Israel's recent strike on Iran didn't match the anticipated intensity feared by US President Joe Biden and Western leaders. They've been pressing Israel to halt the escalating tensions, which began with Israel's assassination of a senior Iranian general in Damascus on April 1.
Over six months post-Hamas attacks, conflict persists in Gaza, spreading to areas bordering Lebanon and Israel, as well as the Gulf. There's a looming concern of a full-scale war in the Middle East, posing global and regional risks.
Iran is downplaying the events in Isfahan. Initially, reports claimed no attack occurred. Later, an analyst on state TV mentioned the interception of drones launched by "infiltrators". Official media shared light-hearted photos of miniature drones.
Israel retaliated against last Saturday's attack from Iran. Despite years of hostility and threats, it marked Iran's first direct strike on Israel from its territory since the Islamic Republic's establishment in 1979. Iran launched over 300 missiles and drones during the attack, most of which were intercepted by Israel's air defenses, supported by US, UK, and Jordanian forces.
Iran had signaled its intentions beforehand, providing Israel and its allies time to prepare. They promptly declared their retaliation over at the UN in New York.
President Biden encouraged Israel to claim victory, but Israel insisted on responding.
This crisis underscores the profound misunderstanding between Iran and Israel. Both made miscalculations, exacerbating the situation. Israel seemingly underestimated Iran's potential response to the assassination of General Mohammed Reza Zahedi in Damascus. The airstrike also hit the consulate at the Iranian diplomatic compound, resulting in casualties.
A complete 12-person jury has been selected for former US President Donald Trump's unprecedented criminal trial in New York City. Justice Juan Merchan announced the completion after seven men and five women were chosen. Two jurors had been dismissed earlier.
Some speculated that jury selection might take weeks, but the process expedited after Trump's legal team exhausted challenges.
The trial, the first involving a former US president as the defendant, revolves around a hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. While the payment itself wasn't illegal, Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
Leaving court on Thursday, Trump criticized the charges as "political" and expressed discomfort with the courtroom temperature.
The day's jury selection faced initial setbacks. Juror #2 withdrew due to concerns about impartiality after media coverage revealed her selection. Another juror, #4, was dismissed after discrepancies in their criminal history disclosure.
Legal experts noted the unusual nature of these dismissals, highlighting the exceptional public pressure on the case's participants.
Juror selection continued in the afternoon with a new group of potential jurors. Seven were sworn in by day's end, with one additional alternate juror selected.
The process involved considerable screening, with Justice Merchan dismissing jurors who couldn't judge Trump impartially. One prospective juror, associating Trump with Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, was excused. Trump observed as his legal team questioned the panel, some of whom expressed negative views towards him.
Despite concerns about social media posts and personal connections, jurors affirmed their ability to assess Trump impartially. However, one juror was dismissed due to a past interaction with Trump's lawyer.
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