IRAN SHOOTS 100 DRONES AT ISRAEL.NO ROCKETS.ISRAEL IS TAKIN CARE OF BUSSINESS.I SAY WEST HAND OUT CANDY TO ONE AND OTHER LIKE MUSLIMS DO WHEN THEY KILL INNOCENT JEWS AND CHRISTIANS.

JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)

IRAN SHOOTS 100 DRONES AT ISRAEL.NO ROCKETS.ISRAEL IS TAKIN CARE OF BUSSINESS.I SAY WEST HAND OUT CANDY TO ONE AND OTHER LIKE MUSLIMS DO WHEN THEY KILL INNOCENT JEWS AND CHRISTIANS.

DR DOCTORION-ANGEL OF THE MIDEAST
"The angel showed me that the United Nations shall be broken in pieces because of the crisis in the Middle East. There shall be no more United Nations. The angel with the sickle shall reap the harvest.

FIRST ANGEL: ASIA
But the angel said: "Millions will die in China and in India. Nation will be against nation, brother against brother. Asians will fight each other. Nuclear weapons shall be used, killing millions."Twice I heard the words, "Catastrophic! Catastrophic!"Then the angel said, "Financial crisis will come to Asia. I will shake the world."I was trembling while the angel was speaking.
SECOND ANGEL: MIDDLE EAST
Then I saw that the second angel had a sickle in his hand, such as is used in harvesting.The second angel said: "Harvest time has come in Israel and the countries all the way to Iran."I saw those countries in a few split seconds."All of Turkey and those [inaudible] countries that have refused me and refused my message of love shall hate each other and kill one another."I saw the angel raise the sickle and come down on all the Middle East countries. I saw Iran, Persia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, all of Georgia - Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, all of Asia Minor - full of blood. I saw blood all over these countries. And I saw fire; Nuclear weapons used in many of those countries. Smoke rising from everywhere. Sudden destruction – men destroying one another. I heard these words:"Israel, Oh Israel, the great judgment has come."

Jeremiah 6:14
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 

Isaiah 57:21
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Ephesians 2:2
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,(LIBERAL GODLESS AIR WAVES) the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

EZEK 39:11-16
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog (300 MILLION RUSSIA,GERMANY, IRAN, TURKEY, ARAB MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: (IN THE JORDAN VALLEY) and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.
13 Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord God.
14 And they shall sever out men of continual employment, (NUCLEAR SPECIALISTS) passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.
15 And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog.
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.

MEANING OF HAMONAH
Hamonah, ham-o'-nah (Heb.)-- host; multitude; noise; tumult; commotion of mind. The prophetic name of a city that is mentioned in conjunction with Hamon-gog: "And Hamonah shall also be the name of a city.
Metaphysical meaning of Hamonah (mbd) - Truth Unity

Strong's Lexicon-Hamonah: Hamonah-Original Word: הֲמוֹנָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location-Transliteration: Hamownah
Pronunciation: hah-mo-NAH-Phonetic Spelling: (ham-o-naw')
Definition: Hamonah-Meaning: Hamonah

Word Origin: Derived from the Hebrew root הָמוֹן (H1995), meaning "multitude" or "abundance."Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Greek equivalent for "Hamonah" in the Strong's Greek Dictionary, as it is a specific Hebrew proper noun. However, the concept of a multitude or abundance can be related to Greek words like πλῆθος (G4128), meaning "multitude."Usage: The term "Hamonah" is used as a proper noun referring to a specific location mentioned in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. It is associated with the aftermath of a significant battle, symbolizing the multitude of the slain.Cultural and Historical Background: In the context of the Hebrew Bible, names often carry significant meaning and are used to convey theological and prophetic messages. "Hamonah" is mentioned in the book of Ezekiel, a prophetic text that addresses the restoration of Israel and the judgment of the nations. The name reflects the abundance of God's judgment upon the enemies of Israel, serving as a reminder of divine justice and sovereignty.

DAMASCUS DESTROYED

ISAIAH 17:1,3,13-14
17 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
3 The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the Lord of hosts.
13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.
14 And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.

JEREMIAH 49:23-27
23 Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.
24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the Lord of hosts.
27 And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(PALACES OF DAMASCUS)

THE CITIZENS OF IRAN (ELAM IN THE BIBLE) MIGRATE TO ALL NATIONS ON EARTH.
JEREMIA 49:34-39
34 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam (IRAN) in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
35 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,(IRAN) the chief of their might.(IRAN SUPLIES ARABS WITH WEAPONS AGAINST ISRAEL)
36 And upon Elam (IRAN)  will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam (IRAN) shall not come.(WORLD MIGRATION)
37 For I will cause Elam (IRAN) to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger,(REG BOMBS) saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:(GROUND TROOPS)
38 And I will set my throne in Elam,(IRAN) and will destroy from thence the king (KHEMEINI )and the princes,(IRANIAN GUARDS) saith the LORD.
39 But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam,(IRAN) saith the LORD.

ISRAEL WILL BE IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM, THE SIGN OF THE START OF THE LAST GENERATION.

NEHEMIAH 2:17
17  Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we (ISRAELIS) are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste,(AD 70) and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem,(DAN 9:24-27) that we be no more a reproach.

LUKE 21:24
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.(ISRAEL RECAPTURES JERUSALEM)(THE BEGGINING OF THE LAST GENERATION AND THE LAST END OF THE AGE OF GRACE.NOT THE END OF THE WORLD ,THE WORLD GOES ON FOREVER)

MATTHEW 1:17
17  So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations;(14)and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations;(14)and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.(14)(42 GENERATIONS DIVIDED BY 2160 YEARS = 51.4 YRS TO A GENERATION)

LUKE 3:38,23
38  Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
23  And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,(SO HERE IN LUKE 3 WE HAVE 77 GENERATIONS FROM ADAM TO CHRIST-77 DIVIDED BY 4,000 YEARS = 51.9 YRS TO A GENERATIN)(SO A TRUE BIBLE GENERATION IS FROM 40 TO 51 YEARS)

MATTHEW 24:33-36
33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things,(ALL THE SIGNS OF PROPHECY HAPPENING IN THEIR BEGGINING STAGES AFTER ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM)(THEN) know that it is near, even at the doors.(THE RAPTURE)
34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass,(1967-ISRAELS RECAPTURE OF JERUSALEM=40-51 YRS(A GENERATION)=2007-2018+) till all these things be fulfilled.(ALL THE LITERAL PROPHECIES OF THE BIBLE WILL BE FULFILLED(AT LEAST 500 WILL BE FULFILLED)
35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

