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Sinar Daily
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
Fourth journalist dies in Gaza media tent strike
A medical source said on Friday that photojournalist Ahmad Qalja succumbed to his wounds following Thursday's deadly drone attack that killed three other journalists and injured four more. 06 Jun 2025 06:53pm A plume of smoke erupts during Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip on June 5, 2025. - (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) ANKARA - A Palestinian photojournalist died from injuries sustained in Israel's Thursday airstrike on a media tent at Gaza City's Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, bringing the total number of journalists killed in a single strike to four, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. A medical source said on Friday that photojournalist Ahmad Qalja succumbed to his wounds following Thursday's deadly drone attack that killed three other journalists and injured four more. The Government Media Office in Gaza confirmed that with Qalja's death, the total number of Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since Oct 7, 2023, has now reached 226. The figure includes 30 female journalists and one journalist from the occupied West Bank. The deadly attack came one day after the United States (US) vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution that called for an "immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip. Slovenia proposed the draft resolution on behalf of the Security Council's 10 elected members-Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Panama, Pakistan, South Korea, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Slovenia-and received 14 votes. A woman prays at the grave of a loved one on the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, on June 6, 2025. - (Photo by EYAD BABA / AFP) Israel, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a genocidal offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave's more than two million inhabitants. Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave. - BERNAMA
Toronto Sun
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Israel hits Iranian nuclear research facility and says it's preparing for possibly long campaign
Published Jun 21, 2025 • 6 minute read Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks on June 21, 2025. Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP via Getty Images TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said Saturday it struck an Iranian nuclear research facility overnight and killed three senior Iranian commanders in targeted attacks, while emphasizing it was preparing for the possibility that the war could turn into a lengthy campaign. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Early Saturday, smoke could be seen rising from an area near a mountain in Isfahan, where a local official said Israel had attacked the nuclear research facility in two waves. The target was two centrifuge production sites, and the attacks came on top of strikes on other centrifuge production sites elsewhere in recent days, according to an Israeli military official speaking on condition of anonymity under army guidelines to brief reporters. It was the second attack on Isfahan, which was hit in the first 24 hours of the war as part of Israel's goal to destroy the Iranian nuclear program. Akbar Salehi, Isfahan province's deputy governor for security affairs, confirmed the Israeli strikes had caused damage to the facility but said there had been no human casualties. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Iran launched a new wave of drones and missiles at Israel but there were no immediate reports of significant damage, and the Israeli official called it a 'small barrage' that was largely intercepted by Israel's defences. The official said part of the reason that Iran's overnight attack had been relatively small was that the military had been targeting its launchers, and estimates it has now taken out more than 50% of them. 'We've been able to take out a large amount of their launchers, creating a bottleneck — we're making it harder for them to fire toward Israel,' he said. 'Having said all that, I want to say the Iranian regime obviously still has capabilities.' Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service said Saturday an Iranian drone hit a two-story building in northern Israel, but there were no casualties. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Later, the Israeli military's chief spokesman, Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, said the army had been told by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir to be prepared for a 'prolonged campaign' to destroy its targets, including nuclear sites, enrichment facilities and missile infrastructure. 'We are deepening our strikes night after night and we have amazing achievements,' he said. 'We will continue until the threat is removed.' Talks in Switzerland fail to produce a breakthrough Talks in Geneva on Friday failed to produce a breakthrough. European officials expressed hope for future discussions, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was open to further dialogue while emphasizing that Tehran had no interest in negotiating with the U.S. while Israel continued attacking. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again and once aggression is stopped and the aggressor is held accountable for the crimes committed,' he told reporters. No date was set for the next round of talks. Iran warns against U.S. military involvement U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing active U.S. military involvement in the conflict, which Araghchi said Saturday 'would be very unfortunate.' 'I think that it would be very, very dangerous for everyone,' he said in Istanbul, speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The war between Israel and Iran erupted June 13, with Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 722 people, including 285 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,500 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Iran has retaliated by firing more than 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot down by Israel's multitiered air defences, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel's military operation in Iran would continue 'for as long as it takes' to eliminate what he called the existential threat of Iran's nuclear program and arsenal of ballistic missiles. But Netanyahu's goal could be out of reach without U.S. help. Barring a commando raid or even a nuclear strike, Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility is considered to be out of reach to all but America's 'bunker-buster' bombs. Trump said he would put off deciding whether to join Israel's air campaign against Iran for up to two weeks. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In Israel's opening attack, it killed three of Iran's top military leaders: one who oversaw the entire armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri; one who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami; and the head of the Guard's ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh. The targeted killings of senior commanders continued, with Israel's defence minister saying Saturday that the military had killed a commander in Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who financed and armed Hamas in preparation for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the 20-month long war in Gaza. Israel said Saeed Izadi was commander of the Palestine Corps for the Iranian Quds Force, an elite arm of the Guard that conducts military and intelligence operations outside Iran, and that he was killed in an apartment in the city of Qom. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Iranian officials did not immediately confirm the death, but the Qom governor's office did say there had been an attack on a four-story apartment building and local media reported two people had been killed. Israel also said it had killed the commander of the Quds Force's weapons transfer unit, who it said was responsible for providing weapons to Hezbollah and Hamas. Behnam Shahriyari was killed in his car while traveling in western Iran, the military said. A commander of Iran's drone force was also killed overnight, the Israeli official who briefed reporters said. Iran threatens head of UN nuclear watchdog On Friday, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog warned at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I want to make it absolutely and completely clear: In case of an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment,' said Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. 'This is the nuclear site in Iran where the consequences could be most serious.' Israel has not targeted Iran's nuclear reactors, instead focusing its strikes on the main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, laboratories in Isfahan and the country's Arak heavy water reactor southwest of the capital. Iran previously agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors access to its nuclear sites under a 2015 deal with the U.S., France, China, Russia, Britain and Germany in exchange for sanctions relief. But after Trump pulled the U.S. unilaterally out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60% — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90% — and restricting access to its nuclear facilities. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but it is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich uranium up to 60%. Israel is widely believed to be the only Middle Eastern country with a nuclear weapons program but has never acknowledged it. Leaders in Iran have blamed Grossi's statements about the status of Iran's nuclear program for prompting Israel's attack. On Saturday, a senior adviser for Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei, Ali Larijani, said in a brief social media post without elaboration that Iran would make Grossi 'pay' once the war with Israel is over. Iran acknowledges detaining a German cyclist Iran also acknowledged for the first time that it detained a German cyclist on spying allegations, likely an effort by Tehran to pressure Germany — one of the countries that has been involved in the diplomatic talks. The semiofficial Mehr news agency published footage of the unidentified man's arrest. It said he was detained in Markazi province, home to Iran's Arak heavy water reactor. The German news agency dpa reported the arrest took place last year. Germany's Foreign Ministry refused to comment. — Rising reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Mehmet Guzel in Istanbul, Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Farnoush Amiri and Jon Gambrell in Dubai contributed to this report. 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Sinar Daily
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
Iran has taken control of Israel airspace
The IRGC said the operation was in response to what it described as the Tel Aviv regime's aggression on Iranian soil. 18 Jun 2025 09:39am Israeli air defence systems are activated to intercept Iranian missiles over the Israeli city of Tel Aviv early on June 18, 2025. Israel and Iran exchanged fire again on June 17, the fifth day of strikes in their most intense confrontation in history, fuelling fears of a drawn-out conflict that could engulf the Middle East. (Photo by Menahem Kahana / AFP) TEHRAN - Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday said the Iranian armed forces now have control over Israel's airspace following a new wave of missile attacks., Mehr News Agency reported. In a statement issued after the strikes, the IRGC said the operation was in response to what it described as the Tel Aviv regime's aggression on Iranian soil. Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks on June 17, 2025. Israel and Iran exchanged fire again on June 17, the fifth day of strikes in their most intense confrontation in history, fuelling fears of a drawn-out conflict that could engulf the Middle East. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) The IRGC said it launched first-generation Fattah missiles targeting the occupied territories. According to the statement, the missiles managed to penetrate Israel's missile defence systems and repeatedly struck shelters. "Tonight's missile attack showed that we have gained complete control over the skies of the occupied territories,' it added. Tensions have escalated sharply since Friday, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes and drone attacks on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting retaliatory strikes from Tehran. - BERNAMA-MEHR More Like This
Newsweek
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
The F-35, Mocked by Elon Musk, Finally Shows What It Can Do
