
Israeli minister sanctions dubbed too little, too late
"Israel has shown it does not take international opinion seriously, and this move is unlikely to deter the Israeli government in the way they're prosecuting the war in Gaza," he said.

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The Age
11 minutes ago
- The Age
Israel and Iran bomb each other as nuclear talks tank
In Israel, at least six people, including two children, were killed when a missile hit an apartment building in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. Daniel Hadad, a local police commander, said 180 people were wounded and seven were still missing. An Associated Press reporter saw streets lined with damaged and destroyed buildings, bombed out cars and shards of glass. Responders used a drone at points to look for survivors. Some people could be seen leaving the area with suitcases. Four people were killed when a missile struck a building in the northern Israeli town of Tamra and another 24 were wounded. A strike on the central city of Rehovot wounded 42 people. The Weizmann Institute of Science, an important centre for research in Rehovot, said 'there were a number of hits to buildings on the campus.' It said no one was harmed. Israel has a sophisticated multi-tiered missile defence system that can intercept most projectiles fired at it, but officials have always said it is imperfect. Loading Urgent calls to deescalate World leaders made urgent calls to deescalate. The attack on nuclear sites set a 'dangerous precedent,' China's foreign minister said. The region is already on edge as Israel seeks to annihilate Hamas, an Iranian ally, in the Gaza Strip, where the war is still raging after Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brushed off such calls, saying Israel's strikes so far are 'nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days.' Israel, the sole, though undeclared, nuclear-armed state in the Middle East — said it launched the attack to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran has always said its nuclear program was peaceful, and the U.S. and others have assessed it has not pursued a weapon since 2003. But it has enriched ever larger stockpiles of uranium to near weapons-grade levels in recent years and was believed to have been able to develop multiple weapons within months if it chose to do so. The U.N.'s atomic watchdog censured Iran last week for not complying with its obligations. Semi-official Iranian news agencies meanwhile reported that an Israeli drone strike had caused a 'strong explosion' at an Iranian natural-gas processing plant, in what could 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 calls nuclear talks 'unjustifiable' The Arab Gulf country of Oman, which has been mediating indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program, said a sixth round planned for Sunday would not take place. 'We remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon,' a senior U.S. official said on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks. Iran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, said Saturday that the nuclear talks were 'unjustifiable' after Israel's strikes, which he said were the 'result of the direct support by Washington.' In a post on his Truth Social account early Sunday, Trump reiterated that the U.S. was not involved in the attacks on Iran and warned that any retaliation directed against it would bring an American response 'at levels never seen before.' 'However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!' he wrote. 'More than a few weeks' to repair nuclear facilities In Iran, satellite photos analysed by AP show extensive damage at Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz. The images shot Saturday by Planet Labs PBC show multiple buildings damaged or destroyed. The structures hit include buildings identified by experts as supplying power to the facility. U.N. nuclear chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that the above-ground section of the Natanz facility was destroyed. The main centrifuge facility underground did not appear to have been hit, but the loss of power could have damaged infrastructure there, he said. Israel also struck a nuclear research facility in Isfahan. The International Atomic Energy Agency said four 'critical buildings' were damaged, including its uranium conversion facility. 'As in Natanz, no increase in off-site radiation expected,' it added. An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with official procedures, said that according to the army's initial assessment 'it will take much more than a few weeks' for Iran to repair the damage to the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites. The official said the army had 'concrete intelligence that production in Isfahan was for military purposes.'

Sydney Morning Herald
11 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Israel and Iran bomb each other as nuclear talks tank
In Israel, at least six people, including two children, were killed when a missile hit an apartment building in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. Daniel Hadad, a local police commander, said 180 people were wounded and seven were still missing. An Associated Press reporter saw streets lined with damaged and destroyed buildings, bombed out cars and shards of glass. Responders used a drone at points to look for survivors. Some people could be seen leaving the area with suitcases. Four people were killed when a missile struck a building in the northern Israeli town of Tamra and another 24 were wounded. A strike on the central city of Rehovot wounded 42 people. The Weizmann Institute of Science, an important centre for research in Rehovot, said 'there were a number of hits to buildings on the campus.' It said no one was harmed. Israel has a sophisticated multi-tiered missile defence system that can intercept most projectiles fired at it, but officials have always said it is imperfect. Loading Urgent calls to deescalate World leaders made urgent calls to deescalate. The attack on nuclear sites set a 'dangerous precedent,' China's foreign minister said. The region is already on edge as Israel seeks to annihilate Hamas, an Iranian ally, in the Gaza Strip, where the war is still raging after Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brushed off such calls, saying Israel's strikes so far are 'nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days.' Israel, the sole, though undeclared, nuclear-armed state in the Middle East — said it launched the attack to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran has always said its nuclear program was peaceful, and the U.S. and others have assessed it has not pursued a weapon since 2003. But it has enriched ever larger stockpiles of uranium to near weapons-grade levels in recent years and was believed to have been able to develop multiple weapons within months if it chose to do so. The U.N.'s atomic watchdog censured Iran last week for not complying with its obligations. Semi-official Iranian news agencies meanwhile reported that an Israeli drone strike had caused a 'strong explosion' at an Iranian natural-gas processing plant, in what could 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 calls nuclear talks 'unjustifiable' The Arab Gulf country of Oman, which has been mediating indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program, said a sixth round planned for Sunday would not take place. 'We remain committed to talks and hope the Iranians will come to the table soon,' a senior U.S. official said on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks. Iran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, said Saturday that the nuclear talks were 'unjustifiable' after Israel's strikes, which he said were the 'result of the direct support by Washington.' In a post on his Truth Social account early Sunday, Trump reiterated that the U.S. was not involved in the attacks on Iran and warned that any retaliation directed against it would bring an American response 'at levels never seen before.' 'However, we can easily get a deal done between Iran and Israel, and end this bloody conflict!!!' he wrote. 'More than a few weeks' to repair nuclear facilities In Iran, satellite photos analysed by AP show extensive damage at Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz. The images shot Saturday by Planet Labs PBC show multiple buildings damaged or destroyed. The structures hit include buildings identified by experts as supplying power to the facility. U.N. nuclear chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council that the above-ground section of the Natanz facility was destroyed. The main centrifuge facility underground did not appear to have been hit, but the loss of power could have damaged infrastructure there, he said. Israel also struck a nuclear research facility in Isfahan. The International Atomic Energy Agency said four 'critical buildings' were damaged, including its uranium conversion facility. 'As in Natanz, no increase in off-site radiation expected,' it added. An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with official procedures, said that according to the army's initial assessment 'it will take much more than a few weeks' for Iran to repair the damage to the Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites. The official said the army had 'concrete intelligence that production in Isfahan was for military purposes.'


NDTV
17 minutes ago
- NDTV
Missiles In Sky, Music On Roof: Video Shows Lebanon Party Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
As Israel and Iran exchange deadly fire in one of the most intense escalations the region has seen in years, one country appears to be watching from the sidelines. A video circulating on social media shows surreal scenes allegedly from a rooftop bar in Lebanon's Beirut, where people continue partying as missiles streak across the night sky. In the widely shared clip on X, a musician at a hotel plays the trumpet as guests rise from their seats, plates abandoned, to capture the moment on their phones. A DJ keeps spinning tracks in the background. An on-screen caption in one video reads, "Meanwhile in Lebanon". Lmaoooo — War Monitor (@WarMonitors) June 15, 2025 NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity or exact location of the video. When a user asked X's AI chatbot Grok to identify the setting, it suggested the scene likely takes place at a rooftop bar in Beirut, such as SPINE or Iris Rooftop, both known for live music and coastal views. The bot clarified that the exact venue remains unconfirmed due to limited visual details. The video likely shows a party in Beirut, Lebanon, possibly at a rooftop bar like SPINE or Iris Rooftop, known for live music and coastal views. The exact venue is unclear due to limited details. Bright lights in the sky might be fireworks or drones, but given regional tensions,… — Grok (@grok) June 15, 2025 The surreal visuals come after "Operation Rising Lion," launched by Israel on June 13. It was a massive air campaign that hit over 100 of Iran's strategic sites, including nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Esfahan. The strikes also targeted missile bases, air defence systems, Iran's Defence Ministry headquarters in Tehran, and major energy infrastructure. Iranian officials claimed at least 100 people, including nuclear scientists and top military officials, were killed, with over 380 others injured. In retaliation, Iran unleashed"Operation True Promise III," a barrage of more than 150 ballistic missiles and over 100 drones in multiple waves aimed at key Israeli cities. Haifa, Tel Aviv, Rishon LeZion, and Jerusalem were among them. The counterattack reportedly left at least seven Israelis dead while critical infrastructure suffered severe damage.