Trump says Iran's forces 'decapitated' as Tehran warns US of 'unpredictable' military response

Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff warned Tuesday that the world is rearming for war and risks repeating the horrors of two world wars and the Holocaust after defeating Republican challenger Mike Collins to win re-election in Georgia.

"Abroad, American credibility and leadership are in decay and the world is rearming for global conflict," Ossoff told supporters.

"And at our grave peril. Humanity is fast forgetting the terrible lessons of two world wars and the Holocaust," he added.

Ossoff also raised concerns about the world his daughters will inherit, warning of a future "where we have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the world a thousandfold."

"But we refuse to guarantee health care for every citizen on a poisoned planet."

"Rearming for world war where human life is cheap and might makes right," he added.

Democrat Roy Cooper said Tuesday he would work to end the war in Iran and address rising fuel and fertilizer costs affecting American families and farmers.

The former North Carolina governor defeated Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chairman in the race for the state's open U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday.

In his victory speech, Cooper highlighted the struggles of farmers grappling with soaring fertilizer and diesel costs, blaming “this never ending war” for their financial hardships.

“The hard working families and the people on fixed incomes who desperately need their elected officials to recognize how expensive things are and to work to make stuff cost less,” he said.

“Tonight, we show the country that when everyday people come together, we can make change,” he said.

“Tonight we let everyone know that we are just getting started.”

“Guys tonight the campaign ends. But tomorrow the work of governing began.”

“We have to work to make health care, housing and groceries more affordable. To end this war and stop the pain at the pump,” he added.

Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas defeated Republican former Sen. John E. Sununu in New Hampshire's U.S. Senate race Tuesday, using his victory speech to criticize the war with Iran and blame Washington's policies for rising costs facing American families.

“Tonight's results are a wake-up call for corporate special interests and billionaires who have been rigging the economy, for the cowards in Congress who have enabled health care cuts, tariffs and war,” Pappas told supporters.

“We celebrate a victory for anyone left, right or center, struggling with the skyrocketing cost of living, from gas to groceries to housing.”

“Anyone who's sick of the tariffs, the endless war, the tax breaks for big corporations paid for by cuts to your health care,” he added.

Pappas had made affordability a central issue in his campaign, criticizing Trump's tariffs and the war with Iran as New Hampshire voters grappled with high energy prices.

During their final U.S. Senate debate Oct. 28, Pappas and Sununu clashed over the war in Iran and its economic impact, including rising fuel and home heating costs. Pappas blamed Trump's handling of the conflict for driving up prices. 

Oil prices fell about 1% on Tuesday to their lowest levels in nearly four weeks, Reuters reported, as markets weighed upcoming peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine and ongoing mediation efforts involving Iran against concerns that recent attacks in both conflicts could further disrupt oil supplies.

Brent crude futures dropped $1.17, or 1%, to settle at $103.60 a barrel, their lowest closing level since Oct. 7. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures slipped 37 cents to $96.09 a barrel, their lowest close since Oct. 14.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has cost Europe an extra127 billion euros in fossil fuel imports.

“Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, fossil fuel imports have cost Europe an additional 127 billion euros, without providing a single additional unit of energy,” von der Leyen said at the WinWin Brussels Summit, according to Iran International.

“When we import oil and gas, we risk importing the shocks and crises that come with them,” she added.

“The clean energy transition means, on the one hand, protecting our climate, but on the other, it also concerns Europe's competitiveness and independence,” she said.

Iran has never pursued nuclear weapons and never will, a senior Iranian diplomat insisted Tuesday, claiming Tehran's opposition to developing an atomic arsenal is rooted in religious doctrine rather than international agreements.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has never sought nuclear weapons, does not seek them and will never seek them, because we believe these weapons do not create security,” Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said, according to Iran's semiofficial ISNA news agency.

Khatibzadeh also said Tehran's strongest safeguard against developing an atomic arsenal was “never an international treaty, but rather a fatwa,” referring to a religious decree issued by former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that prohibits the production, possession and use of weapons of mass destruction.

He also added that Iran has remained committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty despite facing sanctions, attacks on its nuclear facilities and Washington's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal

Democrat Josh Turek blasted Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson on Monday night, accusing her of supporting the war in Iran as rising gas prices, tariffs and economic pressures squeeze Iowa families and farmers.

"Ashley Hinson faces questions over her position on the conflict, and I've been traveling around Iowa for the last 450 days," Turek said.

