Iran launches missiles and drones at Israel in the wake of US strikes
Israel said its defence systems were operating to intercept the threat, which apparently targeted north and central areas, and told people to head to shelters.
Iran described the attack as a new wave of its Operation 'True Promise 3', saying it was targeting the Israeli cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv, according to Iranian state television.
There were no immediate reports of damage.
The attack came the day after the United States inserted itself into Israel's war by attacking Iranian nuclear sites, prompting fears of a wider regional conflict.
Meanwhile, a suspected Israeli air strike hit the gate of Iran's notorious Evin prison in Tehran, Iranian state television reported. Iranian media speculated the strike may have come from a drone.
The report shared what appeared to be black-and-white-surveillance footage of the strike.
The prison is known for holding dual nationals and Westerners often used by Iran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.
Israel did not immediately acknowledge carrying out the strike.
Earlier, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog said 'very heavy damage' is expected at Iran's underground facility at Fordo after the US air strike this weekend.
After the strike using sophisticated bunker-buster bombs, Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in Vienna: 'Given the explosive payload utilised and the extreme vibration sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred.'
IAEA Director General @RafaelMGrossi addressed the Board of Governors this morning at an emergency meeting regarding the situation in Iran. pic.twitter.com/lqVr07Sqg7
— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg) June 23, 2025
He added that 'at this time, no-one, including the IAEA, is in a position to have fully assessed the underground damage at Fordo'.
Iran said the US had crossed 'a very big red line' with its risky gambit to strike the three sites with missiles and 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs.
On Monday, Iranian Gen Abdolrahim Mousavi, the chief of joint staff of armed forces, warned Washington its strikes had given Iranian forces a 'free hand ' to 'act against US interests and its army'.
Gen Mousavi described the American attack as violating Iran's sovereignty and being tantamount to invading the country, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
In the wake of the American attacks on Iran, calls came from across the globe for de-escalation and the return to diplomacy to try and resolve the conflict.
Foreign ministers remain focused on a diplomatic solution, but concerns about the war escalating are high.
Any Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz would be extremely dangerous.
My doorstep ahead of today's Foreign Affairs Council ↓ pic.twitter.com/VeHwCyxdL4
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) June 23, 2025
On Monday, the European Union's top diplomat said the bloc remained 'very much focused on the diplomatic solution'.
'The concerns of retaliation and this war escalating are huge,' Kaja Kallas said at the start of a foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels where Iran has jumped to the top of the agenda.
'Especially closing of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is something that would be extremely dangerous and not good for anybody,' Ms Kallas said, referring to a maritime route crucial for oil transport.
After Sunday's attacks, Iranian officials repeated their longstanding threats of possibly closing the key shipping lane.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi is meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of Iran's key allies, in Moscow.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
41 minutes ago
- The National
Israel and Iran agree ceasefire after attack on US air base
The news came after Iran attacked American forces at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base on Monday evening. No casualties were reported, and the US was made aware of the attack in advance. Just hours later, US president Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement had been reached on his social media platform Truth Social – although it took some time for both Iran and Israel to confirm. READ MORE: Ellie Gomersall: Banning a protest group as authoritarian as it gets At around 11pm UK time, Trump posted: "CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED!" Around an hour later, a senior Iranian official told the Reuters news agency that it had agreed to the ceasefire, which was proposed by the US and mediated by Qatar. Shortly before 6am UK-time, Iranian state television said the ceasefire had officially begun – but there was no word from Israel on whether it accepted the deal until just over an hour later. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement that it has agreed to the proposal, adding that Israel would respond "forcefully" to any violations from Iran. The statement added that Israel had agreed to the deal after "achieving the objectives" of its attacks, claiming that the "immediate existential threat" of Iran's nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles had been removed. READ MORE: I was at the protest for Palestine Action – here's what happened The UK Government has welcomed the news. Speaking on the Tuesday morning media round, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden told BBC Breakfast that it was "good news, if the ceasefire holds". He said: 'I welcome the Israeli statement. It's obviously a fragile situation in the Middle East. 'A number of people have been killed overnight in missile strikes, but I think the whole world will hope that the ceasefire will hold and that Iran will come forward with a credible plan that shows that it will not pursue the development of a nuclear weapon.' At the time of writing, there has been no official statement from either Foreign Secretary David Lammy or Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is heading to the Netherlands on Tuesday for a two-day Nato summit.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Netanyahu says Israel accepts ceasefire and has achieved war goals against Iran
The acceptance of the deal by both sides came after Tehran launched a final onslaught of missiles targeting Israel that killed at least four people early on Tuesday morning, while Israel launched a blitz of airstrikes targeting sites across Iran before dawn. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had agreed to a bilateral ceasefire with Iran in co-ordination with Mr Trump. Mr Netanyahu said that he had reported to Israel's security cabinet on Monday night that Israel had achieved all of its war goals in the 12-day operation against Iran, including removing the threat of Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Israel also damaged Iran's military leadership and several government sites and achieved control over Tehran's skies, Mr Netanyahu said. 'Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire,' Mr Netanyahu said. The Iranian barrages had sent Israelis hurrying into bomb shelters as the sun rose, killing at least four people and injuring eight others, Israel's Magen David Adom rescue services said. Iran on its state television announced an overall ceasefire had begun at 7.30am local time. The barrage damaged at least three densely packed residential buildings in the city of Beersheba, police said. First responders said they retrieved four bodies from one building and were searching for more. Outside, the shells of burned out cars littered the streets. Broken glass and rubble covered the area. Hundreds of emergency workers gathered to search for anyone else trapped in the buildings. Police said some people were injured even while inside their apartments' reinforced safe rooms, which are meant to withstand rockets and shrapnel but not direct hits from ballistic missiles. The direct hit in the largest city in southern Israel came just days after the city's hospital sustained significant damage in a missile strike. The Israeli military said people could leave bomb shelters but cautioned the public to stay close to shelter for the coming hours. Mr Trump's announcement that Israel and Iran had agreed to a 'complete and total ceasefire' came soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack on Monday on a US military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. The US was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties. "CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT'S TIME FOR PEACE!" –President Donald J. Trump — The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 23, 2025 Mr Trump's announcement on his Truth Social platform said the ceasefire beginning about midnight Washington time would bring an 'Official END' to the war. There were no reports of Israeli strikes in Iran after 4am in Tehran. Heavy Israeli strikes continued in Iranian cities until shortly before that time. Under the Trump plan, Israel was to halt its attacks on Iran by 1.30pm Tehran time. There was no report of Israel launching attacks against Iran since early Tuesday morning. Writing more than an hour after the first phase of the tentative ceasefire, which called for Iran to halt its attacks, Mr Trump added: 'THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!' Mr Trump gave the conflict between Israel and Iran a name: the '12 Day War'. That recalls the 1967 Mideast war, known by some as the 'Six Day War,' in which Israel fought a group of Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Mr Trump's reference carries emotional weight for the Arab world, particularly Palestinians. In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Though Israel later gave the Sinai back to Egypt, it still holds the other territories. Mr Trump communicated directly with Mr Netanyahu to secure the ceasefire, according to a senior White House official who insisted on anonymity to discuss the Monday talks. Vice president JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff communicated with the Iranians through direct and indirect channels. The White House has maintained that the Saturday bombing helped get the Israelis to agree to the ceasefire and that the Qatari government helped to broker the deal. It is unclear what role Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader, played in the talks. He said earlier on social media that he would not surrender. Israel's Airports Authority said Iran's barrage forced them to close the country's airspace to emergency flights for several hours. Some flights were forced to circle over the Mediterranean Sea, according to Israeli media. Israel's airports have been closed since the war with Iran began, but a handful of emergency flights started arriving and departing over the past few days. By early on Tuesday, Qatar Airways resumed its flights after Qatar shut down its airspace over the Iranian attack on Al Udeid Air Base. Flight-tracking data showed commercial aircraft again flying in Qatari airspace, signalling Doha believed the threat on the energy-rich nation had passed. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the war. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 974 people and wounded 3,458 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. The group, which has provided detailed casualty figures from Iranian unrest such as the protests surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, said of those killed, it identified 387 civilians and 268 security force personnel. The US has evacuated some 250 American citizens and their immediate family members from Israel by government, military and charter flights that began over the weekend, a State Department official said. There are roughly 700,000 American citizens, most of them dual US-Israeli citizens, believed to be in Israel.
