Israel-Iran Conflict Highlights: Trump to decide on US involvement ‘within two weeks’ as Iran-Israel conflict enters 7th day

Mohammad Javad Hosseini, Deputy Chief of Mission of Iran in India said that Iran retaliated to Israel’s aggression is based on self-defence, which is enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

Hosseini said that Iran is in a position to defend its people, government, and the country in the best way.

“The truth is that one that since June 13, we were attacked by the Israeli regime as an aggression which is a flagrant violation of international law, violation of sovereignty of one independent state. This is a matter that it was highly expected that the free nations of the government who are seeking justice in the world condemn such kind of aggression, which is a violation of international law. We actually are in a position to defend our people, our government, our country in the best way,” he told ANI.

“India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia on 17th June. They departed from Yerevan on a special flight and will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of 19th June 2025,” MEA Randhir Jaiswal wrote on social media.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers Wednesday that the Pentagon was providing possible options to President Donald Trump as he decides next steps on Iran but would not say whether the military was planning to assist with Israeli strikes, an action that could risk dragging America into a wider war in the Middle East.Hegseth was on Capitol Hill for the last of his series of often combative hearings before lawmakers, who have pressed him on everything from a ban on transgender troops to his use of a Signal chat to share sensitive military plans earlier this year.In questioning before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth said “maximum force protection” was being provided for U.S. troops in the Middle East and that it is Trump’s decision whether to provide Israel a ”bunker buster” bomb to strike at the core of Iran’s nuclear program, which would require U.S. pilots flying a B-2 stealth bomber. He would not indicate what the U.S. may do next.

Oil prices fell nearly 2% on Wednesday after gaining earlier in the session as investors weighed the chance of supply disruptions from the Iran-Israel conflict and potential direct U.S. involvement.

Brent crude futures fell $1.40, or 1.8%, to $76.73 a barrel by 10:41 a.m. EDT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped $1.29, or 1.7%, at $73.55. Both contracts had gained over 4% the previous session.

Prices turned negative after President Donald Trump on Wednesday declined to answer reporters’ questions on whether the U.S. was planning to strike Iran or its nuclear facilities, and said the Iranians had reached out but he feels “it’s very late to be talking”.

Trump said Iran had proposed to come for talks at the White House but did not provide details.

“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,” said US President Donald Trump upon being asked if he was going to strike Iran.

“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.’”

“There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end. Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. God Bless You All!” he added.

“I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest of words, to “just do it,” but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done. I told them it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told, that the United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come – And they know how to use it. Certain Iranian hardliner’s spoke bravely, but they didn’t know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse!” the POTUS warned.

The Israeli military has indicated that public safety guidelines that had heavily restricted activity in the country will be relaxted from 6 pm local time. The newly revamped guidelines will allow for limited gatherings and work operations in areaswhere people can quickly reach a “standard protected place”. Schools and educational institutions remain closed.

Oil prices steadied on Wednesday, recovering early losses to register moderate gains after the previous session’s 4% advance as markets weighed up the chance of supply disruptions from the Iran-Israel conflict and potential direct U.S. involvement.

Brent crude futures rose 28 cents, or 0.4%, to $76.73 a barrel by 1236 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 40 cents, or 0.5%, at $75.24. Both contracts had lost more than 1% earlier in the session.

The first evacuation flight will reach New Delhi on Wednesday with 90 Kashmiri students on board.

Israeli military said it is attacking military targets in Tehran on Wednesday evening.

” The IAF is currently striking military targets belonging to the Iranian Regime in Tehran,” the IDF wrote on X.The

Russian President Vladimir Putin and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke by phone on Wednesday and both agreed that there needed to be an immediate end to the conflict between Israel and Iran, the Kremlin said.

Putin reiterated Russia’s readiness to serve as a mediator to help find a diplomatic solution to Israeli and Western concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme, the Kremlin added.

“Approximately 25 fighter jets struck over 40 missile infrastructure components directed toward Israel this morning, including missile storage sites and military operatives of the Iranian Regime. A loaded and ready-to-launch “Emad” missile launcher was also struck overnight,” the Israeli Defense Force wrote on X while sharing a video.

“Any form of US military intervention will undoubtedly be met with irreparable harm,” Khamenei vowed.

Iranian media presenters read out a televised statement from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday afternoon.

“They should know that Iran will not surrender, and any US strike would have serious, irreparable consequences. Those who know Iran’s history will know that Iranians do not answer well to the language of threats,” he said in response to Trump’s recent comments.

According to an update shared by local media, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed to “punish” Israel for making a “huge mistake”. He also warned that the US should know that “Iran will not surrender and any US strike would have serious, irreparable consequences”.

“People will not forget the blood of ‘martyrs’ and the attack on their territory,” he said.

“We have delivered significant blows to the Iranian regime, and as such, they have been pushed back into central Iran. They are now focusing their efforts on conducting missile fire from the area of Isfahan. We are aiming at military targets, they are attacking civilian homes,” said Spokesperson BG Effie Defrin

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Iran was defending itself against Israel’s illegal, “crazed” attacks, and what he called “state terrorism”, and added Iran’s self-defence was natural, legal and legitimate.

Speaking to members of his ruling AK Party in parliament, Erdogan also said Israel had attacked Turkey’s neighbour Iran without waiting for an end to nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran, adding Ankara wanted to see issues resolved through diplomacy. He said Turkey was ready to contribute to a solution.

“During an operational activity, surface-to-air missiles were fired at an Air Force remotely piloted aircraft. The device fell in Iranian airspace, there were no casualties, and there is no fear of information leaking,” reports quoted an IDF spokesperson as saying.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei will share a televised message shortly. The update was shared by the semi-official Tasnim news agency on Wednesday afternoon. His last appearance was on Friday shortly after Israel attacked Iran.

Britain said on Wednesday it was temporarily withdrawing the family members of staff who work at the country’s embassy and consulate in Israel due to the significant risks posed from the 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,” Britain’s foreign office said on its travel advice page for Israel.

“The embassy and consulate continues with essential work including services to British nationals,” it added.

“The IAEA has information that two centrifuge production facilities in Iran, the TESA Karaj workshop and the Tehran Research Center, were hit. Both sites were previously under IAEA monitoring and verification as part of the JCPOA,” the nuclear watchdog confirmed.

It added in a follow-up post that one building — where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested — was hit at the Tehran site. Meanwhile, two buildings were destroyed in Karaj, where different centrifuge components were manufactured.

Israel says that the energy sector is operating normally and that the gas exports will resume within the coming hours or days, Reuters reported, citing Israel Energy Minister.

The Strait of Hormuz is in focus amid the ongoing Iran-Israel war. It is one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints, as one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through it.

Former Iranian Economy Minister Ehsan Khandouzi has said that tankers and LNG cargoes should only transit the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian permission, and this policy should be carried out “tomorrow for a hundred days”.

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

Iran issued a warning on Wednesday that an American intervention in the ongoing Mideast conflict would start “an all-out war”.

“Any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Al Jazeera English.

Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, has said that the condition of the country’s nuclear facilities is “good,” Fars News reported.

This comes after the IDF said that over 50 IAF jets have attacked centrifuge production and other sites in Iran.

Over 700 Chinese nationals have already been relocated to safe zones from Iran and Israel, with more than 1,000 others currently in the process of being transferred, China’s Foreign Ministry said.

“Will continue to help citizens to evacuate,” the ministry said.

Not only was there a near-total Internet outage, but also a ban on using Internet-connected devices for officials, Fars news agency reported.

This comes after Iranian media reported that Israel has launched a "massive cyber war" against Iran's digital infrastructure.

The Israeli Military has said that it has intercepted three unmanned aerial vehicles which were launched from Iran, reported Reuters.