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Metro
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Does Israel have nuclear weapons and could the war with Iran lead to World War I
As fighting between Israel and Iran is boiling over, two urgent questions are being asked. Does Israel have nuclear weapons – and how many? And could the conflict trigger a wider war, even a World War III? With hundreds of ballistic missiles being launched across borders in the Middle East, understanding what is at stake is more important than ever. This is what we know about Israel's nuclear arsenal, and how the current crisis could spiral into a much larger war. Israel's military superiority in the Middle East comes not just through its conventional arsenal or the backing of the US – but from its rich nuclear arsenal. It is one of nine countries to possess such nukes, and the only one in the region – and it is widely believed to have one of the most advanced such programmes in the world. Despite widespread acknowledgement by experts and former government officials of their existence, Israel has never confirmed this. Since the 1960s, it has followed a policy of nuclear ambiguity. At the time, it went to great lengths hide its nuclear ambitions from the international community, even its closest allies. Even US inspectors were misled during early visits to the Nuclear Research Center near Dimona, in the Negev desert, which was initially described as a textile factory. Today, estimates of its stockpile range between 90 and 400 warheads, all of which could be delivered by air, as cruise missiles fired from submarines and through the Jericho line of ballistic missiles. A few days before Israel's unprecedented attack on Iran, in which dozens of people – most of them civilians – have been killed, Iran had threatened to release a hoard of Israeli nuclear secrets it claims to have obtained. Last Sunday, Iran's intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, claimed the regime had obtained 'a vast collection of strategic and sensitive documents, including plans and data on the nuclear facilities'. Iran is transparent about having a nuclear programme but insists that it has developed no warheads. But ever since the US pulled out of a landmark nuclear non-proliferation treaty in 2018 under Donald Trump, it has been ramping up production of fissile material in recent years. Iran now enriches uranium to near weapons-grade levels of 60%, the only country in the world without a nuclear weapons programme to do so. Under the original 2015 nuclear deal, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium up to 3.67% purity and to maintain a uranium stockpile of 300 kilograms. During his second term in the Oval Office, Trump has been working to reach an agreement on curbing Iran's programme. There has been several rounds of talks between the US and Iran – up until the Israeli attacks – and Trump imposed new sanctions on the country as part of his 'maximum pressure' campaign. Fears are rising that the US and even Gulf states will become involved in the war, but it is unlikely that it will result in a global conflict. More Trending Jason Pack, fellow at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and host of the Disorder Podcast, told Metro that the Iranian regime is 'really weakened'. He said: 'The Iranians don't have the capability to bring us to World War III. 'It is much more likely to see the Iranian people rise up against the regime than we are to see the Iranians like land some decisive blow against Israel.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Inter Milan star stranded in Iran after Israel attacks ahead of Club World Cup opener MORE: Iran threatens to strike US bases in vow to continue retaliatory blitz on Israel MORE: Lonely Planet co-founder reveals three more countries 'not to visit'
The National
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Iran warns Israel it has intelligence to respond to an attack on nuclear sites
Iran's top security body said it had obtained intelligence about Israeli nuclear sites and could launch counterattacks in the event of an attack by Israel. Israel has repeatedly warned it could attack Iranian nuclear plants, particularly if US-Iran talks were to collapse. An intelligence trove that Iran claimed it had obtained "would enable the fighters of Islam to immediately strike [Israel's] hidden nuclear facilities in response to any possible attack by the Zionist regime on Iran's nuclear facilities," the Supreme National Security Council said. It added that it would respond in a "precisely proportional" way if Israel struck. Iran's Minister of Intelligence Esmail Khatib had said a day prior that his department has "an important treasury of strategic, operational and scientific intelligence" belonging to Israel, which he said was "transferred into the country with God's help'. Israel is widely assumed to possess atomic weapons but maintains a policy of "nuclear ambiguity" by neither confirming nor denying their existence. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which tracks nuclear stockpiles, estimates that Israel has 90 warheads. The strong Iranian rhetoric comes as a sixth round of talks is expected to take place this week. US President Donald Trump said the dialogue would held be on Thursday while Iran offered Sunday as a date. Mr Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a 40-minute phone call on Monday evening, shortly after Iran announced that it would soon respond to Washington's latest proposal for a nuclear deal. Following the call, Mr Netanyahu held a high-level security consultation focused on Iran. The Prime Minister's Office said the two leaders discussed Washington's nuclear talks with Tehran. 'President Trump told the Prime Minister that the United States has presented a reasonable proposal to Iran and is expected to receive its response in the coming days,' the Israeli Prime Minister's office said.
