A strong earthquake struck northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, with residents reporting violent shaking in the capital Taipei but there were no immediate reports of widespread damage.

Taiwan's central weather bureau said the quake was of magnitude 6.5, the biggest on the island this year, while the US Geological Survey gave a lower figure of 6.2.

It hit northeastern Yilan county at 1:11 pm (0511 GMT) at a depth of 67 kilometres (42 miles).

An AFP reporter who lives in Yilan said the shaking seemed to last about 30 seconds.

"The walls of the house were shaking, both sideways and up and down, it felt quite strong," the reporter said.

There was no damage in his neighbourhood.

The main quake was followed by a 5.4-magnitude aftershock and Taipei's MRT metro system shut down as a precaution for a little under an hour before service resumed.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bali-earthquake-kills-three-injures-seven-421194">Bali earthquake kills three, injures seven</a>

Tom Parker, a British illustrator who lives in Taipei, said he was riding the subway when the quake hit.

"First time I've felt a quake on the MRT. Like a tame rollercoaster," he tweeted, adding he and other commuters were told to shelter in place in the station.

Many others reported the tremor on social media.

"I was scared to death, I screamed in my room," Facebook user Yu Ting wrote.

"This earthquake is really big, glass has shattered in my living room."

Some grocery stores reported food and other goods were thrown from shelves by the shaking.

Authorities said they did not expect widespread damage because the quake was not a shallow one.&nbsp;

"The public don't have to be too worried," said Chen Kuo-chang, head of the central weather bureau’s seismological centre.&nbsp;

"The quake is deep and its intensity is not as big&nbsp;it could have caused unpredictable damage if it were a shallow one," he added.&nbsp;

Taiwan’s emergency operations centre reported one injury, a woman hit by falling rocks. Her friends were carrying her down a mountain in eastern Hualien county.&nbsp;

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/61-magnitude-earthquake-shakes-tokyo-area-no-tsunami-danger-418955">&nbsp;6.1-magnitude earthquake shakes Tokyo area; no tsunami danger</a>

Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes as the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.

Some earthquakes of this magnitude can prove deadly, although much depends on where the quake strikes and at what depth.

Hualien, a scenic tourist hotspot, was struck by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in 2018 that killed 17 people and injured nearly 300.

In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude quake killed around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.

However, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck in December 2020 in Yilan with no major damage or injuries reported.

A strong earthquake struck northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, with residents reporting violent shaking in the capital Taipei but there were no immediate reports of widespread damage.

A strong earthquake struck northeastern Taiwan on Sunday, with residents reporting violent shaking in the capital Taipei but there were no immediate reports of widespread damage. Taiwan's central weather bureau said the quake was of magnitude 6.5, the biggest on the island this year, while the US Geological Survey gave a lower figure of 6.2. It hit northeastern Yilan county at 1:11 pm (0511 GMT) at a depth of 67 kilometres (42 miles). An AFP reporter who lives in Yilan said the shaking seemed to last about 30 seconds. "The walls of the house were shaking, both sideways and up and down, it felt quite strong," the reporter said. There was no damage in his neighbourhood. The main quake was followed by a 5.4-magnitude aftershock and Taipei's MRT metro system shut down as a precaution for a little under an hour before service resumed. Also Read | Bali earthquake kills three, injures seven Tom Parker, a British illustrator who lives in Taipei, said he was riding the subway when the quake hit. "First time I've felt a quake on the MRT. Like a tame rollercoaster," he tweeted, adding he and other commuters were told to shelter in place in the station. Many others reported the tremor on social media. "I was scared to death, I screamed in my room," Facebook user Yu Ting wrote. "This earthquake is really big, glass has shattered in my living room." Some grocery stores reported food and other goods were thrown from shelves by the shaking. Authorities said they did not expect widespread damage because the quake was not a shallow one. "The public don't have to be too worried," said Chen Kuo-chang, head of the central weather bureau’s seismological centre. "The quake is deep and its intensity is not as big it could have caused unpredictable damage if it were a shallow one," he added. Taiwan’s emergency operations centre reported one injury, a woman hit by falling rocks. Her friends were carrying her down a mountain in eastern Hualien county. Also Read | 6.1-magnitude earthquake shakes Tokyo area; no tsunami danger Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes as the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates. Some earthquakes of this magnitude can prove deadly, although much depends on where the quake strikes and at what depth. Hualien, a scenic tourist hotspot, was struck by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in 2018 that killed 17 people and injured nearly 300. In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude quake killed around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history. However, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck in December 2020 in Yilan with no major damage or injuries reported.

Strong earthquake strikes northern Taiwan

Strikes&nbsp;on&nbsp;Yemen's&nbsp;largest&nbsp;airbase&nbsp;Sunday&nbsp;killed&nbsp;at least seven pro-government troops and injured scores more, medical and loyalist sources told AFP, blaming rebels for the attack.

Medics said they received seven bodies and treated more than 50 people injured in the attack&nbsp;on&nbsp;Al-Anad air base in the government-held southern province of Lahij.&nbsp;

The internationally-recognised government backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, and the Iran-allied Huthi rebels have been locked in war since 2014, when the insurgents seized the capital Sanaa.

Armed forces spokesman Mohammed al-Naqib told AFP there were casualties, without giving &nbsp;numbers, accusing the rebels of launching missile and drone&nbsp;strikes.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/unsc-does-not-refer-to-taliban-in-kabul-airport-attack-statement-409146">Also read |&nbsp;UNSC does not refer to Taliban in Kabul airport attack statement</a>

A local pro-government official, who spoke&nbsp;on&nbsp;condition of anonymity, confirmed fatalities.

There was no immediate comment from the rebel side.

In 2019, the Huthis said they launched a drone strike&nbsp;on&nbsp;Al-Anad during a military parade, with medics and government sources saying at the time at least six&nbsp;loyalists&nbsp;were&nbsp;killed,&nbsp;including a high-ranking intelligence official.&nbsp;

Al-Anad, some 60 kilometres&nbsp;north of&nbsp;Yemen's second city Aden, was the headquarters for US troops overseeing a long-running drone war against Al-Qaeda until March 2014 when it was overrun by the Huthi rebels.

It was recaptured by government forces in August 2015 as they recovered territory from the rebels across the south with support from the Saudi-led coalition.

Strikes on Yemen's largest airbase Sunday killed at least seven pro-government troops and injured scores more, medical and loyalist sources told AFP, blaming rebels for the attack.

Strikes on Yemen's largest airbase Sunday killed at least seven pro-government troops and injured scores more, medical and loyalist sources told AFP, blaming rebels for the attack. Medics said they received seven bodies and treated more than 50 people injured in the attack on Al-Anad air base in the government-held southern province of Lahij. The internationally-recognised government backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, and the Iran-allied Huthi rebels have been locked in war since 2014, when the insurgents seized the capital Sanaa. Armed forces spokesman Mohammed al-Naqib told AFP there were casualties, without giving numbers, accusing the rebels of launching missile and drone strikes. Also read | UNSC does not refer to Taliban in Kabul airport attack statement A local pro-government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed fatalities. There was no immediate comment from the rebel side. In 2019, the Huthis said they launched a drone strike on Al-Anad during a military parade, with medics and government sources saying at the time at least six loyalists were killed, including a high-ranking intelligence official. Al-Anad, some 60 kilometres north of Yemen's second city Aden, was the headquarters for US troops overseeing a long-running drone war against Al-Qaeda until March 2014 when it was overrun by the Huthi rebels. It was recaptured by government forces in August 2015 as they recovered territory from the rebels across the south with support from the Saudi-led coalition.

7 loyalists killed in strikes on Yemen's largest airbase

Israeli aircraft bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, Israel's military said. 
 
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the strike that targeted what the military said was a rocket launching site and a compound belonging to Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza. Hamas had no immediate comment. 
 
Since a May 21 ceasefire ended 11 days of Israel-Hamas fighting, Palestinians in Gaza have sporadically launched balloons laden with incendiary material across the border, causing fires that have burned fields in Israel. 
 
Palestinians say the balloons aim to pressure Israel to ease restrictions on the coastal enclave that were tightened during the May fighting. 
 
Balloon launches had mostly ebbed after Israel eased some restrictions on Gaza. 
 
But on Friday, balloons were again launched from Gaza, causing at least four brush fires in areas near the Israel-Gaza frontier. 
 
The Israeli military said its air strikes were in "response to continual launches of incendiary balloons from Gaza into Israel throughout the day." 
 
The blazes along the Gaza frontier broke out on Friday as Israel separately traded fire over its northern border with Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah, in a third day of cross-border salvoes amid wider regional tensions with Iran.

Israeli aircraft bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, Israel's military said.

Israeli aircraft bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, Israel's military said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the strike that targeted what the military said was a rocket launching site and a compound belonging to Hamas, the Islamist group that rules Gaza. Hamas had no immediate comment. Since a May 21 ceasefire ended 11 days of Israel-Hamas fighting, Palestinians in Gaza have sporadically launched balloons laden with incendiary material across the border, causing fires that have burned fields in Israel. Palestinians say the balloons aim to pressure Israel to ease restrictions on the coastal enclave that were tightened during the May fighting. Balloon launches had mostly ebbed after Israel eased some restrictions on Gaza. But on Friday, balloons were again launched from Gaza, causing at least four brush fires in areas near the Israel-Gaza frontier. The Israeli military said its air strikes were in "response to continual launches of incendiary balloons from Gaza into Israel throughout the day." The blazes along the Gaza frontier broke out on Friday as Israel separately traded fire over its northern border with Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah, in a third day of cross-border salvoes amid wider regional tensions with Iran.

Israel strikes Hamas sites in Gaza in response to fire balloons: Military

Israel hit Islamist militant sites in Gaza with airstrikes on Friday, July 2. This comes in retaliation for incendiary balloon launches from the Palestinian enclave.

Israel hit Islamist militant sites in Gaza with airstrikes on Friday, July 2. This comes in retaliation for incendiary balloon launches from the Palestinian enclave. There were no injuries reported. A statement from Israel's army said: "In response to the arson balloons fired towards Israeli territory today, (military) fighter jets struck... a weapons manufacturing site belonging to the Hamas terror organisation." Also Read | Gaza conflict intensifies with rocket barrages and air strikes Eleven days of deadly fighting between Israel and Gaza's Hamas Islamist rulers, as well as other Palestinian armed groups based in the enclave, ended on May 21 with a ceasefire declaration. There was no immediate indication as to which Gaza-based group was responsible for the balloon launch. The conflict has killed 260 Palestinians including some fighters, according to Gaza authorities. In Israel, 13 people were killed, including a soldier, by rockets fired from Gaza, the police and army said. Israel has maintained a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007. This is the year Hamas took power, which the Jewish state says is necessary to contain armed groups in the enclave. Meanwhile, in the ongoing conflict, the gap between truth and falsehoods is growing wider by the day. A lot of credit for this goes to social media where misinformation is flourishing with fake videos and images going viral.

Israel strikes Gaza after incendiary balloon launch

In less than nine months, an assassin on a motorbike fatally shot an al-Qaida commander given refuge in Tehran, Iran’s chief nuclear scientist was machine-gunned on a country road, and two separate, mysterious explosions rocked a key Iranian nuclear facility in the desert, striking the heart of the country’s efforts to enrich uranium.

The steady drumbeat of attacks, which intelligence officials said were carried out by Israel, highlighted the seeming ease with which Israeli intelligence was able to reach deep inside Iran’s borders and repeatedly strike its most heavily guarded targets, often with the help of turncoat Iranians.

