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☆ Opinion | It’s Not Time for Our Troops to Leave the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Kenneth F. Mckenzie Jr. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The United States base at Tower 22 in Jordan is in the middle of a seemingly unending desert, astride the ancient Damascus-Baghdad Highway near the border with Syria. Last month three U.S. service members at Tower 22 were killed by a drone launched by an Iranian-backed militia. The Tower 22 attack ended that state of play and sparked fresh questions about the safety of thousands of U.S. military personnel stationed in Jordan, Syria and Iraq as the Middle East conflict widens. Last month, the United States and Iraq started talks that could lead to the withdrawal of U.S. troops. It gives hope to Tehran that it is succeeding in its long-term goal of ejecting the United States from the region through its proxy militias.

Persons: Biden Organizations: United, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, U.S Locations: United States, Jordan, Damascus, Baghdad, Syria, Iranian, Iraq, Washington, U.S, Tehran

BERLIN (AP) — The 74th Berlin International Film Festival opens Thursday with the world premiere of “Small Things Like These” starring man of the moment Cillian Murphy. Festival directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian, who will step down after this year, expressed their aim for “open dialogue” surrounding the war. The duo’s previous film, “Ballad of a White Cow,” premiered in competition in Berlin in 2021. Kenyan-Mexican actor Lupita Nyong’o will serve as the Berlinale’s first black jury president at this year’s festival. Isabelle Huppert will return to Berlin to collect her unclaimed lifetime achievement from 2022, when the French acting icon could not attend.

Persons: Cillian Murphy, Murphy, “ Oppenheimer, ”, “, Blinders, Tim Mielants, Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, Emily Watson, Magdalene laundries, Mariette Rissenbeek, Carlo Chatrian, ” It’s, haven’t, Ayo Tsalithaba, Suneil Sanzgiri, Maryam Moghaddam, Sanaeeha, Berlinale, AfD’s, Kristin Brinker, Lupita Nyong’o, Brady Corbet, Jasmine Trinca, Ann Hui, Christian Petzold, Albert Serra, Oksana Zabuzhko, Kristen Stewart, Adam Sandler, Stephen Fry, Lena Dunham, Marvel’s Sebastian Stan, Martin Scorsese, Golden Bear, Isabelle Huppert, Hong Sang Organizations: BERLIN, Berlin, West Bank, Palestinian, Germany, Kenyan Locations: Ireland, Gaza, Germany, Israeli, American, Israel, Tehran, Berlin, Berlin’s, AfD’s Berlin, Mexican, Ukrainian, Czech, Poland, French, South Korean

☆ Opinion: What Iran wants — and fears
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Opinion Hussein Ibish | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Iran has backed Hezbollah’s efforts to avoid an all-out war with Israel despite consistent Israeli escalation and threats. Hezbollah doesn’t want a war with Israel and Iran agrees. The potential for such US or Israeli airstrikes is among the most significant reasons Iran wants to avoid a broader conflict. Tehran has already restrained its Iraqi proxies, is working to help Hezbollah climb down and avoid a devastating Israeli attack. And Iran is probably urging the Houthis to take great care not to kill Americans or otherwise go too far.

Persons: Hussein Ibish, Read, Hussein Ibish It’s, Biden, Israel, Kataib, Saleh Al, Wissam, Amos Hochstein, Ebrahim Raisi, Shannon Stapleton, It’s Organizations: Gulf States Institute, Israel, CNN, Washington, Radwan Force, Iranian Locations: Washington, Iranian, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Saudi, That’s, Israel, Jordan, Hezbollah’s, Beirut, Tehran, Yemeni, Suez, Strait, Hormuz, Bab, Mandab

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has seized a Boeing 747 cargo plane that officials say was previously sold by a sanctioned Iranian airline to a state-owned Venezuelan firm in violation of American export control laws. The Justice Department said Monday that the American-built plane had arrived in Florida and would be disposed of. The plane was detained in June 2022 by Argentine law enforcement, and U.S. officials moved several weeks later to take possession of it. The Justice Department has identified the registered captain of the plane as an ex-commander for the Revolutionary Guard. Mahan Air has denied any ties to the aircraft, and Venezuela has demanded that Argentine authorities release the plane.

