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UAE president, Russia's Putin discuss Iran-Israel conflict

UAE president, Russia's Putin discuss Iran-Israel conflict

Arab News6 hours ago

LONDON: Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan to discuss the latest developments in the Iran-Israel conflict, which entered its sixth day as of Wednesday.
The leaders addressed the grave implications of the conflict — which began on Friday — on regional and global security, according to the Emirates News Agency.
They discussed efforts to contain the war and halt the spiraling escalation, and highlighted the importance of exercising restraint and pursuing dialogue to avoid further threats to security.
Putin and Sheikh Mohamed voiced their support for all efforts aimed at achieving a solution through diplomatic means, WAM reported.

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How Israel Used Spies, Smuggled Drones and AI to Stun and Hobble Iran
How Israel Used Spies, Smuggled Drones and AI to Stun and Hobble Iran

Asharq Al-Awsat

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  • Asharq Al-Awsat

How Israel Used Spies, Smuggled Drones and AI to Stun and Hobble Iran

Israel stunned and hobbled Iran last week when it pulled off an intelligence and military operation years in the making that struck high-level targets with precision. Guided by spies and artificial intelligence, the Israeli military unleashed a nighttime fusillade of warplanes and armed drones smuggled into Iran to quickly incapacitate many of its air defenses and missile systems. With greater freedom to fly over Iran, Israel bombarded key nuclear sites and killed top generals and scientists. By the time Iran mustered a response hours later, its ability to retaliate — already weakened by past Israeli strikes — was greatly diminished. This Associated Press account is based on conversations with 10 current and former Israeli intelligence and military officials, some of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss clandestine operations. It was not possible to independently verify some of their claims. But the former head of research at Israel's spy agency, the Mossad, confirmed the basic contours of the attack, saying she had inside knowledge of how it was planned and executed. 'This attack is the culmination of years of work by the Mossad to target Iran's nuclear program,' said Sima Shine, the former Mossad research director who is now an analyst at the Institute for National Security Studies. Israel's element of surprise was enhanced by Iranian officials' apparent assumption that Israel wouldn't attack while talks over its rapidly advancing nuclear program were ongoing with the US. A sixth round of talks had been planned for last Sunday in Oman, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu activated 'Operation Rising Lion' on Friday after his country first notified President Donald Trump. Netanyahu has for years said neutralizing Iran's nuclear program was vital for Israel's security, and Israel had previously taken steps to set back Iran's ability to enrich uranium to weapons grade. But Netanyahu said a more aggressive attack proved necessary, as Iran kept advancing its enrichment program despite US diplomatic efforts and warnings from UN watchdogs. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction. Iran's political leaders say their nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, though it was the only country without the bomb to enrich uranium close to weapons-grade levels. Smuggling drones into Iran The Mossad and the military worked together for at least three years to lay the operational groundwork, according to a former intelligence officer who said he had knowledge of the attack. This person spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the subject. The attack built off knowledge Israel gained during a wave of airstrikes last October, which 'highlighted the weakness of Iranian air defenses,' said Naysan Rafati, an Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group. To further diminish Iranian air defenses and missile systems at the start of last week's attack, Mossad agents had smuggled precision weapons into Iran that were prepositioned to strike from close range, according to two current security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the missions. Those weapons included small, armed drones, which agents snuck into the country in vehicles, according to the former intelligence officer. Mossad agents stationed weapons close to Iranian surface-to-air missile sites, Shine said. The agency works with a mix of people, both locals and Israelis, she said. Using AI and human intelligence to select targets To analyze information it gathered, Israel used the latest artificial-intelligence, or AI, technology, said an intelligence officer involved with selecting individuals and sites to target. He said AI was used to help Israelis quickly sift through troves of data they had obtained. That effort began last October according to the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media; it was one month before Netanyahu said he had ordered the attack plans. An investigation by The Associated Press earlier this year uncovered that the Israeli military uses US-made AI models in war to sift through intelligence and intercept communications to learn the movements of its enemies. It's been used in the wars with Hamas in Gaza and with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The intelligence officer involved in identifying the possible targets said options were first put into various groups, such as leadership, military, civilian and infrastructure. Targets were chosen if they were determined to be a threat to Israel, such as being deeply associated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, the paramilitary force that controls Iran's ballistic missiles. The officer was tasked with putting together a list of Iranian generals, including details on where they worked and spent their free time. Among the high-level military officials killed since Friday's attack were Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, and Gen. Mohammed Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces. In addition to AI, the Mossad relied on spies to identify top nuclear scientists and members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, according to one security official. At least eight members of the Guard, including the head of its missile program, were killed in a single Israeli strike on an underground bunker. Targeting Iranian vehicles Another facet of the attack was to strike Iranian vehicles used to transport and launch missiles. Shine said the strategy was similar to a Ukrainian operation earlier this month in Russia. In that operation, nearly a third of Moscow's strategic bomber fleet was destroyed or damaged with cheaply made drones snuck into Russian territory, according to Ukrainian officials. In an interview with Iranian state-run television, the country's police chief, Gen. Ahmadreza Radan, said 'several vehicles carrying mini-drones and some tactical drones have been discovered.' He added: 'a number of traitors are trying to engage the country's air defense by flying some mini-drones.' How far back does this go? 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Amir Avivi, who heads the Israel Defense and Security Forum think tank. It was the result of 'Israeli intelligence working extensively for years in Iran and establishing a very strong robust presence,' he said.

France plans European ‘initiative' to end Iran-Israel conflict: presidency
France plans European ‘initiative' to end Iran-Israel conflict: presidency

Arab News

time2 hours ago

  • Arab News

France plans European ‘initiative' to end Iran-Israel conflict: presidency

PARIS: France is planning along with European partners to suggest a negotiated solution to end the conflict between Iran and Israel, President Emmanuel Macron's office said Wednesday. At a national security council meeting, Macron ordered Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot to draw up in the coming days 'an initiative with close European partners that would propose a demanding negotiated settlement to put an end to the conflict,' it said, without giving details on the nature of the plan. Barrot has been in regular touch with his German and British counterparts since Israel launched massive air strikes against Iran on Friday. All three countries were involved in talks that led to a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers to curb Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for relief from sanctions. The United States withdrew from that accord during President Donald Trump's first term. Macron also urged Israel to end strikes on targets in Iran not linked to nuclear activities or ballistic missiles. He voice 'concern over the current escalation, with Israeli strikes increasingly hitting targets not linked to Iran's nuclear or ballistic program, and a mounting number of civilian victims in Iran and Israel,' his office said. He said it was 'necessary to urgently end these military operations, which pose significant threats to regional security,' it added. The French president also urged the foreign ministry to take measures to help French citizens leave Israel or Iran if they wished to do so, the Elysee added, without providing further details.

Iranian Media Denies ‘Rumors' Israel Struck Home of Supreme Leader
Iranian Media Denies ‘Rumors' Israel Struck Home of Supreme Leader

Asharq Al-Awsat

time3 hours ago

  • Asharq Al-Awsat

Iranian Media Denies ‘Rumors' Israel Struck Home of Supreme Leader

An Iranian semiofficial news agency has denied 'rumors' that an Israeli airstrike targeted the home of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It is the first time media in Iran has explicitly acknowledged the country's paramount leader was a target. The report came from the Fars news agency, believed to be close to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Fars described the rumors as showing 'the US and the Zionist regime's anger and confusion in the face of the supreme leader's firm statements made today.' Khamenei earlier Wednesday warned that the United States that strikes targeting Iran will 'result in irreparable damage for them' and that his country would not heed to US President Donald Trump's call for surrender.

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