Latest news with #Israeli-Iranian
Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Son's wedding cancelled for second time': Netanyahu shares 'personal cost' of war with Iran; sparks backlash
Standing before the shattered facade of Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a sombre message invoking the spirit of wartime London during the Blitz. But rather than rally national unity, his comments – referencing his son Avner's postponed wedding – sparked widespread backlash online and among his critics. 'It really reminds me of the British people during the Blitz. We are going through a blitz,' Netanyahu said, seeking to draw a parallel between the Nazi bombing of Britain and the ongoing Israeli-Iranian conflict. He then spoke of the 'personal cost' his family has borne, saying Avner's wedding had been postponed for the second time due to missile threats. 'This is the second time that my son Avner has cancelled a wedding due to missile threats. It is a personal cost for his fiancee as well, and I must say that my dear wife is a hero, and she bears a personal cost,' he said. Critics seized on his remarks as tone-deaf, accusing the prime minister of being emotionally detached from the war's daily toll, which has left 24 Israeli civilians dead and many more wounded. Iran's death toll is far higher, with a Washington-based rights group reporting at least 657 killed, including 263 civilians, and over 2,000 injured. The war began with a wave of surprise Israeli airstrikes on June 13 targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, key military personnel, and infrastructure. In retaliation, Iran launched over 450 missiles and 1,000 drones, striking multiple Israeli cities. A missile hit Soroka hospital on Thursday morning, injuring around 80 people and damaging critical infrastructure. While Iran claimed the intended target was a nearby Israeli military tech unit, Israeli officials said there was no intelligence suggesting the hospital was deliberately hit. Netanyahu, speaking amidst the rubble, also praised President Trump's ongoing support. 'I can tell you that they're already helping a lot,' he said, expressing trust in the US to 'do what's best for America.' The White House confirmed that Trump would make a decision on possible direct action against Iran within two weeks. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said ongoing negotiations with Tehran include demands for a complete halt to uranium enrichment and the dismantling of its nuclear programme. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes have reportedly reached deep into Iran, including targets in Rasht and Isfahan. Iran's defensive capabilities were visibly strained, and with Hezbollah weakened and Syria's former president Assad ousted in late 2024, Tehran appears increasingly isolated. Iran has also threatened to disrupt global trade through the Strait of Hormuz, warning of economic repercussions if the war continues.
Leaders
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Leaders
European Powers to Hold Nuclear Talks with Tehran in Geneva
Foreign Ministers from Britain, France and Germany along with the EU's top diplomat will hold nuclear talks on Friday with their Iranian Counterpart in Geneva, according to Reuters. Coming Talks Before holding a joint meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister, European Ministers will first meet with the European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, at Germany's permanent mission in Geneva. The initiative comes at a crucial time as fears are mounting due to the mounting tensions in the Middle East after Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities on June 13. 'We will meet with the European delegation in Geneva on Friday,' Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA. Iranian Guarantees In coordination with the US, Friday's talks seek basically to persuade Iran to introduce strong guarantees that its nuclear program will be used only for civilian purposes. US President Donald Trump has recently fueled the existing concerns after refusing to disclose whether the US will support its ally Israel it its war against Iran. As the war enters seventh day, Israel has said its strikes aim mainly to eliminate Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, Iran denies that its nuclear program is for military purposes. Israeli-Iranian Tensions On June 13, Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Iran under the name of Operation Rising Lion. The military campaign targeted Iran's nuclear facilities and killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists. As a response, Iran launched a retaliatory wave of missiles against Israel and targeted Tel Aviv. Israel also killed three more Iranian nuclear scientists, bringing the total number of scientists slain to nine, Gulf News reported. Currently, both countries are trading missiles and attacks amid intensifying efforts to halt the conflict. Related Topics: Iran-Israel Escalation: Tehran Retaliates with Missile Waves Israel Claims Killing Iran's New Top Military Commander Qatar Tracks Radiation Amid Israeli Strikes on Iran Nuclear Sites Short link : Post Views: 17
Shafaq News
12 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iran and Israel extend airspace closures amid continued strikes
2025-06-19T14:21:36+00:00 Shafaq News/ Iran's Civil Aviation Organization announced on Thursday the extension of its airspace closure until early Friday, as the exchange of strikes with Israel enters its seventh consecutive day. According to a statement carried by IRNA, the organization said it had decided to extend the suspension of air traffic over Iranian airspace until 02:00 AM local time on Friday. Israel also shut down its airspace following extensive Iranian air raids. The Israeli Ministry of Transportation said in a statement that the airspace would remain closed to both departures and arrivals until further notice. The Civil Aviation Authority advised travelers not to head to Ben Gurion Airport, the country's main international hub. Air travel across the Middle East has faced significant disruptions since the onset of the Israeli-Iranian conflict on June 13th, with multiple regional and international carriers suspending or rerouting flights due to heightened security risks. Major airports in countries such as Jordan, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, and Lebanon have reported delays and cancellations, particularly for routes passing through or near Iranian and Israeli airspace. Aviation authorities have issued warnings urging caution, while several airlines have opted to avoid the entire region, citing concerns over missile strikes and escalating military activity.
