Live updates: Israel strikes Tehran for a sixth day as Iranian casualties rise

Associated Press

18-06-2025

Intense Israeli airstrikes 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 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.
Update:
Date: 2025-06-18 08:26:25
Title:
Iranian FM spokesman issues warning
Content: A spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry issued a warning Wednesday that an American intervention in the ongoing Israeli strikes targeting his country would spark 'an all-out war.'
Esmail Baghaei made the comments in an interview live on Al Jazeera English. It was his first in the ongoing conflict.
'Any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region,' he said.
Asked if he thought the U.S. could control Israel, Baghaei grimaced and said 'Not really.'
Update:
Date: 2025-06-18 08:23:22
Title:
Iranian state TV shows downed Israeli drone
Content: Iranian state television has aired its first footage of a downed Israeli drone during Israel's campaign against the Islamic Republic.
In the footage aired Wednesday, a state television reporter stands next to the large drone he identifies as a Hermes 900.
Other footage aired showed what appeared to be the drone going into a tailspin before crashing in a farm field.
Writing in Hebrew appeared on the components of the drone.
The wreckage corresponded to photographs of the Hermes 900, which is a long-endurance drone.
Israel's military did not respond to questions about the alleged drone shootdown.
Update:
Date: 2025-06-18 08:21:54
Title:
China's Xi calls for de-escalation 'as soon as possible'
Content: Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East 'as soon as possible' and said China is 'deeply worried as Israel's military operation against Iran has caused a sudden escalation of tensions in the Middle East.'
Xi, on a visit to the Kazakh capital Astana late Tuesday, added that China 'opposes any actions that infringe upon sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of other countries.'
He added that 'China is ready to work with all parties to play a constructive role in restoring peace and stability in the Middle East.'
China has already called on all its nationals to leave Iran, with whom it has long maintained close trade and political ties.
Update:
Date: 2025-06-18 08:20:25
Title:
First repatriation flights carrying stranded Israelis arrive in Tel Aviv
Content: Two flights from Larnaca, Cyprus, landed at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport Wednesday morning, an airport spokesperson said, marking the first flights to bring Israelis abroad back home since the Israel-Iran conflict began.
Footage showed the first plane gliding down the tarmac after landing in Tel Aviv.
Israel's minister of transportation, Miri Regev, greeted the captain in the airport's control tower.
'We are waiting for you here with great anticipation,' she told her in Hebrew. 'Very excited, first rescue flight.'
Israel closed its airspace to commercial flights because of the multiple volleys of ballistic missiles launched toward the country each day by Iran.
Tens of thousands of Israelis are stranded abroad, according to Israeli media reports.
Update:
Date: 2025-06-18 08:18:05
Title:
Egypt's FM holds calls with Iranian counterpart and U.S. envoy
Content: 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.
A social media account associated with Araghchi confirmed the calls took place.
U.S. officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.