The Yemeni Armed Forces: Thank God, the
Yemeni Armed Forces succeeded in
striking a Saudi military landing
ship, along with four military
vessels escorting it, in the
Red Sea off the coast
of Al-Mokha
August 17, 2:15pm
(Pravda.En)
The attack was carried out using several ballistic missiles, and the
strike - was precise and direct. The operation resulted in the ship
being completely engulfed in flames, the sinking of some of the
escort vessels, and the remaining ones catching fire.
The armed forces state that they are closely monitoring every
movement and every concentration of Saudi enemy forces
and that they will continue to strike such movements and
concentrations, both on land and at sea. They also state
that they will continue to maintain the “block-for-block”
balance and strike all Saudi concentrations, wherever
they may be, trusting in God and relying on Him.
Source: Telegram "i20028843"
____________________________________
Talks with Israel ‘unjustified’ while
Lebanese civilians --- are being
massacred: Amal Movement
August 17, 11:25am
(PressTV)
A member of the political wing of the Amal Movement has censured
the Lebanese movement over its apathy towards the massacre
of ordinary civilians as a result of Israeli strikes in southern
Lebanon ---- dismissing direct negotiations with the Tel
Aviv regime while ordinary people are being killed.
Inaya Ezzeddine, a member of the Development and Liberation
parliamentary bloc, stated on Monday that scenes of Israeli
aggression and destruction could be seen throughout
southern Lebanon, spanning from Majdal Zoun area
to Kounine and Deir Seryan regions, from Zawtar
al-Sharqiyah to Kfar Tebnit, from al-Mansouri
town to the towns of Bint Jbeil, Ansar
and Deir al-Zahrani.
“The massacre of the local population in the south
has become quite usual, and Lebanese officials
are keeping mum on the matter,” she said.
“The most disturbing fact --- is that women and children constitute
the bulk of casualties of this ongoing bloody onslaught. This is
while certain Lebanese parties and political factions are
seeking to downplay the fatalities --- and characterize
them as everyday casualties,” Ezzeddine added.
She said what is more perilous than the crime
itself is............ “getting accustomed to it.”
“What is more horrendous ...than seeing the massacre of ordinary
Lebanese nationals is to understand that the death of an entire
family... has become a regular incident.”
Ezzeddine went on to slam the indifference of some Lebanese
politicians to the Israeli carnage of civilians in southern
Lebanon, pointing out that these individuals are soft-
pedaling the atrocities as a basic part of daily life
in the area.
The Lebanese legislator stated that Israel is no longer simply
targeting the residents of southern Lebanon and their
properties, stressing that the regime is directly
assaulting the demographics, identity and
livelihood of locals so that they would
never be able to.... return to their
towns and villages and build
their own future.
“Houses are being blown up, neighbourhoods are being destroyed,
schools and clinics are being ruined, and swathes of land - are
being burned. The goal is.... not to simply target the present,
but also the possibility of life in the future,” she continued.
While southern Lebanon is paying a heavy price day by day with
the blood of its residents, its land and future, the Lebanese
government shifts direct negotiations with the Zionist
enemy from Washington to Rome. Reliance on such
mechanisms, means, and approaches ---- will not
yield different results, Ezzeddine stated.
“There is a famous saying which states: Insanity is doing the same
thing over and over with the expectation of a different outcome,”
the Lebanese lawmaker concluded.
Hezbollah launched military operations against Israel, on March 2, in
response - to the US-Israeli aggression against Iran, repeated Israeli
violations of the 2024 ceasefire, and Israel’s continued occupation
of Lebanese territory in the south.
Since then, despite months of negotiations, Israel has continued
its military offensive against Lebanon, and has killed 4,346
people, wounded 12,301, and displaced over 1 million,
according to the Lebanese authorities.
Israel also maintains its occupation of regions in southern Lebanon,
with some areas being held for decades and others since the war
of 2023-2024, as its military has penetrated over 10 kilometres
(6.21 miles) into Lebanese land during the current onslaught.
On June 26, Lebanon and Israel signed a US-mediated framework
agreement outlining a phased Israeli withdrawal from occupied
Lebanese territory.
