Israel-Iran air war enters sixth day, Trump remains cryptic on US joining attack

Israel-Iran air war enters sixth day, Trump remains cryptic on US joining attack

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A missile launched from Iran towards Israel is seen from Tubas, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. (Reuters)

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Updated 19 June 2025

Agencies

June 18, 2025 04:29

Israel-Iran air war enters sixth day, Trump remains cryptic on US joining attack

Trump says he may, or may not decide for the US to join strikes on Iran
Iran's supreme leader Khamenei warns Iran will 'never surrender'
Iranian missile salvo fired at Israel after Israeli strikes on Tehran

Updated 19 June 2025

Agencies

June 18, 2025 04:29

JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON/DUBAI:��Israel and Iran exchanged fire again on Wednesday, the sixth day of strikes in their most intense confrontation in history, fuelling fears of a drawn-out conflict.

President Donald Trump said he was considering whether the United States will join Israeli strikes on Iran and said that Tehran had reached out to seek negotiations on ending the conflict.

"I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," Trump told reporters. "I can tell you this, that Iran's got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate."

Trump said Iran had even suggested sending officials to the White House for talks on Tehran's nuclear program in a bid to end Israel's air assault, but added that it was "very late".

His comments came after Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech read on state television that his nation would "never surrender", while warning the US it would suffer "irreparable damage" if it intervenes in the conflict.
Trump said��on Tuesday that the US knows where Khamenei is located but will not kill him "for now." He demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender."��

A fresh salvo of Iranian missiles were launched at Israel Wednesday evening, with initial Israeli military assessments saying it was a small attack with no reports of major urban areas being hit.

Iran had��earlier issued an evacuation warning for residents of the Israeli city of Haifa.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said air force jets had destroyed Iran's "internal security headquarters" during Wednesday's strikes. Explosions were hear in Tehran and other parts of the country throuhout the day.

Iran was in a "near-total national internet blackout", London-based watchdog NetBlocks wrote on X.
Iran announced last week that it was placing temporary restrictions on the internet for the duration of the conflict, placing heavier limits on Wednesday.
The communication ministry said the limits were imposed due to Israel's "abuse of the country's communication network for military purposes."
Numerous sites and apps have been at least partially inaccessible.
State television appealed to Iranians on Tuesday to delete WhatsApp from their phones, charging that the messaging app gathers users' location and personal data and "communicates them to the Zionist enemy".

Iran's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani addresses delegates during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Friday. (Reuters)

UN Security Council to meet Friday over Israel-Iran conflict

The United Nations Security Council will convene Friday to discuss the ongoing war between Israel and Iran.
Following a first, urgent meeting after Israel attacked last Friday, this second session was requested by Iran, with support from Russia, China and Pakistan.

The decision was made after the Iranian mission to the UN wrote to the security council president calling on the world body to��condemn and reject the 'unlawful use of force' against Iran's sovereignty.

The letter also hit out at the United States, accusing President Trump of threatening to assassinate Iran's supreme leader, and threatening to launch strikes on the country.

Earlier, the Iranian mission at the UN said:�� "Iran does not negotiate under duress and shall not accept peace under duress."

For more coverage of the Iran-Israel conflict, click here

US President Donald Trump speaks to the press as workers install a large flag pole on the South Lawn of the White House. (AFP)

’Nobody knows’: Trump won’t say whether he will move forward with US strikes on Iran

President Donald Trump would not say Wednesday whether he has decided to order a US strike on Iran, a move that Tehran warned anew would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it happens.

“I may do it, I may not do it,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters at the White House . “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”

Trump added that it’s not “too late” for Iran to give up its nuclear program as he continues to weigh direct US involvement in Israel’s military operations aimed at crushing Tehran’s nuclear program.

“Nothing’s too late,” Trump said. “I can tell you this. Iran’s got a lot of trouble.”

For full story on President Trump's��comments click here

Iran’s supreme leader says Israel would be punished for ‘huge mistake’

US President Donald Trump said Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was currently not at risk. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed on Wednesday that his country would show no mercy toward Israel’s rulers, hours after US President Donald Trump demanded Tehran’s “unconditional surrender.”

“We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy,” Khamenei posted on X.

Israel last week launched an unprecedented bombing campaign hitting Iranian nuclear and military facilities, as well as residential areas.

Iran has responded by launching missiles and drones, and early Wednesday said it had fired hypersonic missiles at Israel.

