Israel's Netanyahu survives vote to dissolve government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu survived a vote to dissolve his government, but was left weakened.
Netanyahu's coalition relies on ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, who want religious students to remain exempt from Israel's compulsory military service, a demand the Supreme Court rejects.
A last-minute deal stopped those parties from voting with the opposition, but is 'unlikely to solve the conundrum' long-term, The New York Times reported, and the split gives opposition parties an opportunity to divide and challenge the government.
Netanyahu is a political survivor, but is under pressure: Rifts are also growing with US President Donald Trump, who reportedly demanded an end to Israel's operation in Gaza this week, a move Netanyahu is unwilling to make.
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US stock futures fall after Israel attacks Iran
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News24
40 minutes ago
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Oil surges, stocks fall on fears of Middle East war as Israel strikes Iran
Oil prices soared and stocks sank Friday after Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites and warned of more to come, stoking fears of a full-blown war. Investors ran for the hills on news of the attacks and a warning from Tehran that its regional foe faced a "bitter and painful" fate, while US President Donald Trump has said a "massive conflict" in the region was possible. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement: "This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat. "We struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme. We targeted Iran's main enrichment facility at Natanz. We also struck at the heart of Iran's ballistic missile programme," he added. Nuclear scientists "working on the Iranian bomb" had also been hit, he said. Army officials said intelligence showed the country was approaching the "point of no return" on its atomic programme and could obtain a nuclear weapon in a "short period of time". In Tehran, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel would suffer severe consequences, issuing a statement that said: "With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself for a bitter and painful fate and it will definitely receive it." Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had earlier cautioned that "a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future". Trump previously said he believed a "pretty good" deal on Iran's nuclear programme was "fairly close", but that an Israeli strike on the country could wreck the chances of an agreement. A US official said there had been no US involvement in the operation. Still, there are worries the United States could be sucked into the crisis after Iran threatened this week to target US military bases in the region if a regional conflict broke out. And on Friday, the foreign ministry in Tehran said the United States would be "responsible for the consequences" of the attacks, adding that they "cannot have been carried out without the coordination and permission" of Washington. Supply worries Both main oil contracts, which had rallied earlier in the week on rising tensions, spiked more than 12 percent -- hitting levels not seen since January -- amid fears about supplies of the commodity. They later eased back slightly after Iran said its key refineries and fuel depots were unaffected, though they still remained well above five percent. The rush from risk assets to safe havens saw equity markets across Asia and Europe tumble and bonds rally with gold, which popped above $3,400 an ounce. US futures were deep in the red. "The Middle East powder keg just blew the lid off global markets," said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management. "Equity futures are plummeting. Bond yields are sinking. Gold and oil are skyrocketing," he added. "Brent crude futures are racing toward the mid-$70s range -- but if the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for 20 percent of global oil flows, finds itself in the blast radius, you can add another $15 to the bid. "If Iran holds back, we get a relief bounce. But if missiles start raining down on Tel Aviv or Tehran retaliates with real teeth, we're staring down a scenario that could redefine the macro narrative for the rest of 2025." Banking giant JPMorgan Chase had warned just this week that prices could top $130 if the worst-case scenario developed. Market sentiment had already been low after Trump sounded his trade war klaxon again by saying he would be sending letters within the next two weeks to other countries' governments to announce unilateral levies on their exports to the United States. The "take it or leave it" deal spurred fears he would reimpose the eye-watering tolls announced on April 2 that tanked markets before he announced a 90-day pause.
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
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China expresses deep concern about Israel's attacks on Iran, urges de-escalation
BEIJING (Reuters) -China was deeply concerned about the Israeli attacks on Iran and urged de-escalation for regional peace and stability, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday. "China opposes any infringement upon Iran's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and opposes any escalation of tensions and expansion of conflicts. A sudden rise in regional tensions is not in the interests of any party," Spokesperson Lin Jian told a regular press briefing. Lin also said China was ready to play a constructive role in easing the situation. Israel launched large-scale strikes against Iran on Friday, saying it was the start of a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon. Iran promised a harsh response with Israel saying it was working to intercept about 100 drones launched towards its territory. Beijing and Tehran share friendly ties, supported by China's search for energy security through Iran's oil shipments and a wider strategy of increasing influence across the Middle East to rival the United States. Earlier on Friday, the Chinese embassies in Israel and Iran issued advisories to citizens warning of the "complex and severe" security situation in the two countries. The embassy in Tel Aviv also warned those in Israel to prepare for possible missile, rocket and drone attacks.
