An Iranian vessel carrying weapons and experts destined for Houthi rebels in Yemen has vanished in the Red Sea, according to Arab media reports. The ship, which was transporting missile assembly equipment, has been missing for four days after entering the Red Sea from the Horn of Africa. The disappearance has sparked worry among Houthi leadership in Sanaa, who fear the vessel may have fallen into American hands.

A vessel involved in smuggling foreign experts and military materials for missile production intended for the Houthis in Yemen has disappeared in the Red Sea, according to a report by the Emirati newspaper Al-Ain Al-Akhbariya. "Iranian experts and senior Houthi security leaders took part in a special meeting held in Sanaa to review and discuss a report on the large vessel lost in the Red Sea," the Emirati newspaper wrote.

Security sources in Yemen revealed that the Houthi militias lost contact with the large transport vessel that was on a smuggling mission along a regular sea route from Horn of Africa countries before continuing into the Red Sea. It was further reported that Yemeni security sources confirmed the ship was expected to arrive in Yemen on Friday but vanished on Saturday. The Houthis, lacking a robust navy, mobilized small boats and drones for the search, but their fishing boats lacked the necessary technology for such operations. No distress calls were identified.

For years, Iran has been accused of supplying the Houthis with weapons and expertise to develop long-range missiles and drones. The shipments, often disguised as commercial vessels, have occasionally been intercepted by the US Navy and other international forces. The Iranian media outlet Iran International speculated that the ship might have been targeted by a US-backed mission aimed at protecting Red Sea vessels from Houthi attacks amid the blockade the terrorist organization has launched since November. Another possibility raised suggests that Israel might be behind the operation that led to the vessel's disappearance.

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A new report has uncovered disturbing findings in one of Switzerland's most prestigious art collections, suggesting that dozens of works may have been looted from Jewish owners during the Holocaust. The investigation into the Bührle Collection has reignited debates about the ethical responsibilities of museums and collectors in addressing the complex legacy of Nazi-era art theft.

A report led by German historian Raphael Gross has found that dozens of artworks displayed as part of the Bührle Collection, one of Switzerland's most esteemed art collections, likely originated from Jewish art collections plundered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Swiss Museum Removes Nazi-Looted Art

Kunsthaus Zurich is removing five paintings amid suspicions they were looted by Nazis. The works, part of the Emil Bührle Collection, include pieces by Monet, Van Gogh, Courbet, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Gauguin. Emil Bührle, an arms dealer… pic.twitter.com/POglGKuYbq

— Global (@globevids) June 15, 2024

 The report concluded that the collection's curators did not do enough to investigate the origins of the works. Gross stated that while the Bührle Family Foundation, responsible for the collection, conducted extensive research, it did not meet the standards set by Swiss authorities and the Kunsthaus Zurich, where the collection is exhibited. Gross determined that the foundation did not take adequate measures to ensure that works with indications of having been owned by "people persecuted by Nazi Germany" were excluded from display.

The investigation led by Gross's committee identified 62 works out of 205 that may have been stolen from Jews during World War II. This report not only confirms accusations against the Bührle Foundation that emerged three years ago but also significantly expands the scope of suspicions.

The Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung alleges that the collection's creator, local tycoon Emil Bührle, was notorious for his unscrupulous methods of acquiring artworks, including purchasing entire collections from German citizens during World War II. Gross emphatically stated, "Without the Jewish collections, or to phrase it differently, without the persecution of Jews, this collection would never have been created."

An independent report finds the Bührle Foundation's provenance research on its collection on show at the Zurich Kunsthaus is "inadequate" and that the former Jewish owners of many works are omitted from its published findings. https://t.co/nW3yMRh99t

— Catherine Hickley (@CathyHickley) June 28, 2024

 The report reveals that industrialist Emil Bührle amassed his fortune by selling weapons to Nazi Germany and profited from the forced labor of women in concentration camps. Between 1936 and 1956, Bührle built his exceptional art collection, comprising about 600 works by renowned artists. This period coincided with a time when the art market was flooded with paintings stolen from Jewish collectors or sold far below their value under duress.

Gideon Taylor, President of the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO), which spearheads international efforts on this issue, called for action: "We urge other institutions to follow Zurich's example and adopt the working methods on looted art that we published in March in collaboration with the US State Department." Taylor emphasized, "The importance of the struggle to return looted art lies in restoring cultural heritage and honoring those affected by the Holocaust, while ensuring that these valuable items are returned to their rightful owners. This report further underscores the need for ongoing examination and the establishment of a dedicated committee to ensure justice is served."

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A Russian military blogger known as "Rybar" has reported that Israel conducted a test of a ballistic missile with a range exceeding 1,700 kilometers (1,056 miles). According to the blogger, whose reports primarily focus on the war in Ukraine, Israel launched the missile from the Palmachim base towards the Mediterranean Sea, striking a maritime area south of Italy's coast.

The blogger claimed that the missile's range is sufficient to cover most of Iran's territory. "Judging by the lack of media coverage and the distance of observation aircraft, it seems the Israelis were trying something serious," Rybar stated on his Telegram channel.

Rybar has previously been used by the Kremlin to disseminate information aligning with its positions. It is likely that Moscow is the source of the information the blogger is relaying, while ostensibly relying on open-source intelligence.

The test allegedly demonstrated Israel's capacity to strike targets at a distance that could potentially reach Iran. This development comes amidst ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, with both countries viewing each other as significant security threats. Israel has never officially confirmed possession of long-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching Iran. The country maintains a policy of ambiguity regarding its military capabilities, particularly concerning its alleged nuclear arsenal.

