Israel, Iran Trade Blows for Third Day With No Sign of Letup
Israel and Iran continued intense bombardments on one another's territories for the third day, with no sign of a reprieve and growing concerns over a wider conflict in one of the world's key oil-producing regions.
Israel on Sunday reported a new wave of missile attacks from Iran, just hours after intercepting an earlier barrage and carrying out simultaneous strikes on Tehran.
The tit-for-tat followed reports of explosions across Iran, including one at a natural gas plant linked to the giant South Pars field.
The enmity between the two countries once again turned into open conflict on Friday, when Israel preemptively struck Iran's nuclear and military sites. Assaults since then have shown Israel maintains dominance in the air and highlight the limits of Tehran's ability to mount a credible response.
For Iran, that's an existential dilemma: it can't afford to appear weak, but its options are narrowing and proxy groups it backs have limited options to support the Islamic Republic, with Israel having diminished their ability to attack.
On Sunday, Iran fired ballistic missiles in retaliation, with some targeting Israel's infrastructure and energy facilities around Haifa, according to state media.
Israel advised residents to remain in bomb shelters for a brief period, while its forces tried to intercept the projectiles. Authorities said three people were killed in a missile strike in western Galilee, in the north of the country, bringing the death toll over the last two days to at least six.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military would 'strike at every site and every target of the Ayatollah regime,' while Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said a day earlier that Israel won't be able to 'escape unscathed' after its attacks on the Islamic Republic.
The ongoing barrages and intense conflict have sent shockwaves through financial markets, with oil surging 7% on Friday and investors rushing to buy haven assets such as gold and US Treasuries. The MSCI World Index of developed-country stocks dropped the most since April.
Iran canceled its next round of nuclear talks with the US scheduled for Oman on Sunday.
US President Donald Trump, who is seeking an accord that would curb Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief, said on social media that 'this war in Israel-Iran should end.'
Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the escalating crisis in a roughly hour-long phone call on Saturday.
During the call, the Russian leader condemned Israel's military operation against Iran and voiced serious concern over a potential escalation that could have 'unpredictable consequences for the entire region,' Tass reported, citing Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.
Trump told Putin he doesn't rule out a return by the US to negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, Ushakov said.
Iran's neighbors, wary that the conflict could spiral out of control and widen, stepped up diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke to Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, urging restraint.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a call with the Iranian leader that diplomacy was the only solution to the nuclear standoff.
The United Nations' atomic watchdog said Israeli strikes on Iran's uranium-conversion facility an Isfahan resulted in serious damage. Disabling the facility would seriously crimp Iran's ability to enrich uranium in large volumes.
Still, most of Iran's nuclear facilities are spread out across many locations, with some hidden deep under rock and reinforced concrete. Israel's ability to damage them, without help from US weapons and planes, is limited.
Trump, who has warned Iran to agree on a nuclear deal 'before it is too late,' has not yet indicated if the US would join Israel in striking Iran.
According to a report in Axios citing unnamed sources, Israeli officials have urged the Trump administration to join the fight against Tehran.
Further escalation — particularly any targeting of American military or diplomatic facilities in the region — may help Iran's rulers rally political support domestically but would dramatically intensify the conflict.
It's unclear if Tehran is entertaining last-resort options — such as attacking tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, through which Middle East producers ship about a fifth of the world's daily output. That type of action may draw the US, the world's most powerful military, into the conflict, a risk Tehran has calculated that it can't afford, according to Bloomberg Economics analysts.
Several top Iranian generals were killed and key military infrastructure was badly damaged in Israel's opening strikes on Friday, which left almost 80 people dead, according to an official tally.
On Saturday, four sites in the East Azerbaijan province were struck, as was Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport — where the air force has a base and the national carrier is headquartered, according to Iranian media.
Israel also attacked defense ministry buildings, including its headquarters, several residential buildings in the capital's suburbs and an oil depot to the west of the city, according to those reports.
Iran's network of allied militia in the Middle East has also been severely weakened by Israel's conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Lebanon-based Hezbollah. Another key ally, Syria's ex-president Bashar al-Assad, was overthrown late last year when his administration fell to a rebel uprising.
Iran's military command structure has been decimated by the Israeli actions. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leader Hossein Salami and military chief of staff Mohammad Bagheri were both killed in strikes, while at least two other senior IRGC members and some atomic scientists also died.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Group of Seven major economies are gathering in Canada and attention will be on Trump's reaction to the conflict. Going into the summit, there was a common desire to keep fraught geopolitical issues off the table, but that will be difficult given the knock-on effects of a spike in oil prices on inflation.
