Connect with us

World

Intense Israeli strikes hit Iran and Lebanon as US warns the bombardment will ‘surge dramatically’

Published

on

Intense Israeli strikes hit Iran and Lebanon as US warns the bombardment will ‘surge dramatically’

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Intense Israeli airstrikes pounded the capitals of Iran and Lebanon early Friday as the U.S. apparently struck an Iranian drone carrier at sea in its unrelenting campaign against the Islamic Republic’s fleet of warships.

Iran launched new retaliatory attacks in the Middle East at the end of a full week of bombardment, which U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned was “about to surge dramatically.”

Israel’s military said Friday morning it had begun “a broad-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran, Iran’s capital. Witnesses described the Israeli airstrikes as particularly intense, shaking homes in the area. Others reported explosions around the Iranian city of Kermanshah in an area that is home to multiple missile bases.

The Israeli military said strikes have already destroyed most of Iran’s air defenses and missile launchers.

The war has escalated to affect countries across the Middle East and beyond. Early Friday, Iran fired missile and drone attacks into Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all countries that host U.S. forces. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Advertisement

In Lebanon, where the war has rekindled fighting between Israel and Iran-allied Hezbollah militants, Israel launched a series of airstrikes late Thursday into Friday in the southern suburbs of Beirut and other areas. Motorists jammed roads trying to flee or seek shelter.

The U.S. and Israel have battered Iran with nationwide strikes, targeting their military capabilities, leadership and nuclear program.

In addition to Israel, Iran’s attacks have targeted their Arab neighbors, disrupted oil supplies and snarled global air travel. The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, more than 120 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries. Six U.S. troops have been killed.

US says it struck an Iranian drone carrier

The U.S. military said early Friday that it struck an Iranian drone carrier, setting it ablaze.

The U.S. military’s Central Command released black-and-white footage of the burning carrier. The Iranian military did not immediately acknowledge the attack.

Advertisement

The drone carrier, the IRIS Shahid Bagheri, is a converted container ship with a 180-meter-long (yard) runway for drones. The vessel can travel up to 22,000 nautical miles without needing to refuel in ports, reports said at the time of its 2025 inauguration.

Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, described the carrier as “roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier.”

“And as we speak, it’s on fire,” Cooper told reporters.

Earlier in the week, an American submarine sank an Iranian frigate off the coast of Sri Lanka as it was returning from an exercise hosted by the Indian navy that the U.S. also joined. The sinking killed at least 87 sailors.

Under cover of darkness Friday morning, B-2 stealth bombers dropped dozens of 2,000 pound “penetrator” bombs on deeply buried ballistic missile launchers inside Iran, Cooper said.

Advertisement

“We’ve also struck Iran’s equivalent of Space Command, which degrades their ability to threaten Americans,” Cooper said.

Speaking alongside Cooper, Hegseth gave few details when he promised an upcoming surge.

“It’s more fighter squadrons, it’s more capabilities, it’s more defensive capabilities,” Hegseth said. “And it’s more bomber pulses more frequently.”

Iran targets country’s hosting US forces

Qatar’s Defense Ministry reported early Friday it intercepted a drone attack targeting Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the forward headquarters of the U.S. Central Command.

Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles fired early Friday toward Prince Sultan Air Base south of Riyadh, which hosts U.S. forces, said a spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense.

Advertisement

Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, where the Interior Ministry said Iranian strikes targeted two hotels and a residential building. It said there were no casualties. In Kuwait, where the six U.S. soldiers were killed Sunday, the Kuwaiti army said its air defenses were activated when missile and drone attacks breached Kuwait’s airspace.

Cooper said Iranian attacks had now hit a dozen countries, who would be welcome to play a more active role in the conflict.

“Those 12 countries are none too happy and I look forward to working with all the partners who are willing to join us,” he said.

Trump again urges Iranians to “take back” their country

In brief remarks at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump again urged the Iranian people to “help take back your country.” This time he promised the U.S. would grant them “immunity” amid the war and ongoing dangers under the current Iranian regime.

“So you’ll be perfectly safe with total immunity,” Trump said, without giving any details about what that meant. “Or you’ll face absolutely guaranteed death.”

Advertisement

Cooper and Hegseth cautioned Iranians not to take to the streets while the conflict is still raging, however.

“It’s common sense, don’t go out and protest while bombs are dropping” Hegseth said.

“The best thing for them to do now is just to lay low,” Cooper added.

