News
Israel on high alert as world works to stop clash with Iran
Despite tensions, as of Thursday night, there had been no special instructions given out by the Home Front Command, but that Israelis would be immediately notified of any steps taken.
Israel was on a high state of alert for an Iranian attack late Thursday night as world leaders worked frantically to avert direct confrontation between the two arch-foes.
“We’re on a high state of alert and preparedness,” IDF spokesperson Rear-Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters on Thursday night, adding that the Jewish state faces danger on all fronts.
Still, as of Thursday night, there had been no special instructions issued by the IDF’s Home Front Command, but Hagari said that Israelis would be immediately notified of any steps that would need to be taken.
“A direct attack from Iranian soil would provide clear proof of its intentions to inflame the Middle East and stop hiding behind its proxies,” he said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israel’s enemies, including Iran, that it would not hesitate to strike if provoked.
“Whoever harms us, we will harm them,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the Tel Nof Air Base where he spoke to the 133rd Squadron, which operates F-15 fighter jets.
“We are prepared to meet all of the security needs of the State of Israel, both defensively and offensively,” he stated.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that “a direct Iranian attack on Israeli territory would illicit an appropriate Israeli response against Iran.”
Blinken on blitz to prevent attack
Iran has vowed revenge for the April 1 airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus that killed a top Iranian general and six other Iranian military officers, escalating tensions in a region already shaken by the Gaza war.
Jerusalem has not claimed responsibility for the April 1 attack, for which Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that Israel “must be punished and it shall be,” adding that it was tantamount to an attack on Iranian soil.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spent the past 24 hours trying to send a clear message to Iran that escalating the conflict in the Middle East is not in the world’s interest.
“We continue to be concerned about the risk of escalation in the Middle East, something we have been working to mitigate and contain since the attacks of October 7,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. “And specifically about the threats made in recent days by Iran against the State of Israel and the Israeli people,” Miller said.
Blinken spoke with the foreign ministers from Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia, urging them to also send a message to Iran not to escalate the situation.
The US is telling them, “we’re hoping to avoid” an Iranian attack, he said.
Tehran has signaled to Washington that it will respond to Israel’s attack on its embassy in Syria in a way that aims to avoid major escalation, and it will not act hastily, as Tehran presses demands, including a Gaza truce, Iranian sources said.
Iran’s message to the US was conveyed by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian during a visit on Sunday to the Gulf Arab state of Oman, which has often acted as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington, the sources said.
Iran’s foreign ministry was not immediately available for comment. The Omani government also did not immediately respond to emailed questions for comment, sent during the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.
A White House spokesperson declined to comment on any messages from Iran but said the United States has communicated to the Islamic Republic that it was not involved in the strike on the embassy.
US has warned Iran not to attack Israel
White House Press Secretary Karin Jean Pierre said that the US had also warned Iran not to attack Israel.
A source familiar with US intelligence was not aware of the message conveyed via Oman but said Iran has “been very clear” that its response to the attack on its Damascus embassy compound would be “controlled” and “non-escalatory” and planned “to use regional proxies to launch several attacks on Israel.”
US President Joe Biden publicly reminded Iran during remarks at the White House on Wednesday that America’s commitment to Israel’s security was “ironclad.”
Blinken told Gallant in an overnight conversation that the “US will stand with Israel against any threats by Iran and its proxies,” according to the State Department.
Washington has also been working behind the scenes to tone down rising tensions, which were escalated by Israel’s military engagements over the last half-year with two Iranian proxy groups: Hamas in Gaza on its southern border and Hezbollah in Lebanon on its northern border.
Tehran has avoided confrontation with Israel or the United States, while declaring support for its allies, including the Houthis who have attacked cargo ships in the Red Sea to protest Israel’s military operation in Gaza to destroy Hamas.
US Middle East envoy Brett McGurk called the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Iraq to ask them to deliver a message to Iran that Tehran should de-escalate with Israel – which they did, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. McGurk’s calls were first reported by Axios; The White House declined to comment.