Persons: Mahan, Matthew Olsen, ”, Nicolas Maduro, Regina Garcia Cano Organizations: WASHINGTON, Boeing, Justice Department, Air, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Quds Force, Officials, Revolutionary Guard, Justice, Argentine, The, Mahan Air, Associated Press Locations: U.S, Iranian, Venezuelan, Florida, United States, Argentine, Argentina, Emtrasur, Moscow, Caracas, Tehran, Venezuela

☆ 100-year-old performs exhibition dive at the 2024 Doha World Championships ahead of World Aquatics Masters Championships
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Fast forward to 2024 and his exhibition dive at the 2024 World Championships in Doha on Friday marked two weeks until the World Aquatics Masters Championships where he will be the oldest competitor. Taghi Askari won medals at the Asian Games and national titles in Iran. World AquaticsIt ignited a lifelong love of diving for him, and he went on to win medals at the Asian Games and national titles. “When I was competing at a national level the last championships I did was when I was 41 years old,” he said. The Iranian will be among the competitors at the World Aquatics Masters Championships – a competition held shortly after the elite world championships open to participants aged over 25.

Persons: Taghi Askari, Askari, ” Askari, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, Iranian, Aquatics, Asian Games Locations: Doha, Iran, Tehran

Many worry that a second term for Trump would be an earthquake, but tremors already abound — and concerns are rising that the U.S. could grow less dependable regardless of who wins. Photos You Should See View All 21 ImagesBiden, in contrast, has made support for Ukraine a key priority and moral imperative. But many of America's European NATO allies are worried that with or without Trump, the U.S. is becoming less reliable. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he was “currently on the phone a lot with my colleagues and asking them to do more” to support Ukraine. Dalton, a former U.K. ambassador to Iran, said prospects for the Middle East would be “slightly worse” under Trump than Biden.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron’s, Trump, Germany’s Angela Merkel, Britain’s Theresa May, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orbán “, ”, Biden, Richard Dalton, Olaf Scholz, “, Scholz, Macron, ” Macron, Boris Johnson, ” Johnson, Putin, Johnson, ” Bronwen Maddox, ” Trump, hasn't, —, Dalton, implore Biden, Itamar Ben, Israel, Turkey’s Erdogan, Sergey Lavrov, George W, Zhao Minghao, ” “, Jiwon, Kirsten Grieshaber, Dasha, Suzan Fraser, Nomaan Merchant Organizations: U.S, Trump, NATO, Congressional Republicans, Centre, Politics, University College London, Mail, Associated Press, Hamas, White, Russian, CBS, Biden, Fudan University Locations: U.S, gridlock, Congress, Ukraine, Europe, United States, British, German, Germany, ” Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Tehran, Dalton, Israel, Gaza, Turkey, Shanghai, Seoul, South Korea, Berlin, Dasha Litvinova, Tallinn, Estonia, Ankara, Washington

☆ Iran Foreign Minister Says Iran, U.S. Have Exchanged Messages in Recent Weeks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iran and the United States have exchanged messages throughout Israel's four-month-old war on Hamas in Gaza, including about Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, the Iranian foreign minister said on Saturday. "During this war and in the recent weeks, there was an exchange of messages between Iran and America," Hossein Amirabdollahian said through a translator at a press conference capping a day-long visit to Beirut. He said the United States had asked Tehran to request Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, "not to get widely, fully involved in this war against" Israel. Amirabdollahian on Saturday warned Israel against taking any steps towards a broader war against Lebanon, saying that would be Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "last day." He also said Iran saw a political solution as the only way to end the Gaza war.

