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☆ U.S. and China trade divisions threaten a 'reversal' for global economy, IMF official warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Carlos Barria | Afp | Getty ImagesDifferences between U.S.-led Western and China-aligned economic blocs threaten global trade cooperation and economic growth, a top official with the International Monetary Fund warned on Tuesday. IMF Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath said in a speech at Stanford University that events such as the global pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have disrupted global trade relations in ways not seen since the Cold War. "Increasingly, countries around the world are guided by economic security and national security concerns in determining who they trade with and invest in," she said, adding that this has resulted in countries increasingly picking sides between China and the U.S. Trade between the China and U.S. blocs has declined compared with trade among countries within the groupings, Gopinath said. The U.S. bloc mainly includes Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, while China-leaning countries include Russia, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua and Syria.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Carlos Barria, Gita Gopinath, Gopinath Organizations: National Committee, China Relations, China Business Council, Economic Cooperation, APEC, Afp, International Monetary Fund, Stanford University, U.S, IMF, Trade, West Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, China, Ukraine, Washington, Beijing, U.S, South, Taiwan, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Syria

☆ U.S. Repatriates 11 American Citizens From ISIS War Camps in Syria
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Charlie Savage | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration has repatriated a family of 10 American citizens who had been stranded for years in desert camps and detention centers in Syria run by a Kurdish-led militia that battled the Islamic State, according to officials. The government also brought to the United States a pair of half brothers — only one of whom, said to be 7, is an American citizen. The resettlement of the other boy, who is said to be 9, is the first time the United States has taken in someone from the war zone who is not an American national. The government announced the early Tuesday transfer in a statement from Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, who said that there had been a “complex repatriation and resettlement” involving 11 American citizens, five of whom were minors, and the “9-year-old non-U.S. citizen sibling of one of the U.S. citizen minors.”He added: “This is the largest single repatriation of U.S. citizens from northeast Syria to date.”The statement announcing the transfer did not identify the 12 people. But two officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details, said 10 were a family The New York Times had reported on in September, consisting of a woman named Brandy Salman and her nine American-born children, ranging from about 6 to about 25.

Persons: Biden, Antony J, Blinken, Brandy Salman Organizations: New York Times Locations: Syria, Kurdish, State, United States, American, U.S

☆ Opinion: The destruction of Gaza isn’t just physical. It’s psychological as well
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Opinion Arwa Damon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

A child shrieks in pain in a medical tent at a field clinic in southern Gaza. It is the psychological obliteration: What makes the trauma different in Gaza is the sheer constancy of it. Trauma compounds trauma every single day; there is no respite, not even a brief one. Death and destruction are not unique to the war in Gaza, but the scale and the scope are, as is the intensity and ferocity. Arwa Damon leads an activity with children at one of the shelters where INARA provides services in southern Gaza.

Persons: Arwa Damon, Arwa Damon CNN I’m, We’re, I’ve, “, you’ve, she’s, mumbling, — “, it’s, won’t, Ahmed, ”, doesn’t, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Israel, ” Damon, Gazans, he’s, He’s Organizations: CNN, International Network for Aid, Relief, INARA, Twitter Locations: Gaza, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Egypt, Israel, Rafah, Cairo, people’s

☆ The US military killed a shepherd it mistook for a terrorist leader in a drone strike, investigation finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Ella Sherman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Washington Post investigation revealed US forces mistakenly killed a civilian in a drone strike. AdvertisementA Washington Post investigation revealed Thursday that US forces killed a shepherd in a drone strike after mistaking him for a top al-Qaeda official. The Washington Post began its investigation in May 2023 following the fatal strike, calling into question the identity of the al-Qaeda operative who US officials said had been slain. Related storiesCentral Command said its investigation revealed that there were "several issues" with the operation but did not explain exactly how it failed to identify its target. A defense official told The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity that the American drone strike was botched due to the decision-making and accuracy, or "confirmation bias and insufficient red teaming" issues among personnel.

