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Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich suggested that blocking humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip would be “justified and moral” – even if it resulted in the deaths of two million Palestinian civilians from starvation.
Speaking at a conference in Yad Binyamin hosted by the right-wing Israel Hayom outlet, Smotrich lamented that the international community would not allow Israel to deliberately starve 2 million Palestinians in Gaza as a tactic to secure the release of Israeli hostages.
However, Smotrich stated that he personally believes such an extreme measure would be morally justified.
He said (via <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/smotrich-it-may-be-justified-to-starve-2-million-gazans-but-world-wont-let-us/?g=h">The Times of Israel</a>):
<blockquote>
We bring in aid because there is no choice. We can’t, in the current global reality, manage a war. Nobody will let us cause 2 million civilians to die of hunger, even though it might be justified and moral until our hostages are returned.
Humanitarianism in exchange for humanitarianism is morally justified — but what can we do? We live today in a certain reality, we need international legitimacy for this war.
</blockquote>
Smotrich said that blocking humanitarian aid from Gaza was more likely to get all the hostages being held by Hamas released, as opposed to the current hostage-for-ceasefire deal that is being negotiated and only ensures the release of some. He said:
<blockquote>
Everyone wants to bring the hostages back, but the deal only gets a minority of hostages and condemns the majority. Therefore it’s not right and not moral and it endangers the nation.
</blockquote>
He also said he was against releasing “terrorists” from Israeli prisons in exchange for hostages.
Smotrich said that while he supports Israel resettling Gaza, he hasn’t demanded that this be defined as one of the war’s goals.
He argued, though, that if Israel hadn’t pulled out of Gaza in 2005, the October 7 massacre would never have happened.
It is believed that 111 of the 251 Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 2023 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of 39 confirmed dead by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released before that.
Seven hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 24 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military as they tried to escape their captors.
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Pindula News

The Israeli Finance Minister said it might be okay to stop giving food to 2 million people in Gaza, even if they starve. He thinks this extreme measure could be justified to get Israeli hostages back. He believes stopping aid would push Hamas to release all hostages, not just some. He doesn't support releasing prisoners in exchange for hostages. He argues that if Israel had not left Gaza in 2005, a deadly massacre would not have happened. Some hostages have been released, but many are still missing. The Minister thinks cutting aid is a way to push for more hostages to be released.

Israeli Finance Ministers Says It May Be "Justified" To Starve 2 Million Gazans

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned and fled to India following weeks of deadly demonstrations against her government.
Hasina’s resignation on Monday after close to decades in power followed weeks of deadly protests and appears to have averted the threat of further bloodshed in the Asian country.
In an address to the nation, army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced that an interim government will now run Bangladesh and called for calm.
Hasina’s aide told <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/5/bangladesh-pm-hasina-quits-and-flees-as-protestors-storm-palace-reports">Al Jazeera</a> that she boarded a military helicopter on Monday as huge crowds ignored a national curfew to storm her palace in Dhaka.
An aircraft carrying Hasina landed at Hindon Air Base near New Delhi. She was on board a Bangladesh Air Force aircraft which landed at the base in Ghaziabad.
Her resignation came after nearly 300 people died in weeks of protest that the authorities sought to crush. A night of deadly violence on Sunday killed close to 100 and a curfew was called.
As reported by Al Jazeera, on Monday, huge crowds stormed the prime minister’s palace, preventing Hasina from delivering a speech.
At least 20 more people were killed during violence in Dhaka as protesters stormed buildings.
By early afternoon, the mood on the streets had turned to one of celebration after the news of the premier’s departure spread.
Bangladesh suffered many years of military rule in the 1970s and 80s following the war that secured its independence from Pakistan in 1971.
Army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman tried to reassure the nation and urged citizens to keep their trust in the army. He said:
<blockquote>
We will also ensure that justice is served for every death and crime that occurred during the protests.
We have invited representatives from all major political parties, and they have accepted our invitation and committed to collaborating with us.
</blockquote>
Protests in Bangladesh started a month ago over a controversial government job quota scheme.
The government responded by shutting down universities and using the police and military to crack down on protesters.
Hasina imposed a nationwide curfew and cut off access to phones and the internet but the protests continued.
The country’s top court ruled that the highly contested quotas should be scaled back from 30 per cent to 5 per cent, with 3 per cent for relatives of veterans but the protests continued.
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Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has resigned and fled to India because of deadly protests against her. The army will now run the country. Protesters stormed the prime minister's palace, causing violence and deaths. The people in Bangladesh are happy that she has left. The protests started because of a controversial job quota scheme. Even though the government tried to stop the protests, they continued. The top court said the quota should change, but the protests still went on. Now, the country is trying to bring peace and justice.

Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Flees The Country After Weeks Of Protests

Top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in an Israeli attack in the Iranian capital Tehran, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ck7g0g4mk4zo">BBC</a>.
Reports indicate that Haniyeh was staying at a building for war veterans in Tehran when the attack occurred around 02:00 (00:00 GMT).
Haniyeh, 62, was widely considered Hamas’ overall leader.
Hamas said Haniyeh was in Tehran to take part in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was sworn in on Tuesday.
The group’s political bureau member Musa Abu Marzuk said it was a “cowardly act” and one which “will not go unanswered”.
Another senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, said the group would “continue on its path”.
Several foreign ministries, including Iran, Turkey, Russia and Qatar have condemned the attack.
Hamas, an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya (Islamic Resistance Movement), is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and military organization.
Hamas governs the Gaza Strip, having taken control from the rival Palestinian faction Fatah in 2007.
The group is known for its armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and has been involved in multiple conflicts with Israel.
Hamas aims to establish an Islamic state in place of Israel and rejects Israel’s right to exist.
The organisation is considered a terrorist group by several countries, including the United States, the European Union, and Israel.
It receives support from countries like Iran and has a complex relationship with other regional actors.
Haniyeh’s death comes just hours after Israel claimed it killed the top military commander of Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr.
Israel said it killed Fuad Shukr in an air strike, in retaliation for a rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday.
Hezbollah has not yet confirmed that a senior commander was killed by an Israeli attack in Beirut on Tuesday but has said Shukr was in a building which was targeted.
A statement released by Hezbollah on Wednesday, 31 July reads in part:
<blockquote>
Since the incident, the civil defence teams have been working to lift the rubble steadily, but slowly, due to the situation of the destroyed classes, and we are still waiting for the result.
</blockquote>
Hezbollah is a Lebanese political party and militant group that first emerged during Lebanon’s civil war as a militia after the Israeli invasion of that country in 1982.
Hezbollah receives substantial support from Iran and has close ties with Syria.
The group is known for its strong anti-Israel stance and has been involved in numerous conflicts with Israel, including the 2006 Lebanon War.
Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, including the United States, Israel, and the European Union.
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Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader of Hamas, was killed in an Israeli attack in Tehran, Iran. He was there for an event with the new Iranian President. Hamas is a Palestinian group that fights against Israel. Several countries consider Hamas a terrorist group. Israel also killed a top military commander of Hezbollah in retaliation. Hezbollah is a Lebanese group that fights against Israel and gets support from Iran. Both groups have a strong anti-Israel stance. The conflicts between these groups and Israel continue to cause violence in the region.

Hamas Political Chief Ismail Haniyeh Killed In Iran

Israel on Tuesday, 30 July, carried out an air raid in Beirut, Lebanon, killing at least three people.
Israel’s military said that Tuesday’s attack targeted Hezbollah commander Muhsin Shukr, who is believed to have survived.
The attack comes three days after a strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel blames on Hezbollah, killed 12 young footballers.
As reported by <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/7/30/israel-strikes-beirut-what-we-know-so-far">Al Jazeera</a>, a blast was heard in Beirut’s southern suburbs at approximately 19:40 local time (16:40 GMT) on Tuesday evening.
It hit the Haret Hreik neighbourhood near Hezbollah’s Shura Council, its central decision-making authority.
Half of the targeted buildings in the densely populated neighbourhood collapsed and a nearby hospital suffered minor damages.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said that three people, including two children, were killed and 74 wounded in the strike, adding that “the search for missing persons under the rubble continues”.
Israel’s military claimed that Muhsen was responsible for an attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights which killed 12 people and wounded 30 on Saturday.
Israel has occupied the western region of the Golan Heights since the 1967 war, while the remaining part is under Syria’s control.
The rocket attack on Saturday hit Majdal Shams, in the northeastern part of the Israeli-occupied territory.
Hezbollah has denied involvement in the attack.
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Israel bombed Beirut, Lebanon, killing at least three people. They targeted a Hezbollah commander, but he survived. Israel says the attack was in retaliation for an attack by Hezbollah on the Golan Heights that killed 12 young footballers. The blast hit a neighbourhood in Beirut, causing buildings to collapse and hurting many people. Lebanon's Health Ministry reported the deaths and injuries. Israel has controlled the Golan Heights since 1967. Hezbollah has denied being involved in the attack on the Golan Heights.

