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President Donald Trump has signaled a temporary pause on potential U.S. military action against Iran, citing a possible opening for negotiations. The announcement comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and growing pressure from allies and critics at home. Trump said he would decide within two weeks, depending on whether diplomatic efforts with Tehran gain traction. What to Know: At a White House briefing, Trump said he’s weighing military options but is holding off to see if talks with Iran materialize.

“Based on the fact that there is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision in the next two weeks,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt quoted Trump today.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council warned that any third-party intervention in its conflict with Israel would trigger an “immediate” response.

Trump has already reviewed attack plans targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, but no final order has been given.

The president’s recent remarks follow multiple backchannel calls between U.S. and Iranian officials.

Trump’s base is divided, with hawkish Republicans urging action and populist voices like Tucker Carlson calling for restraint.

Iran continues to demand “compensation” and has vowed to continue the confrontation until its conditions are met. Follow Newsweek’s live updates.

08:17 PM EDT Exiled Iranian prince teases “post-Islamic Republic” Iran discussions Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch, said Thursday that he is engaged in “discussions about a post-Islamic Republic” amid the rapidly escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. “Sources inside Iran say that the regime’s command and control structures are collapsing at a rapid pace,” Pahlavi, who for decades has opposed the regime in his home country from abroad, wrote on X. “Meanwhile, the international community is beginning to realize that the Islamic Republic has no future. Our discussions about a post-Islamic Republic Iran have begun.” Sources inside Iran say that the regime’s command and control structures are collapsing at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, the international community is beginning to realize that the Islamic Republic has no future. Our discussions about a post-Islamic Republic Iran have begun. https://t.co/86bJPP5bSi — Reza Pahlavi (@PahlaviReza) June 19, 2025

05:29 PM EDT Hezbollah says it will ‘act as it sees fit’ in Israel-Iran conflict Sheikh Naim Qassem, a prominent Hezbollah figure, delivers an impassioned speech during the funeral of Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Aqil in Beirut, Lebanon , on September 22, 2024. Sheikh Naim Qassem, a prominent Hezbollah figure, delivers an impassioned speech during the funeral of Hezbollah leader Ibrahim Aqil in Beirut, Lebanon , on September 22, 2024. Courtney Bonneau/Getty Images Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem declared Thursday that the group is “not neutral” in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, vowing to “act as we see fit” in response to what he called “brutal Israeli-American aggression.” The statement, posted on Telegram, follows a warning from U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, who said Hezbollah’s involvement would be a “very, very, very bad decision.” Hezbollah, which has fought multiple wars with Israel and is backed by Iran, is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., UK, and others. The group’s latest remarks raise concerns about a broader regional escalation as tensions continue to mount.

05:18 PM EDT Iran summons German envoy over support for Israeli actions Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned Germany’s envoy Markus Potzel on Thursday to protest what it called “unwise and irresponsible” remarks by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz supporting Israeli military actions. The statement, reported by state-run IRNA, accused Germany of endorsing violations of international law. Tehran described the chancellor’s comments as an “implicit endorsement of lawbreaking and the use of force against a peaceful country,” referring to Israel’s ongoing strikes on Iranian territory. During the meeting, Iranian officials emphasized Germany’s obligations under the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 2, Paragraph 4, which prohibits the use of force against the sovereignty of other states. Iran called on Berlin to uphold its international commitments and condemn what it labeled an act of aggression by Israel.

05:05 PM EDT 12 Palestinians killed near Gaza aid site amid ongoing conflict At least 12 Palestinians were killed Thursday near an aid distribution site in central Gaza, according to medics and rescuers, in what has become a grim pattern of violence surrounding humanitarian relief efforts. Witnesses say the group was gunned down near a facility operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization that took over aid distribution in late May. The GHF denied any incident occurred near its site, while the Israeli military claimed “suspects” approached troops near the Netzarim corridor and that warning shots were fired. The deaths mark the latest in a series of near-daily shootings at or near aid sites, with hundreds reportedly killed since GHF began operations. The UN and other humanitarian groups have criticized the GHF model as unsafe and lacking neutrality.

04:46 PM EDT Iran threatens strike on Israeli Channel 14 after IRINN bombing Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB announced Thursday that Tehran plans to target the offices of Israel’s Channel 14, which it labeled a “propaganda channel” for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN reported. The warning follows an Israeli airstrike earlier this week on IRINN, Iran’s state-run news channel, which Israel claimed was being used for military purposes. IRIB urged Channel 14 staff to evacuate, saying the attack would occur in the coming days. The Israeli strike on IRINN’s studio complex in Tehran killed one employee and interrupted a live broadcast with a loud explosion. The tit-for-tat targeting of media outlets marks a new escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict, raising concerns about the safety of journalists and the use of press infrastructure in military operations.

04:33 PM EDT Iran threatens to close Strait of Hormuz: What would happen? U.S. President Donald Trump takes a question from a member of the media during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in… U.S. President Donald Trump takes a question from a member of the media during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. More Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Iran has warned that it could shut the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit chokepoints, in retaliation for U.S. involvement in its conflict with Israel. “If the United States officially and operationally enters the war in support of the Zionists (Israel), it is the legitimate right of Iran in view of pressuring the U.S. and Western countries to disrupt their oil trade’s ease of transit,” Ali Yazdikhah, a senior Iranian lawmaker, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency on Thursday. “Iran has numerous options to respond to its enemies,” Behnam Saeedi, a member of the parliament’s National Security Committee presidium was quoted as saying. “Closing the Strait of Hormuz is one of the potential options.” The officials spoke amid heightened tensions as President Donald Trump is reported to be inching closer to ordering military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment by email. Read the full story by Isabel van Brugen on Newsweek.

04:18 PM EDT Predatory Sparrow leaks Nobitex source code after $90M crypto heist The pro-Israel hacking group Predatory Sparrow has escalated its cyber offensive against Iran by releasing the source code and internal documents of Nobitex, the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, The New York Times reported. The leak, posted Thursday on social media, follows the group’s claim of stealing at least $90 million in digital assets from the platform a day earlier. The group’s post declared, “ASSETS LEFT IN NOBITEX ARE NOW ENTIRELY OUT IN THE OPEN,” warning of further exposure. Nobitex has confirmed the breach and estimated the losses at around $100 million, with the stolen funds reportedly sent to burn addresses, making them permanently inaccessible. Predatory Sparrow accused Nobitex of helping the Iranian regime evade international sanctions, framing the attack as politically motivated rather than financially driven. The group had previously targeted Iran’s Bank Sepah, and cybersecurity analysts say the Nobitex hack fits a pattern of cyberattacks tied to spikes in Israel-Iran tensions.

04:05 PM EDT Ratcliffe warns Iran near nuclear breakout, diverging from intel stance CIA Director John Ratcliffe has privately told officials that Iran is “very close” to possessing nuclear weapons, according to a senior Trump administration source cited by NBC News. His assessment contrasts with the broader U.S. intelligence community, which maintains that Tehran has not yet decided to build a bomb. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified in March that while Iran has amassed a significant stockpile of enriched uranium, there is no evidence of a formal order to weaponize it. Despite this, Ratcliffe — along with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — has framed the intelligence as a more urgent threat, arguing that time is running out to stop Iran from crossing the nuclear threshold. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates Iran has enough enriched uranium for up to 10 nuclear weapons. However, experts say assembling a functional device would take months to over a year.

03:43 PM EDT Iran blames cyberattacks for internet blackout, cites $100M crypto theft Iran’s Ministry of Communications confirmed Thursday that the country’s near-total internet blackout was a response to widespread cyberattacks launched during the early days of its conflict with Israel. In a statement reported by the Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ministry said hackers had targeted a state-owned bank, a private bank, and a cryptocurrency exchange, reportedly losing around $100 million in digital assets. Officials described the internet shutdown as a defensive measure, claiming that the intensity of cyberattacks dropped significantly after access was restricted on Wednesday. According to Security Boulevard and MSN, the pro-Israel hacker group Predatory Sparrow has claimed responsibility for the attacks, including the breach of Bank Sepah and the crypto platform Nobitex.

