DUBAI: Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet on Wednesday (Apr 8), killing hundreds of people and drawing a threat of retaliation from Iran, which suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the United States.

The warning from Iran's lead negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bager Qalibaf, laid bare the continued volatility in the region following Tuesday's ceasefire announcement by President Donald Trump. The two sides have laid out sharply contrasting agendas for peace talks set to start on Saturday, but it was unclear whether the two-week ceasefire would hold until then.

Qalibaf said Israel had already violated several conditions of that ceasefire by ramping up its parallel war against the Iran-aligned militia Hezbollah, while the United States had violated the agreement by insisting that Iran abandon its nuclear ambitions.

"In such a situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations were unreasonable," he said in a statement.

Israel and the United States both said the two-week ceasefire did not cover Lebanon, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue.

"I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn't," US Vice President JD Vance, who will lead the US delegation, told reporters in Budapest.

The two sides appeared to be far apart on Iran's nuclear program as well - one of the factors that Trump cited as the basis for war.

Trump said Iran had agreed to stop enriching uranium, which can be turned into nuclear weapons, and the White House said Iran has indicated it would turn over its existing stocks.

"The United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried ... Nuclear 'Dust'," Trump said on social media.

Qalibaf, however, said it was allowed to continue enriching uranium under the terms of the ceasefire.

Though both the United States and Iran declared victory in a five-week-old war that has killed thousands, their core disputes remained unresolved. Each side is sticking to competing demands for a deal that could shape the Middle East for generations.

Despite the uncertainty, world stock indexes surged while oil prices plunged 14 per cent to settle near US$95 per barrel, after falling as low as US$90.40.

Benchmark Brent crude remains roughly US$25 higher than before the joint US-Israel attacks began. Tehran's newly demonstrated ability to cut off Gulf energy supplies through its grip on the strait, despite decades of massive US military investment in the region, shows how the conflict has already altered power dynamics in the Gulf.

"FINGER ON THE TRIGGER"

Netanyahu said Israel had its “finger on the trigger” and was prepared to return to fighting at “any moment”.

Lebanon's civil defence service said 254 people had been killed in Israel's strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday. The highest toll was in the capital Beirut, where Israeli strikes killed 91 people, it said. Residents said some of the Israeli strikes had come without the usual warnings for civilians to evacuate.

Iran also struck oil facilities in nearby Gulf countries, including a pipeline in Saudi Arabia that has been used to bypass the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, according to an oil industry source. Kuwait, ​Bahrain and the UAE also reported missile and drone strikes.

The Strait of Hormuz remained shut to vessels sailing without a permit, and shippers said they needed more clarity before resuming transit. MarineTraffic data showed two Greek-owned and two Chinese-owned bulk carriers have passed through the strait since early Wednesday.

In a flurry of online posts, Trump announced new tariffs of 50 per cent on all goods from any country that supplies arms to Iran, though he lacks the authority to do so.

IRAN'S RULING ESTABLISHMENT SURVIVES

Crowds took to the streets of Iran overnight to celebrate, waving Iranian flags and burning those of the United States and Israel. But there was also wariness that a deal would not hold.

"Israel will not allow diplomacy to work and Trump might change his view tomorrow. But at least we can sleep tonight without strikes," Alireza, 29, a government employee in Tehran, told Reuters by phone.

The war was launched on Feb 28 by Trump and Netanyahu, who said they aimed to prevent Iran from projecting force beyond its borders, end its nuclear programme and create conditions for Iranians to topple their rulers. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said Washington had won a decisive military victory.

But so far, Iran retains both its stockpile of near-weapons-grade highly enriched uranium and its ability to hit its neighbours with missiles and drones. The clerical leadership, which faced mass protests months ago, has withstood the superpower onslaught with no sign of internal collapse.

"The enemy, in its unjust, illegal and criminal war against the Iranian nation, has suffered an undeniable, historic and crushing defeat," Iran's Supreme National Security Council said.

