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The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed on Thursday (June 19) that Iran fired cluster bombs in response to an increase in civilian casualties. The attacks with scattered small bombs mark the first use of cluster munitions in the ongoing conflicts between Iran and Israel.The Israeli military reported that a missile fired from Iran on June 19 exploded about 7 kilometres above ground, releasing around 20 submunitions over an 8-kilometre area in central Israel. These unguided munitions fall to the ground and are designed to explode on impact.“They are egregious weapons with their wide-area destruction, especially if used in a civilian populated area and could add to the unexploded ordnance left over from conflicts,” said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association.<h2>What are cluster bombs?</h2>According to a report in NDTV, the cluster bomb is designed in a way that releases smaller bombs or “submunitions” covering wider areas. This bomb opens mid-air and is scattered into multiple smaller explosives across a broad target zone, instead of detonating in a single explosion.As per the HT report, cluster munitions can scatter smaller bombs over a wide area, posing long-term risks to civilians, as some take a longer time to detonate. Unexploded cluster bombs can cause casualties and harm unintended targets long after the conflict ends, and their removal is often costly and challenging.These bombs lack precision in targeting and can be affected by environmental factors like weather, potentially hitting unintended areas beyond the intended military target.<h2>When were cluster bombs first used?</h2>The cluster munitions were first used during World War II. In addition, a large number of stockpiled cluster munitions were designed during the Cold War to destroy multiple military targets scattered over a wide area, such as tanks or to kill or injure soldiers, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.Earlier in March 2025, Ukraine’s eastern region of Dobropillia was attacked by Russia with cluster bombs targeting the centre of the town, which claimed the lives of 11 people, injuring 40.Several media reports confirm that the Convention on Cluster Munitions was established in 2008 to prohibit the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions. It was signed by 123 nations, excluding Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. Through this convention, it also required members to destroy existing stockpiles of cluster munitions. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Iran fired cluster bombs at Israel. What are cluster bombs, and when were they first used? Find out all about cluster bombs.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed on Thursday (June 19) that Iran fired cluster bombs in response to an increase in civilian casualties. The attacks with scattered small bombs mark the first use of cluster munitions in the ongoing conflicts between Iran and Israel. The Israeli military reported that a missile fired from Iran on June 19 exploded about 7 kilometres above ground, releasing around 20 submunitions over an 8-kilometre area in central Israel. These unguided munitions fall to the ground and are designed to explode on impact. “They are egregious weapons with their wide-area destruction, especially if used in a civilian populated area and could add to the unexploded ordnance left over from conflicts,” said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association. What are cluster bombs? According to a report in NDTV, the cluster bomb is designed in a way that releases smaller bombs or “submunitions” covering wider areas. This bomb opens mid-air and is scattered into multiple smaller explosives across a broad target zone, instead of detonating in a single explosion. As per the HT report, cluster munitions can scatter smaller bombs over a wide area, posing long-term risks to civilians, as some take a longer time to detonate. Unexploded cluster bombs can cause casualties and harm unintended targets long after the conflict ends, and their removal is often costly and challenging. These bombs lack precision in targeting and can be affected by environmental factors like weather, potentially hitting unintended areas beyond the intended military target. When were cluster bombs first used? The cluster munitions were first used during World War II. In addition, a large number of stockpiled cluster munitions were designed during the Cold War to destroy multiple military targets scattered over a wide area, such as tanks or to kill or injure soldiers, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Earlier in March 2025, Ukraine’s eastern region of Dobropillia was attacked by Russia with cluster bombs targeting the centre of the town, which claimed the lives of 11 people, injuring 40. Several media reports confirm that the Convention on Cluster Munitions was established in 2008 to prohibit the use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions. It was signed by 123 nations, excluding Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. Through this convention, it also required members to destroy existing stockpiles of cluster munitions.

Iran fired cluster bombs at Israel. What are cluster bombs, and when were they first used? Find out all about cluster bombs.

EXPLAINED: What are Cluster Bombs? the deadly weapons used by Iran on Israel

From Gaza to the Democratic Republic of Congo, from Ukraine to Haiti, children have never been more brutalised by war, claims a United Nations report. In a devastating annual report released Thursday (Jun 19), the UN revealed that grave violations against children in armed conflicts surged by a whopping 25 per cent in 2024 — the highest level in nearly three decades. The report has detailed thousands of grave violations against children in the year 2024 – the highest since the monitoring tool was put into place 30 years ago.<h2>A record of horrors: Shocking figures revealed</h2>As per the report from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, "In 2024, violence against children in armed conflict reached unprecedented levels, with a staggering 25 per cent surge in the number of grave violations in comparison with 2023."The report — the UN's annual barometer for violence against children in conflict — as per AFP has verified 41,370 grave violations in 2024 alone - 5,149 of these were committed earlier but confirmed in 2024. This includes more than 4,500 children killed and nearly 7,000 injured, many in indiscriminate airstrikes, ground battles and drone attacks.2024's numbers beat the earlier record, set by 2023, another record high. It must be noted that 2023 itself was 21 per cent higher than the year before.Children continue to bear "the brunt of relentless hostilities and indiscriminate attacks," the report said. It also includes, in its appendix, a "list of shame" which calls out those responsible for these violations.<h2>Which countries recorded the highest violence against children?</h2>Topping the UN's list is the Palestinian territories, where 8,500 violations were recorded — more than half of them in Gaza and the vast majority committed by Israeli forces, according to the UN.At least 1,259 Palestinian children were confirmed killed in Gaza in 2024, with the UN still verifying claims related to another 4,470 dead children. The numbers exploded after Israel's brutal response to Hamas's October 7 attack.Beyond Gaza, several other countries saw massive child suffering in 2024:- Democratic Republic of Congo: Over 4,000 grave violations - Somalia: 2,500+ cases - Nigeria: Nearly 2,500 violations - Haiti: 2,200+ cases&nbsp;"We are at the point of no return," said Virginia Gamba, the UN Secretary-General's special representative for children in armed conflict."The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball -- but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings -- should keep all of us awake at night," she said, adding, "This must serve as a wake-up call". &nbsp;

The report has detailed thousands of grave violations against children in the year 2024 – the highest since the monitoring tool was put into place 30 years ago.

From Gaza to the Democratic Republic of Congo, from Ukraine to Haiti, children have never been more brutalised by war, claims a United Nations report. In a devastating annual report released Thursday (Jun 19), the UN revealed that grave violations against children in armed conflicts surged by a whopping 25 per cent in 2024 — the highest level in nearly three decades. The report has detailed thousands of grave violations against children in the year 2024 – the highest since the monitoring tool was put into place 30 years ago. A record of horrors: Shocking figures revealed As per the report from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, "In 2024, violence against children in armed conflict reached unprecedented levels, with a staggering 25 per cent surge in the number of grave violations in comparison with 2023." The report — the UN's annual barometer for violence against children in conflict — as per AFP has verified 41,370 grave violations in 2024 alone - 5,149 of these were committed earlier but confirmed in 2024. This includes more than 4,500 children killed and nearly 7,000 injured, many in indiscriminate airstrikes, ground battles and drone attacks. 2024's numbers beat the earlier record, set by 2023, another record high. It must be noted that 2023 itself was 21 per cent higher than the year before. Children continue to bear "the brunt of relentless hostilities and indiscriminate attacks," the report said. It also includes, in its appendix, a "list of shame" which calls out those responsible for these violations. Which countries recorded the highest violence against children? Topping the UN's list is the Palestinian territories, where 8,500 violations were recorded — more than half of them in Gaza and the vast majority committed by Israeli forces, according to the UN. At least 1,259 Palestinian children were confirmed killed in Gaza in 2024, with the UN still verifying claims related to another 4,470 dead children. The numbers exploded after Israel's brutal response to Hamas's October 7 attack. Beyond Gaza, several other countries saw massive child suffering in 2024: - Democratic Republic of Congo: Over 4,000 grave violations - Somalia: 2,500+ cases - Nigeria: Nearly 2,500 violations - Haiti: 2,200+ cases "We are at the point of no return," said Virginia Gamba, the UN Secretary-General's special representative for children in armed conflict. "The cries of 22,495 innocent children who should be learning to read or play ball -- but instead have been forced to learn how to survive gunfire and bombings -- should keep all of us awake at night," she said, adding, "This must serve as a wake-up call".

The report has detailed thousands of grave violations against children in the year 2024 – the highest since the monitoring tool was put into place 30 years ago.

'List of shame': Violence against children in conflict zones hit 'unprecedented levels' in 2024, reveals UN report

Nearly three years after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish girl in police custody, the Iranian regime remains wary of the nationwide protests and global outcry over the human rights situation in Iran. The death, however, had triggered massive unrest in the Islamic Republic of Iran in September 2022. The protest, which was met with a brutal crackdown by the Iranian regime had resulted in the death of 551 individuals, including 68 minors and resulted in the arrest of 19,262 individuals across 134 cities and 132 universities. As Iran and Israel, two rivals, are engaged in confrontation, Israel is trying to possibly trigger unrest, leveraging the protests of 2022.On June 18, it allegedly interrupted a broadcast by IRIB and screened visuals of the protest.<h2>Mahsa Amini protests</h2>Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish girl, was arrested for violating the strict Hijab law by wearing the Hijab improperly. The protest that erupted was described as ‘unlike any the country had seen before’, which had shaken the very core of the Islamic Patriarch of the ruling class. Mahsa Amini was said to have been taken into custody and reportedly beaten by the Guidance Patrol, an accusation which was denied by the authorities. She collapsed and was hospitalised, and died three days later.&nbsp;#MahsaAmini became a global symbol for expressing dissent; it was not just about one singular event, it was a struggle for human dignity, freedom, and bodily autonomy for women in Iran. The death was viewed as a symbol of Government repression. These were the largest protests since the Islamic revolution of 1979. The protest, which started in September 2022, continued till 2023. It started from Amini's hometown and spread to the whole country. The protestors, especially women and teenagers, including school children, demanded autonomy for women and called for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic. There were protests against the compulsory Hijab in Islam in 2017, but this was way more violent and detrimental to the regime. Protestors threw away their Hijab in solidarity with Amini and flaunted their hair. The crackdown was violent, with indiscriminate arrests, internet blockade, tear gas and gunfire.&nbsp;<h2>Israeli-Iranian shadow war</h2>The protests dwindled in the spring of 2023, but a deep paranoia settled over the Iranian hardliner regime of Ebrahim Raisi. It viewed unrests not as spontaneous dissent, but as orchestrated by hostile powers, especially Israel, which Iran blames for cyberattacks, assassinations, and intelligence operations on Iranian soil.While analysts and recent developments have shown that the fear is not completely unfounded, Israel has a history of covert operations inside Iran. Israel has always considered regime change as a viable strategy and sees internal dissent as a strategic opportunity to destabilise the Islamic Republic. The recent attack on interrupting the broadcast is seen as an attempt at waging a psychological war. The visuals displayed were of women tearing off their hijab and cutting their hair in defiance, followed by a voice-over urging the public to rise and take to the streets against the regime. A logo linked to the IDF's ‘Operation Rising Lion’ also appeared on the screen.Iran claims these attacks are part of Israel's broader attempt to destabilise Iran.&nbsp;“It’s easier to delegitimise protests when you blame them on Israel or the CIA,” said a former Iranian journalist now in exile. “It paints dissenters as traitors instead of citizens demanding basic rights.”However, the memory of the Mahsa Amini protest lives among the ruling class as a reminder of the corrosion of divine rule. Amini and the Women, Life and Freedom movement that emerged from the protest were awarded the EU’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The 2023 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Narges Mohammadi, a vocal critic of the hijab and chastity program of Iran. For many Iranian teenagers and children, Amini's name remains a rallying cry from Tehran to global feminist movements. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Read how nearly three years after the death of Mahsa Amini, visuals from the protest are being used as a rallying cry for civil unrest in Iran.

Nearly three years after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish girl in police custody, the Iranian regime remains wary of the nationwide protests and global outcry over the human rights situation in Iran. The death, however, had triggered massive unrest in the Islamic Republic of Iran in September 2022. The protest, which was met with a brutal crackdown by the Iranian regime had resulted in the death of 551 individuals, including 68 minors and resulted in the arrest of 19,262 individuals across 134 cities and 132 universities. As Iran and Israel, two rivals, are engaged in confrontation, Israel is trying to possibly trigger unrest, leveraging the protests of 2022. On June 18, it allegedly interrupted a broadcast by IRIB and screened visuals of the protest. Mahsa Amini protests Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish girl, was arrested for violating the strict Hijab law by wearing the Hijab improperly. The protest that erupted was described as ‘unlike any the country had seen before’, which had shaken the very core of the Islamic Patriarch of the ruling class. Mahsa Amini was said to have been taken into custody and reportedly beaten by the Guidance Patrol, an accusation which was denied by the authorities. She collapsed and was hospitalised, and died three days later. #MahsaAmini became a global symbol for expressing dissent; it was not just about one singular event, it was a struggle for human dignity, freedom, and bodily autonomy for women in Iran. The death was viewed as a symbol of Government repression. These were the largest protests since the Islamic revolution of 1979. The protest, which started in September 2022, continued till 2023. It started from Amini's hometown and spread to the whole country. The protestors, especially women and teenagers, including school children, demanded autonomy for women and called for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic. There were protests against the compulsory Hijab in Islam in 2017, but this was way more violent and detrimental to the regime. Protestors threw away their Hijab in solidarity with Amini and flaunted their hair. The crackdown was violent, with indiscriminate arrests, internet blockade, tear gas and gunfire. Israeli-Iranian shadow war The protests dwindled in the spring of 2023, but a deep paranoia settled over the Iranian hardliner regime of Ebrahim Raisi. It viewed unrests not as spontaneous dissent, but as orchestrated by hostile powers, especially Israel, which Iran blames for cyberattacks, assassinations, and intelligence operations on Iranian soil. While analysts and recent developments have shown that the fear is not completely unfounded, Israel has a history of covert operations inside Iran. Israel has always considered regime change as a viable strategy and sees internal dissent as a strategic opportunity to destabilise the Islamic Republic. The recent attack on interrupting the broadcast is seen as an attempt at waging a psychological war. The visuals displayed were of women tearing off their hijab and cutting their hair in defiance, followed by a voice-over urging the public to rise and take to the streets against the regime. A logo linked to the IDF's ‘Operation Rising Lion’ also appeared on the screen. Iran claims these attacks are part of Israel's broader attempt to destabilise Iran. “It’s easier to delegitimise protests when you blame them on Israel or the CIA,” said a former Iranian journalist now in exile. “It paints dissenters as traitors instead of citizens demanding basic rights.” However, the memory of the Mahsa Amini protest lives among the ruling class as a reminder of the corrosion of divine rule. Amini and the Women, Life and Freedom movement that emerged from the protest were awarded the EU’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The 2023 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Narges Mohammadi, a vocal critic of the hijab and chastity program of Iran. For many Iranian teenagers and children, Amini's name remains a rallying cry from Tehran to global feminist movements.

Read how nearly three years after the death of Mahsa Amini, visuals from the protest are being used as a rallying cry for civil unrest in Iran.

Who is Mahsa Amini? How Israel is using Mahsa Amini protest to destabilise Iran

Animal rights activists are up in arms in Australia against clothes made of cat fur. An advocacy group said that cat fur was being used in clothes and sold in Victoria despite the Australian government's promise to take action against the practice. Collective Fashion Justice and Australia's Animal Justice Party conducted an investigation and found that cat fur was being used to make children's vests and was being incorrectly labelled as fake fur or sheep wool."Every Victorian would be shocked to know that they could go to the store and accidentally buy something made from cat fur, when they may have a cat at home themselves," Collective Fashion Justice founder Emma Hakansson said.A forensic examination revealed that fashion brand Suttons UGG was using domestic cat fur and rabbit fur to make clothes. But the label on them said, "100 per cent Australian sheepskin or wool". Suttons admitted in a statement to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the label on the vest was "wrong". The group also found other objects where animal fur was being used, but they were being sold as faux fur.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/telegram-founder-pavel-durov-has-106-children-and-each-of-them-will-get-a-piece-of-his-fortune-1750396007567">Durov beats Musk: Telegram founder has 106 kids in 12 countries at the age of 40</a>&nbsp;They found two beanies with pom-poms at a Queen Victoria market in central Melbourne, with the false label of 100 per cent "acrylic". A test by British fibre analysis firm Microtex revealed they were made from fox and raccoon dog fur. The revelations have led to calls from animal advocacy groups for a total ban on the sale of any kind of animal fur in Victoria. The&nbsp;Australian Fashion Council had earlier banned and removed fur, wild-animal skins, and wild feathers from runways. Suttons UGG spokesperson told ABC that the manufacturer told them that the vest was made from a "kind of special fur". The company said it could not be sure whether cat fur was one of them.The import and export of cat and dog fur was banned in Australia in 2004. But, a probe found that clothes made from this fur continued to be made and sold in the country with wrong labels. Georgie Purcell, the Animal Justice Party MP for Northern Victoria, told The Independent, "The message from the community couldn't be clearer – fur is out of fashion. Whether it's cat, dog, rabbit, or fox – the one constant is that it's all cruel."

