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The Cradle is an online news magazine covering West Asian geopolitics from within.
Supreme Leader warns of ‘regional war’ if Iran comes under US attack
Iran’s top security chief said over the weekend that a ‘framework for negotiations’ between Tehran and Washington is being developed
❗️Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem:
“The reopening of the Rafah Crossing is a right of the Palestinian people, and we call on the mediators to monitor the occupation’s behavior to prevent the imposition of a new siege.”
❗️Divisions deepen over Maliki’s nomination as US pressure looms
Divisions have emerged within Iraq’s Shia Coordination Framework after it nominated former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki to return to office, a move opposed by Washington, with US President Donald Trump warning that US support to Iraq could end if Maliki is reinstalled.
Iraqi media reported that Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the National Wisdom Movement, boycotted a key meeting in protest, rejecting the nomination of what he described as a “controversial figure,” while former prime minister Haider al-Abadi said the interests of the people must take precedence over individuals.
The Coordination Framework, comprising Maliki’s State of Law bloc, Fatah Alliance factions, Hakim and Abadi’s alliances, and other groups, plays a decisive role in government formation, but cracks within it raise uncertainty ahead of parliament’s expected session to elect a president, who will then task the largest bloc with forming a government.
(Anadolu Agency)
❗️According to Israel's public broadcaster Kan, a technocratic committee will enter Gaza in the coming days via the Rafah crossing, and it has been decided not to allow foreign journalists to enter the Strip.
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“Americans should know that if they start a war this time, it would be a regional war.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the comment on Sunday during a meeting with thousands of people from across Iranian society, held on 1 February to mark the anniversary of Imam Khomeini’s return to Iran and the start of the Ten-Day Dawn (Fajr Decade) commemorating the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
❗️Rafah Crossing opens under strict Israeli restrictions
The Rafah Crossing reopened on Sunday for the first time in over a year and a half under strict Israeli restrictions.
Egypt submitted lists of the first travelers for Israeli security screening, while a Palestinian Authority delegation arrived as part of initial logistical arrangements.
The plan allows around 50 patients to leave daily, each with two companions, totaling about only 150 departures, alongside a limited, permit-based return of Gaza residents who left during the war, all subject to intensive checks.
‼️ US & Iran both confirm ongoing talks amid US military buildup and Iranian readiness
Even as the US continues its threats and military buildup and Iran signals readiness, both sides have confirmed that communications remain ongoing.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani said that, contrary to an artificially manufactured media war narrative, a structured framework for negotiations is taking shape and making progress.
US President Donald Trump, speaking to Fox News, said “Iran is talking to us,” adding that “we’ll see if we can do something, otherwise we’ll see what happens,” while referencing past negotiations that “didn’t work” and stressing he would not share Washington’s plan with Gulf allies.
Israeli airstrikes kill scores of Palestinian women, children across Gaza
The latest strikes occurred far beyond the yellow line, targeting tent camps and residential buildings
UAE in talks with US equity firm to purchase Lukoil international assets
The Russian energy giant is under pressure to sell its international assets due to US sanctions over the war in Ukraine
‼️ Four people were killed after a gas explosion at a residential building in Iran's Ahvaz, Tehran Times reported citing the head of the city's fire department.
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‼️ Local sources in Iran report that missiles can be seen over various cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and Kerman.
Some sources report that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is currently conducting military drills.
UPDATE | Palestinian Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said that Gaza hospitals have received the bodies of 31 people since dawn today, most of them children and women, following Israeli attacks. The strikes targeted shelter centers, tents, and directly hit residential apartments, in what Basal described as a clear violation of the 'ceasefire'; 24 people were killed in northern Gaza and 7 in the south. Basal warned that the situation reflects an ongoing genocide and called on mediators and the international community to take immediate action to protect civilians in Gaza.