SINGAPORE: Energy transition is often framed as a sustainability issue. Security considerations have always been present – certainly for policymakers – but the public narrative tends to be about climate change and decarbonisation.

What has become explicit with increasing global conflict is the vulnerability that comes with reliance on fuel imports. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to the Iran war, the impetus for Singapore to wean off its dependence on imported energy resources has never been stronger.

The war in Iran sent prices of oil and gas skyrocketing. Even with a ceasefire or if the war ends, global supply has taken a hit and could take months or years to recover to pre-war levels. Middle Eastern oil producers cut production as exports via the Strait of Hormuz are blocked and they run out of storage capacity. “Extensive damage” by Iranian missiles to the Ras Laffan site reduced Qatar’s LNG capacity by 17 per cent. 

In Singapore, the government announced on Tuesday (Apr 7) that it would provide nearly S$1 billion (US$777 million) in additional support measures, as businesses and households face rising costs of commodities and services from petrol and electricity to food.

About 95 per cent of Singapore’s electricity is produced from imported natural gas. The heavy dependence on a single source type for electricity is never a good strategy to ensure energy security – and it’s not just a matter of cost.

“FOUR SWITCHES” THROUGH AN ENERGY SECURITY LENS

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) had laid out “four switches” in Singapore’s energy transition story: natural gas; regional power grids; solar energy deployment; and low-carbon alternatives. 

Singapore has put in measures around its natural gas dependence, but risks are still present, only buffered. It had relied solely on PNG from Indonesia and Malaysia until 2013, when Singapore’s first LNG terminal was completed. This allowed the country to diversify suppliers and increase stockpiles as gas that has been liquefied is significantly reduced in volume. 

Around 9 per cent of Singapore’s natural gas would have been from Qatar this year, said Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam in parliament on Tuesday.

Singapore has also started to import low-carbon electricity from other countries, including Lao PDR and Malaysia, by connecting to regional power grids. It intends to tap the ASEAN power grid, an ongoing regional initiative, for about one-third of its energy needs in the future. 

But importing electricity through a regional grid is structurally identical to importing LNG through a terminal: the commodity changes, the pipeline changes, the dependence does not. 

A heavy reliance on imported electricity would still run counter to a vision of enhancing energy security. To minimise disruption, a diversified energy mix should also include indigenous sources. 

HARNESSING SOLAR AS INDIGENOUS ENERGY SOURCE

Solar power has lent itself well to the climate change narrative. It does not emit greenhouse gases, it is renewable and will never run out. However, the more seminal rationale for Singapore to consider solar is because it is an indigenous source of energy. It all depends on whether the country can harness it. 

For example, Germany has almost entirely eliminated Russian imports from its energy mix, down from over a third of its crude oil and more than half of its natural gas before the start of the Ukraine war. It reported a record high in solar energy production in 2025, accounting for about 16 per cent of total domestic electricity production.

However, solar or other types of renewables cannot be a direct replacement for natural gas.

Though Singapore is located near the equator, solar power is still intermittent and cannot serve as a constant energy supply to meet baseload demands. This is crucial for critical infrastructures such as hospitals and data centres, which require power 24/7.

In addition, Singapore's small land-area effectively limits the deployment of solar energy. A study by the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) estimated that there is technical potential to produce 8.6 gigawatt-peak of solar power by 2050. That will account for up to 10 per cent of the projected electricity demand then. At this capacity, solar cannot anchor energy security.

NUCLEAR POWER STARTS TO LOOK MORE INTERESTING

In Singapore, the potential use of nuclear energy is being assessed in the exploratory light of low-carbon alternatives. In that sense, it is still mainly seen as a decarbonisation tool, not for the imperative of shoring up its energy security. 

The fact is that nuclear energy addresses the biggest shortcoming of solar energy: Nuclear plants can be a direct replacement for coal or gas-fired plants because they provide a stable source for baseload power demand. 

