Israeli military to shift focus back to Gaza after Iran war – DW – 06/24/2025
Israel's military chief said it will focus on removing the militant group Hamas in Gaza after a ceasefire with Iran. Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Office blamed Israeli forces for over 400 deaths at aid sites since May.The Israeli military's chief of staff Eyal Zamir said the military's focus was returning to Gaza to bring back Israel's hostages and to "dismantle Hamas's rule."
Meanwhile the UN Human Rights Office said over 400 people have been killed, by gunshots or shells fired by the Israeli military, trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since late May,
And Donald Trump called for Israel to "not drop those bombs" on Iran, and said he is "unhappy" with both Israel and Iran after both countries had violated the ceasefire agreement that he brokered.
Trump said "Israel needs to calm down" with its response to an Iranian missile launch earlier this morning, adding that both countries "do not know what the f*** they're doing."Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel won "a historic victory" over Iran.
"Iran will never have a nuclear weapon," he told viewers in the nearly 10-minute speech.
He said Israel destroyed nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan, along with the Arak heavy water reactor.
"We have thwarted Iran's nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt," he added.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, said Israel's military has set "Iran's nuclear project back by years."
He said the military was at "the conclusion of a significant chapter but the campaign against Iran is not over."
Zamir said Israel will shift back its military focus to its fight against Palestinian militants in Gaza to bring back Israel's hostages and to "dismantle Hamas's rule."
It comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel decided to refrain from continued strikes on Iran after speaking to US President Donald Trump, who declared that Iran and Israel had reached a ceasefire.
Also on Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would only hit Israel if it violates the ceasefire deal.
More than 410 people have been killed by gunshots or shells fired by the Israeli military trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since late May, the UN Human Rights Office said.
The American contractor appointed by Israel to replace UN and international humanitarian aid agencies in distributing food in Gaza after the Israeli blockade on humanitarian assistance lasted almost three months.
But its distribution sites have been plagued by scenes of deadly violence and chaos since opening last month.
The UN Human Rights Office described it as the "weaponization" of food aid and said it constitutes a war crime.
"Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food," UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said.
According to the DPA news agency, Al-Kheetan said Israeli troops caused the deaths, and the UN confirmed nearly all the cases. He added that although armed groups were nearby, the casualties were from Israeli actions.
According to him, at least 93 other people have also been reportedly killed by the Israeli military while attempting to approach the very few aid convoys of the UN and other humanitarian organizations still allowed to operate in Gaza.
According to figures issued by the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the death toll is even higher, with 516 people seeking rations having been killed and nearly 3,800 wounded.
Israel rejects war crimes charges in Gaza and blames Hamas fighters for harm to civilians for operating among them, which the militants deny.
DW spoke with several members of the Iranian diaspora community in Germany, who said they are watching war with Israel unfold with a mix of fear, helplessness and guilt.
Click here to read more.
After massive US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, false claims and fake videos are spreading fast online.
Take a look at DW Fact Check's investigation into a couple of viral AI cases here.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his country would not violate the ceasefire deal unless Israel does.
"If the Zionist regime does not violate the ceasefire, Iran will not violate it either," Pezeshkian said.
According to Iran's state-run Nournews, Pezeshkian said Tehran is open to dialogue and will defend the rights of the Iranian people at the negotiating table.
Meanwhile, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad said he received a call from Pezeshkian, during which he expressed regret that Iran's target in retaliating for earlier US airstrikes was a military base in Qatar.
Qatar said it has always maintained good relations with Iran and did not expect this action.
The UN human rights office says the Israeli army has killed over 400 people trying to reach food distribution points. The small amount of aid reaching the territory is being provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is backed by Israel and the US.
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US President Donald Trump said he is not interested in seeing a "regime change" in Iran after the war with Israel.
"If there was, there was, but no I don't want it," Trump told reporters on board Air Force One.
According to Trump, regime change would mean "chaos."
"Ideally we don't want to see much chaos," the US president stressed.The comments seemingly contradict an earlier post by Trump on his Truth Social platform in which he insinuated the White House could pursue regime change in Iran.
"It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!," Trump said on Sunday.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Israel decided to refrain from carrying out further strikes in Iran after a conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
According to Netanyahu's office, Iran launched three missiles after the ceasefire had started at 07:00 local time (0400 UTC), after which Israel struck a radar in Iran.
President Trump "voiced his confidence" in the ceasefire holding, the statement said.
The statement comes after Trump accused Iran and Israel of ceasefire violations in a social media post.