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Back in November, fresh off the presidential election, Elon Musk took direct aim at the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Calling the $100 million-a-piece aircraft "obsolete" and a "jack of all trades, master of none," Musk argued that the future belonged to drones—not manned jets. "Manned fighter jets are outdated in the age of drones and only put pilots' lives at risk," he posted on X. But in June 2025, those same jets are proving Musk wrong. During Israel's ongoing offensive against Iran, F-35I Adir fighters—Israel's variant of the American-made stealth jet—have executed dozens of long-range strikes against fortified air defense systems, missile sites and nuclear facilities. Israeli officials say the aircraft flew deep into Iranian territory, encountered little resistance, and returned without a single recorded loss. The results were immediate and visible. According to the Israeli Air Force, their F-35s neutralized critical air defense assets and gave Israeli pilots air superiority over much of Iranian airspace—a feat that unmanned systems have yet to replicate. 'We Need Both' In interviews with Newsweek, defense experts said Musk's assertion doesn't hold up—Israel's strikes on Iran highlight exactly why manned stealth aircraft remain essential, even as drones reshape modern warfare. "Manned stealth aircraft are the most cost-effective way to achieve results against heavily defended adversaries," said retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula, who served as deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at U.S. Air Force headquarters and is now dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Deptula described Israel's deep-penetration raids—some stretching nearly 1,000 miles—as a blueprint for modern air campaigns. "These operations saw Israel's F-35s evade and dismantle Iran's Russian-supplied air defenses, and then go on to strike other key targets. That is far from easy and could not have been accomplished by today's drones," he said. An Israeli air force F-35 fighter lands during the "Blue Flag" multinational air defence exercise at the Ovda air force base, north of the Israeli city of Eilat, on October 24, 2021. An Israeli air force F-35 fighter lands during the "Blue Flag" multinational air defence exercise at the Ovda air force base, north of the Israeli city of Eilat, on October 24, 2021. Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), echoed that sentiment. "Those who suggest that uncrewed systems alone can replace what fighter aircraft do fundamentally do not understand what makes them such a flexible and potentially decisive military tool," Bronk told Newsweek. He added that unmanned systems, while useful for surveillance and saturation attacks, still lack the resilience and adaptability to execute complex, multi-layered strikes in contested airspace. "It's one thing to simulate uncrewed aircraft doing dogfighting in a clean, test environment," he said. "It's another to trust them in the electromagnetic chaos of modern combat, where jamming, deception, and dense airspace demand flexibility." The Human Factor Israel's strikes have included precision-guided bombs dropped on hardened targets such as the Natanz and Fordow nuclear enrichment sites. Defense analysts quickly noted the significance of using fifth-generation aircraft in such missions. "There's a significant difference between today's military operations and what might be possible in 10 or 15 years," said Guy Snodgrass, a former Navy fighter pilot and Pentagon strategist. "In today's world, manned stealth aircraft like Lockheed's F-35 are the premier tools. Their networked sensor suites, real-time battlefield awareness, and trained pilots make them unmatched for missions like these." Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025. Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025. AP Photo That's exactly what Israel's F-35s brought to the Iranian theater. Modified with extended-range fuel systems and armed with precision-guided munitions, the aircraft reached targets nearly 1,000 miles away. Israeli officials say the missions were executed without aerial refueling and with minimal radar detection—an outcome impossible without stealth and pilot-led adaptability. "The proof is there for all to see," said Deptula, the retired general. "No drone exists today—or will in the foreseeable future—that can do what we are witnessing Israeli Air Force F-35s accomplish on a daily basis. Drones are tools that facilitate the conduct of air warfare—they don't change the fundamental elements of air warfare." The Drone Revolution Still, Deptula is quick to note the drone revolution is very real—just not all-encompassing. Deptula said that Israeli forces have used small lethal drones to support their strike packages, especially in suppressing Iranian air defenses. "It's a great example of taking an effects-based approach," he said. "You match the tool to the mission." One of the clearest examples of how modern warfare is evolving came just weeks before Israel's air campaign began. In Eastern Europe, Ukraine launched "Operation Spiderweb" its most ambitious operation of the war against Russia—a sweeping drone and missile strike deep into Russian territory, damaging military infrastructure hundreds of miles from the front lines. The attack demonstrated an effective way to strike without putting costly assets like fighter jets at risk. Snodgrass sees a future where artificial intelligence and uncrewed systems play a bigger role—but not yet. "Unmanned aircraft will one day rule the skies," he said. "But current systems like the F-35 represent the pinnacle of what is on offer today and in the near future." A still image from footage of Operation Spiderweb published by Ukraine's security services. A still image from footage of Operation Spiderweb published by Ukraine's security services. SBU Bronk agreed. "Massed one-way drones are useful for disruption and suppression," he said, "but they don't replace precision strike aircraft—especially not when facing modern missile systems and electronic defenses." In a statement to Newsweek, a spokesperson for the defense giant Lockheed Martin, which makes the F-35, called it "combat proven." "Its ability to combine battlefield intelligence and technology and share it instantaneously across every domain—land, sea, air, space, cyber—gives it an overwhelming edge in capability over the alternatives," the spokesperson said. Whether that edge lasts another decade may depend on how quickly AI evolves, experts agree. For now, though, they say the skies over Iran offer a clear rebuttal to the idea that manned jets are already "relics of the past," as Musk has claimed.