Nuclear power can also contribute to energy security because of the inelasticity of uranium fuel price. Uranium is aplenty in the world and one unit of uranium can produce more than a million times of energy compared to an equivalent unit of coal. That makes nuclear the densest form of energy available today

Finally, a built nuclear power plant comes with a guaranteed fuel supply from the vendor, who will source for uranium to be mined, converted and enriched in order to fabricate and assemble the fuel specific to the reactor. Unlike LNG, its price is thus shielded from geopolitical volatility. Hence, if Singapore operates a nuclear power plant, it can be considered an indigenous source of energy.

Furthermore, a nuclear power plant needs to be refuelled, on average, once every two years. This means Singapore could rely on a dependable source even through a prolonged regional energy crisis.

FRESH URGENCY FOR ENERGY RESILIENCE

The war in Iran has underscored how much of an existential issue energy is. And Singapore’s vulnerability is not due to natural gas in itself, but from its dependence on imported energy – be it oil, natural gas or even electricity.

This is not unique to Singapore. China, India, Japan and South Korea import more oil and gas from the Middle East than most other countries within Asia. However, these countries operate nuclear power plants which offer them a level of resilience in their energy portfolios.

Singapore has not yet needed to implement drastic measures, like export restrictions or fuel rationing. This is in part due to its energy strategy, but also because in absolute terms, Singapore’s energy demand is relatively small compared to larger economies.

But its thirst for electricity will only grow exponentially with digitalisation and artificial intelligence adoption – especially since these are areas central to Singapore’s growth strategy. Any sustained energy shock in the future would be a profound threat to an economy built on digital infrastructure.

An indigenous source of energy supply will be the best way to avoid getting trapped in a vicious cycle of energy insecurity. The deepening global energy crisis gives Singapore fresh urgency to refine its energy transition priorities. 

Alvin Chew is Senior Fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

SINGAPORE: Taxi drivers and platform workers have welcomed the announcement of a cash payout to cushion the impact of sharp fuel price increases, though some say the support offers only short-term relief.

Ms Christina Lin, a full-time private-hire driver, said the S$200 (US$157) payout is "much appreciated" and will provide some relief.

“It’s a global issue. We can’t avoid it or place blame on anyone, so this is definitely helpful,” she said.

Ms Lin currently pays about S$12 more each day for fuel, following a rise in global oil prices triggered by the war in Iran. 

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While the payout would not fully cover her additional monthly costs, she considers it a “bonus” – though she has grown more selective about jobs, particularly those involving longer distances.

“It really depends on the pick-up and drop-off locations, and whether the fare is reasonable,” she said.

When asked what more could be done, Ms Lin said the current 40-cent surcharge on passenger fares is insufficient, and hopes it could be raised by another 20 to 30 cents until fuel prices stabilise.

Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow announced in parliament on Tuesday (Apr 7) that the government will disburse S$200 in cash to active platform workers, private-hire drivers and taxi drivers from the end of this month.

Eligible platform workers are those with net earnings from platform work exceeding S$500 a month for each month from December 2025 to February 2026. The relief also applies to all taxi drivers who held a hire agreement with a taxi operator during the same period.

Grab announced on Mar 31 that it would temporarily raise its fuel surcharge to 90 cents from Apr 7 to May 31, and has also added a 40-cent surcharge on passenger fares during this period. Tada and Gojek followed suit, both announcing a 40-cent adjustment to their driver fee from Apr 10 to May 31.

CNA spoke to eight private-hire and taxi drivers, most of whom acknowledged the payout as a helpful gesture but called for more support if fuel prices remain elevated.

"Some drivers appreciate it as a token of support, while others may see it as insufficient given the sustained increase in operating costs," said a full-time private-hire driver who wanted to be known as Louis.

He said many drivers, including himself, now spend an additional S$7 to S$10 per day on fuel. 

“For someone driving daily, that can easily add up to S$150 to S$250 per month, which means the S$200 payout only offsets a short period of increased expenses.” 

The 59-year-old drives a Honda Freed hybrid, which helps soften his fuel costs somewhat. Even so, he said his approach to work has shifted. While his hours have not changed drastically, he has become more deliberate about which trips he takes.

