Latest news with #IsraelDefense
Fox News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Israel hammers Houthis with airstrikes, rebels respond amid Red Sea flare-up
Israel exchanged missile fire with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Monday, targeting the group's ports and other facilities. Israel's initial strikes came in reaction to a suspected Houthi attack on a Liberian-flagged ship in the Red Sea. The vessel was targeted with explosives and small arms fire, causing it to take on water and forcing the crew to abandon ship. The Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Israel's military issued a warning prior to its attack, which targeted ports at Hodeida, Ras Isa and Salif. "These ports are used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the state of Israel and its allies," the Israeli military said. The Houthis responded in kind when Israeli missiles started falling, but Israel reported no casualties from the attack. The Israeli attack also targeted the Galaxy Leader, a vessel seized by the Houthis in 2023. The IDF said the ship had been "fitted with a radar system to track international vessels for terror operations." Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened further strikes if Houthi aggression continues in the Red Sea or elsewhere. "What's true for Iran is true for Yemen," Katz said in a statement. "Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have it cut off. The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions." Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group is "fully prepared for a sustained and prolonged confrontation" and plans to maintain its "naval blockade." U.S. Army Gen. Michael Kurilla told lawmakers in the House Armed Services Committee last month that Iran is the number one reason the Houthis remain a threat, adding the terrorist network "would die on the vine without Iranian support." News of Monday's exchange comes just hours before President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet at the White House. The two leaders are expected to discuss the future of Gaza, with Israel insisting Hamas must be removed from the region completely.
The National
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Israel ‘raids Iranian-run terrorist cell' in Syria and arrests suspects
The Israeli army said on Monday it arrested a "terrorist" cell run by the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps during an operation in southern Syria. The army said it carried out a targeted overnight operation in the Syrian town of Kudna in Quneitra province and "arrested operatives that were operated by Al Quds Force" and "posed a threat in the area". It said troops 'remain deployed in the area, continuing to operate and prevent the entrenchment of any terrorist entity in Syria, with the aim of protecting the residents of the State of Israel". The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported that Israeli forces raided the village of Al Dawaya in Quneitra, searched a number of houses and arrested two brothers. Syrian media said Israeli forces arrested six people including a child in the countryside of Quneitra. since the fall of Bashar Al Assad 's regime in December, Israeli troops have been stationed in Syria where they have established a buffer zone near the border. Syrian authorities have condemned Israel for pushing deeper into the country. The Israeli military last week said it had captured another 'terrorist cell operated by Iran' in a raid in southern Syria, with Syrian state media reporting three people had been arrested. Israel has also carried out strikes in Syria aimed at denying the Islamist-led interim administration military assets. On June 12, Syria said the Israeli military killed one civilian and detained seven people in an overnight incursion, with the Israeli army saying it had seized members of Palestinian militant group Hamas. Israel has said it is "interested" in establishing ties with Syria and neighbouring Lebanon, but insisted the strategic Golan Heights – which Israel seized from Syria in 1967 and later annexed in a move not recognised by the UN – would "remain part of Israel" under any peace accord.
Fox News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump could arm Israel with US B-2s and bunker busters if Iran tries to go nuclear under new proposal
FIRST ON FOX: A bipartisan pair of lawmakers has proposed authorizing President Donald Trump to transfer B-2 stealth bombers and 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs to Israel if Iran is found to still be developing a nuclear weapon after last week's strikes. The legislation, proposed by Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., introduced the Bunker Buster Act, which would allow Trump to "take actions to ensure Israel is prepared for all contingencies if Iran seeks to develop a nuclear weapon." B-2 bomber pilots launched 14 bunker buster bombs on Iran's top three nuclear sites, in a move that Trump claims "totally obliterated" the Iranian regime's nuclear program. Israel, for its part, hit a number of Iranian sites and took out top military brass. However, it doesn't possess the 30,000-pound GBU 57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, precision-guided munition bombs developed for the U.S. Air Force. The 20-foot-long weapons can travel 200 feet deep inside a target before exploding. As of 2024, the U.S. had 19 B-2s in operation. It does not transfer custody of its B-2 stealth bombers to any of its allies. "Iran, the leading state sponsor of terror, and one of America's top enemies, can never have a nuclear weapon. That's why I strongly supported our military actions earlier this month. Iran has killed scores of Americans, including our service members, and repeatedly attacked our key democratic ally, Israel. Israel must be able to defend herself against Iran, and ensure that Iran cannot rebuild its nuclear capabilities," Gottheimer said in a statement. "This bill gives the President the authority to equip Israel with the tools and training they need to deter Tehran and make the world a safer place," said Lawler. The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Chair Rafael Grossi told Radio France Internationale the centrifuges at Iran's underground Fordow nuclear site are "no longer operational," after the U.S. strikes. However, some have questioned whether Iran may have attempted to move its stock of enriched uranium away from the sites that were targeted, but Grossi told CBS over the weekend that Iran may again begin enriching uranium in a "matter of months." "The capacities they have are there. They can have, you know, in a matter of months, I would say, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that. But as I said, frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there," he said. "It is clear that there has been severe damage, but it's not total damage," Grossi added. "Iran has the capacities there; industrial and technological capacities. So if they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again." Meanwhile, after a Houthi strike on Israel, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee suggested the U.S. send B-2 bombers to Yemen to strike Houthi targets. "We thought we were done with missiles coming to Israel, but Houthis just lit one up over us in Israel. Fortunately, Israel's incredible interception system means we go to the shelter & wait until all clear. Maybe those B2 bombers need to visit Yemen!" B-2 bomber planes traveled to Yemen to strike Houthi targets in October 2024.
