Latest news with #hypersonicmissiles
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Hypersonic missiles are stirring fears in the Iran-Israel conflict. Here's why
BARCELONA — Iran is boasting that it has hypersonic missiles and says it already has begun firing the cutting-edge weapons at Israel. There is no evidence that Iran has unleashed the missiles, and experts are skeptical of the claim. But the use of these fast-moving projectiles could test Israel's vaunted missile-defense system and alter the course of the fighting between the two bitter enemies.
SBS Australia
2 days ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Khamenei warns Trump of 'irreparable damage' if US intervenes in Israel-Iran conflict
Iran said early Wednesday it fired hypersonic missiles at Israel in the latest round of overnight strikes. Source: EPA / Abir Sultan US President Donald Trump has called for Iran's "unconditional surrender". Trump said there is no intention to kill Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "for now". Iranian officials said 224 people have been killed, while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed in the attacks. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement read by a television presenter on Wednesday that his country will not accept US President Donald Trump's call for an unconditional surrender. In his first remarks since Friday, when he delivered a speech broadcast on state media after Israel began bombarding Iran, Khamenei said peace or war could not be imposed on the Islamic Republic. "Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation, and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender," he said. "The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage." Thousands of people were fleeing Tehran on Wednesday after Israeli warplanes bombed the city overnight, and a source said Trump was considering options that include joining Israel in attacking Iranian nuclear sites. Israel's military said 50 Israeli jets had struck around 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles. A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering a number of options, which included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear sites. Iran had conveyed to Washington that it would retaliate against the United States for any direct participation, its ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said. He said he already saw the US as "complicit in what Israel is doing". The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence says Iran is armed with the largest number of ballistic missiles in the Middle East. Iran has said its ballistic missiles are an important deterrent and retaliatory force against the US, Israel and other potential regional targets. Trump warned on social media earlier on Wednesday that US patience was wearing thin. While he said there was no intention to kill Iran's leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "for now," his comments suggested a more aggressive stance toward Iran as he weighs whether to deepen US involvement. "We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding," he wrote on Truth Social. "We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now ... Our patience is wearing thin." Three minutes later, Trump posted, "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!" Trump's sometimes contradictory and cryptic messaging about the conflict between close US ally Israel and longtime foe Iran has deepened the uncertainty surrounding the crisis. A White House official said Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone on Tuesday after meeting with his national security team about the escalating Middle East conflict. No further details regarding what was discussed during the call were made public. The US is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, three US officials told the Reuters news agency. The US has so far only taken indirect actions in the current conflict with Iran, including helping to shoot down missiles fired toward Israel. Khamenei's main military and security advisers have been killed by Israeli strikes, hollowing out his inner circle and raising the risk of strategic errors, according to five people familiar with his decision-making process. The strikes, which constitute the most dangerous security breach targeting Iranian leaders since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, have prompted the country's cybersecurity command to ban officials from using communications devices and mobile phones, Fars news agency reported. Ever since Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and triggered the Gaza war, Khamenei's regional influence has waned as Israel has pounded Iran's proxies - from Hamas in Gaza to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq. Iran's close ally, Syria's autocratic leader Bashar al-Assad, has been ousted. Israel launched its air war, its largest ever on Iran, on Friday after saying it had concluded the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that. Netanyahu has stressed that he will not back down until Iran's nuclear development is disabled, while Trump says the Israeli assault could end if Iran agrees to strict curbs on enrichment. Before Israel's attack began, the 35-nation board of governors of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years. The IAEA said on Tuesday an Israeli strike directly hit the underground enrichment halls at the Natanz facility. Israel says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in the coming days. But Israel will struggle to deal a knock-out blow to deeply buried nuclear sites like Fordow, which is dug beneath a mountain, without the US joining the attack. Iranian officials have reported 224 deaths, mostly civilians, while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Residents of both countries have been evacuated or fled.
