Published on: 09/03/2026 - 06:53 Last updated: 09/03/2026 - 22:48

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that overthrowing the Islamic Republic of Iran is “within reach,” considering that it has become weaker than ever in light of the ongoing war. In addition, Itamar Ben Gvir proposed a plan to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian population and expel them abroad. This comes as Iran on Thursday vowed to avenge four people who were killed in a strike, for which Tehran held the United States responsible, that targeted a wedding party in the south of the country. Return to our live coverage of the events of Thursday, September 3, 2026.

Human rights organizations urge the US Congress to reduce defense relations with Israel

A letter seen by Reuters showed that dozens of civil rights organizations and advocacy groups are urging the US Congress to repeal a provision in the defense bill that would strengthen relations in the field of military technology between the United States and Israel, at a time when the United States is increasingly suspicious of its long-time ally. This provision aims to deepen cooperation between the US and Israeli defense sectors by accelerating the development of joint military technology and other partnerships. The House of Representatives passed the bill in July, and it is now awaiting a vote in the Senate. This provision in the National Defense Authorization Act for 2027, known as “Section 219,” seeks to establish frameworks for joint projects, licensing agreements, and co-production partnerships in the United States in cooperation with Israeli industry.

Oil rises amid renewed tension in the Middle East

Oil prices rose on Thursday as fears of supply disruptions in the Middle East increased due to new US attacks on Iran as well as the latest Israeli threats to Tehran, but statements by Russian President Vladimir Putin indicating his openness to holding peace negotiations with Ukraine limited the rises. Brent crude futures rose 15 cents, equivalent to 0.16 percent, to $95.78 per barrel by 1700 GMT, and US West Texas Intermediate crude futures increased 63 cents, equivalent to 0.69 percent, to $91.64. Both contracts are heading for gains for the fourth session in a row, and hit six-week highs earlier in the session.

Tehran vows to avenge those killed at the wedding party, and Washington announces an investigation into the strike

On Thursday, Iran launched new attacks in the Gulf that it said targeted American interests, and vowed to avenge the killing of four people during a wedding party in a bombing attributed to Washington, which said it was investigating the matter. In the midst of an exchange of strikes this week, four people were killed and about 70 injured during a wedding in the Sirik province in southeastern Iran, which Washington accused of launching the attack. In the first comment on the strike, US Vice President Jay DeVance said that the United States was investigating it, but “questioned” the Iranian story. “I know we are investigating the matter,” Vance told reporters at the White House. “What I will say is that the Iranian state media has not yet been a reliable transmitter of what is happening in this conflict. So I am very skeptical about that.”

Vance: America is investigating an air strike that Iran says killed civilians at a wedding

J.D. Vance, US Vice President, said on Thursday that the United States is investigating an air strike that Iran says targeted a wedding party. Vance added to reporters during a press conference at the White House, "We are investigating the incident because it is clear that we care about it. We want to know the truth." He continued, "If we make mistakes, this is, again, a big difference between us and Iran. When our army makes mistakes, it learns from them and tries to improve."

Trump: I did the right thing about Iran

Vance: The Chinese are ready to cooperate in isolating Iran economically

US Vice President: No talks with Iran unless it stops shooting at ships

J said. D. US Vice President Vance said on Thursday that the United States does not intend to hold talks with Iran unless Tehran stops its attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. He added to reporters, "They have to stop (it). It's that simple."

Vance says the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz has returned "almost" to pre-war levels

US Vice President Jay Dee Vance said Thursday that the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz has returned "almost" to levels before the outbreak of war in the Middle East and Tehran's closure of the vital corridor for energy supplies. Vance told reporters at the White House, "If we go back three months ago, how much oil and gas was passing through the Strait in light of the Iranian threats? Really nothing. Now, it is almost back to what it was before the conflict broke out" in February with the US-Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic.

US Vice President: We will not hold talks with Iran unless it stops shooting at ships

Ben Gvir proposes a plan to empty the Gaza Strip of its residents

The far-right Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, on Thursday proposed a plan to empty the Gaza Strip of its Palestinian residents and expel them abroad. This comes the day after Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said that Israel has ready plans to remove the Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, but is waiting for the United States to determine the place to which they can be transferred. Since the outbreak of war following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, talk has repeatedly occurred about the residents of the besieged and destroyed Palestinian Strip leaving their lands. The forced displacement of civilians in occupied territories is a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.

The impact of American pressure on Iran is beginning to appear with the tightening of sanctions and blockade

Three high-level Iranian sources said that the American campaign aimed at strangling the Iranian economy by restricting oil exports and stopping sanctions evasion has become more severe on Tehran. In the past few weeks, Washington has sought to escalate economic pressure on Tehran, in an attempt to extract concessions in any future negotiations after the six-month conflict failed to achieve this. The sources said that although Iran's clerical rulers have succeeded in circumventing sanctions for decades, the latest US measures have put them in a much more sensitive position, as they have few channels left to secure foreign currency or purchase goods.

Netanyahu says that overthrowing the Islamic Republic of Iran is “within reach”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that overthrowing the Islamic Republic of Iran is “within reach,” considering that it has become weaker than ever in light of the war that the United States and the Hebrew state began against it at the beginning of this year. During an event with military leaders, Netanyahu expressed, "I am convinced that we can remove this threat once and for all, that is, overthrow this regime. This is the central task that still awaits us, but it is close. It is not impossible. It is within reach."

Iran mourns the victims of what is said to be a US attack on a wedding

Iranian mourners carried coffins on Thursday at a funeral for the victims of a US air strike that reportedly targeted a wedding party. Tehran fired missiles and drones at night at a US base in Kuwait, in the biggest escalation of the war in more than a month. Mourners gathered late this afternoon outside the village of Kohstak in Sirik Province, along a part of the country's coast on the Strait of Hormuz that was subjected to intense US air strikes late on Tuesday. Iranian officials said that four people were killed and about 70 others were injured in a raid that targeted a house during the wedding. The US military stated that it was aware of the Iranian reports, but "it never targets civilians."

The number of Iranian military deaths resulting from this week's raids has risen to 13

Tasnim News Agency reported Thursday that six more Iranian soldiers were killed in US raids this week, bringing the military death toll to at least 13. The semi-official Iranian agency added that the US strikes on Tuesday were the largest in weeks. It explained in the latest report on military deaths that six members of the regular army, including three pilots, were killed in southern Iran, without providing further details about the location. Tasnim had previously reported that Tuesday's raids resulted in the killing of three members of the Basij paramilitary forces on Lawan Island in the Gulf, and that their funeral was held in southern Iran on Wednesday.

Damascus began destroying chemical weapons dating back to the Assad era (Syrian delegate to the United Nations)

Syria informed the UN Security Council on Thursday that it had begun the process of destroying chemicals dating back to the era of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. Damascus' representative to the United Nations, Ibrahim Olabi, said, "This is the first destruction operation since our liberation from the previous regime." He added, "It is also the first of its kind to destroy chemical materials on Syrian territory in more than a decade."

France 24/ Agencies

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