Israel attacks on northeastern city of Mashhad: Iranian media
Fars news agency
reported, adding that "air defences were activated in the area".
The local Tasnim news agency said the blasts were heard near the city's Shahid Hasheminejad Airport.
"No damage has been reported to the airport buildings or runway," it added.
Mashhad is home to the Imam Reza shrine, the holiest site in Iran for Shiite Muslims.
Israel's military said its air force struck Mashhad airport.
Live Events
It added it was "the longest-range strike conducted since the beginning" of its attack on Iran which began Friday.
The Israeli attack has killed top military commanders and nuclear scientists, and struck military bases, nuclear sites and residential areas across the country.
Iran has since unleashed a barrage of missile strikes on Israel, leaving at least 10 Israelis dead overnight Saturday-Sunday and dozens more wounded.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
13 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Fewer foreign trips, protocol lapses upset Dhankhar; former Vice President felt he had a diminished role
Former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, in his 35-month-long tenure, travelled abroad only four times for bilateral visits, and his office often had complained to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) over protocol issues, official sources told The Hindu. The differences over his MEA assignments were amongst the reasons for the discord between the former Vice-President and the government, and a source of grievance for Mr. Dhankhar, who felt his role, especially on foreign policy issues, was less than that of his predecessors. According to the MEA's website, Mr. Dhankhar's four visits included two that came shortly after he took over as Vice-President in August 2022, and subsequently the frequency of these visits tapered off. In comparison, his immediate predecessor Venkaiah Naidu had 13 foreign tours during his tenure between August 2017-2022, and Hamid Ansari represented India on 28 tours abroad during his decade-long tenure from 2007-2017. Mr. Dhankhar went to Cambodia (November 11-13, 2022), Qatar (November 20-21, 2022), U.K. (May 5-6, 2023) and Iran (May 2024). He was not scheduled for any tours this year, although sources said the MEA had proposed two visits abroad, in February and in June, which were turned down due to health reasons. According to the sources, Mr. Dhankhar had complained about what he saw as several protocol violations to several Opposition leaders over the past few months. One point of contention was that the Vice-President believed he received fewer visits from foreign dignitaries than in the past. The Vice-President's office was reportedly unhappy over his visit to Tehran, where he represented India at the funeral of President Ebrahim Raisi, who had died in a helicopter crash. The Iranian government's protocol officials were apparently overstretched as more than 40 high-level dignitaries attended the ceremonies, and the sources said Mr. Dhankhar was uneasy with the arrangements at Tehran's Parsian Azadi hotel during his day-long trip. Mr. Dhankhar's absence from the official banquet during U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance's trip in April this year also raised several eyebrows. On April 21, when Mr. Vance landed in Delhi, Mr. Dhankhar was on board a flight to Jaipur and returned to the Capital only after Mr. Vance had left. However, officials privy to the exchanges said that the Vice-President's office had not been informed of the programme of the U.S. Vice-President in advance, nor was he included in the programme. At the time, The Hindu had reported that a meeting between the two Vice-Presidents was not scheduled, as officials said it was not mandated by protocol due to differences in the Indian and U.S. government structure. Sources in the Vice-President's office said that despite the issues and his own health problems, Mr. Dhankhar carried out his diplomatic assignments to the full extent he was required to, pointing out where he felt there were gaps. On May 19, speaking at an event in Delhi, he referred to a protocol lapse in the reception line-up for Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, and said 'I too am a sufferer'. He pointed out that his photograph had not been kept in government offices alongside those of the President and Prime Minister, as he said they should be. 'Once I demit office, I'll ensure that my successor has a photograph,' he said, adding that when such complaints were made, they were 'not personal, but for the position held'.
