Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on June 23, 2025 in New York City.

Iran responded Monday by attacking an American base in Qatar, Tehran’s armed forces said. Qatar said the missiles launched by Iran were intercepted, however. Investors saw this response as more muted than anticipated.

The U.S. launched attacks Saturday at Iranian sites in Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz, surprising investors who were expecting more diplomacy to possibly take place after Trump said Friday that he would make a decision to attack Iran “within the next two weeks.”

U.S. oil lost 4% on Monday, as traders bet the crude supply wouldn’t be materially disrupted by the ongoing conflict. President Donald Trump also said in a Truth Social post that “everyone” should keep oil prices low, and doing otherwise would “play into the hands of the enemy.”

“Markets only care about oil supply shocks, so as long as they stay at bay, we’ll see markets sharply higher,” said Jamie Cox, managing director at Harris Financial Group. “Regardless of whether the President oversold the effectiveness of the strikes or not, the nuclear program in Iran was set back decades.”

To be sure, Iran could target other U.S. bases or close the Strait of Hormuz, which would majorly disrupt global oil flows. In a Sunday interview with Fox News, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for the Chinese government to step in and prevent Iran from closing the key trade route. China remains Iran’s most important oil customer.

“While Iran has flirted with closing the Strait of Hormuz, investors aren’t terribly panicked about an oil market calamity, an equanimous view that’s appropriate at this point,” wrote Adam Crisafulli of Vital Knowledge in a Monday note. “Geopolitical risks are undoubtedly elevated in the Middle East right now, but our view remains that the extreme asymmetry of the conflict (with Iran’s military capabilities, and those of its proxy partners, significantly degraded), coupled with Tehran’s relative isolation (with few, if any, allies willing to come to its assistance) and ample global oil supplies, will help keep the fallout contained.”

What to Know Iran coordinated strikes on U.S. bases in Qatar and Iraq in retaliation for the U.S. bombing of its nuclear sites.

Trump has warned of additional strikes if Tehran retaliates against U.S. forces.

The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East comes as president Trump mused about the possibility of “regime change ″ in Iran, despite administration officials earlier indicating they wanted to restart talks with Iran.

Trump and his NATO counterparts are due to gather Tuesday for a summit that could unite the world’s biggest security organization around a new defense spending pledge or widen divisions among the 32 allies.

Iran warned the United States that its military now has a “free hand” to attack American targets in the wake of the Trump administration’s massive strikes on Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday. Follow along for live updates.

Traces are seen in the sky after Iran’s armed forces say they targeted The Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. Photo: Reuters/Stringer

Key Updates-

Iran vows retaliation, fires missiles at Israel

US Department of Homeland Security warns of heightened threat

Iran considers closing Strait of Hormuz, impacting global oil shipments

Trump raises idea of regime change in Iran

The world braced for Iran’s response after the US attacked key Iranian nuclear sites, joining Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution.

Iran vowed to defend itself a day after the US dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs onto the mountain above Iran’s Fordow nuclear site while American leaders urged Tehran to stand down and pockets of anti-war protesters emerged in US cities.

As the Iran-Israel war took a new turn, here are the real-time updates:

12:10am

No US casualties from Iran missile attack on US base in Qatar, officials say

No US personnel were killed or injured in Iran’s attack against al Udeid air base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday.

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the Iranian attack was carried out by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles.

Reuters

12:07am 24/06/2025

No Iranian attack detected at any US base other than Qatar, US military official says

There was no Iranian attack detected at any US military base other than in Qatar, a US military official told Reuters on Monday.

There was no impact on the US Al Udeid airbase in Qatar, the official said.

Military sources told Reuters on Monday that air defense systems were activated in the US Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq for fear of a potential attack.

Reuters

11:44pm

Kuwait shuts airspace amid escalation in the region

Kuwait has shut down its airspace starting Monday and until further notice amid regional developments, Kuwaiti news agency Kuna reported.

The suspension follows a closure of airspace by Qatar and Bahrain as Iran attacked the Al Udeid US military base in Doha.

The Gulf is home to several US military bases.

Reuters

11:30pm

Iran informed Qatar in advance of strikes on US bases, New York Times reports

Iran coordinated its strikes on U.S. bases in Qatar with Qatari officials in advance in a bid to minimize casualties, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing three Iranian officials.

Reuters

11:25pm

Iran’s military said on Monday it had carried out a “devastating and powerful” missile attack on the Al Udeid US airbase in Qatar, after explosions were heard across the Qatari capital following Tehran’s threat to retaliate for US airstrikes.

Iran had issued threats to retaliate against the United States after US bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-busters on Iranian underground nuclear sites at the weekend, joining Israel’s air war against Tehran, and President Donald Trump mooted the possibility of the Iranian government being toppled.

Qatar’s defence minister, quoted by Al Jazeera TV, said its air defences had intercepted missiles directed at the Al Udeid airbase, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, situated across the Gulf from Iran.

Reuters

10:50pm

Iran launches six missiles toward US bases in Qatar: Axios

Axios, citing an Israeli official, reported on Monday that Iran had launched six missiles toward US bases in Qatar.

Axios had earlier reported that Iran was preparing to fire missiles at the bases.

Reuters

10:45pm

Several explosions heard over Qatar capital Doha, Reuters witness says

Sounds of several explosions were heard over Qatari capital Doha, a Reuters witness said on Monday, following Tehran’s threats to retaliate against the US’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

The blasts could be heard in central Doha and in Lusail north of the Qatari capital, and projectiles could be seen moving across the night sky, reports AFP.

Reuters/AFP

10:00pm

Qatar suspends air traffic as precautionary measure: statement

Qatar temporarily suspended air traffic around the country, its foreign ministry said Monday, after nearby Iran threatened retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites.

“The competent authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country’s airspace, as part of a set of precautionary measures taken based on developments in the region,” the foreign ministry said. Qatar is home to the United States’ largest base in the region.

AFP

9:20pm

Explosions heard near Iranian city of Ahvaz: media

AFP

9:10pm

Israeli army urges Tehran residents to avoid military sites

The Israeli army said Monday that it would keep up its strikes on targets in the Iranian capital, urging residents to stay away from security installations for their own safety.

The army “will continue to strike military targets in the Tehran area in the coming days,” read a statement posted in Persian on X, adding: “For your safety, we urge you to keep your distance from the regime’s weapons manufacturing facilities, military headquarters, and the security institutions”.

AFP

9:00pm

France says strike on Evin prison, which put French prisoners in danger, is unacceptable

French Foreign Affairs minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday that the Israeli strike on Tehran’s Evin prison, which put French prisoners in danger, was unacceptable.

He added on X that he called for the immediate end of all strikes to enable negotiation and that he had asked for consular access to the two citizens.

Reuters

8:45pm

Trump tells everyone to keep oil prices down after Iran attacks

US President Donald Trump expressed a desire on Monday to see oil prices kept down amid fears that the aftermath of the attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities could cause them to spike.

