Today's Newsletter

• It was widely reported that the Home Office is investigating whether Iran is funding Palestine Action. Yvette Cooper said members of Parliament would be able to vote on secondary legislation next week to proscribe the group, describing it as a “legitimate response” to escalating actions made by protesters. Home Office officials are understood to be investigating Palestine Action’s source of donations over concerns that Iranian proxies are funding the group's activities via its website, which does not publish financial information.

• Around 500 supporters of Palestine Action clashed with police after they were banned from demonstrating outside Parliament, it was widely reported. Scotland Yard said at least three protesters had been arrested after they gathered to protest an announcement that the group was to be proscribed. Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Commissioner, had earlier said he was “shocked and frustrated” that the protest was being allowed to go ahead, describing Palestine Action as an “organised extremist criminal group”.

• The Times reports that Jewish doctors have said that they "fear for their safety" at the British Medical Association's (BMA) annual conference. Some 45 motions on the agenda relate to the Israel-Gaza conflict, with one arguing that the BMA should support doctors to refuse to pay their taxes as the UK Government is “complicit in genocide”. The Jewish Medical Association said that meetings of the BMA were no longer a safe place and has asked for support from the Community Security Trust to “ensure the safety and protect the wellbeing of Jewish representatives at the meeting”.

• Iranian state television says that a ceasefire between the country and Israel has now begun, it was widely reported. Iran's foreign minister had previously refuted an earlier announcement by Donald trump that a ceasefire had been agreed, but then later clarified that Tehran had "no intention" to continue missile strikes - provided that Israel "stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people". Speaking in an interview with NBC, President Trump expressed hopes that the ceasefire would remain in place "forever". 

• Tehran announced it had launched a missile attack on US bases in Qatar and Iraq, it was widely reported. Iran said it carried out the attacks for what it said was retaliation for US participation in Israel’s bombing campaign against it - but it is unclear whether any of the missiles had hit their targets. A US defence official confirmed that Iran had targeted the Al Udeid airbase in Qatar in “a retaliatory but largely symbolic response” to the weekend US strikes.

• Syrian authorities have conducted arrests in connection to a terrorist attack targeting a church in the country’s capital, AFP reports. The shooting and bombing attack killed 25 people and wounded 63 in the Dwelaa district of Damascus on Sunday – authorities claimed that the attacker was affiliated with Daesh. The attack was the first suicide bombing in a church in Syria since the beginning of the civil war in 2011, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor.

Does Palestine Action's cash trail lead all the way to Iran? Probe launched into group in the wake of clash between police and protesters on the streets of London

Daily Mail, 24/06/2025

The Home Office has claimed Iran could be funding Palestine Action as the government moves to designate it a terrorist organisation. Officials are understood to be investigating the group's source of donations amid concerns its status as a charity means it is not bound by financial transparency rules. There are fears Iran could be providing money, via proxies, given their objectives of 'dismantling the apartheid regime in Israel' are aligned. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is due to update MPs next week on the proposals to make it a criminal offence to belong to or support Palestine Action. The move comes after the group posted footage online showing two people inside the base at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

Also: BBC News, Daily Express, The Guardian, ITV News, (£) Reuters, Sky News, (£) The Times

Palestine Action clashes with police after protest ban

(£) Daily Telegraph, 23/06/2025

Palestine Action protesters clashed with police in Trafalgar Square after they were banned from demonstrating outside Parliament. Around 500 supporters, some wearing face coverings and waving Palestinian flags, gathered on Monday lunchtime in defiance of an announcement by Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, that the group was to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation. Violence flared when police attempted to speak to a small group but were surrounded by a large mob. Scotland Yard said at least three protesters had been arrested, two for obstruction and a third on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.

Also: Daily Mail, ITV News, London Evening Standard, Sky News

Targets Iran-backed terrorists could pick in UK amid 'substantial' threat

Daily Mirror, 23/06/2025

America's attack on Iran has triggered growing fears of a wave of terror hitting the UK as Iran-backed foot soldiers take deadly revenge. Britain is considered a prime target for terrorism by Iranian regime supporters and UK streets could see blood spilled by Tehran-sponsored attackers. It is believed both Lebanese Hizballah and their Tehran sponsors the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could launch hits in the UK. Among their targets are Jewish and Israeli targets but this could also switch to the general civilian public if ordered by Tehran. And in particular RAF bases and other military sites could also be targeted because they would get coverage and it would make the UK look vulnerable. The terror threat level to the UK is assessed by MI5 as being at “substantial” and has been at that level for several years.

Also: (£) Daily Telegraph

From 'sleeper agents' snuck onto asylum boats, to cyber attacks and suicide drones... these are the terrifying tactics Iran is ready to unleash on Britain

Daily Mail, 24/06/2025

One morning – perhaps not so far in the future – you wake up and leave the house to get the train to work. But you can't. Rail systems have ground to a halt, crippled by a cyber attack that may or may not be linked to the killing of an Iranian dissident in London the week before. As you wonder what to do, a news alert pings through on your phone: a swarm of ‘suicide' drones have attacked RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. One of the UK's most important military bases is under siege. It's an ominous vision, perhaps – and one that now risks coming true as Iran seeks vengeance on the US and its allies for striking its nuclear facilities. Last night Tehran launched missile attacks against US military bases in Qatar , in a retaliatory operation codenamed ‘Promise of Victory'.

