Category: Azer News

This morning, Iran attacked the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as reported by AzerNEWS, referencing the Public Relations Department of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Additionally, Iran targeted a location where the commander of the Israeli Air Force was present.

The current status of Netanyahu is still unclear, and further details about the operation are expected to be released later.

Israel claims to have killed two senior intelligence officials in Iran

Israel’s army says two senior Iranian intelligence officials have been killed in Iran in the first wave of attacks on the country.

The military statement published on Monday identified the victims as Sayed Yahya Hamidi and Jalal Pour Hussein.

It said Hamidi was deputy minister of intelligence for Israel affairs, claiming he ‘led terrorist activities targeting Jews, Western actors, and regime opponents in Iran and abroad’.

The statement also claimed Hossein was head of espionage division at Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.

‘Together with them, additional senior terrorists were eliminated,’ it said.

Under the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev, the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation (TCHF) has held its third Board meeting in Bishkek, AzerNEWS reports.

The event brought together culture ministers and deputy ministers from TCHF member states, leaders of international organizations of Turkic-speaking countries, members of the diplomatic corps, and media representatives.

Azerbaijan was represented by a delegation led by Deputy Culture Minister Saadat Yusifova.

The meeting was preceded by a TCHF exhibition showcasing books published by the Foundation as well as a photo exhibition of completed restoration projects.

The Board meeting commenced under the moderation of Mirbek Mambetaliev, Minister of Culture, Information, and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic.

In her address, Aktoty Raimkulova, President of the Foundation, highlighted the organization’s achievements over the past year, noting that more than 135 projects and events had been successfully implemented. She also emphasized the importance of the strategic goals ahead.

Kubanichbek Omuraliev, Secretary-General of the Turkic States Organization, praised the Foundation’s initiatives, stressing that they contribute significantly to the expansion of cultural cooperation among Turkic peoples and the preservation of shared heritage.

Speaking on behalf of Azerbaijan, Deputy Culture Minister Saadat Yusifova underlined the country’s special commitment to collaboration with TCHF.

She noted that joint projects play a crucial role in fostering cultural integration among Turkic peoples, safeguarding their rich heritage, and passing it on to future generations.

Established in 2012, the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation focuses on the preservation of the Turkic heritage in member countries as well as conducting projects in collaboration with partners in third nations.

The foundation provides assistance in the protection, study, and promotion of Turkic culture and heritage through supporting and funding various activities, projects, and programs.

The organization carries out its activities in cooperation with TURKSOY and the Turkic Academy.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen took to X on Friday to announce that the EU will “provisionally” apply its free trade agreement with South America’s Mercosur bloc despite opposition from France and Hungary, as well as a legal challenge, AzerNEWS reports.

The EU-Mercosur deal is a comprehensive association agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay) that aims to establish one of the largest free-trade areas in the world, encompassing more than 700 million people.

Farmers in Europe object that an agreement would result in low-cost imports of goods from South America.

Last month, the European Parliament voted to send the deal to the European Court of Justice for a legal opinion. The move does not necessarily prevent the Commission from implementing the agreement provisionally before MEPs provide their approval. The issuance of the legal opinion could take up to two years.

The Embassy of Japan in Azerbaijan has suspended its activities due to the current situation in the region, AzerNEWS reports.

According to a statement shared on the embassy’s official social media accounts, operations have been halted for an indefinite period.

‘Due to the events taking place in the region, the embassy has suspended its activities for an indefinite period. Acceptance of visa applications and issuance of ready-made visas have also been suspended.

We ask for your understanding. We apologize for the inconvenience,’ the statement said.

The suspension includes both the submission of new visa applications and the collection of previously issued visas.

No timeline has yet been provided for the resumption of services.

The Culture Ministry’s Scientific, Methodological and Qualification Center for Culture (MEMIM) has launched a new project called “Dialogue on Art”, AzerNEWS reports.

Tarana Muradova, Vice-Rector of the Baku Choreography Academy (BCA), renowned choreographer, educator, and People’s Artist, became the first guest of the new project.

The meeting took place at the Central Art School named after Gara Garayev. The event was organized with the support of the BCA, the Baku City Main Department of Culture, the Azerbaijan State Children’s Philharmonic, and the Central Art School named after Gara Garayev.

Addressing the event, Associate Professor Vugar Humbatov emphasized that the project aims to facilitate meetings between prominent cultural figures and students of art schools in the capital and regions. These encounters provide artists the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience with young talents, enrich the artistic taste of the next generation, and inspire creativity.

Speaking about Tarana Muradova’s contributions to the development of choreography in Azerbaijan, Vugar Humbatov highlighted her significant role in mentoring and nurturing a new generation of choreographers.

Professor Gunel Huseynova, Director of the Central Art School, underlined the importance of the project and shared insights into the creative journey and pedagogical work of the celebrated choreographer.

During the event, Tarana Muradova offered a glimpse into her world of dance, discussing teaching methods and efforts to promote the art form. She also touched upon topics such as dance costumes, incorporating national elements, and music selection. The master of the stage expressed her gratitude for being invited to the “Dialogue on Art” project and answered questions from an engaged audience.

The program, moderated by Nijat Hasan-zade, a MEMIM staff member, featured vibrant performances by dance ensembles composed of students from the Baku Art Academy, Azerbaijan State Children’s Philharmonic, Central Art School named after Gara Garayev, and Art Schools No. 2 and No. 4 named after Vagif Mustafazadeh.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.

A telephone conversation was held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Trkiye, Hakan Fidan, AzerNEWS reports.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the officials exchanged views on the current military-political situation in the region, rising tensions in the Middle East, and related security risks.

The ministers underscored the inadmissibility of regional escalation spreading beyond the area and emphasized the importance of resolving conflicts through diplomatic channels in line with international legal norms and principles.

They also highlighted the need to maintain stability and security in the region, stressing that protecting civilian populations and critical infrastructure remains a priority.

Against the backdrop of these challenges, the ministers noted that the strategic alliance between Azerbaijan and Turkey has gained even greater significance, reaffirming their commitment to close coordination.

The conversation also covered other issues of mutual interest between the two countries.

Unverified reports circulating on social media claim that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has launched heavy strikes against Israeli targets, allegedly including the use of thermobaric weapons, AzerNEWS reports.

The claims state that missiles and newly developed munitions were fired toward major cities such as Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem. However, there has been no official confirmation from Israeli authorities, the Iranian government, or independent international sources verifying the use of thermobaric bombs or the extent of the reported attacks.

Israel’s air defense systems have previously intercepted missiles and drones during periods of heightened regional escalation, but details regarding the latest reports remain unclear.

Given the rapidly evolving situation and the prevalence of misinformation during conflicts, confirmation from official military statements or credible international media outlets is still awaited.

Further updates will follow as verified information becomes available.

The play “The Oil Boom Smiles at Everyone”, based on the work of People’s Writer Maqsud Ibrahimbayov,has been staged at the Azerbaijan State Theatre of Young Spectators, AzerNEWS reports.

Leyla Aliyeva attended the performance, which was presented as part of the “The Oil Boom Smiles at Everyone” festival. The festival, dedicated to the writer’s creative legacy, has been held with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation from November 2025 to February 2026.

The production was directed by Konstantin Soldatov, with set design by Chingiz Babayev, choreography by Nigar Ibrahimbayli, and sound design by Konstantin Soldatov and Platon Soldatov.

The cast featured Honored Artists Shovgi Huseynov, Elnur Huseynov, Rasim Jafar, and actors Bahram Hasanov, Asya Atakishiyeva, Kerem Hadizade, Sabina Mammadova, Nurlan Suleymanli, Manaf Dadashov, Shabnam Huseynova, Rashad Safarov, Jeyhun Mammadov, Natiq Farzaliyev, Umman Budagov, Mirzaagha Mirzayev, Ramiq Nasirov, Adalat Abdulsamed, Huseyn Bayramov, and Mehriban Huseynova.

At the end of the event, Leyla Aliyeva met with the creative team of the performance.

It should be noted that the “The Oil Boom Smiles at Everyone” festival is a project of the Maqsud Ibrahimbayov Creative Center.

The United Arab Emirates is closing its embassy in Iran and recalling its ambassador following the barrage of Iranian attacks on its soil, according to a statement from the foreign ministry, AzerNEWS reports.

‘The UAE announces closure of its embassy in Tehran and withdrawal of its ambassador and all members of its diplomatic mission, and condemns the Iranian missile attacks,’ read a statement posted by Afra Al Hameli, the foreign ministry’s director of strategic communications, on social media.

The decision was made in response to ‘the blatant Iranian missile attacks that targeted the country’s territories, which constitute aggressive assaults that struck civilian sites, including residential areas, airports, ports, and service facilities, and exposed defenceless civilians to danger’.

Three U.S. Air Force fighter jets were shot down in Kuwait in an apparent friendly fire incident, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed today.

As reported by AzerNEWS, citing a CENTCOM statement, Kuwaiti air defense systems mistakenly targeted the American F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft late Sunday evening during active combat operations. The jets were flying in support of the U.S. military campaign against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury.

All six crew members successfully ejected, were recovered in search-and-rescue operations, and are reported to be in stable condition.

‘During active combat, including attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones, U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,’ CENTCOM said. The command added that Kuwait has acknowledged the incident and expressed gratitude for the swift response of Kuwaiti defense forces.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense had earlier reported that ‘several’ U.S. fighter jets had crashed but did not initially disclose the number of aircraft involved or the cause. Ministry spokesperson Col. Said Al-Atwan said authorities immediately launched rescue operations and transported the crews to hospitals for medical evaluation.

‘The crews were evacuated from the crash sites and transferred to hospital to assess their condition and provide necessary medical care,’ Al-Atwan said, noting that the personnel remain in stable condition. He added that Kuwait is in direct coordination with U.S. authorities regarding the incident.

Each F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft is valued at tens of millions of dollars. The cause of the friendly fire incident remains under investigation.

14:35

Several American warplanes crashed in Kuwait on Monday morning, but all crew members survived, AzerNEWS reports, citing Kuwait’s Defence Ministry, as regional tensions escalated amid a third consecutive day of Iranian strikes across the Gulf.

In a statement, a defence ministry spokesperson said: ‘Several US warplanes crashed this morning. We confirm that all crew members survived.’ The spokesperson added that the cause of the crashes remains under investigation.

Authorities launched immediate search-and-rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transferring them to hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. Officials said the personnel are in stable condition.

Meanwhile, Iran’s state broadcaster claimed that a US F-15 fighter jet had been shot down in Kuwait by Iranian air defence fire, but the claim has not been independently verified.

Earlier, widely circulated footage on social media appeared to show what looked like a US F-15 aircraft going down in Kuwait. The videos also showed a pilot descending by parachute and later being transported in a civilian vehicle. Authorities have not officially confirmed the authenticity of the footage or provided further details about the aircraft involved.