Latest news with #Bazan
Spectator
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Spectator
Israel will not be cowed by Iran
Yesterday morning, as families in central Israel emerged from bomb shelters after yet another sleepless night, the air was once again rent by sirens and the thunder of incoming missiles. Fires ignited across multiple cities. In Petah Tikva, a building lay smouldering from a direct hit. In Haifa, Iranian missiles struck near the port, severely damaging a power facility and forcing Bazan, Israel's major oil refining and petrochemicals company, to suspend activity at all its plants. With grim efficiency, medics and emergency teams scrambled to locate survivors. It was the largest barrage of the war so far – around 100 ballistic missiles launched in a single salvo. And yet, amid the wreckage, Israel stood upright. Israel, for all its high technology and military prowess, fights this war not merely as a state but as the embodiment of a people That barrage marked the fourth day of Operation Rising Lion, the name given to Israel's air campaign, which has shifted the strategic centre of gravity into the heart of Iran. Over 250 targets have been struck in Tehran alone. Nuclear facilities, intelligence headquarters, ballistic missile sites, oil fields, and command centres have been devastated in coordinated strikes. Top Iranian generals, including Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi and his deputy, have been killed. Explosions and air defence activity have now been reported in Mashhad, Isfahan, and across the road to Qom. Yesterday, the IDF Spokesperson, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, stated that Israel had destroyed one third of the Iranian regime's surface-to-surface missile launchers and achieved full aerial operational control above Tehran. But Israel is not the only actor with staying power. The regime it now faces is one that reveres patience as a sacred principle. For 46 years, the Islamic Republic has bled its own people without flinching, executing, imprisoning, and terrorising Iranians in service of a messianic worldview rooted in Twelver Shiism. It neither dreads death nor shuns devastation. On the contrary, it thrives in crisis. Chaos is a doctrine, martyrdom a tactic. It is centred on the belief in a divinely guided line of twelve Imams, culminating in the hidden Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who is expected to reappear to establish justice. This messianic theology infuses the regime with a potent mix of fatalism and militancy. Western diplomats often treat Iran as a 'normal state'. But Iran sees itself as a sacred revolutionary project with a divine mission. This explains its willingness to wait decades to achieve strategic goals, its hostility to compromise – especially with Israel or the US – and its dual language: rational diplomacy abroad, apocalyptic zeal at home. The same regime that once sent children into minefields during the Iran-Iraq war now launches missiles at Israeli children in Bat Yam and Tamra. Twenty-four civilians have been killed in Iranian missile strikes on Israel, including several children. Hundreds more have been wounded. And yet, even now, the streets of Israeli cities do not empty. Medics operate under fire. Firefighters contain blazes ignited by hypersonic missiles. Citizens comply with civil defence instructions and emerge, again and again, to rebuild and restore. Beyond that, people still go to the shops, to work, and even to the beach. This is not only a display of operational competence. It is a demonstration of national will. Israel, for all its high technology and military prowess, fights this war not merely as a state but as the embodiment of a people. It is a people that has internalised, across centuries of exile and persecution, a simple truth: no one else will fight their wars for them. When Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that 'everything they've experienced until now will be nothing compared to what they will feel in the coming days,' he was not offering bluster. He was signalling resolve rooted not in vengeance, but in existential necessity. That necessity has grown more acute. Just past midnight last night, the IDF reported that missiles were once again launched from Iran toward Israeli territory. Defensive systems engaged. The Home Front Command ordered civilians to remain in shelters. By around 2 a.m., renewed Israeli airstrikes hit Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment facility. And around 4.30 a.m., Iran fired another small wave – single-digit numbers, likely cruise missiles. No impacts were recorded. Some interpret this as a sign of depletion, others as a change in tactics. In Tehran, unrest and disarray are growing. Internet service has collapsed in parts of the capital. Footage circulating online shows protests continuing. The IDF released news this morning documenting waves of Israeli airstrikes overnight in western Iran, targeting dozens of missile launch sites, drone storage facilities, and surface to air missile launchers. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesman had earlier announced the ninth wave of what Iran calls 'Operation True Promise III', declaring it would continue until dawn. But last night's retaliatory attacks were minimal, sporadic, and largely ineffective. The campaign against Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure has already achieved tactical depth. At Isfahan, strikes reportedly disabled a uranium conversion facility and a fuel fabrication plant. The IAEA has warned of cascading technical setbacks. Several nuclear scientists are confirmed dead. But Fordow – the most fortified site – remains. It is widely acknowledged that only the United States possesses the bunker-busting capability to strike it. The United States has not joined Israel militarily. Yet President Trump did order the deployment of the USS Nimitz carrier group overnight. Last night, Trump convened the National Security Council in the White House situation room, having left the G7 summit early. French President Macron claimed Trump had departed to work on a ceasefire. Trump rebuked this claim on his Truth social platform: 'Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.' Indeed, Trump has issued a series of declarations, consistent in message if escalating in tone. 'IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,' he wrote. 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' He added, 'I gave Iran 60 days and they said no, and the 61st you saw what happened.' Asked whether Israel could destroy Iran's nuclear capability without American support, he replied, 'It's irrelevant, something's going to happen.' Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth struck a less Trumpian diplomatic tone: 'We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal, and we certainly hope that's what happens here. Curiously, even late-night pizza orders seem to signal something. Two restaurants near the Pentagon, District Pizza Palace and We, The Pizza, have recorded unusually high demand two nights running, according to publicly available Google data. That may seem trivial, but it suggests a headquarters still bustling deep into the night – perhaps drafting contingency plans for a war it insists it is not yet part of And so, the enemy may be fanatical. But Israel, too, knows endurance. Not for messianic reward or imperial ambition, but for children asleep in shelters, for families huddled in stairwells, for the memory of pogroms and gas chambers, and for the unyielding belief that Jewish life is worth defending at any cost. Israel's resilience is rooted not in apocalypse, but in survival, self-reliance, and a moral obligation to outlive its enemies. Israel's will remains unbroken, but its means may soon face a critical test. Whether the United States will intervene militarily is a live and looming decision. As Israelis receive yet another warning alert this morning and prepare to enter shelters, the quiet power of that resilience continues to define this war. Iran may fight for apocalypse. Israel fights for tomorrow. And that is the unshakable difference that may yet shape the outcome.
