Latest news with #GameofThrones'
Mint
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Game of Thrones meets geopolitics: All about how Israel's 'Red Wedding' strike decimated Iran's military elite
In an audacious strike dubbed "Operation Red Wedding" by Israeli planners, inspired by Game of Thrones' infamous betrayal scene, Israel assassinated Iran's top military commanders and nuclear scientists in a meticulously coordinated June 13 assault. The operation, reportedly years in the making, saw drones and missiles rain down on Tehran simultaneously, killing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief Hossein Salami, Armed Forces Chief Mohammad Bagheri, and nine leading nuclear scientists critical to Iran's uranium enrichment program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orchestrated an elaborate deception to lull Iran into complacency, even postponing his son's wedding while leaking false rifts with the U.S. over military action. This ruse ensured key targets—unaware and gathered in vulnerable locations, were eliminated in minutes. The attack leveraged decades of intelligence gathering, including smuggled explosives and drones hidden in suitcases, and built on prior 2024 strikes that disabled Iran's air defenses. As chaos engulfed Tehran, Netanyahu watched from an Israeli bunker, later declaring the mission had "shattered Iran's threat." President Donald Trump followed Israel's "decapitation" strike with a devastating U.S. bombardment, dropping 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs on Iran's Fordow and Isfahan nuclear facilities. Trump claimed the strikes "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program, but assessments revealed a more complex reality. While Fordow's centrifuges were destroyed by shockwaves, Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium remained intact and were likely moved before the attack . The IAEA confirmed "enormous damage" but noted inspectors were barred from sites, while Iran's Foreign Ministry admitted nuclear facilities were "badly damaged" . The human toll soared to 1,054 deaths in Iran, including 318 military personnel and civilians, with Israel suffering 28 fatalities . Tehran retaliated with over 550 missiles, but 90% were intercepted by Israel's air defenses, though key economic hubs faced unprecedented disruption. Amid the rubble, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei emerged from hiding to defiantly vow Iran would "never surrender," even as his regime grappled with internal fractures and a bill suspending all cooperation with UN nuclear monitors .
Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Sophie Turner confirms she's back with aristocrat boyfriend two months after splitting as they cosy up at Glastonbury
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SOPHIE TURNER is definitely back on with her boyfriend Peregrine Pearson - after they cosied up in the VIP area. Pals said the pair had split earlier this year but last week insiders confirmed they'd reconnected. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Sophie Turner has reunited with her aristocrat boyfriend Peregrine Pearson Credit: The Sun 4 Gentleman Peregrine got the drinks in for the actress Credit: The Sun Onlookers saw Sophie and Peregrine propping up the posh Millers Bar backstage, with the pair hugging and kissing. They added: "Sophie and Peregrine were very affectionate with each other. "Whatever lovers tiff they had its clearly all in the past now because they looked mad for each other. "He was being very sweet and ordered the drinks and carried them for her." We revealed last week how Sophie, 29, had met with the 30-year-old toff in London — and reconnected with him on social media. She and the heir to a £224million fortune were an item last year but were last pictured together this March. Mum-of-two Sophie is divorced and Turner has a claim to be Britain's most eligible bachelor. The Sun first revealed how the pair had started dating in October 2023, following the breakdown of Sophie's marriage to American pop star Joe Jonas. Back when the pair split, a source said: 'Sophie and Peregrine had a great time together but the relationship ran its course. 'She is single and is focusing on her career and her two daughters.' Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner makes crude joke about Arya Stark's sex scene in wine-fuelled video Peregrine, heir of the 4th Viscount Cowdray, had been dating King Charles's goddaughter, model Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark, before he started dating Sophie. Fans also spotted Sophie had unfollowed Peregrine on social media. Joe filed for divorce from Sophie on September 5, 2022, with the couple releasing a joint statement the following day. They said: 'After four wonderful years of marriage we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage.' It took a dramatic turn a year later when Sophie sued Joe and accused him of the 'wrongful retention' of their two daughters. 4 Sophie and the heir to a £224million fortune were an item last year Credit: Getty 4 Sophie was previously married to singer Joe Jonas Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Sophie Turner confirms she's back with aristocrat boyfriend two months after splitting as they cosy up at Glastonbury