"I'm definitely more selective with trips. I try to focus more on peak periods and areas with stronger demand to reduce idle time and unnecessary fuel burn," he said.

He acknowledged that some platform-level support has been introduced. Grab, for instance, implemented a S$1.1 million support package for its drivers covering fuel vouchers, monthly cash bonuses and cashback rebates. But he said such measures tend to be "short-term and conditional" and may not fully offset rising costs.

On long-term solutions, Louis pointed to structural challenges – including demand imbalances that can lead to empty runs and wasted fuel, particularly on long trips with little chance of securing a return fare.

“Ultimately, fuel is just one part of the equation. The bigger issue is overall cost efficiency and earnings sustainability for drivers,” he said. 

Part-time private-hire driver Yusuf Azan, 41, said he views the payout as an "income buffer" that could offset about 10 per cent of his monthly operating expenses, adding that he is currently paying at least 35 per cent more for fuel. 

Taxi drivers CNA spoke to shared similar concerns, with rising fuel costs compounding the pressure of fixed daily rentals.

Mr S Lim, a full-time ComfortDelGro taxi driver, said the payout is "not enough, but better than nothing". 

ComfortDelGro drivers can pump fuel at designated in-house kiosks at discounted rates – he currently pays about S$2.44 per litre for petrol, an increase of about 60 cents from before the war. His daily rental of slightly over S$100 remains a significant fixed cost.

Despite the higher fuel bills, Mr Lim said his working hours have not changed. He drives from 5.30am to 7pm daily and is less worried about costs than about whether passengers will keep booking.

Fellow ComfortDelGro driver CM Liang said that despite the kiosk discounts, his daily petrol bill has risen from S$30 to about S$50. He now drives about 14 hours every alternate day, up from 10 to 12 hours previously, to make up for higher costs and fewer customers.

While grateful for the support so far, Mr Liang said operators could do more through additional incentives. Asked how he would cope if fuel costs keep rising, he said: "No choice, just need to keep driving more."

LOS ANGELES: As America and Israel’s war on Iran comes to a temporary halt, Pakistan has emerged as a critical conduit for peace talks.

On Wednesday (Apr 8), US President Donald Trump agreed to stop bombing Iran for two weeks, in exchange for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Instead of negotiating directly with Tehran, Washington appeared to rely on Islamabad as a key intermediary passing messages between the two sides.

It may seem surprising that Pakistan is playing peacemaker, given that the country is currently embroiled in a conflict with Afghanistan. But for those who have tracked Pakistan over time, its mediation role in the Iran war is predictable.

A VALUABLE CONVENOR

Islamabad’s diplomacy has long been remarkably versatile. Pakistan had strong relations with the US during the Cold War because of its anti-Communist stance, and Chinese backing since the Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971.

The United States leveraged Pakistan’s access to China at a time when Washington lacked direct engagement with Beijing. At America’s behest, Pakistan facilitated secret diplomacy involving Henry Kissinger, culminating in Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 visit to meet Mao Zedong – a geostrategic breakthrough that reshaped the Cold War balance.

Since Mr Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, Pakistan has made a concerted effort to re-engage the United States. This reflects a desire to repair ties strained after US forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, in part because of covert Pakistani support to the Taliban. But Islamabad is also seeking to hedge against deepening US-India cooperation, which has intensified over the past quarter-century in response to China’s rise.

To that end, Pakistan has invested heavily in lobbying and diplomatic outreach in the US. These efforts appear to have paid dividends, securing high-level engagement with the Trump administration on issues ranging from critical minerals to emerging technologies. Islamabad was also quick to praise Mr Trump’s role in de-escalating last year’s brief India-Pakistan crisis – an assessment New Delhi disputes.

Mr Trump later hosted Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House for a private meeting. Though there was no official readout, discussions likely included sensitive regional issues, potentially including Iran.

Pakistan has coordinated with China on potential diplomatic pathways for the Iran war. Beijing has a strong interest in de-escalation, as it remains the primary buyer of Iranian oil exports, much of which transits through the Strait of Hormuz. Chinese leaders appear to view Pakistan as a useful intermediary that can leverage its ties with Washington to help facilitate dialogue.

