Middle East: Dozens of Palestinians killed at aid site – DW – 06/01/2025
06/01/2025
June 1, 2025 IDF head Zamir orders Gaza operation expansion
The Israeli army's Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir has ordered an expansion of the IsraeliDefense Forces' (IDF) operation in the Gaza Strip.
IDF head Zamir visited troops in one of the enclave's coastal areas while announcing the move, saying Palestinian militant group Hamas "is losing control" over the Strip.
"We are in the midst of a powerful and relentless operation," Zamir was quoted as saying by the DPA news agency.
This comes hours after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the IDF will go ahead with its plans regardless of the negotiations over a potential ceasefire and a hostage deal.
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Fact check: Protests against the Israel-Iran conflict? – DW – 06/20/2025
A viral video claims to show Israelis protesting against the war with Iran, chanting for peace. But is it real? We analyzed the footage and found clear signs of AI-generated content. The widespread and continuing attacks by Israel and Iran on each other's territories are worrying people around the world. Since Israel attacked Iran, and Iran hit back in retaliation, both countries have been targeting each other. At least 224 people have been killed in Iran , according to Iranian authorities, while human rights groups report significantly higher numbers, with at least 657 people killed . In Israel, officials report 24 deaths. Several thousand people were injured on both sides. In the upcoming two weeks, US President Donald Trump plans to decide whether the US will join the conflict on Israel's side. But what do Israelis think about their country attacking Iran? A viral video allegedly shows what Israelis think of the war. Does this video show protests in Israel? Claim: This video (archived here ) allegedly shows hundreds of Israelis protesting against Israel's "war on Iran." People in the streets waving Israeli flags are shouting: "Stop the war. Iran, we are sorry. We want peace!" The video has been viewed more than 4.9 million times and shared on several social media platforms like Facebook, archived here . DW Fact check: Fake This viral video of people protesting in Israel against the war with Iran is AI-generated Image: TikTok Comments under the video like, "time for regime change in Israel," show that many social media users think the video is real. But it is not — it's AI-generated. Here's how we know. First, look at people's mouth movements in the video. They look artificial and unrealistic. Some of their arms appear and disappear while they chant. Secondly, the quality of the video is quite poor, which makes it easier to believe it might be genuine. Thirdly, if you look closely at the right hand corner of the video, you can see the watermark "Veo." This is a sign that the video was made with the Google AI tool, Veo3 . In the video, you can see the watermark "Veo," which indicates that the video is AI-generated with Google's AI tool Veo3 Image: TikTok Experts like Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who specializes in digital forensics, have seen many fake videos created with this tool lately. "One simple tip-off ... is that all of these videos are either exactly eight seconds in length or composed of short (eights seconds or less) clips composited together," Farid wrote on the social media platform LinkedIn . "Why eight seconds? This is the current maximum length that Veo 3 can generate a continuous shot. Other models have slightly longer limits but 8-10 seconds is typical." This video of supposed Israeli protesters against the war between Israel and Iran is also eight seconds long. Anti-war demonstrations in Israel? This evidence shows that the video is most likely AI-generated. But are there still real protests against this war in Israel? So far, there are no reports of large-scale protests in Israel against the conflict between Israel and couldn't find any videos or images from news agencies showing any large demonstrations either and DW correspondents in Israel confirmed there had been no such protests, by the time of publication. On the contrary, according to a recent opinion poll, there is broad support among Jewish Israelis for the strikes against Iran. Some 83% back Israel's military operations and express their confidence in Israel's security institutions and preparedness for a prolonged conflict. In contrast, the majority of Palestinian Israeli citizens said they opposed the strikes and favored diplomacy over military action. Boris Geilert contributed to this article. Edited by Rachel Baig
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Iran-Israel war: Will India need to pick a side? – DW – 06/20/2025
