The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has conducted overnight strikes on military targets in Iran, marking a significant escalation in tensions in the region. This comes in response to what Israel describes as months of attacks from “Iran and its proxies.”
Iran’s military acknowledged that Israeli strikes targeted military bases in the provinces of Ilam, Khuzestan, and Tehran, resulting in “limited damage.”
The Israeli military stated that the air strikes carried out on Saturday, were based on intelligence indicating that Iran was using missile manufacturing facilities to produce missiles that had been fired at Israel over the past year.
In addition to these facilities, the IDF also targeted surface-to-air missile arrays and other aerial capabilities that were seen as threats to Israel’s operational freedom in the region.
Israel has pointed to attacks from Iran in April and October, along with Iranian support for regional proxies, as factors undermining regional stability and security, as well as global economic interests.
In light of these developments, Israel has warned that if Iran retaliates, the Israeli military will feel “obligated to respond.”
The United States has clarified that it was not involved in the Israeli strikes but had been informed of the operation beforehand.
Video footage from Iran captured bright objects moving across the night sky above Tehran, accompanied by the sound of explosions.
Iranian media confirmed that Israel had targeted areas west of Tehran but downplayed the extent of the damage, stating that the strikes had occurred in three waves.
In parallel, there were reports of widespread strikes by Israel in Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad has relied on Iranian military support to maintain power.
Iran’s air defence forces confirmed that bases in Tehran, Khuzestan, and Ilam were attacked but claimed that the assaults had been successfully countered, with only limited damage reported.
The Iranian leadership now faces the critical decision of how to respond. The semi-official Tasnim news agency stated that there is no doubt Israel will encounter a “proportional reaction.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli military has warned that if Iran makes the mistake of escalating the situation, it will be obligated to retaliate.
The United States has urged Iran not to retaliate against Israeli strikes. US officials said that if Iran does respond, the US is ready for the consequences.
The officials expressed willingness to help to stop the fighting between Israel and Iran and bring peace to Lebanon, achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, and ensure hostages taken from Israel are returned.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Israel attacked military targets in Iran because they say Iran and its allies have been attacking them. Iran admits there was some damage. Israel says it was based on intelligence about missile production facilities. They also targeted other threats to their safety. Israel warns they will respond if Iran retaliates. The US was not involved but knew about the strikes. Iran claims they defended against the attacks. There were also strikes in Syria, where Iran helps the President. The US urges Iran not to fight back. They want peace between Israel and Iran.

Israel Carries Out Wave Of Strikes Across Iran

Iran has reportedly launched over 180 missiles towards Israel, escalating fears of a regional war in the Middle East.
According to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dyxxgxv1jo">BBC</a>, millions of people rushed to shelters before explosions lit up the skies over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with at least one fatality in Jericho due to falling debris.
Air raid sirens sounded all across Israel at around 7:30 PM local time (4:30 PM GMT) on Tuesday, as the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) warned missiles had been launched from Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Iran has made a “big mistake” and will face consequences. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that most missiles were intercepted.
Iranian state media claimed 200 missiles were fired, including hypersonic weapons, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the attack was in retaliation for the recent killings of the leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas.
US President Joe Biden said the Iranian missile attack appeared to have been “defeated and ineffective”.
The US Department of Defense confirmed its forces had helped shoot down missiles in support of Israel.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire, while allies like the UK, France, Japan, and Australia expressed support for Israel.
Videos on social media captured streams of light from missiles flying over Israel, along with smoke from interceptions or detonations.
After about an hour, the IDF announced that people could leave shelters, stating there were no further aerial threats from Iran.
IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari confirmed that a few missiles hit central and southern Israel. He said:
<blockquote>
The majority of the incoming missiles were intercepted by Israel and a defensive coalition led by the United States.
Iran’s attack is a severe and dangerous escalation. There will be consequences.
Our defensive and offensive capabilities are at the highest levels of readiness. Our operational plans are ready.
We will respond wherever, whenever, and however we choose, in accordance with the directive of the government of Israel.
</blockquote>
The missile barrage followed an Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon aimed at targeting Hezbollah, amidst a backdrop of increased hostilities since the war with Hamas began.
Speaking on Wednesday, Iran’s chief of staff Maj Gen Mohammad Bagheri told state TV that it would hit infrastructure across Israel if it decides to strike back.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have targeted unspecified “sensitive security and military” sites in retaliation for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
They described the missile barrage as a legitimate act of self-defence. The attack was also in response to an Israeli airstrike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Iranian state media later reported that missiles struck multiple Israeli air bases, tanks in Gaza, and gas facilities in Ashkelon.
This occurred shortly after a US official indicated that Iran was preparing to launch missiles.
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan later said there was no known damage to aircraft or strategic military assets in Israel.
He concluded that, based on current information, the missile attack appeared to have been “defeated and ineffective.”
The conflict is rooted in a broader struggle involving various Iranian-backed groups across the Middle East, opposing US and Israeli interests.
In April, Iran launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel in retaliation for an attack on its consulate in Syria that killed several commanders.
Most of the missiles were intercepted by Israel and its allies, resulting in only minor damage to an air base in southern Israel.
In response, Israel targeted an Iranian air base with its own missile strike, amid calls for restraint from Western nations.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Iran fired more than 180 missiles at Israel. People rushed to shelters before explosions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. There was at least one death. Israel's Prime Minister said Iran made a mistake. Many missiles were stopped. The US and allies support Israel. The conflict involves Iranian-backed groups. This is part of a bigger struggle. The missile attack seemed ineffective. Some missiles hit central and southern Israel. The conflict started with an Israeli attack in Lebanon. Iran said they will hit back if Israel strikes. The situation is tense in the Middle East.

