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Israel hit by missiles as Iran retaliates for strikes on nuclear sites
Last Updated: Jerusalem, Jun 13 (AP) Air raid sirens have sounded across Israel as Iranian missiles struck the country in retaliation for deadly Israeli attacks on nuclear sites and military leaders. The rumble of explosions could be heard throughout Jerusalem on Friday, and Israeli TV stations showed plumes of smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an apparent missile strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The army said dozens of missiles were launched, and the army has ordered residents across the country to move into bomb shelters. Israel launched a wave of strikes across Iran that targeted its nuclear program and military sites, killing at least three top military officers and raising the prospect of an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq. The strikes came amid simmering tensions over Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme. For years, Israel had threatened such a strike and successive American administrations had sought to prevent it, fearing it would ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East and possibly be ineffective at destroying Iran's dispersed and hardened nuclear program. ___ Here's the latest: Iran's supreme leader vows revenge for Israeli attacks In a recorded message to the nation broadcast as Iranian missiles flew toward Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the military was prepared to counterattack. 'Don't think that they (Israel) hit and it's over. No. They started the work and started the war. We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed," he said. Air raid sirens sound across Israel amid Iranian missile attack The rumble of explosions could be heard throughout Jerusalem, and Israeli TV stations showed plumes of smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an apparent missile strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The army said dozens of missiles were launched. The army has ordered residents across the country to move into bomb shelters. Israel says Iran has launched missiles The Israeli military's Home Front Command has instructed people to move into shelters ahead of an expected Iranian missile attack. The army says Iran has launched missiles, and the safety order applies to the entire country. Israel's Channel 13 TV says the missiles are expected to take about 10 minutes to arrive. Israeli military briefing cut short by possible incoming Iranian attack, official says Israel's military spokesman Brig Gen. Effie Defrin said that despite Israel's attack, 'Iran has capability to hurt Israel's civilian front in a meaningful way." Defrin's briefing was cut short. An Israeli military official says this was due to an incoming Iranian attack on central Israel. The official spoke on condition pending a formal announcement. Israel claims striking an Iranian nuclear site in Isfahan; Iran does not immediately acknowledge The facility in Isfahan, some 350 km southeast of Tehran, employs thousands of nuclear scientists. It also is home to three Chinese research reactors and laboratories associated with the country's atomic programme. France says conference on two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is postponed French President Emmanuel Macron says a top-level UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians has been postponed because of renewed tensions in the Mideast. France and Saudi Arabia were due to co-host the conference in New York next week, and Macron had been scheduled to attend. Macron said Friday it was postponed for logistical and security reasons and because some Palestinian representatives couldn't come to the event. US fighter jets take flight to protect personnel and installations in Middle East American fighter jets are patrolling the sky in the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, according to a US official. The official spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations. It comes at the same time as the Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin sailing from the western Mediterranean Sea toward the eastern Mediterranean. A second destroyer also has begun moving forward so it can be available if requested by the White House. Iran reports explosions at another nuclear site The Fordo nuclear enrichment facility is buried hundreds of metres underground. Nour News, which is close to Iran's Supreme National Security Council, reported on its Telegram channel that two explosions were heard from the area nearby. Separately, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported that a radar site near Tabriz was attacked, according to an official in the East Azerbaijan province. Majid Farshi told IRNA that 11 military sites in East Azerbaijan province have been attacked, and that 18 people were killed, including one Red Crescent aid worker. Israel's military orders all residents to be close to protected areas and minimise movement Israelis are on high alert bracing for a larger response from Iran, which has already launched over 100 drones toward Israel in retaliation for Friday's attacks. Israel says it intercepts missile launched from Yemen, setting off sirens in Jerusalem. There were no immediate reports of casualties or fallen shrapnel in Israel. A loud boom could be heard in the Holy City, possibly from Israeli interceptor fire. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen did not immediately claim the attack. A new wave of attacks appears to have begun in Tehran Civilian witnesses told The Associated Press they heard what sounded like loud explosions in neighbourhoods in the capital's east, west and centre, while an AP journalist in the city's north also heard a blast. Air defence systems were heard going off Friday night in Tehran. There was no immediate acknowledgement from authorities. Netanyahu says Israel informed US before attacking Iran In a video statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel told the US about its plans to attack Iran in advance. 