Israel “got closer” to its objectives in the war with Iran thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump and his decision to bomb key facilities in Iran's nuclear program, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday evening.
In this war, “we have already achieved a great deal, and thanks to President Trump, we have moved closer to our objectives,” said Netanyahu, referring to the hostilities with the Islamic Republic of Iran launched by Israel on June 13 with the stated aim of destroying Teheran's nuclear and ballistic programs.
Air force fighter jets are currently carrying out strikes targeting military infrastructure in Tehran and western Iran, according to the Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee.
According to our correspondent in the region, Hezbollah organized a motorcade in Baalbeck to condemn the Israeli and American attacks on Iran.
Starting from the Ras al-Imam al-Hussein mosque in Ras al-Ain, the procession drove through the streets of the town, waving Hezbollah and Iranian flags and portraits of Imam Khamenei, Secretary General Naim Qassem and the victims of the Israeli bombardments.
Transport Minister Miri Regev said on Sunday that 65,000 Israelis had already returned to the country, out of some 150,000 who were abroad at the time of the closure of Israeli airspace, according to Haaretz.
At a press conference, Regev said that, as of Monday, flights to foreign destinations would resume. “It has been decided that each outbound flight will carry around 50 passengers, which means that more than 1,000 people a day will be able to depart on the 24 authorized flights a day,” she said.
Regev added that anyone purchasing an airline ticket abroad would also be required to buy a return ticket valid 30 days after purchase, or later, to facilitate the management of the return of the 85,000 Israelis still abroad. “The airlines have been informed, and this is to ensure that we can get everyone home,” she concluded.
Israeli strikes have targeted more than 200 sites in Tehran since the war began on June 13, the governor of the Iranian capital said on Sunday.
“The usurping Zionist regime has attacked more than 200 sites,” the governor, Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian, told state television, adding that more than 120 homes had been "completely destroyed" and another 500 suffered "damage."
At least nine members of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, were killed on Sunday in Israeli attacks on central Iran, local media reported.
“As a result of the aggression of the barbaric Zionist regime and its mercenaries against two military centers in the city of Yazd, seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and two conscripts fell as martyrs,” Tasnim news agency reported, citing a Guardians statement. Others were wounded in the attack, it added. The Fars news agency had earlier reported that Israeli strikes had targeted two military sites in Yazd.
Israel's Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, said “We are continuing to increase the pace of our strikes in line with the operational plan and are prepared to continue for as long as necessary,” reports Reuters.
New explosions were heard in northern Tehran, reports AFP.
According to Israeli airport authorities quoted by Reuters, flights from Israel's airports will partially resume on Monday.
An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, claimed on Sunday that Iran still possesses stocks of enriched uranium despite U.S. strikes against its main nuclear facilities.
“Even if the nuclear sites are destroyed, the game is not over, enriched materials, indigenous know-how and political will remain,” Ali Shamkhani said on the X network. He added that “the political and operational initiative is now on the side of those who act intelligently and avoid indiscriminate strikes. The surprises will continue,” he said.
Netanyahu prays to thank Trump after attack on Iran, as U.S. president “took it upon himself to drive evil and darkness from the world.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday for his military intervention in Iran, during a specially dedicated prayer in front of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City in the afternoon to recite the prayer alongside the site's rabbi.
During the prayer, a video of which was released by the Wailing Wall office, Netanyahu asked God to “bless, protect and help U.S. President Donald Trump, who has taken it upon himself to drive evil and darkness from the world,” reports AFP.
After this short prayer, the Israeli Prime Minister slipped a piece of paper into the interstices of the wall, a centuries-old tradition in this holy place, on which was written “The people of Israel have risen. The people of Israel are alive!” according to a statement from the wall office.
Seven members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and two soldiers were killed in Israeli attacks targeting two military sites in the city of Yazd on Sunday, reports the official Mizan news agency, quoted by Reuters.
(Credit: Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP)
Moroccans carry the flags of Morocco and Palestine during a march in Rabat on June 22, 2025, on the occasion of a national march in support of Palestinians in Gaza and to condemn Israeli attacks on Iran.
Iranian diplomatic chief Abbas Araghchi calls for U.N. Security Council condemnation of U.S. attacks on Iran, according to Iranian state media.
The U.K., France and Germany have declared their readiness to contribute to this objective in coordination with all parties concerned, according to Reuters.
The United States “must receive a response to their aggression,” says the Iranian president.
⚡ British Airways has cancelled flights on Sunday between London's Heathrow airport and Dubai and Doha, following the U.S. strikes in Iran, the airline said.
“Following recent events, we have adapted our flight schedule to ensure the safety of our customers and crews,” said a British Airways spokesperson.
All flights scheduled for Sunday to Dubai and Doha have been cancelled, as have return flights, according to the airline.
“We are contacting our customers to inform them of their options,” the spokesperson added.
Passengers who had planned to travel to and from these destinations by Tuesday are advised to book a later flight.
However, British Airways did not specify when flights would resume, and emphasized that it was continuing to monitor the situation.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced on Sunday that 24 people had been killed in Israel since the start of the operation against Iran on June 13, according to a statement, rectifying a previous toll based on figures provided by local authorities.
