(DCNF)—Retired Army Gen. Jack Keane appeared on Fox News Friday to discuss ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran following Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes.
Israeli forces launched strikes against Iran Thursday, targeting top Iranian officials, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders and nuclear scientists as well as Iranian nuclear sites. During an appearance on “The Story With Martha MacCallum,” Keane discussed the missile attacks launched by Iran in retaliation for Israel’s strikes. Iran’s first wave involved about 100 ballistic missiles, and only five to seven of them breached Israel’s defenses.
“Israel expected the targets to shift from October, which were Air Force bases in the desert and the Mossad headquarters to population centers. And we’re seeing the evidence of that here. The second wave, 50 missiles and no penetration as of this moment. I believe another wave will be coming as well,” Keane said. “The fact that the second wave of Iranian retaliation was less than the first is a good sign. It shows you that they’re having difficulty getting those launchers in the position. And obviously Israel is also conducting attacks inside of Iran as we speak. So that’s what’s happening here is the retaliation attack by Iran, and you’re likely going to see more.”
Keane said Israel expected a retaliatory attack after their recent strikes on Iran.
“It had so much to do with what their attack on Iran looked like. While taking down the air defense systems was priority one so they would have air superiority, the remaining air defense systems that they didn’t take down in October, taking down leadership targets that would clearly cause them command and control issues,” Keane said.
“The center of gravity certainly is the nuclear enterprise itself.”
Turning to Iran’s response, Keane said Israel’s defense systems had already been tested back in October, when Iran launched 200 missiles.
“But complementing that was the ballistic missiles. Back in October, Iran fired 200 of those, and 40 penetrated the system, and the Israelis considered that as they overwhelmed the arrow and the THAAD system and the multi-layered defense system that was established,” Keane said. “So what they focused on here was taking as many of the launchers of these systems down during their initial four waves of attack that’s been unfolding for the last 24 hours.”
“We have seen so far in this first wave of Iranian retaliation attack using ballistic missiles is about 100 missiles, five to seven of them did penetrate, and the targets did shift,” Keane said.
Iran launched a retaliatory attack against Israel Friday following Israel’s assault on Tehran’s leadership and nuclear facilities. The Israeli military said dozens of missiles were fired from Iran, causing explosions in multiple cities, while Israeli interceptors worked to neutralize the incoming missiles, leaving at least five people wounded.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel will persist in bombing Iran until it eliminates the “threat” posed by the nation. In a speech lasting over seven minutes, Netanyahu condemned the “tyrants of Tehran” for seeking Israel’s destruction and said Iran has reportedly advanced its uranium production to create nine atomic bombs.
Trump broke his silence following Israel’s bombing of Iran and said the U.S. had prior knowledge but was not involved in the operation.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see. There are several people in leadership that will not be coming back,” Trump said.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb” and now we see why.
The problem is that Iran is deliberately targeting Israeli civilians. This is a massive human rights violation that all those Israel-haters will ignore or they’ll blame Israel rather than Iran. It’s horrifying. Pray for Israel.