US President Trump to leave G7 early due to Middle East crisis
US President Donald Trump will leave the G7 summit early on Monday "because of what is happening in the Middle East," the White House announced.
Air defenses activated over Natanz nuclear site
Air defense systems were activated over Natanz, central Iran — home to key nuclear facilities — according to Iranian news outlet Asriran.
Trump says ‘a deal will be signed’ on Iran
Donald Trump said that "a deal will be signed" regarding the conflict between Iran and Israel, without providing further details.
"I think it's foolish of Iran not to sign," said the U.S. president from Canada, where he is attending the G7 summit. "Iran is actually already at the negotiating table, they want to make a deal, and as soon as I leave here, we'll do something."
Powerful explosions heard in Tehran, heavy air defense fire reported
According to several Iranian media outlets, loud explosions were heard in Tehran, accompanied by intense air defense fire.
Netanyahu urges Iranians to rise up against ‘tyranny’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Iranian people to rise up against the "tyranny" ruling in Tehran, saying they will "soon have a chance to be free," in an interview with the London-based channel Iran International.
"A light has been lit — carry it toward freedom," he said. In the 13-minute interview, Netanyahu emphasized that the Iranian people are not an “enemy.”
“We have a common enemy and we are fighting it with resolve. I believe you will soon have a chance to be free,” he added.
“This is good versus evil, and it’s time for good people to stand with good people — the good people in Iran and the good people around the world — against the madness being imposed on all of us by this tyranny,” Netanyahu said.
"I know Iran can reclaim its greatness. It was a great civilization, and this theological thugocracy that has taken your country hostage won’t last long," he stated.
Iran says Israeli attacks are ‘a blow’ to diplomacy
Iranian Foreign Minister and chief nuclear negotiator Abbas Araghchi said that Israeli strikes on Iran "deal a blow" to diplomacy, during a call with his French, British, and German counterparts, as well as the EU’s foreign policy chief.
"The Israeli aggression against Iran, in the middle of nuclear negotiations [with the U.S.], deals a blow to diplomacy," Araghchi said during the call, according to his ministry.
He spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. These three countries and the EU are parties to the 2015 nuclear agreement alongside China and Russia, from which the U.S. unilaterally withdrew.
Washington deploys ‘additional assets’ to the Middle East to strengthen defense posture
The U.S. is deploying “additional resources” to the Middle East to bolster its “defensive posture,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on social media platform X.
“Over the weekend, I ordered the deployment of additional assets to the region,” Hegseth wrote. “These deployments aim to strengthen our defensive setup in the region,” he added, amid reports of increased movements of U.S. Navy ships and aircraft.
President Trump called on Iranian civilians to 'immediately evacuate Tehran' on Monday evening.
"Iran should have signed the "deal" I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social
The Trump administration informed several Middle Eastern allies on Sunday that it does not intend to actively intervene in the war between Israel and Iran unless American nationals are directly targeted, according to two sources from countries that received the message, cited by Axios.
The U.S. media outlet noted that while the U.S. has helped Israel intercept missiles, it has made clear that Israel is carrying out its attacks on Iran independently.
The spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Iranian strikes on Israel will continue until the morning.
Haifa refinery shuts down after Iranian strike kills three employees
Israel's Bazan Group announced Monday that all operations at its Haifa Bay refinery have been halted after an Iranian strike severely damaged a power station used to generate steam and electricity. In a regulatory filing, the company confirmed that three employees were killed in the attack.
Three Iranian Red Crescent rescuers killed in Israeli strike on Tehran
Three Iranian Red Crescent rescuers were killed during an Israeli airstrike in Tehran while they were conducting rescue operations, according to the Mehr News Agency.
Iran launches combined drone and missile attack on Tel Aviv and Haifa
Iran has launched a combined drone and missile offensive targeting Tel Aviv and Haifa, Iranian state television reported Monday night.
Former U.S. Ambassador David Hale: If Hezbollah fires missiles, ‘Israel will bomb Lebanon’
David Hale, former U.S. ambassador and current director of the Lebanon file at the Middle East Institute, told Lebanon’s Al-Jadeed TV that if Hezbollah launches missiles, “Israel will respond by bombing Lebanon.”
