Jordan, Iraq close airspace after Israel strikes Iran
Jordan and Iraq on Friday (June 13, 2025) announced the closure of their airspace and grounded all flights after Israel's attack on Iran, with Amman vowing it would not allow any violations of its airspace.
"The kingdom's airspace is temporarily closed, and air traffic suspended for all aircraft — incoming, outgoing and in transit, as a precaution against any risks resulting from the regional escalation," the Jordanian civil aviation authority said in a statement.
"Jordan has not and will not allow any violation of its airspace, reaffirming that the Kingdom will not be a battleground for any conflict," government spokesperson Mohammad Momani told AFP.
Jordan, which borders Israel, intercepted multiple drones and missiles fired by Iran at Israel in October 2024.
Iraq, which borders Iran, also closed its airspace on Friday.
"The ministry of transport closes Iraqi airspace and suspends air traffic at all Iraqi airports," the Iraq News Agency reported.
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Hindustan Times
22 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Iran launches fresh wave of attacks on Israel, air raid sirens sound
Iran struck Israel early Saturday with barrages of missiles after a massive onslaught targeted the Islamic republic's nuclear and military facilities, and killed several top generals. Air raid sirens and explosions rang out across Israel overnight, with its military calling on residents to take refuge in bomb shelters Saturday morning. The Israeli military said dozens of missiles -- some intercepted -- had been fired in the latest salvos from Iran. Smoke was billowing above skyscrapers in downtown Tel Aviv, an AFP journalist reported, as Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had attacked dozens of targets in Israel. Israel's firefighting service said its teams were responding to the aftermath of Iranian missile strikes, including working to rescue people trapped in a high-rise building. Rescuers said 34 people had been wounded in the Gush Dan area, including a woman who later died of her injuries, according to Israeli media reports. Resident Chen Gabizon told AFP he ran to an underground shelter after receiving an alert notification. "After a few minutes, we just heard a very big explosion, everything was shaking, smoke, dust, everything was all over the place," he said. In Iran's capital Tehran early Saturday, fire and heavy smoke billowed from Mehrabad airport, an AFP journalist said, as local media reported a blast in the area. Iran said earlier it had activated its air-defence system and explosions could be heard across the capital. Dozens of people took to the streets of Tehran overnight to cheer their country's military response, with some waving national flags and chanting anti-Israel slogans. Iran's ambassador to the UN said Friday that 78 people had been killed and 320 wounded in the first wave of strikes by Israel. After a day of back-and-forth bombardments, UN chief Antonio Guterres called for the two nations to cease fire. "Enough escalation. Time to stop. Peace and diplomacy must prevail," he wrote on X late Friday. US officials said they were helping Israel defend against the missile attacks, even as Washington insisted it had nothing to do with Israel's strikes on Iran. US President Donald Trump agreed on a call with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer that "dialogue and diplomacy" were needed to calm the crisis, Starmer's office said. Trump also spoke with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Friday, US officials said, without elaborating. Iran's missile salvo came hours after Israel said its widespread air raids had killed several top Iranian generals, including most of the senior leadership of the Revolutionary Guards' air force. It had launched several rounds of strikes that hit about 200 targets including nuclear facilities and air bases. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to bring Israel "to ruin" during a televised address. In Israel, Netanyahu issued a statement calling on the Iranian public to unite against their own government. But he also warned more attacks were coming. "In the past 24 hours, we have taken out top military commanders, senior nuclear scientists, the Islamic regime's most significant enrichment facility and a large portion of its ballistic missile arsenal," Netanyahu said. While stressing that it was not involved in the Israeli attacks, the United States warned Iran not to attack its personnel or interests. Tehran nevertheless said Washington would be "responsible for consequences". The strikes killed Iran's highest-ranking military officer, armed forces chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri, and the head of the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, Iranian media reported. Khamenei swiftly appointed new commanders to replace those killed. "The senior chain of command of the air force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps had assembled in an underground command centre to prepare for an attack on the State of Israel," the Israeli military said, adding that its attacks had killed most of them. Iran confirmed that the Guards' aerospace commander had been killed, along with "a group of brave and dedicated fighters". AFP images showed a gaping hole in the side of a Tehran residential building that appeared to have sustained a targeted strike. Tasnim news agency said six nuclear scientists were among the dead. Oil prices surged while stocks sank on the Israeli strikes. The conflict raised questions as to whether Sunday's sixth round of talks planned between the United States and Iran to seek a deal on Iran's nuclear programme would go ahead in Oman. After the first wave of strikes on Friday, Trump urged Iran to "make a deal", adding that Washington was "hoping to get back to the negotiating table". Iran confirmed that above-ground sections of the Natanz enrichment plant had been destroyed, but the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said radiation levels outside the site "remained unchanged". "Most of the damage is on the surface level," said the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran's spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi. Iran said there was only limited damage to the Fordo and Isfahan nuclear sites. The United States and other Western governments have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, an ambition it has consistently denied. Netanyahu said Israeli intelligence had concluded that Iran was approaching the "point of no return" on its nuclear programme. Israel had called for global action after the IAEA accused Iran on Thursday of non-compliance with its obligations. Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set by a largely moribund 2015 agreement with major powers, but still short of the 90 percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead.
Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
‘Like Russia did to Ukraine': Omar Abdullah condemns Israel's Iran attack, flags 'silence' of big powers of the world
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has termed Israel's strike on Iran 'unjustified' and expressed regret over Western powers remaining silent, unlike their stance against Russia's attack on Ukraine. 'As far as I know, Iran did not give any reason to Israel for this strike. Israel waged war on a country by calling it a preemptive attack.. Israel did the same thing that Russia did to Ukraine,' Abdullah told reporters on 13 June. Explosions and buzzing drones were being heard as Israel and Iran exchanged a new wave of attacks on Saturday morning, according to New York Times. Israeli fighter jets and drones unleashed destruction and death across parts of Iran on Friday night and into Saturday morning in an attack on Tehran's nuclear sites and military leadership. The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, and the chief of staff of its armed forces, Mohammad Bagheri, were among those killed in Israel's wave of raids, with replacements swiftly named by supreme leader Ali Khamenei, news agency AFP reported. "It will be a matter of extreme regret if the world's great powers remain silent on this... The big powers of the world, like America and Europe, raise their voices against Russia, but in the matter of Israel, they remain silent. If it is wrong for a country to attack another country, as in the case of Russia, then here too, it is not justified for Israel to attack Iran," he added. The strikes prompted a retaliatory barrage of missiles from Iran, some of which slammed into buildings in Tel Aviv, killing at least one person and injuring dozens, the NYT said. Abdullah warned of the situation becoming escalatory and its impact on India. "Of course, the situation will escalate. It has an immediate impact on us. It will impact our fuel prices, stock market, and flights that have to fly to the West. But more than that, it will impact the sentiments of the people," the Chief Minister said. In a video statement on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a "very successful opening strike" carried out by Israeli forces. He said Israel, through its large-scale military operation that he named 'Rising Lion', targeted "Iran's main enrichment facility" and "Iran's leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb." "We also struck at the heart of Iran's ballistic missile program," Netanyahu said. The military operation, Netanyahu said, is aimed at dismantling what he described as an existential threat posed by Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. "Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival," Netanyahu said in the video statement that was posted on X, adding that the mission would continue "for as many days as it takes to remove this threat." If it is wrong for a country to attack another country, as in the case of Russia, then here too, it is not justified for Israel to attack Iran. Netanyahu accused Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons programme despite global warnings, noting that Tehran has stockpiles of enriched uranium capable of producing multiple nuclear bombs. "In recent years, Iran has produced enough highly enriched uranium for nine atom bombs. Nine," he said, warning that Iran could develop a nuclear weapon within months. (With ANI and NYT inputs)
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First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
'Stand up against the evil regime': Netanyahu calls on Iranian people to rise against Islamic Regime
Iran has launched a barrage of missile attacks against Israel in a second wave of retaliatory strikes, injuring several in Tel Aviv. Explosions were also heard in the Iranian capital of Tehran after 78 died in Friday morning's attacks read more Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged Iranians to stand up against the Islamic Republic as tensions between the two countries continue to simmer. In a late evening address following Iran's barrage of missile attacks in retaliation for Israel's strikes, Netanyahu said, 'Israel's fight is not against the Iranian people. Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you.' 'The time has come for the Iranian people to unite around your flag and its historic legacy, by standing up for your freedom from the evil and oppressive regime. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: To the proud people of Iran, We are in the midst of one of the greatest military operations in history, Operation Rising Lion. The Islamic regime, which has oppressed you for almost 50 years threatens to destroy our country, the State of Israel. — Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 13, 2025 Iran hits back Iran has launched a barrage of missile attacks against Israel in a second wave of retaliatory strikes, injuring several in Tel Aviv. Explosions were also heard in the Iranian capital of Tehran after 78 died in Friday morning's attacks. Iran said it had activated its air-defence system Friday night and explosions could be heard Friday night across Tehran, AFP reporters said. Air raid sirens and explosions rang out across Israel, and smoke could later be seen billowing above the skyscrapers in downtown Tel Aviv, an AFP journalist reported, as Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had attacked dozens of targets in Israel. Trump calls for urgent deal with Iran Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that it must reach a nuclear deal with Washington soon or face 'even more brutal' attacks by Israel, as he backed his ally to defend itself against Tehran's retaliation. 'There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end,' Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Friday. 'Iran has the right to defend itself' Iran's Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, reiterated the country's right to defend itself in the face of Israel's aggression at the Security Council's emergency meeting. 'Israel, the loudest and violent regime in the world, committed these barbaric attacks with a full intelligence, operational and political backing of the United States government,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Iran has also been the victim of systematic assassination of senior officials, scientists and civilians, a campaign of targeted murder that was latest and most basic principles of humanity. So far, 78 Iranians have been killed and more than 320 injured, the vast majority of them civilians, including women and children,' he added. With inputs from agencies
