![]() | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information.(June 2025) |
The Iran–Israel War [15] [16] is an ongoing armed conflict between Iran and Israel. It began on 13 June 2025, when Israel launched attacks on dozens of targets with the stated aim of stopping the expansion of Iran's nuclear program. [17] [18] Under the codename Operation Rising Lion, [c] the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Mossad damaged key nuclear sites, military installations, and residential areas. [19] [20] [21] Beginning on the evening of 13 June, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones on military sites, intelligence sites, and residential areas. [22] Iran's codename for the attack was Operation True Promise III. [d] The conflict is considered an escalation from previous attacks; [24] [25] Iran and Israel previously traded strikes in April 2024 and October 2024. [26] [27]
Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, in which the pro-Western Pahlavi dynasty was ousted and its government replaced by an anti-Western Islamic republic, Iran and Israel became engaged in a proxy conflict. The Iranian government repeatedly challenged Israel's legitimacy and called for its destruction, while Israel considered the Iranian nuclear program an existential threat. During the crisis in the Middle East that ensued following the October 7 attacks, Iran and Israel's animosity escalated to direct confrontation. Israel weakened Iranian proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and began planning to take action against Iran. The Israeli attacks began a day after a two-month deadline that US President Donald Trump had set for Iran to secure a deal regarding its nuclear program expired.
The Israeli attacks killed several of Iran's military leaders, leaders of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps, top nuclear scientists, [28] [29] [21] and some 200 civilians, according to the Iranian health ministry and the Human Rights Activists in Iran nonprofit group. [30] [31] [32] Airstrikes destroyed the overground section of the Natanz nuclear facility (though the underground area was not destroyed) and damaged Isfahan's uranium conversion facility, but apparently failed to damage the underground Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. [33] [34] Israel also hit a missile complex near Tabriz, a missile base in Kermanshah, and IRGC facilities near Tehran and in Piranshahr. The attacks also damaged public infrastructure. [33] [34] The Iranian retaliation included about 100 missiles and about 100 drones, the IDF said. [35] Iran's attacks have killed about 24 people, all civilians, according to the Israeli government. [36]
The Israeli strikes were praised by some Iranian opposition groups and by Trump, who urged Iran to agree to a nuclear deal promptly. [37] [38] [39] The campaign was condemned by Russia, China, and countries across the Middle East and Africa. The European Union and key European nations condemned Israel for the attack, and reiterated that Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons, and called on Israel and Iran to reduce tensions. [40] [41] [42]
Historically Israel and Iran enjoyed a close relationship until the 1979 Islamic Revolution. [43] Since the revolution, Iran's new theocratic government [43] has employed antisemitic and genocidal rhetoric [44] [45] towards Israel and pledged to destroy it. [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] Iranian supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini and the religious right in Iran view Israel as an "illegitimate occupier of Muslim land" and being part of Western imperialism. [51] [44] Israel says that the Iranian nuclear program will allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon and thus Israel believes, poses an existential threat to Israel. [43]
Although Iran and Israel have long had a proxy conflict, 2024 saw the first time both attacked each other openly and directly. On 1 April 2024, an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus killed several Iranian officers. Iran retaliated with strikes against Israel in April 2024, to which Israel then retaliated the same month with strikes on Iran. In July 2024, Israel assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran's capital of Tehran. In October 2024, Iran struck Israel, and Israel struck Iran. [52]
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the Iranian nuclear program as the chief reason Israel decided to preemptively strike Iran. [53] Israel regards Iran's nuclear program to be a strategic threat, although Israel possesses nuclear weapons itself. [54] Israel says it has the right to take military action against Iran's nuclear program if it believes it has become non-peaceful. [48] [52] In the mid-2000s, the United States and Israel sabotaged Iranian nuclear facilities as part of Operation Olympic Games. [55] The assassination of five Iranian nuclear scientists in Tehran since 2010 is commonly attributed to Israel. [52]
In 2015, Iran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), negotiated by President Barack Obama, the United Nations Security Council and Germany to manage Iran's civilian nuclear development at a limited level. [56] In 2018, President Donald Trump, during his first presidency, suspended his country's participation in the deal and resumed economic sanctions on Iran, despite the report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran was keeping to the deal. [56] Iran retaliated against Trump's abandonment of the deal by incrementally increasing its uranium enrichment. [57]
Following the assassination of Qasem Soleimani by the US in January 2020, an Iranian general, Iran said it would no longer abide by JCPOA's enrichment restrictions. [58] By 2021, Iran was enriching uranium to 60% purity, similar to weapons-grade uranium. [56] In May 2025, the IAEA reported that Iran had amassed 409 kg of 60% pure uranium, [56] which is higher than required for civilian uses and close to military grade. [59] In response, Iran announced a new nuclear enrichment facility (its third), that would be put under IAEA monitoring. [60] [61] United States Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Michael Kurilla warned on 10 June 2025 that Iran was " 'weeks away' from nuclear weapons". [62] A day before the Israeli strikes occurred, the IAEA found Iran non-compliant with its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years. [63] Iran insists it does not seek nuclear weapons and Iranian leader Khamenei delivered a fatwa saying nuclear weapons are unethical. [64]
In April 2025, US President Donald Trump announced negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding Iran's nuclear program. The White House declared that Iran had two months to secure a deal; the two-month deadline expired the day before Israel's strikes. [65] [66]
Along with the Iranian nuclear program, the Iranian ballistic missile program is considered a threat by Israel. In a New York Times article, it was reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes Iran aims to produce 300 ballistic missiles each month, which he views as a direct threat to Israeli cities. [67]
The Axis of Resistance is a geopolitical and military strategy devised by Iran in the 1980s in order to deter an attack on Iran and project Iranian power. [68] Over the years, Israel has fought multiple wars with various Iranian proxies. Such wars include wars against Hezbollah such as the 1982 Lebanon war, [43] the 2006 Lebanon war, as well as the various wars and operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. [69] On 7 October 2023, Hamas, an Iranian proxy in the Gaza Strip, launched a surprise attack on Israel leading to war between Israel and Hamas and later between Israel and other Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen. Over the war, the Iranian proxies were severely weakened. [43] [70] [68] This is said to have weakened Iranian deterrence and increasing Iranian isolation. [43] [70]
