News

Israel to issue 54,000 call-up notices to ultra-Orthodox students

Yemen Details — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 23:56:36 +0300

Israel’s military said it would issue 54,000 call-up notices to ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students following a Supreme Court ruling mandating their conscription and amid growing pressure from reservists stretched by extended deployments.

The Supreme Court ruling last year overturned a decades-old exemption for ultra-Orthodox students, a policy established when the community comprised a far smaller segment of the population than the 13 percent it represents today.

Military service is compulsory for most Israeli Jews from the age of 18, lasting 24-32 months, with additional reserve duty in subsequent years. Members of Israel’s 21 percent Arab population are mostly exempt, though some do serve.

A statement by the military spokesperson confirmed the orders on Sunday just as local media reported legislative efforts by two ultra-Orthodox parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition to craft a compromise.

The exemption issue has grown more contentious as Israel’s armed forces in recent years have faced strains from simultaneous engagements with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen, and Iran.

Ultra-Orthodox leaders in Netanyahu’s brittle coalition have voiced concerns that integrating seminary students into military units alongside secular Israelis, including women, could jeopardize their religious identity.

The military statement promised to ensure conditions that respect the ultra-Orthodox way of life and to develop additional programs to support their integration into the military. It said the notices would go out this month.

Fire Reported After Vessel Comes Under Attack in Red Sea

Yemen Details — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 20:09:45 +0300

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center is reporting a maritime security incident in the Red Sea off Yemen, where a vessel came under attack approximately 51 nautical miles southwest of Al Hudaydah, causing a fire onboard.

The incident, now confirmed as a Houthi attack, marks the first attack on commercial shipping by the Iranian-backed group since December 2024.

According to the UKMTO report, “The vessel has been engaged by multiple small vessels who have opened fire with small arms and self-propelled grenades. Armed Security Team have returned fire and situation is ongoing.”

An update said the Company Security Officer confirmed that the vessel has been struck by unknown projectiles, resulting in a fire onboard.

Authorities are currently investigating the incident.

The vessel is reported to be Liberian-flagged.

According to Martin Kelly of EOS Risk Group, the incident is a major escalation linked to the Houthis. The assault reportedly involved 8–9 skiffs firing automatic weapons and RPGs and 4 explosive unmanned surface vessels (USVs), two of which struck the ship.

This marks the first confirmed Houthi maritime attack since December 2024, signaling a notable shift in intent—both in timing and scale.

The use of multiple weapon types suggests a deliberate attempt to sink the vessel, escalating the threat to commercial shipping in the region, Kelly stated.

The incident comes just days after UKMTO issued a warning on July 4th reminding vessels that “there remains a high threat of collateral damage to vessels visiting Houthi controlled ports [of Ras Isa, Saleef, and Hodeidah] in the event of any further strikes against targets in these port areas.”

Although no attacks on merchant vessels have occurred for over 7 months, authorities believe the Houthis still maintain the capability to target vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden that meet their criteria: Israeli-affiliated vessels and those connected with the Israeli port of Haifa. This relative calm followed a January 2025 Israel-Hamas ceasefire, during which the Houthis announced they would only restrict vessels wholly owned by Israelis or sailing under the Israeli flag.

The Houthis announced a ‘blockade’ against the Haifa on May 19 following a US-Houthi agreement brokered by Oman two weeks earlier.

Maritime security firm had previously recommended that vessels with Israeli affiliations avoid the southern Red Sea, Bab al Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden entirely, while advising ships with US, UK, or allied affiliations to exercise extreme caution and limit their risk exposure in the region.

The UKMTO continues to advise vessels transiting the area “to exercise extreme caution in the vicinity of ports that have been subjected to previous strikes, and should consider carefully whether the risk of ongoing navigation/operations in those areas remains judicious.”

Vessels in the region are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.

Ships urged to show ‘extreme caution’ amid threat of new Israeli attacks in Yemen

Yemen Details — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 04:26:36 +0300

Shipping was put on alert Friday over potential renewed Israeli attacks on Houthi-held ports in Yemen.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations urged vessels to show extreme caution when operating near the three ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Saleef on the country’s Red Sea coast.

Death toll in Pakistan building collapse rises to 21

Yemen Details — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 23:03:13 +0300

The death toll from the collapse of a residential building in the Pakistani mega-city of Karachi rose to 21 on Saturday, after rescue teams worked for a second day in search of survivors.

Authorities said the building had been declared unsafe and eviction notices were sent to occupants over three years, but landlords and some residents told AFP they had not received them.

Residents reported hearing cracking sounds shortly before the apartment block crumbled around 10:00 am on Friday in Karachi's impoverished Lyari neighbourhood, which was once plagued by gang violence and considered one of the most dangerous areas in Pakistan.

The death toll stood at 21 late Saturday, said senior district government official Javed Nabi Khoso. The rescue operation was ongoing.

"My daughter is under the rubble," 54-year-old Dev Raj told AFP at the scene.

"She was my beloved daughter. She was so sensitive but is under the burden of debris. She got married just six months ago."

Earlier Saturday, families said that at least eight people were still believed to be trapped as temperatures climbed to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).

Khoso said that notices had been served in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to occupants.

"We don't want to impose our orders by force. We work in phases and send them notices to leave the building. They didn't take the notices seriously," he told AFP.

But Imran Khaskheli, an owner and resident watching the rescue operation on Saturday, denied receiving notices.

"Do you think we are out of our senses to stay in an unsafe building with our families?" he said.

Khaskheli told AFP he had seen cracks in the pillars of the building early Friday.

"I knocked on all the doors and asked families to leave immediately," he said, adding that around 40 families lived in the building but that many did not heed his warning.

More than 50 buildings in the district have been declared unsafe, with six evacuated since yesterday, according to Khoso.

- 'We are helpless' -

Many of the victims are believed to be women, who are more likely to be at home during the day.

All six members of 70-year-old Jumho Maheshwari's family were in their first-floor apartment when he left for work early in the morning.

"Nothing is left for me now -- my family is all trapped and all I can do is pray for their safe recovery," he said Friday.

Another resident, Maya Sham Jee, told AFP her brother's family was also trapped under the rubble.

"It's a tragedy for us. The world has been changed for our family," she said.

"We are helpless and just looking at the rescue workers to bring our loved ones back safely."

Shankar Kamho, a 30-year-old resident, was out at the time when his wife called to say the building was cracking.

"I told her to get out immediately," he told AFP.

"She went to warn the neighbours, but one woman told her 'this building will stand for at least 10 more years'," he said.

"Still, my wife took our daughter and left. About 20 minutes later, the building collapsed."

Trump Says He’s ‘Very Unhappy’ With Putin Call, Hints at New Sanctions

Yemen Details — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 22:54:51 +0300

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he was "very unhappy" about his telephone call with Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine, saying the Russian leader just wanted to "keep killing people."

"It's a very tough situation. I told you I was very unhappy with my call with President Putin. He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, it's no good," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Trump also hinted that he may finally be ready to toughen sanctions against Russia, having held off for the past six months while he tried to persuade Putin to end the war.

"We talk about sanctions a lot," Trump said. "He understands that it may be coming."

Trump added that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, meanwhile, had a "very strategic call" on Friday, as concerns mounted in Kyiv over U.S. military aid deliveries.

Zelensky said earlier that the two leaders had agreed to work to "strengthen" Ukraine's air defenses, following Russia's largest drone and missile barrage of the invasion so far.

Trump said he had also discussed sending Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine in a separate call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday, although he had not yet agreed to do so.

Merz "feels they have to be protected," Trump said.

Search on for survivors of Pakistan building collapse

Yemen Details — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 23:05:08 +0300

A five-storey building collapsed in Pakistan on Friday, killing at least eight people and injuring nine others, officials said, with rescuers searching through the rubble for more trapped victims.

The incident happened shortly after 10:00 am (0500 GMT) in the impoverished Lyari neighbourhood of Karachi, which was once plagued by gang violence and considered one of the most dangerous areas in Pakistan.

Up to 100 people had been living in the building, senior police officer Arif Aziz told AFP.

Shankar Kamho, 30, a resident of the building who was out at the time, said around 20 families were living inside.

"I got a call from my wife saying the building was cracking and I told her to get out immediately," he told AFP at the scene.

"She went to warn the neighbours, but one woman told her 'this building will stand for at least 10 more years'. Still, my wife took our daughter and left. About 20 minutes later, the building collapsed."

The Sindh provincial health department said the death toll had risen to eight killed and nine injured late Friday.

The search for survivors continued into the night, with relatives gathered near the site waiting for news.

Saad Edhi, of the Edhi welfare foundation that is part of the rescue operation, told AFP there could be "at least eight to 10 more people still trapped", describing it as a "worn-out building".

- Race against time -

Nearby residents rushed to save their neighbours before rescuers took over to remove the rubble, along with at least five excavators.

The heavy machinery struggled to access the narrow alleys, and police baton-charged residents to clear the way.

All six family members of 70-year-old Jumho Maheshwari were at his flat on the first floor when he left for work early in the morning.

"Nothing is left for me now -- my family is all trapped and all I can do is pray for their safe recovery," he told AFP.

Another resident, Maya Sham Jee, said her brother's family was also trapped under the rubble.

"It's a tragedy for us. The world has been changed for our family," she told AFP.

"We are helpless and just looking at the rescue workers to bring our loved ones back safely."

In June 2020, at least 18 people were killed when a residential building housing about 40 apartments collapsed in the same area of the city.

Roof and building collapses are common across Pakistan, mainly because of poor safety standards and shoddy construction materials in the South Asian country of more than 240 million people.

But Karachi, home to more than 20 million, is especially notorious for poor construction, illegal extensions, ageing infrastructure, overcrowding, and lax enforcement of building regulations.

Saudi Arabia’s first THAAD battery is now fully operational, top US general says

Yemen Details — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 01:39:55 +0300

Saudi Arabia’s first Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery is now fully operational, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Gen. Erik Kurilla said on Thursday after a recent trip to the Middle East.

Kurilla went to Saudi Arabia from June 30 to July 1, according to a readout of his visit, where he met with Saudi Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen. Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili.

Discussions centered on shared security concerns and strengthening the military-to-military relationship, including cooperation and interoperability, according to CENTCOM.

“Gen. Kurilla congratulated the Royal Saudi Armed Forces on achieving full operational capability of their first Theater High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system on 1 July,” CENTCOM said.

While in Saudi Arabia, Kurilla also met with the chief of staff of the Yemeni Armed Forces. The pair discussed regional threats and efforts to maintain freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Last month, the State Department approved a $3.5 billion for the sale of advanced missiles and weapons to Saudi Arabia. The agreement involves the sale of 1,000 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and 50 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM guidance sections to the Kingdom.

Washington also approved the sale of precision-guided weapon systems to Saudi Arabia in March.
Kurilla visits other capitals in the region

The outgoing CENTCOM chief also stopped in Qatar, Jordan, Israel and Greece to visit the US servicemembers "involved in the defense of US forces and interests across the region."

Kurilla visited Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar to visit the US troops who took down ballistic missiles targeting the base, launched by Iran in retaliation for the US bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites.