The attacks, the latest wave in more than two decades of sabotage and assassinations, have exposed embarrassing security lapses and left Iran’s leaders looking over their shoulders as they pursue negotiations with the Biden administration aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear agreement.

The recriminations have been caustic.

The head of parliament’s strategic center said Iran had turned into a “haven for spies.” The former commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard called for an overhaul of the country’s security and intelligence apparatus. Lawmakers have demanded the resignation of top security and intelligence officials.

Most alarming for Iran, Iranian officials and analysts said, was that the attacks revealed that Israel had an effective network of collaborators inside Iran and that Iran’s intelligence services had failed to find the moles.

“That the Israelis are effectively able to hit Iran inside in such a brazen way is hugely embarrassing and demonstrates a weakness that I think plays poorly inside Iran,” said Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House.

The attacks have also cast a cloud of paranoia over a country that now sees foreign plots in every mishap.

Over the weekend, Iranian state television flashed a photograph of a man said to be Reza Karimi, 43, and accused him of being the “perpetrator of sabotage” in an explosion at the Natanz nuclear enrichment plant last month. But it was unclear who he was, whether he had acted alone and if that was even his real name. In any case, he had fled the country before the blast, Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said.

On Monday, after Iranian state news media reported that Brig. Gen. Mohammad Hosseinzadeh Hejazi, the deputy commander of the Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Revolutionary Guard, had died of heart disease, there were immediate suspicions of foul play.

Hejazi had long been a target of Israeli espionage, and the son of another prominent Quds Force commander insisted on Twitter that Hejazi’s death was “not cardiac-related.”

A Revolutionary Guard spokesman failed to clear the air with a statement saying the general had died of the combined effects of “extremely difficult assignments,” a recent COVID-19 infection and exposure to chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war.

The general would have been the third high-ranking Iranian military official to be assassinated in the last 15 months. The United States killed Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the Quds Force, in January 2020. Israel assassinated Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran’s chief nuclear scientist and a brigadier general in the Revolutionary Guard, in November.

Even if Hejazi died of natural causes, the cumulative loss of three top generals was a significant blow.

The attacks represent an uptick in a long-running campaign by the intelligence services of Israel and the United States to subvert what they consider to be Iran’s threatening activities.

Chief among them are a nuclear program that Iran insists is peaceful, Iran’s investment in proxy militias across the Arab world, and its development of precision-guided missiles for Hezbollah, the militant movement in Lebanon.

An Israeli military intelligence document in 2019 said that Hejazi was a leading figure in the last two, as the commander of the Lebanese corps of the Quds Force and the leader of the guided missile project. Revolutionary Guard spokesman Ramezan Sharif said that Israel wanted to assassinate Hejazi.

Israel has been working to derail Iran’s nuclear program, which it considers a mortal threat, since it began. Israel is believed to have started assassinating key figures in the program in 2007, when a nuclear scientist at a uranium plant in Isfahan died in a mysterious gas leak.

In the years since, six other scientists and military officials said to be critical to Iran’s nuclear efforts have been assassinated. A seventh was wounded.

Another top Quds Force commander, Rostam Ghasemi, said recently that he had narrowly escaped an Israeli assassination attempt during a visit to Lebanon in March.

But assassination is just one tool in a campaign that operates on multiple levels and fronts.

In 2018, Israel carried out a daring nighttime raid to steal a half-ton of secret archives of Iran’s nuclear program from a warehouse in Tehran.

Israel has also reached around the world, tracking down equipment in other countries that is bound for Iran to destroy it, conceal transponders in its packaging or install explosive devices to be detonated after the gear has been installed inside of Iran, according to a former high-ranking U.S. intelligence official.

A former Israeli intelligence operative said that to compromise such equipment, she and another officer would drive by the factory and stage a crisis, such as a car accident or a heart attack, and the woman would appeal to the guards for help. That would get her enough access to the facility to identify its security system so that another team could break in and disable it, she said, speaking on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to discuss covert operations.

In an interview on Iranian state television last week, Iran’s former nuclear chief revealed the origins of an explosion in the Natanz nuclear plant in July. The explosives had been sealed inside a heavy desk that had been placed in the plant months earlier, said Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani, the former chief of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization.

The explosion ripped through a factory producing a new generation of centrifuges, setting back Iran’s nuclear enrichment program by months, officials said.

Alireza Zakani, head of parliament’s research center, said Tuesday that in another case machinery from a nuclear site had been sent abroad for repair and was returned to Iran with 300 pounds of explosives packed inside it.

Little is known about the more recent explosion at Natanz this month except that it destroyed the plant’s independent power system, which in turn destroyed thousands of centrifuges.

It would have been difficult for Israel to carry out these operations without inside help from Iranians, and that may be what rankles Iran most.

Security officials in Iran have prosecuted several Iranian citizens over the past decade, charging them with complicity in Israeli sabotage and assassination operations. The penalty is execution.

But the infiltrations have also sullied the reputation of the intelligence wing of the Revolutionary Guard, which is responsible for guarding nuclear sites and scientists.

A former Guard commander demanded a “cleansing” of the intelligence service, and Iran’s vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, said that the unit responsible for security at Natanz should be “be held accountable for its failures.”

The deputy head of parliament, Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, told the Iranian news media on Monday that it was no longer enough to blame Israel and the United States for such attacks. Iran needed to clean its own house.

As a publication affiliated with the Guard, Mashregh News, put it last week: “Why does the security of the nuclear facility act so irresponsibly that it gets hit twice from the same hole?”

But the Revolutionary Guard answers only to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and so far there has been no sign of a top-down reshuffling.

After each attack, Iran has struggled to respond, sometimes claiming to have identified those responsible only after they had left the country or saying that they remained at large. Iranian officials also insist that they have foiled other attacks.

Calls for retaliation grow louder after each attack. Conservatives have accused the government of President Hassan Rouhani of weakness or of subjugating the country’s security to the nuclear talks in hopes they will lead to relief from U.S. sanctions.

Indeed, Iranian officials shifted to what they called “strategic patience” in the last year of the Trump administration, calculating that Israel sought to goad them into an open conflict that would eliminate the possibility of negotiations with a new Democratic administration.

Both Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have said they would not allow the attacks to derail the negotiations because lifting sanctions was the priority.

It is also possible that Iran has tried to retaliate but failed.

Iran was blamed for a bomb that exploded near Israel’s Embassy in New Delhi in January, and 15 militants linked to Iran were arrested last month in Ethiopia for plotting to attack Israeli, American and Emirati targets.

But any overt retaliation risks an overwhelming Israeli response.

“They are not in a hurry to start a war,” said Talal Atrissi, a political science professor at the Lebanese University in Beirut. “Retaliation means war.”

Conversely, the timing of Israel’s latest attack on Natanz suggested that Israel sought if not to derail the talks, to at least weaken Iran’s bargaining power. Israel opposed the 2015 nuclear agreement and opposes its resurrection.

The United States, seeking to negotiate with Iran in Vienna, said it was not involved in the attack but has not publicly criticized it either.

And if the repeated Israeli attacks had the effect of fomenting a national paranoia, an intelligence official said, that was a side benefit for Israel. The additional steps Iran has taken to scan buildings for surveillance devices and plumb employees’ backgrounds to root out potential spies has slowed down the enrichment work, the official said.

The conventional wisdom is that neither side wants full-scale war and is counting on the other not to escalate. But at the same time, the covert, regionwide shadow war between Israel and Iran has intensified with Israeli airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias in Syria and tit for tat attacks on ships.

But as Iran faces a struggling economy, rampant COVID-19 infections and other problems of poor governance, the pressure is on to reach a new agreement soon to remove economic sanctions, said Vakil of Chatham House.

“These low-level, gray zone attacks reveal that the Islamic Republic urgently needs to get the JCPOA back into a box” to free up resources to address its other problems, she said, referring to the nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

In less than nine months, an assassin on a motorbike fatally shot an al-Qaida commander given refuge in Tehran, Iran’s chief nuclear scientist was machine-gunned on a country road, and two separate, mysterious explosions rocked a key Iranian nuclear facility in the desert, striking the heart of the country’s efforts to enrich uranium.

