Middle East Conflict

‘Go after them and their families’: Islamist terror leader calls for assassination of Donald Trump, JD Vance in 30-minute rant; watch video– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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An Islamist terror group leader has released a disturbing video calling for the assassination of US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and several top advisers. He said their strong support for Israel was the reason behind the threat, according to the New York Post.

The Yemen-based figure is Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki, who is the leader of al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).In a disturbing 34‑minute video titled ‘Inciting the Believers’, released on Sunday, the terror leader urged American Muslims to “take revenge” and strike at those he called “infidel Americans”.

He named Trump, Vance, as well as figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and billionaire Elon Musk. “Go after them and their families and all those who have any ties or are close to the politicians of the White House,” al‑Awlaki said.He further said, “There are no red lines after what has been happening to our people in Gaza,” and endorsed recent antisemitic attacks and prior assassination attempts on Trump, according to security sources.

The video also includes a broader incitement of violence against Jewish people in the US. “Do not leave a single safe place for Jews — just as they have not left any homes, shelters, or respite for the Palestinians,” al‑Awlaki said.

“Even hospitals are being bombed … Take revenge.”

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The UK has sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers over “repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities” in the occupied West Bank.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will both be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the UK frozen as part of the measures announced by the foreign secretary.

David Lammy said Finance Minister Smotrich and National Security Minister Ben-Gvir had “incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights”.

In response, Israel said: “It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures.”

The sanctions are part of a joint move by the UK, Norway, Australia, Canada and New Zealand announced on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the move, writing on X: “These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war”.

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Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich won’t be exploring London anytime soon. The United Kingdom sanctioned the two firebrands and imposed travel bans on them. The U.K. is not alone in acting against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich; Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway have joined in.

The foreign ministers of all five countries issued a joint statement on their decision to sanction the ministers and implement “other measures targeting” them.

“Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous,” the statement read.

The foreign ministers say that their actions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich stem from issues in the West Bank, but that their measures “cannot be seen in isolation from the catastrophe in Gaza.”

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The United States is evacuating diplomatic personnel from Iraq and military family members from the Middle East following threats from Iran‘s defense minister that Tehran would target U.S. bases if negotiations broke down.

“If a conflict is imposed on us … all U.S. bases are within reach,” Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned on Wednesday, just days before the latest U.S.-Iranian nuclear negotiations.

Later in the day, the State Department confirmed its decision to reduce its footprint in Iraq, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth authorized the voluntary departure of military families across the Middle East on Wednesday, a U.S. defense official told the Washington Examiner.

“The safety and security of our service members and their families remains our highest priority, and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East,” the official said. “CENTCOM is working in close coordination with our Department of State counterparts, as well as our allies and partners in the region to maintain a constant state of readiness to support any number of missions around the world at any time.”

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“Hamas should think twice”: Late Sunday, a group of Hamas affiliates issued a call to action on Telegram, a social networking site they often use to coordinate their activities: “Resistance security is authorized to firmly confront anyone who cooperates with the enemy or its agents, and agents and mercenaries will be legitimate targets.”

They were talking about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the joint U.S.-Israeli aid effort formed with the help of private contractors to replace the Hamas-tied UNRWA. The terror groups lamented the “American aid distribution centers” for operating with the goal of ending “UNRWA’s mission.” They also warned Gazans that “any cooperation with bodies other than UNRWA is considered a contribution to the enemy’s plans.”

A senior U.S. official confirmed to our Adam Kredo that the Trump administration is monitoring the situation. “These reports of Hamas threatening the GHF and its workers, many of whom are Americans, are deeply concerning,” the official said. “Hamas should think twice. We are watching closely.”

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The New York Times confirmed Sunday that Hamas operated a tunnel beneath the European Gaza Hospital weeks after casting doubt on its existence. Instead of condemning Hamas for using a hospital as a terror base, however, the paper framed the tunnel as a matter of clashing narratives.

“What we saw in that dark and narrow tunnel is one of the war’s biggest Rorschach tests,” Times reporter Patrick Kingsley wrote in a Sunday article after touring the site, calling it “the embodiment of a broader narrative battle between Israelis and Palestinians over how the conflict should be portrayed.”

“To Israelis, the location of an underground passageway highlights Hamas’s abuse of civilians,” the article’s subheading reads. “To Palestinians, Israel’s decision to target it highlights Israel’s own disregard for civilian life.”

The Times last month cast doubt on the tunnel’s existence, quoting the hospital’s director as saying such a tunnel was unlikely. Two weeks later, Muhammad Sinwar—the de facto leader of Hamas and younger brother of slain October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar—was killed inside the tunnel, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

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As discussed, the U.S-Iran nukes negotiations are futile. Iran will never give up enrichment through diplomatic means. How long will President Trump allow Iran to continue to lie, deceive, and stall before he walks away? Let Israel destroy Iran’s nuke sites.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a security meeting on Wednesday following his phone call with US President Donald Trump.

