Israel issues new evacuation warning in Iran; is a US strike on the cards? 10 key developments
As the conflict between Israel and Iran entered its seventh day, both countries continued to launch strikes against each other on Thursday.
The Israeli military said early Thursday that it was carrying out a "series of strikes" in Tehran and other parts of Iran.
The Israeli Air Force confirmed on X that it had begun "a wave of attacks in Tehran and other areas," but did not share details about the targets.
These strikes came after Israel said it had intercepted a drone launched from Iran in the early hours of Thursday.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he was still deciding whether the United States would take part in Israel's military action. He said Iran had contacted the US to discuss possible talks at the White House, but may have waited too long.
Warning near Arak Reactor
Israel's military also issued a warning for people to leave the area around Iran's Arak heavy water reactor. The warning, posted on social media platform X, included a satellite image of the plant marked with a red circle, similar to other warnings that have come before earlier strikes.
The Arak reactor is located about 250 kilometers southwest of Tehran. Heavy water is used to cool reactors and can create plutonium, which may be used in nuclear weapons if a country chooses that path instead of using enriched uranium.
No details on targets yet
While Israel confirmed it was continuing strikes around Tehran and other parts of Iran, it has not provided immediate details about the intended targets.
US officials prepare for possible strike on Iran
Senior US officials are preparing for the possibility of a strike on Iran in the coming days, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The Bloomberg report said the situation remains fluid and could change. Some of the sources mentioned that a strike might take place over the weekend.
Operation Sindhu: 110 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran
Amid the ongoing conflict between the two regional powers in the Middle East, a flight carrying 110 Indian nationals evacuated from Iran landed in Delhi as part of Operation Sindhu.
Earlier, as tensions escalated, Indian students in Tehran were moved out of the city. Through arrangements made by the Indian embassy on Tuesday, 110 of them crossed the border into Armenia under the same operation.
639 killed in Iran so far
At least 639 people have been killed and 1,329 injured in Israeli strikes across Iran, according to a report released Thursday by the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists.
The group said it had verified the deaths of 263 civilians and 154 members of the security forces. The figures cover the entire country.
Human Rights Activists, which previously tracked casualties during the 2022 protests following Mahsa Amini's death, said it cross-checks local Iranian reports with information from a network of sources inside the country.
Iran has not been providing regular updates on casualties during the conflict.
Its last report, released on Monday, stated that 224 people had been killed and 1,277 wounded.
Trump on possible US role
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he was still deciding whether the United States would take part in Israel's military action. He also said Iran had reached out to start talks.
"I may do it, I may not do it," Trump told reporters. "I can tell you this, that Iran's got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate."
Trump said Iran had even suggested sending officials to the White House to talk about its nuclear program in an attempt to stop the Israeli strikes.
When asked if it was too late for talks, Trump responded: "Nothing is too late."
In a televised statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump a "great friend" and thanked him "for the support of the United States in defending Israel's skies".
Putin says 'Iranian friends' not asked for military help
Iran has not requested military assistance from Russia during its ongoing air conflict with Israel, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.
"Our Iranian friends have not asked us about this," Putin was quoted as saying by the news agency AFP.
Russia offers to mediate a deal
Russian President on Wednesday also offered to help mediate an end to the conflict. He suggested that Moscow could assist in negotiating a settlement that would allow Iran to maintain a peaceful nuclear program while addressing Israel's security concerns.
Speaking to reporters from international news agencies, Putin said, "It's a delicate issue," but added, "in my view, a solution could be found," news agency AP reported.
When asked how Russia would respond if Israel were to kill Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Putin declined to answer. "I don't even want to discuss such a possibility," he said.
Putin also said that Russia had shared its proposals with Iran, Israel, and the United States.
"We are not imposing anything on anyone; we are simply talking about how we see a possible way out of the situation. But the decision, of course, is up to the political leadership of all these countries, primarily Iran and Israel," he said.
Khamenei says Iran won't surrender
Moreover, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday in a speech broadcast on state TV: "This nation will never surrender."
He added: "America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage."
Earlier, Trump had said that the United States knows Khamenei's location but would not act against him "for now".
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday that Iran remained committed to 'diplomacy' but was acting in 'self-defence' in response to Israel's actions.
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