'They knew about the attack. What will they do now? I leave that to President Trump." Netanyahu says Israel's attack on Iran was months in the making Netanyahu said he ordered an attack plan in November 2024, shortly after the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah — one if Iran's strongest proxies. That's when Israel forecasted Iran would start rapidly advancing its nuclear programme. In a video statement circulated to journalists Friday evening, Netanyahu said the attack was supposed to happen in April but was postponed. Iran summons Swiss ambassador over Israeli attacks Since Tehran and Washington don't have diplomatic relations, Switzerland has looked out for America's interests in Iran since the 1979 US Embassy hostage crisis. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency says Isa Kameli, an assistant to foreign minister, told the Swiss ambassador that Friday's Israeli attacks were a crime and said, 'It is not possible to imagine that invasion acts by the Zionist regime have taken place without cooperation and coordination and at least green light from the US." Israel's military begins stationing troops in all combat arenas The military said it was calling up reservists from different military units as 'part of preparations for defense and offense" as its attack on Iran continues. The move comes as Israel braces for further counterattacks from Iran or Iranian proxy groups on Israel's borders. Iran says Israel will deeply regret' its attack Israel's targeted killings of officials and scientists were 'clear instances of state terrorism," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a letter to the UN Security Council requesting an emergency meeting. In the letter obtained by The Associated Press, he said Iran affirms its right to self defence under the UN Charter. 'This right is non-negotiable," Araghchi said. 'Israel will come to deeply regret this reckless aggression and the grave strategic miscalculation it has made." The Iranian minister urged the Security Council, which will meet at 3 pm in New York, to 'take urgent and concrete measures to hold the Israeli regime fully accountable for its crimes". Israel seals off the West Bank Israel closed all checkpoints to the Israeli-occupied West Bank Friday as the country attacked Iran, a military official said Friday. The move sealed off entry and exit to the territory, meaning that Palestinians could not leave without special coordination. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military recommendations. Around 3 million Palestinians live in the West Bank under Israeli military rule. With the world's attention focused on Gaza, Israeli military operations in the West Bank have grown in size, frequency and intensity. The crackdown has also left tens of thousands of Palestinians unemployed, as they can no longer work the mostly menial jobs in Israel that paid higher wages. In Tel Aviv, an eerie quiet and a cancelled Pride Parade Many Israelis are hunkered down close to home in Tel Aviv, the country's economic hub on the Mediterranean coast. Shops were open but the streets, beaches, and parks were mostly deserted. Earlier Friday, many people had rushed to supermarkets to buy bottled water and other supplies. The city cancelled its annual Pride Parade, which normally draws tens of thousands of people for a march and street party. Iran is restricting the internet after Israeli attacks Internet usage in Iran dramatically declined Friday after Iranian authorities restricted access in the country following the Israeli attacks, according to internet-access advocacy group Net The group shared the information in a graph posted to X Friday, saying their data corroborated 'user reports of poor service." Expert says Iran poses a bigger threat to US military than IsraelIran's current capabilities are potentially 'more threatening to the US military than to Israel," said Fabian Hinz, an air warfare expert at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London. That's because there are multiple US military bases in the region and Iran has a 'huge arsenal" of shorter range missiles developed specifically to target US bases as well as 'lots of anti-ship capabilities," Hinz said. While Iran fired around 300 ballistic missiles at Israel last year, Hinz said, Tehran did not fire any of their short range missiles which could be used to attack US bases. 'Think of the Iranian shipping threat as similar in quality to the Houthi threat, but much larger in quantity," Hinz said. US shifts military resources in Mideast in response Iranian retaliation for Israel's attack Two US officials said Friday that the Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner to begin sailing toward the Eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward, so it can be available if requested by the White House. President Donald Trump is meeting with his National Security Council principals to discuss the situation. The two US officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The Hudner is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that is capable of defending against ballistic missiles. On Oct 1, 2024, US Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran. Iran calls for emergency UN Security Council meeting Iran's UN Mission said it has asked for an emergency meeting of the Security Council following the Israeli attacks. The emergency session is likely to take place Friday afternoon, the mission said. Israel told Trump administration of attacks ahead of time Israel told the Trump administration that large-scale attacks were coming and expected Iranian retaliation would be severe, US officials said, leading the United States to order the evacuations of some nonessential embassy staffers and authorise the voluntary departure of military dependents in the region. The officials were speaking on condition of anonymity to describe private diplomatic discussions. Special envoy Steve Witkoff still plans to go to Oman this weekend for talks on Tehran's nuclear programme, but it's not clear if the Iranians would participate, officials said. Yemen's Houthis condemn Israeli strikes The political office for Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis condemned Israel's attacks on Iran, saying that Iran has the 'right to defend itself and develop its nuclear programme." 'Israel is an aggressive entity that threatens not only Palestine but also the security and stability of the region and the entire nation," a statement read. 'Israel's claims about the Iranian nuclear program are baseless, and it has no right to be the region's policeman, given its nuclear arsenal." Israeli consular services close 'Israeli missions around the world will be closed and consular services will not be provided," according to a statement posted to the websites of Israeli embassies in Berlin, Stockholm and Rome. The statement, which appeared to come from Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged Israelis abroad to avoid displaying Jewish or Israeli symbols in public. Hamas expresses solidarity with Iran 'We declare our solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the face of the brutal Zionist aggression, which primarily stems from Iran's support for the Palestinian people and its significant backing of their honourable resistance fighters," said Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas's armed wing. He also mourned the deaths of senior Iranian leaders and others killed in the strike, condemning the attack as 'cowardly." Trump calls Israeli strikes on Iran excellent' and says more to come In an interview with ABC News, US President Donald Trump called the Israeli strikes on Iran 'excellent" and previewed more attacks. 'I think it's been excellent. We gave them a chance and they didn't take it," Trump told ABC on Friday morning. 'They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you're going to get hit. And there's more to come, a lot more." In a further post on the Truth Social platform, Trump added: 'Two months ago I gave Iran a 60 day ultimatum to make a deal.'" 'They should have done it! Today is day 61. I told them what to do, but they just couldn't get there. Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!" he wrote Friday. Oil price surge may be temporary Oil prices have surged after Israel's attack on Iran, though analysts say the spike will likely be temporary if the fighting doesn't spread to other countries and disrupt oil shipments. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose 7.8% to $74.89. 'When Iran and Israel exchanged attacks previously, prices spiked initially but fell once it became clear that the situation was not escalating," says Richard Joswick, head of near-term oil at S&P Global Commodity Insights. Israel exports only very small quantities of oil and oil products, and China is Iran's only customer due to Western sanctions. China could find alternative supplies from other Middle East exporters or Russia. Iran's president warns of strong action against Israel Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian says his nation would 'strongly take action" against Israel after its attacks on the country. In a televised address Friday, Pezeshkian urged people to unite behind its theocratic government. The 'Islamic Republic of Iran will give a severe, wise and strong answer to the occupier regime," he said, referring to Israel. Iran confirms Hajizadeh killed Iran has confirmed that Israel killed Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's missile programme. Iranian state television made the acknowledgment Friday afternoon. The confirmation came a short time after Israel said its strikes killed Hajizadeh. Israeli military said it hit underground command centre The Israeli military said military jets hit a site where Revolutionary Guard officials had 'assembled in an underground command centre," allegedly 'to prepare for an attack on the state of Israel," and killed Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh along with two other senior officials. It did not offer details or information to support the claim. 'Hajizadeh publicly declared his commitment to Israel's destruction at various events in recent years and played a central role in developing the Iranian regime's plan for Israel's destruction," the Israelis said. It also linked those killed to an attack on Saudi Arabia in 2019. Israel claims it killed head of Revolutionary Guard missile programme Israel claimed Friday it killed Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's missile programme in Iran. Iran did not immediately acknowledge his death officially, though rumors of his death had been circulating for some time online. Hajizadeh is a major commander within the Guard, overseeing its ballistic missile arsenal. Museums in Iran close after attacks Museums in Iran are taking the extraordinary step of closing down until further notice after attacks by Israel, and were transferring valuable items to secure vaults, officials announced Friday. The state-affiliated Borna news agency reported the order by Ali Darabi, Iran's deputy minister and cultural heritage chief. Such moves have been done only in extraordinary circumstances in Iran, including the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the 1980s Iran-Iraq war and the coronavirus outbreak. Trump urges Iran to reach nuclear deal with Washington US President Donald Trump is again urging Iran to reach a deal with Washington on its nuclear programme, warning that Israel's attacks 'will only get worse." In his first public comments since the Friday attacks, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that 'there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end." Hezbollah says Israel has crossed all red lines The Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has accused the US of providing 'approval, coordination, and direct cover-up" for Israel's strikes, adding that Israel 'has crossed all red lines, believing that by doing so, it will change the equations." In a statement, the group issued condolences to Tehran for the leaders who were killed, but did not threaten to join in the retaliation. Jordan says strikes push region into more tension Jordan's state media says the country's foreign minister has discussed Israel's strikes on Iran with his Egyptian counterpart, and warned that the attack pushes the region into more tension and conflict. Jordan News Agency said the ministers called the strikes a 'dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of international law." The ministers also said Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip should stop to and a two-state solution is needed to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East. Egypt and Jordan are among Arab countries that signed peace treaties with Israel and have normal relations with it. EU's top diplomat calls for de-escalation in the Middle East European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called the fresh outbreak of violence in the Middle East 'deeply alarming." 'Europe urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate immediately and refrain from retaliation. A diplomatic resolution is now more urgent than ever, for the sake of the region's stability and global security," she said in a post on the Bluesky social media platform. Iran names replacements for commanders killed in strikes Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has replaced two top military commanders killed in a wave of Israeli strikes on Friday. State TV said he tapped Gen Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new head of the armed forces, replacing Gen Mohammad Bagheri. Mousavi was previously the top army commander. Khamenei chose Mohammad Pakpour to lead the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, replacing Gen Hossein Salami. Iran's Revolutionary Guard, created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, is one of the main power centers within the country's theocracy. Israeli officials say they smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of strikes Israeli security officials say the country's Mossad spy agency smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of Friday's strikes that were used to target its defences from within. Two security officials spoke on condition of anonymity on Friday to discuss the highly secretive missions. It was not possible to independently confirm their claims. There was no official comment. The officials said a base for launching explosive drones was established inside Iran and that the drones were activated during Friday's attack to target missile launchers at an Iranian base near Tehran. They said Israel had also smuggled precision weapons into central Iran and positioned them near surface-to-air missile systems. They said it also deployed strike systems on vehicles. Both were activated as the strikes began, in order to target Iran's defenses, the officials said. Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem is closed to the public With gates to the Al-Aqsa mosque closed by Israeli police, only the guards and employees of the holy site will be present for traditional Friday prayers, the site's custodian said Friday. The mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims, and is located on the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount. The Waqf, the Islamic endowment which administers the site, said Israel has banned public gatherings. The call to prayer will sound as usual. Iraq calls on UN Security Council to deter this aggression The Iraqi government in a statement called Israel's attacks on neighbouring Iran 'a flagrant violation of the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations" and a 'threat to international peace and security, especially as it occurred during the period of US-Iranian negotiations." It called for the UN Security Council to convene immediately to take 'decisive and concrete measures to deter this aggression, ensure its non-recurrence, and restore the prestige of the international legal system." Baghdad, which has close ties with both the US and Iran, has attempted to maintain a difficult balancing act between the two. Iran says nuclear enrichment facility was damaged Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said in a statement that parts of the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility were damaged during the Israeli strikes but that no nuclear radiation or chemical contamination has occurred. NATO chief calls on US, other Israeli allies to press for de-escalation NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called on Israel's Western backers to press for an end to the strikes. 'This was a unilateral action by Israel. So I think it is crucial for many allies, including the United States, to work as we speak to de-escalate," Rutte told reporters in Stockholm after talks with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Asked whether a nuclear clash might be imminent in the region, Rutte said: 'No, we are not close." Israel's defence minister threatens further attacks against Iran In a statement soon after Israel's military said it had completed the attack on Iran, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military would 'continue its activities to thwart the Iranian nuclear programme and remove threats on the State of Israel. 'The precise hit on the heads of the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards, the Iranian army and the nuclear scientists, who were all involved in promoting the plan to destroy Israel, is a strong and clear message — those who work to destroy Israel will be eliminated." Israeli military says widespread attack on Iranian air defences complete The Israeli military says it has completed a widespread attack on air defences in western Iran. It said Friday that it had destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers. Hamas condemns Israel's strikes on Iran The Palestinian group said Friday that the strikes 'form a dangerous escalation" that could lead to a regional war. Hamas added that the strikes reflect the Israeli government's intention to pull the region into an open war. Jordanian state media says country intercepting missiles and drones Jordanian state media said the country's Air Force is intercepting missiles and drones in its air space. The state news agency quoted an unnamed senior military official as saying that the interceptions were carried out based on military assessments indicating that the missiles and drones were likely to fall within Jordanian territory, including populated areas, posing a potential threat to civilian safety. The official added that the Jordan Armed Forces are operating 'around the clock to defend the country's borders by land, sea, and air and will not allow any violation of Jordanian airspace under any circumstances." Iranian drones tracked crossing Iraq's airspace Two Iraqi security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation said that more than 100 drones launched from Iran toward Israel were tracked crossing Iraqi airspace. Residents of Iraq's Diyala province, which borders Iran, reported hearing the sound of aircraft and explosions from strikes inside Iranian territory early Friday. Some later said they saw drones launched from Iran heading toward Israel. 100 drones launched at Israel, military says Brig Gen Effie Deffrin, the chief Israeli army spokesman: 'In the last few hours, Iran has launched more than 100 drones toward Israel, and all the defense systems are acting to intercept the threats. Iranian chief of staff killed in Israeli strike An Israeli airstrike killed Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, Iranian state television reported Friday. Bagheri is a former top commander within Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The state TV report offered no further details. Multiple military officials and scientists have been killed in the Israeli attack Friday on sites across Iran. Iran's supreme leader threatens severe punishment Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that Israel will face 'severe punishment" over its attack on the country. Khamenei issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. It also confirmed that top military officials and scientists had been killed in the attack. Israel 'opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to commit a crime against our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers," Khamenei said. Strikes come days before Iran, US were to hold talks in Oman Israel's strikes come days before a sixth round of talks were planned between Iran and the US over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme this Sunday in Oman. US President Donald Trump's new administration has been seeking a deal that would halt Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. It wasn't immediately clear how the strikes would affect plans for the talks. Iran will offer decisive' response to Israel's attack Iran's state-run IRNA news agency is quoting an anonymous official saying Iran will offer a 'decisive" response to Israel's attack. The report did not elaborate. However, Iranian state television put a black band over the corner of its broadcast, suggesting the attack had been significant enough to spark public mourning. Black smoke seen over Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility Black smoke rose Friday over Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz though it wasn't clear how bad the damage was. Iranian state television briefly showed the live picture with a reporter. Natanz is partially above ground, partially below ground, with multiple halls of centrifuges spinning uranium gas for its nuclear programme. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said Israel targeted the site in Friday's attack. Natanz previously has been targeted by the Stuxnet cyberattack and multiple sabotage campaigns likely carried out by Israel. Iranian state TV says head of Revolutionary Guard is feared dead Iranian state television says the head of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen Hossein Salami, is feared dead after an Israeli attack. It added that one other top Guard official, as well as two nuclear scientists, were also feared dead. The report offered few other details. Iran's Revolutionary Guard, created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, is one of the main power centers within the country's theocracy. It also controls Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles, which it has used to attack Israel twice during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Headquarters of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is ablaze An Israeli attack on Iran has set the headquarters of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ablaze, state television reported Friday. A reporter on air said he was unable to get closer due to the intensity of the fire in Iran's capital, Tehran. Multiple sites in the capital had been hit in the attack, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said targeted both sites of and officials leading Iran's nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal. Netanyahu says Israel struck nuclear and missile sites Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel targeted Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz and the country's ballistic missile program, as well as top nuclear scientists and officials. He said Iran was working on a new plan to destroy Israel after its old plan, its circle of proxies, failed. He called it an intolerable threat that must be stopped. Dozens of commercial flights over Iran as attack begins Dozens of commercial airliners were in Iranian airspace as the strikes took place, according to flight tracking websites. More than an hour after the Israeli attack, some were still making their way out of Iranian airspace, but some abruptly altered course to more quickly exit the area. Many nations' jets already did not overfly Iran because of regional tensions. Israel closes its airspace Israel closed its airspace in anticipation of Iranian retaliation. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that attacks were expected. 'In the wake of the state of Israel's preventive attack against Iran, missile and drone attacks against Israel and its civilian population are expected immediately," he said in a statement. The statement added that Katz 'signed a special order declaring an emergency situation in the home front." Israeli official says Air Force is targeting nuclear and military sites An Israeli military official says that his country targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, without identifying them. The official spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing operation. top videos View all The Israeli official said Iran poses three threats to state of Israel: First, he alleged that the Iranian government is advancing a 'secret program" to develop nuclear weapons. The US intelligence community assesses that Iran is not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon. Second, the Israeli official said, Iran has thousands of ballistic missiles. Finally, he said Iran has been distributing weapons and arms to proxy groups across the region like Hezbollah and Hamas. (AP) SCY SCY (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) First Published: June 14, 2025, 01:15 IST News agency-feeds Israel hit by missiles as Iran retaliates for strikes on nuclear sites
1News
a day ago
- Politics
- 1News
Israel hit by missiles as Iran retaliates for strikes on nuclear sites
Air raid sirens have sounded across Israel as Iranian missiles struck the country in retaliation for deadly Israeli attacks on nuclear sites and military leaders. The rumble of explosions could be heard throughout Jerusalem on Friday, and Israeli TV stations showed plumes of smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an apparent missile strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The army said dozens of missiles were launched, and the army has ordered residents across the country to move into bomb shelters. Israel launched a wave of strikes across Iran that targeted its nuclear program and military sites, killing at least three top military officers and raising the prospect of an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq. The strikes came amid simmering tensions over Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. For years, Israel had threatened such a strike and successive American administrations had sought to prevent it, fearing it would ignite a wider conflict across the Middle East and possibly be ineffective at destroying Iran's dispersed and hardened nuclear program. Iran's supreme leader vows revenge for Israeli attacks ADVERTISEMENT In a recorded message to the nation broadcast as Iranian missiles flew toward Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the military was prepared to counterattack. 'Don't think that they (Israel) hit and it's over. No. They started the work and started the war. We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed,' he said. Israel says Iran has launched missiles An explosion is seen during a missile attack in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Source: Associated Press) The Israeli military's Home Front Command has instructed people to move into shelters ahead of an expected Iranian missile attack. The army says Iran has launched missiles, and the safety order applies to the entire country. Israel's Channel 13 TV says the missiles are expected to take about 10 minutes to arrive. ADVERTISEMENT Israeli military briefing cut short by possible incoming Iranian attack, official says Israel's military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said that despite Israel's attack, 'Iran has capability to hurt Israel's civilian front in a meaningful way'. Defrin's briefing was cut short. An Israeli military official says this was due to an incoming Iranian attack on central Israel. The official spoke on condition pending a formal announcement. Israel claims striking an Iranian nuclear site in Isfahan; Iran does not immediately acknowledge The facility in Isfahan, some 350 kilometres southeast of Tehran, employs thousands of nuclear scientists. It also is home to three Chinese research reactors and laboratories associated with the country's atomic program. France says conference on two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is postponed French President Emmanuel Macron says a top-level UN conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians has been postponed because of renewed tensions in the Mideast. ADVERTISEMENT France and Saudi Arabia were due to co-host the conference in New York next week, and Macron had been scheduled to attend. Macron said Friday it was postponed for logistical and security reasons and because some Palestinian representatives couldn't come to the event. US fighter jets take flight to protect personnel and installations in Middle East American fighter jets are patrolling the sky in the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, according to a US official. The official spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing operations. It comes at the same time as the Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin sailing from the western Mediterranean Sea toward the eastern Mediterranean. A second destroyer also has begun moving forward so it can be available if requested by the White House.