“Since the start of Operation +Trained Lion+ ... 24 people have been killed and 1,272 wounded, including 14 in serious condition,” the statement said.
Following an Iranian missile strike on June 15 in Bat Yam, in central Israel, the local town hall had identified a new victim on Thursday, bringing the death toll from the strike to nine, but she had already been included in the total, it emerged on Sunday.
The Israeli army has claimed to have carried out strikes against surface-to-surface missile depots in the Yazd region of central Iran.
According to a statement relayed by the Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, Israeli fighter jets flew over Iranian territory shortly beforehand and targeted storage sites for Khorramshahr-type missiles, capable of reaching long distances.
The Khorramshahr is an intermediate-range ballistic missile with an estimated range of between 1,000 and 2,000 kilometers. It can carry a 1,800 kg warhead, according to information available online.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Sunday that Iran had crossed red lines regarding its nuclear program and must now engage in negotiations.
"Preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is a legitimate step,” he told German public broadcaster ARD, adding that European countries are ready to facilitate possible talks between Tehran and Washington.
(Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP)
An operational timeline of a strike against Iran is displayed following a press conference with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine and U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on June 22, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia.
U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the nation the evening before, after the U.S. military struck three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took part in a demonstration against the U.S. strikes, according to Iranian state television, Reuters reports.
Iran is ready to defend itself “by any means necessary,” the Iranian diplomatic spokesperson said on Sunday, after unprecedented U.S. attacks on nuclear sites.
“Iran is resolutely determined to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security and people by any means necessary,” Esmail Baghai wrote on X, condemning an "inadmissible aggression perpetrated by a nuclear-armed state ... against a non-nuclear-armed country."
Kyiv on Sunday backed U.S. and Israeli strikes against nuclear sites in Iran, calling them a consequence of “aggressive actions” by the Iranian authorities.
“The measures taken by the United States with Israel against Iranian nuclear facilities send a clear signal to the Iranian regime: that it is unacceptable to pursue its policy of destabilizing the security situation in the Middle East,” Ukrainian diplomacy wrote in a statement.
It also claimed that Iran was “complicit” in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and was providing Moscow with “military assistance,” including drones used to bomb Ukrainian territory.
Israeli airspace, temporarily closed on Sunday morning following the U.S. strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities, has been reopened, according to Israeli media.
Israel Railways has announced the reopening of the station adjacent to Ben-Gurion International Airport, while the aviation authority and airlines are preparing for the resumption of repatriation flights.
Russia, China and Pakistan have proposed a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council calling for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire in the Middle East, according to diplomats quoted by Reuters.
A senior U.S. official was quoted in the New York Times as saying that the U.S.-led strike on the Fordow site had not destroyed the heavily fortified facility, but had severely damaged it, rendering it “unusable.”
He added that even twelve bunker-busting bombs would not have been enough to completely destroy the site.
The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday afternoon following the U.S. strikes in Iran, announced Guyana's mission, which is chairing the Council in June.
The meeting, scheduled for 2 p.m., will be the Council's third since the start of the war between Iran and Israel.
Pakistan on Sunday condemned the strikes ordered by Donald Trump against its neighbor Iran, the day after Islamabad announced its intention to nominate the American president for the Nobel Peace Prize. The Pakistani government called the decision to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities a violation of international law, and reaffirmed that only diplomacy could resolve the crisis with Iran.
“The unprecedented escalation of tensions and violence, due to the persistent aggression against Iran, is deeply worrying. Any further escalation would have extremely harmful consequences for the region and beyond,” said the Pakistani Foreign Ministry.
On the same day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by telephone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to express Islamabad's condemnation of the U.S. strikes, according to a statement by the head of government.
Israel struck targets in 10 cities across Iran on Sunday, according to the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars, quoted by Reuters.
According to Reuters, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation condemned Israel's aggression against Iran at the end of a meeting in Istanbul, expressing in a joint statement its deep concern at what it saw as a dangerous escalation.
Israel struck targets in ten cities across Iran on Sunday, according to the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars, quoted by Reuters.
The U.S. State Department has ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. family members and government personnel from Lebanon due to the deteriorating regional security situation, according to an official notice.
Due to ongoing regional events, U.S. citizens are urged to exercise extra caution and carefully monitor information for any significant developments.
On June 16, the U.S. Embassy encouraged U.S. citizens to consider that some airlines had suspended or canceled flights without issuing a call to leave the country. A U.S. citizen we contacted said he had received no further notification from the embassy to date.
Also in his Fox News interview, relayed by Reuters, Marco Rubio asserted that Iran had enough highly enriched uranium to make at least nine or 10 bombs, but that this capacity had now been reduced.
He encouraged China to intervene with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, but said he had no evidence of any Chinese involvement in recent events.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had spoken by phone with his British counterpart, David Lammy, and exchanged views with him on the U.S. strike against Iran, Reuters reports.
The outbreak of the unprecedented war between Israel and Iran over a week ago has raised fears of an economic shock, beginning with a rise in oil prices and its inflationary consequences.