Israel Strikes Beirut In Response To The Golan Heights Attack

Israeli warplanes carried out attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon on Saturday night after 12 children and young adults were killed in a rocket strike while playing football in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Israel blamed the Iran-backed militant group for Saturday’s strike on the Druze town of Majdal Shams, but Hezbollah denied any involvement.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Sunday:
<blockquote>
Overnight, the IAF struck a series of Hezbollah terror targets both deep inside Lebanese territory and in southern Lebanon, including weapons caches and terrorist infrastructure in the areas of Chabriha, Borj El Chmali, and Beqaa, Kfarkela, Rab El Thalathine, Khiam, and Tayr Harfa.
</blockquote>
Israeli forces and Hezbollah have regularly exchanged fire since 7 October when Hamas attacked Israel, triggering Israel’s military offensive on Gaza.
The rocket strike and the IAF’s retaliation have the potential to trigger an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had earlier vowed the Lebanese militant group would “pay a hefty price” after the deadly strike.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency services said “large numbers” of ambulances were dispatched to the scene to treat the casualties.
Israel’s foreign ministry released the identities of 10 children killed in Saturday’s strike, saying they were aged between 10 and 16.
An 11th person was named but no age was given. Details of the 12th casualty were not confirmed.
Video verified by BBC shows crowds of people on a football pitch and stretchers being rushed to ambulances.
Majdal Shams is one of four towns in the Golan Heights, where about 25,000 members of the Arabic-speaking Druze religious and ethnic group live.
The town is in the mountainous Golan Heights, close to the border with Syria. Israel has occupied the area since 1967, annexing it in 1981.
According to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c29dydz84ngo">BBC</a>, Saturday’s bloodshed at the town’s football pitch was the deadliest loss of life in and around Israel’s northern border since October.
Hezbollah spokesman Mohamad Afif denied responsibility for Saturday’s strike in the Golan Heights.
But IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari, who visited the scene of the air strike, accused Hezbollah of “lying and denying responsibility for the incident”.
Hagari claimed that the rocket was an Iranian-made Falaq-1 “owned exclusively by Hezbollah”.
Iran warned Israel that any new military “adventures” in Lebanon could lead to “unforeseen consequences”.
The air strike prompted Netanyahu, who was visiting the United States, to return home early.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters on Sunday that “Every indication is that indeed the rocket was from Hezbollah.”
Blinken added that the US stands by “Israel’s right to defend” itself, but does not want to see the conflict spreading.
Lebanon’s government also stated in response to the strike, saying it “condemns all acts of violence and aggression against all civilians and calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts”.
The Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib told the BBC that he did not think Hezbollah carried out the attack.
But he added, “it could be a mistake by the Israelis or by Hezbollah – I don’t know”.
In a statement, the United Nations said “maximum restraint” was crucial from all parties as the risk of a wider conflict would “engulf the entire region in a catastrophe beyond belief”.
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Israeli warplanes attacked Hezbollah in Lebanon after rockets killed 12 children in the Golan Heights. Israel blamed Hezbollah but the group denied it. Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since October. This could lead to a big war. Israel's Prime Minister promised revenge. Lebanon's government wants peace. The United Nations wants everyone to be calm to avoid a bigger conflict. Netanyahu came back from the US because of the attack. The US supports Israel but wants peace. There is tension in the region.

Israel Hits Hezbollah In Lebanon After Rocket Attack Kills 12 Children On Football Pitch

US President Joe Biden has pulled out of the race for re-election as USA president less than 4 months before election.
He has endorsed current vice president Kamala Harris to become the presidential candidate for the Democrats, facing Trump.
Biden released a statement today that read:
<blockquote>
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.”
</blockquote>
Some Republicans have commented that Biden needs to resign completely before the end of his current term:
Said House Speaker, Mike Johnson:
<blockquote>
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for president, he is not fit to serve as president”
</blockquote>
Kamala Harris has said that she will win against Trump
<blockquote>
“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda. We have 107 days until election day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”
</blockquote>
<h2>Donald Trump Reaction</h2>
Donal Trump reaction to Biden’s pull out saying it will even be easier:
<blockquote>
“It will be even easier to beat Kamala Harris”
</blockquote>
<h2>How it happened in less than a month</h2>
27 June: In the Presidential debate against Trump, Biden gives incoherent answers leave many wondering about his mental fitness.
5 July: In an interview Biden says only the “Lord Almighty” could persuade him to stand down.
8 July: Biden says in an interview “I am not going anywhere” and asks Democrats to unite.
10 July: More Democrats ask Biden to quit, including George Clooney.
11 July: At a Nato summit Biden mistakenly refers to Ukrainian President Zelensky as “President Putin” and Vice-President Harris as Trump.
13 July: Trump is shot in the ear in an assassination attempt.
17 July: Biden tests positive for Covid ang goes into quarantine.
18 July: In a leak, Obama says Biden has low chances of winning.
21 July: Biden pulls out of presidential race.

Joe Biden decided not to run for president again. He wants Kamala Harris to be the new Democratic candidate. Some people think Biden should not be president anymore. Harris believes she can beat Trump in the election. Trump thinks it will be easy to win against Harris. Biden's decision came after some mistakes and events that made people doubt him, such as health problems and negative comments from others. Now, the focus is on the upcoming election between Harris and Trump.

Joe Biden Quits US Presidential Race

United States President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while visiting Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday.
The 81-year-old president is currently self-isolating and experiencing mild symptoms, according to the White House.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden is fully vaccinated and has received his COVID-19 booster shots.
Despite his vaccination status, Biden was forced to cancel a scheduled speech in Las Vegas due to his positive test result.
As Biden boarded Air Force One to depart Las Vegas and return to Delaware to recover, reporters observed him climbing the stairs slowly, holding the railing tightly and pausing a few steps in and again towards the top.
This display of physical exertion raised concerns among observers, as the president’s health and fitness have been a subject of discussion, particularly in the context of his potential re-election campaign.
The president’s COVID-19 diagnosis comes as he faces increasing pressure from within his Democratic party to reconsider his plans to run for a second term in 2024.
At 81 years old, Biden would be the oldest president in U.S. history if he were to be re-elected, a factor that has fueled speculation about his physical and cognitive capabilities to serve a full four-year term.
The COVID-19 diagnosis comes at a crucial time for Biden, who has been losing ground in battleground states against Republican Donald Trump, who survived an assassination attempt on Saturday.
Biden, who had spent two nights in Las Vegas on the campaign trail, was diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly after his visit.
This illness comes just hours after the emergence of an excerpt from a recorded interview in which Biden said that he would only consider dropping out of the presidential race if he were told to do so due to a medical condition.
During an interview with Ed Gordon of BET News, Biden was directly asked if there was anything that would make him rethink his candidacy for a second term in the White House.
In response, the president made it clear that he is determined to continue his bid. Said Biden:
<blockquote>
If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, ‘you got this problem and that problem’.
</blockquote>
Biden previously said only the “Lord Almighty” could persuade him to withdraw from the race. 
He first tested positive on July 21 2022, recovered on July 27, but then tested positive with a rebound case on July 30, before finally being cleared on August 7.
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United States President Joe Biden got COVID-19 in Las Vegas. He's 81 and has mild symptoms. He's vaccinated but had to cancel a speech. Reporters saw him struggling to climb stairs. People worry about his health for re-election. He's pressured to reconsider running in 2024. Donald Trump is his competitor. Biden wants to keep running even if he has medical problems. He had COVID before and recovered. He's determined to stay in the race.

