25/06/2025

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 25, 2025

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Trump declares ceasefire, Israel orders new strikes

Democrats put up resolution to check Trump WASHINGTON: Three Democratic lawmakers from the House of Representatives introduced a war powers resolution on Monday to check President Donald Trump’s use of military force against Iran. Trump’s Republican Party holds a majority in the lower house and the Senate and it is unlikely any resolution restricting Trump’s actions could pass both chambers. The joint statement issued late on Monday by Representatives Jim Himes, Gregory Meeks and Adam Smith came hours after Trump claimed on social media Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire. “President Trump must not be allowed to start a war with Iran, or any country, without Congressional approval,” the lawmakers said, adding that Trump ordered the strikes “without meaningful consultation or Congressional authorisation.” Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers had called on Congress to rein in Trump’s use of military force in Iran and prevent US involvement in the conflict. Many Democratic lawmakers said Trump’s actions were unconstitutional and that it was Congress that had the power to declare war on foreign countries. House Speaker Mike Johnson said earlier on Monday it was not the time to consider a war powers resolution. Trump’s allies insist he had the authority to take unilateral action against Iran to eliminate what they called a potential nuclear threat posed by Tehran. – Reuters RUSSIA SAYS NATO NEEDS TO DEMONISE IT MOSCOW: The Kremlin said yesterday that Nato was on a path of rampant militarisation and bent on portraying Russia as a “fiend of hell” to justify committing to a big increase in member states’ defence spending. Leaders of Nato have said Russia could attack a Nato state in the next few years unless it is stopped from over-running Ukraine. Russia denies any plan to attack Nato, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was“a wasted effort”to assure the alliance of this because it was determined to demonise Russia. “It is an alliance created for confrontation. It is not an instrument of peace and stability,” he said, noting Nato’s intention to get members to commit to spending 5% of their GDP on defence. – Reuters COURT OVERTURNS MAGAZINE BAN BERLIN: A German court has overturned a ban on far-right magazine Compact that was accused of inciting hatred against Jews and foreigners. Federal Administrative Court judge Ingo Kraft said yesterday that although Compact contained many extreme statements, including voicing support for expelling German citizens of migrant background, they did not amount to proof that the organisation behind the magazine was “intrinsically” unconstitutional. “The Basic Law allows even its enemies freedom of opinion and of the press,” Kraft wrote in his ruling. – Reuters

ceasefire declared by the president of the United States”. Hours earlier, Trump had posted on Truth Social: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had confirmed the ceasefire, saying Israel had achieved the goals it had set in launching its June 13 surprise attack on Iran, to destroy its nuclear programme and missile capabilities.

However, ISNA news agency said reports that Iran had fired missiles at Israel after the ceasefire took effect were false. The developments raised early doubts about the ceasefire, intended to end 12 days of war. Katz said in a statement he had ordered the military to “continue high-intensity operations targeting regime assets and terror infrastructure in Tehran” in light of “Iran’s blatant violation of the

“Israel thanks President Trump and the United States for their support in defence and their participation in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat,” he said. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had said that Iran would halt its retaliatory strikes provided that Israel stopped attacking as of 4am in Tehran. Global stock markets surged and oil prices tumbled on Tuesday after the announcement of the ceasefire, in the hope it heralded a resolution of the war just two days after the United States joined it by hitting Iranian nuclear sites with huge bunker-busting bombs. Trump had earlier said the truce would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT (noon in Malaysia) yesterday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations first. He said Israel would follow suit 12 hours later. The truce announcement came hours after Iran launched missiles at the largest US military facility in the Middle East – Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar – in a move Trump shrugged off as “very weak”. Calling for a de-escalation, Trump said Tehran had given advance notice of the barrage. Iran’s National Security Council confirmed having targeted the base “in response to the US aggressive and insolent action against Iran’s nuclear sites and facilities”. It said the number of missiles launched “was the same as the number of bombs that the US had used” – a signal that it had calibrated its response to be directly proportional rather than escalatory. “This was calibrated and telegraphed in a way that would not result in any American casualties, so that there is an off ramp for both sides,” said Ali Vaez, a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group. – Reuters/AFP

TEL AVIV: Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said yesterday he had ordered the military to strike Tehran in response to what he said were missiles fired by Iran in a violation of the ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump. o Iran denies firing missiles

BR I E F S

A protester holds a sign during a rally in Madrid on Monday. – AFPPIC

‘Weaponisation of food constitutes war crime’

GENEVA: The UN human rights office said yesterday that the “weaponisation” of food for civilians in Gaza constitutes a war crime, in its strongest remarks yet on a new model of aid distribution run by an Israeli-backed organisation. Over 410 people have been killed by gunshots or shells fired by the Israeli military while trying to reach distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation since it began work in late May, UN human rights spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan told reporters at a Geneva press briefing. The death toll came from Palestinian health authorities and other sources including non governmental organisations and is being verified by his office, he said. “Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,” he said, describing the system as “Israel’s militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism”.

“The weaponisation of food for civilians, in addition to restricting or preventing their access to life sustaining services, constitutes a war crime and, under certain circumstances, may constitute elements of other crimes under international law.” Asked whether Israel was guilty of that war crime, he said: “The legal qualification needs to be made by a court of law.” Israel rejects war crimes charges in Gaza and blames Hamas for harm to civilians for operating among them, which the group denies. In Gaza City, the civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed 21 people waiting for aid near a distribution site in the centre of the Palestinian territory yesterday, the latest incident targeting aid seekers. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Basal said that 21 people were killed and around 150 wounded “as a result of the Israeli occupation forces’ targeting of gatherings of citizens waiting for aid ... in the central

Palestinians rushing to receive aid in Beit Lahia on Monday. – REUTERSPIC

“The aid mechanism is an abomination that humiliates and degrades desperate people,” Philippe Lazzarini said. “It is a death trap costing more lives than it saves.” – Reuters/AFP newly created

Gaza Strip with bullets and tank shells” early yesterday. In Berlin, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees yesterday hit out at the US-backed system for aid distribution.