On Tuesday, Trump demanded the Islamic republic’s “unconditional surrender” and boasted that the United States could easily assassinate Khamenei.

For full story on Supreme Leader's comments click

Jordan intercepted Iranian missiles over Amman overnight

��

Iran’s former economy minister calls for Iranian control of Strait of Hormuz

Former Iranian Economy Minister Ehsan Khandouzi has said that tankers and LNG cargoes should only transit the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian permission and this policy should be carried out from “tomorrow for a hundred days.”

It was not immediately clear whether Khandouzi was echoing a plan under the Iranian establishment’s consideration or sharing his personal opinion.

Click for full story

Iran arrests five for ‘tarnishing’ country’s image

Tehran: Iran said Wednesday it had detained five suspected agents of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency on charges of tarnishing the country’s image online, Iranian news agencies reported.
“These mercenaries sought to sow fear among the public and tarnish the image of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran through their calculated activities online,” the Tasnim and ISNA news agencies quoted a statement from the Revolutionary Guards as saying.
They added that the arrests had been made in the western province of Lorestan.

Pope Leo makes call to end all wars

��

Regional influence weakens

Khamenei’s main military and security advisers have been killed by Israeli strikes, hollowing out his inner circle and raising the risk of strategic errors, according to five people familiar with his decision-making process.

With Iranian leaders suffering their most dangerous security breach since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the country’s cybersecurity command banned officials from using communications devices and mobile phones, Fars news agency reported.

Israel launched a “massive cyber war” against Iran’s digital infrastructure, Iranian media reported.

Ever since Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and triggered the Gaza war, Khamenei’s regional influence has waned as Israel has pounded Iran’s proxies — from Hamas in Gaza to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq. Iran’s close ally, Syria’s autocratic president Bashar Assad, has been ousted.

Israel launched its air war, its largest ever on Iran, on Friday after saying it had concluded the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.

Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.

Netanyahu has stressed that he will not back down until Iran’s nuclear development is disabled, while Trump says the Israeli assault could end if Iran agrees to strict curbs on enrichment.

Before Israel’s attack began, the 35-nation board of governors of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years.

The IAEA said on Tuesday an Israeli strike directly hit the underground enrichment halls at the Natanz facility.

Israel says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in coming days.

But Israel will struggle to deal a knock-out blow to deeply buried nuclear sites like Fordow, which is dug beneath a mountain, without the US joining the attack.

Iranian officials have reported 224 deaths, mostly civilians, while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Residents of both countries have been evacuated or fled.

Global oil markets are on high alert following strikes on sites including the world’s biggest gas field, South Pars, shared by Iran and Qatar.

Beijing evacuates almost 800 Chinese citizens from Iran

Almost 800 Chinese citizens have been evacuated from Iran since Israel launched military strikes against the country last week, Beijing said Wednesday.

“Currently... 791 Chinese nationals have been relocated from Iran to safe areas,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a regular news conference.

“More than 1,000 other people are in the process of relocating and withdrawing,” Guo added.

��

Topics: Iran-Israel Conflict Iran Israel

Extremist minister Smotrich calls for Israel to annex Gaza

Updated 58 min 35 sec ago

AFP

August 28, 2025 18:51

Extremist minister Smotrich calls for Israel to annex Gaza

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says if Hamas doesn't surrender Israel should annex a section of the territory each week

Updated 58 min 35 sec ago

AFP

August 28, 2025 18:51

JERUSALEM: Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Thursday called on the government to begin annexing parts of the Gaza Strip if Palestinian militant group Hamas stands by its refusal to lay down its weapons.
The far-right minister, who has vocally opposed striking a deal with Hamas to end the nearly two-year war, presented his plan to “win in Gaza by the end of the year” at a press conference in Jerusalem.
Under Smotrich’s proposal, Hamas would be given an ultimatum to surrender, disarm and release the hostages still held in Gaza since the group’s October 2023 attack that triggered the war.
If Hamas refuses, Smotrich said Israel should annex a section of the territory each week for four weeks, bringing most of the Gaza Strip under full Israeli control.
According to Smotrich, Palestinians would first be told to move south in Gaza, followed by Israel imposing a siege on the territory’s north and center to defeat any remaining Hamas militants there, and ending with annexation.
“This can be achieved in three to four months,” he said.
His remarks come as Israeli forces press a major offensive aimed at seizing control of Gaza City — the territory’s largest — despite mounting concern for the fate of Palestinian civilians there.
The vast majority of Gaza’s more than two million people have been displaced at least once during the war.
Smotrich in his remarks called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “to adopt this plan in full immediately.”
The Palestinian militant group condemned the proposal, saying in a statement that it constituted an “open endorsement of the policy of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing against our people.”
Smotrich is one of several far-right members of Israel’s ruling coalition to have expressed support for re-establishing settlements in the Gaza Strip, from which Israel withdrew troops and settlers in 2005.
A staunch supporter of the settler movement who himself lives in a settlement in the occupied West Bank, Smotrich authorized last week a major project in that territory which critics say threatens the territorial integrity of any future Palestinian state.
Smotrich has said that the settlement project in the area known as E1, east of Jerusalem, was intended to “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”