Israeli media says the call between Trump and Netanyahu lasted around 40 minutes, with the pair discussing a wide range of topics, from the war on Gaza to developments in the Iran nuclear deal.

Asked about his call with Netanyahu, Trump didn’t offer much detail, but insisted that the call with the Israeli premier went well.

“Very well. Yeah, we discussed a lot of things, and it went very well. Very smooth. We’ll see what happens. You know, we’re trying to do something with a country we just spoke about, Iran,” said Trump.

Trump however revealed that negotiations appear to be stagnant due to the Iranians being “good negotiators”. He also again warned that a violent US approach to Tehran is not off the table.

“Sometimes they can be too tough. That’s the problem. So, we are trying to make a deal so that there’s no destruction and death. And we’ve told them that, and I’ve told them that, and I hope that’s the way it works out. But it might not work out that way.”

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Adalah, a legal rights group representing the activists, said at 10pm local time they had received confirmation that the group were being held at Ashdod port, just south of Tel Aviv, and were undergoing processing before being handed over to Israeli immigration authorities.

Demanding access to the passengers of the British-flagged yacht Madleen – which had sought to break the naval blockade on Gaza – Adalah said: “Unless they agree to leave immediately, they will be transferred to the detention facility in Ramleh.

“While authorities have indicated that those who consent to deportation may be allowed to fly out from Tel Aviv tonight, it’s unclear what conditions – such as signing documents or waiving rights – may be imposed.”

Earlier, organisers of the “Freedom Flotilla”, said there had been no contact with the 12 international activists for nearly 19 hours after the ship was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters at around 2am on Monday.

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Rally is held as British PM Keir Starmer calls Israel’s actions ‘intolerable’, addressing lawmakers in Parliament.

Pro-Palestine campaigners have rallied against Israel’s punishing war on Gaza, gathering outside the British Parliament in London and demanding a full arms embargo and that hard-hitting sanctions be imposed on the Israeli government.

Wednesday’s march, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), came as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer took weekly questions from parliamentarians.

Thousands of protesters created a “Red Line for Palestine”, wearing red while encircling the building.

Starmer told Parliament that Israel’s actions in the besieged and bombarded enclave are “appalling” and “intolerable”.

“It is right to describe these days as dark,” Starmer said. “We have strongly opposed the expansion of Israeli military operations, and settler violence, and the blocking of humanitarian aid.”

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Israel said that it will “act accordingly” to stop the Freedom Flotilla Coalition carrying climate activist Greta Thunberg, who is en route to the Gaza Strip.

Thunberg, 22, a Swedish eco-warrior, set sail this week aboard the Madleen hoisting a Palestinian flag with 11 other activists. It will try to reach the shores of the Gaza Strip to bring in some aid and raise awareness over the humanitarian crisis there.

“We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,” Thunberg said.

Greta Thunberg, with other activists from a human rights organization, meets with journalists in Catania, Italy. on Sunday ahead of their departure for the Mideast. (AP Photo/Salvatore Cavalli)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Wednesday that it was monitoring the flotilla.

“For this case as well, we are prepared,” IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told the Times of London. “We have gained experience in recent years, and we will act accordingly.”

 

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SIR Keir Starmer said Israel’s recent military action in Gaza was appalling — as he again called for a ceasefire.

The PM said Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach was counterproductive, as he hinted more sanctions would be imposed.

It came after at least 27 Palestinians were killed in shootings near Gaza’s food distribution centres.

Britain has already suspended talks with Israel over a free trade deal.

Three MPs raised the situation at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday.

Sir Keir said one MP was “absolutely right to describe these as dark days”.

And he went on: “Israel’s recent action is appalling and, in my view, counterproductive and intolerable.”

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Israeli military says it shelled targets in Syria in response to a pair of projectile launches.

Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned an Israeli strike on the Syrian province of Deraa, saying that it caused “significant human and material losses”, the state news agency SANA reports.

The strike came after the Israeli military said that two projectiles had crossed from Syria towards Israel on Tuesday, and fell in open areas in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights, though the Syrian Foreign Ministry said these were “reports that have not been verified yet”.

The ministry reiterated that Syria has not and would not pose a threat to any party in the region.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the projectiles.

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It is de rigueur today in certain circles to state as a matter of proven fact that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza. This is a lie. I’ll explain why below, but first I want to explain just how pernicious and awful that lie actually is.

Genocide is the worst crime any nation or group of people can ever commit. The Oxford Languages Dictionary defines genocide as “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.” In 2025, there is no more heinous crime than engaging in genocide. It is the very worst thing in the modern world, and moral people everywhere know that virtually any means of violence are justified in stopping actual, genuine genocide.