Yvette Cooper urged to finally make key 'terrorist' declaration for Iran group

Daily Express, 23/06/2025

A former Defence Secretary has called for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to be proscribed so the UK can “treat them like the terrorists they are”. Ben Wallace warned of "pretty dangerous territory" to come if action against Iran is not seen through. When asked if the UK government should now proscribe the IRGC, he said: “I think so. I think we've seen the IRGC for too long reach way out of the realms of a conventional force and into terrorism and into disrupting our friends and our allies around. “The IRGC will be active in Yemen, helping support the Houthis, attack our friends, the Saudi Arabians and our other allies in the region, the UAE. And we should treat them like the terrorists they are.”

Palestine Action’s behaviour ‘totally unacceptable’, Chancellor says

PA Media, 23/06/2025

The behaviour of Palestine Action has been “totally unacceptable”, the Chancellor has said, after the group’s vandalism of two planes at an RAF base. Rachel Reeves condemned Palestine Action ahead of an update from the Home Secretary to Parliament on the Government’s plan to proscribe it under terror laws. A protest in support of Palestine Action is also due to take place in London on Monday. The group posted on X that the protest location has moved to Trafalgar Square after the Metropolitan Police banned action from taking place at the Houses of Parliament. behaviours in the last few weeks, and particularly in the last few days, are totally unacceptable.”

Ban on Palestine Action would have ‘chilling effect’ on other protest groups

The Guardian, 23/06/2025

The crackdown on protest in England and Wales has been ringing alarm bells for years, but the decision to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws raises the stakes dramatically. As the group itself has said, it is the first time the government has attempted to proscribe a direct action protest organisation under the Terrorism Act, placing it alongside the likes of Daesh, al-Qa’ida and National Action. The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the proposed ban was evidence-based and had been assessed by a wide range of experts. “In several attacks, Palestine Action has committed acts of serious damage to property with the aim of progressing its political cause and influencing the government,” she said.

The Guardian view on Palestine Action: if red paint is terrorism, what isn’t?

The Guardian, 23/06/2025

The Guardian's editorial team writes, "Labelling direct action as an act of terror criminalises dissent, chills speech and redefines nuisance as extremism under the banner of national security."

This is comment or editorial reporting.

The UK is a second-tier power - Starmer has no authority

(£) iNews, 23/06/2025

Kitty Donaldson writes, “Nothing has shown up the UK as a second-tier power quite as much as the last few days.”

This is comment or editorial reporting.

Kneecap are proof that the hypocritical Left won’t cancel their own

(£) Daily Telegraph, 23/06/2025

Celia Walden writes, “It seems being charged with a terror offence doesn’t get you banned by Glastonbury – but it’s a different story if you insult their founder.”

This is comment or editorial reporting.

Palestine Action stands for everything we must reject

(£) Daily Telegraph, 23/06/2025

Tom Harris writes, "... if the Home Secretary is running out of patience with these twisted, spoiled and violent individuals, then perhaps, for once, the Government is accurately reflecting the public mood."

This is comment or editorial reporting.

I was in the midst of a mob of deluded conspiracy theorists united by a loathing of Israel, Trump and UK foreign policy

Daily Mail, 23/06/2025

Robert Hardman writes, "At one end of Whitehall, the Government was solemnly announcing plans to add the direct action group Palestine Action to the UK's current list of 81 proscribed (banned) terrorist organisations. At the other end, its supporters were doing their best to muster a show of strength – while they still can."

This is comment or editorial reporting.

We live in a country where acts of sabotage by thugs are tolerated by the authorities to further 'politically correct' causes - and this is why Keir Starmer is to blame

Daily Mail, 24/06/2025

Richard Littlejohn writes, "Why should we have to tolerate far-Left lunatics waving the flags of our enemies and terrifying our friends and neighbours in Britain's loyal, law-abiding Jewish community?"

This is comment or editorial reporting.

Jewish doctors ‘fear for safety’ as 45 BMA motions focus on Gaza

(£) The Times, 23/06/2025

Jewish doctors say that they “fear for their safety” at the British Medical Association’s annual conference, where one in ten items on the agenda relate to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Some 45 motions discussing Israel or Palestine have been put forward at the doctors’ union annual meeting, which is taking place from Monday to Wednesday this week. They include a claim that Israel is establishing a “system of apartheid” and a motion arguing that the British Medical Association (BMA) should support doctors to refuse to pay their taxes as the UK government is “complicit in genocide”.

