Latest news with #warplanes
Bloomberg
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
China Sends Warplanes Near Taiwan After US Lawmakers Visit
China sent the most warplanes toward Taiwan since October, a move that follows US lawmakers visiting a top military figure and both the UK and Japan sailing warships through the strait separating the two sides. Some 46 People's Liberation Army aircraft crossed the median line in the strait in the 24 hours to Friday morning, the defense ministry in Taipei said in a statement. The ministry added that it monitored and 'responded accordingly' to the moves, without providing more details.
Bloomberg
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
China Sends Warplanes Near Taiwan After US Lawmakers' Visit
China sent the most warplanes toward Taiwan since October, a move that follows US lawmakers visiting a top military figure and both the UK and Japan sailing warships through the strait separating the island from the Chinese mainland. Some 46 People's Liberation Army aircraft crossed the median line in the strait in the 24 hours to Friday morning, the defense ministry in Taipei said in a statement. The ministry added that it monitored and 'responded accordingly' to the moves, without providing more details.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
A 3am siren, an ‘extreme threat' alert, then the bombers soared above – Inside Israel as all-out war with Iran launched
THURSDAY night at 3am was a strange moment. We had an air raid siren - nothing unusual given this has been almost nightly for months due to missiles from the Houthis. 6 6 6 6 But having spent days hearing rumours that something was about to go down with Iran, my senses instantly told me this was different. Shortly after the country-wide alarm, every person throughout Israel received a message from the Home Office Command. It was both vague and nerve-racking. It told us to wait for further alerts in case of an "extreme threat" - with nothing more added. At the same time, we began to hear non-stop warplanes - which have been relentless ever since. After that, it was clear the whole country was awake, all of social media and every single WhatsApp group was abuzz with "what is going on?' type of anxious chatter. At some point in the night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a seven-minute speech on YouTube, explaining that Israel is attacking Iran, and with good reason. A report recently showed that the regime there now has enough uranium for nine nuclear weapons, and can build them within a matter of months. As this would be enough to obliterate our country - and Iran has made no secret of its intent to do so - Bibi was right when he said we had no choice but to strike. His speech was articulate, somehow reassuring, and widely applauded. It feels that the country is very much behind him. If pockets of the country aren't - its fringe groups are. And like last year, after Israel's incredible pager operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, everyone is once again in complete awe at Mossad and the IDF for the magnificent long-planned military feat they've pulled off. The next morning, everyone was bleary-eyed from a poor night's sleep, and in repetition of the days after October 7, the supermarkets were once again wiped of supplies, having been cleared out by panic-buyers as soon as the doors opened. The hospitals were also cleared, ready for a potential influx of casualties, and everyone told to stay home, attending emergency services only in the most extreme cases. Then it was shabbat. For those who observe it like me, it was a tough evening - our usual happy gathering and meal was constantly interrupted by air raid sirens, trips to the safe room and countless ear-shattering booms. The missiles from Iran are far higher in volume and when intercepted, it feels like the whole earth is shaking. It's nothing like the missiles from Gaza and Yemen we've become accustomed to, which now feel insignificant in comparison. Since the weekend, we have had the odd siren in the day, but mostly they've been going through the night. Israel-Iran conflict enters fourth day IRAN and Israel are continuing to rain down missiles on each other for a fourth day - with the US embassy in Tel Aviv now being damaged. Tension is skyrocketing as the conflict threatens to spiral into a wider regional war with Pakistan also calling for the Islamic world to back Iran. It comes as a senior Iranian general has claimed Pakistan has warned they will nuke Israel. General Mohsen Rezaee, a senior official in the IRGC and a member of Iran's National Security Council, said: 'Pakistan has assured us that if Israel uses a nuclear bomb on Iran, they will attack Israel with a nuclear bomb.' America could also be pulled into the conflict, with Donald Trump warning the "full strength and might" of the US military would be used if American assets were targeted. Damage to the embassy was done during a third night of fierce missile exchange between Iran and Israel, with Benjamin Netanyahu claiming "regime change" in Tehran is imminent. Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador in Israel, said the embassy in Tel Aviv was damaged 'from concussions of Iranian missile hits' near the building but that no personnel were injured. Benjamin Netanyahu said just before his latest blitz that Iran is now "very weak" as he warned of an impending "regime change" in Tehran. Iran and Israel sit on the brink of a full-scale war after Tel Aviv accused Tehran of trying to develop a nuclear bomb. Israel successfully blasted numerous Iranian targets on Sunday as Tehran Iran fired back with a barrage of around 30 missiles targeting central Israel and Jerusalem. But the retaliatory attacks have done little to restore much faith among Iranian locals who have spent the past three days awaiting the next Israeli blitz. Chaos erupted in Tehran this weekend as civilians started to flee the Iranian capital amid car bombings and relentless Israeli air strikes. The strikes are also said to have obliterated an aircraft repair centre, and targeted the city's famous Valiasr Square. Netanyahu told Fox News ' Special Report with Bret Baier that Iranian civilians are now growing tired of the current regime. The Israeli PM claims the current leadership doesn't "have the people", and says "80 per cent of the people" want to overthrow it. Trump has also told ABC News network that it remains possible he will become involved at some point if strikes continue. He warned Tehran would experience "the full strength" of the US military if it attacks the US bases in the Middle East. We heard the Iranian regime generally sends missiles at night due to the weather - it is too hot in the day to load the missiles up with fuel as the intense sun often causes them to burn out. So we have some respite during the day, but our nighttimes are fraught with the planes, sirens, shakes and constant sonic booms. This war has been hanging over our heads for a long time. Throughout the battle with Hamas, we've been fearful of this escalating to what it now has. But as contradictory as this sounds, now that it has, in some ways it is a relief - especially as we couldn't have started in a stronger way. Those who know the bible and the story of Esther, the woman who became Queen of Persia and managed to save the Jewish people from total destruction - there is a line from that story generally being quoted. Haman - the Perisan courtier who tried to destroy the Jewish people - was told by his wife after his first humiliation that his life will be in danger if he continues to go after the Jews - he didn't listen and was later hanged along with his whole family. Even the least religious among us feel it is a precursor to modern day. It is clear that the nation of Israel is divinely protected, and Iran is going to suffer the same fate as their ancient predecessor Haman if they don't heed. Even the few missiles and shrapnel that have managed to get through during the war have generally hit Arabs not Jews. There is a general feeling of deep resilience and unity within Israel. A very different feeling to the anxious unity of October 7. This is a stronger feeling - more of a "we got this" rather than the pain of gathering ashes and burying the dead together. There is hope for the future, not just for Israel, but for the people of Iran too. We know that deep down, they are our friends, who are suffering the oppression of those in power that terrorise their daily lives. Unlike the people of Gaza, who have only ever been taught to hate Israel, Iranians remember a time when we treated each other with respect. The people of Israel and the people of Iran want those times back. The camaraderie of the nation is now so strong that we are hearing far more complaints of Israelis trying to get back into the country than we are hearing of anyone trying to leave. So we know we have G-d on our side. We are not going anywhere and Iran will never triumph over us. 6 6
Bloomberg
7 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Wall Street's Momentum Machine Faces a Middle East Stress Test
It's the kind of geopolitical flashpoint that might once have triggered a full-blown market meltdown: Israeli warplanes struck Iranian nuclear sites, Tehran vowed revenge — then followed through. Oil spiked. Yet in a year where crises have come in waves, traders from London to New York opted to hold their breath rather than flee en masse.
Reuters
7 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Israel used long-planned subterfuge in attack on Iranian nuclear targets, Israeli sources say
JERUSALEM, June 13 (Reuters) - Israel sent Mossad commandos deep into Iran to destroy Iranian weapons systems during Israel's attack on nuclear and military targets, an Israeli security source said, while another official said Israel used a ploy to suggest the strike was not imminent. The Israeli officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the clandestine nature of the operations, described secret and lengthy preparations that went into an attack that sent oil prices sharply higher on fears of regional escalation. Reuters could not independently verify the accounts. Iranian officials who spoke to Reuters shortly before the attack had been dismissive about any imminent action and repeatedly said talk of strikes was just "psychological pressure" to influence U.S.-Iranian nuclear negotiations that were due on Sunday. Iran has not given a detailed account of what its Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called "unlawful and cowardly attacks", but it has promised a harsh response. Iran's mission at the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Israel's covert operation and other subterfuge related to the attacks. Ahead of the strike, Israel gave the impression its focus was still on U.S. diplomacy towards a nuclear deal with Iran, briefing journalists that its spy chief would go to Washington before the next negotiations. Instead, Israel said it sent 200 warplanes to conduct a wave of air strikes across Iran before dawn on Friday, hitting nuclear facilities and missile factories, and killing military commanders and nuclear scientists, in a culmination of its efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iran says its nuclear programme is purely civilian. The Israeli security source said Israel's military and Mossad had worked for years on the intelligence needed for the strikes, which killed the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps among others. The security source said Mossad commandos had covertly deployed weapons across Iran, including explosive drones that were launched at a surface-to-surface missile base near Tehran. The Mossad commandos also fired precision-guided weapons systems at Iranian surface-to-air missile systems as the Israeli attack got underway, reducing the threat to Israeli warplanes. A grainy black and white video distributed by Mossad showed what it said were the organization's operational force - two camouflaged figures crouched in what looks like desert terrain, deploying the precision weapons system meant to destroy Iran's air defence systems. Some of the operation's components would have taken years to be put together, said Sima Shine, a former chief Mossad analyst and now a researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). The decision to strike Iran was made on Monday, the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone, when Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz and military chief Eyal Zamir decided the operation would begin on Friday, said a second source, an Israeli defence official. Their discussion was held after the conversation between Trump and Netanyahu, a third official, close to Netanyahu, said. The final green light was given by Netanyahu's security cabinet, which convened on Thursday night. In the days leading up to the strikes, Israel played out a ploy to create the impression an attack was not imminent, according to a fourth source, also an Israeli official. False reports suggesting that a rift between Israel and the United States had emerged during Netanyahu and Trump's phone call on Monday were not denied, the fourth source said. A press release about a visit by Katz, Zamir and the head of Israel's Air Force Tomer Bar to an air force base mentioned Gaza, Yemen and Lebanon - but not Iran. The fourth source said that the ruse included misleading information given in press briefings. As the attack unfolded in the early hours of Friday, some Israeli journalists pointed to one such briefing, according to which Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Mossad Head David Barnea were to be sent to Washington ahead of the next round of nuclear talks on Sunday. Dermer later appeared seated with Netanyahu at Israel's defence headquarters bunker in Tel Aviv, in a video distributed by the prime minister's office. A fifth, military source said that Israel had been able to surprise Iran but since the operation was not over, there could be "difficult days" ahead. Iran, which fired ballistic missiles at Israel when they traded blows last year, has promised "harsh punishment" in response to the attack. Israel said it had intercepted many of the 100 drones launched towards Israeli territory in retaliation.
