JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
OPERATION MIDNIGHT HAMMER. 125 AIRCRAFT AND 75 BOMBS INCLUDING 14 BUNKER BUSTERS, 24+ TOMAHAWK MISSLES TOOK OUT IRANS 3 NUKE SITES.
ISAIAH 6:9-12
9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
WORLD POWERS IN THE LAST DAYS (END OF AGE OF GRACE NOT THE WORLD)
EUROPEAN UNION-KING OF WEST-DAN 9:26-27,DAN 7:23-24,DAN 11:40,REV 13:1-10
EGYPT-KING OF THE SOUTH-DAN 11:40
RUSSIA-KING OF THE NORTH-EZEK 38:1-2,EZEK 39:1-3
CHINA-KING OF THE EAST-DAN 11:44,REV 9:16,18
VATICAN-RELIGIOUS LEADER-REV 13:11-18,REV 17:4-5,9,18
WORLD TERRORISM
GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
GENESIS 16:11-12
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her,(HAGAR) Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael;(FATHER OF THE ARAB/MUSLIMS) because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he (ISHMAEL-FATHER OF THE ARAB-MUSLIMS) will be a wild (DONKEY-JACKASS) man;(ISLAM IS A FAKE AND DANGEROUS SEX FOR MURDER CULT) his hand will be against every man,(ISLAM HATES EVERYONE) and every man's hand against him;(PROTECTING THEMSELVES FROM BEING BEHEADED) and he (ISHMAEL ARAB/MUSLIM) shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.(LITERAL-THE ARABS LIVE WITH THEIR BRETHERN JEWS)
ISAIAH 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,(SATAN) son of the morning!(HEBREW-CRECENT MOON-ISLAM) how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I (SATAN HAS EYE TROUBLES) will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.(AND 1/3RD OF THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN FELL WITH SATAN AND BECAME DEMONS)
JOHN 16:2
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.(ISLAM MURDERS IN THE NAME OF MOON GOD ALLAH OF ISLAM)
ISAIAH 41:11
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee (ISRAEL) shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing;(DESTROYED) and they that strive with thee shall perish.(ISRAEL HATERS WILL BE TOTALLY DESTROYED)
Turban complications-The turban represents the Shi'ite clergy that, ever since its creation in Iran almost four centuries ago, has had an ambivalent attitude towards the exercise of political power. Broadly speaking, turbans come in two contrasting colors. A white turban means that the man who wears it is not a descendant of the Prophet, and thus is of non-Arab origin. In contrast, the wearer of the black turban is marked as a descendant of the Prophet through one of the twelve imams of Twelver Shi'ism.The semiology of turbans is still more complicated. Students of theology are allowed to wear very thin turbans, denoting their position as novices. A hujjat al-Islam, or mid-ranking mullah, can wear a slightly fatter turban. The very fat turbans that require several yards of cloth are reserved for the grand ayatollahs. Rafsanjani’s white turban marked him as someone of non-Arab origin. Khatami and Khamenei both wear black turbans, as did Khomeini, denoting their Arab descent on the paternal side.The experience of the past three decades shows that many of the most senior clerics are not eager to enter the realm of politics. Once in power, however, a man with a thin turban could quickly thicken his headgear and grow a longer beard to bolster the religious aspect of his image. When first elected president, Ayatollah Khamenei was not a particularly senior cleric, but was promoted so that he could succeed Ayatollah Khomeini.
THE CITIZENS OF IRAN (ELAM IN THE BIBLE) MIGRATE TO ALL NATIONS ON EARTH.
JEREMIAH 49:34-39
34 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam (IRAN) in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
35 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,(IRAN) the chief of their might.(IRAN SUPLIES ARABS WITH WEAPONS AGAINST ISRAEL)
36 And upon Elam (IRAN) will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam (IRAN) shall not come.(WORLD MIGRATION)
37 For I will cause Elam (IRAN) to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger,(REG BOMBS) saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:(GROUND TROOPS)
38 And I will set my throne in Elam,(IRAN) and will destroy from thence the king (KHEMEINI )and the princes,(IRANIAN GUARDS) saith the LORD.
39 But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam,(IRAN) saith the LORD.
Psalms-Chapter 110:1-6
1 (A Psalm of David.) The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
NOW THAT IRAN IS ULTIMATELY USELESS EXCEPT FOR THE SUICIDE BOMBERS AND TERRORIST ATTACKS IN BIG CITIES. IN THE WEST, AND WERE EVER THE ISRAELIS LIVE LIKE NEW YORK AND FRANCE. AND AROUND THE WORLD.
TERRORIST ATTACK-noun-a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aims.