In less than nine months, an assassin on a motorbike fatally shot an al-Qaida commander given refuge in Tehran, Iran’s chief nuclear scientist was machine-gunned on a country road, and two separate, mysterious explosions rocked a key Iranian nuclear facility in the desert, striking the heart of the country’s efforts to enrich uranium. The steady drumbeat of attacks, which intelligence officials said were carried out by Israel, highlighted the seeming ease with which Israeli intelligence was able to reach deep inside Iran’s borders and repeatedly strike its most heavily guarded targets, often with the help of turncoat Iranians. The attacks, the latest wave in more than two decades of sabotage and assassinations, have exposed embarrassing security lapses and left Iran’s leaders looking over their shoulders as they pursue negotiations with the Biden administration aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear agreement. The recriminations have been caustic. The head of parliament’s strategic center said Iran had turned into a “haven for spies.” The former commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard called for an overhaul of the country’s security and intelligence apparatus. Lawmakers have demanded the resignation of top security and intelligence officials. Most alarming for Iran, Iranian officials and analysts said, was that the attacks revealed that Israel had an effective network of collaborators inside Iran and that Iran’s intelligence services had failed to find the moles. “That the Israelis are effectively able to hit Iran inside in such a brazen way is hugely embarrassing and demonstrates a weakness that I think plays poorly inside Iran,” said Sanam Vakil, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House. The attacks have also cast a cloud of paranoia over a country that now sees foreign plots in every mishap. Over the weekend, Iranian state television flashed a photograph of a man said to be Reza Karimi, 43, and accused him of being the “perpetrator of sabotage” in an explosion at the Natanz nuclear enrichment plant last month. But it was unclear who he was, whether he had acted alone and if that was even his real name. In any case, he had fled the country before the blast, Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said. On Monday, after Iranian state news media reported that Brig. Gen. Mohammad Hosseinzadeh Hejazi, the deputy commander of the Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Revolutionary Guard, had died of heart disease, there were immediate suspicions of foul play. Hejazi had long been a target of Israeli espionage, and the son of another prominent Quds Force commander insisted on Twitter that Hejazi’s death was “not cardiac-related.” A Revolutionary Guard spokesman failed to clear the air with a statement saying the general had died of the combined effects of “extremely difficult assignments,” a recent COVID-19 infection and exposure to chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war. The general would have been the third high-ranking Iranian military official to be assassinated in the last 15 months. The United States killed Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the Quds Force, in January 2020. Israel assassinated Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran’s chief nuclear scientist and a brigadier general in the Revolutionary Guard, in November. Even if Hejazi died of natural causes, the cumulative loss of three top generals was a significant blow. The attacks represent an uptick in a long-running campaign by the intelligence services of Israel and the United States to subvert what they consider to be Iran’s threatening activities. Chief among them are a nuclear program that Iran insists is peaceful, Iran’s investment in proxy militias across the Arab world, and its development of precision-guided missiles for Hezbollah, the militant movement in Lebanon. An Israeli military intelligence document in 2019 said that Hejazi was a leading figure in the last two, as the commander of the Lebanese corps of the Quds Force and the leader of the guided missile project. Revolutionary Guard spokesman Ramezan Sharif said that Israel wanted to assassinate Hejazi. Israel has been working to derail Iran’s nuclear program, which it considers a mortal threat, since it began. Israel is believed to have started assassinating key figures in the program in 2007, when a nuclear scientist at a uranium plant in Isfahan died in a mysterious gas leak. In the years since, six other scientists and military officials said to be critical to Iran’s nuclear efforts have been assassinated. A seventh was wounded. Another top Quds Force commander, Rostam Ghasemi, said recently that he had narrowly escaped an Israeli assassination attempt during a visit to Lebanon in March. But assassination is just one tool in a campaign that operates on multiple levels and fronts. In 2018, Israel carried out a daring nighttime raid to steal a half-ton of secret archives of Iran’s nuclear program from a warehouse in Tehran. Israel has also reached around the world, tracking down equipment in other countries that is bound for Iran to destroy it, conceal transponders in its packaging or install explosive devices to be detonated after the gear has been installed inside of Iran, according to a former high-ranking U.S. intelligence official. A former Israeli intelligence operative said that to compromise such equipment, she and another officer would drive by the factory and stage a crisis, such as a car accident or a heart attack, and the woman would appeal to the guards for help. That would get her enough access to the facility to identify its security system so that another team could break in and disable it, she said, speaking on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to discuss covert operations. In an interview on Iranian state television last week, Iran’s former nuclear chief revealed the origins of an explosion in the Natanz nuclear plant in July. The explosives had been sealed inside a heavy desk that had been placed in the plant months earlier, said Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani, the former chief of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization. The explosion ripped through a factory producing a new generation of centrifuges, setting back Iran’s nuclear enrichment program by months, officials said. Alireza Zakani, head of parliament’s research center, said Tuesday that in another case machinery from a nuclear site had been sent abroad for repair and was returned to Iran with 300 pounds of explosives packed inside it. Little is known about the more recent explosion at Natanz this month except that it destroyed the plant’s independent power system, which in turn destroyed thousands of centrifuges. It would have been difficult for Israel to carry out these operations without inside help from Iranians, and that may be what rankles Iran most. Security officials in Iran have prosecuted several Iranian citizens over the past decade, charging them with complicity in Israeli sabotage and assassination operations. The penalty is execution. But the infiltrations have also sullied the reputation of the intelligence wing of the Revolutionary Guard, which is responsible for guarding nuclear sites and scientists. A former Guard commander demanded a “cleansing” of the intelligence service, and Iran’s vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, said that the unit responsible for security at Natanz should be “be held accountable for its failures.” The deputy head of parliament, Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh Hashemi, told the Iranian news media on Monday that it was no longer enough to blame Israel and the United States for such attacks. Iran needed to clean its own house. As a publication affiliated with the Guard, Mashregh News, put it last week: “Why does the security of the nuclear facility act so irresponsibly that it gets hit twice from the same hole?” But the Revolutionary Guard answers only to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and so far there has been no sign of a top-down reshuffling. After each attack, Iran has struggled to respond, sometimes claiming to have identified those responsible only after they had left the country or saying that they remained at large. Iranian officials also insist that they have foiled other attacks. Calls for retaliation grow louder after each attack. Conservatives have accused the government of President Hassan Rouhani of weakness or of subjugating the country’s security to the nuclear talks in hopes they will lead to relief from U.S. sanctions. Indeed, Iranian officials shifted to what they called “strategic patience” in the last year of the Trump administration, calculating that Israel sought to goad them into an open conflict that would eliminate the possibility of negotiations with a new Democratic administration. Both Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have said they would not allow the attacks to derail the negotiations because lifting sanctions was the priority. It is also possible that Iran has tried to retaliate but failed. Iran was blamed for a bomb that exploded near Israel’s Embassy in New Delhi in January, and 15 militants linked to Iran were arrested last month in Ethiopia for plotting to attack Israeli, American and Emirati targets. But any overt retaliation risks an overwhelming Israeli response. “They are not in a hurry to start a war,” said Talal Atrissi, a political science professor at the Lebanese University in Beirut. “Retaliation means war.” Conversely, the timing of Israel’s latest attack on Natanz suggested that Israel sought if not to derail the talks, to at least weaken Iran’s bargaining power. Israel opposed the 2015 nuclear agreement and opposes its resurrection. The United States, seeking to negotiate with Iran in Vienna, said it was not involved in the attack but has not publicly criticized it either. And if the repeated Israeli attacks had the effect of fomenting a national paranoia, an intelligence official said, that was a side benefit for Israel. The additional steps Iran has taken to scan buildings for surveillance devices and plumb employees’ backgrounds to root out potential spies has slowed down the enrichment work, the official said. The conventional wisdom is that neither side wants full-scale war and is counting on the other not to escalate. But at the same time, the covert, regionwide shadow war between Israel and Iran has intensified with Israeli airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias in Syria and tit for tat attacks on ships. But as Iran faces a struggling economy, rampant COVID-19 infections and other problems of poor governance, the pressure is on to reach a new agreement soon to remove economic sanctions, said Vakil of Chatham House. “These low-level, gray zone attacks reveal that the Islamic Republic urgently needs to get the JCPOA back into a box” to free up resources to address its other problems, she said, referring to the nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

Iran rattled as Israel repeatedly strikes key targets

At least&nbsp;five&nbsp;civilians were killed and 10 wounded in overnight&nbsp;airstrikes in a suburb of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-and-libya-sign-deal-on-maritime-zones-in-the-mediterranean-265082">Libya's&nbsp;capital</a>, the unity government's health&nbsp;ministry&nbsp;said on Monday.

"Violent&nbsp;air&nbsp;raids&nbsp;on the residential area of al-Swani killed&nbsp;five&nbsp;civilians and injured 10 others, some of them seriously," said spokesman Amin al-Hashemi.

Hashemi reported major damage after the strikes on al-Swani, some 25 kilometres&nbsp;south of central Tripoli. He said there was no military infrastructure in the area.

Tripoli has seen months of deadly fighting since eastern-based military strongman Khalifa Haftar launched an April offensive to seize the&nbsp;capital&nbsp;from armed groups backing the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).

The GNA said "Emirati drones" backing Haftar had carried out the overnight strikes, saying a woman and a child were among the dead.

Spokesman Mohammad Gnounou said unmanned Emirati aircraft had also carried out two&nbsp;raids&nbsp;on a bridge west of Tripoli.

The United Arab Emirates has backed Haftar in his campaign against pro-GNA groups, which Haftar's forces refer to as "terrorists".

Haftar's self-styled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jordan-uae-turkey-sudan-accused-of-violating-sanctions-on-libya-un-report-261513">Libyan&nbsp;National Army</a> has not yet claimed the overnight strikes.

Since the fall and killing of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 in a NATO-backed uprising, Libya has been torn apart by violence between multiple armed groups, many of them backed by foreign powers.

The UN Security Council on Monday renewed its calls for a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malta-has-deal-with-libya-coastguard-over-migrant-interceptions-report-261202">ceasefire in Libya</a>, and urged foreign actors to honour an arms embargo on the country -- which Jordan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have&nbsp;regularly violated, according to a confidential UN report seen by AFP last month.

"The Members of the Security Council stressed the need for all parties urgently to de-escalate the situation and to commit to a ceasefire," read a joint declaration issued following several days of negotiations.

The 15-member council called on all states "not to intervene in the conflict or to take measures that would exacerbate the conflict," the text added, calling for "full compliance" with the arms embargo imposed in 2011.

At least 200 civilians and more than 2,000 fighters have been killed since the start of Haftar's assault on Tripoli, according to the United Nations. The fighting has also displaced some 146,000 people.

At least five civilians were killed and 10 wounded in overnight airstrikes in a suburb of Libya's capital, the unity government's health ministry said on Monday.

At least five civilians were killed and 10 wounded in overnight airstrikes in a suburb of Libya's capital, the unity government's health ministry said on Monday. "Violent air raids on the residential area of al-Swani killed five civilians and injured 10 others, some of them seriously," said spokesman Amin al-Hashemi. Hashemi reported major damage after the strikes on al-Swani, some 25 kilometres south of central Tripoli. He said there was no military infrastructure in the area. Tripoli has seen months of deadly fighting since eastern-based military strongman Khalifa Haftar launched an April offensive to seize the capital from armed groups backing the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA). The GNA said "Emirati drones" backing Haftar had carried out the overnight strikes, saying a woman and a child were among the dead. Spokesman Mohammad Gnounou said unmanned Emirati aircraft had also carried out two raids on a bridge west of Tripoli. The United Arab Emirates has backed Haftar in his campaign against pro-GNA groups, which Haftar's forces refer to as "terrorists". Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army has not yet claimed the overnight strikes. Since the fall and killing of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 in a NATO-backed uprising, Libya has been torn apart by violence between multiple armed groups, many of them backed by foreign powers. The UN Security Council on Monday renewed its calls for a ceasefire in Libya, and urged foreign actors to honour an arms embargo on the country -- which Jordan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have regularly violated, according to a confidential UN report seen by AFP last month. "The Members of the Security Council stressed the need for all parties urgently to de-escalate the situation and to commit to a ceasefire," read a joint declaration issued following several days of negotiations. The 15-member council called on all states "not to intervene in the conflict or to take measures that would exacerbate the conflict," the text added, calling for "full compliance" with the arms embargo imposed in 2011. At least 200 civilians and more than 2,000 fighters have been killed since the start of Haftar's assault on Tripoli, according to the United Nations. The fighting has also displaced some 146,000 people.

Air raids in Libyan capital Tripoli kill five, wound ten: Sources

State workers in Chile promised to launch a massive, nationwide walk-off early on Tuesday, a sign protesters were not yet satisfied following the government's decision to rewrite the country's heavily critiqued dictatorship-era constitution.

The new round of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chile-to-amend-constitution-a-key-demand-of-protesters-261376">rallies and strikes over inequality</a> and social injustices follow almost a month of unrest in Chile.

The demonstrations have sometimes devolved into arson, riots and looting, leaving at least 20 dead and wreaking billions of dollars of damage to public infrastructure and private businesses. Santiago's public transport system has been hobbled.

Truck drivers and protesters set up barricades on Tuesday on at least two major highways connecting the capital Santiago with outlying cities and ports, prompting huge back-ups on key regional arteries.

The road blockages prompted the Valparaiso-based upper and lower chambers of congress to suspend activities for the day.

Lawmakers said the move was "unprecedented" with one, Marcelo Diaz, a socialist, telling local TV: "Today more than ever congress needs to be making an effort to work at an accelerated pace because the people are demanding that we find concrete solutions."

In downtown Santiago, the streets were unusually quiet as buses scaled back service and many people refrained from commuting to work in anticipation of protests.

Schools and businesses throughout the capital of 6 million people were largely closed, and construction workers scrambled to board up shops and restaurants in anticipation of continued riots.

Valentina Donosa, 21, a university student who funds her education by selling bread on the street, said she was not in favour of the vandalism but that something significant had to change.

"I am in favour of the movement and of making a noise because to be honest, if you go to protest outside the Moneda (presidential palace) with white doves, nothing happens," she said.

Elsa Fuentes, 56, an empanada pastry seller, said she would not be joining <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/protesters-in-chile-set-fire-to-university-loot-church-260963">the protests</a>.

"People want everything for free and they have done a lot of damage," she said.

President Sebastian Pinera's center-right administration said on Sunday Chile's Congress should begin the process of writing a new constitution to replace the current one which dates back to the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.

Many protesters said it was not enough, saying a referendum vote, not Congress, should determine the steps forward in redrafting the country's 1980 Constitution.

State workers in Chile promised to launch a massive, nationwide walk-off early on Tuesday, a sign protesters were not yet satisfied following the government's decision to rewrite the country's heavily critiqued dictatorship-era constitution.