New Indian Express
43 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Israel, Ukraine announce 'dialogue' on countering Iran
KYIV: Israel and Ukraine said Wednesday they had agreed to start talks on countering the "threat" posed by Iran, in a sign of deepening ties between the two countries. Both see Iran, a close ally of Russia, as a malign actor on the world stage. Israel has long accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons, an allegation it denies, while Ukraine is regularly attacked from Russia by Iranian-designed drones. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga described Iran as an "existential threat" to global security during a joint press conference in Kyiv with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar -- the most senior Israeli official to visit Ukraine since 2023. "Our countries face common security challenges. Today we have decided to launch a separate dialogue on the Iranian threat," Sybiga said. Saar said any effort to curb Tehran's access to weapons and technology contributed to the security of Europe and Ukraine. "I thank President (Volodymyr) Zelensky and the Ukrainian government for its position that Iran must not have nuclear weapons," he said. Ukraine has expressed frustration at Israel's neutral stance on the Russian invasion, but the two share common interests. Kyiv has long accused Tehran of supplying military hardware to Moscow. Last month, Israel launched a surprise bombing campaign against Iran with the stated aim of destroying military and nuclear sites, an action that Kyiv supported.
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
'Gaza is dying, we are dying with it': AFP, Al Jazeera says its journalists in Gaza could die of hunger
"We can't even reach coverage sites because we have no energy left due to hunger and lack of food," AFP quoted its reporter, Bashar Taleb as saying. "I've had to stop working multiple times just to search for food for my family and loved ones," he said. "I feel for the first time utterly defeated emotionally," the 35-year-old photojournalist who was shortlisted for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize earlier this year said. "I've tried so much, knocked on many doors to save my family from starvation, constant displacement and persistent fear but so far to no avail," he said. Another Pulitzer nominee, Omar al-Qattaa, 35, is staying in the remains of his wife's family's home after his own apartment was destroyed. "I'm exhausted from carrying heavy cameras on my shoulders and walking long distances... We can't even reach coverage sites because we have no energy left due to hunger and lack of food," he said. Calling for action against Israel's targeting of journalists, Al Jazeera said in its statement, "We owe it to the courageous journalists in Gaza to amplify their voices and put an end to the unbearable suffering they are enduring due to forced starvation and targeted killings by Israeli occupation forces." "The journalistic community and the world bear an immense responsibility; it is our duty to raise our voices and mobilise all available means to support our colleagues in this noble profession. If we fail to act now, we risk a future where there may be no one left to tell our stories. Our inaction will be recorded in history as a monumental failure to protect our fellow journalists and a betrayal of the principles that every journalist strives to uphold," it added. As many as 111 human rights groups have called for action against Israel and warned of more deaths from the mass starvation caused by Israel's continuous blockade of humanitarian aid into the territory. A statement with 111 signatories, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Save the Children and Oxfam, warned that "our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away." "Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires, only to wake up to worsening conditions," the signatories said. "It is not just physical torment, but psychological. Survival is dangled like a mirage," they added. "The humanitarian system cannot run on false promises. Humanitarians cannot operate on shifting timelines or wait for political commitments that fail to deliver access," they stressed. Calling on Israel to allow the entry of crucial aid into Gaza, UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said tons of supplies are packed and waiting for the green light in its warehouses across the border as Palestinians are dying of hunger and diseases. "Thousands of hygiene kits are packed and ready in UNRWA warehouses in Jordan and Egypt, just waiting for the green light. Open the gates. Let aid in," UNRWA said in a social media post. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said that the "horror" Palestinians are facing in Gaza is unprecedented in recent years. "We need look no further than the horror show in Gaza -- with a level of death and destruction without parallel in recent times," he said in a speech. Guterres said ramped-up Israeli operations meant "devastation is being layered upon devastation," with the humanitarian system in its "last gasp." Meanwhile, Israel on Wednesday killed at least 41 Palestinians including 10 people who were waiting for food near the aid distribution sites of US-backed and Israeli military-operated Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). According to the UN, Israel has killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food since the GHF started operations in late May. Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has so far killed at least 59,000 Palestinians, more than half of it being women and children. It has also killed over 200 journalists and at least 1000 health care workers and aid workers. (With inputs from AFP)