“Everyone, keep oil prices down, I’m watching! You’re playing into the hands of the enemy, don’t do it,” Trump wrote in all caps on his Truth Social platform.

Trump followed up with another post addressed to the U.S. Department of Energy, encouraging it to “drill, baby, drill” and saying, “I mean now.”

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright responded, “We’re on it!” in a post on X.

Reuters

7:41pm

Iranian foreign minister says he had good meeting with Putin and discussed in detail development of situation in Middle East: RIA

Reuters

7:40pm

Trump ‘still interested’ in Iran diplomacy: White House

Donald Trump thinks Iranians should overthrow their government if it refuses to negotiate on its nuclear programme, but the US president is “still interested” in diplomacy, the White House said Monday.

“If the Iranian regime refuses to come to a peaceful diplomatic solution, which the president is still interested and engaging in, by the way, why shouldn’t the Iranian people take away the power of this incredibly violent regime that has been suppressing them for decades?” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News.

US bombers attacked Iran’s heavily guarded and secretive nuclear enrichment sites over the weekend, joining Israel’s military campaign to destroy the Iranian nuclear programme.

AFP

7:30pm

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, visits Hezbollah’s office in Tehran, Iran, October 1, 2024. File photo: Reuters

Mojtaba Khamenei is one of the most influential figures in the Iranian clerical establishment headed by his father, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and among the figures seen as a candidate to succeed him as leader of the Islamic Republic.

A mid-ranking cleric who studied under religious conservatives in the seminaries of Qom, Mojtaba is a hardliner with close ties to the Revolutionary Guards, the force mandated to safeguard the Islamic Republic led by Khamenei since 1989.

Carrying the clerical rank of Hojjatoleslam, Mojtaba, 55, has never held a formal position in the Islamic Republic’s government, exercising his influence behind the scenes as the gatekeeper to his father, according to Iran watchers.

Reuters

7:15pm

Israel power supplier reports damage near ‘strategic’ facility

Israel’s state power company reported supply disruptions on Monday after damage near a “strategic infrastructure facility” at an undisclosed location, as Iran launched a fresh wave of missiles.

“Due to damage near a strategic infrastructure facility of the Israel Electric Corporation… disruptions in electricity supply are being reported in several communities in the area,” the IEC said in a statement, without specifying the cause.

Avraham Rabukhin, head of the grid division for the Tel Aviv and Coastal district, later told AFP that a missile fell near one of the company’s facilities.

Journalists were allowed to film the area of the strike, but under Israel’s military censorship were ordered not to publish any information about the location.

AFP

7:10pm

Iran’s supreme leader sent his foreign minister to Moscow on Monday to ask President Vladimir Putin for more help from Russia after the biggest US military action against the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution over the weekend.

US President Donald Trump and Israel have publicly speculated about killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and about regime change, a step Russia fears could further destabilise the Middle East.

While Putin has condemned the Israeli strikes, he has yet to comment on the US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites though he last week called for calm and offered Moscow’s services as a mediator over the nuclear programme.

Reuters

7:05pm

Oil majors evacuate some personnel in Iraq, oil operations not affected

Oil majors Eni, BP, and Total Energies operating in Iraqi oilfields have evacuated a number of their foreign personnel, Iraq’s state-run Basra Oil Company said in a statement on Monday.

However, oil operations in Iraq’s southern oilfields have not been affected, with exports averaging 3.32 million barrels per day, two oil officials told Reuters.

The measures taken come as the world awaits Tehran’s response to the US attack on nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic with clashes between Israel and Iran, which borders Iraq, flaring up.

Reuters

7:00pm

Germany’s Merz sees no reason for him to criticise Israeli, US attacks on Iran

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that there was no reason for him to criticise attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran.

Reuters

5:40pm

Israel says striking Iranian security command centres

Israel’s military said Monday it was striking command centres of Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards and other domestic security forces responsible for “maintaining the regime’s stability”.

“These forces consist of various corps and command centers and are responsible, on behalf of the Iranian regime’s military, for defending the homeland security, suppressing threats, and maintaining the regime’s stability,” it said in a statement.

AFP

4:50pm

Israel targeting Tehran’s Evin prison with air strikes: defence minister

Israel’s defence minister said the army was targeting Tehran’s notorious Evin prison Monday as it carried out fresh strikes on the Iranian capital.

The military “is carrying out strikes of unprecedented force against regime targets and agencies of government repression in the heart of Tehran. Among the targets… (is) Evin Prison (which holds political prisoners and dissidents)… and additional regime-related targets,” Israel Katz said in a post on X.

AFP

[03:50pm]

Iran foreign minister thanks Putin for condemning US strikes, says Russia is on ‘right side of history’

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Monday thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for condemning U.S. strikes on Iran, telling him Russia stood on “the right side of history”.

Araqchi made the comments at the start of Kremlin talks with Putin and told the Russian leader that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian had asked him to convey their best wishes to Putin.

Reuters

[03:30pm]

Israel attacks Iran’s Fordo nuclear site: Iranian media

Israel carried out a fresh strike on Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear site south of Tehran, a media outlet in the country reported.

“The aggressor attacked the Fordo nuclear site again,” Tasnim news agency reported, quoting a spokesperson for the crisis management authority in Qom province where the site is located.

The latest attacks come a day after the United States launched unprecedented strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities including Fordo and sites at Isfahan and Natanz.

AFP

[03:25pm]

Russia ‘condemns’ and ‘regrets’ US strikes on Iran

The Kremlin Monday said it “condemns” and “regrets” US strikes on Iran over the weekend, as Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow.

“There has been a new escalation of tensions in the region, and, of course, we condemn this and express our deep regret in this regard,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

AFP

[03:20pm]

IAEA chief expects ‘very significant damage’ at Iran’s Fordow site

U.S. bombing probably caused “very significant” damage to the underground areas of Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment plant dug into a mountain, though no one can yet tell the extent, U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday.

“Given the explosive payload utilised and the extreme(ly) vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred,” Grossi said in a statement to an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors.

Reuters

[01:50pm]

Blasts heard in Jerusalem after Israel army warning of Iran missiles

Israeli security forces look on as a digger clears the rubble of a destroyed building at the site of an Iranian strike that hit a residential neighbourhood in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv on June 22, 2025. At least 16 people were hurt and at least one impact was reported in central Israel after Iran launched two waves of missiles at the country following the US bombing of its nuclear sites, rescue services and reports said. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP)

Loud explosions were heard in Jerusalem on Monday, after the Israeli military warned a fresh barrage of missiles had been launched from Iran.

Around 10 minutes after announcing the missiles had been identified, the military said “additional missiles were launched” towards Israel and urged people to take cover.

The Magen David Adom rescue service reported no immediate casualties.

AFP

[12:50pm]

Israeli military says it attacked 6 airports in Iran

The Israeli military carried out air strikes on at least six airports in western, eastern and central Iran.

In a statement posted on its Hebrew account on X, Israel said that remotely manned aircraft destroyed 15 Iranian aircraft and helicopters. An image attached in the post listed the Mehrabad, Mashhad and Dezful airports as among those targeted.

“The strikes damaged runways, underground bunkers, a refuelling plane and F-14, F-5, and AH-1 aircraft belonging to the Iranian regime,” it said.

“The air force disrupted the ability to take off from these airports and the operation of the Iranian army’s air power from them.”

[12:30pm]

Trump started this war, we will end it, says Iranian military

Recent hostile action by the United States expanded the scope of legitimate targets for Iran’s armed forces, a spokesperson for its Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a video shared on Monday.

Ebrahim Zolfaqari said the U.S. should expect heavy consequences for its actions.

“Mr. Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it,” Zolfaqari said in English at the end of his recorded statement.

Reuters

[11:30am]

Iran and Russia are coordinating their positions on the current escalation, Iranian foreign minister says

Iran and Russia are coordinating their positions on the current escalation in the Middle East, the TASS news agency reported on Monday citing Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi, who is visiting Moscow.

Reuters

[11:10am]

Israel says striking military sites in west Iran

Israel’s army said it was striking military sites in western Iran’s Kermanshah on Monday, as fighting between the two foes raged for the 11th day.

The Israeli air force “is currently striking military infrastructure sites in Kermanshah in Iran”, a military statement said.

AFP

[10:10am]

US urges China to keep Iran from shutting key trade route

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China Sunday to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route, following American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said on Fox News.

Analysts have said Iran may opt to retaliate to Washington’s early Sunday attack by shutting the Strait, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes.

AFP

[09:40am]

North Korea condemns US strikes on Iran: state media

North Korea condemned on Monday US strikes on Iran, calling it violation of the United Nations charter and blaming the tension in the Middle East on the “reckless valor of Israel”.

“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea strongly denounces the attack on Iran by the US which severely violated the UN Charter with respect for sovereignty,” said a spokesperson of the North’s foreign ministry, according to a statement carried by the state news agency.

AFP

People hold signs as they demonstrate in front of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2025 against US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. AFP

[09:20am]

US issues ‘worldwide caution’ for Americans over Mideast conflict

The US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those traveling or living abroad at an increased security risk.

“The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” the State Department’s security alert said.

AFP

[08:20am]

Trump says US strikes caused ‘monumental damage’ to Iran nuclear sites

President Donald Trump insisted Sunday that US strikes had destroyed Iranian nuclear sites, after other officials cautioned that the extent of damage was still unclear.

“Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!” Trump wrote on social media, without sharing the images he was referencing.

“The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!” he added.

AFP

US Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, stand guard at a protest condemning the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, outside the Westwood Federal Building in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, on June 22, 2025. AFP

6:15am

Israel army says carried out strikes on military targets in Iran

The Israeli army said it carried out strikes on Iranian military targets, including missile launch and storage sites, on Sunday.

“Approximately 20 (Israeli airforce) fighter jets conducted intelligence-based strikes using over 30 munitions on military targets in Iran,” the Israeli army said in a statement posted to Telegram.

The attacks were carried out on “storage and missile launching infrastructure sites”, as well as “military satellites and radar sites”, it added.

It came after the United States carried out massive air strikes that Washington said had destroyed Tehran’s nuclear program, though some officials cautioned that the extent of the damage was unclear.

Israel also struck several parts of northwest Iran on Sunday, Iranian media reported, as fighting between the arch enemies raged.

At least three people were killed on Sunday after an Israeli strike hit an ambulance in central Iran.

AFP

6:05am

Israeli military says missiles launched from Iran towards Israel

Reuters

6:00am

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses delegates during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, following US attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, at UN headquarters in New York City, US on June 22, 2025. Photo: Reuters/Eduardo Munoz

The UN Security Council met on Sunday to discuss U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites as Russia, China and Pakistan proposed the 15-member body adopt a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East.

“The bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities by the United States marks a perilous turn,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on Sunday.

“We must act – immediately and decisively – to halt the fighting and return to serious, sustained negotiations on the Iran nuclear programme.”

5:45am

Air defences activated in Karaj, west of Tehran, to counter Israeli attack, explosions heard: Iranian news agencies

Reuters

5:40am

US issues ‘worldwide caution’ for Americans over Mideast conflict

The US State Department issued a “worldwide caution” for Americans on Sunday, saying the conflict in the Middle East could put those traveling or living abroad at an increased security risk.

“There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad,” and “the Department of State advises US citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution,” said the State Department’s security alert.

AFP

5:30am

Israeli air strikes hit Parchin, location of a large Iranian military complex southeast of Tehran, Nournews reports

Reuters

5:15am

Air defences activated in Iran’s central Tehran districts to counter ‘enemy targets’: Iranian news agencies

Reuters

5:00am

US clearly not interested in diplomacy: Russia’s UN envoy

Russia’s UN envoy today called for immediate cessation of aggressive actions by Israel and US.

He added that US was clearly not interested in diplomacy and has opened a pandora’s box. “No one knows what new catastrophes, suffering it will bring.”

He condemned the “irresponsible, dangerous, provocative actions by US against Iran”.

Reuters

4:30am

Iran tells UN that US has ‘waged a war’ under ‘absurd pretext’

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations on Sunday slammed the United States for its strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“The United States, a permanent member of this Council… has now once again resorted to illegal force, waged a war against my country, under a fabricated and absurd pretext: preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons,” Amir Saeid Iravani told the UN Security Council.

AFP

4:00am

Trump says ‘why wouldn’t there be a regime change’ in Iran

President Donald Trump hinted Sunday at interest in regime change in Iran, despite several of his administration officials earlier stressing that US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites did not have that goal.

“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

AFP

3:30am

Israeli strikes attack northwest Iran: local media

Israeli strikes attacked several parts of northwest Iran Sunday, Iranian media reported, as fighting between the two foes raged for the 10th day.

The strikes targeted “two locations in the southwestern part of Tabriz” city, capital of the East Azerbaijan province, ISNA news agency reported, quoting Majid Farshi the province’s crisis management authority chief.

It was not immediately clear what locations were targeted but Farshi said the air-defence systems had been activated to counter the attack.

AFP

3:00am

3 killed after Israeli strike hit ambulance in Iran: media

At least three people were killed Sunday after an ambulance was hit in an Israeli strike in central Iran, local media reported, as fighting raged between the two foes for the 10th day.

“The ambulance… was en route to transfer a patient when it was severely damaged by a drone strike,” ISNA news agency reported quoting Hamidreza Mohammadi Fesharaki, the governor of Najafabad county in the central Isfahan province.

“All occupants of the ambulance — including the driver, the patient, and the patient’s companion — were martyred.”

He added: “The impact of the drone caused the ambulance to veer off course and collide with a passing vehicle.”

AFP

1:40am

UN chief warns of cycle of retaliation after US bombs Iran

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned Sunday against yet “another cycle of destruction” and retaliation following the US strikes against Iran, which he said marked a “perilous turn” in the region.