In an interview with the news website Axios, Trump said he should be involved in choosing Iran’s new supreme leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening strikes of the war. Trump spoke dismissively of Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, being a front-runner to replace his father, calling him “a lightweight.”

“We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” Trump said.

Advertisement

Iranian officials meet to discuss new leadership

Iranian state television reported Friday that a leadership council had started discussing how to convene the country’s Assembly of Experts, which will select the new supreme leader.

The leadership council includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi and cleric Ayatollah Ali Reza Arafi.

The statement provided no timeline on the selection of the supreme leader, nor information on whether the Assembly of Experts would meet in person or remotely for the vote.

Buildings associated with the Assembly of Experts, a 88-member clerical panel, have been attacked during the Israeli-U.S. airstrike campaign.

Israel hits Lebanon with multiple airstrikes around Beirut

Israel carried out at least 11 airstrikes late Thursday and early Friday, targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut. Fires broke out near a gas station.

Advertisement

The Israeli army issued a warning Thursday evening, urging residents to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately.” Two hospitals evacuated patients and staff. No casualties were immediately reported.

The Lebanese health ministry said the death toll has risen to 123 since the resurgence of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which struck Israel in the opening days of the war.

A spokesperson for the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, Tilak Pokharel, said Thursday that peacekeepers had seen and heard clashes, including ground combat, in southern Lebanon as more Israeli forces have moved across the border.

___

Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia, Rising from Bangkok and Abou AlJoud from Beirut, Lebanon. AP journalists around the world contributed.

Advertisement

___

This version has corrected the date of the ship’s inauguration to 2025, not 2005.

Advertisement

World

Where to Watch Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani Boxing Live Online

Published

on

Where to Watch Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani Boxing Live Online

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.

In a title bout for the undisputed super bantamweight (junior featherweight) championship, Japanese fighter Naoya Inoue takes on fellow Japanese boxer Junto Nakatani in a 12-round match. What’s on the line? Inoue’s IBF, WBC and WBO World Super Bantam title belts. At the end of the contest, one of these fighters will have both titles — or it will end with a draw.

On Saturday, May 2, Inoue (32-0-0) vs. Nakatani (32-0-0) takes place at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan with a start time of 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT. Ringwalk for the main event is expected around 8 a.m. ET/5 a.m. PT.

Inoue vs. Nakatani is available as a premium live boxing event, so it’s free to watch for DAZN subscribers.

Not a DAZN subscriber? Right now, you can purchase access to the event starting at $20.99/month. Additionally, DAZN’s “Ultimate Tier” plan goes for just $49.99/month to get access to this PPV event, as well as 11 other PPV events throughout the year at no extra cost. It’s just a flat monthly subscription price. The plan also have access to more than 100 live fights all year long, as well as fight replays, highlights and documentaries.

Advertisement

The fights during the Inoue vs. Nakatani event are free to watch for subscribers.

Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani Odds & Predictions

For the main event, Inoue is the favorite to heavy win against Nakatani. Oddsmakers give Naoya Inoue a -450 moneyline (bet $450 to win $100), while Junto Nakatani received a line of +310 (bet $100 to win $310), as the underdog. Want more odds? Check out the complete odds and wagers at BetMGM.com online here.

Taking place on Saturday, May 2, Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani is available to livestream on DAZN for subscribers.

Main Card, 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT

  • Super Bantamweight (Junior Featherweight): Naoya Inoue (champion) vs. Junto Nakatani — Main Event, IBF, WBC and WBO World Super Bantam Title Fight
  • Bantamweight: Takuma Inoue (champion) vs. Kazuto Ioka — WBC Title Fight
  • Featherweight: Toshiki Shimomachi vs. Reiya Abe
  • Welterweight: Sora Tanaka vs. Jin Sasaki
  • Flyweight: Kosuke Tomioka vs. Shogo Tanaka
  • Super Middleweight: Deok No Yun vs. Yuito Moriwaki
  • Super Bantamweight: Yoshiki Takei vs. Dekang Wang

Fan of world sports? DAZN is the home to global sports, including FIFA, BKFC, National League, UEFA Women’s Championship League, ERC and WRC racing, Riyadh Season boxing, NFL Game Pass International and other American and international sports leagues. Learn more about DAZN and its programming here.

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US)
Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY)
Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA)
21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). Visit www.1800gambler.net (WV). First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel.
See BetMGM.com for Terms. US promotional offers not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.
Advertisement
Continue Reading

World

‘Killing off the country’: Iran executes dozens, arrests 4,000+ in war crackdown

Published

on

‘Killing off the country’: Iran executes dozens, arrests 4,000+ in war crackdown

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday accused Iran’s regime of dramatically intensifying its crackdown on dissent in the wake of the February conflict, warning that Tehran has carried out executions, mass arrests, torture and one of the world’s longest internet shutdowns while invoking national security.

