Israel-Iran Conflict: Indian students evacuated from Iran land in Delhi as airstrikes intensify; Trump undecided on US involvement

Australia has started evacuating citizens from Israel amid rising regional tensions, with nearly 3,000 Australians registered for assistance across the Middle East, according to CNN. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that a small group was evacuated by land on Wednesday, and more are expected to follow within 24 hours as the situation grows “increasingly dangerous.” She reiterated Australia’s call for Iran to halt any nuclear weapons program and return to negotiations, saying, “Iran has a choice here... to discontinue its program and to return to talks.”

Around 100 Indian students evacuated from Iran amid Israeli airstrikes landed in Delhi on Thursday morning, as per reports by CNN, returning via Armenia under the government’s Operation Sindhu. According to Indian media reports, the students were first transported by road to Armenia on Tuesday and later flown out from the capital city, Yerevan, on a special flight arranged by Indian authorities.

“As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas seeing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country and to subsequently evacuate them using the available and feasible options,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Israel’s Air Force is carrying out a series of strikes targeting Tehran and other parts of Iran, according to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces early Thursday, CNN reported. This comes after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps earlier confirmed that air defense systems had been activated over Tehran.

The Israeli Air Force has confirmed that Israeli military is now conducting a series of strikes in Iran's capital city Tehran and other areas of the country, BBC reported.

The Israeli Air Force in a post on X confirmed the development and stated that it has begun "a wave of attacks in Tehran and other areas" without providing further details on the targets of the strikes being conducted.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said that it has issued evacuation warning for the residents of Arak and Khandab in Iran, Reuters reported.

The United States officials are reportedly preparing for a strike on Iran in the coming days, Bloomberg has reported. President Donald Trump has said that he isn't decisive about whether America would attack Iran or not.

The report, citing the people, noted that the situation is still evolving and could change. Some of the people, according to Bloomberg, pointed to potential plans for a weekend strike.

Speaking to reporters earlier on Wednesday outside the White House, Trump declined to say if he had made any decision on whether to join Israel's campaign. "I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said.

The prospect of a US strike against Iran has exposed divisions in the coalition of supporters that brought President Donald Trump to power, with some of his base urging him not to get the country involved in a new Middle East war.

Some of Trump's most prominent Republican allies, including top lieutenant Steve Bannon, have found themselves in the unusual position of being at odds with a president who largely shares their isolationist tendencies.

Bannon, one of many influential voices from Trump's "America First" coalition, on Wednesday urged caution about the US military joining Israel in trying to destroy Iran's nuclear program in the absence of a diplomatic deal. "We can't do this again," Bannon told reporters at an event sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor in Washington. "We'll tear the country apart. We can't have another Iraq."

The anti-interventionist part of the Republican Party is watching with alarm as Trump has moved swiftly from seeking a peaceful diplomatic settlement with Iran to possibly having the United States support Israel's military campaign, including the use of a 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bomb.

- Reuters

The Israeli Air Force has said that it intercepted a drone which was launched from Iran as alerts triggered across Israel in the early morning of Thursday.

The Israeli Air Force on X wrote, "The Air Force intercepted an unmanned aerial vehicle launched from Iran."

Iranian authorities have arrested '18 enemy agents' who were building drones in the northeastern city of Mashhad for the Israeli attacks, Reuters reported quoting Iran's news agencies.

Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1,329 others, a human rights group said Thursday. The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists released the figures, which covers the entirety of Iran. It said of those dead, it identified 263 civilians and 154 security force personnel being killed.

Human Rights Activists, which also provided detailed casualty figures during the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, crosschecks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources it has developed in the country. Iran has not given regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the death toll at 224 people being killed and 1,277 others being wounded.

- AP

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said that it continues to strike Iran while intercepting its missiles being fired into Israeli territory. The IDF said that it targeted more than 20 military sites in Iran's capital city Tehran on Wednesday night.

The IDF stated that it hit "key nuclear and missile sites" in Tehran which the Israeli military claims "fuel Iran’s weapons program and attacks on Israeli civilians".

Israel's defence system intercepted most of the Iranian missiles fired towards it, BBC reported.

US President Donald Trump reportedly approved a plan to attack Iran, but has not made a final decision, reported CBS News.

The report, quoting a senior intelligence officer, states that Trump held off from attacking Iran in case Tehran agreed to abandon its nuclear program.

When asked about US involvement in attacking Iran, Trump on Wednesday said, "I may do it, I may not do it."

US President Donald Trump's meeting in the Situation Room at the White House ended on Wednesday. The US president has rallied his top military advisers as he ponders over the next move regarding Israel-Iran conflict.

The United Nations Security Council has said that it will convene an emergency session on Friday at the request of Iran, Russia, China, Pakistan and Algeria to discuss the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, CBS News reported.

In response to the emergency session meeting, Danny Dannon, the Israeli Ambassador to the UN said "Israel not only defended itself, it eliminated a major threat facing the entire free world."

The UN Security Council session would take place at 10:00 EDT (15:00 BST) on Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said that he can mediate between Iran and Israel to end the growing conflict and suggested that the Kremlin can help negotiate a deal between the two warring nations, so that Tehran can pursue a peaceful nuclear program while relieving the pressure and concern of Israeli security.

While speaking to press, Putin said “it's a delicate issue,” but added that “in my view, a solution could be found.” When asked by reporters how would Russia react if Israel kills Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Putin refused to answer, stating that “I don't even want to discuss such a possibility.”

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he doesn't want to carry out a US strike on Iran but suggested he stands ready to act if it's necessary to extinguish Iran's nuclear program. Trump continued his increasingly pointed warnings about the US joining Israel in striking at Tehran's nuclear program as Iran's leader warned anew that the United States would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it attacks.

The stakes are high for Trump and the world as he engages in a push-pull debate between his goals of avoiding dragging the US into another war and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. “I’m not looking to fight," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "But if it’s a choice between fighting and having a nuclear weapon, you have to do what you have to do.”

Trump pondered his next steps as the US embassy in Israel began evacuating a number of diplomats and family members who had asked to leave Israel. Meanwhile, senior European diplomats are set to hold talks with Iran in Geneva on Friday, according to a European official familiar with the matter.

- AP

The Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for the launch of evacuation effort, after 110 students were evacuated from the war-torn Iran.

"We remain hopeful that all remaining students will be evacuated soon," the Jammu and Kashmir Students' Association said in a statement.

First flight carrying over 100 Indian students, who were evacuated from war-torn Iran to Armenia, has successfully landed in Delhi early on Thursday, PTI reported.

The decision to evacuate Indian students came after Israel and Iran got involved in a conflict, trading strikes at each other and heightening tension in the Middle East region.