US President Biden Tests Positive For COVID-19

The gunman involved in the attack against former United States President Donald Trump on Saturday has been identified by authorities as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks was shot and killed by Secret Service agents at the scene soon after the attempted assassination of the Republican party’s presumptive president in the 05 November 2024 presidential election.
In a statement early Sunday morning, the FBI named Crooks as the gunman, identifying him as a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Bethel Park is about 35 miles south of Butler, where Trump was holding his rally.
According to <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/14/us/trump-shooting-thomas-matthew-crooks-intl-hnk/index.html">CNN</a>, Crooks fired on Trump while perched on a nearby building rooftop outside the rally’s security perimeter before being killed by the Secret Service.
Trump was injured, writing on social media that he’d been hit by a bullet in the upper part of his ear.
He later flew back to Newark, New Jersey, late Saturday night.
According to media reports, Crooks graduated from Bethel Park High School in 2022.
Crooks was registered to vote as a Republican, according to a listing in Pennsylvania’s voter database that matched his name, age, and a Bethel Park address that law enforcement was searching Saturday night and is linked to Crooks in public records.
This year’s presidential election would have been the first he was old enough to vote in.
Federal Election Commission records show that a donor listed as Thomas Crooks with the same address gave $15 to a Democratic-aligned political action committee in January 2021.
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A 20-year-old named Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at former President Donald Trump at a rally. Crooks was from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, and was killed by Secret Service agents. Trump was hurt but still went to Newark. Crooks graduated from high school in 2022 and was registered as a Republican voter. He may have donated to a Democratic political group. This was the first presidential election he could vote in. The FBI identified him as the shooter. It happened outside a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

FBI Identifies Donald Trump Rally Shooter

Former United States President Donald Trump was rushed off stage after gunshots erupted at a rally in Pennsylvania in an apparent assassination attempt, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd1d31jeyzlo">BBC</a>.
Video footage showed Trump grimacing and raising a hand to his right ear, before ducking as a series of shots broke out.
He was quickly swarmed by US Secret Service agents and dragged off stage to a waiting vehicle. Trump raised a fist as he was bundled into the car.
Later, in a post to his Truth Social network, Trump said a bullet pierced the “upper part” of his right ear. He wrote:
<blockquote>
I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.
</blockquote>
Blood was visible on Trump’s ear and face as US Secret Service agents rushed him away.
US Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the suspect was shot dead at the scene. He added that one bystander was killed in the shooting and two others were critically injured.
Law enforcement sources told the BBC’s US partner CBS News that the male attacker had been armed with a rifle and had fired from an elevated structure a few hundred metres away outside the venue.
FBI agents, who are leading the investigation, told reporters in Butler that they had “tentatively identified” the dead gunman, but were yet to establish a motive.
Special Agent Kevin Rojek confirmed the agency was treating the shooting as an assassination attempt.
He added that the suspect was not carrying ID and that investigators were using DNA in an attempt to formally identify him.
Trump, who is the Republican candidate for president had just started addressing his supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania when the shots started.
Several supporters holding placards and standing behind Trump ducked as the shots were heard.
Witnesses who spoke to the BBC claimed the gunshots may have come from a one-storey building to the right of the stage where Trump was speaking.
One of the bystanders, identified as Greg, told the BBC that he had spotted a suspicious-looking person “bear crawling” on the roof of the building about five minutes after Trump took to the stage. He said he pointed the person out to the police. Said Greg:
<blockquote>
He had a rifle, we could clearly see him with a rifle. We’re pointing at him, the police are down there running around on the ground – we’re like “hey man there’s a guy on the roof with a rifle” and the police did not know what was going on.
</blockquote>
Tim, who was also at the rally, told the BBC that he had heard a “barrage” of shots. He said:
<blockquote>
There was a spray which we initially thought was a fire hose, and then the speaker on the right-hand side started coming down.
Something must have hit the hydraulic lines [which caused it to fall]. We saw President Trump go to the ground and everyone started dropping to the ground because it was chaos.
</blockquote>
Speaking from his home state of Delaware, United States President Joe Biden condemned the attack, calling it “sick”. He said:
<blockquote>
There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. Everybody must condemn it.
</blockquote>
The White House later said President Biden had spoken with Trump before returning to Washington DC.
Trump is locked in a tight contest with President Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in a re-match of the 2020 election.
The next United States presidential election is set to be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
Trump was set to accept his party’s nomination for president at the convention in Milwaukee on Monday.
Some Republicans blamed President Biden over the shooting, accusing him of stoking fears about Trump’s potential return to office.
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Former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania. Gunshots rang out, and he was quickly taken off stage by Secret Service agents. Trump later said a bullet hit his ear. The attacker was shot dead and one bystander was killed. The FBI is investigating. President Biden condemned the attack. Some blamed him for stoking fear about Trump's return. The next election is in 2024. Trump was about to accept his party's nomination for president. It was a scary and chaotic situation.

Donald Trump Survives Assassination Attempt At Rally

The United Kingdom’s opposition Labour Party swept to power on Friday in a parliamentary election, ending 14 years of Conservative government.
According to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-labour-win-massive-election-majority-exit-poll-shows-2024-07-04/">Reuters</a>, the centre-left Labour led by Keir Starmer won a massive majority in the 650-seat parliament.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives suffered the worst performance in the party’s long history as voters punished them for a cost of living crisis, failing public services, and a series of scandals.
With almost all the results in, Labour had won some 410 seats, an increase of 210, while the Conservatives lost about 250 lawmakers, including a record number of senior ministers and former Prime Minister Liz Truss.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) lost 38 seats, ending its own decade of dominance in Scotland and leaving its dream of independence for Scotland in tatters.
On the other hand, the Irish nationalists Sinn Fein became Northern Ireland’s largest party for the first time.
The populist right-wing Reform UK party, headed by Nigel Farage, who campaigned for Brexit and friend of Donald Trump, won more than four million votes.
In his victory speech, Starmer said:
<blockquote>
We did it. Change begins now … We said we would end the chaos, and we will, we said we would turn the page, and we have.
Today, we start the next chapter, begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal and start to rebuild our country.
</blockquote>
Sunak conceded defeat and will meet King Charles later to formally resign before Starmer is appointed in his place. He said:
<blockquote>
Today power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner, with goodwill on all sides.
There is much to learn and reflect on and I take responsibility for the loss to the many good hardworking Conservative candidates … I am sorry.
</blockquote>
However, Sunak will remain a lawmaker after a close race in his North Yorkshire constituency. He took 47.5 per cent of the vote in his constituency of Richmond and Northallerton in northern England.
Despite his convincing victory, polls have suggested there is little enthusiasm for Starmer or his party.
Due to Britain’s first-past-the-post (FPTP) system and a low turnout, Labour’s triumph was achieved with fewer votes than it secured in 2017 and 2019 – the latter its worst result for 84 years.
FPTP or winner-take-all is an electoral system where the candidate with the most votes in a given constituency wins the seat, regardless of whether they have received a majority of the votes. The candidate who receives the most votes, even if it is less than 50% of the total votes cast, is declared the winner.
Starmer assumes leadership amid a backdrop of formidable challenges. Britain faces its highest tax burden since just after World War Two, with net debt nearly matching annual economic output.
Living standards have declined, and public services, notably the cherished National Health Service, are strained, exacerbated by recurring strikes.
Starmer has pledged to mend relations with the European Union following Britain’s departure but has ruled out rejoining the bloc despite opposing Brexit.
He has also committed to unwavering support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Starmer’s foreign policies align closely with those of Sunak.
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Britain’s Main Opposition Party Wins Huge Parliamentary Majority, PM Rishi Sunak Concedes Defeat

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said that a raid by the Israeli military on a refugee camp, which led to the rescue of four hostages, killed 274 people, including children and other civilians.
Israel’s forces, backed by air strikes, fought intense gun battles with Hamas in and around the Nuseirat refugee camp, freeing the captives on Saturday, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw44ve90dppo">BBC</a>.
The four captives were identified as Noa Argamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrei Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41.
They were abducted from the Nova music festival on 7 October and have been returned to Israel.
The Israeli military has estimated that fewer than 100 people died in the operation, whilst the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said 274 people were killed.
According to <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/8/many-casualties-as-israel-escalates-attacks-across-gaza">Al Jazeera</a>, the military’s attacks, one of the worst since October, by air, land and sea on Saturday hit Nuseirat and Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, with doctors describing the scenes inside Al-Aqsa Hospital as a “complete bloodbath”.
One man, Abdel Salam Darwish, told the BBC he was in a market buying vegetables when he heard fighter jets from above and the sound of gunfire. He said:
<blockquote>
Afterwards, people’s bodies were in pieces, scattered in the streets, and blood stained the walls.
</blockquote>
The return of the hostages to their families is being celebrated in Israel and world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have welcomed the news of their release.
However, there has been mounting criticism of the deadly cost of the operation inside Gaza.
Writing on X, European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said he condemned it “in the strongest terms”.
In response, an Israeli minister said that instead of condemning Hamas for hiding behind civilians, the EU had condemned Israel for saving its citizens.
Pictures from the Nuseirat refugee camp area show intense bombardment and people mourning the dead.
The Hamas-run health ministry released the names of 86 people out of the 274 Palestinians it says were killed during the two-hour operation.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said special forces operated “under heavy fire” when rescuing the hostages.
He said that one special forces officer was wounded and later died in hospital.
One man, who said more than 40 members of his family have been killed since the conflict began in October, said he was in a house that was hit by a strike. He said:
<blockquote>
As soon as these children and women entered the house, the bombing attack took place, claiming the lives of all those inside it.
This home, which used to house approximately 30 people who then became 50, was bombed… only me, my father, my wife, and a young man survived… we are the only survivors out of 50 people.
</blockquote>
Some Palestinians have criticised Hamas for the bloodshed. Speaking to BBC, Hassan Omar, 37, said he lamented the unnecessary loss of lives in Israeli strikes. He said:
<blockquote>
For each Israeli hostage they could have freed 80 Palestinian prisoners and without any bloodshed – [that] is a million times better than losing 100 dead.
My message to Hamas is stopping the loss is part of the gain, we should get rid of those who control us from Qatar hotels.
</blockquote>
During its 7 October attacks in southern Israel, Hamas killed about 1,200 people and took some 251 people hostage.
About 116 remain in the Palestinian territory, including 41 the army says are dead.
A deal agreed in November saw Hamas release 105 hostages in return for a week-long ceasefire and some 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
On Saturday, the Hamas-run health ministry said the death toll in Gaza is now above 37,000 people.
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Israeli Forces Rescue 4 Hostages, But 274 Palestinians Killed In The Operation

