Iran says Shahran oil depot targeted in Israeli attack
'The fuel volume in the targeted tank was not high, and the situation is fully under control,' Iran's oil ministry's SHANA news agency reported.
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Arab News
4 hours ago
- Arab News
UN warns Daesh remains a major threat in Middle East despite leadership losses
NEW YORK CITY: Daesh remains an active and dangerous presence in the Middle East, the UN warned on Wednesday, as the group works to rebuild its operations in Syria and Iraq, even after the loss of senior leaders. Vladimir Voronkov, the UN's counterterrorism chief, told the Security Council that Daesh has maintained its operational capacity in the region and continues to exploit instability, especially in the Badia region of Syria and parts of the country under the control of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham. 'Daesh continues to exploit security gaps, engage in covert operations and incite sectarian tensions in Syria,' Voronkov said as he presented Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's 21st report on the threat posed by the terrorist organization. The group also remains active in Iraq, he added, where it seeks to destabilize local authorities and reclaim influence. The humanitarian and security situations in northeastern Syria remain 'deeply concerning,' Voronkov warned, particularly in the camps and detention facilities that hold suspected terrorists and their families. 'The secretary-general's concern about stockpiles of weapons falling into the hands of terrorists has, unfortunately, materialized,' he said. In Afghanistan, Daesh-Khorasan continues to pose one of the most serious terrorist threats to Central Asia and beyond, through ongoing attacks against civilians, minority groups and foreign nationals, while leveraging dissatisfaction with the de facto authorities. Despite the ongoing threats in the Middle East, Africa remains the region experiencing the highest intensity of Daesh-related activity, Voronkov said, with violence escalating in West Africa and the Sahel. There has been a resurgence of Daesh in the Greater Sahara, while Daesh-West Africa Province has emerged as a key source of propaganda that is attracting foreign fighters, primarily from within the region. In Libya, arrests have revealed the logistical and financial networks linked to the group and connected to the Sahel. In Somalia, a large-scale Daesh attack in Puntland early this year involving foreign fighters prompted a military counteroffensive that killed 200 militants and resulted in more than 150 arrests. 'Though weakened, Daesh still benefits from regional support networks,' Voronkov said. Assistant Secretary-General Natalia Gherman, executive director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee's Executive Directorate, or CTED, echoed the concerns. She noted that Daesh-Somalia's role as a global logistical hub has been growing recently, though counteroffensives had degraded some of its operational capabilities. Daesh continues to exploit instability in Africa, she added, where more than half of the world's terrorism-related fatalities now occur. In the Lake Chad Basin region, for example, the group has received foreign money, drones, and expertise on improvised explosive devices. Gherman also highlighted the growing use by Daesh of emerging technologies and financial innovations, as terrorist groups increasingly leverage encrypted platforms, artificial intelligence, and cross-border financial systems to raise funds, spread propaganda and recruit new members. In response to these evolving threats, CTED has visited countries across Europe and Africa, including Somalia, Chad, Cameroon, Hungary and Malta, to assess local capacities and provide tailored support. The EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility has helped implement legislative reforms and capacity building in countries such as Iraq, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria and Tajikistan. Voronkov urged member states to invest more in long-term strategies for prevention, rather than focusing only on killing or capturing the leaders of terrorist groups. He said effective counterterrorism efforts must address the root causes of radicalization, while complying with the requirements of international law. He raised concerns in particular about detention camps in northeastern Syria, where tens of thousands of people, mostly women and children, continue to be held in unsafe and undignified conditions, risking further radicalization. Gherman said that CTED is helping states address such challenges through the adoption of principles for tackling the use of drones, financial tech and artificial intelligence for terrorism purposes. Despite the geopolitical and resource-related constraints, both of the officials emphasized the need for sustained international collaboration on the issue. 'The persistence of the threat posed by Daesh, despite national and international efforts, underscores the urgency of sustained global counterterrorism cooperation,' said Voronkov.
Al Arabiya
15 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Israeli cybersecurity official arrested in US child sex sting: Everything we know
Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, a senior Israeli cybersecurity official, was arrested in the United States this month for allegedly seeking sexual conduct with a minor. He was later released on bail, allowing him to return to Israel. The 38-year-old has not been formally charged but faces a felony of luring or attempting to lure a child or mentally ill person to commit a sex act 'with use of computer technology,' Reuters reported citing Nevada State court records. Alexandrovich posted a $10,000 surety bond the day after his arrest on Aug. 6 and prior to seeing a judge. He returned to Israel two days later, according to Israeli media, who have identified him as the head of a division in Israel's National Cyber Directorate. Texting a minor According to a police report, first obtained by the Breaking Points podcast, Alexandrovich allegedly made sexual contact on two online and texting platforms with an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old girl. 'The sexual contact included bringing a condom and taking the decoy to 'Cirque du Soleil',' the report said. He was arrested as soon as he arrived to meet the decoy. During his interview with law enforcement officers, Alexandrovich said he thought the person he was chatting with was 18. His arrest was not made public until more than a week later, when the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department announced an undercover operation 'targeting child sex predators.' Speculations that US shielded Alexandrovich A flurry of online criticism speculated that Alexandrovich has been shielded by the US government, with politicians and social media commentators accusing the government of interfering in the judicial process to allow the Israeli official to return home without facing justice. Social media users were quick to point out the Trump administration's struggle to contain criticism over unfulfilled promises to release all filed related to the prosecution of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The US State Department said that Alexandrovich 'did not claim diplomatic immunity and was released by a state judge pending a court date,' adding that 'any claims that the US government intervened are false.' Meanwhile, Israeli media quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office as denying that Alexandrovich was arrested, saying only that a 'state employee' was 'questioned by American authorities during his stay' and he had 'returned to Israel as scheduled.'
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
UN condemns Israeli minister for taunting Palestinian prisoner
GENEVA: The UN's human rights office on Tuesday condemned a far-right Israeli minister for taunting a Palestinian prisoner in his cell and sharing the footage online. National security minister Itamar Ben Gvir published a video on Friday last week showing him confronting Marwan Barghouti, the most high-profile Palestinian detainee in Israeli custody. UN Human Rights Office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan said the footage was unacceptable, adding: 'The minister's behavior and the publication of the footage constitute an attack on Barghouti's dignity.' Barghouti, now in his sixties, was sentenced in 2004 to life in prison on murder charges. Regarded as a terrorist by Israel, he often tops opinion polls of popular Palestinian leaders and is sometimes described by his supporters as the 'Palestinian Mandela.' 'International law requires that all those in detention be treated humanely, with dignity, and their human rights respected and protected,' said Kheetan. He warned that the minister's actions 'may encourage violence against Palestinian detainees' and enable rights violations in Israeli prisons.
