UN Security Council meets Friday to discuss Israel-Iran war, as Tel Aviv, Tehran conflict escalates - as it happened - Region

Ahram Online provides live coverage of the unfolding military confrontation between Israel and Iran as the two sides wage deadly strikes against one another for a sixth day.
Related The US role in the Iran-Israel confrontation A Gulf wary of escalation The Middle East in flames
Israel escalated its attack, dubbed 'Operation Rising Lion', on Tehran six days after bombing residential and military areas in Iran, killing over 200 people and wounding over 1,200.
As US President Donald Trump urged residents to evacuate—echoing Israeli calls for 330,000 people to leave central Tehran—the capital began to empty, with shops shuttered and traffic clogging westbound roads.
In retaliation, Iran intensified its 'Operation True Promise III,' launching multiple waves of missiles into central Israel, where large explosions were reported overnight and air raid sirens wailed throughout the night.
Earlier Iranian strikes forced the shutdown of the Haifa oil refinery, other industrial facilities, and the local power plant. At least 24 people have been killed in Israel, with hundreds more wounded.
Meanwhile, Israel has imposed a ban on live TV feed streaming, preventing networks from broadcasting images of incoming Iranian missiles and the damage caused by the strikes.
As Trump weighs US involvement in the war, Iran says the Iranian nation 'is not one to surrender."
22:50 Iran's mission to the UN has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday morning to discuss the Israel attacks.
The UN will discuss the ongoing war between Israel and Iran, council president Guyana said.
Diplomatic sources say Russia, China, Pakistan, and Algeria have backed Iran's call.
22:10 Trump says not yet made decision on whether to attack Iran. He said 'you may have to fight' to prevent Iran from getting nukes
He has insisted that he doesn't want the US to get involved in a war with Iran, and he's insisted that Iran can't have a nuclear weapon.
He conceded that he may not be able to have it both ways.
'I'm not looking to fight. But if it's a choice between fighting and them having a nuclear weapon, you have to do what you have to do,' he said.
At another point, Trump said 'you may have to fight.'
22:12 Iran's foreign ministry summoned the Swiss ambassador, who represents US interests in the Islamic republic, over recent remarks by President Donald Trump.
"Following the irresponsible and threatening statements of the American president, the Swiss ambassador, as the guardian of this country's interests in Tehran, was summoned to the ministry of foreign affairs," state TV reported, without elaborating.
22:00 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump for his "support in defending Israel's skies".
The US has said it is not directly involved in Israel's campaign, but it is a key supplier of missiles and technology for its ally's sophisticated air defences systems.
Reports have also said that American military assets Tel Aviv, including a Navy destroyer, have helped shoot down Iranian ballistic missiles.
"I want to thank President Trump, a great friend of the state of Israel," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.
21:26 IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency says Iran today fired a Sajil MRBM for the first time.
The missile has 2,500 kilometres range, and Iranians appear to be firing from further away as shorter-range bases in western Iran are pinned down. Sajil is also a good candidate for future nuclear weaponization.
20:19 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against "additional military interventions" in the Middle East.
"Any additional military interventions could have enormous consequences, not only for those involved, but for the whole region and for international peace and security at large," Guterres said in a statement.
20:00 Egypt's foreign minister, Badr Abdelatty, spoke with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in a phone call to discuss efforts to contain rising tensions.
​According to Egypt's foreign ministry, Abdelatty stressed the need to prevent further destabilization and warned of the broader risks to regional security.
He reiterated Cairo's position that diplomatic and political solutions remain the only viable path forward, calling for an immediate ceasefire and a return to nuclear negotiations with Tehran.
China's foreign ministry echoed the concern, with Wang reportedly describing the situation as nearing a tipping point.
'The [situation] may get out of control ... and the region could slide into an abyss,' he told Abdelatty, adding that Israel's actions in recent days had 'suddenly' intensified tensions.
19:41 Iran has fired a new missile salvo at Israel.
Tehran said it launched hypersonic missiles.
The Fattah hypersonic missiles "have successfully penetrated the Israeli regime's defenses," state TV reported.
Israel's army said that it had detected new missiles launched from Iran and that defensive systems were operating to intercept the threat.
