Category: Middle East

INTERNATIONAL — 15 April 2026 (NPA) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will intensify operations against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.

In a televised address on Wednesday, Netanyahu said he had instructed the military to press forward with its campaign, including efforts to capture the strategic town of Bint Jbeil, which he claimed is close to falling under Israeli control. He added that Israel would continue to expand its security zone along the border.

Netanyahu also noted that the United States has been keeping Israel updated on its contacts with Iran regarding ongoing ceasefire negotiations. He stressed that Israel’s objectives are aligned with those of Washington. “In anticipation of the possibility that the fighting will resume, we are prepared for any scenario,” he said.

Meanwhile, US–Iran ceasefire talks held in Islamabad earlier this week ended without agreement. After marathon negotiations lasting more than 21 hours, US officials said Tehran refused to accept Washington’s truce terms, while Iran insisted it did not expect a deal in the first meeting. The failure has left the fragile ceasefire uncertain, with the US military warning of possible escalations, including a blockade of Iranian ports.

Consequently, US President Donald Trump ordered the blockade of Iranian ports, cutting off Tehran’s ability to export its main source of revenue and dealing a heavy blow to its economy. Iran, however, has condemned the move, describing it as an affront to international law, vowing resistance.

JERUSALEM, Israel, 11 April 2026 (NPA) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel has achieved “historic accomplishments” in its war against Iran and allied militant groups, citing the destruction of nuclear facilities, missile stockpiles, and the elimination of senior Iranian leaders.

In a televised address, Netanyahu told citizens that Israel had faced existential threats from Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and other regional actors but had turned the tide through decisive military operations. “They threatened us with destruction, and now they are fighting to survive,” he said, stressing that Israel’s actions had fundamentally altered the balance of power in the Middle East.

Netanyahu highlighted Operation Rising Lion and Operation Roaring Lion as pivotal campaigns. He said Israeli pilots, supported by US forces, struck deep inside Iran, destroying enrichment plants, missile launchers, and heavy water facilities. According to him, these operations prevented Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and neutralized thousands of missiles that could have been launched daily against Israel.

The Prime Minister claimed that Israel’s actions went beyond halting nuclear progress. He announced that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his successor Ali Larijani, and multiple senior figures in Iran’s military and intelligence establishment had been eliminated. Strikes also crippled Iran’s petrochemical plants, steel industry, and gas production facilities, weakening the regime’s financial base. “We crushed the nuclear program. We crushed the missiles. We crushed the regime,” Netanyahu declared.

Netanyahu also pointed to successes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, noting the destruction of more than 150,000 rockets in a matter of hours and the elimination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. He said Israel had created security zones along its northern border to prevent infiltration and protect communities. In Gaza, Israeli forces now control over half of the territory, while in Syria, operations extended to Mount Hermon and the Yarmouk Valley.

The Prime Minister argued that Israel’s show of strength had shifted regional dynamics. He revealed that Lebanon had approached Israel for direct peace talks, conditioned on Hezbollah’s disarmament. He added that other Middle Eastern and international actors were seeking alliances with Israel, drawn by its military power. “Power attracts, just as weakness repels,” he said, claiming Israel had become the strongest regional power and, in some respects, a global one.

Netanyahu credited the alliance with the United States, particularly President Donald Trump, as unprecedented in scope. He said cooperation between the IDF and US forces had reshaped the balance of power in the region. “We initiated, we acted, we attacked,” he said, noting that joint strikes with American B‑2 bombers had destroyed key Iranian facilities.

Concluding his address, Netanyahu saluted Israeli soldiers, pilots, and citizens for their resilience. He praised the sacrifices of the fallen and the wounded, and thanked the public for standing firm. “Israel today is stronger than ever,” he said, vowing to continue operations until all threats are removed and a lasting peace is secured.

INTERNATIONAL, 10 April 2026 (NPA) — Amnesty International has condemned the Islamic Republic of Iran for the continued internet shutdown in the Persian Gulf country, describing it as a violation of basic human rights.

The rights group, in a statement on Friday, noted that citizens have lived under “digital darkness” for more than 1,000 hours, stressing that internet access is indispensable in times of conflict and unrest. Amnesty called on the authorities to immediately restore connectivity.

Authorities cut off more than 90 million people from the outside world on 28 February, preventing them from accessing essential information and contacting loved ones. The blackout began after nationwide protests over the worsening economy erupted on 1 February 2026, and has since deepened during the ongoing war with the United States and Israel.

According to Amnesty, the shutdown has severely affected individuals and businesses, compounding hardship as the blackout persists. The organisation reiterated that internet access is a fundamental right and urged Tehran to restore services without delay.

MIDDLE EAST, 9 April 2026 (NPA) — The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has announced the killing of Ali Yosef Harshi, nephew of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, in a precise overnight strike on Beirut, Lebanon. According to the IDF, Harshi served as the personal secretary and close adviser to Qassem, playing a central role in managing his office and security.

The IDF further stated that it struck two key crossings used by Hezbollah to move weapons south of the Litani River, along with approximately ten weapons storage sites, rocket launchers, and command centres in southern Lebanon.

In addition, the IDF reported the targeted killing of Muhammad Samir Muhammad Washah, whom it accused of being a Hamas operative working under the guise of an Al Jazeera journalist. Washah was alleged to be a senior figure in Hamas’s rocket and weapons production headquarters, involved in the manufacture and transfer of arms through Gaza.

Yesterday marked one of the most intense Israeli assaults on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, with over 100 sites targeted. The IDF claimed that individuals killed in the strikes were actively involved in planning attacks against Israeli forces and posed a direct threat to troops operating in the area.

MIDDLE EAST, April 7, 2026 (NPA) — The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has issued an urgent warning to people in Iran, advising them to avoid using railway services and to stay away from railway infrastructure across the country for their own safety.

In a statement released Tuesday, the IDF cautioned: “Dear Citizens, for your security, we kindly request that from this moment until 21:00 Iran time, you refrain from using and traveling by train throughout Iran. Your presence on trains and near railway lines endangers your life.”

The advisory comes amid heightened tensions following an ultimatum by U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned that all energy facilities and bridges — including railway lines — in Iran could be destroyed if the country refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil tanker traffic.

The ultimatum is set to expire today at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time, raising fears of potential escalation and disruption to critical infrastructure.