Persons: Hossein Amirabdollahian, Hamas, Amirabdollahian, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Abdallah Bou Habib, Netanyahu, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah's Al, Nasrallah, Bashar al, Assad, Maya Gebeily, Andrew Cawthorne, Frances Kerry Organizations: Hezbollah, Israel, Saturday, Hamas, Revolutionary Guards Corps, Guards Locations: BEIRUT, Iran, United States, Gaza, America, Beirut, United, Tehran, Israel, Lebanese, Lebanon, Washington, Irag, Syria, Yemen, U.S, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Hamas

☆ Meta removes Facebook and Instagram accounts of Iran’s Supreme Leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Rosa Rahimi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Meta has removed the Facebook and Instagram accounts of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Meta, the accounts have been disabled, which means they are permanently removed. “We have removed these accounts for repeatedly violating our Dangerous Organizations & Individuals policy,” a Meta spokesperson told CNN. Meta did not give a specific reason as to why Khamenei’s account fell under the Dangerous Organizations and Individuals Policy. “We expect the threat posed by Iran’s cyber and influence operations will grow as the conflict persists,” the Microsoft Threat Intelligence report said.

Persons: Ali Khamenei, Biden, ”, Mahsa Alimardani, Meta, “ Organizations: CNN, Meta, Facebook, Iran’s, Organizations, US State Department, Foreign Terrorist Organization, Microsoft, ” Microsoft, Intelligence Locations: Iran, Yemen, Israel, Tehran, “, Iranian, UAE, Canada

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Meta has removed Instagram and Facebook accounts run on behalf of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after criticism over his support for Hamas after its Oct. 7 attack on Israel that sparked the monthslong war still raging in the Gaza Strip, the company confirmed Friday. Khamenei and accounts associated with the supreme leader had been praising the Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw some 250 others taken hostage. Immediately after the attack, Khamenei backed Hamas in a speech, saying: “We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime." Iran has provided arms and support to Hamas, though Tehran isn't believed to have directed the Oct. 7 attack. “He’s used these platforms for years to incite violent antisemitism, to legitimize militant anti-zionism and to make genocidal threats,” Greenblatt wrote online.

Persons: — Meta, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Khamenei, Donald Trump, Mahsa Amini, Tehran isn't, Yemen's, Jonathan Greenblatt, Meta's, “ He’s, ” Greenblatt Organizations: United Arab Emirates, —, Iran's, Organizations, U.S ., United Nations, U.S, Trump, Facebook, Green Movement, Twitter, Zionist, Defamation League Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Israel, Gaza, Menlo Park , California, Iran, America, Tehran, East

☆ Iraq Hosts Both U.S. and Iranian-Backed Forces. It’s Getting Tense.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Alissa J. Rubin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For years, Iraq has managed to pull off an unlikely balancing act, allowing armed forces tied to both the United States and Iran, an American nemesis, to operate on its soil. When Washington, Tehran and Baghdad all wanted the same thing — the defeat of the Islamic State terrorist group — the relationships were fairly tenable, but in recent months, as the war in the Gaza Strip sends ripples across the region, American and Iranian-backed forces have clashed repeatedly in Iraq and Syria. A U.S. strike on one of those militias last week killed 16 Iraqis, and Iraq is saying it has had enough. “Our land and sovereign authority is not the right place for rival forces to send messages and show their strength.” the office of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in a statement on Sunday. For many years, both Iran and the United States had their proponents within the Iraqi government, and the Iranian-backed armed groups and the American troops lived in a tolerable if uneasy balance.

Persons: Mohammed Shia, Sudani Organizations: Islamic State Locations: Iraq, United States, Iran, American, Washington, Tehran, Baghdad, Gaza, Syria, U.S

FORMER PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF, PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUEBusiness mogul, multi-millionaire and three-time premier, Nawaz Sharif hails from one of the top two families that have dominated Pakistani politics for decades. He also has a personal stake in keeping imprisoned Imran Khan out of the picture. FORMER PRIME MINISTER IMRAN KHAN, PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF PARTYA former cricket star turned Islamist politician, Imran Khan triumphed on an anti-corruption, anti-establishment platform in the 2018 election to form a coalition government. FORMER PRIME MINISTER SHEHBAZ SHARIF, PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUEShehbaz Sharif, 72, the younger brother of Nawaz Sharif, succeeded Imran Khan as prime minister in April 2022. He won his first parliamentary seat in 2018 and became foreign minister after Imran Khan was ousted as prime minister.