In Jordan, Kurilla met with US forces and senior Jordanian military officials. He hailed the Jordanian Armed Forces, “which continues to serve as a steadfast and capable strategic partner for peace and stability in the region.”

The US general went to Israel on July 2 to visit US service members deployed there “in defense of US citizens and the state of Israel.”

His meetings with Israeli officials were to review the recent Iran-Israel war, according to the Israeli army, which said it “expresses deep appreciation [to the US] for the strategic cooperation” during the 12-Day War.

Kurilla met with US Navy personnel in Crete, Greece, and thanked them for supporting CENTCOM through ballistic missile defense, maritime security operations, and other efforts.

“At every stop on this trip, I saw firsthand the professionalism, competence, and skill of our servicemembers and the immense value they bring to our partnerships,” Kurilla said. “They are also the cornerstone of our regional relationships that are critical to regional stability, deterrence, and readiness.”

Report: Hamas leaders in Doha ‘told to give up personal weapons’

Yemen Details — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 23:41:58 +0300

The Hamas leaders based in Doha have been ordered to hand over their personal weapons, the British daily The Times reported on Thursday. This measure, apparently orchestrated by Qatari mediators, is seen as a positive signal in the ongoing negotiations for a hostage release agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza.

This initiative is part of diplomatic efforts led by the United States, with the mediation of Qatar and Egypt, to reach a ceasefire agreement. It comes as US President Donald Trump announced that Israel had already agreed to a temporary 60-day truce, during which negotiations would take place for a permanent ceasefire and the release of hostages.

Leaders targeted

Among the Hamas figures affected by this directive are prominent leaders of the organization. Zaher Jabarin, one of the founders of Hamas’s armed wing in the West Bank, and Muhammad Ismail Darwish, the chair of Hamas’s advisory (Shura) council who has conducted diplomatic missions with Iranian and Turkish officials, are on this list, as well as Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas’s negotiation team.

This measure, although largely symbolic, addresses one of Israel's central demands: the complete disarmament of Hamas and the departure of its leaders from Gaza as a condition for ending the war. It constitutes a gesture of confidence on the part of Qatar, possibly intended to reassure the United States of its commitment to the peace process.

New proposal on the table

In an official statement released on Wednesday, Hamas said it is reviewing a new ceasefire proposal. The organization specified: "We are holding discussions with the aim of reaching an agreement that will ensure an end to the aggression, the withdrawal of forces, and the delivery of aid to the people of Gaza."

The proposal currently under consideration provides for a 60-day ceasefire, during which Hamas would be expected to release 10 living hostages still held in Gaza and return the bodies of 18 deceased hostages. In return, Israel would release Palestinian prisoners. According to The New York Times, these releases would take place in five stages spread over the entire period.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his country's determination this week to fulfill the goals of the war against Hamas. "We will destroy them completely," he said. "We will free all the hostages – with the destruction of Hamas, these are not contradictory objectives." These remarks were made during a visit to a military base in southern Israel.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar expressed the Israeli government's cautious optimism on Wednesday: "We are serious in our intention to reach an agreement on the hostages and the ceasefire. We have said yes to the proposals of the American envoy Steve Witkoff. There are positive signs, but it is too early to say more."

Challenges of decision-making

Despite the pressures exerted on the Hamas leadership in exile, the final decision will rest with the military commander based in Gaza, Izzeddin al-Haddad, who leads Hamas forces in Gaza City. This division of responsibilities between the political leadership in exile and the military command on the ground complicates negotiations.

The current proposal differs from previous Arab initiatives, which did not require the disarmament of Hamas but instead promoted an alternative to the terrorist regime in the Gaza Strip. This new approach potentially marks a turning point in diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.

Nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier makes Philippines port call

Yemen Details — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 20:37:01 +0300

The nuclear-powered US carrier George Washington arrived off the Philippine capital Thursday for a port visit, as the two allies increase defense cooperation aimed at contesting China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea.

The Nimitz-class vessel’s port call came the same day that China’s first domestically produced aircraft carrier, the Shandong, sailed into Hong Kong.

Beijing claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, through which more than 60 percent of global maritime trade passes, despite an international ruling its assertion has no merit.

“The US Navy along with our allies and partners are committed to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the ship’s spokesman, Lieutenant-Commander Mark Langford, told AFP by email, without offering further details about the visit.

“These operations demonstrate the commitment to stability in the region, a commitment we uphold throughout the year and regardless of current events,” Langford said, calling the Philippines a “long-standing and critical ally.”

Manila and Washington have deepened their cooperation since President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022 and began pushing back on Beijing’s South China Sea claims.

Bound by a 1951 mutual defense treaty, the two allies conduct frequent maritime exercises in the South China Sea. The Philippine and US coast guards in May conducted their first-ever joint military drills in the archipelago nation’s coastal waters.

The Shandong, which sailed off the northern Philippines in April, arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday after concluding combat drills in the western Pacific alongside fellow Chinese aircraft carrier the Liaoning.

The US Department of Defense said in a December report that China numerically has the largest navy in the world, with a battle force of more than 370 ships and submarines.

Putin tells Trump he will not back down from goals in Ukraine, Kremlin says

Yemen Details — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 20:26:30 +0300

Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump in a phone call on Thursday that Moscow will not step back from its goals in Ukraine but that it is still interested in a negotiated settlement to the conflict, a Kremlin aide said.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Trump raised the issue of bringing about a swift end to the war, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.

Putin said Russia was ready to keep negotiating but that Moscow remained focused on removing what it calls the “root causes” of the conflict, now well into its fourth year.

Putin also stressed in the call that the Iran conflicts and others in the Middle East should be solved diplomatically.

“From the Russian side, the importance of settling all disputed issues, disagreements and conflictual situations be solved exclusively by politico-diplomatic means was stressed,” Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters after the call.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian source told Reuters Trump may speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.

On Friday, Trump and Zelenskyy are expected to discuss the abrupt halt in some key US weapons deliveries to Kyiv, with Zelenskyy expected to raise potential future arms sales, the Financial Times earlier reported on Thursday.

The timing of that call could change, the FT added, citing people familiar with the planning.

The White House did not respond to a Reuters’ request for comment on the reported Zelenskyy call.

Zelenskyy said later on Thursday that he hopes to speak with Trump tomorrow or in the coming days about the supply of U.S. weapons to Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters in Denmark, Zelenskyy added that Kyiv was ready to take part in a meeting of leaders to end his country's war with Russia.

The US has paused some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine due to low stockpiles, sources earlier told Reuters.

That decision led to Ukraine calling in the acting US envoy to Kyiv on Wednesday to underline the importance of military aid from Washington continuing, and caution that the move would weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend against intensifying Russian airstrikes and battlefield advances.

The Pentagon’s move led in part to a cut in deliveries of Patriot air defense missiles that Ukraine relies on to destroy fast-moving ballistic missiles, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

Israel's defence chief threatens to retaliate for Houthi missiles

Yemen Details — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 22:58:16 +0300

(Reuters) -Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed to retaliate against Iran-aligned Houthis after his country's military intercepted a missile launched from Yemen toward Israeli territory.

"The fate of Yemen is the same as that of Tehran," Katz said in a statement, referring to last month's 12-day conflict during which Israel targeted Iran's nuclear and missile programmes.

"After striking the head of the snake in Tehran, we will also strike the Houthis in Yemen. Whoever raises a hand against Israel — that hand will be cut off," the statement said.

Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement released late on Tuesday.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group carried out four operations targeting an airport and other "sensitive" Israeli targets.

Israel has threatened Yemen's Houthi movement - which has been attacking Israel in what it says is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza - with a naval and air blockade if its attacks on Israel persist.

Since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis, who control most of Yemen, have been firing at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade.

Most of the dozens of missiles and drones they have launched have been intercepted or fallen short. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes.

Mike Huckabee, U.S. President Donald Trump's ambassador to Israel, posted on X: "We thought we were done with missiles coming to Israel, but Houthis just lit one up over us in Israel. Fortunately, Israel's incredible interception system means we go to the shelter & wait until all clear. Maybe those B2 bombers need to visit Yemen!"

U.S. pilots flying B-2 bombers were involved in strikes on Iran's nuclear sites during the 12-day air war.

Kremlin says France asked for Macron call with Putin after almost three-year pause

Yemen Details — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 21:18:39 +0300

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it was France that asked for French President Emmanuel Macron to speak by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin after a pause of nearly three years and that the two leaders had a “very substantive” discussion.

The two leaders spoke on Tuesday and discussed the Iran-Israel conflict and Ukraine, the first such exchange between the two men since September 2022.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the call had lasted for more than two hours.

More than 50,000 evacuated as Turkey wildfires rage

Yemen Details — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 22:19:01 +0300

Rescuers have evacuated more than 50,000 people, mostly from Turkey’s western Izmir province, as firefighters battled a string of wildfires, the AFAD disaster agency said Monday.

“A total of over 50,000 citizens from 41 settlements have been temporarily relocated to safe areas,” AFAD wrote on X, saying 79 people had been affected by smoke and other fire-related issues, none seriously.

Of that number, 42,300 were evacuated from Seferihisar, a forested area near the sea some 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of Izmir, it said.

The fire began around midday on Sunday and grew rapidly, fueled by winds of up to 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour), Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said.

Footage on Turkey’s main TV stations showed huge areas of flame raging through forested areas, sending vast clouds of black smoke into the sky as water bombers flew overhead.

Overnight, around 20 evacuated homes were gutted by the blaze, with only the walls left standing, footage on NTV private TV showed.

Residents in the seaside village of Urkmez had on Sunday felled trees to create firebreaks and protect their homes as the flames advanced, a witness told AFP.

“Unfortunately, the wind is continuing to blow very strongly,” Yumakli said on Monday afternoon, saying more than 1,000 people were working to tackle the blaze alongside four planes, 14 helicopters and 106 firetrucks.

AFAD said another 3,000 residents were evacuated from Manisa, 40 kilometers north of Izmir.

Another 1,500 people were forced out of their homes in the southern Hatay region, where four helicopters, 211 fire engines and 540 firefighters were fighting a blaze some 10 kilometers north of the city of Antakya, the governor said.

Around 850 others were forced to flee from two other wildfires in northwestern Turkey, AFAD said.

Since Friday, 263 fires had broke out across Turkey, of which 259 had under control while efforts were ongoing to fight the remaining four, the agriculture and forestry ministry said.

Izmir airport, which temporarily suspended flights on Sunday, resumed operations, Turkish media reported.

Wildfires have ravaged nearly 19,000 hectares of land across Turkey so far this year, according to website of the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more frequent and more intense wildfires and other natural disasters, and have warned Turkey to take measures to tackle the problem.

CIA chief told lawmakers Iran nuclear program set back years: Official

Yemen Details — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:40:23 +0300

CIA Director John Ratcliffe told skeptical US lawmakers that American military strikes destroyed Iran’s lone metal conversion facility and, in the process, delivered a monumental setback to Tehran’s nuclear program that would take years to overcome, a US official said Sunday.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive intelligence, said Ratcliffe laid out the importance of the strikes on the metal conversion facility during a classified hearing for US lawmakers last week.

