Israel-Iran War Live updates: ‘Iran won’t surrender’, says Khamenei and warns Israel made a ‘grave mistake’

By CNBCTV18.COM | Jun 18, 2025 4:35 PM IST (Updated)

Israel Iran War Live Updates: The Israel Iran conflict entered its sixth day on Wednesday (June 18). US President Donald Trump has called for “unconditional surrender” of Iran to stop the conflict to escalate in the West Asian region. Iran has threatened of an all-out war in the region if American intervenes. Stay tuned for all the latest developments on the Israel-Iran War.

Israel Iran War Live Updates: The Israel Iran conflict has entered its sixth day on Wednesday (June 18). US President Donald Trump has called for “unconditional surrender” of Iran to stop the conflict to escalate in the West Asian region.

Israel and Iran both launched new missile attacks on June 18. The Israeli military said two barrages of Iranian missiles were launched toward Israel in the first two hours in the morning, with explosions being heard over Tel Aviv, reported Reuters.

Israel has issued a warning to Iranian citizens living in southwest Tehran, asking them to evacuate as its air force plans to attack on the Iranian military installations in the region.

While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of more military strikes by IDF, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran has said that a strong response will be given to the attacks.

“We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy,” Khamenei said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on June 18.

Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear programmes in the early hours of Friday (June 13) under Operation Rising Lion. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones and the conflict has posed concerns over stability in the Middle East region.

Stay tuned here for all the minute by minute update on the new developments in Israel-Iran war.

The Middle East is on the brink as the conflict between Iran and Israel, now in its sixth day, escalates as US President Donald Trump considers whether to deepen US involvement.

As Israeli strikes target Iran’s nuclear facilities and other sites, and Iranian missiles light up the skies over Israeli cities, a chilling new dimension has been added to the crisis: a demand from Trump to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for an “unconditional surrender”.

Trump’s demand on Tuesday was accompanied by another social media post from him threatening Khamenei, stating the United States knows his location but will not kill him “for now”.

Khamenei and Iranian officials have issued defiant responses to Israel and the US, warning that Iran will respond firmly to attacks.

Follow developments and reactions here as the world grapples with an unprecedented level of direct confrontation between Israel and Iran, and fears of an all-out war grow.

Reporting by Robert Delaney, Khushboo Razdan and Mark Magnier with agencies

Explosions were heard in Tehran early Wednesday as intense Israeli airstrikes again targeted Iran’s capital in a conflict that a human rights group said had killed at least 585 people across Iran and wounded 1,326 others.

Iran has not been publishing 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 killed and 1,277 others wounded.

Iran has retaliated against Israel’s airstrike campaign by launching some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel.

Here’s the latest:

Egypt’s top diplomat has held calls with both Iran’s foreign minister and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, Cairo and Tehran say.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held the calls Tuesday with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Witkoff.

Abdelatty reportedly stressed “the necessity of working toward de-escalation in the region and resorting to diplomatic and political solutions that contribute to containing the escalating situation and averting the risk of a widespread conflagration in the Middle East.”

Abdelatty “underscored the imperative of achieving an immediate ceasefire and returning to the path of negotiations as the only means to reach a sustainable agreement regarding the Iranian nuclear program,” his office said in a statement.

Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 585 people and wounded 1,326 others, a human rights group said Wednesday.

The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists offered the figures, which covers the entirety of Iran. It said of those dead, it identified 239 civilians and 126 security force personnel being killed.

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.

Intense Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s capital early Wednesday after it issued a warning about a new area it could target.

One major explosion could be heard around 5 am local time Wednesday morning, with other explosions booming earlier in the predawn darkness.

Israel-Iran Conflict Day 6 LIVE Updates: The deadly conflict between Iran and Israel entered its sixth day on Wednesday, with both sides widening their attacks. In a live address, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran stands united and would not surrender. In his statement, which comes after US President Donald Trump’s call for the country to surrender, Khamenei warned that any US strike will have “serious irreparable consequences”.

Tehran has claimed to have fired hypersonic Fattah-1 missiles at Israel in the latest round of overnight strikes. The US president insisted Washington has played no part in Israel’s bombing campaign, but also warned Iran that his patience is wearing thin.

Israeli warplanes also targeted the archfoe Iran’s capital before dawn on Wednesday after the military issued a warning on social media for civilians in an area known as District 18 to evacuate. Iranian news websites said Israel was attacking a university linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in the east of the capital.

The Israeli military also said two barrages of Iranian missiles were launched toward Israel in the first two hours of Wednesday morning. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv.

The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence says Iran is armed with the largest number of ballistic missiles in the Middle East. Iran has said its ballistic missiles are an important deterrent and retaliatory force against the US, Israel and other potential regional targets.

Here Are The LIVE Updates On Israel-Iran Attacks:

Key updates-

Israeli strikes have killed at least 585 people in Iran

Iranian supreme leader warns: “The battle begins”

US moves additional fighter jets to region

Israel army says struck Iran centrifuge production, weapons manufacturing sites

Aerial attacks by both sides persist

Iran reportedly bans officials’ use of mobile devices

Israel is running low on defensive missile interceptors

Iran and Israel launched new missile strikes at each other on Wednesday as the air war between the two longtime enemies entered a sixth day despite a call from US President Donald Trump for Iran’s unconditional surrender.