Persons: it's, NAWAZ SHARIF, Nawaz Sharif, Sharif, Imran Khan, Khan, ASIM MUNIR, Asim Munir, Munir, IMRAN KHAN, Osama bin Laden, ” —, SHEHBAZ SHARIF, BILAWAL BHUTTO, ZARDARI, Pakistan’s, Bilawal Bhutto, Zardari, Benazir Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari Organizations: —, National Assembly, PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUE Business, Pakistan Muslim League, Supreme, Sharif, GEN, ARMY CHIEF, LEAGUE, International Monetary Fund Locations: ISLAMABAD, — Pakistan, PAKISTAN, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Iran, Tehran, Islamabad, United States, U.S, Washington, LEAGUE Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab, London, Sindh

☆ Mideast Crisis Blinken Takes Bid to Avoid Wider War to Qatar and Egypt
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Zolan Kanno-Youngs | Erin Mendell | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

At the U.N. Security Council on Monday, China’s ambassador, Zhang Jun, broadly accused the United States of using excessive force around the world and manipulating public opinion about its intentions. The Security Council has frequently been a platform for U.S. and Russia’s spats over Ukraine, Syria and, most recently, the war in Gaza. “Iran has never sought to bring its dispute with the United States into Iraq’s territory,” Mr. Iravani told the Council, reiterating Iran’s stance that it does not seek a war with the United States. Algeria, the only Arab member of the Council, has drafted a new resolution calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza. The attacks killed 1,200 people and led to the abduction to Gaza of 240 others, Israeli officials said.

Persons: Zhang Jun, Vladimir V, Putin, Russia’s, Vasily Nebenzya, Biden, Nebenzya, “, ” Robert Wood, Mr . Wood, ”, Saeid Iravani, Mr, Iravani, Rosemary DiCarlo Organizations: . Security, United Nations Security, Security, Pentagon, Israel Locations: United States, Russia, China, Iraq, Syria, East, U.S, Ukraine, Gaza . China, Iran, The U.S, Israel, Gaza, Jordan, Middle East, America, Red, Tehran, Algeria

But in remarks on social media, she described the U.S. Embassy as a place she “HAD to visit.” Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard now runs it as a museum. Photos You Should See View All 45 Images“I'm sharing exhibits from a museum that are never seen," Wright wrote on Instagram. Masih Alinejad, a U.S.-based activist who has faced assassination and kidnapping attempts by Iran, also denounced Wright's visit. But there's been no media coverage of Wright's visit inside Iran, likely a sign of how tightly controlled journalists are after the 2022 demonstrations. Iranian state media have seized on the U.S. support of Israel to criticize the U.S. and opponents of its theocracy.

Persons: Whitney Wright, Narges Mohammadi, Mahsa Amini, Wright, “, ”, Ruhollah Khomeini, Nasser Kanaani, Setareh Pesiani, Iran's, Pesiani, Instagram, Masih Alinejad, Wright's, Rosa Parks, Alinejad, Candy, there's, Abdolreza, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Mia Khalifa Organizations: JERUSALEM, U.S, Embassy, Associated Press, Revolutionary Guard, United Nations, Iranian Foreign Ministry, Israel, Islamic, U.S . State Department, AP, Washington, State Department Locations: Iran, Tehran, U.S, Oklahoma City, Islamic Republic, British, Gaza, Israel, Islamic Republic of Iran, East

☆ US needs to signal to Iran it's a possible target so it doesn't get too comfortable, says former top general in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Ella Sherman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The retired general does not support attacks on Iran, but he says the country should be worried. Retaliatory US strikes have been focused on IRGC and Iran-backed militia targets outside Iran. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "I am not advocating for striking Iran," McKenzie told Margaret Brennan on CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday. For a time, US responses to the actions of Iran-backed militias were also limited.

Persons: Frank McKenzie, —, McKenzie, Margaret Brennan, Joe Biden, Joseph Votel, Biden Organizations: US Central Command, Service, CBS, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, CBS News Locations: Iran, IRGC, Syria, Iraq, Jordan

☆ Pentagon Not Aware of Any Iranians Being Killed in Recent Strikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Monday that it was not aware of any Iranian deaths in the recent U.S. strikes against Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria. Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder told reporters initial indications were that the strikes did not kill any Iranians. In Syria, the strikes killed 23 people who had been guarding the targeted locations, said Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which reports on war in Syria. War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 Images"It's fair to conclude that there likely were casualties associated with these strikes," Ryder told reporters, but said an assessment was ongoing. He added that there had been two attacks against U.S. troops in Syria since the Friday strikes, but there were no U.S. injuries.

