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Trump Approves F-22 Sale to Israel

US President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Reuters)
    Tel Aviv - Nazir Magali
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Trump Approves F-22 Sale to Israel

US President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Reuters)

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived in Israel Thursday for a short visit and held a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Benny Gantz, followed by a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Esper informed the officials that President Donald Trump has approved the sale of F-22 fighter jets and precision-guided bombs, according to senior sources in Tel Aviv.

Esper arrived in Tel Aviv following his visit to India where he signed an agreement expanding military satellite information sharing and highlighted strategic cooperation between Washington and New Delhi with an eye toward countering China, The Associated Press reported.

According to security sources in Tel Aviv, the US-Indian agreement strengthens the regional alliance against the threat of radical Islam.

But, Esper's visit to Tel Aviv was primarily to inform Israeli officials of the US response to their demands, which Gantz raised during his two previous visits to Washington.

The sources believed that Esper's arrival to Tel Aviv aimed at two things: Ensuring US voters that the Trump administration guarantees the security of Israel, and containing the implications of advanced US arms deals, such as the F-35, to the UAE and other possible Arab countries.

Gantz presented a long list of demands including an increase in military support and another squadron of F-35 fighters, advanced model of F-15 jets, V-22 helicopter, and refueling aircraft.

Israel also requested the smart bomb, which weighs 14 tons, and F-22 jets, which is the only model that can carry that bomb. Notably, the US pledged to refrain from selling this bomb and jet to any country in the world.

Alex Fishman, a military analyst at Yedioth Ahronoth, said that Esper came to inform Gantz and Netanyahu that the US has approved their demands over this issue.

Zohar Palti, head of the Political-Military Bureau at Israel's Ministry of Defense, and the US Deputy Defense Secretary, James Anderson, reached an understanding regarding the threats that Israel will face, according to Fishman.

He said that there is an unwritten commitment that Israel will receive what it needs to confront any threat that could evolve over the next decade, before getting the full aid package.

Fishman, who is known for his close ties with the security establishment, made it clear that the US administration had pledged to provide Israel with new technology, including smart bombs to infiltrate underground bases “against the Iranian threat.”

He pointed out that Israel does not possess stealth aircraft capable of carrying the heavy bomb, but can benefit from new technology embedded in it.

Washington surprised Tel Aviv with its generosity in the technological field, claimed Fishman, adding that it pledged to change and extend the schedule of repaying Israeli debts, which would allow it to sign new contracts for buying a number of weapons.

The Israeli Ministry of Security wanted these measures completed before the US elections, to avoid obstacles with the new US administration, if the Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, is elected president, noted Fishman.

However, he added that the Israeli government is unable to reach agreements within its parties, and did not succeed in holding a meeting of the armament committee, ratifying these agreements and understandings for implementation.

Fishman concluded his article by saying that he hopes all these postponements are not for personal reasons aimed at thwarting achievements that can be attributed to Gantz.

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World

Iran: Divisions Deepen as Bazaar Protests Expand

A protester in the city of Abdanan, which saw the largest demonstrations on Tuesday (Telegram)
A protester in the city of Abdanan, which saw the largest demonstrations on Tuesday (Telegram)
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Iran: Divisions Deepen as Bazaar Protests Expand

A protester in the city of Abdanan, which saw the largest demonstrations on Tuesday (Telegram)
A protester in the city of Abdanan, which saw the largest demonstrations on Tuesday (Telegram)

Iranian authorities are showing clear internal divisions as protests widen across the country, with strikes spreading through Tehran’s historic Grand Bazaar and demonstrations flaring in dozens of cities.

President Masoud Pezeshkian has instructed officials to avoid a heavy-handed security response to protesters, stressing that confrontational tactics could undermine national security.

His position contrasts sharply with the escalating rhetoric of Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, who has warned against any tolerance toward what he calls “rioters” and those “assisting the enemy,” accusing the United States and Israel of seeking to destabilize Iran.

In Tehran, protests intensified in and around the Grand Bazaar as merchants continued a strike for a second consecutive day. In a notable move, Tehran Metro announced that the capital’s main subway line would remain closed “until further notice” at the 15 Khordad station near the bazaar, a decision widely interpreted as an attempt to curb the flow of people into the area.

Reports also described scattered gatherings and sporadic clashes in central and southern parts of the capital.

Beyond Tehran, the protest movement has expanded to include market strikes and intermittent nighttime demonstrations in multiple cities. On Tuesday night, protests were reported in several provinces.

In Ilam, demonstrators took to the streets in different neighborhoods chanting anti-government slogans. In Torbat-e Heydarieh, solidarity gatherings were held alongside a heavy deployment of special security units. Videos circulated from Alvand, in Qazvin province, showing crowds amid the sound of gunfire, while security forces fired tear gas at protesters in Neyriz, in Fars province.

As strikes spread through commercial centers, currency markets hit record levels. The US dollar approached 1.48 million rials on Tehran’s informal market, while exchange shops quoted selling prices around 1.47 million rials. Analysts said the surge reflected the sharp decline in the rial’s value and the erosion of purchasing power, factors widely seen as key drivers of the unrest.

Official Divide

Vice President for Executive Affairs Mohammad-Jafar Qaempanah said Pezeshkian emphasized during a cabinet meeting the need to avoid a security-first approach to protests “so as not to harm national security,” while distinguishing peaceful demonstrations from acts of violence.

“Anyone carrying a weapon or knife and attacking police or military centers is a rioter and must be separated from protesters,” he said, according to a state news agency.

Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani also quoted the president as saying that dialogue with citizens and protesters would not allow “other parties to hijack the people’s protests.”

Former reformist lawmaker Mahmoud Sadeghi criticized the judiciary chief’s threats, saying they played into the hands of hardliners, and urged security forces to respect protesters and show greater tolerance, even toward harsh slogans or angry behavior.

By contrast, Mohseni-Ejei struck a far tougher tone, labeling demonstrators as troublemakers and arguing that those taking to the streets were serving the objectives of Iran’s enemies. He said there would be no room for leniency and promised that prosecutions and punishments would be “swift,” while remaining “precise and in accordance with legal standards.”

Speaking to a group of traders and business owners, he added that “bazaar protests do not mean confronting the system.”

Casualties, Arrests, and Hospitals

Human rights organizations reported dozens of deaths and thousands of arrests in the early days of the unrest.

The Kurdish rights group Hengaw said at least 27 people were killed and more than 1,500 arrested over a 10-day period.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) put the death toll at no fewer than 36, with at least 2,076 arrests.

The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights organization said detainees exceeded 1,000, as protests spread to 28 of Iran’s 31 provinces and around 80 cities.

Tehran Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian said no deaths had been recorded in Tehran province, adding that when events turn into vandalism and clashes, “they are no longer protests.”

Authorities confirmed that at least two members of the security forces were killed and more than 10 wounded, without releasing figures for protester fatalities.

Amid allegations that security forces entered hospitals in Tehran and Ilam, Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi denied that injured protesters had been removed from medical facilities. He said no tear gas had been fired inside Sina Hospital, while noting that investigations were ongoing.

International Pressure

Iran is also facing mounting international pressure. US President Donald Trump warned he would intervene to “save protesters” if security forces opened fire, months after Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during a 12-day conflict.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei responded by vowing not to “bow to the enemy.”

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s internal affairs “have nothing to do with any foreign country,” describing Trump’s comments as “interference,” while expressing hope that tensions between the government and protesting citizens could be resolved through dialogue.

The Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Iran’s recognition of the right to peaceful protest, while condemning what it called “interventionist and misleading” US statements.

In an effort to contain public anger, the government has begun distributing monthly cash assistance of about $7 per citizen to help cover basic food costs.