Here are the real-time updates –

[05:00]

Iran’s Khamenei rejects Trump’s call for unconditional surrender

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement read by a television presenter on Wednesday that his country will not accept US President Donald Trump’s call for an unconditional surrender.

In his first remarks since Friday, when he delivered a speech broadcast on state media after Israel began bombarding Iran, Khamenei said peace or war could not be imposed on the Islamic Republic.

“Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation, and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender,” he said.

“The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”

Reuters

[04:40]

Iran’s Supreme Leader says any US strikes on Iran will have serious consequences

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded on Wednesday to US President Donald Trump’s call for the country to surrender, warning that any US strike will have “serious irreparable consequences”.

Reuters

[04:35]

Khamenei says Iran will not accept an imposed peace or war

Reuters

[04:22]

Russia cautions US against helping Israel militarily, Ifax reports

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned on Wednesday that direct US military assistance to Israel could radically destabilise the situation in the Middle East, where an air war between Iran and Israel has raged for six days.

Ryabkov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying that Russia cautions the US against supplying such assistance to Israel – or even considering it. He said Moscow was in contact with both Israel and Iran.

Reuters

[04:20]

Israeli military says it attacked 40 Iranian missile infrastructures, storage sites, and military operatives on wednesday

Reuters

[03:35]

Televised message from Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei to be aired shortly, state media reports

A televised message by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be aired shortly, Iran’s state media reported on Wednesday.

Khamenei’s last appearance was on Friday shortly after Israel attacked Iran.

Reuters

[03:30]

Turkey’s Erdogan: Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has long left Hitler behind in terms of genocide

Reuters

[03:27]

Iran will respond ‘strongly’ to aggression: ambassador

Iran will respond “strongly” to any aggression from either Israel or Washington, Tehran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said Wednesday.

“We will respond strongly and we will stop aggression from any side, be it Israel or the United States,” Ali Bahreini told a press conference.

“And we have given a message to the United States that we will respond very firmly and will stop the aggression by anybody — including the United States,” he said.

AFP

[03:25]

Israeli strikes hit two Iranian centrifuge production sites, IAEA says

Israeli military strikes have hit two facilities in Iran that made parts for centrifuges, the machines that enrich uranium, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday, identifying them as the TESA Karaj workshop and the Tehran Research Center.

“At the Tehran site, one building was hit where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested. At Karaj, two buildings were destroyed where different centrifuge components were manufactured,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said on X.

Reuters

[03:02]

Israeli army says one of its drones downed over Iran

The Israeli military said Wednesday that one of its drones had been downed by a surface-to-air missile while operating over Iran, as the arch foes traded fire for a sixth day.

An army statement said the drone “fell in Iran. No injuries were reported and there is no risk of an information breach.”

AFP

[02:45]

Iran envoy says Israeli attacks are ‘war against humanity’

Iran’s ambassador told the U.N. Human Rights Council on Wednesday that Israeli attacks represented an act of “war against humanity” and slammed states for not condemning the acts which he said exposed people to the risk of hazardous leaks.

“The deliberate targeting of Iran’s nuclear facilities not only constitutes a grave violation of international law and U.N. Charter but also risks exposition of all people in our neighbourhood to possible hazardous leak. This is not an act of war against our country, it is war against humanity,” said Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.

He criticised the failure of states to condemn Israel’s attacks. “We are hearing almost nothing from those self-proclaimed champions of human rights,” he said.

Reuters

[01:55]

Iran will respond ‘without restraint’ to Israeli strikes, says ambassador to UN

Iran will respond to Israeli strikes “strongly” and “without restraint,” its ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said on Wednesday.

“We will not show any reluctance in defending our people, security and land. We will respond seriously and strongly, without restraint,” Ali Bahreini, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations in Geneva, told reporters.

Reuters

[01:35]

Israel shoots down several drones

The Israeli military says it has intercepted more than 10 drones launched reportedly from Iran.

The launches triggered sirens in the occupied Golan Heights.

Al Jazeera

[01:15]

Israeli Hermes drone shot down in Isfahan, Iranian state media says

Iranian state TV reports that army air defence forces shot down an advanced Hermes drone early this morning in central Isfahan province.

A BBC correspondent at the scene, standing beside the wreckage, says the drone was intercepted at approximately 05:00 local time (02:30 BST).

He says that the drone was destroyed before it could deploy any weapons, highlighting what he says is the effectiveness of Iran’s early detection and response systems.

BBC

[12:35]

Israel launches airlift to bring home stranded citizens after Iran strike

Israel began flying home citizens stranded abroad on Wednesday, launching a phased airlift operation after the country’s surprise military strike on Iran left tens of thousands of Israelis stuck overseas.

The first rescue flight, operated by national carrier El Al ELAL.TA, touched down at Ben Gurion Airport early Wednesday morning, bringing home passengers from Larnaca, Cyprus.

Worldwide, Israel’s transport ministry estimates that more than 50,000 stranded Israelis are trying to come home.

El Al has said repatriation flights are already scheduled from Athens, Rome, Milan and Paris. Smaller rivals Arkia and Israir ISRG.TA are also taking part in the operation.

Reuters

[12:15]

Iran arrests five for ‘tarnishing’ country’s image: media

Iran said Wednesday it had detained five suspected agents of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency on charges of tarnishing the country’s image online, Iranian news agencies reported.

