Rubio says Iran war may last two to four more weeks, no ground troops needed

The US State Department’s Rewards for Justice program has called for information on suspected Iranian cyber operatives, including Parsian Afzar Rayan Borna and the Handala hacking group and groups affiliated with them.

In a post on its Persian-language account on X, the program asked individuals with knowledge of these actors or affiliated networks to come forward, requesting details such as names, online identities, and locations.

The post came hours after the FBI confirmed that Iran-linked “Handala” hackers had breached Director Kash Patel’s personal email and published photos and documents online.

The Israeli military said on Friday its air force struck a uranium extraction plant in Yazd, central Iran, after Iranian authorities reported airstrikes on the Ardakan Yellowcake Production Plant.

Israel called the plant the only one of its kind in Iran where mined raw materials undergo mechanical and chemical processing before being used in uranium enrichment.

The military described the site as a key part of the early stages of Iran’s nuclear fuel cycle, saying it forms the beginning of the chain required for producing material used in nuclear weapons.

The strike targeted core infrastructure involved in the production process, the statement said.

The IDF said that enriched uranium is a central component in nuclear weapons development and that hitting the site would deprive Iran of raw materials needed for enrichment, further undermining what it described as the country’s nuclear weapons program.

The Israeli military said its air force struck the Arak heavy water plant in central Iran after detecting what it called attempts to rebuild the facility following earlier damage.

In a statement on Friday, the Israel Defense Forces said the strike targeted what it described as a key site linked to plutonium production capabilities for nuclear weapons.

Heavy water is used to operate certain types of nuclear reactors, including the Arak reactor, which was originally designed in a way that could enable the production of weapons-grade plutonium, the statement said.

The military also described the facility as an economic asset for Iran, saying it generated tens of millions of dollars annually for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.

According to the statement, Iran had failed to fully modify the reactor in line with international commitments under the nuclear agreement, alleging that authorities had deliberately avoided completing the conversion required to limit proliferation risks.

The IDF said the site, previously struck during the 12-day war in June, had since shown signs of renewed reconstruction, prompting the latest attack.

Israel said it would continue to act against what it called Iran’s efforts to advance its nuclear weapons program, which it described as a threat to Israel and global security.

G7 foreign ministers called on Friday for an immediate end to attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Iran war, in a joint statement seen by Reuters.

The ministers said they stressed the need to limit the impact of the conflict on regional partners, civilians and critical infrastructure, and warned of risks to global supply chains and economic stability.

"We focused on the value of diverse partnerships, coordination, and supporting initiatives, including to mitigate global economic shocks such as disruptions to economic, energy, fertilizer and commercial supply chains, which have direct impacts on our citizens," they said in the statement.

They also called for the restoration of safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran-linked hackers said they breached the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel and published photos and documents online, while a Justice Department official told Reuters the material appeared authentic.

The group, calling itself Handala, said it had accessed Patel’s inbox and posted files including images and correspondence.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.