A missile is fired from Iran toward Israel. AFP
19:37 Iran issued an evacuation warning for the residents of the Israeli city of Haifa, state television reported.
"A few minutes ago, an evacuation notice was issued to Zionist settlers in Haifa to protect them from Iranian missile attacks," state TV said.
It showed an image of the targeted area accompanied by Hebrew text saying: "Please leave the reported area immediately -- in the next few hours, armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will operate in this area... to attack the military infrastructure of the Zionist regime."
19:22 Iran's Foreign Ministry denied sending a delegation to Oman for new negotiations, contradicting reports that an Iranian government plane carrying negotiators had landed in Muscat.
Reuters cited sources saying the aircraft departed from Tehran and arrived in Oman despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes and a regional airspace lockdown prompted by the conflict.
The sixth round of US–Iran nuclear talks, initially scheduled for 15 June in Oman, has collapsed following the Israel attack on Iran on Friday.
File Photo: The Foreign Ministry of Islamic Republic of Iran building. Photo courtesy of Isranian foreign ministry.
19:05 The US ambassador to Israel announced plans for evacuating Americans by air and sea.
The embassy is "working on evacuation flights & cruise ship departures" for "American citizens wanting to leave Israel," Ambassador Mike Huckabee posted on X.
Urgent notice! American citizens wanting to leave Israel- US Embassy in Israel @usembassyjlm is working on evacuation flights & cruise ship departures.
You must enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) (https://t.co/rXymPRTQJJ) You will be alerted w/ updates. — Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 18, 2025
18:32 Russian President Vladimir Putin said that 'Iran fulfilled the deal. The US tore it up. Trump walked away—yet Europe demanded Iran stay loyal. Why the hell should Iran comply with a deal the West abandoned?'
US President Donald Trump said that he spoke with Putin over the phone and that he rejected Moscow's offer to mediate Israel-Iran talks.
Putin "actually offered to help mediate. I said do me a favor, mediate your own.... I said, Vladimir, let's mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later," Trump said.
🚨🚨⚡ President vladimir Putin drops the truth bomb:
'Iran fulfilled the deal. The U.S. tore it up.
Trump walked away—yet Europe demanded Iran stay loyal.
Why the hell should Iran comply with a deal the West abandoned?'
-: A brutal reminder of who really broke the agreement. pic.twitter.com/SO6Ji4Y22S — RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) June 18, 2025
18:21 An Iranian negotiation delegation has landed in Oman, Reuters reported, as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to ease rising tensions amid the Israeli attacks.
According to Iranian and regional sources, Tehran has asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman to mediate with US President Donald Trump to pressure Tel Aviv into agreeing to an immediate ceasefire, offering flexibility in nuclear talks in return.
Sources revealed that Gulf leaders and diplomats held intense consultations over the weekend with Tehran, Washington, and other parties, aiming to contain the escalation and prevent the conflict between Iran and 'Israel' from spiraling further.
One Iranian source told Reuters that Tehran is willing to show flexibility in its nuclear negotiations if a ceasefire is achieved. In contrast, a Gulf source expressed deep concern over the risk of the conflict spinning out of control.
Trump claimed that Iran still wants to negotiate with the US and even proposed sending a delegation to the White House but that it was getting "very late" for talks and he might soon authorize strikes on Iran's nuclear program.
18:20 US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers that the Pentagon was providing possible options to Donald Trump as he decides next steps on Iran but would not say whether the military was planning to assist with Israeli attacks, according to AP news agency.
Hegseth was on Capitol Hill for the last of his series of often combative hearings before lawmakers.
In questioning before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth said 'maximum force protection" was being provided for US troops in the Middle East and that it is Trump's decision whether to provide Israel a 'bunker buster" bomb to strike at the core of Iran's nuclear program, which would require US pilots flying a B-2 stealth bomber. He would not indicate what the US may do next.
The US has shifted significant numbers of refueling tankers and fighter aircraft to position them to respond to the escalating conflict, such as supporting possible evacuations or airstrikes.
18:13 As it has repeatedly been doing in Gaza, Israel targeted a humanitarian facility on Wednesday, striking a building belonging to the Iranian Red Crescent Society in Tehran, according to Iran's official news agency IRNA.