Details about the private briefings surfaced as President Donald Trump and his administration keep pushing back on questions from Democratic lawmakers and others about how far Iran was set back by the strikes before last Tuesday’s ceasefire with Israel took hold.

“It was obliterating like nobody’s ever seen before,” Trump said in an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”

“And that meant the end to their nuclear ambitions, at least for a period of time.”

Ratcliffe also told lawmakers that the intelligence community assessed the vast majority of Iran’s amassed enriched uranium likely remains buried under the rubble at Isfahan and Fordow, two of the three key nuclear facilities targeted by US strikes.

But even if the uranium remains intact, the loss of its metal conversion facility effectively has taken away Tehran’s ability to build a bomb for years to come, the official said.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the three Iranian sites with “capabilities in terms of treatment, conversion and enrichment of uranium have been destroyed to an important degree.”

But, he added, “some is still standing” and that because capabilities remain, “if they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again.” He said assessing the full damage comes down to Iran allowing in inspectors.

“Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there,” Grossi said.

Trump has insisted from just hours after three key targets were struck by US bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles that Iran’s nuclear program was “obliterated.”

His defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has said they were “destroyed.”

A preliminary report issued by the US Defense Intelligence Agency, meanwhile, said the strikes did significant damage to the Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan sites, but did not totally destroy the facilities.

As a result of Israeli and US strikes, Grossi says that “it is clear that there has been severe damage, but it’s not total damage.” Israel claims it has set back Iran’s nuclear program by “many years.”

The metal conversion facility that Ratcliffe said was destroyed was located at the Isfahan nuclear facility. The process of transforming enriched uranium gas into dense metal, or metallization, is a key step in building the explosive core of a bomb.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio in comments at the NATO summit last week also suggested that it was likely the US strikes had destroyed the metal conversion facility.

“You can’t do a nuclear weapon without a conversion facility,” Rubio said. “We can’t even find where it is, where it used to be on the map. You can’t even find where it used to be because the whole thing is just blackened out. It’s gone. It’s wiped out.”

The CIA director also stressed to lawmakers during the congressional briefing that Iran’s air defense was shattered during the 12-day assault. As a result, any attempt by Iran to rebuild its nuclear program could now easily be thwarted by Israeli strikes that Iran currently has little wherewithal to defend against, the official said.

Ratcliffe’s briefing to lawmakers on the US findings appeared to mesh with some of Israeli officials’ battle damage assessments.

Israeli officials have determined that Iran’s ability to enrich uranium to a weapons-grade level was neutralized for a prolonged period, according to a senior Israeli military official who was not authorized to talk publicly about the matter.

Tehran’s nuclear program also was significantly damaged by the strikes killing key scientists, damage to Iran’s missile production industry and the battering of Iran’s aerial defense system, according to the Israeli’s assessment.

Grossi, and some Democrats, note that Iran still has the know-how.

“You cannot undo the knowledge that you have or the capacities that you have,” Grossi said, emphasizing the need to come to a diplomatic deal on the country’s nuclear program.

Explosion damages Greek oil tanker in Mediterranean

Yemen Details — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:30:56 +0300

An explosion rocked an oil tanker carrying around a million barrels of crude off the coast of Libya, paralyzing the ship but without leaving victims or environmental damage, its Greek owners said Monday.

The explosion occurred Friday in the engine room of the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Vilamoura about 90 nautical miles (165 kilometers) off the Libyan coast, said the company, TMS Tankers.

“There were no injuries and no pollution,” it said in a statement.

It said the engine room had flooded, leaving the ship paralyzed. It is to be towed to Greece Tuesday or Wednesday, it said.

No cause for the explosion was given.

The ship had left the Libyan port of Zueitina and was bound for the British territory of Gibraltar across the Mediterranean.

Iran ‘threats’ against UN nuclear watchdog ‘deeply troubling,’ Germany says

Yemen Details — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 03:00:09 +0300

Germany urged Iran on Sunday to stop making “threats” against the UN’s nuclear watchdog after Tehran rejected its request to visit nuclear facilities bombed by Israel and the United States.

Tehran has accused Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, of “betrayal of his duties” for not condemning the Israeli and US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, and Iranian lawmakers this week voted to suspend cooperation with the agency.

“I commend director general Rafael Grossi and his team for their efforts and their unrelenting professionalism. Threats against them from within Iran are deeply troubling and must stop,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on X, without specifying further.

“I call on the Iranian authorities to fully cooperate with the IAEA and to ensure the safety of its personnel,” he added.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X that “Grossi’s insistence on visiting the bombed sites under the pretext of safeguards is meaningless and possibly even malign in intent.”

Iran has said it believes an IAEA resolution on June 12 that accused Iran of ignoring its nuclear obligations served as an “excuse” for the war Israel launched on June 13.

Wadephul had already urged Iran on Thursday to keep working with the IAEA, calling the vote by Iranian lawmakers to halt cooperation with the agency “a totally wrong signal.”

Red Sea ships faking links to Russia and China to dodge attacks – Reuters

Yemen Details — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 21:35:16 +0300

Ships traveling near the Red Sea and Persian Gulf have begun transmitting false Russian and Chinese affiliations to avoid potential attacks, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing maritime risk analytics firm Windward and vessel tracking data.

Tehran, which controls the Strait of Hormuz – a key route for global oil – threatened to close it if the US joined Israeli strikes on its nuclear sites. Iran’s parliament reportedly approved the move on Sunday, though the final decision lies with the Supreme National Security Council.

Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Houthis have attacked ships in the Red Sea since late 2023, citing solidarity with the Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. While US President Donald Trump brokered a deal in May to halt the attacks in exchange for a pause in Western airstrikes, the group has since warned that it would target US ships if Washington backed Israeli attacks on Iran.

Although a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Iran earlier this week, Ami Daniel, the CEO of Windward, said shipping companies remain skeptical about vessel safety in the area.

“The perception among shipowners is that due to the convoluted nature of shipping it’s hard to know or ascertain clearly a chain of ownership to nationalities which may be under higher threat in shipping, namely the UK, US and Israel,” Daniel told Reuters.

Windward said 55 vessels sent a total of 101 atypical ID messages, such as “China owned” or “Russian crude,” between June 12 and 24 in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. The firm said these were likely used to reduce the risk of being mistaken for Western or Israel-linked ships. A Panama-flagged ship en route to Pakistan signaled “PKKHI all Chinese,” while a Singapore-flagged vessel transmitted “Vsl no link Israel.”

Daniel added that under normal circumstances vessels transmit destinations or neutral terms such as “For Orders,” while some use “Armed Guards on Board” in high-risk zones. But after Israel’s strikes on Iran, the use of non-standard messages spiked and spread from the Red Sea into the Persian Gulf.

News of ships disguising vessel identities comes as the West continues to sanction what it sees as Russian-linked maritime activity. The EU and US have accused Moscow and its trade partners of using a “shadow fleet” of tankers operating outside Western insurance rules to bypass sanctions. In May, the EU blacklisted 189 additional vessels – many flying the flags of other countries – bringing the total under restriction to 342. Brussels is currently discussing another package that would add another 77 ships to the list.

Russia has repeatedly denounced the sanctions against its shipping sector as illegal. Presidential aide Nikolay Patrushev earlier warned that Western efforts to hinder Russian maritime transit through international straits were “de facto acts of piracy,” adding that such moves increasingly resemble a “naval blockade.” He said Russia is prepared to deploy its navy to safeguard navigation.

Rubio condemns Iran's 'unacceptable' threats against IAEA director

Yemen Details — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 03:39:43 +0300

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said alleged calls in Iran for the arrest and execution of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi are "unacceptable and should be condemned."

Rubio's warning came after Iranian parliament vice speaker Hamid Reza Haji Babaei banned Grossi and removed surveillance from its nuclear facilities, accusing Israel of acquiring "sensitive facility data," according to a report from Mehr news.

"We support the lAEA's critical verification and monitoring efforts in Iran and commend the Director General and the lAEA for their dedication and professionalism," Rubio wrote in an X post. "We call on Iran to provide for the safety and security of IAEA personnel."

The lAEA this week commented on damage at Iranian nuclear facilities, following U.S. airstrikes on key nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

While speaking on Fox News’ "The Story with Martha MacCallum," Grossi said Isfahan and Natanz were damaged, with Natanz showing "very serious damage" in one of the centrifuge halls where enrichment was being performed.

Though a ceasefire agreement was made between Israel and Iran, Grossi alleged 900 pounds of potentially enriched uranium had been taken to an ancient site near Isfahan.

"I have to be very precise, Martha," Grossi said. "We are the IAEA, so we are not speculating here. We do not have information of the whereabouts of this material."

He claimed Iranian officials had told him they were taking protective measures, which could include moving the material.

"My job is to try to see where is this material, because Iran has an obligation to report and account for all the material that they have, and this is going to continue to be my work," Grossi said.

President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Tehran signed with the U.S., U.K., European Union, France, Germany and Russia in 2018, prompting Iranian threats to remove cameras and limit access to its facilities.

Israel and U.S. Smashed Iran Nuclear Site That Grew After Trump Quit 2015 Accord

Yemen Details — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 22:42:45 +0300

Israeli and American strikes appear to have created a major roadblock to Iran’s manufacture of atomic bombs, even if its cache of uranium fuel remains untouched, analysts say.

That’s because attacks on one of the sites, in Isfahan, shattered gear that Iran was preparing to use for the transformation of enriched uranium gas into dense metal. That process, known as metallization, is among the last steps in making the explosive core of an atomic bomb.

Some nuclear experts argue that the demolished gear might never have existed but for President Trump’s abandoning a restrictive nuclear deal in his first term that President Barack Obama had negotiated.

Mr. Trump and his allies faulted the 2015 Obama deal as preserving Iran’s ability to produce as much nuclear fuel as it wanted after 2030. But some experts see that criticism as ignoring a far more immediate threat. They note that Iran ramped up work at Isfahan only after Mr. Trump canceled the deal, and that now, in effect, he has been forced to neutralize a danger of his own making.

“It’s unlikely that we would have had to bomb uranium metal production facilities today if the first Trump administration had not pulled out of the Iran deal,” said Robert Einhorn, a former arms control official who worked on U.S. negotiations with Iran during the Obama administration and is now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Michael S. Lubell, a professor of physics at the City College of New York who has held federal clearances that gave him access to government secrets on nuclear arms, agreed. President Trump “created this mess,” he said. “There’s no question that the Iran deal was working. He tore it up, created a mess and is now saying, ‘I’m the savior.’”

Trump dismisses reports US is weighing up to $30 billion civilian nuclear deal for Iran

Yemen Details — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 20:14:55 +0300

US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed media reports that said his administration had discussed possibly helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program.

CNN reported on Thursday and NBC News reported on Friday that the Trump administration in recent days had explored possible economic incentives for Iran in return for its government halting uranium enrichment. The reports cited sources.

CNN cited officials as saying that several proposals were floated and were preliminary.

