Israeli military prepares plan to ensure Iran cannot threaten Israel, defence minister says
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military must be prepared, both in intelligence and operations.
DUBAI - The Israeli military is preparing an enforcement plan to 'ensure that Iran cannot return to threaten Israel', Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz told senior military officials.
He said the military must be prepared, both in intelligence and operations, to ensure Israel has air superiority and to prevent Tehran from reestablishing its previous capabilities.
He made his remarks following a
12-day air war between the longtime enemies in June, during which Israel struck Iranian nuclear facilities, saying the aim was to prevent Tehran developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran denies seeking nuclear arms and that its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes.
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Straits Times
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- Straits Times
UBS, Goldman passed on opening bank accounts for U.S.-backed Gaza aid foundation, sources say
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GHF did not respond to questions about whether it had spoken to other banks. According to two of the people, the foundation's plans for a Geneva branch faced setbacks including a lack of donations and resignations of founding members, including GHF executive director Jake Wood, as well as difficulties opening a Swiss bank account. A GHF spokesperson told Reuters by email that the decision to withdraw from Switzerland was not because of any setbacks, adding: "It was a strategic decision to be located in the U.S." One stumbling block in talks with banks was lack of transparency about where the foundation's funds would come from, one of the people with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters. Before accepting clients, banks must conduct due diligence to establish their identities and ownership, the nature of their business activities and their sources of wealth. GHF has not disclosed details of its finances. A GHF spokesperson said it has "spoken about initial funding from Europe, but we don't disclose donors for their privacy". Reuters reported on June 24 that the U.S. government would give $30 million - its first known financial contribution - to GHF, now headed by Rev. Dr. Johnnie Moore, a former adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, after Wood quit in May. UBS was approached in late 2024 and did not accept GHF as a client after conducting compliance, risk and reputational due diligence, one of the people with knowledge of the talks said. A representative for UBS said the bank could not comment on matters related to potential, existing or former clients. GHF did not respond to questions from Reuters about UBS. The other person with knowledge of the discussions said GHF also held preliminary talks with Goldman Sachs about opening a bank account in Switzerland. Without giving details, that person said Goldman did not open an account and has no banking relationship with GHF in the United States either. An undated and unsigned GHF briefing document that Reuters reported details of on May 8 said the foundation had "a verbal commitment from Goldman Sachs to establish a bank account" for a Swiss-based affiliate it was setting up. Reuters could not establish any details about Goldman's verbal commitment or why Goldman did not open an account for GHF. A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs declined to comment. A GHF spokesperson said the document was old and that it had decided not to commence operations in Switzerland and so "walked away from discussions with banking entities there". "Our organization is U.S.-based and has multiple highly reputable banking partners," the spokesperson told Reuters, without giving details. GHF was incorporated in 2025 in Delaware, filings show, and has a U.S. bank account with JPMorgan, according to a separate person with knowledge of the situation. A JPMorgan spokesperson declined to comment. Its briefing document reported by Reuters in May said it had "secure banking and financial relationships" with JPMorgan and North Carolina-based Truist Bank. A Truist Bank representative said it does not discuss or confirm client relationships. DISTRIBUTION GHF uses private U.S. security and logistics companies to get supplies into Gaza, where it has been operating since May under a distribution plan described by the United Nations as "inherently unsafe". Its operations have been beset by violence and chaos including deadly shootings of scores of Palestinians near its food distribution sites guarded by Israeli forces, Reuters has reported. The UN and other humanitarian groups have refused to work with GHF, questioning its neutrality and criticising the new distribution model as militarising aid and forcing displacement of Palestinians. Wood resigned before GHF's May 26 launch, saying he could not abandon "the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence". GHF has repeatedly said it has distributed aid from its sites without incident and has previously told Reuters it "strictly adheres" to humanitarian principles. "The Palestinian people of Gaza must be fed and GHF is the only organization that has demonstrated ability to deliver food assistance," a spokesperson said. DISSOLUTION According to Switzerland's Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA), a foundation must hold capital in a Swiss bank account and at least one member of its board must be resident in Switzerland. In filings dated February, seen by Reuters, GHF said its Swiss entity had an initial endowment. However, that capital contribution was never made, a spokesperson for GHF said. ESA told Reuters GHF had never provided information about a bank account in Switzerland or statutory initial capital. ESA is taking steps to order the dissolution of GHF's Swiss branch, Reuters reported on July 2. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Thai zoo plans free birthday bash as Moo Deng turns 1
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Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Turkish prosecutors add charges of forging diploma against jailed Istanbul mayor
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) take part in a rally to mark the 100th day of the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in Istanbul, Turkey, July 1, 2025. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya ANKARA - Turkish prosecutors charged Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on Friday with falsifying his university diploma, a new case threatening more years in prison for President Tayyip Erdogan's main rival, already jailed pending corruption charges he denies. Imamoglu, at the center of a sprawling legal crackdown on the main opposition party, has been jailed since March 23 pending trial. He denies the allegations against him, which his party says are orchestrated to protect Erdogan in power. His indictment over his diploma was reported by Milliyet newspaper, which said prosecutors were seeking eight years and nine months of prison time for the new charges. Reuters could not immediately obtain the document. On March 18, Istanbul University said it had annulled Imamoglu's diploma. He was detained a day later on the corruption charges, triggering Turkey's largest protests in a decade, and later jailed pending trial. His detention has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and some foreign leaders, who call the case politically motivated and anti-democratic. The government denies the case is political. Imamoglu is the main opposition Republican People's Party's presidential candidate in any future election. He won re-election as mayor in March last year by a wide margin against a candidate from Erdogan's ruling AK Party. REUTERS