“I have repeatedly condemned any military escalation in the Middle East,” the secretary-general told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. “The people of the region cannot endure another cycle of destruction. And yet, we now risk descending into a rathole of retaliation after retaliation.”

AFP

1:30am

Netanyahu says Israel close to meeting its goals in Iran

Israel was very close to meeting its goals in Iran of removing the threats of ballistic missiles and the nuclear programme, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

Speaking to Israeli reporters, he said: “We won’t pursue our actions beyond what is needed to achieve them, but we also won’t finish too soon. When the objectives are achieved, then the operation is complete and the fighting will stop.”

“I have no doubt that this is a regime that wants to wipe us out, and that’s why we embarked on this operation to eliminate the two concrete threats to our existence: the nuclear threat, the ballistic missile threat. We are moving step by step towards achieving these goals. We are very, very close to completing them,” he said.

Reuters

1:10am

IAEA says entrances to tunnels at Iran’s Isfahan site hit by US strike

Entrances to tunnels at Iran’s sprawling Isfahan nuclear complex were hit in US military strikes overnight, the UN nuclear watchdog said in a statement on Sunday.

“We have established that entrances to underground tunnels at the site were impacted,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said. Officials said before Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 13 that much of Iran’s most highly enriched uranium was stored underground at Isfahan.

Reuters

1:00am

Israeli military says it is attacking military infrastructure in Tehran and Western Iran.

Reuters

12:40am

Iran’s army says brigade chief, three officers and two soldiers killed in Israeli attack in Western Iran – SNN news.

Reuters

12:30am 23/06/2025

Iran’s atomic energy agency says nuclear sites quickly being rebuilt, activity to continue with greater power – Iranian media.

Reuters

11:30pm

Over 200 places in Tehran hit in Israeli strikes since start of war: official

Over 200 places in the Iranian capital have been hit in Israeli strikes since the start of the war ten days ago, Tehran’s provincial governor said Sunday.

“More than 200 locations have been attacked by the usurping Zionist regime,” governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian told state TV.

He said over 120 residential housing units “have been fully destroyed” while 500 others suffered “damages.”

AFP

11:00pm

Iran must not take destabilising action, European leaders say

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany on Sunday urged Iran not to take any actions that would further destabilise the region following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities overnight.

“We have consistently been clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and can no longer pose a threat to regional security,” the government heads of Germany, Britain, France, known as the E3, said in a joint statement.

“We call upon Iran to engage in negotiations leading to an agreement that addresses all concerns associated with its nuclear program. We stand ready to contribute to that goal in coordination with all parties.”

Reuters

10:45pm

Seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards and two soldiers killed in Israeli attacks on two military sites in the city of Yazd on Sunday, state-run Mizan news agency reports.

Reuters

10:30pm

OIC member states to set up contact group to seek Israel-Iran de-escalation

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation said on Sunday it would set up a ministerial contact group to establish regular contact with international and regional parties to support de-escalation efforts after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.

In a joint declaration following a meeting of the 57-member group’s foreign ministers in Istanbul, the OIC condemned “the aggression of Israel” against Iran, stressing “the urgent need to stop Israeli attacks and their great concern regarding this dangerous escalation”.

It also urged the international community to take deterrent measures against attacks on Iran and “make Israel accountable for crimes committed”.

Reuters

10:20pm

Iran president says US ‘must receive response to their aggression’

AFP

9:55pm

Pakistan condemns Trump’s bombing of Iran – a day after nominating him for Peace Prize

Pakistan condemned on Sunday the strikes ordered on its neighbour Iran by Donald Trump, a day after Islamabad had said it would nominate the US President for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Pakistan on Sunday said Trump’s decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities violated international law and that diplomacy was the only way to resolve the Iran crisis.

“The unprecedented escalation of tension and violence, owing to ongoing aggression against Iran is deeply disturbing. Any further escalation of tensions will have severely damaging implications for the region and beyond,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Reuters

9:45pm

Iran says ready to defend itself by ‘all necessary means’

Iran said on Sunday that it was ready to defend itself by “all necessary means” after unprecedented US strikes on its nuclear facilities.

“Iran is resolutely determined to defend its national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national security and people by all necessary means,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei posted on X, condemning what he described as an “unconscionable act of aggression — perpetrated by a nuclear-armed state… against a non-nuclear weapon country”.

AFP

9:30pm

US willing to negotiate on Iran nuclear energy: Rubio

The United States would allow Iran to operate nuclear power plants but not enrich its own fuel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday, after a wave of American strikes aimed to wipe out Iran’s nuclear program.

“The Iranian regime should wake up and say ‘OK, if we really want nuclear energy in our country, there’s a way to do it.’ That offer’s still there, we’re prepared to talk to them tomorrow,” he told Fox News.

“Ultimately, they have to make a decision. It’s a very simple decision: if what they want is nuclear reactors so they can have electricity — there are so many other countries in the world that do that, and they don’t have to enrich their own uranium — they can do that,” Rubio added.

AFP

9:45pm

US bombing of Iran started with a fake-out

As Operation “Midnight Hammer” got underway on Saturday, a group of B-2 bombers took off from their base in Missouri and were noticed heading out toward the Pacific island of Guam, in what experts saw as possible pre-positioning for any US decision to strike Iran.

But they were a decoy. The real group of seven bat-winged, B-2 stealth bombers flew east undetected for 18 hours, keeping communications to a minimum, refueling in mid-air, the US military revealed on Sunday.

As the bombers neared Iranian airspace, a US submarine launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles. US fighter jets flew as decoys in front of the bombers to sweep for any Iranian fighter jets and missiles.

Reuters

9:00pm

Ukraine says US strikes on Iran justified to stop nuclear ‘threat’

Ukraine said Sunday that US and Israeli strikes on Iran were justified to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, praising the military intervention as a “clear signal”.

“Ukraine is convinced that Iran’s nuclear programme must be stopped so that it never again poses a threat to the countries of the Middle East or any other state,” the Ukrainian foreign ministry said.

AFP

8:39pm

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic chokepoint for global maritime that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, and subsequently to the Indian Ocean. Photo: Screengrab from Google Maps

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuzfollowing US bombing raids, Iran’s Press TV said on Sunday, after parliament was reported to have backed the measure.

Iran has long used the threat of closing the Strait, through which around 20% of global oil and gas demand flows, as a way to ward off Western pressure which is now at its peak after the overnight U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities.

The decision to close the strait is not yet final and it was not officially reported that parliament had in fact adopted a bill to that effect.

Instead, a member of parliament’s national security commission Esmail Kosari was quoted on other Iranian media as saying: “For now, [parliament has] come to the conclusion we should close the Strait of Hormuz, but the final decision in this regard is the responsibility of the Supreme National Security Council.”

Reuters

8:22pm

Underground damage at Iran’s Fordow site is unclear, IAEA’s Grossi tells CNN

While it is clear that US airstrikes overnight hit Iran’s enrichment site buried into a mountain at Fordow, it is not yet possible to assess the damage done underground there, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told CNN on Sunday.

