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Yemen says targeted Israeli, US vessels off Red Sea

By
IFP Media Wire
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Yemen Houthi

Speaking at a televised press briefing broadcast live from the Yemeni capital city of Sana’a on Wednesday, Yahya Saree said the forces targeted Israeli-affiliated MSC DARWIN and MSC GINA container ships in the Gulf of Aden.

He stated the US-registered MAERSK YORKTOWN container ship was also struck in the deepwater gulf. A US warship was targeted in the area as well with a number of combat drones.

Saree added the naval units will continue anti-Israel operations and prevent Israeli-owned ships and vessels destined to ports in the Israeli-occupied territories from sailing in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean until a permanent ceasefire is enforced in Gaza, and all restrictions on supplies of humanitarian aid for its residents are lifted.

Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine’s struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after the territory’s Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

Yemeni Armed Forces have said that they won’t stop their attacks until unrelenting Israeli ground and aerial offensives in Gaza, which have killed more than 33,400 people and wounded over 76,000, come to an end.

Leader of the Ansarullah resistance movement Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has said it is “a great honor and blessing to be confronting America directly.”

The attacks have forced some of the world’s biggest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes. Tankers are instead adding thousands of miles to international shipping routes by sailing around the continent of Africa rather than going through the Suez Canal.

“Imminent risk of famine for most, if not all’ in Gaza: US Gaza humanitarian envoy

By
IFP Media Wire
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“There is an imminent risk of famine for the majority, if not all, the 2.2 million population of Gaza,” Satterfield was quoted as saying by Israeli media, including Haaretz and The Times of Israel.

“This is not a point in debate. It is an established fact, which the United States, its experts, the international community, [and] its experts assess and believe is real.”

The US envoy also stressed that since Israel is seen as the effective controlling power in Gaza, the country had an obligation to help the civilians there.

“The horrific dehumanization of Israelis that took place on October 7 and the ongoing dehumanization of the Israeli hostages every day they’re held cannot be matched by the dehumanization of innocent Palestinian civilians,” Satterfield added.

Israel has waged a military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas which killed around 1,200 people.

Around 33,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began.

It has also imposed a crippling blockade on the seaside enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while much of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has urged it to do more to prevent famine in Gaza.

Lightning lights up Iranian capital’s skyline

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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The image shows a lightning in the Saadat Abad district, northwest of Tehran.

Iranian attack against Israel ‘imminent’: Report

By
IFP Media Wire
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Iran Drone Missile

Two generals of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force were killed in the Israeli air raid on April 1, which for the first time targeted an internationally protected diplomatic mission.

There has been a widespread expectation that Iran would refrain from reprisal until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Speaking on Wednesday, as Muslims celebrated the feast of Eid al-Fitr, Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei stressed that Israel “must and shall be punished” for what it did.

“Major missile or drone strikes” are now imminent, Bloomberg reported citing “people familiar with” the Israeli, US and allied intelligence reports. They will likely be carried out by either Iran directly, or its allies such as the Lebanon-based Hezbollah, the anonymous sources added.

The US is helping Israel with planning and sharing intelligence assessments, the sources stated. Israel is reportedly waiting for the Iranian attack before it launches a ground offensive against the city of Rafah in Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Tel Aviv would respond in kind if the attack on Israel comes from Iranian territory. Several media outlets reported on Tuesday that Israel has been preparing to target Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The US has publicly promised Israel support against an Iranian attack, including helping shoot down the incoming missiles. Washington has reportedly also floated the idea of taking part in any Israeli counter-strikes.

“We do not rule out launching joint retaliatory strikes with Israel if it is attacked by Iran or its agents,” an unnamed US official told Al Jazeera Arabic.

Israel killing Hamas leader’s sons proof of its brutality: Iran president

By
IFP Media Wire
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In a message addressed to Haniyeh on Wednesday, Raisi offered condolences on the deaths earlier in the day of his three sons and their children in a refugee camp in Gaza as a result of an Israeli airstrike.

“Undoubtedly, this crime made clearer the savage and child-killing psyche of this regime,” he said in the message, adding that the Israeli regime continues to resort to any action it deems necessary to save itself from the “collapse quagmire”.

The Iranian president also condemned the inaction and silence of the so-called advocates of human rights in the world in the face of the unprecedented crimes committed by the Israeli regime in Gaza.

Three sons and four grandchildren of Haniyeh were killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a vehicle in al-Shati refugee camp in north of Gaza.

Haniyeh, who is based in Qatar and represents Hamas in international meetings and negotiations, said in a statement that blood of his children and grandchildren would create hope and freedom for the people and the cause of Palestine.

Nearly 33,500 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its brutal aggression on the enclave in early October.

The one-sided war has also left tens of thousands of people wounded in Gaza while making more than a million people displaced across the narrow strip of land on the Mediterranean.

The aggression began after Hamas led an operation into the Israeli-controlled occupied territories of Palestine near Gaza, killing 1,200 settlers and military forces.

UK says Biden is right to press Netanyahu for a halt in fighting in Gaza

By
IFP Media Wire
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Gaza War

In an interview with CNN’s John Berman on Wednesday, Cameron said he agrees with Biden that a temporary ceasefire is needed.

It comes after Biden offered one of his sharpest rebukes of Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza during an interview Tuesday, describing Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict as a “mistake” and calling for a halt to the fighting.

“He is rightly pressing Netanyahu, as I have many times that we need a pause in fighting to get aid in and hostages out,” Cameron stated.

“That’s long been Britain’s position,” he added.

On Wednesday, Biden said he’s been “very blunt” and “straightforward” with Netanyahu about the need for more humanitarian aid to Gaza, and more deliberate efforts to protect civilian life “in any action taken in the region”.

He cited “a long discussion” with Netanyahu during their phone call last week. He told reporters gathered in the Rose Garden that the Israeli leader had agreed to do several things related to getting more aid, both food and medicine, into the enclave and reducing civilian casualties in “any action taken in the region”.

Biden would not say Wednesday if he was considering conditioning aid to Gaza, despite being asked, though the White House warned last week of “changes in our own policy”, if Israel did not take additional steps to protect human life in Gaza.

The president also cited Vice President Kamala Harris’ meeting Tuesday with the families of hostages being held in Gaza, taking the opportunity to call on Hamas to respond to a proposal to release some of the hostages in return for a temporary ceasefire.

Nearly 33,500 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October following a cross-border attack led by Hamas that killed less than 1,200 people.

In addition to its sweeping military offensive, Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on the seaside enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while much of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has urged Israel to do more to prevent famine in Gaza.

Ukrainian FM ups urgency for more arms, says ‘nice and quiet diplomacy didn’t work’

By
IFP Media Wire
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Russia Ukraine War

In an interview with The Washington Post, Kuleba stressed the urgency of getting military aid to the front lines and resolved to change his approach.

“Nice and quiet diplomacy didn’t work,” he said to the Post.

The top diplomat added he hopes a tougher approach will break through with Western allies, whose aid to the war-torn country has declined in recent months. In the United States, Congress has been sitting on a roughly $60 billion aid package for Ukraine that President Joe Biden requested at the end of last year.

“Yes, people may hate me, and I may ruin the relationship,” Kuleba told the Post.

“The other part of me is saying diplomacy is all about private relations. But then I told that part to shut up, and the part of me that wanted to speak out started speaking up. We’ve tried everything, and nothing seems to work.”

The minister stated the U.S.-designed Patriot air defense system is the country’s top priority. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tasked Kuleba with trying to convince countries to give Ukraine its spare systems.

Kuleba’s sharper rhetoric has been evident in some of his recent interviews.

Late last month, in an interview with Politico, Kuleba said, “Give us the damn Patriots.”

“If we had enough air defense systems, namely Patriots, we would be able to protect not only the lives of our people, but also our economy from destruction,” he added.

Congress returned to Washington this week after a two-week holiday recess. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has said he plans on putting a Ukraine aid package on the floor for a vote, but he has yet to say publicly what that package would include.

Zelensky has also addressed participants in the Delphi Economic Forum, saying that Ukraine needs air defense systems and fighter aircraft to protect itself from Russian attacks.

“Ukraine does not ask too much. We need air defense systems and fighter aircraft that can protect our cities from Russian terror. Few dozen systems and a sufficient number of modern jets – and there will be no problem of Russian jets and bombs. We need artillery to move the frontline away and restore normal life in the territories occupied by Russia,” Zelensky stated.

Also, according to Zelensky, Ukraine needs justice – “such pressure on Russia that won’t allow [President Vladimir] Putin to increase his military potential – growing sanctions against Russia, confiscating Putin’s assets and zero toleration of Russian disinformation”.

“It is all absolutely realistic. And it depends only on the political will of our partners. Putin can fill with his aggression only the deficit of the world’s decisions. Deficit that takes too long. It is possible to win this war. But deficits do not advance victory,” he added.

Funeral held for security forces killed in Iran’s southeast

By
IFP Editorial Staff
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People carried the caskets of five security forces who were killed in the armed conflict with the separatist Jaish al-Adl terrorists in the Sib and Suran town on Tuesday.

Jaish al-Adl, which wants to cede Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan Province, has launched a series of deadly coordinated attacks in Iran’s eastern border region.

A week earlier, in an hours-long skirmish in the cities of Rask and Chabahar, the militants killed 15 Iranian security forces and in return, the security forces killed all 18 terrorists involved in the terrorist attacks.

