Benjamin Netanyahu denounced a mass of delegates who walked out of the UN General Assembly when he took to the podium as “moral cowards” before he said that attacking Iran “was one of the easiest decisions I've ever had to make”.
“In defending itself, Israel is also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall," the Israeli prime minister said.
"In fact, I want you to know that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran’s nukes.”
When Netanyahu walked to the podium, a mix of cheers, boos and mass walkouts erupted.
Scores of delegates trooped out and a majority of seats sat empty afterwards. “Order in the hall, please,” general assembly president Khalilur Rahman said repeatedly.
Earlier, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said that people in Gaza face “a genocidal war that has created an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe”.
In a video address, Abbas said the Palestinian people face the most “dangerous time” in their history, citing “decades of historic injustice, uprooting, asylum seeking, occupation and deprivation of basic right to self determination and independence”.
Key Points
- Netanyahu defends Israel as delegates walk out
- Netanyahu, at UN, calls accusations of genocide in Gaza as 'the biggest lie of the century'
- Netanyahu praises Trump during his UNGA speech
- Mamdani claps back at Netanyahu’s attack on ‘anti-Semitic mayor of New York’ remark
- Hacks and Sex & the City stars among celebs arrested in Netanyahu protest outside UN
- Houthis step up attacks on Saudi Arabia
Yemen tells UN that Houthi rebels' moves on key strait threaten global economy
06:41 , Namita Singh
Yemen's internationally recognised government pressed world leaders anew on Thursday for help defeating the Houthis, saying that their new perch along one of the world's busiest waterways presents an international economic risk.
The Houthis — who have controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the country's north for over a decade — stormed down Yemen's coast this month and seized the crucial port city of Mokha and key Red Sea islands.
That gives them better surveillance of ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, at the sea's southern end. About 12 per cent of the world's trade usually passes through the waterway.
The rebels have declared a blockade on Saudi shipping. While asserting there's no other threat to commercial shipping on the Red Sea, they have warned other nations not to get involved.
But the vice president of the internationally recognised government council urged world leaders at the UN General Assembly not to trust the Houthis' assurances and to see a bigger picture in the strife around the strait.
Russian, Iranian foreign ministers say only diplomatic solution to conflict around Iran
06:23 , Namita Singh
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart met on Thursday and Moscow said both agreed that only a diplomatic settlement could end tension in the Middle East sparked by the US-Israeli war against Iran.
"Current regional and international issues were discussed with emphasis on the situation around Iran," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement after Lavrov and Iran's Abbas Araqchi met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
"It was stressed that there is no alternative to a diplomatic settlement of the crisis provoked by the illegal actions of the United States and Israel."
Russian president Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian signed a strategic cooperation partnership in 2025 which provides for a deepening of bilateral ties and closer defence cooperation, but includes no mutual defence clause.
Each side has provided the other with military know-how and equipment.
Pezeshkian thanked Putin earlier this month for Moscow's position on the Iran war and said together, Moscow and Tehran can resist what he called US "unilateralism".
Netanyahu praises Trump during his UNGA speech
05:38 , Namita Singh
Benjamin Netanyahu was making a short visit to the US for his UN address and, unusually, without a planned meeting with US president Donald Trump, whom he praised during his speech.
"We will continue to defend our state. We will continue to win because we have no other choice. In this battle against the barbarians, we've had no greater partner than President Trump. I thank him. I thank him for his bold leadership," he said.
UN delegates walk out of Netanyahu speech
05:21 , Namita Singh
Delivering a defiant address to the United Nations on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mounted a firm defence of Israel's regional military actions, attempting to push back against deepening global isolation ahead of upcoming domestic elections.
As he approached the podium inside the General Assembly hall, several delegations staged a walkout in protest, prompting the Israeli leader to label those departing "moral cowards."
Report:
UN delegates walk out of Netanyahu speech as he labels them ‘moral cowards’
Saudia Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan to meet under joint defence pact
05:00 , Namita Singh
The Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish foreign ministers met within the framework of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, according to a Saudi foreign ministry statement after Houthis step up attack.
They condemned the attacks targeting Mecca and other civilian sites, while affirming Saudi Arabia's right to defend itself, the statement said.
"The ministers also discussed arrangements for holding an urgent meeting of the chiefs of staff of the three countries to discuss ways to support Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which stipulates that an attack against any one of the parties constitutes an attack against all parties," the statement said.
The meeting was announced shortly after Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian sought to distance Iran from the Houthis in an American television interview on Thursday.
