Pompeo speaks with Netanyahu on Iran, backs Israel’s preemptive raid
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about Israel’s latest strikes in Syria, the top US diplomat’s office said on Sunday.
Iran
Top Iranian general warns Israel that strikes will bring end to ‘Zionist regime’
A top Iranian general, blamed by Israel for masterminding a preempted bid to launch drone attacks from Syria, warned Israel on Sunday that its strikes against Iran would not be tolerated much longer.
US officials say Israel behind bombing of Iranian militias in Iraq
Israel has recently carried out a series of airstrikes against Iranian-linked military targets in Iraq, two senior US officials told the New York Times on Friday.
Iran Kicks Off ‘Massive’ War Games, Unveils Homemade Russian Missile System
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ ground forces kicked off a ‘massive’ set of war drills Thursday as the country unveiled its own homemade version of Russia’s advanced S-300 missile defense system in yet another showing of Tehran’s growing readiness for a possible war.
Report: US, Russia gave Israel green light to strike Iran in Syria, Iraq
Israel has conducted several strikes on Iranian-controlled bases in Syria and Iraq in recent weeks with permission from the United States and Russia, a Western diplomatic source told a Saudi-owned newspaper Wednesday.
State TV: Iran to unveil air defense missile system
Iran’s state TV is reporting that the country will unveil an Iran-made air-defense missile system.
Israeli, US special forces practice ship takeovers amid high tensions in Gulf
Israeli and American naval special forces completed a large-scale exercise in the Mediterranean Sea last week simulating the takeover of a merchant ship carrying illegal weapons and contraband, as Iran and a US-led coalition square off on shipping routes in the nearby Persian Gulf.
US says anyone who ‘touches’ Iran tanker risks US sanctions
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says anyone who ‘touches,’ supports or allows an Iranian tanker carrying crude oil to dock risks U.S. sanctions.
Pompeo Blasts Iran At UN Security Council Session On Middle East Security
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo specifically singled out Iran in a speech on August 20 at a UN Security Council session on Middle East peace and security challenges.
Are airstrikes on Shi’ite militias in Iraq new front?
Four airstrikes against Iranian-backed Shi’ite militia bases in Iraq in the last month represent a new front that appears to be developing against these groups, however, they remain shrouded in mystery. On Tuesday, an explosion destroyed munition storage near Balad Airbase in Iraq.
Netanyahu hints Israel behind strikes on Iraq, says Iran not immune anywhere
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday hinted that Israel was behind recent airstrikes on Iranian targets in Iraq, stressing that the Jewish state will continue to act militarily whenever and wherever there is a need to do so.
’Finding a Job, and Rejecting Sex, Is a Constant’: Iranian Christian Woman Challenges Culture of Sex Slavery in Tehran
Single mothers in Iran are embracing Christianity as a way out of sex slavery.
Hezbollah and Iran taking over southern Syria
One year after the Syrian government and its allies took over southern Syria, there has been increased infiltration of the area by Iranian-supported militias along the border with Israel, an area of great geopolitical importance.
US said coordinating secret Iran talks between Israel, Emirates
The United States has been arranging secret talks between Israel and the United Arab Emirates in recent months to discuss the common threat posed by Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
British Release Iranian Tanker After U.S. Fails in Bid to Take Over Seizure
An Iranian oil tanker held for over a month by British authorities was released Thursday, despite a legal bid by the U.S. to take over the seizure.
US moves to block release of Iranian vessel in Gibraltar
The US has applied to seize an Iranian tanker in Gibraltar commandeered by British Royal Marines in the Mediterranean last month, a judge has told a court in Gibraltar, according to local media reports.
Israel blamed for blast in Iran-backed militia weapons depot in Baghdad
A former Iraqi deputy prime minister on Wednesday indicated Israel was responsible for a massive explosion earlier this week in a weapons depot controlled by an Iranian-backed Shiite militia in Baghdad.
Iranian commander: Hezbollah honed its skills in Syria, can destroy Israel
Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami declared on Wednesday that Lebanese terrorist group ‘Hezbollah has acquired capabilities in Syria that allow it to destroy Israel alone.’
At the southern tip of the Red Sea, Iran poses a direct threat to Israel
As Iran seeks to intimidate its way out of US-led economic sanctions, including by seizing tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a top Israeli expert has warned that Israel would be immensely vulnerable if Tehran extends this tactic to a second strategic waterway.
Iran warns of war if Israeli warships enter Persian Gulf
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned there’s a potential for war if Israel joins the maritime coalition in the Persian Gulf.