Chris Matthews, who once felt 'a thrill up [his] leg' for Obama, now critical of the former president's nuclear deal. Former MSNBC host Chris Matthews offered surprising criticism of former President Obama on Friday after Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched a sweeping strike on Iran's nuclear sites Thursday evening. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that one of Iran’s top nuclear facilities had been hit in the operation intended to target Iran's nuclear and missile infrastructure. Two Iranian generals and at least 20 senior Iranian commanders were also killed in the strikes.