After eight attempts, the United States Senate has finally passed a War Powers Resolution limiting military activities in Iran, with a vote of 50 to 47. Four Republicans voted in favor: Susan Collins, Bill Cassidy, Lisa Murkowski, and Rand Paul, while Democrat John Fetterman broke with his party and voted against.
For now, this is a Pyrrhic victory; the resolution will now go to the Senate for a vote. If it passes, it will move to the House of Representatives, where it will also have to be approved. If both chambers approve it, it will then go to Donald Trump, who will almost certainly veto it, given his stance on the conflict with Iran.
To override the presidential veto, both the Senate and the House would need a two-thirds majority, a very difficult goal to achieve that would require a significant number of Republicans to distance themselves from Trump, something considered unlikely given the current political climate.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump: “Iran is begging for a deal, but we may have to strike them again,” and then changed his mind and said: “We’re giving Iran a chance. We’re in no rush.”
In response, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi: “The United States says it’s giving diplomacy a chance, but at the same time it threatens another attack. They want to force us to surrender, but they won’t succeed. There’s no surrender. Let them attack.” Either we win, or we are martyred [both are victories].”
These words were echoed by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf: “All actions, overt and covert, currently indicate that the enemy is planning a second war. The people can rest assured that the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic have used the ceasefire period to restore their capabilities and adapt.”
Regarding relations with Israel, President Trump said: “Netanyahu will do everything I tell him; he’s a good man, he’s a great guy.” “In Israel, I have a 99% approval rating.” Maybe I’ll go to Israel and run for Prime Minister. He concluded: “We destroyed Iran and we annihilated it. You will witness many incredible things.”
On May 20, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition approved a preliminary bill to dissolve the Knesset, paving the way for early elections amid growing disputes with ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) parties over a law that would determine whether more Haredi men can continue to avoid military service, according to the Jerusalem Post.
CAHAL representative at the Knesset debate: “The rate of conscription of Haredim (ultra-Orthodox) is increasing, partly due to the impact of sanctions. A significant portion of people join the group because they want to regularize their status or after being arrested and realizing they have no other choice. Along with this growth, there are very serious instances of non-cooperation. We will very soon reach the level of 80,000 to 90,000 draft dodgers.” And still in domestic politics, there was a clash between Ministers Ben Gvir and Gideon Sa’ar over the treatment of the flotilla’s prisoners.
Israeli National Security Minister Ben Gvir during his visit to activists arrested by the Gaza Global Sumud Flotilla at the port of Ashdod: “Welcome to Israel, we are in charge here. That’s how it should be. They came with so much pride, and look at what they look like now. Not heroes, nothing. Supporters of terrorism. I hope the Prime Minister keeps you with us in Ktzi’ot prison for as long as possible.” The images show police kicking and punching barefoot, handcuffed prisoners. Foreign Minister Sa’ar chided Gvir in a post, rebuking his behavior.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also weighed in on the matter: “We have every right to prevent provocative fleets supporting Hamas from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza. The way Minister Ben Gvir treated the activists of the fleet is not in line with the values and principles of the State of Israel. I have instructed the relevant authorities to expel the provocateurs from the ‘Fleet of Firmness’ as quickly as possible.”
Today’s hearing in the corruption case against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been canceled due to a “diplomatic-security calendar,” as parliamentarians prepare to vote on the preliminary ruling on Wednesday on the dissolution of the Knesset. Netanyahu has repeatedly called for hearings in the case to be canceled or shortened due to his “duties” related to the recent conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
Today, Israel is on high alert as the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, a public holiday, begins. “We have already witnessed attacks during similar events or shortly after.” Israeli officials, speaking to Haaretz regarding the collapse of the regime in Iran, said: “A regime change scenario is ruled out for now. Iran has proven more resilient than expected. In the event of a new wave of attacks by the United States and Israel, the goal would be to obtain concessions in negotiations and further weaken Iran’s ballistic missile program and drone arsenal.”
