The covert operation required deep knowledge of the country’s infrastructure, a source has said Israel conducted clandestine strikes against two key natural gas pipelines in Iran this week, marking an escalation in the years-long standoff between the two states, the New York Times has reported.

Moscow is concerned by the new Channels feature in the messaging app and for its potential uses WhatsApp might be blocked in Russia like Facebook and Instagram if the app’s functions are expanded to make it more than simply a messaging platform, lawmakers in Moscow have warned.

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