Which explains the illegal alien Egyptian who firebombed Holocaust survivors in Boulder, and the pro-Hamas activist who tried to burn down a Jewish governor’s official residence, and another pro-Hamas activist who gunned down two Israeli embassy workers at the Capital Jewish Museum. They thought they were fighting to end genocide. You see, to the men who perpetrated these crimes, they were entirely justified in what they did because their actions were moral, just, and necessary to end a “genocide.” There is a certain level of seemingly rational and moral thought there.

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CNN persisted Tuesday in publishing fake news pushed by Hamas, claiming that “dozens” of Palestinians had been killed near an American-run aid side in Gaza, despite Israeli denials and a history of Hamas lies.

Israeli government spokesman David Mencer told journalists: “The IDF did not fire at civilians in, or near, humanitarian aid distribution zones.”

The story came a day after U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee demanded that CNN and other outlets retract false reporting of dozens of Palestinians being killed at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) site Sunday.

CNN reported its story under the headline, “Dozens of Palestinians killed near Gaza aid distribution point, health officials say, in third day of shooting.” It cited the Gaza “health ministry” — without noting that the “ministry” is controlled entirely by Hamas and has a long record of false and sensational claims — and reported that “Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians as they made their way to the distribution site in Tel al-Sultan in Rafah.”

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The Israeli military confirmed on Tuesday that it fired several rounds in the direction of Palestinians who were advancing toward troops after ignoring initial “warning” shots.

The Palestinian Red Crescent has reported that 13 people were killed in the incident, which the Israel Defense Forces said took place roughly 500 yards from an aid distribution site. Other reports have the fatality count much higher.

The standoff began when the Palestinian group started making its way toward the IDF, which identified the unit as a threat and fired warning shots for the group to stop advancing, according to the Israeli military. The IDF said that when the group “failed to retreat,” it fired rounds “directed near” several people who continued veering away from aid and toward Israeli troops.

“Earlier today, during the movement of the crowd along the designated routes toward the aid distribution site—approximately half a kilometer from the site—IDF troops identified several suspects moving toward them, deviating from the designated routes,” the IDF said. “IDF troops are not preventing the arrival of Gazan civilians to the humanitarian aid distribution sites. The warning shots were fired approximately half a kilometer away from the humanitarian aid distribution site toward several suspects who advanced toward the troops in such a way that posed a threat to them.”

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Chaos erupted on the second day of aid operations by a new U.S.-backed group in Gaza as desperate Palestinians overwhelmed a center distributing food on Tuesday, breaking through fences.

Nearby Israeli troops fired warning shots, sending people fleeing in panic.

An AP journalist heard Israeli tank and gunfire and saw a military helicopter firing flares. The Israeli military said its troops fired the warning shots in the area outside the center and that “control over the situation was established.”

At least three injured Palestinians were seen by the Associated Press being brought from the scene, one of them bleeding from his leg.

The distribution hub outside Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah had been opened the day before by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been slated by Israel to take over aid operations.

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It seems quite clear that Iran’s leaders do not believe that President Trump will ever order a military strike on their nuke sites. While we don’t know all of the details of the U.S-Iran nuke negotiations, some of what is being reported is quite concerning. We are going to have to wait and see what happens. If Iran is allowed to enrich uranium, it will be able to build several nuclear bombs. Which it would surely attempt to do when President Trump is out of office. If not sooner.

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TEL AVIV—Seven lawmakers from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition say the latest Gaza war plan does “not reflect a serious intent to defeat Hamas and achieve victory,” according to a letter obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

In the two-page letter, sent to senior Israeli officials on May 5 and not previously reported, the lawmakers called for “a basic change in the military’s operational plan” in the Gaza Strip, warning that the current strategy is “flawed in conception, disconnected from the real capabilities of the enemy, and based on assumptions that will cost many lives before achieving questionable results.” “Only through total defeat of Hamas can we restore deterrence and win the war,” the lawmakers added.

Amit Halevi, Ariel Kallner, and Hanoch Milwidsky of Netanyahu’s Likud Party, Ohad Tal and Michael Woldiger of Religious Zionism, and Limor Son Har-Melech Otzma Yehudit addressed the letter to military chief of staff Eyal Zamir and copied Netanyahu, defense minister Israel Katz, and Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Yuli Edelstein.

The letter—sent just hours before Israel’s security cabinet approved Operation Gideon’s Chariots, the recently launched phase of the military campaign in Gaza—is a signal of growing internal skepticism about government and military leaders’ commitment to wrest control of Gaza from Hamas. At the same time, the leadership faces mounting domestic and international pressure to end the war.