He also stated that “it is not in Washington’s interest to become involved in the current conflict between Israel and Iran,” and expressed skepticism over continued Iranian support for the regime.
“Benjamin Netanyahu’s goal is to destroy Iran’s nuclear program. For now, Donald Trump does not want to intervene in the conflict, but an attack on U.S. forces or uranium enrichment could force his hand,” Hale said.
He added that if “Lebanon fails to comply with the ceasefire agreement, the United States may disengage, especially since Lebanese officials have yet to disarm Hezbollah.”
Iran calls for evacuation of Israeli TV channels after strike on its state broadcaster
Iran has called on two Israeli TV channels, N12 and N14, to evacuate their offices following Israel’s airstrike on the Iranian state broadcaster’s building in Tehran, according to Iranian state media.
"This evacuation warning comes in response to the Zionist enemy’s hostile attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s broadcasting service," the report said.
Netanyahu: Israel is ‘changing the face of the Middle East’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a televised press conference that Israel is “changing the face of the Middle East” with its ongoing strikes on Iran.
“We are eliminating them one by one,” he said, referring to what he described as the decapitation of Iran’s security leadership since the launch of Israel’s offensive on Friday.
Netanyahu: Israel ‘well-coordinated’ with US on Iran offensive
Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israeli leadership is “well-coordinated with the United States” regarding its objectives in the offensive against Iran, now in its fourth day.
“We have three main goals: eliminating the nuclear program, eliminating ballistic missile production capabilities, and eliminating the axis of terrorism. And of course, we will do what it takes to achieve these goals,” he said, as quoted by AFP.
Iranian air defenses thwart attack on South Pars gas field
Iranian air defenses have repelled an attempted attack on the South Pars gas field, Iranian news outlet Fararu reported.
South Pars, the world’s largest gas field, is shared between Iran and Qatar. The site was hit by Israel on Saturday, leading to a partial suspension of Iran’s gas production.
Israeli army says it intercepted drones heading toward Israel, which triggered the earlier sirens in the Golan Heights.
Israel’s National Cybersecurity Directorate warned the public on Monday about fake messages sent under the name OrefAlert, urging people not to go to shelters.
The directorate emphasized that these are false messages “designed to spread panic,” clarifying that official communications are never sent in this manner.
U.S. House Speaker Johnson announced the postponement of his planned visit to Israel on June 22, where he was to address the Israeli Parliament.
“Due to the complex situation currently unfolding in Iran and Israel, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and I have decided to postpone the special Knesset session. We hope to reschedule this address soon and send our prayers to the people of Israel and the Middle East,” Mike Johnson said in a statement.
Hezbollah condemns Israeli strike on Iranian state television
Hezbollah’s Media Relations Unit strongly denounced the “heinous crime committed by the Zionist enemy” targeting the Iranian state television building in Tehran, which caused multiple deaths and injuries among journalists and staff present at the site.
Hezbollah expressed its “full solidarity with the institution, its leadership, and its teams,” offering “deepest condolences to the families of the martyrs who fell during this aggression” and wishing a “speedy recovery to the injured.”
“This savage attack is part of a systematic campaign of terror aimed at silencing free and resistant voices, stifling the truth, and breaking the momentum of an aware, faithful Iranian people united behind its leadership,” the statement continued, seeing it as “clear evidence of the enemy’s fear in the face of a reality that free peoples are increasingly perceiving.”
Finally, Hezbollah asserted that this “cowardly crime” will only “strengthen the determination of Iranian media to continue their noble mission and expose the crimes of this savage enemy,” calling on Arab and international media, professional, and human rights organizations “to condemn this inhumane attack and take action to end the repeated aggressions against journalists and press outlets.”
Israeli military and intelligence centers targeted by Iran, says Iranian agency
Key Israeli military and intelligence sites, including the Ramat David Airbase near Haifa, are on Iran’s list of potential airstrike targets, reported the semi-official Iranian Student News Network (SNN) on Monday.
“In the coming hours, a crushing and proportionate response will be carried out as part of legitimate self-defense,” the agency stated.
Iran’s Foreign Minister vows continued strikes on Israel amid ongoing conflict
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared that Iran’s forces will keep “bombarding” Israel until attacks against the Islamic Republic stop, marking the fourth day of an unprecedented conflict between the two adversaries.
