White House Says No Plan for Conflict With Iran

"We should make good use of the demonstrations being held in Berlin, Washington DC, London and Paris in condemnation of Israel," said Saeed Jalili, the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the Supreme National Security Council, amid accusations about Iran's involvement in anti-Israel rallies in the UK.

"Today's enemies face not only Gaza, but the whole world,” said the hardliner.

Last month the British newspaper The Times reported that Iranian agents have been stirring up unrest in the UK through Gaza protests, and that the regime is directly involved by physically present operatives at protests and conducting online disinformation campaigns.

In a sarcastic comment, Khamenei had dismissed the accusation, saying, "They claim Iran is responsible for gathering people in England; how about the Basij of London and the Basij of Paris?"

This is while it is known that Kahmenei has affiliated centers in the United Kingdom. One such entity in London, The Islamic Center of England, was shuttered for some time following an investigation by the UK Charity Commission into the way the organization was run.

There have been repeated calls for the UK to ban Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, after the government reported threats emanating from the notorious organization. There is some pressure on the British government to intensify its campaign against Iran.

The decision follows emergency regulations passed last month, granting the government the authority to shutter foreign news outlets perceived to be detrimental to national security.

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi initiated the request to cease Al Mayadeen's operations, asserting that the station's broadcasts "serves the interests of Israel's enemies". Amid the war in Gaza, Karhi justified the decision by stating, "Israel is at war on land, in the air, at sea, in cyberspace, on the airwaves, and in the public consciousness."

Thousands of Hamas militia invaded Israel on October 7, murdering at least 1,200 mostly civilians and capturing around 240 more as hostages. Deadly airstrikes by Israel have led to the death of thousands as the Jewish state vows to rid the Strip of the group proscribed by countries including the UK and US.

Initially targeting Al Jazeera as well, Karhi's efforts faced complications due to Qatar's involvement in negotiations to release the hostages held by Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza, which include babies and the elderly.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant recommended the closure, emphasizing that steps were necessary to counter the network, which he described as the "mouthpiece of the Hezbollah terrorist organization," Iran's biggest Middle East proxy.

An immediate order has been issued to block Al Mayadeen's online operations in Israel, with a subsequent order to seize and confiscate its broadcasting equipment.

Brazil's Federal Police said in a statement last week that they arrested two people, who they did not name, on terrorism charges in Sao Paulo. They also carried out search and seizure warrants in Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Minas Gerais states.

Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, issued a statement which said, "The Brazilian security services, together with the Mossad and ... additional international security and enforcement agencies, have foiled a terrorist attack in Brazil, which had been planned by the Hezbollah terrorist organization, directed and financed by the Iranian regime".

Mossad said the "terrorist cell ... was operated by Hezbollah in order to carry out an attack on Israeli and Jewish targets in Brazil."

In September, David Barnea, the head of Mossad, warned that the agency would strike "in the heart of Tehran" to find the people behind 27 Iranian attempts to hit Israeli and Jewish targets around the world over the last year.

Attacks had been foiled in Europe, Africa, southeast Asia and South America, he said, with others ongoing.

Hezbollah, originally established in Lebanon by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982 to counter Israeli forces, holds the designation of a terrorist organization from Argentina, Britain, Canada, Germany, Honduras, the United States, and several Persian Gulf states aligned with the US.

Ottawa police have filed charges against him for violating several bail conditions. Authorities are actively working to keep Assadi in custody while Toronto's hate crime unit conducts an investigation into the allegations.

Assadi made a virtual appearance in an Ottawa courtroom on Sunday, and the scheduling of his bail hearing is pending. In addition to the recent charges, he faces outstanding legal issues, including charges related to assault and breaking and entering, which are yet to be adjudicated.

Assadi is well known in the Iranian community after harassing members while wearing an IRGC Quds Force hat.

He has also harassed journalists working for the VOA while they were filing reports on Iran.

The incident comes at a time of heightened concern among Canadian police services over a surge in hate-motivated crimes, notably linked to the conflict between Israel and Hamas since October 7. The world has seen a global surge in antisemitism since Iran-backed Hamas invaded Israel when 1,200 mostly civilians were murdered and another 240 hostages taken to Gaza.

Israel's relentless retaliation has led to a humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave as it vows to rid Gaza of the group proscribed by countries including Canada, the UK and US.

Earlier this month, Ottawa police reported several incidents, including graffiti, vandalism, hate mail, and threats targeting both the Jewish and Muslim communities. Responding to a similar increase in hate crime reports, Toronto police have expanded the size of their hate crime unit.

US forces came under attack three times on Sunday evening, including near the Al Omar Oil field and at a US base at al-Shaddadi, the official told Reuters. There were no casualties and only minor damage.

Multiple drones were fired at US forces at the Rumalyn Landing Zone on Monday morning, the official said. One drone was shot down but another damaged four tents, the official added.

The attacks came after the US carried out two air strikes on Sunday against facilities it said were used by Iran’s IRGC, its third set of strikes in Syria in as many weeks. However, these retaliatory strikes have failed to deter the aggression.

US troops have been attacked at least 40 times in Iraq and Syria since early October, when Hamas launched its terror attack on Israel. Statements, purportedly from militant groups, have said the assaults are in response to US support for Israel in the war in Gaza.

So far, at least 56 US personnel have suffered everything from minor wounds to traumatic brain injuries, though all have returned to duty, the Pentagon has said.

The US blames the attacks on groups backed by Iran - an assertion dismissed by Tehran which says the groups are acting on their own accord.

The United States has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 more in neighbouring Iraq, whom it says are on a mission to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State.

There is growing concern that the Israel-Hamas conflict could spread through the Middle East and turn US troops at isolated bases into targets.

Reporting by Reuters