Israel Iran Conflict Highlights: Trump rejects Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Khamenei, says Israel-Iran may need to ‘fight it out’

Explosion heard in Jerusalem, air raid sirens sound, reports Reuters.

One woman has been killed and around 40 people injured in Israel following a wave of ballistic missile strikes launched by Iran, according to Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter.

He confirmed that Israel faced three separate salvos totaling around 150 missiles on Friday. “We expect that the Iranians, who have a considerable volume of ballistic missiles, somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2,000, will continue to fire them,” he warned.

Leiter accused Tehran of deliberately targeting Israeli civilians and made it clear that Israel considers itself at war—not with the Iranian people, but with the regime in power. “We are in a war against a regime that is intent on achieving nuclear power,” he said.

Asked about Israel’s recent retaliatory strikes, Leiter said the Israeli military would need more time to assess how much damage was inflicted on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. “Ask me that question in four or five days,” he added, suggesting further operations were ongoing.

The escalation marks one of the most dangerous moments in the Israel-Iran standoff, as both sides brace for potential follow-up attacks amid international concern over wider regional conflict.

Sirens sounded in northern Israel as IDF warns of new wave of Iranian missiles, reports CNN. “A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles from Iran toward the State of Israel,” the IDF said in a statement.

Tensions soared Friday night as Iranian forces launched dozens of missiles toward Israel, killing at least one person and wounding several others. The strikes follow Iran’s warning that it would intensify attacks on Israel and threaten the regional bases of any country aiding it. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility, saying it targeted Israeli military centers and air bases. Iran’s air defense systems were activated amid continued Israeli strikes, according to Iranian state media.

Casualties on both sides
Iran’s UN envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani, told the UN Security Council that Israel’s earlier airstrikes had killed at least 78 people in Iran, including top military officials, and injured over 320—most of them civilians. In Israel, a woman in Ramat Gan died after missile fragments struck the area. Seven others were hospitalized in Tel Aviv.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have taken shelter in a military bunker as they assess the fast-developing situation. US President Donald Trump spoke with Netanyahu earlier in the day, amid growing concern over further escalation in the region.

The Israeli military reported intercepting several missiles and has permitted civilians to leave shelters.

The Israeli military has released an official statement, ”In the last hour, dozens of missiles have been launched at the state of Israel from Iran, some of which were intercepted”. Emergency and rescue personnel have been sent to several locations where projectiles have landed. The military has confirmed the presence of fallen missiles, but no confirmation has been given on the number of casualties, as per a Reuters report.

As per a report by Tasnim news agency several loud explosions were heard in Tehran.

As per the latest update from Reuters, two missiles have struck Iran’s Mehrabad Airport Area. Fire has also been reported at the same place.

In a major escalation, Israel and Iran have launched fresh airstrikes against each other on early Saturday. The Israeli military has conducted its largest attack on Iranian targets to disrupt Tehran’s reported nuclear weapons development.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israel had coordinated in advance with the United States before carrying out a strike on Iran. He added that the Trump administration was aware of the operation ahead of time.

“We informed them beforehand. They knew about the strike,” Netanyahu said in a pre-recorded video message released Friday afternoon.

Defends Trump’s Position on Iran

Netanyahu refrained from commenting on what actions the U.S. might take next, stating, “What they will do now, I leave to President Trump. He makes his own decisions independently.”

The Israeli leader also praised former President Trump’s stance on Iran, saying, “I won’t speak for him. He speaks strongly and clearly. He has said that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons or enrichment capabilities.”

CNN

Air defenses across Iran were activated Friday evening as fresh airstrikes targeted the capital, Tehran, amid rising regional tensions, according to Iranian state media.

Press TV reported that missiles were intercepted in the southern part of Tehran, while the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) confirmed that the western areas of the city were also under attack.

The city of Karaj, located just west of Tehran, was among the areas hit in the latest round of strikes, IRIB added. The source of the attacks remains unclear, and there has been no immediate statement from Iranian officials regarding casualties or damage.

The strikes come amid a series of escalating confrontations in the region, with observers warning of potential broader conflict.

Iraq’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Fuad Hussein has called on Iran to persist with diplomatic dialogue with the United States despite recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory.

In a statement issued by Iraq’s foreign ministry, Hussein “expressed Iraq’s strong condemnation of the military aggression targeting the Islamic Republic of Iran” and voiced full support for the Iranian government and its people amid what he described as a “dangerous escalation.”

He also emphasized the importance of diplomacy, urging Tehran to “continue pursuing dialogue with the United States through Omani mediation to reach solutions that would ease tensions and enhance regional security and stability.”

The development comes amid ongoing efforts by Iran and the US to revive the stalled nuclear deal. The most recent talks were held in Rome in late May, with a sixth round scheduled for Sunday in Oman.

Iraq has also submitted an official complaint to the United Nations Security Council over the Israeli strikes. The statement added that Iran “reserves the right to respond and defend its sovereignty in proportion to the scale of the threat.”

US President Donald Trump held multiple conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, including just before Israel launched unprecedented strikes on Iran, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

While the content of the discussions was not disclosed, the source said Trump viewed the military action as a direct consequence of Iran’s failure to reach a new nuclear agreement within his previously set 60-day deadline.