Persons: Patrick Ryder, Rami Abdulrahman, Ryder, Joe Biden, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Chizu Nomiyama, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: WASHINGTON, Pentagon, United, Revolutionary Guard, Air Force, Popular Mobilization Forces, Syrian, Human Rights, U.S Locations: U.S, Iran, Iraq, Syria, United States, Israel, Gaza, Tehran

☆ Live updates: US airstrikes in Middle East, Israel-Hamas war, Gaza crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Heather Chen | Andrew Raine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

US-led coalition conducts airstrikes in Yemen in response to the Houthi aggression at the Red Sea on February 3. US Central CommandThe US and the United Kingdom have conducted strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen from air and surface platforms — including F/A-18s — on over 30 targets across 13 locations, according to officials. The US and UK carried out the strikes with the support of several other countries, according to a joint statement on Saturday. The Houthis said US and UK warplanes struck multiple provinces in Yemen, including the capital of Sanaa. The USS Gravely and USS Carney fired the land-attack cruise missiles and F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier were also involved, officials said.

Persons: “, Carney, Dwight D, Joe Biden's, CNN's Eyad Kourdi Organizations: US Central Command, US, CNN, Eisenhower Locations: Yemen, United Kingdom, UK, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sanaa, Tehran, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Red

☆ Yemen's Houthis Vow Response After US, British Strikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

The group's military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the U.S. strikes "will not pass without a response and consequences." HOUTHIS SAY WON'T BE DETERREDThe Houthis, who control swathes of Yemen, say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza. The strategy blends limited military strikes and sanctions, and appears aimed at punishing the Houthis while attempting to limit the risk of a broad Middle East conflict. "We have already successfully targeted launchers and storage sites involved in Houthi attacks, and I am confident that our latest strikes have further degraded the Houthis’ capabilities." The United States said Sunday's strikes had support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Persons: Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Mohammed Ghobari WASHINGTON, Yahya Sarea, Mahjoob Zweiri, Joe Biden, Sarea, Grant Shapps, Sunday's, Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud, Busaidi, Andrew Mills, Tom Perry, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Reuters, Britain, Pentagon, Hamas, Residents, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gulf Studies, Qatar University, U.S, Republicans, Democrat, U.S . military's Central Command, British Defence, U.S . Central Command, Oman Foreign, Tala Locations: ADEN, United States, Yemen, Iran, Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, Tehran, Houthi, U.S, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Britain, Africa, Egypt, Suez, Red, States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sanaa Governorate, Taiz Governorate, Hodeidah Governorate, Oman, Doha, Dubai

☆ US Plans More Strikes in Middle East Against Iran-Backed Groups
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States plans to undertake further strikes after the killing of three U.S. troops by Iranian-backed militias last weekend, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday. "We intend to take additional strikes, and additional action, to continue to send a clear message that the United States will respond when our forces are attacked, when our people are killed," he told NBC’s "Meet the Press" program. The United States and Britain launched strikes against 36 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, in the second day of major U.S. operations against Iran-linked groups following a deadly attack that killed three American troops in Jordan last weekend. War in Israel and Gaza View All 194 Images"What happened on Friday was the beginning, not the end, of our response, and there will be more steps - some seen, some perhaps unseen," Sullivan told CBS' "Face the Nation" program. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Louise Heavens and Lisa Shumaker)

Persons: Jake Sullivan, NBC’s, Sullivan, Doina Chiacu, Arshad Mohammed, Louise Heavens, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: WASHINGTON, United, White, National, Press, Britain, Pentagon, U.S, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hamas, CBS Locations: United States, Iranian, Yemen, Iran, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, Tehran

A screengrab from a video, geolocated by CNN to the town of Qaim, Iraq, shows the aftermath of US military strikes in the area according to the Iraqi Military. US officials say the strikes hit four facilities in Syria and three in Iraq, where security officials reported damage in the city of Al-Qaim. The sites allegedly belonged to various Iran-backed militias, which the US blames for the strike in Jordan. The US does not plan to strike inside Iran: A senior official with the Biden administration told CNN the US will not strike inside Iran – only focusing on targets outside of the country. Striking inside Iran would have been a huge escalation, and officials have telegraphed that is unlikely to happen.