ISRAEL SATAN COMES AGAINST

1 CHRONICLES 21:1
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

GENESIS 12:1-3
1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I (GOD) will shew thee:
2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3  And I will bless them that bless thee,(ISRAELIS) and curse (DESTROY) him that curseth thee:(DESTROY THEM) and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

ISAIAH 41:11
11  Behold, all they that were incensed against thee (ISRAEL) shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing;(DESTROYED) and they that strive with thee shall perish.(ISRAEL HATERS WILL BE TOTALLY DESTROYED)

SHIITE DEATH CULT PEDOPHILE IRAN LEADER KHEMEINI THE KING IS STILL GOT HIS BIG MOUTH BLABBIN. BUT ISRAEL WILL SHUT HIM UP FOR GOOD AT SOME POINT. AND ISRAEL KILLED OFF PRINCES OF IRAN THE IRANIAN GUARDS ALREADY. I THINK AT LEAST 4 IRANIAN GUARDS HAVE BEEN KILLED OFF IN DAY 1 ISRAEL VS BIG MOUTHH KHEMINI THE SHIITE WELL BOY WORSHIPPER. IRANS LITTLE INVISBLE NUTCASE SO CALLED GOD MAHDI NEVER CAME OUTTA THE WELL TO SAVE IRAN. SO MAHDI TELLS NUT JOB KHEMINI. I CAN NOT COME OUTTA THE WELL YET. I GOTTA KEEP PICKIN MY NOSE AND SCRATCHIN MY BACK AGAINST THE COOL WELL MUD. I COULD USE A CUP OF PIGS BLOOD TO DRINK DOWN HERE SAYS MAHDI. I SEE IRAN IS GETTING THE HELL BOMBED OUTTA THEM.BY ISRAEL THE RISING LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.

MARK LEVIN IS SPEAKING TRUTH.HES BEEN TALKING OUT ABOUT THE DEATH CULT SHIITE IRAN DEATH CULT COCKROACHES.WELL THESE COCK ROACHES HAVE BEEN RAIDED BY ISRAELS BUG SPRAY. BOMBS. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK IDF AND BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AND MARK LEVIN. THIS DEATH CULT IRANS DAYS ARE NUMBERED. AND I AM RIGHT WITH MARK AND ISRAEL ON THIS ATTACK  AND OF COURSE THE REPROBATE LIBERALS/DEMONUTS ARE MAD BECCAUSE ISRAEL IS SAVING THE WORLD FROM THE DEMOCRAPS BUDDIES IRAN. AND THE ILLEGAL ALIEN DEATH CULT IS STILL RIOTING LIKE A BUNCH OF LUNATIC BURN IN HELL FIRE FOREVER REBELLERS AND REVELLERS.TRUMPS SAYS IRAN DIDN'T WANT A DEAL. ISRAEL GOTTUM REAL GOOS. AND MORE TO COME.ITS SIMPLE TRUMP SAYS IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUKE.

AND ONLY 1 PERSON FROM 11-A OF THE AIR INDIA CRASH YESTERDAY SURVIVED THE CRASH. AS THE OTHER 241 DIED. AFTER A MINUTE AFTER TAKE OFF THE AIR INDIA WENT HEAD DOWN TO THE GROUND.

IDF says it partly destroyed Natanz nuclear facility, Iran says no jump in radiation-Israeli defense officials believe damage to major facility is significant, while other enrichment facility at Fordo, nuclear sites in Isfahan, Busheir reportedly not targeted By Emanuel Fabian-and Agencies Today, 2:10 pm-JUN 13,25

Iran’s Natanz facility for uranium enrichment was hit by Israeli airstrikes targeting the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program early Friday, with Israeli defense officials assessing the damage was significant.According to the military, the Israeli Air Force strikes destroyed the underground section of the site, which housed “a multi-level enrichment hall housing centrifuges, electrical rooms, and other supporting infrastructure.”The strikes also destroyed “critical infrastructure enabling the site’s continued operation and advancement of the Iranian regime’s nuclear weapons project.”Natanz is Iran’s largest uranium enrichment site, which the IDF says has been “working toward the development of nuclear weapons” for years, and “contains the infrastructure required for enrichment to a military-grade level.”Footage circulating online earlier showed heavy strikes at the site, which, in addition to its underground site, also includes an above-ground pilot enrichment plant.Iran’s atomic energy authorities said the attack “damaged several parts of the facility,” but that no increase in radiation levels or chemical contamination had been observed at Natanz.In a statement citing local authorities, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran’s only nuclear power plant in the southern port city of Bushehr had not been targeted.IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, in a statement to a meeting of the watchdog’s board of governors, said the other main enrichment center in Iran, Fordo, was not hit, and neither was another nuclear facility in Isfahan, citing Iranian authorities.Grossi said he was ready to travel to Iran to assess the situation there.“I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation. I reiterate that any military action that jeopardizes the safety and security of nuclear facilities risks grave consequences for the people of Iran, the region, and beyond,” Grossi said in his statement.“I have indicated to the respective authorities my readiness to travel at the earliest to assess the situation and ensure safety, security and non-proliferation in Iran.”Iran is enriching to up to 60 percent purity, close to the roughly 90% of weapons grade, at the pilot plant, but it is producing smaller quantities of that material there than at Fordo, a site dug into a mountain that military experts have said would be difficult for Israel to destroy through bombardment.“Despite the current military actions and heightened tensions, it is clear that the only sustainable path forward — for Iran, for Israel, the entire region, and the international community — is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace, stability, and cooperation,” Grossi said.Jerusalem said Friday it had engaged in a “precise, preemptive strike” against Iran overnight, declaring an imminent threat from its nuclear program and announcing a domestic state of emergency as citizens braced for retaliation. Top officials warned of a potential prolonged conflict, noting that Tehran had the power to inflict significant pain upon Israel.
Israel says killed most of Iran Guards' air force leadership.

Jerusalem, June 13 (AFP) Jun 13, 2025-The Israeli military said its air strikes on Iran on Friday had killed most of the senior leadership of the Revolutionary Guards' air force as they gathered at an underground command centre.Shortly after the Israeli defence ministry announced that "most of the Revolutionary Guard air force leadership was neutralised," the military clarified that several senior commanders had been "eliminated".It said that air force commander Amirali Hajizadeh, the drone force commander, and the aerial command chief were all killed by an Israeli air strike."The senior chain of command of the air force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) had assembled in an underground command centre to prepare for an attack on the State of Israel," the military said."As part of the combined opening strike, Israeli air force fighter jets struck the command centre where the commander of the IRGC's air force, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, was located along with other senior officials."It said that Hajizadeh had played a central role in Iran's "plan for Israel's destruction", which Israel has said its attack was intended to foil."In addition, the senior officials who were eliminated led the attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities in September 2019," the statement added.The Revolutionary Guards control Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles and are involved in defending the country's airspace.

Israelis wake to new uncertainty after overnight attack on Iran’s nuclear program-As military strikes targets a thousand miles away, citizens on the homefront are roused by emergency alerts and return to sleep in shelters ahead of Iran’s expected response By Agencies and Stuart Winer-Today, 3:14 pm-JUN 13,25

The streets of Tel Aviv were calm on Friday morning, even as the country’s leaders warned the public to brace for Iranian retaliation after Israel launched a wide-scale attack on Iran.The military closed schools nationwide and banned public gatherings, canceling the annual Tel Aviv Pride parade, which normally attracts tens of thousands of revelers to the city.“We’ve already been in this scenario twice,” said 31-year-old Uri, sitting on a bench outside a supermarket, questioning whether to open his restaurant or have to throw out the day’s food.“I don’t really care, honestly. I’ll just go to a shelter and I’ll be okay,” he said, when asked whether he had any concerns about his own safety.Iran fired hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel in two attacks last year amid the ongoing war in the region sparked by the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, attack. The barrages rattled the Israeli public but caused only modest damage.Vered Saar, another local, was more shaken, saying what frightened her most was the potential for “uncertainty and chaos.”The 54-year-old pastry chef said she immediately rang her children when her phone began beeping with an extreme emergency alert overnight.Sirens blared across the country around 3 a.m., amid anticipation of an Iranian response, and shortly afterward Israelis were told to stay near shelters until further notice.“It was very scary… I couldn’t go back to sleep,” Saar told AFP as shops remained shut and streets deserted. “I’m more worried about the uncertainty — the possibility of many injured people, of chaos,” she added.“I’m worried for my children, and also about my livelihood, because this affects the market. You can’t work, you can’t do anything.”In its largest military action against Iran to date, Israel’s wave of strikes hit about 100 targets, including nuclear facilities and military command centers, and killed senior figures, among them the armed forces chief and top nuclear scientists.Later, the military confirmed that Iran had launched approximately 100 drones in retaliation. But by the afternoon, the Home Front Command lifted the shelter advisory, stating that citizens no longer needed to remain near protected areas. The military said that the threat from the Iranian drones was “under control.”Across Israel, supermarkets and some cafes remained open, although some businesses chose to keep their doors shuttered. Shoppers stocked up on food and bottled water, prompting long queues at checkouts.“My fridge is empty,” said 41-year-old Noha as she made her way to a supermarket. The mother of two said she was due to celebrate their wedding anniversary with her husband at a hotel.Noha said she was worried about the severity of any potential retaliatory strike, adding that people were asking whether the bomb shelters in their apartment buildings would be strong enough to withstand it, or if it might be safer to seek refuge underground.Many Israelis expressed exhaustion and a deep sense of unease. University lecturer Or Hasson said he felt helpless.“The feeling is that we don’t really have anyone to rely on,” said Hasson, 45.“The feeling is that we have a government that is playing with our lives and with the lives of others. We’re worried, of course, tired, and a bit helpless. That’s how I feel, at least,” he said.“The only thing that’s certain is uncertainty. And we adjust how we live from moment to moment according to the changes, and that’s something that is both exhausting and demoralizing,” he said.Jerusalemite Reuven Peleg said he, his wife and young daughter spent the night in their building’s bomb shelter, a communal room located in the basement of the building.Even after the Home Front Command dropped the instructions to stay near shelters, he told The Times of Israel that he doesn’t “feel over it.”The situation had moved to an “in the meantime,” he said, though he admitted feeling more concerned about matters before the all clear came, worrying about how long the family might be required to spend in the shelter should an Iranian attack come.As a precaution, he canceled plans to spend the weekend with his parents out of town and said he was still unclear whether he was supposed to show up for his job at a high-tech company on Sunday.At the same time, some Israelis hailed the strikes.“In principle, I think that’s a good idea,” said Alex, who gave only his first name. “Iran is not being a very good world citizen, so to say, and the nuclear program is obviously a problem,” he said.“In general, yeah, I think it had to be done at some point.”Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.

FM speaks with counterparts around the world following Israeli strikes on Iran-German and French leaders back Israel’s right to defend itself, call for de-escalation; Czech foreign minister says Israeli attack is a ‘reasonable’ response to Iranian actions-By Lazar Berman,Agencies and ToI Staff Today, 3:01 pm-JUN 13,25