September 11-the day in 2001 when Arab suicide bombers hijacked United States airliners and used them as bombs-type of:act of terrorism, terrorism, terrorist act-the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear coup de main, surprise attack an attack without warning.
SLEEPER CELLS-noun: a terrorist cell whose members work under cover in an area until sent into action
US-What Are Sleeper Cells And Why the US Is on High Alert After Strikes In Iran's 3 Nuclear Sites-Edited by:Times Now Digital-Updated Jun 22, 2025, 18:21 IST
United States law enforcement agencies have intensified surveillance of Iran-backed operatives domestically, identifying concerns about Hezbollah-linked sleeper cells in the United States, according to a media report.The heightened vigilance comes after the United States struck three sites in Iran early Sunday. The three key nuclear facilities that US hit are Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Addressing the nation from the White House, President Donald Trump asserted that Iran’s key nuclear were “completely and fully obliterated.”FBI Director Kash Patel has ordered increased monitoring of individuals suspected of being in dormant extremist networks tied to the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah since Israel launched its “Operation Rising Lion” offensive earlier this month, US officials said, as per CBS news.Officials say US intelligence agencies have long viewed Iran’s global reach and its ability to inspire or direct attacks on American soil as a concern, especially after the US assassination of Qasem Soleimani in January 2020. Last year, prosecutors charged an IRGC operative and two Americans with plotting to surveil and assassinate critics of the Iranian government. The IRGC member had reportedly been instructed by senior Iranian officials to target Trump.Agencies including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security continue to allocate significant resources to thwart threats posed by sleeper cells and other covert Iran-connected operatives.What Are Sleeper Cells? Sleeper cells are covert operatives placed within communities who stay inactive for extended periods -- often appearing as ordinary residentsy -- until directed to carry out acts of terrorism, espionage or sabotage.
Desperate Iran ‘may activate sleeper agents in the UK’ in last gasp attempt to beat Israel-Israel's Supreme Leader may be attempting to activate terrorist "sleeper cells" across the West, Middle East experts have said.By Emily Wright, World News Reporter-Fri, Jun 20, 2025
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei may be attempting to activate terrorist "sleeper cells" across the West as he continues to make inflammatory statements rejecting Donald Trump's calls for surrender, Middle Eastern experts have said. According to Henry Jackson Society research fellow Barak Seener, Khamenei may be turning to terrorist Iranian sympathisers across the world as he runs out of traditional resources.Iran has lost far more than Israel has in the war that has plagued the region for the last week. “The very fact now that the Iranian regime is volatile, it’s targeted, and it’s highly vulnerable — that’s what actually makes it increasingly dangerous to the West, in that it has nothing to lose it has this about this sense of nihilism, and it affects the rational calculus,” Mr Seener explained during a call with reporters hosted by the America-Middle East Press Association. On Wednesday, Khamenei rejected the US President's calls for Tehran to give up its nuclear program, labelling the president's demands "absurd rhetoric" while refusing to back down.TOPSHOT-IRAN-MILITARY-MISSILE-“The US entering in this matter is 100% to its own detriment,” Mr Seener said. “The damage it will suffer will be far greater than any harm that Iran may encounter.”However, Israeli military experts have said that Iran is rapidly running out of ballistic missiles and missile launchers, meaning it is becoming difficult for Tehran to follow through on any conventional threat to the US.Additionally, Israel has effectively defeated Tehran's proxy groups - such as Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon - since Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023, leaving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) almost alone in its fight, Mr Seener added.
IRANIAN PROXIES-Iranian proxies are militant groups that Iran supports and uses to extend its influence and conduct operations in various regions, particularly in the Middle East. Notable examples include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and various militias in Iraq and Yemen, which Iran funds and trains to carry out its strategic objectives.
Israelis emerge from shelters to devastation after Iran attacks-By Olivier Feniet.