The Independent
21-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Israel ‘terror attack': Everything we know about Tel Aviv bus bombings as police hunt for culprits
Three buses exploded in Israel in a suspected terror attack on Thursday night. Explosive devices planted on board were detonated in Bat Yam, in southern Tel Aviv. 'Intensified anti-terror' activity will continue in the occupied West Bank following the explosions, the military said, suggesting it will ramp up assaults on refugee camps which have increased in frequency and intensity since January. But many questions remain about Thursday's explosions, with the perpetrators still at large. Here is everything we know about the Israel bus attacks. What happened? Beginning at around 8:30pm on Thursday night, three explosive devices detonated in three buses in the Israeli city. The first two bombs detonated within minutes of each other, and the third 15 minutes later. No casualties were reported. The buses had been parked after finishing their routes and it was a miracle that no one was hurt, the city's mayor Tzvika Brot said. Explosives were also found on two other buses but did not detonate, with bomb squads currently working to defuse them, a police spokesperson told Channel 13 TV. All five bombs were identical and equipped with timers. After the explosions, all bus drivers working for the operator were ordered to stop and conduct a 'thorough inspection' of their vehicles. Once found to be safe, their routes were resumed, chief of the bus company Ofir Karni said. All buses were subsequently halted across Israel, as police and military officers were dispatched to search for suspicious objects. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he was receiving updates from his military secretary. Police said the Shin Bet internal security agency was taking over the investigation. Investigators scoured for evidence amid the metal shells of the scorched buses, as the hunt for suspects got underway. It is unclear who is responsible. No group has definitively claimed responsibility for the attack. A group from Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank, which claimed to be a branch of Hamas' military wing the Qassam Brigades, said on Telegram: "We will never forget to take vengeance for our martyrs as long as the occupation is on our lands." The group did not appear to be explicitly taking responsibility. According to local media, one of the unexploded devices held a message reading 'Revenge from Tulkarem'. The West Bank city has been a focus of Israel's intensified military assault since January. Police spokesman Haim Sargrof told Israel TV that authorities are working to 'determine if a single suspect placed explosives on a number of buses, or if there were multiple suspects'. The explosives matched those which have been used in the West Bank, Mr Sargrof said, without elaborating. What will Israel's response be? The Israeli prime minister's office has ordered Israeli forces to carry out an 'intensive operation against centres of terrorism' in the West Bank, according to a statement. 'The Prime Minister also ordered the Israel Police and the (Israel Security Agency) to increase preventative activity against additional attacks in Israeli cities,' the statement added. The military said 'intensified anti-terror activity' would continue in the West Bank. Israel's strengthened assault on West Bank towns and camps came after a ceasefire came into effect in Gaza on January 19. Since the offensive began on 21 January, at least 44 Palestinians including five children and two women have been killed in the Tulkarem, Jenin and Rubas governorates, with attacks centring particularly on the refugee camps, the UN's humanitarian office, OHCHR, said.