Also: (£) Daily Telegraph

Kemi Badenoch: Grooming gangs inquiry must probe ‘insidious' cousin marriage links

GB News, 23/06/2025

Kemi Badenoch has urged the national inquiry into the grooming gangs to examine whether cousin marriage has contributed to the scandal. The Tory leader told GB News the “insidious” practice of first-cousin marriage undermined integration and promoted group loyalties over “loyalty to society.” Badenoch told the People's Channel the national inquiry, announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last weekend, should examine whether cousin marriage “contributed to the conditions that enabled the grooming, abuse and trafficking of vulnerable children”. Her intervention comes amid growing concern about the practice of cousin marriage and its impact on community cohesion.

British man says he fears for family trapped in Iran by Home Office appeal

The Guardian, 23/06/2025

A British man has told of his fears for his family who are trapped in Iran after winning the right to reunite in the UK, because the Home Office has appealed against the decision. After news broke in the early hours of Sunday morning that the US had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran, fears for the safety of the man’s parents and sister, currently stranded in Tehran, are mounting. The man, whom the Guardian is not naming to protect his family, said: “It breaks my heart knowing the difficulties that my parents and sister are having. The daily worry and coordination to support them all add to a sense of helplessness. “Since escaping from Afghanistan after the arrival of the Taliban in 2021 my parents have lost their home and community, all their belongings and their careers.”

Met is accused of 'two-tier policing' after 'threatening to charge men for waving an Israeli flag' at Palestine Action clash

Daily Mail, 24/06/2025

Met Police officers have been accused of 'two-tier policing' after allegedly threatening to charge two men for waving the Israeli flag at Palestine Action's protest yesterday.  Hundreds of protesters gathered at Trafalgar Square in response to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper's plan to add the group to the government's list of proscribed terrorist organisations. The decision came after members last week broke into RAF Brize Norton and damaged two military planes and other 'violent' action - including one incident where two police officers were assaulted with a sledgehammer. At Palestine Action's protest on Monday, two Jewish men who waved an Israeli flag in counter-protest to the group said police forced them onto a double decker bus.

Professor driven out over false Islamophobia claims criticises university

(£) The Times, 23/06/2025

The University of Bristol has been accused of failing to protect one of its professors who was falsely accused of anti-Muslim prejudice. Free speech and academic groups have asked the Office for Students (OfS) to examine alleged government and management failings that were said to have put Professor Steven Greer at risk. The groups pointed out parallels between the Bristol case and Sussex University, which was fined £585,000 by the OfS for failing to uphold freedom of speech in relation to Kathleen Stock and her views on sex and gender issues. Greer had been at the University of Bristol for 36 years when he was wrongly accused in 2021 of insulting Islam and the Quran during one of his courses. He believes that the university put his life in danger to avoid being seen as anti-Muslim.

Bereaved families from Omagh Bombing to meet with Irish government officials to discuss inquiry

ITV News, 23/06/2025

UTV understands that families left bereaved by the Omagh Bombing have been invited to meet with Irish government officials to discuss Dublin’s role in the ongoing public inquiry. It comes as the inquiry reopened on Monday amid concerns from its counsel that the pace of the proceedings has not been fast enough. However, the PSNI's legal team say it is disclosing information “as quickly as it can”. The Real IRA bomb in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry was set up by the previous UK government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities.

Palestine Action activist poses with handgun on social media

(£) The Times, 23/06/2025

A leading Palestine Action activist has posed with a handgun on a social media post in which he states “resistance is not terrorism”, it has been revealed. The home secretary announced on Monday that the group faces being banned under anti-terrorism laws following vandalism of two military aircraft at the RAF’s largest base. Support for Palestine Action from campaigns with alleged links to Iran has fuelled concerns it is unwittingly and covertly being funded by Tehran. It received backing on Monday with a group described in a government report as being “aligned with the Iranian regime”. Paul Shortt was among Palestine Action campaigners who received suspended 23-month jail sentences last year after being convicted of burglary and damaging property at Elbit Systems, a British firm it claims supplies equipment to the Israeli army.

The Telegram channels spreading pro-Russian propaganda in Poland

BBC News, 24/06/2025

In a clearing in a forest, two men stand behind a row of wooden poles that have pictures of faces stuck on top of them. The portraits include US President Donald Trump, Vice-President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk. In front of them hangs the US flag. The men are wearing camouflage clothing with blue markings – the colour often worn by Ukrainian soldiers to identify them on the battlefield. "We don't need allies like you," one of the men says in Ukrainian, as he sets fire to the flag and portraits. But this video, shared with thousands of subscribers of a Polish-language Telegram channel, is staged. Telegram is not widely used in Poland, but experts say false messages on it are amplified among extremist groups and then spread on to other platforms that have a bigger reach.

Don’t overestimate Iran’s cyberattacks, say spy chiefs

(£) The Times, 23/06/2025

Iran will intensify its disruptive cyberattack strategy but is likely to exaggerate and fabricate their impact, according to the prediction of cybersecurity experts, who warned against overestimating Tehran’s cybercapabilities. They said warnings from Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, that “not a week goes by” without an Iranian cyberattack on the UK’s critical national infrastructure, were not based on reality. This is because Iran lacks the level of sophistication of Russia, China and even North Korea. The National Cyber Security Centre, an arm of GCHQ, said in its latest annual report that while Iran-based threat actors remain “aggressive in cyberspace” and continue to achieve their objectives, they do so through “less sophisticated cybertechniques”.

