عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Israeli Army on High Alert in Anticipation of Iranian Drone Attack

IRGC drones in an underground base (Tasnim)
IRGC drones in an underground base (Tasnim)
    Tel Aviv - Nazir Magali
TT
TT

Israeli Army on High Alert in Anticipation of Iranian Drone Attack

IRGC drones in an underground base (Tasnim)
IRGC drones in an underground base (Tasnim)

The Israeli army increased its alert level on the Syrian and Lebanese borders in anticipation of Iranian attacks, according to security sources in Tel Aviv.

The sources said that Tehran took a clear escalatory step when it announced its responsibility for the bombing of an "Israeli" site in Erbil with 12 ballistic missiles.

The sources stressed that the recent Israeli strikes were very harsh on Iran, especially the recent attack when Israel destroyed about 600 drones on Iranian territory and the attack on Syrian territory earlier this week, which killed two senior fighters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Syria.

Israel announced its alert status in the Israeli diplomatic headquarters in Azerbaijan, Iran's northern neighbor.

US sources revealed that the Israeli airstrike on an Iranian drone factory last month took off from an Israeli site in Azerbaijan.

Israeli sources condemned the United States' disclosure that the Iranian bombing in April targeted Israeli training sites, warning that it only brings harm.

The drone war between Israel and Iran escalated in recent years.

In February 2018, the first significant event occurred when Iran launched a drone into the occupied territories in response to the airstrikes in Syria.

The drone was shot down, and the Israeli army responded by attacking targets in Syria, including the car that launched the drone.

The Iranian drone was carrying many explosives and was on a mission above military sites in the Syrian Golan Heights.

In August 2019, Israel thwarted two explosive drones sent to Israeli positions on Jabal al-Sheikh in the northern Golan. The army killed the cell members who launched the drone, who were Lebanese of the IRGC's Special Task Force.

It led to security tension and the exchange of strikes on the border with Lebanon that lasted for several months.

In recent years, Israel has been accused of launching various explosive drone operations against nuclear facilities in Iran.

During the last war on the Gaza Strip, in May 2021, Iran launched a drone that penetrated the Jordan Valley and was shot down.

Last week, the Israeli army revealed that two drones sent from Iran had been intercepted and shot down over the skies of other countries in the Middle East using F-35 stealth aircraft.

Israel is running an international campaign against Iranian activity, stressing that Tehran's stockpile of lethal drones and ballistic missiles threatens all regional and Western countries, not only Israel.

The commander of the US Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie, said before the Senate Armed Forces Services Committee that Iran has over 3000 ballistic missiles of various types, some of which can reach Tel Aviv.

"None of them can reach Europe yet, but over the last five to seven years … they have invested heavily in their ballistic missile program," McKenzie said.

"Their missiles have significantly greater range and significantly enhanced accuracy," he added, saying it is a "remarkable" advancement.

Most Viewed

 
 
World

Avalanche Kills 11 Climbers in Southern Russia

Rescuers received reports of the avalanche on Mount Mizhirgi, around 5,000 meters tall, at around on Sunday. (Getty Images)
Rescuers received reports of the avalanche on Mount Mizhirgi, around 5,000 meters tall, at around on Sunday. (Getty Images)
TT
TT

Avalanche Kills 11 Climbers in Southern Russia

Rescuers received reports of the avalanche on Mount Mizhirgi, around 5,000 meters tall, at around on Sunday. (Getty Images)
Rescuers received reports of the avalanche on Mount Mizhirgi, around 5,000 meters tall, at around on Sunday. (Getty Images)

An avalanche on one of Russia's highest mountains has killed 11 climbers and left six others missing, rescue services said Monday.

Rescuers received reports of the avalanche on Mount Mizhirgi, around 5,000 meters (16,400 ft) tall, at around 5 pm (1400 GMT) on Sunday.

Unverified video on social media showed what appeared to be a mound of snow and ice crashing down a mountainside in the area, as people in the background could be heard swearing.

"Tragically, 11 people were killed. The fate of six climbers remains unknown," the local branch of Russia's emergency ministry said in a statement.

"Search and rescue operations are being complicated by difficult terrain and the risk of avalanches," it added.

A group of 33 climbers were in the area at the time.

Ten managed to evacuate on their own, while six had to be transported out by rescue services, according to the local branch of Russia's emergency ministry.

Prosecutors have opened a case into criminal negligence.

Mount Mizhirgi, near the Georgian border, is Russia's eighth-tallest mountain.

Surrounded by pristine forest and glaciers, the area is popular with hikers.

World

EU to Give Greenland a Cash Boost amid Trump Annexation Drive

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (R), President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (C), and Greenland's government leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen (L) visit the inspection ship Thetis in Nuuk, Greenland, 06 September 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen DENMARK OUT
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (R), President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (C), and Greenland's government leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen (L) visit the inspection ship Thetis in Nuuk, Greenland, 06 September 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen DENMARK OUT
TT
TT

EU to Give Greenland a Cash Boost amid Trump Annexation Drive

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (R), President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (C), and Greenland's government leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen (L) visit the inspection ship Thetis in Nuuk, Greenland, 06 September 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen DENMARK OUT
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (R), President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen (C), and Greenland's government leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen (L) visit the inspection ship Thetis in Nuuk, Greenland, 06 September 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen DENMARK OUT

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to unveil on Monday a boost in EU investments in Greenland and closer political ties with the Danish Arctic territory, which Donald Trump has insisted should belong to the United States.

Von der Leyen arrived in Greenland on Sunday for a two-day visit serving as a show of support for the governments of Greenland and Denmark, which have strongly rebuffed Trump’s campaign to annex the world’s largest island, said Reuters.

