Israeli helicopters said to strike Iranian-linked targets in Syrian Golan
Syria accused Israeli helicopters of carrying out airstrikes in the Syrian Golan Heights in the early hours of Friday morning.
Iran
Iran Condemns Germany’s Ban Of Hezbollah Movement
Iran has condemned Germany’s decision to ban the militant Hezbollah movement from carrying out activities on its soil. Tehran also threatened Berlin with unspecified consequences for designating Hezbollah as a “terrorist “organization this week, when German police raided mosques and venues linked to the group.
U.S., Israel Hail German Move Banning Iran-Backed Hezbollah
Germany has banned Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah’s activities on its soil and designated it a terrorist organization, a move welcomed by Tehran’s rivals the United States and Israel.
India Condemns U.S. Religious Rights Report
A U.S. government advisory panel wants India on a religious freedom blacklist over a “drastic” downturn under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering an angry reaction from New Delhi. In addition to India, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also recommends the inclusion of four more – Nigeria, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam.
Officials: US seeks indefinite UN arms embargo on Iran
The United States has circulated a draft U.N. resolution that would indefinitely extend a U.N. arms embargo on Iran set to expire in October, a move almost certain to spark opposition from Russia, which has made no secret of its desire to resume conventional weapons sales to Tehran, U.S. officials and U.N. diplomats said Tuesday.
Syria accuses Israel of air-strike near Damascus
Syria has accused Israel of conducting a pre-dawn airstrike on a military airfield near Damascus on Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said at least four Iranian militants and three civilians were killed, the Jerusalem Post reports.
Hezbollah and Israel Try To Avoid War, For Now
Israel and the Islamic militant Hezbollah group have reportedly agreed on informal rules of engagement as they prepare for possible war while trying to avoid setting it off. The New York Times newspaper reports that Israel has mostly refrained from killing members of Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and committed to destroying the Jewish state.
Iran Threatens “Crushing Response” To U.S. Attacks
Iran threatens a ‘crushing response’ to any American military attacks in the Persian Gulf after United States President Donald Trump threatened to ‘shoot down and destroy’ Iranian vessels. The leader of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that the security of the Gulf is among Iran’s strategic priorities.
Russia, Turkey, and Iran To Meet On Syria
The foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, and Iran will hold a video conference on April 22 to discuss Syria and a de-escalation deal in the last rebel-held enclave in Idlib.
Regional conflict in Middle East looks likely again as Trump and Iran trade threats, Syria reports Israeli airstrikes
President Trump threatened Iran with severe retaliation Wednesday after the U.S. military claimed Iranian ships had made ‘dangerous and threatening approaches’ toward American navy vessels in the Persian Gulf last week.
Trump orders Navy to ‘destroy’ Iranian boats ‘harassing’ US ships in warning over provocative maneuvers
President Trump said he directed the Navy to destroy Iranian military vessels that conduct provocative maneuvers near U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf.
Iran Guards reveal secret space program in satellite launch
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched its first satellite into space Wednesday, dramatically revealing what experts described as a secret military space program that could advance its ballistic missile development amid wider tensions between the Islamic Republic and the US.
Iran launches first military satellite into space
Iran successfully launched its first military satellite into space on Wednesday, authorities in Tehran said, spurring warnings from Washington and heightening tensions between the two countries.
‘Iran Jails and Lashes Christian Woman For Faith And Protest’
Christian rights activist Mary (Fatemeh) Mohammadi says she has been sentenced to three months and one-day imprisonment and 10 lashes for publicly protesting Iran’s downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane.
Israeli drone reportedly attacks Hezbollah vehicle in Syria
Lebanese media have reported that on Wednesday afternoon an Israeli drone attacked a vehicle belonging to the Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist group, Hezbollah. The vehicle was in Syria, close to the border with Lebanon. There were no reports of any injuries from the strike.
US Navy and Coastal Guard harassed by Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessels in international waters
The US 5th Fleet confirmed that on Wednesday a group of US Navy and Coastal Guard ships were subjected to about an hour of ‘dangerous and provocative’ harassment from eleven Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessels. The US ships were conducting joint integration operations with US Army helicopters in the international waters of the North Arabian Gulf when they were approached by the Iranian vessels.
IMF Warns COVID-19 Could Cause Global Unrest
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns of global social unrest if government measures to halt the coronavirus pandemic are seen as unfairly favoring the rich.
Iranian believer decides to stay in Iran and face persecution, inspires others
A Christian in Iran sent to languish in a remote desert town after a seven-year prison sentence found a warm welcome from local Muslims, according to a new YouTube interview.
UN predicts worsening locust plague in Africa and the Middle East
A second wave of desert locusts, projected to be 20 times the size of earlier swarms that the UN has called “unprecedented,” is expected to arrive in Africa and the Middle East over the summer.
Saudi-led Coalition Announces Cease-fire in Yemen War
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said Wednesday that it was halting military operations nationwide in support of U.N. efforts to end a five-year war that has killed over 100,000 people and spread hunger and disease.