World reacts to Israeli strike on Iran over nuclear programme
Israel declared a state of emergency in anticipation of retaliatory missile and drone strikes by Tehran.
Here are some reactions from top officials and governments around the world:
U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO
'Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.'
'Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.'
AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER PENNY WONG
'Australia is alarmed by the escalation between Israel and Iran. This risks further destabilising a region that is already volatile. We call on all parties to refrain from actions and rhetoric that will further exacerbate tensions.
'We all understand the threat of Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program represents a threat to international peace and security, and we urge the parties to prioritize dialogue and diplomacy.'
NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON
'It's a really unwelcome development in the Middle East. The risk of miscalculation is high. That region does not need any more military action, and risk associated with that.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
3 hours ago
- The Citizen
Israel approves plan to conquer Gaza City
While mediators press for a ceasefire deal, Israel has advanced plans for a prolonged Gaza operation. Israel's defence minister approved a plan on Wednesday for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60 000 reservists, piling pressure on Hamas as mediators push for a ceasefire. Defence Minister Israel Katz's move, confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson, came as mediators awaited an official Israeli response on their latest proposal. While mediator Qatar had expressed guarded optimism over the latest proposal, a senior Israeli official said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any agreement. The framework that Hamas had approved proposes an initial 60-day truce, a staggered hostage release, the freeing of some Palestinian prisoners and provisions allowing for the entry of aid into Gaza. Humanitarian situation worsening On the ground in Gaza City on Wednesday, Mustafa Qazzaat, head of the emergency committee in the Gaza municipality, described the situation as 'catastrophic'. He told AFP that 'large numbers' of people were fleeing their neighbourhoods, with the majority of those displaced 'on the roads and streets without shelter.' Aida Abu Madi, a 48-year-old resident of Zeitoun, said she fled on Wednesday with her husband, children and three grandchildren to the home of relatives in western Gaza City. 'I didn't hear about Israel's decision, but I saw my neighbours fleeing, so I fled too,' she told AFP by telephone. ALSO READ: Israel poised to order new Gaza war plan Anis Daloul, 64, said he fled Zeitoun with his family on Sunday for a neighbourhood northwest of Gaza City. He told AFP by telephone that the Israeli military had 'destroyed most of the buildings in Zeitoun and displaced thousands of people'. Israel's security cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the plan to conquer Gaza City in early August, sparking fears it will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza. According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu has not yet called a security cabinet meeting to discuss any response to the latest truce proposal. 'Rejects escalation' Netanyahu has come under growing pressure at home and abroad to end the war, with the German government saying on Wednesday that it 'rejects the escalation' of Israel's campaign. Katz's approval of plans to conquer Gaza City came days after Hamas said it had accepted the latest proposal from mediators for a ceasefire to halt almost two years of devastating war. Sources from Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad told AFP on Wednesday that the proposal envisages the release of 10 hostages and 18 bodies from Gaza. The remaining captives would be released in a second exchange within the 60-day period, during which negotiations for a permanent ceasefire would take place, the sources said. ALSO READ: Sanef slams journalist killings in Gaza, calls for action and accountability Israel and Hamas have held on-off indirect negotiations throughout the war, resulting in two short truces during which Israeli hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 2023 attack that triggered the war, 49 are still in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Qatar, one of the mediators in the talks, said the latest proposal was 'almost identical' to an earlier version agreed by Israel, while Egypt said Monday that 'the ball is now in its (Israel's) court'. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to publicly comment on the truce plan, but said last week that his country would accept 'an agreement in which all the hostages are released at once and according to our conditions for ending the war'. 'Prolonged operation' An Israeli military official told journalists on Wednesday that the new phase of combat would involve 'a gradual precise and targeted operation in and around Gaza City,' including some areas where forces had not previously operated. The official said the military had already begun operating in the neighbourhoods of Zeitoun and Jabalia as part of the initial stages. Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli strikes and fire killed at least 25 people across the territory on Wednesday. When contacted by AFP, the Israeli military asked for coordinates and specific timeframes to comment on the reports, but said it would look into reports of eight people killed by Israeli fire near an aid site in the centre of Gaza. ALSO READ: Gaza civil defence says Israeli fire kills 39 Palestinians Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing swathes of the Palestinian territory mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency or the Israeli military. Mounting death toll and settlement plans Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1 219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's offensive has killed at least 62 122 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which the United Nations considers reliable. In the West Bank, Israel on Wednesday approved a major settlement project in an area that the international community has warned threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state. Israel has long had ambitions to build on the roughly 12 square kilometres (five square miles) known as E1 that lie just east of Jerusalem, but the plan had been stalled for years.
The Citizen
4 hours ago
- The Citizen
Zuma's African tour to discredit ‘sellout' ANC could lead to trouble
According to the MK party, Zuma will travel to several African countries this year. Weeks after a controversial trip to the Kingdom of Morocco, former President Jacob Zuma has slammed the ANC in a public address in Ghana. On Tuesday, Zuma delivered a guest lecture at the University of Professional Studies Accra (UPSA) in the country's capital. He told students and other guests at the lecture that he left the ANC because it no longer represented the aspirations of indigenous South Africans. 'I disagreed with those I was with, and I was honest, I told them that, you are selling out, you are selling out our ancestors who said let us be free. 'The problem is that our enemies know how to buy people and make them feel that they are wonderful when they are actually killing the nation,' said Zuma.a Zuma rejects the ANC Zuma said the ANC was no longer a party that is 'loved' by the majority of South Africans and has turned into 'something else.' At the same lecture, he encouraged relations between countries from the East and slammed the West for being complicit in the colonisation of Africa. Zuma also challenged the ANC's position on relations between Morocco and the people of Western Sahara. 'Some may disagree, but Africa must not be divided for the convenience of the outsiders,' he said. He spoke of the more than two dozen bilateral agreements signed between the countries and spoke about the need for closer collaboration. Zuma's utterance could cause trouble, diplomatic storms Political analyst Theo Neethling told The Citizen that there is nothing wrong with Zuma going on international trips, but not when his utterances can be interpreted as speaking on behalf of the country. 'Former American presidents do so regularly, and South Africa's own former leaders such as FW de Klerk and Thabo Mbeki have also done so without controversy. 'The difficulty arises, however, when Zuma positions himself in ways that contradict or interfere with official foreign policy, and when he makes pronouncements that suggest he is speaking on behalf of the South African nation,' said Neethling. However, he said it is clear that he is attempting to discredit the ANC on the continent. 'Zuma appears to be playing a deliberate political game of disruption against the ANC. 'The danger is that he places South Africa's already strained foreign policy in jeopardy, generating confusion and potentially placing President Ramaphosa and the government not only in an awkward diplomatic position but also in embarrassment on the international stage,' he said. ALSO READ: Dirco blasts Zuma for using SA flag for meeting during Morocco visit Advancing the interests of the MK party on the continent Neethling said it is also clear that Zuma is attempting to advance the interests of the MK party in an international arena. 'That may serve his personal and factional agenda, but it is highly problematic when set against the practice of South Africa's foreign policy by government leaders, officials and diplomats,' he addd. In a recent press briefing, Zuma's party said it sees nothing wrong with his association with countries that have strained relations with South Africa. Some of these countries include countries where power was taken forcefully by certain militia groups and have not been recognised as democracies by Pretoria. His visit to Morocco became controversial when the South African flag was flown at the bilateral. But the MK party said there was nothing wrong with the South African flag being flown during the meeting. ALSO READ: 'MK party only true hope for total liberation of SA people,' – Zuma
TimesLIVE
7 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Smithsonian focuses too much on 'how bad slavery was': Trump
US President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday he will pressure the Smithsonian Institution — a premier museum, education and research complex for US history and culture — to accept his demands, as he did with some colleges and universities, by threatening to cut federal funding. In a social media post, Trump complained about what he called excessive focus on 'how bad slavery was.' 'I have instructed my attorneys to go through the museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with colleges and universities, where tremendous progress has been made,' Trump said on Truth Social. The Smithsonian, which was established in 1846 and includes 21 museums and galleries and the National Zoo, had no immediate comment. Most of its museums are in Washington, DC. The White House said last week it will lead an internal review of some Smithsonian museums after Trump earlier this year accused it of spreading 'anti-American ideology' and raised alarm among civil rights advocates. When asked if Trump would threaten funding cuts to the Smithsonian based on the findings, a White House official said 'President Trump will explore all options and avenues to get the Woke out of the Smithsonian and hold them accountable.'
