'EC Acting Like Govt Stooge': Congress, TMC Blast Modi Govt After Rahul's Remarks, BJP Hits Back
Two More Israeli Soldiers Killed In Gaza Ambush; Toll Six In Two Days Amid IDF's Ongoing Onslaught
Hamas has claimed responsibility for a deadly booby-trap attack in southern Gaza that killed four Israeli soldiers and injured five more, including one critically. The blast occurred on June 6 in Khan Younis after Israeli troops from the elite Yahalom engineering unit entered a building suspected of concealing tunnels and terror infrastructure. Unbeknownst to the troops, the building had been rigged with explosives. The resulting blast caused a structural collapse, killing four soldiers.
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Mint
17 minutes ago
- Mint
Modern tech and old-school spycraft are redefining war
Deception, infiltration and spycraft have played a major role in warfare at least since the ancient Greeks gifted a wooden horse to the citizens of Troy. In more recent times, such operations rarely had a strategic effect, but the spectacular operations of Israeli intelligence against Hezbollah in Lebanon last fall and of Ukraine against Russia's strategic bomber fleet last weekend have brought them back to the forefront of conflict in the 21st century. Both showed how technological advances—such as drones, communications networks and smaller but more powerful batteries and explosives—can potentially alter the course of a war when they are coupled with superior tradecraft. 'Technology today allows you many new possibilities: There is a larger surface where you can actually detect places where your enemy is vulnerable due to the fact that you can bypass a lot of physical barriers that in the past you couldn't bypass," said Eyal Tsir Cohen, a former senior division director of Israel's Mossad intelligence service. Yet, he added, many of the same technologies can also empower one's opponents. 'It always works both ways—it depends on which side is more sophisticated in exploiting the vulnerabilities of the other side," Cohen said. 'You need good people to work with technology—technology rides on the shoulders of the human factor and not vice versa." Ultimately, success in this rapidly changing world depends on the ability to anticipate the new opportunities—something that big powers such as Russia and perhaps the U.S., can be slow to understand as the very nature of warfare evolves. 'The failure of thinking through the insecurities of the supply chain on the part of Hezbollah and the astounding failure by Russia—those were failures of imagination," said Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. The new way of war redresses the balance of power in favor of weaker actors, he added: 'If you can punch above your weight while also having limited costs and blowback to yourself, it can level the playing field." Israel's multistage operation to intercept and booby-trap pagers used by Hezbollah, then the militia commanders' walkie-talkies, followed up by targeted strikes that killed leader Hassan Nasrallah last September and wiped out most of the organization's leadership, reshaped—at least temporarily—the balance of power in the entire Middle East. In that campaign, the result of a yearslong effort to infiltrate Hezbollah and its Iranian sponsors, Israel didn't just dramatically weaken the U.S.-designated terrorist group, its most formidable immediate foe that has lost its stranglehold over Lebanon's government. Israel also helped create conditions for the downfall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria two months later and the overall shrinking of Iran's regional power. The Ukrainian operation on June 1 to target five Russian airfields that house Moscow's strategic bomber fleet was also the result of a lengthy intelligence operation deep behind enemy lines. The simultaneous attack, launched by drones hidden in prefabricated homes moving on trucks, showed that even the farthest parts of Russia are within Ukraine's reach—and that Ukrainian intelligence is able to operate throughout Russia's surveillance-intensive police state. Four of the five airfields—including one just north of Mongolia—were hit. The fifth drone launcher malfunctioned. Ukraine struck more than 20 aircraft and destroyed at least 12, according to drone footage released by Ukrainian intelligence from the four bases and independent satellite photos. The attack has seriously eroded Russia's ability to launch cruise missiles across Ukraine—one of Moscow's most important advantages in this war. Russia owned some 112 Tu-22 and Tu-95 strategic bombers before Sunday's attack. It is no longer able to manufacture the bombers and as little as half of the fleet was operational. Unlike the Israeli pager operation, which caused a number of civilian casualties in Lebanon, Ukraine didn't strike any Russian civilians in the airfield attack, dubbed Operation Spiderweb. Before the wide-scale killings of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's overtures to Russia soured many Ukrainians' opinion of Israel, Ukrainian officials openly spoke of their admiration for the daring and the inventiveness of the Israeli intelligence. During a 2022 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov made sure to display a book about the Mossad atop his desk. 