Page 3 - Israel

Israel denounces Pak Defence Minister Khwaja Asif for 'outrageous' comments

In a strong denouncement of "outrageous" remarks made by Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Israel has raised doubts about his country's role as a "neutral arbiter". "Pakistan Defence Minister's call for Israel's annihilation is outrageous," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a post on X. "This is not a statement that can be tolerated from any government, especially not from one that claims to be a neutral arbiter for peace," the PMO said Thursday evening. Pakistan has been credited with mediating a temporary two-week ceasefire between US and Iran and is preparing to host peace talks over the weekend. However, Asif, in a social media post, called Israel "evil" and a "curse for humanity", giving a call "to get rid of European Jews". Asif also claimed that as "peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon". "Innocent citizens are being killed by Israel, first Gaza, then Iran and now Lebanon, bloodletting continues unabated," Asif said.

No ceasefire in Lebanon, continuing to strike Hezbollah, says Netanyahu

Netanyahu also said he has instructed the Cabinet to open direct negotiations with Lebanese government to achieve 'disarmament of Hezbollah' and 'historic peace agreement'

West Asia war: Iran ties truce to Lebanon; Israel says strikes to continue

A two-week US-Iran ceasefire begins with talks set in Islamabad on Saturday, but the situation remains tense as Israel says its military operations in Lebanon will continue

Israel backs ceasefire but deal excludes fighting in Lebanon: Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel backed the US ceasefire with Iran but that the deal doesn't cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Netanyahu's office said in the statement Wednesday that Israel supported US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the Strait of Hormuz and stopping all attacks on the US Israel and countries in the region. His office said Israel also supports US efforts to ensure Iran no longer poses a nuclear or missile threat.

Protesters in Iran express outrage at US, Israel after ceasefire announced

Pro-government demonstrators in the streets of Iran's capital Wednesday morning after the ceasefire had been announced screamed: "Death to America, death to Israel, death to compromisers!" Organisers tried at a point to calm demonstrators, but they continued the chants. They also burned American and Israeli flags in the street. It shows the ongoing anger from hard-liners, who had been preparing for what many assumed would be an apocalyptical battle with the US.

US slams attack on Israeli consulate in Istanbul, commends Turkiye response

Gunfire erupted near the Israeli Consulate in the Besiktas district of Istanbul on Tuesday, prompting an immediate security intervention

Israel reopens largest gas field after West Asia war shut it for a month

Israel had ordered the temporary shutdown of some gas fields as a security measure after the conflict broke out on Feb 28

Iran has significant missile capability despite US-Israel strikes: Report

Nearly half of Iran's missile launchers remain intact, while thousands of one-way attack drones are still part of its arsenal even after continuous strikes targeting military infrastructure

Israeli defence firm supplies first batch of light machine guns to India

A leading Israeli small arms manufacturer has delivered the first batch of light machine guns (LMGs) to India under the 'Make in India' initiative with technology transfer. The first batch of 2,000 NEGEV 7.62x51 LMGs, part of a larger contract for 41,000 units, was delivered over the last weekend, with an additional 4,000 scheduled for delivery later this year, the Israel Weapons Industries (IWI) said in a recent press release. The delivery was carried out by PLR Systems, a joint venture between IWI and Adani Group, the first private company in India to manufacture small arms and ammunition. "The milestone follows the successful completion of the technology transfer process under India's 'Make in India' initiative and reflects IWI's commitment to delivering advanced systems in accordance with contractual schedules and the highest quality standards, while supporting India's defence manufacturing ecosystem," the company said. The NEGEV 7.62x51, one of the lightest 7.62 mm light machi

More than 4k targets hit, over 10k terror components struck in Iran: Israel

IDF said more than 4,000 targets and more than 10,000 terror components were attacked

Israel strikes Iran factory, says it supplied fentanyl for chemical weapons

Israel said early Wednesday it struck a plant supplying Iran's theocracy with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, to allegedly use in a chemical weapons programme. Iran acknowledged the strike on Tofigh Daru factory, but insisted it only supplied "hospital drugs" used in medical operations. The strike happened Tuesday, both Israel and Iran said. Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a picture of the factory in Tehran, writing on X: "The war criminals in Israel are now openly and unashamedly bombing pharmaceutical companies." Hospitals extensively use fentanyl to treat severe pain. But a small amount of the drug can be fatal. Both Israel and the United States have warned in recent years Iran was experimenting with fentanyl in munitions. The US previously pointed to Iranian academic research studying how Russia likely used a fentanyl derivative during the 2002 Moscow theatre hostage seizure by Chechen militants. Israel alleged Tofigh Daru supplied fentanyl to an advanced ..