The Guardian
21-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Shiri Bibas not among returned hostages, Israeli military says, accusing Hamas of ‘serious violation'
One of the four bodies returned by Hamas to Israel on Thursday is not that of Shiri Bibas, Israel's military has said, calling it a 'violation of utmost severity' of a ceasefire deal that was already precarious. The Israeli military confirmed that two of the bodies belonged to Bibas' children, Ariel and Kfir, in the early hours of Friday. However, it added 'During the identification process, it was determined that the additional body received is not that of Shiri Bibas, and no match was found for any other hostage. This is an anonymous, unidentified body.' 'We demand that Hamas return Shiri home along with all our hostages,' it said. There was no immediate response from Hamas. Bibas and her children – who Hamas says were killed in an Israeli airstrike in the early days of the war – became a symbol of the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023. The body of the fourth hostage has been confirmed as that of 85-year-old Oded Lifshitz, according to his family. Friday's statement came hours after Israeli prime Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to conduct an 'intense operation' against 'terror hubs' in the occupied West Bank after a series of explosions on three parked buses in Bat Yam, a city outside Tel Aviv, that authorities said was a suspected terrorist attack. No injuries were reported. Explosives were found on two other buses but did not detonate, police spokesperson Asi Aharoni told Channel 13 TV. Israeli police said the five bombs were identical and equipped with timers, and bomb squads were defusing the unexploded bombs. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosions. Israel has been carrying out intensified raids on the occupied West Bank since October 2023, killing hundreds of Palestinians. At least 51 Palestinians including seven children have been killed an a crackdown on the northern West Bank launched by Israel on 21 January, according to the UN. Thursday's handover of bodies is to be followed by the return of six living hostages on Saturday, in exchange for hundreds more Palestinian prisoners and detainees, expected to be women and minors detained by Israeli forces in Gaza. Negotiations for a second phase, expected to cover the return of about 60 remaining hostages, less than half of whom are believed to be alive, and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip to allow an end to the war, are expected to begin in the coming days. Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report
CBC
20-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Series of explosions on buses rattle Israeli city in suspected militant attack
A series of explosions on buses rattled central Israel on Thursday in what authorities suspected was a militant attack. No injuries were reported. The explosions happened on a day when Israel was already grieving after Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages from Gaza. The bus explosions were reminiscent of bombings during the Palestinian uprising of the 2000s, but such attacks are now rare. Police spokesperson Asi Aharoni told Channel 13 TV that explosives were found on two other buses. Israeli police said the five bombs were identical and equipped with timers, and said bomb squads were defusing the unexploded bombs. Bomb disposal units had finished searching buses and trains nationwide for additional bombs, and police were on the scene in Bat Yam, a city outside Tel Aviv, as they searched for suspects. "We need to determine if a single suspect placed explosives on a number of buses, or if there were multiple suspects," police spokesperson Haim Sargrof told Israeli TV. Tzvika Brot, mayor of Bat Yam, said it was a miracle no one was hurt. The buses had finished their routes and were in a parking lot, he said. The Shin Bet internal security agency was taking over the investigation, police said, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he was receiving updates from his military secretary and following the events. Sargrof, the police spokesperson, said the explosives matched explosives used in the West Bank, but he declined to elaborate. Israel has repeatedly carried out military raids on suspected Palestinian militants in the West Bank since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, sparked the devastating war in Gaza. As part of that crackdown, it has greatly restricted entry into Israel for Palestinians from the occupied territory. A group identifying itself as a branch of Hamas's military wing, Qassam Brigades, from the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, posted on messaging app Telegram: "We will never forget to take vengeance for our martyrs as long as the occupation is on our lands." The city of Tulkarem and two refugee camps in the city have been a focus of recent Israeli army raids. Since the ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza took effect on Jan. 19, Israel has been conducting a broad military offensive in the West Bank. In the past, militants have entered Israel and carried out shootings and bombings in Israeli cities. Brot, the mayor, urged the public to keep their routines. Schools will be open tomorrow and public transport will be operating.
