Tuesday 17,June 2025 {HMC} Israel warned hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate the middle of Iran’s capital as Israel’s air campaign on Tehran appeared to broaden on the fourth day of an intensifying conflict.

An Iranian television anchor fled her studio during a live broadcast as bombs fell on the headquarters of the country’s state-run TV station.

U.S. President Donald Trump posted an ominous message on his social media site later Monday calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran.

“IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” Trump wrote, adding that “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media shortly after Trump’s post that he was returning from the G7 summit in Canada a day early due to the intensifying conflict between.

Israel says strikes have set back nuclear program
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes have set Iran’s nuclear program back a “very, very long time,” and told reporters he is in daily touch with Trump.

“The regime is very weak,” he added.

Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, uranium enrichment sites and nuclear scientists, is necessary to prevent its longtime adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. The strikes have killed at least 224 people since Friday.

Iran maintains that its nuclear program is peaceful, and the U.S. and others have assessed that Tehran has not had an organized effort to pursue a nuclear weapon since 2003. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly warned that the country has enough enriched uranium to make several nuclear bombs should it choose to do so.

Iran has retaliated by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 injured.

The back-and-forth has raised concerns about all-out war between the countries and propelled the region, already on edge, into even greater upheaval.

Israel’s military issues evacuation warning affecting up to 330,000 people

Earlier Monday, Israel’s military issued an evacuation warning to 330,000 people in a part of central Tehran that houses the country’s state TV and police headquarters, as well as three large hospitals, including one owned by Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The city, one of the region’s largest, is home to around 9.5 million people.

Israel’s military has issued similar evacuation warnings for civilians in parts of Gaza and Lebanon ahead of strikes.

State-run television abruptly stopped a live broadcast after the station was hit, according to Iran’s state-run news agency. While on the air, an Iranian state television reporter said the studio was filling with dust after “the sound of aggression against the homeland.” Suddenly, an explosion occurred, cutting the screen behind her as she hurried off camera.

The broadcast quickly switched to prerecorded programs. The station later said its building was hit by four bombs.

An anchor said on air that a few colleagues had been hurt, but their families should not be worried. The network said its live programs were transferred to another studio.

Israel claims ‘full aerial superiority’ over Tehran

Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Monday that his country’s forces had “achieved full aerial superiority over Tehran’s skies.”

The military said it destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in central Iran, a third of Iran’s total, as well as two F-14 planes that Iran used to target Israeli aircraft and multiple launchers just before they launched ballistic missiles towards Israel.

Israeli military officials also said fighter jets had struck 10 command centers in Tehran belonging to Iran’s Quds Force, an elite arm of its Revolutionary Guard that conducts military and intelligence operations outside Iran.

The Israeli strikes “amount to a deep and comprehensive blow to the Iranian threat,” Defrin said.

One missile fell near the American consulate in Tel Aviv, with its blast waves causing minor damage, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee said on X. He added that no American personnel were injured.

Explosions rock Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva and Haifa oil refinery
Powerful explosions rocked Tel Aviv shortly before dawn Monday, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky over the coastal city.

Authorities in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva said Iranian missiles hit a residential building there, charring concrete walls, shattering windows and ripping the walls off multiple apartments.

Iranian missiles also hit an oil refinery in the northern city of Haifa for the second night in a row. The early morning strike killed three workers, ignited a significant fire and damaged a building, Israel’s fire and rescue services said. The workers were sheltering in the building’s safe room when the impact caused a stairwell to collapse, trapping them inside.

Firefighters rushed to extinguish the fire and rescue them, but the three died before rescuers could reach them.

No sign of conflict letting up

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, appeared to make a veiled outreach Monday for the U.S. to step in and negotiate an end to hostilities between Israel and Iran.

In a post on X, Araghchi wrote that if Trump is “genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential.”

“It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu,” Iran’s top diplomat wrote. “That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy.”

The message to Washington was sent as the latest talks between the U.S. and Iran were canceled over the weekend after Israel targeted key military and political officials in Tehran.

On Sunday, Araghchi said that Iran will stop its strikes if Israel does the same.

The conflict has also forced most countries in the Middle East to close their airspace. Dozens of airports have stopped all flights or severely reduced operations, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded and others unable to flee the conflict or travel home.

Health authorities reported that 1,277 people were wounded in Iran. Iranians also reported fuel rationing.

Rights groups such as the Washington-based Iranian advocacy group Human Rights Activists have suggested that the Iranian government’s death toll is a significant undercount. The group says it has documented more than 400 people killed, among them 197 civilians.

Ahead of Israel’s initial attack, its Mossad spy agency positioned explosive drones and precision weapons inside Iran. Since then, Iran has reportedly detained several people and hanged one on suspicion of espionage.
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Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat and Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran; Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv; Isaac Scharf and Julia Frankel in Jerusalem; Isabel DeBre in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Farnoush Amiri in New York; Darlene Superville in Washington and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Source AP

Tuesday 17,June 2025 {HMC} Somalia’s Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy signed a strategic agreement on Monday with Türkiye’s OYAK Group to advance the development of the country’s fisheries sector and accelerate the growth of Somalia’s blue economy.

The agreement was signed in Mogadishu by Minister of Fisheries Ahmed Hassan Aden and Mr. Sermaye Yatırımları Anonim Şirketi, representing Türkiye’s OYAK Group.

The partnership focuses on several key areas: direct investment in fisheries infrastructure, enhancing fish production and quality to meet international export standards, establishing fish processing industries to boost exports, creating employment opportunities for Somali youth, and strengthening efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Officials say the agreement is expected to play a pivotal role in increasing government revenue from Somalia’s vast marine resources while expanding job opportunities for young people across the country.

The Ministry of Fisheries reiterated its strong commitment to developing the sector through close collaboration with international companies and investment institutions. It emphasized that sustainable development of Somalia’s blue economy is central to achieving long-term economic progress and national prosperity.

The agreement comes just days after the Oruc Reis, a seismic exploration vessel built by Turkish engineers, completed its first intercontinental mission, according to Türkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.

Since October 25, 2024, the Oruc Reis operated in Somalia’s offshore waters, conducting a 3D seismic survey across three offshore blocks covering a total area of 4,464 square kilometers. The data collected will be analyzed in Ankara to determine potential oil and natural gas drilling sites, raising hopes for unlocking Somalia’s untapped energy reserves.

Source Hiiraan online

Tuesday 17,June 2025 {HMC} The Somali National Army (SNA) and allied local forces carried out coordinated military operations in the past few hours in the forested area of El-Dhere, located on the border between the Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle regions.

According to a statement released by the Federal Government, the operation included direct combat and targeted airstrikes against Al-Shabaab hideouts in the area.

The statement confirmed that numerous Al-Shabaab leaders and fighters were killed, and several militant shelters were destroyed during the operation.
“The airstrikes that killed many leaders and militia members were conducted in cooperation with the Somali National Army and international partners,” read the government statement.

While the statement did not specify the number of casualties inflicted on the militant group, it emphasized that the operation is part of the government’s ongoing campaign to dismantle Al-Shabaab’s presence in the country.

Source Hiiraan online

Tuesday 17,June 2025 {HMC}  The Yemeni Embassy in Somalia has announced the release of seven Yemeni fishermen who had been detained by security forces in the port city of Bosaso, Puntland, for nearly two months after entering Puntland’s coastal waters without authorization from the regional Ministry of Fisheries.

In a statement, the embassy cautioned Yemeni fishermen against fishing in Somali waters without a valid fishing permit.

It emphasized the importance of securing official licenses before operating in Somali maritime zones to safeguard their freedom and avoid legal consequences from Somali federal or regional authorities.
Earlier in June, Puntland authorities released 26 other Yemeni fishermen who had also been accused of illegal fishing off Puntland’s coast. Their release followed an official amnesty issued by the Puntland regional government, according to Yemeni media reports.

Source Hiiraan online

Tuesday 17,June 2025 {HMC} Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud officially launched the National Consultation Forum in Mogadishu on Monday, to enhance national unity and address critical political challenges, including the completion of the Constitution, the electoral process, counter-terrorism efforts, and broader state-building goals.

The forum brought together former presidents, senior federal and state officials, influential Somali leaders, and scholars. However, key opposition parties declined to attend, citing unmet conditions.

In his opening remarks, President Mohamud reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to establishing a direct electoral system, allowing Somali citizens to elect their leaders through a one-person, one-vote process. He emphasized the widespread consensus—across both ruling and opposition factions—against reverting to the indirect voting systems that have historically undermined transparency and democratic legitimacy.
“This forum reflects our dedication to incorporating diverse perspectives on the path to statehood,” said President Mohamud. “Our government is committed to dialogue and consultation—something that has long been absent from Somalia’s political leadership. The door remains open for all to participate in shaping the statehood we aspire to build.”

President Mohamud stressed that while the international community continues to provide valuable support, the responsibility to secure Somalia’s future ultimately lies with its own people and political actors.

Participants in the forum voiced their support for the government’s vision of national unity and pledged their commitment to building an inclusive state rooted in peace, justice, and sustainable development.

Meanwhile, opposition parties affiliated with the Somali Salvation Forum issued a joint statement outlining conditions for their participation. They demanded the formation of a jointly organized technical committee to set the forum’s agenda and timeline, a clear focus on constitutional and electoral issues, and the full inclusion of all federal member state leaders in the process.

Source Hiiraan online