For the time being, the latter have remained contained, despite the prevailing feverishness on the markets and the disruption to air traffic and tourism in the Middle East. Until Saturday's U.S. bombing, followed by the Iranian parliament's vote in favor of closing the Strait of Hormuz - a decision yet to be endorsed by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei - crude oil prices had indeed risen, but were still below the 2024 average of around $81 a barrel. This situation could quickly change if the situation deteriorates further.
IAEA Director Rafael Grossi told CNN that extensive damage to Iran's Fordow nuclear site could not be ruled out, but said he was not in a position to assess the extent of the damage, Reuters reports.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that while several countries have publicly condemned the U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear sites, many privately support the operation.
“A lot of these countries that have issued statements condemning us - privately, they all agree with us that it had to be done,” Rubio said in an interview on Fox News, picked up by Reuters . "They have to do what they have to do for their own public relations. But the only people in the world who are unhappy with what happened in Iran last night is the Iranian regime.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio said that regime change was not the U.S. goal, again according to Reuters.
An Israeli first-aid organization announced that it had treated 23 wounded after missiles were fired from Iran, while public television broadcast images of extensive damage “in the center” of Israel.
A total of 23 people were wounded nationwide in the attacks, including “two in moderate condition and the rest slightly injured”, Eli Bin, head of Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's equivalent of the Red Cross, told reporters.
Earlier in the day, this rescue service had reported 16 wounded, as operations continued to help the victims of the night's strikes.
The SHANA news agency, affiliated with the Iranian Oil Ministry, denied reports that oil installations had been targeted in the Ahvaz and West Karoun regions.
Iran asserted that there was “no danger” for the population living near the nuclear facilities attacked overnight by the United States.
"There is no danger for the inhabitants of our nuclear zones. Residents of Natanz, Isfahan and Fordo can continue to live normally," government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told state television.Iran asserted that there was “no danger” for the population living near the nuclear facilities attacked overnight by the United States.
"There is no danger for the inhabitants of our nuclear zones. Residents of Natanz, Isfahan and Fordo can continue to live normally," government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told state television.
Iran's parliament has approved the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a decision that the country's supreme security body still has to validate before it comes into force, according to Press TV, reported by Reuters.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council has yet to make the final decision. And MP and Revolutionary Guard commander Esmail Kosari told the Young Journalist Club that closing the strait is on the agenda and “will be implemented if necessary”.
Approximately 20 percent of the world's oil and gas demand passes through this strategic strait.
Qatar's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has announced that it has not detected any abnormal levels of radiation in the country's airspace or territorial waters, following the U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, according to the official Qatari news agency quoted by Reuters.
The current threat to U.S.-associated commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden is considered high, the UKMTO reports Reuters, adding that it comes against a backdrop of continuing hostilities between Israel and Iran.
In his NBC interview, U.S. Vice President Vance again stated that the U.S. has put off Iran's nuclear program for a very long time, reports Reuters.
According to him, the “final decision” on strikes in Iran was made just before they were carried out, adding that the US is ready in the event of Iranian retaliation.
“We want to discuss with Iran a long-term settlement,” he said, adding that the U.S. does not want regime change and that the country had no interest in deploying ground troops, as Trump had previously stated. Vance also said that he was not concerned that this would become “a protracted conflict.”
Vance said that U.S. intelligence had motivated U.S. action against Iran, adding that it was wrong to say that Trump's actions had exceeded his presidential powers. “We will now work to permanently dismantle Iran's nuclear program over the next several years,” he asserted.
Maersk's ships continue to sail in the Strait of Hormuz, but the company is ready to reassess the situation as information becomes available, the group said in a statement, following the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities overnight.
“We will continuously monitor the security risk for our specific vessels in the region and are ready to take operational measures if necessary,” said the Danish container shipping company.
Iranian air defenses were activated in Esfahan, reports the Mehr agency. Earlier, air defenses had been activated east of Tehran and in the province of Yazd, while a powerful explosion was heard in Bouchehr, home to a nuclear power plant.
No information was immediately available about these bombings.
From the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth again asserted that the mission was not linked to regime change in Iran.
In terms of response, he acknowledged that “anything can happen in times of conflict,” but said that the scale of the operation had been deliberately limited. He added that he could only confirm the existence of messages, both public and private, sent directly to the Iranians.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said in an interview on NBC that the U.S. had destroyed Iran's nuclear program, adding that Washington was “not at war with Iran, but with its nuclear program.”
Vance went on to say that Iran's ballistic missile program had failed. He also indicated that the United States had received certain indirect messages from Iran.
In his view, Donald Trump did make the decision to strike Iran “lightly, but it offers an opportunity to reset relations and discussions with Iran.”
At the same press briefing, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Dan Caine announced that the operation had been dubbed “Midnight Hammer.”
General Caine added that the U.S. was not aware of any Iranian fire aimed at U.S. warplanes as they penetrated Iranian airspace. He said that 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (GBU-57) were dropped on Iranian targets at around 2.10 a.m. local time, followed by Tomahawk missiles, the last to strike.
Seven B-2 stealth bombers were used for these strikes, making it the largest-ever strike involving these aircraft. In total, around 75 precision weapons were used by U.S. forces during the strike, along with 125 U.S. military aircraft.