Amid escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, Indian students in Tehran were moved out of the city, 110 of them crossing the border into Armenia, through arrangements made by the Indian Embassy on Tuesday under 'Operation Sindhu'.

President Donald Trump kept the world guessing on Wednesday whether the U.S. will join Israel's bombardment of Iranian nuclear and missile sites, as residents of Iran's capital streamed out of the city on the sixth day of the air assault.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump declined to say if he had made any decision on whether to join Israel's campaign. "I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said.

Offering a glimmer of hope for negotiations, Trump in later remarks said Iranian officials wanted to come to Washington for a meeting and that "we may do that." But he added, "It's a little late" for such talks.

The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain plan to hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday in Geneva, a German diplomatic source told Reuters. The aim of the talks, which the source said are taking place in coordination with the United States, is to persuade Iran to firmly guarantee that it will use its nuclear program solely for civilian purposes. —Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin says that that all parties involved should look for solutions to end the conflict between Israel and Iran. Moscow has shared its proposals for achieving peace, he added.

A handout photo made available by the Iranian Army on 18 June 2025 shows the wreckage of a downed Israeli drone near the city of Isfahan, Iran.

At least one – and perhaps as many as three – aircraft associated with the Iranian government appear to have flown to Muscat in Oman on Wednesday afternoon where cancelled talks on Iran’s nuclear programme were supposed to take place on Sunday but were cancelled amid Israel’s attack.

-The Guardian

According to the Ministry of Communications, Iran will temporarily impose restrictions on internet access.

The United States is arranging evacuation efforts for its citizens in Israel, including flights and cruise ship departures, US ambassador Mike Huckabee announced on Wednesday in a post on X. He said the US embassy in Jerusalem is coordinating the plans and urged American nationals to register with the State Department’s Smart Traveler programme for updates.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has defended Iran’s response to Israel’s military strikes, calling it “legitimate self-defence” against what he described as Israeli “state-terrorism.” He accused Israel of killing hundreds of civilians and targeting medical workers, journalists, and residential areas in its recent attacks. “These attacks were organised while the Iranian nuclear negotiations were taking place,” Erdoğan said, adding that Israel, a nuclear-armed state that “does not recognise any international rules,” carried out a “terrorist act” without waiting for the talks to conclude.

Iran told the International Maritime Organization’s security committee that Israel had expanded its “unlawful attacks” to include strikes on petrochemical and gas infrastructure in Asalouyeh, a major energy hub on Iran’s Gulf coast. “These actions directly endanger international maritime security and the global energy supply chain,” the Iranian delegation said in a livestreamed statement. Warning of broader consequences, Iran added that without urgent international intervention, the risk of escalation at sea was “imminent.” Iran has previously threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil trade. On Wednesday, maritime agencies advised commercial vessels to avoid Iranian waters near the strait.

Iran has firmly rejected Trump’s claim that Iranian officials sought a meeting at the White House. In a post on X, Iran’s mission to the UN said, “No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House,” adding that “the only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s Supreme Leader.” The mission further declared, “Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance,” echoing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s stance that Iranians “do not answer well to the language of threat.”

US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday said that he has asked the Trump administration to provide all 100 senators a classified briefing on the situation unfolding between Israel and Iran that has resulted in days of the two countries trading missile attacks.

"We've gotten briefings and I have requested that we get an all-senators classified briefing," Schumer said, adding that he believes it will be granted.

Iran has issued an evacuation warning for residents of the Israeli city of Haifa according to Iran's SNN News

India launches Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran with the first flights coming to Delhi at 2am.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency reports that a pregnant woman just weeks from giving birth was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in Najafabad.

The strike targeted two vehicles, killing six people in total, including the woman’s husband and two children, aged 10 and 13.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says that if and when decisions of war and peace are made by President Trump, the Department of Defence "stands ready to execute."

Typically a declaration of war needs to be ratified by the Senate.

Trump says nothing has been won yet but that a lot of progress has been made. "We've been threatened by Iran for many years," he says, adding that for a long time he's said Iran shouldn't have a nuclear weapon. "I mean it evern more now," he added.

Trump also said Iran's negotiators had suggested they "may come to the White House," though he acknowledged it was difficult.

He added he was unsure “how long” the conflict would continue, noting Iran’s air defences had been “decimated.”

“Two very simple words: unconditional surrender,” Trump said. “I've had it.”

He also expressed distrust in Iran’s nuclear intentions, saying he believes the country harbours “bad intentions” with its programme.

Despite his hardline stance, Trump noted he is fond of Iranians and has met many over the years.

The US president has been speaking to reporters on the lawn of the White House.

Asked if the US was moving closer to striking Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump replied, “I can’t say that … You don’t seriously think I’m going to answer that question.”

“You don’t know that I’m going to even do it. You don’t know. I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he said.

“I can tell you this – Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate. And I said, ‘Why didn’t you negotiate with me before – all this death and destruction.’ Why didn’t you negotiate? I said to the people, ‘Why didn’t you negotiate with me two weeks ago? You could have done fine. You would have had a country.'”

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that air force jets had destroyed Iran’s “internal security headquarters,” shortly after the army announced strikes on military targets in Tehran, AFP reports.
“Air Force jets have just destroyed the internal security headquarters of the Iranian regime – the main arm of repression of the Iranian dictator,” Katz said in a statement, vowing to “strike symbols of governance and hit the Ayatollah regime wherever it may be.”

Israel will ease domestic restrictions imposed during the war with Iran and will “reopen its economy,” Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday.
In a statement after approving the changes, Katz said they would apply to most of the country starting Wednesday evening.
“While we continue our intense fight against Iran until the threats are removed, we will also reopen the economy, ease restrictions, and restore Israel to paths of creativity, activity, and security,” he said.

According to Reuters, the Israeli military has said that it is attacking military targets in Tehran.

Germany’s foreign minister has urged Iran to provide credible assurances that it is not pursuing a nuclear weapon and to demonstrate a genuine willingness to seek a negotiated solution amid growing fears of further military escalation with Israel.

“We are still ready to negotiate a solution. However, Iran must act urgently … it is never too late to come to the negotiating table if one comes with sincere intentions,” Johann Wadephul said at a news conference with his Jordanian counterpart.

Iran, however, says it has no trust in the US or its Western allies following Israel’s surprise attack last week, just days before the next round of nuclear talks was scheduled.

The leaders of Russia and the United Arab Emirates warned on Wednesday of “extremely negative consequences” from the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, AFP reports.

During a phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to mediate, with the Kremlin saying Moscow is “ready to provide mediation assistance to promote dialogue between the parties.”

Both leaders voiced deep concern over the regional fallout of continued hostilities.

Multiple explosions have been heard in different areas of East Tehran, Reuters is reporting, citing Iran’s Nournews.

