Latest news with #covertoperations
News.com.au
24-06-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘You have 12 hours': Audio of threatening phone call between Israel and Iranian general emerges
Audio of an ominous phone call between an Israeli intelligence officer and a senior Iranian general has shed new light on the covert activity happening behind the scenes of the conflict between the two countries. The Washington Post obtained and published the audio, from a call which took place mere hours after Israel launched its initial strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities on June 13. This morning, US President Donald Trump announced a tentative ceasefire between the nations, which have been bombing each other sporadically for more than a week. You can read more about that in our live coverage. Back to the phone call. The Post removed the voice of the general to avoid identifying him. The paper said the agent with Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, had already been digitally altered when it obtained the recording. This is how the conversation unfolded. 'I'm calling from a country which, two hours ago, sent Salami, Bagheri and Shamkhani to hell,' the agent said, referring to senior Iranian targets killed by Israel, among them Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. 'And now for you, now I'm suggesting you...' There was crosstalk at that point, and the Mossad agent had to ask whether the general could actually hear him. 'Listen carefully. I'm calling from a country that – I'll explain to you. Listen carefully,' he said, trying again. 'I'm calling from a country that, two hours ago, sent Bagheri, Salami, Shamkhani, one by one, to hell. 'I can advise you now, you have 12 hours to escape with your wife and child. Otherwise you are on our list right now. All of you, one by one, are on the list that I am looking at, and you are our next targets. 'We will hit you, your family, your children, everyone, with the dirt. I only called to tell you, while there's time. I will give you a reprieve. Like I said, 12 hours from this very minute that I spoke to you, you have time to escape. 'If not, you have no one to blame but yourself. We're closer to you than your own neck vein. Put this in your head. May God protect you.' The Iranian seemed confused in response, prompting the Israeli agent to reiterate his message. 'All of these savages, all of these people like Salami, we sent them to that same place they should have gone to much earlier,' said the Israeli agent. 'Do you want to be one of them? Do you want to be the next one on the list? Do you also want to destroy your wife and child?' There was a long pause. 'So what should I do now?' the general asked. 'I'm telling you right now. I gave you a proposal,' said the Israeli. 'Say it,' said the Iranian. 'You have 12 hours to make a video saying, 'We have walked away from this government, and we are unwilling to sacrifice our lives for people who destroyed our country for 46 years. They only killed, stole took. They only cut the children of this country into pieces,'' said the Mossad agent. 'Well, how should I send it to you?' the general asked. 'I will send you a Telegram ID. Send it,' said the agent. 'Look, we have everything on you. It seems you haven't understood. It's clear you don't even understand where you are right now. 'I'm telling you we hit all your leaders. We turned them into powder. Now you're sitting here, and you think you're talking to me. I'm calling to give you a proposal to save your wife and child, you wretch. Are you confused?' The call ended with more logistics about how, exactly, the Iranian general was supposed to send the video to Israel. Iran and Israel have been trading fire ever since those initial Israeli air strikes on June 13. The United States then joined in, bombing three Iranian nuclear sites. Today, hopes of a de-escalation were bolstered when Iran responded to the American attack with a token strike on a US base in Qatar, which resulted in no casualties. That was followed by Mr Trump's announcement of a ceasefire. 'CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE!' Mr Trump wrote on social media. 'It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately six hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for twelve hours, at which point the WAR will be considered, ENDED! 'Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World. 'During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL. On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, 'THE 12 DAY WAR'. 'This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn't, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD! 'DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.' It was later reported that Iran had agreed to the ceasefire proposal via Qatar, which as acted as an intermediary between the United States, Israel and both Iran and Hamas.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Chinese military unveils mosquito-sized drones that can perform battlefield missions
China's National University of Defence Technology (NUDT) has developed a mosquito-sized drone designed for covert military operations. Details are a little thin on the ground, but its development is likely focusing on surveillance and reconnaissance missions in complex or sensitive environments. The drone's main unique selling point is its compact size, making it relatively easy to hide or conceal. It has two leaflike wings that are reportedly able to flap just like an insect's wings. 