Latest news with #Gaza-based
India.com
3 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Israel Iran War: Who was Saeed Izadi, top Iranian commander killed in Israeli strikes? Why his death is so special for IDF?
New Delhi: Israel started its latest volley of attacks on Iran on Friday, June 13 in which it eliminated many top leaders and military commanders apart from striking many missile and drone launchers. The top leaders and military commanders included big prominent names which badly hurt Tehran as it lost the pick of the bunch from various units. As the Israel Iran War entered its second week, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday, 21 June 2025 has claimed that it had killed Saeed Izadi, head of the Palestinian division of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force in an overnight strike in the Iranian city of Qom. The IDF posted on X: 'ELIMINATED: Saeed Izadi, a founder of the Iranian regime's plan to destroy Israel, was eliminated in a precise IDF strike in the area of Qom.' His death was earlier confirmed by Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz who said that Izadi was killed in overnight Israeli strikes in Qom. As mentioned, Israel's war with Iran has entered its second week as Israel claims that Iran is on the verge of getting nuclear weapons. IDF chief warned that Israel could be engaged in a prolonged campaign against Iran. Who Was Saeed Izadi? The Israeli military says that Saeed Izadi was the head of the Palestinian division of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force and a played a vital role between the Iranian regime and Gaza-based Hamas. It is also alleged that he was one of the masterminds of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel in which over 1,200 people were killed. 'He was responsible for military coordination between the senior commanders of the IRGC and the Iranian regime with key figures in Hamas. As part of his role, Izadi was responsible for increasing the financial funding from Iran to Hamas for terrorist activities against Israel,' said the Israeli military. It is also alleged that Izadi was responsible for leading the Hamas group operating from Lebanon. His task was to restructure Hamas' military wing and ensure that Hamas controls the Gaza Strip.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Mayo sends clear message of solidarity with Palestine - ‘You will never have peace until you have justice'
Debbie McCole from Shanaghy Ballina, is the chairperson for the Mayo branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), which is described as an 'apolitical and movement-focused' group. Speaking to the Irish Independent Ms McCole explained why she is fighting for justice, 'I often think it's a very interesting conversation around justice versus peace. An awful lot of people will advocate for peace but it's very easy to mistake one for the other. You will never really have peace until you have full justice.' Ballina has been holding a weekly vigil on Ham Bridge since the end of May last year. It came to be referred to as a 'Bridgvil'. 'I am very proud to stand on that bridge and represent humanity,' said Debbie, who admitted she was nervous at first as she had not been involved in protests of any form before, 'We are very lucky in Mayo that we have such an active community and everybody is anxious to do something. I think people are finding the courage to stand up and say no this is enough now.' The former teacher continued, 'International law has been decimated. Until there has been some trust restored and people can see that justice has been served for the Palestinian people, then our work is not done.' This distrust towards the international community is a feeling shared by local musician Patrick O'Laoghaire from Louisburg, who said he felt that the 'social contract of trust has been broken.' Mr O'Laoghaire is set to take part in a walk from Achill Sound to Westport on Saturday June 21st in solidarity with the people of Gaza. The route has been chosen as it is roughly the same distance as walking from one end of the Gaza Strip to the other. Inspiration for the 42 km walk came when Patrick, along with his wife, were walking their dog on Silver Strand in Mayo and a plane passed over them. ADVERTISEMENT 'It reminded me of Shannon [airport]. It struck me that I'm living in Mayo, it's sunny here, I have the dog with me and there's a plane passing over and I know that some of them come [via] that route to refuel and fly on.' The route he is referring to is one that is reportedly used by US military aircrafts enroute to the Middle East. Patrick said he felt helpless in that moment and questioned. 'Can I lie with that helplessness or can I go back to being inspired by the people of Gaza and Palestine by walking and thinking of them? With walking there is a movement, a physical movement. There's energy in it.' Mr O'Laoghaire has a personal connection to Gaza through his passion for music which led him to connect with Gaza-based musician Ahmed Abuamsha on social media. 'The musicians I have made contact with in Gaza, they are singing. I'm learning their songs. When they are teaching me their songs they're teaching me that they have a life, a culture, things that are important to them. You can get a lot from a song,' Patrick continued, 'A couple of days ago they took the signal away and I was waiting for Ahmed to get back to me, and it was a feeling of 'Is he alright?' But he did come back online and he was singing with a group of children, all of them singing, 'I'm careful not to become hopeless, I feel that to lose hope does a disservice to the people in Palestine and Gaza who are somehow hanging onto hope and joy. I'm not taking inspiration from my government, I'm taking inspiration from people who are there'. Similar to Patrick, Debbie is shared her concern over reports that Shannon Airport is used as a refuelling spot for the US military. Ms McCole also stated the airport is used to bring weapons 'through and over the country'. She said, 'It's so blatant and they (the government) just pretend it's not happening, it's terrible gaslighting.' Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris spoke in the Dáil in March and denied any claims of US weapons travelling through Shannon Airport, 'It is expressly prohibited for civil aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory, without being granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport. The system of exemptions is operated under the Air Navigation Orders 1973 and 1989, by the Department of Transport.' He assured the house that 'In 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025, no applications have been received or exemptions granted for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft to a point in Israel.' While in office as Taoiseach, Mr Harris stood alongside Spain and Norway in May 2024 and announced the recognition of the State of Palestine. He has been vocal on Ireland's historical and 'principled position' for the 'equal right to self-determination, peace, security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians alike' committing to an 'unwavering support for the two-State solution'. Ms McCole elaborated on Ireland's historic stance in previous conflicts saying, 'We as Irish people have a good reputation in regards to human rights and standing on the side of the oppressed traditionally,' She has not been convinced by the Government's words and said they take advantage of Ireland's history 'to be able to say nice things' but 'Palestinians can't eat the words that they're saying. It doesn't translate into material changes on the ground.' According to data published yesterday by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reported at least 55,637 Palestinians have been killed and a further 129,880 have been injured since October 7th 2023.
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Brazil joins Latin America's dictatorships in siding with Iran over Israel
No one's shocked to see the dictatorships of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua lining up behind Iran's repressive theocracy in its standoff with Israel. But Brazil — South America's giant — striking a similar note is sparking outrage in Western diplomatic circles. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government issued a statement on June 13, hours after the conflict started, expressing its 'firm condemnation' of Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. But the Brazilian foreign ministry statement didn't condemn Iran's missile attacks on Israel, its repeated vows to 'eliminate' Israel, or its history of supporting terrorist groups. Iran has financially supported Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Gaza-based Hamas organization, which invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 civilians and taking 251 others hostage. Brazil's position on the Israel-Iran conflict stands in stark contrast with that of all major Western democracies. The leaders of the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Japan signed a joint pro-Israel statement at the G-7 summit in Alberta, Canada, on June 16. In it, they said that 'Israel has a right to defend itself' and that 'Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror.' The G-7 statement added that 'we have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.' Shortly before Israel's attack, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had warned that Iran has been secretly enriching uranium to 60% purity — just short of the 90% required for nuclear weapons. If you are not following Iran's political history closely, you may be asking yourself: Why doesn't Iran have the right to produce nuclear weapons as India, Pakistan and several other countries have done? The answer is very simple: because Iran is publicly vowing to annihilate another sovereign country — Israel — that has been recognized by the United Nations since 1948. Few countries would stand idly by if a nearby nation vowed to erase it from the face of the earth and was close to acquiring a nuclear bomb. Over the years, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has repeatedly said that Israel must be 'wiped off the map.' In a 2020 speech, he called Israel a 'cancerous tumor' that 'will undoubtedly be uprooted and destroyed,' according to the Associated Press. It's not just Iran's rhetoric that's frightening, but its actions. In addition to sponsoring terrorist attacks by its proxies against Israel, Iran was behind the Hezbollah 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which left 85 people dead, according to Argentina's government. Elliott Abrams, who served as U.S. special representative for Iran and Venezuela in the first Trump administration, told me that 'it is shocking' to see a major democracy like Brazil lending its diplomatic support to Iran. 