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar spoke on Friday with a range of foreign diplomats about the Israeli strikes on nuclear and military targets in Iran that occurred in the early hours of the morning, as a number of foreign leaders expressed support for Israel’s actions, including from France and Germany.“We made this decision at the last possible minute, after all other avenues had been exhausted,” Sa’ar told Germany’s Johann Wadephul, according to the FM’s office. “The whole world saw and understood that the Iranians were not ready to stop, and we had to stop them. The latest IAEA report illustrated the serious Iranian violations. We know that challenging days lie ahead, but we have no other choice.”Sa’ar also spoke with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, briefing him on the IDF operation. The pair also discussed the ongoing Gaza war, with Sa’ar telling him that “Israel is also interested in reaching a hostage deal, something Hamas has so far rejected.”In a conversation with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, Sa’ar said the strikes were targeting both Iran’s nuclear program and its long-range missile project, saying Tehran is close to “becoming the number one missile manufacturer in the world,” and that this increases the threat of Iran’s “plan of elimination against Israel.”He added that the Islamic Republic’s missile capabilities “also endanger Europe,” as he said he understood from conversations with European leaders.Kallas herself wrote in a statement on X: “The situation in the Middle East is dangerous. I urge all parties to exercise restraint and prevent further escalation. Diplomacy remains the best path forward, and I stand ready to support any diplomatic efforts toward de-escalation.”Sa’ar also spoke with his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, emphasizing that Israel’s military actions will continue with the goal of “removing the existential threats to Israel.”Sa’ar also thanked Barrot for his statement earlier Friday before their call, in which he said that France has “repeatedly expressed our deep concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program” and that it reaffirms “Israel’s right to defend itself against any attack.”Barrot noted in his statement that Paris is closely monitoring the situation with its partners and that it calls “on all parties to act with restraint and to avoid any escalation that could undermine regional stability.”He added that “the security of our citizens and the protection of our interests in the region are at the top of our priorities,“ concluding that “it is essential to activate all diplomatic channels to help de-escalate tensions. France is fully committed to contributing to this effort.”Barrot said he also held talks with the Saudi foreign minister over Israel’s attack on Iran, and French President Emmanuel Macron convened his security council on Friday morning to discuss the security situation in the Middle East.Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a statement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed him about Israel’s attack on Iran in a phone call on Friday morning.Merz said that Israel has a right to defend itself, but he also called on both sides to refrain from escalation. He added that Germany was coordinating closely with partners, particularly the United States, Britain and France.There was no criticism of Israel in his statement.Instead, Merz stressed Germany’s longstanding concern over Iran’s advanced nuclear weapons program, particularly following the IAEA resolution and Iran’s subsequent threats to further accelerate uranium enrichment. “This nuclear program violates the provisions of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and poses a serious threat to the entire region, especially to the State of Israel.”Merz added that Germany will increase security around Jewish and Israeli sites in the country.According to the German outlet Spiegel, Netanyahu informed Merz of the attack shortly before it ensued, but the Chancellery did not respond to a request for comment by Reuters.French President Emmanuel Macron, who has been harshly critical of Israel’s war in Gaza, said Israel had the right to protect itself and called for “maximum restraint” from all parties following Israel’s wave of strikes on Iran.“France reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself and ensure its security,” Macron said in English on X. “To avoid jeopardizing the stability of the entire region, I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to de-escalate.”Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, also called on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to avoid further escalation.In Russia, the Kremlin condemned and expressed concern over the “sharp escalation” between Israel and Iran, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state media.The Russian embassy in Tel Aviv pressed Russians in Israel to leave the country if they could and said it “strongly recommends” against traveling there until the “situation normalizes.”Moscow’s mission in Tehran issued a similar warning, saying it was advising citizens to “refrain from visiting Iran,” avoid going near military facilities, and not to take photos or videos anywhere in the country.Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky struck a tone more supportive of Israel’s actions, saying the attack on Iran was a reasonable response given Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and support for groups seeking to destroy Israel.The Czech Republic, an EU and NATO member of 10.9 million people, is a staunch supporter of Israel despite mounting criticism from Western allies over its actions in Gaza amid the war sparked by the Tehran-backed Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught.Iran “is supporting so many players, including the Hezbollah and Hamas movements, with the intention to destroy the State of Israel, and also seeking a nuclear bomb,” Lipavsky told reporters in Prague, adding that he viewed the action as “reasonable.”“I have a great deal of understanding for, let’s say, military action aimed at preventing the production of a nuclear bomb in the region,” he continued. “Iran has long failed to fulfill its obligations to the international community, is building up its nuclear program and, at the same time, uses rhetoric aimed at destroying the State of Israel.”Israel’s attack on Iran early Friday morning targeted nuclear sites, military facilities, missile bases and Iranian senior leadership.Multiple waves of Israeli strikes were reported throughout Iran for several hours, starting at around 3 a.m. and into the morning. Over 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft were involved in the opening strikes, and fighter jets dropped over 330 munitions on some 100 targets, the IDF said.

Chief rabbis call on public to adhere to IDF guidelines, stay home from synagogues-Shas party’s ruling Council of Torah Sages calls on Israelis to pray and for yeshiva students to increase their Torah study, without specifying if people should adhere to rules-By Rossella Tercatin-and Sam Sokol-Today, 1:50 pm

The chief rabbis of Israel, Kalman Ber and David Yosef, urged the Israeli public on Friday to adhere to the IDF Home Front Command instructions and avoid indoor or outdoor gatherings, in a statement that practically implied a request not to pray in synagogues on Shabbat.“The public is obligated to observe and comply with the Home Front Command’s instructions in every location,” the statement read, adding in bold: “Gatherings should not be held in open areas or in buildings.”In the first hours of the morning, as Israel carried out strikes in Iran, the Home Front Command prohibited all educational activities, gatherings and workplaces, with the exception of essential sectors until at least Saturday at 8 p.m.The chief rabbis also invited the public to increase their prayers and to recite Psalms 20, 121 and 130.Meanwhile, the ultra-Orthodox Shas party’s ruling Council of Torah Sages, which is closely linked to Yosef, also called on the public to pray for God to have mercy on the Jewish people and grant success to the security forces so that they “may succeed in their mission and return home to a good life and peace.”In a statement released via a party spokesman, the rabbinic body also called for repentance and instructed yeshiva students to increase their Torah study to ensure victory.“Every person should strengthen his heart and the hearts of his household with confidence in the Creator of the World, who is the one who fights the wars of Israel, and the Lord will not abandon his people and his inheritance,” the council said, without noting whether synagogue attendance should be avoided.Leading members of the council, including former Sephardic chief rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, have repeatedly argued that Torah study provides Israel with divine protection while also insisting that no members of the Haredi community, even those not learning in a full-time yeshiva, should be conscripted.In March, Yitzhak Yosef claimed that Hamas and Hezbollah missiles fired at Israel since October 7 would have killed and wounded many more people if there had not been large numbers of ultra-Orthodox men engaged in full-time Talmud study.“What would have happened if there had been no yeshiva students? What would have happened if there had been no Torah? How many would have been killed and injured,” he asked. “God protects us in the merit of those who learn Torah.”Israel attacked Iran early Friday morning, targeting nuclear sites, military facilities, missile bases and Iranian senior leadership.Multiple waves of Israeli strikes were reported throughout Iran for several hours, starting at around 3 a.m. and into the morning. Over 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft were involved in the opening strikes, and fighter jets dropped over 330 munitions on some 100 targets, the IDF said.In its initial response, Iran fired 100 drones toward Israel, but the Israel Defense Forces said it had the situation “under control,” with Israeli Air Force fighter jets shooting down the drones outside Israel’s borders, with none reaching the country.

Iran says Israel attack 'declaration of war'

Tehran, June 13 (AFP) Jun 13, 2025-Iran called Israel's wave of strikes on Friday a declaration of war, while US President Donald Trump warned Tehran of "even more brutal" attacks if it does not make a deal on its nuclear programme.Israel said its air strikes had killed most of the senior leadership of the Revolutionary Guards' air force, while hitting about 100 targets including nuclear facilities.Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel it faced a "bitter and painful" fate over the attacks, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the attack as a "declaration of war".The Israeli military said Iran launched around 100 drones, with air defences intercepting them outside Israeli territory, while neighbouring Jordan said it intercepted drones and missiles that violated its airspace.Trump urged Iran on Friday to "make a deal", warning that there will be more "death and destruction" after Israel launched deadly strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.The United States underlined that it was not involved in the Israeli action and warned Iran not to attack its personnel or interests, but Tehran said Washington would be "responsible for consequences".Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel struck at the "heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme", taking aim at nuclear scientists and the main uranium enrichment facility in Natanz.The strikes would "continue as many days as it takes", the Israeli premier said, while the military said intelligence showed Iran was approaching the "point of no return" on its nuclear programme.The strikes killed Iran's highest-ranking military officer, armed forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri, and the head of the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, Iranian media reported.Khamenei swiftly appointed new commanders to replace those killed, while state media said a senior adviser to the supreme leader had himself been wounded."The senior chain of command of the air force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps had assembled in an underground command centre to prepare for an attack on the State of Israel," the Israeli military said, adding that its attacks had killed most of them.Iran confirmed the Guards aerospace commander had been killed, along with "a group of brave and dedicated fighters".Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the "precise targeting of senior commanders... sends a strong and clear message: those who work toward Israel's destruction will be eliminated".AFP images showed a gaping hole in the side of a Tehran residential building that appeared to have sustained a targeted and localised strike.State media said civilians, including women and children, were killed, while an emergency services official said 95 people had been wounded.Tasnim news agency said six nuclear scientists were among the dead.- 'Scathing response' -Tehran's streets were deserted except for queues at petrol stations, a familiar sight in times of crisis."How much longer are we going to live in fear?" asked Ahmad Moadi, a 62-year-old retiree."As an Iranian, I believe there must be an overwhelming response, a scathing response."Air traffic was halted at Tehran's main gateway, Imam Khomeini International Airport, while Iraq, Jordan and Syria closed their airspace.Israel declared a state of emergency, and hours later, the Jordanian military said its aircraft and air defence systems intercepted "a number of missiles and drones that entered Jordanian airspace".There are "no limits in responding to this crime", Iran's armed forces said, accusing Israel of crossing "all red lines".Oil prices surged while stocks sank on the Israeli strikes, which came after Trump's warning of a "massive conflict" in the region.Trump had also said the United States was drawing down staff in the Middle East, after Iran had threatened to target US military bases in the region if conflict broke out.Prior to the strikes, Trump said he believed a deal on Iran's nuclear programme was "fairly close", cautioning however that an Israeli attack on its arch foe could wreck the chances of an agreement.The US leader did not disclose the details of a conversation with Netanyahu on Monday, but said: "I don't want them going in, because I think it would blow it."Trump quickly added: "Might help it actually, but it also could blow it."- 'Within reach' -US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran not to respond to Israeli strikes by hitting US bases, saying Washington was not involved.With the violence raising questions on whether a sixth round of talks planned between the US and Iran would still take place on Sunday in Oman, Trump said Washington is still "hoping to get back to the negotiating table".Confirming Natanz had been among Israel's targets, the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said it was "closely monitoring" the situation as the Israeli military said it hit the underground uranium enrichment centrifuges at the site."Most of the damage is on the surface level," said the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation's spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi, adding that there had been "no casualties" at the facility.- 'Extremist' -Israel sees Iran as an existential threat, and Netanyahu has vowed less restraint since the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack by Tehran-backed Hamas, which triggered the war in Gaza.Since the Hamas attack, Iran and Israel have traded direct attacks for the first time.The United States and other Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, an ambition it has consistently denied.Israel again called for global action after the IAEA accused Iran on Thursday of non-compliance with its obligations.Iran's nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, slammed the resolution as "extremist", while Tehran said it would launch a new enrichment facility in a secure location.Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set by a largely moribund 2015 agreement with major powers, but still short of the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead.

China says 'deeply concerned' over Israel's strikes on Iran.

Beijing, June 13 (AFP) Jun 13, 2025-China said Friday it was "deeply concerned" over Israeli strikes on Iran -- including nuclear and military sites -- condemning "violations" of the country's sovereignty and offering to help ease tensions."The Chinese side... is deeply worried about the severe consequences that such actions might bring," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said."The Chinese side calls on relevant parties to take actions that promote regional peace and stability and to avoid further escalation of tensions," Lin said.Israel pounded Iran in a series of air raids on Friday, striking 100 targets and killing the armed forces' chief of staff, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards and top nuclear scientists.Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel it faced a "bitter and painful" fate over the attacks.The Israeli military said later that Iran launched 100 drones towards Israel in response and that its air defences were intercepting them outside Israeli territory.China enjoys close ties with Iran, being its largest commercial partner and the main buyer of its oil with Tehran still under crushing US sanctions.On Friday, Lin said Beijing "opposes violations of Iran's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.""We oppose escalating tensions and expanding conflicts," he said, adding: "The sudden escalation of the regional situation does not serve the interests of any party.""The Chinese side is willing to play a constructive role in easing the situation," Lin added.

Avoid escalation': World reacts to Israel strike on Iran.

Paris, June 13 (AFP) Jun 13, 2025-World leaders urged restraint on Friday after Israel pounded Iran, striking 100 targets including nuclear and military sites, and killing senior figures.Here is a roundup of key reactions:- 'Cannot have nuclear bomb': United States -US President Donald Trump, told Fox News he was aware Israel was going to conduct strikes on Iran before they happened and said: "Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see."Fox News also reported that "Trump noted the US is ready to defend itself and Israel if Iran retaliates."- 'Maximum restraint': UN -UN chief Antonio Guterres asked "both sides to show maximum restraint, avoiding at all costs a descent into deeper conflict, a situation that the region can hardly afford," according to a spokesperson.Guterres was "particularly concerned" by Israel's strikes on nuclear installations amid the ongoing US-Iran negotiations.- 'Unacceptable' and 'unprovoked': Russia -"Russia is concerned and condemns the sharp escalation of tensions," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state news agencies, calling the strikes "unacceptable" and "unprovoked", while the Russian embassy in Tel Aviv urged Russians in Israel to leave the country.- 'Deeply worried': China -"The Chinese side... is deeply worried about the severe consequences that such actions might bring," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, calling "on relevant parties to take actions that promote regional peace and stability and to avoid further escalation of tensions".- 'Diplomacy best path forward': EU -"The situation in the Middle East is dangerous. I urge all parties to exercise restraint and prevent further escalation. Diplomacy remains the best path forward, and I stand ready to support any diplomatic efforts toward de-escalation," said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.- Avoid 'further escalation': Germany -Germany, which for years expressed concerns about Iran's "advanced nuclear weapons programme", said it was "ready to use all diplomatic means at our disposal to influence the parties to the conflict. The goal must remain that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons".- 'Dangerous escalation': Hamas -"This aggression constitutes a dangerous escalation that threatens to destabilise the region," said the Iran-backed, Palestinian militant group, whose October 2023 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.- 'Threat to international peace': Iraq -Iraq strongly condemned the attacks, saying: "This act represents a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security."- No 'battleground': Jordan -"Jordan has not and will not allow any violation of its airspace, reaffirming that the Kingdom will not be a battleground for any conflict," a government spokesperson told AFP after Jordan closed its airspace.- 'Dangerous approach': Oman -Nuclear talks mediator Oman said "calls on the international community to adopt a clear and firm position to put an end to this dangerous approach, which threatens to rule out diplomatic solutions and jeopardise the security and stability of the region".- 'Strong condemnation': Qatar -Gaza mediator Qatar expressed "its strong condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli attack," the Gulf state's foreign ministry said, adding that the "dangerous escalation threatens security and stability of the region and hinders efforts to de-escalate and reach diplomatic solutions".- 'Aggressive actions': Turkey -"Israel must put an immediate end to its aggressive actions that could lead to further conflicts," said Turkey's foreign ministry.- 'Reduce tensions urgently': UK -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "The reports of these strikes are concerning and we urge all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently. Escalation serves no one in the region."- 'Legitimate right to defend itself': Yemen's Huthis -Tehran-backed Huthi rebels said they backed "Iran's full and legitimate right to... develop its nuclear programme" and that "we strongly condemn the brutal Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran and affirm its full and legitimate right to respond by all possible means".burs-djt/yad/jm