US President Donald Trump has spoken about what he said were ceasefire violations of both Israel and Iran, mostly calling for Israel to show restraint.
"Israel has to calm down," he said before boarding the Marine One helicopter, adding he'll see if he can stop the Israeli response to the Iranian missile that had been launched toward Israel's north this morning.
Trump concluded that Israel and Iran "have been fighting so long and so hard" that they no longer know what they're doing.
He urged Israel to "not drop those bombs" on Iran.
US President Donald Trump has said both Iran and Israel have violated the ceasefire between them.
Writing on his social media site, Truth Social, Trump said he was unhappy with both Iran and Israel, "but especially with Israel," while also adding that Iran's nuclear capabilities are "gone."
While Israeli officials have said the country is set to respond to the alleged Iranian missile launches on Tuesday morning, Trump called for Israel to show restraint.
"Israel, do not drop those bombs," Trump wrote, adding it would amount to a "major violation" of the ceasefire agreement.
"Bring your pilots home, now!"
Israeli forces have killed 21 people waiting for aid in Gaza, the enclave's Hamas-run civil defense agency said, with around 150 people injured.
The Israeli military later said that a gathering had been identified in an area close to its troops in the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza, where the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) was handing out aid.
UN agencies and aid groups have refused to cooperate with GHF, over concerns that it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.
Russia has welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
"This can only be welcomed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, adding that Moscow hopes the ceasefire will be "sustainable."To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Iran's armed forces has denied any missile launch toward Israel in recent hours, according to local media in Iran. The denial comes after US President Donald Trump announced the beginning of the ceasefire between the two countries.
Israeli military previously said they had detected a new attack on Tuesday morning. Sirens went off in the north of Israel, hours after the beginning of the ceasefire.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has supported US President Donald Trump's proposed ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
Trump's announcement of the truce came after Iran launched a missile attack on a US military base in Qatar on Monday. Israel initially accepted the ceasefire early Tuesday, while Iran had said it would halt its military operations if it did not face further attack. However, the Israeli army later said it had detected new launches from Iran.
"If this ceasefire succeeds after the decisive US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, it will be a very positive development," said Merz.
"It will make the Middle East and the world safer. I appeal to both Iran and Israel to heed this call. I thank Qatar and the other states in the region for their composure in these dramatic days and hours."
Merz said Berlin would consult with US and European partners on the sidelines of a NATO summit in The Hague on Tuesday on how to stabilize the situation further.
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NATO summit: Trump ambiguous on Article 5 clause – DW – 06/25/2025
The US president was cryptic over whether the US would abide by the military alliance's mutual defense guarantees. Donald Trump is one of the leaders attending the NATO summit in The Hague. DW has the latest. Member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are holding a summit in The Hague, starting Tuesday. NATO members are expected to approve a boost in defense spending. These are the latest developments concerning the NATO summit on Tuesday, 24.06.2025. US President Donald Trump is in The Hague for the NATO summit, where defense leaders are expected to raise their defense spending to 5% of their national output. This could be a big win for the US president who has for years asked European allies to contribute to their national security. Trump has had a rocky relationship with NATO leaders, suggesting at times the US may not defend allies who do not contribute enough to defense spending. 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He made the remarks after President Donald Trump, on his way to a summit of NATO leaders, said there were "numerous" definitions of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, Asked later to clarify, Trump said he was "committed to saving lives. I'm committed to life and safety. And I'm going to give you an exact definition when I get there." The EU's top foreign policy representative Kaja Kallas spoke to DW's Alexandra von Nahmen on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday, where the diplomat said member states, "can help Ukraine more if they invest more in defense." Kallas said US President Donald Trump has been cajoling NATO states to spend more on defense, "for quite some time." But, she added: "Many didn't just listen, but now, we are in the security situation that we are. And most of the European countries have realized that we actually need to do this." "Times have changed," said Kallas when asked about the fact that Ukraine was not going to be at the top of the NATO agenda this week. "But for Europe, Ukraine is our top priority. And that's why we are committing to helping Ukraine. We are committed to putting more pressure on Russia so that they would also want peace." Asked why Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will be at the summit, won't play a larger role, she simply said, "you know why." Kallas also spoke of the need to put defense production into high gear. "We are also cooperating with the Ukraine defense industry because they have actually created the defense industry from scratch," said Kallas, adding that the Ukrainians have been "very creative and very innovative" and that "there's a lot we can learn from them." Ukraine has been keen on joining NATO as well as the European Union. Its NATO aspirations look highly unlikely to feature prominently in The Hague. 