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency that Grossi leads have not been able to inspect Iran’s nuclear facilities since the first strikes on them by Israel on June 13, and Grossi said he hoped they would be able to return to Fordow and other sites as soon as possible.

Reuters

8:20pm

Iran has highly enriched uranium in sufficient quantities to make at least 9-10 bombs: Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday warned Iran against retaliating against US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, saying such an action would be “the worst mistake they’ve ever made.”

He said Iran had highly enriched uranium in sufficient quantities to make at least nine or 10 bombs.

Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, made the comments on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” show.

Reuters

8:15pm

US used 7 B-2 bombers for ‘surprise’ Iran attack: top general

Seven stealth bombers were used in the US attack against Iranian nuclear sites, which apparently saw little response by Iran’s military, top general Dan Caine said Sunday.

Describing the complex operation, dubbed “Midnight Hammer,” Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said the “main strike package comprised of 7 B-2 Spirit bombers” flying 18 hours from the US mainland to Iran with multiple aerial refuelings.

“Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface to air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission. We retained the element of surprise,” Caine added.

AFP

8:00pm

US Vice President JD Vance gives a speech at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany February 14, 2025. REUTERS

US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday the US was not at war with Iran but at war with its nuclear programme, adding the program had been pushed back by a very long time due to American strikes ordered by President Donald Trump.

Trump said he had “obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear sites in strikes overnight with massive bunker-busting bombs, joining Israel’s assault against its Middle East rival in a significant new escalation of conflict in the region.

“We’re not at war with Iran. We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program,” Vance said in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press with Kristen Welker” show

“I think that we have really pushed their programme back by a very long time. I think that it’s going to be many, many years before the Iranians are going to be able to develop a nuclear weapon.”

Reuters

7:57pm

UN Security Council to meet Sunday over US strikes on Iran

The United Nations Security Council is due to meet later on Sunday, diplomats said, after the United States joined Israel’s assault on Iran and hit the country’s main nuclear sites overnight in strikes with massive bunker-busting bombs.

Iran requested the meeting, calling on the 15-member body “to address this blatant and unlawful act of aggression, to condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”

Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement on Sunday that the US and Israel “do not deserve any condemnation, but rather an expression of appreciation and gratitude for making the world a safer place.”

Reuters

7:45pm

Israeli military says 30 Air Force jets attacked dozens of military targets in Iran using more than 60 munitions on Sunday

Reuters

7:00pm

Tel Aviv shares hit record highs after US strikes Iran nuclear sites

Israeli stocks rose for a sixth session on Sunday to hit fresh all-time highs after US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, which investors believe would likely prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons anytime soon.

The broad Tel Aviv 125 index .TA125 was 1.3% higher, while the blue-chip TA-35 .TA35 was 1.2% higher in afternoon trading.

On the heels of Israeli strikes in Iran, shares rose during all five sessions last week, gaining some 6%, as Israel hit Iranian nuclear and military targets prior to Saturday’s surprise US attacks.

“The destruction of Iran’s key nuclear facilities by the US military is, of course, a positive development … in terms of improving the regional security environment and reducing Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities,” said Mizrahi Tefahot chief markets economist Ronen Menachem. “It’s a game-changer.”

Reuters

6:45pm

An organisation that monitors flight risks warned on Sunday that U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region as some airlines cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Doha.

Airlines continued to avoid large parts of the Middle East due to ongoing missile exchanges between Israel and Iran, the latest upheaval to travel in the region.

Singapore Airlines said it cancelled scheduled flights from Singapore to Dubai following a security assessment and British Airways cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Doha.

Reuters

6:30pm

US strikes ‘obliterated’ Iran’s nuclear ambitions: Pentagon chief

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that US military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities were an incredible and overwhelming success that have obliterated Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

“Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been obliterated,” Hegseth told reporters in a briefing, adding that said the strikes did not target Iranian troops or people.

“The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this president speaks, the world should listen,” Hegseth said.

Reuters

[06:15pm]

US strikes against Iran nuclear facilities ‘incredible and overwhelming success,’ Pentagon chief says

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that U.S. military strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities were an incredible and overwhelming success which took months and weeks of positioning to carry out.

Hegseth said the strikes did not target Iranian troops or people, but they did obliterate Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this President speaks, the world should listen,” Hegseth said.

Reuters

[06:04pm]

Iran president condemns US ‘aggression’ in first reaction to strikes

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned US strikes on nuclear sites Sunday, saying in his first response that the attack revealed Washington was “behind” Israel’s military campaign in the Islamic republic.

“This aggression showed that America is the main factor behind the Zionist regime’s hostile actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said, according to IRNA news agency, adding that the United States acted after seeing Israel’s “obvious inability”.

AFP

[05:15pm]

Iran Red Crescent says no deaths in US strikes on nuclear sites

The head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society, Pir Hossein Kolivand, said there were no fatalities in the US strikes Sunday on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“Fortunately, we did not have any martyrs in last night’s events of the US aggression against Iran’s nuclear facilities,” he said according to state television.

AFP

[03:55pm]

Iran FM says to meet Russia’s Putin on Monday for talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that he would travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday following the US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“I’m going to Moscow this afternoon” and will hold “serious consultations with the Russian president tomorrow” morning, Araghchi said at a press conference in Istanbul on the sidelines of an OIC summit.

AFP

[03:45pm]

Kremlin says Putin has no plans to speak to Trump after US strikes on Iran, but call can be arranged

The Kremlin said on Sunday that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had no plans to speak to U.S. President Donald Trump following U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, but added the call could be quickly arranged, state news agency TASS reported.

Reuters

[03:35pm]

Iran’s foreign minister Araghchi denounces US attack as ‘outrageous’

The Iranian foreign minister has condemned the US’s “brutal military aggression” against what he described as Iran’s peaceful nuclear programme.

“It is an outrageous, grave and unprecedented violation of the fundamental principles of the charter of the United Nations and international law,” Abbas Araghchi said during his speech in Istanbul at the OIC summit.

The US attack is a violation of the UN charter

US President Trump has betrayed not only Iran but deceived his own nation

Tehran will continue to defend its sovereignty and people

US is responsible for the consequences of its act of aggression

Tehran calls on UN Security Council to convene for an emergency meeting

The responsibility of the IAEA and its chief Grossi paved the way to this aggression

Calls on IAEA board of governors to condemn the attack on nuclear facilities

Tehran reserves all options to defend its security, interest and people

Reuters

[03:15pm]

Iran says US decided to ‘blow up’ diplomacy with strikes

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday the United States and Israel “decided to blow up” diplomacy when they launched strikes on his country’s nuclear sites.

In a post on X, Araghchi said Israel blew up negotiations between Tehran and Washington with its strikes on June 13, while the United States did the same to talks with European powers this week with its strikes on Sunday. Addressing European calls for Iran to return to negotiations, he asked “how can Iran return to something it never left”.

