Slovenian Prime Minister calls for Gaza ceasefire at UN, highlighting humanitarian crises and UN's ineffectiveness. US indicts Iranian hackers for targeting Trump campaign, implicates Iranian Foreign Minister in criticizing Israeli strikes on Beirut.
Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during his address to the UN General Assembly, urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the conflict. He criticized the UN Security Council for its ineffectiveness in resolving major conflicts and called for its reform, highlighting the humanitarian crises in Gaza and Sudan.
Meanwhile, tensions between the US and Iran continue to escalate, as the US Justice Department has charged three Iranian operatives with hacking
Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and distributing stolen information. This hack targeted various entities, aiming to influence elections and sow discord.
In a related cybercrime incident, Robert Westbrook, a man from London, has been charged by US authorities for hacking into the computers of five companies to obtain earnings information and making $3.75 million through illegal trading. The US seeks his extradition on charges including securities and wire fraud, with related civil charges filed by the SEC.
Shifting focus to the Middle East, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi accused Israel of using US-supplied bunker buster bombs in an attack on residential areas in Beirut targeting Hezbollah. This strike aimed at Hezbollah's central headquarters, with the status of their senior commanders still uncertain.
Following these strikes, conflicting reports emerged regarding the status of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. While a source confirmed he was alive, Hezbollah has not commented, and Iran is working to verify his condition through their channels.
In response to the escalating situation in Beirut, President
Joe Biden has ordered changes to US military forces in the Middle East to enhance deterrence and ensure force protection. The White House emphasized that the US had no prior knowledge of Israel's actions, underscored by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's communication with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant during the operation.