Press TV – June 17, 2025
Strikes so far against Israel just a warning, punitive operations to follow: Iran’s top general
In a stern and strongly-worded warning to the Israeli regime and its Western backers on Tuesday, Iran’s top military commander said the “punitive operations” will be carried out soon.
Major General Sayyid Abdolrahim Mousavi, the newly-elected Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, in a televised message, said the operations carried out so far since Friday have served as a deterrent warning, and the actual punitive operations will be executed soon.
He said the Zionist regime, in an act of aggression disguised as military goals, has in recent days attacked the people of Iran, including women, children and the elderly.
He said the regime has disregarded all recognized international laws, and after killing some 300 journalists in Gaza and Lebanon, has now launched a savage assault on the media professionals of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) to silence the voice of truth.
“The great nation of Iran, as history shows, has never bowed to any aggression, and, while standing firm against this savage act, will make the Zionist regime pay for its crimes, God willing,” he declared.
“By God’s power, the martyrdom of our dear compatriots, scientists and commanders of the armed forces, will only strengthen our resolve to carry out a punishing reprisal.”
Major General Mousavi further stated that so far, since Friday, the IRGC aerospace force and the air-defense Headquarters, are at the front line with support from the Army, the IRGC, the Law-Enforcement Command and the Ministry of Defense, and together they have “inflicted heavy blows on the enemy by striking sensitive and vital targets.”
However, he added that the operations conducted so far have only been a warning for deterrence, the punitive operations will be carried out shortly.
He also warned the settlers of the occupied territories, especially Tel Aviv and Haifa, to immediately leave these areas to save their lives and “not sacrifice themselves to Netanyahu’s animalistic desires.”
“Let the free peoples of the world rest assured: the great nation of Iran, led by its armed forces, will avenge the blood of the martyrs—God willing, by His power,” he declared.
Iran vows to ‘break the back’ of Zionist regime; says new missiles being used
Iran’s defense ministry has vowed to “break the back” of the Israeli regime and continue with its retaliatory military operations against the Zionist aggressors.
In a televised interview on Iran’s state broadcaster on Tuesday, ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Reza Talayi-Nik said the Iranian armed forces will continue their retaliatory military action, vowing a crushing blow to Zionist regime.
“Our nation is facing an imposed war, and the enemy is targeting the strength and resilience of every segment of our people,” Talayi-Nik said.
He emphasized Iran’s defensive posture, while underlining its readiness to use all available means to defend the Iranian nation.
“We are firmly in a defensive position, but we are utilizing all our offensive and defensive capabilities. The trenches of our defense front are broad, and people from all walks of life are involved,” he said in the TV interview.
Talayi-Nik denounced the Israeli regime for targeting civilians in its aggression against Iran.
“On the very first night, the enemy showed its aggression by attacking women and children,” referring to the Friday morning attacks that killed a number of civilians.
In one such attack on a residential complex in northern Tehran, a total of 60 people were killed, including 20 children, some of them still trapped under the debris.
The defense ministry spokesman further added that the Israeli regime lacks the capacity to endure a prolonged war against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“The enemy cannot sustain a long war, and as it continues, the back of the Zionist regime will be broken,” he warned.
Talayi-Nik also announced that Iran employed a new missile system for the first time in its retaliatory operations on Tuesday against the Zionist regime.
“Today, we used one of our missiles for the first time, and the Zionist regime didn’t even realize it had been deployed. They will see more of these surprises,” he said.
In the ninth phase of Operation True Promise III early on Tuesday, Iran launched a massive barrage of missiles and drones at the occupied Palestinian territories.
The large-scale retaliatory operation, which was first launched on Friday night, is being carried out under the code name “Ya Ali ibn Abi Talib.”
The retaliation came following the Israeli military's unprovoked aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, leading to the assassination of several high-ranking Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, including women and children.
After receiving heavy blows in the previous eight phases of the operation, the Israeli regime authorities on Tuesday banned the live broadcast of the Iranian operations.
Prestigious Mossad-linked Weizmann Institute reduced to rubble by Iranian missile strike
Iranian missile strikes have reduced the renowned Weizmann Institute of Science, located in the city of Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, to smoldering ruins.
Once a pillar of the Zionist regime’s scientific and military collaboration, the institute with close links to the Israeli spy agency Mossad, now stands dysfunctional and devastated.
Long considered one of the most prominent scientific powerhouses of the Israeli regime, the Weizmann Institute maintained deep ties with both the Israeli military and the Mossad intelligence agency.
Its partnership extended to Elbit Systems, the regime’s leading weapons manufacturer with branches across the US, the UK, and beyond.
According to Israeli media, the precision strike — launched early Saturday — was “far from accidental.” It targeted a hub of cutting-edge research tied to the regime’s military-industrial complex, including fields such as physics, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence.
The destruction was described by Israeli experts as “catastrophic.”
Laboratories and entire buildings lie in ruins. Sensitive instruments, rare biological materials, and decades of pioneering research have been obliterated. What once represented the scientific pride of the regime has now been reduced to ashes and debris, experts admitted.
Images circulating in the aftermath showed scorched structures, windows blown out, tangled wires hanging from collapsed ceilings, and firefighting floods turning the institute’s courtyards into pools of ruin.
The true magnitude of the strike began to emerge as shell-shocked scientists and researchers came forward to speak of their massive and irreversible losses.
“In under 15 minutes, I saw images of a fire consuming the lab that has been my second home for 22 years. Three entire floors collapsed. Nothing is left — no data, no images, no notes, no history,” said Professor Eldad Tzahor, describing the obliteration of his laboratory.
Tzahor emphasized the magnitude of the loss, saying it was just about the equipment, but the destruction of a scientific archive tied to the Zionist regime’s technological ambitions.
Among the hardest-hit was the computer science department, where the lab of Professor Eran Segal — a global leader in AI-driven medical research — was completely annihilated.
His 50-member team scrambled to recover thousands of vital biological samples from ultra-cold freezers, but flooding rendered most of them irretrievably damaged.
Equipment worth millions is now considered beyond repair.
“It’s not just expensive devices that are gone. It’s decades of accumulated expertise and finely calibrated scientific systems — generations of research, vanished,”
said Professor Sharieal Fleishman of the Department of Biochemistry.
Veteran researcher Professor Oren Schuldiner painted a haunting picture: “It’s as if our lab evaporated. Years of work — unique DNA libraries, stem cells, genetically engineered fly strains — all disappeared in an instant. This was the product of countless sleepless nights by our students.”
In a moment of grave introspection, Schuldiner raised questions about the Zionist entity’s future amid Iranian retaliatory operations: “This isn’t just about Iran. It’s also about the deep uncertainty surrounding Israel’s future.”
The strike on the Weizmann Institute came as part of Operation True Promise II, launched by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Friday, hours after the Israeli regime assassinated several senior Iranian military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, including women and children.
Israel is doing the dirty work for us: Germany’s Merz
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz calls "Israel's" strikes on Iran a global service, warns of nuclear program destruction, and exemplifies Western bias amid ongoing regional escalation.
In a revealing interview with ZDF this morning, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz openly endorsed "Israel’s" continued military aggression against Iran, framing it not only as justified but as a global service.
“This is the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us. We are also victims of this regime,” Merz said, referring to Iran. He labeled the Iranian government a “mullah regime” responsible for “death and destruction to the world.”
In his remarks, Merz issued a threat: if Iran refuses to back down, its nuclear program will face complete destruction. He admitted that such an outcome could not be achieved by "Israel" alone, stressing the inevitable need for US involvement.
It is worth noting that as Iran faced a wave of attacks launched by "Israel", the European trio, Germany, France, and Britain (E3), largely focused their statements on condemning Iran and upholding "Israel's" right to self-defense. Although the strikes originated from "Israel", the E3 refrained from criticizing the offensive, instead stressing the need for de-escalation and renewed diplomacy.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz further admitted that Berlin was informed of the attack on Tehran ahead of time.
E3 offer Iran immediate nuclear talks while backing 'Israel'
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced that Germany, France, and Britain are prepared to initiate immediate negotiations with Iran regarding Tehran's nuclear program. The move aims to reduce growing tensions in the Middle East.
Wadephul, currently on a visit to the region, emphasized that the objective is to contribute to the de-escalation of the war between "Israel" and Iran. He claimed that Tehran had previously missed opportunities to engage in constructive dialogue but expressed hope that this time would be different.
"I hope that's still possible," Wadephul told German public broadcaster ARD on Saturday evening. "Germany, together with France and Britain, are ready. We're offering Iran immediate negotiations about the nuclear programme, I hope (the offer) is accepted."
Wadephul highlighted that successful negotiations could serve as a crucial step toward pacifying the broader conflict. "This is also a key prerequisite for reaching a pacification of this conflict, that Iran presents no danger to the region, for the state of Israel or to Europe," he said.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/-israel--is-doing-the-dirty-work-for-us--germany-s-merz
Israel targets civilians in Tehran; most victims are kids
As Israeli strikes intensify, Iranian hospitals are overwhelmed with wounded civilians
The emergency department at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini hospital was hit by a surge of injuries late Sunday night following direct Israeli airstrikes on the city. Medical staff described the aftermath as a “bloodbath” as victims from nearby blasts overwhelmed the facility.
“It was a bloodbath. We were overwhelmed by chaos and the screams of grieving family members. Dozens upon dozens of people with life-threatening injuries, minor wounds, and even bodies were brought in,” one doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Guardian.
The Israeli war on Iran, now entering its fifth day, has rapidly overwhelmed the medical infrastructure in the capital. Doctors and nurses face an unrelenting stream of wounded patients amid continuing attacks, forcing some hospitals to redirect non-critical patients to other facilities.
Mounting civilian casualties
“I’ve seen toddlers, teenagers, adults, and the elderly alike. Profusely bleeding mothers were rushing in with their children injured by shrapnel,” the doctor continued. “Some parents didn’t even realise they were hurt until they laid their children down.”
The range of injuries reported includes embedded metal shards, internal bleeding, and burns. According to Iranian officials, over 1,270 people have been hospitalized since the start of the Israeli aggression, with 224 confirmed killed. However, medical staff believe the real toll is significantly higher.
Hossein Kermanpour, spokesperson for Iran’s Health Ministry, confirmed that over 90% of those affected were civilians. Despite these figures, Israeli officials continue to claim that the airstrikes are limited to "regime-linked targets". “When we control the skies over Tehran, we are hitting these targets, the targets of the regime,” claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to a central airbase.
Children with shattered limbs, doctors brace for more casualties
It is worth noting that Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has issued an open threat against civilians in Tehran on Monday, vowing that they will pay the price.
“The residents of Tehran will pay the price, and soon,” he vowed, in a direct threat to civilians in the Iranian capital.
Medical personnel have been working nonstop since the first strikes, often without food or rest. Children as young as four were reportedly brought in with shattered limbs due to blast pressure. “We haven’t had the time to eat or drink. I fear after this morning we are going to have more bodies coming in,” said another medic.
Springboks Whip Kangaroos in ICC WTC Final
By Syed Rifaquat Ali
South Africa, rated as a mediocre Test team by cricket pundits and media, triumphantly defeated the number 1 Test team in the world Australia last week in the final of International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship at Lord's before a huge crowd. Markram and Ramada were
the heroes for South Africa, led by diminutive batsman Bavuma.
The Australians, led by Patrick Cummins, made every effort desperately to save the match but in vain, losing by five wickets. One major factor why Australia lost the match was the absence of a leg spinner in the team.
Adam Zampa is an established Australian leg spinner, but he was axed as the selectors think-tank feel that he is not suited for a Test match, and is only good enough for shorter formats of the game: ODI and T-20. This is absolutely and absurd thinking. It has become a tradition all over the world to segregate players for Test matches and shorter formats, however good they are as batsmen or bowlers. Pakistan has a similar problem.
World-class batsman Babar Azam has been dropped from the T-20 Pakistan team foolishly by the selectors.
And next year, the ICC T-20 World Championship will be played without some key players which is appalling. It really beats my wit. Australia played with just one off spinner Nathan Lyon to the glee of South Africans, and paid the price. How can you play a Test match with just one spinner, and amazinglno leg spinner.
In modern cricket, selectors and coaches are having their own whimsical absurd ideas, unheard of in the past. Next month the Pakistan team will be touring West India to play T-20 matches without Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan which is just baffling.
Similar is the case with a slew of other cricketing countries. Coming back to Australian cricket, the selectors will have to think and rethink about the formation of the team and take a lesson from the horrendous defeat it had to stomack at Lord's which brought humiliation to Australian cricket. The Australian selectors just cannot get away saying it is all in the game. The right choice of players is the need of the hour.
By Syed Rifaquat Ali is Sydney correspondent of JoA
