US alliance against Iran ‘changing history’
(JNS) — Defense Minister Israel Katz in an overnight call with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Mar. 4 praised the partnership between the two nations in “Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury” against the Islamic Republic.
The cooperation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is changing history,” said Katz, according to a readout issued by his office on Mar. 5.
The Israeli defense minister conveyed to Hegseth his condolences over the deaths of six U.S. troops who were killed in the campaign, noting that Jerusalem “is doing, and will continue to do,” everything possible to help protect the safety of American service members.
Katz thanked Hegseth for his support of the Jewish state and for the “extensive assistance” in defending Israeli civilians against Iranian missiles.
The Israeli minister highlighted the “close and unprecedented cooperation” between the two militaries in achieving all war objectives, the readout added.
Katz’s office said Hegseth thanked him for the condolences and praised the “unprecedented cooperation” between their militaries and the capabilities of the Israel Defense Forces.
“Keep going to the end — we are with you,” he told Katz.
The two men “agreed to continue their close coordination and remain in continuous contact,” according to the readout from Jerusalem.
Mamdani’s response to Iran war sparks controversy
(JTA) — Mayor Zohran Mamdani fiercely condemned the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and the killing of Iran’s leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28, calling the attacks “a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression.”
Mamdani said that Americans want peace and affordability, not “another war in pursuit of regime change.” He also directly addressed Iranian New Yorkers, saying, “You are part of the fabric of this city — you are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers and community leaders. You will be safe here.”
Mamdani added he would be “making sure that every New Yorker is safe” and increasing patrols at “sensitive locations.” He did not specifically mention Israelis in New York or Jewish New Yorkers, or note what locations would be patrolled. Iranian agents have a record of targeting Jewish sites abroad.
The statement drew blowback from Mamdani’s predecessor, Eric Adams, who gave his own message to Iranian New Yorkers celebrating the end of Khamenei’s oppressive rule. “I know how long you have hoped and prayed for the freedom of your loved ones in Iran,” he said. “Be assured that the overwhelming majority of New Yorkers stand with you tonight.”
Fabien Levy, a Jewish Iranian who served as Adams’ deputy mayor, blasted Mamdani. “When Persians were marching in Iran and were being killed, you refused to proactively say anything supportive,” he said. “Now, as every single Persian and person of Persian descent praying for a free Iran looks for a regime change, you say nothing that provides our families comfort.”
US in talks with Kurds about striking Iran
(JNS) — U.S. officials have spoken in recent days with Iranian Kurdish militias on possibly striking regime forces in the country’s west, Reuters reported on Mar. 4.
An Iranian Kurdish coalition of groups based in Iraqi Kurdistan, in the Iran-Iraq border area, has been training to mount an attack on regime targets as the United States and Israel continue to target regime forces since Mar. 1, according to the report.
Two sources involved in the talks told the news agency that the goal would be to launch attacks internally by forces opposed to the Islamic regime, which has been weakened by the slaying of Ali Khamenei.
A final decision has not yet been made on the operation and its possible timing, the sources reportedly said. The Kurdish groups have requested U.S. military support. Iraqi leaders in Erbil, Kurdistan, and in Baghdad have also been in touch with the Trump administration in recent days, they said.
On Mar. 4, Iraqi Kurdish sources denied a report by Fox News that a major Kurdish offensive was already underway with thousands of Iraqi Kurdish rebels inside Iran, Israel Hayom reported. Only several hundred Iranian Kurds have crossed the border into Iran, the sources said.
The forces are in talks with the United States about help from the CIA in providing weapons, two of the sources said.
Katz tells Hegseth: Israeli-‘Good riddance’: Iranian who plotted to kill Trump eliminated
(JNS) — U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz revealed on Mar. 4 that the slain Iranian commander who plotted to assassinate President Donald Trump also plotted to kill former Cabinet officials, ambassadors and activists “on American soil.”
“Good riddance,” Waltz added in a social media post about the terrorist.
The diplomat did not elaborate on who those officials might have been.
Speaking to the press on Mar. 4, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said that “the leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed” on March 3.
“Iran tried to kill President Trump. And President Trump got the last laugh,” he added.
Hegseth emphasized that the Iranian was “not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination, [but] if we had the opportunity to get at those who are trying to get at Americans specifically, we would.”
He did not name the leader who was killed.
According to Israel’s Channel 12 broadcaster, the Israel Defense Forces killed the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Special Operations Division, Rahman Moghadam, who was behind the Trump assassination scheme.
The report added that Trump was informed of this development.
Senate rejects effort to rein in Trump’s power to fight Iran alongside Israel
(JTA) — The Senate late Mar. 4 rejected a measure that would have required President Donald Trump to get congressional approval to continue fighting against Iran.
The measure was initiated by Democrats, who have raised questions about the process by which Trump initiated the war alongside Israel on Saturday. The War Powers Act requires U.S. presidents to seek congressional approval for wars in advance or shortly after their start unless there is an imminent threat to the United States. Trump and his administration officials have given mixed signals about whether a threat was considered direct and imminent.
The vote took place along largely partisan lines, with two exceptions. Rand Paul, the Republican from Kentucky, who tends to oppose international intervention, backed the measure. John Fetterman, the pro-Israel Democrat from Pennsylvania, voted no.
The House is expected to vote on a similar measure today. The House also has a slim Republican majority.
The votes come as multiple polls have shown that a majority of Americans, about 60%, oppose U.S. participation in the war.
