As Iran seizes container ship, Israel warns of ‘consequences’ of escalation
U.S. announces decision to send more troops to the troubled region; Tehran official says Tel Aviv is in complete panic about the looming response to consulate strike in Syria; tensions flare in West Bank as missing Israeli teenager is found dead
Agence FrancePresse
Israel warned on Saturday that Iran would suffer the “consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further” as fears grew of wider conflict more than six months into Israel’s war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
The strong warning came after Iran seized a container ship linked to Israel in the Gulf, and the U.S. announced it was sending more troops to the troubled region.
The White House has repeatedly warned Tehran against carrying out a potentially imminent attack on Israel in response to an air strike on an Iranian diplomatic building in Damascus earlier this month.
Tehran has vowed to avenge the April 1 strike — which killed 16 people, including two Iranian generals, and has been widely blamed on Israel — but has not specified how.
Iran’s Revolutionary
Guards seized a container ship “related” to Israel in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, which was now heading towards Iranian waters, state media reported.
Not long after the seizure was announced, Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said that “Iran will bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further”.
Terrified of response
An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader said that Israel was in “complete panic” over Tehran’s looming response.
“They don’t know what Iran wants to do, so they and their supporters are terrified,” senior adviser Yahya Rahim said.
The Gaza war began with Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack against Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.
Israel teen found dead
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 33,686 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the territory’s health ministry.
Tensions have also flared in the Israelioccupied West Bank, where a missing Israeli teenager was found dead on Saturday.
Agence FrancePresse
Six persons were killed and several others injured — including a ninemonthold baby — when a knifewielding attacker rampaged through a busy Sydney shopping centre on Saturday.
The Australian police said multiple people were stabbed by the unidentified assailant, who was tracked down and shot dead by a policewoman who is being hailed as a national hero.
The incident occurred at the sprawling Westfield Bondi Junction mall complex, which was packed with thousands of Saturday afternoon shoppers.
New South Wales police commissioner Karen Webb said five women and one man had died. A baby was undergoing emergency surgery.
Identity not revealed
The police said the attacker is believed to be a 40yearold man who was known to law enforcement, but he has not yet been formally identified.
Ms. Webb played down suggestions that the attack could have been an act of terrorism and said it is believed the attacker acted alone. “If it is in fact the person we believe it is, then... it’s not a terrorism incident,” she said.
A New South Wales Ambulance spokesperson said eight patients were taken to various hospitals across Sydney, including the baby who was taken to the city’s Children’s Hospital.
Traumatic injuries
“They all have traumatic injuries,” the official said.
Security camera footage showed a man wearing an Australian rugby league jersey running around the shopping centre with a large knife.
Injured people lay lifeless on the floor, or surrounded by pools of blood.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of panic.
Many people took shelter in shops, trying to protect themselves, their families and frightened strangers.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the bravery of strangers who helped each other and the woman police inspector who rushed headlong toward danger.