Saudi Crown Prince labels Iran’s Khamenei 'new Hitler'

Iraqi resistance forces have targeted Haifa Airport in the northwestern part of the 1948 Israeli-occupied territories in retaliation for the Tel Aviv regime’s war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of anti-terror fighters, in a brief statement claimed responsibility for the early Wednesday drone strike against the facility.

The coalition said the airport came under attack by armed unmanned aerial vehicles.

It noted that that the attack “falls within the framework of the second phase of operations against the occupying Israeli regime. It was conducted in support of Palestinians in Gaza, and in retaliation for the Zionist entity’s massacres against defenseless Palestinian civilians.”

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq underscored it would continue to “destroy the enemy’s strongholds.”

Separately, the sound of explosions was heard close to Ovda Airbase, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) base located around 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) north of Eilat, Lebanon’s Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news channel reported.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has carried out numerous attacks on Israeli targets since the start of a genocidal war on Gaza by the occupying regime in early October.

Israel unleashed its war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The Tel Aviv regime has enforced a “total siege” on the territory, severing the supply of fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians residing there.

The Israeli war has resulted in the death of 32,916 Palestinian lives and left another 75,494 wounded, painting a grim picture of the situation.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has also struck major American military bases in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for Washington’s singled out support for the bloody Israeli onslaught against the Gaza Strip, and in a show of strong solidarity with Palestinians.

New Delhi: Seventeen Indians are on board an Israeli-linked container ship that has been seized by the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel.

Official sources said India is in touch with Iranian authorities through diplomatic channels, both in Tehran and in Delhi, to ensure the welfare and early release of the Indian nationals.

The Iranian action came amid increasing fears that Tehran may launch an attack on Israeli soil in retaliation to a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria 12 days ago.

"We are aware that a cargo ship 'MSC Aries' has been taken control by Iran. We have learnt that there are 17 Indian nationals onboard," said a source.

"We are in touch with the Iranian authorities through diplomatic channels, both in Tehran and in Delhi, to ensure security, welfare and early release of Indian nationals," it said.

Reports said Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards seized MSC Aries on Saturday morning when it was sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.

BJP MLA Arabail Shivaram Hebbar’s son Vivek Hebbar on Thursday, 11 April, joined the Congress party along with his supporters at Banavasi in Uttara Kannada district.

After quitting the BJP, Vivek Hebbar joined the party in the presence of state Congress vice president and former MLC Ivan D’Souza and other local party leaders.

Speculations have been rife about his father Shivaram Hebbar, an MLA from the Yellapur Assembly segment, also planning to join the Congress, ever since he did not turn up for voting during the polls to four seats of the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka held on 27 February.

The senior Hebbar’s absence from voting, despite a party whip, had caused embarrassment to the BJP. He had, however, later attributed his absence to poor health.

The BJP had also issued notice to him, which he responded to.

Shivaram Hebbar had recently met Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress chief DK Shivakumar but claimed that the meeting was about water issues in his Assembly segment.

The senior BJP leader was earlier with the Congress. He was among 17 Congress-JD(S) legislators, who had quit from their parties, which ultimately led to the collapse of the then HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in July 2019.

Shivaram Hebbar had subsequently won the by-poll on a BJP ticket and served as a minister in the then government of the saffron party.