State workers in Chile promised to launch a massive, nationwide walk-off early on Tuesday, a sign protesters were not yet satisfied following the government's decision to rewrite the country's heavily critiqued dictatorship-era constitution. The new round of rallies and strikes over inequality and social injustices follow almost a month of unrest in Chile. The demonstrations have sometimes devolved into arson, riots and looting, leaving at least 20 dead and wreaking billions of dollars of damage to public infrastructure and private businesses. Santiago's public transport system has been hobbled. Truck drivers and protesters set up barricades on Tuesday on at least two major highways connecting the capital Santiago with outlying cities and ports, prompting huge back-ups on key regional arteries. The road blockages prompted the Valparaiso-based upper and lower chambers of congress to suspend activities for the day. Lawmakers said the move was "unprecedented" with one, Marcelo Diaz, a socialist, telling local TV: "Today more than ever congress needs to be making an effort to work at an accelerated pace because the people are demanding that we find concrete solutions." In downtown Santiago, the streets were unusually quiet as buses scaled back service and many people refrained from commuting to work in anticipation of protests. Schools and businesses throughout the capital of 6 million people were largely closed, and construction workers scrambled to board up shops and restaurants in anticipation of continued riots. Valentina Donosa, 21, a university student who funds her education by selling bread on the street, said she was not in favour of the vandalism but that something significant had to change. "I am in favour of the movement and of making a noise because to be honest, if you go to protest outside the Moneda (presidential palace) with white doves, nothing happens," she said. Elsa Fuentes, 56, an empanada pastry seller, said she would not be joining the protests. "People want everything for free and they have done a lot of damage," she said. President Sebastian Pinera's center-right administration said on Sunday Chile's Congress should begin the process of writing a new constitution to replace the current one which dates back to the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Many protesters said it was not enough, saying a referendum vote, not Congress, should determine the steps forward in redrafting the country's 1980 Constitution.

No end in sight to Chile unrest as massive strike, more protests planned

Protesters in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqi-protesters-and-security-forces-clash-keep-umm-qasr-port-closed-259481">Iraq's</a> capital and its south shut down streets, schools and government offices Sunday, AFP's correspondents said, escalating the month-long movement demanding change to the country's political system.

In Baghdad, university-age demonstrators parked cars in the middle of the main thoroughfares, blocking traffic on the first day of the workweek in the Muslim-majority country.

Police officers manning nearby checkpoints looked on but did not intervene.

Other students took part in sit-ins at their schools, and the country's national teachers union extended the strike they began last week.

The engineering, doctors and lawyers syndicates have all backed the protests.&nbsp;

In Kut to the east, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraqis-pour-into-streets-for-biggest-protest-day-since-saddam-259373">protesters sealed off main roads</a> and bridges and most schools and government agencies were shut.

"We decided to cut the roads as a message to the government that we will keep protesting until the corrupt people and thieves are kicked out and the regime falls," said Tahseen Nasser, a 25-year-old protester.

"We're not allowing government workers to reach their offices, just those in humanitarian fields," including hospitals and police officers, he said.&nbsp;

Further south in Hillah, Nasiriyah, Diwaniyah and the holy city of Karbala most government offices were not open.

And in Basra, the oil-rich port city, public schools were shut down for the first time since the movement erupted last month.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iraq-protests-ali-al-sistani-warns-foreign-actors-against-interfering-in-anti-government-protests-259329">Demonstrations broke out in Baghdad</a> on October 1 in outrage at unemployment, poor public services and corruption, quickly spreading to the Shiite-majority south.&nbsp;

The activists were confronted by security forces, and 157 people,&nbsp;most of them demonstrators in Baghdad, were killed in six days of rallies.

But the protests resumed on October 24 and quickly swelled with the support of students, who skipped class to protest despite orders from Iraq's higher education minister to stay away from the rallies.

Protesters in Iraq's capital and its south shut down streets, schools and government offices Sunday, AFP's correspondents said, escalating the month-long movement demanding change to the country's political system.

Protesters in Iraq's capital and its south shut down streets, schools and government offices Sunday, AFP's correspondents said, escalating the month-long movement demanding change to the country's political system. In Baghdad, university-age demonstrators parked cars in the middle of the main thoroughfares, blocking traffic on the first day of the workweek in the Muslim-majority country. Police officers manning nearby checkpoints looked on but did not intervene. Other students took part in sit-ins at their schools, and the country's national teachers union extended the strike they began last week. The engineering, doctors and lawyers syndicates have all backed the protests. In Kut to the east, protesters sealed off main roads and bridges and most schools and government agencies were shut. "We decided to cut the roads as a message to the government that we will keep protesting until the corrupt people and thieves are kicked out and the regime falls," said Tahseen Nasser, a 25-year-old protester. "We're not allowing government workers to reach their offices, just those in humanitarian fields," including hospitals and police officers, he said. Further south in Hillah, Nasiriyah, Diwaniyah and the holy city of Karbala most government offices were not open. And in Basra, the oil-rich port city, public schools were shut down for the first time since the movement erupted last month. Demonstrations broke out in Baghdad on October 1 in outrage at unemployment, poor public services and corruption, quickly spreading to the Shiite-majority south. The activists were confronted by security forces, and 157 people, most of them demonstrators in Baghdad, were killed in six days of rallies. But the protests resumed on October 24 and quickly swelled with the support of students, who skipped class to protest despite orders from Iraq's higher education minister to stay away from the rallies.

Student strikes, street closures in Iraq protests

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whatsapp-sues-israels-nso-for-alleged-cyber-espionage-targeting-civil-society-worldwide-258713">Israeli</a> diplomats began an open-ended strike on Wednesday, closing more than 100 embassies and consulates around the world in a protest over working conditions.

The stoppage follows a long-running dispute between diplomatic staff and the finance ministry, which the envoys say has unilaterally changed its rules on reimbursing expenses for entertaining official guests.

"We are forced to close the Israeli representations in the world as of today (October 30)," the foreign ministry staff union said in a statement.

"No services will be provided to the public and admission to delegations will not be allowed."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-military-chief-gantz-receives-official-mandate-to-form-government-in-israel-257948">Israel's</a> ambassador to Belgium, Emmanuel Nachshon, said the row was over a treasury demand that receipts be provided with expense claims for home entertaining.

"Our embassy is closed like the rest of the Israeli embassies in the world," he told Israeli public radio.

"When you host somebody in your home when you hold a dinner or other activity, it's not always possible to provide a receipt for everything," he said.

"They need to trust us when we declare such an expense."

Israeli financial daily Globes reported last month that the foreign ministry was in deep crisis after repeated cuts to its budget and that its accountant general had ordered envoys to stop all business trips and entertaining and end overtime for local staff.

Israeli diplomats began an open-ended strike on Wednesday, closing more than 100 embassies and consulates around the world in a protest over working conditions. The stoppage follows a long-running dispute between diplomatic staff and the finance ministry, which the envoys say has unilaterally changed its rules on reimbursing expenses for entertaining official guests.

Israeli diplomats began an open-ended strike on Wednesday, closing more than 100 embassies and consulates around the world in a protest over working conditions. The stoppage follows a long-running dispute between diplomatic staff and the finance ministry, which the envoys say has unilaterally changed its rules on reimbursing expenses for entertaining official guests. "We are forced to close the Israeli representations in the world as of today (October 30)," the foreign ministry staff union said in a statement. "No services will be provided to the public and admission to delegations will not be allowed." Israel's ambassador to Belgium, Emmanuel Nachshon, said the row was over a treasury demand that receipts be provided with expense claims for home entertaining. "Our embassy is closed like the rest of the Israeli embassies in the world," he told Israeli public radio. "When you host somebody in your home when you hold a dinner or other activity, it's not always possible to provide a receipt for everything," he said. "They need to trust us when we declare such an expense." Israeli financial daily Globes reported last month that the foreign ministry was in deep crisis after repeated cuts to its budget and that its accountant general had ordered envoys to stop all business trips and entertaining and end overtime for local staff.

Israeli diplomats strike over working conditions

French rail services ground to a halt in parts of the country Sunday as workers walked off the job for the third day in a dispute over train staffing levels.

Services in the Paris suburbs, the northeastern Champagne-Ardenne region and the southern Occitanie region, which includes Toulouse and Montpellier, were particularly affected.

The industrial action began on Friday after a train in north-east France slammed into a truck at a level crossing, leaving 11 people injured.

The train driver was himself among those hurt but being the sole employee of state railways company SNCF on board had to help take care of passengers.

Unions said the incident highlighted what they say is a problem of understaffing on trains, notably the absence of ticket inspectors on some lines.

Since Friday, staff have been exercising their "right to withdraw" their labour -- a clause that allows workers to walk off the job in case of "clear and present danger to their life or health."

SNCF's management has accused the workers of abusing that right to indulge in a wildcat strike on a busy weekend for train travel, at the start of the mid-autumn school holidays.

It argues that some train lines have not had ticket inspectors for decades.

French rail services ground to a halt in parts of the country Sunday as workers walked off the job for the third day in a dispute over train staffing levels. Services in the Paris suburbs, the northeastern Champagne-Ardenne region and the southern Occitanie region, which includes Toulouse and Montpellier, were particularly affected.

French rail services ground to a halt in parts of the country Sunday as workers walked off the job for the third day in a dispute over train staffing levels. Services in the Paris suburbs, the northeastern Champagne-Ardenne region and the southern Occitanie region, which includes Toulouse and Montpellier, were particularly affected. The industrial action began on Friday after a train in north-east France slammed into a truck at a level crossing, leaving 11 people injured. The train driver was himself among those hurt but being the sole employee of state railways company SNCF on board had to help take care of passengers. Unions said the incident highlighted what they say is a problem of understaffing on trains, notably the absence of ticket inspectors on some lines. Since Friday, staff have been exercising their "right to withdraw" their labour -- a clause that allows workers to walk off the job in case of "clear and present danger to their life or health." SNCF's management has accused the workers of abusing that right to indulge in a wildcat strike on a busy weekend for train travel, at the start of the mid-autumn school holidays. It argues that some train lines have not had ticket inspectors for decades.

French trains disrupted by wildcat strike

UN chief demands 'positive' news as countries gear for 'emergency' climate summit

Several rockets were fired Wednesday from the Gaza Strip at Israel, which responded by striking Hamas military positions in the enclave, the Israeli army said.

The afternoon exchange came a day after rockets fired from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-attacks-gaza-targets-following-drone-raid-248492">Palestinian territory</a> towards the Israeli city of Ashdod forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to flee the stage during a campaign rally.

"Three projectiles were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel," the Israeli army said in a statement, adding that sirens were triggered in nearby Israeli communities.

In response, it added, a "tank struck two Hamas military posts in the northern Gaza Strip."

The strikes were confirmed by a security source in Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas.

There were no immediate reports of any injuries.

Overnight Tuesday the Israeli army struck 15 sites it said belonged to Hamas in the northern and central Gaza Strip.

It said the strikes were in response to the rockets fired towards Ashdod which forced Netanyahu to cut short a speech.

The right-wing premier is campaigning for re-election on September 17 parliamentary polls.

On Tuesday Netanyahu announced his intention to annex a large part of the occupied West Bank if re-elected.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008. 
&nbsp;

Several rockets were fired Wednesday from the Gaza Strip at Israel, which responded by striking Hamas military positions in the enclave, the Israeli army said. The afternoon exchange came a day after rockets fired from the Palestinian territory towards the Israeli city of Ashdod forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to flee the stage during a campaign rally.

