Israel hits Iran's refinery, warns of more attacks as Middle East crisis deepens
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday vowed to intensify strikes on Iran, warning that "what they have felt so far is nothing compared with what they will be handed in the coming days." His comments came after Israel launched one of its most extensive aerial offensives under Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure in cities including Natanz, Isfahan, and Tehran. Iranian media reported a fire at the South Pars gas field following fresh Israeli strikes on Saturday, though the blaze was later contained.advertisementThe offensive, which reportedly killed several high-ranking Iranian generals and nuclear scientists, triggered a swift and forceful retaliation from Tehran. Within 24 hours, Iran launched over 200 ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli cities, accusing Israel of pushing the region into a "dangerous cycle of violence". It also called off its upcoming nuclear negotiations with the United States, calling them "unjustifiable" under the current circumstances. Tehran warned that if Israeli strikes continue, its response will grow "more severe" and may include military bases of Israel's regional allies.LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE ISRAEL-IRAN CONFLICT
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a large-scale aerial assault on Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, military infrastructure, and key leadership figures. Strikes reportedly hit over 150 sites, including Natanz and Isfahan, killing several top military commanders and nine nuclear scientists.
advertisement
Netanyahu declared that Iran's nuclear efforts were "in the 90th minute" and vowed more strikes to come, saying, "What they have felt so far is nothing compared with what they will be handed in the coming days."
In retaliation, Iran fired roughly 200 ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli targets in four waves. Israel claimed most were intercepted, with help from US defence systems, but at least three people were killed and dozens injured.
Iran also warned that any foreign military base involved in intercepting its missiles, including those of Israel's allies, would become a target. Despite the attack, Tel Aviv beaches were busy by Saturday, with residents returning to public space.
Iranian media reported that Israeli airstrikes targeted the South Pars gas field in southern Bushehr province, causing a fire and halting production of 12 million cubic meters of gas from Phase 14.
Iran reported heavy civilian casualties from Israel's two-day assault. Iranian state TV said a missile strike on a 14-storey residential tower in Tehran killed around 60 people, including 20 children. In total, 78 deaths were reported on the first day of Israeli strikes. Visuals showed buildings flattened, and upper floors collapsing into the street.
Netanyahu said Israeli Air Force jets would soon be seen "over the skies of Tehran" and reiterated that his government would strike "every site and every target of the Ayatollahs' regime". Defence Minister Israel Katz further escalated the rhetoric, warning, "If Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn."
Iran has called off scheduled nuclear talks with the United States following Israel's air offensive. Confirming the development, Oman - who had been mediating-said the dialogue was no longer on the table.
advertisementIran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated it was "unjustifiable" to proceed with negotiations while "barbarous Israeli airstrikes" continued. A spokesperson for the Iranian foreign ministry added, "Continuing dialogue under these conditions is meaningless. Washington's silence signals complicity."
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, India called for "dialogue and diplomacy" to de-escalate tensions. This came after the China-led group issued a strong condemnation of Israeli strikes on Iran. India refrained from backing the statement, instead emphasising the need for restraint.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in calls with both Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, accused Netanyahu of trying to "drag the region into fire" and "sabotage nuclear talks".
Erdogan said Israel's actions were an attempt to divert attention from "genocide in Gaza" and warned that the conflict risked triggering waves of irregular migration across the region. He labelled Netanyahu's government the biggest threat to regional stability.
advertisement
Iranian lawmaker and military general Esmail Kosari said Tehran is reviewing whether to close the Strait of Hormuz - a critical oil route for the global economy. Meanwhile, Iranian state media said the country had warned it would target military bases in the region that assist in intercepting Iranian missiles.
Croatia's consul in Israel and his wife were slightly injured during Iran's missile strikes on Tel Aviv. Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman confirmed the building they were living in had been hit and expressed relief that their injuries were not life-threatening. He condemned the attacks on civilians and diplomatic properties and called for "immediate de-escalation and restraint".
Israeli PM Netanyahu claimed "clear support" from US President Donald Trump for the strikes. Iran, in turn, warned that further attacks would trigger more severe retaliation, including targeting military bases of Israel's regional allies.
Tune InMust Watch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
39 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Indian embassy issues fresh advisory for citizens in Israel amid Iran conflict: ‘Stay vigilant'
As tensions between Iran and Israel continue to escalate, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv on Sunday issued a fresh advisory for its nationals, asking them to avoid any unnecessary movement and adhere to the defined safety protocols in the country. The Embassy said that it was continuously monitoring the situation in the Middle East region closely, and was in constant touch with the Israeli administration. Follow Iran Israel war live updates "The Embassy of India in Tel Aviv is in touch with members of the Indian community in Israel, including caregivers, workers, students, businessmen and tourist groups. All necessary measures are being taken to ensure their safety and well-being," the advisory read. It further added, "As you know, National Emergency announced by the Govt. of Israel is in place. Airspace is closed. All Indian nationals are once again advised to stay vigilant, strictly avoid any unnecessary movement, and adhere to the safety protocols as advised by the Israeli authorities and home front command." The Indian mission said that its helplines are functional round the clock to provide any assistance regarding the current situation. Meanwhile, Iran launched a wave of fresh strikes on Israel, with explosions being reported in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as exchange of fire between the two nations continued. Israel also struck central Tehran earlier in the day, local media reported.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
41 minutes ago
- First Post
Israel-Iran conflict: How close is Tehran to building a nuclear weapon?