03:29 PM EDT White House says Iran in ‘weak position,’ urges deal as Trump weighs options White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described Iran as being in a “very weak and vulnerable position” following sustained Israeli strikes, and said President Donald Trump believes Tehran “can and should” agree to a deal. Speaking at Thursday’s briefing, Leavitt emphasized Trump’s preference for diplomacy but warned that he is “unafraid to use strength if necessary.” She also underscored U.S. military superiority, calling it “the strongest and most lethal fighting force in the world.” The remarks come as Trump continues to weigh whether the U.S. will join Israel in military action against Iran, amid warnings from Tehran that any third-party intervention would trigger an immediate response.

02:14 PM EDT United, American suspend Middle East flights amid regional conflict United Airlines and American Airlines have paused flights to the Middle East as tensions escalate between Israel and Iran. United confirmed it has suspended its daily Newark–Dubai route, citing regional conflict. The airline said it is monitoring the situation and assisting affected customers. American Airlines has also adjusted its Doha-Philadelphia schedule, suspending service until June 22. A Thursday flight from Doha to Philadelphia departed as planned, but future operations remain under review. Both carriers emphasized that passenger safety remains the top priority, and depending on developments in the region, further changes may follow.

01:59 PM EDT White House: Iran deal must ban uranium enrichment, nuclear arms White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that any future nuclear agreement with Iran must include a complete ban on uranium enrichment and ensure that Tehran cannot acquire a nuclear weapon. Speaking at a press briefing amid rising tensions in the Middle East, Leavitt emphasized that the administration’s position is rooted in preventing Iran from reaching weapons-grade capabilities. The statement comes as diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes, with U.S. and European officials exploring potential off-ramps to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

01:46 PM EDT Iron Dome interception rate drops as Iran launches faster missiles Only 65% of Iranian missiles launched in the past 24 hours were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, a sharp decline from the nearly 90% success rate reported the day before, according to a former senior Israeli intelligence official cited by NBC News. The official attributed the drop to faster missile speeds, which reduced Israel’s early warning time from 10–11 minutes to just 6–7 minutes. These shorter windows have made it harder for defense systems to respond effectively. The source also noted that Iran is using advanced navigation systems to guide missiles with greater precision, including the strike that hit Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. Iran has denied deliberately targeting the hospital, claiming the damage was caused by a nearby military strike’s shockwave.

01:36 PM EDT Trump says decision for negotiations will take place in ‘the next two weeks’ Karoline Leavitt relayed a message from Trump in a press briefing today about the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. “Based on the fact that there is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision in the next two weeks,” she quoted the president.

01:25 PM EDT Iran’s Fordo nuclear site poses challenge for Israeli strikes Tucked deep into a mountainside near the city of Qom, Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility is one of the most fortified sites in the country’s atomic program. Believed to be buried more than 80 meters underground, Fordo has so far remained untouched by Israeli airstrikes, despite repeated efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Experts say only the U.S.-made GBU-57 “bunker buster” bomb, capable of penetrating hardened underground targets, could inflict severe damage on the site. The U.S. Air Force’s B-2 stealth bomber can only deploy the weapon, making American involvement essential for any strike on Fordo. The facility, which houses thousands of centrifuges enriching uranium up to 60% purity, is seen by Israel as a critical threat. But targeting it could dramatically escalate the regional conflict, drawing in outside powers and raising the risk of nuclear fallout if enrichment material is compromised.

01:12 PM EDT Word from the White House expected shortly A White House Press briefing is scheduled to begin shortly. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will brief members of the media on the latest on the Trump administration, likely including any references to the Iran-Israel conflict.

01:00 PM EDT 271 hospitalized across Israel after Iranian missile strikes The Israeli Ministry of Health reported Thursday that 271 people were hospitalized overnight following a wave of Iranian missile attacks across the country. According to the ministry, only four individuals sustained serious injuries, while most were treated for minor wounds or anxiety-related symptoms. At least 71 of the hospitalizations were linked to the direct hit on Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, where a surgical building was damaged. The majority of those injured at Soroka were hurt while seeking shelter or suffered from shock. The ministry said hospitals remain operational and urged the public to assist vulnerable individuals in reaching protected areas during alerts.

12:47 PM EDT Iran warns of immediate retaliation if third parties intervene U.S. President Donald Trump takes a question from a member of the media during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in… U.S. President Donald Trump takes a question from a member of the media during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House on April 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. More Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued a stark warning Thursday, threatening an “immediate” response to any third party that intervenes in its ongoing conflict with Israel. The statement declared that “confrontation with the enemy will continue until the compensation is paid.” While the council did not name specific countries, the warning comes amid speculation that U.S. President Donald Trump may authorize military action. Trump has reportedly reviewed strike options but is waiting to see whether Iran de-escalates its nuclear activities. Iran’s leadership emphasized that contingency plans are in place for multiple scenarios and that any outside involvement would trigger a pre-arranged military response.

12:32 PM EDT US and Iran hold direct talks as Israel conflict intensifies US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has held several phone conversations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi since Israel began its strikes on Iran last week, according to three diplomats cited by Reuters. The discussions mark the most substantive direct engagement between the two countries since negotiations resumed in April. Araqchi reportedly told Witkoff that Tehran would not return to talks unless Israel halts its attacks. The diplomats also said the calls included a brief exchange on a US proposal to establish a regional uranium enrichment consortium outside Iran — a plan Tehran has so far rejected.

12:19 PM EDT Trump weighs Fordo strike as CIA warns Iran near nuclear breakout: Report President Donald Trump has been briefed on the potential risks and benefits of bombing Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility, a reporter from CBS says, as concerns mount over Tehran’s proximity to developing nuclear weapons. Fordo, buried deep beneath a mountain near Qom, is considered Iran’s most fortified enrichment site, and would likely require U.S. bunker-buster bombs to disable. Trump reportedly believes a strike may be necessary to prevent Iran from reaching weapons capability in the near term. While the intelligence community’s official stance remains that Iran has not ordered bomb production, CIA Director John Ratcliffe has privately warned that Tehran is “very close” to crossing that threshold. One official quoted Ratcliffe as saying that denying Iran’s proximity would be like claiming a football team on the one-yard line doesn’t want to score. Trump is also aware of ongoing diplomatic efforts, including a planned meeting between EU officials and Iran’s foreign minister in Switzerland on Friday.

12:06 PM EDT US moves planes and ships to shield assets amid Iran-Israel conflict Defense officials told CNN that the US military has repositioned key assets across the Middle East as tensions escalate between Israel and Iran. In recent days, non-sheltered aircraft were evacuated from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. US Navy ships departed from Naval Support Activity Bahrain, though their new locations remain undisclosed. The moves are part of precautionary planning in response to Iranian threats to target US forces if Washington joins Israel in striking Iranian nuclear sites. US Central Command has also pre-positioned blood supplies in the region, a standard step ahead of potential attacks. President Donald Trump has not yet decided whether to authorize strikes on Iran, but Tehran has warned of direct retaliation if the US intervenes. The Pentagon remains on alert, mindful of past attacks, including a 2024 drone strike by an Iran-backed militia that killed three US service members at Tower 22 on the Syria-Iraq border.

11:54 AM EDT WHO chief condemns attacks on health facilities in Israel-Iran conflict World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep concern Thursday over the impact of the escalating Israel-Iran conflict on health care systems, calling recent attacks on medical facilities “appalling.” In a statement posted on social media, Tedros cited the missile strike on Soroka Medical Center in southern Israel, which left dozens injured and forced the evacuation of 250 patients. He also referenced the deaths of three Iranian Red Crescent workers during an airstrike in Tehran and injuries sustained at a hospital in Kermanshah following a nearby explosion. Tedros urged all parties to protect health workers, patients, and medical infrastructure, emphasizing that “the best medicine is peace.” The escalation of hostilities between #Israel and #Iran is putting health facilities and access to health care at risk. The reports on the attacks on health so far are appalling.

This morning’s attack on Soroka Medical Center in Israel — the only major hospital in the south –… pic.twitter.com/nNJsVQ2Jxf — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) June 19, 2025

11:39 AM EDT In pictures: Aftermath of hospital strike

11:25 AM EDT Thousands of tourists seek exit from Israel amid airspace closure Israel’s Tourism Ministry says it has registered 22,000 tourists hoping to leave the country as the war with Iran continues into its second week. With airspace closed since the conflict began, only special inbound flights for stranded Israelis have been permitted, and outbound travel remains restricted for security reasons. According to the ministry, about 32,000 of the 40,000 tourists present when the fighting erupted remain in Israel. Some have managed to exit via land crossings into Jordan and Egypt, while others are seeking alternative routes by sea or through neighboring airports. The government has not yet announced when commercial flights will resume, leaving thousands in limbo as missile strikes and air raid sirens continue across the country.

