Quote of the Day—H.R. “McMaster noted that every presidential administration has people who try to manipulate the president and said that if Trump were given smart advice, the president often made good decisions. One of those, in McMaster’s view, was withdrawing the United States from the nuclear treaty with Iran in the spring of 2018.  …  Iran, McMaster said, is now a real threat. particularly given that Biden has backed away from some of Trump’s policies. Saying Iran “is willing to expend every Arab life, every Palestinian life, every Lebanese life, in pursuit of its objective of destroying Israel,” McMaster said that the Iranian threat needs to be taken seriously. “I think,” McMaster said, “that the narrative that you constantly hear about turning down the temperature, escalation management, the reluctance, really, to confront Iran directly and impose costs on Iran, that actually gives Iran license to escalate on their own terms, with impunity.”  See “Former national security adviser says Trump can be manipulated with flattery,” Politico, 8-25-24.

Yes, Iran-backed.  “Iran-Backed Hezbollah Says It Launched Over 320 Katyusha Rockets At Israel,” NDTV, 8-25-24.

“Iran’s Guard leader reiterated pledge of ‘revenge’ against Israel shortly before planned Hezbollah attack,” Times of Israel, 8-25-24.