Persons: —, Al, Lufti Hasan Masto Organizations: Washington Post, Central Command, Service, Post, Command, Qaeda, US, Hellfire, Department of Defense, New York Times Locations: Syria, United States, Northwest Syria, Al Qaeda, Qaeda, Syrian, Qorqanya, American, Central, Washington, Afghanistan

☆ Opinion: Unable to ‘win’ in Gaza, Israel sets its sights elsewhere
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Opinion Hussein Ibish | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —An eerie relative calm has descended on the Middle East — Gaza obviously excluded — since a highly alarming exchange of missile, rocket and drone attacks by Israel and Iran in recent weeks. Now, the recent exchange of direct military attacks with Iran might have sealed Lebanon’s fate, unless team Biden can restrain Israel. On April 1, Israel struck an Iranian diplomatic facility in Damascus, killing a number of senior Iranian officials including Brig. As Israel’s forces moved south through Gaza, obliterating Hamas brigades with relative ease, its thinking relatively quickly turned north again. If this happens, a primary US goal regarding the Gaza war — conflict containment — would be shattered not by Washington’s adversaries, but ironically by its closest regional partner.

Persons: Hussein Ibish, Read, Biden, Israel, Mohammad Reza Zahedi, Haji Rahimi, Hossein Amirollah, Louai Beshara, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Charbel Mallo, Israel —, Joe Biden Organizations: Gulf States Institute, Israel, CNN, Biden, Hezbollah, Brig, Iran’s, Quds Force, Getty, Iranian, Israeli Locations: Washington, East, Gaza, Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Iranian, Damascus, Brig, Syria, AFP, Tehran, United States, Kafr Kila, Lebanese

☆ Israel is retiring its Patriot missile batteries. They could help a struggling Ukraine.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Israel has never been impressed with the US-made Patriot air defense system. AdvertisementIsrael has never been satisfied with its version of the Patriot air defense system that Ukraine views as essential to its survival. AdvertisementA Patriot air defense system test-fired during a training in Chania, Greece, on November 8, 2017. Israel previously refused a US request for its vintage Hawk missiles, long in storage and out of service, for Ukraine. Jordan requested the US deploy a Patriot missile on its soil in October and helped intercept the Iranian barrage on April 13.

Persons: Israel, —, Israel wouldn't, Ryan Bohl, RANE, Israel isn't, Bohl, Anthony Sweeney, US Army Federico Borsari, Borsari, it's, Jordan Organizations: Scud, Patriots, Service, Israel, Patriot, East, US Army, Center for, Patriot PAC, Patriot's PAC, Analysts, United Arab, Israeli PAC Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Iraqi, Russia, North Africa, Chania, Greece, United States, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia

☆ CNN gets a rare look at the Iranian missiles and drones that hit Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Fred Pleitgen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But he’s more than happy to show the missiles and drones Iran used in its first ever attack against Israel launched directly from Iranian soil. Iran’s attack on Israel included drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. “NATO, The United States and Arab countries of the region wanted to create barriers for our drones, missiles and cruise missiles, but they failed,” Belali says. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that ballistic missiles that reached Israel fell on the airbase and caused only light structural damage. Shahed attack drones on an unmarked truck at an Iranian Revolutionary Guards exhibit in Tehran, Iran on May 1, 2024.

Persons: Tehran CNN —, ”, General Ali Belali, ” Belali, Israel, Belali, Jordan, Fred Pleitgen, Daniel Hagari, John Krzyzaniak, Lockheed Martin Organizations: Tehran CNN, Revolutionary Guard, Islamic, Israel, CNN, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Revolutionary Guard Aerospace Forces, NATO, Israel Defense Forces, Washington, Wisconsin, Control, ISIS, Lockheed, CIA, Guards Locations: Tehran, Islamic Republic, Israel, Iran, Damascus, Gaza, Iraq, France, United States, Washington ,, Syria, Kurdish, American, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow

☆ Exclusive: 11x, a London-based AI startup that builds automated digital workers, is raising money from US fund Benchmark
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Callum Burroughs | Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

11x, a London-based AI startup that creates automated digital workers, has raised funding from US investing giant Benchmark Capital. The company aims to provide businesses with "digital AI workers" that can complete repetitive and mundane tasks to free up employees to focus on other things. The startup has raised a Series A round of funding, led by US fund Benchmark, four sources familiar with the discussions told Business Insider. Related stories11x's deal was led by Benchmark general partner Sarah Tavel, who will join the startup's board. The startup created a digital sales worker named Alice and plans to release several other digital workers in the future.

