News
Israel Bombs Iran’s Evin Prison as U.S. Joins Conflict: Tensions Soar in Middle East
Israel Bombs Iran’s Evin Prison as U.S. Joins Conflict: Tensions Soar in Middle East
In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Israeli warplanes struck Iran’s notorious Evin prison in northern Tehran on Monday, delivering what Israeli officials described as the most intense bombing campaign yet on the Iranian capital. The attack, which comes just a day after the United States formally entered the conflict, is seen as a symbolic blow against one of the pillars of Iran’s domestic security apparatus.
Evin prison has long been associated with Iran’s political repression, housing political dissidents, journalists, dual nationals, and activists. Bombing such a facility marks a significant shift in the nature of Israeli military targets, suggesting an attempt to not only degrade Iran’s military infrastructure but also undermine its internal control mechanisms.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the airstrike, noting it was part of a broader campaign to dismantle Iran’s ability to support proxy militias and continue its regional aggression. “Evin was not just a prison. It was a fortress of fear used by the regime to suppress its people and silence dissent,” an Israeli spokesperson stated. “Its destruction sends a clear message — the regime’s tools of tyranny are not immune.”
The strike on Evin followed the U.S. military’s own intervention in the conflict. On Sunday, U.S. strategic bombers launched a powerful assault on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, deploying massive 30,000-pound “bunker-buster” bombs in what was seen as a direct attempt to cripple Iran’s nuclear program. The Pentagon said the strikes were carefully calculated to target key enrichment and command centers without provoking mass civilian casualties.
U.S. President Donald Trump, addressing reporters at the White House, doubled down on his administration’s aggressive stance toward Tehran. “The Iranian regime has crossed every red line. It sponsors terror, threatens our allies, and now it must face the consequences. The days of appeasement are over,” Trump said. He went further, musing openly about the possibility of regime change, saying, “The people of Iran deserve better. Maybe it’s time they had a new government.”
In response, Iran’s leadership repeated familiar threats to retaliate, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning of “severe consequences” for what he called an act of war. However, more than 24 hours after the joint Israeli-U.S. assaults, no significant Iranian military retaliation had materialized. Observers say this uncharacteristic delay may indicate internal deliberations about how best to respond without triggering a wider regional conflict.
Iranian state media confirmed damage to Evin prison but offered few details. There are concerns that some prisoners may have been injured or killed in the attack, but official casualty figures have not been released. Families of detainees reportedly gathered outside the ruins of the prison, demanding information and accountability.
International reactions have been swift. Russia and China have condemned the attacks, urging de-escalation and warning of the risk of full-scale war in the Middle East. The United Nations has called for an emergency session of the Security Council to address the spiraling crisis.
News
Court, Congress Pile Pressure on DHS Over Minnesota Operations
Court, Congress Pile Pressure on DHS Over Minnesota Operations
US House Democrats have threatened to begin impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over her handling of the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, unless President Donald Trump removes her from office.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned that Democrats could proceed “the easy way or the hard way,” describing the actions of Noem’s department as “disgusting.”
The crisis follows the fatal shooting of US citizen Alex Pretti by a federal agent, which has triggered backlash in Minneapolis and led to the planned departure of Border Patrol Chief Gregory Borvino and some agents from the city.
Trump has deployed his “border tsar,” Tom Homan, to take charge of on-the-ground operations, while a Minnesota judge has ordered acting ICE director Todd Lyons to appear in court over alleged violations of court orders.
Trump has distanced himself from claims by senior adviser Stephen Miller that Pretti was a “would-be assassin,” saying he did not believe the victim was acting as one.
Video footage shows Pretti holding a phone while filming agents, not a gun, although police say he was a legal firearm owner.
News
UN Raises Alarm Over ‘Spare No-One’ Rhetoric by South Sudan Army Chief
UN Raises Alarm Over ‘Spare No-One’ Rhetoric by South Sudan Army Chief
The United Nations has expressed concern after South Sudan’s Deputy Army Chief, Gen. Johnson Oluny, was heard urging troops to “spare no-one,” including children and the elderly, ahead of military operations in opposition-held areas of Jonglei State.
In a video posted on Facebook, Oluny, addressing members of his Agwelek militia, called for total destruction during the deployment.
The UN Mission in South Sudan condemned the remarks, describing them as “utterly abhorrent,” and warned that inflammatory rhetoric targeting civilians must stop immediately.
South Sudan’s government, however, said the statement did not amount to an official order, insisting it remains committed to protecting civilians.
Minister of Information Ateny Wek Ateny said civilians were being warned only to avoid being caught in crossfire.
The development comes amid escalating fighting in Jonglei, where forces loyal to suspended Vice-President Riek Machar have seized several areas.
The military has ordered civilians, UN personnel and aid workers to evacuate three counties—Nyirol, Uror and Akobo—ahead of an imminent operation.
The UN says more than 180,000 people have been displaced by the renewed violence.
Meanwhile, tensions remain high as opposition forces threaten to advance towards the capital, Juba, a claim dismissed by the army.
South Sudan has been unstable since a 2018 peace deal ended a five-year civil war that killed nearly 400,000 people, but lingering political rivalry and ethnic tensions continue to threaten fragile peace.
Diplomacy
Rwanda sues UK over scrapped migrant deal payments
Rwanda sues UK over scrapped migrant deal payments
The Rwandan government has initiated arbitration proceedings against the United Kingdom, seeking payments it says are owed under the now-abandoned asylum partnership agreement between both countries.
Rwanda has filed the case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, arguing that the UK failed to honour financial commitments contained in the deal signed under the former Conservative government.
The agreement, designed to relocate some asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda, was scrapped in 2024 by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, with the Home Office saying about £220m in future payments would no longer be made.
UK authorities insist the policy was costly and ineffective, pledging to defend the case to protect taxpayers’ funds.
Rwanda, however, says the arbitration concerns unmet treaty obligations and is seeking a legal determination of both parties’ rights under international law.
The PCA lists the case as pending, with no timetable yet announced for hearings or a ruling.
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