The Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday’s events as they happen.
Trump formally nominates Mike Huckabee as next US ambassador to Israel
US President Donald Trump has formally submitted his nomination of Mike Huckabee to become the next US ambassador to Israel.
Huckabee’s is one of several dozen nominations Trump has submitted to the Senate this evening.
Confirmation hearings are expected to span the coming weeks and months.
US State Department confirms Rubio to visit Israel during upcoming trip abroad
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Europe and the Middle East from February 13 to 18, the State Department says.
Rubio will make stops in Germany, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, it adds.
.@SecRubio will travel to Germany to participate in the Munich Security Conference and the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting on February 13. He will then travel to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates from February 15-18 to meet with senior officials on freeing the…
— Tammy Bruce (@statedeptspox) February 13, 2025
A statement from the State Department says Rubio’s tour of the Middle East “will promote US interests in advancing regional cooperation, stability, and peace.”
“The trip will center on freeing American and all other hostages from Hamas captivity, advancing to Phase II of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, and countering the destabilizing activities of the Iranian regime and its proxies,” says the statement.
White House showers praise on Jordanian king after tense meeting with Trump
The White House is working overtime to hype up Jordan’s King Abdullah after hosting him Tuesday for what at times appeared to be an uncomfortable meeting, during which Trump stood by his plan to permanently relocate Palestinians outside of Gaza in countries such as Jordan.
The White House releases a video Wednesday afternoon of Trump hailing the Jordanian people and their leader.
“You are very, very fantastic people with tremendous brilliance and energy… you have a king who is a tremendous man,” Trump says while sitting at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.
“You are lucky to have him. You’re going to have a great life. You have a great king,” Trump adds.
President Trump’s Message to the People of Jordan:
“You are very, very fantastic people with tremendous brilliance and energy… you have a King who is a tremendous man… @KingAbdullahII is one of the true great leaders of the world.” ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/eKjTU4sqTw
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 12, 2025
Earlier Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt closed her press conference by sharing what she said was a message from Trump, stressing that Abdullah during their meeting on Tuesday reiterated his stance in favor of allowing Palestinians to remain in Gaza while it’s rebuilt. Leavitt noted that Trump thinks relocating Gazans elsewhere would be “more majestic” but that Washington is working with its Arab allies to advance a solution that will bring peace to the region.
The idea of taking in Palestinians is highly unpopular in Jordan and Amman has warned that it would likely destabilize the kingdom, which has been a reliable US regional partner for the past several decades.
WSJ: US intel analysis says Israel weighing strikes on Iran nuclear sites this year
An intelligence analysis produced during US president Joe Biden’s final month in office concluded that Israel is weighing major strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities this year, with Jerusalem seeking to press its advantage against Tehran after the latter’s recent setbacks, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Citing officials familiar with the analysis, the newspaper says US intelligence agencies produced another report in the initial days of the Trump administration that reached the same conclusion.
Two of the US officials say that the analysis also concluded that Israel believes US President Donald Trump is more likely than Biden to join in such strikes — which according to American military officials would likely require US support and armaments — and fears it has a narrowing window to prevent Iran’s development of an atomic bomb.