NUKEWARS-Attacking Iran, Israel brazenly defies 'man of peace' Trump By Shaun TANDON.

Washington (AFP) June 13, 2025-US President Donald Trump on Thursday implored Israel not to attack Iran and declared once again his goal was to be a peacemaker.Hours later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of Trump's closest international allies, brazenly defied his advice by unleashing a major military campaign described as a "preemptive" strike against Iran's nuclear program.The attack marks only the latest setback for Trump's lofty goal set out at the start of his second term of being a "man of peace."Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom Trump has also boasted a warm relationship, has rebuffed his overtures on a ceasefire with Ukraine.And Israel resumed another massive offensive in Gaza after talks bogged down on extending a ceasefire with Hamas reached with Trump's support at the end of his predecessor Joe Biden's term.Trump's friend and roving envoy Steve Witkoff -- who has negotiated in all three crises -- had been set to meet Iranian officials again Sunday in Oman.Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement made clear the United States was not involved in attacking Iran and warned Tehran not to retaliate against US troops in the region.Rubio said that Israel advised that it attacked out of "self-defense," but conspicuously did not say if the United States agreed. Trump, hours before the strikes, doubled down with a social media post saying he remained "committed to a diplomatic resolution" on Iran.Netanyahu has described Iran's cleric-run government, which backs Hamas, as an existential threat and already last year ordered strikes that knocked out its air defenses."We've clearly seen a fork in the road in the American and Israeli approaches to this problem set," said Dana Stroul, a former senior Pentagon official who is a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy."These strikes are going to disrupt and delay and degrade Iran's nuclear program. The question, I think, is whether or not the United States and Israel in the future are going to work together on what to do to maximize the time that's put back on the clock," she said.- Increasingly at odds -Stroul noted that rifts had been building between Israel and Trump, who last month agreed to remove sanctions on Syria after former Islamist guerrilla Ahmed al-Sharaa swept into power.Trump embraced the new Syrian leader after appeals on a tour of Gulf Arab monarchies -- which have also backed diplomacy on Iran.In Qatar last month, Trump said after meeting the emir that he believed a deal was in sight with Iran and that there would be no "nuclear dust" over the region.Despite growing disagreements, Israel enjoys robust support in Trump's right-wing base.The Trump administration in recent days has again taken lonely positions to back Israel, with the United States casting one of the only votes at the UN General Assembly against a Gaza ceasefire resolution and criticizing top allies, including Britain, for imposing sanctions on far-right Israeli ministers.Justin Logan, director of defense and foreign policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, said the Israeli attack will "destroy US diplomatic efforts" on Iran and called for Trump to reject any US military role in protecting Israel from retaliation."Israel has the right to choose its own foreign policy. At the same time, it has the responsibility to bear the costs of that policy," he said.But lawmakers in Trump's Republican Party quickly rallied behind Israel. Senator Tom Cotton said that the United States should "back Israel to the hilt, all the way," and topple Iran's Islamic Republic if it targets US troops.Trump's Democratic rivals, who mostly backed his diplomacy on Iran, were aghast at Israel's action on the eve of new US-Iran talks."Israel's alarming decision to launch airstrikes on Iran is a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence," said Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Forces Committee.

Israel strikes Iran: what we know.

Jerusalem (AFP) June 13, 2025 - Israel said Friday it had carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, promising to continue military action "to remove this threat."The strikes hit several areas in Iran, with blasts reported in the capital Tehran, as well as at a key uranium enrichment site. Here is what we know:What was hit? Israel's military said its jets carried out strikes on "dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran."Blasts were reported in Tehran, where Iranian state television said fire and smoke were seen at a key site for Iran's Revolutionary Guards in the city's east.State television also reported "loud explosions" in Natanz, in Iran's central Isfahan province, where a key nuclear site is located.The "Natanz enrichment facility has been hit several times," state TV reported, showing footage of heavy smoke billowing from the site.Iranian state media said residential buildings in Tehran were damaged and several civilians killed.An Israeli security official said the strikes had "likely eliminated" Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Islamic republic's armed forces, along with senior nuclear scientists.Iranian media meanwhile said Revolutionary Guards chief Hossein Salami had been killed.Why now? Israel sees the cleric-run state in Tehran as an existential threat and hit Iranian air defences last year.Its defence minister Israel Katz described the action as a "preemptive strike".The United States and other Western countries, along with Israel, have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it has always denied.Israel again called for global action after the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency accused Iran on Wednesday of non-compliance with its obligations.There had been indications a military strike was likely, with US media reporting an imminent Israeli attack that would not be coordinated with the Washington."I don't want to say imminent, but it looks like it's something that could very well happen," US President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday when asked if an Israeli attack loomed.A sixth round of talks over Tehran's nuclear programme had been scheduled between the United States and Iran on Sunday in Oman.Who was involved? Israel relies on Washington for military and diplomatic support but carried out the strikes alone, top US diplomat Marco Rubio said."We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region," he said in a statement warning Tehran against targeting US interests.Rubio said Israel had "advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defence," without offering support or criticism of the strikes.What has been the reaction? Air traffic has been halted at Tehran's main international airport, and neighbouring Iraq has closed its airspace entirely.Israel has warned Iran could retaliate at any moment, declaring a state of emergency and also shutting its airspace.In Washington, the White House said Trump would convene security chiefs after the strike, which was criticised by a senior Democrat."Israel's alarming decision to launch airstrikes on Iran is a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence," said Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the US Senate Armed Services Committee.The strikes saw oil prices surge up to six percent.