Persons: Hasan Sukkar, Sarah Tavel, Uber, Alice, Slack Organizations: Benchmark, Business, US, Bessemer Venture Partners, Twitter, Benchmark Capital, Google, Project A, Ventures, Tiny Ventures, LinkedIn Locations: London, Syrian, Europe, Syria

☆ Nearly 47 child migrants a day vanished in Europe since 2021, research reveals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Carlotta Dotto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Around 47 children vanish every day in Europe, according to new research by cross-border journalism collective Lost in Europe showing more than 50,000 child migrants went missing after arrival over the past three years. The research builds on findings released in 2021 that revealed at least 18,000 child migrants disappeared upon arrival in Europe in the three years from January 2018 to December 2020. Out of 31 contacted countries, Lost in Europe received 20 responses, with seven lacking required data and 11 not responding — representing an improvement from 12 responses overall in 2021. Other significant countries of origin include Syria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Morocco, according to the data collected by Lost in Europe. Lost in Europe is a not-for-profit cross-border journalism project investigating the disappearance of child migrants in Europe.

Persons: Aagje Ieven, Ieven, ”, “, Maja Hitij, Patricia Durr, Adam Berry Organizations: CNN, Ghent University, United Nations, Lost, ECPAT, Austrian Ministry of, European Union, Migration Network Locations: Europe, Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Belgium, Switzerland, Ghent, Eisenhuttenstadt, Afghanistan, Syria, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, ”, Moria, Mytilene, Greece

☆ New York Woman Gets 18 Years for Funding Terrorism With Cryptocurrency
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Hurubie Meko | Maia Coleman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A New York woman was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Tuesday for funding terrorism by using cryptocurrency to send financial support to groups operating in Syria. After Judge Althea Drysdale imposed the sentence, the woman, Victoria Jacobs, 44, yelled that the trial had been “a sham” and “Islamophobic” as officers led her from the courtroom. Dressed in a tan sweatshirt and khaki pants, Ms. Jacobs had appeared irritated as soon as she sat down at the defense table and had asked that her handcuffs be removed. In February, a Manhattan jury convicted Ms. Jacobs of three felony counts of providing support for an act of terrorism after a trial that lasted about two weeks. The jury also found her guilty of conspiracy, money laundering and criminal possession of a weapon.

Persons: Althea Drysdale, Victoria Jacobs, ”, Jacobs Locations: York, Syria, Manhattan

☆ Woman was denied top-secret US security clearance for being a close relative of dictator
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —An unnamed woman was denied a top-secret security clearance this year due to being a “close” relative of an authoritarian dictator of an unnamed country, according to a publicly available document from the Defense Department’s Office of Hearings and Appeals. The judge said that Country X “supports international terrorism, and it conducts cyberattacks and espionage against the United States.”“Applicant was born a citizen of Country X,” the record says. “A close family member (cousin, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew) is the dictator of Country X. Applicant’s parents and their children, including Applicant, immigrated to the United States in the 1990s when she was young. Administrative decisions on security clearance eligibility are regularly posted publicly by the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals. “One thing people forget is it’s not like you get the keys to the kingdom,” Posard said of a secret clearance, which is the second lowest level security clearance available.

Persons: —, ”, “, ’, Edward Loughran, credibly, Loughran, Marek Posard, Kim Jong, ” Posard, ” Loughran, Posard, it’s, It’s Organizations: CNN, Defense Department’s, Defense, RAND Corporation, The Washington Locations: United States, American, Country, North Korea, DPRK, Cuba, Iran, Syria, The, Loughran

☆ Good news: The worst could be over for gas prices this spring
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

US gas prices have stopped rising and even briefly dipped in recent days. Now, there is growing hope that gas prices are at or near a peak for the spring – or perhaps even for the year. ‘Could have been much worse’Of course, none of this is to say gas prices are cheap. A spike in gas prices would be the last thing President Joe Biden needs as he struggles to convince voters of his economic message before November. Why gas prices have cooledThere are multiple reasons why gas prices have stopped rising for the moment.

