Germany says it expected Trump’s withdrawal of US troops as row over Iran comments grows – live | US-Israel war on Iran
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German defense minister says American troops in Europe are ‘in our interest and in the US’s interest’
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has called on its European allies to take more responsibility for their security. After the US announced that it would Withdrawal of 5000 US troops from Germany.
Pistorius says the presence of American soldiers in Europe “It is in our interest and in the interest of the United States”but added: “It was predictable that the United States would withdraw its troops from Europe, including Germany.”
Germany is the US military’s largest base in Europe. with approximately 35,000 active duty military personnel, and serves as an important education center.
On Friday, the Pentagon said the troop withdrawal is expected to be completed within the next six to 12 months.
The announcement came amid a public feud with the US president. Donald Trumpand Chancellor of Germany Friedrich MerzAfter European leader says US is under attack “humiliated” by Iran.
Pistorius said Germany was “on the right track” in taking steps to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities, noting the expansion of the Bundeswehr armed forces, the supply of more and faster equipment and the construction of infrastructure.
You can read last night’s report on this story here:
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.
German defense minister Boris Pistorius, he said it was It is “predictable” that the US will withdraw its troops from EuropeAfter the Pentagon announced this Withdraw thousands of American soldiers from Germany.
US President Donald Trump He said on Friday that the US would Withdrawal of 5,000 active-duty troops from NATO ally Germany over the next six to 12 months. He made good on his earlier threats after clashing with the German chancellor Friedrich Merz On the Iranian war.
Earlier this week, Merz announced that Iran ‘Insulted’ the USA He questioned how Trump planned to end the conflict, saying: “Americans don’t have a specific strategy.”
Upon the announcement of plans to withdraw 5,000 US troops from Germany, Pistorius said: “It was predictable that the United States would withdraw its troops from Europe, including Germany.”
He added that Europeans need to take more responsibility for their own security and that Germany is “on the right track” in this regard.
In other developments:
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Trump said he was “not happy” with Iran’s new offer to end the war, as peace talks remain stagnant despite a weeks-long ceasefire. Iran handed over the offer text to the mediator Pakistan On Thursday evening, Iranian state news agency Irna reported it, without giving details of its content.
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The US State Department announced that it has approved military sales totaling more than $8.6 billion to Middle Eastern allies. Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The report comes as Washington warns European allies such as Britain, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia to expect long delays in the delivery of US weapons as they scramble to replenish stockpiles depleted by the Iran war. Financial Times quoting multiple sources.
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Lebanon’s health ministry said 12 people died in Lebanon in Israeli attacks in the south. Including the town of Habboush, where the Israeli army issued an evacuation order despite the ongoing ceasefire. The state-run National News Agency said Israeli warplanes “launched a series of heavy attacks less than an hour after” the warning.
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US Treasury Office He warned that any shipping company paying tolls to Iran for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, including charitable donations to organizations such as the Iranian Red Crescent, would face the risk of criminal sanctions. Tehran has proposed charging fees to ships passing through the strait as part of the agreement to end the war.
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Trump declared “end” of hostilities with Iran in letter to US lawmakers on FridayAlthough there has been no change in the US military posture, it faces ongoing pressure at home to seek authorization from Congress for war.
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The State Department’s announcement on Friday included approval of the military sale of Patriot air and missile defense supply services to Qatar, costing $4.01 billion. and advanced precision kill weapon systems (APKWS) costing $992.4 million. These also include approving the sale of the integrated combat command system, which cost $2.5 billion to Kuwait, and the APKWS, which cost $992.4 million to Israel.
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Iran’s religious leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei called on his people to struggle economically and “disappoint” their enemiesThe cost of war and years of sanctions is heavy. He also said in his written statement that “injured business owners should avoid layoffs and workforce separations whenever possible.”