Several rockets were fired Wednesday from the Gaza Strip at Israel, which responded by striking Hamas military positions in the enclave, the Israeli army said. The afternoon exchange came a day after rockets fired from the Palestinian territory towards the Israeli city of Ashdod forced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to flee the stage during a campaign rally. "Three projectiles were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel," the Israeli army said in a statement, adding that sirens were triggered in nearby Israeli communities. In response, it added, a "tank struck two Hamas military posts in the northern Gaza Strip." The strikes were confirmed by a security source in Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas. There were no immediate reports of any injuries. Overnight Tuesday the Israeli army struck 15 sites it said belonged to Hamas in the northern and central Gaza Strip. It said the strikes were in response to the rockets fired towards Ashdod which forced Netanyahu to cut short a speech. The right-wing premier is campaigning for re-election on September 17 parliamentary polls. On Tuesday Netanyahu announced his intention to annex a large part of the occupied West Bank if re-elected. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since 2008.

Israel has struck Hamas after Gaza rocket fire: Army

Saudi-led military coalition conduct airstrikes, Dozens reported dead in Airstrikes.

Fresh airstrikes in Yemen

A Deadly Wave Of Airstrikes Have Hit Syria. On Sunday, Areas Near Damascus & Homs Were Attacked, Allegedly By The Israeli Forces

Gravitas: Syria accuses Israel of deadly wave of strikes

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/terrorist-attacks-had-become-daily-affair-during-congress-pm-modi-in-rajasthan-215640">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> on Friday mocked the Congress over its claim of having conducted surgical strikes during the UPA regime telling the party that it is not a video game.

A day after the Congress claimed that six surgical strikes were carried out by the Manmohan Singh-led government, he said the Congress, which earlier used to mock the surgical strikes, is now saying 'me too, me too'.

"After losing in the first four phases of the Lok Sabha elections, now Congress is doing a new drama. A senior Congress leader last night said that during their time surgical strikes were done many times. Now Congress is trying everything to prove that it too had carried out surgical strikes. Congress claims that they carried out six surgical strikes," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing a rally in Sikar, Rajasthan.

"What type of strikes were these about which the terrorists did not get to know, Pakistan didn't know and even Indians didn't know. First, they mocked it. When they saw that the people are standing with Modi, then they started protesting. And now they say 'me too me too'," he added.

"I think there are people in the Congress who play video games at any age and maybe they even consider surgical strike as a video game," Modi said.

"Jab kagaz par hi karni ho, jab video game mein hi strike karni ho to 6 ho ya 3 ho, 20 hon ya 25 hon, ye jhoote logon ko kya fark padta hai," he added.

The Prime Minister later took another jibe at the Congress and said "When the results for Lok Sabha elections will come out on May 23, then the Congress will say that we did 600 surgical strikes."

At the rally, Prime Minister Modi also said, "I promise you that the water which is currently flowing to Pakistan will be diverted to the farms in India."&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday mocked the Congress over its claim of having conducted surgical strikes during the UPA regime telling the party that it is not a video game.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday mocked the Congress over its claim of having conducted surgical strikes during the UPA regime telling the party that it is not a video game. A day after the Congress claimed that six surgical strikes were carried out by the Manmohan Singh-led government, he said the Congress, which earlier used to mock the surgical strikes, is now saying 'me too, me too'. "After losing in the first four phases of the Lok Sabha elections, now Congress is doing a new drama. A senior Congress leader last night said that during their time surgical strikes were done many times. Now Congress is trying everything to prove that it too had carried out surgical strikes. Congress claims that they carried out six surgical strikes," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing a rally in Sikar, Rajasthan. "What type of strikes were these about which the terrorists did not get to know, Pakistan didn't know and even Indians didn't know. First, they mocked it. When they saw that the people are standing with Modi, then they started protesting. And now they say 'me too me too'," he added. "I think there are people in the Congress who play video games at any age and maybe they even consider surgical strike as a video game," Modi said. "Jab kagaz par hi karni ho, jab video game mein hi strike karni ho to 6 ho ya 3 ho, 20 hon ya 25 hon, ye jhoote logon ko kya fark padta hai," he added. The Prime Minister later took another jibe at the Congress and said "When the results for Lok Sabha elections will come out on May 23, then the Congress will say that we did 600 surgical strikes." At the rally, Prime Minister Modi also said, "I promise you that the water which is currently flowing to Pakistan will be diverted to the farms in India."

Congress earlier mocked surgical strikes, now saying 'me too, me too': PM Modi

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/bangladesh-garment-workers-reject-wage-hike-walk-off-job-190243&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwizxLPUi_LfAhWYiXAKHQToCEsQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw11m1JegTHjQ00_pjANUu0X">Bangladesh factories</a> making clothes for Western brands have sacked hundreds of workers after more than a week of strikes and clashes over wages, police and trade unions said Wednesday.

The country's $30 billion clothing industry is the world's second-largest after <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/canada-asks-china-clemency-for-convicted-drug-trafficker-190654&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjnir7zi_LfAhVMQ48KHaUzABUQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0_Retnfxy5S1hOjupDeoRT">China</a>. It's some four million workers at 4,500 factories make garments for global retail giants H&amp;M, Walmart and many others.

Protests by thousands of employees over low wages began earlier this month, prompting scores of manufacturers to halt production.

One worker was killed and more than 50 injured last week after police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters in a key industrial town outside the capital Dhaka.

The demonstrations died down this week after the government agreed to raise salaries, but many returned to work on Wednesday to discover they had been laid off.

A top union leader said at least 750 workers at various companies in the manufacturing hub of Ashulia had found notices hanging on factory gates informing them of their dismissal along with photos of their faces.

"This is unjust. The owners are doing it to create a climate of fear so that no one can dare to stage protests or demand fair wages," the leader said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Police told me not to create trouble. Otherwise, I'll be disappeared."

Police and a senior factory manager gave a lower total of around 400 workers fired for damaging equipment during the strike -- with more than half from one Ashulia plant called Metro Knitting and Dyeing.

Metro Knitting's general manager Atiqul Islam told AFP that the company has reported nearly 300 workers to police for smashing the factory's CCTV cameras and computers.

"Some 10,000 apparel items made for export also went missing," Islam added.

So far 12 arrests have been made for vandalism during the unrest, local police said.

The strikes came a few weeks after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina — accused by rights and opposition groups of becoming increasingly authoritarian — was re-elected on December 30 after a violence-plagued campaign.

Bangladesh factories making clothes for Western brands have sacked hundreds of workers after more than a week of strikes and clashes over wages, police and trade unions said Wednesday.

Bangladesh factories making clothes for Western brands have sacked hundreds of workers after more than a week of strikes and clashes over wages, police and trade unions said Wednesday. The country's $30 billion clothing industry is the world's second-largest after China. It's some four million workers at 4,500 factories make garments for global retail giants H&M, Walmart and many others. Protests by thousands of employees over low wages began earlier this month, prompting scores of manufacturers to halt production. One worker was killed and more than 50 injured last week after police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesters in a key industrial town outside the capital Dhaka. The demonstrations died down this week after the government agreed to raise salaries, but many returned to work on Wednesday to discover they had been laid off. A top union leader said at least 750 workers at various companies in the manufacturing hub of Ashulia had found notices hanging on factory gates informing them of their dismissal along with photos of their faces. "This is unjust. The owners are doing it to create a climate of fear so that no one can dare to stage protests or demand fair wages," the leader said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Police told me not to create trouble. Otherwise, I'll be disappeared." Police and a senior factory manager gave a lower total of around 400 workers fired for damaging equipment during the strike -- with more than half from one Ashulia plant called Metro Knitting and Dyeing. Metro Knitting's general manager Atiqul Islam told AFP that the company has reported nearly 300 workers to police for smashing the factory's CCTV cameras and computers. "Some 10,000 apparel items made for export also went missing," Islam added. So far 12 arrests have been made for vandalism during the unrest, local police said. The strikes came a few weeks after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina — accused by rights and opposition groups of becoming increasingly authoritarian — was re-elected on December 30 after a violence-plagued campaign.

Hundreds sacked after Bangladesh garment strikes

Businesses should welcome Turkey's state of emergency because it guards against terrorism and prevents workers from going out on strike, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.

Parliament this week voted to extend the state of emergency, introduced following a failed coup in July 2016, for a further three months. It is the seventh such extension of emergency rule, which lets Erdogan and the government bypass parliament in passing new laws and allows them to suspend rights and freedoms.&nbsp

The extensions have been roundly criticised by human rights groups and Turkey's Western allies. The country's main business lobby, TUSIAD, this week renewed its call for a swift end to emergency rule.

"The state of emergency only affects terrorists. Now it's preventing labour strikes, such as the Bursa strike, which we stopped right away. It's a struggle against terrorism," Erdogan said in a speech to the DEIK business lobby, which represents Turkey's private sector overseas.

"When our business people say the state of emergency should be lifted, it upsets us... We will continue extending it for the peace of our country, yes we will, for the 10th time if necessary."

Earlier this year authorities stopped workers in the northwestern city of Bursa, home to the auto industry and a hub for textile manufacturing, from going out on strike.&nbsp

Under emergency rule, strikes, protests and displays of civil disobedience can be shut down on security grounds.

Erdogan this week set snap presidential and parliamentary elections for June, bringing them forward by more than a year in a shock move that may have left the opposition ill-prepared to credibly challenge him.

The United States this week said it had concerns about Turkey's ability to hold free and fair elections under emergency rule, comments that Ankara dismissed.

The United Nations last month called for an end to the state of emergency, saying it had led to "massive and serious" human rights violations in largely Kurdish southeastern Turkey, including killings and torture.

Turkey slammed that report as rife with unfounded allegations. Ankara says its measures are necessary, given the severity of the security threats it faces.

More than 160,000 people have been detained since the failed coup and a similar number of civil servants sacked from their jobs, the United Nations has said. Scores of media outlets have been shut and journalists and activists have been detained.

 
&nbsp

Erdogan this week set snap presidential and parliamentary elections for June

Businesses should welcome Turkey's state of emergency because it guards against terrorism and prevents workers from going out on strike, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday. Parliament this week voted to extend the state of emergency, introduced following a failed coup in July 2016, for a further three months. It is the seventh such extension of emergency rule, which lets Erdogan and the government bypass parliament in passing new laws and allows them to suspend rights and freedoms. The extensions have been roundly criticised by human rights groups and Turkey's Western allies. The country's main business lobby, TUSIAD, this week renewed its call for a swift end to emergency rule. "The state of emergency only affects terrorists. Now it's preventing labour strikes, such as the Bursa strike, which we stopped right away. It's a struggle against terrorism," Erdogan said in a speech to the DEIK business lobby, which represents Turkey's private sector overseas. "When our business people say the state of emergency should be lifted, it upsets us... We will continue extending it for the peace of our country, yes we will, for the 10th time if necessary." Earlier this year authorities stopped workers in the northwestern city of Bursa, home to the auto industry and a hub for textile manufacturing, from going out on strike. Under emergency rule, strikes, protests and displays of civil disobedience can be shut down on security grounds. Erdogan this week set snap presidential and parliamentary elections for June, bringing them forward by more than a year in a shock move that may have left the opposition ill-prepared to credibly challenge him. The United States this week said it had concerns about Turkey's ability to hold free and fair elections under emergency rule, comments that Ankara dismissed. The United Nations last month called for an end to the state of emergency, saying it had led to "massive and serious" human rights violations in largely Kurdish southeastern Turkey, including killings and torture. Turkey slammed that report as rife with unfounded allegations. Ankara says its measures are necessary, given the severity of the security threats it faces. More than 160,000 people have been detained since the failed coup and a similar number of civil servants sacked from their jobs, the United Nations has said. Scores of media outlets have been shut and journalists and activists have been detained.

