United News of Bangladesh

Over the last six days, Israelis have faced a new kind of threat: a powerful military force launching ballistic missiles at both civilian areas and critical infrastructure inside Israel. Visible destruction to residential buildings has been widely reported, but leaks suggest that sensitive military or strategic sites may also have been hit, reports Al Jazeera. For the first time, the Israeli military has acknowledged that one of its Hermes drones was shot down over Iran. While images of damage in Iran are circulating, the impact on Israeli civilians is also becoming clear. Tehran rocked by blasts as Israel strikes key Iranian sites Dozens of buildings in Israel have been deemed unsafe and are set to be demolished. More than 1,300 people have been displaced and are currently staying in hotels due to homes that are no longer habitable. Authorities have received over 18,000 compensation claims related to the destruction. This level of disruption is unlike anything Israeli society has previously faced. Past conflicts with groups such as Hamas or Hezbollah, even during periods of intense fighting, were perceived as more manageable. This time, the scale and nature of the threat represent something entirely new. Al Jazeera continues its coverage from Jordan following a ban on its operations in Israel and the occupied West Bank.

The United States Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, was forced to take shelter in a bunker five times in a single night as Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles across Israel in retaliation for recent attacks on its nuclear and military installations, report agencies. In a post on social media platform X, Ambassador Huckabee described the experience as a “difficult” night. “I had to go to the shelter five times,” he wrote, as air raid sirens blared and missiles targeted locations across the country. The missile onslaught prompted hundreds of thousands of Israelis to seek refuge in bomb shelters throughout Friday night, highlighting the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel following weeks of rising hostilities. “This is Shabbat now,” Huckabee noted, referring to the Jewish day of rest. “We should remain quiet. Perhaps the attacks are over. The entire nation has been instructed to remain near shelters.” Huckabee, known as a staunch supporter of Israel, has sparked controversy in recent remarks. Earlier this week, he stated that there is “no such thing” as the West Bank, aligning with hardline Israeli positions. He also suggested that an Israeli strike on Iran without US coordination or approval would be “virtually impossible.” Speaking to Israeli news outlet Ynet, Huckabee said, “I don’t believe that such an action would take place due to issues of trust and coordination. There is a deep trust between the United States and Israel — and I emphasise the word ‘trust’.”  Missiles strike Israel as Iran retaliates over attacks on nuclear, military targets “I often say: we have many friends and allies, but we have only one partner — and that is Israel. That doesn’t mean we don’t have good relations with other countries,” he asserted. Huckabee went on to explain the unique nature of the US-Israel alliance, saying, “There is no other country with which we share intelligence, military equipment, strategic objectives, and common goals the way we do with Israel. This is because we share a civilisation based on a Judeo-Christian worldview.” The missile barrage comes amid heightened fears of broader regional conflict, as both Iran and Israel exchange threats and military responses. The international community has urged restraint, while the United Nations has called for urgent diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.