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First Post
43 minutes ago
- Politics
- First Post
One week into Israel-Iran conflict, which country holds the advantage?
Almost 500 missiles fired. More than 250 people killed and countless buildings destroyed. The Israel-Iran conflict has completed seven days and there's no signs of hostilities abating. The escalating war raises all sorts of questions — but none more pertinent than — who's winning? read more A woman holding a dog takes a photo of a damaged residential building at an impact site following Iran's missile strike on Israel, in Be'er Sheva, Israel. Reuters The decades-old conflict between Israel and Iran that was never quite 'cold', intensified last Friday (June 13) when the Jewish nation launched Operation Rising Lion, a wide-ranging aerial offensive that targeted nuclear and military sites deep within Iranian territory. Today, seven days later (June 20), the hostilities continue and there's fear that the United States will join in — though we shall only now know in two weeks' time after Donald Trump gave a new deadline to Tehran. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The question that people are now asking a week into the hostilities is — who has the upper hand in this conflict? Has Iran run out of options in this battle? Damage inflicted by Israel and Iran An assessment of the destruction of military and civilian site is one of the ways to gauge who has the edge in this conflict. And both sides have caused significant damage to one another. However, it seems that Israel holds the edge — causing significant damage to Tehran's nuclear facilities as well as military sites. On Thursday, Israel attacked Iran's Arak heavy water reactor , one of the country's largest nuclear facilities, located 250 kilometres southwest of the capital Tehran. In addition to Arak, Israel has also struck Natanz — Iran's largest uranium enrichment centre. The UN nuclear watchdog initially reported that the strikes had damaged only the aboveground part of the enrichment plant. It later revised its assessment to confirm 'direct impacts' on underground enrichment halls. A satellite image shows infrastructure at the Arak facility, following Israelli airstrikes, in Iran. Reuters Israel also struck Iran's Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre. Furthermore, at least 14 Iranian nuclear scientists have been killed since the attacks began, according to multiple sources in the region. The Israeli military said nine of them were a 'key element' in Tehran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon. However, Fordow and Bushehr have remained largely unaffected by Israel's strikes. Israel's strikes have also degraded Iran's missile capabilities. Several Israeli strikes targeted a missile base in Kermanshah, where missile storage buildings can be seen with damage in a satellite image taken on June 15. On Thursday, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Kan public broadcaster that at least half of Iran's missile launchers have been destroyed. The Israel Defense Forces also echoed similar comments saying 40 per cent of Iran's launchers had been destroyed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In addition to military targets, Israel has also targeted Iran's energy infrastructure. The Jewish nation has struck Tehran's main gas depot and its central oil refinery, according to a statement from Iran's oil ministry. The ministry said Israel had also targeted a section of one of the world's largest gas fields. Video posted to social media even showed a large fire burning at the Shahran oil depot, north of Tehran. Vehicles jam a highway as a fire blazes nearby in the oil depots of Shahran, northwest of Tehran, on June 15. AFP Israeli aircraft also struck the headquarters of Iran's state broadcaster in Tehran causing a live broadcast to be briefly interrupted. The Israeli military said it targeted a 'communications centre of the Iranian regime'. In return, Iran has also extracted its pound of flesh; it has hit residential areas in the Jewish nation, decimated Israel's 'crown jewel of science', the Weizmann Institute of Science, and even struck the Soroka Hospital in Beersheba . According to Iranian media, on Saturday, Iranian missiles landed just 300 metres (984ft) from the Israeli Ministry of Defence headquarters (the Kirya) in Tel Aviv. Also, another strike hit the Weizmann Institute of Science, one of Israel's leading research centres, located in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv. The institute is reported to have collaborated with the Israeli military, making it a significant target. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Several metropolitan areas have also been damaged by Iranian strikes. In Ramat Gan, a city adjacent to Tel Aviv, missiles struck several towers and residential complexes, causing significant damage and forcing evacuations. Local authorities reported that nine buildings were destroyed. The nearby city of Petah Tikva was also hit by missile strikes that damaged both residential and commercial areas while in Bnei Brak, a religious school was destroyed. Bat Yam, which is south of Tel Aviv, has also witnessed significant damage. Damaged buildings are seen following a missile attack from Iran on Israel, in Bat Yam, Israel. Reuters In northern Israel, Iranian missiles struck Haifa's Bazan petrochemical complex, the country's largest oil refinery, forcing a shutdown of operations. Haifa suffered a second missile strike, which hit several residential buildings in the Neve Sha'anan neighbourhood. And on Thursday, Iran also took aim at a hospital in the Israeli town of Beersheba, forcing the staff of Soroka Medical Centre to move most of its patients to other hospitals. The strike shattered windows, hurling glass across the hospital, brought ceilings crashing down, destroyed medical equipment and left corridors in disarray. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'It's so sad, I never thought something like this could happen. Never. It's only medical professionals here, and patients… and look what happened to us,' Wasim Hin, an ophthalmologist at Soroka Medical Centre, told AFP. 'Here we have new equipment, everything was destroyed.' A general view of Soroka Medical Centre, the city's general hospital, at an impact site following a missile strike from Iran on Israel, in Beersheba, Israel. Reuters Deaths keep mounting On Thursday, a body of an Ukrainian woman was recovered from a building struck by an Iranian missile four days earlier, Israeli officials said. Maria Peshkarova, 31, is the ninth victim of the Sunday hit in the city of Bat Yam, taking the overall death toll in Israel to 25 since the war began, according to authorities. Meanwhile, Iran said Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. Authorities have not issued an updated toll since. Iran has lost several high-ranking officials including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami and Ali Shadmani , Iran's wartime Chief of Staff during Israel's Operation Rising Lion. In fact, Shadmani was appointed to the chief of staff position after the death of Mohammad Bagheri on Friday. A man reacts as relatives and friends attend the funeral of Manar Khatib and her two daughters, Hala, 20, and Shada, 13, and their relative, Manar Khatib who were killed during a missile attack from Iran on Israel, in Tamra, north Israel. Reuters In addition to Shadmani and Bagheri, Israel has also eliminated commander-in-chief of the IRGC, Hossein Salami, deputy commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the head of the IRGC's Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters Gholamali Rashid and commander of the IRGC's Aerospace Force Ali Hajizadeh to name a few. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israel has also threatened to eliminate Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei with Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, declaring on Thursday that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 'can no longer be allowed to exist'. Israel takes control of Iranian skies The other aspect where Israel seems have an edge over Iran is that it has declared aerial supremacy over Tehran . Four days into its ferocious air campaign, the Israeli military said that it could now fly over the country's capital, Tehran, without facing major resistance after crippling Iran's air defences in recent strikes, enabling Israel to hit an expanding range of targets with relative ease. According to military analysts, such control over Iran's skies is not just a tactical advantage but also a strategic turning point. Air supremacy gives Israel the freedom to escalate its bombing campaign, look for additional targets, and possibly redraw the rules of deterrence in a region where missile salvos and proxy wars have long defined the limits of conflict. Missiles launched from Iran are intercepted as seen from Tel Aviv, Israel. Reuters But how did Israel achieve this aim? By using US-supplied planes such as the F-15 and F-16 as well as the customised F-35 stealth fighter jet. Moreover, Israel has also the Iron Dome and Iron Shield systems, with an interception success of over 90 per cent for short-range rockets and missiles. But there are reports that Israel is depleting its supply of long-range missile interceptors . The Wall Street Journal citing a source said that Israel can maintain its missile defence for 10 or 12 more days if Iran maintains a steady tempo of attacks. 'The system is already overwhelmed. Soon, they may have to choose which missiles to intercept,' the source said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But Iran could still turn the tide While Israel awaits Donald Trump's response to joining the strikes, all isn't lost for Iran. As Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute who specialises in Iranian security affairs, told TIME, 'Iran has turned out to be much weaker than we had assumed, and yet it's still standing.' Interestingly, Iran's proxies — which include Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and Shiite militias — haven't waded into the conflict yet. On Thursday, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem pledged 'all forms of support' to Iran in its fight against