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned that Moscow might provide long-range weapons to strike Western targets if NATO allies allow Ukraine to use their arms against Russian territory, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn44r9zjnpjo">BBC News</a>.
Putin also reiterated Russia’s readiness to use nuclear weapons if it sees a threat to its sovereignty.
Several Western countries including the United States have given Ukraine the green light to strike targets inside Russia.
Addressing foreign reporters, Putin said such action could lead to “very serious problems”. He said:
<blockquote>
If someone thinks it is possible to supply such weapons to a war zone to attack our territory and create problems for us, why don’t we have the right to supply weapons of the same class to regions of the world where there will be strikes on sensitive facilities of those countries?
That is, the response can be asymmetric. We will think about it.
</blockquote>
Putin, however, did not specify which countries Moscow could supply weapons to.
The Russian president singled out Germany, which recently told Ukraine it was free to hit targets inside Russia with long-range German-made weapons. He said:
<blockquote>
When they say that there will be more missiles which will hit targets on Russian territory, this definitively destroys Russian-German relations.
</blockquote>
US President Joe Biden recently permitted Ukraine to use American-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia, but only near the Kharkiv region.
The White House has said Ukraine cannot use long-range ATACMS missiles on Russian soil.
UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has said it is up to Ukraine to decide how to use British weapons.
Ukraine claims North Korean missiles are being used inside Ukrainian territory, while Western intelligence agencies say Russia has been using Iranian-made drones in the conflict.
Putin was speaking to foreign journalists at the annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum.
Asked by Reuters about the risk of nuclear escalation over Ukraine, Putin said the West was wrong to assume that Moscow would never use nuclear weapons. He said:
<blockquote>
For some reason, the West believes that Russia will never use it.
We have a nuclear doctrine, look what it says. If someone’s actions threaten our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we consider it possible for us to use all means at our disposal.
This should not be taken lightly, superficially.
</blockquote>
Putin also scoffed at the idea that Russia has plans to attack NATO territory. He said:
<blockquote>
You should not make Russia out to be the enemy. You’re only hurting yourself with this, you know?
hey thought that Russia wanted to attack Nato. Have you gone completely crazy? That is as thick as this table.
Who came up with this? It is just complete nonsense, you know? Total rubbish.
</blockquote>
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The war has been raging since.
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Russia Threatens To Arm West's Enemies With Long-Range Missiles

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to secure an outright majority for the first time since coming to power a decade ago.
The BJP won 240 seats in the staggered election, 32 short of the halfway mark in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament. In 2019, the BJP alone won 303.
While BJP lost 63 seats in the election, its three main challengers all gained seats: the Indian National Congress (INC) won 99 seats, the Samajwadi Party won 37 seats, and the All India Trinamool Congress won 29 seats.
The BJP lost 63 seats, the Indian National Congress (INC) gained 47 seats, the Samajwadi Party gained 32 seats, and the All India Trinamool Congress gained 7 seats.
Modi’s BJP went into the elections as part of the NDA alliance which secured 293 seats – above the 272 mark needed to form a government
The opposition INDIA alliance, led by the Indian National Congress party secured 223 seats.
The right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party is now dependent on its allies to form the government.
According to <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/6/5/india-election-results-live-modi-to-meet-allies-as-rivals-plan-next-move">Al Jazeera</a>, Modi is accused of ramping up rhetoric against Muslims to unprecedented levels during his campaign in a bid to mobilise the Hindu majority.
At his rallies, Modi referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” and claimed the main opposition Congress party would redistribute the nation’s wealth to Muslims if it won.
However, the strategy failed to woo Hindu voters, while also solidifying minority communities’ support for the opposition.
Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, the author of a Modi biography, told the AFP news agency many voters were concerned with India’s chronic unemployment problem rather than its ideological stance. Said Mukhopadhyay:
<blockquote>
People were concerned about livelihood, unemployment, and price rises. They did not relate to what Modi and the BJP were saying.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Modi has formally submitted his resignation to the president, as part of the protocol following a general election.
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP Fails To Win Outright Majority In Parliament

United States President Joe Biden has given Ukraine the green light to use American weapons to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending Kharkiv, reported <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/joe-biden-partially-lifts-ban-on-ukraine-using-us-weapons-in-strikes-on-russian-territory-13145668">Sky News</a>.
Kharkiv is a Ukrainian city close to the border which has been subjected to intense bombing by Russia over the past few weeks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and others have been increasingly vocal in making the case that the restriction was putting Ukrainian forces in an untenable situation.
Russia made advances in the area as the United States and Western Europe delayed supplying Ukraine with the weaponry it needed to defend itself from Russian aggression.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is just 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Russian border.
However, U.S. officials stated that the U.S. policy calling on Ukraine not to use American long-range missiles and other munitions to strike inside Russia offensively has not changed.
Since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, Biden had barred Ukraine from using American-made weaponry to launch strikes on Russian territory, concerned that the action could be seen as provocative and lead to Moscow widening the war.
Meanwhile, a top Russian official has said Ukraine striking with US weapons inside of Russia could mean war with NATO and warned that Moscow’s nuclear threats are not a bluff.
NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance comprising 30 European states plus the United States and Canada.
NATO adheres to the principle that an attack against one or several of its members is considered an attack against all.
Responding to Biden partially lifting restrictions on how Ukraine can use American-supplied weapons, Dmitry Medvedev issued a series of warnings to the West.
Dmitry Medvedev was President of Russia (2008–2012), Prime Minister of Russia (2012–2020), and is currently deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia since 2020.
Medvedev said “no one can rule out” when tensions with the West will escalate to its “last stage” – and that Moscow will consider any long-range weapons used by Ukraine to strike inside Russia as being controlled by NATO. He said:
<blockquote>
This is no military assistance, this is participation in a war against us. Such actions could well become a casus belli [an act that provokes a war].
</blockquote>
He also said it would be a “fatal mistake” on the part of the West to think that Russia was not ready to use tactical nuclear weapons against Ukraine.
Medvedev warned about the potential to strike unnamed hostile countries with strategic nuclear weapons. He said:
<blockquote>
This is, alas, neither intimidation nor bluffing. The current military conflict with the West is developing according to the worst possible scenario.
There is a constant escalation when it comes to the firepower of NATO weapons being used. Therefore, nobody today can rule out the conflict’s transition to its final stage.
</blockquote>
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Biden Allows Ukraine To Hit Russian Targets With U.S. Weapons

Donald Trump became the first former US president ever convicted of a crime after a New York jury found him guilty on all 34 counts in his hush-money case on Thursday, May 30.
The jury found Trump guilty on each of the 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide a payment meant to silence porn star Stormy Daniels.
Trump (77) faces the possibility of a four-year prison sentence or probation for his crimes and sentencing is set for 11 July.
His conviction comes months before an election that could see him yet return to the White House.
Trump, however, is not barred from running for the presidency
Addressing reporters after the verdict was confirmed, Trump declared his innocence, vowing that the “real verdict” would come from voters. He branded the trial “rigged” and a “disgrace.”
President Joe Biden’s campaign issued a statement saying the trial showed “no one is above the law.”
The statement added that “the threat Trump poses to our democracy has never been greater.”
As reported by <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/donald-trump-convicted-on-all-34-charges-in-hush-money-criminal-trial-5782684">NDTV</a>, Judge Juan Merchan set sentencing for July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Trump is due to receive the party’s formal nomination.
The 12-member jury had deliberated for more than 11 hours over two days before the foreman read out the unanimous decision within a matter of minutes.
Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records to reimburse his lawyer, Michael Cohen, for a $130,000 payment to Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election, when her claim to have had sex with him could have derailed his campaign against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
The trial featured lengthy testimony from the adult performer, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.
She described to the court in graphic detail what she says was a 2006 sexual encounter with the married Trump.
Prosecutors successfully laid out a charge alleging that the hush money and the illegal covering up of the payment was part of a broader crime to prevent voters from knowing about Trump’s behaviour.
Cohen, who was the key witness, and had turned against his old boss, called the verdict “an important day for accountability and the rule of law.”
Trump has denied any sexual encounter with Stormy Daniels but did not testify in his own defence and lawyers argued that any payments made to the performer were entirely legal.
Trump, who is known for mounting lengthy appeals of court rulings against him, is also likely to appeal the conviction, which could significantly delay his sentencing.
Should Trump win the presidency he will not be able to pardon himself, given that the case was brought not by the federal government but by the state of New York, where only the governor could pardon him.
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Donald Trump Becomes First Former U.S. President To Be Convicted Of A Crime