'Back in the 1970s, when Israel faced an existential threat and was surrounded by much more powerful enemies that plotted its elimination, it survived through asymmetric warfare. Ukraine, too, has to think asymmetrically—it's our only chance to survive," said Ukraine's former defense minister, Andriy Zagorodnyuk, who currently advises the Ukrainian government. Using innovative naval drone tactics, Ukraine had already severely curtailed the ability of the Russian Black Sea Fleet to operate, turning expensive warships into a liability rather than asset for Moscow, he said. If Ukraine similarly disables Russia's strategic aviation, it would be 'an enormous achievement," he added. Despite Sunday's losses, Russia retains the capacity to lob cruise missiles at Ukraine from its strategic bombers and it fired a salvo on Friday morning, hitting Kyiv and several other cities. In another drone attack Friday, Ukraine also blew up the fuel facility at the Engels airfield, one of the main bases of the Russian strategic bomber fleet, and hit the Bryansk airfield. Israel's pager operation against Hezbollah caused a strategic pivot only because it was followed up by additional successes in the following days and weeks, said Nadav Pollak, an Israeli intelligence veteran and a lecturer at Reichman University. 'If there wasn't a cumulative aspect and effect, we wouldn't think of it as strategically successful. One thing needs to happen after another—and if Ukraine continues to hit strategic assets, eventually they will have a cumulative effect as well," he said. No matter how daring, operations behind enemy lines don't necessarily lead to a war-altering outcome. Italian divers, after all, sank or damaged four British ships by riding torpedoes and attaching explosives to the vessels in Alexandria harbor in 1941—but still failed to prevent an Allied victory in North Africa. Creating paranoia and chaos within enemy ranks is often as useful as the actual physical damage. The Israeli strikes against Hezbollah and the assassination of the leader of Hamas in a government guesthouse in Iran made its enemies spend considerable resources on revising plans and procedures and on hunting for possible moles while trying to figure out to what extent they have been compromised, intelligence officials say. The same goes for President Vladimir Putin's Russia, where Ukrainian intelligence was able to mount a complicated operation likely involving a considerable number of agents—who operated under the nose of the FSB security service. In the past, Putin has spoken proudly that his own father was assigned to a 'demolition battalion" of the NKVD, the predecessor to the KGB, at one point dropping into a forest behind enemy lines to blow up a Nazi munition depot. Before joining the KGB, Putin grew up on the spy thrillers produced by the Soviet spy service that dramatized Moscow's sabotage operations against the Third Reich. 'What amazed me most of all is how one man's effort could achieve what whole armies could not," Putin later said in his autobiography. Now, the tables have turned. 'Ukraine is behind enemy lines, using asymmetric warfare to strike back at a nuclear-armed enemy," said Dan Hoffman, a former CIA station chief in Moscow. 'The symbolism is potent because Putin is an intel officer himself and yet he's suffering numerous intel failures." Operation Spiderweb is already reverberating through NATO allies who are studying the innovations Ukraine deployed—including the use of artificial intelligence to help guide the drones to their targets. The operation has shown how Ukraine, with less manpower to draw from, can use a technological edge to increase the potency of its intelligence operations. It turned a Russian advantage—its vastness—into a weakness, by simultaneously striking targets thousands of miles apart. 'In the past, you would have special forces in a small submarine maybe, getting close to a bridge, and planting some explosives," said Tomáš Kopečný, a Czech governmental envoy for Ukraine. 'Now you have drones doing all that. It's the technologization of these operations." 'Every military is learning from this," he said, referring to Operation Spiderweb. 'If you had asked me point-blank, I would have not come up with this." Write to Yaroslav Trofimov at Drew Hinshaw at and Joe Parkinson at
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Israeli Forces 'Kidnap' Greta Thunberg: Activist's Shocking Last Video Sends Shockwaves
Greta Thunberg Kidnapped By Israeli Forces: Climate activist Greta Thunberg released a dramatic video claiming she was 'kidnapped' by Israeli forces in international waters while on an aid flotilla headed to war-ravaged Gaza. In the footage, she appealed for help, stating, 'We're being intercepted by Israeli occupational forces.' Greta urged the Swedish government to intervene, calling the act illegal and a threat to humanitarian efforts. Israeli officials confirmed the vessel had been redirected to an Israeli port and that all aboard, including Greta, were unharmed. However, the Israeli Foreign Ministry dismissed her video as a 'publicity stunt,' referring to the boat as a 'selfie yacht.' The IDF later released footage of passengers being offered food and water, concluding with the statement: 'The show is over.' Read More
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Why did Israel seize Greta Thunberg's Gaza aid ship? What happens next?
Israeli forces intercepted the British-flagged aid vessel Madleen, carrying Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists, as it attempted to breach the Gaza blockade. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition called it an 'abduction', while Israel dismissed the mission as a publicity stunt read more Climate activist Greta Thunberg with other activists from a human rights organisation meets with journalists in Catania, Italy, June 1, 2025, ahead of their departure. File Image/AP Israeli military forces have boarded and seized control of a British-flagged humanitarian vessel, Madleen, which was headed toward Gaza in a high-profile attempt to bypass Israel's longstanding naval blockade of the Palestinian territory. On board were 12 international activists, including Swedish climate advocate Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan. The operation, conducted in the early hours of Monday in international waters, prevented the vessel from reaching its intended destination. The ship, organised by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), was carrying what it described as critical humanitarian items such as baby formula, rice and medical supplies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The coalition had launched the weeklong mission from Sicily with the aim of highlighting the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza and pressuring governments to take more direct action. A surveillance footage shows crew of the Gaza-bound British-flagged yacht 'Madleen', put their hands up as strong light came into the vessel, in this screengrab from a video released on June 9, 2025. Freedom Flotilla Coalition via Reuters The interception drew swift condemnation from the flotilla's organisers and rights groups, who accused Israel of unlawfully intervening in a peaceful humanitarian voyage. Israeli officials, however, dismissed the effort as a theatrical manoeuvre intended to generate global media attention. How Israel has justified the move Israel's Foreign Ministry later confirmed that its naval forces had taken over the vessel and redirected it to an Israeli port. In a social media post, the ministry described the vessel disparagingly, referring to it as 'the 'selfie yacht' of the 'celebrities,'' and added, 'The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.' All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over. — Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) June 9, 2025 The ministry also stated that the individuals aboard the ship were not harmed and had been provided basic food and water. 'All the passengers of the 'selfie yacht' are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over,' the ministry wrote, accompanying footage of the activists wearing lifejackets and seated aboard the ship. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz had earlier instructed the military to block the ship's entry into Gaza waters. Labelling the voyage a propaganda stunt on behalf of Hamas, Katz stated that Israel would not allow any breach of its maritime restrictions around Gaza. The government reiterated that the small amount of aid being transported would be rerouted to Gaza via authorised humanitarian channels. 'The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the 'celebrities' will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels,' the foreign ministry stated. How activists aboard reacted According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Israeli forces approached and boarded the vessel at approximately 2 am local time while it was still in international waters. The group condemned the operation as a violation of international maritime law, stating: 'The ship was unlawfully boarded, its unarmed civilian crew abducted, and its life-saving cargo — including baby formula, food and medical supplies — confiscated.' Huwaida Arraf, a representative of the FFC, added: 'Israel has no legal authority to detain international volunteers aboard the Madleen. These volunteers are not subject to Israeli jurisdiction and cannot be criminalised for delivering aid or challenging an illegal blockade – their detention is arbitrary, unlawful, and must end immediately.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The coalition also published a pre-recorded message from Greta Thunberg that was released after the interception. In the video, Thunberg stated: 'If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel. I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible.' SOS! the volunteers on 'Madleen' have been kidnapped by Israeli forces. Greta Thunberg is a Swedish citizen. Pressure their foreign ministries and help us keep them safe! Web: X : @SweMFA FB : @SweMFA IG : swedishmfa#AllEyesOnMadeleen — Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) June 9, 2025 Rima Hassan, the French lawmaker of Palestinian descent who was also on board, confirmed the arrest on social media and posted an image of the crew seated with their hands in the air, all wearing orange life vests. What the voyage to Gaza meant The Madleen had departed from Sicily and had recently made a stop to rescue four migrants attempting to evade the Libyan coast guard by jumping into the sea. The journey, while modest in terms of aid volume, was primarily designed to draw global attention to Gaza's worsening humanitarian situation. Gaza, home to over 2 million Palestinians, has been grappling with severe shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies. Israel first imposed a blockade on Gaza in 2007 after Hamas took control of the coastal enclave. While Israel argues that the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas from acquiring weapons, human rights organisations have long criticised it as a form of collective punishment against the population of Gaza. The current blockade was tightened further following the outbreak of war in October 2023. The latest conflict began after Hamas launched a coordinated attack on southern Israel on October 7, killing approximately 1,200 people and abducting 251 others, according to Israeli figures. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Since then, Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, the Gaza Health Ministry reports, noting that women and children comprise the majority of the dead. The scale of destruction has left around 90 per cent of Gaza's residents displaced and heavily dependent on international aid for survival. Although Israel has allowed limited aid to enter through official crossings under international pressure — particularly from the United States — humanitarian experts warn the current levels are inadequate. The United Nations has sounded alarms about looming famine conditions across much of the Gaza Strip. What next for the activists Francesca Albanese, the United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, supported the FFC's mission and called for a broader civil society push to challenge the blockade. 'Madleen's journey may have ended, but the mission isn't over. Every Mediterranean port must send boats with aid & solidarity to Gaza,' she wrote on social media. This incident is not the first time the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has faced disruption at sea. In a separate episode last month, another FFC vessel was allegedly struck by drones in international waters near Malta, damaging its front section. The group attributed the strike to Israeli forces. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Efforts to end the war through negotiated truces remain deadlocked. Hamas has insisted that it will not release the remaining 55 hostages — over half of whom are believed to be deceased — unless Israel agrees to a permanent ceasefire and full military withdrawal. Israel, meanwhile, has pledged to continue operations until all hostages are recovered and Hamas is dismantled or expelled. For now, the Madleen's passengers are expected to be returned to their respective countries. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies
