Category: Israeli

US, UK, and Israel Blame Iran for Oil Tanker Attack; Tehran Denies

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—The United States and the United Kingdom joined Israel on Sunday in alleging Iran carried out a fatal drone strike on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, putting further pressure on Tehran as it denied being involved in the assault. Calling it a “unlawful and callous…


US Navy Says Drone Strike Hit Oil Tanker Off Oman, Killing 2

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—U.S. Navy explosive experts believe a “drone strike” targeted an oil tanker that came under attack off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, killing two on board, the American military said Saturday. The strike Thursday night on the oil tanker Mercer Street marks the first-known fatal attack after years of…


Ship Tied to Israeli Billionaire Attacked Off Oman, 2 Killed

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—An attack on an oil tanker linked to an Israeli billionaire killed two crew members off Oman in the Arabian Sea, authorities said Friday, marking the first fatalities after years of assaults targeting shipping in the region. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the Thursday night raid on the Liberian-flagged tanker Mercer…


Israeli Lunar Landing Venture Says It Secures $70 Million for 2024 Launch

JERUSALEM—An Israeli space group is on course to make its second attempt at an unmanned lunar landing in 2024 after securing $70 million in private funding for the mission. The SpaceIL organisation said on Sunday that Patrick Drahi, a Franco-Israeli billionaire and controlling shareholder of Altice Europe, would donate the funds along with SpaceIL chairman…


Israeli Cabinet Orders Inquiry on Deadly Festival Stampede

JERUSALEM—Israel’s new government approved on Sunday an official inquiry into a stampede in April in which killed 45 people at a Jewish pilgrimage site long deemed dangerously crowded by authorities. Establishing the state commission of inquiry a week after he was sworn in, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in televised remarks that while it “cannot…


Israeli PM Warns Against Nuclear Talks With Iran’s ‘Hangmen Regime’

JERUSALEM—Israel condemned on Sunday the election of hardline judge Ebrahim Raisi as Iranian president, saying his would be a “regime of brutal hangmen” with which world powers should not negotiate a new nuclear deal. Raisi, who is under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured victory as expected on Saturday in Iran’s presidential election after…


Netanyahu Foes Push for Quick Vote to End His 12-year Rule

TEL AVIV, Israel—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opponents pushed Thursday for a quick parliament vote to formally end his lengthy rule, hoping to head off any last-minute attempts to derail their newly announced coalition government. The latest political maneuvering began just hours after opposition leader Yair Lapid and his main coalition partner, Naftali Bennett, declared they…


Netanyahu Challenge to Legality of Rival’s PM Bid Is Rebuffed

JERUSALEM—A last-gasp legal challenge by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to thwart a bid by a rival to head a new government was rejected on Tuesday as his opponents raced to seal a pact that would unseat him. Naftali Bennett, Netanyahu’s former defense minister, announced on Sunday he would join a proposed alliance with opposition…


Israel Fires at South Lebanon in Response to Rocket Launches—Israeli Military

TEL AVIV—Israel fired artillery at targets in Lebanon on Wednesday after four rockets were launched towards Israel from Lebanese territory, the Israeli military said. Israel’s missile defenses intercepted one of the projectiles and “the rest most likely fell in open areas,” the military said. The rockets caused air raid sirens to blare in the northern…


Strike From Gaza Kills 2 as Israel Topples 6-story Building

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip—A strike launched from Gaza killed two Thai workers inside a packaging plant in southern Israel on Tuesday, police said, hours after Israeli airstrikes toppled a six-story building in the Palestinian territory. With the war between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers showing no sign of abating and truce efforts apparently stalled, Palestinians…