Persons: Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, Biden, Jordan, Douglas Sims, Sims, John Kirby Organizations: CNN, White House, Pentagon, Defense, Air Force, National Security Locations: Qaim, Iraq, Iraqi, Jordan, Syria, Al, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Gen

☆ US starts retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran-linked targets
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In Syria, the strikes killed 23 people who had been guarding the targeted locations, said Rami Abdulrahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an organization that reports on war in Syria. The White House said the United States had informed Iraq ahead of strikes. Baghdad later accused the United States of deception, saying a U.S. claim of coordination with the Iraqi authorities was "unfounded". The Syrian foreign ministry said the United States was fueling conflict in the region in a "very dangerous way". Britain called the United States its "steadfast" ally and said it supports Washington's right to respond to attacks.

Persons: Joe Biden, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Joe Biden's, Nasser Kanaani, Rami Abdulrahman, Douglas, Sims, Chip Somodevilla, General Douglas Sims, Biden, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Ebrahim Raisi, Radek Sikorski Organizations: Air Force, Joint Base Andrews, AFP, Getty, United, Revolutionary Guard, U.S, Syrian, Human Rights, Chiefs, Capitol Visitors Center, Joint Staff, Pentagon, U.S . Defense Locations: Maryland, United States, Iraq, Syria, U.S, Iran, Israel, Gen, Washington ,, Tehran, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraqi, Baghdad, Washington, Britain, Polish, Brussels

☆ Opinion: The problem with the US bombing strikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Peter Bergen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The Biden administration has also repeatedly said it doesn’t want to go to war with Iran. To tamp down the possibility of a wider regional war, the US needs to focus its efforts on addressing the underlying cause of this roiling conflict: the continued war in Gaza. Previous US strikes have failed to deter Iran and its proxies. It’s possible that US cyber-attacks in Iran could damage key elements of Iranian military command and control structures, but these kinds of attacks can take many weeks to prepare. This article has been updated to reflect the strikes on Houthi targets on Saturday.

Persons: Peter Bergen, Osama bin Laden, Biden, Joe Biden, “, Houthis, Trump, Qasem Soleimani, Let’s, Sayf al, Carl von Clausewitz, Lloyd Austin Organizations: New, Arizona State University, Apple, Spotify, CNN, White House, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, US, United, Adl, Prussian, Hamas, UNRWA Locations: New America, Iraq, Syria, Iranian, Jordan, Iran, Gaza, Yemen, Baghdad, Iran’s, Afghanistan, Tehran, United Nations, East, Lebanon, Israel

☆ Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, son of Italy's last king, dies aged 86
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, the only son of Italy's last king, who lived in exile in neighbouring Switzerland for most of his life, has died aged 86 at his home in Geneva, a note by the Royal House of Savoy said. Vittorio Emanuele was eventually acquitted of the killing in a French court in 1991 and given a suspended sentence for illegal possession of a rifle. Vittorio Emanuele disputed the authenticity of the video. His grandfather, King Victor Emanuel III, abdicated in favour of his son Umberto just before the 1946 referendum in a final, futile attempt to save the monarchy. Vittorio Emanuele is survived by his wife and his son, Emanuele Filiberto, who said in 2023 that he would renounce his claim to the Italian throne in favour of his daughter, Vittoria, when he felt she was ready for the challenge.