In a sharply worded statement from Geneva, Türk said at least 21 people have been executed and more than 4,000 arrested on national security-related charges since Feb. 28, as the regime faces mounting scrutiny over what he described as a sweeping assault on fundamental rights. 

“I am appalled that, on top of the already severe impacts of the conflict, the rights of the Iranian people continue to be stripped from them by the authorities, in harsh and brutal ways,” Türk said.

COULD NARGES MOHAMMADI UNITE IRAN’S OPPOSITION? HUSBAND SAYS IMPRISONED NOBEL LAUREATE STILL FIGHTING

Advertisement

A protester holds ‘Stop executions in Iran’ and ‘Free Iran’ placards during the demonstration. Demonstrators gathered outside Downing Street in protest against executions in Iran and in support of freedom for Iran.  (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Since the start of the conflict two months ago, the U.N. said nine people have been executed in connection with the January 2026 protests, 10 for alleged membership in opposition groups, and two on espionage charges. It’s estimated that some 40,000 people were killed by regime forces during January’s uprising.

Türk warned that Iran’s broad use of vaguely defined national security laws has enabled authorities to fast-track prosecutions, deny legal counsel, and rely on coerced confessions.

“Even where national security is invoked, human rights can only be limited where strictly necessary and proportionate,” he said, calling on Tehran to halt executions, impose a moratorium on capital punishment, and immediately release those arbitrarily detained.

For many Iranian dissidents, the findings reflect an already dire reality.

Advertisement

A billboard depicting Iran’s supreme leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed above a highway in Tehran on March 10, 2026. Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its supreme leader on March 9, 2026.  (AFP/Via Getty Images)

“It is bad,” Banafsheh Zand, an Iranian-American journalist and editor of the Iran So Far Away Substack, told Fox News Digital. “They’re completely killing off the country.”

On Saturday, it was reported that Iran had executed another athlete, a 21-year-old karate champion. Sassan Azadvar Joonqani was detained in January during the anti-regime protests and was executed by the regime on Thursday, according to a report in Euronews.

Wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi was executed by the regime in March for alleged illegal actions in January’s protests against the authorities.  (The Foreign Desk)

In March, Iran executed another athlete, 19-year-old wrestling champion Saleh Mohammadi, for protesting against the regime, Fox News Digital reported. 

Advertisement

Türk’s office said detainees have reportedly faced enforced disappearances, torture, mock executions, and televised confessions, with ethnic and religious minorities including Bahá’ís, Zoroastrians, Kurds and Baluch Iranians facing particular risk.

RUBIO REVOKES IRANIAN OFFICIALS’ US TRAVEL PRIVILEGES OVER DEADLY PROTEST CRACKDOWN KILLING THOUSANDS

Ali and Kiana Rahmani accept the Nobel Peace Prize 2023 on behalf of their mother, imprisoned Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi, at Oslo City Hall in Norway on Dec. 10, 2023. (Javad Parsa/NTB/Reuters)

Among those cited by the U.N. was imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, whose condition sharply worsened Friday after what her family described as a catastrophic health crisis following months of being denied specialized care.

According to a statement from the Narges Foundation that was published Friday, Mohammadi was urgently transferred by ambulance from Zanjan Prison to a hospital after suffering two episodes of complete loss of consciousness in a single day, accompanied by severe cardiac distress. The foundation said prison doctors determined her condition could no longer be managed on-site after what her family called a “last-minute” transfer that may have come dangerously late.

Advertisement

Her husband, Taghi Rahmani, told Fox News Digital earlier this week that her physical condition had already become increasingly dire after what he described as a violent arrest and deteriorating prison treatment. “She has sustained severe trauma and urgently requires medical attention.”

Rahmani previously said Mohammadi’s medical team and outside specialists had pushed for treatment in Tehran due to her history of multiple heart procedures, while authorities allegedly blocked those recommendations until her condition became life-threatening. Despite her physical decline, Rahmani said, “Spiritually and mentally, Narges remains steadfast.”

IRAN’S KHAMENEI LASHES OUT AT PROTESTERS AS NATIONWIDE ANTI-REGIME UNREST GROWS

In this photo obtained by The Associated Press, tear gas is fired during an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (UGC via AP) (UGC via AP)

The U.N. statement, combined with Mohammadi’s emergency hospitalization, has intensified scrutiny of Iran’s prison conditions, which Türk described as marked by overcrowding, medical neglect, and severe human rights abuses.