Hans India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Iranian strike shuts down Israel's largest oil refinery
Bazan, Israel's largest oil refinery company, announced that all of its facilities at the Haifa Port had been completely shut down due to the damage caused by an Iranian missile strike. Three company employees were killed in the pre-dawn attack on Monday night, which ignited fires at the strategic complex. Video footage showed visible flames, and firefighting teams were still struggling to extinguish the blaze, Xinhua news agency reported quoting Israeli daily Ha'aretz. "The power station responsible for part of the steam and electricity production used by the group's facilities sustained significant damage, alongside additional impacts," the company said in a filing to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. "At this stage, all refinery and subsidiary facilities have been shut down," it added. Bazan said it was still assessing the extent of the damage and its impact on operations, as well as the best way to address the situation. The Iranian attack came amid a four-day deadly aerial warfare between the Islamic Republic and Israel that has cost the lives of at least 244 people in Iran and 24 in Israel. The escalation was sparked by Israel's surprise airstrikes across Iran on Friday. Iran launched a new pre-dawn missile attack on Israel on Monday, killing at least eight people and wounding dozens, Israeli officials said, as the four-day conflict triggered by an Israeli surprise assault intensified. The missile barrage set off air raid sirens across Israel. Plumes of black smoke rose above Haifa, a major coastal city in northern Israel, and eyewitnesses reported multiple explosions in the north and central regions of the country. Local authorities confirmed fatalities in several locations. Four people were killed when a missile struck a residential building in Petah Tikva, a city east of Tel Aviv, according to Mayor Rami Greenberg. He stated that hundreds of residents from the damaged building and three adjacent structures were evacuated. Photos from the scene showed multi-story buildings with significant blast damage and scattered rubble.
India Gazette
10 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Daily World Briefing, June 17
Iranian strike shuts down Israel's largest oil refinery Bazan, Israel's largest oil refinery company, announced on Monday night that all of its facilities at the Haifa Port had been completely shut down due to the damage caused by an Iranian missile strike. Three company employees were killed in the pre-dawn attack, which ignited fires at the strategic complex. Video footage showed visible flames, and firefighting teams were still struggling to extinguish the blaze, according to the Israeli daily Ha'aretz. Toppling Iranian leadership "could be outcome" of ongoing conflict: Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled on Monday that Israel will not halt its offensive against Iran, not even for negotiations, saying that toppling Iran's leadership "could certainly be the outcome" of the ongoing aerial warfare. Netanyahu made the remarks during a press conference, as Iran called on U.S. President Donald Trump to push for a ceasefire in the aerial conflict that began with Israel's surprise attack on Friday. Gaza internet outage ends, killings of food-seeking civilians continue The internet outage which paralyzed humanitarian aid in Gaza has ended, but the famine threat and the killings of food-seeking Palestinians continue as fuel dips critically low, UN humanitarian said on Monday. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said telecommunications cables in Gaza were repaired over the weekend, allowing internet services to resume after days of complete outage. U.S. issues travel advisory for Israel U.S. States Department on Monday issued travel advisory on its website, suggesting U.S. citizens not travel to Israel due to armed conflict, terrorism and civil unrest. "The security situation in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, is unpredictable," the advisory said, reminding U.S. citizens of remaining vigilant and taking appropriate steps to increase their security awareness as security incidents, including mortar and rocket fire and armed UAV intrusions and missiles, can take place without warning. Death toll hits 90 in South Africa's Eastern Cape floods The death toll from devastating floods in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province has risen to 90, as recovery operations continue to make progress in the affected areas, local authorities said Monday. "The latest report has indicated an increase in the number of fatalities from 88 to 90," said the Eastern Cape Provincial Government in a statement. "Out of the 90 fatalities, 60 are adults and 30 children, while 48 are male and 42 female." 48 dead after boats capsize in northwest DR Congo At least 48 people have died after boats capsized on Lake Tumba in the northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the DRC government said on Sunday. Following the incident near Bikoro in Equateur Province on Wednesday, 46 passengers have been rescued, while 107 remain unaccounted for. Authorities have recovered and buried 48 bodies so far, said a statement issued by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Security Jacquemain Shabani. 20 killed in clashes in Chad At least 20 people have been killed and 16 others injured following some clashes in Chad, authorities said on Monday. In a statement, the country's communication ministry said the clashes ran from June 10 to 14 in Molou locality of Ouaddai province (east of Chad). The statement did not say what caused the clashes but local media reported that the conflict involved two rival tribes. 4 killed, 6 injured in explosion in firecracker factory in India's Uttar Pradesh At least four women were killed and six others injured Monday in an explosion in a firecracker factory in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said. The explosion took place in Atrasi village of Amroha district, about 402 km northwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. Vietnam to establish first free trade zone in central region The Vietnamese government has approved the establishment of the country's first free trade zone in the central city of Da Nang, local media VnExpress reported Monday. Covering an area of 1,881 hectares, the zone is expected to become a major economic, logistics and technological hub in the Asia-Pacific region, the report added. Russia transfers bodies of over 6,000 soldiers to Ukraine Russia has transferred the bodies of 6,060 fallen soldiers to Ukraine, Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky said Monday. Russia agreed to return the bodies of 6,000 fallen Ukrainian soldiers after Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul on June 2.
