IDF Strikes Heavy Water Reactor at Arak & Khondab + Iranian Missile Hits Hospital in Beersheba + US Moving Ships and Planes from Vulnerable Sites

For review:

1. Iran has appointed a new chief of intelligence at its Revolutionary Guards on Thursday, the official Irna news agency says, after his predecessor was killed in an Israeli strike last week.

2. IDF Strikes Heavy Water Reactor at Arak & Khondab.

3. The IAEA confirmed Thursday that IDF strikes had hit Iran’s partially built Khondab Heavy Water Research Reactor and damaged the nearby plant

“IAEA has information the Khondab (former Arak) heavy water research reactor, under construction, was hit. It was not operational and contained no nuclear material, so no radiological effects."

4. Iranian Missile Hits Hospital in Beersheba.

5. Iranian missile barrage on Thursday contained cluster-bomb warhead. 

The IDF Home Front Command said the missile’s warhead split while descending, at an altitude of around 7 kilometers (4.3 miles), spreading around 20 smaller munitions at a radius of around 8 kilometers (5 miles).

6. Missile strike on Beersheba Hospital raises temperature on regime-change questions.

7. White House Statement (from President Trump): “Based on the fact that there is a chance for substantial negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future — I will make my decision on whether or not to go within the next two weeks.” 

8. US Moving Ships and Planes from Vulnerable Sites.

9. Iran could shut the Strait of Hormuz as a way of hitting back against its enemies, a senior Iranian lawmaker said on Thursday. 

The Strait of Hormuz lies between Oman and Iran and is the primary export route for Gulf producers such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait.

About 20 percent of the world’s daily oil consumption — around 18 million barrels — passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which is only about 33 kilometers (21 miles) wide at its narrowest point.