00:00Hello and welcome to One India. You're watching World News. I am Pankaj Mishra.
00:04The temperature in West Asia rises further. The United States authorities' staff departures from
00:10Israel is imminent. A new generation of low-cost kamikaze drones enters the battlefield equation.
00:17America's top military commanders brief President Trump on Iran's strike options.
00:22And the CIA makes an unusual public appeal in Farsi seeking informants inside Iran.
00:30We begin in Israel.
00:35The United States has authorized the departure of non-emergency government personnel and family
00:41members from Israel. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem cited unspecified safety risks amid growing
00:48concerns over a possible military confrontation with Iran. This is an authorized departure,
00:55not a full evacuation. Needless to say, Washington is factoring in the possibility of direct conflict.
01:03The move follows a stricter-ordered departure for certain U.S. personnel in Beirut earlier this week,
01:10suggesting a widening regional alert posture. Here's the full report.
01:16A sudden advisory from Washington is raising alarm across the Middle East. The U.S. State Department
01:24has authorized the departure of non-essential embassy staff and their families from Israel,
01:31urging Americans to consider leaving while flights are still available. The warning comes as tensions with
01:39Iran rise sharply and military deployments continue to grow. Officials say the move is a precaution tied to
01:48potential security incidents. Embassy personnel could soon face sudden travel restrictions across parts of
01:55Israel, the old city of Jerusalem, and the West Bank. Such evacuation advisories are rare and typically issued when
02:05governments expect possible escalation. For observers, the timing suggests Washington is preparing for
02:12scenarios beyond diplomacy. The advisory follows the latest round of nuclear talks between the United States
02:21and Iran. While mediators spoke of progress, reports say American negotiators left the discussions frustrated.
02:29Iran has rejected proposals to ship enriched uranium abroad and continues to insist on maintaining its
02:38enrichment program. Washington, meanwhile, is demanding deeper concessions, including dismantling major
02:45nuclear sites and accepting long-term restrictions. The gap between the two sides remains wide.
02:53At the same time, the U.S. military posture is shifting. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft
03:02carrier,
03:03is moving closer to the region, joining a growing American naval and air presence. Hundreds of aircraft and multiple warships
03:12are now within operational range. Such deployments can serve as deterrence, but also as preparation. In crises like this,
03:21diplomacy and force often move in parallel. President Donald Trump has set a tight timeline for Iran
03:29to accept a deal warning that failure could bring serious consequences. Iran, however, says Washington must drop
03:38what it calls excessive demands. With negotiations unresolved and deadlines approaching, each move now
03:46carries greater weight. And embassy evacuation orders often signal that governments are preparing for the
03:53unexpected. For now, planes are still flying, diplomats are still talking, and ships are still moving.
04:01But the decision to send families home suggests Washington may be bracing for something more.
04:10It's called LUKAS, the low-cost unmanned combat attack system, a one-way kamikaze drone platform. In a sense,
04:19America has studied Iran's Shahid-136 drone model, cloned it, upgraded it, and prepared it for deployment. What
04:29Tehran once exported as a swarm weapon systems may now be turned back in a potential confrontation. The
04:37Pentagon says the unit is ready to participate if conflict erupts. The drone era has clearly evolved. Take a look.
04:46The Pentagon has activated a brand new weapon, a drone unit built specifically for one-way strike
04:55missions. The squadron, known as Task Force Scorpion, consists of low-cost kamikaze drones that hover over
05:04a target area and explode on impact, designed for precision strikes with minimal risk to operators.
05:12These drones could be used against Iran if Washington orders military action, Pentagon officials say.
05:20Task Force Scorpion evolved from an experimental U.S. military unit into a fully operational force embedded
05:29within the largest American military buildup in the Middle East in decades. These drones were reverse-engineered
05:38from Iran's own Shahid-136 loitering munitions, a weapon Tehran and its allies have used widely in regional
05:47conflicts. One was successfully test-launched from the USS Santa Barbara in the Persian Gulf, demonstrating
05:55deployability from naval vessels. Task Force Scorpion uses the Lucas system, autonomous, one-way attack
06:04platforms that can loiter over an area before diving into a target with lethal precision. Unlike larger,
06:12more expensive drones that depend on satellite links and runways, these inexpensive systems can be
06:19launched from trucks, ships, or mobile platforms, making them versatile and scalable. Analysts say these
06:27drones aren't designed to penetrate hardened underground facilities but could degrade Iran's missile
06:34production sites, launch infrastructure, and logistical networks, effectively disrupting Tehran's ability to
06:41project power. Their deployment marks a potential shift in how the United States would prosecute a conflict
06:48with Iran, incorporating massive numbers of low-cost, expendable drones to overwhelm defenses, soften targets,
06:57and reduce risk to manned aircraft and pilots. If nuclear talks collapse and Tehran refuses concessions,
07:06these drones could be the first assets sent into Iranian territory, a move that could lower the threshold
07:13for conflict while dramatically escalating the technological nature of warfare. Task Force Scorpion's
07:20activation sends a clear message. The United States has mastered and improved upon technology once
07:28pioneered by Iran and is prepared to use it to neutralize threats, shape battlefields, and influence
07:36strategic outcomes. As U.S.-Iran tensions mount, the presence of these one-way drones adds another layer of
07:44complexity to an already volatile standoff, where diplomacy, deterrence, and devastating precision
07:52strike capabilities all collide.
07:59Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, has briefed President Donald Trump on
08:05potential military options involving Iran. Also present, General Dan Kane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
08:12The message is clear. Operational planning is active. These briefings do not confirm imminent
08:19strikes though, but they confirm preparation. Sample this.
08:26Tensions in Washington are rising sharply. Overnight, President Donald Trump was briefed by U.S. Central
08:33Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper on military options against Iran. The briefing reportedly covered
08:40potential strike scenarios alongside diplomatic efforts to prevent a wider war. In the Middle East tonight,
08:48the path ahead may hinge on decisions being weighed in the Situation Room. Even as military plans are discussed,
08:56diplomacy continues. In an interview with the Washington Post, Vice President J.D. Vance says Washington wants to
09:03avoid a prolonged Middle East conflict. He is expected to meet Oman's foreign minister in Washington,
09:10part of ongoing efforts to keep negotiations alive. For the administration, the message is clear.
09:17Pressure Iran but prevent a war that spirals out of control. Recent negotiations in Geneva failed to
09:25produce a breakthrough. American officials reportedly left frustrated while Iranian leaders rejected key
09:32proposals. Washington is demanding Iran dismantle major nuclear facilities and accept permanent restrictions.
09:41Tehran insists it will continue uranium enrichment and refuses to move its stockpile abroad. The gap between
09:48the two sides remains wide, and the clock is ticking. President Trump has set a tight deadline for a deal,
09:56warning that failure could bring consequences. Meanwhile, the U.S. military posture in the region is expanding.
10:03The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group is moving closer to the Middle East,
10:09joining a growing network of American aircraft and naval assets. Such deployments serve both as deterrence
10:16and preparation, depending on how diplomacy unfolds. Technical teams from Iran, the United States,
10:24and international nuclear inspectors are expected to meet again in Vienna. But whether those talks lead
10:31to compromise or collapse remains uncertain. For now, Washington is preparing for both outcomes — negotiation
10:39if possible, action if necessary. And in moments like this, the line between the two can become
10:46dangerously thin. Tonight, the briefings continue, the ships move, and the talks hang in balance,
10:53because the next move between Washington and Tehran may define the region's future.
11:01In a rare public move, the CIA has issued Farsi language appeal calling on Iranians to come forward
11:09as potential informants. The agency posted recruitment messages on X, Instagram, and YouTube,
11:16offering secure channels for communication. This is not routine. It signals a ramp-up in intelligence
11:23gathering amid rising tensions.
11:27As diplomacy with Iran hangs in the balance, Washington is turning to a different battlefield — information.
11:35The CIA has launched a new Farsi language recruitment push on social media, urging Iranians to secretly
11:42contact the agency. The timing is striking, because it comes as the United States builds military forces in
11:50the region, and President Donald Trump warns that strikes remain an option if nuclear talks collapse.
11:56The agency posted instructions across multiple platforms, including X, Instagram, Telegram, Facebook, and YouTube.
12:05The messages explain how Iranians can securely contact U.S. intelligence, advising them to use
12:12disposable devices, trusted VPNs, and encrypted networks. Potential sources are asked to provide
12:19details about their roles, skills, and access to sensitive information. It's a clear signal
12:25the U.S. wants insight from inside Iran itself. The recruitment drive arrives at a moment of heightened
12:32tension. U.S. and Iranian negotiators are meeting in Geneva, with Oman mediating talks over Tehran's nuclear
12:40program. But Washington has also deployed warships, aircraft, and additional forces across the Middle East.
12:47President Trump says he prefers diplomacy, yet insists he will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.
12:55The intelligence push suggests Washington is preparing for multiple scenarios.
13:00This is not the first such effort. The CIA has previously issued recruitment messages targeting
13:07individuals in China, Russia, and North Korea. But the Iran campaign comes as domestic unrest,
13:14sanctions pressure, and nuclear tensions converge. For intelligence agencies, human sources remain
13:21one of the most valuable tools, especially in countries where information is tightly controlled.
13:27Iran denies pursuing nuclear weapons and says its program is peaceful, but Washington and its
13:34allies remain unconvinced. As negotiators meet in Geneva, both sides are signaling strength in
13:41different ways, one through diplomacy, the other through intelligence and military posture.
13:47The CIA's public outreach may be aimed at gathering information, but it also sends a message.
13:53The contest between the U.S. and Iran is not just on the battlefield or at the negotiating table,
13:59it's also in the shadows. As the talks unfold, the question isn't just whether a deal can be reached,
14:07it's whether the competition between Washington and Tehran is already entering a new phase.
14:14From authorized departures in Israel, to cloned drone warfare, to strike briefings in Washington,
14:21to intelligence recruitment inside Iran, the architecture of escalation is clearly visible.
14:28That's all for now on World News. I am Pankaj Mishra. Keep watching One India.
Comments