Jun 17, 2025 10:58:47 pm
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the “greatest threat” to peace and stability in the Middle East, while once again comparing him to Adolf Hitler.
“Netanyahu has once again demonstrated that he is the greatest threat to the region’s security,” Erdogan told Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in a phone call, according to a statement posted by the Turkish Presidency on X.
The two leaders spoke amid rising tensions following Israeli attacks on Iran. Erdogan said he has been working with regional leaders to try to stop the violence. “He will continue his efforts to end the spiral of violence,” the statement said.
Erdogan also warned that the world must not lose focus on Gaza. “Israel’s attacks cannot be allowed to overshadow the humanitarian crisis and genocide in Gaza,” the Turkish Presidency wrote. He also raised concerns that the violence could spread into Syria.
Since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza, Erdogan has been one of Netanyahu’s most vocal critics. He has repeatedly called Israel a “terror state” and has compared Netanyahu to Hitler, accusing him of crimes against humanity. Daily Boulder.
TO FORDOW OR NOT TO FORDOW: US President Donald Trump is considering joining Israel to strike Iranian nuclear sites, including in Fordow, sources familiar with the issue are quoted as saying by CBS, the BBC’s news partner in the US.
They say this was expected to be discussed in today’s meeting in the Situation Room, adding that there is not a full agreement among Trump’s closest advisers.
This is the 30,000lb question. Because that, (13,600kg), is the tonnage of the weapon that would be needed to reach some of Iran’s most secretive and valuable nuclear apparatus, buried 90m (295ft) deep under a mountain in a place called Fordow.
The weapon, to give it its full name, is the GBU-57 MOP, standing for Massive Ordnance Penetrator and it can hit targets as deep as 61m underground, or deeper with repeated strikes.
The US has it, Israel does not.
Almost the only aircraft configured to carry this massive but non-nuclear bomb is the USAF B-2 Spirit bomber, which can carry two at a time.
These aircraft are currently believed to be stationed on the Indian Ocean US-British base at Diego Garcia, 2,358 miles (3,796km) from Iran and well within the B-2 range.
There is also a US Navy Carrier Strike Group heading for the region, led by the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier.
So if Israel is to destroy Iran’s capacity to build a nuclear weapon, it needs to deal with Fordow.
It can’t do that from the air but the US could, if it chose.
But for now, a lot of people will be watching the US military build-up in the region and asking: is this a bluff to pressure Tehran into a deal or is America going to join in this fight, despite President Trump’s aversion to wars?
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday cautioned against seeking a change to the Iranian regime through military means.
“I believe that the biggest error today is to seek a regime change in Iran through military means, because that would lead to chaos,”