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Business Standard
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Iranian missile, drone strikes have forced evacuations of 8,000 Israelis
Iran's attacks have killed 24 people and injured 1,272 others, including 14 in serious condition ANI Middle East Since the start of Israel's military operations against Iran on June 13, more than 450 missiles and over 400 drones have been launched toward Israeli territory, according to figures released Saturday night by the Government Press Office. Iran's attacks have killed 24 people and injured 1,272 others, including 14 in serious condition. The Israel Tax Authority has received 30,735 damage claims, with most--25,040--related to buildings, followed by 2,623 for vehicles and 3,006 for other property. The Home Front Command has evacuated 8,190 civilians from their homes due to the ongoing threat. Israel's military on Saturday said it was preparing for a potentially prolonged conflict, after launching overnight strikes on an Iranian nuclear research facility and killing three senior Iranian commanders in targeted attacks. The military confirmed the target was a centrifuge production site. Isfahan, a critical nuclear hub, had also been struck during the first 24 hours of the war, as part of Israel's declared aim to dismantle Iran's nuclear programme. The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed the latest attack. The threat of a wider regional war also loomed. Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels warned they would resume attacks on US vessels and warships in the Red Sea if Washington formally joins Israel's military campaign. The Houthis had suspended such attacks in May under a deal with the United States. In a significant move, the US ambassador to Israel announced that the US has begun assisted departure flights—marking the first such evacuation effort from Israel since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. Meanwhile in Iran, smoke was seen rising from a mountainous area near Isfahan. The province's deputy governor for security affairs, Akbar Salehi, confirmed the Israeli strike damaged a nuclear facility but said there were no casualties. In retaliation, Iran again launched drones and missiles at Israeli territory, though there were no immediate reports of significant damage. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hans India
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Israel bombs Iran's nuke site as conflict enters 2nd week
Tel Aviv: Israel's military said Saturday it struck an Iranian nuclear research facility overnight and killed three senior Iranian commanders in targeted attacks as the war between the two nations continued into a second week. Early Saturday, smoke could be seen rising from an area near a mountain in Isfahan, where a local official said Israel had attacked the nuclear research facility in two waves. The target was two centrifuge production sites, and the attacks came on top of strikes on other centrifuge production sites elsewhere in recent days, according to an Israeli military official speaking on condition of anonymity under army guidelines to brief reporters. It was the second attack on Isfahan, which was hit in the first 24 hours of the war as part of Israel's goal to destroy the Iranian nuclear program. Akbar Salehi, Isfahan province's deputy governor for security affairs, confirmed the Israeli strikes had caused damage to the facility but said there had been no human casualties. Iran launched a new wave of drones and missiles at Israel but there were no immediate reports of significant damage, and the Israeli official called it a 'small barrage' that was largely intercepted by Israel's defences. The official said part of the reason that Iran's overnight attack had been relatively small was that the military had been targeting its launchers, and estimates it has now taken out more than 50% of them. 'We've been able to take out a large amount of their launchers, creating a bottleneck — we're making it harder for them to fire toward Israel,' he said. 'Having said all that, I want to say the Iranian regime obviously still has capabilities.' Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service said Saturday an Iranian drone hit a two-story building in northern Israel, but there were no casualties. Talks in Switzerland fail to produce diplomatic breakthrough The ongoing fighting comes after talks in Geneva on Friday failed to produce a diplomatic breakthrough. European officials expressed hope for future discussions, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he was open to further dialogue while emphasizing that Tehran had no interest in negotiating with the US while Israel continued attacking. 'Iran is ready to consider diplomacy if aggression ceases and the aggressor is held accountable for its committed crimes,' he told reporters. No date was set for the next round of talks. Iran warns against US becoming militarily involved US President Donald Trump is weighing active US military involvement in the conflict, which Araghchi said Saturday 'would be very unfortunate.'