The head of the 27-nation European Union's executive body, von der Leyen is expected to unveil plans to invest in sectors including critical minerals, satellite communications and renewable ‌energy in ‌Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of the Danish realm.

On Sunday in Nuuk, ‌the ⁠capital, von der ⁠Leyen said the package would be "substantial" but gave no details. Greenland Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen said his country wanted to build on its "close friendship and good partnership" with the EU.

Von der Leyen's visit reflects the increasing geopolitical importance of the Arctic to major powers, such as the United States, Russia, China and Europe, as melting ice opens new shipping routes to make the region’s mineral wealth more accessible.

"Greenland's stunning landscapes and natural beauty will stay with me for ⁠a long time. But so will the visible scars of climate ‌change on the ice sheet," von der Leyen ‌posted on X after a boat trip under clear blue skies in a fjord scattered with ‌chunks of ice.

"As the ice melts, a new reality is taking shape."

TRUMP'S PUSH ‌TO ACQUIRE GREENLAND SPARKED CRISIS

Trump, the US president, sparked a crisis in US-European ties and turmoil within the transatlantic NATO military alliance this year when he stepped up his demands for the US to control Greenland, arguing that fellow NATO member Denmark could not defend it.

European officials stressed Greenland ‌is part of NATO territory, meaning it is covered by the alliance’s mutual defense pact, and that the US already has ⁠the right to increase ⁠its military presence there under a longstanding treaty.

Tensions lowered after Trump and NATO boss Mark Rutte agreed in Davos in January that the United States, Denmark and Greenland would begin talks to resolve their differences and NATO would step up its role in Arctic security.

However, the trilateral talks have yet to yield an agreement and, at a NATO summit in Türkiye in July, Trump restated his insistence that the US should control Greenland.

While Denmark is a member of the EU, Greenland left the bloc in 1985. But its people, as Danish citizens, are also citizens of the EU.

The EU has long provided funding to Greenland, mainly to pay for fishing rights and support its education system. The package to be announced by von der Leyen will represent not only a big increase in funding but a broadening of the sectors that will receive EU cash, according to EU officials.

World

Jakarta Airport Extends Closure after Volcano Eruption

Mount Krakatau (Krakatoa) in the Sunda Strait, in South Lampung, Lampung province, spewing smoke and volcanic ash during an eruption. Handout / Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation/AFP
Mount Krakatau (Krakatoa) in the Sunda Strait, in South Lampung, Lampung province, spewing smoke and volcanic ash during an eruption. Handout / Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation/AFP
TT
TT

Jakarta Airport Extends Closure after Volcano Eruption

Mount Krakatau (Krakatoa) in the Sunda Strait, in South Lampung, Lampung province, spewing smoke and volcanic ash during an eruption. Handout / Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation/AFP
Mount Krakatau (Krakatoa) in the Sunda Strait, in South Lampung, Lampung province, spewing smoke and volcanic ash during an eruption. Handout / Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation/AFP

Jakarta's main airport and three others delayed reopening on Monday after halting operations due to a volcanic eruption and leaving hundreds of thousands stranded.

Mount Anak Krakatau, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) from Indonesia's capital, erupted on Saturday, spewing a fountain of lava and a plume of volcanic ash, AFP said.

Eight airports had halted operations over the weekend after ash was detected in their airspace, disrupting thousands of flights and leaving more than 270,000 passengers stranded, the transport ministry reported Monday.

"These figures are the cumulative operational impact since 5 September 2026 and cover flights that have been canceled, delayed, or diverted," the ministry said in a statement.

Italian tourist Michel Miegge was on holiday with his girlfriend and due to fly home in time for work on Tuesday, but their flight was cancelled.

"We don't have any news from the airline. We don't know if we stay another day in Jakarta or find another flight," the 32-year-old software engineer told AFP.

"I don't think it's possible now. We found a nearby hotel, but we saw that many hotels were fully booked. Fortunately, we booked a hotel last night, but it's a difficult situation."

Another tourist, French painter Carol Odile, said she came with a group of friends, excited to see Komodo dragons in Flores, when she was notified that her flight was cancelled.

"We discovered our flight was delayed yesterday morning when we arrived at the airport because we didn't know about the volcanic eruption. We are disappointed, but our group is optimistic, so we hope we can go to Flores Island very soon," the 60-year-old told AFP.

At least four airports, including Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, extended their closure from Monday morning to 6:00 pm (1100 GMT), airport operator Angkasa Pura said in a social media post.

Halim Perdanakusuma, a smaller airport that caters to both civil and military flights, will also remain closed.

Another small airport in south Sumatra resumed operations as of Monday morning 9:00 am, the transport ministry said.

-- Threat remains high --

More than 240 domestic and international flights had been cancelled or delayed due to volcanic ash on Monday morning alone, Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport said, adding that nearly 30,000 passengers were affected.

"We understand that this situation affects passengers' travel plans. Therefore, from the start of the temporary closure, we have focused on ensuring that passengers' needs continue to be met," airport spokesman, Yudhistiawan, who like many Indonesians only has one name, said in a statement.

The probability of an eruption remains high until Monday morning, the country's geology agency warned.

"The threat from an eruption comes from the ejection of incandescent rocks accompanied by heavy ashfall. Another potential hazard arises from lava flows if the eruption resumes and continues," agency head Lana Saria said.

Anak Krakatau, which means Child of Krakatau, sits in a strait that separates the islands of Java and Sumatra.

The volcano has been sporadically active since it emerged from the sea at the beginning of last century in the caldera that formed after the 1883 eruption of Mount Krakatau.

A 2018 tsunami triggered by a collapse of parts of Anak Krakatau killed 429 people and left thousands displaced.