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❗️Iran warns of 'firm and deterrent' response to any hostile action
Ali Shamkhani, Iran’s Supreme Leader representative on the country’s Supreme Defense Council, warned that any hostile move against Iran would be met with a firm and deterrent response, stressing Tehran is fully prepared for scenarios that could exceed an adversary’s expectations. In an interview with Al Mayadeen, Shamkhani said Iran’s absolute priority is achieving full readiness to deter any threat, and any hostile action will be answered proportionately and effectively.
He highlighted that Iran’s response could target the “strategic depth of the Israeli regime” and stressed that its preparedness is not limited to maritime domains, but extends to broader and more advanced scenarios. Shamkhani emphasized Iran’s deep knowledge of regional geography and capacities, asserting that no external force possesses a more comprehensive understanding of defense in the region.
Shamkhani also claimed that Iran maintains full intelligence awareness of potential adversary plans and warned that Tehran would strike critical points when necessary. He concluded that any consequences of hostile actions would rest entirely with those seeking to challenge Iran, dismissing illusions of power projection by foreign forces in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman.
BREAKING | One person was injured after being targeted by an Israeli drone while on the roof of a house in the town of Rab al-Thalathine, southern Lebanon.
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❗️In a statement, the Israeli army claimed it carried out new strikes across Gaza after accusing Palestinian groups of violating the ceasefire, saying it targeted commanders, fighters, weapons sites, and launch locations linked to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Israel again justified the attacks by repeating accusations that armed groups operate from civilian areas, framing the escalation as a response to alleged ceasefire violations while continuing its bombardment across the strip.
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BREAKING | Israeli drone targets a vehicle between Ebba and Dweir in south Lebanon.
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Rafah crossing reopens under strict Israeli restrictions
The reopening of the crossing for the first time in almost two years comes hours after over 30 Palestinians were killed in brutal strikes across Gaza
⭕️ Syria blames Lebanon's Hezbollah for Damascus rocket and drone attacks amid ongoing cooperation with US
Syria’s Interior Ministry said it arrested a cell responsible for recent rocket and drone attacks on the Mezzeh area of Damascus, including near the military airport, claiming the weapons and launch platforms traced back to Hezbollah, though it presented no public evidence to support the accusation. The claim comes after several recent strikes in the area, some damaging a mosque and landing near the airport without causing fatalities, and amid Syria’s stated security cooperation with the United States, including commitments outlined last year by US envoy Tom Barrack to confront Hezbollah, Iran, and allied groups.
BREAKING | Local sources in Gaza report that 63 year old Palestinian civilian Khaled Hamad Ahmad Dahliz was killed by Israeli drone fire northwest of Rafah city.
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❗️A short while ago, an Israeli raid targeted a bulldozer in the town of Qennarit in the Sidon district of southern Lebanon.
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What does it mean when Washington says it will “cultivate resistance” inside Europe?
In episode 4 of Rock the Cradle, former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl breaks down the implications of US security doctrine and why Europe may be entering unfamiliar territory.
👉 Full Episode
❗️Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:
"Marked in yellow in the Western Hemisphere, you have the United States.
Several oceans away, on the other side of the planet, Iran's borders are marked in yellow.
The little circle in red is the Strait of Hormuz.
Operating off our shores, the US military is now attempting to dictate how our Powerful Armed Forces should conduct target practice in their own turf.
CENTCOM is also requesting "professionalism" from a national military the U.S. Government has listed as a "terrorist organization", all while recognizing the right of that same "terrorist organization" to conduct military drills!
This is the level of absurdity the world is now facing, and which European governments have actively decided to embrace.
The IRGC has always been, and still remains, the protector of peace and stability in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. In our region, it is wisely known as a formidable force which has proven itself on the battlefield against both terrorists and invading militaries.
Freedom of navigation and safe passage of commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz are of vital importance for Iran, as much as it is for our neighbors. The presence of outside forces in our region has always caused the exact opposite of what is declared: promoting escalation instead of de-escalation."
❗️Hezam al-Asad, a member of Ansarallah’s Political Bureau:
• “We tell the Zionists that our patience with your crimes in Gaza is running out, and our response will be unexpected.”
• “Continued violations of the Gaza ceasefire will lead to a wide regional explosion and return the region to conditions more dangerous than before.”
