Iran and Israel escalate fears of wider Middle East conflict
The shock confrontation between Iran and Israel has escalated fears of a wider Middle East conflict.
Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, striking over 200 targets in Iran, including the Natanz nuclear facility, killing high-ranking Iranian military officers.
Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel, with both sides claiming varying degrees of success in interception and damage.
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Israel had 'begun a war' and warned 'we will show them no mercy', while Netanyahu appeared to incite Iranians to rise against their leaders.
The US and UK denied involvement in the Israeli strikes, while concerns rise over potential regional destabilisation and attacks on US interests.
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The Independent
42 minutes ago
- The Independent
Photos of escalating Israel-Iran conflict
Iran launched a second night of missile attacks against Israel on Saturday as Israel continued to strike Tehran and other locations, following a major Israeli offensive targeting Iran's nuclear and military facilities. Israel warned of more attacks after Tehran fired waves of missiles and drones that killed three people and wounded dozens in Israel. Israelis sought refuge in bomb shelters and held blood drives as Iranians celebrated the Muslim Shiite holiday of Eid al-Ghadir and demonstrated against the Israeli attacks. Israel said hundreds of airstrikes against Iran over the past two days killed nine senior scientists and experts involved in Iran's nuclear program, in addition to several top generals. Iran's U.N. ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Israel v Iran LIVE: Iran fires barrage of missiles at Israel as IDF strikes oil depot and says ‘Tehran is burning'
IRAN has reportedly launched over 100 missiles at Israel in the latest round of intense strikes in the Middle East. The Israeli military quickly responded to the deadly barrage by striking Iranian oil depots - as officials said Tehran was left up in flames. 6 6 6 6 Iran struck first in the second night of strikes with explosions reported across residential regions in the country. Haifa and Tel Aviv were said to be the main targets with air raid sirens also been sounded in Amman, the capital of Jordan. Around 100 missiles are said to have been launched in Iran's follow-up wave of their operation "True Promise 3", according to state TV. Several injures have been reported with a woman in her 20s killed in Western Galilee. The Israeli military responded by carrying out air strikes in Tehran while they worked to intercept the Iranian missiles. Israeli planes attacked four targets in Tehran with the Ministry of Defense, the nuclear headquarters, nuclear laboratories, and oil facilities all hit. Footage online shows the Shahran oil depot up in flames after a pinpoint strike. It comes as Tehran vowed to strike US, UK and French military bases in the region if they step in to try and defend Israel. Israel's allies across the world have in the past helped Tel Aviv shoot down missiles fired from Iran during previous clashes between the two enemy powers. But as the situation escalates towards full-scale war - Iranian state media reported they consider US, UK and French forces the firing line. It warned Tehran would target military bases and ships located in the region if the three countries provided support to Israeli. It came as Israel's defence minister vowed "Tehran will burn" after Iran launched hundreds of missiles toward them. At least three people were killed and dozens more wounded in the first night of strikes on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Friday - while Israel continued to pound targets in Iran. Both sides sit on the brink of war after Israel accused Iran of trying to develop a nuclear bomb - launching a massive wave of pre-emptive strikes on Friday. Israel killed top military leaders, nuclear scientists and blasted secretive sites believed to be being used by Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Defence minister Israel Katz said Iran"crossed red lines after it dared to attack the civilian population" and will now "pay a heavy price for it". He added: "If Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn." Reports emerged that Israel's version of the Pentagon - the HaKirya - had been hit, though these were not confirmed. Tehran branded the retaliatory strikes as a "punishment" attack on Israel. Both sides have warned more is yet to come, with Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowing to inflict "heavy blows". He said his armed forces will bring the "vile regime [Israel] to ruin". Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Iran that "more is on the way" and warned "the regime does not know what will hit them". 6 6 Stay up to date with the latest on Israel vs Iran with The Sun's live blog below... just now By Georgie English 1 dead after Iranian attacks A woman in her 20s has been killed following Iran's strikes, Israel's emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA) has said. The woman was pulled from the rubble of a two-storey house in Western Galilee. Thirteen others were injured with seven people being taken to hospital, MDA added. 2 minutes ago By Georgie English Benjamin Netanyahu chairs meeting with security cabinet following Iran's strikes By Georgie English Iran will not go back to negotiating table - president warns Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ignored calls from France's Emmanuel Macron to return to the negotiating table amid a looming war with Israel. Pezeshkian says Iran will never sit at the negotiating table while Israel continues to attack. Today, 20:20 By Georgie English RAF jets to be sent to the Middle East RAF fighter jets to be scrambled to Middle East as Israel-Iran conflict spirals and Tehran threatens to strike UK bases Today, 19:55 By Georgie English 'Violent and destructive' Iranian attacks to come Iranian State TV has announced a harrowing prediction warning of "violent and destructive attacks" on Israel within hours. The loved ones of Israeli government ministers have reportedly been evacuated to secret locations amid the threats, say Israeli Channel 13. Today, 19:44 By Georgie English 31 killed in Iranian province in strikes - governor The governor of Iran's north-western East Azerbaijan province has said 31 people have died in the region amid the fighting with Israel. This number includes 30 military personnel and one member of the Iranian Red Crescent. Bahram Sarmast added 55 people have been injured so far. Iran is yet to release an official number of casualties. Today, 19:05 By Georgie English Decimated remains of Ramat Gan, Israel after an Iranian strike
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Israeli military says latest missiles from Iran incoming as explosions heard
The latest US-Iran talks on Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme will not take place, mediator Oman said on Saturday, as Iran launched another missile barrage a day after Israel's blistering attack on Iranian nuclear and military sites. Both Israel's military and Iran state television announced the latest round of missiles as explosions were heard overhead in parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv. Israel's military quickly noted that it was currently striking 'military targets' in Tehran. Jordan said it has closed its airspace. Israel's ongoing 'widespread strikes' in Tehran and elsewhere have left Iran's surviving leadership with the difficult decision of whether to plunge deeper into conflict with Israel's more powerful forces or seek a diplomatic route. Oman's foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, said on social media the sixth round of indirect nuclear talks on Sunday 'will not now take place', adding that 'diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace'. Although the talks are off for now, 'we remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon', said a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomacy. Israel and Iran signalled more attacks are coming, despite urgent calls from world leaders to deescalate and avoid all-out war. The attack on nuclear sites set a 'dangerous precedent', China's foreign minister said. The region is already on edge as Israel makes a new push to eliminate the Iranian-backed militant group Hamas in Gaza after 20 months of fighting. Israel — widely believed to be the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East — said its hundreds of strikes on Iran over the past two days killed a number of top generals, nine senior scientists and experts involved in Iran's nuclear programme. Iran's UN ambassador has said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded. Iran retaliated by launching waves of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel, where explosions lit the night skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and shook buildings. Israel said three people were killed and over 170 wounded. 'If (Iranian Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn,' defence minister Israel Katz said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has made the destruction of Iran's nuclear programme his top priority, said Israel's strikes so far are 'nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days'. In what could be another escalation if confirmed, semi-official Iranian news agencies reported an Israeli drone struck and caused a 'strong explosion' at an Iranian natural-gas processing plant. It would be the first Israeli attack on Iran's oil and natural gas industry. Israel's military did not immediately comment. The extent of damage at the South Pars natural gas field was not immediately clear. Such sites have air defence systems around them, which Israel has been targeting. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran was not actively pursuing the bomb. But its uranium enrichment has reached near weapons-grade levels, and on Thursday, the UN's atomic watchdog censured Iran for not complying with obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran's top diplomat said on Saturday the nuclear talks were 'unjustifiable' after Israel's strikes. Abbas Araghchi's comments came during a call with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat. The Israeli airstrikes were the 'result of the direct support by Washington', Mr Araghchi said in a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. The US has said it is not part of the strikes. On Friday, US President Donald Trump urged Iran to reach a deal with the US on its nuclear programme, adding that 'Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left'. – US helps to shoot down Iranian missiles Iran launched waves of missiles at Israel late on Friday and early on Saturday. Iranians awoke to state television airing repeated clips of the strikes, as well as videos of people cheering and handing out sweets. The Iranian attacks killed at least three people and wounded 174, two of them seriously, Israel said. The military said seven soldiers were lightly wounded when a missile hit central Israel, without specifying where — the first report of Israeli military casualties since the initial Israeli strikes. US ground-based air defence systems in the region were helping to shoot down Iranian missiles, said a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the measures. Israel's main international airport said it will remain closed until further notice. – Indications of a new Israeli attack Israel's army spokesman, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, said Israel had attacked more than 400 targets across Iran, including 40 in Tehran, where dozens of fighter jets were 'operating freely'. He said it was the deepest point Israel's air force had operated. Brig Gen Defrin said fighter jets struck over 40 'missile-related targets and advanced air defence array systems' across Iran. A governor of Eastern Azerbaijan province in north-western Iran said 30 troops and a rescuer had been killed there, with 55 others wounded. Governor Bahram Sarmast's remarks were the latest acknowledgment of mass casualties. Iranian state television reported online that air defences were firing in the cities of Khorramabad, Kermanshah and Tabriz. Footage from Tabriz showed black smoke rising. The sound of explosions and Iranian air defense systems firing at targets echoed across central Tehran.