“Our powerful armed forces are showing the world that war criminals hiding in shelters in Tel Aviv will not go unpunished for their crimes,” Araghchi wrote on X. “We will continue to bombard these cowards as long as necessary to stop them from firing on our people,” he added.
Iranian air defenses have shot down an Israeli F-35 fighter jet over Tabriz, Reuters reports, citing Iranian media outlet Tasnim.
Iran defends strikes on Israel as 'self-defense' at UN Security Council
Iran’s U.N. Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the Security Council on Monday that Iran’s strikes on Israel are acts of self-defense, describing them as "proportionate defensive operations targeting only military sites and related infrastructure."
In a letter, he warned that any third-party cooperation with Israel’s attacks on Iran "renders them legally responsible for the consequences of this crisis."
According to Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, the Security Council must be promptly informed of any self-defense measures taken by states in response to an armed attack.
Israeli Air Force strikes weapons convoy between Tehran and Qom
The Israeli military recently struck a truck carrying weapons on a highway between Tehran and Qom, according to a statement on X accompanied by footage of the strike.
According to the Israeli army, the truck was transporting a surface-to-air missile launcher. It was targeted and hit just minutes after being identified, the statement said.
The army also released images of earlier strikes on other Iranian trucks transporting weapons earlier in the day.
Israel: Army reports Iranian missile launches targeting north
The Israeli army has reported detecting missile launches from Iran targeting the northern part of the country, triggering air raid sirens across the region.
“A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas of northern Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the army said in a statement carried by AFP.
Netanyahu on possible assassination of Khamenei: 'Israel will do what it must'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with ABC that eliminating Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “would end the conflict, not escalate it.” His remarks come amid reports that U.S. President Donald Trump rejected plans to target Khamenei over concerns it would intensify tensions.
Asked whether Tel Aviv might directly target the Iranian Supreme Leader, Netanyahu responded: “We do what we must.”
“I won’t go into details, but we have targeted their top nuclear scientists,” he added, referring to them as “Hitler’s nuclear team.”
Iran condemns Israeli strike on state TV: 'a vile act and a war crime'
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned the Israeli strike on the building housing the country’s state television, calling it “a vile act and a war crime.”
“The U.N. Security Council must now take action to prevent the genocidal aggressor from committing further atrocities against our people,” said ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei.
The foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom will hold a phone call with their Iranian counterpart on Monday evening, a European diplomatic source told Reuters.
Missile defense systems were reactivated at nuclear facilities in Isfahan in response to a "hostile target," Iranian state television reports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ABC that he is not interested in talks with Iran aimed at de-escalating the conflict.
“I’m not surprised,” he said. “They want to continue these fake negotiations during which they lie, cheat, and manipulate the United States. We have very strong intelligence on this.”
“They want to keep developing their nuclear weapons and ballistic missile arsenal, which they use against our population. They’re trying to maintain these two existential threats against Israel while pretending to negotiate. That will not happen,” he added.
Israeli army informs the public that it is now safe to leave shelters.
Iran has launched missiles toward Israel, triggering warning sirens across the northern part of the country, Haaretz reports.
Since the beginning of the war with Iran, Israel’s Land Tax Authority has processed around 14,000 compensation claims for direct damage caused by Iranian strikes, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said.
The agency has also assisted 2,775 people who were evacuated from their homes. According to the minister, 24 damaged buildings are currently slated for demolition.
Hezbollah MP Moussawi condemns Israeli strike on Iranian state television
Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim Moussawi strongly condemned the "criminal and treacherous aggression" targeting the building housing Iran’s state radio and television broadcaster, calling it a "clear-cut crime," as it targeted "a civilian institution staffed solely by media professionals."
"This criminal and arrogant behavior by Zionism continues with the green light from the United States and under Western cover, which grants it total impunity. In this regard, Washington and all Western capitals become full and true accomplices of the Israeli enemy in all the crimes it commits and the tragedies it causes," he said in a statement.
Germany will begin evacuating its citizens from Israel via the Jordanian capital, Amman, with a charter flight scheduled for Wednesday, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Monday.
“Germans currently in Israel and registered on the Elefand crisis preparedness list have been informed of this option and the relevant procedures,” the spokesperson added.
Trump urges Iran to negotiate 'before it’s too late'
Donald Trump once again called on Iran to “negotiate immediately before it’s too late,” during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
“Iran is not winning this war,” added the U.S. President, who also reiterated that the United States has “always supported Israel,” and stated, “things are going very well for Israel right now.”
“We will strike the Iranian dictator wherever he may be,” said Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, describing Iranian state television as “a source of propaganda and incitement to hatred.”
According to official Iranian media, Iran is preparing to launch "the largest and most intense missile attack in history" against Israeli territory.
'One call from Washington is enough to return to diplomacy,' says Aragchi
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi stated that the Iranian army will not allow “war criminals hiding in shelters in Tel Aviv” to go unpunished. “We will continue to strike these cowards as long as necessary to ensure they no longer fire upon our people.”
“If President Trump is sincere in his desire to resort to diplomacy and end this war, the next steps will be decisive,” he added. “Israel must stop its aggression. In the absence of a complete halt to hostilities against us, our retaliations will continue. A simple call from Washington is enough to silence someone like Netanyahu. That could pave the way for a return to diplomacy.”
Iranian state television resumes live broadcasts after Israeli strike
Iranian state television resumed live programming on Monday after a brief interruption caused by an Israeli strike targeting its building in Tehran, according to a broadcasting official.
"The Zionist regime, enemy of the Iranian nation, carried out a military operation a few minutes ago against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s news network," said Hassan Abedini, adding that "the [Israel] regime does not realize that the voice of the Islamic Revolution [...] cannot be silenced by a military operation."
Hamas representative in Lebanon praises Iranian response and calls for unity
The Hamas representative in Lebanon, Ahmad Abdel Hadi, praised "Iran’s ability to recover from the initial Israeli strike and to carry out a series of painful operations and retaliations that have affected all territories occupied by Israel and disrupted its security and military apparatus."
During a "solidarity" visit to the Iranian embassy in Beirut, he reaffirmed "the Palestinian people's support for Iran" in what he described as a "decisive war."
Hadi also stated that Iran "is currently paying the price for its support of the Palestinian cause," calling the Israeli occupation the "central enemy" of the region. He called for "the unity of all forces and components of the region in the face of Zionist expansionism and its malicious plans."
Loud explosions were heard in the west of Tehran, according to an AFP journalist. A column of black smoke was rising above the site of the explosions in the Iranian capital.
Israel: An Iranian strike on Sunday on an oil refinery killed three Israelis
An Iranian strike on Sunday evening on an oil refinery in Haifa, a city in northern Israel, killed three Israelis, an Israeli official said after military censorship on this information was lifted.
The official confirmed the reports released by Israeli media about the three deaths, without providing further details, AFP reports. Israeli military censorship prohibits the media from publishing or sharing information or images about damage caused to strategic facilities in the country.
Washington is urging its citizens "not to travel" to Israel, according to the State Department
Starmer says there is a consensus within the G7 to call for 'de-escalation' between Israel and Iran
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he believes the G7 leaders gathered in Canada are united in their desire to call for de-escalation between Israel and Iran.
"I think there is a consensus in favor of de-escalation," Starmer told reporters at the summit held in the Canadian Rockies.
Iran issues a warning to the residents of Tel Aviv
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued an "urgent" warning to the residents of Tel Aviv, advising them "to leave the city immediately for their safety and never return."
Israel threatens to "make the Iranian state radio and television disappear."
Iran issues warning to residents of Tel Aviv
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued an “urgent” warning to the residents of Tel Aviv, advising them “to immediately leave the city for their safety and never return.”
Iran seeks to initiate talks with the United States and Israel to end hostilities, according to the WSJ
Tehran is actively seeking to end hostilities and resume discussions on its nuclear program, according to Middle Eastern and European diplomatic sources cited by the Wall Street Journal.
According to these sources, Iran has in recent days sent messages to the United States and Israel via Arab mediators, calling for de-escalation and emphasizing the mutual interest in containing the violence.
Amid Israel’s military campaign of unprecedented intensity, Iranian officials have told their Arab counterparts that they are ready to return to the negotiating table — on the condition that Washington does not participate in the ongoing attacks.
Wall Street rises despite ongoing Israel-Iran escalation
The New York Stock Exchange opened higher, as investors remain confident that the conflict between Israel and Iran will not expand regionally, while awaiting the outcome of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s meeting on Wednesday.
In early trading, the Dow Jones was up 0.48 percent, the Nasdaq gained 0.74 percent, and the broader S&P 500 rose 0.56 percent.
Israeli army calls on residents of District 3 in Tehran to evacuate 'immediately'
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an “urgent” warning to residents of District 3 in Tehran, calling on them to leave the area “immediately.” The message was published in Persian on the social media platform X.
“In the coming hours, the Israeli army will operate in this area to target the Iranian regime’s military infrastructure, as has been the case in recent days around Tehran,” the statement said. “Your presence in this area puts your life in danger.”
This is the first time that Israel has publicly issued such an evacuation order targeting civilians inside Iranian territory.
Iran calls Israeli attack on hospital in western Iran a 'war crime'
The Israeli attack on a hospital in western Iran constitutes a “war crime,” said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, quoted by Reuters.
Prominent Iranians, including 2 Nobel Prize winners, call for 'end to military hostilities'
Leading Iranians, including Nobel Peace Prize laureates Narges Mohammadi and Chirine Ebadi and Cannes award-winning filmmakers Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof, have called for an “end to military hostilities” and a “halt to uranium enrichment” by the Islamic Republic.
"Continued uranium enrichment and the devastating war between the Islamic Republic and the Israeli regime serve neither the interests of the Iranian people nor those of humanity. This conflict not only destroys infrastructure and claims civilian lives, it also constitutes a serious threat to the very foundations of human civilization," they write, along with three other members of Iranian civil society, in an article published in the French daily Le Monde.
'We are on the road to victory': Netanyahu from Israeli air base
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday that the Israeli air force “controls the skies over Tehran” and that Israel was on its way to achieving its two main objectives: eliminating Iran's nuclear threat and military capabilities, Reuters reported.
“We say to the citizens of Tehran: evacuate,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the Tel Nof air base in central Israel. He added, “We are taking action and we are on the road to victory.”
Iran: Security forces announce discovery of Israeli Spike anti-tank missiles
Iranian security forces have claimed to have discovered Israeli-made Spike anti-tank guided missiles on Iranian territory, reported the Nournews agency, close to the Supreme National Security Council, relayed by Reuters.
No details were given on the location or circumstances of the seizure.
Iranian Parliament approves new Economy Minister
Iran's parliament has approved the appointment of Ali Madanizadeh as Minister of Economy and Finance, against a backdrop of severe economic difficulties marked by galloping inflation and a plummeting national currency, reports AFP.
Aged 43, Ali Madanizadeh succeeds Abdolnaser Hemmati, who was ousted several months ago following a vote of no-confidence, accused of failing to curb the economic crisis shaking the country. According to state television, he won the confidence of 171 deputies, against 61 votes against and eight abstentions among those present at the vote in the 290-seat Assembly.
At least 45 women and children killed by Israeli strikes since Friday, according to Tehran
The Iranian government has announced that at least 45 women and children have been killed since the start of the war with Israel, through its spokesperson, Fatemeh Mohajerani, who held a press conference in Tehran on Monday. She added that 75 had also been wounded.
On Sunday, the Iranian Health Ministry reported that at least 224 people had been killed since the start of the Israeli attacks on Friday, adding that 1,277 people had been hospitalized.
The Washington-based NGO Human Rights Activists has estimated that at least 406 people have died and 654 have been injured in Iran over the same period.
The British Prime Minister declined to say whether the UK was aware of an Israeli plan to kill Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly vetoed the plan. Asked whether the U.K. was aware, a spokesperson for 10 Downing Street said he did not wish to comment on “private conversations or intelligence matters,” reports The Guardian.
“We are concerned about further escalation, which is in no one's interest, and we are working closely with our allies to press for a return to diplomacy.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of “endangering the security of the entire region” during a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, reports AFP.
“President Erdogan said that the spiral of violence initiated by Israel's attacks on Iran endangers the security of the entire region, and that the Netanyahu government's illegal attitude poses a clear threat to the international system,” the Turkish presidency said in a statement.
It is “unjustified” to expect Iran to continue to uphold its commitments to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) when the country's rights under the treaty are not being respected and its nuclear facilities are freely targeted by a non-member state, namely Israel, Iran's mission to the U.N. in Vienna said on Monday, according to state media, cited by Reuters.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told his Iranian counterpart, Massoud Pezeshkian, that he is ready to play a “facilitating role” to end the conflict between Israel and Tehran, the Turkish Presidency said.
“During the meeting, President Erdogan stated ... that Turkey was ready to assume a facilitating role to immediately end the conflict and return to nuclear negotiations,” the Turkish presidency said in a statement.
The European Union has ruled that Russia can in no way play a mediating role in the conflict between Israel and Iran, as suggested by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Russia cannot be an objective mediator,” said a spokesperson for the European Commission, Anouar El Anouni. “Russia has no credibility ... Russia constantly violates international law,” he added.
Pakistan has closed its five border crossings with Iran until further notice, after Israeli attacks launched a new round of violence with the Islamic Republic, officials told AFP.
“Crossing at border crossings in the five districts — Chaghi, Washuk, Panjgur, Kech and Gwadar — is suspended,” said Qadir Bakhsh Pirkani, a senior official in Balochistan, the Pakistani province that borders Iran.
The movement of people “is suspended until further notice,” added Atta ul Munim, an executive at the Chaghi terminal, “but trade continues.”
'We need to defend international law and human rights as much as possible': U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
At the opening of the 59th session of the Human Rights Council, UN High Commissioner Volker Turk described the military escalation between Israel and Iran as “extremely worrying,” recalling the need to defend “international law and human rights.”
“I join all those calling for de-escalation and urgent diplomatic negotiations to end these attacks and find a solution,” he added, calling on both sides to “fully respect international law, in particular the protection of civilians in densely populated areas.”
“Israel's aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran could not have happened without the support of the United States,” says Araghchi.
The Iranian foreign minister said in a speech that he had “solid evidence that U.S. forces and bases in the region have aided the Zionist regime in its attacks.”
“We consider the United States to be complicit in these attacks and demand that it take responsibility,” he added, according to the transcript of his speech published on Iran's Foreign Affairs website.
Tehran's Grand Bazaar, the most important market in the Iranian capital, remained closed today, reported an AFP journalist.
The Grand Bazaar's main gate was closed, while most of Tehran's streets were deserted and stores closed except for a few grocery stores, on the fourth day of the military escalation between Iran and Israel.
Iran accused Israel on Monday of targeting hospital in west of the country, denouncing 'war crime'
“Farabi Hospital, located in the western Iranian city of Kermanshah, has been targeted by the Israeli regime's aggressive attacks,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei. “Attacking hospitals, in addition to attacks on residential areas, is a flagrant violation of international law and a war crime,” he added.
Iranian media had earlier reported an Israeli attack on a nearby workshop that caused extensive damage to the hospital.
Israel has no intention of physically harming Tehran's people: Katz
Israel has no intention of deliberately harming the people of Tehran, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said, reversing comments he made on Monday.
“I wish to clarify the obvious: There is no intention to physically harm the inhabitants of Tehran as the murderous dictator does with the inhabitants of Israel,” he stated, according to Reuters.
“The people of Tehran will have to pay the price of dictatorship and evacuate their homes from areas where it will be necessary to attack regime targets and security infrastructure in Tehran,” he added.
The Israeli army claimed to have destroyed “a third” of Iran's surface-to-surface missile launchers.
"More than 50 fighter jets and other aircraft carried out strikes and destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers. This represents a third of the Iranian regime's surface-to-surface missile launchers," army spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin told a news conference.
An Israeli attack in western Iran damaged a hospital, according to Iranian media quoted by AFP.
Iranian media reported that a hospital in western Iran had suffered extensive damage following an Israeli attack in the region on Monday. “As a result of the Zionist criminal regime's attack on a nearby workshop in the town of Kermanshah, Farabi Hospital was also badly damaged,” Tasnim news agency reported, quoted by AFP.
The Fars news agency released a video of the hospital showing shattered windows, collapsed ceilings and extensive damage to patients' rooms.
“No indications of an attack” on the underground part of the Natanz nuclear site, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The underground part of Iran's Natanz nuclear site has not been hit, according to information available to the IAEA following Israel's attack to prevent Tehran from acquiring an atomic bomb.