Persons: Patrick De Haan, “ I’m, ” De Haan, Tom Kloza, ”, Andy Lipow, “, De Haan, Joe Biden, Lipow, ” Lipow, Kloza Organizations: New, New York CNN, OPEC, AAA, CNN, “, Oil Price Information Service, Lipow Oil Associates, Drivers, Federal Reserve, Biden, US Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Coast, Colorado State University Locations: New York, Israel, Iran, Covid, California, De Haan ., Washington, Syria, West Texas, New Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Russia

☆ Election 2024 Biden jokes, Trump still leads and updates from the Sunday shows.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Maggie Astor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

Che told me to say that, and I’m just realizing I was set up.” “Shame, shame, shame on you.” “Shame on you!” “Shame, shame, shame, shame.”President Biden didn’t waste time. “The 2024 election’s in full swing and yes, age is an issue,” Mr. Biden said in a roughly 10-minute speech. He ended it by noting that his grandfather, who recently died, had voted for Mr. Biden in the last election. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois held court with guests as Biden campaign officials talked about recent polls showing Mr. Biden cutting into Mr. Trump’s lead. “My vice president actually endorses me,” Mr. Biden said, referring to former Vice President Mike Pence’s decision not to endorse Mr. Trump.

Persons: Biden, Donald J, —, Donald, Joe, Michael Che, Che, I’m, ”, ” Mr, “, ” “ Donald, Mr, Stormy Daniels, Trump, ‘, ’, Washington Hilton, Hazami Barmada, Evan ”, Evan Gershkovich, “ We’re, Paul Whelan, we’re, Evan, Austin Tice, Deborah, Tice, Haiyun Jiang, The New York Times Kelly O’Donnell, Gershkovich, Ms, O’Donnell, Colin Jost, Advance —, Jost, Jost didn’t, mignon, Lester Holt, Jeffrey D, Al Sharpton, John Fetterman, Scarlett Johansson, Jon Hamm, Sean Penn, Chuck Schumer, J.B . Pritzker, Trump’s, Robert E, Lee, Mike Pence’s Organizations: White, ’ Association, Israel, Union, ’, Washington Hilton, New York Times, The New York Times, Washington, Wall Street, ., Home, U.S, Journalists, Austin, Wall Street Journal, Credit, NBC News, Staten, Advance, Mr, Black, White House, Hollywood, Democratic, Illinois, Biden, “ Locations: Gaza, New York, York, Russia, Moscow, The U.S, Syria, Pennsylvania, Gettysburg

☆ F-16s headed to Ukraine this summer will face their most dangerous battlefield ever
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Ukraine is slated to receive its much-anticipated fleet of F-16 fighter jets this summer. AdvertisementThe long-awaited delivery of F-16s to Ukraine is on the horizon, and these advanced American-made fighter jets can't come soon enough for its forces. The fighter jets are expected to arrive at some point this summer, reportedly as early as June. Romanian air force F-16 fighter planes fly above the Baza 86 military air base, outside Fetesti, Romania, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. US Air Force F-16's stand ready with bombs loaded to take off during the first daylight attack to liberate Kuwait in 1991.

Persons: —, Falcon, SAMs, Alexandru, Egypt —, John Baum, Russia —, Baum, KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV Russia's, Tannehill, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mark Rutte, Peter Dejong Organizations: Service, Russia's, Rygge Air Force Base, OLE BERG, Getty, NATO, Kyiv, Israeli Air Force, AP, US Air Force, Operation, Allied Force, Yugoslavia, Air Force, Defense Technical Information, Reuters, Storm, Russia, Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, US Navy, SA, Russian, AIM, INA Locations: Ukraine, Balkans, Kyiv, Romania, Norway, AFP, — Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Europe, Lebanon's, Israel, Yom, Romanian, Fetesti, Storm, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Afghanistan, Islamic, Kuwait, Russian, Zhukovsky, Moscow, Bekaa, East, Syria, Russia, Ukrainian, Eindhoven, Rzeszow, Jasionka, Poland, Crimean

Arm Ukraine With Fanfare and Israel in Secret? That package will pay for billions of dollars of arms flowing to Ukraine, Israel and other nations. As soon as the bill became law, the administration issued new announcements about weapons shipments to Ukraine, but not about transfers to Israel. Press releases about military aid for Ukraine and Israel Since both wars began, the U.S. government has issued at least 126 press statements or updates describing military aid sent to Ukraine and just three describing military aid sent to Israel. Information on maritime support sent to … Ukraine IsraelInformation on air-based weaponry and drones sent to … Ukraine IsraelThere is another distinction worth noting.

Persons: Biden, Jonathan Ernst, Antony Blinken, ”, Josh Paul, Israel —, Ukraine Israel “, Daniel C, it’s, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Reuters, Israel Defense Forces, Israel . Press, U.S . Department of State, U.S . Department of State ; U.S . Department of Defense, Internet, State Department, Defense Department, State and Defense, Washington Post, Ukraine authorizations, Democratic Party, West Bank, White, New York, Facebook Locations: Israel, Ukraine, U.S, U.S . Department of State ;, Ukraine Israel, Gaza, American, Egypt, Russian, Rafah, Lebanon, Iran, Iranian, Syria, United States

☆ Rockets fired from Iraq towards U.S. military base in Syria, Reuters reports citing sources
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

At least five rockets were launched from Iraq's town of Zummar towards a U.S. military base in northeastern Syria on Sunday, two Iraqi security sources and a U.S. official told Reuters. At least five rockets were launched from Iraq's town of Zummar towards a U.S. military base in northeastern Syria on Sunday, two Iraqi security sources and a U.S. official told Reuters. The attack against U.S. forces is the first since early February when Iranian-backed groups in Iraq stopped their attacks against U.S. troops. Another popular Telegram group close to Kataib Hezbollah, Sabreen News, later said there had been no official statement by the Iran-backed faction. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said more than five rockets were fired from Iraq towards troops at a coalition base in Rumalyn, Syria, but no U.S. personnel were injured.

Persons: Mohammed Shia, Sudani, Joe Biden Organizations: U.S, Reuters, Iraqi, White, Kataib, Hezbollah, Sabreen Locations: Iraq's, Zummar, Syria, Iranian, Iraq, United States, U.S, Iran, Rumalyn

☆ 'Best thing' is for everyone to stay 'puzzled' on last week's odd retaliation strike on Iran, Israeli president says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Jake Epstein | Paul Ronzheimer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"I think the best thing would be for everybody to stay puzzled," Herzog said during an interview with Axel Springer media outlets on Sunday. Military equipment displayed at the Army Day ceremony in front of the President of Iran and high-ranking military commanders on April 17, 2024 in Tehran, Iran. The bold strike killed several high-ranking military officials, including two generals in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. AdvertisementThe incidents of the past few weeks have dragged a decades-long shadow war between Israel and Iran into broad daylight. However, Tehran has signaled that it won't retaliate over the Isfahan strike after appearing to dissociate itself from the attack.

Persons: —, Isaac Herzog doesn't, Herzog, Axel Springer, ATTA KENARE, Antony Blinken, Iran's Organizations: Service, Business, Tehran's, United Nations, Getty Images, Experts, US, Army, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Locations: Tehran, Iranian, Isfahan, AFP, Iran, Israel, America, Syria

☆ Mohammad Faris: ‘Armstrong of the Arab World’ and Syria’s first astronaut dies in exile
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Eyad Kourdi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In 1987, Faris, a pilot in the Syrian Air Force, spent eight days in space with the Soviet Union’s Interkosmos spaceflight program. Faris flew with a Soviet crew to Mir space station becoming the first and only Syrian astronaut and second Arab to make it to space. Upon his return to Syria, Faris was celebrated as a national hero by tens of thousands of Syrians. Faris decided in 2012 to defect and publicly oppose the Syrian regime, putting his family and himself in life-threatening danger. In 2020, Faris was granted Turkish citizenship, as reported by the Turkish state broadcaster TRT.

Persons: CNN — Mohammad Faris, Armstrong, Faris, Hafez al, Assad, Bashar, “, Jazeera, Assad, Faris –, Hafez al - Assad, Prince Sultan bin Salman, Allah, “ let’s, ” Faris, Bashar al, Al Jazeera, Moscow propping Organizations: CNN, Syrian Air Force, Saudi, Free Syrian Army, Turkish, TRT, Star City, AP Locations: Turkish, Gaziantep, Soviet, Syria, ”, Aleppo, Turkey, Istanbul, Russia, Moscow, Soviet Union

☆ Opinion | Biden’s Small Win — and Bigger Failure — in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Trita Parsi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

President Biden’s behind-the-scenes crisis management appears to have helped stop a wider war from igniting in the Middle East — for now. But that tactical win for the administration is actually part of its much larger strategic failure in the region. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t heed the order, but Israel’s response was so muted that Tehran effectively ignored it. Mr. Netanyahu’s minister of national security called it “lame.”Mr. Biden deserves credit for orchestrating this crucial de-escalation. Instead, he has followed Mr. Netanyahu’s lead, even as Israel has put vengeance over interest.

Persons: Biden’s, Biden, Israel, Mr, Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t, Netanyahu’s Organizations: Iranian Consulate Locations: Israel, Iran, Iranian, Syria, Tehran’s, Tehran

An Israeli airstrike on Iran on Friday damaged an air defense system, according to Western and Iranian officials, in an attack calculated to deliver a message that Israel could bypass Iran’s defensive systems undetected and paralyze them. The strike damaged a defensive battery near Natanz, a city in central Iran that is critical to the country’s nuclear weapons program, according to two Western officials and two Iranian officials. The attack — and the revelation on Saturday of its target — was in retaliation for Iran’s strike in Israel last week after Israel bombed its embassy compound in Damascus. But it used a fraction of the firepower Tehran deployed in launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel. But the relatively limited scope of Israel’s strike and the muted response from Iranian officials seem to have eased tensions.

Organizations: Israel Locations: Iran, Israel, Damascus, Tehran, Syria

Their friendship was tested in 2017 when then President Trump supported a blockade of Qatar led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Before the Oct. 7 attack, the Saudis were in serious talks, led by the United States, to recognize Israel. 8 of 12 Israel has a major incentive to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, for its part, would benefit from direct access to the Israeli military and technology sector. In March 2023, China brokered a breakthrough, re-establishing ties between two of the region’s heavyweights, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, brandished, Jake Sullivan, —, frenemies, Israel, Netanyahu’s, Trump, Biden, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin, Prince Mohammed, Bashar al, Assad, Saddam Hussein, Jordan —, hesitantly, Abraham Organizations: of Friends, General Assembly, U.S, America, Hamas, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Crown, Arab League, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea, Iranian, Abraham Accords, United Arab, Palestine Liberation Organization, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, The, Trump, Biden, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations, New York, Facebook Locations: India, Persian, Israel, Europe, Iran, United States, U.S, East, China, Russia, Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, Turkey Syria Lebanon Afghanistan Israel Iraq Iran Pakistan Egypt India Qatar Saudi Arabia Sudan Oman, Israel Yemen Turkey Syria Lebanon Afghanistan Israel Iraq Iran Pakistan Egypt India Qatar Saudi Arabia Arabian, Sudan, Sea Oman, Israel Yemen Ethiopia Turkey Syria Lebanon Afghanistan Israel Iraq Iran Pakistan Egypt India Qatar Saudi Arabia Arabian, Sudan Oman, Israel Yemen Ethiopia, Gaza, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Saudi, Tehran, Iraq, Assad, Lebanon, Lebanese, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Fatah, Israeli, Turkey, America

☆ Why the oil market shrugged as Iran and Israel appeared on the brink of war this week
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. crude oil and global benchmark Brent finished out the week about 3% lower, despite the fact that Iran and Israel traded direct strikes against each other's territory for the first time. Fears that oil prices could shoot to $100 a barrel or above did not materialize. The market has essentially erased the risk premium associated with the Iran-Israel tensions after traders bid up prices last week on war fears. "These skirmishes did not impress the oil markets, which believe that no disruption to oil flows will occur." Papic said a sustained war between Israel and Iran is difficult to imagine and may even be practically impossible.

Persons: Ali Mohammadi, Israel, Manish Raj, John Kilduff, Marko Papic, Papic, Brent, Kilduff, CNBC's Organizations: Persian Gulf, Bloomberg, Getty, Brent, Israel's, Israel, Traders, Velandara Energy Partners, Again, International Atomic Energy Agency, Clocktower Locations: Bandar Abbas, Iran, Israel, U.S, Damascus, Syria, Tehran

☆ Iran and Israel have averted an all-out war – for now
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Tamara Qiblawi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Iran may be downplaying what was likely to have been a significant but limited Israeli attack, but that seems to be secondary to the larger forces at play. The latest flare-up brought the stakes into sharp focus, but it also exposed the limits of a direct confrontation between Iran and Israel. As part of Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel, its weapons navigated over at least two neighboring countries that house US bases. What happens between Iran and Israel rarely stays between Iran and Israel. US forces had shot down more than 70 of Iran’s weapons as they headed to Israel.

Persons: Iran’s, CNN’s Nic Robertson, Israel, –, Ebrahim Raisi’s, Israel’s, Itamar Ben Gvir, “ Organizations: Lebanon CNN, Iran’s, Anadolu, Washington, United, United Arab Emirates, National Locations: Beirut, Lebanon, Iran, Tehran, Israel, Damascus, Syria, Iranian, Lebanon’s, Isfahan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Riyadh, China, Israel’s, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen

☆ Shadow War Between Iran and Israel: A Timeline
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Cassandra Vinograd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For decades, Israel and Iran have fought a shadow war across the Middle East, trading attacks by land, sea, air and in cyberspace. A recent round of strikes — mainly an aerial barrage by Iran against Israel last weekend — has brought the conflict more clearly into the open and raised fears of a broader war. Iran hit back by attacking two bases in Iraq that housed American troops with a barrage of missiles, wounding about 100 U.S. military personnel. 2021-22: In July 2021, an oil tanker managed by an Israeli-owned shipping company was attacked off the coast of Oman, killing two crew members, according to the company and three Israeli officials. Two of the officials said that the attack appeared to have been carried out by Iranian drones.

Persons: —, Israel, Maj, Qassim Suleimani Organizations: Israel, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Locations: Israel, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Qaim, Iraq, Gen, Baghdad, Israeli, Oman

☆ Washington wrestles with ‘new equation’ of direct attacks between Iran and Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Alex Marquardt | Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Throughout the week, US officials had urged Israel not to retaliate for Iran’s unprecedented attack five days prior, when hundreds of missiles and drones were fired from inside Iran at Israel. US intelligence has long assessed that neither Iran nor Israel has any appetite for an outright war. Iranian officials have stated publicly that Iran’s policy toward Israel has changed. Then, on April 1, an Israeli strike on what Iran claims was an embassy in Syria killed seven officials, including two senior Iranian commanders. “Israel and Iran are going to be starting higher on the escalatory ladder for every future moment of conflict and that is incredibly dangerous,” said Panikoff.

Persons: Biden, ”, Hossein, Israel’s, CNN’s Erin Burnett, Israel, Bill Burns, George W, “, Frank McKenzie, ” McKenzie, Maher Al Mounes, Mohammed Reza Zahedi, Jonathan Panikoff, Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Khamenei, Karim Sadjadpour, Qassem Soleimani, Iran —, Iran messaged, Donald Trump, stridently, —, McKenzie Organizations: CNN, Israel, Iran, US, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, CIA, Bush Presidential Center, Iranian, US Central Command, Getty, Lebanese Hezbollah, Iran’s, Carnegie Endowmernt Locations: Washington, Israel, Iran, Tehran, ” Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Dallas, Syria, Syria's, Damascus, AFP, Lebanese, Iran’s, Iraq

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