'It suggests that Brazilian officials have not read the IAEA report about Iran's violations of international agreements and its efforts to move toward a nuclear weapon,' he said. Abrams said this may be 'an anachronistic effort by Lula to bring back memories of the non-aligned movement. But this is 2025, not 1975'. He added, 'Brazil will not gain anything in the Arab world with this statement. It will make the Ayatollah happy, but what good does that do to Brazil?' Lula, who currently chairs the BRICS group of emerging powers led by Russia, China, India, South Africa and Iran, may be trying to raise his international profile as he prepares to host the bloc's summit in Rio de Janeiro from July 6-7. But many Latin American officials and academics say the Brazilian president may be shooting himself in the foot. Brazil, and Latin America in general, are minor players in world affairs, and Lula's posturing may do his country more harm than good, they say. Andres Velasco, dean of the London School of Economics' School of Public Policy and a former finance minister of Chile, told me that the Brazilian president's flirtations with China, Russia, Iran and the BRICS 'are very bad policy' amid President Trump's global tariff wars. 'I was truly embarrassed to see President Lula recently applauding the parade of missiles on their way to killing Ukrainians at Moscow's Red Square,' Velasco said. Referring to Trump's possible reaction, Velasco added that 'these kinds of things put Latin America in the spotlight at a time when things are so heated that they invite (U.S.) retaliations. The best thing a country like Brazil could do would be to draw as little attention as possible.' Indeed, the support for Iran from Lula and much of Latin America's old-guard left is preposterous. Iran is not only a Jurassic dictatorship that puts women in jail for not covering their heads with a hijab in public and executes people for being gay. It is also a major a global sponsor of terrorism. If Iran is allowed to have a nuclear bomb, it will become much more of a global threat than it already is. Don't miss the 'Oppenheimer Presenta' TV show on Sundays at 9 pm E.T. on CNN en Español. Blog:
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First Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Israel's multi-front war with Iran could alter power dynamics in West Asia for a long time
As Israel is pursuing a multi-front war in West Asia with the offensive against Iran, there is no certainty about the direction that West Asia would take in the coming days. But one thing is sure that the regional balance of power would likely change. Here are three ways it can change. read more A fire at Tehran's Shahran oil depot after an Israeli attack. Explosions were also been reported in Jerusalem and Tel Avivin the early hours of Sunday after Iran launched another round of retaliatory strikes. Reuters After Hamas in Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthis of Yemen, Israel is now fighting a war with Ayatollah Khamenei's regime in Iran. While there are concerns that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gambled the future of Israel and West Asia by launching a war without means to execute it to the end or without an exit strategy, there are also concerns that the war would alter power dynamics in West Asia in unforeseen ways for a long time. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Netanyahu has not just sought to stop Iran from developing a nuclear regime, but has sought to overthrow the regime of Khamenei. Only he knows if that is rhetoric to bolster support domestically and whip up opposition of a disgruntled population inside Iran or whether he is actually aiming for it. Irrespective of Netanyahu's true intentions, there are no assurances that the war would go as per his wishes or whether the regime change in Iran would work in Israel's favour or that of its allies. Here are the ways in which his war on Iran could change the balance of power in the region — for good or bad. Weakened Iran emboldens Israel Iran appears to be at its weakest in the longest time. Iran's air defences have virtually been destroyed. Iranian military leaders are dead — and the remaining ones keep dying. Iranian military bases, energy sites, missile bases, and missile production sites have been hammered. Iran does not have any proxies that can come to its aid as its top proxies, Gaza-based Hamas and Lebanon-based Hezbollah, have already been degraded in the post-October 7 war with Israel. With complete air superiority over Iran, Israel can bomb Iran at will at the time and place of its choosing. After the degradation of Hamas and Hezbollah and the ouster of the Assad dynasty in Syria, the decapitation of the Iran empowers Israel not just in the long-running Israel-Iran conflict but also in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. As Iran had become the main external sponsor of Palestinian armed groups, its weakened position would embolden Netanyahu to deny a Palestinian state even more