PAKISTAN’S TIES WITH THE MIDDLE EAST

In recent years, Pakistan has sought to balance relationships in the Middle East. In 2025, it signed a mutual defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, signalling a willingness to support the kingdom’s security in the event of external threats.

While not a formal treaty, the deal is significant given Pakistan’s status as the only Muslim-majority country with nuclear weapons – raising persistent speculation about whether it could, in extremis, extend deterrence assurances to close partners.

At the same time, Pakistan’s relations with Iran have largely held. Although the two sides exchanged limited strikes along their shared border in 2024, both governments have generally sought to manage tensions diplomatically. Frictions persist, particularly over cross-border Baloch militant and separatist groups operating on both sides of the frontier, but neither side has an interest in sustained escalation.

Although Islamabad’s relations with Israel remain poor, it also has close relations with other Middle Eastern states – including Egypt, Oman, Qatar, and Türkiye – that have also sought to mediate the Iran war. But it was Pakistan, not any of them, who Mr Trump credited on Wednesday, capping off one of the greatest diplomatic coups in recent memory.  

To be sure, Washington and Tehran have agreed to merely pause hostilities for the next two weeks, and the space for diplomacy to achieve a broader deal remains exceedingly narrow. But Pakistan and China’s peace initiative offers a serious roadmap towards a negotiated settlement of the dispute, and finally a return to the status quo ante. A more lasting deal may be appealing when both sides take into account the costs of a prolonged, expanded war.

DIPLOMACY AMID SHIFTING ALLIANCES

Pakistan’s role as an intermediary is not an anomaly – it is a preview. In an era defined less by rigid alliances and more by overlapping networks of influence, countries like Pakistan – comfortable operating across Western, Chinese, and Muslim political spheres – are increasingly indispensable. 

Islamabad’s diplomatic win underscores a broader shift in global politics: Influence is no longer measured solely by military power or formal alliances, but by access, relationships and credibility across divides.

If anything, Pakistan’s mediation role is not a one-off – it is a sign of the future of crisis diplomacy. In a might-makes-right world order, middle powers need to do what they can to stay relevant, such as seizing opportunities to bridge adversaries.

Derek Grossman is Founder and Chief Analyst of Indo-Pacific Solutions, a geopolitical consultancy on the region. He is also Professor of the Practice of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California.

ANKARA, Türkiye: Turkish security forces have arrested nearly 200 people in a nationwide sweep one day after a shootout outside Israel's consulate in Istanbul, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said Wednesday (Apr 8).

Gurlek posted on X that officers had arrested 198 suspects in a simultaneous operation in 34 provinces against "the terrorist organisation Daesh", another name for the Islamic State group.

A gunman was killed and two others wounded in Tuesday's shootout with police outside the consulate, with two officers lightly wounded.

Twelve of those arrested have been placed in pre-trial detention, including the two wounded gunmen, who were hospitalised, according to the justice ministry.

No group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's shootout.

Turkish media reports said the gunman who was killed was a 32-year-old man linked to IS.

The interior ministry said he had ties to a "terrorist organisation", and that the two wounded gunmen were brothers with links to drug trafficking.

BLOODSTAINED GROUND

Footage of the shootout showed one of the attackers armed with an automatic rifle, dressed in beige cargo pants and carrying a backpack.

Officials said the attackers arrived in a rented vehicle from Izmit, about 86 kilometres (50 miles) from Istanbul.

Two police officers intervened and were wounded.

Witnesses said the shootout lasted at least 10 minutes.

The shootout took place in the Levent business district, situated on the European side of Istanbul.

There were no Israeli diplomats at the mission at the time of the shootout, as most have been evacuated since the Oct 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas in Israel that set off the Gaza war.

Israel said it would not be cowed after the incident, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the "treacherous attack" and vowed to fight "all kinds of terrorism".

In December, IS members opened fire on police in Yalova, about 90 kilometres southeast of Istanbul, killing three officers and wounding nine.

Turkish police have stepped up nationwide raids against IS militants, rounding up 125 suspects after that attack.

IS has carried out other deadly attacks in Turkey, including one at a nightclub in Istanbul that killed 39 people in 2017.

GENEVA: The scale of the killing in Israeli strikes on Lebanon Wednesday (Apr 8) is "horrific", the UN rights chief said, urging the international community to help end the unfolding "nightmare".

At least 182 people were killed and 900 more were wounded in Lebanon Wednesday after Israel launched a wave of strikes unprecedented in the current war, according to the latest Lebanese health ministry toll.

Volker Turk, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the attacks, saying the numbers killed and injured were appalling.

"The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific," he said in a statement.

"Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians."

Mass casualties have been reported, and hospitals overwhelmed, the statement added.

A UN Human Rights team at the site of a strike in Beirut described a scene of devastation, with several dead bodies amid the rubble.

"PROMPT INVESTIGATIONS"

International humanitarian law spells out clearly that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected, said Turk.

"Each and every attack must comply with international humanitarian law fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions to protect civilians," he said.

"These principles are non-negotiable, and must always be respected, whatever the circumstances of armed conflict.

"There must be prompt and independent investigations into all alleged violations, and those responsible brought to justice."

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on Mar 2 when Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Turk also deplored Hezbollah's missile and drone attacks on northern Israel, and urged both parties to stop immediately.

More than a million people have been displaced in Lebanon by the conflict, and Israel has launched a ground invasion in the south.

"The scale of such actions, coupled with statements by Israeli officials indicating an intention to occupy or even annex parts of southern Lebanon, is deeply troubling," said Turk.

"The international community must act quickly to help bring an end to this nightmare.

"Efforts to bring peace to the wider region will remain incomplete as long as the Lebanese people are living under continuing fire, forcibly displaced, and in fear of further attacks."

JERUSALEM: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday (Apr 8) that Israel remains prepared to confront Iran if necessary, despite a truce reached between the United States and Iran.

"Let me be clear: We still have objectives to complete, and we will achieve them - either through agreement or through renewed fighting," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

"We are prepared to return to combat at any moment required. Our finger remains on the trigger. This is not the end of the campaign, but a step along the way to achieving all our objectives."

"Iran enters this pause battered, weaker than ever."

Netanyahu also hit back at opposition leaders who chastised him for agreeing to the truce before Israel achieved its objectives in the war.

"As you know, last night a temporary two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran came into effect, in full coordination with Israel," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

"No, we were not surprised at the last moment," he said.

Israel's main opposition figure Yair Lapid called the truce a "diplomatic disaster" for Israel, saying Netanyahu had failed to achieve the country's goals.

Netanyahu had set the elimination or at least severe degradation of Iran's nuclear programme as a central goal of the war, describing it as an "existential threat" to Israel.

He had also called to degrade Iran's ballistic missile capabilities, weaken or potentially topple the Iranian regime and curb Tehran's regional influence by targeting its network of allied groups.

In his televised statement, Netanyahu spoke about the war's achievements.

"We destroyed not only existing missiles, but also the factories that produce them. Iran is now firing what remains in its stockpile and that stockpile is steadily dwindling," he said.

"We have severely damaged Iran's nuclear programme, destroying critical infrastructure and centrifuge facilities," he said, adding that Israel would ensure that the enriched uranium is removed from Iran.

"We have crippled the financial and weapons production networks of the Revolutionary Guards," he said, adding that the campaign had also hit Iran's steel plants, petrochemical complexes and transport infrastructure.

"We have dealt a severe blow to the regime’s apparatus of repression. We have eliminated thousands of its operatives and demonstrated that we can reach them anywhere," the premier said.

Netanyahu also hailed Israel's cooperation with the United States in the war.

"Together, we launched a historic operation - the largest the Middle East has ever seen," he said.

"Such a partnership between Israel and the United States against our greatest enemy is also unprecedented."