Topics: War on Gaza

Once Africa’s breadbasket, Sudan faces a hunger crisis ‘unprecedented in scale and severity’

Updated 52 min 24 sec ago

Ephrem Kossaify

August 28, 2025 22:38

Once Africa’s breadbasket, Sudan faces a hunger crisis ‘unprecedented in scale and severity’

Top UN official says over 638,000 people are experiencing catastrophic food insecurity, and more than half of world’s acute malnutrition cases are concentrated in Sudan
She praises humanitarian groups for their determination and efforts to reach vulnerable people under increasingly difficult conditions, calls for more funding and media attention

Updated 52 min 24 sec ago

Ephrem Kossaify

August 28, 2025 22:38

NEW YORK CITY: Sudan is enduring one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises, with 30 million people requiring emergency aid and more than 4 million displaced internally or as refugees.

The figures were given by Edem Wosornu, director of operations and advocacy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who recently returned to New York following her third visit to Sudan since the civil war in the country erupted more than two years ago. She also visited neighboring Chad, which is hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees from Sudan.

She detailed the devastating effects of the ongoing violence and the unprecedented hunger crisis that are ravaging the country. Key cities including Khartoum, El-Fasher and El-Geneina have suffered extensive damage amid the persistent fighting between rival military factions that has displaced millions and shattered basic infrastructure.

“Sudan, once known as the breadbasket of the Horn of Africa, is now facing a hunger crisis unprecedented in scale and severity,” Wosornu said, citing recent World Food Programme reports that estimated more than 638,000 people were living with the highest level of food insecurity, phase 5 on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, which is characterized by famine-like conditions.

“More than half of the global acute malnutrition cases are here,” she added.

The conflict, now in its 860th day, has been marked by repeated violations of international humanitarian law, including drone strikes, shelling and ground attacks targeting civilian areas.

Wosornu warned that areas such as El-Fasher in North Darfur have been under siege for more than 500 days, severely restricting the delivery of lifesaving aid.

“Access remains the greatest challenge,” she said. “Despite ongoing negotiations, tens of trucks carrying food and medical supplies remain stranded at border crossings such as Nyala, unable to reach those trapped in conflict zones.”

Despite the obstacles, some progress has been made. UNICEF recently succeeded in delivering aid to hundreds of thousands of people in South Kordofan, Wosornu noted, a rare bright spot amid the widespread devastation. She praised humanitarian organizations for their determination and ongoing efforts to reach vulnerable populations under increasingly difficult conditions.

Describing the situation in the capital Khartoum, Wosornu said: “The city, once vibrant and bustling, is now a ghost town.

“Streets are littered with remnants of war — explosive ordnance, destroyed buildings — and basic services are largely absent. The trauma is palpable among residents, aid workers and officials alike.”

Yet, amid the ruins, she said she had observed signs of resilience: “I saw people sweeping streets and trying to restore normalcy.

“There is hope, but rebuilding will take many years and depends on a sustained ceasefire and peace.”

The crisis has also placed severe strain on neighboring countries, particularly Chad, which hosts more than 850,000 Sudanese refugees. Wosornu commended the Chadian government for keeping its borders open despite the overwhelming burden on local resources and security forces.

“One in every three people in eastern Chad’s provinces is Sudanese,” she said, adding that alarming levels of malnutrition and a cholera outbreak threaten both the refugees and their host communities.

Responding to concerns about international apathy and a perceived funding shortfall, Wosornu told Arab News: “While it may feel like the world has turned a blind eye, Sudan’s crisis funding is at 25 percent, which is higher than the global average of around 17 percent. Considering the scale and complexity of this emergency, that is not too bad.”

However, she stressed that the immense scale of the crisis demands increased funding and greater media attention.

“We urgently need more access for journalists and aid workers to tell the story and reach those in desperate need,” she said.

