NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the US strikes on Iran were 'absolutely necessary' as he opened a major summit of the alliance in Ankara on Wednesday, according to reports.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte described the overnight US strikes on Iran as "absolutely necessary" while opening the alliance's summit in Ankara on Wednesday, according to reports. The statement, reported at 08:36 Jerusalem, follows earlier reports from the same hour that had Rutte backing the strikes with similar language.
The Zioneer's thread on the story shows that at 08:36 Jerusalem, multiple reports emerged: first, Israeli outlet N12 quoted Rutte saying a forceful response is "vital"; then i24NEWS reported his "absolutely necessary" remark at the Ankara summit; and a third report added that Rutte cited Iran's attacks on merchant ships as a ceasefire violation, making a US response essential. The corroboration moved from a single Israeli newsroom to multiple outlets, including international sources.
The Zioneer has previously reported on Rutte's consistent support for the Trump administration's approach toward Iran. On June 24, Rutte told Fox News that President Trump is doing "exactly what needs to be done" and warned that a nuclear-armed Iran would be "devastating." He also acknowledged that some NATO allies disappointed the US by not granting access for operations, but stressed many provided overflight and basing rights. Earlier, on June 18, Rutte welcomed the US-Iran deal as a step toward regional stability.
The specific timing of the US strikes and the full scope of the NATO summit discussions on the Iran campaign remain under development.
4 developments
- DevelopingNATO chief: Trump doing 'exactly what needs to be done' on Iran
- StrongNATO chief welcomes US-Iran deal as step toward regional stability
- DevelopingNATO chief acknowledges allied disappointment over US access during Iran war
- StrongTrump Approves Strike Plan on Iran, Orders Execution from NATO Summit in Turkey
Source and signal
- Internal intake