A Persian-language account run by the US State Department described the payment of one million tomans per person as “humiliating,” contrasting it with Iran’s financial support for regional allies.

World

2 Killed in Shooting in Mormon Church Parking Lot in Salt Lake City

Police respond to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)
Police respond to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)
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2 Killed in Shooting in Mormon Church Parking Lot in Salt Lake City

Police respond to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)
Police respond to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)

A shooting outside a church building in Salt Lake City killed two people and injured six others Wednesday, police said.

The shooting took place in the parking lot of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.

Dozens of people were attending a funeral inside at the time. All the victims were adults, The Associated Press reported.

Police said they do not believe the shooter had any animus toward a particular faith.

“We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said.

Police also do not believe the shooting was random. Authorities said no suspect was in custody.

Brennan McIntire said he and his wife, Kenna, heard the gunshots from their apartment next to the parking lot while watching TV. He jumped off the couch and ran outside to check on things.

“As soon as I came over, I see someone on the ground,” McIntire said. “People are attending to him and crying and arguing.”

About 100 law enforcement vehicles were at the scene in the aftermath, and helicopters flew overhead.

“This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life,” Mayor Erin Mendenhall said.

The church was cooperating with law enforcement and was grateful for efforts first responders' efforts, a spokesperson said.

“We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind,” Sam Penrod said in a statement.

The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, and about half of Utah’s 3.5 million residents are members of the faith. Churches like the one where the shooting occurred can be found in towns throughout the city and state.

The faith has been on heightened alert since four people were killed when a former Marine opened fire in a Michigan church last month and set it ablaze.

The FBI found that he was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against the church.

World

China Reportedly Hacked Email Systems of US Congressional Committee Staffers

FILED - 04 March 2017, United Kingdom, London: A woman's hand presses a key of a laptop keyboard. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/dpa
FILED - 04 March 2017, United Kingdom, London: A woman's hand presses a key of a laptop keyboard. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/dpa
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China Reportedly Hacked Email Systems of US Congressional Committee Staffers

FILED - 04 March 2017, United Kingdom, London: A woman's hand presses a key of a laptop keyboard. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/dpa
FILED - 04 March 2017, United Kingdom, London: A woman's hand presses a key of a laptop keyboard. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/dpa

A Chinese hacking group has compromised emails used by staff members of powerful committees in the US House of Representatives, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The group, nicknamed Salt Typhoon, accessed email systems used by some staffers on the House China committee as well as aides on panels covering foreign affairs, intelligence and the armed services, the report said. It did not identify which specific staffers were targeted.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Chinese Embassy spokesman ⁠Liu Pengyu condemned what he called "unfounded speculation and accusations," while the Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to comment.

The White House and the offices of the four committees reportedly targeted in the surveillance sweep did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The FT cited a person familiar with the campaign as saying it was unclear whether the attackers ⁠had accessed lawmakers' emails in the intrusions, which were detected in December.

US lawmakers and their aides, especially those that oversee America's sprawling military and intelligence agencies, have long been top targets for cyberespionage and reports of hacks or attempted hacks have surfaced periodically.

In November, the Senate Sergeant at Arms notified multiple congressional offices of a "cyber incident," where hackers may have accessed communications between the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which provides key financial research data to lawmakers, and some Senate offices.

In 2023, the Washington Post reported that two senior ⁠US lawmakers were among the targets of a Vietnam-linked hacking operation.

The Salt Typhoon hackers, in particular, have long rattled the US intelligence community. The spies - alleged to be working for Chinese intelligence - stand accused of gathering data on wide swathes of Americans' telephone communications and intercepted conversations, including those between prominent US politicians and government officials.

Beijing has repeatedly denied being behind the spying.

Early last year, the US imposed sanctions on alleged hacker Yin Kecheng and cybersecurity company Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology, accusing both of being involved in Salt Typhoon.