11:12 AM EDT Iran says 100 drones launched at Israel in latest wave of strikes Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Thursday that it had launched around 100 kamikaze and combat drones targeting Israeli military sites, calling the operation part of a “self-defense” campaign in response to Israeli airstrikes. In a statement carried by Iranian media, the IRGC said the missile and drone attacks would continue, citing what it described as U.S.-backed Israeli aggression that has injured approximately 1,800 Iranians. The IRGC claimed the strikes were aimed at strategic military centers and warned of an “upward trend” in effectiveness. The announcement follows days of escalating hostilities between the two countries, with both sides trading missile barrages and airstrikes.

11:10 AM EDT Missile strike collapses roof at Soroka hospital as cleanup begins A missile fired by Iran early Thursday struck Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, southern Israel, damaging one of the hospital’s older buildings and collapsing its roof. The blast also shattered windows and glass across much of the sprawling campus, though the hospital’s front appeared largely intact. Staff were seen sweeping up debris and broken glass, calmly beginning the cleanup process. According to hospital officials, the damaged building had already been evacuated due to ongoing tensions, with most patients relocated to underground facilities. Soroka is the largest hospital in southern Israel, providing a wide range of care from maternity to oncology. Despite the direct hit, its preparedness and prior evacuations likely prevented severe casualties.

10:56 AM EDT WATCH: Video shows Israel destroying Iranian nuclear reactor on Day 7 of fighting

10:31 AM EDT Israeli health minister calls hospital strike a red line, vows resilience Israeli Health Minister Uriel Busso has condemned the Iranian missile strike on Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba as a “significant escalation” in the ongoing conflict, calling it a deliberate attack on a civilian facility. The strike, which damaged multiple areas of the hospital, was part of a broader barrage that injured 89 people across Israel, according to Magen David Adom. Busso emphasized that the hospital, which serves patients regardless of religion, had evacuated vulnerable wards in advance, preventing a greater tragedy. “This is a terrorist act… a red line,” Busso told The Jerusalem Post, adding that Israel will exact a heavy price from Iran. He said emergency and underground wards remain operational despite the damage, though the hospital has reduced capacity and is transferring some patients. Busso credited months of preparation for minimizing casualties, noting that emergency protocols and fortified infrastructure were key to saving lives. “The scenario we prepared for has materialized,” he said. “Now we must ensure every instruction is followed.”

10:15 AM EDT Senate Democrats push to limit Trump’s war powers on Iran Senate Democrats are raising alarms over Trump’s potential plans to strike Iran without congressional approval, warning of a repeat of past conflicts like the Iraq War. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) has introduced a resolution that would block Trump from launching military action against Iran without explicit authorization from Congress. The measure, which cannot be filibustered, is expected to come to a vote as early as next week. Democrats say the White House has failed to brief lawmakers on its intentions, prompting concerns about unchecked executive power. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) compared the situation to the lead-up to the Iraq invasion, calling it “dangerous ground.” Trump has remained vague about his intentions, saying, “Nobody knows what I’m going to do,” while mulling a strike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility. While some Republicans have expressed concern, most have deferred to the president. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is the only Republican publicly backing a similar resolution in the House. The debate underscores a broader struggle over war powers and congressional oversight, as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate.

10:09 AM EDT Netanyahu condemns Iran after hospital strike, highlights moral divide Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Soroka Hospital in Beersheba on Thursday following an Iranian missile strike that damaged the facility. Standing alongside the Minister of Health and Deputy Minister Almog Cohen, Netanyahu contrasted Israel’s military precision with Iran’s targeting of civilians. “We accurately hit nuclear and missile targets,” he said. “They hit a hospital, where people can’t even get up and run away.” Netanyahu emphasized that the strike occurred near children’s and infants’ wards, calling it a stark example of the difference between a democracy acting within the law and a regime bent on destruction. His remarks came amid growing international scrutiny of the escalating conflict, as Israel continues its campaign against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and Iran retaliates with missile barrages on civilian areas. אני כאן בבית החולים סורוקה בבאר שבע יחד עם שר הבריאות וסגן השר אלמוג כהן, איש הדרום, ולא בפעם הראשונה עם מנהל בית החולים סורוקה. אנחנו רואים כאן את כל ההבדל.

אנחנו פוגעים במדויק במטרות גרעין ומטרות טילים, והם פוגעים בבית חולים, שאנשים לא יכולים לקום ולברוח אפילו.

הם פוגעים לא… pic.twitter.com/u9FgJtWkyU — Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) June 19, 2025

09:57 AM EDT UK backs diplomatic push to ensure Iran’s nuclear program stays peaceful In a statement to Newsweek, a Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said the UK has had “long-standing concerns” about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “The UK has had long-standing concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme for many years and the Foreign Secretary is ready to support talks to press for a diplomatic solution to this issue. “Any Foreign Secretary travel would be set out in the usual way, and he is currently in Washington, D.C. “The Foreign Secretary chaired a call on Monday with the UK, European partners and Iran, in which they reiterated their commitment to the region’s stability and a diplomatic pathway forward, and urged Iran to show restraint and refrain from taking further steps which could lead to serious consequences.”

09:43 AM EDT IDF reports launch of ballistic missiles from Iran to Israel The IDF has shared a post on its X, formerly Twitter, account, reporting that sirens are sounding in Israel as a “barrage of ballistic missiles” were fired from Iran. 🚨Sirens sounding in northern Israel due to a barrage of ballistic missiles fired from Iran🚨 — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 19, 2025

09:41 AM EDT In pictures: Iranian ballistic missile strike

09:29 AM EDT Iran fires missile with multiple warheads at Israel, IDF confirms Israeli security forces gather by a damaged minibus at the scene of a building that was hit by an Iranian missile in Israel’s central city of Holon on June 19, 2025. Israeli security forces gather by a damaged minibus at the scene of a building that was hit by an Iranian missile in Israel’s central city of Holon on June 19, 2025. Jack Guez/Getty Images The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Thursday that Iran launched at least one ballistic missile armed with multiple warheads, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. One of the submunitions was found in central Israel, prompting the Home Front Command to warn that dozens more may be scattered across a wide area and could detonate if disturbed. According to IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, Iran has fired over 450 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel in recent days, with most launched from Iranian territory and others from regional proxies. Defrin said Israel has destroyed about two-thirds of Iran’s missile launchers, but warned that more than 100 remain operational. The IDF is also targeting Iran’s ballistic missile production sites to reduce future threats. Independent researcher Tal Inbar noted this is the first time a missile with multiple warheads has landed in Israel, underscoring the evolving nature of the threat.

09:17 AM EDT Trump blasts Wall Street Journal concerning thoughts on Iran Trump shared on Truth Social, “The Wall Street Journal has No Idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran.”

09:12 AM EDT Israel-Iran conflict enters seventh day as Trump weighs U.S. role The conflict between Israel and Iran has entered its seventh day, showing no signs of easing as both sides escalate military actions and rhetoric. On Thursday, an Iranian missile struck Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, southern Israel, causing extensive damage and injuring several people. The strike prompted Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz to declare that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “should not continue to exist,” accusing him of ordering attacks on civilian targets. In response, Israel launched airstrikes on Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, a facility linked to plutonium production. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the site was inactive and contained no nuclear material, but Israel said the strike was aimed at preventing future weapons development. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump continues to weigh U.S. involvement, stating, “I may do it, I may not do it,” while warning that Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon. Trump previously vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei but has left open the possibility of future action. The conflict began with Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, followed by Iranian missile and drone attacks that have killed at least 24 people in Israel. A Washington-based human rights group reports at least 639 deaths in Iran, including 263 civilians, with over 1,300 wounded

08:57 AM EDT Iran says over 2,500 injured in Israeli strikes, aid workers among dead More than 2,500 people have been treated in hospitals across Iran since Israeli airstrikes began six days ago, according to a spokesperson for Iran’s health ministry. Of those, 1,600 have been discharged, while around 500 remain hospitalized. The spokesperson, cited by Mehr News Agency, said medical teams have also provided field care at over 200 locations. Two medical workers were reportedly killed, and several others — including university staff and their families — also lost their lives in the attacks. Iran has not issued frequent casualty updates, but earlier this week reported 224 deaths and 1,277 injuries. However, the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group offered a significantly higher toll, claiming at least 639 killed and 1,329 wounded, including 263 civilians and 154 security personnel.