AFP

[03:05pm]

Russia’s Medvedev says Trump started new war for US after attack on Iran

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said on Sunday that U.S. President Donald Trump had started a new war for the U.S. by attacking Iran.

U.S. forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites, Trump said late on Saturday, and he warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace.

“Trump, who came in as a peacemaker president, has started a new war for the U.S.,” Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel.

Reuters

[02:55pm]

US strikes on Iran risk ‘war with irreversible consequences’: Red Cross chief

The military escalation in the Middle East risks sparking warfare with irreversible consequences, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday, following US strikes on Iran.

ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric called for civilians and medical personnel to be spared after the US military hit three Iranian nuclear sites, joining its ally Israel’s bombing campaign.

“The intensification and spread of major military operations in the Middle East risk engulfing the region — and the world — in a war with irreversible consequences,” Spoljaric said in a statement.

“The world cannot absorb limitless war.

“Upholding international humanitarian law is not a choice — it is an obligation. Civilians must be spared from the conduct of hostilities.”

AFP

[02:40pm]

Germany calls on Iran to ‘immediately’ resume negotiations with US: govt spokesman

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday called for a swift return to diplomacy after the US struck three nuclear sites in Iran overnight, his spokesman said.

Iran must “immediately enter into negotiations with the US and Israel and to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict”, Merz said, according to his spokesman Stefan Kornelius.

The German government believes “large parts of Iran’s nuclear programme have been damaged by the airstrikes”, Kornelius said.

AFP

[02:20pm]

European Council president calls for restraint in Middle East

European Council President Antonio Costa said on Sunday he was deeply alarmed by the situation in the Middle East and urged restraint and diplomacy on all sides.

“I call on all parties to show restraint and respect for international law and nuclear safety,” Costa said in a post on social media platform X.

“Diplomacy remains the only way to bring peace and security to the Middle East region. Too many civilians will once again be the victims of a further escalation,” he said, adding that the EU will continue engaging the parties and partners.

Reuters

[01:40pm]

EU top diplomat urges ‘all sides to step back’ after US strikes

The European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas called Sunday for de-escalation and a return to negotiations after the United States carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

“I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation,” Kallas wrote on X, adding Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation on Monday.

AFP

[01:30pm]

IAEA calls emergency board meeting after US bombs Iran nuclear sites

UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Sunday he was calling an emergency meeting of his agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors after the United States said it carried out military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

“In light of the urgent situation in Iran, I am convening an emergency meeting of the (International Atomic Energy Agency) Board of Governors for tomorrow,” IAEA chief Grossi said on X.

Reuters

[01:19pm]

Iranian lawmaker says US strikes give Iran legal right to exit nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Iran has the legal right to withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) based on its Article 10 following U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, Parliament Foreign Policy Committee Head Abbas Golroo said on X on Sunday.

Article 10 states that an NPT member has “the right to withdraw from the Treaty if it decides that extraordinary events have jeopardized the supreme interests of its country.”

Reuters

[01:09pm]

At least three impacts in Israel during Iran missile attacks, 23 hurt

Three areas of Israel including coastal hub Tel Aviv were hit Sunday morning during waves of Iranian missile attacks, with at least 23 people injured, according to rescue services and police.

Several buildings were heavily damaged in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv, with holes torn in the facades of apartment blocks.

“Houses here were hit very, very badly,” Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai told reporters at the scene. “Fortunately, one of them was slated for demolition and reconstruction, so there were no residents inside.

“Those who were in the shelter are all safe and well. The damage is very, very extensive, but in terms of human life, we are okay.”

AFP

[12:49pm]

UK’s Starmer calls for Iran to return to negotiations following US strikes

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged Iran to return to the negotiating table and said that stability in the region remained a priority, according to a statement from Downing Street on Sunday, following US strikes on Iran’s three main nuclear sites.

“Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the U.S. has taken action to alleviate that threat,” Starmer said in the statement.

Reuters

[12:45pm]

Iran says nuclear attacks show US ‘will stop at no illegality or crime’ to support Israel

Iran’s foreign ministry said the US attacks Sunday on nuclear facilities showed that Washington “will stop at no illegality or crime” to support Israel.

“It has now become abundantly clear to all that the very regime which enjoys permanent membership in the Security Council is beholden to no principle or morality and will stop at no illegality or crime to serve the aims of a genocidal, occupying regime,” the ministry said in a statement, referring to the United States and Israel respectively.

AFP

[12:30pm]

Iraq warns US attacks on Iran threaten regional peace

Iraq warned on Sunday that the US attacks on its neighbour Iran’s nuclear facilities threaten peace and stability in the Middle East.

Iraq “expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation of the targeting of nuclear facilities” in Iran, government spokesperson Basim Alawadi said. “This military escalation constitutes a grave threat to peace and security in the Middle East and poses serious risks to regional stability,” he added.

AFP

[11:55am]

NATO official says watching situation closely after US strikes on Iran

A NATO official told Reuters on Sunday that the alliance is watching the situation closely after U.S. President Donald Trump said American forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites.

Reuters

[11:52am]

Israel military launches fresh wave of strikes in western Iran

Israeli security forces and first responders gather at the site of an Iranian strike that hit a residential neighbourhood in the Ramat Aviv area in Tel Aviv on June 22, 2025. At least 16 people were hurt and at least one impact was reported in central Israel after Iran launched two waves of missiles at the country following the US bombing of its nuclear sites, rescue services and reports said. (Photo by Jack GUEZ / AFP)

AFP

[11:49am]

Kuwait does not detect increase in radioactive traces after US attacks on Iran nuclear sites

Kuwait said its nuclear defence center did not detect an increase in radioactive traces in Kuwaiti airspace and waters following U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, the country’s national guard said in a post on X.

Reuters

[11:45am]

Iran says targeted Ben Gurion airport, other sites in attack on Israel

Iran’s armed forces said Sunday they targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport, after US attacks on key nuclear sites in the Islamic republic.

“The twentieth wave of Operation Honest Promise 3 began using a combination of long-range liquid and solid fuel missiles with devastating warhead power,” the armed forces said in a statement quoted by Fars news agency. The targets included the airport, a “biological research centre”, logistics bases and various layers of command and control centres, it added.

AFP

[11:25am]

11 hurt after Iranian missiles launched at Israel: rescue services

At least 11 people were hurt and at least one impact was reported in central Israel after Iran launched two waves of missiles following the US bombing of its nuclear sites, rescue services and reports said.

Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said in a statement that “11 people were taken to hospital, including one in moderate condition — a 30-year-old man wounded in the upper body by shrapnel.”

Public broadcaster KAN 11 showed images of a devastated building surrounded by mounds of rubble that it said was in central Israel, following the two waves of missiles launched at Israel from around 7:30 am (0430 GMT).

AFP

[11:15am]

Iran executes man convicted of being spy for Israel: judiciary

Iranian authorities executed on Sunday a man convicted of being an agent for Israel’s Mossad spy service, the judiciary said, as fighting raged between the two foes for a tenth day.

