In the early hours of Friday, June 13, Israel began directly striking the Iranian nuclear program and Iran’s military capabilities. We have now entered what is hopefully the final stage of the Iranian-Israeli war that began 20 months ago when Gazan forces invaded Israel on October 7, 2023.

On the fourth night of the war, I appeared on Steve Bannon’s War Room broadcast to discuss why Israel had entered the war, why President Trump might decide to bring US forces into the campaign, and why discourse on the nationalist right has grown so wild and embittered in recent weeks.

Here is what I posted to social media at 5 am on Friday, June 13, a few hours after the Israeli assault began. The full text is below, or you can click on this image to read it on X:

Israel attacks Iran tonight because we believe Iran is assembling nuclear weapons to be used against us. This is not an assessment of one Israeli political figure or party. It represents a consensus here in Jerusalem.

Anyone saying this attack is an affront to the United States is serving Iranian regime propaganda, whether out of gullibility or malice. Israelis love the United States and especially revere President Trump and his administration. No one has been better to us than President Trump. Israelis are grateful for all he has done for us.

But President Trump understands what some clearly do not: That it is Israel’s responsibility to protect its people against a fanatical regime that has sought to destroy us using every means at its disposal.

If we choose to attack a potential arsenal of between 10-15 nuclear weapons before they can be made ready for use, we are only doing what any other nation would do in our shoes: Protecting our country and our people against and a clear and present danger that cannot be dealt with in any other way.

My love and gratitude go out to my many friends in America, Europe, and Asia—both those who know that they would do the same if they were in our place, and those who cannot fully see this yet.

We are all of us brothers in a war against forces that openly and shamelessly seek our annihilation. Whatever happens in this Israeli-Iranian war, we will still be brothers and will still have much work to do together when it has ended. I look forward to seeing you all again on the other side.