“These mercenaries sought to sow fear among the public and tarnish the image of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran through their calculated activities online,” the Tasnim and ISNA news agencies quoted a statement from the Revolutionary Guards as saying. They added that the arrests had been made in western Iran.

AFP

[11:55]

Israel is running low on defensive missile interceptors, WSJ reports

Israel is running low on defensive “Arrow” missile interceptors, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing an unnamed U.S. official, raising concerns about the country’s ability to counter long-range ballistic missiles from Iran.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the report.

Reuters

[11:50]

Iranian police reports intercepting drones and identifying hostile domestic drone facilities – ILNA

Iran’s police forces intercepted 14 drones and identified hostile drone-producing workshops and drone-carrying vehicles across various provinces, police spokesperson Saeed Montazerolmahdi said on Wednesday according to the Iranian Labour News Agency.

Reuters

[11:25]

Repatriation flights start for Israelis stranded in Cyprus

Flights took off for Israel on Wednesday from Cyprus, airport sources and web flight tracking sites showed, ferrying home Israelis stranded abroad during the conflict with Iran.

Israel’s airspace has been closed since the two countries began trading attacks on Friday, stranding tens of thousands whose flights to Tel Aviv were cancelled.

Israel announced special flights for the repatriation of its nationals on Tuesday.

Reuters

[11:15]

China begins evacuating citizens from Iran

China has organised the evacuation of the first batch of Chinese citizens from Iran, according to China News Service on Wednesday.

The Chinese nationals departed from Tehran via land route into Turkmenistan on Tuesday, the state-run news agency said.

Reuters

[10:55]

Israel army says struck Iran centrifuge production, weapons manufacturing sites

Israel’s military said Wednesday it struck a Iranian centrifuge production facility and multiple weapons manufacturing sites, in the latest round of strikes between the archfoes.

“More than 50 Israeli Air Force fighter jets… carried out a series of air strikes in the Tehran area over the past few hours,” an Israeli army statement said. “As part of the broad effort to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons development program, a centrifuge production facility in Tehran was targeted.”

“During the wave of attacks, several weapons manufacturing sites were struck, including facilities for producing raw materials and components used to assemble surface-to-surface missiles,” it added.

AFP

[10:20]

Israeli strikes have killed at least 585 people in Iran

Intense Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s capital early Wednesday in a conflict that a human rights group said had killed at least 585 people across Iran and wounded 1,326 others.

The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said it had identified 239 of those killed in Israeli strikes as civilians and 126 as security personnel.

The group, 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 publishing 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 killed and 1,277 others wounded.

AP

[09:20]

Air raid sirens sound in Israel

Israeli air defence systems are activated to intercept Iranian missiles over the Israeli city of Tel Aviv early on June 18, 2025. Israel and Iran exchanged fire again on June 17, the fifth day of strikes in their most intense confrontation in history, fuelling fears of a drawn-out conflict that could engulf the Middle East. (Photo by Menahem Kahana / AFP)

Sirens are blaring in northern Israel, according to Israel Defense Forces, citing a “hostile aircraft infiltration”.

The military also shared on X a map showing the alerts:

Sirens sounding in northern Israel due to a hostile aircraft infiltrationpic.twitter.com/LpwUAEL2NT— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 18, 2025

[08:25]

Iranian supreme leader warns: “The battle begins”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced the beginning of battle in a post on X, declaring, “In the name of the noble Haidar, the battle begins.”

The name Haidar refers to Ali, regarded by Shia Muslims as the first Imam and rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad.

CNN

[07:35]

IRGC claims ‘complete control’ over Israel’s skies

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a statement on its latest attacks against Israel, saying that its “powerful and manoeuvrable” Fattah missiles broke through Israel’s missile defence shield, “sending a message of Iran’s authority” to the rival country.

In the statement, carried by Iranian news agencies, it said the attack “showed we have gained complete control over the skies of the occupied territories and that its residents are completely defenceless” against Iranian attacks.

Al Jazeera

[06:12]

US bomber jets leave UK base

US fighter jets have left a base in eastern England as reports grow of plans for the United States to get involved militarily in the conflict between Iran and Israel.

Photos taken by an amateur photographer show F-35 fighter jets departing from Royal Air Force Lakenheath. They were accompanied by an air refuelling tanker plane.

BBC

[06:05am]

US shuts embassy in Israel until Friday

The United States Embassy in Jerusalem and consular section in Tel Aviv will be shut from today through Friday due to the conflict between Israel and Iran and to comply with instructions from Israel’s Home Front Command, the US State Department said.

“The US Embassy has directed that all US government employees and their family members continue to shelter in place in and near their residence until further notice,” the embassy said in a statement.

The embassy also said that it had “no announcement about assisting private US citizens to depart” Israel at this time.

Al Jazeera

[03:55am]

Trump spoke with Netanyahu on Tuesday, Axios reports

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, Axios reported, citing an unidentified Israeli official.

Reuters

[03:15am]

Trump calls for Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ as Israel-Iran air war rages on

President Donald Trump called on Tuesday for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and warned U.S. patience was wearing thin, but said there was no intention to kill Iran’s leader “for now”, as the Israel-Iran air war raged for a fifth day.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said meanwhile that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could face the same fate as Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who was toppled in a U.S.-led invasion and hanged in 2006 after a trial.

