Latest news with #OperationTruePromiseIII
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Khamenei 'not off limits': Israel ups the ante; Iran conflict enters new phase as strikes continue
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (File photo) A senior Israeli official has indicated that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could become a direct target, as Israel intensifies its campaign against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the unnamed official said assassination of Iran's top leader is "not off limits," underlining a dramatic escalation in Israel's strategic posture. The statement signals a shift from solely targeting Iran's nuclear program to potentially dismantling the regime's leadership structure. The official claimed that Israel's recent strikes have already inflicted substantial damage, including at the heavily fortified Natanz enrichment facility, where structural collapse was reported. Israel has also taken responsibility for the assassinations of nine nuclear scientists and several high-ranking military officers in recent months. Additional strikes are expected soon, as part of the ongoing Israeli offensive known as 'Operation Rising Lion'. Meanwhile, Iran's counter-offensive, 'Operation True Promise III' entered a new phase on Saturday with another wave of missile attacks launched toward Israeli territory. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the attack, stating: "A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat." Sirens sounded across major cities, including Tel Aviv, as authorities activated emergency protocols. In response, Israeli warplanes struck targets in Tehran overnight, further intensifying a rapidly escalating confrontation that threatens to engulf the region. Addressing the nation earlier, Supreme Leader Khamenei vowed retribution: 'We will not permit them to evade consequences for this significant wrongdoing they have perpetrated,' he said in a televised speech. The escalating exchange has raised global concerns, particularly over the potential targeting of political leaders and the vulnerability of deeply buried nuclear facilities. Despite doubts about Israel's capacity to fully dismantle Iran's nuclear program, the official insisted the current strikes had already "set back Iran's capabilities significantly."
News18
8 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Iran, Israel Set West Asia Skies On Fire, World Scrambles To Douse Flames
'We have created aerial freedom of action from west Iran all the way to Tehran," said Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin. 'Tehran is no longer immune, the capital is exposed to Israeli strikes," he added. Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, warned that 'Tehran will burn" if Iran continues its missile attacks. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed continued punishment for Israel and warned that any country assisting Israel, such as the US and UK, would see their regional bases and ships targeted. Friday The 13th: War Horror Begins On Friday, June 13, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a large-scale aerial campaign targeting key Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure deep within Iranian territory. Over 200 Israeli fighter jets were reportedly involved, striking hundreds of targets. These strikes aimed to cripple Iran's nuclear programme, causing extensive damage to the above-ground electrical power supply at the Natanz enrichment plant and hitting air defence systems at the Fordow nuclear site. Israel also conducted 'decapitation strikes", resulting in the deaths of several top Iranian military figures, including General Hossein Salami, the Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Guards, and Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces General Staff. Nine senior Iranian nuclear scientists were also reported killed. Iranian officials stated that 78 people were killed and over 320 wounded in these Israeli attacks, with the majority being civilians, and reported widespread damage to residential areas and military bases across Tehran, Isfahan, and Tabriz. Iran's Response In immediate retaliation, Iran launched Operation True Promise III, firing waves of ballistic missiles and drones towards Israel throughout Friday night and into Saturday. Iran claimed to have launched hundreds of ballistic missiles, though Israel reported the number as fewer than 100 ballistic missiles and over 100 drones. These Iranian projectiles targeted various locations across Israel, including the highly sensitive Kirya compound in Tel Aviv, which houses Israel's military headquarters. While Israel's multi-layered air defence systems intercepted most of the incoming threats, some projectiles successfully penetrated. As a result of Iran's retaliatory strikes, Israel confirmed at least three civilian deaths and dozens of injuries. Two individuals were killed and 19 injured in Rishon LeZion near Tel Aviv when a missile directly hit residential buildings, and a further civilian death with 19 injuries was reported in central Israel, including the Ramat Gan area of Tel Aviv, on Saturday. Critically, there was 'significant damage" to the Kirya compound in Tel Aviv, indicating a successful breach of Israel's air defences in a crucial urban centre. Advertisement Residential buildings in central Israel also suffered heavy damage, and explosions were widely heard over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Separately, three Palestinian children in the West Bank were injured by a missile believed to be from Iran's Houthi allies in Yemen. The intensity of fighting remains extremely high, with both nations exchanging direct threats of further escalation. What World Leaders Say Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu 'briefed me on the evolving situation" and that in turn he 'shared India's concerns and emphasised the need for early restoration of peace and stability in the region". US President Donald Trump has suggested that Israel's strikes could help his administration make a nuclear deal with Iran. When asked whether the Israel bombing jeopardised the negotiations, he said that maybe now Iran would negotiate seriously. French President Emmanuel Macron said he spoke to his Iranian counterpart and called for French 'diplomatic facilities and nationals in Iran and the wider region not to be targeted under any circumstances". 'I also urged the utmost restraint to avoid escalation. Iran's nuclear program is a serious concern and must be resolved through negotiation," Macron wrote on X. advetisement 'I therefore invited President [Masoud] Pezeshkian to return swiftly to the negotiating table to reach an agreement — the only viable path to de-escalation … We stand ready to contribute and to mobilise all our efforts to achieve that goal," he added. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi spoke to his Iranian and Israeli counterparts and made clear Beijing's support for Tehran. Wang told Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi that Beijing 'supports Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty, defending its legitimate rights and interests, and ensuring the safety of its people", according to a statement by the foreign ministry. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey told the Iranian president that Israel was looking to 'drag the whole region into the fire," according to a statement from the Turkish presidency. Erdogan also told Pezeshkian that Israel's attacks aimed to divert attention from the genocide in Gaza. Erdogan told Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that Israel needed 'to be stopped", calling it 'the main threat to stability and security in the region". advetisement Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to United States President Donald Trump and condemned Israel's attacks on Iran. Top Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin 'expressed serious concern about a possible escalation of the conflict, which would have unpredictable consequences for the entire situation in the Middle East". According to Ushakov, Trump described the current events in the Middle East as 'very alarming". Pope Leo XIV called on Israel and Iran to show responsibility and reason.