Israel and the United States, saying Iran's nuclear programme is peaceful and aims to serve its people. In a speech on Thursday night, Qassem said, 'It does not harm anyone in the slightest way; rather, it represents a great scientific contribution to the advancement of Iran and the region, relying on its own capabilities without foreign tutelage.' Residents leave the area where residential building was impacted following missile attack from Iran on Israel, central Israel. Reuters He also accused the world of opposing Iran not because of its nuclear programme, but because it stands for 'faith, knowledge, and freedom' and benefits 'the oppressed'. Reaffirming Hezbollah's alignment with Tehran, Qassem urged support for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. 'We call on all free people, the oppressed, the resistance fighters, scholars, and those with sound opinions to raise their voices loudly and demonstrate strength, courage, and support by rallying around the noblest and most honourable leadership of Imam Khamenei,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Moreover, Yemen-based Houthis also said that the group will intervene to support Iran against Israel like it did in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi movement's political bureau, also reiterated to Al Jazeera Mubasher TV that the group is coordinating with Tehran during its ongoing military escalation with Israel. Besides Iran's proxies, Iran could also call on its international allies , namely Russia and China, to put pressure on Israel. Russia has already called on the US to not enter the war, saying such a move would be 'extremely dangerous' and could lead to 'unpredictable negative consequences.' The Kremlin has already called for a ceasefire in the hostilities, saying that diplomacy, not force, should be used to end the violence. China has also condemned Israel's attack and has called on both sides to de-escalate. A wider, regional conflict would raise China's risk-to-benefit calculus as it would threaten its regional economic, namely energy, interests. With inputs from agencies
The Star
an hour ago
- Politics
- The Star
Cambodia continues efforts to establish a Legacy Institution for genocide prevention, education
This photo taken on March 28, 2025 shows tourists looking at portrait photos of victims of the Khmer Rouge regime at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh. The ECCC Legacy Institution aims to prevent the recurrence of the genocidal regime and support public education. - AFP PHNOM PENH: The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) has shared a concept note on the establishment of the ECCC Legacy Institution, which aims to prevent the recurrence of the genocidal regime and support public education. This dissemination took place on June 19, and was chaired by Vongsey Vissoth, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister, Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers and chairman of the Working Group for Cooperation with the UN and Development Partners for the Implementation of the ECCC's Residual Functions. The meeting was attended by officials from relevant ministries, Joseph Scheuer, UN coordinator in Cambodia, representatives from 18 embassies, and representatives from numerous domestic and international organisations. Vissoth stated that Prime Minister Hun Manet has a far-reaching vision to establish the ECCC Legacy Institution. He noted that the institution aims to strengthen and maintain long-term peace in Cambodia, prevent the recurrence of atrocities and genocide and share Cambodia's hard-earned experiences related to post-conflict resolution, peacebuilding and transitional justice at the regional and global level. He added that the institution will have the mission of managing and preserving archives related to the ECCC, as well as promoting training and research on the ECCC's achievements, valuable experiences and jurisprudence. In addition, it will educate future generations of Cambodian youth and the general public to prevent atrocities and genocide in Cambodia. It will also foster partnerships with national and international institutions to enhance education, peacebuilding, the prevention of genocidal crimes and transitional justice. 'The meeting participants fully supported the establishment of this Legacy Institution and pledged their support to make it a significant hub for information and research through education, dissemination and in-depth national and international research to promote justice within peace, and to prevent crimes and atrocities in the future, with the goal of maintaining long-term peace in Cambodia, the region and the world,' said an ECCC statement. Vissoth expressed gratitude for the support of the UN and the international community for the ECCC's operations. He called on relevant parties, the international community, development partners, private sector leaders and international organisations to participate in this initiative and support Cambodia's new institution. He also urged contributions of ideas and resources in partnership to establish the ECCC Legacy Institution, contributing to shared regional and global responsibilities for peacebuilding, post-conflict resolution and transitional justice. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