SOPHIE TURNER is definitely back on with her boyfriend Peregrine Pearson - after they cosied up in the VIP area. Pals said the pair had split earlier this year but 4 Sophie Turner has reunited with her aristocrat boyfriend Peregrine Pearson Credit: The Sun 4 Gentleman Peregrine got the drinks in for the actress Credit: The Sun Onlookers saw Sophie and Peregrine propping up the posh Millers Bar backstage, with the pair hugging and kissing. They added: "Sophie and Peregrine were very affectionate with each other. "Whatever lovers tiff they had its clearly all in the past now because they looked mad for each other. "He was being very sweet and ordered the drinks and carried them for her." READ MORE ON SOPHIE TURNER We revealed last week how Sophie, 29, had met with She and the heir to a £224million fortune were an item last year but were last pictured together this March. Mum-of-two Sophie is divorced and Turner has a claim to be Britain's most eligible bachelor. Joe Jonas. Most read in Celebrity Back when the pair split, a source said: 'Sophie and Peregrine had a great time together but the relationship ran its course. 'She is single and is focusing on her career and her two daughters.' Game of Thrones' Sophie Turner makes crude joke about Arya Stark's sex scene in wine-fuelled video Peregrine, heir of the 4th Viscount Cowdray, had been dating King Charles's goddaughter, model of Greece and Denmark, before he started dating Sophie. Fans also spotted Joe filed for divorce from Sophie on September 5, 2022, with the couple releasing a joint statement the following day. They said: 'After four wonderful years of marriage we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage.' It took a dramatic turn a year later when Sophie sued Joe and accused him of the 'wrongful retention' of their two daughters. 4 Sophie and the heir to a £224million fortune were an item last year Credit: Getty 4 Sophie was previously married to singer Joe Jonas Credit: Getty
New York Post
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Israeli strike on Iran that killed dozens of military leaders inspired by iconic ‘Game of Thrones' scene
A clinical Israeli strike that wiped out dozens of Iran's top military commanders was inspired by a brutal 'Game of Thrones' scene. The stealth attack was code-named 'Red Wedding' — after a notorious massacre from the HBO series in which an entire family is slaughtered in mere minutes, the Times of Israel first reported. The real-life operation on June 13 — part of the start of the 12-day war — saw more than 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft striking roughly 100 targets, specifically nuclear facilities and missile factories. Advertisement 3 Iranians stand in front of a billboard carrying pictures of Iranian brass killed in the strikes, including late Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Mohammad Bagheri (top right.) ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Like the 'Game of Thrones' scene, it quickly led to a bloodbath, obliterating a swath of high-ranking Iranian officials — including Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard; Mohammad Bagheri, chief of the country's military; and Gholam Ali Rashid, head of Iran's emergency command. Israel was able to trick some top commanders of Iran's air force into gathering for a meeting before they were targeted in one strike, Israeli officials previously revealed. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Jewish state had been actively hunting Tehran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the 12-day onslaught — but the ideal opportunity to assassinate him never came through. Advertisement 'I estimate that if Khamenei had been in our sights, we would have taken him out,' Katz told Israeli TV on Thursday. 'But Khamenei understood this, went underground to very great depths and broke off contacts with the commanders who replaced those commanders who were eliminated, so it wasn't realistic in the end.' Khamenei went into hiding after Israel launched its initial onslaught. Advertisement 3 The stealth attack was code-named 'Red Wedding' after the notorious episode of 'Game of Thrones.' HELENSLOAN 3 A building in Nobonyad Square suffered significant damage in Israeli airstrikes on June 13, 2025 in Tehran. Majid Saeedi He only surfaced Thursday to bizarrely claim victory over Israel and America after President Trump announced a cease-fire between the warring nations. 'The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America's face,' Khamenei had claimed — despite Iran's heavy losses.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Deception and then a fatal blow': How Israel chose the ‘perfect' time to strike Iran; new details on Operation Rising Lion
