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Oil prices plummeted over 6 percent on Monday (June 23) as Iran launched a missile strike on a US military base in Qatar in retaliation for American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Reuters reported that Brent crude futures dropped US$4.90, or 6.3 percent, to settle at US$72.19 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slid US$4.60, or 6.2 percent, to US$69.23 per barrel.

The sharp declines followed initial spikes of nearly 5 percent on Sunday (June 22) evening, after US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces had “obliterated” key Iranian nuclear sites in a joint response with Israel.

Despite dramatic headlines and a week of mounting hostilities, Iran’s retaliation against the US appears to have been designed to avoid triggering a full-scale energy crisis.

Tehran targeted the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, and claimed it matched the number of bombs used by the US — a move analysts say may signal a desire to limit escalation.

“It is somewhat the lesser of the two evils. It seems unlikely that they’re going to try and close the Strait of Hormuz,” Matt Smith, lead oil analyst at data and analytics firm Kpler, told Reuters.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 percent of the world’s oil supply flows daily, has long been seen as a flashpoint in Middle East conflict scenarios. Iran’s parliament has reportedly approved a measure to close the vital waterway, but implementation would require a nod from Iran’s national security council.

Experts have noted that such a move could prove harmful for Iran, which relies on the strait to export oil.

Oil prices face volatility

Oil traders initially braced for the worst as futures soared to five month highs on fears of supply disruptions.

Brent briefly touched US$81.40 before swiftly tumbling nearly US$9, while WTI reversed from US$78.40 to under $70 by Monday afternoon. The selloff was driven by relief that oil infrastructure was not targeted, as well as broader market optimism that hostilities may not spiral further — at least not yet.

Even so, shipping data indicates growing unease.

At least two oil supertankers made U-turns near the Strait of Hormuz following the US strikes.

The Coswisdom Lake and South Loyalty reversed course before ultimately entering the Persian Gulf, illustrating the caution with which commercial operators are treating the volatile region.

Market participants watch and wait

Oil’s tumble offered a temporary reprieve to global equities.

The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) rose 0.7 percent by mid-afternoon, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) gained 269 points. The Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) was up 0.8 percent as investors speculated that Iran’s restrained retaliation might mark a turning point — or at least a pause — in the military escalation.

“The key question is what comes next,” analysts at S&P Global Commodity Insights wrote in a note, as reported by the Financial Times. “Will Iran attack US interests directly or through allied militias? Will Iranian crude exports be suspended? Will Iran attack shipping in the Strait of Hormuz?”

Meanwhile, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to urge increased domestic production in an effort to suppress oil prices, posting: “To the Department of Energy: DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! And I mean NOW!!!”

Earlier in the day, the president warned oil producers: “EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I’M WATCHING! YOU’RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY.”

Trump’s concern underscores the political stakes of rising energy costs. Though oil prices have climbed around 10 percent since Israel’s initial strike on Iran 10 days ago, they remain below their January levels.

As oil markets brace for the next move, one thing is clear: while a major supply disruption has been avoided — for now — any shift in Tehran’s strategy could send prices spiraling again.

“So far, not a single drop of oil has been lost to the global market,” said Bjarne Schieldrop of SEB. “But the market is still on edge awaiting what Iran will do.”

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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Halcones Precious Metals Corp. (TSX-V: HPM) (the ‘ Company ‘ or ‘ Halcones ‘) announces it has granted a total of 3,500,000 stock options (‘Options’) to purchase common shares of the Company to certain officers, directors and consultants pursuant to the Company’s Stock Option Plan. Such Options are exercisable into common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.10 per common share for a period of two years from the date of grant.

In addition, the Company has issued a total of 4,550,000 restricted share units (‘RSUs’) to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company in accordance with the Company’s Restricted Share Unit and Deferred Unit Plan. The RSUs will vest annually in equal installments over a three-year period beginning on the one-year anniversary of the grant date.

The grant of the Options and the RSUs is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Halcones Precious Metals Corp.

Halcones is focused on exploring for and developing gold-silver projects in Chile. The Company has a team with a strong background of exploration success in the region.

For further information, please contact:

Vincent Chen, CPA
Investor Relations
vincent.chen@halconespm.com
www.halconespreciousmetals.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information

This press release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, regarding the grant of stock options and RSUs and the Company’s future plans. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘plans’, ‘expects’ or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’, ‘forecasts’, ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, or ‘believes’, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will be taken’, ‘occur’ or ‘be achieved’. Forward- looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Halcones, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; risks associated with operation in foreign jurisdictions; ability to successfully integrate the purchased properties; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the mining industry. Although Halcones has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Halcones does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

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As the dust still settles following the U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, analysts say the next steps will determine whether the Islamic Republic’s atomic ambitions have truly been crippled. 