Engineer jailed over Southport post freed after CPS mistake

(£) Daily Telegraph, 23/06/2025

An engineer who posted on social media about burning asylum hotels during the Southport riots has been freed from jail after a mistake by prosecutors. He made the post just as violence erupted outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham. On Monday, Sheffield Crown Court heard that the offence Mr Haythorne was charged with – publishing material intended to stir up racial hatred – requires permission from the Attorney General before charges can be brought, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had not received permission in his case because of an “oversight”. The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson, said any court proceedings up to now were “a nullity” and quashed Mr Haythorne’s conviction.

Syria announces arrests over Damascus church attack

AFP, 23/06/2025

Syrian authorities on Monday announced arrests over a suicide blast targeting a church blamed on Daesh, as President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed those involved in the "heinous" attack would face justice. The shooting and suicide bombing Sunday at the Saint Elias church in the working-class Dwelaa district of the Syrian capital killed 25 people and wounded 63, the health ministry said. The Islamist authorities who took power after ousting longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December said the attacker was affiliated with Daesh, which has not yet claimed the attack. The interior ministry reported the arrest of "a number of criminals involved in the attack" and the seizure of explosive devices and a booby-trapped motorcycle during a security operation near Damascus "against cells affiliated with the Daesh terrorist group".

Mideast governments condemn Syria church bombing as death toll jumps to 25

Associated Press, 23/06/2025

The death toll from an attack on a church in Syria has gone up to 25, state media said Monday. The attack Sunday on the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox church during a Divine Liturgy in Dweil´a near Damascus was the first of its kind in Syria in years, and comes as Damascus under its de facto Islamist rule is trying to win the support of minorities. As President Ahmad al-Sharaa struggles to exert authority across the country, there have been concerns about the presence of sleeper cells of extremist groups in the war-torn country. The ministry and most witnesses said a gunman entered the church, and started firing at the people there before detonating his explosive vest. SANA, citing the Health Ministry, said 63 other people were wounded in the attack. Father Fadi Ghattas told The Associated Press after the attack that some 350 people were praying at the church.

Iranian state media says ceasefire has begun, after night of deadly strikes targeting Israel

Sky News, 24/06/2025

Iranian state television says a ceasefire in its war with Israel has now begun - following a night of missile strikes. Israel's ambulance service says at least three people were killed - with footage from southern Israel showing extensive damage to what appeared to be a residential building. Sirens sounded in several areas - and members of the public who received an alert were ordered to take shelter, with explosions heard over Tel Aviv. Late last night, Donald Trump had declared that a "complete and total ceasefire" had been agreed between both countries.

Also: Associated Press, (£) Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, (£) The Independent, (£) Reuters, (£) The Times

Iran launches missiles at US base in Qatar in retaliation for bombing of nuclear sites

The Guardian, 23/06/2025

Explosions were reported around the Qatari capital, Doha, late on Monday, as Tehran announced it had launched a missile attack on US bases in the Gulf state and Iraq, in what it said was retaliation for US participation in Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran the day before. The attacks followed a wave of missile strikes between Israel and Iran, with Israel bombing the notorious Evin prison, and came after Donald Trump raised the prospect of regime change in Tehran, further provoking a situation that was drastically inflamed by US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. It was unclear whether any of Monday night’s Iranian missiles had evaded Qatari air defences and hit their targets.

Also: Associated Press, BBC News, CNN, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, (£) Daily Telegraph, (£) Financial Times, London Evening Standard  (£) Reuters

Trump's claim of a truce between Israel and Iran contains one crucial caveat

(£) iNews, 24/06/2025

There has been more than one occasion in recent weeks when Donald Trump announced a huge breakthrough, only for the public to discover he had been jumping the gun. He claimed a major trade deal had been done with the UK even though none of the details had been agreed. He said a similar agreement had been reached with China even though it required final approval. He is now saying a ceasefire has been agreed between Israel and Iran, just days after US bombers targeted the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities. “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR,” the president posted on social media.

Iran still has an off-ramp for diplomacy, says Lammy

BBC News, 23/06/2025

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has urged Iran to take "the off-ramp" and return to the negotiating table. Iran has vowed there will be "everlasting consequences" following US strikes at the weekend, intended to take out the country's nuclear programme. Lammy said he had told Iran that it would be a "catastrophic mistake" for them to retaliate by firing at US bases, or by blockading the key shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Lammy said he had told the Iranian foreign minister to take a message to the Iranian leadership to "get serious about their nuclear programme".