“I warn the Iranian dictator against continuing to commit war crimes and fire missiles at Israeli citizens,” Katz told top Israeli military officials.

Reuters

[02:45am]

Iran arrests ‘terrorist team’ linked to Israel in a town southwest of Tehran, state media says

Iranian security forces on Tuesday arrested a “terrorist team” linked to Israel with explosives in a town southwest of the capital Tehran, Iranian state media reported.

Reuters

[02:00am]

Trump contradicts his spy chief on Iran’s nuclear program

Donald Trump on Tuesday repudiated Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s assessment that Iran has not been building a nuclear weapon, publicly contradicting his spy chief for the first time during his second term.

In rejecting his top spy’s judgment, Trump appeared to embrace Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s justification for launching airstrikes last week on Iranian nuclear and military targets, saying he believed Tehran was on the verge of having a warhead.

Reuters

1:00am

Air raid sirens in northern Israel due to Iranian missiles: military

Air raid sirens rang in a large swath of northern Israel on Tuesday warning of an incoming barrage of Iranian missiles, the military said.

“A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the military said in the seventh such warning since midnight (2100 GMT on Monday).

AFP

12:20am

Loud blasts heard across Iranian capital: AFP

Loud blasts were heard Tuesday across Tehran, AFP journalists reported, as intense fighting raged between Iran and Israel for the fifth consecutive day.

The blasts were heard in north, west and central Tehran, according to the journalists. It was not immediately clear whether the blasts were the result of incoming Israeli strikes or Iranian air defence fire.

AFP

12:10am

Trump says won’t kill Iran’s Khamenei ‘for now’ as Israel presses campaign

President Donald Trump said the United States would not kill Iran’s supreme leader “for now” and appeared to demand Tehran’s surrender, as US ally Israel traded fire with its arch foe for a fifth day on Tuesday.

The comments marked a dramatic escalation in Trump’s rhetoric against Iran and its leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, fuelling questions as to whether Washington would join Israel’s attacks after insisting it had no hand in the campaign.

Israeli warplanes targeted drone and missile sites with at least two waves of strikes in western Iran on Tuesday, the military said.

It also said it had killed senior Iranian commander Ali Shadmani in an overnight strike on a “command centre in the heart of Tehran”, just four days after his predecessor, Gholam Ali Rashid, was killed in Israel’s initial surprise attack.

The attacks drew retaliatory fire from the Islamic republic, with explosions heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and air raid sirens sounding around Dimona, a southern town home to a nuclear power plant. There were no immediate reports of hits.

AFP

10:45pm

Israel launches ‘massive cyber war’ against Iran’s digital infrastructure, Iranian media report

Israel has launched a “massive cyber war” against Iran’s digital infrastructure, Iranian media quoted the country’s cybersecurity command on Tuesday as saying.

Many of the attacks were successfully repelled, the command added.

Reuters

10:30pm

Trump says US won’t kill Iran’s supreme leader, ‘at least not for now’

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the US knew exactly where Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was “hiding”, that he was an easy target but would not be killed, at least for now.

“We know exactly where the so-called “Supreme Leader” is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin,” Trump said.

Reuters

10:10pm

Trump says ‘we’ have control of Iran’s skies

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that “we” have control of the skies over Iran as questions grew over whether the United States will join Israel’s strikes against the Islamic republic.

“We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” Trump said on Truth Social, hailing the use of US-made weaponry although without explicitly mentioning Israel. “Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA.”

AFP

[09:44]

Iran announces new wave of attacks on Israel: state TV

Iran launched a new wave of attacks targeting Israel on Tuesday, state TV reported, as fighting between the longtime foes raged for a fifth straight day.

“The tenth wave of Operation Honest Promise 3 against the occupied territories (Israel) has begun,” state TV said, with the Tasnim news agency reporting that the new barrage consisted of “drone and missile attacks” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

AFP

[09:28]

Iran media report widespread internet disruption

ranian media reported widespread internet disruption on Tuesday as Israel and Iran traded fire for a fifth straight day.

“Internet users in several provinces are reporting widespread internet disruption,” the Ham Mihan newspaper reported. Other media carried similar reports.

It was not immediately clear what caused the disruption. Iran has imposed internet restrictions since Israel launched its unprecedented aerial campaign against Iranian military and nuclear facilities on Friday.

AFP

[09:24]

Trump may take ‘further action’ against Iran nuclear program: VP Vance

AFP

[08:44]

Israel lifts air raid warnings, says intercepted ‘most’ Iran missiles

AFP

[08:30]

Air raid sirens in Tel Aviv, north Israel after missile warning

Air raid sirens sounded in the Tel Aviv area and parts of northern Israel on Tuesday, the military said, after warning of a fresh salvo of incoming missiles fired from Iran.

“A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the state of Israel,” a statement from the military said, with residents of the Tel Aviv area and parts of the north urged to seek shelter.

AFP

[08:22]

Iran media reports explosions in central city of Isfahan

Iranian media said several blasts were heard on Tuesday in the central city of Isfahan, which hosts multiple nuclear facilities, as Israel kept up its strikes for a fifth day.

“Several explosions were heard in the east and north of Isfahan and air defences were activated against the hostile targets,” the Mehr news agency reported.

