Latest news with #IranIsraelConflict
Bloomberg
9 minutes ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Rational Moves in the Market: Nuveen's Persson
The conflict between Iran and Israel sent volatility through the global markets, Nuveen CIO for Global Fixed Income Anders Persson says the moves though have been "rational'. He speaks with Sonali Basak on "Real Yield." (Source: Bloomberg)
The Independent
41 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Independent
‘We will show no mercy': Iran accuses Israel of igniting conflict many fear will engulf region
Iran's supreme leader has accused Israel of starting a war with its unprecedented attack, warning Tehran will 'show no mercy'. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel had made a 'grave error' that would bring them 'to ruin', as Iranian missiles lit up the skies above Israeli cities on Friday night. 'They are the ones who have started this and have begun a war,' he said. 'We will show them no mercy. Life will definitely become bitter for them.' The supreme leader's warning comes after Benjamin Netanyahu launched 'Operation Rising Lion' in the early hours of Friday (13 June) with Israel's largest-ever salvo on Tehran's nuclear and ballistic missile facilities—attacks that also wiped out many of Iran's most senior military commanders. The Israeli military said it struck over 200 targets in total - with a second round of strikes repeated on Friday evening - including on Iran's sprawling underground nuclear facility at Natanz. Israel and Iran separately confirmed that the barrage killed some of Iran's highest-ranking officers, including Chief of Staff General Mohamed Bagheri and Hossein Salami, the leader of the powerful Revolutionary Guards . Netanyahu has warned that 'more is on the way,' and, in a direct appeal to the Iranian people, appeared to incite them to rise up against their leaders. 'The regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker,' he said. 'This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard.' The shock confrontation between the arch foes that has ignited fears of a Middle East-wide conflict in a region already on a knife edge. Iran said six prominent nuclear scientists and several of its most senior commanders were killed during Israel's strikes, including the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the armed forces' chief of staff, and the army's deputy commander-in-chief, Gholamali Rashid. Israel also claimed it 'eliminated' the commanders of Iran's air force and drone forces. Iran's United Nations envoy said in total 78 people were killed and more than 320 injured most of them civilians. The daring offensive allegedly saw Mossad operatives deep within Iranian territory conduct a series of covert sabotage missions targeting the country's air defence systems, including by building a drone base near Tehran, security sources told Israeli media. Tehran has responded by launching two salvos at Israel, with the latest on Friday evening lighting up the skies above cities including Tel Aviv. Iran's state media agency IRNA said Iran launched 'hundreds' of ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation. But Israeli military sought to downplay the response, saying two barrages of surface-to-surface missiles were launched amounting to 'fewer than 100' projectiles. 'Most were intercepted by air defence systems or failed to reach their targets,' it added. The Israeli military has called its operation in Iran 'pre-emptive,' claiming it had been forced to act by new intelligence showing that Iran was 'approaching the point of no return' in the development of a nuclear weapon. However, a source familiar with US intelligence reports said there had been no recent change in Washington's assessment that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and that Ayatollah Khamenei had not authorised a resumption of the programme halted in 2003. Israel - that has long fought a shadow war with Iran - has made it repeatedly clear its intention its intentions to wipe out Iran's nuclear capability. While Iran insists its nuclear programme is intended merely for energy purposes, Tehran's leadership has repeatedly called Israel a 'cancer' in the Middle East. The US administration initially distanced itself from the operation by saying Israel took 'unilateral action against Iran'. Later President Donald Trump, issued his own stark warning to Tehran, saying it must make a nuclear deal now or face 'slaughter.' Washington had been expected to hold a sixth round of negotiations with Iran on Sunday in Oman over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme - talks which will likely not go ahead now. 'I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal," Trump said Friday morning. 'There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end. Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left.' Both the US and UK denied involvement in the Israeli strikes—although US officials later told Reuters that US military ground-based systems helped shoot down Iranian missiles aimed at Israel. While Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened an emergency COBRA meeting and urged restraint, Trump labelled the Israeli attack 'excellent' and claimed Washington had been informed beforehand. 'We gave them a chance [to strike a nuclear deal] and they didn't take it,' he said. '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.' 'We knew everything, and I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out. They can still work out a deal—it's not too late.' There are concerns the conflict could spark a regional war, with the Middle East already a tinderbox after 20 months of Israel's unprecedented bombardment of Gaza, which followed the 7 October 2023 attack by Iranian-backed Hamas. During that time, Israel has also decimated Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon and traded fire with the Houthis in Yemen, again Tehran's lay, who had been targeting Gulf shipping in retaliation for the Gaza war. One fear is that the confrontation could ignite fighting between the region's most powerful militaries and armed factions, risking wider destabilisation. Iran's Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned on Wednesday that if attacked, Tehran would retaliate by hitting US bases in the region . Acknowledging the heightened risk, the US on Wednesday announced the partial closure of its embassy in Baghdad and authorised the 'voluntary departure' of military dependents from bases in Bahrain and Kuwait. In Baghdad, Sajad Jiyad, an Iraqi analyst fellow at Century International, said the Iraqi government could only hope it could 'avoid becoming a battleground.' 