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Israeli military prepares plan to ensure Iran cannot threaten country, defense minister says
Israeli military prepares plan to ensure Iran cannot threaten country, defense minister says

Arab News

time04-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Arab News

Israeli military prepares plan to ensure Iran cannot threaten country, defense minister says

DUBAI: The Israeli military is preparing an enforcement plan to 'ensure that Iran cannot return to threaten Israel,' Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told senior military officials. He said the military must be prepared, both in intelligence and operations, to ensure Israel has air superiority and to prevent Tehran from reestablishing its previous capabilities. He made his remarks following a 12-day air war between the longtime enemies in June, during which Israel struck Iranian nuclear facilities, saying the aim was to prevent Tehran developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies seeking nuclear arms and that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. Israel and Iran agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire that ended hostilities on June 24.

Shamakhani Recounts How He Survived Assassination Attempt: I Was Trapped 3 Hours Under Rubble
Shamakhani Recounts How He Survived Assassination Attempt: I Was Trapped 3 Hours Under Rubble

Asharq Al-Awsat

time30-06-2025

  • Politics
  • Asharq Al-Awsat

Shamakhani Recounts How He Survived Assassination Attempt: I Was Trapped 3 Hours Under Rubble

Ali Shamkhani, a high-ranking adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, recounted on Iranian television Sunday how he survived an Israeli strike that targeted his residence on the first day of the war between Iran and Israel, stating that he was trapped under the rubble for three hours before being rescued. 'I was mainly injured internally; my ribs were broken,' the official said on Iranian state television. 'At first, I thought it was an earthquake. I was trapped under the rubble for three hours,' he said during the interview, where he was seen using a special inhalation device to help rehabilitate his lungs — a lasting result of his injuries. 'I was lying in bed. My phone was on the floor, a bit away from me. My family was asleep in the next room. I was dozing off, about to wake up for morning prayer, when suddenly the entire room collapsed on top of me,' he said. Shamkhani also recalled the moments he survived under the rubble. 'My room had collapsed two or three stories downward. I began clearing the rubble from my legs,' he said. The Iranian general said his wife and son were also injured during the attack, adding that he was unable to speak clearly at the time due to oxygen pressure. Shamkhani declined to say why he was targeted but said, 'Israel knows why it attacked me—and so do I. But I can't say.' Shamkhani previously served as Iran's navy commander, defense minister and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. He said there is no house or office left for him to stay or work and that the interview was conducted at a café. The interview came hours after Shamkhani made his first public appearance Saturday at the funerals of Iranian nuclear scientists and military commanders killed in the war with Israel. At the funeral, Shamakhani was shown in a civilian suit leaning on a cane and surrounded by his bodyguards and members of his family, according to an image distributed on state television's Telegram channel. Initial reports following the Israeli attacks on Iran claimed Shamkhani had been killed, while others said he was seriously wounded. Last week, the Iranian general confirmed he had survived. 'I've almost died three times—once before the Revolution, once during the Iran-Iraq War, and now this time,' Shamkhani said. The Iranian official said, 'All our commanders—our minds and muscle—had been targeted, yet within 12 hours, they were replaced, and the operation began. It wasn't improvised. It was pre-planned.' Shamkhani then emphasized the need for constant vigilance and readiness to counter enemy threats, while urging further advancement of the nation's military capabilities. He stressed that Iran's leadership has been fully prepared for any scenario, noting that all operations were carried out according to pre-established plans. This preparedness reflected the country's robust military and security posture against any form of escalation or infiltration, he said. Last week, Shamkhani, said in a post on X that 'even if nuclear sites are destroyed, game isn't over, enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain.' He added, 'With legitimate defense right, political and operational initiative is now with the side that plays smart, avoids blind strikes. Surprises will continue!'

The Iran, Israel and U.S. conflict, explained
The Iran, Israel and U.S. conflict, explained