"The Houthis are responsible for their own actions," Mr Pezeshkian told the Fox News a day after he appeared before the UN General Assembly in New York.
The interview and speech by Iranian president took place amid a pause in fighting between the US and Iran and a brief attempt at diplomacy in New York, with Qatar serving as intermediary between the warring parties.
Mamdani claps back at Netanyahu’s attack on ‘anti-Semitic mayor of New York’ remark
04:50 , Namita Singh
New York mayor Zohran Mamdani Zohran Mamdani has hit back at Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after he called him “New York’s antisemitic mayor” during his speech at the UN General Assembly.
Repeating his criticism of Israel’s war on Gaza where more than 73,000 people have been killed since the conflict following Hamas 7 October 2023 attack, he said, Mr Netanyahu used his speech to repeat baseless lies “meant to sanitise his genocide of Palestinians”.
“Yet no lie can change the fact that he remains the subject of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Earlier during his address, Mr Netanyahu referring to Mr Mamdani, said: “You tried to stop me from coming here. You tried. You tried to silence me. Well, you can’t silence me. You can’t silence the truth.
“To all those spreading these lies about my country and about our brave soldiers, whether they sit in this hall or in the office of the anti-Semitic mayor of New York, I say this: Shame on you.”
Hacks star among celebs arrested as they protest against Netanyahu outside UN
04:23 , Namita Singh
Several high-profile celebrities have been detained outside of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City as part of a planned protest while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered remarks.
Hacks star and Emmy winner Hannah Einbinder and Thelma & Louise actor Susan Sarandon were among those detained, per the New York Post. It’s unclear if they were hit with charges.
A massive crowd gathered Thursday ahead of Netanyahu’s planned speech as part of an anti-war sit-in protest outside the UN organized by Jewish Voice for Peace. Photos showed celebrities and personalities — including Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon, whistleblower Chelsea Manning and comedian Caleb Heron — among hundreds in attendance.
Protesters chanted, “Netanyahu you can’t hide, you are wanted for genocide,” while demanding his arrest.NYPD officers tried to clear the street outside the UN ahead of Netanyahu’s speech but resorted to detaining attendees.
Report:
Hacks star among celebs detained in Netanyahu protest outside UN
Houthis step up attacks on Saudi Arabia
04:15 , Namita Singh
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan will hold an urgent, high-level meeting under a joint defence pact to discuss ways to support the kingdom amid attacks by Houthis in Yemen, while Tehran sought to distance itself from the rapid advance of its Houthi allies.
The Houthis have launched strikes on the Saudi-backed government in Yemen and repeatedly fired into Saudi Arabia, disrupting oil flows from the world's largest energy exporter, as part of a wider Middle East war that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February.
The Houthis said they had fired dozens of missiles and drones at Saudi targets on Thursday, while authorities in Saudi Arabia said they had intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Houthi fighters.
Saudi Arabia earlier had issued emergency alerts for areas including the holy city of Mecca, Jeddah and Yanbu, the main Saudi Red Sea oil port.
Saudi Arabia's top religious authority called on soldiers in the kingdom to be ready to lay down their lives to fight the Houthis until the group is ousted from power, a statement posted on the Saudi state news agency said.
Watch: Mass walkout as Netanyahu addresses the UN
03:00 , Dan Haygarth
Thousands flee Yemen as war escalates – leaving Djibouti ‘overwhelmed’ with refugees
02:00 , Dan Haygarth
Thousands of Yemenis displaced by intensified fighting have fled across the Red Sea to Djibouti, with aid agencies “more than overwhelmed” by new arrivals amid the fallout from abrupt cuts to international aid.
More than 120,000 people have been displaced by a surge in fighting along Yemen's coast in recent weeks, according to the United Nations, with more than 3,200 arriving in Djibouti over the past few days.
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, told The Independent its displacement facilities in Djibouti are already over capacity as they have received waves of people fleeing bombings across the sea on fishing boats, and later commercial vessels.
Read more:
Thousands flee Yemen as war escalates – leaving Djibouti ‘overwhelmed’
Netanyahu defends Israel as delegates walk out
01:00 , Dan Haygarth
Benjamin Netanyahu mounted a forceful defence of Israel's actions in the region at the UN on Thursday, seeking to counter growing international isolation ahead of elections he could lose, as dozens of delegates streamed out.
The walkout underscored the competing pressures facing Netanyahu, who is battling mounting criticism abroad over the Gaza war while campaigning for reelection at home ahead of an 27 October vote.
The divisions over Israel's conduct were on display as Netanyahu began speaking, with dozens of delegates walking out in protest.
He called them "moral cowards," while supporters in the gallery chanted in Hebrew: "The people of Israel live."
Netanyahu used his address to berate New York mayor Zohran Mamdani for calling him a war criminal, Western European leaders for what he called succumbing to "antisemitic mobs," and to accuse both Qatar and Turkey of spreading lies about Israel.
"You tried to stop me from coming here. You tried. You tried to silence me. Well, you can't silence me. You can't silence the truth," Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader, said of Mamdani.
Mamdani campaigned for office on a promise to have Netanyahu arrested for alleged war crimes should he visit the largest US city but later said he determined he lacked the legal authority to do so.
This week, Mamdani described Netanyahu as "the architect of a horrific genocide against Palestinians."
In full: Iranian president’s defiant UN speech accuses US of ‘terrorism’ and flouting international law
Thursday 24 September 2026 23:59 , Dan Haygarth
Iranian president accuses US of ‘terrorism’ and ignoring international law at UN
Saudi Arabia says it intercepted Houthi missiles; group claims strikes on Riyadh, Aramco
Thursday 24 September 2026 23:00 , Dan Haygarth
Saudi Arabia intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on Thursday that the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said were aimed at Taif in western Saudi Arabia and the Yanbu area on the Red Sea.
The Houthis later on Thursday said they had carried out attacks on what they described as "a sensitive target" in the capital Riyadh and on Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group used ballistic and cruise missiles as well as drones in the two operations, adding that they had achieved their objectives.
There was no immediate Saudi confirmation of an attack on Riyadh.
Saudi civil defence did not issue an emergency alert for Riyadh on Thursday.
The escalation threatens Saudi Arabia's ability to export oil through the Red Sea at a time when the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted and the kingdom's East-West pipeline is only now resuming operations after drone strikes earlier this month.
The Houthis declared a naval blockade on the kingdom in July, opening a second theatre in the US-Iran war.
Andy Burnham’s show of support against the Houthis is a gamble worth taking
Thursday 24 September 2026 22:00 , Dan Haygarth
Editorial: Rather than run the risk of rebels targeting holy sites like Mecca, the UK should offer what little a middle-sized power edging towards a fiscal crisis can to stabilise the region. Read below:
Andy Burnham’s show of support against the Houthis is a gamble worth taking
Watch: Mass walkout as Netanyahu addresses the UN
Thursday 24 September 2026 21:45 , Daniel Haygarth
Recap: Netanyahu defends Israel as delegates storm out
Thursday 24 September 2026 21:15 , Dan Haygarth
Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday mounted a forceful defence of Israel's actions in the region at the UN, seeking to counter growing international isolation ahead of elections he could lose, as dozens of delegates streamed out.
As Netanyahu took to the rostrum, officials walked out of the General Assembly meeting of world leaders in protest, to which he responded, describing them as "moral cowards."
He used his UN address to berate New York mayor Zohran Mamdani for calling him a war criminal, Western European leaders for what he called succumbing to the "antisemitic mobs," while accusing both Qatar and Turkey of spreading lies about his country.
"You tried to stop me from coming here. You tried. You tried to silence me. Well, you can't silence me. You can't silence the truth," Netanyahu said of Mamdani.
Mamdani campaigned for office on a promise to have Netanyahu arrested for alleged war crimes should he visit the largest US city but later said he determined he lacked the legal authority to do so.
This week, Mamdani described Netanyahu as "the architect of a horrific genocide against Palestinians."
Addressing the mayor directly after a feud in the run-up to his arrival in New York, he falsely accused Mamdani of supporting Hamas militants.
UK announces £88 million to provide healthcare and clean water to Palestinians
Thursday 24 September 2026 21:00 , Dan Haygarth
The UK Government has announced an £88 million package to deliver healthcare, clean water and protection to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
Support for medical consultations, rehabilitation for children with blast injuries and vital mental health services will be delivered as part of the aid package.
Money will also be spent on sanitation and hygiene services, in addition to waste management.
The package forms part of the £127 million allocated to Palestine in the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget for 2026/27.
Foreign secretary Ed Miliband said the funding would “support to those desperately in need” as he urged the Israeli government to end its “unacceptable restrictions on Gaza”.
This follows a reset of the UK’s relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which has seen a ban on goods from illegal West Bank settlements.
Both Israel and the US criticised the UK’s stance, with Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar announcing counter measures including closing the UK’s consulate in Jerusalem and banning 11 MPs from entry to the country.
Mr Miliband said: “It is vital that civilians in Gaza have unhindered access to aid.