Nahar Net
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Would Hezbollah join Iran war if US intervened?
by Naharnet Newsdesk 19 June 2025, 16:24 Hezbollah will not join the fray in the Israeli-Iranian war, a Lebanese government source told al-Jadeed Thursday, after an Iranian official told al-Jazeera that Hezbollah would act if the United States intervened to back up its ally Israel. "The communication between the Lebanese Army and Hezbollah is reassuring," the source said, ruling out such a possibility. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that the entire "Shiite axis" including Hezbollah is not responding to Israeli attacks on Iran. "Hezbollah has not fired a single rocket," Netanyahu said. "If we eliminate Iran, all its proxies will collapse," he added. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal brought an end to the latest Israel-Hezbollah war in November. Hezbollah lost much of its senior leadership and arsenal in the conflict and has remained largely quiet since then and has given no indication that it intends to join the fray between Israel and Iran. Israeli forces have continued to occupy several border points in southern Lebanon and to carry out regular airstrikes on what Israel says are Hezbollah facilities since the ceasefire. Caroline Rose, a director at the Washington-based New Lines Institute think tank said that while it seems "clear that Iran-backed proxies across the region — particularly Hezbollah—just do not have the capacity" to enter the fray, Israel could decide to expand the scope of its offensive beyond Iran. One of the goals announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to eliminate Iran's "axis of terrorism" — the coalition of Tehran-backed armed groups across the region known as the "Axis of Resistance." That goal "is ambiguous and offers Israel the operational space to expand this war to countries it deems are hosting Iran-backed proxies, no matter how weak they may be," Rose said. Hezbollah on Thursday condemned Israel's threat to kill Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after an Israeli hospital was hit during an Iranian missile attack, describing it as "an act of recklessness and foolishness" that would have "grave consequences", but said nothing about military intervening, while Iran-backed militants in Iraq, threatened to attack U.S. citizens in the event that Khamenei is targeted. Earlier this week, Hezbollah political bureau member Mahmoud Qmati denied that Hezbollah would get involved in the Iranian-Israeli war and said that "Iran is strong enough and does not need military support from anyone" but that was before U.S. President Donald Trump dangled the prospect of U.S. involvement. - 'I may do it, I may not' - Khamenei has rejected Trump's demand for an "unconditional surrender", despite the president's claims that "Iran's got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate". Trump has left his intentions on joining the conflict deliberately ambiguous, saying Wednesday: "I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do. "The next week is going to be very big," he added, without further details. Any U.S. involvement would be expected to involve the bombing of a crucial underground Iranian nuclear facility in Fordo, using specially developed bunker-busting bombs. The White House said Trump would receive an intelligence briefing on Thursday, a U.S. holiday. Top U.S. diplomat Marco Rubio is set meet his British counterpart for talks expected to focus on the conflict. "I have ideas as to what to do, but I haven't made a final (decision)," Trump said. "I like to make the final decision one second before it's due, because things change. Especially with war." The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had told aides on Tuesday he had approved attack plans but was holding off to see if Iran would give up its nuclear program. The U.S. president had favored a diplomatic route to end Iran's nuclear program, seeking a deal to replace the 2015 agreement he tore up in his first term. But since Israel unleashed the campaign against Iran last week, Trump has stood behind the key U.S. ally. - 'Very bad decision' - The U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Thursday warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war between Iran and Israel. "I can say on behalf of President (Donald) Trump... that would be a very, very, very bad decision," Barrack said after his meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. The Lebanese foreign ministry said last week that it was "continuing its contacts" to spare the country from being dragged into any conflict.