Wosornu called on all parties involved in the conflict to guarantee humanitarian access across the front lines, and urged the international community to press for an immediate end to hostilities.

“Sudan cannot continue like this. The war must stop. Only then can recovery and rebuilding begin,” she said.

In a direct appeal to donors and the international community, she added: “Providing life-saving assistance costs just 55 cents per person per day — that’s less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks. This small investment can save millions of lives.”

Topics: Sudan Unrest UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Official Lebanese source: ‘We are holding talks with Hezbollah about Day After, and all concerns are being addressed’

Updated 28 August 2025

NAJIA HOUSSARI

August 28, 2025 22:15

Official Lebanese source: ‘We are holding talks with Hezbollah about Day After, and all concerns are being addressed’

‘The army confiscated more than 80 percent of Hezbollah weapons south of the Litani River,’ official tells Arab News
‘We possess French documents confirming the Lebanese ownership of the Shebaa Farms’
Source says political authority and the army commands defense strategy, and no one can replace them��

Updated 28 August 2025

NAJIA HOUSSARI

August 28, 2025 22:15

BEIRUT: An official Lebanese source has confirmed to Arab News that the government is in direct talks with Hezbollah about the disarmament of non-state armed groups and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory.

The source said that concerns raised by the Shiite group “are being addressed.”

“The Lebanese army is capable of fulfilling all its duties south of the Litani River,” the source said, referencing the UN Security Council resolution adopted on Thursday evening, which extended the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, until the end of 2026.

This resolution also envisions a phased withdrawal of UNIFIL forces from an area where they have served for more than four decades.

“Let Israel withdraw from southern Lebanon, and the Lebanese army will carry out its duties to the fullest extent in coordination with UNIFIL forces,” the source said. “What is required is supporting the army to increase its capabilities.”

The Lebanese Army has about 6,500 troops deployed south of the Litani River and is working to increase that number to 10,000.

The source revealed that the Lebanese Army “has completed more than 80 percent of its mission south of the Litani River, confiscating all types of weapons it finds, without any objection from Hezbollah.” Contrary to general expectations, the group “has been cooperative,” the source said.

“The Lebanese Army confiscates everything it encounters south of the Litani River,” the official said. “It either destroys it if it is unusable, and uses what is usable, according to estimates by military experts after inspecting the confiscated weapons.”

Military experts estimate that weapons and ammunition generally have an expiration date of between 10 and 20 years, though this varies depending on the weapon type, manufacturing process and storage conditions. Factors such as humidity, heat and exposure to water can degrade the weapons, potentially turning them into hazards.

“Neither the army nor the political leadership knows what remains of Hezbollah’s military arsenal, nor do Hezbollah officials themselves,” the source said.

“There is no doubt that the resistance (Hezbollah), which is usually secretive in its operations, has a method that prevents us from assessing the size and status of its arsenal.”

Addressing recent incidents, the source described the explosions that occurred during weapon confiscations in the south earlier this month — which killed six soldiers — as “incidents still under investigation.” The official confirmed that “in light of these events, the Lebanese army has adopted a more cautious approach.”

Expressing optimism about Lebanon regaining full sovereignty over its territory, the source said: “The defense strategy is drawn up by the army command under the guidance of the political authority, and no one can replace them.

“Lebanon’s long-standing military capabilities cannot be underestimated. The state also resorts to diplomacy to achieve sovereignty, and it is the decision-maker in war and peace, and everyone must coordinate with the state, not allow anyone to open a confrontation at their own expense.”

The source emphasized that when the political authority drafted its ministerial statement — and earlier, when the president of the republic delivered his inaugural speech — no external party dictated their positions or demands.

“The arms embargo is one of the provisions of the Taif Agreement and international resolutions, and its implementation does not mean surrender to Israel.”

The source also said that the withdrawal of weapons from the Palestinian camps fell within the framework of the Lebanese decision, not the Israeli one.

The source said that the government did not consider the step-by-step policy pursued by US envoy Thomas Barrack to implement the terms of the ceasefire agreement as a failure, despite Israel’s recent response linking its withdrawal from the Five Hills area to the Lebanese government’s enforcement of the arms embargo decision.

“We judge the facts and exercise our convictions, and I believe that diplomacy in this area requires patience. The American paper and the Lebanese amendments to it, which were approved by the Council of Ministers, required dozens of hours of work.”