Spain has pledged to provide Ukraine with €1 billion in military aid this year. This comes after Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, met in Madrid on Monday to sign a decade-long defence and security deal.
The precise details of the agreement have not been made public, but Spain said its assistance would “allow Ukraine to prioritise its capacities, including its air defences”.
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/27/spain-to-give-ukraine-1bn-in-military-aid-in-decade-long-defence-deal">The Guardian</a> reported that the bilateral deal was agreed upon two days after a Russian strike in the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv killed 18 people, and as EU leaders grow increasingly exasperated with Hungary’s efforts to block aid to Ukraine.
Speaking at a press conference after the signing of the “enormously important” deal, Sánchez said:
<blockquote>
[This deal] will allow Ukraine to boost its capabilities, including its essential air defence systems to protect its civilians, cities and infrastructure, which are still suffering indiscriminate attacks as seen this weekend in Kharkiv.
</blockquote>
He said Spain had already pledged to supply Patriot missiles and said it would also send “another batch of Leopard tanks and above all ammunition”.
The Patriot is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed to intercept high-flying aircraft and later modified to address the threat of tactical ballistic missiles.
The Spanish government said the agreement would also include other areas, such as intelligence, training, de-mining, reconstruction and humanitarian assistance.
Zelenskiy said he had briefed Sánchez on the situation on the frontline and was grateful to Spain for its “tangible and truly life-saving support”.
He, however, said Ukraine still urgently needed another seven US-made Patriot air defence systems to stop Russia from hitting the power grid and civilian areas.
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Spain Pledges To Give Ukraine €1 Billion In Military Aid

Forty-five Palestinians, among them women and children, were killed on Sunday after an Israeli airstrike caused a huge blaze at a tented area for displaced people in Rafah.
As reported by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-attack-rafah-tent-camp-draws-global-condemnation-2024-05-27/">Reuters</a>, Palestinian families rushed to hospitals to prepare their dead for burial following the strike late on Sunday night which set tents and rickety metal shelters on fire.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which is trying to eliminate Hamas in Gaza, said it was investigating reports that a strike it carried out against commanders of the Islamist militant group in Rafah had caused the fire.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike had not been intended to cause civilian casualties.
In a speech in parliament that was interrupted by shouting from opposition lawmakers, Netanyahu said:
<blockquote>
In Rafah, we already evacuated about 1 million non-combatant residents and despite our utmost effort not to harm non-combatants, something unfortunately went tragically wrong.
We are investigating the incident and will reach conclusions because this is our policy.
</blockquote>
Survivors said families were preparing to sleep when the strike hit the Tel Al-Sultan neighbourhood.
Thousands of Palestinians fled to the area after Israeli forces began a ground offensive in the east of Rafah over two weeks ago.
Umm Mohamed Al-Attar, a Palestinian mother in a red headscarf said:
<blockquote>
We were praying… and we were getting our children’s beds ready to sleep. There was nothing unusual, but then we heard a very loud noise, and fire erupted around us.
All the children started screaming… The sound was terrifying; we felt like the metal was about to collapse on us, and shrapnel fell into the rooms.
</blockquote>
Video footage obtained by Reuters showed a fire raging in the darkness and people screaming in panic.
By daylight (Monday), the camp in Rafah was a smoking wreckage of tents, twisted metal and charred belongings. Women wept and men held prayers beside bodies in shrouds.
The health ministry in the Hamas-controlled area said about half of the dead were women, children and older adults.
Mohammed Abuassa, who rushed to the scene in the north-western neighbourhood of Tel al-Sultan, told the Associated Press:
<blockquote>
We pulled out people who were in an unbearable state. We pulled out children who were in pieces. We pulled out young and elderly people. The fire in the camp was unreal.
</blockquote>
The airstrike followed the interception of eight rockets fired towards Israel from the Rafah area in Gaza’s southern tip.
The strike, one of the deadliest single incidents in the eight-month war to date, came two days after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, ordered Israel to stop its operation in Rafah immediately.
The top UN court also reiterated calls for the immediate and unconditional release of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas.
The US, Israel’s closest ally and weapons supplier, urged Israel to take more care to protect civilians but stopped short of calling for a halt to the Rafah incursion. National Security Council spokesperson said:
<blockquote>
Israel has a right to go after Hamas, and we understand this strike killed two senior Hamas terrorists who are responsible for attacks against Israeli civilians. But as we’ve been clear, Israel must take every precaution possible to protect civilians.
</blockquote>
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “outraged” over Israel’s latest attacks. He added:
<blockquote>
These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians.
</blockquote>
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the International Court of Justice ruling must be respected.
Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said she was “horrified” by the deadly airstrike in Rafah, and called for an immediate ceasefire.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also condemned the Israeli attack and Qatar said the Rafah strike could hamper efforts to mediate a ceasefire and hostage exchange.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive.
Israel launched the offensive after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Israeli Attack On Refugee Camp In Gaza Kills 45 People

United States of America President Joe Biden on Thursday pledged to designate Kenya as a major non-NATO ally.
As reported by <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/24/major-non-nato-ally-what-does-bidens-new-kenya-pledge-mean">Al Jazeera</a>, this will make Kenya the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to hold the designation.
Addressing a news conference at the White House on Thursday, during Kenyan President William Ruto’s three-day visit to the US, Biden described the decision as “a fulfilment of years of collaboration”. He said:
<blockquote>
Our joint counterterrorism operations have degraded ISIS [ISIL] and al-Shabab across East Africa, our mutual support for Ukraine has rallied the world to stand behind the UN Charter, and our work together on Haiti is helping pave the way to reduce instability and insecurity.
</blockquote>
A Major non-NATO ally (MNNA) is a designation given by the United States government to countries that are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) but that have strategic working relationships with the U.S. Armed Forces.
Although MNNA status does not automatically constitute a mutual defence pact (as would be the case through NATO membership), it does confer a variety of military and financial advantages that are otherwise unobtainable by non-NATO countries.
The designation will allow Kenya to buy military technologies that would be harder for other countries to obtain from Washington.
According to the State Department website, MNNA benefits include the following:
<ul>
<li>MNNAs are eligible for loans of materials and equipment for research, development or testing. 
US-owned War Reserve Stockpiles can be placed on MNNA territory.</li>
<li>MNNAs can be considered for the purchase of depleted uranium ammunition.</li>
<li>The allies can enter a formal agreement with the US Department of Defense to carry out research and development projects. Additionally, firms of the MNNA can bid on contracts to repair and maintain US Defense Department equipment outside of the US.</li>
</ul>
However, the designation would not guarantee new defence agreements or weapon sales between Nairobi and Washington.
The US has currently designated 18 countries as MNNAs. These include Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia.
In 2022, Biden cancelled Afghanistan’s status as an MNNA, 10 years after the designation was first announced.
During Ruto’s three-day visit, Kenya and the U.S. also decided to establish dialogue on artificial intelligence, collaboratively support Somali “antiterrorism” efforts and push for a ceasefire in Sudan, among several other issues discussed.
According to Al Jazeera, Biden hosted a state dinner for Ruto on Thursday with about 500 guests including former President Bill Clinton and his wife and former presidential nominee, Hillary, as well as former President Barack Obama.
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U.S. President Joe Biden Pledges To Designate Kenya A "Major Non-NATO Ally"

