Israeli journalist Emily Schrader has sharply criticized Democrat Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for their condemnations of President Donald Trump’s military strikes on Iran, which occurred during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The joint U.S.-Israeli operation, launched on February 28, 2026, targeted Iranian military sites, ballistic missile facilities, Revolutionary Guard assets, and other key infrastructure. Trump announced the strikes and confirmed Khamenei’s death, describing it as providing Iranians their “greatest chance” to reclaim their country from the regime. He emphasized that the campaign aims to eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat, destroy its missile capabilities, and support regime change, with operations set to continue until all objectives are met. Trump has warned of potential further U.S. casualties and urged Iranians to rise up against their government.
In response to the strikes, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar stated that the U.S. had attacked Iraq during Ramadan in the past and was now doing the same to Iran, calling it sickening. She argued that the timing suggested the U.S. targets Muslim countries during Ramadan not due to violations of international law, but because of their religious worship. Schrader dismissed this claim, pointing out that the U.S. did not attack Iraq during Ramadan and that Iran itself has attacked Muslim-majority countries and populations during the holy month. She described Iran as “the largest murderer of Arab Muslims in the Middle East” over the past 47 years, focused on destabilizing and harming other Muslims in the region. Schrader accused Omar of acting as a “shill” for the Islamic Republic, citing her alleged endorsements from groups linked to the regime and longstanding positions favoring it.
Schrader also praised Trump for showing “moral clarity” in confronting the Iranian regime, contrasting it with what she called a lack of resolve from previous Western leaders who abandoned Israel and appeased Iran. She highlighted Iran’s ideology as centered on the destruction of the West and noted failed negotiations under Trump, where Iran refused cooperation. She argued the strikes benefit the U.S., Europe, Israel, the Iranian people, and the world, as no viable alternative to force existed after years of regime aggression.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the strikes as a “catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression,” involving bombing cities, killing civilians, and opening a new theater of war. He asserted that Americans do not want regime change pursuits and prefer focus on domestic issues like affordability and peace. Schrader called this hypocritical, referencing the September 11 attacks in New York and accusing Mamdani of aligning with the regime rather than its victims. She noted his past calls to cut NYPD counterterrorism budgets and intelligence sharing with Israel, questioning his commitment to New Yorkers’ safety. Schrader referenced Iranian dissident Masih Alinejad’s response, inviting Mamdani to her FBI safe house due to prior Iranian assassination attempts on U.S. soil in New York.
Schrader criticized broader Democratic figures, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, for quickly adopting what she termed Iranian propaganda against the strikes, labeling such positions as partisan blindness and a lack of understanding of the regime’s threats. She emphasized that while wars are unpopular and difficult, public support is not as overwhelmingly opposed as critics claim, and the action addresses a long-standing necessity against a destabilizing force.