Turkey's Erdogan says emergency rule good for economy as stops terrorism, strikes

The Syrian opposition said Western strikes on Saturday would not change the course of the seven-year-old war as the army said it would crush remaining rebel parts of the country.

The missiles by the United States, Britain, and France targeted President Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons capabilities in response to a deadly poison gas attack near Damascus a week ago, Washington said.

But rebels and opposition politicians said the Western powers should also hit Assad's conventional weapons which have killed many more people during the war.

Some insurgent officials said they feared an onslaught against the rebel bastion of Idlib, which a senior Iranian official has indicated could be the next target.

"Maybe the regime will not use chemical weapons again, but it will not hesitate to use weapons," opposition leader Nasr al-Hariri said.

A rebel fighter said he was bracing for further attacks as "revenge" by the government with its allies on rebel territory in the northwest, including the Idlib region.

"More was expected from the American strike to affect the path of the war and to curb Assad's crimes," he told Reuters from Hama province.

Damascus and its allies have said reports about poison gas in Douma were fabricated as a pretext for Western strikes.

After the suspected gas attack, which medical relief groups said killed dozens, rebels holed up in Douma finally surrendered the town. That clinched a big victory for Assad, wiping out the last insurgent pocket in the eastern Ghouta region near the capital.

The war has been going Assad's way since Russia intervened on his side in 2015. From holding less than a fifth of Syria in 2015, Assad has recovered to control the largest chunk of the country with Russian and Iranian help.

Mohamad Alloush, political chief of the Jaish al-Islam faction that had controlled Douma, said the Western strikes on Saturday would not be enough.

"As long as this regime and its security agencies exist, the chemical (attacks) will continue because there is safety from the consequences that would end it," he said. "And (Assad) is portraying what happened as a victory."

The Syrian presidency posted a video appearing to show Assad arriving for work on Saturday morning a few hours after the U.S.-led attack, dressed in a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase.

Though swathes of Syria remain beyond his grasp, the insurgency currently poses no military threat to his rule.

The opposition has praised President Donald Trump for taking action against Assad after criticising former U.S. President Barack Obama for failing to enforce his own red line when Assad was accused of using gas in 2013. But they want more.

"The strike has weakened the regime, but has not strengthened the opposition," said another rebel commander.

Trump last year decided to halt a CIA programme that had funnelled weapons and cash to some Free Syrian Army rebels.

"Liberating Idlib"

Having driven rebels from eastern Ghouta, Assad and his allies are expected to soon retake the last few insurgent pockets around Damascus and nearby.

The bigger challenge will be rebel territory at the frontiers with Turkey, Jordan and Israel, and the swathe of eastern and northern Syria which Kurdish-led militias control with support from the United States.

Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, on a visit to Damascus this week, said he hoped Syria and its allies would soon drive U.S. troops from the country. He also said he hoped the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria would be captured from rebels very soon.

The Syrian army said air defence systems brought down most of the U.S., British and French missiles.

"Such attacks will not deter our armed forces and allied forces from persisting to crush what is left of the armed terrorist groups," the military said.

The foreign ministry said the Western strikes would only "lead to inflaming tensions in the world" and threaten international security.

"The barbaric aggression...will not affect in any way the determination and insistence of the Syrian people and their heroic armed forces," state media said, citing a ministry source. 
&nbsp;

The war has been going Assad's way since Russia intervened on his side in 2015

The Syrian opposition said Western strikes on Saturday would not change the course of the seven-year-old war as the army said it would crush remaining rebel parts of the country. The missiles by the United States, Britain, and France targeted President Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons capabilities in response to a deadly poison gas attack near Damascus a week ago, Washington said. But rebels and opposition politicians said the Western powers should also hit Assad's conventional weapons which have killed many more people during the war. Some insurgent officials said they feared an onslaught against the rebel bastion of Idlib, which a senior Iranian official has indicated could be the next target. "Maybe the regime will not use chemical weapons again, but it will not hesitate to use weapons," opposition leader Nasr al-Hariri said. A rebel fighter said he was bracing for further attacks as "revenge" by the government with its allies on rebel territory in the northwest, including the Idlib region. "More was expected from the American strike to affect the path of the war and to curb Assad's crimes," he told Reuters from Hama province. Damascus and its allies have said reports about poison gas in Douma were fabricated as a pretext for Western strikes. After the suspected gas attack, which medical relief groups said killed dozens, rebels holed up in Douma finally surrendered the town. That clinched a big victory for Assad, wiping out the last insurgent pocket in the eastern Ghouta region near the capital. The war has been going Assad's way since Russia intervened on his side in 2015. From holding less than a fifth of Syria in 2015, Assad has recovered to control the largest chunk of the country with Russian and Iranian help. Mohamad Alloush, political chief of the Jaish al-Islam faction that had controlled Douma, said the Western strikes on Saturday would not be enough. "As long as this regime and its security agencies exist, the chemical (attacks) will continue because there is safety from the consequences that would end it," he said. "And (Assad) is portraying what happened as a victory." The Syrian presidency posted a video appearing to show Assad arriving for work on Saturday morning a few hours after the U.S.-led attack, dressed in a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase. Though swathes of Syria remain beyond his grasp, the insurgency currently poses no military threat to his rule. The opposition has praised President Donald Trump for taking action against Assad after criticising former U.S. President Barack Obama for failing to enforce his own red line when Assad was accused of using gas in 2013. But they want more. "The strike has weakened the regime, but has not strengthened the opposition," said another rebel commander. Trump last year decided to halt a CIA programme that had funnelled weapons and cash to some Free Syrian Army rebels. "Liberating Idlib" Having driven rebels from eastern Ghouta, Assad and his allies are expected to soon retake the last few insurgent pockets around Damascus and nearby. The bigger challenge will be rebel territory at the frontiers with Turkey, Jordan and Israel, and the swathe of eastern and northern Syria which Kurdish-led militias control with support from the United States. Ali Akbar Velayati, top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, on a visit to Damascus this week, said he hoped Syria and its allies would soon drive U.S. troops from the country. He also said he hoped the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria would be captured from rebels very soon. The Syrian army said air defence systems brought down most of the U.S., British and French missiles. "Such attacks will not deter our armed forces and allied forces from persisting to crush what is left of the armed terrorist groups," the military said. The foreign ministry said the Western strikes would only "lead to inflaming tensions in the world" and threaten international security. "The barbaric aggression...will not affect in any way the determination and insistence of the Syrian people and their heroic armed forces," state media said, citing a ministry source.

Syrian Army vows to crush rebel-held areas, opposition say strikes not enough

A two-pronged US push for action on Syria at the UN Security Council could prompt Russia to again use its veto, a move some diplomats see as a possible trigger for American strikes in Syria.

Russia has used its veto power 11 times to block action against its Syrian ally, shielding President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government from sanctions, war crimes investigations and an inquiry into chemical weapons attacks.&nbsp;

Speculation about a 12th Russian veto on Syria is again rife after the United States on Monday put forward a draft resolution on a 30-day ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta and Damascus.

The move was in response to the failure of a UN-approved humanitarian ceasefire to take hold despite backing from Russia, which is helping Syria&#39;s offensive in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel enclave on the outskirts of the capital.

The operation has reportedly killed more than 1,100 civilians since it was launched in mid-February.

A separate US-drafted measure to set up an inquiry into chemical weapons attacks is under negotiation, but diplomats said talks with Russia had hit a wall.

With two measures on the table, US Ambassador Nikki Haley has warned that the United States is ready to act in Syria &quot;if we must&quot; to address the use of chemical weapons and &quot;inhuman suffering.&quot;

&quot;When the international community consistently fails to act, there are times when states are compelled to take their own action,&quot; Haley said on Monday.

&quot;We also warn any nation that is determined to impose its will through chemical attacks and inhuman suffering, most especially the outlaw Syrian regime: the United States remains prepared to act if we must.&quot;

It remains unclear when the United States will put its draft resolutions up for a vote at the council, which is increasingly frustrated by its inability to change the course of the war in Syria.

- Deja vu - 
Haley&#39;s threat was a repeat of the warning delivered to the council in April last year, just before President Donald Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base over the sarin gas attack on the opposition-held village of Khan Sheikhun.

UN diplomats are openly talking about &quot;deja vu&quot; as the United States again signals that it is considering military action in Syria.

The threats are ratcheting up pressure on Russia.

&quot;The Russians are feeling the heat. They are afraid that the Americans might re-engage in Syria in a more robust way,&quot; a council diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

Another council diplomat pointed to the anniversary of the Khan Sheikhun attack on April 4 as a possible timeframe for US action.

&quot;The Trump administration is resorting to a naming-and-shaming strategy on Russia at the Security Council,&quot; said Nicholas Heras, Syria expert at the Washington-based Center for a New American Security.

&quot;This is the beginning of a larger discussion with Russia about what will happen with other areas in the country,&quot; in particular the southwest where a de-escalation zone has been set up by the United States, Jordan and Russia, said Heras.

&quot;What the Trump team is doing now is initial posturing: It&#39;s saying: &#39;What you are doing in Ghouta, don&#39;t do it anywhere else. If you try to do it anywhere else, there will be consequences.&#39;&quot;

Haley&#39;s warning drew a strong response from Moscow on Tuesday.

After last year&#39;s US strike on the Shayrat air base, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that &quot;if a new strike of this kind takes place, the consequences will be very serious.&quot;

Russia&#39;s head of the general staff Valery Gerasimov warned of &quot;retaliatory measures&quot; if any Russian serviceman is hit in a US strike.

Russia has military staff on the ground helping the Syrian offensive in Eastern Ghouta, which lies near the capital of Damascus.

Russia has used its veto power 11 times to block action against its Syrian ally, shielding President Bashar al-Assad's government from sanctions

A two-pronged US push for action on Syria at the UN Security Council could prompt Russia to again use its veto, a move some diplomats see as a possible trigger for American strikes in Syria. Russia has used its veto power 11 times to block action against its Syrian ally, shielding President Bashar al-Assad's government from sanctions, war crimes investigations and an inquiry into chemical weapons attacks. Speculation about a 12th Russian veto on Syria is again rife after the United States on Monday put forward a draft resolution on a 30-day ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta and Damascus. The move was in response to the failure of a UN-approved humanitarian ceasefire to take hold despite backing from Russia, which is helping Syria's offensive in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel enclave on the outskirts of the capital. The operation has reportedly killed more than 1,100 civilians since it was launched in mid-February. A separate US-drafted measure to set up an inquiry into chemical weapons attacks is under negotiation, but diplomats said talks with Russia had hit a wall. With two measures on the table, US Ambassador Nikki Haley has warned that the United States is ready to act in Syria "if we must" to address the use of chemical weapons and "inhuman suffering." "When the international community consistently fails to act, there are times when states are compelled to take their own action," Haley said on Monday. "We also warn any nation that is determined to impose its will through chemical attacks and inhuman suffering, most especially the outlaw Syrian regime: the United States remains prepared to act if we must." It remains unclear when the United States will put its draft resolutions up for a vote at the council, which is increasingly frustrated by its inability to change the course of the war in Syria. - Deja vu - Haley's threat was a repeat of the warning delivered to the council in April last year, just before President Donald Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base over the sarin gas attack on the opposition-held village of Khan Sheikhun. UN diplomats are openly talking about "deja vu" as the United States again signals that it is considering military action in Syria. The threats are ratcheting up pressure on Russia. "The Russians are feeling the heat. They are afraid that the Americans might re-engage in Syria in a more robust way," a council diplomat said on condition of anonymity. Another council diplomat pointed to the anniversary of the Khan Sheikhun attack on April 4 as a possible timeframe for US action. "The Trump administration is resorting to a naming-and-shaming strategy on Russia at the Security Council," said Nicholas Heras, Syria expert at the Washington-based Center for a New American Security. "This is the beginning of a larger discussion with Russia about what will happen with other areas in the country," in particular the southwest where a de-escalation zone has been set up by the United States, Jordan and Russia, said Heras. "What the Trump team is doing now is initial posturing: It's saying: 'What you are doing in Ghouta, don't do it anywhere else. If you try to do it anywhere else, there will be consequences.'" Haley's warning drew a strong response from Moscow on Tuesday. After last year's US strike on the Shayrat air base, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that "if a new strike of this kind takes place, the consequences will be very serious." Russia's head of the general staff Valery Gerasimov warned of "retaliatory measures" if any Russian serviceman is hit in a US strike. Russia has military staff on the ground helping the Syrian offensive in Eastern Ghouta, which lies near the capital of Damascus.

