Trump Meets Lebanese Leader as U.S. Airstrikes Hit Iran

The United States military conducted its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting drone storage, aircraft hangars, and military operations centers, including sites around Tehran. During a Senate hearing, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testified that the conflict has cost $37.5 billion and requested additional funding for munitions and service member pay. The Pentagon reported that 18 U.S. service members have died and over 100 have been injured since early July.

President Donald Trump met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the Oval Office to discuss long-term peace between Israel and Hezbollah. Following the meeting, Trump announced the resumption of direct flights between the U.S. and Lebanon for the first time since 1985. During a subsequent Q&A session, Trump aggressively dismissed reporters' questions regarding the war plan, asserting that Iran is desperate to end the conflict. He is scheduled to visit Dover Air Force Base to receive the bodies of three American troops killed in Jordan and Iraq.

Parallelly, the administration faces domestic friction. The Justice Department issued subpoenas to family members of New York Times reporters to identify leakers regarding a Qatari-gifted jet. Additionally, Anthea Hartig, Director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, rejected a White House report that characterized museum leadership as radical activists. Meanwhile, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission voted to end a 60-year-old requirement for private employers to submit workforce demographic reports.