International

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for a missile strike targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and the Israeli Air Force Command headquarters. In a statement carried by Mehr and Fars news agencies, the IRGC said the attack was carried out using Kheibar missiles, also known as Khorramshahr-4, as part of what it described as the 10th wave of retaliatory missile operations. The group characterised the strike as a “targeted and surprise attack” on a government compound in Israel. The Kheibar missile is a medium-range ballistic missile developed by Iran, reportedly capable of carrying heavy warheads and designed to evade advanced air defence systems. Read Also: Iran Confirms Death of Supreme Leader Khamenei in US-Israel Strikes Saudi Arabia Appoints Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Humaid as New Grand Mufti Kidnapped Nigerians Now Left to Die in Captivity as Poverty Deepens – Islamic Cleric Israeli authorities have not officially responded to the claims, and there has been no independent verification of the reported strike or the extent of any potential damage. The announcement marks a further escalation in tensions following recent joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which Tehran says killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior officials. In response, Iran has launched a series of missile and drone attacks across the region. Regional and international observers warn that the intensifying exchange of strikes could widen the conflict further, raising concerns about broader instability in the Middle East. (Türkiye Times)

Iranian state media have confirmed the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in coordinated airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel. The announcement, made on Sunday, follows earlier claims by both American and Israeli officials that the 86-year-old leader had been eliminated during the attacks. Authorities in Tehran have declared a 40-day national mourning period in honour of the longtime leader. Initial reports by Iranian outlets had suggested that Khamenei remained “steadfast and firm in commanding the field,” but subsequent confirmation by state media marked a dramatic turn in the unfolding crisis. US President Donald Trump had earlier stated on his Truth Social platform that Khamenei was killed during the strikes, describing the operation as highly coordinated and intelligence-driven. Read Also: Iran Warns of Open-Ended Retaliation, Hits U.S. Linked Bases Across Region Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also indicated that there were “growing signs” of the Iranian leader’s death, while security sources cited by international media reported that his body had been located. Khamenei, who assumed leadership in 1989 following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini, held ultimate authority over Iran’s political, military, and religious institutions, making him one of the most powerful figures in the Middle East for over three decades. Analysts say his death introduces significant uncertainty into an already volatile situation, with concerns mounting over potential escalation across the region. Reports indicate that Iran had contingency plans in place, which may involve the formation of a leadership council to manage state affairs. Meanwhile, the conflict continues to intensify. Iranian media report that recent strikes targeted multiple provinces, resulting in significant casualties, while retaliatory attacks by Iran have triggered air defence responses in several countries hosting US military assets, including Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. In a further escalation, Trump signalled that military operations against Iran would continue, warning of sustained strikes “throughout the week or as long as necessary.” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also confirmed ongoing retaliatory operations against US and Israeli positions, raising fears of a broader regional conflict. Authorities say investigations and strategic responses are ongoing as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East. (Tehran Times)

A senior Iranian official has warned that Tehran’s response to recent developments in the Middle East will be carried out openly and without limitation, declaring that there are “no red lines” following what it described as aggression by the United States and Israel. Speaking to Al Jazeera, the official cautioned Israel to “prepare for what is coming,” stressing that “all American and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East have become legitimate targets.” “There are no red lines after this aggression, and everything is possible, including scenarios that were not previously considered,” the official said. The remarks come amid escalating tensions in the region, with Iran characterising recent joint actions by the United States and Israel as a declaration of war that could have “wide and long-lasting repercussions.” Read Also: Kafanchan: Emir of Jema’a Palace Hit as Fire Destroyed 4 Flats According to the official, Tehran has prepared a “complex response with no time limit,” dismissing calls for restraint or compromise as “unacceptable and mere wishful thinking.” In a related development, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed it had launched missiles and deployed drones targeting Israel, stating that the strikes were in direct response to what it described as hostile actions against the Islamic Republic. Shortly after the reported strikes, Israel announced the closure of its airspace and activated emergency sirens amid fears of further retaliation. Across the region, multiple explosions were reported. In Bahrain, authorities confirmed that a facility linked to the U.S. Fifth Fleet was struck by a missile. However, a U.S. official told Fox News that no casualties were recorded. Security sources also reported rocket attacks targeting a U.S. military base in Iraqi Kurdistan. In Qatar, the Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems intercepted missiles aimed at the country, successfully neutralising what it described as a second wave of attacks. Meanwhile, Reuters reported a loud explosion in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, adding to growing concerns over a widening regional conflict. Washington is yet to issue an official response as tensions continue to mount across the Middle East.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of Libya’s late longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi and once widely viewed as his political heir, has been killed in the northwestern city of Zintan. He was 53. The death was confirmed on Tuesday by his adviser, Abdallah Othman Abdurrahim, through a social media post, though official authorities initially released no details. Family members later said Saif al-Islam was killed inside his residence by unidentified gunmen, an incident that has drawn renewed attention to Libya’s prolonged political instability. Speaking to Libyan broadcaster al-Ahrar, his cousin, Hamid Gaddafi, said the family had been informed that Saif al-Islam had “fallen as a martyr.” Abdurrahim further disclosed that four armed men stormed his home after disabling surveillance cameras and shot him before fleeing the scene. The killing reportedly occurred in Zintan, a mountainous city where Saif al-Islam had been held by local militias following the 2011 uprising that led to the overthrow of his father. Read Also: 2025 in Memoriam: Nigerians and Global Icons Who Left a Lasting Legacy Saif al-Islam was captured in southern Libya in November 2011 and later became the subject of an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court over allegations linked to the violent suppression of protests. In 2015, a Libyan court sentenced him to death in a controversial trial, but he was later released under an amnesty law. His whereabouts remained largely unclear for several years. In 2021, he re-emerged in the public eye after registering as a presidential candidate in Libya’s long-delayed elections, which were eventually postponed indefinitely due to legal and political disputes. Analysts say his death could have far-reaching implications. Libya expert Emadeddin Badi described Saif al-Islam as a deeply polarising figure whose possible return to power had become a major point of contention in the stalled electoral process. His killing, Badi noted, could reshape political alignments ahead of any future elections. Educated in Libya and abroad, Saif al-Islam was long portrayed as a reform-minded figure and was widely seen as his father’s preferred successor before the Arab Spring. Although he never held formal public office, he was often described as a de facto power broker in the years preceding the 2011 revolt. Libya has remained mired in instability since the fall of the Gaddafi regime, with the country divided between a UN-backed government in Tripoli and rival authorities in the east aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar.

United States President Donald Trump has for the first time publicly acknowledged that Muslims are also victims of killings in Nigeria, slightly revising earlier statements that emphasized attacks against Christians. In an interview with The New York Times this week, Trump spoke about the U.S. military strike carried out on Christmas Day against Islamic State-linked militants in northwest Nigeria. He suggested that while he would prefer the action to remain a one-time strike, further military interventions could follow if attacks continue. “I’d love to make it a one‑time strike … but if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many‑time strike,” he said. When pressed on reports from his Africa adviser indicating that extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have also targeted Muslims, Trump stated: “I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria.” The Nigerian government has consistently refuted claims that any single religious group is being deliberately targeted, insisting that both Christians and Muslims have been affected by the violence. Authorities say attacks, kidnappings, and banditry in various regions of the country are consequences of broader security challenges and criminal activity rather than systematic persecution. Read Also: Explosion Hits Mosque During Maghrib Prayer in Maiduguri Gunmen Kill Seven in Fresh Attack on Katsina Village Jos Muslims Say Over 4,700 Members Killed Since 2001 Crises Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 230 million people, is almost evenly divided between Christians, who are mainly in the south, and Muslims, concentrated in the north. The ongoing security crisis, driven by extremist insurgencies and other armed groups, continues to cause widespread human suffering across religious and ethnic lines. U.S. Involvement and International Response Trump’s remarks come amid heightened debate over the role of the U.S. in Nigeria’s security situation. This includes discussions over possible additional strikes and previous measures, such as redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern under U.S. law due to alleged failures to protect religious communities. The statements have reignited conversations about the nature of the violence in Nigeria and the international community’s response.