Would a Russian veto at the UN trigger US strikes on Syria?

Heavy clashes and air strikes shook Syria&#39;s rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Sunday despite a UN call for a ceasefire to end one of the most ferocious assaults of Syria&#39;s civil war.

After days of diplomatic wrangling, the Security Council on Saturday adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria without delay, to allow for aid deliveries and medical evacuations.

President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces launched a major bombing campaign against the enclave on the edge of Damascus a week ago, with over 500 people killed so far.

However, the UN resolution remains unclear as to when and how broadly the ceasefire could be implemented.

Russia is a key ally of Assad&#39;s regime and in a phone call on Sunday German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron urged President Vladimir Putin to use his influence. &nbsp;

They called on Russia to exercise maximum pressure on the Syrian regime to achieve an immediate suspension of air raids and fighting, Merkel&#39;s office said in a statement.

Reportedly, seven civilians were killed in strikes on Sunday, bringing the total number of dead in the week to 527, including 129 children.

Although there appeared to be fewer air strikes, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said, fighting had intensified on the ground.

Heavy clashes erupted in southern areas of Eastern Ghouta, he said, with at least 13 members of pro-regime forces and six fighters from the Jaish al-Islam rebel group killed.

Heavy clashes and air strikes shook Syria's rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta

Heavy clashes and air strikes shook Syria's rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Sunday despite a UN call for a ceasefire to end one of the most ferocious assaults of Syria's civil war. After days of diplomatic wrangling, the Security Council on Saturday adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria without delay, to allow for aid deliveries and medical evacuations. President Bashar al-Assad's forces launched a major bombing campaign against the enclave on the edge of Damascus a week ago, with over 500 people killed so far. However, the UN resolution remains unclear as to when and how broadly the ceasefire could be implemented. Russia is a key ally of Assad's regime and in a phone call on Sunday German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron urged President Vladimir Putin to use his influence. They called on Russia to exercise maximum pressure on the Syrian regime to achieve an immediate suspension of air raids and fighting, Merkel's office said in a statement. Reportedly, seven civilians were killed in strikes on Sunday, bringing the total number of dead in the week to 527, including 129 children. Although there appeared to be fewer air strikes, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said, fighting had intensified on the ground. Heavy clashes erupted in southern areas of Eastern Ghouta, he said, with at least 13 members of pro-regime forces and six fighters from the Jaish al-Islam rebel group killed.

Strikes, clashes hit Syria's Ghouta despite ceasefire call

Air strikes have hit a hospital in Syria&#39;s last province beyond government control, in the seventh such raid on a medical facility there by the regime or its ally Russia in two weeks, a monitor said Thursday.

The strikes, thought to be Russian, hit the hospital in the northwestern province of Idlib late Wednesday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said.

The Observatory, which relies on sources inside Syria for its information, says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used.

Inside the hospital in the village of Hass on Thursday, boxes of medicine lay scattered on the floor while part of a wall had collapsed onto a bed and medical equipment, an AFP correspondent said.

The strikes come after the regime in December last year launched an offensive on Idlib, which is dominated by an alliance led by Al-Qaeda&#39;s former Syrian affiliate.

&quot;The hospital was the last functional one in all of southeast Idlib,&quot; Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

&quot;In two weeks, seven hospitals and medical clinics have been hit in Idlib in strikes by the regime or its Russian ally,&quot; he said, adding that a blood bank was also hit.

After another strike on a hospital in Idlib last week, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) expressed alarm at the repeated targeting of healthcare centres.

&quot;Civilian areas -&ndash; specifically healthcare facilities &ndash;- are being hit in northwestern Syria,&quot; said Omar Ahmed Abenza, MSF head of mission for northwestern Syria, after the strike on the area of Mishmishan.

&quot;The strikes, despite their regularity during the seven years long conflict, are currently at an intensity that should be a landmark, another wake-up call,&quot; he said.

The bombardment of medical facilities has a &quot;terrible knock-on effect&quot;, he said, with fearful staff at other facilities reducing their services after each strike.

&quot;The result is more people in greater need, with fewer health services open and available.&quot;

Jihadists and rebels overran Idlib in 2015, but since then hardliners have expanded their control and the influence of mainstream rebels has shrunk drastically.

Some 2.5 million people, including more than one million displaced Syrians, live in the province.

More than 340,000 people have been killed since Syria&#39;s conflict started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

The strikes come after the regime in December last year launched an offensive on Idlib, which is dominated by an alliance led by Al-Qaeda's former Syrian affiliate.

Air strikes have hit a hospital in Syria's last province beyond government control, in the seventh such raid on a medical facility there by the regime or its ally Russia in two weeks, a monitor said Thursday. The strikes, thought to be Russian, hit the hospital in the northwestern province of Idlib late Wednesday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said. The Observatory, which relies on sources inside Syria for its information, says it determines whose planes carry out raids according to type, location, flight patterns and munitions used. Inside the hospital in the village of Hass on Thursday, boxes of medicine lay scattered on the floor while part of a wall had collapsed onto a bed and medical equipment, an AFP correspondent said. The strikes come after the regime in December last year launched an offensive on Idlib, which is dominated by an alliance led by Al-Qaeda's former Syrian affiliate. "The hospital was the last functional one in all of southeast Idlib," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. "In two weeks, seven hospitals and medical clinics have been hit in Idlib in strikes by the regime or its Russian ally," he said, adding that a blood bank was also hit. After another strike on a hospital in Idlib last week, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) expressed alarm at the repeated targeting of healthcare centres. "Civilian areas -– specifically healthcare facilities –- are being hit in northwestern Syria," said Omar Ahmed Abenza, MSF head of mission for northwestern Syria, after the strike on the area of Mishmishan. "The strikes, despite their regularity during the seven years long conflict, are currently at an intensity that should be a landmark, another wake-up call," he said. The bombardment of medical facilities has a "terrible knock-on effect", he said, with fearful staff at other facilities reducing their services after each strike. "The result is more people in greater need, with fewer health services open and available." Jihadists and rebels overran Idlib in 2015, but since then hardliners have expanded their control and the influence of mainstream rebels has shrunk drastically. Some 2.5 million people, including more than one million displaced Syrians, live in the province. More than 340,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Strikes hit yet another hospital in Syria's Idlib

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said it killed nearly 150 militants in strikes on Saturday in the Syrian middle Euphrates River Valley.

The latest strikes come as the United States urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign against Kurdish forces in northern Syria and to focus on fighting Islamic State militants.

The United States has signalled an open-ended military presence in Syria as part of a broader strategy to prevent Islamic State&rsquo;s resurgence, pave the way diplomatically for the eventual departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and curtail Iran&rsquo;s influence.

&quot;The precision strikes were a culmination of extensive intelligence preparation to confirm an ISIS headquarters and command and control centre in an exclusively ISIS-occupied location in the contested middle Euphrates River Valley,&quot; a statement issued on Tuesday said, using an acronym for Islamic State.

The strikes took place near As Shafah, Syria and killed between 145 and 150 militants. The statement added that US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes Kurdish YPG fighters, helped in target observation.

Turkey seeks to avoid any clash with US, Russian or Syrian forces but will take any steps needed for its security, a Turkish minister said on Tuesday, the fourth day of its air and ground offensive against Kurdish forces.

The United States and Russia both have military forces in Syria and have urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign, named Operation Olive Branch, to crush the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG in the Afrin region on Turkey&#39;s southern border.

&quot;Our SDF partners are still making daily progress and sacrifices, and together we are still finding, targeting and killing ISIS terrorists intent on keeping their extremist hold on the region,&quot; Major General James Jarrard, commander of special operations for the coalition, said in the statement.

The United States has led an international coalition conducting air strikes against Islamic State since 2014. The&nbsp;US&nbsp;troops have served as advisers on the ground with Iraqi government forces and with Kurdish and Arab groups in Syria.

The coalition has said in the past that fewer than 1,000 Islamic State fighters remain in Iraq and Syria, but that the militant group still remains a threat. The figure excludes areas in western Syria under the control of Assad&rsquo;s government and his allies.

The latest strikes come as the United States urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign against Kurdish forces in northern Syria

The US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said it killed nearly 150 militants in strikes on Saturday in the Syrian middle Euphrates River Valley. The latest strikes come as the United States urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign against Kurdish forces in northern Syria and to focus on fighting Islamic State militants. The United States has signalled an open-ended military presence in Syria as part of a broader strategy to prevent Islamic State’s resurgence, pave the way diplomatically for the eventual departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and curtail Iran’s influence. "The precision strikes were a culmination of extensive intelligence preparation to confirm an ISIS headquarters and command and control centre in an exclusively ISIS-occupied location in the contested middle Euphrates River Valley," a statement issued on Tuesday said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The strikes took place near As Shafah, Syria and killed between 145 and 150 militants. The statement added that US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes Kurdish YPG fighters, helped in target observation. Turkey seeks to avoid any clash with US, Russian or Syrian forces but will take any steps needed for its security, a Turkish minister said on Tuesday, the fourth day of its air and ground offensive against Kurdish forces. The United States and Russia both have military forces in Syria and have urged Turkey to show restraint in its campaign, named Operation Olive Branch, to crush the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG in the Afrin region on Turkey's southern border. "Our SDF partners are still making daily progress and sacrifices, and together we are still finding, targeting and killing ISIS terrorists intent on keeping their extremist hold on the region," Major General James Jarrard, commander of special operations for the coalition, said in the statement. The United States has led an international coalition conducting air strikes against Islamic State since 2014. The US troops have served as advisers on the ground with Iraqi government forces and with Kurdish and Arab groups in Syria. The coalition has said in the past that fewer than 1,000 Islamic State fighters remain in Iraq and Syria, but that the militant group still remains a threat. The figure excludes areas in western Syria under the control of Assad’s government and his allies.

US-led strikes kill 150 Islamic State militants in Syria

At least five senior members of Al-Qaeda have been killed in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan in an operation of the security forces on Thursday.&nbsp;

The operation was carried out by the special forces of the Afghan intelligence directorate on Thursday in night Toato locality.&nbsp;

The five senior leaders including one from Afghanistan, one from Pakistan, and three from Chechnya, had been assigned to prepare militants for suicide and other terrorist attacks in the country.

According to an official statement by the provincial government said, &quot;Five senior&nbsp;Al-Qaeda&nbsp;network leaders, hailing from&nbsp;Afghanistan,&nbsp;Pakistan, and Chechnya, were actively involved in planning and coordinating suicide attacks in the country&quot;.

As per reports, the Afghan member has been identified as&nbsp;Mulla Sondai, known as Seraj, who was in-charge of the propaganda campaign.