AFP reports that black smoke is visible in east.

The Israeli military said public safety guidelines that have mandated school closures, among other restrictions, would ease in some areas from 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

Parts of the Israeli occupied-Golan Heights and West Bank, in addition to Israeli communities near Gaza and in Eilat in Israel's south would be changed from "essential activity" to "limited activity" or "partial activity".

The changes would be in effect until 8:00 p.m. on June 20, the military said.

- Reuters

Iran’s Supreme Leader delivered a pointed message to the US, with three key takeaways.

First, he noted that Israel’s strikes came while Iran was engaged in indirect nuclear talks with Washington, and that Tehran had shown no signs of aggression.

Second, he warned that Iran would not surrender and that any US military intervention would result in irreversible damage.

Third, he framed potential US involvement as a sign of Israel’s weakness.

He also expressed solidarity with Iranian civilians affected by the Israeli attacks.

According to the RIA, the Russian Foreign Ministry has released a statement saying, "we are milimetres away from catastrophe" due to daily Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

Khamenei said, “Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation, and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender,” he said in a statement read by a television presenter on Wednesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Iran had the “legitimate” right to defend itself in the face of Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign, AFP reports.

“It is a very natural, legitimate and legal right for Iran to defend itself against Israel’s thuggery and state terrorism,” he said, a day after referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “the biggest threat to the security of the region”.

“These attacks were organised while the Iranian nuclear negotiations were taking place,” Erdogan said.

“Israel, which possesses nuclear weapons and does not recognise any international rules … did not wait for the negotiations to end, but carried out a terrorist act without waiting for the result."

“We are closely following Israel’s terrorist attacks on Iran. All our institutions are on high alert regarding the possible effects of these attacks on Turkey.

He added, “We are making preparations for every kind of scenario.

“Nobody should dare to test us.”

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei told the Iranian press that "(the US) should know that Iran will not surrender and any US strike will have serious irreparable consequences."

He added that Iran would not accept an imposed peace or war.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned on Wednesday that direct US military assistance to Israel could radically destabilise the Middle East.

According to the Interfax news agency, Ryabkov said Moscow cautions Washington against providing such support — or even considering it. He added that Russia remains in contact with both Israel and Iran, Reuters reports.

Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin announced the figure at a news conference, according to The Times of Israel.

He said the strikes show that Israel is “operating systematically to neutralise the nuclear threat.”

“The Air Force is operating freely in Iran – this is unprecedented,” Defrin added, according to a military statement that included video footage of what appeared to be an air strike inside Iran.

Britain says it is temporarily withdrawing the family members of staff at its embassy and consulate in Israel due to the heightened risks from the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.

“Family members of staff at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate in Jerusalem have been temporarily withdrawn as a precautionary measure,” the Foreign Office said in an update on its travel advice page for Israel.

It added, “The Embassy and Consulate continue with essential work, including services to British nationals.”

Israeli military strikes have hit two Iranian facilities involved in producing components for centrifuges used to enrich uranium, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday, according to Reuters. The sites were identified as the TESA Karaj workshop and the Tehran Research Center.

The International Atomic Energy Agency posted on X:

"At the Tehran site, one building was hit where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested. At Karaj, two buildings were destroyed where different centrifuge components were manufactured."

Former Iranian Economy Minister Ehsan Khandouzi has called for all tankers and LNG cargoes to be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz only with Iranian permission, saying the policy should be enforced “from tomorrow for a hundred days.”

It remains unclear whether Khandouzi was voicing a position under consideration by Iran’s leadership or sharing a personal view.

Tehran has long threatened to block the strategic waterway — a vital global energy route — as a form of leverage against Western pressure, though it has not followed through. Tensions have escalated sharply since Israel launched an air war on Iran last week.

“This policy [of controlling maritime transit in the Strait] is decisive if implemented on time. Any delay in carrying it out means prolonging war inside the country,” Khandouzi posted on X on Tuesday.

According to a Greyhouse poll, approval rating for Trump are at a record high amongst Republicans, 95 per cent of whom agree with his foreign policy.

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.

Baghaei said: “Any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region.” President Donald Trump initially distanced himself from Israel's attacks on Iran but has hinted at greater US involvement, saying he wants something “much bigger” than a ceasefire. The US has also sent more warplanes to the region. (AP)

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

Iran's nuclear chief Eslami said that the situation in Iranian nuclear facilities is "good", reported news agency Reuters. This comes as Israel continues to attack Iran's nuclear and military bases in an attempt to prevent Tehran from developing an atomic weapon.

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

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said that it intercepted three Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which were launched from Iran in the Israeli region on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Israel began flying home citizens stranded abroad on Wednesday, launching a phased airlift operation after the country's surprise military strike on Iran left tens of thousands of Israelis stuck overseas. The first rescue flight, operated by national carrier El Al , touched down at Ben Gurion Airport early Wednesday morning, bringing home passengers from Larnaca, Cyprus.

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

El Al has said repatriation flights are already scheduled from Athens, Rome, Milan and Paris. Smaller rivals Arkia and Israir are also taking part in the operation. "We are preparing for the airlift to bring all Israelis home," Transportation Minister Miri Regev told the captain of the arriving El Al flight before it landed, according to a statement released by the Israeli Aviation Authority.

"We are very emotional about receiving the first rescue flight as part of 'Safe Return'. Land safely," she added.

Tel Aviv's airport has been closed to passenger traffic since Israel launched its attack on Friday. The Airports Authority reinforced staffing on Wednesday to ensure the arriving passengers exited the airport quickly. They were shuttled to their parked vehicles or transported via train and bus to city centres nationwide.

- Reuters

Iran's police force have intercepted 14 drones and identified hostile drone-producing workshops and drone-carrying vehicles across various provinces, police spokesperson Saeed Montazerolmahdi said on Wednesday according to the Iranian Labour news agency.

Flights took off for Israel on Wednesday from Cyprus, airport sources and web flight tracking sites showed, ferrying home Israelis stranded abroad during the conflict with Iran. Israel's airspace has been closed since the two countries began trading attacks on Friday, stranding tens of thousands whose flights to Tel Aviv were cancelled.

Israel announced special flights for the repatriation of its nationals on Tuesday. One flight operated by Arkia left Cyprus's Larnaca airport at 07:25 am (0425 GMT) for Tel Aviv. Nine more were expected to depart Wednesday for Haifa, and four for Tel Aviv, carrying about 1,000 people, sources in airport operator Hermes said.

Israel's Transportation Ministry has said as many as 150,000 Israelis are abroad, with about a third trying to get home. Large numbers have converged on Cyprus, the European Union member nation closest to Israel. Earlier on Wednesday, a cruise ship arrived in Cyprus carrying 1,500 participants in a Jewish heritage programme who had left Israel on Tuesday.

