Sunday  14 April , 2024 {HMC} Iran has launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel, the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed, after Israel said Tehran had begun attacks.

The IRGC said on Saturday that it had released the drones and missiles under the operation “True Promise”, adding that the move was part of the punishment for “Israeli crimes”.

Israel said the drones would take several hours before reaching its airspace.

The strikes come nearly two weeks after an Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria killed seven IRGC members.

“We launched an operation using drones and missiles in response to the Zionist entity’s crime of targeting the Iranian consulate in Syria,” the IRGC said in a statement.

“The operation was carried out with dozens of missiles and drones to strike specific targets in the occupied territories.”

Speaking in televised address on Saturday, Israel’s army’s spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said: “Iran launched UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] from its territory towards the territory of the state of Israel.

“This is a severe and dangerous escalation. Our defensive and offensive capabilities are at the highest level of readiness ahead of this large-scale attack from Iran.”

High alert
Israel has been on heightened alert since its strike on Damascus on April 1, even though it did not comment on that attack. Iran pledged revenge and a retaliatory attack had been expected.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel was prepared for a “direct attack from Iran”.

Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant said Israel was “closely monitoring a planned attack” against it by Iran and its allies in the region.

United States President Joe Biden, who on Friday warned Iran against attacking Israel after saying such a scenario appeared imminent, has pledged to stand with Israel against Iran, the White House said.

US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement that Biden is regularly updated by his national security team and is in constant communication with Israeli officials, US partners and allies.

Syria also put on high alert its Russian-made Pantsir ground-to-air defence systems around the capital Damascus and major bases in the event of an Israeli strike, army sources told the Reuters news agency.

Meanwhile, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel announced they had temporarily closed their airspace.

‘A country waiting’
A retired Israeli general, Amos Yadlin, told the country’s Channel 12 news that the Iranian drones were equipped with 20 kg (44 pounds) of explosives each.

Israel’s military said sirens would sound in any threatened areas and that its defences were poised to deal with them.

“We know that planes are patrolling in the skies above [Israel], we know that Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with his war cabinets, his security cabinets this evening,” said Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem.

“This is a country… waiting for those drones to arrive,” he added.

Challands said that although Haggari did not confirm how long it would take, “it will have to go through several countries’ airspace … They could take about nine hours to arrive”.

Israel’s war on Gaza, now in its seventh month, has driven up tensions in the region, spreading to fronts with Lebanon and Syria and drawing long-range fire at Israeli targets from as far away as Yemen and Iraq.

Earlier on Saturday, Iranian armed forces seized a container ship linked to Israel near the Strait of Hormuz.

SOURCE Aljazeera

Saturday  13 April , 2024 {HMC} Israel’s military says Iran has launched a number of drones at Israel, and it will take hours to arrive.

This comes nearly two weeks after an Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria killed seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Israel’s army’s spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said late on Saturday that Iran launched the drones from within its own territory, and that Israel was prepared.

Israel has been on heightened alert since its attack on Damascus on April 1, even though it did not comment on the attack. Iran vowed revenge and a retaliatory attack has been expected.

Earlier on Saturday, Iranian armed forces seized a container ship linked to Israel near the Strait of Hormuz.

President Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel was prepared for a “direct attack from Iran”.

And Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel was “closely monitoring a planned attack” against it by Iran and its allies in the region.

SOURCE Aljazeera

Saturday April 13, 2024

NAIROBI — A high-stakes meeting in Nairobi between Somalia’s former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and current President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, aimed at addressing the country’s ongoing political and constitutional crises, concluded without a resolution despite lengthy discussions.

“After extensive discussions, we did not achieve a resolution on all points,” Sheikh Sharif stated in a press release. He emphasized the need for dialogue, adding, “I attended this meeting in good faith, aiming to find resolutions to various contentious issues.”

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud travelled to Nairobi on Thursday to meet with his Kenyan counterpart, William Ruto, to reach a diplomatic solution to the Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU dispute.

The talks focused on constitutional matters and political affairs, including the conflict between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Puntland State Government. Sheikh Sharif expressed his appreciation to the traditional and intellectual leaders who facilitated the discussions, saying, “May God reward their efforts.”

Sheikh Sharif’s statement highlighted the importance of resolving political conflicts through “dialogue and consensus” despite the lack of progress during the meeting.

The inability to resolve disagreements comes against the backdrop of recent controversies over constitutional amendments in Somalia. Tensions have escalated following the Somali Parliament’s endorsement of a contentious constitutional amendment, a move that has been heavily criticized by former leaders, including Sheikh Sharif.

In recent months, Sheikh Sharif, along with another former president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, has been vocal in opposing the perceived unilateral decisions by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration, particularly concerning constitutional changes. Both leaders have repeatedly called for a more inclusive process in national governance and constitutional revisions, arguing that the current approach could undermine Somalia’s stability.

Last month, both former presidents expressed their frustrations in a joint press release, citing “the president’s non-compliance” as a significant barrier to progress. Their concerns were echoed in earlier statements and meetings held in Garowe, the capital of the Puntland State, where they and Puntland’s President Saeed Abdullahi Deni stood united against the proposed constitutional amendments.

The ongoing constitutional review process, a key campaign pledge of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, aims to finalize and implement a new national constitution. However, the approach has been met with significant opposition, signalling deep-seated divisions that continue to challenge Somalia’s path toward political stability and governance reform.

Press Release

A meeting was recently held in Nairobi, aimed at addressing the fate of the country. This gathering was organized by cultural and intellectual leaders.

I wish to extend my gratitude to the traditional leaders and intellectuals who tirelessly facilitated the dialogue embracing diverse viewpoints. May God reward their efforts.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and I convened as per his request to address and resolve existing issues through dialogue. I attended this meeting in good faith, aiming to find resolutions to various contentious issues, specifically:
Constitutional matters

Political affairs and the future of the country The conflict between the Federal Government of Somalia (DFS) and the Puntland State Government

Despite our extensive discussions, we did not achieve a resolution on all points.

I would like to extend my thanks once again to the intellectuals and business leaders for their dedication and financial support in attempting to resolve these disputes