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However, the strike was criticized for not inflicting serious damage to either Iranian economics by striking oil reserves or to Iran's nuclear program
This comes after Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday announced that its military had conducted precise strikes on Iranian military targets
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Israel's air strikes resulted in at least seven explosions in and around Tehran and targeted its three military bases in Tehran, Ilam, and Khuzestan
Notably, this Israeli strike on Iran is in response to "relentless attacks" from Iran and its proxies since October 7
Israel launched massive strikes targeting Iranian military sites on pre-dawn Saturday, triggering fears that a fresh round of escalation could erupt in West Asia
The White House indicated that Israel's strikes on Iran should end direct exchange of fire between the two enemy countries, while warning Tehran of consequences should it respond. A senior White House official said the administration believed the Israeli operation should close out the direct military exchange between Israel and Iran, and said other allies were in agreement. United States President Joe Biden was updated throughout the day on Friday as the operation was developing and by his national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, as the operation was carried out by the Israelis, the official said. The official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the White House, said the Israeli operation was extensive, it was targeted, it was precise. The official underscored that the US had no involvement in the strike.
Multiple explosions were heard in the Iranian capital Tehran but there was no immediate confirmation of casualties. Israel did not elaborate on the exact nature of its strikes
The Israeli military launched strikes early Saturday on military targets in Iran, officials said. It wasn't immediately clear what the targets were. Iranian state media reported the sound of explosions around Iran's capital, Tehran, without immediately elaborating. An Israeli military statement said that Israel has the right and the duty to respond. The regime in Iran and its proxies in the region have been relentlessly attacking Israel since October 7 on seven fronts including direct attacks from Iranian soil, the statement read. It also did not elaborate on the targets. Iranian state television later identified some of the blasts as coming from air defense systems, without offering more details. Iran has launched two ballistic missile attacks on Israel in recent months. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.
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Those killed included cameraman Ghassan Najjar and engineer Mohamed Reda who worked for pro-Iranian news outlet Al-Mayadeen and one cameraman who worked for Hezbollah's Al-Manar
On October 18, India had dispatched the first tranche of 11 tons of medical supplies to Lebanon as part of a humanitarian effort to support the nation amid rising tensions and the ongoing conflict
Oil prices have gained about 4 per cent this week after shedding more than 7 per cent last week on concerns of oversupply and weak demand and a perceived calming of Middle East tensions
France pledged to provide a 100-million euro (USD 108-million) package to support Lebanon at an international conference Thursday, as President Emmanuel Macron said massive aid is needed to support the country where war between Hezbollah militants and Israel has displaced a million people, killed over 2,500 and deepened an economic crisis. In the immediate term, massive aid is needed for the Lebanese population, both for the hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the war and for the communities hosting them, Macron said in his opening speech at the conference. French organisers hope participants' financial pledges of humanitarian aid will meet the USD 426 million the United Nations says is urgently needed. Italy this week announced new aid of 10 million euros (USD 10.8 million) and Germany on Wednesday pledged an additional 60 million euros (USD 64.7 million) for people in Lebanon. Macron condemned Israel for continuing its military operations in Lebanon, "in the South, in ..
US reportedly investigating last week's leak of its highly classified intelligence about Israeli plans for retaliation against Iran's October 1 missile barrage
The port is typically bustling - with fishermen, tourists and even U.N. peacekeepers on a break from deployments. Israel's evacuation orders this week have for the first time encompassed swathes
Israeli strikes targeted the central Damascus neighbourhood of Kafr Sousa and a military site in the Homs countryside, killing one soldier and injuring 7 other people, the ministry said in a statement
France on Thursday hosts an international conference for Lebanon to rally military and humanitarian aid for the country where war between Hezbollah militants and Israel has displaced a million people, killed over 2,500 and deepened an economic crisis. Paris also seeks to help restore Lebanon's sovereignty and strengthen its institutions. The country, where Hezbollah effectively operates as a state within a state, has been without a president for two years while political factions fail to agree on a new one. But the international conference comes as critics say French President Emmanuel Macron's diplomatic approach in the Middle East has been blurred by his apparent evolving approach and sometimes chaotic communication. Still, France's historic links with Lebanon, a former colony, and its influential diplomacy give Paris momentum to coordinate a proper response to the massive challenge that the war in Lebanon now poses, said Middle East expert Rym Montaz, editor in chief of Carnegie
The Israeli army on Wednesday accused six Al Jazeera journalists covering the war in Gaza of also being current or former paid fighters for Palestinian militant groups. Al Jazeera rejected the claims. Israel cited documents it purportedly found in Gaza, and other intelligence it gathered, in making the accusations against the journalists, all of whom are Palestinian men. It said four are or have been affiliated with Hamas, and two with Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Al Jazeera said the accusations were fabricated and part of a wider pattern of hostility toward the pan-Arab network. It said the claims were a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalists in the region, thereby obscuring the harsh realities of the war from audiences worldwide. The AP has been unable to independently verify the authenticity of the documents Israel posted online to support its claims. Al Jazeera is based in the energy-rich nation of Qatar, where many senior Hamas officials are based. The Gulf Ara
Blinken said new formulations were being examined in an effort to win freedom for hostages held in Gaza and bring an end to the war