{"id":64627,"date":"2026-07-11T14:38:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T18:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-ambassador-warns-of-iranian-threats-as-venezuela-earthquake-toll-surpasses-4300\/64627\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T14:38:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T18:38:12","slug":"us-ambassador-warns-of-iranian-threats-as-venezuela-earthquake-toll-surpasses-4300","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-ambassador-warns-of-iranian-threats-as-venezuela-earthquake-toll-surpasses-4300\/64627\/","title":{"rendered":"US Ambassador Warns of Iranian Threats as Venezuela Earthquake Toll Surpasses 4,300"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew<\/strong> confirmed that Israel has provided intelligence regarding a <strong>new Iranian plot to assassinate President Donald Trump<\/strong>, escalating regional tensions.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>death toll from Venezuela&#39;s catastrophic June 24 earthquakes<\/strong> has officially risen to <strong>4,333<\/strong>, with over <strong>16,740 injured<\/strong> and thousands still displaced.<\/li>\n<li>Ambassador Lew dismissed the existence of a <strong>&quot;moderate wing&quot; in Iran<\/strong>, stating that Tehran&#39;s aggressive behavior remains unchanged despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Israeli Defense Forces (IDF)<\/strong> targeted a fortified <strong>Hezbollah<\/strong> building in the southern Lebanon &quot;security zone,&quot; even as U.S. delegations arrive in Beirut to discuss a phased Israeli withdrawal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hezbollah<\/strong> has been designated a &quot;common enemy&quot; for both Lebanon and Israel by U.S. officials, complicating the implementation of a June 26 framework agreement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <strong>U.S. Ambassador to Israel<\/strong> issued a series of stern warnings on Saturday, highlighting an increasingly volatile security landscape in the Middle East. Most notably, the Ambassador confirmed that <strong>Israeli intelligence<\/strong> recently uncovered an <strong>Iranian plot<\/strong> targeting <strong>President Donald Trump<\/strong>. This revelation comes as Tehran continues to vow revenge for the 2020 assassination of Qassem Soleimani, further straining the fragile June memorandum of understanding intended to de-escalate the conflict.<\/p>\n<p>Ambassador Lew also addressed the internal political dynamics of the Islamic Republic, asserting that the U.S. sees <strong>no real evidence<\/strong> of a moderate faction within the Iranian government. He emphasized that <strong>Iran&#39;s threats<\/strong> are not a new development and that its destabilizing behavior across the region has shown no signs of moderation. These comments underscore a hardening U.S. stance as negotiators from both nations attempt to navigate nuclear and regional security issues in Switzerland.<\/p>\n<p>In Lebanon, the security situation remains precarious as the <strong>Israeli Army<\/strong> confirmed it targeted a building fortified with <strong>Hezbollah<\/strong> elements within its declared security zone. The strike occurred as a <strong>U.S. military delegation<\/strong> arrived in Beirut to coordinate a &quot;pilot zone&quot; withdrawal plan. Under a framework agreement signed on June 26, Israel is expected to gradually cede territory to the <strong>Lebanese Army<\/strong>, provided that armed groups like Hezbollah are disarmed\u2014a condition the militant group has so far rejected.<\/p>\n<p>The humanitarian crisis in <strong>Venezuela<\/strong> has reached a grim new milestone following the twin earthquakes that struck on June 24. National Assembly President <strong>Jorge Rodriguez<\/strong> announced on Saturday that the confirmed death toll has reached <strong>4,333<\/strong>, an increase from the previous day&#39;s count. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 shocks have left approximately <strong>17,000 people homeless<\/strong>, with recovery costs estimated by the United Nations to exceed <strong>$37 billion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>As regional powers prepare for a new round of negotiations in Rome next week, the U.S. continues to frame <strong>Hezbollah<\/strong> as a primary obstacle to Lebanese sovereignty. Ambassador Lew described the group as a &quot;common enemy&quot; for both <strong>Lebanon<\/strong> and <strong>Israel<\/strong>, signaling that any lasting peace will require the group&#39;s removal from the border regions. Meanwhile, the international community remains focused on the massive relief effort in Venezuela, where thousands of volunteers are still working to provide medical care and food to survivors in makeshift camps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew confirmed that Israel has provided intelligence regarding a new Iranian plot to 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