Domestic cat fur is being used to make clothes in Australia, and this has enraged not only animal rights groups but also the common man. The clothes are mislabeled as faux fur. 

Animal rights activists are up in arms in Australia against clothes made of cat fur. An advocacy group said that cat fur was being used in clothes and sold in Victoria despite the Australian government's promise to take action against the practice. Collective Fashion Justice and Australia's Animal Justice Party conducted an investigation and found that cat fur was being used to make children's vests and was being incorrectly labelled as fake fur or sheep wool. "Every Victorian would be shocked to know that they could go to the store and accidentally buy something made from cat fur, when they may have a cat at home themselves," Collective Fashion Justice founder Emma Hakansson said. A forensic examination revealed that fashion brand Suttons UGG was using domestic cat fur and rabbit fur to make clothes. But the label on them said, "100 per cent Australian sheepskin or wool". Suttons admitted in a statement to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the label on the vest was "wrong". The group also found other objects where animal fur was being used, but they were being sold as faux fur. Also Read: Durov beats Musk: Telegram founder has 106 kids in 12 countries at the age of 40 They found two beanies with pom-poms at a Queen Victoria market in central Melbourne, with the false label of 100 per cent "acrylic". A test by British fibre analysis firm Microtex revealed they were made from fox and raccoon dog fur. The revelations have led to calls from animal advocacy groups for a total ban on the sale of any kind of animal fur in Victoria. The Australian Fashion Council had earlier banned and removed fur, wild-animal skins, and wild feathers from runways. Suttons UGG spokesperson told ABC that the manufacturer told them that the vest was made from a "kind of special fur". The company said it could not be sure whether cat fur was one of them. The import and export of cat and dog fur was banned in Australia in 2004. But, a probe found that clothes made from this fur continued to be made and sold in the country with wrong labels. Georgie Purcell, the Animal Justice Party MP for Northern Victoria, told The Independent, "The message from the community couldn't be clearer – fur is out of fashion. Whether it's cat, dog, rabbit, or fox – the one constant is that it's all cruel."

Domestic cat fur is being used to make clothes in Australia, and this has enraged not only animal rights groups but also the common man. The clothes are mislabeled as faux fur.&nbsp;

Domestic cat fur in clothes being passed off as 'faux fur' in Australia

Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, on June 18, rejected US President Donald Trump’s call for Iran’s unconditional surrender. He also said that Israel had made a serious mistake by attacking Iran.&nbsp;In a message posted on X, Khamenei stated, “Those familiar with Iran’s history would never address this nation with threats, as the Iranian people will never surrender. The Americans must understand that any military intervention will inflict irreversible damage.”&nbsp;This is not the first time Khamenei has sent strong warnings to the US or highlighted the tense ties between the two countries. Khamenei, who became Iran’s Supreme Leader in 1989 after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s death, has spent most of his life defending the ideals of the Iranian revolution.&nbsp;Who is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?&nbsp;Ali Khamenei was born in 1939 in Mashhad, a city in northern Iran. He was the second of eight children in a family. His father was a religious scholar. Following in his father’s footsteps, Khamenei studied religion in Qom between 1958 and 1964. He joined Ayatollah Khomeini’s movement against the Shah in 1962.&nbsp;Khamenei was jailed several times by the Shah’s government. He played an important role in the 1979 revolution and later became Iran’s president from 1981 to 1989. During this time, he led the country through the Iran-Iraq war. After Ayatollah Khomeini’s death, Khamenei became the Supreme Leader.&nbsp;In his early years, Khamenei was interested in both religious and intellectual ideas and often discussed these with thinkers from different backgrounds.&nbsp;When did Khamenei become Supreme Leader?&nbsp;Khamenei has been Iran’s top leader since 1989, after the death of the country’s first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Khomeini led Iran for ten years after overthrowing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.&nbsp;&nbsp;After Khomeini’s death, Khamenei was selected as Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts. Before that, he was president of Iran for eight years.

Khamenei has been Iran’s top leader since 1989, after the death of the country’s first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Khomeini led Iran for ten years after overthrowing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. 

Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, on June 18, rejected US President Donald Trump’s call for Iran’s unconditional surrender. He also said that Israel had made a serious mistake by attacking Iran. In a message posted on X, Khamenei stated, “Those familiar with Iran’s history would never address this nation with threats, as the Iranian people will never surrender. The Americans must understand that any military intervention will inflict irreversible damage.” This is not the first time Khamenei has sent strong warnings to the US or highlighted the tense ties between the two countries. Khamenei, who became Iran’s Supreme Leader in 1989 after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s death, has spent most of his life defending the ideals of the Iranian revolution. Who is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Ali Khamenei was born in 1939 in Mashhad, a city in northern Iran. He was the second of eight children in a family. His father was a religious scholar. Following in his father’s footsteps, Khamenei studied religion in Qom between 1958 and 1964. He joined Ayatollah Khomeini’s movement against the Shah in 1962. Khamenei was jailed several times by the Shah’s government. He played an important role in the 1979 revolution and later became Iran’s president from 1981 to 1989. During this time, he led the country through the Iran-Iraq war. After Ayatollah Khomeini’s death, Khamenei became the Supreme Leader. In his early years, Khamenei was interested in both religious and intellectual ideas and often discussed these with thinkers from different backgrounds. When did Khamenei become Supreme Leader? Khamenei has been Iran’s top leader since 1989, after the death of the country’s first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Khomeini led Iran for ten years after overthrowing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. After Khomeini’s death, Khamenei was selected as Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts. Before that, he was president of Iran for eight years.

Khamenei has been Iran’s top leader since 1989, after the death of the country’s first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Khomeini led Iran for ten years after overthrowing Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.&nbsp;

Who is Ali Hosseini Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran?

Israel launched overnight strikes on Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19). And now, the Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi informed that the facility is under comprehensive IAEA safeguards and under construction in strict accordance with the technical specifications agreed upon in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to eliminate any proliferation risk.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-iran-conflict-satellite-images-show-extent-of-damage-at-iran-s-heavy-water-nuclear-facilities-in-arak-1750395722674">Israel-Iran conflict: Satellite images show extent of damage at Iran's heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak</a>&nbsp;In his X post, he highlighted that it ‘was bombed in broad daylight by the Israeli regime.’ Satellite imagery of the site shows the extent of damage. An image from June 18 shows an erect structure with no visible damage, and another snapshot from June 19 shows destruction around the site.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Arak Heavy Water Reactor—a facility under comprehensive IAEA safeguards and under construction in strict accordance with the technical specifications agreed upon in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to eliminate any proliferation risk—was bombed yesterday in… <a href="https://t.co/Gqswk8sKym">pic.twitter.com/Gqswk8sKym</a>&mdash; Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) <a href="https://twitter.com/araghchi/status/1935955898276483513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“As the Security Council convenes today, it is imperative that it upholds and enforces its own Resolution 487-adopted unanimously in response to the Israeli regime's 1981 attack on Iraq’s nuclear facility. The language in that resolution is unambiguous: any military attack on nuclear facilities is an assault on the entire IAEA safeguards regime and ultimately the NPT. It applies not only to past actions but also to future conduct, setting a clear legal standard against the use or threat of force targeting safeguarded nuclear installations. If the Council now fails to act, it must explain to the international community why its legal principles apply only selectively on such a crucial matter. It will also hold ultimate responsibility, along with the Israeli regime, should the global nonproliferation regime one day collapse,” Araghchi added.&nbsp;Furthermore, in an interview to Iranian state TV on Friday, he said that Iran any negotiations with the United States while Israel continues its attacks on Iran.&nbsp;

Israel launched overnight strikes on Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19). And now, the Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi informed that the facility is under comprehensive IAEA safeguards and under construction.

Israel launched overnight strikes on Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19). And now, the Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi informed that the facility is under comprehensive IAEA safeguards and under construction in strict accordance with the technical specifications agreed upon in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to eliminate any proliferation risk. Also read: Israel-Iran conflict: Satellite images show extent of damage at Iran's heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak In his X post, he highlighted that it ‘was bombed in broad daylight by the Israeli regime.’ Satellite imagery of the site shows the extent of damage. An image from June 18 shows an erect structure with no visible damage, and another snapshot from June 19 shows destruction around the site.

Israel launched overnight strikes on Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19). And now, the Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi informed that the facility is under comprehensive IAEA safeguards and under construction.

Arak heavy water reactor under construction, says Iran Foreign Minister Araghchi after Israeli airstrikes

In a stern warning, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has said 'there will be no more Hezbollah' if the Iran-backed militant group attacks Israel amid the ongoing war. His comments came as the Lebanon-based group expressed support for Tehran. Hezbollah, weakened by the recent elimination of its fighters and leadership by Israel, has not yet made a declaration of military involvement in the Iran-Israel war, but has expressed readiness for the same.<h2>What did Katz say?</h2>“If Hezbollah launches attacks, we will eliminate them,” Katz said in a social media post. Katz stated that Israel sees Hezbollah not as a neutral actor, but as an active threat. “The Hezbollah Secretary-General &nbsp;[Naim Qassem] hasn’t learned the lessons of his predecessors," Katz was quoted as saying in Israeli media. Katz accused Qassem of "threatening to act against Israel under orders from the Iranian dictator,” referring to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Katz said: “I advise the Lebanese proxy to be cautious and understand that Israel has run out of patience with terrorists who threaten it. If there is terrorism, there will be no more Hezbollah,” Katz warned.<h2>What did Hezbollah say about Iran-Israel war?</h2>Katz's comments came after Qassem, appointed as Hezbollah’s deputy leader after Israel assassinated the group's chief Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, expressed continued support for Tehran.&nbsp; Qassem said Hezbollah would “act as we see fit” in the wake of the Iran-Israel war. &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/breaking-hezbollah-chief-naim-qassem-says-group-will-act-as-we-see-fit-in-iran-israel-war-1750367442159/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/breaking-hezbollah-chief-naim-qassem-says-group-will-act-as-we-see-fit-in-iran-israel-war-1750367442159/embed</a>&nbsp; Earlier, Reuters had reported, citing a Hezbollah official, that it would not carry out its own attacks in response to the Israeli offensive on Iran, which started on June 13.<h2>US official issues a similar warning to Hezbollah</h2>A similar warning was issued by the US special envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, after meeting officials in Lebanon.&nbsp;&nbsp;It would be a "very bad decision" Barrack said on Thursday after he met with officials in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is a close ally of Hezbollah.&nbsp;"I can say on behalf of the President [US President Donald Trump], who he has been very clear in expressing as has Special Envoy [Steve] Witkoff: that would be a very, very, very bad decision," Barrack, who also serves as US envoy to Turkey, told reporters. Hezbollah also said threats against Supreme Leader Khamenei would have "dire consequences". Hezbollah is already severely damaged. Besides much of its leadership gone, thousands of its fighters were killed in the 2024 offensive by Israel on southern Lebanon. Many of them were killed in a series of pager explosions orchestrated by the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.&nbsp;&nbsp;Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.

Hezbollah, weakened by the recent elimination of its fighters and leadership by Israel, has not yet made a declaration of military involvement in the Iran-Israel war, but expressed readiness for the same.

In a stern warning, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has said 'there will be no more Hezbollah' if the Iran-backed militant group attacks Israel amid the ongoing war. His comments came as the Lebanon-based group expressed support for Tehran. Hezbollah, weakened by the recent elimination of its fighters and leadership by Israel, has not yet made a declaration of military involvement in the Iran-Israel war, but has expressed readiness for the same. What did Katz say? “If Hezbollah launches attacks, we will eliminate them,” Katz said in a social media post. Katz stated that Israel sees Hezbollah not as a neutral actor, but as an active threat. “The Hezbollah Secretary-General [Naim Qassem] hasn’t learned the lessons of his predecessors," Katz was quoted as saying in Israeli media. Katz accused Qassem of "threatening to act against Israel under orders from the Iranian dictator,” referring to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Katz said: “I advise the Lebanese proxy to be cautious and understand that Israel has run out of patience with terrorists who threaten it. If there is terrorism, there will be no more Hezbollah,” Katz warned. What did Hezbollah say about Iran-Israel war? Katz's comments came after Qassem, appointed as Hezbollah’s deputy leader after Israel assassinated the group's chief Hassan Nasrallah in September 2024, expressed continued support for Tehran. Qassem said Hezbollah would “act as we see fit” in the wake of the Iran-Israel war. https://www.wionews.com/videos/breaking-hezbollah-chief-naim-qassem-says-group-will-act-as-we-see-fit-in-iran-israel-war-1750367442159/embed Earlier, Reuters had reported, citing a Hezbollah official, that it would not carry out its own attacks in response to the Israeli offensive on Iran, which started on June 13. US official issues a similar warning to Hezbollah A similar warning was issued by the US special envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, after meeting officials in Lebanon. It would be a "very bad decision" Barrack said on Thursday after he met with officials in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is a close ally of Hezbollah. "I can say on behalf of the President [US President Donald Trump], who he has been very clear in expressing as has Special Envoy [Steve] Witkoff: that would be a very, very, very bad decision," Barrack, who also serves as US envoy to Turkey, told reporters. Hezbollah also said threats against Supreme Leader Khamenei would have "dire consequences". Hezbollah is already severely damaged. Besides much of its leadership gone, thousands of its fighters were killed in the 2024 offensive by Israel on southern Lebanon. Many of them were killed in a series of pager explosions orchestrated by the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.

Hezbollah, weakened by the recent elimination of its fighters and leadership by Israel, has not yet made a declaration of military involvement in the Iran-Israel war, but expressed readiness for the same.

'Will eliminate': Israel defence minister Katz warns there will be no more Hezbollah if…

At least 657 people have been killed and 2,037 others have been wounded in Israeli strikes on Iran in the last week, claimed a human rights group on Friday (Jun 20). As per the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, it has managed to identify over 400 killed in Israeli strikes, and of those, a majority were civilians. This comes as Iranian missiles overnight on Thursday (Jun 19) hit a major hospital in southern Israel and struck residential buildings in southern Israel. The strike, as per reports, wounded 240 people and caused extensive damage to properties. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes hit Iran's Arak nuclear facility.<h2>Over 600 killed in Iran</h2>As per Human Rights Activists, 657 people have been killed across Iran, and at least 2,037 have been wounded. The group said that it has identified 263 civilians and 164 security force personnel among the dead.Meanwhile, Iran, which has a history of minimising casualties during conflicts, on Monday said that 224 have been killed and 1,277 others have been wounded by Iran's attacks so far.The group, Human Rights Activists, cross-checks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources inside the country. The group previously provided casualty figures during the 2022 protests in the aftermath of the death of Mahsa Amini.<h2>Australia closes Tehran embassy</h2>As tensions skyrocket, Australia has shuttered its embassy in Tehran and evacuated diplomatic staff due to the "deteriorating security environment". On Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed that she spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and said that the two allies were working "closely" to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.“There is an opportunity … over the next two weeks for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy,” said Wong.With this, Australia joins a string of countries closing diplomatic missions in Iran since Israel launched air strikes a week ago, claiming its arch enemy was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.Australia has directed all its officials and their dependents to leave Iran and suspended its Tehran embassy operations. “This is not a decision taken lightly. It is a decision based on the deteriorating security environment in Iran,” said Wong. Wong stated that approximately 2,000 Australians and their family members registered in Iran wished to leave, along with another 1,200 in Israel. Other countries that have suspended operations in Tehran include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Portugal, and Switzerland. &nbsp;

As per the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, it has managed to identify over 400 killed in Israeli strikes, and of those, a majority were civilians.