Tel Aviv (AFP) June 22, 2025-First responders fanned out across Israel Sunday following fresh waves of Iranian missile strikes that left pockets of devastation in their wake -- as the Islamic republic hit back after a US attack on its nuclear sites.In both Haifa and areas around Tel Aviv, the scenes were all too similar.Rubble filled streets at impact sites as the facades of apartment buildings were eviscerated by the falling projectiles, as rescue teams picked through the debris looking for people.In the Ramat Aviv neighbourhood near Tel Aviv, the mere skeletons of homes were left standing following the barrage, with the wooden frames visible amid a sea of debris.As the country was jolted awake by air raid sirens warning residents of air attacks, many in Ramat Aviv left their shelters later to discover the destruction.A man and woman embraced each other and cried."Our entire house was destroyed -- there's nothing left," said Aviad Chernichovsky, who had rushed out of his home to get to a shelter.Several elderly residents were placed on chairs and beds to allow for medical evacuation. One woman, injured in the face, appeared anxious as paramedics led her away from the rubble.Officials were still taking stock of the damage."Houses here were hit very, very badly," Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai said at the scene."Those who were in the shelter are all safe and well. The damage is very, very extensive, but in terms of human life, we are okay."- Devastating power -The Israeli police said in a statement that they had been deployed to at least two other impact sites, one in Haifa in the north and another in Ness Ziona, south of Tel Aviv.A public square in a residential area of Haifa was left strewn with rubble and surrounding shops and homes were heavily damaged.Palm trees withstood the impact in a small public garden, while storefronts were bent, shop windows shattered, and air conditioners left dangling from building facades.Sirens however did not sound in this area. Authorities said they were actively working to clarify what happened."The possibility of a malfunction with the interceptor (of the air defence system) is under investigation," said an army spokesperson.Two salvos of missiles were launched at Israel from around 7:30 am (0430 GMT), the Israeli military said.Iran has been firing daily missile barrages at Israel for over a week, since a wide-ranging Israeli attack on the Islamic republic's nuclear installations and military bases triggered war.Israel's sophisticated air defences have intercepted more than 450 missiles along with around 1,000 drones, according to the latest figures from the Israeli military.Even still, at least 50 impacts have been officially acknowledged nation-wide with the country's air defence batteries unable to prevent all of the strikes.Iran's armed forces said Sunday's barrage targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, and relied on some of their most sophisticated long-range missiles with "devastating warhead power".
Iran-Israel war: latest developments by AFP Staff Writers.
Jerusalem (AFP) June 22, 2025-President Donald Trump said the US military carried out strikes Sunday on three Iranian nuclear sites and that Tehran "must now agree to end this war", following days of speculation over whether the United States would join its ally Israel's bombing campaign.As the Iran-Israel war entered its 10th day, here are the latest developments:- US intervention -Trump said the US military carried out a "very successful attack" on three Iranian nuclear sites, including the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo."We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform, referring to Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz."A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site," Fordo, he said, adding the planes were safely out of Iranian airspace and on the way home.Iranian media said the Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites were hit.Ahead the US strikes, The New York Times and specialist plane tracking sites said American B-2 stealth bombers had left a base in the United States and flown across the Pacific.The B-2 can carry America's heaviest payloads, including the bunker-busting GBU-57 -- the only weapon capable of destroying Iran's deeply buried nuclear facility in Fordo.Trump said that, after the strikes, Iran "must now agree to end this war", insisting that under no circumstances should Iran possess a nuclear weapon.Israel raised its alert level after the strikes, permitting only essential activities until further notice, the military announced.- Iran says US decided to 'blow up' diplomacy with strikes -Iran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, accused the United States of deciding to "blow up", diplomacy with its intervention into the war alongside Israel.In a post on X, Araghchi said Israel blew up negotiations between Tehran and Washington with its strikes on June 13, while the United States did the same to talks with European powers this week with its strikes on Sunday.Addressing European calls for Iran to return to negotiations, he asked: "How can Iran return to something it never left?"Speaking later at a news conference in Istanbul, he said the United States and Israel had crossed a "big red line" by attacking Iran's nuclear sites."There is no red line that they have not crossed. And the last one, and the most dangerous one, happened only last night. They crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities," said Araghchi.- Iran and Israel exchange missile salvos -Iran's armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport, after US attacks on key nuclear sites.The targets included the airport, a "biological research centre", logistics bases and various layers of command and control centres, it said, quoted by Fars news agency.IRNA news agency said 40 missiles were fired in the "20th wave" of Iranian strikes.At least 23 people were hurt and police said at least three impacts were reported."Houses here were hit very, very badly," Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai told reporters at the scene. "Fortunately, one of them was slated for demolition and reconstruction, so there were no residents inside."Those who were in the shelter are all safe and well. The damage is very, very extensive, but in terms of human life, we are okay."The Israeli military said it had launched its own fresh waves of strikes in western Iran and in Qom, south of Tehran, IRNA reported four Revolutionary Guard members were killed in strikes on a military base in the north of the city.- UN nuclear watchdog says 'no increase' in radiation -The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at key nuclear sites in Iran following the US strikes."Following attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran... the IAEA can confirm that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported as of this time," the watchdog said on X.The UN body's head, Rafael Grossi, said the IAEA would hold an "emergency meeting" at the organisation's headquarters in Vienna on Monday in response to the US strikes.burs-csp
Did the US strikes succeed, and how will Iran respond?