The U.S. military remains on high alert, added the military official, who felt that retaliatory strikes would be “a bad move” for Tehran.
“No other army in the world could have done that,” he added.
At a Pentagon press conference, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcomed the “incredible, overwhelming success” of overnight U.S. strikes against Iran, saying they had “devastated the Iranian nuclear program.”
He pointed out that the operation had not been aimed at military targets or the Iranian population, and that Iran's nuclear ambitions had been “wiped out.”
According to him, “when this president speaks, the world should listen,” adding that Donald Trump seeks peace and that Iran should follow this path.
Hegseth also revealed that the strike plan had required “months of preparation, in order to be ready when the president gave the order.”
Dozens of demonstrators marched in Seoul, chanting slogans against U.S. strikes on Iran.
Demonstrations against U.S. involvement in the Israeli-Iranian conflict also took place in Tokyo and Manila.
Further rallies are planned later in the day in front of the White House in Washington, as well as in Paris and New York.
Aspides, the European Union's naval mission, has advised ships to avoid access routes to Yemen's territorial waters, after Houthi rebels deemed U.S. strikes on Tehran a “declaration of war on the Iranian people.”
This assessment is reinforced for ships with American and Israeli interests transiting the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, according to a statement published by Reuters.
Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi said the growth of Iran's nuclear industry would not be halted, adding, "This is not the first time our facilities have been attacked. Given our capabilities, the nuclear industry must continue."
According to the Iranian media, air defenses were activated in the provinces of East Tehran and Yazd, while new strikes targeted Iranian territory.
A powerful explosion was also heard in Bouchehr, in southern Iran, according to the Shargh newspaper's Telegram account, quoted by Reuters.
Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian asserted that the American attack proved that Washington was the main instigator of the Israeli strikes, adding that the United States had intervened directly after seeing Israel's impotence.
He also said that the Iranian people had repeatedly demonstrated that they would spare no effort to defend the country's water and land.
Switzerland has urged all parties to show the utmost restraint and immediately return to diplomacy after the United States joined Israel's offensive against Tehran by striking Iranian nuclear sites.
“Switzerland is deeply concerned by the dangerous escalation between Israel and Iran since June 13, including the attacks carried out [Sunday] by the United States,” the Foreign Ministry said on its website.
Berne “stresses the importance of respecting international law, including the U.N. Charter and international humanitarian law.”
“Switzerland calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect the civilian population and civilian infrastructure, and to return immediately to diplomacy,” the statement added.
The U.S. strikes on the nuclear sites caused no casualties, according to the Iranian Red Crescent, reports AFP.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the U.S. attack on Iran, saying it is a serious violation of the U.N. Charter.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi has ordered the government to ensure the availability of commodity reserves, amid growing tensions in the region, according to a presidential statement quoted by Reuters.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks this morning with the King of Jordan and the Sultan of Oman, according to Downing Street quoted by Reuters.
He reiterated that Iran's nuclear program posed a “serious threat to international security.” The three leaders agreed that Iran must return to the negotiating table, according to the minutes of the calls.
The Fordow attack injured “several people,” according to the Tasnim news agency, media arm of the Revolutionary Guards, quoted by the New York Times.
“So far, the site poses no radiation risk to residents, even those living within 500 meters of the facility,” Qom governor Akbar Behnamjoo told Tasnim.
Iran reports that the paramilitary Basij force has intensified its patrols in urban centers.
President Donald Trump has no public events scheduled for today, as he and his team closely monitor the Iranian reaction to his decision to launch strikes against three Iranian nuclear sites, according to CNN.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are scheduled to brief the press on the US operation from the Pentagon at 8:00 a.m. EST (3:00 p.m. in Beirut).
9,000 Israelis evacuated from their homes since start of Israel-Iran war
The Federation of Local Authorities in Israel reports that around 9,000 people have been forced to leave their homes since the start of Israel's operation against Iran on the night of June 12-13, reports the Times of Israel. Thousands of people are staying in hotels, while others have taken refuge with relatives or friends, according to the site.
Nearly 5,000 people were evacuated three days ago, according to the same authority.
According to the French presidency, Emmanuel Macron met with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the Sultan of Oman to take stock of the situation in the Middle East following the latest US strikes in Iran.
The French head of state will continue his contacts in the coming hours with his European partners and several regional leaders.
Also, according to the Élysée Palace, President Macron will chair a Defense Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East on Sunday evening.
Russia strongly condemns U.S. attacks on nuclear sites in Iran, deeming the irresponsible U.S. decision to target Iran a violation of international law, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, Reuters reports citing Russian agencies TASS and RIA.
The Russian Foreign Ministry considered that the risk of conflict in the Middle East had increased considerably, and called for an end to aggression and a strengthening of efforts to create the conditions for a return to the political and diplomatic path.
US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities have increased the risk of the regional conflict spreading to a global scale, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has said, adding that Ankara is deeply concerned about the possible repercussions of the attacks.
In a statement, the ministry said the conflict must not be allowed to spill over into a wider global war, calling on all parties to act responsibly and end the attacks immediately.