The representative addressed concerns about allaying Hezbollah’s fears concerning the confiscation of its weapons and reassuring its supporters: “Hezbollah is present in the state, and anyone who wants to join the Lebanese Army is welcome, according to the conditions of membership. The idea of compensating Hezbollah fighters is not a bad idea. I believe that joining the military establishment is a positive thing for their families, as they will receive social benefits.”

On efforts to restore confidence among Hezbollah supporters in state institutions, the source revealed that “under-the-table discussions” have been taking place between Hezbollah and decision-makers “about the Day After.”

The source acknowledged that “Hezbollah and its supporters are wounded, deeply hurt, and all concerns must be addressed, and work is underway to address them.”

On the American proposal to establish an economic zone in the border area as a buffer zone, it was noted that the plan has not yet been officially discussed.

“The state understands the concerns of the people of the region regarding this matter, and they are 100 percent right. If it is raised, Lebanon will certainly have its own reservations. No one accepts the separation of the people of the south from their land. What is most important, above all, is that Israel withdraws from the positions it occupies and that they cease their hostile actions,“ the official said.

The source also reiterated Lebanon’s openness to all Arab assistance for reconstruction, especially from Gulf states led by ��ֱ��.

Concerning Lebanese-Syrian relations, the official indicated that “a Syrian delegation will visit Lebanon to discuss border demarcation, the issue of Syrian detainees, and trade relations.”

On Lebanon’s stance if Syria decided to recognize the Shebaa Farms as Syrian rather than Lebanese territory, the source said: “It must prove this with documents. We have documents from the French state archives that confirm their Lebanese identity.”

Topics: Lebanon Hezbollah UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)

Israel says in talks ‘right now’ on south Syria demilitarization

Israeli troops patrol the border fence with Syria near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights.

Updated 28 August 2025

AFP

August 28, 2025 18:04

Israel says in talks ‘right now’ on south Syria demilitarization

Last week, Syrian news agency SANA reported that FM Asaad Al-Shaibani had met an Israeli delegation led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Paris on Aug. 19

Updated 28 August 2025

AFP

August 28, 2025 18:04

JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel was engaged in talks aimed at the demilitarization of southern Syria, implicitly acknowledging for the first time contacts with the new Syrian regime.
Following deadly sectarian violence in Syria last month, Netanyahu met with a Druze leader in Israel, reassuring him that his government was negotiating to safeguard the religious community in Syria.
“We are focusing on three things: Protecting the Druze community in the Sweida governorate, but not only there; creating a demilitarised zone stretching from the Golan Heights (passing) south of Damascus down to and including Sweida; and establishing a humanitarian corridor to allow the delivery of aid,” the premier said.
“These discussions are taking place right now, at this very moment,” he added, according to a video shared by his office.
Last week, Syria’s official news agency SANA reported that Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani had met an Israeli delegation led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Paris on August 19.
Talks focused on de-escalation between the two countries and the situation in Druze-majority Sweida province after deadly sectarian clashes there last month, the news channel said
The French Foreign Ministry confirmed the meeting to AFP, saying it had been conducted “under US mediation” and that delegations from the two Middle Eastern neighbors had previously met on July 24 in the French capital.
Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria since the overthrow of President Bashar Assad in December, and occupied much of a UN-patrolled demilitarised zone on the Syrian-held side of the armistice line between the two countries.
Damascus has confirmed holding indirect contacts with Israel with the intention of returning to the 1974 disengagement agreement that created the buffer zone.
In July, Israel bombed Syrian government forces in the capital and in Sweida province to force their withdrawal from the southern region amid a wave of sectarian violence.
On Wednesday night, Israeli forces conducted an airborne raid on a site near the Syrian capital after bombing it several times, SANA reported Thursday.
Israel did not confirm the raid, but Defense Minister Israel Katz said its forces operate “in all combat zones” to ensure the country’s security.

Topics: Fall of Assad Israel Syria

UN chief calls for accountability over ‘endless catalog of horrors in Gaza’ amid humanitarian collapse

Updated 28 August 2025

Ephrem Kossaify

August 28, 2025 20:00

UN chief calls for accountability over ‘endless catalog of horrors in Gaza’ amid humanitarian collapse

Unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, including famine, is result of decisions that defy ‘basic humanity,’ says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
He demands Israel abide by provisional measures issued by International Court of Justice and lift the blockade on aid

Updated 28 August 2025

Ephrem Kossaify

August 28, 2025 20:00

NEW YORK CITY: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday condemned the worsening crisis in Gaza. He described “an endless catalog of horrors” in the territory and warned of catastrophic humanitarian consequences, as he called for immediate international action to address the situation and ensure accountability.