The Israeli airstrikes against Iran's nuclear program were carried out by over 200 fighter jets, including multiple F-35I Adir fighters, [71] the Israeli variant of the American F-35 Lightning II stealth strike fighter. The F-35I's were reportedly modified with low-observable conformal fuel tanks to enable them to have the range and endurance to conduct operations over Iran without compromising stealthy characteristics or requiring mid-air refueling. [72] [73] Israeli fighter jets targeted over 100 sites across Iran, [71] including the Natanz enrichment facility and other infrastructure associated with Iran's nuclear program. [74] No nuclear accidents occurred as a result of the airstrikes, as operational nuclear reactors, such as the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the Tehran Research Reactor, were not attacked. Although damaged nuclear centrifuges can release low-level radiation and industrial chemicals that can threaten on-site personnel, they can neither trigger nuclear explosions nor can they cause large-scale contamination of an area. [74]
On 12 June 2025, ABC News reported that Israel was considering taking military action against Iran. [75] Hours later, US officials had been told that Israel was "fully ready" for an operation against Iran, according to CBS News. The Trump administration purportedly considered options to support Israel without leading the operation. [76] The US Embassy in Jerusalem restricted the movement of its staffers the following day, though Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said it was not likely that Israel would strike Iran without approval from the Trump administration. [77] Prior to the airstrikes, Israel told the Trump administration it would not strike without first notifying the United States. [29] US President Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the eve of the attacks, and later admitted having known in advance of Israel's planned actions. [78] Officials in the United Kingdom's Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence were also aware of the Israeli intention to strike Iran ahead of time, but it has not been confirmed whether a formal notification was provided by Israel. [79] [80] According to two Israeli officials, the Israeli government asked the Trump administration to join them and help in the prelude of attacks against Iran. [81] Key right-wing figures, including some of Trump's allies, questioned Israel's attacks and warning of a US war with Iran. [82]
In the weeks leading up to Israeli attacks on Iran, the Israeli government faced international pressure over the high risk of famine in Gaza and the killing of civilians. [83] Even Israel's closest allies in Europe had become critical of the starvation in the Gaza Strip, and the EU had announced it would reconsider its free-trade deal with Israel. [83] Political scientist Xavier Abu Eid and journalists Tamara Davison and Kiomars Samadi stated that the attack on Iran provided a distraction from Israel's actions in Gaza. [83] [84] [85] Nesrine Malik said the attack was an attempt by Israel to bring a Europe alienated by Israel's action in the civilian suffering in Gaza back to its side. [86] Israeli relations with Iran were a unifying factor between left-wing and right-wing Israelis. [85] The day before the attack on Iran, Israel destroyed telecommunications infrastructure in Gaza, cutting off communications between Gaza and the rest of the world. [87]
According to The Economist as well as former U.S. Middle East policy official Brett McGurk, the name of the operation "Rising Lion" referred to the revival of the Lion and Sun, which was the emblem of Iran and of its flag until the 1979 Islamic revolution. [88] [89] The Jerusalem Post reported that the name of the operation is derived from the biblical Book of Numbers (23:24): "Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion." [90]
Netanyahu announced the launch of Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz, its nuclear scientists, and parts of its ballistic missile program. Netanyahu described Iran's nuclear efforts as "a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival", and emphasized that in acting, "we also defend our Arab neighbors" from Iranian aggression. He said the operation would continue "for as many days as it takes". [91]
In a speech announcing the attack, Netanyahu said "For decades, the leaders of Tehran have openly called for Israel's destruction. They have backed up their genocidal rhetoric with a nuclear weapons program". [19] Netanyahu said that Israel attacked because "if not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time." [92] Following the attack, Netanyahu said Israel's war was against the Iranian government and not the Iranian people. [39] Netanyahu convened the security cabinet as the situation unfolded. [93]
In the early hours of 13 June 2025, the IDF attacked dozens of Iranian nuclear facilities, military bases and infrastructure installations, and key military commanders, including some targets, Israeli officials said, that were not anticipated by Tehran. [93] By 06:30 IDT, the Israeli Air Force had launched five waves of air strikes, [94] using more than 200 Israeli aircraft to drop more than 330 munitions on about 100 targets. [95]
Meanwhile, the Mossad sabotaged Iran's air defense systems and missile infrastructure. [96] An Israeli official said Mossad had smuggled precision weapons and established a covert drone base near Tehran, [97] which were used to disable air defenses, securing air superiority for Israeli aircraft. [97]
Around 03:00 local time, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a nationwide state of emergency, warning of an imminent missile and drone retaliation. [98] Warning sirens were activated across Israel in anticipation of a possible Iranian counterattack, though Iran would launch no ballistic missiles until the following evening. [93] Katz further described Israel's attack on Iran as a "preemptive strike". [24] According to the IDF, the action was prompted by intelligence indicating Iran had amassed enough enriched uranium to produce up to 15 nuclear weapons within days. [93]
Explosions were reported across Tehran, including near military bases and in neighborhoods housing senior commanders. Eyewitnesses described enormous flames and repeated blasts. [29] [99] Fars News Agency, which is linked to the IRGC, reported that multiple homes were struck in Shahrak-e Mahallati, a neighborhood in eastern Tehran where high-ranking Iranian military officers and their families reside. [99] The attack reportedly set on fire the IRGC headquarters in Tehran. [100] Some residential complexes were hit during the attack, including ones that housed Iranian officers and officials. Reportedly, the strength of the explosions caused some buildings[ which? ] to collapse. [101]
Blasts were reported in Natanz, in Isfahan province, where one of Iran's most critical nuclear facilities is located. Iranian state TV confirmed "loud explosions" near the site, which houses two enrichment plants: the large underground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) and the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) above ground. [102] Nuclear sites at Khondab and Khorramabad were also targeted. [99] [103]
Israel conducted strikes in Tabriz in the early afternoon, reportedly targeting an area near Tabriz Airport. [104] Shiraz and the Natanz Nuclear Facility were struck by Israel as well. [100] Explosions also occurred at the Hamadan Airbase [105] [106] and the Parchin military base. [107] Two explosions also occurred near the subterranean Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, [108] where an Israeli drone was reportedly shot down by Iranian air defenses. [109] The IDF later confirmed striking the Hamadan and Tabriz airbases, asserting that it had "dismantled" the latter airbase and also destroyed dozens of Iranian drones and surface-to-surface missile launchers. [110]
At 18:46 GMT, the IDF confirmed striking the Isfahan Nuclear Technology/Research Center, saying it was involved in the "reconversion of enriched uranium." [111]
Iranian media reported that at least two Israeli fighter jets were downed over Iranian airspace and a female pilot was captured. [112] [113] The IDF denied this. [114]
In the early morning of 14 June, Iranian media reported two projectiles, an explosion, then a fire, at Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport. [115] It also reported Iranian air defenses engaging Israeli projectiles above Isfahan [116] and exchanging fire with Israeli drones on reconnaissance missions in northwestern Iran. [117] IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and IAF Commander Tomer Bar declared that "the way to Tehran has been paved." [118] The IDF later said that it bombed an underground facility in western Iran used to store dozens of ballistic and cruise missiles. [119]