The reported missile test, if confirmed, could be seen as a signal of Israel's deterrence capabilities against potential threats in the region. However, as of now, there has been no official comment from Israeli authorities regarding this alleged missile test. The lack of wider media coverage and the specific nature of the source raises questions about the veracity of the claim.

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Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump posted on Tuesday a message referring to the documentary film "Screams Before Silence" which documents the sexual crimes committed by the terrorist organization Hamas during the October 7 attack.

"The documentary 'Screams Before Silence' is incredibly difficult to watch because, sadly, it graphicly portrays the death and destruction that Hamas has unleashed. I urge people to support the documentary and watch, if able," the former president wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.

Trump called for the release of all hostages and wrote: "We demand that all Hostages taken October 7 from Israel, and being held in Gaza, be released immediately, including eight Americans, and Citizens from over twenty other countries, so that the war can come to an end. Peace through strength!"

The Documentary, "Screams before Silence," is incredibly difficult to watch because, sadly, it graphicly portrays the Death and Destruction that Hamas has unleashed. I urge people to support the Documentary and watch, if able. We demand that all Hostages taken October 7th from… pic.twitter.com/SFEayJwkel

— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) June 25, 2024

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Iran's intelligence minister said a "terrorist" group linked to Israel was arrested on the western borders of Iran on Sunday, according to the semi-official Nour News agency.

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"A terrorist group associated with the Zionist regime which entered the country from the western borders was arrested," said Esmail Khatib.

The statement comes amid ongoing heightening tensions between Iran and Israel over Tehran's nuclear program.

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The liberation of Kherson by the Ukrainian army was celebrated by most city residents, but now, a week after the first Ukrainian soldiers entered the city, the atrocities committed by the Russian occupation authorities, who maintained a regime of terror there, are gradually coming to light.

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I meet Cedar Aleksandrovich, a handsome man in his twenties, in the local market, while he is waiting in line for water. There is no running water in the city. "It's tough to describe what we've been through in the last few months. The Russians were drunk and walked around with their weapons drawn, searching apartments and houses. I was lucky and they didn't do anything to me, but the soldiers caught my friend and his girlfriend when they were trying to escape the city. She was raped and he was beaten to a bloody pulp. They left them lying in a field outside the city and one of the soldiers said to them: 'Here, see, now you are safe,'" says the young man with a blank expression.

The Russian occupation forces looted everything when they entered the city; this became an integral part of their everyday life.

I meet Yevgeny Antonchuk in an empty electrical goods store. He is waiting for the chain his store belongs to, to start delivering products so that he can refill the empty shelves. "The Russians hounded us from day one," he says. "We refused to accept Rubles because we are a Ukrainian chain, and they responded by looting our businesses. Drunk soldiers came in here and took cell phones, televisions, and washing machines. Some broke in through the windows and stole electric kettles. They took them without the base that connects them to electricity. I don't know if they did it out of evil or stupidity, probably both together," he says with a sad smile.

But looting is far from being the worst part of the Russian reign of terror. We heard from neighbors that throughout the months of occupation, they heard screams of torture, which led us to a police station that was used by the Russians as a detention and torture chamber. Outside the building, we met Vitali Grigorovich Serdiuk, a 65-year-old resident of Kherson, who came to the city as a free man and was tortured there with unimaginable cruelty.

Whoever sang the anthem wrong – was beaten

"My son serves in the Ukrainian army and I look after his house for him," Vitali said. "In August, the army raided the house and arrested me while I was working in the garden. They tied my hands, put a sack over my head, threw me into a truck with other detainees, and took me somewhere I didn't know," says the elderly man. Tears begin to well up in his eyes.

"I was put on the second floor of a building with six others. Every time a guard entered we were forced to stand up and shout 'Glory to Russia. Long live Putin. Anyone who didn't shout out loud was severely beaten. Every day we had to stand up and sing the Russian anthem. Whoever got the words wrong, was severely beaten. The prisoners who knew the words wrote them on the wall so that we wouldn't be beaten," says Vitali.

"This was the routine in detention, but the agony was unbearable. They took me to a small room in the basement and put a bag over my head. They asked me where my son hides the guns and who was my contact in Ukrainian intelligence. I had no idea what to tell them because none of this was true. So they started beating me; first with a stick, then with clubs. They forced me to stand up, and every time I managed, they beat me hard until I collapsed. 'We will make you remember,' they kept telling me. When they stopped the beatings, they connected an electrode to my leg and electrocuted me. The current was probably not very high, but it hurt so much. Every time I screamed, they increased the current," says Vitali, crying bitterly.

We go into the compound with Vitali. All evidence of those brutal acts still remains: the clubs, the stains of blood, even the Russian anthem that is written on the detention room wall. Vitali claims to be lucky. "I was released after three days of hell, but there was a man with me who had been there for three months. Others were detained for longer periods of time and experienced much greater cruelty, which I don't even want to mention," he says in a whisper. His wife, who is next to him, hugs him.

A sister's hug

We leave the building, located in the heart of a peaceful civilian neighborhood, in silence and discover a heartwarming scene. A soldier in the Ukrainian Artillery Corps, returning from the front for the first time since the liberation of the city, jumps on her sister with bear hugs. They have not seen each other for nearly six months. No eyes are dry. Katya, the soldier with blonde dreadlocks, is well-known in the city.

She was a partisan, joined the army as a fighter, and is regarded as a legendary sniper in the southern combat zone. Vitali lets go for a moment of his personal horror and manages to smile through the tears. "No matter what they do to us, we are fighting for our family and our home. This is simply stronger than anything they have."

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