Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Praising what he called “enormous accomplishments” in the war against Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that the joint Israel-US effort is weakening Tehran while removing major threats to Israel’s security.In an address in Hebrew ahead of Pesach, Netanyahu said the Iranian regime would collapse “sooner or later” and that Israel is building “new alliances with important countries in the region” to counter Tehran.He did not name the countries but said he hopes that “soon, I will be able to tell you more about these vital alliances”.“On the eve of this Festival of Freedom, Israel is stronger than ever. The entire world hears our lion’s roar in our struggle against the evil regime in Iran, a struggle in which we have achieved immense, enormous accomplishments”, Netanyahu said.The address came as Israel mourns four soldiers killed in ground operations in Lebanon. Netanyahu said the gains have come with “painful costs”.“Marking one month of our joint campaign with the US, we are systematically crushing the terrorist regime that for decades cried: ‘Death to America, Death to Israel.’….the regime of the Ayatollahs made a massive effort to annihilate us, to take over the Middle East, and to threaten the entire world”, he said.“It tried to promote these murderous ambitions through the development of nuclear programmes and ballistic missiles, the funding and arming of terror proxies around us, and by weathering the heavy sanctions imposed upon it”, Netanyahu said.He said Iran’s long-term spending on its military ambitions has yielded little.“Now, I want to tell you. Over the years, all of this has cost Iran nearly a trillion dollars. And now it can be said. That trillion has gone down the drain”, he said.Drawing on Passover imagery, Netanyahu said Israel has struck repeated blows against its adversaries.“we have dealt ten plagues upon the axis of evil” including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Assad regime in Syria, groups in Judea and Samaria, the Houthis in Yemen, and multiple targets inside Iran.Among the actions against Iran, he cited attacks on “their nuclear programme, their missiles, the regime’s infrastructure, its forces of oppression, and the ‘Plague of the Firstborn’, or in our case, the blow to the senior leadership”.“From the tyrant Khamenei, to the nuclear scientists, and onto the master-murderers of the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij, not to mention Nasrallah, Haniyeh, Deif, Sinwar, and many, many more”, Netanyahu said.He said Iran is now “weaker than ever” while Israel is “stronger than ever”, but added that the war is not yet over.Netanyahu also said global attitudes towards Iran are shifting, with some leaders privately acknowledging the threat.“I spoke with leaders in the Middle East in secret and in public meetings. I spoke with leaders in Europe. I also spoke with leaders in the US, with US presidents. They did not internalise the danger. Today, there is no one who does not understand the magnitude of the threat. There are those who tell me in private conversations. ‘Prime minister, we understand. We are afraid to say it, but we understand’. And there are those who say. ‘We understand’, and, thank God, they are also acting”, he said.Reaffirming ties with Washington, Netanyahu said the joint effort has delivered “crushing blows” to Iran, leaving the regime “shaken” and suggesting it is “destined to fall”.He said Israeli operations “Rising Lion” last year and the ongoing “Roaring Lion” have significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.The speech has been interpreted by some analysts as laying the groundwork for a possible US decision to end the war without a formal agreement.US President Donald Trump has recently suggested the conflict may soon conclude, indicating that Washington could stop the war after achieving its objectives.Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid criticised Netanyahu’s speech as “arrogant”, accusing him of having achieved only one thing, “dismantling us from within”.Lapid linked his criticism to the government’s recent budget and the passage of a controversial death penalty bill.

SRINAGAR: The withdrawal of security of several legislators and politicians rocked the J&K Assembly on Tuesday after the governing National Conference (NC) raised the issue and flayed the LG administration for the removal of security at its headquarters in Srinagar, Nawai Subha, even after a recent attack on party president Farooq Abdullah, saying the move risked the lives of its leader and MLAs.Police and security in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir fall under lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha.Echoing concerns raised by NC members, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said the national flag would not be safe in Kashmir if those holding it were unsafe. “Security issues shouldn’t be taken casually in J&K,” Rather said, adding that the administration should either declare J&K a risk-free place for politicians and political parties, or ensure proper security.“Recently, Dr Farooq Abdullah had a narrow escape, and after that, you withdrew security from the NC office, where he goes regularly, which is unfortunate,” the Speaker said. “It is a question of those who raise the Tricolour; they should remain safe.”Congress, too, claimed that the security of its J&K unit chief, Tariq Hameed Karra, had been withdrawn and that police had informed him that they did not have petrol for the escort vehicles and security guards.Earlier, the issue was flagged by NC legislators, with Hasnain Masoodi saying that instead of increasing security at the NC office after the attack on Abdullah, it had been withdrawn, and Nazir Gurezi asserting that the LG administration would be responsible if there was any untoward development. Javed Baig alleged that NC was being particularly targeted, and questioned why security at BJP and RSS offices had not been withdrawn.Salman Sagar, NC MLA from Hazratbal, said security of three Srinagar MLAs had been withdrawn despite being “on the hitlist” of terrorists. “The SHO in my area is telling me not to visit my constituency after 4 pm, and this is happening in Srinagar,” he said.Nizamuddin Bhat, Congress legislator from Bandipora, said security was a common concern for all parties in J&K and should not be treated as a largesse by the administration. He said Karra had told the SSP concerned that he was willing to provide petrol himself, but the security was still removed. Bhat said his own security, too, had been withdrawn despite being from the volatile Bandipora district.Even BJP’s S S Slathia demanded that govt should restore the security of everyone, but added that NC shouldn’t blame BJP, RSS or the LG.

Viveck Vaswani has weighed in on Jaya Bachchan’s often-discussed reactions to paparazzi, saying her public “aggravation” is not how she has always been. In a conversation, Vaswani reflected on her personality, her past stardom, and how her current public image may have evolved over time. He added that her nature back then was “very sweet.” Addressing her frequent run-ins with photographers, Vaswani suggested that it may be a two-way dynamic.

Viveck Vaswani has weighed in on Jaya Bachchan’s often-discussed reactions to paparazzi, saying her public “aggravation” is not how she has always been.In a conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Vaswani reflected on her personality, her past stardom, and how her current public image may have evolved over time.

‘She was very sweet’

Speaking about her earlier years, the actor-producer said, “No. She was a superstar. She has only given hits. She worked with Kapoor, Manoj Kumar… she was phenomenal.”He added that her nature back then was “very sweet.”

‘Maybe over time things changed’

When asked what may have led to the change, he said, “I don’t know. Maybe over time. Maybe she wasn’t acting too much, so she had more time.”However, he maintained that her off-screen personality remains warm among close friends. “With her close friends like Dimple and Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, she’s very charming,” he said.