At least 657 people have been killed and 2,037 others have been wounded in Israeli strikes on Iran in the last week, claimed a human rights group on Friday (Jun 20). As per the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, it has managed to identify over 400 killed in Israeli strikes, and of those, a majority were civilians. This comes as Iranian missiles overnight on Thursday (Jun 19) hit a major hospital in southern Israel and struck residential buildings in southern Israel. The strike, as per reports, wounded 240 people and caused extensive damage to properties. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes hit Iran's Arak nuclear facility. Over 600 killed in Iran As per Human Rights Activists, 657 people have been killed across Iran, and at least 2,037 have been wounded. The group said that it has identified 263 civilians and 164 security force personnel among the dead. Meanwhile, Iran, which has a history of minimising casualties during conflicts, on Monday said that 224 have been killed and 1,277 others have been wounded by Iran's attacks so far. The group, Human Rights Activists, cross-checks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources inside the country. The group previously provided casualty figures during the 2022 protests in the aftermath of the death of Mahsa Amini. Australia closes Tehran embassy As tensions skyrocket, Australia has shuttered its embassy in Tehran and evacuated diplomatic staff due to the "deteriorating security environment". On Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed that she spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and said that the two allies were working "closely" to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. “There is an opportunity … over the next two weeks for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy,” said Wong. With this, Australia joins a string of countries closing diplomatic missions in Iran since Israel launched air strikes a week ago, claiming its arch enemy was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon. Australia has directed all its officials and their dependents to leave Iran and suspended its Tehran embassy operations. “This is not a decision taken lightly. It is a decision based on the deteriorating security environment in Iran,” said Wong. Wong stated that approximately 2,000 Australians and their family members registered in Iran wished to leave, along with another 1,200 in Israel. Other countries that have suspended operations in Tehran include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, Portugal, and Switzerland.

As per the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, it has managed to identify over 400 killed in Israeli strikes, and of those, a majority were civilians.

Over 650, including 264 civilians killed in one week by Israeli strikes on Iran, claims rights group

Amid speculative reports that the US defence officials were possibly considering a tactical nuclear weapon attack on Iran, Russia has warned the administration of US President Donald Trump against it, warning it could be catastrophic. Russia retains a close relationship with Iran. The comments from the Kremlin came as the US is reportedly poised to intervene in the raging Israel-Iran war.<h2>Will Trump enter the Iran-Israel war?</h2>Trump has been ambivalent about a US intervention in the war. Reports said he has held meetings with military leaders on America's options. As per the White House, Trump is giving two weeks for the two nations to resolve the conflict. Trump himself hinted on Thursday (June 19) that a decision on US involvement could be taken in two weeks. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/heavy-damage-in-israel-as-fresh-wave-of-missiles-strikes-from-iran-1750400774358/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/heavy-damage-in-israel-as-fresh-wave-of-missiles-strikes-from-iran-1750400774358/embed</a>&nbsp;<h2>What did Russia say about US potential use of tactical nuclear weapons on Iran?</h2>Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that it would be a “catastrophic development” if the US uses tactical nuclear weapons against Iran, the Russian TASS news agency reported on Friday. Western media reports had suggested earlier that such a US attack would target Iran's secretive underground nuclear facility in Fordow. Peskov's remarks referred to these media, without mentioning any specific report.<h2>Underground Furdow nuclear facility to be US target?</h2>Earlier, the British newspaper The Guardian had reported on briefings in the US about the Fordow nuclear facility. This is Iran's underground uranium enrichment facility. The US defence officials were briefed that Furdow can't be destroyed using conventional bombs. According to the report, the officials were briefed that initial attacks with conventional bombs, followed by a tactical nuclear weapon dropped from a B2 bomber, could be the alternative.&nbsp;However, the UK paper also said Trump was not keen on using a tactical nuclear weapon on Fordow.<h2>What is a tactical nuclear weapon? Which are the main US TNWs?</h2>Tactical nuclear weapons or TNWs, also known as non-strategic nuclear weapons, are designed to be smaller than the usual nuclear bombs. It is to be noted that tactical nuclear weapons have never been used in combat. The US has the B61 series of gravity bombs. These TNWs - named B61-3, B61-4, and B61-10- have yields of between 0.3 and 170 kilotons. They can be delivered by fighter jets like F16 and F35. According to the think tank Arms Control Center, the current US tactical nuclear arsenal includes nearly 230 B61 gravity bombs of the B61-3 and B61-4 versions. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.

Russia retains a close relationship with Iran. The comments from the Kremlin came as the US is reportedly poised to intervene in the raging Israel-Iran war.

Amid speculative reports that the US defence officials were possibly considering a tactical nuclear weapon attack on Iran, Russia has warned the administration of US President Donald Trump against it, warning it could be catastrophic. Russia retains a close relationship with Iran. The comments from the Kremlin came as the US is reportedly poised to intervene in the raging Israel-Iran war. Will Trump enter the Iran-Israel war? Trump has been ambivalent about a US intervention in the war. Reports said he has held meetings with military leaders on America's options. As per the White House, Trump is giving two weeks for the two nations to resolve the conflict. Trump himself hinted on Thursday (June 19) that a decision on US involvement could be taken in two weeks. https://www.wionews.com/videos/heavy-damage-in-israel-as-fresh-wave-of-missiles-strikes-from-iran-1750400774358/embed What did Russia say about US potential use of tactical nuclear weapons on Iran? Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that it would be a “catastrophic development” if the US uses tactical nuclear weapons against Iran, the Russian TASS news agency reported on Friday. Western media reports had suggested earlier that such a US attack would target Iran's secretive underground nuclear facility in Fordow. Peskov's remarks referred to these media, without mentioning any specific report. Underground Furdow nuclear facility to be US target? Earlier, the British newspaper The Guardian had reported on briefings in the US about the Fordow nuclear facility. This is Iran's underground uranium enrichment facility. The US defence officials were briefed that Furdow can't be destroyed using conventional bombs. According to the report, the officials were briefed that initial attacks with conventional bombs, followed by a tactical nuclear weapon dropped from a B2 bomber, could be the alternative. However, the UK paper also said Trump was not keen on using a tactical nuclear weapon on Fordow. What is a tactical nuclear weapon? Which are the main US TNWs? Tactical nuclear weapons or TNWs, also known as non-strategic nuclear weapons, are designed to be smaller than the usual nuclear bombs. It is to be noted that tactical nuclear weapons have never been used in combat. The US has the B61 series of gravity bombs. These TNWs - named B61-3, B61-4, and B61-10- have yields of between 0.3 and 170 kilotons. They can be delivered by fighter jets like F16 and F35. According to the think tank Arms Control Center, the current US tactical nuclear arsenal includes nearly 230 B61 gravity bombs of the B61-3 and B61-4 versions. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.

Russia retains a close relationship with Iran. The comments from the Kremlin came as the US is reportedly poised to intervene in the raging Israel-Iran war.

'Catastrophic': US planning tactical nuclear weapon attack on Iran? Here's what Russia said about it

On Thursday (June 19), Indian carrier Air India announced to reduce 38 international flights per week and has additionally suspended three overseas destinations. Sixteen international routes will be affected between June 21 and July 15. This decision comes after the crash of the ill-fated Air India flight AI-171 on June 12 that claimed several lives of those on board and around the incident site in the western Indian state of Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. The airlines’ objective is to minimise last-minute inconvenience to flyers as many flights were cancelled and delayed following the crash. Earlier, Air India issued a notice informing temporary reduction in the operations of wide-body aircraft by 15%.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/air-india-cuts-international-services-on-wide-body-planes-by-15-after-ahmedabad-crash-1750316184253">Air India cuts international services on wide-body planes by 15% after Ahmedabad crash</a> In their statement, Air India, mentioned, "These reductions will be effective from June 21, 2025, and last until at least 15 July 2025.” It added, “The reductions arise from the decision to voluntarily undertake enhanced pre-flight safety checks, as well as accommodate additional flight durations arising from airspace closures in the Middle East.”<h2>Routed to be affected:</h2> Delhi-Nairobi, Amritsar-London (Gatwick) and Goa (Mopa)-London (Gatwick) to be suspended until July 15. Delhi-Nairobi route has listed four flights per week, Amritsar-London (Gatwick) and Goa (Mopa)-London (Gatwick) routes have three flights a week, as per the airline. 16 international connecting routes in North America, Europe, Australia and the Far East will also be reduced. A reduction in flight frequency will be seen in North America, particularly Delhi-Toronto, Delhi-Vancouver, Delhi-San Francisco, Delhi-Chicago and Delhi-Washington.&nbsp;A week after the crash, Air India CEO and Managing Director, Campbell Wilson, said, "The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023 and the next scheduled for December 2025. Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight.” He added, “As a confidence-building measure, we have elected to continue enhanced pre-flight safety checks on our Boeing 787 fleet and, as an added measure, our Boeing 777 aircraft, for the time being.” A week post the horrific accident, the cause of which is yet to be ascertained, the black box has been recovered, and actual findings will come to light only after a thorough investigation tracing the last moment of the flight. &nbsp;

On Thursday (June 19), Indian carrier Air India announced to reduce 38 international flights per week and has additionally suspended three overseas destinations. Sixteen international routes will be affected between June 21 and July 15. 

On Thursday (June 19), Indian carrier Air India announced to reduce 38 international flights per week and has additionally suspended three overseas destinations. Sixteen international routes will be affected between June 21 and July 15. This decision comes after the crash of the ill-fated Air India flight AI-171 on June 12 that claimed several lives of those on board and around the incident site in the western Indian state of Gujarat’s Ahmedabad. The airlines’ objective is to minimise last-minute inconvenience to flyers as many flights were cancelled and delayed following the crash. Earlier, Air India issued a notice informing temporary reduction in the operations of wide-body aircraft by 15%. Also read: Air India cuts international services on wide-body planes by 15% after Ahmedabad crash In their statement, Air India, mentioned, "These reductions will be effective from June 21, 2025, and last until at least 15 July 2025.” It added, “The reductions arise from the decision to voluntarily undertake enhanced pre-flight safety checks, as well as accommodate additional flight durations arising from airspace closures in the Middle East.” Routed to be affected: Delhi-Nairobi, Amritsar-London (Gatwick) and Goa (Mopa)-London (Gatwick) to be suspended until July 15. Delhi-Nairobi route has listed four flights per week, Amritsar-London (Gatwick) and Goa (Mopa)-London (Gatwick) routes have three flights a week, as per the airline. 16 international connecting routes in North America, Europe, Australia and the Far East will also be reduced. A reduction in flight frequency will be seen in North America, particularly Delhi-Toronto, Delhi-Vancouver, Delhi-San Francisco, Delhi-Chicago and Delhi-Washington. A week after the crash, Air India CEO and Managing Director, Campbell Wilson, said, "The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023 and the next scheduled for December 2025. Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight.” He added, “As a confidence-building measure, we have elected to continue enhanced pre-flight safety checks on our Boeing 787 fleet and, as an added measure, our Boeing 777 aircraft, for the time being.” A week post the horrific accident, the cause of which is yet to be ascertained, the black box has been recovered, and actual findings will come to light only after a thorough investigation tracing the last moment of the flight.

On Thursday (June 19), Indian carrier Air India announced to reduce 38 international flights per week and has additionally suspended three overseas destinations. Sixteen international routes will be affected between June 21 and July 15.&nbsp;

Air India to reduce 38 international flights per week, announces routes to be affected

An attempt to assassinate Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran was reportedly foiled by the Iranian intelligence services. Mohammad Hossein Rangbaran, a senior official and adviser to the Foreign Ministry made the claims in a post on X. Rangbaran described the attack as a potentially devastating attack and credited the “unknown soldiers of the homeland” - &nbsp;Iran’s intelligence and security operatives - for foiling the attempt.&nbsp;“If it were not for the security measures of the unknown soldiers of the homeland, perhaps a few days ago the great Israeli conspiracy against him would have been carried out in Tehran, which, thank God, failed,” Rangbaran wrote, as reported by Tasnim News Agency.&nbsp;Notably, the claimed assassination attempt on Araghchi comes at a time he is preparing for a high-stakes nuclear talks with European leaders in Geneva and the Israel-Iran war.&nbsp;According to Rangbaran, the scheduled meeting will be held as planned despite such a threat still looming.&nbsp;“Yes, there certainly was and still is such a threat. Nevertheless, Seyed Abbas Araqchi considers himself a soldier of the motherland more than the head of the diplomatic service," said Rangbaran&nbsp;Iran's Arak nuke facility hit&nbsp;Menawhile, Israel attacked Iran's heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak and Khondab located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19).&nbsp;An image from June 18 shows an erect structure with no visible damage, and another snapshot from June 19 shows destruction around the site. The Israeli military confirmed that they targeted the site near Iran's central city, which also included a partially-built heavy-water research reactor.&nbsp;The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said there is no leak of any kind from the site and no casualties.&nbsp;The facility of heavy-water reactors produces plutonium, the said material can also be used to make the core of an atomic bomb, much like enriched uranium.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Notably, the claimed assassination attempt on Araghchi comes at a time he is preparing for a high-stakes nuclear talks.

An attempt to assassinate Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran was reportedly foiled by the Iranian intelligence services. Mohammad Hossein Rangbaran, a senior official and adviser to the Foreign Ministry made the claims in a post on X. Rangbaran described the attack as a potentially devastating attack and credited the “unknown soldiers of the homeland” - Iran’s intelligence and security operatives - for foiling the attempt. “If it were not for the security measures of the unknown soldiers of the homeland, perhaps a few days ago the great Israeli conspiracy against him would have been carried out in Tehran, which, thank God, failed,” Rangbaran wrote, as reported by Tasnim News Agency. Notably, the claimed assassination attempt on Araghchi comes at a time he is preparing for a high-stakes nuclear talks with European leaders in Geneva and the Israel-Iran war. According to Rangbaran, the scheduled meeting will be held as planned despite such a threat still looming. “Yes, there certainly was and still is such a threat. Nevertheless, Seyed Abbas Araqchi considers himself a soldier of the motherland more than the head of the diplomatic service," said Rangbaran Iran's Arak nuke facility hit Menawhile, Israel attacked Iran's heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak and Khondab located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19). An image from June 18 shows an erect structure with no visible damage, and another snapshot from June 19 shows destruction around the site. The Israeli military confirmed that they targeted the site near Iran's central city, which also included a partially-built heavy-water research reactor. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said there is no leak of any kind from the site and no casualties. The facility of heavy-water reactors produces plutonium, the said material can also be used to make the core of an atomic bomb, much like enriched uranium.

