Source : the age
Israel’s ambassador Danny Danon is addressing the United Nations on the war in Iraq.
The Israel Defence Forces has released dramatic aerial combat footage – set to the soundtrack of Star Wars.
The video shows an Israeli F-35I “Adir” stealth fighter firing a missile that strikes and destroys an Iranian Yak-130 jet over Tehran.
It shows the missile launch and appears to capture the moment the target is hit, with audio saying “target down”.
NATO said today it was not planning to invoke its mutual defence clause, known as Article 5, after NATO forces shot down a ballistic missile headed toward Turkey.
Iran has denied firing the weapon.
Mark Rutte, NATO’s secretary-general, told Reuters the alliance supported the US-Israeli military operation, saying that Iran was “close to becoming a threat to Europe as well.”
But he said that there was no immediate reason to activate Article 5. “The most important thing is that our adversaries have seen yesterday that NATO is so strong and so vigilant, and even more vigilant, if possible, since Saturday.”
Iran launched a drone attack that hit an airport in Azerbaijan and wounded two civilians, according to reports.
The attack – which had been denied by Iran – has raised further concern the conflict could spread beyond the Middle East, and follows a missile being shot down near Turkey.
Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said Iran fired four drones towards the country, one of which hit the only airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani enclave that borders Iran. A second drone fell close to a school in a nearby village, the ministry said.
In a statement, Azerbaijani’s Ministry of Defence said it was “preparing necessary retaliatory measures to defend the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty” and protect its citizens.
“These acts of aggression will not remain unanswered.”
President Ilham Alliyev of Azerbaijan described the strikes as “cowardly”.
The House will vote today to stop Trump’s attack on Iran, aimed at restricting Trump’s ability to carry out further military action in Iran.
The measure is expected to fail in the Republican-controlled chamber.
It’s the second vote in as many days, after the Senate defeated a similar measure along party lines.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is addressing the inaugural Americas Counter Cartel Conference at US Southern Command headquarters. You can watch a livestream of that below.
Pete Hegseth is speaking from the US Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida as the Middle East conflict widens.
He will meet with Commander Admiral Brad Cooper for updates on Operation Epic Fury.
He is expected to take questions after his statement.
Starmer is responding to reporters’ questions on Trump’s criticism of him, after the US president declared the special relationship was no more.
He was asked about the president’s remarks to the media that “this is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with”, and that Britain had been “very, very un-cooperative” with the US attacks.
Starmer said: “Our special relationship is operating right now.”
He said he last spoke to Trump on Saturday night.
The UK prime minister said he would not be pressured and would support allies when they needed it.
In a veiled dig at Trump, Starmer said: “My focus is calm, level-headed leadership”.
He added this meant “having the strength to stand firm by our values and our principles, no matter the pressure to do otherwise”.
“Our government is resolute in our response,” Starmer said.
Keir Starmer is defending his criticism from US President Donald Trump for his initial refusal to join the war.
“The long-standing British position is that the best way forward for the regime, and the world, is a negotiated settlement with Iran where they give up their nuclear ambitions,” he said.
“That’s why I took the decision that the UK would not join the initial strikes on Iran by the US and Israel. That decision was deliberate, it was in the national interest, and I stand by it.”
Starmer said when Iran began attacking countries around the Gulf and the wider region, “the situation changed”. He announced the UK would deploy four additional fighter jets to Qatar.
“We will maintain this shield over British people in the region and our allies,” Starmer said.