Malay Mail
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Iran claims intel on Israeli nuclear sites, threatens retaliation for any strike
TEHRAN, June 10 — Iran's top security body said on Monday that using intelligence it had obtained about Israeli nuclear facilities, Iranian forces could launch counterattacks should Israel strike the Islamic republic. Israel has repeatedly warned that it could attack Iranian nuclear sites, vowing to stop its arch foe from acquiring an atomic bomb, which Tehran has consistently denied it was seeking. The Israeli warnings have escalated since Tehran and Washington began nuclear talks in April. An intelligence trove that Iran claimed it had obtained 'would enable the fighters of Islam to immediately strike (Israel's) hidden nuclear facilities in response to any possible attack by the Zionist regime on Iran's nuclear facilities,' the Supreme National Security Council said in a statement. It also said Iran would respond in a 'precisely proportional' manner to any Israeli attack on its military or economic infrastructure. On Saturday, state media reported that Tehran had obtained a trove of 'strategic and sensitive' Israeli intelligence in a covert operation, including files related to Israel's undeclared nuclear facilities and defence plans. Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib later said that the seized documents included information related to Western countries including the United States, and 'will be published soon'. On Monday, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, said the intelligence would make 'the impact of Iranian missiles more precise' in case of a confrontation. Iran and Israel have fought a shadow war for years, with Tehran accusing Israel of having carried out a wave of sabotage attacks and assassinations targeting its nuclear programme. The two sides have exchanged rare direct attacks for the first time last year against the backdrop of the Gaza war. Rafael Grossi, head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, said on Monday that his agency had no 'official communication' about the intelligence Iran reportedly had. Speaking at an International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Grossi said the information 'seems to refer to Soreq', an Israeli 'research reactor and a research facility' monitored by the IAEA. — AFP
Gulf Insider
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Iran Claims Access to Israel's Nuclear Secrets
Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib is claiming Tehran has acquired a 'treasure trove' of sensitive Israeli documents, including information on Israel's secret (but long not-so-secret ) nuclear weapons program, as well as apparent evidence of US and European knowledge and support. 'The transfer of this treasure trove was time-consuming and required security measures. Naturally, the transfer methods will remain confidential, but the documents should be unveiled soon,' Khatib said. He vowed to make them public, at which point this could force either an Israeli or US official statement. Iranian state TV unveiled the alleged clandestine operation on Saturday, though no evidence was provided. Additionally, Israel has yet to acknowledge anything regarding theft of its files, which may have occurred through a cyber-breach. The Associated Press reporting on Khatib's words strongly points to cyber espionage, given the US-sanctioned intelligence chief's background: Khatib said members of the Intelligence Ministry 'achieved an important treasury of strategic, operational and scientific intelligence of the Zionist regime and it was transferred into the country with God's help.' He claimed thousands of pages of documents had been obtained and insisted they would be made public soon. Among them were documents related to the U.S., Europe and other countries, he claimed, obtained through 'infiltration' and 'access to the sources.' He did not elaborate on the methods used. However, Khatib, a Shiite cleric, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2022 over directing 'cyber espionage and ransomware attacks in support of Iran's political goals.' Israel has for decades had an undeclared nuclear weapons program, which the United States has never formally acknowledged, also with the State Department consistently refusing to answer questions on it. The nuclear arsenal is commonly estimated to be somewhere in the range of 90 to 300 warheads, and it being undeclared means it remains completely outside international oversight. Regional Muslim-majority nations have long called out Western hypocrisy on the issue. Iran's nuclear energy program has been tightly monitored under the prior Obama JCPOA nuclear deal, and current talks with Washington aim to reestablish a similar monitoring regimen. Certainly Tehran will attempt to leverage these alleged