'If the escalation continues with Israel, then logically, Iraq would be one of the places where Iran might attack U.S. interests,' he told The Independent. 'We don't have any serious air defence systems. We can't prevent Israeli jets or drones from flying over Iraqi territory. We can't stop Iran from launching missiles from our airspace. 'Iraq is in a difficult position. It is not militarily capable of preventing other countries from using its territory. There is a lot of risk that escalation could play out here.' The same concern was echoed by analysts in Syria, where a nascent government led by Islamist fighter turned president Ahmed al-Sharaa is attempting to rebuild the country after ousting Iran-backed autocrat Bashar al-Assad in December. There are fears that Iran-aligned paramilitaries in Syria still present could use this moment to attack Israel and derail the efforts of the new rebel-led administration. Israel has repeatedly bombed military positions in Syria since Assad's overthrow—most recently accusing an unknown group of firing into Israel from Syria just two weeks ago. US military sites and shipping in the Persian Gulf could also become targets. The UK's maritime agency warned this week that increased tensions in the Middle East could impact shipping in critical waterways and advised vessels to exercise caution when travelling through the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz, which all border Iran. In Jordan, meanwhile, the military scrambled to intercept a number of missiles and drones that entered its airspace from Iran and were likely to fall on Jordanian territory, including populated areas. Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz was damaged in the overnight attack, with the UN's nuclear watchdog reporting that the above-ground enrichment plant had been destroyed. However, experts reviewing commercial satellite imagery said the damage to Iran's nuclear infrastructure from the initial wave of Israeli strikes appeared limited. Investigations have not shown any radioactive or chemical contamination outside the site, Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said. Still, the UN's nuclear watchdog warned that any military action endangering the safety of nuclear facilities carries grave consequences for Iran, the region, and beyond. Further Israeli strikes were reported on Friday, including on Iran's military airport in Tabriz and the Shiite holy city of Qom, according to Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency. Holly Dagres, an Iran specialist and senior fellow at the Washington Institute, warned 'Tehran won't bend the knee to pressure' . 'President Donald Trump seems to think that these crippling Israeli strikes will force the Islamic Republic to capitulate, when it is a revolutionary state that feeds off of conflict with its adversaries.'
BreakingNews.ie
2 hours ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Iran fires missiles at Israel in response to attacks
Iran launched retaliatory airstrikes at Israel on Friday night, with explosions heard in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the country's two biggest cities, following Israel's biggest-ever military strike against its longstanding enemy. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel as authorities urged the public to take shelter. Missiles were seen over Tel Aviv's skyline, with the military saying Iran had fired two salvos. Advertisement The U.S. military has helped shoot down Iranian missiles that were headed toward Israel, two U.S. officials said on Friday. In the Tel Aviv area, Israel's ambulance service said five people were treated for shrapnel injuries. Live footage of Tel Aviv showed what appeared to be a missile hitting an urban area. A critically injured woman was admitted to Beilinson Hospital in nearby Petah Tikva, a hospital spokesperson said. The unprecedented Israeli strikes on Iran and the subsequent Iranian retaliation raised concerns about a broader regional conflagration, although Iran's allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been decimated by Israel. Iran's state news agency IRNA said Tehran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel after Israel blasted Iran's huge Natanz underground nuclear site and killed its top military commanders. Israel's military said Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles and most were intercepted or fell short. Advertisement Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Israel of having initiated a war. A senior Iranian official said nowhere in Israel would be safe and revenge would be painful. Israel's operation "will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a TV address. Netanyahu, who for decades has raised the alarm about Iran's nuclear programme, said he authorised the air assault in an effort to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons. Israel and its Western allies have said this is Tehran's objective but Iran has denied it. In a video issued by his office, Netanyahu appealed to the Iranian people to stand up against their leaders. "I am with you, the Israeli people are with you," he said. Advertisement "Generations from now, history will record our generation stood its ground, acted in time and secured our common future." Iran has long insisted its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only. The U.N. nuclear watchdog concluded this week that it was in violation of its obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. U.S. President Donald Trump said it was not too late for Tehran to halt the Israeli bombing