Al Arabiya
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Israel's defense chief threatens to retaliate for Houthi missiles
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to retaliate against Iran-aligned Houthi militia after his country's military intercepted a missile launched from Yemen toward Israeli territory. 'The fate of Yemen is the same as that of Tehran,' Katz said in a statement, referring to last month's 12-day conflict during which Israel targeted Iran's nuclear and missile programs. 'After striking the head of the snake in Tehran, we will also strike the Houthis in Yemen. Whoever raises a hand against Israel—that hand will be cut off,' the statement said. The Houthi militia claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released late on Tuesday. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group carried out four operations targeting an airport and other 'sensitive' Israeli targets. Israel has threatened the Houthi militia—which has been attacking Israel in what it says is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza—with a naval and air blockade if its attacks on Israel persist. Since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis, who control most of Yemen, have been firing at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade. Most of the dozens of missiles and drones they have launched have been intercepted or fallen short. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes. Mike Huckabee, US President Donald Trump's ambassador to Israel, posted on X: 'We thought we were done with missiles coming to Israel, but Houthis just lit one up over us in Israel. Fortunately, Israel's incredible interception system means we go to the shelter & wait until all clear. Maybe those B2 bombers need to visit Yemen!'
The Independent
30-06-2025
- The Independent
Is it safe to travel to Egypt? Your rights amid ongoing conflict in Middle East
After days of escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, a ceasefire deal proposed by US President Donald Trump is tentatively holding. Despite the ceasefire put in place on 24 June, Israel's defence minister claimed Iran had violated the agreement by launching strikes, which Iran has denied. After Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on 13 June, the two countries continued to attack one another, and the US got involved when Trump launched strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities. Those travelling to nearby holiday hotspots such as Egypt, are searching for answers about whether it is safe to travel. Egypt has many popular tourist destinations, and while the UK's Foreign Office has warned against travel to some areas of the country, many of the popular tourist destinations are still considered safe to travel to, with holiday companies and airlines continuing to operate in the country. How far is Israel from Egypt? Though Israel directly borders Egypt, most of the country's major cities and tourist destinations are a substantial distance away, and so Egypt has avoided much of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Sharm el-Sheikh is the closest destination, though it is still over two-and-a-half hours' drive away from the nearest border town and over five hours away by road from the area around the Gaza border. Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada and Luxor are even further away. Will my flight to Egypt be disrupted? Cairo Airport appears to be operating its flight schedule as normal, apart from some minor delays to departures. Hurghada International Airport is also operating as normal, apart from a few delays. What are my passenger rights? Under air passengers' rights rules, passengers who begin their journeys in the UK or the European Union are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible. If your cancelled flight is covered by UK law, passengers can choose between getting an alternative flight or receiving a refund if their flight is cancelled. If you received less than 14 days' notice of a cancellation, you may also be able to claim compensation. However, this is unlikely if the cancellation was not the airline's fault. What if I have booked a package holiday to Egypt? Package holidays are operating as usual. If you have an upcoming trip booked and want to postpone, get in touch with your tour operator or holiday provider; they may offer some flexibility. However, if not, there are currently no grounds for travellers to expect a refund if they cancel, nor to claim the money back through travel insurance, as the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has not issued a blanket 'avoid all non-essential travel' advisory for Egypt. If FCDO advice changes to advising against all travel, you can cancel a package holiday without penalty for a full refund. Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the FCDO. What is the Foreign Office travel advice for Egypt? The FCDO has issued new travel advice for those visiting Egypt last week, stating that 'following hostilities in the region, a ceasefire between Israel and Iran began on 24 June. 'You should stay up to date with events in the region, check for any transport disruption that may still be occurring, monitor local and international media for the latest information, read the FCDO's advice on if you're affected by a crisis abroad and follow the instructions of local authorities.' The FCDO also advises against travel in certain areas of Egypt. It advises against all travel to within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border and all travel to the North Sinai Governorate. The FCDO also advises against all but essential travel to: The town of El Salloum The northern part of the South Sinai Governorate, beyond the St Catherine-Nuweibaa road, except for the coastal areas along the west and east of the peninsula. The Ismailiyah Governorate east of the Suez Canal. The area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions, except for a list of areas that can be found here. The Hala'ib Triangle and the Bir Tawil Trapezoid. It does not warn against travel to any of the main tourist destinations in Egypt, including Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria and the two Red Sea resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada. The FCDO also warns that 'international borders in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) could close at short notice, including the Taba border crossing between Israel and Egypt'. It advises checking with local authorities and reading Israel's and OPTs' travel advice before crossing or leaving Gaza. 'The Rafah border crossing is currently closed. When re-opened, Israel, Egypt and the authorities in Gaza may determine procedures for who is permitted to cross and when,' it adds. 'Humanitarian aid workers cannot enter or exit Gaza through Egypt at this time.' The Egyptian authorities have said all aid to Gaza must go through the Egyptian Red Crescent. Standard operating procedures can be found on the Logistics Cluster website. The authorities are unlikely to consider requests for humanitarian access made in Egypt at short notice. If you are concerned about friends or family, or need support from the UK government, call the British Embassy in Cairo.