'Here in my hand is a mosquito-like type of robot. Miniature bionic robots like this one are especially suited to information reconnaissance and special missions on the battlefield,' Liang Hexiang, a student at NUDT, told CCTV while holding up the drone between his fingers. The drone also has three hair-thin "legs" that could be used for perching or landing. Dinky drones of this kind could likely be used in urban combat, search and rescue, or electronic surveillance. It could also be a valuable tool for reconnaissance and covert special missions. To make it work, the drone features advanced integration of power systems, control electronics, and sensors, all in an incredibly tiny package. These drones can operate undetected, making them valuable in covert warfare, espionage, or tactical reconnaissance. However, given their size, they are pretty challenging to design and build. Engineering at that scale is challenging, particularly with components such as batteries, communications, and sensors that must be miniaturized without sacrificing functionality. Its development may also signal a broader trend. For example, the U.S., Norway, and other countries are also investing in micro-UAVs for both military and non-military purposes. Norway's "Black Hornet" is a prime example. This palm-sized device is in service with many Western militaries and is used for close-range scouting. The latest version, "Black Hornet 4," has improved durability and range. Developed by Teledyne FLIR Defence, this drone won the 2025 US Department of Defence Blue UAS Refresh award, which recognises unmanned aerial systems. The model's enhanced battery life, weather resilience, and communication range address common challenges faced by microdrone developers. Harvard has also previously unveiled its RoboBee micro-UAV. Similarly powered using flapping "wings," this drone can fly, land, and even transition from water to air. In 2021, the US Air Force confirmed that it was developing tiny drones. However, there have been no updates regarding any completed technology or deployment. Beyond military applications, micro-UAVs like these could have essential roles in other industries. In the medical sciences, for example, similar technologies are being researched for use in surgery, drug delivery, diagnostics, and medical imaging. It could also be used in applications such as environmental monitoring, where future microdrones could be utilized for pollution tracking, crop monitoring, or disaster response. Looking at the bigger picture, "microdrones" like these mark a significant step in military micro-robotics, demonstrating that countries like China are advancing rapidly in next-generation surveillance tools. It also highlights a global race where small, intelligent, and stealthy robots could redefine how both soldiers and scientists interact with the world, whether on a battlefield or inside a human body.
Al Jazeera
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
The Philippine Vampire Mystery
One chilling death sparked widespread panic, leaving villagers to wonder if a supernatural predator was lurking in the shadows. At the same time, the CIA was locked in a brutal struggle against communist Huk rebels, deploying a mysterious operative named Edward Lansdale to lead covert operations. But how far did Lansdale go to crush the rebellion? In this episode: -Michael Pante, historian -Allan Derain, folklorist
New York Times
14-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
First Ukraine, Now Israel: Drone Smuggling Is Potent New War Weapon
Small, difficult to detect and able to pack a powerful punch, attack drones have become a formidable weapon in modern warfare. But when launched from deep inside enemy territory — as in Iran and in Russia this month — their impact is all the more devastating. The surprise factor of having to fend off drones attacking from within combines a classic military strategy with modern technology. Spy craft and covert operations have long been a part of combat, but using them to build or deploy deadly drones behind enemy lines is a new tactic in the ever-evolving art of war, officials and weapons experts said. That was the case two weeks ago, when more than 40 Russian war planes were hit by a swarm of 117 drones that Ukraine had secretly planted near military bases in Russia months earlier. Some were thousands of miles from Ukraine. It was also the case in Iran, which lost missiles, interceptors and air defense systems that were destroyed on Friday by drones and other weapons that Israeli intelligence operatives had smuggled in earlier. Many of the details about the secretive operations, and how they were carried out, remain murky to protect methods of intelligence collection and sources of covert information. But Israel's approach gave it an edge in its wide-ranging attack against Iran 'because it's coming from left flank,' said Assaf Orion, a retired Israeli brigadier general and defense strategist at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Asharq Al-Awsat
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
OpenAI Finds More Chinese Groups Using ChatGPT for Malicious Purposes
OpenAI is seeing an increasing number of Chinese groups using its artificial intelligence technology for covert operations, which the ChatGPT maker described in a report released Thursday. While the scope and tactics employed by these groups have expanded, the operations detected were generally small in scale and targeted limited audiences, the San Francisco-based startup said, according to Reuters. Since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022, there have been concerns about the potential consequences of generative AI technology, which can quickly and easily produce human-like text, imagery and audio. OpenAI regularly releases reports on malicious activity it detects on its platform, such as creating and debugging malware, or generating fake content for websites and social media platforms. In one example, OpenAI banned ChatGPT accounts that generated social media posts on political and geopolitical topics relevant to China, including criticism of a Taiwan-centric video game, false accusations against a Pakistani activist, and content related to the closure of USAID. Some content also criticized US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, generating X posts, such as "Tariffs make imported goods outrageously expensive, yet the government splurges on overseas aid. Who's supposed to keep eating?". In another example, China-linked threat actors used AI to support various phases of their cyber operations, including open-source research, script modification, troubleshooting system configurations, and development of tools for password brute forcing and social media automation. A third example OpenAI found was a China-origin influence operation that generated polarized social media content supporting both sides of divisive topics within US political discourse, including text and AI-generated profile images. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on OpenAI's findings. OpenAI has cemented its position as one of the world's most valuable private companies after announcing a $40 billion funding round valuing the company at $300 billion.
