Iran Israel Updates Tuesday Sep 8

- Iran launched barrage of  missiles at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan; a large number of interceptors were fired. Explosions at the Muwaffaq Salti and Prince Hassan US air bases in Jordan minutes ago, the first targets. Initial reports of direct impacts at Muwaffaq with cluster munitions

- The US military is currently striking Iranian oil tankers near Kharg Island, a US official says, with Iranian media reporting multiple loud explosions heard near Kharg in the past minutes. Initial reports from Iran say the US struck 2 more oil tankers near Jask, +800km southeast from Kharg.

- Iran's IRGC warns all crews serving US oil tankers in and around the ports of Kuwait and Bahrain to "immediately leave their vessels whether at anchor or at the ports" because the tankers will be targeted, citing the US strikes on several Iranian oil tankers, in a statement just released. The IRGC names Kuwait and Bahrain as hosts and partners of the US military in the strikes, widening the imminent response from the US bases Iran named an hour ago to US shipping sitting in two Gulf states' ports.

- Netanyahu’s Office Denies UAE Warning Before 7 October: Netanyahu’s office called reports that UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed warned him before 7 October “false,” saying any relevant information would have been shared through intelligence channels. The UAE declined to address the reports directly, stating that it does not comment on speculation about conversations and that both countries maintain open communication and share relevant intelligence when necessary.

- Trump on Iran: "And I will tell you, we're right now fighting because we have a certain nation that wanted a nuclear weapon; they were very close to getting it, and now they have no chance of getting it. They will never have a nuclear weapon; Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. And they've been punished greatly"

 - Days before Oct. 7, UAE leader warned Netanyahu Hamas was planning war, but PM did nothing with the info.  Some 10 days before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was personally warned by the leader of the United Arab Emirates that Hamas was planning a major offensive move against Israel, but did not update Israeli security leaders and did nothing with the information, according to a report on Tuesday in Haaretz.

- Israel announced counter sanctions on Britain: The closure of the British consulate in East Jerusalem, which has been operating since the 19th century, and the expulsion of British representatives from the headquarters in Kiryat Gat that handles Gaza

- British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announces a sweeping sanctions package targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank as well as a range of other punitive measures, during a speech in the House of Commons featuring Britain’s strongest-ever criticism of the settlement enterprise. Denouncing Israel’s entirely “unlawful occupation” of the West Bank, Miliband decries spiraling instances of settler violence against Palestinians, saying “settler terrorism is rampant,” and citing United Nations reports of an “average of six violent settler attacks against Palestinians per day this year, the highest on record.”

- Bloomberg: British diplomats updated the US that the sanctions planned by British Foreign Secretary David Miliband against the “settlements” are "largely symbolic and will not have a real impact on the broad relations between Britain and Israel in trade and security

- 12 countries jointly declare support for European measures against West Bank settlements. After UK Foreign Minister Ed Miliband announced wide-ranging sanctions against Israeli West Bank settlements, a group of Western states jointly declare their intention to support European measures against settlement products and to introduce new sanctions. Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK release a statement confirming their “intention to introduce national and/or support European restrictions on trade in goods with settlements which are illegal under international law, or that they are actively considering these and other measures, in accordance with their national procedures.”The 12 countries underscore their commitment to a two-state solution. They call on Israel to “immediately halt the expansion of settlements and civilian administrative powers, ensure accountability for settler violence, and investigate allegations against Israeli forces.

- US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee” This is an irrational action... if the UK is really interested in dealing with issues they feel are wrong, where are the sanctions against North Korea, China, Russia?

- Israel Foreign Minister Saar: The Labor Party's move is particularly absurd, especially given the Balfour Declaration by the British government, which officially recognized the right of the Jewish people to establish the State of Israel in the Land of Israel, including Judea and Samaria