Israel's military has continued its strikes on Iran, following the overnight assassination of Revolutionary Guard chief Hussein Salami and other senior commanders.
This massive Israeli attack on Iranian soil also reportedly killed six nuclear scientists. In retaliation, Iran fired approximately 100 drones towards Israeli territory, many of which were intercepted.
US President Donald Trump has urged Iran to make a deal on its nuclear program, warning of potentially more brutal Israeli attacks. Iran, for its part, has accused the United States of supporting Israel's strikes. Just moments ago, Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion," a targeted military operation aimed at rolling back what it calls the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival. Officials state this operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat. For decades, the tyrants of Tehran have brazenly and openly called for Israel's destruction. In recent months, Iran has reportedly taken unprecedented steps to weaponize its enriched uranium. If not stopped, there are concerns Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time — potentially within a year, or even a few months.
Turning to South Asia, the black box from the Air India plane, which crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, has been recovered. The crash tragically killed 241 people. It is not yet clear what caused the disaster, which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described as "heartbreaking beyond words" during his visit to relatives of the deceased. Remarkably, there was one survivor: Vishwash Akuma Ramsh, a British man, seen here walking away from the crash, having been seated in seat 11A. Air India and the Indian government are investigating several potential causes, including issues with the jet's engine thrust, its flaps, and why the landing gear remained open. Investigators are examining if insufficient lift was generated, which is often associated with inadequate thrust.
The images and news from India are absolutely devastating. I speak for the entire country in saying our thoughts are with each and every one of those involved. There will be British and Indian families across the land profoundly impacted by this tragedy, and our thoughts, first and foremost, are with them. An investigation team has been dispatched, led by the Foreign Sector, and we will, of course, provide updates as soon as we can.
In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has apologized to the Spanish people following an escalating corruption scandal that led to the downfall of a senior Socialist Party colleague. Sanchez, who has led Spain since 2018, stated that "zero corruption" is an unattainable ideal and sought to distance himself from the affair, ruling out early elections. Santos Sardan has been asked to testify in court after a judge suggested he may have acted in concert with former party officials to improperly award public contracts in exchange for kickbacks.
Meanwhile, North Korea reports it has successfully relaunched its new 5,000-ton naval destroyer, less than a month after it capsized during its first attempt. The country's leader, Kim Jong-un, reportedly reacted furiously to the warship's failed launch in May and demanded its rapid repair. At least four officials – three shipyard officials and one senior government official – have since been arrested over the incident. State media now confirms the ship has been fully restored.
Finally, in the United States, a Democratic US Senator was forcibly removed from a news conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles and placed in handcuffs. Secretary Noem was providing an update on immigration enforcement after nearly a week of protests in the city when Senator Alex Padilla interrupted and began shouting a question. Video of the incident shows the senator struggling with multiple Secret Service agents before being shoved out of the room and dragged away, where uniformed FBI agents then placed him on the ground and arrested him.
