Latest news with #Karaj
Russia Today
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Israel hits Iranian centrifuge and missile sites in airstrikes
Israel struck several military targets in Iran, including a centrifuge production facility and several weapons manufacturing sites in Tehran, on Tuesday, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The operation, which involved more than 50 fighter jets, targeted Iran's nuclear weapons and missile programs, the IDF said in a statement. The Israeli air force struck a centrifuge production site near Tehran that the IDF claimed was designed to 'enable the Iranian regime to expand the scale and speed of its uranium enrichment to develop nuclear weapons.' The IDF described it as 'a key facility for centrifuge production.' In addition to the centrifuge facility, the IDF said its jets hit factories that make missile components. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Israeli airstrikes targeted two centrifuge production facilities linked to Iran's nuclear program. In a statement posted on X, the agency named the sites as the Tehran Research Center and the TESA workshop in Karaj, a city west of the capital. The IDF claimed Iran is enriching uranium at levels 'not required for civilian use,' and said the strike was 'part of the broad effort to operate against Iran's nuclear weapons development project.' Iran currently enriches uranium to 60% purity, far above the 3.67% cap set under the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal, which was rendered null and void after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from it during his first term. Despite Israel's claims, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the agency does 'not have any proof of a systematic effort' by Iran to move closer to producing a nuclear weapon, in an interview with CNN. Despite the ongoing talks between the US and Iran, late last week Israel launched strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, killing a number of senior commanders and scientists. Iran responded with missile strikes on Israel. Moscow, which had earlier offered to mediate between the two sides, condemned Israel's strike and warned that further escalation could destabilize the entire region. The Russian Foreign Ministry also called on Israel to 'come to its senses and immediately stop raids on nuclear installations.'
Al Arabiya
8 hours ago
- Science
- Al Arabiya
Israeli strikes hit two Iranian centrifuge production sites, IAEA says
Israeli military strikes have hit two facilities in Iran that made parts for centrifuges, the machines that enrich uranium, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday, identifying them as the TESA Karaj workshop and the Tehran Research Center. 'At the Tehran site, one building was hit where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested. At Karaj, two buildings were destroyed where different centrifuge components were manufactured,' the International Atomic Energy Agency said on X. Developing
RNZ News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Donald Trump calls for Iran's 'unconditional surrender' as war rages on
By Parisa Hafezi , Jaidaa Taha and Maayan Lubell US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters about the G7 Summit aboard Air Force One. Photo: AFP / Brendan Smialowski President Donald Trump has called for Iran's unconditional surrender and warned US patience was wearing thin, but says there was no intention to kill Iran's leader "for now", as the Israel-Iran air war entered a sixth day. An Israeli military official said approximately 10 ballistic missiles were launched from Iran toward Israel in the early hours of Wednesday morning and most of them were intercepted. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv. Explosions were also heard in Tehran and the city of Karaj to the west of the capital, Iranian news websites reported. Trump's comments, delivered via social media, suggested a more aggressive stance toward Iran as he weighs whether to deepen US involvement. "We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding," he wrote on Truth Social. "We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for patience is wearing thin." Three minutes later, he posted, "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!" A White House official said Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone on Tuesday, confirming a report from Axios. Trump's sometimes contradictory and cryptic messaging about the conflict between close US ally Israel and longtime foe Iran has deepened the uncertainty surrounding the crisis. His public comments have ranged from military threats to diplomatic overtures, not uncommon for a president known for an often erratic approach to foreign policy. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could face the same fate as Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who was toppled in a US-led invasion and hanged in 2006 after a trial. Trump said on Monday that he might send US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to meet Iranian officials. The president said his early departure from the Group of Seven nations summit in Canada had "nothing to do" with working on a ceasefire deal, and that something "much bigger" was expected. Britain's leader Keir Starmer said there was no indication the US was about to enter the conflict. Trump met for 90 minutes with his National Security Council on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the conflict, a White House official said. Details were not immediately available. The US is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, three US officials told Reuters. The move follows other deployments that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described as defensive in nature. The US has so far only taken defensive actions in the current conflict with Iran, including helping to shoot down missiles fired toward Israel. Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks. Photo: AFP / Jack Guez Khamenei's main military and security advisers have been killed by Israeli strikes, hollowing out his inner circle and raising the risk of strategic errors, according to five people familiar with his decision-making process. The Israeli military said on Tuesday it had killed Iran's wartime chief of staff Ali Shadmani, four days after he replaced another top commander killed in the strikes. With Iranian leaders suffering their most dangerous security breach since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the country's cybersecurity command banned officials from using communications devices and mobile phones, Fars news agency reported. Israel launched a "massive cyber war" against Iran's digital infrastructure, Iranian media reported. Ever since Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, and triggered the Gaza war, Khamenei's regional influence has waned as Israel has pounded Iran's proxies - from Hamas in Gaza to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq. Iran's close ally, Syria's autocratic president Bashar al-Assad, has been ousted. Israel launched its air war, its largest ever on Iran, on Friday after saying it had concluded the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that. Netanyahu has stressed that he will not back down until Iran's nuclear development is disabled, while Trump says the Israeli assault could end if Iran agrees to strict curbs on enrichment. Before Israel's attack began, the 35-nation board of governors of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years. The IAEA said on Tuesday an Israeli strike directly hit the underground enrichment halls at the Natanz facility. The Iranian news website Eghtesadonline, which covers economic news, reported on Tuesday that Iran arrested a foreigner for filming "sensitive" areas at the Bushehr nuclear power plant for Israel's spy agency Mossad. Iranian security forces also arrested a "terrorist team" linked to Israel with explosives in a town southwest of the capital Tehran, Iranian state media reported. People take shelter for the night at an underground light rail station in the city of Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv. Photo: AFP / Menahem Kahana Israel said it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in coming days. But Israel will struggle to deal a knock-out blow to deeply buried nuclear sites like Fordow, which is dug beneath a mountain, without the US joining the attack. Israel's Katz said Fordow was an issue that will be addressed. Iran has so far fired nearly 400 ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones towards Israel, with about 35 missiles penetrating Israel's defensive shield, Israeli officials said. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they hit Israel's Military Intelligence Directorate and foreign intelligence service Mossad's operational centre early on Tuesday. There was no Israeli confirmation. Iranian officials have reported 224 deaths, mostly civilians, while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Residents of both countries have been evacuated or fled. Global oil markets are on high alert following strikes on sites including the world's biggest gas field, South Pars, shared by Iran and Qatar. Look back at all the events of today as they happened with RNZ's blog:
New York Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Live Updates: Israel Says It Attacked Headquarters of Powerful Iranian Military Unit
Where to go? What to do? Is my neighborhood safe? As deadly Israeli strikes rain down on Iran, these are among the questions desperate and confused Iranians are asking as they search for guidance. Amid swirling rumors and a dearth of official information, many Iranians have started relying on one another to share tips and safety information. 'My biggest concern is nothing other than radioactive leaks and the bombing of areas that have nuclear facilities. I haven't personally received any official guidance,' Ilya, 28, from the city of Karaj, near Tehran, said via text. Ilya asked to be identified only by his first name for security reasons. The surprise attacks on Iran, which began on Friday, have highlighted the country's apparent lack of preparedness for war — including its paucity of shelters, bunkers or functioning air-raid sirens. Without much clear direction from the government, Iranian musicians, artists, chefs and influencers have been sharing infographics on social media with titles including 'What You Should Do if You're in the Metro During an Airstrike' or 'How to Speak to Children in War Times.' Several people in Iran whom The New York Times messaged and spoke with said they were unsure whether to go to work or whether students should go to school — a fraught dilemma at the height of final exam season. Many Iranians are unsure of what information they can trust and what to believe — regardless of whether it comes from the government or from unofficial channels. 'I keep seeing Instagram stories with guidance and information but they don't have a clear source and are pretty scattered,' Ilya said. He added: 'Honestly, I don't know which ones are accurate and which aren't, because it's all scattered and unclear, and everyone seems to have their own opinion.' In family WhatsApp groups, confusion abounded. Many comments came from Iranian women who cited their experience during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, offering tips to distinguish the sounds of strikes from those of air-defense interceptions, to help inform their current situation. Other people have struggled to access the internet, with communication networks in the country increasingly spotty. On Sunday, the third consecutive day of Israeli attacks, the Iranian government stressed that measures were being taken to protect the population. 'Mosques are shelters for all people, and starting tonight, the metros will also open so that people can have access to safe spaces 24/7,' said Fatemeh Mohajerani, a government spokeswoman, referring to Tehran's rapid transit system, which is mostly underground. In remarks carried by Iranian news media, she added that many schools could also be used as shelters. It was unclear, though, how many people would be reassured. Long lines formed at gas stations in Tehran, the capital, and the city's roads were choked with traffic as terrified families scrambled to leave. Image The Israeli strikes that began on Friday have highlighted Iran's lack of preparedness for war. Credit... Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times In Isfahan, a city in central Iran that has been struck by the Israeli military campaign, one woman, Farangis, said she tried on Saturday night to convince a friend to join her in leaving the city for a village further south. 'Just like last time,' Farangis, who is in her 70s, said she told her friend. That was all that Farangis, who for security reasons asked that only her first name be used, needed to say: Decades ago, both women had fled their homes when Iraq was bombing Iran. But her friend refused, Farangis said, saying that she could not leave her children and grandchildren — who had 'school and work that doesn't seem to have been canceled.'