“Majid Mosayebi… was hanged this morning after going through the full process of criminal procedure and after his sentence was confirmed by the Supreme Court,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said, adding that he sought to provide “sensitive information … to Mossad.” Iranian authorities have carried out multiple arrests of people suspected of spying for Israel since its attack on June 13.

AFP

[11:05am]

IAEA says no increase in radiation levels reported after US strikes on Iran

The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Sunday there had been no increase in off-site radiation levels reported following U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, including the Fordow site.

Reuters

[10:55am]

Iran launches 30 missiles at Israel: state television

Iran’s state TV announced on Sunday new missile launches against Israel after Tel Aviv’s closest ally the United States bombed several Iranian nuclear sites.

“These live images you are seeing are of a new salvo of Iranian missiles fired on the occupied territories,” said a presenter on air, referring to Israel. Citing “sources”, a presenter said that “30 missiles have been launched at Israel from Iran”.

AFP

[10:45am]

Yemeni Houthi’s response to US attack on Iran ‘only a matter of time’, official says

A Yemeni Houthi official said on Sunday that the Iran-aligned group’s response to the U.S. attack on Iran was “only a matter of time”.

Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi movement’s political bureau, told Al Jazeera Mubasher TV that its ceasefire deal with Washington was before the “war” on Iran.

The group has been launching attacks on shipping lanes and Israel in what it says is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israeli war. It agreed on a ceasefire deal with the United States in May to stop attacking U.S. ships in exchange for an end to Washington’s bombings of the group.

Reuters

[10:25am]

Iran’s Araghchi says US attack will have ‘everlasting consequences’

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. AFP file photo

In his first public remarks after the US strikes, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Washington of breaching international law.

“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” Araghchi said in a social media post.

“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behavior.”

He added that Iran “reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people”.

[10:05am]

Airlines keep avoiding Middle East airspace after US attack on Iran

Airlines continued to avoid large parts of the Middle East on Sunday after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, with traffic already skirting airspace in the region due to recent missile exchanges.

“Following US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, commercial traffic in the region is operating as it has since new airspace restrictions were put into place last week,” FlightRadar24 said on social media platform X.

Its website showed airlines were not flying in the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel. They have chosen other routings such as north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, even if it results in higher fuel and crew costs and longer flight times.

Reuters

[09:25am]

Iran says ‘no signs of contamination’ after US attacks on key nuclear sites

AFP

[09:15am]

Saudi regulator says no radiation detected after US strikes on Iran

No radioactive traces have been detected in the environment of Saudi Arabia or other Arab Gulf states following the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Saudi Arabia’s nuclear regulator said in a post on X on Sunday.

Reuters

[09:11am]

Hamas condemns ‘blatant US aggression’ against Iran

Palestinian group Hamas condemned “blatant US aggression” against Iran after President Donald Trump said American warplanes bombed Tehran’s main nuclear enrichment facilities.

“The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) condemns in the strongest terms the blatant US aggression against the territory and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the group said in a statement issued after Trump announced the United States had joined Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran.

“This brutal aggression is a dangerous escalation,” the Hamas statement added, calling the attack “a flagrant violation of international law, and a direct threat to international peace and security”.

AFP

[08:51am]

Trump warns Iran against any retaliation after US strikes

President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Iran to not respond after US strikes targeted its main nuclear enrichment facilities in attacks he called a “spectacular military success.”

“Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight,” Trump posted on social media after making an address to the nation from the White House.

AFP

[08:26am]

UN chief Guterres says US strike on Iran a dangerous escalation

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday branded the U.S. strikes on Iran as a “dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.”

“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,” Guterres said in a statement.

Read more

[08:19am]

Trump says Iran must make peace or “we will go after” other targets

US President Donald Trump addresses the nation, alongside US Vice President JD Vance (L), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd R) and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R), from the White House in Washington, DC on June 21, 2025, following the announcement that the US bombed nuclear sites in Iran. AFP

President Donald Trump said US air strikes on Sunday had “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facilities, and warned of more attacks to come if Tehran does not seek peace.

In a televised address to the nation from the White House after the United States joined Israel’s air campaign against Tehran, Trump called the US attacks a “spectacular military success.”

Read more

[08:17am]

Netanyahu congratulates Trump, says US ‘unsurpassed’ after attack on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during the annual ceremony at the eve of Israel’s Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers (Yom HaZikaron) at the Yad LaBanim Memorial in Jerusalem, 29 April 2025. File photo: Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Donald Trump on Sunday after the president said the US military bombed three nuclear sites in Iran.

“Congratulations President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history,” Netanyahu said in a video message, adding that the attacks demonstrated “America has been truly unsurpassed.”

Netanyahu added that Trump had created a “pivot of history” that will “help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace”.

AFP

[07:15am]

Iranian media says nuclear sites ‘attacked by enemy strikes’

Iranian media said on Sunday that part of the Fordo uranium enrichment facility as well as the Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites were attacked, after Donald Trump said the US had bombed them.

“A few hours ago, after Qom’s air defenses were activated and hostile targets were identified, part of the Fordo nuclear site was attacked by enemy airstrikes,” Tasnim news agency reported, quoting Morteza Heydari, spokesperson for the Qom Provincial crisis management department.

Read more

[06:30am]

US B-2 bombers involved in Iran strikes, US official says

US B-2 bombers were involved in strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites announced by President Donald Trump on Saturday, a US official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Read more

[06:25am]

Trump says US forces bombed Iran nuclear sites; says ‘Fordow is gone’

US forces struck three Iranian nuclear sites in a “very successful attack,” President Donald Trump said on Saturday, adding that the crown jewel of Tehran’s nuclear program, Fordow, is gone.

After days of deliberation, Trump’s decision to join Israel’s military campaign against its major rival Iran represents a major escalation of the conflict.

“All planes are safely on their way home,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, and he congratulated “our great American Warriors.”

Read more

Crowds gather in Tehran’s Revolution Square on Sunday to protest the U.S. attacks on three nuclear facilities in Iran. (Fatemeh Bahrami / Anadolu via Getty Images)

As the United States faces possible retaliatory attacks from Iran, a “brain drain” in top Justice Department and FBI national security and counterterrorism units could reduce their ability to prevent potential terror and cyberattacks from Tehran, according to six former senior DOJ and FBI officials.

Staff levels in the DOJ National Security Division’s Law and Policy section have dropped by as much as two-thirds, two former DOJ officials said. Its counterintelligence and export control section — which tracks foreign espionage in the U.S. by Iran and other foreign rivals — has lost about a third of its workforce, the former DOJ officials said.

A former senior FBI official said he was aware of at least 20 national security personnel who had left the bureau in the last three months.

“The senior ranks of the FBI and DOJ’s national security teams have been decimated,” a former senior DOJ official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said through text message. “As a result, the FBI and Justice Department are completely unprepared to respond to a crisis, including the fallout from the current conflict in the Middle East.”