campaign by reaching a deal on its nuclear programme. Tehran had been engaged in talks with the Trump administration on a deal to curb its nuclear programme to replace one that Trump abandoned in 2018. Tehran had rejected the last U.S. offer. Advertisement Attacks on Iran Iranian media showed images of destroyed apartment blocks in Iran, and said nearly 80 civilians were killed in attacks that targeted nuclear scientists in their beds and wounded more than 300 people. Israel's military said it was striking Iranian missile and drone launching sites, and had struck another nuclear site in Isfahan. An Israeli military spokesperson denied Iranian media reports that an Israeli fighter jet was downed with a pilot detained. In a phone interview with Reuters, Trump said nuclear talks between Tehran and the United States, scheduled for Sunday, were still on the agenda though he was not sure if they would take place. Advertisement "We knew everything," Trump said of the Israeli attack plans. "I tried to save Iran humiliation and death. I tried to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen a deal worked out," Trump said. "They can still work out a deal, however, it's not too late." Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi said military action by itself would not destroy Iran's nuclear programme, but could "create the conditions for a long-term deal, led by the United States" to get rid of it. Decapitation Two regional sources said at least 20 Iranian military commanders were killed, a stunning decapitation reminiscent of Israeli attacks that swiftly wiped out the leadership of Lebanon's once-feared Hezbollah militia last year. Iran also said six of its top nuclear scientists had been killed. Among the generals killed on Friday were the armed forces chief of staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, and the Revolutionary Guards chief, Hossein Salami. Major General Mohammad Pakpour, swiftly promoted to replace Salami as Guards commander, vowed retaliation in a letter to the Supreme Leader read on state television: "The gates of hell will open to the child-killing regime." Iranians described an atmosphere of fear and anger, with some people rushing to change money and others seeking a way out of the country to safety. "People on my street rushed out of their homes in panic. We were all terrified," said Marziyeh, 39, who was awakened by a blast in Natanz. While some Iranians quietly hoped the attack would lead to changes in Iran's hardline clerical leadership, others vowed to rally behind the authorities. "I will fight and die for our right to a nuclear programme. Israel and its ally America cannot take it away from us with these attacks," said Ali, a member of the pro-government Basij militia in Qom. Iran's ability to retaliate with weapons fired by its regional proxies has been sharply degraded over the past year, with the downfall of its ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria and the decimation of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Israel said a missile fired from Yemen - whose Houthi militia are Iran-aligned - had landed in Hebron in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent said three Palestinian children were wounded by shrapnel there. 'Cowardly' Israel said that Iran launched around 100 drones towards Israeli territory earlier on Friday, but Iran denied this and there were no reports of drones reaching Israeli targets. The United Nations Security Council was due to meet on Friday at Tehran's request. Iran said in a letter to the council that it would respond decisively and proportionally to Israel's "unlawful" and "cowardly" acts. The price of crude leaped on fears of wider retaliatory attacks across a major oil-producing region, although there were no reports that oil production or storage was damaged. OPEC said the escalation did not justify any immediate changes to oil supply. An Israeli security source said Mossad commandos had been operating deep inside the Islamic Republic before the attack, and the Israeli spy agency and military had mounted a series of covert operations against Iran's strategic missile array. Israel also established an attack-drone base near Tehran, the source added. The military said it had bombarded Iran's air defences, destroying "dozens of radars and surface-to-air missile launchers". Israeli officials said it may be some time before the extent of damage to the underground nuclear site at Natanz is clear. Western countries have long said Iran refined uranium there to levels suitable for a bomb rather than civilian use. Later on Friday, Iranian media reported explosions on the northern and southern outskirts of Tehran and at Fordow, near the holy city of Qom, a second nuclear site that was spared in the first wave of attacks.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan's deputy PM speaks with Iranian official as Tehran launches retaliatory strikes on Israel
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Iranian counterpart on Friday as Tehran launched a retaliatory missile strike on Israel following deadly Israeli attacks on nuclear facilities and senior military commanders. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel on Friday night as dozens of Iranian missiles struck the country in a dramatic escalation of tensions. Explosions were heard throughout Jerusalem and plumes of smoke were seen rising in Tel Aviv after apparent strikes. While no casualties were immediately reported, the Israeli military ordered residents nationwide into bomb shelters. The latest attacks came after Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes across Iran, reportedly killing at least three top Iranian military officers and targeting nuclear facilities and ballistic missile sites. Israeli military officials said 200 fighter jets were involved in the operation, which struck more than 100 locations in what analysts described as the most significant assault Iran has faced since its war with Iraq in the 1980s. The Pakistani deputy PM held a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, as the war escalated between the two Middle Eastern rivals. 'Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50, today spoke with the Foreign Minister of Iran, Seyed Abbas Araghchi @Araghchi,' the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement. 