Israeli drone strikes a refinery in Iran's South Pars gas field, Iranian news agencies say
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Israeli drone has struck a refinery in Iran's South Pars gas field Saturday, semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported.
If confirmed, it would mark the first Israeli attack on Iran's oil and natural gas industry. Israel did not immediately acknowledge the attack. Such sites do have air defense systems around them, which Israel has been targeting since Friday.
The Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported the strike, saying it happened in Phase 14 of the field.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Iran shares the gas field, which stretches across the Persian Gulf, with Qatar.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Oman's foreign minister says planned talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program 'will not now take place' after Israel's strikes targeting the Islamic Republic.
Badr al-Busaidi made the announcement on social media Saturday. It comes after Iran's foreign minister said any talks would be 'unjustifiable' amid the ongoing attacks. Oman has been mediating the talks.
'The Iran US talks scheduled to be held in Muscat this Sunday will not now take place,' al-Busaidi wrote. 'But diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace.'
A sixth round was due to happen in Muscat, Oman's capital, before the Israeli strikes began Friday.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel's defense minister warned Saturday that 'Tehran will burn' if Iran continues firing missiles, as the countries traded blows a day after Israel launched a blistering surprise attack on Iranian nuclear and military sites, killing several top generals.
The attacks have left Iran's surviving leadership with the difficult decision of plunging deeper into conflict with Israel's more powerful forces or seeking a diplomatic route.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
The ongoing Israeli strikes appear to have halted — for now — any diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. Israel and Iran signaled more attacks are coming despite urgent calls from world leaders to deescalate to avoid all-out war.
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 — which is widely believed to have a nuclear weapons program — said its hundreds of strikes on Iran over the past two days also killed nine senior scientists and experts involved in Iran's nuclear program. Iran's U.N. ambassador 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. The Israeli military urged civilians, already rattled by the war in Gaza sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, to head to shelter for hours. Health officials said three people were killed and dozens wounded.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Iran will pay a heavy price for harming Israeli citizens. 'If (Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn,' Katz said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that his objective was to eliminate any Iranian threat to Israel, but he also urged Iranians to rise up against their leaders.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Strikes could derail nuclear talks
The U.S. and Iran were scheduled to be in Oman on Sunday for their sixth round of indirect talks over Iran's nuclear program. Iran's top diplomat said Saturday the talks were 'unjustifiable' after the Israeli strikes, likely signaling no negotiations this weekend. But he stopped short of saying the talks were canceled.
The comments by Abbas Araghchi, Iran's minister of foreign affairs, 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,' Araghchi said in a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. The U.S. has said it isn't part of the strikes.
There was no immediate word from the White House after Araghchi's comments. On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran to reach a deal with the U.S. on its nuclear program. He warned on social media that Israel's attacks 'will only get worse,' adding that 'Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left.'
Iranian missiles strike Israel
Khamenei signaled in a recorded message Friday that Iran was prepared to keep up its retaliatory attacks on Israel: 'We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed.'
Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel late Friday and early Saturday, and Iranians awoke to state television airing repeated clips of strikes on Israel, as well as videos of people cheering and handing out sweets.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
The Iranian attacks killed at least three people and wounded 76, mostly in and around Tel Aviv, according to two local hospitals. One missile severely damaged at least four homes in the nearby city of Rishon Lezion, according to first responders.
The Israeli military said seven soldiers were lightly wounded when a missile hit central Israel, without specifying where. It was the first report of Israeli military casualties since the initial Israeli strikes.
U.S. ground-based air defense systems in the region were helping to shoot down Iranian missiles, said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the measures.
In Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv, an Associated Press journalist saw burned-out cars and at least three damaged houses, including one whose front was nearly entirely torn away.
Residents of a central Israeli city that was hit Friday night told the AP the explosion was so powerful it shook their shelter door open. 'We thought, that's it, the house is gone, and in fact half of the house was gone,' said Moshe Shani.
Israeli police said debris from the interception of drones and missiles fell in dozens of locations in northern Israel, causing damage and fires but no injuries.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Israel's main international airport said Saturday it will remain closed until further notice.
Indications of a new Israeli attack
Iranian state television reported online that air defenses were firing in the cities of Khorramabad, Kermanshah and Tabriz. Footage from Tabriz showed black smoke rising from the city.
An Israeli military official said Saturday that the military was poised to carry out more strikes in Iran, saying, 'This is not over.' He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with official procedures.
Israel's army spokesman, Brig. Gen. 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.
Defrin said fighter jets struck over 40 'missile-related targets and advanced air defense array systems' across Iran.
Overnight, the sound of explosions and Iranian air defense systems firing at targets echoed across central Tehran. Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported a fire at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Countries in the region condemned Israel's attack, while leaders around the globe called for immediate deescalation from both sides.
'More than a few weeks' to repair nuclear facilities
Among the key sites Israel attacked was Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz. Satellite photos analyzed by AP show extensive damage there. The images shot Saturday by Planet Labs PBC show multiple buildings damaged or destroyed. The structures hit include buildings identified by experts as supplying power to the facility.
U.N. nuclear chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that the above-ground section of the Natanz facility was destroyed. The main centrifuge facility underground did not appear to have been hit, but the loss of power could have damaged the infrastructure there, he said.
Israel said it also struck a nuclear research facility in Isfahan, including 'infrastructure for enriched uranium conversion,' and said it destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers in western Iran. Iran confirmed the strike at Isfahan.
The Israeli military official said that according to the army's initial assessment 'it will take much more than a few weeks' for Iran to repair the damage to the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites. The official said the army had 'concrete intelligence that production in Isfahan was for military purposes.'
Israel denied it had struck the nuclear enrichment facility in Fordo, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Tehran, after an Iranian news outlet close to the government reported the sound of explosions nearby,
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Netanyahu said the attack had been months in the making and was planned for April before being postponed.
Among those killed were three of Iran's top military leaders: one who oversaw the entire armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri; one who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami; and the head of the Guard's aerospace division, which oversees its arsenal of ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
Two of Bagheri's deputies were also killed, Iran confirmed Saturday. On Saturday, Khamenei named a new leader for the Revolutionary Guard's aerospace division: Gen. Majid Mousavi.
___
Lidman and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Natalie Melzer in Nahariya, Israel, and Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Trump is open to regime change in Iran, after his administration said that wasn't the goal
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Sunday sent a series of conflicting messages to Iran — with U.S. officials initially indicating a willingness to resume negotiations after a surprise attack on three of the country's nuclear sites and President Donald Trump talking up the possibility of regime change. 'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' Trump posted on social media. 'MIGA!!!'
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Iranian ambassador says US ‘decided to destroy diplomacy' with strikes on nuclear sites
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran said Sunday that the U.S. 'decided to destroy diplomacy' with its strikes on the country's nuclear program and that the Iranian military will decide the 'timing, nature and scale of Iran's proportionate response.' Iran's U.N. ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, spoke to an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council hours after the U.S. inserted itself into Israel's war against Iran by striking three nuclear sites inside the Islamic Republic.
Toronto Sun
3 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
SHEKARIAN: Canada must confront the tyranny behind the Iran-Israel crisis
HOLON, ISRAEL - JUNE 19: A man looks at the ruins of a building after an Iranian missile strike on June 19, 2025 in Holon, Israel. Iran launched a retaliatory missile strike on Israel starting late on June 13, after a series of Israeli airstrikes earlier in the day targeted Iranian military and nuclear sites, as well as top military officials. Photo by Amir Levy / Getty Images Europe Two embattled strongmen — Benjamin Netanyahu and Ali Khamenei — have brought the world dangerously close to a nuclear confrontation. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account This is not just another flare-up in the Middle East. It's a convergence of egos, extremism, and political self-preservation that has hijacked the futures of two nations and risks igniting a global catastrophe. Both men face internal crises. Khamenei presides over a theocratic regime in terminal decline — haunted by economic collapse, human rights atrocities, and public uprisings like the Women, Life, Freedom movement. Netanyahu, once the symbol of Israeli security, is now best known for gutting Israel's democracy from within. His recent push to neutralize the judiciary, documented in investigations like The Bibi Files, was seen by many Israelis as a ploy to avoid his own corruption trial. The result? Massive protests, fractured institutions, and a prime minister willing to wage war as a political survival tactic. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While the headlines say 'Israel vs. Iran,' the truth is more sinister: This is not a war between nations or cultures. It's a war between two corrupt regimes, each led by men who have demonstrated they will risk everything to cling to power — even if it means aligning themselves with the most extreme, bloodthirsty elements of their countries. To feed their egos and preserve their grip on power, they have found no better allies than their own radicals. And the world is watching it unfold like a spectator sport. Canada, however, does not have the luxury of silence. Why Canada? Why Now? Canada is not just a distant bystander to this crisis. It is home to vibrant Iranian and Israeli diasporas. It is a country that claims to champion international law, peace, and democratic values. And in 2025, it holds the rotating presidency of the G7. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This is a moment of extraordinary responsibility. Canada must lead — not because it's easy or popular, but because the alternative is passivity in the face of global collapse. This leadership must happen both at home and on the world stage. At Home: Inform, Protect, Prepare—and Connect First, we must educate our own public. Canadians deserve to know that this war is not the product of religious or cultural differences, but of authoritarianism and political cowardice. Public broadcasters like the CBC should acquire and air investigative content such as The Bibi Files — a documentary premiered at our own TIFF that unpacks Bibi's corruption and systematic dismantling of Israel's democratic institutions. Equally important, we must teach our youth that peace and harmony between Israelis and Iranians is not only possible — but historically rooted and deeply desired by the overwhelming majority of both peoples. From the ancient legacy of Cyrus the Great — revered by Jews as a liberator and protector — to today's multicultural reality in Canada, we have every reason to believe that coexistence is not a dream, but a shared memory waiting to be revived. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Second, we must protect Canadians. Immigration policy must be leveraged first and foremost to serve the needs of Canadians — especially those with loved ones in crisis zones. For Iranian-Canadian families, this means offering expedited visa processing and emergency pathways for relatives trapped in an increasingly volatile environment. But this must be done with vigilance. The Iranian regime has a documented history of targeting dissidents abroad, including here in Canada. Such measures must be accompanied by the highest level of security screening — ensuring that the generosity of our immigration system does not become a backdoor for foreign operatives intent on surveillance, infiltration, or intimidation. Compassion cannot come at the cost of national safety. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Third, we must prepare. The illusion that Canada is safe by geography is long gone. If the war between Netanyahu and Khamenei escalates, the fallout — cyber, economic, or otherwise — won't respect borders. Canada must meet and exceed its NATO commitments, but not by mimicking American militarism. We must invest in smart defense: Cybersecurity, energy grid resilience, and public crisis readiness. And finally, we must connect. Canada's multiculturalism cannot remain a passive virtue — it must become an active strategy. The government should dedicate funding for civil society and diaspora communities to organize joint cultural events—bringing Israelis and Iranians together through food, music, dance, theatre and dialogue. These moments of shared humanity are not luxuries. They are antidotes to extremism — and Canada must lead in making them possible. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Abroad: Stand for Law—Then Make It Better Canada cannot fix the world — but it can refuse to be complicit in its decay. In a time when international law is ignored with impunity, our role is not to retreat into neutrality but to assert a principled and strategic voice. First, we must uphold international law —not because it is perfect, but because it is all we have. The fundamental paradox of international law is that it seeks to bind sovereign states, yet has no authority above them to enforce compliance—participation remains voluntary, and enforcement, political. Still, that is no excuse for moral surrender. Canada must publicly demand that both Israel and Iran submit to international accountability mechanisms— including the rulings of the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, binding UN resolutions, and independent investigations. As a nation built on the rule of law, Canada must extend that principle beyond its borders — by decisively referring international conflicts to legal mechanisms and insisting on their resolution through lawful means. If we believe in a rules-based order, then we must help lead the world back to one. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Second, Canada must lead the shift toward a new legal order — one that closes the gap between law and enforceability. The 20th century gave us the framework of international law. The 21st must give us the tools to make it matter. Law without enforcement is not justice — it's a soundbite. Canada, leveraging its G7 presidency and global reputation as a rule-of-law nation, must work to refine and expand initiatives like the RN2V, and put forward a modernized framework for international law — one grounded in the lessons of the last century and built for the crises of this one. That work must begin by proposing a doctrine to define and confront what we might call crisis-triggered impunity — the calculated abuse of war, terrorism, or existential threat to override legal and constitutional accountability. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This will not be easy. But neither is watching the world burn while issuing statements of 'deep concern.' If we are serious about defending democracy and peace, then the rules must evolve — and Canada must help write them. A Choice Between Silence and Leadership This moment is not about geopolitics. It's about responsibility. It is tempting to retreat to neutrality. To issue vague, AI-generated calls for 'de-escalation.' To stay quiet because the loudest players in the conflict leave us little space to act. But that is the very path that led to BibiAli's war. And if left unchallenged, it is the path that will lead the world into a war no one survives. Canada has a choice. But the time is running out. And history will remember what we did with it. — Siavash Shekarian is an Iranian-Canadian lawyer, engineer, entrepreneur, and public policy advocate. He is the founder of Catalyst Canada, an initiative of the Canadian Immigration Lawyers Association. Sports Sunshine Girls Canada Relationships Relationships