08:44 AM EDT Internet disruptions in Iran deepen isolation amid ongoing conflict Internet access across Iran has been severely disrupted since Tuesday, making it difficult for citizens to share information or contact loved ones. The Ministry of Communications confirmed the restrictions, accusing Israel of misusing the national communications network for military purposes. The blackout has limited the flow of videos and photos from inside the country and hampered communication, especially through banned encrypted messaging apps. While many Iranians rely on VPNs to bypass censorship, even those tools have become increasingly unreliable. The Iranian diaspora has expressed growing concern, with some saying they’ve lost all contact with family members. The restrictions come amid intensifying Israeli airstrikes and fears of further escalation.

08:31 AM EDT Xi and Putin call for de-escalation, condemn Israeli strikes on Iran Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call Wednesday, urging major powers to help de-escalate the conflict between Israel and Iran, according to official readouts from both governments. In a veiled message to Trump, Xi emphasized that countries with influence should work to “cool the situation, not the opposite.” He called for an immediate ceasefire, placing particular responsibility on Israel to halt hostilities and prevent further escalation. The Kremlin said both leaders condemned Israel’s actions, describing them as violations of international law. Putin reiterated Russia’s offer to mediate, which Xi supported, saying it could help reduce tensions. Both leaders agreed that Iran’s nuclear issue must be resolved through diplomacy, not military force, and pledged to keep their diplomatic and security channels closely coordinated in the coming days.

08:18 AM EDT Iran’s Supreme Leader responds to Israel’s direct threat to him Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has responded to Israel’s direct threat to him this morning, saying that “if the enemy senses that you fear them, they won’t let go of you”. “I would like to tell our dear nation that if the enemy senses that you fear them, they won’t let go of you. Continue the very behavior that you have had up to this day; continue this behavior with strength,” he wrote on X. In a separate post he said: “The very fact that the Zionist regime’s American friends have entered the scene and are saying such things is a sign of that regime’s weakness and inability.” This photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, shows Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a televised speech, under a portrait of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini,… This photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, shows Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a televised speech, under a portrait of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, Friday, June 13, 2025. More Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP

07:52 AM EDT Bushehr nuclear site strike announcement a ‘mistake’: Israel On Thursday morning, an Israeli military spokesperson said that the Bushehr nuclear site had been struck. However, a later statement clarified that this was a “mistake”, and that it was actually the Natanz, Isfahan and Khondab nuclear sites that were targeted, Reuters reports.

07:42 AM EDT Xi calls for ceasefire Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for an immediate ceasefire and warned the conflict between Israel and Iran risks spreading to other countries in the region. “If the conflict escalates further, not only will the conflicting parties suffer greater losses, but regional countries will also suffer greatly,” Xi said during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. “The parties to the conflict, especially Israel, should cease fire as soon as possible to prevent the situation from escalating in turn and resolutely avoid the spillover of war,” he added.

06:46 AM EDT Hackers drain $90M from Iranian cryptocurrency exchange Hackers with possible links to Israel have drained more than $90 million from Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, according to blockchain analytics firms. The group that claimed responsibility for the hack on Thursday leaked what it said was the company’s full source code. “ASSETS LEFT IN NOBITEX ARE NOW ENTIRELY OUT IN THE OPEN,” the group wrote on its Telegram account. The stolen funds were transferred to addresses bearing messages that criticized Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic wrote in a blog post. It said the attack likely was not financially motivated as the wallets the hackers had poured the money into “effectively burned the funds in order to send Nobitex a political message.” The hackers group, Gonjeshke Darande—”Predatory Sparrow” in Farsi—accused Nobitex of having helped Iran’s government to evade Western sanctions over the country’s rapidly advancing nuclear program and transfer money to militants, in a post on X claiming the attack. Nobitex appeared to have confirmed the attack. Its app and website were down as it assessed “unauthorized access” to its systems, it said in a post on X. The theft spanned a range of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and more, said head of national security intelligence at Chainalysis Andrew Fierman. The breach is “particularly significant given the comparatively modest size of Iran’s cryptocurrency market,” he added. This post uses reporting by The Associated Press.

05:51 AM EDT Pro-Iran militia threatens Trump, Americans: “legitimate targets” The leader of the Nujaba Movement, a pro-Iranian radical Shi’ite militia in Iraq, warned that all American nationals would become “legitimate targets” if the U.S. strikes Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. U.S. President Donald Trump warned Khamenei that he knew where the Iranian leader was hiding and that he is an “easy target,” though safe “for now”. Trump is weighing his options, poised to strike Iran unless it abandons its nuclear program. Israel has been striking Iranian military and nuclear targets for days, decimating the leadership in Tehran. “You are vile and disgraced, O you who wallow in the dust, criminal Trump,” said Akram al-Kaabi in a statement posted to his social media profile, originally in Arabic. “It is beneath the dignity of our Islamic authorities to be threatened by someone like you with murder!! “By God, if you had touched a single hair of our Imam al-Khamenei, you and your allies and your filthy agents under your shoes would have been burned across all our Islamic lands. “Karbala will not be returned again soaked in the blood of its noble ones; there will be no peace from now on, no military or diplomatic compromise. “Rather, anyone carrying your nationality in our region and anyone pursuing your direct or indirect interests will be a legitimate target for us as long as we remain alive in this worldly life.”

05:28 AM EDT Video: Former Israeli minister’s home hit as children sheltered Video footage has emerged of the aftermath of an Iranian missile strike at the private home of Danny Naveh, CEO of Israel Bonds and a former Israeli government minister, in Gush Dan. Naveh, who is in New York with his wife at the moment, told Ynet he was talking on a video call with his children at the time of the attack. “Suddenly, we heard a loud boom, it was clear that it was at home,” Naveh told the publication. “The second floor collapsed, the children were in the safe room and survived.” Additional footage of the destruction at the home of former minister in the occupation government, Danny Naveh, following a direct hit by an Iranian missile. pic.twitter.com/Wsk61JNoZN — اصدقاء حسين مرتضى (@saydmortada) June 19, 2025

04:16 AM EDT Russia warns of Chernobyl-like catastrophe in Iran Russia has been raising concerns about the potential for a strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, where it has specialists working. Alexei Likhachev, CEO of the Russian state atomic energy company Rosatom, said striking Bushehr could lead to a Chernobyl-like catastrophe, state media reported. Likhachev said some of the Russian nuclear specialists working at Bushehr have already been removed, though others remain there. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Israel has promised Russia that it would ensure the safety of its specialists working at Bushehr. “We maintain very smooth, trusting relations with Israel,” Peskov said in an interview with RBC-TV. “Only yesterday, Putin mentioned that there is an understanding with Israel that our specialists who work in Bushehr will not be in danger and under the threat of a strike.” Peskov said the safety of the Russian specialists comes from the relationship of trust with Israel. “Our dialogue with Israel and the trusting nature of this dialogue allow us to reach such understandings. This is very important,” Peskov said. However, he added that Russia remains a partner of Iran, one of its key allies. “President Putin definitely has a lot of potential for some kind of mediation,” Peskov said, after Putin offered to mediate between Israel and Iran to end the current conflict. “There is a need for intermediary services, but at the same time there is a tangle of unresolved problems.”

03:53 AM EDT Latest Israel-Iran map shows strikes up to June 18 This map from Newsweek’s John Feng shows the locations of strikes conducted by both Israel and Iran up to June 18. It uses data compiled by the Institute for the Study of War.

Trump is increasingly relying on a small group of advisers for critical input as he weighs whether to order U.S. military action in Iran targeting its nuclear program, according to two defense officials and a senior administration official.

At the same time, another senior administration official said, Trump has been crowdsourcing with an array of allies outside the White House and in his administration about whether they think he should greenlight strikes in Iran — a question that has divided his core supporters.

Despite routinely asking a broader group of people what they think he should do, Trump tends to make many decisions with just a handful of administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also the interim national security adviser, the senior administration official said. Trump also leans on his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, when he weighs decisions that fall under his portfolio, the official said.

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As he decides whether to directly involve the United States in a war with Iran, Trump has expanded his circle in some ways while shrinking it in others.

He has sidelined National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, who opposes U.S. strikes in Iran, and he has not been routinely turning to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of his decision-making process, according to the two defense officials and the senior administration official.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell denied that Trump was not consulting Hegseth, saying that the pair speak “multiple times a day each day” and that they were together in the Situation Room this week.

