September 5, 2026

Middle East Conflict

Trump threatens sanctions on countries, individuals that buy Iranian oil – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser May 5, 2025 0

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened sanctions on anyone who buys Iranian oil, a warning that came after planned talks over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program were postponed.

Trump wrote on social media, “All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW!” He said any country or person who buys those products from Iran will not be able to do business with the United States “in any way, shape, or form.”

It was unclear how Trump would implement such a ban as he threatened to levy secondary sanctions on nations that import Iranian oil. But his statement risked further escalating tensions with China — Iran’s leading customer — at a time when the relationship is severely strained over the U.S. president’s tariffs.

Based on tanker tracking data, the U.S. Energy Information Administration concluded in a report published last October that “China took nearly 90% of Iran’s crude oil and condensate exports in 2023.” Trump has separately placed 145% tariffs on China as a way to raise federal revenues and rebalance global trade.

Israeli leadership votes to expand Gaza ground offensive– www.cbc.ca

pgnewser May 5, 2025 0

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Israel approved plans on Monday to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain in the territory for an unspecified amount of time, two Israeli officials said, in a move that if implemented would vastly expand Israel’s operations in the Palestinian territory and likely bring fierce international opposition.

Israel’s cabinet ministers approved the plan in an early morning vote, hours after the Israeli military chief said the army was calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers. The new plan, which the officials said was meant to help Israel achieve its war aims of defeating Hamas and freeing hostages held in Gaza, also would push hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to southern Gaza, likely exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Since a ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas collapsed in mid-March, Israel has unleashed fierce strikes on the territory that have killed hundreds. It has captured swathes of territory and now controls roughly 50 per cent of Gaza.

U.K. police arrest 7 Iranians in what government calls biggest counterterrorism operations in years– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser May 5, 2025 0

operations in years– www.cbsnews.com
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London — British counterterrorism police officers arrested four Iranian men over an alleged plot to attack an unspecified target, and three others over an undefined national security threat, London’s Metropolitan Police said Sunday. The government called the operations the biggest “counter-state threat and counterterrorism” in years.

The Met, as London’s police force is often known, said five men between the ages of 29 and 46 were detained Saturday in various parts of England under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of preparing “a terrorist act.”

Four are Iranian citizens and the nationality of the fifth was still being established. Police said the attack plot was targeting a single location that was not being named “for operational reasons.” They said people at the premises in question were being given “advice and support.”

Netanyahu vows to retaliate against Houthis and Iran after missile attack | World News– news.sky.com

pgnewser May 5, 2025 0

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to retaliate against the Houthis and their Iranian “masters” after the group launched a missile attack on the country’s main international airport.

A missile fired by the group from Yemen landed near Ben Gurion Airport, causing panic among passengers in the terminal building.

“Attacks by the Houthis emanate from Iran,” Mr Netanyahu wrote on X. “Israel will respond to the Houthi attack against our main airport AND, at a time and place of our choosing, to their Iranian terror masters.”

Israeli army calls up tens of thousands of reservists for Gaza offensive– www.yahoo.com

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The Israeli military has called up tens of thousands of reservists to “intensify and expand” its operations in Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was “increasing the pressure” with the aim of returning hostages held in Gaza and defeating Hamas militants.

Under the plan, the military said it would operate in new areas and “destroy all infrastructure” above and below ground.

The Israeli security cabinet was expected to vote on the military expansion on Sunday, local media reported.

No Israeli hostages have been released since Israel resumed its offensive on 18 March after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. Israel and Hamas blamed each other for the end of the truce.

VIDEO: ‘A battle between right and wrong’: Houthi spokesman on confronting the US and Israel– thegrayzone.com

pgnewser April 22, 2025 0

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The Grayzone’s Max Blumenthal interviews Muhammad Al-Bukhaiti, senior political officer and spokesman for Ansar Allah (the Houthi movement), on Yemen’s direct confrontation with a US military machine which is hellbent on destroying its ability to resist Israel.

In this third conversation between The Grayzone and Bukhaiti, the Ansar Allah spokesman explains why he believes his movement’s war with the US-Israeli axis is unlike any conflict that preceded it, and why he believes Yemen is engaged in a righteous battle despite the terrible toll its civilians have faced.

This interview was translated by Hekmat Aboukhater.

 

Gaza horror as Israeli air strike victims ‘burned to death’ in fresh wave of attacks– www.mirror.co.uk

pgnewser April 22, 2025 0

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At least 26 Palestinians have been killed – including 11 believed burned to death – in ferocious Israeli attacks across Gaza. Horrific imagery of bodies being pulled out of a rubbled housing complex in Khan Younis, in the Strip’s south, showed the scale of the morning air-strikes.