Senior US Democrat condemns Israel's 'reckless escalation'

Washington (AFP) June 13, 2025 - Democratic senators sharply criticized US ally Israel on Thursday for its strikes on Iran, as the White House distanced itself from the attack but Republican senators voiced gratitude to Israel."Israel's alarming decision to launch airstrikes on Iran is a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence," Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island said in a statement.His comment came after Israel carried out a "preemptive" strike against Tehran's nuclear and military sites, in defiance of a call from US President Donald Trump to refrain from attacking Iran.Reed, the top Democrat on the US Senate Armed Services Committee, warned that the "strikes threaten not only the lives of innocent civilians but the stability of the entire Middle East and the safety of American citizens and forces.""While tensions between Israel and Iran are real and complex, military aggression of this scale is never the answer," he insisted."I urge both nations to show immediate restraint, and I call on President Trump and our international partners to press for diplomatic de-escalation before this crisis spirals further out of control."Other Democrats also voiced alarm."This action ordered by Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to deliberately undermine ongoing American diplomatic negotiations about Iran's nuclear program," Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey said on X.Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut agreed."This is a disaster of Trump and Netanyahu's own making, and now the region risks spiraling toward a new, deadly conflict," he warned on X.He also took a political jab at the US president, insisting that Israel's decision to attack "is further evidence of how little respect world powers -- including our own allies -- have for President Trump."Republican senators responded as well, but with a very different tone.Tom Cotton of Arkasas insisted on X that "Iran is the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism, has the blood of thousands of Americans on its hands, and is rushing to build not only nuclear weapons, but also missiles that can strike the United States.""We back Israel to the hilt, all the way."Ted Cruz of Texas agreed."Israel is doing a favor to America right now by taking out Iran's nuclear capacity," he SAID.

STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS ETC) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)

Thousands evacuated as typhoon nears south China: state media.

Beijing, June 13 (AFP) Jun 13, 2025-Chinese authorities on the southern island of Hainan have evacuated thousands of people, closed schools and halted rail services ahead of the expected landfall of Typhoon Wutip later on Friday, state media said.More than 16,000 people have been moved from "construction sites, low-lying flood-prone areas and regions at risk of flash floods", Xinhua news agency said, while over 40,000 working on boats had been moved ashore.Footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed palm trees in Hainan waving violently in the wind, while other trees had toppled on to deserted roads as workers raced to clear the debris amid pouring rain.Other images published by CCTV showed China National Offshore Oil Corporation workers with backpacks and other luggage leaving a ship and waiting at the port to board buses.Wutip is expected to bring torrential rain exceeding 100 millimetres across six cities and counties, as well as winds of up to 63 miles per hour (101 kmh), Xinhua said.Hainan has stopped high-speed rail services and its southernmost city of Sanya closed schools and tourist sites, as well as suspending all flights at its airport.Wutip, the first typhoon to make landfall in the country this year, formed over the South China Sea on Wednesday, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said.It may make landfall again along the coast from western Guangdong to Guangxi on Saturday, maintaining "severe tropical storm intensity" before turning northeastward and gradually weakening, the CMA said.Guangdong raised its emergency response level on Friday morning, preparing rescue vessels and more than 30 tugboats for potential emergencies, Xinhua said.More than 49,000 fishing boats in the province have returned to ports, with 10,000 of their crew members coming ashore, it said.China has endured spates of extreme weather events from searing heat and drought to downpours and floods for several summers running.The country is the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter but also a renewable energy powerhouse, seeking to cut carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2060.Torrential rains last August triggered by Typhoon Gaemi, which moved from the Philippines and Taiwan to make landfall in eastern China, killed at least 30 people and left dozens missing.

North Korea launches repaired destroyer, Kim vows two more to come-By Claire LEE.

Seoul (AFP) June 13, 2025-A North Korean naval destroyer damaged in a botched launch last month was successfully set afloat on a second attempt, with leader Kim Jong Un presiding, state media said Friday.A ceremony for the ship baptised the Kang Kon -- after a top North Korean general killed in the 1950-53 war -- was held on Thursday at the Rajin shipyard, up the coast from where the failed attempt occurred, according to Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency."Just over two weeks since the accident, the ship was safely raised and floated, and today, as planned, complete restoration has been finished," Kim said, according to KCNA.Kim has also approved a plan to build two more destroyer-class vessels next year, the agency added.The decision "heralds a significant and dramatic change in the status and defence activities of (our) Navy," Kim said, according to KCNA.Photos released by the agency showed Kim, wearing a large straw hat and beaming happily, accompanied by his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor.He claimed that the "provocative intentions of the US and its allies" have recently become "more blatant, and the level of threats to our security has clearly gone far beyond the dangerous limit"."We must develop our naval power more comprehensively and rapidly so that the enemy cannot even think of carrying out aggressive actions in the waters around us," the North Korean leader said.The successful launch comes after Pyongyang last month announced "a serious accident" when workers first tried to put the 5,000-ton destroyer into water in the northeastern port city of Chongjin.The mishap crushed sections of the bottom of the newly built ship. Pyongyang later covered it with a tarpaulin, satellite images showed.South Korean intelligence believe North Korea's so-called "side-launch attempt" of the ship failed, and the vessel was left listing in the water.Kim called the incident a "criminal act caused by absolute carelessness" and state media subsequently reported the arrest of four officials in connection with the botched launch.But the country said soon afterwards that the extent of damage to the vessel was "not serious", and that it would take "two or three days" to drain it, and another 10 to restore the destroyer's side.The South Korean military estimated that, based on its size and scale, the new warship was similarly equipped to the 5,000-ton destroyer-class vessel Choe Hyon, which North Korea unveiled in late April.Seoul's unification ministry, which manages relations with Pyongyang, said no "external structural defects have been identified on the destroyer".But "continuous monitoring is required to determine whether it is functioning normally," the ministry said in a statement.- Russian help? -Pyongyang has said the Choe Hyon is equipped with the "most powerful weapons," and that it would "enter into operation early next year."Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads -- although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its atomic arsenal.Seoul's military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help, possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight in Ukraine.North Korea confirmed in April for the first time that it had deployed troops to Russia to support Moscow in the Ukraine war.Hong Sung-pyo, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Military Affairs, said it is "almost certain" that the North's latest warships are a result of Russia's assistance."North Korea is one of the very few countries that have supported Russia's war in Ukraine. Since it has provided very tangible assistance - including weapons and even personnel -- Russia will find it difficult not to reciprocate," he told AFP."What Pyongyang currently seeks the most are hard currency and advanced military technology."South Korea's new president, Lee Jae-myung, elected last week in a snap election, has promised a more dovish approach towards Pyongyang, compared with that of his hawkish impeached predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol.The Lee administration has halted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border, which Seoul began last year following a barrage of trash-filled balloons flown southward by Pyongyang.North Korea had resumed its own propaganda broadcasts, sending strange and eerie noises into the South, but it appears to have stopped

Oil surges, stocks fall on Middle East fears as Israel strikes Iran-by AFP Staff Writers.

Hong Kong (AFP) June 13, 2025-Oil prices soared more than 12 percent and stocks sank Friday after Israel launched "preemptive" strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites and warned of more to come, stoking fears of a full-blown war.Investors ran for the hills on news of the attacks and a warning from Tehran that its regional foe faced a "bitter and painful" fate, while US President Donald Trump said a "massive conflict" in the region was possible.While Tel Aviv said it had struck military and nuclear targets, Iran said residential buildings had been hit.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement: "This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat."We struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment programme. We targeted Iran's main enrichment facility at Natanz. We also struck at the heart of Iran's ballistic missile programme," he added.Nuclear scientists "working on the Iranian bomb" had also been hit, he said.In Tehran, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel would suffer severe consequences, issuing a statement that said: "With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself for a bitter and painful fate and it will definitely receive it."Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had earlier cautioned that "a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future".Trump previously warned that an Israeli attack could be on the cards, telling reporters at the White House: "I don't want to say imminent, but it looks like it's something that could very well happen."The US leader said he believed a "pretty good" deal on Iran's nuclear programme was "fairly close", but that an Israeli strike on the country could wreck the chances of an agreement.A US official said there had been no US involvement in the operation.Still, there are worries the United States could be sucked into the crisis after Iran threatened this week to target US military bases in the region if a regional conflict broke out.Both main oil contracts, which had rallied earlier in the week on rising tensions, spiked more than 12 percent -- hitting levels not seen since January -- amid fears about supplies of the commodity.The rush from risk assets to safe havens saw equity markets across Asia tumble and bonds rally with gold, which popped above $3,400 an ounce. US and European equity futures were deep in the red."The Middle East powder keg just blew the lid off global markets," said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management."Equity futures are plummeting. Bond yields are sinking. Gold and oil are skyrocketing," he added."Brent crude futures are racing toward the mid-$70s range -- but if the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for 20 percent of global oil flows, finds itself in the blast radius, you can add another $15 to the bid."If Iran holds back, we get a relief bounce. But if missiles start raining down on Tel Aviv or Tehran retaliates with real teeth, we're staring down a scenario that could redefine the macro narrative for the rest of 2025."Banking giant JPMorgan Chase had warned just this week that prices could top $130 if the worst-case scenario developed.Market sentiment had already been low after Trump sounded his trade war klaxon again by saying he would be sending letters within the next two weeks to other countries' governments to announce unilateral levies on their exports to the United States.The "take it or leave it" deal spurred fears he would reimpose the eye-watering tolls announced on April 2 that tanked markets before he announced a 90-day pause.- Key figures at around 0315 GMT -West Texas Intermediate: UP 12.6 percent at $76.61 per barrel-Brent North Sea Crude: UP 12.2 percent at $77.77 per barrel-Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.3 percent at 37,665.93-Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.8 percent at 23,848.26-Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.8 percent at 3,376.40-Dollar/yen: DOWN at 143.40 yen from 143.56 yen on Thursday-Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1532 from $1.1583-Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3549 from $1.3605-Euro/pound: UP at 85.12 pence from 85.11 pence-New York - Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 42,967.62 (close)-London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 8,884.92 (close)-dan/pst

UN humanitarian agency calls Israel-backed GHF aid mechanism in Gaza ‘a failure’Gaza Humanitarian Fund is ‘not doing what a humanitarian operation should do, which is providing aid to people where they are, in a safe and secure manner,’ says OCHA spokeswoman-By AFP and ToI Staff Today, 3:26 pm-JUN 13,25

The US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been a failure from a humanitarian standpoint of view, the United Nations asserted on Friday.Israel, which backs GHF, says previous aid distribution methods allowed the Hamas terror group to hold onto control of Gaza and finance its fighting. The UN and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the foundation over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.“GHF, I think it’s fair to say, has been, from a principled humanitarian standpoint, a failure,” Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, told a press briefing in Geneva.“They are not doing what a humanitarian operation should do, which is providing aid to people where they are, in a safe and secure manner,” she said.Dozens of Palestinians have been killed while trying to reach GHF distribution points since they began operating in late May, according to Hamas’s civil defense agency. The IDF has confirmed firing warning shots in at least eight instances, but disputed the Hamas death tolls.“We have the operation ready to roll with food and other supplies ready. We have them in the region, they are pre-cleared by the Israelis,” Laerke said.“We need the borders open to get in and of course, we need the safety and security and some resemblance of law and order inside Gaza in order to distribute it,” she added.An officially private effort with opaque funding and backed by Israel, GHF began operations on May 26 after Israel completely cut off supplies into Gaza for more than two months.GHF claimed Thursday it had distributed nearly 2.6 million meals on Thursday and more than 18.6 million to date.It also said that on Wednesday night, Hamas operatives had killed eight of its volunteers and staffers, and may have taken others hostage.The Palestinian Authority said internet and fixed-line communication services were down in Gaza on Thursday following an attack on the territory’s last fiber optic cable, which it blamed on Israel.“There was and there still is a massive comms blackout,” said Laerke. “If there is no communication, it really is damaging” for aid services, he said.“There is an active effort to try to fix it, of course, and everybody is looking into that, because things kind of ground to a halt when these things happen.”The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when some 5,000 Hamas-led terrorists invaded southern Israel from the enclave, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.Israel’s subsequent offensive to topple the group and return the captives has devastated the Strip, displacing almost all of its approximately 2 million residents and creating dire humanitarian conditions.Terror groups in Gaza continue to hold 55 hostages, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the IDF, and 20 who are believed to be alive. There are grave concerns for the well-being of two others, Israeli officials have said.