18:00 'We did not have any proof of a systematic effort to move in Iran into a nuclear weapon,' the IAEA Director-General said in an interview with Christiane Amanpour on CNN.
However, he drafted the Agency's recent report vaguely and questionably, helping Israel to use it as a pretext for its illegal aggression against Iran.
'We did not have any proof of a systematic effort to move into a nuclear weapon.' @iaeaorg Director General affirms his agency's findings about Iran's nuclear program. pic.twitter.com/TmHx7rtfjJ — Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) June 17, 2025
CNN has compiled a series of clips showing Israeli PM Netanyahu warning since 1996 that Iran is close to developing a nuclear weapon within months.
Iran: Weeks away from having nuclear weapons since 1995 pic.twitter.com/16gvCfGF6l — The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) June 17, 2025
17:22 Asked if the US was moving closer to engaging in the Israeli attack on Iran and striking Iranian nuclear facilities, US President Donald Trump said: 'I can't say that… You don't seriously think I'm going to answer that question.'
He has been speaking to reporters on the lawns of the White House.
'You don't know that I'm going to even do it. You don't know. I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do,' he said.
'I can tell you this – Iran's got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate. And I said, 'Why didn't you negotiate with me before – all this death and destruction'. Why didn't you negotiate? I said to the people, 'why didn't you negotiate with me two weeks ago? You could have done fine. You would have had a country'.'
16:43 The Israeli army said public safety guidelines that have mandated school closures, among other restrictions, would ease in some areas from 6pm on Wednesday.
Parts of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and West Bank, in addition to Israeli communities near Gaza and in Eilat in Israel's south, would be changed from "essential activity" to "limited activity" or "partial activity," the army said.
16:42 UK withdraws family members of its diplomatic staff in Israel have been withdrawn as Iran and Israel continue to exchange fire, Britain's foreign ministry said.
The Foreign Office said relatives of staff working at the UK embassy in Tel Aviv and consulate in Jerusalem were withdrawn "as a precautionary measure," adding that staff at the mission remain.
16:23 Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed that air force jets had destroyed Iran's "internal security headquarters" after the army announced it was striking Tehran.
16:15 Iran's state TV airs footage of an Israeli Hermes drone shot down in Iran's central Isfahan province.
In the video, a reporter stands before a drone that crashed into the ground and sustained heavy damage.
The Israel Defense Forces said that a surface-to-air missile had been fired towards an Israeli Air Force drone and that the drone then 'fell in Iran.'
Iran's Army downs Israel's ultra-advanced Hermes drone over Isfahan — IRIB news footage https://t.co/22XaoZmbCG pic.twitter.com/UTYIaKDnpL — RT (@RT_com) June 18, 2025
16:07 US President Donald Trump is facing a critical decision between taking 'a diplomatic off ramp' or 'a war of choice,' Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told CNN.
'Leaders always have a choice in these moments,' she said. 'Trump has, in the past, stepped back from the brink of war with Iran, he has the ability to do so again.' Geranmayeh added that 'Iran will view this as a declaration of war,' if Trump decides to strike its nuclear facilities.
'Once you open up this Pandora's box, we have no idea where things go,' Geranmayeh said, adding that the conflict would 'most likely consume the rest of President Trump's presidency.'
For Iran, she added, 'surrender is not an option.' 'It also knows it is not going to win militarily, but it's trying to ensure that there are only losers here,' Geranmayeh said.
15:55 The leaders of Russia and the United Arab Emirates warned of "extremely negative consequences" from the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, as President Vladimir Putin pushed himself as a possible mediator.
In a phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Putin "confirmed Russia's readiness to provide mediation assistance to promote dialogue between the parties to the conflict," the Kremlin said in a statement.
The two leaders "expressed deep concern over the continuing escalation of the Iranian-Israeli conflict, which could have extremely negative consequences for the entire region," Moscow added.
Putin has held phone calls with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, offering his role as a peacemaker.
15:45 Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on Iran to resume talks over its nuclear programme as the conflict between Israel and the Islamic Republic raged.
Wadephul said he had delivered the message to his Iranian counterpart in a phone call on Monday, together with the French and British foreign ministers and the European Union's chief diplomat.