The Afghan security forces found four Ak-47 rifles, a PKM machine gun, a pistol and some ammunition after the operations.

No casualties were reported so far.

The Taliban and Al-Qaeda affiliates have not yet given an official statement regarding the development.

The operation was carried out by the special forces of the Afghan intelligence directorate on Thursday night at the Toato locality in Nangarhar province

At least five senior members of Al-Qaeda have been killed in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan in an operation of the security forces on Thursday. The operation was carried out by the special forces of the Afghan intelligence directorate on Thursday in night Toato locality. The five senior leaders including one from Afghanistan, one from Pakistan, and three from Chechnya, had been assigned to prepare militants for suicide and other terrorist attacks in the country. According to an official statement by the provincial government said, "Five senior Al-Qaeda network leaders, hailing from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Chechnya, were actively involved in planning and coordinating suicide attacks in the country". As per reports, the Afghan member has been identified as Mulla Sondai, known as Seraj, who was in-charge of the propaganda campaign. The Afghan security forces found four Ak-47 rifles, a PKM machine gun, a pistol and some ammunition after the operations. No casualties were reported so far. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda affiliates have not yet given an official statement regarding the development.

At least 5 Al-Qaeda members killed in Afghanistan

The US military conducted air strikes in Libya on Monday, following a government request to target the Islamic State group&#39;s Libyan stronghold of Sirte, the Pentagon announced. 
 
While the Pentagon has previously carried out air attacks on specific high-value IS targets in Libya, Monday&#39;s action marked the first known US strikes in Sirte itself. 
 
&quot;At the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord, the United States military conducted precision air strikes against ISIL targets in Sirte, Libya, to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat ISIL in its primary stronghold in Libya,&quot; Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, using an acronym for the IS group. 
 
US strikes in Sirte &quot;will continue&quot;, Cook added without elaborating. 
 
President Barack Obama authorised the bombings following recommendations from top pentagon officials, and the strikes were &quot;consistent with our approach to combating ISIL by working with capable and motivated local forces&quot;, Cook added. 
 
&quot;The US stands with the international community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya,&quot; he said. 
 
Monday&#39;s action comes after a US strike targeted an IS training camp in a rural area near Sabratha, outside Tripoli, in February, likely killing an IS leader called Noureddine Chouchane and dozens of other jihadists. 
 
In November, a US strike killed Abu Nabil, another IS leader who was also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi. 
 
A US senior administration official said US action would be limited to strikes and information sharing to support these, and that 
American troops would not take part in any ground operations to support the GNA. 
 
The official said precision strikes would target key IS military infrastructure such as tanks, high-caliber weapons and command and control nodes.&nbsp;Libya spiraled into chaos after longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in October 2011, with two governments vying for power and armed groups battling to control vast energy resources. 
 
Exploiting Libya&#39;s power vacuum, IS jihadists established a foothold in Libya, especially in Sirte. The Pentagon estimates fewer than 1,000 IS fighters are in Sirte. 
 
(AFP)

Monday's action comes after a US strike targeted an IS training camp in a rural area near Sabratha, outside Tripoli, in February

The US military conducted air strikes in Libya on Monday, following a government request to target the Islamic State group's Libyan stronghold of Sirte, the Pentagon announced. While the Pentagon has previously carried out air attacks on specific high-value IS targets in Libya, Monday's action marked the first known US strikes in Sirte itself. "At the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord, the United States military conducted precision air strikes against ISIL targets in Sirte, Libya, to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat ISIL in its primary stronghold in Libya," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, using an acronym for the IS group. US strikes in Sirte "will continue", Cook added without elaborating. President Barack Obama authorised the bombings following recommendations from top pentagon officials, and the strikes were "consistent with our approach to combating ISIL by working with capable and motivated local forces", Cook added. "The US stands with the international community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya," he said. Monday's action comes after a US strike targeted an IS training camp in a rural area near Sabratha, outside Tripoli, in February, likely killing an IS leader called Noureddine Chouchane and dozens of other jihadists. In November, a US strike killed Abu Nabil, another IS leader who was also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi. A US senior administration official said US action would be limited to strikes and information sharing to support these, and that American troops would not take part in any ground operations to support the GNA. The official said precision strikes would target key IS military infrastructure such as tanks, high-caliber weapons and command and control nodes. Libya spiraled into chaos after longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in October 2011, with two governments vying for power and armed groups battling to control vast energy resources. Exploiting Libya's power vacuum, IS jihadists established a foothold in Libya, especially in Sirte. The Pentagon estimates fewer than 1,000 IS fighters are in Sirte. (AFP)

US launches first anti-IS air strikes in Libya's Sirte

The United States on Friday lifted the lid on one of the most controversial tactics of President Barack Obama&#39;s secretive counter-terror campaign, detailing for the first time the number of those killed in air strikes in countries like Pakistan and Libya. 
 
At the same time, the White House released an executive order outlining the steps that should be taken to reduce civilian casualties in America&#39;s ongoing battle against violent extremism. 
 
In a much-anticipated report, the director of national intelligence (DNI) provided fatality estimates for the 473 strikes between 2009 and 2015 that he said were conducted outside America&#39;s principal war zones in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. 
 
The DNI said somewhere between 64 and 116 civilians were killed in the strikes, and up to 2,581 terrorists. 
 
Such attacks are typically conducted via drones, though manned warplanes and missiles have also been used. 
 
Though the US military routinely releases information on strikes targeting the Islamic State group and other organizations, mainly in Iraq and Syria, it is the first time the Obama administration has published a toll from its strikes elsewhere, in countries like Libya, Somalia and Pakistan. 
 
The release comes after rights groups and the media for years demanded better accounting of such military actions under Obama, and many questioned the legality of the strikes. 
 
Critics have long alleged that US strikes, especially by drones, kill far more civilians than the administration claims, and Friday&#39;s release did not appear to change that narrative. 
 
Observers also say that without better transparency, it is impossible to gauge the accuracy of US fatality assessments.&nbsp; 
 
The American Civil Liberties Union, for instance, welcomed the release of information but said it was too narrow in scope and left the US public unsure if the government deploys lethal force legally. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s hard to credit the government&#39;s death count, which is lower than all independent assessments,&quot; said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU&#39;s National Security Project. 
 
&quot;The government continues to conceal the identities of people it has killed, the specific definitions it uses to decide who can legitimately be targetted, and its investigations into credibly alleged wrongful killings,&quot; Hina added. 
 
Even the DNI seemed to acknowledge the possible weakness of its own numbers. 
 
&quot;Although the US government has access to a wide range of information, the figures released today should be considered in light of the inherent limitations on the ability to determine the precise number of combatant and non-combatant deaths given the non-permissive environments in which these strikes often occur,&quot; the DNI said in a statement. 
 
Often, neither the military nor US intelligence agencies are able to send an operative to the scene of a drone strike, making it all but impossible to definitively assess how many people were hit. 
 
Laura Pitter, senior US national security counsel at Human Rights Watch, said Obama had failed to explain who the campaign targets and why, so there is no way to verify the purported casualty figures. 
 
&quot;Unless details are provided on specific incidents, it&#39;s not possible to determine if individuals killed were civilians, and thus whether the US is complying with its own policy and with international law,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, The White House released an executive order that sets out the best practices that can be applied to future strikes, regardless of where they are conducted. 
 
&quot;Civilian casualties are a tragic and, at times, unavoidable consequence of the use of force in situations of armed conflict,&quot; Obama&#39;s order states.&nbsp; 
 
Among its provisions are requirements for the US government to acknowledge responsibility for civilian casualties and to offer condolences and payments to injured civilians and the relatives of those killed. 
 
&quot;The US failure to even acknowledge strikes in the past, let alone compensate for harm caused, has generated an enormous backlash in many communities,&quot; Pitter noted. 
 
The order also undertakes to consider information from other sources, such as non-government organizations, in determining civilian casualties. 
 
However, a future president can easily scrap the order, and critics point to the irony of its timing - coming at the end of Obama&#39;s eight-year term, during which he kept his counter-terror strikes under close wraps. 
 
&quot;If we can press this administration to make good on the commitments that are in this executive order, it could be huge,&quot; said Naureen Shah, a program director at Amnesty International, USA. 
 
(AFP)

It's hard to credit the government's death count, which is lower than all independent assessments: American Civil Liberties Union director

The United States on Friday lifted the lid on one of the most controversial tactics of President Barack Obama's secretive counter-terror campaign, detailing for the first time the number of those killed in air strikes in countries like Pakistan and Libya. At the same time, the White House released an executive order outlining the steps that should be taken to reduce civilian casualties in America's ongoing battle against violent extremism. In a much-anticipated report, the director of national intelligence (DNI) provided fatality estimates for the 473 strikes between 2009 and 2015 that he said were conducted outside America's principal war zones in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. The DNI said somewhere between 64 and 116 civilians were killed in the strikes, and up to 2,581 terrorists. Such attacks are typically conducted via drones, though manned warplanes and missiles have also been used. Though the US military routinely releases information on strikes targeting the Islamic State group and other organizations, mainly in Iraq and Syria, it is the first time the Obama administration has published a toll from its strikes elsewhere, in countries like Libya, Somalia and Pakistan. The release comes after rights groups and the media for years demanded better accounting of such military actions under Obama, and many questioned the legality of the strikes. Critics have long alleged that US strikes, especially by drones, kill far more civilians than the administration claims, and Friday's release did not appear to change that narrative. Observers also say that without better transparency, it is impossible to gauge the accuracy of US fatality assessments. The American Civil Liberties Union, for instance, welcomed the release of information but said it was too narrow in scope and left the US public unsure if the government deploys lethal force legally. "It's hard to credit the government's death count, which is lower than all independent assessments," said Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU's National Security Project. "The government continues to conceal the identities of people it has killed, the specific definitions it uses to decide who can legitimately be targetted, and its investigations into credibly alleged wrongful killings," Hina added. Even the DNI seemed to acknowledge the possible weakness of its own numbers. "Although the US government has access to a wide range of information, the figures released today should be considered in light of the inherent limitations on the ability to determine the precise number of combatant and non-combatant deaths given the non-permissive environments in which these strikes often occur," the DNI said in a statement. Often, neither the military nor US intelligence agencies are able to send an operative to the scene of a drone strike, making it all but impossible to definitively assess how many people were hit. Laura Pitter, senior US national security counsel at Human Rights Watch, said Obama had failed to explain who the campaign targets and why, so there is no way to verify the purported casualty figures. "Unless details are provided on specific incidents, it's not possible to determine if individuals killed were civilians, and thus whether the US is complying with its own policy and with international law," she said. Meanwhile, The White House released an executive order that sets out the best practices that can be applied to future strikes, regardless of where they are conducted. "Civilian casualties are a tragic and, at times, unavoidable consequence of the use of force in situations of armed conflict," Obama's order states. Among its provisions are requirements for the US government to acknowledge responsibility for civilian casualties and to offer condolences and payments to injured civilians and the relatives of those killed. "The US failure to even acknowledge strikes in the past, let alone compensate for harm caused, has generated an enormous backlash in many communities," Pitter noted. The order also undertakes to consider information from other sources, such as non-government organizations, in determining civilian casualties. However, a future president can easily scrap the order, and critics point to the irony of its timing - coming at the end of Obama's eight-year term, during which he kept his counter-terror strikes under close wraps. "If we can press this administration to make good on the commitments that are in this executive order, it could be huge," said Naureen Shah, a program director at Amnesty International, USA. (AFP)

In a first, US releases death toll from drone strikes in Libya, Somalia and Pakistan

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