good footing. If they make a deal, they can make themselves into a strong nation again, a wonderful nation again. They have incredible people, but they seem to be, you know, bloodthirsty. They’re led by some very, very unfortunately tough people. And I don’t mean tough in a good way. I think it’s very negative for the country because we’re much tougher than they are — like not even close. But they have to use reason and they have to use common sense, and they can get themselves into a great position to make themselves into a great country, but a legitimate country, not a country based on death and horror.”
Kernen had previously asked Trump, “If it looks like things are progressing, will you not necessarily extend it to a definitive amount of time, but will you let it keep going if there’s progress in the talks before taking action?” To which Trump responded, “Well, I don’t want to do that.” This seems to take off the table Pakistan’s proposal for adding another two weeks onto the ceasefire.
President Trump Calls for IRGC’s Release Of 8 Women They Plan to Execute
April 21: Breaking Christian News by Aimee Herd
This morning on his Truth Social account, President Donald Trump address IRGC leaders in Iran directly, calling for them to release the eight female political prisoners they have reportedly said they would kill by hanging.
Trump’s post included a repost from X account holder Eyal Yakoby, which showed the images of the eight young women, stating, “The Islamic Republic is preparing to hang eight women. Not a word from the international community or so-called human rights organizations.”
The President’s Truth Social post stated: “To the Iranian leaders, who will soon be in negotiations with my representatives: I would greatly appreciate the release of these women. I am sure that they will respect the fact that you did so. Please do them no harm! Would be a great start to our negotiations!!! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
Bessent Lands Another Crushing Blow Right on the IRGC
April 21: Red State by Nick Arama
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent explained how the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), specifically, the guys behind the regime, are being hit right in their wallet big time. “As @POTUS has made clear, the United States Navy will continue the blockade of Iranian ports. In a matter of days, Kharg Island storage will be full and the fragile Iranian oil wells will be shut in. Constraining Iran’s maritime trade directly targets the regime’s primary revenue lifelines.
“The @USTreasury will continue to apply maximum pressure through Economic Fury to systematically degrade Tehran’s ability to generate, move, and repatriate funds. Any person or vessel facilitating these flows—through covert trade and finance—risks exposure to U.S. sanctions. We continue to freeze the funds stolen by the corrupt leadership on behalf of the people of Iran.”
Ninety percent of Iran’s crude oil comes through a terminal on the island – transported through pipes from the mainland. The tankers then come back down the Gulf and out of the Strait of Hormuz, to China – the main buyer of Iranian oil. A terminal for the export of Iranian oil, the island provides a major source of revenue for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
So the U.S. is effectively taking out Kharg without having to invade it, without having to seize it, or put any lives at risk in that kind of a process. Bessent is saying it will be “shut in” within a matter of days — meaning they will have to shut down, and this could cause damage. So they either cough up a real deal or they strangle.
Dem Senator Chris Murphy Cheers as Iranians Successfully Bypass US Blockade: ‘Awesome’
April 21: Western Journal by Michael Schwarz
Monday on the social media platform X, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut replied “awesome” to the following headline: “At least 26 Iranian shadow fleet vessels bypass US blockade.”
Earlier this month, Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, block any vessel doing business. As one might expect, X users, including conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, blasted Murphy as a “traitor.” Others agreed that openly cheering for an enemy in wartime should disqualify Murphy from the Senate.
Trump Touts Stopping the Execution of Eight Iranian Women
April 22: Washington Examiner by Mabinty Quarshie
President Donald Trump celebrated the “very good news” on Wednesday that eight Iranian women, who were to be executed, have been spared by Tehran leaders. “I have just been informed that the eight women protestors who were going to be executed tonight in Iran will no longer be killed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“Four will be released immediately, and four will be sentenced to one month in prison,” Trump added. “I very much appreciate that Iran, and its leaders, respected my request, as President of the United States, and terminated the planned execution.”
Trump Orders Navy to Shoot Small Boats Dropping Mines in Strait of Hormuz
April 23: Breitbart by Nick Gilbertson
President Donald Trump on Thursday instructed the U.S. Navy to shoot small boats dropping mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump announced the move in a post on Truth Social “I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation,” he wrote.
“Additionally, our mine ‘sweepers’ are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he added.
Trump: Iran Is on a Deadline, Oil Infrastructure Soon to Be Damaged by Lack of Exports
April 24: Gateway Pundit by Antonio Graceffo
In a recent press conference, reporters asked President Trump if he needed more time for the Iran war and whether this violated his promise to defeat Iran in under a month. Trump responded, “We don’t need more time. The US is not under time pressure. Iran is.” He went on to point out that wars take time. The Vietnam War took over a decade, but “I took the country out militarily in the first four weeks. Now all we are doing is sitting back” and seeing what deal they offer.
“And if they don’t want to make a deal, then I will finish it up militarily.” He explained that the US had hit over 75% of the total targets originally selected before the operation began. “We have knocked out their manufacturing. We’ve knocked out their missile production. We’ve knocked out their drone production. We’ve knocked out everything.”
‘Very Good Chance of Peace’: Trump Extends Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire 3 Weeks After Landmark White House Talks
April 24: Breitbart by Joshua Klein
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon following his direct participation in historic White House peace talks, voicing optimism the diplomatic push could lead to a lasting agreement as he looks to host both nations’ leaders in Washington in the coming weeks.
Trump confirmed the extension after hosting senior Israeli and Lebanese representatives in the Oval Office, saying the United States will work with Lebanon “to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” the Iranian-backed terrorist group at the center of the conflict, while formalizing an additional three weeks of ceasefire.
He characterized the talks as “a great meeting” with high-level officials from both sides and said the extension marks “the beginning of something very important” — pointing to what he suggested could develop into broader regional progress alongside ongoing diplomacy. The session marked the second round of U.S.-brokered talks, following an initial meeting on April 14 — the first direct engagement between the sides in decades — which led to a ten-day ceasefire agreement two days later.
After the meeting, senior U.S. officials and the Israeli and Lebanese envoys who participated in the talks joined Trump in the Oval Office, where they outlined the next phase of the diplomatic effort.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump’s direct involvement “made it possible” to extend the ceasefire, describing the move as creating space to advance negotiations toward a broader agreement. The extension, he said, “gives everybody time to continue to work on what’s going to be permanent peace between two countries that want to be in peace,” adding he expects the sides to be “even closer” to that goal in the coming weeks.
Vice President JD Vance called the development “a major, historic moment,” crediting Trump’s direct engagement with bringing the parties together for high-level talks at the White House.
Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter struck a forward-looking tone, emphasizing that “Israel wants peace with Lebanon, and Israel wants security for its citizens,” while stressing that both sides share a common objective in confronting Hezbollah’s malign influence.
Leiter added that with Iran’s regional posture weakened, “the possibility of degrading Hezbollah … is real,” expressing hope the current diplomatic track could lead to a formal peace agreement “in the very near future.”
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee framed the issue directly, stating, “The problem is not Lebanon; the problem is not Israel. The problem is Hezbollah.”
Mike Hernandez is co-founder of the Citizens Journal–Ventura County’s online news service and writes for CitizensJournal.net and MountainTopMedia.com. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor, writer of “Prayer Over News Daily” and edits the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes” and other columns. Mr. Hernandez mentors citizen journalists with trainings held every other month (on Saturdays at Shasta Bible College and online) and can be contacted at MikeHernandezMedia.com.