Notably, the claimed assassination attempt on Araghchi comes at a time he is preparing for a high-stakes nuclear talks.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi survives assassination attempt, claims Tehran

The repeated launch delays involving Axiom-4 astronauts and the uncertainty surrounding the mission have revived memories of Boeing's Starliner mission last year. In 2024, Boeing's Starliner was scheduled to liftoff in early May, but technical issues kept delaying the launch until the first week of June. Further, the 8-week mission dragging on for over 8-months tarnished Boeing's reputation. Likewise, the American Axiom-4 mission was scheduled for liftoff on May 29th 2025, but repeated delays have pushed the launch well beyond June 22nd, Sunday. The concerned entities have not revealed a new targeted launch date.&nbsp;The launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Crew Dragon capsule was scheduled to take place Sunday, 22nd June, from NASA's Launch complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. The mission will carry four astronauts, including India's Shubhanshu Shukla, to the International Space Station for a two-week-long mission. While the Falcon 9- Crew Dragon pair have a great track record in executing their missions safely, the ongoing delays have turned out to be seemingly unprecedented.&nbsp;In the case of the Boeing Starliner launched by the ULA Atlas V rocket, it was the maiden astronaut-carrying flight of the Starliner craft and the maiden astronaut-carrying mission of the Atlas V rocket. Therefore, it was an experimental mission for both the Atlas V rocket and the Starliner spacecraft, which means that some issues were expected. Usually, maiden flights of any new space transportation system are a tense affair for the executing agency/company and offer a real-world test of the system. In contrast, for Axiom Space, the Axiom-4 mission is their fourth mission involving astronauts. Also, the SpaceX Falcon 9-Crew Dragon pair have a great track record in executing over a dozen human spaceflight missions safely, which is why the ongoing delays have turned out to be seemingly unprecedented. Notably, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has done over 490 launches, with an incredible overall success rate of over 99.5 per cent."NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX continue reviewing launch opportunities for Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station. NASA has made the decision to stand down from a launch on Sunday, June 22, and will target a new launch date in the coming days," read a post from the US space agency NASA.&nbsp;NASA highlighted the need for additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory’s Russian Zvezda service module. Because of the space station’s interconnected and interdependent systems, NASA wants to ensure the station is ready for additional crew members, and the agency is taking the time necessary to review data, it said.&nbsp;Axiom-4 launch was originally targeted for May 29th, it was pushed to June 8th, June 9th, June 10th, June 11th, June 19th, June 22nd. Notably, June 22nd was the 7th launch date for this mission, and it turns out it is not even "7th time lucky" for Axiom-4 and its crew.&nbsp;So far, this mission has been delayed owing to- the replacement of parts on the SpaceX Crew Dragon Spacecraft, technical issues with a Falcon 9 rocket engine, unfavourable weather, a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 rocket, and an anomaly in the Russian Zvezda module on the International Space Station.<h2>Axiom-4 crew nears one month in quarantine</h2>The Axiom-4 crew went into pre-launch mandatory quarantine on 26th May and continues to remain in isolation. Pre-launch quarantine is followed to closely monitor the astronauts' health, to avoid exposure to any last-minute illness. Quarantine is also important to ensure that the astronauts flying to the space station don't carry any infection to the closed environment of the orbiting lab. With the launch date now uncertain, it seems that the crew would end up spending a month or more in quarantineTypical pre-launch quarantines for the International Space Station crew last two weeks. The Axiom-4 crew will end up spending double that period in quarantine. In mid-2024, Boeing Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore also had to spend about a month in quarantine due to repeated delays with their launch. &nbsp;<h2>Opportunities for launch till June 30th or from mid-July&nbsp;</h2>"In terms of launch opportunities, we have opportunities all the way to June 30th," Dana Weigel, Manager, International Space Station Programme, NASA, had said earlier this month. Typically, every rocket launch mission has a launch window/launch opportunity- an ideal period of a few days or weeks within which the launch can take place. On each of these specific days within the launch window, there are a few minutes when the rocket can blastoff to space. All of these launch times are precisely planned down to the second, based on various technical parameters. Which is why many rocket launch missions happen at odd hours, and no two missions (even of the same type) follow the same launch time or schedule. In case SpaceX and Axiom Space are unable to launch in the month of June, there are opportunities from mid-July, she added.In preparation for spaceflight, astronauts have to maintain peak mental and physical health. A mission delay would mean that they must sustain that peak for a longer period of time.&nbsp;<h2>About Axiom-4 and its astronauts&nbsp;</h2>Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule. Peggy Whitson, America's senior most astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the Axiom-4 mission. while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot or second-in-command. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Apart from Peggy, all those aboard this mission are first-time astronauts. Therefore, the impact of these delays on the first-timers astronauts' families must also be factored in.This Axiom-4 mission will facilitate the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, given that each nation’s first and only government-sponsored spaceflight had taken place more than 40 years ago.&nbsp;Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first Indian to fly to the International Space Station, and the second Indian to fly to space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew on a Soviet Mission in 1984. The Indian Government has paid almost $64mn (Rs.550cr) for Shukla's training and spaceflight as part of Axiom-4. As he circles the earth, Shukla will also be performing experiments in STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math), and these will be made available as recorded educational videos, as part of the Axiom-4 mission outreach activity.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2024, Boeing's Starliner was scheduled to liftoff in early May, but technical issues kept delaying the launch until the first week of June. Likewise, the Axiom-4 mission was scheduled for liftoff on May 29th 2025, but repeated delays have pushed the launch well beyond June 22nd. 

The repeated launch delays involving Axiom-4 astronauts and the uncertainty surrounding the mission have revived memories of Boeing's Starliner mission last year. In 2024, Boeing's Starliner was scheduled to liftoff in early May, but technical issues kept delaying the launch until the first week of June. Further, the 8-week mission dragging on for over 8-months tarnished Boeing's reputation. Likewise, the American Axiom-4 mission was scheduled for liftoff on May 29th 2025, but repeated delays have pushed the launch well beyond June 22nd, Sunday. The concerned entities have not revealed a new targeted launch date. The launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Crew Dragon capsule was scheduled to take place Sunday, 22nd June, from NASA's Launch complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. The mission will carry four astronauts, including India's Shubhanshu Shukla, to the International Space Station for a two-week-long mission. While the Falcon 9- Crew Dragon pair have a great track record in executing their missions safely, the ongoing delays have turned out to be seemingly unprecedented. In the case of the Boeing Starliner launched by the ULA Atlas V rocket, it was the maiden astronaut-carrying flight of the Starliner craft and the maiden astronaut-carrying mission of the Atlas V rocket. Therefore, it was an experimental mission for both the Atlas V rocket and the Starliner spacecraft, which means that some issues were expected. Usually, maiden flights of any new space transportation system are a tense affair for the executing agency/company and offer a real-world test of the system. In contrast, for Axiom Space, the Axiom-4 mission is their fourth mission involving astronauts. Also, the SpaceX Falcon 9-Crew Dragon pair have a great track record in executing over a dozen human spaceflight missions safely, which is why the ongoing delays have turned out to be seemingly unprecedented. Notably, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has done over 490 launches, with an incredible overall success rate of over 99.5 per cent. "NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX continue reviewing launch opportunities for Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station. NASA has made the decision to stand down from a launch on Sunday, June 22, and will target a new launch date in the coming days," read a post from the US space agency NASA. NASA highlighted the need for additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory’s Russian Zvezda service module. Because of the space station’s interconnected and interdependent systems, NASA wants to ensure the station is ready for additional crew members, and the agency is taking the time necessary to review data, it said. Axiom-4 launch was originally targeted for May 29th, it was pushed to June 8th, June 9th, June 10th, June 11th, June 19th, June 22nd. Notably, June 22nd was the 7th launch date for this mission, and it turns out it is not even "7th time lucky" for Axiom-4 and its crew. So far, this mission has been delayed owing to- the replacement of parts on the SpaceX Crew Dragon Spacecraft, technical issues with a Falcon 9 rocket engine, unfavourable weather, a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 rocket, and an anomaly in the Russian Zvezda module on the International Space Station. Axiom-4 crew nears one month in quarantine The Axiom-4 crew went into pre-launch mandatory quarantine on 26th May and continues to remain in isolation. Pre-launch quarantine is followed to closely monitor the astronauts' health, to avoid exposure to any last-minute illness. Quarantine is also important to ensure that the astronauts flying to the space station don't carry any infection to the closed environment of the orbiting lab. With the launch date now uncertain, it seems that the crew would end up spending a month or more in quarantine Typical pre-launch quarantines for the International Space Station crew last two weeks. The Axiom-4 crew will end up spending double that period in quarantine. In mid-2024, Boeing Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore also had to spend about a month in quarantine due to repeated delays with their launch. Opportunities for launch till June 30th or from mid-July "In terms of launch opportunities, we have opportunities all the way to June 30th," Dana Weigel, Manager, International Space Station Programme, NASA, had said earlier this month. Typically, every rocket launch mission has a launch window/launch opportunity- an ideal period of a few days or weeks within which the launch can take place. On each of these specific days within the launch window, there are a few minutes when the rocket can blastoff to space. All of these launch times are precisely planned down to the second, based on various technical parameters. Which is why many rocket launch missions happen at odd hours, and no two missions (even of the same type) follow the same launch time or schedule. In case SpaceX and Axiom Space are unable to launch in the month of June, there are opportunities from mid-July, she added. In preparation for spaceflight, astronauts have to maintain peak mental and physical health. A mission delay would mean that they must sustain that peak for a longer period of time. About Axiom-4 and its astronauts Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule. Peggy Whitson, America's senior most astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the Axiom-4 mission. while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot or second-in-command. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Apart from Peggy, all those aboard this mission are first-time astronauts. Therefore, the impact of these delays on the first-timers astronauts' families must also be factored in. This Axiom-4 mission will facilitate the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, given that each nation’s first and only government-sponsored spaceflight had taken place more than 40 years ago. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first Indian to fly to the International Space Station, and the second Indian to fly to space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew on a Soviet Mission in 1984. The Indian Government has paid almost $64mn (Rs.550cr) for Shukla's training and spaceflight as part of Axiom-4. As he circles the earth, Shukla will also be performing experiments in STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math), and these will be made available as recorded educational videos, as part of the Axiom-4 mission outreach activity.

In 2024, Boeing's Starliner was scheduled to liftoff in early May, but technical issues kept delaying the launch until the first week of June. Likewise, the Axiom-4 mission was scheduled for liftoff on May 29th 2025, but repeated delays have pushed the launch well beyond June 22nd.&nbsp;

Axiom-4 launch delayed indefinitely; revives memories of Boeing Starliner delays

After a week of relentless strikes and counter-strikes, the Iran–Israel conflict has escalated from covert proxy warfare to overt, devastating kinetic operations. Israel’s aggressive aerial campaign has directly targeted the heart of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure—striking Natanz, Fordow, and military sites near Tehran—eliminating key nuclear scientists and IRGC commanders, crippling air defence assets, and establishing air superiority for future punitive operations.Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks (including hypersonic variants), targeting Israeli cities, military and intelligence installations, and economic infrastructure. These responses, while demonstrating Tehran’s resolve, have largely been intercepted by Israel’s layered air defence, bolstered by U.S. and allied support.The spectre of regional escalation, nuclear fallout, and possible American military intervention has cast a dark shadow over the Middle East. Global markets have been rattled, and the world watches closely—especially with Donald Trump stepping into the spotlight with threats of “unconditional surrender” from Iran (Dismissed by Khomeini) and ambitions to reassert U.S. strategic dominance.&nbsp;<h2>Netanyahu’s Gamble: “Think Big or Go Home”</h2>&nbsp;Israel’s Strategic Aim: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s overarching goal is to decisively degrade Iran’s nuclear and military capability, dismantle its command structures, re-establish deterrence, and reap domestic political dividends. His extended strategic intent, it seems, also includes pushing for regime change, evidenced by open threats to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-hiding-military-aircraft-american-warplanes-vanish-from-qatar-base-amid-israel-iran-tensions-1750384150003">US hiding military aircraft? American warplanes vanish from Qatar base amid Israel-Iran tensions</a>&nbsp;Israel’s Strategy: Israel’s campaign was meticulously choreographed in phases. The first targeted Iran’s proxies—Hamas and Hezbollah—through pre-emptive strikes, buffer-zone creation in Syria, and relentless cyber and covert attacks, concluding successfully by mid-2025.The second phase began with full-scale air, cyber, and intelligence operations on Iranian soil. Fighter aircraft, missiles, and drones executed precision standoff strikes, crippling Iranian airdefences and eliminating key figures within its military and nuclear programs. Natanz and Fordow were repeatedly targeted, with visible overground damage reported.However, the fortified underground cascade halls and deep bunkers at these sites remain intact. Without American assistance—specifically B-2 bombers and GBU-57 bunker-buster munitions—Netanyahu cannot achieve complete destruction. Thus, Trump’s entry into the fray becomes crucial.Netanyahu’s call for Iranian citizens to overthrow their regime may prove counterproductive. Regardless of political leanings, most Iranians view both Israel and the U.S. as staunch adversaries. Bombing campaigns often consolidate nationalism rather than foster dissent. Worse, a regime collapse might pave the way for even more hardline successors.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-israel-ukraine-girl-cancer-treatment-dies-in-iranian-attack-1750388799607">Seven-year-old girl who escaped war-torn Ukraine for cancer treatment in Israel dies in Iranian attack</a>&nbsp;<h2>Iran’s Riposte: Testing Resolve, Not Just Power</h2>&nbsp;Iran’s Strategic Objectives: Iran’s goals are straightforward: avenge Israeli aggression, uphold regime legitimacy and national honour, maintain nuclear and military posture, and demonstrate that it cannot be coerced into submission.Iran’s Strategy: Iran has adopted a multidimensional response: missile and drone strikes on Israeli cities, cyber operations, and limited proxy mobilisation. While some Israeli military and strategic targets were hit, Tehran suffered substantial infrastructure losses in return. Proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas, still reeling from prior Israeli offensives, have yet to contribute meaningfully.Iran has refrained from actions that would force full-scale U.S. involvement—like closing the Strait of Hormuz or striking American bases—but continues to showcase its capacity for long-term conflict. It is also leveraging its missile capabilities, regional influence, and diplomatic ties with Russia, China, and segments of the Global South to shift the narrative in its favour and blame Israel and the U.S. for global instability, energy and economic crisis, as the world feels the ripple effects of surge in oil prices and financial uncertainty.&nbsp;https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-launches-new-wave-of-missiles-on-israel-idf-1750396281757/embed&nbsp;While maintaining retaliatory capability, Iran must navigate a precarious balance—displaying enough strength to deter aggression, yet avoiding a regional war it cannot sustain. Internally, the regime grapples with worsening sanctions, economic strain, and simmering dissent. Should Iran's survival feel threatened, it may escalate uranium enrichment further underground.&nbsp;<h2>Can U.S. Intervention Tip the Balance?</h2>&nbsp;The U.S. is already deeply involved—providing intelligence, air defence, logistical support, and munitions. The critical question is whether Trump will authorise direct bunker-buster strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.Trump has redeployed U.S. military assets—carrier groups, refuelling tankers, and advanced munitions—to the region. But even these might not guarantee complete destruction of Iran’s deeply buried nuclear infrastructure. A full ground invasion—akin to Iraq or Afghanistan—would be politically toxic and strategically disastrous for the U.S.On social media, Trump’s rhetoric has intensified: calls for “unconditional surrender,” evacuation warnings for Tehran, and veiled threats to Iran’s Supreme Leader. This may bepsychological warfare—intended to force Iran into accepting a deal that dismantles its nuclear ambitions without actual war.However, Trump faces significant internal and external constraints. Domestically, his hawkish stance may please Republican hardliners and defence contractors, but it alienates the anti-war MAGA base. Bipartisan voices in Congress—Sanders, Kaine, Khanna—are already moving to restrict Trump’s war-making powers. Globally, even U.S. allies urge restraint, fearing Gulf destabilisation and oil market disruptions.Will Trump Pull the Trigger?<h2>This ambivalence defines the central question: will Trump authorise strikes?</h2>So far, he has stopped at the brink—supplying weapons, intelligence, and air defence—but not engaging in direct attacks. His hesitation stems from uncertainty about the effectiveness of bunker-busting munitions and concerns over the geopolitical and humanitarian costs of a full-blown war.Iran has not crossed red lines like attacking U.S. forces or closing Hormuz. This gives Trump the space to play the long game—maintain strategic pressure, demonstrate resolve, but avoid entrapment. A limited support role allows him to stay influential without being dragged into an unpopular war.&nbsp;<h2>Nuclear Fallout and Global Shockwaves</h2>&nbsp;Even without American strikes, sustained pressure could push Iran to double down on underground enrichment. Any successful attack on nuclear sites risks radiation leaks, regional humanitarian crises, and irreversible damage to non-proliferation frameworks like the JCPOA. It could also encourage copycat nuclear programs by other states in the region to or start a proliferation cascade.A U.S.-led strike might also provoke regional spill over: Hezbollah entering the fray, Gulf states being pulled in, and a potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—which handles 20% of global oil. The shock to energy markets could fracture Western unity and allow China and Russia to dominate the narrative of Western militarism.Endgame or Escalation?Netanyahu appears to be enticing Trump into a legacy-defining military intervention, reminiscent of the Bush-era invasion of Iraq. Trump’s recent announcement that he will “allow two weeks of diplomacy” before deciding on military intervention may either be a countdown to escalation, or a ploy to pressure Iran diplomatically. It could also be a deception campaign to catch Tehran off guard.Trump may seek a hybrid strategy: strong deterrence, limited military action, psychological warfare, and diplomatic coercion. Whether this will lead to a “real end” or an even bloodier beginning remains uncertain.&nbsp;<h2>Conclusion: Trump’s Gamble in a War on Edge</h2>&nbsp;Donald Trump stands at a critical juncture. He has postured for war, drawn rhetorical red lines, and repositioned forces. But the choice to escalate remains fraught with risks. Netanyahu is growing impatient, and Israeli munitions are being depleted. Trump's decision—whatever it may be—will define not only the outcome of this war but also his legacy in American foreign policy.A measured role could stabilise the region; a strike could engulf it in flames. In this high-stakes theatre, Trump claims to pursue peace through strength—but may well be walking a tightrope between decisive diplomacy and catastrophic war.&nbsp;

The spectre of regional escalation, nuclear fallout, and possible American military intervention has cast a dark shadow over the Middle East. Global markets have been rattled, and the world watches closely.

After a week of relentless strikes and counter-strikes, the Iran–Israel conflict has escalated from covert proxy warfare to overt, devastating kinetic operations. Israel’s aggressive aerial campaign has directly targeted the heart of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure—striking Natanz, Fordow, and military sites near Tehran—eliminating key nuclear scientists and IRGC commanders, crippling air defence assets, and establishing air superiority for future punitive operations. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks (including hypersonic variants), targeting Israeli cities, military and intelligence installations, and economic infrastructure. These responses, while demonstrating Tehran’s resolve, have largely been intercepted by Israel’s layered air defence, bolstered by U.S. and allied support. The spectre of regional escalation, nuclear fallout, and possible American military intervention has cast a dark shadow over the Middle East. Global markets have been rattled, and the world watches closely—especially with Donald Trump stepping into the spotlight with threats of “unconditional surrender” from Iran (Dismissed by Khomeini) and ambitions to reassert U.S. strategic dominance. Netanyahu’s Gamble: “Think Big or Go Home” Israel’s Strategic Aim: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s overarching goal is to decisively degrade Iran’s nuclear and military capability, dismantle its command structures, re-establish deterrence, and reap domestic political dividends. His extended strategic intent, it seems, also includes pushing for regime change, evidenced by open threats to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader. Also Read: US hiding military aircraft? American warplanes vanish from Qatar base amid Israel-Iran tensions Israel’s Strategy: Israel’s campaign was meticulously choreographed in phases. The first targeted Iran’s proxies—Hamas and Hezbollah—through pre-emptive strikes, buffer-zone creation in Syria, and relentless cyber and covert attacks, concluding successfully by mid-2025. The second phase began with full-scale air, cyber, and intelligence operations on Iranian soil. Fighter aircraft, missiles, and drones executed precision standoff strikes, crippling Iranian air defences and eliminating key figures within its military and nuclear programs. Natanz and Fordow were repeatedly targeted, with visible overground damage reported. However, the fortified underground cascade halls and deep bunkers at these sites remain intact. Without American assistance—specifically B-2 bombers and GBU-57 bunker-buster munitions—Netanyahu cannot achieve complete destruction. Thus, Trump’s entry into the fray becomes crucial. Netanyahu’s call for Iranian citizens to overthrow their regime may prove counterproductive. Regardless of political leanings, most Iranians view both Israel and the U.S. as staunch adversaries. Bombing campaigns often consolidate nationalism rather than foster dissent. Worse, a regime collapse might pave the way for even more hardline successors. Also Read: Seven-year-old girl who escaped war-torn Ukraine for cancer treatment in Israel dies in Iranian attack Iran’s Riposte: Testing Resolve, Not Just Power Iran’s Strategic Objectives: Iran’s goals are straightforward: avenge Israeli aggression, uphold regime legitimacy and national honour, maintain nuclear and military posture, and demonstrate that it cannot be coerced into submission. Iran’s Strategy: Iran has adopted a multidimensional response: missile and drone strikes on Israeli cities, cyber operations, and limited proxy mobilisation. While some Israeli military and strategic targets were hit, Tehran suffered substantial infrastructure losses in return. Proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas, still reeling from prior Israeli offensives, have yet to contribute meaningfully. Iran has refrained from actions that would force full-scale U.S. involvement—like closing the Strait of Hormuz or striking American bases—but continues to showcase its capacity for long-term conflict. It is also leveraging its missile capabilities, regional influence, and diplomatic ties with Russia, China, and segments of the Global South to shift the narrative in its favour and blame Israel and the U.S. for global instability, energy and economic crisis, as the world feels the ripple effects of surge in oil prices and financial uncertainty. https://www.wionews.com/videos/iran-launches-new-wave-of-missiles-on-israel-idf-1750396281757/embed While maintaining retaliatory capability, Iran must navigate a precarious balance—displaying enough strength to deter aggression, yet avoiding a regional war it cannot sustain. Internally, the regime grapples with worsening sanctions, economic strain, and simmering dissent. Should Iran's survival feel threatened, it may escalate uranium enrichment further underground. Can U.S. Intervention Tip the Balance? The U.S. is already deeply involved—providing intelligence, air defence, logistical support, and munitions. The critical question is whether Trump will authorise direct bunker-buster strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. Trump has redeployed U.S. military assets—carrier groups, refuelling tankers, and advanced munitions—to the region. But even these might not guarantee complete destruction of Iran’s deeply buried nuclear infrastructure. A full ground invasion—akin to Iraq or Afghanistan—would be politically toxic and strategically disastrous for the U.S. On social media, Trump’s rhetoric has intensified: calls for “unconditional surrender,” evacuation warnings for Tehran, and veiled threats to Iran’s Supreme Leader. This may be psychological warfare—intended to force Iran into accepting a deal that dismantles its nuclear ambitions without actual war. However, Trump faces significant internal and external constraints. Domestically, his hawkish stance may please Republican hardliners and defence contractors, but it alienates the anti-war MAGA base. Bipartisan voices in Congress—Sanders, Kaine, Khanna—are already moving to restrict Trump’s war-making powers. Globally, even U.S. allies urge restraint, fearing Gulf destabilisation and oil market disruptions. Will Trump Pull the Trigger? This ambivalence defines the central question: will Trump authorise strikes? So far, he has stopped at the brink—supplying weapons, intelligence, and air defence—but not engaging in direct attacks. His hesitation stems from uncertainty about the effectiveness of bunker-busting munitions and concerns over the geopolitical and humanitarian costs of a full-blown war. Iran has not crossed red lines like attacking U.S. forces or closing Hormuz. This gives Trump the space to play the long game—maintain strategic pressure, demonstrate resolve, but avoid entrapment. A limited support role allows him to stay influential without being dragged into an unpopular war. Nuclear Fallout and Global Shockwaves Even without American strikes, sustained pressure could push Iran to double down on underground enrichment. Any successful attack on nuclear sites risks radiation leaks, regional humanitarian crises, and irreversible damage to non-proliferation frameworks like the JCPOA. It could also encourage copycat nuclear programs by other states in the region to or start a proliferation cascade. A U.S.-led strike might also provoke regional spill over: Hezbollah entering the fray, Gulf states being pulled in, and a potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—which handles 20% of global oil. The shock to energy markets could fracture Western unity and allow China and Russia to dominate the narrative of Western militarism. Endgame or Escalation? Netanyahu appears to be enticing Trump into a legacy-defining military intervention, reminiscent of the Bush-era invasion of Iraq. Trump’s recent announcement that he will “allow two weeks of diplomacy” before deciding on military intervention may either be a countdown to escalation, or a ploy to pressure Iran diplomatically. It could also be a deception campaign to catch Tehran off guard. Trump may seek a hybrid strategy: strong deterrence, limited military action, psychological warfare, and diplomatic coercion. Whether this will lead to a “real end” or an even bloodier beginning remains uncertain. Conclusion: Trump’s Gamble in a War on Edge Donald Trump stands at a critical juncture. He has postured for war, drawn rhetorical red lines, and repositioned forces. But the choice to escalate remains fraught with risks. Netanyahu is growing impatient, and Israeli munitions are being depleted. Trump's decision—whatever it may be—will define not only the outcome of this war but also his legacy in American foreign policy. A measured role could stabilise the region; a strike could engulf it in flames. In this high-stakes theatre, Trump claims to pursue peace through strength—but may well be walking a tightrope between decisive diplomacy and catastrophic war.

The spectre of regional escalation, nuclear fallout, and possible American military intervention has cast a dark shadow over the Middle East. Global markets have been rattled, and the world watches closely.

Trump, Netanyahu, and the Iran-Israel inferno: Can the strongman duo end the war—or ignite a bigger one?

Iranian missiles have hit the city of Beersheba in the ongoing war with Israel, hitting its hospitals, buildings and other installations. Soroka Hospital was among the targets, and Israel vowed revenge for the attack. So, where is Beersheba? Why is it important, and why did Iran attack the hospital? Please note that Iran and Israel are separated by 1,000 miles of territory. So the only major way to attack is through the air, which is why Iran is raining missiles on Israel, in the wake of the Jewish nation's offensive on the Islamic Republic that started on June 13.<h2>Where is Beersheba?</h2>Beersheba is a prominent city located in southern Israel’s Negev Desert. It is nearly 70 miles south of Jerusalem and 25 miles east of the Gaza Strip, where Israel is locked in battle with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Known as the capital of the Negev, Beersheba is the administrative and economic hub of southern Israel. &nbsp;As it is not located near a border, Beersheba is safe from conventional cross-border attacks.But it can be reached by Iran's long-range ballistic missiles. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-moves-closer-to-attacking-iran-1750397169331/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-moves-closer-to-attacking-iran-1750397169331/embed</a>&nbsp;<h2>Iran's attack on Soroka Hospital</h2>Several people were injured in Iran's missile attack on Beersheba's Soroka Medical Center on Thursday (June 19). Iran claimed that the barrage was targeted at a nearby military and intelligence headquarters.&nbsp; The missiles, it appears, were meant for the Southern Command of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Gav-Yam Technology Park in the city. The Southern Command is believed to be located some two kilometres from Soroka Hospital. The attack on the hospital injured dozens of people. Casualties at the Soroka Hospital were limited as patients were moved underground in time, according to reports, but the building was damaged and on fire. Israeli leaders called the hospital attack by Iran a deliberate war crime. &nbsp;<h2>Beersheba’s strategic importance</h2>The IDF's Southern Command headquarters is believed to be coordinating military operations in southern Israel from Beersheba. The city is near airbases like Hatzerim and Nevatim. These airbases are playing a crucial role in Israel's air defence and operations.&nbsp; Beereheba also supports logistics and communication hubs. For all these reasons, Beersheba is strategically important, &nbsp;making it a high-value target Iran, in order to hit its military and civilian infrastructure.<h2>Is there a nuclear angle to Beersheba attack?</h2>Besides its role as a key urban centre hosting critical infrastructure, Beersheba is also located near Dimona. Some 20 miles away from Beersheba, Dimona hosts the nuclear research center of Israel. This adds to the strategic significance of Beersheba. By attacking Beersheba, Iran is possibly sending a signal that it can come very close to, and possibly attack, Israel's nuclear installations too. By using ballistic missiles and cluster munitions on a densely populated area like Beersheba, Iran is also possibly signalling that it can target civilian areas if it wants to. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos. &nbsp;

Soroka Hospita in Beersheba was among Iran missile targets, and Israel vowed revenge for the attack. So, where is Beersheba? 

Iranian missiles have hit the city of Beersheba in the ongoing war with Israel, hitting its hospitals, buildings and other installations. Soroka Hospital was among the targets, and Israel vowed revenge for the attack. So, where is Beersheba? Why is it important, and why did Iran attack the hospital? Please note that Iran and Israel are separated by 1,000 miles of territory. So the only major way to attack is through the air, which is why Iran is raining missiles on Israel, in the wake of the Jewish nation's offensive on the Islamic Republic that started on June 13. Where is Beersheba? Beersheba is a prominent city located in southern Israel’s Negev Desert. It is nearly 70 miles south of Jerusalem and 25 miles east of the Gaza Strip, where Israel is locked in battle with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Known as the capital of the Negev, Beersheba is the administrative and economic hub of southern Israel. As it is not located near a border, Beersheba is safe from conventional cross-border attacks.But it can be reached by Iran's long-range ballistic missiles. https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-moves-closer-to-attacking-iran-1750397169331/embed Iran's attack on Soroka Hospital Several people were injured in Iran's missile attack on Beersheba's Soroka Medical Center on Thursday (June 19). Iran claimed that the barrage was targeted at a nearby military and intelligence headquarters. The missiles, it appears, were meant for the Southern Command of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Gav-Yam Technology Park in the city. The Southern Command is believed to be located some two kilometres from Soroka Hospital. The attack on the hospital injured dozens of people. Casualties at the Soroka Hospital were limited as patients were moved underground in time, according to reports, but the building was damaged and on fire. Israeli leaders called the hospital attack by Iran a deliberate war crime. Beersheba’s strategic importance The IDF's Southern Command headquarters is believed to be coordinating military operations in southern Israel from Beersheba. The city is near airbases like Hatzerim and Nevatim. These airbases are playing a crucial role in Israel's air defence and operations. Beereheba also supports logistics and communication hubs. For all these reasons, Beersheba is strategically important, making it a high-value target Iran, in order to hit its military and civilian infrastructure. Is there a nuclear angle to Beersheba attack? Besides its role as a key urban centre hosting critical infrastructure, Beersheba is also located near Dimona. Some 20 miles away from Beersheba, Dimona hosts the nuclear research center of Israel. This adds to the strategic significance of Beersheba. By attacking Beersheba, Iran is possibly sending a signal that it can come very close to, and possibly attack, Israel's nuclear installations too. By using ballistic missiles and cluster munitions on a densely populated area like Beersheba, Iran is also possibly signalling that it can target civilian areas if it wants to. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.

Soroka Hospita in Beersheba was among Iran's targets, and Israel vowed revenge for the attack. So, where is Beersheba?&nbsp;

Why did Iran target Beersheba? Is there a nuclear angle? Know about city burning after Iranian missile attack

Israel conducted overnight strikes on Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak and Khondab located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19), as reported by the Iranian state media. Satellite imagery shows the extent of damage. An image from June 18 shows an erect structure with no visible damage, and another snapshot from June 19 shows destruction around the site. The Israeli military confirmed that they targeted the site the near Iran's central city, which also included a partially-built heavy-water research reactor.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibextid=wwXIfr&v=1404922450654686&rdid=SCKxIdJHCYjKDRLf

The facility of heavy-water reactors produces plutonium, the said material can also be used to make the core of an atomic bomb, much like enriched uranium. Iran's atomic energy agency said the attack caused no casualties. &nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-calls-fattah-1-hypersonic-missile-israel-striker-all-you-need-to-know-1750235770972">Iran calls Fattah-1 hypersonic missile 'Israel striker'. All you need to know</a>&nbsp;According to the ISNA news agency, Iranian officials confirmed that the area near the Khondab facility in Markazi Province was targeted. ‘There is no risk of radiation,’ the report highlighted, and also said that the location was evacuated before the Israeli attack.&nbsp;Warnings were issued to residents of both Arak and Khondab by the &nbsp;Israeli army. They were urged to vacate in anticipation of attacks. There is no official statement by Iranian authorities on casualties or structural damage as yet. Neither has the Israeli side mentioned the strikes on Arak and Khondab in any official comment.&nbsp;

Israel conducted overnight strikes on Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak and Khondab located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19), as reported by the Iranian state media. 

Israel conducted overnight strikes on Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak and Khondab located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19), as reported by the Iranian state media. Satellite imagery shows the extent of damage. An image from June 18 shows an erect structure with no visible damage, and another snapshot from June 19 shows destruction around the site. The Israeli military confirmed that they targeted the site the near Iran's central city, which also included a partially-built heavy-water research reactor.

Israel conducted overnight strikes on Iran’s heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak and Khondab located in the Markazi Province on Thursday (June 19), as reported by the Iranian state media.&nbsp;

Israel-Iran conflict: Satellite images show extent of damage at Iran's heavy water nuclear facilities in Arak

Telegram founder Pavel Durov is a billionaire and has come up with a plan on how to divide his fortune among his children. Technically, Durov has 106 kids - six his own and 100 he has fathered from sperm donation across 12 countries over the past 15 years. The 40-year-old told France's Le Point in an interview that he intends to divide his money among his children. He said that "they are all my children and will all have the same rights." However, his division comes with a caveat - the money cannot be accessed for the next 30 years. Durov said that he wants them to live a normal life and "not be dependent on a bank account".“I want to specify that I make no difference between my children: there are those who were conceived naturally and those who come from my sperm donations,” he told Le Point. "They are all my children and will all have the same rights! I don’t want them to tear each other apart after my death.”However, Durov has found himself at the centre of the ire of the woman who has birthed three of his biological children. She has accused him of holding back on financial support, leading a hidden double life, and child abuse. According to &nbsp;two criminal complaints filed in 2023 and 2024, Durov hit his then-three-year-old son so hard that he fell "across the room."&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/chatgpt-makes-you-dumb-study-confirms-as-ai-followers-use-their-brains-less-1750322271219">ChatGPT makes you dumb, study confirms, states AI followers use their brains less</a>&nbsp;Durov has denied all the allegations, saying, "Nothing has ever been proven showing that I am, even for a second, guilty of anything."Durov has also got into a tussle with the Kremlin over free speech. He once refused to disable or limit access to several dissident groups on VKontakte, a Russian online social media and social networking service based in Saint Petersburg. Durov was one of the co-founders of the platform.Durov was also charged by French officials last year after being accused of allowing sex abuse and drug trafficking crimes to run on Telegram, an encrypted messaging app. He now lives in Dubai, facing legal troubles in France and allegations that Telegram's communications applications have played a major role in world conflict. Durov has denied those charges. Telegram has more than 1 billion active users and is being actively used in the Russia-Ukraine war.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has 106 children - six biological and 100 from sperm donations in 12 countries. He plans on dividing his fortune among all of them.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov is a billionaire and has come up with a plan on how to divide his fortune among his children. Technically, Durov has 106 kids - six his own and 100 he has fathered from sperm donation across 12 countries over the past 15 years. The 40-year-old told France's Le Point in an interview that he intends to divide his money among his children. He said that "they are all my children and will all have the same rights." However, his division comes with a caveat - the money cannot be accessed for the next 30 years. Durov said that he wants them to live a normal life and "not be dependent on a bank account". “I want to specify that I make no difference between my children: there are those who were conceived naturally and those who come from my sperm donations,” he told Le Point. "They are all my children and will all have the same rights! I don’t want them to tear each other apart after my death.” However, Durov has found himself at the centre of the ire of the woman who has birthed three of his biological children. She has accused him of holding back on financial support, leading a hidden double life, and child abuse. According to two criminal complaints filed in 2023 and 2024, Durov hit his then-three-year-old son so hard that he fell "across the room." Also Read: ChatGPT makes you dumb, study confirms, states AI followers use their brains less Durov has denied all the allegations, saying, "Nothing has ever been proven showing that I am, even for a second, guilty of anything." Durov has also got into a tussle with the Kremlin over free speech. He once refused to disable or limit access to several dissident groups on VKontakte, a Russian online social media and social networking service based in Saint Petersburg. Durov was one of the co-founders of the platform. Durov was also charged by French officials last year after being accused of allowing sex abuse and drug trafficking crimes to run on Telegram, an encrypted messaging app. He now lives in Dubai, facing legal troubles in France and allegations that Telegram's communications applications have played a major role in world conflict. Durov has denied those charges. Telegram has more than 1 billion active users and is being actively used in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has 106 children - six biological and 100 from sperm donations in 12 countries. He plans on dividing his fortune among all of them.

Durov beats Musk: Telegram founder has 106 kids in 12 countries at the age of 40

Satellite images indicate dozens of American military aircraft have disappeared from the tarmac of the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.&nbsp; Meanwhile, a US federal appeals court ruled in favour of President Donald Trump, allowing him to retain control over National Guard troops deployed in Los Angeles. And in a heartwrenching story, a young girl who escaped Ukraine to get treatment for a rare form of blood cancer died in Israel this week. The disease did not kill her; humans did.&nbsp;&nbsp;Click on the headlines to read more <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-hiding-military-aircraft-american-warplanes-vanish-from-qatar-base-amid-israel-iran-tensions-1750384150003">US hiding military aircraft? American warplanes vanish from&nbsp;Qatar base amid Israel-Iran tensions</a> <img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2025/20250620/image-1750384320613.jpg?rect=(0,74,908,682)&amp;w=752&amp;h=564&amp;format=webp&amp;quality=medium" alt="US hiding military aircraft? American warplanes vanish from&nbsp;Qatar base amid Israel-Iran tensions"> Dozens of American military aircraft have disappeared from the tarmac of the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, satellite images show — a quiet but pointed move, which as per reports may be to shield US warplanes from eventual Iranian strikes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-retain-command-of-national-guard-in-california-los-angeles-us-federal-court-backs-his-lawful-authority-1750391540510">Trump to retain command of National Guard in Los Angeles, US federal court backs his ‘lawful authority’</a><figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2025/20250620/image-1750392238117.jpg?rect=(0,75,874,656)&amp;w=752&amp;h=564&amp;format=webp&amp;quality=medium" alt="Trump to retain command of National Guard in Los Angeles, US federal court backs his 'lawful authority'"></figure>A US federal appeals court on Thursday (Jun 19) ruled in favour of President Donald Trump, allowing him to retain control over National Guard troops deployed in Los Angeles. This decision comes despite strong objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/shubhanshu-shukla-s-axiom-4-mission-to-iss-delayed-once-again-1750379182922">Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission to ISS delayed once again</a><figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2025/20250620/image-1750379219594.jpg?rect=(0,1,1198,898)&amp;w=752&amp;h=564&amp;format=webp&amp;quality=medium" alt="Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission to ISS delayed once again"></figure>The Axiom-4 mission that was set to carry Shubhanshu Shukla along with three other astronauts to the International Space Station on June 22, has been postponed once again, the official handle of ISS announced on X. This is not the first time that the space mission has been postponed. The space agencies have delayed the launch of Axiom-4 multiple times.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-israel-ukraine-girl-cancer-treatment-dies-in-iranian-attack-1750388799607">Seven-year-old girl who escaped war-torn Ukraine for cancer treatment in Israel dies in Iranian attack</a><figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2025/20250620/image-1750388983328.png?rect=(0,0,1200,900)&amp;w=752&amp;h=564&amp;format=webp&amp;quality=medium" alt="Seven-year-old girl who escaped war-torn Ukraine for cancer treatment in Israel dies in Iranian attack"></figure>A young girl who escaped Ukraine to get treatment for a rare form of blood cancer died in Israel this week. The disease did not kill her; humans did. Her heart-wrenching story is a testimony to the common man's struggle to survive in a world where world leaders are out to reign supreme by using missiles and bombs, without a care about the people who live in these countries. Seven-year-old Nastya Buryk's father is still fighting the war against Russia, while his entire family has now perished in an Iranian attack far from home. marrow. WATCH | Zelensky appoints Hennadiy Shapovalov as the new commander for the country's ground forces

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldDNA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldDNA</a> | Zelensky appoints Hennadiy Shapovalov as the new commander for the country&#39;s ground forces<a href="https://twitter.com/SaroyaHem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SaroyaHem</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/BislaDiksha?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BislaDiksha</a> bring you this report <a href="https://t.co/Sb8RRn6p5W">pic.twitter.com/Sb8RRn6p5W</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1935911685682086227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Stay ahead of the day's events with WION's morning news brief, providing a quick yet comprehensive overview of the most important news from around the world.

Satellite images indicate dozens of American military aircraft have disappeared from the tarmac of the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Meanwhile, a US federal appeals court ruled in favour of President Donald Trump, allowing him to retain control over National Guard troops deployed in Los Angeles. And in a heartwrenching story, a young girl who escaped Ukraine to get treatment for a rare form of blood cancer died in Israel this week. The disease did not kill her; humans did. Click on the headlines to read more US hiding military aircraft? American warplanes vanish from Qatar base amid Israel-Iran tensions Dozens of American military aircraft have disappeared from the tarmac of the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, satellite images show — a quiet but pointed move, which as per reports may be to shield US warplanes from eventual Iranian strikes. Trump to retain command of National Guard in Los Angeles, US federal court backs his ‘lawful authority’ A US federal appeals court on Thursday (Jun 19) ruled in favour of President Donald Trump, allowing him to retain control over National Guard troops deployed in Los Angeles. This decision comes despite strong objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom. Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission to ISS delayed once again The Axiom-4 mission that was set to carry Shubhanshu Shukla along with three other astronauts to the International Space Station on June 22, has been postponed once again, the official handle of ISS announced on X. This is not the first time that the space mission has been postponed. The space agencies have delayed the launch of Axiom-4 multiple times. Seven-year-old girl who escaped war-torn Ukraine for cancer treatment in Israel dies in Iranian attack A young girl who escaped Ukraine to get treatment for a rare form of blood cancer died in Israel this week. The disease did not kill her; humans did. Her heart-wrenching story is a testimony to the common man's struggle to survive in a world where world leaders are out to reign supreme by using missiles and bombs, without a care about the people who live in these countries. Seven-year-old Nastya Buryk's father is still fighting the war against Russia, while his entire family has now perished in an Iranian attack far from home. marrow. WATCH | Zelensky appoints Hennadiy Shapovalov as the new commander for the country's ground forces

Stay ahead of the day's events with WION's morning news brief, providing a quick yet comprehensive overview of the most important news from around the world.

Morning brief: US warplanes vanish from Qatar base; Trump to retain command of National Guard in LA, and more

The drunk woman who created a massive scene on a Southwest flight is an artist who has worked with several top-notch brand names and designers. Leanna Perry, a 32-year-old illustrator, whose online profile lists names like Maybelline, Steve Madden and Adidas. Perry burst into a maniacal episode on a flight at the La Guardia airport early Tuesday morning. She started hurling abuses at a female passenger and body-shamed her. Perry grabbed her hair and continued to pull them for several minutes. Co-passengers and Southwest crew had to intervene, after which she was removed from the flight.According to her professional details online, Perry has several high-end brand names in her work kitty. She is currently a leading designer at Maybelline, which she joined last year. She has also worked with fashion designers Betsey Johnson and Nicole Miller. Perry launched into a verbal tirade against another woman on the flight in New York. People who witnessed the episode said she looked like she was possessed.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/drunk-passenger-pulls-woman-s-hair-is-zip-tied-after-maniacal-episode-on-southwest-flight-1750304391881">Drunk passenger pulls woman's hair, is zip tied after maniacal episode on flight in New York</a>&nbsp;The video of the incident on the Southwest flight went viral. It showed Perry abusing the woman verbally. She boarded the flight at around 1:10 am from LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B. She was drunk and caught the woman off guard. Perry started hitting the woman and grabbed her hair. She did not let go for a long time. The video shows the Southwest crew on the plane where they hold her, trying to remove the strands of hair from her fist. Perry can be heard saying, "I am not even touching her b***h," as a man tells her, "You need to let go.""You can't even see your stomach, look at her outfit," she said. The crew tried to restrain her, putting her hands behind her back. She also attacks the man next to the woman. Perry then spits on the woman, after which a crew member holds her head the other way. Perry was zip-tied and placed on the aisle. She started kicking her legs at everyone, mouthing abuse.Perry was removed from the flight and taken to a hospital. She was later handed over to the NYC Department of Corrections, as per reports. It isn't clear if any legal proceedings are taking place against the woman.

The identity of the drunk woman who attacked a female passenger on a Southwest flight has been revealed. She has apparently worked with high-end names in the fashion world.

The drunk woman who created a massive scene on a Southwest flight is an artist who has worked with several top-notch brand names and designers. Leanna Perry, a 32-year-old illustrator, whose online profile lists names like Maybelline, Steve Madden and Adidas. Perry burst into a maniacal episode on a flight at the La Guardia airport early Tuesday morning. She started hurling abuses at a female passenger and body-shamed her. Perry grabbed her hair and continued to pull them for several minutes. Co-passengers and Southwest crew had to intervene, after which she was removed from the flight. According to her professional details online, Perry has several high-end brand names in her work kitty. She is currently a leading designer at Maybelline, which she joined last year. She has also worked with fashion designers Betsey Johnson and Nicole Miller. Perry launched into a verbal tirade against another woman on the flight in New York. People who witnessed the episode said she looked like she was possessed. Also Read: Drunk passenger pulls woman's hair, is zip tied after maniacal episode on flight in New York The video of the incident on the Southwest flight went viral. It showed Perry abusing the woman verbally. She boarded the flight at around 1:10 am from LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B. She was drunk and caught the woman off guard. Perry started hitting the woman and grabbed her hair. She did not let go for a long time. The video shows the Southwest crew on the plane where they hold her, trying to remove the strands of hair from her fist. Perry can be heard saying, "I am not even touching her b***h," as a man tells her, "You need to let go." "You can't even see your stomach, look at her outfit," she said. The crew tried to restrain her, putting her hands behind her back. She also attacks the man next to the woman. Perry then spits on the woman, after which a crew member holds her head the other way. Perry was zip-tied and placed on the aisle. She started kicking her legs at everyone, mouthing abuse. Perry was removed from the flight and taken to a hospital. She was later handed over to the NYC Department of Corrections, as per reports. It isn't clear if any legal proceedings are taking place against the woman.

The identity of the drunk woman who attacked a female passenger on a Southwest flight has been revealed. She has apparently worked with high-end names in the fashion world.

Drunk woman who went crazy on Southwest flight has worked with top-notch fashion names

A US federal appeals court on Thursday (Jun 19) ruled in favour of President Donald Trump, allowing him to retain control over National Guard troops deployed in Los Angeles. This decision comes despite strong objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom.In a unanimous 38-page decision, the three-judge panel affirmed that Trump's decision to call up the Guard did not violate legal protocols, even though he bypassed Newsom in the federalisation process.Trump's "failure to issue the federalisation order directly 'through' the Governor of California does not limit his otherwise lawful authority to call up the National Guard," read the ruling.<h2>Trump flaunts ‘BIG WIN’</h2>In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump touted the federal court ruling, calling it a “BIG WIN.”"All over the United States, if our cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done," he wrote.

<h2>California protests and federal pushback</h2>The court decision comes amid rising tensions in Los Angeles, where instances of looting and vandalism were reported during demonstrations against Trump's immigration raids. Amid the tensions, a curfew was also imposed from 8pm to 6am. The curfew was lifted Tuesday.Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the curfew had been "successful in protecting stores, restaurants, businesses and residential communities from bad actors who do not care about the immigrant community."Referring to Trump's move to deploy 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to the city without state consent as "chaos coming from Washington", she said that the city was ready to reissue the curfew if needed.This was the first time since 1965 that a president has bypassed a governor in such a deployment. The move was slammed by Bass, and other California officials. The political showdown soon turned into a legal showdown at the heart of which is the question whether the federal government overstepped.Previously, on Thursday, a judge called Trump's actions "illegal" and ordered that he return control of the force to Newsom. But a higher court paused that ruling after the Trump administration lodged an appeal.

In a unanimous 38-page decision, the three-judge panel affirmed that Trump's decision to call up the National Guard did not violate legal protocols, even though he bypassed Newsom in the federalisation process.

A US federal appeals court on Thursday (Jun 19) ruled in favour of President Donald Trump, allowing him to retain control over National Guard troops deployed in Los Angeles. This decision comes despite strong objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom. In a unanimous 38-page decision, the three-judge panel affirmed that Trump's decision to call up the Guard did not violate legal protocols, even though he bypassed Newsom in the federalisation process. Trump's "failure to issue the federalisation order directly 'through' the Governor of California does not limit his otherwise lawful authority to call up the National Guard," read the ruling. Trump flaunts ‘BIG WIN’ In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump touted the federal court ruling, calling it a “BIG WIN.” "All over the United States, if our cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done," he wrote.