Dubai, June 22 (AFP) Jun 22, 2025-The United States' strikes Sunday on Iranian nuclear sites raised two major questions: how effective were they, and what will Iran do next? US President Donald Trump said the air raids "totally obliterated" the main nuclear sites, calling them a "spectacular military success".So far, Tehran has given little away about its response, although Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the United States had "crossed a very big red line".AFP looks at the impact of the attacks and the possible next steps.- What was the effect of the strikes? -The United States targeted Iran's three main nuclear sites including Fordo, a uranium enrichment facility buried 90 metres (about 300 feet) underground.US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes "devastated the Iranian nuclear programme".The extent of the damage has not been confirmed, but there is speculation nuclear material had already been moved away.Heloise Fayet, a nuclear expert at the Institut Francais des Relations Internationales, said satellite images showing activity around Fordo "suggest enriched uranium stock may therefore have been transferred to sites not monitored by the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)"."We previously had knowledge, albeit imperfect, of the programme thanks to the agency's inspections; now no inspections are possible," she told AFP."As for Iran's technical expertise, it cannot be destroyed, knowing that thousands of people have participated in Iran's nuclear programme."Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at King's College London, called the US action a "high-risk operation that delivers unpredictable outcomes", given the facility was deep underground."Trump has been using OSINT (open-source intelligence) accounts to say Fordo is gone while the Iranians claim there is only surface-level destruction."Ali Vaez, Iran project director for the International Crisis Group, said destroying Fordo "won't necessarily end Iran's nuclear programme."Tehran has produced hundreds of advanced centrifuges in the past few years that are stored in unknown locations," he said.- What is Iran's next move? -According to Krieg, Iran will seek a "calibrated response -- loud enough to resonate, but measured enough to contain".Michael A. Horowitz, a geopolitics and security analyst, said its options included attacking US assets, closing the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital conduit for the world oil trade -- or even attacking energy facilities in the Gulf, which hosts several US military bases."None of those are good options that achieve anything -- this is mostly about saving face," he posted on X."The risks, on the other hand, are great."However, Horowitz said there were other ways to respond, including a limited retaliation against the US before returning to strikes against Israel and finally negotiating a settlement.The Iranian government now realises its very existence is at stake, said Renad Mansour, senior research fellow at the Chatham House think-tank, casting it back to the days of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war."It's survival mode," he said, predicting "more violence" in the short-term with the prospect of a "managed de-escalation" and eventual negotiations.Hamidreza Ali, visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said Iran might even allow Trump a "symbolic win" and retaliate against Israeli targets instead."This keeps Washington out of the war while intensifying pressure on Tel Aviv. The risk of drawing the US further in would now rest on Trump's next move," he posted on X."If Trump continues to strike Iran without new provocation, it looks more like going to war on Israel's behalf. That's politically costly, given domestic opposition to war with Iran."Meanwhile, Iran could deny knowledge of what happened to its enriched uranium, avoiding IAEA inspections, and later leave the Nuclear Non-Profiferation Treaty."Trump may have scored a tactical win, but if Iran plays this smart, they hand him a political grenade," Ali wrote."All while shifting the nuclear game into murkier, more dangerous territory."burs-th/dv
86 wounded by Iranian missile attacks on Israel after US strikes 3 Iran nuclear sites-Broad devastation at impact sites in Tel Aviv and nearby Ness Ziona; failed Israeli interceptor crashes in Haifa; IDF destroys primed Iranian launchers, foiling larger attack By Emanuel Fabian,Diana Bletter and Naomi Lanzkron-Today, 2:16 pm-JUN 22,25
An Iranian ballistic missile barrage injured dozens of people in Israel on Sunday morning as nearly 30 projectiles targeted the country, causing widespread destruction to residential areas in Tel Aviv and the central town of Ness Ziona.An Israeli air defense interceptor, meanwhile, malfunctioned and impacted the northern city of Haifa, causing damage and slightly wounding three people. No sirens had sounded in the city during the incident.The Health Ministry reported that among those who arrived at hospitals were two in moderate condition, 77 in good condition, four victims suffering from acute anxiety, and three more people who were undergoing medical evaluation and whose condition had not been immediately determined.Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv said there were two children among the five people who arrived at its emergency room with minor injuries.The injuries were largely at the two impact sites in Tel Aviv and its Ness Ziona suburb, according to medical officials. One man was moderately hurt by shrapnel on the Route 431 highway, near Be’er Yaakov in central Israel.The Iranian attack came hours after the United States bombed three key nuclear sites in Iran, joining an Israeli air campaign against Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure that began on June 13.Iran has responded to the Israeli attacks with near-daily barrages of missiles at cities, killing 24 people and wounding thousands, according to health officials and hospitals.At least 27 missiles were launched from Iran in Sunday morning’s attack in two salvos, the military said, setting off sirens in north and central regions, as well as Jerusalem, between 7:30 and around 8 a.m.The first salvo consisted of at least 22 missiles, and the second was made up of five, according to IDF assessments.Shortly after the barrage, the IDF said it struck the missile launchers used in the attack.The military added that before the attack, the air force bombed eight other ballistic missile launchers, including six that were primed for an immediate attack on Israel, foiling a larger barrage.According to the IDF, the strikes on the primed ballistic missile launchers eliminated several Iranian soldiers at the launch sites. The IDF released footage of the strikes.The Home Front Command said it was investigating whether Iran used a cluster bomb warhead in the attack, as it did last week, but did not initially find evidence that this was the case.In Tel Aviv, skeletons of homes were left standing following the barrage, with the wooden frames visible amid a sea of debris.Emergency services were still working to evacuate residents over an hour after the barrage.The situation was complicated by the fact that a large elder care facility was damaged in the attack.“There was a massive explosion. Everything shook. I don’t know what happened,” a tearful witness told The Times of Israel at the site.Dazed families walked around carrying small bags with their important possessions, as security forces moved them away from the scene, citing concerns of falling debris or a building collapse.“Houses here were hit very, very badly,” Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai said at the scene. “Those who were in the shelter are all safe and well. The damage is very, very extensive, but in terms of human life, we are okay.”Huldai said that a building badly damaged by the impact was empty of residents as it was in the midst of a refurbishment project.The entire front of the broad, four-story building appeared to have been blown off.Eran, whose home was hit in Ness Ziona, told Channel 13 that together with his family he had retreated to their home’s safe room.“We heard a boom and the whole house shook, but the safe room remained intact,” he said.Eran noted that the family dog was injured in the attack and taken to a veterinarian hospital for treatment.Iran’s armed forces later said they targeted multiple sites in Israel, including Ben Gurion Airport, after the US attacked key nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic. The airport near Tel Aviv is the main international air gateway to the country.“The twentieth wave of Operation Honest Promise 3 began using a combination of long-range liquid and solid fuel missiles with devastating warhead power,” the Iranian armed forces said in a statement quoted by Fars news agency.The targets included the airport, a “biological research center,” logistics bases, and various layers of command and control centers, it said.Failed interceptor explosion in Haifa-The IDF Home Front Command said it suspected that an Israeli air defense interceptor malfunctioned and crashed in Haifa during the Iranian attack, which was the reason for the warning sirens not sounding.An early warning was issued via the cell broadcast system in Haifa, but no sirens sounded as no ballistic missiles were headed for the city, the Home Front Command said.“This is not a malfunction in the warning system,” the IDF said, adding that the incident was under investigation.A public square in a residential area of the city was left strewn with rubble, and surrounding shops and homes were heavily damaged.Palm trees withstood the impact in a small public garden, while storefronts were bent, shop windows shattered, and air conditioners left dangling from building facades.The impact wounded three people, who were in good condition, according to medics, and caused some damage.Drone attack-In addition to the missiles, two drones apparently launched from Iran at Israel were shot down by the Israeli Air Force during the morning, the IDF said. The drones had triggered sirens in the southern Arava region.Drones take several hours to reach Israel from Iran, meaning they were likely launched before the US bombed Iran’s nuclear sites.Overnight, the IAF and Navy intercepted some 30 drones launched from Iran at Israel, the military said.The military said the IAF also struck dozens of drones in Iran before they were launched at Israel. The IDF released footage showing the drone interceptions and strikes on drones in Iran.—@idfonline) June 22, 2025Since the start of the war with Iran, over 500 drones launched at Israel have been shot down, according to the IDF.IDF hits Iranian jets, weapon sites, air defenses-Israel kept up its air campaign against Iran’s military overnight and Sunday, with the air force bombing two Iranian F-5 fighter jets at Dezful Airport in Iran during the morning, the military said.The F-5 is a US fighter jet produced by the Northrop Corporation. They were sold to Iran in the 1970s.The military said that strikes Saturday night carried out by 20 fighter jets in central Iran hit dozens of military targets.The targets included “a military site containing components for the production of explosives, sites for the storage and production of weapons, and Iranian air defense systems,” along with military infrastructure at Isfahan Airport, to prevent the Iranian Air Force from using the site’s military facilities,” the IDF said.Israel says its sweeping assault, which began last Friday, on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program is necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.Iran has retaliated by launching over 500 ballistic missiles and around 1,000 drones at Israel. Most of the missiles and nearly all of the drones have been intercepted by air defense systems.Times of Israel staff and agencies contributed to this report.
