Bennett: Israel Decided to Hit Head of Iranian Octopus

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks during a news conference. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks during a news conference. (AFP)
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Bennett: Israel Decided to Hit Head of Iranian Octopus

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks during a news conference. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks during a news conference. (AFP)

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced that Israel decided to change its policies towards Iran, by hitting the head of the Iranian octopus instead of its arms in the region.

Speaking to Israeli media seven months after his government was formed, the Israeli PM said for decades, the Iranian octopus, with its head in Tehran, is wrapping Israel with its arms, including Hezbollah in the north, the Islamic Jihad and to some extent Hamas in Gaza, the Shiite militias on the border with Syria, and others in Iraq, Yemen and Libya.

"We have a cold war by one side only – they hit us, and we don't hit them back. We're changing that equation. We're working every angle to weaken Iran,” Bennett stressed.

When asked whether his government will announce a war against Iran, he said, “We have to be ready for everything.”

Bennett announced that his cabinet has allocated an important budget to strength the Israeli army, and get the best weapons for the soldiers.

The PM said Iran is in a difficult situation and very weak, warning the US and western leaders that Iranians are negotiating a deal in Vienna to receive money and strengthen their regime.

He stressed that the problem of Israel with Iran is not limited to the nuclear talks, but includes the wars that Tehran launches in the region.

The PM said this is why Israel has warned the Americans and the rest of the world about the dangers of reaching a deal with Tehran.

“Even if a new deal is signed, Israel won't be obligated to it. We aren't part of it, and Israel will retain full freedom of action in any situation. I'm implementing that daily and not only in words, but also in actions,” he said.

Bennett also announced that Israel will keep taking action and won't give up.

“It's no coincidence we stepped up the number of airstrikes in Syria, as well as the kind of strikes and quality of the targets. This is making things difficult for Iran,” he added.



US State Department Nixes Climate Office, Revamps Energy Bureau

A 3D-printed miniature model of US President Donald Trump with the US Department of State logo in the background is seen in this illustration taken April 23, 2025. (Reuters)
A 3D-printed miniature model of US President Donald Trump with the US Department of State logo in the background is seen in this illustration taken April 23, 2025. (Reuters)
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US State Department Nixes Climate Office, Revamps Energy Bureau

A 3D-printed miniature model of US President Donald Trump with the US Department of State logo in the background is seen in this illustration taken April 23, 2025. (Reuters)
A 3D-printed miniature model of US President Donald Trump with the US Department of State logo in the background is seen in this illustration taken April 23, 2025. (Reuters)

The Trump administration has terminated federal employees in charge of US global climate policy and climate aid as part of its reorganization of the country's diplomatic focus, the State Department said on Friday.

The career employees in the Office of Global Change, which came under the State Department's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, played a lead role in US negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Officials from the office also represented the United States at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and their respective shipping and commercial aviation sectors.

The dismissals come after President Donald Trump said he would withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement, as well as from IMO negotiations over decarbonization measures to enable the global shipping industry to reach net-zero emissions by "around 2050".

The United States belongs to the ICAO and had agreed to participate in the UN agency's Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and a goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Trump administration, though, has recently objected to ICAO's move to boost sustainable aviation fuel.

It is not clear how or if the United States will continue to participate in these international agreements, or whether some office functions will be folded into other bureaus. The Trump administration has been aggressively rolling back existing US climate policy and dismantled the US Agency for International Development.

A State Department spokesperson said the office had supported efforts to "hobble" the US through participation in climate agreements and is "unnecessary."

There are also changes afoot at the State's Bureau of Energy Resources.

When it opened during the administration of former President Barack Obama, the bureau helped gather support from allies and partners for sanctions on Iran's oil exports. In more recent years the bureau, which has about 80 staffers, has focused on developing critical minerals and oil and gas alternatives and weaning countries off Russian fossil fuels.

Internal documents reviewed by Reuters said the Bureau of Energy Resources would be absorbed into the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs "to ensure a laser-like focus on expanding and exporting American energy."

A department spokesperson said the office grew beyond its original purpose and promoted policies "completely inconsistent with the President’s vision of American energy dominance."

The spokesperson said the bureau's functions it deems useful, such as work on securing access to critical minerals, will be preserved elsewhere in the department.