documents as it deals with Washington on the issue. #BREAKING EU helps Israel with nuclear weaponsIran MFA says the files Iran obtained from Israel will expose active involvement of some European states in Israel's military nuclear says the same states that constantly preach non-proliferation & question Iran's… — War Intel (@warintel4u) June 9, 2025 The US has also fought entire wars on the basis that an Arab regime might have WMD (weapons of mass destruction) – with Iraq and Libya being notable cases. Gaddafi was convinced by the Bush administration to 'come in from the cold' and give up any nuclear or chemical weapons aspirations, only to be overthrown by NATO-backed and al-Qaeda linked rebels a decade later, with the help of US, French, and UK warplanes. Also read: Iran Extends Ban on Dog-walking for 'public Order, Safety and Health'
Euronews
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Rutte: NATO must boost air defences fourfold to counter Russia threat
Iran claims it has obtained a large batch of information on Israel's nuclear programme, its intelligence minister said on Sunday, without providing any evidence to support it. Speaking to Iranian state television after a cabinet meeting, Esmail Khatib said the Intelligence Ministry had acquired 'an important treasury of strategic, operational and scientific intelligence' from Israel, which he said had been 'transferred into the country with God's help.' Khatib alleged that thousands of documents had been seized, including information related to Europe, the US and other individual countries, though he did not explain how the intelligence was obtained. Khatib, a Shiite cleric who was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022 for his alleged involvement in cyber espionage, said the documents would be made public soon. He claimed they were retrieved through 'infiltration' and 'access to sources,' but offered no specifics or proof. The announcement, which came days before Tehran is expected to face renewed diplomatic pressure over its own atomic activities appears to be aimed at countering a high-profile Israeli intelligence operation in 2018. At the time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his agents had smuggled out a 'half-tonne' of documents from Iran concerning its nuclear programme. The operation was cited by US President Donald Trump when he withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran. The latest Iranian claims come as the board of governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) prepares to meet this week, with Western nations reportedly planning to censure Iran over its failure to clarify long-standing questions about its nuclear activities. Such a move could lead to the issue being referred to the UN Security Council and potentially trigger the reimposition of UN sanctions under the 'snapback' mechanism outlined in the 2015 deal. Iran has signalled it will reject a US-backed proposal after five rounds of nuclear talks, raising concerns of a renewed crisis. Tehran is currently enriching uranium up to 60% purity — just short of the 90% level needed for nuclear weapons — and has stockpiled enough material to build several bombs. Without an agreement, analysts warn that Iran's already struggling economy could worsen further, potentially fuelling domestic unrest. The risk of Israeli or US military action against Iranian nuclear sites also remains, amid fears that Tehran could sever cooperation with the IAEA and dash toward developing a nuclear weapon. NATO members need to increase their air and missile defences by 400% to counter the threat from Russia, the head of the political and military alliance said on Monday, warning that Moscow could be ready to attack it within five years. Secretary General Mark Rutte said during a visit to London that he expects all 32 NATO members to agree to a significant hike in military spending at a summit in the Netherlands later this month. Speaking at the Chatham House think tank, Rutte said Russia is outpacing NATO in producing ammunition and the alliance must take a 'quantum leap" in collective defence. "Wishful thinking will not keep us safe," Rutte said. "We cannot dream away the danger. Hope is not a strategy. So NATO has to become a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance." Rutte has proposed a target of 3.5% of economic output for military spending and another 1.5% for "defence-related expenditure," such as roads, bridges, airfields and seaports. He said he is confident the alliance will agree to the target at its summit in The Hague on 24-25 June. At the moment, 22 of the 32 members meet or exceed NATO's current 2% target, which was set in 2014. Rutte said he expects all to reach 2% by the end of this year. The new target would meet a demand by US President Donald Trump that member states spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defence. Trump has long questioned the value of NATO and complained that the US provides security to European countries that don't contribute enough. Rutte said he agreed that "America has carried too much of the burden for too long." Rutte said NATO needs thousands more armoured vehicles and millions more artillery shells, as well as a 400% increase in air and missile defence. "We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies," he said. "Russia could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years," Rutte added. "We are all on the eastern flank now." Rutte also held talks on Monday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and praised the UK's commitment to increase defence spending as "very good stuff". Starmer has pledged to boost military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and to 3% by 2034. Like other NATO members, the UK has been reassessing its defence spending since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. European NATO countries, led by the UK and France, have scrambled to coordinate their defence positions as Trump transforms US foreign policy, seemingly side-lining Europe as he looks to end the war in Ukraine. Last week the UK government said it would build new nuclear-powered attack submarines, prepare its army to fight a war in Europe and become "a battle-ready, armour-clad nation." The plans represent the most sweeping changes to British defences since the collapse of the Soviet Union more than three decades ago. A total of 27 were arrested in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday as thousands of protesters took to the streets in response to US President Donald Trump's ICE raids and deployment of National Guard troops. At least 10 people were detained during scuffles between police officers and demonstrators in downtown Los Angeles, LAPD Police Chief Jim McDonnell said during a news conference Sunday evening local time. Decrying the escalation of violence as "disgusting", McDonnell said Molotov cocktails, fireworks, rocks and other objects were being used to target officers. "It's escalated now since the beginning of this incident," McDonnell said, calling the protests "increasingly worse and more violent." Another 17 were arrested by the California Highway Patrol, clearing protesters from busy highways. Separately, around 60 people were detained on Sunday in the city of San Francisco following a protest outside the Immigration Services building that turned violent. Hundreds had gathered outside the building to rally against the agency's raids and deportations across California as ordered by the Trump administration. The initially peaceful protest escalated into a tense standoff with San Francisco police officers wearing riot gear, according to local media reports. Another 29 people were also apprehended on Saturday, adding to the tally of 56 arrested in Los Angeles over the weekend in connection with the protests. Sunday's skirmishes in Los Angeles were sparked by protests that began on Friday after it emerged Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers were carrying out raids across the city in predominantly Hispanic neighbourhoods. Trump has ramped up immigration raids during his tenure, asking federal agents last month to arrest 3,000 people a day. Under his directive, ICE officials are allowed to locate, detain and deport illegal immigrants living in the US. Tensions escalated and protests became increasingly violent as demonstrators took to the streets in response to the deployment of some 300 National Guard soldiers, blocking off a major freeway and setting fire to self-driving cars. Police officers used tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bangs to try to quell the unrest. California Governor Gavin Newsom has requested Trump remove the guard troops in a letter Sunday afternoon, calling their deployment a "serious breach of state sovereignty.' His comments were echoed by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who said the escalation of violence on Sunday was "provoked" by the Trump administration's use of National Guard troops, who are typically deployed in exceptional circumstances. In response, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said it is a "bald-faced lie for Newsom to claim there was no problem in Los Angeles before President Trump got involved." Trump himself has insisted the troops are necessary and demanded that additional US Marine units be deployed to the area in response to the unrest. "Looking really bad in LA. Bring in the troops," the US president posted on his Truth Social platform on Sunday. About 500 US Marines are stationed at Twentynine Palms, close to Los Angeles, where they were in a 'prepared to deploy status' Sunday afternoon, according to the US Army Northern Command.