Persons: Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, Italy's, of Savoy, Umberto II, King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele, Pope John Paul, Benito Mussolini, Dirk Hamer, Hamer, Vittorio Emanuele's, Shah, Marina Doria, King Victor Emanuel III, Umberto, Maria Jose, Emanuele Filiberto, Vittoria Organizations: Royal, Fascist, Netflix, Italian Agusta Locations: Switzerland, Geneva, Italian, Naples, Rome, Corsican, Potenza, Swiss, Lake Geneva, Iran, Tehran, Italy

BEIRUT (AP) — The U.S. military has launched strikes on dozens of sites manned by Iran-backed fighters in western Iraq and eastern Syria in retaliation for a drone strike in Jordan in late January that killed three U.S. service members and wounded dozens. A deadly strike on the desert outpost known as Tower 22 in Jordan near the Syrian border further increased tensions. The Euphrates River cuts through Syria into Iraq, with U.S. troops and American-backed Kurdish-led fighters on the east bank and Iran-backed fighters and Syrian government forces to the west. He said the strikes also hit an area inside the town of Mayadeen known as “the security quarter.”Iraqi government spokesperson Bassim al-Awadi said the border strikes killed 16 people and caused “significant damage” to homes and private properties. There have been no new attacks by the Houthis since the U.S. strikes in Iraq and Syria.

Persons: Guard’s, Ali, Ein Ali, Deir, Rami Abdurrahman, Omar Abu Layla, Bassim, Awadi, PMF Organizations: Hamas, U.S, Guard’s Quds Force, Human Rights, Popular Mobilization Force, Houthis Locations: BEIRUT, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Israel, U.S, Tehran, Deir el, Hassakeh, American, Kurdish, Syrian, Iranian, Guard’s Quds, Boukamal, Quriya, Mayadeen, Britain, Europe, IRAN, Washington, Gaza, Iraqi, Irbil, Yemen

☆ U.S. Launches Retaliatory Strikes in Iraq, Syria; Nearly 40 Reported Killed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

The White House said the United States had informed Iraq ahead of strikes. Baghdad later accused the United States of deception, saying a U.S. claim of coordination with the Iraqi authorities was "unfounded". The Syrian foreign ministry said the United States was fuelling conflict in the region in a "very dangerous way". The United States has assessed that the drone that killed the three soldiers and wounded more than 40 other people in Jordan was made by Iran, U.S. officials have told Reuters. Iranian advisers assist armed groups in both Iraq, where the United States has around 2,500 troops, and Syria, where it has 900.

Persons: Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Timour Azhari, Joe Biden's, Nasser Kanaani, Rami Abdulrahman, General Douglas Sims, Biden, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Ebrahim Raisi, Radek Sikorski, Jordan, Roger Wicker, Enas Alashray, Adam Makary, Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold, Tom Perry, Frances Kerry Organizations: United, Revolutionary Guard, U.S, Syrian, Human Rights, Joint Staff, Pentagon, U.S . Defense, Reuters, Republican, Senate Armed Services Committee Locations: Timour Azhari WASHINGTON, BAGHDAD, United States, Iraq, Syria, U.S, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Tehran, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraqi, Baghdad, Washington, Britain, Polish, Brussels, Al, Jordan

☆ Middle East Crisis U.S. Strikes Over 85 Targets at 7 Sites in Iraq and Syria Against Iran’s Forces and Proxies
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Image Pro-government Iranians gathering near a banner that warns Iran’s enemies — in Farsi and in Hebrew — to “Prepare your coffins,” this month in Tehran. Credit... Arash Khamooshi for The New York TimesIran projects its military power through dozens of armed groups across the Middle East, but how much does it control their actions? Iranian rhetoric, echoed by its allied groups, often goes further, calling for the elimination of the Israeli state. A 2020 U.S. Department of State report estimated that Iran’s support for Hezbollah was $700 million annually at that time. They’re not Iran’s stooges.”Much the same could be said of other groups.

Persons: —, Arash Khamooshi, Israel, Michael Knights, Hisham al, “, Mohammed al, Sulami, ”, Vivian Nereim Organizations: Pro, The New York Times, United States, Sunday, U.S, Pentagon, Iranian Revolutionary Guards, . Department of State, Washington Institute, AK, United Nations Locations: Tehran . Credit, The New York Times Iran, United, Iranian, Jordan, Tehran, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, U.S, Eastern, Suez, United States, Israel, Yemeni, Saudi Arabia, Islamic Republic

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