Iran confirmed the deaths of General Gholamreza Mehrabi, deputy head of intelligence for the armed forces general staff, and General Mehdi Rabbani, deputy head of operations. [120] Iran also claimed to have downed a total of three Israeli F-35 jets and captured two pilots. [121] Iran's Ministry of Petroleum announced attacks on two oil fields in Bushehr province—the Phase 14 platform of South Pars Gas field and the Fajr Jam gas refinery [122] [123] —where fires halted the production of at least 12 million cubic meters of gas. [124] The Red Crescent Society said Israel had attacked 18 of the 31 provinces of Iran, and that 1,414 RSC personnel were participating in relief efforts. [125]
At 23:11 local time, the IDF announced a new wave of strikes on "military targets" in Tehran. [126] These attacks struck oil and gasoline depots, cut off electricity in the Shahran neighborhood, [127] and hit Iranian Ministry of Defence headquarters and the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research building. [128]
A strike was reported on the Ministry of Justice building in Tehran. [129] The IAF said that it bombed a refueling plane at the Mashhad Shahid Hasheminejad International Airport—around 2,300 kilometres (1,400 mi) from its territory—in what was possibly the most distant operation in its history. [130]
Israel struck surface-to-surface missiles in Iran as well as military bases. Israel also struck the Iranian foreign ministry. [31] Missiles struck and killed the intelligence chief and the intelligence deputy chief of the IRGC. [131]
Along with the airstrikes five car bombs detonated across Tehran, with explosions taking place next to government and nuclear-related sites. Iran's state-run news agency IRNA, citing informed sources, claimed that the operation was executed by Israel, even though an Israeli official denied any involvement. [132] [133]
The IDF warned Iranian civilians to evacuate from the areas surrounding weapon factories and military bases in Shiraz. [99] [134]
It was reported that Iran had sought mediation from Oman and Qatar to engage with the United States, aiming to halt the strikes and revive the stalled nuclear negotiations. [135] Iran stated that they had arrested two individuals whom they claimed were members of Mossad. [136]
In an interview with Sky News, Israeli president Isaac Herzog stated that Israel had "no other choice" but to attack Iran, and that the Israeli war cabinet was dicussing Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, amid rumors that U.S. President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei. [137] [138]
The IDF hit the command center of the Quds Force in Tehran. [139] An Israeli official told the Wall Street Journal that there were indications that the underground nuclear facility in Natanz had "imploded". [140] Iran International reported explosions were heard in the vicinity of the Fordow nuclear facility. [141] IDF strikes were said to have taken place in the vicinity of the Parchin military installations. [142] The IRGC's Ansar al-Mahdi Corps reported that one of its commanders and a soldier was killed in an attack in Ijrud County of Zanjan province. [143] A news agency affiliated with the Iranian judiciary, reported that an alleged agent for Israel, Ismail Fikri, was executed by hanging, the news agency reported that Fikri was in contact with two Mossad officers before his arrest. [144]
The IDF said it have destroyed 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in Iran and achieved "full air supremacy" in Tehran's airspace. Brigadier-General Effie Defrin said that 30% of Iran's missile launchers have been destroyed. [11] Netanyahu also said that Israel controls the skies of Tehran. [145] He also would not rule out assassinating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying "It's not going to escalate the conflict, it's going to end it." [146] The IDF said it destroyed a weapons convoy between Tehran and Qom. [147]
The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that Israeli forces struck the Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah, causing significant damage to the hospital and the buildings surrounding it. [148] At least 15 buildings in the Kermanshah missile factory were hit by Israel. [145] Israel bombed the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB during a live broadcast, sending anchors fleeing. It claims that the headquarters of the IRIB was used by the Iranian Armed Forces to promote military operations under civilian cover, [149] which was denied by Iran. [150] At least one IRIB employee was killed in the attack, [151] while the station said its offices were struck by four bombs. [152]
Israel issued evacuation orders to residents of some areas of Tehran. [153] Israel hit Iranian missile launchers in Western Iran. [154] The IDF said one of its drones destroyed two Iranian F-14s. [155] Nour News reported that Iranian forces shot down an F-35 over Tabriz. [156] The IDF hit a building where several senior officials of Iran's intelligence organizations were staying, was targeted, killing Iran's intelligence chief and other key senior officials. Mohammed Kazemi, Hassan Mohaqiq, and Mohammad Khatami were confirmed to have been killed by the airstrike. [157] [158]
U.S. President Donald Trump called for the complete evacuation of Tehran [159] [160] declared that "we ( sic ) now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran," and called for Iran's "unconditional surrender" while threatening to assassinate Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. [161] (He also convened the the US national security council.) [162] Vice President JD Vance has indicated that the United States may join the war against Iran. [163]
The IDF assassinated Major-General Ali Shademani just days after he was appointed as a commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters. [164] After replacing Lt. Gen. Gholamali Rashid following his death, Shademani became the highest ranking Iranian military commander, serving as Iran's "war chief of staff" and heading both the IRGC and the Iranian Armed Forces, according to the IDF. [165] [166]
Israel said that it conducted "several extensive strikes" on military targets in western Iran, targeting missile launchers and UAV storage facilities. [167] The IDF posted a video of their aircraft destroying Iranian F-14A Tomcat fighter jets on the ground. [168] It also showed a video of them destroying a rocket launcher holding three missiles. [169] According to Mehr News Agency, an Israeli rocket hit a checkpoint in Kashan, killing three people and injuring four others. [170] Israeli forces struck a residential building in Tehran, according to IRNA, which also reported that three people were rescued from the rubble by the Red Crescent. [171] Fars News Agency reported that the state-owned Bank Sepah was targeted in a cyberattack. [172] According to reports from Iran International and other news outlets, the hacker group Predatory Sparrow has officially claimed responsibility for the cyberattack on the bank. Sepah Bank is reported to have deep connections to the IRGC and the Iranian Army. [173] [174] [175]
The IAEA said that it is likely that underground facilities in Natanz were damaged by Israeli attacks. [176] Israeli jets hit Iranian missile launchers in Western Iran. [177]
The Iranian Army claimed to have shot down 28 "hostile aircrafts" including a spy drone. Israel denied the claims. [178]
The IDF announced that it conducted heavy strikes against Iranian ballistic missile launchers in Isfahan using 60 fighter jets, saying that missile sites in western Iran had been evacuated due to earlier attacks. [179] The IDF said that 12 missile storage and launch sites were hit during the attacks. [180]
Iranian health authorities reported 224 killed, adding that the majority of the casualties were civilians. [30] [181] US-based organization HRANA reported 408 killed, including 92 military members, 199 civilians and 117 unidentified dead. [32]
Regional sources said that at least 20 senior commanders were killed in the strikes. [182] Confirmed casualties include Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, IRGC commander Hossein Salami, IRGC senior commander Gholam Ali Rashid, and IRGC commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh. [183] [184] The IDF said that a strike on an underground command center killed most of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force's leadership after they had convened for a meeting, including IRGC air force commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh as well as the leaders of the IRGC's air defense and drone units. [185] In total, the IDF reported killing at least six senior military commanders—Bagheri, Salami, Ali Rashid, Hajizadeh, IRGC air defense unit commander Davoud Shaykhian, and IRGC drone unit commander Taher Pour. [186] The New York Times reported the death of Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani, [187] although Israel believes that he is still alive. [188] According to Netanyahu, IRGC intelligence chief Mohammad Kazemi and his deputy, Hassan Mohaqeq, were killed. [189]
Nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were also killed, according to Iranian state media. [190] [191] Tasnim News Agency later added four more scientists who were killed. [192] Israel named nine nuclear scientists who it said were killed, including successors to Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the chief of Iran's nuclear program who was assassinated in 2020. Two regional sources reported on 15 June that the death toll of Iranian nuclear scientists rose to 14, including some killed in car bombings. [193]
Civilians, including women and children, were among the casualties identified. [194] [195] [32] [196] Tasnim News Agency reported that over 50 people were injured in Tehran's northern district of Tajrish, including 35 women and children who were taken to Chamran Hospital. [196] The governor of Iran's north-western East Azerbaijan province said 31 people were killed during the first day's strikes in the province, including 30 soldiers and one member of the Iranian Red Crescent Society. [197] France 24 interviewed several people inside Iran who said civilians were among the victims of the Israeli attack. [195] Iranian hospital staff reported that children were killed in the Israeli attacks. [195]
The Iranian army has claimed to have downed three Israeli fighter jets, allegedly killing one pilot and capturing the other. [121] The IDF has repeatedly denied claims of air force casualties or damage. [114] [198] Due to the absence of bomb shelters in Tehran, Iranians were instructed to shelter in underground parking lots. [31]
Iran was reported to have executed Esmail Fekri by hanging on 16 June 2025, after being convicted of passing sensitive intelligence to the Mossad. [199]
Name | Position | Date of death |
---|---|---|
Mohammad Bagheri | Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran | 13 June |
Hossein Salami | Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) | 13 June |
Gholam Ali Rashid | Commander of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters | 13 June |
Ali Shadmani | Commander of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters (replaced Gholam Ali Rashid) | 17 June |
Amir Ali Hajizadeh | Commander-in-Chief of IRGC Aerospace Force | 13 June |
Davoud Sheikhian | Commander of the IRGC Air defenses | 13 June |
Gholamreza Mehrabi | Deputy Head of Intelligence for the Armed Forces General Staff [120] | 13 June |
Mehdi Rabbani | Deputy Head of Operations for the Armed Forces General Staff [120] | 13 June |
Hassan Mohaqeq | Deputy Head of IRGC Intelligence Organization | 15 June |
Mohammad Kazemi | Brigadier General of IRGC Intelligence Organization. He was appointed as the commander of the IRGC's intelligence in 2022. [200] | 15 June |
Fereydoon Abbasi | Nuclear scientists | 13 June |
Saeed Borji | 13 June | |
Ahmadreza Zolfaghari Daryani | 13 June | |
Seyyed Amir Hossein Faqhi | 14 June | |
Abdulhamid Minouchehr | 13 June | |
Akbar Motlebizadeh | 14 June | |
Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi | 13 June |
After the attack, Iran promised a "harsh response" against Israel. It said that they were going to attack Israeli and US forces stationed in military bases across the Middle East. The US later evacuated some of its soldiers in Iraq and also authorized the evacuation of family members of US soldiers across the region. [24] [201] According to IDF Brigadier General Effie Defrin, roughly more than 100 Shahed drones were launched by Iran and Iraq towards Israel in retaliation. [91] [202] Sirens were activated in Amman, Jordan's capital. [203] [3] Some of the drones were intercepted by the Royal Jordanian Air Force over Jordanian air space and some by the IAF over Saudi Arabia and Syria. [204] Later, various Israeli sources said that an order for Israeli civilians to seek shelter was lifted, suggesting that a majority or all of the drones were destroyed. [24] An intercepted drone fell on a house and wounded three people in Irbid, Jordan. [205]
The Houthis also fired a ballistic missile from Yemen targeting Jerusalem, [206] with it landing in Hebron, West Bank, injuring five Palestinians. [207] At around 9:00 p.m. local time—ten minutes before Iran launched dozens of missiles at Israel—Israeli citizens were given phone alerts warning about an incoming attack. Citizens were authorized to leave their shelters at around 10:10. Tel Aviv was targeted with Iranian missiles following during attack; while some missiles were intercepted by Israel, others were able to hit their targets in Tel Aviv, [111] including an apparent direct hit on The Kirya military headquarters near Begin Road. [208] Iran codenamed its counterattack "Operation True Promise 3", and said that it attacked dozens of targets, including military sites and airbases. [209] The IDF estimated that around 150 ballistic missiles were fired in two waves during the attack. [210] Magen David Adom reported that at least 63 Israelis were injured – one critically, one seriously, eight mildly, and the rest lightly. [211] A civilian woman critically injured later succumbed to her wounds. [212] Seven soldiers were among the injured, receiving light wounds. [213] The Israel Fire and Rescue Services rescued two people from a building struck in Tel Aviv, [214] while the IDF's Home Front Command rescued another civilian from a building in the city. Despite this, there were no reports of significant damage from Iran's retaliatory strikes. [215]
Trump warned Iran against attacking American personnel or infrastructure, saying "If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before." [31] Rachel Reeves, British minister of finance told Sky News that Britain may help in Israel's protection. [216]
On 14 June, at around 1 a.m., Iran launched another barrage consisting of dozens of missiles, most of which were intercepted, according to an IDF spokesperson. [217] Seven people were injured in the attack, one mildly. [218] Two MDA ambulance workers were lightly hurt by broken glass after shrapnel hit their intensive care unit. [219]
There were reports of a fifth missile barrage launched by Iran as Israel, with help of the US, intercepted incoming missiles. [220] [91] The number of injured civilians increased over 60, as several homes were reported heavily damaged. As a result of a direct hit on a building in Rishon LeZion at least two civilians were killed and over 20 others injured, [221] [222] [220] including a 3-month-old baby who was rescued from the debris. [223] The IDF later announced that Iran had fired 200 ballistic missiles since the night of 13 June, with around 25% of them hitting open areas. It asserted that a "small number" of missiles evaded air defenses and struck residential areas in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, and Rishon LeZion, causing casualties. [224]
According to reports, several Iranian missiles transited Syrian airspace en route to Israel, with at least two missiles falling in Daraa Governorate (southern Syria), prompting Damascus to halt flights due to regional instability. [225] Reportedly, several Arab states have participated in shooting down Iranian drones, or sharing radar information to help in destroying them. [226]
In the night, Iran fired another barrage of missiles targeting northern Israel, killing five people and injuring at least 23 others. The Home Front Command put out phone alerts at 11 p.m., and citizens were cleared to leave shelters at 11:45. [227] A ballistic missile hit a two-story house in Tamra, killing a woman and wounding 14 others. [228] Four members of a family, including a woman and her two daughters, were killed in a separate missile strike. [229] A fire also broke out near the BAZAN oil refinery in Haifa, where pipes and transmission lines were damaged. [230] [231]