"We, the E3 states, remain ready to negotiate a solution," Wadephul said, with reference to the European grouping of Britain, France and Germany.
"Iran must now act urgently," he said, calling for "verifiable and confidence-building measures", such as a commitment from the government in Tehran not to pursue nuclear weapons capabilities.
"It is never too late to come to the negotiating table if you come with honest intentions," Wadephul said in a press conference alongside the Jordanian foreign minister.
15:30 Multiple explosions were heard in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Wednesday, AFP journalists said, and black smoke rose in the east.
The series of blasts was heard shortly before 3:30 pm (1200 GMT), on the sixth day of the most intense exchange of fire between arch-foes Iran and Israel.
15:00 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday Iran had the "legitimate" right to defend itself in the face of Israel's ongoing bombing campaign, now in its sixth day.
"It is a very natural, legitimate and legal right for Iran to defend itself against Israel's thuggery and state terrorism," the Turkish leader said, a day after referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "the biggest threat to the security of the region".
The long-range blitz began early Friday, when Israel launched a massive bombing campaign that prompted Iran to hit back with missiles and drones, including hypersonic missiles.
"These attacks were organised while the Iranian nuclear negotiations were taking place," Erdogan said.
"Israel, which possesses nuclear weapons and does not recognise any international rules.. did not wait for the negotiations to end, but carried out a terrorist act without waiting for the result," he added.
"We are closely following Israel's terrorist attacks on Iran. All our institutions are on high alert regarding the possible effects of these attacks on Turkey," Erdogan said.
"We are making preparations for every kind of scenario," he said.
"Nobody should dare to test us."
On Monday, Erdogan said he had ordered the defence industry to increase production of medium and long-range missiles to "increase its level of deterrence" in light of the air war between Israel and Iran.
14:20 Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, said the Iranian armed forces, backed by the people and the authorities in the state, are ready to defend the homeland.
In a televised message to the nation on Wednesday, Khamenei said that "Iran would not forgive the Zionist entity for violating its airspace and would not forget the blood of our martyrs."
In an address to the nation, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected President Trump's call for surrender in the conflict with Israel, and warned any US strikes on Iran will have 'irreparable consequences.' pic.twitter.com/s3Y2tYbYzo — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 18, 2025
Khamenei stated that Iran would neither accept peace nor war imposed upon it, addressing the United States with the warning: 'They must know that Iran will not surrender, and any American attack will have dire, irreparable consequences.'
He emphasized that the Iranian people remain steadfast in the face of the war being waged against them, reiterating that the country will not accept any externally imposed peace or conflict.
He added that the Iranian people will not yield to diktats from any party.
Referring to the US threats, Khamenei said, 'Those who know Iran's history understand that Iranians do not respond well to the language of threats.'
He further cautioned Israel, stating that it had made a 'grave mistake' by attacking Iran and stressing that Tel Aviv 'will face the consequences of its actions.'
14:00 Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that direct US military assistance to Israel could radically destabilise the situation in the Middle East.
In separate comments, the head of Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service, Sergei Naryshkin, was quoted as saying that the situation between Iran and Israel was now critical, as reported by Reuters.
Ryabkov warned the US against direct military assistance to Israel or even considering such "speculative options," according to Russia's Interfax news agency.
"This would be a step that would radically destabilise the entire situation. "
13:10 The UN nuclear watchdog said Israeli strikes destroyed two buildings making centrifuge components for Iran's nuclear programme near Tehran.
The strikes destroyed two buildings making centrifuge components for Iran's nuclear programme in Karaj, a satellite city of Tehran, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday.
In another strike on a site in Tehran, "one building was hit where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested", the agency added in a post on X.
12:45 Iranian state television says it will broadcast a message from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a few minutes.
11:45 The airport authority said that the first aircraft bringing home Israelis stranded abroad by flight cancellations resulting from the conflict with Iran landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday.
This picture shows the empty departure hall at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. AFP
"Just a short while ago, the first flight of Operation Safe Return landed at Ben Gurion Airport," a statement said, adding that the flight had been operated by national carrier El Al and brought Israelis home from Larnaca in Cyprus.
Transport Minister Miri Regev said Tuesday that between 100,000 and 150,000 Israelis were stuck abroad, as Israel and Iran traded deadly fire in their most intense confrontation ever.