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US President Donald Trump says he is heading to the NATO summit expecting a calmer atmosphere than recent events in the Middle East. "Heading to NATO where, at worst, it will be a much calmer period than what I just went through with Israel and Iran. I look forward to seeing all of my very good European friends, and others. Hopefully, much will be accomplished!" Trump posted on the social media platform X. Germany's 2025 budget includes funding for 10,000 new military positions and about 1,000 additional civilian posts, the Defense Ministry has said. "We will invest massively in the Bundeswehr," Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. "After decades of neglecting the Bundeswehr, dangerous security gaps have emerged that we must continue to close." The minister called the news "today's message from Berlin" as he headed to the NATO summit in The Hague. "NATO partners' expectations of Germany are high, and quite rightly so," Pistorius added. He confirmed that major investments in air defense were planned. The defense budget is expected to more than double by 2029, rising to €152.8 billion, according to current budget planning. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said Berlin plans to turn its Bundeswehr into Europe's strongest army. Pistorius has previously said that Germany could need up to 60,000 more troops. As the NATO summit in The Hague is expected to focus on a single issue — a massive increase in defense spending across the alliance — many of Ukraine's strongest supporters fear the gathering may prove disappointing for Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived on Tuesday and is holding bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit. "For us, it is the most important thing to see NATO and EU countries united," he said, standing alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa. The four leaders met to coordinate their positions ahead of a dinner hosted by the Dutch King. US President Donald Trump will also be in attendance; however, he will not be seated next to the Ukrainian president, a source told DW. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he was probably going to meet Zelenskyy in The Hague. However, the Ukrainian leader is not invited to participate in a closed-door leaders' session planned for Wednesday. This stands in stark contrast to the prominent role Zelenskyy played at previous NATO summits in Washington D.C., and Vilnius, and is most likely the result of Trump's antipathy toward the Ukrainian president. US President Donald Trump has sown doubt on his commitment to NATO's core mutual defense pledge as he departed for the key summit in the Netherlands. The two-day summit — opening with a dinner hosted by the Dutch King Willem-Alexander — aims to reassure the US leader on defense spending commitments. Trump's return to office has reignited fears he could undermine the transatlantic alliance. Asked en route aboard Air Force One whether he remained committed to NATO's Article Five mutual defense clause, Trump said, "Depends on your definition. There's numerous definitions of Article Five," adding only that he was "committed to being their friends." NATO members have scrambled to meet his demands by agreeing to spend 3.5% of GDP on core military needs by 2035, with an additional 1.5% dedicated to broader security areas such as cyber defense and infrastructure. Alliance officials insist the buildup is essential to deter Russia, warning that Moscow could recover from its war losses in Ukraine and pose a renewed threat within five years. Europe has finally awakened in response to Russia's war against Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says, describing a generational shift in the continent's security posture. "All of Europe is facing a changing international landscape as we've just heard, rightly so," she told reporters ahead of a two-day summit of the alliance in The Hague. "The security architecture that we relied on for decades can no longer be taken for granted. It is a once in a generation tectonic shift." Von der Leyen said recent actions by European states would have seemed "unthinkable just a year ago." "The Europe of defense has finally awakened," she added. "Tomorrow, the summit will set indeed historic new spending targets for NATO allies." The NATO military alliance's chief Mark Rutte has said it is "unthinkable" that Russia should manage to "outproduce" the Western defence alliance. "We need to do more," Rutte stressed at a defence industry forum ahead of a crunch leaders' summit in The Hague. "It is simply unthinkable that Russia, with an economy 25 times smaller than NATO's, should be able to outproduce and outgun us," the NATO chief stressed. 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Russia has cited Ukraine's desire to join NATO as one of the reasons why it launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in 2022. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video While the escalation in the Middle East will be high on NATO summit's docket, the spotlight is on a massive increase in defense spending. This comes in response to pressure form US President Donald Trump. Read our full explainer here. NATO is the world's largest military alliance, and is more than three-quarters of a century old. It now has 32 member countries. But what exactly is NATO and what are its tasks? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video NATO allies gathered in The Hague on Tuesday to begin a two-day summit which would see countries in the transnational military alliance discuss a boost their defense spending. Leaders, defense and foreign ministers of the 32 member states, along with representatives of NATO's Indo-Pacific partners — Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand — are expected at the summit. The Netherlands summit comes amid the shadow of the escalation in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Both crises are likely to be addressed during the session. NATO countries are expected to vote in favor of increasing defense spending to 5% at the summit. Getting NATO members to shell out more money in defense spending has been a key demand of US President Donald Trump, who is also expected to attend. Stay with our updates as we bring you the latest news and analyses from the NATO summit.
