Latest from Euronews
Euronews
35 minutes ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Can Iran attack the US now and how (and where) can it do it?
Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ali Bahreini told Euronews on June 19 that Tehran will attack the US if Washington 'crosses the red lines". Most military experts agree that the most probable scenario is for Iran to attack the US military bases in the region. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards already said on Sunday that the origin of the US aircraft 'has been identified and it is under surveillance', emphasizing that American bases in the region are 'not a source of strength, but a point of heightened vulnerability'. Iran's proxy in Yemen, the Houthis, also said on Saturday that they would target US ships in the Red Sea if Washington participates in any potential attack against Israel in co-operation with Israel. "We will target US ships and battleships in the Red Sea if Washington participates in the attack on Iran," the group's military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a statement published by the group's media outlet. The US has tens of thousands of troops stationed in the Middle East, including at permanent bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, Arab Gulf countries just across the Persian Gulf from Iran — and much closer than Israel. Those bases have sophisticated air defences, but would have much less warning time before waves of missiles or swarms of armed drones. It also depends a lot on the number of drones and missiles used in a possible attack. Even Israel, which is several hundred kilometers further away, has been unable to stop all of the incoming fire. Typically around 30,000 troops are based in the Middle East, and about 40,000 troops are in the region now, according to a US officials and AP. That number surged as high as 43,000 last October in response to heightened tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. After June 13 when Israel first hit Iran to stop its nuclear enrichment programme, US forces in the region started taking precautionary measures, including having military dependents voluntarily leave bases, in anticipation of potential strikes and to protect personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran. US targets at risk amid escalating tensions US troops across the Middle East are on high alert as Iran and its proxies threaten retaliation and because US interests in the region were targeted in the past. One difference compared to past attacks and threats though is that Iran's proxies Hezbollah and Hamas' capabilities are much weaker since Israel decimated them after October 2023. Also, Iran has missiles, including ballistic, but not much of an aviation force owing to Western sanctions. Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq, the largest U.S. deployment in the country, has been a frequent target. In 2020, after the US killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, Iran launched 16 missiles at American bases in Iraq; 11 hit al-Asad, wounding dozens. Attacks have continued, with drones and rockets striking the base as recently as August. In January 2024, a drone strike on Tower 22, a small US outpost in Jordan near the Syrian border, killed three American troops. The drone strike was the first deadly one against US forces since the Israel-Hamas war started in October 2023. US officials have blamed the attack on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-backed militias, including Kataib Hezbollah. In Bahrain, the US Navy's 5th Fleet operates with around 8,000 personnel. Qatar hosts Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command, which can accommodate up to 10,000 troops. Camp Buehring, Ali al-Salem, and al-Dhafra are also key air bases located in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. US diplomatic missions in Iraq and Israel have also begun evacuating staff. Officials warn embassies could be targeted alongside military bases. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on X that 'protecting US forces is our top priority,' announcing the deployment of additional forces to bolster regional defenses.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Israel recovers bodies of three hostages in Gaza
IDF soldiers, in coordination with the General Security Service, recovered and returned to Israel the remains of three hostages: Yonatan Samerano, Ofra Keidar, and Sergeant Shai Levinson. The operation took place overnight. Following identification at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, the families were informed of the outcome. Yonatan Samerano, 21, was attending the Nova music festival in Western Negev when Hamas launched its attack on Israel. He and two friends fled to Kibbutz Be'eri, but Hamas militants had already infiltrated the area. The three were killed, and their bodies taken into the Gaza Strip. Samerano's abduction was captured on CCTV. Israeli authorities later claimed his captor was an employee of UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees. Germany expressed condolences to the family of 19-year-old Shai Levinson, who held dual Israeli-German citizenship. Tank crew commander Shai Levinson, a sergeant in the IDF's 7th Armoured Division, was killed in a battle with militants on October 7. His death was officially reported in January 2024. Ofra Keidar, 71, was out for a walk early on the morning of October 7 when she too was killed by Hamas - her body was taken to Gaza. Her husband was shot by the attackers inside their home. Before she died, Ofra told her loved ones over the phone that she was being shot. Today, around 50 hostages remain in Gaza, and intelligence assessments suggest that only about 20 of them are still alive. According to Israeli authorities, approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage during the Hamas attack on southern Israel. In response, Israel launched a military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. According to the Ministry of Health in the Hamas-run territory, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 55,000 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children.