"This is what I've heard over and over and over. I've heard from Iowans say, 'Josh, I'm struggling just to keep food on the table, a roof above my head, pay my electric bill, and with this war in Iran, I'm struggling just to keep gas in my tank. Iowans deserve better.'"

Turek argued that Iowa's economic struggles have been compounded by the conflict and rising energy costs.

"This is a state that is uniquely struggling. We are one of three states seeing our economy contract," he said.

He also accused Hinson of supporting the continued conflict, claiming Iowa has suffered disproportionately from the war.

"She has voted in favor of continuing this war in Iran. This war in Iran that has hurt Iowa more than any other state," Turek said.

"We've lost three Iowans in the conflict. We are seeing gas prices here in Iowa go up more than almost any other state."

"We're looking at diesel prices being at an all-time high as our farmers are out there harvesting their crops, and because of these tariffs and because of this war in Iran, we now lead the nation in farm foreclosures and seeing farm suicide rates skyrocketing. Iowans deserve better, and this is our chance," he added

A senior Iranian general warned Tuesday that U.S. and Israeli assets are in Tehran's crosshairs, declaring that Iranian forces are prepared to retaliate against threats anywhere in the world.

Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, also said Tehran is not looking for war but has taken on a more aggressive strategy.

“Iran is not seeking war and conflict,” Abdollahi said, according to Iran's semiofficial Mehr News Agency.

“Based on the realities and exigencies of the times, our doctrine has shifted from 'defense' to 'offensive initiative,' and from 'crisis management' to 'order-building,'” he added.

Invoking a strategy of "maximum deterrence," Abdollahi also warned that Iranian forces are tracking U.S. and Israeli assets and are prepared to respond.

Iranian forces, he said, are “continuously updating their target database and keeping the tangible and intangible assets of the American-Zionist enemy within their crosshairs, they are prepared to counter any level or type of threat with an immediate, impactful response, unconstrained by geographical limitations."

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Monday night that the Iran war is driving up gas prices and could damage President Donald Trump’s ability to govern and Republicans’ prospects in the next election cycle.

“We just got to be honest. Gas is higher. It hurts people, working-class people, and it’s higher because of this conflict. That’s just a fact,” DeSantis said.

“If you can’t admit that to voters, then you’re gaslighting them, and they’re not going to listen to you on other things,” DeSantis said during an intreview on SiriusXM.

“If it drags on for the rest of his presidency, it’s going to be devastating to his ability to get anything done, and it is going to be very, very difficult for Republicans in the next cycle,” he added.

Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed warned Tuesday that escalating the war with Iran would deepen the crisis and further strain Americans' wallets, arguing that the U.S. needs "less war, not more."

“Let’s be clear, we’re paying for this war,” El-Sayed said in Ann Arbor on Tuesday when asked about the possibility of an escalation in the war with Iran.

“We’re paying for it at the gas pump, we’re paying for it at the grocery store, we’re paying for it in our tax dollars,” he told NewsNation.

“You look at how President Donald Trump’s talking, you’ve got some reporting showing that he wants a massive escalation after these midterms,” El-Sayed added. “That’s a really dangerous scenario.”

“We need less war, not more, and the problem with this war is that the more you push, the more you deepen the crisis,” El-Sayed said.

He added that if Democrats secure control of both chambers of Congress, they should look to “hold the president accountable and end this war.”

Lara Trump accused Iran of playing politics with America's midterm elections Tuesday, suggesting Tehran is hoping Democrats will weaken President Donald Trump's ability to maintain pressure on the regime.

“He really wants to make sure that this Russia-Ukraine situation is taken care of,” she said on “The Right View with Lara Trump.”

“He really, of course, wants to see an end to the fighting with Iran, but Iran has to cooperate as well.

“And I think a lot of people believe that.

“And I think I've heard the president say this: ‘Iran is waiting until these midterm elections, because they really want to have every advantage they possibly can.’

“And they know that it's going to be much more challenging for Donald Trump to continue to hold their feet to the fire in Iran if he does not have a Congress who's going to vote along with him.”

“If you see a Democrat today, you can thank them for the high inflation that their president Joe Biden brought our entire country highest in my lifetime,” she added.

Iran’s parliament speaker warned Tuesday that Tehran would unleash an unpredictable military response if Washington makes what he called another “strategic miscalculation,” saying the U.S. would face a new battlefield and struggle to find a way out.

“Our military and strategic response to any enemy miscalculation will be unpredictable in a way that will put an end to their erroneous calculations and destroy]all their material and nonmaterial assets,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, according to Fars News Agency.

“We are at the highest level of defensive readiness on the military and operational fronts,” he added.

“If Washington once again makes a strategic miscalculation, it should know that this time it will face a new battlefield and will find itself even more desperate than it is today in search of a way out,” Ghalibaf said.

“The ball is now in America’s court to prevent a war,” he said. 

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) said Tuesday that a tanker has been struck while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. 

The incident happened Tuesday about 14 nautical miles northeast of Lima, Oman. 

"The Company Security Officer for a Tanker reports being struck by two unknown projectiles into the engine room," the UKMTO said. "There are no casualties or environmental impact reported at this time." 

Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Col. Turki al-Malki confirmed Tuesday the "interception and destruction of a drone launched by the terrorist Houthi militia toward the southern region."

He added in an earlier post on X that Saudi Arabia's air defenses intercepted a drone in the eastern region.

After President Donald Trump announced that $4 billion in aid to Israel would be "cut off" at the end of this year, the Democratic Socialists of America called "to end all of this support to end the genocide."

"The morning of an election that will show that Americans reject Trump's anti-immigrant authoritarianism, he claims he will end all U.S. military aid to Israel," the DSA wrote on X. "Millions are voting today while thinking of what Israel and the U.S. government has done to the Palestinian people.  

"Foreign Military Financing is just one way ($3.8 billion) that the U.S. bankrolls Israel’s massacres and regional war. Defense companies also sell arms directly to Israel, and our F-35 program continues to supply Israel with the parts it needs to carry out genocide," it also claimed. "We need to end all of this support to end the genocide." 

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Tuesday he called Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to push for Tehran to find a political way out of the U.S.-Iran war.

"I confirmed by phone with the Iranian Foreign Minister the necessity of exercising restraint and prioritizing diplomacy and negotiations, the importance of Gulf security, and showing flexibility to find a political way out and spare the region military escalation, which His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi warned against its repercussions and political, economic, and security risks," Abdelatty wrote on X.

Araghchi said on X last week, "While our Brave Armed Forces are fully prepared to defend the Homeland, Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed."

Qatar's foreign ministry said Tuesday that its foreign minister and his Saudi Arabian counterpart discussed strengthening security in the Middle East as Saudi Arabia is facing attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. 

The ministry said the call between Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud "discussed the cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and strengthen them." 

"It also discussed the latest regional developments, particularly the diplomatic efforts and joint coordination aimed at de-escalating tensions and enhancing security and stability in the region," the foreign ministry added. 

It said Al-Thani "stressed the State of Qatar's support for all diplomatic efforts and initiatives aimed at reaching a solution that ensures freedom of maritime navigation and paves the way for a comprehensive agreement that achieves sustainable peace in the region." 

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Tuesday that "the time and conditions for ending the enemy's attacks will be determined by the Armed Forces and the Iranian nation," according to Iran's Fars News Agency.

The statement comes after U.S. forces carried out "defensive" strikes against Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday after Iran fired at a U.S. aircraft, an official told Fox News.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Saturday that "any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful, and geographically unrestricted response." 

"Should Iran’s enemies resume military or terrorist attacks, it will be the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic and the Iranian nation that will determine when and under what conditions those attacks will end," he wrote on X.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., suggested Tuesday that President Donald Trump is "desperate to stave off a Blue tsunami" at the ballot box on Election Day by announcing that $4 billion in U.S. aid to Israel would be "cut off at the end of the year."

"Trump, desperate to stave off a Blue tsunami, now says zero aid to Israel," Khanna wrote on X. "Establishment Dems, who lost to him twice, told us that was too radical."

"Thank you for showing the way," Khanna added, tagging progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michigan senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

Trump told "Fox & Friends" earlier in the day that "Israel's our number one. We give them more than anybody else, and they no longer need it.

"We've been doing it for years. I've been doing it. But Israel is a very thriving country, they don't need it. If they did need it, I would say keep it going. But Bibi Netanyahu, we reached an agreement on that," Trump continued.

"The left uses the $4 billion payment, and everybody knows about it when it's no secret, as a signal of unfairness. And we can't allow that to happen. I don't like that because, you know, it's too easy. It's almost too easy a target. And Bibi and I have been talking and we've agreed, he was he very understanding of it," Trump added.