Israel has said it launched Operation Rising Lion to deal a blow to Iran's nuclear ambitions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that the strikes are essential to 'roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival' and that Tehran could build a nuclear weapon within a few months. But how close is Iran to doing so? read more Iran currently does not have a nuclera weapon. Israel on Friday launched airstrikes on Iran. Tel Aviv started conducted 'Operation Rising Lion' in order to deal a blow to Iran's nuclear ambitions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that the operation was essential to 'roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival'. 'If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time', Netanyahu claimed. 'It could be a year. It could be within a few months.' But how close is Iran to building a nuclear bomb? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Let's take a closer look: What do we know? Iran does not currently possess a nuclear weapon. It officially suspended its nuclear bomb program in 2003. The US and other western intelligence agencies have repeatedly said so – and have added that Iran does not seem on the pathway to making a nuclear bomb. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard earlier this year told Congress that the US 'continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei has not authorised the nuclear weapons programme that he suspended in 2003'. However, how far away it is from being able to develop one is a different ballgame. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran committed to keeping its uranium enrichment levels at 3.67 per cent or under. This was way under the 90 per cent purity threshold required for uranium in order for Iran to actually produce a nuclear bomb. US President Donald Trump shows a signed presidential memorandum withdrawing the United States from the Iranian nuclear deal on May 8, 2018. (Photo: AP) The deal also left Iran around 300 kilos of uranium – just enough to keep its civilian power stations going. However, in 2018, US president Donald Trump pulled out of the deal. The results of the deal have been catastrophic. Iran has now enriching 408 kilos of uranium up to 60 per cent purity – still far short of the 90 per cent needed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, if Iran manages to refine the uranium to 90 per cent, it could make around 9 or 10 nuclear bombs, as per the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In May, the IAEA sounded the alarm on Iran's growing uranium pile. The watchdog in a report said Iran is now 'the only non-nuclear-weapon state to produce such material.' 'While safeguarded enrichment activities are not forbidden in and of themselves, the fact that Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state in the world that is producing and accumulating uranium enriched to 60 per cent remains a matter of serious concern,' it said. However, the IAEA added that it had 'no credible indications of an ongoing, undeclared structured nuclear programme'. What do experts say? They say that though Iran does not have a nuclear bomb , it could do so fairly quickly if it chooses to. The Council on Foreign Relations, a US based think-tank, has claimed Iran could make a nuclear bomb within a couple of weeks. The IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), asked about Iran's nuclear programme, said in May, 'Dates are always arbitrary. But they are not far. It would be, you know, a matter of months, not years.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Critics point out that Israel has been saying that Iran is close to building a nuclear bomb for decades – which as of yet has still not come to pass. Kelsey Davenport, director for non-proliferation policy at the US-based Arms Control Association, told BBC that Netanyahu 'did not present any clear or compelling evidence that Iran was on the brink of weaponizing'. 'Iran has been at a near-zero breakout for months,' she added. 'Similarly, the assessment that Iran could develop a crude nuclear weapon within a few months is not new.' 'If Netanyahu was purely motivated by Iran's proliferation risk, Israel would likely have shared that intelligence with the United States and the initial attack would likely have targeted all of Iran's key nuclear facilities,' she added. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme leader of Iran, had ordered the nuclear programme suspended in 2003. AFP File They also say that Netanyahu is either trying to scupper any chances of a peace process between US and Iran or trying to save his own government – maybe even both. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Bibi's been speaking about [attacking Iran] for 40 years,' as a former senior aide Netanyahu told the Economist. Just nine countries have nuclear weapons – the US, Russia, France, China, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. Ironically, Israel is the only country in West Asia to actually have a nuclear weapon – even though it has never confirmed that it actually does. Experts put Israeli stockpile anywhere between 75 and 400 nuclear warheads. With input from agencies
India.com
42 minutes ago
- India.com
Why does Israel want US to get involved in attack on Iran? Experts say it is due to Fordo's..., Israel alone cannot...
New Delhi: In the last 48 hours, Israel has requested the Trump administration to join the war against Iran to end its nuclear programme. Axios news portal on Sunday, 15 June 2025 quoted two Israeli officials as saying that America has been contacted continuously for the last two days. An official said that, if necessary, America can join the conflict. US President Donald Trump had also said the same to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a recent conversation. But, there has been no public response from the Trump administration on these requests of Israel. Why Israel wants America to join the war? Actually, Israel does not have the bunker buster bombs and large bomber planes required to destroy Iran's Fordo uranium enrichment site. Iran has built underground reactors inside the ground in an area surrounded by hills here. America has bunker buster bombs as well as bomber planes. Not only this, but the whole of Iran is also within the range of these bombers. This is the reason why Israel wants America to also join this conflict and attack Iran. This will also give Israel a sense of security, because Iran will not dare to attack America even by mistake. America's policy on Israeli attack The Trump administration has so far kept itself away from Israel's operation. America says that it is not involved in Israeli attacks in any way. America fears that Iran can target its military bases in the Middle East. Experts say that attacking Iran directly, even if America's involvement is limited to bombing a single site, will draw it directly into the war. However, if the Fordo plant remains operational even after the operation is over, Israel will fail in its goal of 'ending' Iran's nuclear programme. Will America join Israel? On Friday, June 13, a White House official denied that the USA was going to get involved in this conflict. A second US official confirmed on Saturday, June 14 that Israel has urged the Trump administration to join the war, but said the administration is not currently considering it. At the same time, an Israeli source said that the USA is considering this request and stressed that Israel hopes Trump will agree to it.
