Latest news with #OperationExodus
Roya News
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
US begins evacuation flights from 'Israel'
The US Ambassador to 'Israel' Mike Huckabee announced "Operation Exodus," a series of assisted departure flights and cruise ship evacuations to help American citizens and lawful residents leave 'Israel' as tensions with Iran intensify. A State Department official said around 70 people were flown from Tel Aviv to Athens, Greece on Saturday on two government-organized flights. He urged citizens to depart on their own if possible. The operation comes in response to a week-long conflict marked by 'Israeli' airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and retaliatory missile attacks from Iran, which have closed 'Israeli' airspace and disrupted commercial travel. "The U.S. embassy in Jerusalem has arranged for masses to leave & our team is working around the clock," Huckabee wrote on X, urging citizens to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for updates on evacuation options, which include cruise ships, commercial or charter flights, and limited US government-operated flights. The State Department has placed 'Israel' under a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory, citing risks from armed conflict, terrorism, and civil unrest.
The Hill
21-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Israel says it hit Iran nuclear research facility, killed top commanders as both trade strikes
Israel on Saturday said it struck an Iranian nuclear facility in Isfahan and killed two top commanders as the clash between the two Middle Eastern countries expands and President Trump weighs direct intervention. Israeli Air Force fighter jets later in the day also moved to strike military infrastructure in southwestern Iran, according to an Israeli military statement. Saeed Izadi, leader of the Palestine Corps of the Quds Force and Behnam Shahriyari, commander of the Quds Force's Weapons Transfer Unit in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were pronounced dead by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) early Saturday. Israeli officials in a social media post said Izadi was 'one of the main orchestrators' of the Oct. 7, 2023 attack from Hamas. The IDF said Shahriyari was responsible for weapons transfer from Iran to proxies across the Middle East. Israeli officials said he was killed while traveling in western Iran. 'His elimination represents a severe blow to the ability of the terrorist organizations surrounding Israel to regroup and strengthen after being heavily damaged by the IDF during the war,' the IDF wrote. The IRGC has not confirmed the deaths but Akbar Salehi, Isfahan province's deputy governor for security affairs, did confirm damage to their nuclear site in Isfahan, per The Associated Press. Israeli forces, Salehi said, struck the site twice within 24 hours, crippling two centrifuge production sites as a part of their objective to eliminate Iran's nuclear development programs. Iran fired 40 drones overnight on Friday that were intercepted by Israel according to the IDF. '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,' an Israeli military official told AP on the condition of anonymity. 'Having said all that, I want to say the Iranian regime obviously still has capabilities.' The escalation of tensions comes as Trump still weighs his options on U.S. involvement, but has warned Iran not to attack American troops. Citizens are also being evacuated in Israel, per US officials. ''Operation Exodus'' is helping US citizens evacuate Israel. We can't part the Red Sea, but are parting the 'Red Tape' to help people who wish to leave,' U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee wrote in a Saturday post on X. Foreign leaders gathered in Geneva to seek to assist in quelling the violence in the region via diplomacy on Friday, however, talks quickly reached a stalemate as Iranian leaders pushed for consequences on Israel. 'Iran is ready to consider diplomacy once again and once aggression is stopped and the aggressor is held accountable for the crimes committed,' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters. The United Nations issued a Friday release after the meetings in Geneva condemning Israeli attacks while denouncing the strikes as a violation of international law. Israel first hit Iran's nuclear facilities on June 13, prompting tensions to escalate in the region as US nuclear talks with Iran collapsed. Iran's Health Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said in an online interview with NewsNation, The Hill's sister station, on Friday that since strikes began, over 3,000 Iranians have been injured, 90 percent of whom are civilians. He said at least 400 people have been killed. The spokesperson added that the youngest injured is a 4-year-old boy, and the youngest victim is a two-month-old baby. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Greenpeace Flagship Rainbow Warrior Returns For 40th Anniversary Of French Bombing In Auckland On 10 July
Press Release – Greenpeace In the 40 years since, the Rainbow Warrior has sailed on the front lines of our campaigns around the world to protect nature and promote peace. The iconic Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior will return to Aotearoa this year to mark the 40th anniversary of the bombing of the original Rainbow Warrior at Marsden Wharf in Auckland by French government agents on 10th July 1985. Russel Norman says, 'The Rainbow Warrior's return to Aotearoa comes at a pivotal moment-when the fight to protect our planet's fragile life-support systems has never been as urgent, or more critical. 'Here in Aotearoa, the Luxon Government is waging an all-out war on nature, and on a planetary scale, climate change, ecosystem collapse, and accelerating species extinction pose an existential threat. 'As we remember the bombing and the murder of our crew member, Fernando Pereira, it's important to remember why the French Government was compelled to commit such a cowardly act of violence. 'Our ship was targeted because Greenpeace and the campaign to stop nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific were so effective. We posed a very real threat to the French Government's military programme and colonial power. 'It's also critical to remember that they failed to stop us. They failed to intimidate us, and they failed to silence us. Greenpeace only grew stronger and continued the successful campaign against nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. 'Forty years later, it's the oil industry that's trying to stop us. This time, not with bombs but with a legal attack that threatens the existence of Greenpeace in the US and beyond. 'But just like in 1985 when the French bombed our ship, now too in 2025, we will not be intimidated, we will not back down, and we will not be silenced. 'We cannot be silenced because we are a movement of people committed to peace and to protecting Earth's ability to sustain life, protecting the blue oceans, the forests and the life we share this planet with,' says Norman. 