CBC

time27-06-2025

  • Politics
  • CBC

The Iran, Israel and U.S. conflict, explained

Ceasefire between countries is fragile but holding ⭐️HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW⭐️ Israel attacked nuclear facilities in Iran with missiles on June 13. Iran has retaliated with its own strikes, and people on both sides have been killed. On June 21, the United States joined the fighting and bombed a nuclear facility in Iran. Israel and the U.S. said they attacked because Iran is close to building nuclear weapons, which Iran denies. A ceasefire deal reached on June 23 is shaky but appears to be holding. Read on to find out why experts are concerned. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ For almost two weeks, Israel and Iran — two countries in the Middle East — have been at war. It started when Israel said it fired missiles into Iran on June 13 to destroy its nuclear facilities. These are places where a metal called uranium is enriched and turned into a concentrated energy source that could be used to create nuclear weapons, the world's most powerful bombs. Israel said it attacked out of fear that Iran would create those weapons. Iran denies this, saying their nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, like generating power. On June 21, the U.S. got involved by bombing three nuclear sites in Iran. Iran later fired missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar. A few days later the three countries agreed to a ceasefire, which appears to be holding for now. The conflict in the Middle East as of November 2024 What's a nuclear weapon? You may be wondering— what exactly is a nuclear weapon? Where did they come from, who has them, and why are they such a threat? Read this explainer on nuclear weapons — it may help you better understand the rest of this article and how we got here. Why did Israel attack Iran? Iran's leadership has long called for the destruction of Israel. There's been tension between Iran and Israel for many years, and they've exchanged fire as recently as 2024, though that escalation didn't last long. But on June 13, it once again came to a head. Israel claimed that Iran was very close to making nuclear weapons which could be used against Israel. Israel is widely believed to have its own nuclear weapons, but has denied this. 'In recent months, Iran has taken steps it has never taken before to weaponize this enriched uranium,' said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the initial attack. But was their attack justified? Some have criticized Israel for acting without enough proof. 'There was no evidence that Iran was about to attack Israel,' Mira Sucharov, professor of political science at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, told CBC Kids News. A recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency — which monitors nuclear programs around the globe — concluded that Iran likely does not currently have nuclear weapons. But they also concluded Iran is likely hiding parts of its nuclear program from inspectors. They also said Iran isn't following all of the rules that many countries around the world have agreed to that prevent the development of more nuclear weapons. Iranian missiles are seen over Israel on June 13. At least 28 Israelis have been killed and more than a thousand wounded, according to Israel's Health Ministry. Still, Sucharov said Israel may have broken international laws that require a country to provide clear evidence of a threat before attacking another country. Others think it was justified regardless. 'Some think Israel's attack was ethical, that they are protecting themselves and protecting the world from a future Iranian nuclear threat,' said Sucharov. Why did the U.S. get involved? Some of Iran's nuclear facilities were buried deep underground, and Israel didn't have the weapons to destroy them. But the U.S. — their close ally — has those weapons. The U.S. has expressed worry about Iran obtaining nuclear weapons for years. 'The U.S. has said for 20 years they could possibly bomb Iran, but no president has ever done so. Here, Trump saw an opportunity,' said Christian Leuprecht, a military expert and professor of political science at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. U.S. President Donald Trump said U.S. strikes were necessary to destroy Iran's progress in building a nuclear weapon. (Image credit:) Leuprecht said that opportunity presented itself after Israel weakened Iran over the past year through, among other factors, dismantling some of Iran's key allys. Trump has been negotiating with Iran this year to sign a deal that would limit Iran's nuclear programs in exchange for the U.S. lifting sanctions. Sanctions are penalties that can cost a country lots of money and have weakened Iran's economy. But those negotiations haven't been successful. Leuprecht said Trump may have bombed Iran's nuclear facilities to force them back to negotiations, this time with less leverage. That said, Iran has insisted it will not give up its nuclear program. Despite U.S. strikes hitting three Iranian nuclear sites, it's not clear how much their overall nuclear program has been set back. What's happening now? On Monday, Iran launched attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle Eastern countries of Qatar and Iraq. Early Tuesday morning, Trump announced that the U.S. and Israel had reached a ceasefire deal with Iran. Later that day however, Israel and Iran accused one another of breaking the ceasefire through missile strikes. On Wednesday, the ceasefire appeared to be holding and Trump said that U.S. and Iranian officials would reenter talks next week. Have more questions? Want to tell us how we're doing? Use the 'send us feedback' link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ With files from The Associated Press and Reuters

China warned to watch for security threats as Israeli spies in Iran open ‘Pandora's box'
China warned to watch for security threats as Israeli spies in Iran open ‘Pandora's box'

South China Morning Post

time26-06-2025

  • Politics
  • South China Morning Post

China warned to watch for security threats as Israeli spies in Iran open ‘Pandora's box'

Israel's unprecedented success in infiltrating Iranian intelligence has opened up a 'Pandora's box' of global security threats, Chinese observers have warned, while urging China to tighten all national security measures against any vulnerabilities. According to Chinese military analyst and former air force member Fu Qianshao, one striking feature of the Middle East conflict is the critical role played by Israeli intelligence agents embedded in Iran. Israel's Mossad intelligence agency reportedly used spies and agents to smuggle armed drones and precision weapons into Iran in a prolonged operation, effectively creating a covert drone base within Iranian territory. When Israel launched its overnight strikes on June 13, these prepositioned assets helped to swiftly disable much of Iran's air defences and missile system. By the time Iran put together a response hours later, its ability to retaliate had been greatly diminished. The Israeli air strikes targeted key nuclear sites in Iran and killed at least four senior Iranian military commanders and six nuclear scientists. Fu said the tactic of having spies disable Iran's radars and ground-to-air missile systems, allowing Israeli fighter jets to enter Iranian airspace almost unchallenged, was 'a tactic belonging to a new form of warfare, and in many ways has opened a Pandora's box'.

Iran's Supreme Leader makes first public statement since ceasefire declared in Israel-Iran war
Iran's Supreme Leader makes first public statement since ceasefire declared in Israel-Iran war

CTV News

time26-06-2025

  • Politics
  • CTV News

Iran's Supreme Leader makes first public statement since ceasefire declared in Israel-Iran war

In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks to a group of people and officials in Tehran, Iran, Friday, March 21, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei claimed victory over Israel on Thursday in his first public statement since a ceasefire was declared in the war between the two countries. Khamenei hasn't been seen in public since taking shelter in a secret location after the outbreak of the war June 13 when Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities and targeted top military commanders and scientists. Following a massive American attack on June 22 that hit the nuclear sites with bunker-buster bombs, U.S. President Donald Trump was able to help negotiate a ceasefire that came into effect on Tuesday. Khameni did release a video message on June 19 during the war, and Iranian state television and the supreme leader's own social media pages announced that he would be releasing another video message to Iran on Thursday. In his first comment posted on X, he offered his 'congratulations on the victory' over Israel.

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