Commenting on the mission, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that: ‘The damage to the Nuclear sites in Iran is said to be ‘monumental.’ The hits were hard and accurate. Great skill was shown by our military. Thank you!’

Also on Sunday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told reporters, ‘Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.’ He added it was far too early to comment ‘on what may or may not still be there.’

A senior Israeli security source told Fox News Digital, ‘It’s still too soon to know for sure, but it appears the sites were seriously damaged — it looks excellent.’

‘History is being written,’ said Reserve Brig. Gen. Yossi Kuperwasser, head of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and a former IDF intelligence chief. ‘This is a powerful development that significantly weakens the Iranian threat and highlights the deep cooperation between Israel and the United States. But the journey is far from over.’

According to Kuperwasser, the strikes caused heavy damage to core parts of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. ‘But I don’t think the program is destroyed,’ he told Fox News Digital. ‘They still have enriched uranium, the ability to produce centrifuges, and scientists. We killed many, but not all. And even the bombed facilities — we don’t know for sure that nothing remains.’

Kuperwasser emphasized that while Tehran may retain some nuclear assets, a key strategic threshold has now been crossed. ‘Until now, everything was covert: sabotage, diplomacy, sanctions. But now, military action has proven far more effective. If Iran tries to restart its program, they know we — and the Americans — are prepared to strike again.’

Sima Shein, a former senior Mossad official and Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), agreed that Iran’s capabilities have been degraded, but not eliminated.

‘There’s no doubt these were the three most important sites,’ Shein told Fox News Digital, referring to the U.S. strike Saturday night that hit Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, but claimed ‘Iran has dispersed its enriched uranium — both 60% and 20% — across various unknown locations. They’ve likely hidden advanced centrifuges as well, because production oversight hasn’t existed for years.’

She added that if a future diplomatic agreement is reached, the first condition must be ‘full disclosure and removal’ of all remaining fissile material.

Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital that all remaining Iranian nuclear facilities must be completely dismantled and referred to FDD expert’s plan, which outlined a strategy for the permanent dismantlement of Tehran’s nuclear weapons enterprise. 

The report calls for the destruction of all enrichment sites, the removal or seizure of enriched uranium, the dismantling of advanced centrifuges, and a permanent halt to weaponization efforts. It also demands unrestricted inspections, irreversible disarmament, and strict enforcement through snapback sanctions. FDD argues that anything less would leave Iran capable of rebuilding its nuclear program.

Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence and president of the Mind Israel think tank, called the American strike a ‘game-changer.’

‘Trump’s doctrine of ‘peace through strength’ is in action,’ Yadlin said. ‘Geopolitically, this changes the entire war — and sends a message to China, Russia, and others.’

But Yadlin also believes Iran’s nuclear capabilities haven’t been wiped out completely. ‘There are two possible Iranian responses: retaliation and changing nuclear policy. Retaliation may come via terror attacks in the Gulf, or pressure through proxies like Hezbollah or the Houthis. But I think the more likely shift is in nuclear posture — perhaps withdrawing from the NPT.’

‘They’re in a dilemma,’ Shein told Fox News Digital. ‘They don’t want to drag the U.S. further into military conflict, and they can’t risk harming ties with Gulf neighbors. A military retaliation — like closing the Strait of Hormuz — would invite overwhelming force. Expelling inspectors or quitting the NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] may be their next moves.’

Kuperwasser added that military pressure alone may not bring lasting resolution — unless paired with either a diplomatic agreement with intrusive inspections, or a credible threat of continued strikes.

‘If there’s an agreement, it must be based on verification — not trust,’ he said. ‘Anywhere, anytime inspections. But if they refuse, we can continue striking any new facility they build.’

As Israel and the U.S. prepare for potential cycles of response and counter-response, Kuperwasser believes the Israeli public is ready.

‘These are historic times,’ he said. ‘We understand the sacrifice — and we’re ready to see it through.’


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Roughly three-quarters of the nation’s health insurance providers signed a series of commitments this week in an effort to improve patient care by reducing bureaucratic hurdles caused by insurance companies’ prior-authorization requirements.

Director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz, alongside Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced the new voluntary pledge from a cadre of insurance providers, who cover roughly 75% of the population, during a press conference Monday. The new commitments are aimed at speeding up and reducing prior-authorization processes used by insurers, a process that has been long-maligned for unnecessarily delaying patient care and other bureaucratic hurdles negatively impacting patients.   

‘The pledge is not a mandate. It’s not a bill, a rule. This is not legislated. This is a opportunity for industry to show itself,’ Oz said Monday. ‘But by the fact that three-quarters of the patients in the country are already covered by participants in this pledge, it’s a good start and the response has been overwhelming.’

Prior-authorization is a process that requires providers to obtain approval from a patient’s insurance provider before that provider can offer certain treatments or services. Essentially, the process seeks to ensure patients are getting the right solution for a particular problem.

However, according to Oz, the process has led to doctors being forced to spend enormous amounts of man-power to satisfy prior-authorization requirements from insurers. He noted during Monday’s press conference that, on average, physicians have to spend 12 hours a week dealing with these requirements, which they see about 40 of per week. 

‘It frustrates doctors. It sometimes results in care that is significantly delayed. It erodes public trust in the healthcare system. It’s something we can’t tolerate,’ Oz insisted.

 

The pledge has been adopted by some of the nation’s largest insurance providers, including United Healthcare, Cigna, Humana, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Aetna and many more. While the industry-led commitments aim to improve care for patients, it could potentially eat into their profits as well if patients start seeking care more often.

The commitments from insurers cemented this week include taking active steps to implement a common standardized process for electronic prior-authorization through the development of standardized submission requirements to support faster turnaround time. The goal is for the new framework to be operational by Jan. 1, 2027.

Another part of the pledge includes a commitment from individual insurance plans to implement certain reductions in its use of medical prior-authorization by Jan. 1, 2026. On that date, if patients switch insurance providers during the course of treatment, their new plan must honor their existing prior-authorization approvals for 90-days while the patient transitions.

Transparency is also a key part of the new commitments from insurance providers. Health plans enjoined with the commitments will pledge to provide clear and easy-to-understand explanations of prior-authorization determinations, including guidance for appeals. The commitment also states that by 2027, 80% of electronic prior-authorization approvals from companies will be answered in real-time.   

Oz, during the Monday press conference, compared the industry-led pledge to the Bible, saying, ‘The meek shall inherit the earth.’

‘I always grew up thinking ‘meek’ meant weak, but that’s not what meek means. ‘Meek’ means you have a sharp sword, a sword that could do real damage to people around you, but you decide, electively, to sheathe that sword and put it away for a while, so you can do goods, so you can do important things where once in a while we have to get together, even if we’re competitors, and agree,’ Oz said Monday.

‘That’s what these insurance companies and hospital systems have done,’ he continued. ‘They have agreed to sheathe their swords to be meek for a while, to come up with a better solution to a problem that plagues us all.’


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A former Clinton-era National Security Council staffer broke with his party and heaped praise on President Donald Trump’s successful strikes on Iran over the weekend, while remarking former Vice President Kamala Harris would have likely lacked the ‘courage’ to execute such a mission if she were commander-in-chief. 

‘I am not a fan of many of Donald Trump‘s actions, but I will speak openly and honestly when he takes bold steps defending America’s interests, as he did tonight,’ Jamie Metzl, founder of the international social group One Shared World, posted to X on Saturday evening. 

Metzl served on former President Bill Clinton’s National Security Counci and was former President Joe Biden’s deputy staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and he heaped praise on Trump repeatedly on X over the weekend, while also taking a shot at Harris’ lack of ‘courage and fortitude.’ 

‘But I’m not a blind tribalist and am perfectly comfortable praising President Trump for bold and courageous actions in support of America’s core national interests, as he took last night,’ Metzl posted to X on Sunday morning. 

‘Although I believe electing Kamala Harris would have been better for our democracy, society, and economy, as well as for helping the most vulnerable people in the United States and around the world, I also believe VP Harris would not have had the courage or fortitude to take such an essential step as the president took last night,’ he added. 

Metzl continued in his X messages that ‘Iran has been at war with the United States for 46 years,’ and was aiming to build a nuclear weapon with the intention of wielding it over the U.S and its allies. 