“Who in the Fake News Media is the SleazeBag saying that ‘President Trump wants to give Iran $30 Billion to build non-military Nuclear facilities.’ Never heard of this ridiculous idea,” Trump wrote on Truth Social late on Friday, calling the reports a “HOAX.”

Since April, Iran and the US have held indirect talks aimed at finding a new diplomatic solution regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran says its program is peaceful and Washington says it wants to ensure Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon.

Trump, earlier this week, announced a ceasefire between US ally Israel and its regional rival Iran to halt a war that began on June 13 when Israel attacked Iran. The Israel-Iran conflict had raised alarms in a region already on edge since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza in October 2023.

The US struck Iran’s nuclear sites over the last weekend and Iran targeted a US base in Qatar on Monday in retaliation, before Trump announced the ceasefire.

Israel is the only Middle Eastern country widely believed to have nuclear weapons and said its war against Iran aimed to prevent Tehran from developing its own nuclear weapons.

Iran is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, while Israel is not. The UN nuclear watchdog, which carries out inspections in Iran, has said it has “no credible indication” of an active, coordinated weapons program in Iran.

Trump says saved Iran leader from 'ignominious death'

Yemen Details — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 22:55:05 +0300

US President Donald Trump said Friday he had saved Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khameni from assassination and lashed out at the supreme leader for ingratitude, declaring he would order more bombing if the country tried to pursue nuclear weapons.

In an extraordinary outburst on his Truth Social platform, Trump blasted Tehran for claiming to have won its war with Israel and said he was halting work on possible sanctions relief.

Trump said that the United States would bomb Iran again "without question" if the country was still able to enrich nuclear-weapons grade uranium following US strikes.

The US president accused the Iranian leader of ingratitude after Khamenei said in a defiant message that reports of damage to its nuclear sites from US bombing were exaggerated, and said Iran had beaten Israel and dealt Washington a "slap."

Trump posted: "I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life."

"I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, “THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'"

Trump said that he had been working in recent days on the possible removal of sanctions against Iran, one of Tehran's long-term demands.

"But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more," Trump added, exhorting Iran to return to the negotiating table.

Iran's foreign minister on Wednesday denied it is set to resume nuclear talks with the United States, after Trump said at a NATO summit in The Hague that negotiations were set to begin again next week.

- 'Beat to hell' -

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff had expressed hope "for a comprehensive peace agreement."

Asked earlier in a White House press conference whether he would consider fresh air strikes if last week's sorties were not successful in ending Iran's nuclear ambitions, Trump said: "Sure. Without question. Absolutely."

Trump added that Khamenei and Iran "got beat to hell" in the hostilities involving the United States and Israel and that "it was a great time to end it."

He had said during the press conference that he would be "putting out a little statement" on Khamenei's comments, which appeared to be the Truth Social post.

In the post, he accused Khamenei of "blatantly and foolishly" saying Iran won the 12-day war with Israel, adding: "As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie."

The war of words come as a fragile ceasefire holds in the conflict between Israel and Iran.

Speculation had however swirled about the fate of Khamenei.

In a televised speech on Thursday -- his first appearance since the ceasefire -- Khamenei hailed what he described as Iran's "victory" over Israel, vowed never to yield to US pressure and insisted Washington had been dealt a humiliating "slap".

"The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration," Khamenei said, rejecting Trump's claims Iran's nuclear program had been set back by decades.

Africa is tearing in HALF: Scientists detect deep Earth pulses beneath Ethiopia - in ominous sign that the entire continent could rupture

Yemen Details — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 22:36:22 +0300

The idea of an entire continent tearing in half sounds like a plot from the latest apocalyptic blockbuster - but scientists say that it could soon become a reality in Africa.

A massive crack is ripping through Earth's second-largest continent, from the north east to the south.

Eventually, the entire continent could split apart - leaving eastern Africa with its own coastline, separated from the rest of Africa.

In a new study, researchers uncovered evidence of rhythmic surges of molten rock rising from deep within the Earth's surface, beneath Ethiopia.

These pulses are gradually tearing the continent apart and forming a new ocean, according to researchers from Swansea University.

'The split will eventually go all the way down Africa,' lead author Dr Emma Watts told MailOnline.

'It has already begun and is happening now but at a slow rate – 5-16 mm per year – in the north of the rift.

'Regarding timescales, this process of Africa being torn apart will take several million years before it is completed.'

Dr Watts and colleagues point to the Gulf of Aden, a relatively narrow body of water separating Africa in the south and Yemen in the north.

Like a small tear in a piece of clothing, the gradual separation event could start at the Gulf of Aden and gradually spread downwards.

As it does so, it would split through the middle of enormous bodies of water in East Africa, such as Lake Malawi and Lake Turkana.

By the time the split is complete, perhaps five to 10 million years from now, Africa will be made up of two landmasses.

There will be the larger landmass in the west featuring most of the 54 modern-day African countries, such as Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana and Nambia.

Meanwhile, the smaller landmass to the east will include Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and a large portion of Ethiopia.

'The smaller part that breaks away towards the east will be approximately 1 million square miles in area and the remaining larger landmass will be just over 10 million square miles,' Dr Watts told MailOnline.

For the study, the team collected more than 130 volcanic rock samples from across the Afar region.

In this region, three tectonic plates meet, called the Main Ethiopian Rift, the Red Sea Rift and the Gulf of Aden Rift, which are 'divergent', meaning they're moving away from each other.

The experts used these samples, plus existing data and advanced statistical modelling, to investigate the structure of the Earth's crust and the mantle below it.

The mantle, the planet's thickest layer, is predominantly a solid rock but behaves like a viscous fluid. The divergence (moving apart of the plates) aids the rising of the mantle.

'We found that the mantle beneath Afar is not uniform or stationary – it pulses,' said Dr Watts.

'These ascending pulses of partially molten mantle are channelled by the rifting plates above.'

Over millions of years, as tectonic plates are pulled apart at rift zones like Afar, they stretch and thin almost like soft plasticine, until they rupture, marking the birth of a new ocean.

Geologists have long suspected a hot upwelling of mantle, but until now, little was known about the structure of this upwelling, or how it behaves beneath rifting plates.

The team say the pulses appear to behave differently depending on the thickness of the plate, and how fast it’s pulling apart.

At the Afar region, the entire rift valley floor is covered with volcanic rocks, which suggests that, in this area, part of the Earth's crust has thinned almost to the point of complete break up.

When this happens, a new ocean will begin forming by the solidification of magma in the space created by the broken-up plates.

Eventually, over a period of tens of millions of years, seafloor spreading will progress along the entire length of the rift.

The study, published in Nature Geoscience, shows that the mantle plume beneath the Afar region is not static, but dynamic and responsive to the tectonic plate above it.

'We have found that the evolution of deep mantle upwellings is intimately tied to the motion of the plates above,' said co-author Dr Derek Keir, associate professor in earth science at the University of Southampton and the University of Florence.

'This has profound implications for how we interpret surface volcanism, earthquake activity, and the process of continental breakup.'

Trump says Washington to hold talks with Iran after US ‘victory’

Yemen Details — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:39:25 +0300

US President Donald Trump hailed the swift end to war between Iran and Israel and said Washington would likely seek a commitment from Tehran to end its nuclear ambitions at talks with Iranian officials next week.

Trump said his decision to join Israel’s attacks by targeting Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-busting bombs had ended the war, calling it “a victory for everybody.”

“It was very severe. It was obliteration,” he said, shrugging off an initial assessment by the US Defense Intelligence Agency that Iran’s path to building a nuclear weapon may have been set back only by months.

Speaking in The Hague where he attended a NATO summit on Wednesday, he said he did not see Iran getting involved again in developing nuclear weapons. Tehran has always denied decades of accusations by Western leaders that it is seeking nuclear arms.

“We’re going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement. I don’t know. To me, I don’t think it’s that necessary,” Trump said.

Trump also said that the US has not given up its maximum pressure on Iran – including restrictions on sales of Iranian oil – but signaled a potential easing in enforcement to help the country rebuild.

“They’re going to need money to put that country back into shape. We want to see that happen,” Trump said when asked if he was easing oil sanctions on Iran.

Trump said a day earlier that China can continue to purchase Iranian oil after Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire, but the White House later clarified that his comments did not indicate a relaxation of US sanctions.

Israel’s nuclear agency assessed the strikes had “set back Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years.” The White House also circulated the Israeli assessment, although Trump said he was not relying on Israeli intelligence.

He said he was confident Tehran would pursue a diplomatic path towards reconciliation.

“I’ll tell you, the last thing they want to do is enrich anything right now. They want to recover,” he said.

If Iran tried to rebuild its nuclear program, “we won’t let that happen. Number one, militarily we won’t,” he said, adding that he thought “we’ll end up having something of a relationship with Iran” to resolve the issue.

The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, dismissed what he called the “hourglass approach” of assessing damage to Iran’s nuclear program in terms of months needed to rebuild as beside the point for an issue that needed a long-term solution.

“In any case, the technological knowledge is there and the industrial capacity is there. That, no one can deny. So we need to work together with them,” he said. His priority was returning international inspectors to Iranian nuclear sites, which he said was the only way to find out precisely what state they were in.

Israel’s bombing campaign, launched with a surprise attack on June 13, wiped out the top echelon of Iran’s military leadership and killed leading nuclear scientists. Iran responded with missiles that pierced Israel’s defenses in large numbers for the first time.

Iranian authorities said 627 people were killed and nearly 5,000 injured in Iran, where the extent of the damage could not be independently confirmed because of tight restrictions on media. Twenty-eight people were killed in Israel.

Israel claimed to have achieved its goals of destroying Iran’s nuclear sites and missiles; Iran claimed to have forced the end of the war by penetrating Israeli defenses.

Trump said both sides were exhausted but the conflict could restart.

Israel’s demonstration that it could target Iran’s senior leadership seemingly at will poses perhaps the biggest challenge yet for Iran’s clerical rulers, at a critical juncture when they must find a successor for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, now 86 and in power for 36 years.

Iran’s authorities moved swiftly to demonstrate their control. The judiciary announced the execution of three men on Wednesday convicted of collaborating with Israel’s Mossad spy agency and smuggling equipment used in an assassination. Iran had arrested 700 people accused of ties with Israel during the conflict, the state-affiliated Nournews reported.

During the war, both Netanyahu and Trump publicly suggested that it could end with the toppling of Iran’s entire system of clerical rule, established in its 1979 revolution.

But after the ceasefire, Trump said he did not want to see “regime change” in Iran, which he said would bring chaos at a time when he wanted the situation to settle down.

With Reuters

Pentagon, FBI launch probe into leaked report on US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites

Yemen Details — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:34:09 +0300

The Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) told Al Arabiya English on Wednesday that an investigation has been launched into the leak of a classified assessment on the US strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, describing the report as “preliminary” and of “low-confidence.”

Following last weekend’s unprecedented US bombing operation against three Iranian nuclear sites, including the notorious Fordow, conflicting reports have emerged over how much impact those strikes had.

Low-level intelligence assessments from the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) leaked to US media this week suggested that Iran may still have a majority of its nuclear capabilities intact.

