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Yemen’s Houthis caution US militarization in Red Sea endangering maritime navigation

By
IFP Media Wire
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Yemen Houthis

Abdul-Salam made the remarks in an X post on Sunday, days after the US announced the formation of a multi-national maritime task force in the Red Sea under the pretext of protecting vessels owned by Israel or bound for the occupied territories.

He said that the US and its partners are “threatening international maritime navigation by militarizing the Red Sea with no legitimate reason.”

“The Red Sea would become a battleground if the US and its allies continue their aggressive behavior,” he continued, urging the countries with coastline on the seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean to “recognize the reality of the dangers that threaten their national security.”

Abdul-Salam also added that a US warship had opened “reckless” fire at a reconnaissance plane belonging to the Yemeni Navy in the Red Sea.

One of the US missiles exploded near a Gabonese ship that was traveling from Russia, he added.

The US had accused the Yemeni forces of attacking MV Saibaba, an Indian-flagged crude oil tanker owned by Gabon, with a drone.

Earlier, Ansarullah leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned that American ships would become a target for Yemeni missiles in case of any strike on Yemen.

“If the United States is considering targeting Yemen, we will not stand idly by,” he said, stressing that engaging in a direct war with the US and Israel is what the Yemenis aspire for the most.

In retaliation for Israel’s genocidal onslaught on Gaza, Yemen recently warned that it considers any ships with owners linked to Israel or those going to and from ports in the occupied territories legitimate targets.

Last month, the Yemeni Armed Forces seized a vehicle transport ship linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. They still hold the vessel near the port city of Hudaydah.

They also launched drone and missile strikes targeting the occupied territories in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel waged the brutal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 20,424 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 54,036 others.

Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under the rubble in Gaza, which is under “complete siege” by Israel.

Israeli PM says intensifying military operations in Gaza as Palestinians death toll nears 21k

By
IFP Media Wire
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Israeli Army

Israeli soldiers are “intensifying” operations inside the Gaza Strip and will continue to fight until victory over Hamas is achieved, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement released Sunday.

“Citizens of Israel, we are intensifying the war in the Gaza Strip. We will continue to fight until absolute victory over Hamas. This is the only way to return our hostages, eliminate Hamas and ensure that Gaza will no longer be a threat to Israel,” Netanyahu stated.

“This will take time, but we are united – the soldiers, the people and the government. We are united and determined to fight until the end,” he added.

Netanyahu also talked about the Israeli soldiers, who were killed during military operations in Gaza.

“The war has a price, a very heavy price in the lives of our heroic soldiers, and we will do everything to safeguard the lives of our soldiers. However, there is one thing we will not do: We will not stop until we achieve victory,” he continued.

Netanyahu’s statement comes after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed Wednesday during a news conference that the conflict “needs to move to a lower-intensity phase.”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Sunday that its ground, aerial, and naval forces struck approximately 200 targets in Gaza over the past day.

In the last 24 hours, 166 people have died and 384 people were injured in Gaza, according to a statement published by the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in the enclave on Sunday.

The ministry also reported that since October 7, the death toll has risen to 20,424, with an additional 54,036 people injured.

The military wing of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas also announced its fighters have destroyed dozens of Israeli military vehicles and killed scores of its forces within the space of four days.

Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, made the comment in a Sunday statement, saying that at least 35 Israeli military vehicles were either partially or completely destroyed during the past four days.

“Our Mujahideen confirmed that 48 Zionist soldiers were killed, dozens were injured with varying degrees of injury, and 24 military missions were carried out in which the invading Zionist forces were targeted with missiles and anti-fortification devices,” he added.

The resistance fighters also booby-trapped two tunnels used by Israel’s Yahalom special operations forces, Abu Ubaida noted.

They also deployed landmines against the Israeli military’s vehicles and troops, and conducted six sniper operations against the enemy’s forces.

The Hamas spokesman revealed that the brigades have “bombed headquarters, command rooms, and concentration points” of Israeli forces with mortar shells and short-range missiles on all fronts across the Gaza Strip.

Abu Ubaida stated the resistance fighters also rained a barrage of missiles on the center of the city of Tel Aviv in the occupied territories.

Netanyahu denounces report suggesting Biden persuaded him to cancel a strike against Hezbollah

By
IFP Media Wire
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Joe Biden Benjamin Netanyahu

“I have seen erroneous reports to the effect that the US prevented, and is preventing, us from operational actions in the region,” Netanyahu said in a statement on Sunday.

“This is incorrect. Israel is a sovereign state.”

