United News of Bangladesh

The United Nations’ atomic watchdog on Thursday called on Iran to fully cooperate with the agency, provide detailed information about its near weapons-grade uranium stockpile, and grant inspectors access to its nuclear sites. The resolution, backed by 19 of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-member board of governors, was proposed by France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States. Russia, China, and Niger opposed it, while 12 countries abstained and one did not vote. The IAEA said Iran holds 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent, close to weapons-grade levels. The stockpile could theoretically allow Iran to produce up to 10 nuclear bombs, though the agency noted it does not indicate that Iran has developed such weapons. Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, condemned the resolution, describing it as undue pressure and a misleading portrayal of the situation. He said Iran is prepared for constructive engagement but criticized the authors of the resolution for ignoring attacks on its safeguarded nuclear facilities. Iran had suspended cooperation with the IAEA after Israeli and U.S. strikes on its nuclear sites in June. Although an agreement to resume inspections was reached in September, Iran later halted implementation following the UN’s reimposition of sanctions under the so-called snapback mechanism of the 2015 nuclear deal. The Thursday resolution instructs IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to monitor Iran’s compliance, including verification of uranium stockpiles, centrifuge inventories, and related equipment, under the Additional Protocol, which Iran has suspended since 2021. The IAEA and Western nations maintain that Iran previously pursued a nuclear weapons program before 2003, while Iran continues to insist its nuclear activities are peaceful.  

Israel’s military launched heavy airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Wednesday, targeting what it described as Hezbollah weapons sites, after an earlier drone attack killed one person and injured several others, including schoolchildren traveling on a bus. The latest assault followed an airstrike a day earlier that killed 13 people in the Ein el-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp — the deadliest Israeli attack in Lebanon since last year’s ceasefire brought the Israel-Hezbollah conflict to a halt. In Gaza, Israeli forces also carried out multiple strikes after reporting gunfire at their troops in the south. Health officials in Gaza said the attacks killed at least 25 Palestinians, marking one of the deadliest days in the territory since the Oct. 10 ceasefire came into effect. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited a buffer zone inside Syrian territory seized by Israel last year. Israel Says Hezbollah Is RebuildingOn Wednesday, the Israeli army warned residents of several southern Lebanese villages to evacuate, claiming it would target Hezbollah positions there. Strikes began over an hour later in the villages of Shehour and Deir Kifa. The military alleged that Hezbollah was trying to reestablish its presence in the area, though it provided no evidence. According to Israel, the sites struck were located among civilian neighborhoods and violated last year’s agreement in which Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon and Beirut pledged to curb Hezbollah’s activity. Earlier in the day, an Israeli strike on a car in the village of Tiri killed one person and wounded 11 others, including children on a nearby school bus. Israel later said the attack killed a Hezbollah operative. In Ein el-Hilweh, life appeared normal on Wednesday even as paramedics searched for remains at the blast site, where burned vehicles and debris marked the latest strike. Israel said it targeted a Hamas training facility preparing attacks, a claim Hamas denied, saying the site was merely a sports field. Netanyahu welcomes UN approval of Trump’s Gaza plan, Hamas rejects proposal Efforts to Disarm FactionsPalestinian groups in Lebanon’s 12 refugee camps have been turning over their weapons to Lebanese authorities this year. The government also announced plans to work toward disarming Hezbollah, but the group rejected the idea, citing ongoing Israeli strikes and the occupation of border hills. The United States has recently pressured Lebanon to take stronger action against Hezbollah and cancelled a planned Washington visit by Lebanese army chief Gen. Rudolph Haikal. A senior Lebanese army official told AP that U.S. officials were angered by a military statement accusing Israel of destabilizing Lebanon. The current Israel-Hezbollah conflict erupted on Oct. 8, 2023, after Hezbollah fired rockets following Hamas’s attack on Israel the day before. Israel responded with a major bombing campaign and later a ground offensive. The war killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon and caused an estimated $11 billion in damage. Israel reported 127 deaths, including 80 soldiers. Israeli Strikes Kill 25 in GazaGaza’s Health Ministry reported 25 Palestinians killed and 77 wounded on Wednesday, with casualties coming from both sides of the “yellow line” established under the ceasefire deal. Bodies were taken to hospitals in Gaza City, Khan Younis, and the Muwasi displacement camp. The Israeli military said the strikes were a response to militants firing on Israeli troops in Khan Younis. Hamas denied the allegation, calling the attacks a “shocking massacre.” Although Israeli strikes have decreased since the truce began, they have not stopped. More than 300 people have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire took hold, according to the ministry. Overall, more than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive two years ago after militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted 251 in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack. UN endorses Trump administration’s Gaza plan Netanyahu Tours Seized Buffer Zone in SyriaNetanyahu’s visit to a demilitarized zone in Syria drew swift condemnation. Israel captured the area last year amid Syria’s instability, adding to concerns it seeks to expand control over the Golan Heights — territory it annexed in 1967 without international recognition. Syrian officials said the visit was a “grave violation” of sovereignty. Israel has intensified operations in southern Syria in recent months, including advances on farmland, new checkpoints, and activities drawing interest from Israeli settlers. Negotiations between Syrian and Israeli officials aimed at easing tensions have stalled. Source: AP

One Israeli was killed and three others injured in a ramming and stabbing attack at a busy intersection south of Jerusalem, Israeli authorities reported. Emergency rescue teams rushed the victims to nearby hospitals. The Israeli military confirmed the incident occurred at a crowded junction in the West Bank. UN Approves U.S. Gaza Plan, Hamas Rejects It Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the United Nations’ endorsement of the Trump administration’s plan to stabilize Gaza, while Hamas rejected it, calling it biased. The U.N. Security Council resolution authorizes an international stabilization force to maintain security, oversees a transitional authority called the Board of Peace under U.S. supervision, and outlines a potential pathway to Palestinian statehood. The plan calls for full demilitarization, disarmament, and deradicalization of Gaza. Hamas criticized the force’s disarmament mandate as compromising neutrality and demanded that international troops remain under U.N. supervision at Gaza’s borders. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority welcomed the resolution and pledged cooperation with the U.S., U.N., and other nations. Support from Arab and Muslim-majority countries, including Turkey, Indonesia, Egypt, and Qatar, helped secure adoption of the resolution. The measure aims to reinforce Gaza’s fragile ceasefire following the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which triggered a war that has killed thousands on both sides. Source: AP

Syria opened its first public trial Tuesday for some of the hundreds of suspects linked to the deadly sectarian clashes that swept the country’s coastal provinces earlier this year. Fourteen individuals appeared before Aleppo’s Palace of Justice following a months-long investigation into the March violence, which involved clashes between government forces and supporters of ousted President Bashar Assad. Of the 14 defendants, seven were Assad loyalists and seven were members of the new government’s security forces. The investigating committee referred 563 suspects to the judiciary in total. Charges could include sedition, inciting civil war, attacking security forces, murder, looting, and leading armed gangs, according to state media. The clashes erupted after armed groups aligned with Assad ambushed the new government’s forces, triggering a counteroffensive that escalated into sectarian revenge attacks. Hundreds of civilians, mainly from the Alawite minority, were killed, adding pressure on interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa to demonstrate commitment to judicial reform and rebuild Syria’s international ties. A state inquiry estimated over 1,400 deaths during the sectarian violence, though it found no evidence that Syria’s new military leaders ordered attacks on Alawite communities. A United Nations investigation, however, described the attacks on civilians by government-aligned factions as “widespread and systematic,” noting that Alawite men and boys were singled out for execution. The trial was televised, but the judge adjourned the session, scheduling the next hearing for December. With hundreds of suspects involved, the proceedings are expected to be prolonged. Observers say the trial marks a key step for Syria’s new government to show accountability and adherence to judicial reforms after decades under Assad’s autocratic rule. The government faces both domestic and international pressure to ensure a fair and transparent legal process while addressing the humanitarian and sectarian tensions left in the wake of the March violence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday praised the U.N. Security Council’s adoption of the Trump administration’s plan to stabilize and govern Gaza, while Hamas dismissed the move as an external attempt to control Palestinian territory. The U.S.-backed resolution, passed Monday, authorizes an international stabilization force to secure Gaza, supervise borders, and oversee demilitarization after two years of devastating conflict. It also establishes a transitional body — the “Board of Peace” — under the oversight of President Donald Trump and outlines a potential path toward future Palestinian statehood. The mandate for both the force and the board runs through 2027. Netanyahu said the proposal would bring “peace and prosperity,” stressing its emphasis on disarmament and deradicalization. Hamas, however, rejected the plan, saying the force’s mandate to disarm non-state groups makes it biased in Israel’s favor. It argued the resolution fails to address Palestinian rights and insisted that any foreign troops must work under full U.N. authority and remain limited to border monitoring. The Palestinian Authority welcomed the resolution after language referencing Palestinian self-determination was strengthened. It said it is prepared to begin immediate implementation alongside the U.S., U.N. and regional partners. The U.S. revised the proposal following negotiations with Arab states, adding that reforms within the PA and progress in Gaza reconstruction could create conditions for a credible route to statehood. Washington also committed to launching dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians. A breakthrough in securing Arab and Muslim-majority support — including from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey — proved decisive for the resolution’s passage. The plan envisions international troops securing Gaza’s borders, coordinating with Palestinian police, and facilitating humanitarian assistance. Israeli forces would then withdraw according to benchmarks tied to demilitarization, to be agreed upon by Israel, the stabilization force, the U.S. and ceasefire guarantors.

The number of Palestinians dying in Israeli detention has surged to nearly 100 since the outbreak of the Gaza war, according to a report by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI), citing systemic abuse and denial of medical care in prisons and detention centers. The report, released Monday, aligns with findings from The Associated Press, which interviewed former guards, nurses, doctors, detainees, and relatives, and analyzed autopsy and prison records. One former military prison guard described routine shackling, beatings, and a facility nicknamed a “graveyard” due to frequent deaths. PHRI recorded 98 deaths since October 7, 2023, with 27 in 2023, 50 in 2024, and 21 this year. The organization noted the actual toll is likely higher, as Israel has withheld information on many detainees. By contrast, fewer than 30 Palestinians died in custody during the previous decade. Prison conditions deteriorated as the population doubled to 11,000, primarily from Gaza and the West Bank. Reports highlighted abuse, malnutrition, and medical neglect, with some injuries severe enough to require amputations. Former prisoners recounted witnessing deaths from beatings and starvation, while lawyers said serious investigations into abuse are rare. The Israeli army and Prison Service said detainees are examined by doctors, receive three meals daily, and that violations of conduct are punished, though they declined to comment on the death toll. PHRI called the situation “alarming” and indicative of a system lacking moral and professional restraint.  

Heavy winter rains struck Gaza’s Muwasi tent camp on Saturday, inundating makeshift shelters and worsening living conditions for displaced residents still reeling from two years of war. Families scrambled to dig trenches to divert water as tarpaulins leaked, soaking personal belongings. Strong winds toppled tents and hampered efforts to protect scarce food and supplies. Bassil Naggar, who recently bought a new tent for $712, said rainwater was still seeping through, leaving puddles inches high. Children played barefoot in the water while some residents sought shelter in partially collapsed buildings. The United Nations reported that Muwasi shelters housed up to 425,000 displaced Palestinians earlier this year, mostly in temporary tents, following Israel’s war with Hamas that displaced much of Gaza’s 2 million population. Aid agencies warned that the humanitarian response, including winter blankets and tarps, remains insufficient. The U.N. Security Council is set to vote Monday on a U.S. proposal for a stabilization force in Gaza, amid opposition from Russia, China, and some Arab countries. Since the war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed 69,100 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The conflict continues to complicate efforts to recover the remains of hostages held by Hamas, with 330 Palestinian remains returned so far, only 97 identified due to limited DNA testing capacity.

Iran seized a Marshall Islands–flagged oil tanker while it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, a U.S. official said, marking the first such interception in months in one of the world’s most vital shipping lanes. Iran has not yet commented on the seizure. The incident comes amid rising warnings from Tehran following its 12-day war with Israel in June and U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The vessel, the Talara, was traveling from Ajman in the United Arab Emirates to Singapore when Iranian forces intercepted it, according to a U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Flight-tracking data showed a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton drone monitoring the area for hours as the incident unfolded. Private security firm Ambrey said three small boats approached the tanker before it was forced into Iranian waters. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center separately described the event as possible “state activity.” Cyprus-based Columbia Shipmanagement, which manages the Talara, said it had lost contact with the tanker carrying high-sulphur gasoil and alerted maritime authorities. “The safety of the crew remains our foremost priority,” the company said. The U.S. Navy has previously accused Iran of targeting commercial vessels in the region, including limpet mine attacks in 2019 and a deadly drone strike in 2021. Tensions have intensified further since Iran-backed Houthi attacks disrupted Red Sea shipping during the Israel-Hamas conflict. Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which one-fifth of global oil trade passes. The U.S. 5th Fleet continues to patrol the region to keep the waterway open. Source: AP

Israel on Friday handed over the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, health officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said, marking another step in implementing the fragile U.S.-mediated ceasefire deal. The transfer came hours after Palestinian militants returned the body of an Israeli hostage — one of the last four still held since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that sparked the Gaza war. Israel identified the hostage as Meny Godard, who was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri. His wife, Ayelet, was killed during the assault. Armed groups linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad said his body had been found in southern Gaza. Since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, Israel has received the remains of 25 hostages, while three more are yet to be recovered. Hamas returned 20 Israeli hostages alive on Oct. 13. Under the agreement’s first phase, Israel releases the bodies of 15 Palestinians for each hostage returned. So far, Gaza health officials say they have received 330 bodies, but only 95 have been formally identified due to shortages of DNA testing kits. Both sides have accused each other of breaching elements of the deal. Israel alleges Hamas has returned partial remains and staged recovery scenes, while Hamas accuses Israel of firing on civilians and restricting humanitarian aid. Gaza death toll surpasses 69,000 as Israel, Hamas exchange remains again The wider agreement outlines plans for an international stabilization force, a technocratic Palestinian administration, and the disarmament of Hamas. The war began when Hamas-led fighters stormed southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s military campaign since then has killed more than 69,100 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Source: AP 

U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Israel’s President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his ongoing corruption trial, sparking criticism and concerns about American interference in Israel’s internal affairs. In a letter sent Wednesday, Trump described the charges against Netanyahu as a “political, unjustified prosecution” and praised him as a “decisive wartime leader” now guiding Israel toward peace. This marks Trump’s second public call for a pardon, following a similar appeal during his Knesset speech last month while promoting his Gaza ceasefire proposal. Netanyahu, accused of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery, denies the allegations and calls the case a politically motivated “witch hunt.” Herzog confirmed receiving Trump’s letter but said any pardon request must follow formal legal procedures. More Americans disapprove of Trump’s government management, AP-NORC poll shows The move has drawn sharp reactions in Israel, with critics warning that U.S. involvement could undermine judicial independence. Opposition leader Yair Lapid noted that under Israeli law, a pardon requires an admission of guilt, making Trump’s request legally and politically complex. Analysts also cautioned that granting a pardon under such pressure could erode public trust in the rule of law. Source: AP