“Secretary Hegseth is providing the leadership the Department of Defense and our Armed Forces need, and he will continue to work diligently in support of President Trump’s peace through strength agenda,” Parnell said.

Trump is listening to Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Erik Kurilla, the commander of U.S. Central Command; and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, the two defense officials and a former administration official said.

In contrast to virtually every president before him since World War II, Trump does not rely on senior officials to carefully prepare foreign policy and military options and then discuss them with him in a structured, deliberate way, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

Trump discusses foreign policy with officials in his administration, as well as a myriad of foreign leaders and contacts outside the government. But those discussions are more informal and freewheeling. As a result, there are arguably fewer opportunities for officials or senior military commanders to question his assumptions or to raise concerns about a course of action, the two sources said.

When Trump announced last month that he was lifting sanctions on Syria after he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, senior officials were taken by surprise, the two sources with knowledge of the matter said. Treasury Department officials had no warning that he would make such an announcement, and no technical preparations had been made to carry out a step that required discussions with foreign banks and Syrian government officials, the sources said.

Since he returned to the White House in January, Trump has drastically scaled back the National Security Council, which traditionally collaborates with other federal agencies to craft policy options and outline the possible consequences of those options, particularly when it comes to possible military action.

Donald Trump offered Iran the chance to make a deal to end its nuclear programme, saying he would delay his final decision on launching strikes for up to two weeks.

The US president appeared to soften his position after reports he was considering ordering an attack as early as this weekend.

On a dramatic day at the White House, he huddled with advisers in the situation room and officials briefed that American bombers could be in the air within 48 hours.

When Karoline Leavitt, Mr Trump’s press secretary, took to the podium in the White House briefing room, she told reporters that the president was intent on pursuing a deal to end Iran’s nuclear programme.

“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Ms Leavitt said, quoting the president’s own words.

Iranian missiles have hit a major hospital in southern Israel and struck residential buildings in Tel Aviv, wounding 240 people and causing extensive damage

Iranian missiles hit a major hospital in southern Israel and struck residential buildings in Tel Aviv on Thursday, wounding 240 people and causing extensive damage.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz blamed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military “has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.”

Israel, meanwhile, carried out strikes on Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, its latest attack on Iran’s sprawling nuclear program. Iranian state television said there was “no radiation danger whatsoever” and that the facility had been evacuated before the attack.

The White House says President Donald Trump will decide within the next two weeks whether to strike Iran. It says Trump still sees a “substantial” chance that negotiations can achieve U.S. and Israeli demands on Iran’s nuclear program.

Here’s the latest:

Iran’s foreign minister due to meet with European diplomats in Geneva

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was due Friday in Geneva to negotiate with European diplomats, the country’s first face-to-face talks in the crisis.

Israeli military issued warning to flee Rasht in Iran ahead of strikes

Ahead of the Israeli strikes near Rasht in Iran, the Israeli military put out a warning urging the public to flee the area around Rasht’s Industrial City, which sits about a few kilometers (miles) southwest of the city’s downtown.

The Israelis did not immediately describe what they sought to destroy in the area. However, with Iran’s internet being shut off to the outside world, it’s unclear just how many people in Iran would be able to see the message.

Getting information out of Iran is increasingly difficult

After a week of Israeli airstrikes, getting any information out of Iran has grown incredibly difficult. Those outside of the country are broadly unable to dial any phone number in the country.

Meanwhile, Iran’s state-run television and radio stations offer irregular updates on what’s happening inside of the country, instead focusing their time on the damage wrought by their strikes on Israel.

Iran is one of the world’s top jailer of journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, and in the best of times, reporters face strict restrictions.

Iran has shut off its internet to the outside world, both locking its public out from seeing news from the outside and restricting those abroad from reading news outlets’ websites. NetBlocks, a group that monitors nations’ interference with internet access, said Iran has been disconnected from the rest of the world for 36 hours.

That’s left many scrambling on various social media app to see what’s happening — again, only a glimpse of life in a country of over 80 million people.

Rights group says Israeli strikes have killed at least 657

A week of Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 657 people and wounded 2,037 others, a human rights group said Friday.

The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists offered the figures, which covers the entirety of Iran. It said of those dead, it identified 263 civilians and 164 security force personnel being killed.

Human Rights Activists, which also provided detailed casualty figures during the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, crosschecks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources it has developed in the country.

Iran has not been offering regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the death toll at 224 people being killed and 1,277 others being wounded.

Israeli airstrikes reach into the city of Rasht

Israeli airstrikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early Friday, Iranian media reported as the conflict reached the one-week mark.

It wasn’t immediately clear what Israel was targeting in the city in Iran’s Gilan province.

Social media video posted online appeared to show explosions around the city.

The semiofficial Fars news agency reported that local air defense systems were firing into the night sky against the Israelis.

Several U.S. airlines suspend flights to the Middle East

United Airlines said Saturday it has indefinitely paused flights between Newark, New Jersey, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

American Airlines said it is suspending flights between Philadelphia and Doha, Qatar, at least through Sunday and will make “additional adjustments as needed.”

Both airlines said they are monitoring the situation and are working to rebook customers.

Last week, Delta Air Lines said it was suspending service to Tel Aviv, Israel, where Ben Gurion Airport remains closed to regularly scheduled passenger flights.

Iran meets with Germany’s envoy

Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned Germany’s envoy following what it called “unwise and irresponsible” statements by the German chancellor supporting Israeli actions that violate international law, state-run IRNA news agency reported.

IRNA reported that the country’s foreign ministry conveyed Tehran’s “strong protest” to Markus Potzel, over the German chancellor’s remarks, which he described as an “implicit endorsement of lawbreaking and the use of force against a peaceful country and government.”

In the meeting Thursday, Iran underscored Germany’s international commitment, as a signatory to the United Nations Charter, to oppose aggressive acts that breach international law. It asserted that Israel’s armed attack on Iran “explicitly violates Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter and is a clear instance of an aggressive act that must be condemned by all UN member states.”

19 killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza

An Israeli airstrike on Thursday on Shati Camp in north Gaza killed a total of 19 people, including three children and five women, and injured 70 others, Mohamed Abu Selmiyah, director of Shifa Hospital told The Associated Press. He said that the strike targeted a group of citizens in the area.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Tuesday that widespread bombardment, shelling and shooting continued across the enclave, including among those who were trying to receive aid. Meanwhile, hospitals are struggling to treat scores of injured due to shortages in medical resources and spaces.

Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis has been running out of space this week, with WHO’s Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus saying on social media the hospital is hosting twice as many patients as it can handle and had received over 300 injured people on Wednesday alone from food distribution sites.

A WHO-supported tent originally set up for pediatric and surgical care is now being used as an overcrowded trauma ward with 100 beds crammed into a space built for 88.

Gaza’s health ministry said Thursday that 69 killed people, including two recovered bodies, and 221 wounded individuals arrived at hospitals across the territory over a span of 24 hours. Since the war began in October 2023, a total of 55,706 people were killed and 130,101 others injured.

Some patients at Israeli hospital had been moved before missile strike

Hospital staff at a major Israeli hospital that was hit by the latest Iranian missile barrage said some of the most immobile patients were moved to the basement earlier this week to protect them.

During a visit Soroka Medical Center’s basement, staff told The Associated Press that about 60 patients were moved there. That part of the hospital was previously used as a kindergarten where employees could leave their children, they said.

Dr. Dana Braiman said had they not been moved many could have been injured or killed from the missile. “The beds they were lying in are now gone,” she said.

It’s unclear what the plan is going forward. The hospital is trying to transfer patients to other clinics in case there is another hit and there are more casualties, but staff say they’re taking it one hour at a time.

Italy’s foreign minister talks to US secretary of state

Italy’s Foreign minister Antonio Tajani had a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday in which he reiterated Rome’s commitment to a de-escalation to favor a diplomatic solution to the conflict between Israel and Iran.

Tajani and Rubio agreed that “Iran must not have the atomic bomb,” Italy’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

The two ministers also addressed the situation in Gaza. Tajani stressed the urgency of an immediate ceasefire and the full restoration of the entry of humanitarian aid. Rubio agreed with that and confirmed that “this is the intention of the Trump administration.”

Trump to decide within 2 weeks whether to strike Iran, the White House says

The White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump will decide whether to join Israel’s campaign against Iran’s military and nuclear program within two weeks, saying that Trump still sees a window for diplomacy to address Israeli and U.S. demands on Iran’s nuclear program.

“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary, told reporters, quoting Trump.

UN: Major telecommunications outage hits central and south Gaza for third day

U.N. humanitarian officials say efforts to repair a damaged fiber-optic cable are being hindered.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Israeli authorities initially approved the movement Thursday of a team trying to identify where the cable was cut, but then rescinded it.

“They control the conflict theater, and they are not giving us the approvals,” Dujarric said. “And I can’t stress how urgently we need communications to make sure that we can operate in the safest possible environment — in an environment that is primarily not safe.”

Iran asks UN Security Council to condemn Israel’s strikes

Iran’s mission to the U.N. demanded Thursday that the international body condemn the recent Israeli strikes on Iran’s various facilities, including its Arak heavy water reactor earlier in the day.

“The international community, in particular, the Security Council must not remain silent as crimes of aggression are committed in broad daylight, as international humanitarian law is widespread and systematically violated, and as peaceful nuclear sites and facilities operating under IAEA safeguards come under direct attack,” Amir Saeid Iravani, the Islamic Republic’s permanent representative to the U.N., said in a letter to the Security Council.

UN chief: Upcoming meeting with top diplomats from three European countries and Iran is positive

Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly said that “diplomacy is the only and best way forward” to end the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Thursday.

The foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany are scheduled to meeting in Geneva on Friday with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

“The message from the secretary-general is clear,” Dujarric said. “Stop the military action, too many people have been killed. Return to diplomacy, and avoid at any cost the further internationalization of this conflict.”

Canada will help its citizens fly home from Israel and Iran

The Canadian government says it will help its citizens in Israel and Iran to fly home once they reach neighboring countries.

Ottawa has stationed consular officials on the other side of certain crossings on the Israeli and Iranian borders to help those fleeing either country to get home.

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand says the government is are extremely concerned about quickly evolving conflict and they are planning commercial options for Canadians in Israel, the West Bank, and Iran to leave the region via certain neighboring countries.

Houthi leader praises Iran’s ‘effective response’

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech Thursday that Israel’s military operations against Iran is a dangerous development for the entire region.

He said Iran repeatedly asserted that it doesn’t want to produce nuclear weapons or use them, and praised the nation’s “effective response,” saying it placed Israel in an unprecedented position.

“The enemy hoped to achieve a major accomplishment through this aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, but it failed, and the failure of this aggression clearly resulted in losses and damage,” said al-Houthi.

He dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks about Iran’s unconditional surrender as “nonsense and madness,” and affirmed that Houthi operations against Israel will persist, including those targeting Israeli maritime activity.

Hundreds of Israelis on way home from Cyprus aboard a cruise ship

Some 2,400 stranded Israelis are on their way to Israel aboard a cruise ship that has departed from Cyprus’ main Limassol port Thursday.

They had reached Cyprus after their Israeli-bound passenger aircraft was diverted to the island at the onset of a missile exchange between Israel and Iran last week. Many others stranded in other countries came to Cyprus, the closest European nation to Israel, in hopes of catching a flight or a boat trip back to Israel.

Cyprus’ chief Rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin says approximately 6,500 Israelis were in Cyprus which has become a key transit point for foreign nationals fleeing Israel and many Israelis who want to go back home.

Iran’s blackout has lasted over 24 hours

NetBlocks, a monitoring group that tracks internet outages, said Iran’s nationwide internet blackout had lasted over 24 hours as of Thursday afternoon, making it the most severe disruption since anti-government protests in November 2019.

Israeli military says Iran used a missile with multiple warheads in its attack

The Israeli military said Thursday that Iran used a missile with multiple warheads in its attack, posing a new challenge to its defenses.

Instead of having to track one warhead, missiles with multiple warheads can pose a more difficult challenge for air defense systems, like Israel’s Iron Dome.

There was no immediate independent analysis that could be made.

Russia voices concern about security at Iran’s Russia-built nuclear power plant

Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Russia is particularly concerned about security at the plant in Iran’s southern port of Bushehr and the Russian personnel there.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that over 200 Russian workers are involved in building two more nuclear reactors in Bushehr. “We agreed with the Israeli leadership that their security will be ensured,” he said.

Alexei Likhachev, the head of the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, told reporters that several dozen Russian workers had already been evacuated from Bushehr and others could follow suit quickly if necessary.

Likhachev warned that an Israeli strike on the Bushehr reactor could trigger a catastrophe comparable to the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. He voiced hope that the Israeli leadership will “have sufficient understanding and common sense not to allow even an accidental hit.”

Israeli official: Iran has launched 450 missiles and 1,000 drones toward Israel so far

The vast majority of the drones have been launched from Iran, but a few have been launched from Iran’s proxies, including Iraq, according to the Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations.

He added that Israel began its operation in western Iran before moving toward the capital of Tehran and the center. The military is now starting to attack eastern Iran.

The official would not comment on whether or not the Americans are planning to target the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant. “What Americans do or will not do is up to them, we have our plan and are operating according to it,” he said.

Gaza officials say 69 dead in past 24 hours

The Gaza Health Ministry said Thursday that hospitals had received 69 bodies and 221 wounded people in the last 24 hours.

It said 55,706 Palestinians have been killed and another 130,101 wounded since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, without saying how many were civilians or combatants.

The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel, when Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. They still hold 53 hostages, more than half of them believed to be dead.

Israel says it destroyed majority of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers

Israel said its airstrikes have destroyed around two-thirds of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers, according to an Israeli military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations. The official said on Thursday that Israel estimates Iran still has over 100 missile launchers remaining active.

“We are hitting all the chain of production, from the military factory all the way to the launcher itself, we’re stopping all of the elements,” the official said. Israel estimates that before Friday, Iran had around 2,000 ballistic missiles.

The official would not comment on Israeli impact on Iran’s nuclear program. “We said we’re going to damage severely the nuclear facilities, but we didn’t say we’re going to destroy it totally,” the official said. “We know our limits.”

At least 8 killed near aid distribution site in Gaza

Health officials in the Gaza Strip say at least eight Palestinians were killed and 60 wounded near an aid distribution site run by a U.S.- and Israeli-backed humanitarian group.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza, which received the dead and wounded, confirmed the toll.

It appeared to be the latest of near-daily shootings of Palestinians seeking desperately-needed food in the territory, which experts say is at risk of famine because of Israel’s blockade and ongoing military campaign.

Multiple Palestinian witnesses have said Israeli forces routinely fire on the crowds. Local health officials say scores have been killed and hundreds wounded. The military says it has fired warning shots at people it describes as suspects who approached its forces.

Russia warns the U.S. against entering the Israel-Iran conflict

“U.S. military interference would be “an extremely dangerous step with truly unpredictable negative consequences,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a briefing Thursday. .

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he doesn’t want to carry out a U.S. strike on Iran but suggested he stands ready to act if it’s necessary to extinguish Iran’s nuclear program.

China’s Xi calls for ceasefire

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on Israel and Iran to implement an immediate ceasefire in their conflict, which he says risks spreading to other countries in the region.

“If the conflict escalates further, not only will the conflicting parties suffer greater losses, but regional countries will also suffer greatly,” Xi said during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

“The parties to the conflict, especially Israel, should cease fire as soon as possible to prevent the situation from escalating in turn and resolutely avoid the spillover of war,” he added.

China has sought to maintain warm ties with both the Arab States on the one side and Israel on the other, to little practical effect.

Iran’s supreme leader appoints new commander

Iran’s supreme leader has appointed Brigadier General Mohammad Karami as the new ground forces commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary force that controls Iran’s ballistic missiles, after Israeli strikes last week killed several high-ranking military officials in Tehran.

Karami is replacing Mohammad Pakpour, who was appointed last week to become the new commander of the Guard following the killing of Hossein Salami.

Iraqi militia threatens to attack US citizens if Iranian leader is targeted

Harakat al-Nujaba, one of the main Iran-backed militias in Iraq, threatened to attack U.S. citizens in the event that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is targeted in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.

“No soldier, diplomat, or even a bearer of your nationality in our region will be safe. All your direct and indirect interests will become legitimate targets for us, as long as we draw breath in this vile world,” the statement said.

Iraqi militias have thus far largely held their fire in the conflict, although three drones launched at the Ain al-Asad base housing U.S. troops in western Iraq were reportedly shot down on Friday, after Israel’s began its barrage of strikes on Iran. No group claimed responsibility for the attack on the base.