It said that only negotiations could resolve the nuclear conflict between Tehran and Washington.
“Humanity cries out for peace,” says Pope Leo XIV in the wake of the U.S. strikes on Iran.
The United Arab Emirates' nuclear regulatory authority has said there is no impact on the country after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to a statement from the official agency picked up by Reuters.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says he called for “de-escalation” in a meeting with the Iranian president.
Modi wrote on X that he has spoken with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian.
"We discussed the current situation in detail. I expressed my deep concern over the recent escalations. I reiterated our call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward, as well as a swift restoration of peace, security and stability in the region."
The American strikes in Iran were coordinated with the Israeli army, according to a spokesperson for the latter, quoted by Reuters.
Saudi Arabia is on high security alert following the U.S. strikes against Iran, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Paris, concerned by the U.S. strikes on Iran, is urging “restraint,” according to statements by Jean-Noël Barrot, the head of French diplomacy, reported by AFP.
Egypt condemns “escalation” with “dangerous repercussions” for the region, following U.S. strikes on Iran.
The Kremlin has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no intention of speaking to U.S. President Donald Trump following the U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, but added that the call could be quickly arranged, state news agency TASS reported, Reuters reports.
Asked about a possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Abbas Aragchi said Iran has “various options,” Reuters reports.
He warned, "Wait for our response first. When the aggression stops, then we can consider diplomacy."
The United Arab Emirates has called for an immediate halt to the escalation to “avoid serious repercussions” in the region following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Reuters reports.
They warned that such actions could lead the region to “new levels of instability,” according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.
Abbas Araghchi also announced, according to Reuters, that he was traveling to Moscow in the afternoon to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He said he would have serious consultations with him on Monday, stressing that Iran has a “strategic partnership” with Russia.
At a press conference in Istanbul, Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, reiterated that “the door of diplomacy should always remain open, but this is not the time” to negotiate, stating that it would be pointless to ask Iran to return to the negotiating table.
He accused the United States of having “betrayed diplomacy and negotiations” and claimed that Washington only understands the language of threats and force.
Araghchi added that Iran's nuclear facilities had been “attacked on the basis of a false pretext,” and that Iran had done nothing wrong. He emphasized that the United States had crossed a major red line, demonstrating its contempt for international law.
He also criticized the failure of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to protect Iran, questioning why Tehran should still have confidence in it, while making it clear that he was not in a position to reveal whether Iran would withdraw from it.
Araghchi went on to say that Iran should respond to the U.S. strikes on the basis of its rights, indicating that the extent of the damage was currently being assessed.
The Israeli army announced it had intercepted 30 Iranian drones last night, and more than 500 drones have been shot down since the start of the war last week, according to a statement reported by Haaretz.
The IAEA, quoted by Reuters, said that, in addition to the four buildings already targeted by Israel at Isfahan, six other facilities on the same site had now been affected, including a fuel rod production unit.
It pointed out that the sites targeted at Isfahan contained no nuclear material or only small quantities of natural or low-enriched uranium, and that radioactive contamination at this site is “limited to damaged or destroyed buildings.”
Any attempt to target Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei would close the door on any agreement or negotiation, and result in an “unlimited” response, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi strongly condemned the U.S. strikes, calling them a “violation of international law.”
He said the United States bore full responsibility for the consequences of “this act of aggression.” Araghchi accused U.S. President Donald Trump of having “not only betrayed Iran, but also deceived his own nation.” He assured that Tehran would continue to defend its sovereignty and its people.
He also held the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its director, Rafael Grossi, responsible for “paving the way for this aggression.”
He called on the IAEA Board of Governors, due to meet on Monday, to condemn the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Iranian authorities have arrested 53 people they say have links to Israel and have been accused of disturbing public opinion, owning and using drones, filming sensitive locations and sending the footage to “hostile media,” Iran's Fars news agency reported.
The arrest took place in the southern Iranian province of Fars, near the Persian Gulf.
The Revolutionary Guards said that the number, dispersion, and size of U.S. military bases in the region are not a strength but rather a “point of vulnerability,” reports Reuters.
“We firmly affirm that Iran's indigenous and peaceful nuclear technology cannot be destroyed by any attack,” they continued, noting that “the flight paths of the aircraft involved in this aggression have been identified and are under surveillance.”
The Revolutionary Guards also said that “the United States has neither the initiative nor the ability to escape the consequences of a severe response.”
Washington has placed itself directly “on the front line of aggression” by attacking peaceful installations, they stressed, pointing out that the “invaders” must now expect responses that will earn them regret.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the negotiating table was the only way to end the Middle East crisis, noting that Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons.
“Iran must never acquire the bomb,” von der Leyen wrote in a message posted on X.
"As tensions in the Middle East reach a new peak, stability must be the priority. Respect for international law is essential," she added.
She also felt that "the time has come for Iran to commit to a credible diplomatic solution. The negotiating table is the only place where this crisis can be brought to an end."