Iran Launches Over 180 Missiles At Israel

Former United States President Donald Trump has been briefed by U.S. intelligence about specific threats from Iran regarding an assassination attempt against him, according to his campaign.
In a statement, the campaign said the Republican presidential candidate was briefed “regarding real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him in an effort to destabilize and sow chaos in the United States”.
The campaign, however, did not clarify whether these threats were new or previously reported.
Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said in the statement:
<blockquote>
Intelligence officials have identified that these continued and coordinated attacks have heightened in the past few months.
Law enforcement officials across all agencies are working to ensure President Trump is protected and the election is free from interference.
</blockquote>
This follows an assassination attempt on Trump on July 13, during which he was injured and another person was killed at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Afterwards, U.S. officials reportedly received intelligence about an alleged Iranian plot against him, which Iranian officials denied.
Then September 15, a Secret Service agent fired upon spotting a rifle poking through a fence at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. The agent opened fire as Trump was playing a round of golf.
Ryan Wesley Routh, a man arrested near the golf course, was charged with attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate, though there is no indication of Iranian involvement in either incident.
Last month, Trump’s campaign claimed that some of its internal communications had been hacked, suggesting possible targeting by Iranian operatives. Trump wrote on X on Wednesday:
<blockquote>
Big threats on my life by Iran. The entire U.S. Military is watching and waiting. Moves were already made by Iran that didn’t work out, but they will try again.
Not a good situation for anyone. I am surrounded by more men, guns, and weapons than I have ever seen before.
Thank you to Congress for unanimously approving far more money to Secret Service – Zero “NO” Votes, strictly bipartisan.
Nice to see Republicans and Democrats get together on something. An attack on a former President is a Death Wish for the attacker!
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Donald Trump has been warned by U.S. intelligence that Iran might try to kill him. This news comes from Trump's campaign team. They didn't say if it was a new threat. The campaign said that attacks on Trump have increased recently. Police are working to keep Trump safe and protect the election. Recently, there was a shooting near Trump's golf club. A man was arrested for trying to hurt Trump, but Iran is not linked to these incidents. Trump's campaign also said their emails may have been hacked by Iran. The U.S. government is taking all these threats seriously.

U.S. Intelligence Warns Trump Of Iranian Assassination Threats

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>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Iran President Ebrahim Raisi And Foreign Minister Killed In Helicopter Crash