‘Iran has been at war with the United States for 46 years. Its regime has murdered thousands of American citizens. Its slogan ‘death to America’ was not window dressing but core ideology. It was racing toward a nuclear weapon with every intention of using it to threaten America, our allies, and the Middle East region as a whole. No actions like this come without risks, and I imagine the story will get more complicated over time, but that’s why these types of decisions are complicated,’ he wrote. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Harris’ office regarding Metzl’s post, but did not immediately receive a reply.

Metzl’s comments are among a cacophony of Democratic elected officials and traditional anti-MAGA voices who have come out to praise Trump since the successful attack on Iran, dubbed ‘Operation Midnight Hammer.’ 

‘The destruction of Iran’s nuclear program is essential to ultimate peace in the Middle East. This is not a Democratic or Republican issue — dealing with the Iranian threat is central to America’s national security. The world is safer because of the actions of our brave service members. I’m praying for the safety of our service members in the region,’ New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer said in a statement over the weekend, for example.

‘As I’ve long maintained, this was the correct move by @POTUS,’ Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman wrote on X on Saturday. ‘Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and cannot have nuclear capabilities. I’m grateful for and salute the finest military in the world.’ 

While New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, a frequent Trump critic, wrote in an opinion piece that Trump made a ‘courageous and correct decision that deserves respect, no matter how one feels about this president,’ while fellow Times columnist David French also said it was the ‘right decision’ on social media. 

Other Democrats and frequent Trump critics, such as New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, have slammed Trump over the strikes, arguing they bypassed Congress.

Trump announced the Saturday evening strikes on Iran in a Truth Social post that was not preceded by media leaks or speculation that strikes were imminent. The unexpected social media post was followed just hours later by a brief Trump address to the nation while flanked by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. 

‘A short time ago, the U.S. military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan,’ Trump said from the White House late on Saturday in an address to the nation regarding the strikes. ‘Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success.’

The strikes ‘obliterated’ Iranian nuclear facilities and backed the nation into a corner to make a peace deal, Trump said. This mission was also celebrated by Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine as one that was cloaked in secrecy and intentionally deceptive to confuse the enemy. 

‘It involved misdirection and the highest of operational security. Our B-2s went in and out of… these nuclear sites, in and out and back, without the world knowing at all,’ Hegseth said. ‘In that way, it was historic.’

The operation included the longest B-2 spirit bomber mission since 2001, the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown and the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history, Hegseth and Caine said during the Sunday press conference. 

Operation Midnight Hammer followed Israel launching preemptive strikes on Iran on June 12 after months of attempted and stalled nuclear negotiations and subsequent heightened concern that Iran was advancing its nuclear program. Netanyahu declared soon afterward that the strikes were necessary to ‘roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.’

Fox News Digital’s Hannah Panreck contributed to this report.


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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is demanding President Donald Trump and his senior officials ‘justify’ the U.S. military’s recent strikes in Iran.

‘We’ve seen no evidence to date that an offensive strike of this nature was justified under the War Powers Act or the Constitution,’ Jeffries said. 

‘But the whole reason for the Trump administration to undertake that process is to come up to Capitol Hill and convince the American people and their elected representatives in the House and in the Senate. That hasn’t happened.’

Trump officials have maintained that the strike was in compliance with the War Powers Act, which requires the White House to notify Congress within 48 hours of a military action and blocks that operation from continuing for more than 60 days without approval from lawmakers.

Jeffries claimed he had not seen ‘a scintilla of evidence to date’ that shows ‘there was an imminent threat to the United States of America.’

‘If the administration has evidence to the contrary, come up to present it. We’re not hard to find. I’m not hiding,’ he said.

The House Democratic leader said he requested a briefing Tuesday for the Gang of Eight, the informal name for the top party and intelligence leaders in Congress.

Trump green-lit airstrikes on three of Tehran’s major nuclear sites over the weekend. The president said on Truth Social Monday that the areas hit were ‘completely destroyed.’

The move has sharply divided Democrats, with some pro-Israel moderates backing Trump’s move — while several progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., have called for the president’s impeachment over the operation.

Dozens of left-wing lawmakers have gotten behind a bipartisan war powers resolution by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., to limit Trump’s ability to strike Iran.

Meanwhile, Jeffries side-stepped multiple questions on those calls for impeachment during his press conference, instead reasserting his demand that Trump officials come before Congress.

‘A tool that’s on the table right now is to continue to demand that the administration present itself before the United States Congress and make the case to the American people as to why this extraordinary step has been taken. That’s step one,’ Jeffries said.

‘Step two is for the War Powers Resolution, whether that’s the one that has already been introduced or others that may subsequently be introduced, for those resolutions to be debated on the House floor, as should have occurred already. And then we’ll see where we’re at thereafter.’

Pressed again on whether he was taking calls for Trump’s impeachment seriously, Jeffries said, ‘This is a dangerous moment that we’re in, and we’ve got to get through what’s in front of us. And what’s in front of us right now is the Trump administration has a responsibility to come to Congress, justify actions for which we’ve seen no evidence to justify its offensive strength in Iran.’

When reached for comment on Jeffries’ demands for justification, the White House referred Fox News Digital to press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s comments on Fox News Monday morning.

‘The White House made calls to congressional leadership. They were bipartisan calls. In fact, Hakeem Jeffries couldn’t be reached. We tried him before the strike, and he didn’t pick up the phone, but he was briefed after, as well as [Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.], who was briefed prior to the strike,’ Leavitt said. 

‘We gave these calls as a courtesy, and the Democrats are lying about this, because they can’t talk about the truth of the success of that operation and the success of our United States military and the success of this president and this administration in doing something that past administrations — Democrats too — have only dreamed about.’


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Iran launched a retaliatory attack on Al-Udeid, the American airbase in Qatar on Monday, which President Donald Trump characterized as a ‘very weak response.’ 

‘Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered. There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

A U.S. defense official told Fox News Digital Iran had used short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles to attack Al-Udeid base, but no casualties had been reported. 

Iran has ‘gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE,’ Trump predicted, thanking Iran for giving the U.S. ‘early warning’ of the attack to minimize casualties. 

‘Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same. Thank you for your attention to this matter!’

Qatar’s foreign ministry called the attack ‘brazen aggression,’ but said it had successfully intercepted Iranian missiles. 

‘The State of Qatar strongly condemns the attack that targeted Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. We consider this a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar,’ spokesperson Majed Al Ansari posted on X. 

‘We reassure that Qatar’s air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles.’ 

After the strike, the U.S. embassy in Kuwait issued a security alert limiting base access to only essential personnel and the embassy in Bahrain shifted some of its employees to telework. 

Just before the attack, Iran’s President Mahmoud Pezeshkian issued a warning promising not to let Saturday’s strikes on its nuclear facilities go ‘unanswered.’ 

‘We neither initiated the war nor wanted it; but we will not leave the aggression against #GreaterIran unanswered. We will stand by the security of this #belovednation with all our being and respond to every wound on Iran’s body with faith, wisdom, and determination,’ he wrote on X. 

But Iran reportedly gave both U.S. and Qatari officials advanced notice of the attacks. It would be a strategy similar to the response to the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, where Iran needed to symbolically respond without escalating the conflict beyond what it could handle. 

A spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces said its Revolutionary Guard Corps carried out the attack: ‘We warn our enemies that the era of hit and run is over.’

Kuwait, Iraq, Bahrain and the UAE all closed their airspaces amidst the attack. 

The base is home to 10,000 American forces and is the U.S.’s largest military installation in the Middle East. Located southwest of Doha, it serves as a hub for logistical operations for the U.S. mission to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria. It also hosts Central Command’s (CENTCOM) Forward Headquarters, as well as its air forces and special operations in the region. It also has been used as a headquarters for British involvement in airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq.

President Donald Trump visited Al Udeid last month on May 15, where he inked a $1 billion military sales agreement with Doha. 

Qatar has walked a tight line between friendly relations with the U.S., through efforts to expand the base, and with Iran. Prior to the attack, Qatar suspended all flights and promised to ‘take all necessary preventive measures.’ 

The attack was not entirely unexpected – satellite images showed the U.S. moved most of its unhangered aircraft out of Al Udeid last week. 

Several explosions heard over Qatar capital, Doha: witness

Iran vowed to retaliate against the U.S. after American B-2 bombers dropped 14 bunker buster bombs on three Iranian nuclear sites. 

‘The criminal US must know that in addition to punishing its illegitimate and aggressive offspring, the hands of Islam’s fighters within the armed forces have been freed to take any action against its interests and military, and we will never back down in this regard,’ Abdolrahim Mousavi, the new chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, warned in a statement. 

But Trump warned Iran after Saturday’s strikes on its nuclear hubs: ‘Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight.’

The air base also hosts an array of military assets: B-52 strategic bombers, C-17 Globemaster transports and RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft, in addition to 379th Air Expeditionary Wing’s airlift, aerial refueling, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. 