On the morning of 15 June, Iran and the Houthis in Yemen launched ballistic missiles simultaneously, which led to impacts on buildings in Bat Yam and Rehovot, a mall in Kiryat Ekron, and in Tel Aviv. [232] The strike in Bat Yam killed nine people, including three aged 8, 10 and 18, and one missing. 61 buildings were damaged according to mayor Tzvika Brot. [233] Around 200 people were injured, according to the MDA, several of which were serious. [234] [235] Five of the civilians killed in Bat Yam were Ukrainian nationals. [31] Israel later declared that it intercepted most of the missiles and that the remainder failed to enter Israeli territory. [236]
The Weizmann Institute of Science, a postdoc scientific research center in Rehovot, was hit by Iran. [237] The Israeli Defense Ministry reported that central Israel was attacked by missiles coming from Yemen, which was later confirmed by the Houthis, stating that they used a number of Palestine 2 ballistic missiles in coordination with the Iranian military. [238] Germany warned that Iran may target Jewish or Israeli communities in Germany, following which Germany increased security around relevant institutions. [239]
Debris from Iranian missiles also hit two sites in the West Bank. At around 11:20 a.m., a rooftop fire was caused by a Shahab-class missile in al-Bireh, a few meters from the home of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority. Three children were wounded by broken glass after debris from a missile intercepted over central Israel landed outside Sa'ir around 90 minutes later. [240]
Later in the day, Iran fired a barrage consisting of several ballistic missiles at Israel, [241] but no impacts or casualties were reported. [242] Iran would later fire a missile at an area in Caesarea, near the family home of Netanyahu. The IDF announced that the missiles were intercepted, with at least 50 rockets having downed. [243]
In the evening, Iran fired several barrages of missiles at Israel, injuring seven people in Haifa and one in Kiryat Gat, while also causing fires and property damage. An additional nine people were treated for panic attacks. [244]
On 16 June, Iran launched another barrage of missiles against Israel. Missile fragments were reported to have caused damage to the U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv. [245] [246] [247] A school in Tel Aviv as well as homes in Bnei Brak, Haifa and Petah Tikva were hit. Eight civilians were killed and over 90 were injured. [153] [248] Israel reported 287 people were hospitalized overnight. [153] An elderly person was found dead beneath debris in Bat Yam. [249] Haifa's oil refinery was also targeted, [250] causing significant damage that forced it to temporarily shut down and killing three workers. [251] According to Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft executive vice president Trita Parsi, successive Iranian missile attacks may have eroded Israeli defenses, allowing a larger percentage of missiles to get through than before. [252] Following the attacks, Israel confirmed 24 fatalities to date, the majority of which occurred outside bomb shelters, and had tallied 350 Iranian missiles, clustering around 30–60 at a time. [253]
CNN reported Iran said it will not negotiate with the United States until it finishes its retaliation against Israel. [145]
A drone fired toward the U.S. consulate in Erbil, Iraq, was intercepted. [254] Iran fired ballistic missiles at Petah Tikva again, and 4 people were killed as a result. One person was seriously injured, and 14 were moderately injured, including two children. Two missiles also hit Tel Aviv, destroying a number of buildings. [255]
In the morning, Iran launched about 20 missiles at Israel, lightly injuring five people. [256] Ynet reported that an Iranian missile struck the city of Herzliya, damaging a eight-storey building and setting an empty bus on fire. [257] Explosions were heard in the Dan district of Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem. [258] The Times of Israel reported Israel shot down 30 Iranian drones during the night between the 16 and 17 June. [259] The IRGC claimed to have hit a military intelligence centre and a Mossad operations planning centre in Israel. [260] An Iranian ballistic missile attack toward northern Israel during the evening was successfully intercepted by Israel. [261]
The IDF said 40% of Iran's ballistic missile launchers have been destroyed. The IDF also said they believe that Iran is not able to mount large missile salvos against Israel because they are unable to coordinate large attacks due to the IDF hunting of missile launchers. [262] The Institute for the Study of War in the US, noting that the five morning attacks had less fire than previous salvos, posited a degradation of Iran's missiles forces. [263]
On 14 June, Magen David Adom reported that 63 people were injured in the Iranian ballistic missile strike – one in critical condition, another in serious condition, and eight with moderate injuries, while the rest suffered minor wounds. One fatality was confirmed. In Tel Aviv, rescue teams pulled two individuals alive from a collapsed building. [264] Later in the day Walla News reported three Israelis were killed and 172 injured. [265] Three Jordanian civilians were injured. [205]
On 14 June, local media outlets reported that five Israelis were killed across northern Israel by Iranian missiles. [229]
On 15 June, it was reported that nine Israeli civilians were killed, nearly 200 were wounded and one remained missing after a missile strike in central Bat Yam. An attack on Rehovot left 42 wounded. [233]
On 16 June 2025, following Iranian ballistic missile attacks on Haifa and Tel Aviv, the death toll was reported to be eight, with approximately 100 individuals injured. [266] On the same day, CNN reported casualties in Israel of 24 people killed and 592 wounded, with 10 of them in serious condition. [267]
A modern residential building in central Tel Aviv sustained serious damage. Fires broke out in multiple apartments, and smoke was seen rising from the structure. An adjacent building suffered major external damage, including shattered windows and twisted metal hanging from the facade. In Ramat Gan, several cars were found burned and three homes visibly damaged. [268] A ballistic missile struck and damaged the vicinity of the Kirya, an IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. [208] [269]
According to municipal authorities, nine buildings were completely destroyed in Ramat Gan, while hundreds of others sustained varying levels of damage. Approximately 100 residents were displaced from their homes due to the missile barrage. [268]
Tasnim News Agency reported that Iranian authorities suspended flights at Imam Khomeini International Airport, although the facility itself was not directly affected by the attacks. [270] [271] Return flights were perforce canceled for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. [272] CNN reported that Iranians as of 15 June are fleeing major cities in Iran. [31]
Flights were also suspended from Israel's airports [273] and both Iraq [274] and Jordan closed their airspace. [275] Israel declared a state of special emergency, shut down its airspace, closed schools and banned large social gatherings. Israel also called up tens of thousands of IDF reservists in preparation for an Iranian retaliation. [276] The IDF announced that all of its pilots involved in the strikes returned unharmed. [277]
The Community Security Trust issued warnings to the Jewish communities in the United Kingdom and France. Jewish Community Protection Service asked French Jews to be "extremely vigilant". The Jerusalem Post reported the Anti-Defamation League was monitoring the situation within the United States. [278] The NYPD said they are increasing security at Jewish sites across New York City. [279] New York governor Kathy Hochul said that the state is closely monitoring the situation, increasing security at sensitive sites and cybersecurity operations. New York City mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that they are deploying officers to Israeli embassies for protection, with Tisch saying: "That heightened deployment continued today and will continue for the next several days". [280] [281]
On 15 June, the US embassy in Iraq warned Americans may be targeted in attacks. The State Department issued a Level 4 Travel Advisory for Iraq. [31]
On 17 June, CNN reported that India has evacuated its students from Tehran through the Armenia–Iran border. [165]