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Business Standard
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Preparing for possibility of lengthy war against Iran, says Israel
Israel's military said Saturday it was preparing for the possibility of a lengthy war, and announced it struck an Iranian nuclear research facility overnight and killed three senior Iranian commanders in targeted attacks. The prospect of a wider war threatened, too. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said they would resume attacks on US vessels and warships in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joins Israel's military campaign against Iran. The Houthis paused such attacks in May under a deal with the US. The US ambassador to Israel announced the US has begun assisted departure flights, the first such flights from Israel since the Hamas-led attack on Oct 7, 2023, that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. Inside Iran, smoke rose from an area near a mountain in Isfahan, where the province's deputy governor for security affairs, Akbar Salehi, confirmed the Israeli strikes damaged the facility but caused no casualties. The target was a centrifuge production site, Israel's military said. Isfahan was also hit in the first 24 hours of the war as part of Israel's goal to destroy Iran's nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the latest attack. Iran again launched drones and missiles at Israel but there were no immediate reports of significant damage. An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity under army guidelines to brief reporters, called it a small barrage that was largely intercepted by Israel's defences. The official estimated that Israel's military has taken out more than 50 per cent of Iran's launchers. We're making it harder for them to fire toward Israel, he said. Having said all that, I want to say the Iranian regime obviously still has capabilities. The Israeli military's chief spokesman, Brig Gen Effie Defrin, later said Chief of Staff Lt Gen Eyal Zamir told the army to prepare for a prolonged campaign." Iran says US military involvement would be dangerous' US President Donald Trump is weighing active US military involvement in the war. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said I think that it would be very, very dangerous for everyone. He spoke on the sidelines of an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Turkey. Barring a commando raid or even a nuclear strike, Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility is considered out of reach to all but America's bunker-buster bombs. Trump said he would put off his decision on military involvement for up to two weeks. The war erupted June 13, with Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 722 people, including 285 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,500 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. One Tehran resident, Nasrin, writhed in her hospital bed as she described how a blast threw her against a wall in her apartment. I've had five surgeries. I think I have nothing right here that is intact, she said Saturday. Another patient, Shahram Nourmohammadi, said he had been making deliveries when something blew up right in front of me at an intersection. A number of Iranians fled the country. Everyone is leaving Tehran right now, said one who did not give his name after crossing into Armenia. Iran has retaliated by firing more than 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Israel's multitiered air defences have shot down most of them, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but it is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich uranium up to 60 per cent a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. Israel is widely believed to be the only Middle Eastern country with a nuclear weapons program but has never acknowledged it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel's military operation will continue for as long as it takes to eliminate what he called the existential threat of Iran's nuclear program and ballistic missile arsenal. No date set for new talks While talks in Geneva on Friday failed to produce a breakthrough, Iran's foreign minister said he was open to further dialogue. He emphasized that Tehran had no interest in negotiating with the US while Israel continues to attack. No date was set for a new round of talks. For many Iranians, updates remained difficult. Internet-access advocacy group said Saturday that limited internet access had again collapsed. A nationwide internet shutdown has been in place for several days. More attacks on Iranian military commanders Israel's defence minister said the military killed a paramilitary Revolutionary Guard commander who financed and armed Hamas in preparation for the Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the ongoing 20-month war in Gaza. Iranian officials did not immediately confirm Saeed Izadi's death, but the Qom governor's office said there had been an attack on a four-story apartment building and local media reported two people had been killed. Israel also said it killed the commander of the Quds Force's weapons transfer unit, who it said was responsible for providing weapons to Hezbollah and Hamas. Behnam Shahriyari was killed while travelling in western Iran, the military said. Iran threatens head of UN nuclear watchdog Iranian leaders say IAEA chief Rafael Grossi's statements about the status of Iran's nuclear program prompted Israel's attack. On Saturday, a senior adviser for Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei, Ali Larijani, said on social media, without elaboration, that Iran would make Grossi pay once the war is over. Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, on Friday warned against attacks on Iran's nuclear reactors, particularly its only commercial nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr. In case of an attack on the Bushehr nuclear power plant, a direct hit would result in a very high release of radioactivity, Grossi said, adding: This is the nuclear site in Iran where the consequences could be most serious. Israel has not targeted Iran's nuclear reactors, instead focusing strikes on the main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, centrifuge workshops near Tehran, laboratories in Isfahan and the country's Arak heavy water reactor southwest of the capital. Iran previously agreed to limit its uranium enrichment and allow international inspectors access to its nuclear sites under a 2015 deal in exchange for sanctions relief. But after Trump pulled the US out of the deal during his first term, Iran began enriching uranium up to 60 per cent and restricting access to its nuclear facilities. Iran has insisted on its right to enrich uranium at lower levels in recent talks over its nuclear program. But Trump, like Israel, has demanded Iran end its enrichment program altogether. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MTV Lebanon
21-06-2025
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
21 Jun 2025 10:57 AM Israeli strike targets Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
Israel launched attacks early Saturday targeting multiple locations in Isfahan province, including the city's crucial nuclear facility, alongside areas in Lenjan, Mobarakeh, Shahreza, and Isfahan County, the Iranian Fars news agency reported. Isfahan's Deputy Governor Akbar Salehi confirmed that the nuclear site in Isfahan was a primary target of the strikes, which triggered a swift response from Iran's air defense systems, according to the report. No casualties have been reported, and authorities assured the public that there has been no hazardous material leakage at the nuclear site or surrounding areas. Hostilities broke out on June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes. Israeli authorities said at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured since then in Iranian missile attacks. Meanwhile, in Iran, 639 people have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded in the Israeli assault, according to Iranian media reports.
CBS News
21-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Israel-Iran war enters second week with more strikes as warning against U.S. intervention issued
The second week of the Israel-Iran war began with additional strikes targeting an Iranian nuclear research facility as Iran's foreign minister issued a warning against the United States joining the conflict. Early Saturday, smoke could be seen rising from an area near a mountain in Isfahan, where a local official said Israel had attacked the nuclear research facility in two waves. Rocket trails are seen in the sky above the Israeli coastal city of Netanya amid a fresh barrage of Iranian missile attacks on June 21, 2025. JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images The target was two centrifuge production sites, and the attacks came on top of strikes on other centrifuge production sites elsewhere in recent days, according to an Israeli military official speaking on condition of anonymity under army guidelines to brief reporters. It was the second attack on Isfahan, which was hit in the first 24 hours of the war as part of Israel's goal to destroy the Iranian nuclear program. Akbar Salehi, Isfahan province's deputy governor for security affairs, confirmed the Israeli strikes had caused damage to the facility but said there had been no human casualties. Israeli air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, June 21, 2025. Leo Correa / AP Israel's defense minister said Saturday that the military had also killed three senior Iranian commanders in targeted attacks – including a commander of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who he said financed and armed Hamas in preparation for the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the 20-month-long war in Gaza. Iran launched a new wave of drones and missiles at Israel but there were no immediate reports of significant damage, and the Israeli official called it a "small barrage" that was largely intercepted by Israel's defenses. Israeli soldiers and first responders inspect the damage at the site of an Iranian strike in Beit She'an on June 21, 2025, amid the ongoing fire exchange between Iran and Israel. JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images The official said part of the reason that Iran's overnight attack had been relatively small was that the military had been targeting its launchers and estimates it has now taken out more than 50% of them. "We've been able to take out a large amount of their launchers, creating a bottleneck — we're making it harder for them to fire toward Israel," he said. "Having said all that, I want to say the Iranian regime obviously still has capabilities." Iran warns against U.S. involvement in conflict President Trump continues to consider whether the U.S. will militarily intervene in the Israel-Iran war, as he faces pressure from some world leaders to find a diplomatic solution. He said earlier this week that he will decide within two weeks if the U.S. will get involved in the conflict. The timeframe, some American and European officials say, is a "last shot" at diplomacy. "I'm giving them a period of time," Mr. Trump told reporters in Bedminster, N.J., on Friday. "We're gonna see what that period of time is, but I would say two weeks would be the maximum." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who met with European officials in Geneva on Friday, said he was open to further dialogue. However, he said, Tehran had no interest in negotiating with the U.S. while Israel continued attacking. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks to the media as he arrives to the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting, in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, June 21, 2025. Mehmet Guzel / AP Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Saturday, Araghchi said any military action by the U.S. "would be very unfortunate." "I think that it would be very, very dangerous for everyone," he said. The war between Israel and Iran erupted on June 13, with Israeli airstrikes targeting nuclear and military sites, top generals and nuclear scientists. At least 657 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 2,000 wounded, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Iran has retaliated by firing more than 450 missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, according to Israeli army estimates. Most have been shot down by Israel's multitiered air defenses, but at least 24 people in Israel have been killed and hundreds wounded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel's military operation in Iran would continue "for as long as it takes" to eliminate what he called the existential threat of Iran's nuclear program and arsenal of ballistic missiles. But Netanyahu's goal could be out of reach without U.S. help. Barring a commando raid or even a nuclear strike, Iran's underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility is considered to be out of reach to all but America's "bunker-buster" bombs. Israel continues fighting wars on different fronts As the conflict with Iran escalates, Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza continues to intensify. Hospitals in Gaza City reported that overnight strikes killed at least 84 people and injured more than 120 others. The recent strikes have targeted mobile phone charging points and residential homes, CBS News' team in Gaza reported. Relatives of Palestinians, who lost their lives in Israeli attacks, mourn as the bodies are brought to Al-Shifa hospital for funeral procedures in Gaza City. Abdalhkem Abu Riash/Anadolu via Getty Images The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said Saturday that more than 200 bodies were brought to hospitals across Gaza in the past 48 hours and more than 1,000 people were wounded. An Israeli military official told CBS News that Israel is getting used to fighting in multiple arenas and the war in Gaza is still ongoing. contributed to this report.
