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Iran strikes on US bases

The Iranian Foreign Ministry says a new report released by the government of Qatar reaffirms that Iran's defensive strikes on US forces stationed in that country never hit civilian targets. The ministry’s spokesman made the remark in a social media post. Esmaeil Baqaei said the Qatari government has confirmed, in an official document submitted to the International Telecommunication Union, that Iran’s defensive strikes "were directed towards US military facilities, and no civilian areas were targeted. The sole exception alleged by Qatar was an attack on a gas facility in March, which, according to Baqaei, served the US military aggression against Iran. Baqaei added that the report stands in stark contrast to the United States’ long record of deliberate attacks on civilian targets, including schools, hospitals, residential neighborhoods, wedding ceremonies, and bridges. He stressed that there is a vast difference between a civilized nation that adheres to moral and humanitarian principles even under the most distressing circumstances, and warmongering rulers who observe no rule of law or ethics.

US banning Israel boycott

The US House of Representatives has passed a Republican-backed bill to penalize universities that participate in the boycott of Israel, or attempt to prevent students from taking part in exchange programs with the regime. According to The Guardian, the bill called “The Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act” will now go to the Senate for consideration. The measure requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal student aid programs not to participate in the boycott of Israel. It also mandates that academic institutions receiving federal funding for international study and foreign language programs should certify annually that they do not impose restrictions on their students participating in programs in Israel. Since the start of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza, student and faculty groups at some US universities have intensified calls for the boycott of the regime. The bill was adopted amid deep rifts among House Democrats over support for Israel. In July, more than 100 Democrats supported a bill cutting off some military aid to the regime amid accusations its military’s actions in Gaza constituted genocide.

'End support for Israel'

Nearly 60 rights groups have urged Congress to scrap a defense bill provision that will deepen US-Israeli military technology ties. The call was made through a joint letter addressed to leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. In their joint letter, 56 rights groups said deeper integration with Israel's defense sector will be "exceptionally dangerous," urging lawmakers to remove the provision. The signatories included Amnesty International USA, the civil rights network, National Lawyers Guild as well as Arab and Jewish advocacy groups. They said American interests are increasingly diverging from those of Israel, and American public opinion is turning increasingly against unconditional support to Israel. Therefore, the groups added, creating new points of influence for Israel in the US defense-technology ecosystem is exceptionally dangerous. The letter criticized Israel’s violations of international humanitarian law in the war on Gaza, and rising settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. US public support for Israel has fallen since the Gaza war began in 2023. A poll conducted by Quinnipiac University in June said 48 percent of voters and 66 percent of Democrats believe the US is too supportive of Israel.

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