Khamenei warns of 'even bigger blow' to US and Israel if attacked again
According to Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defence of Democracies (FDD) and editor of the Long War Journal, Iran still possesses around 1,500 medium-range ballistic missiles and roughly 50 percent of its launch systems.TRUMP SAYS HE'S 'IN NO RUSH TO TALK'Amid ongoing tensions, US President Donald Trump has adopted a cautious tone on the issue. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump said he remains open to negotiations but added, "I'm in no rush to talk."NUCLEAR TALKS UNCERTAIN AS SANCTIONS THREATENMeanwhile, Western nations have made it clear that if Iran fails to make progress on talks with the US by the end of the summer, they may activate the "snapback" sanctions — a provision under the 2015 nuclear deal allowing the re-imposition of international sanctions if Iran fails to comply.Germany's Foreign Ministry told Fox News Digital, "A sustainable and verifiable diplomatic solution that addresses the security interests of the international community is essential. If such a solution is not achieved by the end of the summer, the snapback mechanism will remain an option for the E3."The E3 refers to France, Germany, and the United Kingdom — the three European countries involved in the 2015 nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "We continue to coordinate closely with our E3 partners on this issue," the German ministry added.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersMust Watch
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‘Crossed all red lines': Why Israel minister's visit to al-Aqsa mosque has sparked outrage
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir is no stranger to controversy and on Sunday (August 3), he sparked a new row by offering prayers at the religious al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Here's why his act has been called a 'blatant violation of international law' read more Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir speaks outside the Dome of the Rock at the al-Aqsa mosque compound (known to Jews as the Temple Mount) in the old city of Jerusalem on August 3, coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Tisha B'Av. AFP An Israeli minister's visit to a temple has caused anger and outrage resulting in countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to condemn it. It all began when Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir led a group of Jewish worshipers in prayer atop the Temple Mount on Sunday and prayed at the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, violating a decades-old arrangement covering one of the most sensitive sites in West Asia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At the spot, Ben Gvir also called for his country to 'conquer' Gaza and 'encourage' Palestinians to leave the enclave. But why has his visit caused such a stir? What's behind the fury? Ben Gvir offers prayers at al-Aqsa mosque On Sunday (August 3), the far-right minister visited the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem and prayed there along with thousands of others under the protection of the Israeli military. According to Times of Israel, he offered prayers, a first for Ben Gvir, who has visited the site in the past too. The prayers came on the occasion of Tisha B'Av, when Jews mourn the destruction of two Jewish temples. After leading prayers at the religious site, Ben Gvir called for the annexation of Gaza and for Palestinians to leave the territory. He said that he prayed for Israel's victory over the Palestinian militant group Hamas and for the return of Israeli hostages being held by militants there, and repeated his call for Israel to conquer the entire enclave. תיעוד מהר הבית: בן גביר הוביל את התפילה, עשרות רקדו ושרו — ערוץ 7 (@arutz7heb) August 3, 2025 'It is from here that a message must be sent: to conquer the entire Gaza Strip, declare sovereignty over all of Gaza, eliminate every Hamas member, and encourage voluntary emigration,' the minister said in a video recorded at the compound. 'Only in this way will we bring back the hostages and win the war.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Condemnation for Ben Gvir's visit Soon after Ben Gvir visited the al-Aqsa mosque and offered prayers, he was slammed by many for being provocative and violating an age-old agreement. Hamas called Ben Gvir's visit 'a deepening of the ongoing aggressions against our Palestinian people'. Even the spokesperson for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the visit 'crossed all red lines. 'The international community, specifically the US administration, must intervene immediately to put an end to the crimes of the settlers and the provocations of the extreme right-wing government in al-Aqsa Mosque, stop the war on the Gaza Strip and bring in humanitarian aid,' said the spokesperson in a statement. Officials from Jordan, which administrates the holy site, also condemned Ben Gvir's actions. Jordan's foreign ministry described the incident as a 'blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, an unacceptable provocation, and a condemned escalation.' Saudi Arabia also slammed Ben Gvir for his actions, with the kingdom accusing the Israeli leader of fueling conflict. A statement by Saudi's foreign ministry on X condemned 'in the strongest terms … the repeated provocative practices by officials of the Israeli occupation authorities against al-Aqsa mosque. The kingdom affirms that such practices fuel the conflict in the region.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Later, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement in response to Ben Gvir's visit, insisting that 'Israel's policy of maintaining the status quo on the Temple Mount has not changed and will not change.' However, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed to 'strengthen' Jewish sovereignty on the Temple Mount. 'Israel's enemies around the world will continue to make decisions against us and demonstrate, and we will strengthen our hold and sovereignty over Jerusalem, the Western Wall, and the Temple Mount forever and ever,' Katz wrote on X. 