UN: Rights abuses continue in North Korea a decade after probe
STORY: :: File It's been ten years since a United Nations report concluded that North Korea committed crimes against humanity. But this week, a U.N. official told Reuters that many abuses continue and things have gotten worse because COVID-era restrictions are still in place. James Heenan, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in Seoul told Reuters that while this year's report is still being finalized- -the past decade has seen North Korea engage more internationally, but tighten control at home: "So one thing that surprises me was the use of the death penalty and continued use of executions. Another was the hunger situation, the fact that, again, during COVID, it's better now, but during the depths of COVID, we saw not just hunger, but we had credible reports of starvation" :: File North Korea's embassy in London did not answer phone calls seeking comment. In the past, the government has denied abuses and accused the U.N. and other countries of using human rights as a political weapon. Heenan said his team interviewed over 300 recent North Korean escapees, some of whom will speak publicly for the first time next week as part of an effort to put a human face on the U.N. findings. :: File Heenan says funding cuts for international aid and U.N. programs around the world is threatening the support available for North Korean refugees- -and that human rights has traditionally been a volatile subject for foreign governments trying to engage with the nuclear-armed state: "But there's no point self censoring on human rights, because no one is no one. How shall I say this nicely? No one's fooled. No one doesn't realize these issues are there." :: File/:: Dandong, China On Wednesday SI Analytics, a Seoul-based satellite imagery firm, released a report showing North Korea is renovating a key prison camp near the border with China. While this could be in response to international criticism, the firm notes that it is simultaneously strengthening physical control over prisoners as it improves the facility.
Zawya
an hour ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Oman continues diplomatic efforts to contain escalation of Israel-Iran conflict
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman continues its diligent diplomatic efforts to contain the unprecedented escalation resulting from Israel's military aggression against Iran, which has ignited the current regional tension. Oman has reaffirmed its steadfast position rejecting military escalation and violations of state sovereignty, emphasizing that the only way to address the crisis lies in a serious return to the diplomatic path, aiming to reach a just agreement and save the region from an abyss with unknown consequences that could impact the entire world. In this context, His Excellency Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi, held phone calls on Wednesday with his Russian and Chinese counterparts as part of a series of calls with various brotherly and friendly countries. The discussions focused on the urgent need for an immediate cessation of hostilities, stressing that Israel is the aggressor, violatin UN Carter and obstructing peace efforts, including the recent American-Iranian negotiations aimed at preventing nuclear proliferation. The ministers agreed that a military solution is ineffective and that achieving an early ceasefire would pave the way for a return to the negotiating table to address the nuclear issue in a manner that ensures stability and peace for all. During the call, the Minister and His Excellency Sergey Lavrov agreed that this unprecedented escalation violates United Nations Charter, renewing their call for an immediate halt to these attacks and their expansion, as well as refraining from targeting nuclear facilities to prevent the risks of nuclear radiation. The Russian Minister also expressed his country's deep appreciation for Oman's mediation efforts, affirming the Russian Federation's support for these negotiations, diplomatic channels, political solutions, and their utmost importance in establishing international peace and security. On the other hand, His Excellency Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister, emphasized that the nuclear issue cannot be resolved outside the scope of diplomatic efforts and that Israel's attacks on Iranian territory constitute a clear and blatant violation of UN Charter and the principles of international law. He also affirmed his agreement with Oman's position and highly valued the Sultanate's tireless efforts to promote peace and facilitate negotiation pathways. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
DW
2 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
UNHCR reports record displacement in West and Central Africa – DW – 06/20/2025
