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Iran blinded US bases before striking military assets, AP analysis finds

Iran's strikes on more than two dozen US bases in the Middle East focused on early-warning systems before hitting aircraft and buildings, causing billions of dollars in equipment damage, according to an Associated Press analysis. The AP independently verified damage to American targets using satellite imagery from multiple providers and spoke to four regional officials who were briefed or have firsthand knowledge of what was hit. The AP found that, through August, more than 115 drone or missile strikes claimed by Iran or Iranian-backed militias damaged or destroyed structures on 26 military bases and other sites with US equipment. The AP found that Iran initially focused its attacks on aircraft hangars and systems that detect incoming strikes, clearing the way for further strikes on warehouses, troop housing and more. The damage has significantly reshaped the American foothold in the Middle East, with two regional officials saying the US has moved many of its assets out of ...

Diamond necklace linked to Egyptian royal family stolen from Vienna museum

Two suspects stole a diamond necklace linked to Egypt's former royal family from the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna on Thursday, Austrian media reported Friday. The suspects entered the museum as ordinary visitors at around 2 pm local time (1200GMT) before smashing a glass display case and taking the necklace, public broadcaster ORF reported, citing police. Several witnesses were present during the theft, according to the report. Authorities believe the suspects knew which item they intended to steal. The platinum necklace is set with 673 diamonds weighing more than 200 carats in total, according to information published by the museum. The piece was commissioned for Egypt's royal family and worn by Queen Nazli in 1939 at the wedding of her daughter, Princess Fawzia, to then-Iranian Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who later became shah. The necklace fetched nearly $4.3 million at an auction in New York in 2015, according to auction house Sotheby's. Vienna police released photographs and descriptions of the suspects as part of an ongoing manhunt. Both men were described as between 170 and 175 centimeters (5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 9 inches) tall, with slim builds, dark hair and dark beards. They were reportedly wearing black outer clothing and dark sneakers with white soles. The suspects fled in an unknown direction after the robbery. Numerous emergency personnel were deployed across central Vienna, while the Federal Criminal Police Office's cultural heritage investigation unit joined the inquiry. No one was injured during the incident, the museum said. The museum will remain open, although the "Glanzstücke," or "Masterpieces," exhibition from which the necklace was stolen has been temporarily closed. The exhibition features around 500 objects, including more than 300 pieces from French luxury jewelry house Van Cleef & Arpels and over 200 items from the museum's collection.

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