Advertisement

Türk also cited dire prison conditions, including overcrowding, shortages of food, water and medicine, and denial of medical care.

The U.N. further highlighted reports of lethal violence in detention facilities, including claims that security forces killed at least five detainees in Chabahar Prison after protests over suspended food distribution.

But while dissidents welcomed the U.N.’s unusually forceful language, some also questioned whether condemnation without action can meaningfully alter conditions, especially as Iran this week was elevated to a vice-chair role on a U.N. nuclear nonproliferation committee.

“The reason why Iranians just don’t trust, don’t like and don’t want to know from the U.N.,” Zand said, is what she described as its repeated failure “to rise to the occasion of responding to the regime and holding their feet to the fire at the right time… with the right amount of pressure.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Advertisement

Iranian diaspora activists gathered in front of the German Federal Foreign Office in Berlin on Jan. 27, 2024, to protest the increase in death sentences by Iran’s Islamic Republic rulers. The demonstration was organized by the Echo Iran group. (Echo Iran/Middle East Images/AFP)

While she said the latest statement itself was important, Zand argued many view such condemnations as hollow when paired with what they see as institutional legitimacy granted to Tehran.

“They’re making a statement… fine,” she said. “But what are they gonna do about it?”

Continue Reading

World

Torture claims and a ship that leaves flotilla detainees in Israel

Published

on

Torture claims and a ship that leaves flotilla detainees in Israel

The Israeli government has announced that Abu Keshek and Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila are already in the country, where they will be interrogated imminently. Israel’s foreign ministry made the announcement on social media, without specifying either their point of arrival or the location of the questioning.

ADVERTISEMENT


ADVERTISEMENT

Israel accuses both men of maintaining ties with Hamas through the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, an organisation the United States has designated as a front for the Palestinian Islamist movement. It specifically names Abu Keshek as one of the “leaders” of that structure, while describing Ávila as working for the group in activities it considers illegal.

Both will receive consular visits from their respective countries. In the case of the Spaniard, it will be the Spanish consul in Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, Brazilian activist Ávila will be assisted by diplomats from his own country.

Albares: (Keshek) should be in Crete with the others

The Spanish foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, was unequivocal in an interview with ‘Catalunya Ràdio’: it was, he said, “an illegal detention carried out in international waters, outside any jurisdiction of the Israeli authorities.”

Advertisement

For Spain’s top diplomat, Abu Keshek should never have set foot on Israeli soil; he should have been put ashore on the Greek island of Crete together with the rest of the activists.

On Thursday, the foreign ministry urgently summoned the head of the Israeli embassy in Madrid to convey the government’s condemnation.

Spain has also signed up to a joint declaration with ten other countries, including Turkey, Brazil, Colombia and South Africa, stating that the Israeli attacks on the ships and the detention of the activists constitute “flagrant violations of international law.”

Asked whether Abu Keshek may have been tortured, Albares acknowledged that he could not confirm it because there has not yet been direct contact with him. What he did confirm is that several activists needed medical attention in Crete and that the Spanish consul dispatched there had to accompany them.

The flotilla alleges systematic torture

The Global Sumud Flotilla goes further in its accusations.

Advertisement

In a statement released in the early hours of Saturday, the organisation claims that both Abu Keshek and Ávila were tortured by the Israeli army after being separated from the other 174 activists who were also taken to the Israeli naval vessel Nahshon.

“Eyewitnesses have testified to the screams of Abu Keshek echoing throughout the ship as he was systematically tortured after being separated from the others,” the statement says.

The organisation describes what happened as a “serious escalation” and an “additional war crime”. As many as 35 activists, according to the organisers, had to receive medical treatment as a result of the violence during the Israeli operation.

Family left in the dark and afraid

Sally Issa, the activist’s wife told channel TVE that they had been without information for hours. “We have been given no information about the transfer,” she said. “Israel cannot seize people in international waters. It is an illegal act, and we call on the Spanish government to do everything it can to secure his release.”

What worries her most, she said, is her husband’s physical condition. “We have testimony from activists who were there who said that there has been systematic violence against Saif, and we are gravely concerned for his health,” she explained, adding that beyond lawyers, his family also needs guarantees of medical care.

Advertisement

The rest of the flotilla’s activists, apart from Abu Keshek and Ávila, disembarked in Crete on Friday, where some were treated in medical centres, and the rest began to be repatriated to their respective countries.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending