CNN Inside Politics

Intense escalation in the Middle East as Israel targets Iran's oil sites amidst President Trump's demands for surrender. Get insights into the unfolding geopolitical crisis and what it means for global politics.
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As day six of the Mideast war dawned, the US and Israel continued to pound targets in Iran, which is launching fresh strikes of its own against US allies in the region. We're also seeing more evacuation flights from the middle east; the State Department says 20,000 people have returned to the US since the war began. Meanwhile, President Trump is now demanding that he's personally involved in selecting Iran's next leader. 
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Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine says the US will start striking deeper into Iranian territory, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insists the US is "dominating" the war but says there's no finish line in sight. 

Our coverage begins with CNN's Clarissa Ward live from Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region. 

 
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Today's show begins immediately following President Trump's meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, during which Trump said he "might have forced" Israel's hand to strike Iran. That contradicts Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who earlier it was Israel's decision to attack that prompted Trump's military action. 

 
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Two presidents, countless mentions in the Epstein files. But only one is getting deposed under oath. That would be Bill Clinton, no stranger to Republican-led investigations. One day after his wife Hillary testified, it's his turn to answer questions from the House Oversight Committee about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. 

 
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