IDF recovers bodies of three slain hostages from Gaza in military operation-Families say they’re comforted by retrieval of bodies of Ofra Keidar, Jonathan Samerano, and Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, murdered and abducted by Hamas in Oct. 7 onslaught-By Emanuel Fabian-and ToI Staff Today, 2:35 pm-JUN 22,25
The bodies of three slain hostages, Ofra Keidar, Jonathan Samerano, and Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, were recovered in a joint military and Shin Bet operation from the Gaza Strip, the IDF announced Sunday morning.The operation to recover the bodies was carried out by the Gaza Division, and was “enabled by precise intelligence” obtained by the military’s Hostages Headquarters unit, the Military Intelligence Directorate and the Shin Bet, the IDF said.The three bodies were brought to Israel for identification at the Abu Kabir forensic institute, after which their families were notified.Keidar, 71, was murdered by Hamas-led terrorists while on an early morning walk near her home in Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7, 2023, onslaught. Her body was then abducted to Gaza.The slain kibbutznik was remembered by friends and family as a lover of exercise who always took her daily morning walk, loved gardening, swimming and animals — and worked for decades in the kibbutz’s dairy farm, milking cows.Shmil Talker, who worked with Ofra at Be’eri’s animal section, said she had “retired long ago, but never missed a day of work, arriving early every morning.”“Ofra was physically so strong that it was really hard to keep up with her. Despite the attempts to slow down her pace, it was clear that nothing would help and we would all need to match her pace instead,” he said.Keidar’s husband, Sami Keidar, was killed by Hamas terrorists on the sofa in his home, according to relatives. Suffering from Parkinson’s, he was unable to reach the family’s safe room in time. His caregiver was also wounded by Hamas gunfire.The couple’s 41-year-old daughter, Yael Keidar, was in her parents’ house at the time, but survived the onslaught by hiding in their safe room, emerging only after it had become quiet outside.Ofra and Sami Keidar were survived by Yael and sons Elad and Oren, as well as seven grandchildren and several siblings.“There is comfort, we will finally have a proper grave to visit — this is good news,” Elad Keidar told Army Radio following the retrieval of his mother’s body.Samerano, 22, who lived in Tel Aviv, was attending the Nova music festival when the Hamas onslaught began.That morning, he fled the rave to Be’eri with two friends, where they were murdered and his body abducted. Over 360 people were killed at the rave.Footage from kibbutz security cameras captured Hamas terrorists loading him into a jeep and driving toward Gaza. His death was confirmed in December 2023.The slain hostage’s father, Kobi Samerano, said that his son’s body was recovered on what would have been his son’s 23rd Hebrew birthday.“Yesterday was Yonati’s Hebrew birthday. On his 23rd birthday, on the very day he was born, our Yonati was rescued in a heroic operation by the brave soldiers of the IDF and the Shin Bet,” Kobi Samerano wrote on Instagram, using a diminutive of his full name.“Yonati, we were blessed to live by your side for 21 and a half years of light,” he continued. “You have returned to us, beloved son, wrapped in the light of heroism, of faith, of a nation united.”One of Samerano’s captors was an employee of UNRWA, the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees. He was one of 12 people employed by the agency who “actively participated” in the Hamas-led onslaught, then-defense minister Yoav Gallant revealed to the public in February 2024.Samerano’s mother, Ayelet, became active for a time in the movement to bring back the hostages, living and dead, from Gaza.At a summit organized by the pro-Israel monitoring group UN Watch, Samerano demanded to meet with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in Geneva, where the conference was held.“Mr. Guterres, look at my eyes and answer me now — where is my son?” the grieving mother said at the International Summit for a Future Beyond UNRWA.“How can the UN pay this man who dragged my son’s limp body along the ground and then picked him up as if he were a prize into Gaza. How many more lives have been ruined by this person, hauling my son like he isn’t even a human being into an UNRWA car?” she lamented.UNRWA fired all 12 employees implicated in the massacre when the allegations surfaced.Samerano is survived by his parents and his brother Yair.Levinson, 19, was a tank commander stationed on the Gaza border on the morning of the onslaught. He was killed while battling the invading Hamas terrorists near the Nova rave, and his body was abducted to the Strip.A resident of Givat Avni, a small northern community near Tiberias, Levinson was described as an excellent student, kindhearted and sociable. He played volleyball in Israel’s top league for Eilabun, a nearby Arab town.Levinson’s friend Ofir Hauptmann recalled the slain soldier as the “social glue” of their friend group.“I lost a close friend, an optimist, who I always consulted with on everything because he enlisted a round before me in the Armored Corps,” he said in January 2024, as quoted by Ynet. “Everyone wanted to be around him. It’s really hard for me to talk about him in the past tense. I’m speaking, and it just doesn’t feel real.”Israel Volleyball Association chairperson Rina Dor said Levinson was “a volleyball player with a bright future ahead of him.”“There’s a feeling of pain — he returned in a way we never wanted him to — but at least he’s here, at least he’s receiving a proper burial,” said Levinson’s childhood friend Maayan. “He’ll be buried near his home. I know how much he loved the area where we live — it’s the small honor he deserves.”‘Window of opportunity’ for a hostage deal-The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the return of the bodies of three slain captives in a statement in which it also urged the government to use the Iran war’s momentum to secure a deal to free the remaining hostages.