LONDON: Prince Harry is suing The Sun and the Daily Mirror, two of Britain's most popular tabloid newspapers, over alleged phone hacking.
Buckingham Palace confirmed Saturday that claims regarding "illegal interception of voicemail messages" were filed on Harry's behalf. The palace declined to say more or provide details "given the particulars of the claims are not yet public."
News Group Newspapers, which owns The Sun and the now defunct News of the World, acknowledged the prince's High Court action while Reach, which owns the Mirror, said it was "aware that proceedings have been issued" but hasn't yet received notice of them.
The cases escalate Harry's fight with the British tabloids. It comes days after his American wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, sued the Mail on Sunday for alleged copyright infringement, misuse of private information and violating the UK's data protection law after the paper published a letter she wrote to her father.
Harry then lambasted British tabloids after Meghan filed her lawsuit on Tuesday, saying in a statement that his wife's lawsuit, which was months in the making, was a response to a "ruthless campaign" to smear her by creating "lie after lie at her expense" during her maternity leave.
The prince accused the British media of hounding Meghan the way it did his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a 1997 car crash while trying to elude paparazzi.
British tabloid newspapers have paid millions of dollars to settle claims that their employees had hacked the phone voicemails of celebrities, politicians and others in the public eye.
The prince's lawsuits likely date back years. The News of the World was shut down in 2011, at the height of the hacking scandal and when its former editors later went on trial, a court heard evidence that indicated Harry along with his old brother, Prince William, were targets of the paper's illicit interception of phone messages.
A transcript of one of the messages read at the trial came from a 2006 recording of William pretending to be Harry's girlfriend at the time, revealing the extent of media intrusion into their lives.
Harry and William have long had a strained relationship with the press. They grew up in the spotlight and were young boys when their parents' acrimonious divorce received wall-to-wall coverage.
Prince Harry to sue 2 UK tabloids over alleged phone hacking
Prince Harry to sue 2 UK tabloids over alleged phone hacking
- Buckingham Palace confirmed Saturday that claims regarding "illegal interception of voicemail messages" were filed on Harry's behalf
- It comes days after the Duchess of Sussex sued the Mail on Sunday for alleged copyright infringement, misuse of private information and violating the UK's data protection law
Western media refute Trump’s claims Iran possesses Tomahawk missiles
- Speaking to journalists, Trump suggested Tehran used US-made cruise missile in school attack that killed over 170, calling the weapon ‘very generic’
- CNN, Sky News and analysts said that ‘neither Israel nor Iran use Tomahawk missiles,’ urged accurate identification to ensure credibility in public discourse
LONDON: Western media outlets and defense analysts have pushed back against claims by US President Donald Trump that Iran possesses Tomahawk cruise missiles, after he raised the possibility while discussing a recent strike on an Iranian school that has drawn international scrutiny.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump suggested Iran may have used Tomahawks in the attack, calling the weapon “very generic” and implying that multiple countries, including Iran, could have access to the system.
However, journalists and weapons experts swiftly disputed that assertion. They noted that Tomahawk missiles are US-manufactured cruise missile systems that Washington supplies only to a small number of close allies, primarily the UK and Australia. There is no credible evidence that Iran has ever obtained the weapon.
CNN anchor Erin Burnett referenced an investigation by correspondent Isobel Yeong that concluded “neither Israel nor Iran use Tomahawk missiles, according to experts.” Sky News and other Western outlets also challenged Trump’s remarks.
Analysts pointed out that Iran has developed its own domestic cruise missile systems, such as the Soumar and Hoveyzeh, which are believed to be based partly on older Soviet-era designs.
While these systems resemble cruise missiles in concept, experts say they differ significantly from the Tomahawk in design, propulsion configuration and operational characteristics.
While Iran has made substantial advances in ballistic and domestically produced cruise missiles over the past two decades, defense analysts said there is no verified evidence that Tehran holds the American-made system.
The episode reflects a broader pattern in which statements about military technology are rapidly scrutinized by open-source investigators and defense experts.
Experts say the distinction is important: accurately identifying the type of missile used in a strike can provide clues about the likely actor responsible, the launch platform involved and the broader geopolitical consequences of a strike.
Analysts also say that accurate identification of military systems remains essential for avoiding misinformation and for maintaining credibility in public discourse surrounding regional security.
Despite the growing body of evidence, the precise circumstances of the school attack nonetheless remain unclear, with investigators hampered by a lack of weapons fragments and limited access to the site.
Norway-based rights group Hengaw said the school was holding its morning session at the time of the reported attack and had at least 168 children and 14 teachers.
Trump said the US was continuing to investigate the incident. “Whatever the report shows, I’m willing to live with that report,” he said.
