
16 hurt, building hit in Israel after Iranian missile strikes
JERUSALEM : At least 16 people were hurt and at least one impact was reported in central Israel after Iran launched two waves of missiles at the country following the US bombing of its nuclear sites, rescue services and reports said.
Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service said in a statement that it had 'evacuated 16 people to hospital, including a 30-year-old man in moderate condition after being wounded in the upper body by shrapnel'.
Public broadcaster KAN 11 showed images of a devastated building surrounded by mounds of rubble that it said was in central Israel, following the two waves of missiles launched at Israel from around 7.30am.
Sirens rang around the country after the Israeli army reported the incoming missiles, with air defences activated shortly afterwards, causing loud explosions heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Israeli police reported 'the fall of weapon fragments' in a northern area encompassing the port of Haifa, where local authorities said emergency services were heading to an 'accident site'.
Reporting on missile strikes is subject to strict military censorship rules in Israel, but at least 50 impacts have been officially acknowledged nationwide and 25 people have been killed since the war began with Iran on June 13, according to official figures.
Coastal hub Tel Aviv, the southern city of Beersheba and the northern port Haifa have been the three areas most frequently targeted by Iran.
Israel's sophisticated air defences have intercepted more than 450 missiles along with around 1,000 drones, according to the latest figures from the Israeli military.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Trump, Xi tipped to meet ahead of or during APEC summit in South Korea, SCMP reports
US President Donald Trump might visit China before going to the APEC summit between October 30 and November 1, or he could meet his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the APEC event in South Korea, the South China Morning Post reported on Sunday citing multiple sources. According to SCMP, Trump might visit China before going to the Apec summit between October 30 and November 1, or he could meet his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the Apec event. According to South Korean media reports, Xi plans to attend the event in Gyeongju, but Trump's participation is yet to be confirmed. Earlier this month Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had their first face-to-face meeting – a potentially important step towards the two presidents meeting. Meanwhile, in a phone call last month, Xi invited Trump and his wife to visit China, an invitation the US president reciprocated. Rubio told reporters after meeting Wang that there was a 'strong desire on both sides' for a meeting between the two presidents. Analysts said a meeting in China before the Apec summit or on the sidelines was the most likely scenario, adding that Trump may visit Shanghai or another location rather than Beijing, to distinguish it from his 2017 visit to the Chinese capital. Diao Daming, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said: 'Under favourable conditions and an appropriate atmosphere, any form of interaction between the two leaders will aid in the stabilisation and development of US-China relations.' A meeting between Trump and Xi would be beneficial from China's point of view, according to Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, who cited her discussions with Chinese counterparts. 'They maintain that a leaders' meeting could create greater stability in the relationship,' Glaser said. 'It would also present an opportunity for Xi to press Trump to ease some restrictions on technology and reaffirm that the United States doesn't support Taiwan independence – and perhaps say that the US supports peaceful reunification.' Beijing views Taiwan as part of its territory that must be reunited with mainland China, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise it as an independent state, but Washington opposes any attempt to take the island by force and is legally bound to provide arms to help it defend itself. Sun Chenghao, a fellow at Tsinghua University's Centre for International Security and Strategy, said a direct leaders' meeting would be beneficial for breaking the impasse on issues such as fentanyl and tariffs. 'If certain issues can be clarified directly through a summit between the two leaders, I believe we could see relatively swift breakthroughs in specific areas of US-China relations, where leaders could effectively mobilise efforts at the working level.' Chen Qi, a professor of international relations at Tsinghua, said: 'Both sides are indeed working to create a conducive atmosphere for a meeting. Despite some fluctuations since June, there was a mutual effort to establish an improved atmosphere for a potential meeting' As long as the pair can achieve a certain degree of 'mutual cooperation', particularly on issues that Trump cares about such as trade and export controls, it would foster positive interactions, Chen added. Diplomatic observers agreed Trump wanted the meeting more than Xi, handing an advantage to Beijing. 'It's up to China. Trump would be on a plane to Beijing tomorrow if he could,' said Jeremy Chan, a senior analyst with Eurasia Group. 