Trump is expected to speak with Netanyahu again later today, according to both US and Israeli officials.

Despite escalating tensions, the White House insists the president remains committed to salvaging the nuclear talks with Iran. The source added that US special envoy Steve Witkoff is prepared to meet Iranian officials either in Oman on Sunday, as earlier scheduled, or at another time if rescheduled.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned Israel’s recent strike on Iran as a “reckless and unlawful act” in a strongly worded letter to the United Nations Security Council on Friday. He warned that Israel would “come to deeply regret” its “reckless aggression” and called for an emergency UNSC meeting.

Calling the attack a “brazen and deliberate escalation,” Araghchi urged the Security Council to “strongly condemn this act of aggression” and hold Israel “fully accountable for its crimes.”

The foreign minister described the strike as a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and international law. “Israel, the most terrorist regime in the world, has now crossed every red line, and the international community must not allow these crimes to go unpunished,” he wrote.

Araghchi asserted that Iran will respond “decisively and proportionately” to the attack, saying the Islamic Republic will act with full resolve to defend its sovereignty, people, and national security.

US President Donald Trump revealed that Iran has missed a 60-day deadline he had set earlier this year for reaching a new nuclear deal, casting doubt on the future of ongoing negotiations amid rising tensions in the region.

In an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on Friday, Trump said, “Iran should have listened to me when I said — you know I gave them, I don’t know if you know, but I gave them a 60-day warning and today is day 61.” The deadline began on April 12 when the first round of US-Iran talks on the deal resumed.

Trump had issued the warning in a letter addressed to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier this year. He also publicly hinted at the letter in a Fox interview, stating: “I hope that Iran… is going to negotiate, because if we have to go in militarily, it is going to be a terrible thing for them. I said, I hope you’re going to negotiate, because it’s going to be a lot better for Iran.”

Despite the deadline, US officials involved in the negotiations had indicated that discussions would continue even beyond the 60-day window. However, after Israel’s recent strike targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, the future of the deal appears increasingly fragile.

With tensions escalating, US officials are reportedly still pushing for dialogue, but the likelihood of meaningful progress now seems uncertain.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to speak with US President Donald Trump later today, an Israeli official confirmed on Friday. The timing of the conversation has not yet been disclosed.

The official also stated that Netanyahu is expected to hold a situational assessment later in the day as regional tensions continue to mount. However, specific details regarding the agenda or exact timing of either event remain unclear.

CNN has reached out to the White House for a statement on the matter.

Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari (Effie Defrin) said on Friday that Israel is bracing for a “prolonged operation” as it navigates escalating tensions with Iran and continues its campaign in Gaza.

“We will continue operating until the war’s objectives are reached,” Defrin stated during a briefing, signaling a potentially drawn-out military engagement.

He confirmed that Israeli forces are preparing for further retaliatory action from Iran. “We know they’re preparing for a response and to fire at us,” he said.

Defrin added that while Iran had already launched drone attacks toward Israel on Friday, most of them were successfully intercepted by Israeli defense systems.

Britain on Friday updated its travel guidance to Israel, saying the situation could escalate quickly following Israeli strikes against nuclear and military facilities in Iran.

“The situation could escalate quickly and could pose significant risks, including missile fire,” an update on the government’s website said.

The same warning was added to its advice for the occupied Palestinian territories.

Britain also re-issued its travel advice for other countries including Iran, Iraq, Saudia Arabia, Egypt and Syria to include a warning on the risk of wider escalation.

Iran on Friday officially confirmed that Israel has killed Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the influential head of the Revolutionary Guard’s missile programme.

The announcement was made on Iranian state television Friday afternoon, shortly after Israel publicly claimed responsibility for targeting Hajizadeh in a precision strike.

Hajizadeh was one of the most prominent figures within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), known for overseeing the development and deployment of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal. His death marks a significant blow to Iran’s military command structure and its strategic weapons capabilities.

While further details of the strike have not been disclosed, his death is expected to escalate already heightened tensions in the region following a series of cross-border attacks between Iran and Israel in recent weeks.

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, urging its leadership to accept a nuclear deal before it is “too late,” and threatening that future Israeli strikes could be even more devastating.

In a fiery post on Truth Social early Friday, Trump claimed that several Iranian leaders are already dead due to recent attacks and that “great death and destruction” had occurred. He suggested that unless Iran agrees to terms soon, what he described as the “next already planned attacks” would be far more brutal.

“There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter… come to an end,” Trump wrote. “Iran must make a deal before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire.”

Trump also criticized Iran’s hardliners, claiming they underestimated the military power of Israel and the U.S., and added that the two nations possess the most “lethal military equipment anywhere in the world.”

Negotiations over a renewed nuclear agreement between Iran and the United States have reportedly intensified in recent weeks. However, Tehran’s continued insistence on its right to enrich uranium remains a major sticking point in talks.

The president concluded his post with a plea for Iran to act swiftly: “No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. God Bless You All!”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has named new military leaders following the deaths of two top commanders in a wave of Israeli airstrikes on Friday.

According to state television, Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi has been appointed as the new head of Iran’s armed forces, replacing Gen. Mohammad Bagheri. Mousavi previously served as the top army commander.

Khamenei also appointed Mohammad Pakpour to lead the Revolutionary Guard, succeeding Gen. Hossein Salami.

The Revolutionary Guard, established after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, remains a key pillar of power in the country’s ruling theocracy.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that the United States had no involvement or provided any assistance in Israel’s recent strikes on Iran. His statement comes as President Donald Trump, prior to the attack, had expressed a desire for Israel to hold off on any military action against Iran while the US continues its negotiations over a renewed nuclear deal.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged increased protection for Jewish and Israeli institutions in Germany following Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Iran. Merz emphasized that Israel has the right to “defend its existence” and confirmed Berlin’s continued support for Israel’s security.

In a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, Merz reiterated Germany’s stance against Iran’s nuclear ambitions, stating that Iran has failed to comply with its nuclear disclosure obligations and poses a growing threat to regional stability.

“The nuclear program violates the Non-Proliferation Treaty and endangers the region, particularly Israel,” Merz said, after convening a meeting of Germany’s security cabinet. He also urged both nations to avoid actions that could further escalate tensions.

Amid the ongoing conflict, Israeli officials revealed that drones and other weapons were covertly smuggled into Iran in advance of the airstrikes, as part of a broader strategy to cripple Tehran’s military capabilities.

Israel’s military announced that it deployed 200 fighter jets in a massive strike on Iran, dropping over 330 munitions and hitting more than 100 strategic targets across the country. Iran’s capital Tehran was also hit by Israeli strikes.

Israel struck Iran’s nuclear facilities early Friday, dramatically escalating tensions and threatening to drag the wider Middle East into regional conflict. Here’s how events unfolded in the lead-up to the strikes:

In May, US intelligence began picking up signs that Israel was preparing a possible strike on Iranian nuclear sites. This came even as President Donald Trump’s administration continued efforts to negotiate a diplomatic nuclear deal with Tehran.

Wednesday: The US withdrew non-essential diplomatic personnel and their families from posts across the Middle East, citing “developing tension.” President Trump later said the decision was precautionary: “It could be a dangerous place.”

Thursday: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution declaring Iran in breach of its nuclear obligations. In response, Tehran announced a new uranium enrichment facility and vowed to retaliate. Trump warned a “massive conflict” could erupt in the region and said an Israeli strike “could very well happen.”

Friday: In the early hours, Israel launched coordinated strikes on dozens of Iranian targets, including nuclear and missile infrastructure. Israeli officials said it was the start of a sustained operation.

Iran and the US were expected to resume nuclear talks in Oman this weekend.

China expressed deep concern over Israel’s large-scale strikes on Iran and called for urgent de-escalation to preserve peace and stability in the region.

“China opposes any violation of Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Friday. He warned that rising tensions serve no one’s interest and urged all parties to avoid further conflict. Lin added that China stands ready to play a constructive role in defusing the crisis.

The strikes mark the start of Israel’s campaign to block Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran vowed retaliation, while Beijing maintained its close ties with Tehran, largely rooted in energy cooperation.

Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah has requested the Ministry of External Affairs to “urgently ensure the safety and well-being of Kashmiri students currently stuck in Iran”.

Israel attacked Iran on Friday, June 13, 2025, aiming to cripple Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities and eliminating key regime leaders. The operation, codenamed Operation Rising Lion, was launched only after Israeli intelligence concluded that Iran was close to developing nuclear weapons, posing what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as an “existential threat” to Israel’s survival.

Read More: Why did Israel attack Iran? Benjamin Netanyahu’s Operation Rising Lion explained

Air France announced the suspension of all flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice. The decision comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East following Israeli airstrikes and escalating hostilities with Iran.

The Israeli military announced it has completed a widespread offensive targeting air defences in western Iran. On Friday, it said dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile systems were destroyed during the strikes. The operation aimed to degrade Iran’s ability to respond to ongoing Israeli military actions in the region.

“Iran assembling a nuclear weapon is a threat not just to Israel, but to the entire world,” said Israeli envoy Reuven Azar. “All our neighbours understand that if Iran gains access to nuclear weapons, every country in the region will be at risk. By defending ourselves, we are also protecting others from Iranian aggression.”

He added, “Iran has cheated on its commitments. It is a genocidal, radical Islamic regime that supports proxy Islamist groups and rogue elements across the region.”

Azar also stated, “We have coordinated closely with the United States, although US participation in Israel’s military actions is not required. At the same time, we are in touch with several countries who are urging restraint and dialogue, and we are explaining to them why Israel had to strike Iran.”

“When it comes to tackling Iran, Israel has found itself with no choice on many occasions, acting out of necessity to protect its national security. We have collaborated closely with other international intelligence agencies to assess the evolving threat from Iran. This follows reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which found Iran to be non-compliant with its nuclear obligations essentially confirming that Iran has cheated on its commitments. Israel is currently tracking multiple critical threats from Iran, including its nuclear program, ballistic missile development, and other regional issues,” says Israel’s envoy Reuven Azar.