Israel to establish buffer zone in south Lebanon up to Litani River

Radwan forces are an elite military unit of Hezbollah.

Israeli parliament approves death penalty for Palestinians in murder cases

Israel's Parliament on Monday passed a law approving the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis. The bill's passage marked a major victory for Israel's far-right, which has pushed hard for the measure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the chamber to vote yes in person. The law makes the death penalty - by hanging - the default punishment for West Bank Palestinians convicted for nationalistic killings. The law also gives Israeli courts the authority to impose either the death penalty or life imprisonment on its own citizens. It is not retro-active and will apply only to future cases. The measure has been harshly condemned by Israeli and Palestinian rights groups, who say it is racist, draconian and unlikely to deter attacks by Palestinian attackers. It is expected to face legal challenge in Israel's Supreme Court.

Iran confirms death of Revolutionary Guard navy chief Alireza Tangsiri

Iran on Monday confirmed the death of Revolutionary Guard navy chief Alireza Tangsiri. Israel had claimed on Thursday that it killed Tangsiri, a rear admiral in the Iran navy. A statement from the Guard on Monday, read on state television, said Tangsiri "joined the ranks of Allah due to the severity of his injuries." It praised his efforts, particularly in helping Iran maintain a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. "Every fighter is a Tangsiri, and we will see what surprises they will bring in the days and months ahead," the statement added.

Israel approves revised war budget to $222 bn extending reliance on debt

The spending plan, approved by Knesset lawmakers early Monday in a vote of 62 to 55, totals 699 billion shekels ($222 billion) and sets a deficit target of 4.9 per cent of gross domestic product

How do Israel and Iran's nuclear status differ under international law?

Difference stems from NPT obligations and state consent, not a legal contradiction

'Time for Saudi Arabia, Israel to normalise ties once Iran war ends': Trump

President Donald Trump said Friday that it will be time for Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalise ties after the war in Iran wraps up. "It's now time," Trump said at a Miami event sponsored by a Saudi sovereign wealth fund. "We've now taken them out, and they are out bigly. We got to get into the Abraham Accords." Trump has been pressing Israel and Saudi Arabia, the two biggest powers in the Middle East, for years to normalize ties as part of his Abraham Accords efforts. Significant headwinds remain, including Saudi Arabia's insistence that there needs to be a credible path to a Palestinian state before it normalizes commercial and diplomatic ties with Israel.

Israel's defence minister warns attacks on Iran will 'escalate, expand'

Israel's defence minister said on Friday that Israeli attacks on Iran "will escalate and expand." Israel Katz made the comment in a statement noting that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "warned the Iranian terrorist regime to stop firing missiles at the civilian population in Israel." "Despite the warnings, the firing continues - and therefore (Israeli military) attacks in Iran will escalate and expand to additional targets and areas that assist the regime in building and operating weapons against Israeli citizens," Katz said. "They will pay heavy, increasing prices for this war crime.

Israel launches new strikes on Iran with no sign of diplomatic breakthrough

Israel launched a wave of strikes on Iran early Friday ahead of a planned UN Security Council meeting to discuss attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure, while Iran and the United States appeared at a diplomatic impasse, setting the stage for more potential escalation as the first month of the Middle East war neared its end. Israel's attack Friday on targets "in the heart of Tehran" came after the country said it would be "intensifying" its strikes on Iranian weapons production facilities, but there was no immediate information on what was hit. Smoke also rose over Beirut, although Israel did not immediately report hitting the Lebanese capital, while air raid sirens sounded in Israel as the military said it was working to intercept Iranian missiles. Iran kept up its attacks on its Gulf Arab neighbours, with incoming drones and missiles reported in both Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The US has been pushing Iran to start talks on a 15-point proposal for a ceasefire, but at t

IDF chief warns Israeli military could 'collapse' due to manpower shortage

The IDF chief made the remarks during a security cabinet meeting, where he flagged serious concerns over the army's preparedness.