Iran, Israel continue to trade missile strikes on day 2 of conflict
Tensions between Israel and Iran remained high on the second day of open conflict, with no signs of de-escalation.
According to Israel's military, the country came under renewed attack in the early hours of Saturday from missiles and drones launched by Iran.
At least three people were killed in Israel as a result of the latest Iranian missile strikes, with dozens more injured, some seriously, The Times of Israel reported.
Iran's attacks are seen as retaliation for a large-scale Israeli strike carried out early Thursday which targeted the country's nuclear sites and military leaders.
The Israeli campaign killed at least 78 people, including senior military officials, and injured more than 320 - most of them civilians, including women and children - Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Amir Saeid Iravani said.
Iran: drones shot down near border
Iran's military has reportedly shot down drones near its north-western border, according to state media.
The incident occurred close to the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey, state television reported on Saturday. The claims have not been independently verified.
Overnight, several Iranian cities came under heavy shelling. In central and north-eastern Tehran, explosions and sustained anti-aircraft fire were heard for hours, local media and eyewitnesses reported.
Explosions near Tel Aviv
An Israeli military spokesperson said most Iranian missiles launched overnight were intercepted. Unconfirmed reports suggest US forces are assisting Israel with missile defence operations.
Despite interceptions, missile debris caused damage in central Israel, including the Tel Aviv area, where several buildings were badly affected.
On Saturday morning, the Israeli military reported another drone attack from Iran, triggering fresh air raid sirens and defensive responses.
Israel said it would continue targeting Iranian positions.
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New York Times
20 minutes ago
- New York Times
Two Major Energy Facilities in Tehran Hit in Israeli Strikes
Iran's latest wave of attacks on Israel took out Tehran's main gas depot and its central oil refinery in separate parts of the capital, engulfing its sky in smoke and flame early Sunday. The Shahran fuel and gasoline depot, which has at least 11 storage tanks, was hit and set afire during the Israeli attack that began on Saturday night, Iran's oil ministry said in a statement. Shahran is in an affluent neighborhood of luxury high rises. 'The fire is terrifying, it's massive; there is a lot of commotion here,' said Mostafa Shams, a resident of the area. 'It's the gasoline depots that are exploding one after another, it's loud and scary.' Separately in the city's south, Shahr Rey, one of the country's largest oil refineries, was also struck, according to Iranian state news media. Emergency crews were trying to contain the fire, and a resident of Tehran, Reza Salehi, said he could see the flames from miles away. Israel's targeting of Iran's energy facilities, a crucial source of export cash for the country as well as of domestic energy, represented a significant escalation in its military campaign against Tehran. Earlier on Saturday, Israel had struck two key Iranian energy sites, including a section of the South Pars Gas Field, which is one of the world's largest and critical to Iran's energy production. 'We have entered the second phase of the war, which is extremely dangerous and destructive,' Abdollah Babakhani, an expert on Iran's energy sector based in Germany, said on Saturday. But the multiple massive explosions targeting energy and fuel targets in and around the capital spread fear among residents. Israeli warplanes also struck sites in Tehran related to Iran's nuclear program, including experimental laboratories, according to two Israeli defense officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive operational details. Hamid Hosseini, a member of the energy committee of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, said Iran's municipality had been discussing moving the Shahran fuel depot from the residential area in northern Tehran for years, fearing an attack or an accident could be catastrophic. The attack on the depot set off massive explosions, according to an official at the oil ministry, who said the depots were exploding one after another and threatened to significantly damage residential neighborhoods in the area. The depot has about 8 million liters per day of gasoline entering its storage tanks and has a capacity to hold about three full days of fuel needs for Tehran, according to the ministry official. Israel did not immediately respond to request for comment on the strike.
Fox News
33 minutes ago
- Fox News
Netanyahu calls on Iranian citizens to seize 'opportunity' for regime change
Just hours following Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear and military facilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a direct appeal to the Iranian people and said: "This is your opportunity to stand up [to the regime]." The regime's standing not only with the international community, amid its vast support of state-sponsored terrorism, which has impacted neighboring nations from Syria and Yemen to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, coupled with years of internal unrest, could mean regime change is on the horizon. "We are in the midst of one of the greatest military operations in history," Netanyahu said Friday. "The Islamic regime, which has oppressed you for almost 50 years, threatens to destroy our country." The Israeli leader said Jerusalem's goal in hitting Iran's top military targets is to thwart the nuclear and missile threats that Iran poses towards the Jewish nation, which he argued weakens the regime and poses a unique opportunity for dissidents within. Minority groups make up some 50% of the Iranian population, and some Iranian specialists have argued that if the minority groups, which are frequent targets of oppression in Iran, were to unite against the regime, they could play a critical role in toppling the regime. Iran has faced increasing opposition since the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman, who in September 2022 was arrested by Iran's morality police and later died in a hospital due to her injuries. Amini's death sparked mass protests across the country, which Iran brutally clapped back at and continues to execute those arrested during the demonstrations. Fox News Digital was told by Yigal Carmon, President of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), that members of the Ahwazis, a minority group in south-western Iran, which make up 6-8% of the population, have already been arrested by the regime amid its fears another internal rebellion could brew alongside war with Israel. It is unclear if any demonstrations have yet begun or if their arrests were pre-emptively carried out. "A regime change will be supported by many," Carmon said. "The fact is that only the minorities can bring a regime change because they are militarily organized." "A coalition of non-Persian ethnic groups could topple the regime in a few months," he said. "Unlike the Persian anti-regime population, the non-Persian anti-regime population is militarily organized." Other minority groups, like the Kurds, who make up 10%-15% of Iran's population and who live primarily in the northwestern border areas near Iraq and Turkey, as well as the Baloch people, who encompass another 5% of the population and live along Iran's southeast border with Pakistan, also have a long history of opposing the regime, though they have also suffered brutal consequences. "It has never been weaker. This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard. Woman, Life, Freedom Zan, Zendegi, Azadi," Netanyahu said. "As I said yesterday and many times before, Israel's fight is not against the Iranian people. "Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you," he added.
Hamilton Spectator
37 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Canada condemns Iran's attack on Israel, calls for de-escalation: Anand
OTTAWA - The Canadian government is condemning an Iranian attack on Israel after a barrage of long-range missiles was launched at Tel Aviv in retaliation for an Israeli strike in Iran. Israel attacked Iranian missile and nuclear sites Friday and Iran warned of 'severe punishment' before launching its missiles in response. Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Canada is urging restraint on both sides and that further actions could cause 'devastating consequences' for the broader region. Anand said the U.S.-Iran negotiations represent the best path to achieving a 'lasting and peaceful resolution' to Iran's nuclear program, adding that diplomatic engagement remains essential to ensuring long-term regional stability and international security. 'Iran cannot obtain nuclear weapons,' Anand said on social media Friday evening. 'Iran's continued efforts to pursue nuclear weapons, support for terrorists, and direct attacks on civilian centres embody Iran's persistent threat to regional stability and to Israel, which has the right to defend itself. 'Canadians in the region are encouraged to remain vigilant and to register with the embassy in order to receive timely updates.' The Israeli strike involved more than 200 aircraft and about 100 targets, according to Israel's military. Iran confirmed the deaths of three of its top military leaders and launched more than 100 drones at Israel in response. Israel said the drones were being intercepted outside the country's airspace. Israeli leaders described the attack as a pre-emptive strike to head off an imminent threat by destroying Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only. After a meeting with the National Security Council, Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters Friday evening that the government was monitoring the situation 'closely.' At this point, Canada has not announced any changes to embassy staffing in Israel and the broader region. Canada closed its embassy in Iran in 2012. The U.S. evacuated some people from its embassy in Iraq before Israel attacked Iran. MP Robert Oliphant, Anand's parliamentary secretary, told reporters Friday that Iran is a 'wild card' in the Israel-Hamas war. '(Iran is) obviously using proxy wars at various times in various places, and so we will never defend Iran while we always stand with the people of Iran,' he said. He said Canadian diplomatic staff in the region are being protected through 'strong measures' but was unable to say whether plans are in the works to pull them out or boost embassy safety protocols. Dennis Horak, Canada's last ambassador to Iran, said that if Ottawa chooses to evacuate embassies in the region, its first step would be to order dependants and non-essential staff to leave. 'There are contingency plans for all of the embassies to have about evacuation plans and things like that, and those will be dusted off and may be reviewed,' Horak said. 'Ideally, out of our embassy in Israel, there would be a desire to get at least dependants out, but again the logistics of that may be challenging.' While Israeli airspace is currently closed, Horak said Canadians could leave by road for Jordan. With Canada hosting the G7 next week, Horak said it's an 'opportune' time for world leaders to discuss the conflict in the Middle East. 'How success would be defined is a whole other story,' he said. 'So I think it's fortunate timing, actually.' Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Israel has the right to act to defend itself by 'disarming' Iran before it has the capability to launch a nuclear strike. 'We should all hope that this is the end of the regime's nuclear program and that the great Persian people can now rise up to reclaim their country from the totalitarian regime,' Poilievre said on social media. 'All levels of government must take extra steps to protect Canada's Jewish community from vile antisemites who may use these events as an excuse for more acts of violence.' NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson condemned Israel's actions in a media statement. 'While we have long condemned Iranian leadership, including the (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), this illegal act by Israel will only provoke further violence,' she said. In a media statement, B'nai Brith Canada called on the federal government to support Israel. 'An Iran armed with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles is an existential threat to the entire world,' the advocacy body said. 'For years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has worked relentlessly to develop nuclear weapons, arm terrorist proxies with weapons of mass destruction, and openly call for the annihilation of Israel and the West. Yesterday, Israel acted decisively to prevent a global catastrophe.' — With files from Catherine Morrison and The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