Guterres said civilians in Gaza were enduring “yet another deadly escalation” as Israel continues to signal plans for a military takeover of Gaza City. He called this a “new and dangerous phase” of the conflict that would have “devastating consequences,” including the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people already traumatized by months of violence.

“This must stop,” Guterres said. “Gaza is piled with rubble, piled with bodies, and piled with examples of what may be serious violations of international law.”

Citing recent airstrikes, he added that Israeli military operations have killed civilians, medical workers and journalists.

A double Israeli strike on Nasser hospital in Khan Younis killed 20 people on Monday, including health workers and journalists. At least one person was killed by the initial strike, and others in a second minutes later as rescuers and journalists rushed to the scene.

The five journalists who died worked for international media outlets, including the Associated Press, Reuters, Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye.

“These attacks are part of an endless catalog of horrors,” Guterres said. “There must be accountability.”

He also condemned Hamas and other armed groups for taking hostages and subjecting them to “atrocious treatment,” and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all those being held.

He described the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza as beyond critical, warning that famine was no longer a looming threat but “a present-day catastrophe.” He said civilians were dying from hunger, women were giving birth under extreme conditions, and essential services such as water, healthcare and food systems had been “systematically dismantled.”

“These are the facts on the ground,” he added. “And they are the result of deliberate decisions that defy basic humanity.”

As the occupying power, Guterres said, Israel has a legal obligation to ensure the population has access to food, water and medical aid. He called for the implementation of binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice, including the facilitation of full and immediate humanitarian access throughout Gaza, in cooperation with the UN.

He noted that 366 UN workers have been killed since the conflict escalated, and that humanitarian efforts were being “blocked, delayed and denied” on a daily basis. “This is unacceptable,” he added.

The secretary-general also addressed the deteriorating situation in the West Bank, citing increased military operations, settler violence and discriminatory policies. He warned that a recently approved plan to expand settlements there could effectively sever the northern West

Bank from the south of the territory, posing what he described as an “existential threat” to a two-state solution.

“I repeat: the Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem have been established, and are being maintained, in violation of international law,” Guterres said. “Israel must cease such actions and comply with its obligations.

“There is no military solution to this conflict. I appeal once again for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, unfettered humanitarian access across Gaza, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

“Starvation of the civilian population must never be used as a method of warfare. Civilians must be protected. Humanitarian access must be unimpeded. No more excuses. No more obstacles. No more lies.”

Topics: War on Gaza United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres

��ֱ��

Israel-Iran air war enters sixth day, Trump remains cryptic on US joining attack

Israel-Iran air war enters sixth day, Trump remains cryptic on US joining attack

Iran celebrates state TV presenter after Israeli attack

‘What are these wars for?’: Arab town in Israel shattered by Iran strike

Extremist minister Smotrich calls for Israel to annex Gaza

Extremist minister Smotrich calls for Israel to annex Gaza

Israel’s Smotrich announces settlement plan to ‘bury’ idea of Palestinian state

UK and allies sanction Israel ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich

Once Africa’s breadbasket, Sudan faces a hunger crisis ‘unprecedented in scale and severity’

Once Africa’s breadbasket, Sudan faces a hunger crisis ‘unprecedented in scale and severity’

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces shell a besieged Darfur city, killing 24 and wounding 55, group says

Why families uprooted by Sudan conflict are weighing safety abroad against perilous returns

Official Lebanese source: ‘We are holding talks with Hezbollah about Day After, and all concerns are being addressed’

Official Lebanese source: ‘We are holding talks with Hezbollah about Day After, and all concerns are being addressed’

Lebanese politicians file lawsuit against Hezbollah chief for ‘inciting war’

US envoy reaffirms commitment to Lebanon’s disarmament of Hezbollah

Israel says in talks ‘right now’ on south Syria demilitarization

Israel says in talks ‘right now’ on south Syria demilitarization

Israel steps up bombardment of Gaza City killing 16 people

Israeli strikes hit Yemen’s Sanaa for second time in a week

UN chief calls for accountability over ‘endless catalog of horrors in Gaza’ amid humanitarian collapse

UN chief calls for accountability over ‘endless catalog of horrors in Gaza’ amid humanitarian collapse

UN experts condemn enforced disappearances at Gaza aid sites, call for Israeli accountability

Israel steps up bombardment of Gaza City killing 16 people

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Israel-Iran air war enters sixth day, Trump remains cryptic on US joining attack

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