Iran has called on Pakistan on several occasions to harness the terrorist group.

Relations between the two countries soured last year after Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Pakistan’s Balochistan province to target the terror outfit’s positions.

Biden vows ‘ironclad’ US commitment to Israel amid fears of Iran retaliation

By
IFP Media Wire
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US and allied officials fear that a strike is imminent and could come in the form of a direct missile launch from Iran. Israel has vowed to respond in kind to such a direct strike, raising the prospect of a regional war, which US officials now believe is more likely than at any point since the beginning of the Gaza conflict on 7 October.

Biden’s pledge of support to Israel at the White House, intended as a deterrent, came a few hours after Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, repeated a threat to strike back against Israel over the Damascus bombing that killed 12 people, including General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior figure in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and six other guard members.

“When they attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our territory,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

“The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished.”

Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, responded in a post on the X social media platform, vowing: “If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran.”

Israel and Iran have been trading blows in Lebanon and Syria for months, but Biden administration officials fear that the 1 April Damascus bombing on an Iranian diplomatic building, which Tehran considers its own territory, has significantly raised the threat of the Gaza war widening into a broader conflict.

Since the Damascus bombing, Tehran has sent Washington messages attributing ultimate blame for the attack on the US and warning the US to stay out of its confrontation with Israel.

Biden’s pledge to Israel on the White House lawn, in a joint appearance with the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, appeared to be a response to that warning, insisting the US would not stay on the sidelines.

“We also want to address the Iranian threat to launch a significant – they’re threatening to launch a significant attack in Israel,” Biden said, adding, “As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu, our commitment to Israel’s security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad. Let me say it again, ironclad. We’re gonna do all we can to protect Israel’s security.”

The Biden administration is seeking to head off a direct Iranian attack by messaging that Tehran cannot assume that US forces in the region, reinforced significantly since the start of the Gaza war, would stay out of a conflict with Israel.

Secretary of state Antony Blinken reiterated that message on Wednesday in a call with Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant, in which he made clear the US would stand with Israel against any threats by Iran, the state department announced.

Among the possible targets are Israeli embassies around the world, and they have been taking extra security precautions in the wake of the Damascus bombing, but US officials also believe that a direct strike on military or government targets on “Israeli territory” is also a significant possibility.

The US and Israeli militaries and intelligence agencies are in constant contact about the threat. Axios reported that the head of US Central Command, Gen Erik Kurilla, is due in Israel on Thursday to discuss coordination with his Israeli counterparts and Gallant.

The ability of the Biden administration to rein in an Israeli response to an Iranian attack would very much depend on the specifics. If Iranian retaliation comes in the form of an assault on an Israeli embassy, or if an incoming Iranian missile or drone is intercepted, it may be possible to prevent escalation, officials stated, but if an Iranian strike caused multiple casualties inside Israel, it would be very much harder.

Iranian FM talks to regional counterparts, discusses Palestine, multilateral ties

By
IFP Editorial Staff
-
Hossein Amirabdollahian

Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan held a telephone conversation on Wednesday during which they underscored the necessity of continued consultations between Tehran and Riyadh over bilateral ties, regional and international developments.

The two foreign ministers also congratulated each other on Eid ul-Fitr, signifying the end of the month of Ramadan.

Amirabdollahian, also in a phone conversation with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, referred to the continuation of Israeli crimes in the month of Ramadan, especially during Eid ul-Fitr, against the fasting Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

He underlined the need for cooperation and unity among Muslim countries to pressure the Zionist regime and its supporters into stopping the killing of Palestinians and ending the great human tragedy against them, particularly the people of Gaza, as soon as possible.

The Iranian foreign minister voiced hope that with the efforts and perseverance of Muslim countries in Islamic and international forums, humanitarian aid will be delivered to Gaza.

They also congratulated each on Eid ul-Fitr.

The top Iranian diplomat also talked to his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and expressed hope that Muslim countries will engage in more robust cooperation under the auspices of the holy occasion of Eid ul-Fitr.

Amirabdollahian then underlined the need to end the deep humanitarian catastrophe that Palestinians have gone through, especially people of Gaza, over the past six months.

He voiced hope that through efforts by Muslim countries and practical responsibility on part of the international community, serious measures will be put in place to get relief aid to Gaza in order to save its residents from famine.

Amirabdollahian also sent a message to Ismail Haniyah, the political bureau chief of the Palestinian movement of Hamas, offering him condolences over the passing of a number of his children and family members in the Zionist regime’s attack in Gaza.

He stressed, these sacrifices will increase the faith and steely resolve of the Palestinian people to stand and resist for the freedom of dear Palestine and will speed up the inevitable defeat and destruction of the unfounded Zionist regime.

Around 34,000 Palestinians have so far been killed in Israel’s onslaught against the Gaza Strip since early October last year.

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