Israeli PM Netanyahu calls Iran 'evil' as he tours site of missile strike
1 of 6 | Calling Iran an 'evil regime,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday visited the Weizmann Institute of Science, close to where an Iranian missile hit earlier this week. Pool Photo by Jack GUEZ/UPI | License Photo
June 20 (UPI) -- Calling Iran an "evil regime," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday visited the Weizmann Institute of Science, close to where an Iranian missile hit earlier this week.
"This is the world-renowned Weizmann Institute, where the most advanced research in human biology is conducted -- medical research, genetic research," Netanyahu told reporters during the tour of the institute in the city of Rehovot in central Israel, some 12.5 miles south of Tel Aviv with a population of 150,000 people.
"This research was shattered by a missile from the evil regime. They seek to destroy human progress. That is the essence of this regime. They have enslaved and oppressed their people for nearly 50 years -- half a century. Iran is the leading terrorist regime in the world. It must not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. This is Israel's mission: to save itself from the Iranian threat of annihilation. In doing so, we are saving many, many others."
Netanyahu's tour of the site where two buildings were completely destroyed came a day after the prime minister said in a post on X, "We will make the tyrants from Tehran pay the full price."
Iranian missile strikes also hit the largest hospital in Southern Israel earlier in the week. The two countries are engaged in hostilities over Iran's nuclear program.
The Weizmann Institute is known as the research crown jewel of Israeli science, with laboratories dedicated to studying health issues such as cancer, heart disease and neurodevelopmental disorders.
"It's completely gone. Not a trace. Nothing can be saved," Professor Oren Schuldiner told The Economic Times.
Officials estimate the damage from Iranian missiles to the institute at more than $500 million. Thousands of hours of research have also been lost.
"The most valuable resource of the Weizmann Institute, aside from property, are samples that have been stored for decades in labs for scientific research -- and all of it is gone, with no backup," Biomolecular Sciences Department Professor Tslil Ast told Y Net News.
Netanyah also toured an Israel Defense Forces base Friday where he praised intelligence officers for their work in the recent operations carried out in Iran.
"I am here at an IDF Intelligence base with the head of IDF intelligence, and with our amazing people, the soldiers, both conscripts and reservists, who are doing sacred work in providing us with the intelligence that wins wars," Netanyahu said, accompanied by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi and other top officials.
"I cannot exaggerate the importance of the work that has been done, and which is being done at the moment, in achieving the total victory. Head of IDF Intelligence, thank you very much. For myself, the citizens of Israel and the Government of Israel, please convey my gratitude to everyone."
Tensions in the region continue to escalate, with representatives from the European Union and Britain meeting for ciris talks on Friday with the Iranian counterparts.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday set a 14-day deadline to decide on possible American military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict.
On Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the goal of Western allies is "obtaining from Iran a lasting rollback of its nuclear and ballistic missiles programs."
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San Francisco Chronicle
24 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
A woman tried to call her mom in Iran. A robotic voice answered the phone
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — When Ellie, a British-Iranian living in the United Kingdom, tried to call her mother in Tehran, a robotic female voice answered instead. 'Alo? Alo?' the voice said, then asked in English: 'Who is calling?' A few seconds passed. 'I can't heard you,' the voice continued, its English imperfect. 'Who you want to speak with? I'm Alyssia. Do you remember me? I think I don't know who are you.' Ellie, 44, is one of nine Iranians living abroad — including in the U.K and U.S. — who said they have gotten strange, robotic voices when they attempted to call their loved ones in Iran since Israel launched airstrikes on the country a week ago. They told their stories to The Associated Press on the condition they remain anonymous or that only their first names or initials be used out of fear of endangering their families. Five experts with whom the AP shared recordings said it could be low-tech artificial intelligence, a chatbot or a pre-recorded message to which calls from abroad were diverted. It remains unclear who is behind the operation, though four of the experts believed it was likely to be the Iranian government while the fifth saw Israel as more likely. The messages are deeply eerie and disconcerting for Iranians in the diaspora struggling to contact their families as Israel's offensive targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites pounds Tehran and other cities. Iran has retaliated with hundreds of missiles and drones, and the government has imposed a widespread internet blackout it says is to protect the country. That has blocked average Iranians from getting information from the outside world, and their relatives from being able to reach them. 'I don't know why they're doing this,' said Ellie, whose mother is diabetic, low on insulin and trapped on the outskirts of Tehran. She wants her mother to evacuate the city but cannot communicate that to her. A request for comment sent to the Iranian mission to the U.N. was not immediately answered. Some of the messages are bizarre Most of the voices speak in English, though at least one spoke Farsi. If the caller tries to talk to it, the voice just continues with its message. A 30-year-old women living in New York, who heard the same message Ellie did, called it 'psychological warfare.' 'Calling your mom and expecting to hear her voice and hearing an AI voice is one of the most scary things I've ever experienced,' she said. 'I can feel it in my body.' And the messages can be bizarre. One woman living in the U.K. desperately called her mom and instead got a voice offering platitudes. 'Thank you for taking the time to listen,' it said, in a recording that she shared with the AP. 'Today, I'd like to share some thoughts with you and share a few things that might resonate in our daily lives. Life is full of unexpected surprises, and these surprises can sometimes bring joy while at other times they challenge us.' Not all Iranians abroad encounter the robotic voice. Some said when they try to call family, the phone just rings and rings. It's not clear who is behind this — or what the goal is Colin Crowell, a former vice president for Twitter's global policy, said it appeared that Iranian phone companies were diverting the calls to a default message system that does not allow calls to be completed. Amir Rashidi, an Iranian cybersecurity expert based in the U.S., agreed and said the recordings appeared to be a government measure to thwart hackers, though there was no hard evidence. He said that in the first two days of Israel's campaign, mass voice and text messages were sent to Iranian phones urging the public to gear up for 'emergency conditions.' They aimed to spread panic — similar to mass calls that government opponents made into Iran during the war with Iraq in the 1980s. The voice messages trying to calm people 'fit the pattern of the Iranian government and how in the past it handled emergency situations,' said Rashidi, the director of Texas-based Miaan, a group that reports on digital rights in the Middle East. Mobile phones and landlines ultimately are overseen by Iran's Ministry of Information and Communications Technology. But the country's intelligence services have long been believed to be monitoring conversations. 'It would be hard for anybody else to hack. Of course, it is possible it is Israeli. But I don't think they have an incentive to do this,' said Mehdi Yahyanejad, a tech entrepreneur and internet freedom activist. Marwa Fatafta, Berlin-based policy and advocacy director for digital rights group Access Now, suggested it could be 'a form of psychological warfare by the Israelis.' She said it fits a past pattern by Israel of using extensive direct messaging to Lebanese and Palestinians during campaigns in Gaza and against Hezbollah. The messages, she said, appear aimed at 'tormenting' already anxious Iranians abroad. When contacted with requests for comment, the Israeli military declined and the prime minister's office did not respond. Trying new ways to contact relatives Ellie is one of a lucky few who found a way to reach relatives since the blackout. She knows someone who lives on the Iran-Turkey border and has two phones — one with a Turkish SIM card and one with an Iranian SIM. He calls Ellie's mother with the Iranian phone — since people inside the country are still able to call one another — and presses it to the Turkish phone, where Ellie's on the line. The two are able to speak. 'The last time we spoke to her, we told her about the AI voice that is answering all her calls,' said Ellie. 'She was shocked. She said her phone hasn't rung at all.' Elon Musk said he has activated his satellite internet provider Starlink in Iran, where a small number of people are believed to have the system, even though it is illegal. Authorities are urging the public to turn in neighbors with the devices as part of an ongoing spy hunt. Others have illegal satellite dishes, granting them access to international news. The messages are making relatives feel helpless M., a woman in the U.K., has been trying to reach her mother-in-law, who is immobile and lives in Tehran's northeast, which has been pummeled by Israeli bombardment throughout the week. When she last spoke to her family in Iran, they were mulling whether she should evacuate from the city. Then the blackout was imposed, and they lost contact. Since then she has heard through a relative that the woman was in the ICU with respiratory problems. When she calls, she gets the same bizarre message as the woman in the U.K., a lengthy mantra. 'Close your eyes and picture yourself in a place that brings you peace and happiness,' it says. 'Maybe you are walking through a serene forest, listening to the rustle of leaves and birds chirping. Or you're by the seashore, hearing the calming sound of waves crashing on the sand.' ___ El Deeb reported from Beirut
Newsweek
25 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Iranians Put Faith in Diplomacy. Israel and Trump Shattered Their Hopes
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Every night for the last week, my family in Tehran wakes up to the Earth shaking as missiles strike and children scream. When the bombs go silent, they hear drones buzzing—a constant reminder they're being watched by the foreign army assaulting their city. Last week, Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran. Over 600 people have died, the majority civilians, including entire families killed while asleep. It has bombed Iran's state TV live on air, killing at least one journalist. Israeli bombs have hit hospitals and ambulances, killing paramedics. Medical facilities are overflowing with the injured. Smoke rises from the state media building targeted by Israel in the north of Tehran, Iran, on June 18, 2025, as the military confrontation between Iran and Israel escalates. Smoke rises from the state media building targeted by Israel in the north of Tehran, Iran, on June 18, 2025, as the military confrontation between Iran and Israel escalates. NIKAN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images Israel says it targets military bases and nuclear sites. But its bombs have struck homes across the country. President Donald Trump said Tehran should evacuate—a threat to the entire civilian population. Tehran is a vast city of 10 million people. In June, the flowers are in bloom and the rivers overflow with glacier water. Mountain hiking paths fill with people. Tehran is also a diverse city. I lived near a church, close to a synagogue and Zoroastrian temple. There are Sunni and Shiite Muslims, atheists and Baha'is, Afghan and Iraqi refugees. Today everyone in Tehran is experiencing terror. Israel gives evacuation orders, like in Gaza and Lebanon. But it's impossible for everyone to leave. Many orders go out at night, when Iranians are asleep. Israel has hit fuel depots, causing gasoline shortages. On Monday, Israel told residents of District 3 to leave—300,000 people live there, including my family. They have nowhere to go. Many of my friends have also stayed to take care of elderly relatives. Those who can say goodbye to their homes, unsure if or when they'll return. They fear being bombed on the road, just like people killed in Gaza and Lebanon, or by Israeli bombs in Tehran. Just last week, my family was planning for summer holidays. My cousins wanted to rent a cabin near the beaches of the Caspian Sea. Instead, they are praying bombs don't kill them in their sleep. It didn't have to be this way. Last week, Iran and the United States were in the middle of negotiations. They'd spent months working out a deal. They already made a deal once before: the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement led to joyful celebrations in Tehran. I'll never forget the optimism among friends and family. Both the U.S. and Iran held up their end of the bargain. Until Trump came to power and quit the deal in 2018. Former President Joe Biden campaigned on returning to the deal. But when he became president, he broke his promise. Instead, the U.S. continued crippling sanctions on Iran. They have been devastating for civilians. The currency has lost most of its value. Medicines have become hard to find, leading to preventable deaths. Ironically, sanctions strengthened the regime by encouraging smuggling, concentrating wealth among oligarchs. Sanctions did succeed in one thing: crushing ordinary Iranians. They weakened civil society, small businesses, and academic and cultural associations. For decades, Iranians have organized, protested, and rebelled for greater freedom. They have also advocated for better relations with the U.S. But America's betrayal of the deal—and its support for Israel's surprise attack—has undermined peace-loving Iranians. Every time Trump goes back on his word, it's a message Americans can't be trusted. Iranians have many reasons not to trust America, like the 1953 CIA coup that overthrew their democratically-elected government and put the tyrannical Shah back in power. Or U.S. support for Saddam Hussein when he used chemical weapons against Iranians. But Iranians kept fighting for diplomacy. They elected a president who promised to make it happen. When Trump said he wanted a deal, Iranians believed him. When he said he'd avoid a new Middle East war, they cheered. Instead, Trump secretly sent Israel missiles. Israel says it attacked because Iran is building a nuclear bomb. But U.S. intelligence has repeatedly shown this is false. Ironically, it is Israel that has an estimated 90 undeclared nuclear bombs, hidden from international inspectors. And it is Israel that commits what law experts argue is genocide in Palestine and war crimes in Lebanon. The U.S. not only failed to stop Israel—it keeps sending billions in military aid. Iranians feel betrayed by Americans—and terrified by the reckless warmongering of our allies. If Trump is concerned about Iran getting a nuclear bomb, then he should study history: diplomacy works. War is not the answer. The JCPOA is proof that Iran will uphold its end of a deal. Now Americans must prove that we, too, believe in peace, not war. The U.S. needs to end the flow of arms and sanction Israel, stop the war, and return to negotiations. If we don't want another generation around the world to grow up hating America, we must embrace peace. Let's show Iranians that Americans can be trusted. Alex Shams is an anthropologist with a PhD from the University of Chicago whose work focuses on Middle East politics. He previously worked as a journalist based in the West Bank. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Newsweek
33 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Swing Voters Skeptical of Trump Involving US in Iran-Israel Conflict—Data
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Swing voters are resistant to President Donald Trump potentially involving the United States in the conflict between Iran and Israel, according to data exclusively shared with Newsweek by Impact Social. Newsweek reached out to the White House via email for comment. Why It Matters Trump is weighing whether to involve the U.S. in the conflict, which escalated earlier this month when Israel launched new strikes against Iran aimed at diminishing its nuclear capabilities. Israel, as well as the U.S., has warned Iran may be close to having the ability to build nuclear weapons. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi told Fox News there is no proof Iran has plans to create a nuclear weapon. However, many Americans would not necessarily be on board with the U.S. joining the conflict, recent surveys suggest, putting Trump in a challenging situation. The White House said on Thursday that Trump will make a decision within two weeks, and European leaders engaged with Iran on Friday in hopes of de-escalating the situation. What To Know Swing voters are skeptical of the U.S. joining the conflict, according to the Impact Social data. The data stem from Impact Social's analysis of social media discussions among swing voters, including disillusioned Trump voters, centrists, and Obama-Trump voters, using social media discussions dating back to May 2016 to identify more than 40,000 swing voters. Only 9 percent of posts analyzed indicated pro-war sentiment, while 28 percent were anti-war. The majority, at 63 percent, were more neutral, such as sharing articles about the situation. Of those sharing anti-war sentiment, 24 percent expressed it would be "reckless" to enter the conflict, while 18 percent raised concerns about the U.S. being "used by" Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Fifteen percent expressed blame toward Trump himself over dismantling the Obama administration's Iran nuclear deal. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on June 5, 2025. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on June 5, Snape of Impact Social wrote that anti-war swing voters "voters draw parallels to Iraq and Afghanistan, accusing Trump of repeating past mistakes." "Many fear the U.S. is lurching toward 'World War III,' with Iran seen as a more formidable opponent and the stakes higher than in previous engagements," he wrote. "Some accuse the Trump administration of twisting intelligence to fit a pro-war narrative—an eerie echo, they note, of 2003." Some swing voters also feel the U.S. entering the conflict would be a betrayal of Trump's pledge of no new wars on the campaign trail, Snape wrote. "Other critics target Trump directly, blaming him for dismantling the Iran nuclear deal brokered by the Obama administration. This reversal, they argue, eliminated a functional—if imperfect—deterrent to Iranian nuclear ambitions, replacing it with a confrontational strategy that has now spiraled out of control," he wrote. Among those who shared pro-war posts, 35 percent believe it is now time to "finish the job," viewing Iran potentially having nuclear weapons as a "direct threat to the U.S. and Israel." Thirty percent praised Trump's leadership. Nineteen percent shared general anti-Iran sentiment. Those voters "trust him to manage the situation and protect America." "For them, Trump is a commander who understands the stakes, one who has 'saved America before' and will do so again," he wrote. "Many cite previous Iranian aggression, including proxy attacks on U.S. troops, as justification for action." Snape said that what is most striking is the "deep skepticism cutting across both left and right-leaning swing voters." "This is not a reflexive anti-war response but rather a specific rejection of the idea that U.S. interests are served by joining Israel's military campaign. Critics cite historical precedent, perceived manipulation by foreign leaders, and fears of another endless entanglement in the Middle East," he said. What People Are Saying President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday: "I don't want to fight either. I'm not looking to fight. But if it's a choice between fighting and them having a nuclear weapon, you have to do what you have to do, and maybe we won't have to fight." Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, in a public address: "The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage. The U.S. entering in this matter is 100 percent to its own detriment. The damage it will suffer will be far greater than any harm that Iran may encounter." Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat, Wednesday on X (formerly Twitter): "The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war. That's why I filed a resolution to require a debate and vote in Congress before we send our nation's men and women in uniform into harm's way." What Happens Next Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with European diplomats in Geneva on Friday. Araghchi said Iran would not engage with the U.S. while Israeli strikes continued.