Iran calls for emergency UN Security Council meeting following U.S. strikes, according to semi-official Mehr News agency
Iran's envoy to the U.N., Saeed Iravani, has sent a letter to the U.N. Security Council aimed at “maintaining peace,” in which he calls for an emergency region “to examine the blatant and illegal act of aggression by the United States, condemn it in the strongest possible terms and take all necessary measures, particularly with regard to the use of nuclear weapons.”
The spokesperson for the Israel Airports Authority said he was preparing for the reopening of Israeli airspace at 2 p.m., after it was closed following the overnight U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Repatriation flights will resume, allowing Israeli citizens stranded abroad to return home.
Earlier in the day, the Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, and Israir had announced that they had suspended all repatriation flights until further notice.
Araghchi: How could Iran return to something [negotiations] it never left?
In a statement posted on his X account, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel last week and the United States last night of “blowing up” negotiations, which his country has “never left,, in response to comments by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Union head of diplomacy Kaja Kallas, calling on Iran to return to the negotiating table.
"Last week, we were in negotiations with the United States, when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3 [Germany, France, UK ]/EU when the U.S. decided to blow up this diplomacy," he said.
"What conclusion would you draw? For the UK and the EU High Representative [Kaja Kallas], it's up to Iran to “come back” to the table. But how can Iran return to something it never left, let alone destroyed?" he denounced.
A senior Israeli official told Axios journalist Barak Ravid that “it's too early to know exactly what the results of the US strike in Iran are.”
“What is certain is that Iran's nuclear program has been delayed by several years,” he added.
The senior official noted that if, after the U.S. strike, a good agreement is reached with Iran, it will be “the end of history” for Iran's nuclear program.
If no nuclear deal is reached and Iran tries to rebuild its nuclear facilities, Israel will strike again, as it did against Iran's attempts to establish a foothold in Syria and Hezbollah's efforts to rearm in Lebanon, he stressed.
Military escalation in the Middle East risks plunging the region and the world into a “war with irreversible consequences,” said the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross after U.S. strikes on several Iranian nuclear sites.
Germany calls on Iran to "immediately enter into negotiations" with the U.S., reports AFP.
Israeli airspace will reopen on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for landings, the Israel Airports Authority said, according to Reuters.
Damage to Iranian nuclear sites under inspection: Israeli army
The Israeli army has estimated that substantial damage has been inflicted on the Iranian nuclear sites attacked by the U.S. on Saturday night, noting that the extent of the damage is still being inspected, according to Haaretz.
The troop added that it was resuming its planned strikes against the Islamic Republic.
Iran calls for investigation into US strikes on its nuclear sites
Iran is calling for an investigation into U.S. strikes targeting its nuclear sites, its nuclear program chief, Mohammad Eslami, said in a letter to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi.
He urged him to condemn the U.S. action and take appropriate measures, according to the Iranian news network SNN, quoted by Reuters.
Eslami criticized Grossi for his “inaction and complicity,” adding that Iran would take the appropriate legal steps to deal with the matter.
Grossi said today that he was calling an emergency meeting of his agency's 35-member Board of Governors after the U.S. announced that it had carried out military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iranian opposition in exile calls for Khamenei's 'departure'
Maryam Rajavi Javi, head of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the exiled opposition to the Tehran government, has said that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who is responsible for the nuclear program and has now “gone up in smoke,” must go.
"Now Khamenei must go. The Iranian people welcome the end of the war and aspire to peace and freedom," she said following the U.S. strikes in a statement, reported by Reuters.
“Khamenei is responsible for an unpatriotic project which, in addition to costing countless lives, has cost the Iranian people at least $2,000 billion, and today, all that has gone up in smoke,” she said again.
Four days ago, Javi called for the “overthrow of the regime by the Iranian people and their resistance.”
Bahrain asks most of its civil servants to work from home after US strikes against Iran
Bahrain, which hosts a major U.S. military base, has asked most of its civil servants to work from home after the U.S. strikes against Iran.
“Given the regional circumstances and the latest developments ... a remote working system will be activated in ministries and government agencies, with a home working capacity of 70 percent,” the official news agency announced, quoted by AFP, saying the measure would be in force “until further notice.”
Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels said they considered the U.S. strikes “a declaration of war” against the Iranian people.
“The reckless Trump administration's aggression against three Iranian nuclear sites is a blatant declaration of war against the brotherly Iranian people,” the Houthi government said in a statement, adding that its armed forces were ready “to target American ships and vessels in the Red Sea.”
Israeli army announces attack on 2 Iranian fighter jets
In a statement, the Israeli army said it had attacked “two F-5 fighter jets belonging to the Iranian armed forces” at Dezful airport in eastern Iran. Earlier in the day, it had announced that it had targeted eight missile launchers, “six of which were ready to launch missiles into Israeli territory immediately.”
On Saturday, the Israeli army reported that around 20 Israeli fighter jets had struck “dozens” of military targets across the Islamic Republic, including arms depots and military infrastructure at Isfahan airport.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry said on X that “dangerous tensions” following the U.S. strikes against Iran would lead to “catastrophic repercussions” both regionally and internationally, according to Reuters.
“The bellicose U.S. government will be held accountable for the very dangerous consequences of its aggression against Iran,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in Nournews, according to Reuters.
The European Union's head of diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, has called for de-escalation and a return to negotiations following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, reports AFP.