The Islamic Republic of Iran has offered 1 000 educational scholarships for Zimbabweans with the first batch of students set to start their studies before the end of this year.
The programme will target lecturers from polytechnics and industrial colleges who will undergo six-month courses as trainers of trainers.
The offer comes after Vice President Constantino Chiwenga recently led a Zimbabwe delegation that participated at the second Iran-Africa International Economic Conference.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/iran-offers-zim-1-000-scholarships/">The Herald</a>, Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Permanent Secretary Fanuel Tagwira, said:
<blockquote>
We believe in action. We believe in implementation and we have learnt a lot since coming here. Several things have happened. With the partnership we now have with Iran, they have offered us 1,000 scholarships for our education.
We sat down and went through their training centre and we saw what they are providing and as we go home, we are going to mobilise so that we can send the first batch of our teachers who are in polytechnics and industrial colleges to come here and acquire skills for six months then they will become trainers.
This is a training of trainers and for each discipline, we will send a batch of 12 people to make a full class so that they can teach them in English and they will acquire the skills and after six months they go back and train others.
We have met with their Ministry of Science and Technology and Innovation and as we discussed with them, we already have a memorandum of understanding with them and they are saying let’s move.
Our first step is establishing a steering committee that will be responsible for agreeing on the programmes that we want to work on.
</blockquote>
Iran has made significant strides in science and technology despite facing international sanctions for almost half a century.
Both Iran and Zimbabwe face United States of America sanctions, which have prompted them to seek alternative avenues for economic growth and cooperation.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Iran Offers Zimbabwe 1 000 Scholarships

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.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Israeli Missile Strikes Inside Iran, US Officials Say

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.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Here Is Why And How Iran Attacked Israel

Iran launched an attack on Israel on Saturday night as a response to Israel’s attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria on 1 April. The attack on Israel was anticipated with country on high alert.
According to Israel, Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles.
The Israeli military said cruise missiles and drones were mostly intercepted outside Israeli airspace, by both the military itself and also countries supporting Israel, chiefly the USA. Israel is also supported by Britain and France amoung other Western countries.
<a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2024/4/14/israels-war-on-gaza-live-blasts-sirens-as-iranian-missiles-intercepted?update=2835000">According to Al Jazeera</a>, explosions were heard in cities across Israel and air raid sirens sounded in more than 720 locations as Israeli forces took down the drones and missiles with interceptors.
According to the Israeli military, there was only a “small number of hits”, including at a base in southern Israel, “where minor damage was caused to infrastructure”.
Said Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant:
<blockquote>
“Together with the United States and additional partners, we managed to defend the territory of the State of Israel. Very little damage was caused – this is the result of the IDF’s impressive operations,”
</blockquote>
Said US President Joe Biden:
<blockquote>
“Iran and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq launched an unprecedented air attack against military facilities in Israel. We helped Israel take down nearly all [of them].
</blockquote>
<img alt="President Joe Biden war meeting" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-273539" decoding="async" height="576" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/US-Israel-Iran-attack.jpg" srcset="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/US-Israel-Iran-attack.jpg 1024w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/US-Israel-Iran-attack-300x169.jpg 300w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/US-Israel-Iran-attack-768x432.jpg 768w" width="1024"/>
Biden cut short a trip to return to the White House following the launch of the missiles and reportedly after speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “tomorrow I will convene my fellow G7 leaders to co-ordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack”.
UN Secretary General António Guterres issued a statement strongly condemning the attack by Iran. 
Iran’s mission to the UN has said that considers the matter of Israel’s raid on its embassy in Syria “concluded” and that there will be a “considerably more severe” response “should the Israeli regime make another mistake”.
With the increase in wars and the participants in the wars, globally there are fears of a World War 3.  There are currently 3 major wars in the world: the War in Sudan, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the Arab–Israeli conflict, which the attack by Iran is part of.

Iran Launches 300 Missile and Drones on Israel

An Israeli airstrike outside the Syrian capital of Damascus on Monday, 25 December, killed a senior adviser in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-air-strike-syria-kills-senior-iranian-revolutionary-guards-member-2023-12-25/">Reuters</a> cited sources as saying Sayyed Razi Mousavi, who was one of the top IRGC commanders in Syria, was responsible for coordinating the military alliance between Syria and Iran.
Responding to a reporter’s question at a nightly press conference, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said:
<blockquote>
I won’t comment on foreign reports, these or others in the Middle East. The Israeli military obviously has a job to protect the security interests of Israel.
</blockquote>
Iran’s state television interrupted its regular news broadcast to announce that Mousavi had been killed, describing him as one of the Guards’ oldest advisers in Syria.
It said he had been “among those accompanying Qassem Soleimani”, the head of the Guards’ elite Quds Force who was killed in a drone attack in Iraq in 2020 by the United States military.
Iran’s official IRNA news reported that Mousavi “was killed during an attack by the Zionist regime a few hours ago in Zeinabiyah district in the suburbs of Damascus.”
Iran’s ambassador in Damascus Hossein Akbari told Iranian state TV that Mousavi was posted at the embassy as a diplomat and was killed by Israeli missiles after returning home from work. He said:
<blockquote>
[Israel] will definitely get a response to this crime at the right time and the right situation.
</blockquote>
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said the assassination of Mousavi showed Israel’s “frustration and weakness”. He said:
<blockquote>
This act is a sign of the Zionist regime’s frustration and weakness in the region for which it will certainly pay the price.
</blockquote>
In a statement read on state TV, the IRGC said that the “usurper and savage Zionist regime will pay for this crime”.
The killing of Sayyed Razi Mousavi comes amid ongoing fears of the Israel-Hamas war sparking a regional spillover. 
Iran-backed groups in Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq have launched attacks on Israel and its allies in support of Hamas.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Israeli Airstrike In Syria Kills High-ranking Iranian General