Euronews
an hour ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Russia lambasts US attacks as Iran looks to Moscow
Russian officials on Sunday castigated the US for its missile strike against Iran's nuclear plants, issuing veiled threats that Iran's nuclear ambitions would not be thwarted and welcoming Tehran's foreign minister for talks in Moscow. Meanwhile Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned 'Ayatollah Putin' to expect a similar fate, as the country that has been cast as a pariah by the west for its full scale invasion of Ukraine sought to assume the role of honest broker. A statement from Russia's Foreign Ministry 'strongly condemned' the airstrikes and called them a 'a gross violation of international law, the UN Charter, and UN Security Council resolutions.' Dmitry Medvedev, who serves as deputy head of President Vladimir Putin's Security Council, said several countries were prepared to supply Tehran with nuclear weapons. He didn't specify which, but said the US attack caused minimal damage and would not stop Tehran from pursuing nuclear weapons. The Iranian foreign minister told a press conference earlier he will fly to Moscow today and have a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. 'Russia is a friend of Iran and we enjoy a strategic partnership,' he told a news conference in Istanbul. 'We always consult with each other and coordinate our positions,' Araghchi said, noting that Russia was one of the signatories of the UN agreement on nuclear proliferation in Iran. 'I will have serious consultations with the Russian president tomorrow and we continue to work with each other,' he said. Zelenskyy points to brazen double standard But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy underlined the irony of Russia pointing the finger at the US for alleged breaches of the global rulebook, in a post on X in which he stated that the country had once again signalled it wanted no ceasefire in Ukraine. "Ayatollah Putin can look at his friends in Iran to see where such regimes end up, and how far into decay they drive their countries," Zelenskyy warned the Russian President in a post on X. Zelenskyy said "Russia wants to wage war. Even brandishing some threats. This means the pressure the world is applying isn't hurting them enough yet, or they are trying very hard to keep up appearances. Well, the Russian economy is already crumbling. We will support this process even more."
Euronews
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Europe's leaders call for talks, but Iran says diplomacy's been blown
European leaders responded variously with caution and concern to news of the massive US air strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, but they all called for a return to the negotiating table, despite Iran claiming that diplomatic solutions have now been shot away. Almost all European and EU leaders issued statements on social media X combining warnings that Iran must not develop nuclear weapons, with an entreaty that the country submits to a diplomatic negotiated settlement. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined the chorus stating that "Iran must never acquire the bomb", but calling for a diplomatic solution. "With tensions in the Middle East at a new peak, stability must be the priority. And respect for international law is critical. Now is the moment for Iran to engage in a credible diplomatic solution,' von der Leyen wrote, adding: 'The negotiating table is the only place to end this crisis.' "Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, as it would be a threat to international security," the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas chimed in. "I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation," Kallas said in a post, flagging that EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation tomorrow. Antonio Costa - deep alarm at situation EU Council President Antonio Costa registered deep alarm with the news arriving from the Middle East, in a post on X. "I call on all parties to show restraint and respect for international law and nuclear safety," the Council president posted, adding: "Diplomacy remains the only way to bring peace and security to the Middle East region. Too many civilians will once again be the victims of a further escalation." "The EU will continue engaging with the parties and our partners to find a peaceful solution at the negotiating table," he wrote. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday called a meeting of the country's security cabinet and urged Iran "to immediately start negotiations with the US and Israel and come to a diplomatic resolution of the conflict", according to his spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a similar response: neither fully supportive nor remotely critical of the US action. "The strikes against Iran's nuclear programme are of exceptional scale," Finland's President Alexander Stubb observed. "For Finland, it is important that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon and that no new nuclear weapon states emerge in the world," Stubb wrote, adding: "The spiral of vengeance in the Middle East must come to an end. A sustainable solution requires diplomacy, dialogue and respect for the international law. We will closely monitor the situation and continue discussions with our partners and allies." Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni is following the crisis in Iran with the utmost attention and staged a videoconference this morning with relevant ministers and the country's top intelligence officials, Italian news agency ANSA reported, citing Palazzo Chigi sources. The Prime Minister will be in contact with key allies and leaders in the region in the coming hours, according to the report, which added that Italy "will continue its efforts to bring the parties to the negotiating table". Note of detached caution from France France's minister of foreign affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, adopted a slightly less supportive tone of the US airstrikes stating in a post on X that France had taken note 'with great concern' of the US strikes but 'it didn't participate either in those strikes or in their planning.' Barrot called for 'all parties' to show restraint and avoid any 'escalation' of the conflict and insisted that a 'lasting solution' would need to be negotiated in the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. French President Emmanuel Macron did not issue a public reaction to developments on Sunday morning. However the chorus of demand for a return to diplomacy seems unlikely to be answered by Tehran, at least in the short term. Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X saying that "Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy." "This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy." Addressing Keir Starmer and Kaja Kallas directly, Araghchi asked 'What conclusion would you draw?' "To Britain and the EU High Rep, it is Iran which must "return" to the table. But how can Iran return to something it never left, let alone blew up?" While EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels tomorrow, Araghchi will be in Moscow breaking bread with Vladimir Putin, a bad omen for those European leaders seeking a diplomatic exit from the current situation.
Euronews
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Israel and US have 'blown up' diplomacy, claims Araghchi– follow live
Overnight US President Donald Trump confirmed US strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. "Tonight I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success," he said adding that "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated". The International Atomic Energy Agency has detected 'no increase' in radiation at the sites after the attacks. Iran confirmed the three nuclear sites were attacked, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted the news saying 'President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength', and Israel says Iran has launched a fresh strike. UN Secretary General António Guterres described the US move as a 'dangerous escalation'. Donald Trump has warned Iran to 'make peace' or face "far greater" attacks. Stay with Euronews for live updates on reactions and the continuing developments from the Middle East and around the world.