- Reuters

The Israeli military has claimed that it is close to dismantling Iran's nuclear program after it was confirmed with satellite images that Israeli strikes have hit Natanz nuclear site, with destroyed equipment visible above ground.

However, reports claim that several equipment and components are buried deep underground which raises questions about how much damage airstrikes can do to them, DW reported.

Amid the heightened tension and conflict between Israel and Iran, the US Navy has said that it expects two aircraft carrier strike groups, one led by the USS Nimitz and the other by the USS Carl Vinson, to be available in the Middle East.

According to US officials, the USS Nimitz group left South Asian waters on Monday for the Middle East region where it is poised to join the USS Vinson group, which ahs already been in the region for the past seven months due to its deployment, reported CNN.

The US Department of State has announced that they have setup a Middle East task force for the American citizens to help and coordinate during the Israel-Iran conflict.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce announced the formation of task force during a press conference on Tuesday.

"We continue to monitor the complex and rapidly evolving situation on the ground as we continue to assess and address the needs of US citizens," Bruce said, reported DW.

Russian foreign ministry has called the Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear site as "illegal" and stressed that diplomacy was the only way forward.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called Iran's nuclear program "peaceful", reported DW.

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz has supported Israel in its war against Iran and said that Tel Aviv is doing the "dirty work for all of us".

Intense Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s capital early Wednesday in a conflict that a human rights group said had killed at least 585 people across Iran and wounded 1,326 others. The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists said it had identified 239 of those killed in Israeli strikes as civilians and 126 as security personnel. The group, which also provided detailed casualty figures during the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, crosschecks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources it has developed in the country.

Iran has not been publishing regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. Its last update, issued Monday, put the death toll at 224 people killed and 1,277 others wounded. Uncertainty roiled the region and residents of Tehran fled their homes in droves on the sixth day of Israel’s air campaign aimed at Iran’s military and nuclear program.

Israel asserts it had to launch its airstrike campaign to stop Iran from getting closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon. It came as Iran and the United States had been negotiating over the possibility of a new diplomatic deal over Tehran’s program, though President Donald Trump has said Israel’s campaign came after a 60-day window he set for the talks.

- AP

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has stated that they have attacked a centrifuge production site and several weapons production sites on Iran on Tuesday night, Reuters reported.

As tensions and hostilities rose between Israel and Iran, a social media conflict was up between US President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Here's a look at their messages in past 24 hours:

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has said that strikes by Iran have hit the capital city Tel Aviv and the port city of Haifa and both are densely populated area of Israel.

Meanwhile, Israel has conducted more than 100 airstrikes on Iran's capital city Tehran, which is home to about 10 million people.

The US military is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, bolstering US military forces in the region as the war between Israel and Iran rages, three US officials said. One of the officials said the deployments include F-16, F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft.

Two of the officials stressed the defensive nature of the deployment of fighter aircraft, which have been used to shoot down drones and projectiles. - Reuters

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

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have said that air raid sirens were sounded in northern Israel after a hostile aircraft infiltrated the airspace, Reuters reported.

US President Donald Trump is all set to meet Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir on Wednesday, amid the escalating tension between Israel and Iran.

Trump and Munir will have lunch together in the White House and reports suggest the meeting was already scheduled. According to BBC, Pakistan's General Munir has been in the United States since June 14.

The meeting could be significant as Iran and Pakistan share border with each other and there are speculations that Israel, Iran conflict could spill over in the region.

As US President Donald Trump returned to Washington after cutting short his G7 Summit trip to Canada and two US officials have said that the president is weighing options and warming up to the idea of using US military assets to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, CNN reported.

According to the report, Israel is awaiting the response of the White House whether or not President Trump would help Tel Aviv in finishing the job of destroying Iran’s nuclear program.

As Iran launched missiles at Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, the projectiles could be seen flying and hovering above the skies of Israel's capital city Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, BBC reported.

Air defenses situated in Iran's capital Tehran are repelling the projectiles fired upon by Israel, the semi-official Iranian outlet Mehr News Agency reported.

The news agency posted a video related to the incident on its X page wherein flashes could be seen in the sky as explosions were heard throughout Tehran, CNN reported.

Iranian state television on Tuesday afternoon urged people to remove WhatsApp from their smartphones, alleging without specific evidence that the messaging app gathered user information to send to Israel. In a statement, WhatsApp said it was “concerned these false reports will be an excuse for our services to be blocked at a time when people need them the most.” WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption, meaning a service provider in the middle can’t read a message. “We do not track your precise location, we don’t keep logs of who everyone is messaging and we do not track the personal messages people are sending one another," it added. “We do not provide bulk information to any government.”

End-to-end encryption means that messages are scrambled so that only the sender and recipient can see them. If anyone else intercepts the message, all they will see is a garble that can’t be unscrambled without the key. Gregory Falco, an assistant professor of engineering at Cornell University and cybersecurity expert, said it’s been demonstrated that it's possible to understand metadata about WhatsApp that does not get encrypted.

- AP

The Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued an evacuation order for the neighbourhoods in Israel's capital city Tel Aviv, reported Iran's local media.

The development comes after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it intercepted two drones flying from the east, which led to the red alert sirens in the Dead Sea region of Israel, BBC reported.

In its latest barrage of strikes on Tehran, Israel has attacked Imam Hossein University which is linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards in Eastern Tehran, Reuters reported quoting Iran's local media outlets.

Israeli military is targeting Khojir missile production facility in Iran's capital Tehran in its latest strike, Iranian state media has said, as reported by Reuters.

The Khojir missile production facility is significant to Iran as it is a ballistic missile-related infrastructure and it was targeted by Israel in October 2024.

Oil prices ticked up in early trading on Wednesday after ending the previous session up more than 4% on worries that the Iran-Israel conflict could disrupt supplies. Brent crude futures rose 19 cents, or 0.25%, to $76.64 a barrel by 0029 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 23 cents, or 0.31%, to $75.07 per barrel. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for Iran's "unconditional surrender" as the Iran-Israel air war entered a sixth day.

The US military is deploying more fighter aircraft to the region to bolster its forces, three officials said on Tuesday.

Analysts said the market was largely worried about supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a fifth of the world's seaborne oil. Two oil tankers collided near the strait and caught fire on Tuesday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations had warned on Monday that electronic interference is affecting ships' navigation systems.

Iran is OPEC's third-largest producer extracting about 3.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, but analysts say other members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries could use their spare capacity to make up for a drop in Iranian output. Markets are also looking ahead to a second day of US Federal Reserve discussions on Wednesday, in which the central bank is expected to leave its benchmark overnight interest rate in the 4.25%-4.50% range.