The President of Iran, Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, is set to undertake a One Day State Visit to Zimbabwe on Thursday, 13 July 2023.
This was revealed by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Livit Mugejo in a statement released on Wednesday, 12 July. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade wishes to advise that the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, His Excellency (H.E) Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, is scheduled to undertake a One Day State Visit to the Republic of Zimbabwe on 13 July 2023.
During the State Visit, H.E. Dr Raisi is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart and President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, H.E. Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. During the visit, several MoUs are expected to be signed as the two nations deepen their ties.
Zimbabwe and Iran established diplomatic relations in February 1983. Over the years, our bilateral ties have grown tremendously, underpinned by our shared aspirations and mutual support including at the international level.
Under the Second Republic, Zimbabwe has dispatched several High-Level delegations to Iran, as part of efforts to consolidate our gains, while leveraging on the existing, solid political foundation.
Similarly, Iran has also sent several High-Level Missions to Zimbabwe in the spirit of growing relations further.
It is instructive that the State Visit comes against the backdrop of the Eighth and Ninth Sessions of the Zimbabwe-Iran Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation (JPCC), held in August 2022 in Harare and Tehran in February 2023 respectively.
At these two JPCCs, Zimbabwe and Iran committed to intensify cooperation across various sectors including trade, commerce, agriculture, mining, health and energy among others.
The State Visit to Zimbabwe by H.E. Dr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi will consolidate the gains of our longstanding relationship, in fulfillment of our win-win cooperation.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe and Iran entered into diplomatic relations in the early 1980s and the two countries have enjoyed cordial relations since then.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Iran President To Undertake One Day State Visit To Zimbabwe

Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani has expressed interest in finding amicable ways of calming the rising tensions between his country and the USA.
Rouhani agreed to de-escalation when he met the visiting Qatar ruler noting that it was the “only solution” to the regional crisis. Speaking after the meeting, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said:
<blockquote>We agreed… that the only solution to these crises is de-escalation from everyone and dialogue </blockquote>
Tensions between Iran and the USA have been mounting since 2018 when the USA pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal.
Iran fuelled the tensions by downing a USA drone which the Middle East country said was violating its airspace.
Most recently, USA murdered Iranian Quds commander, Qassem Soleimani in Iraq prompting Iran to bomb about 12 USA military bases.
The new developments come when some analysts expected to see the conflict escalating further.
It seems that both sides are choosing peace as USA President, Donald Trump has often emphasised that by killing Soleimani, they did not start a war but actually stopped it.
<a href="https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/01/13/iran-agrees-de-escalation-only-solution-to-solve-crisis-with-us.html">More: AFP</a>

"De-escalation Is The Only solution," Iran Speaks On US-Iran Rising Tensions

According To New York Times, Ukraine officials are convinced Iran would not have admitted to downing their plane had missile debris not been found at the crash site.
A warhead missile part was recovered on the crash site and Iran admitted they downed the plane in error after days of denying that they were behind the crash.
Iran first accused the cabin crew of the doomed aircraft to have made a sharp that brought them closer to their military intelligence base hence their decision to down it, before retracting the statement and saying they brought the aircraft down in error the cabin crew did nothing wrong.
More: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/11/world/middleeast/furor-in-iran-and-abroad-after-tehran-admits-downing-ukrainian-jetliner.html">New York Times</a>