Ireland, Norway and Spain on Wednesday, 22 May announced they will formally recognise a Palestinian state from 28 May, prompting Israel to recall its ambassadors from all three European states.
Spain and Ireland said the decision was not against Israel nor in favour of Hamas, but rather in support of peace, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4nn78r3w3ko">BBC</a>.
Both Hamas and its rival, the Palestinian Authority, have welcomed the recognition of Palestine as a separate state.
However, Israel reacted angrily, warning the move would mean more instability in the region. Tel Aviv promptly recalled its ambassadors to the countries.
Norway was first to make its announcement on Wednesday in a move coordinated with Spain and Ireland.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said in an address that the move was “in support of moderate forces that are on a retreating front in a protracted and cruel conflict”.
He added “This is an investment in the only solution that can bring lasting peace in the Middle East”, referring to the so-called “two-state solution” which would see an Israeli and a Palestinian state existing peacefully next to each other. Said Store:
<blockquote>
There cannot be peace in the Middle East if there is no recognition. The terror has been committed by Hamas and militant groups who are not supporters of a two-state solution and the state of Israel. Palestine has a fundamental right to an independent state.
</blockquote>
The two-state solution framework was formally adopted in the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
It envisions the peaceful coexistence of these two states side by side, with defined borders and mutual recognition.
Speaking on Wednesday, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said:
<blockquote>
Today Ireland, Norway and Spain are announcing that we recognise the state of Palestine, and each of us will undertake whatever national steps are necessary to give effect to that decision.
I am confident that other countries will join us in taking this important step in the coming weeks.
</blockquote>
Harris added that the “two-state solution [is] the only credible path to peace and security for Israel, for Palestine and their peoples.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the move was “not against Israel, is not against the Jews”. He said:
<blockquote>
It is not in favour of Hamas which is something that has been said. This recognition is not against anyone, it is in favour of peace and coexistence.
</blockquote>
Responding to the move by the three European countries, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he was ordering the immediate return of the Israeli ambassadors to all three countries for “consultations”. He said:
<blockquote>
Israel will not go over this in silence – there will be other serious consequences.
</blockquote>
Katz also said that the three countries’ ambassadors in Israel will be summoned for “reprimand talks”.
The issue of Palestinian statehood has vexed the international community for several decades.
Most of the world already recognises Palestine as a state. Earlier this month, 143 of the 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly voted in favour of Palestine joining the UN.
Before Wednesday’s announcements, only nine European countries supported Palestinian statehood and most of those decided in 1988 when they were part of the Soviet bloc.
Most other European countries, and the United States, still believe recognition should come only as part of a long-term two-state solution to the conflict.
While the decision by Ireland, Norway and Spain to officially recognise Palestine as a separate state doesn’t align with the UK or the US stance on Palestinian statehood, it draws attention to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and highlights the urgency of resolving it.
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Ireland, Norway And Spain Recognise Palestine As An Independent State

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has been killed in a helicopter crash, Iranian state media has confirmed.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and the governor of Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, were also killed in Sunday’s crash, along with several others.
According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/20/iran-president-ebrahim-raisi-dead-helicopter-crash-mountains-azerbaijan-border-foreign-minister-hossein-amir-abdollahian">The Guardian</a>, the helicopter, one of three travelling in a convoy, crashed in a mountainous area after it got into difficulties in heavy fog in the north of the country.
Raisi was heading to the city of Tabriz, in the north-west of Iran, after returning from a dam opening ceremony on the Azerbaijan border.
Iran’s Mehr news agency also confirmed the deaths, reporting that “all passengers of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president and foreign minister were martyred”.
The incident happened near Jolfa, a city on the border with Azerbaijan, about 375 miles (600km) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Concerns had been growing for the 63-year-old ultraconservative Raisi after contact was lost with the aircraft on Sunday as it navigated fog-covered mountains in north-west Iran.
In the early hours of Monday, a Turkish drone located a “source of heat suspected to be the wreckage of helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi”, according to Turkey’s state-run news agency Anadolu.
More than 70 rescue teams using search dogs and drones were sent to the site, the Red Crescent said.
The chief of staff of Iran’s army ordered all the resources of the army and the elite Revolutionary Guards to be deployed.
Raisi had been in Azerbaijan early on Sunday to inaugurate a dam with the country’s president, Ilham Aliyev. The dam is the third that the two nations have built on the Aras River.
Iran owns several helicopters, but international sanctions make it difficult to obtain parts for them and most of its military air fleet pre-dates the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Raisi is a hardliner who formerly led the country’s judiciary. He was viewed as a protege of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
He won Iran’s 2021 presidential election, for which the turnout was the lowest in the Islamic Republic’s history.
Raisi was under sanctions by the United States in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 at the end of the bloody Iran-Iraq war.
Under Raisi, Iran has been enriching uranium at nearly weapons-grade levels and hampered international inspections.
Iran has supplied arms to Russia in its war on Ukraine and launched a drone and missile attack on Israel. It continues to arm proxy groups in the Middle East, such as Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Iran’s Vice President, Mohammad Mokhber, is likely to be appointed as the interim president by Iran’s Supreme Leader, who ultimately has the last say in all matters of state.
An election for a new president is due to take place in the next 50 days.
Mokhber (68) was elected as the first vice president after the 2021 elections that saw Raisi come to power.
He will be a part of a three-person council to organise a new presidential election in the next 50 days.
Mokhber visited Moscow in October 2023 when Iran agreed to supply surface-to-surface missiles and more drones to Russia’s military.
Sky News’ international affairs editor, Dominic Waghorn, described Raisi as the “‘butcher of Tehran”, saying he was one of Iran’s hardest of hardliners, a fanatical and absolute believer in the Iranian revolution and its mission. He said:
<blockquote>
A man who launched the first direct attack on Israel in his country’s history and a hardliner on whose watch hundreds of Iranians have been killed in the brutal repression of recent women-led protests, Mr Raisi had a huge amount of blood on his hands.
His fearsome reputation went back to the 1980s – a period that earned him the dubious soubriquet the Butcher of Tehran.
He sat on the so-called Death Panel of four Islamic judges who sentenced thousands of Iranian prisoners of conscience to their deaths during the purge of 1988.
Mr Raisi was personally involved in two of the darkest periods of Iranian repression. And he was seen as one of the favourite contenders to replace the elderly and ailing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
</blockquote>
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Iran President Ebrahim Raisi And Foreign Minister Killed In Helicopter Crash

The Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico is in a stable but serious condition after being shot several times on Wednesday.
Earlier Fico (59), was said to have been fighting for his life after being shot in the small town of Handlova.
Addressing a press conference, Miriam Lapunikova, director of the F. D. Roosevelt University Hospital in Banska Bystrica, where Fico was admitted, said he was currently in an intensive care unit after five hours in surgery, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-69019121">BBC News</a>.
Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Tomas Taraba told the BBC that Fico’s surgery had gone “well” and “I guess that at the end he will survive”.
Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estoka described the attack as a politically motivated assassination attempt.
Fico is said to be a divisive figure at home and controversial in the EU after he called for an end to military aid to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia.
The gunman, who was detained at the scene of the shooting, was in a small crowd of Fico supporters who were gathered outside a cultural centre in Handlova, where the prime minister had been holding a meeting.
The shooting took Fico’s security officers completely by surprise. Footage shows the prime minister after he was shot being carried by several officers, who bundle him into a car and drive him away from the scene.
The gunman fired five shots at close range and Fico was hit in the stomach and in the arm.
Fico was rushed to the hospital in an air ambulance and spent five hours in surgery, conducted by surgical and trauma teams.
Later on Wednesday, the Deputy Prime Minister told the BBC’s Newshour programme that Fico was “not in [a] life-threatening situation at this moment”.
He added the Prime Minister was shot “from very close” and that “one bullet went through the stomach and the second one hit the joint”.
Police have not yet identified the alleged suspect but unconfirmed local media reports say he was a 71-year-old writer and political activist.
The shooting came on the day parliament began discussing the government’s proposal to abolish Slovakia’s public broadcaster RTVS.
Thousands of Slovaks have protested against the proposed reform of the public broadcaster in recent weeks.
Interior Minister Estok accused the media of contributing to the climate that led to the Prime Minister’s shooting, adding that he believed “this assassination [attempt] was politically motivated”.
Slovakia’s outgoing President Zuzana Caputova said something “so serious had happened that we can’t even realise it yet”, in response to the news of the attack.
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Slovakia PM Robert Fico In Stable But Serious Condition After Assassination Attempt

Slovakia’s populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was on Wednesday afternoon injured in a shooting and airlifted to a hospital. His condition was said to be critical.
According to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-europe-69016687?src_origin=BBCS_BBC">BBC</a>, Fico (59) was shot in the stomach in front of a building in the central Slovak town of Handlova, where a government meeting had been held.
Handlova is around 180km north-east of the capital Bratislava.
He was greeting people in front of a cultural community centre in the central town of Handlova when several shots were fired from a crowd.
Local media reports say Fico was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital before he was later flown to another hospital in Banska Bystrica, east of Handlova, as the transfer to the capital Bratislava would take too long.
President-elect and Fico ally Peter Pellegrini said he was “horrified” to hear that Fico was “the target of an assassination attempt”. He said:
<blockquote>
I am horrified at where hatred for a different political opinion can lead. We don’t have to agree with everything, but there are many ways to express your disagreement democratically and legally.
</blockquote>
The alleged assailant was detained by police, according to local media.
Fico returned to power after elections last year at the head of a populist-nationalist coalition, the Smer-SSD party.
He promised to halt military aid to Ukraine, criticised sanctions targeting Russia and campaigned against LGBTQ+ rights. He, however, denied being pro-Russian.
Fico was forced to step down as prime minister following the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak in 2018.
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Slovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico Shot And Injured In Assassination Attempt