“I urge all parties to take a step back, return to the negotiating table and avoid any further escalation,” Kallas wrote on X, adding that Iran must not develop nuclear weapons and that EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation on Monday.
According to a message posted on the Grand Serail account, Salam called Aoun, to discuss the latest “dangerous developments in the region and their potential repercussions on Lebanon.”
“It was agreed to keep the channels of communication open between the two parties and to work jointly to spare Lebanon from the repercussions of these situations, to give priority to the supreme national interest and to preserve national unity and solidarity,” the text reads.
Salam also met with Defense Minister Michel Menassa, Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar and Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, “to coordinate efforts and take all necessary security measures to maintain internal stability and safeguard national security in this delicate phase.”
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed on X that “in the face of the dangerous escalation of military operations and the risks of their repercussions on the entire region, it is increasingly important that we strictly adhere to the supreme national interest, which requires avoiding involving or dragging Lebanon in any way whatsoever into the ongoing regional confrontation.”
“Awareness of our supreme national interest is our most powerful weapon in these delicate circumstances,” he added.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun stressed, according to a message on X from Baabda, that Lebanon no longer wants to pay the price for wars on national territory and in the region.
“The Lebanese leaders, parties and people are aware today, more than ever, that they have paid dearly for the wars that have broken out on their territory and in the region, that they are not willing to pay any more and that they have no national interest in doing so, especially since the cost of these wars has been and will be greater than their ability to bear them,” the text reads.
The Head of State also said that the United States' bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities “raises fears of an aggravation of tensions threatening the security and stability of more than one region and more than one country,” calling for “restraint and the launch of constructive and serious negotiations to restore stability in the countries of the region and avoid further killing and destruction.”
A senior Iranian source told Reuters that personnel at the Fordow nuclear site had been reduced to a minimum and that most of the highly enriched uranium there had been transferred to an undisclosed location before the U.S. attack.
Oman, which plays the role of mediator between the U.S. and Iran in nuclear talks, has condemned U.S. strikes against nuclear facilities in Iran, calling for de-escalation, reports AFP.
The sultanate condemns “this illegal aggression” and calls for “immediate de-escalation,” said a spokesperson for the Omani Foreign Ministry, quoted by the official news agency, adding that “the action taken by the United States threatens to widen the scope of the war and is a serious violation of international law.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, plans to convene an emergency meeting of its board of governors on Monday, agency chief Rafael Grossi said in a message posted on social media X.
The head of Iran's parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, Abbas Golroo, wrote on X that “based on Article 10 of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has the legal right to withdraw” from the treaty.
This article states that “each Party, in the exercise of its national sovereignty, has the right to withdraw from the Treaty if it decides that extraordinary events, related to the subject matter of this Treaty, have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country.”
Withdrawal must, however, be notified “three months in advance to all other parties to the treaty and the United Nations Security Council.”
Saudi Arabia has expressed its “great concern” following the U.S. attacks on Iran's nuclear sites, according to a Foreign Ministry statement, reports Reuters.
The kingdom called on the international community to redouble its efforts in these “very sensitive circumstances” to reach a political solution to end the crisis.
Rescue workers at the site of an Iranian strike in Ness Ziona, central Israel, on June 22, 2025. (Credit: Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on Iran to return to the negotiating table after U.S. strikes on nuclear sites, and said security in the Middle East must remain “a priority,” according to a Downing Street statement published by Reuters.
"Iran's nuclear program is a serious threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, and the U.S. has taken steps to reduce this threat," the text added.
Iran says US will stop at nothing to support Israel
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has said that the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites demonstrate that the U.S. will stop at “nothing” to support Israel in its war against Iran.
“It is now abundantly clear to everyone that the regime that enjoys permanent membership of the Security Council does not respect any principle or morality and does not shrink from any illegality or crime to serve the objectives of a genocidal occupation regime,” the ministry said in a press release, referring to the U.S. and then Israel.
The U.S. administration is preparing for the possibility of Iranian retaliation in the coming days.
Two security officials and a senior White House official told NBC News that the next 48 hours are considered particularly critical.
According to these sources, it remains unclear whether Iran will choose to strike U.S. targets abroad, on U.S. soil or both.
Two sources familiar with military planning reported earlier this week that Iran has contingency plans to attack U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East if necessary. However, no signs of immediate preparation have been detected at this stage.
An Israeli first-aid organization announced on Sunday that it had taken care of 16 wounded after missiles were fired from Iran, while public television broadcast images of extensive damage “in the center” of Israel.
Rescue workers “provided medical care and evacuated 16 wounded to the hospital, including a 30-year-old man in moderate condition”, said a statement from Magen David Adom, an Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross, without specifying where the injuries had occurred.
Israeli media quoted by Reuters had said that the missiles targeted Haifa, Nes Ziona, Rishon Letzion and Tel Aviv.
Iraq condemns 'military escalation' that 'threatens peace in Middle East'
The Iraqi government has condemned U.S. strikes on nuclear sites in Iran as a “military escalation” that “threatens security and peace in the Middle East” and “seriously jeopardizes regional stability.”