“We wish to express our deep gratitude to the IDF and security forces who acted with dedication and courage,” the forum said in a statement. “The return of all the hostages is an essential condition for the process of national healing and recovery.”It urged the government to take advantage of the severe blows dealt to Iran, the main backer of the Hamas terror group, to reach a hostage deal.“We want to emphasize that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving any sort of victory,” the forum said. “There is a historic window of opportunity — the significant regional achievements enable Israel to end the war from a position of clear strength.“The return of all hostages through a comprehensive deal — this is in Israel’s interest, this is the next stage, and this is the victory of this war. There will be no victory until the last hostage returns,” the forum’s statement continued.Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are still holding 50 hostages, including 49 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023.They include the bodies of at least 28 confirmed dead by the IDF. Twenty are believed to be alive and there are grave concerns for the well-being of two others, Israeli officials have said. Hamas is also holding the body of an IDF soldier killed in 2014 in Gaza.The October 7, 2023, attack saw some 3,000 Hamas-led terrorists burst across the border into Israel from Gaza by land, air and sea, killing some 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages of all ages — mostly civilians — under the cover of a deluge of thousands of rockets fired at Israeli towns and cities.
Hegseth says US strikes ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear ambitions; now Iran should negotiate-US attack was ‘intentionally limited’ to nuclear targets and not aimed at regime change, says Pentagon chief; top general assesses damage at 3 sites hit as ‘extremely severe’By Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 5:55 pm-JUN 22,25
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities were an incredible and overwhelming success that “obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.As Washington warned Tehran against responding to the strikes, Hegseth also said that the US did “not seek war” with Iran or regime change, that the strikes were “international limited” to Iran’s nuclear facilities, and that the regime should now negotiate peace.The US strikes employed 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft, in an operation the top US general Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said was named “Operation Midnight Hammer.”The strikes targeted three nuclear facilities, most notably the deep underground Fordo site, which necessitated the use of massive, earth-penetrating bombs that Israeli jets cannot carry. Also targeted were the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities, which according to the Pentagon were hit by submarine-launched cruise missiles.The operation came after more than a week of strikes by Israel that damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities, eradicated the country’s air defenses, and took out many of its military brass and top nuclear scientists.Iran, in retaliation, has launched dozens of ballistic missile barrages at Israel. Two volleys fired a few hours after the US joined the campaign caused widespread destruction in several locations in central Israel and the Haifa area.“Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated,” Hegseth told a Pentagon press briefing,“We devastated the Iranian nuclear program,” Hegseth said, adding that the operation “did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people.”Speaking after the secretary, Caine said the initial assessment was that “all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.”Also speaking on Sunday, Vice President JD Vance told NBC News that the strikes “destroyed the Iranian nuclear program, I think we set that program back substantially,” but specified that the US is “not at war with Iran, we’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program.”“No other country on planet Earth” could have conducted the operation, Hegseth added.Israel, he noted, has had “incredible” military success — at the beginning of its attacks “and ongoing” — in degrading Iranian capabilities. He said it has been “incredible to watch what our ally Israel has been able to do.”“Part of this operation was the defense of Israel, and the ongoing defense of Israel,” Hegseth said.Hegseth said the operation involved considerable advance planning, “misdirection” and security, and that the US bombers went “in and out without the world knowing.”He added that the attacks marked the “first operational involvement” of the MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator), the huge 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs that only US planes can carry.The use of the heavy ground-penetrating bombs was seen as a key element in causing significant damage to Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility, buried deep under a mountain west of Tehran.Caine said the goal of the operation — destroying nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan — had been achieved.“Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,” Caine said.Caine said the “main strike package comprised of seven B-2 Spirit bombers” flying 18 hours from the US mainland to Iran with multiple aerial refuelings.“Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface to air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission. We retained the element of surprise,” Caine added.Caine said the deployment of US bombers over the Pacific yesterday was a “decoy,” part of a wider deception effort known to only a limited number of the operation’s planners.A Pentagon-provided map of the flight path taken by B-2 stealth bombers indicated that their approach to Iran took them over the Mediterranean and then over Israel, Jordan and Iraq.It is not immediately clear when those three countries were made aware of the flights. Israel has said the US strikes were carried out in coordination with its military. The US said the strikes did not involve Israeli jets.Iran said following the attacks that it did not detect the leak of any nuclear material.“There is no danger to the people living on the outskirts of our nuclear areas,” spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said on state television. “The people of Natanz, Isfahan and Fordo can continue their lives.”Earlier, US President Donald Trump said Washington would hit more targets if Tehran did not capitulate.Hours later, Iran launched two waves of attacks against Israel.“Iran the bully of the Middle East must now make peace,” Trump said, warning future attacks would be “far greater” unless a diplomatic solution was reached.“Remember, there are many targets left,” he added.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters in Istanbul the United States and Israel had “crossed a very big red line,” asserting Iran would continue to defend itself “by all means necessary.”But Hegseth offered the Iranians an off-ramp, saying that Trump “seeks peace, and Iran should take that path.”“This mission was not, and has not, been about regime change,” he added. “The president authorized a precision operation to neutralize the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear program and the collective self-defense of our troops and our ally Israel.”“I would just say, as the president has directed and made clear, this is most certainly not open-ended,” and that “the scope of this was intentionally limited.”However, “the capabilities of the American military are nearly unlimited,” Hegseth added, and thus Iran should “take the path of negotiated peace.”The US has made clear to the Iranians, he said, that “this was about nuclear sites, nuclear capabilities.”Israel’s role-Hegseth hailed US overall coordination with Israel, but said “this strike was US-operated and US-led.”Israel, he noted, has had “incredible” military success — at the beginning of its attacks “and ongoing” — in degrading Iranian capabilities. He said it had been “incredible to watch what our ally Israel has been able to do.”“Part of this operation was the defense of Israel, and the ongoing defense of Israel,” Hegseth said.Caine added that the US strikes “took advantage of some of the preparatory work that’s been done over the past week and a half in terms of access and approach” and that “we made sure we were not in the same piece of air space and sky” as Israel.Israel says its sweeping assault, which began last Friday, on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program is necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.Iran, which avowedly seeks Israel’s destruction, has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. However, it has enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, has obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities. Israel says it has recently taken steps toward weaponization.Iran has retaliated by launching over 500 ballistic missiles and around 1,000 drones at Israel.So far, Iran’s missile attacks have killed 24 people and wounded thousands in Israel, according to health officials and hospitals. Some of the missiles that have not been intercepted by Israeli air defenses have hit apartment buildings, a university and a hospital, causing heavy damage.
Macron says Europe must become 'space power' again by AFP Staff Writers.
Le Bourget, France (AFP) June 20, 2025-President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that Europe must again become a global space power, warning that France risked being squeezed out of the global low-orbit satellite constellation market.Macron spoke at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget outside the French capital a day after France more than doubled its stake in satellite operator Eutelsat, the EU rival to Elon Musk's Starlink.Macron called for more investment as the European space industry struggles to remain competitive in the face of US and Chinese rivals."SpaceX has disrupted the market, Amazon is also getting involved. China is not far behind, and I think we all need to be very clear-headed," Macron said.Europe must become "a space power once again, with France at its heart", he said.He warned that Europeans were "on the verge of being completely" squeezed out of the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation market.Orbiting just a few hundred kilometres above the Earth, low Earth orbit satellite networks can play a crucial role in various fields including telecommunications, emergency response, space exploration, and defence.Growing geopolitical tensions have forced countries to focus on the independence of their satellite infrastructure.Macron said France and its partners should not be reliant on non-European constellations in low orbit, calling it "madness".He called non-European players to team up with France."This must be the solution for our major strategic partners in the Gulf, India, Canada and Brazil," he said."We really need to succeed in increasing our collective investment effort," Macron added, noting the importance of private investors and public-private collaboration.He also said France planned to organise a space summit in early 2026 to "mobilise our public and private partners across the globe."As part of the overall deal with other investors worth 1.35 billion euros ($1.5 billion), the French state is set to become Eutelsat's largest shareholder.The European satellite operator is vying to be seen as an alternative to Starlink, as companies in Europe and elsewhere look askance at Musk's manoeuvrings and seek to secure sovereign solutions.Boasting more than 600 satellites since merging with British firm OneWeb in 2023, Eutelsat is the world's second-largest operator of low Earth orbit satellites, behind Starlink.