Iran’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Iraq spoke on the phone with Iran’s foreign minister and discussed regional tensions.
In Paris, Knesset Speaker MK Amir Ohana (Likud) spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron about the global nature of Israel’s battle with Iran and the imminent threat facing the Jewish state.
“We are approaching the moment of truth vis-à-vis Iran,” Ohana told Macron. “The regime of the ayatollahs – which even at this time is threatening to attack Israel – is not only the enemy of Israel but the enemy of the free world,” he stated.
According to Ohana’s office, Macron said he had warned Iran not to attack Israel.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock discussed the tense situation in the Middle East with her Iranian counterpart and urged all sides to act responsibly and exercise restraint, the foreign ministry in Berlin said on Thursday.
“No one can have an interest in a wider regional escalation,” the ministry posted on social media platform X.Russia, which has good ties with Iran, urged countries in the Middle East to show restraint and warned against traveling to the region.
“Right now it’s very important for everyone to maintain restraint so as not to lead to a complete destabilization of the situation in the region, which doesn’t exactly shine with stability and predictability,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at a news briefing.
“We call on all countries in the region to exercise restraint,” he stated.
TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025
Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.
With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.
Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.
On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:
“a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”
The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected
“are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”
The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.
Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.
Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.
Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.
The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.
With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.
In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.
By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.
In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.
The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.
This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.
Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole.
The Plateau state government has expressed concern over violence in Shimankar (Menkaat), Shendam Local Government Area, of the State which unfortunately caused unnecessary tension within the community.
In a statement by the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon Joyce Lohya Ramnap, made available to journalists in Jos, it condemned in strongest terms and warned such violence would not be tolerated any longer.
The statement called for dialogue to differences and disagreement before it snowballed into violence, adding that government will not allow anyone to undermine peace and unity of the State.
Part of the statement read: “I want to reiterate the Plateau State Government’s unwavering commitment to upholding peace and security for all citizens, especially during such tense moments.”
Acknowledging the swift response of law enforcement agencies and the traditional institutions in containing the situation, we are calling for even greater collaboration between community leaders, security agencies, and the public to prevent further escalation,thus the need to maintain peace, calm and restraint from all parties.
“We urge the people of the community to pursue peaceful resolutions to any disagreements instead of resorting to violence.”
In line with the administration’s “Time is Now” vision under the leadership of Governor Mutfwang, I want to emphasise that the state is focused on ensuring lasting peace and harmony, irrespective of religious or tribal differences.
Government is also assuring the public that security agencies have been instructed to conduct a thorough investigation into the root causes of the skirmishes and to ensure that those responsible for any breach of public peace are held accountable.
Towards this end, Plateau citizens are to remain vigilant yet peaceful and to actively support all efforts to de-escalate the situation as the State Government is committed to fostering a peaceful coexistence for all citizens, the statement further reads.
As protest rocks Benue State against the Chief Judge, Justice Maurice Ikpembese for relocating the Benue Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal from Makurdi to Abuja, Governor Hyacinth Alia has distanced himself from the protest.
Protesters in their hundreds from Benue State took to the streets of Abuja on Monday, for a peaceful protest from the National Assembly to the Supreme Court to express their outrage over the Benue CJ’s decision.
Prior to Monday’s massive protest Justice Ikpembese raised security concerns and moved the Tribunal to Abuja, a development that triggered protest as they are saying the Tribunal would have remained in Makurdi for them to monitor proceedings.
The tribunal is currently handling disputes arising from the Benue State Local Government elections conducted on October 5, 2024.
Reports indicate that 93 petitioners, including aggrieved candidates from both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, have filed cases at the tribunal since October 17, 2024.
The Benue State Government, through the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Mr. Fidelis Mnyim, had questioned the CJ’s unilateral decision, noting that neither the governor nor his office had been formally notified.
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