Newsweek
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Israel Escalates Iran Conflict, Striking World's Largest Gas Field: Reports
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Israel has reportedly escalated its ongoing conflict with Iran, striking the world's largest gas field and other energy infrastructure as part of a two-day assault that had otherwise largely targeted sites and personnel tied to the Islamic Republic's armed forces and nuclear program. Iranian semi-official media outlets, including Tasnim News Agency and Fars News Agency, reported on Saturday that an Israeli drone struck Iran's South Pars Gas Field, which is shared with Qatar, where it is known as the North Dome Gas Field. The attack was said to have targeted Phase 14 refineries of the Iranian section, with at least one unit reportedly on fire, leading to a suspension in operations. Footage circulating on news channels and social media appeared to show flames and smoke rising from a section of the complex, which is located in the Kangan area of Iran's south coast Bushehr province. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has yet to confirm the attack. Newsweek has reached out to the IDF for comment. Israeli officials continued to announce operations Saturday in line with what's been dubbed "Operation Rising Lion," a sweeping and unprecedented series of attacks launched late Thursday targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, military infrastructure and senior personnel, including commanders and nuclear scientists. Vowing severe retaliation, Iran commenced a retaliatory "Operation True Promise III" on Friday and fired several waves of missiles and drones against Israel. Iran claims to have severely damaged a number of Israeli military bases, while the IDF has said the majority of incoming attacks have been intercepted. Iranian ambassador to the United Nations Saeed Amir Iravani said Friday that the Israeli strikes had thus far killed 78 people, the majority of them civilians, and injured more than 320. Among the dead are Iranian Armed Forces chief of staff Major General Mohammed Bagheri, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief Major General Hossein Salami and IRGC Aerospace Forces commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, as well as several nuclear scientists. Israel's Magen David Adom emergency service director Eli Bin reported Friday that the toll of Iranian attacks on Israel included at least 44 wounded. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Express Tribune
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Nevatim, Tel Nof, Ovda airbases targeted in Iranian missile strikes, IRGC claims
Listen to article Iran has launched a large-scale retaliatory strike on Israeli military targets in what it calls Operation True Promise III, a senior Iranian commander announced Friday night. The escalation comes just hours after a deadly Israeli airstrike hit residential areas and strategic facilities in Tehran and elsewhere, killing several top Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists. Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, a senior advisor to the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), told Iranian state television that the operation targeted three Israeli airbases believed to have been involved in launching attacks on Iran. Speaking to Tasnim News, General Vahidi said missiles struck Nevatim and Ovda airbases—key Israeli military installations said to house command-and-control systems and electronic warfare capabilities—as well as Tel Nof airbase near Tel Aviv. Additional strikes reportedly targeted Israel's Ministry of Defense and military-industrial sites in central Tel Aviv. Vahidi further said that 150 targets were identified and hit in a multi-phase assault involving hundreds of ballistic missiles, which it said managed to penetrate Israel's multi-layered air defense system. The Iranian assault follows an early morning Israeli attack on June 13 that killed several senior military officials, including Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces, and Major General Hossein Salami, commander of the IRGC. At least six Iranian nuclear scientists were also reported killed. In a televised statement, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei condemned the Israeli attack and vowed severe retribution. 'With this crime, the Zionist regime has prepared for itself a bitter, painful fate, which it will definitely see,' he said. The Israeli government has not yet issued an official response to Iran's claims.
United News of India
14 hours ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Iran to also target US military bases in Middle East, continue attacks on Israel: IRGC
Tehran, June 14 (UNI) The Iranian military has said that it intends to continue attacking Israel and is also planning to strike US military bases in the Middle East, stating that Washington was an active accomplice of Tel Aviv's missile strikes on Iranian facilities. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard's (IRGC) official news agency Fars News, citing an unknown source revealed the government's plans, on Saturday, citing an unnamed source familiar with the Iranian military leadership plans. "The war which was launched by the aggression of the Zionist (Israeli) regime will spread to all the territories occupied by this regime and the US bases in the region. The aggressors will receive a decisive and large-scale response from Iran," the source told the agency. The Army's Aresh suicide drones were reportedly able to successfully attack intended targets in Israel in 'occupied areas', states Fars News. The IRGC said the response, codenamed Operation True Promise III, involved the aerospace division firing a wave of missiles and deploying armed drones against strategic Israeli targets. The operation, the statement noted, used a 'combination of precision and smart weapon systems", specifically targeting the Israeli military centers and airbases from which the regime had initiated its criminal aggression. At the same time, Iran is going to continue attacking Israel and will not limit itself by the previously taken measures, the agency added.