“Military solutions are no substitute for dialogue and diplomacy,” said government spokesperson Bassem Alawadi in a statement, adding that continuing the strikes “would lead to a dangerous escalation whose repercussions would go beyond the borders of any state.”
In Lebanon, an Israeli interceptor missile fell in an area between the villages of Mais al-Jabal, Houla and Shaqra, in the southern Lebanese district of Marjayoun, without causing any damage or casualties, according to our correspondent in the region.
A NATO official told Reuters that the alliance was closely monitoring the situation following the U.S. strikes on Iran.
Asked about the alliance's reaction to the strikes and their possible impact on NATO's non-combat advisory and capacity-building mission in neighboring Iraq, the official said, “Of course, we're following the situation closely.”
Kuwait said its nuclear defense center had detected no increase in radioactive traces in Kuwaiti airspace and waters following U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, the country's national guard said in a message posted on X.
Following the impact in the Haifa area, after no sirens were activated in the city during the first barrage fired by Iran this morning, the Home Front Command said it was “aware and the incident is being investigated,” reports Israeli media ynetnews.
The Israeli army announced new series of strikes in western Iran
The Air Force “has begun a series of strikes against military targets in western Iran,” says a military statement.
“This morning, it also struck missile launchers ready to fire on Israeli territory, as well as soldiers of the Iranian armed forces, and quickly neutralized the launchers that had fired missiles towards Israel shortly before,” adds the text, on the tenth day of the war between Israel and Iran.
The Iranian authorities also executed a man this morning, convicted as an agent of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service, the judiciary announced.
“Majid Mosayebi was hanged this morning after all the criminal proceedings had been completed and his conviction confirmed by the Supreme Court,” said the Iranian judicial website Mizan, adding that the man had been involved in providing “sensitive information ... to Mossad.”
The Iranian authorities have made numerous arrests of people suspected of spying for Israel since the latter's attack on June 13.
Iran says it targeted Ben Gurion airport, other sites in its latest wave of missile strikes on Israel
Iran's armed forces said they had targeted several sites in Israel, including Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv.
“The twentieth wave of Operation Honest Promise 3 began using a combination of long-range liquid and solid fuel missiles with devastating warhead power,” the armed forces said in a statement quoted by Fars news agency.
Targets included the airport, a “biological research center,” logistics bases and several levels of command and control centers.
Israeli airspace was closed after the U.S. strikes.
'No rise in radiation levels reported' in Iran after US attack: IAEA
“No increase in radiation levels has been reported” in the vicinity of the three Iranian nuclear sites targeted by U.S. air strikes on Sunday, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA].
The U.N. body “will provide further assessments of the situation as soon as more information becomes available,” it added on X.
During the night, the Saudi Arabian nuclear regulatory authority had also stressed that no radioactive traces had been detected in the environment of Saudi Arabia or other Gulf Arab states, in a message published on X.
The Iranian authorities said that there was “no danger” for the population of Qom and areas close to the Fordo uranium enrichment site.
After Iranian threats following the strikes that any U.S. citizen or serviceman in the region was now a “legitimate target” of Tehran, the U.S. embassy in Iraq has further reduced its staff, said a US official quoted by AFP.
At least 11 injured in Iranian strikes, extensive damage in central Israel
An Israeli first-aid organization announced that it had treated 11 wounded after missiles were fired from Iran, while public television broadcast images of extensive damage “in the center” of Israel.
According to media reports quoted by Reuters, the missiles targeted Haifa, Nes Ziona, Rishon Letzion and Tel Aviv.
Rescue workers “provided medical care and evacuated 11 wounded to the hospital, including one in moderate condition,” said a statement from Magen David Adom, Israel's equivalent of the Red Cross, without specifying where these people had been injured.
Public broadcaster KAN 11 aired images of extensive damage “in the center of the country,” without providing further details, showing a multi-story building with a completely destroyed façade and several severely damaged buildings surrounding it.
Iran fired 30 missiles at Israel this morning, state television announced
“According to sources, 30 missiles were fired” from Iran at Israel, an Iranian TV presenter said on air, quoted by AFP.
For its part, the Israeli army announced that it had detected two waves of missiles fired from Iran.
On the mobile application of the Home Front Command (Passive Defense), the map of Israel was quickly covered with red dots, signaling the sounding of sirens calling on the population to seek shelter in the north and center of the country.
"A short time ago, the army identified missiles launched from Iran towards the territory of the State of Israel. Defense systems are being activated to intercept the threat," said the army in a statement issued at around 7:30 a.m.
A similar statement announcing the second wave was issued half an hour later, before the alert was lifted at approximately 8:10 a.m.
Shortly afterwards, anti-aircraft sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and loud explosions were heard from Jerusalem by AFP journalists.
U.S. attacks on nuclear sites in Iran “will have eternal consequences,” warned Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
“This morning's events are outrageous and will have eternal consequences,” Araghchi wrote on X, denouncing the “extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior” of the U.S.
“Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, its interests and its people,” he added.
We are now launching our live coverage of the 10th day of the war between Israel and Iran, a few hours after the American strikes that targeted three Iranian nuclear sites at dawn: Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow.
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