An attack early on Tuesday destroyed a multistory home in the southern city of Khan Younis, killing nine, including four women and four children. The dead included a 2-year-old girl and her parents and the early morning attacks were part of a widening Israeli campaign in Gaza to try and and wipe out Hamas and force the release of hostages.

Israeli Officials Reportedly Concerned Trump May Be Repeating Obama-Era Nuclear Deal Mistakes– gellerreport.com

pgnewser April 21, 2025 1

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Some of the reports coming out of the U.S-Iran nuke talks are extremely disappointing. President Trump seems to have a cabal of Iran appeasers and Israel-haters in his national security team. There is a concern that they could convince President Trump to accept a substandard deal with Iran. Rubio, Waltz, Huckabee, and other sensible Trump Admin officials are going to have to fight the Iran appeasers, and make sure that only a strong deal is signed with Iran. A deal in which Iran’s nuclear program is completely dismantled.

Related – Trump team’s Iran divide: Dialogue vs. detonation to end nuclear threat

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Hamas says it has lost contact with US-Israeli hostage in Gaza– www.bbc.com

pgnewser April 21, 2025 0

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Hamas says it has “lost contact” with the group of fighters holding an Israeli-American hostage captive in Gaza following an Israeli strike on their location.

The 21-year-old soldier, Edan Alexander, has appeared in videos released by the group in recent days.

Israel had asked for him to be released on day one of a new 45-day ceasefire proposal put forward last week which has been rejected by Hamas.

Hamas on Tuesday did not indicate when contact had been lost and has not produced any evidence for their claim. Israel regularly asserts it avoids hitting locations where it believes hostages are being held.

“We announce that we have lost contact with the group holding soldier Edan Alexander following a direct strike on their location,” Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida said in a statement.

“We are still trying to reach them at this moment,” he added.

Arson suspect Cody Balmer targeted Josh Shapiro over views on Gaza war: Warrant– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser April 21, 2025 0

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Cody Balmer, the suspect charged with setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion, was allegedly motivated by anger at Gov. Josh Shapiro‘s (D-PA) position on the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

Balmer, 38, allegedly had plans to beat the governor with a sledgehammer if he found him. He called 911 shortly after the arson attack, telling the operator he “will not take part in [Shapiro’s] plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people,” according to a police affidavit obtained by PennLive.

This image provided by Commonwealth Media Services shows damage after a fire at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion while Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family slept inside on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Commonwealth Media Services via AP)

Iran’s FM heads to Moscow to discuss US talks with Russian officials – Caliber.Az

pgnewser April 14, 2025 1

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to travel to Moscow later this week, according to Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, who made the announcement during his regular press briefing on April 14.

Baghaei noted that Araghchi’s trip had been planned in advance and said the minister would use the opportunity to hold consultations with Russian officials about the ongoing negotiations with the United States, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

“Araghchi will make a pre-scheduled visit to Moscow this week, during which he will discuss the latest developments in the Muscat talks,” Baghaei stated.

On April 12, Iranian and American delegations held an initial round of indirect talks in Oman, with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi serving as the mediator. In line with Iran’s request, the negotiations were not conducted face-to-face, but through the Omani mediator. Each delegation remained in separate rooms, with messages being passed back and forth.

Suspected US airstrikes kill at least 6 people in Yemen, Houthi rebels say– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser April 14, 2025 0

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Suspected U.S. airstrikes around Yemen’s rebel-held capital killed at least six people and wounded 26 overnight, the Houthis said Monday as they also claimed shooting down another American MQ-9 Reaper drone.

Since its start nearly a month ago, the intense campaign of U.S. airstrikes under President Donald Trump targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters — related to the Israel-Hamas war — has killed over 120 people, according to casualty figures released Monday by the Houthis’ Health Ministry.

Footage aired by the Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel showed firefighters spraying water on a raging fire they described as being sparked by the airstrikes. Rubble littered a street as rescuers carried one person away from the site, which the rebels claimed was a ceramics factory in the Bani Matar neighborhood of Sanaa, the capital.

At least 100 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza– www.euronews.com

pgnewser April 4, 2025 0

At least 100 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza– www.euronews.com
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At least 100 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Thursday, including 27, or more sheltering at a school in the north of the strip, according to Palestinian medical authorities.

The attacks come as Israel heightens its offensive in what it said is a campaign intended to ramp up pressure on Hamas and eventually expelling the Gaza-based group.

The bodies of 14 children and five women were recovered from the school in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City. The death toll may continue to rise as some of the 70 wounded sustained critical injuries, according to the spokesperson of the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, Zaher al-Wahidi.

Israeli troops expand ‘security zone’ in northern Gaza – after announcing plans to seize areas of south | World News– news.sky.com

pgnewser April 4, 2025 0

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Israeli troops have moved into an area of northern Gaza to expand what they refer to as a “security zone” around the enclave, the military said today.

It comes days after Israel announced plans to seize large areas with an operation in the south.

Israeli forces issued evacuation warnings for Shejaia, a suburb on the edge of the enclave, on Thursday.

Civilians are now being let out of the area via organised routes, the military said in its statement.

Hundreds of residents have streamed out, with some on foot carrying their belongings while others are in vans, on donkey carts and bikes.

Israel announces plan to seize ‘large areas’ in Gaza – latest updates | Israel-Gaza war– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser April 3, 2025 0

Israel announces plan to seize ‘large areas’ in Gaza – latest updates | Israel-Gaza war– www.theguardian.com
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Airstrikes continued on Gaza on Wednesday morning after the Israeli defense minister announced that Israel intended to expand its war. In a statement, Israel Katz said the offensive was “expanding to crush and clean the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure and capture large areas that will be added to the security zones of the state of Israel.”

The move has been condemned by the Hostages Families Forum, who said it appeared that Benjamin Netanyahu’s government were making the return of 59 hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas “a secondary task” that had been “pushed to the bottom of the priority list.”

In a post to social media, Katz said:

I wish success to the IDF soldiers who are fighting bravely and powerfully in Gaza for the return of the kidnapped and the defeat of Hamas. The goal of Operation “Strength and Sword” is first and foremost to increase pressure for the release of all the hostages in the face of Hamas’ refusal.

Expanding the operation this morning will increase the pressure on the Hamas murderers and also on the population in Gaza and advance the achievement of the sacred and important goal for all of us. I call on the residents of Gaza to act now to remove Hamas and return all the hostages. This is the only way to end the war.

DOJ Charges Men Over Plot to Steal U.S. Technology for Iranian Regime– townhall.com

pgnewser April 3, 2025 0

DOJ Charges Men Over Plot to Steal U.S. Technology for Iranian Regime– townhall.com
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Federal prosecutors have charged an Iranian company and two Iranian nationals with trying to funnel money to the country’s military while obtaining U.S. technology to improve drones.

The Justice Department made the announcement on Tuesday.

A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Hossein Akbari, 63, and Reza Amidi, 62, both of Iran, and an Iranian company, Rah Roshd Company (Rah Roshd), with conspiring to procure U.S. parts for Iranian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, also known as drones), conspiring to provide material support to the IRGC – a designated foreign terrorist organization – and conspiring to commit money laundering.

Akbari is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rah Roshd. Amidi is the company’s commercial manager and was previously the commercial manager of Qods Aviation Industries (QAI), an Iranian state-owned aerospace company. They are both citizens of Iran and remain at large.

Sue J. Bai, head of the DOJ’s National Security Division, explained, “Today’s charges lay bare how U.S.-made technology ended up in the hands of the Iranian military to build attack drones.”

House Intelligence Committee Democrats Demand Independent Review of Signal Chat Leak– slaynews.com

pgnewser April 3, 2025 0

House Intelligence Committee Democrats Demand Independent Review of Signal Chat Leak– slaynews.com
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Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are demanding that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard conduct an independent review of the recent Signal chat leak.

It comes after an anti-Trump journalist was inadvertently added to a Signal chat about a military attack, WPRI-TV reported.

Ranking member Jim Himes (D-CT) sent a letter to Gabbard Monday demanding a written response.

The issue occurred because National Security Advisor Mike Waltz accidentally added an Atlantic journalist to the Signal chat with officials.

The left-wing “news” outlet subsequently published the messages.

They were discussing a strike on Houthi terrorists.

White House desperately wants you to forget national security fail– www.dailykos.com

pgnewser April 3, 2025 0

White House desperately wants you to forget national security fail– www.dailykos.com
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The Trump administration is attempting to shut down growing concerns over the war plans leak, even as congressional requests for independent investigations have begun to surface.

Senior members of the Trump administration—including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz—discussed confidential war plans in a Signal group chat, in which journalist Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally included.

“As the president has made it very clear, Mike Waltz continues to be an important part of his national security team, and this case has been closed here at the White House as far as we are concerned,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.

Leavitt, who has a history of lying, said that “steps have been made” to ensure that another leak doesn’t happen in the future but gave no details on what those purported steps were.