Newsweek
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Freedom Flotillas: The Deadly History as Greta Thunberg Detained by Israel
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Israel announced on Monday the interception of a "freedom flotilla" carrying activist Greta Thunberg, the latest attempt by pro-Palestinian activists to bring aid into the Gaza Strip amid Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid entering the territory. Newsweek reached out to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition for comment via email. Why It Matters The vessel, named Madleen and operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was stopped in international waters on its way to a port in Gaza amid Israel's naval blockade. The FFC said that the group was attempting to deliver humanitarian aid, including food, baby formula and medical supplies. Activists have led these missions to try to bring in aid and food to Gaza, where citizens have faced starvation amid the war between Israel and Hamas. The World Health Organization (WHO) said 2.1 million people in Gaza are "facing prolonged food shortages, with nearly half a million people in a catastrophic situation of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness and death." On October 7, 2023, Hamas led an attack against Israel, killing 1,200 and abducting 251 people. Today, around 58 people remain captive. Israel has since launched an offensive on Gaza, killing more than 54,000 people, according to the Associated Press, citing Gaza's Health Ministry. What To Know The decades-long conflict between Israel and Hamas has seen several attempts at breaking through the naval blockade of Gaza, and these efforts have at times turned deadly, such as in 2010. That year, the Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara aimed to deliver aid to Gaza and raise awareness about the conditions in the territory. In May 2010, the ship was intercepted by Israel, whose soldiers raided the boat. The raid ended with nine Turkish activists being killed by Israeli naval commandos. Main: The Madleen "freedom flotilla" approaches the Israeli southern port of Ashdod on June 9, 2025. Inset: Greta Thunberg speaks at a press conference in Catania, Italy, on June 1, 2025. Main: The Madleen "freedom flotilla" approaches the Israeli southern port of Ashdod on June 9, 2025. Inset: Greta Thunberg speaks at a press conference in Catania, Italy, on June 1, 2025. JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images;Israel said those on board attacked soldiers using knives and iron bars during the interception. Israel faced outrage over its handling of the first flotilla mission, with former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon being among the global leaders who condemned their response. The International Criminal Court, however, declined to prosecute Israel for the raid. Another "freedom flotilla" was planned for the following year, in 2011, from Athens; however, the Greek government banned Gaza-bound ships from using their ports. Additional flotillas were intercepted in 2015, about 100 miles off the Gaza Coast, and in 2018. Last month, another ship, the Conscience, was allegedly attacked by two drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta, reported the Associated Press. There have been a few successful attempts at reaching Gaza, such as in 2008, when two boats carrying 46 activists successfully broke through the naval blockage. The ships carried cargo, including hearing aids, into the territory despite Israel's restrictions, according to a report from The Guardian at the time. Ship Carrying Greta Thunberg, Other Activists Seized Thunberg and other activists were on board the Madleen—named after Gaza fisherwoman Madleen Kulab, according to Al Jazeera—as part of the latest effort to break through Israel's naval blockade, but were intercepted on Monday about 120 miles off the coast of Gaza. Israel said the activists would be returned to their home countries and that aid would be distributed to Gaza. In total, there were 12 other individuals aboard the ship, including Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament and Al Jazeera Mubasher correspondent Omar Faiad. Huwaida Arraf, a human rights attorney and Freedom Flotilla organizer, said in a press release that the interception "blatantly violates international law and defies the ICJ's binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza." "These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalized for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade—their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately," Arraf said. What People Are Saying Greta Thunberg said in a pre-recorded video released Monday: "If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel." Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, on X (formerly Twitter): "To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas-propaganda spokespeople, I say clearly: You should turn back—because you will not reach Gaza. Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organizations—at sea, in the air, and on land." Freedom Flotilla organizer Tan Safi, in a press release: "The world's governments remained silent when Conscience was bombed. Now Israel is testing that silence again. Every hour without consequences emboldens Israel to escalate its attacks on civilians, aid workers, and the very foundations of international law." What Happens Next Israeli authorities have indicated that the detained activists will be processed and repatriated. As of Monday, they were being transported to Ashdod.