French foreign minister: France and Europeans willing to negotiate with Iran

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Thursday that France and Europeans partners are ready to “resume negotiations” with Iran.

The comments come after Iran’s state media said the country’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet with European counterparts in Geneva on Friday.

Barrot did not confirm the Geneva meeting.

The message from Iranian authorities was “relatively clear: there is a willingness to resume talks, including with the United States, provided that a ceasefire can be reached,” Barrot told a news conference in Paris.

“On our side, there is a willingness to resume negotiations, provided that these negotiations can lead to lasting, substantial steps backward by Iran regarding its nuclear program, its ballistic program and its activities to destabilize the region,” Barrot said.

Patients wheeled out of Israeli hospital hit by missile

Patients were wheeled out of a major Israeli hospital that was hit by the latest Iranian missile barrage as emergency responders assessed the damage to the building.

A missile struck the Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba, damaging its surgical ward. The roof of the building was smashed in, and after the building was hit, smoke could still be seen smoldering from the side. Chunks of cement and glass lay scattered on the ground.

Hospital staff said several dozen people were lightly injured, adding that most patients had already been moved to safe spaces.

Emergency responders assessed the damage at the Soroka hospital Thursday after a missile struck the surgical ward.

Staff said it wasn’t clear how secure the building was, or if parts were going to collapse.

Two hospital staff who did not want to named told The AP the strike hit almost immediately after sirens went off and they went into the safe room.

Dust and debris at Iran’s state-run broadcaster after Israeli strike

The broadcaster allowed reporters on Thursday to film the aftermath of an Israeli strike against its building in Tehran this week.

Associated Press journalists saw the dust and debris now filling an Iranian state television studio. Its windows were blown out by the blast. Chairs sat singed.

Israel conducted the strike against the building Monday during a live broadcast there, an hour after it issued a public warning for the wider area of Tehran in which the building is located.

Iranian officials have said three employees of the broadcaster, formally known as the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, were killed in the attack.

US diplomat warns Hezbollah against supporting Iran

U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said it would be a “very bad mistake” for Lebanon if the Hezbollah militant group intervened to support Iran militarily in its conflict against Israel.

Barrack made the remarks to journalists Thursday after visiting top officials in Lebanon. Iran-backed Hezbollah has condemned Israel’s surprise strikes on Iran that sparked the conflict and endorsed Iran’s missile barrages over Israel, but has stopped short of saying it will take military action.

Israel says Iran’s Supreme Leader ‘cannot continue to exist’

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “cannot continue to exist.”

Katz spoke after the latest wave of Iranian missiles struck a hospital and wounded at least 40 people.

“A dictator like Khamenei, who heads a country like Iran and has made the destruction of Israel his mission, cannot continue to exist,” Katz said. “The IDF has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.”

U.S. officials said this week that President Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei. Trump later said there were no plans to kill him “at least not for now.”

Putin and Xi condemn Israeli attacks on Iran

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping condemned the Israeli attacks in a phone call on Thursday.

Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said that Moscow and Beijing agree that “the current situation and the issues related to the Iranian nuclear program can’t be solved by force.” They believe that “a settlement can and must be reached exclusively by political and diplomatic means.”

Putin informed Xi about his calls with the “key players” in the conflict and his readiness to help broker an end to the hostilities, Ushakov said, adding that Xi welcomed Russia’s mediation.

Iran’s foreign minister to meet with European counterparts on Friday

Iran’s foreign minister will meet with European counterparts in Geneva as an Israeli airstrike campaign continues to target his country, state media reported Thursday.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Geneva for the meetings Friday, the state-run IRNA news agency report.

IRNA said the meeting would include foreign ministers from the United Kingdom, France and Germany, and the European Union’s top diplomat.

Iran warns the US to avoid direct involvement in conflict with Israel

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard on Thursday warned the U.S. again to avoid getting directly involved in the conflict between the Islamic Republic and Israel, saying in a statement that “direct” role by the Americans would “expand the conflict to the region.”

“We warn the criminal United States: any direct involvement in this war would lead to its expansion across the region and will result in severe and irreparable blows,” the paramilitary guard in a statement carried by Iranian state T.V. The warning echoes recent statements made by other Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and comes as Trump has said he’s not looking for a fight’ with Iran but stands ready to act if necessary.

IAEA confirms Iran’s Arak heavy water research reactor was hit in a strike

The Arak reactor was not loaded with nuclear material at the time of the strike, meaning there is no risk to the public of any radioactive contamination.

“It was not operational and contained no nuclear material, so no radiological effects,” said the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog.

The IAEA said it had no information on whether the heavy water plant next to the reactor had been hit.

Israel later released black-and-white footage of its strike on the Arak reactor, showing a bomb dropping on its dome and sending up a massive plume of fire and smoke.

UK’s Lammy to meet Rubio in Washington for Mideast talks

U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy is flying to Washington on Thursday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the crisis in the Middle East.

The trip comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired a meeting of senior ministers, military chiefs and intelligence officials at the government’s crisis committee, known as COBRA, on Wednesday. Discussions included how the U.K. would respond to a potential U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

The U.S. may want to use the U.K.-controlled base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean in a potential strike on Iran’s underground nuclear facility at Fordo but is not believed to have requested to do so yet.

Britain has continued to urge de-escalation, but has deployed two refueling tankers and 14 Typhoon jets to Cyprus to protect British personnel and interests in the Middle East. The Foreign Office has evacuated family members of British Embassy staff from Israel but not advised U.K. nationals to leave the country.

Israeli police stop media broadcast said to expose location of Iranian missile impacts

The Israeli police said in a statement that it dispatched cars to a facility to prevent “news agencies utilized by Al Jazeera” from transmitting “unauthorized and unlawful content.”

Israeli authorities have repeatedly warned media outlets not to share the location of Iranian missile interceptions and hits, though these have in some cases been disclosed in Israeli and foreign media.

Israel banned Al Jazeera last year, accusing it of incitement and of endangering troops by disclosing their locations. The network has denied the allegations.

China offers to play a role in restoring peace and stability in Middle East

Guo Jiakun, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, says China is willing to play an intermediary role in helping end the conflict.

“China has maintained communication with Iran, Israel, Egypt, Oman and other parties, calling on all sides to take immediate measures to de-escalate tensions and prevent the region from falling into greater turmoil,” Guo said Thursday at a daily briefing.

“China is willing to continue working with countries in the region and the international community to play a constructive role in restoring peace and stability in the Middle East as soon as possible,” he added.

Many aircraft dispersed from major air base in Middle East used by US military

A major air base in the Middle East used by the U.S. military has seen many of the aircraft typically on its tarmac dispersed this weekend.

The Al Udeid Air Base outside of Doha, Qatar, is the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command. Typically, the air base is filled with multiple transport planes, fighter jets and drones.

In a satellite photo taken Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC analyzed by The Associated Press, the air base’s tarmac had emptied.

The U.S. military has not acknowledged the change. However, it comes after ships off the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet base in Bahrain also have dispersed. That’s typically a military strategy to ensure your fighting ships and planes aren’t destroyed in case of an attack.

Al-Sistani warns against a strike on Iran’s senior religious or political leadership

Iraq’s top Shiite authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, warned Thursday that a strike on Iran’s senior religious or political leadership could ignite uncontrollable chaos across the region, an apparent reference to threats that Israel or the U.S. might kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In a statement, al-Sistani denounced the ongoing Israeli military campaign against Iran. He said that targeting the country’s top leadership would be a “criminal act (that) would shatter regional stability, deepen human suffering, and inflict far-reaching harm on the interests of all nations.”

He called on the international community — particularly Muslim countries — to increase diplomatic pressure, halt the aggression and broker a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear issue.

Widely seen as a voice of moderation, al-Sistani represents a school of thought in Shiism opposed to direct rule by clerics, the system in place in Iran, where Khamenei has the final word in all matters.

Patients evacuated from Soroka Medical Center after missile strike

Black smoke rose from the Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba as emergency teams evacuated patients.

Two doctors told The Associated Press that the missile struck almost immediately after air raid sirens went off, causing a loud explosion that could be heard from a safe room. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

— Sam Mednick in Beersheba, Israel

Iran says attack on Israel targeted a military site

Iran, through its state-run IRNA news agency, claimed it targeted an Israeli military site, not the hospital.