Also: GB News, London Evening Standard

Former UK Ambassador to Iran says Britain has always wanted 'lasting solution' to Iran's growing Nuclear weapons programme

Daily Mail, 23/06/2025

The former UK Ambassador to Iran says the UK has always wanted a 'lasting solution' to Iran's growing Nuclear weapons programme. It comes after President Trump called for regime change, suggesting a new leader could 'Make Iran Great Again'. Robert Macaire, ambassador to Iran between 2018 and 2021, said the UK has always held the threat of military action against Iran. Speaking on LBC, Macaire said: 'It is absolutely clear that although Britain has been involved for decades now in trying to find solutions to Iran's nuclear programme and the threat it poses and has tried to do that through diplomatic and negotiated means.”

Israel says it struck Tehran's Evin prison and Fordo access routes

BBC News, 23/06/2025

Israel has struck Tehran's notorious Evin prison and damaged parts of the facility, which holds many political detainees, Iran's judiciary says. The judiciary's Mizan news agency reported that the situation was "under control" following the attack, which it said violated international law. State TV footage showed first responders carrying a casualty on a stretcher and searching for survivors under a flattened building. Israel's defence minister said it hit "regime targets and agencies of government repression" across Tehran, including Evin. France's foreign minister said the strike on the prison was "unacceptable" because it endangered the lives of two of its citizens held there. The Israeli military also said on Monday that it had struck access routes to the Fordo uranium enrichment plant, which is south of the capital.

Donald Trump's intervention in Iran worries some Iranians abroad

(£) Reuters, 23/06/2025

U.S. intervention in Iran's aerial war with Israel has provoked mixed feelings among Iranians abroad, with some fearing for the safety of relatives back home and questioning whether bombing is the best way to topple the leadership in Tehran. After U.S. bombers struck three Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday, U.S. officials said the goal was not "regime change", but President Donald Trump later raised the possibility of Iran's hardline clerical rulers being toppled. Some members of the Iranian diaspora have long dreamt of the Iranian leadership being toppled and Reza Pahlavi, son of the U.S.-backed shah overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, urged Western leaders on Monday to pursue "regime change".

Iran’s attack on Qatar is life-or-death brinkmanship by Khamenei

(£) Daily Telegraph, 23/06/2025

Of all the Gulf monarchies, Qatar’s supremely pragmatic rulers have carefully maintained the least poisonous relationship with Iran. Yet that counted for little on Monday as Iranian missiles streaked across the sky above the Qatari capital Doha. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have bitter experience of attack from Iranian-supplied missiles, usually launched by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. This was the first time that Qatar has ever been targeted – and that simple fact demonstrates a clear and dangerous Iranian decision to escalate. For all his regime’s protestations that the strikes posed “no threat to brotherly Qatar”, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is signalling that Israel will no longer be the sole target of his arsenal. Now he is willing to strike regional neighbours as well, including a state that always tried to keep open its channels with Tehran.

India now claims all Kashmir attackers were Pakistani nationals

(£) The Independent, 24/06/2025

India’s counterterrorism agency has claimed that all three gunmen who carried out the 22 April massacre of civilians in the restive Kashmir region were from Pakistan. New Delhi cited the killings of predominantly Hindu tourists as justification for launching airstrikes in Pakistan a few days later, sparking a four-day military confrontation that pushed the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours to the brink of an all-out war. The Kashmir police had alleged the attack in the tourist town of Pahalgam was carried out by two Pakistani gunmen and a local associate. Now, the National Investigation Agency has alleged that all of them were Pakistani operatives of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which the UN has designated as a terrorist group.

Also: BBC News

US announces up to $5 million reward for information on Afghan-American taken by Taliban

(£) Reuters, 23/06/2025

The U.S. on Monday announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the location and release of Mahmoud Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who was detained by the Afghan Taliban's intelligence service on August 10, 2022. A former civil aviation chief under Afghanistan's ousted Western-backed government, Habibi and his driver were seized along with 29 other employees of the Kabul telecommunications firm for which he worked, said a State Department notice. All except Habibi and one other person were subsequently released. "Mr. Habibi has not been heard from since his initial arrest and the so-called Taliban government has yet to provide any information regarding his whereabouts or condition," said the notice issued by the department's Rewards for Justice program.

Iranian missile barrage strikes Israel after deadline Trump announced for ceasefire passes

Associated Press, 24/06/2025

Israeli firefighters said they retrieved four bodies from a building hit by an Iranian missile in the city of Beersheba. The direct hit in the largest city in southern Israel comes just days after the city’s hospital sustained significant damage in a missile strike. The search and rescue team said they retrieved four bodies from one building in Beersheba and were searching for more. U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. But the status of a possible ceasefire remained tentative after an Iranian missile barrage struck Israel after a first deadline for the proposal.

Rights groups warn Gaza Humanitarian Foundation it may be liable for international law violations

The Guardian, 23/06/2025

Fifteen international human rights organisations have called on the Israel- and US-backed Gaza food delivery group, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), and other private groups running humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza to cease their operations or face legal consequences. In a letter sent on Monday to GHF and the affiliated Safe Reach Solutions and UG Solutions, the rights advocates warned that private contractors operating in Gaza in collaboration with the Israeli government risk “aiding and abetting or otherwise being complicit in crimes under international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide”. They also noted that the contractors may be liable under US law and in other jurisdictions. The letter marks the latest warning against GHF, which has been mired in controversy since replacing most UN-run relief operations in Gaza.

‘It’s non-stop’: residents of Ramat Aviv describe life amid Iranian bomb strikes

The Guardian, 23/06/2025

A day after Iranian missiles struck, workers were still clearing rubble from the charred remains of an apartment block in Ramat Aviv, a quiet suburb in north-west Tel Aviv. Bystanders stopped and stared at the destruction, some posing for selfies in front of the impact site, other flipping through a diary belonging to one of the building’s residents, which had been thrown on the pavement. “This feels like one long day, it’s non-stop,” said Liat, the CFO of an entertainment firm in Tel Aviv, as she surveyed the destruction. “You have to go to the shelter three or four times in a day. We want to go back to regular life, to have fun again.” The neighbourhood in Tel Aviv was one of 10 sites hit across Israel on Sunday, in the most intense Iranian barrage yet, which left 23 people injured.

Tarnished by Oct. 7, Netanyahu's legacy may be reshaped by war with Iran

Associated Press, 23/06/2025

In the days after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed a shellshocked shadow of himself. Now, as Israel faces another unprecedented crisis in a war with Iran, Netanyahu appears rejuvenated. With the U.S. lending its support against a threat he has devoted his life to confronting, Netanyahu is demonstrating a resurgent confidence that could signal a new turning point in his lengthy political career. Even as Iranian missiles pound Israeli cities, Netanyahu has the chance to salvage his sagging political fortunes and reshape a legacy punctured by Hamas' attacks, a corruption trial and a history of divisive rule. If he succeeds, it will cement his reputation within Israel as a political wizard who can rise from the ashes.

Israeli ambassador says Hamas to blame as she is challenged on deaths of children in Gaza

Sky News, 23/06/2025

Israel's ambassador to the UK has insisted children have "never" been targeted in Gaza and said Hamas should be blamed for every death. Tzipi Hotovely was challenged on the deaths of innocent civilians by Wilfred Frost after two British surgeons, who have worked in Gaza during the Israeli bombardment, filmed video blogs for Sky News. He asked how many children it is "legitimate and proportionate" to kill, including those being treated in hospital, in order to kill Hamas terrorists. Ms Hotovely said Israel was "not there to kill anyone" and "never targets civilians", with its attacks complying with international law. Dr Victoria Rose, a consultant plastic surgeon, who has worked in Gaza hospitals for three separate periods, previously told Sky she felt the number of children coming through the doors was "barbaric".

EU may take action against Israel if conditions in Gaza do not improve

The Guardian, 23/06/2025

The EU may take action to increase pressure on Israel unless there are “concrete” improvements for the inhabitants of Gaza, its foreign policy chief has said. After meeting the bloc’s foreign ministers in Brussels, Kaja Kallas said it was “very clear” that Israel had breached its human rights commitments in Gaza and the West Bank. She said if the situation for Palestinians did not improve, the EU could discuss “further measures and come back to this in July”. But Kallas declined to spell out details: “The concrete question is what then we [the EU] are able to agree? “But right now, the most important thing is to improve the situation on the ground, improve the lives of people in Palestine and stop the suffering and also human toll that we see there every day.”

Iran could ‘target’ US officials if Tehran believes regime’s survival at risk, DHS says

CNN, 23/06/2025

Iran could try to “target” US government officials if Iranian leaders believe “the stability or survivability” of their regime is at risk, according to a new Department of Homeland Security bulletin obtained by CNN. Other scenarios for potential Iranian targeting of US officials include if Tehran considers them to be involved in the deaths of senior Iranian leaders or believes US airstrikes will continue, according to the bulletin from DHS’ Office of Intelligence and Analysis, which was sent to state and local law enforcement and is dated June 22. CNN has requested comment from the Iranian government’s mission to the United Nations. On Monday, Iran fired missiles towards a US military base in Qatar in retaliation for the US strikes on Iran, according to two officials familiar with the matter.

As US cities heighten security, Iran’s history of reprisal points to murder-for-hire plots

Associated Press, 24/06/2025

The Department of Homeland Security is warning of a “heightened threat environment” following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and the deputy FBI director says the bureau’s “assets are fully engaged” to prevent retaliatory violence, while local law enforcement agencies in major cities like New York say they’re on high alert. No credible threats to the homeland have surfaced publicly in the days since the stealth American attack. It’s also unclear what bearing a potential ceasefire announced Monday by the U.S. between Israel and Iran might have on potential threats or how lasting such an arrangement might be. But the potential for reprisal is no idle concern given the steps Iran is accused of having taken in recent years to target political figures on U.S. soil.

Major US cities ramp up security at religious centers over fears of repercussions after Iran bombings

(£) The Independent, 23/06/2025

Police in Washington D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles are increasing security at religious institutions in preparation for potential backlash against Donald Trump's airstrikes on Iran. American stealth bombers and cruise missiles rained destruction on Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday night, bringing the U.S. into Israel’s war with Iran. Now city authorities are bracing for potential blowback following a spate of violent attacks against Israeli diplomats in Washington D.C., Pennsylvania's Jewish governor, and a protest march for the release of Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colorado. "Out of an abundance of caution, we have increased police presence at religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites throughout the five boroughs," said New York City Mayor Eric Adams on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.

Man who opened fire outside a Michigan church had attended services there with his mom, pastor says

Associated Press, 24/06/2025

The man who opened fire outside a Michigan church filled with worshippers before he was struck by a vehicle and fatally shot by security staff had attended services there a few times with his mother, the lead pastor said Monday. Brian Anthony Browning’s mother attended the CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne in spurts but was not a regular member, Pastor Bobby Kelly said. She was not there Sunday, said Kelly, who recalled meeting her son late last year. “He first came when his mother invited him, and I met him,” Kelly said. “He seemed to really have some thoughts that were not threatening or anything like that, but he definitely had some thoughts as far as hearing from God.”

Georgetown professor calls on Iran to 'symbolically' bomb American military airbase

Daily Mail, 24/06/2025

A Georgetown University professor was forced to apologize for saying he hoped Iran would conduct 'some symbolic strike' on a US military base in response to Donald Trump's attack on Tehran. Dr. Jonathan Brown, who chairs the Islamic Civilisation department at Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, made the wish as part of a post to social media Sunday.  'I'm not an expert, but I assume Iran could still get a bomb easily. I hope Iran does some symbolic strike on a base, then everyone stops,' he wrote.  The outrage in response not only revealed contempt for what Brown had said but also that he is married to Laila Al-Arian, an Al Jazeera journalist and daughter of Sami Al-Arian.

Mahmoud Khalil, in 1st broadcast interview, says he'll continue to 'advocate for what's right'

ABC News, 24/06/2025

Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University activist who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement for more than three months, spoke with ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis about his time in custody and vowed to continue his right for Palestinian human rights in the first broadcast interview since his release on Friday. Khalil, a green card holder who still faces the threat of deportation under the Trump administration, told Davis in an interview that aired on ABC News Live's Prime on Monday that despite the lingering threat of renewed detention, he remains undeterred. "Not any threat would deter me because no one should stay silent when people are getting killed. No one," said Khalil, who in 2023-2024 helped lead a series of Columbia University protests against the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

The Middle East conflict could decide Vladimir Putin's fate

(£) iNews, 23/06/2025

Ian Birrel writes, "What happens in Iran could make or break the Russian President."

This is comment or editorial reporting.

This summary is not a statement of Home Office policy or opinion. Note that these outlets have a local or regional UK focus and/or a daily reach of less than 100k, and a minority may be funded by foreign governments.

'Repressive': UK government confirms Palestine Action terror proscription as hundreds rally

Middle East Eye, 23/06/2025

British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed her plan to ban Palestine Action under anti-terror legislation, as hundreds protested in central London on Monday.

While Palestine Action are often childish, self-righteous berks - is banning the group really the correct decision?

LBC News, 23/06/2025

Andrew Marr writes, “Let me be crystal clear. Although there are, no doubt, members of Palestine Action who are thoughtful, reasonable and well-informed, I think the group in general are childish, self-righteous berks.”

This is comment or editorial reporting.

Shipping giant Maersk cuts ties with companies operating in Israeli settlements

Middle East Eye, 23/06/2025

Shipping giant Maersk is divesting from companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

US moved aircraft, military equipment from Qatar to Saudi Arabia before attack, source says

Middle East Eye, 23/06/2025

The US moved aircraft and heavy equipment from Qatar's Al-Udeid base to stations in Saudi Arabia in the lead up to Iran's retaliatory strike, an official from the region told Middle East Eye.

This summary is not a statement of Home Office policy or opinion. Note that some of these outlets have lower reach with UK audiences and/or may be state/government funded. Please also note that foreign media outlets may not have equivalent editorial standards to UK-based outlets.

UK moves to ban protest group Palestine Action

AFP, 24/06/2025

The UK government announced on Monday it would ban campaign group Palestine Action under anti-terror laws following a “disgraceful attack” on Britain´s largest air force base last week.

Syria announces arrests over Damascus church attack

AFP, 24/06/2025

Syrian authorities on Monday announced arrests over a suicide blast targeting a church blamed on Daesh, as President Ahmed al-Sharaa vowed those involved in the “heinous” attack would face justice.

Syria church attack shows there must be no let-up in the fight against terrorism

National Newspaper, 24/06/2025

The editorial board writes, "Scenes of panic, pools of blood and religious icons shattered by gunfire – the images from Sunday’s appalling terrorist attack on worshippers gathered in Damascus’s Mar Elias Church are reminiscent of previous outrageous attacks committed against vulnerable Christian communities in other Middle Eastern countries, particularly Iraq and Egypt."

This is comment or editorial reporting.

EU slams ‘heinous and cowardly’ Damascus church attack

Al Arabiya, 23/06/2025

The EU on Monday condemned as “heinous” a deadly weekend suicide attack on a Damascus church, saying the bloc “stands in solidarity” with Syria in combatting ethnic and religious violence.

Trump claims ceasefire reached between Israel and Iran

Al Jazeera, 23/06/2025

United States President Donald Trump says that Iran and Israel have agreed to a “complete and total” ceasefire, which will come into effect in the coming hours.

Iran International TV presenter's family detained to pressure her to resign

National Newspaper, 23/06/2025

The family of an Iran International TV presenter have been detained in her homeland in a bid to force her off the air, the channel has revealed.

US braces for cyber attacks by 'pro-Iranian hacktivists'

National Newspaper, 23/06/2025

Following the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, the Department of Homeland Security has warned of retaliation in the form of cyber attacks.

Cyber threats increase amid Israel–Iran war and US military involvement

National Newspaper, 24/06/2025

Cyber attacks, hacktivism and disinformation campaigns have become a defining feature of the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, according to Israeli threat intelligence firm Radware.

JI condemns attack on Iran in Hyderabad protest

The News International, 24/06/2025

The Hyderabad Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Monday organised a protest demonstration outside the Hyderabad Press Club against the ongoing US and Israeli aggression and bombings on Iran.

Saudi Arabia condemns ‘unjustifiable’ Iranian attack on Qatar

Al Arabiya, 23/06/2025

Saudi Arabia on Monday strongly condemned an Iranian attack on Qatar, saying this “aggression cannot be justified under any circumstances.”

What the US and Israel really want from Iran

Al Jazeera, 23/06/2025

In his 2002 testimony to the United States Congress, then former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US lawmakers that an invasion of Iraq was necessary for winning the “war on terror” and preventing Iraq and terrorist groups from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

This is comment or editorial reporting.

How extensive are Israel’s intelligence operations inside Iran?

Al Jazeera, 23/06/2025

Intelligence operations years in the making were behind Israel’s targeting of key military positions and leaders in Iran this month, according to the Israeli press.

Pahalgam suspects’ sketches bear no resemblance with pictures released earlier

The News International, 24/06/2025

The Indian Investigation Agency (NIA) has shared a picture of four armed young men in Jammu, portraying them as suspects of Pahalgam incident of April 22 but they have no similarity with the sketches earlier issued by the Indian government.

18 Levies personnel dismissed over negligence in Mastung terror attack

The News International, 24/06/2025

The Deputy Commissioner of Mastung has dismissed 18 Levies personnel from service for showing negligence during a terrorist attack on the Kardgap Levies Station.

Pakistan extends airspace ban for Indian aircraft by another month

The News International, 23/06/2025

Pakistan on Monday extended its airspace restrictions on Indian-registered and operated aircraft for an additional month, with the ban now in effect until 5:00am on July 24, the Pakistan Airports Authority said.

US announces up to $5m reward for information on Afghan-American taken by Taliban

The News International, 24/06/2025

The U.S. on Monday announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the location and release of Mahmoud Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who was detained by the Afghan Taliban’s intelligence service on August 10, 2022.

Israel kills at least 43 Palestinians in Gaza, including aid seekers

Al Jazeera, 23/06/2025

At least 43 people have been killed in various Israeli attacks since dawn as the military relentlessly pounds the besieged enclave, medical sources say, with the overall Palestinian death toll in the war surpassing 56,000.

Mahmoud Khalil wants to 'hold accountable' Trump officials who sought his deportation

National Newspaper, 23/06/2025

Following his release from immigration detention, Palestine activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil wants those in the Trump administration who sought his deportation to be held responsible.

Israel bombs southern Lebanon amid conflict with Iran and assault on Gaza

Al Jazeera, 23/06/2025

Israeli air raids have targeted the outskirts of several areas in south Lebanon, including the villages of Zrariyeh, Kfrar Milki and Ansar, according to the country’s National News Agency.

Al Jazeera (Middle East, Arabic Language)

• Trump claims ceasefire reached between Israel and Iran; Tehran attacks US base in Qatar, hours later Trump states Israel-Iran truce;  Israel kills at least 43 Palestinians in Gaza, including aid seekers; What to know about the US’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after Iran’s attack

Al Arabiya (Middle East, Arabic Language)

• Israel, Iran agree to ceasefire, says Trump; Trump thanks Iran for early notice on Qatar attack, says it helped prevent casualties; Iran fires missiles at US base in Qatar, Doha says attack intercepted, no casualties; Was Trump right to strike Iran and is diplomacy still possible; Saudi Arabia condemns ‘unjustifiable’ Iranian attack on Qatar

Geo TV (Pakistan, Urdu and English)

• Iran signals halt to strikes if Israel stops; Israel and Iran agree on ceasefire to end 12-day war, says Trump; Updates: Israel’s war on Gaza continues; Nepra cuts power purchase price to Rs25.98 per unit for FY26