Iran initiated its inaugural direct assault on Israeli soil on Saturday night, deploying a swarm of explosive drones and launching missiles. This retaliatory action followed Israel's airstrike on an Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1, which led to casualties including two prominent members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
In response to Iran's aggression, US President Joe Biden condemned the attack on Israel and vowed to coordinate a unified diplomatic reaction with fellow G7 leaders. "I will convene my G7 counterparts tomorrow to synchronize our diplomatic efforts in response to Iran's audacious assault," he announced on Sunday.
21:23 PM(2 weeks ago )
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday accused Iran of “sowing chaos” in the Middle East as he updated the British Parliament on the UK’s actions following Tehran’s “barrage of 300 missiles and drones” targeted at Israel over the weekend.
The British Indian leader praised the bravery of the country’s Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots who joined US-led forces to shoot down a number of Iranian drones, as he confirmed that the UK provided important intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support in the operation alongside allies. He reiterated his previous statement to condemn Iran’s “reckless and dangerous escalation” in the region and called on all sides to show restraint.
PTI
17:11 PM(2 weeks ago )
Amidst spiralling tensions in the Middle East, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is set to visit Pakistan on April 22 and hold meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and the military leadership, according to a media report on Monday.
The 63-year-old leader’s expected visit will take place days after Tehran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel in retaliation to an alleged Israeli airstrike on its Damascus consulate in Syria that killed several people, including two senior commanders of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Geo News reported.
The visit also assumes significance as it comes amidst ongoing efforts by Pakistan and Iran to deepen their cooperation which received a temporary setback earlier this year.
PTI
17:09 PM(2 weeks ago )
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has justified the detention of the MSC Aries container ship on the grounds that it had infringed shipping regulations and failed to provide an "appropriate reaction" to the Iranian authorities.
The ship, which was sailing from the United Arab Emirates to India, had ignored international regulations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said, according to a report by the IRNA state news agency.
The Aries was detained by the navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday, hours before the IRGC launched a missile and drone attack on Israel. The IRGC sees the vessel as linked to Israel.
The container ship is currently in Iranian waters between the islands of Qeshm and Hormuz and is being detained not far from three tankers confiscated by Iran last year, Tankertrackers, an online service tracking crude oil shipments, reported on X.
IANS
10:22 AM(2 weeks ago )
After thwarting a major Iranian attack on its soil, the Israeli government wants the world to recognise Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terror outfit.
The IRGC is directly under the supervision of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Israel seeks a severe diplomatic attack against Iran.
Israel Foreign Minister Israel Katz has, according to sources in the foreign ministry, spoken to British and French counterparts about this.
The Israel side has raised several charges against IRGC, including that it was involved in all the proxy attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis.
According to sources in the Israel Prime Minister’s Office, a meeting of the war cabinet has finalised a counterattack against Iran and all the five members were for a retaliation.
(IANS)
09:04 AM(2 weeks ago )
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said early Monday that all restrictions it put in place shortly before Iran's overnight attack on Saturday have been lifted.
The restrictions, including a ban on all educational activities and large outdoor gatherings, came into effect on Saturday night as part of Israel's defensive efforts ahead of Iran's missile and drone attack, Xinhua news agency reported.
They were originally supposed to expire on Monday night.
However, the IDF Home Front Command decided to lift them as of midnight between Sunday and Monday "following a situation assessment", the IDF said in a statement.
"As part of the changes, it was decided to restore educational activities across Israel," the statement read, adding that "the restriction on gatherings is also removed".
(IANS)
08:53 AM(2 weeks ago )
European Union (EU) and Group of Seven (G7) leaders have called for preventing a further escalation of the situation in the Middle East following Iran's retaliatory strikes on Israel.
"Everything must be done to prevent further regional escalation. More bloodshed must be avoided. We will continue to follow the situation closely with our partners," said European Council President Charles Michel on social media on Sunday.
"All actors must now refrain from further escalation and work to restore stability in the region," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on social media.
While calling on "all parties to exercise utmost restraint", Josep Borrell, EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on social media that "this is an unprecedented escalation."
Borrell said that he has called an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers on April 16 "to contribute to de-escalation and security of the region".
After gathering in a virtual meeting on Sunday, the G7 leaders called for de-escalation and restraint on all parties, Xinhua news agency reported.
(IANS)
08:29 AM(2 weeks ago )
The US does not want to go to war with Iran, a White House national security spokesman has said.
Appearing on CNN's State of the Union news program one day after Iran launched attacks against Israel, US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby on Sunday was asked by host Jake Tapper if the Biden administration supports an Israeli retaliatory operation directly aimed at targets inside Iran.
"As the President has said many times, we don't seek a wider war in the region. We don't seek a war with Iran. And I think I'll leave it at that," he said.
Kirby seemed to be showing more restraint in his remarks, Xinhua news agency reported.
(IANS)
08:09 AM(2 weeks ago )
The leaders of G7 countries met virtually on Sunday and expressed "full solidarity and support to Israel and its people" and reaffirmed their "commitment towards its security".
"We, the Leaders of the G7, unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack against Israel. Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles towards Israel. Israel, with the help of its partners, defeated the attack," they said in a statement released by the White House.
The G7 countries are the United States, Canada, Italy, Britain, France, Germany, and Japan, as well as the European Union.
"We express our full solidarity and support to Israel and its people and reaffirm our commitment towards its security," they said in the statement.
They said by launching the attack on Israel, Iran has "further stepped toward the destabilization of the region and risks provoking an uncontrollable regional escalation. This must be avoided".
They further said that they will "strengthen our cooperation to end the crisis in Gaza, including by continuing to work towards an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas, and deliver increased humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need".