The ministry said all of Israel's commercial aircraft had been sent abroad to avoid them during the air war with Iran.
After suspending flights last week, El Al said it was "preparing rescue flights" starting Wednesday with planes departing from Larnaca, Athens, Rome, Milan, and Paris.
The low-cost Israeli airline Arkia also announced special flights this week to repatriate Israelis.
A statement from the airport authority said Wednesday that the return operation "is being managed in stages based on the level of risk and current security assessments, with a strong emphasis on the safety of passengers, aircrew, and aircraft. "
It urged the public not to go to Ben Gurion Airport to greet arriving passengers or order taxis to pick them up from the airport due to "the current security situation".
After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel launched a surprise air campaign against Iran on Friday.
11:15 The foreign ministry said Wednesday that Greece has repatriated 105 of its citizens and foreign nationals from Israel. The people repatriated were transported to Athens from Sharm El-Sheikh, in Egypt, onboard C-130 and C-27 Greek air force planes,' it said in a statement, AFP reports.
File Photo: Sharm El-Sheik International Airport terminal 2. Photo courtesy of Sharm El-Sheik Airport website.
Along with Greek citizens and their families, other people on the flight included citizens of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States, it said.
10:50 Israeli authorities say no people have been reported killed or injured in Israel from the latest overnight volleys of missiles from Iran, despite some damage.
An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man inspects the damage at the site of an Iranian missile strike in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv. AFP
The Israeli government says that approximately 400 ballistic missiles have been fired by Iran since Israel began its attack last Friday, with hundreds of drones also launched.
The Israeli authorities say that since last Friday, there have been around 40 impact sites across the country, 3,800 people evacuated, 24 people killed, and more than 800 injured, according to a BBC report.
There have been nearly 16,000 claims related to structural damage and more than 1,000 for damage to vehicles.
Israel's Iron Dome air defence shield costs $250m (£186m) daily.
A report in the Washington Post quotes a source briefed on US and Israeli intelligence, who says that without resupplies or greater involvement by US forces, Israel may only be able to maintain it for another 10 or 12 days if Iran maintains steady attacks.
10:30 Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed on Wednesday that his country would show 'no mercy' towards Israel's rulers, AFP reports.
'We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy,' Khamenei posted on X.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump boasted that the United States could easily assassinate Khamenei if it wanted.
U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters on board Air Force One after leaving early from the G7 Leaders' Summit on June 16, 2025 in Calgary. AFP
10:15 Many Iranians reacted with fear and dismay at Donald Trump's instruction to "immediately evacuate Tehran", according to a BBC report on Tuesday evening.
The capital's almost 10 million residents have now been left to decide whether to shelter in their homes, bracing themselves for what could come next, or attempt to join the heavy traffic leaving the country's capital.
Many who decide to leave Tehran post images of their homes online, a poignant trend in Persian-language social media for those leaving their city behind.
BBC Persian and other BBC correspondents said they have received messages from affected people. They have also conducted interviews and monitored social media to gather people's stories.
Some Iranians had already decided to leave well before Israel issued the first evacuation order for parts of Tehran on Monday.
"Many more Iranians living in Tehran have decided to leave since Monday, braving traffic jams of up to 14 hours and fuel queues to flee - unsure if their homes will still be standing when they return."
According to the BBC report, some residents have decided to stay put because of elderly parents, young children, pets, medical needs, or a lack of options.
This handout picture released by the Iranian Red Crescent on June 17, 2025 shows members of their rescue teams searching the debris inside a buidling in Tehran, targeted by Israeli strikes. Israel and Iran exchanged missile fire for a fifth consecutive day on June 17, with the Israeli military saying in a statement it targeted multiple missile and drone sites in western Iran, including infrastructure, launchers, and storage facilities. AFP
09:45 The US Embassy in Jerusalem will be shut from Wednesday through Friday due to the security situation in the region and to comply with Israeli guidance, the US State Department said.
A road sign shows the way towards the US embassy in Jerusalem on April 19, 2024. AFP
'Given the security situation and in compliance with Israel Home Front Command guidance, the US Embassy in Jerusalem will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday, June 18) through Friday (June 20). This includes the Consular Sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv,' the State Department said on X.
