International
Netanyahu to Iran: “Whoever hurts us, we will hurt him”
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, issued a message to Iran on Thursday: “Whoever hurts us, we will hurt him.”
“We will know how to defend ourselves and we will act accordingly,” the prime minister said at the beginning of a war cabinet meeting to address, among other things, the threat from Iran, which could retaliate after the attack attributed to Israel in the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
In one that the Jewish State has admitted in a veiled way against the Iranian consulate in Damascus, thirteen people died, including seven Iranian revolutionary guards, in parallel to the war in the Gaza Strip.
“For years, Iran has gone against us directly and through its emissaries, and therefore, Israel has gone against Iran and its emissaries, defensively and offensively,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli media point out that Israel is closing embassies around the world for fear of Iranian reprisals. According to the newspaper Maariv, some employees have been asked not to go to work in the next few days.
The Israeli Army suspended vacation permits to all troops “after a new security assessment,” the same argument with which yesterday increased the personnel and number of reservists serving in the air forces, in “maximum alert” before the possibility of attacks with missiles or drones from Iran or some of its pro-Irani satellite militias in the region, such as Hizbulah in Lebanon.
“The Israel Defense Forces are at war and the issue of the deployment of forces is constantly reviewed as necessary,” said a military statement about these decisions that have aroused concern among Israelis.
“His responsible behavior on the internal front saves lives. My only recommendation is to be alert and attentive to updates,” said the spokesman for the Israeli Army, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, although he warned that at the moment there are no changes in the instructions for civilians.
The president of Iran, Ibrahim Raisi, yesterday launched a serious threat to Israel, after the attack attributed to this country, in which senior Iranian officials were killed, including Mohamed Reza Zahedi, commander of the Quds Force of Syria and Lebanon.
“The attack will not go unanswered. Zionists must know that they will never achieve their evil goals through such inhumane actions,” he said.
He was joined by the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, who even promised to take revenge on Israel for the attack on Damascus, pointing out that Israel “will regret it,” while Iran’s ambassador to Syria stressed that “Israel crossed the red lines.”
Israel’s attack on Monday in Damascus is the worst blow to the elite military corps after the death of Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian general who led the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard until he was eliminated by the United States in 2020 in a bombing in Iraq.
International
Five Bodies Found in Ecuador as Police Probe Suspected Gang Turf War
Ecuadorian authorities are investigating the deaths of five people whose bodies were found inside a rural home, in what police believe may be linked to a territorial dispute between organized criminal groups.
The victims, aged between 21 and 30, were discovered Tuesday in the town of La Troncal, in the Andean province of Cañar. Police reported that two of the bodies were bound with wire, while a burned-out vehicle was found outside the residence.
Investigators said graffiti on the walls of the house included messages such as “Lobos territory” and “Lobos active,” suggesting a possible connection to the criminal organization known as Los Lobos.
Police believe the killings were likely the result of a conflict over territorial control between rival gangs.
The discovery came on the same day authorities arrested a former mayor in the neighboring province of Azuay. Officials identified him as the alleged main financial backer of Los Lobos, one of Ecuador’s most powerful criminal organizations.
Ecuador has experienced an unprecedented surge in violence in recent years, driven by criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining, kidnapping, and extortion.
According to Insight Crime, the country recorded 51 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025—equivalent to roughly one killing every hour—making it one of the most violent countries in Latin America.
International
Georgia Teen Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Deadly School Shooting
A Georgia teenager who killed four people in a 2024 school shooting was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the attack.
Colt Gray, now 16, admitted to opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Atlanta. He was 14 years old at the time of the shooting.
The attack claimed the lives of two students and two teachers, while nine other people were injured. Despite being a minor when the shooting occurred, Gray was prosecuted as an adult.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Nicholas Trimm acknowledged the failures of the teenager’s family but said they did not excuse his actions.
“Your parents failed you. Your family failed you. But that does not absolve you,” the judge said.
Trimm also rejected any suggestion that the shooting was motivated by bullying or personal grievances.
“You were not bullied at Apalachee. This was not driven by hate. You didn’t know anyone at that school. It was simply the desire to commit a notorious act,” he told Gray.
The case also led to the prosecution of the shooter’s father, Colin Gray, who was convicted in March of voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. The case marked one of the first instances in which a parent was held criminally responsible for a mass shooting carried out by their child.
Prosecutors said Colin Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift in 2023, despite being aware that the teenager had previously threatened to carry out a school shooting.
Authorities said the same rifle was used in the attack less than a year later. Months before the shooting, FBI investigators had alerted local law enforcement after receiving reports of online messages linked to the Gray family’s internet address that referenced plans for a school massacre.
The case reflects growing legal scrutiny in the United States over the responsibility of parents whose children commit acts of gun violence.
In a similar case, the parents of a Michigan teenager who killed four people at his high school in 2021 were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years.
According to U.S. health authorities, firearms have been the leading cause of death among children and teenagers in the United States for several years.
International
Portuguese Authorities Seize 2.6 Tons of Cocaine Worth More Than $550 Million in Drug Bust
Italian financial police reported Monday that Portuguese authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying more than 2.6 tons of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $550 million.
Four people — two Spanish nationals, one Albanian citizen, and a man from Gibraltar — were arrested in connection with the operation, according to Italian authorities.
The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Lisbon by Portugal’s maritime police following an investigation led by Italian authorities.
Italian financial police estimated that the seized shipment had a street value of approximately 500 million euros ($570 million), making it one of the largest drug seizures reported in the region in recent years.
Portuguese authorities said the interception took place on Thursday, about 90 kilometers (50 nautical miles) southwest of Cape Espichel, during an operation targeting international drug trafficking routes.
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