Nearly 13 million people have been uprooted from their homes in West and Central Africa. The UN Refugee Agency blames migration trends and conflict for creating a "perfect storm" of mass displacement. About 12.7 million forcibly displaced and stateless people are in West and Central Africa, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). "From conflict to climate shocks, protection risks are rising — particularly for women and children, who represent 80% of the the forcibly displaced," said Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde, the UNHCR's regional bureau director for West and Central Africa. Gnon-Konde said the UN's data also showed that displaced people are "returning home in increasing numbers where conditions allow." Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Cameroon are home to about 80% of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the region. Drought, flooding, and chronic violence and insecurity have forced people to seek shelter in other regions within their countries. According to the United Nations, more than 194,200 internally displaced persons returned to their homes in Mali from April through January 2025, and 64,700 in the Central African Republic UN-sponsored voluntary returns Chad is providing refuge to almost 780,000 people who have fled Sudan's civil war, with another 250,000 expected to arrive by the end of the year. The country also hosts large numbers of refugees from the Central African Republic to the south and Niger to the west. Each group of displaced people faces unique dangers, and Chad is struggling to host all of them. The United Nations has been sponsoring voluntary returns to countries of origin within West Africa. Eleven thousand refugees returned to countries such as Nigeria, the Central African Republic and Mali from January through April 2025. "Humanitarian crises are, first of all, political crises," Alpha Seydi Ba, a UNHCR spokesperson based in Dakar, Senegal, told DW. "Unless we are able to make peace, there won't be a situation where the returns are possible." Ba said repatriations were carried out whenever and wherever possible and on a voluntary basis. As a result, the UNHCR says resettlement departures rose by 34% in 2024 (4,000 individuals). Repatriation often means relative safety has been achieved in refugees' home countries Image: Elena Lauriola/UNHCR "I think it's always good news when people are able to go back home," Ba said. "Exile, it's not a choice. Being a refugee is not a choice, when someone leaves their home and everything behind." "We're seeing those people returning and rebuilding," Ba said. "I think it's one of the best things that can happen in the humanitarian person in his career." 'Migrants become stranded' Though repatriation efforts have yielded some positive results, the UN's regional resettlement quota has been reduced by 64% in 2025. To complicate matters, the UNHCR's regional budget overall has been reduced by 50% between 2024 and 2025. "Our operations are very severely impacted," Ba said. "Meaning less food, less shelter, less health care, less clean water, less gender-based protection, which makes overall protection systems or displaced people more fragile," Ba added. "That's why the UNHCR in the region is at a tipping point." "The number of migrants, be it internally displaced people or migrants, is increasing," Luisa de Freitas, who leads the Regional Data Hub in Dakar for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), told DW. "We are seeing that, overall, more and more people are on the move." Though many people move to foreign countries because of climate disasters, armed conflict or instability, the IOM reports that economic needs are also a key driver of migration. Chad 'opened the doors to all the refugees from Sudan' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Over 70% to 72% of the individuals that we survey at our flow monitoring points in 2024 were there because of labor or economic reasons," de Freitas said. De Freitas said migration routes had become increasingly dangerous as EU nations and their partners within Africa have sought to stem the flow of migration to Europe. However, this has not deterred migrants from attempting to do so. "People move when they feel they have no other option," de Freitas said. "They will take routes that are less and less traveled. So what is happening is that a lot of these migrants become stranded." New strategies needed Simply putting up barriers or investing in forced removals of migrants is not the solution. Instead, de Freitas advised European nations to adopt a different approach that fosters and incentivizes regular migration, benefiting both home and destination countries. "Spain has just launched two initiatives: one to regularize migrants per year, and they've also launched system where Senegalese can apply for temporary travel visas to go and work in Spain," de Freitas said. Many EU countries desperately need workers in sectors such as agriculture, she added. "Circular migration allows migration on a temporary basis to address labor shortages in destination countries, while providing migrants with access to employment and education opportunities. "Basically, try to make migration a win-win situation for both ends," de Freitas said. Edited by: Chrispin Mwakideu
