TEHRAN, Dec 29, 2023 (AFP) – Iran on Friday hanged four people convicted of spying for arch foe Israel, the judiciary said, less than two weeks after authorities had executed a man on similar grounds. “Four members of a sabotage group related to the Zionist regime (Israel)… were hanged this morning” in Iran’s northwestern province of West Azerbaijan, the judiciary’s Mizan Online website reported. It identified them as three men — Vafa Hanareh, Aram […]
Tag: Palestinians
US says it downs many drones, missiles fired by Huthis over Red Sea
DUBAI, Dec 26, 2023 (AFP) – US military forces shot down more than a dozen attack drones and several missiles fired by Yemen-based Huthi rebels at shipping in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. “There was no damage to ships in the area or reported injuries,” the Pentagon’s Central Command said in a social media post, describing a barrage of 12 drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles and two land-attack missiles over a period […]
Israel PM says no peace until Hamas destroyed
By Adel Zaanoun with Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem GAZA STRIP, Palestinian Territories, Dec 26, 2023 (AFP) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted peace can only be achieved in Gaza if Hamas is destroyed, the territory demilitarised and Palestinian society “deradicalised”, after warning the war is set to intensify. The declarations came as the World Health Organization on Monday reported “harrowing” accounts of entire families killed from Christmas Eve strikes on a refugee […]
Israel says dead hostage’s car links Gaza hospital to militants
JERUSALEM, Dec 25, 2023 (AFP) – Israel’s military on Monday claimed new evidence linking a north Gaza hospital to hostages seized by militants, saying it found the car of a captive mistakenly killed by troops inside the facility. A Toyota Corolla with an Israeli licence plate belonging to the family of Samer El-Talalqa has been found inside the Indonesian hospital, the army said. Talalqa was among three hostages that the Israeli army said troops shot […]
Body of US-Israeli killed in Hamas attack held in Gaza, says kibbutz
JERUSALEM, Dec 22, 2023 (AFP) – A US-Israeli man believed to have been taken captive by Hamas militants on October 7 was killed on the day of the attack, his kibbutz community said Friday. Palestinian militants took the body of Gad Haggai, 73, from his community of Nir Oz in southern Israel to the Gaza Strip, the kibbutz said in a statement. His wife is believed to have been abducted alive. The Israeli army, contacted […]
Tanker ship off India hit by attack drone ‘fired from Iran’: Pentagon
WASHINGTON, Dec 24, 2023 (AFP) – A Japanese-owned chemical tanker struck Saturday off the coast of India was targeted by a drone “fired from Iran,” the Pentagon said, a sign of expanding risks to commercial shipping beyond the Red Sea. It was the first time the Pentagon has openly accused Iran of directly targeting ships since the start of Israel’s war on the militant group Hamas, which is backed by Tehran. The attack came amid […]
Stepping up tone, US says Iran ‘deeply involved’ in Huthi ship attacks
By Shaun TANDON WASHINGTON, Dec 22, 2023 (AFP) – The United States on Friday accused Iran of close involvement in attacks on commercial ships by Yemen’s Huthi rebels, stepping up the tone as Washington considers tougher measures including possible force. The White House publicly released US intelligence as the Iranian-linked Yemeni insurgents persist with ship strikes they say are in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is battling Hamas militants. The White […]
UN Security Council demands ‘urgent’ aid for Gaza
By Mai Yaghi with Laurie Churchman in Jerusalem GAZA STRIP, Palestinian Territories, Dec 23, 2023 (AFP) – The UN Security Council on Friday demanded aid be rushed to Gaza “at scale” as the head of the World Health Organization warned of a looming famine in the besieged Palestinian territory. As Israeli bombs rained down on targets across Gaza, members of the UN’s top peacemaking council demanded “immediate, safe and unhindered” deliveries of life-saving aid. At […]
Israel orders more Gaza evacuations as envoys seek truce
By Adel Zaanoun with Blaise Gauquelin in Jerusalem GAZA STRIP, Palestinian Territories, Dec 21, 2023 (AFP) – Israel has ordered more evacuations in southern Gaza’s main city as diplomats pressed on with efforts to secure a pause in the war that Hamas says has claimed 20,000 lives. The United Nations said Israel had issued evacuation orders on Wednesday for large areas of Khan Yunis, where more than 140,000 displaced people were sheltering. Israel told civilians […]
UN Security Council due to vote on delayed Gaza resolution
By Gregory WALTON, Amelie BOTTOLLIER-DEPOIS UNITED NATIONS, United States, Dec 20, 2023 (AFP) – The United Nations Security Council was due to vote Wednesday on a much-delayed resolution calling for a pause to the Israel-Hamas war after members wrangled over wording while aid efforts in the Gaza Strip neared collapse. The humanitarian situation in Gaza was rapidly deteriorating, with a senior UN official saying Israel’s steps to allow in aid were “far short” of mounting […]
Challenges facing a Red Sea anti-rebel naval task force
By Didier LAURAS PARIS, Dec 19, 2023 (AFP) – A multinational naval task force to protect a key global shipping lane from Yemen’s Huthi rebels would face severe challenges in a difficult strategic and military context, experts say. The United States has been pushing for such a force after Huthis pledged to continue attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war raging between Israel and militant group Hamas. […]
US pushes naval coalition as Yemen rebels vow to attack more ships
By Hashem Osseiran DUBAI, Dec 19, 2023 (AFP) – The United States pushed Tuesday to build up a multinational naval task force to protect a key global shipping lane from Yemen’s Huthi rebels, who pledged to keep up their attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea. The Iran-backed Huthis say their missile and drone strikes on passing container ships are in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war raging between Israel and militant group […]
