Netanyahu claims Israeli attacks killed Iranian intelligence chief Mohammed Kazemi - The Economic Times Video
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday stated that Israeli attacks on Iran had killed intelligence chief Mohammed Kazemi as conflict escalates between the two countries.
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First Post
13 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump denied it, but what role did US play in Israeli strikes on Iran?
As missile exchanges escalate, conflicting accounts emerge over Washington's role in Israel's assault on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, according to a report read more The US has repeatedly denied any role in Israel's initial strike on Iran, a claim Tehran disputes, as missile exchanges between the two countries continue and fears grow of a broader escalation involving the world's most powerful military. Since Friday, the conflict has left hundreds dead and over a thousand wounded in Iran, while 19 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Israel as of Monday morning. Despite official denials, several reports suggest Washington may have played a more active role than acknowledged. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to a Time report, unnamed US officials told multiple news outlets on Sunday that President Donald Trump rejected an Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 'Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do we're not even talking about going after the political leadership,' Reuters quoted an official as saying. While Israel has denied any such plan, the reported rejection by Trump implies a degree of coordination between the US and Israel. The Israeli strike came during extended US-Iran negotiations over Tehran's nuclear programme. Although Trump has pushed for a diplomatic resolution, frequently citing his deal-making prowess, both Iran and Israel have ignored growing international calls for de-escalation and launched fresh attacks early Monday. Iran has vowed to retaliate against the US, too, while Trump has warned, 'If we are attacked in any way, shape, or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before.' Israel launched its offensive 'Operation Rising Lion' early on Friday, striking Iran's nuclear facilities, top military officials, and nuclear scientists. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israeli leaders vowed the campaign would 'continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat' posed by Iran's nuclear programme. In response, Iran fired missiles at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Friday evening and has continued its retaliatory attacks since. Iran claims 'solid evidence' of US involvement Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Tehran possesses 'solid evidence' that the US supported the Israeli strikes, reported Time. The Iranian Foreign Ministry echoed this in a statement, asserting the attacks 'could not have been carried out without coordination with and approval of the United States' and warning that Washington would be 'held responsible for the dangerous consequences of Israel's adventurism,' added the report. The US has firmly denied any involvement, a position the Trump administration has reiterated multiple times since the strikes began. 'We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement issued shortly after the attacks began, calling Israel's actions a 'unilateral action.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rubio acknowledged that Israel had informed the Trump administration ahead of the operation, a point both President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have since confirmed. In anticipation of the strike, the US evacuated embassy personnel across the region a day prior. In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump urged Iran to 'make a deal' and hinted he was aware of 'the next already planned attacks,' which he warned would be 'even more brutal.' When asked later that day by The Wall Street Journal if Israel had given him advance notice, Trump replied, 'Heads-up? It wasn't a heads-up. It was, we know what's going on.' On Saturday night, after another wave of strikes, President Trump again said, 'The US had nothing to do with the attack on Iran, tonight.' While Israel's assault had been in the works for months, earlier reports suggested the Trump administration would steer clear, especially amid US efforts to revive nuclear talks with Tehran. 'Clear US green light' According to an Axios report on Friday, Israeli officials claimed the operation was in fact coordinated with Washington, alleging that while the US publicly distanced itself, it privately gave a 'clear US green light' According to multiple outlets including Reuters, AP, and CNN, US officials said they had been briefed on a credible Israeli plan to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and that the White House stepped in to block it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson, Omer Dostri, dismissed the reports as 'fake.' Asked on Fox News Sunday about the claim, Netanyahu responded, 'There's so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I'm not going to get into that. But I can tell you, we'll do what we need to do. And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.' The conflicting narratives may reflect diverging priorities between Washington and Tel Aviv. Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, told NPR,' Clearly there had been coordination and some form of a green light' from the Trump administration. 'Trump is making a major gamble here, thinking that this actually will soften the Iranian position and make them capitulate,' Parsi was quoted as saying. 'If they don't, what are his options? And this is where I think the Israelis are hoping that the Iranians will not capitulate and that will force the United States into the war,' Parsi added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
The Hindu
13 minutes ago
- The Hindu
UN rights chief decries 'horrifying' suffering in Gaza and urges leaders to pressure Israel, Hamas
The U.N. human rights chief said Israel's warfare in Gaza is inflicting 'horrifying, unconscionable suffering" on Palestinians and urged government leaders on Monday to exert pressure on Israel's government and the militant group Hamas to end it. Volker Türk made the comments at the opening of the latest Human Rights Council session on Monday, in a broad address that also raised concerns about escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the fallout from U.S. tariffs, and China's human rights record, alongside wars and conflict in places like Sudan and Ukraine. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who has regularly spoken out about bloodshed in Gaza and called for the release of Israeli hostages held by armed Palestinian militants, used some of his most forceful words yet to highlight the Mideast violence. 'Israel's means and methods of warfare are inflicting horrifying, unconscionable suffering on Palestinians in Gaza,' Türk told the 47-member-country body, which Israeli authorities have regularly accused of anti-Israel bias. The Trump administration has kept the United States, Israel's top ally, out of the council proceedings. Israel's military campaign since the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in Israel has killed over 55,300 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It says that women and children make up most of the dead, but it does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. 'The facts speak for themselves. Everyone in government needs to wake up to what is happening in Gaza,' Türk said. 'All those with influence must exert maximum pressure on Israel and Hamas, to put an end to this unbearable suffering.' In Brussels, medical aid charity Doctors Without Borders appealed to European Union leaders to use what leverage they have over Israel to end the siege of Gaza. Secretary-General Christopher Lockyear described Gaza as a 'hell on earth,' and said that almost two years of relentless bombardment has turned 'this narrow strip of land into a graveyard of shattered hospitals, mass graves and destroyed neighborhoods.' U.N. and many other aid deliveries were cut off in mid-March, and violence has accompanied distributions of food from the recently created Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has U.S. and Israeli backing. Beyond the suffering of inflicted on Gazans, Doctors Without Borders said its international staffers are often living on one meal a day, and some have been admitted to their own facilities for treatment. The EU is the world's biggest donor of aid to the Palestinians, but has little real leverage over Israel. On top of that, the 27 nations are divided in their approach to the conflict, although concern over the plight of Gazans has grown as the siege has dragged on. In his speech Monday, Türk also bemoaned an increase in civilian casualties in Ukraine, nearly 3 1/2 years after Russia's full-scale invasion. He also denounced executions without a fair trial and 'wide-scale sexual violence, including against children" in Sudan. Without mentioning President Donald Trump by name, Türk likened the U.S. tariffs he imposed in April to 'a high-stakes poker game, with the global economy as the bank.' 'But the shockwaves of a trade war will hit Least Developed Countries with the force of a tsunami,' he said, warning of a potentially 'devastating' impact on exporters in Asia, and the prospect of higher costs for food, healthcare and education in places. Türk expressed concerns about U.S. deportations of non-nationals, including to third countries, and called on authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly. The council session, which has been shortened by 2 1/2 days because of funding issues at the U.N., is set to run through July 9. The Geneva-based council is the U.N.'s top human rights body.
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
'It's basically Hitler's nuclear team': Netanyahu compares Iran's scientists to Nazis amid calls to target Khamenei
Trump rejected Israeli plan to kill Khamenei Live Events 'Hitler's nuclear team' On Iran, Trump, and America first Casualties mount, talks dismissed 'Not just our enemy, your enemy too' (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is not ruling out targeting Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , adding that such a move would bring the conflict to a close rather than inflame it.'It's not going to escalate the conflict, it's going to end the conflict,' Netanyahu told ABC News in a wide-ranging interview aired Monday. His remarks came amid reports that former US President Donald Trump had previously rejected an Israeli proposal to eliminate by ABC's Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl about those reports, Netanyahu neither confirmed nor denied them but reiterated, 'We will do what we need to do.'According to Reuters and CBS News, Israeli officials had recently informed the Trump administration of an opportunity to assassinate Khamenei. However, Trump is said to have vetoed the idea. One US official told CBS News, 'The Israelis had the opportunity… and Mr Trump conveyed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it wasn't a good idea.'A second US source said, 'Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we're not even talking about going after the political leadership.'When asked again about the story on Fox News, Netanyahu said, 'There's so many false reports of conversations that never happened and I'm not going to get into that.'A spokesperson for the Israeli PM later told CBS the reports were 'false,' though a separate Israeli official in Washington admitted that 'in principle,' Israel doesn't assassinate political leaders. 'We are focused on nuclear and military. I don't think anyone making decisions about those programs should be living free and easy,' the official said, suggesting Khamenei was fair his ABC interview, Netanyahu painted a stark picture of the Iranian regime.'We've targeted their top nuclear scientists,' he said, without naming individuals. 'It's basically Hitler's nuclear team.' He insisted Israel's actions were aimed at stopping Tehran's nuclear ambitions, not provoking war.'What Israel is doing is preventing this, bringing an end to this aggression,' he said. 'We can only do so by standing up to the forces of evil.'He claimed the Ayatollah-led regime had driven the Middle East towards what he called a 'forever war' and was bringing the world 'to the brink of nuclear war.'In a defence of his country's military campaign, Netanyahu invoked American security.'Today, it's Tel Aviv. Tomorrow, it's New York,' he said. 'Look, I understand 'America First'. I don't understand 'America Dead'. That's what these people want. They chant 'Death to America'.'He thanked former President Trump for backing Israel. 'That's what President Trump understands. Sometimes you have to take a stand against evil. And that's what the American people instinctively understand. Most of them, I have to say.'Trump himself has not publicly confirmed or denied the assassination reports. However, on Sunday he warned Tehran via Truth Social: 'If we are attacked in any way… the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before.'The conflict between Israel and Iran entered its fourth day on Monday. According to Iran's health ministry, Israeli strikes have killed at least 224 people and injured over 1,200. On the Israeli side, Iranian missile and drone attacks have killed 24 people and wounded nearly 600, according to Netanyahu's asked about a Wall Street Journal report that Iran is seeking to resume nuclear talks, Netanyahu dismissed it outright.'I'm not surprised,' he said. 'They want to continue to have these fake talks in which they lie, they cheat, they string the US along.'He added, 'They want to keep building their nuclear weapons and mass ballistic missile arsenal, which they're firing at our people. That's not going to happen.'Netanyahu also responded to criticism from American conservatives who argue the US should avoid entanglement in the Iran-Israel Carlson recently wrote, 'The United States should not at any level participate in a war with Iran.' But Netanyahu insisted that Iran threatens the world.'They chant 'Death to Israel, death to America',' he said. 'We're simply on their way. And this could reach America soon.''We're taking the action. America is supporting us in defence. Deeply, deeply appreciated,' he US State Department has since upgraded its travel advisory for Israel and the West Bank to Level 4: Do Not Travel.
