Overview
- Sen. Ted Cruz wrote on X that the U.S. should arm protesters in Iran "now" and told an ABC News correspondent he wants them to have the ability to fight back.
- Social media users condemned the proposal as hypocritical, pointing to recent protester deaths in Minneapolis in posts highlighted by The Independent.
- Iran-aligned militias warned against any U.S. attack, with Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah saying it was ready for "total war," and Yemen’s Houthis hinting at renewed Red Sea strikes, according to reports citing the Associated Press.
- The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in the Middle East as part of a stepped-up U.S. military posture, while President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate, per Axios reporting relayed by Fox News.
- Death toll estimates from the unrest vary widely, with activist tallies above 6,000 and other accounts around 3,000, as a communications blackout hinders independent verification.