firmly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As Firstpost's Madhur Sharma noted previously, Netanyahu could go ahead with Greater Israel and kill the Palestinian statehood and two-state solution with US President Donald Trump on his side. Israel already controls most of Gaza and controls swathes of Lebanon and Syria. But what if Netanyahu fails? Even as Israel has decapitated Iranian military, the main objective of the war remains unfulfilled so far: the destruction of the Iranian nuclear capabilities. Main Iranian nuclear sites of Natanz and Fordow remain standing and have only suffered limited damage. As these sites are built underground, with Fordow nuclear site built inside a mountain and located half a mile underground, these sites cannot be destroyed without active US involvement either directly via US warplanes joining the bombardment or indirectly via the United States providing 'bunker buster' munitions to Israel. So far, Trump has not indicated that he has the stomach for overt US involvement in the war. He has maintained throughout the war that he sees the Israeli bombardment as a pressure campaign he can utilise to reach a deal with the United States. If Iran does reach a deal with the United States and Trump pressures Netanyahu to end the war, he would stand defeated. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Moreover, as he stands with his back to the wall, Khamenei has just two options: either give up nuclear programme entirely or go full-throttle to develop the nuclear weapon to get some deterrence at last. If Iran develops the nuclear weapons, Israel's supremacy in the region evaporates. A regional nuclear race If Iran does develop a nuclear weapon or it is reliably learnt that it is at the cusp of nuclear weapon, the other Islamic powerhouse in the region, Saudi Arabia, will not remain without a weapon for long. The West Asia would be in a nuclear race unprecedented in world history. All bets would be off if the world's most trigger-happy region would have three nuclear powers, particularly as two of those regimes —Israel and Iran— would be committed to destroying each other.
Express Tribune
14-06-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Israeli kills 27 Palestinians near Gaza aid site since dawn
Palestinians at al-Shifa Hospital react over the bodies of their relatives killed by Israeli fire near an aid distribution centre in central Gaza, June 11 [Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters] Listen to article At least 27 Palestinians have been killed since dawn in Israeli strikes across Gaza city, including 11 civilians waiting for humanitarian aid, hospital officials told Al Jazeera. The attacks hit multiple locations, with central Gaza seeing some of the deadliest incidents. At least 15 Palestinians were killed and many others wounded near aid distribution points in what marks the latest in a series of deadly assaults on aid seekers. Local sources said Israeli forces opened fire on civilians gathered around distribution sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an initiative launched in late May amid a near-total Israeli blockade that the United Nations says has brought the enclave of 2.3 million people to the brink of famine. Since the GHF began operations, more than 274 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds wounded while seeking food. The foundation, backed by the United States and Israel, employs private American military contractors and is overseen by Israeli forces. UN officials and humanitarian agencies have heavily criticised the GHF's operations. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), called the model a 'failure.' 'They are not doing what a humanitarian operation should do, which is providing aid to people where they are, in a safe and secure manner,' Laerke said at a press briefing on Friday. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) also condemned the model, labelling it 'a recipe for chaos.' In a statement posted on X, the agency warned that it 'weaponises aid and results in fear, discrimination, and growing desperation.' Ongoing restrictions and hostilities continue to obstruct humanitarian aid deliveries in #Gaza. ⚠️ People risking—and losing—their lives searching for food 💉 Children wake up during surgery due to lack of anaesthetic After more than 600 days of war, the scale of suffering is… — UNRWA (@UNRWA) June 14, 2025 UNRWA called for the blockade on Gaza to be lifted and for the UN to resume relief operations, stressing that 'aid must be delivered safely and at scale.'. In the south, three Palestinians were killed in an Israeli drone strike near the Islamic University in Khan Younis, while Israeli tanks shelled residential towers in Hamad City and targeted displaced people in the Asdaa area. Israel's war on Gaza According to the Gaza-based health authorities, at least 55,207 Palestinians have been killed, the majority of whom are reported to be women and children. Israel has killed 4,603 Palestinians and injured 14,186 since breaking a ceasefire in March this year, it added. Israel's atrocities have displaced around 90% of Gaza's estimated 2 million residents, created a severe hunger crisis, and caused widespread destruction across the territory. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave
