Israel strikes Iran's capital
Israel strikes Iran's capital
Israeli strikes have hit the Iranian capital of Tehran on Sunday in yet another escalation of the ongoing conflict. Israel's military had previously said it was targeting military and nuclear complexes in Iran, although there are no known such complexes in these areas of the capital.
00:32 - Source: CNN
In the rubble of a deadly Iranian missile attack
CNN's Nic Robertson shows aftermath of deadly Iranian missile attack in a residential area in the central Israeli city of Bat Yam. The death toll in Israel from overnight strikes by Iran has risen to at least 10, as emergency workers on the ground continue search and rescue operations.
00:51 - Source: CNN
Residential areas take 'direct hits' in Israel
The death toll from Iranian strikes on Israel continue to rise overnight as Israel and Iran exchange more missile and drone strikes. Israel's national emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA) reported a 'direct hit' on a residential building in the Palestinian-Israeli town of Tamra, killing at least three women and a 13-year-old girl. A later wave of strikes struck buildings in a residential area in the central Israeli city of Bat Yam, killing at least four.
00:31 - Source: CNN
Iran and Israel trade fresh strikes
Iran and Israel launched missiles in a fresh wave of strikes on Saturday - with projectiles seen over Jerusalem, Haifa, and the West Bank. Iran says Israel launched drones at a gas field in a drone strike, among other targets.
00:41 - Source: CNN
Clarissa Ward shows aftermath of Iranian strike in Israel
CNN's Clarissa Ward is at the site where an Iranian missile made impact in central Israel following overnight bombardments between Israel and Iran.
00:41 - Source: CNN
See moment projectile strikes near key military facility in Tel Aviv
Video verified by CNN captures the dramatic moment a missile struck in vicinity of the Kirya, an area of Tel Aviv that's home to an urban military base housing Israel's Defense Forces.
00:33 - Source: CNN
Nic Robertson describes downed projectile in Israel
CNN's Nic Robertson reports at the site of a smoldering projectile on the road to Tel Aviv after a fresh wave of Iranian missile strikes.
00:30 - Source: CNN
How Mossad pulled off the strikes in Iran
Rare footage released by Israeli spy agency Mossad unveils the sophisticated intelligence operation behind Israel's recent unprecedented attack on Iran. CNN Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Matthew Chance takes a look into this significant breakthrough as well as what sort of retaliation could be in store.
01:02 - Source: CNN
Missile interceptor launches from Jerusalem
CNN's Jerusalem bureau chief and correspondent Oren Liebermann describes the moment an interceptor launched in the distance behind him during an on-air report from Jerusalem.
00:47 - Source: CNN
Nuclear deal between US and Iran now uncertain after Israel attack
The nuclear deal between the US and Iran could be in jeopardy following Israel's attack on Iran. CNN's Kaitlan Collins has the details.
00:41 - Source: CNN
Oren Liebermann reports inside a bomb shelter in Israel
CNN's Jerusalem Bureau Chief Oren Liebermann reports from inside a bomb shelter as Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel after the unprecedented attack on Iran.
01:37 - Source: CNN
Trump urges Iran to make nuclear deal in call to CNN
CNN's Dana Bash talked with President Trump on the phone about Israel's unprecedented strikes on Iran that targeted nuclear facilities and military leaders.
01:35 - Source: CNN
Sole survivor of India plane crash speaks out
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is the sole survivor of an Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff. In an interview, Ramesh relives the harrowing moments when he escaped the plane.
01:02 - Source: CNN
Iran says retaliation on Israel has begun
Large explosions have been heard in Tel-Aviv, Israel, according to CNN's team on the ground. This comes after the Israeli military says it has identified incoming missiles launched from Iran toward Israel.
00:34 - Source: CNN
Iranians question nuclear talks with US after Israeli attack
Crowds of demonstrators rallied in Tehran calling for retaliation after Israeli strikes on Iran and questioning whether the country should continue negotiations with the United States over a potential nuclear deal.
00:49 - Source: CNN
Amanpour breaks down Israeli strikes on Iran
Israel has launched unprecedented strikes on Iran, targeting its nuclear program and assassinating top military leaders in an attack that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said will last many days. The operation, codenamed 'Operation Rising Lion,' hit Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz, as well as targeting Iranian nuclear scientists and military leaders.
02:34 - Source: CNN
Analysis: How might Iran respond to Israeli attack?
Overnight Israel struck several locations in Iran, including the capital Tehran and the country's nuclear sites. Israel says 200 fighter jets were involved in the attack that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said will last many days. With Iran's defenses weakened in Israel's October attack, and several military leaders killed, its response to last night's strike may be limited. CNN's chief security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh gives his analysis.
01:30 - Source: CNN
Israel's spy agency shows how they attacked Iran from within
Israel has launched unprecedented strikes on Iran, targeting its nuclear program and military leaders. Israel's spy agency, Mossad, released video of operatives inside Iran before the strikes.
00:44 - Source: CNN
Top Iranian commander killed in Israeli strikes
Iran's revolutionary guard has confirmed the death General Hossein Salami, one of the country's most powerful and influential military commanders, in Israel's strikes. The IRGC said its command structure and other branches of the military were 'fully prepared to deliver a decisive and harsh response.' CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen reports.
01:40 - Source: CNN
Analysis: Why Israel attacked Iran now
CNN's Oren Liebermann explains the reasons why Israel decided to attack Iran in unprecedented strikes targeting its nuclear program and senior military leaders.
01:49 - Source: CNN
Survivor of India plane crash appears to walk away from site in video
Video appears to show the sole survivor of a 242 passenger plane crash walking away from the rubble.
00:27 - Source: CNN
Expert examines CCTV footage to see what happened to Air India flight before crash
Newly released CCTV footage shows Air India Flight 171 take off before crashing moments later. CNN aviation analyst Miles O'Brien offers his analysis.
00:56 - Source: CNN
Passenger survives Air India plane crash
At least one passenger on board Air India Flight 171 to London Gatwick survived, local police said. According to Reuters, senior police officer Vidhi Chaudhary said the man had been in seat 11A and added that there may be a few more survivors in the hospital.
00:19 - Source: CNN
Video shows moment plane crashes in India
Social media video shows flames and thick smoke billowing into the air, as an Air India passenger plane, carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff. The plane had departed an airport in Ahmedabad, India and was bound for London's Gatwick Airport.
00:20 - Source: CNN
Rare deep-sea squid filmed alive for first time
Scientists have captured the first-ever footage of the elusive Gonatus antarcticus squid alive in its deep-sea habitat. CNN's Jeremy Roth describes the rare encounter. For more on this story, visit natgeo.com.
01:12 - Source: CNN
Analysis: Is Netanyahu's government under threat?
Among an ongoing corruption trial, protests against his leadership and an upcoming vote to dissolve the government, CNN's Oren Liebermann looks at the growing pressure on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
01:59 - Source: CNN
Austrian mayor of city hit by school shooting speaks to CNN
Austria is reeling from one of the worst rampages in the country's history after a gunman opened fire at a high school in the city of Graz, killing 10 people, including teenagers. Elke Kahr, mayor of Graz, spoke to CNN's Frederik Pleitgen during a candlelight vigil as the city reflects on the rare tragedy.
01:15 - Source: CNN
Mexican flags at LA protests spark heated debate
Mexico's flag has become a defining symbol of the protests in Los Angeles, sparking a heated debate amongst the Latino community about whether or not it's disrespectful. CNN's Rafael Romo breaks down the debate and what the it means to be Mexican-American right now.
01:53 - Source: CNN
Austria hit by rare school shooting
A gunman in Austria opened fire on a school in the southern city of Graz, killing himself and at least nine others. The death toll includes teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18, the Austrian interior ministry said. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports.