Iran claimed the “blast wave” of the missile struck the hospital.

Egyptian FM pushes for ‘de-escalation’ dialogue on call with European diplomats

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty spoke with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and British National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell on Thursday about the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.

In a statement after the call, Abdelatty said that the E3, an informal foreign and security cooperation arrangement between the U.K., Germany and France, is responsible for opening “channels for dialogue and negotiation and utilize all available channels with the Iranian side to reach compromises that contribute to de-escalation.”

Attack on Arak reactor meant to prevent plutonium production, Israel says

Israel’s military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium.

“The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development,” the Israelis said.

Iran has long maintained its program is for peaceful purposes. However, it also enriches uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich at that level.

Israel separately claimed to have struck another site around Natanz it described as being related to Iran’s nuclear program.

Several countries prepare to evacuate their citizens from Iran and Israel

Japan, China, Indonesia and Oman said Thursday they were preparing to help evacuate their citizens from Iran and Israel as the conflict between the two countries intensified.

Japan said it is dispatching two military aircraft to Djibouti ahead of a possible airlifting of Japanese nationals from Iran. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said he ordered the dispatch of two C-2 transport aircraft, along with 120 service members, to the Horn of African nation where Japan has a military base. About 280 Japanese are based in Iran and 1,000 others are in Israel.

The Chinese Embassy in Israel, meanwhile, said it will organize group evacuations by bus from Israel starting Friday. A notice posted on the embassy’s WeChat social media account said Chinese citizens would be taken out through the Taba border crossing to Egypt.

The Indonesian government said it would evacuate its citizens from Iran. About 386 Indonesians, mostly students, are in Iran, primarily in the city of Qom, he said. His ministry, meanwhile, said earlier that about 194 Indonesians are in Israel, the majority of whom are in the southern city of Rafah.

And Oman said it had evacuated 245 of its citizens and a number of nationals from other countries via the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas, along the country’s Persian Gulf coast.

Israel’s main hospital in south sustained direct hit from Iranian missile with ‘extensive damage’

Israel’s main southern hospital sustained a direct hit Thursday from an Iranian missile, with officials reporting “extensive damage” there.

Soroka Medical Center is the main hospital in Israel’s south.

A spokesperson for the Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheba said the hospital suffered “extensive damage” in different areas and people were wounded in the attack. The hospital has requested people not come for treatment.

The hospital has over 1,000 beds and provides services to the approximately 1 million residents of Israel’s south, according to the hospital’s website.

Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639, rights group says

Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1,329 others, a human rights group said Thursday.

The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists offered the figures, which covers the entirety of Iran. It said of those dead, it identified 263 civilians and 154 security force personnel being killed.

Human Rights Activists, which also provided detailed casualty figures during the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, cross-checks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources it has developed in the country.

Iran has not been offering regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the death toll at 224 people being killed and 1,277 others being wounded.

By SAM MEDNICK, NATALIE MELZER, and JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press

BEERSHEBA, Israel (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday he will make up his mind within two weeks on whether the U.S. military will get directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran given the “substantial chance” for renewed diplomatic negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, as the two sides bombarded one another for a sixth day.

Trump has been weighing whether to attack Iran by striking its well-defended Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried under a mountain and widely considered to be out of reach of all but America’s “bunker-buster” bombs. His statement was read out by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Earlier in the day, Israel’s defense minister threatened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after Iranian missiles crashed into a major hospital in southern Israel and hit residential buildings near Tel Aviv, wounding at least 240 people. Israel’s military “has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said.

As rescuers wheeled patients out of the smoldering hospital, Israeli warplanes launched their latest attack on Iran’s nuclear program.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he trusted that Trump would “do what’s best for America.” Speaking from the rubble and shattered glass around the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, he added: “I can tell you that they’re already helping a lot.”

A new diplomatic initiative seemed to be underway as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi prepared to travel Friday to Geneva for meetings with the European Union’s top diplomat and counterparts from the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

The open conflict between Israel and Iran erupted last Friday with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1,300 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group.

Iran has retaliated by firing 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot down by Israel’s multitiered air defenses, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded.

Personal objects at the site of a direct hit from an Iranian missile strike in an apartment in Ramat Gan, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

A baby is evacuated from the site of a direct hit from an Iranian missile strike in Ramat Gan, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Israeli air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Patients rest outdoors after a building of the Soroka hospital complex was hit by a missile fired from Iran in Be’er Sheva, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) Show Caption 1 of 4 Personal objects at the site of a direct hit from an Iranian missile strike in an apartment in Ramat Gan, Israel, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) Expand

Many hospitals have transferred patients underground

Israel’s Home Front Command asserted that one of the Iranian ballistic missiles fired Thursday morning had been rigged with fragmenting cluster munitions. Rather than a conventional warhead, a cluster munition warhead carries dozens of submunitions that can explode on impact, showering small bomblets around a large area and posing major safety risks on the ground. The Israeli military did not say where that missile had been fired.

At least 80 patients and medical workers were wounded in the strike on Soroka Medical Center. The vast majority were lightly wounded, as much of the hospital building had been evacuated in recent days.

Iranian officials insisted that they had not sought to strike the hospital and claimed the attack hit a facility belonging to the Israeli military’s elite technological unit, called C4i. The website for the Gav-Yam Negev advanced technologies park, some 2 miles from the hospital, said C4i had a branch campus in the area.

The Israeli army did not respond to a request for comment. An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, acknowledged that there was no specific intelligence that Iran had planned to target the hospital.

Many hospitals in Israel, including Soroka, had activated emergency plans in the past week. They converted parking garages to wards and transferred vulnerable patients underground. Israel also has a fortified, subterranean blood bank that kicked into action after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

Doctors at Soroka said the Iranian missile struck almost immediately after air raid sirens went off, causing an explosion that could be heard from a safe room. The strike inflicted the greatest damage on an old surgery building and affected key infrastructure, including gas, water and air-conditioning systems, the medical center said.

The hospital, which provides services to around 1 million residents, had been caring for 700 patients at the time. After the strike, the hospital closed to all patients except for life-threatening cases.

Iran rejects calls to surrender or end its nuclear program

Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. But it is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich uranium up to 60%, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Israel is widely believed to be the only country with a nuclear weapons program in the Middle East but has never acknowledged the existence of its arsenal.

The Israeli air campaign has targeted Iran’s enrichment site at Natanz, centrifuge workshops around Tehran, a nuclear site in Isfahan and what the army assesses to be most of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers. The destruction of those launchers has contributed to the steady decline in Iranian attacks since the start of the conflict.

On Thursday, anti-aircraft artillery was audible across Tehran, and witnesses in the central city of Isfahan reported seeing anti-aircraft fire after nightfall.

Trump’s announcement of a decision in the next two weeks opened up diplomatic options, with the apparent hope Iran would make concessions after suffering major military losses.

But at least publicly, Iran has struck a hard line.

Iran’s supreme leader on Wednesday rejected U.S. calls for surrender and warned that any U.S. military involvement would cause “irreparable damage to them.”

Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf on Thursday criticized Trump for using military pressure to gain an advantage in nuclear negotiations. The latest indirect talks between Iran and the U.S., set for last Sunday, were cancelled.

“The delusional American president knows that he cannot impose peace on us by imposing war and threatening us,” he said.

Iran agreed to redesign Arak to address nuclear concerns

Israel’s military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak heavy water reactor, some 155 miles southwest of Tehran, to prevent it from being used to produce plutonium.

Iranian state TV said there was “no radiation danger whatsoever” around the Arak site, which it said had been evacuated ahead of the strike.

Heavy water helps cool nuclear reactors, but it produces plutonium as a byproduct that potentially can be used in nuclear weapons. That would provide Iran another path to the bomb beyond enriched uranium, should it choose to pursue the weapon.

Iran had agreed under its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers to redesign the facility to alleviate proliferation concerns. That work was never completed.

The reactor became a point of contention after Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018. Ali Akbar Salehi, a high-ranking nuclear official in Iran, said in 2019 that Tehran bought extra parts to replace a portion of the reactor that it had poured concrete into under the deal.

Israel said strikes were carried out “in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that due to restrictions imposed by Iran on inspectors, the U.N. nuclear watchdog has lost “continuity of knowledge” about Iran’s heavy water production — meaning it could not absolutely verify Tehran’s production and stockpile.

Melzer reported from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Gambrell from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed.