Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps lashes out at 'liar' Trump
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi claimed Tuesday that President Donald Trump has been a “big liar” during Operation Epic Fury, according to a report.
IRGC claims Trump is a ‘big liar’ during Operation Epic Fury
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi claimed Tuesday that President Donald Trump has been a “big liar” during the U.S.-Iran war, a report said.
"The enemy [U.S.] knows that Iran is not after nuclear weapons," Hossein Mohebbi was quoted by Reuters as saying. "Their issue with Iran is not its nuclear program but rather its vastness, which they want to destroy."
"The fact that the Americans might manage, at great expense, considerable trouble, and high risk to sneak a small vessel through the Strait of Hormuz under cover of darkness to export, say, 100 or 200 barrels of oil does not mean the Strait is open," Mohebbi reportedly added.
Trump, over the weekend, repeated his vow that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
“They want to make a deal where they open the strait immediately because they're losing so badly,” Trump also said Saturday. "We’re winning tremendously. We have total control of the Hormuz Strait, massive amounts of oil are coming out of the Hormuz Strait.”
Reuters, citing data from analytics firm Kpler, reported that oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz in September were near 10 million barrels a day, about half the volume prior to the war.
UN envoy meets with Houthi negotiators following ‘dramatic’ escalation from Iran-backed terror group
The United Nations envoy for Yemen said Tuesday that he met with negotiators from the Iran-backed Houthis following what he described as a “unprecedented” and “dramatic” escalation by the terrorist group in the Middle East.
Hans Grundberg told The Associated Press that his meeting in Oman over the weekend with the Houthis’ chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdul-Salam, aimed to explore “if there are ways of how to avoid seeing the current escalation go even further.”
The Houthis, in recent weeks, have been launching attacks against Saudi Arabia and gaining territory in Yemen along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Grundberg said the instability in the region, and the “influence of regional parties, including Iran, and also other neighbors to Yemen” has impacted the course of the Yemen conflict.
Grundberg said the current escalation in Yemen has become more complicated compared to previous bouts of violence over the course of the civil war. He said battle lines have shifted to the Red Sea coast, where “the most sensitive front lines” are threatening maritime corridors crucial for global trade.
“We’ve seen attacks also on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, and it’s a development that is alarming and that should be a concern for the Security Council,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this post.
Israel’s military eliminates Hamas commander with ‘precise strike’ in Gaza Strip
The Israel Defense Forces announced Tuesday that a Hamas commander who “posed an immediate threat to IDF forces and civilians of the State of Israel” was killed in a “precise strike” in the Gaza Strip.
“IDF and Shin Bet forces attacked in northern Gaza Strip tonight and eliminated the terrorist Azz al-Din Bik, commander of the Northern Brigade in the military wing of the terrorist organization Hamas,” the IDF said overnight.
“In the framework of his role, Azz al-Din Bik was responsible for managing the activities of the brigade's terrorists and directing them to advance and carry out terror plots against IDF forces and civilians of the State of Israel,” it added. “In addition, he acted with the aim of trying to rebuild the brigade's force structure, which suffered a severe blow throughout the war.”
Qatar pushes back against Iranian threat to target infrastructure: report
Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansar said Tuesday that any threat to infrastructure is a “violation of international law,” after Iran’s parliament speaker suggested potential strikes.
“Both the Americans and other countries should know that, as we have said before, in a region where we do not sell oil, no one will sell oil, and if our security is not ensured, no infrastructure will be safe,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was quoted as saying by Iranian state media.
Al-Ansari, when asked about Ghalibaf’s remarks, said “With respect to infrastructure and institutions, any threat is a violation of international law and good neighborliness” according to Al Jazeera.
“Every mediation is a herculean effort,” Al-Ansari also said about efforts to end the war between the U.S. and Iran.
Iranian official warns if Tehran can’t sell oil, ‘no one will sell oil’
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf suggested Tuesday that Iran could further disrupt the worldwide flow of energy if it is not allowed to sell oil.
“Both the Americans and other countries should know that, as we have said before, in a region where we do not sell oil, no one will sell oil, and if our security is not ensured, no infrastructure will be safe,” Ghalibaf said, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
Ghalibaf made the remark as the U.S. military continues to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports. The Treasury Department also has launched an Operation Economic Outcast campaign against Tehran to increase pressure on its economy.
“The leaders of the White House must know that the proud and history-making Iranian nation will never retreat in the face of threats, rhetoric, or an air and commercial blockade,” Ghalibaf reportedly added.
Ship catches fire after being hit by ‘suspected unknown projectile’ in Strait of Hormuz: UKMTO
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) said a ship caught fire after being hit by a “suspected unknown projectile” while traveling in the Strait of Hormuz.
“The fire has since been extinguished and the vessel is underway,” the UKMTO said Tuesday, noting that the incident happened last night.
“Crew are safe, there has been no reported environmental impact or damage assessment. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO, whilst authorities investigate,” it added.
The UKMTO said in a report last week that the threat level is “severe” for ships traveling in the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio calls suspected UK terror plot ‘very serious threat,’ points to foreign actor
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that a suspected terror plot thwarted at RAF Fairford in the U.K. over the weekend posed a “very serious threat” and appeared to involve a foreign actor. Five people were arrested and later released on bail.
Rubio also said more information about the incident would emerge in the coming days.
“What could have happened in the UK over the weekend is a very serious situation. It’s one that clearly involves the hands of a foreign actor,” he said on "Hannity" without going into details.
“And that is we are dealing with elements in the world.
“And in the case of Iran, for example, who have openly threatened to attack American interests globally, we're going to always take that very seriously.
“There will be repercussions for that if it ever were to happen or even attempted.
“And but what happened this weekend could have been and was, I think, a very serious threat.”
Rubio also thanked the U.K. for its cooperation and assistance.
“There's a lot more news that will come out on this in the days to come, but there's only so much I can say right now at this point about it, other than this is a very serious thing. And it was — it was responded to appropriately," he said.
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