June 13, 2025: Israel strikes Iran

Last night, Israel launched a major military campaign against Iran in what it billed as a “preemptive” strike on the nation’s nuclear capabilities. But this is only the beginning: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation will “continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.” And with the Trump administration already in talks with Iran over nuclearization — and emphasizing that the U.S. was “not involved” in the strikes — you can be sure that this is going to drive the conversation in Washington today as everyone tries to parse what this means for President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, the U.S. plots out its response and fault lines get exposed within the MAGA coalition. Playbook contributing author Adam Wren and POLITICO White House reporter Jake Traylor break down the implications. Plus, tensions between the administration and California officials remain high after Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed and briefly handcuffed after trying to ask a question of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem at a press conference yesterday.