“This is a preliminary, low confidence assessment – not a final conclusion – and will continue to be refined as additional intel becomes available,” a senior DIA official told Al Arabiya English.

“We have still not been able to review the actual physical sites themselves, which will give us the best indication,” the official told Al Arabiya English.

Iran admitted on Wednesday that its nuclear sites were “badly damaged” by the 30,000-pound bombs dropped by American B-2 bombers as well as the dozens of Tomahawk missiles fired by a US-guided missile submarine.

US President Donald Trump and his administration have slammed the leaked DIA report and played it down. “The way the media has presented the report is contradicted by the IAEA, the Iranians themselves, and the administration’s political and defense leadership. More importantly, the media’s reports are contradicted by common sense,” Vice President JD Vance said in a post on X. “President Trump has obliterated the Iranian nuclear program. The American media seems destined to obliterate their own credibility on this fake story,” he added.

IAEA director says Iran's enriched uranium can't be located following US military strikes

Yemen Details — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 00:48:08 +0300

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said his agency does not know where nearly 900 pounds of potentially enriched uranium is located, after Iranian officials said it was being removed for protective measures ahead of strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran.

Grossi was a guest on Fox News’ "The Story with Martha MacCallum," on Tuesday, when he was asked about the whereabouts of the enriched uranium in Iran, as well as other topics concerning the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities on Saturday.

The U.S. military on Saturday carried out massive precision strikes on three key nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Grossi said Natanz was the first to be hit and sustained "very serious damage" in one of the centrifuge halls where enrichment was being carried out. Isfahan also sustained damage, he added, though nobody has been inside the halls to assess the damage.

MacCallum asked Grossi about a statement in which he previously said he believed 900 pounds of potentially enriched uranium was taken to an ancient site near Isfahan.

"I have to be very precise, Martha…We are the IAEA, so we are not speculating here," Grossi said. "We do not have information of the whereabouts of this material."

He told the host Iran officials told him they were taking protective measures which may or may not include moving around the material.

"So, it is quite obvious you are asking me about it, that there is a question there: Where is this?" Grossi said. "So, the way to asserting that is to allow the inspection activity to resume as soon as possible. And I think this would be for the benefit of all."

The director would not argue with a statement from Vice President JD Vance in which he said if Iran has 60% enriched uranium, but not the ability to enrich it to 90%, they do not have the ability to convert the uranium into a nuclear weapon.

"I wouldn’t argue with that because 60% is not 90%," Grossi said, but more important is figuring out if the uranium was moved and where it is located. "My obligation is to account for every gram of uranium that exists in Iran and in any other country," he said, adding that the investigation is not a discriminant approach against Iran.

Vance said in his statement that the mission was a success if Iran cannot convert the uranium to 90% for a nuclear weapon, and Grossi agreed with that statement, at least in terms of a military approach.

But Grossi’s job is different.

"My job is to try to see where is this material, because Iran has an obligation to report and account for all the material that they have, and this is going to continue to be my work," Grossi said.

Chinese military robotics lab creates mosquito-sized microdrone for covert operations

Yemen Details — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 21:46:53 +0300

A robotics laboratory at the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT) in central China’s Hunan province has developed a mosquito-sized drone for covert military operations.

NUDT researchers showed their work on various types of robots – from humanoid machines to tiny drones barely visible to the eye – in a report aired on CCTV 7, China Central Television’s military channel, on the weekend.

“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.

In the video of the unmanned aerial vehicle, two tiny wings with a leaflike structure were attached to the sides of the stick-shaped drone body along with three hair-thin “legs”.

The report highlighting advances in robotics engineering also showed a prototype controlled via smartphone with four wings, two moving horizontally on each side of the body.

Their tiny size makes manufacturing this new type of drone challenging: sensors, power devices, control circuits and other elements must fit into a very small space. It requires collaboration between various disciplines, such as the engineering of microscopic devices, materials science and bionics.

The micro UAV Black Hornet, a palm-sized, helicopter-shaped drone developed in Norway, is widely used by armed forces around the globe.

UN is removing some international staff from Iran, spokesperson says

Yemen Details — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 20:26:01 +0300

The United Nations is moving some of its international staff and their dependents out of Iran temporarily due to safety concerns, a UN spokesperson said on Tuesday, after Israel ordered new military strikes on Tehran.

“The UN has decided to temporarily move some non-program critical international personnel as well as the dependents of international personnel,” Alessandra Vellucci, Director of United Nations Information Service in Geneva, told reporters.

She declined to comment on how many people were affected.

EU calls on Iran to engage seriously in diplomatic process

Yemen Details — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 20:03:12 +0300

The European Union called on Iran “to engage seriously in a credible diplomatic process,” an EU spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said on Tuesday.

“This escalation benefits no one, and everybody is concerned by the same thing, which is the spillover effect,” El Anouni said.

Israeli military chief says major chapter over but campaign against Iran not finished

Yemen Details — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 19:55:56 +0300

The Israeli military’s chief of staff Eyal Zamir said the military was at “the conclusion of a significant chapter but the campaign against Iran is not over.”

Zamir said that the military’s focus was on returning to Gaza to bring back Israel’s hostages and to “dismantle Hamas’ rule,” according to a statement by the military.

Trump announces Israel and Iran have agreed on a ceasefire

Yemen Details — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 01:28:32 +0300

US President Donald Trump announces that Israel and Iran have agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire.”

In a Truth Social post announcing the development, Trump says the ceasefire will start to take effect in about six hours after Israel and Iran have “wound down” their final strikes against each other.

UK moves to ban protest group Palestine Action

Yemen Details — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 23:04:30 +0300

London (AFP) – The UK government announced Monday it would ban campaign group Palestine Action under anti-terror laws following a "disgraceful attack" on Britain's largest air force base last week.

The group denounced the proposed ban, announced by interior minister Yvette Cooper, as an "unhinged reaction" and its supporters scuffled with police in central London as they protested the move.

On Friday, Palestine Action activists broke into the RAF Brize Norton base in southern England, raising questions about security at the site and embarrassing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour government.

A video posted by the group showed two activists spraying a plane with red paint while roaming the base on scooters. Counter-terror police are investigating the incident.

Cooper said the vandalism at the base was "the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage" committed by the group since it formed in 2020.

"In several attacks, Palestine Action has committed acts of serious damage to property with the aim of progressing its political cause and influencing the government," Cooper said in a statement.

She announced she would lay a draft order before parliament next Monday that would ban the group under Britain's Terrorism Act of 2000.

Labour holds a massive majority in parliament, meaning the proposal should pass easily.

Palestine Action condemned the proposed ban as an attack on free speech.

"The real crime here is not red paint being sprayed on these war planes, but the war crimes that have been enabled with those planes because of the UK Government's complicity in Israel's genocide," it said in a statement.

Cooper listed other attacks by Palestine Action at Thales defence factory in Glasgow in 2022, and two last year against Instro Precision in Kent, southeast England, and Elbit Systems UK in Bristol, in the country's southwest.

"Such incidents do not represent legitimate or peaceful protest," Cooper said.

"The UK's defence enterprise is vital to the nation's national security and this government will not tolerate those that put that security at risk," she added.

The ban will make it a criminal offence to belong to or support the group, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Cooper stressed that her decision "is specific to Palestine Action and does not affect lawful protest groups and other organisations campaigning on issues around Palestine or the Middle East".

'Too far'

But Labour's former spokesperson on legal matters Shami Chakrabarti, speaking ahead of the government's announcement, said she shared concerns that a ban could be going "too far".

"From what I can tell, this is a militant protest group that engages in direct action and that includes criminality, no question, but to elevate that to terrorism... is a serious escalation I think," she told BBC radio.

Palestine Action says it uses "disruption tactics" to target "corporate enablers" and seeks to "make it impossible for these companies to profit from the oppression of Palestinians".

In recent months, it has sprayed the London offices of Allianz Insurance with red paint over its alleged links to Israeli defence company Elbit, and vandalised US President Donald Trump's Turnberry golf course in Scotland.

Last month, Palestine Action claimed responsibility for vandalising a US military aircraft in Ireland.

In London Monday, protesters surged towards police when officers tried to detain someone, while onlookers chanted "let them go".

"It's an attack on civil rights," 45-year-old demonstrator Joe Dawson, who works in advertising, said of the proposed ban.

"At most it's criminal damage, not terrorism," he told AFP.

Starmer's Labour government suspended around 30 out of 350 arms export licenses to Israel last September, citing a "risk" they could be used in violations of international law.

But the UK continues to supply components for F-35 fighter jets to a global pool that Israel is able to access.

Israel has repeatedly denied allegations it is committing genocide in Gaza during its 20-month-long military campaign following Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023.

Some 80 organisations are banned under the UK's Terrorism Act, including al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Russia's Wagner paramilitary group.

Israel signals Iran campaign can end soon but much hinges on Tehran

Yemen Details — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:09:44 +0300

JERUSALEM/TEL AVIV, June 23 (Reuters) - Israel is looking to wrap up its campaign in Iran soon and has passed the message on to the United States, according to three Israeli officials, though much depends on its adversary's next move.

According to two other officials, Israeli leaders are trying to work out the precise exit strategy that will conclude the campaign and end Iran's missile and drone attacks, to avoid tit-for-tat strikes paralysing the country.

Another source briefed on the matter said that the military has signalled that it was close to achieving its goals.

But although Israel picked the moment to launch its surprise strike on Iran, it cannot control when the conflict ends and risks being drawn into a costly war of attrition if Tehran chooses to extend the fight, officials and analysts say.

Since unleashing its offensive in the early hours of June 13, Israel has killed senior Iranian generals and nuclear scientists, dismantled air defence systems, and struck multiple atomic-related sites and ballistic missile facilities.

"We are not there yet but it looks more like a matter of days than weeks," said Eran Lerman, a former Israeli deputy national security adviser, in comments that chimed with the views of the three Israeli officials.

"The end game is not that far from an Israeli point of view."

On Sunday, Israel received a significant boost when the U.S. Air Force joined the hostilities, hitting three Iranian nuclear complexes with massive, bunker-busting bombs that Israel does not have in its arsenal.

Hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters that Israel was close to meeting its objectives and had no desire to prolong the operation.

"We won't pursue our actions beyond what is needed," he said. "When the objectives are achieved, then the operation is complete and the fighting will stop."
That could prove wishful thinking.

On Sunday and Monday, Iran fired barrages of ballistic missiles across the length of Israel, sending millions of people fleeing into bunkers as interceptor rockets sped into the sky knocking out most, but not all, of the incoming projectiles.

The missile barrages have killed 24 civilians and damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings, rendering thousands homeless. Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial hub, has been a frequent target.
Israel has moved into a tightened wartime posture: non-essential businesses are closed, schools are shut and its airspace sealed to all but a handful of flights.

Israel's vibrant economy cannot afford prolonged lockdown. And Israelis have already been growing increasingly weary of the war against Iran's ally Hamas in Gaza, triggered in 2023 by the Palestinian militant group's October 7 2023 attack.

Despite Israeli officials publicly messaging that the war objectives were close to being achieved, a European official and two foreign diplomats in the Middle East said there had been no such messaging by Israel with non-U.S. allies and partners.