Pakistan’s Interior Minister is visiting Tehran again in an effort to promote agreements. This is the second visit by a Pakistani Interior Minister to Iran in the past week. The situation in Islamabad appears to be very tense, with Saudi Arabia’s al-Hadat news channel reporting that the two administrations have significantly slowed down cooperation.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatens: “If the United States and Israel attack Iran, the war will spread far beyond the Middle East.” Middle Eastern sources have now reported that on the first day of the war with Iran, Israeli air forces struck the Tehran home of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former Iranian president known for his anti-Israel and anti-American stance. The attack was intended to free him from house arrest and give him the opportunity to seize power in the country after the ouster of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Plans to bring Ahmadinejad to power after the current Iranian government was weakened had been drawn up by the Israelis under US supervision and brought to Ahmadinejad’s attention, but were quickly foiled after the attack on his home, according to US officials briefed on the matter and interviewed by the New York Times.
Ahmadinejad was accidentally wounded in an Israeli attack on his home, which destroyed a guard post at the entrance to his street and killed several members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who were holding him hostage. Although he survived, after this incident he became disillusioned with the regime change plan and cut off all further communication with Israel. He has not been seen in public since, and his current whereabouts and health are unknown.
And now a look at the military scenarios in the Middle East and West Asia, updated at 3:30 PM on May 20. “The United States could launch a new attack against Iran as early as Friday or one of the following days,” said Donald Trump. The Wall Street Journal: “The US military captured an Iranian oil tanker in the Indian Ocean. The tanker likely contained more than a million barrels of oil.” The US landing ship UDC LHD 4 Boxer of the “Iranian Naval Group” has arrived in Singapore.
Greece will permanently deploy F-16 fighter jets to Cyprus.
Israel has reached its highest level of combat readiness since the current ceasefire with Iran began, as US and Israeli forces have completed preparations for the resumption of military operations against the Islamic Republic. According to US officials, combat operations could resume soon, according to the Israeli television channel Kann News.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announce the killing of Major Itamar Sapir, 27, in southern Lebanon. He was killed by a Hezbollah sniper.
A Boeing 747-409F cargo plane, operating under contract with the US Army Military Transportation Command, landed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on the evening of May 19. This type of flight and landing by an aircraft of this type at this base is rare, and was last observed during the Ramadan War. No information is available on the plane’s cargo.
Clashes continue in Lebanon. Hezbollah has targeted two Iron Dome Launchers in northern Israel in the last 48 hours. The attacks hit the Jal Al-Alam site, which was successfully targeted just two weeks ago. It is unclear why Israel has not repositioned the launchers.
Hezbollah appears to be gaining experience using first-person view (FPV) and is now hitting high-value targets for Israel. Al Mayadeen correspondent in southern Lebanon: “Israeli warplanes have targeted the city of Kafra.”
In southern Lebanon, the battle to capture the town of Hadatha intensifies, Hezbollah has already repelled three attacks in the southern axis. On May 20, rocket fire was reported against Israeli troop concentrations in the town of Hadatha.
After repeated attacks on the headquarters of the Israeli 226th Division on Al-Bayyadah Hill and other Israeli positions in this settlement, Hezbollah also downed another Israeli flag with an FPV drone. The settlement of Al-Bayyadah is located in southwestern Lebanon, along the coastal road, and is strategically positioned for the advancement of Israeli military operations in this area. However, repeated Hezbollah attacks have hindered the concentration and regrouping of Israeli forces and prevented IDF movements towards the areas of Biyut al-Siyad and Majdal Zoun.
The United Arab Emirates claims to have intercepted six drones violating its airspace in the past 48 hours. Three of these drones struck the Baraka nuclear power plant on May 17.
NATO is considering deploying forces to the Strait of Hormuz if it is not reopened by July. Meanwhile, several oil tankers and other vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz after coordinating with the Revolutionary Guards Navy in the past 24 hours.
Iran’s “underground missile city” of Abyek has been restored and made fully operational after its entrances were blocked by US and Israeli attacks. Like Abyek, Iran is rapidly restoring the functionality of its underground missile cities. According to social media analysts based on satellite imagery: “Those entrances look like new. Excellent work by the engineering teams, exceptionally rapid operational restoration.”
Statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in response to Trump’s latest threats: “Let the American-Zionist enemy, who has learned nothing from the repeated and major strategic defeats suffered at the hands of Iran and who once again opens his mouth with threats, know this: Although they attacked us with the combined might of two of the most expensive and best-equipped armies in the world, we had not yet deployed our full capabilities against them. But now, if there is a repeat of an aggression against Iran, the predicted regional war will this time extend beyond the region’s borders. Our devastating blows, in places you cannot even imagine, will bring you ruin. We are men of war, and you will see our power on the battlefield, not in empty declarations or on social media.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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