'China is very protocol driven and wants all agreements lined up well in advance while Trump would be happy to hash it all out over a Big Mac.' However, analysts warned that several factors could jeopardise a meeting, including Taiwan or the actions of the more hawkish elements in Washington. 'The summit will be well telegraphed in advance,' said Chan. 'But all it would take would be one slip up along the way to derail the whole thing.' Diao said that if the US insisted on containing China or 'interfering' over Taiwan, it would create obstacles to the leaders' meeting. Reports that Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te intends to transit in the US ahead of a trip to the island's Latin American allies have already prompted condemnation from Beijing. Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Centre for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the prospects for a meeting were uncertain and Beijing would closely monitor how the US handles Lai's transit. 'If significant provocative incidents occur during Lai's transit, or if Washington extends an overly high-profile reception, it could erode the goodwill and trust that have been painstakingly built up to this point.' But Chen predicted that Trump would not play the Taiwan card during the summit preparations. Analysts said the summit was likely to have a visible lead-up if it was on track, citing the meeting between Rubio and Wang as a possible first step and Trump's decision to allow Nvidia to sell AI chips to China. They said there may be other signs of progress – such as meetings on fentanyl, US export controls and rare earths – as well as a possible further meeting between Rubio and Wang. Chan of Eurasia Group said Beijing was likely to keep the sanctions it imposed on Rubio as a senator over his comments on human rights, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan, to keep some leverage and avoid the impression it was bowing to Washington. But if he were to visit China, a 'suspension' or some other face-saving arrangement would probably be worked out. Details for the story are from reports by SCMP and Reuters


New Straits Times
12 hours ago
- New Straits Times
China starts construction of Tibet mega-dam
BEIJING: China started building a mega-dam Saturday on a river running through Tibet and India, with Premier Li Qiang attending the commencement ceremony, state media said. Beijing approved the project in December on the river – known as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet and Brahmaputra in India – linking it to the country's carbon neutrality targets and economic goals in the Tibet region. "The electricity generated will be primarily transmitted to other regions for consumption, while also meeting local power needs in Tibet," state news agency Xinhua reported after the groundbreaking ceremony in southeastern Tibet's Nyingchi. Once built, the dam could dwarf the record-breaking Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in central China – and have a potentially serious impact on millions of people downstream in India and Bangladesh. The project will entail constructing five hydropower stations, with the total investment estimated to be around 1.2 trillion yuan (US$167.1 billion), Xinhua said. India said in January it had raised concerns with China about the project in Tibet, saying it will "monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests." China "has been urged to ensure that the interests of the downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas", India's foreign ministry said then. In December, Beijing's foreign ministry said that the project would not have any "negative impact" downstream, adding that China "will also maintain communication with countries at the lower reaches" of the river. Besides downstream concerns, environmentalists have also warned about the irreversible impact of such mega projects in the ecologically sensitive Tibetan plateau. Both India and China, neighbours and rival Asian powers, share thousands of kilometres of disputed borders, where tens of thousands of soldiers are posted on either side.


The Sun
15 hours ago
- The Sun
Sri Lanka sacks top cop over Easter Sunday bombings failure
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's National Police Commission has dismissed a senior officer for failing to prevent the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which left 279 dead, including 45 foreigners. Nilantha Jayawardena (pic), former head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), was found guilty on seven counts of negligence by a disciplinary inquiry. Court records reveal Jayawardena received warnings 17 days before the coordinated suicide attacks on April 21, 2019, targeting hotels and churches. Over 500 people were injured in the bombings. The Commission stated, 'Considering the gravity of the charges, the Commission decided to give him the maximum punishment.' Despite being removed as SIS chief after the attacks, Jayawardena was later promoted to deputy police chief before being placed on compulsory leave pending investigation. A high-level probe implicated former president Maithripala Sirisena and four officials, including Jayawardena, for criminal negligence. Following a Supreme Court order in 2023, they paid over US$1 million in damages to victims. The bombings were linked to a local jihadist group aligned with Islamic State. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's government has pledged deeper investigations to uncover all responsible parties. - AFP