- Reuters

The semi-official state media Mehr news agency confirmed on X that Iranian military has launched Fattah-1 missile at Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

"The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) described the latest phase of the operation as a 'turning point,' saying the deployment of first-generation Fattah missiles marked 'the beginning of the end' for Israel’s 'mythical' missile defence systems," BBC reported quoting state-owned Press TV.

After US President Donald Trump gave stern warning to Iran and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talked about eliminating the supreme leader, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned in post on X, "In the name of the noble Haidar, the battle begins.”

Iran has launched Fattah missiles toward Israel on early Wednesday, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency.

According to Iran, Fattah missiles are a “hypersonic” missile that travels at Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound (about 3,800 miles per hour, 6,100 kilometers per hour), CNN reported.

The Israeli military has warned the residents of Tehran's District 18 to evacuate the area as soon as possible as Israel's defence forces warned that it could carry out strikes over there.

"Your presence in this area will put your life in danger," the Israeli military post the message on X.

The US is shifting military aircraft and warships into and around the Middle East to protect Israel from Iranian attacks as President Donald Trump warns Tehran to step back from the conflict. Trump's social media posts saying his patience with Iran was “wearing thin" have raised the possibility of deepening U.S. involvement, perhaps by using its bunker-busting bomb to strike a key Iranian nuclear site built deep underground in the mountains. Israel doesn't have the massive munition it would take to destroy the Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant, or the aircraft needed to deliver it.

Only the US does. As America's national security leaders discuss the next steps, the Pentagon has moved to ensure that its troops and bases in the region are protected. Here’s a look at the US military presence in the Middle East: US aircraft moving to the Middle East

In a social media post, Trump warned that “we now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran.” US officials insisted as of Tuesday that the American military has not taken any offensive actions against Iran, only defensive strikes to take out incoming Iranian missiles to protect Israel. Additional US fighter jets and refueling tankers have been deployed to the region, but officials have declined to provide specific numbers.

- AP

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said that it conducting a series of strikes at Iran on early Wednesday as explosion hit Tehran's suburb, while flames and smoke were seen rising the Islamic country's capital city, Reuters reported quoting Nour News.

Israel claimed Tuesday to have killed a top Iranian general as it traded more strikes with its longtime foe, and US President Donald Trump warned Tehran's residents to evacuate while demanding that Iran surrender without conditions. Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early to deal with the conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters: “I’m not looking at a ceasefire. We’re looking at better than a ceasefire.”

When asked to explain, he said the US wanted to see "a real end" to the conflict that could involve Iran “giving up entirely." He added: “I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.” Later on social media, he warned Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that the US knows where he is hiding and called for Iran's “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER." It was not clear whether that was a suggestion for Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions. Trump posted that there were no plans to kill Khamenei “at least not for now.” Despite warning that US “patience is wearing thin,” he indicated that diplomatic talks remained an option, and said he could send Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians.

Iran offered no immediate response to the president's posts, but the country’s military leaders vowed that Israel would soon see more attacks. “The operations carried out so far have been solely for the purpose of warning and deterrence,” Gen. Abdul Rahim Mousavi, the commander in chief of Iran’s army, said in a video. “The punishment operation will be carried out soon.” Uncertainty roiled the region on the fifth day of Israel's air campaign aimed at Iran's military and nuclear program. Residents of Tehran fled their homes in droves.

- AP

The US Embassy in Jerusalem will be shut from Wednesday till Friday due to the security situation in the region and to comply with Israeli guidance, the US State Department said on Tuesday.

"Given the security situation and in compliance with Israel Home Front Command guidance, the US Embassy in Jerusalem will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday, June 18) through Friday (June 20). This includes the Consular Sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv," the State Department said on X.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have confirmed that a fresh barrage of missiles were fired upon by Iran towards its capital city Tel Aviv and other central Israel region on Tuesday night.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have claimed responsibility for missile attacks on Israeli air bases, which they claim were used to launch military strikes against Iran. According to the Iranian statement, the strikes are part of a larger operation that will "continue in a successive, complex, multi-layered and gradual manner". _The Guardian

A senior Houthi official has stated that the group will intervene to support Iran in the event of an escalation with Israel, drawing parallels with their involvement in supporting Gaza. In an interview with Al Jazeera Mubasher TV, the official emphasized the group's commitment to standing in solidarity with Iran against Israeli aggression.-Reuters

Russia's Foreign Ministry denounced on Tuesday continued Israeli attacks on Iran as illegal and said a solution to the conflict over Tehran's nuclear programme could only be found through diplomacy.

"The continuing intensive attacks by Israel on Iran's peaceful nuclear sites are illegal in terms of international law and create unacceptable threats to international security and push the world to a nuclear catastrophe...," the ministry said in a statement posted on Telegram. -Reuters

Iran arrested on Tuesday a foreigner for filming "sensitive" areas near the country's Bushehr nuclear power plant for Israel, Iranian media reported.

The Iranian website eghtesadonline said the unnamed foreigner, whose nationality was not disclosed, resided illegally and filmed the power plant for Israel's spy agency Mossad. (Reuters)

The Israeli Defense Forces has confirmed a new wave of incoming missiles fired from Iran, prompting sirens to sound in various parts of the country, particularly in the north and Haifa.

Citizens have been instructed to seek shelter immediately. According to the Israeli military, defensive systems are actively working to intercept the threat.

This development comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, with the IDF on high alert to respond to potential attacks.(CNN)

Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, has responded to Iran's government urging citizens to delete WhatsApp, denying allegations that the app shares user information with Israel. According to the BBC, a Meta spokesperson expressed concern that these false claims might lead to unnecessary blocking of WhatsApp's services, stating:

"We do not provide bulk information to any government. For over a decade, Meta has provided consistent transparency reports that include the limited circumstances when WhatsApp information has been requested."

The spokesperson emphasized WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption feature, which ensures that only the sender and recipient have access to messages:

"All messages you send to family and friends on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, meaning no one except the sender and recipient has access to those messages."

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce says the administration will stand by Trump's words regarding his desire for a "real end" to the Iran-Israel conflict. When asked to elaborate, Bruce declined to speculate, stating that Trump is the singular guiding force behind US policy decisions moving forward. -BBC

French President Emmanuel Macron believes there may have been a change in US President Donald Trump's opinion on Iran since yesterday.-Reuters

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him the "greatest threat" to security in the Middle East, according to CNN.

Erdogan made the remarks during a phone call with Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, emphasizing the need to end the spiral of violence and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Erdogan has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions, labeling it a "terror state" and drawing comparisons between Netanyahu and Hitler.