'On Tisha B'Av, 2,000 years after the destruction of the Second Temple, the Western Wall and the Temple Mount are once again under the sovereignty of the State of Israel.' The Al-Aqsa mosque, also known to Jews as Temple Mount, is considered holy to the Muslims as well as the Jews. File image/Reuters But why the outrage over his visit That's because of the history of this site. The al-Aqsa lies at the heart of Jerusalem's Old City on a hill known to Jews as Har ha-Bayit, or Temple Mount, and to Muslims internationally as al-Haram al-Sharif, or The Noble Sanctuary. Muslims regard the site as the third holiest in Islam, after Mecca and Medina. They believe the site is where Prophet Muhammad led his fellow prophets in prayer during a miraculous night journey, known as the Miraj. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the other hand, Temple Mount, as the Jews call it, is the holiest place in Judaism. According to Jews, it where two ancient Jewish temples once stood – the temple built by King Solomon, which was destroyed by the Babylonians, and the second temple, destroyed by the Romans. Following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, it was decided that Jordan would control matters inside the compound while the external security would be the responsibility of Israel. Furthermore, non-Muslims would be allowed on to the site during visiting hours, but would not be allowed to pray there. Now, herein lies the problem. Israeli forces have stationed guards at the site and permitted Jews to enter the compound, upsetting Muslims. It has also resulted in clashes at the site in the past — with the most recent one being in 2023 when 14 Palestinians were injured after Israeli police officials attacked dozens of worshippers at the religious site's compound. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Moreover, Palestinians view visits by Jewish leaders as provocative and as a potential precursor to Israel seizing control over the compound. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has visited the al-Aqsa compound on multiple occasions in the past. However, Sunday's visit was unique as he offered prayers for the first time. File image/Reuters Ben Gvir and al-Aqsa mosque Notably, this isn't the first time that Ben Gvir has run into controversy. The fiery far-right minister has been convicted eight times for offences that include racism and supporting a terrorist organisation. Just last week, he was declared a persona non grata by the Netherlands for reportedly inciting violence against Palestinians, advocating for the expansion of illegal settlements and calling for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip. He's also been sanctioned by Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom. Moreover, he's known to make fiery and controversial statements at the al-Aqsa mosque site. Last August, he said in an interview that he would build a synagogue at the al-Aqsa compound. 'If I could do anything I wanted, I would put an Israeli flag on the site,' Ben Gvir said in the interview. And when asked several times by a journalist if he would build a synagogue at the site if it were up to him, Ben-Gvir finally replied: 'Yes.' With inputs from agencies
NDTV
11 minutes ago
- NDTV
Trump Confirms Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's Russia Visit Ahead Of Sanctions Deadline
President Donald Trump confirmed Sunday his special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Russia in the coming week, ahead of a looming US sanctions deadline and escalating tensions with Moscow. Speaking to reporters, Trump also said that two nuclear submarines he deployed following an online row with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev were now "in the region." Trump has not said whether he meant nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarines. He also did not elaborate on the exact deployment locations, which are kept secret by the US military. The nuclear saber-rattling came against the backdrop of a deadline set by Trump at the end of next week for Russia to take steps towards ending the Ukraine war or face unspecified new sanctions. The Republican leader said Witkoff would visit "I think next week, Wednesday or Thursday." Russian President Vladimir Putin has already met Witkoff multiple times in Moscow, before Trump's efforts to mend ties with the Kremlin came to a grinding halt. When reporters asked what Witkoff's message would be to Moscow, and if there was anything Russia could do to avoid the sanctions, Trump replied: "Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed." Trump has previously threatened that new measures could mean "secondary tariffs" targeting Russia's remaining trade partners, such as China and India. This would further stifle Russia, but would risk significant international disruption. Despite the pressure from Washington, Russia's onslaught against its pro-Western neighbor continues to unfold. Putin, who has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, said Friday that he wants peace but that his demands for ending his nearly three-and-a-half year invasion were "unchanged." "We need a lasting and stable peace on solid foundations that would satisfy both Russia and Ukraine, and would ensure the security of both countries," Putin told reporters. But he added that "the conditions (from the Russian side) certainly remain the same." Russia has frequently called on Ukraine to effectively cede control of four regions Moscow claims to have annexed, a demand Kyiv has called unacceptable. Putin also seeks Ukraine to drop its ambitions to join NATO. Ukraine issued on Sunday a drone attack which sparked a fire at an oil depot in Sochi, the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Kyiv has said it will intensify its air strikes against Russia in response to an increase in Russian attacks on its territory in recent weeks, which have killed dozens of civilians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said Sunday that the two sides were preparing a prisoner exchange that would see 1,200 Ukrainian troops return home, following talks with Russia in Istanbul in July. Trump began his second term with his own rosy predictions that the war in Ukraine -- raging since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022 -- would soon end. In recent weeks, Trump has increasingly voiced frustration with Putin over Moscow's unrelenting offensive.