In a unanimous 38-page decision, the three-judge panel affirmed that Trump's decision to call up the National Guard did not violate legal protocols, even though he bypassed Newsom in the federalisation process.

'BIG WIN': Trump can retain command of National Guard in Los Angeles, US federal court rules

A young girl who escaped Ukraine to get treatment for a rare form of blood cancer died in Israel this week. The disease did not kill her; humans did. Her heart-wrenching story is a testimony to the common man's struggle to survive in a world where world leaders are out to reign supreme by using missiles and bombs, without a care about the people who live in these countries. Seven-year-old Nastya Buryk's father is still fighting the war against Russia, while his entire family has now perished in an Iranian attack far from home. In 2022, Nastya's father joined the Ukrainian army after Russia invaded the country. He is a soldier of the elite 95th Airborne Assault Brigade. The same year, Nastya was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.Her mother, Maria, shared the news on social media: "On August 29, 2022, we heard the terrible news: 'Your daughter has cancer.'" She added that since that day, she has been "living in a parallel reality, where her main aim is to save her little girl, not to give up, and breathe. Nastya underwent her first course of chemotherapy in Ukraine. Her condition improved, but she suffered a relapse.Ukraine was fighting a war, and the country was not equipped to treat Nastya.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-appoints-brig-gen-majid-khadami-as-new-intelligence-chief-after-israeli-strike-kills-top-irgc-commanders-1750379791746">Iran appoints Brig Gen Majid Khadami as new intelligence chief after Israeli strike kills top IRGC commanders</a>&nbsp;The family started looking at their options and decided to take her to another country. They got some charitable donations, but largely using their own money, they went to Israel in December 2022, almost a year before the Hamas attack.Nastya and her mother were now out of a war zone. She underwent a bone marrow transplant, but it failed. Leukaemia continued to hold the little one. The family started falling short of money. Her mother shared their ordeal on social media, while her father, Artem, appealed for donations in videos recorded from the front line. One hospital even discharged Nastya because her mother could not pay the bills.&nbsp;https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-iran-war-saroka-hospital-bunkers-saved-many-lives-services-halted-rooms-damaged-1750388166390/embed&nbsp;Soon, doctors suggested a new line of treatment to make the failed bone marrow transplant a success. Her mother shared that "it would be a risk, but without it, the disease would win, and they had to remain hopeful. Amid this, Nastya's grandmother decided to go to Israel this year to support the young one and her mother. She took with him two of Nastya's young cousins to get them a proper education, which was hard to come by in Odesa, where missiles continued to wreak havoc.Then Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, and the family once again found itself in a war zone. It attacked Iran and killed several of its officials. Iran responded with a barrage of missile and drone attacks, one of which struck the apartment building in Bat Yam where Nastya and her family were staying on June 13. All of them died. &nbsp;

Iran-Israel war: A young girl escaped her war-torn country to get treatment for cancer in Israel. She died in the Iranian attack in Bat Yam, Israel, along with her mother, grandmother and two young cousins.

A young girl who escaped Ukraine to get treatment for a rare form of blood cancer died in Israel this week. The disease did not kill her; humans did. Her heart-wrenching story is a testimony to the common man's struggle to survive in a world where world leaders are out to reign supreme by using missiles and bombs, without a care about the people who live in these countries. Seven-year-old Nastya Buryk's father is still fighting the war against Russia, while his entire family has now perished in an Iranian attack far from home. In 2022, Nastya's father joined the Ukrainian army after Russia invaded the country. He is a soldier of the elite 95th Airborne Assault Brigade. The same year, Nastya was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Her mother, Maria, shared the news on social media: "On August 29, 2022, we heard the terrible news: 'Your daughter has cancer.'" She added that since that day, she has been "living in a parallel reality, where her main aim is to save her little girl, not to give up, and breathe. Nastya underwent her first course of chemotherapy in Ukraine. Her condition improved, but she suffered a relapse. Ukraine was fighting a war, and the country was not equipped to treat Nastya. Also Read: Iran appoints Brig Gen Majid Khadami as new intelligence chief after Israeli strike kills top IRGC commanders The family started looking at their options and decided to take her to another country. They got some charitable donations, but largely using their own money, they went to Israel in December 2022, almost a year before the Hamas attack. Nastya and her mother were now out of a war zone. She underwent a bone marrow transplant, but it failed. Leukaemia continued to hold the little one. The family started falling short of money. Her mother shared their ordeal on social media, while her father, Artem, appealed for donations in videos recorded from the front line. One hospital even discharged Nastya because her mother could not pay the bills. https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-iran-war-saroka-hospital-bunkers-saved-many-lives-services-halted-rooms-damaged-1750388166390/embed Soon, doctors suggested a new line of treatment to make the failed bone marrow transplant a success. Her mother shared that "it would be a risk, but without it, the disease would win, and they had to remain hopeful. Amid this, Nastya's grandmother decided to go to Israel this year to support the young one and her mother. She took with him two of Nastya's young cousins to get them a proper education, which was hard to come by in Odesa, where missiles continued to wreak havoc. Then Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, and the family once again found itself in a war zone. It attacked Iran and killed several of its officials. Iran responded with a barrage of missile and drone attacks, one of which struck the apartment building in Bat Yam where Nastya and her family were staying on June 13. All of them died.

Iran-Israel war: A young girl escaped her war-torn country to get treatment for cancer in Israel. She died in the Iranian attack in Bat Yam, Israel, along with her mother, grandmother and two young cousins.

Seven-year-old girl who escaped war-torn Ukraine for cancer treatment in Israel dies in Iranian attack

Earth, the pale blue dot, as seen by Voyager 1 on 14 February 1990, wasn't always blue. Studies suggest that the earliest colour exuded by the oceans was purple, and even pink. This was between 3.5 and 2.4 billion years ago during the Archean eon. The theory was first proposed by Indian-American molecular biologist Shiladitya DasSarma, and has been termed the "Purple Earth Hypothesis." DasSarma theorised that early life on the planet did not work with chlorophyll but a molecule called retinal. It absorbed green and yellow light and reflected red and blue, which gave Earth the appearance of a purple planet. Some even say that the Earth's earliest colour was pink.Retinal is still present around us and can be found in the plum-colored membrane of a photosynthetic microbe called halobacteria. This bacterium absorbs green light and reflects back red and violet light, so you see purple.&nbsp;DasSarma says that primitive microbes that used retinal to harness the sun's energy dominated early Earth. So things on Earth at the time appeared purple. There were microbes that used chlorophyll but could not compete directly with those utilising retinal, DasSarma said. But they evolved the ability to absorb the wavelengths retinal did not use, helping them survive.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-something-unexpected-moving-2-700km-under-earth-s-surface-1750225822229">Scientists discover something unexpected moving 2,700km under Earth's surface</a>&nbsp;"Chlorophyll was forced to make use of the blue and red light, since all the green light was absorbed by the purple membrane-containing organisms," William Sparks, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Maryland, said. He helped DasSarma with his research.&nbsp;<h2>A pink Earth</h2>&nbsp;Today, the oceans are blue and plants green. But over 650 million years ago, cyanobacteria dominated Earth's oceans. Researchers have found the pink pigment in bacterial fossils from the Sahara Desert in Mauritania, West Africa. In fact, pink is considered the world's oldest-known colour. This pigment in the cyanobacteria living in the oceans gave the water a pinkish hue, making the "blue dot" a pink planet. According to findings published on July 9, 2018, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, cyanobacteria are even older than algae.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/astronomers-find-128-new-moons-orbiting-planet-saturn-dont-think-jupiter-will-ever-catch-up-8845107">Astronomers find 128 new moons orbiting planet Saturn: 'Don't think Jupiter will ever catch up'</a>&nbsp;Ancient chlorophyll had been found fossilised in these bacteria. They survived on sunlight and spread everywhere on Earth. The fossilised chlorophyll has been discovered in concentrated form inside them. Scientists suggest that when they mixed with water, they released a pink colour. So everything, the water in the oceans and the land, likely appeared pink back then.&nbsp;Organisms using chlorophyll and retinal survived together at one time. Over the years, chlorophyll won because it is more efficient than retinal. So today, Earth is green and the waters appear blue.

Earth was not always blue. It was once purple and even pink, as per some scientists. Research has shown that millions of years ago, our planet was dominated by bacteria that reflected red and blue. 

Earth, the pale blue dot, as seen by Voyager 1 on 14 February 1990, wasn't always blue. Studies suggest that the earliest colour exuded by the oceans was purple, and even pink. This was between 3.5 and 2.4 billion years ago during the Archean eon. The theory was first proposed by Indian-American molecular biologist Shiladitya DasSarma, and has been termed the "Purple Earth Hypothesis." DasSarma theorised that early life on the planet did not work with chlorophyll but a molecule called retinal. It absorbed green and yellow light and reflected red and blue, which gave Earth the appearance of a purple planet. Some even say that the Earth's earliest colour was pink. Retinal is still present around us and can be found in the plum-colored membrane of a photosynthetic microbe called halobacteria. This bacterium absorbs green light and reflects back red and violet light, so you see purple. DasSarma says that primitive microbes that used retinal to harness the sun's energy dominated early Earth. So things on Earth at the time appeared purple. There were microbes that used chlorophyll but could not compete directly with those utilising retinal, DasSarma said. But they evolved the ability to absorb the wavelengths retinal did not use, helping them survive. Also Read: Scientists discover something unexpected moving 2,700km under Earth's surface "Chlorophyll was forced to make use of the blue and red light, since all the green light was absorbed by the purple membrane-containing organisms," William Sparks, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Maryland, said. He helped DasSarma with his research. A pink Earth Today, the oceans are blue and plants green. But over 650 million years ago, cyanobacteria dominated Earth's oceans. Researchers have found the pink pigment in bacterial fossils from the Sahara Desert in Mauritania, West Africa. In fact, pink is considered the world's oldest-known colour. This pigment in the cyanobacteria living in the oceans gave the water a pinkish hue, making the "blue dot" a pink planet. According to findings published on July 9, 2018, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, cyanobacteria are even older than algae. Also Read: Astronomers find 128 new moons orbiting planet Saturn: 'Don't think Jupiter will ever catch up' Ancient chlorophyll had been found fossilised in these bacteria. They survived on sunlight and spread everywhere on Earth. The fossilised chlorophyll has been discovered in concentrated form inside them. Scientists suggest that when they mixed with water, they released a pink colour. So everything, the water in the oceans and the land, likely appeared pink back then. Organisms using chlorophyll and retinal survived together at one time. Over the years, chlorophyll won because it is more efficient than retinal. So today, Earth is green and the waters appear blue.

Earth was not always blue. It was once purple and even pink, as per some scientists. Research has shown that millions of years ago, our planet was dominated by bacteria that reflected red and blue.&nbsp;

Billions of years ago, Earth was purple in colour, sometimes even pink

Dozens of American military aircraft have disappeared from the tarmac of the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, satellite images show — a quiet but pointed move, which as per reports may be to shield US warplanes from eventual Iranian strikes. This comes as the United States prepares for the possibility of war and weighs in on whether to intervene in Tehran's conflict with Israel. While earlier nearly 40 military aircraft, including transport planes like the Hercules C-130 and reconnaissance aircraft, were parked on the US base tarmac in Qatar, now only a few remain. Why is that? Here's all we know.<h2>Missing warplanes: A strategic withdrawal? Or quiet preparation for something much bigger?</h2>As per an AFP report, just two weeks back, there were nearly 40 US military aircraft at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Satellite images from 5 June 2021 show over two dozen warplanes; however, the latest images, taken on June 19, show only three aircraft.This comes, as the US embassy in Qatar on Thursday announced that access to the air base would be limited "out of an abundance of caution and in light of ongoing regional hostilities" as it urged personnel to "exercise increased vigilance."The quiet vanishing act comes as President Donald Trump weighs whether to bring the US into the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The White House has said that Trump would take some time to decide whether to join ally Israel against Iran.As per Mark Schwartz, a former US Army lieutenant general and defence analyst at Rand Corporation, given the "close proximity" to Iran, the personnel, aircraft, and installations at Al Udeid would be "extremely vulnerable".Schwartz warned that even indirect hits — say, from missile shrapnel — could render expensive aircraft "non-mission capable.""You want to reduce risk to US forces, both personnel and equipment," he told AFP.<h2>Where did the planes go?</h2>While the US is yet to make an official statement, it is believed that the warplanes may have been moved to hangars or potentially to other bases in the region.Talking to AFP, a US defence official, declining to reveal specific details, simply said the military remains "committed to maintaining operational security while executing our mission with the highest level of readiness, lethality, and professionalism."Open-source flight tracking shows at least 27 refuelling planes — KC-46A Pegasus and KC-135 Stratotankers — flew from the US to Europe between June 15 and 18. Most haven’t come back. 25 of these, as per the report, are still in Europe and only two have returned to the US.

While earlier nearly 40 military aircraft, including transport planes like the Hercules C-130 and reconnaissance aircraft, were parked on the US base tarmac in Qatar, now only a few remain. Why is that? Here's all we know.

Dozens of American military aircraft have disappeared from the tarmac of the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, satellite images show — a quiet but pointed move, which as per reports may be to shield US warplanes from eventual Iranian strikes. This comes as the United States prepares for the possibility of war and weighs in on whether to intervene in Tehran's conflict with Israel. While earlier nearly 40 military aircraft, including transport planes like the Hercules C-130 and reconnaissance aircraft, were parked on the US base tarmac in Qatar, now only a few remain. Why is that? Here's all we know. Missing warplanes: A strategic withdrawal? Or quiet preparation for something much bigger? As per an AFP report, just two weeks back, there were nearly 40 US military aircraft at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Satellite images from 5 June 2021 show over two dozen warplanes; however, the latest images, taken on June 19, show only three aircraft. This comes, as the US embassy in Qatar on Thursday announced that access to the air base would be limited "out of an abundance of caution and in light of ongoing regional hostilities" as it urged personnel to "exercise increased vigilance." The quiet vanishing act comes as President Donald Trump weighs whether to bring the US into the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The White House has said that Trump would take some time to decide whether to join ally Israel against Iran. As per Mark Schwartz, a former US Army lieutenant general and defence analyst at Rand Corporation, given the "close proximity" to Iran, the personnel, aircraft, and installations at Al Udeid would be "extremely vulnerable". Schwartz warned that even indirect hits — say, from missile shrapnel — could render expensive aircraft "non-mission capable." "You want to reduce risk to US forces, both personnel and equipment," he told AFP. Where did the planes go? While the US is yet to make an official statement, it is believed that the warplanes may have been moved to hangars or potentially to other bases in the region. Talking to AFP, a US defence official, declining to reveal specific details, simply said the military remains "committed to maintaining operational security while executing our mission with the highest level of readiness, lethality, and professionalism." Open-source flight tracking shows at least 27 refuelling planes — KC-46A Pegasus and KC-135 Stratotankers — flew from the US to Europe between June 15 and 18. Most haven’t come back. 25 of these, as per the report, are still in Europe and only two have returned to the US.

While earlier nearly 40 military aircraft, including transport planes like the Hercules C-130 and reconnaissance aircraft, were parked on the US base tarmac in Qatar, now only a few remain. Why is that? Here's all we know.

US hiding military aircraft? American warplanes vanish from Qatar base amid Israel-Iran tensions

Southern Mexico started the cleanup process Thursday in the aftermath of Hurricane Erick, which slammed into its Pacific coast as a powerful Category 3 storm but weakened as it moved inland.&nbsp;In the tourist town of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca state, residents and emergency personnel worked to drain flooded streets and clear debris left behind as the storm knocked over trees and street signs and buried boats under sand on the beach.&nbsp;Much of the town of about 30,000 people was left without electricity or cellphone coverage.&nbsp;The water "had never hit with this magnitude" in Puerto Escondido, 44-year-old merchant Luis Alberto Gil, whose shop was among those flooded, told AFP.&nbsp;No deaths or injuries were reported from Puerto Escondido or elsewhere in the storm zone.&nbsp;Erick weakened to a tropical storm as it moved across southern Mexico on Thursday.&nbsp;"Continued rapid weakening is forecast, and Erick will likely dissipate tonight," the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory, issued at 2230 GMT.&nbsp;The center warned of heavy rainfall in the state of Guerrero, with the risk of life-threatening flooding and mudslides.&nbsp;Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts.&nbsp;In October 2023, Acapulco, a major port and beach resort in Guerrero, was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed dozens of people.&nbsp;Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm that hit in September last year, caused about 15 deaths.&nbsp;Acapulco was largely deserted Thursday, with shops boarded up and tourist boats grounded.