“There has been no further damage” since Friday's strikes, which destroyed buildings above ground, said the U.N. body's director general, Rafael Grossi, at the opening of an extraordinary meeting at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on Monday.
“There is no indication that there has been a physical attack on the underground hall” that houses the main uranium enrichment plant, he said.
New Israeli attack in western Iran, according to local media quoted by AFP.
Iranian media have reported a new Israeli attack on western Iran. “The Zionist regime violently attacked the fire department building in the municipality of Musiyan,” in the western province of Ilam, Tasnim news agency reported, releasing a video showing smoke rising from the site.
Israeli strikes in Iran have killed at least 406 people since Friday, says NGO
Israeli strikes on Iranian soil since Friday have killed at least 406 people and wounded 654, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Activists organization, quoted by the Associated Press on Sunday.
According to the NGO, which claims to cross-check local reports with a network of sources in the country, the figures cover the whole of Iran.
This provisional toll previously included at least 197 civilians killed, 90 military personnel and 119 unidentified persons. Among the injured, there were 100 civilians, 71 military personnel and 483 other unidentified persons.
For its part, the Iranian Health Ministry said that at least 224 people had been killed since the attacks began on Friday, and that 1,277 people had been hospitalized, specifying that more than 90 percent of the victims were civilians, according to Reuters, although no overall toll has yet been published by the Iranian authorities.
Following the activation of warning sirens in the occupied Golan Heights shortly after 11 a.m. due to “hostile aircraft,” the Israeli army said it had “intercepted a target penetrating Israeli territory from the east.”
Iran urged European countries to halt Israeli attacks on its territory
“Germany, France and England should have very clearly condemned the crimes of the Zionist regime,” according to statements by Iranian diplomatic spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei reported by AFP.
“We naturally expect European countries to put an end to the aggression ... and to condemn the actions of this regime against Iranian nuclear facilities,” the spokesperson added at a press briefing.
The head of Iran's judiciary, quoted by AFP, promises swift trials for Israel's spies.
Israel: Iranian missile strikes have killed 24 people since Friday, according to a new official toll.
Iranian missile strikes on Israeli territory have claimed 24 lives since Friday and the start of Israel's attack on the Islamic Republic, according to a new death toll from the Israeli prime minister's office.
Since midnight, the death toll has risen by 11, according to official figures: 4 in Petakh-Tiqva (near Tel Aviv), 3 in Haifa (north), 1 in Bnei-Brak (suburb of Tel Aviv), 2 dead from the rubble of a strike the previous day in Bat Yam and another dead in an unspecified location at this stage.
Iran promises “more devastating strikes against Israel's vital targets,” reports AFP.
The head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i, has called for speedy trials for those guilty of spying for Israel, local media reported, amid a military escalation between Iran and the Israeli army.
“If a person is arrested because he has links with the Zionist regime and has collaborated with it, his trial and sentence must be pronounced very quickly, in accordance with the law and taking into account the conditions of the war,” said Ej'i, quoted by the Tasnim agency.
China calls on Israel and Iran to take “immediate” steps to ease tensions, reports AFP.
Sirens sound in Beer-Sheva, southern Israel, following the launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen
A ballistic missile has been launched from Yemen in the direction of Israel, the Israeli army has announced.
Sirens sounded in and around Beer-Sheva, in the south of the country, and the Israeli army says it is trying to shoot down the projectile.
US representation building in Tel Aviv hit by Iranian strikes
The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said that a building at his diplomatic representation in Tel Aviv had been slightly damaged following Iranian strikes on the country overnight. There was “some minor shockwave damage from Iranian missile strikes near a branch of the embassy in Tel Aviv,” he wrote on his X account.
Mike Huckabee clarified that the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem would remain closed on Monday as the Israeli authorities' instructions to stay near shelters remained “in effect.”
Iran rejects cease-fire talks while under Israeli attack
Iran has told mediators from Qatar and Oman that it is unwilling to negotiate a cease-fire as long as it is under Israeli fire, an official briefed on diplomatic contacts told Reuters yesterday.
“The Iranians informed the Qatar and Oman mediators that they would only pursue serious negotiations once Iran had completed its response to Israeli pre-emptive strikes,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the conflict.
New Delhi said Monday its diplomats were helping some Indian students relocate to safer places in Iran
“The Indian Embassy in Tehran continuously monitors the security situation and assists Indian students in Iran to ensure their safety,” said a foreign ministry statement quoted by AFP. “In some cases, students are being relocated with the help of the embassy to safer locations in Iran,” the ministry added.
New Delhi, which has relations with both countries, sought to relocate its nationals to Iran after Tehran closed its airspace. There are around 10,000 Indian citizens in Iran, according to government data from last year, while figures for 2022 point to more than 2,000 students in Iran.
Death toll from Iranian night strikes rises to 8
Search and rescue teams found this morning in Haifa, northern Israel, the bodies of three people who had gone missing following Iranian strikes a few hours earlier during the night, Haaretz reports.
The death toll from the strikes of the last few hours now stands at eight, in addition to the 12 people killed in the previous two nights.
Israel warns Tehran residents will 'pay the price' for Iranian strikes on civilians
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Tehran's residents will “pay the price” for Iranian strikes on Israeli civilians, in a message posted on his social networks.
“The boastful dictator of Tehran has turned into a cowardly murderer who deliberately shoots civilians in Israel to dissuade Tsahal from continuing the offensive that is decimating its [military] capabilities. The people of Tehran will pay the price, and soon,” he declared after another night of Iranian strikes on Israel.
'Iran did not start the war and does not want nuclear weapons': Iranian president
“Iran has no intention of developing nuclear weapons, but will pursue its right to nuclear energy and research,” said President Massoud Pezeshkian on Monday, reiterating Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's religious stand against weapons of mass destruction.
Pezeshkian also reiterated that Tehran was not seeking war with Israel, nor had it started it.
Iran says it has hanged Mossad agent arrested in 2023
The Iranian judiciary has announced that it has hanged a man arrested in 2023 and convicted of being an agent of Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence service, on the fourth day of a conflict between the Islamic Republic and its foe.
“Esmaeil Fekri, a Mossad agent convicted of the capital crimes of corruption on earth and moharebeh [war against God] was hanged at the end of the judicial process,” reported the judiciary-linked news site Mizan Online.
Toll of first days of escalation
In Iran, the strikes have killed at least 224 people since Friday and wounded more than a thousand, the Iranian Health Ministry announced yesterday.
On the Israeli side, the toll of Iranian strikes since Friday is at least 16 dead and 380 wounded, according to police and emergency services.
In Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) also claimed that a woman had been killed in the west after a drone, probably Iranian, fell there.
Pezeshkian calls for unity in Iran
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian has called on Iranians to put aside their differences and unite on the fourth day of an Israeli attack that led to retaliatory fire from Tehran towards Israel.
“Every problem and dispute that has existed must be put aside today, and we must stand strong against this genocidal criminal aggression, in unity,” Pezeshkian told his Parliament.
Iran claims to have 'successfully' struck Israel
Iran claimed to have “successfully” struck Israel with a salvo of missiles that hit several cities in the country, promising “more devastating strikes against vital Israeli targets.”
“A new wave of attacks by the Revolutionary Guards ... enabled missiles to successfully and effectively hit targets” in Israel, the Islamic Republic's ideological army said in a statement. It hailed an operation carried out successfully “despite the full support of the United States and Western powers and the possession of the most modern defense technologies.”
The Guardians pledged continued “effective, targeted and more devastating operations against targets vital” to Israel, paying tribute to Mohammad Bagheri, Hossein Salami and Amirali Hajizadeh, the three most senior Iranian military officials killed since the start of Israeli air strikes on Iran on Friday.
Read our ☀️ Morning Brief ☀️ to catch up on what happened during the weekend and what to expect today, particularly concerning the escalation between Iran and Israel.
4 killed, 87 injured in overnight Iranian strikes on Israel
Israeli emergency services reported this Monday morning that four people had been killed and 87 wounded in an updated toll following overnight Iranian strikes.
These caused “the death of four people, two women, two men, all aged around 70” as well as 87 injuries, a 30-year-old woman in serious condition with a facial wound and “5 moderate, 81 light” at four locations in central Israel hit by missile fire, Magen David Adom, Israel's equivalent of the Red Cross, detailed in a statement.
We are now launching our live coverage for today of the war between Iran and Israel, which is entering its fourth day since the violent attacks carried out by the Israeli air force on the night of June 12-13.
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