The Star
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, June 16
JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled on Monday that Israel will not halt its offensive against Iran, not even for negotiations, saying that toppling Iran's leadership "could certainly be the outcome" of the ongoing aerial warfare. Netanyahu made the remarks during a press conference, as Iran called on U.S. President Donald Trump to push for a ceasefire in the aerial conflict that began with Israel's surprise attack on Friday. (Israel-Iran-Airstrikes) - - - - TEHRAN -- Iran's state broadcaster IRIB said one of its buildings was hit on Monday in a "brutal aggression" by Israel, but added that live broadcasts continued without major disruption. IRIB said the strike targeted its news network in an apparent effort "to silence the voice of the Iranian nation and the voice of truth." It said staff continued to provide coverage "at full capacity." (Iran-Israel-Attacks) - - - - JERUSALEM -- Bazan, Israel's largest oil refinery company, announced on Monday night that all of its facilities at the Haifa Port had been completely shut down due to the damage caused by an Iranian missile strike. Three company employees were killed in the pre-dawn attack, which ignited fires at the strategic complex. Video footage showed visible flames, and firefighting teams were still struggling to extinguish the blaze, according to the Israeli daily Ha'aretz. (Iran-Israel-Attacks) - - - - ANKARA -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan engaged in separate telephone discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday, urging a diplomatic resolution to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, according to a statement from the Turkish presidency. In his conversation with Putin, Erdogan characterized recent Israeli actions against Iran as instigating a "dangerous cycle of violence" that jeopardizes regional security. He asserted that the Israeli government's "lawless attitude" constitutes a significant threat to the international order and cautioned that "the region cannot tolerate another war." (Türkiye-Russia-Iran-Phone Talks)
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Israel's Haifa Oil Refinery Damaged in Missile Strike
Oil started the week with a gain, after an Iranian missile attack caused damage to the Haifa refinery in Israel over the weekend, prompting a partial shutdown, Israeli media reported, saying the facility remained operational. At the time of writing, Brent crude was trading at $74.83 per barrel, with West Texas Intermediate at $73.77 per barrel. The damage, according to the Haifa refinery's operator, Bazan, was localized at pipelines and transmission lines, the Times of Israel reported. The publication added that Iran launched some 40 missiles at the Haifa area on Saturday night. 'The refining facilities continue to operate, while some downstream facilities at the complex have been shut down,' Bazan said in a statement, as quoted by Argus. Israel, meanwhile, struck two gas treatment plants in southern Iran and an oil storage site in Tehran, which caused fires at two or three storage tanks. Missiles continue flying, with Iran targeting Tel Aviv and Haifa, with worry rising that the conflict will continue escalating, possibly culminating in disruption of oil flows via the Strait of Hormuz, which handles over 20 million barrels daily in oil exports. Further Israeli attacks on Iranian oil infrastructure are also a distinct possibility. 'If Iranian crude exports are disrupted, Chinese refiners, the sole buyers of Iranian barrels, would need to seek alternative grades from other Middle Eastern countries and Russian crudes,' S&P Global Commodity Insight's head of near-term oil analysis, Richard Joswick, said, as quoted by Reuters. 'This could also boost freight rates and tanker insurance premiums, narrow the Brent-Dubai spread, and hurt refinery margins, particularly in Asia,' Joswick added. Tanker owners are already refusing to send their vessels to the Persian Gulf and pulling out the ones that are already there, with the chief executive of Frontline, the world's largest tanker operator, saying that 'Trade is going to become more inefficient and, of course, security has a price.' By Irina Slav for More Top Reads From this article on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