AFP

[08:17]

Israeli military says missiles launched from Iran towards Israel

Reuters

[08:10]

German chancellor Merz: Israel’s attacks have weakened Iran, don’t expect tehran rulers to return to prior strength

Reuters

[07:50]

Several explosions heard in east, north of iran’s isfahan -semi-official mehr news agency

Reuters

[07:24]

Qatar says monitoring radiation as Israel hits Iran nuclear sites

Qatar has been monitoring radiation levels in the Gulf as Israeli air strikes pound Iranian nuclear facilities, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

“We are monitoring this on a daily basis,” foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a news conference.

“We have nothing to be concerned about right now, but obviously prolonged escalation will have unpredictable consequences.”

AFP

[06:35]

Iran’s underground Natanz site hit during Israel strikes: UN nuclear watchdog

There appear to have been “direct impacts” on the underground part of Iran’s Natanz nuclear site during Israel’s attacks, the UN’s atomic watchdog said on Tuesday.

“Based on continued analysis of high resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday’s attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said on X, formerly Twitter.

AFP

[06:22]

Jordan king says Israel’s Iran attacks threaten region and beyond

Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned in an address to the European Parliament on Tuesday that Israel’s “attacks” on Iran threatened to dangerously escalate tensions in the “region and beyond”.

Speaking as the arch foes traded fire for a fifth day, Abdullah said that “with Israel’s expansion of its offensive to include Iran, there is no telling where the boundaries of this battleground will end”.

“And that, my friends, is a threat to people everywhere,” he told lawmakers in Strasbourg.

AFP

[06:18]

Qatar says its output at gas field shared with Iran is steady, following Israeli strike

Qatar said on Tuesday its gas production at the South Pars field is steady and supply is proceeding normally, after the world’s largest gas field was struck by Israel on Saturday, prompting Iran to partially suspend its production.

Qatar, the world’s third biggest liquefied natural gas exporter after the US and Australia, shares the South Pars gas field with Iran.

Iran partially suspended production at the field after an Israeli strike caused a fire on Saturday.

“So far, gas supplies are proceeding normally. However, the ill-advised targeting raises concerns for everyone regarding gas supplies,” Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said.

“This is a reckless move… The companies operating in the fields are international, and there is a global presence, especially in the North Field,” he said during a weekly press briefing in Doha.

The South Pars field is located offshore in Iran’s southern Bushehr province and is responsible for the bulk of gas production in Iran, the world’s third largest gas producer after the United States and Russia.

Reuters

[06:10]

Iran accuses G7 of siding with Israel with de-escalation call

Iran accused the Group of Seven nations on Tuesday of siding with Israel in its call for “de-escalation” in their intensifying conflict, now in its fifth day.

“The G7 must give up its one-sided rhetoric and tackle the real source of the escalation — Israel’s aggression,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.

“Israel has launched an unprovoked war of aggression against Iran… in violation of… the UN Charter,” the spokesman said.

“Hundreds of innocent people have been killed, our public and state facilities and people’s homes are brutally demolished.

“Iran is defending itself against a cruel aggression. Does Iran really have any other choice?” he asked.

AFP

[05:58]

Fire erupts at strike-damaged Iran state TV building, broadcaster says

A fire broke out on Tuesday at the headquarters of Iranian state television in Tehran, the broadcaster said, a day after an Israeli strike severely damaged one of the buildings and killed three people.

“The smoke seen in the Iranian radio and television building is due to a fire that reignited due to the wind,” the broadcaster said. An AFP journalist nearby saw a plume of white smoke.

AFP

[05:52]

China’s Xi ‘deeply worried’ about Israel’s military action against Iran: state media

China’s President Xi Jinping said Tuesday he was “deeply worried” by Israel’s military action against Iran, Chinese state media reported.

“Israel launching military action against Iran has caused a sudden escalation in tension in the Middle East, China is deeply worried about this,” he said during a meeting with the Uzbek president in Kazakstan, Xinhua reported.

“We oppose any act that infringes upon the sovereignty security and territorial integrity of other countries.”

AFP

[05:20]

Two loud explosions heard in Iran capital

Two loud explosions were heard from central and north Tehran on Tuesday, AFP correspondents reported, as the Iranian capital came under Israeli bombardment for a fifth straight day.

There was no immediate word on the cause or precise whereabouts of the twin blasts, which came after the Israeli military struck state television headquarters on Monday, causing significant damage and killing at least three people, the broadcaster said.

AFP

[05:00]

Israel warns Iran’s Khamenei he risks fate like Saddam’s

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz warned Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday he could suffer a fate “similar to” Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, who was toppled and later executed.

Katz warned Khamenei risked “a fate similar to Saddam Hussein” during a meeting with Israeli military and security service commanders, according to a statement from his office.

“I warn the Iranian dictator against continuing to commit war crimes and launch missiles toward Israeli civilians,” Katz was quoted as saying.

“He should remember what happened to the dictator in the neighbouring country to Iran who took the same path against Israel.”

Saddam was toppled in the US-led invasion of 2003 and later captured and executed. His administration fired missiles at Israel during the 1991 Gulf war and was accused of running a covert nuclear weapons programme.