President Volodymyr Zelensky has cancelled all upcoming foreign trips as Ukrainian troops withdraw from several villages in the border region of Kharkiv following an incursion by Russian forces.
As reported by <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1030vvy0mzo">BBC</a>, a Ukrainian military spokesman said soldiers had come under heavy fire in two areas of the northeastern region and moved to “more advantageous positions” language Ukraine has typically used to signify a retreat.
Russia has claimed that its forces have now taken control of two more settlements in the region – Lukyantski and Hlyboke – and the village of Robotyne, in the southern Zaporizhzhia region
Robotyne was one of a few settlements Kyiv retook in its summer counter-offensive last year.
A spokesman for the Ukrainian military said the decision to move troops from the Lukyantsi and Vovchansk areas was taken to “preserve the lives of our servicemen and avoid losses”.
The military spokesman also said that the situation “remains difficult” but asserted that Ukrainian forces were “not allowing the Russian occupiers to gain a foothold”.
Thousands of civilians have fled west in recent days towards Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv – including from the town of Vovchansk, located 74km away.
Oleksiy Kharkivskiy, Vovchansk’s police chief, said “The situation is extremely difficult. The enemy is taking positions on the streets of the town of Vovchansk”.
Russian troops made incursions into the Kharkiv region on Friday, and the attack is seen as one of Russia’s most significant ground attacks since it launched its full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.
On Wednesday, President Zelensky’s office said reinforcements have been sent to the wider Kharkiv region.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an additional US$2 billion in military aid to the Ukrainian war effort while on a visit to Kyiv. He said:
<blockquote>
We’re rushing ammunition, armoured vehicles, missiles, air defences to get them to the front lines.
We’ve been through challenging times together, I have every confidence that together we will get through these difficult moments.
</blockquote>
It comes weeks after the US Congress passed a $61 billion aid package last month.
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Ukraine Troops Pull Back In Kharkiv After Russia Incursion

The Israeli government shut down the local offices of satellite news network Al Jazeera on Sunday, a move described by critics as a “dark day for the media”.
As reported by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/05/israel-shuts-down-local-al-jazeera-offices-in-dark-day-for-the-media">The Guardian</a>, Israeli officials said the move was justified because Al Jazeera was a threat to national security.
Posting on social media after the Cabinet unanimously voted to shut down the channel, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “The incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel”.
Israel’s communications minister then signed orders to act immediately to close Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel, confiscate broadcast equipment, cut the channel off from cable and satellite companies and block its websites.
The Al Jazeera network, which is funded by Qatar, has been critical of Israel’s military operation in Gaza, where it has reported 24/7 throughout the seven-month war.
Al Jazeera said the accusation that it threatened Israeli security was a “dangerous and ridiculous lie” that put its journalists at risk. It said in a statement:
<blockquote>
Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access information.
Al Jazeera affirms its right to continue to provide news and information to its global audiences.
</blockquote>
The network has previously accused the Israeli authorities of deliberately targeting several of its journalists, a charge the latter has denied.
Some of the Al Jazeera journalists who have been killed in Gaza during the conflict are Samer Abu Daqqa and Hamza Al-Dahdouh.
In April this year, Israel’s parliament ratified a law that allows for the temporary closure of foreign broadcasters considered a threat to national security.
The law allows Netanyahu and his security cabinet to shut Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel for 45 days, a period that can be renewed.
This means the suspension could stay in force until the end of July or until the end of major military operations in Gaza.
Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language service not only includes on-the-ground reporting of the war’s casualties but often publishes verbatim video statements from Hamas and other militant groups in the region.
Qatar established Al Jazeera in 1996 to build influence around the Middle East and further afield. Interestingly, several Hamas political leaders are based in Qatar.
Israel has barred foreign journalists from entering Gaza to cover the conflict which has claimed the lives of more than 34,000 people, mostly women and children.
Israel invaded Gaza following Hamas attacks into southern Israel on 7 October 2023 in which 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed.
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Israel Shuts Down Local Al Jazeera Offices

Ukraine’s air force claimed it shot down a Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bomber for the first time on Friday. The warplane is capable of carrying long-range missiles used to attack Ukrainian cities, reported <a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-it-took-down-russian-tu-22m3-strategic-bomber">The Strait Times</a>.
However, the Russian defence ministry said the strategic bomber had crashed in Russia’s southern Stavropol region, hundreds of kilometres from Ukrainian-controlled territory.
It said the crash appeared to have been caused by a technical malfunction as the warplane returned to base after carrying out a combat mission.
It said the bomber had no longer been carrying bombs, adding that the pilots had ejected, but that one of them had died.
Following the Russian statement, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said Kyiv had “destroyed” the warplane. Said Oleshchuk:
<blockquote>
For the first time, anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force, in cooperation with the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, destroyed a Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber, a carrier of Kh-22 cruise missiles used by Russian terrorists to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities.
</blockquote>
The Ukrainian military intelligence agency said the warplane had been taking part in a long-range attack on Ukraine.
Russia uses the bomber to fire Kh-22 cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets from inside its airspace.
Various reports say Russian missiles struck cities in the central Dnipro region of Ukraine on Friday, killing eight people, including a 14-year-old girl and an eight-year-old boy, and injuring 28.
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Ukraine Claims It Shot Down A Russian Strategic Bomber

Israel has carried out a military strike inside Iran, six days after Tehran’s unprecedented attack on Israeli territory last weekend.
According to <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/18/middleeast/isfahan-iran-explosion-intl-hnk/index.html">CNN</a>, a United States official said they were given advance notification Thursday of an intended Israeli strike in the coming days, but did not endorse the response.
Citing Iranian State media, the report says three explosions were heard close to a major military airbase near the Iranian city of Isfahan, prompting the activation of Iran’s air defence systems in several locations.
According to BBC, Isfahan province is home to a large airbase, a major missile production complex and several nuclear facilities. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said no nuclear sites were damaged
Iranian officials said air defenses intercepted three drones and there were no reports of a missile attack. Iran has, however, not identified the source of the strike.
Reports of Friday’s strike came hours after Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told CNN that Iran’s response would be “immediate and at a maximum level” if Israel takes any further military action against Iran. He said:
<blockquote>
If the Israeli regime commits the grave error once again our response will be decisive, definitive and regretful for them.
</blockquote>
He said this warning had been communicated to the White House via the Swiss Embassy in Tehran.
Following the reported Israeli strike inside Iran, various state-aligned news agencies reported that sites associated with Iran’s nuclear program were “completely secure”.
Senior military commander, Second Brigadier General Mihandoust, told the state-aligned Tasnim news agency there was “no damage”, adding that the noises heard overnight were due to air defence systems targeting a “suspicious object.”
The Israeli military said it was unable to provide a comment on Friday when asked by CNN about reports of explosions in Iran.
A senior Iranian official tells Reuters news agency “Iran has no plan for immediate retaliation against Israel,” hours after the attack by Israel.
On Friday morning, an Iranian analyst told Iranian state TV that “Mini drones shot down by air defences in Isfahan were flown by infiltrators from inside Iran”, downplaying the reports that Israel had carried out the attack.
The Middle East has been on edge following Iran’s unprecedented direct strike against Israel late Saturday.
Iran launched more than 300 drones and cruise missiles toward Israel after a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic complex in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on 1 April, which killed a top commander, and several others.
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Israeli Missile Strikes Inside Iran, US Officials Say

More than 70 people were killed and injured in the city of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine in a Russian missile strike.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack could have been prevented if Ukraine had been provided with better air defences by its Western allies.
<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/17/europe/russia-strike-chernihiv-ukraine-air-defense-intl/index.html?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=whatsappCNN&amp;utm_content=2024-04-17T11:42:15">CNN</a> cited Ukraine’s emergency services as saying at least 14 people were killed in the strike and 61 others were injured, including two children. Rescue operations are underway as police search for survivors under the rubble.
Three missiles hit the outskirts of Chernihiv, north of the capital Kyiv, at about 9 AM local time on Wednesday. The strikes caused substantial damage to an eight-story building, a four-story building, a hospital and a higher education institute, according to Ukrainian officials.
Chernihiv police said that among those killed was 25-year-old police lieutenant Alina Mykolayets, who was fatally wounded by shrapnel. She had been at home on sick leave when Russia attacked.
Russia’s strike comes after Zelensky has for months warned that Ukraine lacks the air defences necessary to protect its skies from Russian attacks. He said:
<blockquote>
This would not have happened if Ukraine had received a sufficient number of air defence systems and if the world’s determination to counter Russian terror had been sufficient.
The Ukrainian determination is sufficient. There must be equally sufficient determination from our partners and, as a result, sufficient support.
</blockquote>
In an interview with PBS NewsHour that aired Monday, Zelensky said Ukraine had “run out of missiles” to repel a Russian airstrike that destroyed the biggest power plant in the Kyiv region last week.
Zelensky on Tuesday signed into law a key piece of legislation overhauling the country’s mobilization rules in a bid to bolster Ukraine’s depleted military.
The law requires all men between 18 and 60 to register with Ukraine’s military and to carry their registration documents on them at all times.
Ukraine has been at war with Russia since February 24, 2022, when the latter launched a series of missile strikes on Ukrainian cities followed by the swift movement of Russian ground troops into Ukrainian territory.
Since then, battles have raged, and the human cost of war has been significant. Ukrainian forces recently withdrew from the eastern town of Avdiivka, marking Russia’s most significant victory since the fall of Bakhmut in May of the previous year.
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Russian Missile Strike Kills At Least 14 In Northern Ukraine

The United States of America’s Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Chinese counterpart on Tuesday, the first dialogue between the two countries’ defence chiefs since 2022, reported <a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/us-china-defense-chiefs-hold-first-call-since-2022-/7572098.html">VOA</a>.
Austin and Chinese Admiral Dong Jun discussed “defence relations” and global security issues from Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine to recent provocations from North Korea, the Pentagon said.
“The Pentagon” is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense, and the phrase is most often used as a metonym for the Department of Defence and its leadership.
According to a Pentagon press release, Austin stressed the importance of “respect for high seas freedom of navigation as guaranteed under international law, especially in the South China Sea.”
China has asserted its desire to control access to the South China Sea and bring Taiwan under its control, by force if necessary.
President Joe Biden has said American troops would defend the democratically-run island from attack.
A Chinese defence ministry statement quoted Dong as saying the Taiwan issue is “core of China’s core interests.” He said:
<blockquote>
The U.S. side should recognize China’s firm position, respect China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and take practical actions to safeguard regional peace.
</blockquote>
Dong also said the two countries should work to build mutual trust.
A senior U.S. defence official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity ahead of the talks, said:
<blockquote>
These engagements provide us with opportunities to prevent competition from veering into conflict by speaking candidly about our concerns.
That includes the PRC’s behaviour in the South China Sea, as well as the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
</blockquote>
PRC is the acronym for the People’s Republic of China, the country’s official name.
The call was Austin’s first-ever direct exchange with Dong, who has served as China’s minister of national defence since December.
Austin last spoke at length with a PRC counterpart in November 2022, when he met with then-Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe in Cambodia.
China’s previous defence minister, General Li Shangfu, was subjected to U.S. sanctions that China deemed an obstacle to having him communicate directly with Austin.
The only engagement Austin had with General Li was a handshake at the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore last year.
The talks come as the Pentagon has claimed that Chinese weapons technology sales to Russia have surged, helping ramp up Moscow’s defence production as it continues to attack its neighbour, Ukraine.
China’s activities in the South China Sea have raised tensions in the region. China used water cannons this month to threaten Filipino fishing ships.
Beijing has also used collision and ramming tactics, undersea barriers and a military-grade laser to stop Philippine resupply and patrol missions.
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US, China Defence Chiefs Hold First Call Since 2022

Israel’s allies have reportedly urged it to avoid any escalation, as it considers a response to Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack over the weekend.
Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel on Sunday, in what it said was retaliation for a strike on its consulate in Syria which killed seven people including two military generals.
Israel says during the assault, Iran tried to attack strategically important infrastructure including the Nevatim air force base – where it keeps its stealth fighter jets – but that it failed to have an impact.
BBC’s Middle East correspondent, Yolande Knell, reported that Israel’s military is said to have presented a range of options to the war cabinet for potential strikes against Iran.
An Israeli source was cited as saying the Israeli government cannot allow such a large attack launched directly from Iran for the first time – to pass without some kind of response.
Some Israeli politicians argue that a powerful message needs to be sent so that Iran doesn’t repeat its actions.
However, key figures in the war cabinet have also been stressing the opportunity to strengthen the “strategic alliance” between Israel and the US, the UK, Jordan and other allies against the threat from Iran.
Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, called for calm, while President Emmanuel Macron said France will do everything possible to avoid a regional conflict.
The UK Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron told the BBC that Iran suffered a “double defeat” after its attack on Israel failed and it showed its true nature to the world.
Russia, a close ally of Iran, also warned that further escalation is “in no one’s interests”, as China’s foreign ministry also called for calm.
UN general secretary Antonio Guterres said the “Middle East is on the brink” and it was time to “defuse and de-escalate”.
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Western Allies Urge Israel To Avoid Escalation After Iran Attack

Iran directly attacked Israel for the first time on Sunday morning, in what is the largest ever drone strike in the world, and its biggest missile attack ever.
As reported by <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/14/true-promise-why-and-how-did-iran-launch-a-historic-attack-on-israel">Al Jazeera</a>, Iran used hundreds of drones and missiles to directly target Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, two weeks ago.
An Israeli air strike flattened the Iranian consulate in Damascus and killed two commanders from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and five other people.
Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in the elite Quds Force of the IRGC and his deputy General Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi were killed in the Israeli attack.
The two generals were in charge of leading operations in Syria and Lebanon.
Iran’s attack on Israel on Sunday was the single largest drone attack ever carried out by any country, and it was the first time Iran directly attacked Israel.
Operation “True Promise” was mainly aimed at strengthening Iran’s deterrence, which critics said had been compromised after increasingly confrontational policies and military strikes by the United States and its allies across the region, reported Al Jazeera.
The attack, despite briefly shifting the world’s attention from the deaths of tens of thousands of women and children in the Gaza Strip, could translate into soft power gains for Iran in the Muslim world in the long run, when compared with other regional powers.
Iran would also justify its actions at the United Nations Security Council since attacks on diplomatic missions signal a violation of the Vienna Convention.
Furthermore, Article 51 of the UN Charter enshrines the “inherent right” of self-defence, something Israel has been heavily leaning on since the start of the Gaza war.
As of Sunday, Iran had not officially confirmed the exact number of drones or ballistic and cruise missiles it used to attack Israel, but the Israeli military said more than 300 were launched.
As reported by the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/14/how-irans-attack-on-israel-was-stopped">Guardian</a>, Israel’s military said all 170 drones launched from Iran, likely to be from its Shahed family, were shot down before they reached Israeli airspace.
The drones are not much threat, able only to carry a modest bomb of up to 50kg, but they intend to tie up defenders.
Videos of the craft circulated on social media hours before being shot down, gave those responding plenty of time to react.
The drones’ noisy engines suggested they were the slow-flying Shahed-136, which would take six hours to fly from Iran to Israel.
However, some Israeli media reported Iran had launched the faster jet-engined Shahed 238, which travels three times more quickly.
The spokesperson of Isreal’s military, Daniel Hagari, said Iran also launched 30 cruise missiles towards its territory, with IDF jets intercepting 25 “outside the country’s borders”.
The missiles are most probably the newly designed Paveh-351, designed to be manoeuvrable in flight but still take two hours from Iran.
More than 120 high-speed ballistic missiles, capable of flying several times the speed of sound and making the journey from Iran to Israel (about 600 miles at the closest points) in less than 15 minutes, were launched at Israel.
Hagari said that “a few” crossed into Israel’s airspace, some striking at the Nevatim airbase.
Israel’s air defence system’s Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 systems, manufactured in an Israeli-US collaboration, supported by David’s Sling, a medium-range interceptor, were deployed to hit the Iranian ballistic missiles.
The United States said it had knocked out about 70 drones and three missiles. The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, added that the British airforce had intercepted an unspecified number. Jordan, a longstanding US ally, reportedly shot down dozens more drones over its airspace that Iran had launched towards Israel.
Brig Gen Reem Aminoach, a former financial adviser to the IDF chief of staff, told Israel’s Ynet News that an Arrow missile typically costs $3.5m (£2.8m) a time, and David’s Sling interceptors $1m (£800,000).
He estimated that adding up the cost of eliminating 100 ballistic missiles, plus the costs of the whole air defence campaign, is “an order of magnitude of 4 to 5 billion shekels (£850m to £1.1bn)”.
However, the attack was also expensive for Iran, with ballistic missiles generally costing upwards of £80,000.
Following the attack, the Rial, Iran’s falling national currency, dropped to a new all-time low of about 670,000 per US dollar on Sunday before regaining some ground.
Iran’s chief of general staff, Gen Mohammad Bagheri, said on Sunday that the operation was considered a success and further attacks on its part were not necessary.
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