More info that raises questions about the manner of Shoshana’s death, including a report of someone who saw her and says she wasn’t suicidal and a post from her relating to another abuse survivor’s words that said, “If they tell you I committed suicide - don't believe it.”
(Via ireallyhateyou on X)
The Iran War features tactical successes for the US but is, overall, a strategic failure because it was initiated based on a strategy within which profound miscalculations were integrated.
Blinded by its tactical successes, the US is likely to proceed under the sunk cost fallacy.
Donald Trump letting you know how the authoritarian capture of the media is going, in case you missed it. Unlike other authoritarians in places like Hungary and Poland he has no worries about advertising his authoritarian take over of the media.
Americans are not prepared to handle a constant flow of images like this of young people who died in service of a war that the majority of the US public does not support.
L: Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons
R: Major John “Alex” Klinner
US oil companies stand to receive a windfall of more than $60bn this year if crude prices maintain the levels they have hit since the start of the Iran war. as.ft.com/r/21e4cec8-6...
Trump could have declared victory for the US after the decapitation strike on Iran and withdrawn.
Instead, he appears to be taking his cues from Netanyahu (also via Kushner’s influence) and pursuing Israel’s goal of a protracted conflict designed to destroy Iran as a state.
And Americans will die.
US-Israeli forces have struck 32 ambulances and 120 schools in Iran, according to the Iranian government via Reuters:
Lebanese health officials say that 31 health workers have been killed by Israeli strikes. Israel claimed, without evidence, that Hezbollah has been using ambulances and medical facilities.
It’s the Gaza playbook all over again.
Gift link:
![Controversies
In April 2025, one of Strook's daughters, Shoshana, filed a police complaint in Italy, accusing both of her parents and a brother of sexually abusing her when she was a child. [5] Later, she returned to Israel, and also filed a complaint with Israeli Police.
The investigation by Lahav 433 Anti-Corruption Unit was subject to a gag order, and therefore, Israeli news outlets were prohibited from publishing further details or even mentioning that the charges are against Minister Strook [61 Shoshana Strook alleged that both parents filmed what she called "sexual rituals", exploiting her and offering the videos as child pornography.71](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gvda6fem6r7selm4gzjjww4a/bafkreidftt4hdx53earjyv46ckt7u2dp45h25bsarrye54iwyelobdvetu)
![In 2007, Strook's son Zviki Strook was convicted of kidnapping and torturing a Palestinian boy, who was found hours later, naked, handcuffed, unconscious and wounded with severe injuries after the attack in a field. Zviki Strook was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Despite the conviction, Orit Strook defended her son, and in response to the ruling, she stated that, "Unlike the Court, who preferred to believe the Arab witnesses, we are sure of Zvi's innocence, and are hurting from the success of his haters and would assist him to deal with the difficult sentence imposed on him". [21[31[4]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gvda6fem6r7selm4gzjjww4a/bafkreibspvg222srl3dwq3w62o6nza7j7i3kyn4otnbdzk2bd3luqoyyye)
Shoshana’s mother, Orit Strook, is the Israeli Minister of Settlements.
(As best I can tell, the family’s last name in English is spelled variously Strock and Strook.)
She has eleven children.
One of her sons was convicted in Israel of kidnapping and torturing a Palestinian boy.
There is minimal reporting about Shoshana Strock and her allegations in US media, and there is apparently a gag order in effect among Israeli media (although there was some limited reporting in Hebrew from before the story was censored).
Below is some of Shoshana Strock’s public video testimony.
This is one of the reports of her death on X, from an account based in Israel that has previously been a reliable source on her story:
Shoshana Strock is the daughter of the Minister of Settlements in Israel.
She came forward with allegations of horrific childhood sexual abuse at the hands of her parents, an influential rabbi, and others and pleaded publicly for protection.
She has reportedly been found dead, possibly by suicide.
US-Israeli forces have struck 32 ambulances and 120 schools in Iran, according to the Iranian government via Reuters:
Lebanese health officials say that 31 health workers have been killed by Israeli strikes. Israel claimed, without evidence, that Hezbollah has been using ambulances and medical facilities.
It’s the Gaza playbook all over again.
Gift link:
I wrote about this earlier in the week. (I’ll post my writing below.)
The only way for the US to win this game was not to play, which is why no previous US admin has attacked Iran despite pressure from Israel and its proxies for years to do so.
@chrismurphyct.bsky.social’s thread is worth reading:
“Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die. And it is youth who must inherit the tribulation, the sorrow, and the triumphs that are the aftermath of war.”
- Herbert Hoover
Americans are not prepared to handle a constant flow of images like this of young people who died in service of a war that the majority of the US public does not support.
L: Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons
R: Major John “Alex” Klinner
Major Alex Klinner has been named by his family as the 2nd of 6 US service members killed in Thursday’s refueling operation to support the US war against Iran. He leaves behind a wife and three children. (Photos from GoFundMe set up to support the family www.gofundme.com/f/major-alex...)
One of the 6 servicemembers killed in the refueling accident Thursday has been identified by his family: Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base.
His family spoke to WSYX in Ohio:
abc6onyourside.com/news/local/f...
Happy Caturday
⚠️ Netanyahu seeks talks with Zelensky on Iranian drones
(www.ynetnews.com/article/trdj...)
NOW Trump decides the US needs allies other than Israel:
“This should have always been a team effort”
Too bad he burned so many bridges.
Among other things, the impact of gutting the State Department is on stark display.
Here’s my analysis from earlier this week:
I wrote about this earlier in the week. (I’ll post my writing below.)
The only way for the US to win this game was not to play, which is why no previous US admin has attacked Iran despite pressure from Israel and its proxies for years to do so.
@chrismurphyct.bsky.social’s thread is worth reading:
Strangely, this notice on the USEmbBaghdad account was posted only in Arabic.
The language posted on the TravelGov account emphasizes the travel advisory rather than the directive to leave immediately, although it links to the same web page.
And the StateDept account hasn’t posted about it at all.
NOW Trump decides the US needs allies other than Israel:
“This should have always been a team effort”
Too bad he burned so many bridges.
Former head of Israel Defense Intelligence sees what is happening as a victory for Israel and says:
“Israel needs more time”
To be clear:
Trump should not have dragged the US into war with Iran or ordered the decapitation strike at all.
But he had an early off-ramp he did not choose to take.
The path he is pursuing now will endanger Americans and US interests for decades to come and is more aligned with Israel’s goals.
