Israel attacks Iran LIVE updates: Explosions rumble in Tel Aviv as Iranian missiles strike in retaliation for attacks on nuclear sites
Latest posts
Latest posts
6.01am
Donald Trump applauds Israeli strikes
By Michael Koziol
Washington: US President Donald Trump says Iran has a second chance to negotiate a nuclear deal and stave off 'even more brutal' attacks being planned by Israel in coming days, as Tehran began its retaliation by firing ballistic missiles at Israeli cities.
Trump was conducting a meeting of the National Security Council in the White House Situation Room on Friday, Washington time, following Israel's 'pre-emptive' strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and top government personnel the night before.
In a series of short phone interviews with US media, Trump indicated he was fully aware of Israel's operations in advance, and said Iran must make a deal that forbids it from developing a nuclear weapon 'before there is nothing left'.
'We knew everything,' Trump told Reuters of Israel's attack plans.
'I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out. They can still work out a deal, however. It's not too late.'
5.50am
Watch: Benjamin Netanyahu makes video address
By Lachlan Abbott
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just posted a video on social media in which he attempted to directly address the Iranian people.
'We are in the midst of one of the greatest military operations in history, Operation Rising Lion,' he said.
'The Islamic regime, which has oppressed you for almost 50 years, threatens to destroy my country, the State of Israel.
'The objective of Israel's operation is to thwart the Islamic regime's nuclear and ballistic missile threat to us. As we achieve our objective we are also clearing the path for your objective, which is freedom.'
Netanyahu claimed Israel had 'taken out' Iran's most significant nuclear enrichment facility and a 'large portion' of its ballistic missiles.
'More is on the way,' he said. 'The regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them.'
5.35am
Iranian missiles hit Israel
Air raid sirens have sounded across Israel as Iranian missiles struck the country in retaliation for deadly Israeli attacks on nuclear sites and military leaders.
The rumble of explosions could be heard throughout Jerusalem on Friday, and Israeli TV stations showed plumes of smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an apparent missile strike.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Iran 'crossed red lines' by firing missiles at civilian population centres and vowed it would pay a 'very heavy price'.
The US military helped shoot down missiles that were headed toward Israel, two American officials told Reuters.
5.25am
Welcome to our live coverage
By Lachlan Abbott
Good morning.
I'm Lachlan Abbott, and I'll be with you today as the world braces for the possibility of all-out war in the Middle East after Israel's major strike on Iran yesterday.
Already, a lot has happened while Australia slept. It is now just past 10pm in Tel Aviv. Here is what we know so far:
Iran has launched a barrage of missiles at Israel in retaliation for deadly Israeli attacks on nuclear sites and military leaders.
Explosions have just been heard in Jerusalem and Israeli TV stations showed plumes of smoke rising in Tel Aviv.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a recorded message to the nation that Israel 'started the war' and the Islamic Republic would 'not allow them to escape safely from this great crime'.
US President Donald Trump urged Iran to quickly reach an agreement on curbing its nuclear program, telling followers on social media he tried to make a deal earlier but Iranian leaders 'just couldn't get it done'. He added: 'They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse!'
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AU Financial Review
2 hours ago
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A big miscalculation by Iran led to severe toll
Iran's senior leaders had been planning for more than a week for an Israeli attack should nuclear talks with the United States fail. But they made one enormous miscalculation. They never expected Israel to strike before another round of talks that had been scheduled for this coming Sunday in Oman, officials close to Iran's leadership said Friday. They dismissed reports that an attack was imminent as Israeli propaganda meant to pressure Iran to make concessions on its nuclear program in those talks.
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
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Witkoff had sought unsuccessfully to persuade Netanyahu to remain patient while United States-Iran negotiations proceeded. Those talks have been deadlocked. Some Trump allies privately acknowledge that his diplomatic efforts were faltering even before Israel's attack. His second term in office started with what seemed like a foreign policy win. Shortly before Trump's inauguration, Witkoff worked with aides to then-president Joe Biden to secure a long-sought ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants. But that accord fell apart within weeks. The US has also made little discernible progress towards a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, whose conflict Trump vowed to end before even taking office. And his administration has taken no visible steps towards expanding the Abraham Accords, a landmark pact brokered in Trump's first term to forge diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab neighbours. Loading 'Spiral of escalation' As Trump has struggled to seal peace accords, foreign policy divisions have opened inside his own administration. Dozens of officials, from the National Security Council to the Pentagon and the State Department, have been jettisoned amid the infighting. Even before Israel's attack, several administration officials had begun to privately question if Witkoff, who lacks diplomatic experience but has emerged as Trump's top negotiator, had overstayed his welcome. As Israel's attacks unfolded, some prominent Democrats expressed frustration that Trump had scrapped during his first term a deal between the US, Iran and European allies forged during the Obama administration. Trump and Republicans had condemned that deal, saying it would not have kept a nuclear bomb out of Tehran's hands. Democrats fault Trump for not yet coming up with a credible alternative. 'This is a disaster of Trump and Netanyahu's own making, and now the region risks spiralling toward a new, deadly conflict,' Democratic senator Chris Murphy said in a post on X. Whether these strikes will trigger a regional conflict remains unclear. Even so, analysts said, Tehran could see US assets in the region as legitimate targets. For example, Tehran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen could resume their bombing campaign against ships transiting the Red Sea. Also unclear is Israel's ability to permanently impede Iran's nuclear program. Loading Analysts doubt in particular the ability of Israel to destroy Iran's Fordow enrichment plant, which is buried deep underground. While Israel could probably do extensive damage, experts say a more lasting blow would require US military assistance, which US officials said had not been provided. Another question mark is just how effectively Tehran can respond. Israel has indicated that it has targeted several Iranian leaders in the bombing campaign, which is expected to continue in coming days. All these factors will decide if the blow to Trump's aspirations to be seen as a global peacemaker will be a terminal one, or merely a setback. 'If Israel is to be taken at its word that tonight's strikes were the first round in an all-out Israeli campaign against Iran's nuclear and missile programs, Iran's regime is now knee-deep within a potentially existential, life-or-death moment,' said Charles Lister, head of the Syria Initiative at the Middle East Institute. 'That paints tonight's strikes in a whole new, unprecedented light and makes the risk of a major spiral of escalation far more real than what we've seen play out before.'
