Mike Baker

appear weak and undermine America's leverage at the negotiating table.

Yes, that is exactly how the Iranian regime would have interpreted a lack of response.

Well done.

As a result, Trump authorized what the Pentagon described as a proportional military response targeting Iranian radar sites, drone control facilities and air defense systems near the strait.

Yet even as missiles and bombs were flying, diplomacy never fully stopped, supposedly.

Qatari mediators continued shuttling between the two sides as U.S.

and Iranian officials maintained indirect contacts.

White House officials publicly insisted that negotiations remained alive.

Hope's a marvelous thing.

In a sense, at least according to the White House narrative, the military strikes following the helicopter downing were intended to punish Iran, but also intended to send a message.

According to Axios, U.S.

officials viewed the operation

as a way to restore leverage and demonstrate that continued delays could carry consequences.

And those consequences are now playing out in yet another round of targeted strikes.

All right, coming up next, another senior Russian military official is killed in a car bombing outside of Moscow.

And Pakistan launches fresh airstrikes inside Afghanistan.

I'll be right back.

Hey, Mike Baker here.

Now, let me give you a pro tip about Father's Day.

It's coming up.