The strikes against Iran caused oil prices to increase by 7% on 13 June, later increasing to 11%, making them the highest in a month. [282] [283] The US dollar grew, bitcoin dropped to $103,000, and gold prices rose by over 1%. [284] [285] The Global Futures stock market fell; Dow futures lost 600 points. [286] [287] Stocks of various international airline companies significantly decreased after the attack. Stocks of Lufthansa dropped by 5%, while stocks of Air France, KLM and EasyJet fell by 3–4%. Reportedly, airlines stopped their operations over the airspace of Israel, Iran, Iraq and Jordan, diverting some flights and canceling others. [288] The New York Times reported that Iranians were waiting in lines for fuel and stocking up on basic food items. [289]
Despite the onset of the strikes, Israeli stock indexes (TA35, TA90) rose on the first day of trading during the conflict. [31] On 16 June, the Israeli shekel spiked +3.6%, reaching its highest level since 9 October 2023. [290]
The United Nations Security Council meeting on 13 June concluded with statements from Iran's and Israel's respective ambassadors to the UN. The Iranian ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani stated that Israel's attacks constituted a declaration of war, accusing Israel of premeditated aggression and of a direct violation of the UN Charter. The Israeli ambassador Danny Danon presented the attacks as "self-preservation for the state of Israel", asserted that they were prompted by a failure of diplomacy, and declared that he had come to seek "recognition that the international community has failed to stop Iran's nuclear programme". [291] Following the attack, diplomatic talks about nuclear energy between US and Iran which were scheduled to take place in Oman were indefinitely suspended. [292] [226]
On 15 June, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides announced he received a message from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meant for the Israeli government, which Christodoulides will discuss in a scheduled phone call with Benjamin Netanyahu. [293] That same day, Israeli media reported that Iran had approached the governments of Qatar and Oman to contact the United States in order to request a cessation of Israeli attacks. [135] President Trump announced that "many calls and meetings" were underway to broker a ceasefire, which was expected to take hold shortly, adding he anticipated a deal "soon". [294] On 16 June, the Iranian foreign ministry reported that the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the nation's parliament, had begun drafting a proposal to exit the Non-Proliferation Treaty, while insisting that Iran did not intend to pursue nuclear weapons. [295] Several foreign ministers of European countries told Iran to return to diplomacy and "avoid escalation". [296]
Following the Israeli strikes on Iran, Israel declared a state of maximum alert, with the IDF urging civilians to remain in shelters in anticipation of further attacks. [75] Public gatherings were prohibited, schools were closed, and flights at Israel's main airport were canceled as precautionary measures. [297] [298]
Iran has threatened to target American, British, and French bases and vessels in the region if they assist Israel in countering its strikes. [25]
After the initial attack, widespread internet outages were reported across major Iranian cities, including Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. These blackouts were attributed to infrastructure damage and government-imposed restrictions aimed at controlling the spread of information. [299] [300]
In response to the shutdown, Elon Musk's SpaceX reactivated its Starlink satellite internet service for Iran. According to reports, the move was intended to provide Iranian civilians with uncensored access to the internet during the conflict. Starlink terminals, which had been clandestinely smuggled into the country since late 2022, were reportedly used by journalists, activists, and tech-savvy citizens to bypass state censorship. [301]
The spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces, Abolfazl Shekarchi, vowed to retaliate against Israel and the United States. [29] Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei released a statement following the strikes, calling the attacks a "crime" and warned that the "Zionist regime prepared for itself a bitter and painful fate". [302] The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that Iran has the "legal and legitimate" right to respond to Israeli attacks under the UN Charter, also stating that the US will also be responsible for the "dangerous effects and consequences of the Zionist regime's adventure". [303] The IRGC stated that it is ready to respond even after the death of its chief, Hossein Salami. [304] Ahmad Vahidi was appointed as a temporary IRGC commander [305] [ non-primary source needed ] until Ali Khamenei appointed Major General Mohammad Pakpour. [306] MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi said that "Iran will not participate in the sixth round of nuclear talks with the United States on [15 June] and until further notice." [307] [292] Former President Mohammad Khatami called for condemnation of this "criminal act" and said that the UN should be at the "forefront" in the effort "to prevent further tragedies by seriously and comprehensively" condemning Israel. [204] Iran warned the United States, United Kingdom, and France that any assistance to Israel will result in their regional bases and ships being targeted, [25] and one of the Iranian missiles has caused damage to the US consulate in Tel Aviv. [308] On 13 June, the head of the Islamic Consultative Assembly's Councils Committee declared that "the Zionist regime and the United States should know that they will receive a swift, decisive, and shattering response." The following day, Mohammad Reza Bahonar, a member of the Expediency Council, called for targeting U.S. positions in the region, accusing Washington of deceit and urging it to reconsider its support for Israel. [309] Iran's communications ministry announced nationwide internet restrictions. [310]
According to The Washington Post state suppression and the unwillingness of Iranians to speak to the international media makes it "difficult to gauge public sentiment in Iran." Economic hardship, political repression, and global isolation have caused Iranians to become "deeply pessimistic" for domestic reform. Some Iranians interviewed by the Post said they felt satisfaction at the deaths of senior government figures, using the Eid al-Ghadir to "express their glee." Other Iranians held sentiments that "the news appeared more frightening to those outside the country; Iranians they said, had been through far worse." Some held demonstrations in favour of the government and against Israel. [311] NPR quoted a woman saying: "When I heard the news, I lost my control and was shouting, thanking Netanyahu for killing these criminals." Others shared that they had begun celebrating with family members, calling the news the first source of national relief in years. [312] Many openly chanted "Death to Khamenei" and circulated videos critical of the regime. Some social media users proposed symbolic targets, including the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and Mojtaba Khamenei, the Supreme Leader's son, known for his role in suppressing past protests. [313]
However, some Iranians expressed concern about escalation, and pro-government demonstrations were also reported. Protesters in Qom and Tehran called for retaliation. [314] [204] Protesters waved the flags of Iran and Palestine and carried portraits of slain IRGC general Qasem Soleimani. [315] In Tehran, demonstrators held photographs of slain commanders and scientists. One woman said: "We won't relent until the complete destruction of Israel. ... It's not a question of revenge. Israel must be wiped off the page of time forever." [311] Locals, including a taxi driver and a teacher interviewed by the Associated Press, expressed pride in Iran's missile response, stating: "We will go after them to punish them". In downtown Tehran, a woman expressed satisfaction with Iran's attack, connecting it to Israel's ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. [316] Others expressed feeling fearful of the current situation: "We are killed a thousand times with stress, especially for people like myself who have kids". [311]
According to The Economist , Iranians on social media celebrated the death of Iranian generals with "barbequed meat emojis" who are considered by young Iranians as "enemies of the people". Some Iranians celebrated the Israeli attacks, wearing Israeli flags. The Economist also reported that the Iranians celebrated online the death of Amir Ali Hajizadeh who is seen as responsible for the deaths of Iranian students on a flight downed by Iran in 2020. [89]
Exiled opposition figures Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran, activist Masih Alinejad, Dutch-Iranian legal scholar Afshin Ellian, Dutch, Swedish, and Canadian politicians Ulysse Ellian, Alireza Akhondi, and Goldie Ghamari, and actress Nazanin Boniadi, expressed support for an overthrow of the Iranian regime amidst the fighting with Israel, with some also supporting the Israeli strikes. [39] [317] [318]
The US-based National Iranian American Council condemned Israel's attack, writing that it "lacked legal justification under international law" and "unnecessarily endangered the lives of many innocent people". [319]
In a televised 13 June address, Netanyahu said, "We are at a decisive moment in Israel's history" and "We are defending the free world from the terrorism and barbarism that Iran fosters and exports across the globe." [320] He thanked Trump for his support and said the attack was an immediate operational necessity to roll back the threat of uranium enrichment. [321] [322] [323] He said the attacks would continue for "as long as is needed to complete the task of fending off the threat of annihilation against us." [324] [325] and that Israel's war was against the Iranian form of government and not against the Iranian people. [39]
Netanyahu convened the security cabinet as the situation unfolded. [93] Israeli government officials said Iran already possessed enough enriched uranium for 15 nuclear bombs. [325]
IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir stated in a televised address that the Israeli Army is "mobilizing tens of thousands of soldiers and preparing across all borders," as he warned that "anyone who tries to challenge us will pay a heavy price" and that "it was at point of no return". [326]
Opposition Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid offered his "full support" for the operations against Iran. [327]
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said Iran has crossed red lines by targeting civilians, and added that they will pay very heavy prices for that. [328] [91] Katz warned that "Tehran will burn" if Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel. [329] Tel Aviv canceled its annual Pride Parade, which typically attracts tens of thousands of participants. [100]
Iranian security forces have initiated a broad crackdown on individuals accused of sharing content considered "supportive of Israel". On 13 June, police in Hormozgan Province announced the detention of 14 people accused of disrupting "public opinion and spread rumors in cyberspace." Despite these efforts, many Iranians used various tools to bypass restrictions and share footage of missile strikes, slogans, and protest imagery and to access Israeli messaging online. Within 24 hours of the strikes, Persian-language posts by Israel's Foreign Ministry received nearly 20 million views, 14 million from Instagram alone. A video address by Netanyahu surpassed 1.4 million views, and a series of 23 posts on X accumulated 4.5 million views. In his address, Netanyahu told the Iranian people: "Israel's fight is not with you... Our fight is with our common enemy: the murderous regime that both oppresses you and impoverishes you." This messaging was amplified by diaspora voices and some users within Iran, who began naming domestic targets they hoped would be struck, including state broadcasters and high-ranking officials. [309] According to Israeli officials, the majority of engagement came from inside Iran. Israeli officials described the numbers as "unprecedented", stating: "The Iranian public is signaling that it wants to listen, talk to us and make its voice heard." [309] [330]
Trump praised the Israeli strikes as "excellent" and "very successful," [331] and warned that Iran must "make a deal now" over its nuclear program or face "even more destructive and deadly military action." He said there had already been "great death and destruction" and cautioned that future strikes would be "even more brutal." Trump criticized Iran for refusing multiple chances to reach an agreement, saying he told them to "just do it," but they "just couldn't get it done." He pledged continued military support for Israel, stating, "Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come – and they know how to use it." [332] He suggested that the attacks were coordinated with the talks he was conducting: "we gave Iran 60 days to make a deal and today is 61, right?". [333]
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Israel acted independently, stating the U.S. was not involved. He said that Israel informed the U.S. it viewed the attack as an act of self-defense. Rubio warned: "Iran should not target US interests or personnel" and also said the administration was taking all necessary steps and maintaining communication with regional partners. [100] [334] The US moved military forces closer to the Middle East. [335] On 16 June, it was reported that the US was moving forces to the Middle East over the Atlantic Ocean, including at least 31 air tankers to Europe; an unusually large number. [336] [337] On 17 June, reports claimed the aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, was on the way to the Middle East. [338] There is, however, a significant divide within the Republican Party on whether the United States should get involved in such a war overseas. Some supporters of Trump in the United States have criticized Trump's support for Israeli strikes against Iran, [82] and the possible involvement of the United States in the war. [339] [340] [341] [342] [343]
On 17 June, US President Donald Trump stated that a "real end" was better than a ceasefire. [344] He then demanded unconditional surrender by Iran. [345] Trump also threatened Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei saying that he is an "easy target" and could assassinate him at any moment. The threat came two days after it was reported that Trump allegedly vetoed a plan by Israel to assassinate the ayatollah. [346]
The chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz said in an interview to the German public television network ZDF on 17 June 2025, on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, that "This is the dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us." [347] [348] Merz said that the Iranian government had "brought death and destruction to the world"; [349] he also spoke positively of Israeli motivations saying "I can only say I have the greatest respect for the fact that the Israeli army and the Israeli government had the courage to do this". Merz said Israel lacked the weaponry needed to finish the job. Merz also said that if negotiations failed the total destruction of Iran's nuclear program "would have to be on the agenda." [348]
UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged both sides to show maximum restraint. [350] His spokesperson Farhan Haq stated that "the Secretary-General condemns any military escalation in the Middle East". [351] NATO called it crucial for Israel's allies to help de-escalate tensions. [352] Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency commented that "nuclear facilities must never be attacked, regardless of the context or circumstances, as it could harm both people and the environment. Such attacks have serious implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security." [353]
International reactions |
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Foreign nations
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On 14 June, several pro-Palestine demonstrators marched through the streets in London and gathered in Parliament Square waving Palestinian and Iranian flags as well as chanted "stop bombing Iran". Protestors demanded an end of the bombing in Iran and Gaza and urged the government to halt military support to Israel. [460]
Iranian leaders anticipated the possibility of hostilities if nuclear negotiations with the United States stalled, but miscalculated the timing of any such engagement, The New York Times reported, citing officials close to the leaders who said Iran had not expected an Israeli offensive before the next scheduled round of talks in Oman, and therefore dismissed warning signs as psychological operations aimed at securing diplomatic leverage. This misjudgment led to a failure to implement defensive protocols that had been previously discussed. High-ranking military personnel, including senior commanders of the IRGC, ignored directives to disperse or shelter, resulting in the deaths of key figures during targeted strikes on military facilities, most notably in Tehran. [289] The Wall Street Journal's editorial board also pointed to Iran underestimating Trump and Netanyahu. The paper's editors said the Iranian regime thought it could continue to play the Americans and "pay no price" for continued stalling. [461]
The International Commission of Jurists released a statement saying "Israel's attack on Iran violates international law, threatening peace and security" and calling on "Iran and Israel to comply with their non-proliferation obligations and ensure IAEA's access to all their nuclear facilities". [462] Marko Milanović, Kevin Jon Heller and Sergey Vasiliev, all scholars of international law, have described these attacks as a crime of aggression. [463] The Turkish government also commented that the Israeli action "constitutes a blatant violation of international law". [464] In 2012, there were differing positions regarding a potential attack against Iran over its nuclear programme, which are summarised by law professor Andrew Garwood-Gowers, who concluded that "from an international law standpoint, a unilateral military strike against Iran would be illegal". [465] Writing in the European Journal of International Law, Marko Milanovic, Professor of Public International Law in the UK, stated, "To conclude, even if the broadest possible (legally plausible) understanding of anticipatory self-defence was taken as a correct, Israel's use of force against Iran would be illegal. This is because there is little evidence that Iran has irrevocably committed itself to attacking Israel with a nuclear weapon, once it develops this capability". [466] The Israeli Ambassador to the UN commented that "This was an act of national preservation. It was one we undertook alone, not because we wanted to, but because we were left no other option". [467] President Masoud Pezeshkian has been supportive of talks with the United States to revive the agreement Iran reached with the US and other world powers in 2015. [468]
The Jerusalem Post suggested Iran's possible retaliation could entail proxy attacks, ballistic missiles and drones, naval and "asymmetric" threats, attacks on targets based outside the country, conventional armed forces or diplomatic attacks. [469]
According to Foreign Policy , most of the American-allied countries have failed to recognize the danger posed by the Iranian regime which seeks to "leverage American gullibility and caution to Tehran's advantage". Israel, according to the paper, decided to resolve the Iranian threat, deemed "existential" by Israelis and strike the "head of the snake" and end the Iranian threat. [470]
Mohammad Eslami, a researcher at the University of Tehran and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, suggested that a retaliatory attack was supported by most of Iran's domestic political parties, a near unanimity not seen since the Iran–Iraq War. [471]
According to the Atlantic Council's Daniel B. Shapiro, the attacks by Israel laid bare the weakness of Iran in the aftermath of the 7 October attacks, claiming that Israel has achieved full penetration of Iran and has demonstrated capabilities to strike at targets across much of the country. "Iran has never looked weaker, and its ability to respond meaningfully will be tested", he concluded. [472]
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon of The Telegraph described Israel's offensive as a "preemptive, precise, and combined strike" that has "absolutely hammered" Iran and may shatter its nuclear ambitions. He praised the operation's scale and sophistication, calling it "an attack on senior military and political decision-makers" with a level of intensity "not seen in living memory". [473]
Military analyst Richard Kemp argued that Israel "had no choice but to attack," describing Iran as a "desperate" regime that has long pursued nuclear weapons and supported global terrorism. With diplomacy exhausted, Kemp warned that failing to act would have meant allowing "a regime that has repeatedly proven its capacity for unlimited violence" to acquire nuclear arms. He urged continued support for Israel to "finish the job," cautioning that any renewed negotiations would be a mistake, as Iran "would not honour" any deal. [474]
Writing for Al Jazeera English, Imad El-Anis, an international relations expert on the Middle East, pointed to Israel's capability of smuggling drones into Iran and to operate in Iranian airspace signals a marked shift in the balance of power. According to El-Anis, Israel exploitation of these weaknesses is unprecedented in the history of the conflict between the two nations. [475] Al Jazeera's senior political analyst Marwan Bishara argued that Israel was obliterating the recent pragmatic turn in Iran's foreign policy and suggested that Netanyahu had pursued the narrative of Iran as an "existential threat" to Israel since his first cabinet position in the early 1990s. [476]
US diplomat and former Department of State official Thomas M. Countryman called Donald Trump's apparent use of Israeli attacks as a negotiating strategy with Iran "profoundly misguided" and alleged that Netanyahu was hoping for Iran to target American positions in the Middle East and thereby provoke the United States to enter the conflict. [477] According to US nuclear expert Jim Walsh, Israel's attacks could produce the opposite effect to the stated intention in forcing Tehran to pursue nuclear weapons. [478]
In his analysis, Charles Moore, Baron Moore of Etchingham argues that Israel's strikes reflect a hard-learned lesson from the 7 October Hamas attacks: never again be caught off guard. He describes Iran as posing a "targeted, active existential threat" to Israel, unlike the more abstract dangers faced by most nations. Backing Netanyahu's decision, Moore writes that "Israel knew very well how to respond", and suggests that the Prime Minister may be emerging as "their Churchill". While controversial at home, Netanyahu enjoys broad consensus in Israel on the threat posed by Iran, a threat Moore says the West fails to fully grasp. [479] Hamid Gholamzadeh, director of Tehran's Diplo House think tank, Ali Akbar Darani, a researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies in Tehran and Abas Aslani, a senior researcher at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies suggested that Israeli attacks on Iranian energy and other sites have failed to create domestic unrest and the possibility of a regime change and instead united the population even the ones that opposed the ruling government with Darani stating; "I have rarely seen such national unity". [480] [481] [482]
On 14 June Muhanad Seloom of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies suggested that, while "bruised severely", Iran was unwilling to risk a wider conflict with the U.S. and its European allies, saying its limited response to date was "below the threshold" of all-out war and indicated a willingness to reenter nuclear negotiations; he also noted that Israeli airstrikes had not completely destroyed Iranian nuclear facilities. [483] A few days later, National Iranian American Council president Jamal Abdi concurred, noting that, while refraining from striking U.S. forces, Iran has refused to abandon the Non-Proliferation Treaty, evict inspectors, or blockade the Strait of Hormuz. [484]
In an interview with BBC Persian, political analyst Mojtaba Najafi criticized the lack of national unity in the face of external threats. He argued that the Iranian establishment's suppression of public expression had weakened internal cohesion, stating, "One of the reasons Israel dared to attack was Iran's internal problems. ... Unresolved crises and deep anger have distorted the meaning of nationhood in Iran, allowing a foreign force to attack without fear." [485]
On 16 June, The Economist wrote that the Iranian regime was facing internal discontent and external pressure. It reported that some Iranians had celebrated the assassination of key military leaders. It argued that Israel's campaign had exposed the "failure of the regime's military strategy" and raised hopes for an uprising or coup. [89]
He was a civilian," she said. "He had nothing to do with it.
The sudden eastward deployment of over two dozen U.S. Air Force tankers is not business as usual