Iran Forced To Admit Downing Ukrainian Plane  - Report

<a href="https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1215873147863322625">Spectator Index</a> has reported that a Russian official has said that Iran must learn lessons from its downing of a Ukrainian plane.
The remarks come after the <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2020/01/11/iran-admits-to-downing-ukrainian-plane-which-killed-all-176-passengers-and-crew-on-board/">Iranian government has admitted that it shot down the Ukranian plane by mistake</a> killing all<a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2020/01/10/foul-play-suspected-in-ukraine-plane-that-crashed-in-iran-killing-all-passengers/"> the 176 passengers (mostly Iranians and Iranian-Canadians) and crew on board.</a>
Previously, the Iranian government was saying that the plane caught fire before it crashed whilst the USA was saying that the Iranian army might have accidentally shot down the plane.
Ballistic missile experts have been saying that a Russian-made missile brought the plane down.
The developments are taking place when tensions between the USA and Iran are mounting.
<a href="https://twitter.com/spectatorindex/status/1215873147863322625">More: Spectator Index</a>

RUSSIA OFFICIAL: "Iran Must Learn Lessons From Downing Ukrainian Plane," Spectator Index

Iran has admitted that it is responsible for <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2020/01/10/foul-play-suspected-in-ukraine-plane-that-crashed-in-iran-killing-all-passengers/">the Ukranian plane crash which killed all the 176 passengers (mostly Iranians and Iranian-Canadians) and crew on board.</a>
This was confirmed by Mohammed Javad Zarif, an Iranian career diplomat and academic who has been the Foreign Affairs Minister of Iran since 2013. He tweeted on Saturday morning saying:
<blockquote>A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces:
Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster
Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations.</blockquote>
The announcement comes after the USA officials had already said that the Iranian army might have accidentally shot down the plane.
The crash happened in Iran at a time when tensions between the USA and Iran have been growing following the US’s murder of Iranian Quds commander Qassem Soleimani.
More: <a href="https://twitter.com/JZarif/status/1215847283381755914">Javad Zarif</a>

Iran Admits To Downing Ukrainian Plane Which Killed All 176 Passengers And Crew On Board

The United States military has confirmed that Iran fired more than a dozen rockets at two Iraqi military bases hosting its troops.
The rockets were fired at the Ain al-Asad base in Anbar province and a base in Erbil early on Wednesday.
Iran launched the strikes in retaliation to the killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in Iraq last week.
Meanwhile, Poland’s Minister of Defence Mariusz Blaszczak wrote on Twitter that no Polish troops stationed in Iraq were hurt. He said:
<blockquote>None of the Polish soldiers in Iraq was hurt in rocket attacks on al-Asad and Erbil bases. We are in constant contact with the commander of the Polish Military Contingent in Iraq.</blockquote>
British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said his country condemns the attack and urged “Iran not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks, and instead to pursue urgent de-escalation.”
Meanwhile, Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo said Iraqi oil facilities are secured and the country’s production is continuing.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/iran-fires-rockets-forces-iraq-latest-updates-200107235228432.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Al Jazeera</a></h4>

Iran Fires Rockets At Iraq Military Bases Hosting US Troops

Video footage showing how the United States of America used drones to kill Iranian Quds commander, Qassem Soleimani has emerged.
Watch the video below for more.
<div class="wp-video" style="width: 400px;">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="256" id="video-146223-1" preload="metadata" width="400"><source src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/QASSEM-SOLEIMANIS-MURDER-VIDEO-FOOTAGE.mp4?_=1" type="video/mp4"/><a href="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/QASSEM-SOLEIMANIS-MURDER-VIDEO-FOOTAGE.mp4">https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/QASSEM-SOLEIMANIS-MURDER-VIDEO-FOOTAGE.mp4</a></video></div>

WATCH: Video Footage Showing How USA Killed Iranian Commander Qassem Soleimani

The funeral of Iranian Quds general, Qasem Soleimani is currently underway and has been dubbed the biggest ever in the world.
Soleimani was killed during a US airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport on Friday morning.
The US airstrikes also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces and five other officials, including the PMF’s airport protocol officer, Mohammed Reda.
Watch the video below.
<div class="wp-video" style="width: 320px;">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="568" id="video-146090-1" preload="metadata" width="320"><source src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/QASEM-SOLEIMAI-FUNERAL.mp4?_=1" type="video/mp4"/><a href="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/QASEM-SOLEIMAI-FUNERAL.mp4">https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/QASEM-SOLEIMAI-FUNERAL.mp4</a></video></div>

WATCH: Burial Of Iranian Commander, Dubbed The Biggest Ever In The World

The terms “World War 3” and “WW3” have been trending on Twitter following the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force and other high ranking Iranian officials, during a US airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport on Friday morning.
The United States (US) Department of Defense (DoD) said Soleiman was specifically targeted because he was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.
Soleiman was also accused of having approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week.
The US airstrikes also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces and five other officials, including the PMF’s airport protocol officer, Mohammed Reda.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government has threatened retaliation for the attack but did not specify how it will avenge the killing of Soleimani.
Iran could retaliate through terrorist attacks in the United States, or simply meddling with their interests in places like Iraq, Syria or Afghanistan.
<h4>More: <a href="https://anewspost.com/world-war-3-is-trending-after-us-assassination-of-iranian-general/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anonymous News</a></h4>

US Assassination Of Iranian General Stokes Fears Of World War 3

Early this morning, an <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2020/01/03/us-air-raid-at-baghdad-airport-kills-qassem-soleimani-a-top-iranian-commander/">Iranian Top Commander General Qassem Soleimani</a> who was the architect of Iran’s regional security apparatus.
The attack was carried under Donald Trump’s instructions. Watch the video below:
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" src="https://players.brightcove.net/665003303001/BkeSH5BDb_default/index.html?videoId=6119402795001&amp;usrPersonaAds=0"></iframe>

WATCH: US Air Raid At Baghdad Airport Takes An Iranian Top Commander Down

<div class="fb-video" data-allowfullscreen="true" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/SoapboxStand/videos/1083949138451277/?v=1083949138451277"></div>
A video by Soapbox takes a look at Sanctions and their effect. It features countries that have been sanctioned the most including Venezuela, Syria and Iran.
<h3>Related:</h3>
<ul>
<li class="entry-title">
<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/05/01/watch-ian-smith-talks-sanctions-says-they-were-both-helpful-and-detrimental/" rel="bookmark">WATCH: Ian Smith Talks Sanctions Says They Were Both Helpful And Detrimental</a></h4>
</li>
<li class="entry-title">
<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/04/27/sanctions-can-be-used-a-scapegoat-for-failures-ugandan-president/" rel="bookmark">Sanctions Can Be Used A Scapegoat For Failures: Ugandan President</a></h4>
</li>
<li class="entry-title">
<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/04/25/gaika-mine-invasion-jeopardises-campaign-for-removal-of-sanctions-mliswa/" rel="bookmark">Gaika Mine Invasion Jeopardises Campaign For Removal Of Sanctions – Mliswa</a></h4>
</li>
<li class="entry-title">
<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/04/17/watch-economist-steve-hanke-calls-for-removal-of-us-sanctions-on-zim/" rel="bookmark">WATCH: Economist Steve Hanke Calls For Removal Of US Sanctions On Zim</a></h4>
</li>
</ul>

WATCH: How And Why Sanctions Kill

Like most Zimbabweans, or at least the ones that I interact with, I was quite surprised when President Robert Mugabe announced the creation of <a href="http://news.pindula.co.zw/2017/10/09/mugabe-reshuffles-cabinet-mnangagwa-removed-justice-ministry/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">an entire ministry to regulate social media</a>: the new Ministry of Cyber Security, Threat Detection and Mitigation. Patrick Chinamasa was moved from the Finance Ministry to head the new ministry. I thought do we really need this? A standalone ministry of cybersecurity when we already have a ministry of Information, Communication and Technology and Courier Services. Within a few minutes of the formal announcement of the new ministry, Zimbos being Zimbos, <a href="http://news.pindula.co.zw/2017/10/07/zimbabweans-twitter-reacted-mugabes-announcement-cabinet-reshuffle/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">started making memes making fun of the government in general and Chinamasa in particular.</a>
In statements made after the appointment, the government made it clear that the new ministry was about curbing dissent online with the government’s <a href="http://news.pindula.co.zw/2017/10/11/video-zim-look-china-north-korea-russia-control-cyberspace-social-media-says-charamba/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">role models being China, North Korea and Russia</a>. Okay, they did not explicitly say North Korea, they just said Korea. However, it seems clear which Korea was being referred to. Many also questioned the ability and capability of the government’s representative the luckless new Minister to implement any meaningful measures to get the job done and curb what the government has termed “social media abuse.” My initial thought was that the new cybersecurity minister would simply subcontract the Chinese in keeping with the look east policy, to build a great firewall around Zimbabwean cyberspace. Alternatively, he could get the North Koreans or the Russians to do the job.
However, someone <a href="https://twitter.com/deltandou">I greatly respect</a> and admire, and who is clearly more read than I am told me of another country, which had created a cyber-security division with devastating consequences. Iran. What the leaders of Iran did to solve their own problems with social media can easily be duplicated here and it is not as far-fetched as one may think at first. It is also a valuable lesson on why people should be more careful about the personal details they share online.
So in 2009, the young people of Iran got fed up, decided enough is enough and took to the streets of Tehran to demonstrate against the outcome of what they clearly felt was a flawed electoral process, which had resulted in sitting president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being declared the winner. Unsurprisingly, the western media was excited by this and quickly coined the phrases “The Green Revolution Movement” and “Persian Awakening” to describe it. The Iranian<del> youthiez</del> young people utilized the power of Twitter to share images of their fight against ruthless government thugs who responded in a heavy-handed manner, not unlike some police forces these parts of the world. Western leaders also got excited about this to the extent that the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/17/obama-iran-twitter" rel="noopener" target="_blank">US State Department asked Twitter to postpone its scheduled network upgrade that would have briefly put the service offline so as not to disturb the revolution.</a>
Eventually, the protests died down after at least 27 deaths in Tehran.  CNN and other news organizations reported figures as high as 150, although these are unconfirmed. The Iranian authorities decided to go after the architects and the foot soldiers of the protests, which had embarrassed and exposed the government. They implemented the following measures.
The government formed a 12-member cybercrime team to scour the internet and find any false information on Iranian websites. The cyber team also took note of all the insults and lies about the government on Iranian websites. Those who were found spreading false information or insulting the government were arrested. The Iranian police also scoured the internet and collected all the images and videos of the protests that they could. The cops then asked members of the public to help them in identifying the faces of protestors. There is a reason why the word snitch and its many variants exist in every language. Many were arrested because of this. In December of 2009, a pro-government website published almost a hundred photos, which had over 150 faces circled so that members of the public could identify them. According to the police, at least 40 people were arrested because of tip-offs from the public.
The police did not stop there. They also combed through Facebook profiles searching for personal details of Iranians living abroad. These foreign-based Iranians received threatening messages warning them not to support the Green Revolution Movement as this would result in their relatives who were back home suffering. As if that was not enough, passport control offices at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport, checked if Iranians living abroad had Facebook accounts or if they had “suspicious online friends.”
Please make no mistake; I am not saying this is what is going to happen. I am just saying as Zimbabweans we could learn a thing or two from the Iran experience. The person I spoke of before who made me take a second look at the Cyber Security Ministry said:
<blockquote>My fear is some of us are sleeping on this #CyberSecurityMinistry and its broader implications.</blockquote>
You can read Evgeny Morozov’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Net-Delusion-Dark-Internet-Freedom/dp/1610391063">The Net Delusion</a> for more information on the Iranian Green Revolution and its aftermath.

Why Zimbabweans should be more careful about sharing their personal details online, lessons from Iranian cybersecurity

President Robert Mugabe returned home last night from Iran where he had attended the swearing in ceremony for  Mr Hassan Rouhani’s second term as president.
He was received at Harare International Airport by Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa; Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs Miriam Chikukwa; Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekeramayi; Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Christopher Mushohwe; Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo; service chiefs and other senior Government officials.
While in Iran Mugabe held bilateral talks with Rouhani and invited the Iranian leader to Zimbabwe. He also met 21 undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral candidates at a dinner hosted by Ambassador Nicholas Kitikiti, and his wife. 
More: <a href="http://www.herald.co.zw/president-back-from-fruitful-iran-visit-2/">Herald</a>

President Mugabe back from Iran

President Robert Mugabe has left Zimbabwe for Tehran where he bis expected to attend the swearing in ceremony of Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani on Saturday.
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is the Acting President.
More: <a href="http://www.zbc.co.zw/2017/08/03/pres-mugabe-leaves-for-tehran/">ZBC</a>

Iran Latest News

Latest Jobs