Israeli military says latest missiles from Iran incoming as explosions heard
The latest US-Iran talks on Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme will not take place, mediator Oman said on Saturday, as Iran launched another missile barrage a day after Israel's blistering attack on Iranian nuclear and military sites.
Both Israel's military and Iran state television announced the latest round of missiles as explosions were heard overhead in parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv.
Israel's military quickly noted that it was currently striking 'military targets' in Tehran.
Jordan said it has closed its airspace.
Israel's ongoing 'widespread strikes' in Tehran and elsewhere have left Iran's surviving leadership with the difficult decision of whether to plunge deeper into conflict with Israel's more powerful forces or seek a diplomatic route.
Oman's foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, said on social media the sixth round of indirect nuclear talks on Sunday 'will not now take place', adding that 'diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace'.
Although the talks are off for now, 'we remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon', said a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomacy.
Israel and Iran signalled more attacks are coming, despite urgent calls from world leaders to deescalate and avoid all-out war.
The attack on nuclear sites set a 'dangerous precedent', China's foreign minister said.
The region is already on edge as Israel makes a new push to eliminate the Iranian-backed militant group Hamas in Gaza after 20 months of fighting.
Israel — widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East — said its hundreds of strikes on Iran over the past two days killed a number of top generals, nine senior scientists and experts involved in Iran's nuclear programme.
Iran's UN ambassador has said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded.
Iran retaliated by launching waves of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel, where explosions lit the night skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook buildings.
Israel said three people were killed and over 170 wounded.
'If (Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn,' defence minister Israel Katz said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has made the destruction of Iran's nuclear programme his top priority, said Israel's strikes so far are 'nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days'.
In what could be another escalation if confirmed, semi-official Iranian news agencies reported an Israeli drone struck and caused a 'strong explosion' at an Iranian natural-gas processing plant.
It would be the first Israeli attack on Iran's oil and natural gas industry. Israel's military did not immediately comment.
The extent of damage at the South Pars natural gas field was not immediately clear. Such sites have air defence systems around them, which Israel has been targeting.
Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran was not actively pursuing the bomb.
But its uranium enrichment has reached near weapons-grade levels, and on Thursday, the UN's atomic watchdog censured Iran for not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran's top diplomat said on Saturday the nuclear talks were 'unjustifiable' after Israel's strikes.
Abbas Araghchi's comments came during a call with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat.
The Israeli airstrikes were the 'result of the direct support by Washington', Mr Araghchi said in a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. The US has said it is not part of the strikes.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump urged Iran to reach a deal with the US on its nuclear programme, adding that 'Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left'.
– US helps to shoot down Iranian missiles
Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel late on Friday and early on Saturday.
Iranians awoke to state television airing repeated clips of the strikes, as well as videos of people cheering and handing out sweets.
The Iranian attacks killed at least three people and wounded 174, two of them seriously, Israel said.
The military said seven soldiers were lightly wounded when a missile hit central Israel, without specifying where — the first report of Israeli military casualties since the initial Israeli strikes.
US ground-based air defence systems in the region were helping to shoot down Iranian missiles, said a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the measures.
Israel's main international airport said it will remain closed until further notice.
– Indications of a new Israeli attack
Israel's army spokesman, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, said Israel had attacked more than 400 targets across Iran, including 40 in Tehran, where dozens of fighter jets were 'operating freely'.
He said it was the deepest point Israel's air force had operated.
Brig Gen Defrin said fighter jets struck over 40 'missile-related targets and advanced air defence array systems' across Iran.
A governor of Eastern Azerbaijan province in north-western Iran said 30 troops and a rescuer had been killed there, with 55 others wounded.
Governor Bahram Sarmast's remarks were the latest acknowledgment of mass casualties.
Iranian state television reported online that air defences were firing in the cities of Khorramabad, Kermanshah and Tabriz.
Footage from Tabriz showed black smoke rising.
The sound of explosions and Iranian air defense systems firing at targets echoed across central Tehran.
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