Israel is confronting threats from multiple directions, according to IDF spokesperson Effie Defrin. "While we are working to remove threats from Iran, we are still fighting their proxy, Hamas, in Gaza," he stated. Defrin emphasized that Hamas continues to hold 53 hostages in brutal conditions and vowed that Israel will not rest until they are safely returned home. (BBC)

Iran's top military commander, Abdolrahim Mousavi, has warned residents in Haifa and Tel Aviv to evacuate ahead of a potential "punitive operation," according to CNN. Mousavi stated that previous operations were just a warning and a larger-scale response is imminent.

"The operations carried out so far have been a warning for deterrence and a punitive operation will be carried out soon," Mousavi said in a video statement, referencing the recent killings of Iranian commanders and scientists.

Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are calling for caution as the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates. According to reports, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed warned that uncalculated and reckless steps could lead to a wider regional conflict.

Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged for a ceasefire during phone calls with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, emphasizing the need for diplomacy to prevent further escalation.-The Guardian

US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering military action against Iranian nuclear facilities, marking a significant shift in his approach.

According to CNN, Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with diplomatic efforts and is now open to using US military assets to strike Iranian nuclear sites, unless Iran makes substantial concessions.

Trump emphasized his objective is a "real end" to the conflict, not just a temporary ceasefire. This development comes amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, with the US positioning military assets in the region.

The United Kingdom has deployed Royal Air Force fighter jets to the Middle East to protect its presence in Cyprus and Oman from potential Iranian threats, according to UK Defense Secretary John Healey.

The primary goal of this deployment is to reinforce de-escalation and security in the region, while also potentially supporting allies. (The Guardian)

Multiple explosions have been heard west of Tehran, according to Iranian state media IRNA. (Reuters)

The Iranian regime has advised its citizens to stop using WhatsApp, Telegram, and other location-based apps, citing Israel's alleged use of mobile phone tracking to target individuals in the country.

According to a security report cited by Iran's state-run news agency IRIB, these apps pose a significant risk in the current circumstances, especially after recent targeted assassinations, including those of scientists.

Citizens are urged to switch off their mobile phones when changing locations and avoid taking them to sensitive areas, as reported by CNN.

US President Donald Trump has convened a meeting with his national security team in the White House Situation Room to discuss the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

Trump returned to Washington early from the G7 summit in Canada to address the situation, weighing potential US involvement.

The Situation Room meeting comes after Israel requested a "defensive posture" from the US, and over 30 US aerial refueling tankers have been deployed to the region to potentially support Israeli operations, according to CNN citing a White House official.

Pentagon is moving more fighter jets to the Middle East and extending the deployment of air assets already in the region, according to a report by Reuters.

Pakistan has recalled families of diplomats and some non-essential staff from Iran amid escalating tensions in the region, an official said Tuesday.

"The staff members identified as non-essential have been instructed to return to Pakistan along with their families," the Foreign Ministry official said, adding that arrangements have been made to facilitate the safe return of the staff.

However, the official said that Pakistan Embassy in Tehran and its Consulates will continue to remain functional.

Earlier, a total of 78 Pakistanis, including 47 students, returned to Pakistan through the Taftan border on Tuesday, raising the total number of repatriated citizens to 1,200.

- PTI

According to Israeli Mehr News Agency, Iran's senior army commander has called on Israelis to immediately evacuate the cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv.

At least 2,725 people in Israel have been evacuated from their homes since the latest conflict with Iran began last week, according to Israel’s Government Press Office (GPO).

Trump posted on Truth Social, "We know exactly where the so-called “Supreme Leader” is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

DGCA asks airlines to adopt alternative flight routing strategies to minimise disruptions due to Iranian airspace closure

The US military is sending additional fighter jets to the Middle East and extending the deployment of others, ramping up its presence as the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies, three US officials said.

One official confirmed the deployments include F-16s, F-22s, and F-35s. Two officials emphasised the move is defensive, with the aircraft being used primarily to intercept drones and incoming projectiles.

-with inputs from Reuters

Trump wrote on Truth Social, "We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran. Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn’t compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured “stuff.” Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA."

Iran’s military said it struck an Israeli military intelligence center in Tel Aviv with a guided missile overnight.

“The Zionist regime’s intelligence center was hit in its core, by a guided missile, despite the enemy’s heavy layers of defense, which the Americans are helping with,” said Reza Talaei-Nik, spokesperson for Iran’s defense ministry.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps called the strike “an effective operation, despite the presence of highly advanced defense systems,” claiming the “center is currently burning.”

Videos verified by CNN and circulating on social media appear to show four incoming missiles landing near interceptor fire and a military facility in central Israel.

“There have been hits on civilian targets, there have been hits on military targets,” an Israeli military official said Tuesday, describing the latest Iranian barrage.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that the complete destruction of Iran's nuclear weapons programme could be on the agenda if Tehran does not back down and return to the negotiating table.

"The Israeli army is obviously unable to accomplish that. It lacks the necessary weapons. But the Americans have them," said Merz in an interview with broadcaster ZDF on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada.

- Reuters

Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday urged the External Affairs Ministry's intervention to evacuate around 120 Indians stranded in Iraq following the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran.

Owaisi said the Indians, Shia Muslims, were on a pilgrimage and have been unable to come back due to stoppage of flights from Iraq, which is Iran's neighbour, according to sources.

The Hyderabad MP made the request to the MEA officials during the meeting of the parliamentary committee on external affairs.

- PTI

Air raid sirens rang out across large parts of Israel at around 7:30 p.m. IST (5 p.m. local time), after Iran launched another wave of attacks.

“Iran is attacking again,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a brief statement on X.

In a follow-up message, the military said several missiles had been fired from Iran in the past hour, and that “most of them were intercepted.”

Roughly an hour later, Israel’s Home Front Command gave the all-clear, allowing citizens to leave their bomb shelters.

More than 600 people of 17 nationalities have fled into Azerbaijan from Iran in the five days since the start of the air war between Israel and Iran, an Azerbaijani source with knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday.

The source said they included citizens of Russia, the United States, Germany, Spain, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Portugal, China, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

-Reuters

The International Atomic Energy Agency said Tuesday it believes Israeli airstrikes on Iran's Natanz enrichment site have had “direct impacts” on the facility's underground centrifuge halls.

This marks the first time the United Nations' nuclear watchdog has assessed damage from the strikes in the underground parts of Natanz, which is the main enrichment facility of Iran's nuclear programme.

“Based on continued analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday's attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz,” the agency said.

- Reuters

Israeli carrier, EL AL, says it expects to operate rescue flights on Wednesday for citizens stranded in Larnaca (Cyprus), Athens, Rome, and Milan.