Business Insider
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
Nigeria will hold a powerful card should World War III happen - Ben Murray-Bruce
With the hostilities across the globe, including the recent bout between Israel and Iran, it seems like the threat of World War III looms with each passing year, leaving the state of Africa's future in question. While some think Africa would be negatively affected, Ben Murray-Bruce projected that Nigeria, would be in an advantageous position. Global tensions are heightened by conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine, and strategic actions by major world powers. Former Nigerian senator Ben Murray-Bruce predicts the inevitability of World War III due to nuclear proliferation and volatile leadership. He emphasizes Africa's non-involvement due to its peaceful diplomatic stance and lack of territorial ambition. Geopolitical fault lines are spreading as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, and rising tensions among global giants such as the United States, Russia, China, and Iran. The prospect of these sparks igniting a worldwide conflagration, possibly World War III, is no longer the stuff of dystopian fiction. Adding weight to this concern is a bold statement by Ben Murray-Bruce, founder of Silverbird Group and former Nigerian senator, as reported by the Punch. In a recent interview with Global Affairs Expert Dane Waters, Murray-Bruce warned that another world war is 'inevitable,' citing the surge in nuclear armaments and the alarming presence of 'trigger-happy' leaders at the helm of powerful nations. 'We're in big trouble and as long as we have the kind of leaders we have in the world today, I see World War Three coming and it's going to be terrible,' he stated. The Middle East remains a major hotspot for conflict. The continuing battle in Gaza, Israeli-Iranian tensions, and the involvement of global forces on opposite sides of these wars all increase the risks. Add to that China's strategic military posture in the South China Sea and Russia's ongoing conflict against Ukraine, and the circumstances for a larger, deadlier conflict look ominously ripe. Murray-Bruce referenced historical events, stating, 'I think we are in trouble. I think there's too much violence in the world today. I think access to weapons is easy. I think we have a lot of trigger-happy leaders across the world, and because they are trigger-happy, they don't care. He added, 'We have a lot of despots and crazy people. So, war is inevitable. It goes back to like 1945, 1939, 1917. First world war, second world war, Korean war, Vietnam war. 'I think there are many crazy people in the world, and as long as we elect crazy people into leadership positions, this is what we're going to have because it's the leaders that cause the war, not the people.' Nigeria's Projection from Ben Murray-Bruce in the face of a third World War Despite this grim prognosis, Murray-Bruce has a rather optimistic view of Africa, particularly Nigeria. He argues that, while World War III might devastate most of the industrialized world, countries such as Nigeria may be spared the consequences. His explanation is twofold: Africa's overall lack of nuclear ambitions and its largely benign diplomatic posture. 'The beauty of World War III is that it's not going to affect Africa. Africa will be spared. You guys are going to fight all across the world, but we are going to be safe in Nigeria,' Murray-Bruce stated. 'Nobody is going to be fighting in Nigeria because we have no territorial ambitions, we have no desire to acquire nuclear weapons, we don't want to fight anybody, we're friends with all our West African neighbours,' he added. He also suggested that Nigeria might be able to accept displaced people from the West after a world war, but only under stringent visa requirements. 'So yeah, there's going to be a World War III, the rest of the world will be destroyed, and we'll be happy to welcome Americans, Israelis, and Iranians to Nigeria,' he said.