• “The current truce is not a license to kill nor a cover for ongoing Israeli crimes against Gaza.”
• “The truce marks the end of one round of confrontation, not the end of the war with the occupation.”
• “Ongoing killings in Gaza and breaches of the ceasefire mean the aggression is still underway, and readiness for all scenarios remains.”
• “Yemen is preparing for future rounds and will return to confrontation with deeper and more effective capabilities if the aggression resumes.”
• “The Axis of Resistance remains cohesive from Gaza to Sanaa, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran despite US–Western conspiracies.”
• “The United States bears primary responsibility for the occupation’s crimes during the truce.”
• “The current truce is fragile, like a narrow bridge subjected to daily bombardment.”
• “A return to aggression will ignite all fronts and will not return the region to its previous state.”
VIDEO | Huge protests in Tel Aviv: Palestinians from across the '48 territories gather to protest against the organized crime that is killing members of their communities at an alarming pace, amid deliberate Israeli police neglect.
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FBI memo concludes Trump 'compromised' by Israel, new Epstein Files show
The memo alleges that the Chabad Lubavitch movement sought to 'coopt' Trump and that his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was the 'real brains' behind the presidency
Washington approves massive arms deals for Israel, Saudi Arabia
The new arms sales come as the US continues to militarize West Asian waters and threatens to reignite the war against Iran
❗️Explosion in south Iran Bandar Abbas residential complex injures 14, kills 4-year-old girl
Director General of the Crisis Management Department in Iran’s Hormozgan province, Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, announced that the number of people injured in an explosion at a residential complex in Bandar Abbas has risen to 14, noting that a 4-year-old girl was killed in the incident.
Mehr News Agency reported that Hassanzadeh said, “Following an explosion at a residential complex, 14 people were injured, and some received medical treatment. Unfortunately, a 4-year-old child lost her life in this incident.”
Hassanzadeh added, “The cause of the incident is still under investigation, and the results will be announced later by the relevant authorities.”
❗️Statement by Hamas:
“The [Israeli] occupation's ongoing bombardment across the Gaza Strip, including a new massacre by an airstrike that targeted a tent sheltering a displaced family of seven in Khan Younis, killing all of them, along with the death toll of martyrs reaching 12, including six children, in the past few hours, constitute a brutal crime and a renewed, flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement.
These ongoing violations, and targeting of civilians - families and children - in their displacement tents, confirm once again that the fascist occupation government continues its brutal genocidal war against Gaza, despite nearly four months having passed since the signing of the ceasefire agreement. This exposes the occupation's manipulation of the agreement, as well as its disregard for the efforts of mediators and guarantor states.
We renew our call for the guarantor states of the agreement and the US administration to take immediate action to stop the occupation’s policy aimed at undermining the ceasefire, compel it to stop the war and massacres against civilians, and ensure the implementation of what was agreed upon without evasion or procrastination.”
❗️Director General of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza:
"4,000 children in the Gaza Strip need treatment abroad, including 2,000 with amputated limbs. We still do not know the mechanism for transporting the wounded and patients out of the Gaza Strip."
⭕️ New Epstein Files: Trump ‘compromised by Israel’
A declassified FBI report released among more than three million Epstein-related Justice Department files states that US President Donald Trump was compromised by Israel, based on information from a confidential human source.
The report identifies Jeffrey Epstein as a Mossad asset and says Israel, alongside Russia and the UAE, exerted influence over US officials, with Jared Kushner described as the central power broker behind the Trump Organization and the presidency, linked to Israeli intelligence-adjacent networks, Russian money flows, the ultra-Zionist Chabad network, undisclosed interests, and a presidential pardon for his father.
The memo flags opaque finances, including Trump’s Beverly Hills property bought for about $41 million and sold for $95 million to a shell company with foreign ties and possible routing of foreign funds into US projects.
It also states that Alan Dershowitz was co-opted by Mossad to cultivate politically connected elites, and that Epstein was leveraged through elite political, financial, and academic access, with references to figures including Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and senior US officials.