A large banner featuring Iranian state TV presenter Sahar Emami has been raised in Tehran’s Veliasr Square, after she was targeted live on air during an Israeli strike.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) reports that the image shows Emami with her finger raised in defiance, alongside a verse from the Persian poet Ferdowsi praising the bravery of women “on the battlefield.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that China is “deeply concerned” by the “sudden escalation” of tensions in the Middle East following Israel’s military strikes on Iran, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

In his first public remarks on the conflict since it began on Friday, Xi reaffirmed China’s opposition to “any acts that infringe on the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity” of other nations.

“Military conflict is not a solution, and rising regional tensions do not serve the common interests of the international community,” he said during a joint appearance with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.

Qatar said on Tuesday that gas production at the South Pars field remains stable and supply is continuing as normal, despite an Israeli strike on Saturday that prompted Iran to partially halt its operations, Reuters reports.

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

Iran suspended part of its production after the strike triggered a fire at the site.

As Israel’s assault on Iran entered its fifth day, a growing number of residents have been fleeing the capital, Tehran, and heading toward the northern Caspian Sea province of Mazandaran in search of safety.

One evacuee told CNN it took over 14 hours to reach Shomal, a normally three-hour drive to the popular holiday region.

“Everyone left Tehran — basically everyone I know has left the city,” the person said. “People in Shomal have opened their doors, taking in those arriving from Tehran.”

“They bombed my house, my street yesterday,” the evacuee added. “All the windows turned to powder. The lobby of the building is gone.”

The European Union reiterated that diplomacy remains the best way to address Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, following emergency talks among its 27 foreign ministers on the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

“We all agreed on the urgent need for de-escalation,” said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas after the video call. “Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and diplomacy is the solution to prevent this. The EU will play its part.”

Europe has so far remained largely on the sidelines as tensions have flared between the two regional adversaries following Israel’s initial strikes on Iran.

Israel struck dozens of sites tied to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs overnight and has Iran’s military leadership “on the run,” a senior Israeli military official said Tuesday.

Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, the official confirmed that while Israel had not yet targeted Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility, it remained a possibility. He said precautions were being taken to avoid triggering a nuclear disaster.

According to the official, Iran has so far launched around 400 ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel, aiming at both civilian and military targets. A sharp overnight decline in missile launches, he said, indicated that Israel had successfully disrupted Iran’s strike capabilities.

Trump said he was seeking a lasting resolution to the conflict between Israel and Iran—not just a temporary halt in fighting.

“I’m not looking for a ceasefire,” he told reporters after returning from the G7 summit. “We’re looking at better than a ceasefire.”

According to the Associated Press, Trump rejected congressional testimony from US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, who informed lawmakers on March 25, 2025, that US intelligence agencies assessed Iran was not actively developing a nuclear weapon. Trump stated, “I don’t care what she said, I think they were very close to having it.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a joint call with the foreign ministers of France, Britain, Germany, and the EU, emphasised that while Tehran remains open to diplomacy, its current priority is “effective and deterrent confrontation” against aggression, according to a foreign ministry statement.

In a separate conversation with Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Araghchi criticised certain European countries for their pro-Israel stance, per IRNA. He reiterated Iran’s commitment to diplomacy, stating it has “never left the negotiating table."

The UK, France, and Germany have urged de-escalation but expressed support for Israel’s right to self-defence and voiced serious concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.

Sepah Bank, a major state-owned Iranian bank, experienced a cyberattack that disrupted its online services, as reported by the Fars news agency. The bank anticipates resolving the issue within hours. An Israel-linked hacking group, Predatory Sparrow (known as Gonjeshke Darande in Persian), claimed responsibility, asserting it “destroyed” the bank’s data.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they struck a centre of Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence service, in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.

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

There has been no Israeli confirmation of the same.

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz warns that Khamenei could face a similar fate to Iraq's Saddam Hussein stating, "remember what happened to the dictator in the neighbouring country of Iran who took this path against Israel."

According to an Israeli military official, Iran has so far fired 400 ballistic missiles and hundreds of UAVs towards Israel

Israel's attacks on Iran have broadened its conflicts in the region to a level that poses a global threat, Jordan's King Abdullah said in a speech in European Parliament on Tuesday.

"With Israel's expansion of its offensive to include Iran, there is no telling where the boundaries of this battleground will end," the Jordanian monarch said.

"And that is a threat to people everywhere. Ultimately, this conflict must end," he added.

- Reuters

In a post on his Truth Social platform, US President Donald Trump announced that he has not reached out to Iran about ceasefire talks "in any way, shape, or form".

Trump further added that Iran should have signed a deal that he put forward during the most recent talks over Iran's nuclear programme.

"This is just more HIGHLY FABRICATED, FAKE NEWS! If they want to talk, they know how to reach me. They should have taken the deal that was on the table - Would have saved a lot of lives!!!," he wrote.

Residential buildings, hospitals, research centers and civilian public infrastructures were targeted in Israel's military attacks on Iran, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran said in a press release on Tuesday.

"Contrary to the claims of Zionist regime, they deliberately target residential buildings, hospitals, research centers and civilian public infrastructures," it stated.

Referring to the Israeli forces as "Zionist," the statement further read: "The Expansionist Zionist regime is the main cause of instability and war in West Asia region. This regime permanently invades its neighbors and violates their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Iran’s military doctrine is defensive in nature and has employed various means to deter Zionist regime from threatening the security of Iran and the whole region."

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi on Tuesday revealed that about 224 of civilian citizens including women and children had died, and 1,257 others were injured so far in Israel's military attacks on Iran.

Referring to the attacks by Israel as "blatant acts of aggression," the Embassy wrote: "On 13th June 2025, the occupying and rogue Zionist regime flagrantly violated the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of Iran by waging military attacks against several locations including residential areas, killing innocent women and children. As a result of these brutal military attacks, which is the clear violation of all international principles and regulations, 224 of civilian citizens including women and children have been martyred and 1257 others injured so far."

"The Zionist regime’s unlawful military attacks on Iran, constitute a flagrant violation of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and are blatant acts of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, Iran reserves its legitimate and legal rights to respond properly and timely to these aggressions," the release stated.

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

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

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

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

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Slovakia had helped evacuate seven Hungarians. Meanwhile, Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova said that a flight with 66 people evacuated from Israel had landed near Prague.

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

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

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

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

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

Twenty countries denounced in a joint statement the escalating tensions in the Middle East caused by what they term Israel's aggression against Iran and called for diplomacy and dialogue to restore stability in the region, news agency AP reported.

“There's an imperative need to halt Israeli hostilities against Iran, which come during a time of increasing tension in the Middle East, and to work towards de-escalation, to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire and restoration of calm,” read the statement.

Foreign ministers of Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei, Chad, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, and Mauritania rejected finding resolution through military campaigns. Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates also condemned the escalation.