(IANS)
20:07 PM(2 weeks ago )
Iran's large-scale air attack on Israel has prompted fears of further escalation in the volatile Middle East, as leaders condemned the attack and rallied on Sunday to consider their further response.
Israeli and regional airspace reopened on Sunday morning after the country managed with the help of its allies to intercept 99 per cent of the projectiles fired by Iran, according to Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari.
Tehran had launched "over 300 threats of various types," Hagari said.
IANS
20:06 PM(2 weeks ago )
Israeli warplanes struck a pro-Iranian Hezbollah stronghold in eastern Lebanon on Sunday, inflicting at least three casualties, Lebanese security and Hezbollah sources said.
Lebanese security sources said a two-storey building was hit by Israeli warplanes in Nabi Sheet, near the city of Baalbeck.
The Israeli army said that in response to the firing toward northern Israel overnight, Israeli fighter jets struck "a significant Hezbollah weapons manufacturing site in the area of Nabi Chit, deep inside Lebanon".
Lebanese security sources said Hezbollah fighters went on full alert following the strike near the eastern Lebanese-Syrian borders.
(IANS)
18:22 PM(2 weeks ago )
18:20 PM(2 weeks ago )
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned on Sunday against any "reckless" Israeli retaliation to Tehran's unprecedented missile and drone attack, as world leaders urged restraint.
(AFP)
18:17 PM(2 weeks ago )
The Israeli military said on Sunday that it intercepted about 99 per cent of more than 300 missiles and drones Iran launched in its first direct attack against Israel.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said, "Together with our partners, the Americans and others, we managed to block the attack with very little damage caused."
Gallant noted that the incident has not been over, and the Israeli Air Force remains on high alert.
In a press briefing, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari said that Iran had launched about 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles, and over 120 ballistic missiles.
16:00 PM(2 weeks ago )
The Indian mission in Israel on Sunday issued a fresh "important advisory" for its nationals after attacks on the Jewish State by Iran with hundreds of projectiles, advising them to stay calm and adhere to safety protocols.
In an unprecedented attack, Iran and its proxies launched 330 missiles and drones on Israel on Saturday in retaliation to an alleged attack by Israel on a diplomatic installation of the Islamic Republic in Damascus in which several people were killed, including two top commanders. Read More...
14:00 PM(2 weeks ago )
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned Iran’s attack against Israel as “reckless” and pledged that the UK would stand up for security in the region after Tehran launched dozens of aerial drones and cruise missiles overnight on Saturday and into Sunday.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said late on Saturday that several additional Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets had been moved to the region to help intercept the drone attacks.
The aircraft and air-fuelling tankers are being deployed as part of the UK's ongoing Operation Shader against the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group in the region.
(PTI)
13:25 PM(2 weeks ago )
US President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington will oppose any Israeli counterattack against Iran, local media reported.
"You got a win. Take the win," Biden told Netanyahu, thanking Israel, the US, and other countries for their joint efforts, which failed Iran's attacks, US news portal Axios reported, citing a senior White House official.
The official was quoted as saying that when Biden told Netanyahu that the US would not participate in any offensive operations against Iran and would not support such operations, Netanyahu said he understood, Xinhua news agency reported.
Also on Saturday night, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke for the second time with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, during which the Pentagon chief reiterated Washington's "ironclad" support for Israel's defense, Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said in a statement.
Austin told Gallant that the US would ask Israel to notify Washington ahead of any response against Iran, reported Axios, citing a senior Israeli official.
(IANS)
12:19 PM(2 weeks ago )
Israel has closed all its educational institutions from Sunday for an indefinite period following the Iranian attack.
Iran has on Saturday directed drones and a few missiles at Israel which the latter has claimed to have destroyed in the air itself.
Iran has been threatening Israel with an attack following an April 1 attack by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF ) on its consulate in Damascus, Syria. Seven top officials of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), including Brigade General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, were killed in the attack.
The Israel Home Front said that extracurricular activities in the country have also been suspended till further announcement.
IDF spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari in a statement on Saturday night said that from Sunday no educational institutions will be open and that no camp programmes or extracurricular activities will be taking place.
Daniel Hagari also called upon the Israeli citizens to be vigilant and to stay in shelters for ten minutes on hearing a warning siren.
(IANS)
11:26 AM(2 weeks ago )
Extending support to Israel, US President Joe Biden has said that he will convene leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries on Sunday to coordinate a "united diplomatic response" to Iran's attack against Israel.
"I will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran's brazen attack," Biden said in a statement following his call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday.
During the phone call, Biden also reaffirmed America's ironclad commitment to the security of Israel, Xinhua news agency reported.
Biden said he told Netanyahu that Israel has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks - sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten its security.
Condemning the attacks "in the strongest terms possible," Biden said that they were carried out through air by Iran and "its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq."
Biden said that the US forces in the region "helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles.
(IANS)
10:49 AM(2 weeks ago )
The United Nations Security Council is to meet in an emergency session on Sunday to consider Iran's fusillade of drones and missiles attacking Israel, which Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned as an escalation of the Middle East crisis. Read More....
10:48 AM(2 weeks ago )
India on Sunday expressed serious concern over the escalating tension between Israel and Iran, and called for exercising restraint, stepping back from violence and returning to the path of diplomacy. Read More...
10:45 AM(2 weeks ago )
The US has announced "ironclad" support for Israel as Iran launched scores of drones and cruise missiles against Israel in retaliation for the the bombing of one of its diplomatic facilities in Damascus earlier this month. Read More...
10:41 AM(2 weeks ago )
Acombined attack of dozens of ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones from Iran triggered air raid alerts across Israel early on Sunday, the Israeli army said, as residents reported multiple bombings were heard. Read more...
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