'Condemning the blatant Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran in total disregard of the UN Charter and international law, DPM/FM reiterated strong support of Pakistan to the Government and brotherly people of Iran for achieving peace and stability in the region,' it added. Dar also conveyed 'deepest sympathies on the loss of many precious lives during Israeli attacks,' according to the statement. Earlier in the day, the Pakistani foreign office said Israel had violated Iran's sovereignty and that the attacks were 'contrary to the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law.' It warned the escalation posed 'a serious threat to regional peace and security,' adding that Iran had the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Dar, writing on X, described the Israeli strikes as a 'brazen violation' of Iranian sovereignty and said they 'gravely undermine regional stability and international security.' 'Pakistan stands in solidarity with the government and the people of Iran,' he wrote. He also said the foreign ministry had established a 24/7 Crisis Management Unit to ensure the safety and security of Pakistani nationals and pilgrims in Iran. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed the condemnation and called on the international community and the United Nations to 'take urgent steps to prevent any further escalation that could imperil regional and global peace.' Israeli military spokesperson Defrin said all air defense systems had been activated in response to Iran's retaliation and the country expected 'difficult hours ahead.' In Washington, the US administration said it had not been involved in the Israeli operation. 'Israel took unilateral action against Iran,' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement released by the White House. 'Our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.' Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry also condemned the Israeli strikes. 'The Kingdom condemns these heinous attacks and affirms that the international community and the Security Council bear a great responsibility to immediately halt this aggression,' the Saudi statement said. Airlines cleared out of the airspace over Israel, Iran, Iraq and Jordan on Friday following the strikes, according to Flightradar24 data, as carriers scrambled to divert or cancel flights to ensure passenger and crew safety. Iran closed its airspace and Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport was shut down until further notice. Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said tens of thousands of soldiers had been called up and deployed across all borders. 'We are amidst a historic campaign unlike any other. This is a critical operation to prevent an existential threat, by an enemy who is intent on destroying us,' he said. With inputs from AP and Reuters
Al Jazeera
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Iran launches waves of missiles at Israel in response to attacks
Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles towards Israel in retaliation for a major attack on Tehran's nuclear sites. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as sirens sounded across Israel on Friday night. This follows an unprecedented attack by Israel in the early hours of Friday, which targeted Iranian nuclear sites, senior military commanders and scientists. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Israel's strikes had 'initiated a war' and it would not be allowed to do 'hit and run' attacks without consequences. 'The Zionist regime [Israel] will not remain unscathed from the consequences of its crime. The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured,' Khamenei said in a statement. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Iran 'carried out its crushing and precise response against dozens of targets, military centres and airbases' in Israel at the command of Supreme Leader Khamenei. Three separate waves of attacks were launched at Israel on Friday night, Iranian state news agency IRNA said. At least one projectile impacted central Tel Aviv, said Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh, reporting from Amman, Jordan. A modern apartment block was hit in central Tel Aviv, and according to live footage from the scene, fires raged inside some of the apartments, with smoke billowing from the building. Another residential building, next to the apartment block, also appeared to have suffered significant damage, with windows blown and pieces of twisted metal hanging from its exterior. Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing emergency services, said 15 people have been wounded in central Israel, with one in moderate condition. The Israeli public has been instructed to remain in shelters. Israel's attacks on Iran killed several top Iranian generals and scientists, including the armed forces chief of staff, Major-General Mohammed Bagheri, and the IRGC chief, Hossein Salami. However, Major-General Mohammed Pakpour was swiftly promoted to replace Salami. In a letter to Khamenei read out on state television, Pakpour promised that 'the gates of hell will open to the child-killing regime', referring to Israel. During Israel's surprise attack in the early hours of Friday, its military said it had struck more than 200 targets across Iran. Before Iran's retaliatory strikes, Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier-General Effie Defrin told journalists that Israel's army was 'continuing to strike'. 'Iran has the ability to significantly harm the Israeli home front', Defrin told a televised news conference that was cut short due to what the army said was an incoming attack. The army also urged citizens to stick close to 'protected spaces' and avoid public gatherings amid a potential Iranian attack on Israel. In a statement earlier on Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he expected 'several waves of Iranian attacks'.
