Iran President Warns of 'Massive' Response if Israel Launches 'Tiniest Invasion'

(FILES) A woman walks past a banner depicting launching missiles bearing the emblem of Iran in central Tehran on April 15, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
(FILES) A woman walks past a banner depicting launching missiles bearing the emblem of Iran in central Tehran on April 15, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
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Iran President Warns of 'Massive' Response if Israel Launches 'Tiniest Invasion'

(FILES) A woman walks past a banner depicting launching missiles bearing the emblem of Iran in central Tehran on April 15, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
(FILES) A woman walks past a banner depicting launching missiles bearing the emblem of Iran in central Tehran on April 15, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned on Wednesday that the “tiniest invasion” by Israel would bring a “massive and harsh” response, as the region braces for potential Israeli retaliation after Iran’s attack over the weekend.

Raisi spoke at an annual army parade that was relocated to a barracks north of the capital, Tehran, from its usual venue on a highway in the city’s southern outskirts. Iranian authorities gave no explanation for its relocation, and state TV did not broadcast it live, as it has in previous years.

Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend in response to an Israeli strike on Iran’s embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals.

Israel successfully intercepted nearly all the missiles and drones.

It has vowed to respond, without saying when or how, while its allies have urged all sides to avoid further escalation.

Raisi said Saturday’s attack was a limited one, and that if Iran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, “nothing would remain from the Zionist regime.” His remarks were carried by the official IRNA news agency.



Iranian UN Delegation Duo ‘Kicked Out’ of US, Says State Dept

The United Nations headquarters building in New York City, US, June 8, 2021. (AFP)
The United Nations headquarters building in New York City, US, June 8, 2021. (AFP)
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Iranian UN Delegation Duo ‘Kicked Out’ of US, Says State Dept

The United Nations headquarters building in New York City, US, June 8, 2021. (AFP)
The United Nations headquarters building in New York City, US, June 8, 2021. (AFP)

The United States has "kicked out" two members of the Iranian delegation who attended the recent UN General Assembly after they ignored an order to leave the country, the State Department said Saturday.

"Two more members of the Iranian delegation were found still in (New York) long after the United Nations General Assembly had passed. They have now been kicked out of the US," a US official told AFP, adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio "means business."

US media reported the State Department had told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation to leave the country Monday and resorted to expelling the two members after learning from the Iranian mission to the UN they remained in the country on Friday.

One member of the delegation left Friday night, while the second departed Saturday morning, according to Axios.

US and Iranian officials had met the week prior in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

US President Donald Trump had rejected a proposal from Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but told US media he expected talks to resume in the coming days.

Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that Tehran had no more direct talks scheduled with Washington.


North Korea Says It Conducted Intermediate-Range Strategic Missile Drill

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae, attends to oversee the firing of an intermediate-range missile from the eastern region of the country toward the East Sea during a drill in North Korea, October 3, 2026, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Reuters)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae, attends to oversee the firing of an intermediate-range missile from the eastern region of the country toward the East Sea during a drill in North Korea, October 3, 2026, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Reuters)
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North Korea Says It Conducted Intermediate-Range Strategic Missile Drill

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae, attends to oversee the firing of an intermediate-range missile from the eastern region of the country toward the East Sea during a drill in North Korea, October 3, 2026, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Reuters)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae, attends to oversee the firing of an intermediate-range missile from the eastern region of the country toward the East Sea during a drill in North Korea, October 3, 2026, in this picture released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. (KCNA via Reuters)

North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile in a test overseen by leader Kim Jong Un, state media KCNA reported on Sunday.

KCNA said the missile was launched on Saturday from eastern North Korea and hit a target 1,000 km (621 miles) in the sea off the country's east coast. It said the drill was intended ‌to train troops ‌operating a hypersonic strategic weapon system and to ‌assess ⁠the reliability, efficiency ⁠and mobility of the country's war deterrent.

The launch was the latest in a series of North Korean weapons tests this year and came as tensions on the Korean peninsula escalated over a landmine blast in the Demilitarized Zone last month that wounded South Korean soldiers.

The KCNA report provided additional details about the missile launch disclosed on Saturday ⁠by Kim Yo Jong, the sister of Kim ‌Jong Un and a senior ‌official in the ruling Workers' Party.

Kim Yo Jong said South Korea and Japan ‌had failed to track the weapon's flight, saying a special "wave-like ‌trajectory mode" had exposed limitations in their tracking capabilities.

South Korea's military said on Saturday it had detected a ballistic missile launch by North Korea and assessed the missile had flown more than 700 km toward the ‌sea off its eastern coast.

According to KCNA on Sunday, Kim Jong Un said Pyongyang must continue ⁠efforts to ⁠make its enemies recognize the "reliability and fatality" of its strategic offensive weapons and reaffirmed that developing its nuclear war deterrent remained essential for national security.

The test came amid heightened tensions after Kim Yo Jong issued a sharply worded statement on Friday rejecting Seoul's demand for an apology over the landmine blast in the Demilitarized Zone that seriously wounded South Korean soldiers.

South Korea has blamed North Korea for planting the mines and called for an apology. Kim Yo Jong called Seoul's accusation "groundless" and said North Korea had not deliberately laid mines targeting South Korean troops.

North Korea has carried out more than 10 missile tests this year.


Ten Injured in Australia as Car Crashes into Crowd North of Sydney

Police officers work at a crime scene at Waite Road in Paddington, Sydney, Australia February 23, 2024. AAP Image/Dean Lewins via REUTERS
Police officers work at a crime scene at Waite Road in Paddington, Sydney, Australia February 23, 2024. AAP Image/Dean Lewins via REUTERS
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Ten Injured in Australia as Car Crashes into Crowd North of Sydney

Police officers work at a crime scene at Waite Road in Paddington, Sydney, Australia February 23, 2024. AAP Image/Dean Lewins via REUTERS
Police officers work at a crime scene at Waite Road in Paddington, Sydney, Australia February 23, 2024. AAP Image/Dean Lewins via REUTERS

Ten people were injured when a man drove into a crowd in the Australian city of Newcastle on Saturday after appearing to lose control of the car, authorities said.

The 18-year-old driver was ‌arrested at ‌the scene in ‌the suburb ⁠of Wallsend about ⁠110 km (70 miles) north of the New South Wales state capital, Sydney.

When the incident occurred, fans had lined local streets to send ⁠off the Newcastle ‌Knights rugby ‌league team, due to compete in ‌the country's National Rugby ‌League grand final in Sydney on Sunday.

Two of those hospitalized, a 5-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man, ‌were in a critical condition, authorities said.

Newcastle Mayor ⁠Gavin ⁠Morris said the driver seemed to have lost control of the car. "It appears that he was revving the car in some form," Morris said in televised remarks.

Police said initial indications suggested the incident was not terrorism-related.