AFP

[04:56]

Iran has so far fired 400 ballistic missiles and 100s of uavs towards israel, israeli military official says

Reuters

[04:54]

At least 10 iranian scientists essential to nuclear programme have been killed, israeli military official says

Reuters

[04:52]

Russia says Israel ‘reluctant’ to accept outside mediation over Iran conflict

Russia said Tuesday it was ready to act as a peace broker between Israel and Iran, but that Israel was showing reluctance to accept outside mediation.

“At present, we see a reluctance, at least on the part of Israel, to resort to any mediation services or to embark on a peaceful path towards a settlement,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

AFP

[04:50]

Isreali military official says Iranian military leadership is “on the run”

Reuters

[04:47]

Israel ‘attacks’ on Iran a threat to Middle East ‘and beyond’: Jordan king

Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned in an address to the European Parliament Tuesday that Israel’s “attacks” on Iran threatened “a dangerous escalation of tensions in my region and beyond.”

“With Israel’s expansion of its offensive to include Iran, there is no telling where the boundaries of this battleground will end,” Abdullah told lawmakers. “And that, my friends, is a threat to people everywhere.”

AFP

[03:47]

Iran Guards say hit Israel’s spy agency in Tel Aviv

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they struck a centre of Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence service, in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, amid an escalating air war between the two foes.

In a statement aired on state television, the Guards said they “struck the military intelligence centre of the Zionist regime’s army, Aman, and the Zionist regime’s terrorist operations planning centre, the Mossad, in Tel Aviv”, adding it was “currently on fire”.

AFP

[03:40]

Cyberattack hits state-owned bank in Iran: local media

A cyberattack on Tuesday crippled Sepah Bank, one of Iran’s main state-owned banks, a news agency reported, amid an escalating air war between the Islamic republic and its arch-enemy Israel.

“A cyberattack targeted the infrastructure of Sepah Bank, causing disruptions to the institution’s online services,” said the Fars news agency, adding the issue was expected to be resolved within the next few hours.

AFP

[03:33]

Trump says looking for ‘real end, not a ceasefire’ to Israel-Iran conflict

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was aiming for a “real end” to the conflict between arch-rivals Israel and Iran, and not just a ceasefire.

“I’m not looking for a ceasefire, we’re looking at better than a ceasefire,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One before arriving back in the United States from a G7 summit in Canada.

The president said he was looking for “an end, a real end, not a ceasefire,” adding that he wanted a “complete give-up” by Iran.

AFP

[02:55]

Over 600 foreigners flee Iran into Azerbaijan: Baku official

More than 600 foreign nationals have crossed from Iran into neighbouring Azerbaijan since Israel began striking the country last Friday, a government official in Baku said.

“Since the start of the military escalation between Israel and Iran, more than 600 citizens of 17 countries have been evacuated from Iran via Azerbaijan,” the government source told AFP on Tuesday.

“Evacuees are transported from the border to Baku International Airport and flown to their home countries on international flights.”

AFP

[02:45]

Spanish foreign minister calls for weapons embargo on Israel

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares called on Tuesday for a weapons embargo on Israel while the war in Gaza lasts and urged the resumption of talks on Iran’s nuclear programme.

“We are the largest trade partner of Israel in the world, the European Union,” he said on Bloomberg TV. “We must impose, for our European partners, an arms embargo, not to sell weapons to Israel as long as this war continues.”

He said he wanted the EU to act as it did after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to try to achieve peace.

The minister regretted there were no signs of de-escalation between Israel and Iran and called for a resumption of dialogue with Iran on its nuclear programme.

Reuters

Smoke billows from a fire in a building in Herzliya near Tel Aviv following a fresh barrage of Iranian rockets on June 17, 2025. Israel’s military said air raid sirens sounded in several areas of the country on June 17 after identifying missiles launched from Iran, as AFP journalists reported booms over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP)

[02:35]

Flights with evacuees from Israel arrive in Slovakia and Czech Republic

Flights carrying evacuees from Israel have arrived in Slovakia and the Czech Republic amid the war between Iran and Israel, authorities said on Tuesday, making these countries among the first to get their citizens out of the Middle East.

Slovak authorities said that the first evacuation flight with 73 people, including 25 Slovak tourists and five family members of Slovak diplomats working in Tel Aviv, had arrived in the capital Bratislava late on Monday.

Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said Slovakia had also helped bring citizens of other countries to Europe, including 15 Poles, 14 Czechs, nine Austrians, two Slovenians and one citizen each of Estonia, Spain and Malaysia.

“Our partners are contacting us and we are preparing another flight on Tuesday, which should include citizens of the Slovak Republic, as well as citizens of the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Latvia, and France,” Blanar said.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Slovakia had helped evacuate seven Hungarians.

Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova said that a flight with 66 people evacuated from Israel had landed near Prague.

Poland said on Monday that it was organising the evacuation of around 200 of its citizens from Israel via Jordan.

Reuters

[02:30]

Thailand to prepare planes to evacuate nationals from Israel, Iran: govt spokesman

The Thai government has ordered its military to prepare planes to evacuate citizens from Israel and Iran, a spokesman said Tuesday, as the two sides exchanged missile fire for a fifth day.

There are an estimated 40,000 Thais currently living in Israel, most working on farms under a government labour scheme, and around 300 nationals living in Iran.

“We are ready to evacuate people and have coordinated with the military to prepare planes to bring them home from Israel and Iran,” government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

AFP

[02:25]

China accuses Trump of ‘pouring oil’ on Iran, Israel conflict

China on Tuesday accused President Donald Trump of “pouring oil” on the mounting conflict between Iran and Israel, after the US leader warned Tehran residents to “immediately evacuate”.

Following decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel launched a surprise aerial campaign last week against targets across Iran, saying it aimed to prevent its arch-foe from acquiring atomic weapons — an ambition Tehran denies.

The sudden flare-up in hostilities has sparked fears of a wider conflict, with Trump urging Iran back to the negotiating table after Israel’s attacks derailed ongoing nuclear talks.

Trump also issued an extraordinary warning on his Truth Social platform: “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”

AFP

[01:40]

Japan govt spokesperson: looking into evacuating Japanese nationals as Israel-Iran conflict intensifies

The Japanese government is looking into “various options” to evacuate Japanese nationals from areas affected by ongoing military conflicts between Israel and Iran, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters on Tuesday.

Reuters

[01:30]

Trump says he wants Iran to give up entirely on nukes, according to CBS News

US President Donald Trump said he wanted a “real end” to the nuclear problem with Iran, with Iran “giving up entirely” on nuclear weapons, according to comments that were posted by a CBS News reporter on social media platform X.

Trump made the comments during his midnight departure from Canada, where he attended the Group of Seven nations summit on Monday, the CBS News reporter said early on Tuesday.

Reuters

[01:25]

Bangladesh embassy in Tehran considers relocation amid Israel-Iran conflict

The Bangladesh Embassy in Tehran is considering relocation of its operations due to security concerns amid the ongoing Israel- Iran conflict, an official from the Bangladesh embassy in Iran said.

The current embassy site is located within a one-kilometre radius of several key Iranian establishments, raising the perceived threat level.

[12:35]

‘Missiles lit up sky’: Biman pilot recalls mid-air scare amid Israel-Iran conflict

It was 2:15am when a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The sky was calm, the weather was favourable. In command of the cockpit was Capt Enamul Haque, chief of flight safety at Biman, with his co-pilot, Rafsan Riyad, beside him.

[12:15]

Israeli military says it killed Iran’s wartime chief of staff

The Israeli military said Tuesday it killed Iran’s top military commander, Ali Shadmani, in an overnight strike, calling him the closest figure to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In a statement, the military said following “a sudden opportunity overnight, the (Israeli air force) struck a staffed command centre in the heart of Tehran and eliminated Ali Shadmani, the war-time Chief of Staff, the most senior military commander, and the closest figure to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei”.

The Israeli military said Shadmani had commanded both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian armed forces.

Shadmani was appointed to the post after Israel assassinated the former head of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Gholamali Rashid earlier in the week.

AFP

[11:55]

Explosions near Tel Aviv, sirens blare across Israel: Reports

Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missiles on June 17, 2025. Israel’s military said air raid sirens sounded in several areas of the country on June 17 after identifying missiles launched from Iran, as AFP journalists reported booms over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP)

There have been explosions in central Israel and reports of damage to a building in the coastal city of Herzliya, north of Tel Aviv.

The Times of Israel is meanwhile reporting “echoes of large explosions” in the Jerusalem area and says sirens are being sounded across the country.

Iran’s Mehr news agency says thick smoke has been observed in the northwestern city of Tabriz following an explosion at about 8:45am local time (05:15 GMT).

The Israeli military has issued a new update, saying it is “possible to exit the protected area in several areas of the country”.

Rescue forces have been sent to places where reports of falling missiles have been received, it adds.

Al Jazeera, BBC

[11:25]

Trump says early G7 exit has ‘nothing to do’ with an Israel-Iran ceasefire, ‘mistakenly’ described by Macron

US President Donald Trump said his early departure from the G7 summit in Canada on Monday had “nothing to do” with working on ceasefire between Israel and Iran, adding France’s leader, Emmanuel Macron, was “wrong” in how he described the exit.

AFP

[11:20]

Three died in Israel strike on Iran state TV, broadcaster says

This image grab taken from footage broadcast by Iran’s IRINN news on June 16, 2025, shows a news reporter gesturing after hearing a loud explosion as she presents the news. AFP

Israel’s strikes on the headquarters of Iran’s state television in Tehran killed three people, the broadcaster said on Tuesday, a day after the attack.

“Three of the TV station’s employees were killed and others were wounded in the Israeli attack” on Monday, the channel announced, without specifying the number of people hospitalised.

AFP

[11:15]

Israel says conducted ‘extensive strikes’ in Iran’s west

Smoke billows from an explosion at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building in Tehran on June 16, 2025. AFP

Israel’s military said Tuesday it conducted “several extensive strikes” on military targets in western Iran overnight, as the arch-foes traded fire for a fifth straight day.

“During the strikes, dozens of surface-to-surface missile storage and launch infrastructure were struck,” the military said in a statement.

“In addition, surface-to-air missile launchers and UAV storage sites were struck in western Iran,” it added.

The statement included footage which the army said showed the moments surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missile launchers were hit.

One clip appeared to show a strike on a surface-to-air launcher holding three missiles.

Despite growing calls for the longtime foes to end hostilities, neither Israel nor Iran showed any signs of cutting short the missile blitz kicked off Friday, when Israel launched an unprecedented series of aerial raids targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities.

After a new wave of Israeli strikes on Iran’s capital — including a dramatic attack on a state TV building — both countries activated their missile defence systems overnight, with Israel’s army briefly urging residents to seek shelter from incoming Iranian missiles.

AFP

[11:10]

Britain, France, Germany call on Iran to hold nuclear talks ‘as soon as possible’: French diplomatic source

AFP

[10:15]

Trump flies out of G7 summit early over Iran conflict

US President Donald Trump left a G7 summit in Canada a day early on Monday, heading back to the White House as Israel and Iran traded missile fire for a fifth straight day.

Trump’s helicopter lifted off from the summit venue in the Canadian Rockies to take him to his plane, shortly after he warned residents to evacuate the Iranian capital Tehran.

AFP

[09:45]

US Embassy in Jerusalem says it’s ‘not in a position’ to evacuate Americans in Israel. The US Embassy in Jerusalem has asked US government employees to “continue to shelter in place in and near their residences until further notice”.

Reuters

[09:40]

G7 statement expresses support for Israel, calls Iran source of instability

The Group of Seven nations expressed support for Israel and labeled its rival Iran as a source of instability in the Middle East, in a statement issued late on Monday that called for peace and stability in the region.

The air war between Iran and Israel – which began on Friday when Israel attacked Iran with air strikes – has raised alarms in a region that had already been on edge since the start of Israel’s military assault on Gaza in October 2023.

Reuters

[09:29]

G7 leaders including Trump urge ‘de-escalation’ on Iran

Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends the first working session at the G7 leaders’ summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada June 16, 2025. Photo: Reuters

G7 leaders attending a summit in Canada on Monday issued a joint statement calling for “de-escalation” on Iran, while stressing Israel had the right to defend itself in the escalating Middle East crisis.

“We affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself,” the statement said. “We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.

“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.”

AFP

[09:17]

Israel’s Haifa-based Bazan group says all refinery facilities shut down after Iranian attack

Smoke and fire rise at an impacted facility site following missile attack from Iran on Israel, at Haifa Israel June 15, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Israel’s Haifa-based Bazan Group said all refinery facilities have been shut down after a power station used to produce steam and electricity were significantly damaged in an attack by Iran, according to a regulatory filing on Monday.

The group said the Iranian attack resulted in the death of three company employees.

Read more

[09:12]

South Korea widens travel warning for Iran advising nationals to leave the country

South Korea’s foreign ministry on Tuesday expanded a travel warning for Iran, urging its nationals to leave the country immediately.

The warning advises South Korean nationals in all regions of Iran to leave the country as soon as possible.

Reuters

[08:59]

Trump team proposes Iran talks this week on nuclear deal, ceasefire, Axios reports

The U.S. is discussing with Iran the possibility of a meeting this week between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss a nuclear deal and an end to the war between Israel and Iran, Axios reported on Monday citing four sources briefed on the issue.

Reuters couldn’t immediately verify details of the Axios report.

[08:44]

Fitch says Israel’s current credit rating level can absorb impact of Israel-Iran conflict

Fitch Ratings said on Monday that a spillover from the Israel-Iran conflict appears to be within a range that can be absorbed by Israel’s ‘A’/Negative rating level.

Fitch also said that it expects the risk premium in oil prices arising from the conflict to be contained within the $5-$10 range and that it does not expect the conflict to persist for more than a few weeks.

Reuters

[08:27]

US forces still in ‘defensive posture’ in Mideast: White House

The White House insisted Monday evening that US forces remained in a “defensive” posture in the Middle East, despite a military buildup over the Israel-Iran war and a shock warning from President Donald Trump to evacuate Tehran.

Trump’s brief warning on social media, without further details, raised speculation that the United States may be readying to join Israel in attacking Iran.

Read more

[08:21]

Pentagon chief says Trump still aiming for deal with Iran

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News on Monday that President Donald Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran even as hostilities have escalated between U.S. ally Israel and Tehran, while a White House aide said separately that Washington was not attacking Iran.

“Of course,” Hegseth said on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime” show when asked if Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran.

“We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that’s what happens here,” Hegseth said.

Reuters

[07:53]

Trump urges Tehran evacuation as Iran-Israel conflict enters fifth day

Israel and Iran attacked each other for a fifth straight day on Tuesday, and U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iranians to evacuate Tehran, citing what he said was the country’s rejection of a deal to curb nuclear weapons development.

Trump was due to leave the Group of Seven summit in Canada later on Monday, a day early, due to the Middle East situation, the White House said. Fox News reported he would convene his National Security Council.

“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump’s early departure from the G7 was positive, given the immediate objective was to get Israel and Iran to agree to a ceasefire that the U.S. had proposed.

“There is an offer that has been made, especially to have a ceasefire and to initiate broader discussions. And I think this is a very good thing,” Macron told reporters. “So now we need to see what the stakeholders will do.”

Reuters

[03:47]

Revolutionary Guards say Iran to strike Israel ‘without interruption until dawn’

Smoke rises following what Iran says was an Israeli attack on Sharan Oil depot in Tehran, Iran, June 16, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Iran will strike Israel “without interruption until dawn” overnight from Monday to Tuesday, its Revolutionary Guards announced.

“The ninth wave of combined drone and missile attacks has begun and will continue without interruption until dawn,” said the Guards’ spokesman, Ali Mohammad Naini, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Read more