Days after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the Pentagon quietly dispatched several dozen commandos to Israel to help advise on hostage recovery efforts, U.S. officials said.
Those troops from the Joint Special Operations Command were quickly joined by a group of intelligence officers, some working with the commandos in Israel and others back at the C.I.A. headquarters in Langley, Va.
(October 2, 2024)
Nasrallah‘s assassination followed two weeks of precise Israeli strikes that have destroyed weapons sites, eliminated half of Hezbollah‘s leadership council and decimated its top military command.
(today)
„The only way to end the conflicts and wars in the region is to reduce the harmful influence of these countries,“ he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated that the presence of the U.S. and certain European countries is the primary cause of conflicts and wars in the region. „These countries falsely speak of peace, but if their harmful influence is diminished, the region will see the end of its conflicts. The nations here are capable of managing their own affairs and coexisting in peace.“
Khamenei concluded, „We hope, with God‘s grace and the determination of the Iranian nation, to work with other nations and reduce the influence of our enemies in this region.“
(September 29, 2024)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the assurances given by American and European leaders to establish a ceasefire in return for Iran‘s non-response to the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the Hamas, were outright lies, according to a report by the Associated Press.
(September 25, 2024)
Iran is ready to end its nuclear standoff with the West, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, while calling for an end to Russia‘s war in Ukraine through dialogue.
(September 24, 2024)
Recalling the “historic” 2015 nuclear deal, he noted that Iran, under the Joint Comprehensive Programme of Action (JCPOA), had agreed to the highest level of nuclear oversight in return for the recognition of its rights and the lifting of sanctions.
However, former US President Donald Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the JCPOA represented a “threat-ridden approach” to politics, Mr. Pezeshkian added, stressing that unilateral sanctions targeted innocent people and weakened the Iranian economy.
“We are ready to engage with JCPOA participants. If JCPOA commitments are implemented fully and in good faith, dialogue on other issues can follow,” he said.
“We have the opportunity to transcend limitations and enter a new era, commencing with the acknowledgment of Iran‘s security concerns and cooperation on mutual challenges,” he said.
Reiterating the destructive impact of sanctions, he emphasized that Iran is ready to foster meaningful economic, social, political and security partnerships with its neighbours and global partners, “based on equal footing.”
(20 May 2024)
On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Yahya SINWAR (Head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (“Hamas”) in the Gaza Strip), Mohammed Diab Ibrahim AL-MASRI, more commonly known as DEIF (Commander-in-Chief of the military wing of Hamas, known as the Al-Qassam Brigades), and Ismail HANIYEH (Head of Hamas Political Bureau) bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Israel and the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 7 October 2023:
(…)
(Oct 09, 2023)
Most of the movement‘s political leaders have lived in exile outside the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip for years, deepening the divide between them and the group‘s military wing known as the Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, who are spearheading the continuing fighting with Israel.
The political leaders have mostly been living in Qatar, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran and Egypt.
Speaking to The National, the officials said a handful of Gaza-based Hamas leaders, reportedly as few as three who once served in the Al Qassam Brigades, knew of the attack in advance. As a precaution, they were made to believe that the operation would begin 48 hours after it got under way on Saturday.
Israel‘s Prime Minister and the commander of the military arm of Hamas stand out in the rogues‘ gallery for their blood-soaked acts of inhumanity.
(December 12, 2023)
In a series of interviews with key Israeli players conducted in collaboration with Israeli investigative journalism organization Shomrim, CNN was told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued the cash flow to Hamas, despite concerns raised from within his own government.
Qatar has vowed not to stop those payments.
(Oct 18, 2023)
But they are not the only guests of Qatar.
Just a few minutes drive away from the hotels and villas housing Hamas leaders is Al-Udaid Air Base, home to the U.S. military‘s Central Command. Washington‘s relationship with Qatar is so close that last year the White House officially designated the tiny emirate a „Major Non-NATO Ally“ of the United States.
Qatar‘s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Tuesday that the country was „working to strengthen the Qatari mediation role in reaching a truce and then a permanent ceasefire.“
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns‘ visit to Qatar reported on Tuesday highlights seriousness of the ongoing negotiations. The CIA chief will meet the Mossad director in Doha.
Brett McGurk, Senior Middle East Advisor to President Biden, is reportedly set to travel to the Israeli entity and countries in the Middle East to discuss the war on Gaza and efforts to secure the release of captives held by the Resistance, Axios reported.
This trip is part of the Biden administration‘s unwavering support for the Israeli occupation. McGurk will coordinate with NATO and European allies in Brussels before visiting „Israel“, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar.
(November 7, 2023)
The terror group’s three top leaders alone are worth a staggering total of $11 billion and enjoy a life of luxury in the sanctuary of the emirate of Qatar.
The emirate has long welcomed the leaders of the terror group and installed them in its luxury hotels and villas at the same time as it hosts a vast American military presence.
Now US Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) is sponsoring a bill that would strip Qatar of its status as a key US ally, The Post has learned, unless it kicks out the Hamas leadership.
In Riyadh, Nelson co-chaired a meeting of the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center.
In Doha, Nelson met with Qatar Central Bank governor Bandar al Thani, Attorney General Issa bin Saad al Nuaimi and leaders of the National Counterterrorism Committee.
(4 May 2022)
The delegation is made up of Hamas officials based outside of Gaza.
Hamas has seen its ties with Russia improve in recent years. Last month, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh held a rare phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
During the phone call, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed “the latest developments in Palestine and the possibility of release of civilians” with the exiled Haniyeh, the foreign ministry says in a readout.