JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will delay his departure to New York by a day due to the security situation in the country’s north, an official in his office told AFP on Friday.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delayed his visit to the US by one day in light of the security situation in the north of Israel,” the official said, asking not to be named. He said that Netanyahu will now travel on September 25, instead of September 24 as previously planned.
During his visit to the United States, Netanyahu will address the annual UN General Assembly session. He is scheduled to return to Israel on September 28.
Israel is engaged in fierce cross-border clash in the country’s north with the Lebanese Hezbollah group, with the situation deteriorating in recent days.
On Friday, the Israeli military carried out a “targeted strike” in Beirut, which a source close to Hezbollah said killed one of its top military leaders.
Netanyahu to delay departure for US due to security situation in north: Israeli official
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Netanyahu to delay departure for US due to security situation in north: Israeli official
- Netanyahu delayed his visit to the US by one day
- During his visit to the United States, Netanyahu will address the annual UN General Assembly session
France deploys jets over UAE to protect its military bases
PARIS: France has deployed Rafale fighter jets over the United Arab Emirates to protect its naval and air bases against Iranian attacks, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday.
France has hundreds of navy, air force and army personnel based in the UAE. Its Rafale aircraft are stationed at Al-Dhafra base near Abu Dhabi.
“These Rafales and their pilots are mobilized to ensure the security of our facilities,” Barrot told broadcaster BFMTV in response to a question on French action in the UAE over the weekend to neutralize Iranian drones.
“They have carried out operations to secure the airspace above our bases.”
On Sunday, “a hangar at a French base in the United Arab Emirates was hit by a drone,” Barrot said.
“Exchanges are multiplying to determine both how the country can defend itself against future attacks and how France can protect its interests there,” he added.
France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier was however in the North Atlantic, as part of a previously planned multinational exercise, Barrot said, after he was asked if it had been sent to the Mediterranean.
To the best of his knowledge, it had not changed course, he said.
The United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Saturday, killing Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has responded by targeting US allies in the Gulf region.
Debris from a drone interception caused a fire that was contained at an oil industry zone in the Fujairah emirate on Tuesday, authorities said.
In Abu Dhabi, a drone struck a fuel tank terminal on Monday, causing a fire though operations were not impacted.
Tech giant Amazon said late on Monday that two of its data centers in the UAE were “directly struck” by drones, disrupting cloud services in parts of the Middle East.