Fox News’ Thomas Ferraro and Liz Friden contributed to this report. 


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A moderate House Democrat is offering rare praise for President Donald Trump after his precision strikes on Iran over the weekend.

‘Iran is governed by a regime that is hostile to the United States and allied with others that seek the destruction of America. They sponsor terrorist organizations that have killed American troops and citizens and are a source of chaos and bloodshed in the region,’ Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, said in a statement Monday.

‘Based on what I know so far, I believe the president was right to launch limited strikes to deter that outcome.’

He cited the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) assessing that Iran was close to a nuclear weapon.

‘It is important now that the country learns what information helped inform the president’s decision and the timing of these strikes, and that we learn more about whether we were successful in destroying Iran’s nuclear program,’ Golden said.

‘But what matters most now is what happens next: Just today, Iran launched missiles at American bases in Iraq and Qatar. The top priority for the president and his administration, as well as for Congress, must be to use every tool at our disposal to defend Americans and deter further escalation by Tehran.’

Golden said he also looked forward to the House of Representatives’ expected briefing on the situation in Iran. 

The House-wide briefing is expected to occur at 3 p.m. Tuesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Monday.

The Democratic response in Washington to Trump’s strikes has been largely negative, save for a handful of pro-Israel lawmakers, including Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa.

Golden has been known to break from his own party on issues like trade, border security and national security, among other issues.

Golden won his seat in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District by less than 1% in 2024, while Trump carried the district by 10%.

When reached for comment on his statement, the White House pointed Fox News Digital to Trump’s recent Truth Social post on Iran’s attack on Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which houses U.S. troops.

‘Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered. There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done,’ Trump said.

‘Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same.’


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Investor Insight

With a disciplined exploration strategy and a high-grade discovery focus, FinEx Metals is poised to become one of the most compelling new gold exploration companies in Europe. The company is led by a technically experienced and locally embedded team, backed by a tight share structure and strategic investor alignment.

Overview

FinEx Metals (TSXV:FINX) is an exploration-stage company focused on discovering Finland’s next high-grade gold deposit. Backed by NewQuest Capital Group, FinEx is strategically positioned near Europe’s largest gold mine, the Agnico Eagle’s Kittilä Mine, and sits within one of the most prospective but underexplored terrains globally – the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt.

FinEx has defined a 2.7-kilometer-long anomalous gold zone through a combination of trenching, rock sampling, and top-of-bedrock (ToB) drilling. The ToB campaign yielded 29 samples with assays ranging from 0.1 to 4.2 grams per ton (g/t) gold and revealed broad pathfinder anomalies in tellurium, bismuth, silver and arsenic, highlighting a robust geochemical footprint consistent with orogenic gold systems.

Additionally, 263 grab samples were collected from trench exposures, 52 of which returned values above 1 g/t gold, including 19 samples exceeding 10 g/t gold. The highest grade recorded to date is 95.1 g/t gold from a quartz-carbonate vein system, located within a zone extending over 250 meters. Ruoppa is fully permitted and drill-ready, with the maiden core drilling campaign scheduled to begin in August 2025. With an experienced local team, high-grade mineralization and proximity to active operations, FinEx offers a unique opportunity to invest in an early-stage gold explorer positioned for rapid value creation.

Company Highlights

  • High-grade Gold Focus in a Tier-one Address: Flagship Ruoppa project lies within 17 km of Agnico Eagle’s Kittilä Mine, the largest gold-producing mine in Europe.
  • Large, 100 percent Owned Land Package: FinEx controls a 100 percent owned, royalty-free portfolio of projects across the Central and Eastern Lapland greenstone belts.
  • Drill-ready Flagship Asset: The Ruoppa project is fully permitted and will commence its maiden diamond drill program in Q3 2025.
  • Exceptional Gold Grades: Rock grab samples from Ruoppa returned up to 95.1 g/t gold, with 52 samples over 1 g/t gold and 19 samples exceeding 10 g/t gold.
  • Strong Local Technical Team: Deep exploration experience in Finland with former Agnico Eagle, FQM and Anglo-American personnel leading geological efforts.

Flagship Project

Ruoppa Gold Project

The Ruoppa project is FinEx Metals’ flagship exploration asset, situated approximately 17 kilometers from Agnico Eagle’s Kittilä Mine, the largest primary gold producer in Europe. Located within Finland’s Central Lapland Greenstone Belt (CLGB), Ruoppa lies on the same structural and geological trend that hosts other major gold systems like Rupert Resources’ Ikkari discovery. The project is fully permitted and drill-ready, with a maiden diamond drill program scheduled to commence in Q3 2025.

The anomalous gold zone identified at Ruoppa extends over 2.7 kilometers and remains open in all directions. Ten trenches totaling 641 meters have been excavated across the highest-priority geophysical and geochemical anomalies, confirming both the lateral continuity and high-grade potential of the gold-bearing structures. This robust dataset has defined a compelling sulphide-rich gold target at depth, which will be tested during the upcoming diamond drill program.

Notably, the project will see its first-ever diamond drilling in Q3 2025. Ruoppa benefits from excellent access to infrastructure, including all-season roads, grid power and 5G connectivity.

Over the past four years, FinEx has conducted extensive early-stage exploration, including ToB drilling, trenching and rock sampling. A total of 263 rock grab samples have been collected from trench exposures, with 52 samples returning assays greater than 1 g/t gold and 19 samples exceeding 10 g/t gold. The highest recorded sample yielded 95.1 g/t gold, hosted in quartz-carbonate vein systems. ToB drilling, an efficient shallow drilling method ideal for glacially covered terrains, revealed additional gold potential with assays up to 4.2 g/t gold and strong pathfinder element anomalies in tellurium, bismuth, silver and arsenic.

Additional Projects

Luova Gold Project

The Luova project is located within the thickest core portion of the CLGB, less than 10 kilometers from the Kittilä Mine and adjacent to key exploration prospects such as Hanhimaa and Hakokodanmaa. This underexplored project shows all the hallmarks of a classic orogenic gold system, including thick sequences of Fe-tholeiitic basalts, large-scale shear zones acting as fluid conduits, and favorable trap rocks such as graphitic tuffs and banded iron formations.

Historical base-of-till sampling conducted by Outokumpu and Agnico Eagle revealed anomalous gold and copper values, including results up to 0.38 g/t gold and 0.49 percent copper. Despite these encouraging results, the Luova project remains undrilled, representing a significant near-surface gold discovery opportunity. Ionic leach soil samples and detailed magnetic surveys are planned to refine drill targets, with a focus on zones where interpreted thrust faults intersect favorable host rocks.

Kero Gold Project

The Kero project, explored in the early 2000s by the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK), is another advanced gold target in FinEx’s portfolio. GTK completed an extensive dataset that includes 7.7 kilometers of diamond drilling, trenching, bedrock mapping and multiple geophysical surveys (including IP, VLF-R and ground magnetics). Historic drill intercepts at Kero include 1.05 meters at 12.6 g/t gold and 3.3 meters at 2.3 g/t gold, while surface grab samples returned up to 25.6 g/t gold from carbonate-sulphide veins.

The gold mineralization is associated with hydrothermal alteration and complex structural settings, including fold hinges and lithological contacts. A 1.2-kilometer-long gold anomaly has been defined, and the structural complexity – characterized by multiple deformation orientations – indicates strong potential for structurally controlled high-grade zones. Kero is accessible year-round via gravel roads and is a strong candidate for follow-up trenching and re-logging of the historical core.

Tulppio Ni-PGE Project

Located in the Eastern Lapland Granite-Greenstone Belt, the Tulppio project represents FinEx’s entry into critical mineral exploration, specifically targeting nickel sulphides and platinum group elements (PGE). The project is positioned adjacent to the Sokli project, a world-class phosphate, iron and REE deposit operated by Finnish Minerals Group. Tulppio contains a large (5 km x 2 km) ultramafic intrusive complex, with a gravity signature suggesting the body extends to 2 kilometers in depth.

Historic shallow drilling (less than 100 meters depth) has already intercepted 3 meters at 1.12 g/t platinum+palladium and 0.49 percent nickel (including 1.5 meters at 1.54 g/t platinum+palladium), and 24 meters at 0.33 percent nickel with sulfur content up to 4,600 ppm. Ionic leach soil sampling across the project has identified multiple significant nickel-cobalt-copper-palladium-gold anomalies, underscoring the project’s polymetallic potential. According to the Geological Survey of Finland (2010), Tulppio’s PGE and nickel potential should be factored into future development of the Sokli region.

Ukko Gold-Copper Project

The Ukko project targets orogenic and potentially metamorphosed epithermal gold systems in an Archean greenstone setting. The geology comprises komatiites, mafic volcanics, massive sulphide lenses and mica schists – favorable hosts for both gold and base metal mineralization. Historical drilling by Outokumpu in 1985 intersected 2.05 meters at 2.25 g/t gold. Recent soil sampling has revealed a new gold-copper anomaly in the southeastern portion of the property, coinciding with high magnetic and conductive geophysical zones. Further geochemical and IP surveys are planned to constrain the structure and assess the potential for deeper epithermal or orogenic systems.

Management Team

Tero Kosonen – Chairman and CEO

A seasoned venture capitalist and natural resources investor, Tero Kosonen brings more than 30 years of experience in private equity and management. As co-founder of NewQuest Capital, he has led numerous early-stage ventures across energy and mining. He provides strategic leadership and capital markets expertise to FinEx.

Dr. Petri Peltonen – Chief Geologist

A globally respected exploration geologist with over 30 years of experience in gold, nickel and iron ore exploration, Dr. Petri Peltonen is the former exploration manager – Europe for FQM. He is an Associated Professor at the University of Helsinki. Peltonen ensures technical rigour and exploration success at FinEx.

Sandra Wong – CFO

With over 20 years in financial leadership roles across publicly listed companies, Sandra Wong brings deep experience in accounting, compliance and governance – critical for a newly listed entity with aggressive exploration goals.

Eetu Jokela – Project Manager

A local geologist with direct exploration experience with Agnico Eagle, Eetu Jokela is responsible for day-to-day field operations and geological planning, combining practical know-how with deep regional knowledge.

Olli Silvonen – Exploration Geologist

Experienced in regional greenfields exploration, Olli Silvonen supports mapping, sampling and trenching programs with a strong focus on gold and nickel-copper-PGE systems within the CLGB.

Jukka Jokela – Senior Advisor

The former CEO of Anglo American Sakatti Mining, Jukka Jokela offers more than 35 years of exploration and ESG leadership in the Nordic region, adding valuable permitting and stakeholder engagement capacity.

Dr. Pasi Eilu – Senior Advisor

With 40 years in academic and field exploration, Dr. Pasi Eilu is a recognized expert on greenstone-hosted gold and critical minerals in Finland. His work has shaped much of the geological understanding in Lapland.

Phil Smerchanski – Senior Technical Advisor

Phil Smerchanski brings more than two decades of experience in nickel and gold systems. A former senior technical lead at Oxygen Capital and Anglo American, he provides technical guidance across project pipeline development.

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President Donald Trump took a swipe at former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for suggesting that other countries would step in to supply Iran with nuclear warheads in retaliation for the U.S. strikes on Saturday that targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities. 

‘Did I hear Former President Medvedev, from Russia, casually throwing around the ‘N word’ (Nuclear!), and saying that he and other Countries would supply Nuclear Warheads to Iran? Did he really say that or, is it just a figment of my imagination? If he did say that, and, if confirmed, please let me know, IMMEDIATELY. The ‘N word’ should not be treated so casually. I guess that’s why Putin’s ‘THE BOSS,’’ Trump said in a Truth Social Post on Monday. 

Trump’s comments came after Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, said that Iran would continue to advance its nuclear program and would receive assistance from other nations to do so. 

‘The enrichment of nuclear material — and, now we can say it outright, the future production of nuclear weapons — will continue,’ Medvedev said in a Sunday X post. 

‘A number of countries are ready to directly supply Iran with their own nuclear warheads,’ Medvedev said.

He did not specify which countries could be involved in providing Iran with nuclear capabilities, but Russia historically has supported Iran’s nuclear program. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin also offered to broker peace talks between Iran and Israel. 

Likewise, Moscow has also offered to intervene and help negotiate a nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran. 

Moscow was involved in the 2015 Iran deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The agreement lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear program, but Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018.

On Saturday, the U.S. launched strikes late Saturday targeting key Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. The mission involved more than 125 U.S. aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers, according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. 

Trump also touted the success of a guided-missile nuclear submarine involved in the strikes, which launched more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at key Iranian targets. 

‘By the way, if anyone thinks our ‘hardware’ was great over the weekend, far and away the strongest and best equipment we have, 20 years advanced over the pack, is our Nuclear Submarines,’ Trump said Monday in the Truth Social post. ‘They are the most powerful and lethal weapons ever built, and just launched the 30 Tomahawks — All 30 hit their mark perfectly. So, in addition to our Great Fighter Pilots, thank you to the Captain and Crew!’


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