Israel- Iran trade deadly strikes for fifth day
Israel and Iran are trading missile strikes well into the firth day of the conflict between the two Middle Eastern countries as loud explosions were heard over Tel Aviv, West Jerusalem and Tehran.
These strikes come shortly after Israeli defense forces issued warnings about incoming Iranian missiles followed with claims by Israel that it had assasinated Iran's Armed Forces Chief of Staff, according to Al Jazeera.
According to Iran military X accounts, Operation True Promise 3 was launched in waves targeting Israeli sites with both missiles and drones as part of retaliation against Israels assault on Iran dating back to June 13 where nuclear installations and top military brass were targetted.
IRGC Spokesperson: Over the past 72 hours, we have continuously and without interruption targeted objectives across the occupied territories with 545 attack drones—and these operations will continue.#OpTruePromise3 pic.twitter.com/VWoYvUVy3m — Daily Iran Military (@IRIran_Military) June 16, 2025
Israel claims assassination of top IAF Chief of Staff
The Israeli military has announced the targeted killing of Ali Shadmani, identified as Iran's Armed Forces Chief of Staff and head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
Israel had described Shadmani as one of the closest military figures to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
For the second time in 5 days— the IDF has eliminated Iran's War-Time Chief of Staff, the regime's top military commander.
Ali Shadmani, Iran's senior-most military official and Khamenei's closest military advisor, was killed in an IAF strike in central Tehran, following precise… pic.twitter.com/Bq6Z49zeCj — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 17, 2025
Iran has not issued a response so far.
This comes just days after the assassination of his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid and soon after Iranian missiles targetted Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Herzilya.
Iranian missiles target Tel-Aviv, Herzliya
According to Iran's state-run Press TV, Iranian armed forces launched a new round of airstrikes on Israeli positions.
The Israeli military announced that it intercepted several drones launched from Iran over the southern Golan Heights.
In a statement posted on X, Iran's army said: 'Following the sirens that sounded in the Ramat Magshimim and Haspin areas, the Air Force intercepted several UAVs launched from Iran toward Israeli territory.'
The new launches included missiles and drones, as reported by the Fars News Agency.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei posted on X that 'the Islamic Republic will defeat the Zionist entity.'
The Israeli military announced that it intercepted several drones launched from Iran over the southern Golan Heights.
Al Jazeera cited several Israeli media outlets that reported several explosions heard across central Israel.early on Tuesday.
Two direct impacts were confirmed in Israel with one in Tel Aviv and one in Herzliya.
Ynet News, cited by Al Jazeera, said four sites were hit in total, though no casualties were reported at that stage.
An eight-storey building in Herzliya sustained visible damage.
Israeli sources described the latter strike as targeting a "sensitive site"—a term often used for strategic or military assets.
Media censorship imposed by Israeli authorities has limited the release of further details.
Iran's Tabriz city reports blast
Earlier Iran's Mehr News Agency reported that smoke was seen rising over the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz following a powerful explosion.
Video footage shared online showed a thick plume, though the source of the explosion was not immediately confirmed.
Iran's Asriran news agency reported that Tehran had activated its air defence system in Natanz.
Israel's Haifa oil refinery operations halted
Iranian missiles struck the Bazan oil refinery complex in Haifa late June 15, damaging pipelines and transmission lines, the Times of Israel news portal reported, citing a statement from the complex's operator, the Bazan Group according to Anadolu agency.
All operations at the Bazan Group's oil refinery in Haifa Bay were shut down after the retalliatory Iranian missile strikes overnight killed three people and caused significant damage to the facility's power infrastructure, the company said June 16.
The company said while other facilities halted operations, oil refining activities continued,
'As a result of damage to the facilities, the power plant was significantly damaged, and therefore all of the refinery's and subsidiary companies' facilities were shut down,' Bazan Group said in a statement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, according to the Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel according to Anadolu Agency.
It is currently working with the Israel Electric Corporation to restore electricity to the site, the statement added.
IDF attacks Eastern Tehran
In response, Israeli warplanes struck densely populated residential neighborhoods in eastern Tehran on evening of June 16, shortly after the army issued evacuation orders for Iranian residents, local media said.
Iran's Press TV reported the attacks, without giving details about targets or casualties.
Earlier on June 16, the Israeli army ordered residents of Tehran's District 3, where also government ministries and foreign embassies are located, to immediately evacuate before a new wave of airstrikes.
'In the coming hours, the IDF (army) will operate in the region to attack military structures of the Iranian regime, as it has done across Tehran in recent days,' the army said.
'Your presence in this area puts your life in danger,' it warned.
The evacuation order is the first by Tehran residents since Israel and Iran exchanged attacks on Friday, their worst ever confrontation.
Israeli attacks on other parts of capital have also killed three Iranian Red Crescent Society workers who were carrying out rescue operations according to Al Jazeera.
Furthermore, Iran's press TV reported deaths of Mojtaba Maleki who was martyed after brutal Israeli assault on Red Crescent ambulance based in Tehran.
Photo of the Iranian paramedic, Mojtaba Maleki, who was martyred after a brutal Israeli strike on a Red Crescent ambulance in Tehran.
Follow: https://t.co/nCGtKQUnt4 pic.twitter.com/mnlZuE12uY — Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) June 16, 2025
Iran-Israel conflict
Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.
Israel launched 'Operation Rising Lion' with a surprise attack on Friday, targeting Iranian military leadership, nuclear facilities, and ballistic missile production sites.
The operation resulted in the deaths of dozens, including top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists. Israeli officials said the campaign would intensify in the coming days.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue striking 'every target of the regime,' while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that further attacks would trigger 'a more severe and powerful response.'
In retaliation, Iran launched waves of drones and missiles at Israeli targets over the weekend, hitting both military bases and civilian infrastructure.
Israeli authorities said that at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iranian missile attacks since Friday according to Anadolu Agency.
Iran, for its part, said that at least 224 people have been killed and over 1,000 others wounded in the Israeli assault.
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