With assistance from Fadwa Hodali.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
35 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump to impose travel restrictions on 36 countries? Here's what we know
The Trump administration is contemplating about adding travel restrictions for 36 more countries. Some of them are close US partners, like Egypt and Djibouti. This is based on an internal memo reviewed by The Washington Post. The memo was signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent to US diplomats on Saturday. It says the listed countries have 60 days to follow new rules set by the State Department. The State Department said some of the countries have failed to meet certain standards, like having 'no competent or cooperative central government authority' to give out trusted identity documents. Others have 'a large number of citizens who have violated the terms of their visas.' The memo adds that if a country agrees to take back third-country nationals being deported from the US, it may help ease other concerns. The countries facing possible visa limits, travel bans, or other steps include 25 in Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Caribbean countries on the list are: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. The memo also names four countries in Asia: Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Syria. And three in Oceania: Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. These countries have until 8 a.m. Wednesday to send the State Department a first plan on how they will meet the new rules. A State Department spokesperson would not talk about the memo but said the department is always 'reevaluating policies to ensure Americans are safe and foreign nationals abide by the law.' It is still not clear if the new travel limits will begin after the deadline. Also Read: Donald Trump warns Iran: 'Full might of US military will come down on you if…' This memo comes one week after Trump brought back his first-term travel ban. That order blocks entry from 12 countries and limits travel from 7 others. In January, Trump signed another order asking the State Department to list countries 'for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension' on their citizens. These moves are part of Trump's larger immigration plan, including what he called the 'largest mass deportation operation' in U.S. history. His plan also includes canceling visas and ending protections for tens of thousands of immigrants.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Far left is murderously violent': Is Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Luther Boelter a Democrat?
Vance Luther Boelter worked for Minnesota Dem Governor Tim Walz but his pal says he is a Trump supporter 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter allegedly shot and killed Minnesota politician Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman at their home in Brooklyn Park -- posing as a police officer. A manhunt has been launched while Democrats and Republicans are at odds with the political affiliation of Boelter -- as the killed politicians were Democrats. Roommate says Boelter is a Trump voter According to reports, a roommate of Boelter who knew him from fourth grade claimed that the suspect was a Trump supporter. David Carlson, the friend, claimed to have received the last text message from Boelter which said: "I may be dead shortly. I wish it hasn't gone this way. I don't want to say anything more. You guys don't know anything about this. I love you guys and I am sorry for all the troubles this has caused." The friend, however, said they did not speak about politics lately. — elonmusk (@elonmusk) Elon Musk reacted to the murders and shared an X post writing: 'The far left is murderously violent". The post he had shared reflected on how the left became a "full-blown" domestic terrorist organization. "The left kills the CEO of United Healthcare. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Kills two Israeli ambassadors staffers. Attempts twice to assassinate the President. Doxes and attempts to murder federal ICE agents and Police - all week. And now kills a MN state rep and her husband and injures a Senator and his wife. The left has become a full blown domestic terrorist organization," the post said. Is Boelter a Democrat? The MAGA rejected that Boelter was a Trump supporter and emphasized that he was employed by Governor Tim Walz and there were 'No Kings Day' poster found in his car. "The media wants to gaslight you into thinking the shooter in Minnesota is a Trump supporter. He was appointed by Walz. He was friends with Walz. And he had NO KINGS flyers in his car. No Kings is a violent group and it's no surprise the shooting took place the day the NO KINGS protests kicked off across the country. The organizers of NO KINGS and @GovTimWalz need to be detained by the FBI and interrogated," Trump aide Laura Loomer said.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Ajit Ranade: West Asia's upheaval intensifies India's challenges of geopolitics
Next Story Ajit Ranade The Israel-Iran war will make it harder for New Delhi to navigate global turbulence even as an oil flare-up poses a threat. But it could also spur domestic policy changes—in favour trade diversification, for example—that strengthen our economy. The fallout of the hostilities: Over a hundred people already killed, cities plunged into fear, critical infrastructure damaged and diplomacy left in the rubble. Gift this article The world crossed a dangerous threshold on 13 June. Israel attacked Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, military bases and even residential zones in order to kill top military leaders and nuclear scientists. Israel sees a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat and says that Iran's uranium enrichment programme had reached a point where a nuclear weapon was just weeks away. The world crossed a dangerous threshold on 13 June. Israel attacked Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, military bases and even residential zones in order to kill top military leaders and nuclear scientists. Israel sees a nuclear-armed Iran as an existential threat and says that Iran's uranium enrichment programme had reached a point where a nuclear weapon was just weeks away. The enrichment, while in violation of Iran's commitment to complying with nuclear safeguards, as noted recently by the United Nations' watchdog, was still nowhere close to weapons grade, as per US experts. Hence Israel's unprovoked attack was a big shocker. Israel so far had stopped short of full-scale war, preferring sabotage, cyber-attacks and targeted killings. But now Israel has crossed a line of no return for itself, Iran and the world. Iran launched a counter attack with over 200 ballistic missiles. It aimed at more than 150 Israeli targets that included nuclear sites and residential zones. Also Read: Javier Blas: An Israel-Iran war may not rattle the oil market The fallout of the hostilities: 130 people already killed, cities plunged into fear, critical infrastructure damaged and diplomacy left in the rubble. This escalation by Israel into war has upended Middle Eastern geopolitics. What was once a high-stakes diplomatic standoff has now escalated into a military confrontation. This will likely spiral up, notwithstanding global voices for restraint. From a statement of US President Donald Trump, it is obvious that Israel had tacit American support, with all its military might. He has been drawn into making a choice that he would have rather avoided: i.e., choosing between playing peacemaker and backing Israel solidly. On the other hand, all the Gulf states have condemned Israel's strike. But some like Saudi Arabia and the UAE might be quietly relieved at Iran's weakened position. Riyadh is Tehran's rival in a quest for regional dominance. China has stayed pointedly silent. Iran is central to its energy security and infrastructure ambitions for the Belt and Road Initiative, but Israel is also a key technology partner. Maybe China wants to position itself as a non-interventionist peacemaker, striking a contrast with unconditional support by the US for Israel, the aggressor. This Middle East distraction for Washington can work to China's advantage, as it gains manoeuvring space to flex muscle on Taiwan and in the wider Indo-Pacific. Russia had asked for an immediate Security Council meeting and resolution, knowing full well that the US will stonewall it with a veto. Hence its condemnations have lacked force. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), of which India is a member, has condemned Israel's attack, but India has carefully distanced itself from the SCO's common statement. Europe is alarmed by Israel, but not sympathetic to Iran, given the latter's record on enrichment. These actions of various international players reveal a global system where major powers are acting increasingly based on narrow transactional interests rather than any shared security architecture. It has injected fresh volatility into an already fragile global order. Israel has America's political, military and diplomatic support, whereas no major power is unequivocally with Iran. At most, it has ambivalent, conditional or weak support from various quarters. Non-state actors that could have aided it, such as Hezbollah and the Houthis, have been weakened. Hence, Tehran's resilience will be tested and it might resort to desperate measures. It has threatened strikes on the military bases of Israel's allies. These include US bases. It has also drawn attention to another lever of high-impact force with a threat to bar the movement of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, from where 20% of the world's oil flows. Meanwhile the Ali Khamenei administration is facing strong opposition at home, which Israel has sought to exploit. Instability in West Asia affects India deeply, for the stakes are immediate and structural. Some 60% of India's crude oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz. We have 8 million citizens in the Gulf region. Oil prices above $100 will worsen inflation, widen the current account deficit, hasten the rupee's fall and strain the fiscal deficit. Last year net inbound foreign direct investment (FDI) was almost negligible. Investors will now adopt a wait- and-watch attitude, thus hurting our growth prospects. New Delhi has to balance its energy security and Chahabar interests in Iran with its tech and defence partnership with Israel. It cannot remain silent on Israel's attack on Iran sovereignty because that would seem like moral abdication. This is the third such conflict where India finds itself locked in a narrow diplomatic navigation route and forced into a tight balancing act. Can New Delhi publicly and strongly condemn Russia in Ukraine? Can it condemn Israel's ongoing treatment of people in Gaza? It has to protect its strategic autonomy, while remaining a credible power with aspirations to UN Security Council membership and great power status. India's response reflects preference for non-alignment and quiet diplomacy. Also Read: Israel's war on Iran to hit Indian workforce India's foremost priority is the domestic economy, given our vulnerability to commodity prices, oil, exchange rates and investment flows. We cannot count on discounted Russian crude, not least because of the likely US reaction. Our free trade agreement with the UK will kick in next year, and a treaty with the US is uncertain. The big rate cut by the Reserve Bank surprised the market, but now in hindsight seems like a great pre-emptive strike. A large monetary stimulus will be useful ahead of signs of economic weakening. There is also massive liquidity injection. Prior to the present conflict, the 2025-26 GDP growth estimate of 6.5% was the lowest in four years. It might get worse, along with world growth, as even the World Bank's Global Economic Prospects points out. India's private sector investment-to-GDP ratio has been stagnating at 10% for a decade. A recent government survey of private sector capital expenditure intentions points to a decline this year. The government will have to keep up public capex to provide a growth impetus, as it has done in the past four years. On FDI, we must think creatively, as we need at least 2% of GDP on a net basis. New Delhi must revisit its stance on Chinese investment to allow it at least in non-sensitive sectors, such as automotive products (especially electric vehicles), infrastructure and renewable energy. Chinese exports can use Indian value chains. In the medium term, we need to diversify our energy sources and export markets. Our services export boom must go beyond Western customers. And, of course, we need a great thrust on building human capital, skilling and research. Paradoxically, the West Asian crisis might be an opportunity for India to emerge stronger with a bigger stature. The author is senior fellow with Pune International Centre. Topics You May Be Interested In Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