01:05 - Source: CNN
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CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
CNN visits site of deadly Iranian missile strike
CNN visits site of deadly Iranian missile strike CNN's Clarissa Ward reports from Tamra, a village in northern Israel inhabited by predominantly Palestinian citizens of Israel, where multiple civilians were killed after an Iranian rocket struck their home. 02:17 - Source: CNN Israel strikes Iran's capital Israeli strikes have hit the Iranian capital of Tehran on Sunday in yet another escalation of the ongoing conflict. Israel's military had previously said it was targeting military and nuclear complexes in Iran, although there are no known such complexes in these areas of the capital. 00:32 - Source: CNN In the rubble of a deadly Iranian missile attack CNN's Nic Robertson shows aftermath of deadly Iranian missile attack in a residential area in the central Israeli city of Bat Yam. The death toll in Israel from overnight strikes by Iran has risen to at least 10, as emergency workers on the ground continue search and rescue operations. 00:51 - Source: CNN Residential areas take 'direct hits' in Israel The death toll from Iranian strikes on Israel continue to rise overnight as Israel and Iran exchange more missile and drone strikes. Israel's national emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA) reported a 'direct hit' on a residential building in the Palestinian-Israeli town of Tamra, killing at least three women and a 13-year-old girl. A later wave of strikes struck buildings in a residential area in the central Israeli city of Bat Yam, killing at least four. 00:31 - Source: CNN Iran and Israel trade fresh strikes Iran and Israel launched missiles in a fresh wave of strikes on Saturday - with projectiles seen over Jerusalem, Haifa, and the West Bank. Iran says Israel launched drones at a gas field in a drone strike, among other targets. 00:41 - Source: CNN Clarissa Ward shows aftermath of Iranian strike in Israel CNN's Clarissa Ward is at the site where an Iranian missile made impact in central Israel following overnight bombardments between Israel and Iran. 00:41 - Source: CNN See moment projectile strikes near key military facility in Tel Aviv Video verified by CNN captures the dramatic moment a missile struck in vicinity of the Kirya, an area of Tel Aviv that's home to an urban military base housing Israel's Defense Forces. 00:33 - Source: CNN Nic Robertson describes downed projectile in Israel CNN's Nic Robertson reports at the site of a smoldering projectile on the road to Tel Aviv after a fresh wave of Iranian missile strikes. 00:30 - Source: CNN How Mossad pulled off the strikes in Iran Rare footage released by Israeli spy agency Mossad unveils the sophisticated intelligence operation behind Israel's recent unprecedented attack on Iran. CNN Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Matthew Chance takes a look into this significant breakthrough as well as what sort of retaliation could be in store. 01:02 - Source: CNN Missile interceptor launches from Jerusalem CNN's Jerusalem bureau chief and correspondent Oren Liebermann describes the moment an interceptor launched in the distance behind him during an on-air report from Jerusalem. 00:47 - Source: CNN Nuclear deal between US and Iran now uncertain after Israel attack The nuclear deal between the US and Iran could be in jeopardy following Israel's attack on Iran. CNN's Kaitlan Collins has the details. 00:41 - Source: CNN Oren Liebermann reports inside a bomb shelter in Israel CNN's Jerusalem Bureau Chief Oren Liebermann reports from inside a bomb shelter as Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel after the unprecedented attack on Iran. 01:37 - Source: CNN Trump urges Iran to make nuclear deal in call to CNN CNN's Dana Bash talked with President Trump on the phone about Israel's unprecedented strikes on Iran that targeted nuclear facilities and military leaders. 01:35 - Source: CNN Sole survivor of India plane crash speaks out Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is the sole survivor of an Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff. In an interview, Ramesh relives the harrowing moments when he escaped the plane. 01:02 - Source: CNN Iran says retaliation on Israel has begun Large explosions have been heard in Tel-Aviv, Israel, according to CNN's team on the ground. This comes after the Israeli military says it has identified incoming missiles launched from Iran toward Israel. 00:34 - Source: CNN Iranians question nuclear talks with US after Israeli attack Crowds of demonstrators rallied in Tehran calling for retaliation after Israeli strikes on Iran and questioning whether the country should continue negotiations with the United States over a potential nuclear deal. 00:49 - Source: CNN Amanpour breaks down Israeli strikes on Iran Israel has launched unprecedented strikes on Iran, targeting its nuclear program and assassinating top military leaders in an attack that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said will last many days. The operation, codenamed 'Operation Rising Lion,' hit Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz, as well as targeting Iranian nuclear scientists and military leaders. 02:34 - Source: CNN Analysis: How might Iran respond to Israeli attack? Overnight Israel struck several locations in Iran, including the capital Tehran and the country's nuclear sites. Israel says 200 fighter jets were involved in the attack that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said will last many days. With Iran's defenses weakened in Israel's October attack, and several military leaders killed, its response to last night's strike may be limited. CNN's chief security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh gives his analysis. 01:30 - Source: CNN Israel's spy agency shows how they attacked Iran from within Israel has launched unprecedented strikes on Iran, targeting its nuclear program and military leaders. Israel's spy agency, Mossad, released video of operatives inside Iran before the strikes. 00:44 - Source: CNN Top Iranian commander killed in Israeli strikes Iran's revolutionary guard has confirmed the death General Hossein Salami, one of the country's most powerful and influential military commanders, in Israel's strikes. The IRGC said its command structure and other branches of the military were 'fully prepared to deliver a decisive and harsh response.' CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen reports. 01:40 - Source: CNN Analysis: Why Israel attacked Iran now CNN's Oren Liebermann explains the reasons why Israel decided to attack Iran in unprecedented strikes targeting its nuclear program and senior military leaders. 01:49 - Source: CNN Survivor of India plane crash appears to walk away from site in video Video appears to show the sole survivor of a 242 passenger plane crash walking away from the rubble. 00:27 - Source: CNN Expert examines CCTV footage to see what happened to Air India flight before crash Newly released CCTV footage shows Air India Flight 171 take off before crashing moments later. CNN aviation analyst Miles O'Brien offers his analysis. 00:56 - Source: CNN Passenger survives Air India plane crash At least one passenger on board Air India Flight 171 to London Gatwick survived, local police said. According to Reuters, senior police officer Vidhi Chaudhary said the man had been in seat 11A and added that there may be a few more survivors in the hospital. 00:19 - Source: CNN Video shows moment plane crashes in India Social media video shows flames and thick smoke billowing into the air, as an Air India passenger plane, carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff. The plane had departed an airport in Ahmedabad, India and was bound for London's Gatwick Airport. 00:20 - Source: CNN Rare deep-sea squid filmed alive for first time Scientists have captured the first-ever footage of the elusive Gonatus antarcticus squid alive in its deep-sea habitat. CNN's Jeremy Roth describes the rare encounter. For more on this story, visit 01:12 - Source: CNN Analysis: Is Netanyahu's government under threat? Among an ongoing corruption trial, protests against his leadership and an upcoming vote to dissolve the government, CNN's Oren Liebermann looks at the growing pressure on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 01:59 - Source: CNN Austrian mayor of city hit by school shooting speaks to CNN Austria is reeling from one of the worst rampages in the country's history after a gunman opened fire at a high school in the city of Graz, killing 10 people, including teenagers. Elke Kahr, mayor of Graz, spoke to CNN's Frederik Pleitgen during a candlelight vigil as the city reflects on the rare tragedy. 01:15 - Source: CNN Mexican flags at LA protests spark heated debate Mexico's flag has become a defining symbol of the protests in Los Angeles, sparking a heated debate amongst the Latino community about whether or not it's disrespectful. CNN's Rafael Romo breaks down the debate and what the it means to be Mexican-American right now. 01:53 - Source: CNN Austria hit by rare school shooting A gunman in Austria opened fire on a school in the southern city of Graz, killing himself and at least nine others. The death toll includes teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18, the Austrian interior ministry said. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports. 01:05 - Source: CNN
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
G7 is a big moment for Carney. Here are five things to watch
Leaders of some of the world's wealthiest countries have descended on a luxury mountain lodge nestled in Canada's Rockies for this year's G7 summit. The elite gathering comes as Western allies face numerous crises, from conflicts on three continents to global economic instability. Canada chairs the G7 this year and will host leaders of Italy, US, France, Germany, UK and Japan in Kananaskis, Alberta. It has promised a set of streamlined priorities focused around the global economy and security. But Mark Carney's carefully planned agenda has now been upended by the Israel-Iran conflict. It is his first major international gathering as Canadian prime minister. Here are five challenges ahead. This summit was set to be a test of his ability to meet three lofty goals he advanced for Canada - taking a leadership role on the global stage, becoming the strongest G7 economy and weaning off US dependency. Now the Iran issue has suddenly shot to the top of the G7 agenda, forcing his officials to rejig their preparations. But one thing is clear. Carney will be closely watched for how he handles US President Donald Trump, who has frequently undermined Canada's sovereignty. Iran issue sure to dominate G7 summit John Kirton, director of G7 Research Group at the University of Toronto, says that scrutiny will start from the arrival ceremony, where he will need to show that he is treating Trump as an equal. And keep him in check when the meetings are under way. The summit offers the potential to secure some Canadian wins, perhaps new trade and security deals with the US, hatched last month in Washington. At that meeting, Carney gave the president some golf gear from the Kananaskis Country Club, a scenic course within the tightly controlled perimeter of the summit. The summit is taking place amid a global trade war started by Trump, who is using tariffs as a way to rebalance trading relationships. He has said the US has been "looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike". It also comes as World Bank predicts the global economy will see the slowest decade for growth since the 1960s as the effect the US tariffs are felt, making it likely there will be some awkward - or "frank", in diplomatic lingo - conversations at this family gathering. A discussion on the global economy will kick off the summit on Monday morning. But Trump's November election win has shifted the global agenda beyond trade. The gathering offers the president a chance to secure wins on some of his other priorities, such as migration, critical minerals, security and drug trafficking - all of which are on the agenda later in the day. The president has met each of his G7 counterparts since taking office but he will line up one-on-one meetings on the sidelines - he has already got Carney and the Mexican president in the diary. There are currently two bilateral meetings on his schedule, according to US officials, though there no details on whom he is speaking with. This will be Trump's second time in Canada as US president, the first being a discordant summit in Charlevoix, Quebec, in 2018 shortly after he slapped steel and aluminium tariffs on Canada, Mexico and Europe. Charlevoix was memorable for ending in acrimony and disarray - captured in a now-famous photo of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel confronting a defiant Trump as other world leaders and US aides looked on. The leaders struggled to agree on language over global trade for the final communique - a moment captured in that Merkel image - before Trump left the summit early. He headed to Singapore to sit down with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un while posting missives from Air Force One aimed at then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Many of the tensions from seven years ago remain relevant today. Carney hopes to avoid a similar derailment, and told Sky News last month that the lesson he took from that blow-up "is to be consistent - say the same thing in private as you do in public, say the same things after the summit as you do during the summit". Who's who in famous G7 photo The G7 is a "consensus body. We work together", a senior Canadian government official said in a briefing last week. With that in mind, Canada has chosen to eschew a final communique completely in favour of six of short joint statements on wildfires, critical minerals and other key agenda items. Canada's priorities for the confab are sharply focused on building stronger economies and strengthening peace and security, including harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and fortifying critical mineral supply chains. While there are no broad commitments expected on climate change, it is integrated into the agenda, a senior government official told a briefing this week, pointing to an effort to improve the international joint response to the growing global forest fire threat. Canada's worst wildfire season on record was in 2023 and this year could be on track to be the second worst. Smoke from the blazes has blanketed parts of North America and Europe and could be visible reminder to delegates in Kananaskis of the threat. Ukraine is another pressing topic on the agenda, with President Volodomyr Zelensky there hoping to discuss continued support for his country, sanctions against Russia and future financing for reconstruction efforts. Tuesday morning will focus on that conflict, with Ukraine expected to push for more sanctions on Russia. Carney has also placed countering foreign interference - notably interference in global diaspora communities - high on the summit's agenda, setting up potential for tense discussions with some of the attending leaders who are not part of the G7. As host, Canada also invites leaders not permanently attached to the seven-member group, and Carney has given a number the nod to attend, some more controversial than others. As mentioned, Zelensky will be there. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be a guest, with Carney saying there are important discussions that India, as a major economic force, should be a part of. Modi's attendance comes amid deeply strained relations between the two countries over the murder of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil. Carney invites Modi to G7, signalling thaw in relations Canada pledges to meet Nato's 2% defence spending target within a year Canada has accused India of carrying out that targeted killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar two years ago and the G7 invitation has received backlash among some Sikh Canadians. Mexico's President, Claudia Sheinbaum, has confirmed she will be in Kananaskis. Her presence sets the stage for talks on North American trade, which has been upended by Trump's tariffs. Sheinbaum has said she is keen to set up a one-on-one meeting with Trump, which would be the first between the pair. Carney has also invited European and Nato leaders and his counterparts from Australia, South Africa, South Korea, Indonesia, and Brazil.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Iran vows revenge for Israeli strikes, saying it will write ‘end of this story'
Iran has vowed to avenge the attack on its nuclear sites and the assassination in Tehran of its senior military leadership, saying it would respond forcefully and that the 'end of this story will be written by Iran's hand'. In the first signs of a counterstrike, Israel said Iran had launched 100 drones towards Israel and that its air defences were intercepting them outside Israeli territory. Iraq said more than 100 Iranian drones had crossed its airspace and, soon after, neighbouring Jordan said its air force and defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones that had entered its airspace, for fear they would fall in its territory. Iran, in serious military disarray, denied it had launched any drones and claimed its counterstrike had not been launched. Responding to what amounted to the most serious and largest ever attack by Israel, the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, threatened 'severe punishment' and claimed residential areas had been targeted. The Iranian leadership vowed a military and diplomatic response, saying women and children had been killed in the strikes across Iran. The Fars news agency claimed 78 people had been killed and more than 300 injured in Tehran province alone. A vast swathe of Iran's military and air force leadership has been wiped out, and as many as six scientists working on Iran's nuclear programme. It remains to be seen if Iran will decide to attack US military sites in the Middle East, but its leaders will have heard Donald Trump praising Israel's actions and claiming the US had known about the attacks in advance, even if it did not take part. Iran also faces a decision on whether to accept Trump's offer to continue with the bilateral talks on a diplomatic solution to its nuclear programme. The sixth round of Oman-brokered talks involving the US special envoy Steve Witkoff were due to be held in Muscat on Sunday. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, did not announce that the talks had been ended by the Israeli strike. Instead he said Israel had crossed every red line, accused Israel of a declaration of war, and called for an emergency meeting of the UN security council in New York. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, told the council that the above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Iran's main nuclear facility in Natanz had been been destroyed, although he said the level of radioactivity outside the plant remained unchanged. Iranian officials dismissed Trump's suggestion that Tehran should have expected an attack since a 60-day deadline the US president claimed he had set for the talks had expired. In a furious statement, the Iranian government accused Israel of terrorism and insisted the attack demonstrated it 'does not adhere to any international rules or laws and, like a drunkard, openly and brazenly engages in terror and ignites the flames of war before the eyes of the world, including westerners who claim to uphold human rights and international law'. 'Starting a war with Iran is playing with the lion's tail,' the statement added. In a telling warning that the Iranian regime, if it survives, may now indeed feel the need to try to assemble a nuclear bomb in the face of Israel's attacks, the statement further said: 'The world now better understands Iran's insistence on the right to enrichment, nuclear technology and missile power, and the enemy has made it possible to prove our injustice and righteousness, who is the aggressor and which regime is threatening the security of the region.' Hardline MPs called on the supreme leader to lift the fatwa that is supposed to prevent Iran pursuing a nuclear programme. With its axis of resistance weakened over the past year by Israel's actions, there has been a growing lobby arguing that Iran needs a nuclear bomb to defend itself. Among those killed by Israeli strikes were Gen Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards; Gen Gholamali Rashid, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander; the nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi; and Fereydoun Abbasi, the former head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization. Replacements for two of the top roles were announced within hours of the attack. Maj Gen Abdolrahim Mousavi was appointed as chief of staff of the armed forces, replacing Maj Gen Mohammad Bagheri, who was killed in the Israeli attack. Khamenei chose Mohammad Pakpour to lead the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards, replacing Salami, state television reported. Residential buildings across Tehran were hit. Pictures showed that specific floors on high-rise apartments were struck, but the damage had spread to many different floors. Army barracks across the country appear to have been hit, with reports of deaths and damage. But Isfahan regional governors said there had been no leakage of uranium from the Natanz nuclear facility. No electricity or oil installations were struck, but Israel may well return to hit economic targets in the coming days, depending on any Iranian response. It has also not sought to assassinate any of Iran's political or diplomatic leadership. Iran, aware that the savage blow to its prestige may lead to some form of uprising, urged its citizens to listen only to official channels, and ignore rumours. The planned sixth round of talks, the first in which both sides had put forward proposals in writing, were to focus on whether Iran would be allowed to continue domestic uranium enrichment with monitoring by the UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Iran says it does not have a covert plan to build a nuclear bomb, but all signatories to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty including Iran have a sovereign right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes. It says the comprehensive report put to the IAEA board this week showed no evidence that Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon. The report did say it could not be certain that the nuclear programme was entirely civilian in purpose. Tehran has consistently argued that its increased stockpiles of highly enriched uranium is a calculated and legitimate response to Donald Trump unilaterally withdrawing in 2018 from the nuclear deal agreed with Barack Obama three years earlier and imposing economic sanctions. The highly experienced Iranian negotiating team were aware that Israel was increasingly worried that Trump, facing an open war for his ear on Iran in Washington, might strike an unsatisfactory deal with Iran. But the consensus among Arab diplomats was that Trump was sincere in saying he did not want Israel to strike. The belief among Iranian negotiators that they had further time before Trump implicitly or explicitly sanctioned military action looks, in retrospect, to have been a severe error. But the right to enrich has been an Iranian red line for decades, and they will reject the accusation they overplayed a weak hand. Moreover, Iranian diplomats had been led to believe initially that the US would permit Iran to continue some form of uranium enrichment, but had been struggling to convert that belief into a specific American offer in the talks held in Oman and Rome. Iran will now have to reflect whether it was being played by the US negotiators, or whether Israel has the freedom of action to mount such an assault without a green light from Washington. To many Iranian eyes, despite the reports that Trump was distancing himself from Israel, the US president has done little in practice since taking office to restrain Israel either in Gaza or across the region. Iran's air defences have proved ineffective, partly due to the previous airstrikes launched by Israel in October that took out Russian-made air defence systems, including around its nuclear sites. One of the few cards Iran has to play is that in recent months it has managed to improve its fractured relations with Arab states in the region, even though its policy of forward defence based on proxy groups in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Yemen and Iraq was largely dismantled by Israel. But the valued Gulf state sympathy for Iran is not likely to extend to joint military action against Israel.
