‘Complete nonsense': UN Humanitarian Chief slammed for ‘fake news' on Gaza babies
Former Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy slams UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher after the 'ridiculous allegation' where he falsely claimed last week 14,000 babies in Gaza would die in 48 hours if they didn't reach the Gaza Strip.
'Has Tom Fletcher resigned yet … for spreading the biggest piece of fake news this year that sparked a media panic around the world,' Mr Levy said.
'The problem we're dealing with is there are many people who want to believe the worst about Israel.
'This needs to be a cautionary tale for people. Sometimes when you hear news about Israel, take a deep breath and investigate it, because sometimes it's complete nonsense.'
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Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Not too late for Iran to halt Israeli attacks: Trump
Israel has launched a huge wave of air strikes across Iran, blasting Iran's huge underground nuclear site, wiping out its entire top echelon of military commanders and killing nuclear scientists in the biggest ever direct attack between the foes. Iran said "the gates of hell will open" in retaliation while Israel said the strikes were only the start of its campaign. US President Donald Trump said it was not too late for Iran to halt the Israeli attacks by reaching a deal to curb its nuclear program. As evening fell on Friday, Iranian media reported a number of explosions in what appeared to be a second wave of strikes. "Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early on Friday in a televised address that invoked the failure of the world to prevent the Holocaust in World War II. Israel's operation "will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat," he said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning:"We are after a very successful opening strike. With G-d's help, we are going to have many more achievements." Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 13, 2025 "Generations from now, history will record our generation stood its ground, acted in time and secured our common future." Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel had "unleashed its wicked and bloody" hand, and would suffer "a bitter fate". In a phone interview with Reuters, Trump said it was not clear if Iran's nuclear program had survived but it was not too late for Iran to make a deal to halt the Israeli assault. He said nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, scheduled for Sunday, were still on the agenda although he was not sure if they would take place. "I tried to save Iran humiliation and death," Trump said. Earlier, he posted on Truth Social: "Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left." Two regional sources said at least 20 Iranian military commanders were killed, a stunning decapitation reminiscent of Israeli attacks that swiftly wiped out the leadership of Lebanon's once-feared Hezbollah militia last year. Among the generals killed on Friday were the armed forces chief of staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri and the Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami. Major General Mohammad Pakpour, swiftly promoted to replace Salami as Guards commander, vowed retaliation in a letter to the Supreme Leader read out on state television: "The gates of hell will open to the child-killing regime." Twenty people Reuters spoke to inside Iran described an atmosphere of fear and anger, with some people rushing to change money and others seeking a way out of the country to safety. "People on my street rushed out of their homes in panic, we were all terrified," said Marziyeh, 39, who was awakened by a huge blast in Natanz, a city that houses the huge underground facility where Iran purifies the uranium that Israel said could be used to make a nuclear bomb. Iranian media showed images of destroyed apartment blocks, and said nearly 80 civilians were killed in attacks that targeted nuclear scientists in their beds and wounded more than 300 people. Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz suffered significant damage, Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. Briefing journalists online, Defrin said 200 Israeli fighter jets took part in the strikes, hitting more than 100 targets, with others to work through, and that the operation might be lengthy. The United Nations Security Council was due to meet on Friday at Iran's request. Iran said in a letter to the Council that it would respond decisively and proportionally to Israel's "unlawful" and "cowardly" acts. An Israeli security source said Mossad commandos had been operating deep inside Iran before the attack, and the Israeli spy agency and military had mounted a series of covert operations against Iran's strategic missile array. Israel also established an attack-drone base near Tehran, the source added. The military said it had bombarded Iran's air defences, destroying "dozens of radars and surface-to-air missile launchers". Israeli officials said it may be some time before the extent is clear of damage to the underground nuclear site at Natanz, where Iran has refined uranium to levels some countries have long said are suitable for a bomb rather than civilian use. Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only. Israel remained on alert, shutting its embassies around the world and urging citizens via embassy websites to stay vigilant and avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public. Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said tens of thousands of soldiers had been called up and "prepared across all borders". Oman, which is mediating in Iran-US nuclear talks, described Israel's attack as reckless and urged the international community to halt the "dangerous course of action".
AU Financial Review
5 hours ago
- AU Financial Review
Trump calls Israeli strikes ‘excellent', urges Iran to make nuclear deal
US President Donald Trump described Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear sites as 'excellent' and urged Iran to accept a nuclear deal to avoid further attacks. The comments came hours after Israel bombed the Islamic Republic's atomic facilities and killed some of its top commanders, prompting a new crisis in the Middle East. Bloomberg
The Age
6 hours ago
- The Age
ASX dips as gold, energy stocks soar after Iran attack
The Australian sharemarket drifted lower while gold and energy stocks soared after Israel launched airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear sites and military leadership, raising fears over a significant escalation of hostilities in the Middle East. The ASX 200 opened higher but fell into negative territory after the strikes were reported, with Israel claiming responsibility for the incident. The index closed 17.7, or 0.2 per cent, lower at 8,547.40, with eight of 11 industry sectors in the red. Israel's attack on Iran came ahead of a sixth round of nuclear talks between US officials and Tehran over the gulf state's uranium enrichment activities, and a day after the US authorised a partial evacuation of its embassies in the Middle East. Israeli officials said its defence force had launched attacks on 'dozens of military targets', and declared a state of emergency ahead of expected retaliation from Iran. The escalation was a blow to risk sentiment and came at a crucial time after macro and systematic funds had rebuilt long positions and investor sentiment had rebounded, IG Markets analyst Tony Sycamore said. 'While we await further news and a potential response from Iran, we are likely to see a further deterioration in risk sentiment as traders cut risk seeking positions ahead of the weekend,' he said. Israel's strike on Iran has also injected a fresh bout of geopolitical risk into an oil market that has been in the doldrums due to concerns about the global economy and supply increases from OPEC+. Brent crude jumped more than 13 per cent following the attacks, and energy stocks on the ASX surged, with Woodside jumping by 7.4 per cent while Santos climbed 3.7 per cent. Fears of an oil glut later this year are now being replaced by calls for higher prices, at least in the short term. Much will depend on Iran's response and whether key energy assets in the Middle East or tanker traffic through the region are affected.