SEEKING AN OFF-RAMP

Military and government officials have acknowledged that the duration of Israel's campaign hinges on Tehran.

"It depends on the Iranians," one military official said last week. If Iran refrains from further escalation, officials believe there is a case for ending the operation sooner rather than later.
Analysts say Iran may choose to minimise the significance of the U.S. strikes, consolidate power internally, and maintain limited missile fire on Israel using its surviving launchers.

"The only option is to continue shooting at Israel, which they will do, but in a very calculated way," said Sima Shine, a former Mossad official and analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.

"They understand their capabilities aren't endless, so they're rationing them."

Two European diplomats said Tehran would have to signal a willingness to de-escalate. But one warned that, if Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei felt secure, he might choose to prolong the conflict, making it a drawn-out confrontation.

Israel's strikes on Monday against Iranian ruling symbols were a message to Tehran, said Lerman. "It's meant to indicate to the regime, to Khamenei that a war of attrition could be a very costly business for him and for the survival of his power structure."

Netanyahu said that if Iran dragged out its attacks, Israel would launch strikes that would "exact a price from the Iranian regime".

Netanyahu, asked whether he and U.S. President Donald Trump saw eye to eye on how the war should conclude, said he could think of a few mechanisms to end it but declined to offer details. "We're in a time of war," he said. "There's the fog of battle ... I am working closely with President Trump."

For now, hope of a negotiated off-ramp remains alive but uncertain.
"This could end like it often does with Hamas—Israel declaring its objectives achieved and offering to stop if the other side does," said Shine, referring to past conflicts between Hamas militants and Israel in Gaza.

"But Iran is not Hamas. A negotiated agreement would be a better outcome."
Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, said Israel would not accept a one-sided halt. "A unilateral stop on our part would mean (Iran) firing at our civilians," he said.

"The ball, to a certain extent, is in Khamenei's hands and he himself has yet to decide," Edelstein told Israel's N12 News.

Iran says it launched attack on US forces at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base

Yemen Details — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 20:05:45 +0300

Iran launched a missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites.

The announcement was made on state television as martial music played. A caption on screen called it “a mighty and successful response by the armed forces of Iran to America’s aggression.”

The attack came shortly after Qatar closed its airspace as a precaution amid threats from Iran.

Any Iranian closure of Hormuz Strait would be 'extremely dangerous', EU's top diplomat says

Yemen Details — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 16:14:43 +0300

BRUSSELS, June 23 (Reuters) - An Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz would be dangerous and "not good for anybody", the European Union's top diplomat said on Monday.

"The concerns of retaliation and this war escalating are huge, especially closing of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is something that would be extremely dangerous and not good for anybody," Kaja Kallas told reporters ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers.

Iran's Press TV reported on Sunday that Iran's Supreme National Security Council needed to make a final decision on whether to close the strait, after parliament was reported to back the measure. About 20% of global oil and gas demand flows through the channel.

U.S. isn’t at war with Iran, ‘we’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program,’ Vance says

Yemen Details — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 20:42:01 +0300

Vice President JD Vance said Sunday that the United States is not at war with Iran, but with “Iran’s nuclear program,” hours after the United States’ late-night strikes on three of the country’s nuclear sites.

Vance’s remarks come soon after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran’s “nuclear ambitions have been obliterated,” following the Trump administration’s strikes on facilities at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.

Vance, speaking on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” said the U.S. is “not at war with Iran.”

“We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program,” he continued.

When asked by NBC News’ Kristen Welker how the U.S. would respond to retaliation by Iran, Vance reiterated: “We do not want war with Iran, we actually want peace, but we want peace in the context of them not having a nuclear weapons program, and that’s exactly what the president accomplished last night.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Iran reserves all options to defend itself following the U.S. attacks.

The vice president did not say whether the three nuclear sites hit by the U.S. have any remaining capacity.

“I’m not going to get into sensitive intelligence about what we’ve seen on the ground there in Iran, but we’ve seen a lot, and I feel very confident that we’ve substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon, and that was the goal of this attack,” Vance said.

Israel says struck ‘dozens’ of sites in Iran on Sunday

Yemen Details — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 19:40:11 +0300

The Israeli military said its fighter jets had struck “dozens” of targets across Iran on Sunday, including a long-range missile site in Yazd in the center of the country for the first time.

A statement said that “approximately 30 IAF (air force) fighter jets struck dozens of military targets throughout Iran” – including “the ‘Imam Hussein’ Strategic Missile Command Center in the Yazd area, where long-range Khorramshahr missiles were stored.”

The statement also confirmed strikes on missile launchers in Bushehr province, where a “massive explosion” was reported by Iranian media on Sunday, as well as in Ahwaz in the southwest and central Isfahan.

Isfahan is home to a uranium conversion facility targeted by more than two dozen missiles fired from a US submarine in the Middle East overnight.

Earlier Sunday, military spokesman Effie Defrin vowed there would be no let-up in Israel’s offensive against Iran despite overnight US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites which President Donald Trump claimed had been “obliterated.”

“We are continuing and are determined to achieve the objectives of the operation: eliminating the existential threat to the state of Israel, damaging Iran’s nuclear program and destroying its missile systems,” Defrin said.

The military statement said Israeli fighter jets had also targeted a drone command center and surface-to-air missile facilities.

In earlier statements, the Israeli military said it had attacked sites in western Iran and also destroyed two ageing F-5 fighter jets from the 1960s or 70s in Dezful airport in the west of the country.

Israel claims it has destroyed more than half of Iran’s missile launchers as it seeks to stem daily barrages from the Islamic republic.

Israel’s highly sophisticated air defenses have kept Israeli towns and cities relatively safe, successfully shooting down hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones that would otherwise have caused widespread devastation.

Some have slipped through, however, with three new impacts reported on Sunday morning in coastal hub Tel Aviv, Haifa in the north and another in Ness Ziona, south of Tel Aviv.

At least 23 people were injured, according to rescue services.

A total of 24 people have been killed in Israel since the country attacked Iran on June 13, while 1,272 people have been injured, 14 seriously, according to the latest figures from the military.

With AFP

US strikes 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear ambitions, Pentagon chief says

Yemen Details — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 15:35:50 +0300

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that U.S. military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities were an incredible and overwhelming success that have obliterated Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

The U.S. strikes included 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft, in an operation the top U.S. general, General Dan Caine, said was named "Operation Midnight."

The operation pushes the Middle East to the brink of a major new conflagration in a region already aflame for more than 20 months with wars in Gaza and Lebanon and a toppled dictator in Syria.

"Iran's nuclear ambitions have been obliterated," Hegseth told reporters in a briefing, adding that said the strikes did not target Iranian troops or people.

"The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this president speaks, the world should listen," Hegseth said.

Gulf states on high alert after US strikes Iran's nuclear sites

Yemen Details — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 15:04:26 +0300

DUBAI/RIYADH - Gulf states, home to multiple U.S. military bases, were on high alert on Sunday after U.S. strikes on Iran raised the possibility of a widening conflict in the region.

U.S. forces "obliterated" Iran's main nuclear sites with massive bunker-busting bombs in the early hours of Sunday in the region, President Donald Trump said, warning Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, was on a high security alert after the U.S. strikes, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Sunday, while Bahrain urged drivers to avoid main roads and Kuwait set up shelters in a ministries complex.

Tehran has previously warned that if it was attacked by the United States, it could target American assets in the region, including U.S. military bases.

Bahrain is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet and there are U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as well as in neighbouring Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Nuclear authorities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE said they had not detected signs of nuclear contamination following the strikes in Iran.

"While the war has so far been contained in direct hostilities between Israel and Iran, direct U.S. involvement is a critical threshold that risks dragging the Gulf states, notably Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, which host large US military facilities, into the conflict," said Hasan Al Hasan, a senior fellow for Middle East Policy at the International Institute for Strategic studies.

He said the risk of an open conflict between the U.S. and Iran could plunge the region into a devastating and potentially protracted conflict.

"In light of recent developments in the regional security situation, we urge citizens and residents to use main roads only when necessary to maintain public safety and to allow the relevant authorities to use the roads efficiently," Bahrain's interior ministry said in a post on X.

Bahrain also told 70% of its government employees to work from home on Sunday until further notice, citing escalating tensions, according the Civil Service Bureau.

The country's authorities earlier this week said they had activated a national plan to prepare for emergencies, set up an emergency centre and tested warning sirens.

Local media also reported that Bahrain had set up 33 shelters. REUTERS

Israeli army says ‘checking’ results of US bombing on Fordow

Yemen Details — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:56:32 +0300

The Israeli military said Sunday it was checking the results of a US bombing raid on the deeply buried Iranian nuclear facility in Fordow, adding that it was “too soon” to know if enriched uranium stockpiles had been destroyed.

Asked whether Iran had removed enriched uranium from Fordo or if it had been buried under the rubble, army spokesman Effie Defrin told reporters: “We are constantly checking the situation. It is too soon to determine. I suppose we will know later on.”

Trump says US military ‘obliterated’ three key nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow

Yemen Details — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 14:51:37 +0300

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday night that American forces had struck three nuclear sites in Iran, calling the operation “a spectacular military success” and warning that more attacks would be ordered if Tehran did not agree to a deal.

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. Trump said a “full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow” and that all US planes were out of Iranian airspace and en route back to their bases shortly after 7:50 PM EST.

He called the operation a “HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD.”

US officials confirmed to Al Arabiya English that B-2 stealth bombers were used in the attacks. Earlier in the day, multiple B-2s departed Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and flew west over the Pacific.

“Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” Trump said in televised remarks late Saturday night.

“There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,” he said.

Trump warned that “there are many targets left,” and that if peace does not come quickly, “we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill, most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes.

“Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.”

Following a phone call with Trump, Fox News reporter Sean Hannity said he was told that the US military dropped five to six “bunker buster” bombs from B-2 stealth bombers on Fordow and another 30 Tomahawk missiles were launched by US submarines around 400 miles away against Natanz and Esfahan.

The B-2 remains the only aircraft in the US arsenal capable of delivering the type of bomb required to target and potentially destroy Iran’s deeply buried nuclear facilities, such as those at Fordow.

According to an unnamed US official quoted by The New York Times, Fordow had likely been “taken off the table.”

The chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee said this would not be the start of a “forever war.”

“There will not be American boots on the ground in Iran. This was a precise, limited strike, which was necessary and by all accounts was very successful,” Senator Jim Risch said in a statement.

Risch went on to say this was “Israel’s war not our war, but Israel is one of our strongest allies and is disarming Iran for the good of the world.”

US Treasury Sanctions Houthi Illicit Oil Trading and Shipping

Yemen Details — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 21:30:43 +0300

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking its single largest action to date against Iran-backed Ansarallah, commonly known as the Houthis, targeting four individuals, 12 entities, and two vessels that have imported oil and other illicit goods in support of the terrorist group. This action includes Houthi front companies, their owners, and other key Houthi operatives that generate significant revenue for the group through the sale of oil and other commodities on Yemen’s black market and by engaging in smuggling operations through Houthi-controlled ports. As part of this action, Treasury is also targeting two vessels, as well as their owners and operators, which violated U.S. sanctions by discharging oil derivatives to the Houthis.

“The Houthis rely on a series of front companies and trusted facilitators to clandestinely generate revenue, procure weapons components, and advance their reign of terror in partnership with the Iranian regime,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender. “Today’s action—our most significant to date against the group—underscores our commitment to disrupting the Houthis’ financial and shipping pipelines that enable their reckless behavior in the Red Sea and the surrounding region.”

Today’s action is being taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, and builds on OFAC’s June 17, 2024, July 31, 2024, October 2, 2024, December 19, 2024, March 5, 2025, April 2, 2025, and April 28, 2025 actions targeting Houthi leaders, weapons procurement operatives, and suppliers. The U.S. Department of State designated the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) effective February 16, 2024, and subsequently re-designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on March 5, 2025. Providing material support to the Houthis not only carries acute sanctions risk, but also exposes vessels and crew members to serious safety risk from potential Houthi attacks.

HOUTHI OIL TRADERS AND SHIPPING FACILITATORS

The Houthis use a web of trusted companies headquartered in Sana’a and Hudaydah, Yemen to facilitate the sale of oil across Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, many of which are directly linked to high-ranking Houthi operatives. Houthi leaders charge Yemenis exorbitant prices for oil and oil derivatives, pocketing the proceeds from these sales for personal gain and to fund the group’s militant operations.

Black Diamond Petroleum Derivatives (Black Diamond) is a Sana’a-based company that facilitates oil sales and payments in support of the Houthis. Black Diamond is tied to key Houthi leaders and businessmen, including the U.S.-designated Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam (Abdulsalam), who manages Black Diamond’s operations. Black Diamond smuggled Iranian oil into Yemen, and the Houthi movement relied on the revenue from the sale of this oil for its operations. Houthi leaders have also showcased Black Diamond’s ability to import tens of thousands of tons of oil every month during negotiations with representatives from the Russian government over future oil deals between the Houthis and Moscow.

Star Plus Yemen (Star Plus) is a Hudaydah-based company that operates under the direction of Abdulsalam and other prominent Houthi operatives. Star Plus acts as a broker between Houthi-aligned front companies and suppliers to extract revenue from oil sales within Yemen. In addition to supporting Houthi oil importation schemes, Star Plus has also facilitated Houthi efforts to purchase and smuggle dual-use components used to manufacture weapons from suppliers in Asia into Houthi-controlled ports.

Tamco Establishment for Oil Derivatives (Tamco), headquartered in Sana’a, is a key front company in the Houthis’ oil smuggling network, enabling Houthi operatives to conceal the true beneficiaries and end-users of imported oil and other commodities. Tamco operates under the supervision of Houthi operatives and affiliates, including Abdulsalam.

The Sana’a-based Royal Plus Shipping Services and Commercial Agencies (Royal Plus) is a front company that has enabled Houthi oil smuggling and sales. Royal Plus has facilitated the sale of oil sourced from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), delivering the proceeds from these sales to Houthi leaders in exchange for a privileged position within the Houthis’ oil derivatives market. Royal Plus has also acted as a payments facilitator in support of Houthi procurement efforts, managing financial transfers between the Houthis, Russia, and Iran for the purchase and acquisition of weapons and other military equipment, including UAV engines.

Yahya Al-Usaili Company for Import Limited (Al-Usaili Co) is a Houthi front company that coordinates with Houthi operatives in Sana’a to import oil in exchange for foreign currency. Al-Usaili Co makes and receives payments for oil sales using accounts held at banks located in Houthi-controlled territory, which enables Al-Usaili Co to hide the end-users and beneficiaries of these sales in support of Houthi smuggling efforts. Al-Usaili Co maintained connections with the IRGC, which it leveraged to facilitate the importation of petroleum products for the Houthis.

Gasoline Aman Company for Oil Derivatives Imports (Gasoline Aman), headquartered in Sana’a, is a Houthi front company that facilitates Houthi oil smuggling operations. The Houthis allow Gasoline Aman and other front companies to receive a small percentage fee from each oil sale in exchange for hiding Houthi involvement in the transaction.

Azzahra Establishment for Commerce and Agencies (Azzahra) is a Houthi front company that plays a key role in transferring funds from oil sales to Houthi operatives and Houthi-affiliated organizations. Azzahra has enabled the Houthis to extract revenue from oil sales by laundering hundreds of millions of dollars for Houthi leaders in Hudaydah.

Yemen Elaph Petroleum Derivatives Import (Yemen Elaph) is a Sana’a-based oil import company owned by Houthi operative Abdullah Ahsan Abdullah Dabbash (Dabbash). Under Dabbash’s leadership, Yemen Elaph imports, sells, and distributes oil derivatives via the black market in Houthi-controlled areas and is one of only a few Houthi-controlled companies that has exclusive rights to import through the Houthi-controlled ports of Hudaydah and Al-Salif.

Abbot Trading Co., Ltd. (Abbot) is a Sana’a-based shipping and logistics company that has generated revenue by facilitating oil and oil derivatives sales in Houthi-controlled areas. Abbot is one of the most important Houthi-affiliated front companies established by Houthi operatives within the past 10 years to control trade in oil derivatives, general trade, and other critical economic sectors. The Houthis funnel profits from Abbot’s activities to finance the group’s attacks and procurement of military-grade items.

Prominent Houthi businessman Ali Ahmed Daghsan Talea (Talea) operates Abbot in coordination with his brother, Houthi smuggling operative Daghsan Ahmed Daghsan (Daghsan). Talea leverages Abbot to generate revenue in support of the Houthis from oil sales and smuggling efforts. Daghsan manages Abbot as one part of a broader network of front companies that funnel vast sums of money to the Houthis from key sectors of Yemen’s economy, including oil and gas, import and export, and general trade. Daghsan, Talea, and other Houthi leaders have coordinated to establish numerous companies registered under the names of Daghsan’s other family members.

Black Diamond Petroleum Derivatives, Star Plus Yemen, Tamco Establishment for Oil Derivatives, Royal Plus Shipping Services and Commercial Agencies, Yahya Al-Usaili Company for Import Limited, Gasoline Aman Company for Oil Derivatives Imports, Azzahra Establishment for Commerce and Agencies, Yemen Elaph Petroleum Derivatives Import, Abbot Trading Co., Ltd., Ali Ahmed Daghsan Talea, and Daghsan Ahmed Daghsan are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Ansarallah.

Abdullah Ahsan Abdullah Dabbash is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for owning or controlling, directly or indirectly, Yemen Elaph Petroleum Derivatives Import.

HOUTHI-ALIGNED MANAGER OF HUDAYDAH AND AL-SALIF PORTS

Zaid Al-Washli (Al-Washli) is the head of the Houthi-aligned port management company, which controls operations at key Houthi-controlled ports, including Hudaydah and Al-Salif. In his role, Al-Washli also coordinates weapons procurement and smuggling efforts on behalf of the Houthis, including of key dual-use components for use in UAV production. Al-Washli collaborates with Houthi procurement operatives to fill Houthi materiel needs and coordinates with Houthi political operatives to advance the Houthis’ position in negotiations with shipping companies.

Zaid Al-Washli is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Ansarallah.

CONTINUED DELIVERY OF REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS TO HOUTHI-CONTROLLED PORTS

On April 28, 2025, OFAC identified three vessels and designated their owners pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for involvement in the discharge of refined petroleum products at Houthi-controlled ports after the expiration of Counter Terrorism General License (GL) 25A. GL 25A wound down a previous authorization enabling the offloading of refined petroleum products in Yemen involving the Houthis through April 4, 2025. The vessels targeted today continued to support the Houthis through the discharge of refined petroleum products at Houthi-controlled ports, including Ras Isa, after the expiration of GL 25A.

Best Way Tanker Corp. (Best Way) and Ocean Voyage LLC (Ocean Voyage) facilitated the delivery of gasoline to the Houthi-controlled port of Ras Isa via the vessel Valente after the expiration of OFAC’s GL 25A. The Valente discharged over 60,000 metric tons of gasoline and departed Ras Isa port on May 17, 2025, over a month after the expiration of GL 25A.

Atlantis M. Shipping Co facilitated the delivery of refined petroleum products into Ras Isa via the Atlantis MZ after the expiration of GL 25A. As of mid-June 2025, the Atlantis MZ had discharged almost 60,000 metric tons of gasoline at Ras Isa port in Yemen, almost two months after the expiration of GL 25A.

The Sarah was identified as blocked property in April 2025 pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, under its former name, Tulip BZ, for facilitating the delivery of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) to Ras Isa after the expiration of GL 25A, and in June 2025 was again at berth in Ras Isa to discharge LPG.

Best Way Tanker Corp., Ocean Voyage LLC, and Atlantis M. Shipping Co are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Ansarallah.

The Valente is being identified as property in which Best Way Tanker Corp. has an interest pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended.

The Atlantis MZ is being identified as property in which Atlantis M. Shipping Co has an interest pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended.

The SDN List entry for Tulip BZ is being updated to reflect the vessel’s current name, Sarah.

Europe, Iran foreign ministers meet in Geneva, testing water for nuclear talks

Yemen Details — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:50:16 +0300

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, meet at an outdoor terrace table at the offices of the honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Geneva, Switzerland June 20, 2025. (Reuters)

European foreign ministers met their Iranian counterpart on Friday hoping to test Tehran’s readiness to negotiate a new nuclear deal despite there being scant prospect of Israel ceasing its attacks soon, diplomats said.

European ministers spoke in advance to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who signaled the US is open to direct talks even as it considers joining Israeli strikes intended to smash Tehran’s nuclear capacity, the sources said.

Washington did not confirm that, though broadcaster CNN quoted a US official saying President Donald Trump supported diplomacy by allies that could bring Iran closer to a deal.

“The Iranians can’t sit down with the Americans whereas we can,” said a European diplomat. “We will tell them to come back to the table to discuss the nuclear issue before the worst-case scenario, while raising our concerns over its ballistic missiles, support to Russia and detention of our citizens.”

The ministers from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, plus the European Union’s foreign policy chief, met separately in Geneva prior to talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that began mid-afternoon.

Tehran, under mounting pressure to agree tough curbs on its nuclear program to prevent the potential development of an atomic weapon, has repeatedly said it will not talk to the Trump government until Israeli attacks end.

Two European diplomats said the E3 did not believe that Israel would accept a ceasefire in the immediate term and that it would be difficult for Iran and the US to resume negotiations. That meant they would use Friday’s talks to test Iran’s appetite to begin negotiations with the E3 immediately.

The diplomats said the proposal would center on a parallel track in negotiations, initially without the US, on a new deal that would involve tougher inspections, also potentially even on its ballistic missile program, while allowing Iran some notional enrichment capacity.

Given the escalation in the conflict, the two sides would aim for a quick political framework to get concessions from Iran and a ceasefire before entering in-depth negotiations. A third European official said he was not optimistic as the E3 demands were quite extensive and Iran still had some strength.