The escalating conflict in the Middle East presents India with tough choices — balancing energy security, economic stability and its delicate diplomacy between Israel and Iran. India maintains amicable relations with both Israel and Iran, which is the result of a delicate balancing act stretching back many years. Now, New Delhi finds itself in a precarious position as the Israel-Iran conflict seems to be escalating into a broader confrontation with mounting death tolls and rising uncertainty. India's diplomatic tightrope Over the last decade, India has strengthened ties with Israel, particularly in defense and technology. India has acquired advanced weaponry, including Barak 8 defense missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), loitering munitions and sophisticated radar systems. In last month's short-lived conflict between India and Pakistan, New Delhi reportedly utilized various Israeli-origin weapons, underscoring the importance of the strategic defense partnership. At the same time, India values its historical and cultural connections with Iran, as well as its strategic role in regional connectivity, energy security, and geopolitical balance. Tehran is also New Delhi's second-largest supplier of crude oil. Israeli civilian sites hit by barrage of Iranian missiles To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Importantly, Iran acts as India's gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia. The Chabahar Port project on the Gulf of Oman, developed jointly by India and Iran, is central to this strategy, providing India with direct access to this region while bypassing Pakistan. Shanthie Mariet D'Souza, a regional expert monitoring current events, said that "India needs to maintain its balancing act to protect its security ties with Israel and protect its strategic interests and economic commitment to the Chabahar Port." "With such contrasting objectives, strategic ambiguity serves the purpose of India being dragged into the conflict, which is bound to widen if the war drags on," D'Souza, founder of the Mantraya Institute for Strategic Studies, told DW. Safeguarding New Delhi's interests Last week, India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement expressing deep concern at the recent developments between Iran and Israel. "India urges both sides to avoid any escalatory steps. Existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised to work towards a de-escalation of the situation and resolving underlying issues," said the statement. "India enjoys close and friendly relations with both countries and stands ready to extend all possible support," it added. Sticking to its policy of strategic ambiguity and nonalignment, India distanced itself from a recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) statement denouncing Israel's attacks on Iran. The SCO is a 10-member bloc created by China and Russia to counter the Western-led global is also a SCO member, despite its regional rivalry with China. Responding to the escalation between Israel and Iran, the SCO expressed "serious concern" and strongly condemned the Israeli military strikes. Indians seek jobs in Israel amid high unemployment To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video P R Kumaraswamy, a professor of Middle Eastern studies specializing in Israeli politics at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told DW that India's strategic silence on the Israel-Iran conflict, mirrored by its decisive refusal to endorse the SCO, reflects a "calculated, nuanced and matured approach" rooted in its national interests and geopolitical balancing. "This approach, akin to its neutrality during the Ukraine-Russia war, also recognizes the sentiments in several Arab capitals as they are caught between Israeli actions and a nuclear Iran as their neighbor," said Kumaraswamy. "Strategic autonomy can also be pursued through calculated and minimalist responses without any rhetorical declarations." D'Souza, however, said such a policy will be useful as long as the conflict between Israel and Iran is short. "If it drags on, every move of India will be analyzed and assessed, and its impartiality will be tested, which will be a test case for India's diplomacy," she said. "It will come under pressure if the conflict prolongs. However, being a votary of diplomacy and dialogue is a prudent policy that will maintain India's principle of non-alignment," she added. Will India's hand be forced? Earlier this week, India launched "Operation Sindhu" to evacuate Indian nationals, starting with 110 Indian students from northern Iran. These students were assisted in crossing into Armenia by road under the supervision of Indian diplomats. Iranians protest Israeli strikes To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Following the successful evacuation from Iran, India extended the operation to include its nationals in Israel. Indian citizens who wish to leave Israel are being evacuated through land borders and then brought to India by air, according to India's Foreign Ministry. Former diplomat Anil Wadhwa said India would resist the pressure to take a clear side in the conflict unless New Delhi's vital interests like energy, connectivity, or security, are directly threatened. "Strategic autonomy has been prioritized by India. In the Middle East itself, opinions are divided over Iranian nuclear activities. India, therefore, works on a bilateral basis with its Middle East partners to develop trust and enhance its interests," Wadhwa told DW. "India will not want to be drawn into bloc-based confrontations. It is building trust through tailored partnerships," he added. Edited by: Keith Walker
