Up First briefing: Graham Platner; U.S.-Iran conflict; Nolan Wells : NPR

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Democrat Graham Platner announced last night that he has ended his U.S. Senate campaign in Maine. The politician faced pressure from party leaders to end his bid after one of his former girlfriends accused him of rape. He denies this allegation. In a video, Platner said his decision to drop out was not an admission of guilt and instead blamed a “political system not built for normal people.” Now the race is on for Democrats to find a new candidate to replace Platner before the state’s July 27 deadline to name someone new.

• 🎧 Many Democrats see this race as vital for regaining control of the Senate, as they see Maine’s long-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins as a beatable opponent, NPR’s Elena Moore tells Up First. Maine’s Democratic Party is planning a nominating convention to select someone new to run in the race. Platner appealed to his supporters by promising political change and addressing issues such as affordability. Moore says that many of Platner’s supporters, frustrated with the political establishment, hope the new candidate will continue the momentum he sought to create. Strategists have told Moore that it is possible for a more experienced candidate who is free from scandal to campaign on key issues Platner addressed, even if they are not as far to the left as he is.

Overnight, the U.S. launched strikes on southern Iran, targeting around 90 military sites along the coast and the vital Strait of Hormuz, according to the U.S. Central Command. In retaliation, Iran launched air attacks in Kuwait and Bahrain against U.S. military installations. Kuwait’s military reported intercepting missiles and drones. Countries in the Middle East are on high alert as they brace for the possibility of further conflict in the region.

• 🎧 The situation surrounding the talks to end the war in Iran remains uncertain, says NPR’s Emily Feng, who is in Israel. Both the U.S. and Iran are seemingly waiting for the other to back down first, she adds. The Israeli military forces are at “full readiness” for war again with Iran, according to Israeli media. Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz abruptly canceled a public event to hold an emergency security meeting. While the Israeli government generally backs the United States’ decision to strike Iran again, Feng says there is still significant ambiguity over what the U.S.’s ultimate objectives are with the latest series of strikes.
• 🎧 Yesterday, President Trump took a sharp turn in his view of Iranian leaders, whom he recently hailed as courageous people eager to steer their country toward a brighter future. At the NATO summit in Turkey, he instead criticized those leaders, accusing them of dishonesty and of failing to keep their ceasefire commitments. NPR’s Franco Ordoñez says Trump’s rhetoric is part of a familiar pattern, which he displays when he prematurely declares that the war is over or swings between admiration and aggression within hours. In his quest to end the conflict with Iran, Trump’s approach has been to weave together threats and diplomacy, according to Ordoñez. But when the president makes threats, such as saying he doesn’t want to make a deal with Iran, people don’t know whether he plans to follow through or if it is just a negotiating tactic.