Israel didn't just strike Iran - it lulled it into a false sense of security first. In one of the most precise military manoeuvres in its history, Israel launched a surprise assault on Iran's nuclear infrastructure after months of deception, misinformation, and meticulously coordinated planning. By the time the first Israeli jets were tearing through the skies over Tehran, Iran's leadership still believed negotiations were underway, and a wedding at the Prime Minister's residence was days away. 'The stars aligned,' one IDF general remarked. But what truly made the operation devastating wasn't just the firepower it was the timing. 'The IDF launched Operation Rising Lion to confront an existential threat to the state of Israel. In 12 days, we operated with accuracy and met our goals,' he said in a statement on X. 'The stars aligned' The timing, according to Israeli officials, was critical. Lt. Gen. Zamir had determined as early as April that June would provide the final 'window of opportunity' to launch a successful strike. Any further delay, the IDF warned, would mean Iran's nuclear and missile programmes might pass the 'point of no return'. Also read | 'Operation Narnia' and 'Red Wedding': How Israel pulled off 'Game of Thrones' on Iran By mid-year, a perfect storm had emerged: Israeli intelligence had fully mapped out Iran's air defences, the country's Axis of Resistance including Hezbollah, Hamas, and Syria's Assad regime had weakened significantly, and operational readiness within the IDF had peaked. 'The stars aligned,' one IDF general reportedly said during internal discussions, as reported by the Times of Israel. In October 2024, following Iran's second missile barrage on Israeli territory, the IDF accelerated plans for an assault. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Women over 35 are going crazy about this free slot machine game Lounge 777 Sign Up Undo The Intelligence Directorate and Israeli Air Force (IAF) began compiling a list of Iranian 'centres of gravity' from firepower and air superiority to economic infrastructure and military command hubs. By March, the IDF had decrypted Iran's air defence systems and finalised its target bank. To ensure operational secrecy, the plan was compartmentalised. Even senior regional commanders within the IDF were left in the dark until the final hours. 'Operation Rising Lion will be remembered in history as one of Israel's most daring and successful operations,' Zamir said. A web of misdirection In the days leading up to the strike, Israel and the United States launched a sophisticated misinformation campaign to mislead Tehran. According to The Times of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump coordinated a 'multi-faceted ruse' to convince Iran that a military strike was not imminent. The two leaders spoke for 40 minutes on the Monday before the strike, during which Trump, according to official leaks, urged Netanyahu not to proceed. Israeli and US officials claimed the focus remained on hostage talks with Hamas. 'Trump played the game together with Israel,' an Israeli official told the Times. 'It was a whole coordination.' Cabinet meetings were staged around supposed progress in hostage negotiations. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar gave the impression that diplomacy was gaining ground, and Israeli media was briefed accordingly. Netanyahu even allowed reports to circulate that he would not cancel his weekend vacation and that his son's wedding was still scheduled further fuelling Iranian assumptions that a strike was off the table. Meanwhile, Israel announced that Mossad chief David Barnea and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer were travelling for talks with US envoys ahead of a new round of Iran-US nuclear negotiations. The meeting was never on the schedule. This smokescreen worked. Iranian leaders were convinced Israel remained hesitant and bound by diplomatic constraints. In truth, the IDF and its American allies were ready to act. A devastating blow, a disputed outcome As Operation Rising Lion was unleashed, the United States joined the conflict under its own codename Operation Midnight Hammer. American B-2 bombers dropped massive GBU-57 'bunker-buster' bombs on underground facilities such as Fordo, while Tomahawk missiles targeted secondary sites. 'Operation Midnight Hammer was accurate, powerful and had great achievements,' said Zamir. Trump later declared a ceasefire on Truth Social, announcing: 'It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE… THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World.' Iran, however, dismissed US claims of crippling damage. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that 'the Islamic republic won' and had delivered 'a severe slap to the face of America'. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi added, 'No agreement, arrangement or conversation has been made to start new negotiations.' Nonetheless, both sides have claimed victory. Netanyahu said Israel had 'thwarted Iran's nuclear project' and warned that any effort to rebuild it would 'be met with the same determination and intensity'. The war left at least 627 Iranian civilians dead, according to Tehran, and 28 Israeli fatalities. But Israel insists it has regained strategic balance. 'We struck deep into Iran, setting back its military nuclear program, its ballistic missile capabilities, and eliminating those who led the effort to destroy Israel,' said Lt. Gen. Zamir. 'This is a defining moment for Israel, the Jewish people and the world.'