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Iran-Israel conflict: Will India need to pick a side? – DW – 06/20/2025
The escalating conflict in the Middle East presents India with tough choices — balancing energy security, economic stability and its delicate diplomacy between Israel and Iran. India maintains amicable relations with both Israel and Iran, which is the result of a delicate balancing act stretching back many years. Now, New Delhi finds itself in a precarious position as the Israel-Iran conflictseems to be escalating into a broader confrontation with mounting death tolls and rising uncertainty. India's diplomatic tightrope Over the last decade, India has strengthened ties with Israel, particularly in defense and technology. India has acquired advanced weaponry, including Barak 8 defense missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), loitering munitions and sophisticated radar systems. In last month's short-lived conflict between India and Pakistan, New Delhi reportedly utilized various Israeli-origin weapons, underscoring the importance of the strategic defense partnership. 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"With such contrasting objectives, strategic ambiguity serves the purpose of India being dragged into the conflict, which is bound to widen if the war drags on," D'Souza, founder of the Mantraya Institute for Strategic Studies, told DW. Safeguarding New Delhi's interests Last week, India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement expressing deep concern at the recent developments between Iran and Israel. "India urges both sides to avoid any escalatory steps. Existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised to work towards a de-escalation of the situation and resolving underlying issues," said the statement. "India enjoys close and friendly relations with both countries and stands ready to extend all possible support," it added. Sticking to its policy of strategic ambiguity and nonalignment, India distanced itself from a recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) statement denouncing Israel's attacks on Iran. The SCO is a 10-member bloc created by China and Russia to counter the Western-led global is also a SCO member, despite its regional rivalry with China. Responding to escalation between Israel and Iran, the SCO expressed "serious concern" and strongly condemned the Israeli military strikes. Indians seek jobs in Israel amid high unemployment To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video P R Kumaraswamy, a professor of Middle Eastern studies specializing in Israeli politics at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told DW that India's strategic silence on the Israel-Iran conflict, mirrored by its decisive refusal to endorse the SCO, reflects a "calculated, nuanced and matured approach" rooted in its national interests and geopolitical balancing. "This approach, akin to its neutrality during the Ukraine-Russia war, also recognizes the sentiments in several Arab capitals as they are caught between Israeli actions and a nuclear Iran as their neighbor," said Kumaraswamy. "Strategic autonomy can also be pursued through calculated and minimalist responses without any rhetorical declarations." D'Souza, however, said such a policy will be useful as long as the conflict between Israel and Iran is short. "If it drags on, every move of India will be analyzed and assessed, and its impartiality will be tested which will be a test case for India's diplomacy," she said. "It will come under pressure if the conflict prolongs. However, being a votary of diplomacy and dialogue is a prudent policy that will maintain India's principle of non-alignment," she added. Will India's hand be forced? Earlier this week, India launched "Operation Sindhu" to evacuate Indian nationals, starting with 110 Indian students from northern Iran. These students were assisted in crossing into Armenia by road under the supervision of Indian diplomats. Iranians protest Israeli strikes To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Following the successful evacuation from Iran, India extended the operation to include its nationals in Israel. Indian citizens who wish to leave Israel are being evacuated through land borders and then brought to India by air, according to India's Foreign Ministry. Former diplomat Anil Wadhwa said India would resist the pressure to take a clear side in the conflict unless New Delhi vital interests like energy, connectivity or security are directly threatened. "Strategic autonomy has been prioritized by India. In the Middle East itself, opinions are divided over Iranian nuclear activities. India, therefore, works on a bilateral basis with its Middle East partners to develop trust and enhance its interests," Wadhwa told DW. "India will not want to be drawn into bloc-based confrontations. It is building trust through tailored partnerships," he added. Edited by: Keith Walker