They also highlighted the importance of clearing the region of nuclear and mass destruction weapons and called for refraining from targeting nuclear facilities and protecting maritime navigation in international waters. (AP)

Downtown Tehran appeared to be starting to empty out early Tuesday, with many shops closed, news agency AP reported.

The city’s ancient Grand Bazaar was also closed, something that has only happened in the past during anti-government demonstrations or at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, as per the report.

On the roads out of Tehran to the west, traffic stood bumper to bumper. Many appeared to be heading to the Caspian Sea area. Long queues also could be seen at gas stations in Tehran.

Authorities within Iran’s government continued to insist everything was under control and did not offer any guidance for the public on what to do, AP report noted. (AP)

Senior Iranian Army Commander on Tuesday said that attacks against Israel will intensify in the next hours, news agency Reuters reported quoting the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

A new wave of hundreds of drones will hit Israel, the senior commander told IRNA. (Reuters)

Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno on Tuesday stated that he sees "no sign" of de-escalation in conflict between Israel and Iran, news agency Reuters reported.

"I see no sign of de-escalation in conflict between Israel and Iran," Albares said.

He also suggested that the European Union must impose a weapon embargo on Israel "as long as this war lasts." (Reuters)

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said that embassies and consulates are working with relevant departments to ensure the safety of its citizens in Iran and Israel amid the brewing conflict, news agency Reuters reported.

"Some Chinese nationals have been evacuated to neighbouring countries. Embassies and consulates are working with relevant departments to ensure the safety of its citizens in Iran and Israel, and quickly organise evacuations," the Ministry said, according to Reuters.

The Ministry also called on all parties, "especially those with 'special influence on Israel side to shoulder their due responsibilities and take immediate measures to cool down the tension."

China will continue to strengthen their communication with relevant parties, it stated. (Reuters)

United States President Donald Trump Tuesday said he wanted a "real end" to the nuclear problem with Iran, with Iran "giving up entirely" on nuclear weapons, news agency Reuters reported quoting the comments posted by a CBS News reporter on social media platform X.

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

Trump predicted that Israel would not be slowing its attacks on Iran. "You're going to find out over the next two days. You're going to find out. Nobody's slowed up so far," the CBS journalist quoted Trump as saying on Air Force One.

Trump said "I may", on the prospect of sending US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to meet with Iran. However, he added that "it depends what happens when I get back", according to the CBS reporter. Washington has said Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran. (Reuters)

Amid fresh wave of airstrike between the two countries, Israel’s military said it had killed Ali Shadmani, identified as Iran’s wartime chief of staff and one of the most senior military commander, news agency Reuters reported.

US President Donald Trump in about eight hours Monday went from suggesting a nuclear deal with Iran remained “achievable” to urging Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives as he cut short his visit to an international summit to return to Washington for urgent talks with his national security team. He was expected to arrive at the White House early Tuesday at a moment of choosing in his presidency.

Israel, with five days of missile strikes, has done considerable damage to Iran and believes it can now deal a permanent blow to Tehran's nuclear program — particularly if it gets a little more help from Trump. But deepening American involvement, perhaps by providing the Israelis with bunker-busting bombs to penetrate Iranian nuclear sites built deep underground or offering other direct US military support, comes with enormous political risk for Trump.

He appears to be gradually building the public case for more direct American involvement. “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign,” Trump posted on social media shortly before the White House announced Trump was cutting short his visit to the Group of Seven summit in the Canadian Rockies. “What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”

- AP

Loud booms were heard in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Tuesday as Iran launched fresh wave of missiles at Israel and at least one has reportedly hit central Israel, reports BBC.

The explosions were heard in Tel Aviv after air raid sirens and alert went out to residents which asked them to take shelter in protected areas until further notice.

The Israel Defense Forces had earlier said that air force was operating to intercept and strike out the necessary threats.

The Israeli military has claimed that it has killed Iran's armed forces chief of staff Ali Shadmani in its barrage of strikes on Tehran. Shadmani was the most senior military commander, reported Reuters.

The conflict between Israel and Iran began on Friday when both the warring nations started trading strikes.

Indian students in Iran's capital Tehran have been moved out of the city for safety in light of Iran's conflict with Israel while others who are "self-sufficient" in terms of transport have been advised to move out too, Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday.

"Separately, some Indians have been facilitated to leave Iran through the border with Armenia. The Embassy remains continuously in touch with the community with a view to extending all feasible assistance," the ministry added.

The Israeli military has stated that it destroyed dozens of ground-to-ground missile storage and launch facilities and ground-to-air missile launchers in western part of Iran during Monday night.

In a post on X, the Israeli military claimed "Air Force fighter jets completed several waves of strikes last night targeting dozens of military targets of the Iranian regime in western Iran."

A new wave of missiles were launched by Iran on Tuesday morning as Israel Defense Forces said that the strikes were targeted towards the territory of Israel. The Israeli defence systems are working to intercept the Iranian missiles.

Advising the residents to take shelter in protected area, IDF said "You must enter the protected areas upon receiving the alert, and remain there until further notice. Exiting the protected area will only be possible after receiving explicit instructions."

US President Donald Trump, who cut short his trip to Canada where the G7 Summit was underway, has now said that he didn't leave G7 to work on the Israel-Iran ceasefire, and that French President Emmanuel Macron mistakenly said it as he is seeking publicity.

Trump said that Macron had "no idea" why the US president was returning to Washington and the reason is "much bigger" than the ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

"Publicity seeking President Emmanuel Macron, of France, mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a “cease fire” between Israel and Iran. Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that. Whether purposely or not, Emmanuel always gets it wrong," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

During an Israeli strike at Iran on Monday, the building of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Iran's state broadcaster was hit which left a news editor and a employee dead, Iranian state media IRNA reported.

Iran's local media earlier reported that only one staff member of the news organistaion was killed in the attack. As the headquarter of the IRIB was struck during a live broadcast, the blast could be heard and studio lights went off as debris fell over the studio.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting started broadcasting hours after the attack, BBC reported.

US President Donald Trump cut short his G7 Summit being held in Canada and has left for Washington due to the prevailing situation between Israel and Iran. Trump left a day early and reportedly asked the National Security Council to be ready and convene in the Situation Room in the White House.

A White House aide has earlier clarified that the United States is not joining the Israeli offensive against Iran, and that American forces are maintaining their defensive posture.

The United States embassy in Jerusalem has said that it is not in a position to "evacuate or directly assist" Americans who are departing Israel. The embassy, which was shut on Monday, said it will remain closed on Tuesday as well.

The embassy in Jerusalem further added that all US government employees and their family members should continue to remain in the protected shelters which are already in place and near their residences until any further notice.