The plan initially provides for pilot arrangements in two areas,
with any further withdrawal --- linked to the Lebanese army
assuming security responsibilities and the disarmament
of resistance groups, including Hezbollah.
Hezbollah rejected the framework, warning that it effectively
legitimizes the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.
The seventh round of Lebanon-Israel talks -- concluded in
Rome earlier this month, without a breakthrough on key
territorial issues. The next round of talks is tentatively
scheduled for September 1.
____________________________________
Iran defeated enemies....... at one-hundredth
of their war expenditure: IRGC deputy chief
August 17, 10:25am
(PressTV)
A senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)
says Iran managed to defeat its enemies while spending only "one-
hundredth" of the amount the enemy spent on weapons and war.
IRGC's Deputy Commander-in-Chief Major General Mostafa
Izadi made the remarks on Monday during a ceremony
honouring journalists.
"The system based on Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic
Jurist) was able to manage a war at one-hundredth of the enemy's
expenditure, ultimately securing victory for the fighters of Islam,”
he said, referring to the US-Israel 40-day unprovoked war - that
started late in February.
He praised reporters as “commanders of the cognitive war” who play
a key role on the battlefield, adding that the enemies sustained a
defeat in this war because those engaged in the soft warfare,
remained active --- in neutralizing all the hostile plans.
The senior IRGC commander said the enemies sought to undermine
the Islamic establishment and empower counter-revolutionary
elements, but “we stood firmly against this conspiracy.”
The enemies made numerous attempts to weaken Iran, but the
country not only withstood those efforts, it also emerged
stronger than before, Izadi asserted.
Pointing to the performance of Iran’s armed forces during the US-
Israel-imposed war, he said more than 200 enemy aircraft were
brought down.
He further hailed the resistance of the Lebanese resistance
movement Hezbollah ---- against six Israeli army divisions,
calling it a "very important and valuable" achievement.
Izadi highlighted what he described as the effectiveness of the
Islamic establishment in confronting its enemies, saying that
the world’s most powerful military power --- together with
regional allies and NATO-backed support, entered the
war against Iran, but the country endured, and
remained steadfast --------- in the face of
its adversaries.
The commander attributed the achievement to Iran’s “strategic
patience and stable governance”, noting that these factors
ultimately led to victory against the enemies.
He said adversaries are attempting to isolate Iran through economic
pressure and siege, "but in practice, it is the enemy itself that is
on the path to collapse."
The United States and Israel waged their second war of aggression
against Iran on February 28, with the assassination of the Leader
of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and
several high-ranking military commanders.
In response, the Iranian armed forces carried out 100 waves of
counterattacks over 40 days, targeting US and Israeli military
assets, which resulted in significant damage.
On June 17, Washington and Tehran announced a Pakistani-
mediated memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at
ceasing military operations across various fronts,
including Lebanon, reopening the Strait of
Hormuz, and lifting the naval
blockade on Iran.
However, Washington violated all provisions of
the understanding, prompting Iran to deliver
a firm response.
Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref on Sunday
warned that the enemies are seeking to compensate for
their military failures through economic pressure,
saying Iran can inflict another defeat on them
through national unity and cohesion.
“Just as we defeated the enemy in the two recent imposed wars
[waged by the US&Israel in June 2025 and late February 2026]
by relying on national cohesion and unity.... we can also
overcome it in the economic war,” Aref added.
_____________________________________
Ben-Gvir’s nightly killing quota
shows ------- strong desire to
eradicate Palestinians:
Rights group
August 17, 8:22am
(PressTV)
A Palestinian rights group has categorically denounced repeated
disparaging remarks by Israel’s so-called security minister
Itamar Ben-Gvir, charging him with openly promoting the
forced displacement of the local population from the
Gaza Strip ------- and endorsing genocidal policies.
Ben-Gvir.. in a recent podcast interview, advocated for conducting
nightly airstrikes on Gaza, asserting that the Israeli military could
eliminate between 30 and 50 individuals whom he referred to as
“terrorists” each night, while characterizing Gazans as
“not human.”
He further called for a complete occupation of the coastal
territory and the mass expulsion of its inhabitants.
Ben-Gvir’s provocative statements also aimed at Lebanon,
where he called for “all of Lebanon to burn.”
The Gaza Rights Centre (GRC) emphasized in a statement on
Sunday that such statements clearly align with the
international legal definitions of incitement
to genocide.
It cited the 2024 ruling of the International Court of Justice,
which identified Israeli participation in genocide in Gaza,
urging the international community to take action in
accordance with the Genocide Convention by
implementing sanctions against Israeli
leaders and ceasing political and
military assistance to the Tel
Aviv regime.
GRC --- called on the International Criminal Court to incorporate
Ben-Gvir’s statements into its current investigation regarding
war crimes in Palestine, emphasizing that these remarks
offer explicit evidence ..of the intent behind Israel’s
atrocities in Gaza.
On Sunday evening, Ben-Gvir promised a former Israeli soldier
held previously captive in Gaza that he would advocate for
his personal involvement should Palestinian prisoners be
executed under Israel’s newly established death
penalty law.
The exchange took place during an interview with
former captive Rom Braslavski on his podcast.
“I have a personal request, and I am truly looking you in the
eyes, minister. Let me be the one who hangs them,”
Bra-slavski told Ben-Gvir.
“I don’t want a rope; I want a button on a gun. With my own
hands, I will execute every terrorist in Israel,” he added.
Ben-Gvir replied, “I will turn the world upside down to make
that happen. I promise you that I will do everything I can
and turn the world upside down until it happens.”
“I hope it happens. It is one of my biggest
dreams to see you there,” he added.
In late March, the Israeli Knesset enacted a law proposed by Ben-
Gvir’s Jewish Power party, which stipulates the death penalty by
hanging.... for Palestinians found guilty of killing illegal settlers
provided that a military court classifies the act as “terrorism”
or concludes that it was driven by a “denial of the existence
of Israel.”
Following Ben-Gvir’s assumption of office in late 2022, Israel has
implemented stricter detention conditions for Palestinian
abductees held illegally in Israeli jails, which include
policies --- impacting their food and medical care,
according to reports by human rights groups.
_________________________________________
Mental health concerns mount
aboard USS Abraham Lincoln
--- after over 240 days at sea
August 17, 8:01am
(PressTV)
Concerns over the well-being of personnel aboard the USS Abraham
Lincoln have intensified ...as the US aircraft carrier approaches the
end of an unusually prolonged deployment in the West Asia region
------- with US officials facing growing scrutiny over the conditions
aboard the vessel.
The carrier.. has spent more than 240 consecutive days at
sea, including more than 200 days without a port call. Its
deployment, which was initially expected to end in May,
has been extended repeatedly.
US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper visited the Lincoln
on Saturday and said the well-being of its approximately 5,000
personnel had become ''a priority'' for those responsible for
the vessel.
He acknowledged the difficulties associated with
prolonged deployments, describing active duty
under such circumstances as "uniquely
challenging and tough."
"I've long believed that mental health is another aspect of
individual health and requires our attention.... just like
physical health and spiritual health,” he stated.
The Lincoln arrived in West Asia in January and has since
supported the US aggression against Iran, including
Washington’s illegal blockade of Iranian ports
and vessels.
Reports published last week by Military Times and Stars
& Stripes described problems aboard the carrier,
including..... broken plumbing, sanitation
difficulties, shortages of fresh food,
and limited opportunities.....
for sailors to go ashore.
Family members of personnel deployed aboard the Lincoln
have also expressed concerns about the mental health
of sailors. Reports have indicated that some have
attempted to jump overboard.
The conditions aboard the carrier have also become
a subject of scrutiny in Washington.
Thirteen Democratish members of the Senate Armed Services
Committee sent a letter on Saturday to Secretary of War Pete
Hegseth, seeking answers about the length of the
deployment and the conditions facing the
ship's personnel.
Peat Hegseth had rejected accounts of the carrier's
conditions the previous week, describing them as
"completely misrepresented.”
US President Donald Trump also dismissed concerns
that the sailors... had spent too long at sea. Asked
about the length of their deployment on Friday,
Trump said, "Not nearly long enough."
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat and US
Army veteran, offered a contrasting assessment
during an appearance.. on CNN on Sunday. He
described the conditions aboard the carrier,
as "heartbreaking" and said Trump should
have "more compassion."