A second former senior DOJ official expressed concern about the division’s ability to thwart retaliatory attacks from Iran.

“The US and Israeli strikes on Iran have heightened the risk of Iranian retaliation in the homeland and a lone wolf violent extremist attack,” the former official said by text. “The National Security Division was created to ensure there are DOJ prosecutors with nationwide visibility into the threat landscape at times like this, and its work has never been more important.”

After President Donald Trump took office in January, several top DOJ and FBI national security officials who participated in the criminal investigations into Trump or the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters were removed from their jobs and, in some cases, reassigned to immigration enforcement, according to current and former DOJ and FBI officials. Four of the top officials ousted from the National Security Division had close to 100 years of experience between them, former officials said.

David Laufman, former head of the National Security Division’s counterintelligence and export control section, expressed similar concerns.

“In the aftermath of the U.S. military strikes in Iran, the FBI will need to maximize counterterrorism resources to prevent and disrupt anything the Iranians might attempt within the United States,” Laufman said through text. “Let’s hope the recent personnel turmoil at the Bureau doesn’t adversely impact that effort.”

DOJ and FBI spokespersons said the agencies’ counterterrorism efforts remain strong.

A Justice Department spokesman said that the National Security Division, or NSD, has been investigating and prosecuting foreign and domestic terrorism cases, citing recent work on the Minnesota shooting of two state lawmakers and the attack on a fertility center in Palm Springs, California.

“The National Security Division is staffed with dedicated and talented personnel who continue to provide significant support to a wide range of important cases in order to make America safe again,” Chad Gilmartin said in an emailed statement. “Any suggestion otherwise is a fiction generated by those who have no insight into the Division’s day-to-day work.”

The FBI affirmed its commitment to counterterrorism.

“The FBI continuously analyzes the threat landscape and allocates resources and personnel in alignment with that analysis and the investigative needs of the Bureau,” the FBI spokesperson said via email. “We make adjustments and changes based on many factors and remain flexible as various needs arise. The FBI’s role in and dedication to investigating terrorism, both domestically and internationally, has not changed.”

Concerns in the FBI

But a former senior FBI official said a loss of counterterrorism resources made the bureau less prepared to respond to potential retaliation from Iran.

In a text message, he said the diversion of bureau resources to focus on illegal immigration and the loss of national security experts “reduces the bureau’s effectiveness at a time when Iran is doubly incentivized to attack us.”

He said he hopes bureau leaders will now devote additional resources to the threat posed by Iran. “The Bureau surges like no other agency can,” he added.

The J. Edgar Hoover building, headquarters of the FBI, in Washington. (Kent Nishimura / Getty Images)

Two former FBI officials said high-level ousters and resignations at lower levels are rampant within the counterterrorism division.

“There are people leaving left and right,” said the former senior FBI official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “There is a brain drain at the executive level.”

Robert Wells, the head of the the FBI’s national security branch, was forced out soon after Trump took office in January, according to current and former FBI officials. David Scott, who served as the bureau’s counterterrorism chief, left the bureau in May, according to his LinkedIn profile and two former FBI officials.

Some FBI agents have been diverted to less critical tasks, such as the redacting of FBI records related to the financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to one former FBI official.

Officials in the first Trump administration ruled that Epstein’s death in 2019 was a suicide, but it has remained the subject of conspiracy theories suggesting he was murdered because of his connections to high-profile celebrities and politicians.

“A lot of people are looking to leave because of the environment,” a second former FBI official said through text, referring to departures across the bureau. “There is a huge void in leadership and experience.”

“They’re just going back in time and settling old scores,” said the first former senior FBI official. “It’s not the FBI I knew.”

Emerging threats

The six former DOJ and FBI officials warned of rapidly evolving foreign and domestic terror threats, from potential retaliatory attacks by Iran to lone-wolf assassinations like the killing of a Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota.

In these crimes, the attackers act alone and often undergo a rapid radicalization without engaging in behavior that puts them on the radar of law enforcement.

One of the former FBI officials expressed frustration over what they see as a misplaced focus within the FBI, saying issues like China, Russia and cyberthreats are being neglected.

One of the former DOJ officials noted that 25 prosecutors were added to the NSD’s counterintelligence section to address espionage by China, Russia, Iran and other rivals, as well as Russian sanctions evasion after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He called the recent reduction in staffing “very concerning.”

The newly confirmed head of the DOJ’s National Security Division is hiring and expanding the team, a department spokesman said. (Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images file)

Laufman, the former head of the counterintelligence and export control section, agreed.

“Losing a magnitude of experience to address terrorism and counterintelligence threats, both in leadership ranks and line personnel, puts America at greater risk,” Laufman said.

The Justice Department spokesman noted that John Eisenberg, the new head of the National Security Division, was recently confirmed by the Senate and is beginning to hire and expand his team. He said that the NSD’s Domestic Terrorism Unit — which was created by the Biden administration to focus on domestic threats — had not been reduced in size or reorganized.

The DOJ spokesperson also said there is sometimes an overlap between counterterrorism and immigration cases, citing the example of foreign terrorist organizations trying to operate in the U.S.

“Counterterrorism employees work collaboratively, and the cases are generally not neatly compartmentalized or segmented,” he said.

An early demotion

One of the former DOJ officials said that Attorney General Pam Bondi, who oversees both the DOJ and FBI, signaled the administration’s priorities days after she took office.

On Feb. 12, Bondi appeared in the hallway outside their offices, holding three large, framed portraits of former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and former Attorney General Merrick Garland, demanding to know why they were still hanging on the division’s walls.

The acting head of the division, an appointee of the first Trump administration who worked in the White House counsel’s office, said the portraits could be removed only by building maintenance staff. Officials from previous administrations had also sometimes found portraits of their predecessors hanging on the department’s walls.

Bondi then criticized division officials in two Fox News interviews, suggesting the staff was disloyal to Trump. The acting head of the division was demoted shortly afterward, according to three former DOJ officials.

What was most concerning, a former DOJ official said, was the demotion of the former Trump appointee, an experienced lawyer trusted by both Trump administration officials and career DOJ lawyers.

The demotion was short-sighted, said the former DOJ official, “and that’s bad for national security.”

Over Friday and Saturday, the traffic back into Tehran was heavy. People who had evacuated were returning to the city after what had felt like two days of relative calm that they hoped would stretch into more. Some government offices were meant to open today.

Instead, that sense of calm was proved false by the U.S. strikes last night.

Downtown Tehran yesterday. Morteza Nikoubazl / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Now, there’s heightened security entering Tehran: multiple checkpoints along the roads, and cars are being thoroughly searched to identify any potential internal threats. The people who are returning are not doing it because it feels safe, but because they have to.

Inside Tehran, most places are still closed. Only essential medical services are running and maybe a few drugstores for urgent needs. Government jobs are on hold, some private companies are working remotely, and factories are opening if their workers are willing to return. Many are scared for their lives, and the city remains mostly empty and eerie, more empty even than during the pandemic.

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