DW
7 hours ago
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Israeli military to shift focus back to Gaza after Iran war – DW – 06/24/2025
Israel's military chief said it will focus on removing the militant group Hamas in Gaza after a ceasefire with Iran. Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Office blamed Israeli forces for over 400 deaths at aid sites since Israeli military's chief of staff Eyal Zamir said the military's focus was returning to Gaza to bring back Israel's hostages and to "dismantle Hamas's rule." Meanwhile the UN Human Rights Office said over 400 people have been killed, by gunshots or shells fired by the Israeli military, trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since late May, And Donald Trump called for Israel to "not drop those bombs" on Iran, and said he is "unhappy" with both Israel and Iran after both countries had violated the ceasefire agreement that he brokered. Trump said "Israel needs to calm down" with its response to an Iranian missile launch earlier this morning, adding that both countries "do not know what the f*** they're doing."Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel won "a historic victory" over Iran. "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon," he told viewers in the nearly 10-minute speech. He said Israel destroyed nuclear facilities in Natanz and Isfahan, along with the Arak heavy water reactor. "We have thwarted Iran's nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt," he added. The Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, said Israel's military has set "Iran's nuclear project back by years." He said the military was at "the conclusion of a significant chapter but the campaign against Iran is not over." Zamir said Israel will shift back its military focus to its fight against Palestinian militants in Gaza to bring back Israel's hostages and to "dismantle Hamas's rule." It comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel decided to refrain from continued strikes on Iran after speaking to US President Donald Trump, who declared that Iran and Israel had reached a ceasefire. Also on Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would only hit Israel if it violates the ceasefire deal. More than 410 people have been killed by gunshots or shells fired by the Israeli military trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since late May, the UN Human Rights Office said. The American contractor appointed by Israel to replace UN and international humanitarian aid agencies in distributing food in Gaza after the Israeli blockade on humanitarian assistance lasted almost three months. But its distribution sites have been plagued by scenes of deadly violence and chaos since opening last month. The UN Human Rights Office described it as the "weaponization" of food aid and said it constitutes a war crime. "Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food," UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said. According to the DPA news agency, Al-Kheetan said Israeli troops caused the deaths, and the UN confirmed nearly all the cases. He added that although armed groups were nearby, the casualties were from Israeli actions. According to him, at least 93 other people have also been reportedly killed by the Israeli military while attempting to approach the very few aid convoys of the UN and other humanitarian organizations still allowed to operate in Gaza. According to figures issued by the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the death toll is even higher, with 516 people seeking rations having been killed and nearly 3,800 wounded. Israel rejects war crimes charges in Gaza and blames Hamas fighters for harm to civilians for operating among them, which the militants deny. DW spoke with several members of the Iranian diaspora community in Germany, who said they are watching war with Israel unfold with a mix of fear, helplessness and guilt. Click here to read more. After massive US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, false claims and fake videos are spreading fast online. Take a look at DW Fact Check's investigation into a couple of viral AI cases here. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his country would not violate the ceasefire deal unless Israel does. "If the Zionist regime does not violate the ceasefire, Iran will not violate it either," Pezeshkian said. According to Iran's state-run Nournews, Pezeshkian said Tehran is open to dialogue and will defend the rights of the Iranian people at the negotiating table. Meanwhile, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad said he received a call from Pezeshkian, during which he expressed regret that Iran's target in retaliating for earlier US airstrikes was a military base in Qatar. Qatar said it has always maintained good relations with Iran and did not expect this action. The UN human rights office says the Israeli army has killed over 400 people trying to reach food distribution points. The small amount of aid reaching the territory is being provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is backed by Israel and the US. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video US President Donald Trump said he is not interested in seeing a "regime change" in Iran after the war with Israel. "If there was, there was, but no I don't want it," Trump told reporters on board Air Force One. According to Trump, regime change would mean "chaos." "Ideally we don't want to see much chaos," the US president comments seemingly contradict an earlier post by Trump on his Truth Social platform in which he insinuated the White House could pursue regime change in Iran. "It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!," Trump said on Sunday. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Israel decided to refrain from carrying out further strikes in Iran after a conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. According to Netanyahu's office, Iran launched three missiles after the ceasefire had started at 07:00 local time (0400 UTC), after which Israel struck a radar in Iran. President Trump "voiced his confidence" in the ceasefire holding, the statement said. The statement comes after Trump accused Iran and Israel of ceasefire violations in a social media post. US President Donald Trump has spoken about what he said were ceasefire violations of both Israel and Iran, mostly calling for Israel to show restraint. "Israel has to calm down," he said before boarding the Marine One helicopter, adding he'll see if he can stop the Israeli response to the Iranian missile that had been launched toward Israel's north this morning. Trump concluded that Israel and Iran "have been fighting so long and so hard" that they no longer know what they're doing. He urged Israel to "not drop those bombs" on Iran. US President Donald Trump has said both Iran and Israel have violated the ceasefire between them. Writing on his social media site, Truth Social, Trump said he was unhappy with both Iran and Israel, "but especially with Israel," while also adding that Iran's nuclear capabilities are "gone." While Israeli officials have said the country is set to respond to the alleged Iranian missile launches on Tuesday morning, Trump called for Israel to show restraint. "Israel, do not drop those bombs," Trump wrote, adding it would amount to a "major violation" of the ceasefire agreement. "Bring your pilots home, now!" Israeli forces have killed 21 people waiting for aid in Gaza, the enclave's Hamas-run civil defense agency said, with around 150 people injured. The Israeli military later said that a gathering had been identified in an area close to its troops in the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza, where the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF) was handing out aid. UN agencies and aid groups have refused to cooperate with GHF, over concerns that it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives. Russia has welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and Israel. "This can only be welcomed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday, adding that Moscow hopes the ceasefire will be "sustainable."To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Iran's armed forces has denied any missile launch toward Israel in recent hours, according to local media in Iran. The denial comes after US President Donald Trump announced the beginning of the ceasefire between the two countries. Israeli military previously said they had detected a new attack on Tuesday morning. Sirens went off in the north of Israel, hours after the beginning of the ceasefire. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has supported US President Donald Trump's proposed ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Trump's announcement of the truce came after Iran launched a missile attack on a US military base in Qatar on Monday. Israel initially accepted the ceasefire early Tuesday, while Iran had said it would halt its military operations if it did not face further attack. However, the Israeli army later said it had detected new launches from Iran. "If this ceasefire succeeds after the decisive US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, it will be a very positive development," said Merz. "It will make the Middle East and the world safer. I appeal to both Iran and Israel to heed this call. I thank Qatar and the other states in the region for their composure in these dramatic days and hours." Merz said Berlin would consult with US and European partners on the sidelines of a NATO summit in The Hague on Tuesday on how to stabilize the situation further.
Int'l Business Times
7 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Iranian General Ordered to Revoke Support for Country's Ruler in Threatening Call From Israeli Officials: 'Otherwise, You're On Our List'
A newly released recording reveals an Israeli official threatening an Iranian general, demanding he withdraw support for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei or face retaliation against himself and his family, according to the Washington Post. On June 13, the day of a surprise Israeli strike that killed several senior Iranian officials, Israeli agents reportedly contacted more than 20 influential Iranians in an effort to pressure them into turning against the regime. "I can advise you now, you have 12 hours to escape with your wife and child. Otherwise, you're on our list right now," an Israeli intelligence operative told a senior Iranian general, according to a recording obtained by the Post. The operative escalated the ultimatum, warning the Iranian official, "We are closer to you than your own jugular vein. Remember that. May God protect you." The Iranian official was given 12 hours to record a video distancing himself from the regime and send it via Telegram, a secure messaging app. It remains unclear whether the video was ever sent, according to the Post. During the call, the Israeli operative underscored the threat by naming several high-ranking Iranian figures, including Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the IRGC; Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the armed forces' chief of staff; and Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani, a nuclear physicist and key figure in Iran's nuclear program. "I'll explain to you, listen carefully. I'm calling from a country that two hours ago sent Bagheri, Salami, Shamkhani, one by one, to hell," the operative declared. Despite that claim, Iranian media later reported that Vice Adm. Ali Shamkhani, the former head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was seriously injured but survived the attack. Shamkhani reportedly sent a message to Iran's Supreme Leader saying the "dawn of victory is near" for Iran. A source familiar with the situation told the Post that Khamenei is "facing serious difficulties" in appointing replacements for the officials killed in the operation. "And even if he succeeds to do so, these are people he didn't choose in the first place. Because the more serious candidates are now refusing to take the positions," the source alleged. Employees sort electoral material at Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office, ahead of Nigeria's Presidential election in Anaocha, Anambra state, Nigeria February 24. 2023. Reuters Originally published on Latin Times