The WSJ reported on Saturday that Israel had warplanes in the air to carry out major airstrikes against Hezbollah on October 11, four days after the attacks that triggered Tel Aviv’s war against Hamas. Citing intelligence suggesting that Hezbollah was preparing a similar cross-border operation against Israel, Israeli officials informed Biden’s administration of their plans to preemptively bomb the Lebanese group and sought US assistance, the newspaper reported. Netanyahu’s government reportedly canceled the airstrikes at Biden’s urging after the US president called him to voice Washington’s skepticism over the Israeli intelligence reports.

At the time, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had massed thousands of troops on the Israeli-Lebanese border to prepare for a multi-pronged Hezbollah attack. A warning was issued for Israeli residents in the region, ordering them to take cover in their bomb shelters.

However, US officials were reportedly receiving messages through Iranian intermediaries indicating that Tehran, Hezbollah’s biggest backer, wasn’t interested in escalating the conflict in Israel. Biden warned Netanyahu that attacking Hezbollah would make it impossible to avoid a wider war, the WSJ said, citing unidentified officials familiar with the incident.

Netanyahu didn’t address the alleged Hezbollah attack directly in Sunday’s statement, but he insisted that no decisions were driven by US pressure.

“Our decisions in the war are based on operational considerations, and I will not expand further,” he continued, adding, “They are not dictated by external pressure. The decision on how to use our forces is an independent decision of the IDF and nobody else.”

The Israeli leader ended his October 11 call with Biden by saying that he would discuss the issue with his aides, according to the WSJ report. Israeli and US officials then proceeded to have six hours of back-and-forth phone calls before Israel’s war cabinet finally called off the preemptive attack, the report added.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant pushed unsuccessfully for the airstrikes to go forward. As it turned out, the rumored Hezbollah attack in northern Israel didn’t happen.

Iran vehemently rejects involvement in targeting Israeli interests in West Asia

By
IFP Media Wire
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Nasser Kanaani

“Accusing Iran of targeting the interests of the Zionist regime (Israel) in the region pursues political goals and we do not care about these accusations,” Kanaani said in an interview with Sputnik on Sunday.

On Saturday, the Pentagon openly accused Iran of targeting ships amid the continuation of Israel’s brutal attacks against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

The US Defense Department issued a statement claiming that the Japanese-owned chemical tanker Chem Pluto that was struck off the coast of India was targeted “by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran”. The targeted vessel was reportedly operated by a company owned by an Israeli businessman with links to several Indian oil companies.It was transporting crude oil from Saudi Arabia to India.

The Iranian diplomat stated the US move to veto international resolutions proposing the establishment of a ceasefire in Gaza incited Israel to commit crimes in the Strip.

He added that the Palestinian resistance groups carried out a quite normal move against the Israeli regime’s interests.

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has announced that it is ready to reach a ceasefire agreement but the continuation of Israel’s bombings makes it impossible, the Iranian spokesman continued.

In a televised speech broadcast live from the Yemeni capital city of Sana’a on Wednesday, Leader of the Yemeni Ansarullah resistance movement Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi stressed the country’s armed forces will not hesitate to target US military warships in the Red Sea if Washington and its allies carry out military strikes against Yemen.

Iran’s president sends message to Pope, hopes Gaza massacre would end in New Year

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

In a message addressed to Pope Francis on the eve of Christmas on Sunday, Raisi expressed hope that the “international community and all the truthful people of the world” would commit to efforts in the New Year that could result in an end to the mass killing of people in Gaza.

He said the invasion of Gaza by the Zionist regime of Israel had become the most urgent challenge facing the world in the days leading to the New Year, adding that thousands of people have been killed in Gaza due to lack of action by international organizations and also because of the support provided to Israel by the United States and certain European countries.

More than 20,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched hostilities in early October and after the Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement carried out an operation in the Israeli-occupied territories.

Israel’s incessant aggression on Gaza and the support provided to the regime by the US and allies have faced mounting international criticism.

In his message to the Pope, the Iranian president congratulated him on the occasion of the anniversary of Jesus Christ’s birth while wishing health for the pontiff and prosperity for all Christians in the year 2024.

“Thinking and deliberation in the noble qualities of Jesus Christ (AS) and examining and using the lifestyle and methods of his Excellency and all divine prophets can open humanity’s current path to excellence,” Raisi added.

WHO decries ‘decimation’ of health system in Gaza as death toll nears 21k

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a social media post on Sunday that the decimation of the Gaza health system was a tragedy. He also reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire.

“The decimation of the Gaza health system is a tragedy,” WHO chief posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“We persist in calling for CeasefireNow.”

“In the face of constant insecurity and inflows of wounded patients, we see doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and more continue striving to save lives,” Tedros added.

The UN health agency has long been sounding the alarm about the state of health care in the besieged territory.

The remarks come as hospitals, protected under international humanitarian law, have repeatedly been hit by Israeli strikes since the war erupted.

Of Gaza’s original 36 hospitals, only nine are now partially functional, all of them in the south and all of them overwhelmed.

After missions last week to two badly damaged hospitals in the north, WHO staff described unbearable scenes of largely abandoned patients, including young children, begging for food and water.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the WHO chief also hailed Gaza’s medical workers who continue their work under increasingly dire circumstances.

Also in a statement on Sunday, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) announced its doctors and midwives “are doing everything possible to provide care for post-natal and high-risk pregnant women at the seven operational UNRWA health centres” – down from 22 before the bloodiest-ever Israeli assault on Gaza began.

The US-Israeli genocidal campaign in the Gaza strip is in its third month, with the unending bloodshed claiming more and more Palestinian lives.

The total death toll stands at over 20,400. Also more than 54,000 people have been injured. The majority of the victims are women and children.

Those who have survived the war are living in dire conditions. Vast areas of Gaza lie in ruins and its 2.4 million people have endured dire shortages of water, food, fuel and medicine.

Daffodil extravaganza unfolds in Iran’s Juibar, Mazandaran Province

By
Fatemeh Askarieh
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Set in the picturesque village of Kurdkalai, this week-long celebration is a dazzling mosaic of floral splendor and artisanal wonders.

Momeni, exuding enthusiasm, hailed the festival as a testament to the farmers’ dedication, expressing pride in the region’s commitment to cultivating these fragrant blooms.
With over 100 hectares devoted to these golden treasures, the scent of daffodils now wafts through homes at the onset of winter.

Kurdkola village reigns as the epicenter of this floral phenomenon, hailed as a pioneering hub and a tourism beacon.

This festival promises a spectacle of daffodil-related crafts and agricultural marvels.

The extravaganza, a celebration of nature’s artistry and human ingenuity, will captivate hearts until December 29.

More in pictures:

Iranian national team player killed in car accident, football league week postponed

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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In response to this grievous incident and in alignment with the collective sentiment of the clubs, the Football League organization has announced a poignant decision.

In a show of solidarity and deep sympathy towards the football fraternity and the bereaved family of the athlete, it has been agreed upon to postpone the upcoming seventh week of the league.

The week will be dedicated to honoring the memory of Melika Mohammadi, carrying her name and legacy forward.

The untimely loss of the player has sent shockwaves through the football community, prompting an outpouring of tributes and condolences from players, clubs, and fans alike.

Report: Some Israelis caught in crossfire on October 7

By
IFP Media Wire
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Israel Hamas Attack

The investigation was based on testimonies, text messages, video footage and phone recordings.

The report found that 97 civilians were killed during the attack, constituting around one in ten people living in the kibbutz.

It recounts an incident in which a number of Israeli captives being held by Palestinian fighters in Be’eri were killed during crossfire with Israel’s military, in what was described by the report as “a delayed and chaotic military response”.

The Israeli military launched a rocket-propelled grenade at the house, according to witnesses.

Barak Hiram, an Israeli general in charge of recapturing the kibbutz from Hamas fighters, recalled telling his men: “Break in, even at the cost of civilian casualties.”

Shrapnel from an Israeli tank which fired shells at the house killed at least one Israeli civilian, according to his wife who was interviewed in the report. Only two of the fourteen Israeli captives in the house survived.

Around 1,200 Israelis were killed in total during Hamas’ attack on 7 October, the majority of whom were civilians.

Afghanistan seeks economic revival to facilitate return of Afghan immigrants

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The Taliban official said: “In the wake of a prolonged period of conflict spanning over four decades, the nation aims to bolster economic prospects and living standards, signaling a concerted effort to invite back its diaspora.”

“For 45 years, our country has weathered the storms of war and occupation, prompting some to seek refuge abroad. We are earnestly striving to enhance living conditions, encouraging our citizens to return autonomously,” stated Mottaghi.

Acknowledging the hosting nations for their support to Afghan immigrants, he said the government aims to extend its gratitude by fostering dignified returns.

“We appreciate the generosity of the countries sheltering our citizens. Our objective is to pave the way for a gradual and dignified return of Afghan immigrants to their homeland,” emphasized Mottaghi.

He went on to say that the government’s overarching goal revolves around revitalizing the country’s economic landscape, ensuring that a conducive environment is in place for the voluntary repatriation of Afghan immigrants.

According to official figures, about five million Afghan nationals are living in Iran now.

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