09:30 Iran said it had detained five suspected agents of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency on charges of tarnishing the country's image online, Iranian news agencies reported.
"These mercenaries sought to sow fear among the public and tarnish the image of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran through their calculated activities online," the Tasnim and ISNA news agencies quoted a statement from the Revolutionary Guards as saying. They added that the arrests had been made in western Iran.
09:15 Iran said early Wednesday to have fired hypersonic missiles at Israel in the latest round of overnight strikes between the archfoes, hours after Donald Trump demanded the Islamic Republic's "unconditional surrender".
The US president insists Washington has played no part in ally Israel's bombing attack, but also warned Iran that his patience is wearing thin as the conflict enters a sixth day.
Israeli warplanes targeted the Iranian capital before dawn Wednesday after the military issued a warning on social media for civilians in an area known as District 18 to evacuate.
Iranian state media reported explosions ricocheting in Tehran's Piroozi, Sabalan, and Sayyad areas.
In retaliation, Iran told residents of Tel Aviv to prepare for an attack, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying its hypersonic Fattah-1 missiles were "repeatedly shaking the shelters" in the commercial hub.
"The 11th wave of the proud Operation Honest Promise 3 using Fattah-1 missiles" was carried out, the Guards said in a statement broadcast on state television.
Hypersonic missiles travel more than five times the speed of sound and can manoeuvre mid-flight, making them harder to track and intercept.
Iran also sent a "swarm of drones" towards Israel, where the army said it intercepted two over the Dead Sea area.
09:00 Israel's military said Wednesday it struck an Iranian centrifuge production facility and multiple weapons manufacturing sites, in the latest round of strikes between the archfoes.
This handout satellite image released by Planet Labs on June 15, 2025, shows new vehicle tracks and dirt piles over underground centrifuge buildings at Natanz enrichment facility, southeast of Tehran after airstrikes on June 15, 2025. AFP
"More than 50 Israeli Air Force fighter jets... carried out a series of air strikes in the Tehran area over the past few hours," an Israeli army statement said. "As part of the broad effort to disrupt Iran's nuclear weapons development program, a centrifuge production facility in Tehran was targeted."
"During the wave of attacks, several weapons manufacturing sites were struck, including facilities for producing raw materials and components used to assemble surface-to-surface missiles," it added.
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Ahram Online provides live coverage of the unfolding military confrontation between Israel and Iran as the two sides waged deadly strikes against one another for the eighth day in a row. Related Trump says will decide whether to attack Iran 'within two weeks' - as it happened Israel expands assassination policy with threat to target Khamenei Israeli army says struck inactive nuclear reactor in Iran's Arak The face-off between Israel and Iran has continued to intensify overnight and into this morning. Overnight, the Israeli military reported carrying out dozens of strikes on military targets across Iran, including a significant attack on the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND) headquarters in Tehran, which Israel claims is involved in Iran's nuclear weapons development project. Other targets included missile production sites in Tehran and the northern city of Rasht. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also confirmed that Israel's rockets had damaged Iran's Khondab Heavy Water Production Plant. In retaliation, Iran launched fresh barrages of missiles towards Israel. These missiles struck southern Israel, particularly the city of Beersheba for the second consecutive day, causing damage to residential buildings, including a six-story structure. Sirens were activated across southern Israel as missiles were detected, and while most were reportedly intercepted, some impacted areas. Casualty figures remain high, with an Iranian human rights group stating that Israeli strikes have now killed at least 657 people and wounded over 2,000 in Iran since the conflict began. Iran's retaliatory strikes have resulted in 24 deaths in Israel. Diplomatic efforts are underway, with the Iranian Foreign Minister expected to meet with top European diplomats in Geneva today, although Iran continues to reject direct negotiations with the US as long as Israeli attacks persist. Concerns are also rising regarding potential cyberattacks, with reports of Iranian hackers targeting Israeli home security cameras. 16:00 At least 30 missiles were fired from Iran towards Israel, according to Israel's Home Front Command, triggering sirens across large parts of the country's north and south, Al Jazeera reported. Explosions were reported in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. Israel's Channel 12 confirmed a missile strike in Haifa that caused significant damage and injuries, while army radio cited impacts at multiple sites nationwide. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: 'The Zionist enemy is now receiving its punishment.' The barrage marks one of the largest direct attacks by Iran since the war began on 13 June. The Israeli military later lifted nationwide shelter orders, confirming impacts in Haifa, central and southern regions. Earlier, the Israeli army said its air force was carrying out renewed strikes on western and central Iran, according to Israeli media. 15:15 Iran will not accept a demand for zero uranium enrichment, a senior Iranian official told Reuters, calling it unacceptable while Israeli strikes continue. However, the official said Tehran was open to negotiating limits on enrichment levels, provided its right to peaceful nuclear development is recognised. The remarks come ahead of talks in Geneva with the UK, France, and Germany, where efforts are underway to restore diplomatic engagement over Iran's nuclear programme. 14:45 Veteran investigative journalist Seymour Hersh warned that the United States is preparing for heavy bombing of Iran, possibly as early as this weekend, citing long-standing Israeli and American sources. Hersh said the Trump administration is fully backing Israel's campaign to dismantle Iran's nuclear programme, while hoping for the collapse of the government in Tehran. In a Substack post published Thursday, titled 'What I Have Been Told Is Coming in Iran – The Initial Battle Plan for a New War,' Hersh wrote: 'It will entail heavy American bombing,' based on information confirmed by a senior US official. The official reportedly said the situation would remain 'under control' if Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 'departs.' 'Just how that might happen, short of his assassination, is not known,' Hersh added. He criticised the lack of a coherent US strategy: 'There has been a great deal of talk about American firepower and targets inside Iran, but little practical thinking… about how to remove a revered religious leader with an enormous following.' Hersh also warned of wider consequences: 'The most important unanswered question… will be the response of the world, including that of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president who has been an ally of Iran's leaders.' On continued US support for Israel, Hersh wrote: 'The United States remains Israel's most important ally, although many here and around the world abhor Israel's continuing murderous war in Gaza.' 14:30 Brent crude fell over 2 percent, dragging energy stocks lower, as fears of imminent US strikes on Iran eased. European markets rebounded, while Asian indices closed mixed and the dollar slipped. The shift followed President Donald Trump's comments that he would delay a decision on joining Israeli attacks for up to two weeks. His remarks came ahead of talks in Geneva between Iranian and European diplomats. 'Brent crude has dropped... as traders price out the worst-case scenario for geopolitics,' said Kathleen Brooks of trading firm XTB. Earlier concerns that the conflict could disrupt oil supplies had driven prices higher and global equities lower. 'While the immediate prospect of a US intervention may have diminished, it remains a live issue for markets,' said Dan Coatsworth of investment platform AJ Bell. The main US oil benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), edged up on low post-holiday trading and a drop in US crude stockpiles. Markets are also watching Trump's trade war, as a 90-day pause on new tariffs nears its end. 'Until then... headlines could have an outsized impact,' said David Sekera of Morningstar. 14:00 Russia warned against any attempt to assassinate Iran's supreme leader, saying it would be 'unacceptable' and risk triggering uncontrollable escalation, Sky News reported. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia would react 'very negatively' if Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were killed, describing the situation as 'extremely tense and dangerous not only for the region but globally.' Speaking in Saint Petersburg, Peskov said regime change in Iran would 'open the Pandora's box' and warned that further escalation would only deepen the regional confrontation. He did not specify how Russia would respond, but said any such act would provoke a strong reaction 'from inside Iran.' 'It would lead to the birth of extremist moods inside Iran and those who are speaking about [killing Khamenei], they should keep it in mind. They will open the Pandora's box.' 13:30 European foreign ministers meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva are expected to relay that the US remains open to direct talks, Reuters reported, citing diplomats. Two diplomats said Araghchi would be urged to send a 'clear signal' by accepting tough restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly signalled willingness to engage directly with Tehran, though Washington has not formally confirmed this. CNN quoted a US official saying President Donald Trump supports European-led diplomacy aimed at reviving talks. The UK, France and Germany and the EU's foreign policy chief met in Geneva ahead of their meeting with Araghchi. The Swiss city hosted the early stages of talks that led to the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Trump withdrew the US from that agreement on 8 May 2018, reimposing sanctions and triggering the collapse of follow-up negotiations. An EU diplomat said: 'The Iranians can't sit down with the Americans whereas we can. We'll urge them to return to the table before the worst-case scenario.' Iran has repeatedly said it will not engage with the US while Israeli attacks continue. 'There is no room for negotiations with the US until Israeli aggression stops,' Araghchi said on state television. 13:15 Thousands of supporters of powerful Iraqi cleric Moqtada Sadr rallied in Baghdad and other cities against Israel's war with Iran, AFP correspondents said. "No to Israel! No to America!" chanted demonstrators gathered after Friday prayers in the Sadr City district of Baghdad, Moqtada Sadr's stronghold in the capital, holding umbrellas to shield themselves from Iraq's scorching summer sun. "It is an unjust war... Israel has no right" to hit Iran, said protester Abu Hussein. "Israel is not in it for the (Iranian) nuclear (program). What Israel and the Americans want is to dominate the Middle East," added the 54-year-old taxi driver. He said he hoped Iran would come out of the war victorious, and that Iraq should support its neighbour "with money, weapons and protests". In Iraq's southern city of Basra, around 2,000 people demonstrated after the prayers, according to an AFP correspondent. Cleric Qusai al-Assadi, 43, denounced Israel's use of Iraqi airspace to bomb Iran. "It is a violation of Iraq's sovereignty," he said, warning against "a third world war against Islam." Echoing the views of Sadr, Assadi said that Iraq should not be dragged into the conflict. Iraq has long attempted to balance ties between Iran and the US, and has only recently emerged from decades of instability following the 2003 US invasion. 13:00 Thousands of people joined a protest against Israel in the Iranian capital after weekly prayers, chanting slogans in support of their leaders, images on state television showed, AFP reported. "This is the Friday of the Iranian nation's solidarity and resistance across the country," the news anchor said. Footage showed protesters in Tehran holding up photographs of commanders killed since the start of the war with Israel, while others waved the flags of Iran and the Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah. "I will sacrifice my life for my leader," read a protester's banner, a reference to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to state television, protests took place in other cities around the country, including in Tabriz in northwestern Iran and Shiraz in the south. 12:45 French President Emmanuel Macron said European powers will present Iran with a 'comprehensive diplomatic and technical offer' to end the escalating conflict with Israel. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot is expected to meet Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Geneva later Friday, alongside UK and German officials. Macron said the proposal includes four points: full IAEA access and zero uranium enrichment; limits on ballistic capabilities; restrictions on financing regional proxies; and the release of foreign detainees. He warned that a nuclear-armed Iran poses an 'existential risk' to Israel, but criticised Israeli strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure, saying 'nothing justifies this'. He added that military action alone cannot eliminate Iran's nuclear programme. "No one seriously thinks that this risk (posed by the Iranian atomic drive) can be responded to only through the operations that are currently underway," he said. "There are facilities that are extremely well protected we do not know exactly where the uranium enriched to 60 percent is." 12:00 Several major US airlines have suspended flights to the Middle East, AP reported. United Airlines said it has indefinitely paused flights between Newark, New Jersey, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. American Airlines announced it is suspending service between Philadelphia and Doha, Qatar, at least through Sunday, and will make 'additional adjustments as needed'. Both airlines said they are monitoring the situation and working to rebook affected passengers. Last week, Delta Air Lines suspended flights to Tel Aviv, where Ben Gurion Airport remains closed to regular scheduled passenger traffic. 11:30 Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi ruled out any negotiations with the United States, calling it a 'partner to Israeli crime against Iran'. 'There is no room for negotiations with us until Israeli aggression stops,' Araqchi told Iranian state television, according to Reuters. 11:15 French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, according to the Guardian, held talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of the planned Geneva meeting with his UK, German, and Iranian counterparts. A French diplomatic source said Rubio conveyed that the United States is 'ready for direct contact with the Iranians at any moment.' 11:00 Seven people were injured during Iran's missile attack on the southern Israeli city of Beersheba earlier this morning. According to a spokesperson for Soroka Medical Centre, quoted by The Jerusalem Post, the individuals sustained minor injuries while rushing to shelters during the barrage. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link: