Middle East

Iran launches direct strikes on Israel, opening wider conflict

By Jay Deshmukh with Laurie Churchman JERUSALEM, April 14, 2024 (AFP) – Iran launched more than 200 drones and missiles at Israel in an unprecedented attack late Saturday, the Israeli army announced, in a major escalation of the long-running covert war between the regional foes. Iran’s proxies and allies also carried out coordinated attacks on Israeli positions as sirens sounded in many places and AFP correspondents heard blasts in the skies above Jerusalem early Sunday. […]

Iran Guards confirm attack under way against Israel: state media

TEHRAN, April 13, 2024 (AFP) – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed early Sunday that a drone and missile attack was under way against Israel in retaliation for a deadly April 1 drone strike on its Damascus consulate. “In response to the numerous crimes committed by the Zionist regime, including the attack on the consular section… the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired dozens of missiles and drones at specific targets inside the occupied territories (Israel),” state television […]

Missing Israeli teen found ‘murdered’ in West Bank: Netanyahu

JERUSALEM, April 13, 2024 (AFP) – A missing Israeli teenager was found dead in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “heinous murder”. The disappearance of 14-year-old Benjamin Achimeir on Friday sparked a huge manhunt and attacks on Palestinian villages. “The heinous murder of the boy… is a serious crime,” Netanyahu said in a statement. Israeli forces “are in an intensive pursuit after the heinous murderers and all […]

US troops head to region as fears grow of Gaza war’s spread

Troop reinforcements from Israel’s ally the United States headed to the region on Saturday, with fears of wider war growing more than six months into Israel’s battle against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. After pulling forces from the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis one week ago, Israel’s military said Saturday it was continuing to operate against militants in central Gaza. In central Gaza’s main city of Deir al-Balah, fire burned in the rubble […]

Iran Guards seize vessel ‘related’ to Israel in Gulf: state media

TEHRAN, April 13, 2024 (AFP) – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Saturday seized a container ship “related to the Zionist regime (Israel) in the Gulf,” state media reported, as tensions soar in the region. “A container ship named ‘MCS Aries’ was seized by the Sepah (Guards) Navy Special Forces by carrying out a heliborne operation,” IRNA state news agency reported. It added that the operation took place “near the Strait of Hormuz”, a waterway vital to […]

Biden says expecting Iranian attack on Israel ‘sooner than later’

WASHINGTON, April 12, 2024 (AFP) – US President Joe Biden said Friday he was expecting Iran to attempt to strike Israel in the short term in retaliation for a strike in Syria but warned the clerical state not to attack. “I don’t want to get into secure information but my expectation is sooner than later,” Biden told reporters after an event. Asked what his message was to Iran on striking Israel, Biden said, “Don’t.” “We […]

Lufthansa stops using Iran airspace and keeps halt on Tehran flights

FRANKFURT, Germany, April 12, 2024 (AFP) – German airline Lufthansa said Friday its planes would no longer use Iranian airspace as it extended a suspension on flights to and from Tehran amid soaring Middle East tensions. “Due to the current situation, Lufthansa is suspending its flights to and from Tehran up to and including Thursday, 18 April,” a company spokesperson said Friday. “The airline is also no longer using Iranian airspace.” Its subsidiary Austrian Airlines […]

Defense minister says Israel ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with US on Iran

JERUSALEM, April 12, 2024 (AFP) – Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Friday that Israel and the United States were “shoulder to shoulder” in facing the threat from Iran, after talks with US Central Command chief Michael Kurilla. “Our enemies think that they can pull apart Israel and the United States, but the opposite is true — they are bringing us together and strengthening our ties”, Gallant said, after the two discussed Iran’s threats of retaliation […]

Iranian threat to Israel ‘real’: White House

WASHINGTON, April 12, 2024 (AFP) – Iran’s threats of reprisals against Israel after a strike in Syria this month that killed two Iranian generals remain “real,” the White House said on Friday. “We still deem the potential threat by Iran here to be real, to be viable,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists. Kirby would not confirm reports that US officials considered an Iranian attack “imminent” or comment on whether the United States […]

US sent seized Iran weapons, ammo to Ukraine

By W.G. DUNLOP WASHINGTON, April 9, 2024 (AFP) – Washington has given Ukraine small arms and ammunition that were seized while being sent from Iranian forces to Tehran-backed rebels in Yemen, the US military said Tuesday. The transfer last week came as Ukraine suffers from significant shortages of ammunition and US Republican lawmakers block new aid, but it does not address Kyiv’s need for key items such as artillery and air defense munitions. “The US […]

Israeli withdrawal from southern Gaza likely just troop ‘refit’: W.House

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2024 (AFP) – Israel’s partial withdrawal from the southern Gaza Strip is likely so its troops can “rest and refit,” rather than a move towards a new operation, the White House said on Sunday. “They’ve been on the ground for four months, the word we’re getting is they’re tired, they need to be refit,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABC’s “This Week,” though he stressed that it was “hard to […]

Israel pulls troops out of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza: army, media

JERUSALEM, April 7, 2024 (AFP) – Israel on Sunday pulled all its troops out of southern Gaza, including from the city of Khan Yunis, the military and Israeli media said, after months of fierce fighting with Hamas militants left the area devastated. But the military said a “significant force” will continue to operate in the rest of the besieged Gaza Strip. “The 98th commando division has concluded its mission in Khan Yunis,” the army said […]