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Iran fires hypersonic missiles at Israel as war enters sixth day
Iran said it fired hypersonic missiles at Israel on Wednesday morning after its capital, Tehran, endured a heavy night of bombing. As the conflict enters a sixth day, US President Donald Trump has again insisted that Washington is playing no part in Israel's bombing campaign. In Tehran, explosions were heard early on Wednesday as Israeli air strikes intensified. Iranian state media reported explosions ricocheting in the Piroozi, Sabalan and Sayyad areas of the city. In retaliation, Iran told residents of Tel Aviv to prepare for an attack, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming its hypersonic Fattah-1 missiles were 'repeatedly shaking the shelters' in the commercial hub of the Israeli city. '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 at 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. Iran has not been publishing regular death tolls from the conflict and according to its last update, issued on Monday, 224 people have been killed and 1,277 others wounded. Iran has retaliated against Israel's air strike campaign by launching some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel since the conflict started on Friday. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the public broadcaster ZDF that if Iran doesn't return to the negotiating table, then 'the complete destruction of Iran's nuclear programme may be on the agenda'. Iran had been negotiating a nuclear deal with the US for two months before Israel launched its assault. The talks, now suspended, were about curbing Tehran's atomic programme, which it insists is for peaceful purposes, in return for sanctions relief. Mr Trump said on Tuesday in a post on social media that 'we now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran', crediting US military equipment for helping Israel gain air superiority.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Iran strikes Tel Aviv with hypersonic missiles as Trump demands ‘unconditional surrender'
TEHRAN, June 18 — Iran said early Wednesday it 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 campaign, but also warned Iran 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 for civilians to leave one district for their safety. The Israeli military later said it struck weapons manufacturing sites and a facility used to make centrifuges in Tehran. Iran told residents of Tel Aviv to prepare for an attack, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming 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 at 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. World powers have scrambled for an offramp, hoping to prevent the conflict from spiralling into a region-engulfing war. In separate phone calls with his Iranian counterpart and US envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday night, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged a diplomatic solution. Trump fuelled speculation about American intervention when he made a hasty exit from the G7 summit in Canada, where the leaders of the club of wealthy democracies jointly called for a ceasefire. Back in Washington on Tuesday, Trump demanded the Islamic republic's 'unconditional surrender'. He also boasted that the United States could easily assassinate Iran's supreme leader. 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He met with his National Security Council to discuss the conflict, ending after an hour and 20 minutes with no immediate public statement. While he has repeatedly vowed to avoid wading into the 'forever wars' of the Middle East, Trump ordered the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to the region along with a number of US military aircraft. US officials stressed he has not yet made a decision about any intervention. Evacuations Despite international alarm, neither side has backed off from the long-range blitz that began Friday, when Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities. Israel claims its attacks have killed senior Iranian commander Ali Shadmani as well as his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid. Residential areas in both countries have suffered deadly strikes since the fighting broke out, and foreign governments have scrambled to evacuate their citizens. More than 700 foreigners living in Iran have crossed into neighbouring Azerbaijan and Armenia since Israel launched its campaign, according to government figures. Among those evacuated were citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, along with others from Germany, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, China and Vietnam, a government source told AFP. The United States said it was closing its embassy in Jerusalem until Friday amid the growing conflict, but there was no announcement about helping Americans leave the 'crisis area'. Fearing violence, many residents of Tehran have fled. On Tuesday, long queues stretched outside bakeries and petrol stations as people rushed to stock up on fuel and basic supplies. A cyberattack on Tuesday crippled Sepah Bank, one of Iran's main state-owned banks, the Fars news agency reported. With air raid sirens regularly screaming over Tel Aviv, some people relocated to an underground parking lot below a shopping mall. 'We've decided to permanently set camp here until it's all clear, I guess,' Mali Papirany, 30, told AFP. Nuclear facilities After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel said its surprise air campaign was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons – an ambition Tehran denies. Iranian media reported several explosions Tuesday in the central city of Isfahan, home to nuclear facilities. The UN's nuclear watchdog said there appeared to have been 'direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls' at Iran's Natanz facility. Israel has maintained ambiguity regarding its own atomic activities, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says it has 90 nuclear warheads. The conflict derailed a running series of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, with Iran saying after the start of Israel's campaign that it would not negotiate with the United States while under attack. French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump had a critical role to play in restarting diplomacy with Iran, where attempts at regime change would bring 'chaos'. China accused Trump of 'pouring oil' on the conflict, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu of being 'the biggest threat to the security of the region'. Since Friday, at least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded, according to Netanyahu's office. Iran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. It has not issued an updated toll since then. — AFP
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Iran says hypersonic missiles fired at Israel as Trump demands ‘unconditional surrender'
Iran claimed 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 campaign, but also warned Iran 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 the Piroozi, Sabalan and Sayyad areas of Tehran. In retaliation, Iran told residents of Tel Aviv to prepare for an attack, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming 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 at more than five times the speed of sound and can maneuver mid-flight, making them harder to track and intercept. Iran also sent a 'swarm of drones' toward Israel, where the army said it intercepted two over the Dead Sea area. World powers have scrambled for an offramp, hoping to prevent the conflict from spiraling into a region-engulfing war. In separate phone calls with his Iranian counterpart and US envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday night, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged a diplomatic solution. Trump fueled speculation about American intervention when he made a hasty exit from the G7 summit in Canada, where the leaders of the club of wealthy democracies jointly called for a ceasefire. Back in Washington on Tuesday, Trump demanded the Islamic republic's 'unconditional surrender.' He also boasted that the United States could easily assassinate Iran's supreme leader. 'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there — We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He met with his National Security Council to discuss the conflict, ending after an hour and 20 minutes with no immediate public statement. While he has repeatedly vowed to avoid wading into the 'forever wars' of the Middle East, Trump ordered the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to the region along with a number of US military aircraft. US officials stressed he has not yet made a decision about any intervention. Evacuations Despite international alarm, neither side has backed off from the long-range blitz that began Friday, when Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities. Israel claims its attacks have killed senior Iranian commander Ali Shadmani as well as his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid. Residential areas in both countries have suffered deadly strikes since the fighting broke out, and foreign governments have scrambled to evacuate their citizens. More than 700 foreigners living in Iran have crossed into neighboring Azerbaijan and Armenia since Israel launched its campaign, according to government figures. Among those evacuated were citizens of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, along with others from Germany, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, China and Vietnam, a government source told AFP. The United States said it was closing its embassy in Jerusalem until Friday amid the growing conflict, but there was no announcement about helping Americans leave the 'crisis area.' Fearing violence, many residents of Tehran have fled. On Tuesday, long queues stretched outside bakeries and petrol stations as people rushed to stock up on fuel and basic supplies. A cyberattack on Tuesday crippled Sepah Bank, one of Iran's main state-owned banks, the Fars news agency reported. With air raid sirens regularly screaming over Tel Aviv, some people relocated to an underground parking lot below a shopping mall. 'We've decided to permanently set camp here until it's all clear, I guess,' Mali Papirany, 30, told AFP. Nuclear facilities After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel said its surprise air campaign was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons — an ambition Tehran denies. Iranian media reported several explosions Tuesday in the central city of Isfahan, home to nuclear facilities. The UN's nuclear watchdog said there appeared to have been 'direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls' at Iran's Natanz facility. Israel has maintained ambiguity regarding its own atomic activities, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says it has 90 nuclear warheads. The conflict derailed a running series of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, with Iran saying after the start of Israel's campaign that it would not negotiate with the United States while under attack. French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump had a critical role to play in restarting diplomacy with Iran, where attempts at regime change would bring 'chaos.' China accused Trump of 'pouring oil' on the conflict, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu of being 'the biggest threat to the security of the region.' Since Friday, at least 24 people have been killed in Israel and hundreds wounded, according to Netanyahu's office. Iran said on Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. It has not issued an updated toll since then.