“The UK is pledging a major new package of aid to provide much needed healthcare support to those desperately in need.
“We urge the government of Israel to listen to our call to action and take steps to end its unacceptable restrictions on Gaza.”
Hacks and Sex & the City stars among celebs arrested in Netanyahu protest outside UN
Thursday 24 September 2026 20:45 , Dan Haygarth
Several high-profile celebrities have been arrested outside of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City as part of a planned protest while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered remarks.
Hacks star and Emmy winner Hannah Einbinder, Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon, and Thelma & Louise actor Susan Sarandon were reportedly among those arrested, per the New York Post.
Photos showed the celebrities among hundreds who gathered Thursday as part of an anti-war sit-in protest outside the UN. Protesters chanted, “Netanyahu you can’t hide, you are wanted for genocide,” while demanding his arrest.
Hacks star among celebs arrested in Netanyahu protest outside UN
Houthis say they attacked Riyadh and Aramco facilities in Yanbu
Thursday 24 September 2026 20:22 , Dan Haygarth
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Thursday that they had launched missile and drone attacks on what they described as "a sensitive target" in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh and on Saudi Aramco facilities in the Red Sea city of Yanbu.
The statement came after Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis towards the southern province of Taif and Yanbu area on the Red Sea.
There was no immediate Saudi confirmation of an attack on Riyadh or of damage or casualties `in either Taif and Yanbu.
Netanyahu claims Mamdani endangers Jewish New Yorkers
Thursday 24 September 2026 20:00 , Dan Haygarth
Benjamin Netanyahu accused Zohran Mamdani of endangering Jewish New Yorkers with his criticism of Israel's military actions in Gaza, saying during a speech at the United Nations on Thursday that the mayor has spread lies about Israel.
“Mr. Mamdani, since you were elected mayor of this city, many Jews no longer feel safe in New York. They talk to me, they tell me ‘this isn’t the city we remember, it changed so quickly,'” Netanyahu told world leaders during the United Nations General Assembly.
Mamdani has long been a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has called Netanyahu a “war criminal” who is “the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people.”
Netanyahu, at UN, calls accusations of genocide in Gaza as 'the biggest lie of the century'
Thursday 24 September 2026 19:47 , Dan Haygarth
Allegations of Israeli genocide in Gaza are “the biggest lie of the century,” prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly on Thursday.
In June, a UN commission of inquiry said Israel has deliberately and intentionally targeted Palestinian children during its military campaign in Gaza, resulting in genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The defiant speech asserted his nation’s right to wage war against Iran - and was not heard by scores of delegates who trooped out before he started speaking.
Netanyahu, his voice rising in emphasis, said attacking Iran “was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make” and denounced as “moral cowards” a mass of delegates who walked out of the UN General Assembly when he took the podium to speak.
“In defending itself, Israel is also also defending many of the countries whose delegates just left this hall,” Netanyahu said.
“In fact, I want you to know that many of their leaders even thank us privately for taking out Iran’s nukes.”
Netanyahu praises Trump
Thursday 24 September 2026 19:38 , Dan Haygarth
Netanyahu says: “We have no greater partner than President Trump.”
What happened as Netanyahu took to the podium?
Thursday 24 September 2026 19:32 , Dan Haygarth
Netanyahu denounced a mass of delegates who walked out of the UN General Assembly when he took the podium to speak as “moral cowards”.
As Netanyahu walked to the rostrum, a mix of cheers, boos and mass walkouts erupted.
Scores of delegates trooped out and a majority of seats sat empty afterward.“If there are any other moral cowards who have not yet left the hall, please do so now,” Netanyahu said.
The Palestinian Mission to the UN had urged delegations to walk out during the speech.
Netanyahu outlines what Israelis faced on 7 October 2023
Thursday 24 September 2026 19:29 , Dan Haygarth
He tells the hall: “They went house to house, shooting Israeli civilians point blank. They did so with fiendish glee, with sadistic joy. They live-streamed as they murdered.
“And who did they murder – their neighbours – the very Israelis who gave them jobs. Who picked up Palestinian children at the Gaza border and drove them to Israeli hospitals for cancer treatment, and then brought them back.”
“These Hamas monsters killed holocaust survivors,” he says. “They burnt babies alive in front of their parents.”
“Altogether they slaughtered 1,200 Israelis that day. I want to give you an idea of what this means for a country of 10 million. Proportionately, this is equal to 40,000 innocent Americans slaughtered in less than 24 hours. That’s 16 times 9/11.”
