The US-Iran military exchange that began on June 9 continued to dominate headlines, but the tone shifted from acute retaliation to fears of a protracted war. Morning reports detailed US 'self-defense' strikes and Iranian counterattacks on regional bases, while Reformatorisch Dagblad warned of an 'attrition war' by 09:01. Throughout the day, outlets like NOS and Volkskrant noted Trump's elusive deal-making and the risk of renewed escalation. By evening, the conflict had become a grinding backdrop.
Domestically, energy security emerged as a second major theme: Tennet warned of post-2030 power shortages (FD, NOS), and low gas reserves raised price concerns (Telegraaf). Other stories included racist riots in Belfast after a knife attack, a fatal school trip to Germany, and VVD youth proposing to abolish AOW.