Iran missile barrage leaves 19 injured in Israel’s Haifa: Hospital

Yemen Details — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:42:47 +0300

Missiles fired from Iran on Friday left at least 19 people injured in the northern Israeli port of Haifa, a local hospital said, on the second week of war between the arch foes.

Iran has been firing daily missile salvos at Israel for the past week, since a wide-ranging Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear installations and military bases triggered war.

At least one projectile appeared to evade Israel’s air defenses, slamming into an area by the docks of Haifa where it damaged a building and blew out windows, littering the nearby ground with rubble, AFP images showed.

A spokesman for the city’s Rambam hospital said 19 people had been injured, with one in a serious condition.

Earlier, Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service reported two people had been injured by falling shrapnel after the attack but did not specify the location.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement that Haifa’s Al-Jarina mosque “was struck by an Iranian missile, injuring Muslim clerics and worshipers at prayer.”

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar later shared a similar message on social media, adding that “the Iranian regime is targeting Muslim, Christian and Jewish civilians, as well as civilian sites. These are war crimes.”

A military official said that “approximately 20 missiles were launched toward Israel” in the latest Iranian salvo.

Around 20 minutes after the air raid sirens were activated, the army released a statement saying people were allowed to leave bomb shelters.

Earlier Friday, sirens rang out in parts of the country following another Iranian missile launch.

AFP footage showed police operating in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba, alongside emergency response teams and bomb disposal expert.

Security forces there inspected a crater near residential buildings, where the wreckage of charred cars lay below the mangled metal of destroyed balconies.

The Soroka Hospital in the city was struck on Thursday, injuring 40 people.

Israel, saying Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, launched a massive wave of strikes on June 13, triggering an immediate retaliation from Tehran.

Residential areas in both countries have suffered, while Israel and Iran have traded accusations of targeting civilians.

At least 25 people have been killed in Israel by Iranian missile strikes, according to authorities.

Iran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.

IAEA warns of nuclear disaster if Israel attacks Iran’s Bushehr

Yemen Details — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:38:10 +0300

The Middle East risks a nuclear catastrophe if Israel strikes Iran’s southern nuclear plant of Bushehr, the head of the UN atomic watchdog warned Friday.

Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told the UN Security Council that he has not yet detected radiation resulting from Israel’s week-long military campaign against Iran, including attacks on nuclear sites.

But he said that a strike on Bushehr -- the Middle East’s first civilian nuclear reactor, which so far appears to have been spared -- would spell the most serious consequences as it contains thousands of kilograms of nuclear material.

“Countries of the region have reached out directly to me over the past few hours to express their concerns, and I want to make it absolutely and completely clear -- in case of an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity,” Grossi said.

Grossi warned of equally dire consequences even if Israel strikes the lines that supply electricity to Bushehr, saying such disabling of power could trigger a meltdown.

Construction on Bushehr began in the 1970s as the pro-Western shah sought to develop civilian nuclear power.

German scientists initially worked on the plant but since the 1990s the Islamic Republic has worked with Russia to develop and maintain Bushehr.

Grossi appealed for a diplomatic solution and repeated his willingness to travel to negotiate a deal.

“The IAEA can guarantee through a watertight inspection system that nuclear weapons will not be developed in Iran,” he said.

ICRC says ‘hospitals must be respected’ after Iran strike on Israel

Yemen Details — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 01:40:11 +0300

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday that “hospitals must be respected” after a hospital in southern Israel was hit during an Iranian missile attack on day seven of the war.

“Under international humanitarian law, the wounded and sick, medical personnel and hospitals must be respected and protected,” the ICRC said on X after the Soroka Hospital in Beersheba was hit.

Trump to make decision on striking Iran in the 'next two weeks'

Yemen Details — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 23:20:02 +0300

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that US President Donald Trump will decide whether to join Israel's strikes on Iran within the next two weeks as there is still a "substantial" chance of negotiations to end the conflict.

Trump's statement came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was "changing the face of the world" in its war with Iran, now in its seventh day.

Yesterday's developments:

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he doesn't want to carry out a US strike on Iran but suggested he stands ready to act if it's necessary to extinguish Iran's nuclear program.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he "doesn't even want to discuss" the potential assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by Israel or the United States.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday his country has remained committed to "diplomacy" but will continue to act in "self-defence" following Israel's surprise attack nearly a week ago.

Netanyahu says change or fall of Iran’s regime not a goal but could be a result

Yemen Details — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 20:44:26 +0300

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that the change or fall of the Iranian regime was not a goal but could be a result.

“The matter of changing the regime or the fall of this regime is first and foremost a matter for the Iranian people. There is no substitute for this. And that’s why I didn’t present it as a goal. It could be a result, but it’s not a stated or formal goal that we have,” Netanyahu told Israeli public broadcaster Kan.

Netanyahu said that Israel was “changing the face of the world” in its war with Iran, now in its seventh day.

“I said that we’re changing the face of the Middle East, and now I say we’re changing the face of the world,” he said, adding that Israel had destroyed “more than half” of Iran’s missile launchers.

Netanyahu said that he welcomed “all help” with destroying Iran’s nuclear sites.

Israel is “capable of striking all of Iran’s nuclear facilities” but “all help is welcome,” he said, amid speculation over whether Washington would enter the war alongside Israel.

Netanyahu added that US President Donald Trump “will do what is good for the United States, and I will do what is good for the State of Israel.”

Iran held direct talks with US amid intensifying conflict with Israel, diplomats say

Yemen Details — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 19:52:25 +0300

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have spoken by phone several times since Israel began its strikes on Iran last week, in a bid to find a diplomatic end to the crisis, three diplomats told Reuters.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have spoken by phone several times since Israel began its strikes on Iran last week, in a bid to find a diplomatic end to the crisis, three diplomats told Reuters.

According to the diplomats, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, Araghchi said Tehran would not return to negotiations unless Israel stopped the attacks, which began on June 13.

They said the talks included a brief discussion of a US proposal given to Iran at the end of May that aims to create a regional consortium that would enrich uranium outside of Iran, an offer Tehran has so far rejected.

US and Iranians officials did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the matter.

This week’s phone discussions were the most substantive direct talks since the two began negotiations in April. On those occasions, in Oman and Italy, the two men exchanged brief words when they encountered each other after indirect talks were held.

A regional diplomat close to Tehran said Araghchi had told Witkoff that Tehran “could show flexibility in the nuclear issue” if Washington pressured Israel to end the war.

A European diplomat said: “Araghchi told Witkoff Iran was ready to come back to nuclear talks, but it could not if Israel continued its bombing.”

Other than brief encounters after five rounds of indirect talks since April to discuss Iran’s decades-old nuclear dispute, Araghchi and Witkoff had not previously held direct contacts.

A second regional diplomat who spoke to Reuters said “the (first) call was initiated by Washington, which also proposed a new offer” to overcome the deadlock over clashing red lines.
Uranium enrichment

US President Donald Trump wants Tehran to end uranium enrichment on its soil, while Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has said Tehran’s right to enrichment is non-negotiable.

Trump has been keeping his cards close to his chest over whether he will order US forces to join Israel’s bombing campaign that it says aims to destroy Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic capabilities. But Trump offered a glimmer of hope that diplomacy could resume, saying Iranian officials wanted to come to Washington for a meeting.

He rebuffed President Emmanuel Macron earlier this week when the French leader said Trump had told G7 leaders at a summit in Canada that the United States had made an offer to get a ceasefire and then kickstart broader discussions.

European officials have been coordinating with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was also at the G7 summit.

Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3 and party to a 2015 nuclear deal between world powers and Iran, held a ministerial call with Araghchi on Sunday. The three countries and the European Union are set to meet him in Geneva on Friday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei and an EU official said.

Earlier in the week, both Rubio and Araghchi told the Europeans in separate talks about a possible diplomatic initiative, three diplomats said.

A senior European diplomat said what emerged at the G7 was that Trump wanted the operations to end very quickly and that he wanted the Iranians to talk to him, while making clear that they had to accept his demands if they wanted the war to end.

Given the Israeli strikes and Trump’s rhetoric, diplomats said Iran was in no position to hold public talks with the US, but that a meeting with the Europeans as a link to try and advance diplomacy was deemed more realistic for Tehran.

Putin claims Israeli strikes have unified Iranian society around its leadership

Yemen Details — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 02:31:39 +0300

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that a deal to end the fighting between Israel and Iran was possible, and that Israel’s strikes on Iran had led to a “consolidation” of Iranian society around its leadership.

“We see that today in Iran there is a consolidation of society around the country’s political leadership,” Putin told foreign journalists at a televised event.

“This is a delicate issue, and of course we need to be very careful here, but in my opinion, a solution can be found,” he added.

Putin said such an agreement could guarantee both Israel’s security and Iran’s desire for a civilian nuclear program.

Israel said its surprise air campaign was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons – an ambition Tehran denies.

“I believe it would be good for all of us together to look for ways to stop the fighting and seek ways for the participants in the conflict to find an agreement,” he said.

Putin said there were more than 200 Russian employees at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran which was built by Russia’s Rosatom.

“We agreed with the leadership of Israel that their security would be ensured,” he said.

He said Russia could “continue” to work with Iran on its civilian nuclear program and “ensure their interests in this sphere.”

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared to rebuff Putin’s earlier offer to mediate in the conflict, saying the Russian president should end his own conflict in Ukraine first.

“I spoke to him yesterday and ... he actually offered to help mediate, I said ‘do me a favor, mediate your own,’” Trump told reporters as he unveiled a giant new flag pole at the White House.

Russia has deepened military ties with Iran since Moscow launched its campaign in Ukraine in 2022.

Moscow and Tehran in January inked a far-ranging strategic partnership agreement, and Kyiv and its allies have long accused Iran of supplying Russia with drones and short-range missiles.

The assault on Ukraine and the war in Gaza have strained Moscow’s traditionally good relations with Israel, home to a large Russian-born community.

With AFP

Macron’s office says France planning European ‘initiative’ to end Iran-Israel conflict

Yemen Details — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 23:59:03 +0300

France is planning along with European partners to suggest a negotiated solution to end the conflict between Iran and Israel, President Emmanuel Macron’s office said Wednesday.

At a national security council meeting, Macron ordered Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot to draw up in the coming days “an initiative with close European partners that would propose a demanding negotiated settlement to put an end to the conflict,” it said, without giving details on the nature of the plan.

Barrot has been in regular touch with his German and British counterparts since Israel launched massive airstrikes against Iran on Friday.

All three countries were involved in talks that led to a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers to curb Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for relief from sanctions.

The United States withdrew from that accord during President Donald Trump’s first term.

Macron also urged Israel to end strikes on targets in Iran not linked to nuclear activities or ballistic missiles.

He voice “concern over the current escalation, with Israeli strikes increasingly hitting targets not linked to Iran’s nuclear or ballistic program, and a mounting number of civilian victims in Iran and Israel,” his office said.

He said it was “necessary to urgently end these military operations, which pose significant threats to regional security,” it added.

The French president also urged the foreign ministry to take measures to help French citizens leave Israel or Iran if they wished to do so, the Elysee added, without providing further details.