No deaths or injuries were reported from Puerto Escondido or elsewhere in the storm zone. Erick weakened to a tropical storm as it moved across southern Mexico on Thursday.

Southern Mexico started the cleanup process Thursday in the aftermath of Hurricane Erick, which slammed into its Pacific coast as a powerful Category 3 storm but weakened as it moved inland. In the tourist town of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca state, residents and emergency personnel worked to drain flooded streets and clear debris left behind as the storm knocked over trees and street signs and buried boats under sand on the beach. Much of the town of about 30,000 people was left without electricity or cellphone coverage. The water "had never hit with this magnitude" in Puerto Escondido, 44-year-old merchant Luis Alberto Gil, whose shop was among those flooded, told AFP. No deaths or injuries were reported from Puerto Escondido or elsewhere in the storm zone. Erick weakened to a tropical storm as it moved across southern Mexico on Thursday. "Continued rapid weakening is forecast, and Erick will likely dissipate tonight," the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory, issued at 2230 GMT. The center warned of heavy rainfall in the state of Guerrero, with the risk of life-threatening flooding and mudslides. Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. In October 2023, Acapulco, a major port and beach resort in Guerrero, was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed dozens of people. Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm that hit in September last year, caused about 15 deaths. Acapulco was largely deserted Thursday, with shops boarded up and tourist boats grounded.

No deaths or injuries were reported from Puerto Escondido or elsewhere in the storm zone. Erick weakened to a tropical storm as it moved across southern Mexico on Thursday.

Hurricane Erick leaves 30,000 without electricity in Southern Mexico

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday (Jun 19) said that Russia’s defence of Iranian leaders underscores the need to push for heavy sanctions against Moscow. Zelensky said that the deployment of Iranian-designed Shahed drones and North Korean munitions by Russia was evidence that Kyiv’s allies were not applying enough pressure against Putin. “Now Russia is trying to save the Iranian nuclear programme. There cannot be any other possible explanation for their public signals and their non-public activity on this,” he said in a video address.&nbsp;“When one of their accomplices loses their capability to export war, Russia is weakened and tries to interfere. This is so cynical and proves time and again that aggressive regimes cannot be allowed to unite and become partners,” Zelensky added.&nbsp;On Russia deploying weaponry from Tehran and Pyongyang, the Ukrainian president said, “It is a clear sign that global solidarity and global pressure are not strong enough.”&nbsp;Russia has condemned Israeli strikes against Iran and has offered to mediate the conflict. The Russian deputy foreign minister said that Moscow has urged Washington to refrain from direct involvement, according to Reuters. This year, Russia signed a strategic partnership with Iran.&nbsp;Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has exposed the hypocrisy of Russia. Moscow is defending Iran’s nuclear programme and denouncing Israeli strikes while “ruthlessly” attacking Ukraine, he said.&nbsp;“Tensions in the Middle East show at least two examples of Moscow's hypocrisy. First, Putin desperately tries to save Iran's nuclear weapons production capabilities while posing as a ‘mediator’. Second, Russia condemns strikes in the Middle East while ruthlessly attacking Ukraine. Putin pretends to offer his services in ending a war in the Middle East while refusing to end his own,” Sybiha wrote on X.&nbsp;“The only rational conclusion is that Russia cannot be trusted in any situation, and it is always part of the problem rather than the solution,” he added.&nbsp;Zelensky has accused Putin of refusing diplomatic approaches and rejecting an unconditional ceasefire. In his address, the Ukrainian leader said that he was “very much counting on” US President Donald Trump to consider intensified sanctions and boost diplomatic efforts to end the war, which has been going on for more than three years. However, Trump has ruled out calls for tougher sanctions against Moscow.&nbsp;Zelensky also expressed a willingness to meet Putin. Earlier on Thursday, the Russian president said that he was ready to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, but only in a “final phase” of negotiations. Despite making these remarks, Putin questioned Zelensky's legitimacy.&nbsp; “I am even ready to meet him but only if it is some kind of final phase,” he said at a press conference in Saint Petersburg. He added that any settlement to end the Ukraine conflict would require preventing fighting from resuming in the “long term”.

Zelensky said that the deployment of Iranian-designed Shahed drones and North Korean munitions by Russia was evidence that Kyiv’s allies were not applying enough pressure against Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday (Jun 19) said that Russia’s defence of Iranian leaders underscores the need to push for heavy sanctions against Moscow. Zelensky said that the deployment of Iranian-designed Shahed drones and North Korean munitions by Russia was evidence that Kyiv’s allies were not applying enough pressure against Putin. “Now Russia is trying to save the Iranian nuclear programme. There cannot be any other possible explanation for their public signals and their non-public activity on this,” he said in a video address. “When one of their accomplices loses their capability to export war, Russia is weakened and tries to interfere. This is so cynical and proves time and again that aggressive regimes cannot be allowed to unite and become partners,” Zelensky added. On Russia deploying weaponry from Tehran and Pyongyang, the Ukrainian president said, “It is a clear sign that global solidarity and global pressure are not strong enough.” Russia has condemned Israeli strikes against Iran and has offered to mediate the conflict. The Russian deputy foreign minister said that Moscow has urged Washington to refrain from direct involvement, according to Reuters. This year, Russia signed a strategic partnership with Iran. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has exposed the hypocrisy of Russia. Moscow is defending Iran’s nuclear programme and denouncing Israeli strikes while “ruthlessly” attacking Ukraine, he said. “Tensions in the Middle East show at least two examples of Moscow's hypocrisy. First, Putin desperately tries to save Iran's nuclear weapons production capabilities while posing as a ‘mediator’. Second, Russia condemns strikes in the Middle East while ruthlessly attacking Ukraine. Putin pretends to offer his services in ending a war in the Middle East while refusing to end his own,” Sybiha wrote on X. “The only rational conclusion is that Russia cannot be trusted in any situation, and it is always part of the problem rather than the solution,” he added. Zelensky has accused Putin of refusing diplomatic approaches and rejecting an unconditional ceasefire. In his address, the Ukrainian leader said that he was “very much counting on” US President Donald Trump to consider intensified sanctions and boost diplomatic efforts to end the war, which has been going on for more than three years. However, Trump has ruled out calls for tougher sanctions against Moscow. Zelensky also expressed a willingness to meet Putin. Earlier on Thursday, the Russian president said that he was ready to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, but only in a “final phase” of negotiations. Despite making these remarks, Putin questioned Zelensky's legitimacy. “I am even ready to meet him but only if it is some kind of final phase,” he said at a press conference in Saint Petersburg. He added that any settlement to end the Ukraine conflict would require preventing fighting from resuming in the “long term”.

Zelensky said that the deployment of Iranian-designed Shahed drones and North Korean munitions by Russia was evidence that Kyiv’s allies were not applying enough pressure against Putin.

‘Global pressure not strong enough’: Zelensky pushes for intensified sanctions on Russia over Iran’s defence

Iran on Thursday (Jun 19) named Brigadier General Majid Khadami as the new head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence division. Khadami replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday (Jun 15) alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers — Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri. The killing was first reported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was later confirmed by Iran, which at the time called the killed commanders "martyrs". Khadami's predecessor, Kazemi and his deputy Mohaghegh were trapped under rubble after Israel struck an IRGC Intelligence Organisation building in the Iranian capital, Tehran, last week.<h2>Who is Majid Khadami?</h2>The newly installed intelligence chief of the IRGC, Khadami, has previously worked as the head of the Intelligence Protection Organisation at the Iranian Defence Ministry (July 2022- now), reports Iran International.As per reports, before that, from 2018 to 2022, he served as the head of the Information Protection Organisation of the Iranian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Support, replacing Asghar Mirjafari. Not much is available about Khademi. A shadowy figure, he reportedly holds a PhD in National Security and a PhD in Strategic Defense Sciences.<h2>What happened to Kazemi?</h2>As Israel and Iran exchanged attacks for the third day (Sunday, Jun 15), Mohammad Kazemi, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's Intelligence Protection Organisation, along with his deputy Hassan Mohaghegh and a third commander Mohsen Bagheri were killed in an Israeli strike.Reports suggest that Kazemi and Mohaghegh were trapped under rubble after Israel struck an IRGC Intelligence Organisation building in the Iranian capital, Tehran.Kazemi, known by the nickname Hajj Kazem was considered one of the most prominent security figures in Iran.As per The New Arab, he led the IRGC’s Intelligence Protection Organisation since at least 2013. The intelligence wing he led is known to report directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, giving Kazemi immense clout inside Iran's military hierarchy.As per the US Treasury Department, he was "responsible for managing and coordinating the suppression of protests, monitoring and restricting internet access, and arresting dissidents", specifically in the wake of the 2022 Iranian anti-government protests. In 2024, he was sanctioned by the United Kingdom for allegedly orchestrating attacks on Israeli nationals.He was one of the latest high-ranking Iranian commanders to be eliminated by Israel. Recent weeks have seen the killing of several top Iranian figures, including IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami, army chief of staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, and Khatam al-Anbia base commander Maj. Gen. Gholamali Rashid.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brigadier General Majid Khadami, a shadowy figure, has been appointed the new head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence division. Here's all we know about Iran's new IRGC intelligence chief.

Iran on Thursday (Jun 19) named Brigadier General Majid Khadami as the new head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence division. Khadami replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday (Jun 15) alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers — Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri. The killing was first reported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was later confirmed by Iran, which at the time called the killed commanders "martyrs". Khadami's predecessor, Kazemi and his deputy Mohaghegh were trapped under rubble after Israel struck an IRGC Intelligence Organisation building in the Iranian capital, Tehran, last week. Who is Majid Khadami? The newly installed intelligence chief of the IRGC, Khadami, has previously worked as the head of the Intelligence Protection Organisation at the Iranian Defence Ministry (July 2022- now), reports Iran International. As per reports, before that, from 2018 to 2022, he served as the head of the Information Protection Organisation of the Iranian Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Support, replacing Asghar Mirjafari. Not much is available about Khademi. A shadowy figure, he reportedly holds a PhD in National Security and a PhD in Strategic Defense Sciences. What happened to Kazemi? As Israel and Iran exchanged attacks for the third day (Sunday, Jun 15), Mohammad Kazemi, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's Intelligence Protection Organisation, along with his deputy Hassan Mohaghegh and a third commander Mohsen Bagheri were killed in an Israeli strike. Reports suggest that Kazemi and Mohaghegh were trapped under rubble after Israel struck an IRGC Intelligence Organisation building in the Iranian capital, Tehran. Kazemi, known by the nickname Hajj Kazem was considered one of the most prominent security figures in Iran. As per The New Arab, he led the IRGC’s Intelligence Protection Organisation since at least 2013. The intelligence wing he led is known to report directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, giving Kazemi immense clout inside Iran's military hierarchy. As per the US Treasury Department, he was "responsible for managing and coordinating the suppression of protests, monitoring and restricting internet access, and arresting dissidents", specifically in the wake of the 2022 Iranian anti-government protests. In 2024, he was sanctioned by the United Kingdom for allegedly orchestrating attacks on Israeli nationals. He was one of the latest high-ranking Iranian commanders to be eliminated by Israel. Recent weeks have seen the killing of several top Iranian figures, including IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami, army chief of staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, and Khatam al-Anbia base commander Maj. Gen. Gholamali Rashid.

Brigadier General Majid Khadami, a shadowy figure, has been appointed the new head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence division. Here's all we know about Iran's new IRGC intelligence chief.

Who is Majid Khademi? Iran’s new IRGC intelligence head replaces slain Kazemi

Iran on Thursday (Jun 19) named Brigadier General Majid Khadami as the new head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence division, after his predecessor and two senior officers were killed in an Israeli airstrike last week. His appointment was announced by Major General Mohammad Pakpour, the newly-installed commander of the IRGC. Khadami replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers — Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri. "During the years that our martyred commanders Kazemi and Mohaqeq led the IRGC Intelligence, we witnessed significant growth in all aspects of intelligence within the IRGC," said Pakpour who recently replaced Hossein Salami, another top general taken out by Israel in a June 13 strike.<h2>What happened to Kazemi?</h2>As Israel and Iran exchanged attacks for the third day (Sunday, Jun 15), Mohammad Kazemi, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's Intelligence Protection Organisation, along with his deputy Hassan Mohaghegh and a third commander Mohsen Bagheri were killed in an Israeli strike.Reports suggest that Kazemi and Mohaghegh were trapped under rubble after Israel struck an IRGC Intelligence Organisation building in the Iranian capital, Tehran.<h2>Who was Hajj Kazem?</h2>Known by the nickname Hajj Kazem, the 63-year-old Kazemi was a shadowy figure and was considered one of the most prominent security figures in Iran.As per The New Arab, Kazemi was born in Semnan, rose through the ranks during the post-revolution crackdown in the 1980s, and led the IRGC’s Intelligence Protection Organisation since at least 2013. The intelligence wing he led is known to report directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, giving Kazemi immense clout inside Iran's military hierarchy.As per the US Treasury Department, he was "responsible for managing and coordinating the suppression of protests, monitoring and restricting internet access, and arresting dissidents", specifically in the wake of the 2022 Iranian anti-government protests. In 2024, he was sanctioned by the United Kingdom for allegedly orchestrating attacks on Israeli nationals.He was one of the latest high-ranking Iranian commanders to be eliminated by Israel. Recent weeks have seen the killing of several top Iranian figures, including IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami, army chief of staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, and Khatam al-Anbia base commander Maj. Gen. Gholamali Rashid.

Khadami replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers — Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri. 

Iran on Thursday (Jun 19) named Brigadier General Majid Khadami as the new head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence division, after his predecessor and two senior officers were killed in an Israeli airstrike last week. His appointment was announced by Major General Mohammad Pakpour, the newly-installed commander of the IRGC. Khadami replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers — Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri. "During the years that our martyred commanders Kazemi and Mohaqeq led the IRGC Intelligence, we witnessed significant growth in all aspects of intelligence within the IRGC," said Pakpour who recently replaced Hossein Salami, another top general taken out by Israel in a June 13 strike. What happened to Kazemi? As Israel and Iran exchanged attacks for the third day (Sunday, Jun 15), Mohammad Kazemi, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's Intelligence Protection Organisation, along with his deputy Hassan Mohaghegh and a third commander Mohsen Bagheri were killed in an Israeli strike. Reports suggest that Kazemi and Mohaghegh were trapped under rubble after Israel struck an IRGC Intelligence Organisation building in the Iranian capital, Tehran. Who was Hajj Kazem? Known by the nickname Hajj Kazem, the 63-year-old Kazemi was a shadowy figure and was considered one of the most prominent security figures in Iran. As per The New Arab, Kazemi was born in Semnan, rose through the ranks during the post-revolution crackdown in the 1980s, and led the IRGC’s Intelligence Protection Organisation since at least 2013. The intelligence wing he led is known to report directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, giving Kazemi immense clout inside Iran's military hierarchy. As per the US Treasury Department, he was "responsible for managing and coordinating the suppression of protests, monitoring and restricting internet access, and arresting dissidents", specifically in the wake of the 2022 Iranian anti-government protests. In 2024, he was sanctioned by the United Kingdom for allegedly orchestrating attacks on Israeli nationals. He was one of the latest high-ranking Iranian commanders to be eliminated by Israel. Recent weeks have seen the killing of several top Iranian figures, including IRGC commander-in-chief Hossein Salami, army chief of staff Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, and Khatam al-Anbia base commander Maj. Gen. Gholamali Rashid.

Khadami replaces Mohammed Kazemi, who was killed on Sunday alongside two other Revolutionary Guards officers — Hassan Mohaghegh and Mohsen Bagheri.&nbsp;

Iran appoints Brig Gen Majid Khadami as new intelligence chief after Israeli strike kills top IRGC commanders

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