'In the 40 years since, the Rainbow Warrior has sailed on the front lines of our campaigns around the world to protect nature and promote peace. In the fight to end oil exploration, turn the tide of plastic production, stop the destruction of ancient forests and protect the ocean, the Rainbow Warrior has been there to this day. 'Right now the Rainbow Warrior is preparing to sail through the Tasman Sea to expose the damage being done to ocean life, continuing a decades-long tradition of defending ocean health,' says Norman. This follows the Rainbow Warrior spending six weeks in the Marshall Islands where the original ship carried out Operation Exodus, in which the Greenpeace crew evacuated the people of Rongelap from their home island that had been made uninhabitable by nuclear weapons testing by the US Government. In Auckland this year, several events will be held on and around the ship to mark the anniversary, including open days with tours of the ship for the public.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Greenpeace Flagship Rainbow Warrior Returns For 40th Anniversary Of French Bombing In Auckland On 10 July
Press Release – Greenpeace In the 40 years since, the Rainbow Warrior has sailed on the front lines of our campaigns around the world to protect nature and promote peace. The iconic Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior will return to Aotearoa this year to mark the 40th anniversary of the bombing of the original Rainbow Warrior at Marsden Wharf in Auckland by French government agents on 10th July 1985. Russel Norman says, 'The Rainbow Warrior's return to Aotearoa comes at a pivotal moment-when the fight to protect our planet's fragile life-support systems has never been as urgent, or more critical. 'Here in Aotearoa, the Luxon Government is waging an all-out war on nature, and on a planetary scale, climate change, ecosystem collapse, and accelerating species extinction pose an existential threat. 'As we remember the bombing and the murder of our crew member, Fernando Pereira, it's important to remember why the French Government was compelled to commit such a cowardly act of violence. 'Our ship was targeted because Greenpeace and the campaign to stop nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific were so effective. We posed a very real threat to the French Government's military programme and colonial power. 'It's also critical to remember that they failed to stop us. They failed to intimidate us, and they failed to silence us. Greenpeace only grew stronger and continued the successful campaign against nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. 'Forty years later, it's the oil industry that's trying to stop us. This time, not with bombs but with a legal attack that threatens the existence of Greenpeace in the US and beyond. 'But just like in 1985 when the French bombed our ship, now too in 2025, we will not be intimidated, we will not back down, and we will not be silenced. 'We cannot be silenced because we are a movement of people committed to peace and to protecting Earth's ability to sustain life, protecting the blue oceans, the forests and the life we share this planet with,' says Norman. 'In the 40 years since, the Rainbow Warrior has sailed on the front lines of our campaigns around the world to protect nature and promote peace. In the fight to end oil exploration, turn the tide of plastic production, stop the destruction of ancient forests and protect the ocean, the Rainbow Warrior has been there to this day. 'Right now the Rainbow Warrior is preparing to sail through the Tasman Sea to expose the damage being done to ocean life, continuing a decades-long tradition of defending ocean health,' says Norman. This follows the Rainbow Warrior spending six weeks in the Marshall Islands where the original ship carried out Operation Exodus, in which the Greenpeace crew evacuated the people of Rongelap from their home island that had been made uninhabitable by nuclear weapons testing by the US Government. In Auckland this year, several events will be held on and around the ship to mark the anniversary, including open days with tours of the ship for the public.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Greenpeace Flagship Rainbow Warrior Returns For 40th Anniversary Of French Bombing In Auckland On 10 July
The iconic Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior will return to Aotearoa this year to mark the 40th anniversary of the bombing of the original Rainbow Warrior at Marsden Wharf in Auckland by French government agents on 10th July 1985. Russel Norman says, 'The Rainbow Warrior's return to Aotearoa comes at a pivotal moment-when the fight to protect our planet's fragile life-support systems has never been as urgent, or more critical. 'Here in Aotearoa, the Luxon Government is waging an all-out war on nature, and on a planetary scale, climate change, ecosystem collapse, and accelerating species extinction pose an existential threat. 'As we remember the bombing and the murder of our crew member, Fernando Pereira, it's important to remember why the French Government was compelled to commit such a cowardly act of violence. 'Our ship was targeted because Greenpeace and the campaign to stop nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific were so effective. We posed a very real threat to the French Government's military programme and colonial power. 'It's also critical to remember that they failed to stop us. They failed to intimidate us, and they failed to silence us. Greenpeace only grew stronger and continued the successful campaign against nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. 'Forty years later, it's the oil industry that's trying to stop us. This time, not with bombs but with a legal attack that threatens the existence of Greenpeace in the US and beyond. 'But just like in 1985 when the French bombed our ship, now too in 2025, we will not be intimidated, we will not back down, and we will not be silenced. 'We cannot be silenced because we are a movement of people committed to peace and to protecting Earth's ability to sustain life, protecting the blue oceans, the forests and the life we share this planet with,' says Norman. 'In the 40 years since, the Rainbow Warrior has sailed on the front lines of our campaigns around the world to protect nature and promote peace. In the fight to end oil exploration, turn the tide of plastic production, stop the destruction of ancient forests and protect the ocean, the Rainbow Warrior has been there to this day. 'Right now the Rainbow Warrior is preparing to sail through the Tasman Sea to expose the damage being done to ocean life, continuing a decades-long tradition of defending ocean health,' says Norman. This follows the Rainbow Warrior spending six weeks in the Marshall Islands where the original ship carried out Operation Exodus, in which the Greenpeace crew evacuated the people of Rongelap from their home island that had been made uninhabitable by nuclear weapons testing by the US Government. In Auckland this year, several events will be held on and around the ship to mark the anniversary, including open days with tours of the ship for the public.