Economic Times
26 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Israeli PM Netanyahu asks Red Cross for help after 'profound shock' of Gaza hostage videos
Synopsis Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged the Red Cross to assist hostages in Gaza, following the release of disturbing videos showing their emaciated condition. Hamas has conditionally agreed to allow access if humanitarian corridors are opened. The videos have intensified calls for a truce and hostage release deal, amidst growing concerns over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. ANI "Hamas is the obstacle": Netanyahu on stalled hostage deal Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross on Sunday for help aiding hostages in Gaza, as outrage built at videos showing two of them premier's office said he spoke to the ICRC coordinator for the region, Julien Lerisson, and "requested his involvement in providing food to our hostages and... immediate medical treatment".The ICRC said in a statement it was "appalled by the harrowing videos" and reiterated its "call to be granted access to the hostages".In response, Hamas's armed wing said it would allow the agency access to the hostages but only if "humanitarian corridors" for food and aid were opened "across all areas of the Gaza Strip".The Al-Qassam Brigades said it did "not intentionally starve" the hostages, but they would not receive any special food privileges "amid the crime of starvation and siege" in Gaza. Over recent days, Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have released three videos showing two hostages seized during the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing images of Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, both of whom appeared weak and malnourished, have fuelled renewed calls in Israel for a truce and hostage release deal.A statement from Netanyahu's office on Saturday said he had spoken with the families of the two hostages and "expressed profound shock over the materials distributed by the terror organisations".Netanyahu "told the families that the efforts to return all our hostages are ongoing", the statement in the day, tens of thousands of people had rallied in the coastal hub of Tel Aviv to call on Netanyahu's government to secure the release of the remaining was particular outrage in Israel over images of David, who appeared to be digging what he said in the staged video was his own videos make references to the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where UN-mandated experts have warned a "famine is unfolding".An emergency session on the "dire situation of the hostages" will be convened by the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Israel's UN ambassador said Sunday in a post on foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the images "are appalling and expose the barbarity of Hamas", calling for the release of "all hostages... immediately and unconditionally". - 'Hamas must disarm' -Kallas said in the same post on X that "Hamas must disarm and end its rule in Gaza" -- demands endorsed earlier this week by Arab countries, including key mediators Qatar and added that "large-scale humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need".Israel has heavily restricted the entry of aid into Gaza, while UN agencies, humanitarian groups and analysts say that much of what Israel does allow in is looted or diverted in chaotic desperate Palestinians are left to risk their lives seeking what aid is distributed through controlled Sunday, Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed nine Palestinians who were waiting to collect food rations from a site operated by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) near the southern city of Rafah."The soldiers opened fire on people. I was there, no one posed any threat" to the Israeli forces, 31-year-old witness Jabr al-Shaer told AFP by was no comment from the more people were killed near a different GHF aid site in central Gaza on Sunday, while Israeli attacks elsewhere killed another five people, said civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal.- 'Emaciated and desperate' -Braslavski and David are among the 49 hostages taken during Hamas's 2023 attack who are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are of the 251 hostages seized in the attack were released during two short-lived truces, some in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official campaign in Gaza has killed at least 60,430 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which are deemed reliable by the Palestine Red Crescent Society said one of its staff members was killed in an Israeli attack on its Khan Yunis headquarters, in southern by AFP, the Israeli military said it was "not aware of a strike" in that restrictions and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP cannot independently verify tolls and details provided by various parties.
