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Trump Bombs Iran, Then Calls for Peace

President Donald Trump ran on the boast that he would be the Middle East’s “peacemaker and unifier.” Yet late Saturday, he greenlit Operation Midnight Hammer, sending seven B-2 Spirit bombers and more than 75 precision weapons against Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan enrichment complexes—the first direct US strikes on Iranian soil in nearly half a century.

“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped … Now is the time for peace,” he posted on Truth Social once the last aircraft cleared Iranian airspace, framing devastation as a prelude to diplomacy.

You can read more on the matter here.

What’s going on?

• Niger Seizes Uranium Mine From French Nuclear Giant Orano (theDeepDive)

• Canada deploys ‘crisis emergency response’ as Iran-Israel strikes continue (Global)

• China Slams US As Iran Attacks Threaten Beijing’s $400 Billion Oil Pact With Tehran (theDeepDive)

• Iran launches missile attack on U.S. base in Qatar (Globe)

• NATO Agrees to 5% Defense Spending Target Ahead of Summit (theDeepDive)

• Donald Trump calls for immediate boost in US oil production (FT)

• Where Will Canada Side on the Iran-Israel War? (theDeepDive)

• US State Budget Wounds Intensify From Trump, DOGE Policy Shifts (Bloomberg)

• Tax Cut Savings Fall Short of Liberal Promise, PBO Analysis Shows (theDeepDive)

• New York to Build One of First U.S. Nuclear-Power Plants in Generation (WSJ)

• Are Russia and Iran Using Social Media Bots to Divide Trump’s MAGA Base? (theDeepDive)

• Germany and Italy pressed to bring $245bn of gold home from US (FT)

• Don Davies Introduces Bill Mandating 100% Renewable Electricity by 2030 (theDeepDive)

• May home sales increase very slightly, but prices hit another record high (CNBC)

What’s the latest?

• Hudson’s Bay: B.C. billionaire Ruby Liu secured court approval to acquire three Hudson’s Bay leases for $6 million as part of her plan to launch a modern department store chain named after herself. She’s invested over $9 million in deposits toward 28 leases, aiming to spend $30 million renovating just the first three. However, landlords of 25 additional locations she wants are opposing her entry, citing a lack of transparency. Despite setbacks, Liu remains committed to her vision of reimagining retail, while Hudson’s Bay’s name and trademarks have been sold to Canadian Tire for $30 million.

• Crypto: Fiserv announced it will launch a stablecoin, FIUSD, by year-end, aiming to integrate it into its banking and payments infrastructure. The move follows Senate approval of the GENIUS Act, a key stablecoin bill that may reshape crypto regulation. FIUSD will use infrastructure from Paxos and Circle, and Fiserv will partner with PayPal to ensure interoperability between their stablecoins. Analysts view the launch as a strategic move to modernize payments and bridge traditional finance with crypto.

• Barrick Mining: Malian tax officials reopened Barrick Mining’s Bamako office under a court-appointed administrator, escalating a tax and ownership dispute. A Malian court recently placed the Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex under state control, naming ex-health minister Soumana Makadji as administrator. Barrick plans to appeal the ruling. Operations at the site have been suspended since January after the government blocked gold exports and seized stockpiles amid stalled talks over a new mining code.

• AI: The U.S. government alleges that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is aiding China’s military and intelligence agencies, and has tried to bypass export controls using Southeast Asian shell companies to access Nvidia's restricted AI chips. The U.S. says DeepSeek shares user data with Beijing and is referenced in over 150 Chinese military procurement documents. Though not yet sanctioned, DeepSeek’s access to banned Nvidia H100 chips and its role in China’s AI rise are under scrutiny. U.S. officials view the company’s claims of rapid success as likely dependent on U.S. technology and questionable methods.

• Mining: First Quantum Minerals has temporarily halted operations at its Sentinel copper mine in Zambia following a fatal dump truck accident. The Canadian company reported that this marks the fifth death at its Zambian operations since 2023, and the third at Sentinel. Authorities have been notified, and an internal investigation is underway. Operations will resume once safety is ensured.

Nevada North PEA

The stock market and stuff

• Torex Gold To Acquire Reyna Silver For US$26 Million In Cash (theDeepDive)

• Trump Media approves $400 million stock buyback (CNBC)

• Tron’s Reverse-Merger Sprint To NASDAQ Puts Eric Trump On Board As SEC Oversight Looms (theDeepDive)

• Westgold Defines 2.3 Million Ounce Initial Resource For Fletcher Zone At Beta Hunt (theDeepDive)

In the juniors

• Anfield Energy Sees UEC Increase Ownership Stake To 32.4% (theDeepDive)

• Goliath Resources Assays 6.31 g/t Gold Equivalent Over 14.35 Metres In Relogged Core, Expands Relogging Program (theDeepDive)

• Antimony Resources Comes To The Fore With Assays Imminent (theDeepDive)

FULL DISCLOSURE: PTX Metals is a client of Canacom Group, the parent company of The Deep Dive. Canacom Group is currently long the equity of PTX Metals. The author has been compensated to cover PTX Metals on The Deep Dive, with The Deep Dive having full editorial control. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. We may buy or sell securities in the company at any time. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security.