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Netanyahu says Israel accepts ceasefire and has achieved war goals against Iran
The acceptance of the deal by both sides came after Tehran launched a final onslaught of missiles targeting Israel that killed at least four people early on Tuesday morning, while Israel launched a blitz of airstrikes targeting sites across Iran before dawn. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had agreed to a bilateral ceasefire with Iran in co-ordination with Mr Trump. Mr Netanyahu said that he had reported to Israel's security cabinet on Monday night that Israel had achieved all of its war goals in the 12-day operation against Iran, including removing the threat of Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Israel also damaged Iran's military leadership and several government sites and achieved control over Tehran's skies, Mr Netanyahu said. 'Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire,' Mr Netanyahu said. The Iranian barrages had sent Israelis hurrying into bomb shelters as the sun rose, killing at least four people and injuring eight others, Israel's Magen David Adom rescue services said. Iran on its state television announced an overall ceasefire had begun at 7.30am local time. The barrage damaged at least three densely packed residential buildings in the city of Beersheba, police said. First responders said they retrieved four bodies from one building and were searching for more. Outside, the shells of burned out cars littered the streets. Broken glass and rubble covered the area. Hundreds of emergency workers gathered to search for anyone else trapped in the buildings. Police said some people were injured even while inside their apartments' reinforced safe rooms, which are meant to withstand rockets and shrapnel but not direct hits from ballistic missiles. The direct hit in the largest city in southern Israel came just days after the city's hospital sustained significant damage in a missile strike. The Israeli military said people could leave bomb shelters but cautioned the public to stay close to shelter for the coming hours. Mr Trump's announcement that Israel and Iran had agreed to a 'complete and total ceasefire' came soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack on Monday on a US military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. The US was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties. "CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT'S TIME FOR PEACE!" –President Donald J. Trump — The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 23, 2025 Mr Trump's announcement on his Truth Social platform said the ceasefire beginning about midnight Washington time would bring an 'Official END' to the war. There were no reports of Israeli strikes in Iran after 4am in Tehran. Heavy Israeli strikes continued in Iranian cities until shortly before that time. Under the Trump plan, Israel was to halt its attacks on Iran by 1.30pm Tehran time. There was no report of Israel launching attacks against Iran since early Tuesday morning. Writing more than an hour after the first phase of the tentative ceasefire, which called for Iran to halt its attacks, Mr Trump added: 'THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!' Mr Trump gave the conflict between Israel and Iran a name: the '12 Day War'. That recalls the 1967 Mideast war, known by some as the 'Six Day War,' in which Israel fought a group of Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Mr Trump's reference carries emotional weight for the Arab world, particularly Palestinians. In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Though Israel later gave the Sinai back to Egypt, it still holds the other territories. Mr Trump communicated directly with Mr Netanyahu to secure the ceasefire, according to a senior White House official who insisted on anonymity to discuss the Monday talks. Vice president JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff communicated with the Iranians through direct and indirect channels. The White House has maintained that the Saturday bombing helped get the Israelis to agree to the ceasefire and that the Qatari government helped to broker the deal. It is unclear what role Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader, played in the talks. He said earlier on social media that he would not surrender. Israel's Airports Authority said Iran's barrage forced them to close the country's airspace to emergency flights for several hours. Some flights were forced to circle over the Mediterranean Sea, according to Israeli media. Israel's airports have been closed since the war with Iran began, but a handful of emergency flights started arriving and departing over the past few days. By early on Tuesday, Qatar Airways resumed its flights after Qatar shut down its airspace over the Iranian attack on Al Udeid Air Base. Flight-tracking data showed commercial aircraft again flying in Qatari airspace, signalling Doha believed the threat on the energy-rich nation had passed. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the war. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 974 people and wounded 3,458 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. The group, which has provided detailed casualty figures from Iranian unrest such as the protests surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, said of those killed, it identified 387 civilians and 268 security force personnel. The US has evacuated some 250 American citizens and their immediate family members from Israel by government, military and charter flights that began over the weekend, a State Department official said. There are roughly 700,000 American citizens, most of them dual US-Israeli citizens, believed to be in Israel.
